Chapter 402

‘I will take a share of the price for Lena’s contract.’

Chris was the original subject of this contract. Therefore, he could share the price and lessen the burden of the contract that Lena had to bear.

—*You will... share the price of the contract? Do you know what that means?*

‘I’m not saying I’ll become a sacrifice. Just that I’ll share a part of the price.’

—*Still... you will not be able to escape death.*

Even if he only took a part of the price, he would not be able to keep his life. That was how terrible the contract was.

‘It’s fine.’

—*What...? I... do not wish... for your death.*

‘Even if I die, I just have to come back to life.’

—*...What?*

‘Above all, I have to die anyway for my soul to rightfully go to Gehenna.’

Mefina flinched. She had noticed that Chris was plotting something absurd.

‘As long as I keep the body I will return to safe, there is no need to fear death.’

Death is when the soul leaves the body and heads to the afterlife. It is different from ‘annihilation’, where the soul itself disappears. If one had a body to return to and could return from the afterlife, it was entirely possible to come back to life.

‘Of course, returning from the afterlife is an impossible task.’

If it were possible in the first place, the world would be overflowing with people who had experienced resurrection, but there had been no case of any transcendent being being resurrected after death.

‘It’s fine. I have to accomplish something incomparably more difficult than coming back to life anyway.’

Chris told Mefina his plan.

‘If you agree to my proposal, I will return you to your station in the 3rd Realm.’

—*...What?*

‘Didn’t you say so yourself? That it would be possible if I reach 10-Star. I will go to Gehenna and reach 10-Star.’

—*...You... do you even know what kind of state 10-Star is?*

If 9-Star was becoming a superhuman who had surpassed the limits of humanity and could handle the world’s law of causality, 10-Star was different.

A state of embracing the law of causality itself.

In other words, the meaning of his words was this.

‘Yes, it means I will become a great being as a human.’

—*!!*

It was something he had to achieve anyway. Because both the Demon Emperor and the Magus Chancellor were 10-Star.

‘Becoming a great being is no small feat, so it’s impossible for even me to become 10-Star through normal means. But in Gehenna, there’s a way to try.’

Realizing that Chris was serious, Mefina let out a low laugh.

—*Very well... I will make a contract with you.*

‘Yes. When I die, guide my soul to the 7th Realm.’

Just then, a piercing scream was heard.

“Christian!!!”

It was Idrinne.

Had she intuitively sensed something ominous? Her expression was one of utmost desperation.

It was not just her. Everyone was looking at him with the same expression.

Chris raised the corners of his mouth.

“I’ll be back, so everyone wait for just a moment.”

“!!”

At the same time.

Paaaaaaaaat!!!

A white light filled his vision.

Death had claimed him.

***

His consciousness drifted in a colorless space.

‘Is this the afterlife?’

He knew nothing of what one experienced after death. Because in his past life, he had regressed immediately after Ragnarok.

Just then, Mefina’s voice was heard.

—*This is the Path of Emptiness. The path you pass through before reaching the ‘Crossroads’.*

He had heard of the Crossroads before. It was the place where one’s fate in the afterlife was decided between Paradise and Hell, according to the sins of one’s life.

—*Originally, with the karma you’ve accumulated... it would be right for you to go to Paradise, and to the most glorious place among them, but.*

—*Enough. I don't need it. Guide my soul to the 7th Realm.*

Just as Hell, where sinners suffered, belonged to Gehenna, Paradise belonged to the Celestial Realm. If he went to Paradise, it would be like walking into enemy territory on his own two feet.

—*And before we go to the 7th Realm, tell me about it in detail.*

—*…The 7th Realm… was originally a place where fallen devils or fallen angels were confined. It is now being used as a place of sealing for those who opposed the world’s ruin.*

—*How is your power being sealed?*

Mefina was a being of the 3rd Realm, no less. To seal not just one, but a whole group of beings like Mefina, the seal could not have been a simple one.

—*We are sealed in the deepest abyss of the 7th Realm. The 3rd-realm beings of the Dark Heaven take turns guarding the seal.*

If beings of the 3rd Realm were guarding it, then it had to be considered impossible to dismantle. Even if he were to become 10-Star and obtain the station of a great being.

‘Even if I become 10-Star, I’ll at most have the station of a 4th-realm being.’

Mefina continued her explanation.

—*If you become 10-Star, there is a way to avoid the gazes of the 3rd-realm beings. For a brief moment, it would be possible for me to regain my sealed power. Leave the rest to me.*

Chris scoffed inwardly.

‘She plans to abandon me once she regains her power.’

He must not forget. The reason Mefina opposed the ruin and helped him was all for her own greed. What would she do once she achieved her goal? There was no clause in their deal that she would be responsible for him until the end, so she would abandon him once she achieved her goal.

‘Well, it doesn’t matter.’

He had no intention of moving according to Mefina’s will anyway.

Quite the opposite.

He planned to use Mefina. Not just Mefina, but everyone trapped in the 7th Realm.

That was why he had gone as far as to accept death.

—*Now… we will enter the 7th Realm. Be… prepared.*

Prepared.

With that meaningful word, his vision changed.

The deepest, deepest abyss of Gehenna.

