Chapter 200 – The Voided Covenant

Chapter 200

The Voided Covenant 

Date : Day 3 of Frostfall 1024 Aethellgard Concord Year.

Hyoren relentlessly assaulted the Flesh Golem. Every movement of his body flowed naturally under the Berserker state.

The gigantic fists came crashing down one after another. He sidestepped. Rolled. Pivoted.

Whenever an opening appeared. He struck.

His spear thrust forward, gouging deep holes into the grotesque flesh. His sword followed immediately after, carving away massive chunks from the creature's enormous body. Rotting flesh. Fresh flesh. Broken bones. Everything scattered across the battlefield.

The Flesh Golem raised its massive fist again. Hyoren prepared to evade. Then—his instincts screamed. Danger. Not from the front. From behind.

At the same time, he heard Elise's desperate voice.

"HYOREN!"

Hyoren immediately twisted his body. 

His dark eyes widened. Behind him, a smaller Flesh Golem was already swinging its stubby fist. It looked almost identical to the colossal one. A crude humanoid figure. Made entirely from flesh. Grotesque. Terrifying.

But unlike the massive Flesh Golem. This one consisted mostly of fresh corpses. Blood still dripped from its body. Pink muscles remained exposed beneath torn skin.

Fortunately—it was only about the size of a goblin. And despite its smaller frame. Its movements remained sluggish. Almost as though it were mimicking the giant's slow attacks.

What is th…

Before Hyoren could finish the thought—the gigantic Flesh Golem attacked again.

He had no time to hesitate. His sword flashed.

SQUELCH!

Dawn Breaker cleanly bisected the miniature Flesh Golem through its torso.

Immediately afterward, Hyoren threw himself into a roll.

BOOM!

The colossal fist slammed into the exact place where he had stood. The impact nearly crushed him.

Even after successfully evading. The violent shockwave blasted him away. He rolled across the ground several times.

Étendard Sacré du Lys slipped from his hand with a clanking sound. Landing several meters away.

"Tch..."

Hyoren pushed himself back up using Dawn Breaker. He quickly grabbed his fallen spear. Then turned back toward the battlefield.

The Flesh Golem had already resumed walking toward him. Slowly. Relentlessly.

His eyes quickly swept across the surroundings. Then—his expression changed.

"Damn it…"

The miniature Flesh Golem he had sliced apart hadn't died. Each half was moving. The severed flesh writhed violently. Then, each half reshaped itself.

Forming two even smaller Flesh Golems.

"What…?"

His crimson haze filled vision immediately swept across the battlefield.

The larger chunks of flesh he had carved away earlier were also wriggling. One after another they began changing shape. 

Some became child-sized. Barely one meter tall.

Others were much larger. Nearly the height of an adult. Especially those formed from the massive chunks Hyoren had cut from the golem’s arms.

Fortunately, not every severed piece transformed. Many smaller scraps of flesh remained completely motionless.

Hyoren's mind immediately connected the pattern.

I see… Only pieces above a certain size transform.

His eyes rapidly estimated the amount of flesh.

About… Roughly fifty centimeters minimum… 

Anything larger than that becomes another Flesh Golem.

His grip around both weapons tightened.

Tch… I have to be careful not to cut away too much flesh at once… This thing is an even bigger pain than I thought…

His eyes returned to the colossal Flesh Golem.

We can't win through attrition…

If he carved away huge chunks. More Flesh Golems would appear. But, if he only inflicted shallow wounds, defeating something this enormous would take forever.

The Flesh Golem raised another gigantic fist.

BOOM!

Hyoren sidestepped. Only to find his escape path blocked. Another miniature Flesh Golem lunged toward him.

His sword flashed again.

SQUELCH!

The small Flesh Golem split neatly into two.

Hyoren immediately leaped backward. Barely escaping another colossal punch. His boots skidded across the shattered earth. His breathing remained steady.

But his thoughts raced.

No… We can't fight like this… The more flesh I tear away… The larger the army becomes…

His crimson eyes locked onto the towering Flesh Golem.

Then… What should I do...?

***

Elise arrived at the same conclusion as Hyoren.

After her initial shock, she forced herself to calm down. Her emerald eyes rapidly observed the battlefield. The severed flesh. The newly formed miniature Flesh Golems. The pieces that remained motionless.

Her mind quickly connected the pattern.

"Any chunk of flesh above a certain size... becomes another Flesh Golem..."

She immediately recalled the strategy she had devised moments earlier.

Target the weakened upper right arm. Target the exposed left knee. Slowly destroy the joints.

Her expression stiffened.

"No… If we sever that arm… Or cut off that leg..."

She looked at the grotesque giant once more.

"...then an even larger Flesh Golem would be born from the severed limb."

Her grip around Moonveil Bow tightened. She immediately raised her voice.

"Arad!"

The veteran guard turned while fending off another miniature Flesh Golem.

"Yes, Lady Elise!"

Elise gestured with her free hand.

"Don't attack the knee anymore! For now, focus on helping Hyoren deal with those miniature Flesh Golems!"

Arad immediately understood.

"Roger, Lady Elise!"

Without another word, he rushed toward the growing cluster of smaller Flesh Golems.

If they were allowed to fully gather. Hyoren would eventually become overwhelmed, no matter how strong Berserker made him.

Elise also nocked another arrow.

Her priority had completely changed. The giant could wait. The smaller Flesh Golems had to be contained first.

She released the string.

SWOOSH!

The arrow streaked toward one of the miniature Flesh Golems.

SQUELCH!

It buried itself into the creature's torso. But nothing happened. The Flesh Golem continued shambling forward as though the arrow didn't exist.

Elise clicked her tongue.

"Tch… These Golems are truly a pain."

She immediately poured Aethell into another arrow. The shaft began glowing with intertwined pale blue and emerald light.

"Charged Magic Arrow."

SWOOSH!

The empowered arrow shot across the battlefield.

BOOM!

It struck the same miniature Flesh Golem. The concentrated Aethell exploded upon impact. The creature burst apart into smaller fragments. This time, nothing regenerated.

Elise quietly exhaled.

"I have to waste so much Aethell... just for these..."

She slowly shook her head. Her silver hair swayed gently behind her.

"But… I can't let them interfere with Hyoren."

Her emerald eyes hardened with determination.

