Chapter 2178 WHAT HAVE YOU BECOME!?

"V-Varon…?"

Elyra blinked, unable to believe what had just happened. Her body reacted on its own as she dashed forward—or so she tried to—but another Light Born raised his hand, and a Wall of Light formed in front of her, cutting her off.

By the time she managed to move past the wall and tried to reach Varon again—

It was already too late.

"Acckk! Why… khrrrkk!!"

Varon's body twitched once, then… it went still. The golden liquid on his wound ate away his endless life force, destroying him from within.

The glow in his veins faded, his eyes lost their shine, and, unable to hold on any longer—

His body fell.

Free falling into the sea below with a plop.

And above the skies, where the Light Borns, the other Eternals following them, and now four Progenitors of Irethol stood… silence fell.

The Progenitors stared at the absurd situation in front of them, frozen. No matter how desperately they tried—

Their bodies just wouldn't move.

"W-W-Why…?"

And only after Elyra forced herself to speak did she manage to ask the question all four Progenitors had in their minds.

All of them were from Light—then how… why would the Light Borns… kill one of them…?

Was this a test?

An order from Lady Seraphielle?

What was it?

And why?

But the Light Borns didn't answer. Instead—

Pierce

Another Light Born had moved, his spear piercing through one of the Thal'ren Eternals—or at least…

That was what happened at first glance, but this time, the Thal'ren Progenitors were prepared. The Progenitor who was attacked, Raphal, moved through the spear that had pierced through his body as if his body were made of jelly, and when he was finally away, his body returned to normal—as if nothing had happened.

The Light Born who attacked Raphal narrowed his eyes, but this didn't stop him—he moved forward, but just then—

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?"

Elyra screamed, her eyes reflecting intense anger.

"WE ARE OF LIGHT!!

WE ARE ONE OF YOU!!!

WHY ARE YOU ATTACKING US!?"

She demanded to know as she too took out her weapon, prepared for whatever was about to come.

And just then—as if just holding her weapon was enough for her to collect herself—

Her very demeanour changed.

"If we do not receive proper explanation, do not blame us for being rude."

She spoke calmly, her eyes shining with strong conviction. Her words also brought the other Progenitors out of their reverie; they too brought out their weapons and stared at the Light Borns.

Yes, they were of Light; they followed the Supreme World of Light, and in their eyes, the Light Borns were no different than messengers of Lady Seraphielle herself, beings they deeply respected—but…

But this did not mean they did not have pride of their own.

These beings came to their world and killed one of their own. This was not a greeting, this was… a direct assault, and if they thought they could get away with it, they were sorely mistaken.

Light Borns or not, it didn't even matter that they held the numbers advantage—the Irethol Progenitors just couldn't give in.

And it wasn't just them; the rest of the Thal'rens, who saw everything happen right in front of their eyes, stared at the situation wide-eyed, but following their Progenitors, their shock too had turned into anger.

But…

To the Light Borns—their resistance simply did not matter.

The leading Light Born, Farah, raised his hand, attracting all attention. The Irethol Progenitors stared at him, waiting for an answer—

But no answer came.

What came was—

Farah's gaze swept over them without even the slightest change in his expression, and then—

Then he flicked his hand.

The six Light Borns and eleven other Eternals behind him moved as one, targeting the four Irethol Progenitors.

Their answer was clear.

Battle was the only way out.

And when the Irethol Progenitors realized it—

They moved forward as well.

BOOOOOOOM

The sky of Irethol split apart.

Golden and silver light collided, scattering waves of wild energy that tore through the sea and sky alike.

The calm, radiant world that was shining with serenity just a few minutes ago had now turned into a complete, chaotic mess.

Elyra darted through the air, her crystal fins blazing with light as she parried a spear aimed at her throat.

"STOP THIS MADNESS!"

She shouted, her voice echoing through the trembling skies.

"WE ARE OF LIGHT! WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS!?"

But no one answered.

The six Light Borns moved together, their coordination so perfect that the Irethol Progenitors couldn't find even a single flaw in it.

Every strike they made rippled with perfect brilliance, their bodies shifting through light itself as they moved.

They weren't like other beings; they… they seemed to represent inevitability itself.

