CHAPTER 102 — THE STRONGEST IN THE WORLD

The war didn't wait for morning.

Humans launched the first attack.

The left line moved first.

Helen walked at their head.

Ten thousand Awakening fighters followed her.

The forest answered.

Packs emerged between the trees.

Hundreds.

Then thousands.

Creatures darkened the sky.

Helen raised her staff.

"Hold formation."

"Keep advancing."

The first collision was horrific.

Awakening Threes held the front rank.

Awakening Fours closed the gaps.

Awakening Fives reached the broken lines.

Monsters came in wave after wave.

But humanity advanced.

Amelia held the center.

The attacks never stopped.

One monster fell.

Three took its place.

Amelia didn't retreat.

"Center!"

"Three steps forward!"

Thousands of spells rose at once.

The sky changed color.

The ground shook for kilometers.

Monster screams filled the forest.

Human screams mingled with them.

But the line...

Kept moving forward.

Sylvia was on the right.

She advanced faster than the others.

Because her orders were different.

She would enter King territory.

And leave three heads.

The first King Monster...

Appeared before noon.

Its enormous body tore through the forest.

The creature looked at Sylvia.

Then at the army behind her.

Roared.

Sylvia smiled.

"Just who I was looking for."

Their first clash shattered the mountain.

Sylvia was hurled hundreds of meters.

She twisted in midair and landed.

Blood ran from the corner of her mouth.

"All right."

Her eyes gleamed.

"You're a little strong."

The King Monster attacked again.

This time, Sylvia struck back.

Two auras collided.

The ground caved in.

It lasted minutes.

Finally...

Sylvia drove her staff into its chest.

The creature roared.

Sylvia released all her power.

BOOOOOOM!

The King Monster fell.

Sylvia was breathless.

But she didn't stop.

She tore off its head.

Left it in the clearing.

"One."

The second was stronger.

Sylvia's shoulder was torn open.

A rib cracked.

But the creature's neck broke too.

"Two."

Against the third...

Sylvia truly struggled.

The creature slammed her into the ground.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

The Awakening soldiers tried to intervene.

Sylvia shouted.

"STAY BACK!"

The creature raised its claw.

Sylvia rolled aside at the last moment.

Got to her feet.

Spat blood.

"Good."

"Now it's my turn."

She released her entire aura.

The clash could be felt ten kilometers away.

And finally...

The third King Monster fell.

Sylvia dropped to her knees.

Her breathing was ragged.

Blood ran from her hands.

But she tore off its head.

Left the three heads side by side.

"Three."

She raised her head.

"Message received?"

The forest didn't answer.

But...

The depths of the forest did.

Helen had crossed the boundary too.

A King Monster blocked her path.

Helen made it fight for twelve minutes.

Then killed it.

A single head...

Was left at the entrance to the left line.

One confronted Amelia too.

The battle lasted seventeen minutes.

Amelia's arm was injured.

But in the end, the creature collapsed.

Amelia raised her head.

"Keep advancing."

Then...

The entire battlefield fell silent.

Something had changed.

The Awakening soldiers felt it first.

Then the Half-Steps.

Then the Pillars.

Sylvia slowly rose.

Helen turned her head.

Amelia looked at the sky.

Three separate auras were rising.

No.

These weren't auras.

They were like natural disasters.

The first came from the left.

Five tails.

Four arms.

A red and green body.

Lucifer.

Emperor of the Monsters.

The second emerged from the center.

Long black wings spread.

A purple aura painted the sky.

Lilith.

The Second Emperor.

The third walked from the right.

Every step made the ground sink.

It wore bony black armor.

Crowley.

The Third Emperor.

The three stood side by side.

Lucifer on the left.

Lilith in the middle.

Crowley on the right.

The battlefield forgot to breathe.

At central command, Richard stood up.

He stared at the screens.

Three Emperors.

At once.

Richard said one word.

