Final Battle (IV)

Goetia was now in much worse shape than before, having sacrificed all his demon pillars to withstand the thunderbolts.

Kiara fared slightly better, mainly because Goetia had borne the brunt of the attacks, reducing the pressure she had to face.

"Such terrifying power..." Goetia glowered at Arkhan. "I never expected you had another trick up your sleeve."

"It's not just one trick I've hidden..." Arkhan smirked faintly, taking out a pale gray crystal.

A single glance at it gave an overwhelming sense of fascination.

"Stop him!" Goetia's expression instantly changed.

Without needing his reminder, Kiara immediately used Multi-Colored Tranquility to try and ensnare Arkhan within her paradise.

However, she was a fraction too slow, as Arkhan had already embedded the Herrscher Core from Fenghuang Down into the Key of Blankness.

Soon, his eyes turned a dazzling golden hue, swirling with countless overlapping vortexes that seemed to absorb the consciousness of all who gazed upon them.

This gaze didn't affect the physical world but targeted directly at minds. Even without eye contact, no one could evade its influence.

In no time, both Goetia and Kiara grunted in discomfort, their faces contorted in extreme anguish.

For them, the mind was their greatest vulnerability.

Goetia, a fusion of seventy-two demon god pillars in Solomon's body, lacked a true consciousness of his own, his mind merely an amalgamation of the seventy-two demon god pillars.

Kiara, due to her complicated origins, had an inherently unstable mental state, prone to occasional bouts of mental dissociation.

Under the influence of the Herrscher of Sentience's power, both felt their minds being overwhelmed by countless voices, each clamoring for freedom and control over their bodies.

Their state of mind was erratic, alternating between weeping, laughter, anger, and calm as if dozens of distinct personalities inhabited their bodies.

"We can't go on like this!"

Goetia, having barely regained a shred of reason, shouted and immediately unleashed his Noble Phantasm without hesitation.

...

Noble Phantasm: Ars Almadel Salomonis - The Time of Birth Has Come, He Is the One Who Masters All

Rank: EX

Type: Anti-Human Order

...

This was Goetia's ultimate Noble Phantasm, meant to cleanse and reset humanity, now deployed in a desperate bid for self-preservation.

High above in the vast expanse of the sky, a band of light spanned the entire horizon. It was a convergence of billions of beams fueled by human history, each possessing destructive power comparable to Excalibur.

Beam after beam detached from the band, merging into a massive beam of light imbued with an aura of annihilation, descending toward the underworld.

However, just as they neared Arkhan, the beam of light abruptly dissipated as if they had never existed.

An invisible domain unfolded around Arkhan, swiftly drawing Goetia and Kiara into its embrace, instantly draining their magical energy to the brink of extinction.

"Of course, I knew you'd unleash your Noble Phantasm. How could I not be prepared?"

As Arkhan spoke, a golden crystal was already embedded in the forefront of the Key of Blankness. With the Herrscher of Binding's power, it snuffed out any hope of Goetia and Kiara turning the tables at the last moment.

As the Herrscher of Sentience's power surged once more, both Goetia and Kiara were powerless to resist and quickly descended into utter chaos.

*Crack!* *Crack!*

In the next moment, layers of space solidified, akin to frozen amber, trapping Goetia and Kiara like insects.

"It's time to put an end to all of this."

Arkhan removed the Herrscher Core of Cosmic Juggernaut from the Key of Blankness, then took out another Herrscher Core burning like a blazing flame, crimson red.

It was none other than the Herrscher Core of Judgment of Shamash.

Arkhan took a deep breath before placing the last Herrscher Core he had into the Key of Blankness.

*BOOOOM!*

In an instant, crimson flames surged skyward, their raging power akin to scorching magma coursing through him.

"Hahhh..."

Arkhan's eyes and hair turned crimson as he slowly exhaled, the scorching breath distorting the very void around him.

Extending his palm, Arkhan summoned boundless flames, gradually forming them into a greatsword.

"It's not the original, but it'll have to do for now..." Arkhan's lips curled into a slight arc. "Especially at a time like this, a bit of cool line doesn't hurt."

"Shamash, unleashed!"

*BOOOOOOOOM!*

Instantly, towering flames surged forth like a raging tide, releasing light and heat comparable to a sun, completely engulfing Arkhan's vision.

===

In a dazzling burst of white light, Arkhan slowly opened his eyes.

He found himself in a pure white space, devoid of any unnecessary decoration.

Apart from him, there stood another figure whose form and face were indiscernible, their body seemed to be crafted from light.

"Here we meet again, Arkhan."

