episode_0235

The Words I Most Want to Say to You

The Radiance of the Holy Ring. A state Aria awakened to while fighting the World Tree previously. The divine power of one who reaches this state becomes extraordinarily strong, and their physical abilities also grow commensurately. She had even knocked down dragons before, and at the Revarud facility, she was able to defeat Omega, the worst experimental subject… And I… now have to face Aria, who has re-awakened to that fearsome state.

“Zeke-nim… I never imagined I’d have to face you like this, with the Radiance of the Holy Ring.”

“Aria…”

“Allow me to emphasize again… I don’t want to fight you, Zeke-nim. We are supposed to live happily together later… to have to forcibly subdue you like this… and in the form of the Radiance of the Holy Ring, no less… So, Zeke-nim… wouldn’t it be better if you gave up now…?”

Aria pleaded with me to stop, saying she also didn’t want to have a fierce battle with me. It was truly a strange feeling. I remember making a similar plea to Aria just a moment ago… Surely, to outsiders, it would seem as if both of us are refusing each other’s pleas due to conflicting beliefs. But… everyone here knows. They know Aria isn’t in her right mind. And they know that the one unilaterally ignoring others’ pleas is… Aria. So I absolutely cannot…

“If you give up what you’re doing now, I’ll give up too, Aria. If you can’t do that… then it would be better for you to give up on making me give up…!!”

“…Ah… this is truly a sad thing… This staff, which I once wielded to protect you, Zeke-nim… I truly hesitated to swing this staff at you just now…”

“…? What…? That’s im…!!!”

As Aria shed tears, saying she had hesitated to swing her staff at me just now, I sensed something and, bewildered, tried to ask her for details. However, in the blink of an eye, Aria lunged forward. Seeing her about to swing her staff, I urgently blocked it with Trahan. But…

“Ugh… Th-this power…!!!”

“My divine power now, reacting to Goddess Camilla’s emotions… it cannot be compared to any divine power you’ve seen before, Zeke-nim…”

“Cough…!!!”

Aria deflected me, Trahan and all, as I blocked her staff, and I, greatly bewildered by her immense power, crashed into a rock behind me. W-what on earth just happened…? I couldn’t see Aria’s movements at all just now… But it wasn’t teleportation… Could it be…!!

“Oh, King of Beasts…!! Grant me sight to perceive all…!!! It… as expected…!!!”

Instinctively grasping how Aria had approached me in an instant, I hastily reached into my pocket, touched the fang amulet Pertia had given me, and enhanced my vision. Then, I saw Aria approaching me at high speed, and I was greatly shocked to realize that Aria’s physical abilities had become superior to before due to her awakening with the Radiance of the Holy Ring, which was why I couldn’t perceive her movements. Damn it…!! Using this ability also consumes magic and strength, so I can’t use Mr. Protega’s ability again… In that case…!!

“Then I have no choice but to unleash continuous attacks!! Until you’re exhausted!!! Devil Thorn!!!”

“Huuuh… I don’t want to fight you like this, Zeke-nim, but I have no choice now… I apologize, but I must make you, Zeke-nim, realize your helplessness…!!”

As I released magic from Trahan, transforming it into several sharp thorns and launching them at her, Aria moved as if dancing, swinging her staff to deflect my thorns. Then, noticing Aria slowly approaching, I concentrated magic into Trahan, slammed it into the ground, and shouted at Aria.

“Radiance of the Holy Ring or not…!! No matter how much stronger you’ve become…!! I will!!! Flame Ground!!!”

“…!!”

Concentrating magic into Trahan along with Iruvan’s flames, I made flames burst from underground and surge. Cracks began to appear in the earth around Aria, and fire started leaking out. Aria, as if anticipating that I would explode flames from underground, took a deep breath and spread a barrier beneath her feet, forcibly calming the ground.

“You are truly amazing, Zeke-nim. To use others’ power so freely, as if it were originally your own… But that’s precisely why it’s more irritating…”

“What…?”

“If you’re using others’ power, Zeke-nim… you should use my power first… To use the techniques of those who have been rude to you until now… I don’t like it… I really don’t like it!!!”

