Chapter 300: Final Battle (2)
RreEven though she had just asked him to kill her, Katrina sent venomous tentacles flying toward Yuri.l9a7
CMCAQioThe tentacles aimed for his vital points, and the surrounding giants closed in, forming a circle to leave him no escape.ndVp
YkbVYuri cut through one of the tentacles and stepped back, but a giant’s foot slammed into him, sending him rolling across the ground before he sprang back to his feet.bws
VE4cnAHe managed to escape the flurry of consecutive attacks only by using the power of Chaos.4J5i
sPLCG“Why are you doing this if you just asked me to kill you?”VYR
mc4FiWithout answering, Katrina only intensified her attacks.nmZJs9W
M3IbvYuri gripped Guilty and let out a faint breath. Air filled his lungs, and in his core, mana began to stir. His will—more intense than ever—caused The Cut of the Soul and the Heart to release a sharper energy than it ever had before.B7aSSV
Hw2He had received Katrina’s help, but that wasn’t something he was going to take into account.cfIIVoC
xSoftwEven if she hadn’t asked him to kill her, she was still an enemy he had to eliminate.6Ab4
SRMpYuri gauged the distance between himself and Katrina.psMHAYb
gCOFar.mR6
ZiZKABetween them were giants blocking his path, and through the gaps between them, tentacles shot toward his vital points.OvR
Vis2B6lOne mistake, and he would be injured.GVTehq
acHyx7jAnd to maintain a prolonged fight, he couldn’t afford to take damage.wD3BAZy
0DyClean and precise—cut only the enemy’s neck.aPPFno
dANYuri stepped forward.tqFGmQd
BMYgThe muddy battlefield clung to the soles of his boots. The heavy air made movement more difficult, but Yuri didn’t care.j8kL
v8I8hThe environment could only limit the body, not the mind.xmo
verZaqAnd The Cut of the Soul and the Heart was a mana method that responded to his will.bscHP
PvpD3OIf, in his mind, he could already kill the enemy, then within the infinite possibilities created by Chaos, the most efficient path would naturally emerge.HbuzoI
SNVrxYuri seized that moment.of3
VwxDHe pivoted on his heel and dashed backward.gwSqVmI
C0Vw[Are you running away?]pgohG
idO5Katrina’s voice came from behind him. Her tone was calm, but the tentacles moving with her words chased urgently after Yuri’s back.icB
quBBXjThe sharp tips closed in at high speed.ZJV
vdDpWnEJust before they could pierce him, Yuri twisted his body to the side. The tentacles twisted as well to follow him.RnCuv
0jW9zxYuri’s boots pounded the ground several times as he wove between the giants. Then, Katrina’s extending tentacles became entangled among the giants’ bodies.roW
rVHrUnfazed, Katrina concentrated her strength and split in two the giants that obstructed her movements. From her tentacles, blade-like spines sprouted, cutting apart the bodies in her way.wYuk
kvFD“Good.”gAvD
l5QcDEYuri whistled as he moved faster. No matter how numerous the tentacles were, they had a limit.hTyo
Hchxs7iHe ignored Katrina and continued wreaking havoc among the giants. Every time he swung his sword, another giant fell dead.xQfS
WfAeTSeeing Yuri continue moving without rest, Katrina frowned.oqbg
xrByk[Are you only going to run?]oElIC
1EBSSuddenly, Yuri’s figure, hidden among the giants, vanished.dAIC
Y02Katrina’s tentacles, having lost their target, writhed erratically like snakes searching for prey.L3c4lxk
zxBKQI1Then, she looked up. Something was falling from above.gOx9WDY
MssP[There you are!]iIk
ZAQ8The tentacles sprouting from her back instantly retracted and then shifted direction. Dozens of tentacle beams shot toward the enemy falling from the sky.Dha
