It was over.

"HEHEHEHE!"

A devilish laughter rang out from Norald, who looked at the pathetic creature hanging on its horn.

Van slowly raised his head, looking up at the creature whose maw was wide open, crackling with devilish laughter.

In that moment, veins of anger and insanity rippled across his face.

His right arm shifted upward, forming a massive spear more than thirty meters long.

Immediately, Van stabbed it forward, nailing it into Norald's maw, barely stopped by the bony teeth.

He used it to pull himself forward, and even though the horn was cutting deeper into his chest, he ignored the pain with clenched teeth.

When he reached just half a meter away from Norald.

His hand reached out, grasping the side of Norald's maw, and immediately, a spear erupted from both hands, tearing into the creature's maw.

"Come laugh with me in hell, then. Hehehehe!"

Van roared, insanely throwing his head back and laughing like a man with nothing left to lose.

His body flared with dark light, most especially from his chest, the space where his core ought to be.

Norald immediately tried to wriggle him off its horn, but then,

KAAAAAAABOOOOOOOM!

A terrifying explosion rocked the world, releasing massive energy as Van detonated right before Norald's face.

The protector's head jerked back from the explosive force, smashing into the wall behind it, crushing through completely as rubble descended, burying it.

Emiris and Everlearn, who remained, could only look at the ashes that drifted into the wind, belonging to Van.

"He… he detonated his core?!"

Everlearn murmured under his breath in disbelief.

Van, having been stabbed in his chest and seeing his time was near had ultimately decided to drag Norald along with him.

"GRRRR!"

The sound of teeth clenching hard rang out as Everlearn turned, finding Emiris standing there, his hands digging hard into his palm as blood rained upon the ground.

He rose from where he had crashed, but before he could take a step.

RUMMMBLE!

A deep rumble echoed out, and his eyes snapped to the side as he saw the rubble burying Norald, shaking violently.

ROOOOAAAAAR!

A powerful roar blasted out, blowing the rubble away as Norald's head shot out, and in the next moment, it rose back.

But this time, it didn't land on both feet; it lowered its body onto the ground, standing on all fours.

Its body had shrunk considerably, collapsing from its towering 500-meter height to just over ten meters.

"It didn't die?!"

Everlearn mused, but then he noticed.

"It's greatly injured."

Norald had not escaped Van's detonation unscathed.

Half of its skull, including its eyes, had been obliterated.

A deep crack marred its remaining eye, formed by Van's spear piercing through.

Only a tiny flame flickered in their depths.

Yet, amidst the injuries, the creature still burst forth, not toward Everlearn or Emiris, but toward her:

Penelope, who remained unconscious on the ground.

It had decided to kill off the most vulnerable first.

But halfway through to Penelope,

BAAAAAANNNG!

The heavy metallic sound resounded as sword and horn clashed directly.

Emiris gripped his golden sword, blocking the creature's charge, though he himself was dragged across the ground.

"Powerful!"

"It's too powerful!"

The roar echoed in Emiris's ears, his teeth grinding in resistance.

The creature was far beyond their level, and even using a high-level weapon, he was still being forced backward by it.

But that heavyweight lasted only a moment.

BAAAAAAAAAAANG!

An explosion rocked through from the side as Norald's frame was suddenly sent flying, tumbling across the ground before crashing into the wall.

Standing in its previous spot, and just before Emiris, was Everlearn.

But the sight of him made Emiris, unconsciously, take a step back, and ready his sword in defense.

The boy was… different.

For one, he had become a mini-giant, standing at five meters in height, more than twice his own height.

Not only his height, but his entire size had become hulking, with golden veins wriggling all over his body, every muscle clearly defined.

His hands had elongated and arched at the joints, his palms transformed into massive golden claws.

His face had transformed, his mouth forming a golden maw, while his eyes narrowed further, glowing golden with animalistic slits at their centers.

Over his skin, golden motes of light drifted out, crackling over his entire form.

║Host Has Activated Illumino Transformation Skill║

║Core Has Been Activated!║

║+35 Attribute Points have been added to all stats.║

"Ahhhhhh…"

Turbid white smoke burst from Everlearn's lips as he wiggled his hulking frame, the sound of his muscles cracking resounding.

He gave a side glance at Emiris, watching him firm up his grip on the sword as he stood protectively before Penelope.

"All of this started because of that foolish girl's greed, and you're still defending her?"

Everlearn's voice boomed powerfully as he pointed a claw at the unconscious Penelope.

If she hadn't picked up that earring out of greed, they would never have lost Zeke or Van.

Yet here he was, still standing protectively over her.

"If she knew this would be the result of her actions, she never would have even considered taking the ring at all."

"She's innocent," Emiris replied, to which Everlearn scoffed.

"You...What have you become?" Emiris asked, looking at him.

"What will save your life."

BOOOM!

A crater appeared where he stood as Emiris's hair crazily flapped.

His eyes shot open, but Everlearn was already gone.

_____

Norald tore itself out of the rubble, wiggling its head.

It immediately turned back, and there he found him, the hulking golden devil racing toward him.

ROOOAAAR!

A sonic shockwave erupted, and in that instant, Norald surged forward.

The two collided halfway, horns and claws fiercely clashing!

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

_______

A/N:

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