novelraw Chapter 219 : Chapter 219
Chapter 219 : Chapter 219
Chapter 219: Final Battle (2)
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“……!”
Seeing Austin’s aura shooting toward him silently, Harang’s expression hardened.
No, ‘seeing’ wasn’t the right word. Despite widening his eyes, the opponent’s aura projectile was completely invisible to the naked eye.
Of course, that didn’t mean Harang would be easily defeated. Even if invisible, the aura projectile existed. Feeling the texture of the wind, Harang gracefully dodged all of the opponent’s long-range attacks.
But it was tricky. Far more than ordinary swordsmen’s aura projectiles.
Lowering his stance slightly, Harang looked at the sword the opponent held—or rather, something that could hardly be called a sword—and thought.
‘Invisible aura! Is that even possible?’
Yes.
The Lord of Calamity, Austin’s aura was invisible. Because of that? Only the handle of the sword was visible, giving the impression of wielding something without a blade.
It was lonely.
Sorrowful.
A sword that felt somehow desolate.
Like a Blue Sword filled with cold anger weathered by time, it evoked many thoughts in the beholder.
Harang said.
“……An aura befitting the continent’s greatest assassin.”
“Thanks for the compliment. Not that I’m pleased.”
“Does it have a name?”
“The Village’s General Manager called it the Glass Sword, but I don’t particularly like the name. What does a name matter anyway?”
“True.”
“Now, enough idle talk, shall we start again?”
As their conversation continued, the moon floating in the sky was covered by a large cloud. The Glass Sword, faintly visible in the moonlight, became completely invisible.
Harang let out a hollow laugh and said.
“Hah, did you entertain my question on purpose? To wait until the cloud covered the moonlight?”
“Facing the owner of the Black Sword, I should use every means available.”
“Not very befitting the Lord of Calamity.”
“I don’t know what being the Lord of Calamity entails… Besides, aren’t you, the owner of the Black Sword, equally advantaged in the dark?”
A pointed remark from Austin.
Harang nodded readily.
It was true. His aura, darkened to pitch-black by mixing three colors, was also suited for action under the night sky.
But at this moment.
Harang felt that the aura flowing through his body had somehow changed.
Precisely, since meeting Sheratiya.
Unlike during the subjugation battle, filled with hatred, anger, stress, and anxiety.
It felt like a corner of his heart, rotting with a foul stench, had been purified by his connections, including Glen.
Thinking this far, Harang swiftly, but not hurriedly, drew up his aura. The energy circulating with a wooooong sound flowed through the sword blade, manifesting sharply and precisely, and seeing this, Harang widened his eyes in surprise.
It wasn’t just his reaction.
The Lord of Calamity, Austin, seeing Harang’s Color Sword, muttered in disbelief.
“You…”
“……Indeed. The aura’s color has changed.”
It was.
Not darkness.
Not the despairing color of Harang’s brutal life, steeped in bloodshed like an abyss. Not the pitch-black energy that made the Holy Kingdom recoil in fear.
Golden.
Like the dawn arriving at the end of a long night… Light coming from the edge of the darkest earth warmly and cozily enveloped Harang’s sword blade.
It was something far more enchanting than the Red Sword’s energy.
Not as noble as the Holy Sword, but because of that, it felt much more approachable… A color close to the sunset overlooking Marzen.
“Hmm.”
Harang swung the golden aura around.
He liked it. Unlike the pitch-black aura, it couldn’t attack stealthily in the dark, but that didn’t matter. Thanks to the intense and beautiful light from the sword blade, the opponent’s Glass Sword also revealed its form.
Smiling contentedly, Harang looked at the Lord of Calamity and said.
“This way, the Holy Kingdom has no reason to taboo me anymore. Too bad, your plan has completely failed.”
“…….”
“Of course, regardless of that, we need to settle this.”
Finishing his words, Harang assumed a stance.
Unlike the slightly defensive start, his center was now slightly forward.
A much more aggressive stance.
He instinctively realized. He was now strong enough to not be outdone even against the Lord of Calamity, considered the continent’s strongest.
This realization wasn’t his alone. Austin also realized the opponent was no longer beneath him and let out a hollow laugh. It was a reaction tinged with desolation rather than anger or hatred.
He said.
“You’re right. Even with things like this, we should settle it.”
Swoosh
At the same time, the Lord of Calamity assumed a stance mirroring Harang’s.
Unlike the opponent illuminating the surroundings with intense presence, no trace of energy was felt from him, as if even the remaining aura had been completely erased. Truly the epitome of an assassin.
