"Uh… what?"
"……?"
"This is…"
In a flash, the light vanished. The Magic Swords no longer emitted their radiant glow, and the voice quickly faded away. Zion repeated the phrases in his mind, gazing down at Exceed Rain.
‘The five origins must mean…’
El Tesoykve and Exceed Rain were ancient Magic Swords, while the other five were created later. Combining the two sentences, Zion deduced that the five origins referred to the five other Magic Swords.
‘Creating salvation…’
Zion looked at the Magic Sword wielders, gaining confidence. One of these five must be the key. Even if only those five were present, they could avert the impending doom.
‘A person who holds light and darkness… someone who can wield both El Tesoykve and Exceed Rain?’
There was no need to overthink. Long ago, there had been someone who wielded both swords, and the outcome had closely matched the prophecy.
‘But they didn’t completely annihilate evil back then.’
The person who had wielded both swords had killed Demon God and a dragon, yet they had returned in different forms. To truly destroy evil, the resonance between El Tesoykve and Exceed Rain had to be perfected.
‘Something feels off…’
It seemed like unnecessary details were mentioned. Destroying Demon God and the dragons, or the Three Demon Kings and the Four Calamities, should naturally bring peace. So why was it necessary to use all five Magic Swords to create salvation?
‘Is there another enemy? Is the world itself going to collapse?’
The prophecy emerged from the combined presence of the seven Magic Swords. It held significant meaning and served as a warning. Perhaps destroying Demon God and the dragons wouldn’t be enough.
‘What exactly does connecting the five origins mean?’
The phrase was too vague to make a definitive conclusion. It could mean using all five Magic Swords, causing a change from the five Magic Swords, or combining the five into one. Different interpretations led to various strategies.
‘This also complicates the light and darkness part…’
“Did everyone hear the voice?”
Brandish broke the silence, looking around. The others exchanged glances before Yuter stepped forward.
“Yes, Your Majesty. I heard it.”
“…Did you hear it too, Black Knight?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“What about you, White Knight?”
“I heard it clearly as well.”
“What should we make of this?”
Even Zion and Enrite couldn’t provide an answer. They hadn’t anticipated what would happen after all the Magic Swords and their wielders gathered. The prophecy was too abstract to form a concrete plan.
“Your Majesty, I believe we need to discuss this further. Given time, we can try to interpret its meaning.”
“Would discussion lead to an answer? If it were straightforward, it would have resolved by now.”
Brandish had already grasped the essence of the prophecy. If the conditions were met, the outcome should have been apparent. The prerequisites of the five origins and the bearer of light and darkness were in place. But without the actual connectors of the five origins and the bearer of light and darkness, they were at an impasse.
“Perhaps we need more patience. We can’t force what we desire.”
Brandish dismissed Guerganvo and looked at Zion. There was no point in rushing. Zion and the other Magic Sword wielders had worked tirelessly to reach this point. Pushing them further would only increase their burden.
“I will also look for a solution. In the meantime, why don’t you rest and prepare for the next battle?”
“…We will follow your advice, Your Majesty.”
Zion bowed respectfully. The others followed suit, expressing their agreement in silence.
“This is not a command. It is advice from a fellow warrior. I also wield a Magic Sword, do I not?”
“……?”
Brandish smiled and began to walk away. The others watched her leave without averting their gaze. Enrite, shaking off his concerns, looked at the Exceed Rain Zion held.
‘If Zion Laird is the one who holds light and darkness… we can eliminate them.’
In Zion’s room at Duke Adelaira's mansion, he had abandoned his usual training and secluded himself inside. Though he knew he should practice his swordsmanship, his mind was too preoccupied with thoughts. He couldn’t find a clear path through the labyrinth of possibilities.
‘Five origins… light and darkness…’
Zion pondered the phrases, searching for answers. If they followed the prophecy, not only would they annihilate Demon God and the dragons, but they would also establish lasting peace. Otherwise, the phrase “creating salvation” wouldn’t have been mentioned.
‘Even if we eliminate evil, survival alone is meaningless.’
