#761

Oliver (2)

Through the pitch-black hole torn in the sky, a sea of fire descended.

The chaotic sea of flames, swirling in shades of yellow, orange, and red, shook the world as it began to infuse the fiery sword held by Burnt One.

Kwahahahahahahak────────!!!

The fiery sword, absorbing the sea of fire that had fallen from the sky, instantly expanded, growing to a size as if it could reach the heavens.

Yet, it did not end there.

As if determined to decide the battle in this moment, Burnt One combined the ring of fire above his head—bestowed by the divine—with the sword, perfecting the unstable fiery blade.

Crackle······!

With the cozy sound of burning wood, the once fiercely trembling fiery sword found stability, taking on the flawless shape of a sword.

Its form was as if crafted by the divine to punish the earth.

Crack!

As the sword was completed, colors faded from the surroundings, the air distorted, and fissures appeared in the ground.

Beyond that, even space itself seemed unable to withstand the heat and threatened to collapse.

At that moment, everyone who perceived the sword knew.

That if the sword moved even once, the entire surface would be consumed by flames.

A catastrophe so severe that words like fear, horror, or despair could not begin to describe it.

Just as Burnt One was about to wield that calamity,

Thud!

Oliver lightly tapped the ground with his quarterstaff.

Pahahahahak······!!

With it, the massive hole in the sky was pierced and shattered by an even greater pillar of light.

“······!!”

Everyone turned their gaze to the pillar of light piercing down from the sky.

Radiant as though it gathered all the light of the world, yet not blinding, allowing everyone to look at it directly.

The pillar of light, so enormous that it crushed and obliterated the hole covering the sky, was paradoxically free of intimidation to anyone who saw it.

They simply marveled at the majestic sight.

The pillar of light completely collapsed the gaping hole in the sky, extinguishing and obliterating the sea of fire pouring through it.

The grandiose sea of fire, which fell with an indescribable roar, vanished silently, leaving no trace.

“Ora─!”

A loud shout was heard, the voice of Burnt One.

Gripping the fiery sword he had been about to strike the ground with, he swung it toward the descending pillar of light.

[Judgment (懲罰)]

[Verdict (審判)]

Burnt One's voice and Oliver's voice rang out simultaneously.

The massive pillar of light, incomprehensible by the world, and the fiery sword collided vertically.

The world turned stark white, a fierce wind blew, and for a moment, sound disappeared.

Amid it all, only the cry of Burnt One could be heard.

“Graaaaah──!! This much is─────!!!”

His skin, charred and cracked like burnt logs, tensed as muscles surged beneath it, and his grip on the sword tightened.

Between the cracks of his charred skin, heat and flames flickered like sweat, and as if responding to him, the fiery sword blazed even fiercer, attempting to split the pillar of light.

However...

“············!”

Unlike the raging flames of the sword, the seemingly stationary and tranquil pillar of light descended silently, extinguishing the fire as it moved downward.

Ta-da-da-da······Bang!

It shattered the sword of flames, which had threatened to burn the world, into countless pieces.

Fragments of flame scattered like shards of glass.

The pillar of light, radiant yet distant in its brilliance, quietly extinguished the fiery fragments and descended over Burnt One’s head.

Burnt One, smiling, spat fire from his mouth to envelop his entire body, challenging the descending pillar of light.

“Come──!!”

Thud!

When the pillar of light touched the ground, a low sound reverberated, surprisingly soft given its size.

The pillar of light, now rooted in the earth, surged upwards silently, emitting a dazzling brilliance that dispelled the darkness covering the sky and surrounding everything.

It was like an inverted waterfall cleansing the world, and moments later, as the pillar of light disappeared, the sun shone upon the world.

And under the new sun, Burnt One was kneeling on both knees.

Sssss······

Burnt One’s body, now completely white like ash from a burned log, began to flake and crumble.

Oliver approached him calmly.

Tap, tap······

Burnt One’s charred, white skin peeled away like brittle scabs.

Though it seemed he might crumble completely with just a small movement, Burnt One still lifted his head to look at Oliver.

The twin flames flickering in his hollow eye sockets were proof that consciousness still remained.

Oliver looked down at him and asked.

“How is it? Have I earned your acknowledgment?”

Burnt One’s cracked lips curled into a smile.

“······Before I answer, may I ask you two questions?”

“Go ahead.”

“Do you truly intend to bear all of humanity’s sins? Endless arrogance, envy, greed, lust, sloth, wrath, and hatred?”

“Yes.”

“You will surely regret it one day.”

“Perhaps. But not today.”

“Hah······. You do know it’s not just that you’re bearing, don’t you?”

Burnt One shook his head as he posed the cryptic question.

Oliver glanced at his left arm, which had absorbed the Sacred Blood, and replied.

“Do you perhaps like steak?”

“······?”

“Or maybe pancakes? Beef Wellington? Fish and chips? Beer?”

“I like chocolate cake.”

“When I come to retrieve what is mine, I shall bring it with me. Chocolate cake.”

“······.”

“So, I hope you greet me with a smile.”

“Ha······. Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!”

Hearing Oliver’s final response, Burnt One shed all pretense and dignity, breaking into hearty laughter.

Then, he raised his charred, white arm toward Oliver and shouted.

