I Became a Ruined Character in a Dark Fantasy-Chapter 363

Crack—

The speed of the Light Sword slicing diagonally through the avatar's torso slowed. It wasn't due to a lack of magical energy flowing through the Mantra circuits. Despite being over half drained, the dragon's power still surged dazzlingly along the blade.

It's getting tougher by the second.

What was changing was the avatar. With each clash, its massive frame shrank little by little. Yet, in turn, its density increased. Its surface, hardened like cooling lava, had become incredibly solid. While its ability to change shape was gone, it had become far more difficult to manage.

Ian's ash-colored eyes gleamed for a moment.

Thwack!

A soundless explosion erupted from the middle of his sword. Yet all it did to the avatar's purple body was add a single crack and loosen the grip on the blade.

That was when the creature, which had been keeping its fist lowered, suddenly swung upward in a brutal strike. Ian reflexively raised his Platinum Barrier.

Clang—Boom!

As the fist met the shield, a purple explosion erupted. If not for Ian's superhuman strength, the impact might have torn his shoulder clean off.

As if I'm not in enough pain already.

Flying backward like a cannonball, Ian gritted his teeth. The fragments' resonance within him grew stronger, and the unrelenting thirst tightened around his throat.

"----!"

The avatar's roar tore through the air, reverberating across the battlefield. True to the quest's title, the creature was incomplete. Its vessel—a massive body imbued with overwhelming chaos—had reached completion, but the transcendent will that should have inhabited it had never formed. Instead, what remained was a gluttonous, malevolent instinct akin to that of a selfish, destructive child.

Yet, even in its incompleteness, the avatar adapted rapidly to its surroundings, learning with alarming speed. It wielded its chaotic power and authority naturally, though destructively and inefficiently. Its current form, swinging fists like a molten giant, was likely just a result of its primal instincts.

I've never used this much magic on the Platinum Barrier before...

Ian's thoughts faltered as his gaze dropped to the scene below. The legionnaires were within sight now, much closer than he had thought. The force of the blow flung him all the way back to their battlefield.

"Forget the weak points—cut it to pieces!"

"Don't let it grab you! It'll pull you in!"

Locked in a desperate battle, the legionnaires fought twisted undead mutants and grotesque flesh-and-entrail creatures. Fighting enemies that refused to die easily was always exhausting, but retreat wasn't an option.

In the distance, the injured lay scattered across the field—many with shattered limbs or crushed bodies. It seemed most of them wouldn't be able to fully recover without some kind of miraculous healing ability.

Amidst the chaos, Ian's gaze locked onto something starkly white, lying among the debris. His breath hitched.

Nila!

A deep wound gaped on the warhorse's side, its armor torn away as it lay sprawled on the ground. It was barely breathing, each shallow exhale a struggle.

This chapter is updat𝙚d by freeweɓnovel.cøm.

Its armor had broken and pierced into its body. Clearly, the legionnaires had moved it there after the injury. Even so, it was obvious that Nila wouldn't survive much longer. The wound was too severe to hope for recovery.

Thank you for what you’ve done so far.

Ian whispered softly, his right hand tightening its grip as a massive, grotesque mutant made of entrails drew closer.

Slash—

Ian cleanly bisected the mutant's core, and then rolled to the ground, landing with precision. The creature collapsed, scattering the stench of blood and decay.

"Great Warrior!" A legionnaire exclaimed, eyes wide as Ian rose to his feet. The man was familiar—Alder, a centurion from the Red Rock.

Despite Ian's grotesque, mutated appearance, no fear showed on Alder's face. "Where did you come flying from? Can you fly now?"

The same excitement shone on the faces of the nearby legionnaires. They weren't frightened, just startled and relieved to see Ian appear so suddenly.

"I'm not a bird or anything..." Ian hesitated mid-response, his eyes catching the urgent swirl of ash-gray magic.

A presence was closing in at an incredible speed.

Whoosh!

With a burst of energy, a strong whirlwind erupted around Ian—the Whirling Barrier.

Boom!

Even so, it wasn't enough to send the falling avatar flying. Of course, Ian had never intended to repel the creature in the first place. The barrier was meant to scatter the surrounding legionnaires. Just as planned, the soldiers were thrown back, tumbling safely out of the immediate danger zone.

As Ian spun his body sharply, the avatar's fist, which had been driving forward, struck downward.

Crack—Boom!

A blinding shockwave and shattering cracks spread outward as Ian raised his Platinum Barrier to absorb the blow.

