Chapter 99: The Sky Collapsed

She was overwhelmingly superior, to the point where she defied comparison with any enemy they had encountered before.

To begin with, the very premise of an “opponent” is that one must be capable of at least a minimal response.

Humans cannot oppose the wind and rain.

They cannot oppose a storm, and in the face of sweltering heat or freezing cold, the most they can do is endure.

This moment was no different.

However, at this instant, an exception was granted.

As the Holy Sword emitted its light.

The freezing cold and Frost Storm, which felt like the wrath of nature itself, subsided for a moment.

At that same time.

“Why are you guys playing by yourselves?!”

Shouting as if calling out to a friend.

She appeared, cutting through the freezing gale.

Ases.

“You’ve got some skill, don’t you? You were hiding this? How shameless!”

Surprisingly.

Her sword, which cleaved through the raging cold and biting wind with a human body, was powerful to an almost absurd degree.

“…Why are you holding that?”

“Huh?”

Venus, having joined them a moment late, let out a hollow laugh of disbelief as he saw the glowing object in Leo’s hand.

“Not that—why did that go to you?”

“That… it’s… Lord Kariel told me to pull it.”

“What?”

What kind of nonsense is this?

“Hahahaha—!”

Cleaving through ice pillars, batting away every hailstone and ice shard riding the wind.

Not stopping there, Ases charged forward; no matter how you looked at her, she was not normal.

“That crazy bitch has finally snapped.”

“H-how is that even possible?”

It wasn’t just Leo’s question.

“That bloodline has been famous since long ago for hunting dragons and mixing their blood.”

And if I recall, they were also blessed with the protection of the Ancient Indigenous Spirit residing in the dominion.

“Though she probably belongs to the side that rejected the protection and received a curse instead.”

Something given in exchange for abandoning duty and refusing responsibility.

A brilliant future had been predestined for her more than anyone else, but the girl, acting spoiled, claimed she hated a brilliant future prepared by someone else.

She was abandoned by her own country.

But because she was naturally gifted and a genius.

Wherever she went, she carved out her own place and took a generous share for herself.

There was no rival her age who could stand against her.

And that would be the case even at this moment.

“However, that is only impressive by the standards of humans or common sense.”

When a being beyond that emerges, the story changes.

No sooner had Venus finished speaking than her body was thrown back, as if she had been kicked by something.

Yet, Ases managed to regain her balance, rolling and attempting a breakfall to stand back up.

The sight of her clinging to her center of gravity even as she was dragged across the ground by the remaining force showed that she was very accustomed to such treatment.

“What now?”

“…….”

“If you’re just planning to die, hand that over before you kick the bucket. Then I’ll personally stab that bitch to death with it.”

“I cannot… do that.”

“Tsk.”

Clicking his tongue, Venus drew his sword.

“Let’s deal with that thing first, then we can talk.”

The battle unfolded fiercely.

Strangely, Ases displayed an unbelievable level of response, as if she were accustomed to this kind of combat.

Furthermore, she responded quite appropriately to the onslaught that felt like magic.

The strength of Leo and his party, who had begun to wield the Holy Sword in earnest, was not something to be ignored.

Because every single one of them was a veteran Hero who had overcome all sorts of adversity.

But.

No matter how much an ant struggles, an ant is just an ant.

A pack of wolves might be able to oppose a bear.

But that is only possible when a minimum level of size, capacity, and power is equipped.

But who is the one who decides that?

-…….

The Demon King watched the situation as if it were trivial.

To some, it might be a scene of utmost intensity, an experience, or a bloody struggle where lives were on the line in real-time.

But to her, it was all someone else’s business.

That is why.

Only after Kariel opened his eyes.

A slight change appeared in her dry expression.

Slightly curving the corners of her mouth.

She lightly informed them of a summarized portion of the truth and the current situation.

Even now.

At this moment, some were rolling on the ground.

Some were seriously agonizing over whether their arms, which were not just freezing but frostbitten, should be amputated.

And there was one who, despite having a thigh pierced by an ice spear and having their entire body freeze over, continued to swing a sword with madness in their eyes, never losing their smile.

No matter how brilliant and noble the light of the Holy Sword was.

Since it was not magic, a technique, or a trick based on magical power.

The Holy Sword could provide no countermeasure.

Helplessness. Powerlessness.

Perhaps the one most shaken was Leo himself.

Nevertheless, seeing his companions collapsing around him, he resolutely steadied his heart.

Perhaps.

If only he died, everyone else might be safe.

However. Even so, Leo could not easily give up on himself.

…The Holy Sword had emphasized as much.

And of course, Leo had no intention of giving up, not even in the slightest.

“…….”

And.

The same went for Mines.

Perhaps as a result of this, she and her younger brother, Lui, might gain their freedom.

But.

…Where would there be a place for someone who killed the Hero?

In the end, the people who would embrace her, even if she hated it, were extremely limited.

The reason she let Bargo go?

Partly because she didn’t want to take a life needlessly, but also because she didn’t know how they might be entwined later. There was that reason too.

She would now be called the Demon King by the world.

Even though she had suppressed it until the end, it had finally been revealed like this.

It had now become an inescapable fate.

Who would leave someone with such power alone?

She cursed her own mediocre intelligence.

If only she hadn’t known, she wouldn’t have had to agonize and suffer over such problems.

“Aaaagh!”

Suddenly.

The Holy Sword in Leo’s hand began to emit a violent light.

The intense light soon soared as if piercing the sky.

And in an instant, it swept away every domain she had created.

‘That is….’

Dangerous.

