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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Kiteretsu]
[Proofreader - Kyros]
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Chapter 163
"……."
Ian looked down at the holy sword in his hand. A large crack ran through the center of the blade.
Though it remained stable for now due to the magical energy reinforcing it, there was no telling what would happen in an actual clash.
He had been using it ever since he defeated Bloodclaw and claimed it as a trophy.
He still wasn’t certain which lord’s blessing had been bestowed upon this sacred relic, but it was time to let it go.
And right in front of him, a new sword stood waiting.
Uuuuuung!
The blade trembled, as if urging him to take hold of it.
Though it was tainted by the magic of another realm, if it had been called the queen among cursed weapons, then its performance was undoubtedly extraordinary.
A slash surged from the wreckage of the collapsed staircase.
Fwoooosh!
It looked as if paint had been splattered into the air and frozen in place.
Galan was trying to escape from within the ceaseless explosion. There was no time to hesitate.
Ian immediately stored the holy sword in Gratias’s subspace and reached out his hand.
Clench—
The moment he grasped the hilt of the nameless cursed weapon, a surge of violent black mana shot up his arm and spread throughout his body.
The crimson flames that covered him reacted to the energy, instantly shifting into a deep purple hue.
The opposing properties clashed, generating a fierce backlash, yet the flames did not weaken—instead, they burned even more intensely.
‘This is…?’
A power inherent to the relic. It was amplifying the potency and control of elemental forces.
There was no need to doubt its performance.
Fwoooosh!!!
The flames roared even fiercer, cornering Galan as he tried to break free.
But then, a voice echoed in his mind.
A whisper of unknown origin. It was so intense that an ordinary person would go mad instantly.
"Ha."
It was as if the voice was asking whether he was worthy of wielding the sword.
A cacophony of eerie noises rang through his head, rapidly eating away at his mental fortitude.
So this was how it had been able to unleash such devastating pulses at regular intervals.
This was not a sword chosen by its wielder, but a sword that chose its master.
Yet despite housing such a dangerous weapon, they had failed to station anyone of rank to guard it.
Whether they had placed their trust in the barrier of the Gray Temple or in the holy knights, it was a grave mistake on the part of the Pantheon.
Strictly speaking, it was the arrogance of the Silent Order.
Ian drew upon even more of his mana and poured it into the blade.
If it would break, so be it—but he would not yield.
Naturally, the sword, once called a queen, had a lofty nature of its own and did not submit easily.
Uuuuuung!!!
Rather than accepting the mana being forced into it, the blade resisted, pushing back even more fiercely.
Fwoooosh!
The flames flickered between red and purple.
A clash without compromise. The incomprehensible whispers gnawed at his mind, agitating his emotions.
If he couldn’t subjugate this sword here, he would be forced to fight Galan with either the holy sword, already on the verge of breaking, or Pamael.
Neither was a good option.
Pamael was practically a blunt weapon, designed for throwing rather than close combat.
And with just those two weapons, he would have to face an opponent who was at least Level 6—possibly even Level 7.
If he charged in hoping his opponent would make a mistake, he would be torn limb from limb in an instant.
"Choose. Will you be defiled for eternity in the hands of a mere skeleton? Or will you cleanse yourself of filth and stand with me?"
Boom!
The explosions were subsiding. Controlling the cursed sword while keeping up the bombardment against Galan was proving difficult.
This was the turning point.
Whether he failed or succeeded would determine everything that came next. He could feel it instinctively.
"If you promise to stand with me!"
Dying to a mere skeleton in a place like this was not an option.
He had regressed. Even if he had not changed the world significantly, he had at least disrupted a few of the plans the Ten Thousand Demons War had been preparing. But that was not enough.
"Not a sword that aided in the downfall of the world!"
He had yet to stand beside Abella. He knew she was the reason for his regression—because she had declared she would start over.
He did not know why he had been caught up in her regression.
But what mattered was that he had been given another chance. That he now had the opportunity to stand beside her with confidence.
So there was no way he could die here.
"A sword that will be praised—"
He spoke with conviction. He was neither a hero nor someone hailed as one. Speaking such words felt shameful, yet they were not a lie.
"—as the blade of one who sought to save the world!"
Rumble!
The moment he spoke, a brilliant light cascaded from above, filling his body with vitality.
"!?"
The mana he had expended rapidly replenished, and the fatigue that had weighed on his body began to fade.
The throbbing pain subsided.
Divine power. And at an overwhelming density. The filth that had accumulated in his body and mind was being cleansed away.
There was a reason they were called lords. At this level, it could only be described as a blessing.
He had half-expected some kind of revelation to accompany it, but as befitting the Lord of Silence, not a single word was spoken.
"Hah."
As if to say, Do as you wish.
Amidst the now-quiet bombardment, he saw Galan rising. His body was wreathed in black mana.
"……."
Ian looked down at the sword in his hand. The cursed energy that had surged from the blade had weakened.
