TLed by NolepGuy
Chapter 158
The ignition of light was complete, and before them stood the Mad Blade Emperor, his heart pierced by the Sword of Light.
His dilated pupils gave him the unmistakable appearance of someone who had already passed.
And there was someone staring at him with a dazed expression.
That someone was none other than Haring Lagrain.
On the day the skies above the Ragren Family turned yellow.
She lost her brother while hiding alone in a solitary room amidst the World Erosion.
Repeatedly counting numbers in a daze, she grew up and became an adult before she realized it.
[I wasn’t trying to save you. I was trying to survive myself, and this is how it turned out. So, you’ve done nothing wrong. Got it?]
Yet, deep in her heart.
She couldn’t forget her brother’s last words.
The words that told her she had done nothing wrong.
No matter how many times she mulled over those words, she couldn’t accept them.
If only she hadn’t screamed that day, her brother wouldn’t have died.
If only she had been even a little stronger, she could have protected him.
Such thoughts constantly filled her mind.
It felt as though everything was entirely her fault.
No matter how much she tried to cover them, her scars wouldn’t heal.
And so, day by day, she lived on.
Until today, when something completely unexpected happened.
The sky, identical to the yellow one she saw that day.
The man with red hair, known as the Mad Blade Emperor, sitting atop the Ragren Family’s roof.
And that man was now the World Erosion Being who had gravely injured her father.
They were all gathered here today.
She tried to suppress her hatred, but controlling the surging emotions became increasingly difficult.
Because every situation overlapping with her past felt like her scars were being ripped open with a blade.
Still, she forced herself to suppress her resentment.
Because she didn’t want to make the same mistake as she had with her brother.
‘Kraush.’
And for some reason, she kept seeing her brother in him.
Though half out of her mind, she desperately followed Kraush.
Using Invisible repeatedly to block his movements.
Each time she used Invisible against Kraush, the heat she felt jolted her back to reality.
Then, at the final moment.
[Haring.]
Kraush called out to Haring.
[Watch closely.]
Kraush raised the Black Flame and gave Haring a broad smile.
[Watch me take him down.]
His face was, at once, playful and serious.
Leaving those words behind, Kraush leaped toward the path of the Sword of Light before Haring could say anything.
[Aaaaaaaaagh!]
As the Mad Blade Emperor’s death cry resounded fiercely.
Her eyes captured it clearly.
The moment Kraush’s Black Flame, at full power, struck the Mad Blade Emperor alongside the Sword of Light.
It was the moment her greatest nemesis, the Mad Blade Emperor, met his end.
A gust of wind swept through, tossing the Mad Blade Emperor’s hair.
Drops of blood from his body stained the ground.
Beneath his red hair, the light in his eyes had completely faded.
His crimson eyes, once shining brightly under the yellow sky, were now extinguished.
For some reason, Haring felt her legs give out.
Looking at the Mad Blade Emperor, Haring couldn’t even muster a shout, too overwhelmed by her emotions.
Thus, even seeing him dead didn’t feel real.
Perhaps that was why she felt as though the resentment she had harbored in her heart was now wandering aimlessly, without a place to go.
It was then that her eyes fell on a boy.
Emitting Rain Thunder Prime while exhaling the last of the white smoke, the boy turned to Kraush shortly after.
“Haring.”
At that moment, Kraush called out to Haring.
When she turned to him with still-dazed eyes, he took a deep breath before speaking.
“Did you see it?”
At those words, Haring’s eyes began to widen gradually.
Before she realized it, her feet were moving forward.
Because Kraush’s body was starting to collapse.
Haring dashed forward and caught him.
The heat radiating from his body slowly grounded her in the reality of the moment.
She realized how much Kraush had pushed himself here for the sake of her lifelong grudge.
The moment that realization hit her, she felt a wave of weakness wash over her.
At the same time, her arms tightened around him.
“Kraush.”
“Still warm…”
Kraush stopped her, saying his body hadn’t cooled down yet.
But she didn’t care and held him even tighter.
Could she ever repay this debt, even if she spent her entire life doing so?
Haring didn’t know.
