Chapter 399
Nordian, as well as the Demon King of Silver Snow, were both powerful Demon Kings, but the fact that they were in the bodies of children created a strange feeling that was both unbalanced and cute, and somehow fitting.
In any case, it was not only the Demon King of Silver Snow who had become a help.
[O evil. Be tainted by a greater malice.]
A fog of ashen demonic energy descended upon the priests of the Mystic Demonic House.
It was the energy of a curse.
For the priests of the Mystic Demonic House, an ordinary curse would not have affected them in the slightest, but this ashen demonic energy was different.
[Gurgk.]
The priests clutched their heads and knelt.
Surprisingly, among them were high priests.
It was only natural.
Because the master of the curse was the Demon King of Sorrow.
He, a low 9-Star Demon King and the monarch of the Western Magus Nation, had been persuaded by Chris and had joined the battle.
Including Nordian and Chris, a total of four Demon Kings had gathered in one place and launched a joint attack, so their power was hard to imagine.
[Gu-gurgk.]
[H-how can this be…?]
The Mystic Demonic House had no way of holding on against an attack that was, in effect, the combined strength of the entire Magus Empire, excluding the Mystic Demonic House itself.
Especially since Chris had already weakened the strength of the high priests in advance, it was even more difficult for them to hold on.
The priests and apostles fell to the ground one by one, and it was when the tide of victory was turning to Chris’s side.
Suddenly, a loud roar echoed.
Kuuuung!
“Guaaaargh!!!”
Idrinne vomited a mouthful of blood.
The tide of the struggle for control of the altar had turned to the Pope.
“Grandfather, I think we need to take down the Pope.”
“Alright.”
Nordian nodded his head.
If they could not defeat the Pope, this battle was a loss.
Fortunately, a significant number of priests and apostles had been dealt with, so it seemed the rest could be left to others.
“I, too, shall go!! I will show you my greatness!”
[I am here as well.]
The Demon King of Silver Snow and the Demon King of Sorrow also stepped forward.
And so, Chris, along with the other three Demon Kings, came to face the Pope.
Two 9-Star (mid), and two 9-Star (low).
It was an immense force, but Chris swallowed hard.
‘…I don’t feel like we can win.’
It felt as if he were facing an insurmountable cliff.
It was a feeling similar to the despair he had felt when he had seen the Demon King of Bloodshed in his prime in the past.
No matter how much he struggled, he could not reach him.
‘The Pope’s power is not lacking even when compared to the Demon King of Bloodshed at that time.’
Moreover, the current strength of Chris’s party was far lacking compared to the hero’s party when they had faced the Demon King of Bloodshed before his regression.
Because at the very end, Evan had reached high 9-Star, and Ranya had reached 9-Star (mid).
And yet, the hero’s party had been defeated.
‘At this rate, we can absolutely not win.’
In truth, Chris did not want to have such a reckless fight either.
If the situation had not been so urgent, he would have challenged him after building up enough strength.
But it was a situation where he could not back down.
He had to succeed, no matter what.
[You have put on quite a show.]
The Pope said in a relaxed tone.
Even now, numerous priests of the Mystic Demonic House were being killed at the hands of the Dark Alliance, yet he seemed not to care in the slightest.
[Their deaths will all become the foundation for the evil of Gehenna, so it will be a glorious death. As long as the great cause can be achieved, even if only one person remains, it does not matter what happens to this order.]
It was the truth.
The Mystic Demonic House was a slave that served as the hands and feet of Gehenna.
The moment the boundaries of the three realms crumbled and the evil of Gehenna descended directly upon the surface, all their roles would end.
“How ridiculous. Is it not that you are condoning their deaths because you do not wish to share the glory after the world’s destruction with your subordinates?”
The Pope twisted the corners of his mouth into a smirk.
[Yes, your words are not wrong. But what of it? It is only natural for us, the servants of evil, to pursue our own self-interest.]
Chris frowned.
In truth, the Pope could have stopped Chris’s tricks several times.
Even now, if he had gone all out and pushed himself, he could have reduced the damage. But he had deliberately not done so for his own greed.
“Since this is the end, let me ask one thing. What kind of reward was your Mystic Demonic House promised after the world’s destruction?”
[There is no reason to tell you.]
“Is it not that you, too, do not know for sure?”
[!!]
The Pope flinched.
[…Shut up. A new world will unfold, and I will receive a great reward under the great ones.]
“So, what is that new world? Do you know exactly what kind of world it is, what kind of reward you will receive?”
[...]
As the Pope remained silent without answering, Chris nodded inwardly.
‘He, too, does not know what will happen after the world’s destruction.’
He could guess the reason.
‘Because nothing has been decided.’
There were three forces that desired the world’s destruction.
Gehenna, the Celestial Realm.
And the Demon Emperor.
It was not only Gehenna that was using the Mystic Demonic House as a piece on a chessboard; the Celestial Realm and the Demon Emperor’s side were doing the same.
However, they were not friendly collaborators.
‘They all desire Ascension.’
He did not know what Ascension was.
Nor what would happen afterward.
What was certain was that no matter what the hidden truth was, he had to stop the Mystic Demonic House in this place.
[The story has dragged on for too long. This will be the last time you wag that impudent tongue of yours.]
Pajijijijik.
A chilling noise began to rise around the Pope.
The law of causality was raging.
‘Ruler.’
9-Star (high), the state of dominating the law of causality.
And thus, a state as if one had become the master of the world.
Now, they had to face that desperate existence.
His spirit was about to break even before the fight, so he clenched his fists tightly.
It was not a matter of will.
It was an instinctive reaction to facing an irresistible power.
‘I can do it. No, I must do it.’
He had a method in mind.
