Editor : Amethyst00



Clank— Clank—

On the walls of Godthrone Fortress.

Kyle drew his sword as he looked out at the endless horde of the dead approaching from the dIshtarnce.

"K-Kyle… shouldn't we run away while we still can?"

Hiding behind Kyle, Aaron asked with a trembling voice.

"Don't be foolish, Aaron."

Dweno, with his massive battle axe slung over his shoulder, sighed and stood beside Kyle.

"Where exactly do you think we could run to?"

"Ugh…"

Aaron groaned in response.

Godthrone, the last stronghold of the world.

If it falls, it means the end of the world.

There is literally nowhere to run.

Dweno let out a small sigh as he looked at the frightened beastman and turned to Kyle.

"How do you think this battle will go, Kyle?"

"I'm not sure."

Kyle narrowed his eyes as he watched the undead army stretching beyond the horizon.

"Even Godthrone might not hold this time."

Kyle's hand, clutching his sword, trembled slightly.

And it wasn't just him.

Dweno was the same.

Though they didn't show it, both of them felt fear.

This was the Lich King's Legion, known as the strongest army in Tartaros.

In this age where the world is heading toward ruin, the dead outnumber the living.

And all those corpses now belong to the Lich King's legion.

"It's been a while since I've seen those disgusting things. I really wish they'd disappear from my sight forever."

Kyle glanced back.

There, Lysinas and Luna were approaching.

"Why do you think the bag-of-bones army hasn't shown itself until now?"

Luna frowned, clearly unsettled by the appearance of the most fearsome legion after a year.

"Well, the world was already on the brink of destruction."

Lysinas narrowed her eyes.

"Even without his involvement, the world would've fallen soon. The Lich King probably enjoyed watching it all unravel."

"Then why the sudden attack?" Aaron asked tearfully.

"It's probably because of the Gluttony King's death," Lysinas replied, crossing her arms.

[The subjugation of the Gluttony King, Jörmungandr.]

An anomaly in a world already doomed.

"That shook the Lich King, huh?" Luna glared at the undead army, arms crossed.

"Hah! Let them come! I'll wipe them all out myself!"

"R-Really? So we can rely on you?" Aaron asked.

"Of course! Just leave it to me, Aaron!" Luna said boldly, thumping her chest.

"You just hold them off until I handle everything!"

"So I do have to fight…" Aaron whined.

"Get ready. The attack will start soon…" Dweno was mid-sentence when his eyes turned sharp.

And not just Dweno.

Kyle also reacted to the killing intent, unleashing his mana.

At that moment—

KWOOMMMM—!

Corpses rained down from the sky.

They weren't ordinary bones—this was black magic made from the corpses of powerful mages.

A rain of death that destroyed everything it touched.

"It's the Lich King's curse!"

"Hurry, deploy protection magic!"

The mages atop Godthrone's wall activated their magic to block the attack.

Luna also rushed to prepare a spell.

'I'm too slow!'

The powerful magic had been cast without any warning.

Though she noticed it later than Kyle, Luna completed her spell faster than his.

But even then, it was too late to block it completely.

'The wall will take damage!'

Just as Luna clenched her teeth—

FWOOSH—!

A golden flash surged across the sky.

Aaron leapt high and drew his sword.

A storm of golden aura lit up the sky.

BOOOOOOM—!

With a thunderous blast, his golden sword energy shook the earth.

And on that day—

The Lich King's magic was blocked by a single slash from Aaron, the beastman who would one day be known as a hero.

TAP—!

As Aaron landed on the ground, everyone held their breath.

He stood up, radiating overwhelming presence.

"Kyle! I was so scared!"

Aaron ran toward him with a tearful expression.

Kyle sighed as he watched Aron, who looked as though he might burst into tears, rushing towards him. He patted his friend’s back, who still hadn’t quite shed his boyish ways.

“How did you manage to think of rushing over first when you’re such a scaredy-cat?”

Luna tilted her head, amused.

Watching the scene, Dweno spoke.

"Lysinas."

"Yes?"

"Kyle said it'll be hard to hold them back this time. What do you think?"

Lysinas glanced at Kyle, then looked around.

Before they knew it, heroes defending Godthrone had gathered around them.

Hard to hold… For Kyle, that was actually an optimistic outlook.

Dweno knew that.

But he asked anyway.

Because Kyle's words carried less weight than Lysinas's.

Once mocked as a fool, Lysinas had accomplished everything she set out to do.

She had become a symbol of hope at Godthrone.

And Dweno wanted to hear a lie from that Lysinas.

"We can stop them," Lysinas said.

How much effort will it take to turn that lie into truth? she smiled bitterly inside.

"The Lich King's army is the core of Tartaros."

Lysinas climbed the wall and raised her hand.

FWOOM—!

The Flame Emperor, who burns the impure, appeared.

"If we win this battle, the scale will tip in our favor."

