After briefly exchanging a few words, Sychia looked toward Izroth and asked, “What now?”
Hakros’ gaze also fell on Izroth as Sychia asked that question.
At this point, Sychia had already accepted Izroth as the leader of their makeshift group.
As for Hakros, he was still bound to the promise he made with Izroth earlier; therefore, he would naturally comply with his requests. That being said, the more he was around Izroth, the more Hakros saw him in a new light.
When Zouren first introduced Izroth to the group, Hakros figured he was just another one of Zouren’s lackeys who managed to get some type of advantage. But, that could not have been further from the truth.
In the end, despite his headstrong personality, Hakros was no fool. He could see right through those who held ill intentions. That’s why in order not to get involved in their games and schemes, he entered the portal first to distance himself from them. Otherwise, how could he properly explore the Secret Realm?
Of course, he never anticipated that Zouren, Luxia, and Agromin would stoop so low as to team up with Ourami to ambush him. But, regardless of the circumstances, Izroth was the one who freed him. Therefore, even if he was asked to walk through the blazing infernos of the underworld, Hakros would not hesitate!
There was also a gut feeling Hakros had about Izroth. For some reason, he believed that as long as he got to know Izroth, there would be no lack of interesting things in the future.
“This kind of guy doesn’t go out of his way to make enemies. But, given his personality and strength, he probably annoyed a lot of strong and influential guys. I won’t let him have all the fun!” Hakros thought to himself as he grinned menacingly.
‘Hm? What is he so excited about?’
Hakros did not hide his eagerness as Izroth clearly felt his battle intent and excitement.
Izroth inwardly shook his head as he could only imagine the thoughts going through Hakros’ mind.
He then cleared his thoughts and replied to Sychia, “It is not a fight that we should casually interfere in any more than this.”
Izroth closed his eyes as he sheathed his Sword of the Storm and returned the Scorched Inferno Fang to his inventory.
“Hah? There’s still one more strong bastard over there, isn’t it? Aren’t we gonna fight?” Hakros frowned.
“There are some battles you cannot fight for others. Besides, we have accomplished more than enough.” Izroth responded calmly.
Sychia furrowed her brows and said, “I have no issue with your decision, but I am curious. We have already come this far. Why is it that you choose now to stay our hand?”
Izroth opened his eyes which seemed to peer into the distance.
“This is something that must be finished by the hands of those who started it. That’s all.” Izroth responded nonchalantly.
As Hakros expressed his dissatisfaction, Izroth looked down at the small item that appeared in the palm of his hand not long ago.
It was the Relic of the First Tal he used to summon the phantom of the Lady of Everlasting Rain, Tal’Nis.
‘Since it was your request, I will trust in your judgment and see things through until the end.’
In truth, Izroth did plan on joining the ongoing battle in the distance. However, just moments after his fight with Ourami concluded, he received a telepathic message from Tal’Nis.
Just before the effects of the Relic of the First Tal ended, she relayed to him something rather foreboding.
“The rest is to be left in their hands. We must not interfere any further than this. The secret of this realm—it can no longer remain as such.”
Those were the words Tal’Nis said to Izroth before the effects ended. Without Tal’Nis’ involvement in the ongoing fight in the distance, the only ones who remained were the original residents of this Secret Realm.
But, Izroth was curious about the secret Tal’Nis brought up.
‘A secret that can longer remain as such… Couldn’t she have been a little more clear than that?’
Izroth inwardly sighed as he thought about Tal’Nis’ cryptic message. However, it was not as though he could summon her again and ask her to clearly explain things. After all, the cooldown lasted for just over ten days.
Not to mention, even if he could summon her back immediately, it would consume one of the already limited number of usages for the magic item.
‘Though judging by her tone, perhaps even she was uncertain about the whole truth behind this Secret Realm… Well, I suppose this much is fine. For now…’
“Sychia, you’ll follow me. There may be no intention of participating in the battle; however, at the very least, we should see things through until the end with our own eyes. As for you-” Izroth stated as he turned his attention to Hakros.
