Round 45: The End of the World

The three female holy warriors were nearly exhausted.
Yet their expressions remained resolute—the mechanical hum emanating from beneath the deck echoed softly, as if accompanying their bell-like prayers.
The captain’s cabin at the stern of the Retribution had indeed become a temporary temple of glory. The three of them knelt together, holding hands, around Amunra’s sacred sun symbol. Their palms were slightly sweaty, making their connection a bit slippery, but their voices had merged into one, calling out to Amunra, the ruler of all light, with humility, loyalty, and praise.
The golden symbol, composed of two concentric circles—one large and one small—lay flat. Despite the deck shaking, the symbol remained steady, as if embedded in it. A straight beam of light rose from the symbol and faded only at the foreheads of the three holy warriors.
Milia was completely unaffected by the howling cold wind outside the cabin walls or the roaring groups of white dragons; she wasn’t even aware of the icy breaths seeping in through the shattered portholes. The sacred power of the Lord of Glory protected her, bathing the female warriors in warm, vibrant sunlight—Amunra’s immense power shone upon them like twin suns, tangible and visible.
Jen and Fiona were by her side. This wasn’t just felt through holding their hands; it was a spiritual extension and elevation. Their voices and souls resonated with hers, forming a small magnet that drew endless divine blessings from beyond the vast void.
Amunra was watching them. This made Milia feel slightly intimidated, for no matter how firm her faith and loyalty were, she still feared exposing the weakness deep in her heart before the god—just like a little girl with a scraped knee longing for her father’s embrace yet fearing his gaze.
The god’s gaze did not pierce her completely. It was not a stern inspection but a kind guardianship.
Within the column of light, a brilliantly bright point gradually formed, creating a miniature sun. It illuminated the entire captain’s cabin, dispelling every cold, dark corner.
The seemingly endless canyon seemed to have reached its end at last. The ice peaks and snow cliffs on either side were no longer white but as dark as indelible ink, glowing with a cold light like obsidian. They stood aloof, with a dark sky above and a terrifying abyss below, filled with endless icy winds and swirling mists—amidst this coldest darkness, the Retribution emitted a faint light, like a stubborn traveler braving the wind.
“No matter what those holy warriors are doing, I hope they hurry up.”
Simon stamped his feet, rubbed his hands, and blew on them. He no longer dared steer for long, fearing his hands would freeze to the wheel.

Not only the rudder wheel, but also the ceiling, walls, and floor of the cockpit were covered with a thick layer of frost. Mist enveloped the Punishment throughout, making the ship even colder with every touch, trapping even the heat generated by the engine. It wouldn’t be long before the entire ship turned into a giant ice sculpture.

“That’s right, it’s here… I can feel it too,” Ximb said solemnly, staring ahead. As the magic ship moved forward, a distorted space resembling a deep, vast hole gradually formed. “Red-robed girl, prepare to use the ‘Protection from Cold Damage’ scroll. Chloe, call the Holy Warrior girl to the cockpit too—we don’t have time to wait for their communication ritual to succeed—”

Before his words could finish, a bright and intense light instantly filled the entire cabin like water.

The frost melted rapidly under the sun-like light, driving away the extreme cold that had almost taken over the entire magic ship. Cracking sounds came from every part of the Punishment, resulting from the ice layers melting swiftly under the sacred light. Everyone, including Simon, felt incredibly comfortable, as if a traveler who had struggled in the snow for a long time finally sat by a warm stove in a stone hut, holding a cup of steaming milk tea…

Only Si Si tilted his neck, producing a grating sound of metal friction, clearly uncomfortable—of course he was; the ice on him had melted into water!

Each sail of the Punishment reflected a brilliant light, proving that an invisible miniature sun had appeared above the magic ship.

The light shone on the ship and on the darkness. The Punishment was enveloped in thick smoke born from the clash between scorching heat and extreme cold as it plunged into the vortex at the end of the canyon—or rather, a ferocious monster lurked in that dark mist, opening its maw and swallowing the Punishment, which carried its own sun, in one gulp.

This was the end of the world even Dual Days could not reach—no light was allowed.

What place was this?

Almost everyone on the Punishment, emerging from the spatial vortex, had such questions.

The wind ceased. As far as the eye could see, there was only an endless expanse of glaciers—blindingly dazzling. The air became thick and heavy, pressing on near and distant views like a lens. The ice fields, distorted by the light in the air, overlapped with each other, causing dizziness after just a brief glance.

The people on the ship went onto the deck. Milia still held Fiona’s hand. The light bestowed by Ammonra drove away the heavy fatigue from her body, restoring vibrant energy to her.

“Thank you, glorious Lord, for granting us eternal light amidst darkness and fear.”

Zhen prayed silently, seemingly unconcerned whether anyone was listening.

This place was exactly as Moriel had seen through magic. She raised her head—the divine sun hovered strangely at the top of the mast. Snowflakes drifted down, but before they could land on the Punishment, they vanished under the intense light. Taking a deep breath, she felt an intoxicating sensation arise inexplicably.

Pale blue snowflakes formed as the air condensed at the extremely low temperatures.

