33. Kevin Wins the Bet
It wasn't even night yet, but countless meteors streaked across the horizon and descended upon the earth.
Starscourge Radahn, hailed as the strongest demigod, once challenged and shattered a Fallingstar Beast alone.
It's said that after that, the fate of the stars was sealed.
Some say he broke the rules governing the stars' rotation, sealing them from ever moving...
Some say that when Radahn dies, the stars will begin to move again.
But, they never seemed to imagine that one-day Radahn would voluntarily give up his seal on his own.
That Radahn, who was tortured to the point of losing his mind by the scarlet rot but still maintaining the star seal, would actually break the seal himself. No one had anticipated, no one had guessed, not even he himself had imagined such a day would come.
And yet, that day came.
The earth shook constantly, and the sound of the falling meteor was heard. Kevin stared directly at Radahn before him. His aura had changed, or rather, he had recovered. A terrifying sense of oppression emanated from him, and Kevin, facing it head-on, didn't even notice it, but he was smiling. Kevin was smiling.
That was how it should be. He was a demigod, the strongest demigod. His previous demeanor was like that of a withered veteran, not even close to being called the strongest.
Kevin now had a certain obsession with combat, a passion for engaging powerful foes. Perhaps, as Xiling had said, Kevin was inhuman, possessing a terrifying fighting talent. With every battle, Kevin learned something.
Kevin needed strength; he desperately needed it, because Xiling had once told him that their world would face a catastrophe of annihilation, an end that would be difficult to overcome.
Kevin still remembered what Xiling had said to him when they spoke of the end. "Honestly, even with me, I might not win, but... I'll definitely go help anyway."
"Try to preserve some of the flame. If I die 50,000 years from now, remember to build a tombstone for me and burn some paper money for me every year, okay?"
Kevin originally didn't crave battle. He was afraid of getting hurt, but... he didn't want the future Xiling described to happen even more!
If Mei died, Xiling would likely die too. Because he was a Hero, he would charge to the front, and Kevin would have to live another 50,000 years...
What a joke! He absolutely wouldn't allow that future!
Either die together!
Or defeat that predetermined future with his companions!
Radahn's aura reached its peak, perhaps even surpassed it. At this moment, he was undoubtedly blessed by the Silver Rule, for he possessed the Great Rune, and he hadn't rejected it!
As he suffered, the Silver Rule healed his ailments like a ray of white light. Having already accepted this blessing, who was he to refuse it? Facing the man who blazed like the blazing sun, Radahn raised his weapon and, as if in a battle in the past, shouted to Kevin,
"I am the eldest son of the hero Radagon. I am known as Starscourge, and I am also a general of the Redmane Army. My name is Radahn!"
The voice suddenly spread like thunder, and at this moment, the people of Redmane Castle heard the general's voice once again.
Houraiji Kyuushou, watching the live broadcast from afar, stamped her feet excitedly, as if she were the one who was fighting.
Radahn's roar seemed to tell the entire Lands Between that he, Radahn, had returned.
Facing this returning, strongest demigod, Kevin felt an indescribable pressure.
"So strong, he's so strong! That bastard Xiling really picked a good opponent for me!"
Kevin's helmet was ripped off his head, and a smile curled his lips. He flung it into the distance, shouting, "Kevin Kaslana!"
As Kevin flung the helmet into the distance, the air seemed to fall silent. But when it hit the ground with a resounding thud, in a split second, the entire Weeping Dunes was blown away, and countless sands even buried the Redmane Castle.
The Weeping Dunes were no longer enough for the two men's battle. With a single blow, Kevin was sent flying. Radahn was like a bowstring that was fully drawn, more like a spear than an arrow, a strike that seemed to pierce the stars.
The moment Radahn sent Kevin flying, he had already unsheathed his bow and arrow, fully drawn. The arrow flew out in an instant. Facing the incoming attack, Kevin, flying backwards, unexpectedly reached out his left hand and caught the piercing arrow. Kevin's foot slammed into the ground, and then, with a sudden twist, he seemed to redirect the arrow, launching it like a javelin. He hurled it fiercely at Radahn, igniting it into a blazing fire in the process.
