Chapter 690
From the sky, the Grand Duke’s final strike, poured with all his might, was descending under Simon’s guidance.
At the same time, sparks leapt in the eyes of Simon and Xairos.
‘Move!’
‘Move!’
Simon controlled Feer’s Bone Armor in intricate detail, pressing his own body and Xairos’ together even more tightly.
Immediately after, Xairos tried to tear Simon away, but because of the Bone Armor his movement was hindered.
‘To shove bones even into the exoskeleton!’
Kwaaarrrrng!
Soon after, one side of the Abyss’ wall collapsed entirely, revealing the ferocious form of the Grand Duke’s black arrow.
Its target, the back of Simon’s hand, which was pressed against Xairos’ Core.
If the arrow struck as it was, it would pierce through his hand and impale Xairos’ Core as well.
With no other choice, Xairos hurriedly raised both arms.
Kwaaaak—!
He barely managed to seize the black arrow.
[Krrrghhh!]
From the overwhelming force, Xairos’ skin peeled away as he held the arrow. His legs, braced against the ground, were gradually pushed back.
Click! Click!
Taking advantage of the opening, Simon tried to move the Bone Armor to lift the Greatsword of Destruction that had fallen on the ground. But Xairos’ cold blue eyes immediately caught on.
‘Stop it!’
Krrrkrkrkrkrk!
From the ground, the tentacles of the North Star rose up, seizing the Greatsword of Destruction tightly to prevent it from being taken. At the same time, other tentacles touched Xairos’ back.
Kkudduk!
Kkuduk!
Xairos’ back, shoulders, and arms swelled as they were strengthened by the power of the North Star. Other tentacles coiled around his body to support him as he was being pushed back.
[Krrrrghhh! Hold on!]
Clutching the Grand Duke’s arrow that sought to impale his Core, Xairos screamed like a beast.
[The moment this arrow’s power fades, I’ll finish you all!]
Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa!
The arrow violently shook as it tried to advance, while Xairos’ arms, gripping it, shattered and regenerated over and over.
[Xairos, I have something to say.]
At that moment, Feer’s skull rose over Xairos’ shoulder. Xairos’ eyes rolled.
[Feer……!]
[Yona never abandoned you. Due to certain events the Legion was disbanded, and not only you but all contracts with the Ancient Undead were severed. You knew that, didn’t you?]
He had tried not to listen, but the moment Yona’s name was mentioned, Xairos’ eyes glared fiercely.
[Contracts don’t matter! Lord Yona gave me orders, and I obeyed them to the end! But what about Lord Yona? To me……!]
[Xairos.]
Feer said flatly.
[Yona came to the North.]
Xairos’ expression froze.
[Wha…… what did you say?]
* * *
Two weeks ago.
On the very night when, persuaded by Neftis, Simon decided to head to the North of Carlos.
—So, you went out of your way to call me separately.
Neftis had quietly called Feer outside the ruins.
—Do you have something more to say beyond what you told me yesterday?
—Yes, you know it already. Do you remember going to the North with Richard in the past?
—I do.
Feer thought Neftis was in quite a hurry.
She was an inscrutable woman. He wanted to clearly pinpoint her intent in sending Simon to the North.
And there was only one guess.
—I’ll ask you plainly, woman.
Feer didn’t circle around.
—Is Xairos alive?
At those words, Neftis tilted her head.
—Hm?
—I thought your scheme in sending the boy to the North of Carlos was to retrieve Xairos.
Her large eyes blinked.
—Xairos, you mean that Ancient Undead of the 7th Legion? Didn’t he die fighting the North Star? I really don’t know.
—One cannot dismiss the possibility that he remains in the North.
Feer folded his arms and continued.
—That stubborn one, he might still be guarding the North just to keep obeying orders.
—Wow.
Neftis opened her mouth in fascination.
—Richard once said the same thing!
—……!
—A few years after the Legion was dissolved, Richard went to the North.
Yes.
Richard had gone to the North.
At the most dangerous time, when every necromancer had their eyes wide open chasing his life and death.
—Richard thought Xairos might be waiting for him in the North. Of course I tried to stop him! A freed Ancient Undead couldn’t possibly continue following the Legion Commander’s orders, right? I told him so, but Richard took the risk and left.
Neftis brushed aside her silver hair with a look steeped in regret.
—And only years later did he report the result.
Richard had gone to the North disguised as a wandering traveler, but at that time the North was at war. The North Star still thrived, striking at Bilkenos more ferociously than before.
Richard passed through Bilkenos and reached the Frost Field, but even there he found no trace of Xairos. Even the base once used by his Selgui Troop was deserted.
Richard had no choice but to conclude Xairos was dead and turn back.
[Listen, Xairos!]
Feer’s eyes flashed.
[Richard—no, Yona—did not forget you, even after the Legion was disbanded!]
Xairos’ eyes trembled madly.
Kwaduk!
His arms, holding the Grand Duke’s arrow, briefly lost strength. The arrow stopped just before Simon’s hand.
[Krrghh! You think I’ll believe such a blatant lie!]
[Krrhhrh! The liar is the North Star whispering in your head! Of course he would hide the fact Yona came to the North!]
As if waiting for this moment, a dark voice rose from Xairos’ thoughts.
—Do not listen to the enemy, Xairos. Yona abandoned you.
Xairos’ eyes grew clouded.
—The easiest way to bring Yona back lies before you. Kill his son!
