episode_0251

Sharing Hearts

“Haa… haaa… Aria. It seems I have almost no strength left… Aria, how about you?”

“Hmm… Normally, it would have been more than enough strength… but I also overused my power when I was brainwashed by Camilla… Hehehe… I’ll probably be completely worn out once this fight is over.”

We now faced Camilla, who had revealed her true form, so we first discussed how much energy we each had left. However, it seemed neither Aria nor I had much energy remaining. Of course not… I had been continuously manifesting powerful abilities with magic, and Aria had not only overused her divine power but also used strong abilities to save people… So then… it means we have no choice but to combine our energies to make it enough for at least one person, right?

“Seriously… don’t you think this situation is unbelievable, Aria? To think a situation where we both have to combine our strength has come to this…”

“It’s certainly surprising, Zeke-nim. Still… I’m actually very happy that this situation has arrived… Unlike during the World Tree incident, now we’ll both be fighting such a giant creature together.”

“Right… during the World Tree incident, you fought alone… Hey, Aria. I need to prepare a little, too. So, can I ask for your help for a moment?”

“Of course, Zeke-nim!… It is Aria’s mission to protect Zeke-nim, without fail…!!”

“…Then I’ll leave it to you, Aria… Trahan!! Fill yourself with magic!!!”

When I asked Aria if she could protect me for a moment while I prepared something, she replied that it was her duty and began to emit black divine power from her staff. I then started pouring magic into Trahan, and Camilla, watching us with emotionless eyes, began gathering divine power in her hands.

“Pitiable creatures. Not only do you not think of fleeing from me in this form, but you actually consider charging at me… Do you still believe in hope in this ridiculous situation where opposition itself is a joke?”

“You wouldn’t know, since you hardly ever held such hope to begin with, would you? The person I love has put their trust in me and entrusted you to me for a moment. My divine power stems from my love for Zeke-nim…!! So, when Zeke-nim makes such a request, my divine power grows even stronger!!”

“…. What a truly naive thought. To think power grows stronger by receiving affection…. You are my greatest failures. Instead of helping my plans, you only ruin them… Filthy failures. Therefore, I will… completely destroy you and this world… forever…!! Sacred Strike.”

Camilla recalled how the beings of Crentid World had ruined her plans until now, then began unleashing and barraging Aria with masses of divine power created from her hands. Aria took a deep breath, then began emitting black divine power from her eyes and hands, wildly swinging her black staff to continuously deflect Camilla’s masses of divine power. However, perhaps because Camilla’s masses of divine power were quite strong, Aria grimaced and struggled each time she received them.

“Ugh… I definitely feel you’re stronger than before, Camilla. And unlike when you charged at me furiously earlier, now you’re calm…”

“Because now I can calmly kill you all… By the way, Saintess Aria. How much more divine power can you withstand…”

“Ugh…!!!”

Camilla, who had been furious just moments ago, now attacked calmly in her transformed state, making Aria slightly flustered. As Camilla continued barraging her with masses of divine power, Aria, knowing that I would be hurt if she pulled back, did not retreat and continued to deflect Camilla’s divine power masses, despite her struggles. Then, at that moment…

“While it would be good to keep attacking and draining your stamina… I also don’t want to prolong this fight. So…”

“Huh…?”

“So, I’ll send something bigger.”

Camilla declared that she too didn’t want to drag out the fight and unleashed a larger mass of divine power from her hand. Aria, seeing the gigantic mass approaching her, instinctively knew she couldn’t block it and panicked. Just as Aria was about to swing her staff to somehow block the huge mass of divine power, Trahan, transformed into a demonic sword, shot past Aria’s face. Aria then saw that I had extended my arm to pierce and intercept the divine power mass with the demonic sword Trahan, and she blushed, turning her head towards my face beside her.

“Ze… Zeke-nim…. Oh… my face is so… close…”

“To be thinking such things even at a time like this… you’re truly amazing in a different way, aren’t you…? Aria, you know how we’re going to move, right? We’re combining the power of two.”

“The power of two…!! Ahh…!! I understand!! I understand the intent of Zeke-nim’s words now, as I am!”

“Good… then let’s go!!”