The Vengeance sailed across this vast expanse like a lone wild goose. Xinbu’s inquiring gaze turned to Moriel, who gave a slight nod. Magical energy gathered silently around them, ready to be unleashed. With just a word or a gesture, they could set the sky ablaze and shatter the earth—its power had already been witnessed by the two of them when they used prophetic magic together. Except for Simon, who was piloting the magic ship—God only knew if he was already itching to bite his fingernails—everyone was prepared for battle. Except for Forty-Seven; strictly speaking, he wasn’t even human. He stood by the ship’s side, gazing at the endless glaciers below, seemingly finding some interest in that desolate coldness that others couldn’t perceive. Far less prolonged than previous journeys, an iceberg thousands of feet tall flickered and swayed, breaking through the layers of illusions created by the air and ice fields to appear on the pale, frigid horizon. In front of the iceberg was a small shadow. The Vengeance slowed down. Its steel ram reflected the sunlight above as it gradually approached that shadow. Once close enough to dispel the effects of the air, Kairo, with her charming smile, reappeared before everyone, seated on her staff. After several days apart, she seemed to have grown even more. It was a transformation from within, seemingly signaling a further return of the Goddess of Mist’s divinity, her awakening—it seemed she had already devoured the divine power within O’Sullivan. Moriel glanced at Forty-Seven beside her and found that he didn’t seem to be paying attention to Kairo but was instead staring intently at the towering iceberg behind her. The sunlight shone on the iceberg, like a candle passing through a dark alley; in those fleeting glimmers, something faintly visible lay beneath the thick ice walls. “Be careful,” Xinbu warned the others in a low voice. “Her power is much stronger than it was in Skull Port… It’s definitely not the same as before.” Moriel stepped onto the bow. “I’m starting to doubt now,” she said, her voice tinged with weakness, as she could no longer sense even the slightest trace of the little girl who once ran a shop in Rain City within Kairo. “I’ve crossed half a continent trying to make amends for my past mistakes and save my friends… Honorable Goddess, could you kindly tell me if there’s still any hope?” Kairo covered her mouth and laughed. “Sister Moriel… asking the Goddess of Lies for a sincere answer? You really haven’t changed at all.” “I still remember you didn’t even say hello when you first came to the shop—how stingy,” Kairo continued. “You just glanced at the potions, glanced at me, and left—oh, I guess you must have distrusted a little blond girl’s magic potions back then, right?” Her staff carried her as she turned gracefully, leaving a circular trail of mist that quickly froze into tiny ice crystals, scattering in the air. “See, I remember everything! If that’s the case, what’s the difference between me and that little girl? Aren’t you genuinely happy that an ordinary little girl could become a noble goddess?”

“Deceptive lies and false illusions have never been noble acts,” said Zhen, her eyes ablaze with sacred flames, staring intently at Kairo as if she could see through her. “Using the lives of innocents to reignite your long-extinguished divine fire—only a cursed evil god would do such a thing! Lady Mist, whatever you plan to do, your actions have already posed a serious threat to the safety of the Northlands and even the entire continent! Please stop, or we will be forced to eliminate you here!”
“Oh, how righteous of you,” Kairo said, her tone laced with disdain. “It’s said that the beauty and wisdom of Amunra’s daughters are inversely proportional—seems there’s some truth to that… though they’re not exactly beautiful. If Amunra were to fall suddenly, you would surely sacrifice your own lives to save him, right? Aren’t you also innocent? In terms of sacrificing mortals to serve the gods, what’s the difference between the so-called righteous Amunra and me, whom you accuse of being an evil god?”
“Pardon my boldness, Lady Mist. But I don’t want to hear you fabricate arguments to prove your similarity to the Lord of Glory.” Xinbu’s long hair moved as if in a breeze, with silver flames burning between her fingers. “I just want to know… whether you intend to awaken an ancient being that should remain asleep forever. If that’s the case, I’m sorry, but I fear you’ll have to stay asleep here as well.”
“Hahaha!” Kairo laughed loudly. “Mortals, you really overestimate yourselves! Just because you’ve received a tiny bit of divine favor, do you think you can stand against true gods?”
Supported by her staff, she stepped back, her moon-like eyes blazing with divine authority. “Mortals have no right to interfere in what the gods decide to do! If you persist in your ignorance…”
“Attack!” In an instant, Xinbu vanished from her mount and reappeared beside Kairo. She raised a silver sword entirely made of flame and swung down with speed and precision beyond what a mage could achieve.
This time, Moriel didn’t stop Xinbu. Instead, the moment Xinbu attacked, she pointed at Kairo and unleashed a green energy barrier over the girl. It was a tactic she had prepared in advance—to use the force field of the dimensional lock to prevent Lady Mist from teleporting away again, so she could try to capture Kairo… just try.
The magical barrier enclosed both Xinbu and Kairo, but the silver sword was blocked by an ice crystal sphere that appeared out of nowhere. The ice wall formed from mist not only blocked Xinbu’s attacks but also extended into the void, trapping her inside.
This ice prison couldn’t hold back the Storm Queen for long—but it was enough.
The green force field that blocked dimensional teleportation also affected Xinbu. She swung her sword at the ice prison, causing long cracks in the ice sphere with just one strike. Two more blows would shatter the effect of this divine spell…
But Kairo continued retreating toward the towering ice mountains behind her, faster and faster.

