“Run awaaaaaay!”
Thanatos shouted in a voice trembling with terror, but it was already too late.
Far too late.
In an instant, the clear scarlet glow that had rippled across the surface flared so brightly it stung the eyes, setting the clouds ablaze with crimson light. Moments later, like a slowly tipping scale, it slipped and crashed heavily to the ground.
This was the ancient, self-proclaimed “supreme” energy—Fire’s Zenith.
The moment the sun of blazing flames, claiming to be the greatest, collided with the earth—
Boom!
Another burst of radiant light illuminated the entire world. From where the fiery wheel met the ground, the surface cracked and warped with a crack-crack, as if melting like ice cream, the underside of the sun shattered piece by piece.
Thud, thud, thud, thud!
One strike, two, three, four.
With each bite the earth took of the sun, it cracked as if its belly was about to split open. Eventually, unable to withstand the pressure, it exploded in a thunderous collapse, sending out a massive ring of scorching heat and debris.
The scorching wind, hot enough to melt anything it brushed against, rippled outward in wide waves—a truly breathtaking spectacle.
And at its edge, an explosion.
From the endlessly deep, round crater, a surge of red light erupted like a volcanic blast. The energy was so intense that even those far away saw their vision bathed in its glow.
Goooooo…
How much time had passed?
When the chaos finally seemed to subside, a woman who had instinctively curled up raised her head in panic. As she cautiously glanced ahead, her face drained of color.
About a hundred meters, maybe more.
Nothing remained.
Everything within the blast radius had been utterly obliterated. The earth was shattered to the core, exposing the deep underground. Bodies, equipment—everything was incinerated, even souls consumed by the flames.
The once-beautiful meadow had turned into a barren wasteland in less than a minute.
Only a massive crater remained where Kim Suhyun had stood, with thick white smoke billowing upward and the reddened atmosphere flowing like a sea.
The woman nearly broke down in tears, overwhelmed by the sudden surge of terror.
But did she truly understand? This was not the end.
No.
This was only the beginning.
Fwoosh!
Before she could even steady her racing heart, another fierce blaze erupted. Those staring blankly at the sky were struck with horror. Brilliant flames flickered in the air, taking the shape of swords.
These were the Pyroblades—Kim Suhyun’s signature technique, even Gehenna had never taken lightly.
Though far smaller than the sun, their numbers were staggering. At first, only dozens appeared, but they multiplied exponentially, soon blanketing the sky.
Thousands of fiery swords tilted simultaneously. The moment those gleaming, wavering blades targeted the crowd below, everyone shared the same thought.
“Ahhh!”
“Eeeeek!”
Users and fairies alike turned and fled, breaking the encirclement like a row of dominoes collapsing in an instant.
It was inevitable. Though there was only one opponent, his overwhelming presence crushed every being in the area. Even the blindly loyal demons began to retreat.
Kim Suhyun’s face was still streaked with blood, making it impossible to read his expression. Slowly, he turned his gaze toward the fleeing enemies and weakly extended his left hand. Then, he spoke quietly.
“Area Declared.”
Thud!
At that moment, a deep red energy spread in a circle, crashing down onto the earth with force. Screams erupted as hundreds were suddenly trapped beneath a dome-like barrier, as if a giant bowl had been flipped over them.
Those caught inside pounded desperately against the barrier, but it did not budge.
Moments later, Kim Suhyun clenched his outstretched hand.
Ka-boom!
A tremendous roar filled the air as a fountain of crimson flames shot up from the center. The barrier trembled, its translucent interior glowing blood-red. Simultaneous screams burst forth.
Those trapped in the center were pulverized into a bloody mist, unable to utter a sound. Those on the edges were engulfed a moment later.
One fairy, desperately clawing at the barrier, finally succumbed to the heat—her flesh melting away as her eyes rolled back. It was a hellish inferno come to life.
The scene was so horrific that a woman who narrowly escaped fainted upon witnessing it.
Those still conscious tried to steady their trembling bodies, but before they could even move their legs, a searing pain scorched their necks.
In the blink of an eye, one person collapsed, a strange object lodged in their throat, tongue lolling out. Above, the sky rained down a storm of Pyroblades.
“Oh my god…”
“This can’t be happening…”
The enemies no longer tried to flee; they could only watch helplessly as the fiery deluge poured down like a flash of lightning.
Kaboom, kaboom!
Like hundreds of Vulcan cannons firing simultaneously, the bombardment raged from all directions, shattering the ground and spreading wide.
Though it wasn’t enough to obliterate an entire region like the sun’s blast, the radius was far greater.
And unlike the earlier Pyroblades—mere fiery swords—these, empowered by the Flame’s Zenith, were more like explosive shells. Wherever the blood-red carpet fell, the earth trembled violently, and shattered fragments swept everything away.
As the air filled with desperate cries from all sides—
Ugh!