Behind them, the eleven Eternals launched their attacks as well. They too were all part of the Light Faction, so their energies were somewhat related to light. Their radiance, though incomparable to the Light Borns, was still something the Irethol Progenitors simply could not ignore.

"Formation!"

Zal'ith, one of the Irethol Progenitors, shouted.

He and the other three Progenitors moved into a tight circle, their bodies surrounded by runes made of ocean light.

"Shield of the Depth!"

The waters of Irethol surged upward, forming a colossal dome that shimmered around them. By now, Irethol's Will was activated as well. It had already lost one of its children, so it gave all its power to its remaining children.

This was also the reason the Light Borns couldn't suppress them with their domains—both sides had absolute laws. Even though the Light Borns' Laws were stronger, the Irethol Progenitors had the support of a High-Level World.

So the battle wasn't entirely hopeless.

Or at least…

That is what the Irethol Progenitors believed.

But…

One Light Born, Alvian, raised his hand. He looked at the dome in front of him without emotion, then, for the first time since the Light Borns had arrived,

One of them spoke.

"Shatter."

He commanded, and the ocean barrier the Irethol Progenitors had created together—a barrier stronger than any they had made before, a miles-wide shield reinforced by the Will of Irethol—shattered instantly.

BOOOOOOM

The explosion sent the four Progenitors flying backward.

Zal'ith crashed into the coral spires below, sending waves of broken glass and glowing shards scattering into the sea.

Raphal roared, summoning pillars of light from the ocean floor, striking upward—but every beam he sent was casually redirected by one of the corrupted Eternals.

BOOM BOOM BOOM

The battlefield became even more chaotic.

Each attack from the Light Borns destroyed everything it touched. Mountains of coral disintegrated into glowing dust, the sea turned into steam, and every city below them screamed in panic, their cries lost under the thunder of godly beings clashing.

Elyra, breathing heavily, turned toward Raphal.

"Raphal, flank right! Zal'ith—!"

But her command broke off when she saw it—

A golden spear pierced straight through Raphal's back.

He froze mid-flight, his body trembling as his veins lit up like rivers of molten gold.

"E-Elyra…"

He called out, his words losing strength with time.

Then—

BOOOM

His body exploded into dust.

"NO!"

Elyra screamed, but before she could even process the sight—

BOOOOOOOOOM

Another blast came from above.

The light struck Zal'ith squarely, vaporizing the entire stretch of ocean beneath him, together with him.

Yes, Zal'ith had fallen as well.

The battlefield was falling apart.

Their resistance… it barely lasted a minute.

Elyra and the last Progenitor regrouped mid-air, battered and bloodied, their breaths harsh and shallow.

"Th-They're monsters…"

Krayn, the one remaining Progenitor, muttered, his once radiant fins now broken and dull.

"One of them could destroy us all.

Why… why are they doing this!?"

"Focus!"

Elyra shouted, clutching her bleeding arm.

"We'll make them hear us! They have to!"

She raised her hand, channeling her essence into the air.

A giant wave of light burst outward—an ancient Thal'ren technique meant to prepare one final attack, an attack that even the Light Borns wouldn't be able to ignore.

But—

SWHOOOSH

Before the call could finish, a beam of light cut through the wave, erasing it completely.

"It is pointless.

Accept your end—

It is inevitable."

The Light Born who destroyed it looked at her with calm eyes.

But—

"You kill your own and you dare talk about inevitability!?"

Elyra shouted back, her voice filled with fury and… despair.

"WHAT HAVE YOU BECOME!?"

She asked, her voice shaking the entirety of Irethol.

But…

No response came.

The six Light Borns advanced again, moving like angels of judgment. Their light engulfed everything—the sky, the ocean, even the cries of the dying.

"I WILL TAKE ONE OF YOU DOWN WITH ME!!"

Krayn screamed and launched his final attack, releasing all his life force into one strike.

A giant serpent of golden light formed and charged at one of the Light Borns.

It reached him…

And…

Then it simply vanished the moment it touched the Light Borns' combined radiance.

As for Krayn…

His body instantly turned cold, his light faded, and…

He fell—just like Varon, Raphal, and Zal'ith.

Elyra was the last one left.