Chapter 383: The Final Battle (14)

Narh Di Maug surged forth, engulfed in Tarak.

Karyl closed his eyes, though not to feign composure in the face of such danger. He exhaled deeply.

With the powers of both Duaat and Rasis fused within him, the energy in his blood surged wildly—flaring from searing heat to bone-chilling cold, engulfing him entirely.

Thump, thump, thump...!

His heart seemed ready to pop. The chaotic energies within him converged into his core, whirling ever faster.

As he condensed the opposing forces of light and darkness into one, Karyl opened his eyes and slashed with the sword of Polsetia.

Woosh...

The strike was deceptively simple, almost soundless. To the untrained eye, it might have seemed like the casual swing of a novice—or as if he hadn’t moved at all.

At last, Karyl vividly recalled the faint sensation he had felt upon first gaining Divine Power. By channeling Polsetia’s magic, he had awakened it once more—and now, empowered by the Two Powers, he had opened the door.

The Sixth Stance: Boundary Severance

The Platinum Dragon’s charge seemed to halt, as if time itself had stopped. Karyl hadn’t simply struck Narh Di Maug—his blade had torn through the very fabric of space itself.

A thin crimson line cut diagonally across Narh Di Maug’s neck, extending down to his shoulder. Then, as if the flow of time had resumed, the massive dragon fell past Karyl, crashing into the earth.

“Grrk...! Ghraaar...!!” Narh Di Maug writhed in agony, his body twisted and broken.

“You’re cutting through space itself... That’s truly something only you could pull off. Perhaps the reason you couldn’t figure it out at first was simply that you hadn’t experienced it before,” Allen murmured in awe, his voice barely a whisper. “This is truly the realm of gods.”

Karyl gave him a faint smile in acknowledgment.

“Nooo...!” Kay Rothschild cried out, her eyes fixed on a shard of the dragon’s severed claw as it hurtled toward Zigra, who lay sprawled on the ground.

Zigra tried to dodge, but the sharp piece descended too fast.

CRACK...!!

Zigra shielded his face as he collapsed to the ground, bracing for impact.

Everyone was stunned by what happened next.

“...!!”

“Fuck me...” Yurin Hyugar cursed under his breath, having intercepted the claw just in time.

“...What are you doing?” Zigra looked up, surprised.

“I don’t know... I don’t know what’s real or what’s just. I don’t even know why I’m doing this.”

“What do you mean?”

Yurin Huygar’s voice rose, thick with frustration, as if he was finally releasing his bottled-up anger. “I don’t even know who I should be following anymore. Here I am, risking my life to save an immigrant... Heh, I must be out of my fucking mind...!”

Among the priests of the Church, he was the only one to have witnessed Karyl’s power firsthand.

“The bishop I trusted is dead... and now I find out she wasn’t just the Platinum Dragon’s pawn, but she kept Tarak sealed within herself? Then what does that make the Church I believed in? What have I been fighting for...?!”

“Yurin Huygar,” Karyl called out after glancing at the fallen Narh Di Maug. “Why does that matter? You’re a priest of the Church, but you once sided with the late emperor. Are you going to talk about honor now? It’s just as hypocritical as that dragon blabbering about honor while he lies there in pieces.”

“I am... a priest.”

Yurin seemed at a loss, seemingly indifferent to Karyl’s sneer. His robe was stained crimson, as the dragon’s sharp talon had pierced his abdomen.

“It may be true that those with power rule over the world, whether in the empire or the Church. But I won’t allow Tarak... to defile this world.”

“The strong ruling the world—is that what you call rightful order? Fitting words, I suppose, for someone known as the Madman.”

Woosh!

Karyl swiftly cut through the talon lodged in Yurin’s side.

“We don’t see eye to eye, but at least I can agree that the human world ought to be governed by human will.”

With that, Karyl yanked the talon out.

“Ugh...!! Gah...!!” Yurin squealed, blood pouring from his side like a waterfall.

“Quit whining. You’re a priest—you can heal yourself.”

“You asshole...”

Yurin clutched his wounded side with a bitter smile crossing his face.

