Chapter 220 The Hint



"Nikol, surrender yourself, we will only kill you, you don't-" Phoenix's voice came from the chimaera-looking monster, but it quickly got overshadowed by the worried sound of the Leviathan, who wanted Nikol to run.

"Don't! Nikol, run quickly, don't let yourself get caught by us, you should run," The lock Nikol put on them suddenly broke and their body started moving with their gigantic tentacles moving like worms hoping to prey on Nikol.

*Sigh

"I can't keep them locked, my only option is to kill them, but can I really kill them? do they want to die? do they want to end this immortal life which only brings them vanity?"

Nikol questioned himself. He clenched his fists, his conflicted emotions swirling within him like a storm. "I can't bear the thought of losing either of you," he murmured, his voice barely audible. "But I also can't stand idly by as the world falls into chaos."

He was disappointed in himself, because how can he be so weak, that even after he became a 'beginner' he was still weak to the feelings that kept haunting him?

The chimaera's eyes glowed with a mixture of familiarity and malice. It seemed to understand the internal struggle plaguing Nikol's heart. "We were once a family," it hissed, its voice distorted and haunting. "Now, we are bound together in a twisted dance of fate. Kill us Nikol, it's fine, we won't blame you, after all this might be our fate,"

Nikol's resolve hardened as he locked eyes with the chimaera. "Then, if we are destined to face each other, let it be a dance worthy of remembrance."

He raised his hand, and a surge of power coursed through his veins. It crackled with electric energy, sparks dancing along his fingertips. But instead of releasing a destructive blast, he unleashed a burst of energy that encased the chimaera in a shimmering barrier.

"Let's play," Nikol said, a glimmer of sadness and determination in his eyes. "We have a little more time until Jormungand appears. We can make the most of it."

His sisters' voices merged into a harmonious chorus, their faces contorted in an eerie blend of despair and gratitude. "Thank you, Nikol," they whispered in unison and felt their sanity disappearing.

And so, Nikol and the chimaera engaged in a battle that defied the boundaries of life and death. Their clash sent shockwaves through the air, each strike infused with a mixture of pain and love. Nikol danced through the battlefield, his movements graceful and fluid, his powers restrained but still formidable.

"Is this all you've got, Nikol?" the chimaera bellowed, its voice laced with arrogance. "You dare challenge me, the amalgamation of your sisters' powers? I'll tear you apart! Don't go thinking you're a big deal just because you're a beginner"

Nikol's eyes narrowed, his resolve unyielding. "I wanted to talk with you more while you are sane and tell my real identity," he declared, his voice resonating with unwavering determination. "But looks like it's impossible now, yet I will protect this world and the memories we hold dear!"

He launched himself forward with incredible speed, his movements blurring as he weaved through the chimaera's onslaught. Nikol's powers surged, enveloping his body in a radiant aura. He unleashed a barrage of energy blasts, each one pulsating with his determination to preserve the bonds that tied them all together.

The chimaera retaliated with a devastating swipe of its monstrous claws, tearing through the ground with earth-shattering force. Nikol deftly dodged the attack, narrowly evading its destructive power. He countered with a lightning-fast flurry of punches and kicks, each strike precisely calculated to exploit the chimaera's weaknesses.

As the battle raged on, their clash took on an almost choreographed elegance. The ground quaked beneath their feet, and the air crackled with their combined energy. Spectators watched in awe, their hearts pounding with exhilaration as the fate of the world hung in the balance.

The chimaera roared with fury, its eyes gleaming with a mix of anger and desperation. "You cannot defeat me, Nikol!" it snarled. "I am the embodiment of their power! The power of the apocalypse that can kill you,"

Nikol's voice rose above the chaos, his words infused with unwavering resolve, but he knew it was impossible for them to kill him.

After all this chimaera would only be complete if Fenrir was here too, but unfortunately for them he was already dead.

"Wait! If I just disappear into nothingness, will they return back to normal? But if I do that everyone will forget about me, just like Jormungand and I won't be able to leave until-" He thought as he went through his memories.

