Chapter 496 495 - Awaited Moment

Chapter 496 495 - Awaited Moment　　Point-of-View: Jhin

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I am the only one left...aside from the other Demons and the Vampires who did not get sealed, anyway. Rai was the last one...Key, Selesa, Prato, Ekai, Siert...all of them are gone now. 

Twenty years have passed since Rai died, and I have been running Abyss by myself...I do have plenty of subordinates, of course, but I am not particularly close to anyone. 

A Demon's sense of time is different to a human's, what can feel like an eternity to a human is little more than a moment or two for a Demon. 

And yet, the century and few decades I spent with Rai and the others, it did not feel like nothing but a mere moment. 

I have existed for centuries upon centuries, an amount of time incomprehensible to humans. And despite that, I can say without hesitation that the time I spent with them is the time I treasured most. 

But I did not even realize that until they were all gone. And all I can do now is wait...a task that, normally, would be a simple matter for a Demon. 

Even when sealed in the so-called Forbidden Zone, by the time the barrier was broken, it did not feel like it had been that long, even though I had been trapped there for over two centuries. 

But it is different this time...I can feel it, each day, each hour, each minute...passing by agonizingly slowly, as I wait...wait for Kuro and the others to break free of their imprisonment. 

Impatience...an emotion that I do not think I have ever felt before. At the very least, not to this extent. I see, this must be what it is to feel...lonely. 

Perhaps Demons are not so different from humans after all...even looking at the other Demons here in Abyss, the way they behave and act is much different than what was the norm for us before. 

This nation, it has become exactly what Kuro desired...a nation where all beings can get along. Demons, Vampires, humans, the other races...there is no prejudice or discrimination, a truly just and fair nation. 

I was currently on a stroll, taking a short break from my duties as the leader of this nation. The streets are so lively and bright, almost dazzlingly so. 

Cheerful and carefree expressions everywhere in sight, clear joy amongst the citizens. And it is my job to ensure that it stays this way...just as Kuro and Rai would have wanted.

But...true worldwide peace has been lost. The decision I made all those decades ago, to activate this barrier...I do not regret it. 

I do not regret it, but...but at the same time, I do regret it. Or rather, I regret allowing the circumstances to get to that point, where I had no choice but to use the spell and protect the people of this nation. 

Saving less than half the world's population...by abandoning the rest, leaving them at the mercy of that vile bastard, the one we called the Spectre. 

Luell managed to create a spell to deactivate the barrier, about forty years ago...but I have not yet activated it. I do not know if the Spectre is still alive...and with no way to know what is happening in the outside world, I may never activate it. 

Has he continued to gain power? How powerful is he now? Is he continuing his reign of terror, on a much larger scale than before? I do not know the answers to any of those questions...and with no way to find out, I cannot risk taking down this barrier. 

I then halted as I found myself within sight of the area where Kuro and the others had been sealed away. Several times, without even intending to, I have found myself in this place. 

The stadium was demolished a long time ago, and a large, grand, cylindrical building had been constructed in its place, to welcome them all back in pleasant surroundings when they finally emerge. 

I headed into the building almost unconsciously, drawn to it in my desire to see them all again...how much longer till they break free? If I at least knew when they would be returning, perhaps this wait would not be so unbearable. 

As I entered the building, I stared up at the pyramid-shaped barrier that was sealing them in...I have grown tired of this sight, this accursed sealing barrier...without it, maybe none of this would have happened. 

With the likes of Kuro, Azyl, the Wind and Lightning Sages, and Belia still around, the Spectre would likely have been dealt with a long, long time ago already. 

But without them, the only one we could rely on was Shiro...but the burden proved too great for him to manage alone. And in the end, he was killed, and just like that, all hope of eliminating the Spectre vanished. 

Suddenly, I was snapped out of my thoughts as I heard a faint sound...hm? What was that? Did I imagine it? 

It may have just been the wind, or some rubble shifting. Or perhaps it really was my imagination...I may be thinking too hard lately, I need to compose myself better. 

Otherwise-...wait, what is that? On the pyramid barrier, there is something there, it looks like...a crack? A small one, but there was no doubt about it...it is damaged! 

Could it be...are they finally going to break free? After all this time? Is it really-...hm? Now, what? A commotion was ringing out from outside...an altercation, perhaps? 

I let out a sigh as I left the building, glancing back at the barrier to make sure I did not imagine the crack...yes, no doubt about it, it is definitely there! 

Now, to see what this commotion is about... 

"What is going on?" I asked the guards, as I exited the building. 

"Oh, it's you, sir. Look, up at the sky...it's gone," Came the response, as he pointed upwards. 

Hm? What is he-...no, it cannot be... 

"Impossible...this is impossible! The barrier...it is gone..."

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Point-of-View: Damien Romer 

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It's finally done...the spell to destroy the damned barrier around Abyss and Liberty! Ohh, how long I've waited for this moment...finally, FINALLY! 

I'll first attack Liberty, I'm looking forward to seeing the fresh terror on their faces, the terror of people who've lived in peace for over a century finally having that peace shattered once and for all! 

All this time, I've been going after those who've been living in fear, so their terror wasn't all that delectable...but this should be different, this should be a lot more fun! 

I'll save Abyss for last, I'm gonna take my time savoring destroying that nation, I'll kill everyone who's even remotely powerful, and then help myself to the remaining civilians, just like how I've been doing with the people of the Rustlands! 

"Now, then, without any further ado...," I smirked, as I tapped the Spell Card against the barrier and activated it...shattering it in the blink of an eye, sending chills of delight running down my spine. 

I then shot forward at top speed, eagerly making my way towards Liberty...if they activate this stupid barrier again, I can instantly undo it with this spell, but there's no point in them activating it now anyway...because all that'll do is trap them in here with me! 

There it is, I see it just up ahead...the nation of Liberty! Oh, looks like they're putting up some defensive barriers...they must have realized what's happening. 

But it doesn't matter, it doesn't matter at all. Because I can tear through those like a wet paper bag! 

I let out a gleeful chuckle as I fired out Obliteration Magic blasts to break through the barriers, before flying in through the gap and landing atop the wall, staring down with a smirk. 

Oh, wow, looks like they've advanced even more than the Rustlands has. Impressive...I should be careful not to kill any of those responsible for this, I can take them back to the Rustlands and have them help develop it even further! 

No, or better yet, I can just make Abyss my new area of residence! Yeah, they're probably even more advanced than Liberty is. Ohh, I'm gonna have an absolute blast for the next few days! After that...well, I'll just worry about what comes next afterwards. 

For right now...I just wanna have as much fun as possible, to make up for the decades of boredom I endured! 

Hm? Ah, several Elemental Magic blasts are honing in on me...looks like I'm being attacked. Guess I should employ some self-defence, huh? 

I smirked as I turned intangible to avoid the attacks, before letting out a chuckle as I blasted out my now-incredibly high scale Elemental Magic, screams of pain ringing out in a delightful cacophony as my attacks landed...yesss, this is what I'm fucking talking about! 

I then swooped down off the wall, swinging my trident around as I descended with a rising sense of anticipation...once I'm done savoring this appetizer, I'll head on for the main course waiting for me in Abyss! 

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