Episode 1060 Shrine (2)
Demons including Legion Commander Hadras.The first king of the human world.
Verden, having encountered them and emerged from the rift between worlds, returned to the ownerless land.Immediately afterwards, he instructed Junia and Isabella to find one person.
Sculptor, Jose.
A tragic husband and father whose wife was accused of devil worship and executed while trying to cure his sick son, and whose son eventually died of illness.
Nevertheless, a wild man who did not curse the world but blamed himself, escaping from society and choosing a solitary life in the blue mountains.
A pitiful believer who prayed to the Luas religion, which killed his wife, hoping for the salvation of his departed wife and son.
and.
Witnessing the sight of Verden, who awakened as a transcendent being, opening up the blizzard-swept sky… … the first believer of Verden who, in the present, bestowed divinity upon Verden through pure faith.
Thump.
Verden took Lobeline up the steps of the stone pillar and arrived at the temple. He lightly placed his hand on the intricately carved temple column.
Was Jose making this in the cave while I was in the gap between worlds?
Verden does not know about Jose’s actions. He has no idea what truly served as the catalyst for worshipping Verden as a god.He can only sense that the faith residing in the temple was pure and true.
But why did the divine power only react to the temple now?
Verden turned his head, following the direction indicated by the divine power. He could see the large statue of Verden situated in the center of the temple courtyard.
It was truly strange and fascinating.
Since he had not yet realized his divinity by the time the temple was built, the statue should naturally have depicted the transcendent being Verden… but as you can see, it reflected the current Verden, who has become the God of Demons.The forms of [Einber] and [Interis], which have transformed into divine artifacts, were also reproduced exactly as they were.
Did he perhaps get some inspiration?
Then, suddenly, a natural sense of incongruity in the statue caught my eye.
The way the face is sculpted is different.
Upon closer inspection, it appeared that a different carving technique had been used only in that spot. Was there an assistant?Isabella had looked around and said that, aside from Jose, there seemed to be about three other people staying in the hut: a woman, a girl, and a boy.
There is a faint trace of moisture remaining on the statue’s head.
He slowly raised his gaze.
I discovered traces of water droplets on that high ceiling shrouded in darkness. Surely not… did the dew falling from above keep hitting the statue and carving its face into the shape of Verden?
It was hard to believe, but my intuition affirmed it.
‘then…….’
I sorted out the situation.
Jose made the snowy mountain cave where Verden had reached the realm of transcendence his sacred sanctuary and built his temple by himself.For some reason, he left the blue mountain range, leaving only the face of the statue behind.Natural phenomena then slowly carved the statue in Jose’s place and ‘just’ completed the temple.
That is why Verden became aware of the temple’s existence at this very moment.
Well, it’s hard to describe.
Divine power pulsating within.
A different kind of emotion welled up inside him than when he had accepted demons as believers. It was a feeling only God could understand. This was truly the epitome of worship. Althoughthe temple appeared quiet on the outside, seemingly devoid of anything other than murals and sculptures, its very existence was having a profound impact on Verden.
Strengthening of divine power.Ascension of divinity.Growth as a god.
When you reach the threshold of becoming a god, you can use divine power to manifest your unique abilities. As you grow into a god, you can hear the prayers of believers, sense their presence, and bestow powers.
In the inner world, I recalled what Aisha and Hiante, the concept of time, had said.I also understood their meaning.The first temple for Verden elevated the divine sense to a new level.
It is still unknown where on the continent Jose is after leaving the cabin.
but.
Jose is alive.
The presence of the believer, the warmth of faith, is conveyed as divine power. It was not just Jose. There were more of his believers on the continent whom Verden had not yet identified.Although their identities were unknown and their prayers still sounded like faint noises that could not be clearly perceived, their presence alone was undeniable.
Verden was lost in the lingering resonance in the center of the temple.
I was almost assimilated into the darkness and silence of the temple when I suddenly saw a flame.A familiar yet warm flame.
“You must have a lot of things you want to ask, right?”
Lobeline struggled to take her eyes off the elaborate statue and looked up at Verden. Blue eyes, contrasting with the red, were staring at her.
