Chapter 124: That Lightning Pierces Through Hope

"Ouma!?" I shouted.

Ouma was torn open, his body thrown like a ragdoll into the distance.

The idiot had shoved me out of the way to take the blow. Now he was rolling away, a strangely satisfied look on his face. And I...

"H-How... anti-climactic. Oh well, I'll deal with you later."

The thing’s voice echoed with a hollow lack of interest. It turned back toward me; it had no face, but it manifested a mouth and used its hand to pull its features into a sickeningly bright smile. I have to think. I have to heal Ouma right now, or he’s dead.

Losing someone else... I couldn't handle that.

But panicking in this situation was a death sentence. Ouma had traded his life for mine; I had to use that chance to kill this thing.

"Hey. Tell me something," I said, my voice flat. "Is it fun for you? Killing?"

"Is it? Of course it is! Because it becomes my strength!"

"I see. Then you die here. I'm saving Ouma, and I'm killing you. So just drop dead."

I took a single breath.

I funneled my mana into the others to the absolute limit, connecting to their [Scripture].

"O God-slaying Moon Wolf, devour the authority of the moon. O Saint of the Dead Eyes, shroud yourself in death and curse all life."

A two-verse declaration. I poured my power into their [Scripture] to pull out their true potential.

"[Origin Burst]: [Mode Ragnarok] and [Tod Heilige]!"

I granted instant death resistance to Ouma and the rest of the group. It was a gamble on the slim hope that he was still alive, and a way to ensure he wouldn't have to suffer anymore.

A moon rose behind Luna’s back as frost clung to her limbs. Balor's hair grew longer, more horns sprouted from her head, and her eyes split into two distinct colors. [Hatou] and [Dead Eye]—two powers that shouldn't exist together—dwelled in her sockets, while the [Eye of Deathly Destruction] manifested in the sky above.

Their innate divinity surfaced. Everything in the vicinity simply died. The surrounding flora withered instantly. The monster’s body crumbled and shattered over and over again. If I hadn't given the others resistance, we’d all be corpses right now.

"What is that? I want it! Give it to me! If I eat you, I can do that too, right!?"

"What comes next is a massacre," I told it. "I’m going to kill you until you stay dead."

"That sounds great. Sounds fun—ghh!"

The thing died again instantly. Luna froze it and shattered it into pieces, but it just kept regenerating, spewing flames as it lunged at us again.

"Ahaha! Let's play, [Hero]!"

"Shut up. Seriously."

Chanting spells was a bad move. I had no openings, and the [Origin Burst] was eating all my mana. Besides, if I wanted to kill this thing for good, I needed a clean hit.

"Just die. Right now."

I watched the scene through the haze of my fading consciousness.

My mana was gutted. I couldn't move a muscle—more than that, I knew that if I tried, I'd die. I didn't have the strength left to resist. Seeing my enemy right in front of me and being unable to do anything was bitter.

To think I'd actually shield someone... Pathetic. It's almost funny.

My body felt cold. Reima's magic was keeping me alive, but that just made it more frustrating.

But why? Why did I move to protect him without thinking? I'd thrown away my shot at revenge, yet I felt... satisfied. The view before me was somehow beautiful. I even felt a strange sense of longing.

Ah, I get it now. He's the Hero I was dreaming of.

A [Hero] who supports his friends, faces down impossible odds with them, and overcomes everything in his path. I'd felt a disconnect when I first heard Shakra's stories about him. But now, I was sure.

I had always longed for a [Hero] like him.

He was going to win. I was certain of it. We’d only known each other a short time, but that was why I'd been able to trust him.

I wondered what Shakra felt when she died. No, I knew—it was anxiety. The worry of leaving Reima all alone.

The moon wolf slaughtered the enemy, and the [Head-hunting Bat] tore it apart, forcing instant-death status onto it. I wasn't part of that picture anymore. I knew they’d win, but... was that enough?

No. Like hell it is. I'm just going to dump it all on him? Just watch him win?

Don't screw with me. That’s leaning on him too hard.

Move. Move, damn it. Just for a second. Let me make one opening for him.

Lend me your strength—[Indra]!

"Leave it to me, boy. I'll shoulder the burden!"

"[Origin Burst]: [Indra's Vritrahan]!"

The voice belonged to Ouma. I looked over and saw him standing there, wounds closed, wreathed in more mana than I'd ever seen from him.

"[Vajra]!"

Primal lightning slammed into the faceless monster. The strike evaporated most of its mass and, from the look of it, even scorched its soul. Ouma, looking fully recovered, stepped up beside me.

"Hey, Reima. What's with the face? You look like you're about to cry. Seriously, what the hell is wrong with you?"

"You're alive?"

"Something like that. Anyway, you've got a plan, right? Let's finish this."

"God, you're selfish. Balor, use [Yadorigi]!"

"Yes, Lord Reima!"

The faceless thing was still struggling to reform; its regeneration couldn't keep up with that last blast. This was our only window.

"At the lowest part of the [Nine Worlds] lies the [Garden of the Dead]. To the innocent who knows not the end of life, I grant the blessing of the mistletoe—this is the single arrow of the immortal-slaying prayer."

A bow appeared in Balor's hand. She fired as the chant ended, planting death into our enemy.

"What... did you... do!?"

"Who knows? Figure it out yourself," I muttered.

The move dealt no damage, but the monster flew into a rage. It lunged at us, only to be intercepted by Luna and Camazotz. Once it was frozen, hacked apart, and its movements were completely stopped...

"Sync up, Ouma. We're going."

"Got it. We're ending this in one shot, right?"

He grinned. I put everything I had into this final strike.

"The [Hero] who protects the paradise smashes the Frost Giants. My divine majesty that grasps the myriad thunders—sing its praises and pass it down. This is indeed the [Thunder God's Hammer] that grants the end!"

"I am the usurper who murdered the seasons. I bring the blessing of water to the foolish masses. My name is the one that pierced the dragon—[Black Dragon Slaying Vritrahan]!"

I merged the magic. Our lightning was fired simultaneously, blending together into a single cataclysmic discharge.

"[Howling Alma]—"

"[Shibalvajra]!"

It was the silver lightning hammer that kills giants. Our attack swallowed the opponent whole, annihilating [Demi Nyarla] without leaving even a single fragment behind.