Chapter 519: Rising Light (2)
Loud ringing caused my ears to ache while the ground split unevenly. The city’s ruins flew around in all directions, and my body ended up being thrown around without my control.
Under the magic’s pressure, I couldn’t even breathe properly- no, I couldn’t afford to take a breath.
I had no opening to take my eyes away from my opponent. I couldn’t even glimpse away for a moment as attacks filled with magic continued to come my way.
Crash! Craaaaash!
Even listening to the sounds was exhausting.
It had been a long time since the city became a ma.s.s of ruins, and although it might be a bit of an exaggeration, Lindel looked worse than it did from the first timeline.
It had been impacted on such a large scale that it was difficult to believe that such a catastrophe happened because of a fight between only two people. It even became hard to differentiate where the Red Mercenary’s Guild House was or where the squares that Lindel’s adventurers loved so much were among the ruins.
Except for the castle, which the army guarded, there was no other place to protect. And, on top of that castle, people were watching the unbelievable battle before them.
They must have realized that the battle would bring the entire war to a close.
The cluttered areas seemed to have been organized to a certain extent. Even the people that were cheering a while ago had gone completely silent.
‘How much time has pa.s.sed?’
I didn’t have the means to keep track of it. I was too occupied. After entering the final phase, it was hard to tell how things had reached such a point.
It was probably the same for Kim Hyunsung.
He must have judged that he had to make his opponent unable to fight as he poured magic into his body. Truthfully, that sight was a bit touching. That was how desperate he seemed.
My condition wasn’t that great either, but it wasn’t as bad as Kim Hyunsung’s.
‘Ah, this b.a.s.t.a.r.d, seriously…’
His body had become so ragged. It contrasted his usual clean and sharp self. I wanted to end it too, but things had only dragged onto that point because I couldn’t find the right timing.
The only thing that rea.s.sured me was that his eyes were still filled with faith.
I wouldn’t have blamed him if he gave up, but his determination was still the same.
‘Man, I’m starting to feel sorry.’
At that point, even without having a conscience, he had begun to stir my heart.
While continuing to murmur that he had to save me, he stood up again with eyes full of determination.
I saw him coming my way again. He was fast as usual, but his movements lacked sharpness. He swallowed the blood pouring out of his mouth back, and likewise, I was also getting exhausted.
The one fighting was Belial, but it was straining my body more than I could believe was possible.
My state wasn’t comparable to Kim Hyunsung’s because he had been breathing heavily since a while ago, but it didn’t mean that I wasn’t tired as well.
My legs usually hurt after walking only five hours. Considering that I had been clashing against him with all that I had, I began to think of giving up.
Craaaaaaaash!!
Kim Hyunsung had come my way again, and I thrust him away again. That exhausting pattern continued to repeat.
The battle had become so simple since we each had one goal in mind. Furthermore, as our movements slowed, I was sure we must’ve looked even more desperate to the outsiders.
With a crashing sound, his sword clashed against my magic. The impact was so strong that I felt my body bounce backward.
I didn’t get up immediately. Kim Hyunsung was also thrown back.
‘Ah, I don’t want to get up.’
At the corner of my eye, I looked to the top of the tower to see a couple of wounded soldiers watching us. Even the Blue Guild members didn’t move a finger.
Anyone else worth mentioning could be seen healing their wounds while watching.
Those whose cla.s.ses were related to the Swordsman couldn’t take their eyes off Kim Hyunsung.
Since it was a sight that even I, who didn’t know the first thing about swordsmanship, thought was interesting, they were probably even more engrossed in it than I was.
Some were praying or conversing with one another. They all had one thing similar: they all couldn’t gaze away from the fight.
However, even in that situation, something else came to my mind…
‘Where is Hayan?’
I hadn’t spotted Hayan since the start of the battle.
I understood that she was still recovering from her mental wounds, but I had begun to feel a bit nervous.
Even if she was in a panic, how could she be so quiet?
‘Yeah, it is good that she is not doing anything here right now.’
That was right. I hoped that she would stay like that until the end of our battle. Then, the situation could continue without any problems.
Well, regardless, that matter wasn’t as important as what was in front of me. I slowly pushed my body up.
Kim Hyunsung also got up. As he breathed heavily, his eyes were focused on me.
“Huff, huff.”
He raised his sword again.
I showed him that I was losing my composure and continuously placed my hand on the side of my masked face. It was too tiring like that. I wanted to rest a bit, so I initiated a conversation.
“I never thought you’d push so far… I will admit this much…”
“Huff, huff.”
“Among all the humans I had seen, you are the strongest. I didn’t think you could lengthen such a boring battle for this long. Cough!”
“…”
“But aren’t you at your limit? Objectively, your body is at your limit. It’s probably already too much for you to even stay standing.”
“…”
‘Say something, Hyunsung. Let’s take a quick break.’
“It’s because I’m not fighting by myself.”
‘Cancel it, sh*t, cancel it. Don’t say lines like that, Hyunsung, please… That’s so embarra.s.sing. Really…”
He said lines that would make me blush unconditionally.
The words, ‘please kill me’ was on par with it, but both of those lines made my face red.
Of course, it was different from his perspective. His line merely showcased how invested he was in the play. He probably thought my gimmick of touching my head in pain proved Light Kiyoung was still fighting.
It wasn’t very pleasant, but I knew that it did make a worthy view.
“The reason why I can keep standing…”
‘…’
“Is that Kiyoung-ssi is still fighting. I can continue to fight because of him.”
