"What is that?"
"Is that supposed to be a monster? It makes no sense..."
"Teacher!"
The children were panicked by the unexpected situation. Kang Sihyun was terrified, calling for the teacher among children who were running or fleeing in disarray, clutching his left chest where he felt pain. As the Decuminus emerged from the fissure, the pain intensified. The sealed divine power in his heart was stirring.
"Argh!"
The principal, who vomited blood, looked at the confused students and spoke.
"Protect!"
As he shouted, a magic circle appeared in the air and a transparent veil poured over the students. It was a protective magic. Even while being seized by the monster, he prioritized the students' safety. Sihyun realized he had underestimated the principal. He had thought him merely insane, but the principal’s commitment to protecting the students was truly fitting of his title.
"What is happening?"
Rodin muttered as he supported Sihyun. A transparent veil was also above his head. Sihyun watched as the principal confronted the Decuminus. A magic circle formed above the giant's head and exploded, but Decuminus's face remained unscathed.
It was inadequate. Magic could not compete.
They are sinners.
A god's sin created, an ancient mistake.
Magic is a natural thing. Since it involves drawing natural mana, it is ultimately a creation of god. Such power could not defeat Decuminus or the Irregulars.
If the naturally spawned monsters were an exception, the shallow and weak power split among the Irregulars was hopelessly insufficient. Realizing this, the principal spoke up.
"Everyone, head to the auditorium! This is an emergency! Call the teachers, argh!"
As the Decuminus's hand swelled, the principal was unable to finish his sentence and collapsed, vomiting blood. His eyes fluttered as he lost focus, and then he fell to the ground, unconscious from a broken bone.
Damn it!
Sihyun cursed and frowned.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
His heart was still beating explosively, as if begging to be released, urging him to unleash the sealed power.
"Ah."
Releasing this power would kill Harunen. He knew it. Even just containing the sealed power had weakened his body so much that releasing it would shatter him.
But he had to release it.
If Decuminus was fully unleashed, this world would be destroyed. The creature had enough power for that.
He was there to stop it. That's why Adam kept reincarnating and living eternally.
To eradicate these creatures whenever the seal broke.
He was an executioner.
Save. And punish the sinners.
That was his mission.
Determined, Sihyun stood upright, shaking off the children. Although his whole body trembled, he could still stand.
"Hey, Harunen!"
"Harunen, are you insane? What are you trying to do there!"
"Come here."
Harris and his group called out to Sihyun in panic. Sihyun quietly opened his mouth as they approached him.
"Shield."
As he recited the command, a blue wall erected itself, blocking Harris and his group's approach. Still wanting to use one of the spells he had learned here, Sihyun chuckled and stared at the three boys looking at him in shock.
Harris, Rodin, Zion.
Familiar faces wore familiar expressions. These were expressions Sihyun often saw during his time as Kang Sihyun. Faces distorted in mess and full of worry. Sihyun briefly moved his lips then turned his back.
He shouldn't leave any regrets.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
His heart beat more violently than before. Decuminus was now fully emerging from the fissure. It had to be dealt with before it fully stepped onto this land. Though unarmed, it was okay.
Harunen's body contained more divine power than during Kang Sihyun's time.
If it was a matter of risking his life, he could face it without weapons.
The problem was releasing the divine power. As Sihyun hesitated, not knowing how to release it, he realized his worries were pointless and chuckled.
The divine power was already flowing inside him. With each throb of his heart, it flowed more and more.
Like during Gren's time, it had automatically opened itself.
And to fully unleash this power, he just needed to draw out the divine power flowing within him.
"Harunen!"
Just then, with a loud crash, Harris and his group rushed over. Sihyun rolled his eyes as he saw Rodin and Zion draw their swords. It seemed they had managed to break through the shield with swordsmanship. Suddenly, Rodin grabbed Sihyun's arm.
"Hey, what are you doing? What are you trying to do here?"
He asked urgently, his eyes trembling with anxiety. All Sihyun could say was one word.
"
Sorry."
"Hey, you!"
Zion shouted, his veins bulging as he yanked Sihyun forcefully.
"Don't do it."
With a firm voice, Sihyun smiled faintly.
"Harris, Rodin, Zion."