ouMnofFlesh was pierced—but the sensation wasn’t right.Iv8G
c5waUm0Katrina realized that the one who had appeared above wasn’t Yuri.97Q
cIxQIt was a giant.fLXUUsI
11o7mDFor an instant, she didn’t understand the situation and froze. Even so, her tentacles shredded the giant’s body.mQB
beiIn that moment, she felt pain in her abdomen. She could see the sword piercing through her stomach.fOqJ
bsSosmD[Ah…]Kc09
ebx6wvYuri sliced her body in two at the waist and raised his sword again to split her head.Iqk
FZXBut from the severed surface, tentacles burst forth and counterattacked, forcing Yuri to retreat without hesitation.k5o
92Pk5hiKatrina’s upper half rolled awkwardly across the ground until it propped itself up on the tentacles sprouting from the cut.ua6
N6bdHer face turned sinister.Fqu1Bza
5LipY[Ah… ah…]YZZL
TWQhTIWatching her, Yuri vaguely understood what was happening.f14
SqgVHHWhile she was whole, Katrina’s will had been strong enough to overcome the influence of black magic.eCfko3
YbK9lBut after being cut and forcing the black magic to act aggressively to regenerate her, she seemed unable to maintain her sanity.gLw
C3XHer face contorted and showed pain again and again.QzLx
aWRtOWkYuri raised his sword. He would grant her what she had asked for.53KKa
sIF“If you die, that pain will end.”NkPV
67bxodRYuri didn’t know how to cure or reverse black magic. Perhaps such a thing didn’t even exist in this world.NxgLf6m
uWHssSo he decided to give her rest.8T6uKQ
0OGSjgThrough the sword’s edge, he looked at Katrina.orY
gEas5PVThe lower half of her body, cut by him, rotted immediately and turned to mulch; the upper half, supported by tentacles, transformed into a monster.xqoXNA
CJaScEHer face had also deformed so much that it no longer resembled the Katrina he had known.DYNTl
qVA75EZA renewed hatred for Cedric grew within him.dGM
yLj5Whether it was an act or a means to an end, they had once been a couple. Turning a person into this state was something Yuri could not forgive.qcN3s
fHmGMTHis grudge toward Cedric burned even hotter.bIDr
wnlGuilty vibrated.kEG
4TbcThe Cut of the Soul and the Heart, cloaked in the power of Chaos, swung down toward Katrina like a crashing wave.bnA
jp3rDHundreds of tentacles erupted from her, filling his field of vision and rushing at him. The giants in their path were torn apart as if they were paper.3xd4
bSrAn overwhelming killing intent engulfed him.ir0Bmss
G9oUGHwBut he felt no fear at all.c7E
jtQYZrGHis sword could cut through anything—flesh or soul.SUd1ZO
x86NFYuri’s eyes entered the domain of the soul.9LJyHn
FlYIn the burning vision, the tentacles and giants were nothing more than hazy shadows.SMe280
2dAKNBy contrast, the sinister black magic that dominated Katrina and the image of her suffering soul appeared with perfect clarity.5Ccj
gGDXqbRThe Cut of the Soul and the Heart, reinforced with Chaos, erased the tentacles with ease.qa90iux
rZQwYuri leapt toward Katrina.5hZ3K
ChjkrMVThe tentacles that filled the space writhed, releasing their presence and frantically lunging at him. Yuri swung Guilty in a wide arc, and the tentacles around him were instantly severed, collapsing to the ground.QB2
wUwaZQJHe closed his eyes for an instant, then opened them again.06yIscM
rIuxp6For a moment, the inner demon’s landscape passed before him—something that had already become routine.B9j9H
JhOU4What had once been a constant torment was now nothing more than a fitting stimulus.VTCQOSx
