“I really wish it didn’t come to this, Tascus. If I was stronger, you would have died in blissful ignorance. Even now I don’t have the power to grant a quick death, but I will burn your final moments into my mind, knowing that despite your personal philosophy… you struggled to live.”

Bleeding, battered, exhausted, distraught. Now, he’s also asphyxiated. On face value, it would seem I went overboard, and if he were to keel over now, I would agree too. However, the fact that Tascus is still raring to kill perishes such thoughts as I’m reminded he will always be my greatest foe.

Of course, that doesn’t mean he’s suicidal or stupid, so for the final nail in this coffin...

“.”

To his great confusion, I pull out a metre-long pole and plant it into the scorched ground. The pole then projects a spherical matrix that expands beyond the confines of the room. As expected, Tascus tries to teleport, only to discover that he can’t. He looks again at the glowing spike, now realising what it truly is: a labyrinth shroud. One of the magical artifacts Maximillian commissioned for the expedition, and that Michael just so happened to be carrying before he died.

I’ve already destroyed the terminal in this room. The only other exit is buried in debris, and just in case, I’ve reinforced it with . His body is in no condition to smash through the stone walls, and the soot-filled air would choke his lungs if he tries an incantation. His only choice is to break the labyrinth shroud… by going through me.

Without delay, Tascus dashes forth with a spear of light. Sparks fly as I meet his conjuration with Bloodletter and exchange half a dozen more swings. He’s desperate, yes, but it doesn’t show in his sharp moves. It seems he got his head back after deactivating his blessing. Nonetheless…

“!”

Ting!

“Ngh!”

“!”

Ting!

“*Cough, cough!*”

“! ! ! ! Heavy Strike! ! Piercing Blow! …!”

Don’t stop. Keep attacking. Manage the cooldowns between souls and throw in a few bluffs. Overwhelm him with an endless stream of martial skills and exhaust every speck of oxygen in his body. Some of my attacks are slipping past his , although he then deflects them with his metal bracers. He knows this can’t go on, which means he might-

“”

“!”

Striking his wrist, I divert his thrust away from the Labyrinth Shroud as he struggles to recover from his failed attack.

He tries to , but I intercept.

He tries to cast , but I interrupt.

He tries to bulldoze straight through, but…

“!”

… I hit him so hard that it shatters his spell and deforms his bracer as he tumbles back a dozen metres. He’s beginning to crack, both physically and mentally, but I know better than to let down my guard. I dash up to him to deal the finishing blow, when all of a sudden, he catches my blade using his deformed bracer. My sword cuts through the reinforced metal, but it slows my swing enough for him to grab the edge and twist it out of my grasp. I aptly kick my weapon out of his own possession… then use 5 skill points to begin wringing the life out of him.

“…”

No more banter, no more taunts. Only the cold silence of death as my iron grip cuts off his blood flow. I can feel his vertebrae straining against my digits, but he’ll suffocate before I snap his neck. He grabs my hand and tries to pry himself free, but with his “God’s” blessing, it is utterly futile. As his eyes begin to roll to the back of his head, I finally offer a final prayer.

“Rest in peace, Tasc-”

Huh? His mana is being concentrated in his right hand. Wait, this is-

“!”

BANG!

Realising too late, I barely manage to switch souls and use as I’m sent flying towards the stone wall. My HP is too low. The impact will kill me!

“!”

Activating at the last moment, I smash through the stone wall and come to a sliding stop… in another room. A chill runs through what’s left of my spine as I crane my head towards the gaping hole left behind me. There is an unsettling screech from a metal pole being bent, and sure enough, Tascus teleports through the opening before collapsing on the ground in a fit of coughs and wheezes.

Damn it, I got careless. I knew he was gifted but I never expected him to master my improved just by seeing it once. In hindsight, it’s clear he was absorbing the force of my attacks on his arm while feigning desperation. Now, I can nary move a finger with multiple fractures blocking my flow of mana. If there’s any consolation it’s that Tascus is also in no condition to-

“De…-liverance…”

“You’ve got to be kidding me.”

