Chapter 162

Chapter 162. The Humanity Disc

“For ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍that reason, you took a father away from his family? You took someone’s husband? You took someone’s teacher?!”

Lucian ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍grabbed him by the collar. The angel looked down at him with sorrowful eyes.

“My ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍father… was someone who smiled often. And no matter how busy he was, he always tried to spend time with us. And my hand! He researched until the very end to somehow overcome this curse of magic! My mother fell into despair after losing him. It must have been a pain that tore her heart apart.”

“…….”

“My ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍younger sibling doesn’t even remember our father’s face, because he passed away when she was too young. She never once received his love.”

“It’s ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍not as though I do this because I enjoy it. And… we did not kill him.”

The angel spoke with a somber expression.

“When a human hero who has reached a certain level of karma is on the brink of death, at the very moment their end approaches, the Humanity Disc naturally opens a rift in space-time. Whether I wish it or not.”

Through the Authority of the Humanity Disc, that fleeting instant becomes an incredibly long span of time.

“At the very end of the end, we offer them a choice. Will they survive and contribute to the future, or will they accept death as it is?”

If they choose death there, they are not recorded in the Humanity Disc and are allowed to pass on peacefully.

“Is there truly no coercion in that? If you tell someone to choose between living or dying, a human’s will is to live.”

“I will not deny it. If it is someone truly necessary, we persuade them by any means so that they are recorded in the Humanity Disc.”

In the case of Hero Sone Helvich, she chose death without hesitation, but the Guardian persuaded her until the very end.

“It was the same for Ian Beltaine. He was about to face death after using the Great Balance in an unprepared state. We persuaded him and had him recorded in the Humanity Disc.”

“Why? There are many mages of the Great Balance school now. You could just take one of them.”

Though it was a selfish argument, the Guardian shook his head.

“Even in the distant future, there will be no mage of the Great Balance school with the same level of skill as Ian. That is fate.”

“……Can’t you release that ‘record’ from the Humanity Disc now?”

“The Humanity Disc only activates when the time of chaos arrives….”

Lucian collapsed onto the sandy shore.

“Then… my father really is gone.”

He is alive. But asleep within an eternally sealed time, only to awaken in the distant future….

“However, I can let you meet him briefly. Though he cannot come out in his recorded state, I can allow him to regain consciousness for a short while.”

“Yes. Please let me meet him.”

From the far end of the Humanity Disc, a golden light flew over. The Guardian raised a hand and aligned the light.

“I summon you, Ian Beltaine.”

A translucent consciousness took on the form of a human.

“Where is this?”

“Father?”

Ian Beltaine looked exactly the same as Lucian remembered.

“……Pardon? Who are you?”

“It’s me, Lucian.”

“……What?”

Ian paused for a moment in thought, then seemed to realize what had happened.

“You’ve worked hard, Lucian.”

He reached out and patted Lucian’s head. Though there was no physical contact, just his presence alone made something well up in Lucian’s chest, as if tears might spill out.

“However, it seems we must postpone our reunion for a moment.”

Ian turned his head, and it looked as though space itself had cracked somewhere. Like a mirror, the air was shattered.

The Guardian was shocked.

“Someone has broken through a rift in space.”

* * *

-Welcome, O darkness.

Zer Hyde frowned. Was this the Sanctuary? It just looked like an ordinary island with a sandy shore.

“I am called the Guardian. Since you have reached this place according to the designated rules, I shall grant you one wish.”

“That person’s words were true, then—that I would find out once I got here. I have come to see the past.”

“The past, you say.”

“First, let me tell you about myself. I am Zerdius Orphen Leios, a member of the imperial family of the Eldiraf Empire. I was seventeenth in the line of succession. Now, I am merely Zer Hyde.”

Zer Hyde recalled the memory of that day.

The Eldiraf Empire—the House of Leios—was an imperial lineage. The family that stood at the pinnacle of the strongest nation that had ruled the empire for centuries.

“The Empire was never meant to fall.”

Emperor Erandiroph was an old man in his seventies. It would not have been strange if he died at any moment.

He had many children, yet he had not decided on a crown prince, so he convened an imperial meeting to designate the next successor.

“That day was the day of the imperial meeting. The only ones absent from that meeting were the Fourth Prince and me.”

The Fourth Prince had been returning from afar but could not arrive due to a carriage accident.

Zer Hyde, being too far down the line of succession and suffering from a high fever that day, did not attend.

The day of the imperial meeting. He did not know what had happened. But after that day, his entire family was dead.

“My father, my mother, my older brother, and my three younger siblings—all died at that meeting.”

His grandfather, the emperor, and all his relatives also died in that meeting.

Sudden chaos, a vacuum of power. And then, an attack by the Demon King.

The Empire’s capital fell.

After that, countless events overlapped.

The Fourth Prince, who had survived.

Even amidst that chaos, he had sent assassins to kill Zer Hyde.

To survive, he fled south, wandering while changing his name to Zer Hyde.

