Chapter 40: CHP 40 LIRA’S FINAL GIFT

Chapter 40: Lira’s Final Gift

Kael’s eyes widened.

He saw Juyew standing in the distance.

Lira was in his grasp.

"LIRA!"

Kael immediately rushed toward them.

Veyron, who was still injured from his battle with Kael, looked toward Juyew.

Juyew noticed Kael approaching.

"You’re too late."

Kael increased his speed.

"LET HER GO!"

Juyew suddenly tightened his grip.

Lira’s body went completely still.

Kael stopped for a fraction of a second.

His expression changed.

"No..."

Juyew released her.

Lira fell toward the ground.

Kael caught her.

"Lira!"

There was no response.

Kael’s hands trembled.

The others saw what had happened.

Kil Ful’s eyes widened.

Morry froze.

Ravian clenched his fists.

Rony couldn’t believe it.

Maddy stared at Lira in shock.

Juyew stood silently.

Kael slowly placed Lira down.

Then he looked at Juyew.

His expression had completely changed.

"You..."

Natural energy exploded around Kael.

The ground cracked beneath his feet.

Kael rushed toward Juyew with incredible speed.

His sword was covered in powerful green energy.

Juyew raised his hand.

"Void Continuous Slam."

A massive invisible pressure suddenly crashed down.

Kael was forced toward the ground.

But he continued moving.

He pushed through the pressure and swung his sword.

Juyew blocked the attack.

The impact sent both of them backward.

Kael attacked again.

Juyew released another wave of pressure.

Kael was thrown across the battlefield.

Kil Ful shouted,

"KAEL!"

But Kael immediately stood again.

He rushed toward Juyew.

Juyew increased the pressure.

Kael’s body was forced down.

Kil Ful screamed,

"LIRA!"

Everyone was still shocked.

But then—

Something strange happened.

Lira’s hand moved.

Maddy’s eyes widened.

"Lira?"

Lira slowly opened her eyes.

She looked toward Maddy.

A faint smile appeared on her face.

"Maddy..."

Maddy rushed toward her.

"You’re alive!"

Lira shook her head.

"Not for long."

Maddy froze.

Lira looked at the remaining mud around her.

Then she looked at Maddy.

"You have always fought with speed..."

She smiled.

"But my power can help you go even further."

Maddy shook his head.

"What are you talking about?"

Lira raised her hand.

A small circle of mud formed beneath both of them.

A strange ritual began.

Maddy felt a powerful energy entering his body.

"What are you doing?!"

Lira smiled.

"Giving you everything I have."

The mud around the battlefield began moving toward Maddy.

Maddy’s eyes widened.

"Stop! You can’t!"

Lira continued the ritual.

"Protect everyone."

Her voice became weaker.

"That’s all I want."

The last of her power entered Maddy.

The mud around Lira disappeared.

Her body became still.

Maddy stared at her.

"Lira..."

He lowered his head.

Tears filled his eyes.

The battlefield became silent.

Lira was gone.

But something remained.

Her power.

Her will.

Her energy.

All of it now lived inside Maddy.

Whether Lira’s story had truly ended...

Or whether this power would become something more in the future...

Only time would tell.

---

Kael saw what had happened.

His expression became serious.

"We’re leaving."

Kil Ful looked at him.

"But Juyew—"

"We can’t win this battle now."

Kael released a massive burst of natural energy.

Green energy surrounded the entire group.

Juyew looked at them.

"So you’re running?"

Kael didn’t answer.

He grabbed Kil Ful and Morry with his natural energy.

Rony and Ravian were also pulled away.

Maddy stood silently beside them.

His body was still glowing faintly with Lira’s transferred power.

Juyew prepared to attack.

But suddenly—

Mud erupted from beneath Maddy.

His eyes widened.

The mud moved on its own.

It lifted Kil Ful and Ravian from the ground.

Maddy looked at his hands.

"This..."

Lira’s power was still moving inside him.

Maddy controlled the mud and lifted them higher.

Kael increased his speed.

The entire team began escaping from the abandoned village.

Juyew watched them disappear into the distance.

He didn’t chase them.

He simply smiled.

"So..."

He looked at the direction they had escaped.

"Even after losing one of their own, they still managed to escape."

Meanwhile, Kael continued carrying the injured team away.

Kil Ful was barely conscious.

Rony could hardly move.

Morry and Ravian were injured.

Maddy remained silent.

He looked down at his hands.

Lira’s power was still flowing through him.

He clenched his fist.

"I won’t waste it."

The group disappeared into the forest.

Behind them, the abandoned village became silent once again.

And somewhere within that silence...

The story of Lira had come to an end.

Or perhaps—

It had only been left unfinished.