Like a living corpse, Tascus rises to his feet and begins shambling in my direction. It takes me a moment to realise he’s propping himself up with Bloodletter, no doubt to kill me with my own sword. There’s no glee or vindictiveness in his eyes, only an insane fixation on seeing me dead.

“Deliverance… Deliverance… Deliverance…”

I-I can’t recover in time. I’m channelling as much as possible, but there’s just too much damage. My only hope is to take Tascus’ attack and play dead, although he doesn’t look sane enough to stop there.

“Deliverance… Deliverance…”

Come on, Enbos. Think! Think! What on Garea can I still do without mana or a functioning body? Even the thing in my hand can’t save me now. All I’ve got is my bloody voice to-

“Deliverance… DELIVERANCE!”

“… Heh. Pass me the blonde wig.”

Ting!

A familiar spear flies towards Tascus as he deflects it by a hair’s breadth. Several knives whiz across the air, and while he knocks them down, a curved blade is suddenly swung at his feet. Tascus immediately retreats as a trio of fighters step in front of me. Although all of them are in various degrees of health, their backs couldn’t be any straighter as they stare down the unstable fanatic.

“Are you alright, Enbos!?”

“Never been better, Hachirou,” I say wryly. “Honestly, I never thought you guys would come.”

“Well, we already survived your deathtrap of a plan, so what’s one more suicidal romp?”

“You really are something else, Sen, but that wasn’t what I meant. How on Garea did you manage to find-”

“With that.”

Norf gestures to the small creature nudging its naval cavity against me: Mr Bonny. I see. It must have traced the spiritual link between us, allowing Sen, Norf and Hachirou to navigate this twisting labyrinth. It automatically crawls up my sleeve and rests in my ribcage, just as Tascus makes his next move.

“!”

“!”

Tascus’ spell collides with the translucent wall, and quickly dissipates as he fails to sustain the beam of light. Sen, Norf and Hachirou immediately close in on the winded hierarch and pressure him with coordinated attacks. From the doorway, my fourth and final saviour rushes to my side.

“Thanks, Lili.”

“By the heavens, Enbos, you’re in a terrible state. I’ll carry you out right now.”

“No, just keep protecting me until I finish fixing my bones,” I say as my body clicks at the joints. “I should be able to fight soon.”

“You may not have to. I don’t know what you did to Tascus while he was weakened, but…”

“!”

“!”

“Ngh!”

“…the three of them can handle it from here on out. I can take Hachirou but you need to get out of this place right now. Given your control over the terminals, you should be able to escape the priory’s grasp.”

“I see… So, I could even walk away with this.”

To Lili’s shock, I open my palm and reveal the item within: Helena’s undead core. When I strangled Tascus, I just so happened to grab the core by the chain before he sent me flying back. Now, Tascus is too incensed to realise it’s gone and I can sidestep Maximillian whilst keeping the core. I couldn’t have dreamed of a better scenario half a day ago, and honestly, that temptation is still there. However…

“Enbos, why do I have the feeling you don’t plan on just leaving?”

“I have to finish him.”

“No, you don’t. Tascus may be dangerous but we can defeat him on our own. Please trust us and worry about yourself for once.”

“I’m not doubting your ability. Any of you,” I say as I strain to turn my head. “It’s not even about killing Tascus or claiming this core. I’m fighting him to prove something to myself.”

“… I can’t convince you, can I?”

“You can always trap me in a barrier, Lili.”

“No, I’ll help,” smiles Lili. “I’m glad you finally found yourself, Enbos.”

“!”

“!”

“Ngh!”

Activating their skills at once, Hachirou inflicts minor damage on Tascus while Sen’s thrust puts him on the defensive. However, even with gaps in his damaged armour, Tascus still has plenty of steel to divert the pairs’ weakened blows. I close in with , but the hierarch twists around and drives me back with a wide swing. With nothing but my hunting knife, I’m next to useless as Sen and Hachirou attempt to capitalise on the opening. However, Tascus reflexively parries their blows before going after Sen.

“Begone!”

“Ugh!”

“Sen!”

“I’m alright, Hach- Wow!” says Sen as he evades another swing. Contrary to his reactions, Tascus’ accumulated injuries are showing through his sluggish attacks.