"Fuck."

Then vanished.

Within minutes...

The Pillars gathered.

Richard appeared at the front.

Rowena took her place beside him.

Helen came to his left.

Amelia stood in the center.

Sylvia moved to the right.

Eleanor walked up.

Her eyes were on Lucifer.

Six Pillars...

NovelPhoenix publishes this author's chapter, whereas this version was copied without permission; the source posting supports their writing.

Faced three Emperors.

Galahad stood behind Sylvia.

The world watched them.

Images of the battle were broadcast everywhere.

City squares had filled.

The academies were utterly silent.

Defense centers had risen to their feet.

An Awakening Three...

Looked at the screen and whispered.

"They're all there."

The Awakening Four beside them answered.

"All except Holar."

An Awakening Five swallowed.

"All three Emperors too."

A Half-Step mage fell silent.

Because...

They felt something else.

Old.

Very old.

An aura impossible to forget.

Eleanor noticed first.

She turned her head.

Richard's eyes widened.

Sylvia began to laugh.

"No way."

Helen looked behind her.

Amelia's breath stopped.

Galahad's eyes shone.

The aura was approaching.

But...

It hadn't fully opened yet.

Still, everyone recognized it.

Galahad whispered.

"Grandpa."

A white silhouette walked forward.

Emerged from the forest.

Holar Jun.

But not the Holar they were used to.

He wore battle gear.

Pure white armor.

No ornamentation.

An elegant white staff.

Plain armored boots.

Old insignia marked his shoulders.

Sylvia's smile vanished.

Richard stared for a long time.

Helen exhaled.

Amelia's eyes widened.

Eleanor...

Recognized him.

She knew that outfit.

She hadn't seen it in a very long time.

Holar Jun walked.

The six slowly parted.

No one gave an order.

Their bodies remembered.

The old team...

Made way for its leader.

Holar stepped among them.

Stopped.

Looked at the three Emperors.

Then turned to his old team.

Smiled.

"My dear Pillars."

Sylvia raised an eyebrow.

Holar inclined his head slightly.

"Or..."

"Should I say my old team?"

The corner of Richard's mouth lifted.

Sylvia laughed.

Helen spun her staff.

Amelia took a deep breath.

Eleanor simply watched.

Holar faced forward.

"Richard."

Richard straightened immediately.

"Front defense."

"Understood, Boss."

The world fell silent.

Everyone heard that word.

Boss.

The old team leader's nickname.

Holar continued.

"Sylvia."

"Right side."

Sylvia smiled.

"Gladly."

"Helen."

"Take the rear."

"Keep the battle on the right line."

Helen nodded.

"Understood."

"Amelia."

"Be my eyes."

Amelia:

"As always."

Then...

Holar looked at Eleanor.

His expression changed.

"You and I will take the front."

Eleanor smiled faintly.

Holar indicated the three Emperors.

"Which one do you want?"

The entire world heard it.

Eleanor didn't even think.

She pointed at Lucifer.

"Lucifer is mine."

Silence.

An Awakening Three opened their mouth.

"She picked an Emperor."

Someone else answered.

"Not a King."

"They're choosing Emperors."

Far away, Percy was walking.

He heard the audio broadcast.

Stopped for a moment.

Heard Eleanor's words.

His cheek lifted slightly.

"That's my mom."

Holar looked at Eleanor.

Smiled.

"Gladly."

Then turned to Sylvia.

"Keep that fucking Crowley..."

"Away from me."

Sylvia rolled her neck.

Her bones cracked.

"All my power?"

Holar:

"All of it."

Sylvia grinned broadly.

"You got it, Boss."

Galahad stood behind her.

Looked at them.

Six Pillars.

One leader.

The world's oldest defensive line.

One thought crossed Galahad's mind.

This is our last line of defense.

Holar took a step forward.

Looked at the world.

Then at the Emperors.

"I have a grandson."

