Chapter 625: Radiance's Giant
“Criminal of sin!” Baraechir swung his Longsword, unleashing a storm of Electric Bursts. The melodious Hymn began to play once more. The overwhelming Heavenly Power, which had surged like a mighty tide, now receded with the force of a retreating sea. Far away, the Destruction Storm gradually dissipated.
The crumbling Heaven shattered into countless fragments of Radiance, spiraling slowly toward Baraechir. In the end, a magnificent, opulent palace of silver and golden glory materialized behind him—Heaven’s Eternal Palace, forged from divine light and eternal order.
A night sky studded with stars stretched across thousands of meters, radiating a powerful Aura of Order, standing as an equal to Kai Xiusu’s Overwhelming Presence.
Baraechir flared his massive Wings behind him, drawing in the strength of Heaven’s Mountain. His Dark Purple eyes flickered with tiny sparks, his entire being pulsing with an Aura so dense it seemed ready to solidify. Behind him, countless Luminous Wheels spun in silent, eternal motion.
Each of those luminous wheels contained enough Heavenly Power to create miracles—divine edicts of order, born from the very fabric of Heaven.
This was not surrender. This was not defeat.
This was the moment when true worth was recognized. When the battle became real.
The earlier Heavenly Phenomena had been vast, majestic—grand in stature, yes—but more like a ceremonial procession, a glorious judgment delivered to subordinates. The spectacle had overshadowed the actual power.
But in the course of battle, the Lord of Silver Heaven had come to realize: the Emperor of the Ashen Flame was no ordinary sinner to be easily judged. He was a worthy opponent—worthy of every ounce of effort.
Gazing at the Red Dragon’s wild, triumphant grin, Baraechir knew—this was no longer a contest he could win easily. If this continued, he might lose.
As Lord of Silver Heaven, his pride and sense of divine superiority forbade him from being defeated by a mere mortal creature—even a dragon of such immense power.
“After nearly a millennium since the Abyss’s assault upon Heaven, you are the first enemy who has earned my full strength, Kai Xiusu. You should feel… unparalleled honor.”
Baraechir roared, his Wings flaring open like a storm of light. He raised his Luminous Silver Sword, and the Heavenly Power surged forth—coalescing into a Radiance Greatsword that spanned the sky, stretching a full kilometer in length.
[Heaven’s Sword]
The blade tore through space with a deafening roar, cleaving the air like a storm. A hurricane of divine energy followed in its wake, descending upon the Red Dragon with terrifying force.
“You should be the ones feeling honor!” Kai Xiusu bellowed, unfazed by fear. He spread his Wings wide and slammed them down. His colossal form surged forward with sudden acceleration, becoming a crimson afterimage trailing fire across the sky. With astonishing agility, he dodged the descending blade, then dove toward Baraechir and his allies like a comet.
Baraechir and the others knew—close combat with a fifty-meter-long Red Dragon would be suicidal.
He narrowed his gaze. With a swift, sweeping motion, he swung his Silver Sword. The thousand-meter-long Sword of Stars split the clouds apart, then reformed along the Red Dragon’s dive path, pursuing him.
Walter raised the Sun God’s Sword, and countless blades of light shot forth into the sky, converging on the dragon’s position.
Ancient Gold Dragon Titus struck the ground with his clawed hand, raising his Scepter. A dazzling Rainbow Light Wall erupted into the sky, blocking the dragon’s path.
“ROOOOOOOOAR!”
The Red Dragon roared, spewing forth a torrent of Dragon Flame. Under the precise control of an Elemental Master, the fire coalesced midair into a dozen identical Red Dragon Shadows—so perfect in form that for a moment, it was impossible to tell which was real.
Then, from each shadow’s claws, a stream of dark green Anti-Magic Rays shot out in unison—piercing through the Rainbow Wall as if it were mist.
Baraechir’s eyes flickered. He saw through the illusion. As Lord of Silver Heaven, he possessed the innate Spell-like ability of True Sight.
He gripped his sword with both hands and slashed toward the dragon’s true form. The stars within the blade erupted outward, shattering each of the Flame Avatars.
“Grrraaaah!”
With a swift, acrobatic twist, Kai Xiusu snapped his body sideways—his chest brushing the edge of the blade by mere inches. Walter’s face paled.
“How… how can he move like that?!”
He had fought powerful dragons before—Primordial Golden Dragons, Ancient Red Dragons. The larger the beast, the more clumsy its movements. That was a law of nature.
But this Red Dragon shattered every rule. With a body far larger than even the Primordial Golden Dragon, Kai Xiusu moved with a dexterity and agility rivaling that of the slender drakes.
