Erkigal and Hono proceeded to the main building of the Flaem Clan, their conversation continuing as they entered.
Hono pondered the mention of the No God Emperor, stating, "The No God Emperor? All I know is that our records describe him as Freeborn, with no shackles present on his body."
Erkigal inquired further, "And do you possess any knowledge about the fall of the Hall of Power a thousand years ago?"
Hono shook her head, replying, "I am not familiar with that either."
Erkigal then shared more information with Hono, saying, "As the Clan Leader, I believe it's appropriate for you to be aware of this. Afterward, you can proceed to assist our warriors in their battles against the enemy."
Hono disclosed her intentions, explaining, "My original plan was to remain concealed, awaiting the appearance of the enemy forces. I observed that the Deadly Sins dispatched groups to various locations, including the Five Master Clans, which led me to this course of action."
Erkigal acknowledged Hono's situation. Erkigal had been living as an ordinary shop owner until circumstances necessitated her emergence.
Once this information became known, returning to her former life would become nearly impossible. She had been presumed dead after attempting an experiment to break the binding that prevented the Five Master Clans from leaving the country's borders. Everyone believed she perished in that incident, but she managed to survive.
"There are hidden powers in this world. The incident in the Hall Plains sent shockwaves throughout the entire world. Vexus, the Divine Venerable of Wisdom, is the founder of the Hall of Power and the father of No God Emperor. His wife is a monster lord known as Areneya, the Lord of Upheaval." Erkigal paused for a moment before continuing, "As per the information passed down to me, Vexus and Areneya were immensely powerful. They uncovered something of great importance, and at the same time, whispers of the Authority of Famine reached the ears of other deities in the world."
"Our god, the Isolated Formation God, is a close associate of Vexus. By the time our god intervened, it was already too late. Calamity had befallen the Hall of Power. Areneya perished, and Vexus followed, leaving their descendants alone. The Hall of Power crumbled, but No God Emperor refused to surrender. He rebuilt the nation from the ground up and defied his fate. Administrators descended from the heavens, unleashing disaster upon the Hall Plains."
"The sky turned a bloody red, and ominous energy permeated the land. The fabric of space fractured, and darkness descended across the land. The Commandments of God's Will manifested, further escalating the chaos. Even the mighty No God Emperor could only succumb to such a calamity. Our god, a close friend of Vexus, decided to save No God Emperor by erecting the Heaven's Sealing Mountain."
This preserves the life of the No God Emperor. Most of the survivors from that era have lost their sanity. According to the words of the Clan Leader before me, even the Isolated Formation God descended into hysteria after the calamity. 'I witnessed the profound darkness, the truth, and it gazed back at me. It's all a falsehood. The door opens, and it slumbers. It's here in this world. The eye below remains tightly shut. Hahaha, The Imperium... The Mother. Everything...' These are the words our god left behind."
Erkigal fell silent, her gaze shifting to Hono, who was processing the information. She waited for a moment before continuing, "What followed was our god, the Isolated Formation God, creating the All Filter Barrier Formation and binding our bloodline to this country. However, at that time, the barrier remained dormant. Soon after, calamity struck our nation. The sky turned blood red, the heavens shattered, and a rain of darkness descended. Our god perished, and the barrier absorbed his blood, activating it."
Hono didn't speak, but her expression grew somber.
"There are numerous versions, but these were the words left behind by our god. We can't verify their authenticity, but given that they originated from our god, belief is our only option. I lack the exact details, but Schine likely knows more than I do; he was present during the calamity. Also, keep this information confidential. I share it with you because you are the Clan Leader. Disclosing this to others could invite calamity upon you. You would be swallowed by darkness. The curse of Clan Leader knowledge is, at times, poisonous, even if our understanding of it is incomplete," Erkigal cautioned with a serious expression.
"Our bloodline bears a curse... Action is necessary. If you believe that Deadly Sins is the sole organization present, you're mistaken. Beyond the large factions, other organizations lurk in the shadows, observing the unfolding battle. They will act soon. That's why we must unleash it."
