Chapter 126 - The Final Strike

# Soul Devourer

A very intuitive nickname for this strange creature, it's one of the Moon Light Cult's ultimate weapons that appears in the final chapter of part 2 in the original work. In other words, it obviously first appears in the final chapter of part 2, so it shouldn't be showing up yet.

"....But why is it already here?"

The sky suddenly darkened.

Standing on the building rooftop, I pondered while listening to the wailing sounds from below.

Strange... this bastard shouldn't be appearing around this time...

Until now, I was too busy rushing here to think about it, but considering it now, it's strange. Why did the Moon Light Cult deploy it so early, unlike in the original work?

After thinking it through carefully.

I reached a conclusion.

"....Is it because of me?"

I guess stealing Eun-wol, the Moon Priestess, in the middle of the terrorist attack through NTR was a pretty big deal.

Considering that in the original work, the cult leader had the Moon Priestess carry out the terrorist attack to make everyone aware of the Moon Light Cult's fearsome power...

Hmm. Did they just stage another attack because I interfered?

Honestly, I didn't think the cult leader would care that much about it, but I guess his pride was hurt. Come on, a person of his age shouldn't be so petty. He could have been more magnanimous and let it go.

Anyway, looking at the purple Soul Devourer still roaring and causing chaos below the building, I clicked my tongue.

Seeing that they only sent one, it seems they haven't even gathered all their forces yet, so why rush like this?

"Sigh... that old geezer."

You just made me nervous for nothing.

For this Soul Devourer to be truly threatening, it needs to be one of three things: multiple entities, evolved after consuming enough souls, or me not knowing that silver is its weakness.

But right now, it's just a single entity, still purple in color which means it hasn't evolved, and I even brought plenty of silver because I thought multiple entities would appear.

So, game over.

"....What should I do now?"

Standing on the rooftop.

Feeling the cold night air, I muttered.

No. Honestly, I could just fire one large silver bullet and end it all. In the original work, they were only troublesome before people knew silver was their weakness. After that, they were all captured through counterattacks. In the final chapter, there was something much more problematic than this thing.

Anyway, just as I was starting to feel disappointed, I decided to change my thinking.

Yeah. This is actually good.

"....She's definitely struggling."

Looking down, I could see Stardust being pushed back in the one-on-one fight. No matter what, an ultimate weapon is still an ultimate weapon, so she's having a hard time dealing with it.

Just look at how that thing floats people around it and then sucks out their souls. No wonder Stardust is struggling when it keeps recovering its health like that.

However...

"....Yeah. This is actually good."

The fact that the Soul Devourer is overwhelmingly stronger than Stardust means she has more room to grow.

Since she gets stronger with each trial, it wouldn't be bad if she could grow again through this opportunity.

And, on top of that...

I fiddled with my gun barrel.

....Everyone's too distracted by the situation anyway.

So, if I secretly shoot this from behind when Stardust delivers the decisive blow.

People will think Stardust defeated it and praise her, right?

Plus, my identity won't be revealed. Two birds with one stone.

Yeah. That's it.

Having made my decision, I aimed my gun and started waiting for the right timing.

....While watching Stardust getting completely dominated.

Ugh, I felt like crying but held back. I couldn't risk friendly fire.

Still, seeing Stardust fighting so hard... look at her fighting with hope even in such a desperate situation. Yeah. For her sake, I'll wait for the most optimal timing.

As I finished aiming.

A terrible and desperate battle was unfolding below me.

***

'There's no solution.'

That was the conclusion Stardust had reached.

-Kieeeeeeeee!!!

Barely dodging the monster's swinging arm again, Stardust felt she was gradually reaching her limit.

Bang-. Bang-. Collapsing buildings, screaming people.

"Haah..."

Bang-.

After barely avoiding another strike, she momentarily distanced herself from the creature.

As she struggled to catch her breath, the monster howled again.

Kkkiaaaaaak!!!! Kiyaieaak!!!

A chilling sound piercing her ears.

Against the backdrop of a darkened, ruined city, with only the bright moon above illuminating below.

As the purple monster let out its horrific cry, pale, translucent people were drawn toward it, orbiting around it in a circle.

And their screams. Souls being extracted. People collapsing like puppets as they lost strength. The creature's eyes burning red.

Under the bright moon in the dark sky.

The sight of it emitting terrible sounds while stealing people's souls was truly surreal.

And then.

It charged at Stardust again.

"Kugh..."

Kwang.

As they clashed again, a tremendous noise erupted.

Once again, Stardust was barely managing to defend.

Bang. Bang.

Occasionally Stardust would try to attack, but it was meaningless.

As she continued to face the relentless creature, Stardust gradually grew tired.

"Haa, haa."

Kkeuieeeeeeeeeek!!!

Bang.

"Huk..."

And then Stardust took a direct hit from the creature's attack.

The tremendous impact sent her flying, and she crashed straight into a building wall.

Before she could fully regain her senses, a pink laser shot toward her.

She barely managed to throw herself out of the way of the beam that cut through the dark sky.

