Chapter 264 [End] [He Who Shouldn''t Exist] [6] [Ethan]


    "...How have you been?" Delwyn asked coldly, staring into my eyes. "Azariah."


    I felt a throbbing pain in my forehead as I focused on them.


    Ruby quietly walked in front of Ethan as if shielding him, while Delwyn stood at the forefront.


    "Delwyn," I mumbled as I stepped forward, gazing around the ce.


    It wasn''t raining here. The sky was clear with a gentle light illuminating the area, but there was no sun. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Old, broken stone pirs were sprawled across the ce, with five huge angelic statues spread out at different corners, their faces blurred.


    "What are you doing, Azariah!?" My gaze shifted back to Ruby, who yelled at me.


    I felt my blood boiling as I looked at that girl.


    I have never—


    And would never—forget how Aaliyah died in my hands.


    Even though I will always me myself for her death.


    All of this might not have happened if she had just not been close to me.


    Oliver might still be alive if not for her being taken as a hostage.


    I slowly raised my ice de, pointing at her. Staring into her eyes, I ordered, "...Stay right there. I will kill you along with your lover."


    Ethan stepped forward with his sword, now shielding her, ring at me.


    The runes on my entire body glowed in a silverish hue as I tried to gather mana.


    ''....Iksna.'' The mana in my body depleted by half as an invisible half-sphere started to emerge around me.


    It took a moment toplete as the mana in the area slowly started to enter my body.


    ''I need some time.''


    "Do you know why you are here?" My gaze shifted back to Delwyn as he spoke, sping his hands behind his back. "...Who sent you here?"


    "Does it matter?" I asked, tilting my head and pointing at Ethan. "I get to kill him without any interference. That''s enough for me."


    "You are naive—."


    "I don''t want to hear that from you," I cut off his words as I stepped closer. "Instead, tell me—has Edel gone senile?"


    He looked at me, confused.


    "Why did he ask the Principalities for help?" I asked, voicing the doubt that had been bugging me.


    "...Or is your fucking leader going back on his promise?"


    "What?" he asked, taking some time toprehend. "How do you know—?"


    "Tell me the reason," I ordered, standing just a few feet away from them.


    "Did your mother—?"


    "Reason, Delwyn."


    "Isn''t that hrious," Delwyn chuckled dryly. "How that woman destroys others'' families but cares about her own—."


    "Don''t," I cut him off, ring at him. "You are no better than her. You destroyed families as well."


    He took a moment to stare at me before he solemnly replied, "...I did what was best for humanity—."


    "Don''t give me that crap," I scoffed at his absurd words.


    "You don''t understand—."


    ''This isn''t going anywhere.'' I thought, ignoring his words.


    I can''t waste more time arguing with him, and even though it might be difficult, I need to take him down as quickly as possible.


    I need him to attack me recklessly to create an opening.


    "You know what? I am d your children died," I said with a smile, cutting off his words.


    "At least they didn''t have to grow up under a pathetic father like you."


    The little reasoning in his eyes died out as his gaze turned sharp.


    ''El.'' [Don''t lose yourself, Az.]


    My wings fluttered, propelling me backward as he charged at me.


    He raised his hand, and a crystal vortex burst, sending dozens of sharp, broken des at me.


    "Emperor''s Time." I mumbled, and in an instant, my heartbeat rose.


    The world around me became clearer. I could even see the small mana particles like dust in the air.


    I crossed my arms across my face as the barrage of crystal des plunged into me.


    But in the next heartbeat, my body returned to normal.


    Inded back on my feet, leaning forward while conjuring a de of ice.


    From the corner of my eye, I noticed Ethan rushing toward me.


    A spike of crystal rose from the ground, forcing me to propel back.


    In the next instant, Ethan''s sword came down, d in Elohim''s divinity.


    I folded my wings, twisting my body to let the sword rush past me.


    "Urgh!"


    An overhead kick made Ethan groan as he crashed to the ground.


    Inded once again, reaching out to grab him by his neck.


    But I raised my arm, blocking the kick aimed at my side.


    My body flew through the air from the force, but I unfolded my wings to bnce myself mid-air.


    I blinked. Tens of crystal pirs charged at me.


    I flew to my side, ducked, or straight-up kicked the pirs away as I rushed back toward Delwyn.


    Through the corner of my eye, I saw Ethan standing back up.


    ''Sundisk.''


    A golden sundisk materialized behind me as I glided away from a spike thrown at me.


    Delwyn raised his hand, conjuring a magic circle. An explosive lightning bolt rushed at me.


    The sundisk moved forward, the lightning bolt hitting it before being engulfedpletely.


    It flipped upside-down, and a golden bolt of lightning rushed toward Delwyn.


    He rushed to his side, dodging the lightning bolt that burned the ground to a crisp.


