Chapter 476 : Astarote (7)

Stab!

Right ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍after the chilling sound of something piercing flesh reached Alon and Seolrang’s ears, the sight that entered their vision as they turned their heads was—the Fragment embedded where Descender’s head had once been.

[Huff- ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Huhahahahahahaha~!!]

He ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍burst into mad laughter as though he had achieved his grand ambition.

The ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍spear that had pierced through his neck and penetrated his heart glistened, drenched in crimson blood.

At ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍first glance, it looked like a fatal wound—

DRRRRRRRRRGH~!

—but from the moment he burst into manic laughter, the trembling earth spread something ominous to everyone present.

[-!]

And the power that soon surged forth was so overwhelming that it robbed every divine-blood there of their fighting spirit.

“.......”

The divine-bloods stared at Descender with hollow expressions, as though witnessing the incomprehensible.

Seolrang, wearing an expression little different from theirs, let out a low sigh.

Of course, Seolrang had already concluded that victory was impossible even before Descender used the Fragment.

Still.

She had judged that buying time was possible.

But now?

‘....Even that is impossible.’

Seolrang coldly reached her conclusion.

Now, she could no longer do anything in this battle.

And not just her.

No one here could be of any help anymore.

In truth, Descender before them had already become an existence that could no longer be stopped.

“......Master.”

Having reached that thought, Seolrang unconsciously called out to Alon.

Alon’s gaze naturally turned toward her.

Seeing that expressionless face, Seolrang’s lips reflexively moved.

“Why did you do it?”

In truth, Seolrang had already heard the answer.

And yet, she still could not understand Alon’s choice.

She knew he was a good person.

She knew he was someone who never spared his own body when saving others.

But no matter how true that was.

This time, there was simply too much at stake for him.

“This is too unreasonable.”

To save Seolrang, he had gambled his own life, and the lives of the precious people around him.

And that was far too—

“No.”

In that instant, Seolrang’s thoughts halted.

Blankly, she raised her gaze and looked at Alon.

The situation was utterly hopeless.

The divine-bloods felt despair before the overwhelming power radiating from Descender.

The earth trembled like a quaking tree beneath the waves of that power.

And the heavens that had shone brilliantly moments ago had once more turned endlessly black.

Yes.

Everything visible was nothing but a hopeless landscape.

A landscape where not even a trace of hope could be found.

That was certainly true.

And yet.

“It is not unreasonable.”

Even amidst all that.

Even while Descender gradually revealed his power and inflicted helplessness upon everyone.

“Even if it may appear that way in the eyes of others—”

Calmly.

Those unwavering eyes stared firmly into Seolrang’s trembling ones.

“—to me, this is reasonable.”

KWA-A-A-A-A-A-A~!!

Terrifying waves of killing intent spread in all directions.

Explosions loud enough to numb the ears erupted—and the screams of divine-bloods rang out.

Yet none of that entered Seolrang’s eyes.

All she could see was the face of one man.

A man calmly speaking to her.

A man forcing himself to form the faintest smile that would not naturally appear, simply to comfort her.

“......Ah.”

Seolrang could only let out a quiet gasp.

***

[So this... is power—]

Descender’s awakening came to an end.

The first thing visible was the Fragment embedded in the center of Descender.

The second was the skin that had once looked gaunt like that of a monk now dyed black.

And finally, the last thing visible was his hands.

Yes.

Hands.

Behind Descender, hundreds of hands had sprouted forth like those seen on a Thousand-Armed Avalokitesvara.

‘.......Insane.’

Alon was not someone who casually cursed, but upon seeing Descender, he could not help but think that.

Descender, having absorbed the Fragment, had become vastly stronger than Alon had anticipated.

A hopeless situation beyond prediction.

And yet, even in such circumstances, Alon let out a quiet sigh.

Even if it was hopeless, it was not a situation he could not overcome.

After all, Alon’s law had been obtained precisely to overcome moments like this.

“Huu—”

His practice with the law was perfect.

The preparations were complete as well.

And yet the reason Alon could not immediately use the law was because he still had not made his decision.

But only for a brief moment.

Step.

Seolrang passed by Alon’s side.

With an endlessly resolute expression.

“Help me.”

[Hmph—after treating me like leftovers all this time.............]

At Seolrang’s mutter, the voice that answered was the gruff voice of Sin that Alon had seen before.

Though only briefly.

“I’m asking you.”

[Are you really okay with this? Up until now—]

“Yes.”

[...]

At Seolrang’s words, which seemed to sever something entirely, Sin clicked its tongue briefly in dissatisfaction.

And before anyone noticed, heat haze began rising from the black gauntlet on her opposite arm.

Crackle!

Black haze burst forth as crackling lightning fused together like some chemical reaction.

And along with it, black lightning exploded outward.

[Hmph-]

Yet despite Seolrang’s completely transformed appearance, Descender merely watched her with leisure.

He knew.

That no matter what hidden card Seolrang revealed here, it would make no difference.

Everyone present felt the same truth, and so Descender watched Seolrang’s struggle as though enjoying some laughable play.

“Seolrang.”

At Alon’s call, Seolrang turned around, and he could not help but be startled.

The reason being that Seolrang, currently borrowing Sin’s power, looked terribly unstable.

