LOTM: Seekers

60. Ex...

Neph was the first to react, swiftly moving toward the source of the disturbance.

The pressure radiating from it far surpassed anything a Transcended (Saint rank) could possibly emit. This was something beyond.

The abomination tree. The one that had enthralled them, made them forget the notion of escape, and bound them to this place for the rest of their lives, destined to serve as guardians… or emergency sustenance.

That towering, monstrous tree—once thought incapable of speech or sentience—now seemed to be screaming in terror. The entire trunk quivered, as though the colossal, immobile organism was trembling from a primal fear it could neither contain nor understand.

When she arrived at the center, she found Sunny already there—though he hadn't been able to approach any closer. He must had sensed the same pressure as her, but something blocked his way toward the source.

A ring of white flame encircled the heart of the area, burning with an intensity that suggested it would never be extinguished—not until its purpose was fulfilled. It blazed like a divine judgment, pure and unwavering.

Sunny, attuned to shadows, had no choice but to keep his distance. That flame wasn't just light—it was annihilation. One misstep, and he could be reduced to nothing or so that's what he felt.

At the center of the circle stood a young man—the one they knew so little about, yet had traveled alongside them. His blond hair was engulfed by white flames, giving it the illusion of silver. His face, already above average, now appeared delicate—subtly feminine, yet undeniably powerful.

But it was the aura He radiated that truly stunned Neph. It was a power beyond anything she had ever witnessed—so overwhelming that if her grandfather were here to witness it, he might feel too ashamed to even call himself the Immortal Flame.

Cassie's silhouette could be seen on the opposite side, though—like Sunny—she couldn't get any closer.

Neph, who shared a faint affinity with the power at play, was the only one able to approach the ring of flames. But just as she was about to step forward, a voice stopped her.

"Stop. Just watch from there~"

He winked playfully at her.

A strange chill ran down Neph's spine—not from fear. If it had been Sunny doing that with his perpetually tired, shadow-ringed eyes, she might have drawn her sword on reflex.

Thankfully, the young man's annoyingly good looks softened the blow.

Meanwhile, the furious cries of the Soul-Devouring Tree echoed through the air, yet no one could cross the boundary of flame.

Only Neph stood close enough to see it all unfold—like she had been granted a front-row seat to something otherworldly.

She noticed a weapon in his right hand—not the familiar scythe he usually wielded, but a sword seemingly forged from pure white flame.

He raised it above his head, pointing it directly at the Soul-Devouring Tree.

In the span of a few seconds, an overwhelming pressure—something that felt as though it could dominate everything in existence—began to concentrate within him, flowing steadily into the sword like a tidal surge drawn to its edge.

Then He brought the sword down.

In that moment, it was as if space and time itself cracked—the entire world seemed to freeze for a heartbeat. The slash cleaved through the towering tree with ease, leaving its massive form engulfed in white flame.

But that wasn't the end.

The arc of the slash continued skyward, as though trying to split even the sun in two.

Yet midway, its brilliance began to fade. The power dwindled, unraveling into the air.

Because... it had reached the limits of its host.

'EX…CALIBURRR!!' I shouted from behind the scenes watching what Uriel did with my body.

Sorry—I couldn't help myself after seeing what Uriel just did.

The Demon-like Judge of Fire expresses concern for your well-being.

The Demon-like Judge of Fire also inquires about the nature of 'Excalibur'.

Forget it.

There are just days like this—for us boys.

But damn... my whole body felt like it was breaking apart. However you really did have a beef with that sun, huh? If it wasn't because of my capability She might have cleaved the sun apart by now. But that also means She could have preserved her power to just cut the tree and I won't have to be in this half-step away from breaking apart. 

Ritualistic magic—definitely as dangerous as they say.

I barely had time to curse before darkness claimed me and I lost consciousness.

***

I woke up, acutely aware of my fragile body. It ached as if it were made of sugar glass—so delicate that the slightest touch could shatter it completely.

Lying there and staring up, I noticed the massive canopy that once shrouded the Ashen Barrow was gone. But I didn't question whether I was still there; the aftermath of Uriel's strike was unmistakably shown before my very eyes.

The majestic Soul-Devouring Tree now resembled nothing more than a blackened, halved broccoli—split cleanly in two but still standing upright, a grim testament to the battle it had endured. It was only a matter of time before it vanished without a trace.

The moment she descended upon my body, I caught a fleeting glimpse of her—long, wavy platinum hair cascading gently, a petite figure framed by pure white angel wings spread behind her back. Her emerald green eyes shone with an innocence so profound, she looked far cuter and purer than I had ever imagined.

"Which also means," I muttered to myself with a smirk, "her wickedness is well hidden beneath that purity."

As expected, the name I'd given her—the Wicked Amidst Pureness.—couldn't have been more fitting.

"Chris? Are you awake?" Cassie's voice called softly as she slowly came into my view and sat beside me, carefully checking over my body. "Are you alright?" she asked, concern evident in her tone.

"Yeah… just tired. My body feels like it's breaking apart, but there won't be any lasting injury," I repeated what Uriel had told me the moment I woke up.

"Huu," I heard her sigh in relief. "Thank you," she muttered softly. Then, as if overwhelmed, she repeated it again, her voice trembling like she was about to cry. The raw sincerity of her gratitude caught me off guard—I wasn't quite sure how to respond.

"Nah, aren't you the one who warned me beforehand?" I said, trying to brush it off like it was nothing.

"Even so… this means a lot to me, in many ways," she replied, her gratitude even more heartfelt. It seemed she had regained the memories the tree had stolen, which was good news—it probably meant the same for the other two as well.

"So, you did remember how you disturbed my sleep was that night, right?" I asked again, seeking confirmation.

Cassie, who had been about to argue, stopped halfway. "U… un," she nodded reluctantly.

"You forgot before, so I couldn't really blame you. But now that you remember… kehehe, just you wait to receive the punishment of disturbing someone's sleep.."

Just as Cassie was about to explain herself, she suddenly paused.

"Chris… you can't move right now, can you?" she asked, a hint of mischief hiding behind her usual angelic smile—like a devil lurking beneath. I succeeded in changing her mood but…

"Ahaha, I'm just joking. Of course, that was an emergency situation, I understand, so it's fine—wait, Cas, let's talk this out," I said, a cold sweat trickling down my spine despite the chilly air.

"Hehehe," she chuckled, her smile brighter than ever.

"Cas? Wait—Cas?!"

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I'm changing Uriel's third verse from"The wicked concealed within its purity."to"The Wicked Amidst Pureness." What do you guys think? Better or worse?

it just felt more poetic for an epithet or Honorific name