◆ Ruins of the Avangarde Royal Capital ◆
“Finally, the audio is connected. There are a few unfinished parts, but as a functional test, it should be more than sufficient. ALEX, now known as ‘Kamaharka,’ is set to become the second eye for the Kingdom of Metallica as it begins its reconstruction.”
“…What is going on?”
“Given your disdain for civilization, it seems you are rather ignorant. Knowing your enemy is crucial to defeating them, yet…”
“What have you done?!”
“I doubt you would understand even if I explained, so let me put it simply. The exchanges happening here are being broadcasted, complete with visuals, to parts of this continent. The audio just connected moments ago.”
It’s not ALEX anymore; it’s Kamaharka, the new system for Metallica. Despite complaining about the lack of time, they are still getting things done. Perhaps it’s because of their innate talent for ‘insight.’ I wonder where the feed is coming from.
“Fofa… So you are conveying my great achievements to the foolish masses? Excellent! My divine presence will reach even further! How foolish! Civilization is endlessly ignorant!”
“Don’t you understand? The significance of so many people focusing on your existence. In other words, the threat you pose is being communicated and recorded. It will surely be passed down through generations.”
“And how much of a threat will that be? At this very moment, humanity has no future.”
“No, if you are defeated here, you will be recorded as a monster. You might even appear in children’s picture books as a beast, and research institutions will study you thoroughly. You could become a stepping stone for humanity’s progress.”
“I… will be defeated?”
【Aboro unleashed the Big Bang Knuckle! It dealt 543321 damage to the Transcendent Spirit God Emperor Rulud! HP 999456678/999999999】
“Ugh…!”
Aboro, who broke through the vast technique, finally landed a blow. It mercilessly struck against little Marty, but it seems the damage isn’t as severe as it could have been. The fact that it couldn’t be blocked by ‘miracle’ makes sense now.
“Aboroooo! Are you struggling, you wretched survivor?!”
“It seems the ‘miracle’ that befalls you is just as it has been until now. Even if I take over your body, I cannot fully master your innate talent. Rejoice, you have served well as a sample.”
“I dealt that much damage, after all. Besides, ‘miracle’ is just that—a ‘miracle.’ It only manifests in weaklings like Marty, but I doubt it will happen for someone as strong as Rulud.”
“Such reasoning…!”
≪The remaining enemy is that Vengeful Spirit in the form of a girl. Regardless of her appearance, her fighting spirit is quite remarkable.≫
≪Is it appropriate to refer to her as a Vengeful Spirit?≫
≪She should have perished in ancient times, yet here she is, shamelessly exposing her lingering attachments. Vengeful Spirit is fitting, don’t you think, Nice?≫
≪Well, we are somewhat similar, but at least we are not driven by obsession forever.≫
It seems King of Kashiram and Balbus, along with Nice, are over there. Despite the fierce battles they must have faced, they appear quite relaxed. Genia mentioned that information is a weapon, and it’s clear that hearing this is effectively provoking Rulud. No matter how much he tries to dismiss humans, he can’t stand being belittled by them.
“Foolish rabble! You pathetic humans, dying in vain!”
“The Beastkin once swore revenge, but now they are facing humanity and moving toward the future.”
≪Hey, Rua, this is tough. Do you really have to cut down such a small, cute girl?≫
≪Isn’t the cat cuter? Cute… right?≫
≪Fine, I’ll marry you, so forgive me.≫
“Bound by battle? Well, there are those who find love that way.”
So Seigel and Maternya are finally getting married. It seems like a good remedy for Seigel, who has dated many girls, as Kurinka said, and I think it’s a good thing too.