“You seem to suggest we should bow down to those with power. I don’t accept that, but still, I’ll acknowledge your firm conviction. The Church would benefit from a leader with an actual spine.”

“What?”

“The balance of power has shifted now—from the empire to me. Watch closely. You’ll get to witness what real power looks like.”

At that, a shiver ran down Yurin’s spine. Had anyone else spoken like this, he would have dismissed it as mere bravado, striking them down without hesitation. But knowing Karyl as well as he did, he could almost envision what Karyl was about to do next.

“You decide where you stand,” Karyl added.

Whoosh—!!

As Karyl leapt into the air, the Platinum Dragon’s massive claws slashed through where he had been moments before. Missing his mark, Narh Di Maug tore across the ground, unable to halt his own momentum.

“Graaaaah!!” Narh Di Maug shook his head in a frenzy, scattering debris in a fit of rage.

Karyl landed on him, firmly planting his leg on the back of the dragon’s head. Then, he plunged his blade into his skull, wrenching his head back.

Crunch—!!

The bone shattered with a sickening sound.

“Aaargh...! Kahahaha...!!”

“Narh Di Maug, you’re rotting with Tarak, yet still clinging to life? Pain is the weakness of the living—but also their privilege, one you’ve long since forfeited. All that awaits you now is oblivion.”

“You... You...!!”

“Tarak and Duaat... You feared the gods so much that you couldn’t fully commit to either divine or spirit power, leaving yourself divided. That was your mistake.”

Narh Di Maug managed to force his broken neck forward, roaring at Karyl.

“Gods and spirits are entirely different beings. You foolishly bound the light with spirit power and the darkness with Divine Power, and now those forces are clashing within you. That’s why you’ve turned into this abomination.”

“GRAAAAH...!!”

In his previous life, Narh Di Maug had to have known that wielding the power of Tarak would lead to ruination. For that reason, he had refrained from using the power after attaining it.

But now, having been brought on the brink of death, his body had instinctively resorted to the power of Tarak just to survive.

In the end, it backfired. Now he’s become the worst abomination that has ever existed.

Karyl looked at Narh Di Maug’s neck. Even as a swirling mass of Tarak, he still retained one fatal weakness all dragons had.

Karyl’s calm and focused gaze spotted the single reverse scale just below his nape—the weak spot. If he could just sever that scale, the Platinum Dragon would finally fall.

Just like with Olivurn, ending this quickly is the only mercy I can give you.

Though rage still simmered within him over the lives Narh Di Maug had toyed with in his experiments, Karyl hadn’t forgotten that this was the dragon who had given him the chance to change everything. It was the only reason he even considered mercy.

“Yes... It’s thanks to you that I get to kill you now.” His voice, cold as steel, seemed to cut through Narh Di Maug’s hollow chest.

Meanwhile, Zigra moved carefully among the wounded, offering aid before finally making his way to Yurin Huygar, who had stayed behind.

“You need help?”

“...I’ll be fine.” Yurin shook his head. His bleeding had already stoppen, his robe now stained with a dark color.

Despite having once served under a corrupt bishop, his holy power as a priest had not abandoned him. Yurin felt an inexplicable urge to witness the end of this battle with his own eyes.

“Take this.”

Zigra handed him a handful of dried herbs, a traditional remedy among the immigrants.

“...?”

Yurin stared at the offering for a moment, then took the leaves and chewed on them with visible discomfort.

“Ugh...”

The bitterness was overwhelming, but he forced the herbs down, already feeling his strength return. Normally, as a priest of the empire, he would have likely scoffed at Zigra’s gesture, but given the current circumstances, he accepted it.

Zigra chuckled mischievously at Yurin’s grimace. He felt a strange satisfaction in seeing an imperial stand by his side, an immigrant, and accept his help like this.

BOOOM...!!

A resounding crash snapped their attention back to the battlefield. They searched frantically for Karyl and Narh Di Maug, who were moving so fast that the sound of their clash echoed before they themselves came into view.

“Up there!” Zigra pointed to the sky.

They merely saw flickering silhouettes, a mere blur followed by explosions and flashes of fire. Karyl and the Platinum Dragon moved at a speed no one here could ever match.

