Episode 1202 Reorganization (8)
The memories of God and the Archdemon diverged.
Inner World.Hiante.The Rift of Worlds.Demon.Hadras.God.The battle against Arthur Tarenfold—the Second Apostle, whose power was restricted as punishment for breaking a taboo in Gargant; the First King of the Human World; and a fanatical old man.The resulting division of the Rift of Worlds.The completion of the Sanctuary of the Forsaken, where only demons are born and exist… … .
While Noxias examined the summarized memories, Verden watched the Battle of Destiny.
* * *
In the
This magic was created for the purpose of informing childhood friend Lobelin about the unofficial experiments of the Bohemian Magic Tower, the things Verden himself went through, and the circumstances of revenge, so it is not suitable to use against enemies.
Therefore, Verden preemptively presents keywords related to the memory he wishes to see, causes the enemy to unconsciously recall that memory, and then casts a spell.In return, Verden yields the most useless memory from which no information can be obtained.
It is extremely inefficient but safe.
Compared to Darkmoon Dahit’s
Paaat.
Upon hearing from Verden what kind of magic
Battle of Destiny
The greatest continental war since the beginning of time, which Noxias had experienced, unfolded before Verden’s eyes.
We must defend this place at all costs! If we fall, the East will be captured!
───Resist! Resist God!
A legion of millions, composed of humans, elves, dwarves, and beastmen, galloped across the plains. Although the terrain was unfamiliar, judging by the way they spoke, it appeared to be a battlefield set roughly somewhere in the Eastern Continent.Not only humans, but also demons, giants, and other beings joined the massive march.
───The Primordial Dragon has finally been sealed! Dragons shall no longer unite!
───Sheep, submit to your fate!
For the promised future!
On the opposite side, a massive army of humans, excluding the elves, charged in response. Enormous numbers. It was a formation featuring ancient species belonging to the same category as giants, ancient gods, and demi-humans bred through torture at the forefront. Itwas not resistance, but the roar of those who had voluntarily entrusted their lives to fate.
A loud roar erupted as the two forces clashed.
The stage of blood was completed in an instant.
As the mighty demons unleashed their supernatural abilities, hundreds of people died instantly along with the ancient species and the earth shook, and as the gods unleashed their power, thousands vanished.
───[We shall not be slaves.]
───[Serve. The future. Great slave.]
Ignoring whether the giants were severely wounded or fatally injured, they closed the distance. At the end of such sacrifices by their own kind, a giant’s fist extended and curved.A distant mountain range exploded as if in a blast, and an ancient god in its path was killed instantly.
Killing a giant is not difficult, but anyone who crosses the wrong path will die… A sight that naturally brings to mind the words of the primordial dragon.
Since the Gray Dragon was sealed. It is a battlefield never seen in Hadras’s memories.
While briefly staying in the Rift of Worlds, he was able to indirectly experience the War of Destiny through Hadras, but the information was somewhat insufficient.After all, even a Demon Legion Commander rarely participated in battles on the level of an Apostle. Verden desired the actual realm of beings capable of influencing the course of war.
At that moment, the light arrived.
A chaotic and barren land. It makes for a perfect graveyard for byproducts, Noxias.
Completely covered in light, their true form was not visible, but even if I couldn’t see them, I could recognize who they were at a glance just by their tone of voice.
The First Apostle… … .
Noxias of the past said.
───[Cunning and wicked light, do you only crawl out now that you think you have seized the victory?]
There was originally no chance of victory for the resistors. While we were preparing for this war since before the Great Divide, you had merely been going with the flow.
The light let out a laugh.
Even if this war is unwillingly halted and continues far into the future, victory is his. All possibilities are in my hands.
───[Judging by the way you’re leaving room for doubt, you must lack confidence.]
Let’s just call it a courtesy to Oldark. Ah, of course, the demons are still young, so they might feel wronged by the current inadequate preparations, but what can be done?
The world became brighter.
That is fate.
───[I will definitely tear that mouth apart.]
The earth split open, and the Colossus ruling over the giants appeared and struck down a beam of light, while a radiance pouring down from the heavens engulfed the Colossus and Noxias.
As the voice of the First Apostle fluttered, memories scattered.
I felt a familiar atmosphere.
The taboo is warning.
It was said that even Hadras did not know much about the First Apostle. The reason was that information was restricted because it was practically surrounded by taboos.The First Apostle was humanity—which had gathered around the light—a being as secretive as ‘you’.
A short while later, another battlefield came into view.
───[This traitor!!]
───There is no alternative but fate… … !
The Archdemon of the Legion and the Archdemon of Darkness clashed with Arthur Tarenfold. With the power of the Archdemons and the Season of the First King, all surrounding life was severed and destroyed.
Unlike the three continents of today, the continent that was originally one began to be eroded away.
The second apostle’s full power.
Verden imprinted a power he had never experienced from that guy into his mind as a memory. Since he was an existence he absolutely had to overcome to reach ‘you,’ a clash was inevitable.
Compared to this, the war with the Sixth Apostle and the Old King was certainly nothing more than a prelude.
