### Chapter 362
The Most Horrific Seed.
The ultimate means the World Erosion chooses to root itself in the world.
When the Most Horrific Seed ignites, the power of World Erosion surpasses comprehensible limits.
Ixion’s goal is to capture this power using the schematics stolen from the Holy Kingdom of Freeman and contain it within the Holy Grail of World Erosion.
Then, based on this power, they aim to complete the god of World Erosion using various fragments they’ve collected until now.
That was the purpose of Ixion’s operation this time.
But now, Ixion has encountered an unprecedented crisis.
“My world…”
Someone cried out their dreams as they faced death.
“Damn it! I… I can’t die here!”
Some desperately denied their demise until the end.
“Finally, it’s over.”
And then, someone calmly accepted their death with closed eyes.
Numerous individuals, having fled from the destroyed world to another, were meeting their diverse ends.
The world, which had been preparing for war against Ixion, was strong.
As each faced their deaths…
“…This is the worst.”
In the Kingdom of Jeblam, the Beast King, Verdoh, frowned.
Even from such a distance, he could feel it.
He sensed the key figures of Ixion perishing.
And among them was the Black Witch as well.
‘Is she dead? The Black Witch?’
The leader of Ixion, who had concocted the plan to create the god of World Erosion.
The first to join her thoughts, Verdoh, could tell that the Black Witch had left this world.
The Black Witch was no trivial character.
If she was gone, it meant that Ixion’s strength was now nearly halved.
Her spatial magic was the driving force that allowed Ixion to move smoothly.
‘What a grandiose dream they had.’
Creating a god of World Erosion by gathering fragments from all the destroyed worlds.
Knowing how ridiculous that dream was, Verdoh nonetheless stood by Ixion.
He swallowed a bitter laugh.
‘After all, they couldn’t even protect their own world.’
Thinking back, it might be expected.
What kind of world can those who couldn’t even defend their own create?
From the very start, those who belonged to Ixion all had different goals.
They were individuals who only thought about fulfilling their own purposes using the god of World Erosion.
‘Yeah, it’s literally a pipe dream.’
Verdoh lifted his head.
Above him, the radiant golden-winged Celestial Emperor, Dalphiron Junon, spread their wings.
Verdoh and Dalphiron clashed without a moment’s pause.
Thanks to this, both of them looked a bit worse for wear.
Both were involved in a life-or-death struggle.
As Verdoh clenched his fist hard…
The air around his hand began to warp.
‘But does it matter?’
Living one’s life while clinging to their grandiose dreams until the end— that’s what life is, isn’t it?
A grin spread across Verdoh’s face, stretching his lips thin.
He belonged to Ixion.
So, he wouldn’t give up but instead would realize Ixion’s objective until the very end.
“Wait for me, Black Witch.”
He felt he would see her again soon.
At the very least, he would show her the outcome of mutual destruction.
At that moment…
[Beast King Verdoh.]
A voice echoed in Verdoh’s head.
Upon hearing that voice, Verdoh furrowed his brows.
“Is that the Hell Fairy?”
The Hell Fairy, a fellow member of Ixion.
He expressed his confusion upon muttering her name.
He never expected she would reach out to him like this.
The Hell Fairy had been assigned to another corner of the Kingdom of Jeblam.
There was no way she could have had the luxury of contacting him.
[Ixion isn’t finished yet.]
So, Ixion wasn’t over?
Verdoh didn’t expect the Hell Fairy to assert her will in this manner.
[I have a plan ready for you. I’ll explain, so get out of there right now.]
“What?”
Verdoh exhaled in disbelief.
At that moment, a flash of moonlight burst forth in front of him.
It was the Moonlight Divine Sword wielded by Dalphiron.
Verdoh stepped back, deflecting the Moonlight Divine Sword’s strike.
“Haven’t we determined that our plan was to contain the Most Horrific Seed in the Holy Grail?”
The goal of Ixion was definitely to contain the ignited Most Horrific Seed within the Holy Grail.
This was paramount in creating the god of World Erosion.
Creating the god of World Erosion required immense energy, after all.
