Chapter 669

When Luna disappeared, the world began to move again. Along with the cloudy sky, the raindrops that had stopped were pouring down to the ground. There was a battle between monsters and the alliance army in all directions. Luna was the only one who knew about the sudden change that had occurred. She could take the cloak of the sun god and the sword of the moon from the owner. Luna doesn't want me to die. I choose a third option, not accepting the deal. Luna said she wouldn't help anymore. The absolute attack and defense of the two relics that made Ellen the strongest being in the world disappeared. I still have two relics. If I lose even in this situation, I might as well die. The sound of the battlefield is heard from far away. The one who lost the relic looks at me from a giant pit. They refuse to accept the gods and want to be remembered for their deaths. "If abandoned by the gods, I will no longer seek the name of the gods," it says. Something was there among the destroyed remnants of buildings, which moved slowly. It was a rusty sword, broken in half, that even in its prime was of poor quality and belonged to no one, not even a god. Ellen held the broken sword and smiled, saying it was not a grand relic, but rather the broken weapon of someone who was forgotten and trampled upon. The protagonist felt a spiritual pain and fear just from the clash of swords, as if their soul was being torn apart. The weapon was dangerous, even though it was weak, and had a strange power of resentment and despair. A fear and pain that I don't want to remember again.

I can feel it just from clashing swords.

"Ugh...ack...1"

Physical wounds can be healed with Tiamat's divine power.

But the pain inflicted on the soul accumulates.

It cannot be healed.

If the Void Sword is a weapon that can kill me at any time, then that is a weapon that will carve me up.

It's not sharp, but it attacks other parts.

When it clings to my body, I have experienced a state of unconsciousness several times.

It's not as powerful as the Void Sword, but the moment my mind becomes dizzy, a huge gap appears.

-clang!

-kiaaaaah!

The broken sword cannot pierce my armor, but it stabs my soul with a piercing sound that feels like it will tear it apart.

-jjeo-eok!

"Kuh...ugh!"

And not just the weapon, Ellen's body itself is a weapon.

Even without a weapon, I can tear monsters apart with my bare hands.

Hasn't the condition worsened, allowing for not only physical attacks but also spiritual attacks?

Excuses are useless.

The present and future have already changed.

Luna gave me the maximum help she could.

What's important is that she found another weapon, but she couldn't find another shield.

That's important.

"Flame."

-kururung!

With a spell filled with determination, a shockwave of a huge flame erupts from under Ellen's feet, causing a big explosion.

-kwakang!

However, as if already knowing before the flame occurred, Ellen dodges and charges at me as I bounce off.

It was an attempt to block the line of sight with the steam generated by the explosive water, but the reflex nerves at the limit did not change.

As if already knowing even if it couldn't be seen, she runs straight at me through the steam.

-kakang!

"Ugh...!"

Just clashing swords feels like my mind is being torn apart.

My immovable heart is shaken.

The aura of Ora and the Ora Armor protecting my body are shaken.

Just for a moment.

"....!"

-scutch!

But in that momentary gap, the broken sword cuts through about half of my neck.

Fortunately, my mind was only shaken for a moment.

-kwang!

As Ellen tries to deliver a finishing blow, I barely manage to push her away.

Tiamat heals the bleeding neck.

If it had been a little deeper, I would have died.

No, it was already deep enough to have cut my artery.

That sword disrupts my will. It's enough to make me powerless for a moment.

If it hadn't been for a special training in Lizeira, I might have lost my mind the moment I clashed with that sword.

No, I wouldn't have even made it here and would have been swallowed up by those ghosts.

My fingertips tremble.

It's dangerous in a different way than the Void Sword.

That broken sword literally attacks me.

As the battle continues, my mind will deteriorate.

The moment I faint, everything will be over. -Carduk! Clang! Kaaang!

As the attack continues, a pain that feels like the soul is being torn apart attacks the whole body.

Beyond the physical limit of a broken sword, it deflects and strikes all of my attacks.

"Ah...huh...ugh..."

After dozens of attacks and defenses, I realize.

The Void Sword is not the problem.

The Sun's Cloak is not the problem.

The broken sword is not the problem.

I have mixed swords many times.

For days, months, and even stayed up all night.

Even if the spirits control Ellen's body, I am ultimately facing Ellen.

Even though Ellen has no will, she fights in Ellen's way.

That's the problem.

The fight in the dream is reproduced as it is.

I learned the sword from Ellen.

That's why Ellen knows everything about the sword, and is always ahead of me.

How to cut.

How to stab.

How to measure distance. And how to narrow it.

How to use squares.

How to use joints.

How to use counters.

How to counter the counter.

I learned everything from Ellen.

Of course, Ellen, who taught me that, did everything better than me.

Now, I have to fight the person who taught me everything.

I have to fight my teacher without surpassing her.

And she even has a broken sword.

I can't win even with a relic.

-Crack!

Suddenly, Ellen rushes in and strikes straight down with her sword.

As I try to deflect the sword diagonally.

-Zzweong!

"Kuh...huh!"

I was hit by a knee that rushed up instead of a sword and flew into the sky.

In the midst of the pain that shattered my organs, I rolled on the ground several times.

Rolling several times in a puddle, I barely stand up.

I pretend to strike down while looking up, but I didn't actually put any strength into the sword.

She reads everything about me.

She knows too well what I'm weak against.

Because she taught me everything, Ellen can't beat me even if she wants to.

Ellen Artorius is my archenemy.

I became quickly stronger by learning the sword from Ellen. I learned how to fight, so my skills are now unmatched by anyone.

But that's why, unlike anyone else, I was a person who could never beat Ellen.

It's like the old days.

I keep getting hit, falling, and rolling.

But I don't feel nostalgic.

I don't die because of Tiamat's divine power.

I should have died several times already.

It was not an absolute fatal injury, so I could recover.

And now, even the mental pain that cannot be recovered is accumulating.

My vision is getting blurry, and I feel like I'm going to lose consciousness.

Even sending magic power throughout my body is becoming increasingly difficult.

Even though I've come this far.

There's no Lament or Raphael.

And yet, am I losing?

Even though it turned out like this, can't I win?

Or am I just weak?

Then how?

What should I have done?

I thought I did everything I could.

The accumulated mental pain weakens me itself. Negative and self-destructive thoughts flood in. Even though I know these thoughts are being forced upon me by the whispers of those demons. The impulse to give up and let go of everything grows stronger. What if I didn't have this broken sword? Then what? Would things get better? What if I had a completely ordinary sword, or no weapon at all? It's a fight against someone who knows everything about me. Now, even if Ellen were to fight me barehanded, I think I would still lose. No, I would probably lose even more overwhelmingly if we fought without the penalty of this broken weapon. There's no reason for my opponent to watch as my defeated mindset slowly rises. Ellen rushes at me as if leaping lightly. I try to block her charge with my sword, but I already know that I won't be able to stop her this time. My spirit is broken. Confidence in victory cannot bring victory. But confidence in defeat will surely bring defeat. At the moment when Ellen strikes my sword, causing it to fly out of my hand, and she comes at me again with the pain of the soul that attacks me again, Tiamat leaves my hand completely. "Perception!" At the moment when Ellen attacks me, the water in the puddle spreads in all directions, causing a rough water storm. Am I going to die? I dropped my sword and Ellen covers me, crushing me. I can't escape because my whole body is tangled up. I understand. It's simple. I've been through this several times. While running, I let go of my sword, fly my whole body, and then cover and crush me. Looking down at me from above, with the sword aimed at my neck. Always. "You're dead." Yes. Always. Like this. She said.