As the figure said that, their voice was gentle and calm.

"God? It's you?" Arkhan murmured in slight surprise.

"When I imparted to you the concept of being a Savior, I mentioned that I would be waiting for you at the end of this path, no?"

God chuckled softly.

"I'm glad you've finally arrived here."

"Along the way, you've faced countless hardships and challenges from powerful enemies, yet none of it has stopped you. You've saved many worlds and many people—though they may not have realized it themselves."

"Your determination has earned my approval. Now, armed with this power, go and save your own world."

===

After an unknown amount of time, Arkhan woke up slowly, feeling a soft touch beneath his head and a familiar scent filling his nostrils.

"Big Sis?"

Morgan was leaning over him, her veil removed to reveal a flawless face with gentle lake-blue eyes.

"It's all over now..." Morgan said softly, her slender fingers gently smoothing Arkhan's tousled hair. "You should go home too."

"Yeah..." Arkhan's face lit up with a rare, relieved smile. "I can finally go home..."

"If it's convenient, could you take me with you?"

A voice from a distance suddenly interrupted them.

Arkhan and Morgan turned to see a tall figure approaching.

"Sesshouin Kiara?!" Arkhan blurted out, wide-eyed.

How could she still be alive when even Goetia was dead?

"You seem surprised?"

Surprisingly, unlike her usual seductive self, Kiara now smiled cheerfully, and her smile seemed rather pure.

"Yes, I died indeed, but it wasn't me who died, it was my demonic half."

"Your demonic half? What?" Arkhan looked at her in disbelief. "Wait, so you're not a Beast anymore?"

"The evil symbolized by the Demonic Bodhisattva is 'Nega-Saver (Anti-Savior)', and to get rid of it, it must be dealt with by someone who truly possesses the qualifications of 'Savior'..."

Kiara chuckled as she explained.

"That's why I've been traveling through countless worlds, until... I met you."

"So, that's the reason you helped me?" Arkhan raised an eyebrow. "To strengthen my qualifications as a Savior, and then come after you."

"Exactly..." Kiara smiled. "That's why I secretly contacted Goetia and had him act early. I believe that once he's eliminated, you should be able to raise your Savior to the highest."

Upon hearing that, Arkhan's eyes widened.

No wonder Goetia appeared early.

Arkhan hadn't expected Goetia to be just another pawn in Kiara's hands.

His judgment was spot on.

This woman was dangerous and never to be underestimated!

"So, all this effort you've made, is it just to abandon your identity as a Beast?" Arkhan asked in a deep voice.

"If you were in my shoes, you'd understand why I'm so determined..."

Kiara shook her head.

"Beasts are the enemies of humanity, yet their existence also depends on humanity. If humanity were to fall one day, what fate would Beasts face?"

"Beasts are indeed powerful beings, but they are merely puppets of circumstance. They seek to destroy humanity without realizing that their own demise would follow humanity's collapse. I refuse to accept such a fate, so I've chosen to resist."

Upon hearing that, Arkhan furrowed his brow slightly.

"Then why appear before me, and what did you mean by 'take me with you' just now?"

"Ahh that? To prevent my demonic half from resurfacing, I need to stay by your side for a while." Kiara clapped her hands together with a charming smile. "You wouldn't mind, would you?"

"Yes, I do mind." Arkhan's expression darkened.

"Fufu, you don't really have a say in this, you know?" Kiara chuckled melodiously, fading away. "I'll come knocking on your door later. Look forward to it!"

Upon hearing her words, Arkhan's face turned as dark as the bottom of a pot in an instant.

"You never fail to impress, Arkhan."

Morgan's indifferent voice suddenly came from behind.

"You step out for a moment and manage to attract a Beast. Your abilities to attract women are growing, it seems..."

"Big Sis, this really has nothing to do with me! You heard her, she's the one who's fixated on me!" Arkhan quickly defended himself.

Morgan snorted coldly, her figure gradually dissipating into shadows.

"I'll be sure to inform Lily and Nid about this. You better think carefully about how you'll explain it to them."

Arkhan scratched his head, looking up at the clear sky, sighing deeply in resignation.

"What a mess this turned out to be..."

===

END.

===

Translator Note:

Man, what a disappointment. Not gonna lie, the ending is so rushed and sudden that it made me cringe while translating it. Honestly, I saw it coming from the start of this last volume, where the plot and characters in it aren't much different from the canon, unlike the previous volumes. I just didn't expect the ending to be this terrible. It feels like the author has run out of ideas or motivation and just wants to wrap it up as quickly as possible.

Anyway, thanks to everyone who stuck around and read this novel with me till the end!