Slowly, Xairos lowered his gaze, staring at the blue-haired boy clinging desperately to him.
“Earlier, you said I couldn’t replace my father, didn’t you?”
The boy was smiling boldly.
“I’ll prove it.”
Smiling like Yona, the boy closed his eyes and drew forth Darkness.
It wasn’t just to guide the arrow that he had taken such a difficult position, with his hand pressed against the Core.
Kiiiiiiiiing!
Into Xairos’ Core, Simon’s Darkness surged like a flood.
[You! You would attempt Legionization in this situation……!]
For an instant Xairos nearly lost his strength, but he desperately clutched the Grand Duke’s arrow. Even the slightest lapse in focus, and this cursed arrow would pierce Simon’s hand and drive itself into his Core.
Krrrrrrrrrrrrrr!
From Xairos’ Core, Simon’s Darkness and the North Star’s Darkness tangled and clashed against one another.
At that moment, Xairos thought the deep-blue Darkness flowing into his body felt strangely familiar. He felt not the slightest resistance to it.
‘This much is enough.’
Simon briefly halted the legionization and shouted.
[Obey me! My father’s Ancient Undead!]
[!]
Simon’s Absolute Order.
For an instant Xairos’ knees nearly buckled. An overwhelming majesty pressed down on his shoulders.
‘This is it.’
Yona’s son.
Overlaid upon the old command, the curse that bound him to guard the North, came a new order.
The clouded look in Xairos’ eyes slowly returned. The dark voice grew faint, echoing like a fading murmur, and life returned to his blood-red vision.
Clench.
Strength entered Xairos’ arms.
Now, as time passed, he could feel the Grand Duke’s arrow losing power little by little. Of the two hands gripping the arrow, Xairos pulled one away and seized Simon by the nape.
‘Ah!’
Simon’s pupils shook.
‘He could withstand it with one hand……!’
Then Xairos flung Simon aside. As Simon was torn away from him, the Grand Duke’s arrowpoint quivered, trying to follow after Simon.
But.
Kwaak!
Xairos hurled his own body into the arrow.
Fwaaaaaaash!
With a fierce flash, a massive explosion erupted. Simon’s body tumbled across the ground.
As he felt every nerve screaming, he lifted his head.
‘……!’
Amidst the blaze, he saw Xairos’ body pierced with a massive hole.
The arrow shattered the wall and disappeared.
[I cannot allow Lord Yona’s son, to be harmed.]
Xairos bled black as he laughed. Simon rose in alarm.
“Xairos!”
[And Lord Yona’s final command.]
He closed his eyes.
[Guard the North. And the greatest threat to the North is the North Star. Therefore, according to the order, I must—]
His body swayed.
[Destroy myself.]
Thud!
With a gaping hole in his body, Xairos collapsed to the ground.
“Xairos!”
Simon rushed to him. He could feel Xairos’ Darkness fading.
Xairos strained to lift his head.
[I am sorry, Lord Yona’s son. And—]
His arm moved upward toward the sky.
[Lord Yona, forgive me, for failing to carry out your order……]
Thunk—
The words went unfinished, as his arm fell to the ground.
The color drained from Xairos’ body, turning pale white.
“Stay with me! Xairos!”
[Boy!]
Then Feer approached.
[Calm yourself! It is not too late!]
Feer laid Xairos down, then swung the Greatsword of Destruction and split open his body. He quickly thrust his arm into the cleft.
Crack!
He pulled something out from within.
It was Xairos’ Core.
Though slightly damaged by the Grand Duke’s arrow, it still pulsed with black energy.
“What are you going to do with that?”
[In this state, only one final measure remains!]
Feer strode forward, pointing ahead.
At the end of the North Star’s chamber.
There, smaller than when they had seen it in the old Abyss, but still alive and writhing, was the true North Star.
Its eyes rolled with a grinding sound as it fixed on Simon and Feer.
[Xairos believed he had destroyed the North Star and become the new one,]
Feer curled his lips.
[But from the beginning to the end, he was only being toyed with.]
It was a smile tinged with fury.
Shrrrkkk!
As if in final desperation, the North Star raised tentacles from the floor in every direction. But Feer swept them away with a single swing of the Greatsword of Destruction.
[The moment has come for the true North Star to be born, boy!]
Feer, eyes gleaming, looked at Simon and held out Xairos’ Core.
[Set a new North Star here, one that obeys you, and become the king of the North!]
“……”
Gazing at Xairos’ Core, Simon at last took it with firm resolve and walked toward the North Star.
“I’ll gladly do so.”
[Human! Human! A mere human!]
From the North Star’s flesh burst distorted words of the Continental tongue.
[We are the dead! Only in death have we become complete! The unsteady, fragile living can never understand us, nor accept us!]
The North Star writhed its flesh in a frenzy.
[You there, Ancient Undead! Feer, was it? Why does a perfect being like you obey a living child? Take my power! Join me, and together we shall bring this world into death…… Ghhuaaak!]
Crackkkk!
The pure-white Greatsword of Destruction split the North Star’s body.
“Shut up.”
Simon muttered, eyes cold as steel.
And in his other hand, the one not holding the sword, Xairos’ Core gleamed.
“This won’t be enough to pay for your sins, but, it will hurt plenty.”
Simon pressed strength into the hilt.
Black blood spattered in every direction.
No comments yet. Be the first to leave a review!