Raphael screamed as his right arm was severed.
However, he quickly regained his composure as wind gathered around the part where his right arm was lost, forming a semi-transparent arm.
“Haah...hah...haah...The Holy Sword...my Holy Sword...”
While muttering, Raphael picked up the Holy Sword from the ground with his left hand.
It seems that his fighting spirit was far from broken since his obsession with the Holy Sword was immense as it seems that it is much more important to him than the arm he lost.
The sword was indeed the sword of a hero, but it was merely a tool used by a hero, not something that made one a hero.
And Raphael failed to realize this.
“No-Name... will you help me?”
If Raphael fell, No-Name knew that she would be next and without hesitation, the former No-Name raised her Flame God sword.
I glanced at her and swung my right arm again.
That alone caused the ground at No-Name’s feet to freeze.
No-Name attempted to melt the ice with the power of her Flame God sword, but the flames could not penetrate the ice.
Soon the ice continued to envelop No-Name while emitting a silver light.
“Stay there for a while.”
Soon, the ice encapsulated No-Name, forming an ice sculpture. She wasn’t dead, just immobilized because she was a nuisance.
The final showdown with the former No-Name should be with her successor, so upon seeing No-Name rendered powerless with a single move, Raphael's eyes widened.
He aimed the tip of the Holy Sword at me as I began to walk toward him again.
“If you think you can, then just try it.”
Raphael tried to swing the Holy Sword but seemed to remember how I had previously stopped it with one hand.
Instead, he directed his right arm at me.
The wind-formed arm unleashed a powerful gust.
“Using demonic powers despite being a human... Perhaps you were a victim too… But I don’t feel sympathy right now though.”
The wind couldn’t harm me so I didn’t even defend against it; my body’s released magic alone was enough to block all of his wind.
Using his demonic powers was understandable since the Holy Sword’s attack didn’t affect me.
However, it wasn’t a matter of compatibility. It was simply that the Holy Sword in its first release state couldn’t hurt me.
And naturally, an attack weaker than that wouldn’t be able to hurt me either.
With a look of despair, Raphael took a step back.
I wanted him to feel as much fear as possible.
To suffer as much as possible.
A quick death wouldn’t satisfy me.
Yet despite my intentions, a backlash came.
A roar occurred and at the same time, cracks appeared in the world to my right.
Not just one or two, but the whole space vibrated, causing fissures to begin forming everywhere.
I understand now. This is what happens when the world can’t bear it. If every use of ancient magic led to this, it’s no wonder that the ancient magical civilization had to abandon magic.
It seems we don’t have much time and I had no time for petty revenge since even the reinforced barrier was nearing its limit.
“Raphael... This is your end. Do you have any last words?”
“W-Wait! I just...! I only wanted the Emperor’s love...! Like Elna and you!”
“You were loved. You were recognized, and you just failed to see it. Only envying others, and coveting everything they had, while at the same time discarding all that you possessed. People cannot have everything. So... they cherish what they do have.”
Raphael never protected what he had because he never acknowledged it, he only felt unfulfilled and envied others.
Such tendencies exist in humans so it might just be human nature.
But Raphael’s case was extreme. My father indeed loved Raphael but despite that, Raphael claimed he wanted to be loved, simply because he wasn’t content.
“You should have been content... You should have valued what you had.”
“I...I...I’m not wrong! It’s all because of this hero’s blood! I never wanted this blood!!”
While screaming, Raphael swung the Holy Sword with his left arm.
I easily caught the stream of light it released with my right arm and spoke.
“You just denounced the very blood that enables you to wield the Holy Sword. And that’s your contradiction. You only enjoy the power while denying its source. Power comes with responsibility. You should have already learned that.”
With a face filled with despair, Raphael saw my right hand approach him.
It carried the power of the Holy Sword’s attack that I had absorbed as I pressed it against Raphael’s face.
The overwhelming light began to burn Raphael’s face.
It was fitting for someone who was obsessed with the Holy Sword to be destroyed by its power. Raphael tried to escape while screaming in agony, but I wouldn’t let him.
I used a barrier to immobilize him and declared:
“This is the punishment for betraying my father. And this is... for hurting Elna. Take it all.”
Grabbing Raphael’s face with my right hand, I activated my magic.
Even though more cracks appeared in the world, I didn’t care.
Seven spheres of light appeared, targeting Raphael.
And I stepped away from him. New ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄhapters are published on novelꞁire.net
As I spoke, I released seven beams of silver light from the spheres.
Struck by the beams, Raphael slowly vanished.
Once Raphael was completely erased, I suppressed my magic and the cracks in the world began to heal.
The barrier was barely holding, but it was intact.
If it broke, information would leak so that was avoided. I slowly took a deep breath to calm myself and tried to turn around but couldn’t.
I didn’t know what face to make.
My emotions were in turmoil, and my body wouldn’t move. All this stemmed from me. My scheme had hurt Elna.
Despite that, what face should I show her here?
The voice was close. Yet hearing it made my body tremble and I was scared to turn around.
It’s always been that way when I was called, and so I slowly managed to turn around.
It’s natural for a childhood friend to be there.
Whenever I turned around, she was always there and it always reassured me.
So, I turned around slowly where Elna stood there with a tearful expression.
But she wasn’t crying.
She probably couldn’t.
Elna called my name again.
Hearing it, tears quietly fell from my eyes.
Seeing this, Elna gently reached out and touched my face.
“I’m fine. So don’t blame yourself so much...”
She wiped my tears with one hand and then embraced me gently, like a mother would for her child.
“It’s okay... No matter what, you’re still Al...”
“It’s okay... As long as you came back to me... that’s enough. I forgive you.”
I knew it. It would be easier if she hit me.
But I knew Elna wouldn’t do that since Elna is always kind to me.
No matter how much she’s hurt, if I’m blaming myself, she’ll forgive me.
I knew that and had always relied on her kindness.
Knowing no matter what I did, she would forgive me.
And knowing that, I devised this plan. It was cowardly and pathetic and I shouldn’t face her. Yet, I slowly buried my face in Elna’s shoulder.
Most satisfying death of the series. Man Raphael can go eat doodoo for all we care...