Chapter 29: Why are you stopping here!

“[This is… this is preposterous!]”

Keliata screamed, soaring high into the sky.

Yujin stared intently at its figure, fluttering like a cloak against the night sky. Bathed in the blue flames, Keliata seemed to be burning.

“[How… how did you light the Holy Fire!]”

Its voice crackled and distorted, like static on a broken radio.

“A burning ember always remains in my heart, ready to ignite. My hope and will are its kindling.”

-Oh…
-This line is actually pretty cool lol;
-I might be falling for her?
-Ah… I promised myself I wouldn’t become ‘sincere’ again…
-Hope and will are kindling; Ugh, cringe lol

Yujin replied calmly, unfazed, and swung her arm. The blue flames consumed the white light, and a blade of wind tore through the darkness, hurtling towards Keliata.

“[To wield the power of a mere fragment with such mastery!]”

Keliata thrust its hands forward.
A dark, alien darkness spread out, attempting to swallow Yujin’s attack, but it only managed to block it.

“[Hmph… This is rather disconcerting.]”

Keliata groaned.

-We agree, sensei…
-Huh… Why does this make sense…?
-Have I become ‘sincere’ too…
-I can’t keep up with what’s happening;
-Ah lol Hidden route, remember? lol

The viewers shared the sentiment.
From the moment Yujin’s second stream began, they hadn’t been able to process anything easily.

-How did she even use the Holy Fire?
-She didn’t use an Ember; she didn’t even get one ㅇㅇ
-Is that also a function of the fragment? This is so unfair, damn it;
-Is stealing it from a boss the same as being ‘acknowledged’ by it, you idiots lol
-So who is Keliata?
-That thing flying in the sky lol;

[Holy Fire] was a powerful concept within Eftarel Verden.

The idea of igniting a fire with souls as kindling, though clichéd, resonated deeply.

It was not only a major part of the storyline, but there were areas inaccessible without lighting a [Holy Fire] of a certain size.

Bosses were the same.
Yujin could unleash her full power in the [Cemetery of Rest] because she had the [Holy Sword fragment], but others couldn’t.

Without skills or equipment that could damage souls or defend against mental attacks, entering the [Cemetery of Rest] was practically impossible.

Moreover, to damage intangible enemies, one needed to ignite the soul-burning flames, the [Holy Fire].

There were three known ways to ignite and utilize the [Holy Fire]:

Asking Anastasia.

Defeating a boss.

Using a consumable item.

But now,

Whoosh—!

Yujin, having ignited the [Holy Fire] without using any of those methods, was about to add a fourth.

-This is seriously mind-boggling;
-One thing’s for sure, we can’t predict anything anymore ㅇㅇ
-Every time she does something, it defies expectations, just like my stocks
-Hero coin to the moon lol
-Those blades of wind are terrifying; How does she even do that?
-This fragment can do anything lol
-Who needs the Holy Sword lol? Just the fragment is enough~
-Get acknowledged by Mobidik if you’re jealous lol

The battle raged on, regardless of the viewers’ reactions.

Yujin’s eyes narrowed,
Her mind calming.

‘…There’s definitely a way.’

It was a game, after all.
Reminding herself of this, Yujin moved. Since Keliata was a boss, it must have patterns and phases.

As if to prove her point,

[…Damn it, I’m done playing around.]

-That line’s here lol
-Huh… Why does that sound familiar lol?

Keliata muttered.
Yujin chuckled and replied,

“Those who say that usually aren’t much to worry about.”

-Like player, like boss
-Don’t talk too much… It makes you look weak
-Give it your ‘all,’ Keliata!
-So who is Keliata, anyway?
-Everyone’s corrupted lol

Keliata’s hazy form solidified. The viewers, who had struggled to see it clearly against the night sky, could now see it without any obstruction.

-Oh, I can see it better now
-It’s like watching a movie;
-This feels like Phase 2 ㅇㅇ
-What did she even do in Phase 1 lol;

Yujin leaped backward. A dark sphere emerged from Keliata’s palm, floated in the air, and then unleashed a massive vertical storm.

-Holy crap
-The magic I knew is…?
-This is Phase 2? lol Are you serious?
-Oh right, this is Lunatic lol
-Are hidden routes always like this?
-The pattern seems simple, but it must be terrifying to actually face it lol;
-The Hero facing that in first-person…

“[Take this!]”

The storm didn’t stay in place.
Consuming the surrounding darkness and the enemies in the cemetery, it grew in size and rapidly advanced towards Yujin.

The earth churned.
Those buried beneath were dragged into the storm without resistance, and uprooted crosses flew through the air at terrifying speeds, distracting Yujin.

The roar assaulted her ears.
Yujin frowned slightly and tightened her grip on the fragment.

She looked as if she was praying. Surrounded by blue flames, she appeared even more divine.

Inhale, exhale—.

Yujin took a deep breath to steady herself.