“B-be careful. He’s stolen Enbos’ sword, Bloodletter, w-which-”

“Makes you bleed profusely, right? Sounds about- RIGHT, NORF!” yells Sen as I evade Tascus’ swing, unable to get any closer. “Didn’t Enbos say his sword has a defence mechanism!?”

“I-it’s a curse that drives the wielder into a murderous frenzy.”

“Well, that doesn’t help in the slightest! Great throw!”

Sen pegs his spear at Tascus, but he reflexively dodges his attack before charging towards the unarmed offender. Hachirou immediately intercepts him while I close in for another backstab. Again, Tascus swings around to repel me…

“Hm!?”

… only this time, I have the superior reach after catching Sen’s spear. The metal tip digs into Tascus’ abdomen, but his tightened muscles stop my amateur strike. I try to withdraw but he grabs the wooden staff with an iron grip.

“”

BAM!

All of a sudden, a solid object slams into Tascus’ greaves, causing his legs to buckle. Said object turns out to be a well-used weight, with a long rope leading back to Sen. As Sen winds back his borrowed weapon, Hachirou closes in to attack the prone hierarch. I’m about to do the same, when all of sudden, I hear a faint ringing from above.

“Hachirou, get back!”

“!”

Trusting my senses, we both evade a barrage of ominous needles by the narrowest of margins. It’s my first time using in battle but even an amateur can tell Tascus is gathering mana behind that curtain of death.

“Sen, do you have any-”

“!”

Following Lili’s voice, I spot her casting her spell… on the weighted rope in Sen’s possession. Sen then launches the enchanted weight and smashes the spell circle above Tascus’ head. As the last shards of black dissipate…

“!”

… Hachirou flies in like an arrow and strikes his friend’s sword out of Tascus’ hand. Hachirou attempts to follow up, but he immediately succumbs to the immense recoil from his skill. Tascus manages to recover, but before he can crush Hachirou’s skull…

“Now!”

Coordinating with Sen, I grab the other end of the rope and heave it across Tascus’ neck. We attempt to wrap around, but hierarch suddenly vanishes before reappearing elsewhere in a fit of coughs. Realising he can teleport, Sen and I immediately move closer to Hachirou as Lili comes to his aid.

“! Are you alright, Hachirou?”

“I-I can still fight, but I don’t think I can use , let alone .”

“That’s more than enough,” says Sen. “We clearly have the dastard cornered.”

“Spear?”

“Keep it, Norf. I’ve at least had practice with the rope,” says Sen as he spins the trusty weight. “Although me or Lili would be in real trouble if he teleports. Is Enbos in any condition to join us?”

“No, Sen. I’ll be taking over from here.”

Looking behind us, we watch as Enbos walks past our formation and stares down the glowering hierarch. His stalwart presence evokes confidence in all of us, and yet I can’t help but be alarmed by his choice of words. Sen and Hachirou look equally worried, but Lili gestures to us all to stand back.

“Let’s finish this, Tascus. Just you and me.”

“Agreed. I’ll slaughter all your companions before moving on to you, Enbos.”

“Oh really, hierarch. Shame that you completely lost sight of your priorities.”

Enbos raises his hand to reveal a small, dull gem between his finger and thumb. Instantly, Tascus’ expression drops, before transforming into an avatar of unbridled rage. He teleports straight to Enbos, however, our friend anticipates him and evades his incoming fist. Hachirou and Sen are about to join the melee, but I hold them back as I hear a cacophony of mana coming from Enbos.

“GIVE IT TO ME!”

“See you all later, guys.”

“Enbos, don’t-!”

“.”

… and in the blink of an eye, both Enbos and Tascus disappear from view. The rest of us are left stunned, then disappointed, as we realise we can only pray for our friend’s victory. Ironically, of the four of us, it is our cleric Lili that begins to move first.

“Come on, Hachirou. We have to get out of here.”

“B-but Enbos is-”

“He will win. There is no doubt in my mind about that.”

“*Sigh* Perhaps, Lili, but I really wish he didn’t have to be such a lone hero about it.”

