Chapter 351: Ragnarok (3)

In the past, I tried to do everything alone.

Not out of arrogance or anything like that.

I guess it was because I was an orphan. Because, from the moment I was born, I was someone solitary.

Anyway, what I mean is—

It was never because I looked down on my friends, not even subconsciously.

On the contrary, I know better than anyone just how amazing they are.

Now it sounds like a cliché, but in the end, I was the player of Miracle Blessing M.

I clearly saw each of their ridiculous attributes, number by number.

‘And they’ve only kept growing.’

The term “golden generation” didn’t feel like enough. My friends were a diamond generation.

The blood.

For a hero, that is both a privilege and a limitation.

Most live their entire lives within the bounds of the genetic blessing they were born with—unless they put in colossal effort.

‘But my friends are different.’

They surpassed the limits of their lineage.

And even then, their bloodline was already extraordinary.

If they keep growing, they might even surpass the ferocity of their ancestors.

Ryozo, the Heavenly Archer, will surpass the Absolute Archer of her lineage, the Saki family.

Abel, the Lady of the Sword, will surpass the Swordmaster of the Nibelung.

Leon, the hero, will reach his own father—the Archangel Metatron.

“I…”

I believe in them. Even if my nose tickles and I have to mask it by speaking to an imaginary audience.

The world is changing at a rapid pace. Both Earth and this other world.

Holding on to the status quo means stagnation.

Humans adapt quickly; they adjust to reality. That process is called growth. And its result, evolution.

I believe.

I always have.

And my friends—

=…Are proving it…=

That vague faith began to take shape through action.

It was the moment belief started to carry weight.

As my heart pounded like hammers, Ragnarok’s voice grew heavy—though in a different sense. Perhaps dark is the right word.

=Can they withstand the attack of an apostle? Even after checking all timelines, there are no precedents…=

The unease that had crept over me just moments ago vanished completely. Just as Yu Sein had said, in under a minute.

A satisfied smile crept across my lips.

Then I slightly raised my head and calmly closed my eyes. It still wasn’t time to laugh.

Even so—

“Fighting a demigod like you, I realized something. You’re always weak against the unexpected.”

It wasn’t time to laugh, but I could at least rattle his nerves.

=Variables are like bacteria in this narrative logic. How can you ignore them when you’re its equal?=

The sacred knight neighed fiercely.

From the empty eye sockets of the headless horse, threads of spiritual flame oozed.

“But it’s because of those bacteria that humans stay healthy. That’s how their defenses strengthen.”

=…Then you were the problem. This world is unraveling because of you=

“According to your standards.”

I drew Eternal Frost from the back of my waist and gripped it between my teeth.

I held Murasame and my other EX-level weapon in reverse grip.

Then lowered my center of gravity like I was carrying lead on my back.

=You look like a beast=

In the old special combat classification, this was known as the (68, ramming type).

And right then, as I looked up—

Sköll and Hati had finally reached the Sun and the Moon.

Their fangs gleamed, and without hesitation, they bit down.

The sun, which fired arrows, and the moon, which wielded the bow, began to shatter.

‘The situation’s turning in our favor.’

On land, as in the sky.

That allowed me to focus entirely on the fight.

This three-weapon style was part of that focus.

Grrrrrrr…

Biting down on the sashimi blade, I breathed in. A growl like a beast escaped me.

It came from my throat, but sounded like a wolf’s howl.

Crackle!

Dark clouds began to gather around me. It was the electric magic I had summoned, drawing the storm.

The charged clouds dragged themselves like armor.

My magic and the natural storm collided, spitting out thunder mercilessly.

The sparks jumped like bristling fur.

=The black wolf that devours gods=

That’s how the Knight of Conquest, Ragnarok, saw me—as a wolf.

=The humans you were meant to protect were your shackle, your Gleipnir. And now that each has awakened, those chains are broken=

“……”

=Isn’t that right?=

Ragnarok lashed the reins of his headless horse.

=Fenrir=

From above, Sköll and Hati, devouring the sun and the moon, also sensed my presence.

And in response, they tilted their heads back and roared.

— Awoooooooooooo!

— Awoooooooooooo!

As if signaling war, the beasts of the end surged into battle.

The resulting shockwave nearly sent the stars of the entire universe tumbling.

***

While the battle against the golem continued on the surface—

Boooooom!

A new tremor made everyone look up.

Beyond the clouds, two bolts of lightning collided—at a speed comparable to light.

The scene and the perspective didn’t quite match.

Even the image they were seeing now was already from the past.

What they had just witnessed had occurred only seconds ago.

Kang Geom-Ma and his enemy were fighting in the domain of the future.

The trajectories of both transcendents intertwined like constellations in a twilight-red sky.

Claang!

They clashed. Kang Geom-Ma, in his wolf form, pivoted hard on his ankles.

It was as if his bones were about to pierce through his skin.

He launched back into the attack without hesitation.

He held nothing back.

He used absolutely everything at his disposal.

With each slash of his knife, lightning fanned out behind the enemy.

