—CLANG!

—CLANG!

Only a few exchanges in, and it was already painfully clear.

The difference in power between us was overwhelming.

I’d already been knocked away more than three times by a single blow from him.

The moment we clashed head-on, it felt like my spear shaft was being sucked into the void.

The sensation in my fingertips was starting to fade.

Screams and the clash of weapons rang out from every direction.

My vision shook, and blood welled in my ears.

...Damn it.

After the last ordeal, I had trained endlessly. I thought I had grown stronger.

And maybe I had. If I hadn’t, I’d already be a corpse.

But what I realized now was this—

I still wasn’t strong enough to stand in this fight.

The realm I’d reached after thousands of deaths...

It wasn’t something others could catch up to in just a short time.

Twisting my body in midair, I leapt again. At the same time, I began weaving duplicates.

“Catenaccio.”

Followed immediately by Phalanx.

The strongest assault I could manage at the moment.

All or nothing. I had to do it—before it was too late.

Park Gwangcheol had Barkas distracted in close combat, drawing his attention.

I poured every ounce of strength into my grip on the spear.

My body was already screaming with exhaustion.

Grinding my teeth, I forced more mana through me, deploying my clones.

Finally, ten spearpoints encircled Barkas, all aimed directly at him.

But at that moment—

His gaze snapped to me, sharp and cutting like a blade.

And then—

“HRAAAAH!!”

—BOOOOOM!

Like a hurricane tearing through the world, Barkas’s lion’s roar exploded.

The massive shockwave split the air, and every airborne clone was obliterated instantly.

The shattered illusions burst into a spray of red afterimages, scattering like blood in the sky.

Instinctively, I recoiled—but it was already too late.

An overwhelming shockwave slammed into my entire body.

“Ghhk...!”

My ears rang blankly.

Shattered stone debris scattered and slammed into the ground, along with my body, driving us deep into the earth.

Numbness spread through my limbs.

A crushing pressure clamped down on my chest. My head buzzed. A dull pain spread slowly through my nerves.

Through the corner of my blurred vision, I saw Park Gwangcheol coughing blood.

The Old Man was also biting his lip, receiving healing from a Paladin priest.

But even the healing magic seemed insufficient. His breathing was still ragged—this wasn’t something that could be mended in one go.

“......”

I understood, perfectly.

This was as far as my own strength could reach.

Now was the time to give it everything I had.

I closed my eyes and grasped Catastrophe.

The red-engraved glyphs on the blade began to burn slowly.

And then—

[The First Authority of Aldebaran, ‘Weightless Step’, has been unlocked.]

[The Second Authority of Aldebaran, ‘Demon-Slayer’s Severance’, has been unlocked.]

[Show me.]

A voice rumbled through me, deep as bone.

[Why I chose you.]

The first trial.

The second trial.

And now, the powers of Aldebaran awakened.

But my body didn’t heal.

There was no recovery.

I was a wreck—my muscles screamed, my whole body ached, blood trickled from my torn skin.

Even so, I stood.

He still wasn’t looking at me.

Barkas only focused on those he saw as threats.

Meaning—he didn’t even consider me worth engaging.

—BOOM!

At that moment, a holy sanctuary unfolded before me.

It wasn’t perfect—just a mimicry. But its resolve shone brilliantly.

Every Paladin present—

They marched in perfect formation, step by step.

Golden radiance spread beneath their feet, as sacred sigils emerged one by one.

Slowly, but without pause.

And finally—

That holy procession reached Barkas.

—RUMMMMBLE!!

Lightning exploded from Barkas’s fingertips.

A downpour of black electricity crashed like a waterfall, ravaging the Paladins’ formation.

“Ghkk...!”

The leader at the front, shield raised, grit her teeth.

The radiant barrier of light twisted under the pressure, and cracks began to form.

“Foolish.”

With one hand raised, Barkas intensified the lightning.

Then—

—Thud.

The ground beneath his feet sank inward.

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

Yu Kal, chanting in a low voice, had etched a magic circle onto the earth.

“Qolais... sio... kal!”

A red sigil flared beneath him, and from the sky, massive chained hands burst forth, clamping down on Barkas.

The massive seal activated, and the mages from Maengho filled in the circle’s blind spots with supporting spells.

Blood spilled from Yu Kal’s lips—he hadn’t recovered from earlier wounds.

—SHRAAAACK!

The chains wrapped around Barkas’s limbs and bound him tightly.

“Hhrrrgh!”

One second.

That was how long it took him to rip the chains apart.

But it was enough.

Behind him, Lee Dohyun and Seong Ara charged in.

Lee Dohyun’s twin blades carved a brilliant arc, slicing through his waist.

Seong Ara’s iron fists smashed into his side with a direct blow.

Barkas’s force field wavered violently.

“Filthy gnats!”

He casually swung his arm.

That alone nullified every strike.

The backlash sent both of them flying.

But the assault didn’t stop.