Before the overwhelming divine power, it had not only shrunk back but seemed to have lost its will entirely, its resistance fading to nothing.
Perhaps out of pride, it still showed some signs of rejecting him, but soon, it began to accept the mana he poured in.
The divine power seeped in as well.
Vmmm—
It could no longer be called a holy sword, but neither was it merely a cursed weapon. It had been completely purified, now able to function fully as a relic.
Fwoosh!
Scarlet flames flickered over the platinum blade where cursed energy had once surged.
At that moment, despite himself, Ian felt the mana within his body gather at his core, forming a new ring.
The sixth ring, interwoven with both divine power and mana, settled into place and immediately began producing pure mana.
And Ian realized—he had finally overcome a wall.
A shiver of exhilaration ran up his spine, bringing a smile to his lips.
He had finally ascended in rank. They said the moment of awakening always came suddenly, and now he understood why.
—You have grown.
Ian turned his head.
Galan had revealed himself in the air, raising an ancient sword high.
He could see it now. He could see his movements.
It’s because he has ascended to a higher state, or perhaps it’s because he has received not just the Sovereign’s blessing but also divine protection—he isn’t sure.
However, perceiving his opponent’s position through his Insight, tracking them with his eyes, and responding with his body all felt easier. He lightly leaped backward.
Kwaang!
He merely swung his sword downward, yet the moment it struck the ground, it was as if an axe had slammed into it, leaving a deep crater.
Even before he landed, Galan turned his head, rising to his feet and immediately closing the distance.
Ian took in the sight with his own eyes.
Fwoooosh!
The air around them was overflowing with fire. The roaring flames twisted like tentacles, surging toward Galan.
Kwooooooooosh!
-!?
This time, it will be different. Though it is fire, it possesses physical force, pressing down on Galan as he charges forward.
The layers of flames piled on top of one another, melting together and clinging like sticky resin. But within that blaze, a surge of violet mana erupted sharply.
Chachachachak!
A bizarre, piercing noise. The flames lost their form, forcibly dispersing.
Within the dissipating fire, a skull glowed with ominous crimson eyes.
Ian let out a chuckle.
“What a monstrous bastard.”
Ah, well, he’s already a monster. But he felt no fear. After all, this was only the beginning.
The scattered flames were gathering into one. Even the embers drifting away fell under Ian’s control and converged again.
“You won’t escape.”
He had merely grasped a demonic sword in his hand, but that single choice had changed everything.
Even if temporarily, he had received the Sovereign’s divine protection and ascended to the 6th Level.
Not a single flame in this confined space disobeyed Ian’s call.
For this limited time, in this limited space, it was as if he ruled over fire itself.
No matter how exceptional Galan’s swordsmanship was—
Chwaaaak!
Even if the flames were slashed apart and scattered, the gaps were immediately filled. The fire would not be extinguished.
-……!
Even if he kicked off the ground and soared into the air, the flames relentlessly pursued him, chaining his limbs and dragging him back down to the earth.
Kwoom!
Galan’s mana had a unique property, allowing him to erect barriers with his slashes, but the fire found its way through the gaps.
Wooooong!
The newly acquired sword resonated in response, its blade emitting a clear, ringing sound.
-!!!
Fwoooooooosh!!!
The fiercely rotating flames surged violently toward Galan. He was caught dead center in the eye of the storm.
Within the tightening inferno, what choices did he have? He could only escape upward, but Ian had no intention of allowing that.
[Flame Realm, Descent]
The massive sphere of fire, which had been hovering at the temple’s ceiling, plummeted.
Guuuuuuung!!!
As the sphere’s form collapsed, the compressed flames within erupted outward, intent on incinerating everything.
The writhing flames broke free from Ian’s control, twisting and wriggling chaotically.
Like a beast snapping its leash and lunging at its prey.
Yet, even amid the frenzy, it showed no hostility toward Ian.
Kwooooooosh!!!
Even as it passed, the fire veered away, as if declaring that it must not be touched.
Nothing could be seen ahead. A dazzling display of red, yellow, and orange engulfed the world.
‘Not yet. He’s not dead.’
Stubborn bastard. Ian muttered to himself as he pressed forward.
Galan was still alive. Whether it was appropriate to call a dead man "alive" was debatable, but even against the overwhelming firepower, he had maintained his form.
[Flame Realm – A Spear to Pierce the Heart.]
A portion of the scattered flames converged onto Ian’s sword, reshaping it into a single spear.
He could feel Galan moving. He was steadying his stance, gripping his sword with both hands, squeezing out the last remnants of his mana. In an instant, he closed the distance.
Ian thrust the spear of fire toward his opponent.
[Bloodclaw Style – Heaven-Piercing Strike]
His attack landed a beat ahead of Galan’s.
The blade cleaved through the flames, and in that instant, the spear he held drove straight into the forehead of the skull with glowing red eyes.
Crack!
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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Kiteretsu]
[Proofreader - Kyros]
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