EPISODE 354 – THOSE WHO CONTINUE THE TRAIL (2)
“UOOOOOOOO!”
He kicked the ground and soared up.
He would punish the mad goddess with the dazzling sword of the sun!
The Trailblazer Sword.
It was the strongest force on this world that punished the god-like Malekith and expelled the Demon Prince along with the Hell Gate.
But it could not move forward this time.
The sword of the sun goddess blocked the other sword of the sun goddess.
Solar Blade let out a mournful cry as it was blocked by Claíomh Solais, and Auriel looked at the Solar Blade. Seeing the sword that Auriel herself had made for Solari, she became angry again.
You filthy trash.
Even after Solari’s death, you’re still parasites sucking that child’s blood!The Solar Blade shook.
It resisted for a while, but eventually fell into Auriel’s hands like what happened to Claíomh Solais.
Landius did not give up. He clenched his fist with the hand that held the sword earlier. He wanted to punch Auriel’s chest with the power of the sun.
But he could not reach it again this time.
Claíomh Solais and Solar Blade hacked at Landius. The golden ripple occurred once again and sent Landius flying away.
“UOOOOOO!”
Jude and Kamael charged at the same time.
Lena neutralized Auriel’s ripples while Cordelia cast blessings to the fiercely advancing two.
She created a barrier against the heavenly power that Auriel released.
Kamael used his Twelve Snowflake Sword Art.
Jude revealed the sword of Valencia that was based on the Supreme Sun Divine Art.
It was a team up of those who had almost reached the horizon and those who had already reached the horizon.
There were no better swordsmen than them in Pleiades.
But their opponent was not easy.
Auriel wielded the Judgment Sword.
Claíomh Solais and the Judgment Sword moved to help Auriel.
The swords crossed.
Jude could tell the moment the swords first crossed.
Kamael realized why the Great Demon Forte had a fishy smile when he escaped.
Auriel, the Archangel of Judgment.
She was a goddess.
She was different from those who were born in a distant place and had to move towards the far-off horizon.
She was born on the horizon.
Someone who stood up on that distant horizon from the very beginning.
Their swords opposed each other.
Jude was pushed back, and Claíomh Solais and Solar Blade deflected Kamael’s sword. At the created gap, it cut his exposed chest.
Kamael fell.
Jude hit the ground and turned his body to attack again. After using Fairy Steps to dodge Auriel’s swords, he attacked again from behind with the sword created from his energy and filled with the sword’s inner essence.
But it was blocked.
If their swordsmanship was on the same level, it was their bodies’ capabilities that decided the next.
Unlike Jude who reached the limit by opening the eighth door, Auriel was born beyond the limit from the start.
In between the two was a gap in physical abilities that could not be filled.
“JUUUUUUDE!”
Cordelia screamed as she created a storm of light.
Auriel felt it.
Instead of looking back, she slashed Jude with her three swords. She kicked the about to collapse Jude with her telekinesis and then spread out her twelve wings at once.
Once again, she created a huge ripple to push back all attacks.
“AAAACK!”
Lena who had been neutralizing the ripples could not overcome its power and fell. Blood came out of her eyes, mouth, nose, and ears.
The storm of light caused by Cordelia was no different.
It was destroyed and scattered.
The Power of Darkness that had swept hundreds of demons was also useless.
Cordelia was undoubtedly the most powerful angel in Solari’s line.
But she was a Seraph.
An existence that had not yet reached the highest angel rank, the Archangel.
So there was a difference.
A wall that could never be crossed.
Auriel stared at the struggling Cordelia blocking all her golden ripples. She seriously looked at her who continued to create a storm of light despite her struggle.
Solari’s successor.
The one who inherited her halo – the ring of the angels.
A being who inherited Solari’s blood to some extent.
But Auriel did not feel affection.
Rather, her anger swelled up even more.
That fact that there was someone who inherited Solari’s blood meant that Solari mixed her body with the trash of Pleiades.
She was sure that it was the fault of those pestering trash.
They must have pressed that child to leave her holy blood on this world.
So Cordelia could not be the target of Auriel’s affection.
Her very existence was a disgrace to Solari.
She had to be erased.
