Chapter 60: Chapter 60: A Mystery
Inside the forcefield, Seojun was barely holding on. He collapsed to the ground, rolling away just in time to dodge Nerathiel\'s sword thrust. His clothes were stained with blood, and his breathing was labored. His stomach was injured, and every movement sent sharp pains through his body.
Nerathiel\'s sword had embedded itself in the ground where Seojun had been moments before. Seojun struggled to his feet, using the sword as support. He could barely stand, his body trembling with exhaustion. \'My body can\'t keep up anymore,\' he thought, trying to push through the pain.
Nerathiel, watching Seojun with an intrigued expression, spoke, "Your swordsmanship is impressive. Who taught you?"
Seojun, catching his breath, replied, "I learned it myself."
Nerathiel\'s eyes widened slightly, and he muttered, "Ohhh, amazing."
Seojun\'s thoughts raced. \'System, give me books to learn these skills. I really did everything to master them.\'
But then Nerathiel\'s voice broke his concentration. "But..." Seojun looked up sharply.
"You still can\'t defeat a god," Nerathiel said, vanishing from sight.
Seojun sensed movement behind him and reacted instinctively, blocking a sudden attack. He was sent flying, crashing to the ground and rolling. The sword was knocked out of his hand, and he landed in a crater, his vision blurring and his entire body aching.
Nerathiel appeared beside him, his presence menacing. "Tsk tsk tsk, what a waste," he said, raising his sword high.
Seojun struggled to speak, his voice weak and strained. "N-no... I can\'t die."
"Give me reasons why I should not kill you, human," Nerathiel demanded.
Seojun, fighting to stay conscious, stammered, "You\'ll regret it."
Nerathiel smirked, his expression cold and detached. "I don\'t think so," he said, raising his sword for the final blow.
With a swift, powerful motion, he brought the blade down toward Seojun\'s vulnerable form. Seojun closed his eyes, bracing for the impact \'I\'m sorry Mom\'
The sword descended with terrifying speed, its edge gleaming in the dim light of the forcefield. Seojun\'s eyes fluttered open, but he felt a numbing cold as the blade pierced through his stomach. The pain was immediate and overwhelming, a searing sensation that radiated from the wound.
"Ugh!" Seojun gasped, his body arching from the impact. The sword had impaled him deeply, and the blood flowed freely from the wound. His vision blurred, and he struggled to stay conscious.
"You fought well, human," Nerathiel said, his voice distant as though he were speaking from a great distance. Seojun\'s breaths became shallow and ragged.
He tried to clutch at the sword, but his strength was failing him. The world around him seemed to spin, and he felt himself slipping away from reality.
His thoughts were fragmented and disjointed, a swirl of pain and confusion.\' I... I can\'t stay conscious... I can\'t...\'
As the darkness closed in on him, Seojun\'s vision darkened, and his body went limp. The last thing he saw was Nerathiel\'s cold, indifferent face before everything faded to black. His consciousness began to ebb away, and he lost all sense of his surroundings.
Later on, Seojun\'s eyes opened slowly, the world coming back into focus. He blinked, his body heavy and aching, but he felt no more pain from the fatal wound that Nerathiel had inflicted. The last thing he remembered was the intense fight, and Nerathiel\'s cold gaze as his sword plunged through his stomach. But now… he was lying on soft ground, and the suffocating energy of the forcefield was gone.
As he stirred, the faint sound of clapping reached his ears. He sat up, confused, glancing around. The forcefield had vanished, and around him stood the Clan Lords, demons, and others, their eyes fixed on him with expressions of awe and pride.
Before Seojun could process what was happening, Malara rushed forward, pulling him into a tight hug. Her voice was filled with relief. "My lord! You did it! You\'re alive!"
Seojun was still dazed, but he weakly returned the hug, glancing around. \'I\'m alive?\'
Silla and Huno, in their smaller forms, approached him next. Their joy was clear as they rubbed against him—Silla nuzzling his cheek and Huno circling him protectively and barking.
Malara, still holding him, smiled down at him. "You defeated God Nerathiel. You\'re amazing my lord! how did you do that?"
Seojun blinked in confusion, his mind racing. I… defeated Nerathiel? He didn\'t remember landing a finishing blow or doing anything that should have led to victory. How?
Before he could say anything, the low, steady sound of applause grew louder. The Clan Lords, demons, and everyone else who had witnessed the battle were now clapping, their voices rising in celebration.
"Lord Seojun, congratulations!" Zholga called out with a wide grin. "You\'ve done the impossible!"
The clapping continued, and even the demons,
Ding!
[Quest Completed: Defeat The Fallen Deity Nerathiel]
Congratulations Host! You have successfully defeated Nerathiel. You can now leave this domain.
Rewards: Title [God-Slayer], Skill [God\'s Resolve], 1,000,000 Coins, and Special Item: [Fragment of Divinity]
Seojun stared at the notification, his mind blank for a moment. \'I… defeated him? But the how? System can\'t interfere… How did I do it?\' He glanced down at his hands, trying to make sense of it all. The victory didn\'t feel real, and yet, here he was.
As Seojun stood among the cheering crowd, still trying to make sense of everything, he felt a nudge at his side. Huno, barked softly, all three heads looking up at him with an unspoken message. Seojun blinked in confusion, but Huno\'s middle head nudged him again, this time more insistently.
"Huno... what is it?" Seojun asked. Instead, Huno lowered himself to the ground and gestured with his heads, clearly asking Seojun to sit on his back.
Malara, standing beside him, caught on and smiled gently. "It seems like Lord Huno wants you to rest, My Lord. Let me help you." She reached out, supporting Seojun\'s arm and guiding him carefully onto Huno\'s back.
Once Seojun was seated, Huno barked again, this time louder, and began to grow. Seojun had to steady himself as Huno increased in size until he was massive, like a giant war beast.
The moment Huno stood to his full height, a roar of voices erupted from the onlookers. The Bino demons, with their dark horns and sleek black bodies, raised their fists in the air, chanting, "Lord Seojun! Lord Seojun!" Their deep voices echoed throughout the battlefield, and soon after, the pig-like demons joined in, their rough, guttural voices adding to the cacophony.
"Lord Seojun! Lord Seojun! Lord Seojun!"
Seojun sat atop Huno, watching in awe as the entire crowd seemed to be celebrating him. .
But amidst the chanting and cheering, the Clan Lords were having a quieter, more serious conversation amongst themselves. Zholga, the tallest of the lords with her silver-hued scales, crossed her arms and spoke first.
"Impressive… but how did he manage to defeat Nerathiel?" she murmured, her golden eyes narrowing in thought.
Kazrak muttered "No one knows"
Sorgar, his red eyes glinting in the fading light, muttered to himself, "Nerathiel will resurrect again… as he always does. We should tell Lord Seojun."
Vrok nodded, his stone-gray skin catching the light. "A victory over Nerathiel is no small feat. He rarely acknowledges anyone—especially a human. If Nerathiel respects him, this will become history. The first human ever to earn Nerathiel\'s recognition."
Balor spoke, broke the somber atmosphere with an unexpected grin. "Enough with the worrying. We should celebrate! A victory like this deserves a feast!" He flapped his dark wings, preparing to leave. "I\'ll call my servants and have them prepare a grand celebration in my territory!" With that, Balor shot into the sky, his form vanishing into the distance.
Kazrak chuckled, shaking his head. "Leave it to Balor to turn everything into a party," he rumbled, though a smile tugged at the corners of his lips.