Chapter 194

CHAPTER 114 The Ex–Demon Lord and the Scholar God’s Lamentations (Part II) The Four Heavenly Kings were part of an incredibly special rank in my army. All other higher positions were filled by supervisors I appointed. However, the Four Heavenly Kings won their titles by fighting and beating their competition. As a rule, they were apex military officers. It had seemed logical that those who proved themselves greatest in combat were worthy. That cut down on guesswork. My feelings were completely irrelevant. Talent was the only quality I sought. And that driving principle meant that the members of the Four Heavenly Kings rotated many times… …until they reached their inevitable peaks. Aside from Olivia, my final member of the Four Heavenly Kings, all the others turned out to be loose cannons. Lizer Bellphoenix, a suspicious old general whose entire history was shrouded in mystery. Alvarto Egzex, a keepsake my former rival entrusted to me. And Verda Al-Hazard. She was once one of my most formidable enemies. She nearly destroyed half my army. Standing in her presence now, I felt as though she’d returned to how she’d been in the old days. After so long, Verda bared her fangs at us again. “Scary Monster, System Full Blast.” A swarm of countless creatures burst from the inky rift around Verda. They were black all over, the same color as all the enemies we’d faced thus far. Their forms were fishlike, and they swam through the air. Each was about the size of a human child, but the collected swarm took the shape of a giant serpent. “Violent Strike.” At Verda’s command, the giant snake lunged toward us. “Let’s see what it can do first.” Alvarto extended his right hand to the sky, manifesting a jet-black flame. The fire darted through the air to form a giant net. The massive serpent smashed against the jet-black snare, but was ultimately trapped and destroyed. That’s what should’ve happened, anyway. “Ah! It broke through!” Ginny cried. “Makes sense. We’re fighting a swarm,” Elzard noted. “C’mon, Alice, a baby is cleverer than you.” As Elzard said, we were fighting a collective of small enemies, which allowed them to slip through the holes of Alvarto’s net and continue charging for us. And the horde was rapidly growing in size. “I said, let’s see what it can do first, lizard brain.” Alvarto was trying to study our opponent. And he did give us some valuable information. “It looks like they split and multiply when they take damage.” “Yeah. And to make it more annoying, the power of an attack doesn’t seem to matter. My flames are supposed to burn things to a crisp with just one blast, but when they touched it, they extinguished my flames while duplicating.” “Yeah, we’re probably dealing with an infinite army here…,” I agreed. “E-eyes up, everyone! They’re coming at us!” Ginny cried. “Then dodge ’em, basic bitch.” There was no worry on Elzard’s face, likely because our enemies’ movements were simple and easily evaded. Indeed, we all jumped out of the way and escaped without issue. “Still, there’s no guarantee they’ll stay this tame forever,” I remarked. “Indeed…,” Alvarto agreed. “It looks like that swarm keeps multiplying even if we don’t attack it.” The jet-black horde swelled bigger with each passing second. As we stared at it, Olivia whispered, “It’s almost like they’re evolving…” Then, in the very next moment, her prediction came true, and the swarm attacked us. “GYAAAAAAAAA!” The grotesque swarm howled as one body, then a shining light beam shot from the giant serpent’s mouth. It was a suicide move. The outer layer forming the serpent’s body ripped apart and turned into flaming fragments. “Scatter!” Everyone leaped away at my command and somehow managed to evade the shower of light. “They self-destructed, attacked, and multiplied,” Ginny observed. “And the more they multiply…the stronger they get,” I added. The giant serpent had grown larger still. Seeing this, Rogue broke his silence with a sigh and said, “Alvarto, you and I will deal with this.” “Good idea,” he replied after a brief pause. “If we all fight it, we’ll just use up our magic. We should handle that thing with as few people as possible.” Turning to me, Alvarto said, “Ard Meteor—this battle hinges on whether or not you can move Verda’s heart. We need to give you an environment where you can speak without interruption for there to be any hope of victory.” “You’re right…and I’m sure Verda put up this obstacle to prevent me from doing so.” “In that case…,” Ginny said. “We’ll clear the way for you.” “Don’t hold us back, basic bitch.” As I watched my friends banter, I quietly said, “Thank you… I’m counting on you all.” Sensing the trust in my comment, they nodded firmly. “Okay, let’s get this party started.” “Who put you in charge, Alexandra?” “Alvarto and I will engage the giant serpent,” Rogue stated. “As soon as you have an opening, run with all your might, Ard Meteor.” “Ginny, myself, and Elzard will keep your path open,” Olivia explained. “Please, Ard…help Lady Verda,” Ginny entreated. I bobbed my head in the affirmative. With that, our operation