Thanks for _______ ________ and Nefasturis for becoming as Supporters!
===BREAK===
The Moonlight Sword was one of Kalakin's starting items from the very beginning.
Even at the start, it was a high-value item of 5-star rank or higher, and as Kalakin himself grew, he unlocked more of the sword's power, raising its grade even further.
In other words, it was a growth-type item.
The fact that he possessed such an item from the start was exactly why I had always considered Kalakin to be a protagonist-tier character in The Defense.
'More importantly… it's the Moonlight Sword's ability that matters most.'
According to the legend that sharp steel repels evil, the Moonlight Sword allowed one to cut through things that normally couldn't be cut.
The most iconic example was its effectiveness against beings like ghosts or demons, who were nearly immune to physical attacks.
Put another way, aside from its drawback of being a melee weapon, it was a clear superior alternative to my Experimental Round, GHOST-157.
Viewed through that lens, it wasn't strange that the Moonlight Sword could affect Ankelenth.
Beyond-Grade Dragon Ankelenth stood at the pinnacle of all life. From certain perspectives, he could be considered an entity that wasn't supposed to be harmed by anything at all.
And indeed, the Moonlight Sword was instrumental in making Kalakin known as the Dragon Hunter—it had certainly contributed greatly to that title.
'But... the Moonlight Sword appearing in this era is a completely different matter.'
And not just appearing—but manifesting powerfully enough to be effective against Ankelenth.
Of course, I already knew the sword had a profound backstory—but I hadn't imagined it would still exist in this era...
What's more, to my knowledge, the Moonlight Sword could only be wielded by someone of Kalakin's unique bloodline.
In other words, whoever wielded it now was likely an ancestor of Kalakin.
'The Great Kalakin's ancestor...'
Kalakin had once been like my other self. So how could I not take interest in his ancestor?
I already knew the Moonlight Sword's origins and power were extraordinary—but I never expected it to have been active even in this ancient era.
Then it happened.
A combat helicopter appeared through the thick volcanic ash above Noah.
Perhaps because the massive ether wave hadn't yet formed in this era, helicopters could still be deployed in a limited capacity.
'A person?'
Soon after, a figure leapt out of the helicopter.
Even though the crater and Ankelenth awaited below, there was no hesitation at all in the fall.
'Of course...'
I didn't for a second believe the person leaping down was some suicidal lunatic.
There was no way Ark would waste such valuable aerial power in this kind of situation just to assist someone's suicide.
'Most likely, that person is the owner of the Moonlight Sword in this era.'
The silhouette that passed quickly through the sky was far slimmer than I had anticipated.
Almost like that of a woman.
'No... it's not a mistake.'
I knew instantly.
That woman was the current wielder of the Moonlight Sword.
The evidence was clear.
She landed swiftly atop Ankelenth's back and began ruthlessly driving the Moonlight Sword deeper into his scales.
'Without a doubt—Kalakin's ancestor.'
It made perfect sense where Kalakin's unflinching nature toward enemies came from.
Some might have called her brutality extreme—but considering her opponent was a being that heralded the end of the world, it was completely justified.
SLAM!
CRACK!
[GROOOOAAAAAAH!]
Already destabilized by the earlier surprise strike, Ankelenth lost what little balance he had left when she drove the sword deeper, causing him to finally tumble down into the crater.
KUGUGUGU!
Ankelenth struggled desperately not to fall, but the ether net had already ensnared his entire body completely.
[Let's go together. Let's go together. Let's go together. Let's go together. Let's go together. Let's go together. Let's go together. Let's go together. Let's go together. Let's go together. Let's go together...]
[Kekeh. Kekekeh. Keh. Kekeh. Kekekeh. Keh. Kekeh. Kekekeh. Keh. Kekeh. Kekekeh. Keh. Kekeh. Kekekeh. Keh. Kekeh. Kekekeh. Keh. Kekeh. Kekekeh. Keh. Kekeh. Kekekeh. Keh.]
[Come here. Come here. Come here. Come here. Come here. Come here. Come here. Come here. Come here. Come here. Come here. Come here. Come here. Come here.]
Each time Ankelenth thrashed, plumes of lava erupted from the crater, forming columns of fire.
Yet amid this catastrophe, the unknown wielder of the Moonlight Sword continued stabbing it deeper beneath his scales.
'Still... to be able to endure in that ether wave... She really is Kalakin's ancestor.'
The ether wave dragging Ankelenth was immense.
Even if the Great Spirit was doing his best to regulate it, the woman riding atop Ankelenth would inevitably be affected as well.
Not to mention, the crater's searing heat should've been enough to incinerate lungs—yet she remained perfectly calm.
"Get stabbed already."
The Moonlight Sword's wielder declared.
As if to affirm her words, a fierce blue light surged from the sword.
One of the Moonlight Sword's special abilities was now being activated right before my eyes.
BOOOOOM!
With that blue light, Ankelenth finally lost all strength and plummeted into the crater.
Of course, mere lava couldn't harm someone like Ankelenth—but I already knew the outcome.
