Chapter 27
It was less like a breath.
And more like a meteor.
A shower of stars falling from the sky and striking the ground.
An unprecedented catastrophe in which light and darkness alike vanished the moment of impact.
A ray of destruction that would turn even a transcendent being into a handful of dirt the instant they faced it.
Kwaaaaa—
Entur’s breath struck Ruth dead center without the slightest deviation.
The deafening roar that seemed capable of tearing apart heaven and earth gradually thinned out like an echo before abruptly stopping.
Because the breath of a god-like being had even erased sound itself.
White flames blazed across the ice field like a sea.
The aftermath of the breath reached all the way to the sky, shattering the frozen clouds into pieces.
A hellish silence descended.
Entur calmly steadied the long breath she had exhaled.
‘Pitiful human.’
If their positions were reversed, how unfair would it feel?
How absurd would it seem?
He had overcome countless hardships and finally reached the final trial.
Yet the content he faced was utterly unreasonable.
To survive taking a direct hit from an ancient dragon’s breath.
Even Entur herself thought it was excessively forced.
But what could she do?
‘This one merely followed the designed path.’
If you want to resent someone, resent the designer of the trial.
Entur’s illusion recalled the image of Ruth, who must have already turned to ash and disappeared, and spread her wings once more.
The trial was over. It was time to return.
Entur turned her massive body toward the horizon without even confirming the result.
“……”
Until she saw ‘something.’
Swaaa—.
The swirling blizzard swept away the white flames.
And beyond them,
A human figure slowly began to reveal itself.
<No way……>
Entur’s lazily half-closed eyes widened dramatically.
Soon, as the flames cleared and the apocalyptic ground came into view,
Ruth was standing there.
His entire body covered in soot, yet standing proudly on two legs.
Through the thick smoke that spread like fog, his red pupils gleamed like those of a beast.
As if proving that he was still alive.
<That’s impossible……!>
Entur finally let out a cry of shock.
Even seeing it with her own eyes, she could not believe it.
To survive a direct hit from an ancient dragon’s breath!
<‘Did he cast a defensive spell right before the breath hit? No, I didn’t sense any flow of mana at all.’>
Even if he had cast one,
Was there any human magic capable of blocking an ancient dragon’s breath?
As she was momentarily confused by the incomprehensible situation,
She noticed that Ruth was clutching something in his hand.
<‘……What is that? A horn?’>
A golden horn curved in the shape of a trumpet.
She didn’t know exactly what it was, but it was clear that it had served as the key to his survival.
And Entur’s guess was exactly right.
‘Thank you, Demian. For inviting me to the sanctuary back then.’
Ruth trembled with surging thrill as he gripped the horn tightly—
More precisely, the <Watcher Goblin’s Unicorn Horn>.
‘Thank you so much.’
Not long ago, when Demian had invited him to the sanctuary,
Ruth had gotten into a conflict with the Watcher there.
Thanks to Demian’s intervention, he had escaped danger, and the Watcher had to pay the price for daring to threaten a Constellation’s father.
【Watcher Goblin’s Unicorn Horn】
Grade: Legendary
Effect: It is the horn of a sacred goblin. Once, it extracts the energy within the horn to trigger miraculous good fortune.
The price he received back then had now become a lifeline that saved his life.
‘I broke through the one-in-a-thousand probability……’
The probability of the breath triggering the ‘instant death’ effect was 99.9%.
The moment he heard the content of the final trial and recalled the characteristics of an ancient dragon’s breath, Ruth immediately thought of the horn.
He was certain that the ‘miraculous good fortune’ triggered by a legendary item would allow him to overcome even that 0.1% probability.
‘I suppose I should be thanking Demian rather than the Watcher for this.’
If Demian hadn’t invited him to the sanctuary, he would never have obtained the Watcher’s horn in the first place.
Of course,
Surviving wasn’t solely thanks to the horn.
Even if he avoided the ‘instant death’ effect with that 0.1% chance, what about the pure physical destructive power of the breath itself?
That was not something that could be resolved with ‘luck.’
But Ruth had found the answer for that as well.
Or rather, it would be more accurate to say he had possessed the answer from the beginning.
<Challenger…… your body……>
As the smoke completely cleared and revealed Ruth’s figure, Entur’s pupils trembled finely.
Fwoosh—.
Flames of fighting spirit, like the light of dawn, blazed fiercely across Ruth’s entire body.
Entur let out a genuine exclamation of admiration at the powerful aura emanating from the flames.
[Blood Link Skill, ‘Indomitable Spirit’ has been activated!]
[A spirit like the sun that does not set even in darkness supports you!]
[Blood ki is consumed!]
The unique skill of the Martial Artist character, ‘Sylvia Ran’.
<Indomitable Spirit>.
