Chapter 145: Advent of the Great Evil (5)

“Are you okay?” Rakuza asked Shadranes. “Yes. Thank you, Rakuza,” she replied. With Rakuza’s help, she managed to stumble out of the immediate combat zone. Ketal and Lubitra were locked in an exceptionally fierce battle. Even though Ketal seemed aware of the others nearby and tried to stay mindful, remaining too close was dangerous for everyone. Once Shadranes and Rakuza finally gained some distance, they caught their breath. Rakuza wore a bitter expression and murmured, “That demon... wasn’t even fighting seriously.” He turned his gaze toward the attacks Lubitra was now launching at Ketal. Every single blow had the power to force someone like Rakuza or Shadranes to risk their lives just to defend against it. It was far beyond the strength Lubitra had shown when he was toying with them. “That demon was only playing around when he fought us,” Rakuza said. They thought they could win, but they were just like children deceived by an adult’s lie. He felt depressed at how wrong they had been, and at the same time, he was shocked by Ketal’s true power. “Ketal... I never imagined he was this strong,” Rakuza murmured. Lubitra was clearly giving it his all, yet Ketal was gaining the upper hand. Rakuza had known Ketal was stronger than him, but he had never realized the gap was so enormous. “It’s all so futile...,” he added with a bitter laugh. He had been proud of his own strength. After all, he was more than a simple holy knight—he was an accomplished warrior who ranked among the strongest on the continent. He had believed that no matter who he faced, he would not fall easily. Now, he understood there were powers so far above him that he could never reach them. His pride was shattered under the weight of that realization. Looking at Ketal and Lubitra clashing in the distance, he said quietly, “They’re both monsters.” *** Dozens of twisted threads shot toward Ketal in rapid succession, giving him no time to dodge. In response, he swept both hands outward. A series of heavy collisions filled the air with loud cracks as the threads buckled, snapped away, or shattered completely. Ketal dashed through the gap he created and closed in on Lubitra in an instant. Before now, whenever Ketal attacked at such speed, his foes could never react in time and would be thoroughly pounded. Yet, Lubitra refused to be taken down so easily. Seeing Ketal charge forward, he quickly gathered more threads into a makeshift shield. Although it shattered the moment Ketal’s fist struck it, it bought Lubitra a fleeting moment to retreat. Once he gained some distance, Lubitra yanked his arm back, and more twisted threads shot toward Ketal’s head. These were infused with even greater power and included a spinning motion that altered their trajectory, making the attack more lethal. Ketal simply clenched his fist in response. Boom! His punch collided with the threads, shredding them before they scattered in all directions. Unable to hide his astonishment, Lubitra muttered, “What a monster.” He had tried to pack considerable force into those strikes, yet Ketal deflected them with little effort. Just how much power is stored in that body? Lubitra wondered. Strengthening oneself through ordinary means was impossible at that level. Lubitra would have to pour his entire authority’s worth of power into a single blow to pierce Ketal’s body. Lubitra began gathering his strength in secret, hoping Ketal wouldn’t notice. Meanwhile, Ketal casually dusted off his hands. “You’re strong,” Ketal remarked. He had never fought like this outside the White Snowfield before, and he seemed to be enjoying the challenge. His cheerful demeanor grated on Lubitra’s nerves. Lubitra was throwing everything he had into penetrating Ketal’s defenses, yet Ketal wore an expression free of worry, as if this were a mere pastime. Lubitra narrowed his eyes. “I admit you’re strong, barbarian. But you interfered with us. We will kill you for that.” Ketal had once been branded by Ashetiaar, a mark that functioned like a bounty placed on the people of mortal realms by Hell. Because of Ketal’s unique physique, it held little meaning for him, yet it did not change Hell’s intentions. “When we invade this world,” Lubitra continued, “we’ll make sure you’re the first to die. Every being in Hell will unite to destroy you.” Hell was a force that had once nearly burned the world to ash. If they put a target on a single individual’s back, even a legendary Hero could not be certain of survival. It was enough to strike fear into anyone on the continent. However, Ketal showed only a strange expression. “So that means... you’re my enemies.” “What a ridiculous statement,” Lubitra said, letting out a derisive laugh. Apparently ignoring Lubitra’s scorn, Ketal murmured thoughtfully, “It looks like our relationship isn’t going to change.” Lubitra snorted, mistaking Ketal’s calm for fear. “Did you think you could disrupt our plans without facing consequences? We will tear your body apart and scatter it to the four winds. We will seize your soul and use it for fuel in Hell. Even if you grovel at our feet and beg for mercy, that much is inevitable.” “I see,” Ketal replied with a nod. “So you really are my enemies.” Ketal realized that the dark mages, the demons, and the entirety of Hell would always be an unchanging threat—true adversaries that he neither could nor would reconcile with. “Then I understand,” Ketal said. Lubitra sneered, ready to continue, “It’s too late to surrender, even if you’re—” He never finished his sentence. Ketal’s hand shot out and grabbed Lubitra by the head, abruptly cutting him off. Lubitra crashed violently to the ground. He let out a gasp of shock and lashed out with more twisted threads, but Ketal merely flicked his fingers to deflect them all. The moment Lubitra tried to regain his footing, Ketal stomped down with a swift kick. The earth cracked beneath Ketal’s