Chapter 475: Astarotte (6)

[Impressive. Star Eater.]

“......”

At the Descended One’s voice, Alon looked at it in silence.

The Descended One was still the same as before.

Its gaunt, skeletal frame.

The two spears embedded into where its head should be.

Even the robes like those of a monk.

Not a single thing had changed.

And yet, Alon recognized it.

It had clearly changed.

Its voice was no longer like that of an old man.

Likewise, it no longer called Alon “brother.”

And its manner of speaking had shifted from something like a devout believer serving a god into something cynical.

[I’ll admit it. You truly are someone worthy of drawing the attention of high-ranking Divine blood. But—]

The body that had regenerated in an instant, and the changed atmosphere.

Because of that, tension once again spread across the expressions of the Divine blood, who had been thrown into confusion.

[-So, what do you plan to do now?]

In contrast, the Descended One showed ease.

[You got the answer right. That the fragments are nothing more than bait, that what I wanted was the subjugation force itself, and above all, that I cannot ‘absorb’ unless I see the other party’s ability—all of that is correct. But if there is one thing you overlooked—]

Crush—!

The head of a Divine blood, which had been frozen in tension just moments ago, burst apart.

[-Regrettably, the ‘conditions’ have already been fulfilled.]

The Descended One looked down at the Divine blood that had collapsed with its head blown apart.

Then it turned its gaze back to Alon.

As if the other Divine blood were not even worth paying attention to.

[Star Eater, do you know? Why Divine blood at only the first tier can devour no more than a handful of fragments?]

Having posed the question, the Descended One—

[The answers number in the dozens. But they can be summarized in one. It’s an extremely simple answer. The truth is, a first-tier Divine blood is simply far too weak to accept more than two fragments.]

“......!”

gave the answer.

And within it, Alon sensed its intention—and at the same time, saw it.

[In other words, if one is not weak, then it is possible to absorb fragments.]

On the Descended One’s hand, a ‘fragment’ in the shape of a spear had formed at some point.

[Ah—]

Staring at the spear that had appeared, the Descended One wore an enraptured expression as it toyed with the tip of the blade.

[At first, they were two brothers devoted to Astarotte. But that was not enough.]

From the spear tip to the guard.

[Next were the brothers of Astarotte. But that too was not enough.]

From the guard to the shaft.

[So next, I devoured the brothers who had retrieved fragments, but even that was not enough. However—]

At that moment—

the Divine blood moved on instinct.

Because they all knew.

The one in front of them.

They had to stop the Descended One, now gripping the fully formed spear tightly in both hands.

The moment they realized it, the Divine blood moved.

From the mouth of the Divine blood at the very front, a horrifying blade burst out.

Another Divine blood swelled its body to enormous size, while the «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» one beside it spread its arms grotesquely in all directions like an inverted star.

The abilities they had refrained from using until now for the sake of their allies were unleashed all at once.

However—

[Now, at last... I can achieve the great design.]

Filled with ecstasy, the Descended One moved a step faster than the Divine blood—

and without hesitation brought down the spear it held—

KWA A A A A A NG—!!

—yet failed to drive it down.

Crackle—!

Golden lightning scattered in all directions.

Within it—

even through the swirling dust—

golden hair that had not lost its light.

And eyes that shone most intensely within that brilliance.

And—

“Rangchang rangchang—”

The Thunder God that had descended murmured quietly.

[It is nothing more than a pitiful struggle.]

Even after allowing Seollang to land a terrifying blow so precise it could not be seen, the Descended One walked out at ease.

Crunch—!

The battle began.

####

Crackle—!

With a horrifying surge of lightning, Seollang’s body vanished, and the true beginning of the battle unfolded.

KWA A A A A—!!

Brilliant golden lightning and heavy explosions burst out one after another.

Between them—

the Divine blood rushing in to assist Seollang in killing the Descended One.

But the flow of battle did not look good.

Even while facing Seollang and the Divine blood simultaneously, the Descended One was clearly eliminating them one by one.

And yet, even in that situation, Alon saw a faint hope.

‘Still not enough.’

Alon looked at the Descended One, which was still going around killing Divine blood even now.