In the places where the electricity evaporated, the space shone with an intense black.

The dimension had torn, briefly revealing the veil of another world.

=Hihihihihi!=

The skeletal knight, mounted on a headless horse, was no less formidable.

He leaned forward and fired arrows at a wide angle the moment he found an opening.

Even though he only released a single arrow, the number of projectiles bombarding Kang Geom-Ma was countless to the naked eye.

Fwooosh!

It was like a tsunami crashing down on him. Just watching it was overwhelming due to the scale of the attack.

Kang Geom-Ma grabbed Murasame’s cord and carved a wide arc.

The path of the blade, resembling a silver disc, expanded several times, slicing the wave into layers.

Slash!

Even with attacks coming from every direction, Kang Geom-Ma did not retreat.

He infused lightning magic into his sashimi knife and charged straight into the tide.

Just after he pierced the tsunami, it dissipated, leaving behind only a hollow whisper as testament.

The surface, thrown into utter chaos, stood in stark contrast to the sky transformed into a majestic battlefield.

But they couldn’t stay distracted forever. Ryozo looked away from the sky.

Everyone had a role. While Kang Geom-Ma faced that unfathomable enemy, Joaquin and the others had to protect the people.

‘Kang Geom-Ma, I believe in you. Just as you believe in us.’

So thought Ryozo. She felt the tension of the bowstring on her fingers.

She aimed at the center of the hammer.

She released.

The arrow spun in a spiral.

It grazed ears, shoulders, legs, or someone’s stomach with minimal margin for error.

Until finally—

Crack!

It hit. A crack formed. Like glass shattering, fissures spread outward.

The farther from the point of impact, the larger the fragments.

Smash!

The hammer burst into pieces, as if releasing all the tension it had built up.

Everyone had worked together to strike it relentlessly.

Ryozo’s arrow was the result of that collective effort.

“Nice work!”

Yu Sein gave a thumbs-up with a wink. But Ryozo didn’t have time to relax.

“Yu Sein, I saw you use a barrier under your feet just now to launch yourself. Can you do that for others too?”

“You want to get closer to that giant rock?”

She understood instantly. Abel, who had already closed in, joined the conversation.

“We want to get rid of that stone head as soon as possible. That way, Kang Geom-Ma can focus better.”

“What kind of past life did he have to be this lucky in this one…? Was that really the level of the country’s best swordsman?”

“What are you saying?”

At Ryozo’s question, Yu Sein waved her hand dismissively.

“There’s a sad legend in the Kang family.”

“But you’re a Yu.”

“Let’s leave those details aside.”

“…”

With a weary expression, Yu Sein formed a hand seal.

Two magic circles appeared on the ground like wheels.

Runes on their edges began to spin.

“All aboard.”

Yu Sein gestured with her chin behind Abel.

“Lord Karon and the maiden should come too. We’ll need every hand we can get, even the smallest.”

“Thank you, Saint.”

Karon placed a hand over his chest and bowed respectfully. Shail also lifted her skirt in courtesy.

After a brief farewell, the four of them stepped onto the magic barrier and soared toward the golem.

Yu Sein wiped the sweat from her brow as she watched them go.

“That takes a load off… Oh no.”

“That was a flag.”

A presence.

Yu Sein sighed in resignation and turned around.

As expected, an unwelcome face appeared.

“If you’re not going to help, get lost.”

A beautiful girl with hair black as ebony.

Chaerina watched the battle between the humans and the golem, then fixed her gaze on Yu Sein.

“…I can’t handle the pressure.”

“What do you think they’re doing? Playing house?”

“You know it too. Even if they beat this, there’s more to come. And in the end…”

“This girl already thought of that, okay? Our hell princess doesn’t need to get in the way. Go back to the academy. Now that you mention it, I haven’t seen the second- and third-years.”

“…”

“Don’t tell me…”

Chaerina shook her head.

“I just knocked them out for a bit.”

“Good. Thanks for not killing them.”

“You…”

Chaerina hesitated, then finally spoke with difficulty.

“You’re not from this world, right? So why try so hard? Same with Fenrir. If he had just accepted his fate, none of this would’ve happened.”

“If we judged things that way, everyone would be guilty. Kang Geom-Ma made his choice. And I made mine. I don’t know what yours was, but we chose to protect this world.”

“…This world isn’t the only one that exists.”

“But for Kang Geom-Ma and me, it is.”

Yu Sein smiled coolly.

“And very soon, it will be for you too, Chaerina.”

“…”

“So for today, just go hide somewhere. You need to survive if you’re going to show up for the next apocalypse. If you get hurt now, that’ll be a problem.”

“And how can you be so sure you’ll survive this end of the world? In no timeline have they succeeded.”

Chaerina asked seriously, not understanding. Yu Sein looked up at the sky.

“There’s always a turning point.”

As if the answer were right up there.

“And in our case, it’s him.”

***

The balance of the battle inevitably began to tip to one side.

The fight was like a spark—over time, one side would eventually run out of energy.

