Chapter 320

Origin, ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Lord's purity.

In ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍addition to Devouring and Poison, he possessed several of the higher Authorities once held by the contaminated Lord.

Accepting ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍an Authority required even greater concentration than absorbing Cronis's traces had before.

The ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍fortunate part was that Origin had no intention of opposing Killian.

‘Refreshing.’

Slowly.

Very slowly.

Killian accepted the power.

This was different from when he had digested the Gods' power inside the Makeshift Boundary.

The ground beneath him was black.

It had originally been red—the color of blood—but Poison had discolored it.

That was because Killian was absorbing the Authority of Poison from among Origin's powers.

‘Edan would feel wronged if he saw this.’

Killian now understood that the Curse of Extreme Poison once used by the Anomaly had been an imitation of the Authority of Poison.

In other words, if he could digest the current Authority—

‘I will become immune even to Curses that a 9-Star knight could not endure.’

It would unquestionably prove useful in future battles.

“Hoooo.”

Still kneeling on the blackened earth, Killian inhaled deeply.

KIIIIING—

FWOOSH—

Twice.

Three times.

Then once more.

His natural human heart responded to the waves of the Mana Heart and Hollyheart.

‘I have to endure.’

Pain and endurance were both familiar to him.

With his eyes closed, he formed the image of Gate in his mind.

Then he overlaid the image of a Sword, the medium he had once used when he could not yet use Gate.

The process of fusing Mana and Divine Power continued.

ZZZZZZ—

The oscillation created as the two powers mixed became a Wave.

Within the Wave shaking his consciousness—

something unexpected suddenly occurred.

[An interesting move.]

A being appeared before him.

“…….”

This time, it did not have the featureless form from before.

It resembled both Krusty Heinrich and the Monster Lord.

An existence that had woven Gods and the Anomaly together behind the world and predicted countless endings.

Killian spoke the name of his archenemy.

“Lord.”

[You are late again, Adamas.]

Lord's voice was smooth.

[You are always the first to rise.]

Its smoothness did nothing to hide the blade beneath it.

[And always the last to arrive.]

The words were brutally calm.

‘A fragment of the memories remaining inside Origin?’

Lord had been the highest-ranking God.

It was not impossible for even a piece of his memories to exert this much presence.

Just as Killian suspected, the figure made no move.

It merely watched.

Watched the Adversary as he advanced toward a new realm.

“You must regret not choosing me.”

[…….]

“If you had made me one of your cards from the beginning, you would not have needed to take such a long road to reach this point.”

Lord had not done so.

Wary of the laws, he had merely sealed Killian inside a sword and cast him onto the Continent.

“You could not accept that a mere mortal might drive you this far.”

[And what would that change?]

Through his hazy consciousness, Killian answered with certainty.

“This time is different.”

It had to be.

‘There is no next time.’

After thousands of years of attempts, Lord had finally secured a high probability of success.

Defeat would no longer be followed by submission.

It would be followed by the end.

Lord's plan stood on the verge of success.

If Killian had not unexpectedly obtained both Reincarnation and Regression, that future would almost certainly have come to pass.

[Yes. That is what you believe.]

Lord looked at him with something like pity, as though he understood Killian's thoughts.

[Poor Adamas. Unfortunate Killian Eurasia.]

SHHHK—

Lord's form scattered.

[Have you not always lost?]

Killian swung an arm toward the voice beside his ear.

WHOOSH.

His arm passed straight through, scattering Lord's form like smoke.

Killian looked into the empty air.

“This time, you are the one hiding, Lord.”

After dealing with Killian when he was the Godslayer, Lord had always lived as the architect behind the world.

“No matter what the laws of the world say.”

Killian understood that now.

Lord would reveal himself again only at the moment of the final battle.

“I do not know how many Gods you have devoured.”

RRRRRUMBLE—

The Existence Force Killian released completely distorted Lord's appearance.

“But you will have to use everything you have.”

Killian could not leave this place until he finished accepting Origin's power.

Lord had no intention of stepping forward until his fragments completed their Formula.

They would meet immediately after the Great War.

Until then, each side would move its pieces to secure the most advantageous position possible.

[Hahahahaha.]

After the brief laughter came a warning.

[This time too, everything will be taken from you.]

At the same time, it was a declaration.

Lord's trace grew faint.

As Origin's power flowed into Killian, the last remnant of Lord disappeared completely.

“This time—”

Killian clenched his fist.

He felt the pulses of all three hearts.

“I will drag you down.”

Calming the violent beating, Killian closed his eyes.

***

“…….”

Krusty Heinrich opened his eyes upon the throne.

It had been a short dream.

No.

It had not been a dream.

“Killian Eurasia. So that is where you were.”

Lord, the first God.

The Rift he had created.

The memory Krusty had just seen must have seeped into him because Lord had recently encountered Killian.

After all, Krusty currently possessed the largest fragment of Lord among all mortals.

“I did not expect you to come into contact with the Rift.”

No one in this world but Krusty himself should have been capable of touching it.

Even the other fragments knew nothing of the Rift's existence.

“Is destiny tilting toward you yet again?”

It was not a welcome tilt.

Then—

“…….”

Another sense connected to him reacted.

The Monster Lord.

And—

“Rastian.”

The master of three Magic Towers, his subordinate known as the Mixed-Color Duke.

Their Existence Forces had mingled.

“I see……. So that was your choice.”

A meaningful smile appeared on the Emperor's face.