YlPMQYuri smiled.wxXg0Mb
9OrAfter that vision, the flames of his hatred toward Cedric surrounded him like a blazing inferno.Xwa
jHScQClutching Guilty’s hilt tightly, he charged toward Katrina’s core.pMaLF6z
eOcYOThe blade shattered every illusion.xNf
P4OKn9‘Let’s eat a little more bread before we go.’2emhy1a
iugEauB‘Huh?’UBhx3
n98cmu‘There’s plenty inside. Eat until I’m ready.’oGsMu1H
FlLLNSuddenly, a conversation he’d once had with Katrina came to mind.DX9d4FW
RFZXg‘How good was it?’e1AMy81
lcrz‘Even if Jared, who was eating bread, suddenly collapsed from a heart attack…’tI8
KNCsh‘Hey.’xGs3
GBdLQYuri had never been particularly close to her.8h9p
Raqpui4Back when he didn’t know Cedric’s true identity, he’d been curious about the woman who was his brother’s lover, but had only briefly met her and received a bit of help.Zp1Q
PrjBBNStill, he couldn’t help but feel compassion.ve1m
I3iAs Guilty closed in on her, the few moments they had shared shattered into pieces.W7EG
exeBOgYuri opened his eyes wide and aimed precisely at what he intended to destroy.KfU0Ps
sfv5YIn that instant, the world turned completely white. Before him stood Katrina, looking straight at him.4jd
VYkVHer body was no longer deformed by black magic, and there was no trace of pain on her face.0dL2iPi
6g9U2kPShe appeared as she had in life, wearing her baker’s cap and smiling.EZQ
mYkxwpP“Yuri.”nXn
xeJT20jShe called out to him.xnICST
K3xJbt“I would have liked to serve you some bread. It’s a shame.”70iX7rG
tqFhBAYuri shook his head. And, treating her as if she were still alive, bowed respectfully.7Swo
Kv5pa“Lady Katrina’s bread was the most delicious I have ever tasted. I remember it so clearly that I don’t need to eat it again to recall its flavor.”cxEE
kbyFuzKatrina smiled.UMlB
2dm“Thank you, Yuri. Give my regards to Jared.”u0p
8BEVoShe spoke in a familiar tone.uF8F
GuVc7QSuddenly, a memory he had forgotten returned to him.PxYre
AzK‘Thank you. And you may speak to me casually.’8NE
mTk0ym6‘How kind. When we are closer, I’ll drop the formality.’6MeIkL
qdTOYuri smiled faintly.wMy
UzGlh7fIt had been a brief connection, but not an insignificant one.hws3
K2pmZeHe stepped forward and extended his hand. Katrina did the same. He kissed the back of her hand and bid her a courteous farewell.yp4U
0xwYqC“May you have peace.”RUr
Jg5DThat was the end.ST95mz
F8OPXjYuri’s sight returned to reality. Guilty was cleaving Katrina apart. The core of black magic inside her was breaking into fragments that scattered away.ARS
3H4KjYuri saw it.OzLJLA
f3Ww8His sword cut through Katrina’s flesh and, beyond that, destroyed the malicious will of Cedric that controlled her.92cQe8y
nbs3sGPAnd deeper still, in the most hidden place, there was something—7b6wf
O63WhNSomething that could only be called a soul.mEFk
DP4EETJust before he reached it, Guilty stopped on its own.0hL
C0uFvrgIt was the first time something like that had ever happened, and Yuri was taken aback. The thread of The Cut of the Soul and the Heart that stretched from his core to the tip of his sword seemed to move with a will of its own.MPfd
kVgqGuilty turned the blade upward.ckXEw7G
jdyYf8Then, it swept away the lingering black magic that covered the area.8cXG
K7aGSYuri slowly lifted his gaze.XUemwy
DUNHgThat which had been inside Katrina was rising into the sky. Freed from its bonds, the soul ascended until it disappeared beyond sight.HHYXTZ
kSIIt was so fleeting that Yuri wondered if he’d imagined it.HOL
MyCBut he knew it wasn’t.w7WwFY
