454 - Regressor of the Fallen Family

Chapter 454: "Ha...?" Though Logan sensed Harmon's spiritual energy, it was clear the gods had seized control, brandishing their swords and asserting dominance. Instead of continuing their attempt to consume Harmon's soul, they temporarily redirected their aggression towards Logan. Until now, it seemed they had followed Harmon's will solely to focus on devouring his spirit. "But we can't fight here." Clack. [I've eradicated Zibric's spirit. How is it that those who call themselves gods are unaware of this?] Logan's unwavering spiritual energy conveyed his message to both Harmon's and the gods' souls. A message pure and devoid of falsehood. Yet it seemed the gods had no interest in dialogue. [Don't be absurd. Zibric is an immortal soul who had grasped divinity.] [Even if the power of your wishes can alter the world, it cannot breach divinity.] Flash. The moment light poured forth from the tip of Harmon's sword, bathing the area in brightness. A golden light burst from within, surging through the silvery waves. Boom! An entire section of the forest disintegrated into dust in a blink. A clean annihilation, leaving not even dirt in its wake. Amidst that blinding aura of destruction, Logan, encased in resplendent golden light, walked forward slowly. [I have indeed destroyed Zibric Cassel's artifact and shattered his spirit. Surely you understand that my words bear no lies?] His spiritual energy continuously directed at his opponents. The golden glow within his red eyes signaled that Logan had pushed his spiritual prowess to the limits. These were not mere words but a message the soul transmitted. The truth within was laid bare for all to see. Determined to continue the discourse somehow, Logan's resolve only seemed to incite more fury in the gods. [Zibric must have simply retreated! He knew nothing of the full power of wishes.] [We are different.] As expected... The gods' spiritual energy confirmed what Logan had suspected all along. The trouble was, however, that no solution to break the current deadlock was in sight. Flash. BOOM! Another beam of light engulfed the surroundings. "Damn it." This beam carried a power akin to the grand magic that nearly obliterated Kyle Castle in the past. Though not comparable in scale, it held enough annihilative force to erase an individual. If this was its strength now, what would happen if Harmon were completely subsumed by the gods? The sheer magnitude was enough to instill unease in even someone like Logan. Nevertheless, the situation was not entirely unfavorable. Zzzzzt. Boom. The energy split from the tip of Logan's outstretched sword, the golden aura blade, cleaving the oncoming force, reducing only the innocent forest to dust. Logan's expression turned slightly flushed. "It's working..." This wasn't the same light-slashing technique that consumed the power of wishes as before. Without needing to reverse causality, he was simply withstanding the gods' onslaught as an "equal." The potential he had become certain of in Rusfelheim was blossoming here and now. "I can do it too." Having experienced an Auramaster's battlefield domination, he had learned how to harness the power of wishes to elevate his soul's stature. With the gods inadvertently showcasing a contradictory method of energy utilization, Logan had nearly bridged the gap to an Auramaster's limits in one leap. Compared to before, it seemed as though his caliber had ascended a notch. "No, perhaps even more than that..." Thus, Logan didn't attempt to persuade them amidst the deluge of power but focused his gaze even more intently. The assault channeled through Harmon's body by the gods was an incomprehensibly strange spectacle. "As if casting spells with force..." Despite wielding a sword, it was no longer about swordsmanship. It was merely using Harmon's strength, his body, to unleash attacks according to their methods. A considerably more powerful and elevated form of attack than what the emperor had displayed—akin to 8th-class magic. "Such a thing is possible..." It was a remarkable technique, distinctly different from the energy manipulation that transformed force into life energy. Logan aimed to concentrate further and analyze this process in detail. To steal tactics from ancient souls who had surpassed the realm of demigods to become full-fledged gods. "If I can just perfect this understanding..." All desires could be realized. Ambition was an inevitable consequence. Rumble... Ssss. The barrage, accelerating over time, eventually converged into a seamless mass of blinding white light, engulfing all directions. Simply withstanding and cleaving through it—such defiance felt like it would tear his soul away, yet the pressures only grew heavier, threatening to crush his entire body. In this trial, Logan's defense was gradually hardening, as if solidifying his newly risen stature, growing sturdier amidst the relentless assault. This irked the gods. [Indeed... Is there a reason Zibric chose you as a herald?] Hmm...? A peculiar dissonance within the gods' spiritual flow briefly registered with Logan's hyper-focused mind. That odd dissonance jolted his rationale awake. Yet before he could discern its nature, the situation rapidly shifted. [...The body must be eradicated here, even at the cost of destruction.] [You can't do that easily, as he's not truly your apostle...] [Let go of your desire and face the reality, Aria.] [...Agreed. Regrettable, but it's inevitable.] The exchange of the gods' intentions occurred in mere moments. And then. [Perish!!!] A thunderous roar seemed to hammer Logan's soul as the gods' spirits within Harmon's body swelled in an instant. Previously, it was as though a giant had compressed itself within a small space, careful not to break it. Now, a reckless, violent expansion signaled a lack of concern for that space—Harmon's body—any longer. "What the...!?" Only now did Logan feel a sense of impending danger once more. "Damn it all!" In his exaltation over rising in rank, he'd forgotten the perilous circumstances, engrossed in research. Recently, Logan had been feeling an overwhelming sense of