The Great Sword is not the Main Body!
Chapter 226 – Ancient Dragon, Sirinias (11)

As the final chain of [Law] shattered, a colossal wave of [Magic] surged around Sirin.

Power compressed to its limits exploded at once, accompanied by a raging storm that began to distort the surrounding landscape.

Feeling her growing presence, I tightened my grip on Frey.

And then, 

KWA-RRRRUM!

Ancient spells manifested without warning, crashing down with horrific roars. A [Breath] was fired into the sky, and upon reaching its peak, it detonated, birthing a meteor shower that filled the heavens.

At first glance, it seemed like a barrage fired blindly, but every single one was aimed at me. And that wasn’t all. Even after unleashing such an attack, Sirin had enough energy left to erect a massive barrier around both herself and me.

I let out a faint laugh at the divine pressure pressing on my whole body and expanded my [Ki sense]. I tracked the impact points of the falling meteors, found openings in the cascading spells, and pinpointed the center of the next spell formation being prepared.

Having gauged the strength of Sirin’s barrier as well, I could finally release my power without reservation.

…!

In an instant, my [Aura] filled the barrier. I condensed it, layering it onto my greatsword. I felt the edge sharpen far beyond what Frey had ever achieved, then stomped the ground. 

KWAANG! 

The earth beneath me ruptured. Petals scattered. Amid them, I precisely traced the path I needed to strike.

Recalling the moment I cut her collar, 

I swung my greatsword.

Sshk.

A single line drawn through empty air, without disturbing a single petal.

That strike cleaved through thousands of spells falling toward me. It sliced apart the meteor shower that blotted out the sky.

FWOOOSH!

A deep wound ripped open across Sirin’s body.

[KKKKRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!]

A roar infused with Sirin’s joy rang out. Her vast wings unfurled. Following the arc of her blood, her spells surged toward me.

I pushed forward, cutting, deflecting, parrying, until I stood before her.

All that remained was to swing.

Clenching my teeth, I brought down my blade. 

CHRAK! 

Sirin’s massive body failed to evade the strike. But it wasn’t fatal.

She seemed used to such pain, instead of faltering, she launched an even fiercer assault.

KWAANG! 

Her tail swung like a mace, slamming me into the ground. I held back a scream and forced myself up. As her claws dropped like a guillotine, I countered and unleashed a wave of [Sword-force].

KWAJAAK! 

The condensed [Aura] buried in her thick hide sliced it open, but that was all. It didn’t land a fatal blow, dispersing in the air like before.

It didn’t matter.

I never expected this to be easy.

Steadying my breath, I scattered more [Sword-force].

With each slash, I could split mountains, part seas. The [Aura] I released, having long surpassed the limits of humanity, shone with a deep blue light and sank into Sirin’s flesh.

Her tightly shut lips parted, not to scream, but to utter a wordless [Decree] incomprehensible to mortal beings. The formless energy summoned by that command bound my entire body.

I couldn’t move a finger.

And then came a blazing [Breath], followed by grand spells on par with Serr’s greatest magic. Her claws, cloaked in a storm, swept down.

“Ghh, ugh!”

Visualizing every oncoming calamity, I poured all my strength into the hand gripping my greatsword.

KRRRK, KRRRKKK!

A force that defied the will of the world tore apart the [Decree]. Regaining control of my arm, I swung with everything I had.

SSHK!

Like when I had wounded Sirin before, the strike carved only a result into existence. It shattered the [Decree] that bound me and left a deep wound in Sirin’s left arm.

At that moment, her pupils cracked.

SPLIT.

Within them were countless magic circles.

Ancient formations filled the air. Currents of [Magic], nearly undetectable even by [Ki sense], coiled around her claws.

It was the very same attack that once tore apart Carpeng’s demigod form. I rushed toward her. Anticipating the rapidly shrinking distance, I raised my greatsword.

KAANG! 

Her claw came sooner than expected. The dragon’s shadow brushed against my blade. The force, beyond understanding, chewed away at my [Aura] and forced me back.

But I didn’t resist.

Instead, I braced my rear foot and turned my body with the recoil. My hips followed the pivot, and my leading foot realigned the trajectory of my blade against Sirin’s claws.

KAGAGAK! 

Her claw slid down the angled surface of the blade at terrifying speed. As the sharp [Magic] trailing behind it neared the ground, my instincts screamed.

Clenching my teeth, I twisted my waist. A bolt of lightning grazed my nape and struck the earth, creating a massive crater.

It didn’t stop there.

Just like before, spells fell from the sky without sign or warning, chasing my every move.

Snakelike bolts of lightning slithered across the land. Living flames danced and formed a ceiling beneath the heavens. Consuming all the oxygen in the area, the inferno warped into a dome-shaped cage.

Inside, a bolt of lightning that had crawled across the ground reared up.

A massive dragon, unlike Sirin in form, an Eastern dragon drawn from lightning, coiled its body, preparing to sink its fangs into my throat.

