Chapter 121

Chapter 121

Madness Spreads

***

Aniks Graiza.

The eldest son of the Graiza family and a noble destined to lead Starlon.

Later known as the “Wooden Bow” and one of the Three Prodigies, he was to become a pillar of the Skyborne Generation.

Now, he was scoffing at his own decision.

Facing a monster that seemed impossible to handle, he and the Twin Sprout members were buying three minutes.

And all this trust was placed in one uncertain move.

What he was betting on now was Kraush, just one person.

In fact, the entire Twin Sprout’s lives depended on him.

If Kraush failed, the Twin Sprout members, exhausted from buying time, wouldn’t even be able to escape and would be annihilated.

At best, a few might survive.

‘A rational decision-maker like me.’

To think he would make such a choice.

Aniks remembered that day.

Two years ago at the Holy Land of Stars.

The day he was struck down by a boy’s all-out attack when they met at Arayon Pavilion.

Boom!

“Mr. Aniks!”

Elfin’s voice cried out as Decarabia’s four arms stretched downward.

Then, clusters of tendrils burst from those arms.

Each tendril, imbued with a curse, aimed straight at the Twin Sprout members.

Enraged at Kraush’s disappearance, Decarabia launched a large-scale attack to find him.

Seeing this, Aniks immediately struck the wooden floor.

At that moment, Aniks’s recovery and Mokchendo combined, causing trees to rise like shields.

Thud, thud, thud!

The tendrils collided with the trees, compressing the elastic tendrils.

Unpleasant sounds echoed from the trees.

But the four fists that followed could not be blocked.

Snap!

Strengthened trees shattered with one blow.

Through the gap, Decarabia reached out again.

But Aniks wasn’t alone.

The Twin Sprout members leaped and attacked the extended arms.

Slash, thud!

Without a mage, large-scale bombardment was impossible.

Their attacks only managed to scratch the tendrils and slightly graze the hide.

But it was enough to further enrage Decarabia.

“Graaaah!”

Like a person repulsed by insects biting them, Decarabia roared and wildly swung its arms.

Aniks quickly created platforms with trees to catch or support the members before they were exposed to the fists.

“Ugh.”

Repeatedly doing this, Aniks felt the intense drain on his aura and the burden rising.

But he gritted his teeth and endured.

Sweating profusely, he continued to support the Twin Sprout members.

Normally, he wouldn’t push himself this hard.

But if not him, no one else would survive.

A headache pounded in his head.

But Aniks ignored it and pushed his Mokchendo further.

His current state resembled someone.

Aniks vividly remembered a boy.

A boy who burned his body to surpass his limits, giving his all.

And someone who was trampled by the star called Charlotte.

‘Kraush.’

Aniks had been praised since birth.

He was the eldest son of the Graiza family, blessed with innate talent.

Life had been smooth sailing after contracting with a god.

No one underestimated him; instead, they sought his favor.

Even the princess of Starlon followed him around.

But that day.

Aniks faced someone who denied everything he was.

Not just small fake stars like himself, but an overwhelming star that shone beyond the world.

Charlotte Balheim.

The first time he met Charlotte at the Holy Land of Stars, she was beautiful.

Her eyes, devoid of color, held arrogance and nobility.

It was something only the strong could possess.

So Aniks was intrigued by her.

Curious about how a genius like her compared to himself.

And he opened a Pandora’s box he shouldn’t have.

Against Charlotte, Aniks was helpless.

His proud Mokchendo was shattered by a single strike of her sword, and he couldn’t even follow her movements.

When he regained consciousness, all he felt was pain on his face.

Because his face was smashed by Charlotte’s sword.

[Disaster. I guess it’s true that Balheim is a monster family.]

Elfin, one of the Three Prodigies, also scoffed, holding her broken arm.

[Wow, she’s really strong. I want to fight her again!]

Balak, another of the Three Prodigies despite his broken legs, showed fighting spirit.

But Aniks was different.

He couldn’t feel pure admiration and recognition like Elfin.

He couldn’t feel awe and fighting spirit like Balak.

Because Aniks had always been at the top of the Holy Land of Stars.

Aniks forcefully raised Mokchendo.

Boom!

A massive arm and body rose behind him.

A wooden giant, as large as Decarabia, appeared.

Mokchendo

Fifth Form

Wooden Sky Giant

Holding his throbbing head, Aniks extended the Wooden Sky Giant.

The Wooden Sky Giant, in sync with Aniks, swung its massive arm.

Crash!

The giant fist collided with Decarabia’s face.

Boom!

“Graaaah!”

Decarabia, unable to dodge, had its light beam interrupted.

“As expected, Mr. Aniks!”

“Hold on! Not much time left!”

Seeing this, everyone sighed in relief.

Then, the light beam that seemed to have disappeared from Decarabia’s mouth started to flow again.

“No!”

Aniks tried to block it, but it was too late.

A flash erupted from the ceiling.

The things engulfed in light flew, and Aniks’s Wooden Sky Giant shattered.

Naturally, the Twin Sprout members below were caught in the shock.

The Twin Sprout members despaired.

Even Elfin momentarily lost her will to fight, enough to kill them all.

But in front of them.

Trees shot up, stacking madly.

Endless layers of wooden walls tightly surrounded the ceiling.

Mokchendo

Third Form

Wooden Sky Wall

The trees grew at a speed far surpassing what Aniks had shown before.

Blood burst from Aniks’s nose.

His eyes were bloodshot from excessive aura use.

But without wiping it, he poured all his aura into it.

Crash!

The flash hit Aniks’s Wooden Sky Wall.

The flash began to shatter the Wooden Sky Wall.

But Aniks’s Wooden Sky Wall didn’t end.

Relentless recovery made trees continue to grow, creating endless walls.

Near-infinite walls kept blocking the flash.

Blood poured from Aniks’s mouth.

His body trembled beyond its limit.

The shock felt like it would knock him out.

But the Wooden Sky Wall didn’t stop.

Boom—

Finally, Decarabia’s flash ceased.

Seeing the ended flash, relief washed over the Twin Sprout members’ faces.

An exhausted Aniks also kneeled on the wooden floor.

His aura nearly depleted.

Boom!

Something landed on the collapsed wooden wall.

With a rough shake, Decarabia’s face appeared between the wooden walls.

Everyone’s faces turned pale.

Aniks’s full-force defense was just a single attack attempt for Decarabia.

As despair set in their eyes.

“Three minutes!”

Elfin shouted.

Whoosh—

The wind blew.

In the wind current, two figures with fluttering hair descended.

One was a boy with dark blue hair.

The other, a girl with black and purple hair.

Their clothes fluttered as the remnants of black flames swept around them.

The heat they radiated felt intense even from afar.

Through the black flames, Kraush’s eyes shone brightly.

Seeing this, Aniks relaxed and smiled.

He had fulfilled his role.

“Kraush, go all out.”

Aniks said and collapsed.

Decarabia sensed danger and raised its head.

But it was too late.

Kraush’s sword sheath was breaking with lightning.

“Graaaah!”

As Decarabia reached out its hand with a scream.

Mocking its struggle.

The black flames Aniks had relentlessly held down and unleashed finally erupted.

Annihilation Erosion

Third Form

Sky-Thundering Annihilation

A storm of black flames engulfed the entire area.