Episode 1073 Legions (5)
He recalled the time he had held the Ark’s exchange meeting in the Ark, where he had first set foot.The flow of that memory led to the scene where he had a private conversation with Regrit after engaging in a one-on-one magic duel with her.
The Verden of the past asks.
───Why doesn’t the Luas religion exist on the Ark?
It was a question raised because no one in the Ark had ever seen the golden true cross of the Luas religion, and there were no humans among those associated with the Ark who could wield divine power.
Legrit of the past answered.
That is a valid question. The Ark does not interfere with one’s personal religious beliefs. It is an undeniable fact that the divine power and miracles of the Luas religion heal and protect humanity. However, as the Ark, I cannot do that.
───Why?
Because God is not human.
It was a passage that offered a glimpse into the Ark’s belief in serving only the human race.
Verden did not avoid the gaze of Elder Sheorn, who was sitting directly opposite him. A blue halo appeared in his pale purple eyes.He knew exactly how the elder had perceived Verden’s own change.
The Ancient Bloodline of the Kernoden Family – The Link of Origin.
Elder Sheorn can see through the invisible with his eyesight, just as he discerned that Verden was a semi-transcendent.
Am I human in the ark?
Verden faced a problem he had kept in mind ever since realizing his divinity. As the sixth captain of the Ark, he had to convince the Ark.
This is Isabella’s private study located on the outskirts of the city of Arrain.In the silence, Verden poured tea.
“Elder, what do you consider to be a human being?”“In a narrow sense, a human is the species itself; in a broader sense, it is one who does not forget that they are human.”
Elder Sheorn savored a sip of tea with a subtle buttery scent.
“According to the Doctrine of Light, Transcendents are shunned by Luas’s divine power and are therefore not treated as pure humans. However, that does not mean the Theocracy of Luas treats Transcendents the way it treats elves, dwarves, or beastmen.”“Yes, Saint Ersetia views Transcendents as subjects for conversion.”“That is true. It is an attitude that reveals the stance the Theocracy maintains. Are Transcendents human? For a long time, there have been many differing interpretations regarding this. Among them, regarding the reason why the positive influence of divine power does not work on Transcendents, I would like to place weight on the ‘Self-Reliance Theory,’ which posits that faith is unnecessary for humans who have transcended human limitations.”
Transcendents of the martial arts and magic realms pursue their ideals through awakening without anyone’s help, their lifespan increases, and their physical age becomes fixed or younger.
On the other hand, transcendent beings of the faith realm undergo the phenomenon of awakening through sacred objects. The ideals of the divine beings are also focused on faith in the God of Light, and while their aging is manifested only in their outward appearance, their actual lifespan falls within the limits of humanity.
A transcendent being beyond humanity.A transcendent being who transcends humanity yet inherits human limitations.
The baseline for a transcendent being receiving assistance from divine power is their dependence on faith.
This is the theory of the self-reliance of the transcendent.
“Furthermore, I believe that the Transcendent might be the true human being.”“Is it because God is not human?”“It is because we cannot know if God is human. If it were revealed that God is human, the Ark would embrace even humans who wield divine power, but God remains an unknown entity to us, then as now. The policy of keeping distance from humans who have received power from such a being is a natural caution in serving the human species.”
Elder Sheorn emptied his teacup.
“If you think about it that way, couldn’t the Transcendent be called a pure human? After all, they realize their will through their own power.”“A pure human. That reminds me of the concept of a ‘New Humanity’ advocated by Gluttony.”“Gluttony desires a humanity that evolves alone through consuming food, with all weaknesses judged by their own standards completely castrated. A perfect human who needs no altruism. It is an ideology diametrically opposed to the Ark, which emphasizes the unity of humans led by a captain. I do not consider the Transcendent to be a perfect human. I simply want to say that they are human simply because they have transcended the limits of their species.”
Verden personally tilted an antique teapot and filled the empty teacup.
