Chapter 527 – Single Combat

-Thump, thump, thump!

The sound of a pulsating heart echoes.
How strange.
I was certain I had perished, yet my heart continues to beat.

‘Does it matter? That is not of importance at the moment.’

Byul nestled her cool cheek against Lee Si-heon’s palm, the tender affection of her beloved transmitted through the harsh calluses.

-Thump, thump, thump, thump!

‘Quiet down, my heart. I am in the midst of an important encounter.’

After a long span of three years, Lee Si-heon is finally caring for me. The bliss of love is so overwhelming that tears threaten to spill. Byul firmly held onto Lee Si-heon’s trembling hand.

It feels so right, yet why?
Lee Si-heon is squinting his eyes as if he has seen something he shouldn’t have, and guilt lurks within his gaze, warmly fixed on Byul.
Why do you react so, when you’ve done nothing wrong?
Our Si-heon is genuinely kind, to a fault.
All she could see was the face of the man she loved.

“Hehe. Hehe.”

Byul chuckled.
With a dirty face and sniveling like a child,
Her hair, faded in color, fell back over her crown, and blood trickled down her scraped forehead.
As Si-heon tenderly stroked Byul’s forehead, her heart swelled with joy, and she burst into a radiant smile.

“Am I… dead?”

Her hot breath stagnates, unable to rise past her throat.

Byul clung desperately to her dwindling consciousness.
Her belief that she was dead and her efforts to gaze upon Lee Si-heon as much as she could were paradoxically preserving her life.

“Do you know how much I’ve missed you?”

Three years. Byul smiled fiercely, moving her hurting arm to embrace Lee Si-heon’s waist.
His expression darkens further.

“Hey~ Don’t make that face.”
“Sister.”
“Hehehe. Sister, sister.”

Her cuteness remains unchanged. Byul laughed heartily, then smiled with a touch of sorrow.

“Yes, my little brother. Si-heon, my favorite, and I, your nerdy sister… You’ve waited a long time, haven’t you? I got here before Se-young, and Dalrae and Shiba are quite healthy.”

Does she truly believe she is dead?

“And Shiba, she’s gotten really strong, really quickly. Is it because she’s your daughter?”
“Yes.”

Lee Si-heon embraced Byul’s face, and she blissfully closed her eyes.

“Now, I…”

An ad-lib that doesn’t miss a beat in this situation.

“I’m really dead, right? Hehe.”

If this place were truly heaven,
And if Byul were the only one who had died, she would have been loved for a very long time.

But no, she’s still in the terrestrial realm.

“Let’s hurry and have a wedding before Se-young ages. I wonder how that’s done in heaven….”

In her excitement, Byul began to ramble, then shut her eyes as if losing consciousness.
Lee Si-heon held Byul’s hand, embracing her for a long moment.

Should I go capture him right now?

No, I couldn’t stir until the healing was complete.
Cornus was at Shiba’s side, certain to stretch time beyond the stars.

“Just a bit more.”

The marks that lingered on Hanbyeol’s body vanished. Even with the crown gone, I was thankful for the trace of power that remained.
– Thud.
The strength drained from Hanbyeol’s arm, falling to the floor. If left here, the Hunters who had come to aid would surely help.
Lee Si-heon pressed his lips to Hanbyeol’s forehead. A smile curved at the corners of her mouth. He stroked her hair once, then rose from his place.

* * * * * * * * * * *

Hanbyeol. 27 years old.
The Vice President of the Korean Hunter Association and a dissenter of the World Tree.

By the time she reached this age, she was already the top swordswoman, having honed her proficiency with all weapons to an elite level. Among Hunters, she was one of the few with a peculiar trait. She was the valedictorian of El Academy, even manifesting the color of mana. She secured the second position in the Forest Keeper Selection.

Mugung, recognizing her tremendous talent, had taken her under his wing, cherishing her greatly.

Yet, Hanbyeol’s grandeur did not end there.
One fact her admirers continually voiced was that Hanbyeol was a wooden person of the lowest caste, devoid of any flower language.

Though always radiant and smiling, there were numerous individuals who envied her from the shadows. Many in power sought to crush her simply because she lacked a flower language.

Hanbyeol, despite gaining unparalleled power under Mugung’s patronage, was not acknowledged by others. The position of Vice President, which she had clawed her way up to, was imbued with countless drops of sweat and blood.

