Chapter 117: A Very, Very Long Journey
The path opened by sword light slowly closed behind them, isolating all the darkness and erosion of Godfall Land.
But as Kurtz and Serie drew closer to the edge, the suppressed darkness came alive, boiling completely.
The viscous, mud-like dark current surged like a colossal wave, violently impacting Orger's light. Its momentum was so great that even the sun-like radiance dimmed slightly. The very air crackled with malevolent energy, as if the corruption itself recognized what was escaping its grasp.
Boom!
Darkness and light clashed. Countless twisted black currents danced wildly, attempting to break through the barrier of light and drag their escaped prey back into the abyss. The sound was deafening, like thunder trapped in a bottle, threatening to shatter reality itself.
Seeing this, Kurtz secretly hid his arm. He hadn't expected his arrival would activate the pollution here. The filthy darkness, mixed with a chilling aura, clearly desired to return to its most fundamental source.
And that source was within Kurtz.
As an existence entirely devoured by the black mud, Kurtz had naturally become the source of this pollution. His presence triggered the current boiling.
Serie's expression changed, and she instinctively tugged on Kurtz's sleeve. Her fingers tightened against the fabric, a small anchor in the surrounding chaos.
"Don't worry!" Kurtz comforted her, his hand boldly gripping hers. The contact was warm and reassuring against the oppressive cold coming from behind them.
He now possessed more than one god-level power. Orger's return had brought him authority from the Goddess. Two powers of the same level could naturally deal with the black mud before them with ease.
His gaze sharpened. Orger's magic began to unleash. A clear sword hum resonated, and vast holy power poured in again, completely repelling the surging black tide. The divine weapon sang with purpose, its light cutting through corruption like dawn breaking eternal night.
Using Orger's power, the two quickly escaped the influence of Godfall Land's black mud tide.
Behind them, the black tide churned in vain at the border, having completely lost its target. Eventually it receded slowly, re-entering the darkness.
Serie looked back at the forbidden zone that swallowed light, her heart still pounding. She let out a long sigh of relief. The clean air felt almost foreign after breathing the tainted atmosphere for so long.
She looked at Kurtz beside her, eyes filled with concern. "Are you alright? That was really dangerous just now."
Kurtz didn't answer immediately. He just walked in front of Serie, extended a finger, and flicked her forehead.
"Ugh!"
Serie covered her forehead, glaring at him in displeasure. This human actually dared to hit her! How arrogant!
Serie intended to retaliate the same way, but Kurtz's next words dispelled that idea.
"You knew it was dangerous, yet you still dared to go in?"
Now that the danger was over and they were in a safe place, Kurtz wanted to give this Elf Miss, who didn't know her own limits, a proper lecture.
"I couldn't help it! Wasn't this the only place left to search? Besides, I just knew you were here!"
The Elf Miss finished speaking and even showed an "I told you so" expression, seemingly very proud of her choice. Her chin lifted slightly in that familiar gesture of stubborn satisfaction that he remembered all too well.
Kurtz was even more frustrated.
"What do you take me for? I wouldn't dare stay in that place either! I'm not like Orger, who can mask his aura."
"But the outcome is good, isn't it? Is Orger alright, though?"
"He's fine, just used up some power," Kurtz said reassuringly, patting the divine sword at his waist. Although the Elf Miss seemed completely unable to learn, he didn't intend to say more.
After all, she risked everything to find him. As the person involved, he had no real standing to criticize her. A couple of lectures would suffice.
"But if you weren't in Godfall Land, then where were you? I didn't find any trace of you on the continent, though I heard many stories."
The story of Kurtz, the God-Slaying One, had spread throughout the continent. He was not only the wielder of the three holy swords but also a legendary figure who destroyed the Demonic army in a single strike, and a mythical hero who achieved the impossible feat of slaying the demon race's worshipped deity.
Now, all demons and monsters on the continent, having lost their connection to their deity, would turn to ash upon death, leaving no trace. One could say there was no longer any need to consider how to dispose of monster corpses.
Serie had heard people of different races praising Kurtz's heroic deeds, and even she herself was included in the narratives.
Hearing Serie's question, Kurtz had no intention of hiding it. Now that his erosion could be slowly worn away with Orger's power, he could tell Serie everything.
"Serie, there's something I must tell you." He paused, seemingly weighing his words. "For these thirty years, I didn't disappear on purpose. During the final battle, my body was completely eroded by this darkness." He raised his hand and pointed to the darkness covering the entire Godfall Land not far away.
Serie was slightly startled, her golden pupils fixed on Kurtz's face and body. She reached out, placed her small hand on Kurtz's chest, and leaned her entire body against him, sensing him through the most core part of a person. Her elven senses, refined over millennia, searched for any trace of lingering corruption.
That warmth, imbued with the vitality of life, was no different from her memory. But this was precisely what was wrong.
Because thirty years had passed since the final battle. This human's body should have begun to age, just like Norn, whom she had seen before. However, his body was impossibly young, and his appearance hadn't changed at all.
Upon closer sensing, Serie could indeed detect a very subtle, yet "newborn" pure aura. It was like sensing spring water from a source that had never been touched by winter.
"Erosion..." Serie's voice dropped, trembling with lingering fear. "So, what about you now?"
"Don't worry, it's resolved," Kurtz said calmly. "To survive, and see you again, I had to undergo a 'reincarnation.' I discarded my corrupted body and used the authority of life to reshape my body, and spent thirty years adapting to this new form. That's why, after thirty years, I look completely unchanged."
He deliberately left out the immense cost of reshaping his body and the possibility of eternal life involved. He'd save it as a surprise for the Elf Miss in the future!
Serie processed the information. Elves' minds were direct and pure. After a brief moment of astonishment, immense joy instantly washed away all worries! Her eyes lit up with a brilliance that rivalled Orger's golden light itself.
"Which means, we can continue our adventures!" She excitedly grabbed Kurtz's arm, her face displaying the purest smile. "For decades, or even longer!"
In her long lifespan, a few decades were but a fleeting moment.
But the thought of being able to share that time with her dear friend again was enough to satisfy her. The prospect of shared discoveries, of magic learned together, of battles fought side by side, filled the spaces in her heart that thirty years of loneliness had carved out.
Kurtz smiled and nodded. "Yes, we can continue our journey together. It will be a very, very long journey." He deliberately emphasised it, but unfortunately, the Serie didn't catch the hidden meaning in his words.
"Where do you want to go this time? You lead the way."
[End of Chapter]
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