Well, that is only natural.
For the supreme beings who faced the Battle of Destiny were more numerous and superior than those of the modern era.Moreover, ‘you’ and Oldark were on that battlefield.
The memory flashed by quickly.
Memories of ancient beings dismantling the nation.Memories of traitors appearing one after another as defeat loomed.Memories of the Colossus falling.Memories of ancient dragons and hosts engaging in fierce battle.Memories of demons being slaughtered.Memories of archdemons retreating.Memories of the World Tree ablaze.… … .
The resistance forces gradually declined.
Eventually, the memory focused on the battlefield where the silent desert was visible in the distance.Following the Noxias of the past, Verden’s gaze also rose. Memories viewable through
───A god of madness who abandoned freedom of his own accord… … So this was the true power you have been hiding.
───=You cannot stop me, Oldarc=
Verden, the unrecognizable being, and the first Demon King, who had not yet attained divinity at the time, glared at each other and simultaneously extended their hands forward.
───In the end, you cannot defeat me.
───=Arrogance, Pride, Conceit=
The power of creation.The primordial element.
That is how you would be.
The moment Verden felt the light suddenly cross, his vision was turned upside down. Noxias was swept away by the shock. Everything was like that.Not only them, but even the Apostles of Fate could not stand upright in the aftermath.
A part of the continent vanished merely from the collision of their concepts.Seawater flowed in to fill the vanished void.
… … It was the origin of the formation of the Hiaremar Inland Sea, which the world did not know.
This is… … the perfected true power of the Absolute Ones.
With this, Verden also faded from memory. It seemed as though the First Demon King had called out ‘your’ name at that time, but again, it could not be identified.
Who on earth is ‘you’?
Why is he hiding his name?Why hasn’t he revealed his appearance either?
Even though he had finally uncovered the origin of the demon and the taboos of fate, Verden had absolutely no information about ‘you’s’ appearance other than the fact that you were merely a female.
The first Demon King whom I have met, though I do not know the purpose.
The purpose is known, but ‘you’ remain shrouded in mystery.
Each and every one of these ambiguities must be a strategic move for victory.
Wasting mental energy by preventing clear judgment—Verden was not swayed by that tactic and immediately cut off his thoughts.
Finally,
Verden opened his eyes.
* * *
[… … .]
Noxias, having just seen Verden’s memories, remained still with his eyes half-open.Occasionally, he only bent and straightened his fingers.He appeared to be organizing his thoughts in various ways.
Verden waited patiently, and not long after, Noxias answered Verden’s question from before
[The gaps in the world… … cannot be connected to the continents.]
Negation.
It was the answer I expected.
Is it ultimately because it is ‘your’ domain?
[That is correct. Even though our God separated it with His inherent power, the fact that the entire space is ‘your’ domain remains immutable… … .]
The darkness flickered.
[Unless you neutralize ‘you’ or eliminate the second apostle managing the rift between worlds, you cannot dream of the scene God desires.]
Although the reunion with Hadras had been postponed, Noxias actually smiled.While the news of the survival of his loyal Legion Commander Hadras was more than welcome, it was because he was extremely satisfied with the division of the Rift of the World.
The souls that escaped from the fifth world become demons and arrive at the rift between worlds, pass through the rift, and reach the continent.
So Arthur Tarenfold, that traitor’s army tortured and slaughtered the demons that had tenaciously climbed up from the rift of the world, sending them back down… but now that a sanctuary for demons has been established, they can no longer do so.
Did you see, Oldark? And ‘you.’ Now we, too, have someone to lean on.
The demons can now safely gather in the rifts of the world and plan a path to ascend to the continent.As long as destiny is not fulfilled and the world is not trapped in an eternal cycle, demons will be born endlessly, allowing the demonic forces to expand at an unprecedented speed.
We have a God, too…!!!
Noxias barely managed to suppress the urge to jump up and down at any moment. After all, he was a Great Demon. And since he was before a god, of all people, he had to maintain his dignity.
If you flowed into a rift in the world from the outside, can you get out?
[Unless it is a soul, you cannot escape on your own. However, if you make a pact with a demon, probably a high-ranking one, you might be able to attempt it.]
|If it’s the highest level or higher?|
[It won’t stop at just an attempt.]
In other words, if you make a contract with Hardras, at least one person can return.
Since I have Blue with my magic power, Hardras will surely try his best to help.
Kalia and Yurion.Which one will be released first?
Yurion will make the right judgment on his own.
Verden nodded. Although it was impossible to connect his sacred land with the continent, it was a sufficiently satisfactory answer, as there was still a way for those trapped in the rift between worlds to escape.
|Anyway, you are extremely wary of the First Apostle. Almost as much as ‘you’.|
What is the ulterior motive behind showing the battle of destiny?
It may have been to reveal the power of the apostles and the absolute beings, but the hostility toward the First Apostle reflected in that memory was unusually intense.
[If it weren’t for the First Apostle, the Battle of Destiny would not have ended that way. His cunning and insidiousness are on par with ‘you.’ It was he who annihilated the remnants of the resistance forces after ‘you’ fell asleep.]