‘Can I reach it?’

She had to.
She stared back at Keliata, who was watching her intently from the sky.

“[Give up!]”

Keliata drew more darkness from the night sky. Black lightning struck the storm, increasing its size, and now two storms blocked Yujin’s view.

“[A mere mortal, how do you intend to resist?!]”

-That bastard’s serious too;
-She’s already been tempered as a Hero lol
-I’ve given up resisting and accepted it…
-Heeuh…
-Ugh, cringe;

Yujin sprinted.
Seeing her dodging the storms, the viewers felt a growing sense of unease rather than anticipation.

“[There is no rest in this world! In this place where everyone has succumbed to despair, what can you possibly do!]”

-Wow, the scale is insane
-This isn’t a matter of easy or hard lol
-There’s no way to attack it?
-Even her blades of wind are getting blocked;
-This is seriously messing with my emotions lol I’m so anxious, but also excited;
-Are we being conditioned lol

While Yujin’s previous feats had offered a glimmer of hope, now there seemed to be no way out.

Even with the [Holy Fire] providing a means of resistance, it seemed impossible for her attacks to reach Keliata, who was unleashing magic of an unimaginable scale from the sky.

The storms began to subside. Burning the falling debris with her flames, Yujin searched for Keliata.

It was still in the sky.
Yujin assessed her own condition. Surprisingly, she was growing breathless, and the intensity of her flames was diminishing.

Moreover…

‘…Tsk, clinging stubbornly.’

-Huh?
-What’s wrong with her?
-Idk, she looks tired
-Well, that’s understandable ㅇㅇ;
-If it’s a Necromancer, wouldn’t it be using curses? Even the Banshees can cause auditory hallucinations without the right skills lol

Even the sword in her hand was trembling.
The cemetery was undoubtedly Keliata’s domain. Yujin was the intruder, and Keliata’s curse was steadily draining her health.

“[I suggest you give up.]”

Keliata, conjuring black flames in its right hand, said with a faint smile.

Yujin questioned herself.
But, so what?

As if to calm her mind, she murmured to herself, and the Holy Fire’s intensity diminished further. But conversely, her physical strength was slowly recovering.

“[You still refuse to give up?]”

The holy power that vanquished evil,
The Holy Fire, was burning away the curse afflicting her. Yujin opened her eyes, her gaze blazing blue.

“Yes.”

“[You intend to bring more despair to a world already consumed by it? Everyone has given up, what are you even fighting for…!]”

-Keliata, my man…
-The story is pretty depressing lol
-Does the symbol of hope look like a joke to you?
-But wasn’t the protagonist supposed to despair in the original story?
-Hidden route, dude lol
-What will the Hero’s answer be?

Yujin faltered.
She opened her mouth to speak, then hesitated, her lips trembling as she finally uttered,

“Will. And…”

At Keliata’s cry,

Yujin,
Spoke the answer she always held in her heart,
The answer she never let go of, even when everyone else despaired, the answer she always gave.

“—Because hope exists.”

—Because I cannot forgive you.

She added, taking a deep breath.

-Kyaa!
-The lines connect so perfectly lol This is so entertaining~
-‘Hope!’
-Ashilis! Ashilis! Ashilis! Ashilis!
-What did Keliata even do wrong…?
-So who the hell is Keliata? Why are you the only one who knows, you btch;
-Is this Hero btch a game dev or something? No one could clear this, so they’re doing it themselves lol

Keliata raised both hands.
A wave of enemies surged forward from all directions.

Dodging a Dullahan lunging from the side, she lowered her sword, as if to carve a line into the earth.

Bending her knees and lowering her stance, she unleashed a flash of light, a diagonal slash from lower left to upper right, twisting the bodies of six undead, including the Dullahan.

Splat—!

The sword strike unleashed a ferocious roar. The blade wind scattered, shredding the Banshees’ screams and dissipating the shadows of the Reapers lurking in the darkness.

A spear and an axe flew through the air. Yujin responded with a blade wind and then looked at the incoming projectiles.

There was nowhere to grip them.
Covered in blood and flesh, the rotting metal was lifeless.

Yujin deflected the axe.
Simultaneously, she reached out and caught the spear.

-She caught it?
-I thought something was flying, but it was a spear lol
-Can you catch that barehanded?
-Huh? What’s she doing?
-Uh lol?

The viewers’ surprise at her catching the spear without any skills or equipment was short-lived.

Whoosh—!
The raging Holy Fire flowed from her arm, consuming the spear shaft. The rust vanished, and the metal regained its vitality.

-As expected of the Holy Fire;
-Truly versatile lol
-That’s the flame of hope for a reason;

Yujin transferred the Holy Sword fragment to her left hand and gripped the spear, now flowing with azure flames, in her right.

And then—,

-There was a way like this lol

As if drawing a bow,
She extended her left arm forward, obscuring her vision, and twisted her body, pulling her right elbow back behind her shoulder.