I bolted the moment I sensed it. The flames coiling like vines came first. Letting out a roar-like breath, I swung my greatsword.

KWAJAZAZAAK!

Space warped along the blade’s path. The flames twisted with it. But it was brief. The redirected vines eventually latched onto my arm.

CHIIIK! 

The fire, nearly as hot as Brunhilde’s hellfire, scorched my skin.

Enduring the searing agony, I raised my left arm. 

Rrrrip! 

The vine of flame wrapped around it tore apart, scattering ember-like sparks that resembled petals. They may have looked harmless, but each one carried enough force to deal a fatal blow.

At the same time, beyond the flaming barrier, within Sirin’s mouth, gathered the light of apocalypse, the very light that had once ended countless worlds.

Of all things, that light, I couldn’t take it.

I couldn’t block it. I couldn’t cut it.

I couldn’t even dodge it.

Then what could I do now?

As time seemed to slow, every battle I had experienced until now flashed through my mind, aligning like pieces of a puzzle.

And I found it.

The strike I had learned from Kartia.

Could I do it? If I failed, I might die.

I crushed that pathetic thought.

Right now, I had to. No matter what.

I pushed aside all the warnings Kartia had given me and exhaled a shaky breath. Ignoring the pulsing pain, I gripped my greatsword tightly. Responding to my will, my [Aura] surged into the blade, glowing with a deep, sharp light.

The fully condensed [Aura] wove itself into a blade-thread and layered atop the greatsword.

And again.

Again.

Again.

Again.

WOOOOOOM!

The blade began to scream like a soul at its limit. A wail like a banshee pierced the heavens.

Feeling the earth-rumbling surge of [Magic], I focused. I reached out toward it, the thing bound to my soul.

For a moment, holding that made me feel like I could do anything. The illusion of omnipotence sent chills down my spine.

Then came a voice that stirred my most primal desires.

[Do you seek power? It lies within.]

[Do you seek wisdom? It lies within.]

[Do you seek answers? It lies within.]

[Do you seek victory? It lies within.]

[Do you seek hope? It lies within.]

[Do you seek the priestess’s salv, ]

Shut up.

Rubia… I’ll save her, with my own hands.

I crushed the voice echoing in my head and grabbed the back of my neck.

Then, 

I drew out only as much power as I could handle, 

No, I drew out all of its power.

At that moment, 

A massive pillar of light erupted.

Light that surpassed the heavens, imbued with the power of [Opening the Heavens].

The space around it trembled at the release of [Aura]. Even time bowed its head before the uncontainable power.

At last, the light of [Law] that had shattered worlds countless times, the apocalyptic light strong enough to end this world, opened its eyes.

And then, 

CRACK! 

I let out a battle cry and swung my greatsword.

The light of [Opening the Heavens], powerful enough to overturn the foundation of the world, 

Together with the sword-force surrounding the blade, 

A strike that carried my very life, 

Everything I had, 

Reached the sky.

—

Tik, tikitikitik. 

The distorted landscape slowly began to restore itself.

But the areas touched by the power of [Opening the Heavens] remained empty, as though devoured by the [End].

Within that void, 

[…Ha-ha, ahahahaha!]

Sirin’s laughter echoed.

Each time she laughed, blood poured from her mouth and body like a waterfall.

But Sirin paid no mind. She continued laughing.

[The light of Opening the Heavens… It didn’t quite reach Kartia’s level, but… It was good. Well done, Noah.]

“Kh… khrk… haa…”

Coughing up blood that surged from within, I drove my greatsword into the ground. I leaned on it to stay upright, barely managing to catch my breath.

[Yes. Blue surpasses green… I doubt there’s ever been a clearer case of disciple surpassing master. Haha… At this rate, if I keep holding back, you might really kill me.]

But then, 

[Still not enough.]

BOOM! 

A massive pulse echoed from within Sirin’s body.

[You’re still bound by your stats. You haven’t broken your limits.]

BOOM! 

As the pulse reverberated, a golden sphere floated above Sirin’s hand.

A sphere containing all the cause and effect of [Law].

At last, Sirin, 

CRACK! 

Clenched her fist and shattered the sphere.

From the broken core, a blinding light burst forth.

The light transformed Sirin’s draconic form into that of a human.

“Then, break your limits. Break the [Law].”

But it wasn’t fully human.

She still had a dragon’s horns, wings, and tail.

She had taken a similar form when she blocked Serr’s ultimate spell, but this was different.

The overwhelming presence from before was gone.

Even the enormous pressure she once carried had vanished.

She seemed to be just an ordinary girl.

But, 

My instincts were screaming louder than ever.

And so, I gripped my greatsword and forced my battered body upright.

“If I can’t break free…”

But Sirin was already standing before me.

I hadn’t seen her move. I couldn’t even sense it.

It was as if, she had been standing there from the start.

My instincts no longer screamed, they shrieked. A chilling sensation climbed up my spine.

Death.

The moment I felt it, I swung reflexively.

“I will kill you.”

CRACK… 

But I was already rolling across the ground.

 

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