began. “Kalmia, we’re using Function Six.” “Yes, sir.” “Do whatever you need to get to her… We’ll back you up all the way.” Alvarto unleashed the power within his Holy Sword. Then the blade, sparkling crimson, glowed brighter. A moment after, the giant serpent’s body was bound in chains. And obviously, they were no ordinary chains. They were built from a function of Dilga Zervatis, the supreme Holy Sword. They completely suppressed the swarm-turned-giant-serpent, impeding its movements. “Rogue, assist me with a multi-seal. These little bastards keep self-destructing to get stronger.” “I see. Eventually, they’ll overpower even your Holy Sword’s ability…” Rogue glared at the terrifying swarm of monsters, then complied. I took the opening they gave me and started running. To Verda. Straight and true. “Stay away from me… You’re annoying,” she spat. Suddenly, a black rift split open beside me. But that didn’t stop me. My gaze was focused straight ahead. It was proof of trust. No matter what happened, my friends would protect me. And Ginny was the first to leap to my defense. “I won’t let you lay a finger on Ard!” Red lightning danced along the tip of her crimson spear. Then it shot at the grotesque beings that popped out from the rift. I continued sprinting, breathing a sigh of relief. I had twenty seconds remaining. “I said, stay away!” Verda attacked again, her lips quivering. This time, a rift opened below my feet. As an obstacle, it was pretty direct. In the blink of an eye, I would fall into the black hole. But before I did… “You owe me one, Ard Meteor!” …a gust of wind from Elzard carried me forward and over the hole. I had ten seconds remaining. “…C’mon. Just stop it,” Verda croaked. Her shoulders trembled, and her fists were clenched tightly. A pure white wall appeared before her, blocking me from her. But the very next moment… “It’s no use shutting us out, Verda Al-Hazard.” …Olivia sped by me. Slashslashslashslashslashslashslashslashslashslashslashslashslashslashslash… And the white wall crumbled into shards, as did the Holy Sword in Olivia’s hand. “Ard Meteor…I mean, stupid brother,” Olivia called to me as she passed by. She wasn’t addressing me as a student, but as her baby brother. “You can do it this time—I promise.” I smiled back at her and said, “Consider it done.” I answered not as Ard, but as Varvatos. Olivia was right. Were I the old me, the Demon Lord with a hole where a heart should have been, I wouldn’t be able to touch Verda’s heart. However, I’d changed after being reborn and making so many friends. I was no longer an empty killing machine. During my days spent with my friends, I felt, I learned…and those experiences had built something sparkling in my chest. And Verda was one of those friends who helped build my heart. And so I took my final step forward, planted my feet…and stood before her. “Verda, give up.” I could no longer wear my Ard Meteor facade. I’d never touch her heart unless I was my true self and expressed my genuine feelings. When Verda answered me with silence, I continued. “Join us. We need you.” After a few moments, Verda replied, “But you just want to use me to win the battle. Isn’t that right?” “You’re wrong. Even if you were a powerless child, I’d still need you. You may have been little more than an enemy I couldn’t trust in the past, but now…” “Nothing’s changed. It’s all the same as back then,” she snapped, as though she weren’t listening. And then something giant rose up from behind Verda. It was a golem, a massive weapon born from a fusion of magic and science. Its iron fortress of a chest opened, welcoming its master inside. “Nothing is different. Our relationship’s the same as it ever was. “We’re enemies.” Her eyes conveyed those words better than any words. Verda sprang backward into the golem. As soon as she landed, its opened chest shut. Immediately after, the golem’s eyes shone with an eerie light. “Our paths are split. They have been for a long time. And if you refuse to understand that…then this is where the journey with your little friends ends.” The iron giant’s body released an intense burst of pressure. And then… “Die.” …the golem’s fists came hurtling down like a bolt of lightning. A direct hit promised terrible damage. I chose not to dodge and let the blow hit me dead-on. The fists raced down to crush my head, but stopped short. “Ugh…this hurts a lot more than I thought it would.” The innate strength of the blow still penetrated me, etching pain into my spirit. Had Verda gone through with that attack, I would’ve been destroyed. “What’s wrong, Verda? Hit me however you like.” I raised my arms wide in acceptance. “What the hell are you thinking?!” she cried. “I didn’t come here to fight you,” I answered, my arms still raised. My confident posture made it clear this wasn’t a lie. “I came here to talk to you—nothing more. I won’t attack with anything but my feelings. How you respond is up to you. I won’t fight your decision.” Hopefully, the implication behind my words would reach her. “I don’t care if I die if it means I can bring you back to me… That’s just how much I value