Sensing something amiss,
Or perhaps it was simply part of its pattern, Keliata extended both hands forward.

Just then, a fiery projectile, imbued with immense force, traced a blue arc through the air towards Keliata. The meteor, rising from below, seemed to split the night sky in two.

Darkness spread before Keliata.
Watching, Yujin grasped the Holy Sword fragment with both hands and raised it above her head. The dazzling light was once again enveloped in blue flames.

“[Gah?!]”

A pained cry escaped Keliata’s lips. Yujin didn’t capitalize on the opening.

Three strikes.
First vertical, then diagonal.
Finally, a horizontal slash. Blades of radiant light, following the sword’s trajectory, hurtled towards Keliata.

The darkness Keliata had conjured had already been shattered by the spear. It tried to dodge, but it was too late.

Deflecting one blade,
Keliata was struck directly by the other two, its form tearing apart.

-What?
-Why does she seem stronger lol?
-Don’t you guys know about Awakening lol;
-When did she even have a chance to Awaken lol

Keliata began to descend. Yujin sprinted, her footsteps igniting blue flames as she ran.

Nothing dared to approach her, clad in Holy Fire. Reaching Keliata, she unleashed a flurry of attacks.

“[Gyaaaah!]”

Keliata screamed as the holy flames tore through its soul.

It tried to resist, extending its hands, gathering darkness, and pressing down on Yujin, but she dodged effortlessly, her relentless assault showing no signs of stopping.

“[Stop, stop it!]”

Yujin didn’t relent, despite Keliata’s pleas.

But the Holy Fire’s flames rapidly diminished. The raging inferno now flickered weakly around her body.

“[Damn you—!]”

Keliata wasn’t in good shape either.
Its form, once hazy, was now mangled beyond recognition. It seemed to be shouting something, but its voice was unintelligible.

Yujin stared intently at Keliata, then
Slowly turned and walked away.

The viewers were puzzled.
Keliata, the cemetery boss, was clearly on the verge of death, so why was she suddenly leaving?

Just then,

Yujin arrived
At a single cross standing firm amidst the ravaged cemetery.

“…How disappointing. Is that all?”

She murmured, continuing to walk.
Keliata, regaining its senses, its eyes darkening, shouted at Yujin before fading away.

“[…You’ll regret those words!]”

Leaving that threat behind.

Yujin glanced at the cross once,
Then at the spot where Keliata had vanished, before returning her gaze to the cross.

“Rest…is a luxury you don’t deserve.”

-ㄷㄷㄷㄷ
-The Hero will not tolerate…
-Is she even considering her enemies now, sensei;
-This b*tch seems like she can’t distinguish between reality and the game, it’s scary lol

Sheathed the brilliant light within the Holy Sword fragment, its intensity increasing. Raising the sword high above her head, she brought it down with all her might, splitting the cross diagonally.

And then,
She turned around sharply.

“[Die…!]”

Keliata stood right before her. As it extended its arms, scattering darkness, Yujin leaned forward.

Whoosh—!
The Holy Fire blazing around her converged on the Holy Sword fragment.

For a brief moment,
A fleeting instant, the fragment resembled the complete Holy Sword.

Swoosh—!

A sound tore through the air, and Yujin realized she couldn’t feel anything in her hand. But a gentle whisper signaled the end of the battle.

“[I… I… how could this…?]”

As Keliata burned away without a trace, scattering into the darkness, Yujin chuckled wryly and murmured,

“How… empty.”

If only it had been like this back then…
So many wouldn’t have wandered in search of rest.

Yujin’s reflection was brief.
Even the rage she felt when she first entered the cemetery had faded along with the Holy Fire.

Dwelling on the past wasn’t a good habit.

This was different from Mobidik.
Keliata hadn’t yet caused widespread chaos.

She couldn’t fully immerse herself.
It wasn’t particularly cathartic. But at least she wouldn’t have those nightmares anymore.

As she thought this, a thin beam of light descended from the sky, where the darkness had dissipated.

She stood silently, watching Keliata’s black soul appear before her, just as it had with Mobidik.

The surrounding enemies also began to fade away. In the strange silence, Yujin reached out towards Keliata’s soul, then,

“…Hmm? This feeling… Sephie?”

She frowned suddenly, looked up at the sky with a puzzled expression, and then,

-??????
-What the fck
-She’s ending it like this? Seriously?
-Where did she go!!!
-Unnie, turn the stream back on!!
-Lee Hae-min’s finally lost it lol
-She’s really ending it here? No way, she’s coming back, right?
-Crazy btch, crazy btch, crazy btch
-So who is Keliata, damn it!
-Why is she ending it here!
-Holy sh*t, déjà vu lol?

Vanished from the cemetery.
She logged out of the game and exited the capsule.

Thousands of viewers, realizing this belatedly, erupted in a frenzy of frustration and despair, flooding the chat, but even that didn’t last long.