Translated by A Passing Wanderer

Edited by RED

-Defensive formation!-

The Jötnar overlapped their shields. Dozens of the giants stood firm to block the tide of the zombified Jötnar coming in, but the Skeleton King mercilessly charged in at that crowd. Its gigantic body crashed straight into them.

Zombie Jötnar and the living giants wielding stone shields were all flung away in pieces. Those giants that dared to block the undead King's path were ruthlessly trampled to death by its hooves.

The flaming whip cracked around, while the golden spear and sword worked together to chop and slice apart any obstructions that got in the undead's way.

-....I see. It makes sense that both Surtr and Hrímr died to that thing.- Hrungnir's trembling voice entered my ears just then.

I could also see Utgar, who said it'd run away from here, pressing its hand on the Earth Giant's back.

-I shall grant you extra strength!- Utgar's hand could be seen waving about, engraving something on Hrungir's back. -I shall transfer all my remaining Mana to you!-

-I thought you wanted to flee?-

-This is for my sake, too! Buy as much time as possible!-

Hrungnir grinned deeply. Once a vast quantity of Mana entered the Earth Giant, Utgar urgently turned around to flee from here on its gargantuan beast.

Huh, so that dude wants to use Hrungnir as its shield, is that it? Sorry, but I ain't gonna let you go…

"Donn, I command you." Through Avaldi's Spear, I sent a torrent of electricity into the Skeleton King. Then I loudly roared out, "Annihilate the enemy in one sure strike!"

-As you command, my master.-

The Skeleton King crossed its weapons. The cogwheels floating around the undead began spinning even faster; its whole body turned crimson in hue as arcs of electricity began whipping and dancing like vicious storm winds.

Light continued to flash blindingly as bolts of electricity cracked and slammed into its surroundings.

-I shall obliterate our enemy!-

The Skeleton King's charge accelerated even further. It ploughed ahead while sending out lightning bolts everywhere to burn the Jötnar to death.

In the meantime, I could tell that Hrungnir was focusing all the Mana inside itself. The ground supporting this weighty giant exploded, then caved in.

-I shall end this with one strike!- The Earth Giant glared at me and the Skeleton King with a face filled to the brim with determination. -I shall use all the Mana in me, even that supporting my life, to wage this one final strike-!!!-

Right at that instant, the huge giant vanished from the view. The ground where it used to stand belatedly exploded in response.

I used divinity to push all of my reflexes to their extreme.

I could see it. The bastard was running towards us!

Its arms pulled back and forth, while its legs pounded unstoppably on the ground. The eyes of regular people wouldn't even be able to detect the movement of such a humongous body. That's how fast it was, and also how strong its final attack was, the one performed at the cost of sacrificing its own soul.

Very well, come! Allow me to return it right back at you!

Because I too, will go all out against you!

My lips opened wide as I roared as loud as I could. At the same time, the Skeleton King's jaw opened to let out a thunderous howl with me.

Everything seemingly came to a standstill, as if time and space were no longer aligned together. In the midst of this stoppage, the two kaijus charged towards one another.

-Uoooooooooh!-

Hrungnir crossed its arms to defend against the Skeleton King's weapons. As the two kaiju collided in slow motion, sparks danced wildly all around us. Just as slowly, cracks began developing on Hrungnir's arms.

The four weapons gripped in the Skeleton King's hands were gradually breaking through the Earth Giant's defences.

The ore of Orichalcum, the toughest and strongest metal ore in the world, was shattering into bits and pieces from the force of impact.

Hrungnir's eyes grew wider and wider. It even opened its mouth, too.

-...!-

It probably wanted to say something just then, but it was too late now.

The Skeleton King's weapons froze, stabbed through, crushed, and burned the Earth Giant's arms. The gigantic undead reared up, then kicked straight at Hrungnir's head. The undead charged ahead while leaving behind afterimages of nothing but pure light, completely breaking past Hrungnir in the process.

The Earth Giant's huge body shattered into bits and pieces before raining down everywhere like a meteor shower.

"Euh... wuuk-!"

Right at that moment, I picked up the acrid stench of blood in my nose and mouth. My body couldn't endure the backlash. At this rate, the remaining giant might escape from here for real!

I raised my head to look.

-Huff... pant... huff...!- The last King of Jötnar was currently showing its back to me and fleeing desperately.

Only Utgar remained now.

**

(TL: In 3rd person POV.)

Utgar breathlessly fled from the battlefield while thinking to itself, -I will live! Yes, I'll survive!-

Would it get a chance to counterattack some day? If it managed to get away and keep its life somehow, would it get a chance to repay this humiliation?

Nope. Completely impossible. There was just no way to stop those bastards now!

Surtr, Hrímr, and now even Hrungnir had been killed. There was no way that Utgar could win against a monster like that!

The Magic Giant glanced back and witnessed Hrungnir shattering into pieces. It didn't end there, though, as the Skeleton King picked up pieces of the Earth Giant and began shoving them down its bony jaw to devour them.

Utgar was terrified even more by that sight. Its eyes could clearly see Hrungnir's soul being consumed.

Soon after that, Orichalcum ores rapidly enveloped the Skeleton King's body like an additional layer of armour.

-How can that be?!-

The giant undead was creepily smiling away with its eyes. It lowered its posture and four hooves secured itself to the ground.

That posture, it was eerily reminiscent of Hrungnir getting ready to charge.