Lucifer's eyes narrowed.

Holar continued.

"I have no objection to saying so."

A nearby King Monster moved.

Holar didn't even turn his head.

He vanished at once.

SLAAAP!

His slap struck the creature's face.

The King Monster...

Flew two hundred meters.

Shattered trees before stopping.

It was covered in blood.

Holar raised his hand.

"Lightning Destruction."

The sky turned white.

BOOOOOOOOOOM!

The King Monster died.

Holar turned to the Emperors.

"Percy Grant."

First, he looked at Lucifer.

Then at Lilith.

Then at Crowley.

"Don't forget his name."

Another King Monster attacked.

Holar struck the ground with his staff.

"Eternal Domain."

The world grew heavy.

Three King Monsters...

Were drawn into the same domain.

Holar raised a finger.

"Attack one another."

The three creatures turned at once.

Began attacking each other.

Teeth sank into flesh.

Claws tore through necks.

The Awakening soldiers froze.

A mage whispered.

"Mind control?"

A Half-Step shook their head.

"No."

"The domain..."

"Is changing the rules."

The three King Monsters...

Killed one another.

Holar closed the domain.

Kept walking.

The fourth fell.

The fifth.

The sixth.

The seventh.

Sometimes Holar used a single attack.

Sometimes he merely raised his hand.

The eighth died.

The ninth.

The tenth.

Sylvia forgot to fight.

Even Richard looked at Holar.

Helen narrowed her eyes.

Amelia watched every movement.

Eleven.

Twelve.

Thirteen.

When the thirteenth King Monster fell...

The world wasn't shouting anymore.

It was silent.

Because astonishment had run out.

The fourteenth advanced.

It was different from the others.

Its aura pushed the boundary.

Almost Interplanetary.

Its enormous face turned toward Holar.

"You bastard."

Holar stopped.

The creature continued.

"For two thousand years..."

"You think you've been saving the world."

Holar looked at it.

For a while, he didn't answer.

Then...

"That's actually true."

The creature growled.

Holar didn't raise his staff.

"But..."

"The defeated don't get to speak before me."

The creature was about to laugh.

Holar extended his hand.

"Let your tongue cease to exist."

For an instant...

Nothing happened.

Then the creature's mouth opened.

Its tongue...

Was gone.

It hadn't been cut.

It hadn't been torn out.

It was as though it had never existed.

The world...

Had obeyed the command.

Lucifer's eyes widened.

Lilith's wings tensed.

Crowley moved for the first time.

The three Emperors...

Had felt the same thing.

This...

Wasn't a normal spell.

Holar tilted his head.

"Better."

Then he changed direction.

Looked toward Percy's route.

There...

Was a sea of monsters.

Hundreds of thousands.

Advanced Monsters.

Pack leaders.

Flying creatures.

Underground hunters.

Holar raised his white staff.

Six colors appeared.

Fire.

Water.

Earth.

Wind.

Lightning.

Light.

All six flowed into one another.

The sky bent.

Eleanor's expression changed.

"Holar."

Holar didn't hear.

Or pretended not to.

"Six Elements..."

"Unite."

At the staff's tip...

A small point formed.

Very small.

But the world trembled.

Holar's eyes turned white.

"Ability."

"Sovereign of the World."

He paused.

"Eternal Strike."

There was no sound.

Not at first.

No light appeared either.

Only...

A line formed.

Then the world split.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

The attack reached the horizon.

The forest opened down the middle.

Mountain faces shattered.

The sky split in two.

And on Percy's route...

More than six hundred and fifty thousand monsters...

Vanished.

They weren't burned.

They weren't torn apart.

They left no bodies behind.

They were simply...

Erased.

All over the world...

People rose to their feet.

A child pointed at the screen.

"Mom..."

"The forest disappeared."

At the academy, a student cried.

A teacher couldn't speak.

Awakening Threes looked at the ground.