—Slip—

Cheongpungdae broke into the gap. Their weapons moved in perfect coordination, pounding at his defenses.

Barkas detonated his force field, repelling them.

But it was like watching a masterfully woven net—slowly, steadily, they were tightening it around him.

After all—

Catching a whale was never easy.

Though it was their first coordinated clash, these were the vanguard warriors of humanity.

Every one of them knew exactly what they had to do.

Every one of them could feel it in their bones—

Just how monstrous an Apostle truly was.

And what kind of catastrophic tragedy would follow if they failed to finish even one of them here and now.

And so, every blade on the battlefield—

Turned toward Barkas.

Charyunjeon.

The Wheel Formation.

Like spokes turning endlessly, they struck in continuous waves, rotating through each assault.

This wasn’t a chaotic melee.

Each force played its role /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ flawlessly, driving the enemy into a corner with utmost efficiency.

Had it been just Vanquisher alone, this would’ve been impossible. But different teams filled each other’s gaps, throwing themselves into the fight—risking their lives against the Apostle.

The plan they’d prepared to rewrite the future they had seen again and again through trials—

Now, here, it was bearing fruit.

And I—

I just hid.

I crouched low.

Let the heat of the battlefield swallow me.

I let my presence fade.

Vanished completely.

And waited.

“....”

All around me, comrades flew through the air.

Tossed aside. Struck down. Coughing blood.

My whole body went cold. Watching it wasn’t easy.

But I had to. I had to—

To become the dagger that pierces that field of force.

To become the wolf that sinks its teeth into the back of his neck.

So I honed myself further. Burrowed deeper into the shadows.

First Authority: Weightless Step.

Catenaccio, followed by Phalanx.

Both were aerial techniques—requiring me to leap into the air to execute.

But Weightless Step—no longer needed the sky.

Even without taking flight, I could move as though I had.

Gravity no longer meant anything to me.

Second Authority: Demon-Slayer’s Severance.

Catastrophe’s halberd tip quivered.

The crimson-etched glyphs along the blade began to blaze.

And the more that flame roared, the clearer I felt it:

Destroy evil, reveal truth.

To destroy evil and reveal truth.

The aura of demon-slaying, imbued into my spear.

Wider—deeper—

As if to split the entire world in a single blow.

The reinforced blade aura began to take form.

Demon-Slayer’s Severance.

Just as its name suggested—to cleave demons.

I adjusted my grip on the spear.

Raised my head—and looked straight at him.

A sensation wrapped around me—

as if only he and I existed in this space.

[『Clear Mirror, Still Water』 evolves into 『Single-Minded Focus』.]

Back then, I had attained a state of no-self.

But now—

I was pure focus.

Everything fixed on one thing.

Undivided. Unwavering. Toward a single target.

I gathered my killing intent—refined it—for him.

His movements seemed to slow.

I could hear every heartbeat. Every breath he drew.

All my senses locked onto him.

And then—

He turned his head.

As if startled by something.

His always-calm expression twisted—

as if he had witnessed something incomprehensible.

“...What the hell are these idiots doing...!”

His gaze snapped around in all directions.

“All four... at once...?”

His face wrinkled with confusion.

And for the first time, Barkas—the monster who had never once shown an opening—left himself exposed.

Now.

It was time to bare my fangs.

Weightless Step.

I stepped forward lightly.

No sound. No trace.

Sliding into his blind spot.

I’d been standing in it all along.

And that blind spot—

was the only path that could kill him.

I charged in a straight line.

There would be no second chance.

Catenaccio.

Not enough.

Phalanx.

Still not enough.

No—it definitely wouldn’t be enough.

Demon-Slayer’s Severance.

At the tip of my spear, a massive jade-green blade aura shimmered.

The demon-slaying force condensed into a single blade.

This—this one would pierce through.

I surged forward like a storm—

and finally, my spear touched his force field.

—KRAKRAKRAKRAK!!

“What...!”

Barkas gasped at the sight of me, having closed in without a sound.

But at the same time—

there was a flicker of relief in his eyes.

Even now, he still considered me an insect.

That’s why you’ll die.

His force field—meant to protect him—

didn’t last a single instant.

It tore like paper beneath my spear.

And then—

—SHHHHUNK!

The spearpoint pierced through his heart.

“GRAAAAAAAAAH!!”

A scream. A roar. A monstrous cry.

He flailed desperately, grabbing the spear with trembling hands.

I’d seen this before.

Back then, I hadn’t done enough...

But this time—it would be different.

—BOOOOOM!!

A massive bolt of lightning exploded from his heart.

A blinding flash scorched my eyes, and the heavens thundered.

The brilliant lightning wave engulfed my entire body.

The sensation of burning.

The agony of muscles tearing and flesh ripping away.

The roar of lightning shredded my nerves apart.

But—

I didn’t care.

“Ghhhrrrrrgh...!”

A groan escaped my lips.

And yet—

The spear buried in his heart did not waver.

Not even a hair’s breadth.