Until a moment ago, it had seemed so meager, as if it could be collapsed at any time.

What on earth made him like this?

“…….”

She followed Leo’s gaze.

Despite his own body being a wreck.

Did he grow angry seeing the safety of his comrades?

And did the Holy Sword respond to that?

In the end, rather than cutting her down as revenge.

He began to bring forth his anger to protect.

At that fact, she felt misery once again.

Why must it be like this?

Rather, if he were overwhelming and she were inevitably defeated by his hand.

…If it just happened that way.

That would have been better.

‘But.’

That cannot be.

Following her touch, the freezing wind grew even more violent.

It swelled in size like a waterspout… like the pillar of light before her, eventually reaching the far side of the sky.

Even the pillar of light looked utterly meager in comparison.

But it did not subside.

It did not fade.

Rather, it became even more intense.

‘Perhaps.’

I might lose.

But I must survive.

No matter how deep that sin is.

…What sin did that child commit?

No, was the very act of being born a sin?

I don’t know.

Nevertheless, the world is cruel and harsh.

In the end, something like the strength of someone’s will and desire.

Is casually broken, scattered, ruined.

And trampled upon.

“Luiness—!!”

“…….”

I introduced myself as Mines.

Did he forget that already?

What has happened to me, that I feel sorrow over such a thing?

Following her touch, a massive storm tilted toward Leo, who held the Holy Sword aloft, and his companions.

And to counter it, Leo took a deep breath.

……

—?

‘Why—.’

Why are you there—?

Someone who should not be there was standing there.

The obsidian-haired boy, holding that long sword in his right hand.

Then.

He pulled out another sword hanging from his waist with his left hand.

In the center where light and storm swept through.

All of it.

—Along with the sword.

He took it with his bare body.

‘Why?’

-Why are you going that far?

‘Why are you there?’

It wasn’t just Mines’ question.

Leo discovered it late.

But the Holy Sword had already been swung.

Above all.

The one who looked most unable to accept this situation.

The one with bewildered eyes.

Was the Golden Girl.

That is, the Demon King herself.

……

Just a few minutes ago.

This brat, who had always volunteered for pain and hardship on behalf of others, had finally come to the time to face the cruelty of reality.

The death of someone he was close to.

The helplessness of having to watch it powerlessly.

All of this would become the driving force for his growth in the future.

Others might break under this.

But this fellow is different.

Though his life is unfortunate and difficult.

Nevertheless, this fellow was still a flower placed in a greenhouse.

No matter how much he struggled in his dreams.

That is not reality.

Therefore, by experiencing the cruelty of reality, and by defeating and overcoming it.

He would become firmer.

Yes.

It should have unfolded that way.

But you shouldn’t even have a body that can move, right?

Humans, no matter how firm their will.

What is impossible is impossible.

What cannot be done absolutely cannot be done.

Then why—.

Did you stand up?

In this environment where even standing is difficult.

Why are you able to walk forward?

When even grasping a piece of straw is a struggle.

How can you lift that heavy sword?

-What are you planning to do?

I don’t know the reason.

What are you going to do now?

The situation has already passed the point where you can do anything. It’s all over.

The girl called Mines will withdraw on her own as long as Leo is killed, right?

Or even if Leo miraculously killed that girl, Mines, that would be your merit; there’s no way it would bring harm to you.

-Are you listening to me?

…….

What are those eyes looking at?

What is it that those eyes pursue?

I don’t know the reason.

For what did he hold the sword? Why did he stand up?

His physical condition is the worst.

Right now, the mere fact that he is alive is like a miracle.

Just taking a single step was no different from inviting death.

With just that amount of agony, he could die at any moment.

No, with a body in that state, is it even possible to walk forward?

Even setting all that aside.

In this situation where even those with healthy bodies cannot stand properly, in this biting wind and cutting gale… how can he move forward?

A few seconds, a few dozen seconds.

And yet, the fellow managed to walk forward.

And upon arriving there.

For some reason, the fellow just stood there for a while.

As if waiting for something.

Eventually, a momentary silence fell, as if the final blow were about to be dealt from both sides.

No, could this situation even be called silence?

On one side, a Frost Storm soared to the sky, not just freezing the area but completely devastating it.

The only reason the surroundings were relatively intact was because the boy named Leo was enveloping the area with the Holy Sword.

Yet this crazy bastard, Kariel, is standing even outside that sanctuary.

And with his bare body.

But… how can he be standing?

Why is he fine?

No, can you even call that “fine”?

-This.

I didn’t expect this.

I, too, have a sense of common sense.

There is a clear difference between being reckless and being bold.

Though I may have forced things that seem cruel and absurd by human standards.

That was all a matter of dreams, not reality.

In other words, it was possible because it was virtual.

In reality, I might have watched, or I might have pushed him, but I never told him to throw himself into recklessness.

Like now.

To face a situation where a dog’s death is foretold, to stand against it.

I never said such a thing.

-No… wait.

Is it possible.

…That he is standing there to protect that Holy Sword brat?

If that were the case, the positioning was strange.

And why….

Is he drawing two swords?

As if aiming at both sides.

-…….

At this point, one cannot help but be preoccupied with following the scene before their eyes rather than thinking.

And so.

The total strength of both sides converged in an instant.

No, it should be seen as a collision.

And at that point of collision.

Kariel, who had been standing faintly.

Toward both sides.

He raised his swords.

It was as if.

…The collapsing sky.

With mere human hands.

Trying to support it with those small two hands.

So reckless, and so foolish.

That one… could not bear to watch with open eyes.