Chapter 111: Returning
The Solar Tyrant Gallus descended like a falling sun while Silas shot upward like a meteor. One represented the ruler of this world, the other represented humanity’s newest monster, at least from what they thought.
They met halfway. Silas’s pink eyes burned brilliantly while the Solar Tyrant’s remaining eye glowed like molten gold. None of them intended to retreat. If anything, they had decided to end this.
Silas was going to end the huge chicken, while the huge chicken was going for a do-or-die because it knew that the small pink-haired creature with the weird glowing thing around it was powerful.
"COME!!"
SKREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!
The world froze as they collided.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!
There was no explosion, not immediately. For one impossible second, everything became perfectly silent. The fist of the colossal Exalted Orc avatar met the Solar Tyrant’s beak.
The pressure compressed, mana condensed, space itself bent around the point of impact while cracks spread through the sky. Then, the accumulated force detonated.
A spherical shockwave expanded in every direction, disintegrating land, rocks, cliffs, and even the mountain. Ancient forests vanished, while the clouds were erased from the heavens. Even the enormous green moon hanging above this strange world trembled.
Silas roared, and the giant avatar behind him roared louder. Its fist continued pushing forward. The Solar Tyrant resisted, its six wings flaring brilliantly. Its talons dug through empty space, as its entire body trembled under the overwhelming force.
Silas clenched his teeth.
"Move..."
His muscles bulged, causing the thread tattoos across his body to glow with a deep violet-pink radiance. The avatar answered. Its fist rotated ever so slightly.
A motion, almost identical to how the Exalted Orc King had once punched him. The Solar Tyrant’s eye widened.
CRACK.
The sound wasn’t loud. It was terrifyingly quiet. A fracture appeared on the creature’s beak, then another, then dozens.
Silas smiled.
"I win."
The avatar punched through, and the Solar Tyrant’s beak exploded. The fist continued forward, burying itself into the creature’s chest before emerging from its back in an eruption of golden blood and shattered mana.
Time seemed to stop.
The mighty ruler of the Crimson Warfowl slowly looked down at the fist protruding through its chest. Its eye met Silas’s, and for the briefest moment, there wasn’t hatred. Only acceptance.
Then, its massive body dissolved, golden feathers drifting into the wind. Its flesh became pure mana, while its enormous six wings scattered across the sky like dying stars before fading into countless particles of light.
The ruler of this world had fallen.
[Boss Defeated!]
[Solar Tyrant Gallus Eliminated!]
[Quest Complete!]
[Calculating Rewards...]
[Max Level Increase!]
[Level 16 -> Level 20!]
[World Catalogue Updated!]
[New World Registered.]
[Mythological World Added.]
[New Cupid Weapon Components Detected.]
[Multiple Rewards Stored.]
[Hidden Quest Completed!]
[Go All Out]
[Reward: Weapon Card x3]
Silas landed quietly.
The colossal avatar behind him slowly crumbled into countless emerald threads before disappearing into the air. His breathing was heavy, his clothes were torn, blood staining his sleeves, but he smiled anyway.
"Worth it."
The system remained silent for several seconds.
Then...
[Congratulations...]
"That’s it?"
[Would you prefer a parade?]
"A little fanfare would’ve been nice."
[...]
[Congratulations with sparkles.]
Silas laughed. "Much better."
[Freak...]
"Chill, dude. I didn’t ask for this power, you know?"
[You love it. Heh!]
"I suffered for it. I was shot in the ass!"
[...]
He stretched before looking toward the gigantic green rift floating above the ruined world.
"Time to head home."
Without another word, he jumped into it. Earth.
The moment Silas emerged, icy air greeted him. His feet touched solid ground.
"Huh?"
The city had become a frozen masterpiece. Every Crimson Warfowl he could see had been transformed into an ice sculpture. Some were frozen mid-flight, others while charging. One remained suspended upside down after apparently attempting to peck someone.
They looked less like monsters and more like artwork displayed in an expensive museum.
"She really went all out." Silas couldn’t help but comment while shivering.
Several blocks away, a mountain of frozen chickens stood stacked together. Nearby, Gromda was casually dragging another frozen bird by one leg.
Alpha sat on top of a frozen truck, breathing heavily while eating potato chips he’d somehow acquired during the battle. Anna was healing exhausted Hunters one after another.
At the very center, Chloe stood quietly. Her white hair flowed gently despite the absence of wind. The entire street around her remained coated in shimmering frost.
The moment she sensed Silas, she turned, a relieved smile appearing on her face.
"You came back."
"I told you I would."
Before either of them could say another word...
"HE’S BACK!"
A reporter screamed. Like hungry wolves discovering fresh prey, dozens of news reporters immediately changed direction. Camera drones filled the sky. Microphones appeared from every conceivable angle.
"MR. ASHARD!"
"HOW MANY MONSTERS WERE INSIDE THE RIFT?!"
"DID YOU DEFEAT THE SOURCE?!"
"WAS THAT GIANT GREEN WARRIOR YOUR ABILITY?!"
"ARE YOU THE STRONGEST AWAKENED IN NEW LIBERTY?!"
"IS IT TRUE YOUR TAMED ORC FOUGHT BESIDE YOU?!"
"GROMDA! LOOK THIS WAY!"
"MISS CHLOE! WERE YOU THE ONE WHO FROZE THE ENTIRE DISTRICT?!"
"HOW DID YOU BECOME AN S-RANK?!"
Flash. Flash. Flash.
The cameras became a storm. Silas stared at them speechlessly, unsure of what to even say. The questions were overwhelming his brain.
He slowly turned toward Alpha.
"Run?"
"I STARTED RUNNING FIVE SECONDS AGO!" Alpha was already sprinting.
Silas immediately grabbed Chloe’s wrist.
"Gromda!"
The giantess understood instantly. She picked Anna up with one arm and tucked Alpha under the other like luggage.
"Hey! I have legs!"
"You are slow."
"I AM NOT!"
Silas laughed.
"Retreat!"
The five of them disappeared into the city just as hundreds of reporters gave chase, microphones raised like weapons.
Behind them, countless frozen chickens sparkled under the evening sun, standing as silent proof that a Rift Break capable of devastating an entire city... had been ended by a handful of pajama-clad teenagers, a supposedly tamed monster, and the head nurse of one of the top schools.
Far above, military helicopters hovered in stunned silence. Inside one of them, a general lowered his binoculars.
"...Someone tell me..."
He looked toward his equally speechless officers.
"...How the hell are we supposed to explain this in the official report?"