“Urgh…”
In fear that he might catch my embarra.s.sed face, I quickly bowed my head.
“I also won’t give up. So… Kiyoung-ssi, please don’t give up.”
‘Ah, well, the emotions are good.’
However, it was my responsibility to handle all of it. The conversation ended, and as our break time came to a halt, he began to move towards me again.
I also slowly started to raise my arm. With a crash, both of our bodies bounced away, and we got up again.
That was the limit.
That was what I had been thinking for hours by then. My magic had run out, and my bones seemed like they had been broken.
My stamina had hit its bottom since page 2, and I had received enough damage to have died a couple of times.
“Huff, huff.”
“Ha…”
The magic sparks surrounding his sword began to disappear. It was the same for me. There was still some of Belial’s power left, but I couldn’t withstand conjuring more power.
I had already used too much of Belial’s strength.
After going through multiple nerfs to come to that world and to summon various demons, if I didn’t start using my acc.u.mulated experience…
‘It will be too much.’
That would probably be my last. Any more and Kim Hyunsung’s body wouldn’t be able to withstand it, either.
Surrounded by my magic, his armor had already been torn away, and it looked like he didn’t have much magic left in his sword.
He reminded me of a candle that was about to be blown out.
“Sigh…”
It was at that moment that he fixed his stance again.
‘Yes, I should stop at this point.’
While clutching onto my mask, I took out Juliana from my sheath. I was sure of my decision when a red light that Kim Hyunsung had seen in his dream began to rise.
‘I have to end things here.’
There wasn’t another background that was more fitting to be the end of that chapter. It was a view so unbelievable and too beautiful to see.
As if it was cheering us on, the sunset was even more beautiful than usual. The colorful sky painted the ruins with its faint light.
‘It makes a pretty picture.’
Kim Hyunsung clutched at his sword again. With the gift from a friend, who was more like his older brother, he raised his sword again to save the Fallen Saint.
As a standard villain, that was the right time to say something.
“Don’t think that I will be the same as stupid Donovan, you insect.”
Of course, Kim Hyunsung didn’t reply. He just stared in my direction while holding his sword. As he moved, I was surprised to see how much magic gathered around his sword.
“Die while regretting your inability and foolishness.”
“Fuuu.”
Although he took a long time to prepare, his swing was sharp. When lights completely covered the ruins, Kim Hyunsung’s sword also shone.
The red light shone so brightly that it was hard to see with my bare eyes.
‘Yeaaaaah!!!’
I had to look like I was resisting.
“Die, you insect!”
As two powerful forces clashed, Lindel turned white.
I already expected that there would be a powerful impact since two polar-opposite forces clashed, but that was more than I expected. I couldn’t simply describe it as beautiful. Other viewers probably had the same thought.
At first, only swords clashed, but our distance grew. The ground split due to the impact of our magic. A circle had long since formed around us in the center and pushed Lindel’s remnants outside of the castle.
Craaaaaaaaaaaaaaash!!!
“Ahhhhhhhhhh!”
Again, it was an unfitting scream. It was a scream dedicated to evil, having been burst out through his unconsciousness. He probably thought he couldn’t endure it if he didn’t do that much.
“Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!”
He had the appearance of an ideal hero.
Who could point fingers at a man who was fighting with all he had against evil? It was a cliché expression, but it couldn’t feel any more unordinary than this.
I watched Kim Hyunsung with a smirk on my face and caught him staring at me. With unwavering eyes, he bit his lips tightly and let out a beam of light.
‘You have done enough. Let’s stop now, Hyunsung…’
It would be too much to make him struggle even more than that. However, I couldn’t help but feel a bit unsatisfied.
Everyone would’ve thought it was a satisfying ending, but creators tended never to be satisfied with their work.
I became more anxious as I heard my mask cracking. It was at that moment…
‘That… that crazy b.i.t.c.h.’
I was shocked to see Jung Hayan appear from a close distance away.
‘d.a.m.n it!’
I was worried that she might pour some of her magic into Kim Hyunsung.
There was a time when she stabbed a magician’s stomach with a dagger for casting a spell on me, after all.
I looked at Kim Hyunsung anxiously again, but he didn’t notice Jung Hayan behind him.
‘He could really die.’
Kim Hyunsung was already at his limit. If Jung Hayan intervened…his body might shatter if she attacked him with her magic.
“Huh?”
I was thinking of the worst-case scenario.
“Huh? You are…?”
I turned around to see the pale-faced Jung Hayan, her arms trembling.
“S-S-Sorry. I am sorry… waah…”
‘Sh…sh*t.’
“… I’m sorry… sniff…”
‘That’s great, Jung Hayan! Yes, sh*t! This was it! This was what was missing.’
I felt great joy.
“You insect!!! How dare you!!!”
“Please… come back… sniff… Please come back to your senses… sob…”
‘Hyunsung! The time has come! Do it noooooow!!! Now!! Nooooooow!!!!’
“Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!”
Kim Hyunsung must have also been aware of the ‘right now’ cliché because he clenched onto his sword for the last time.
Finally…
Crack!
My mask fell apart. As I felt light surrounding me, I quickly changed my cla.s.s and felt my appearance changing.
That was really my limit, and since I couldn’t feel any sensations from my body. I was worried that I might die like that.
As the shining light flickered away…
In front of the rising sun…
And watching him reach his hand out to me…
I couldn’t help but make a weak smile.
“You withstood… thank you for withstanding…thank you so much.”
At this, Kim Hyunsung cried just like a young child.