READ NOVEL ONLINE Chapter 384
380. Leina Ep – Reward [Illustration]
“Haha! Did I not say this time would be different? The day of reckoning for arrogance has come, Astroth.”
The voice of the God Lachar echoed within him. Astroth looked down at the wound from the sword.
Veins turned white. The god’s blood spread through his veins. And then—
– Thud.
In the moment of hesitation, blades overwhelmed him from all sides. Astroth swung his spear and barely fended off the duplicates, staggering as he did so.
He lost.
To these puny beings.
He hadn’t felt unjust when defeated by Azra. That guy was impossibly strong. An opponent he couldn’t hope to win against.
But this time…
Astroth saw the approaching figures. Compared to Saint Azra, they were no more significant than pebbles.
‘It’s frustrating.’
He could have won.
Even losing his avatar and divine power, unable to use magic, he still had a chance. What exactly led him to defeat, Astroth couldn’t comprehend.
Kugh.
The white blood spreading ever more. He would soon be devoured by the god.
Yet Astroth still hadn’t lost hope. He lifted his head, looking around.
I am not bound by shackles.
Since I am not shackled, a way to survive must exist in any circumstance—provided he doesn’t let himself be lazy.
An undecided fate will protect me. And then, in Astroth’s eyes, Leisia, who had just awakened from unconsciousness, came into view.
“Eek! O-Oppa! It’s a monster!!”
“Reriana, it’s okay. It’s alright. It’s all over.”
[ Achievement: King 6/6 – Grants the
For some reason, amidst the turmoil where no one feared anything, she was paralyzed with terror. ‘Is that my hole to survive?’ It reminded her of when she ran away from Saint Azra. Back then, it was the same as now.
The girl from the mountain valley brought by Azra looked at him in fear, and Astroth cast a spell upon the girl’s terror.
– As long as there is fear in a human’s heart! I will never disappear. I will surely come!
That was a promise mediated through the girl’s fear.
And indeed, since he wasn’t shackled, he could still come even under Azra’s seal. Some foolish barbarian had broken the seal for him.
So, could he cast a spell on that girl again this time?
Astroth could do that, yet he didn’t.
Because he sensed that it was a cunning trap.
[ The Beggar Siblings know Leina’s true name. She is granted {Immunity}. ]
Those nasty ones.
Just how prepared are they? That’s a trap. A very sweet trap. With great effort, Astroth turned his head.
Then what remains is,
“Haa… Haa…”
Among the approaching duplicates, there was one that stood out as alien.
It bore the form of Leonel but was not Leonel. It was not a person of this world, where nearly everyone lived bound by the god’s shackles.
[ Player: Minseo ]
Astroth, who was quite adept at reading the god’s symbols, saw him this way.
And he realized this was the only escape route granted to him.
The god couldn’t determine my ending, so he pulled this trick. That guy, not being a person of this world, is also unbound.
Cunning, you filthy god. But look at him trembling his arms. That guy fears me.
It must’ve been a gamble for the god too.
Astroth smiled as he accepted the god’s gambit. He locked eyes with the man, diving into his mind.
Let’s see.
Fear is I, the essence.
As that guy trembles in fear, it would be easy to find it and cast my spell. However, Astroth became perplexed.
‘W-What is this?’
Life.
Humans live with fear.
Fear of the life they must continue to live and the future. The fear of death is merely part of it.
But this guy had none of that.
The fear of death was worn and dimmed as if he had died many times before, fueled by a will to live. The trembling of his arms came from wanting to do better. To exceed his own ability. From his determination to protect. This, this is utterly useless…
“I-I will not die!! As long as there is fear in a human’s heart, I will never…”
Astroth shouted his spell indiscriminately. A desperate plea for anyone to get caught.
[
Yet, there was no fear in anyone present in the hall. Panicking, Astroth finally stepped into the trap.
[ The Beggar Siblings know Leina’s true name. She is granted {Immunity}. ]
Reriana’s {Immunity} devoured Astroth. Dirty germs.
His mind shattered, and his body, pierced by Lera’s sword, was slowly consumed by divine blood.
Astroth eventually murmured,
“Uh. Ugh…”
His last breath escaped as he collapsed.
His empty eyes were wide. The pulsing white veins like spiderwebs had ceased. The beast that had clung to Leonel’s bloodline for ten thousand years finally bowed its head and fell.
Even so, Lera Ainar remained on guard against him.
‘Is he dead? Isn’t he just pretending to be dead?’
Just as she couldn’t relax her guard. The sword in her hand burst into intense flames. Simultaneously, radiant light poured down from the sky.
[ Quest: Guardian, 4/4 – Barbatos MalHas Oriax Astroth ]
[ Congratulations! You have completed the Guardian quest. ]
[ The Guardian quest is now dissolving. ]
[ Childhood Friend Leina is chosen as the final saint! She can use the god’s divine power freely. ]
[ Engagement Leina awakens as a Swordmaster! She can use Aura without consuming mana. ]
[ The Beggar Siblings awaken Leina’s kingly qualities! They can discern truth from lies. ]
Lera gazed blankly at the sword in her hand.
The blazing Oblivion Blade.
Is this real, a dream, or some other reality? She couldn’t collect her thoughts.
Meanwhile, Leah was enveloped in the cascading light. The goddess of noble sacrifice, Boar, smiled gently.
