Chapter 473: Creation Magic (2)

“S-Stop him...!!!”

Yula’s desperate cry echoed across the battlefield, but it was too late.

The Dimension Spirals, extracted from the hearts of the three fallen gods, traced glowing arcs through the air before being absorbed into Karyl’s Agnel.

“No...”

“...?!”

The remaining gods, frozen as they witnessed the spectacle, realized too late that something had gone terribly wrong.

“When did he...?”

The three gods standing behind Karyl finally noticed the nearby corpses.

“Curses!”

The realization that they had been outmaneuvered struck the elder like a hammer. While they had remained on the sidelines to conserve their strength, Karyl had gradually steered the battle with Yula to bring them close enough to the slain gods.

[Hah! That’s what happens when you scheme instead of taking action, fools.]

Allen’s voice dripped with scorn as he observed the flustered gods.

What do we do now? He’s about to absorb the powers of three gods!

He won’t break his promise and come after us... right?

He promised to withdraw from the Exordiar once Yula was defeated. He’s just gambling everything on this risky move.

Creation Magic? Wielding four Dimension Spirals should be impossible, even for someone like him!

The gods exchanged uneasy glances, their minds racing.

[Even now, they’re only concerned about their survival. And they’re supposed to be gods? Laughable.]

Allen sighed and shook his head, as if disappointed. Even if the gods could hear him, they wouldn’t be able to refute his scathing words.

“Rest assured,” Karyl said, breaking the tense silence. Though calm, his voice carried a cold sense of finality. “I keep my promises. I won’t kill you with my own hands. I have no interest in participating in Exordiar any longer.”

“...”

The gods glanced at each other warily, unsure what to make of Karyl’s words.

“Now fight,” Karyl commanded, pointing Agnel at Yula. “Before I change my mind about that promise.”

Though his tone was measured, the gods knew he wasn’t bluffing. The only way to survive now was to turn on one another. In a bitter twist of fate, those who had once viewed humans as mere pawns in their celestial games were now forced to shed blood—not for dominion, but for survival.

To make matters worse, all of it unfolded beneath the watchful gazes of the human soldiers. For the first time in history, humanity bore witness to the gods’ humiliation.

“Damn it!”

The First God clenched his fists, his divine pride crumbling under the weight of necessity. In the end, he had no choice.

WHOOSH! BOOM!!!

His fist tore through the air and landed with a resounding impact.

CRACK!

“You...! You miserable fool! Have you no pride as a god?!” Yula’s voice trembled with rage as she realized that the First God was targeting her, not Karyl.

“Apologies, Yula,” the elder said with a grim expression. “This is no longer about the throne. To survive, we have no choice but to kill you.”

“How dare you...! In my world...?!? I reign supreme here!! No one can stand up to me!!”

Yula’s desperate cries, reaching even the heavens, were met only by the elder’s searing flames and the whip of the sly goddess.

“Hah! How fitting!” Miliana snorted as she watched the gods engage in a chaotic brawl. “The gods, mere pawns in Karyl’s game... That’s some proper godslaying, isn’t it?”

Though she chuckled, her red, glistening eyes betrayed her. She couldn’t look away from Karyl’s bleeding stump, where his arm had been just moments ago.

Karyl... Turning the tide of battle with the power of dead gods... Your plan was so meticulously crafted that not even these so-called deities could have foreseen it. Once again, I’m forced to acknowledge your brilliance. But...

Her lips tightened, and she bit down slightly as frustration welled within her.

“There’s still the final act of this plan left to unfold, and it’s up to us to ensure it succeeds.”

Shing!

Miliana raised her twin swords high.

“Chosen Godslayers, gather here at once! You’ve all heard Karyl’s plan from the Golden Dragon. Failure is not an option!”

Her voice, amplified by her mana, pierced through the chaos and reached her comrades. One by one, they nodded, resolute determination hardening their expressions.

“And hesitation won’t be forgiven.”

Suan and Aidan’s expressions tightened at her fierce declaration, while Mikhail was on the verge of tears.

“We must do this. We are the only ones who can pierce the heart of the one god Karyl cannot kill.”

As she rallied her allies, Miliana tightened her grip on her twin swords, the weight of Karyl’s last gambit pressing heavily on her shoulders.

The one god he couldn’t kill...

“Karyl, is this why you chose us...? For this very moment?”

Miliana’s heart swelled with determination as she repeated his name, steadying herself.

***

“You...!”

After batting aside the First God’s punches and cleaving the elder’s staff in two, Yula turned her furious gaze toward Karyl.

Swoosh—!!

With a thrust of her open palm, she sent the Second God’s whip flying.

𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

“If it’s a final reckoning you want, so be it! I’ll end you all! Do not beg for mercy, for I shall pluck out your hearts and devour them myself!”

Her murderous declaration sent shivers down the gods’ spines.

“Hah! Not a chance!”

The elder mustered every ounce of his Divine Power. He knew all too well that if they didn’t combine their blessings, no one would be able to stop Yula.

Rumble...!

The earth quaked violently as the elder slammed his staff into the ground. Moments later, colossal stone pillars erupted, piercing the sky.

“Fall back!”

“Retreat to the rear lines!”

The massive stone columns, stretching for tens of kilometers, formed an imposing barrier that cut off the scattered forces of the Free Army from escape.

“This... is incredible.”

“So this is what a god’s magic can do...”

