Chapter 195

“An Outer God… it’s really one of them?”

「Outer Gods are incomplete beings, their very existence flawed and unfinished. You mustn’t try to understand them in conventional terms.」

Lodbrok’s expression tightened, a rare sign of unease on her usually composed face.

「Give me the sword. Forget the quest for now—escaping alive is the priority.」

Without hesitation, Theo handed over the Drake’s Blade.

As soon as Lodbrok gripped the weapon, her aura transformed.

She no longer felt like the familiar entity Theo had come to know. Instead, she exuded the overwhelming presence of a swordmaster beyond comparison, her skill surpassing even the Nine Dragons and rivaling the indomitable Kyle Ragnar himself.

“Lodbrok… knows how to wield a sword?”

It was peculiar that a draconic being like her would be adept with a human weapon, and even more so that she refrained from returning to her true form against such a dangerous foe.

There was no time for questions.

Fwoosh!

Lodbrok surged forward in a gale of heat, her movements swift and calculated.

“Ahaha! So you’d rather play than eat? That’s fine by me! After all, nothing whets the appetite like working up a sweat first!”

The grotesque grin on the monstrous head of Ashin widened.

“Hihihihihi!”

The creature’s maniacal laughter resonated through the forest, shaking the very ground and sending Theo reeling from the sheer pressure.

[Unauthorized entity detected within the quest parameters.]

[Entity designated as a virus.]

[Initiating vaccine program to neutralize…]

Glowing system messages materialized above Ashin, but the monster’s next move disrupted them entirely.

“Yahoo!”

BOOM!

Ashin lunged toward Lodbrok with terrifying force, the shockwave scattering the messages into corrupted fragments of text.

[External impact detected. System malfunction■■■■.]

[Vi■■ pro■■am has ■■ailed to ini■■■■.]

[System ■■■■■ ■■■ted ■■■ation.]

[■■■■.]

SYSTEM ERROR

Even the system’s absolute authority was rendered powerless in this twisted scenario.

“How is this even possible? The system should have complete control here!”

Theo gritted his teeth, realizing the gravity of the situation.

This wasn’t even Ashin’s true form—just a fragment of his essence, summoned by Granada and the Dragon Emperor to tamper with the Hrunti artifact.

Yet even as a fragment, its power rivaled Lodbrok’s.

CRACK!

Thunder roared as Lodbrok swung the Drake’s Blade.

Each strike summoned lightning bolts that rained down with divine force.

Theo recognized the technique immediately—it was Storm of the Blade, the legendary skill of Sigurd himself.

With every strike, Ashin’s grotesque body was torn apart, limbs severed, and massive holes blown into its torso.

Yet even as its face crumbled away, Ashin laughed.

“Yes! YES! This is fun! But why don’t we make it more interesting? If you catch me, we’ll swap roles! Your turn to run!”

「…!」

Ashin’s clawed hand swiped at Lodbrok, grazing her hair.

A single strand of silver turned to ash, disintegrating upon contact.

“So close! I was hoping to taste dragon flesh today!”

「Who said you’d catch me, gluttonous fiend? Go gnaw on your own limb!」

“Oh, I’ve tried that! Bit dry, to be honest. The prey in this world is much more to my liking!”

Lodbrok maintained her distance, parrying Ashin’s relentless attacks with precision.

“Come on, let’s keep playing! I’ve eaten thirty worlds, you know. It’s never enough!”

To an observer, it might have seemed like they were conversing, but in reality, Ashin was simply rambling nonsensically, paying little attention to Lodbrok’s words.

「Theo! What are you doing?」 Lodbrok’s voice carried an edge of desperation.

She was running out of time.

Theo, however, wasn’t searching for an escape route. Instead, he was fixated on observing Ashin, analyzing every detail.

“We can’t run. If we do, Lodbrok will die, and Ashin will consume Hrunti. If that happens, the world itself could be lost.”