Solari’s halo must be retrieved from her.
Auriel raised her hand.
The sword tips of Claíomh Solais and Solar Blade simultaneously turned towards Cordelia.
“NOOO!”
Jude got up.
He once again unleashed a barrage of sword strikes to Auriel.
At the same time, Landius also stood up. He released the power of the sun he had gathered in his fist and rushed towards Auriel.
Auriel received Jude’s sword.
Her sword contained divine power.
At the time their swords clashed, the divine power inflicted a tremendous blow to Jude’s soul and body.
[My successor!]
Valencia screamed. Because the moment the divine power harmed Jude’s soul and body, her spirit was forcibly separated from him.
Sword Spirit Union was released. Auriel’s sword slashed Jude once more.
The Judgment Sword stabbed Jude’s chest.
“JUUUUUDE!”
Cordelia cried out.
Gathering all the power she had, she created a Spear of Calamity and threw it towards Auriel.
A golden ripple occurred. The trajectory of the Spear of Calamity was deviated.
Auriel sent Claíomh Solais and Solar Blade towards the charging Landius.
It cut his flesh.
It slashed his bones.
But Landius continued to charge.
He eventually reached Auriel and inserted the power of the sun into her chest.
There was light.
But Landius, who stretched his fist, knew.
It did not reach her.
He succeeded in breaking all the light barriers protecting Auriel, but he could not harm her body in the end.
“Amazing.”
Auriel said.
As she admired him, she moved her hand.
She thrust the Judgment Sword into Landius’ abdomen and swung it right away, cutting his waist. Having half of his waist cut, Landius collapsed as blood gushed out.
“Suppress them.”
As soon as Auriel commanded, the angels rushed at Lena and Cordelia.
After trampling on the staggering Lena, they grabbed Cordelia’s limbs and stabbed a Judgment Sword into her chest.
Dozens of angels disappeared due to the magic that Cordelia cast in succession, but the number of angels exceeded hundreds.
Auriel’s power suppressed Cordelia.
The angel’s hands held Cordelia’s limbs.
Cordelia was determined to resist to the end.
She did not see Auriel approaching her as she only saw the collapsed Jude. She thought desperately as she watched the slightly wriggling Jude.
What should I do?
What should I do so that Jude can escape?
“You will not do that.”
Auriel spoke.
Reading Cordelia’s thoughts, she stretched her hand and grabbed the angelic halo.
It was strongly spinning and radiating light, but instantly stopped the moment the archangel grabbed it.
“I shall take this away.”
Resistance was futile.
Auriel took away the divinity of the sun. The moment her angelic halo was stolen, Cordelia’s soul received a tremendous shock.
Cordelia’s eyes dimmed.
Her struggling limbs also lost its strength and fell.
“Ju…de…”
The angels threw Cordelia without care.
Cordelia rolled on the ground and fell near Jude. In her dying moments, Cordelia tried to look at Jude, so she tried to somehow reach out and grab Jude’s hand, but it was impossible.
Her eyes closed.
Her trembling hand that was moving forward also stopped.
It was all over.
There was no one who could stop Auriel.
The Hell Gate was opening beyond the blood-red sky, and the demon forces were getting stronger.
The raging waves flooded the Shadow Forest.
In front of the sword of Georg the Slayer, the Sword Saint of Stars, Musu, knelt down.
Count Chase coughed blood at the Gray Lady’s onslaught. Count Bayer raised his sword again, but all that was before his eyes was despair.
Seven-Killings Sword Seryu lost her sword. She stumbled as her back was cut.
The demon armies everywhere were pushing them.
With every passing second and minute, more and more people died.
Was this the natural course in the end?
No matter how many times they repeated their lives, they could not avoid their destined destruction.
The angelic halo that symbolized the divinity of Solari was taken away by Auriel.
Claíomh Solais and Solar Blade were also seized.
All five of Paragon’s heroes had fallen.
Not only Jude and Cordelia, but also all those who were in the imperial capital had collapsed.
They could not fight anymore.
They could not win even if they got up again.
Only despair, hopelessness, and darkness faced them.
[No, it’s not.]
There was a faint voice.
It seemed to be from far away.
[It’s not over yet.]