“Ah…! Ah!”
At that moment, what was engulfed in light was not only Leah and the royal palace but also Oberg.
Light drenched the entire continent.
Humans across the continent looked up at the sky with shocked faces. Yet at that moment, in the capital of the Jerome Holy Kingdom, Lutetia, no sign of surprise could be seen as the saint Maryel looked up at the sky.
She smiled serenely.
‘You’ve done it.’
She was so aged that she could hardly move.
Without the support of her younger sister, Marsha Byley, she wouldn’t have been able to come out into the garden like this.
Marsha looked at Maryel with rabbit-like eyes. Based on her experience, this could only mean one thing.
“W-Wait, sister.”
The birth of a new saint. That, that means…
“Do not cry.”
Maryel gently stroked her now grown-up, nearly middle-aged younger sister.
“I have only completed the duty assigned to me. I’m happy to be able to see you. And to see such a wonderful groom as well.”
At the saint’s gesture, the barbarian Kali Toluca bowed and greeted them. However, Marsha couldn’t accept it.
“N-No! Why only you!”
“It’s not just me. And don’t worry. This is merely a new beginning.”
Maryel approached a waning tree’s shade and sat down. Smoothing her sobbing younger sister, she thought.
She felt she understood what the God Binard meant by ‘the saint without order.’
Then, this was truly not something to be sad about. The 87th saint gazed at the narrowing spot of light with a beaming smile.
Leah, do not forget your loved ones. Maryel closed her eyes. And the light, shining over the entire continent, finally converged to point toward Leah.
“Ah…! Ah!”
Back to Oberg. The ceiling of the royal palace hall cracked open.
Leah, engulfed in light, let out an ecstatic moan. The overwhelming presence of the supreme god. Infinite divine power cascaded from the sky like a waterfall.
Leah completely forgot the joys and sorrows of the world, her beloved family, and her hometown.
It was certainly okay, for there was a being she needed to serve wholeheartedly. Yet, while reveling in the descending divine power, Leah suddenly snapped back to her senses.
[ Leina has consumed {Divine} power. The traits granted to her are permanently removed. ]
She lacked something. No, she had thrown away what she believed in, Rev.
Leah stepped forward. She called out, liberated from the dazzling spotlight.
“Rev.”
To the one she loved.
The man who had dedicated his life to her many times, she embraced him.
And whispered.
“I’ve seen everything. What you and your comrades did for us.”
Leah, still embracing Rev, turned her gaze to the boy behind them. While whispering to Rev, she silently mouthed to Minseo.
“Thank you. Truly, thank you.”
At that moment.
As Leah expressed her gratitude to Rev and Minseo,
Lera Ainar stared blankly at her sword wrapped in aura,
And Reriana de Yeriel looked around in confusion; at that moment,
The palace began to be restored. The cracks in the broken floor were filled, and debris from the ceiling soared toward the sky.
No, this was not the palace being repaired…
Flash!
When her senses returned, Lera found herself amidst a noisy crowd. The surroundings were filled with the cheers of the masses.
‘W-What is happening?’
Moreover, the sun was shining brilliantly! Just moments ago it had been winter, but now it was summer. She struggled to comprehend the situation.
“Long live Saint Leah!”
“Saint! Welcome to Oberg! This child is our daughter!”
“Just wave your hand once!”
Turning her head along with the crowd, she saw a procession unfolding ahead.
A saint riding a carriage… no, a priest?
Lady Leah was there, dressed in dazzling garments. She smiled sweetly at Lera.
‘W-What’s going on?’
Beside Lady Leah stood Sir Reb, donned in holy knight attire. He looked just as bewildered, glancing around in confusion.
Lera tugged at Ray’s sleeve and asked.
“Ray. Do you know what’s happening? Why is the weather like this, why are the people acting like that, and why is the royal palace intact? Did the monster die?”
There were a mountain of questions she wanted to ask.
And the aura blazing forth from the sword in her hand churned her heart. She wanted to clarify the situation and check what was going on quickly…
“Ray?”
But Ray didn’t even respond, nor did he turn his head. There wasn’t a situation suitable for answering. Because there stood
Kasia, smiling brighter than anyone else.
Dare she guess, she was never a prostitute. The shadow of a whore doesn’t fade even after she quits.
Also, she was holding a child.
The very person who yelled that Leah was her daughter was Kasia. Beside her were the Chicken Shop Owner and an elderly couple.
They appeared to be her deceased mother and father. Lera recalled the last words she had spoken to them.
– “I will live happily. More than anyone in the world.”
Barreling out of the brothel and establishing a shoe shop was indeed remarkable and commendable.
Yet her past was so harrowing that it pained her to witness. It didn’t seem possible that she could appear happier than anyone else in the world.
But Kasia.
Now, she could be at ease. You’ve found happiness. Surely you will be the happiest one in the world! Going forward…
“Happiness… Ah, ah!”
“Hey, hey! Are you crazy? Stop looking.”
Lera harshly pinched his cheek, pulling it hard.
Whether his blood reversed in flow, Lera’s grip was unyielding, and Ray’s voice squealed as his cheek stretched widely.
He seemed to have cried a little.
Meanwhile, Reb and Lean were each in different places. In those places, they discovered rewards they had achieved but never imagined.
Naturally, it wasn’t money.