SWNOVELXO Chapter 455
Time has stopped.
To be precise, the time of everything touched by the flash emitted from the ghost’s chest has stopped.
The collapsing stone pillar was preserved in mid-air in the state it was collapsing.
Fortunately, the flash didn’t seem capable of penetrating the stone pillar, so those behind it remained unharmed.
However, not everyone could take cover behind the pillar.
Lakia, Shu, and the cat, who were not fully protected as the pillar hadn’t completely collapsed.
Karina and Kirsh, who had been in front of the pillar from the start.
They were exposed to the flash and ended up in the same state as the Resistance.
“Karina! Kirsh! Even Lakia… Damn it!”
“Ahhh!! Karina! Karina is…!”
Why do ominous premonitions always come true?
I desperately hoped my guess was wrong, but it turned out to be correct. I couldn’t control the rising anger, and the others, unaware of what had happened, were shocked by the sudden petrification of their comrades.
“Kuhuhu. It seems I might finally survive.”
The ghost, who had caused all this, smiled with satisfaction.
The ghost no longer stuttered, and color returned to its pale skin.
“I can’t forgive this! How dare you, after Tyrving, now Karina!!”
Having lost Karina shortly after Tyrving, Mari completely lost her reason to anger and charged at the ghost.
I quickly ran over and stopped her reckless charge.
“Calm down, Mari! Losing your cool here will only push victory further away!”
“Let go of me, Kurt! How can you be so cold!? Karina is dead!”
“No! Karina isn’t dead! If we defeat him, we might be able to save everyone who’s been petrified!”
“…Is that really true?”
At my words, reason slowly returned to Mari’s anger-filled eyes.
“Oh? Lizard. Do you know about the ability I used? By the way, you collapsed the pillar before the ‘Sephiron Tree Clock’ even reached the hour, didn’t you?”
I didn’t want to answer the ghost’s question, but to calm Mari and inform the others of his ability, I deliberately answered loudly.
“…Yes. Your ability is time stop. Specifically, the ability of the artifact embedded in your chest. You started working behind the scenes of the Spine Empire at least a hundred years ago. No ordinary human could survive that long. Especially not a frail wizard like you. In the end, you artificially extended your life by modifying your body, embedding that artifact in your chest.
I’ve read your journal. An artifact that sent a person from the Ancient Empire era to the present. Specifically, it was about an artifact that stops the user’s time from the Ancient Empire era to the present.
You didn’t extend your life. You froze what little lifespan you had left with the artifact’s power, thawing and refreezing it repeatedly to stretch it to the limit.
And that artifact’s power isn’t just stopping your own time but also others’. That’s the identity of the countless frozen Resistance members we saw while climbing this tower.”
At my words, the ghost smiled with satisfaction and clapped.
“Kuhaha. So, it was you who picked up my journal. Correct! I usually stop my time with the ‘Sephiron Tree Clock’ to preserve my lifespan, engaging in minimal activity. That’s why I manipulated the Spine Empire’s emperors as puppets—my active time is extremely limited.”
“Glad you agree. Then there’s no need to hesitate. Defeat you, rip out the artifact in your chest, and free everyone from the time stop.”
“Can you? Really? Kuhuhu.”
He didn’t say it was impossible.
Meaning, defeating him would truly free the others.
I secretly told Mari we could save Karina, but I wasn’t sure.
However, the ghost’s response confirmed my guess wasn’t wrong, and I could finally relax the tightly clenched fist.
Yes. In the end, we just need to win.
If we win, we can undo everything.
The red sunset light streamed through the window.
The time that started at early lunch was now approaching sunset.
The time the Emperor declared to make a public announcement: 7 PM.
And the ghost’s artifact regained power and activated at 6.
56 minutes left.
In the next 56 minutes, defeat the ghost and destroy the gate.
I kicked off the frozen stone pillar in mid-air and charged forward.
The pillar, fixed in mid-air, scattered in all directions from the external impact.
But.
Soon, I realized how naive that judgment was.
It was hopeless.
The ghost, having regained the artifact’s power, didn’t just gain the ability to stop time.
I had vaguely guessed since his condition improved, but the ghost, receiving immense mana from the artifact, moved much more agilely and cast stronger and more numerous spells simultaneously.
Already struggling due to the absence of Kirsh, Lakia, and the petrified comrades, the ghost’s enhanced speed, strength, and occasional time stops were overwhelming.
That power was the true strength that had annihilated the Resistance alone.
Though I had grown incomparably stronger in the past week preparing for the final battle with Newgoros…
I was no match.
In an instant, we went from pushing the ghost back to being hunted one by one.
52 minutes.
“I’ll defeat you and save Karina and Tyrving!!”
“You… Ah. You’re an elf.”
The ghost no longer fought desperately.
Not out of arrogance, but because the gap between him and us was that vast.
He looked at Mari, pouring out her anger, and spoke with interest.
“By the way. You called Tyrving ‘Dad’ earlier. Don’t tell me that Roman family’s scoundrel is your father?”
“Tyrving is not someone you can call a scoundrel! He dedicated his life to helping oppressed non-humans and is my proud father!”
Mari struggled to break free from the ghost’s grasp, but he had used some spell to hold her bow, making escape impossible.
“Hah. Really? A noble of the Empire mixing blood with an elf… After this, I’ll have to execute him.”
“How dare you speak of Tyrving…! You filthy racist!”
“I am not a racist. I do not discriminate against non-humans. However, that’s only when non-humans know their place and stay within their boundaries. Those who forget their place and cross the line cannot be shown mercy. Punishment is necessary for those who cross the line. An elf daring to mix blood with a human—your mother should also be executed, but time is short.”
“That’s exactly what a racist is!”
Unable to contain her anger, Mari infused her arrow with mana and aimed at the ghost.
But at that moment, the ghost flashed before her.
Whoosh
Receiving immense mana from the artifact, the ghost no longer moved at high speed but teleported short distances.
He instantly teleported in front of Mari and grabbed her arrow.
“Eek…! Let go!”
Mari struggled desperately to break free, but he had already used some spell to hold her bow, making escape impossible.
“But you and your father cannot escape execution. An elf mixing blood with a human is a grave crime. Your very existence is an irreversible sin. Even a single drop of non-human blood mixed with a human is an irreparable contamination, a corruption. After this, I’ll execute you and your father in the square to set an example.”
“Get away from Mari!”
I charged at the ghost as he teleported to Mari, but he raised multiple ice walls with a wave of his hand, blocking my path.
“Mari!!”
As I swung my spear to break through the thick ice walls, in that brief moment, what I saw was Mari, exposed to the flash from the ghost’s chest, frozen in an expression of anger.