Suddenly, Kim Suhyun spat a mouthful of blood. Not just from his mouth, but from every orifice—eyes, nose, ears—blood poured out like a demonic curse. Using three massive techniques in succession had accelerated his body’s breakdown.
But it was unavoidable. The enemies had scattered like ants after the first strike. Unless his goal was mindless slaughter, chasing down each one was pointless.
Cough!
More blood spilled.
In truth, the Flame’s Zenith only temporarily amplifies energy; it does not heal the body.
Kim Suhyun’s body had long since reached its limit. The concentrated attacks earlier had taken their toll, and the cumulative damage had drained the magic reserves of Gehenna’s protective fortress.
Worse still, the twisting pain in his organs was unbearable—he could barely keep his eyes open. His bones felt charred black, crumbling to dust. It was as if his entire body might explode and tear apart at any moment.
If only he had a single elixir, or even a simple healing spell, the agony would be less.
“Ugh…”
At that moment, his steady stance wavered. Nearly losing consciousness, Kim Suhyun gritted his teeth and held on. Minutes passed—or was it seconds? He no longer cared. The reason he had unleashed the Flame’s Zenith, risking death, was only one.
He would never.
Never let them escape.
Grrrrr…!
With a beast-like roar, he straightened his half-bent knees. Wings wreathed in flames flapped, lifting him diagonally into the air.
Almost instinctively, unaware why he was rising, he gripped his spear with both hands. Spinning it once, a destructive jet of fire writhed and burst from the tip of the Surama Spear.
As the fiery energy stretched toward the sky, Kim Suhyun suddenly halted. Raising the spear high, the long fiery trail whipped through the air in a jagged S-shape like a fishing line.
Then—
“Yaaaaaah!”
With all his remaining strength, Kim Suhyun swung both hands down, spinning his body. The fiery whip struck the ground with earth-shattering force, accelerating as it swept around him like the hands of a clock spinning wildly.
This was his final, all-out strike.
Though it was only a single rotation, its destructive power was terrifying.
Thud-thud-thud-thud, thud-thud-thud-thud!
The earth, which had been holding its breath, now roared in response to the raging storm, boiling like a volcano on the verge of eruption. Wherever the fiery blasts scorched, jagged craters gouged the ground, and the earth shook violently as if gripped by an earthquake.
The shock wobbled Erwin’s legs, and he collapsed, dazed.
Whoosh!
In that fleeting moment, a scorching wind swept over the crown of his head.
At the same time, a tsunami-like pressure slammed down, tearing through his armor and burying him deep into the earth. For a moment, Erwin’s mind went blank.
But then, his eyes caught the crimson trail streaking across the sky like a comet’s tail.
And the sight of the nearby demon legion being sliced clean in two, utterly annihilated.
“…!”
For the first time since becoming a demon, Erwin—no, Satan—felt his mind go completely white. Had his legs not given out and caused him to fall, the outcome would have been all too clear.
Not long after, the relentless gale finally began to subside.
Erwin looked up at the sky, his mouth falling open.
Kim Soo-hyun was descending with precision, heading straight toward him.
Erwin’s gaze locked onto the spear’s tip pointing downward. More accurately, he just stared.
The thought of sending reinforcements didn’t even cross his mind. Rational thought had already fled—this was an experience unlike any he’d ever had.
No matter how much he calculated, no strategy came to mind that could counter such overwhelming force. He even thought escape was impossible.
A moment later.
The dark spear slowly fell downward. By the time Erwin barely regained his senses, the blade was already piercing the center of his chest, right between his breasts.
‘Damn… how foolish…’
Though the blow was weaker than expected, the sensation of his chest being pierced made him groan.
Then—
Thud!
Suddenly, something massive collided with his abdomen. Even amid the pain, Erwin instinctively looked down, his expression blanking out for a moment.
The Surama spear that had pierced his chest was now slipping smoothly from his loosened grip. And beside it…
“What… is this…?”
Kim Soo-hyun lay collapsed on the ground.
Though his body was a gruesome mess, soaked in blood, his closed eyes looked utterly peaceful.
…Five minutes.
Exactly five minutes.
The grassland, which had been boiling without pause for three hundred seconds,
“…”
After five minutes passed, fell eerily silent, as if by magic.
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=
I’m sorry.
This took much longer than I expected.
Honestly, I started writing a bit later than usual today.
But I didn’t fall asleep once.
I definitely began around 9:30 PM yesterday, but I had no idea it would take this long. ㅜ.ㅠ
Please don’t be too upset with me, and kindly bear with me. (__)
Starting from the next chapter, Episode 1 will begin.
As I mentioned in a previous note, the war with the demons is planned to unfold in three major parts.
We’ve just finished two of them.
Now it’s time for the fully ripened Mr. So-and-so to gasp (?), for some to survive, and for others to appear.
Finally, the moment has come to keep my promise to you, the readers. :)