“……That’s right.”“Then why aren’t you asking anything?”“Because I trust that you will tell me when the time comes.”“That can’t be the whole story.”
Lobeline felt as though she had been pierced to the core. However, Lobeline was the type of person who could sublimate even sadness into anger.Since Verden had asked her directly, she did not cower or back down.
“I don’t deserve that.”“I’ll say it again, you had no way of knowing about Balok’s unofficial experiments.”“I’ll say it again, that isn’t an absolution. Above all, it wouldn’t matter even if that weren’t the case. Objectively speaking, I’m of no help to you at all.”“Do we really have to be objective?”“Because that’s the reality.”
Lobeline forgot their respective positions and spoke as family and friends.
“The fact that the current Bohemirn Tower is still standing is purely thanks to you. Because you were considerate of me. You asked me to become the temporary Tower Master to help Eon, but I don’t need a tower like Bohemirn without even a power source. Because I am overwhelmingly strong even without it.”“So that was the problem.”“That’s right, I’m too weak compared to you. I can feel you worrying that I might die. If I weren’t here, you could use your time more meaningfully. Even this very moment.”“Lobelin.”“It’s childish whining, isn’t it? I know.”
She activated the magic circuit.
I know, that’s why I’m being honest.
Madou
Flames manifesting directly from emotion pushed away the darkness of the snowy mountain cave. At the same time, red currents rose above Lobeline’s skin. Aheat wave, beyond the reach of a low-ranking 5th-tier mage, created a shimmering haze.
Verden’s magical understanding reflexively interpreted Lobeline’s change.
“……Breaking through the magic hierarchy?”
The wizards who dreamed of the Darkmoon Dahit Wesroel mastered the formula for breaking through hierarchy, and among them, only a very small number were able to cross the limits of magic.
Drawing in a force that cannot be reached in an instant.
In fact, Junia considers this a trump card. However, the backlash was incomparably greater than a simple breach of hierarchy.
however.
It is incredibly natural.
Lobeline effortlessly maintains a magical hierarchy beyond the limits. The red circuits etched all over her body like tattoos were akin to a system.
“This is my magic system, ‘Ember,’ realized while hunting the undead on the Western Continent… no, as a result of my contemplation over the years. My method to quickly narrow the gap between you, even if just a little.”
Lobeline twisted her body as if in slight pain, and soon heat permeated her entire being. Her magical power surged. As if clearing a blocked energy channel, she passed the lower end of the 5th tier and settled in the middle end of the 5th tier.
He achieved the ascent in hierarchy that had been intentionally halted in front of Verden.
The pure level was mid-rank of the 5th tier.While maintaining the tier breakthrough, the demonic level was equivalent to lower rank of the 6th tier.
“…How is it?”“It’s amazing, shockingly so.”
Verden wiped the corner of his mouth with one hand as if he were being sincere and scrutinized Lobeline closely.To think she had realized her own magic system.
Is this naturally possible?
It would be impossible for an ordinary mage, but Lobeline possesses a unique trait. The red flames burn fiercely under the influence of emotions.Furthermore, unique traits are a concept deeply connected to magic.
It cannot be said that Lobeline mastered a unique magic system on her own.Especially since the actual object is right before her eyes.I can assert this with certainty.This magic system called Amber is rooted in Lobeline’s own special nature. It is, in a sense, a weapon that only she can wield.
“What about the burden?”“Aside from fatigue, maybe the increase in mana consumption and heart rate? I experimented before, and while overheating causes severe exhaustion, it’s not a major burden as long as you don’t push yourself too hard. It’s quite convenient for me. After all, the longer you stay beyond your limits, the faster your level rises.”
Lobelin’s lips twitched at the sight of Verden’s admiration.
“anyway.”
Lobeline closed the magic path.The flame remaining like residual heat from Amber’s effect flickered like a candle.
“I want to become stronger. You know? That feeling of being a burden is truly the worst. So, in my own way, I’m going to stop at nothing.”“…….”“So pass on your great magic to me.”
Although she didn’t want to hold Verden back, Lobeline understood her situation.Rather than needlessly keeping her mouth shut and bottling up her relationship with Verden, she decided to move forward, even if it meant causing trouble.
Chase after them somehow.
