Chapter 141 : Chapter 141

Chapter 141 : World of Recurrence (7)

A single strand of red thread wrapped around my arm.

The thread absorbed my mana and gradually expanded.

As the thread thickened, the pressure on my arm grew ever stronger.

I could feel my mana being depleted in real-time.

It was the ability of the God of Deception to gradually increase its own size by sucking the mana of its mesmerized target.

The enormous amount of mana I possessed was now, ironically, holding me back.

‘This is dangerous…….’

The red thread, which had been swelling uncontrollably, wrapped around me like a mummy.

No matter how much I struggled, the thread would not break.

Thump! Thump!

The Dragon Heart began to resist.

As if displeased with the mana draining in real-time, it began to release the mana it held.

However, the more mana the Dragon Heart emitted, the greater the pressure the red thread exerted on me.

In the end, I suppressed the Dragon Heart.

I commanded it not to emit any more mana.

Fortunately, Adjak’s heart listened to me and soon quieted down.

But the situation was not good.

I was wound so tightly by the thread that it was difficult to even move my body.

If someone saw this scene from the outside, wouldn't it look like a cocoon made of red thread?

I couldn't give up just because I couldn't move easily.

I limited my mana and slowly moved my body.

The taut thread still enveloped me, but I began to move slowly.

I could feel every single bundle of muscle in my body.

My muscles twitched, resisting the pressure created by the red thread.

I moved my hand, which was wrapped in threads, and swung my sword.

Slice.

Indeed, Adjak's body, smeared with all sorts of good traits, was incredible.

After all, I had succeeded in cutting the red thread, the power of a god, with physical strength alone.

However, as soon as I cut one strand of thread, several more strands flew in and wrapped around me.

“Kugh…….”

The pain inflicted on my body was extreme.

It was a situation no different from confronting a god's power with my bare body.

But I could not surrender.

I utilized what I had realized through the first Dragon’s Trial given by Hike.

To use my body and intent to their absolute limits.

Without the aid of mana, I used only my body's muscles, the swordsmanship my body remembered, and my intent to cut through the red threads.

Before the red thread appeared, I had stayed alone in this space for a very long time.

It might have just been my perception, but it felt like it had been months, even years.

It was enough time to break one's spirit, but I did not rest.

In this place, it was fine not to eat or sleep.

So I polished my swordsmanship with Adjak's body.

At first, I performed the swordsmanship I had trained in 'as Polarin'.

But perhaps it was because I had swung the sword for so long.

At some point, I fell into a state of selflessness without realizing it.

And I also came to use the swordsmanship this body remembered, 'Adjak's swordsmanship'.

It's not a method where the head commands and the body outputs the swordsmanship.

When the body performs the swordsmanship it remembers, the head memorizes it.

The sense of foreignness that came with using Adjak's body had been erased long ago.

Before I knew it, I had also gained a deep understanding of Adjak's swordsmanship.

And I performed Adjak’s swordsmanship and Polarin’s swordsmanship together.

The two similar yet different styles of swordsmanship fused.

Adjak's swordsmanship performed with Adjak's body. Adjak's Tunes.

And the hours of effort I had accumulated as Polarin.

All of it came together to resist the red thread.

Every time the sword cut through the space, the red thread was shaved away.

Slice! Slice!

When I cut one strand of thread, three or four strands would wrap around me.

When I cut those three or four, several times that number of threads would swarm in.

But it was fine.

I swung the sword slowly, once, and then again.

Each time, the red thread was severed.

As I was once again lost in a state of selflessness, resisting the red thread, a bright and warm energy cast itself over my body.

‘The God of Peace…….’

The sword now held in Adjak’s hand was the Holy Sword Eusebia.

The divine power contained in Eusebia shone brilliantly.

The God of Peace was helping me as I resisted the tyranny of the God of Deception.

Although it couldn't match the power wielded directly by the God of Deception, who remained in this world like a specter, the God of Peace also aided me by adding its divine power.

But I could also see that at this rate, I could only resist the red thread, not overwhelm it.

‘There’s only one way to surpass a god who has manifested in the world…….’

I focused my intent to use Fourfold Transformation.

Clunk.

Fourfold Transformation rarely activated in Adjak's body.

Clunk. Clunk.

But I couldn't give up like this.

Isn't my intent separate from my body?

If I established a stronger intent, I would be able to use my abilities in another's body.

I strongly stimulated my intent.

Intent is the maximization of an individual's will.

I didn't know how connected the body and mind were, but right now, I needed to be extremely focused on my mind rather than my body.

I stopped moving.

The threads were tightening around my body in real-time, but I paid them no mind.

I just focused on my will, and furthermore, on my intent.

Clunk.

I had almost opened the door, but it felt as if a huge piece of luggage had been placed in front of it.

‘I think I can do it if I push with more force.’

In this case, it would be intent.

I once again strained my mind.

As I strongly stimulated my intent, it felt like I was crashing into the door with all my might.

I succeeded in pushing away the obstacle in front of the door.

The door swung wide open.

I became aware of the energy I had wanted to see so badly now coiled around the holy sword.

