Creak, creeeaaak───!
Creeeak!
The metallic screech of Spear of Ankelenth scraping against the bone shield rang out horribly in all directions.
At a glance, it looked like a close match, but with each clash between the spear and shield, it was always the shield that gave way in the end.
'More, more, more…!'
The violently surging Ether moved to support my actions.
To fight against a monster in a human body, assistance from Ether was absolutely necessary.
[Move. Move. Move. Move. Move. Move. Move. Move. Move. Move. Move. Move. Move.]
[More, more, more, more, more, more, more, more, more, more, more, more, more, more, more, more, more, more, more, more, more, more, more, more.]
[Faster, faster, faster, faster, faster, faster, faster, faster, faster, faster, faster, faster, faster, faster, faster, faster, faster…]
However, no matter how much the enhanced serum's capabilities, the support of Ether, and the physical augmentations from Janus aided me, the opponent was just too overwhelming.
Crack, craaack──!
It felt like my leg muscles were tearing apart.
No—they might already be torn.
Each time I exchanged blows with the Turncoat King, my body screamed in agony.
That was because I was already moving beyond my limits.
At that moment—
Vwooooom───!
The Immortal's attack barely grazed past me.
Had I not dodged, it would have struck me head-on.
'…Hmm.'
It seemed that while the Immortal had no intention of attacking me directly, they also had no real interest in protecting me either.
'Well… expecting that much was probably too much to hope for.'
Even though I had implanted a shard of Janus into the Immortal, it was unrealistic to expect complete subjugation to Janus.
Back when I fought the Turncoat Knight, the power difference between him and Janus wasn't that significant. But the Immortal was an entirely different class of being.
Thud!
Ruuuumble───!
The battle continued.
The Turncoat King was certainly powerful.
Even with both the Immortal and me attacking together, we were gradually being pushed back.
'…He's definitely strong.'
Even in close combat, I had the confidence to subdue most beasts or monsters with Janus at my side.
But the Turncoat King wasn't just some run-of-the-mill creature.
He was a monster among monsters—one who stood shoulder to shoulder with the lord of a region.
The worst of all Turncoats, as designated by the Ark.
Living up to every one of those titles, the Turncoat King's attacks grew more and more ferocious.
Creeeeaaak───!
Spear of Ankelenth clashed with the bone shield, causing the elbow bone to jut out.
An excruciating pain surged through me, but I gritted my teeth and continued to thrust the spear forward.
["…Master? Are you okay?"]
'I can manage.'
["Doesn't seem like it though…"]
Pouring out everything I had, I continued to confront the Turncoat King.
'I'll create an opening.'
And right now, I had not one, but two ways to create an opening in the Turncoat King's defenses.
I grabbed a bone tentacle with my left hand.
Then, I slammed it down into the ground.
['Ankelenth's Domain' has been declared!]
[Current Duration Available: 1 hour 11 minutes and 21 seconds]
With that, the Turncoat King—who had been relentlessly attacking—momentarily froze.
Even for a creature as powerful as the Turncoat King, the declaration of Ankelenth's Domain was enough to make him flinch, if only briefly.
"Now!"
Did the Immortal hear my command?
Or was it pure instinct?
Whatever it was, the Immortal charged at the momentarily exposed Turncoat King in sync with my signal.
Shhhhwing──!
The Immortal's fist and Spear of Ankelenth struck the vulnerable Turncoat King simultaneously.
There would be more chances, sure—but moments like this didn't come often.
Screech, creeeaak─!
Clang! Kaaaang!
Spear of Ankelenth tore through the Turncoat King's armor with a grotesque screech.
And as if it had been waiting for this, the Immortal grabbed the torn armor and twisted it forcefully.
Crunch! Craaack!
But sadly, that was all the time we were given.
Before long, the Turncoat King regained his senses and launched a counterattack.
Shhhhh!
His bone tentacles began extending again, aiming straight for us.
'…If I miss this chance, there won't be another like it.'
In the end, I took a gamble.
Ignoring the tentacles snaking toward me, I thrust Spear of Ankelenth once more.
Squelch──!
No matter how tough the Turncoat King was, the skin beneath his bone armor wasn't invincible.
Though a thin layer of bone under his skin tried to block the spear, it didn't last long.
SPLAAASH──!
Finally, for what might've been the first time, we left a real wound on the Turncoat King.
But the price for that attack wasn't small.
Thunk!
THUNK THUNK THUNK!
The Turncoat King's bone tentacles pierced both me and the Immortal one after the other.
I swung Spear of Ankelenth desperately to sever the tentacles, but they were entwined like a spider's web—refusing to let go.
"…Gah!"
If I stayed like this, the Turncoat King would drain all the blood and flesh from my body.
Even I didn't want to end up a living mummy, so I immediately sent a command to Janus.
'Janus!'
With that, the center of Janus began to split wide open.
Riiiiiip!
['Ankelenth's Roar' has been activated!]
Then, from Janus erupted a massive, beastly cry.
[SKREEEEEEEEEEEE───!]
A roar that struck at the very instincts of all living things.
Even the Turncoat King couldn't help but be affected.
Shhhhhh!
The crushing pressure of the bone tentacles stabbing into me vanished.
Not missing the chance, I swung Spear of Ankelenth to slice off every tentacle embedded in both me and the Immortal.
If I had been just a moment slower, I would've ended up mummified alive.
'…That was close.'
But the risk had paid off.
We had pierced through the Turncoat King's thick bone defenses and inflicted a serious wound.
'If my guess is right… this fight ends here.'