Calling out one name at a time, the boys turned their eyes to him. Sihyun looked back at them then abruptly pushed Zion's chest. It wasn't a strong push, but Zion stumbled back. His eyes widened. Thinking it was a rare sight, Sihyun pushed Rodin back as well and distanced himself from them.
One step, two steps.
As Sihyun walked away, the boys stared at him with blank expressions, unable to grab or call him. Overwhelmed by the moment's atmosphere.
Sihyun hid his trembling fingertips behind his back and smiled.
"You guys live."
For that reason, he was unleashing the power. So.
"Live for me too."
When he finished speaking calmly, the three boys' eyes simultaneously widened. They seemed to realize something and opened their mouths, but Sihyun was quicker.
"Step back!"
As he shouted strongly, a golden aura surged from his body, swirling around like a typhoon and pushing the three boys back. Sihyun then waved his hands, erecting a giant protective barrier in front of the children. It was a barrier made not of mana but of divine power.
Seeing it directly would be shocking.
Assessing this, Sihyun stretched out his hand and—bang! The closed door opened. Sihyun waved his hand again, pushing the three towards the door. Unable to resist the gale, the children were helplessly pushed back. Sihyun smiled reassuringly at the three boys who couldn't take their eyes off him until the last moment.
With the calmest face, with the brightest smile.
With that smile as the last thing they saw, boom! The auditorium door closed. By then, all the students had run away, and only the unconscious principal, Sihyun, and Decuminus remained in the auditorium. Sihyun faced Decuminus and smiled.
"Quite a fateful connection."
He said as Decuminus's head tilted quizzically. Since it wasn't a conversation partner, Sihyun ignored him and opened his divine power to its limits.
Crackle!
Centered under Sihyun's feet, yellow sparks flew. Led by the released divine power, even the sealed divine power burst open. Just as the space in front of him turned bright yellow, the divine power turned blue and then white. Those forces burst through the fissure, pulling out a small rod.
Sihyun knew what it was.
"Humilitas!"
As he called out its name, the glowing rod returned to its original form. The spear that Ruth had held now flew to Sihyun, becoming a reliable weapon. Sihyun, now with eyes tinted with gold, stared at Decuminus. His silver hair fluttered about with the power of the released divine energy.
"Suitable for a traveling companion."
Sihyun chuckled and felt his heart settle. Whether it was because all the divine power had been released, or it was a mercy before death, either way, it was to his advantage. Without hesitation, he stomped the ground.
Screeeech!
Harunen's body charged towards Decuminus without hesitation. Humilitas flew and pierced Decuminus's neck, and the swirling divine power around Sihyun attacked the giant Irregular's body like a blade. The wounds piled up quickly. Sihyun pushed fiercely, giving no chance for a respite.
And when one of Decuminus's arms finally fell to the ground, Sihyun shouted with a voice filled with divine power.
"Push it back!"
As he yelled, the ferocious divine power filling the auditorium gathered like a giant hand and pushed Decuminus back. The creature struggled not to be pushed back, but it was futile. Its massive body slowly returned to the fissure. Sihyun gathered all remaining divine power and threw Humilitas.
Humilitas returned to where it should be—in the weakened seal of Decuminus's prison as time passed.
"Sleep there for now, we'll meet again."
As Humilitas disappeared into the fissure, a blindingly bright light flashed from within, pulling Decuminus in.
Craaaack!
The creature that had struggled to break the seal flailed about. As it struggled, the power of the divine energy pulled it harder. It was like the touch of an executioner carrying out a sentence.
Sihyun watched this and vomited blood. Ah. The pain that hadn't been felt during the battle rushed in belatedly. His body felt like it was breaking apart. No, upon checking, his arms and legs were indeed broken.
He hadn't expected to die so young.
Harunen wasn't expected to live long, but he hadn't
thought it would be in this manner. Sihyun let out a deflated laugh and watched as the fissure that had pulled in Decuminus slowly closed, disappearing from this dimension. Only traces of the creature's appearance remained in the auditorium.
It was over.
Sihyun exhaled in relief and collapsed.
He had fulfilled his mission, Decuminus was gone, and this world would not be destroyed.
Thus, the children would not die either.
His vision darkened and his body lost strength. In his last moments, he heard the sound of hurried footsteps and voices calling his name. He wanted to check if it was the children, but his eyes wouldn't open. His consciousness slowly faded.
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