The chaotic resonance emitted by the fragment within him grew louder, echoing in his ears. Past the shield, Ian saw the avatar; violet veins pulsed in its body, its hunting eyes darted at the legionnaires.

Getting distracted again?

It was the same every time it approached the legionnaires. Its gaze would wander, glinting with a ravenous hunger as it eyed the soldiers. Frustrating as it was, it worked to Ian's advantage.

Ian braced his legs and pushed off with a fierce kick, swinging his left arm with all his might.

Clang!

Though his jump didn't carry him as high as he'd hoped, it was enough to shake off the avatar.

Springing upright as if propelled by a spring, Ian shouted, "Keep your distance! Don't come near me!"

The growling command carried unquestionable authority. There was no need for a response—his orders still remained absolute within the legion.

Ian launched forward, charging toward the avatar as it landed, the Platinum Barrier leading his charge.

Boom, boom, boom—

The avatar raised its arms to block, but Ian's charge pushed its massive body back, sliding it across the ground.

Despite the creature having shrunk and Ian having grown, the avatar remained slightly larger. However, they were equally strong, and Ian significantly outmatched the avatar in controlling his power.

Whoosh.

Using the Whirlwind bursting from his outstretched left hand for momentum, Ian swung his left arm with all his might, driving his attack forward with unrelenting force. The avatar's massive arm was flung back. Raising his right arm, he brought the Light Sword down with crushing force.

Crack!

The brilliant yellow arc carved deep into the creature's torso, embedding itself firmly.

Of course, even this wasn't enough to fully cleave its body apart. However, Ian didn't care. He had already crouched low, anchoring his stance around the sword's hilt. It was a movement he'd perfected in the past, fighting giants. The difference now was that his legs, stepping over the avatar's body, carried more than double the strength they once had.

Boom!

With an explosive push from his legs, Ian launched the avatar backward like a cannonball. As the blade wrenched free, Ian was flung to the opposite direction, rolling across the ground before coming to a stop.

"The Great Warrior has overwhelmed the void demon!"

"Hail the Great Warrior of Thunder, who has conquered chaos itself!"

The triumphant shouts came from behind him. Instead of resuming their battle, the legionnaires, scattered by the Whirling Barrier, now watched him in awe.

Heat radiated off Ian's entire body in waves.

"----!"

Ian let out a roar, primal and ferocious. To some, it might have sounded more like a demon's cry than a warrior's, but it carried the unmistakable divine power of Karha. The pain, of course, was still present.

I get it, but... tone it down a bit.

Ian muttered inwardly, barely steadying himself as the sensation of raw flesh being torn apart coursed through his body.

Crack, split—

The surface of his right arm and lower body, fused with chaos, began to crack and fracture.

Simultaneously, the fragment of chaos expelled bursts of residual energy, trying to compensate for the damage. The previously cracked and parched areas of his body rapidly regenerated. Even so, the searing thirst in his throat only intensified. Nearly all the power in the shards was gone.

Boom!

But none of that mattered. Ian's eyes locked onto the avatar, now sprawled across the ground in the distance, and he lunged forward without hesitation.

Thud—Scrape!

The avatar kicked up a cloud of dust, skidded to a stop, and then charged toward Ian, its entire body blazing like molten lava. For a moment, the battlefield seemed to grow brighter. Ian realized it wasn't an illusion—it was real. As he pushed off the ground with full force, he saw a familiar glow spreading warmth across the field.

There was no need to wonder who had worked such a miracle.

Without a brazier, yet it's covering this much ground?

The thought was fleeting, as Ian quickly noticed the ember within himself reigniting—a spark he thought had been extinguished for good.

To grant me blessings once more.

This was proof that, like Karha, Lu Entre had not deemed him a corrupted one. But this time, it wasn't just a rekindling—it was something more.

The heat surged through his right arm, the one fused with chaos, sending waves of pain radiating through him.

Divine flames suddenly engulfed the blade, now infused with draconic magic. The flames intertwined with the dragon's magic, swirling and roaring like a living inferno.

The avatar charged closer, and Ian didn't take his eyes off it. Raising his Light Sword high, he brought it crashing down.

Boom!

The flaming trajectory carved through the air, reaching the creature's neck just before its fist could land. The blade dug into its body, tearing through its torso with brutal force.

"----!"

The avatar let out a shriek unlike before—a cry of raw, excruciating agony. It was clear now: divine power was far more effective against it than the draconic magic Ian had previously used.

