Chapter 686: Chapter 842
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Already, there had been numerous painful choices. Among them, the remaining one was the most dreadful, and Murakan had made up his mind. Today, he would stop Temar and, along with him, he would be forgotten from this world, together with his loved ones.
The shadow force emanating from his two pairs of wings formed a massive storm, and the final resolve of Murakan, the peak of his prime, enveloped everything in their sight in darkness.
Temar barely suppressed his boiling anger. He knew that once he fell into demonization, he would never be able to defeat Murakan in that state, but in fact, he was not even aware that he had already become a monster due to the consequences of the manipulation of history.
Temar's sword, which used to be as sharp as his undistorted resolve, was stained with the side effects of manipulation of history, and was not as sharp and his will was not as pure as before.
"No, it is only you who will be erased from history. Just like always, this time too, I will protect my family and people. I will correct the distorted events and kill all the traitors and enemies like you. I, the patriarch of Runcandel."
Temar's eyes were glowing brightly.
Runcandel's Magic Sword Ultimate technique
Sun Splitter
As shadow force, aura, and mana wrapped around the Barisada, a spiral was formed. The spiral soon soaked into the blade, turning it black and then burning brightly into pure white.
The pinnacle of the sword that a human named Temar Runcandel finally reached.
As Temar began to move his sword, the darkness created by the Manifestation of Shadows began to dissipate. It was as if the muddy current was replaced by a clear stream, filling the space with light.
If Temar were in his full state, Murakan would never have attempted to face the Sun Splitter head-on. It was a sword that even the prime Murakan would not be able to withstand if he couldn't avoid it, a single blow that would kill him.
But the Sun Splitter unleashed by Temar was only half complete.
Instead, his Soul Slash technique that he had been using all along was much more threatening. Murakan filled the erased area of the Manifestation of Shadows with his shadow force and charged towards Temar.
The glowing sword clashed with the giant of shadow force.
Temar was convinced that his sword would cut through both Murakan and his shadow force in one strike. The fact that Murakan didn't even try to avoid the blow was puzzling to him.
Murakan, of all people, would know it best. This was the sword that Solderet had described as capable of killing even himself.
However, at the moment of collision, Temar found that the Sun Splitter was dispersing helplessly against Murakan's shadow force.
The aura, mana and shadow force converged on the blade were dissipating as if the thread had been cut, losing their strength.
On the other hand, the massive black blade pouring from Murakan's wings remained unharmed. If anything, it became even sharper and fiercer, engulfing Temar.
Temar tried to twist his body to evade, but Murakan's blade was faster. The blade sliced through Temar's left arm.
Thud!
Under the darkness of the Manifestation of Shadows, Temar's left arm fell to the ground. The arm remained buried in the darkness and disappeared, and Temar quickly raised his mana to freeze the wound.
[T/L: I think it is the arm that the Imperial Family has.]
He couldn't believe the result.
The fact that a sword that could cut even Solderet was broken by Murakan was inconceivable. He couldn't grasp what was lacking or what mistake he had made.
In that moment of inner turmoil for Temar, Murakan found the opening and took his life.
Having lived for over two thousand years, Murakan had countless memories of harming others.
He can't even count the memories of killing or crippling someone.
However, they were all enemies or those who had antagonized him first. Murakan had never once harmed someone he loved.
That was what made him hesitate. The horrific and unfamiliar sensation of taking the life of a friend made his breath quicken, and his mind became clouded.
Dranax, Vyollo, and Frey.
Ever since he killed them, ever since he made the decision to kill them, a sense of guilt had been building up inside Murakan, as if it could explode at any moment and disturb his inner peace.
[Te, Temar.]
He couldn't bear that he couldn't protect them and that he had to be the one to take their lives.
Unconsciously, Murakan descended to search for Temar's left arm. The once proud and familiar darkness of the Manifestation of Shadows felt strange and tainted for the first time.
Meanwhile, Temar calmed the backlash that had started due to the Sun Splitter being released.
"Are you going to scorn me like this now, Murakan? What are you doing in the middle of the fight?"
[That's not it.]
"Fight properly! Even if I lose all my limbs, I can still fight. Even if I lose my life today, I will be reborn and come for you again."
Squeak!
Temar's strike sliced through one of Murakan's wings. Murakan didn't even think about regenerating with his shadow force; he kept thinking about Temar's left arm.
He had resolved himself so fiercely.
But he couldn't bring himself to kill Temar. The voices of the slain Ten Great Knights continued to ring in his mind. The voice of hatred, questioning if you would mercilessly kill even the patriarch with your own hands.
Then Barisada struck beside Murakan's heart, piercing through his abdomen and neck. Murakan couldn't even feel pain.
He felt it would be better to die right there. He wanted to end this nightmare. If he could end it with death, he would give up his life a thousand, even ten thousand times.