As Aria replied that she understood my intent, I began to fly towards Camilla at full speed with her. Camilla, seeing us, was not surprised and calmly began to form about twenty circular formations in front of her. Lasers again, huh… I could block them, but it would definitely consume a lot of stamina…

“It’s best to avoid the lasers if possible, Aria!! If even one of us falls, there’ll be no hope left!!”

“Understood, Zeke-nim!!”

“Fools. Do you think I’ll keep using the same attack? How utterly laughable.”

“….?!”

The moment Aria and I spoke in unison about avoiding the lasers, Camilla uttered a meaningful remark, asking if we thought she’d repeat the same attack. Just then, not lasers, but thousands of orbs began emerging from the circular formations, greatly flustering Aria and me. Wh-what?! Thousands of orbs…?! But Aria is using her own divine power right now, not Camilla’s…?!

“I think I know what you’re thinking… You’re thinking these thousands of orbs won’t harm Aria, aren’t you? Now that she’s no longer using my divine power.”

“What… then why the thousands of orbs…?”

“The thousands of orbs are my holy artifacts, imbued with divine power… Can’t you see the divine power pulsating within them?”

“Pulsating…? Ah…!! Ze… Zeke-nim!! Get back!!!”

Camilla made a meaningful remark, stating that the thousands of orbs were her holy artifacts imbued with her divine power, asking if we couldn’t see the divine power pulsating within them. Aria, realizing something, urgently pushed me away, and simultaneously, the thousands of orbs launched from the circular formations began to cause massive explosions as they approached Aria.

“….!! A-Aria!!!”

“Did you think I made the thousands of orbs just to subdue unruly followers?”

“Aaaah!!!”

As Aria screamed and was flung out from between the explosions of the thousands of orbs, I urgently flew towards her. Just then, the thousands of orbs began approaching me, and Camilla, seeing me amidst them, clenched her hand and spoke.

“Zeke Luprian. You’re about to suffer the same fate, so who are you worrying about?”

“…. Th-this damn thing….!!”

Simultaneously with Camilla clenching her hand, the thousands of orbs near me began to explode all at once. Just then, Camilla sensed something and turned her head towards Aria. When she saw me holding Aria in my arms there, Camilla instinctively knew what I had done and spoke to me.

“You used the black arrow and reverse summon abilities you’ve been using since before. To think you managed to secretly create and launch a black arrow even in that situation… But looking at you, it seems you didn’t completely escape the explosion.”

“D-damn it…. The damage from the explosion is one thing… but I consumed a lot of energy as a price for the reverse summon… Ugh…”

“Ze… Zeke-nim… Are you alright…?”

As I struggled greatly, having consumed a lot of energy due to the side effects of reverse summon, Aria, who was held in my arms, touched my cheek with trembling hands and asked if I was alright. I then pressed my forehead against hers, taking a deep breath, and replied.

“I’m fine…. Are *you* alright, Aria? Unlike me, you were directly caught in the explosion…”

“I’m fine, Zeke-nim…. Being like this, with our foreheads touching, actually makes me feel stronger… Hehehe… By the way, Zeke-nim… shouldn’t we also prepare for the end… and release all our power like Camilla…?”

“…. Yes… I’ll be worn out for a few days, but… that’s still better than dying, right…!! Hoooo… All the connections who gave us their hearts…”

When Aria asked if we should also release all our power, I let go of her and agreed. Then, I took out the gifts given by people who had become connected to us from my pocket and focused my mind, and Aria also closed her eyes and began to focus. Camilla then gathered divine power in her hands and spoke to us.

“Do you think I’ll just stand by and watch your actions… Preposterous…!! Sacred Shockwave.”

Camilla spread her arms and released a powerful shockwave from her hands. The exposed ground began to convulse, and trees swayed violently before starting to split. And we, exposed to that shockwave, also felt immense pain. But we gritted our teeth and endured, to unleash our final power.

“Grant me your strength!! Flame of Iruvan!! Burn Trahan!!!”

“My divine power, born from Zeke-nim’s love…!! To protect the precious one who gave me his heart… amplify even more!!”

“It’s useless…!! I’ll release it even stronger and throw you back…!!”

