Chapter 292

He ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍thought about Simon Eurasia.

A ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍man who had reached 9-Star alone in an age of turmoil.

What ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍kind of resolve had that man carried?

‘A ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍man who found certainty in an uncertain life.’

A ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍human who endured and finally stood before transcendence.

[Why ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍was he able to endure?]

A voice that seemed to affirm him rang out.

In an ordinary father-son relationship, he could have received the answer simply by asking directly.

But that was not an option available to Killian.

‘I have to find out for myself.’

It was a question that would have been settled before reaching 7-Star, had he undergone ordinary growth.

It was not a question for a Superhuman who had reached 8-Star to contemplate.

His soul was Adamas, but his body was Killian Eurasia.

Inheriting some of his memories did not mean he knew everything.

[That is right. It is not a concern for someone standing before 9-Star.]

Disregarding the remark, he continued his thoughts.

Killian Eurasia’s body could accept divine power.

His soul as Adamas could understand mana more perfectly than anyone else.

[Expand your thoughts.]

He decided not to consider who the owner of that voice was.

He expanded his thoughts.

‘What have I overlooked?’

What had the ancient human Adamas and the modern Killian Eurasia overlooked?

His thoughts flowed more slowly than ever before.

He carefully reviewed the life he had lived.

[You never tried to understand that body.]

‘....’

He realized it too late.

He had lived with his eyes fixed only on what lay ahead.

He had believed that he had completely adapted to this body of flesh and bone, with blood flowing through it.

‘That was not true.’

Eurasia’s rapidly changing circumstances had been so urgent that he had no room to slow his growth.

He had harshly trained the body of Killian Eurasia, who had been called a dullard, to build the physical foundation necessary to wield a sword.

He had expelled the impurities and Turbid Energy from within his body and formed a Mana Heart.

He continued along a path of swordsmanship that raced only forward.

Coincidence, inevitability, and fortuitous opportunities had overlapped, allowing him to grow again and again.

In that process, he encountered remnants of gods.

They no longer possessed the majesty they had shown in ancient times.

They were merely sustaining their wills within old objects called Divine Objects.

At first, he had been furious, as though the targets of his vengeance had vanished.

He had spent thousands of years sealed away, living as a sword, while those bastards had not paid for their ancient sins and were even revered by modern humans. Their audacity had been infuriating.

[So that was it.]

‘If I could have had my way, I would have summoned the fellows dwelling in the Divine Objects into the Mind Image World and made them pay for their sins.’

Compared to ancient times, both they and he had weakened absurdly. He had thought that it might be all right to cut them down in their present state.

[Even if you cut them down in that state, it would have been far from complete annihilation.]

‘Yes. Eurasia would not have remained whole either.’

His thinking changed because his friend’s nation had found itself in a very perilous situation.

He established a moderate relationship with the Holy See, the followers of the gods.

After learning that his friend was trapped inside the sword in his stead, he grew even more impatient.

The Curse of the Anomaly was capable of undoing even the gods’ seal.

That meant his friend, too, was a complete transcendent being.

Even if he was the soul of a human who had mastered 9-Star, there was no knowing when the curse might consume him.

‘Edan.’

Idiot.

It had already not been easy for him to adapt to vivid human emotions. The situation his friend faced must have unknowingly become a source of pressure.

He accepted the God of Barriers, once his enemy, and formed Hollyheart.

Rational, hot-tempered, and depressed Murus.

He was a foolish god so absorbed in his duty to guard the boundary that he could not properly look after his own temple.

By becoming his Apostle, Killian came to handle divine power more strongly.

No longer did he imitate it by using mana as before. He became capable of handling divine power as though it were an Authority.

In that process, he came to understand Killian Eurasia, the body’s original owner, in greater detail.

[It was no coincidence that you glimpsed his memories at the moment you formed Hollyheart.]

It was not an especially suitable body for achieving greatness through a Mana Heart.

If he had formed Hollyheart long ago, he would have had more than enough talent to be a first-rate priest by now.

[Divine power is something one is born with.]

‘Killian Eurasia inherited the bloodline of a Saintess and was born with divine power.’

The reason he had shown no talent for mana was merely that one of the incompatible powers was outstanding.

It was not Killian Eurasia’s fault.

[What does the Empire mean to you?]

‘Those bastards.’

It was not merely Eurasia.

The friends who had wielded the Magic Sword Adamas had all been heroes who never hesitated to stand on the side of the weak.

They could not help but clash at every turn with the Empire, which had reigned as the hegemon for a thousand years.

The Empire’s tyranny had been directly or indirectly connected to the deaths of several of his friends.

To him, gods and the Empire were beings that had brought nothing but unpleasant memories.

And the present Empire was more dangerous than ever.

It was not simply that its influence was stronger than before. It had created a 9-Star being.

Fragments of the Anomaly and Fragments of a God.

Using the power of transcendent beings, it had become something neither human nor monster.

The Emperor of the Empire had become a being capable of making even brilliant heroes feel powerless.

[Not every human has retreated.]

‘Diana did not give up.’

Diana Cornelia.

Another friend who had remained alone and watched her country collapse.

A hero of turbulent times who would have reached 9-Star earlier had she made a contract with him.

She devoted the rest of her life to arrangements for the future.

She completed the Magic Tower’s system and entrusted it with a dragon egg capable of easily providing the power of ten Superhumans.

Her wish was passed down to Charles and Killian after several centuries.

Thanks to that, Cornelia and Eurasia were able to make up for their insufficient strength at once.

