"Me??"
Kurose Akira couldn't help frowning when he heard Mira Orei's words.
How was that his fault? It was just that with two options, he could only choose one…
Ahem—
He forcibly pulled his thoughts back on track and asked, "Your Life Authority seems especially effective against this guy. Is it because he's a follower of the Goddess of Death?"
"Of course~" Mira Orei replied proudly. "Life and Death are opposites. They restrain and counterbalance each other."
"In that case, help me take him down."
Akira extended the invitation without hesitation.
"Hahaha~ I knew you'd say that~" Mira Orei giggled, clearly having anticipated this. "But once he's defeated, you'll help me break my seal."
"Me? How am I supposed to do that?" Akira asked, puzzled.
"Focus on the problem in front of you first," she replied lightly. "We'll talk about the seal afterward."
The moment her words fell, Akira noticed something—
Within the cracked section of the shell, a human face emerged.
Rodra glared at him, teeth clenched as he roared, "You deserve death! You lackey of the Goddess of Life! Your life ends today!"
As his voice thundered, black vines erupted from the shell's surface, lashing toward Akira.
"Move! Those vines are infused with death energy—if they touch you, you're in trouble!" Elina warned immediately.
She had clearly prepared for this battle.
The reason she had kept her distance—attacking the shell from afar with the Sword of Eulogy—was precisely because of these death vines.
They grew from within Rodra's body and had a limited reach, something she had been carefully controlling.
But now—
Akira stood directly atop the shell.
For the vines to reach him… was effortless.
"Death energy, huh…"
Akira twisted his body sharply, narrowly dodging the vines trying to bind him.
But he couldn't just keep evading forever.
He needed a way to deal with them.
"Can Life Authority destroy these vines?" he asked.
"Life Authority? What are you talking about?"
The reply didn't come from Mira Orei—
It came from Marle Rhine.
"Damn it—wrong channel!"
Akira's brow twitched. He had been communicating mentally with Mira, but in the urgency of battle, he hadn't had time to think clearly.
At that exact moment, Mira's voice finally echoed again:
"You can try—but I can't guarantee it."
As her words faded, a faint blue luminescence coated Akira's dragon claws.
"Life Authority!? Damn it—so Mira actually lent you even her law-based power!" Marle Rhine immediately realized what was happening.
But Akira had no time to explain.
He swung his claws—
Tearing the vines apart.
Just as he expected, the vines were shredded under the power of Life Authority, their death energy suppressed and scattered.
It made sense.
These vines only carried a trace of death energy—not nearly enough to rival the Goddess of Death herself.
"In that case…"
A cold smile spread across Akira's lips.
His claws became blades as he ripped through every vine growing across the shell.
"Damn you! Stop! Stop it right now!"
Rodra panicked instantly.
He had never imagined—
That someone could ignore death energy entirely.
This was the power bestowed upon him by the Goddess of Death—his greatest weapon!
And yet—
In front of Akira, it was nothing more than weeds.
"I'm coming for you next."
Akira snapped another vine, his grin turning feral.
Unfortunately for Rodra, his expression was hidden behind his helmet.
"…This guy…"
Watching Akira emerge completely unscathed from the death energy, Elina finally relaxed.
The moment the last vine was torn apart, she descended beside him.
"Why'd you come down?" Akira asked.
"What do you think?" Elina rolled her eyes, then sized him up.
She herself stood at a tall 176 cm—
But beside Akira's five-meter frame, she looked like a petite doll.
"…So big…"
She murmured unconsciously, her gaze drifting for a moment.
Akira didn't notice.
His focus was entirely on the shell.
After breaking through it, he saw what lay inside—
Layer upon layer of dark green crystals.
Rodra's head was hidden within them.
Compared to the shell, these crystals were even harder.
And deep within…
Something glimmered faintly.
"As long as I, Rodra, still stand—you will never succeed!" His head sneered from within the crystal layers. "The undead army will arrive soon! Your deaths are inevitable!"
Akira didn't respond.
He simply raised his fist—
And struck.
The punch, infused with Life Authority, left a deep mark—but failed to deal decisive damage.
"…Tough as hell."
Akira frowned.
"That's only natural," Elina explained immediately. "Those are Malice Crystals—formed from a special power system. You won't destroy them with ordinary means."
"…So you have a way?"
"Of course~" she smirked proudly. "Why do you think the Queen sent me? This is something only I can do."
"…?"
Akira raised a brow, intrigued. "Then go ahead."
"Step back. Time for my performance."
Smiling, Elina merged her twin blades.
In an instant, the silver Sword of Eulogy turned jet black.
She gripped it with both hands, holding it before her chest.
Her lips parted as she began to chant:
"O great Elemental Goddess…"
Akira stood by, waiting.
At the same time, he signaled Lucia and the others to stay alert.
The undead army would arrive at any moment.
They had to be ready.
"Done!"
Suddenly—
Elina's eyes snapped open.
Silver light blazed within her blue-gray pupils.