But there was one thing she was certain of.
The guilt of not being able to protect her brother—and everything else—was melting away in Kraush’s warmth.
“…Thank you.”
She would repay it.
No matter what happened, she would dedicate her all to him from now on.
Quietly, Haring resolved herself.
[ * * * ]
As Kraush, supported by Haring, wore an awkward expression.
[The Black Witch noticed, didn’t she? What exactly is your plan now?]
The voice of the Crimson Garden filled his mind with scolding.
Of course, the Black Witch wanted Ignis.
And since he had blatantly revealed it in front of her, it was clear she would relentlessly target him from now on.
But Kraush hadn’t acted recklessly toward the Black Witch without a plan.
He had a way to completely block her from approaching.
And a method to keep track of Ixion’s movements.
“Let’s talk about it when we get back.”
Kraush muttered to himself, making sure no one else could hear, and then raised his head.
Because it wasn’t over yet.
The Mad Blade Emperor had fallen.
But the World Erosion still remained.
Though there was no longer the risk of him becoming stronger, Hardenhartz was likely in chaos by now.
‘My sister has the Student Unit and One Sword, but…’
Even so, his unease hadn’t entirely disappeared.
Thud!
At that moment, the Sword of Light embedded in the Mad Blade Emperor’s body was pulled out.
The sword extended and landed in Rai’s hand before vanishing.
Rai’s face was drenched in cold sweat.
That usual composure was nowhere to be seen, showing just how difficult Rai found wielding the Sword of Light.
Well, it was only natural.
That sword was none other than the Martial Emperor, Balrok Balheim.
It was a copy created through the skill Repeten, embedding the aura wielded by Balheim’s patriarch directly into the mineral.
In the past, after Rai’s significant contribution, Balrok decided to reward him by granting his desire.
And what Rai chose was this very Sword of Light.
Yet, despite receiving the sword back when Kraush was born, Rai still couldn’t wield it freely.
That was how vast the gap between Balrok and Rai still was.
“I’ll return to Hardenhartz first.”
Rai, having retrieved the Sword of Light and erasing the Emperor Annihilation Swords, said this.
Since he had heard enough from Kraush, his plan was to return immediately and begin dealing with the World Erosion.
“I’ll go with you.”
And the same went for Sena.
She glanced at Kraush and made a quick gesture with her chin.
She knew about Ebelasque.
What she had seen of Ebelasque was a World Erosion Being, but it was clear to her at a glance how Ebelasque felt about Kraush.
A woman’s intuition told her.
At the very least, Ebelasque would support Kraush, not harm him.
Thus, leaving Kraush and Haring in Ebelasque’s hands, she intended to go ahead.
Kraush bowed his head in gratitude toward Sena.
If she had been the inflexible type, she would have antagonized Ebelasque just for being a World Erosion Being.
As Sena left with Rai, Kraush moved the Red Tiger Pill’s heat into his body.
He had already experienced the effects of the Red Tiger Pill once before.
Perhaps because of this, he was able to absorb its effects far faster than expected.
Thanks to that, Kraush, who felt a little more at ease, let out a long breath.
“It’s fine now.”
Kraush lightly tapped Haring’s arm, which had been supporting him all this time.
But for some reason, Haring hugged him even tighter.
“…You’re not fine.”
Earlier, perhaps due to the Red Tiger Pill or the various aftereffects, Kraush hadn’t noticed the softness pressing against him. Now, he tilted his head slightly upward.
Despite running as much as he had, Haring didn’t exude any trace of sweat, only a sweet scent.
It must be the unique fragrance of her poison.
When Haring, who was holding Kraush, met his gaze, she stared at him intently for a moment.
Seeing her steadfast eyes, Kraush sighed briefly before speaking again.
“I’m really fine. I’ve mostly recovered. Trust me.”
Hearing this, Haring hesitated before finally letting Kraush go.
“…Alright.”
At Kraush’s request, she seemed utterly subdued, touching her arm wistfully as if she missed the warmth that had just disappeared.
Boom!
The Blood Heaven World created by the Mad Blade Emperor collapsed, scattering crimson fragments into the sky.