In the process of eradicating Demon God and the dragons, much could be destroyed, many lives lost. Even if they succeeded, if nothing remained, it would be a hollow victory. Creating salvation likely meant preventing the world's destruction and saving countless lives.
‘If we survive but fail to eliminate evil, the fight continues.’
Leaving Demon God and the dragons alive to maintain the status quo wasn’t viable. It would result in continuous damage and constant living in fear. Even if they saved lives by creating salvation, the cycle would repeat.
‘One of the seven must be capable of this…’
Breaking down the prerequisites, they fell into two categories: those using the primordial Magic Swords and the five others. Light and darkness could destroy evil, and the five origins could create salvation.
‘I hope no one gets hurt… but it won’t be easy.’
Recalling the battle with the Abyssal King, Zion felt a vague unease. They had a significant advantage against the Shadow Dragon and swiftly defeated the Ocean King. However, against the Abyssal King, they had to risk their lives and struggle before finally prevailing.
‘This time, someone else might have to make that sacrifice.’
So far, luck had been on their side, preventing major injuries among key players. But luck wouldn’t always favor them. Zion sought a foolproof strategy to ensure victory.
‘This should be the final battle…’
Zion was particularly mindful of the Slime Dragon and Demon God. Despite the last artificial Magic Sword’s potential, it couldn’t compare to the power of the Three Demon Kings. Demon God, now weaker and unable to regain strength, seemed unworthy of attention. Yet, he couldn’t shake the feeling of concern.
‘We should have killed him back then…’
Hanette entered the room, interrupting his thoughts. She seemed irritated as she abruptly stopped in front of him.
“How long are you going to stay like this?”
“It’s only been two days.”
“Why are you always in your room? Shouldn’t you at least be training?”
“I can do that later…”
“When later? You need to do it now!”
Hanette grabbed Zion’s wrist and pulled him forcefully. Zion couldn’t resist and was dragged along.
“Wait, I still have things to think about…”
“Stop thinking. It’s not helping you.”
“……”
Zion looked down at the hand gripping his wrist. It was small but held with all its might. He could easily pull away, but feeling her earnestness, he reluctantly followed.
“You think too much. Even for a moment, just do as I say. Understand?”
“…Okay.”
With that, her grip loosened. Zion chuckled softly, clearing his mind. He began to envision a serene future.
‘It feels like we’re already married.’
Deep within a cave on the continent of Karonbelaz, Demon God, bearing scars, struggled to move. Though he had escaped using the Magic Sword Zael Verza, it couldn’t heal his wounds. If not for the ability’s side effects sealing it, he might have been able to alleviate the pain.
“Kaahaa…”
Demon God, collapsed, spat out black blood. Despite mixing his magic with dragon bones, could anything be that powerful?
‘Until these wounds heal… I must hide…’
He wanted to retreat to the edge of the world for safety, but with a physical body, he couldn’t leave this world. Opening a passage also required magic, which he needed to conserve until Zael Verza’s seal lifted.
‘I can’t do anything…’
Sinking into despair, Demon God lamented deeply. The Magic Sword wielders had defeated Abyssal King and Ocean King. Part of Immortal King’s power was gone, and he had lost the dragon Magic Sword Duran Calgonis. It was a devastating loss, making the future seem bleak.
‘Four Calamities… dragons…’
These were his last resort, a method he had to use. His power alone couldn’t defeat the Magic Sword wielders. If Slime Dragon consumed all the Four Calamities, there might be a chance.
‘I don’t like it, but I’ll have to take that power…’
Four Calamities contained the dragon’s divided power. With Shadow Dragon gone, it couldn’t be complete, but this left a vulnerability. Ideally, Slime Dragon would decimate the humans. Even if Slime Dragon fell, Demon God could still exploit the situation.
‘I’ll give up being Demon God…’
This would be the first and last time. He had to transform into something else, abandoning his inherent power to accept a divergent force. He might lose his sanity, but he was willing to bear that cost.
‘I have nothing to lose…’
Having lost everything, he had no place left to retreat. With nothing to hold him back, he was ready to throw himself into the abyss, even if it meant sacrificing his very identity.
‘I will destroy this world…’