From that moment onward—Elise and Arad shifted their entire focus. Methodically eliminating every miniature Flesh Golem before they could surround Hyoren.

Giving him the space he desperately needed to continue battling the towering Flesh Golem.

***

Hyoren gripped both of his weapons tightly.

His dark, bloodshot eyes swept across the battlefield. The miniature Flesh Golems were already being dealt with. Elise and Arad were slowly but surely eliminating them.

Elise is reliable… I can leave my back to her…

His gaze shifted toward Arad.

And Arad is reliable too. For a town guard, he moves surprisingly well...

Hyoren looked back toward the towering Flesh Golem.

Then I can focus on that thing…

His mind raced, searching for another way to approach the battle. Yet even while he was thinking. His body never stopped moving. 

The Flesh Golem's enormous fist came crashing down. Hyoren sidestepped.

BOOM!

The earth shook beneath the impact.

Another miniature Flesh Golem approached from his side. Hyoren turned and struck it before it could reach him.

SQUELCH!

His spear and sword continued working.

But now he was careful. Each strike carved away only a small amount of flesh. He couldn't afford to create another large chunk.

The battle had become a delicate balance. Attack enough to weaken the Flesh Golem. But not enough to create more enemies.

Then—Hyoren's eyes widened.

The Flesh Golem suddenly stopped moving. It didn't raise its fist. It didn't advance. It simply stood there.

Hyoren's instincts immediately became alert.

What is it doing...?

Then—a crack suddenly appeared in the middle of its enormous torso.

Hyoren froze.

The crack widened. Slowly, the flesh pulled apart. The opening became a massive maw-like hole. Bones shifted around its edges. They scattered and reshaped themselves. Forming something resembling fangs and teeth.

Behind them, there was nothing. Only a swirling darkness. An abyss hidden inside the Flesh Golem's torso.

Hyoren's instincts screamed Danger.

"Everyone, evade!"

His warning came just in time.

From inside the grotesque maw, a ball of pure darkness shot forward. It flew directly toward Hyoren. He desperately jumped backward. The dark sphere passed him. It harmlessly struck the ground.

For a brief moment, nothing happened.

Then—the sphere suddenly exploded.

WHOOSH!

A ring of darkness expanded outward almost instantly. It swallowed everything within its range.

Elise and Arad were far enough away. The darkness passed just short of them.

But Hyoren was near the epicenter. He took the full brunt of the attack. Darkness enveloped him. His vision disappeared for a heartbeat. Then the darkness slowly faded.

Hyoren was still standing.

There were no obvious wounds on his body. But something was wrong.

He coughed.

"Damn it..."

He tried to move. His body felt lethargic.

What... is this...?

He should have been overflowing with strength. The stamina potion was still empowering him. Berserker was still active. His body should have been filled with tremendous power.

Yet, he felt weaker than usual.

His movements felt heavier. His reflexes were slower. Even his thoughts were sluggish.

Hyoren tried to focus.

His crimson haze-covered vision had become even worse. He could barely see beyond a meter in front of him. Everything farther away was hazy. Blurry. Almost impossible to distinguish.

This is...

His mind struggled to process the sensation.

...Maledict Curse.

A curse. A weakening attack. It was reducing his strength. His speed. His reflexes. Perhaps even his defenses. And on top of that, it had severely impaired his vision.

It's so strong...

Hyoren struggled to force his thoughts into order.

His brain felt like it was refusing to cooperate. Every thought took longer to form. Every movement required more effort. Through the distorted crimson haze of his Berserker-enhanced vision. The Flesh Golem slowly came back into view.

Its grotesque body. Its countless pieces of flesh. Its five Aethell Cores. Its miniature offspring.

And now it had this curse.

Hyoren swallowed hard.

That Flesh Golem… is a nightmare.

***

Elise watched in horror as the darkness swallowed Hyoren.

Her emerald eyes widened. For a brief moment, her body almost moved on instinct. She wanted to rush toward him.

But she stopped herself. Her job wasn't finished. Even now, the miniature Flesh Golems continued to move across the battlefield. Several were already approaching Hyoren.

I can't leave these things unchecked…

Elise immediately raised Moonveil Bow. She nocked another arrow. Aethell flowed into the arrow.

"Charged Magic Arrow."

SWOOSH!

The arrow streaked across the battlefield.

BOOM!

One miniature Flesh Golem exploded apart.

Elise immediately nocked another. Her eyes never left Hyoren for long.

She fired again.

SWOOSH!

Another miniature Flesh Golem was destroyed. Each shot consumed a considerable amount of Aethell, but she couldn't afford to conserve it now.

As she continued firing. She carefully observed Hyoren. There was no obvious wound. No blood. No torn flesh.

Nothing that suggested the attack had physically injured him. Yet—something was clearly wrong.

His movements were clearly more sluggish…

He looked like he was struggling simply to move his body. His normally sharp reactions were noticeably slower.

Elise's emerald eyes widened.

That's definitely a curse!

She immediately shouted.

"Hyoren! Use the Holy Water! Quickly!"

Then she turned toward Arad.

"Arad! Quickly cover Hyoren! Don't let those small Golems surround him!"

Arad had been staring at the Flesh Golem in stunned disbelief. The grotesque creature had already demonstrated abilities far beyond what he had expected.

But Elise's command snapped him out of his stupor. His expression hardened. He gripped his steel spear.

"Roger, Lady Elise!"

Arad immediately moved toward Hyoren. He positioned himself between Hyoren and the approaching miniature Flesh Golems.

Hyoren seemed to have heard Elise. through his impaired state, he nodded.

His hand moved toward his pouch. He pulled out a bottle of clear liquid—Holy Water. He uncorked it then drank the content.

Elise watched anxiously.

For several heartbeats, Nothing happened. Then, Hyoren's movements gradually became steadier. His breathing eased. The lethargy that had weighed down his body slowly began to disappear.

Elise finally released the breath she had been holding.

"Thank Sylvana..."

Her bow remained raised.  Her emerald eyes returned to the Flesh Golem. The massive creature remained completely still.

It didn't attack again. It simply stood there.

Then, the grotesque maw in the middle of its torso slowly began to close. The flesh pulled together. The bones shifted back into place. The enormous opening disappeared.

Elise stared at it.

"That thing was truly absurd..."

Her expression remained grim.

