Episode 1040 Neutralizer (1)
Even if genes were exactly the same by astronomical probability, their unique magical powers could not be identical. Even if we repeatedly hypothesize that thoughts and habits were the same, the same holds true.This is because the subtle differences in experience that inevitably arise are what ultimately create a different person.
While similar magic may exist, identical magic cannot exist. This is one of the self-evident propositions of the magical world that no one can deny.
But… what if it were possible? If another person could reproduce magic that is practically a representation of the self, would that sorcerer truly be another person in a magical sense?
Draven formulated a hypothesis.
Based on the concept of the soul, I mobilized all knowledge of black magic to calculate the result. I traced back the source of the demonic path beyond enlightenment.
“We are in sync while Verden is opening my magic.”
Corrupted magic flared up.The soul pulsated.
So, there are no barriers.
Ripples rose from the soul imprinted with the traces of Draven’s magical realm. The ripples turned into waves, causing the Host’s archives to vibrate regularly.Alpha and Beta witnessed the sight of a dense aura of death spreading.
Magic transmission.
The Dark Moon transferred all memories onto Verden and implanted the Demonic Path of the Blight into him. Since the Dark Moon would be remembered forever as long as Verden existed, it was as if the Dark Moon had literally burned its life to complete its ideal.Based on those memories, Verden manipulated the concept of annihilation and ultimately made it his own.
Unlike him… … .
The magical practice that Draven intends to perform differs somewhat from that of the Darkmoon. WhileVerden, having received only memories, had to physically embody the Darkmoon, Draven intended to copy the state attained deep within the soul exactly as it was.
It is my first time, but I am confident. What difficulties could there be in conveying one’s own to oneself? The magic has become a powerful medium connecting us.
If the succession is successful, theoretically, Verden will be able to handle all of my dark magic. All of it, including super-tier magic, in addition to my unique magic.
Perhaps there is a possibility that the magic of destiny will evolve under the influence of Verden’s magic. Even if not now, someday. After all,Draven stopped at the extreme of the 7th tier, while Verden had reached the 8th tier and was a transcendent among transcendents whose growth had not yet ceased.
Whoosh.
The Followers of Fate made Draven realize through the Animus that there is no heaven. In this way, they induced the ideal and exploited it. They made a transcendent being, who was like the crystallization of resistance, stand on the side of Fate.
The resistance forces manipulated Draven’s memories to orchestrate a plan for the Empress, the Great Emperor, and the Great Calamity of Light to be resurrected by the power of none other than the Old King. Just as the Followers of Fate had done, the Resistors also used Draven as a tool.
The first Demon King, ‘you’, Host… He recalled those who had toyed with and deceived him. Among them, the one who stood out most vividly was undoubtedly Emperor Xerion.
There was no glory of a great corpse.
Devotion went unrewarded.Loyalty was betrayed.Loyalty turned into hatred.
Akand.
All that remained for the dead Draven was madness toward ideals and revenge.
Do you feel despair, too?
Draven put everything on the line once again.
A crack appeared in the soul shattered by destruction. The false body split open like drought-stricken land. The host forcibly endured the puzzle, which was unable to withstand the pressure and threatened to scatter again.
Eventually, the resonance of the soul, which had only continued to grow louder, subsided.
The magic path closed.The magic resonance ended.
Verden closed his eyes and focused on the magical sensations transmitted through his soul. He understood the feeling of black magic that he had never once cast in his life.
Does this mean dealing with death energy?
The infinite magic responded to Verden’s will.
Vita Exilium
The Chains of Fate wielded by Draven wrapped around Verden’s arm. *Swoosh*. The unique magic imbued with the concept of destroying life was in no way inferior to the chains of its original owner, Draven.
However, there was a difference in purity.
The degree of internal and external brilliance in Verden’s *Fate* was so different that it would be more fitting to say it bestows rest rather than destroys life.
With this, the magic was passed down.
Draven let out a deep breath. As he let his arms hang down, even such a small movement accelerated the disintegration of his body inflicted by the host.With his second death right before his eyes, he felt no fear whatsoever.
“I have also conveyed to you the life I have lived. Now the glory of the corpse is yours, and Verden, you are the glory of the corpse. It is a pity that I cannot speak of the Apostle’s mission that Akand harbors, but… I am sure that you will reach the truth before long.”
Akhand’s mission brought the worst despair to Draven. The information whispered by the Host during their intellectual clash lingered on his lips, but he endured it with difficulty.For sharing that information would be poison to Verden, not Draven. Like Akhand, the missions of some Apostles are entangled in powerful taboos.
“You must not give Akand any room for suspicion.”“…….”“Conceal your secret thoroughly. At the very last moment when discovery will not be a variable…….”
Even if you could summon a massive army of undead using black magic of rank 7 or higher to support the Continental Alliance, you must absolutely not do so.If Arkand were to figure out the magic of destiny inherent in Verden, there is a high probability that the plan for internal division within the Glory of the Dead would fall apart.
“Until I plunge a dagger into the heart of Akhand.”
Who will win the war?That belongs to the living.
Crack… … crack crack… … .
His body was collapsing. He had held out longer than expected. He had no regrets in his final moments. It was the moment Draven was about to speak to leave his last words.
Paaaat.
Verden extended his left arm. Recognizing the broken form of Draven’s soul, he imbued it with ‘Ash Divine Power,’ and the soul rift was rapidly repaired.For some reason, it seemed like it would work.The body was false and therefore irreversible, but his soul was true.
