Episode 1091 Perspective
Ifeakarn’s answer was enough to pique Verden’s interest.
That is how the verbal agreement was established.
Saaaaa… … .
Having achieved the purpose of the conversation, Ifeakarn’s fragments scattered without leaving even a trace of blood, completely erasing any trace of their existence.
Whether the secret alliance will be formed depends on the archdemon of the parasite.
Now that they have agreed to cooperate, Verden promised not to reveal Gareth’s mastermind to the Ruas Theocracy.However, if Ifeakarn does not faithfully fulfill the terms of the contract, the cooperation will not lead to an alliance, and their relationship will return to nothing.
Even though the Demon Realm Suppression Corps is composed of the elite, I couldn’t let my guard down given the nature of the region. I think we can exclude the Duke of Ifeakarn immediately.
It was a worthwhile contract simply for excluding the Archdemon from the dangers of the Demon Realm.Since Ifeakarn seemed to have a deeper interest in Verden than expected, there was virtually no reason to betray him at this point.
Verden glanced at Gareth out of the corner of his eye.
And… I understood how he treats contractors. He doesn’t view them as partners; he uses them strictly as his henchmen.
Since fate had been mentioned, it was certainly not a conversation worthy of being revealed to outsiders, but Ifeakarn did not turn a deaf ear to Gareth.It was an expression of his presence, demonstrating that he could perfectly control the transcendent being named Gareth Ciriliad.
A contract with a demon is so powerful that its rules are enforced not only on the contractor but also on the demon.This was a racial characteristic unique to demons.
Verden understood the background of the demon’s birth, but he did not know the principle behind it. To be precise, due to a taboo, he had forcibly kept his thoughts halted, even though he had obtained clues that might lead him to the answer.
You will naturally realize why the devil possesses such power once you learn the inside story, but…
What kind of pact did Gareth make with the Archdemon of Parasites to be acting as his lackey?
I can assert that there is absolutely no possibility that a transcendent being would kneel and submit to power.
Gareth must have brought this situation upon himself by being manipulated by Ifeakarn.I was simply curious what sweet reward had been offered for that Mauler to endure such treatment and fulfill the contract.
Well… the details of the contract are obviously top secret, so there is no way to find out right now. We would likely only be able to covet it if the alliance with Ifeakarn were truly realized.
In any case, the Archdemons must clearly know what ‘you’ and the First Demon King are pursuing.
Even setting aside the divine nature of Verden, one must draw near to them. That, too, would be one of the routes to uncover the secrets restricted by taboos.
But what kind of gift are you going to send?
It surely isn’t just empty words.
Since the Arch-Demon of the Courtesan was skilled in schemes, it was impossible not to be concerned in many ways.For now, I had no choice but to postpone judgment until the gift arrived.
Whoosh.
The space closure was lifted.
Verden left the tent with Gareth. Gareth said nothing. The guy, who had pressed the bandage tightly against the wound on his hand, spat out the spit as if he had a lot on his mind and left.
It’s my turn next.
As promised, Reindel, who was waiting outside the tent, took the lead.
“Let’s move.”“Let’s do that.”
The First Tower Master and the Dark Warton Tower Master left the garrison, which was in the midst of being reorganized using
A breeze raising its voice.
Whoooooo.
Antias roughly settled on a high hill and looked down at the ground. His gaze lingered on Verden before turning toward Gareth.
“A private meeting just the two of you…….”
Antias stroked his chin, befitting a beast king, and twitched the bridge of his nose.
A sticky unpleasant sensation, that strange off-flavor.
He sensed a strange atmosphere for a moment emanating from Gareth, who had been trampled by Akhand. His sense ofsmell, in particular, reacted strongly.Although there was absolutely no such scent now, making him wonder if he was mistaken, King Antias trusted his intuition above all else.
Instinct pulled out a memory from the experience.
Although it was vastly different from what Gareth emitted, I had previously encountered and killed a variant that seemed to be essentially similar to him.
The devil, and the devil worshipper.
“I wondered how you managed to return alive from the Abyss. So there was a proper reason.”
Antias bared his closely spaced teeth.