“……!”

My Fourfold Transformation had activated.

As soon as I used Fourfold Transformation, I swung my sword.

In that one swing, hundreds of strands of red thread were split apart.

At the same time, red threads flew at me, but I did not stop.

Slice, slice.

First, I cut off the red threads wrapped around my body.

Presently, thousands of strands of red thread flew in, but by then, I had already severed all the red threads surrounding my body.

Ruuuuuumble!

The dark space where only I had existed was no more.

The entire space, dyed red, rushed towards me.

‘The God of Deception has raised its divinity as well.’

Wanting to see the end of this fight, it had raised its divinity, and the entire space was pouring down on me.

I, too, was unleashing Fourfold Transformation with Adjak's body.

We were both overexerting ourselves.

Every time I swung my sword, the red thread, no, the red space now, was carved away.

Freed from the threads, I went on a veritable rampage.

I swung my sword, emitting Tayon's lightning.

Every time the sword touched, the crimson space was cut away and disappeared.

I stimulated the Dragon Heart.

Thump!

With a single beat, an enormous amount of mana gushed out.

It must have been its own form of rebellion for being excluded from the fight.

I once again drew upon the power of Fourfold Transformation.

Chunks of the red space were carved away.

At this rate, if I could cut away the entire space, it would be my victory.

– You damn human! Even if my divinity perishes here, I will make sure to finish you!

After entering this space, the voice of the God of Deception, which had been silent, was heard.

The red threads turned a dark, blood-red. A massive torrent of blood advanced towards me.

A damn human, he said.

The God of Deception knew nothing about me.

“I am half-human, half-dragon.”

It was the same for me, and for Adjak.

The God of Deception did not answer.

It didn't have that luxury.

Craaaackle!

Adjak's electric current, my Fourfold Transformation, and even the divine power of the Holy Sword.

Everything blended together and carved away in space.

‘A little more, if I can just cut a little faster, I should be able to get out.’

If I could swing the sword at a speed faster than the rate at which the red threads multiplied.

My regret turned into desperation.

A little more, just a little faster!

I manifested Rush using the Dragon Horns and Adjak's magnificent mana assisted my body.

Aura, intent, and the divine power of Eusebia enveloped my body.

Craaaaaaackle!

A massive clap of thunder echoed through the space.

At the same time, countless lightning bolts struck down.

I realized that my body had become lightning.

‘Adjak’s Fourfold Transformation?’

A terrifying state of converting the physical body into lightning.

I had activated 'Heaven-Shattering Thunder'.

Crackle! Crackle!

Thousands of lightning bolts poured down with a roar that seemed to tear the sky apart.

My body became a bolt of lightning and churned through space.

There was no need to swing my sword.

Because the speed at which my body advanced was faster than a sword swing.

– Wh-what is this!

The God of Deception, who had forcibly released its divinity.

Most of the red space it had woven was already gone.

In the end, I had cut down all the red threads.

Fizzle…….

A faint spark jumped from my body, and the electric current also dissipated.

The effect of Heaven-Shattering Thunder had ended.

‘I can definitely not use this multiple times.’

Soon after, the space disappeared.

***

When I returned unharmed, my companions came over to check on my condition.

“I’m fine.”

“Your body is sparking with electricity……”

It seemed the effects of Heaven-Shattering Thunder hadn't completely disappeared even after it ended.

It would be quite effective if I wore the Thunder Plate as well.

It was likely a Heaven-Shattering Thunder I could only manifest because I was in Adjak's body, but the memory of using it and the way to utilize my intent remained vividly in my mind.

I resolved to test it for sure after I finished this trial.

– Ugh…… I have waited for thousands of years.

Surprisingly, the red thread could still speak.

Indeed, a being that was once a god did not seem to die so easily.

I raised the Holy Sword and walked between the tombstones.

– If you spare me, I will give you pow…….

Slice.

The red thread could not finish its words.

Because I had swung the Holy Sword and severed the thread.

I didn't want to give such a specter time to make excuses for itself, nor another chance to deceive others.

And the severed thread wrapped itself around the signet in my hand.

It transformed into a shape similar to the cocoon I had experienced in space.

The village chief was prostrated on the floor, shedding tears.

I approached him and held out the signet wrapped in the red thread.

The chief continued to cry as he fiddled with the jewel.

After stroking it for a long while, he gave it back to me.

“Thank you. Thanks to you, I have been freed from this cycle. This signet… I hope it will be used in the hands of a hero.”

I nodded silently.

Soon after, a portal began to form beyond the space where the tombstones had been.

It seemed the third trial was ending like this.

The World of Recurrence is just a world that reenacts the past.

But just as I had reached a different conclusion from Adjak, I wanted to give this world a different ending as well.

“Keep your promise. You stop the war that you started.”

I no longer imitated Adjak's way of speaking.

It's time to leave, after all.

Leaving the nodding chief behind us, we walked into the portal.

***

[You have achieved an accomplishment. You have rewritten past history.]

[It will not be recorded in the ‘Official History’, but one world will remember you.]

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