Kyleen remembers the content of the “Carlos Biography,” which she enjoyed reading since his childhood.
It is the story of a great warrior who, ironically, could not die because he fought by sacrificing his life.
He was not strong from the beginning. He grew stronger every time he overcame the life-and-death challenges in the battlefield.
The reason Kyleen was willing to sacrifice her life for the emperor was because she wanted to be like Carlos.
She wanted to be recognized by the descendants of the great warrior, to stand by his side.
Kyleen did not stop and continued to strive forward.
However, in the face of Drak’s powers and Aishi’s seal, she was tragically defeated.
Carlos was invincible, but she was defeated in vain.
Suddenly, Kyleen thought.
If it had been Carlos in the same situation, could he have overcome it?
Without any power, if thrown into a lion’s den with nothing but his bare body, could he have survived?
The answer was shown by the figure of Kan in front of her.
“Hahaha! You’re ticklish! Where is that swordsmanship from Sky Island?”
Drak’s punch shattered Kan’s skull. Fragments scattered in all directions like debris.
However, the fragments soon began to creak and move. Broken bones sought each other out and reconnected, while displaced joints settled back into place, reforming into one solid body.
Kan rose again. Cold energy flowed from the empty eye sockets.
He did not stop. Kan, having reclaimed his shattered body, once again charged at Drak.
The sword, forged from gold, scraped Drak’s skin, and a small amount of blood flowed from the wound.
The wound was not deep, but the endless series of attacks slowly chipped away at Drak’s composure.
Cracks began to appear on Drak’s iron-like skin. Once, twice, ten times. And then a hundred.
Kan shattered again, but he rose once more.
The process repeated continuously, so much so that the passage of sealed time felt vivid.
Drak looked down at the scattered bone fragments and sighed in irritation.
But even that brief moment of respite was not allowed. The bones began to reconnect once again.
This time, with faster and more mechanical movements, they seemed to merge together as if by their own will.
Kan was completed once more, unwavering. And once again, he raised his sword high and charged at Drak.
Swish.
This time, the sword grazed Drak’s side, leaving a clear wound. Although the wound was not deep, the accumulated pain showed in his ragged breathing.
Drak swung his fist again, splitting Kan in two mid-air. Yet, it was useless once again.
The broken bones instantly returned to their original positions. Kan did not stop moving. This time, he dove towards Drak’s legs.
The solid sword scraped against Drak’s steel-like thigh, leaving a shallow wound.
Drak’s face twisted. It was not the pain, but the growing fatigue from the never-ending battle.
As time passed, Drak’s movements grew slower.
His attacks were still powerful, but Kan’s relentless perseverance was wearing down not only Drak’s body but also his mind.
Drak absentmindedly stopped his fist and looked at Kan. Again and again, no matter how many times he was broken, no matter how many times he scattered like dust, Kan came back.
“…!”
Seizing that gap, Kan’s sword grazed Drak’s shoulder. This time, it was a little deeper. Drak stepped back.
His footsteps left marks on the ground. Kan did not stop. He charged without giving him a chance.
Kan’s sword continued to scrape Drak’s arms, waist, and legs, creating more small wounds.
For the first time, Drak turned his head. His face no longer held the mocking grin but an unreadable scowl.
The strength drained from his hand, and he no longer raised his fist. Instead, he just stared at Kan.
He stared at the reflection of himself in the solid skull, and at the fear that was approaching him.
Kan still did not stop. The empty eye sockets of the resurrected skull glowed with an endless murderous intent.
“A-Aishi!”
Drak was the first to stop attacking and turn around.
There stood Aishi, staring at Kan with eyes full of disbelief, her mouth wide open.
“What are you standing there for? Use your powers and do something!”
“As I mentioned on the airship, I can’t stop the undead resurrection with my powers!”
“Can’t you at least lessen the pain? Seal that bone’s numbness now!”
Aishi trembled and shook her head.
“Th-That creature is already in a state of pain. If the will is broken in the endless suffering, the resurrection will stop, but… continuing to revive like this means…”
Drak suddenly held his breath. It was not just because of Aishi’s words.
The sharp sensation transmitted from behind. Somehow, Kan had burrowed behind him.
Then, the sharp metal pierced his side.
This time, it wasn’t a mere shallow scratch. Kan’s sword pierced through muscles and organs, embedding deeply inside him.
“Gkh!”
A suppressed groan escaped from Drak’s mouth. He tried with all his might to resist kneeling, but his legs began to tremble.
His blood dripped down Kan’s sword, splattering in drops.
Kan did not shake his hand that held the sword. The blade embedded in Drak’s side silently pressed against his organs, vividly intensifying the pain.
Drak turned his head, trying to glare at Kan, but the murderous intent pouring from the empty skull’s eye sockets froze his body instinctively.
That murderous intent was cold and numb, yet it was filled with deep hatred and endless endurance.
Kan did not move. He simply stood there, watching Drak sway, still holding the sword.
His gaze was like a silent pressure, as if savoring Drak’s resistance and pain.
Finally, fear clearly spread across Drak’s eyes for the first time.
Kan did not miss that moment.
“You…”
His skull tilted slightly.
There was no expression on his empty face, but the foul energy emanating from within was clearly a smile.
“It seems to hurt.”
Kan was keeping his promise to make Drak suffer for as long as he was weak.
Fear rapidly took control of Drak’s consciousness.
The cold murderous intent that seeped deep into his bones pressed down on his body, and in that moment, his feet instinctively retreated.
“A-Aishi!”
Drak shouted in anger. His voice was filled with fear rather than fury.
“Release the seal right now! Why are you trapping me too, you foolish girl! If this goes on, we’ll both die!”
Aishi stepped back a step. Her eyes were still fixed on Kan, but they were filled with hesitation.
“Dr-Drak-sama… If I release the seal, he…!”
“Shut up!”
Drak shouted. His voice trembled, but there was a sense of desperation in that tremble.
“Release it now! If we want to capture this damn skeleton, we need to get out of here first!”
However, Aishi showed no sign of moving. Her lips trembled slightly, but in her hesitation, she took no action.
It was because of Beal’s orders.
From the beginning, it had been strange that Kyleen appeared earlier than scheduled.
Then, with Kan interfering and overwhelming Drak, this situation was completely unplanned.
“Do you think you can survive? Honestly?”
Kan’s voice was low and cold. It sounded like an echo from the afterlife.
The moment Drak tried to escape, Kan’s sword pierced his ankle.
Drak screamed in pain as he knelt. His hand pressed to the ground, gripping his bleeding ankle, but Kan hesitated not at all.
He slowly stood before Drak. The empty eye sockets of his skull gazed down at Drak’s miserable form.
“As a knight, I swear I will torment you just enough so that you won’t die. You’ll beg me to kill you instead.”
“Hi-Hiik!”
At the moment Kan swung his sword once again to fulfill the knight’s oath, Drak’s massive body was neatly cleaved in two.
With his fingertips, Kan felt a different sensation than before. The meaning was clear.
Aishi’s seal had been broken.
She was trembling all over as she knelt before Kan. From below, something was spreading across the dirt floor, visible clearly to Kan.
“I-I misjudged my opponent. I-I thought that as long as I sealed him, he would just be an ordinary skeleton… I had an arrogant thought. I-I’m sorry. The seal has been released, so please, spare me… sniff.”
The magic circle, which had been glowing brightly from all directions, began to lose its light. At the same time, strength and magical energy returned to Kan’s body.
Kan slowly glanced at the dying Rupia and the horribly crushed Rain, before shifting his gaze to Aishi.
Then he nodded.