With a huge exhale, a small spark arose from the magic.
The spark expanded, gradually diffusing like red paint on a black canvas, enveloping all the magic and coloring the sky crimson.
The fla burned as sharply as the magic that had once covered the sky.
Though it was a scene that could evoke fear, neither the civilians seeking refuge nor the heroes protecting them felt that way.
Only warmth radiated from the bright red flas, instead of heat.
“Scarlet….”
Yoon Si-woo stared blankly at the flas filling the sky before slowly reaching his hand towards it.
But at that mont when he extended his hand, the flas that scattered warmth over the world began to disperse like a mirage.
“Ah….”
He waved his hand as if trying to catch the strands of fire that were drifting away.
Even though he knew he could no longer grasp it, he desperately waved his outstretched hand and clenched it tightly.
Yet when he opened his hand, nothing remained.
Not the darkness that had stretched across the sky.
Not the flas that had consud the darkness.
And ultimately, not even the sight of the girl who saved the world.
All had vanished from the world without leaving a trace.
“……Ah.”
Yoon Si-woo collapsed onto the ground.
He knew.
This was the conclusion the girl had desired.
Surely, she had been happy till the last mont for being able to protect the world, to protect them.
However,
“Ah, ah…”
Yoon Si-woo could not endure the outco that the girl did not wish for.
“Ugh, hwaah… kuh-huh…”
Yoon Si-woo sat there on the ground, clutching his chest.
It was gone.
Sothing that had taken a large place here had vanished as if a hole had opened up.
That feeling of loss, that pain.
It was indescribable.
To Yoon Si-woo, the girl was a precious existence.
Thus, he expected the pain of losing her to be imnse.
But in losing her, he realized.
To him, she had beco sothing beyond precious; she had beco an indispensable presence.
“Ahh, hwaah…! Hwaaaah…!!!”
Yoon Si-woo writhed in despair over what he had lost.
Clutching at his chest, he released a wail that sounded as if his soul was crying.
He endured the pain for a while, screaming until he suddenly slumped.
“……”
His deanor, completely devoid of the reason to live, seed so precarious.
A newborn baby, an elderly person lying in bed all day seed more vigorous.
What remained was not the hero, Yoon Si-woo, who had beco the hope of many but rely a frail boy mourning the loss of sothing valuable.
Such a miserable figure left those nearby at a loss for how to console him, leading to a silence enveloping Yoon Si-woo for a while.
[…Si-woo.]
Breaking the silence was Lucy.
In the shape of a sword, Lucy appeared before Yoon Si-woo, gazing at him for a mont before quietly asking.
[…Si-woo, do you rember the contract you made with before?]
“…….”
Though Yoon Si-woo did not respond, Lucy continued without waiting for an answer as she saw his gaze slowly turn to her.
You wanted to beco stronger. So I helped awaken the true abilities of the Holy Swords, and as a result, you beca strong.
As Lucy ntioned, with her help, Yoon Si-woo had grown stronger.
Strong enough that he wouldn’t lose against common foes.
…Back then, I had a wish in exchange for making you stronger.
However, Lucy’s expectation was not to rely beco strong enough not to lose against ordinary enemies.
I refuse to see you lose to anyone. You should beco stronger than anyone else. That is what I wished for you.
What Lucy demanded as a price was to beco stronger than anyone else.
There wouldn’t be anyone comparable among humans.
If there were, it would be a witch, but now that all the witches except for her were dead, Yoon Si-woo had been infinitely close to that state.
I did my utmost to help you beco strong. Therefore, you must do your best to beco stronger than anyone else.
Or, to be precise, he had been closer to that state until now.
But what is that pitiful sight?
Lucy looked down at Yoon Si-woo, who had slumped to the ground.
Having lost the motivation to grow stronger, he had grown weak.
So weak that anyone could knock him down at any mont.
I cannot bear to see you like this.
She had not wanted to see such a weak and miserable figure.
Thus, Lucy made her decision.
To employ the final asure she had kept until now.
Once she made up her mind, strength surged within her.
It manifested as a sword, severing the chains that bound her.
Then, Lucy’s form, which had taken the shape of a sword, shimred for a mont.
And the next instant,
There stood a woman with ebony hair.
Those around her unconsciously held their breath at her presence, like an extraordinarily sharp sword tempered to perfection.
The woman walked toward Yoon Si-woo, holding a pitch-black sword that matched her hair color, and pointed it at him, saying,
“Si-woo, take the sword. I shall personally discipline you until you regain your senses.”
Yoon Si-woo’s gaze turned toward the sword aid at him.
He was familiar with the figure.
It was Lucy’s appearance he had seen nurous tis in the imagined world created by the guiding Holy Sword.
Yet even though it was his first ti facing her in reality, Yoon Si-woo remained indifferent despite her pointing a sword at him.
He lacked the energy to feel surprised by such things, as well as the reasons to heed her command to take the sword.
“It seems like you are completely out of your mind.”
Naturally, Lucy had expected Yoon Si-woo to react that way.
“Then how about this, Si-woo? If you defeat this ti—”
Thus, Lucy threw out the bait toward Yoon Si-woo.
“—I will tell you how to bring back that girl.”
It was bait he could never resist.
“…What?”
The mont he heard Lucy’s words, light returned to Yoon Si-woo’s previously lifeless eyes.
He stared at Lucy as if he couldn’t believe what he had just heard, as if he had received a malicious joke.
“…What did you just say?”
Lucy t Yoon Si-woo’s sharp glare.
Seeing the revived light in his eyes, she chuckled softly and replied.
“I said that if you defeat , I will tell you how to bring that girl back. Did you not hear ?”
“…If you were just joking, then even if you are Lucy, I won’t forgive you.”
“I have never lied to you. From the beginning, you should know whether I am telling the truth or lying. Or have you decided to no longer believe in the flawed truth because you were fooled by that witch’s trick?”
As Lucy spoke, a pure white dagger suddenly appeared before Yoon Si-woo.
He had shouted that it was [false] several tis at the Truth of the Holy Sword in disbelief, but it didn’t matter—he dismissed it and returned it to the sheath, watching Lucy in silence.
According to Lucy’s words, she had not spoken falsehoods.
She had no reason to do so.
Which ant…
“…You really do know how to bring back Scarlet?”
It implied that she indeed knew how to resurrect Scarlet.
Yoon Si-woo clenched his fists tightly and spoke to Lucy.
“Then tell . Right now.”
Hope surged in the possibility of reclaiming Scarlet.
Once that hope erged, his spirit returned as if a switch had been flipped, and Lucy smiled joyfully and responded.
“I said it, didn’t I? If you defeat , I’ll tell you how.”
“…If I can’t win, you won’t tell ?”
“Of course. I have expressed my desire for you to beco stronger than anyone else. Without exception.”
Now that all the witches, except for her, were gone, Yoon Si-woo had co closer to becoming the strongest.
But he was still not the strongest.
Because there remained a witch here who could match him.
This would be the final test as her disciple.
“Now, defeat and seize what you wish for: both the thod and supremacy.”
At those words, Yoon Si-woo charged toward the last remaining witch in this world.
The arrogant witch, Lucifel.
Reviews
All reviews (0)