Chapter 320: The End of the Hero and the Dragon
Quite a few bottles of the precious Divine Wine had already been consumed by Serie. The empty bottles lay scattered on the floor, adding a touch of discord to the magnificent hall.
"Hic~"
As if she had drunk her fill of water, Serie finally put down the bottle in her hand.
This stuff was truly top-tier. It was effective even for a legendary mage like her; she felt her mana capacity had increased by about one percent.
Do not underestimate this one percent. With Serie's current mana limit, increasing it by this much would normally require at least a thousand years of accumulation.
There was no helping it; this was one of the few drawbacks of long-lived species.
Because they could live indefinitely, the accumulation of power was linked to lifespan—commonly known as "the older, the stronger."
Humans didn't have this limitation.
Although their lives were short, those with exceptional talent could become as strong as thousand-year-old elven mages in just a few decades.
A certain red-haired, teacher-defying apprentice was the prime example.
Precisely because of this, humans could rapidly become the core race of this continent despite being a short-lived species, even vaguely approaching the position of dominance.
Feeling that matters had been discussed sufficiently—and mainly that he couldn't let Serie drink anymore—Rhodes stood up, preparing to leave.
Just then, Olivia seemed to remember something and called out to Rhodes. "Lord Rhodes, before your arrival, there was an intruder named Flamme. She claimed to be your apprentice."
Rhodes paused, asking in surprise, "Flamme? She is indeed my apprentice. She was here?"
"Yes." Olivia nodded and briefly recounted how Flamme broke in and their subsequent conversation.
She even told Rhodes about Flamme's confusion regarding a friend who leaked something important out of selfishness, and her final request to one day sleep eternally here.
After listening to Olivia's narration, Rhodes realized immediately.
As a modern soul, he saw through Flamme's "asking for a friend" excuse instantly.
The so-called friend was obviously herself.
And her subsequent repentance clearly confirmed his earlier speculation: Flamme was privately researching life extension.
There was nothing wrong with this research—many human mages had likely attempted similar studies—but Flamme's direction was wrong.
Because she had likely reproduced, along with Carlo, the life-force transfer magic he had created and discarded in the beginning.
He had abandoned that magic long ago, yet Flamme had managed to reproduce it using the original scripture runes of Holy Magic.
It could only be said that a strange combination of circumstances allowed the two to create it.
"I really didn't want that thing to reappear in the world," Rhodes said calmly, his tone unreadable. "But judging from Flamme's subsequent actions and distress, she realized the huge risks hidden in that magic and is trying to make amends."
Rhodes was relatively gratified.
After all, the exploration of longevity was a temptation almost no human mage could resist, especially when personal motives were involved. Flamme was no exception.
In comparison, Carlo, who hadn't shown his face yet, was particularly noteworthy.
However, these were ultimately minor matters. Rhodes's main focus remained on the existence in the Demon King's Castle.
As for Flamme's wish to sleep eternally in this Heavenly Kingdom... Rhodes frowned slightly. This was somewhat unexpected.
He couldn't fully understand what his apprentice was thinking, nor did he know the depth of her obsession with accompanying him through Stasis Magic slumber.
"If I have the chance, I will ask her personally." He suppressed the thought for now.
"Olivia," Rhodes looked at the white-winged girl before him and made a request. "I hope you can use the power of the Heavenly Kingdom to pay a little attention to the magical fluctuations on the northern lands. Especially fluctuations involving the triggering of original Holy Scripture runes."
The Heavenly Kingdom hung high in the sky, treading the entire North underfoot. Coupled with its deep connection to Holy Magic, Olivia, as the core of the kingdom, could sense such homologous fluctuations far more efficiently than searching on the ground.
Since Carlo had come to the northern front lines, as long as he used that life-force transfer magic, he would definitely trigger the magical runes within it, which Olivia would then detect.
"I understand, Lord Rhodes." Olivia agreed without hesitation.
Rhodes nodded. Then, blue mana glowed at his fingertips, carving a series of magical runes in the air. He condensed them into a small rune of light and handed it to Olivia.
"If... you find a mage named Carlo using Holy Magic," Rhodes instructed, "give this rune to him. It is a small optimization I made to that life-force transfer magic."
