Chapter 316: Chapter 314

GRAAAAAAAAAAH!

Beru's hand blocked Nidhögg's mouth, and a fearsome roar erupted from within.

Crack!

The hand, which was supporting the creature's palate, was pressed down by an overwhelming force. The oppressive feeling that at any moment, those vicious fangs would instantly chomp down and grind them to bits overwhelmed Sirka. But Beru, resisting that, was smiling. No... Grinning broadly. And as he stood on two legs, supporting the creature's maw, he put more force into the hand that was propping up the palate...

Crack!

'...!'

Nidhögg's giant mouth was forced open. And a look of bewilderment appeared in its eyes.

[I'll buy you some time. Go in.]

'...!'

Sirka's eyes widened. Even as Beru was supporting the giant serpent's maw, his gaze was still fixed on her.

[Go in and claim it. With your own hands!]

At Beru's words, Sirka immediately leaped into Nidhögg's mouth, which was being forcibly held open without a shred of hesitation. It was an important moment. She had already reached her destination and found the head where the power of the Frost Monarch was hidden among Nidhögg's six heads. All that remained was for Sirka to enter those deep, dark jaws and find the Primordial Darkness. The final stage of the succession ceremony. And until then, buying time was Beru's role.

Rumble!

Nidhögg's giant body coiled around the World Tree. And as he supported himself like that, Nidhögg's five other maws opened towards Beru and launched a fierce attack.

Graaaaaaaah!

Kyaaaaaaaaaaa!

It felt like the whole world was collapsing and rushing towards Beru to devour him. An overwhelming pressure, similar to a natural disaster. But even in the midst of all that, he didn't retreat an inch. Rather, he was overjoyed. A grin spread on his face.

[It's been a while.]

Indeed. It truly had been a long time, hadn't it? Since he had a battle where he could unleash all his power without holding back. Beru had been gathering strength by devouring numerous magic stones and magic crystals. And he had been saving that power. The reason was, of course, to avoid hindering Suho's growth. Although he wanted to step forward and help him, that would ultimately take away Suho's experience points. But not now. Suho was fighting the Nightmare Apostle far away, and helping Sirka here had nothing to do with Suho's leveling up. Moreover, the most important thing was...

That this place was a 'nightmare.'

Thanks to the Nightmare Apostle. Because of the nightmare realm he created, Beru could unleash all the power he had gathered here and return to his original state. Like a dream that disappears when you wake up. Just like the Nightmare Apostle's body returning to normal no matter how much it was wounded by Suho's attacks. Therefore... Beru could release all the power he had saved up.

[KIEEEEEEEEEEK!]

BOOM!

Black steam erupted from his body. It blazed like an active volcano. And finally, it exploded.

[KIEEEEEEEEK!]

Beru swelled up even more against Nidhögg, who was attacking from all directions. Black wings spread from his back. That form was the same as the disaster-class magical beast that once devastated Jeju Island. The giant ant and the six-headed serpent clashed fiercely.

BOOM!

The giant fist struck the face of Nidhögg, that was charging from the side. With a bomb-like explosion, the hideous maw was crushed and bounced back. At the same time, another head from the opposite side spat poison at Beru. Who, while still supporting the jaws that Sirka entered with one hand, viciously ripped out one of Nidhögg's fangs with the other.

Crack!

A groan could be heard from Nidhögg's head that had its fang pulled out. Beru didn't care and threw the fang, piercing the eye of the one that was spitting poison.

KYAAAAAK!

The scream was delicious. Beru smacked his lips, he wanted to devour Nidhögg. He wondered what its flesh would taste like. But unfortunately, he didn't have the time for that now. The head that had been spitting poison, was now one-eyed and even more enraged, attacking fiercely. That's what he wanted.

[Bring it on! I'm invincible today!]

BOOM!

The World Tree shook. The dimension itself seemed to tremble from the battle between the two giant beings. Sirka gritted her teeth as she felt the tremors. Even though she couldn't see, she could tell that an incredible battle was raging outside. The surrounding mana vividly conveyed that fact.

Crack! Crunch!

Beru's claws pierced Nidhögg's scales and tore at the wound. But the injury regenerated in an instant. Similarly, Nidhögg's fangs shattered Beru's carapace. But that also recovered instantly with black steam.

[It's no use! Do you know how many magic crystals the Little Monarch got me?!]

At the same time, even fiercer black steam exploded from his entire body. Just like when he dominated the battlefield alongside the Shadow Monarch. But Beru knew himself.

'It's still not enough.' He was thirsty. His power was still lacking. He wasn't at this level when he fought alongside his master.

Skill,'Devour'

Beru, the marshal who led the charge on the front lines of the Shadow Legion, slaughtering and devouring enemies, had the ability to grow stronger the more he consumed his foes, and this was his unique talent, different from the other marshals.

If Igris and Belion were combat weapons that gradually grew stronger through numerous battles, Beru was a strategic weapon who underwent a unique evolution, absorbing a portion of the memories and abilities of the enemies he devoured. In a way, he was a being that fit the description of 'Evolution' even better than the Apostle of Evolution.

