It seems this is my end.
Death... is it really this close? My Fingers are trembling, how unsightly... I had already decided to embrace death... Where will I go after death? Will this Another World have a place for me to rest?
...No, now is not the time to think about such things.
I must stop it.
Reinhard has already left the Royal Capital, now only I can stop it... Haha... How arrogant, this broken body still dreams of fighting a Great Spirit. If I had known such an end awaited me... I would have told her my feelings.
Subaru... is she saying something? Probably those selfish words like 'don't go to your death on your own accord,' right? My hearing... has it been taken away too? No... I still have my sense of taste. I can no longer feel the metallic taste of blood in my mouth.
But... this is fine too.
You must live... for both of us.
"You... selfish bastard!!"
Subaru's cries pierced the blizzard.
"What do you mean if Lia dies you'll destroy the world! If you don't want to live... do you have to drag millions to their graves with you?! Why?! Why?!"
"There are still so many people... they all still want to live..."
"Please... let him go..."
"Carlisle... don't leave me alone..."
The Beast of the End silently gazed at Carlisle. It no longer roared; perhaps... it also realized that it had become the very image its daughter hated.
The blizzard roared between the two, and the extremely cold gale tore at Carlisle's tattered body. His skin cracked in the low temperature, only to be reborn in white flames; muscle fibers froze into ice crystals, then were instantly melted by the scorching flames. In this slow torture, the loss of touch became the only mercy; at least, he could not feel the pain of his flesh repeatedly disintegrating.
Carlisle slowly raised his long sword with his remaining right hand, and cracks on the blade began to emit dazzling white light. A beam of light shot into the sky, tearing the blizzard vortex in the night sky to shreds.
Behind the Beast of the End, space began to twist and collapse.
A blue magic orb with a diameter of tens of meters appeared out of thin air. Pure, extreme magic surged on its surface, each fluctuation causing the atmosphere to emit a mournful groan under the strain. That was fire-attribute magic condensed after draining the temperature of the entire forest.
The moment the white and blue lights collided, the world lost its sound.
Subaru's vision was consumed by pure white, not snow blindness, but rather all light, color, and form annihilated in the absolute energy surge. She instinctively reached out to grab something, but couldn't even see her own five Fingertips.
A shriek came from deep within the light, like the dying wail of two colliding stars.
——————
...Sword?
Carlisle looked down at his hand; it was empty.
The fragments of the blade had long since dissipated in the light, leaving not even ash... Did I fail?
He had clearly controlled his power well, so why did the sword disappear?
He had no mana, his weapon shattered, and his vision grew increasingly blurry. The white soul fire was extinguishing, and his limbs felt heavy as if filled with lead.
Is this how it ends...? The blizzard howled in his ears, as if mocking his powerlessness.
At least... he used his last ounce of strength to turn his head, his gaze piercing through the swirling snow curtain, looking at the two trembling figures behind him.
The white flames completely extinguished.
Carlisle fell heavily onto the ice.
The Beast of the End looked down at the fallen knight, its golden pupils swirling with cold sorrow. It raised its front paw, and the blizzard began to gather again
...Stop.
Blood-stained Fingers dug into the ice, and Carlisle shakily stood up.
Carlisle's consciousness plummeted into darkness, yet was tightly grasped by some existence.
As long as I can stop it-
His soul screamed, his flesh burned, and his bone marrow groaned under the overwhelming strain.
Take my life, take my soul... take it all.
In the deepest part of his consciousness, something began to tremble.
This is... so that's it... Are you protecting my soul?
Carlisle suddenly understood why his soul strength far surpassed that of ordinary people, the existence that followed him across worlds, the power that silently guarded him when he was on the verge of death-
So you were here too? Did you come along as well?
In the darkness, an intangible sword slowly materialized. It was a 'concept' beyond matter, the very soul of the sword. The previously manifested sword did not dissipate but sublimated because it could not bear this power.
I still can't fully wield you, can I...? Carlisle smiled wryly and reached out his hand.
But please lend me your strength-
For what's lacking, I'll make up for it with my soul!
——————
"Do you still want to continue?"
Carlisle's voice was exceptionally clear in the blizzard, and ice crystals shattered with his breath.
"Lady Emilia's death... is my dereliction of duty."
His right hand slowly rose, and the blood dripping from his Fingertips bloomed into crimson flowers on the ice.
"You and I... are both sinners."
"But... I must eliminate you here."
Suddenly
Boom!!!
Blazing red flames shot into the sky, like the dawn tearing through eternal night. That was not ordinary fire, but the [Sacred Flame] carrying a knight's oath and the weight of life.
Ice and snow retreated before the flames, but what was astonishing was
These flames were not violent; instead, they were as warm as a winter fireplace. The frozen ground behind Carlisle began to revive, tender shoots pushed through the ice, and melted snow converged into clear streams.
In the dancing firelight, a long sword slowly took shape. Flame patterns flowed on its blade, and an emblem like the sun was inlaid at the hilt.
[Flame Sword Blaze]
The moment Carlisle gripped the hilt, the shadows of the entire forest trembled.
"Please lend me... the power to save the world."
...
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GIVE ME YOU POWER STONES.