As Aria vehemently complained that I had used others’ powers before her own, and started charging at me, I hastily blocked Aria’s staff, which she swung as she rushed towards me, with Trahan. Then, I unleashed Yuria’s cold energy from Trahan, freezing Trahan and the staff in place, and spoke to Aria.

“Aria…!! As you said, most of the people I’ve met so far were those who threatened me…!! Yuria, Cecilia, Iruvan, and Protega-nim too…!! But afterwards, I became close with them… and through that, we were able to gain countless experiences…!!”

“Experiences, you say?! What did they do for you, Zeke-nim!!! Don’t you remember the bad things that happened while helping them?! Because I was by your side…”

“That’s right…!! All those bonds were formed because of you, Aria…!! But if they hadn’t been there, we wouldn’t have been able to overcome the hardships that followed…!! They aren’t lending me their power just for me right now…!! They lent it to me for you as well…!! Because they like us, they all gave us items as a token of trust!!”

“…?!”

As Aria complained again, asking why I was using the powers of others who had threatened me instead of her own, I retorted that although our first encounters with them began as battles, they are now bonds willingly sharing their strength for us, and I exerted more force into Trahan. Aria then became greatly flustered that my power was slowly pushing her back, and Riera, who had been watching the fight and heard my shouts, stammered and shed tears.

“…Zeke-nim… The kind person who forgave us for using the Siren’s Song…”

“We must help Saintess Aria!! Everyone, charge!!!”

“…!!”

When the cultists, seeing Aria slowly being pushed back by me, rushed towards our location to help her, Riera urgently stood in front of them and blocked their path. Then, she briefly glanced at Aria and me fighting, took a deep breath, glared at the cultists, and said:

“I can’t let you reach Zeke-nim… No… I won’t let you interfere with those two…!!”

“Do you think a mere fairy can stand against us…!! Glory to Goddess Camilla…”

“I’m not fighting alone, you know!?”

“…?! Cr-screams!!! My ears are burning!!!”

The moment the cultists charged at Riera, a sudden sound echoed, and the cultists covered their ears and collapsed on the spot. Then, Tiara, who had been singing a terrifying song with a grave atmosphere from behind the cultists, saw them fall and smiled at Riera, saying:

“It’s a relief Zeke Oppa is alive. Right, Unnie?”

“Yes. Phew… We must ensure that those two’s fight isn’t interrupted, Tiara.”

“Of course~! It seems others feel the same way right now? Look around.”

“What…?”

When Tiara suggested that others were also trying to prevent Aria and my fight from being disturbed, and told Riera to look around, Riera, bewildered, did so. She then saw the resistance members truly risking their lives, keeping their distance around where Aria and I were fighting, and preventing the cultists from supporting Aria. Riera smiled at this, and seeing the cultists rushing towards her and Tiara, she began to unleash sound waves from her mouth. As the resistance members held back the cultists, even at the cost of their lives, for Aria and me, I continued to push Aria back.

“We were able to grow because we explored this world, where we could meet such bonds, Aria…!! If the world you wish for comes to be… we will only stagnate, unable to grow…!! We won’t be able to laugh together, cry together… fight together, or enjoy ourselves together…!! Is that truly what you wish for?!”

“If only such things existed, I wouldn’t harbor these thoughts…!! There were times when I was equally afraid, and equally hurt…!! I will create a world where I can live peacefully with Zeke-nim…!! A world with no more pain!! No more sorrow…!!”

“….!! Ugh…!!!”

Aria, asserting that she also had a world she desired, began to push me back, showing her resolve to create that world. Then, as I was in turn pushed back, I was bewildered but calmly began to search for a way to break through this situation. As expected, defeating Aria with brute force was nearly impossible… In that case, what I could do next was…!!!

“….?! On Zeke-nim’s Trahan… a bird emblem…?!”

Red energy began to leak from Trahan, which was blocking her staff, and then started to transform into the shape of a bird. Aria was greatly flustered, seeing it as a technique she had never witnessed before. It was only natural… This ability wasn’t anyone else’s… This ability was…!!!

