Chapter 534 Divine Battle [Pt 4]
'Am I... going to die here...?!'
When Rey first woke up from his slumber and desperately arrived in the Capital, his motivation was to save his friends and the humans he resolved to protect.
He never really considered the possibility that he would ever find himself in this kind of situation; one where he was so powerless.
... So weak.
Forget about saving others, he couldn't even protect himself.
Even though things hardly ever went according to plan, he always saved the day somehow. He protected the entire Capital from the Dragon Commander's assault. He helped take down an entire Criminal Organization, and he conquered a Grand Calamity Class Dungeon.
He was able to defeat an Undead Dragon Lord, and while he wasn't quite sure about the height of power he had reached, Rey felt confident that he could possibly take on a Dragon Lord very soon.
Perhaps that was all his hubris at play.
Maybe he truly didn't realize that his undeserved power-while incredible-was not perfect.
[Doppel] didn't make him invincible.
The arrogance of the strong... despite his best attempts at trying to ensure he never fell for its temptation, Rey didn't realize when he started slipping into it.
It was a subtle process... one that he fully displayed by his lackluster approach in obtaining more strength, and his careless use of his abilities.
'I messed around too much...'
Why? Why did he play along with so many charades, when he could have been actively pursuing strength-the goal he had set for himself from the start?
He grew so concerned about others--his classmates, Esme, the Adventurers-that he failed to realize that he was too weak to afford that luxury.
A sinking man can not afford to save another who drowns.
Just because he had acquired some power-elevating himself above those who were around him-he had become less concerned about the power he so hungrily sought after at the very beginning.
Perhaps this was all wrong too...
Maybe he indeed tried his hardest and the emergence of such a threat was not something he could have ever anticipated.
He did his best to make sure everyone was strong enough in order to avoid a situation where-in his absence-everyone who mattered would perish.
Should he not have focused more on the development of his allies even more? If he had been a bit more selfless, then they wouldn't have had to resort to [Divine Beast Summon] against the Dragons.
If they were just a little stronger... if he was only a bit stronger...
Rey didn't know the right answer, and to be honest... there was no room to contemplate on it.
'I-It hurts...'
Both of his arms had been ripped out, and he wasn't even regenerating properly. Most of the bones in his body had been shattered, and he could feel some of his ribs poking his internal organs.
He gurgled blood in his burning throat, and his chest felt so hot. Everything hurt.
It didn't stop hurting.
It felt like hell, just laying on the floor, watching the colossal being standing right on top of him.
'Ahh... ahh... it hurts... ahhh... p-please...!'
Tears began to fall from Rey's eyes as he felt the pain sear into all parts of his body. His brain was overloaded with this nightmare, and there was nothing his helpless body could do to stop it.
Then, Rey's blurry gaze witnessed the brilliant glow that began to pulsate from the throat of the Beast.
At that moment, Rey knew his end was nigh.
"S-Sir Ralyks...!"
"...lyks!"
"Ra...ks!"
He could hear the distant screams of those he tried to save, all of their voices oozing shock and desperation.
It seemed they had all regained consciousness-most likely due to the [Absolute Healing] he infused with [Perfect Divine Defense] after sending them away from the range of the Divine Beast's disruptive zone.
But... what was the point?
Rey's execution drew near, and he was currently too weak and scared to do anything to stop it.
Once Dagon was done with him, there would be even more casualties. Best case scenario, only Alicia would perish. Worst case... everyone was going to die.
All of his power-all that progress he had made-it would all be lost.
"G-guys..." He managed to leak out a sound despite the blood that remained stuck in his aching throat.
Rey's entire head pounded uncontrollably, and his heart raced.
He didn't want to die. He didn't want to lose. Yet... here he was; doing the very thing he swore never to experience.
"... I'm so sor-"
~BOOOOO0000000000000OOM!!!~
Before Rey could render his tear-filled apology, the brilliant blast from Dagon washed upon him like an uncontrollable wave.
It destroyed his body in an instant.
Nothing but blue vestiges of ash was left once the destructive echoes of the Divine Beast were sent forth. All of Rey's body was disintegrated-reduced beyond even dust.
The only thing left on that crater... was Dagon.
[STATUS WINDOW]
- Name: Dagon.
- Race: Deity (Fallen)
- Class: Divine Beast (SS-Tier)
- Level: 2 (21.83% EXP) 2
- Life Force: 300,000
- Mana Level: 250,000
- Combat Ability: 150,000
- Stat Points: 10,000
- Skills (Exclusive): [0@#$$%^^!)#G]
- Skills (Non-Exclusive): NIL
- Alignment: Neutral Evil
[Additional Information]
A fallen deity hailed as an embodiment of chaos and destruction. Now a mere vestige of its former self, reduced to a mindless creature with no real sense of reason, this entity follows only its basest instincts.
It is a true monster.
[End Of Information]
The eyes of all went wide the moment they witnessed the demise of the undefeatable warrior.
The Dark Adventurer-invincible champion of mankind-fell that very day, under the dimming ray of the sunset.
Not even bones, or ashes, were left of him.
Adonis, as well as his allies, all of them locked within the confines of the [Perfect Divine Defense], watched as their last hope perished before their very eyes.
His death was brutal, and the aftermath was equally as horrific.
"GRRRRR..." Once Dagon was done with him, it cast its gaze ahead and stared at the clustered humans-powerless and weak to do anything against it.
They were next.