A Faint Essence within the World Tree's Sap.
The life force contained within it caused the dragon to twist its body.
This was an incomplete awakening, something the dragon normally would not have attempted.
But the dragon responded to that incomplete awakening.
『...』
From the abyss, bubbles began to boil up. Eyes like sticky black tar emerged and burst open. Thousands of eyes gathered, then dispersed, their lids peeling back.
『...』
The silver-haired woman, [Priestess of Dreams], approached the massive, bubble-like body. She respectfully raised her hand. Her silver eyes darkened to black.
『How sorrowful. Even with the borrowed power of this body, it could not be changed. Once my enemy...』
"…"
The voice coming from her mouth was that of the dragon. It spoke to the prophet who, like it, had once sought to save the world.
『I have glimpsed the end of this world many times in my dreams. No matter how much we struggle, no matter how many different paths we try to take, in the end, it always comes back to this.』
"…"
『Thousands of cycles, hundreds of resurrections, yet... this world continues to repeat the same fate. Even death is not the end, and even I cannot stop it.』
The slumbering beast gods begin to awaken once more.
The falcon of order weakens. The serpent of cycles loses its reason. The wolf of vengeance rages in fury. The dragon of death cannot halt fate.
At the end, a girl returns from a void miracle.
Even if everything flows differently, it will return again.
"…"
The prophet, hearing this, responded.
"Then... I will stop it."
I, who do not belong to this world, I, whom the World Tree cannot shape with its fate,
I will become the heart of the World Tree.
"I will resurrect everything and halt the history of this world here."
Time will cease to flow.
The past, The present, The future,
All will be trapped in their happiest moments.
— Jinsoo, I love you.
‘I... love you too, Ymir.’
There were still so many things she wanted to share with her.
The stars twinkling in the night sky, The unknown lands beyond the academy city, And all the countless stories from the stars she had crossed.
She wanted to share them all with her.
"…"
She wanted to save everyone living in this twisted universe.
『...』
Death, hearing this, replied.
『It is truly the thought of a madman.』
"…"
『But perhaps, because of that, it may not end as fate decrees... I will place my last bet on you. Once an enemy, but now a comrade in suffering.』
Please...
Save this endlessly repeating world. Save the dragonkind who must fight endlessly just to survive.
A wolf so large that one would need a ladder truck just to reach its shoulders was racing across the Misty Plains.
The wolf's howl carried the anguished cries of a sorrowful girl.
『Die, die—!! I'll kill you—!!』
She repeated the same words like a child, but the words, coupled with the wolf's eerie howls, were woven with a murderous intent that clung like spider webs.
—!!
It felt as if a massive passenger ship were speeding across the ground at hundreds of kilometers per hour. Even though it was just moving forward, the sight was overwhelming.
‘For such a large creature, it sure is fast...’
There was no time to check on Cara or the chick; I was suddenly chasing after the wolf that had burst out of the mist.
‘The real action is about to begin...’
Fortunately, Helena was nearby, so even if something went wrong, it should be okay.
"..."
A sense of unease was slowly creeping up on me. But the remnants of 'Kang Jinsoo' within me seemed to encourage me.
—It'll be okay.
I activated my ether skill and pursued the wolf.
"[Bifrost]—☆"
Using repeated teleportation in the air, I chased after it. In the distance, I could faintly see Astrid, who had become a yellow mist, following behind.
Astrid, merging with the mist, shouted in astonishment.
"Uwaaah?! Why is that thing so fast?!"
Even with her vampire speed and [Unique Ether] abilities, Astrid was struggling to keep up.
Lotta was clinging to my back. With her eyes closed, she couldn't handle the dizzying view as we zipped through the air with [Bifrost].
"Ugh...!"
‘At this speed, we'll reach the Golden Street in no time...!’
The prophet hadn't fully manifested yet. But if the wolf reached the World Tree first, things would get complicated.
The wolf running far ahead opened its mouth wide enough to swallow the moon and let out a howl.
—!!!
The mist shuddered with the murderous intent carried in that howl.
‘If the power of the wolf controlled by Moin is similar to that of the serpent controlled by Ophrnir...’
Back then, Hilde was there with her true name release, making it possible to land a meaningful blow. Now, in this situation, I was the only one who could deal effective damage.
‘But if I focus on the wolf, there won't be anyone left to deal with the prophet...’
While the earthquake and echoes reverberated, I had planted clues in other schools to ensure they would respond to the anomaly immediately. But if this wolf got involved, it would be a disaster.
The beast god of vengeance— [The Vengeful Wolf]. It was a power the prophet had often used, so I expected it would be utilized until the end. I didn't think he would transfer it to the twin priestess's younger sister.
‘Did he really hand it over to someone who truly bore the fate of vengeance...?!’
If so, the wolf's target would likely be the front of the World Tree where Albite was, at the <United Student Council> building.
"…"
It must be stopped. Only Albite's brilliance can deal effective damage to the 'dragon.'
Boom! Boom!
With every bound of the towering giant, craters formed and storms swept through. As the enormous wolf gathered speed, the plains' soil caved in, and rocks shot out. One rock flew at me from several hundred meters away, closing the distance in an instant.
Whoosh—!
I heard the threatening sound of the wind.
