Chapter 223: Clouds Gradually Dispersing, Will the Long Night Turn into Dawn?

When Edward swung the sword forged of pure radiance, the blade extended of its own accord. A dazzling arc of light followed the upward sweep, a manifestation of divine power that struck without hesitation against the cocoon of light that had bound the body of the God of Fear.

A miracle of the God of Light: The Sword of Dawn.

There was no thunderous roar. The blade of light sliced through the cocoon with a swift, gentle grace, as effortless as a ripple parting the surface of water. All the divine power that had formed the blade, along with that which had been trapped within the cocoon, poured directly into the God of Fear.

Like red flames consuming snow, the power of the Fear God dissolved within the endless tide of divine radiance. Dark, heavy smoke roiled in agony, twisting into grotesque shapes as it tried to flee the encroaching light, but it was held fast, its struggles futile.

With brilliance flashing in his pupils, Edward redoubled his strength, and the longsword cleaved the body of the God of Fear completely in two from crown to base.

The radiant blade dissipated into mottled specks of light, drifting upward toward the sky. A faint golden glow illuminated the firmament, which had been smothered by the god’s influence, and in the darkness, the light flickered with growing intensity.

Letting out a dying, illusory wail, the God of Fear attempted to draw terror from the city he had shrouded, hoping to mend the body split by the Sword of Dawn and eroded by the relentless influx of divine power.

Yet, he sensed only one soul—a dazzling spirit radiating golden light, firmly shielded by the power of the God of Light.

With the aid of that divine power, the soul had erected a barrier, bearing the erosion of the God of Fear to protect all other souls within the city’s reach.

The God of Fear could no longer draw even a sliver of strength from anywhere.

"It’s bright! The black things are gone. How beautiful... is it over?"

"The domain of the Fear God has dissipated. It is the power of the God of Light. Stay alert. Have the city guard and the royal garrison coordinate—clear the area from the outside in, check for any remaining enemies, and search for survivors."

"Understood! All squads, move out immediately. Search for survivors in the areas first touched by the Fear God to minimize the kingdom’s losses."

As the God of Fear vanished, the golden glow of the divine power that had flickered within his kingdom slowly faded. The citizens, feeling the joy of surviving a catastrophe, felt a spontaneous reverence for the God of Light take root in their hearts.

And, of course, they remembered the voice that had echoed in their minds when they were drowning in the sea of silence and suffocating terror: Edward Wolin. The name of the future Duke of the North was now etched into their memories.

The Night’s Edge did not slacken despite the settling dust; they reacted with swift efficiency to begin the post-battle cleanup. In this engagement, the Night’s Edge, the city guard, and the royal garrison had all suffered heavy casualties.

Meanwhile, the city center near the plaza was left in ruins, the economic losses incalculable. The massive hole leading to the Shadow City beneath the capital stood exposed, revealing the existence of the Shadow Realm to the common folk for the first time.

"Whoa, that was Edward, wasn't it? Incredible. An agent of the gods—sounds pretty impressive. I’m a little envious, but as his friend, I suppose I can bask in some of that glory."

Sharl emerged from the ruins of the Marquis of Enkai’s estate, looking toward the distant headquarters of the Night’s Edge, where golden radiance still bathed the sky.

He sighed with his usual lack of seriousness, though the hidden trace of exhaustion in his expression made him seem far more composed.

In his hand, he clutched a piece of parchment—a contract with the Smoke Demon. The demon had signed it willingly; if necessary, Sharl could summon it back from the depths of Hell, and it would not hesitate to aid a friend of its late partner, Shugin.

"That Smoke Demon is a peculiar creature, too. It possesses a personality and intellect so close to human, fundamentally different from those brutal, mindless demons. I wonder how it ended up hanging out with the Captain."

"Sigh, how am I supposed to tell Zig and the others about the Captain? I’m too weak. My abilities are still insufficient. 'One,' the path we have to walk is still so long. I have to work harder. The ideal of controlling one’s own destiny is still too far from reality."

Muttering to himself, Sharl clenched his fist and struck his own shoulder.

"Hmm."

Hearing the response of the devil "One" in the depths of his mind, Sharl ran toward the Night’s Edge headquarters. Regardless, things weren't entirely over; the intelligence revealed in the conversation between the Captain and Enkai contained too many things that could not be ignored.

Above his head, in the void, floated an hourglass with sand that had not yet fully drained—a Curio: The Chronos Hourglass.

It was the only legacy left by the Marquis of Enkai; everything else had been torn to shreds by the spatial rift created when the Hell plane collided with this one.

He had no intention of handing it over. Besides, as long as a Curio was held in one’s hand, it was impossible for others to know of its existence unless they killed the holder.

...

"Has no one come looking for you?"

Zig crouched before his sister, his brow furrowed as he questioned Noel about her experiences during the descent of the God of Fear.

"No, I’ve been staying here the whole time, with the boss. No one came for me."

Noel shook her head, looking a bit lost. Seeing her brother’s stern face, she felt a flicker of fear.

