Episode 1086
Chapter 255: The Death of Keliak Ziphl, and Then… (3)
Like a shell cracking open, the solar aura encasing the Demon Stone shattered, revealing Malugia’s form from within.
Her golden hair shimmered, sweeping away the greenish energy of the sacred land, spreading across the sea’s surface. The fierce, swirling energies all stilled, overwhelmed by her presence.
Her eyes, as if containing the cosmos itself, fixed straight ahead—but everyone present felt as if she was locking eyes with each of them individually.
It wasn’t just a feeling. She was truly gazing upon every single person there, and no one could escape that gaze.
Though the shock of the 33rd-dimensional Keliak’s power hadn’t even faded, Jin and his comrades now witnessed the emergence of yet another overwhelming being.
It was as if two suns had descended upon the earth.
The crushing pressure felt like their bodies were burning alive. Under normal circumstances, most of the alliance would have lost consciousness the moment she awoke.
But the powerful presence wielded by Jin, the Changsung, and a few others shielded their allies.
The Changsung were fully aware of this fact—and even those being protected could vaguely sense it.
‘But if Malugia and Keliak truly begin their battle… too many will die.’
Even the Changsung could not stop that.
With the Golden Fleet’s power sources nearly depleted, retreat was nearly impossible. Even if the power sources were intact, there was no way those two would allow them to withdraw unchallenged.
‘We have no choice but to rely on Lord Pokal and Lady Silkia’s abilities…!’
Jin turned his head to locate them. Their positions just outside the frontline were confirmed, but no matter where he looked, Malugia’s gaze followed him.
Her eyes pierced straight through Jin’s very soul. She knew exactly what he was thinking, what he feared.
A chill ran down his spine.
Unlike the solar gods’ avatars they had faced before, Malugia was the true incarnation of Kinzel’s destructive desire.
[You did not call me, Keliak Ziphl. I was the one who dragged you out from the dimensional rift where you hid.]
Malugia’s low voice echoed across the battlefield. Keliak shrugged with an expressionless face.
“All the Malugias who died by my hand say the same thing. Now that I’ve come alone, without my subordinates or the Demon Stone, do you really think you can kill me?”
Kreeeek—!
As soon as Keliak finished speaking, the space near Malugia warped violently. The distorted area darkened, unlike any spiritual or soul energy they had ever seen.
It was as if the space itself was being erased into nothingness.
Denying the creation that once was, negating existence itself.
That power was erasing the very space where Malugia stood.
No one could explain the overwhelming nausea that surged at the sight.
People were crushed by the absolute evil that desecrated life, creation, and existence itself.
Keliak Ziphl—the vanquisher of all dimensions.
He was a being beyond mortal or immortal standards. Even Jitozo, lord of hell and pain, would be but a powerful immortal in comparison.
“The first time I killed you, I risked my life. The second time, I suffered wounds that hadn’t healed even then. But the third time I killed you, you no longer frightened me. Since then… it’s just been a task. Like cleaning, you might say.”
Crack—! Ssshhh…!
The warped space was now condensing into a mass of darkness. Half of Malugia’s body seemed to vanish into that shadow, as if erased by an invisible eraser, her hair spreading out like islands across the sea, making her appearance all the more grotesque.
Astonishingly, what Keliak was performing now was magic. Magic no immortal or transcendent being could imitate.
Jin, Valeria, and Veradin couldn’t comprehend the flow of the spell or its power at all.
The comrades most skilled in magic, including the three of them, poured all their focus into deciphering this horrific sorcery.
They had to find even the tiniest, dust-like weakness. The idea of countering it with mere power of existence or record magic was unthinkable.
Malugia seemed utterly unable to respond to Keliak’s magic. At this rate, she would soon be swallowed by the darkness, ceasing to exist in this world.
‘Surely Malugia won’t end like this. From the start of this battle, she must have prepared some kind of contingency.’
Jin gave up on analyzing the magic for now and began preparing for what might come next.