She briefly glanced behind her. Toward the northern side of Riverville Town. The other battlefield had seemingly gone quiet. There was no more smoke rising into the sky. No obvious signs of fighting.

Could we hold out until Arianna and Jackey come...?

She looked forward again. Toward Hyoren. Toward Arad. Toward the Flesh Golem.

Her grip around Moonveil Bow tightened.

But… They've taken so long…

Her emerald eyes narrowed.

Could they not come...?

She gritted her teeth. Every passing moment mattered. Their condition was already worsening.

***

Elise's shout managed to clear Hyoren's mind slightly.

Through the crimson haze clouding his vision, he reached toward his pouch. His fingers found one of the two bottles of Holy Water—the bottles had been prepared by Ina. She had given them to him specifically because she knew the Voided Covenant frequently dealt with curses.

Hyoren quickly uncorked the bottle, then drank it in one gulp.

The effect was almost immediate. The strange weakness weighing down his body rapidly disappeared. His sluggish thoughts became clear. His vision gradually returned to normal. The oppressive feeling covering his body faded away.

Power once again surged through his muscles.

Hyoren smiled.

Thanks, Ina… And thanks, Elise. I love you two...

Ina's preparation and Elise's reminder in the middle of the battlefield, those two things had just saved him.

Hyoren tightened his grip around his spear and sword.

Now that the curse was gone. His mind could think clearly again.

Ina only gave me two bottles of Holy Water. I can't afford to get hit by that again…

His gaze returned toward the Flesh Golem.

He remembered what had happened before it launched that darkness. The creature had stopped moving. Then, the maw had slowly appeared in the middle of its torso. It had taken several seconds before the attack was finally released.

Hyoren narrowed his eyes.

It needs time to prepare for that attack…

And during that time—the Flesh Golem hadn't moved. It had simply stood there. A sitting duck.

That window… I can use it to attack…

His gaze shifted.

Through the faint crimson haze still lingering at the edges of his Berserker-enhanced vision, he focused on the five glowing Aethell Cores. Even while the Flesh Golem slowly closed its maw. The five cores remained visible to his Magic Eyes.

One in the head. One in the back. One around the position of its heart. And two around its hips.

I should attack those cores directly. But… How?

They were positioned deep inside a gigantic mass of flesh. They were towering in the sky. All of them were completely inaccessible from his current position.

Elise's arrows could potentially reach them. But could her arrows penetrate enough flesh to actually destroy the cores?

And unlike Hyoren, she didn't possess Aethell Sense or Magic Eyes. She couldn't even see the exact locations of the cores herself.

Hyoren gritted his teeth.

The Flesh Golem's maw was almost completely closed. The creature would soon move again.

Hyoren tightened his grip around his spear. A thought struck him.

Right. I got that new skill…

His eyes widened slightly. The skill he had acquired only recently. The one he hadn't yet used.

I could use that…

Hyoren's expression hardened. It was risky. There was no guarantee it would work against something this enormous. And if he mistimed it, he could expose himself to a devastating counterattack. But, it was worth trying.

Hyoren lowered his stance. His grip around Étendard Sacré du Lys tightened.

***

For a while, the battle returned to how it had been. Hyoren focused on the towering Flesh Golem. Elise and Arad continued clearing the miniature Flesh Golems.

The number of miniature creatures was slowly dwindling. But occasionally, another small Flesh Golem would still appear whenever a sufficiently large piece of flesh was torn away.

Hyoren was careful now.

He tried to keep his attacks shallow. Small cuts. Small thrusts. Nothing that would tear away too much flesh at once. But sometimes, it was unavoidable.

Then—the Flesh Golem stopped moving again. Hyoren narrowed his eyes.

This is it...

He immediately warned his companions.

"Elise! Arad! Evade!"

Both immediately understood. They began moving away.

A few seconds later the familiar crack appeared across the Flesh Golem's torso. Its grotesque maw slowly began forming.

Hyoren didn't wait.

He raised Étendard Sacré du Lys. The Aetovacus banner fluttered in the cold wind. His spear tip pointed directly toward the massive blob of flesh that served as the creature's head.

His mind focused entirely on the new spear skill—Meteor Thrust. 

Unlike Piercing Thrust, which simply enhanced his thrust and propelled him forward only a few meters.  Meteor Thrust was fundamentally different. The skill launched the spear forward. And took its wielder along with it. The longer he charged it. The farther the spear would travel. Anything caught along its straight path would be pierced by the spear's momentum. It was originally a skill meant to break through multiple enemies standing in a straight line.

But Hyoren had another purpose for it.

I could use it to reach the Aethell Core.

His gaze remained fixed on the Flesh Golem's head. Roughly ten to fifteen meters separated them.

I don't know if this will work… But there's no other choice…

The maw continued opening. It would unleash its curse attack in only a few seconds.

Hyoren began channeling Aethell into his spear. The tip slowly began glowing pale blue. One second. The glow intensified. Two seconds. The light became brilliant.

The Flesh Golem's maw opened wider. The dark sphere began forming inside.

Hyoren waited until the final moment.

The Flesh Golem released its attack. At the same instant, Hyoren activated his new skill.

"Meteor Thrust!"

BOOM!

A sonic boom erupted. 

Hyoren and his mithril spear shot forward. The spear dragged his entire body through the air. A trail of blue light followed behind him. The Aetovacus banner soared in the wind as though guiding him toward his destination.

The dark curse sphere passed beneath him. It flew toward the ground. The attack struck the place where Hyoren had stood only moments earlier.

But Hyoren was already in the air. His spear continued forward.

SQUELCH!

The spear tip struck the Flesh Golem's head. It pierced deeply into the mass of flesh.

Hyoren's body stopped.

His hand tightened desperately around the spear shaft. He was hanging in midair. Held up only by the spear embedded inside the creature.

It worked!

The Flesh Golem remained stationary for the moment. That gave him an opening.

Hyoren immediately raised Dawn Breaker.

His gaze locked onto the glowing Aethell Core buried within the creature's head.

He began constructing a spell inside his mind. The runic array formed. Dark. Conduit. Wave. Cone. Curse. Blind. His second-tier Dark Magic spell—Shadow Bloom.

But this time, he modified it. More Aethell flowed into the Wave rune. More into the Cone rune. He deliberately reduced the power allocated to Curse and Blind. He didn't need the debuffs. He needed destruction.