...
In the center of the nation, the battle came to an abrupt halt due to the sudden gravitational force, but it quickly resumed. The mages found themselves at a disadvantage as all their spells were disabled, forcing the confrontation into close combat.
A growing number of experts gathered around the device containing the Canceling Rune. The gravitational force pushed them closer to the device, albeit briefly, thanks to Anti Mage's intervention, which aided the warriors in pushing forward.
Alice clenched her teeth, engaging in a fierce battle with her opponent. Warriors from other factions fought with equal determination, fully aware that it was a fight to the death. They had steeled themselves for the possibility of perishing in the midst of this battle.
Amid the chaotic sounds of battle...
Boom! Boom!
'It's so noisy... Who is that? I'm exhausted,'
Marcus lay on the ground, his body covered in wounds, still feeling the vibrations in the air.
'This vibration... My comrades are still fighting...'
Marcus was utterly drained, pushed to his limits. The expert who had attacked him earlier had been far superior, rendering him unconscious with a single, devastating blow.
'Are you going to stay here?'
In his mind, Marcus heard a voice he knew well, his lover Drami's beautiful voice. He imagined her standing before him, caressing his cheeks.
Ugh!
With great effort, Marcus opened his eyes, finding himself in an unfamiliar place. He struggled to recall that he had been blown away before losing consciousness.
"What happened? Why am I here?"
Unaware that the gravitational force had moved his unconscious body, Marcus slowly turned his head, and his eyes widened in surprise.
More than fifty meters away from him, Marcus spotted Drami leaning against a rock. Her body was drenched in blood, and her left arm, along with her right leg, had been severed. Blood continued to flow from her grievous wounds.
"ARGHHH!!!"
Tears welled in Marcus's eyes as he let out a roar that echoed through the battlefield. He slammed his fist onto the ground and forced himself to stand.
Alice and the other experts momentarily halted their battle. They watched in awe as Marcus pushed himself to his limits, his gaze fixed on the experts from Deadly Sins.
"Destroy it, Marcus!!" Alice's voice rang out.
"Break it!!" The other warriors joined in the chorus.
The expressions of the Deadly Sins experts shifted, and they turned to confront Marcus. However, the warriors from the larger factions intervened, resolutely holding them back, even at the risk of their own lives. They would not allow anyone to obstruct Marcus from destroying the device.
"AHHHH!!!!"
With a final, agonizing cry, Marcus channeled his last reserves of energy into his hand. He clenched his fist with unwavering determination and hurled it toward the device.
Swoosh!!
His fist struck the barrier encasing the device, and cracks radiated outward. Marcus clenched his teeth, pushing himself to his very limits.
Bang!!
The barrier shattered, and the device exploded. Marcus's fist disintegrated into a bloody mist that dispersed into the air.
Huff!
Marcus gasped for breath as he collapsed to his knees. His blood dripped onto the ground as he reached the absolute limit of his strength. He gazed at the sky and slowly closed his eyes.
Boom!
The entire device crumbled, sending shockwaves through the area.
The major factions and the Deadly Sins briefly halted their battle as they watched the device's collapse. The pillar of light connecting to the barrier gradually dissipated, and the barrier itself flickered as it reverted to its previous state.
A series of explosions rocked the area, completely obliterating the device and the Canceling Rune it held.
On the opposite side of the battlefield, Souta touched down on the ground, his gaze fixed on the sky.
"They did it..."
Souta muttered to himself, a determined look in his eyes. He placed his palm on the ground, channeling energy throughout his body.
"It's time to secure my survival in the upcoming events..."
He wasn't alone in his observation. The other top experts from across the nation also watched closely as changes unfolded within the All Filter Barrier Formation. They sensed that this was just the beginning of the battle.
The battle among their subordinates had nearly concluded, and it was now time for the all-out confrontation among the top experts from across the country. Two of them had already fallen, namely Boulder Jack and Clan Leader Schine.
