Chapter 128: Turtle Shell - III

There was a certain discomfort to be had for any moral and ethical being bearing witness to waves upon waves of cannon fodder running to their deaths in a minefield.

Though a lot more colorful than on Earth, the ’minefields’ of Fleim were just as bloody, creating a dashing performance worthy of any virtuoso.

A heavy mist of crimson, clouds of bone dust, and the snowing of soft fur.

Screams, roars, and wails of blind bravery.

The cries and groans of those injured being hauled back.

The terror of those going next.

Aventine could only sigh.

"So this is <Fate>, huh?"

Was his own fate to be a slaughterer? He caused an apocalypse due to his desire for endless freedom. He became the cause of despair for thousands, for millions... All because he wished to explore.

Those realities were quite far from him, brought closer only because of [Absolute Awareness].

However... the deaths appearing before him today were lingering a bit too close.

’Perhaps I am the most empathetic slaughterer of all.’ He couldn’t help but have this thought.

Such arrogance...

But it was completely valid.

[Absolute Awareness] pierced into the mind of every Beast Human willingly rushing into the fray. He perceived the overwhelming terror in their hearts and admired their courage for the sake of their organization.

At the same time, he could feel their indignation at the command that signed their death warrants.

A lot of them wanted to rebel. To defy this unreasonable directive.

However, they were too afraid.

If they fought back now, they would be slain either way.

"...It’s better if we die fighting."

Such were their final thoughts before charging into the jaws of death.

"Sigh," Aventine turned his gaze away, but his senses never left the victims of his traps.

[You have levelled up!]

[Level 138 » Level 139]

A part of him wished to continue bearing witness to their final valiant moments. The part of him that wanted to stay human.

However... that part of him was quite small. Now, with [Parallel Thought] permanently active, Aventine’s other consciousness continued to scheme. A consciousness void of humanity made its calculations with no desire to maintain a pinch of morality.

After all...

This was a cruel world where even the gods were slaves. Billions could perish as an afterthought of those who stood on the precipice of Apotheosis.

Aventine could still remember the wails of hundreds of millions of souls, all crying out at once before being harvested by the Prince of the Underworld and falling into eternal damnation as his tools.

The innocent were not spared, treated as a mere resource for the greatest and oldest Necromancer there was.

How terrifying it was to be a weakling in this world.

How terrifying it was to be a god in this world.

...How terrifying it was to be in this world.

But Aventine found this exact scene to be... beautiful.

It was thrilling.

It was... a flavor of terror that made his heart race in defiance.

To walk freely in this world meant that even its greatest <Laws> could not bind him.

Thus, he well and truly began to scheme. Scheme like a demonic overlord who wished to break fate!

If <Fate> wanted to entangle him and turn him into one of its slaves... Then he would cut it apart and burn its threads.

Just like the silver moon above Fleim, the Primordial Dragon Empress who ignored every single one of its tantrum-filled mandates.

Looking at the sacrifices of the 16 Claws, Aventine’s rational consciousness realized what he needed to do.

He needed a <Ritual of Blasphemy>.

The first <Act of Blasphemy> that would pave the way for an endless cycle of defiance until his strength was above and beyond the rest of Fleim.

"...Oi, Aventine." ℯℯ𝘭.

Suddenly, Gron’s voice shook him out of his schemes.

"Who’s that guy?"

Aventine blinked, directing his gaze outside once more.

There, a lumbering giant of a Beastman shook the ground with every step.

Standing at a towering 3 meters tall, every other Beast Human stood merely as tall as his waist.

"Oh," Aventine scoffed at the sight, "It’s an A-Rank Barbarian. His weapons of choice are the claws hidden in his arms. Those claws are as long as a regular longsword and can definitely cut your head off."

He paused.

"Why, do you ask? Do you want to fight it?"

Gron’s mouth hung open. "...What made you think that? No, I’m more concerned because he looks like the strongest guy here! Will your defenses hold?"

Aventine laughed.

"Of course it will hold!"

<Perfect Estimate> had already calculated the Barbarian’s defenses and placed them against the average amount of force that his enchantments could bestow per second.

The Barbarian wouldn’t make it anywhere near the room they were staying in.

Thus...

—BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

A miniature hurricane bombarded the Barbarian with lightning and flames. Dozens of wind blades and water bullets cut through its tough fur coat, shaving it naked before lightning bolts pierced straight through its body.

At the point of contact, blood vessels ruptured en masse, and the Barbarian’s internal organs ruptured. Bones shattered before being invaded by a blazing ball of flames.

Then...

—BOOM!

Even the A-Rank Barbarian fell within the magical minefield. Though he was able to walk halfway through the open space...

It meant nothing when the enchantments were rapidly recharging.

The morale of the Beast Humans watching dropped to the bottom. If even one of their strongest fighters couldn’t even tear through the enchantments...

Suddenly, Aventine heard a voice at their rear.

"Madame... the mages have been dispatched! We can sneak in through the villa’s secret passage and appear right inside the heir’s bedroom. That bastard Space Mage will never see it coming!"

Words said with a frenzied growl.

The ’madame’ being addressed huffed.

"Very well. I will accompany them along with the other leaders. We cannot afford to lose our organization’s mages! Raising them cost us more than everyone we’ve lost today."

Aventine noticed that this ’madame’ was lacking a hand.

"Ah," He grinned, "So it’s her, trying to get back what she lost..."

That was good.

This organization would fall to its own pride and vanity.

"The sooner their leaders come to attack, the sooner I can have peace."

Aventine was more wary of a battle of attrition to drain his mana faster than he could replenish it. If these Beast Humans were going for a decapitation strike...

They would burn brightly for only a few minutes before being snuffed out in an instant.