Olivia carefully put away the light rune. Although she didn't know what it did or who this mage named Carlo was, she had no doubts about Rhodes's orders.
Rhodes watched Olivia put away the rune and didn't explain further.
Because this so-called optimization couldn't save the other party.
It couldn't reverse the fundamental outcome of the user's soul falling into corruption. It merely allowed them to retain a shred of sanity after falling, letting them continue to exist with a human way of thinking.
Rhodes had thought deeply about the positioning of the Demon Race.
Complete eradication? Setting aside feasibility, a race with absolutely no external threats would often march toward decay and division faster through internal strife.
Retaining a certain threat was actually the best way to urge humanity and other races to maintain vigilance and unity.
At least this time, the allied races did very well—except for a certain human nation.
Until he found a way to change the demon's life formula, Rhodes didn't intend to change the demons' role as villains.
If Carlo inevitably walked down that path of corruption, then... an existence retaining some reason, who wouldn't bring endless chaos and madness to the world, might become a good trial object left for future generations.
Rhodes could already vaguely see the scene of an elven girl named Frieren fighting the Demon King with her companions a thousand years later.
But that was a story for the distant future.
After bidding farewell to Olivia, Rhodes and Serie rested briefly before continuing toward the northern Demon King's Castle.
Finally, when the two hovered directly above the castle, the scene before them revealed an eerie calm.
The massive Demon King's Castle had surprisingly few powerful demonic auras. Even the most basic defensive barriers were scarce. It was like an empty city, or perhaps a trap.
Serie looked around vigilantly, expanding her detection magic to the maximum range. "What is going on? An ambush?"
Rhodes shook his head. "No, not a trap. She... has been waiting for us for a long time."
Before his voice faded, a figure appeared slowly before them.
Black hair, black eyes, beautiful features. Not even the characteristic horns of a demon were present on her head. If not for the demonic aura on her body so dense it was nearly solid, anyone would think at first glance she was a beautiful human girl.
And she was the Demon King, Annelise.
Annelise raised her head. Her black eyes bypassed Serie directly and landed on Rhodes. The corners of her mouth curled up as she announced her name to Rhodes for the first time: "You finally came, Rhodes. My name is Annelise."
Her voice was calm, like greeting a long-lost friend, even though their last meeting had ended with her nearly being killed by him.
Rhodes's expression remained unchanged. Mana began to circulate quietly within him as an incomparably precise composite sealing magic circle was being constructed at an astonishing speed.
Rhodes didn't respond to Annelise, but the outspoken Serie couldn't hold back her questions first. She took a step forward, staring deathly at Annelise, and asked the question that had plagued her for a long time:
"What exactly are you? Why do you know Rhodes so well? It is like..." She couldn't accurately describe the feeling.
Annelise turned her gaze to Serie, her eyes lighting up visibly. She seemed to have been expecting this question for a long time.
She laughed. "Me? I am the existence Rhodes personally discarded back then."
"Discarded?" Serie frowned, confused.
But Rhodes beside her had already guessed something.
He hadn't discarded many things. In that tragic god-slaying battle a thousand years ago, the only thing that could be called "discarded" was the body he was forced to abandon because it bore an overload of corrosive divine power.
As if reading Rhodes's mind directly, Annelise openly admitted this shocking fact.
"That is right. Just as you thought, Rhodes." Her gaze returned to him. "I am you. An existence born from the body you discarded a thousand years ago."
"The corrosive divine power from the Goddess of Procreation, filled with madness and curses, did not dissipate completely with your abandonment. Instead, relying on the instinct to survive, it fused with your body."
"And so, I was born. From your abandonment and the will to live, a brand new existence emerged."
"You can also view me as your reflection."
She paused, her tone carrying a hint of playfulness. "Therefore, I inherited part of your thinking logic, and even some harmless habits."
She had begun hinting to this man.
Precisely because she inherited his thinking logic, she looked forward to this fated meeting, waiting for Rhodes's arrival.
"But why appear in a female form? It feels a bit weird," Rhodes said frankly.
In his view, Annelise was that insignificant will of the Goddess of Procreation occupying his body due to the instinct to survive, but fusing into a new existence because of the residual instincts in his body.
Namely, the Annelise before him.