He also tightened the cone. He didn't need a wide area. He needed all of the spell's destructive force concentrated in one direction. Toward the Aethell Core.

Hyoren finished constructing the spell and activated it.

"Shadow Bloom."

From the tip of Dawn Breaker, a small sphere of darkness formed.

It exploded forward.

BOOM!

A concentrated dark magic erupted from the sword.

Instead of spreading widely, it focused its destructive power directly into the Flesh Golem's head. Enhanced by the stamina potion. Enhanced by Berserker. The destructive force was tremendous. Comparable to one of Arianna's more powerful spells.

The Flesh Golem's head erupted.

Massive chunks of flesh were gouged away. Blood and pieces of flesh rained downward. Some of the severed pieces were large enough to potentially become miniature Flesh Golems.

Hyoren didn't care. Elise and Arad can deal with them. His attention remained fixed on the glowing core.

The Aethell Core was still there.

The longer we fight… The harder this will become…

That was why he had taken the risk. Why he had exposed himself.

Hyoren tightened his grip around both weapons. Desperate maneuvers are the only option now. And he was willing to take the risk.

***

When the massive chunk of flesh was finally blasted away. The head of the Flesh Golem was exposed.

And what they saw inside made everyone freeze.

Hyoren had expected another glowing Aethell Core. Something similar to the cores found inside ordinary monsters.

But, there was something else inside. A human. A man wearing dark robes. His eyes were closed. His body was rigid.

But that wasn't what made the sight horrifying.

The man's body was almost completely fused into the Flesh Golem. Flesh had grown around him. Connected to him. Wrapped around his body like he had been swallowed by the monstrosity and then made into a part of it.

Only his torso and head remained exposed because of the attack.

Hyoren stared. For a moment—he couldn't even speak. Then his surprise finally escaped his mouth.

"You... What the hell is going on here...?"

The dark-robed man slowly moved. His eyelids twitched. Then it opened. He blinked several times.

A weak groan escaped him as he heard Hyoren's voice. Then, he laughed. It was an eerie laugh.

And the voice, Hyoren immediately recognized it. It sounded like one of the voices that had spoken through the Flesh Golem earlier.

"You..."

The man's smile widened.

"You were the one who thwarted our plan."

He coughed weakly. Then laughed again.

"But we, Voided Covenant, thank you."

His eyes glinted with fanaticism.

"We feel the blessing of our goddess Noctynara..."

His voice trembled with excitement.

"...as we become a part of Her miracle. HAHAHAHA!"

Hyoren flinched.

His grip around Dawn Breaker tightened. The words struck something inside him. Not fear. Rage.

"You cursed heretics..."

The man's laughter continued.

Hyoren's Magic Eyes showed him what was happening. The Flesh Golem's Aethell flow was still connected to the dark-robed man. And then he understood.

The man wasn't the only one. The Flesh Golem had been constructed using multiple Voided Covenant members. Five Aethell Cores. Five human power sources. Even now, the Aethell from those Voided Covenant members continued flowing into the massive monstrosity.

Hyoren's expression hardened.

For a brief moment, he hesitated. He had killed countless monsters. He had killed goblins. He had fought humanoid monsters many times. But, he had never killed another human.

His hand tightened around Dawn Breaker.

I'm about to kill a human…

The thought felt different. But, he remembered Stonewell Village. The three innocent girls sacrificed by the cult.

He remembered the townspeople of Riverville Town. The guards. The civilians. The families mourning their loved ones.

And now, This Flesh Golem. All those human body parts. All those sacrifices. All those lives used to create this monstrosity.

Hyoren didn't need to know the exact number.

He knew enough. These cultists had chosen this. They had sacrificed others. They had sacrificed themselves. And they had caused this nightmare.

His hesitation slowly disappeared. He looked directly into the cultist's eyes.

"I am not your judge, Voided Covenant."

His voice was calm.

"It is not my place."

He tightened his grip on his sword.

"I'm just the one sending you to Goddess Noctynara herself..."

His dark eyes locked into the robed man's eyes.

"...for your final judgment."

Hyoren thrust Dawn Breaker forward.

SQUELCH!

The blade pierced directly through the dark-robed man's chest. The man's eyes widened. The sword continued deeper. Until it struck the heart and the glowing Aethell Core within him.

The cultist's body went limp.

He couldn't even resist. His body was firmly embedded within the Flesh Golem. There was nowhere for him to move.

Hyoren remained frozen for a heartbeat.

Then he felt it. A pang in his heart.

I just killed a human.

Even though the man was an evil cultist. Even though he had participated in atrocities. Even though he had willingly become part of this monstrosity. It was still the first human life Hyoren had personally taken.

He swallowed hard. He forced those feelings down. There was no time to dwell on them.

The Flesh Golem suddenly trembled. Its enormous body shook.

One of its power sources had disappeared. The Aethell flow from that particular core had completely vanished.

But, the tremor gradually subsided.

The Flesh Golem remained standing. It still had four Aethell Cores. Four remaining power sources.

Hyoren gripped Étendard Sacré du Lys tighter.

Four more…

He looked downward.

He was still hanging from his spear, embedded deep inside the Flesh Golem's head.

Time to go down…

Hyoren pulled his spear free.

He immediately used the Flesh Golem's enormous body as support. He jumped downward. Then again. And again. Using the creature's flesh as footholds as he descended before it could fully recover and begin moving again.

The battle was far from over. But now, Hyoren knew one of the monster's secrets.

***

Elise watched as Hyoren descended from the Flesh Golem. He landed on the ground and immediately prepared himself for another attack.

The Flesh Golem was missing a massive portion of its head. Yet, it acted as though the damage barely mattered.

Elise's emerald eyes narrowed. Her eyebrows furrowed. The horror revealed by Hyoren's attack earlier was still disturbing.

Those Voided Covenant… They really sacrificed themselves to create that monstrosity...?

She lightly shook her head. Her silver hair swayed with the motion.

No… I need to focus…

The scattered flesh from Hyoren's earlier attacks had already started wriggling again. Another batch of miniature Flesh Golems was beginning to form.

Elise immediately nocked another arrow.

"Charged Magic Arrow."

SWOOSH!

The arrow streaked across the battlefield.