Crack, split—

Cracks spread across Ian's right arm, clenched tightly around the sword's hilt. As the holy power of Lu Entre coursed through him, the parts of his body fused with chaos broke apart, unable to withstand the strain. While his body appeared to have fully regenerated internally, the continuation of the purification process would strip him of all the additional abilities he had gained through his fusion with chaos.

Thump, thump.

The resonance from the fragment of chaos echoed through his entire body, louder than the cries of the avatar.

I have been a blind fool all along...

At last, Ian understood the meaning behind the shard's ceaseless pulsing and gnawing hunger.

The cracks along his burning right arm deepened as the chaotic wail of the fragment pierced through him, its intensity surpassing even the cries of the avatar. The overwhelming pain and countless thoughts swirling in his mind had only made it harder to see the simple solution.

I stood before a mass of chaos and didn't recognize it.

Then, as if guided by instinct, Ian's body moved.

Crack, crack—

He opened his chaos-fused jaw wide, his already sharp teeth growing even longer and more jagged. It was mere moments later that he sank those teeth deep into the unmarred nape of the avatar.

Crunch!

The now sharper, elongated teeth pierced through the avatar's molten armor-like skin, embedding themselves deep within.

Thump.

Simultaneously, the fragment of chaos resonated and began greedily absorbing the avatar's chaotic power, as if it had been waiting for this moment.

The avatar's scream abruptly ceased, as if sliced away by a blade. Though Ian could not see it, the creature's lone eye embedded in its torso quivered and trembled, filled with an unfamiliar emotion—confusion.

Thump— Thump—

It felt as though his unquenchable thirst was being satisfied. Yet even as he experienced a strange unease, Ian figured that this must have been a valid strategy within the game—a method likely exclusive to the corrupted.

Of course, he might have achieved a more peaceful resolution if he had become an Apostle of the Abyss. However, if not for that, he would have been forced to face the incomplete avatar as a chaotic fusion, draining his chaos power to fuel the creature instead.

Swoosh!

In some ways, his current half-fused state was helpful.

The holy power continued to burn through his body, preventing the fragment of chaos from becoming overfilled. With Lu Entre's blessing amplifying the effect, his chaos power was being consumed even faster now.

Though it hurts all the more... But...

If it meant killing this creature, Ian was willing to endure even greater pain. He refused to let go, keeping his jaw clenched tightly around his prey.

As long as he could withstand the searing agony that felt like his entire body was being burned alive, time was now on his side.

Woosh!

The avatar lashed out impulsively, swinging a massive fist. Almost simultaneously, Ian raised his left arm in defense.

Clang—

The deafening shockwave sent Ian flying backward. Thanks to his now fully restored right arm, he kept hold of his sword through the impact.

Crack, crumble—

The avatar's chest, scorched by holy fire, had blackened and crumbled into charred fragments. Its nape, where Ian had bitten, was deeply crushed, as though chunks of flesh had been torn away.

"----!" The creature's roar, a mix of pain and fury, reverberated across the battlefield.

It wasn't just me who received the goddess's blessing, Ian thought as he somersaulted through the air, his sharp eyes taking on the surrounding battlefield.

The legionnaires' weapons glimmered with orange flames. Since they, like Ian, had no understanding of how to wield Lu Entre’s divinity, this had to be the blessing of the Goddess.

"Glory to the Blazing Goddess!" The fervent battle cries of the legionnaires rang in Ian's ears. Even those too injured to fight appeared to be blessed with the Goddess's flames.

As Ian completed his rotation, his gaze briefly caught sight of Lucia in the distance, standing like a human torch.

She's pushing herself too hard.

"----!" The avatar's body let out another deafening roar, this time charged with chaotic waves. Its fully regenerated body now shimmered with blinding purple energy.

Rumble, rumble!

Simultaneously, dark crimson lightning rained down from the roiling black clouds overhead. The vortex had dissipated, but the storm's wrath remained, spewing bolts of chaotic energy.

Getting hit by that would be more than just a sting.

Bracing himself, he spat out the remnants of the avatar's flesh he had been holding in his mouth. The creature, having finished its roar, raised both fists high and brought them crashing down like hammers.

Boom, boom, boom!

The ground splintered with web-like cracks as waves of violet explosions erupted, surging outward in all directions. No longer focused on Ian, it sought to wipe out the entire battlefield.

Terrible in taste and attitude, huh? Ian added inwardly, then charged straight toward the oncoming wave of explosions.

Crash!

Raising the Platinum Barrier high, he flicked his long, thick tongue between his enlarged teeth.