“… No, Sen,” I say as I look to the cursed sword in the corner. “I think it’s because he’s about to reveal his true self.”

“THE CORE IS MINE! YOU ARE UNWORTHY OF ITS POWER!”

“Good grief, you don’t even realise I just phased us, do you?”

Unarmed, near death and without a shred of mana left in our bodies, Tascus unleashes a ferocious barrage of strikes and kicks. Even without my stat boosts, an undead is able to fight in peak condition for as long as their bones hold, which is kind of sad that I’m only as good as a beaten and broken hierarch. Well, it’s not fair to say I’m completely defenceless…

“!”

Before his heavy punch can reach my head, I raise my palm, with the core dangling in the middle. Immediately, he cancels his skill and dashes several feet back. As far as he’s concerned, I might as well be carrying the world’s strongest shield.

“Disrespectful, shameless cur! Even after everything you’ve learnt of the Watchful Light, you dare treat their legacy like this!”

“You have the wrong idea about her legacy, Tascus. It was never about finding a successor or rebuilding the Golden Age. She just wanted people to survive and live life to their fullest. Everything you have done has flown in the face of that, desecrating the meaning of life and chaining the fates of others to your own ends.”

“ENOUGH!” he roars, as I evade an axe kick that shatters the floor. “I will not suffer your hypocrisy, Enbos the Black! You came here to kill for your own gain, exploiting the Cleansing Swords and luring others under the banner of fellowship! You have no right to judge me!”

“Worse, actually, because I didn’t know what I really wanted. Even now, I’m not facing you for some lofty ideal. I’m just fighting for the sake of a truly altruistic soul. No matter how hard I try, these selfish thoughts keep creeping into my skull…”

Crack!

“… despite knowing exactly what I have to do.”

As the first fracture appears on the core’s surface, I could almost swear I could take Tascus’ soul at that very moment. I continue tightening my grip in a measured manner, and as more cracks form, he loses all shred of composure and charges straight at me. He throws fist after fist, but I keep backstepping out of range and watch as his stamina dwindles.

“STOP, ENBOS!”

Crack!

“You must stop! That is a divine gift from Maleosis. You can’t-”

Crack!

“J-just listen me, Enbos! Think of the magic within that core! Think of the good it could do for this world!”

Crack!

“The Prophecy could be yours! If you do this, all that you could be, all that you could achieve, would be lost to a meaningless future, forever! Can’t you see?”

“… I can choose my meaning for myself. Can you?”

“NO!”

With a final burst of strength, I shatter the Elder Lich core into dozens of pieces. The spiritual energy that sustained its enchantments unravels, but instead of resulting in a catastrophic explosion, I feed it back into Helena’s soul. The phantom of Helena returns to my side, and seeing her sweet smile, I tighten my fist and focus all the residual energy into a single point. Stunned, Tascus’ battle-hardened instincts take over as he raises his hands to defend himself.

“… Huh?”

“!”

With all my conviction, and all my malediction, I land a resounding blow directly into his torso. Although I fail to upheave him, all the spiritual energy in my fist ravages his entire body before dissipating in the air. After a brief pause, Tascus finally collapses onto the ground and stares up at the empty ceiling. Alive.

“…”

“Good grief, you really are something else. God knows why you felt you needed the Ascension. Not that it matters.”

“… What…”

“…”

“What,” he eventually sputters, “did you… do to me?”

“… Undying’s Grudge- No. It would be more accurate to call it my grudge. I could never process my feelings until now. You should be losing all your senses until your body gives up on you.”

“That wasn’t… my question. How did you stop… my barrier from-

… I see. It’s “broken” now, isn’t it?”

I remain silent and allow him to ruminate for his final moments. From his deadpan eyes, it’s clear he’s waiting for me to finish him, but the recoil from my punch is still taking its toll on me. I’m not going to bother with palliative care. Just holding myself back from commenting is good enough. I’ve rather let my curse claim him as he laments everything he has ever done.

“Once again, everything… I’ve done in His name has come… to naught. His designs remain… unfathomable, only now… I feel I never had a place in them. Was any of this… ever part of the Prophecy? Would He still accept me… in death?”

