Chapter 405
Who was he?
He did not like the idea of giving up, swayed by the opinions of others.
—How foolish. If you will not submit to fate, then so be it. It is a pity, but it would be best to eliminate this variable. I shall annihilate you here.
Rumble.
The world shook.
A 2nd-realm being was an existence no different from the world itself.
It was as if the world itself was trying to erase him.
—Don’t be ridiculous.
Chris gritted his teeth and moved the law of causality he had accumulated so far to resist.
But it was no match.
The power that moves the world is the law of causality.
Naturally, there was a vast difference between Chris and the 2nd-realm being.
—If you give up even now, I shall give you a chance.
If he refused this offer, his soul would be ground into dust and annihilated.
But for some reason?
He did not want to comply.
To be precise, he felt a confidence that he could overcome it. Absurdly enough.
‘What is this determined fate? I’ll block it all. I can do it. I will do it.’
It was the moment he made that vow.
A change occurred within Chris.
‘The law of causality is?’
‘Meaning’ had begun to be bestowed upon the law of causality he had been accumulating.
Paaaaaaaat!!
The will to sever fate.
It was the same as the will to cleave the world.
Flash!
Chris’s law of causality split apart the world’s distortion that was pushing against him.
He had succeeded in defending!
He could feel the 2nd-realm being fall silent for a moment.
—…How surprising. To embrace such a law of causality without having obtained a complete quality.
The 2nd-realm being continued, as if intrigued.
—One who defies fate, I see.
Chris faltered.
He had somehow miraculously blocked the crisis just now, but if he were attacked again, there would be no way for him to hold on.
Fortunately, the 2nd-realm being did not press Chris any further.
—Very well. With your level, it should be fine to entrust you with the events to come.
—…Were you perhaps testing me?
—I could not entrust the fate of the world to one who cannot even overcome a temptation of this level.
Chris frowned.
If he had made the wrong choice, he would never have escaped unscathed.
—Bear this in mind. In the final moment, the fate of the world will be decided by your choice.
A story heavy with meaning.
He tried to ask its meaning, but the presence of the 2nd-realm being had already vanished.
At the same time, along with an intense pressure, his soul was swept away by a storm-like force.
He was being forcibly ejected from the Cradle.
—!!!
When he came to his senses, he had returned to the 7th Realm.
—You have truly… set foot… into the realm of a Great Being.
Mefina let out a voice filled with surprise.
However, just as the expression ‘set foot’ implied, he was not a complete 10-Star.
‘Am I in a state of progressing to 10-Star?’
He had embraced the law of causality, but he had not perfectly ascended to the level of a Great Being.
‘To perfectly ascend to the level of a Great Being, embracing the law of causality is not enough.’
There had to be the ‘authority’ of an existence corresponding to that quality.
‘Great Devils and Great Stars are probably granted this authority by the world from birth. I must acquire this authority on my own.’
Chris shook his head.
For now, it seemed it would be difficult to resolve immediately.
‘It’s about time I returned to the surface.’
When he was ejected from the Cradle, he had caught a glimpse of the surface, and he had witnessed an unbelievable scene.
‘…The Dark Demonic House was on fire.’
A shocking event.
There was only one likely possibility.
‘The Magus Emperor has moved.’
There was no way those who remained could hold out.
The Demon King of the Red River alone was at the level of a high 9-Star.
He did not know what other powerhouses might be hidden.
There were also the inhuman monsters that the Magus Emperor was secretly cultivating.
—Now… how will you restore our power?
All the beings of the 7th Realm focused their gazes on Chris.
—It’s simple. I will take down the Gatekeeper.
It referred to the 3rd-realm being who guarded their seals.
—It will be over once we defeat the Gatekeeper.
The Great Beings from the outside could not rashly enter the 7th Realm, a place of punishment.
The only one who could exist in the 7th Realm without being restricted by the law of causality was the Gatekeeper.
—…What nonsense are you spouting? You would defeat the Gatekeeper when you haven’t even fully obtained your quality yet?
—Of course, it is impossible with my power alone.
Chris nodded.
—You can just supplement the power I lack, can’t you?
—!!
The Great Beings flinched.
Chris raised the corners of his mouth.
—Offer your power to me.
They could not manifest even a tenth of their power from their prime.
But to put it another way, it meant that not all of their power was bound.
If he could accept all of their power, he should be able to overwhelm even a 3rd-realm being.
That is, if it were ‘possible’ for him to accept their power.
—What… How can you possibly handle that much power?
—Why not?
Chris raised the corners of his mouth and lifted his hand.
Paaaaaaaat!
The authority of the Throne unfolded.
It was different from before.
It embraced the law of causality.
It meant that this Throne itself was a single world.
—I can handle any amount of your power.
—!!
The Great Beings looked at each other.
—Very well. We will… hand over our power.
Paaaat.
The power of the Great Beings was transferred to Chris’s Throne.
Along with an intense sense of omnipotence, Chris directed his gaze downward.
The deep, deep abyss.
He could see a massive something writhing at the bottom.
It was the Gatekeeper.
Normally, it would have been a distant existence he would not have dared to even look at, but it was different now.
He felt that he could do it.
—Everyone, get ready.
Chris raised his hand.
—To overturn the Dark Heaven.
It was time to return to the surface.
***
The Dark Demonic House burned.
The shocking news struck the continent.
The new Heaven Beyond the Heavens.
That was the status of the Dark Demonic House.
At this point in time, they possessed the strongest power on the entire continent, yet an unbelievable event had occurred.