Ankelenth would fall into slumber.
For a very long time.
'But how?'
Falling into lava alone wouldn't be enough to keep someone like him down.
Given the slightest opportunity, he'd surely crawl back up again.
'Hm?'
But that thought didn't last long.
As the Moonlight Sword's wielder climbed back up the crater, I noticed the man had already reached the summit—gazing down at the crater with indifferent eyes.
"...In the end, I have sinned."
The man murmured bitterly to himself and reached toward the depths of the crater.
At that moment, the woman called out to him.
"Hey! What are you trying to do now?!"
"I don't ask for forgiveness. This too is a sin I must bear."
"What? What are you—"
Her question didn't last long.
From the man's palm, a massive ether surge burst forth and began to warp the colossal ether wave within the crater.
[Weird. Feelings. Stop it. Weird. Enough. Weird. What's wrong. Weird. All of it. Weird...]
[I want to go home. I want to go home. I want to go home. I want to go home. I want to go home. I want to go home. I want to go home.]
[Mom... I want to stop...]
A stream of moisture trickled down the man's cheek.
At first, I thought it was sweat from the heat—but it wasn't.
They were tears.
The man was grieving.
Probably for those who would now suffer for eternity because of the sin he was about to commit.
"Do not forgive me."
The ether surrounding the man became a pivot, wrapping around the massive ether wave—and soon, the vast ether began to swirl into a vortex.
Even if this man would one day be known as the Great Spirit, he couldn't have possibly controlled all of that on his own.
'What is he planning?'
I soon had my answer.
The ether storm that had begun swirling around him was now being guided toward a single point.
'Not controlling it—but redirecting it.'
Not control, but guidance.
Still, the sheer scale of it was enough to warrant calling him "great."
RUMMBLLLLE───
BOOM! KA-BOOM!
Thunder and lightning erupted through the ether storm, piercing the volcanic ash.
It wasn't hard to guess what he was doing.
He was gathering the berserk ether that was destroying everything, and he was about to bury it beneath this crater.
And with Ankelenth already there, the outcome was obvious.
'A seal.'
The ether, following a carefully drawn path, gathered toward Mount Noah's crater—like matter being swallowed by a black hole.
Once-raging ether, which had nearly destroyed the world, now surged endlessly into the crater.
"Oh, sorrowful ones..."
The man continued to mourn.
And in that sorrow, the ether storm that had once overwhelmed the land—ceased.
More precisely, it was forced to.
[Let me go. Let me go. Let me go. Let me go. Let me go. Let me go. Let me go. Let me go. Let me go. Let me go. Let me go. Let me go. Let me go. Let me go. Let me go. Let me go.]
[Where is this? Where is this? Where is this? Where is this? Where is this? Where is this? Where is this? Where is this? Where is this? Where is this?]
[Release... me...]
Ether that had been thrown into the crater without understanding cried out in agony.
Ignoring the screams, the man poured out the last of his strength.
Literally—everything he had.
[KYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE───!]
Light and darkness alternated, flickering the world into night and day again and again.
When that utterly surreal scene ended, no trace of berserk ether remained.
Only the sorrowful souls—who would later be known as the Great Will—were left beneath Mount Noah's crater.
"..."
The great man, who would one day be praised as the Great Spirit, collapsed without strength.
Whether it was the heat of the volcano or the friction from the ether storm, his body was charred black, and his remaining flesh scattered to ashes with the wind.
How could such deeds not be called great?
How could such sins ever be forgiven?
That was the end of the story I had witnessed.
Bitter. Exceedingly bitter.
I already knew what would happen to Ark afterward—and what Mount Noah, now bearing Ankelenth and the Great Will, would become.
And then...
As if waking from a long dream, the illusions around me began to fade.
"...So, this is it."
Once again, the eyes that met mine looked down upon me.
But somehow, those gazes seemed sad—not just a trick of the mind.
[Fulfill your duty.]
[Fulfill your duty.]
[Fulfill your duty.]
[Fulfill your duty.]
[Fulfill your duty.]
Now I knew.
What my duty was—and what the Marcus bloodline's duty was.
But just because I knew didn't mean I was ready to obey.
"Spare me the dramatics."
And so, I declared:
"My answer is no."
To my ancestor, praised as great for doing what no one else could.
"I'll find my own answer."
To the foolish man who committed an unforgivable sin.
"So just shut up and wait until then."
KUGUGUGU...!
The eyes of the universe trembled.
Each one stared at me with intent, as if possessed by will.
[He understands.]
Was it just my imagination?
Did I just feel the universe's eyes smiling at me?
[He understands.]
Light spread from all sides.
I accepted it without resistance.
*
[You have faced the true will of the Watcher!]
[The Watcher's final will shall accompany you. Your resonance with the ether has greatly increased!]
[45 → 65]
[With a total ether sensitivity of 65 (+26) (+20%) surpassing 100, you have acquired a new ability.]
[You have learned 'Liberation (解放)'.]
===BREAK===
Like the story and want more chapters?
Join and support me by joining my Patreon!
[email protected]/SiRoasa