Ch.29096. You Have Been Defeated.

The scene flows by.

A long journey, if one were to call it long.

An infinitely brief journey, if one were to call it short.

“……”

Ermina, even though she didn’t want to know, came to understand.

The fate that had been bestowed upon that child.

And the journey of that life, which had abandoned and thrown away everything, sacrificing even its own future for the sake of some obscure, nominal existence…

That journey of life.

It had been so even after giving birth to Elimion.

She came to know even the inner workings of that child’s journey, wandering foreign lands in place of Elhermina after leaving the homeland.

And what had been its final destination…

The World Tree.

That child who returned to the Empire after experiencing such twists and turns…

We…

“Hmmmm~!”

At some point, Ermina had been silently taking in what was being shown.

The Demon King was getting bored as her reactions grew more subdued…

“Hmm?”

With her chin resting on her hand, legs elegantly crossed as she sat.

As she wiggled her toes to alleviate her boredom and moistened her lips with the clear liquid in the silver goblet that had somehow changed…

She sensed an anomaly.

An anomaly, or perhaps a miracle.

“So. You finally reached that point.”

Ascension.

Or sublimation.

Though the qualification had been granted at just the right moment.

…You refused it.

To the extent that your earthly soul and resentment rejected even such glory.

…Was it that painful?

“In a way, it’s nothing at all.”

But what can you do?

Isn’t that why you’ve endured until here, until now?

“Hmm….”

The Demon King glanced at Ermina, who was sprawled on the floor with half-closed eyes, looking ahead.

“…This is killing my mood.”

What is it, have I grown too old?

After enjoying it for a while… now it’s just…

No fun at all.

“In the end, it was just a fleeting, futile entertainment.”

This is it, this is it.

Entertainment no different from the mating rituals that beasts and vermin have always engaged in.

“Desire and impulse are ultimately no different from being in heat.”

Especially for me, who has no physical body.

“Yes. No need to drag this out any longer.”

Go ahead and see it through to the end.

====

It’s indescribable.

It’s inexpressible.

…The shock and surprise that Lueld felt was sufficient to be described as such.

A space resembling the pitch-black night sky.

That place alone remained unchanged.

‘In such a short time….’

It had changed.

Though indescribable…

Kariel had clearly become something different.

And regarding this point, Lueld had an inkling.

The strange miracle that unfolded at the final moment.

A strange miracle where not just the sword, but space itself acted as a form of hostility.

‘Have you… crossed the wall?’

No.

The wall had already been crossed long ago.

This is, yes. This would be the right way to express it.

‘The period has been placed.’

It was a bridge that Lueld himself had once crossed.

But something was different.

Until now, this brilliant and dark space had felt like something completely separate from him and Kariel.

But at this moment, he had the strange intuition, the premonition, that all of space was being attributed and subordinated to Kariel standing over there.

This was a realm difficult to measure with ordinary senses.

Nevertheless.

If there was one thing he could be certain of…

“……”

The confidence that he would never be defeated, at this moment… became uncertain.

Truly ambiguous.

He had not yet been defeated.

…But now he truly didn’t know.

To that extent, though the change was not visible or observable to the naked eye,

What was felt was truly dramatic.

Yes. Even someone like himself would realize this.

‘This is like…’

The weakest Demon King.

During a match with Corin, he had once said something like this to Lueld.

[You ask if Kariel is the successor who inherited my sword and techniques? If Grandeus is my descendant? No. Completely different.]

Although what he learned might seem similar.

[What he mastered only looks somewhat similar in form, but in reality, it’s completely different from mine.]

So if that child achieves greatness with it.

[He’ll be very different from who I am now. I guarantee it.]

“……”

Was this what he meant?

Above all, he had also said this.

[Kariel probably can’t beat me yet. But if he ever becomes capable of defeating me…]

Then you should be careful too.

“Huu.”

Likewise.

Was that also what he meant?

‘You’re too much.’

If I had known this, I would have given a few more clues.

‘No. That’s not the issue.’

“……”

Though he seemed to be staring blankly into space somewhere.

A surprise attack wouldn’t work.

Kariel was already free from the concepts of defenselessness and defense.

‘That… was certainly the direction I had been pursuing as well.’

But.

If achieving that meant having to throw away all of one’s humanity just to barely attain it…

…It would have been impossible for me, even if I died and came back to life.

It was a realm I had once abandoned.

And then, I chose a different path.

‘Yes. I’m beginning to understand.’

Why those who are obsessed with the sword, who stake their lives on the sword, who throw away even family ties and blood relations to devote themselves to it, had no choice but to do so.

‘Now, yes. I understand.’

How blessed I, Lueld, have been.