This was Lobeline’s way of loving.
“By the way, what is the transmission method? At the Magic Festival, I saw something like tattoos glowing on the twins. Is that the medium?”“Yes, you just need to engrave my unique magic circle onto your body. It doesn’t matter which part.”“Really? Then…”
Lobeline turned her back and gathered her red hair, lifting it up.Her white nape was revealed.
“Is it possible on the back of the neck too?”“It won’t hurt.”
Yunia and Cain were the most suitable for experimentally mastering the newly perfected Great Magic.Having interpreted their transformation, Verden was subsequently able to significantly accelerate the embodiment stage of mages who had mastered Great Magic.
Verden explained about the great magic and immediately went into action.
Whoosh.
The third brother’s magic circle of reverse heaven is imprinted on Lobeline through Verden’s magical power. Her internal magical circuits were exposed to the outside by a stream of magical power spreading from the back of her neck, and soon vanished without a trace.
The high horsepower was successfully transplanted.
There was also no conflict with Lobeline’s unique magic system.
“……It’s a strange feeling.”
She rubbed the nape of her neck after experiencing Level 1 of Great Magic, which increases the density of magical power. The magic circle hidden by her red hair assimilated into her skin.
After completing the transmission of great magic, the two explored the temple for a while.
Magnificent murals spread out inside the temple.
The moment the heavens opened and the scene of Verden being worshipped by many people were vividly portrayed.
“Verden.”“Hmm.”“I mean, um, did you become a god or something? Like, you know, the goddess Luas?”“Well, something like that.”
It’s unrealistic enough that a childhood friend is a transcendent being, but now a god?
Even if I said it, who would believe it?
Of course, Lobeline didn’t feel it was real either. If the opponent hadn’t been Verden, she would have simply dismissed it as nonsense, regardless of whether she saw the temple or not.
Ahem, ahem.
Lobeline cleared her momentarily blocked throat with a cough.
“Well, if there is one and two, there can be three, right?…… So, are there perhaps other gods?”“There were many gods in the distant past. I recently obtained a part of them; shall I show you?”
Verden activated [Reindia] and summoned the remnants of an evil god obtained from Arcadium’s second game, the Ancient Adventure. Asilver metal pillar with a religious feel, crafted by the Religion of the Morning Star, reflected in Lobeline’s eyes.
“The remnants of an evil god are sealed inside.”“An evil god……? Hick.”
Crunch.Crunch.
A squelching sound was heard from inside, and the evil god’s nerve bundles slithered out through the gap. It squirmed toward Verden, then pointed the tips of its tentacles toward Lobelin and quickly returned to the pillar.
Verden tilted his head.
‘what?’
Is he shy or something?He couldn’t possibly be scared.
Lobelin’s expression contorted as she witnessed the tentacles with their extremely graphic appearance.
“Is this the remnants of an evil god? No, what would you use this disgusting thing for?”“Well, I haven’t actually tested it yet. It reacts using blood as a medium, so just in case, I plan to prepare properly and verify it. It’s impossible here.”
Verden put the metal pillar back in storage.
Lobeline stared at the mural as if trying to forget the tentacle shape imprinted on her retina. Then, she lightly tapped Verden in the mural and asked.
“But you know… usually in stories, gods have their own epithets, right? Like how the Goddess Luas is the Goddess of Light. Do you have something like that too?”“Of course I do.”“Really? What kind of god is it?”
If it’s Verden, is he the God of Magic?No.Since the First Demon King is regarded as the God of Magic, he might be a different god. Then, is he the God of Magic Power? Could it be the God of the Transcendents?
Whatever it is, it must be a good god.
“The Devil.”“Oh, it’s the Devil.”
Lobelin nodded in admiration, then immediately turned her head away.
“What?????
Lobeline, an ordinary Luas believer who often donates to the Church of Light.The path to devil worship has opened.
* * *
Jose, who had become accustomed to life at Gluttony’s stronghold—the Adjustment Center of Gluttony—stepped into an area today that was strictly forbidden.
“Don’t be nervous, Jose. I have no intention of dissecting you alive.”
