novelraw Chapter 213 : Chapter 213
Chapter 213 : Chapter 213
Chapter 213
Those who have refined a Mana Heart are largely divided into two categories.
Knights who manipulate mana using bladed weapons like swords, and mages who calculate Formulas to manifest their imagination with mana.
In the case of the former, the lineage is divided according to the weapons they wield or the goals they pursue, and in the case of the latter, the path varies depending on the type of Formulas they research.
As the level rises, the boundary of manipulating mana becomes blurred, but that doesn't mean there is anyone called a perfect Magic Swordsman.
Edan Eurasia, who mastered 9-star, and Diana Cornelia, who mastered 8-star and subsequently reached 9-star.
They were only called the Undefeated Knight and the Iron-Blooded Mage, respectively, but did not earn the title of Magic Swordsman.
The previous Emperor, Pergius Heinrich, was undoubtedly a knight who could freely use the status and Haki of a 9-star knight.
Such a person took over the body of his child, who was an Arch Mage, and is using 9-star magic.
At this unprecedented event that would remain in history, Killian briefly frowned.
‘This guy is crossing the boundary.’
Someone who isn't even an Apostle of Styx is trying to cross the boundary between Divine Power and mana, between knight and mage.
The information he heard from Lan, the experience he faced directly.
He gathers all of that and makes a conjecture.
“He coveted all powers to reach transcendence.”
The Mana Heart that made Humans the rulers of the continent.
The Hollyheart that allows one to use the Authority of Gods.
The Radiance of Grotesquery, understood to be from beyond the Boundary.
In addition to that, the Evil Energy of high-ranking monsters.
He is different from Colin, who was satisfied with mere adhesion, and different from Serena, who had the initiative of her consciousness and body taken away.
The Emperor was truly wielding all powers according to his will.
So it was a question.
How could he reach such a level in a time less than 100 years even if the lives of his predecessors were added up?
What was initially a conjecture has now become a certainty.
‘The Emperor didn't move bodies just once.’
At least twice.
Only the shell was changed, and a new soul filled it.
Just like himself.
It would be closer to possession than reincarnation.
“It seems you noticed.”
Saying so, Crusty Heinrich's eyes are dyed with Divine Power.
“Insight doesn't work on me.”
Another heart filling his chest would ensure that.
“Right. You refined a Hollyheart. Even so, avoiding Insight is all you can do.”
Killian looked around.
It wasn't just the others for whom the environment changed due to the Emperor's power.
Whoosh.
Snow flurried.
Beyond the flurrying snow, the Boundary was visible.
“Playing cheap tricks.”
The Emperor looked at him with indifferent eyes as if telling him to say more.
“You aren't a perfect 9-star, are you?”
Just as the previous body was.
“The 9-star you reached is incomplete.”
The fact that he didn't kill the investigation team immediately, the fact that he didn't kill him immediately, proves it.
‘There is some restriction.’
Just like the Gods being under a restriction.
Figuring out what that is will be the key to determining the outcome of this battle.
Killian checked the new stage.
“You refined a Hollyheart. Did you cross the boundary?”
He shook his head looking at Adamas stuck in the ground.
“No, if you had, that sword wouldn't have been left neglected like that.”
Only then did he realize.
What was mediating the Emperor's Formula.
‘Adamas.’
His own original body is mediating the Emperor's Formula.
The space Killian reached a moment ago must have been a passage through which he passed the Curse of Grotesquery.
Being immortal doesn't mean he is truly immortal.
With the sword between them, the Emperor pointed at Adamas with his hand.
“Isn't it interesting?”
That such immense power is contained in just a single sword.
“Killian Eurasia. I will not make an offer to you. Also, I will not kill you. It is still too early to take your life.”
“…….”
Even so, he says he cannot give up his neck yet either.
At that moment, the Emperor smiled broadly.
“Choose.”
As he beckoned, the figures of the investigation team in danger were shown.
Ashirian was enraged at the burning forest.
The Imperial Superhumans cut off her limbs one by one as she despaired.
Elvenheim perished like that.
Pyrope was struggling at the scene where the dwarves of his clan were being massacred.
Yet he failed to stop the Imperial Knights rushing in with the monster horde. A Superhuman's sword pierced the dwarf's heart.
Russell fought back leading the remnants of the fallen Cornelia Kingdom's mages, but his Mana Heart shattered, and he withered away and died.
Pierre could not handle the runaway Divine Power as a price for coveting excessive power, and his Hollyheart was crushed by a Holy Knight's sword.
Yulian met his death with his whole body hacked to pieces by the joint attack of Night Walkers commanded by the Empire.
Hazard faced multiple Arch Mages alone, got caught in a chain magic spell, and suffered reflux.
Afterward, the masters began to cut off Hazard's scales one by one.
In the end, Hazard died with his Dragon Heart pulled out.
Every single one was a terrible future.
“Are you mimicking the Pope's Foresight or something?”
[I can't watch this anymore.]
Murus, who had been watching their conversation all along, intervened.
He spoke in a displeased tone, saying that a stench vibrates because someone not chosen forcibly took the power.
[How long do you intend to be swayed, you so-called ancient God-Slayer.]
He seemed dissatisfied with him not fighting properly.
‘No need to get worked up.’
The current Emperor is also not the main body.
Previously, he lost two Night Walkers as the price for hunting the Emperor.
It wasn't different just because it was now.
‘If I use Authorities, I could probably fight him properly.’
However, he might end up sacrificing someone's life as the price.
He has no intention of risking the investigation team's lives to take the life of a guy who probably has several left.
‘Rather than that, releasing the Emperor's Formula imprinted on the Boundary is the priority.’