Awakening Fours couldn't breathe.

Even Awakening Fives fell silent.

The Half-Steps...

Looked at Holar Jun.

One of them whispered.

"That's why."

Another asked.

"What?"

The man answered.

"That's why he's the strongest."

Percy was running.

A large monster appeared before him.

Its claw rose.

Percy was about to call Blaze.

The monster...

Vanished at once.

Percy stopped.

Looked ahead.

Kilometers of road had opened.

Silent.

Straight.

Free of monsters.

Percy blinked.

Far away...

He felt Holar's aura.

The corner of his mouth lifted.

"My grandpa..."

A second.

"Is such a badass."

Hundreds of kilometers away...

Holar raised an eyebrow.

Then laughed despite himself.

"Heh."

Lilith looked at him.

"What are you laughing at?"

Holar was still smiling.

"Do I need your permission, vermin?"

Lilith's face darkened.

Wings spread.

"To threaten us..."

"You've killed a few King Monsters."

"Wiped out swarms of insects."

Aura spread toward Holar.

Lilith smiled.

"So?"

"I'm not afraid."

The purple aura reached Holar.

Holar snapped his fingers.

"Invalid."

SNAP.

The aura...

Vanished.

Lilith's face froze.

Hair stood on end.

Crowley tilted its head.

For the first time, it examined Holar carefully.

Lucifer, meanwhile...

Was looking for Eleanor.

Because the woman had vanished.

A green wind rose.

Eleanor's voice rang out.

"Oneness with the Wind."

Her body dispersed in midair.

Became wind.

Lucifer turned.

Too late.

Eleanor appeared behind it.

Swung her leg.

Lucifer's shield formed.

BOOM!

The kick struck the shield.

Lucifer was grinning.

"No attack can affect me."

Eleanor smiled too.

"Are you sure?"

She drew her leg back.

Green aura gathered at her foot.

"Justice of the Wind."

The second kick landed.

BOOOOOOM!

Lucifer...

Was hurled six hundred meters.

It uprooted trees as it flew.

Tore through the earth.

Finally stopped.

The world fell silent again.

Eleanor raised her hand.

"Not enough."

She closed her fingers.

"Wind Domain."

The air around Lucifer...

Vanished.

Lucifer tried to breathe.

Its chest expanded.

There was no air.

It tried again.

Still none.

The King Monsters withdrew.

Richard looked at it.

Sylvia laughed amid her battle.

Even Helen turned her head.

Amelia's eyes gleamed.

Holar...

Was watching Eleanor.

The world's second-strongest human.

Why she was second...

Was now clear to everyone.

Holar smiled.

"That's my woman."

Eleanor turned her head.

"What?"

Holar's smile grew.

At that exact moment...

Lucifer punched the domain.

Shattered the air.

Reached Eleanor in an instant.

Its fist struck her face.

BOOM!

Eleanor slammed into the ground.

Holar burst out laughing.

"BWAHAHAHA!"

Eleanor got up.

Her hair was a mess.

Her eyes turned to Holar.

"You..."

"You'll pay for that, you old geezer."

Holar kept laughing.

Lucifer attacked again.

Eleanor turned to it.

"You should be gentle with women."

Lucifer's four arms spread.

Eleanor bared her teeth.

"You four-armed son of a bitch."

Galahad choked in the distance.

Sylvia burst out laughing.

Richard lowered his head.

"The old Eleanor."

Eleanor spread both hands.

"Wind."

Green energy gathered.

"Lightning."

White energy mixed into it.

"Unite."

Lucifer kept approaching.

Eleanor shouted.

"Wind Bullet."

"Lightning Strike."

The two spells combined.

"Combined Ability!"

"The Wind's Raging Lightning!"

BOOOOOOM!

The attack entered Lucifer's abdomen.

Came out through its back.

Pieces of flesh flew through the air.

Lucifer stopped.

Looked down.

An enormous hole gaped in its abdomen.