This was no time to fight. They had to retreat somehow and live to fight another day. If they started a full-scale war with Keliak now, annihilation was certain.
Besides, Malugia was the embodiment of destruction—there was no way she would be friendly to the alliance like Pokal. Even Bligiet, with memories from the beginning of time, was at a loss on how to handle her.
‘We have to find a way to use Malugia…!’
The battle was shaping into a duel between Keliak and Malugia, and the best the alliance could hope for was to leave the battlefield.
To do that, they first had to prevent Malugia from vanishing in vain.
There was no doubt she had a hidden move. There was no way she had appeared without fully understanding Keliak Ziphl’s power.
But they couldn’t just wait. If they didn’t act first, they would be swept away again and again.
“Lord Pokal.”
Jin called out, and she was already thinking the same thing. She had passed through a dimensional gate and stood beside him.
[Jin.]
“Can you open a dimensional gate?”
[Opening a large-scale gate isn’t up to me—it’s Silkia’s domain. The reason I could come to you directly is because I moved alone. Even so, I can’t leave the battlefield. I have no intention of fleeing and leaving you behind.]
According to Pokal, Silkia had been searching for an opportunity to open a large-scale dimensional gate to evacuate the alliance. But the massive currents of energy flowing like a storm made it impossible to find a clear opening.
“I understand. In your opinion, when do you think Malugia will recover?”
[I can only guess like you. I don’t think Malugia will just give in, but I have no idea what she’s thinking by not recovering.]
“Then… can you help Malugia now?”
Pokal’s eyes widened.
Two hostile selves aiding each other. Such a thing had never happened among the solar gods’ avatars.
[Jin, why?]
“Because it’s something no one expected. Especially Keliak Ziphl is focusing all his attention on Malugia, completely ignoring us. He’s ruled out the possibility of you supporting her.”
They would create a variable that Keliak hadn’t anticipated. But what the outcome would be, no one could say.
It wasn’t the direction Jin originally sought. The situation could even become more dangerous.
But there was no time to hesitate. Whether Malugia vanished or not, annihilation was inevitable. If the two clashed, the damage would be just as catastrophic.
If they could avoid all three outcomes, no matter how slim the chance, they had to try.
“As Keliak said, he has destroyed all Malugias across dimensions. By his experience, this world’s Malugia would be next. What Malugia wants is the ultimate end. But if this Malugia judged that she alone, with her followers of destruction, cannot achieve that…”
[…Malugia has decided she needs temporary allies for the true end. That’s why she’s testing us now—to see if we will help her or not. Is that what you want to say?]
“Yes.”
Pokal sighed deeply. It was a plausible theory. The power the Demon Stone’s leader was showing alone seemed enough to rival the Malugia Pokal knew.
If so, it would be difficult for Malugia and her destructive selves alone to bring about the destruction of all dimensions. After considering this, Pokal finally nodded.
[Using my power to help Malugia is more terrible than annihilation. But if it succeeds, you will be glad I was here. My hatred for Malugia would have prevented me from even imagining this.]
Whoooooosh…!
A massive solar aura began to extend from Pokal. Until then, Keliak had not taken his eyes off Malugia.
[Now, I will send part of the power of creation to Malugia. Just as I feel repulsed helping her, it must be equally terrible for her to accept my power. If Malugia fully embraces this power and counters Keliak Ziphl’s attack, your theory will be proven true.]
Pokal’s energy poured down like a torrential rain over Malugia.
Only then did Keliak flinch, finally aware of Pokal. Despite having faced and subdued countless solar gods’ avatars across dimensions, this was a first.
“Pokal, I never expected you to surprise me like this… This dimension is strange in many ways.”
The moment Keliak spoke, Pokal involuntarily sighed and glared at Malugia. Malugia accepted Pokal’s power.
She began to ‘recreate’ her body, which had vanished into the void of warped space, and reappeared.
And Malugia spoke, saying:
[At last, I can begin—the end.]