Coincidence and inevitability accumulated, succeeding in cracking the fortress the Empire had solidly built.

The scales that had tipped now held a taut balance.

If he could reach 9-Star and remove the danger called the Monster Lord.

‘Eurasia will take another step toward its great undertaking.’

This time, he would be able to fulfill his friends’ wishes.

He would be able to grant the wish of oppressed humans.

Just as he had changed the laws of the world by opposing the gods, a new change would come as the ruler of the continent changed.

And at last.

‘I will cut down a god once again.’

[It seems that feeling has not changed.]

‘It has not changed.’

[....]

‘Gods must not exist in this world.’

Their power was far too immense.

They acted as though they were benevolent because the laws had changed, but in truth, most gods possessed temperaments no better than children’s.

‘They possess the power to destroy the world.’

And they were shrewd enough to adapt to the changed laws of the world.

‘If circumstances change, they will destroy humanity whenever they please.’

[That is not wrong.]

The voice did not deny it.

[Then how do you intend to cut them down?]

He knew now.

He knew where he had to go in order to annihilate the gods who had disappeared from the world.

‘I will open the gate to the Divine Realm.’

Gods who retained ranks no different from those of ancient times existed there.

They were waiting for the right time, hoping the laws of the world would once again favor them.

[Perhaps. But opening the gate to the Divine Realm and annihilating the gods are separate matters.]

‘Separate matters.’

[It will require efforts akin to rising to the rank of transcendence. You know what sort of lives they lived, do you not?]

Edan Eurasia.

Diana Cornelia.

Simon Eurasia.

And then.

[Now it is your turn.]

The voice was guiding his consciousness in one direction.

[Edan Eurasia’s soul is sealed inside the sword.]

Even at this moment, he was likely being encroached upon by the curse.

[Diana Cornelia is dead.]

She left behind the Violet Magic Tower and the dragon egg as arrangements, wagering on later generations.

[Simon Eurasia was born with fate.]

He was the one capable of fulfilling Edan and Diana’s wishes.

As he had done until now, he would master 9-Star alone.

Perhaps one day, as they stood before transcendence, they might draw their swords against one another.

‘That would be a rather beautiful clash.’

His competitive spirit as a knight made his heart race.

‘....’

Killian bit his lip without realizing it.

At last, he felt that he understood Killian Eurasia’s resolve.

The child born between Simon Eurasia and Tatia de Veritas.

The child blessed with divine power.

“I wanted to save the world.”

It was a childish but sincere wish.

To realize that only now.

His body trembled with a hollow laugh.

[Your mind and body have grown a little closer.]

The voice carried an emotion that seemed to celebrate his realization.

It was a voice too dry to be Murus’s.

[Murus was originally a being composed of ten divinities.]

In human terms, that likely meant he had ten personalities.

For the moment, he set aside the question of why only three divinities remained.

‘Who are you?’

[You ask at last.]

‘Until now, I was too busy following the flow of my consciousness.’

[Unfortunately, I am not one who answers questions easily.]

A faint smile could be heard in the voice.

[Murus’s annihilation is not far off. When he returns to the Divine Realm, you will have to fulfill his duty.]

‘And if I refuse?’

[The barrier will collapse, and the boundary will be exposed without defense.]

It emphasized that if that happened, not only the Curse of the Anomaly sealed by the sword, but something even greater might flow into the world.

So.

‘Who are you to know something like that....’

[No more questions.]

As though it had waited long enough, the voice permitted no further questions.

[It is time to wake.]

***

[Come at me.]

[I don’t want to fight.]

[Then stay still. I will tear out your throat in one bite.]

[How barbaric.]

The four-legged beast took a step forward.

The boy fiddled with his key, ready to use his Authority at any moment.

RUMBLE RUMBLE—

Different kinds of divine power collided, making the space tremble.

“....”

With the vibration, Killian rose to his feet.

[You were not unconscious?]

[You idiot. Keep lying there.]

Fully upright now, Killian looked at Pantera and Roto.

[Posturing again? Then I will finish tearing out your throat.]

Pantera stamped a foot.

[Wait, this fellow....]

Before Roto could finish speaking.

SHNK.

Pantera’s body scattered in two severed halves.

[....!!]

Shock filled Roto’s eyes.

This was different from when he had cut down the careless Atoz.

The divine power that had just cut down Pantera had surpassed the Pope’s by human standards.

‘Pantera’s divinity has been completely absorbed by Adamas.’

How had someone who had merely been unconscious for a moment attained such a rank?

[No way.]

Roto’s gaze turned to Cronis, who stood far away.

He was smiling.

[He said that it had to be a realization gained wholly through one’s own strength....]

He had intended to play with Killian a little longer, if only to vent the frustration of their previous encounter.

Before he could even say that aloud.

SHNK.

Killian’s sword, having closed the distance, cut down Roto.

The divine power that made up his body was drawn into the sword.

Killian’s gaze turned toward the gods who remained.

[It seems you had a productive time.]

Cronis said with a smile.

“Murus.”

Killian called the name of the god with whom he had made a contract.

There was no response.

Unconcerned, he took a step forward.

FWOOOSH—

Divine power surged in response to his will.

[I am different from the others.]

GRIND—GRIND—

The space throughout the area interlocked like enormous gears.

He was not even the true body, but a being manifested from nothing more than a trace.

The pressure made Killian understand why he was classified as a Higher God.

“So am I.”

Killian spun Hollyheart.

RUMBLE—

Haki was imbued within the divine power he released.

“Now it begins.”