Chapter 47

Is this how it feels to lie in a comfortable bed? People often say that when a teammate leads the game to the end in a team game, we are "riding the bus." It was exactly like that. I was now definitely on a high-speed bus... no, a stable jet.

Guaaaaaaah!

Aghram screamed. The Giant of Annihilation had rampaged across the battlefield, crushing him in an instant. Though he died pointlessly, Aghram resurrected.

'Phase 2.'

The resurrection pattern's Phase 2. Aghram, who had absorbed the power of the star, became even stronger after his resurrection.

—I... am... immortal...!

Kuaaaaaaah!

When Aghram roared, a black wave surged, pushing back the Giant of Annihilation. As he wielded his greatsword, pouring out a terrifying black flame, even the Star Guardians tensed up.

'I can't just stand by.'

After all, this is the main quest.

'They said the rewards would be given based on contribution rankings.'

However, I was the only player here. Even if my contribution was low, the structure was such that I would be first if I completed the quest here.

To gain even a small contribution, I had to lend a hand.

I raised my hand as I watched the formidable Aghram.

Kwa-ching!

It was the moment when the 'Mystery' of the terrifying black flames disappeared.

—...the power... bestowed by... Annihilation...!

Aghram was taken aback. The black flames that had blocked access vanished, and the Giant of Annihilation went berserk again. With each swing of the Annihilation Club, the terrain collapsed, and Aghram was flattened.

‘Aghram has died.’

‘The Hybrid Aghram has resurrected.’

‘Phase 3 has begun.’

Aghram, who had resurrected twice, began to absorb the hybrids. Tens of thousands of hybrids were sucked into Aghram, repairing his body and forming a massive shield.

Bang!

The shield even blocked the Annihilation Club.

—Kehahaha! Fall... into the... abyss...!

The Giant of Annihilation began to hammer the shield relentlessly. The Star Guardians and the Four Seasons were also overwhelmingly overpowering the hybrids in the swamp.

It was a spectacular sight, but the White King was just watching with his arms crossed.

"Why are you just watching, caw?"

"I promised to only watch, after all."

What a remarkable fellow. I didn't expect him to just watch even in this situation.

On the contrary, the Four Seasons were actively moving, dealing with Aghram and the hybrids that had appeared in the underground of Kramdel.

"Why aren't you intervening more actively? It would end much more easily if you did, caw."

"I said I would only destroy the Mystery, caw."

"…So you were just destroying the Mystery."

The White King burst into laughter. When I destroyed the 'First Wall,' the White King began to believe my bravado to some extent as 'truth.'

A Unique-grade Mystery. Destroying it meant I was a being who could bend the rules.

"It's almost over."

The White King looked at the Giant of Annihilation and Aghram. Even with the absolute defense shield created by absorbing hybrids, it was only buying time against the Giant of Annihilation.

—This monstrous... thing...!

Like the saying, "There's no tree that won't fall if you hit it ten times," the shield began to crack under the relentless strikes of the club.

It was pitiful to watch.

‘Aghram has died.’

‘The Black Star Aghram has resurrected.’

‘Phase 4 has begun.’

Already Phase 4. At that moment, the progress surpassed 60%.

In Phase 4, the power of the Black Star began to truly consume Aghram.

"Hmm..."

The White King murmured. When Aghram absorbed the Black Star, his entire body began to explode with mana.

"It's dangerous."

Everyone, including the White King, sensed the danger. Aghram's mana was not ordinary.

Eventually, the White King turned without hesitation. He drew a claw and sliced through the space, creating a hole in the field that had turned into the 'Swamp of the Dead.'

The White King's claw could cut through anything with just a swing.

Soon, all the Four Seasons gathered around the White King. Only the Giant of Annihilation was close to Aghram.

"You should come with us."

The White King casually said to me. From now on, we were family, so he wanted me to come along.

I looked at the distant Star Guardians and the Giant of Annihilation and asked, "Are you leaving the other Star Guardians and the Giant of Annihilation behind, caw?"

"There's no choice. Soon, he will explode, and this space itself will collapse."

It was dangerous to stay. The explosion was so dangerous that even the White King felt threatened.

The Star Guardians and the Giant of Annihilation were already too far away. If the White King left, everything that couldn't escape in time would be annihilated.

'The ability to detect danger was divine.'

The White King's danger detection ability was unparalleled. He could move as if he could see the future.

If he retreated, the destruction of the Star Guardians and the Giant of Annihilation was certain.

'Dramut, Andasar...'

The problem was that Dramut and Andasar's heads were among them. Dramut was a Star Guardian who was relatively friendly to humans. Even if I had become the master of the stars, he wouldn't have followed me so closely without some coercion. Andasar's head was also essential to think of Priest Andrew.

"Do you plan to stay here? It doesn't seem like a good idea."

"I will block the explosion, caw."

"…Block the explosion of a star?"

It was as if he was asking how I could block the explosion of a Black Star. His eyes, mixed with a bit of disbelief, looked at me.

The explosion of a Black Star wasn't something that could be blocked just by being strong.

Regardless, I slowly pulled out a strand of hair from my pocket.

'Using the hair of the Nameless Throne.'

When I cleared the main quest 5, obtaining a Mystery, the thrones offered a hundred rewards. Among them, I chose this: 'hair.'

'The only throne that offered a part of its body.'

It was a body part, not a tool. Even if it was just a strand of hair, I believed it had special significance.

And my choice was successful.

Gin-goh-a

'Unacceptable.'

The Giant of Annihilation could not tolerate the existence that had turned the star black. Not just the Giant of Annihilation, but all the 'Star Guardians' here could not tolerate it. Even if it wasn't their own star, the star itself was a symbol of the goddess. How could they stand by and watch as the 'evil' that dared to taint the symbol of the goddess with darkness?

'It must be destroyed.'

Not a trace should be left.

The Giant of Annihilation stepped forward to face Aghram. He couldn't just stand by and let the servant of Annihilation taint the star.

But Aghram kept resurrecting. Finally, after three resurrections, he absorbed the power of the Black Star.

"How dare you...!"

The Giant of Annihilation poured out all his power. But Aghram, who had absorbed the Black Star, was only thinking of annihilating his enemies.

—Die... all of you...!

It was a self-destruction. He intended to obliterate everything along with the star.

A terrifying mana gathered around Aghram, preparing to explode like a black hole, sucking everything in.

The Giant of Annihilation and the other Star Guardians didn't expect Aghram's self-destruction. If the Black Star exploded with him, the entire space would vanish.

It was too late to escape. The suction was too strong to break free.

If this continued, over a dozen Star Guardians would die at once. The remaining stars would also be in danger.

"I won't let that happen!"

The Giant of Annihilation embraced Aghram. He intended to minimize the damage of the self-destruction with his anti-magic power and skills.

"Giant of Annihilation!"

"Are you willing to sacrifice yourself?"

"What a foolish act!"

The Star Guardians shouted in shock.

Zuaaaaaaah!

Even as they shouted, Aghram and the Black Star's mana continued to expand, ready to explode.

It was too late.