Then...

The flesh moved.

Muscles joined together.

Skin closed.

The wound...

Healed within seconds.

Eleanor narrowed her eyes.

"Annoying."

Lucifer raised all four fists.

"Let's continue."

Eleanor smiled.

"Gladly."

Battle began everywhere.

Richard blocked attacks.

Helen directed the battlefield.

Amelia saw every gap.

Sylvia stayed glued to Crowley.

Crowley couldn't get away.

Sylvia was breathless.

But she was laughing.

"He told me to keep you away from him."

Crowley punched.

Sylvia blocked it.

Her arm went numb.

"And I follow orders."

Crowley growled.

Sylvia:

"Sometimes."

Holar walked through the battle.

The King Monsters didn't approach him.

Holar looked at them all.

"Carry on."

His voice spread across the entire area.

"If you interfere with Percy's path..."

The monsters' eyes turned toward him.

Holar's face darkened.

"I'll do worse than kill you."

"Death would be mercy."

"I'll make you suffer."

The King Monsters backed away.

Lilith stepped forward.

"Enough!"

Holar looked at Lilith.

"Enough of your threats."

Lilith vanished.

A fist came toward Holar.

Holar tilted his head.

The fist missed.

A second came.

Holar stepped back.

A third.

A fourth.

A fifth.

None connected.

Lilith shouted.

"Stop running!"

Holar smiled.

"To you, it might look like running."

Lilith attacked again.

Eleanor saw it while fighting Lucifer.

Smiled.

"That's my man."

Holar turned his head toward her.

"What?"

BOOOOOOM!

Lilith's kick struck Holar.

Holar flew hundreds of meters.

Eleanor burst out laughing.

"BWAHAHAHA!"

Holar righted himself in midair.

Landed.

Looked at Eleanor.

"You witch."

"I'll make you pay for that."

Eleanor winked.

"Beat Lilith first."

Richard lowered his head.

So did Sylvia.

Helen covered her mouth.

Amelia turned away to keep from laughing.

Galahad...

Chuckled while fighting a King Monster.

"They're insane."

The King Monster attacked Galahad.

Galahad blocked at the last moment.

Was knocked back.

Blood ran from his hands.

The creature came again.

Galahad gritted his teeth.

"All right."

"Let me put on a little show too."

The battle dragged on.

Galahad fell several times.

His shoulder split open.

His breath was knocked out.

But he didn't give up.

Finally...

His sword entered the creature's neck.

He pulled with all his strength.

The head came off.

Galahad kicked it.

The head flew through the air.

Rolled to a stop in front of Holar.

Holar looked down.

Then at Galahad.

"Showing off?"

Galahad laughed breathlessly.

"No."

Holar raised an eyebrow.

Galahad:

"A coincidence."

Holar:

"Of course."

As the battle continued...

The world was seeing true power.

The Pillars weren't merely names.

They truly were...

The world's last line.

But in their midst...

One person remained standing throughout.

Holar Jun.

Lilith confronted him again.

Its wings were torn.

But it was still smiling.

"You think you can defeat me."

Holar didn't answer.

Lilith continued.

"Old man."

"You've grown old."

"Go die already."

Holar's smile vanished.

Eleanor...

Turned her head as she pushed Lucifer back.

Richard stopped.

Even Sylvia broke away from Crowley.

Helen's expression changed.

Amelia's eyes widened.

Galahad...

Recognized that aura.

"Grandpa..."

Holar's eyes...

Turned bright yellow.

Fire appeared.

Water circled it.

Earth rose.

Wind sharpened.

Lightning covered the sky.

Light wrapped around them all.

Holar raised his staff.

"Six Elements."

"Unite."

Six powers entered a single point.

But it wasn't enough.

Holar closed his eyes.

Years of Orin awakened.

Up to Interplanetary Level Two...

The power that had accumulated inside him.

Holar released half of it.

