Chapter 227: A Human Weapon [1]

Before us stood a grotesque mass—a fusion of the Sword Master Leonardo and countless Mains, twisted into something that could barely be called human anymore.

Just looking at it was enough to make my skin crawl.

I had no idea whether my attack could even break through that monstrosity.

Its body was overflowing with mana, layer upon layer of condensed power protecting it like an impenetrable fortress.

Under normal circumstances...

I wouldn’t even think about trying.

But there was still one chance.

Signut.

With his power, he could force open a crack in its defenses.

It would only last for an instant—but an instant was all I needed.

He drew a ragged breath before speaking.

"...Just once."

Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth as he struggled to remain standing.

"I can only create an opening once. No more."

"That’s enough."

I answered without hesitation.

One chance was all I had ever planned for.

Signut looked at me for a brief moment, then gave a silent nod.

He didn’t ask what I intended to do.

He didn’t need an explanation.

At this point, everyone understood the same thing.

If we failed here...

No one was leaving this battlefield alive.

"...I’ll tell you when."

I tightened my grip around the sword’s hilt.

The familiar weight in my hands steadied my racing heart.

Slowly, I lowered my stance and fixed my eyes on the purple abomination.

Every muscle in my body screamed in protest.

The battle until now had pushed me far beyond my limits.

Even standing hurt.

Every breath sent a dull ache through my ribs.

My mana reserves were nearly empty.

But none of that mattered anymore.

There wouldn’t be a second chance.

Signut forced himself upright.

His battered body trembled violently, yet he remained standing through sheer willpower.

A deep blue aura began gathering around him.

The surrounding mana answered his call, surging toward him from every direction.

The air grew heavier.

The ground beneath our feet began to crack.

Then—

FWOOOOOSH!!

A pillar of dazzling light erupted from Signut, crashing into the purple mass.

For the first time...

The monster reacted.

Its countless eyes widened.

Its distorted body convulsed as the overwhelming force tore a narrow crack through the thick layer of mana protecting it.

"Now!!"

Signut roared, veins bulging across his neck.

"Go!!"

I moved.

Ignoring the agony coursing through my body, I kicked off the ground with every ounce of strength I had left.

My vision blurred.

My lungs burned.

Each step felt like my bones were about to shatter all over again.

But I couldn’t stop.

Not now.

Not when everyone had entrusted this final chance to me.

The opening was already beginning to close.

Faster.

I had to be faster.

With every step, the monstrous figure grew larger until it filled my entire vision.

A heartbeat later, Signut’s sword energy streaked past me like a bolt of light and slammed into the pulsating mass.

BOOM!!

The impact shook the entire cavern.

A deafening explosion echoed through the air as thick white smoke erupted from the point of impact. For a brief moment, a hole was torn open in the massive flesh-like barrier.

"Now!"

Without wasting a second, I dashed forward and slipped through the opening.

The instant I crossed the threshold, the gap sealed itself behind me as though it had never existed.

I stopped and instinctively tightened my grip on my sword.

"..."

The space inside was far larger than I had expected.

It resembled a massive underground chamber, its walls pulsating faintly like the inside of a living creature. A heavy, metallic scent lingered in the air, and an unsettling silence filled the room.

Then my eyes were drawn to the center.

A colossal wall of writhing flesh towered before me.

Embedded within it—half of his body swallowed by the grotesque structure—was the old man.

His eyes slowly opened.

"So..."

His gaze settled on me.

"Who are you?"

His voice was calm, almost curious.

I didn’t answer immediately.

Instead, I carefully observed him.

The wall wasn’t imprisoning him.

It was... feeding him.

Dark veins spread across his body as the pulsating wall continuously poured demonic energy into him.

Right before my eyes, his body was changing.

Small black horns pushed through his forehead.

The wrinkles that had covered his face began to fade.

His frail, withered body rapidly regained muscle and vitality.

It wasn’t healing.

It was evolving.

The moment I understood what I was looking at, my expression hardened.

"So that’s your goal..."

I slowly raised my sword.

"You’re trying to become a demon."

The old man let out a quiet chuckle.

"No."

His answer was immediate.

His lips curled into a smile filled with absolute conviction.

"I am becoming something far greater."

"..."

Something greater than a demon?

Even I couldn’t help but frown.

The arrogance in those words was unbelievable.

Or perhaps...

It wasn’t arrogance.

It was confidence.

"I’ve waited my entire life for this moment," he continued, his eyes burning with obsession.

"Do you have any idea how many years I’ve sacrificed?"

"How many failures I’ve endured?"

"How many lives were required to reach this point?"

His smile widened.

"History will remember me as the one who surpassed the limits of humanity."

A chill ran down my spine.

I still didn’t know exactly what he was trying to become.

But one thing was painfully clear.

Whatever that thing was...

It should never be allowed to exist.

If I let him finish this transformation...

The consequences would be catastrophic.

I exhaled slowly and lowered my center of gravity.

"I can’t let that happen."

The old man’s eyes narrowed.

"So you’ve chosen death."

Ignoring his warning, I kicked off the ground.

The distance between us disappeared in an instant.

Since half his body was fused into the wall, I assumed his movements would be restricted.

I only needed one clean strike.

But—

The old man calmly lifted a single finger.

"What do you think you can accomplish...?"

His voice echoed through the chamber.

"Disappear."

The next instant—

SHRRAAAK!

Countless black tentacles burst from every direction.

They surged toward me like living spears, twisting and writhing with terrifying speed.