BOOM!

One of the newly formed miniature Flesh Golems exploded before it could reach Hyoren.

Elise continued circling the battlefield. Arad was also helping her. Together, they prevented the miniature Flesh Golems from overwhelming Hyoren.

After several moments—the number of miniature Flesh Golems began dwindling again.

Elise's attention returned to the massive creature. Something had changed. After a few moments she observed the Flesh Golem, she noticed it .

That Flesh Golem… After Hyoren destroyed one of its cores...

Her eyes narrowed further.

...it slowed down.

Only slightly. But it was definitely slower. The difference was subtle. Yet Elise had been watching its movements constantly. She could tell.

Her grip around Moonveil Bow tightened.

So destroying one of its cores really does weaken it… That was good news…

But another problem remained.

The Flesh Golem wasn't opening its maw again. Without that opening—Hyoren couldn't use the preparation window to launch another Meteor Thrust toward an exposed core.

Then how can he reach the others...?

Elise's mind worked while her body remained in motion as she circled the Flesh Golem. She wanted to help Hyoren.

But how…?

Then she remembered Hyoren's explanation—five Aethell Cores.  One had been inside its head. That one was already destroyed. But four still remained. 

One in the chest… And two in the hips…

She aimed her bow toward the enormous torso. Then lowered it again.

No… The torso was far too broad…

Even if she knew roughly where the cores were located. She couldn't pinpoint their exact positions. She couldn't see which part of the Flesh Golem contained the Voided Covenant members.

She continued running. Then, a thought returned to her.

Hyoren said one core was on its back.

Her emerald eyes narrowed. She moved around the battlefield, changing her angle. Then she saw it. 

A strange lump protruded from the Flesh Golem's back. It looked almost like a second head growing from its spine. Smaller than the creature's actual head. But still large enough to cover an adult human.

Elise stopped.

Is that the core...?

She glanced toward Hyoren.

He was busy dodging another gigantic punch. The Flesh Golem swung. Hyoren sidestepped. The fist crashed into the ground.

For a brief moment—The Flesh Golem's arm remained stuck against the earth.

Elise made her decision.

Core or not… There's no harm trying…

She raised Moonveil Bow and nocked an arrow. She began pouring Aethell into it. More. And more. The arrow gradually became brighter. Pale blue and emerald green light intertwined around the shaft, thanks to Sylvana's Lavalier effect.

The Flesh Golem pulled its arm from the ground. Then swung again. Hyoren evaded. The enormous fist crashed into the earth. The creature was momentarily unable to move.

Elise's emerald eyes glinted with grim determination.

Now!

Elise released the arrow.

"Charged Magic Arrow!"

SWOOSH!

The arrow streaked across the battlefield. A trail of pale blue and emerald green followed behind it.

It flew directly toward the strange lump protruding from the Flesh Golem's back.

BOOM!

The arrow struck the dead center of the lump. The impact blasted through the flesh. A hole appeared.

For a heartbeat, nothing happened. Then—the Flesh Golem shuddered. Its enormous body trembled and went to a complete stop for a few seconds. Just like it had when Hyoren destroyed the core inside its head.

Elise's eyes widened. Then a smile slowly appeared.

Two done…

Hyoren had destroyed one. Elise had destroyed another. Three left.

For the first time since the Flesh Golem appeared—the impossible nightmare finally felt like something they could actually defeat.

***

Hyoren watched as Elise destroyed another Aethell Core. His Magic Eyes confirmed the Aethell Core inside the Flesh Golem's back was gone. Now only three cores remained.

One in its chest. Two roughly around its hips.

For the first time since the Flesh Golem appeared, Hyoren smiled.

Across the battlefield, Elise was smiling too.

Their eyes met almost at the same time. Emerald eyes met dark eyes. Neither of them needed to speak.

It's almost like they said this to each other.

Good work. We can do this.

Then their attention returned to the Flesh Golem. The massive creature began moving again.

Hyoren immediately prepared himself. The Flesh Golem raised one of its enormous arms. Hyoren sidestepped.

BOOM!

The fist crashed into the ground.

Hyoren immediately counterattacked. His spear thrust forward. Then his sword followed.

He continued moving around the massive creature, evading its slow but incredibly powerful attacks while carefully striking its flesh.

But as he continued fighting, he noticed something.

So… When I destroyed the first core, it really did become slower…

The difference had been almost impossible to notice when he destroyed the first core. He had barely felt it. But after Elise destroyed the second core—the difference was becoming obvious.

Hyoren evaded another punch. The Flesh Golem's fist came down. He felt the impact was weaker. Less dirt and rock were thrown into the air. The shockwave was smaller. Even the force behind the punch had slightly decreased.

Hyoren's eyes narrowed.

So destroying one core doesn't really affect it much. But the more cores we destroy...

His lips curled into a slight smirk.

...the weaker it becomes.

His Magic Eyes confirmed his observation.

The Aethell flowing throughout the Flesh Golem was no longer as smooth as before. The energy was disrupted. Uneven. Three remaining cores were struggling to maintain the massive creature's power.

There was another change too.

The Flesh Golem still hadn't opened its maw again. That devastating darkness attack hadn't appeared since the cores began being destroyed.

That attack had been far too dangerous, so its absence was something Hyoren welcomed. But it also created a problem. Without the maw opening, he couldn't get the preparation window he needed to use Meteor Thrust and reach another core.

How do I target the remaining cores...?

He needed Meteor Thrust to reach them. But without that opening. He couldn't safely charge the skill.

Then something moved at the corner of his vision—Arad.

“Sir Hyoren! Leave it to me! I will buy you time!”

Hyoren's eyes widened. The Flesh Golem was far too dangerous for Arad to fight like he did. He was empowered by Berserker. His speed, reflexes, and physical strength were all drastically enhanced. That was why he could dance around the Flesh Golem's attacks.

Arad was skilled. But he didn't have anything comparable.

The Flesh Golem punched. Arad immediately sidestepped.

BOOM!

Another punch came from the opposite side. Arad rolled underneath it.

“Fall back!”

Hyoren instinctively wanted to help.

But before he could move, he noticed something. The Flesh Golem had slowed enough that Arad could still keep himself alive. Barely.

The massive creature swung again. Arad jumped backward. Another attack followed. He twisted his body and avoided it. He couldn't attack. Every bit of his concentration was being spent on evading.