The Mixed-Color Duke was another human who had researched the powers of Gods and the Anomaly, applied them to his own body, and developed his Presence this far.

He had also been an unexpected gain produced during the process through which Lord created the card known as the Emperor.

‘He is not a defective specimen like Isaac.’

Rastian was far more complete.

He might even have served as a spare body for the Emperor.

And now he had come into contact with the Monster Lord.

“Your ambition is considerable.”

Give a mortal the power of immortality, and he began acting as though he were already a Transcendent.

If Krusty had not received the largest fragment of Lord's power, he would never have been able to force such obedience from Rastian.

Then he thought of another existence who had received a fragment just as he had.

The Dragon Lord, Drago.

The strongest dragon, possessing both Mana and Divine Power.

He was a card prepared in case Krusty failed.

Before time was rewound, Drago had operated quietly from behind Krusty's enormous fragment.

If Krusty had lost to Simon Eurasia, Drago would have appeared.

In other words, Eurasia would have fallen one way or another.

After Regression, Drago had been assigned to monitor the Monster Lord.

He had forced the Monster Lord to abandon the path of seizing Adamas and growing into Krusty's Adversary, pushing him instead toward the choice of trying to win over Killian Eurasia.

That had ultimately failed.

The Monster Lord had contacted Rastian Arken and was now preparing a new scheme.

Meanwhile, Drago, whom Krusty had sent to watch him, had vanished without leaving even a trace.

“Puhuhu.”

The Emperor laughed.

He could not hide his enjoyment.

He did not dislike the current situation.

Whatever the lesser beings did, the world was advancing toward its end.

There would be only one victor.

Afterward, a Transcendent would be born.

Having touched Transcendence as a human, Krusty would become Lord himself once Lord's full power was restored.

Then he would design a new world.

The true Emperor.

Its conqueror.

For that to happen, time had to continue flowing.

The Continent had not yet been completely soaked in blood.

More.

“Bleed for me, lesser beings of the world.”

And—

“This time must be different.”

Those born with the destiny to interfere with Lord's plan.

The Emperor closed his eyes and waited for their arrival.

After one peaceful sleep, everything would surely have reached his doorstep.

***

A space accessible only to those synchronized with the Violet Magic Tower.

“The Imperial Castle is close now.”

“Our forced advance was worth the cost.”

Hegel and Celot spoke after entering Charles's space.

Since crossing into the Empire proper, they had seized control of a considerable portion of the intelligence network, including Tial Salamander of Bacardi.

Hennessy and Absinthe had played a major part.

More importantly—

“Orchid Owl appears to have awakened completely.”

Hegel gave his assessment as he remembered Orchid Owl, who had crossed the wall through Synchronization with the Magic Tower.

“Even so, she is not someone we can trust completely.”

Celot quietly warned him.

“I agree, but I never imagined she would use the Magic Tower's Mana this well.”

A Night Walker who had mastered 7-Star.

When synchronized with the Magic Tower, she became an 8-Star Walker and displayed power worthy of being called a Grand Walker.

If she survived to the end of the Great War, she would unquestionably stand at the summit of all Walkers.

“She may even reach the realm of a Night Lord.”

At Charles's assessment, Celot's expression stiffened.

“…….”

He wondered whether, even then, they would be able to restrain Orchid Owl's madness toward the Magic Tower.

While Celot worried—

“Hahahaha! Even 8-Star has become commonplace now.”

“Your Majesty…….”

“Celot, do not be so stiff. Are you worrying about a war that is not yet over?”

“But……”

“You reached 8-Star with the Magic Tower's help, yet your courage has shrunk to the size of a pea.”

“If someone overheard that, they would think I reached 8-Star with the Magic Tower's help alone!”

Celot raised his voice at his brother's teasing.

“I am telling you to relax. The Imperial Castle is already right before us, is it not?”

“That habit of treating everything as though it can be brushed aside……”

Celot never finished.

[Unidentified intruder detected.]

“…….”

“……!!”

“This is…….”

All three mages narrowed their eyes at the sudden warning.

Immediately after the alarm sounded throughout the Magic Tower—

a man appeared before them.

“So this is the inside of the Magic Tower.”

Golden eyes.

Vertically slit pupils.

Pitch-black Mana wrapped around his entire body like armor as he looked around the tower.

“Charles, he is dangerous.”

“Warp us out completely.”

Hegel and Celot spoke after sensing something deeply abnormal.

But—

“That will not be possible.”

Charles did not seem concerned.

“We will proceed according to plan.”

“What are you talking about?! If something happens to you, Cornelia itself will be shaken!!”

Celot's worry was genuine.

“If we lose this opportunity to advance, King Simon will have to face the Empire's main force alone.”

Even for Simon Eurasia, that would be a heavy burden.

“Cornelia must help him preserve his strength until he faces the Emperor.”

“Even so, you cannot……”

“I understand.”

“Brother……!!”

Celot looked at Hegel.

“Charles is already a mage who has surpassed us.”

Hegel supported Charles's decision.

They could not distrust the judgment of someone who had already gone beyond them.

“Thank you.”

SHHHK—

Charles swept a hand through the air and expelled Hegel and Celot's mental projections from the Magic Tower.

Then she looked at the man who had already reached her.

[Magic Tower analyzing intruder's Mana.]

[Magic Tower detecting intruder's Existence Force.]

The Magic Tower did not need long to reach a conclusion.

“You are a dragon.”

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