Chapter 368
The atmosphere froze solid.
A cursed magical energy swirled, distorting even the natural balance of the world.
The Nameless Sovereign’s killing intent had escalated to an entirely different level.
His gaze was no longer fixed on Theo but seemed to pierce far beyond him, as though he were looking into the void itself.
The compassionate, transcendent expression he wore upon his initial resurrection had vanished entirely.
The being standing before Theo now was nothing more than a God of Calamity.
“Why does this world insist on mocking me to the bitter end?”
His cold voice reverberated, echoing like an ominous tolling bell.
The sound was so chilling that it momentarily froze Theo’s senses, giving the illusion that even his very perception was paralyzed.
Yet Theo, undeterred, voiced the question that had plagued him.
“Why do you think it’s mockery?”
The Nameless Sovereign’s murderous glare snapped toward Theo.@@novelbin@@
“Why do you trust the system’s numbers, which deny the life you’ve lived?”
Theo taunted him, leveling Caliburn with a smirk.
The Nameless Sovereign’s expression twisted with rage.
[Progress: 42%...]
The patch that had stalled began to resume.
Sssss!
A surge of overwhelming power flowed from the Nameless Sovereign, filling Theo’s body.
The energy coursed through his bloodstream, flooding every corner of his being with an intoxicating strength.
The Nameless Sovereign glared at the scene, feeling something deep within him crack.
“Nonsense!”
In an instant, the Nameless Sovereign shot forward, his afterimages scattering like fragments of a comet.
Consumed by fury, he moved with the speed and force of a meteor, closing the distance between them in an instant.
Fwoosh!
With what seemed like a teleportation-like burst of speed, he appeared right in front of Theo, already swinging Arondight with the intent to cleave his neck.
The strike was as sharp and overwhelming as if it could cut through mountains.
Despite having lost a portion of his power, this blow was even stronger than before.
“So, his emotions are his fuel.”
Theo realized that his earlier words had acted as a trigger.
The Nameless Sovereign, enraged, now poured his entire being into his swordsmanship.
Clang! Clang!
The sound of clashing swords had returned to a normal tempo, as opposed to the deafening bursts from earlier.
The Nameless Sovereign’s gaze flicked momentarily to Arondight, and Theo didn’t miss the hint of bewilderment in his eyes.
The Nameless Sovereign had always stood as an unrivaled force.
The vaccine program had dragged him down to a mortal plane.
Had Yoo Tae-ho foreseen the rise of someone who would come to destroy the world he created?
Had he also anticipated that someone would rise to defend it, to remove that "virus"?
As Theo Ragnar, Theo couldn’t comprehend the depths of Yoo Tae-ho’s thoughts.
He suspected that even in the future, the answer would remain elusive.
Regardless of the creator’s true intentions, Theo believed Yoo Tae-ho’s choices were extraordinary.
“There’s no way I’ll lose with this much help.”
Sigurd had sealed the Nameless Sovereign not out of fear, but to buy time—time to grow strong enough to one day confront and kill him.
That day had finally arrived.
Wuuuung! Wuuuung!
Caliburn hummed, its blade glowing with a sharp aura of energy.
Theo dashed forward, aiming a streak of light directly at the Nameless Sovereign’s neck.
“Guh!?”
The Nameless Sovereign instinctively recoiled as the terrifyingly swift strike grazed him.
His reflexes and combat prowess allowed him to tilt his head back at the last second, avoiding a fatal blow.
Yet—
Throb!
The Nameless Sovereign felt a pain he had long forgotten.
A fine, shallow line of blood appeared on his neck.
Staring at the drop of blood with a sense of disbelief, he brought his hand to touch it, almost mesmerized.
[Progress: 47%...]
As confusion overtook him, another wave of his power was absorbed by the vaccine program.
This wound, though minor, was something the Nameless Sovereign had not imagined possible.
“Did you think you’d kill me without so much as a scratch?”
For the first time, the Nameless Sovereign had no choice but to acknowledge Theo as his equal.
“Fine. I’ll admit that you’ve earned the right to cross swords with me.”
“Don’t you think that’s a bit late?” Theo replied with a smirk.
The Nameless Sovereign narrowed his cold, calculating eyes.
A tension unlike anything felt before began to radiate from him, accompanied by a deadly aura of resolve.
Both combatants came to the same conclusion simultaneously:
“This will end in the next few moves.”
“This will end in the next few moves.”
The heightened senses of the two combatants foretold the future—the end was near.
An eerie silence hung between them for a fleeting moment.
Clang!
The sound of clashing swords shattered the stillness.
The figures of Theo and the Nameless Sovereign transformed into streaks of light, their movements so rapid that only intermittent sparks bore witness to their battle.