But that wasn't the point. He was keeping the Flesh Golem's attention. He was buying Hyoren time.

He is buying me precious time… I won't waste it…

He raised his Étendard Sacré du Lys. The banner fluttered in the cold wind.

His spear tip aimed directly toward the glowing Aethell Core on the Flesh Golem's right hip. Then he began pouring Aethell into the spear. Two seconds charging time. The blue glow became brilliant.

The Flesh Golem continued attacking Arad. He jumped backward again. The massive fist swept past him. Then the Flesh Golem suddenly brought its arm down.

BOOM!

The fist struck the ground. The impact shook the earth.

Arad's footing was disrupted. He stumbled backward. Then fell to the ground. For a brief moment, he was completely defenseless. The next attack would kill him.

But Hyoren had already finished charging.

Now!

He activated his skill.

“Meteor Thrust!”

With a sonic boom, Hyoren launched forward.

The Aetovacus banner soared on top of the spear as it propelled him through the air. He flew directly toward the creature's right flank.

SQUELCH!

The tip of the mithril spear pierced deep into the Flesh Golem's flesh. Hyoren firmly gripped the shaft. He had reached his target. 

Without wasting another second, he raised Dawn Breaker. The sword became his magical conduit. He formed the runic array inside his mind.

“Shadow Bloom.”

BOOM!

A concentrated blast of darkness erupted from the tip of Dawn Breaker.

The Flesh Golem's right flank was gouged open. Massive chunks of flesh scattered through the air. Blood rained down. And beneath the torn flesh, again, something was revealed. Another dark-robed human.

His body was fused into the Flesh Golem. Just like the cultist Hyoren had found inside its head.

The man's body was almost completely swallowed by the monstrosity. Only his upper body was visible.

Hyoren didn't hesitate this time.

“Heretic. You will be judged by Noctynara.”

His grip tightened around Dawn Breaker.

“Now go meet Her.”

He thrust his sword forward.

SQUELCH!

The blade pierced the dark-robed man's chest.

The Flesh Golem suddenly trembled. Its enormous body shook. Another one of its power sources had disappeared.

Only two cores remained.

***

Hyoren jumped down again, using the Flesh Golem's enormous body as footing.

The moment his feet touched the ground, he turned back toward the monstrosity.

Something was wrong…

The Flesh Golem was trembling. Not the brief tremor from before. Its entire body was trembling uncontrollably.

Hyoren's Magic Eyes immediately focused on it. The Aethell flow inside the Flesh Golem was in complete turmoil. It was moving like a storm. Chaotic. Violent. Unstable.

Hyoren narrowed his eyes.

What is happening..?

Then—his eyes widened.

The chaotic Aethell flow suddenly stabilized. The storm-like movement disappeared. The Aethell became steady.

The Flesh Golem stood motionless. And then it spoke again. But this time, the voice was different. There were only two voices speaking simultaneously.

Two voices. Two people.

Hyoren's expression hardened.

“Youu aall whhho defyiing Godddess off Darkkkness…”

The two voices echoed together.

“...whee will juddge you allll.”

Then—without any preparation window—darkness began spreading from the Flesh Golem.

Not like the previous attack. There was no massive maw opening across its torso. No slow preparation. Instead, a cloud of darkness simply dissipated from its body.

It was thinner than the previous attack. Less dense. But it moved far faster. And it spread much wider.

Hyoren's eyes widened.

Too fast!

The darkness washed over him. Arad was caught as well. There was no time to evade.

Hyoren immediately felt the effect. His body weakened. His movements became slower. His thoughts became sluggish. Another Maledict curse.

But this time, his vision remained clear. At least he wasn't blinded.

Hyoren immediately reached into his pouch. He pulled out the last Holy Water bottles Ina had given him. He uncorked it and drank it quickly. The effect came almost immediately. His head felt clearer. His body felt lighter. The oppressive weakness receded.

But only for a moment.

Hyoren's expression changed. He was still inside the dark cloud. And he could feel it. The curse was slowly seeping back into his body.

This curse isn't as strong as the previous one… But it's continuous…

The Holy Water wasn't completely removing it. It was slowing it down. Buying him time. But the longer he remained inside the cloud. The stronger the effect became.

Hyoren gritted his teeth.

Damn it… We need to finish this soon...

He turned toward Arad.

“Arad! Move away! You couldn't do anything about this!”

Hyoren could compensate somewhat.

Berserker was still empowering his body. Even while weakened by the curse, he could continue fighting. But Arad didn't have that advantage. If he stayed inside the cloud, he would become too weak to fight properly.

Arad understood immediately. He slowly backed away from the cloud.

Hyoren tightened his grip around his spear.

The Flesh Golem finally began moving again. Its enormous arm swung. Hyoren immediately moved.

BOOM!

The fist struck the ground.

Another punch came. Hyoren evaded again.

BOOM!

Another. He kept moving.

He hardly counterattacked anymore. The Flesh Golem was definitely slower. Its attacks were weaker than before.

But Hyoren was weakened too.

Every evasion demanded almost everything from him. His body felt heavy. His thoughts were slower. His movements weren't as sharp as before.

Yet he continued. One punch. Another. Another. Hyoren kept evading the Flesh Golem's attacks.

He could only counterattack a few times.

The curse was still spreading through his body. And the longer he remained within its cloud—the harder it became to fight.

***

Elise watched with a grim expression.

The Flesh Golem still had more tricks hidden up its sleeve. Now it wasn't simply attacking. It was cursing everything around it.

Her emerald eyes remained fixed on Hyoren. She could see the effect clearly. The longer Hyoren remained inside the dark cloud. The weaker he became.

I need to quickly give him a chance to use Meteor Thrust again!

Elise began circling around the dark cloud. Her eyes constantly searched for an opening.

Think, Elise. Think!

There were only two Aethell Cores left. But she couldn't target either of them. She couldn't even see them. Without Aethell Sense or Magic Eyes, she had no way of determining their exact positions.

She gripped Moonveil Bow tighter.

How can I see the cores...?

Her expression tightened.

I regret never trying to learn Aethell Sense...

She had always thought having Hyoren and Arianna with those abilities would be enough.

But now, she realized how wrong she had been. Her teeth gritted.

Stupid me...

