50. Xiling's Arrival
Even though they had already vaguely guessed Malenia's intentions, when this scene actually unfolded—
Radahn and Morgott still felt a chill run down their spines.
That was Miquella's body.
Malenia's brother, the one she had willingly fought for her entire life.
And now, she had personally fed him to the blasphemous serpent.
The Valkyrie known as Blade of Miquella had personally thrown the very thing she had protected into the mouth of the God-Devouring Serpent.
"You're insane!" Morgott's voice was low and strangled, the blade of his cursed sword biting at Malenia's throat like a venomous snake.
However, the Valkyrie simply slid sideways, her prosthetic blade slashing a cold arc of light, accurately deflecting the blow. Then, using the momentum, she leaped back, landing like a falling leaf on the towering rock in the distance. Her gaze remained fixed on the mutating God-Devouring Serpent.
The serpent's body twisted and swelled, scales peeling off, flesh reorganizing itself. An ancient, forbidden power awakened within it. And within the surging crimson and gold, a familiar aura slowly emanated—
Miquella's aura.
Malenia's pupils suddenly constricted, and murderous intent pierced the air like an icy blade.
Of course, she didn't want to do this.
She knew better than anyone the blasphemy of her actions. But she had no choice.
--
Everything happened too quickly.
Just a few days ago, the entire Lands Between was immersed in the eternal cycle of the Golden Rule. But now—
The rules shifted, the Great Rune mutated, and the curse of the Scarlet Rot was being suppressed by some force, even... gradually dissipating.
Malenia had thought it a miracle.
Her brother had tried so many ways to solve it, but now, he had achieved it.
She should have been ecstatic. But then—
The "Silver King" descended.
With thunderous force, the mysterious king crushed Black Balde Maliketh, announcing his presence to the entire Lands Between.
And soon after, Malenia received news that Radahn, the man she had corrupted with Scarlet Rot, had recovered and was heading for the Leyndell Royal Capital.
This news didn't surprise Malenia much. She had already sent people to investigate Radahn's movements and had already begun action.
He must die.
Because her brother, Miquella, had been waiting for him.
—waiting for the "Promised King."
But she couldn't do it alone.
She needed allies, the power to shake fate.
So, she traversed the Lands Between, searching for possible help.
Until she arrived at the Volcano Manor.
Until she saw the figure lurking deep within the lava—
The God-Devouring Serpent. At that moment, she understood—
This was her only chance.
So she sought out her brother's body from the Mohgwyn Palace and brought it to the Volcano Manor, precisely for this moment.
"Devour everything, God-Devouring Serpent."
"Send Radahn... to where my brother is."
The giant serpent roared to the heavens, as if responding to her will. Its body twisted and reorganized in an instant. Those previously exposed fleshy hands wriggled back into its body, and the hideous human face on its back was covered by new snake scales. Its form was no longer disgusting, but even more blasphemous—
Radahn raised his bow, drawing it to full draw. The arrow pierced the air, striking the serpent's scales with a force powerful enough to pierce a mountain, but it repelled with a sound "crisp clang", leaving no trace of a crack.
The serpent opened its eyes.
In that instant, an indescribable sense of oppression swept over the entire place. Its aura was no longer pure corruption and filth, but a paradoxical blend of the sacred and the profane—like a tainted god, or perhaps a demon attempting to ascend to godhood.
What blasphemy!
Morgott took a deep breath, and a silvery-white prayer light appeared on his body. This was the power he had unleashed after his faith in the Silver Rule and a slight modification of the Golden Rule.
Morgott said solemnly, "Radahn, which one will you choose as your opponent?"
The God-Devouring Serpent that had devoured Miquella was their primary target, but they also couldn't ignore Malenia, who was watching them from above.
The battlefield needed to be divided.
But everyone present knew one thing: no one knew the true power of the Serpent at this moment, and the risks of fighting it were far greater than those of fighting Malenia.
Radahn rose to the Serpent's feet, his choice clear.
Morgott nodded, and his figure suddenly vanished. The next second—
"Dang—!!!"
High in the sky, Malenia's prosthetic blade and Morgott's cursed sword clashed fiercely, sparks flying and waves of air surging. Their figures moved as fast as lightning, their blades flashing and shadows swirling with terrifying turbulence with each clash.
The battle above was a pinnacle showdown of skill and speed.
And below—
It was the ultimate clash of pure power and magic.
Radahn hovered at the same height as the snake's head, two massive blades floating at his sides. Gravity magic formed a distorted halo around him.