≪Rulud has incredible magical power! It’s even more terrifying than old Hast… but he’s no match for Rua, right?≫
≪No problem.≫
≪I don’t really get it, but if Truppo says it’s fine, then it probably is.≫
≪Well, Rutna wouldn’t understand anyway.≫
≪Rather, it would be troubling if an old man like me were still at the top… People are meant to grow, and denying that is what he does.≫
“Those who have grown through encounters…”
≪Everyone! The one who will defeat that evil sorcerer trying to destroy the world is Rua! Once, in the finals of the Combat Tournament, I, Greyman, faced her!≫
≪Really!?≫
≪You fought that Flash Strike Girl… and survived? The Golden Armor Greyman is no joke…≫
≪The problem is that he lacks sufficient equipment… I once provided him with useful gear…≫
≪I have Disballade that I forged, so there’s no way I can lose! I’ll kill you!≫
≪W-What is this guy?! Igiyaaaa!≫
“People I don’t quite understand, and those who supported me…”
I hadn’t seen Greyman for a while, but it turns out he was in the Nation of Kashiram. He seems to be under attack by Hans, but he’s spouting nonsense, so I don’t feel sorry for him.
“You pathetic rabble…! Not only do you pollute the world with your civilization, but you also loudly deny my great achievements!”
The voices of everyone coming through Kamaharka are undoubtedly angering Rulud. Even after claiming he wasn’t afraid after acquiring Marty’s body, he’s frustrated that things aren’t going his way.
≪There you are, Rua. The village is safe, and everyone is unharmed. So don’t worry unnecessarily and fight with all your might. Your mother is waiting too.≫
≪It’s Pablo! I evacuated from Queemil, and once this is over, I’ll come back to eat at the shop! We’re having a special super-sized menu fair!≫
“Super-sized?! At least five times the usual, right, Pablo?!”
“I don’t think he can hear you…”
I’m hungry, and it sounds tempting. But if this gets Kurinka fired up, it should sharpen our attacks as we move forward.
“The heroes here are with those who should return… Rua’s strength has been nurtured by her encounters with them.”
“Fofah! A hero? Ridiculous! What stands there is no hero! A hero is someone born into the Hero lineage, compelled to save others, and forged through conflict! I declare! That country girl has no qualities of a hero!”
“Even at this point, you still insist on that? Even Aboro, who has defeated countless heroes, including your lineage, could not match that girl.”
【Rulud’s Wind Spirit Roar (Sylphide)!】
“O Wind Spirit! Deliver the iron hammer of nature!”
【Rulud’s Earth Spirit Dance (Titan)!】
“O Earth Spirit! Tremble with joy! Bury the sinner who treads upon you in delight! And… rage on!”
The ground shook violently as if it were exploding, creating a tempest that disrupted the entire area. It was a storm and earthquake rivaling Stormael’s fury. As if to add insult to injury, something was rushing in from far away.
“It feels like a natural calamity is crashing in all at once… The Spirit Emperor… the other meaning of that name. It derives from a power unprecedented in history, having succeeded in manipulating the concept of ‘spirits’ in nature.”
Genia, who speaks leisurely, is definitely fine. Why? Because she isn’t actually here. Upon closer inspection, it’s a hologram. Knowing that, no matter how angry Rulud gets, he won’t attack. I don’t know where she is, but she seems to be carefree.
“If you are a hero, then try to save them! The oncoming wrath of nature will snuff out many lives! Fofafafafa!”
【Rua unleashed the Sonic Ripper!】
【Kurinka cast Angel Recover!】
I leaped with all my might, spinning my body once I reached a height where I could see the tsunami. The Sonic Ripper was unleashed in a circular arc around me. The massive wave that was supposed to take lives was swallowed and extinguished by the Sonic Ripper. Not only that, but if I set my mind to it, I could reach the edge of the continent. In other words, I could have simultaneously ‘destroyed’ the tsunami from far away. But reaching the ends of the world is a bit much.
“Your threat is not a mere distance away.”
The tremors of the ground have subsided. Kurinka has restored the state of the earth, meaning she has ‘regenerated’ it. She has grown to the point where she can ‘regenerate’ the land back to normal, free from earthquakes.
“Phew… It settled quickly, but I wonder if everything else is okay? Rua-chan’s Sonic Ripper should be fine, but…”
“Don’t worry, whatever that god over there does is futile now.”
