Chapter 42: The Price of a Promise

“It’s about to begin,” Conrad murmured from the distant forest, a cryptic smile playing on his lips beneath the brim of his hat.

***

The giant roared, its massive arms slamming against the ground.

Having only just awakened, its lower body remained trapped within the earth, unable to move.

It opened its gaping, blood-stained maw, a plume of hot air escaping.

The giant knew it was hungry, desperately needing blood and sustenance.

Slowly, it turned its massive, cumbersome head, its eyes falling upon the three figures before the wooden cabin.

“ROAR!!”

A colossal arm blotted out the sky, descending upon Mo Ya’s position.

If caught by such a blow, the three of them would surely be obliterated, not even their bones remaining. This creature, it seemed, had yet to grasp the proper method of capturing its prey.

Despite the impending danger, Mo Ya remained motionless.

He stood silently, his eyes now shimmering with a golden glow.

‘Mo Ya, can I trust you?’

‘That is a decision you must make for yourself.’

Black energy began to writhe, swirling around Mo Ya, coalescing into a colossal black serpent.

The black serpent coiled around Mo Ya, enveloping his entire body.

[Black Sand]

The massive black serpent twisted its body, leaping towards the giant’s arm. Like an upgraded version of the smaller serpent that had dealt with the chimera before, the black serpent swiftly climbed the giant’s arm, baring its bloody fangs.

Once a wound was inflicted upon the giant, death-infused magic would continuously pour into its body, ultimately causing it to burst from within.

The black serpent swiftly plunged its fangs downward, tearing through the giant’s skin. The giant roared, feeling the piercing pain, and instantly recoiled the arm it had extended toward Mo Ya.

The black serpent clung fiercely to the giant’s arm, yet the giant showed no further sign of discomfort. Its attention, drawn by the pain, shifted to the black serpent. It raised its other arm.

With a simple, swatting motion, as if crushing a mosquito, it smashed the black serpent.

Magic particles scattered through the air, and Mo Ya felt a flicker of pressure.

‘Indeed, is this meager amount of magic still insufficient?’

Yet, he had no path of retreat. Having made a promise, having decided to help Luoyi, there was no reason for him to back down.

Moreover, a king could not permit retreat.

As the black serpent dissipated, Mo Ya’s black cloak billowed in the wind. He surged forward, seizing the moment of the giant’s surprise.

The Ouroboros on his arm twisted, taking on a form it had never displayed before. But now was not the time to ponder such things.

Mo Ya charged, unleashing a blade-like wave of black energy from his hand.

Though it somewhat mimicked Akuma’s technique, in battle, usefulness was all that mattered.

The dark blade-wave flew swiftly, slashing across the giant’s abdomen. Black-purple blood continuously gushed from its body, splattering onto the surrounding ground and trees.

The trees, stained with the blood, withered rapidly at a visible rate, as if stimulated by some unknown force.

“ROAR!!”

The giant’s roar was deafening. The closer he got to the giant, the more Mo Ya felt its overwhelming power.

‘My attacks can wound it, which means… I can defeat it without using Erosion Force.’

This possibility existed.

After unleashing the blade, Mo Ya’s center of gravity shifted abruptly, and he swiftly moved to the giant’s injured area.

The foul-smelling blood still flowed, but it had significantly lessened compared to before.

Mo Ya couldn’t help but frown.

‘Regeneration?’

“Mo Ya! It’s immortal. You need to attack its head!” Luoyi shouted, trembling as he rose from the ground. His fists were tightly clenched.

‘How long had it been since he’d felt such a surge of passion?’

For some inexplicable reason, Luoyi felt that this man could defeat the giant, could conquer the sin he himself had created.

It was as if Mo Ya possessed a magic that compelled others to believe in him.

[Luoyi, what do you think is most important for a scientist?]

[Knowledge, talent?]

[No, it’s a heart that will never be defeated by overwhelming power. Remember that well.]

“Master…” Luoyi clenched his hand, gazing at Mo Ya, who was entangled with the giant.

‘I’ve decided… if I can truly end all of this, then I…’

“Mo Ya! Finish it!”

The man who once fled from reality, who once evaded his sins, who once gave up on moving forward.

Now, something was different.

“Annoying… the head, you say.”

Mo Ya looked up. The giant’s head was incredibly far away. This distance would typically call for a long-range attack.

However, his magic was simply too meager. If he couldn’t guarantee a one-hit kill, there was a risk of exposing his true identity.

‘What a joke. I haven’t even finished learning human magic. I will absolutely not give up this shortcut to break free from destiny.’

So, the only option left was…

The giant’s arm once again swung towards Mo Ya. Though its movement was slow, its destructive power could not be underestimated.

Mo Ya bent his knees, concentrating his strength in his legs, then leaped, landing directly on the giant’s arm.

‘Yes, I’ll use all my remaining magic and deliver a massive blow face-to-face.’

Mo Ya ran, charging towards the giant, which was slowly turning its head.

“It ends now…”

He made a grasping motion with his hands, and currents of air surged within them. The black energy compressed, forming two spherical energy bodies.

The black energy trailed long lines behind him. Mo Ya suddenly appeared before the giant’s eyes.

[Black Flash!]

The black energy bodies were pressed directly into the giant’s eyeballs. In an instant, Mo Ya’s vision was engulfed by purplish-black blood.

“ROAR!!!”

The giant thrashed its head, its arms flailing wildly, seemingly venting its agony.

Its arms, which had been slow before, now moved with an adrenaline-fueled speed, striking out at the dilapidated wooden cabin, and the two individuals beneath it.

“Damn…”

Mo Ya cursed under his breath. This was the final moment to defeat the giant; if he let go now, all his efforts would be in vain.

However, he couldn’t allow those two people to die because of him.

The pressure on his hands lessened. Mo Ya wanted to return and save them, using his still considerable remaining Erosion Force.

“Don’t let go! Focus all your power on what you need to defeat!”

Just as he was about to retreat, a familiar voice echoed in his ears.

“Ice Technique, Four-Point Severance.”

A shield of ice rose high, blocking the giant’s swinging arm.

A silver spear, a suit of battle armor. Shakia silently parried the attack.

“Understood…”

Mo Ya averted his gaze, refocusing his attention on the giant.

‘It’s not enough. This much magic isn’t enough; it can’t completely defeat it. This won’t do.’

‘I’m not strong enough. I can become stronger.’

In Mo Ya’s eyes, his serpent pupils twisted. And twisting along with them was the Ouroboros on his arm.

‘Calm down, feel the flow of magic, and then… release it all!’

In the distance, Conrad slowly pulled down his hat, retreating from the sealed forest.

“Well done… A strong will allows magic to transcend from a change in quantity to a qualitative leap.”