To summarize.
Elder Sheorn continued speaking.
“The faith of light is a religion that heals and protects only humans. When discussing the prosperity of humanity, the religion of Luas can never be separated. However, it is arrogance to distinguish humans solely by faith. Since even the Transcendent is a being born from humanity, we need to trace back to the fundamentals and look at the roots.”“Do you mean that even if one has changed from other humans, if their origin is human, they are still human?”“As long as they do not forget that they are human.”
Elder Sheorn wore a smile.
“Verden, Legrit is human.”
The unknown seeker──── Regrit Narsilia became a dragon.She became a demon, not a human.
Nevertheless, Legrit was never expelled from the Ark. For her roots were human, and she never forgot that she herself was human.Her power as a Dragonkin did not come from the outside like divine power, but was entirely Legrit’s own.
“Isabella, who is by your side, is also human as long as you do not forget that she is human. Damian, whose body disintegrates without surgery, is also human. Gluttony is undeniably human, too. Being human is not some grandiose thing. It is just like a name that everyone possesses.”
Elder Sheorn continued to hold the second teacup he had emptied.
“I can tell because I have observed many transcendents who have reached the 8th hierarchy with these eyes. There is a decisive difference between you and those who have crossed the wall upon wall.”
Verden asked while holding the teapot.
“What do you see in me?”“Ash. A noble gray.”
Elder Sheorn pushed his vision to its maximum and felt pain.The ring formed in his pupil trembled slightly.
“As for me, I cannot know what it is. I cannot even obtain information, so I cannot formulate a proper hypothesis. My current judgment is identical to that of the Ark. Therefore, you are the only one who can define what it is.”
The ark asks a question.
“A Transcendent who possesses powers lacking those of other Transcendents, whom Elves regard as greater than brothers and sisters, and who is deeply connected to the birth of the Demon Race, a union of humans and异形种 (heterogeneous beings).”“…….”“I ask you again. Are you still human?”
Verden’s answer was already predetermined. Just as Verden always remains Verden, he did not forget his essence despite undergoing many changes.
“I am also human.”“Then you are still the captain of humanity.”
It was a clear yet somewhat ambiguous answer, but Elder Sheorn was satisfied and held out a teacup.
Verden filled the void.
widely.
Elder Sheorn only put the teacup down on the table after emptying it for the third time.
“Then let’s get to the main point. You said you would teach other spatial concepts when we returned from the desert, and now is the very time.”
The space is rippling.
It is time to discuss the destruction of space.
* * *
Isabella’s private laboratory was filled with the magical scent of alchemical ingredients and various potions. It was an atmosphere that brought a sense of stability to wizards.
“When the island in the Hiaremar Inland Sea was destroyed and you reappeared in the world after being promoted to the 8th Rank, I sensed a drastic change in space. It was a trace I was able to detect because I was observing the continent at that time by borrowing the power of the Watcher of the World.”
Verden, having returned to reality from the rift between worlds, awoke in the silent desert. It was a time when problems with
To return to the site in a hurry, Verden damaged the spatial coordinates and artificially connected the two distorted coordinates to construct a passage.
This was a rather crude spatial teleportation devised using Elder Sheorn’s spatial domination and the concept of dimensions experienced by Verden through super-level magic.
“That teleportation of yours must have been a method of piercing through thin paper by making a small cut, momentarily merging the front and back sides to allow you to cross to the other side.”“That is accurate.”“It was a very dangerous magic.”
Elder Sheorn gave advice in a serious voice.
“That type of
He slowly brought his hands together, leaving a suitable space between his palms.
“Your use of space is infinitely close to its destruction. However, it is not complete. Because a crucial element is missing in carrying out that destruction.”“If you mean a crucial element…”“It would be quicker to see for yourself, too.”
Mado
The density of the space increased to an extreme level within Elder Sheorn’s hand. A distinctive purple light flickered, and the magically imbued space took on the form of a ‘net’.