However, to unleash all that power, the endless mana of the Shadow Monarch Sung Jinwoo was essential. So a battle like this, where he had to rely solely on brute force, only made Beru feel frustrated, as if he was fighting with heavy shackles on his limbs. But... Something could be done about that.

[I'll borrow your power for a moment.]

Beru's gaze suddenly met the Nightmare Apostle's, who was fighting Suho far away. The Nightmare Apostle felt a sense of foreboding.

Thud! Thud!

Beru's body suddenly began to grow larger.

Crack!

The giant ant's hand grabbed the maw that Sirka entered.

[...?!]

[N-no way...!]

The Nightmare Apostle was aghast. Beru's size was now equal to Nidhögg! But he could immediately recognize the origin of that power.

[How did you get my nightmare power?!] Beru just smiled at his shocked question.

The sight of him mercilessly striking Nidhögg's heads with his giant fists was truly spectacular. The two giant monsters, now equal in size, wrestling with each other filled the battlefield with brutality; it was impossible to approach them without losing one's life. And Suho, who was attacking him from the front, answered the question the Nightmare Apostle had.

'Don't be surprised. Beru devoured your brain and absorbed all the memories of your research.'

[What?!]

The Nightmare Apostle was shocked and turned to look at Suho. The repeated pain didn't matter anymore. The fact that all his research records were stolen was a blow that shook his very soul.

BOOM!

The black steam erupting from Beru's body was a bit different now. That giant form was an illusion mixed with the power of nightmares. But at the same time, it was a nightmare with a physical form... At this moment, Beru had literally become 'Nidhögg's Nightmare.'

Graaaaaaaah!

Nidhögg's six heads, which had been attacking fiercely, were thrown into confusion. Beru's form was starting to look bigger and bigger. As if it was about to swallow the entire dimension. His actual size hadn't increased. It was an illusion created with the power of nightmares. But the pressure was real, at least in Nidhögg's eyes, Beru's form was now several times larger than himself.

Groan...

The giant serpent faltered for the first time. Even though he knew it was an illusion, he couldn't help but instinctively cower.

[How dare you! Steal the evolution I perfected...!]

The Nightmare Apostle, watching from afar, gritted his teeth. Even as he was fighting Suho, seeing his power being used by Beru enraged him. But there was nothing he could do.

[My, my power...]

Meanwhile, he was being torn to shreds by Suho and the shadow sharks. There was nothing he could do here. All he was able to do was to watch Beru's overwhelming battle from afar, frustrated and resentful.

[KIEEEEEEEEEEK!]

Graaaaaaaaaaah!

Beru's giant illusion coiled tightly around Nidhögg's body. It was a hallucination made of nightmares, but the pressure felt true. Nidhögg's six heads thrashed around in confusion. He couldn't tell what was real and what was not. And as a result...

Ding!

[You have completed the quest.]

'Hmm?' Finally, welcome news arrived before Suho.

[Quest: Request of the Frost Monarch]

[Make the descendant of Sillad, the ice elf Sirka, the next Monarch.]

[Sirka's vessel is still too weak to contain the Primordial Darkness.]

[Protect Sirka and help her grow until she can inherit the Primordial Darkness.]

The quest that Sillad had given him was now complete.

That meant!

Groan!

Nidhogg's head, which Sirka had entered, burst like a balloon.

BOOM!

...And the form of Sirka was revealed from within. She was floating in the air with her eyes closed, enveloped in black fog.

[N-no!]

The Nightmare Apostle desperately mustered his last strength. Even though Suho's sword was piercing his body, he couldn't let the Primordial Darkness be stolen right before his eyes! Sirka, who was closing her eyes and accepting the Primordial Darkness, suddenly saw her vision turn white. And a terrible sight unfolded.

'...!'

In that illusion, the forms of her fellow ice elves freezing to death in the blizzard appeared before Sirka's eyes. The white-pale corpses lined up before her. The power of the Frost Monarch. It was a disaster that tormented the ice elves more than anyone. The nightmare whispered.

-Aren't you scared?

-Of that terrible power?

-The power that drove your people to death?

The whispers of the Nightmare Apostle dug into Sirka's ears. But...

'You're wrong.' Sirka was smiling.

'I'm not afraid of this nightmare.'

Sirka spread her arms wide and accepted the Primordial Darkness with her entire body.

'I, No... We, were born from nightmares.'

Flash!

Finally, Sirka's closed eyes opened.

'We are the ice elves, born in the harsh cold. And I...'

Her eyes were filled with the Primordial Darkness.

'Am the king of the ice elves, Sirka.'

And at those words, Sillad, who was waiting for her at the end of the darkness, smiled with satisfaction.

[The King of the Snow Folk, the Frost Monarch, passes on his darkness to his successor.]

Ding!

At that moment, the quest reward arrived for Suho, who had fulfilled Sillad's request.

[The 'Winter of Frost' descends upon the World Tree.]

Crack!

Suddenly, the World Tree began to freeze from its roots. Sirka smiled at Suho from the center of that.

'Now I'll be the nightmare of the World Tree.'

Saying that it was the World Tree's turn to experience the nightmare they had suffered, Sirka just smiled. With a pure and innocent expression.

[The King of the Snow Folk, the Nightmare Monarch Sirka, is born.]

Just like that, Sirka returned as the true Nightmare of the World Tree.