Ch.995I Don’t Like It.

# Incomplete Demigod and Dying Demigod

I and Varnir were rampaging, using everything around us as our battlefield—the sky and earth, trees and rocks, even the lake.

He had to protect the World Tree, and I had to keep him from approaching others, so neither of us strayed too far from the capital.

Therefore, it was inevitable that I would spot Demian’s group during the battle. As inevitable as that bald purple space creature who loves dividing everything in half.

“Greuaaaaaaah!”

“Be careful! Here it comes again!”

“Lightning!? Breath!? Which one is it!?”

“Look at the horns! It’s lightning!”

A massive beast roaring thunderously. There stood a monster with deer antlers, looking like a mix of fairy woman, dragon, lion, and elemental.

Every time sparks swirled between the horns protruding from the monster’s head, lightning struck down from the sky, hammering the earth, and its breath resembled a photon cannon magnified several times over.

Demian, Ophelia, and Perneisia were locked in a desperate battle with the monster.

They didn’t seem to have the advantage… Rather, the opposite—they were clearly at a disadvantage.

The creature created a massive ice sword, wielded it with its forelegs, and swept through everything around it, while blocking Demian’s group’s attacks with tree wings resembling Varnir’s as it rampaged.

This too was a calamity.

Though its raw power seemed inferior to Varnir’s, its sheer size meant the scale of destruction was hardly different.

Demian was holding the frontline and Ophelia the rear, but victory seemed unlikely. Perneisia was just serving as Ophelia’s evasion shuttle.

‘…What is that monster?’

The appearance of a massive beast that easily surpassed any tree spirit. This was another situation I hadn’t anticipated.

I needed to help. That much was certain. The three of them defeating that monster would be about as difficult as a four-year-old child doing a handstand.

If Kudsedra were still alive, he would have been a great help in this situation, but that lizard had collapsed from exhaustion and couldn’t be resummoned right now.

So I had to help somehow. As the originator and person responsible for this reckless operation.

“I won’t let you interfere with Lashil!”

The problem was, I wasn’t in a position to spare attention elsewhere either.

Even though I had only looked away for the briefest moment, Varnir didn’t miss the opening and created a wooden barrel in his left hand to fire a photon cannon at me.

“Ah, seriously, you’re already dying and still…!”

I hurriedly threw myself aside to avoid the light bombardment, but he immediately teleported beside me and swung his sword.

– KWAAANG!

I managed to block it somehow, but my posture was so unstable that I was thrown back, carving a long furrow in the ground with my shoulder.

Feeling the dirt and sand sticking to my face, I became certain.

Unless Varnir’s life finally ended, I had no way to help Demian’s group. If I divided my attention, I would be the first to fall.

Should I risk injury, strike a blow, and immediately withdraw? If I used Sky Slash, I could inflict serious wounds on that monster…

…No, no. Too dangerous.

I was already clearly losing in my fight with Varnir. Expending energy on another enemy would be too risky.

Moreover, Varnir might exploit an opening and deliver a fatal blow, instantly turning the tide of battle.

If I fell before Varnir, Demian and Ophelia, whom I was trying to help, would also meet their deaths in a domino effect.

In the end, all I could do now was either defeat Varnir through miraculous effort or endure until he self-destructed.

It would be extremely difficult, but I could only hope Demian’s group would hold out safely until then.

Regrettably, that was the best option.

“…Ha.”

I pulled my shoulder out of the ground and let out a hollow laugh, my expression twisting with displeasure.

“I don’t like this.”

Yes, I truly didn’t like it.

Having become a demigod with the determination to protect, all I could do was endure until the enemy self-destructed while watching my comrades in danger.

Rationally, I understood. That this was the most reasonable, wise, and best course of action.

“…I don’t like it.”

But it was unpleasant. Unbearably unpleasant.

I don’t want to do that.

I.

“Endure until he self-destructs? That’s too pathetic. Too half-hearted.”

I swing my sword sideways with a smirk.

“KUUHAAAAAP!”

Varnir’s divine sword, swung with a roar, was blocked by Durandal, and my feet dug into the ground as I was pushed back several dozen meters.

“…Whatever you do, shouldn’t you do it properly?”

I smiled through blood-stained teeth.

“What nonsense are you…”

“I wasn’t talking to you. Just…”

It was just a declaration to myself.

“Just that I’ve made a decision. Instead of the easy and certain method, I’ve decided to act according to my heart’s desire.”

Varnir’s brow furrowed strangely. His face said he had no idea what nonsense I was spouting.

Well, he’ll understand soon enough.

Starting now.

“KYAAAAA-!”

I let out a fierce battle cry and headbutted him in the face.

“Kuk…!”

With a boom, the fairy demigod’s head snapped back, and he reflexively swung his sword.

Until just now, I would have dodged or retreated to maintain a safe distance.

But now—

– KWADEUK!

The green divine sword plunged into my side.

The blade penetrated through the protection of Unyielding Flesh. Bright blood streamed down.

Thanks to my divinely strengthened body, I wasn’t cut in half, but it was a long, deep sword wound that could have severed my internal organs.

“Kuheu… it’s more bearable than I thought…!”

I willingly accepted this in order to drive Durandal into his solar plexus.

“Kuk…!”

Varnir hastily withdrew his body through spatial teleportation, but he was a beat too slow, and a long sword wound was carved into his chest.

Of course, such a wound was nothing compared to the damage from the holy fire burning his entire body.

It was just a minor injury he could immediately heal by absorbing the vitality from his surroundings.