Shwoosh-
Shuk-!
Kwaaaaaang!
Shortly after.
The clash began abruptly without sound.
Meeting precisely in the center, the two slashed at each other with mirror-like movements.
Dark Lightning.
The village’s most basic sword technique shot like lightning toward each other, and unable to withstand the impact, both stepped back exactly three paces before clashing again.
Kwaang!
Kwaaaang!
Kwaaaaaang!
After that, they relentlessly unleashed Calamity’s sword techniques.
Continuous Flash imbued with fire energy targeted Harang’s vital points, neutralized by water-infused swordsmanship. Steel aura blooming from solid earth shot out tinged with golden light, repelled by the Glass Sword carrying the essence of Calamity’s techniques.
“Heuk, heuk!”
“Hoo… Hoo!”
One minute passed.
Ten minutes passed.
An hour passed.
During that time, both Harang and Austin grew exhausted.
No fatal wounds.
But blood flowed steadily from thin cuts across their bodies, and lactic acid in their muscles made their bodies heavy like water-soaked cotton. Only their superhuman willpower kept them going; ordinary people would have collapsed from exhaustion, unable to move a finger.
But even such a fight neared its end.
The Lord of Calamity moved first.
Spreading his feet shoulder-width apart, assuming a middle stance, glaring at Harang.
Anyone could see the resolve to end the fight with this one move.
Nodding, Harang assumed the same stance and muttered.
“Yes, it’s time to end it.”
“…….”
Austin didn’t respond.
Just scraping the bottom of his aura reserves, giving his all for the final offensive.
Seeing this, Harang also smirked and drew up his energy with full force.
Wooong
Wooooong-
It was quiet.
Except for a slight vibration, no sound was heard. As if time had stopped, like protagonists in a skilled painter’s artwork, the two stared at each other motionlessly, silently gathering strength. As if frozen, as if never to move, they faced off for a tediously long time.
But nothing in the world is eternal.
And that applied to them too.
The rank 1 Godok and the Lord of Calamity, without anyone moving first, swung their swords at terrifying speed.
───────────!
After a deafening roar, the conclusion came.
As the billowing dust cloud cleared, only one stood on the earth.
Harang, radiating golden energy from his entire body.
“…….”
But despite the victory, his expression wasn’t great.
Inevitably so.
He saw.
He felt.
At the very last moment, the Lord of Calamity, Austin, slightly held back his energy, and he instinctively realized it.
With an expression of incomprehension, he asked.
“Why?”
“……What do you mean?”
“You know. Why, why did you hold back at the end? If you had fought with full force, it was a fight where the winner couldn’t be guaranteed, so why do that after fighting so hard?”
“Cough, kuhuk…”
The Lord of Calamity couldn’t answer Harang’s question immediately.
Inevitably so.
Lying on the ground, he was severely wounded.
Even if the Holy Kingdom’s highest priests poured healing magic generously, even if the Yellow Magic Tower’s great mages poured top-grade potions like a waterfall, the deep cuts ravaging Austin’s flesh were beyond saving.
But his expression was calm.
No, rather, it would be more accurate to say it was empty.
Despite grimacing and coughing up blood, Austin’s face felt emotionless, as if wearing an iron mask.
…About ten seconds passed.
As if regaining consciousness just before death, he slowly opened his mouth.
“I felt it was meaningless.”
“What do you mean?”
“Just… everything… My life ended in the village. From the moment I had to kill my precious peers with my own hands.”
“…….”
“Perhaps, the one trapped longest in the village’s fence was me…”
In a self-deprecating voice.
With an utterly empty expression, the Lord of Calamity, Austin, reflected on his past.
Seeing him, Harang wore a complex expression.
Not perfectly, but he somewhat understood the opponent’s heart.
In a way, he too was a victim.
A victim of the village’s trials and stern rules, no different from them, even as Calamity’s leader.
Of course, that didn’t evoke sympathy.
No matter how unfortunate his life, it didn’t absolve him of toying with countless lives.
A miserable end suited him.
With a stern expression, Harang moved to ensure the opponent’s end.
No, precisely, at that moment.
A faint voice came from the Lord of Calamity, Austin, who seemed to quietly await death.
“Can I make one request?”
“Was our relationship good enough for me to grant your request?”
“I know it’s shameless. But I have no choice.”
He closed his eyes gently.
He wasn’t dead.
As if deep in thought, he wore a complex expression briefly before opening his eyes again.
And looking at Harang, he said.
“Could you stay by Gael’s side and help guide him onto the right path?”