NoveLight ™
As the uniformed Maw with rows of teeth opened its mouth wide, a blinding white flame surged throughout the narrow room lined with mirrors.
<Protect us!>
<Help us escape!>
Encased in a large water bubble, the Blue Reaper and the pink-haired girl were flung out of the room at high speed.
Boom!
Just as they managed to escape, the white flames engulfed the area around them.
The white Maw’s power, a flame that incinerates objects, spread rapidly.
The mirrors filled with countless stories were caught in the explosion and shattered into pieces.
They must have been precious records, now reduced to broken shards scattered across the floor.
Crack. Crack.
The sound of glass crunching underfoot echoed.
The uniformed Maw was slowly emerging from the room.
“Grrr…”
Once so intelligent-looking, the uniformed Maw now resembled a beast, losing its composure entirely.
The uniform was burned, and the Maw, now on all fours and covered in white flames, growled viciously.
It raised both hands wrapped in white flames and struck toward the Blue Reaper.
<A hundred walls of water to block the flames!>
Seeing this, the Blue Reaper unleashed all his strength, casting a powerful spell.
Although the water magic he summoned was pierced instantly, he managed to deflect the flames’ path.
Boom.
The massive strike intended for the Blue Reaper hit the building floor instead, and the impact caused the floor to collapse.
Everything in the building, weakened by the white flames, began to fall apart.
Walls and floors crumbled, and debris and white flames scattered everywhere.
Caught in the wave of destruction, the Blue Reaper lost consciousness.
...
Amid the sounds of burning flames, breaking glass, and collapsing debris, a small cough echoed.
In the underground rubble where nothing was clearly visible.
Cough, cough.
No...
When the Blue Reaper turned his head, he saw the pink-haired girl lying there with a hole in her abdomen.
The water bubble shield he created hadn’t been enough to protect her from the white flames.
<Please don’t die!>
<Heal all wounds!>
<Don’t lose consciousness!>
<Don’t be in pain!>
<Please, don’t suffer...>
With tears streaming down, the Blue Reaper kept writing message after message in the air.
But the white flames clinging to her wound resisted his healing attempts.
“Haha…”
At that moment, a dry chuckle escaped the pink-haired girl’s lips.
“Don’t cry.”
“This was as far as I was meant to go.”
<No!>
The Blue Reaper shook his head vigorously.
Watching him, the pink-haired girl gently stroked his head.
“There are no humans left in this tower anyway. I was the only survivor.”
“I really wanted to see the Academy… and become a great alchemist like Grandpa…”
With a sigh, she let out her last breath and slowly closed her eyes.
<Heal all wounds!>
<Heal all wounds!!>
<Heal all wounds!!!>
The Blue Reaper desperately kept writing the spell in the air, over and over.
But his magic could not reach the pink-haired girl.
This can’t be.
It can’t end like this.
The Blue Reaper threw his staff aside.
Then, opening his mouth slightly, he began chanting the spell.
[Heal all wounds!][Heal all wounds!][Heal all wounds!][Heal all wounds!][Heal all wounds!][Heal all wounds!][Heal all wounds!][Heal all wounds!][Heal all wounds!][Heal all wounds!][Heal all wounds!]
Each word he uttered created a pulse of magic.
Non-stop, he chanted.
And with each pulse, it felt as if a power was descending from above.
Far above, in the sky.
A radiant, white light shone down.
[Heal all wounds!!!!!!]
With a final, silent cry, the Blue Reaper’s body was enveloped in a blinding white flash.
Finally, his water magic pierced through the white flames and reached the pink-haired girl.
Her wounds vanished in an instant, and she began breathing with a peaceful expression, free from pain.
Thank goodness.
The Blue Reaper looked down at the pink-haired girl with a warm expression, then slowly turned his head.
“Grrr, grrr, grrr.”
There, the white Maw, its hideous mouth filled with teeth, was crawling toward him with a sinister grin.
I never disliked white Maws before…
But now, I think I’m starting to.
The Blue Reaper stepped forward, ready to protect the pink-haired girl.
In the ruins of the collapsed building, telepathic energy was conjuring magic.
[Ten spears made of water!]
Ten water-made spears appeared in the air and shot rapidly toward the Tooth Maw.
I’m getting stronger.
The Blue Reaper’s magic was growing more powerful and faster.
But even the strengthened magic evaporated upon contact with the white flames surrounding the Tooth Maw.
The Maw, realizing that the Blue Reaper’s attacks were ineffective, clicked its sharp teeth together with a mocking grin.
Click. Click. Click.
Then, cloaked in flames, the Tooth Maw charged toward the Blue Reaper, clicking its teeth menacingly.
<Protect us!>
A protective bubble thicker than usual surrounded the Blue Reaper, but the Tooth Maw easily broke through it.
Crunch.