It might be very small and significant, but there are remaining embers.
The embers that you, and not anyone else, had left behind.
[And… You know it’s different this time, right?]
Because you’re not alone.
Unlike before, you are not alone.
Those who do not give in to despair.
Those who resist the destined destruction to the very end.
Those who do not stop struggling until the last minute.
What ‘she’ said was not wrong.
There were still some embers that Jude had left behind.
There were those who could blow the wind so that the embers would burn largely again.
***
There was a country called Paragon.
It was a small but beautiful place.
***
Auriel looked back in surprise without realizing it.
There was a man who was standing up.
Even though he knew that he could not win, or understood that death was the only thing that awaited him if he stood up again, he got up.
He clenched his fist and had a fierce smile.
***
There were people who were born and lived in this world.
Even in the midst of numerous trials and despair, they never gave in.
Sometimes they stumbled, stepped back, or collapsed, but they still kept moving forward.
***
“A mind of steel, an indomitable will, and an invincible body.”
He did not lose to himself.
He did not give in to the external pressure.
He supported his will with his trained body.
Landius was not alone.
Far away, Lucas stood up.
Kamael staggered and raised himself.
Fran cursed and pulled out the Judgment Sword in his chest, and Velkian used his last secret technique to transform himself into an undead. Lena threw up blood and raised her head.
“UOOOOOOO!”
They rushed towards Auriel.
Auriel sent a golden ripple. It tried to blow away all those who ran.
But it could not do it.
***
“Our sun.”
Someone who always led the way forward.
Even in the midst of any despair, they were able to move forward with him.
Instead of trembling in fear, they had the courage to stand and look up the sky.
***
“Solar Blade.”
The sword of the sun goddess disobeyed Auriel’s command.
It was unknown if it was the will of Solari or Landius.
The dazzling sword of the sun left Auriel’s side and returned to Landius. The power of the sun radiated from his hand again.
“UOOOOOOO!”
Landius unfolded the Trailblazer Sword. It destroyed the ripples.
Kamael and Lucas ran towards Auriel, while Velkian who was reborn as the No Life King – Vampire Lord, let out a powerful aura of death. Fran and Lena healed the wounds of everyone around them.
Auriel slashed at Kamael.
But the coldness of the Twelve Snowflake Sword Art froze Auriel’s sword.
Claíomh Solais struggled and left Auriel’s side, just like the Solar Blade. It returned to the hands of Lucas who invoked the power of the Holy King.
“You worthless bugs!”
Auriel roared in anger. She slashed Lucas once more.
She rushed towards Landius who was running with the Solar Blade.
The Solar Blade and Judgment Sword collided.
The warrior of the sun and the archangel of judgment caused destruction on the ground.
It was truly a miracle.
But it could not last for long.
Landius would eventually be defeated by Auriel’s sword again.
He knew it too.
But he was not afraid at all.
He heard ‘her’ too.
Because he heard the voice of the female sage – the goddess who created and oversaw the power of the Ninth Heaven’s Nine Doors.
The embers prepared by Jude.
The ones that had been hidden in the Ninth Heaven’s Nine Doors.
Jude stretched out his hand. He took Cordelia’s hand that was turning cold. He looked at her face and whispered softly.
He ignited the embers.
***
The first Jude who reached the sword horizon weakly collapsed and looked up the sky.
The Great Summons happened, and Pleiades was destroyed.
On the ruined ground, the demons and angels continued to engage in a never-ending war.
He had heard the words of the young goddess, Atalia.
Jude did not dissuade her from taking a gamble.
But he did not just sit by idly.
He made another move.
A move that only Jude himself could do.
“If it’s not regression… If it’s a copy and paste method… You can observe Pleiades from outside the flow of time that continued forward.”
Atalia copied and pasted only the records of Pleiades, Hell, and Heaven.
It did not have any effect on the worlds outside those three, and on the beings that reside in those worlds.
The goddess of the Ninth Heaven’s Nine Doors agreed with Jude’s words.
The beings of the three worlds were destined to have their memories overwritten the moment history was pasted, but she was able to keep her memories because she lived outside those three worlds in the first place.
“Then I will leave it to you.”