"...!"
I can't waste ether.
I need a weapon. But my friends are all busy holding their positions.
I turned my head and shouted to Lotta.
"Lotta, weapon!!" "Meow—!"
With a deflating sound, a hefty orange greatsword appeared in my hand. I swung it and smashed the threatening rock hurtling toward me.
Crash—!!
The rock split in two with a burst of pink ether. I darted through the gap and quickly moved to the wolf's side.
My eyes met the beast's burning gaze. Though it blazed like the sun, the light within was impossibly dark.
I stared into those eyes and swung the greatsword horizontally. The sound of wind being sliced was followed by the heavy impact I felt in my hands.
"Pink-Chan's attacks always land twice—☆"
Slice—! Thud!
—!!
The massive wolf's head jerked, and it let out a bellow like a whale's cry as it snapped its jaws. Its legs, having stopped suddenly, tangled with each other, unable to keep up with the speed.
Boom—!!
I landed in a spot where I wouldn't be caught up in the beast's bulk. Lotta and Astrid stood beside me, resolute, each gripping their weapons.
Amidst the swirling dust, Those glowing eyes glared at me.
I could hear the anguished cry of a girl.
『I'll kill you all... I'll kill everyone!!』
And the ground began to tremble.
"Uh-oh—☆"
No way this is just a basic mob pattern, right? Or maybe it's not suddenly shifting into a stronger pattern? I swear I didn't say, 'Did we beat it?'
‘Please, nothing should have changed...’
Unfortunately, the answer was both.
Kraaargh—!!
Monstrous chaos bugs began to rise from the ground, grotesquely stitched together.
Grumble...!
As the wolf emerged from the swirling dust, black energy leaked from its fur. And then, countless echoes appeared on the ground, scattering in all directions.
Rumble—!!
The ground rumbled as black energy surged forth. Like underground water bursting from a geyser, the dormant energy shot out from beneath the earth.
Rumble—!!
And from the cracks, ominous shadows began to pour out. Like disturbing a spider's nest, ominous forms spilled forth.
A cacophony of screams and wails tangled together, echoing like a chilling chorus.
……!!
At last, the tattered face of a chaos bug emerged from the darkness.
It looked as if it had been stitched together from countless chaos bugs, A grotesque form twisted by the energy of death.
……!!
They howled as they advanced.
Their destination lay beyond the horizon. The branches of the World Tree, rising above the misty ground, could be seen in the distance.
Thud, thud, thud—
The multitude of chaos bugs wriggled forward like a wave.
Their instincts as living beings had long been obliterated by the energy of death. They were driven only by a desire for the energy of the World Tree as they surged forward through the misty wind. Even as they approached the hundreds of flames flickering in the distance, they pressed on without hesitation.
In the midst of this, those tending the flames in the mist spoke to each other.
“Wow, as soon as the earthquake hits, the chaos bugs come crawling out!”
Eir responded to the remark.
“Geez, there sure are a lot of them. Doesn’t this remind you of something?”
“Oh! It’s just like what we saw at the beginning of the semester, boss!”
“This semester, summer break, the combat festival... seems like I’m fated to fight off hordes like these every time.”
Fiona, with her red bobbed hair, laughed brightly as she held her spear. She glanced at the red flame emblem on her black coat and grinned.
“Maybe it’s because you’re always so stubborn, boss. That’s why you keep getting hit!”
“…”
Eir glared at her. Unlike Fiona, Eir’s black coat no longer bore the red flame emblem. She now wore a simple coat like the other students.
“Quiet, Fiona. Third-year students are supposed to go through a turbulent phase, you know.”
“What are you talking about, boss? You’re about to graduate. Shouldn’t someone about to leave soon stop showing off?”
“This brat really says whatever she wants now.”
Ptooey.
Eir spat out the toothpick she had been chewing on. By then, the grotesque shapes of the chaos bugs were visible through the mist as they drew closer.
“…”
She gripped her sword and closed her eyes.
She thought of her benefactor.
‘Thank you.’
For protecting us from the black priest. For changing the student council president with love. For making me the strongest, even if just for a while.
I have let go of all regrets and finally reached this point.
‘Now, it’s time to repay that kindness.’
Eir opened her eyes and shouted.
“Burn, [Levantine]—!!”
The skeletal sword erupted into a massive flame.
Fwoosh—!!
The sheer intensity of the fire overwhelmed the mist. Though the flames were similar to what she had wielded before, the vividness within them was unmatched.
The primordial flame. A fire that even death could not withstand.
The beast of flames that had formed along the spine-like sword thrashed wildly. The bright white flames shot out like a gigantic welding torch.
Boom—!!
Within seconds, the chaos bugs within a radius of hundreds of meters in front of Eir were reduced to white ash. The moisture in the damp plains evaporated completely, vanishing into the air.
Watching this, Fiona, now mounted on her bike, raised her spear high and shouted.
“Hiyah!!! Let’s ride—!!”
And the hundreds of students from <Scarlet Academy> responded to her call.
Hiyahhh—!!!
Vroom! Vroom!
Hundreds of bikes roared forward, leaving a trail of flames across the plains, now covered in white ash.
Soon, they unleashed their flames upon the approaching abominations.