“Are you sure you can afford to waste life force like that!”

His regenerative ability wasn’t infinite; it relied on sacrificing the surrounding trees. The more wounds he sustained, the more life he had to waste on recovery.

“Your already limited lifespan will shorten even more!”

In other words, the more wounds I inflicted on him, the faster his destruction would come.

“Let’s find out for certain. Whether I fall first, or you turn to ashes in the desert!”

I had decided.

Instead of waiting for him to burn himself out, I would hasten his death with my own hands.

Accepting being torn, cut, pierced, and severed without hesitation.

Half-abandoning defense. Giving up on evasion. Focusing solely on cutting down the enemy.

Like a star burning itself to illuminate the world.

“…How reckless and hasty, though I’m grateful for it…!”

Varnir sneered at me as he charged.

A bloody battle ensued, washing blood with blood.

“KYAAAAAT!”

“KUHAAAAP!”

I disregarded defense and evasion, clinging to him like a rabid dog, while he regenerated his torn and cut wounds instantly and carved countless wounds into me.

– SEOGEK!

My abdomen was slashed diagonally. I quickly regenerated the skin and flesh to prevent blood and intestines from spilling out.

Simultaneously, Durandal severed his right arm.

– PEOEOK!

His prosthetic arm pierced my shoulder, and the spikes protruding from it half-severed my left arm.

I maximized my cellular regeneration to prevent it from being torn off completely, but regenerating the ground-up, vanished bone was impossible.

Instead of retreating, I moved closer and bit off his face, chewing it to pieces.

– KWAJIK!

My leg bone snapped in the opposite direction. Simple fractures were easy to regenerate.

Staggering, I bent my knee and struck his groin with my sword hilt. Varnir’s expression visibly contorted.

– PUUK!

He regenerated his right hand and ran his blade through my lower abdomen.

I hardened my abdominal muscles like steel to fix his sword in place, then crushed and severed his arm with my elbow and knee.

The blade stuck in my stomach vanished, consumed by holy fire, and blood gushed out before stopping.

“Státŭo éntĭtas…!”

【 Spatial Fixation 】

“That again!”

【 Defying Fate 】

Our core techniques canceled each other out, and Durandal caught his divine sword at the base of the blade and deflected it.

Two swords flew through the air. Varnir created a new sword in his hand, and I reached above my head to recall Durandal.

– KWADEUDEUK!

His sword cut through more than half of my thigh, and Durandal pierced his solar plexus.

“Kuk,!”

“Kyahak…!”

My brain, burning with pain, instantly calculated the next move.

Lower body damaged. Mobility reduced. At least tens of seconds until recovery.

Then.

“Ever been in a dog fight!”

I let go of Durandal’s hilt and leaped with my supporting leg to pounce on him.

Like an insect pinned for mounting, Varnir was pinned to the ground by Durandal. I straddled him and clenched my fists tightly.

– PEOEOEOK!

And literally began a dog fight. A transcendent, demigod-level dog fight.

My punch, thrown from a mount position, missed and pulverized the earth, while his prosthetic arm struck my solar plexus like lightning.

“Kyayuk…!”

My back arched. Gritting my teeth and enduring, I headbutted his face, shattering it. Blood burst forth with a cracking sound.

Varnir’s face was half-collapsed, skull and all. He tried to stab my side with the sword in his right hand.

“Not happening!”

I pierced his right arm with Frosting to seal it, then activated the rune of collapse, destroying his entire forearm.

“You, crazy woman…!”

Varnir spat out slurred curses through his mangled face.

“Get off!”

His wooden prosthetic stabbed straight at my face.

“KYAAK!”

I opened my mouth wide and bit the prosthetic itself to pieces, then used my right arm to push Durandal’s hilt, fixing him more firmly in place.

“Can’t use your strength properly when pinned? Is this your first time in such a fight?”

“Kuuuuk…! Move, I said move!”

I headbutted him again, bit and tore with my teeth, and struck with my right hand in an endless barrage.

A rapid-fire barrage that didn’t even allow teleportation.

A chain of deafening sounds drowning out the rain, followed by short groans. Each impact, powerful enough to shake mountains, embedded into each other’s flesh, spraying blood and flesh.

And at the end—

– KADEUK!

I finally bit and crushed the core of his divinity. At the cost of half my vision turning pitch black and my body being torn to shreds.

“Kuhuk, ku, haak, kuuuaaak-!! Elpinel…! Elpineeeeel-!”

Varnir let out a desperate scream. His divinity, perfectly shattered for a moment. The holy fire seized that gap and began to burn even his soul.

“Kuhaak…! It can’t end… like this…! To a mere… incomplete demigod… to disappear like this…!”

“Haak…! Haaak…! Kyahaak…!”

I panted, exhaling blood-mixed breaths.

I had reached the limit of regenerating only wounds that could be healed with the power of the star. My head was spinning as if I would lose consciousness.

If he struggled any more, I wouldn’t have the strength to stop him.

“I must… protect Alvheim…! Humans…!”

“Bullshit, kuuuk…! Stop the bullshit and just… die already…!”

Therefore, instead of blocking him, I squeezed out all my remaining strength and will into my right arm, which had lost two fingers.

“Ke, naz…!”

With a quiet, distant murmur, the flame rune imbued with the power of possibility bloomed with vivid red flames on my right arm.

The reason and essence of the twilight rune.

The flame to destroy gods.

My right hand, which fell limply from exhaustion, touched his face—

And red and white flames consumed the final demigod of the fairies.