I pictured in my mind the beings described in the book compiled by the Ruas religion, gathering together the achievements of light. The Ruas religion’s worst adversaries.
The Great Devil’s Contractor.
Since ordinary high-ranking demons would not satisfy Gareth, it was obvious that one of the famous Three Great Demons was behind Gareth.
And, Verden seems to know that.
Whether they found out now or before, they are keeping silent about the existence of the Great Demon. If the Luas Cult were to discover this, it would be a catastrophe.Aside from the battle with the Old King, this was the first time such an intriguing situation had occurred.
Should I wait and see?Or should I intervene?
“Hahahaha.”
Convinced that life would not become boring even after the war ended, Antias covered his eyes with his large hands and, his shoulders shaking for a while, enjoyed a laugh as if he were one with the world.
* * *
Rumble…
The gray-stained clouds are weeping.It looks like it is going to rain.
“The sight of the ecosystem regenerating. No matter how much I contemplate it, it is difficult to view it as modern magic.”
Reindel leaned forward slightly and gently tapped a fresh blade of grass. They were in the Graserim Forest, which had been destroyed by the Old King and the Water King and regenerated by Verden.
Is it elven magic?
Elves possess bodies capable of directly utilizing magical power without magic circuits. Considering the ultimate meaning of a wizard, elves were the very wizards.
Inhabitants of nature.A race that worships the World Tree.Friends of the spirits.
Reindel concluded that ecological reconstruction was the Elves’ unique magic.
Not only did Verden possess extremely pure magical power, but he was also recognized as a brother by the exclusive elves and formed an alliance with them… …It was an open secret that there was a close connection between him and the elves.
Reindel’s judgment, lacking insight into divine power, was a valid misconception.However, since it was not entirely wrong, and because Verden also did not fully understand the power of the World Tree, he did not deny it.
No one noticed the fleeting encounter and conversation between Verden and ‘you’. Akand might have perceived it, but he likely only sensed it.
“That is correct. Since it is a mystery performed by magical power rather than reason, I do not know the details myself. However, I believe it is a natural phenomenon resulting from the purity of magical power.”“Magical power capable of overwhelming Mother Nature with its purity has never existed in the magical world, so it is truly a mystery. Indeed, that is the nature of the 8th Rank.”
A hand that does not defy the flow of time moves away from the leaves.
Reindel straightened his back.
He surely hadn’t arranged this gathering merely out of curiosity about natural wonders. Verden quietly opened his ears and waited for him to speak.
It was then.
“Verden, what do you think about the ‘end’?”“If it is the end…”“Just as there is death where there is life, there is an end where there is a beginning. Inevitable opposites are the providence of nature that sustains and changes the world.”
Reindel gazed at the forest filled with leaves rustling against each other.
“The same applies to realms of existence. Whether due to lifespan or a lack of talent, no individual can grow stronger indefinitely and will eventually reach a limit. The extreme point where one can go no further. If humans call this the realm of the ultimate peak, then for a transcendent being, the eighth rank would be that extreme.”
The pinnacle of a transcendent being is the 8th tier… … I have never heard such a view in the world. After all, there is virtually no one on the continent who does not know of a being who has overcome the wall of the 8th tier.
Verden listened to his view and asked a counter-question.
“Isn’t the First Demon King of the 9th Rank?”“Do you think the 9th Rank clearly exists? An untrodden realm that no one has reached except for a single person. The existence of this unknown realm known as the 9th Rank began with the testimonies of transcendent beings who witnessed the stature of the First Demon King.”
Reindel narrowed his eyes.
“I have remained at the 8th rank for a long time, but I do not think there is any room to rise another level. Above that is beyond imagination. Perhaps to cross this boundary, one would have to become something that surpasses even the Transcendents.”
Every individual has its own ultimate goal.
The same goes for the race.
Reindel is convinced that the Transcendent Being itself is one of the ultimate states a living being can reach. Therefore, the transcendental ideal he speaks of referred to a specific being that cannot be fully explained by the concepts of life and death.
“god.”
After years of deliberation, Reindel defined that being as a god.
