Chapter 214: Shock in Heaven (1)

Shirone remembered that he had only been thinking about his own situation and looked at Ikael.

“Ah, um…….”

Ikael shook her head.

“No. You don’t need to thank me. That something like this happened is also my fault. Rather, I’m sorry that I can only help you this much. From now on, it depends on Shirone.”

“Thank you. I mean it.”

Shirone insisted on expressing his gratitude. If it weren’t for Ikael, he would still be sitting and crying on the sacred wall of Jebul.

Ikael’s gaze became gentle. Even his stubbornness seemed charming to her.

“Remember this, Shirone. Even though you already know, you won’t have many chances to use my ability. Even if Shirone’s mind has evolved one level, Kariel is a meticulous angel. Use it only when you are certain you can save your friends.”

Shirone nodded and prepared to leave. It was a shame to part with Ikael, but there was no time to waste.

“Be careful. I hope you can return safely to the original world.”

“Yes. Thank you very much, truly.”

When Shirone left the room and the door closed, Ikael collapsed in place with signs of fatigue.

The room, now that she was alone, remained perfect, but somehow felt incomplete.

Shirone had been there. Remembering that restless scene, Ikael let out a small laugh.

‘It’s a good thing it was Shirone.’

Ikael’s body of sacred light opened into a halo and began to spin rapidly. Then, on one side of the room, a red-colored vortex formed.

“Answer the call, Ashur.”

In front of Ikael, glass panels in square shapes appeared.

The panels, connected by dozens of crossing lines, lit up and gradually filled with color, projecting the figure of a Mara.

He was a handsome man, with shoulder-length black hair and three triangles floating above his head.

Kneeling before Ikael, he bowed his head and said,

“Ashur. I receive the order of the angel.”

The lines of the panels disappeared and Ashur’s figure gained volume.

“I need your strength. Help Shirone.”

“Understood.”

Ashur responded without hesitation. Then, in Ikael’s eyes, an emotion of guilt appeared.

“I’m sorry, for making you do even this.”

“I am a being born from the concept of Ikael-nim. Fulfilling any order is natural for me.”

High-level Mara are direct assistants of the archangels. Therefore, it is not an exaggeration to say that they are among the busiest in heaven, and they are not beings that can be summoned easily.

Especially Ashur, known as the strongest magical swordsman in heaven, the guardian knight of Ikael. Even though his power was now sealed, he was not someone who should be running errands.

Ashur spoke firmly,

“Do not worry. If it is something that Ikael-nim values, it is also valuable to me. I will stake my existence and carry out the mission without fail.”

“Thank you. But Kariel is strong. Also, in Jebul the king of the giants, Ymir, is also moving.”

Upon hearing the name Ymir, Ashur’s gaze shone intensely.

“I do not know with what intention he has taken interest in this matter, but we must be cautious. Ymir has reached the maximum strength a living being can achieve. It is not good to get entangled with him.”

An emotion of displeasure clearly appeared on Ashur’s face. Although he was the strongest magical swordsman in heaven, the title of the strongest warrior was always divided between him and Ymir.

This was because there were those who valued Ymir more for having reached the peak through physical strength alone.

But Ashur did not accept that. Someday they would have to decide who was the strongest.

“Do not worry. Ymir is no match for me.”

Ikael realized she had touched a warrior’s pride and calmed him with a gentle tone.

“Hehe, of course, I think Ashur is the strongest. Even if Ymir came in his perfect state, if Ashur protects me, I would have no fear.”

Ashur then stood up, satisfied.

“Of course. As long as I am here, no one will even be able to touch Ikael-nim.”

“Ah, and one more thing.”

Ashur, who had stopped at the door, turned around and looked at his respected master with a tense expression.

Ikael’s narrowed eyes radiated an authority that could not be defied.

“When you meet Kariel, make sure to convey this to him.”

***

Shirone descended from the tower and looked at the open plain of Arabot.

The path to Jebul was shown to him through Ikael’s memories. It was quite a long distance to travel by teleportation.

As he entered the Spirit Zone, an enormous amount of information flowed through synesthesia.

“Wow……”

He knew his concentration had increased. But actually experiencing it was hard to believe.

Maintaining the same density as before, the diameter of the Spirit Zone had increased by 1.5 times. In terms of volume, his mental power had increased almost fourfold.

In other words, the burden when casting magic had been reduced four times.

As the Spirit Zone expanded, he felt a freedom as if a huge weight had been lifted.

Shirone aimed at Jebul with target type and raised the teleportation battery.

Until now it had not had much effect, but now that the diameter had increased to 25 meters, it could be applied in real combat.

It may seem like 25 meters does not make much difference, but when transformed into four-directional target type, the additional distance increased to 100 meters.

If he chained teleportation 10 times, the increase exceeded 1 kilometer.

‘Everyone, wait. Hold on a little longer.’

Thinking of his friends’ situation, his heart filled with anxiety. But Shirone’s concentration, which had reached the level of the diamond body, did not waver in the slightest.

As the battery and omnipotence combined, the noise of light decorated the sky.

A ray of light shot toward Jebul.

***

Rian had already been running for 30 minutes. His heart was beating as if it were about to burst, but the amount of oxygen he inhaled in a single breath remained constant.

If he consumed all the oxygen at once, he would collapse before reaching his destination.

It was already the time when Canis should have obtained some result one way or another.

Rian thought there were only two possibilities. Either he had deactivated the security system of the Great World Temple, or he had died.

