༺ Gathering (4) ༻
The adversary they had been pursuing all this time was right in front of them.
The source of all calamity.
No other words were needed.
What mattered to them was defeating her, saving the continent, and putting an end to her long reign of evil.
Vargo swung his mace once again.
Behind the crimson divinity that evoked destruction, six swordsmen unsheathed their swords and charged at her.
Spells rose from the back and began to shake reality.
A torrent of attacks rained down.
Alaysia, who had been sitting on the throne, smiled as she watched it unfold.
She raised her hand.
Whoosh—
Darkness spread from beneath her feet, enveloping them.
“You’ve come at just the right time.”
A phenomenon occurred alongside her words.
The spell and the special abilities were disassembled.
This was different from the dispel ability Gorgan had performed.
While his dispel nullified the manifestation of the abilities themselves, the spreading darkness swallowed the manifested abilities.
The power was drained away, devoured by the churning darkness.
Still, no one hesitated because of that.
“What a foolish act.”
Vargo once again unleashed his divinity.
He lifted his foot and stomped on the ground.
Rumble—!
The ferocious crimson divinity tore through the darkness.
It was born from the notion that if the darkness consumed special abilities, then he should just unleash an ability so powerful that it couldn’t swallow it all.
Alaysia’s eyebrows twitched.
“As expected…”
She started to scowl, thinking that he was the most troublesome of them all.
“…I should’ve killed you.”
However, this was all within her expectations.
Alaysia was still seated on her throne, her hand stroking her swollen belly.
Vera then unleashed his divinity.
“I declare.”
An ashen divinity covered the darkness.
What rose from it was a golden rule.
Reflecting on all that had happened and her characteristics, Vera began to speak.
“From now on, all corrupted acts in this realm are forbidden. If anyone commits a sin, they will lose their immortality and must also offer their soul as a price.”
Vera hoped.
To put an end to the unforgivable evil deeds, to the never-ceasing evil.
“On the contrary, those who will fight against corruption will be able to draw out all their abilities to their limit, and their integrity will never be corrupted.”
And so, he hoped that the countless who had suffered would be saved.
“All these laws will be executed under the name of Lushan.”
The Sanctuary was completed.
A blade forged by invoking the name of God began to pierce her body.
Still, it was not enough.
“I vow.”
It was an evil that could not be restrained just by rules.
He had to use every method at his disposal to drive his sword into her heart.
“I vow never to stop fighting until the moment my sword pierces the heart of evil, until she is eradicated.”
Vera’s soul ignited.
His dark and somber soul began to take on a brilliant golden hue, covered with the colors of the oath he made.
“In return, I will gain the stamina to never fall and a sword sharper than any other.”
A golden light gleamed in Vera’s eyes.
“In the name of Lushan, I swear to faithfully fulfill all these promises.”
Vera’s body was shot out.
Following him, a woven spell was extended.
The sword of the heroes imbued with the power of his Sanctuary were aimed at Alaysia.
Alaysia gently touched her belly.
“Are you happy?”
She effortlessly controlled the surrounding darkness, fending off the attacks while whispering to her belly.
“Is this what you’ve prepared?”
Her voice was full of laughter.
In fact, Alaysia was feeling extremely delighted.
“Yes, everyone has certainly gathered. Considering the expanse of this land, it’s an accomplishment that can only be achieved by turning everything upside-down. And it’s not just that. Thinking about how Orgus has turned back time, Aru must have drawn a grand plan for this single opportunity, one beyond my imagination.”
Knowing that the love she harbored in her belly had been a long time in the making, and that their foolish efforts would be in vain, Alaysia just smiled.
“Thank you. For helping me.”
Amid her stifled laughter, Vera, who had penetrated through the darkness, charged at Alaysia.
Alaysia finally looked up at Vera.
His stern face, entire body wrapped in a golden light, and the pure white blade at the end.
“You’re so handsome.”
Isn’t it a body I quite like?
Squelch—
Vera’s sword pierced Alaysia’s heart.
Vera unleashed the divinity gathered at the tip of his sword, and at that moment, Alaysia reached out her hand.
“You’ve worked hard to come this far.”
Alaysia’s swollen belly burst.
Splatter—!
Blood, flesh, and guts poured over Vera’s body.
It didn’t take long for Vera to realize that something had gone terribly wrong.
“Get out of the way!”
Vargo shouted.
The cry let out by someone who had never raised his voice before failed to reach Vera.
Vera’s movement stopped.
[No!]
Someone’s ear-splitting scream echoed in his ears.
His thoughts began to drift away within the ringing noise.
“It’s too late.”
Alaysia, with her belly wide open and her spine exposed, spoke.
She wrapped her arm around Vera’s neck and embraced him.
At that moment.
———.
The movements of everyone present ceased.
Even special abilities ceased.
The only thing that remained was Alaysia’s laughter.
“You fools.”
Everyone who had lost control and stopped trembled at her voice.
“You know, wasn’t it strange?”
Alaysia added mockingly, stroking the back of Vera’s head.
“Why do you think I’ve remained quiet all this time? Why do you think I waited for all of you to come here?”
Alaysia’s lips tore into a smile.
“There was no need for me to move. The preparation? That had already been done, long before you could even imagine.”