our friendship.” After a long pause, Verda asked with noticeable irritation, “Are you stupid?” A punch came flying toward me. My bones shook fiercely, and my organs burst open. Still, I remained motionless. “I know Mephisto Yuu Phegor is like a father to you. And I can understand why you’d care for him. But…have you ever once considered his feelings?” Verda’s answer was another fist, as I’d expected. I let it hit me without flinching. “Well, to me, he’s an abomination. Just picturing him makes my skin crawl. However…the feelings he has for those he loves are genuine. I consider that to be his one virtue.” The fourth attack came. My head split open, sending blood trickling from my forehead. But even as the red entered my eyes, I kept them locked on my opponent. “Has he ever asked you to stay by his side? Yeah…didn’t think so. That’s because you could never save him. Your presence hurts him. He has a hunger to destroy anything he doesn’t want to destroy. That warped desire can never be sated.” Finally, Verda answered me with her voice instead of with the golem’s fists. “Shut up…” And once she did, the dam burst, and it all came rushing out. “I know… You think I don’t know that?!” She screamed as if she were spitting out blood. Another attack collided with me. “I know what choosing to be with him means. I know what he thinks. I always knew, and that’s why I…” The golem’s fists rained down on me. With each attack, my consciousness slipped further away. Yet I remained resolute. “If you know…then why don’t you consider his feelings? You are wanted…you are needed, Verda Al-Hazard. We need you, Verda, not that devil.” Even harried by deadly strikes, I hurled my intense feelings at Verda. “Children always leave their parents eventually. You need to consider his feelings and move on to where you’re supposed to be. It’s an expression of your love for him.” Come back to me. You’re welcome here. You will always have a home with us. I knew my feelings had reached her. The golem’s fist stopped, hovering above me. “What have…I…?” Verda began to tremble. Her feelings for Mephisto and us shook her. She wanted to be with her father during his final moments. She wanted to meet the glittering future with the first friends she’d ever had. Both wishes were earnest, so they broke Verda’s heart. She found her answer beyond the agony. “Nn…ah… AH…AHHHHH!!!” Verda screamed, breaking free of her thoughts. Not even Verda Al-Hazard, the most intelligent person in the world, could’ve found this conclusion alone. What purpose did those iron fists serve? Verda didn’t know anymore. I need to make things right… “That’s enough.” He’s here. Just as I pictured him in my mind, Mephisto Yuu Phegor appeared. Verda’s shocked howl rang from inside the golem. An iron fist swung for me again but stopped inches from my face. A moment later, the golem’s arm crumbled to gravel by Mephisto’s doing. “Mas…ter?” Ignoring her bewildered cry, Mephisto raised his right hand at the golem. Verda’s iron fortress fell apart, and she fell from the ruined construct’s torso. Her mouth opened in a silent cry. She had to know Mephisto’s intention and would surely object. Mephisto teleported to Verda and spoke before she could. “It was a tough decision. I truly did agonize over it,” he said, forcing Verda to keep silent and listen. “I considered killing you myself… After all, no matter how this ends, everyone will disappear. So I thought, Why drag this out any longer? That’s what I decided…but I’m fickle. I can’t help myself.” With a distant smile of resignation on his face, Mephisto added, “I wonder. How long can I go without killing somebody I really want to kill? I’ll continue this experiment, this challenge, until the very end. At least, that’s how I currently feel.” He placed a curse on his beloved pupil. Dark mist flowed from his hand, straight into Verda’s forehead. And what curse could he have possibly placed on his beloved pupil? Well… “Ah!” …Verda struck Mephisto’s cheek—clearly not of her own volition. “No… Why?” she pleaded, her shoulders shaking. She had struck her surrogate father, someone doomed to be her enemy. Mephisto gave her no answer but a smile. “All right, I’m going before I change my mind.” He spoke with all the mundane casualness of discussing the weather. There was no hint of his true feelings for her. His heart was a heavy jumble of emotions. Mephisto disappeared. “…Master.” Verda fell to her knees as tears spilled down her cheeks. “Consider his feelings, Verda,” I said as I rested my hands on her trembling shoulders. “Don’t reject them.” Mephisto was an enigma by nature. The more deeply he loved someone, the more he was compelled to destroy them out of curiosity. And for the first time ever, that madman made the choice not to. Verda’s feelings had broken through the distortion in Mephisto’s nature. “Keep going, Verda. Your friends are here for you.” I called out to her with my voice and heart alike. Unfortunately, there was nothing I could do to stop her sobs. “I was right about you, Master… You’re a backstabbing coward.” Verda’s voice melted and vanished.