It was the 7th Realm.

***

A deep, deep darkness.

It was an endless abyss.

A massive pressure, as if a giant had stomped on it, crushed his soul.

—*This place is… a space of punishment. It will not be easy for you to endure.*

Chris nodded.

Just existing here placed an enormous burden on his soul. If Chris had been a mortal, his soul would have crumbled on the spot. This place was a place of punishment for great beings, after all.

—*I do not know… by what means you plan to reach 10-Star… but you should hurry as much as possible. This is not a place you can endure for long with your station.*

Mefina lowered her voice.

—*And… in this 7th Realm… I am not the only one… so… be careful… of your actions.*

She meant the other great beings and Great Stars.

Even now, he could feel piercing gazes.

—*I will… protect you as much as I can….*

—*No, there’s no need. Get rid of this cumbersome thing.*

Chris pushed away the barrier that Mefina had created for him and stepped forward.

Eerie gazes that felt like they were dicing his soul rained down on him.

As expected of great beings, even in their fallen state.

It was difficult to endure, but Chris forced the corners of his mouth into a twisted smile.

He gave his first greeting as a newcomer.

—*Is this the gathering place of idiots?*

Had they not understood what Chris had said?

For a moment, the surroundings fell silent.

But only for a moment.

—*What… did you just say?*

A storm containing the soul-killing aura of the enraged great beings rushed in.

Chris did not flinch and, instead, raised the level of his remarks even further.

—*Was I wrong? For beings of this caliber to be sealed in an abyss, having fallen for a mere scheme. The word ‘idiots’ is not enough. Moreover, you don’t even recognize the savior who will get you out of this hell.*

For a moment, the killing intent that had been surging towards him stopped.

They had reacted to the word ‘savior’.

—*What… do you mean by that?*

A humanoid figure appeared from within the darkness of the abyss.

Seeing that it was imbued with the brilliant energy of the stars, it seemed to be an avatar of a Great Star.

‘…Is this the representative of the Great Stars sealed in this place?’

Even with most of his power bound, he exuded an immense station.

The 3rd Realm. And among them, he seemed to be of the highest rank.

Normally, he would be a higher being that he would not even dare to face, but Chris did not let go of his arrogant expression.

—You must have been observing the surface world to your heart's content, so you should know who I am.

—…Silence, you insolent human. What do you mean by helping us?

—I will release your seals.

A startling declaration.

This was Chris’s plan.

‘If I release their seals, Gehenna and the Celestial Realm will no longer be able to pay attention to the surface world. They won’t have the capacity to, as they’ll be busy fighting these guys.’

The Great Star’s avatar frowned.

A look that said it was absurd.

—It seems you do not know how our sealed origins are being guarded. If you are going to spout nonsense, I will tear your soul into tens of thousands of pieces and annihilate you right now.

Was she concerned about a conflict? Mefina also intervened.

—Christian… what are you suddenly saying? No matter if you… become 10-Star, it is impossible for you to undo all of our seals.

What Mefina had wanted was merely to regain her own power through a shortcut.

—No, I can do it.

—!!

—You all have been observing me to your heart's content, so you should know, shouldn't you? Something like this, with my abilities, is more than possible.

It was a lie.

It was impossible.

‘But if I can use these guys, the story changes.’

Yes.

The success or failure of his plan depended on whether he could make fools of them or not.

What came next was important.

—Mefina, are you satisfied with merely regaining your power? And you call yourself a Great Devil?

Mefina fell silent.

Of course not.

How could she call herself a Great Devil without taking revenge on the enemies who had thrown her into this gutter with their vile schemes?

—The other guys here are just as pathetic. To think of persecuting me when you're in a situation like maggots that have fallen to the bottom. Truly great Great Stars and Great Devils you are.

The surroundings fell silent.

Even in the face of a grave insult, no one opened their mouths.

After some time had passed?

—What method do you have?

—I cannot tell you the exact method. However, you must promise to cooperate with me completely. Then I will release your origins.

It was an absurd proposition.

To demand cooperation without even explaining the method.

As expected, the great beings who heard the story were enraged, but.

—If you don't like it, then forget it. I can just take my own gains and leave this 7th Realm.

—!!

—Or do you have some other way? When you can do nothing but wait for the coming ruin while sucking your thumbs in this gutter.

Chris crossed his arms in his soul form.

—I think you’re misunderstanding something. Right now, you are not the party in power. You’re not even the subordinate party; you’re in a worthless position that doesn’t even register.

It was a statement that could not be refuted in any way.

Just then, a low voice was heard from a corner.

—I… the ‘Wailing One,’ will accept your proposal.

—!!

The Great Star’s avatar turned his gaze in surprise.

—*Kekek*… Is that brat not right? It is better to grasp at straws than to wait for ruin like this.

Starting with that, one by one, voices of agreement were heard.

In the end, the Great Star’s avatar also nodded his head.

—…Do you really have a way?

—Of course. As long as you follow my words completely, as you promised.

Just then, a sharp voice was heard.

—Everyone… what foolishness is this? You would believe a mere mortal like that?

Turning his gaze, he saw the avatar of a human-like male glaring at Chris.

‘The avatar of a 3rd-realm Great Devil?’