The giant serpent's vertical pupils met his gaze.
The next second—
The world seemed to be torn apart.
Two forces powerful enough to shake the world collided, and the already shattered Volcano Manor collapsed completely under the impact.
The ground collapsed like a fragile eggshell, and the shockwave spread in a circular pattern, blowing everything away. The escaping Tarnisheds and the remnants of the Volcano Residence hadn't gotten far when they were overtaken by the violent blast, tossed high into the air like fallen leaves before being slammed back down.
However, in the center of this vortex of destruction, four figures remained undeterred.
Morgott and Malenia's figures flickered in the aftermath of the explosion, their swords clashing with each other with each glaring spark. The Valkyrie's blade flashed like a continuous stream, and Morgott's cursed sword was no slouch either.
In the center of the explosion, two figures engaged in a swift battle. Each swipe of the giant serpent's tail shattered mountains, while Radahn's twin blades, enhanced by gravity magic, inflicted deep wounds on the serpent's scales.
Every clash unleashed a rumble like an earthquake.
It seemed as if only four figures remained locked in a ceaseless battle across the volcano. Yet, within the ruins, a wall of ice stood silently, shielding the three figures from the devastating shockwave. The three figures were Kevin, Tanith, and Rya.
Kevin half-knelt on the ground, his black sword thrust before him. Frost spread from his palms, forming a makeshift barrier.
Kevin's breathing was rapid as he silently thought to himself.
"Was that the kind of monster I fought back then? Thinking about it now, it's truly terrifying."
"Thank you," Tanith whispered, apologizing to Kevin while holding Rya.
Not only had the enemy stopped Rykard earlier, but they had also held her and Rya back during the subsequent turbulent storm caused by the battle between Radahn and the giant serpent. Otherwise, they would have likely been blown away by the shockwaves, either crashing to the ground with luck or falling into the lava, or even perishing in the impact.
"You're welcome," Kevin said, observing the battle outside.
He could barely intervene in the current battle. His strength at night was far inferior to his daytime strength, and going forward to join in would have been a death sentence.
Seeing this, Kevin no longer hesitated. He opened the chat group.
[Fire Moth Warrior]: Xiling! The situation has changed. Come and save me!
[I Don't Want to Be a Hero Anymore]: You can still talk so much nonsense? So you shouldn't be seriously injured. Wait a moment.
Xiling responded to Kevin in the chat group.
Xiling's gaze slowly swept over the group of shuddering magicians before him.
After a "negotiation" that had overturned their understanding, these magicians were filled with fear—they had witnessed Xiling's power firsthand.
However, beneath the shadow of this fear, another burning emotion quietly grew: admiration.
One man conquered an entire academy! It was like these people looking up at an unattainable yet alluring mountain.
Xiling had already explained the situation to these people, and they had already chosen to be conquered.
"Anyway, you should all set off now and head for the Leyndell Royal Capital. Don't cause any trouble, or you'll know what will happen."
A person who looked like a high-ranking member of the academy stepped forward and bowed deeply to Xiling.
"We will obey your will, great Silver King."
"We will strictly abide by our duties and will never disobey your orders!"
Xiling nodded slightly, then spoke again:
"What I promised you will definitely be fulfilled."
After all, Xiling and his men had come to negotiate. Although they were ultimately subdued by force, Xiling felt he could still provide them with other services, such as magic.
Sooner or later, he would encounter other magic in other worlds, and when that time came, he would provide the Academy of Raya Lucaria with magic that was different from the pyroxene magic and the magic he had discovered.
At first, these people were skeptical.
However, with a single casual gesture, Xiling shattered all doubts.
Because under Xiling's will, some of the magic he had seen in anime began to appear, but the magic he cast possessed the same power, without the same formula. The effect was immediate.
This demonstration of a "miracle" beyond comprehension, coupled with that promise, brought about a profound shift in the magicians' attitudes. Fear remained, but it was overshadowed by a stronger thirst for knowledge.
At this moment, their eyes, filled with awe, tinged with almost devout obedience and yearning, looked at Xiling.
Xiling looked at the Tarnished beside him. "Then I'll leave this place to you. Is that ok?"
The Tarnished waved his hand. "What kind of problem can happen? I'll run if there's any."
Xiling smiled and gave a thumbs-up. "Great minds think alike. That's what we should do. I'm off then."
The Tarnished nodded.
...
Kevin's face was covered in sweat. The thick ice wall supporting him cracked under the weight, and transparent cracks spread rapidly like a spider web.