-N-no, wait a minute!-

If it was that giant's speed...!

KA-BOOOOM-!

The hooves kicked the ground.

...Utgar would be caught instantly!

The Skeleton King screeched out monstrously and swung its four weapons through the air. The ice spear blew apart the leg of the gargantuan beast Utgar was riding on. Huge blocks of ice jutted out from below.

When its legs froze up, the gargantuan beast naturally came to an abrupt stop. Thanks to the sudden stop, Utgar was thrown from the top and crashed on the ground, only to roll about in an ungainly manner.

The Magic Giant urgently looked behind and witnessed its gargantuan beast being mercilessly hacked apart by the Skeleton King's weapons. That didn't take too long, though, and the gigantic undead shifted its gaze over to Utgar next.

Those creepy glowing eyeballs arched up like new moons. Those eyes... they belonged to a hunter who had just discovered a new and tasty prey!

-N-no...-

The undead thing was approaching. It was raising up its weapons.

All four limbs of Utgar were nailed to the ground, impaling the giant on the spot.

-Uwaaaaahk!- the giant screamed in pain, but it still continued to watch the event taking place in front of itself.

The Skeleton King's jaw began splitting open wide as it leaned in closer in order to swallow Utgar's head.

Just as the Magic Giant began shuddering from dread, it suddenly began sensing something.

It sensed divinity scattering away!

Almost at the same time, the Skeleton King stopped moving altogether.

Utgar's brows shot up in disbelief as it watched the particles of light begin scattering away from the Skeleton King's frame, then the undead slowly disintegrated from the view.

-Ah... ha, hahaha! Ahahahaha!- Utgar guffawed in happiness and relief.

That's right, this monstrosity must've exhausted all of its strength. It must've reached its final limit trying to maintain such a humongous body. Even the summoner himself shouldn't be left unscathed. However, Utgar had managed to survive. It had survived this hellish battlefield! All the other Kings of Jötnar were dead now, so that left Utgar as the strongest Jötunn alive, too!

Panting heavily in relief, Utgar glared at the one riding on the disappearing Skeleton King's head.

He was just some small human, no better than an insect.

-Oh King of Humanity, the ruler of this world! This is your loss. You cannot possibly kill me now!-

The human bastard was clearly a spent force. He was on his knees and huffing breathlessly away. Even the bone armour encasing him was breaking down and disintegrating.

The golden spear grasped in his hand more than likely required a massive supply of divinity to wield, too. No matter how one saw it, this puny human didn't look like he had any energy left to keep fighting anymore.

This was Utgar's chance.

The chance to kill this bastard!

The Magic Giant began chanting a magic spell inwardly.

But then, Allen threw off the mountain goat's skull on his head. He continued to breathe heavily, yet he leapt off from the Skeleton King and landed on Utgar's chest.

-Oh? Human, what are you planning? You certainly don't have enough strength to kill me, so why would...-

The human suddenly summoned a musket.

Utgar froze.

"Oh Gaia." The human breathed into the loading chamber and started offering a prayer.

'No, wait! This puny bastard still has enough power left to fight!' magic

-W-wait, oh King of Humans, h-hear me out fir...!-

"Under the blessing of Gaia, the one who celebrates life..."

A vast quantity of divinity condensed on him next.

-Y-you accursed insect bastard!-

Utgar exploded in fury and opened its mouth to cast its magic. But right at that moment, the disintegrating Skeleton King's still-intact hand shot forward and grabbed the Magic Giant's jaw, before tearing it right off.

The four weapons were still pinning its limbs down, while the pain from its torn jaw meant that Utgar couldn't even chant its magic spell now.

"Grant me the decisive hand to judge the one who dared to distort and twist this world."

The particles of divinity began coalescing behind Allen's back. They soon formed the silhouette of a woman, who gently embraced his shoulders.

The Blessing of the Goddess he had once displayed all those years ago back in Ronia had manifested once more.

The musket's muzzle was now aimed right at the middle of Utgar's brow.

The irises of the Magic Giant trembled in fear.

-D-don't... kill me...!- Utgar cried out desperately, but Allen simply grinned creepily with his eyes, the corners of his lips curling up.

That devil-like grin only made Utgar scream even louder. -P-please let me live! If you let me go, I'll do anything you want! Anything! That's why...!-

"Amen."

Allen, still grinning away, pulled the trigger.

BANG-!

Utgar's head exploded; there was only a small hole in its forehead, but the back of the giant's head now had a huge, gaping hole.

The vines on its body went limp, and all the compacted sand making up its body began sliding down. Utgar, its tongue flopping loosely out of its mouth, slowly closed its eyes.

Allen fell on his back and lay there spread-eagled on Utgar's disintegrating chest.

"...It's finally over."

He looked up at the sky. The bright sun could be seen beyond the murky clouds above.

The noisy, chaotic battlefield had become utterly silent, as if everything that had happened so far had been a lie.

But this state didn't last for long; the still-living Jötnar and the vampires began urgently fleeing from there in panic and fright.

"After them!" Charlotte issued a new command, and the allied forces roared out, their spirits now fully reinvigorated.

The battlefield was certainly raucous. Yet for some reason, Allen found all the noise rather enjoyable to listen to.

It was because those were the roars of the victors. Yes, that must've been why.

Allen smirked softly and closed his eyes.

. At the End of the Apocalypse -3 (Part One and Two) > Fin.