Draven opened his eyes wide.
“This is… surely not divine power?”
Draven had come across Verden’s life story through books, but he had only seen a part of it. Due to a lack of time, he read through the contents focusing on the principles by which Verden had mimicked the Darkmoon magic.There was certainly no mention within it of Verden wielding divine power. Furthermore, this divine power was absolutely not of the Luas religion.
Verden said.
“Ever since I realized my divinity and recognized the concept of the soul, I have agonized over whether it is truly right to go beyond merely executing a heinous commandment violator like you and completely obliterate your ego and soul.”
To prevent the resurrection of the ancient king on an island in the Hiaremar Inland Sea, Verden cast
“Leave with dignity, Draven Lemarque.”“…….”
Draven clenched and unclenched his fists as he contemplated his soul, which had regained its form. Not long after, as nearly 70% of his body was vanishing, Draven gathered his thoughts and spoke.
As long as my soul exists and you do not give up on your ideals, we will meet again someday. Because heaven does not exist.
Draben recalled the faces of the young disciples suffering in the afterlife.He, too, would go to where the children were.
“……‘I will wait for you on the Hill of Liberation first.’ If you convey that, Luneska will understand, no matter what you say.”
Draven, who had left a message of their own so that Lunesica could trust Verden, delivered his final will in a slightly stronger tone.
And, animus.
Draven fought the Transcendents with a gauntlet connected to the power of Animus, and Verden succeeded in shattering the gauntlet at the end of the battle.
Verden viewed the gauntlet as the Animus, the first of the six legendary tales, just like the Gring Arcanum. However, according to Draven’s detailed explanation, the true form of the ‘Animus’ exists separately.
Currently, Animus is in the hands of the old king.
“You must destroy that monstrosity.”
or not…….
Make it completely yours, or.
His presence soon faded. Having lost his physical body and could no longer exist in the present world, Draven calmly accepted his death.It was the end of the leader of the Glory of the Dead, a legacy woven from the kingdoms of Verden and Estiria. Of course, as long as his soul remained, the word “end” might still be premature.
Click.
As soon as Draven disappeared, the bookshelf opened. The door that suddenly appeared led to an unknown passage shrouded in the darkness of the deep sea.
“……Is this finally the finale?”
The moment to leave Arcadium has arrived. If I use two question rights on the host, I have no more business in this deep sea.
[Your Majesty Verden.]
[What would you do with this book?]
Alpha and Beta each held a book. They were Verden’s records and Draven’s records, which were neatly placed on the table.
Sararak.
Verden examined his records.
Just as with Draven, the writing was densely packed with everything about Verden. Even all the thoughts and emotions of that time were vivid. Indeed, it felt as if the world itself had recorded Verden.I opened the last chapter.The record ended with Verden realizing his divinity in the rift of the world.
Is it the influence of becoming a true god?
Since this is the first time seeing such a record, I cannot say for certain, but based on the circumstances, it appears to be so. With Alpha and Beta on his shoulders, he stacked the books.
I’ll take both.
[Host. Reaction?]
“If I didn’t want to, I would have said so long ago.”
Verden understood that not only Draven’s soul, but also these two books were part of the goods for him that had reached the end of the Arcadium.
It doesn’t matter if it’s not a product, though.
It is extremely unpleasant for someone else to read one’s entire life story without permission. If, by any chance, the host asked for it back, I intended to burn it.
I could have left Draven’s book behind… but I still made a point of taking it.
Verden still does not sympathize with Draven, who had walked the wrong path. Draven himself believed that ignorance could not be an indulgence. He did not deny that he was an atrocious villain.Verden merely understood the footsteps Draven had taken.
The magic
I stored the books in the space.
Here, thoughts accelerate, creating the illusion that time flows slowly. Verden, Alpha, and Beta were more than capable of handling this shortened thinking process.Even taking that into account, a significant amount of time had been consumed while acquiring Draven’s magic, so Verden walked straight toward the door that emerged from the bookshelf.
The abyss greeted them.
* * *
Silent footsteps echoed.
In the darkness, the distinctive blue oval single eye of Alpha and Beta flickered.
“…….”
As they left the passageway, they came upon a cavity whose scale could not be gauged by pure spatial sense. The floor was clear, but the surroundings were pitch black.It was a darkness that was difficult to penetrate deeply even with Verden’s insight.
I made a bet with Draven. I granted him the knowledge he desired when he correctly flipped a coin and guessed heads or tails, and I granted his request when he accurately predicted who would reach the end of the Arcadium. In this way, I prepared the groundwork so that another could recreate the magic of destiny.
A humanoid host wrapped in a robe embroidered with the brilliant universe stood in the center of the cavity.
{Draven chose the option that you would reach the end of the Arcadium.}
At that moment, Verden’s senses were heightened.
‘What is this… …? A sense of kinship?’
Verden was speechless for a moment due to an indescribable sensation. The host lifted his chin slightly, looking as if he were enjoying himself.
{Did you like the product? Verden.}
“……Stop the unnecessary details.”
Verden struggled to shake off the sense of alienation bordering on kinship and got straight to the point. He had already decided whether to use the lower-level or intermediate-level questioning option, and what topic to ask about.
I will use the right to ask a lower-level question.
{gladly.}
“What is an apostle?”
Why are Hosts and Bloodia, who do not show loyalty to ‘you,’ Apostles? Verden questioned the essence of the Apostles.
