Chapter 138 |
…Crunch!
A sunflower seed is crushed between his molars. The sensation of breaking through the tough shell. Raciel lets out a sarcastic chuckle at that moment.
‘I never thought I’d have this again.’
A red sunflower seed.
It was a food reserved only for the Phantom beasts, not allowed for humans. He was reminded of the time he had to consume it in Cremo. Back then, he swallowed it to avoid succumbing to Uruus. Today was no different.
‘If I don’t eat this now, if I don’t do this, I’ll meet my end at Demian’s hands.’
It’s certain.
If he remains motionless now, and Demian falls victim to Javillon’s ultimate secret technique, what would happen next is all too predictable.
‘Javillon’s ultimate secret technique is… a battle of endurance using one’s own physique.’
During that time, Javillon faced a crisis in a one-on-one duel. It was a duel with Captain Idris, who had remained loyal to the existing Anbouaz royal family.
A duel between master swordsmen.
It was a match without a clear advantage. They had to engage in a fierce battle for a full two days. In the end, Javillon found himself in a tight spot. A small opening was exploited due to the opponent’s cleverness. At that very moment, Javillon unleashed his ultimate secret technique.
‘He caught Idris. With his bare hands. Naturally, Idris didn’t take it seriously. He believed Javillon was struggling because he had lost his sword and was about to finish him off.’
That was Idris’s miscalculation.
Javillon’s ultimate secret technique involved clashing his internal mana with that of his captured opponent’s, an exceptionally brutal and primal method.
And that played greatly to Javillon’s advantage.
‘The amount of pure mana in a human body is directly proportional to their physique.’
Javillon stood over 190 cm tall. Given the limited nutritional conditions of this world compared to modern Earth, he was truly massive. Naturally, it was challenging to find anyone with a larger physique.
The same held true for Idris. He fell victim to Javillon due to a momentary lapse, became entangled in the mana battle, and depleted his mana first. In the end, all his blood vessels were ruptured, leading to his demise.
So, what about Javillon’s current actions?
‘It’s reminiscent of that time, the situation when he unleashed his ultimate secret technique on Idris.’
Demian, who had suddenly gained tremendous power.
Javillon, who was utterly outmatched by this formidable Demian. Thrusting out his bare hands as if in desperation. All the circumstances aligned perfectly.
‘He must have concluded that he can’t defeat Demian in his current state. Especially now that Demian appears to have acquired the Reversal Core Technique.’
No, it’s undeniable.
That overwhelming power, the swordsmanship that subdued Javillon, a Swordmaster, even without any aura. And a rather destructive aura. Clearly, it was the Reversal Core Technique.
And so,
He felt apprehensive.
Apprehensive that Demian might fully awaken. That he might come to understand his true nature. No, even before that, that Javillon might suddenly activate his ultimate secret technique. Truly, he was on edge the entire time.
‘Even if it’s Demian, even if he’s employing the Reversal Core Technique, Javillon’s ultimate secret technique would disregard all those conditions. Because it only clashes the pure mana within the body.’
That was the frightening aspect.
In that case, not even Demian could move. He would inevitably be ensnared in the mana battle and, ultimately, be crushed due to the difference in physique.
That must not happen.
If Javillon perishes,
So will I, and everyone else here.
‘Because… the moment he was pushed into an inescapable crisis, Demian will awaken completely!’
He couldn’t allow that to occur. Therefore, he had to thwart Javillon’s ultimate secret technique. Raciel made up his mind and devoured the sunflower seed with intensity. He swallowed it down and gazed at Javillon with a determined smile.
“What…?”
Javillon, his eyes widening as he looked in his direction, felt his grip tighten around the forearm.
At that very moment, a red warning screen appeared right before Raciel’s eyes.
Ding Dong!
[WARNING!]
[You have ingested a sunflower seed that is forbidden for humans and reserved for the Phantom beasts without authorization!]
[Rapid side effects may ensue if you consume this food without proper guidance. If you experience any unusual symptoms post-consumption, seek immediate consultation with a doctor, pharmacist, or Oriental doctor.]
‘…Sigh, it’s a good thing I’m an Oriental doctor, isn’t it?’
“I feel like I’ve seen this warning before.” While thinking that, a flurry of chaotic messages from his internal organs flooded his mind.
[Your internal organs express significant concern about your reckless eating habits.]
[Heart: Heyyy! Stop making us expand!]
[Liver: Heh! ……Pfffppppfffpphff!]
[Large Intestine: But if we get bigger, does the waste I’m holding get bigger too?]
[Kidneys: Just let go and break free!]
[Stomach: This would be a great concept for a giant Mukbang; views would skyrocket, lol.]
[Your internal organs mentally prepare for the impending growth.]
[The red sunflower seed you consumed is causing unstable growth effects.]
[You are not a mythical creature but a human.]
[Thus, the growth effect is limited to 3 minutes.]
[Serious side effects will occur after the growth ends.]
[You will fall into a coma for 120 hours (5 days) after the growth ends.]
That moment arrived.
…!
There was no sound.
No jolt.
Everything seemed to shift suddenly, and the world seemed to diminish. No, he had grown larger.
Boom!
“Ahh!”
A roar erupted involuntarily!
Javillon, clutching his arm, stared at Raciel with wide eyes. He was in a struggle. Suspended in mid-air. His complexion turned ashen due to the sudden transformation.
He muttered in despair.
No, he swallowed a futile breath.
“…What?”
Javillon couldn’t fathom it. It felt like a horrendous, nightmarish ordeal.
“What… What is this?”
The prince, who had been seized as a substitute for his final trick, the prince who had seemed destined to be a mere sacrifice, had grown. 5 meters? 6 meters? It appeared to be even more!
“How?”