It wasn't a lie.

If they annihilated this nearly infinite army, Tartaros would suffer a huge blow.

The balance would shift—if only slightly.

'Even if barely noticeable.'

Still, Lysinas didn't care.

If a lie could inspire hope, she'd do anything.

"This world will not end. So believe in me and follow!"

"WOOOOAAAH!"

"The Dragon of Wisdom fights with us!"

"Godthrone will never fall!"

"Death to the vile Lich King!"

The heroes' morale soared.

They had no doubt—this wasn't the end.

RAAAAAAA—!

The legion of the dead begin their assault.

The battle for the fate of the world began.

Beastkin and dwarf warrior led the charge.

Elven mage sang spells in the rear.

A dragon summoned the Elemental Lords.

Five Elemental Lords appeared.

"Elsie."

Kyle called, and Elsie answered.

"Provide support."

['…Understood.']

Kyle headed to the front lines to stop the dead.

The Shadow Elemental just watched his retreating figure.

['Today will likely be the end.']

"It won't be."

['…']

Only the black dragon and the Elemental Lord of Darkness stood atop the wall.

Lysinas smiled gently at her, and Elsie looked on with a blank face.

['We cannot defeat the Lich King.']

"Yes, we can."

Lysinas's eyes sparkled.

Elsie saw her past self in that gaze.

Her own eyes once sparkled like that.

['How?']

"Because you're here."

['What?']

Elsie, unusually, looked confused.

"You're a special Elemental, Elsie. Shadow is just another form of me. And there is no being in this world that casts no shadow."

['So?']

"You're a Shadow Elemental. Shadows are yours to command."

['…']

"When I first learned of your existence, I wanted to form a contract with you. But I couldn't heal your wounds. Only Kyle could give you peace."

The only one who could fully draw out Elsie's power was Lysinas.

As a black dragon, she was more compatible with the dark elemental than anyone.

But Lysinas, who sought the light, was uncomfortable to Elsie, who was steeped in darkness.

So she gravitated toward Kyle, whose darkness matched her own.

"Use that power to help him."

Lysinas smiled.

"You'll find the light that shines in your darkness."

bl

"What are you doing, Althea?!"

Despite Ishtar's shout, Althea didn't move.

She just looked at Elsie with wide eyes.

'What is this?'

As a fire elemental, Althea had long served under Ishtar.

So she could sense the change in herself.

"I…"

She let go of Elsie's hand, backing away with a troubled face.

But the shadow creeping from Elsie's body slid up Althea's legs.

Startled, Althea tried to move away.

But the shadow held her in place.

"Ah…!"

Althea's eyes filled with terror.

Elsie smiled gently.

"Don't be afraid."

WHOOSH—!

The shadow engulfed Althea.

Ishtar and the other top-ranking fire elementals flinched at the sight.

"Attack!"

At Ishtar's command, the fire elementals attacked Elsie.

But Elsie simply raised her hand with a smile.

FWOOM—!

The shadow surged like a tidal wave, engulfing the fire elementals.

They were swallowed in an instant.

Only two Elemental Lord remained in the space.

Ishtar's face stiffened.

"What did you do to my subordinates?"

"They now rest within my shadow."

"What do you mean?"

"It's hard to explain in words. It would be easier to show you, wouldn't it?."

Elsie smiled and raised her hand.

FWOOSH—!

From her shadow emerged the top-ranking fire elementals, including Althea.

Ishtar's eyes widened.

'My control…?'

The elementals no longer answered to him. They too looked around in confusion.

They had suddenly gained a new master.

"What trickery is this?!"

"This is my authority of domination. I'm sorry for taking your elementals, but you tried to harm me—let's call it even."

Elsie's face turned cold.

"No! Listen to me! I am your master—Ishtar, Elemental Lord of Purification! Why would you obey the Elemental Lord of Darkness?!"

Ishtar desperately tried to reclaim control.

But he couldn't break Elsie's authority.

The top-ranking elementals looked at each other.

"Not sure what's going on."

Althea blinked.

"But it seems this lady is our new master?"

"Seems that way."

At Althea's word, one elemental nodded.

"So that means it's perfectly acceptable to legally beat the crap out of that self-obsessed narcissistic spirit?"

A savage glint lit up the fire elementals' eyes.

"This—this is rebellion! You dare attack your master?!"

"Fuck that bastard!"

"You've picked the wrong day!"

"This very moment! Like magic! My lifelong wish is fulfilled today!"

"GYAAAAAH!"

BOOM—! WHOOSH!

Ishtar, subdued by Elsie, was immediately beaten down by the flames of top-ranking elementals.

Watching the scene, Elsie widened her eyes, placed a hand to her cheek, and said with a troubled expression.

"Oh my… everyone, don't go too harsh on him."

"RAAAAAHHHH!"

The Elemental Lord of Purification, Ishtar's screams echoed across the air.