Oliver lifted his quarterstaff in response.

“To the Great Being—”

He struck the ground once more.

“—we give our reverence!!”

Thud!

As Burnt One acknowledged Oliver, the white ashen skin covering his body crumbled.

Burnt One dissolved into a cloud of ash and disappeared from the human world.

When Burnt One had completely vanished, the darkness that had enveloped the surroundings was also dispelled, and radiant light shone down from the sky upon Oliver.

Everyone present instinctively held their breath, gazing at the sight.

The moment when the divine descended to this land.

As they were overwhelmed by the feeling and about to kneel, Oliver fell to his knees.

Toward the Red Man, lying amidst the white ash left by Burnt One’s disappearance—his entire body discolored and missing one leg.

Oliver spoke to him.

“Unbending Knee.”

“Die······! You bastard!!”

***

“Argh······!! I’ll kill you! I’ll kill you!!!”

Amid the remnants of Burnt One’s descent, a man screamed.

His entire body was marred with scorch marks, and one of his legs was severed.

“Killkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkill······.”

Additionally, his emaciated body suggested malnourishment, and wounds from apparent torture were visible all over him.

Despite his ravaged state, he crawled toward Oliver, grabbing him and picking up a stone from the ground with its sharp edge.

He struck Oliver’s kneeling knee with it.

Thud! Crack!

Surprisingly, the feeble movement carried enough force to strike Oliver’s body, inflicting pain and leaving wounds.

Crack! Thud! Crack!

Although the strikes lacked strength, they were enough to scrape Oliver’s skin.

“Ah······.”

The absurd sight of a mere mortal striking a god left the people gasping and moving to intervene.

But at that moment, Oliver raised his hand, stopping them, and shook his head.

Seeing this, no one dared to move.

“Die! Die! Just die already!!”

Regardless, Unbending Knee kept striking Oliver with the stone, shouting as he did so.

“Die!”

Using Oliver as leverage, he pounded the stone into Oliver’s chest repeatedly as if driving in a nail.

Red bruises began forming on Oliver’s exposed chest, soon followed by the skin splitting open, causing blood to flow.

Even in this state, Oliver remained kneeling, making no attempt to stop him.

Meanwhile, Unbending Knee, now frothing at the mouth, struck the wounds on Oliver’s chest relentlessly, tearing them further open.

Thud! Thud! Thud!!

Each time the malicious stone struck Oliver’s chest, a dull sound echoed, and droplets of blood fell to the ground.

Oliver’s chest, now in shambles and stained red, did not deter him.

He simply looked at Unbending Knee with sorrowful eyes.

“Argh······!”

Unbending Knee, who had been hammering Oliver’s chest, screamed and clutched his hand, which had been gripping the stone.

Because of his excessive beating, the stone slipped from his hand, leaving his weakened hand wounded.

Since his body had been used for the descent of Burnt One, even such a small wound was fatal.

“Unbending Knee······.”

Oliver, who had remained still while being struck, slowly extended his hand toward the groaning Unbending Knee in pain.

Thud-!

Fueled by hatred, Unbending Knee swatted Oliver’s hand away and threw himself forward, swinging his fist at Oliver’s face.

A dull thud echoed as Oliver fell to the ground.

This was Oliver, who had absorbed the Sacred Blood, broken through his true shell, accepted his mission, and earned Burnt One’s acknowledgment.

Unbending Knee climbed atop Oliver and raised his fist high.

“No!”

His fist slammed into Oliver’s face.

Thwack!

“I am not Unbending Knee!!”

Smash!

“I am not the Red Man!”

Thwack!

“I am not my brother!!”

Thwack!

“I am not a warrior! Not even human!”

Thud!

“I am Prince!”

Thud!

“Prince of hell!!”

Thwack!

“I am the prince of hell who will lead you all to the apocalypse!!!”

With bloodshot eyes, Unbending Knee screamed madly, punching Oliver’s face over and over.

Regardless of how ruined his hands became.

Oliver silently endured the punches, and Unbending Knee continued to strike him.

Even as he panted, his fingers broke, and his entire body was racked with excruciating pain, he didn’t stop hitting Oliver.

“Aaaaah······! Why?! Why did you break your promise?!!!”

Unbending Knee screamed, his voice more a wail than a shout, as he grasped Oliver’s neck with his broken fingers.

Just as he had strangled his younger sibling to death, carrying true hatred that loathed the world, his tribe, and even himself to become the vessel for Burnt One.

“Aaaaaaaaahhhhhhh!!”

Unbending Knee choked Oliver with both hands.

Pouring all his strength into it, his defenseless hands easily sank into Oliver’s throat.

Cough······! Gasp!

Oliver gasped for air, suffocating.

Unbending Knee brought his face close to Oliver’s, asking him again why.

Why did you stop me?

How could you stop me from becoming the prince of hell and exacting revenge on the world that had taken everything from me?

Why am I the one who has lost everything and suffers?

Why?!

How?!

For what reason?

Tell me.

Tell me.

Tell me.

“TELL ME!!!”

“I’m sorry.”

Beneath the hatred-driven Unbending Knee, Oliver, offering no resistance, shed tears and answered.

“Truly······. Truly······. I am sorry.”