“Ghrrr...”

Shoulder, leg, chest, head—Karyl’s sword struck each of these points in rapid succession, shattering Narh Di Maug’s bones and tearing through his flesh. The dragon thrashed violently as Karyl’s blade carved him up.

“Such a pitiful sight. The fight was already decided long ago,” Allen muttered in a somber tone, shaking his head as he watched their clash.

“It’s over,” he declared.

Karyl’s sword moved as if to respond to Allen’s words.

“...For bringing me to new heights, I thank you.”

With those final words, Karyl delivered his final, decisive slash.

Narh Di Maug knew he couldn’t evade it. The graceful arc of Karyl’s sword felt both slow and impossibly fast. In all his long life, Narh Di Maug had never witnessed such mastery of the blade.

Schwing—

His blade traced a perfect crescent arc, cutting through the dragon with no resistance whatsoever.

Crack...

A thin crimson line appeared along the crown of Narh Di Maug’s head, tracing down his forehead and through his torso. Dark, viscous energy seeped from the wound, the essence of Tarak spilling out as the dragon collapsed under his weight.

“...So this is my end,” Narh Di Maug muttered, barely able to move. His bones were shattered, his severed wrist bleeding profusely, and yet he seemed indifferent to the pain.

He reverted to his human form. Half his body was missing, remnants of blood and Tarak scattered around him.

“...You win,” he admitted in calm resignation, as if relieved that he needn’t fear death any longer.

“Spare the knights of the empire. They may yet serve you well, especially Kadin Luer. He still has potential. And Kuwell MacGovern... I hope you teach him your swordsmanship. Though he lacks the Golden Dragon’s might, he’s nevertheless worthy of my mana.”

His words were like a final testament, a will spoken aloud. “Now, you stand on the throne. When that time comes, remember that skilled allies are rare. Show them mercy,” he cautioned.

Karyl, however, laughed coldly. “You’re going about that again? Even on the brink of death, you’re spouting that crap? Is that really all you’ve got to say? Drop the noble act. I’ll take care of that myself."

“...What?”

“Tell me about yourself,” Karyl demanded, looking down at Narh Di Maug, “not about others. If you have any last words... say them now.”

At this, Narh Di Maug let out a weak, bitter laugh. “Perhaps my purpose was the same as yours. But the world has chosen you, not me. That’s all there is to it. A loser has no place to speak any further.”

Karyl understood completely. Perhaps in his past life, Narh Di Maug had anticipated this future, knowing that if Karyl uncovered his secrets, he would seek his death.

Narh Di Maug had taken the ultimate gamble, sending Karyl back in time to change his fate, even if it meant forfeiting his own life. Still, his sins could not be justified nor erased. In the end, he had to answer for them.

“Do it.”

Narh Di Maug closed his eyes, accepting his end without solace. While his intent to defy the gods was righteous, there was no place for consolation in these final moments.

“You didn’t seek justice,” Karyl murmured, “but neither did I.”

Then, without hesitation, he swung his blade diagonally.

“In the end, I am the victor.”

Narh Di Maug’s head fell to the ground, blood splattering around Karyl.

Silence hung over the ruins of the capital. The morning sun cast its rays on Karyl, who stood over the vanquished.

Some of the onlookers teared up, some scowled, and others accepted the conclusion with calm resignation.

“Let it be known that we are victorious,” Karyl declared, his voice firm.

This was not a time to console the wounded hearts. Standing tall as the victor meant showing the way toward a greater future, and to announce that future, he had to speak the truth.

The single truth they all needed to remember.

“We have won.”

Karyl tightened his grip on his sword, closing his eyes as he released a deep breath amidst the smoke and smoldering heat.

Then, a resounding thud echoed across the ruins.

“...!!”

Karyl’s allies turned to look in astonishment.

Thud...!

Thud—!! Thud—!

𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

Dozens, or rather, hundreds of imperial knights had dropped to their knees, their swords raised with hilts toward Karyl. They welcomed their new king.

There were no cheers of victory, just the acknowledgment of defeat.

Karyl slowly nodded in response.