Sharp arcs of light ripped through the darkness, closing in on their targets’ throats, only to halt just a fraction away, time and time again.
Both knew that pressing further would result in mutual destruction.
It was like watching a flawlessly choreographed dance of swords.
Their duel, the purest expression of mastery in swordsmanship, transcended into an art form.
[Progress: 50%...]
At last, a message declared that their powers had reached equilibrium.
Ignoring the notification, Theo countered a streaking flash of light with an upward slash of Caliburn, following through with a seamless thrust.
Slice.
A thin line of blood appeared on the Nameless Sovereign’s cheek.
This cut was deeper than the last.
But instead of retreating, the Sovereign pressed forward with renewed ferocity.
Clang! Clang!
His strikes grew fiercer, his blade crashing down with the force of a tidal wave.
Theo didn’t attempt to meet the blows with brute strength. Instead, he skillfully twisted Caliburn, redirecting the attacks with effortless precision.
Remarkably, his balance remained perfect, not faltering for even a moment.
Clang!
Arondight trembled violently, struggling to withstand Theo’s attacks.
“This… this cannot be!”
The Nameless Sovereign couldn’t conceal his astonishment.
The trembling of his blade, the jarring sensation in his hands, and the undeniable reality of being pushed back—it was all inconceivable to him.
“This should not be happening… this cannot happen to one destined to become the One True God!”
His emotions flared, spilling onto his face in a visible display of anger and disbelief.
“Theo Ragnar!”
He roared, his voice echoing with rage.
Yet, unlike before, he couldn’t launch an unrelenting assault.
Boom!
A radiant arc of light from Caliburn descended upon him from above, producing a thunderous roar.
“A puppet strengthened by the system dares challenge me!”
Unable to deflect the strike with grace, the Sovereign had no choice but to block it head-on.
“Why is it so burdensome to withstand a mere puppet’s sword?!”
Frustration boiled within him as his once-fluid swordplay devolved into a series of desperate, ferocious strikes.
Every blow screamed of his defiance, but his body groaned under the relentless assault.
“You of all beings should know that strength doesn’t require years to develop.”
Boom!
Theo’s next strike brought the Nameless Sovereign to one knee.
The oppressive heat radiating from Caliburn caused the Sovereign’s pupils to tremble violently.
It was a sensation he had cast aside and forgotten long ago.
Death.
Finally, he understood why the vaccine had chosen Theo.
“Of course… it’s because he carries the weight of death.”
The Nameless Sovereign was a being worn down by countless eons, no longer truly alive.
In stark contrast, Theo embodied the boundless potential of life—a force fundamentally opposed to the Sovereign.
And it was clear that Theo had already grasped this truth.
“Will you live forever as Yoo Tae-ho’s pawn? Knowing I can bring forth a new world, why do you stand in my way? Why?!”
His voice, a desperate, guttural cry, reverberated through the void.
His expression was one of anguish, as if he couldn’t comprehend Theo’s defiance.
Theo, however, saw through the Sovereign’s plea.
“Because the world you wish to create doesn’t seem like it’ll be a pleasant one.”
The Sovereign’s vision of the future was steeped in despair, and Theo wouldn’t allow such a world to take shape.
[Progress: 51%...]
As the scales tipped further in Theo’s favor—
Crack! Crackle!
The blade of Arondight, which had been holding back Caliburn, began to fracture.
The Nameless Sovereign’s expression froze in shock.
“This is my moment.”
Theo seized the opportunity, channeling all his strength into a decisive strike.
Slash!
A clean, sharp sound echoed as Caliburn carved a line from the Nameless Sovereign’s forehead down to his groin.
“You are my reflection—another side of me. I will carry forward your will to seek true life.”
As Theo’s words resonated, the Nameless Sovereign’s gaze wavered. A faint, hollow smile graced his lips.
[Progress: 87%...]
His body remained still, yet it began to crumble from the edges, disintegrating into fragments.
Crack! Crackle!
Simultaneously, the space around them shattered, flooding with intense light.
[Progress: 100%]
[Patch completed.]
[Creator God Yoo Tae-ho’s fragment has been fully restored.]
The Nameless Sovereign’s body dissolved into particles of light, merging entirely with Theo’s form.
Shine!
A soft glow emanated from Theo’s body, banishing all traces of exhaustion and healing his wounds.
A dizzying sensation enveloped him, as if he were ascending to a higher plane of existence.
[A new creation myth has been written!]
[Author's Note: Episode 369, which was scheduled to be released 24.12.2024, will be delayed due to the author's personal circumstances.
We sincerely apologize to our readers who have been eagerly waiting and kindly ask for your understanding.
We hope you enjoy the upcoming Christmas and wish you a warm and happy holiday season!]
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