She was one of the most radiant people I knew.

She had faced numerous attempts on her life, a hikikomori with numerous scars. She had never won anyone’s heart, making her more timid than anyone else when it came to romantic relationships.

“Si-heon~~! I love you~!”

She was always the one who, whenever she saw me, would rush to me, a big smile on her face.

And such a star,
She died for me at the hands of Mugung.

Among the memories of unfairness and frustration, there was this one. Hanbyeol, who had devoted her life to gaining recognition, tarnished her parents’ names which they had strived to make reputable, all for my sake. She immolated herself.

Hanbyeol, who had fought valiantly against Mugung who had transcended realms, never faltering. Even when her heart was pierced and she closed her eyes, she worried about me.

“I’ll go ahead and wait for you.
Take your time-“

Hanbyeol’s death was predestined.
It was already planned for me to be judged a heretic by the World Tree. By the time I noticed it, Flower and the World Tree had already completed all preparations.

In that moment when I couldn’t run and could only be protected, my strength was weak, and she betrayed the world.

The story about that time doesn’t affect me anymore. Now, it just feels dry.

“….”

– Sigh.

I turned to look behind me. There I was.

The cycle had repeated countless times, and now, this dimension was coming to an end. Stars could be extinguished at any moment. The same applied to the other women: the World Tree, the Flower, Sephirot, even Taragon.

The pact with the Origin was all there was.

I was prepared to commit any act to save my daughter.

* * * * * * * * * * *

[This just in.]

Five lanes bisect city upon city. Amid the severe traffic congestion, the city seemed frozen in time. Citizens, having abandoned their vehicles, began to scream and flee.

[Currently in Gangseo District, Seoul… static buzzes!]

As the massive wave of magical energy resonated, the broadcaster’s report, playing on the screen adorning the skyscraper, abruptly halted.

-Crash!

The roof of a car, trampled by a tentacle, crumpled as if under the weight of heavy machinery.

Dark tentacles, like a wave, blanketed the sky. A colossal tide, over a kilometer in length, swallowed the city whole.

-Squeal!?

Snake-like tentacles darted out from the wave.

Crash, crunch, groan. Boom!

The sentient tentacles pierced the earth; the ground crumbled, buildings toppled. The minions of the king, unrelenting, lunged for the Heavenly Demon. The Heavenly Demon, without much resistance, reached out and tore the tentacle apart.

A tentacle, fired like a stake, was caught in the man’s hand and disintegrated.

The camera could not keep pace with the action. The dense wave of magical energy wreaked havoc, causing all devices in the world to malfunction. The mortal eye could not follow the transcendent battle between the two. The fleeing citizens saw only a middle-aged man standing still and the branches of an enormous tree.

Two individuals, embodiments of the same life force, separated by age and the worlds they’ve lived in.

Their expressions blank, they glared at each other with murderous intent. Similar dark magical energies clashed, causing those around them to faint.

The atmosphere was starkly different from when they had met at the tower. There was an intense hostility between the king and the Heavenly Demon, as if they were ready to rip out each other’s guts at any moment. Neither held back in demonstrating their formidable abilities.

A pressure intense enough to rend flesh. There was no exchange of words. Piercing stares, trembling lips, sweaty hands. The two tall figures lowered their heads, their massive bodies tightening as they clenched their fists.

-Hoarrr…

Their movements shifted in perfect unison without a millisecond’s deviation.

-Boom!!!

A shockwave, enough to rupture eardrums, shook the earth. The crown the king wore vibrated, and countless ‘branches’ rained down upon him. The Heavenly Demon, his arms crossed, dove headlong into the onslaught without a moment’s hesitation.

The ‘branches’ ruthlessly impaled the body of the star.

A vast wave of magic rose behind Lee Si-heon, and a white flower unfurled. The magic power followed his fist, unfurling as if painted on by an invisible brush. Single and compound eyes intermingled between the branches, eventually bearing fruit of pristine white.

The first of Heavenly Demon’s divine arts.

Under the oppression of the king’s ‘branches’, he practiced his martial arts in a place unseen by any.

White Peach.

The magic cautioned against amassing too much in one place or fully blooming. Martial arts arose from Heavenly Demon’s hands.