At the very end, when he had lost even those who protected him and all his foundation, driven into a dead end, he jumped off a cliff and fell into the sea.

And that was when he encountered that being of the Deep Sea.

Zer Hyde thought. When the imperial family was annihilated, what exactly had happened that day?

“Some said there was an assassin sent by the Demon King, while others said they went mad over the succession and killed each other. But I believe none of it. I will meet Sone Helvich and learn the truth of that day.”

“Even if nothing changes?”

Every time Zer Hyde closed his eyes, he saw his family.

Unlike other noble houses, his family had been especially close.

His eight-year-old twin siblings who loved candy, the youngest sucking their fingers in their mother’s arms, his dependable, broad-shouldered older brother, and the smiling faces of his parents.

Even now, after more than a decade, those faces remained like faint afterimages.

Even if nothing changed, Zer Hyde had to know what happened that day.

“Is that your wish?”

“Yes. I will meet that woman and hear what happened that day from her.”

“Very well.”

The Guardian led Zer Hyde before the Humanity Disc.

“So that is where those who are recorded are gathered.”

“That’s right. The Humanity Disc.”

A massive structure in the form of a compass. Its contents could not be seen, shrouded in golden light.

“I summon you, Sone Helvich.”

A portion of light particles flowed out from the Humanity Disc and formed into a human shape. It was translucent, so it did not seem like a real person.

“You have called me, Guardian. It does not seem to be the time yet.”

The hero from the stories stood right before him.

Just as depicted in portraits from her lifetime, she was a young woman with red hair and a noble, beautiful appearance.

“Someone has come to meet you.”

“Sone Helvich, I have something to ask.”

“Who are you?”

“I am Zerdius Orphen Leios of the Eldiraf Empire.”

“Mr. Jurgen’s second son.”

“…That’s right.”

The moment she spoke his father’s name, Sone Helvich’s expression softened, and Zer Hyde hesitated.

In Zer Hyde’s memories, Sone Helvich remained. She had always been kind, treating him warmly with a beautiful smile.

The girl from his memories was smiling just as she had back then, as if no time had passed at all.

But he continued.

“That day, you were present at the imperial meeting. Tell me what exactly happened on the day of the imperial meeting.”

Sone Helvich knew what had happened that day.

“I have… lived only for this day. Tell me the past shrouded in mystery. Please, I will bear everything.”

Sone Helvich recalled the events of that day. It was a tragedy beyond words.

Misunderstandings piled upon one another, lies became truth, and it turned into a massacre where the once-harmonious imperial family slaughtered each other.

Sone had dealt with all those who had been hiding and laughing behind the scenes. It was merely a memory of a past already gone.

She gave a sad smile.

Zerdius’s face was no longer that of the boy from long ago, yet traces of it still remained.

It had already been decades since that incident.

And yet, was he still bound to the past?

“A fire broke out, and the banquet hall was completely destroyed. Those who were there could not escape.”

“That’s a lie! That’s not true. Why won’t you say it? That my parents killed everyone for the sake of the emperor’s throne!”

“I don’t know what you’ve heard, but that is not the truth.”

“Lies! Lies! Even you’re lying, Sister Sone! It’s all lies!”

Sone Helvich saw the madness in his eyes. It wasn't the truth that Zerdias needed.

“To be precise, a subordinate of the Demon King attacked the imperial palace and caused the fire.”

“That Demon King story again! If you won’t tell me, then fine. Our past ties end here! Airegon, it’s enough. As per the contract, I will give up everything.”

Zer Hyde stopped smiling and placed his hand over his chest.

-I see. Since you have given up everything, now offer everything to me.

“I offer everything to you.”

Zer Hyde collapsed, clutching his heart. From there, a strange darkness began to surge.

The Guardian frowned. The eerie darkness erupting from Zer Hyde’s heart became a dimensional gate, tearing through the gaps between spaces as something began to emerge.

“Using the heart… as a medium?”

A horrifying manifestation. From the beginning, Zer Hyde’s heart had never been his—it was merely held by an evil being.

Now, as a soul that had been worn down and had let go of everything offered, even its final tether, it emerged through the bound soul and heart as a medium.

A powerhouse of the Deep Sea.

“You are not welcome here, O evil one.”

-It is Lord Airegon, you watchdog.

“Be gone! I banish you.”

-I refuse.

Space distorted, and countless fragments scattered as if a mirror had shattered.

From within, a massive form crawled out. The quadrupedal beast had fins on its limbs. Its form was pitch black, and gills lined its lungs.

Its head resembled that of a dragon, yet seemed composed of shell-like plates like those of crustaceans, with antenna-like appendages protruding between them.

-I, the Lunatic Dragon, Loudicard Airegon, shall devour this world! That Humanity Disc will be mine. No, this entire Sanctuary will now be mine!

The Guardian drew a radiant sword. Then, through the countless shattered rifts, an overwhelming number of Guardians poured in.

-Intercept the intruder.

The Guardians and the dark monstrosity began their battle.