Despite having the time to drive the fragment into itself, it did not do so, and instead continued killing Divine blood.

In conclusion, it meant the Descended One was not yet prepared to absorb the fragment.

In other words, at the very last moment when its purpose had been exposed by Alon, it had squeezed out a desperate plan.

To instill an unbearable sense of crisis in the Divine blood, force them to use their abilities, and then absorb them.

‘There’s still time.’

Alon calmly assessed the situation and reached a conclusion.

Having already absorbed the Divine blood that followed it—and the previous subjugation force—it was undoubtedly strong even in its current state.

The Descended One was not being pushed back at all, even while taking the attacks of both the Divine blood and Seollang.

If it absorbed all the Divine blood, it would likely become almost impossible to stop.

That was why it had to be stopped now.

In this remaining time, before it could become strong enough to absorb the fragment.

“...Hoo—”

Alon checked the ‘preparations,’ now nearly complete, and at the same time recalled two new deductions as he looked at the Descended One.

‘When it fights at full power, it cannot summon the Divine blood it has absorbed.’

If it could summon them simply by absorbing Divine blood whose abilities it had seen, it would have already done so.

No matter how weak those it summoned might be, the difference in numbers could not be ignored.

So at this point, it was correct to assume it could not call them forth.

‘And judging from what it said, its strength probably increases according to how much it absorbs.’

Recalling the Descended One’s words, Alon turned his gaze to Seollang.

Before, he had at least been able to follow her with afterimages—

but now even that was impossible, as she moved too fast.

Even with the help of other Divine blood, she was continuing to fight a second-tier Divine blood.

...Though in truth, she was only buying time.

For a fleeting moment, Alon caught sight of Seollang’s blurred figure.

Even though she was wrapped in brilliant golden lightning, her condition did not look good.

A long slash ran across her right arm, scattering blood, and her body was covered in wounds.

And finally—

the exhaustion clearly visible even to Alon’s eyes.

It made it obvious she was nearing her limit.

Of course.

No matter how much stronger she had become, even with the help of other Divine blood—

her opponent was one that had reached the second tier, and had absorbed dozens of Divine blood.

The moment that thought crossed his mind, Alon saw Seollang’s gaze turn toward him.

Still like Seollang—

and yet not like Seollang.

Looking at her, Alon nodded.

Nod—

At Alon’s permission, Seollang nodded as well.

####

A sickening sound came from Seollang’s arm—

Crunch—!

“Ugh—!”

Suppressing the scream that burst out, Seollang looked at the Descended One.

‘I can’t win.’

She couldn’t win.

Looking at the Divine blood before her, Seollang judged coldly.

The conclusion she reached would not change, not even by chance.

Because it was a conclusion reached not by her alone, but together with the inheritors who had passed down the essence until now.

Even so, even if she could not win, Seollang had no intention of giving up this fight.

From the beginning, her goal had never been victory.

Seollang’s purpose was—

Boom—!

to buy time.

Nod.

And now—

there was no longer any need for that.

Crackle—!

After confirming Alon’s nod, Seollang released lightning once more.

But what wrapped around her now was not golden lightning—

but red lightning.

Among those who had inherited the essence until now, the lightning used by the 13th inheritor—lightning that temporarily pushed physical ability to its absolute limit—wrapped around her.

[At last—!!?]

In that brief opening, Seollang struck another Divine blood down and drove her attack into the Descended One’s shoulder, which wore a deep smile.

KWA A A A A A NG—!!!

With a thunderous explosion that erupted in an instant, Seollang spat red blood from her mouth from using that wrathful lightning even for a moment—but she did not care.

Because with this, everything she had to do was finished.

Seollang’s gaze turned to the Descended One.

The Descended One, slammed into the ground by her attack, froze in surprise for a moment.

Then, it raised the black fragment it had been holding, intending to drive it into its head—

[!]

—and stopped.

[What—!]

For once, clear agitation appeared on the Descended One.

And at the same time—

stars began to rise in the sky that had been covered by dark clouds.

One became two.

Two became four.

Four became eight.

Eight became—

in an instant, countless stars beyond counting.

In a night sky where the Milky Way no longer existed—

they appeared.