Radahn thrust his hand forward, and the flaming arrow, as if encountering some kind of resistance, suddenly stopped in mid-air and fell to the ground.
After this movement, Radahn raised his two blades to block Kevin's flaming sword, but he himself continued to retreat. However, Kevin noticed something was amiss. His swords seemed to be attracted by a magnet, and ominous thoughts flooded his mind. Before he could react, Radahn slammed him into the sand.
Just as Radahn was about to strike again, Kevin grabbed one of his great blades, instantly pulling Radahn forward with immense force. Kevin then punched Radahn in the stomach, sending him flying backwards. Kevin wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. Radahn climbed up from the ground and wiped the blood from his face as well. He said to Kevin,
"You are powerful, but also weak."
"How do you say that?"
"You have a great strength, but you don't know how to use it. Otherwise, that previous blow would have pierced my abdomen and caused me even more damage."
Kevin chuckled. "I'm your enemy. Why are you telling me this?"
Radahn shook his head seriously. "You didn't mean to kill me. You even showed mercy earlier. Otherwise, I would have been dead long ago."
"...So?"
Radahn pointed at Kevin and said seriously, "I, Radahn, recognize you as my friend. Even if you want to kill me next, it's okay."
Kevin took a deep breath and said, "You don't think you're sure to win, do you?"
Radahn shook his head. "I can sense you're still getting stronger."
Radahn looked toward the setting sun. "You make me feel like the sun. Rising like a blazing sun, setting with the most blazing flame."
Kevin plunged his greatsword into the ground. "Then why don't you hurry and defeat me?"
"No, you waited until I was at my prime." Latan thrust his two massive blades into the sand dunes, arms folded. "I should wait until you're at your prime, too."
"...In my prime, I was unreasonably strong."
"Then I might as well give you a fight."
Kevin stared at the towering figure, who stared straight at him with his arms folded. In that moment, Kevin understood why he was so beloved by so many; it was Radahn's spirit.
The two men stopped talking, as if awaiting the final moment.
As the sun reached the horizon and the stars descended from the other side, Kevin and Radahn opened their eyes simultaneously.
They both drew their weapons simultaneously. Kevin pointed his greatsword at Radahn, saying seriously, "Let's make a bet."
"...What's the bet?"
"In three minutes, you'll lose, and then you'll have to hand over the Great Rune."
"Okay." Radahn didn't refuse, not even asking Kevin what he'd do if he lost. He simply agreed.
"Then bear witness." Kevin pointed his sword skyward. Day and night seemed to revolve around him, like a prayer, like an incantation.
"I am the unchanging night, I am the eternal blazing sun."
The black blade armor he's wearing was shrouded by the starry sky, and a black and white halo reappeared above Kevin's head. His icy blue eyes shone like the sun.
From that moment on, everything reversed. Radahn felt the immense pressure from Kevin; his face was expressionless as he raised his weapon.
2 minutes and 59 seconds left.
A massive figure flew backwards from the wailing dunes. Before he could use gravity magic to adjust his direction, a flaming greatsword appeared before him. The giant blades crossed to block the blow, but the immense force still sent Radahn crashing directly to the ground, leaving a crater in Caelid.
Radahn suddenly opened his arms, and Kevin felt as if he had collided with an invisible wall. It was Radahn's gravity magic. Controlled by gravity magic, Kevin stared expressionlessly at Radahn's raised twin blades.
Just as the opponent's twin blade was about to fall, two shadowy clones emerged from Kevin's shadows, each holding Radahn's weapons. The next second, Kevin broke free and kicked Radahn away.
2 minutes left.
The two engaged in a fierce battle in the crimson, corrupted Caelid. The monsters caught in the fight died instantly, and Kevin was sent flying by Radahn's blow.
1 minute left.
Countless meteors rained down from the sky, but were slashed in half by a single flaming blow, sending countless rocks raining down on Caelid.
30 seconds left.
Radahn was slammed deep into the ground by Kevin.
10 seconds left.
Kevin's greatsword broke in the fierce battle.
5 seconds left.
Kevin's fists repeatedly struck Radahn's head.
2 seconds left.
Radahn was knocked unconscious by Kevin's forceful blow.
In the end, Kevin won the bet.