By Zephyria The two flames illuminating the darkness moved in perfect unison. Because the light emitted by one was so intense, the presence of the other was insignificant, but both were clearly visible to the ten or so eyeballs of the core.
They repeatedly appeared and disappeared in its field of vision, flickering in the air as if exchanging signals. They approached silently, like predators stalking their prey, crossing between burning Boulders and bushes.
The core, noticing the changed momentum of the humans, trembled the regenerated protrusions. The beast’s senses, embedded in its cells, constantly searched for the enemy to survive despite being at a disadvantage. Amidst the chaos, it gathered information whenever possible, and its brain gradually accumulated quite a bit.
For example, although it was the one being cornered, it was the humans who were reaching their limits. Because of that, the humans, who didn’t have much time, were plotting to lure it somewhere. And the shining sun, the most feared being, was extremely anxious about it.
These facts, though not concrete, vaguely sensed, allowed the core, which had been constantly running away with no escape, to glimpse an opportunity. Lowering its body in the flames and rolling its eyeballs, it discovered its offspring loitering nearby and opened its maw wide, swallowing them in an instant.
Each time a faint scream was chewed between the iron skewer-like teeth, the decomposed flesh was quickly sucked beyond the wrinkled throat. Before long, the core’s internal cells repeatedly divided and proliferated. The monster’s body swelled more massively, and its muscles and eyeballs gleamed with a ferocious luster.
Hiding its body among the bizarre rocks, it concealed its presence and crept secretly along the ground. The demon’s claws on its four feet stepped heavily on the ground, wet with scattered bodily fluids.
It grasped the fallen and burned-out trees and ashes, leaping into the intricately winding mountains. It ran about 2km through the gaps where the flames had subsided, and just as it finally poked its head into the path leading north.
The chilling high temperature that had been chasing it heated its spine.
“There you are?”
A human covered in dark red flames approached at an imperceptible speed and whispered menacingly. By the time the eyeballs, sensing the presence, rolled upwards, the claws of a ferocious beast, exuding a chilling aura, were right in front of it.
Kwaaaaaang—!
Nero’s claws, trailing flames, slashed through the air, heavily demolishing the high Boulder walls that had risen on both sides. The core, hiding beneath it, hurriedly hardened its wings, barely protecting its body from the collapsing rubble.
It immediately turned around, trying to escape into the empty sky, but with the scattering wind, the human from moments ago appeared before its eyes again. Nero, blocking its path with flickering eerie flames, twisted his lips into a sinister smile like a grim reaper.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
The core, feeling threatened, immediately raised its head and aimed its wide-open maw at him. From the gaps between its teeth, where bits of flesh clung and blood flowed thickly, an evil flame, different in nature from Nero’s, intensified in a circular shape.
The roaring flames surged fiercely and were fired forward in the blink of an eye. Extending in a straight line like lightning, it pierced through the air where Nero had been. However, the opponent, who had been scattering faint steam, had already disappeared from that spot without a trace.
The core had no time to regret. It busily rolled its gleaming eyeballs and leaped, launching its body in the direction it had fired its breath. But at that moment, although the main body was not visible, the human’s voice, as if sending a signal, echoed in the air.
“Captain—!”
No sooner had it escaped from the collapsed rubble than masses of dark flames poured down from the sky.
As if the horrific nightmare of Armageddon, which had devastated the area, was about to repeat, the core spread its wings wide, using them as a roof to increase its speed. However, flash bombs that seemed to melt its hide if it merely set foot were fired in succession, causing it to falter and then howl sharply, gathering its minions.
The demon beasts, which had been positioned all around, waiting for their moment, responded to the Queen’s call and swarmed around her. The core, plunging into the gaps of the solid barrier they built, relentlessly dug its claws into its offspring and ran forward with all its might.
Each time it advanced two steps, explosions and screams mixed together in a chaotic scene behind it. The flames repeatedly tore through the wave of demon beasts, as if trying to seize the Queen’s tail.