“…”

“*Sigh* So I was blind. But even so… I came close. So close… to attaining perfection. Now, I pray… my empty soul would return… to Him, rather than the undead jewel… I could have been.”

Again, I try to maintain my silence, but I can’t hold back my body as I walk over his prone body and raise him by the collar. After a second of contemplation, I then reach for mask… and take off in front of his face. His eyes widen to their upmost while I bring him closer still with gritted teeth.

“You know nothing about what it means to be an undead. Not the feeling of suffocation as the last vestiges of your humanity clashes against reality. Not the hollowness of your being that makes you desire even the cold. Not the insanity of existing as you spend endless hours contemplating what you’ve lost and what you’ve always been. It is a miserable existence, but nonetheless… I could not have bested you if I was anything else. I’ve made peace with my current state, notwithstanding my hunger, so why don’t you?”

I drop Tascus back on the floor and don my clay mask once. However, when I turn back to look at him, his expression is not of shock or resignation… but pure joy. I immediately regret my rant after seeing his self-satisfied smiled.

“My Lord… The Prophecy has held true. Everything I have done… it was to shine a light for the forlorn soul.”

“I’m not becoming anything, Tascus. The Prophecy can pick another apostle or acolyte for all I care. I choose my own Path, and it doesn’t involve upending society.”

“… I see. I finally… understand now. You’ve… never heard the entire Prophecy, have you?”

My body stiffens as I watch Tascus summon the last of his lifeforce. There is a fire in his eyes, but it’s not to survive. Just to live long enough to fulfil a delusional goal. I’m beginning to wonder if I should walk away, but my human curiosity gets the better of me. Taking a deep breath, he then recites the Prophecy without a single interruption.

“Neither man nor monster, living nor dead,

My one champion rises in the East.

Made of undying bone, the heathen shall dread,

The shade of the celestial beast.

At river’s bend, he shall rise to be crowned

With strength and wisdom worlds apart.

Before eight eyes, my true champion is found

And the scattered shall share one heart.

The forlorn opens the forbidden pass

Bearing a soul with pure intent.

Once my champion overcomes his impasse

My full rebirth he shall foment.”

“Ridiculous. That’s…”

There are too many similarities to be anybody but me. While I could claim plausible deniability with the third verse, the rest is basically a checklist. Tascus got it all wrong. “My one champion rises” is not in the future tense but the present. Wait a second, when did all these cultist hear this prophecy?

“… S-surely you must know, Brother Enbos. After all, almost a year to this date, every Pact-bearer received a divine revelation…”

One year ago. I’ve been travelling with Hachirou for a few months now and over three seasons with the Nomura Clan. T-that means the Prophecy was broadcast around the same time…

… as when I left Dellmore Forest on this journey.

“Prophecy, my foot! It’s a damned bounty.”

“It seems… you’ve realised something,” says Tascus, his voice growing ever fainter. “I wish you… all the best, Enbos.”

“I am nobody’s champion, Tascus. I am my own ruler, through and through.”

“Spoken… like a true puppet. Look how masterfully He… pulls your strings. Ah, if only I could dance… like yourself.”

“Tch.”

“Alas, I was never part… of His Prophecy. Maleosis never meant… anything more for me… than to die as a lamb. But meeting you, Enbos… I choose.”

All of sudden, Tascus forces himself sit up while I immediately jump back and raise my guard. With trembling fingers, he then reaches to his belt and passes me a key with . As the item drops at my feet, he then channels mana throughout his body… for a familiar spell.

“.”

Vibrant flames suddenly flare out from every inch of his body. He doesn’t make a single sound as his blood boils and his skin cracks. Unable to watch, I pick up the key and walk away, keeping track of his evaporating lifeforce. Although it should be impossible, his final words echo throughout the halls.

“Enbos Novuseus.

Black-Cloaked Berserker, Hero of Kasseus… Saviour of my soul.”

“…”

“I, Tascus, Apostle of Light, Hierarch of the New Dawn Order… have borne witness to Enbos’ extraordinary nature… and found him worthy.

With my dying breath… in His holy name, I declare Enbos the Black to be…

… His One… True… Champion.”