He then continued, “I have an important task to entrust to you. Are you up for it?”
…
A few moments later…
Swoosh! Swoosh!
“Here is close enough,” Izroth said as he abruptly halted his steps.
Sychia stopped next to Izroth with a look of visible repulsion on her face.
“What is that thing?” Sychia inquired with furrowed brows.
“I’m not entirely sure. However, it is safe to assume that thing is what’s responsible for those black flames you mentioned.” Izroth answered.
‘This sinister aura… It’s the same one I sensed back in the palace and again after I set foot outside. Then, is this the true form of that old man?’
At the moment, Izroth and Sychia were roughly fifty meters away from the main area of the ongoing battle. But, even from that distance, the two of them could still see what was unfolding.
Hovered above the ground was a strange being with hundreds of long black tendrils. Each tendril had an eerie sunken eye at its end and contained a sinister aura that made it difficult to breathe properly. That monstrosity was the Progenitor of the Flow, Kyvernos. And, right now, he seemed to be in a state of berserk.
‘Hm? That’s…’
Near the center of the cluster of black tendrils, Izroth detected a familiar aura buried deep beneath the sinister energy. It belonged to a pitch-black sword that was slowly eroding away the ethos within and around Kyvernos.
‘Although its appearance is somewhat different, there’s no mistaking it. That blade should be her doing. Still, what a ruthless use of one’s sword intent.’
The familiar aura inside the blade that Izroth detected belonged to none other than Tal’Nis.
It was the final “gift” she left behind in this Secret Realm, the Nine Cycle Cloudburst: Everlasting Flood.
The reason Izroth saw it was such a ruthless use of sword intent had to do with the way the skill functioned. At its core, the sword intent cut in a never-ending loop at frightening speeds.
The cuts themselves were not visible to the naked eye; however, the cuts were so powerful that they were able to cut through both physical and things that were typically intangible such as energy. Or, in this case, more specifically, ethos.
However, the truly ruthless nature of this skill was not its infinite cuts, speed, or ability to cut through the physical and intangible. Instead, it was the meticulous and precise use of sword intent Tal’Nis displayed.
The fact that the cuts were not visible to the naked eye had nothing to do with their speed. It was simply because the cuts were too small. Every cut did not span even a single millimeter. It was these cuts that caused the eroding-like effect within and around Kyvernos.
This kind of control over one’s sword intent was not something that should exist in this world!
Izroth observed the berserk state of Kyvernos. And, while it was true that anger could give one a huge burst of strength, it was temporary and superficial at best.
‘This battle—it’s already over.’
…
Meanwhile…
Woosh! Bzzzt! Crrrckle! Clap!
Astratis swept his serrated blade past a group of the black tendrils, severing them from the main body.
“Fall monster!” Astratis roared as the lightning element around him surged forth!
The Son of Thunder could not maintain the full state of the Lightning Ruler’s Ordinance of Execution he created to counter Kyvernos; however, he concentrated on keeping a part of it active on just his right arm. Under the current circumstances, it was the best he could do.
“We have already relied too much on others in this matter. Is this not our world to protect? Is it not our responsibility to rid it of its nightmare?!” Astratis cried out as he cut through another grouping of black tendrils.
Astratis was extremely grateful to Tal’Nis. If not for the assistance, he may have had to sacrifice a limb to escape from Kyvernos. But, even though he was grateful for her assistance, Astratis ultimately felt that it was his responsibility to protect his world!
Phhhtk! Plop! Plop!
Several black tendrils could be seen scattered on the ground as a putrid black liquid poured from the areas Astratis cut.
Thanks to his Ordinance of Execution and the black sword left by Tal’Nis, Kyvernos’ wounds were not healing.
“This ends now, brother!” Illioreas declared as he slammed his hands together.
The next moment, an intense wave of heat washed over the battlefield and what could only be described as a small sun appeared in the sky over the Fourth Heart of the World.