When the flesh of the exploded demon beasts had stained the earth for about 500 meters along the Queen’s escape route. A divine light that had appeared in the sky, becoming one with the bright moon, gazed down at it intently.
In his right hand, he held a glowing spark, screaming fiercely as if to devour everything at any moment. The golden Greatsword, shaped like lightning, drew in the thunderclouds covering the sky, occasionally absorbing lightning like a lightning rod.
A heavy wave that had expanded its power emanated from Leonardo, making its presence felt in all directions. The golden eyes, shining brightly between his swaying blond hair, slowly lifted the thickly drawn curtain of darkness.
Soon, just as the writhing wave of demon beasts reached its intended location, Leonardo, staring intently at his target, raised the lightning he held in his hand high. At that moment, the pillar of light that had previously pierced the southern sky reappeared, striking his arm and head strongly.
However, Leonardo, far from being struck, absorbed the light into the tip of the lightning he held. Explosive energy tore through the air with a sharp sound, being endlessly sucked into a single point.
Soon, the small sun, which had become one with the light, floated leisurely in the center of the pillar, emitting an unbearable aura from its entire body.
Each time a low-frequency current grazed his skin and pierced his chest, the taste of blood rose beyond Leonardo’s throat. But to control the surging Magic Power, he could only clench his teeth and not hesitate.
‘Hold on, please. Just hold on.’
Because of that, the air seethed, and invisible explosions, both large and small, erupted from around him. A wind like a storm swept across the earth where the flames were dying, and the extinguishing embers, mixed with the sharp wind, grew in size again, sharpening the senses of the two fire Mages.
And then, Leonardo grabbed the surging lightning with both hands and swung it at once towards where the core was. When the atmospheric friction occurred in the sky where the high-voltage lightning struck, the sound of thunder covered the heavens and the earth, and a momentary crack formed in space-time.
The golden scar etched in the air plunged into the crack, ignoring resistance and flying towards its target. The hill of demon beasts, which had grown to the size of two small peaks, was annihilated by the strike that flew at the speed of light.
Amidst the flesh that disappeared without leaving a trace, in the sharp screams that scattered into ashes. The core, with its claws digging into the ground, barely stopped in place, facing the terrifying energy that was plunging towards it.
At that moment, the crescent-shaped trajectory that was embedded in front of it once again tore the ground, causing an earthquake and creating a canyon. In an instant, the seawater that came into contact with the geothermal heat evaporated, generating thick steam, and the core’s vision was covered in fog, temporarily blurring its perception.
As a chilling flame energy was felt through the hazy steam, the core instinctively spread its wings and leaped from its spot. But the speed of a current Dark Silver was more than enough to catch up with the panicked monster.
As Nero, holding flames in both hands, appeared before it in the blink of an eye, the core judged that it could not be avoided and curled its body into a ball. It wrapped its entire body with its wings, transforming into a giant Boulder to increase its defense.
Nero, seizing the timing, moved to the bottom of the core in an instant, then placed his hands on the ground and stood upside down, putting all his Magic Power and strength into his still-intact left leg. Then, with all his might, he pushed the ground with both arms, kicking the monster above him into the sky.
Bbaaak—!
The ancient demon, a thousand years old, that had terrified the world, had suddenly become a ball to play with. It felt a not-so-light impact even through its hardened wings, and before it knew it, it soared upwards, floating in the air.
The core rolled its eyeballs between its open wings, confirming the receding ground and assessing the situation. It then released the hardening of its wings and tried to change direction and fly away, but this time, a seething golden fire appeared in its field of vision.
Leonardo, clenching his right hand tightly, flashed his lightning-like Gold Eyes and emitted a golden aura. He bent his flame-covered arm, raised it beside his head, and with a savage smile, punched the monster.
White steam and clear electric current swirled around the fist that cut through the air and extended. A low voice that had penetrated through it kindly warned the monster to its face.
“Clench your teeth tight.”