The clash intensified, with Nikol's strikes resonating with thunderous impact, and the chimaera's defences waning under the relentless onslaught. Each blow carried the weight of Nikol's conflicted emotions, both the sisters couldn't even think about their next move because of how dangerous his attacks were.

Time seemed to stand still as the final moments of the battle approached. Nikol and the chimaera faced each other, their powers surging to their peak. The air crackled with anticipation, as if the entire world held its breath.

The girls were also looking at everything with anxious looks and it was already nighttime, but they noticed the atmosphere becoming more chilled and the sky turning dark.

And before Nikol could charge and hold them for a little while, he saw it is time and the Leviathan x Phoenix chimera also stopped in its track as the sky turned into dark blue, with small shining symbols showing the arrival of the being Nikol had been waiting for.

And there, amidst the darkened sky, emerged a figure bathed in ethereal light. It was a being of immense power and wisdom, the one Nikol had hoped would come. Its presence commanded respect and filled the air with a sense of tranquillity.

It was none other than Jormungand himself, who appeared in this mysterious and mystical-looking way.

As the figure drew closer, Nikol felt a surge of relief and hope. Maybe there was another way to save both himself and the people he cared about. He looked at the sisters, their worried expressions mirrored his own fears.

The being extended a hand towards Nikol, its touch radiating warmth and understanding. "Nikol," it spoke with a voice that seemed to resonate within his very soul, "So you became one, a beginner?"

He asked in a very calming voice and just by looking at him Nikol knew the truth.

He was no apocalypse, he was no human, he was no god. He was a beginner, just like him and Nikol didn't know what is his deal trying to create something that would literally kill him.

Nikol's heart pounded in his chest as he listened intently. The being continued, "To save both yourself and those you cherish, you must confront the truth within you. Embrace your true nature, for it holds the key to your liberation, my liberation, our liberation."

Confusion mingled with determination in Nikol's eyes. He understood that this encounter held profound significance, and he was willing to face whatever challenges lay ahead. The sisters, still unable to comprehend the situation fully, watched with bated breath and the same goes for the girls, who couldn't even see Jormungand's fave clearly.

With a solemn nod, Nikol made his decision. He reached out and clasped the being's outstretched hand, feeling an immediate connection forming between them.

They didn't need many words to converse with each other, as they already had a connection that cannot be separated.

"So that's it, what a selfish man, you are-" Nikol said with a smile and looked at Jormungand, who was waiting for his salvation.

"You can feel it, right? The loneliness and the pain, I have been in this universe since it came to existence, and I'm sick of this, please kill me and give me salvation," Nikol knew it wasn't a request, but a threat because he knew, if he refuses his words, Jormungand will destroy this world.

*Sigh

"How did I even get caught up in this mess?" Nikol said with a tired sigh and held Jormungand's hand.

"Fine, I will kill you, I will take your place and fight for eternity with the other universal beginners," Nikol said, which automatically brought and hearty laugh to Jormungand's face.

Jormungand's grip tightened around Nikol's hand, and the air crackled with otherworldly energy.

As Nikol prepared himself for the momentous task ahead, a surge of power flowed through his veins. He could feel the weight of countless universes pressing upon him, their stories and destinies converging into a single point. It was a sensation, unlike anything he had ever experienced.

Jormungand's voice resonated within Nikol's mind, bypassing the need for spoken words. "Remember, Nikol, this is not a simple act of mercy. It is a choice that binds you to the eternal struggle. You will bear witness to the birth and death of countless worlds, and you will fight alongside the cosmic forces that shape their fates."

Nikol nodded, his eyes filled with sadness.

He saw his future self in Jormungand's eyes.

A helpless, depressed and hopeless man, who just wishes for death. No pleasure in life and just a life that is in existence because it is alive and cannot be killed.

'What a sad life! I don't want this, but if I don't-" Nikol waited for the girls to pick up his hint and act upon it, but it never came at least until he put up his hand to pierce the chest of Jormungand and consume his, eternal heart, but then he suddenly heard a voice behind and Nikol turned around with a smile.

"So you did it, Tisha, you went ahead and did it," Nikol thought, as he suddenly prone without even letting the other party react.