Chapter 44: The Scimitar’s Final Strike

The giant’s massive palm slammed down onto Mo Ya, but a flicker of surprise immediately crossed its eyes. The reason was simple: its arm had been swiftly severed.

The colossal arm was cleanly sliced from the bicep, soaring into the nearby forest. From the gaping wound, purplish-black blood gushed forth.

“Roar, roar, roar!!!” The pain, which had finally receded, surged anew. This time, the giant was truly enraged.

Its regenerating eyes fixed intently on Mo Ya’s position, glaring with a fury that threatened to erupt from their depths.

Mo Ya stood silently, a gleaming black scimitar extending from his elbow. It appeared to grow directly from his arm, fitting snugly against his skin.

Purplish-black blood dripped from the blade, landing on his arm with a sizzling, burning sound.

Mo Ya paid it no mind. As an ‘Erosion,’ his regenerative abilities had already subtly activated. Before long, he too would recover just as quickly as the giant.

‘Only, explaining this to Akuma later will be troublesome,’ Mo Ya thought, his eyes filled with weariness, yet quickly overshadowed by a chilling resolve.

His previously distorted serpentine pupils had now stabilized. Mo Ya could feel the magic flowing within his body.

Though he didn’t know what the ‘sacred artifact’ truly was, as long as it was power, Mo Ya would accept it without hesitation.

“That slacker’s… magic quality has changed.”

Beneath her defensive barrier, Akuma appeared somewhat taken aback, unconsciously letting the condensed shield in her hands dissipate.

“Honestly, wouldn’t it be nice to rely on your companions once in a while?”

Akuma sat silently in front of the wooden house, the place Luoyi once favored. She watched the unmoving Mo Ya, her eyes filled with a myriad of emotions.

“Aren’t you going to help him?” Shakia asked, puzzled, unable to comprehend Akuma’s actions.

“This is the battle he yearns for.”

“Is that so?” Shakia ended her conversation with Akuma, her gaze shifting to Mo Ya high above.

She couldn’t understand Mo Ya’s actions. Battle… why would he yearn for it?

Battle was merely a means to survive. Therefore, it was the most sorrowful way to resolve problems.

The scimitar gleamed with a chilling light. Mo Ya shifted his weight onto his legs and, under the giant’s watchful gaze, leaped high into the air.

His body ascended into the sky. This time, he was truly staking everything on this single strike. Failure would expose him, a possibility he dreaded most.

Watching Mo Ya soar into the air, the giant opened its gaping maw.

It distinctly sensed the change in the man’s aura.

The giant, which had previously disregarded Mo Ya, now felt the chilling threat of death.

The instinct for survival drove it, and from its mouth, it unleashed a wave of blood-red light.

Normally, in its state of hunger, it would be utterly impossible to unleash such a powerful, energy-draining killer move. Yet, it did so now.

The crimson light wave surged rapidly towards the sky, filling Mo Ya’s vision with an overwhelming red.

[Never casually attack from mid-air… because you will lose all your defenses.]

Instructor Xiluo Ya’s words echoed in Mo Ya’s mind once more, but this time, he merely curled his lips into a faint smile.

“Hey… watch closely, this is the final conclusion.”

Mo Ya spoke these words, and Luoyi knew they were meant for him. Watching Mo Ya plunge into the light wave, he clenched his teeth tightly. Suddenly, as if remembering something, he ran towards the giant.

“What are you doing?” Shakia flashed before Luoyi, blocking his path. “Are you throwing your life away?”

Luoyi merely shook his head.

“Of course, I’m scared to death. I haven’t admired enough cute bodies of beautiful girls, nor have I managed to invent the greatest creations. To be honest, I really want to escape from here. Look, my legs are still trembling.”

“If that’s the case…”

“But, even I, like this, have something more important than my life. I’ve finally understood what I lack compared to him.”

“You…”

Luoyi slowly walked past Shakia.

“Although I don’t have powerful magic, and I can’t participate in battle… even for someone like me, there’s still a path forward. I can no longer escape. So… I will personally stand before my own sin and witness its end!”

The red light wave enveloped Mo Ya’s body, seemingly attempting to tear him apart.

However, contrary to its intent, Mo Ya was cloaked in black mist, which acted as a sturdy defensive barrier, blocking the crimson light.

Mo Ya plunged downwards, the scimitar on his elbow exuding an even colder aura. The mark of the Ouroboros flowed across the blade as Mo Ya breached the end of the red light, unleashing a strike that poured all his magic into it!

A powerful gust of air surged, felling the surrounding trees with the blade’s force. For a moment, the area was shrouded in eerie silence.

The red light wave was also severed by the blade, dissipating into the air. The giant’s body was horizontally cleaved into two halves, falling to either side.

Depleted of magic, Mo Ya plummeted rapidly. The sudden sensation of exhaustion made him feel incredibly unwell.

He couldn’t even maintain his balance.

This time, he landed steadily in Akuma’s waiting embrace, Akuma becoming the one to support his weight. This scene was strikingly similar to that night in Yakaro Town, only the one needing support had changed.

“Thank you.” Steadying himself, Mo Ya quickly pulled away from Akuma’s support, completely missing the faint, almost imperceptible blush on her face.

His wounds were already healing; Akuma couldn’t be allowed to see them.

As Mo Ya thought this, he realized Luoyi was nowhere to be seen.

When the giant’s upper half slowly hit the ground, Luoyi quietly knelt before the corpse. A mix of complex emotions swirled within him, leaving him speechless. He placed his hand on the magic circle on the ground, and a powerful will to resurrect his master emanated from it.

“Everything… has ended, hasn’t it?”

The purplish-black magic circle gradually faded, and with its disappearance, the giant’s corpse also slowly disintegrated.

This conflict within the back mountain’s barrier caused no disturbance, not now, nor would it in the future.

Yet, this experience would be deeply etched into the memories of the five individuals present.

Luoyi slowly stood up and stretched. Unbeknownst to him, Mo Ya and the other three were already standing behind him.

The path of destiny had been opened. He turned around and took a step forward towards Mo Ya and his companions.

“Ah, ah, ah, well then, allow me to formally introduce myself. My name is Luoyi Krol! I am a researcher.”