"Mr. Zig, no one has come looking for us during this time. Of course, the power of the Fear God did spread in, and we were dragged into that damned ocean. We truly don’t know what happened during that time, but unless someone came then, it’s impossible that anyone came looking for your sister."

The owner of the Echo Cabin stood by the bar, speaking earnestly to Zig. After the Night Church had returned Noel, Zig had entrusted her to the owner, a retired veteran of the Night’s Edge.

Confirming that Rudolph’s words were likely just a threat and that he hadn't actually held any leverage over Noel, Zig felt his heart ease, his expression softening.

However, he no longer intended to stay in the Kingdom of Alestler. He had deep feelings for this human kingdom where he had spent so much time, but when those people directed malice toward him and his kin, he could not tolerate even the slightest bit of it.

Not wreaking havoc before leaving was perhaps the last shred of decency he offered this kingdom, a result of the temperament he had learned while living among humans as a dragon.

"Noel, once I say goodbye to a few friends from the Night’s Edge, we’ll leave Alestler for somewhere else. You should still be in contact with those friends from the Night Church, right? Traveling with them would be a good choice, and with the protection of the Lady of Night, we won’t have to worry about being found."

Zig offered a gentle smile, stroking Noel’s red hair as he laid out his plans.

"Okay!"

Noel was delighted; she was happy to see her friends from the Night Church again.

"What’s this, leaving? Remember to come visit us old timers if you get the chance. After all, you looked just like this when I first met you, and your sister hasn't changed a bit. Look at us, hmm?"

The owner of the Echo Cabin listened to their conversation, baring a grin that revealed a few missing yellow teeth, his tone teasing as he pointed to his own thinning, white-streaked hair.

"I will. The time I spent in the Night’s Edge is truly one of the most memorable parts of my life."

Zig nodded. His disgust for Alestler stemmed from those who had cast malice upon him and his loved ones; it had nothing to do with these old friends. He and the Night’s Edge would likely remain friends forever.

The owner was satisfied with Zig’s words, though he knew well that for Zig, the lives of humans were ultimately too brief. The next time they met, it might not be in a tavern, but in a graveyard. But then, a promise was all he had asked for.

"Alright then. By the way, that Edward—he’s our Edward from the Night’s Edge, right? That kid is something else. To think he’s the son of the Lionheart King, and he saved the capital as an agent of the God of Light! His future is limitless."

Suddenly remembering, the owner, whose mood had shifted from relief to a touch of melancholy, grew excited again, waving a glass on the bar as he asked Zig.

"Yes, it’s him!"

Zig smiled in confirmation. He was also happy; Edward’s contribution this time was unprecedented. It was hard to imagine just how far this young knight, bolstered by the status of a Duke’s son, would go.

...

The body of the God of Fear gradually dissipated completely before Edward’s eyes. All struggle had become meaningless once the divine power of the Light had poured into his core and initiated a total disintegration.

Without soil to take root in, this god, capable of endless resurrection, would not reappear in Alestler, at least not in the near term.

"Hoo..."

Stabbing his longsword into the ground, Edward crouched down in exhaustion. He looked up at the sky, where the gloom had vanished and the light was returning. A strange sense of relief filled his heart. He had done it. The promises of the past, the responsibilities of a noble—he had successfully shouldered them all.

Fatigue welled up from his soul. Having borne the immense pressure of the God of Fear, his spirit was already riddled with holes. Though the divine power had mended them, the exhaustion had accumulated moment by moment.

His body swayed, his eyes closed, and he tipped to the side.

Fair, soft arms caught him. Miss Sufang the Cat-kin had arrived, bracing him before he could hit the ground. In the distance, several members of the Night’s Edge were running toward them from headquarters.

...

"It’s over?"

Wang Yu, standing in the middle of the ruined plaza, scanned the brightening city and spoke to himself.

He surveyed the surroundings; aside from the vast ruins created by the clash between the God of Fear and the Perfectionist, there were only corpses. This area was where the god had first descended, and the souls of the residents here had long since shattered under the prolonged erosion.

The new council members of the nobility who had attended the celebration were all dead. With this, combined with the victory in the war against Seovintan, the kingdom’s actual territory had expanded, and the distribution of those spoils would likely be even more troublesome.

"The more I think about this coincidence, the more wrong it feels. Troublesome. Better to retreat early and find Avia."

Wang Yu shook his head. He had no interest in the tangled web of politics. The matter was resolved, so he would leave early; he didn't want these unnecessary complications to drag him down.

He ran away from the plaza. Since the God of Fear had dissipated, there was no need to descend into the Shadow City through that massive hole. At that height, if something went wrong, he would fall to his death.

Running past the ruins, Wang Yu entered a section of the city where the buildings were still relatively intact. The surroundings remained deathly silent; clearly, even far from the site of the descent, the souls of mortals could not withstand the majesty of a god.

"Tap!"

Wang Yu’s sprinting footsteps came to an abrupt halt, his gaze turning cold as his ripples detected something amiss.

The concentration of magic and void energy in the surrounding space was rising at a sluggish pace, barely perceptible, yet impossible to hide from his ripples.

"Damn it, what is it this time..."