Chapter 86: Hero, Rest in Peace

“What is this?”

“Don’t touch it. You might shatter your body.”

In its current state, even I can’t handle the fragments of Pector’s sword carelessly.

So, for now, I’m planning to fuse it with the pure mana Noelle is sending.

“Don’t tell me… is that Pector’s thing?”

“Yeah, it’s that.”

“And what are you planning to do with it? I get that it’s more useful to us than the holy sword right now, but if you misuse it, we could both die here without anyone knowing.”

‘That’s true. We’d be reduced to dust.’

“Pour your mana into my mana sword. I’ll extract just the attribute from Pector’s sword and embed it.”
“What kind of insane idea is that? I understand you’re using a demon’s power to wield Pector’s sword, but what are you trying to do with my mana?”

‘Why think so hard about it?’

“What am I going to do? The answer is simple.”

“Fusion.”

“Are you insane? What are you trying to turn yourself into?”

‘Who knows? I don’t either. But whatever I become, it’s better than dying to that thing right now.’

“I’ve done this before with Zerato, so there’s no problem.”

“I’ve done it before. I can’t use my mana freely right now, so I’m going to use yours.”

‘It’s similar to what I did with Zerato.’

‘By imbuing this, I’ll suppress my demonic energy with Noelle’s mana. Back then, I could use mana as much as I wanted. This time, since I can’t, I need to rely on Noelle’s mana as a source while using sword magic.’

“If we do it, what about the time it takes to hold out?”

“Hold out? Is that even necessary?”

“We’ll have to fight while doing it, won’t we?”

“You’re insane. Wait, you’re not even a man anymore. You’re insane, woman! Are you saying we should fight that thing while pouring mana into it? Didn’t you say it seems stronger than Pector? And you’re going to fight it with your half-dead body?”

“That’s why I’m telling you to pour your mana into me—before I completely succumb to despair and demonic energy.”

“Just cling to my arm. I’ll hold out somehow.”

“So that’s why you showed me that form earlier.”

“Of course.”

“If you don’t do it right, we might end up with one more enemy here.”

‘It needs careful control, that’s for sure.’

“You really know how to make becoming one of the Four Generals sound horrifying.”

“Don’t worry. As long as you do your part, there won’t be any issues.”

‘If I stick to using magic bullets, it should work. I just have to aim carefully and hit all at once.’

“Shall we start?”

***

Before Eldakrad could approach, I formed a sword with sword magic in my right hand and embedded the fragment of Pector’s despairing sword into it.

Crack!

The pure blue sword began to darken as Pector’s sword melted into it, turning it black.

“Wow, I’m speechless. That vibrant blue turned pitch black.”

“Shut up and just pour your mana.”

Noelle clung to my mana sword and began channeling mana.

A stiff sensation spread through my body, and my right arm started to tingle.

Noelle’s mana began suppressing the despair and demonic energy within me.

This required extremely delicate control.

I fixed my right arm in place and began forming magic bullets with my left hand.

Eldakrad was charging toward us.

Unlike earlier, I could see it clearly now.

Eldakrad wouldn’t last long either.

No one could control someone of his stature for extended periods.

“Grrroooaaaarrr.”

The undead let out a sound.

‘Is it starting to break free of the dark mage’s control?’

I merged three or four magic bullets into one and fired.

Bang! Crackle!

Eldakrad’s body halted mid-charge. It wasn’t over yet.

I couldn’t finish it here.

I created another magic bullet.

Using minimal mana, I maximized its power to enhance its penetration.

“You’re managing your mana impressively in this situation.”

“I’m a mage. I should at least know how to operate my hands independently.”

“It’s charging again!”

I fired another magic bullet.

Bang!

This time, the impact seemed stronger, leaving it stunned for longer.

“How long do you think it’s been?”

‘Not sure.’

My right arm was gradually becoming accustomed to the process.

The mana sword, which had turned black, began shifting to a purple hue.

The ominous energy emanating from it closely resembled Pector’s.

‘This should be usable now.’

“Yeah, it’s almost ready. We’re good.”

“Wow, fusing the power of one of the Four Generals with your mana. You’re insane, brother. You even absorbed some of my mana.”

‘Life’s like that. If I were normal, I wouldn’t be doing this kind of crazy thing.’

I prioritized efficiency.

I didn’t enjoy throwing myself into an unwinnable fight.

Smashing a boulder with an egg was impossible.

But if I could turn the egg into a massive boulder instead, I’d find a way to maximize that power.

And so, the mana sword was complete.

Pector always lacked flexibility.

He’ll be shocked when he sees me later.

He’ll realize I’ve simplified his unwieldy techniques with sword magic.

“Time to bring down Ashtar’s hero.”

***

“Let’s finish this in one strike.”

I was getting tired of using magic bullets.

Eldakrad, despite enduring the attacks, started walking toward us.

It was time to gamble.

Fighting was inevitable.

Zap!

My sword clashed violently with Pector’s sword.

This time, it was different.

After all, it was just a dead man wielding it.

Crash!

Using Pector’s authority, I slashed through Eldakrad.

“What? It’s not breaking?”

‘Still as clueless as ever, little sister.’

This is why I couldn’t stand living at home and ran away.

Eldakrad was finished.

As proof, the demonic energy surrounding Eldakrad was gradually fading.

“Take a closer look.”

“The mana is disappearing?”

The demonic energy was dissipating, and so was the mana.

Eldakrad was not among the living but the dead.