The uncontrolled lightning crackled wildly in every direction, and one of her eyes was gradually changing into something resembling a demon’s eye.

The first thing Alon felt upon seeing that was confusion.

As far as he knew, Sin’s power was certainly strong, but not to the point where the current Seolrang could not control it.

To begin with, she had once defeated the Poison Swallower, who was stronger than Sin.

‘Yes, Godfather, as you know, the Five Sins are guardian weapons. In other words, they weren’t made to fight on their own, but to be “used.”’

‘You mean—’

‘That the power you and Godfather saw wasn’t all there was.’

For a brief instant, Alon’s confusion surfaced before Rine’s words rose in his mind.

At the same time—

‘Your law, Godfather.’

‘.....My law?’

‘Yes. How strong it becomes will depend on your law.’

The words she had once told him—words Alon had forgotten.

“Master, I’ll somehow stop him.”

The moment he recalled those words, Seolrang’s voice reached him, and Alon looked at her.

She was smiling.

Even in this hopeless moment, she smiled so brightly.

As though she had found what she had always been searching for.

Seeing that, another thing Rine had once said surfaced in Alon’s mind.

And simultaneously, an idea formed within him.

It was merely an idea.

He had never once tested it, nor had he found its flaws.

There were too many unknown side effects to immediately put it into practice in this situation.

He could not even know if this was truly what Rine had been talking about.

But if this really was what Rine meant—

......if that truly was the case, then it was more than worth testing.

And so.

“.......Seolrang.”

“Yes, Master.”

“Can you trust me?”

Alon opened his mouth.

“Yes.”

Without even the slightest hesitation, Seolrang nodded.

And upon confirming that, Alon closed his eyes and used his ‘law.’

[······!]

Descender, who until moments ago had been watching the two like a spectator enjoying a drama, finally realized that Alon had awakened his law, and for the first time grew somewhat urgent.

Wooooong—

The world resonated.

Along with it, everything except Alon slowed down, and the world once filled with vivid color transformed into black and white.

And then—

“I enact the law.”

Alon opened his mouth.

And when the world returned to normal, confusion surfaced across Descender’s movements, which had looked panicked moments earlier.

Naturally so.

Descender had clearly seen Alon use his law with his own eyes.

And yet despite the law being used, nothing had changed.

The only noticeable difference Descender could perceive was that the beastman, who had been unleashing black lightning in every direction and was far too powerful to merely be called a tool, was no longer releasing lightning.

Thus, after staring blankly for a moment, Descender finally reached a realization as he watched Seolrang slowly walking toward him from afar.

‘....She refined the lightning?’

That the beastman who previously could not properly control lightning was now wielding it perfectly.

[Hah.]

Descender unconsciously let out a hollow laugh.

The possibility that had briefly surfaced in his mind disappeared.

[What an absurdly futile law.]

Descender sneered as he looked at Alon.

The divine-bloods, who had briefly shown expressions of hope, also openly revealed their disappointment while staring at Alon.

Yet despite receiving everyone’s gazes, Alon merely stared calmly at Descender.

His law differed greatly from the laws of the other divine-bloods.

Unlike the abilities of divine-bloods, which began by adding something else or granting properties to their innate powers, Alon’s law began from ‘restriction.’

Yes.

‘Restriction.’

Just like when Alon first used Phrases.

Just like when he defeated Ultultus, whom he should never have been able to defeat.

His law was based on restricting something.

By offering up what was most precious, he received something even greater in return.

That was Alon’s law.

“......”

Alon turned his gaze toward Seolrang.

No more lightning flowed from her.

Naturally so.

The restriction had taken ‘lightning’ away from her.

Lightning was something infinitely precious to Seolrang.

The Golden-Maned Tribe used lightning.

She had mastered the essence of the Golden-Maned Tribe and could wield every kind of lightning.

Lightning had been all the power she had ever controlled.

Everything she was.

But now she could no longer use lightning.

Because through the restriction, she had offered up lightning.

Her abilities.

Everything she possessed had been cast away as the ‘restriction.’

[It is time to end this.]

Looking ahead, Descender stood there.

As though declaring the end of this tedious play.

Alon watched Seolrang, who had already approached Descender and raised her hand.

Her hand was endlessly slow.

It was not impossibly fast like everything she had shown until now.

Nor was it wrapped in brilliant lightning.

It was simply a fist.

A fist that slowly drew back, then thrust forward.

Seeing that, Descender mirrored her movements, as though indulging her.

He too pulled his hand back and threw a punch.

As though intending to crush Seolrang head-on.

Yet even then, Alon merely watched calmly.

And at the very moment their fists were about to collide—

[!]

Suddenly, Descender instinctively withdrew the hand he had extended toward Seolrang and twisted his body aside.

As a result, Seolrang’s slow fist brushed past Descender’s side.

And then—

KWA-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A~!!!!!

Alongside an explosion so massive it felt as though their eardrums would rupture, they saw it.

A small canyon carved into the dried earth from Descender’s side all the way to the distant horizon.

“Ah.”

At that sight, Descender’s body froze for an instant.

That—was what she had obtained.

In exchange for offering up ‘lightning,’ the very thing that had been synonymous with her entire existence.

What she had gained was—

“You missed.”

—the overwhelming ‘physical ability’ capable of surpassing even divine-bloods themselves.