Even Nain Darhon and Kadin Luer, seasoned Great Sorcerers, were left speechless by the sheer scale of the divine magic. The colossal pillars defied gravity, rising into the heavens before plummeting, as though intent on crushing everything below.

BOOOOM...!!

The hundreds of columns exploded almost simultaneously, sending shockwaves through the battlefield.

Slash—

But amidst the onslaught, a streak of light tore through the falling stone, carving a path of destruction as the pillars crumbled one by one.

“Ghah—!”

A sharp blade pierced the elder’s chest. He had desperately summoned a shield to protect himself, but its resistance was laughable.

Blood spurted from his mouth as he staggered back.

“Did you really think those blessings would bring you victory? Have you truly gone senile? I can hardly believe you once matched wits with the Lord. Since I have no use for your brain, I’ll take this instead.”

With a sneer, Yula yanked the blade from the elder’s chest and plunged her hand into the gaping wound.

“Gah—!

Cough

...!”

She twisted her hand violently, as if dissecting him, tearing his innards apart with merciless precision. Gore splattered in all directions, and she didn’t stop until the elder’s body was utterly mangled.

With a dull thud, the elder crumpled to the ground.

“S-Spare me...”

As he fell, his trembling eyes locked onto Karyl. Even with his face hidden beneath the hood of his robe, the bitter accusation in his gaze burned clear. He opened his mouth, as if to utter one final plea, but no sound escaped. His hand reached toward Karyl, then went limp and dropped lifeless to the ground.

“...”

Karyl simply stood there, watching Yula stomp on the elder’s head with an emotionless expression.

“RAAAAARH...!!!”

The First God, a man of immense stature, bellowed in a mix of fury and despair as he charged at her.

“You fools! You were all deceived, but it’s too late now for regrets. Lending your strength to a human? You should’ve lent it to me instead. At least that would’ve preserved some shred of your divine dignity.”

“YOU—!!”

“Just die, you worthless scum,” Yula growled as she met the man’s charge head on.

The First God’s mighty punch cut through the air with terrifying speed, but to Yula, who had already absorbed the elder’s Dimension Spiral, he seemed pitifully slow.

“Is your word worth nothing?! Weren’t you supposed to help us?!” the Second God shouted at Karyl, desperation and panic taking over. “If Yula takes his Dimension Spiral as well, we’ll lose the upper hand entirely!”

Her cries seemed to fall on deaf ears, as Karyl made no move to draw his sword.

“Damn it!”

Realizing how dire the situation was, she reluctantly raised her whip against Yula.

To think I've been reduced to a human’s puppet...!

Though she knew the odds of victory were slim, doing nothing would only mean a meaningless death.

“Their expressions are priceless.”

Allen chuckled, observing the despair etched on their faces.

“You never intended to let those gods live, did you?”

“Shut it,” Karyl said flatly.

Allen laughed harder, shaking his head knowingly.

“The moment they made their soul contract, I knew they were trying to prevent themselves from killing each other. But they overlooked one crucial detail. While the soul contract may stop you from killing them, it doesn’t prevent Yula from doing it.”

Karyl’s lips curled into a smirk as he gazed at the battle ahead.

“Still, this situation is tricky. If Yula kills all of them and gains control of three Dimension Spirals, she’ll become an even greater threat, essentially making your blessings meaningless. Worse, those two might betray you now and ultimately side with her.”

“Allen.”

“Hmm?” The Grand Sorcerer cocked his head.

“You really think I would’ve started all this without considering every possibility? You know me better than that.”

At first, Allen blinked in puzzlement, then burst into laughter.

“Hahaha...! Of course not! You’re the man who’s accomplished what a million soldiers couldn’t! I mean, four gods are already dead because of you.”

“That’s right.”

With that, Karyl began walking forward, his steps steady and deliberate.

“My plan is nearing its final act. Allen, look at them—the so-called great gods, tearing each other apart, clawing and biting like dogs. There’s no reason for me to dirty my hands with such filth.”

Karyl lifted his gaze.

“Even Yula slaughtering the remaining gods was part of my design. Surely that doesn’t surprise you anymore.”

“Indeed, it doesn’t. And I’d wager this isn’t even your final move. You’ve got one last ace up your sleeve, something truly shocking.”

“Yep.”

Karyl raised Agnel in his hand.

“I’ve gained Divine Power, enough to challenge the gods for their throne. That means I no longer belong to the realm of mortals. If anything, I stand among the gods now.”

He gestured toward the gods locked in their bitter battle.

“That’s why I can fight them. If someone must wade through the filth, let it be me. I alone will bear that stain.”

His eyes glimmered with resolve, an unrelenting determination forged from the smoldering embers of long-held rage.

“Ramine, Ethereal, Maktuun, Psammead, Kungen, Rasis, Duaat... Will you stand with me?”

[Do you even need to ask?]

[Without you, we wouldn’t even be here.]

The Spirit Kings responded at once, firm and unwavering.

[Use us. If you need our power, it is yours. If you need our lives, we'll offer them gladly.]

Karyl gave a firm nod. Then, he slowly turned around.

“But this world belongs to humans, and so the final stroke must come from human hands.”

In the distance, he saw Miliana standing alongside the Ten Godslayers, all of them determined to put an end to this.

“I will be the bridge that spans this quagmire.”

FLASH...!!

“The bridge that leads them toward a better future.”

In an instant, Karyl surged forward, his figure a blur of light and power, hurtling directly toward Yula.