The moment his mind was about to collapse completely.
[No... Temar!]
Murakan faced Temar, who was transforming into a purple monster. The Wraith transformation of manipulation of history was progressing.
It had even accelerated the demonization. As a result, Temar's facial features hadn't completely disappeared like the previous Ten Great Knights.
His grotesquely deformed mouth was filled with irregular and sharp teeth, and his pupils were dark and empty.
His sword, swung recklessly, hardly had any signs of a Genesis knight, and now, whenever Temar closed the distance, he bit off Murakan's body like a beast.
The situation had reached such a point that Murakan's mind finally collapsed, leaving him unable to fight properly. He could only instinctively push Temar away and desperately deny the sight of his monstrous form.
Murakan's heart, injured by Soul Slash, writhed in the midst of a fading reality, and occasionally, only the eerie pain spreading from the heart made him aware of the reality.
He confirmed the appearance of his friend, the one who had turned into a wraith.
They were still engaging in primitive violence, clawing and tearing at each other. To call it a fight would be an overstatement, as Murakan was merely flailing around while Temar viciously attacked him.
Murakan was thinking.
It wasn't the first time he had decided to kill Temar. There was the day when he went mad and killed his allies, hiding in the Tower of the Black Sea.
If he had gone all the way then, he believed he would have still collapsed like this in the end. Although Orgal had helped back then, even if he hadn't been there, Murakan probably would have stopped eventually.
The same would have been true for Sarah and Padler.
But he had to be different.
A Dragon Guardian, a being that protects the Contractor.
Protecting didn't just concern his life. It also meant safeguarding the moment when he was no longer himself, when he couldn't be turned back, and even the moment to bid farewell.
Temar, weakened by wraith transformation and demonic transformation, couldn't properly withstand Murakan's struggle. Even with Murakan's awkward swipes, Temar's body tore apart, and he screamed in pain.
Temar's sharp fangs dug into Murakan's scales but broke, and his right arm, holding Barisada, was bent uncontrollably by the recoil.
Temar was falling apart.
Finally, Murakan opened both his eyes and faced him head-on. Despite his twisted body, he stared relentlessly at Temar, who kept charging at him.
[Are you so full of hate and injustice that you're going crazy? Me too, Temar. I can't forgive myself, and the memories of the fierce battles we fought seem so unfair, it feels like my head will explode.]
Now it was time to protect Temar.
The shadow force that had unleashed Manifestation of Shadows was instantly restored to Murakan, and the destroyed landscape of Idal was revealed.
Murakan transformed into a human and landed on the ground. Temar approached him while limping.
Before protecting him, Murakan wanted to confirm one last thing. Just once, he wanted to grasp onto hope.
Just as he and his companions cherished him more than their own lives.
Temar, even in his state of being consumed by manipulation of history and demonic transformation, might still have remnants of the love he had for his friends and comrades, somewhere amidst his monstrous appearance.
Murakan did not hesitate any longer.
He stood still like a tree, waiting for Temar to reach him with faltering steps. Prepared for his heart being pierced, he was willing to offer it if it meant Temar could regain his former self, even if only for a moment.
He wanted to see him as the person they knew, even for a few seconds, no matter how much of it would remain in the end. Even if manipulation of history was so cruel, he couldn't bear to see all those times erased.
Thud, thud.
Puh...
In the end, Temar pierced the heart of Murakan, who did not resist. Ignoring the Barisada stuck in his chest, he met Temar's gaze.
"Is it over now? Even after stabbing my heart, can't you regain your senses, even for a brief moment?"
If Temar showed no sign of pain.
Now, if he were to take his last breath and fade away, everything would end. Even with his heart pierced, he could easily kill Temar in his wraith transformation state.
For a while, there was no response.
But at last, Murakan could see Temar's body, transformed grotesquely, slowly returning to his previous form.
Temar's trembling lips barely moved as he managed to respond to Murakan.
"Murakan, just kill me... I should have prepared for the future. I should have saved my comrades, even one more person. What meaning does my life have now? Why did I do such a reckless thing...?"
"Ah... This bastard is finally saying something reasonable. I'm glad, huh. I am so happy that I am crying."
"I'll become a monster again soon, Murakan. Even Solderet won't be able to stop it. So don't make such reckless choices again, for the sake of the clan... for the future. All of it can't disappear like this. Someone has to remain. I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Murakan."
Eventually, Murakan could only collapse. He could hear his broken heart rattling in his chest.
As his consciousness faded away, Murakan gazed at the retreating figure of Temar.
Before losing his sanity again, before he could kill the injured Murakan, he was trying his best to escape to a place where he couldn't see Murakan.
That was the end of Murakan and Temar.
[T/L: Ah f**k, author you should end Zipfel in a more horrible way than this.]
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