"As for why female—" Annelise chuckled. "That might be attributed to the source of that divine power, the Goddess of Procreation. Her residual power naturally leans toward shaping a form that conforms to herself."
Knowing the whole truth, Serie stood frozen in place, her eyes filled with disbelief and shock.
She never could have imagined that the root of this powerful and bizarre Demon King was actually the combination of Rhodes's discarded shell and the Goddess of Procreation's power.
This identity was too ridiculous!
Even Rhodes couldn't hide the surprise in his eyes.
Although he had guessed part of the truth based on various signs, hearing the opponent confirm it personally still felt too absurd.
He had originally thought Annelise was an existence born from the corrosive divine power of the Godfall Land, but he hadn't expected it to be a dual combination with his discarded body.
What was this? Another form of borrowing a corpse to return the soul?
Simultaneously, Serie recovered from her shock. Her eyes became incomparably sharp as she questioned again, "Then, what do you want to do now? Lead the demons and start a war?"
"I do have that thought," Annelise admitted frankly, a look of expectation actually appearing in her black eyes. "After all, I also really want to witness the story of the Hero slaying the Dragon played out before my eyes."
Rhodes retorted, "Don't forget, in this story, you are the evil dragon destined to be slain by the Hero. You are the villain."
"What is wrong with being the villain?" Annelise tilted her head, slightly puzzled. "I don't care! Besides, killing me will completely eliminate the last of the corrosive divine power within me. Isn't this the goal you have always pursued?"
"Although, in my current state, having fused with divine power, conventional means are difficult to erase me completely. But..." She looked at Rhodes again, her eyes full of absolute trust. "I believe in you, Rhodes. You must have found a way to solve me, right? For this, I have waited too long, too long—"
Her voice lowered, the expectation in her tone impossible to hide. "Waiting for the true Hero to come and kill me, the evil dragon who brought disaster to the world!"
Rhodes fell silent.
He looked at Annelise, at this existence born from the body he abandoned.
Although she walked a completely different path, that thinking mode rooted in the origin was still so similar to his.
If it were him, he would do the same.
Either become the legendary Hero, save the world, and bring peace. Or bear all sins, become the evil dragon bringing disaster, and wait for the future Hero to slay him, ending all calamities.
Whether integrating the demons to become the Demon King or absorbing the residual divine power of the Godfall Land to make herself a mobile natural disaster, Annelise's ultimate goal was to wait for the appearance of him, the Hero.
If he failed to appear or couldn't kill her, then she wouldn't mind making the act real, bringing disaster to this world and waiting for a new Hero to emerge.
Sure enough, I am me!
Rhodes smiled.
He understood Annelise's full intent.
So, he hesitated no longer. Turning to Serie, who was ready for battle beside him, he spoke in a relaxed tone: "Go, Serie. Just like in the story... as the Hero, go defeat the evil dragon."
He decided not to defeat Annelise himself.
Not out of contempt, but because he needed to be responsible for the cleanup work after Serie defeated her.
Killing Annelise wasn't hard, but correctly handling the Procreation divine power in her body was troublesome. For this, he needed to concentrate all his mind to cast that unprecedented super-large sealing magic circle.
To seal and obliterate Annelise, along with the massive divine power within her.
And Serie was the Hero he had chosen to slay the dragon in this play.
Seeing Rhodes didn't intend to act personally, a trace of regret flashed in Annelise's eyes, but she was quickly relieved.
She knew clearly that even though she had fused with the power of the Godfall Land and her strength had skyrocketed, she was still insignificant before Rhodes.
And since he needed to deal with the power within her, he naturally wouldn't fight. But fighting with all her might against Serie, who had learned all of Rhodes's knowledge, and then being defeated by her... was also a good ending.
"Then, Little Elf," black mana began to surge around Annelise, emitting terrifying pressure, "let me see if you possess the qualifications to be the Hero."
Serie didn't reply verbally, responding only with concrete action.
Mana surged from her body like a waterfall. Pure battle intent burned in her golden eyes. She raised her palm, and countless magic circles unfolded layer upon layer in the void around her instantly.
"As you wish!"
In the next moment, countless super-tier spells poured down on Annelise like a violent storm!
The moment Serie moved, it was an unreserved full-force assault. She wanted to prove to Annelise before her that she was fully qualified to be the Hero.