He had no clue. He hadn’t even entertained the thought. Naturally, he had no contingency plans. In fact, there was no way to counter it, as he had already activated his final trick.
“I can’t… release!”
Javillon gritted his teeth. His hand still clung to the now-enormous forearm of the prince. He wished to let go. He wished to descend. But he couldn’t. The final trick he had employed possessed a suction force. It was as though his hand was glued; he couldn’t release his grip!
“Ah, Ahh! Ahhhh!”
Struggling proved futile. His heart raced. Beads of cold sweat emerged. A sense of impending doom struck his third cervical vertebra hard. It was over. He was doomed!
“No, I can’t!”
He contemplated his final trick, a technique that engaged in a contest of pure mana within the body, relative to one’s physique. However, now the prince, larger than an ogre, wore a sinister grin. The meaning behind that ominous smile was crystal clear.
‘I’m doomed…’
A grim realization struck him at the back of his mind. His final trick began to accelerate like a runaway train with malfunctioning brakes.
Kwaaaa!
All the pure mana within his body surged, deployed, and raced toward the prince. In response, the pure mana within the prince reacted, charging back without hesitation, with a momentum several times greater.
Kwang!
“…!”
Is this how an egg feels when it smashes against a rock? Or how a pinky toe feels when it slams into a door frame with full force? He repented with a pure heart, prepared to face the consequences. He offered a silent prayer. And he understood. This was the end for him.
At that very moment, once again.
Crash-!
“……Ugh!”
Splat!
A spurt of blood gushed from his open mouth. It was undeniable. Just two collisions had shattered his blood vessels. The pure mana in his body was being utterly crushed. This was unquestionably the limit. The end.
‘I was…’
There were so many things he had wanted to achieve. He aspired to elevate this nation, its people, to a more glorious status. He wanted to be immortalized in history as a pioneering figure. He never imagined he would meet such a wretched end in this place. Truly, he didn’t.
‘Heh heh, huhuhu.’
He laughed. It felt hollow. Relief? He didn’t feel that at all. Instead, his attachment to life burned even brighter. He raised his burning gaze. He glared at the Crown Prince who held him aloft. He shot him a resentful look.
Raciel also felt that piercing gaze. Thanks to it, he hesitated for a moment.
‘Should I end him like this?’
Suddenly, thoughts of the Devil Sword Emperor’s backstory crossed his mind. The final moments of Javillon. The ultimate secret technique he had employed in the battle against Demian. But had Demian been cunning? Because of that, Javillon had to seize the battle steed instead and unleash his ultimate secret technique.
‘Thanks to that, he had to compete with a horse, whose name he didn’t even know with his pure mana. Naturally, he lost because he was in a smaller weight class than the horse.’
And so, all the blood vessels in his body were completely destroyed. He met his demise, cursing his unfulfilled destiny.
It was happening once more.
If he continued to hold onto Javillon like this? Javillon would undoubtedly meet his end. More certain than anything he had encountered in the novel ‘Devil Sword Emperor’.
‘But… I can’t do it.’
As much as he desired to, he yearned to bring it to an end right here. But realistically, it was an impossibility. The reason was simple. A message suddenly appeared in front of him, indicating that there wasn’t much time left.
[Current Remaining Gigantification Duration: 56 seconds]
“……”
Time had already elapsed considerably.
Yet, Javillon still clung on, refusing to meet his demise. What if he grew impatient and tried to finish him off decisively? There was a risk of a counterattack.
‘If the giant state is released while he’s still alive, and I’m holding onto him, I’ll be the one in trouble. My size will be much smaller than his at that point.’
He might even lose consciousness due to the disorientation. He would be in a vulnerable state, incapable of dealing with the situation. That was a problem. It would be unwise to become overly ambitious and face the consequences.
‘Well, he’s already partially incapacitated. If I release him now, Demian or the kingdom’s army will handle the rest.’
Raciel made his decision.
To release Javillon, he grasped him with his other hand and attempted to pull him away. However… it didn’t go as expected?
‘…Huh?’
He wouldn’t budge. The adhesive force from Javillon’s last-resort technique was stronger than anticipated. He clung on as if he was glued with superglue.
His heart sank.
‘Oh, sh–. This is bad.’
[Current Remaining Giant State Time: 51 seconds]
Time continued to tick away.
The guy just wouldn’t succumb.
Things started to feel urgent.
That’s why.
‘Let go. Just let go!’
Raciel raised his arm forcefully. He swung it down with even more power. Javillon, attached to his arm, soared upwards and was forcefully slammed onto the ground below.
Bang-!
‘…Ugh!’
But he still remained firmly attached.
[Current Remaining Giant State Time: 47 seconds]
‘Oh, come on! Just let go!’
Raciel’s movements grew increasingly desperate. He shook from side to side, then upwards, and continued to slam downwards.
Each time, Javillon’s 190 cm slender(?) body twisted, soared upwards, and danced the destructive dance as it was forcefully struck against the ground.
‘Let go, let go, let go.’
“…Ugh! Argh! Ugh!”
Bang! Crash! Boom!
‘Just release already.’
“…Guh!”
Crash-!
Suddenly, the surroundings fell silent. No, the entire plain had gone quiet.
The Royal Guard and the rebel vanguard, Demian, even Princess Adeline, had all stopped their fighting in bewilderment. The kingdom’s army at Balua Fortress, and the rebels on the other side of the plain, everyone stared in blank amazement at the unexpected spectacle.
Raciel, now standing at 7.9 meters tall, was clearly visible like a towering billboard. The Crown Prince of Magentano, whose face and expressions were visible so distinctly… Everyone swallowed hard as they witnessed him pummel Javillon, the rebel leader and a supreme swordmaster, as if he were dusting off.
It was an utterly overwhelming and transcendent spectacle.
(To be Continued)
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