Camilla watched us enduring her shockwave and drawing forth our final power, then emitted an even more powerful shockwave from her hands along with a potent flash of light from her body. The flash then began to fade, and Camilla, seeing Aria emitting black divine power from her entire body and me enveloped in the burning demonic sword Trahan and the energies of many people, began gathering divine power in her hands again and asked us.

“You still won’t give up…. Why do you endure so much? Why do you burn your lives for others to such an extent?”

“Well, it’s not really ‘others,’ but… I want to protect Zeke-nim, at least!! And Zeke-nim’s heart too!! That’s why I’m risking my life to fight for the person who gave me their heart like this!!”

“Do you think I’d let this world, where I’ll live with Aria, be destroyed by a third-rate like you?! Aria!! Let’s go!!”

“Arrogant fools…!!”

As we flew towards her again, Camilla, repulsed by our refusal to give up and our renewed charge, attacked by firing lasers from her hands. Aria and I then split apart to dodge Camilla’s attacks, and Camilla, startled to see Aria and I separating and flying towards her from above and below, exclaimed.

“Weren’t you supposed to be launching a coordinated attack…?”

“It *is* a coordinated attack, Camilla!! We’re just attacking from different directions!! Black Ray!!”

“Then I’ll defeat you one by one…!! Sacred Judgement Rays…!!”

As Aria released a black ray from her black staff towards Camilla from above, Camilla attacked Aria by unleashing multiple yellow rays from her right hand. Aria, seeing her ray clash with one of Camilla’s and disappear, began to dodge the rays, and Camilla, not missing Aria, continued to fire rays from her right hand. Just then, she felt pain in her leg, looked down, and seeing me attacking her leg by spewing flames from Trahan, she extended her left hand towards me and spoke.

“Zeke Luprian…!! You annoying upstart…!!”

“Can you really keep worrying about Aria right now, Camilla?! While I’m attacking you like this, I mean!!”

“Didn’t I say you were annoying…!! Sacred Judgement Rays!!”

When I provoked her by saying I could attack her from below like this, Camilla responded by firing multiple rays from her left hand. I then began to dodge Camilla’s rays like Aria, using Fertea’s eyesight, Alten’s hearing, Esti’s energy sensing ability, and finally, Yuria’s speed. Then, seeing Camilla’s leg again, I grinned and shouted, spewing burning magic into Trahan.

“Well… then I should deliver one big blow too…!!! Infernal Demonic Sword!!!”

“…!! Argh…!! How dare you…!!”

When I quickly flew and slashed her leg with Trahan, which was spewing burning magic, Camilla cried out in great pain. She then quickly regained her composure and attacked Aria by creating a powerful shockwave with her right hand. Aria, greatly flustered when Camilla, who had been focused on me, suddenly attacked her, was instantly sent flying by Camilla’s shockwave.

“Aaaah!!”

“A-Aria!!!”

“Do you still have the leisure to worry about Saintess Aria, Zeke Luprian? Now, only you remain….!! Sacred Punishment!!!”

“….!!! Gasp!!!”

Camilla brought together her right and left hands, which had been attacking Aria, and unleashed a powerful ray. Unable to avoid Camilla’s ray in time, I was engulfed and plummeted to the ground. Camilla then caught her breath and turned her head towards the direction the resistance forces had fled, saying.

“Now everything is over…. Only beings too weak to fight me remain…. Now everything will be…”

“Ending in your victory? What nonsense….”

“….?!”

The moment Camilla, convinced of her victory, was about to head towards where the resistance forces had fled, Aria’s voice suddenly came from above. Camilla was greatly flustered and looked up. When she saw Aria looking down at her, still well and alive, Camilla was deeply bewildered. Then, Camilla noticed a tentacle attached to Aria’s back and turned her head to follow it. She saw me, fallen on the ground, extending a magic tentacle from my hand, channeling power to Aria.

“Wh-what was that?!”

“My divine power seems to have some characteristics of magic, perhaps because it’s influenced by Zeke-nim’s heart. And earlier, when I was freeing the brainwashed people with Zeke-nim, I realized something. That Zeke-nim can give me energy with magic…!!”

“What…?!”