There would eventually be monsters where she couldn't simply rely on knowing their obvious weak points.

She had always assumed that knowing where to strike most monsters was enough. The head. The heart. The obvious weak point. She didn't think she would need to see the flow of Aethell itself.

But the Flesh Golem was different. Its weak points weren't obvious. Its Aethell Cores were hidden deep inside its enormous body.

Without Aethell Sense—she couldn't determine where they were.

Elise's mind desperately searched through her memories.

Then—one memory surfaced. It was from the night after their first boss battle on the Green Grassland. The night after they had fought the Alpha Green Wolf in a life-or-death battle.

Hyoren had told her about how he acquired Aethell Sense.

She could almost hear his voice again. With that familiar wry smile, he had explained to her.

“I just desperately poured Aethell into my eyes. It burned my eyes, but after a while... I learned that skill. So I could avoid…”

Elise's emerald eyes widened.

That's it!

She immediately decided. If Hyoren could do it, perhaps she could too.

Elise quickly poured Aethell. But this time, she didn't pour it into her arrow. She poured it directly into her own eyes.

Pain erupted instantly.

“Ouch...”

It felt as though hot rods had been driven directly into her eyes. The burning was almost unbearable. Her vision blurred. Her eyes watered.

But Elise gritted her teeth. She refused to stop.

No… I can't give up…

Her grip tightened around Moonveil Bow.

I NEED this.

She continued pouring Aethell into her eyes. The burning intensified. Her emerald eyes became bloodshot as she endured the pain. One second. Two seconds. She wasn't even sure how long it had been anymore.

The pain spread into her head. Her temples throbbed. Her head began to ache.

Elise gripped her bow so tightly that the wood almost creaked beneath her fingers.

I need this! Please!

She endured. And endured. It felt like an eternity.

Then—the voice of Aethell finally rang inside her mind.

“Magic Manipulation — Skill Increased to Lvl 4.”

Elise's eyes widened. Another notification followed.

“Aethell Sense — Skill Acquired.”

The agonizing pain suddenly disappeared. Replaced by clarity. Absolute clarity.

Elise's emerald eyes glowed. A sign that Aethell Sense had activated.

Her vision changed. She could see the Aethell flowing through the air. She could see the Aethell surrounding her Moonveil Bow. She could see the energy flowing through the arrow she was preparing.

Then her gaze shifted toward Hyoren. His Aethell was like a storm. Powerful. Violent. Overflowing. Even while weakened by the curse, the amount of Aethell surging through his body was immense because of Berserker.

Then Elise looked toward the Flesh Golem. She finally could see it. The dark Aethell flowing through the monstrous body. She could see how it circulated through the remaining cores. She could see exactly where they were. One in the chest. And one in the left hip.

Elise immediately nocked an arrow.

Her eyes focused on the chest first.

The chest is too thick...

She wasn't sure whether even a Charged Magic Arrow could penetrate that much flesh and reach the core.

Her gaze shifted toward the left hip.

That part is still thick… But compared to the chest...

It was thinner. Her chances were better.

Elise made her decision.

She poured Aethell into her bow. The arrow began glowing. She drew the string. Her emerald eyes remained locked onto the invisible weak point that she could finally see.

Then she released her arrow.

“Charged Magic Arrow!”

The arrow streaked across the battlefield. A trail of emerald green and pale blue light followed behind it.

SWOOSH!

It flew straight toward the Flesh Golem's left hip.

BOOM!

***

Hyoren saw Elise's arrow strike the Aethell Core dead center.

His Magic Eyes immediately confirmed the result. The arrow had hit its target. But, the core was barely scratched. It remained intact.

Hyoren's eyes narrowed.

Damn… The Aethell Core was still unbroken…

However, Elise's attack hadn't been meaningless. He could see the Aethell flow around the core had been disturbed. The energy flowing from the core had become disrupted for a brief moment.

And the Flesh Golem stopped moving.

Hyoren didn't waste the opportunity. He immediately raised his Étendard Sacré du Lys. He aimed toward the glowing core at the chest.

Then he began charging. One second. The tip of his spear started glowing pale blue.

But then—the Flesh Golem moved again.

Already?!

Hyoren had only charged for one second. He wouldn't be able to reach the core in its chest with that much charge. The shorter the charge, the shorter the distance Meteor Thrust could propel him.

There was no time to charge longer. He needed to act now. In a split second, Hyoren changed his aim. To the left flank. The damaged hip.

"Meteor Thrust!"

BOOM!

With a sonic boom, Hyoren launched forward. He flew toward the Flesh Golem's left flank.

SQUELCH!

His spear planted deeply into the creature's flesh. Hyoren immediately raised Dawn Breaker. His magical conduit.

"Shadow Bloom."

BOOM!

Darkness erupted from the sword. The flesh around the left hip was gouged away. Chunks of flesh scattered. And beneath it, another dark-robed figure was revealed.

Elise's arrow had actually struck him. But the attack had only penetrated shallowly. The thick flesh surrounding the man had absorbed most of the force. He was wounded, but alive.

Hyoren didn't hesitate. This time, there was no hesitation. No ceremony. No pause.

He thrust Dawn Breaker forward.

SQUELCH!

The sword pierced directly through the robed man's heart. The fourth core was destroyed.

Hyoren immediately pulled his spear free as he stood on the gouged flesh. His eyes went upward. The final core. It was inside the chest. Only about four meters above him.

I need to kill this quickly…

He didn't know if he would get another opportunity.

He raised his spear. He intended to charge Meteor Thrust again without descending first.

But—the Flesh Golem moved first. Its enormous body thrashed.

Hyoren had just pulled his spear free. He had no strong footing. The movement threw him away. His body was launched through the air.

Hyoren twisted his body, desperately trying to regain control.

Then he saw it. The Flesh Golem's enormous fist was already coming toward him.

I can't evade in the air!

Hyoren tried to cross his spear and sword in front of his body to reduce the impact, but it was too late. His reflex was still slowed by the curse.

BOOM!

The fist struck him in midair—unprotected by anything and his defense also severely weakened by the curse. The attack met his body squarely. The impact was monstrous even when the Flesh Golem was already severely weakened. It felt like being hit by a wagon. No. A truck. No. A train.

Hyoren's entire body was sent flying.