Just like the unique skills of other characters, the effect of <Indomitable Spirit> was extremely straightforward.
So simple that it could be summarized in a single word.
‘Revival.’
When the player’s remaining health reaches zero, there is a 1% chance to trigger 5 seconds of invincibility.
Not only that, all exhausted health is fully restored and all stats temporarily rise by roughly double.
It was essentially an extra life.
Because the effect was so overpowered, despite being a unique skill, its activation rate was extremely low.
‘As long as I have the goblin’s horn, it’s practically 100% for me.’
It was good fortune that had pierced through a one-in-a-thousand chance. A one-in-a-hundred probability wasn’t even worth calling a gamble.
<Truly astonishing. You are the first human like this I have ever seen.>
Entur looked at Ruth with admiration.
She saw a human standing firmly on his own two legs like an old tree.
Her chest grew hot, and reverence surged wildly within her.
To think she would feel such emotions toward a mere human of a lower race.
“I have survived as per the conditions. Is the trial over?”
<Yes. It is over. I have lost, and you have won.>
Entur honestly admitted defeat, and her body began to blur like smoke.
Since the challenger had fulfilled the impossible conditions of the trial, it was time for the defeated to depart.
Until the very moment her illusion completely vanished, Entur gazed at Ruth with eyes full of respect.
<Human who has achieved a supreme feat. Congratulations.>
As if in response to her words, grand system messages rose up.
[You have broken through the ‘Skull’ trial!]
[You have surpassed every stage of ‘Trial of Entur’!]
[<Authority of Growth> reacts to your unbelievable achievement!]
[Your Rank value rises dramatically!]
[Reward will be given!]
It was the moment he had overcome the demonic section that had never been cleared even in the game.
At the same time, overflowing vitality surged throughout his body centered on his heart.
As Ruth smiled, truly feeling the immense rise in his <Rank>,
Hwaaaak—.
In the place where Entur’s illusion had disappeared, a sphere of light flickered and floated into the air.
When he approached and checked, a rhombus-shaped crimson gem wrapped in radiance was there.
Standing right before the gem, he let out an emotional sigh.
【Dragon Eyes】
Grade: Legendary
Effect: The crystalline lens of an ancient dragon. It currently has no effect, but when refined and mounted onto a weapon, one of the dragon’s authorities will be granted to the equipment.
Finally.
He had obtained the ‘real reward’ he had desired so much.
The first such achievement on the continent.
A feat that no one had ever succeeded in — not even his original self before possession.
Surpassing himself was truly an exhilarating pleasure.
Rumble—.
But he didn’t have the luxury to bask in the emotion.
Beyond the collapsing space after completing the trial lay a world covered in yet more cracks.
Moreover, even though there were no more trials to proceed with, neither an exit nor Entur appeared.
“……Nothing ever goes smoothly.”
There could only be one cause.
It meant things had not gone well on Wolfgang and Entur’s side.
There was undoubtedly something serious happening.
***
“Kuhuk……”
At the same time, Ruth’s prediction was completely off.
The current situation with Wolfgang and Entur had far surpassed the level of “something serious.”
Drip—.
Dead blood continuously gushed from Wolfgang’s mouth.
The silver armor that could withstand lightning strikes was now in tatters, and a long gash ran across his side, exposing his organs.
The white aura that had surged with tremendous momentum was now flickering precariously like a candle in the wind.
<Old beast. Is that the best you can do?>
Belgious looked down arrogantly at Wolfgang and mocked him.
Human blood and flesh were thickly stuck to his eight black claws.
Kwaaaaa—!!
Wolfgang, leaning on the sword he had stabbed into the ground like a staff, released his aura once more.
He stepped forward using his family’s secret footwork and charged toward Belgious like a blizzard.
Swaaaa—!!
The full-powered <Frost Fang> fired a massive and sharp sword energy like a glacier of the northern seas.
[<Frost Fang Third Form>]
[<Falling Rocks>]
With a single swing, five strands of sword energy rampaged, and Wolfgang’s hands moved so fast they left afterimages.
The pouring sword energy soon became a storm that engulfed the entire space and swept over Belgious.
<Your sword has truly reached the heavens. Among all the humans I have seen so far, you are the strongest.>
However, not even the smallest scratch appeared on Belgious’s black body.
The sword energy merely passed through his body without dealing any damage.
As if cutting an illusion.
<But even if your power has reached the heavens, I am a Constellation. I stand above the heavens.>
Slice—!
“……!!”
Belgious casually drew his claws upward from below.
That single swipe instantly erased the hundreds of strands of sword energy.
Not stopping there, the black slash flew across space and tore into Wolfgang’s shoulder.
“Fucking demon bastard……!”
Wolfgang, who had concentrated his aura to barely prevent his arm from being severed, glared furiously.