Suddenly, a faint, crackling voice echoed in Theo’s ears.

『Can… you hear… me…? Cho… sen… one…?』

Theo turned toward the lifeless body of Nessie.

『Don’t… react. If the Outer God notices… it’s over.』

The voice, weak and strained, begged for caution.

“She’s squeezing out every last ounce of her strength.”

Theo clenched his fists as the reality of the situation hit him.

『Listen… feed him… as much as you can.』

[Quest Updated]

Scenario Quest #10

A viral entity has forcibly occupied the Hrunti artifact. Activate a vaccine program to eliminate the virus.

Difficulty: SSS

Reward: Ownership of the Primordial Dragon Relic, enhanced Sword’s Will.

Failure Penalty: Death.

“Feed him?” Theo murmured. What could he possibly feed Ashin in this barren world?

『He likes… what’s right… in front of you.』

Theo froze, his gaze shifting back to Nessie’s lifeless body.

『Use me. Let him feast. It’s the only way.』

Nessie’s faint smile held an air of bittersweet acceptance.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

***

[■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■...]

[A ■ystem ■isruption ■as O■■urred.]

[Firewall ■rogram St■■e Escalated.]

[Current Level: Stage 3]

The activation of the firewall program sent a shockwave through the surroundings.

BOOM!

For a moment, the air in the forest grew unbearably heavy.

An immense gravitational force bore down on Ashin, causing his outstretched hand—aimed at Lodbrok’s throat—to slow dramatically.

CRACK!

The skin on his hand began to split, and his muscles crushed under the weight. The exposed elbow bone pierced through his flesh, trailing blood down his distorted arm in a grotesque display.

This brief reprieve allowed Lodbrok to leap backward, widening the distance between her and the Outer God. She gasped for breath, sweat cascading down her forehead.

“Hah… hah… hah…”

That was close.

At the start of their confrontation, Lodbrok had managed to hold her ground, matching Ashin blow for blow. But unlike her rapidly draining stamina, Ashin’s movements only grew more dynamic and forceful as the fight progressed.

The more it fights, the stronger it becomes. It’s adapting to its vessel.

The existential threat posed by the Outer Gods loomed heavier than ever before.

At least I managed to buy some time.

Chains of iron erupted from the ground, wrapping tightly around Ashin’s limbs.

CLANG! CLANG!

[Current Level: Stage 4]

The fractured system text gradually began to recover as the firewall program escalated its operations.

CLINK! CLANK!

Even more chains emerged, entangling Ashin’s monstrous form. He scowled, his grotesque expression twisted with annoyance.

“Just when things were starting to get fun, you go and ruin it! What’s the meaning of this interruption?”

[The firewall program's level is escalating further.]

[Current Level: Stage 5]

THOOM!

The gravity increased exponentially, each escalation multiplying the force tenfold.

The goal was clear: crush the fragment of Ashin’s will and expel it from this world.

“Oh? Ignoring me now? That must mean you’re the God of Causality, right?”

[The system administrator hesitates.]

[The administrator insists they are not the entity in question.]

“What do you mean you’re not? Your preachy tone gives you away!”

[The administrator adamantly denies being preachy.]

[The administrator realizes their mistake too late.]

“See? That reaction says it all!”

Ashin cackled, his laughter cutting through the air like jagged shards of glass.

The system messages flickered, hesitating briefly before responding.

[The administrator insists they are a modern entity, and this has been verified by other deities.]

“Oh, come on! When a crusty old boss interrogates their employees about whether they’re modern or outdated, do you think the staff replies, ‘No, you’re totally ancient’? No, they just say, ‘Yes, of course, boss, you’re the most modern!’ Meanwhile, everyone knows the truth. You’re just a washed-up geezer!”

[The administrator trembles in frustration, incensed by the verbal assault.]

Ashin grinned widely, thoroughly enjoying his taunts as the forest quaked under the weight of the escalating program.