Kwaaaang.

The spot where Stardust had been was completely destroyed.

When she staggered back into the air, the monster was already using telekinesis to draw fleeing people toward itself and sucking out their souls.

"Huk... Huk...."

Stardust rubbed her hazy eyes with one hand, trying desperately to regain her focus.

She couldn't collapse now, if she did...

And again, the purple creature charged toward her.

Gritting her teeth and clenching her fists, she began to face it again.

However, it was still too much for her.

Unable to land almost any hits while being one-sidedly beaten, she thought to herself.

....Right.

She looked at the creature charging toward her again.

The ruined city behind it, the dark sky.

The hideous purple thing approaching again.

They say life can change in an instant.

Truly, the end comes so suddenly.

"Kheuk."

She tried to block its punch once more, but it was still too much.

Staggering from the impact that made her head ring, she exhaled roughly.

....I don't know where this thing suddenly came from.

Clearly until today, it was just another ordinary day like always.

And I thought days like this would continue.

But it all ends in an instant.

As she barely dodged the creature's attack, much slower than before, under the dark night sky.

Stardust thought.

....How long have I been fighting?

Probably quite a while.

She quickly glanced to the side during the battle.

Shadow Walker is probably still evacuating people somewhere over there.

Meanwhile, she somehow needs to hold this thing back. If it leaves this city and goes elsewhere, it would be an even greater disaster.

However.

'......I can't win.'

She instinctively realized it.

She absolutely cannot defeat this thing here.

Her body was already exhausted from the continuous battle, her eyes constantly trembling.

While she was in this near-death state, that thing was still as energetic as ever.

If she continues fighting like this, she'll die.

She realized that.

But what could she do about it? Run away by herself?

"....."

Leave those fallen people behind?

Could she still call herself a hero then?

No.

Even if she falls here, she'll fight to the end.

To save even one more person.

That's what being a hero means.

Having made up her mind again.

"Kugh..."

With the continued attacks, she was now almost at the point of losing consciousness.

The worst situation where her strength was gradually draining while the attacks grew stronger.

Nevertheless, she.

Continued to exhale rough breaths and somehow fought back.

"Huk... Huk..."

"Eugh."

Somehow.

"Haa, haa... damn it, haa..."

As she continued to fight back.

"Eeeugh, kheuk!"

Continuing to block and resist.

After quite some time had passed.

She finally instinctively felt it.

'This is... my limit.'

It's hard to even move her body anymore.

It seems... this is as far as she goes.

The monster was still emitting strange sounds and charging at her, and she could no longer move her body to dodge.

As she felt her end approaching.

Stardust. She felt memories suddenly flashing before her eyes like a kaleidoscope.

Memories of losing her parents as a child, meeting Lee Seol-ah for the first time, being recognized as a hero by the Hero Association for the first time, defeating her first villain, receiving gratitude from citizens she saved, getting up again after falling.

And.

'Hello, Ms. Stardust. I'm Egostic.'

"....Ha."

She couldn't help but smile wryly.

How ironic that Egostic's face would be the last thing to come to mind.

Kieeeeeeeeek!

"Kuk...."

She was sent flying again by another massive impact.

As she barely managed to float her staggering body.

Shin Ha-ru unconsciously continued to recall the memories that kept surfacing.

Egostic trying to blow up the ship.

Egostic encouraging her to save the plane.

Egostic destroying the bridge.

Egostic taking the attack in her place.

Egostic threatening with hostages.

Egostic patting her after she fell and then heading toward the storm.

"Ha.."

She let out a sigh without realizing it.

As she dodged the purple monster rushing at her again.

She quietly reflected.

Come to think of it, Egostic was always there somehow whenever she was in despair or crisis.

If only this time too... he were here...

Ha. What am I thinking? I know that's impossible.

...More importantly.

She would never unravel Egostic's secret before the end.

Even while thinking this with resignation.

She suddenly felt anger rising within her.

...To end like this because of some worthless monster without ever finding out anything about him.

"......"

...No.

It's unfair.

That doesn't make sense.

Yeah, I can't end it like this.

The massive purple monster charging at her again.

Looking at it, she gritted her teeth.

Her body was already in tatters for a long time. She was on the verge of collapse, but.

"....Even if I go down, I'll definitely take you down with me!"

With that, she roused her already collapsing body.

Flying toward it at maximum speed.

Squeezing out her strength, she clenched her fist and took a stance to swing at it.

Even if it's her final blow.

I'll land this one hit on you before I go.

Kkeuiyeyeaaak!!!

"Heut.....!"

As she swung her fist with gritted teeth.

It began to emit a bright light that illuminated the dark night sky.

And it was glowing yellow.

***

The yellow light shining from the center of Stardust's fist.

"....Now's the time."

Watching the battle with a stern face, the moment I saw that light.

I pulled the trigger of the gun I had been aiming.

-Bang.

A blinding light flashed in the night sky.

Only a small gunshot sound echoed quietly, unheard by anyone.