Alaysia buried her head into the nape of Vera’s neck.
“The Tenth. That’s what you call it, right?”
After waiting for such a long time, the end was sweet enough that Alaysia began to fully enjoy it.
“You should have thought about how to create it first. You should have done that if you wanted to stop me.”
The smell of blood filled the air.
It was faintly mixed with the scent of grass.
“Aru gave you the hint.”
Her eyelids slowly closed.
“The Eternal Sacrifice. He even gave you such an obvious answer.”
The eyes of those present began to tremble.
They started to struggle desperately to break free from their restraints.
“Aru is the sacrifice. A sacrifice that can never disappear until this world ends.”
However, it was a futile effort.
As if this inexplicable bind had no intention of letting them go, it tightened even more as they resisted.
“In other words…”
Alaysia’s arm reached out towards Vera with a greedy look.
“…The day the sacrifice fulfills its purpose is the day Aru no longer lives eternally, and it’s the day all life ends on this land.”
Alaysia’s hand touched Vera’s spine.
A restless breath escaped her lips.
“Aru is the Tenth.”
Finally, the words sprang from Alaysia’s mouth.
“The first and the last, the beginning and the end. Aru was made that way from the start.”
Alaysia rose from her throne.
She was holding Vera.
“You fools always said Aru was dead.” That doesn’t even make sense. How could Aru die?”
She began to walk, her feet barefoot.
She was heading in Renee’s direction.
“If Aru had died, this world would have ended. You all would have disappeared first.”
She passed by Vargo, Albrecht, Hegrion, the twins, and Aisha.
“His soul is torn? That’s not a problem. Aru is still Aru, after all.”
She passed by Jenny, Miller, Theresa, Friede, and Marie.
“It was never a problem from the start.”
Finally, tension filled Renee’s neck as Alaysia approached her.
“The soul may be torn, but the flesh remains one. As long as the world exists, Aru’s body will continue to be reborn. Even if it’s empty inside, it can still serve as a vessel.”
“Get away…”
“You can talk? Hmm, you are our Parent’s daughter, after all.”
Alaysia continued to chuckle.
Her words were full of mockery.
“Fool. You were so close, and yet you didn’t realize this was Aru? I felt it even before we met.”
Renee opened her mouth again.
“Get away from him…!”
Along with the disgusting stench, what Renee felt was Vera’s scent.
What Alaysia was holding now was Vera.
Renee felt as if her blood was boiling.
“Give him back…!”
Sizzle—
A white current began to flow from Renee’s body.
It was sparking and crackling menacingly in the air.
Alaysia chuckled, fueling Renee’s anger further.
“I’ll take the legacy.”
Her hand that had been carrying Vera reached out and snatched the necklace around Renee’s neck.
Sparks flew, but Alaysia was unfazed.
“Hmm…”
Alaysia turned her head to look around.
Ardain’s plan.
The blade intended to stop her.
They were all trembling like pebbles.
“This can’t be the end.”
There had to be more.
Aru knew everything and was the closest being to omniscient, so he must have prepared more.
“What could it be?”
Sparks flew and a small fire ignited.
Renee began to gather more strength while barely listening to Alaysia.
“Get away…!”
An excruciating pain pressed down on her entire body.
In that state, Renee unleashed her power.
And she finally managed a small movement.
Thud—!
Her cane touched the ground.
The wave didn’t extend far and came back the moment it located Alaysia.
What followed was her aiming and shooting.
Renee unleashed a bolt of lightning.
Rumble—!
The lightning precisely penetrated Alaysia’s head, and her head dropped as she fell to the ground.
Right after Vera’s body fell on top of Alaysia’s, a regenerated Alaysia spoke.
“Ouch.”
Alaysia lifted her head, and in her eyes was a trembling Renee who had started to move again.
Thud.
Her cane touched the ground once more.
Realizing that Alaysia was giggling beneath Vera’s body, Renee spat out a curse.
“You fucking bitch…!”
It was a situation where she had to use her power even for the slightest movement.
This was the deepest part of the castle, and no one could help her.
She had to save Vera, and yet she also had to tear apart that fucking whore.
Renee gritted her teeth.
“What now?”
Alaysia smiled.
For a moment, a thought flashed through Renee’s head.
Ignoring her mocking laughter, Renee finally let go of the tension in her body that had been built up all this time.
“…Go die.”
“Are you giving up?”
A sarcastic smile appeared on Renee’s face.
“I said, go die.”
Whooosh—!
A pure white divinity burst forth from Renee’s body.
Miracles began to unfold as her authority was layered on top of it.
Alaysia looked at it with a bored expression.
“That won’t work in here.”
“It will work outside.”
Outside.
There were those outside.
Those who hated Alaysia more than anyone else undoubtedly existed beyond these walls.
Rumble—!
The castle began to shake.
Then, a sound like an explosion started to resonate.
Booom—!
The vibrations and noise grew closer and more intense.
Alaysia realized what Renee had done.
“Ah, right.”
They were out there, too.
The moment that thought crossed her mind, the ceiling of the throne room was torn open, revealing the dark sky.
[…Found you.]
A giant looked down at the palace, the sky behind his back.