[There’s another Holy Grail.]
At that moment, an unexpected reply came from the Hell Fairy.
Another Holy Grail?
Hearing that, Verdoh briefly looked up at Dalphiron.
He planned for a decisive victory, but it seemed that the timing wasn’t right.
“If you’re just spinning tales, I’ll burst your head open.”
[I’ve alerted the other members of Ixion. The survivors are all retreating.]
“Tsk, they sure don’t make it easy to die peacefully.”
At that moment, Verdoh’s hands began to move.
Dalphiron quickly noticed what Verdoh was trying to do and raised his sword in preparation.
Verdoh’s hands brought the yin and yang together, creating a picture with his palms.
Simultaneously, the Moonlight Divine Sword was enveloped in a powerful light.
However, Verdoh merely chuckled at the sight.
“Sorry for not finishing it off. I’m just a coward who ran away from his own collapsing world.”
“…You.”
Dalphiron realized too late that Verdoh was trying to escape, and he struck with the Moonlight Divine Sword.
But Verdoh had already completed his hidden technique, extending his fist towards the ground.
Beast God Fist
Falling Realm
Kwahahahah!
Verdoh’s mighty fist struck the ground, uprooting everything.
In a world so flipped over that the sky and ground became indistinguishable…
Flash!
The moonlight sliced through it all, erasing the fragments of the earth below.
Amidst the scattering dust, Dalphiron’s face twisted in displeasure.
Verdoh had already vanished without a trace.
As if he had resolved to finish things, he changed his mind and sparked to run away.
‘Something else came to mind. Is this it?’
Dalphiron felt uneasy, having failed to finish the task.
However, he couldn’t recklessly chase Verdoh.
Kaboom!
In the land of the transcended earth, Verdoh’s ignited Most Horrific Seed resonated, revealing himself.
If things continue like this, the Kingdom of Jeblam would start an unprecedented rampage, devouring everything in sight.
Dalphiron couldn’t ignore that.
If he chased after Verdoh, the Kingdom of Jeblam would crush its walls and march forward.
Therefore, Dalphiron couldn’t fight at full strength against Verdoh.
If he did so, there would be no one left to contain the chaos of the transcended earth.
“I hate fights with so many restrictions.”
As divine energy bloomed from Dalphiron, the Moonlight Divine Sword glowed even brighter.
Now it was time to suppress the Kingdom of Jeblam.
＊ ＊ ＊
Ixion’s retreat continued throughout the entire Kingdom of Jeblam.
Many chased after them to put an end to them.
But, Ixion managed to flee with desperate efforts.
“…They really know how to run.”
Someone muttered absentmindedly as they watched them.
As said, Ixion escaped thoroughly at the moment of their decision.
“The Kingdom of Jeblam is going wild!”
“Stop it at all costs!”
Everyone wished to uproot Ixion.
But in the end, they decided to give up chasing them.
Because the Kingdom of Jeblam was starting its chaos in earnest.
“Cough! This is bad news.”
In the Kingdom of Jeblam, amidst the Rainswept Ridge, the renowned hero, the Martial Emperor Zaid, looked up at the thick black clouds covering the sky and grimaced.
The Most Horrific Seed of the Rainswept Ridge had begun to bloom and rampage.
He had managed to defeat the World Erosion forces that faced him after a fierce battle.
However, he had sustained too many injuries in the process.
Though skilled, he was aging.
His frail body was recovering much slower than that of the younger warriors.
“Did I overdo it with courage?”
The Martial Emperor struggled to rise, forcing his moving body to get up.
But his legs kept giving way.
In the past, he had spent many years in a futile pursuit of life.
Observing the Celestial Guard for the first time had changed his life.
Every day, swinging his fists, he became a martial artist even at an old age.
That figure turned into a symbol, showing many that there are no final destinations in life.
Yet, even so, he now thought.
If he had grabbed his fist even a moment sooner, could he have aspired to something higher?
Particularly in moments like these, the days he wasted felt all the more regretful.
Kaboom!
Just then, rain began to pour from the dark clouds.
However, it could no longer be called rain.
