166 [Tears of Heaven]

 

—Humans are really powerless. Even if one is the reincarnation of the great sage, so long as one remains human, escape from the laws of the universe is impossible. There is no fleeing from this prison called atmosphere.

「This… this is…!」

It came back.

Thanks to Koe-san, I managed to hold on to a sliver of thought. And in that same instant, a Skill that had long been away from me returned—repayment made at last, with over six years of interest.

Commencing repayment process. Skill: [Forest’s Cool Breath] Debtor: Nemo

 [Forest’s Cool Breath] has evolved into [Eden Without Serpents].

Debtor Nemo’s total skill point balance has reached the minimum limit of -999,999,999. No further recoverable points at this time.

Due to debtor status, automatic seizure of remaining balance is not possible.

 

「…[Eden Without Serpents], activate. So that’s what you meant, Master.」

[Forest’s Cool Breath]—a Skill to aid with breathing. I had lent it to my master, whose lungs were failing.

Its return could only mean one thing: that he had, of his own will, acknowledged defeat—and chosen death.

—Oh? You’re standing. What just happened, reincarnation of the sage?

The Skill [Eden Without Serpents].

It creates a field that mitigates environmental hazards to human life—cold, heat, poison, humidity, oxygen deprivation. Like the paradise of old legends, where humans lived unclothed, sustained only by fruits of the forest.

Bathed in warm air, my companions began breathing normally once more. All that remained was to bring down the wolf before us.

「[Divine Blade/Three Moon Sword], activate. Parallel thought mode, begin. Koe-san, I’m counting on you.」

Consciousness shift to Protected Domain complete. Ignoring cerebral load. Restrictions lifted.

—Too slow. Too fragile. Don’t think even a split-second is yours.

「Then I’ll be the speed. That’s why I’m here!」

「And Geli’ll be the toughness! Papa, time to redeem yourself!」

The golden wolf sank its fangs into the pure-white wolf, while chains of white porcelain wrapped around its limbs. The attacks weren’t fatal—but the moment they created was priceless.

—A Werewolf, I see… that technique of yours is that one from back then…!

「[Universal Palm] [Space Jump], full power. You’re coming with me.」

I triggered coordinate-shift at maximum output.

With everyone in tow, we leapt from the deepest depths of the dungeon to the surface in one go. From bitter frost to a temperate summer night.

The destination: high above the Leon Enagoris mountain range. The very sky over The Vigil’s End. Beneath our feet swirled a black cloud of mana lit by flashes of lightning. Overhead, the stars blanketed the heavens.

This was to be the final battleground.

—Change the venue all you like. It changes nothing. A meaningless delay.

「No, I brought you here so I could hit you. If you want to know where all my energy was directed—look to the sky.」

The sun was long gone, and the moon now ruled the heavens. Stars twinkled across the night sky—and it didn’t take long for the ‘King’ to notice something was off.

—The number of stars… it’s increasing?

The stars in the sky multiplied.

One by one, new points of light appeared across what should have been a fixed, unchanging night sky. First scattered, then surging in waves. Soon the entire sky shimmered with new silver lights—hundreds, thousands, still growing in number.

「Far above us lies the sea of stars—filled with floating objects. Among them, the ice I sent up long ago… Ice that doesn’t melt even in a thousand years. Now, what do you think happens when I call them all down?」

Chunks of Vritra’s frozen flesh. Stored in egg-like glaciers used as vaults, followed by a rain of countless boulders.

Those objects, suspended in the stellar sea, do not fall right away. The balance of centrifugal force and gravity keeps them there. But if I use [Space Jump] to slightly displace them—

That equilibrium shatters. And the objects begin plummeting to the ground with devastating speed.

The force granted by the stars is immense. With mass measured in terrifying magnitudes, the frozen titans fall like a storm. The destructive impact surpasses all weapons, all skills, all spells. No form can withstand it.

「Shizuku-chan! Keep it from intercepting!」

「Let it be in time…!」

—Do not underestimate me, Sage. I will shoot them all down—wait, my body…!?

Just as the ‘King’ began to intercept, its body froze.

It was less than a blink, an instant. But in this battle, it was an eternity.

And it wasn’t me who created that moment. Nor Shizuku or Angelina.

It was a single Elf, hair shimmering gold-green in the moonlight, standing on the ground and gazing skyward.

「…I wonder if the Narshe army thought it odd. That among those who fled in all directions, one Elf fool ran east, into the monster horde. I just wanted to see if I could do something helpful. Never thought I’d get to hog such a sweet spot.」

She raised a hand toward the sky, activating with full force the elven Endemic Skill.

「 [Unfading Fear]. If it’s an ice monster, that means it has water in it, doesn’t it?」

Water is essential to all living things, humans included. Yet drink too much, and one suffers water intoxication—possibly even death. As long as one is alive, there is no escape from [Unfading Fear]. Even a being as powerful as the ‘King’ is not immune.

「Now, let it fall.」

There was no time left to intercept. No time to dodge.

If we were to name this phenomenon—

「[Tears of Heaven].」

Each descending object, heated by the friction of descent, melted ever so slightly. They became blazing spheres trailing comet tails, plummeting toward the ‘King’ at supersonic speed.

At the moment of certain impact, the pure-white wolf—smiled.

—You haven’t changed, Sage. You are always weaker in power, yet always find new ways to surprise me.

—In honor of your unwavering strength… and unchanging friendship… I shall unlock a key.

「Kh…ah…!」

「Koe-san!?」

In my arms, Koe-san clutched her head in agony. I feared she’d been attacked—but that didn’t seem to be the case.

「It’s okay… Something’s entering my mind… No—something that’s been here all along…?」

「‘King’… what is this?」

—Farewell, my friend. I pray that fortune smiles upon the battle you shall one day face…

No answer came to my question.

The white wolf’s figure disappeared—into the falling stars.