Camilla was greatly shocked to learn that I could give Aria energy with magic. Good… thank goodness… We knew Camilla wouldn’t just stand by and watch me give Aria power, so we devised a strategy to split up like this, confuse Camilla, and pour one person’s power into the other. For that, I needed to unleash even the energies of other people… so I could give Aria even better energy.

And I purposely feigned being hit by the attack to make Camilla drop her guard… to secretly extend the tentacle without Camilla noticing… Of course… I took the attack head-on, so I can no longer move, but… I gave power to Aria, so it’s fine… Good… everything went according to plan… So…

“Now finish her, Aria…!!”

“Understood, Zeke-nim…!! This is the end, you mad goddess!!”

“Do you think I’d let that happen…!! I won’t give up either, Saintess Aria…!! Fulgur Lucis!!”

Camilla began forming circular formations around her, then concentrated divine power with her clasped hands. A powerful divine ray was then unleashed from Camilla’s clasped hands towards Aria. But Aria simply smiled, held her staff forward, and began to advance, cutting through Camilla’s ray. When she reached Camilla’s face, Aria grinned and said.

“I have a little… experience in breaking someone’s head, you see!!!”

“Wh-what do you mean…?! Gasp….!!”

Aria swung her staff directly and struck Camilla’s forehead. Camilla, perhaps lacking the strength to maintain her gigantic body due to continuously unleashing attacks until now, began to slowly shrink, and then landed on the ground at her original size. However, Aria seemed to have no intention of giving Camilla any respite, as she landed on the ground and immediately began to run towards Camilla.

“Now then…. it’s time for judgment, Goddess Camilla!!”

“Ugh…!!! Damn it…!! Why… why is it like this…!! Holy Ray!!”

Camilla, clutching her forehead where Aria had struck her, cried out in pain and attacked Aria by firing a ray from her right hand. But Aria, having received my energy, simply swung her staff to deflect the ray and charged relentlessly towards Camilla. Camilla, seeing Aria approach right before her eyes, screamed in great indignation.

“Why…. why, oh why…. why does no one give me their heart…. I am Kajin, who manages divinity…. Argh!!!”

As Camilla raged, asking why no one gave her their heart, Aria seemed to no longer want to hear Camilla’s words and continued to swing her staff, pummeling Camilla. Then, Aria thrust her staff straight through Camilla’s torso and said to the fading Camilla.

“Isn’t it because… you never tried to give your heart first, Camilla…?”

“What…?”

“Just receiving affection… isn’t that too greedy? I, too, didn’t just receive affection from Zeke-nim from the beginning. I also gave him my heart and enjoyed the journey together. This is the difference between you and me. You should have approached first. Instead of waiting.”

“Ah…. that’s how it was… To receive affection… I had to give it too… I should have approached first…. If only I had known a little earlier… it would have been… better…”

Through Aria’s words, Camilla finally realized that instead of giving her heart until now, she had been ruining the very concept of “heart” due to her personal greed. With a touch of regret, she began to slowly disappear, wondering if she wouldn’t have reached this point if only she had known earlier. And so, Aria defeated Camilla, and about 30 minutes passed.

“Haa… haa… Wh-what… The ground has been completely scorched…?”

“Captain-nim Alten!! Look at the sky!! The sky is clearing again!!”

The resistance forces, having recovered some energy, returned to the battlefield and were aghast at the devastated landscape. Then, when one human pointed to the sky and said it was clearing, everyone instinctively knew Camilla had fallen and began to cheer. Just then, Veronica gasped and frantically looked around, saying.

“B-but where are Zeke and Aria…?! Did they win by self-destructing with Camilla, no way?!”

“Hmm…. They didn’t seem like the type to do that…! Hey, Veronica. Look over there. Over there.”

“Huh…?”

Amidst Veronica’s urgent worry, Esti also looked around, concerned for the two. Just then, Esti spotted something, smiled, called out to Veronica, and pointed in that direction. Veronica followed Esti’s finger, turned her head, discovered something, exhaled a sigh of relief, and smiled. For there, Aria and I were sitting leaning against a rock, smiling. Our figures, supporting each other and holding each other’s hands…. Now… it’s finally all over… The long, arduous battle, finally…