“What should be done if a net is used?”“It must be retrieved.”“That is exactly it.”
The net of space wrapped around the right hand.
Thinking about the aftermath.
Elder Sheorn pulled the arm and shook it to the right as if throwing a net.
Space Destruction
Crash!
Space itself shattered along the grain of the spatial net that flew straight through. Thedeafening roar of glass shattering into tiny pieces struck Verden’s ears hard. Three-dimensional fragments rotated slowly in the air.
At that moment.
As Elder Sheorn pulled back the right arm he had shaken off, the net of space pulled the fragments in as if rewinding along that trajectory.
… … !
Countless pieces returned to their original places.The destroyed space was restored.It was a sight as if puzzle pieces, lifted into the air by someone striking a completed puzzle, had returned on their own to complete the puzzle once again.
Verden immediately raised his spatial awareness, but there were no traces of destruction left in the space that had clearly collapsed.
“Destruction and restoration together…?”“It would likely be very difficult to recreate with your dark red magic, which is specialized for destruction. Perhaps it is impossible. Besides, given that you pioneered such a path of magic, your destruction must reach a higher dimension than mine.”
Elder Sheorn closed the Demon Path.
“Verden, however, if you engage only in destruction, nothing will remain. Where there is destruction, there must be reconstruction; ultimately, destruction is only valid when there is creation.”
That sentence broadened Verden’s understanding of the concept of destruction.
This is my destruction.
Verden has mastered the concept of destruction. The 8th level was proof of this. The current Verden can annihilate even things outside the material world.
but.
That is why I had never given deep thought to reconstruction or recovery after destruction. After all, the magic of destruction does not encompass such things.
‘Then, if we control the repercussions caused by
Verden activated his magic circuit and dominated space. He clasped his hands together like Elder Sheorn. It was at that moment, when the density of space rapidly increased.
“Hey!”
Elder Sheorn urgently split the center of Verden’s hands with the edge of his hand.The controlled space was released.
“Phew, I fully understand just how great your magical comprehension is. Still, it is dangerous to attempt
I thought I would be safe even if things went awry since he was Elder Sheorn, but come to think of it, it was the first time even Elder Sheorn was facing another’s spatial destruction.That makes sense, considering
Verden calmed his magic power.
Only then did Elder Sheorn let out a sigh of relief.
“I am glad to see that you seem to have fully understood the underlying principles of my
Verden expressed his gratitude with courtesy.
“It was an unexpected lesson that I really needed. Thank you.”“Your growth is my reward. However, you won’t be able to catch up to me easily. The concept of space becomes more difficult the deeper and deeper you delve.”
Elder Sheorn chuckled, saying that he wanted to show off his spatial super-level magic someday as well. Even though he had bestowed his magic without reservation, he still felt no regret at all.
And, Verden was not unaware of gratitude.
“Elder Sheorn, do you still pursue the unknown?”“I will until the day I die. Is that not the destiny of a wizard?”“It is a gift.”
He summoned a branch from the subspace.
“This… doesn’t look like an ordinary tree branch.”“It is the key to enter Tuhar. One that can only be used once.”
A branch of the World Tree planted in Tuhar.
It is a one-time pass issued only to those whom Verden has personally authorized to enter Tuhar.
“If Elder Sheorn is still pursuing the unknown as a wizard, this small branch will guide the way.”
The First Demon King must have long since seen through what the Administrator, Verden’s mentor, was doing. After all, he is his own doppelganger.Furthermore, Ark, the sky island of the Ark, is some kind of arrangement by the First Demon King.
In other words… the entire Ark is under the influence of the First Demon King. In fact, the leader of the Ark even received the Ark directly from the First Demon King.If there is any force capable of revealing the Administrator, the Ark is the only one right now. After all, Regrit has also come into contact with the Administrator.
Making transcendent beings pursue the truth.
This was Verden’s calculated move.