He moves first.
“Shall we see how you handle that precious power.”
He rotated his Mana Heart.
The Emperor tilted his staff.
The Formula leading from Carpe to Carpe Illusion shakes.
Ding.
[The Authority of ‘Barrier’ has been activated.]
Pure white Divine Power was dyed gray and formed a curtain.
The curtain became a Barrier.
“…….”
The Emperor's eyebrow twitched at the Authority.
Crackle.
An 8-star level magic is fired, and Divine Power rages, but.
[With this level, you cannot pierce the Barrier.]
Murus sneered at the Emperor's attack.
A moment's opening was enough.
“Carpe Illusion.”
Killian manifested three Carpe Illusions.
“What do you think you can do with that?”
“You won't be able to use Formulas recklessly.”
Thud.
He drove Styx's Divine Object he was holding into the ground.
Spaces merge.
The abandoned temple the Emperor is using as a Formula, and the space where the other members of the investigation team are trapped.
As the boundaries blurred, all those spaces appeared to merge into this place.
And all those spaces appeared to converge on the Boundary.
[Are you out of your mind?!! Withdraw your power!]
Killian didn't mind Murus's shouting and infused Divine Power into the Divine Object.
The surface of the Boundary wavered.
[Adamas!!]
Murus's shout grew louder, but he didn't stop.
He just stared at the Emperor who didn't show much reaction.
“You don't want to tear down the Boundary, do you?”
“…….”
“You wouldn't want to tear it down right now. If you did, it would have been simple just to dispatch Imperial Superhumans to the North.”
“…….”
“You haven't reached complete transcendence yet. Also.”
Killian spoke with emphasis in his voice.
“You covet the power of Grotesquery, but at the same time, you fear what lies beyond the Boundary.”
The Emperor was silent.
It was only after a long while that he opened his mouth.
“Did the God who refined the Hollyheart for you tell you that?”
“It seems you don't have the confidence to oppose a God?”
At the obvious provocation, the Emperor smirked.
“It will become so soon.”
“You're quick to accept your second defeat.”
“The destination is set. For you, and for Eurasia.”
“…….”
“I will be waiting at the destination. Heretic chosen by God.”
With the warning, the Formula completely shattered.
At the same time.
Skreeeeee-
The cry of something was heard from beyond the Boundary.
“…….”
That was the sound announcing that the world had changed, and announcing the beginning of the approaching Great War.
***
Skreeeeee-
“…….”
Lokia de Styx opened his eyes at the strange cry heard from within the temple.
A sound different from the cry of a beast or the scream of a human.
It was a tone he had never heard even while spending decades in the North.
“It must have begun.”
He muttered with his eyes narrowed.
A while later, Killian and his party returned to the temple.
They had finished a mission that lasted over three long months.
The priest Colin, who was their guide, was nowhere to be seen.
Killian entered the temple with a face mixed with fatigue and looked for Lokia.
A Second Class Priest of the temple personally guided him to the room where Divine Objects and Holy Objects were kept.
Perhaps because holy items were neatly arranged.
It was a space engulfed in a strange silence.
Lokia, who was waiting, spoke to Killian.
“Here is the threshold of the Boundary. The truth you wish to know also lies beyond the Boundary.”
Killian's gaze became sharp.
He took a step closer and asked.
“As the leader of the Joint Investigation Team, I need to know the truth.”
The cry from beyond the Boundary.
The reason Colin was assigned as a guide.
Actions that seemed to know all those facts.
A faint smile was drawn on Lokia's lips.
“If you defeat me, I will tell you everything. It doesn't matter if you use mana. It is an opportunity to test your skills.”
‘So that's how it is.’
He wasn't the type to refuse a challenge, but there would be no need for that now.
He swung Colin's Divine Object he was holding.
The empty air splits.
“……!!”
Two Divine Powers clashed.
Lokia showed that he did not fall behind Killian.
Murus, watching the clash of Divine Power, intervened.
[If only I had a believer like that too.]
‘…….’
[Adamas. Show him what you've got.]
‘We aren't close enough to cheer for each other.’
Killian emphasized that someday he would cut down Murus as well with his sword.
[But aren't you an Apostle practicing the will of God right now?]
“…….”
[If you want to talk to the other two emotions, I can do that. They are frantic to talk to the new believer.]
The depressed Murus and the rage-filled Murus.
Either way, he declined.
‘I am working.’
He told him to shut up and watch if he wanted to keep his only proper believer.
Crackle.
Red curtains unfolded in front of and behind Killian.
Boundary.
‘It is not real.’
It is merely a complete imitation by Lokia using his Authority.
Ding.
[The Authority of ‘Barrier’ has been activated.]
Killian trapped Lokia with the power of the Barrier.
The two people suddenly ended up trapped in the Boundary and the Barrier.
Killian fiddled with Anima.
He could cut it down with a single strike.
If Lokia resisted, he intended to do so.
Outside, those prepared to seize the temple at any time upon his order were waiting.
But then.
“It is your victory.”
“We haven't seen the end yet.”
“Since we competed with Divine Power, it is as good as my defeat.”
Accepting defeat more calmly than expected.
‘Was the goal to figure out whether I created a Hollyheart or not?’
There would be no need to go to the end on purpose.
When he subsided the Divine Power, the crumbled Boundary gathered at his fingertips.
If blood were transformed into the form of Divine Power, would it look like that?
While he was thinking that.
“The Emperor obtained immortality using the power of the Boundary.”
That is something he knows.
And.
“As long as the power of the Boundary operates, he will not die.”
“…….”
That was something he was hearing for the first time.