What does it take to destroy the world?
Lanling had asked the question aloud, half-joking, but even then, he already knew. The sword's conditions wouldn't be as simple as channeling mana or gathering magical artifacts.
Still, he paled when Haruki finally gave the answer. No amount of mental preparation had steeled him enough.
A million souls.
Not necessarily innocent ones, but the sheer magnitude made Lanling go still. Should he celebrate that it didn't discriminate? Or despair at what that truly meant? His mind spiraled regardless, wondering what would happen to those souls after they were consumed. Where would they go? Would they ever reincarnate?
They spent a week in the cottage after that. The weight of the sword's truth lingered in the back of their minds. Yet in the quiet sanctuary of the forest, the slow ticking of hours, the gentle hum of rain, and the warmth they shared gradually untangled the chaos in their hearts.