Controlled by the mana of the dark mage, all that needed to be done was to reduce the demonic energy to dust.

The remnants of the destroyed demonic energy within Eldakrad turned into particles and scattered into the air.

“Pector is known as the Despair of Pector for a reason. Everything it touches turns to dust.”

I realized this during the previous battle.

Pector’s authority is far stronger than I had imagined.

And they gave me a weapon imbued with that authority.

“Even the mana?”

“That’s not mana—it’s demonic energy. And yes, even demonic energy can be reduced to dust.”

Techniques to revive corpses vary, but Eldakrad was raised through dark magic.

If the demonic energy was removed, the forcibly extracted mana within his corpse would also gradually vanish.

“How does that even work?”

“I don’t know. The only thing I’m certain of is that it reduces the very concept itself to dust. Whatever the wielder desires. That’s why you’re still alive even though you’re standing near this sword.”

Each of the Four Generals possesses an authority.

They say it’s granted by the Demon King, though I don’t know how.

“So you’re saying this is the Despair of Olivia.”

“Do you want to get smashed to pieces?”

‘Why was I being treated like one of the Four Generals?’

***

“Grrraaahhh!”

Noelle had poured enough mana into the sword.

With this, I could keep fighting for quite a while longer.

I had to defeat Eldakrad quickly and find the dark mage.

Now that the demonic energy was gone, Eldakrad’s strength had also diminished.

“Graaahh!”

“Now’s our chance! Go for the chest!” shouted Noelle.

“Got it!”

Thunk!

The mana sword pierced the crushed solar plexus, going in easier than expected.

The dark mage’s handiwork was evident in its resistance.

“Grrr… Graaaahhhh!”

As expected, Pector’s sword lived up to its reputation.

The performance was outstanding.

I really hoped this tedious fight would end soon.

“Even if the essence is different, you are still a descendant of Ashtar. May you now rest in peace.”

“Graaahhh!”

Eldakrad knocked both Noelle and me away from his chest.

He staggered for a while before finally losing strength in his legs.

Thud!

Eldakrad collapsed.

“Did we finish it?”

So I thought—until the shadow of a woman appeared in front of us.

She was dressed like a saint, with silver hair.

However, her nun’s habit lacked any cross emblem or necklace.

A fallen saint who had abandoned her faith in the goddess.

The Fallen Saint, Berna.

“I felt an unpleasant energy, and here I find that Ashtar, not Pector, possesses such power.”

‘Something felt strange.’

‘If she had entered the sanctuary, she must be at least on the level of the Four Generals.’

With her here, the situation had just gotten more complicated.

Her actions always reeked of ill intent.

Berna, the woman who wields the authority of corruption.

A being that exploits people’s weaknesses and drives them to ruin.

But now…

Now, I had a chance to be a little insufferable myself.

“This is a gift from your comrade to me,” I said, shaking the mana sword imbued with Pector’s power.

Berna’s face twisted with disdain.

“That one is of no use to the Demon King or us. Are you perhaps in a romantic relationship with Pector?”

‘Me? With that? Are you out of your mind? I’d rather remain single for life than marry one of the Demon King’s Four Generals.’

“Surely not, brother.”

Noelle looked at me with suspicious eyes.

“It’s not like that! Why would I? Why would I have such a relationship with one of the Demon King’s generals? Stop saying nonsense and prepare to break up with your hero boyfriend instead.”

‘Me dating Pector?’ The thought alone was absurd enough to make the heavens laugh.

“If you were lovers, I would have reconsidered. But to stab our lord with a blade like that… There’s no reason to let you live now.”

‘Who brought this to such a state in the first place?’

“Honestly, this feels like desecrating the dead. Maybe I should pluck out your hair and make a new deity with it, just like you made your granddaughter kill her grandfather.”

There was no turning back now.

Berna had to be dealt with.

“How insolent! I’ll make you just like our lord. You’d look great together under my care.”

An ominous concentration of demonic energy began to form around Berna.

She still had this much power left?

“Are you provoking her when we’re not even in any condition to fight further?” Noelle asked in disbelief.

“What else should I do? Kneel and beg for forgiveness?”

Noelle sighed.

“There’s no way I’ll ever kneel to the Demon King’s army,” I said firmly.

“Prepare yourself! Uh?”

Berna’s right hand, which had been raised to unleash dark magic, suddenly froze.

“Brother, something’s wrong with her!”

“Perfect timing.”

Bang!

I fired a magic bullet at her chest, hitting her squarely.

Berna froze for a moment, then staggered backward.

“Ugh! Even in that state, you dare! Mark my words—I’ll return for you!”

Berna muttered something incomprehensible toward Eldakrad before glaring at us and disappearing.

‘Damn it, I hesitated. I should’ve captured her.’

Noelle seemed to have used some magic.

“What just happened?”

“Brother, did you use a binding spell?”

“I didn’t. I thought you did.”

Apparently, it wasn’t Noelle either.

“Then who stopped her?”

“I don’t know.”

Clang.

A chilling sound drew my attention.

Eldakrad, who had collapsed earlier, was rising again.

As I looked closer, a piece of Berna’s robe was caught under his foot.

‘Could it be? Was she stopped because her clothes got stuck?’

“Damn it! That wretch escaped, but why is Eldakrad…”

“Wait, brother. I don’t sense any hostility.”

Eldakrad approached us slowly, but with an overwhelming presence.

“Brother!?”

Eldakrad placed his hand on my head.

At that moment, a flood of memories poured into my mind.

They were Eldakrad’s memories.