I know the Turncoat King.
I have a general understanding of his behavior patterns and his thought processes.
So, I could also predict how he'd react now that he had taken a significant hit.
["…Huh?"]
As if confirming what I'd just thought, the Turncoat King quietly examined his wound, then turned his back without a hint of hesitation.
He had judged that this battle no longer held any benefit for him.
"Phew…"
Because of this trait, subjugating the Turncoat King was incredibly difficult.
But right now, I could say that this very annoying trait was what saved me.
["Master… he's leaving, you know?"]
'Yeah, I see him.'
["I think he's coming back later. Let's run while we can. Please?"]
'We will.'
I had no intention of staying here any longer.
However, what deviated from my expectations was the severity of my injuries.
'…My vision's blurry.'
I struggled to open the lid of my canteen, but not a single drop of life water remained.
I had used it all during the fight.
Sure, I had a spare in the [Rift Space], but unfortunately, I no longer had the strength to reach in and retrieve it.
Thud.
I collapsed onto the ground.
Thanks to the Serpent's Emblem of the Church of Morte, the enhanced serums, and my special traits, I probably wouldn't die from blood loss just yet.
But the problem was—if I lost consciousness now, I had no idea what the Immortal standing before me would do.
["…Master? Master!"]
Esther's voice buzzed desperately in my ear.
But I no longer had the strength to answer that call.
"..."
I could see the Immortal looking down at me as I lay there, collapsed.
Is this… how I die?
What happens to me if I die?
I didn't know the answer.
And maybe… I'd never know, even after death.
["Master!"]
In the urgency of Esther's cries, I saw the Immortal slowly lean closer.
But I couldn't do anything.
I could only watch.
Ssshhh…
The Immortal's hand reached for me.
My eyes began to close.
Darkness met me.
*
There's nothing.
Nothing but pitch-black darkness.
I wandered endlessly through the void.
[Carl… Marcus…]
A voice called out.
I couldn't tell whose voice it was.
But I did know—it was calling for me.
[Descendant…]
Compelled by that voice, I instinctively tried to find the direction it came from.
But I couldn't find it.
Even as I looked around, there was nothing but unrelenting blackness.
[Find me…]
That final whisper echoed—and then, a light began to descend from somewhere and swallowed me whole.
* * *
So bright.
The first thing I saw was Esther, eyes wet with either tears or Ether, calling my name.
["Master! Master!"]
I was alive.
Just that fact alone should've been moving enough, but the news didn't end there.
[You have encountered a Fragment of the Great Spirit!]
[Ether Sensitivity has increased.]
[35 → 38]
[Upon encountering a Fragment of the Great Spirit, you have gained insight of the soul.]
[You have acquired the skill: 'Ether Imbuement'.]
───────────────
[Ether Imbuement] [Lv.1]
— Imbues an object with Ether.
"View Details"
───────────────
A new ability had awakened.
Even for me, this was the first time seeing such a skill.
'Ether Imbuement, huh… This kind of skill exists?'
Imbuing objects with Ether…
I'd need to experiment to understand it fully, but it probably meant I could enhance weapons, equipment, or other tools with Ether.
Most likely, it had something to do with the dream I just had.
'The Great Spirit…'
I prided myself on knowing nearly everything about The Defense, but the Great Spirit was a clear exception.
'And… it told me to find it?'
Since I'd just seen a fragment of the Great Spirit, it was as if I'd been told to seek out the full entity.
In other words, I was being instructed to find the Great Spirit…
'Where the hell do I even begin looking?'
As I said, even I knew almost nothing about the Great Spirit.
I had gathered a few clues through conversations with Kuriltana and Lania, but it wasn't enough.
'No, this isn't the time to be worrying about that.'
I quickly shifted my attention.
The fact that I was alive meant the Immortal hadn't harmed me.
So then, where was the Immortal now?
"Esther, how long have I been out?"
["…Well, probably about a full day? Ah! By the way, are you okay?! Do you know how scared I was, thinking you were dead?!"]
"I'm alive, aren't I?"
["…If you had died, I would've killed you for real."]
"Terrifying."
But more importantly…
"Where's the Immortal?"
["The Immortal? Over there, that one?"]
Naturally, my gaze followed Esther's.
And what I saw was something I could hardly believe, even with my own eyes.
Crunch, munch─
It wasn't strange that the Immortal was eating something.
Even though it was a creature of immortality, it didn't have infinite energy.
Its energy efficiency was so high that it could survive just on breathing in oxygen, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen.
'But… am I really seeing this right?'
I had to question my own eyes.
The Immortal was eating grass roots off the ground.
'It's not some beggar…'
I mean, who on Earth would ever imagine a monster as powerful as the Immortal stooping to dig up and eat grass roots?
That's how surreal this sight was.
"Hun… gry…"
The Immortal spoke.
Depending on how you heard it, it might've sounded like it was about to eat me.
'But it didn't, after all.'
Something clicked in my mind, and I slowly approached the Immortal.
"…You're hungry?"
"Yes…"
When the Immortal answered, I instinctively flinched and stepped back.
I hadn't expected it to respond to what I'd mumbled under my breath.
"Uh, um…"
I pulled a multi-calorie bar from my pack and held it out to the Immortal.
"…Eat this."
Without hesitation, the Immortal accepted it and devoured the whole bar, wrapper and all.
A truly monster-like way of eating.
"Tasty."
The Immortal smiled brightly.
The creature known as the lord of the cracked desert—smiling with such innocent delight—left me utterly speechless.