“If such a state of transcendence exists, it would be fitting to call him a god. Coincidentally, in the modern era, the first Demon King is even revered as the God of Magic. Though, this is merely my personal opinion.”“Still, I find it persuasive.”
Verden inwardly praised him.
Although it was still merely a hypothesis, Reindel logically perceived a different realm.’You’ and the First Demon King were true gods pursuing ideals; in other words, given that they possessed the unique qualities of a transcendent being, it would not be strange to view them as the next level after the transcendent.Verden thought this way, despite his lack of the level, as a true god.
“One, even that eventually comes to an end. It is just that it is invisible to the eye. Then, what about the vast continents and oceans that exist in the ceaseless cycle of life and death? Does the world truly endure?”
Reindel turned around.
“At the General Assembly of the Magic World in the Magic City of Virente, I asked the Provider what he thought about death, and received the answer that death is just death. And you asked him if infinity exists.”“Yes, and you received the answer from the Provider that it depends on one’s perspective.”“That was an answer the Provider came up with after much deliberation, too. In that case, I will ask you this time.”
A transcendent being who has mastered death faced a god much younger than himself.
“Verden, does infinity exist?”
The question that Verden had only ever asked came back to him.Verden had asked the same question not only to the Provider but also to the Administrator, the clone of the First Demon King whom he reunited with in the Desert of Silence.
───Administrator, does infinity exist?
At least. The mind is infinite yet finite.
and.
King Antijas is said to have heard these words from the former king.
All resources are finite.
Regarding the existence of infinity, some denied it, while others maintained an ambiguous attitude. Among them, no intelligent being could definitively confirm that infinity exists.
At this, Verden asserted.
Yes, infinity exists.
The origin of the endless magical power possessed by the power source of the Ten Great Magic Towers residing in Verden’s heart is unclear. However, he never doubted the concept of infinity.Had he been trapped in finite thinking, Verden would have died as a test subject.
“The theory of the eighth-order extreme point, the theory of God. It sounds plausible, but ultimately, it is derived from thought. It is, in a sense, a product of me… defining my own upper limit.”
Just as the wind began to subside, raindrops started falling from the sky one by one.
“Verden.”“Yes.”“Make sure you don’t set limits on your future.”
Reindel also spoke firmly.
No matter what difficulties I face, I will certainly.
As pure and immense magical power reshaped the ecosystem, Antias and Verden themselves were merely astonished or questioned in their own ways… but Reindel alone harbored a different sentiment.
It was an unprecedented horror.
Having forgotten his fear because he understood the end of life, he saw the unknown that far surpassed death.An absolute taboo that could be dismissed as the taboo that death is a means, or the means itself.
* * *
Beginnings and endings are an inevitable providence, but just because one has started does not mean everyone can see the end. Enduring the process is a separate matter.
Verden claimed to be a true god.
Can you truly walk a path different from the past of ‘you’ and the primordial wizard? It is a difficult task. For their ideology is a conclusion they reached on their own after deep anguish, and their choice has divided the world.
“……If you choose not to belong anywhere, you must cast everything aside. Or take everything.”
Provider───Deus Widen muttered softly and tilted his white staff. Following him, the mages of the Lefragium Magic Tower clad in white robes formed their ranks.
Countless undead sparsely filled the ridge.
Under the command of Deus, troops—not even a punitive expedition but originally tasked solely with siege warfare against the Maren Kingdom’s gates—advanceed amidst tension and fear.Their role was effectively to transport siege weapons rather than to act as combatants.
Ranked 1st in military strength.Ranked 1st overall.
The Lefragium Magic Tower, about which little is known due to its mystique, stepped onto the front lines. The Lefragium Magic Tower was the entire actual military force of the Maren Kingdom front heading toward one of the remaining eight gates.
* * *
Darkwarton, the Tower Master, continues to be in charge of the defense of the Eastern Continent as its Legion Commander, and with the Gate of Death closed, the Delharun Extermination Legion subdivides its units to exterminate the undead that have migrated throughout the Eastern Continent.
Gareth will be used as a Legion Commander, but deployed as an asymmetric force if necessary.