At the same time, he just now realized how cursed he had been.

‘I am a tool.’

A tool used by God for the peace and tranquility of this world.

I have never refused it, rejected it, or felt sorrow about it.

Rather, I even take pride in it.

In this vast and expansive world, through countless ages.

After all, the Lord Himself must have chosen me.

Since the invasion of the Demon King’s army, numerous heroes have been established.

But in the end, after deaths upon deaths, only I remained.

The duty and responsibility felt so heavy.

And for the sake of those who went before me.

…I couldn’t even tarnish the name of a hero.

I was secretly afraid that my reckless attitude would fade or soil that sacred name that should be remembered with holiness.

‘And yet…’

In the end, everything I tried to protect is about to crumble by my hand.

Moreover, to think that it would crumble because of my son.

‘Should I have done better?’

In every aspect.

One more thing, even a little more…

“What are you spacing out for, thinking you did well?”

“…Kal.”

“Next time if you get distracted…”

You’ll die.

Even without saying it, Lueld didn’t avoid the meaning that could be added to the end.

“Right.”

Gripping his sword again, he regulates his breathing and watches Kariel, who is also holding his sword.

“……”

Kariel, who had blinked his eyelids several times, quietly and widely.

The moment he took a step.

Whoosh!

Suddenly, holy power began to surge to the point of explosion.

‘What is this?!’

Is that unknown, strange ability being dismantled?

Was that the correct answer?

Kariel also instantly used the shadows to position himself behind Lueld.

Quickly withdrawing his body while simultaneously rotating his entire body, he struck with his sword.

Clang!

‘Hmm?’

Weight? Or stopping power?

Though the sword wasn’t heavy, it was extremely difficult to confront.

‘The speed isn’t that fast either—’

As holy power fills up, white light begins to bloom again over Lueld’s divine sword.

And yet.

Clang!

…There was hardly any difference.

Even though Kariel wasn’t in the pitch-black state like before, he was completely deflecting Lueld’s offensives and counterattacks with his sword.

‘This!’

Swinging the sword held in both hands with his right hand, while from his outstretched left hand, a pitch-black spear suddenly emerged, rushing toward the eyes as if to catch him off guard.

Avoiding it by turning his head, the spear tip curved and transformed into the shape of a sickle.

Then, just by pulling, it connected with an aggressive offensive that could sever the neck in one go, quickly lowering his knees to avoid it, and somehow deflecting the following sword strike and counterattacking!

Clang! Tang!

Though not much had changed, something had clearly changed.

Perhaps that’s why.

Despite reaching a state where he could exert holy power to his heart’s content, Lueld couldn’t clearly overwhelm Kariel as before.

‘That can’t be… the end.’

The method of response as an iron fortress is no different from before.

The addition of occasional counterattacks and threatening attacks would be a significant improvement.

…But with just this, the situation couldn’t be reversed.

That was the point of discomfort.

‘Is he waiting for something?’

Or preparing?

A sword in his right hand.

And in his left hand, a strange technique that transforms into various forms of pitch-black weapons.

From spear to sickle, from sickle to shield, from shield back to a reverse-gripped sword.

Despite freely and diversely handling everything held in both hands, there was no sense of awkwardness at all.

‘No.’

It’s not awkward.

But it wasn’t special either.

Just.

…From a non-special level, in terms of completely shedding awkwardness.

It was certainly at an extreme.

Yet, not one thing had surpassed its limit.

‘And yet you handle it to this extent?’

It became clear.

Weapons, armaments, and equipment couldn’t keep up with Kariel’s level.

Moreover, even the way he handled them…

As if handling clothes and tools that didn’t fit from the beginning.

But because the one handling them was exceptional, he completely covered the potential for decline with skill and know-how.

He has no talent for swords.

Not just swords.

Even the way of handling mana, or the sense for this kind of combat style… is terribly lacking.

And yet why can he… push back Lueld himself, who is exceptional in all these aspects?

‘Push back?’

At the moment of realization, he understood.

The one being pushed back was none other than Lueld.

Clang! Clang! Tang!

Somehow deflecting the consecutive strikes, and exerting holy power to repel a direct hit.

“!!”

Tang!

With a brief collision, a tiny pitch-black cross star burst out from the point of impact as if exploding.

‘What is this?’

Does it no longer require grand techniques or vast amounts of mana?

The aftermath of the simplified pitch-black star, the dark star, returned to Lueld as a massive burden.

Because the aftermath directly hit Lueld’s body, the one who wielded it.

“Kuk!”

But his transcendental regenerative ability handles it.

As he tires, muscles and bones that begin to crack from accumulated impacts are instantly buffered and repaired.

But.

Whoosh!