“Grandfather, and you two Demon King Majesties. Please follow what I have told you before.”
The gazes of Nordian, the Demon King of Silver Snow, and the Demon King of Sorrow were fixed on Chris.
A gaze that asked if it was truly possible.
Chris nodded his head firmly.
“Please trust me.”
“Alright. If I can’t trust my grandson, who can I trust!”
“Do not worry! I, too, will help!”
[…This atmosphere is a little awkward.]
Nordian, the Demon King of Silver Snow, and the Demon King of Sorrow stepped forward before the Pope.
Nordian and the Demon King of Sorrow first unfolded their respective Advents of Creation.
The Hegemon of Darkness.
The Prelude of Sorrow.
The world was completely covered in darkness and curses.
But the Pope only let out a sneer.
[You insect-like bastards. You will kneel before true despair.]
Paat!
As the Pope stretched out his hand, an intangible vibration spread out.
It was not an Advent of Creation.
There was nothing grand about it.
But an unbelievable result occurred.
Crash!!
The Advents of Creation of Nordian and the Demon King of Sorrow shattered to pieces.
‘He shattered the law of causality that constitutes the Advent of Creation!’
Chris swallowed a groan.
An Advent of Creation was the new composition of the law of causality in one’s own world, yet he had shattered the fundamental law of causality in an instant.
[I will not kill you at once, as I must make you sacrifices. For now, I will take one of your arms first.]
The Pope pointed his finger at Nordian and the Demon King of Sorrow.
In an instant, the laws of the world changed.
Cut the arms of the two.
That became the law of the world, and crack, hairlines began to form on their arms.
The complexions of Nordian and the Demon King of Sorrow turned pale.
They tried to resist by drawing up their energy with all their might, but it was useless.
Just then, a clear voice echoed.
“Where do you think you’re going!! Take my sword!!”
Paaaat!
The surrounding world changed.
Countless swords bloomed.
It was the Demon King of Silver Snow’s Advent of Creation, the Sword Mountain, Sword Forest.
Within the world of swords, the Demon King of Silver Snow’s sword flashed.
The Pope’s law of causality was severed.
It did not stop there; the Demon King of Silver Snow’s sword cut through the air once more.
Slice!
Across the distance, the space in front of the Pope was severed.
The Pope, who had blocked the attack with his finger, let out a voice of admiration.
[Hoh. It was known that Silver Snow was second to the Dragon King, but seeing you now, it is different. You are a cut above the Dragon King.]
But the Demon King of Silver Snow’s expression was not good.
Through the exchange just now, she had clearly come to know the gap between them.
They could absolutely not surpass the Pope.
[I shall treat you a little more seriously.]
As he flicked his finger, the surrounding scenery changed.
The sight of a gruesome hell appeared.
He had manifested the scenery of Gehenna, based on his perfect domination of the law of causality.
Hwarereureuk.
The karma flame of hell rose up in the Pope’s hand.
If until now he had merely been moving the law of causality simply, this time, he was planning to launch a full-scale attack based on the twisted law of causality.
Based on a perfect law of causality, it was a flawless ultimate skill with no openings to be exploited.
“I will not go down so easily!”
The Demon King of Silver Snow swung her sword towards the karma flame.
But the karma flame did not even flinch.
Unless one was of the same high 9-Star state, they would not be able to extinguish that karma flame.
[It would be good to experience the pain of hellfire in advance. Scream your hearts out.]
Hwaaaaaaaat!
The karma flame rushed in, as if a tsunami were crashing down.
A moment of desperation.
However, the Demon King of Silver Snow and the others showed an incomprehensible reaction.
They did not show any fear.
‘What is this?’
It was the moment the Pope wore a bewildered expression.
An impossible anomaly occurred.
Crack.
The sound of something breaking was heard.
A little later, a sharp pain grazed the nape of his neck.
‘…What is this?’
In that moment.
Paaaaaaaat!!!
Blood spurted from the Pope’s neck like a fountain.
[!!!]
The Pope was surprised and manipulated the law of causality to heal his wound.
Beyond the karma flame, which had been extinguished at some point, he could see Christian aiming Andrill at him.
[You brat… how?]
The Pope wore an expression of incomprehension.
Christian had only just become a 9-Star (mid).
Even among 9-Star (mid), his state was several levels lower than the Demon King of Silver Snow’s.
So how had he cut the law of causality of him, a 9-Star (high)?
“What are you so surprised about? Didn’t you know I was great?”
Andrill cut through the air again.
It was a sword that severed the law of causality.
The Pope also moved the law of causality to counter him.
A 9-Star (mid) could only move the law of causality.
Therefore, he should have been absolutely no match for the Pope, who dominated the law of causality itself, but.
Slice.
[!!]
The Pope’s law of causality was severed.
It was not a coincidence.
The Pope’s eyes widened as if they would tear.
From Chris’s attack, he had realized a single fact.
[What? How can you have the authority of a Ruler?]
It was an authority unique to a 9-Star (high), who dominated the law of causality.
‘Has that brat reached 9-Star (high)?’
That was absolutely not the case.
The brat’s state was still the same.
The Pope belatedly realized the reason.
[…Is it your ability, the authority of the Throne? You are stealing and using the power of others.]
The Throne was an authority that dominated everything in the world. The law of causality was no exception.
However, since he could not perfectly dominate the law of causality like the authority of a 9-Star (high) Ruler, he had used a trick.
First, he had placed Nordian, the Demon King of Sorrow, and the Demon King of Silver Snow under his domination, and had made their power to handle the law of causality his own.
Thanks to that, Chris, despite being a 9-Star (mid), could handle an authority similar to a Ruler’s.
[How foolish. Do you think such a petty trick will work?]
The Pope unfolded his power with a sneer.