The battle outside had not subsided; it had entered a more brutal phase! A deafening roar, like a tangible shockwave, repeatedly ripped through the air. It was the great serpent—a monstrous evolution after devouring the demigod Miquella! Its power was unleashed with unprecedented force, and even Radahn showed signs of being suppressed!
Rya trembled in Tanith's arms. She clutched the hem of Tanith's clothes tightly, her knuckles white from the strain, and her voice was filled with suppressed tears:
"Lady Tanith... what... what should we do?"
Tanith was silent, but she didn't understand.
She could see that Kevin was almost unable to hold on. In Tanith's eyes, it was all because of them! It was she and Rya, these two "burdens," who were holding Kevin back.
With the strength displayed by this warrior, the impact of the wind and waves might have been something he needed to dodge or defend against.
He could easily have retreated from the center of the storm, but to protect them, he chose to stand at the forefront, bearing the fiercest shockwaves. Thinking of this, Tanith pleaded with Kevin, "I know it's shameless to say this, but I beg you to save Rya."
Huh? Kevin turned around, puzzled. What the hell is she saying?
Tanith didn't see the blur beneath Kevin's helmet, but her voice remained pleading, "Please remove the barrier and take Rya away. She shouldn't be buried here like me."
Now Kevin understood completely. So, the other party was worried that he wasn't strong enough to protect both of them, so she proposed sacrificing herself to save Rya. A wave of amusement washed over him.
The ice wall was indeed about to crumble; that was true. The pressure was also immense, and that was also true.
But!
Kevin could easily summon two shadow clones to take them away with him; to retreat with just two people was easy. There was only one reason Kevin stayed here.
At that moment, light descended upon his vision.
The moment the light portal appeared, Kevin felt relieved. From the perspectives of Tanith and Rya, a figure appeared out of nowhere, descending around them. The moment their eyes met that figure, an inexplicable sense of security washed over them.
It was as if, as long as that figure was there, neither the earth-shattering aftermath of the battle nor the terrifying roar of the giant serpent could threaten them in the slightest!
The sound of fine iron clashing.
The roar of serpents.
Along with the roar of flying rubble and surging lava...this entire symphony of violent battle instantly flooded Xiling's ears, who had just arrived.
"It seems," Xiling said with a smile, "we can save ourselves a lot of trouble this time."
Kevin, relaxed, rolled his eyes. "Hey, don't you dare be late again?"
Xiling drew his holy sword and smiled. "Alas, didn't I arrive on time, right? Be content."
"Tsk!" Kevin gave Xiling a sharp, resentful middle finger. After that, Kevin chuckled, "Then let's switch."
"Leave the rest to me," Xiling replied succinctly and firmly.
Kevin said no more. With a flick of his mind, his "shadow clones" instantly formed around Tanith and Rya.
The clones moved with lightning speed, giving them no time to react. Amidst Tanith's exclamations and Rya's soft "Ah," they each carried one person steadily on their shoulders.
"Let's go!" Kevin shouted softly. His original form, along with the two clones carrying the people, transformed into three swift streams of light and immediately struck away from the battlefield!
The moment they broke free—
"Crack! Boom!"
Without Kevin's power to maintain the ice barrier like a piece of glass broken by the final straw, it shattered with a piercing wail! Countless ice crystals and dust flew into the sky, instantly engulfed and vaporized by the turbulent energy! Without this final buffer, destructive gales, scorching airwaves, and shockwaves carrying gravel and the scent of sulfur, like a bursting dam, hurled themselves madly towards Xiling's position!
The gusts of wind whipped, ruffling Xiling's white hair and clothes.
But Xiling seemed to stand in the eye of the storm, his form unwavering.
Xiling's gaze swept across the battlefield.
Lying within the boiling magma, its breathtakingly massive form, its scales gleaming with both blasphemy and holiness—the God-Devouring Serpent.
The Valkyrie Malenia, her blade-wielding form as poignant and deadly as a blood-stained flower.
"Huh..." A strange sigh passed through Xiling's heart.
"Plans really can't keep up with change... Although I don't think I had a detailed plan in the first place."
Just as this thought flashed through his mind, and he took a seemingly casual step forward—
Buzz!
An indescribable surge of will, centered around Xiling, spread forth with unbridled force!
At that moment, the four figures on the battlefield simultaneously noticed him.
He was a beacon in the darkness, his will blazing like a blazing fire, dazzling and dazzling.
Malenia, standing at a distance from Morgott, gazed upon the figure and could not help but whisper:
"Silver King... Xiling..."