“Stop her!” Moriel’s magical palms and the holy light from the female paladins shot toward Kayro, along with Chloe, who moved like a swift swallow, and Forty-Seven, who rushed forward as if clad in a flaming cloak—but they were all a step too late.
The destructive power of those magical fists and holy light projectiles was negligible compared to what Forty-Seven did when he crashed into the iceberg. He created a dense network of cracks resembling spiderwebs where Kayro had disappeared, with huge chunks of ice rolling down the cliff face like an avalanche.
“Do you know? I originally chose you.”
That was the last thing Kayro said in Moriel’s ears as he disappeared into the cliff face.
A huge cross-shaped crack appeared on the spherical ice prison, and then the entire barrier shattered. Himb floated through the air; still under the influence of the miniature sun, she didn’t need to exert much effort to cope with the extreme cold. “Damn it! How is this possible?”
Chloe used the flying ice shards as stepping stones, returning to the Retribution in just a few leaps. She gracefully closed her energy sword with a swirl. “What do we do now?”
“What do you mean, what do we do?” Forty-Seven grabbed hold of the cliff face and took a deep breath. His entire body began to emit loud metallic clashing sounds, as if a pot full of iron beans were being fried. “We just dig three feet deep and dig her out!”
“No…” Himb looked up at the iceberg, which seemed to reach the heavens, and suddenly shouted, “Get out of the way!”
“Simon! Turn!” Moriel turned around and shouted. She too had noticed something strange about the iceberg—no matter how powerful Forty-Seven was, the overall vibrations generated by the iceberg now couldn’t possibly be caused by him.
The ice wall Forty-Seven was clinging to also shattered. Centered on the dent he had created, more and more cracks began to appear on the ice—ranging from the size of fists to heads, basins, tables, and even houses. Ice blocks rushed to break away from the iceberg one after another, crashing down in overwhelming numbers. Eventually, the sheer volume of the peeled-off ice formed a small mountain.
“Domino effect?” Forty-Seven was knocked down by the ice avalanche, but soon, amid the shrill sound of metal deformation, he shattered the falling ice to form a dragon shape and took off. “That’s quite large!”
The falling ice blocks collided with each other and shattered. The deafening noise of the collapsing cliff face drowned everything out. The falling ice even began to break apart as it descended, while clouds of ice mist rose from the base of the iceberg, carrying the shattered ice with them. Eventually, the falling and rising ice mixed together, creating a terrifying dynamic balance. Even the dragon Forty-Seven was caught in it and unable to control himself. If it weren’t for the force field shield created by Himb, which blocked most of the flying ice, the magic ship might have already been destroyed in this horrific ice explosion.
A voice came through the howling ice storm. At first, it seemed like just a faint whisper arising amidst the noise of ice collisions, echoing and spreading among the collapsing iceberg. With each vibration, it grew louder, stirring the air and ice dust. In an instant, it filled the entire land and sky ruled by the harsh winter, giving rise to an extremely violent storm—colder than anything imaginable.

The sun above the Retribution Ship pulsed a few times before barely stabilizing. In the bitterly cold wind that spread outward like an explosion were countless ice crystals like blades, which swept across the entire ship like a tsunami, leaving thousands of tiny scratches. The divine power of Amun-Ra’s scorching sun offset much of the ice storm’s intensity; otherwise, this supernatural cold storm would have done far more than just push the ship away.

47 activated his thrusters at full capacity and soared upward, fighting against the raging wind and ice storm.

He left behind a long, spiral-shaped trail as he reached above the iceberg storm.

The ice wind tornado, capable of cutting off all life and destroying everything, had fully formed, howling like a colossal living creature. At the core of this unimaginable hurricane, something began to move.

A deeply familiar sensation suddenly struck 47’s mind like lightning. The entire dragon was trembling slightly; something within every component, every piece of steel, every metal atom awoke from ancient slumber. Countless tiny pulses converged into electrical currents, which in turn formed shockwaves that rushed from its claws and tail tips into its mind.

There, vaguely discernible, was a thousand-foot-tall humanoid figure clad in the storm. Every movement of its body brought a gust of wind, and every breath created a wave of cold. 47 circled above it, his fiery eyes fixed on this true giant.

Enemy. That word hovered in the air like 47 himself, repeatedly striking at his psyche. He hadn’t felt this in a long time—it was an original and ultimate command, rooted deep in his programming, akin to the “Three Laws of Robotics” devised by idealists.

This was his purpose, his reason for existence—just as the will given to him the forty-seventh time he was born from the fighter mech training chamber: to eliminate the enemy.

And he knew what this enemy was.

It wasn’t an iron giant, nor a metropolis, and certainly not some kind of giant god.

It was a abomination, a divine abomination—a creation so terrifying even from a divine perspective. It was an error that shouldn’t have existed, was unforeseeable, unacceptable, and irreparable—its name was ZoxxZoxxker.