He shook his head to clear those thoughts. It was not the time to worry about others.

If Canis had failed, the next one to die would be him.

“Huff! Huff!”

He did not have an ability like Tess to lighten his body, but his physique, trained his whole life, did not tire even after running for more than an hour.

At the end of that run, he reached the last point connected to the Great World Temple.

The right side of the corridor was completely blocked by glass, and beyond it stretched the blue sky.

Jebul had the shape of dozens of floating plates, so this place was the outer edge of one of them. Therefore, if he kept running along the edge, he should reach the bridge that connected to the Great World Temple.

When Rian, after estimating his position, was about to launch himself forward again, something floating on the ceiling caught his attention.

A drone was approaching in a frantic manner.

The drone was nothing more than a machine, but in its movement the urgency of Tess was conveyed.

“Tess? Are you okay?”

The drone moved up and down as if nodding. It seemed that a fatal situation had not yet occurred.

Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump.

From the path Rian had come from, the trembling of the ground was heard. When he turned around, he saw a giant man advancing toward him in large strides.

Rian raised Signa and Exd.

An enemy whose identity he could not determine. Above the head of the man running toward him, there was neither a body of sacred light nor horns.

The first thing that came to mind was a giant.

For a giant, his size was too small, but every time he took a step, the ground trembled, revealing his power.

‘He’s a monster. How much must his muscles weigh to have that weight?’

The giant’s movement was heavy. But with each step, his body advanced rapidly forward.

Thump!

The giant stopped abruptly in front of Rian by striking the ground with the sole of his foot.

It was a kind of display of strength.

It was something impossible without a force capable of overcoming inertia in a single blow.

“What are you?”

Ymir asked. He truly asked because he did not know.

He was holding Signa and Exd, so he should be a mecain, but his appearance resembled that of a norin.

“What are you talking about?”

The giant could not understand the language, since he was not capable of mental resonance.

The same was true for Ymir, but he did not care. More than words, he was measuring the quality of strength.

“I see. You are the heretic who caused disturbances in heaven.”

When Ymir’s intent to fight was conveyed, Rian instinctively stepped back and raised his sword.

The human, who one would think would flee in fear, instead pointed his sword, and Ymir’s heart stirred intensely. The moment when their gazes collided was what he liked the most.

‘Good eyes. For a human, you have refined yourself quite well.’

Rian delayed his left foot. Considering the difference in weight, it was difficult to face him with strength. His main strategy was to finish him quickly as soon as he showed an opening.

“Reveal your identity. Are you an enemy or an ally? If you plan to interfere, you will not pass through here.”

Ymir did not understand Rian’s words, but he could read a hundred phrases in his intense gaze.

‘So it is a choice. But that is my role…’

Ymir advanced in large strides.

At first glance it seemed like a clumsy approach, but it was a timing that completely broke Rian’s rhythm.

Rian, who was looking for a surprise attack, felt frustration and stepped back.

Seeing that, Ymir felt pleasure.

The battle had already begun. He loved all the emotions that arose from the moment they decided to kill each other.

Ymir, who approached Rian, said,

“You are an enemy.”

The hair on Rian’s body stood on end.

The pressure of the giant that came over him in an instant was like a massive wall. It was so large that he could not take it in completely.

“Shall we begin?”

At that moment, from the ceiling, the mechanical voice of the drone was heard.

“Lan. guage. de. cryp. tion. Shall we begin?”

Ymir’s gaze shifted for an instant toward the ceiling. And when he lowered it again, Rian had already disappeared.

“Tah!”

From the side, Signa flew, and Ymir raised his arm to block it. A powerful shockwave burst, and the giant’s skin trembled as if shaken by a strong wind.

But his body did not move at all.

Ymir pushed Signa upward with his arm and, tilting his head, glared at Rian.

It was the gaze of a snake stalking its prey.

“Good surprise attack. That’s why I feel bad. If you are a swordsman, I should respond with a sword as well.”

At the same time he spoke, Ymir pushed Signa. Then, his body rotated and he threw a powerful hook.

Rian extended Exd and tucked his body in.

When Ymir’s fist struck the shield, a roar exploded and the hologram of Exd struck Ymir.

But even so, Ymir did not step back. On the contrary, the one who was sent flying was Rian.

Rian rolled on the ground and, kneeling, regained his balance.

Exd, mounted on his arm, was open as if it had been hit by a cannon, exposing its interior.

Ymir lifted his face over his shoulder and smiled.

“As you can see… there are not many weapons that can withstand my strength.”

“Damn it… how embarrassing…”

From the ceiling, through the drone, Tess’s gaze was being transmitted. Imagining how she was watching him waiting for help, his blood boiled even more.

“I’m going!”

Rian charged at full speed.

He threw Signa in an irregular manner and, while jumping into the air, unsheathed the greatsword he carried on his back.

Ymir caught the incoming Signa and crushed it as if it were a cookie.

At the same time, Rian brought down the greatsword.

Ymir’s fist, which held Signa, shot forward.

With a metallic sound, Rian was horrified. He had blocked the blade of the greatsword with the bones of his fist. It was like striking metal.

Rian was sent flying in the reverse motion of his own attack. Ymir immediately chased after him, raising his fist.

“That was fun. I’ll give you a gift.”

“Haa!”

Rian stabbed the greatsword into the ground. And using the wide surface as a shield, he pressed his shoulder and thigh against it, putting all his weight into it.