Chapter 793: Authority

A new world born from the concept of ‘evil’.

From the cluster of stars called the Demon Realm, tiny particles of dust stretched out toward the entire universe.

And...... little by little.

They began to seep into those worlds.

The stars of the Alliance were those who had resolved that, in order to survive, they would not hesitate even to destroy other stars.

They were the first beings in the entire universe to harbor such thoughts.

Rustle.......

Those who had created the first concept.

As such, they possessed a share of that concept...... evil.

Something impossible for anyone else.

Ignoring the sturdy barriers of worlds, they were able to exert their power within them little by little.

If the ruler of that world was an existence worthy of joining the Alliance, they would leave it untouched and take the time to invite it into the Alliance.

But, once it was confirmed that the ruler was not such an existence.......

‘They begin creating their servants and followers inside that world.’

The servants and followers who infiltrated the interior in that manner.

Over a long period of time, they weakened the walls of the world.

And once those walls had weakened enough to be broken from the outside.

‘They break through the walls...... and devour everything in that world.’

This was why the Alliance was called the Demon Realm.

This was why that being was called a demon.

‘The true nature of the Alliance is...... that of plunderers.’

And.

Within that ‘past of the outside’ visible to me, there were also some somewhat familiar scenes.

[Forest of Ten Thousand Beasts]

A world ruled by an enormous golden dragon.

The dragon, the most powerful of all beasts, devoured every beast that challenged it.

But after growing weary of a life spent devouring its own descendants...... it imparted teachings to those beasts.

The beasts that had done nothing but devour one another gained spirituality, suppressed their animal instincts, and walked the path of immortals.

Countless immortals were born in that land, and numerous dragons under the Yellow Dragon protected the world.

A world so powerful that it was rare even across the entire universe, with numerous divinities existing within a single world.

It was a universe containing such immense power that even an Alliance as powerful as theirs could not easily covet it.

But.

‘......The insects.’

Far away.

Insects that had appeared from somewhere on the other side of the universe clung to the walls of that world.

The malice contained within them.

Sensing that immense power, the dragons had no choice but to devote everything they had to dealing with the insects gnawing away at the barrier.

An opening appeared in a world containing immense power.

When the dragons’ strength had been divided in that manner.

There were those watching that world.

‘......The Celestial Emperor no longer wished to devour anyone.’

That Yellow Dragon was the greatest of all beasts.

But having grown weary of increasing its strength by devouring others, it refused to devour anyone any longer.

And...... the true nature of the Alliance was that of plunderers.

The Yellow Dragon, which refused to devour other beings any longer, was an existence that could not stand together with the Alliance.

‘......Mirinae.’

Immense power and extraordinary techniques.

To the Alliance, a world possessing both must have appeared to be finer prey than anything else.

‘The countless stars shining within it.’

Not merely one divinity.

So many stars had to personally carry out the invasion.

“So that was you.”

=.......=

Mirinae’s homeland had not suffered damage from the zombies.

Because the heavenly immortals had held back the insects.

But while the immortals were stopping those insects.

“It was you.”

Taking advantage of that opening.......

“You were those stars.”

The demons infiltrated it.

No...... it was not only Mirinae’s homeland.

The scene visible within my vision.

There was also an endlessly spreading sea there.

[Dasmur]

The insects weakened the barriers of worlds.

The power contained within those insects was something even divinities could not easily deal with.

For a world without a divinity, they were crystallized malice that would inevitably pierce through the world’s barrier while it remained defenseless.

Those insects flew in from the distant universe, clung to various worlds, and gnawed away at their barriers.

Although those insects were not beings that originated from that Demon Realm.

When the insects gnawed away at a world’s barrier in that manner.

Rustle.......

Through the weakened barrier, the demons were able to infiltrate even more of their power inside.

When the barrier of a world they had set their sights on was on the verge of collapse, they would even appear in person, break through the weakened wall, and enter.

“You.......”

They were those who desired to live more than anyone else.

Those who had resolved to stand together in order to avoid destruction.

That was why they had survived longer than any other worlds.

That was right.

“How many worlds have you destroyed until now?”

Those who did not wish to stand together.

By burning innocent worlds as fuel.

***

=......This is why I deliberately did not reveal it.=

When I expressed my fury.

That enormous light.

Avaritia looked down at me [N O V E L I G H T] and spoke.

=The best choice for you is to stand together with the Alliance. If you do not stand together with the Alliance, even if you overcome the destruction immediately before you, only destruction will await you at the end.=

The enormous golden giant.

Its light grew even stronger.

=However...... many foolish beings cannot look into the deeper parts of a phenomenon. They see only the surface, judge it to be evil, and scorn it. That is why...... I did not reveal it, for your sake.=

“Ha, does looking deeper somehow change what you’ve been doing?”

=They had no intention of standing together in the first place.=

The light grew even stronger.

=Alone, they could never endure the destruction of this universe. Those who cannot even summon the will to face it together will soon meet their end for some insignificant reason.=

The intensified light settled into that enormous spear.

=If they are going to perish without leaving anything behind.=

CLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANG!!!

=It is only right that they become nourishment used to save others.=

The spear of light swung.

The power that distorted the laws of the world stretched out, attempting to distort me.

“What bullshit......!”

Looking at that light, I swung my kitchen knife.

The Legion’s light responded to me and gathered.

“You’re spouting...... so shamelessly......!”

BOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!

The gray-white light.

Deflected that enormous golden light.

‘At first, I thought there might be a chance.’