And where all the Divine blood’s gazes turned—

[Star Eater......!]

Alon was there.

Standing in the sky, forming hand seals, looking down below in solemn composure.

Above him—

─────────!!!

With a terrifying tearing sound through the air,

a pillar of pure white light devoured the black clouds and revealed itself to all.

Even the gazes of the Divine blood, which had been sinking deeper into despair just moments ago, were swallowed by that white light.

Soon—

behind Alon, six arms formed.

Hand Seals of Water and Ice

Sixfold Knot

began to take shape.

And the stars floating in the sky were fired out in pure white all at once—

Grrrrrrrrrr—!!!

twisting their structure.

From a simple pillar of white—

into the shape of a spiraling arrow.

And that twisted arrow—

“Sniping of Oblivion—”

—Revised

Before the Descended One could do anything, the moment Alon murmured, it began to fall.

And Seollang immediately tried to move—

“!”

—but failed.

Thud—!

Her body faltered and collapsed, and she turned her gaze downward.

There—

a black hand, created by the Descended One, which had not existed just moments ago, was gripping her even as it was being crushed by the swelling magic.

“Ah.”

Seollang let out a faint sigh without realizing it.

Because instinctively, she understood.

She could not break free from this hand.

If it had been her usual self, perhaps it would have been possible.

But unfortunately, now—

she had exhausted most of her strength.

And not only that—

the severe wounds she had sustained fighting the Descended One, along with the use of the red lightning, had left her in a state where she could hardly use any power at all.

...To the point that she did not even have the strength to cut off her own leg, which the black hand was holding.

“......”

Seollang looked up at the sky.

There, the arrow was still falling.

If that struck, she would certainly die along with the Descended One.

“Ah......”

Death.

At that unfamiliar yet familiar word, Seollang’s gaze filled with fear.

And then, despair began to swallow her thoughts.

Because she knew.

That Alon would not stop that attack.

...Seollang knew he was a kind person.

But she also knew that did not mean he was foolish.

If Alon stopped the attack here to save her, that would be a foolish act.

If he stopped it, she would live—but the Descended One would use the fragment.

And then there would be no way left to stop it.

Which meant everyone here would die.

...The people he had to protect.

“......”

Seollang turned her gaze far away.

There—

she could see Basiliora, Blackie, and Evan and Penia.

Those who always stayed with Alon—

those who were more precious to him than anything.

...Beings he had to protect somehow, along with his own life.

And compared to them—

what about her?

Alon already knew.

That she was no longer someone who had built a relationship with him.

That she was no longer someone he could even call by the same name.

...He knew all of it.

That she was no longer Seollang.

“......”

The things that must never be lost—

and that which was no longer precious.

Which one to choose—

was obvious.

Seollang looked at the black hands before her as they slowly took the shape of spears.

Malice, intent on taking her life without allowing her to live.

Watching it, sensing the end, Seollang closed her eyes.

...Thinking of a fantasy that would never come true—of how things might have been different if she were her original self.

With a chilling metallic sound—

she simply closed her eyes.

And then—

what reached Seollang’s ears—

was not the tearing sound of flesh she had expected.

Nor was it the ringing in her ears from hearing being destroyed.

Nor the deafening roar of the world exploding.

It was simply—

Crunch—!

the sound of sharp metal breaking.

And when she opened her eyes again at that sound—

Seollang saw it.

“......Ah.”

A coat hem that should never—

should never be in front of her eyes—

...and yet one she had wished to see—

was swaying.

“...Are you alright?”

A voice she thought she would never hear again—

reached her ears once more.

She had no choice but to swallow her breath.

But only for a moment.

Seollang soon looked at Alon with trembling eyes.

Because she knew what result his choice would bring.

“......”

“......”

Seollang looked at Alon, who had now turned his gaze toward her.

“!”

And she could not help but be shocked.

Because the corners of Alon’s expressionless mouth had curved ever so slightly into a smile.

As if to reassure her.

“I know what you’re worried about.”

And then—

tap—

placing his hand silently on Seollang’s head—

“It’s fine.”

simply—

“There is a way.”

murmuring that, Alon began to concentrate.

To use the law granted to him.