After completing guild tasks, they celebrated with a feast.
They danced, ate, and enjoyed the night.
Eldrin smiled quietly at them all.
The next morning, while loading bodies and belongings into the carriage,
an ominous aura filled the air.
A pressure so overwhelming that Arin and the others couldn't move a single finger.
Only Eldrin stood.
"Run," he said calmly.
"Arin. Shoruka. Take Hanase and Neblaheim. Run."
They struggled to rise.
Shoruka gritted her teeth.
"Master… I will fight with you!"
"No. You'll only be in the way. Go."
Shoruka obeyed with trembling hands.
Arin lifted Hanase and they escaped toward Klorade.
Eldrin remained.
"Come out now… Kurishobe."
A human-shaped monster stepped out.
Shining armor tinted black and crimson.
"Are you really letting those meat shields escape?"
Eldrin tightened his grip on his sword.
"I don't need help to defeat a traitor like you."
Kurishobe moved first —
A blur of death.
Their swords clashed.
Eldrin's blade cracked.
Kurishobe laughed.
"Mortals cannot hurt me."
Inferno magic rained downward.
Eldrin dodged, countered, cut Kurishobe's hand—
but Kurishobe shattered his sword, then crushed him with gravity magic.
An arm flew.
Eldrin dropped to one knee.
"…Let's end it. Without making this more painful."
Kurishobe nodded.
"For the sake of our old friendship."
Eldrin chanted:
"Destruction is all I see.
Destruction is all I feel.
Destruction is all that exists—
ERADICATION."
Kurishobe chanted:
"Engulf. Ravage. Destroy.
Exterminate all life before me—
GHASTLY ASSAULT!"
They collided.
An explosion swallowed the forest.
Kurishobe, dying:
"…Was it worth sacrificing your life… for those kids?"
Eldrin smiled faintly.
"He will grow stronger… far stronger than the Death God."
Kurishobe closed his eyes.
"…I hope he can defeat him."
Eldrin whispered his final breath:
"He will. One day… for sure."