The Emperor of Mankind looked at the slashing strike heading toward him at tremendous speed.
He knew it was nearly impossible to escape it at this moment.
So, he did not try to flee.
Instead, he raised both hands toward the strike, condensing flame energy into them as much as he could.
"I will stop it right here!"
Flame energy surged from his hands and collided with the golden slashing energy.
And the moment the slashing strike touched his hands...
A massive explosion occurred!
The sky shook violently.
A wave of energy spread around the Emperor while he restrained the slashing strike with all his might.
The pressure was immense.
But the Emperor remained steadfast, using his full strength to prevent the slashing strike from reaching his body.
And while the Emperor was preoccupied with blocking the attack...
The mysterious figure sneaked up behind him.
Her movements were quiet and swift, and the Emperor did not notice her due to his complete focus on the slashing strike.
Suddenly...
A black dagger appeared in the mysterious figure's hand.
The dagger was laced with poison.
Then, without hesitation, she threw it at the Emperor.
Stab!
The dagger lodged itself into his back.
The Emperor's eyes widened.
And within a few seconds...
The poison began to spread throughout his body.
The Emperor quickly tried to suppress it, but he found himself facing two problems at the same time.
The golden strike was still pressing on him from the front...
And the poison was beginning to spread through his body from the back.
He tried to resist both together.
But his concentration wavered for a moment.
And that moment was enough.
The slashing strike slipped through his hands and shot directly toward his chest.
Boom!
The strike forcefully hit the Emperor's chest.
At the same time, the poisoned dagger remained embedded in his back.
The Emperor was knocked back in the air, finding it difficult to maintain his previous combat state.
He slowly lowered his head.
He looked down at Forn beneath him...
Then he looked at the mysterious figure behind him.
Dark blood spilled from his mouth, but he remained standing in the air.
Then he smiled a mysterious smile.
And said:
"Hah... Do you two think I would die like this?"
Then he raised his eyes toward the mysterious figure.
He pointed to the spear on the back of the six-winged horse she was riding.
And said:
"Where did you get that spear? Did you take it from my thieving daughter?"
He meant Gungnir.
He kept looking at her, waiting for an answer.
But the mysterious figure said nothing.
Silence prevailed for a few moments.
Then the Emperor of Mankind sighed and said:
"I had hoped you would answer that question before your death."
Suddenly...
Strange marks began to appear all over his body.
The marks spread visibly across his body, and his energy began to change.
The Emperor looked at her, then laughed.
"The poison is working in my body..."
He paused for a moment, then added:
"And the battles I fought before have exhausted me."
He raised his head.
Then a powerful smile appeared on his face.
"But I will not die."
And while Forn and the mysterious figure watched him...
His aura began to visibly change.
(Author's Note):
Hello everyone! Thank you for your continuous support of this novel; your comments and interactions mean the world to me.
Stepping away from our story here for a moment, I wanted to share another project I've been working on with great passion. I have started publishing a webtoon (comic) on the Webtoon platform titled "Me and the Wolf."
It is a [Comedy / Fantasy] story about a miserable young man and a cunning wolf who is constantly getting him into trouble! If you enjoy my writing style and the way I build scenarios, I promise you're going to love this comic.
I would be so grateful if you could go check it out, subscribe to the series, and let me know what you think in the comments there!
🔍 Search on the Webtoon app for: [Me and the Wolf]