Facing this world-destroying offensive, a solemn look appeared on Annelise's face. She mobilized the corrosive divine power in her body, transforming it into a black longsword to block the fastest attacks. Simultaneously, various magic circles appeared around her, shooting down the subsequent attacks one by one.
Boom! Boom! Boom!!!
Earth-shaking explosions rang out constantly. Shockwaves generated by the collision of mana and divine power spread out in rings, tearing the clouds in the sky to shreds. Even the buildings of the Demon King's Castle below collapsed one after another in the aftermath.
Serie's magical capacity was terrifying; every strike was enough to destroy a small mountain.
And Annelise's power was in no way inferior to hers. Not only could she tank Serie's magic with divine power, but she could also counterattack from time to time, forcing Serie to deploy defensive magic.
The two fought from above the Demon King's Castle into the clouds, and from above the clouds back down to the castle ruins.
The speed was extreme. One could only see two streaks of light clashing constantly, accompanied by the colors of various magical elements.
Whether Serie or Annelise, both had exceeded the scope of ordinary mages. Even legendary-level mages were far inferior.
In Rhodes's eyes, Serie had vaguely touched the threshold of a demigod.
In the battle with Annelise, Serie fought more and more bravely. As the top genius of the elven race, the mana and combat experience accumulated over thousands of years were released without reservation in this moment.
She also gradually adapted to Annelise's strange divine power and began using more targeted offensive magic to suppress her.
Facing the increasingly unfavorable situation, Annelise showed no anxiety. Instead, the expectation and cooperation in her eyes grew stronger. She seemed to be enjoying this battle, enjoying this play moving toward its predestined finale.
Finally, with a Divine Strike from Serie, Annelise could no longer parry. She was smashed heavily onto the ground, blasting out a crater dozens of meters wide.
And at this time, Rhodes also completed his final preparations.
A massive and complex magic circle had been completely constructed. This circle used the power of all the Holy Swords he had collected as the core, and the Holy Sword from the Southern Unified Empire as the base, constructing a towering magic circle capable of sealing even a god.
More importantly, it wasn't just a seal, but a furnace targeting a specific existence, capable of continuously purifying the corrosive divine power within Annelise.
Facing the defeated Annelise, Rhodes raised his hand and pressed down gently in her direction.
Annelise, struggling to get up in the deep pit, froze abruptly.
She felt an indescribable, irresistible force appear from the surrounding space and act on her body, enveloping her very existence.
Beneath her feet, a magic circle composed of the superimposed light and shadows of several Holy Swords and complex runes slowly emerged. Its range covered the entire battlefield, even encompassing the ruins of the Demon King's Castle below.
"This is—!" Sensing the power contained within this magic circle, Annelise was incredibly shocked. Then, the shock turned into understanding, and finally into a near-relieved admiration. "As expected... you always exceed my expectations, Rhodes."
She gave up resistance, even actively dispersing the power around her body. She opened her arms, as if embracing the destined end.
Serie also stopped attacking, panting as she looked down.
She knew this story of the Hero fighting the Dragon was beginning to march toward its end.
Countless chains composed of Holy Sword power and magical runes shot out from various nodes of the magic circle, wrapping directly around Annelise's body.
They caused no harm but wrapped her layer by layer like a cocoon of light. The divine power and demonic aura within her were rapidly extracted and dissolved by the power of the magic circle.
Annelise's figure gradually blurred within the light cocoon. She didn't struggle, just looked at Rhodes quietly. Before her last shred of consciousness dissipated, she used her final strength to speak softly, her voice transmitting to Rhodes's ears:
"Thank you... and... goodbye!"
The light cocoon solidified completely, turning into a crystal suspended in mid-air. Inside the crystal, the silhouette of Annelise sleeping quietly was faintly visible, along with the divine power being constantly dissolved.
The massive magic circle also began to shrink, finally merging entirely into the sealing crystal.
It would continue to operate with the help of the Holy Swords' power until the day all pollution and demonic nature were thoroughly purified.
Rhodes came to Serie's side, lost in thought.
Serie looked at him, then at the place where the seal vanished. Ultimately, she said nothing, simply holding his hand gently.
No matter what, she would be by his side, going nowhere.
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