I had no right to criticize other demon contractors.

I, too, had nearly been seduced by that bastard’s words.

Because of that, even until now, I had harbored the thought that perhaps I truly might be able to stand together with them.

A destruction that could not be defeated alone.

So let us fight together and survive.

Because that was undoubtedly the same realization I had gained while surviving in this world.

But...... although those realizations certainly had similarities.

Their true natures were vastly different.

‘Let us live together.’

The desire to live together was the same.

But.

Those bastards had hidden one fact behind it.

‘By devouring those who do not stand together with them.’

They.

Regarded everyone who did not stand together with them as prey.

“Sorry, but.”

I had seen the memories of that universe outside.

Dasmur and the Forest of Ten Thousand Beasts alike.

The countless worlds I had thought had simply been unlucky enough to perish.......

Had in truth been ‘destroyed’ by a far greater world.

In that case.

“I refuse your invitation, you bastard.”

There was no longer any lingering attachment left.

I could not walk the same path as those bastards.

I said so with certainty.

=......You deny us.=

Then.

A change appeared on the face of that golden giant.

=You, of all beings.=

A giant that had merely shone brilliantly until now.

Something settled within that light.

‘......Something inside.......’

A small, human-shaped darkness settled within the enormous giant.

As though...... someone were ‘wearing’ that giant of radiance.

Someone...... inside.

=You, a chef.=

Because the figure inside was wearing that giant of radiance over itself.

Its inner form was not properly revealed.

=You, who are no different from a priest of ‘consumption’......!=

But even so.

As long as even a part of it was exposed outwardly.

I could see it.

[Ingredient Appraisal (Enhanced)]

I could...... appraise it.

And.

The words that soon appeared before my eyes were.

[Archdemon of Greed - Avaritia]

=You deny us!!!=

Compared to the name of the bastard I knew.

It was slightly different.

***

FWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASH!!!

‘......This.’

The energy dominating the surroundings.

From within that golden light.......

Another kind of energy burst forth.

The light was still brilliant.

There had been no change in its intensity.

But.

‘......Little by little.’

Even though it was undoubtedly brilliant light.

In complete contradiction to that.

‘It is growing darker.’

That light.

Was staining the surroundings with darkness.

A brilliantly shining dark light.

‘The great golden lord and.......’

Golden darklight.

‘The Archdemon of Greed.’

And.

From within that dazzling darklight, so brilliant it seemed capable of blinding me, the bastard shouted.

=You are a chef. Then you should know better than anyone!=

THUUUUUUUUUUUUD!!!

The golden lord wrapped in black light.

Until now, he had merely been swinging his weapons, but now he moved his own feet.

=Life cannot survive without devouring something else!=

The moment I saw that light, I understood.

Until now, that bastard had been nothing more than the golden lord.

He had tried to make me submit through the name he originally possessed.

=Life itself is only made possible by devouring another who is not oneself!=

......Not anymore.

=To live is to plunder!!!=

RUMMMMMMMMMMMMMBLE.......

The giant wrapped in brilliant darklight.

A black greatsword appeared in his already powerful right hand.

A brilliant golden spear and a sword of darkness.

Even when wielding only that golden spear, the bastard had held the advantage over us.

When that already powerful being grasped and swung another light...... the black darklight.

CRRRRSHHHHH......!

“Our light......!”

“......Do not retreat! We must maintain the front line!”

Our light weakened even faster.

With every step the bastard took toward me.

The light protecting the area around me shattered.

=The stronger devour the weaker and survive. It is the most natural principle of life!=

“.......”

=What part of this can be called ‘evil’!=

And.

Swinging those two weapons, the bastard shouted.

=Who!=

And, for some reason.

=Has the right to condemn this struggle to survive!!!=

Within that bastard’s roar.......

I could taste a strange bitterness.

“......Yeah, you’re not exactly wrong.”

The light the bastard emitted.

The...... bitter taste I could sense within that brilliant light.

Sensing that taste, I gave a bitter smile and thought.

He was right.

All life sustains itself by devouring other life.

Even I had cooked and devoured so many beings in order to survive this destruction.

The stronger devour the weaker.

There is neither good nor evil in this natural food chain.

Even if what those bastards...... the demons had done was evil.

If it had been feeding behavior necessary for survival.

I had no intention of dividing it into good or evil.

After all, my profession was chef.

I was in no position to condemn someone desperately trying to eat anything because they did not want to die.

“The stronger devour the weaker and survive. If you did it to survive, I have no intention of calling that evil.”

=Then......!=

But.

“But you know, you.”

That did not mean.

I intended to submit to that bastard or extend a hand of reconciliation and suggest that we get along from now on.

After all.

My profession was chef.

“You’re not under the delusion that you’ll always remain on the ‘eating side,’ are you?”

=......!=

It was already a profession that brought plenty of hardship because it was a non-combat class.

And.

It would be a little troublesome if someone invaded my domain here.

“Sorry, but deciding what goes on today’s table.......”

Authority over the side that ‘eats’.

The right to decide what would be eaten.

“Is the chef’s role.”

That.

Belonged not to him, but to me.

That was right.

I no longer had any lingering attachment.

Now that I understood why that bastard was called a demon and why they were called the Demon Realm.

There was no longer any need to continue talking with him.

“Yeah, since the subject has come up, let’s decide it now.”

In that case.......

There was no longer.

Any need to hold back the abilities I possessed.

[Activating ‘Authority’.]

“Today’s menu.”

[You impose your laws upon the world!]

“Will be you.”