【 White Peach’s Semi-Blossomed State 】

To assume there has been no evolution in this power over the past three years would be a grave mistake. Even whilst managing the king’s power, his dedication to training never waned. Preparing for the day when he might be consumed by the crown, he cultivated his own power, a strength to rise again from the edge of extremity.

– Fizz!

The extreme essence of a singular piece pierced in a straight line exploded from Si-heon’s mouth. A martial art that continuously expanded. Heavenly Demon’s strike cleared the sky of clouds, creating a massive void.

The heavens became visible, and clusters of light descended from beneath the horizon. White petals danced from the opening in the sky, and Heavenly Demon, having escaped the king’s clutches, launched an assault on the king’s bosom.

Their gazes completely overlapped. His eyes, simmering with a quiet fury, shone brightly, and Heavenly Demon’s hands were clenched with magic. The king moved his hand.

– Boom!

As a shockwave erupted from the king’s body, Heavenly Demon was pushed back once. Yet, there was no hint of regret in the Heavenly Demon’s eyes. The king, noticing this, furrowed his eyebrows.

Two spirits, brimming with magical power, darted from behind him and stabbed the king’s shoulders.

“Jiik!”

“Tjaek!”

– Ugh!

The king’s body tilted, and a magic circle erupted from the ground. It was Heavenly Demon’s magic.

There were countless methods at Heavenly Demon’s disposal. Unlike the trial demon, whose ‘body’ and ‘vital energy’ collapsed, leaving only the power of the crown, Heavenly Demon could manifest magic even with the king’s power, despite lacking the properties of a spirit.

In the world of the wizard, the ability to wield spirits made a huge difference.

“Jzu-in!”

Eleanor and Lucy completely blocked the magical energy emerging from his body. No being surpassed spirits in wielding magic.

The spirit harmonized with the magical energy, making a more formidable entity than the spirit itself. The magical energy amplified the essence of the spirit. This held several times more destructive power than the magic Lee Si-heon wielded.

– Kwaang!

Black flames erupted from the ground, engulfing the king. Yet, the king did not fall to the magic. The king was not so easily defeated, and this aligned with Heavenly Demon’s premonition.

Squeak-

Tentacles pierced through the flames, taking down Eleanor and Lucy one after another.

“…!”

The visage of the king emerged from the flames, his head shaking. The Heavenly Demon waited for this moment. The destructive magic clouded his vision, simultaneously dulling his ability to sense the magical energies.

The fist of the Heavenly Demon, having closed in again, struck the king’s face with brute force.
Kwak!
The king’s body, his face sunken in, reeled dramatically and was flung backward.

【Heavenly Demon Divine Art】

A martial stance.
Just as he was about to invoke the second rite, this time, an arm-shaped tendril sprouting from beneath the ground seized the Heavenly Demon’s ankle.

“!”

Tentacles burst from their paths, diverting course. The ‘branch’ imbued with more magic was quicker and its form was different this time. The Heavenly Demon’s Divine Art faltered, and in the wake of the king’s relentless attack, a hole was punched through Lee Si-heon’s body.

Blood sprayed from their bodies, and fractures appeared at the terminals.
The Heavenly Demon swiftly moved his hand to sever the ‘branch’, while the king regenerated his shattered face, his eyes fluttering open and shut.

“Kuhh.”

The Ent’s maw gaped, blood oozing. By the time the Heavenly Demon’s body fully regenerated, the king’s restoration had also concluded.
A prospect of a prolonged struggle. The magical energy rising from Lee Si-heon’s body signaled the recommencement of the battle.

Thud.
Thud.
Thud.

There are no allowances in a bloodbath.
Even with their limbs battered, both of them lunged at each other with murderous intent,
Despite knowing that a conclusion seemed unlikely, they swung their fists, their pride at stake.

Lee Si-heon extended his fist.
Lee Si-heon’s branch thwarted it.

A gaping hole appeared in the Heavenly Demon’s stomach.
The king’s heart was pierced.

Flesh burst open, blood pooling on the floor, bone fragments scattered, and the tightly packed ‘branches’ dwindled one by one until they started to pile up on the floor like a mountain.

The battleground continued to shift, and none could keep pace.
A one-on-one, desperate combat.

Naturally, there was no end in sight for their conflict.