“I’ll make you experience what true Strength looks like!”
Kai Xiusu roared, lunging forward with terrifying speed. His claws tore through the air, producing a spine-chilling crack that echoed like shattered bones. He had already cast Dragon Power, Iron Bones, and Bear’s Strength upon himself—though the effects were minimal given his size, they still offered a marginal boost.
The stench of sulfur and dragon power filled the air. Walter, realizing the danger, raised his Longsword and shield in preparation.
Titus let out a deep, echoing roar, raising his Scepter. The Ancient Gold Dragon summoned his innate spellcasting power. A barrage of dazzling sword beams and shimmering, multi-colored spell shields formed before him—but the Red Dragon’s claws tore through them like paper, ripping them apart, biting through them, leaving nothing behind.
Each of Kai Xiusu’s claws gleamed with a cold, unnatural light—infused with the effects of Decapitation Blade and Spellbreaker Blade. They could obliterate any spell effect with a single touch.
“Evil Dragon!” Baraechir roared, one of his Luminous Wheels exploding open behind him. A blinding light erupted, forming a hundred-meter-wide Radiance Wing that enveloped his allies.
“You think this will stop me?!”
Kai Xiusu slashed downward with his claw. Feathers burst into the sky like petals in a storm, fluttering down—but the divine Wings were torn apart, a massive chunk ripped away.
“SWISH—”
Then, in an instant, the hundred-meter wings snapped open wide, unleashing a gale of pure Order-force. The wind struck Kai Xiusu like a physical blow, hurling him backward. Dozens of golden feathers pierced his body—embedding into his scales, drawing blood that flowed like molten lava.
The feathers, infused with Heavenly Power, were like needles of light. They pierced through the Red Dragon’s protective spells and even pierced his tough scales.
Kai Xiusu wiped the blood from his chest. His pale golden eyes flickered with surprise.
He… was hurt?
Baraechir raised his silver Longsword. The remaining Luminous Wheels spun faster, blazing with stars and radiance. A radiant Aura of Justice spread across the entire battlefield.
A thunderous voice echoed through the sky:
“Who gave you the audacity… to defy Heaven? To challenge Justice and Order? And—”
The light coalesced midair, forming a giant with wings spanning hundreds of meters.
The giant wore a Crown of Glory, wielded a Stellar Sword that stretched across a kilometer, and had countless Luminous Wheels floating behind him. His Aura was so overwhelming, so divine, that he resembled the true Avatar of a god.
At this moment, Baraechir had summoned every ounce of Heavenly Power he could wield in the Material Realm. He was no longer just a lord—he was the living Avatar of Silver Heaven.
And his true form resided within the chest of the radiant giant. His gaze, cold and unyielding, fixed upon the Red Dragon.
“Fight me.”
“By Amanata…”
“The Gods…”
On the ground, the soldiers fell to their knees once more, whispering prayers. To them, Baraechir was no longer a celestial being—no, he was a god incarnate. The sheer magnitude of his presence was indistinguishable from a true deity descending from the heavens.
And the Crown of Glory on his head had its own power—radiating dazzling light. Those whose minds were weak would feel an instinctive, heartfelt submission to him.
Kai Xiusu stared at the sacred form of Baraechir, then glanced down at the blood on his claw. A faint, euphoric smile touched his lips.
“Giant form? You think you’re the Light’s Titan? Hmph. Anyone can do that. But at least now… this battle has become interesting.”
The Red Dragon roared again, flaring his wings. Flames of dragonfire wrapped around his body like a cloak, then he dove downward. The wound on his chest had already healed seamlessly.
Baraechir raised his Stellar Sword high and brought it down once more. From the heavens, a cascade of sacred beams descended—lightning-like, divine, relentless.
[Holy Light Strike]
Kai Xiusu danced through the sky with incredible speed, weaving through the attacks with precision. He seized an opening—lunged, and bit down hard into the giant’s arm.
“SPINESSSS—”
The flesh of the divine construct—made of pure Heavenly Power—ripped apart under his teeth. His maw, a gaping black hole, greedily devoured the flowing Order-force. The giant’s arm was left with a massive, gaping wound.
“Damned Evil Dragon! How dare you defile the Lord of Silver Heaven!” Baraechir roared in fury, feeling the loss of his Primordial Source Strength.
He unleashed an even fiercer assault—lightning blades, falling meteors, rain of stars, thunderbolts—every form of divine power erupted across the sky, their brilliance so intense it threatened to blind the onlookers.