“Destruction and… regeneration… it defies reason… it transcends concepts…!”
I had claimed to have transcended, yet here I was, acknowledging that we were the ones who had truly surpassed him. The swirling ring of letters above felt unreliable, as if it had lost its momentum.
【Transcendent Spirit God Emperor Rulud’s Sunlight Technique! The fierce rays from the heavens illuminate the earth!】
【A wave of sunlight is unleashed from the sky, aimed directly at Rua! It has no effect on Rua!】
【Transcendent Spirit God Emperor Rulud’s Divine Blade Severance!】
“The sunlight has reached the speed of light…”
“What? What did you say?”
The fiery laser descending from above was neither hot nor itchy. This massive sword that had just been swung down—could it possibly be the Hero’s Sword? Disballade and this Hero’s Sword seemed to have some kind of connection, as they emitted visible auras of white and black, countering each other. I wasn’t sure if this was the right way to settle things, but it was their fault for not choosing their wielder wisely.
“G-Guh… No way…”
“It’s fine for Disballade to win here, right?”
【The Holy Sword Hopething shattered into countless pieces!】
“Why, whyyyyyyy!”
The light illuminated by Rulud reflected off the beautiful shards, sparkling as they danced and fell. The Hero’s Sword—thinking back, our first encounter was terrible, and its previous owner was even worse. Considering that, my heart felt a little lighter. I wondered if Disballade was satisfied.
“N-Next technique! A curse, one that will affect generations to come… No, perhaps that technique that rots the body… Ugh!”
【Transcendent Spirit God Emperor Rulud’s Curse of Life Technique!】
【Transcendent Spirit God Emperor Rulud’s Decay Technique!】
【Transcendent Spirit God Emperor Rulud’s Confusion Technique!】
【Transcendent Spirit God Emperor Rulud’s Sensation Technique!】
Something rushed at my body all at once, but it didn’t matter. I had said it countless times—why couldn’t he understand?
【It has no effect on Rua!】
“My techniques! None of my techniques are working! After hundreds of years of crafting them, how can this be?!”
“Thanks to Genia, I’ve come to realize something. Sure, I grew stronger in the Abyss Cave, but that alone isn’t enough.”
The people present here—Genia, Platiu, Kurinka, Elmera, Meria, Argil. And the adventurers who had gathered, recovering and coming together.
“We’ve gathered our numbers! Including myself, we can fight again!”
“There’s no need for that.”
“Yeah, we’re just a hindrance among the Five Elites.”
Mugen, Shinbu, Yuyu. Familiar adventurers and some I didn’t recognize focused their gazes on Rulud. Though not fully recovered, Ritta was supporting Kirkton, using her spear as a staff.
“The experiences since leaving the Abyss Cave… meeting everyone. All of it has been a source of strength for me. It has fortified my heart… and now, I stand here without any hesitation. Rulud, you’ve always been alone, and you still are. Even nature isn’t on your side; you merely manipulate it as you wish. No matter how many hundreds of years you spend crafting techniques or devising plans, what you’ve done alone is just that.”
“You deny civilization, but you only see its flaws. Sure, there are bad aspects, but we can learn and fix them moving forward. People connect and cooperate… they help each other realize their shortcomings. Even when despair threatens to enclose you, you can reach out to someone important!”
“You insolent… Look at the ruined Royal Capital! This is the state of the civilization humans built! No matter how many hundreds of years it takes, it’s still like this!”
“Then we can just rebuild it! Even if we fail or stray from the path, as long as we have each other, we can start over!”
Ritta’s shout momentarily halted Rulud. He probably never expected to be retorted by someone he deemed insignificant. With all my techniques blocked, he had nearly run out of options. Rulud must have realized that too.
“Madias… Even if Marty has destroyed human civilization countless times, humans are still here. They rebuild time and again, passing on their legacy from parent to child… and they still stand. Look around you, Rulud.”
