The Ultimate Lich King of the Multiverse

2/5

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Yoru and Hestia continued weaving through the narrow alleyways, with the sound of the Silverback still close behind. It seemed to be actively tracking them—no, tracking Hestia.

"Why…? It feels like it's deliberately targeting you, Hestia."

After some time eluding pursuit, Yoru muttered in confusion.

What at first seemed like a random accident was becoming increasingly suspicious—as if someone was manipulating things from the shadows.

And the target was Hestia.

"No time to worry about that. This is actually the perfect time to put it to use!"

Despite their situation, Hestia showed no signs of fear or panic. Instead, she eagerly unstrapped a case from her back.

Yoru had always assumed the weapon forged by Hephaestus and Hestia for him was some kind of staff. But when Hestia opened the box, he blinked in surprise.

What lay inside wasn't a staff.

It was a broad two-handed knight's sword.

Its surface gleamed with a muted silvery sheen, and ancient runes were etched across the blade—letters Yoru didn't recognize. The design wasn't flashy, but there was something dignified and refined about it. Simply looking at it felt oddly comforting.

"Why… a sword?"

Yoru murmured, staring at the weapon with a strange sense of familiarity.

"Well~ I may have accidentally told Hephaestus something you once said… and she made this sword based on that~"

"Something I said?"

"Yup! You once told me that magic should only be used as support—that true strength comes from within, right?"

Hestia smiled at him and looked down at the sword.

"Maybe that's why Hephaestus made it this way. She probably agrees—you don't have to be a mage."

Without a word, Yoru reached into the box and lifted the sword.

The moment it recognized its master, the runes carved into the blade shimmered to life.

"Why don't you give it a name, Yoru? I was thinking of calling it The Hestia Blade, but I thought I should let you decide."

"A name, huh…"

Yoru whispered as he activated a bit of his power. The sword began to glow with a bright blue light, yet its surface didn't freeze.

It was clear the runes were acting as magical conduits—some kind of special circuit that perfectly channeled his power.

"Your power is frost-based, right?

Then how about we call it... Frostmourne?"

The moment Hestia suggested the name, Yoru flinched so hard he almost collapsed.

"Y-You… What did you just say?"

"Huh? What's wrong? Is Frostmourne not a good name?"

Seeing Yoru visibly trembling with a weird look on his face, Hestia tilted her head in confusion.

"N-No… Let's just go with The Hestia Blade. This sword carries your spirit, after all."

He spoke softly, regaining his composure and gently patting her head.

"Mm!"

Hestia beamed with delight, nodding energetically at the name.

Their moment didn't last long.

A shadow loomed overhead.

The Silverback had finally located them and charged into the alley, quickly closing in.

Yoru shoved Hestia aside just in time as the creature's massive hand slammed down between them, cutting them off from each other.

"Yoru—!?"

Hestia's cry caught in her throat.

A blast of cold air swept through the alley as the Silverback's outstretched hand was suddenly cleaved off.

What followed was a blur of movement.

The massive knight's sword—far too large for one hand—was effortlessly wielded by Yoru. With a fluid motion, he sliced the beast's arm into dozens of pieces, each one frozen solid midair.

No blood flowed.

Instead, the severed pieces exploded into shimmering frost shards that scattered across the ground like snow.

The Silverback, still unaware of what had happened, stumbled from the sudden loss of its arm and toppled forward.

Directly beneath it stood Hestia, who let out a sharp scream and tried to scramble away.

Before she could, she fell into a warm embrace. A heartbeat later, the Silverback crashed into the ground with an earth-shaking thud. Yoru had caught her just in time, and the two of them tumbled away together in a heap.

"That was amazing, Yoru! That swordplay just now—it was beautiful!"

Worried about her safety, Yoru sighed in relief upon hearing her cheerful voice.

The truth was—he didn't know any sword techniques. That had been pure instinct.

But looking at the results… it worked surprisingly well.

The Silverback, having crashed into the ground, struggled for a while before slowly rising to its feet. It still didn't fully understand what had happened. Its severed arm had been frozen, so there was no pain—just confusion.

"Go on! Finish it!"

With renewed confidence, Hestia slapped Yoru's shoulder and urged him forward.

He flipped the sword in his hand. The runes along the blade flared with brilliant blue light, and the overwhelming chill of his frost magic began to spread uncontrollably.

Even Hestia found herself momentarily breathless.

A thin layer of ice silently formed along the walls of the alley.

The drop in temperature was so sudden that even the Silverback—despite being a monster—hesitated.

But Hestia's presence was too strong. Irresistible. Maddening.

The beast, driven by instinct, lunged forward again—straight into the killing zone.

The goddess it sought was just a few steps away. Just a little more… almost there…

Its movements began to slow. Its body stiffened.

And in its final moment, the last thing the Silverback saw—

was the gleaming blue edge of a blade descending upon it.

The impact was like smashing fine porcelain.

Cracks spread out from the blade's point of contact, and without a single drop of blood spilled, the monster's body shattered.

Glittering shards of ice exploded outward, blanketing the alley like snowfall.

So beautiful...

Just like snow.

As Hestia stared at Yoru's back—standing tall with his sword in hand—she felt her heart waver in awe.

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