And yet, even as he fought, his own wounds healed visibly before their eyes, thanks to his innate Group Healing Spell.
But Kai Xiusu, with his unmatched speed and the ability to traverse space through the Flame Dimension Gate, dodged with uncanny precision. He was a hunter—patient, calculating. Once he found a flaw, he struck with terrifying speed: a dive, a bite, a slash—then vanished, never lingering, never taking unnecessary risks.
Walter and Titus attempted to set up a siege, but the Red Dragon anticipated every trap. They were left battered and bleeding, unable to land a single blow.
Baraechir, furious, hurled a heavy Spell Chain into the air. The space around him sealed instantly.
Dimensional Anchor!
“Baraechir, watch out!” Walter screamed in panic—but it was too late.
In the brief moment of casting, Kai Xiusu had already moved. He struck from behind, his claw piercing through the golden Wings. The tip of his claw burned with Chaos Flame—utterly destructive. With a brutal twist, he tore the massive wing apart.
The hundreds-of-meters-long wing split open, revealing jagged wounds. Flames of dark red burned along the edges—terrifying, unnatural.
“Unforgivable!” Baraechir roared, his voice shaking the sky. Though his wings regenerated visibly, each second of battle drained his strength in the Material Realm.
The Red Dragon’s mocking laughter rang through the air:
“Embrace the Real World! Sacred Fedran is dead. And the Empire of Ashen will be the foundation of the New Order!”
Walter watched the dragon circling high above, his heart heavy with anxiety. Fear, anger, despair—each emotion clawed at his mind.
He knew: if Baraechir fell, he and Titus would die. The Northern Aether would be conquered. Sacred Fedran’s legacy would be devoured by greed.
But in the clash between two beings at the pinnacle of the Material Realm, Walter and Titus were powerless. They could only offer minor spell support—sometimes even needing Baraechir’s distraction to survive.
The sense of helplessness was crushing.
Once the proud “Wings of Fadalan,” the self-proclaimed guardian of the Empire… now he could only watch helplessly as the fate of the realm was decided by others. He was nothing but a spectator in his own people’s war.
He looked up at the roaring dragon, his golden eyes flickering with doubt.
Maybe… I can change the outcome of this war.
But it will cost me everything… my Life Force.
As a fortunate one blessed by Amanata, every Divine Offspring carried within them a Sun’s Divine Essence—a sacred flame that sustained their immortality. It was the source of their eternal life.
But they could also choose to unleash it—igniting a final, cataclysmic power. A Spell-like Ability beyond the Ninth Circle: [Day of Extinction].
Yet such power was reserved for the rarest of souls. In the entire history of Sacred Fedran, only a handful had ever used it.
Walter closed his eyes. He remembered the day decades ago—the grand ceremony, the old Emperor placing the sword upon his shoulder, bestowing upon him the status of Divine-Blooded Noble. The divine light descended from the heavens.
He knelt, bathed in sunlight. Banners flew. The people of Fadalan screamed in joy.
He opened his eyes, resolve hardening.
“Fadalan Empire… is everything to me. It’s time… to give my life for it.”
“ROOOOOOOOOOAR!”
The dragon’s roar shattered his thoughts.
Titus raised his Scepter once more, casting another spell at the sky, then turned to Walter, his face dark with fury.
“Duke Walter! This is a battlefield! What in the name of the Gods are you doing?!”
“If Baraechir hadn’t sacrificed his strength to protect you, you’d be dead!”
Baraechir had expended an entire Luminous Wheel to create a spherical Shield around them—buying them precious, fleeting seconds of invulnerability.
Walter said calmly, “Forgive me, Titus. Baraechir. I was lost in thought. Let’s proceed with our final plan—raise the battlefield to ten kilometers in altitude. If I can… I might be able to end this dragon in a single strike.”
For a moment, both Titus and Baraechir turned to him in shock. They knew the cost.
The final plan—sacrificing one’s Life Force.
Walter gripped the Longsword engraved with the Sun God’s Sigil. His voice was firm, resolute. A light burned in his eyes—unusual, intense.
“Don’t worry. The people of Fadalan will remember me.”
Silence fell between them. Neither spoke. Neither tried to stop him.
Because they both knew.
This Divine-Blooded Noble had made his choice. He would give his life—his very soul—to kill this terrifying Red Dragon and secure victory.
It would be his final gift to the Holy Fedran Empire.
But Duke Walter did not know… that his decision—his sacrifice—had already been discovered. His plan, laid bare, was now fully known to the enemy.
And beside him, the Ancient Gold Dragon Titus let slip a barely visible smile.
(End of Chapter)
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