The pressure of the deluge was so great, it seemed ready to destroy everything.
The surface flooded rapidly, creating a sea of rain.
That rain then transformed into a storm and tsunami that engulfed everything.
In front of it all, the Martial Emperor clenched his fists tightly.
‘Yet still…’
The old man did not die.
He swelled his muscles, summoning every ounce of his strength to block it.
At that moment, huge waves cascaded towards him, ready to crash.
Kra-Kra-Kwang!
A frigid breath pierced through the rainwater that was about to engulf the Martial Emperor.
The downpour froze mid-air, falling to the ground.
For just a moment, it bought the Martial Emperor precious time.
“Martial Emperor!”
He halted at the voice calling to him.
Turning, he saw young warriors rushing towards him.
Martial Emperor Zaid had no clan or crew, just a life led with fists—just like the Celestial Guards.
So, it was the young warriors from Rahern Academy who had come to support him.
When they first appeared, he had waved them off, deeming the situation too dangerous.
But after witnessing their resolve, he realized.
They too were warriors, having trained themselves to protect the world.
And now, they were all rushing towards him.
Leading the charge was the red-haired girl, Karandis Poseus, desperately trying to raise a barrier against the rain.
Following closely behind her was the silver-haired girl, Bianca Hardenhartz, using her ice dragon’s breath to freeze the oncoming rain.
Zaid understood what they intended to do but did not urge them on.
He could leave that till after they survive.
For some reason, he felt a sudden surge of rejuvenation.
An old man usually draws vitality from seeing the youth.
‘An old man’s role is to pave the way for the young to advance.’
He still had too many paths ahead to collapse here.
At the very least, he must prepare a road they could walk.
The elder ignited himself.
Zaid drew both of his fists to his waist.
And with a storm of aura bursting from him, he stood ready to strike with his fists.
The essence he only realized in his old age.
Fighting Spirit
Secret Art
Fist
With desperate power, he unleashed a single blow.
Kwahahahaha!
The moment that fist was released, the air surged ahead, swallowing the rain and piercing through the dark clouds.
The overwhelming sight stunned the young fighters from Rahern Academy who rushed to the scene.
It was a sight that reminded them just what the title of “Ten Great Lords” truly meant.
The Martial Emperor, having poured all his strength, collapsed in a plume of smoke.
At that moment, two figures caught him.
One was Haring Lagrain, and the other was Glen Diana.
As soon as both received the Martial Emperor’s body, they kicked off the ground and darted away.
“Retreat! Retreat!”
Karandis shouted as she covered the three with a barrier of water.
Kaboom!
Zaid had bought them a moment’s time, but soon the torrential rain congregated once again, forming dense clouds.
“Caw! Caw!”
“Kyiruk!”
Moreover, from the sea of rain, erosion species began to rise, manifesting from the very droplets.
Their murderous intent was palpable, aimed squarely at the intruders.
Bianca swiped at the oncoming creatures with her ice dragon once again.
However, no matter how many she swept away, the rain continued to fill the surroundings endlessly.
Everyone now understood.
Just how dangerous the rampage of the Kingdom of Jeblam was.
And how the Most Horrific Seed blossoming within it would consume the world.
As darkness slowly crept across everyone’s faces…
Tap, tap…
Bianca heard footsteps ringing clear amidst the torrential downpour.
The sound was distinct, even in this noisy chaos.
As she turned her head, there stood a man, his deep blue hair billowing in the winds.
“Master Kraush!”
Bianca called out, and the others finally raised their heads.
In that instant, as they faced him, everyone’s gaze shifted.
Kraush, wielding the Rain Thunder Prime, walked steadily toward them.
Once the fleeing figures reached him, Kraush propped his foot firmly on the ground.
“Everyone, keep running.”
That simple instruction was enough to recharge everyone’s weary legs.
As they zoomed past him, Kraush glared at the ominous clouds pouring rain.
“I really despise stormy weather.”
With that, he swung his sword towards the pouring rain and the creatures made of water.
“Bring me the clear skies.”
It was time to incinerate the Most Horrific Seed.