Only half.

The world...

Groaned.

Lucifer's expression changed.

Crowley retreated for the first time.

Lilith's smile vanished.

Eleanor froze.

"Holar..."

Holar drew himself back.

His staff moved behind him.

His entire aura...

Compressed into one point.

The clouds overhead dispersed.

Seas swelled kilometers away.

The world was watching Holar Jun.

Holar opened his eyes.

"Ability."

He took a step.

"Execution of the World."

Holar vanished.

The sound came afterward.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

Lilith's eyes widened.

In the middle of its chest...

A hole formed.

No.

It wasn't a hole.

Holar Jun...

Had passed straight through.

He stood behind Lilith.

Blood splashed onto his white armor.

Lilith's blood...

Reached all the way to Galahad's face.

Galahad froze.

Lilith looked down.

Nothing remained in its chest.

Its Core had shattered.

Its heart was gone.

Its aura was dispersing.

Lucifer's eyes widened.

Crowley drew back.

Richard couldn't speak.

Sylvia's mouth hung open.

Helen lowered her staff.

Amelia's eyes widened.

Even Eleanor...

Was shocked.

Across the world...

No one spoke.

An Awakening Three cried.

An Awakening Five knelt.

A Half-Step whispered.

"An Emperor..."

"An Emperor is dead."

Lilith's body fell.

THUD.

Holar slowly straightened.

The energy in his hand dispersed.

His chest rose heavily.

But he was standing.

An Emperor...

Had died in a single attack.

The world finally understood.

Holar Jun...

Had done the impossible again.

Eleanor looked at Lilith.

Then at Holar.

Her eyebrow twitched.

"I can't let the old man outdo me."

Lucifer turned to her.

"What?"

Eleanor opened both hands.

"All elements..."

"Here."

Wind rose.

Lightning came.

Fire sparked.

Water spun in the air.

Earth trembled.

Light enveloped them all.

But at the center...

Was wind.

Eleanor's hair rose.

Her eyes turned green.

"Wind's End."

Lucifer's expression changed.

Eleanor swept her hand.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

Lucifer...

Vanished over the horizon.

One second.

Two seconds.

Three.

Richard looked into the distance.

"She..."

"Sent it flying."

Sylvia:

"Where?"

Amelia narrowed her eyes.

"Possibly all the way home."

Holar burst out laughing.

Eleanor folded her arms.

"What?"

Holar was still laughing.

Eleanor:

"What are you laughing at?"

Holar:

"Nothing."

Eleanor:

"Say it."

Holar shook his head.

"You really didn't let me outdo you."

Eleanor smiled.

"All right."

A second.

"It's still you."

Holar's smile grew.

At that exact moment...

The horizon exploded.

Lucifer returned.

Furious.

Its four arms trembled.

Its five tails tore through the sky.

Holar looked at it.

Then at Crowley.

Then at Lilith on the ground.

Then at every King Monster.

He struck the ground with his staff.

BOOM!

His aura rose again.

The world fell silent once more.

Holar Jun shouted.

"DO YOU FUCKING UNDERSTAND ME NOW?!"

Lucifer stopped.

Crowley fell silent.

The King Monsters retreated.

Holar's eyes were yellow.

"YOU CREATURES!"

Percy...

Advanced alone.

The path before him was clear.

For kilometers.

No monster approached.

The emblem in his hand glowed faintly.

Percy raised his head.

Far away...

He could feel the greatest battle in the world.

His grandfather's aura.

Eleanor's aura.

The Pillars' auras.

Percy stopped for a few seconds.

Then...

Thought of Clara.

His eyes hardened again.

He took Blaze in hand.

Took a step.

Then another.

Behind him...

The strongest in the world were fighting.

Ahead of him...

Was the woman he loved.

Percy kept walking.

And this time...

The path really was clear.

CHAPTER 102 — THE STRONGEST IN THE WORLD

END