Volume 4: Chapter 300 – The Boundary of the Underworld (3/3)

“If you’re going that far, then you leave me with no choice. I’ll kill you with my own hands.”

Once again, metal clashed with metal.

Powerful winds transformed into storms.

The skies above the great sword split, and even the stars beyond the dark clouds were unveiled, but as if to avoid the gentle light pouring from the red moons of the twin sisters, they threw themselves once again into their tempest of swords.

The long sword moved at the speed of light to tear apart the vitals of the man. Even the center of the man’s body where the nucleus of a monster should be was penetrated. In fact, even the land behind him was cut.

Yet the black flames simply appeared again.

The flames of the underworld brought infinite regeneration to those who faced it.

But there was no denying that the man was being tormented by pain as his soul was ground bit by bit.

Despite that, the man did not stop. He would defeat the man before him and free the woman he loved. That which he could not accomplish before, a regret he could not fulfill, this time for sure, he would do it right──

The flames of the underworld responded to the man’s voice and transformed.

As the great sword swung, the black flames transformed into Gi Da’s spear and struck out. Aldia swung again, And Ativ tried to evade, but the black flames transformed into Gi Ba’s battle axe and smashed down to seal Ativ, while Gi Zo’s water bullets came shooting next.

Yet even as Ativ had to receive all that, the man’s sword never stopped. Then amidst the storm of the great sword, a club as big as a human’s torso swung in black flames, crushing the ground and unleashing a black light.

“Tch.. Damn it!”

Ativ swung his sword in frustration, but for the first time, his posture broke. A staff thrust out from behind the king. The power imbued within could sink even the unsinkable flying warships and force even gods to miscalculate.

A wind of spear and a black light assaulted Ativ from his flanks. Ativ could tell that a sweeping attack wouldn’t make it in time, so he tried to step back, but──

“──You lowlives!”

The dignity of a god would not allow him anything but to advance.

This world existed for him. There was no doubting that. No one of this land could best him, and no one could wound him. That was impossible for anyone that was born here and lived here, be they monsters or something else.

The monsters were not worthy of fear. At most, they were just rabble that blocked his way. Yet now, they have become a wall that made even him suffer. It was unforgivable. The monsters that lived in this world existed merely to prostrate themselves before the gods. They were not something meant to threaten them.

That’s why Ativ stepped forward.

And that was exactly what the man had been waiting for.

The distance was fatal.

The blow unleashed could slay even gods.

Violent tremor ran through the divine long sword. Unable to support the weight of the mass, the ground sank, and the sword screamed. The resulting impact was so great that ether rose up and transformed into a gust of wind that tore apart everything nearby.

Divine authority poured out from Ativ’s body as he raised up his long sword to resist the killing technique, but the man’s power still won out. When Ativ realized he couldn’t take the blow, he immediately switched to a counterattack.

“Skewer HimVana Se, Heaven’s SpearGungir!”

A short spear immediately appeared and penetrated the man. The three-pronged tip pierced through the man’s heart, while the sickle spear pierced his right leg, and an electrically charged spear of earth struck his left leg. A chained golden spear also struck the man’s right arm, while a fatal spear dripping with poison pierced his left.

“O Black Flames, Burst.Burst!!”

Then all the spears penetrating the man exploded, burning him internally and externally, while sending fragments of the spears inside him to go haywire. But the black flames continued to support the man, and he glared at the enemy before him, refusing to let him go.

Sparks erupted between the long sword and the great sword.

Not only did the power pushing down on him not weaken, it seemed to grow even stronger. Already, the man’s breath was flame itself. It was dyed in black, and as the man bellowed, he slashed, crushing the long sword in which the dignity of a god was imbued, and at long last, cutting his body.

The great sword successfully cut Ativ from the shoulder to his flank. Blood poured out. And the man was sure of it, he had wounded Ativ, and──

“──You bastardDDDdDDdDdD!!”

──he had also brought his wrath upon him.

Divine authority poured out and transformed into ether. The ether pouring out were itself on the realm of magic. Just by existing and releasing it, the living creatures around would be harmed.

In fact, the man was blown away alongside his black flames. The wound on Ativ has also already closed.

“Unforgivable, unforgivable!”

Ativ, who screamed out his guts, could no longer afford to be leisurely.

“Accept Divine PunishmentDer Ist!”

The true wordsmagic that judged everything shot out from his broken sword.

“OooOOoaAAA!!!”

The man met it head on. It was a stroke that forbade all other futures other than one where the man’s body was severed into two. But the man poured all of his strength into his great sword as he slammed it along the course of that stroke.

Ativ immediately sensed it when the man had closed in on the future where he was cut and the distance where he would be eroded, so he drew another stroke, while black flames drew an arc in the air.

It all happened too quickly. The sword drawn from the left to the right shoulder could no longer be seen, only the residual black flames in the air that clad the great sword. A moment later, divine blood gushed out of Ativ.

“My Body is ImmortalRegen.”

As though time rewound itself, Ativ’s body regenerated.

He clicked his tongue in frustration.

“…This world exists for me. You monsters can never inflict a fatal wound on me.”

But the man, who has already inflicted two fatal wounds on him, raised his great sword up toward the heavens.

“In that case, I shall create the world anew!”

A chill ran down Ativ’s spine.

The black flames swirling in and out of the man happily reached out for the heavens.

Ativ had gotten too caught up in his fight with this monster in front of him. Now that he thought about it, the conditions needed to alter the principle of the world have already been met.

But there was no way that the man before him knew that.

『 Do you really believe that? 』

Then the Goddess of the Underworld spoke.

“…Is it you, Altesia!?”

The cogs in his head started spinning quickly, and Ativ sorted out the situation. If he could hear the voice of the Goddess of the Underworld, then the contract with the old gods must have already been abandoned. It was not on a whim that the wind god lent his power to the spirits.

If so, then the God of Forest and the God of Water must have also rebelled. Did they think they could win? Or could they not endure their position as the defeated any longer?──

“──In the name of my goddess, open the door!”

“KU!?”

Ativ shuddered as he immediately understood the meaning behind that chant.

『Ah, can you hear me, my beloved? Can you hear this joyful voice? 』

Those words woven by Altesia disturbed his thoughts even more. They were captivating and so full of killing intent. The Goddess of the Underworld laughed amidst hatred and love.

“Warriors who have sworn to me, enemies who have opposed me, and all the souls that have rotten on the battlefield! All you who have passed through the gates of the underworld!”

“Think I’ll let you!?”

Seven strokes. The shimmering sword tore through Ativ’s enemy, but the man refused to stop.

When Ativ felt the pitch black darkness surging from deep inside the man’s chest, Ativ swung his sword again. If he didn’t stop this now, the world he wished for wouldn’t come until another 400 years. 400 years that might as well be eternity!

“──Use me as a key and open the world!”

The wounds the man received immediately healed and black flames began to swirl around him.

“Stop it! Don’t you fear annihilation!?──”

“──Now, ComeCries!O Beautiful World of ChaosAltesia!!

With the man’s sword pointed up above, the heavens cracked open, and the underworld appeared──”