Chapter 81 – The Battle Against Tylant (4)

The beings known as Nightmares, Masters, and Challengers all possess ultimate moves without exception.

Truly awe-inspiring ultimate moves.

Or in some cases, a second phase.

Carpeng’s ultimate move enhances his body with blood energy.

It brings tears to my eyes thinking about it, but Luchi… his strike could cut through the very fabric of reality.

Kalt becomes shadow itself—a complete transformation.

Yuria and Rubia… they have theirs too.

And right before me, Tylant is no different.

Every being who has reached those heights possesses one.

I don’t understand how Nightmares develop theirs.

For humans, I heard it’s an evolution of their unique abilities.

That’s where Masters and Challengers diverge… but since I’m neither, I’ll skip that part.

Still, I admired those abilities.

Honestly… they’re just so cool.

Like something straight out of the comics and novels I used to read. It’s natural to yearn for one.

So I worked for it. I wanted an ultimate move of my own.

But even after five years of struggling, nothing manifested.

Because I lacked mana.

If I’d had access to elixirs back then, like I do now, it would’ve been simple.

I was so different then… compared to who I am now.

Anyway!

After three more years—eight years total of fighting, struggling, and brushing against death—I finally got one!

I was so overjoyed, so thrilled, that I hunted for two days straight without sleep…

Life got complicated after gaining it… took some dark turns, but it still proved invaluable.

With it, I eliminated every Nightmare. Wiped out nine Masters completely.

Then, right before I killed the ancient dragon…

That dragon named my ultimate move.

Honestly. Really honestly… it’s such a cool name.

I liked it even more because a villain gave it to me.

But… no one in this world knows that name.

It’s not one of those “everyone who’s seen it is dead” situations. Though, yes, they are all dead… but that’s not the reason.

I was too embarrassed to tell anyone… Though I think it’s awesome… others might find it… childish.

There’s no need to shout its name when using it anyway. Though… I have called it out a few times when alone.

Tried whispering it, mumbling it under my breath. Even attempted saying it in a deep, dramatic voice.

Ahem… Anyway.

That ultimate move is—

***

Blue eyes scattered on the wind. Dissolved into the air. Vanished from sight, drifting all around.

Tylant’s second phase had begun.

Those blue eyes, melting and mixing into the atmosphere, were Tylant’s magic itself.

Even in his first phase, there had been no warning signs before his spells. In this second phase, it became even more pronounced.

Creation.

Not activation—creation. No, even “creation” falls short of describing it.

But there’s no other word that fits.

Things simply manifest in empty space. Every spell he desires simply exists.

Releasing mana intensely, I raised my right foot.

And then, where I had stood, tiny ice spikes appeared.

They just… existed. As if they had always been there, naturally.

No sound. No movement of magic. Absolutely nothing could be sensed.

This second phase was why we couldn’t send him to Ursphere. Everyone except Rubia would have died. That was certain.

So… how do you counter such a broken ability?

Well, someone as strong as me always finds a way.

Even if I can’t sense anything directly… I can confirm everything through my senses, piece by piece.

Of course, I’ll have to track every trace of his magic scattered through the air, but in my current state, that’s no problem.

I’ve consumed two elixirs. And I have my ultimate move.

The preparation takes time, though.

But if I can just hold out until then…

I’ll win.

Maintaining my mana flow, I gripped my greatsword tightly.

Then, just as before, I closed my eyes and focused my senses.

Tiny snowflakes drifted through the air. Beautiful at first glance, but each delicate petal concealed razor-sharp blades.

Just breathing them in would shred your lungs.

I mapped these snowflakes with my senses.

And they moved. The petals folded and unfolded. As they opened, they triggered other snowflakes. Those awakened snowflakes stirred others into motion.

And then…

The unfolding snowflakes transformed into… A massive blade that slashed through the air itself.

Right before my eyes, as if it had always existed.

A blade manifested. I swung my greatsword to parry it. The shattered fragments became new blades, merging with the wind.

I stomped forward, swinging my greatsword again. The generated gust scattered the blade-winds.

And then—

Tylant’s massive frame launched toward me, his muscles exploding from being pushed to their limit.

I didn’t dodge. I watched his every movement until the very end.

When he reached striking distance—

I raised my sword, twisting it in time with his attack.

Not just redirecting his force—returning it.

Noah’s Special: Flowing Water.

Clang!

A crisp sound rang out as Tylant staggered.

I seized the opening and immediately swung my greatsword upward.