blow. In the blink of an eye, Lubitra was reduced to pulp, leaving no trace behind. “Y-you wretch!” Lubitra suddenly reappeared some distance away from Ketal. He quickly moved to strike again with his threads, but Ketal was already standing right in front of him. With brutal speed, Ketal seized Lubitra’s arm and slammed it down hard. Lubitra’s arm was torn off, and his head was separated from his body. “You...!” Lubitra exclaimed, trying to pull back as his body regenerated. However, Ketal arrived in front of him almost instantly, hurling Lubitra’s renewed form away as though it weighed nothing. “Argh—No!” Lubitra cried, disoriented by what was happening. He had known Ketal was stronger than him, but he hadn’t believed the gap was so overwhelming. He thought he would at least have enough time to respond in some way. Why is it suddenly impossible to keep up? Lubitra wondered. Gritting his teeth, he glared at Ketal and shouted, “You—were you just holding back until now?!” He realized Ketal was toying with him the same way he had toyed with Shadranes and Rakuza—and only now did Lubitra grasp the truth. “It’s not quite like that,” Ketal replied calmly, sounding almost indifferent. From the demons’ point of view, Ketal was their sworn enemy. They had thrown everything they had into trying to kill him. Yet, Ketal himself had no strong feelings toward them. He had only stepped in because they threatened his companions and tried to interfere with his plans. He bore no personal grudge. In fact, to him, they had barely registered as enemies at all. Since leaving the White Snowfield behind, Ketal had never truly viewed any being as an enemy. It was only natural since Ketal was from the modern world of Earth. No one from Earth would treat the villains of a fantasy novel as their real-life nemeses. Ketal was a modern man who had lived in that endless white expanse for a near-immeasurable time—long enough for most ordinary humans to lose themselves entirely and to be devoured by the barbarian’s persona. The single reason he had managed to retain himself was his longing for a fantasy world. And here he was, living in the very fantasy setting he had once yearned for so desperately—an experience so unreal that it barely felt like reality. Villains might commit heinous acts or hinder the protagonists, but in Ketal’s mind, they were still just characters in a grand tapestry of fantasy. He might empathize, yet a certain invisible boundary remained. “But you demons... you’ve decided I’m your enemy,” Ketal commented. “So now I will just respond in kind.” Boom! Lubitra’s body tore apart once again, then reformed. Cursing bitterly, he spat, “Damn it!” At last, Lubitra realized Ketal hadn’t even registered him as a threat until moments ago, which filled him with deep humiliation. His face twisted in rage. “Barbarian!” Lubitra snarled. With a fierce motion, he tried to unleash more twisted threads. Before he could complete the attack, Ketal caught Lubitra’s wrist, twisted it sharply, and rammed him in the shoulder. Half of Lubitra’s body simply vanished under the impact. Lubitra reappeared again, but before he could regain his wits, Ketal located him in an instant and sent him crashing into the ground with a single punch. Groaning, Lubitra lay half-buried in the dirt and coiled twisted threads around his arm, lashing them at Ketal’s head. Until now, Ketal had dealt with such attacks by either dodging or overpowering them. This time, however, he merely swatted Lubitra’s blow aside and immediately seized the demon’s arm, slamming it back down to the earth. The difference in strength was absolute. Lubitra could only stare in disbelief. “S-still,” Lubitra shouted through gritted teeth. He dragged up even more of his hidden power, preparing an all-out strike. “You cannot kill me!” “He’s right...” Shadranes’s face went deathly pale. Ketal did not deny Lubitra’s statement. “You’re right. It’s an annoying constraint.” No matter how strong Ketal’s physical power might be, he couldn’t banish or slay a demon without the use of Myst. And no one here could help him with that now—not Shadranes, not Rakuza, both of whom had expended the last of their holy powers. Unlike before, there was no one like Aquaz or Arkemis to lend Ketal a hand. No matter how completely Ketal could overpower Lubitra, if he couldn’t deliver the finishing blow, Lubitra could still turn his fury on the holy land and wreak havoc. Ketal couldn’t hold him back forever. That was when Ketal said, “So, maybe you could stop just watching and lend a hand.” “What nonsense,” Lubitra muttered, baffled. The only spectators were Shadranes and Rakuza, who were both too drained to assist. The terrified believers huddling within the sanctuary certainly couldn’t do anything. However, Ketal was not speaking to the people of this world. Slowly, he lifted his head and gazed at the sky above the holy land. He had sensed a watchful gaze since the moment he entered the holy land, a presence that had never left. “If you enjoy watching, I won’t stop you,” Ketal remarked, “but how about you pay a fee for the show?” As soon as those words left Ketal’s mouth, a burst of laughter filled the air. “Huh...?” Shadranes, who had been anxiously watching events unfold, opened her eyes wide in surprise. The strange laughter echoing across the field did not belong to herself, Rakuza, Ketal, or Lubitra. Shadranes realized she had heard laughter like that before. “W-what’s going on?” she murmured, confused. Moments later, a voice followed, confirming her worst suspicions. “You mischievous thing.” It was a voice edged with faint amusement, coming from high above. Shadranes felt her breath catch. “K-Kalosia?” “W-what?” Lubitra, looking just as startled, snapped his gaze upward toward the lofty skies. Someone—or something—of extraordinary stature was watching them from on high. Then, from that distant heaven, a ray of light descended upon Ketal.