“Alten!!! The feather you gave me…!! I’ll make good use of it!!! Phoenix Flash!!!”

“…!! Screeching!!!”

Manifesting the Phoenix’s power with magic from the Phoenix wing feather Alten had given me, which was in my pocket, I unleashed an intense flash from Trahan. Aria was startled by the flash and instinctively closed her eyes. I didn’t miss the opportunity of Aria’s eyes being closed and prepared to remanifest the power of the magic dust Riera had given me previously, using magic.

“It’s not over yet, Aria…!! This might be a bit much… but I have no choice…!!! Fairy Shouting!!!”

“….!! Shrieking!!! My… my ears…!!!”

Manifesting the power of Melodian’s fairies contained in Riera’s magic dust with magic, I unleashed a powerful noise from my mouth. Aria, exposed to this noise at close range, urgently covered both her ears. Having temporarily neutralized Aria’s hearing and sight, I immediately raised Trahan high.

“This should do it…!! Aria!!! Come to your sen…!!!”

The moment I was about to lightly strike Aria’s head with the blunt side of Trahan, Aria quickly grabbed the staff she had dropped with her right hand (which had been covering her ear) and blocked Trahan. I was greatly bewildered. Wh-what just happened…? I clearly blocked Aria’s sight and hearing…!! Ah… damn it…!!!

“Zeke-nim… Even if you temporarily blind and deafen me, it’s useless… I can sense your movements with divine power…!!”

“Damn it…!!! I forgot that…!!! Cough…”

Aria, sensing my movements with divine power as if it were a new sense, immediately struck my abdomen with her left hand. I then coughed up blood and was sent flying backward, a sight that greatly shocked everyone. Those who had been struck by Aria before were particularly horrified and worried about me, knowing the strength of her punch, and a dragon urgently shouted at me from afar.

“Zeke!!!!”

“Damn it…!! He took a direct hit…!! What do we do…?! Should we go help Zeke…?!”

“Don’t talk nonsense, Elf…!! If we do that, these guys will interfere with their fight…!! For now, let’s trust them both and just stop these cultists!!!”

As the Elf hesitated whether to help me, a Human emphasized that for now, they should just focus on stopping the cultists trying to help Aria, and urged them to trust me. As everyone believed I would be alive despite my injury and fought with all their might to hold back the cultists, Aria struck the ice clinging to her staff against the ground, shattering it, and sighed.

“To think I ended up hitting you like this, Zeke-nim… Truly… I’m so sad I can’t even speak…?!”

The moment Aria was deeply saddened that she had directly struck me with her fist, she noticed an arrow whizzing past her side and was greatly shocked. This was because it was the black arrow Rascal had used previously. And as Aria turned her head to follow the arrow, she was greatly shocked to see me teleport next to the black arrow behind her. I seized the opportunity of Aria’s shock to grab and retrieve the black arrow, then immediately gripped Trahan tightly with both hands and swung it at Aria. Aria blocked Trahan with her staff and then asked me:

“That just now was… Mr. Rascal’s black arrow…?!”

“That’s right… I manifested Mr. Rascal’s black arrow with magic… And I also imbued it with the summoning ability we used often before… and which I now frequently use thanks to you…!!”

“…!! So that’s it…!! The reason you’ve been able to appear behind me all this time, Zeke-nim…!!”

“That’s right…!! By the way, Aria…!! You said earlier that you were unhappy that I used other people’s abilities, didn’t you?! In that case… then it seems right to finish this with my own power…!!”

“…?!”

The moment Aria was greatly shocked, realizing why I had been appearing behind her all this time, I concentrated magic into Trahan and declared that I would end this fight with my own power. Trahan, now brimming with my magic, began to transform due to the magic, and Aria was greatly flustered seeing Trahan transform.

“Aria…!! You said earlier, didn’t you…? That because there were sad things and painful things, you wanted to end this world… But I was able to reach this level precisely because I had those experiences… And… and because you exist in this world, I was able to grow enough to reach this level…!!”

‘….?! The power emanating from Trahan… it’s pushing back divine power…?!’

