Shizuku succeeded in restraining the God with Akane’s cooperation, but her own condition was far from perfect. The physical and mental wounds sustained in the process would not easily heal. It was only natural. As Ul had said, she needed rest and treatment. If only she could, she should rest immediately.
However, of course, that was impossible right now. The God who would destroy the World, an enemy to all humanity from the outside World, had revived. And it intended to destroy everything. Therefore, something had to be done. She was driven by such an impulse and sense of mission.
But no matter how motivated by a sense of mission or driven by fear, there were limits. Her body, reeling in the silver threads, trembled. The threads dug into her fingertips, drawing blood. This was proof that the God was attempting to seize control of the power wielded by Shizuku and Akane. Because the threads themselves were filled with a power that could destroy even a god, immediate control was not achieved, but still, she felt the restraint loosening against her will.
“Moon God! Please hold on!”
Though encouraged and receiving healing and support from the True Persons, her body still wouldn’t move properly. She understood. Her body wasn’t failing because of her injuries. It wasn’t a physical problem. Facing a monster capable of creating an entire World, she no longer had the mental strength to even attempt to deal with it.
As if sensing her despair, a lightning arrow pierced the barrier and was fired towards Shizuku.
“Snap out of it!!!”
Yuri cut through it and repelled it. Yuri, even more battered than Shizuku, glared at Shizuku with far more determined eyes.
“Yuri, ma’am.”
“You are more than this!!”
It was a harsh but encouraging shout. And it was also trust. Though it had been a short time, they had worked together, fought against each other, and vied for their lives and the World. A unique trust had been built between them through their shared path.
More than this. It was impossible to be anything less. Her words held such an anger.
“I…”
“I acknowledge that you have suffered greatly!! But lament later!!”
Lightning was unleashed again, and Yuri cut through it while the True Persons repaired the barrier. However, the God’s power was still overwhelming and immense. Fragments of power that slipped through further wounded Yuri and the others. But still, she did not retreat from Shizuku.
“If you leave that be, then the things you truly wanted to protect will vanish!!!”
What she truly wanted to protect. The thought that such things no longer existed almost escaped her lips. But that was not true. She still had something to protect.
There was the sanctuary she had built with her companions.
This sanctuary was now actively and wisely working to save the people and warriors who had been left behind outside of Babel. But even that would vanish if she couldn’t defeat the God before her. Even when she wished for her own life to disappear, this warm place, the one place she wanted to protect, would be destroyed.
“—Ugh, ah…!”
A sliver of strength returned to her fading body. Her dulled and rusted talent flickered back to life, however slightly. With that power, Shizuku called out to all the silver threads still under her control and cried out.
“Silver threads!”
The next moment, the unraveling, collapsing silver threads bound together, completely restraining the God.
“Alright!”
Yuri leaped onto the bound silver threads and sprinted forward. She knew this restraint wouldn’t last long. She had encouraged Shizuku, but it was clear she was truly at her absolute limit. Therefore, she had no intention of wasting time. Yuri swiftly approached the God, raised her sword, and unleashed a strike meant to sever everything.
“【Final Sever—!?】”
However, the next moment, her “arm” dissolved and vanished. Yuri’s eyes widened, and then she understood. The bell-like sound echoing in her ears resembled the sound of the dispelling power of the Heaven Fist. It was a type of erasure magic, repelling the force that sustained Yuri’s arm. Had it surpassed the erasure output with its gray flame that “ruined” all power? But regardless of the logic, the fact was her attack had been nullified. If, as the being said, it was the creator related to the Ark, it was possible it could surpass all their preparations.
“Damn—”
The God’s gaze shone through the gaps in the silver thread’s restraint. Was it an Evil Eye, some other Magic, or divine authority? Anything was possible. The being before her, a creator who had absorbed the power of two gods, could do almost anything. She would undoubtedly be killed by any means. Yuri gritted her teeth in anticipation of the impact—
“【Rage!】 Wha!?”
Ul leaped sideways, deflecting the attack. But perhaps due to the backlash, Ul’s arm, which had wielded his spear, bent, and he collapsed before Yuri. Yet, the God’s power still did not cease. There was no reason for it to stop. It grew even brighter.
“You’re doing whatever you please…!”
But she had fulfilled her role. Yuri grabbed Ul and sprang sideways as if exploding. Though no signal had been given, she understood the presence of someone following behind her. No matter how much he denied it, he was Yuri’s one and only sword master.
“【Magic Severance】”
Zain’s strike bisected the God, who was bound by silver threads.
Ul, writhing in agony and falling to the ground with Yuri thanks to the silver threads, witnessed Zain’s strike. Even amidst such a chaotic battlefield, it was a silent slash that made him almost forget everything. Zain’s strike had definitely connected. He was sure of it. But…
“…Do you think it’s defeated?”
“No.”
Yuri’s immediate reply was as if stating the obvious.
“A twisted savior who was supposed to save everyone is not easily dealt with.”
“They were in a really tough situation, huh…”
He managed to stand up, enveloping his wounds and broken arm in gray flames. Facing the crumbling body of the God, Zain remained in his sword-wielding posture without losing his balance. And just as Ul was about to ask if he was alright—
“Old man!”
He swayed and collapsed. Ul thought his limit had been reached, but it was different.
“What…–”
His body was pierced by a blade. More accurately, the surrounding reddish-black flesh ground deformed, becoming like a blade and piercing Zain’s body. Unable to comprehend, but unable to ignore it, Ul quickly cut and severed the blade-like branches.
“What…!?”
As he thought of healing him, further changes occurred. The ground shook violently. And then, “an existence that had been there all along but had been outside of consciousness” began to move.
“This is.”
The Waste Hole. The origin of all the defilement of the World, a giant, bizarre eye blinked. But this was not its original movement of discarding malignant emotions. Flesh walls writhed and rose from the surrounding ground, forming a shape.
“I did say this was my World, didn’t I?”
The head, which had the same shape as the creator that had existed until a moment ago, looked down at them.
