Volume One, Chapter 76: The Annihilation of Daram

As Hitola and Keigo Masaki departed, tranquility once more returned to the depths of the ruins.

Suddenly, less than fifty meters before the ancient monolith, a mass of black mist crackling with lightning appeared from thin air.

Tregear emerged slowly from the darkness, his gaze dropping to the stone slab below.

“It seems to be ready. Though some was wasted, it’s just about acceptable,” he muttered, raising his hands. From his chest, a dim gray orb slowly floated outward. Around its edge danced five auroras—red, yellow, blue, green, and violet—like cosmic rings.

A deep, resonant hum filled the air as the stone slab trembled again. An immense darkness, elemental in nature, was drawn forth by an irresistible force, gathering about the orb to form a black ring. Yet its radiance was far dimmer than the others.

Even so, Tregear was satisfied. After all, the true forms of Noa and Zagi had long since vanished. As for collecting both light and dark elements, that was now almost impossible.

Since that was the case, it was time to begin the annihilation of the Land of Light.

Tregear nodded slightly and was preparing to depart this dimension when a sudden, harsh shout rang out behind him.

“Who are you?!”

He glanced back to see three imposing giants descending from the sky, with the hesitant Keigo Masaki trailing behind.

“Oh dear, what a nuisance,” Hitola grumbled as he landed, immediately jumping to his feet. “Why are humans always breaking in here?”

He took two steps forward, ready to teach Tregear a lesson, show off, and then perhaps take him in as a subordinate.

But Darram blocked his path. “Let me handle this.”

As the most powerful leader among the super-ancient giants, Darram’s thirst for battle far exceeded Hitola’s.

“Fine by me,” Hitola shrugged, unconcerned. He’d already vented his frustrations earlier, so letting his friend take over was no big deal.

Camilla said nothing. She merely observed Tregear quietly, a strange glint flickering in her eyes.

“Human, amuse me!” Darram cracked his fists together, surging forward in a blast of terrifying energy.

With each of his thunderous steps, the ground shuddered, a testament to his immense strength.

Behind them, Keigo Masaki couldn’t help but swallow nervously, awed by the display.

Only moments before, he’d thought Hitola was the leader of the trio, with the female giant as his partner, and the big brute as their muscle.

But now it seemed Darram’s strength was not much less than Hitola’s.

And as for the female giant… She always stood at the center, her presence veiled, but perhaps she was the true leader!

Keigo’s mind was in turmoil, unable to find calm.

By now, Darram had reached Tregear, hurling a mighty fist at him.

“I am no human,” Tregear replied coolly. He didn’t move, but a violent whirlwind erupted around him.

With a rush of wind, Darram’s fist was instantly torn open, flesh split and bone laid bare.

In the next instant, those stark white bones were sliced apart by the razor wind, ground to powder, and scattered with the breeze.

Darram felt no pain—only the sudden absence of his hand.

Shocked, he retreated, but half his arm was already gone, black mist pouring from the wound.

Only then did sensation return, and he staggered, dropping to one knee and growling in agony.

Camilla’s expression changed, as did Hitola’s. Keigo Masaki was so stunned his eyes nearly burst from their sockets.

“Damn it!” Darram howled, his voice echoing with fury.

He raised his head abruptly, crimson light blazing in his eyes. Not even thirty million years ago had he been so humiliated—today, his hand had been severed by an unknown giant!

“Damn it… Damn it!” Darram roared, launching himself forward like a cannonball.

“Come back, Darram!” Camilla called urgently, but it was too late.

Darram was already on Tregear again, channeling all his dark energy into a single, devastating blow.

Tregear frowned, a flicker of impatience in his eyes.

He’d already taught this giant a lesson, yet the fool still charged in, heedless of death.

So be it—let him die.

Camilla saw the darkness gathering in Tregear’s hand. Her pupils contracted as she whipped out her long lash, hoping to drag Darram back.

But she was too far away, and even at full speed, she was no match for Tregear at such close range.

“Die!” Darram’s eyes blazed with madness as he formed a colossal fist of darkness.

At the same moment, Tregear raised his hand, palm outward.

A thunderous blast erupted.

In the sudden flare of dark light, Darram’s pupils shattered. His fist of darkness was instantly obliterated, fragments of energy slamming into his chest.

Tregear’s hand shone brighter and brighter with the gathered darkness.

A surge of terrifying power burst forth, engulfing Darram’s entire vision in an instant—then his entire body.

But the torrent did not dissipate. Instead, it shot straight at Camilla and the others in the distance.

“Dodge!” Camilla shouted, kicking Hitola aside and leaping away herself.

Keigo Masaki, frozen with terror, could only stand trembling, having forgotten to even try to escape.

He watched as the wave of annihilating energy engulfed him.

He didn’t even have time to scream. In the instant the energy pierced his body, he was reduced to his most basic particles.

The massive beam bored straight through the ruins of Lulua, shooting off into the distant sky.

...

Beep-beep-beep-beep!

In the Victory Team’s base, Norue suddenly shouted, “I’ve detected an unknown anomaly passing overhead!”

No sooner had he spoken than the glass in the base shattered under the force of a powerful shockwave, and all instruments briefly went dead.

That day, everyone saw a streak of black aurora slice across the sky.

The next day, a world-shaking piece of news spread across the globe.

Pluto, about 4.8 billion kilometers from Earth, was gone.

To be exact: it had exploded.

The explosion came without warning and produced neither flame nor shockwave. Otherwise, its power would have swept across the entire solar system.

Earth itself would not have been spared.