PwwxThe shiver of The Cut of the Soul and the Heart coursing through his entire body told him it had been real.w7zU5
BKnMxMHe didn’t know what it truly was—
If the soul really existed or if there was a place it belonged to.j8R3
GVpYkHe couldn’t know.uC4t9q2
ejfh“It doesn’t matter.”QGx
YdMeBWnYuri shook his head.xSUVTT
8AplHe didn’t have time to think about it.aMBS6lk
FyeZ1LvThe war was still raging, and the Anti-Imperial Coalition behind him was locked in a bloody battle against the giants.gxBKjN1
SaJYet his heart felt lighter. Perhaps that was the gift Katrina had left him.leq2b
SEdni“Your Highness!”um05Di
BaaJared, who had finally caught up to him, shouted.677
0HBK“Slow down! Who were you fighting? The ground was shaking!”T0u
IOGwiBY“Just now?”CWBqTN
TBDVYuri gave a faint smile.tc9
OI6sU“I ran into Lady Katrina.”1nY
1iKsZi“Huh?”KyU3Mf
1P5kS2kJared tilted his head.PcFB
qEfJo“The one who made good bread?”LoBrQ
xAHiZeMWhen Yuri had met Katrina, Jared had been with him. Both had eaten plenty of bread baked by her.PMD72s
1Ec6uB“Yes.”IeoLb
L7B“You’re not joking?”MpgO8DH
EJSxCq“No.”wVkXOgZ
8nwJared moved to his side, shoulder to shoulder.Emuxsca
ETaR1It was just as well he hadn’t seen what Katrina had become. For Jared, she would always remain in memory as a beautiful woman.iwpTr
GaQd“She asked me to give you her regards.”PFdka
E7ZuOQ“Really?”HnQFMI
PnrKgNJared fell silent for a moment, then nodded.n5t5M
gPnsbHe seemed to understand, at least in part, what had happened.odl
SALaYl“The bread was delicious.”bqOqb
K9yU4“I’ll buy you some next time.”4acQ
F8Bs“It won’t taste the same.”zq4OC3
8VRmh“Yes, it will.”ItreH
IVY9Yuri smiled.VQFe7PZ
He8NJ“It’ll be that taste.”O2B
zpZIn front of them still loomed countless enemies. The first line of giants was only the beginning.xaWVb
KT8UEIBehind them, dozens of layers of monsters deformed beyond what could be called human formed a wall.kHL
KWxiKAnd beyond that—uVZERak
oYlZYuri could feel Cedric’s presence waiting for him.a7q0k
SFpm“There’s too many.”CrTRaHY
Pne“That’s true.”pim
jki1CMoYuri raised Guilty.0FMMYP
Fv4Z“But I bet they’re thinking the same thing.”HDEnvx
5fDWith that, he patted Jared’s shoulder and pointed behind them.6e03GIU
hiE11HJared turned.9k8E1
I8VQ“Ah…”hdvAwf2
gRLHBJust like the Imperial troops blocking them, an enormous number of Anti-Imperial Coalition soldiers was advancing like a tidal wave.8BWZLj
8NbayLzIt seemed as though everyone on the continent who knew how to wield a sword was gathered there.V0Jg
pfRAwSwordmasters on par with the Ten Greats—Moyongchan, Jose, and Francesco—were tearing through enemies with each strike, while knights no less skilled hunted down the giants that followed.zp6JQHr
yhN9H“We’re not in bad shape at all.”9Dav
yimsEj“Right?”KAwpHB
MyGFshYuri and Jared looked forward again.sUilM7
UjN89“Who are we?”HWX6ay
O82cw“Yuri and Jared.”nlgK
TuT9Zd3“What?”eXRaNLt
k1cxTn“Sorry—Your Highness and Jared.”Udm
RLxtzB0“That’s right. And we’re Briol’s vanguard. And what does the vanguard do?”keg
t1hoXF“Advance.”7at3vT
xXaKV6“Exactly. Let’s move before our friends catch up.”CUJZs7
fR9T“And Laurent? Aren’t you bringing him?”9C5Rhlt
esT0cw“Look to the left.”9Ntcy6
uuDb“When did he get here?”zWxg
dfr5“He’s been here for a while.”4lxqhn
U1rYuri took the first step.0rgff0
2qHlzIn that moment, he stood at the very front of the entire army.h5N
v2e“Let’s go!”6VAO96
sciYuri charged forward. The other two followed.L2dbuSE
D8bThe offensive had begun once more.pBRB9vs
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