“What are you…?”
“You are alone, while we are not… We can coexist with the nature you love so much!”
【Rua unleashed the Disalt Spear! Dealt 243,359,085 damage to Transcendent Spirit God Emperor Rulud! HP 756,097,593/999,999,999】
“Ughhh!”
【The technique of the vast expanse was destroyed!】
Miracles would no longer occur. No, at this moment, my destruction surpassed everything. Why hadn’t I realized my destructive power back in the Abyss Cave? Why couldn’t I use it effectively? Now, I understood. Divine Nature is rooted in the heart. The World’s Strongest Man has lived through “victory” since the day he was born, without any hesitation, already shaped into that kind of person.
Temperament, personality. I still couldn’t express it well, but I realized I hadn’t fully become ruthless. I couldn’t completely kill a person, nor was I suited for destruction. I didn’t know why “destruction” had manifested within me.
“Oh! 243,359,085! What an incredible amount of damage!”
It seemed that not only was my HP being displayed, but also the damage I dealt to him was quantified. The others must have felt the impact too, as a cheer resembling a scream erupted.
“Rulud, I confirmed earlier that you’re not human, but a god. So I’ll kill you without hesitation.”
【Transcendent Spirit God Emperor Rulud’s Infinite Regeneration Technique! Rulud’s HP is fully restored! 999,999,999/999,999,999】
“Th-The power of destruction… still, miracles will occur!”
It was frustrating that he was still managing to counter me. I thought the Disalt Spear would completely obliterate him. This was going to take quite a bit of time.
“Kurinka. I’m hungry, so let’s finish this quickly.”
“Are we doing that thing?”
We nodded simultaneously; the time had finally come to execute that plan. If all went well, we could definitely save Marty. I was about to unleash my most powerful technique, the Disalt Impact. Since I was floating in the air, I wouldn’t have to worry about collateral damage.
I took the same stance as when I unleashed the Sonic Spear, pointing the tip of Disballade at Rulud. With a slight pause, Kurinka prepared for “regeneration.” The timing was perfect. I hadn’t anticipated this day, but I had practiced repeatedly whenever I found the time.
“I’ll destroy your soul in one blow!”
【Rua unleashed the Disalt Impact!】
The power of destruction combined with the Sonic Impact that had even defeated the Dragon God enveloped Rulud, who had possessed Marty’s body. However, unlike that time, it wasn’t unnecessarily wide-ranging. By narrowing the scope, I minimized the recoil and concentrated the power. Faster than light, it was beyond the recognition of anyone in this world. It would leave nothing behind but destruction.
【Dealt 999,999,004 damage to Transcendent Spirit God Emperor Rulud! HP 995/999,999,999】
“F-Fa… so close, it seems…”
【Transcendent Spirit God Emperor Rulud’s Infinite Regeneration Technique! Rulud’s HP is fully restored! 999,999,999/999,999,999】
“A miracle’s gift! This has been proven! No matter who it is, this god will—”
【Dealt 999,999,504 damage to Transcendent Spirit God Emperor Rulud! HP 495/999,999,999】
“W-What, B-But…!”
I felt a twinge of pity for Marty’s body. But it was okay; I would free her soon. Just one more push.
“I told you, I’ll destroy your soul.”
【Transcendent Spirit God Emperor Rulud’s Infinite Regeneration Technique! Rulud’s HP is fully restored! 999,999,999/999,999,999】
“What the—”
【Dealt 999,999,997 damage to Transcendent Spirit God Emperor Rulud! HP 2/999,999,999】
“………!”
He couldn’t even muster a voice of surprise anymore. Why was his body continuously being destroyed? It should have been just one blow. He wanted to be astonished, but I wouldn’t allow it.
“This next one will end it.”
“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!”
【Rulud’s soul escaped from Marty’s body!】
Something burst forth from Marty like steam from a boiling kettle, rushing out with great force. Rulud intended to abandon Marty’s body and flee. In his soul form, he couldn’t be harmed unless it was by an Exorcist. If he escaped or possessed someone else, it would be over.