In the case of the war in the skies, surprisingly, it was Kang Geom-Ma who began to falter.

His breathing came in ragged, uneven bursts.

‘Damn it. I’ve barely used my sword lately.’

In terms of raw power, they were nearly matched. If judged strictly on physical strength, Kang Geom-Ma had a slight edge.

=You truly are the Apostle of Destruction=

As the knight said, Kang Geom-Ma’s power his blessing aligned with the “destruction” attribute.

A form of authority specialized in combat, more tangible than the abstract idea of “conquest.”

=But you’re rusty=

The sashimi blade needed regular sharpening.

A blade unused naturally dulls.

The same applied to people. Even if “talent is eternal,” returning to one’s peak took time.

And Kang Geom-Ma hadn’t faced a worthy opponent in a long while.

Ragnarok wasn’t in perfect shape either. Excluding his life energy, his body was worse off.

The horse he rode had only one leg, rendering it nearly useless in battle. With no other option, the knight dismounted. The horse collapsed, and its master walked on the clouds.

“Huff, huff.”

The clouds cloaking Kang Geom-Ma began to dissipate.

Like shedding a skin, he returned to human form and spat out.

=My plan to eliminate you and then descend to Earth was arrogance. I admit it. You and this world have surprised me=

The headless knight marched forward in great strides.

With each half-step, the clouds trembled violently.

Kang Geom-Ma and Ragnarok glanced upward.

Sköll and Hati had devoured nearly half the sun and moon. Despite their transformation into spiky forms, they remained faithful to their mission. Admirable beasts.

=The amusement ends here=

Ragnarok bit through the bowstring with his teeth. A bow without a string is useless.

That’s common sense.

=Oh beasts of the earth=

The bow’s body emitted a brilliant green light, then was enveloped by dozens of nonlinear beams of light.

Kang Geom-Ma had no time to react. Ragnarok split a single moment into eternity through his “will.”

A panorama of countless scenes.

Within the dimensional overlay, he selected his actions freely, as if pulling books from a library.

It was an authority that twisted causality as naturally as breathing.

=My arrow was certainly embedded in this world. To think it targeted a specific point only proves your foolishness=

Assuming the target was a creature or a piece of terrain was a mistake. The arrows of conquest directly struck this world’s dimensional fabric.

Shiiing.

Ragnarok rotated his shoulder and raised the bow solemnly.

It was a stance evoking the thunder god delivering judgment upon humanity.

=Gáe Bulg=

The moment he closed his mouth, the multiple scenes displayed around him compressed into one.

The overlapping layers formed a three-dimensional volume.

Flash!

In the next instant, the bow quivered violently at the center of the battlefield.

The heroes fighting the golem turned their heads toward the point of impact.

Hundreds, thousands of small arms emerged from the fractured earth.

They belonged to winged demons that resembled insects.

Their grotesque faces were horrifying, but it was their sheer number that truly repulsed.

The heroes were stunned. Just the golem alone had pushed them to the brink.

What had balanced the fight was their numerical superiority.

But now, that advantage had vanished.

It was no wonder their morale began to waver.

Abel muttered without thinking.

“Dad.”

Somehow, those words reached Kang Geom-Ma’s ears.

No one knew how.

Only a thunderclap of realization exploded in his mind.

Shiiiing—

In Kang Geom-Ma’s black pupils, a ring of light spun violently like a chariot on fire.

[Inverse Demon Eye.]

The world he saw was absolute darkness. The demon eye pushed reality to the background and brought the subconscious to the surface.

…And then he saw it. A red thread flowing slowly through the darkness.

He felt as if the earth had cracked open beneath him and focused all his attention. He pushed his mind to its limit.

[Restriction]

Just like Victoria in the Second Battle, he offered all his senses of reality as a sacrifice to interfere beyond the dimension.

He drew Murasame.

A crackling blue hum linked the blade to the thread.

[Faith]

[Petrification]

[Thunder Slash]

No sound was heard. A dazzling light illuminated the entire world.

Ragnarok and all others shut their eyes tight.

Time, which had seemed frozen, began to move again.

That was when everyone slowly opened their eyelids.

Their eyes still burned.

“……!”

A line of warriors stood in perfectly ordered ranks. They wore armor as ancient as it was noble.

— Oh, King of the Dead!

Boom!

They struck the ground forcefully with their weapons, unleashing a battle cry.

They had faced the “meditation of death” head-on with the Inverse Eye and cleanly severed it.

Thus, the dead from the catacombs were released into the world of the living.

Kang Geom-Ma had summoned them here using the [Authority of the King of the Underworld]. Additionally, with the [Authority of Petrification], he solidified mana to create a field in which the dead could manifest.

— We have answered your call.

At the head of the dead stood Orion von Nibelung, half his face hidden behind his sword.

His firm gaze fell upon the insectoid demons.

Kang Geom-Ma had temporarily granted him the [Authority of the Fierce Horn], and the mist wrapped around the enemies like bonds.

— We obey the will of our lord.

The giants of history stepped forward for their descendants.