Chapter 497 - 497: The Grand Bell Tower

The gale howled as white light gathered around the boy's body.

The sound of the bell gradually grew distant and lofty.

Ryuu never imagined that the chime that had once stirred her heart would now become a terrifying funeral bell.

"No..."

The word slipped from Ryuu's lips like a plea, filled with fear.

Although Juggernaut's strength rivaled a Floor Boss, it was still an assassin-type monster. As long as its outer shell could be destroyed, the Mages present could work together to kill it.

Ryuu had once narrowly survived the feast of death brought about by the Calamity. She understood that the plan the boy had spoken of was their only hope.

Bell must have realized how dire the situation was, which was why he had chosen to charge his Skill first, then give instructions to Ryuu and the others.

Every minute, every second, was vital.

Ryuu had no room to be selfish.

If sacrificing herself could guarantee everyone else's safety, Ryuu would have cried out to stop the boy and chosen another path.

But reality was cruel.

Even with the boost from [Astrae Serenade], Ryuu could barely intervene in the battle between Ais and Juggernaut. If she charged in recklessly, she would only be throwing her life away.

Ryuu understood that all too well.

But she could not accept this plan.

The boy would force open the fangs, and she would seize that chance to chant Magic. That was no different from making her kill the boy with her own hands.

"Bell..."

Ryuu drew her wooden sword and slashed at the huge monster that had just emerged from the right wall.

Blood splattered across her body, but Ryuu paid it no mind. Tears streamed down her face as she looked at Bell.

There were no more words.

Only a pair of tear-filled eyes, pleading desperately.

Ryuu's light-bullet Magic could adjust the number and positions of its detonations. If they wanted to blast open Juggernaut's shell from the inside, she truly was the best choice.

The problem was that even if Ryuu could avoid Bell's body and guide the light bullets through the gaps, the force of the explosion alone would be enough to kill the boy on the spot.

More than that, Bell would have to endure Juggernaut's fangs with his own body. Even if he somehow survived, he would still have to face the side effects of his charged Skill.

For the boy, this one and only hope was a path that led straight to death.

Tears churned in Ryuu's sky-blue eyes as she begged those crimson eyes to search for another way to survive.

Her shoulders trembled. Her throat felt blocked, leaving her unable to make a sound, and bright red blood seeped from her tightly bitten lip.

Bell looked at the crying elf girl and spoke his final words.

"Ryuu, trust me. I absolutely won't die. If you're scared, then sing. We made a [promise], as long as you keep singing, I'll always stay by your side."

As those words fell, Bell closed his eyes.

Limit Off.

He poured in all his Mind.

He gathered every last bit of yearning.

The white light began charging at a far greater speed.

The ringing bell transformed into the solemn, distant sound of the Grand Bell Tower.

Gong.

Gong.

Through his bond with [Goddess's Blade], Bell could feel that the [Sacred Flame] would surely descend. At the very least, [she] believed that and silently remained by his side.

The only problem was that Bell did not know whether he could hold out until the very end.

The crushing pressure of the fangs, the bombardment of Magic, and the side effects of charging [Argonaut] to its limit. If he could not withstand all three, then even if the [Sacred Flame] healed his body, the outcome would likely still be horrifically grim.

Against that, Bell could only burn everything he had.

This was not a blade thrust toward despair, but a shield specialized for defense.

With Bell's Status, he could not defeat Juggernaut. That was why he chose to resist through defense, relying not only on the [Goliath Scarf], but also on Riveria's protective Magic.

It was like hurling an incredibly hard stone at a monster. Without enough [Strength], it could not deal meaningful damage. But seen another way, what if he became the bait and made the monster bite down on that stone?

As long as he could hold those enormous fangs open, Magic could be fired into Juggernaut's mouth.

The tone of the Grand Bell Tower rang high and inspiring.

The yearning burning within [Argonaut] was [Atlas], the hero who bore the heavens.

With his strength alone, he held up the entire sky.