Each time he excessively emits holy power, tiny dark stars consecutively explode countless pitch-black crosses.

“Kuhek!”

His regenerative power couldn’t keep up.

“Para Ensis.”

As if driving in a wedge at that point.

“Tenebra.”

The holy power that had been flooding in was suddenly blocked.

But this time, it was clearly different from before.

“Kuhek!”

Lueld clutched his chest, dry heaving.

It was a huge opening, but Kariel just watched the scene.

“……”

This is a technique that even neutralized the infinite mana of Lutesia, who had reached demigod status.

To use this from the beginning, Kariel at that time was still too immature.

Above all, even if he could use this, he couldn’t guarantee that it would bring down Lueld.

A wounded beast is dangerous.

This technique is, in a way, like backing Kariel himself against a cliff.

With Dominator Peccata, it’s a mutual neutralization.

But at this moment, the stronger the opponent, the more they rely on external influences rather than internal ones, the more they self-destruct by their own performance and capacity.

…As holy power fills up to near infinity, and he can arm himself with it like another armor and sword, this would surely be a poisoned chalice to him.

…After all, this is a tactic to counteract what is called inherent power.

He wasn’t certain.

That holy power of his father’s was a kind of benefit provided to him by the world.

So, he thought it might not be inherent power.

And if he tried unnecessarily, there was a possibility that only his side would suffer extreme loss.

Whether I could willingly bear such a futile defeat in that way…

“Even holy power has become your inherent domain now.”

Whether it’s mana or holy power, the Irenis Church denies it, but magicians say it’s just another essence of mana.

They just don’t understand it yet.

“Huu. Haa….”

When was the last time?

Just like now, when breathing became rough, and it felt like his knees would stick to the ground due to dizziness at any moment…

“Here I come.”

Kariel, once again holding swords in both hands.

“Huup!”

Regulating his breathing, Lueld took a stance to meet Kariel, raising his trembling gaze.

“…It’s a bit late to say this.”

Lueld, with unfocused eyes, moved his lips with effort.

“With you as you are now… Yes. With this…”

You won’t die.

“……”

Kariel didn’t answer but responded with action, taking a stance like Para, as if performing a sword salute.

“……”

Tenebra is different from Dominator Peccata.

Therefore, although it will eat away at him like poison in reverse.

The holy power and inherent power he possesses still roam inside and outside his body.

Lutesia, who was a demigod, collapsed one-sidedly because she was immature.

Father was clearly different.

Because he began to dominate and encroach upon the hostility trying to kill and eliminate him.

As the encroached area is repelled, vast golden light and white light begin to blend together.

Eventually, that light…

…Forges a golden sword that emits a brilliant white radiance.

“……”

I’ve seen it before.

Veretragna.

The golden sword that symbolizes him and proves his existence.

To call it victory.

To proclaim victory.

It is precisely.

The executor of victory, illuminating victory itself.

‘…To me.’

These are now meaningless things.

As I’ve set aside my destiny, even the destiny of radiance has become meaningless to me.

‘It doesn’t matter.’

What remains ahead.

‘Neither victory, nor defeat, nor resignation…’

Neither acceptance, nor frustration, nor despair…

……

Crack—

Without warning or prelude.

At some point, my father with the golden sword, and that golden sword he wields.

The moment it collided head-on with my sword.

—!

——!

Starting with space.

Our existence, and the realm that defines and identifies existence.

Such a world, such a reality.

Suddenly evaporated.

After that, a continuous void.

Silence and emptiness.

Void and…

Abyss…

All concepts that had continued like eternity, in an instant, as if being rewound, reversed.

Once again constructing, implementing space, realm, form, existence…

And so.

Crack!

As dozens of cracks form from the sword I hold.

Boom!

Simultaneously, as the gold he wielded and swung scatters and collapses.

Except for the complete form of the divine sword he holds, all the powers, abilities, capabilities that father has wielded and handled…

In an instant, in a moment, scattered and crumbled.

Returned to void, to emptiness.

“?!”

Father, thrown and rolling on the ground from the impact.

And I, similarly pushed back, half-dragged, maintaining a low posture.

“……”

……

Yes.

The decision… has been made.

Symbolizing victory, representing victory, proving victory.

Even the absolute fate that victory has achieved.

Even the absolute fate of defeat that such victory executes.

Just now, I shattered that incomparable shackle… with my own hands.

Step.

Step.

Though the steps were difficult, I don’t hesitate.

It was truly, truly difficult to get this far.

…But now it’s done.

“Father.”

Toward my father, who was just about to rise.

Pointing my cracked sword at him, I asked.

“You have been defeated.”

What do you think?

“Will you acknowledge your defeat?”

Father.