An ice wall materialized suddenly, blocking my strike—but I tore through it with raw power.

Thud! Tylant’s head snapped back. His speed dropped, but the hit connected cleanly.

Just as I prepared to follow up—

I leaped backward, narrowly avoiding death.

A hole opened where I’d stood, and thousands of ice spikes shot upward. I lowered my head and swung my greatsword. The ice chunks above me shattered.

Again, I swung the greatsword to clear the debris. Boom! The shattered pieces exploded on impact, creating a frost mist.

Hundreds of spells already filled the mist. No clear path existed to dodge them all. I had to rely on information from my senses, beyond what my eyes could see.

With all restraints removed, his spells had zero delay. Infuriating.

I dodged an incoming icicle—only to find a blade materializing at my landing spot. I shattered it with my elbow and pressed forward.

A boulder crashed where I’d been standing, shaking the ground. Thin blades snaked through the tremors toward me. I held my breath and scattered them with my greatsword.

Without stopping, I advanced slowly. Forcing my extended leg to halt, I thrust my greatsword forward. Whatever it was, I destroyed it before it fully formed.

Tylant swung three arms. I dodged, blocked, and waited—

Then, once more, Flowing Water.

Clang!

No chance for a follow-up this time. Clicking my tongue, I spun away.

I swung the greatsword, shattering icicles in my path. Using the momentum, I spun my body. Crack! More spells split apart.

The spells appeared faster and faster. Impossible to identify them now.

The moment snowflakes moved, my greatsword was already swinging. But with each swing, another spell manifested.

My wounds multiplied. Blood flowed freely. Fragments stuck in my greatsword twitched, irritating my skin.

I didn’t stop. I kept cutting through the spells. As the mist cleared, Tylant’s arms greeted me.

I could handle two arms with Flowing Water, but four was impossible. Clicking my tongue, I swung my greatsword again.

Crash!

The recoil felt like it was ripping my bones apart. The first arm deflected. The second arm bent. The third arm stopped my greatsword.

And the fourth— Slam! It struck my body.

The impact echoed inside me as I crashed into the ground. My bones shattered, piercing my organs. Blood gushed from my mouth, then burst through my skin when that wasn’t enough.

I immediately used an elixir to heal. Only one dose remained now. Rolling backward, I deflected the following attacks. Swung my greatsword to cut through emerging spells.

I scattered strikes around me, creating distance.

Then—

I drove my greatsword into the ground.

Crimson aura spread across space.

Not enough yet.

I spread my arms, releasing my remaining mana. Squeezed out every last drop.

The nearly black mana covered the earth. Stained the sky. Slowly consumed the sun.

Tylant’s magic stopped. His movements ceased. He simply stared at me.

The red earth. The crimson sky. The black sun.

Taking in every detail, I whispered to myself—knowing the other me couldn’t hear:

This is a cursed power. One that should never be awakened.

I hope you choose a different path.

The ground-planted greatsword vanished.

Then—

A new greatsword appeared in my outstretched hand.

I gripped it and swung.

The distance was great. But I cut through.

Space itself severed. Reality distorted. From that point, Tylant’s body split apart. The Challenger’s power—to cut through the world itself.

I swung again. Shadows writhing beneath me shot forward, piercing Tylant’s body. The Master’s power—shadow manipulation.

Holding my breath, I stepped. Instantly appeared before Tylant. The Master’s power—assassination.

I raised my greatsword and brought it down. Gravity itself seemed to warp. Crunch. Tylant’s shoulder crumbled. Though his arms were gone, his spirit remained unbroken. The power of the Master who reached the top—despite everything.

His claws slashed. His jaws gaped wide, approaching. I twisted my greatsword. Flames erupted. Burned his claws and melted his fangs. The power of the Princess—who abandoned her nation for love.

Tens of thousands of spells materialized. Inescapable death approached. I raised my left arm and waved. All magic vanished. Scattered and burst apart. Dispel—the ancient dragon’s power.

I swung. I cut. Sometimes stabbed. Sometimes struck.

And each time—

The Challenger’s power. The Masters’ powers. The countless heroes’ powers.

All manifested.

I carved the Nightmare’s body to pieces.

Finally—

I raised my sword slowly. And brought it down.

Along the blade’s path— Divine power manifested.

The black sun set. The ability’s name—

“False Virtue.”

Challenger. Master. Hero. Nightmare. Dragon.

And—

Priestess.

From the previous cycle…

All those I killed.

Their combined powers…

Hell itself.