Hunter Academy’s Battle God

Ultra had made all sorts of preparations for the battle.

'Oh... Sardonyx is showing interest in the Korean student?'

Rather than fighting, they were hugging each other. The subjugation that had turned desperate after two rank 7 hunters were put out of action began flowing in a weird direction.

'This is a good sign.'

The tides of battle had changed, and Ultra wasn't the only one who came to that realization.

'Even if it only buys us some time, it will be beneficial...!'

Shoichi put away his sword and backed off. He was willing to put his life on the line for Sardonyx's subjugation, but there was no need to risk his life for nothing if they could buy time without any sacrifices.

'This...?' Adela was worried that Sardonyx might attack YuSung, but Eliza grabbed her shoulders and gave her an order.

"Adela, let's back off at the moment."

Although Sardonyx wasn't showing any animosity, the mana pouring out of her was so hot that it could make even rank 6 hunters feel irritated.

'To think that she can transmit heat through mana... As expected of a rank 7.'

The core of the subjugation was the guardian god of the Yalu River, Unsa, and the deer that grew up eating the leaves of the World Tree, Duraþrór.

'Since Rosa isn't here, if things go wrong and Sardonyx uses its breath, we could all die.'

Eliza wasn't sure what was going on, but she thought giving YuSung an opportunity was the best thing they could do.

Sardonyx opened her mouth. Instead of fire, sweet words flowed out.

"Taru... you came to search for me by yourself?"

'I don't have memories of anything like that.'

YuSung didn't have Taru's memories. He wasn't sure if he was really Taru's reincarnation or not, and there was no way for him to prove anything. He was just someone who looked like Taru.

- Only you can save Sardonyx.

Crupeus had asked YuSung to play the role of Taru.

- Since she has opened her eyes, my voice will soon disappear.

- I'll ask it one last time… Please, save her.

A choice was given to YuSung.

The key to making the subjugation successful wasn't with the out-of-commission rank 7 hunters or the rank 6 mentors. Rather, it was all in YuSung’s hands.

Seeing YuSung’s serious expression, Sardonyx once again asked, "Taru...?"

Instead of asking him as a dragon, she was asking him as a partner.

He thought about it briefly and gave a short answer. "Yes."

Why was Taru important in an immortal dragon like Sardonyx’s life? YuSung recalled Lepina’s life that he’d witnessed through Crupeos.

He wasn't sure about Taru's life, but he knew Lepina's.

That's why he could guess what answer Lepina, not Sardonyx, was waiting for.

"Lepina..."

He spoke the name only the people who'd known Sardonyx back when she’d first descended on Earth knew.

Sardonyx's blank expression instantly distorted into a mixture of happiness and sadness.

Mana leaked out of Sardonyx's body, and the image of her past was recreated. The surroundings turned into a forest, and Sardoynx took the form of Lepina. No one besides YuSung and Sardonyx existed there. On top of that, leaves drifted from the trees in the Spring weather. Spring was the season Taru used to like the most.

"Taru, Taru..."

Sardonyx hadn't forgotten anything when it came to Taru.

"I'm sorry, I'm late, right...? I… as I promised... I kept looking for you. We made a promise, after all," she said, tears streaming down her cheeks.

She had fought all by herself to keep her promise to find him, no matter where he was or what form he took.

‘What did Sardonyx want to hear from Taru?’ YuSung thought.

"I missed you."

"Yes. I've missed you too..." Sardonyx was at a loss for words. Dragons weren’t too different from humans when it came to such things.

Just like humans, they also missed people and suffered from loneliness. They had to endure lives close to eternity without receiving consolation or being able to heal from their wounds.

Rather than being a remedy, maybe Taru was closer to a poison for Sardonyx. Hadn’t the warmth he made her feel caused her to thaw from her eternal winter?

'That’s a dumb thought...' YuSung cast aside such thoughts.

[How about that…? Will you follow me?]

YuSung remembered the rainy day when his master spread his warm hand toward him.

Although the process and result differed, he'd also gone through something similar to what Sardonyx had. Forgetting that warmth when you felt cold inside was impossible.

Finding a partner was probably like finding a needle in the middle of a desert for Sardonyx. He understood why she was so focused on the past.

"Lepina, thanks for not giving up and for keeping your promise. Thank you..."

Crupeos was right.

Even if he wasn't Taru, YuSung could save Sardonyx. Even though the opponent was a rank 7 boss who was called a catastrophe, she was, in the end, a poor girl who'd been searching for her first love for close to an eternity.

"Taru..."

Sardonyx made a mysterious smile and kissed YuSung on the lips.

Following Sardonyx's emotions, the sun shone, and the leaves drifted around them.

Sardonyx smiled brightly at YuSung.

"Did you forget everything after reincarnating? Don't worry. Even if you forgot everything, I remember it all."

Time was pointless in the world she had created. An eternity could pass in the real world and be nothing but an instant there, and the opposite was also true.

* * *

* * *

YuSung heard Crupeos’s voice after he’d spent a week within the illusory world.

- You're a kind person.

At the same time, Sardonyx smiled at YuSung.

"Taru... thanks," she said in a soft but serious tone, "You're very kind."

She spoke as if she knew everything already. After kissing him, she let out a soft breath.

'This...'

Sardonyx was emitting her mana, which was her very life and being.

[You have obtained Sardonyx's Fragment - (Sardonyx's Piece).]

[Crupeos's promise has been fulfilled. Her fragment has been unlocked.]

[You've obtained all of the fragments besides Incarnation Ignis's fragment.]

[Your body's capabilities and mana have increased thanks to Sardonyx's Fragment.]

'All of the fragments...?'

Sardonyx was the master of the Avatars. If they were her fragments, it wouldn't be weird if he absorbed them all, but why at that moment?

YuSung looked into Sardonyx's eyes, surprised at the unexpected development of events.

"So you already knew."

"Yes." Sardonyx smiled at YuSung.

"You lost your memories, but you’re still able to console me. Taru, you're as kind as ever."

Sardonyx swayed in the wind blowing over the field.

"I know... I was probably summoned here because of my selfishness."

Sardonyx had been able to keep her promise of finding Taru, and she’d felt her connection with Earth fade after that.

"I could’ve stayed for at least another year with this mana, but…" She gave him a happy smile. "But I want to give my strength to you and your kind soul, though I wasn’t able to recover Ignis's fragment..."

That was probably because of Rebellion.

YuSung gave her a calm look. "Sardonyx, don't you regret having made that promise?"

Sardonyx smiled and made an expression as if she thought it was a dumb question.

"No..."

Sardonyx's body slowly began to turn into particles of light from the tips of her fingers and scatter away.

"I don't regret it."

Sardonyx gave him a reaffirming smile, and as YuSung also smiled at her, a red light entered the palms of his hands.

'I see...'

Was that also the path of a strong hunter that his master had talked about?

Each hunter’s goal and strategy were different, so maybe there wasn’t a set answer.

What was truly important was…

'What’s left behind...'

What Taru left to Sardonyx, what Sardonyx left to YuSung, what his master—the Fist King—left to him, and the things he'd given and received from SiWoo, Sumire, EunAh, and Amy, his party members.

Swoosh-

YuSung raised his head and basked in the sensation of the wind passing through his hair. Since Sardonyx was gone, her illusory world started to slowly crumble.

Although it was the end for those who had departed, it was a new beginning for those left behind.