All my memories.
My current feelings.
Everything that I have accomplished.
[But Jude. You do know, right? Your soul will be completely reset in the process of copying and pasting the records of the worlds. The new Jude will be you, but not you. Even if you leave behind your memories and emotions… the current Jude will end here. Your existence will come to an end.]
Her words sounded cold, but it was completely true.
And Jude already knew that fact.
“It’s okay.”
Even if my end is here.
I wish that the next Jude can save Cordelia.
I wish that he would love her more than I do.
I wish that he would bring her the tomorrow.
The first Jude had a faint smile.
Recalling Cordelia’s face, he reached out towards the gray sky.
He imagined it as he left everything about himself in the Ninth Heaven’s Nine Doors.
A world that did not face extinction.
Jude together with Cordelia, his father and father-in-law being alive, his older brother and Cordelia’s older siblings being alive too, Lucas and Scarlet laughing together… – that happy and dreamlike world.
“For a perfect… happy ending.”
For that dreamlike world.
The first Jude closed his eyes.
With a sad smile, he left himself in the Ninth Heaven’s Nine Doors.
***
The world was once again on the verge of destruction.
Jude and Cordelia held each other’s hands and looked at the bleak sky.
Although they had not heard of the first Jude, they both felt the same way as him.
Even if we perish.
Even if this world is destroyed.
I wish that the next ones will continue it.
I wish that the next Jude and Cordelia can be happy together.
Jude and Cordelia looked at each other and smiled.
After sharing their last kiss, they stretched out their hands.
They recorded everything about each other in the Ninth Heaven’s Nine Doors.
They imagined a dreamlike world just like what the first Jude did.
***
It went on and on.
Sometimes Jude was alone.
Sometimes Jude and Cordelia were together.
What the goddess of the Ninth Heaven’s Nine Doors said was not wrong.
Even if they had the same soul, each of them were like another person in the end.
But they all thought the same thing.
For the next Jude and Cordelia, they wished them a happy future.
For them, they recorded everything in the Ninth Heaven’s Nine Doors.
And now.
Finally, everything that had been continued.
Through the Ninth Heaven’s Nine Doors, the will, memories, and emotions of all the Judes and Cordelias were delivered as a single trail.
Jude and Cordelia inherited it.
Continuing the trail of everyone, they made a new trail.
Jude glanced at Cordelia.
Cordelia also stared at Jude.
The wish of the first Jude.
The world dreamt by the Jude and Cordelia who faced destruction together.
The one miracle they all desperately wished for.
“For a perfect happy ending.”
Jude and Cordelia looked at each other. They shed tears, smiled their best, and completely exerted the power of the trail they continued.
***
Landius openly smiled.
He was pushed away by Auriel’s sword and fell down again, making him see the sky above. But he burst into laughter at the top of his lungs from the extreme delight he felt.
It was the twilight sky.
Darkness came and night prevailed.
But Landius was sure of it.
So he declared it aloud.
“No matter how deep and dark the night may be.”
Even if the pitch black despair covers the sky.
“The sun will eventually rise again.”
Auriel turned her head.
She saw Solari’s halo, the symbol of the sun’s divinity, leaving her hand and going back to Cordelia.
She was shocked that something impossible was happening.
A world that had been copied and pasted many times.
The will of those who never gave up despite the repeated destruction.
All of it led to one.
It caused a miracle.
Beyond the horizon.
Beyond the limits.
The ninth door of the Ninth Heaven’s Nine Doors.
The transcension into a god.The one who defended Pleiades against Heaven and Hell.
Letting out a brilliant light, the guardian god of Pleiades was finally born.
So the female sage is that transcendent being who created the Ninth Heaven’s Nine Doors, and is called a goddess now. The continuation of her conversation with Jude in this episode was already revealed in episode 341 – D-Day, but I’ll post it here again:
The man smiled at the woman’s words.
Instead of collapsing in despair at a world that had become ashes, he stood up with his remaining strength and said.
“I know. Even if my memories remain, my existence will eventually disappear. But even so…”
The man’s words continued and the woman had a bitter smile.
With tears in her eyes, she whispered very quietly.
“You will always be the same. That’s who you are.”
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