“Then, in that case…!”
【Eternal Evil Spirit Rulud has appeared! HP 0】
When he possessed Marty, he must have crept up from the ground in a smoky form, trying to go unnoticed by us. Now, perhaps in a panic, he had no time for such tactics.
The Rulud that remained as a soul was a frail old man. Wrinkled and emaciated, his eyelids seemed heavy, struggling to stay open. He looked to be over ninety, perhaps even nearing a hundred.
“So this is the true Rulud. No matter how much he uses techniques to appear young or takes over bodies, the soul doesn’t lie. More importantly, thank you for finally separating from Marty’s body.”
“You fool…! This works to my advantage! The Spirit Emperor becoming a soul is even my trump card! Gather!”
【Vengeful Spirits gather around Eternal Evil Spirit Rulud! The Eternal Evil Spirit God Rulud has appeared! HP 400,000/40,000】
“Seems like your plan was lacking! Even without the girl, the ‘miracle’ is already mine! As long as Vengeful Spirits roam the continent, I am immortal! This is the power of the Spirit Emperor!”
“You were surprised and came out because I said I would destroy your soul, right? You thought you could escape by abandoning Marty’s body…”
【You dealt 999999990 damage to Eternal Evil Spirit God Rulud! HP 0/400000】
“I was convinced.”
It’s hopeless. No matter what form he takes, how many times he regenerates, or where he tries to flee, the result of destruction will always remain. Gathering more Vengeful Spirits will yield the same outcome.
【You dealt 9999999999 damage to Eternal Evil Spirit God Rulud! HP 0/400000】
“Oh, the damage has finally maxed out! Counter stop! This is the display limit!”
【You dealt 9999999999 damage to Eternal Evil Spirit God Rulud! HP 0/400000】
“Max, out… still, still!”
【You dealt 9999999999 damage to Eternal Evil Spirit God Rulud! HP 0/400000】
“Max, out… it can’t be!”
“Whether it’s magic or anything else, once an attack is unleashed, it cannot last forever. But right now, it’s different. Just like a dying flame can blaze anew… my attack is ‘regenerating.’ Until it leaves behind the result of destruction.”
“Isn’t this a fitting end for the ‘Eternal’ Spirit Emperor…?”
It seems the gathering Vengeful Spirits have run dry, as Rulud’s soul is beginning to turn to dust. Only his head drifts vaguely, still gazing longingly at this world. But that expression quickly distorts the moment he catches sight of me and Kurinka smiling.
“I cannot win… No matter how many times I reincarnate or possess, destruction and regeneration—such a thing cannot exist!”
【You dealt 9999999999 damage to Eternal Evil Spirit God Rulud! HP 0/400000】
“While it shows max damage, I wonder what the actual damage is… It’s unfathomable…”
“Max, out… what does that mean…?”
【You have defeated Eternal Evil Spirit God Rulud! HP 0】
“Max, stop… Hooahhh!”
【You have destroyed Eternal Evil Spirit God Rulud! HP -】
Maxed out, counter stop. The words that Genia keeps murmuring somehow feel oddly familiar. Rulud’s death throes seem to signal the end of the battle.
◆ Shin Report ◆
No matter how strong they are, they all fail to realize
That destruction and regeneration should not be turned against each other.
In the end, Rulud only understood this at the very last moment.
He was wise.
But why was Rulud so obsessed with nature?
This is merely a conjecture, but if the hero’s lineage is burdened with the duty to save the world,
And if they cannot escape that fate,
Then it seems Rulud was not an exception, and his intent to save the world
Was the same as any other hero.
If that’s the case, Rulud could not resist the hero’s bloodline.
Hmm, what a cursed fate.
Anyway, we have triumphantly maxed out!
This concludes the report.
Eh, is it over?
Well, well, the long work of Shin has come to an end.
Huh? My eyes feel a bit watery.
Why does Shin look like she’s about to cry?