And amidst that, someone came running hurriedly.
“Kraush!”
It was none other than Ebelasque.
Her face was filled with worry and concern.
Ebelasque, knowing Sena was one thing, but with Rai present, she hadn’t dared to appear recklessly.
So she let Kraush and the others enter while she anxiously waited for the outcome.
And the moment Rai left, she rushed over immediately.
“Ebelasque.”
“Your body? Don’t tell me you’ve lost an arm again?”
With a pale face, she grabbed onto Kraush and inspected him thoroughly.
After a few moments of examination, she quietly sighed in relief.
Though his body was creaking, Ebelasque knew Kraush had a tendency to overexert himself.
Ultimately, he would still need healing from the Saintess, but for now, this much was a relief.
“I’m fine. You can stop checking.”
At that moment, Ebelasque lifted her head toward the voice she heard.
The deep, mid-range tone of his voice, refined after passing puberty, lingered in her ears as if reluctant to leave.
As she followed the voice and raised her head, she froze.
Because she had been examining his body so closely, Kraush’s face was now alarmingly close to hers.
She could see his sharp nose and the blue eyes staring back at her.
At the same time, beads of sweat trickled down his slightly strained expression.
Ebelasque’s face started to heat up for some reason.
Kraush had saved Ebelasque twice.
Once, by returning her heart, physically.
And another time, by taking on her long-standing pain and trauma, emotionally.
When it was just about her heart, Ebelasque hadn’t paid much attention to Kraush.
After all, he was just a kid pretending to act mature.
But the Kraush she met today was different.
Kraush, who had matured quickly, now resembled an adult.
Even now, he was tall enough that Ebelasque had to look up at him.
She knew boys could grow quickly.
But even she hadn’t expected him to grow this fast.
Perhaps that’s why the words Kraush had spoken earlier kept replaying in her mind.
Ebelasque averted her gaze.
For some reason, meeting his eyes felt strangely overwhelming.
This was a feeling she had never experienced in her life.
At that moment, Ebelasque felt something tugging at her.
When she turned her head, Haring was standing there expressionlessly.
“Kraush said he’s fine. Don’t make it harder for him.”
Hearing this, Ebelasque met Haring’s gaze.
For some reason, meeting her eyes left Ebelasque feeling slightly irritated.
“Who said anything? If he’s going to stay with me, he has to be fine, doesn’t he?”
Grumbling, she stepped away from Kraush.
And strangely, she subtly emphasized the words “with me.”
Even as she did so, she quickly gauged Kraush’s reaction.
But Kraush, looking indifferent, didn’t seem particularly affected by her words.
Then, his eyes met Haring’s, who had been staring at him intently.
An indescribable tension hung between the two.
[Look at that. All of it is the result of your actions. What a spectacle. Truly.]
As Crimson Garden spoke in exasperation, Kraush walked toward the Mad Blade Emperor.
His lifeless eyes, with a gaping hole in his chest, held only emptiness.
“Ebelasque, can you retrieve the Mad Blade Emperor’s corpse? Along with the Blood Leprosy Death Blade?”
At his request to retrieve them, Ebelasque, who had been sparring with Haring, hurried over.
“I’ll do it. Is there anything else you need?”
She seemed oddly more compliant than before.
Kraush looked at Ebelasque with a puzzled expression, but it wasn’t a bad situation.
After all, her abilities were crucial right now.
“Yes, Hardenhartz has quite a few residents in the mountains.”
Watching Ebelasque swiftly recover the Mad Blade Emperor’s corpse, Kraush spoke.
“Let’s save those people first.”
Both Ebelasque and Haring turned to look at Kraush.
Kraush couldn’t exactly be described as having a pleasant personality.
He was curt, spoke harshly in a manner unbecoming of a noble, and constantly gave those around him cause for concern.
Yet, one thing was clear.
These very traits were what drew people to gather around him time and again.
“Let’s go.”
Watching him walk ahead, battered and bruised yet leading the way, the two couldn’t help but feel a small smile tug at their lips.
If this wasn’t just like Kraush, then nothing was.