Kireu, Gluttony’s second-in-command, walked ahead with a captivating smile.Although they had grown accustomed to each other through daily conversations on various topics, she was still a terrifying person. Cruel, yet a being of conviction who believed herself to be noble.
Didn’t you say that a new humanity would be created through the method of eating?
For Jose, it was an ideology so difficult and complex that he could not even dare to imagine it. Just thinking about that twisted belief made him feel as though he would be drenched in cold sweat.
“Here it is.”“Ugh……”
As Kirue opened the door using biometric recognition, a thick smell of blood filled the air. Jose hesitated for a moment, but soon mustered the courage to step inside.
The surroundings were dark.The lighting illuminated only the center.
Jose’s eyes widened as he spoke just as he came to a halt.
“Th-that life, just what on earth…?”“The seed of the new humanity that Balion is creating.”
Kire proudly introduced it.
It is our ‘fetus’.
Her hand pointed to an egg made of a membrane of pale pink flesh. Inside, the shadow of a primitive life form, not yet fully formed, was reflected.
Thump───Thump───Thump───Thump───Thump───Thump───Thump───Thump───Thump───Thump───Thump───Thump───Thump───Thump───Thump───Thump───Thump───Thump───Thump───Thump───Thump───Thump───
A heartbeat weaker than a child’s tapped regularly across the space. A strange resonance. Jose trembled at the stirring of life itself.He felt as if he were being swallowed up.Nevertheless, he quickly composed himself and asked Kirue.
“It seems to be a being very precious to you… What was your intention in showing this child to me?”“That answer is the reason.”“What?”“Most of the Old Humans would think of a fetus as a monster the moment they see it. Pointing at it with their fingers, this, that, that. But you called it a child. Because you saw it as a child, not a monster. It may seem like a small difference, but it is a gap that ordinary Old Humans dare not bridge.”
Kirue sat on the empty chair.
“Jose, I would like you to become a teacher for the fetus.”“Teacher… what do you mean? What are you teaching a fetus? Its head hasn’t even formed yet, so it wouldn’t be able to hear.”“That is why it is a new humanity. One that cannot be judged by the common sense of the old humanity.”
She invited me to sit down.
“Among the topics we have discussed so far, there have been many related to God, haven’t there? I would like you to share all the knowledge you have about ‘what God is’ with the unborn child.”“Well, you can do that yourself…”“But.”
Kirie looked at Jose, who was sitting diagonally across from him, and placed both hands together on his knees.
Infused with divine power.
Kire pondered how the fetus of the new humanity could possess divine power, and how the fetus could become a god on its own.
The solution proposed is to first ‘adapt’ to the divine power.
Divine power, qualitatively different from the religion of Luas, is the clue to a new faith. Theoretically, the probability of a fetus acquiring divine power converged to 100%.
Physical burden?
The fetus of the New Humanity is the culmination of special biological tissues, including the Transcendent Doll, assembled by Valion. Furthermore, Ballad’s sperm and Kire’s egg served as the foundation for the fetus.Of course, physical growth is being delayed due to the absence of Verden’s biological tissues, but its resistance has already transcended the framework of an organism.
“Divine power? If you used that, the frail child would get seriously hurt.”“Hehe, you are overestimating your own strength.”
Even if Jose tries to pull a trick, he cannot even scratch the fetus’s egg.
“Even if it can’t answer, the fetus will listen to your story. And it will remember it. I want the fetus to feel the joy I feel. They say prenatal education is so important, don’t they?”
Jose, not knowing Kire’s intentions, hesitated and could not answer. Unless he was affiliated with Gluttony, it was difficult to understand her thoughts.
“Of course, we will pay the price. We have already guaranteed the safety of Faye, Renard, and Haenel, whom you are protecting, so we will give you something else.”“…….”“Aren’t you curious about news from the outside?”
Trapped here, Jose had no idea what was going on on the continent. He showed his hesitation through his facial expressions instead of words.
“The Second War of the Transcendents is about to break out.”“A… War of the Transcendents?”“They say the entire world is uniting against an ancient king who has been resurrected after a whopping 800 years. Given the circumstances, I believe there is a very high possibility that a modern-day World Alliance will be established.”
Convinced that even God would participate in a war of transcendents, Jose closed his eyes, let out a small groan, and silently nodded his head.