If he fell here and Entur’s body was taken by this evil god,
It would truly become irreversible. A merciless evil dragon would destroy his homeland and go on to threaten the entire continent.
—Damn it……! Damn it……!!
Entur, watching Wolfgang’s desperate struggle, cursed and thrashed about.
But the more she did, the stronger the energy flowing from the talismans tightened around her thought form.
Even if it were only the talismans, the situation was far worse — an evil god radiating corrupted divine power had fully descended.
—‘No…….’
It was already a weak thought form to begin with.
The <Balmun> embedded in her heart was still suppressing Entur’s spiritual power even at this moment.
If <Balmun> were pulled out and the divine power that had acted like shackles disappeared,
If her freed soul could fully regain its spiritual power,
‘Then I could easily crush a mere evil god whose only worth is a rotting corpse……!’
As things stood now, there was no way to win.
With only this half-baked thought form, no amount of struggling could drive out that evil god.
The moment Entur fell into despair,
—Ah……?
She felt ‘something’ and briefly caught her breath.
She lifted her eyes, which had been closing from despair, and looked straight up.
And then.
Fwoosh—!!
Without the slightest hesitation, Entur tore away her own thought form.
From her left arm to above her pelvis. She had essentially abandoned nearly half of her spiritual body.
Having regained freedom from the chains extending from the talismans, she suddenly began rushing somewhere in a hurry.
<Kuhahaha!>
Belgious burst into laughter as he watched Entur, who looked like a tattered rag, flee the scene.
<The defeated is still a defeated even in death! Even at the crossroads of whether her own body will be taken or not, the moment she feels pressured, she tucks her tail and runs away!>
“……”
<Look, old beast. You are throwing away your one and only life trying to protect such a pathetic dragon. Doesn’t it feel empty?>
Grip.
Wolfgang clenched his sword and ground his teeth.
It wasn’t out of anger toward Entur.
‘I must buy time.’
He was trying to steady himself, which had begun to waver.
Because he believed in Entur.
***
“Hmm. Should I have just beaten her from the beginning instead of watching?”
Falling fragments of the world.
A massive, unknown hole.
Crackling dark purple sparks.
These were phenomena appearing as the magical ‘design’ Entur had mentioned collapsed.
Looking at this apocalyptic landscape, Ruth deeply regretted his decision.
What he regretted was not killing Mirati before challenging the trial.
He had chosen to wait and see because there was no concrete evidence that she would cause trouble, and attempting murder inside Wolfgang’s territory would have been insane.
“……Just what the hell did she do that even after Entur and Wolfgang stepped in, things have turned into this mess?”
He couldn’t even imagine.
Did she offer a sacrifice and summon some strange Constellation?
In any case, it was truly unreasonable.
He had cleared the trial to the very end, yet he still couldn’t get out. Once again, because of that damn ‘variable,’ the back of his head was throbbing.
As Ruth furrowed his brow wondering what to do,
—Ruth! Ruth Fried!
“……?”
From beyond the crackling sparks, Entur came flying at terrifying speed.
In a miserable state with nearly half her body torn away.
Before the bewildered Ruth could even ask what was happening, Entur shouted urgently.
—P-Pull out <Balmun>……! You must hurry to the heart and pull out <Balmun>! If you don’t……!
Rumble—!!
The most ominous roar he had heard so far echoed out.
Not only that.
Dark clouds.
Black currents of unknown origin were dyeing the sky.
Entur covered her mouth with both hands in despair, and Ruth, realizing there was no more time to waste no matter what, decided to move quickly.
“If I just pull out the sword, will everything be resolved?”
—Yes!
“Then explain the details on the way and guide me to the heart immediately.”
—R-Right. But……
Entur trailed off and hesitated while looking in a certain direction.
The place her gaze turned to was pure chaos.
Fragments of the world falling from the sky swirled like blades of wind,
Sparks struck down randomly,
And unidentified explosions occurred irregularly.
—Because the spatial magic design has collapsed…… the path to the heart is horribly twisted. Even if this one guides you, the probability of safely reaching the heart through all those ‘distortion phenomena’ is far too low……
“Did you just say ‘probability’?”
When Ruth suddenly reacted to the word probability, Entur looked at him silently.
And what she saw on Ruth’s face was clearly
“A low probability still means there is a possibility. That’s enough.”
A smile.
It was an incomprehensible reaction to Entur, but to Ruth, it was only natural to lift the corners of his mouth.
[‘Watcher Goblin’s Unicorn Horn’ effect has 5 minutes remaining!]
Luck was still on his side.
Tap—!
Ruth leaped fearlessly toward the chaos.
The startled Entur reached out as if to shout,
But she ended up speechless.
The world fragments swirling like blades,
The randomly striking sparks,
The irregularly occurring unidentified explosions.
—What is this……
All of them were ‘luckily’ missing Ruth.
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