The Sword of Eulogy radiated a brilliance that felt… absolute. As if imbued with law itself.
Akira glanced at its status—
And froze.
[Sword of Eulogy (Mythical): ??? (Godslayer)]
"…Godslayer?"
Before he could process it—
Elina raised the blade high and brought it crashing down onto the crystals with all her strength.
BOOM!!!
The impact shook space itself.
The crystal surface—
Shattered instantly.
"Godslayer blade!? Impossible! Why do you possess divine recognition!?"
Rodra's voice trembled in panic.
"This can't be! Absolutely impossible! The elves would never tolerate your existence! You don't belong here—you don't belong in this world!"
His words confused Akira.
Didn't belong here?
Even gods… should belong to this world, shouldn't they?
"Shut up."
Elina's voice turned ice-cold.
She poured more power into the blade.
Wave after wave of energy surged out, battering the crystals.
Within moments, a two-meter-deep crater formed.
And the energy—
Was still intensifying.
"Stop! Forgive me!"
"This was the Undead Monarch's idea! It has nothing to do with me!"
"Damn you holy beings! I hate you!"
"…!"
Rodra's desperate ramblings were ignored.
Elina continued pouring her magic into the blade.
But then—
Akira caught a scent.
A faint, intoxicating fragrance drifting from her.
That was…
Blood.
And the scent was growing stronger.
Which meant—
She was burning her blood to sustain the attack.
A bad feeling crept into his chest.
And then—
Elina coughed up a mouthful of blood, staining the black blade red.
"Elina!"
Akira moved to intervene—
But she stopped him.
"I'm fine… I'm just burning the Queen's Blood. I can still hold on."
She wiped her lips and continued channeling power.
But her voice had weakened.
She was already on the brink of exhaustion.
"Hahahaha!" Rodra suddenly burst into laughter. "So you're a fallen holy spirit! And you think your leftover power can shatter my Malice Crystals? What a joke!"
"…What can I do?"
Akira clenched his fists.
He wanted to help—
But he didn't understand the sword's power. Interfering recklessly might only disrupt her.
Then—
Marle Rhine's voice rang out:
"Quick! Take the sword—control it yourself!"
"…Me?"
Before he could fully process it—
Mira Orei's voice followed:
"Listen to her. Otherwise, that girl will burn herself dry."
"…Got it!"
Akira moved instantly.
In a single stride, he reached Elina—
And grabbed the Sword of Eulogy.
"Akira? What are you doing!?"
She resisted, gripping the blade tightly.
"This weapon contains law! You can't withstand it—only I can use it!"
"Just leave it to me."
Ignoring her warning, Akira forcibly tore the sword from her grasp.
"Wait—!"
She had no strength left to resist.
The blade fell into his hands.
The moment he gripped it—
A terrifying force erupted from within the sword.
Like a black hole—
It latched onto his hand.
Devouring his mana.
Devouring his life.
"…This sword…"
Akira's expression darkened.
This was the first time he had felt threatened by a weapon itself.
No wonder Elina had coughed blood.
Using it came at the cost of life.
"Don't panic—I'm here!"
Marle Rhine immediately channeled her power into him.
As a dragon with divinity, her vitality far exceeded his—
But even so, sustaining this weapon was no easy task.
"I have to end this fast!"
Gritting his teeth, Akira swung the blade down.
The terrifying law-infused power crashed into the crystal shell again—
Expanding the already-broken gap even further.
"You!? Why!? Why can YOU use the Godslayer sword too!?"
Rodra's eyes bulged in horror.
This made no sense!
That weapon should only be wielded by beings at the level of gods!
So why—
Why could this human use it!?
Even Elina stood frozen, her eyes trembling in disbelief.
She couldn't understand it either.
How could Akira wield a sword that should belong to her alone?
"…You ask too many questions."
Akira muttered.
Then—
He pushed harder.
The black blade blazed brighter, its energy smashing relentlessly into the crystal shell.
Cracks spread rapidly—
Accompanied by a cascade of sharp fractures—
Until it reached its breaking point.
"Damn it! Damn it!"
"Why hasn't the undead army arrived!? WHY!?"
Rodra spiraled into panic, scrambling within the confines of the crystal.
But he was trapped here—
Guarding the Undead Monarch's treasure.
There was nowhere to run.
Seeing the crystals on the verge of collapse—
Akira raised his fist.
And struck.
BOOM!!!
The massive crystal shell shattered instantly—
Breaking into countless green fragments that dissolved into nothingness.
Rodra's head fell to the ground—
Lifeless.
But Akira's attention had already shifted elsewhere.
To the treasure hidden within the shell.
A golden crown.
Its design was bizarre—
Formed from intertwined golden serpents.
One larger serpent stood out—
And within its mouth—
It held a radiant crimson gem.
[Medusa Queen's Crown (?): Allows teleportation to the Medusa Queen. Single-use only. (Warning: Do not attempt to challenge a god!)]