The one silver lining was that only the main house had burned down; the affiliated demons had not been annihilated.
It was thanks to Nordian.
“How is the Lord’s condition?”
“…It is critical. He is still holding on, but at this rate….”
Marquis Shupen answered Count Kazar’s question heavily.
The Magus Emperor’s army that had crossed the border had headed straight for the headquarters of the Dark Demonic House.
Surprisingly, the soldiers of the Magus Emperor’s army were not ordinary humans.
They were humans, but they were inhuman beings that had been modified into monsters.
Possessing power akin to that of demons, they were pushed back helplessly all the way to the main house in an instant, and just as everyone was about to be annihilated, Nordian stepped forward.
—Everyone, fall back!!
The demons of the Dark Demonic House tried to fight back together, but they could not help but flinch at the words that followed.
—We must protect Christian!!
As long as Christian was alive, there was hope, no matter what.
They had no choice but to retreat, and only one person remained by Nordian’s side.
—Nordian, you little brat, I shall show you my majesty.
It was the Demon King of Silver Snow.
—…Little brat?
—Isn’t that right? I seem to recall a time when you were a little brat, calling me big sister and following me around.
—…Must be nice to be old.
—Ah, stop it. I’m already sad enough that I’ve never even been in a relationship.
—…That’s because your personality is like that.
—You… you little brat!!
The Demon King of Silver Snow carefully lowered her voice.
—Hey, Nordian, you little brat. If we survive, can you introduce me to a good partner?
—Christian is absolutely out of the question.
—Why?!
—What do you mean, why? Have some conscience.
—Ugh.
—Now stop talking nonsense and get a grip.
There was no more time to bicker.
The Demon King of the Red River approached, and so, the Demon King of Silver Snow and Nordian combined their strength and blocked the Magus Emperor’s army.
Both of them avoided dying on the spot, but their conditions were serious.
It seemed they would not last for more than a few days.
‘…It’s not just the two of them. At this rate, everyone will end up in the same situation.’
It was not just the Dark Demonic House that was in a predicament.
The Magus Emperor’s army had attacked the entire continent at once.
The Holy Empire, the Karn Empire, and the Golden Cross were engulfed in the flames of war.
If Chris hadn’t reorganized the Alliance’s forces while acting as the Hero, they would have collapsed at once.
But it was not a situation where they could hold out for long.
“…They’re coming.”
“…We’re surrounded.”
Clouds of dust could be seen rising from all directions, north, south, east, and west.
“…It seems this is the end.”
A look of grief appeared on everyone’s faces.
In the distance, a man with fiery red hair could be seen.
It was the Demon King of the Red River.
Despite having fought the Demon King of Silver Snow and Nordian, he looked completely unscathed.
The Demon King of the Red River, who had risen into the air, approached the demons of the Dark Demonic House.
“I will not speak at length. Hand over the corpse of Christian. Then I will show you mercy.”
“Shut up.”
Evan, who had been protecting Christian along with the Dark Demonic House, let out a rough voice and stepped forward.
Ranya and Idrinne joined him.
There were three 9-Stars, but the Demon King of the Red River showed no signs of caution.
“You are all fine vessels as well. Though not as good as Christian.”
“What are you plotting? Is the Magus Emperor also aiming for Ascension?”
Ranya asked with a frown.
She had heard about the goals of the Celestial Realm, Gehenna, and the Magus Emperor from Chris in rough terms.
However, the Demon King of the Red River gave an unexpected answer.
“That is right. His Majesty the Magus Emperor will ascend. However, it is all for the sake of humanity.”
“…What did you say?”
“His Majesty will save mankind.”
What kind of nonsense was this?
“For how long must we humans be bound by the Celestial Realm and Gehenna? His Majesty the Magus Emperor plans to bring about the downfall of the Celestial Realm and Gehenna and open a new world where humans stand at the very top.”
“Wh-what… how absurd? Don’t tell me, then the reason you’re trying to destroy the world right now is?”
“It is a noble sacrifice for the new world. Because it is impossible to bring down the Celestial Realm and Gehenna through ordinary means.”
That’s right.
This was the Magus Emperor’s true goal.
Not just a simple ascension, but to bring about the downfall of Gehenna and the Celestial Realm.
It was a mad story.
“You talk a lot of nonsense. Isn’t it just that the Magus Emperor bastard wants to stand above the Celestial Realm and Gehenna?”
As Evan growled, the Demon King of the Red River shook his head.
“It is only natural that you cannot understand the lofty will of His Majesty the Magus Emperor. By the way, I do not see the Magus Empress.”
Magus Empress.
It meant Marie.
Ever since she had left Chris that day, her whereabouts had been unknown.
“What is the Magus Empress’s true identity?”
Ranya asked.
Chris had relayed all the details to Ranya in case something were to happen to him, and had also informed her that Marie was the Magus Empress.
‘This is important information. It will be a great help when Chris wakes up.’
Was it because he thought this was the end?
The Demon King of the Red River opened his mouth briefly.
“She is an artificial soul (人工魂) created by His Majesty the Magus Emperor to annihilate the Great Beings.”
“…An artificial soul?”
“There is no need for you to know the details. The Magus Empress is the most important key to His Majesty the Magus Emperor’s plan.”
The Demon King of the Red River did not continue the story any further.
“Now, receive this.”
Gooooooooo.
The flames of destruction raged.
Flames that broke down the law of causality of the world.
Evan, Idrinne, and Ranya gritted their teeth.