The Author's POV

'You're in my domain. So long as we're in here, I'll keep getting stronger and stronger. Whatever you do, it's futile.'

The clues were always there.

It was just that such an option wasn't really feasible. If the pillar crumbled, what would happen to those who were within the pillar?

It was a question that had plagued my mind since the very beginning and stopped me from doing the obvious.

That… however, only crossed my mind at the very beginning.

Reminding myself of what had happened to my family because of my indecisiveness and realizing that I had no other option, I realized what I needed to do.

It was as if something had snapped within me, and such questions stopped bothering me.

All I cared about at the moment was winning.

I wanted nothing more than to kill and satiate the numbness I was feeling.

'That's right. Who cares about what happens next… I'll solve nothing if I keep pondering over these matters... I can always deal with the aftermath of my actions later.'

Thus, I didn't think twice before channeling the laws within my body.

Boom—!

Crashing against the dunes beneath, I injected the laws beneath the ground as golden runes and words sank into the sand beneath before moving to another dune and repeating the process.

"Stop dodging."

A hand came and grasped at my throat.

When I looked up, I saw the Prince of Wrath staring menacingly at me with his crimson pupils.

His power was a lot higher than it was before, and it only kept increasing as the fight went on. I was no longer his match, but that was of no concern to me.

'I think that's enough.'

Cr...Crack!

Raising both of my hands, I twisted my neck, and my vision grew dark.

A sharp pain spread across my neck, sizzling down my back like a web of electricity.

My mana, along with the laws, depleted rapidly, and the tightness that I felt in my throat disappeared.

I wasn't exactly sure what had happened next. I couldn't really see or feel anything. It was just… dark and silent.

Eerily silent.

I wasn't sure how long it had been like that, but the sensation didn't last very long at all. My vision quickly returned, and I found that I was standing in the clouds.

The normal sky.

The one that belonged to Earth.

What remained of the pillar and the surrounding debris were scattered beneath me. They dispersed themselves across the land, wreaking havoc on the echo systems that were buried below.

It wasn't a pretty sight, but that was of no concern to me at the moment. Raising my head, my gaze paused on the Prince of Wrath.

Finally, I smiled.

you can

dark red hue that had been enveloping his body had completely vanished, and

strong, was a far cry from what it was

as he once did. In fact, without the constraints of the Pillar weighing me down, I discovered that I was becoming more

"Y.. you… you maniac."

said, his

really risk the lives of all those that were within the tower just to

what you wanted to

in front of my eyes. Sword in hand,

Clank—!

able to react to my movements. But it

the pillar supporting him, he was still considered to be

Still…

come

searing pain engulfed every part of

"Stop."

spoke, my voice sounded hoarse, but that was the last thing on my mind as the Prince's body came to a sudden stop in front

took that moment to point my sword at him, and the space around him shattered, revealing over a dozen sword

This time…

they managed

"Argh!"

a dozen sword projections materialized all over his body as he let out an agonized

had aimed them precisely so that they would all become lodged in his joints, stopping his every

step forward, I arrived before the Prince once

clenched and saliva was dripping down the side of his

my mind was even number as I reached out to grasp his

What are

tried to speak, but I wasn't interested in anything that

his head, and through

wanted to say to him at the moment, but when I tried to speak,

have time for such nonsense. I needed

And so I did.

"Goodbye."

Swoosh—!

past, the Prince's body scattered in the wind, revealing a small core that levitated in the air. Alongside it was a pitch-black orb

was my doing, and it had its uses as I brought

out for the core with my hand and

twisted the air around it, and the demonic blood that was within my body pulsed and writhed in response to the power that was hidden within

the core away and

looks like I've overdone

wounds

the laws with this body was simply… a

body was not fit to hold the

what choice did I have? I

"Ren."

me out of my thoughts, and when I turned my head, I caught sight

they've made it out alive

saw that. Destroying the Pillar was a reckless move, but I didn't do so

laws within my body, I was able to preserve the structure of the

inside was still alive. I could only

you alright? What happened

one to come

as she scanned my body from top to bottom, and on any normal occasion, I would've smiled at her, but I found myself unable to at the

"I'm alright."