White Whale Subjugation Battle (Final)
The White Whale calmly looked down from high in the sky at the war unfolding on the ground.
Centered around the towering Flugel Tree that pierced the heavens, the battlefield on the plains was divided into two fronts.
On the left, one of its clones was moving sluggishly due to internal attacks and had been entangled on the ground by a small black figure.
On the right, the small cat that had once torn into its clone was no longer in sight, replaced now by a small white figure battling the clone.
Flames surged, and for the first time in a while, one of the clones below let out a cry of pain. The airborne White Whale exhaled white mist, which not only helped the clones below recover but would also erase from existence any human who failed to evade it in time.
—Once all humans are erased, this pointless battle would soon end.
If the White Whale had human intelligence, it would surely believe and be convinced that victory was imminent.
Unfortunately, although the White Whale hadn't become a complete slave to hunger like the Great Rabbit, it still didn't possess human intelligence.
It was a monster born from Daphne's desire to hunt.
The White Whale merely followed its hunting instincts to avoid being destroyed and to execute an optimal hunt.
In this world-turned-hunting-ground, the White Whale had hunted for 400 years.
It was the most powerful hunter, laying traps, luring prey, and calmly and relentlessly tormenting its victims.
The White Whale possessed every strength of a hunter—but also its greatest weakness: the inability to restrain itself when faced with prey deemed too precious.
Suddenly, the White Whale's massive eye shifted.
It sensed mana condensing with overwhelming force and turned its gaze to the source of that flow.
At the center of the massive mana vortex stood a purple-haired knight.
A rainbow-colored aurora enveloped the knight's sword.
Using extraordinary skill to manipulate six elements of magic simultaneously, he infused the next sword strike with the power of the five quasi-spirits following him.
The attack was so powerful it could pierce through one of the clones even when used hastily—and had even disrupted Cecilus's Fifth Sword when fully prepared.
The sharp tip of the sword was aimed directly at the White Whale's center.
"Al Clauleistar!"
The knight shouted the name of his strongest strike.
The aurora flashed forward.
Even though the White Whale sensed it before it was launched and twisted desperately to avoid it, the beam still pierced a small hole—about half a meter wide—into its body.
Yet the White Whale's attention was not drawn by the pain, but by the unbearable stench that suddenly appeared above its head.
"Ow ow ow... but damn, Garfiel's aim is pretty good."
A voice rang out from atop its head. The speaker had appeared there without anyone noticing.
"Come get me. After all, I told that monster Daphne—your mother—that I'd be the one to end you."
Subaru said this with a smile full of malice.
.
.
.
A few minutes earlier...
Garfiel had been called back from the front line. Using his strength, he helped Subaru reach the White Whale.
Subaru, fully aware of how much he attracted the whale's attention, proposed a suicidal plan: to bait the whale with his scent, someone else had to launch an attack powerful enough to threaten the whale and draw its focus.
To Subaru's surprise, no one objected to his reckless plan.
If there'd been more time, he'd have liked to ask what kind of image they all had of him.
Ultimately, Julius convinced Crusch that it wasn't a fool's errand and volunteered to serve as the attacker to draw attention.
He even lent his wind spirit to Subaru to prevent him from being torn to pieces by the impact.
"Things are going smoother than expected... but this is still terrifying!"
Buffeted by high-altitude winds, looking like an ant compared to the whale, Subaru's only protection was a spirit of unknown strength.
Even without a fear of heights, the extreme environment had him clinging desperately to the White Whale's head vents.
The White Whale, drawn to the scent of the Witch, was clearly entering a state of frenzy. Drool poured from its gaping mouth, and its eyes turned blood-red.
—Hardly a welcome that makes one feel good.
Subaru took a deep breath and calmed his nerves.
"Alright, I'm ready. Let's do this."
Before the White Whale could act, Subaru released his grip and entered a free fall.
The whale turned its head toward the suicidal Subaru.
It twitched as if to give chase, but hesitated and stopped.
If it let Subaru fall and die, it would retain aerial dominance.
The White Whale understood this instinctively and resisted the temptation of the Witch's scent.
A situation Subaru had hoped wouldn't happen—but he understood. The hunter doesn't move if the prey isn't enticing enough.
"At this height, no one else will hear me... So I'll shout it loud. Listen up! I've been eaten by you more times than I can count—and because of you, I've suffered serious psychological trauma!"
As soon as he finished, Subaru, bathed in roaring wind, felt that familiar sensation of soul and body being torn apart.
"I love you."
A whisper echoed in his ear.
And in the next instant—
"I'm back—aaaahhhh!!"
"ROOOAARR!!"
The Witch's scent intensified from the forbidden confession, and the White Whale let out a deafening roar.
It opened its massive maw and dived headlong after the plummeting Subaru.
Its entire massive body surged forward just to erase Subaru from existence. A familiar feeling—but this time, Subaru felt no fear.
"HRRAAAHHH!!"
With a shout, a shield struck the White Whale square in the side of its face, sending it crashing into the ground.
"Thanks, Garfiel, Patrasche!"
Lifted by the wind spirit and caught by the galloping ground dragon, Subaru shouted in gratitude.
Patrasche let out a fierce cry as it charged at full speed, while Garfiel grinned and dealt another powerful blow to the rising, dust-shrouded White Whale.
But now fully obsessed with eating Subaru, the frenzied White Whale ignored all threats and chased after him relentlessly.
Its movements were unsteady from its injuries, but its bloodlust remained overwhelmingly powerful.
Subaru quickly adjusted his posture and patted Patrasche's neck.
He didn't need to say a word. Their bond was such that Subaru could entrust his life to the beast without hesitation.
"Everyone—let's go!"
Standing beside the Flugel Tree, Crusch raised her sword and shouted, watching Subaru and the White Whale rush toward them.
And then—
"Take this!!"
"HYAAAAAH!!"
Magic stone cannons, invisible blades, roaring shockwaves—attacks that the strongest warriors prided themselves on—struck the base of the Flugel Tree.
The great tree planted by the Sage groaned and collapsed directly onto the White Whale.
Focused solely on its prey, the White Whale didn't even have time to react.
Even its tough hide was meaningless before the onslaught.
With a groan, it was crushed under the mighty tree.
Its powerful vitality barely allowed it to cling to life—but that was the end.
"This is for my wife—Theresia van Astrea."
The man who had prepared for fourteen years, living only for revenge for his late wife, the Sword Demon, raised his sword.
And thus, he brought down the curtain on this life-or-death battle.
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