“By the way, isn’t it truly strange, Aria…? That you are fighting with divine power… and I with magic… And… that we are fighting like this… So let’s end this now, Aria…!!”

“I suppose there’s no choice… I don’t want to fight you anymore, Zeke-nim… So quickly…? Huh…?”

As I exerted more force into Trahan, which had transformed into a demonic sword, and began to push her back, Aria released divine power from her entire body, trying to push me back in turn. What I didn’t know then was that Aria accidentally discovered that two fingers were missing from my left hand, which was holding Trahan. Seeing this, Aria realized she had severed my fingers before and, bewildered, unconsciously lessened her strength. Because of that, Aria was pushed back by my Trahan and sent flying…

“Uh… wait a minute… Th-that canyon is what…?!”

“….!!”

At that time, I didn’t know. That a canyon had formed earlier when Camilla unleashed a ray of light from her hand to slice the earth, showing off her power. But that wasn’t important. What was important was that Aria was sent flying towards the canyon. I immediately created a black arrow with magic and shot it at Aria. As Aria was about to fall into the canyon, I instantly teleported to the black arrow and grabbed Aria’s arm. Then, I immediately extended magic tentacles from my hand, embedded them into a tree above, and hung precariously from the tentacles…!!!

‘Damn it…!! I instinctively grabbed the tentacles with my left hand…!! My fingers are missing, so I can’t put much strength into it…!!!’

“Z-Zeke-nim…”

“….!!”

Feeling the strength slowly draining from my left hand, I heard Aria, still dumbfounded, call my name as she was held in my grip, and I turned my head towards her voice. And… seeing Aria’s face, I let out a wry chuckle and thought. Yes… I started this fight to save Aria in the first place… Perhaps because she had over-released her divine power earlier… I could feel that Aria’s divine power was also depleted. So the only way to save Aria, who couldn’t fly, was… to switch our positions with my power… But I would surely die… Still, if I could just save Aria…!!

“Aria… listen closely… because this might be the last time…”

“Yes…?”

As I forced a smile, telling her that these might be my last words… that they might be my will, Aria looked at me, bewildered… Seeing that face made me feel even more sorry for making this choice… but there was no other way now… I tried hard to hide my apology and began to speak to Aria.

“You see… I was so clumsy with my emotions that I didn’t know what I was feeling all this time. And even when I started my journey, I thought such things wouldn’t be necessary… But… embarking on a journey with you, I gained various insights and was able to grow… I… I’m a foolish person who received so much from you, you see…”

“…Zeke-nim…”

“In my last moments… I gained an insight that could change everything about me… But in the end, all I can do is make such a foolish choice… I’m sorry, Aria… And thank you…”

“…?! Z-Zeke-nim?!”

As I shed tears and smiled, then immediately used my teleportation ability to send her upwards, Aria was greatly shocked to see me falling instead of her. Then, instead of grabbing the tentacles embedded in the rock, she immediately fell with me. Seeing this… I felt a complex mix of emotions: that my prediction of Aria falling with me had come true, that I ultimately failed to save Aria, that I had hoped against what I had already expected from Aria’s actions, and that the Aria I knew was doing exactly what I expected her to do. I let out a hollow smile. And as Aria, stammering, fell next to me, I shouted to her as we dropped:

“Aria…!! What I finally realized…!! I’ll tell you…”

“…Zeke-nim…?”

“I… after parting with you… after experiencing loss… I came to realize, Aria… I’m sorry that I realized it so late and can only convey it now…”

“…..”

“I love you… Aria… Truly…”

Recalling how I came to realize, with Vivi’s help, that I had experienced such a sense of loss because I loved Aria, I smiled at her and confessed my love. Aria was greatly shocked by these words, her eyes widening. I let out a hollow smile, expecting to hit the ground any moment.

‘At the very end… I’m glad I could convey it… Could I…?’

The moment I was grateful that I could convey my love to Aria at least at the end, I saw Aria shedding tears and giving a bright smile. Then, in that very moment, black energy erupted from Aria’s entire body and began to envelop both Aria and me…? Uh… huh?!