As the Tooth Maw passed by, it bit off one of the Blue Reaper’s arms.
!!!
Click. Click. Click.
The Tooth Maw continued to click its teeth playfully, laughing with a cruel expression.
It hurts.
It hurts so much.
From the torn arm, blue life energy dripped like beads of water.
It’s getting colder.
The energy Mom gave me is disappearing.
His life force was dwindling.
But the Blue Reaper didn’t stop to heal his wound; instead, he let the energy flow and began casting his magic slowly, using his life force as ink.
Mom isn’t here.
In this distant dimension, my voice doesn’t reach.
But I won’t give up.
Even if it costs me my life, I want to protect my dear human…
The Blue Reaper, using his remaining arm, scooped up the energy from his severed arm and scattered it into the air.
Speaking to that energy, he began to create a spell.
With each word etched into the energy, a greater power began to descend from the sky.
It was a familiar force.
The Tooth Maw felt euphoric.
No, the world was filled with ecstasy.
The moment he consumed the Core, all restrictions were lifted.
He was free.
He was complete.
Though his body was twisting and warping, it felt like a blessing.
The agony that tore through his insides was perfectly fine.
Hehehehe.
The only downside was that his laughter, twisted by his warped body, no longer sounded as it used to.
But it didn’t matter.
He could now laugh with his new teeth!
Click. Click. Click.
The Tooth Maw, tormenting the weak Blue Reaper, clacked his teeth in delight.
Click. Click. Click.
Then, a soft golden glow began to emanate from the Blue Reaper, gradually growing brighter.
...!
It radiated an ominous presence, like a spider devouring the sun.
But the Maw wasn’t afraid.
He was now a more complete “Guardian!”
The Tooth Maw unleashed the white flames within him toward the Blue Reaper.
These flames would erase all traces of the human, the fallen human, and even the Blue Reaper.
Click. Click.
The Tooth Maw felt a twinge of disappointment as if it had ended too easily.
But only for a moment.
The Maw’s twisted mind soon filled with joy once again.
Just as he was about to move forward, hoping for greater destruction, he realized his limbs were frozen solid.
!!!
Then, a powerful telepathic voice echoed from the sky.
[Shatter all its legs into pieces!]
“Krreeek!”
With its elongated arms and legs shattered, the Tooth Maw let out a hideous scream.
Now, instead of Maw-like sounds, it emitted monstrous roars.
Before him, the Blue Reaper, now brimming with immense power, descended.
His skirt slightly shorter.
And his staff, now an odd shape.
The Blue Reaper looked down at the Tooth Maw, brought his mouth close to the staff, and unleashed a telepathic attack.
[Now, please die!]
Thunk.
In that moment, something within the Tooth Maw stopped functioning.
At the same time, he felt as if a filter covering the world had vanished.
And the excruciating pain within his twisted body, as if his innards were being shredded, became all too clear.
Ah, so this is how a Guardian who consumed the Core went mad.
This is the fate of a Guardian who lost his master.
As his vision dimmed, the sky split open, revealing a massive figure.
Initially a mere silhouette, the figure grew clearer.
Eight colossal legs like towering pillars.
Eyes shining black like minerals.
And a radiant halo atop its head.
The “Sun-Eating Spider,” who always resided on the highest floor, was appearing before him.
To the Tooth Maw, it seemed as if the halo’s light had dimmed somewhat.
In a clear, rippling pool of an otherworldly resort.
I was suddenly surrounded by statues calling me “Mom.”
Mom!
It’s Mom!
One by one, the statues began to dissolve into black liquid.
Like slimes, they squirmed and crawled.
They slowly crawled toward me, their two eyes shining white as they observed me, gradually taking on my form.
They began spewing out white firewood all over the ground.
Short limbs appeared, like those of a human.
Antennae sprouted as well.
Mom!
Mommy!
Now fully transformed into small Black Reapers, they began toddling awkwardly.
They came closer, rolling over, bumping into each other in their eagerness, and crawling on all fours.
When they finally reached me, the little ones hugged my ankles tightly, rubbing against me.
It’s Mom.
It’s really Mom.
I looked down at them blankly.
I’ve gained so many kids again.
Grumbling slightly, I gathered the Black Reapers and hugged them tightly.
The countless black statues had turned into Black Reapers, encasing me in a cocoon of Black Reapers.
Mom!
Mom, don’t go anywhere.
Mom will stay with us.
Mom is warm.
Mom doesn’t hit us!
Mom doesn’t eat us if we approach!
Mom is kind.
As I lay there, sharing my firewood with the Black Reapers, I noticed something strange at the edge of my vision.
Some of the black children were vomiting up something golden.
Could it be…?
Upon closer inspection, it was the remnants of the Golden-Mecha-Tyranno Armor.
...!
Oh no!
Mom is mad!
And in the resort, the voices of the Black Reapers echoed.