Whether hardship or despair, the moment he yearned to become a hero, such things became nothing more than a little weight upon his shoulders.

White light gathered, and the girls' songs filled the Grand Bell Tower with love.

"Assemble, breath of the land, my name is Alf!"

Riveria chanted defensive Magic.

She had not heard Bell and Ryuu's conversation, but from Ryuu's behavior, she sensed that something was wrong.

Riveria listened to the bell and felt the boy's unwavering resolve.

Four minutes had passed since the battle began.

It seemed brief, but Riveria understood very well that Ais had already reached her limit.

Under the double torment of the wind and the monster, the blonde girl had only managed to endure until now through sheer force of will. If this dragged on any longer, Ais would certainly die here.

Against this Calamity, there was no such thing as a battle of attrition. The instant Ais showed the slightest opening, her life would be taken.

Despair wrapped itself around Riveria's heart. Even after realizing that the boy had chosen a tactic of mutual destruction, Riveria could only hold back her tears and offer her song.

With that reflective Magic shell in place, she could do nothing beyond granting him a blessing of light.

"Unleashed streak of light, bow limbs of the holy tree!"

The instant Lefiya closed the pocket watch, tears poured uncontrollably from her eyes.

Her hands trembled nonstop around her staff, and sorrow filled every rise and fall of her song.

Lefiya did not know what awaited at the end of the bell's toll. She refused to imagine it.

With tears blurring her vision, Lefiya suppressed every emotion and followed Bell's command, beginning her chant at the precise moment.

Sing.

Ryuu's lips trembled as she began to sing a song of love.

"In the sky of a now distant forest... Infinite stars scattered in the endless night sky..."

Just like back then.

She could do nothing but sing.

No.

Please, don't let Bell leave me...

"Respond to my foolish voice, give me now divine protection of starfire."

If her lies had deceived the Goddess, then please, grant her one more chance.

Ryuu had made a terrible mistake. Even when her Skill manifested, she had brushed aside the love in her heart.

Only now did she realize that she could not live in a world without Bell Cranel.

"Give the mercy of light to the one that abandoned you!"

The sound of the Grand Bell Tower shook Ryuu's soul.

Once, she had chanted Magic like this too, pointing light bullets toward her own friends.

"Come, wandering wind, the wandering traveler. Cross the sky and run through the wilderness, run faster than anything else!"

The same scene.

The same song.

Yet the meaning of the [promise] was completely opposite.

"Ryuu, sing. Please. This is our promise, after all."

"Lion, are you there? You have to live, okay~"

"I'll leave the katana to you... May you become strong... Goodbye, Lion."

Sing.

Her friend's voice rang beside her ears.

And with it came the bell that announced the end.

Five minutes.

The boy opened his eyes.

His crimson eyes fixed firmly on Juggernaut as white light gathered over his entire body.

His blood boiled, and his vision became clearer than it had ever been.

Go.

The [Goddess's Blade] gave him encouragement.

In the next instant, Bell charged forward through that moving song.

"Veil Breath!!!"

Riveria sent him an emerald blessing.

"Divine Light, Voyage (Argo's Ship)!"

A storm wrapped around Bell.

The Wind Armor further increased his defense.

"?!"

Ais was still locked in a desperate fight.

The moment she saw the boy, she swung the Desperate Sword with everything she had, trying to pin down Juggernaut's movements.

But to the blonde girl's shock, Bell charged straight in front of the monster.

Before Ais could even shout a warning, Juggernaut opened its bloody maw wide, welcoming the enemy who had delivered himself to its fangs.

Because of the white-haired boy, it had failed to kill its emerald-colored prey.

Following its slaughter instinct and hatred, Juggernaut drove its fangs toward the boy.

Yet death did not come.

Storm, white light, emerald blessing, crimson scarf. All of them came together, becoming an unbreakable boulder.

Bell's body twisted and warped under the crushing pressure, and he spat out a great mouthful of blood.

Even so, he roared out the command.

"Do it!!!!!"

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