For an instant, he almost lost consciousness. He didn't even hear Elise screaming. He couldn't hear anything. He could barely feel his own body. It felt as though every ounce of his will was being ripped away.

If Berserker hadn't enhanced his defense and resilience—he knew he would already have been crushed into scattered flesh.

He crashed into the ground. His body rolled. Once. Twice. Again. His sword flew from his hand. His spear flew away as well.

Hyoren finally stopped.

For a moment, he couldn't move. Then—he coughed. Blood came out. His entire body screamed.

Everything... hurts…

He felt as though almost every bone in his body had been broken. Blood flowed from his nose. Blood also seeped from his ears. His vision became even hazier. The crimson haze from Berserker had already made his vision unclear. Now blood flowed from his head and covered his eyes. His vision became almost completely red.

He tried to move. Nothing. His fingers wouldn't respond. His arms wouldn't respond. His legs wouldn't respond.

Move...

Nothing.

He tried again. Still nothing.

Then, through his crimson-streaked and hazy vision, he saw the Flesh Golem. Its enormous arm was already rising again. Another punch was being prepared.

Hyoren's breathing became shallow.

He couldn't move his fingers. He couldn't even lift his head properly. He couldn't evade. He couldn't block.

The massive fist slowly rose above him.

For a brief moment—the world seemed to pause.

***

Elise screamed in terror as the Flesh Golem's fist struck Hyoren.

“HYOOOREEEEERNNNNNN!!!!”

Her emerald eyes widened. She watched as Hyoren's body was sent flying.

He rolled across the ground. His sword and spear were both thrown away. Blood seeped from his battered body.

But Elise couldn't focus on his injuries for long.

Her gaze immediately shifted toward the Flesh Golem. It was severely weakened now. Only one Aethell Core remained.

But even with only one core left. Its massive arms were still several times larger than a human body. The sheer impact. The kinetic energy behind each strike. It was still enough to kill the defenseless Hyoren.

The Flesh Golem was preparing another attack.

Elise's perception seemed to slow.

Her teeth gritted so hard they almost hurt. She still had an arrow nocked. Her Moonveil Bow was already drawn. 

But, her previous Charged Magic Arrow had proven insufficient. Even the left hip, where the flesh was thinner, had been too thick for her arrow to penetrate the core. And the final core was inside the chest. Even more flesh stood between her arrow and its target.

This isn't enough…

She knew it.

This isn't enough…

But she had no other choice. If she didn't act—Hyoren would be crushed into pieces within seconds. Elise desperately poured every bit of Aethell she had into the arrow.

Please. Please. Please!

She pulled the string of Moonveil Bow to its maximum.

More Aethell. More!

She tried to force even more into the attack.

This is not enough. This is not enough!

But she couldn't.

Every skill had a limit. She couldn't simply pour endless Aethell into an attack and make it stronger. She had already reached the limit of what her current skill could handle.

Elise's emerald eyes trembled. A streak of tears formed at the corner of her eyes. Then she closed her eyes for a brief moment. Her hand tightened around the bow.

“Please... Goddess Sylvana.”

Her voice trembled. She earnestly prayed.

“Give me power.”

She opened her eyes again.

“Please give me your wind of victory!”

Then, something happened.

The Sylvana's Lavalier hanging around her neck began to glow. It was brief. Less than a heartbeat. But Elise saw it—the pendant glowed as if answering her prayer. A Voice of the Aethell rang inside her mind.

“Prerequisites met. Evolving the skill.”

A pause, then another notification.

“Magic Manipulation, Magic Arrow, and Goddess Sylvana's Factor have merged.”

Another heartbeat passed.

“Enchant Magic : Sacred Wind — Skill Acquired.”

Elise's emerald eyes widened.

What...?

She didn't know how she had obtained it. Was it Goddess Sylvana herself blessing her? Or was this the culmination of everything she had worked toward? She didn't know. And right now. She didn't care.

Because finally she had something. Something that could save Hyoren.

Elise immediately focused on the new skill.

The knowledge of it quickly became clear inside her mind. Enchant Magic. It could imbue weapons, arrows, armor, even shields with magic. It was similar to Magic Arrow or Magic Blade in principle. But broader in practice.

Also, it wasn't part of the normal magic system. She didn't need to construct a runic array. The Sacred Wind had an effect similar to Sylvana's Lavalier. It imbued the attack with Wind Aethell. But this wasn't an ordinary Wind Aethell. It was Sacred Wind—wind carrying a factor of the Goddess Sylvana—the Verdant Mother Herself.

Elise immediately activated her new skill.

“Enchant Magic : Sacred Wind.”

She targeted her bow. The effect spread across Moonveil Bow. An emerald aura enveloped her bow. Now every arrow she fired from the bow could be imbued with Sacred Wind.

Elise immediately poured more Aethell into the weapon. The bow began glowing brighter. And brighter. Until the light became a brilliant emerald. There was no trace of the pale blue, non-elemental Aethell anymore like when she used Magic Arrow, only emerald. A Sacred Wind enveloped her weapon.

Elise finished charging.

Across the battlefield—the Flesh Golem's enormous fist began descending. She didn't waste another moment. She released the arrow.

“Charged Sacred Wind Arrow!”

A sonic boom erupted behind her.

The arrow launched from Moonveil Bow. But it didn't look like an ordinary arrow anymore. It was almost like a beam. A brilliant green line connected Elise's bow to the Flesh Golem. There was almost no delay between the shot and impact. The arrow struck the Flesh Golem directly in the chest.

BOOM!

It pierced straight through.

The Sacred Wind Arrow continued through the enormous mass of flesh. It emerged from the other side. Then continued into the darkened sky.

A massive, gaping hole was left in the Flesh Golem's chest. And inside that hole, Elise could see him.

The final dark-robed man. The Voided Covenant member fused into the Flesh Golem.

The Sacred Wind Arrow had pierced straight through his chest. And with it, the final Aethell Core was destroyed.

The Flesh Golem stopped.

For one heartbeat, Its enormous arm remained raised high. Then, Flesh Golem began to crumble. The bones. The blood. The countless pieces of flesh that had been forcibly joined together. Everything began falling apart.

It was as though whatever had held the monstrosity together had suddenly disappeared.

The Flesh Golem lost its cohesion. Its massive body collapsed.

The nightmare that had towered over them was finally defeated.