“…I don’t know what you want, but I will give it a try. However, if I determine that the child is in even the slightest danger, I will stop immediately.”
Kire almost burst out laughing for a moment.
It was truly a comedy.
To think the Old Humans would genuinely worry about Gluttony, and the seed of the New Humans at that? The moment the New Humans are complete, all of the Old Humans will go extinct.A causal relationship where the New Humans, who grew because of the Old Humans, destroy the Old Humans… …
It’s fun, as expected.
Kire was fond of Jose as a person, as he showed kindness without knowing his place. It was her highest praise for humanity.
I will give you a copy of the latest international newspaper after each training session. After all, conveying information verbally lacks credibility. Right?
Kirue got up.
Jose also stood up from his seat.
“I will start the training tomorrow.”“Understood.”“As a celebration, I will treat you to a special meal today. Do you know that in the early days of the Academy, parents used to give ‘chonji’ to the professors? It’s kind of like that.”
As Jose was leaving the lab, casually nodding along, he glanced back.
Eggs made of flesh.
The silhouette of the internal creature illuminated by the light became clearer than before. A shadow resembling a fish slowly swayed from side to side.
Just like waving a hand in greeting…
Gulp.
Jose felt an inexplicable fear, yet he soon steeled himself.If he could not turn a blind eye to reality, he would face it head-on.
From tomorrow, he was a missionary of the new humanity.
* * *
Dawn after the emergency summit ended.
Crash!
A small commotion broke out inside the royal airship of the Kingdom of Estiria.Queen Silis, kneeling, trembled.
“Ah, I didn’t know it would be this fun!!!”
Ignacia, having temporarily halted her research on the Fourth Dimension to check the events of the summit through Silis’s mental realm, became annoyed.That alone caused all the surrounding troops guarding Silis to fall into an illusion.
“If something like this happened, you should have called me out right away! Is that how I taught you??”“Master told me not to interfere…….”“You have no flexibility!”
The clash between Verden and the Saint.The clash between Adrian and the Saint.World Alliance.
Ignacia bit her fingernails as if it were such a waste.
If I had been in the meeting room, I could have escalated the conflict even more!I was struck by inspiration for a scenario where Verden and the Saintess engage in a fierce battle, and the Beast King and the Provider clash head-on after an argument!!
The summit had already ended, so it could not even be used and was immediately discarded.
Because I was too engrossed in the devil… … !
Ignacia had already forgotten the euphoria gained from acknowledging the existence of the Archdemon. Only hedonists who had lost their pleasure remained here.
“This won’t do. I was planning to do this later, but I’ll have to lay the groundwork now.”“S-Master?”“I can’t stand it.”“I don’t know what on earth you’re trying to do, but war is right around the corner……! Restrain yourself, restrain yourself!”
Silis tried to stop him bravely and urgently as if he were a saint, but unfortunately, even Verden could not stop Ignacia, who had lost his mind.
I’ll make it more fun for you.
* * *
The next day, early morning.
Gargant’s international newspaper company frantically churned out the latest newspapers.
[The Resurrection of the Ancient Xerion Empire.]
[The Clouds of War of the Second Transcendents.]
[World vs. Death]
[World Alliance of Humans, Dwarves, Beastmen, and Elves Launched to Fight Against the Undead!]
[Damage to the historic Nordwald Fortress? Tears of the King of the North.]
[Total Adventurer Mobilization Order Issued.]
[The Bone Dragon appears at the summit. Its true identity is the First Necromancer. The return of the legend who saved the world in the First War of the Transcendents.]
[The Transcendents are calling you.]
[The Giants of the 8th Rank.]
[Head of the World Alliance – His Majesty Verden of Eon.]
[Activate the Suppression Corps.]
[Shift to wartime posture.]
[Evacuation Order]
… … .
Much of the content related to the summit was reported in the media and spread across the entire continent. As the newspaper compiled and summarized the latest rumors and news, it attracted the attention of everyone, and every print run sold out.
However, the last page of the newspaper featured a topic completely different from the previous article.
[Should Devil Worshippers Have Been Executed?]
The Luas religion had a seizure.
