Chapter 130 – The Valoran Subjugation (4)

CLANG!

Valoran’s hollow form flickered behind the deflected greatsword.

“Hermilla!”

A sharp gust of wind grazed my cheek as I called her name.

Crunch!

Hermilla’s blood-soaked fist slammed into Valoran’s abdomen, the force of the blow contorting his muscles.

But Valoran seemed unfazed. He exhaled dark magic, grabbing Hermilla’s arm and raising his greatsword.

“Noah!”

I reacted instantly, breaking Hermilla’s arm to free her from the magical grip, pulling her back with me.

“Ugh… You broke it…!”

“It’ll heal,” Rubia said, sighing as she lifted Hermilla’s limp arm, channeling healing energy.

“Sorry… It was…necessary…” I muttered, staying close to protect them as I watched Valoran.

I wanted to press the attack, but I couldn’t. Valoran’s teleportation wasn’t guaranteed to target me, and I had to protect Rubia.

But something was…off.

Valoran wasn’t behaving like a typical beast. He should be relentlessly attacking, but instead, he was…studying me. Tracing his wounds with his hands.

A disturbingly amused expression on his face.

‘Cartia…was he always like this?’

[…No. This is…new.]

He seemed…intelligent. Aware. His magic was sharper, but his movements…slower. More deliberate.

What was he doing?

“Noah, let’s go again.” Hermilla, her arm rebandaged, stepped past me.

Rubia and Hermilla hadn’t noticed. They hadn’t seen Phase 1. They thought this was normal.

[Just focus on the fight.]

‘Right.’

[He’s still the Beast of the End, no matter how he’s acting.]

I nodded, tightening my grip on Frey.

Valoran smirked.

Definitely not normal.

Clang!

He vanished. I raised Frey.

Right.

Crack!

His gaze was locked onto me, ignoring everyone else.

Amused. Expectant. As if…daring me to understand.

“Noah!”

I gritted my teeth, deflecting his blow. Hermilla’s fist and Rubia’s divine energy struck Valoran’s momentarily exposed form.

A divine arrow scored his armor, and Hermilla’s punch shattered it.

I twisted Frey, channeling bloodlust, and slashed downwards.

The thick hide parted beneath my blade. I poured bloodlust into the wound.

Crack!
A grinding sound, a burst of dark magic.

An area-of-effect attack.

Five runes bloomed on the ground. A whirlwind of dark magic surrounded Valoran. Thousands of orbs materialized in the air.

I dropped Frey, grabbing Hermilla and throwing her towards Rubia.

I resummoned Frey, slashing through the orbs, cloaking myself in bloodlust.

“Rubia! Shield! Thick!”

I hurled daggers, triggering the runes.

KABOOM!
Five simultaneous explosions created a wall of fire.

Valoran’s smirk widened. His massive sword began its descent.

Just before it struck the ground, I lunged, pressing myself against him.

A wave of dark magic erupted, a torrent of malice pouring from the sky and the earth, swirling and crashing around us.

The density was overwhelming, my senses struggling to keep up. It tore through everything in its path.

Except…the space immediately around Valoran. And me.

I’d pressed myself against him, unsure of the safe zone’s radius. It was surprisingly large. Room for three of me, lying down.

I glanced at Rubia. Safe within her shield.

I took a deep breath, retrieving Frey.

Valoran pulled his greatsword free, his grin widening.

Don’t smile.

I pushed the unease aside and charged, swinging Frey in a wide arc.

Valoran blocked effortlessly, deflecting the blow with a burst of dark magic. I unsummoned Frey, resummoning it to strike again.

CLANG!
Crack!
BOOM!

Blade against blade. Magic against bloodlust. Fist against fist.

The shockwaves cleared the air, pushing back the dark magic.

Each exchange left new wounds. I needed to break the pattern.

Swish!
A familiar sound.

I twisted, meeting Hermilla’s fist.

BOOM!

Valoran blocked the blow, then turned, catching Hermilla’s ankle and pulling her off balance. He retreated, creating distance.

“You scared me! I thought you’d been swept away!”

“I…had no choice…” Hermilla gasped, checking me for injuries.

Rubia rushed over, her eyes scanning my body anxiously.

“Thank goodness…you’re alright… You scared me…” Her divine power flowed into me, mending my broken bones, a soothing warmth spreading through me.

Clang!

“Rubia!”

I shoved her aside, twisting Frey upward.

BOOM!

The awkward angle strained my muscles, my knees buckling. I unleashed bloodlust into the ground, stabilizing myself.

Valoran’s movements were different now. Sharper. Stronger. He wasn’t
releasing
dark magic, he was
wielding
it, channeling it through his body.

Like I did with bloodlust.

Had he…learned from watching me?

Crack.

His greatsword, heavier now, pressed down on Frey, dark magic overwhelming my bloodlust.

“Gah!”

My jaw cracked, my legs buckling under the pressure.

And then…

Swish! BOOM!

Hermilla’s fist slammed into Valoran, throwing him off balance. I straightened, downing a potion before charging again.

Clang!
Left. I swung Frey vertically.

Clang!
He deflected the blow, his greatsword angled. Hermilla’s fists followed, striking his exposed form.

The weakened magic fractured. I drove Frey into the gap.

Slash!
A clean hit.

“Hermilla!!”

Swish!

Hermilla was suddenly launched forward, her fist striking Valoran with the full force of [Desolation].

Crack!
Fissures spread across Valoran’s body from the point of impact. But he only grinned, swinging his greatsword wildly.

Even casual strikes were devastating now, the wind pressure alone slicing my skin, carving lines in the scorched earth. I unleashed my own bloodlust, countering the wind pressure, deflecting a blow aimed at Rubia.

Hermilla pressed the attack, her fists a blur, disrupting Valoran’s movements.

[Desolation] spread through his body.

Crack!
His outer shell shattered as he slammed his greatsword into the ground.

Phase 3.

“Hermilla!!”

At my shout, Hermilla grabbed Rubia and vanished, teleporting away.

I watched them go, then removed the Bracelet of Verdure.

The power within me surged, unleashed. My bloodlust intensified, the chill from the necklace biting deeper.

And then…

“The one who guides the lost past,” Valoran’s voice boomed.

“Will you be the greatest good…or the greatest evil?”

He pulled his greatsword free.

“Will you follow the heavens…or defy them?”

His armor crumbled.

“Will you bring an end…or a beginning?”

His wings unfurled.

“Adversary.”

A black sun rose behind him.

“What…will you choose?”

Valoran’s lips twisted into a grotesque smile.

“Show me…everything.”

A crimson moon ascended, eclipsing the black sun.

“And then…”

“…surpass me.”