omnipotence as his power escalated. Caught up in this euphoria, he'd forgotten the immediate task at hand. "What a foolish mistake..." Showing undue complacency in front of a formidable adversary. "As if I've only ever succeeded in the past." He couldn't help but curse himself. Though he hastily activated his abilities, it wasn't enough. In the space where souls and their energies clashed, he realized, even in this intensely accelerated moment, that the gap in power was insurmountable. Even if he broke through barriers using his special abilities, he couldn't handle even one aspect of the situation. Just as despair from the chasm's vastness was about to overwhelm his mind, a familiar voice echoed through the blinding white light. [Logan... Your Majesty!] A knight with blonde hair and blue eyes, someone who seemed like just a friendly neighborhood uncle at first glance. Yet, this was the spectral vision of Harmon Killebrew, once the continent's strongest knight, appearing suddenly in the white backdrop. [Sir Harmon?] [I'm sorry. I did not intend for this situation, but there isn't time for a proper apology.] [What?] As he spoke, the knight's image flickered, threatening to vanish entirely. [I will create a chance for you, just once. Don't miss it.] [How... What?] Before Logan could fully articulate his surprise, Harmon continued with a gentle smile. [Lady Ilya achieved it first. Then, so shall I...] Swoosh. As the knight's vision finally disappeared, the situation transformed radically. Flash! Where everything had been bright white, the scenery of the forest reappeared, and light once more burst from the tip of Harmon's sword, temporarily blinding Logan. With wrinkles forming on Harmon's face and his splendid blonde hair turning white as the backdrop, an incomprehensible energy struck Logan, who had no time to evade. Or it seemed it would. Had Harmon's right hand, which held the sword, not turned to dust at that critical moment. [You foolish being!] [Idiotic...!] With the gods' cries, the torrent of destructive light suddenly veered skyward. Roar! The thunderous echo resounded, and facing this destructive storm, Logan summoned a golden giant's sword over his plain iron blade. His characteristic 'Up' activated, a soul enhanced once more at the last possible moment, harnessing power only a living being could achieve at the utmost extreme. And just before this immeasurable force collided. In the infinitely accelerated time, Logan reached out spiritually to the one who orchestrated this miracle. [Sir Harmon!] [Finish it. Although not the end I desired...] Had the ceaselessly expanding gods' souls departed from his body at last? The one who became the conduit for that annihilative light managed a weary smile with his now aged appearance. [If I have one regret...] With a sorrowful smile, Harmon conveyed his final message. [If possible, please destroy all the gods' artifacts. So no more innocent sacrifices occur. I implore you, please.] A plea he'd repeatedly voiced in his uncontrollable surge. His message's true meaning resonated with new clarity. Gritting his teeth, Logan responded to Harmon's words by bringing down the massive sword he held high. Flash. Boom! The golden giant sword split the cascade of light, driving it towards Harmon's head. At the moment the light, once piercing toward the heavens, breached the cloud-filled sky leaving a vast opening. Thud. The old knight's body crumpled on the spot. And similarly depleted, Logan sank to the ground beside him, a bitter smile on his lips. It was the smile of one who successfully shattered the gods, their artifacts, and severed their link to Harmon, rather than destroy Harmon's body. Yet, it was also the defeated grin of someone who failed to save Harmon's soul, which had been fading just as when Saint Ilya passed. "Damn..." At that instant. [How can this be... Your Majesty, you have...] "Hm?" [I, I think... Please take me to the Saintess! Quickly!] Another message arose from the nearly extinguished soul, once again changing the expression of Logan, consuming him in unexpected urgency. * * * The holy knights trailing Harmon were bewildered by the unforeseen circumstances. Several hours after a mysterious figure disrupted their pursuit. As they neared Harmon's expected path, all the priests witnessed an immense divine power erupt into the skies. A staggering wave that shook the souls of all who possessed sacred power. By the time the priests reached the source, after paying respects for a long time from afar, another half-day had passed. "The will of the gods has manifested here!" "Declare this place a holy site!" "Worship it!" Even with the residual sacred power, its presence reduced the elderly priests to tears. They bowed every three steps, following the traces left by the gods. Yet by then, all they found at the site was the vanished forest, with no trace of Harmon. And from then on, the shrine's assessment of Harmon shifted once more. "He might truly be an apostle of the gods." A voice from those who were never keen on striking Harmon in the first place. Of course, steadfast followers of the shrine's decrees, like Stephan, couldn't accept this. "He's nothing but a heretic!" "Do not forget the sins he committed!" "Then how do you explain this area, this sanctuary?" No matter how vehement their outcry, the undeniable traces of the divine were evident. The nine concentric circles etched into the ground where everything had vanished left an indelible mark. And from these circles emanated a potent wave of sacred energy still reverberating across the land. "The Pope was not murdered; he merely vanished!" "The apostle's disappearance may not be linked to His Holiness's vanishing." Even the elder priests, more fervent than the fanatic holy knights, began to shift public opinion. Whether they saw Harmon as a heretic or a vessel for divine descent, everyone ultimately had to agree on one thing: "We must find him immediately!" "Find him at all costs!" "Mobilize every resource of the shrine to trace his whereabouts!" It marked yet another instance where one of the world's mighty powers embarked on a futile endeavor.