Chapter 217: Walking Under the Stars
The noisy tavern was left far behind. The night was deep, and even the wind carried a chill. There were no pedestrians on the streets, and only the occasional magical light briefly illuminated the way ahead.
Kurtz and Serie walked side by side, silent to each other.
Serie clutched the black pebbles from the Land of Fallen Gods tightly in her hand, her knuckles turning slightly white.
"The worst outcome is that she succeeded." Serie's voice was clear on the quiet street.
Just now, the two of them had gathered more information about the Land of Fallen Gods from those adventurers.
"I'm afraid that forbidden zone has completely merged with her."
Serie had even imagined the Demon King standing on that desolate land that had just shed its darkness, emanating the same corrosive aura.
Kurtz did not answer immediately. His gaze remained distant as he processed the information.
From the adventurers' incoherent descriptions, he had pieced together some of the truth.
The black mist in the Land of Fallen Gods had dissipated to the point of being almost invisible, and the Demon King had been born from it; otherwise, it would be impossible to explain why her power contained corrosive divine power.
Moreover, she had existed for a very long time, possibly even since that decisive battle a thousand years ago.
The only thing troubling Kurtz now was what she had been born from. The remaining power of the Goddess of Fertility could not possibly create another Demon King. She had to erode Eric's mind over a long period to make the first Demon King in history.
Without a vessel, the corrupting divine power would be destined to cause no real trouble.
Could it be that during the final battle, some other life forms had accidentally entered the Land of Fallen Gods?
Perhaps they had even been able to bear the power of the Goddess of Fertility?
However, this theory was too far-fetched, but it seemed to be the only possibility.
"Hmm." Kurtz finally responded, his voice revealing little of his thoughts. Yet Serie could sense the emotions surging beneath his calm exterior.
"This is troublesome. I'm afraid her power has reached a completely new dimension."
"Dimension?" Serie stopped abruptly and turned to look at Kurtz, her golden eyes flashing with obvious displeasure. "We've even killed true gods. Why should we fear something born from their remnants?"
She weighed the pebbles in her hand. "What are you worried about?"
"I'm worried that our power isn't enough." Kurtz stopped and turned to face her, speaking with unusual frankness. "That Demon King's body is full of chaos. She has fused with the corrupting instincts of the gods, and after a thousand years of fermentation, she is extremely unstable."
He reached out and gently touched one of the pebbles with his fingertips, carefully sensing the faint trace of remaining power. It was an aura imbued with a pure desire for destruction, originating from the same source as the power within that Demon King.
"Unstable?" Serie caught the keyword, her brow furrowing.
"Forcibly fusing such a massive power is no easy task." Kurtz withdrew his hand. "She needs time to adapt to and tame this power. During that time, she could lose control at any moment."
He looked directly at Serie, his eyes filled with complex emotion: "This is what I'm most worried about. Once she completely loses control, I'm afraid that with our current strength and methods, we won't be able to seal her away completely."
Serie remained silent, processing his words.
Kurtz's analysis did indeed illuminate the concern behind his calm demeanor.
"So, what should we do?" she asked directly. "Continue looking for more clues? Or should we go to her?"
When the latter was mentioned, her aura instantly sharpened.
Kurtz did not answer directly. His gaze passed over Serie and landed in the distance, as if looking beyond the present moment.
"El Light, Org, Athos," he murmured the names of the three holy swords, as if confirming some trump card. "Add to that the legendary Sword of the Hero... Theoretically, using all four swords together might be able to completely purify the world before the power that erupts at the moment of her death corrupts it."
He paused, then gently shook his head: "But this is just theory. Everything is still unknown."
His gaze returned to Serie's face. "What do you think we should do now?"
For once, Kurtz proactively asked Serie what to do next, an unusual gesture.
Faced with such a tricky, unknown situation, although many solutions existed, Kurtz could not decide which was foolproof. He needed her counsel.
Serie met his gaze directly, and the slight curve of her lips suggested she understood the weight of this moment.
"Of course, I choose to go directly to that person." Her voice carried unwavering resolve.
"Since she is so dangerous, we can't let her act freely any longer. Even if we forcibly seal her with the power of the Holy Sword, it's better than sitting and waiting to die!"
Kurtz looked at her quietly.
Serie's method was direct and simple, but it was also undeniably correct.
Killing that Demon Queen would mean dragging the world down with her, which was not the outcome he wanted. If another possibility existed, no matter how slim, it was worth pursuing.
"Ha-Ha", Kurtz laughed, a genuine sound that momentarily lightened the heavy mood between them.
Serie smiled slightly in return, understanding the meaning behind his laughter.
"You're right." Although it was a method he had already considered, since the elf lady had decided for him, Kurtz naturally didn't hesitate any longer. "Sitting idly by and waiting to die is not our style."
He reached out, but not to touch the pebbles. Instead, his fingers brushed a strand of golden hair that had been ruffled by the night wind away from Serie's cheek, a movement perfectly natural.
"Even if the power of the Holy Sword is not enough, I have other ways. At least, I won't let things get to the worst."
Serie felt the warmth of his fingertips and the unquestionable authority in his words. The coldness in her eyes faded away, replaced by a hint of warmth.
She nodded and said, "Okay."
Kurtz withdrew his hand, but his gaze remained fixed on Serie's face, carrying a deeper emotion that lingered between them.
Then he suddenly changed the subject, his tone becoming much lighter: "But before that...Serie, look up."
Serie looked up and saw nothing but a sky full of stars.
She looked at Kurtz with initial confusion, but then seemed to understand.
Both of them carried heavy burdens about the future, but at this moment, in this brief night, he was inviting her to stroll under the stars and share a moment of leisure for travelers, a rare moment of calm before the storm.
She didn't say anything, but simply put away the pebbles in her hand. Then she took Kurtz's hand.
The moment their fingers intertwined, it was as if a silent understanding was flowing between them.
"Let's go." Serie's voice remained indifferent, but her grip on Kurtz's hand tightened slightly.
The two fell silent, took each other's hands, and walked side by side under the stars.
The shadows lurking in the darkness had not yet dissipated, but at this moment, they were just two ordinary travelers, enjoying a brief moment of peace.
[End of Chapter]
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