If the battlefield is a space isolated from the outside world, Gareth can use demonization.Since that power is sufficient to face Arkhand’s close associates head-on, it amounted to a reinforcement of the World Alliance’s total strength, albeit in a limited way.
After issuing the new instructions, he spoke into the communication device. Gareth had already personally conveyed what had happened in Del Harun.
Antias and I will return via Loafra’s spatial teleportation circle.
In the case of intercontinental spatial travel devices installed before the Four Gates opened, they operated normally even without Vangelis stabilizing the spatial coordinates.
Magically interpreted, specific spatial coordinates are fixed, so they are not significantly shaken by the spatial waves emitted by the Four Gates.
Therefore, it does not place a burden on spatial coordinates that forcibly maintain stability.
“All cities must devote themselves to defense to buy time until the large-scale subjugation is executed. Instruct them to pay particular attention to the escort of mental mages within the cities and the clergy of the Theocracy. Actively deploy the mental and enchantment-specialized units of each faction, including those of the reverse lineage.”
If the upper echelons of the city fall to the mental realm, the gates and walls will become useless. Until Luneska intervenes, the Glory of the Dead is beyond Verden’s control, so there is a very high probability that they will infiltrate the city and carry out their schemes.To make the most of modern defense systems, we must protect our heads.
───[Confirmed. Priorities determined based on pre-set importance and risk criteria. Sixth Phase. Levana is in charge of commanding the lineage of the Reverse Castle. I will monitor the situation in real-time and respond accordingly.]
“Alright, communicate immediately if anything unusual happens.”
Alpha and Beta, created based on the memories and abilities of the first Demon King, possess a comprehensive intellectual level that is more than sufficient to replace Verden.
At that time, Beta reported.
───[The Ternetia Federation Suppression Corps and the Southern Eastern Continent Suppression Corps have currently arrived at the deployment point.]
“Seeing that you arrived at the same time, it seems Adrian increased the pace of the advance. Good. From now on, each Legion Commander will secure the path leading to the Gate of Death as planned and adjust their speed in step with the Alliance.”
Verden gave an order toward the rear.
Deploy modern weaponry.
* * *
Upon hearing of the former king’s sortie and retreat, the headquarters of the Transcendent Alliance moves even more busily.
[Modern weapon. Transport order confirmed.]
For the punitive expedition, which had to attack the gate as quickly as possible, speed was the key to strategy.Since they could not sustain combat without rest like the undead, occupying indispensable strategic points to ensure subsequent supplies and safety was the top priority.
Therefore, he devised a military strategy to redirect weapons that hindered movement to follow-up support, allowing the punitive forces to secure the region first.
“Confirmed approval from the Alliance Commander!”“All modern weaponry, including magical weapons and Dwarven siege weapons, is ready for transport.”“Ternetia Federation Convoy, launch.”“Golem units have mobilized in the occupied territory. Southern Eastern Continent Convoy, follow the signal. Do not forget that you must absolutely not deviate from the course.”“Helion Magic Tower’s Magic Particle Cannon! Commence parts transport!”“Understood. The Eon Mage Corps to activate the Helion Magic Tower’s Magic Particle Cannon. The Reversal of the Celestial Orb and the Transmission of Causality are also on the move.”
The intelligence officers were in a frenzy, as if the communication equipment were about to catch fire. The entire continent was in motion. This was precisely the difference between ancient warfare and modern warfare.
While Alpha oversaw the information, Beta updated the status by displaying reports coming in from various locations on [Materias].The three-dimensional continental map, made of magical power, encompassed all of the Alliance’s battlefields.
It was while time was passing like that.
Alpha, acting as the head of the World Alliance, gleamed his single eye.
[Southern Eastern Continent Suppression Corps. Strategic Fortress of the Kingdom of Ronia. Hearstow identified.]
There are two sects in the southern part of the Eastern Continent. One is in the west and the other is in the east, so they dispatched two legions.
A land of corruption where those who reject death and crave life, betraying their hearts, fall into the undead.
There were places that had to be captured to reach the gates there.Hastow Fortress was one of them.