The First Apostle is a being who dares to act on behalf of ‘your’ authority and power. Noxias tried so hard to kill him but ultimately failed.
[Therefore, may our God be most wary of the First Apostle. Even before our God shattered Fate, he did not let his guard down.]
Noxias sincerely advised.
[Even we do not know all the numbers that ‘you’ and the First Apostle have positioned from the past.]
Traps are laid everywhere, so you never know when you might be caught off guard. You must doubt everything, even the countless lights that illuminate the world.
|… … |
Verden suddenly stopped talking, looked at Isabella, Alpha, and Beta in turn, and then turned his head back to Noxias.
The taboo of concealing the First Apostle’s information seems similar to ‘you’ at first glance, but it is different.
Noxias laughed with a sense of euphoria.
[As expected of our god… … .]
When I tried to figure out ‘your’ taboos, including the taboos of fate, even finding the answer through thought was treated as a violation of the taboo.In contrast, I pondered the answer related to the First Apostle, but no current arose. That might not be the answer, but I trusted Verden’s intuition.
“If I investigate the First Apostle solely in my head, there will be no sanctions.”
Noxias understood what was being indirectly conveyed by showing and mentioning the First Apostle.
In other words… … .
Indeed, it is incredibly annoying.
Verden realized one of the First Apostle’s abilities.
* * *
Yurion responded immediately to Hardras’s contract offer without much hesitation.
“Kalia, you will make the contract.”“Your, Your Majesty?”“I would love to return home right now, but I have no choice. The risk of making a contract with a demon is simply too great.”
The moment he returns as the King of Highlandia, he must confront the Luas religion.Yurion knows that one of the Cardinals of the Three Courts is a follower, and he also knew that Yurion was aware of this.
Conflict is inevitable.
If it were revealed in any way during that bloody conflict that Yurion was a demon contractor, it would be the end.It is no exaggeration to say that Highlandia itself might be completely destroyed.
Kalia rebutted.
“Then why don’t you just go into seclusion for a while?”“Just hide away like a rat? I’m sorry, but absolutely not. Seriously, this is the first time in my life I’ve ever felt this betrayed.”
Yurion smiled coldly.
“As soon as I get out, I’m going to slit the Cardinal’s throat.”“…….”“So you get out. If you want to stop me.”
It seemed that Cardinal Gregorban’s betrayal had touched Yurion’s raw nerve. At the madness of the Transcendent, Kalia held her breath and nodded.
“Lord Hadras, by any chance, can Blue and Dreadmere go out as well?”
[To make a pact with a devil, one must possess the intelligence to perfectly understand the terms of the contract… … These two seem fully qualified, but… … whether they can fully utilize the devil’s abilities obtained through the contract… … is a separate matter.]
Understanding is essential for demonic power. That is why demi-humans or mutants are not chosen as contract targets. They remain faithful to their innate instincts. As forbeasts, whose understanding is inferior to that, there was no need to even speak of them.
[But… … it would be different if there were a center… … .]
The center?
[For you to become the principal party of those two… and assume all responsibility for the contract… Most demons would find this burdensome and face a high risk of their existence collapsing… but I am different… .]
Hadras extended his old hand.
[Will you… sign… the contract…?]
“…….”
Kalia asked Blue and Dreadmere for their thoughts.
Sparkle!Hehehe.
Although they could not speak, they expressed their consent. Theywould never have dared to speak with other spirits, but it was possible because they were brilliant enough to understand the concept of a contract.
I will sign the contract.
[Alright… … let’s draw up the contract… … .]
Hadras filled in the contents by coordinating their opinions based on the contract forged from darkness.The process of an old demon, a human woman, a spirit, and a horse gathering their heads together to discuss was, how should I put it? It was unrealistically preposterous, and also ridiculous.
To think this is the true nature of the devil. The world is vast.
Honestly, when it comes to malice, humans are no less than demons. That is why the war between races broke out. So why does the Luas religion despise demons so much and try to eradicate them?
Yurion lay down with his hands clasped behind his head, harboring various questions.
… … .… … .… … .
After quite some time, he raised his upper body again.
“No, when on earth is it going to end?”
Wouldn’t it have been cleanly settled if we had just agreed to sign a contract? Why is the deal getting so serious? It’s not like we’re staking our survival on a trade agreement with a major trading company.
[It is bound to take a long time since three justifications must be included in a single contract. Actions requiring responsibility naturally require detailed procedures to match.]
[Giggles.]
The giant burning demon, who had been playing with the little demons nearby, spoke solemnly.
[Terms and conditions must be carefully examined.]
What on earth is a devil… … .
* * *
Looking back on the events now with careful consideration, there were traces presumed to be the First Apostle.When considering the elements that originated in the past and created a situation favorable to Fate in the present, a solution emerged of its own.It was even directly connected to the Wheel of Fortune.
Verden was neat.
|Future Opening|
One of the first apostle’s abilities was the fulfillment of prophecy.