    Inded on my feet and rushed at him. Just as I arrived close, I swung my de at his ribs.


    But in an instant, mana condensed around him. Ayer of crystal emerged, blocking my strike.


    "Tch."


    I clicked my tongue in frustration as I dissolved my sword away.


    I curled up my fist as I swung a powerful right.


    He met me halfway andshed out with his own right, his hand covered in crystal.


    My hand moved faster as I punched him in the face.


    Blood gushed out of his mouth, but he didn''t flinch.


    His arm moved in a blur as he lunged at me.


    I sidestepped, letting his hand rush past me before grabbing it with both my hands.


    Using my body as a lever, I twisted his body, throwing him away with full force.


    Boom!!!


    His body rolled in the air a few times before mming into a broken stone pir.


    My legs turned into those of an angel as I reached him before he could stand back up.


    Covering my hand with ice, Iunched two long swings at his head.


    The stone pir beneath him cracked as his head mmed into it.


    But my nape tingled, and I instantly flew back.


    Spikes of crystal rose where I had just stood.


    Delwyn stood up, his breath wheezing, eyes ring at me.


    "I''ve had enough," he groaned as he raised both his hands.


    Hundreds of crystal spikes conjured in the air, high above my head.


    They slowly started to cover the entire sky, casting a shadow over me.


    I braced myself as they began to fall.


    One after another, the spikes impaled themselves into the ground around me, while I barely dodged them.


    A few of them pierced my body, but they vanished in the next heartbeat.


    The assault ended while I remained unharmed.


    "...Monster," Delwyn groaned as he red at me.


    "Huff... Huff..." I drew in deep breaths as I walked toward him.


    Mana moved as I conjured another de of ice in my hand. The skin on my legs burned, glowing in a silverish hue.


    My body blurred, and I appeared beside Delwyn.


    I aimed my sword at the side of his neck, which he quickly covered with crystal—just as I thought.


    "First form: Naqsal." Half of the de dissolved, turning into a dagger, while his body froze in ce.


    Without thinking, I dug my dagger into his forearm, slicing it open.


    "Urghh!!"


    Delwyn screamed as blood gushed from his arm, dampening the floor.


    A round kick to his ribs sent him flying, crashing into an angelic statue.


    His body hurtled down, cracking the statue as Inded beside him.


    "You''re weaker than Sypha," I mumbled as I touched his throat with the tip of the de.


    [You don''t have much time.]


    ''I know.'' I raised my sword to slit his throat.


    "Ahh!!"


    But before I could, a scream came from behind.


    I conjured another de of ice in my left hand as I turned around.


    CLANG!!! A shockwave cleared the debris around me as my de collided with Ethan''s sword.


    He red at me furiously, his muscles bulging as he tried to exert more force.


    I twisted my body, aligning my de so the hilt was above the tip.


    His sword slid down with the momentum, throwing him to my side, while I kicked Delwyn in the chest, whose hand was covered in crystal.


    The statue behind him cracked as his body flew even further back.


    I shifted my focus back to Ethan.


    He tried to stand up but swung his sword recklessly.


    I sidestepped and crashed my elbow, covered in mes, into his ribs while ducking under his attack.


    Crack! "Argh!"


    His ribs cracked, and I grabbed him by his hair, dragging him away.


    My body moved in an instant as I touched two opposite pirs lying on the ground.


    A sun and moon marking engraved themselves on it before they extended to a meter''s width.


    "Arghh!!"


    I threw his body into the middle.


    I had gone easy on Ashlyn while using it, but not now.


    His body hovered mid-air as waves of gravitational force hit him from both ends,pressing the space along with his body.


    He screamed in pain as the sound of his bones cracking echoed.


    Blood dripped from his eyes, nose, and mouth, and that made me grin.


    But before I could enjoy it more, I felt the hair on my neck stand up.


    Instinctively, my body twisted, and my hand moved in a blur.


    "Gughh!"


    Ruby groaned as I grabbed her neck.


    The dagger in her hand fell to the ground as she tried to break free from my grip.


    Another gust of wind rushed past me, and before I could stop him, Delwyn quickly grabbed Ethan, forcing him out of the cylindrical purple light.


    "Le...ave him," Ruby choked out as I looked at Delwyn running away, holding onto Ethan.


    "Come back, Ethan!!!" I yelled as I lowered my hand, forcing her to her knees.


    Ethan struggled to get away from Delwyn''s hold.


    "Come back, or she will die!!" I announced, making him force Delwyn to stop.


    He stumbled back to his feet, one arm hanging limply at his side.


    He slowly walked back, ring at me, while Delwyn could do nothing but stare.


    "...Leave... her alone," he groaned, his voice pleading.


    I smiled at his words, squeezing her neck even tighter.


    "Leave her!" he yelled as he rushed toward me.


    My lips parted as I whispered,


    "Muspelh."