Shwaaaaa.
The liquid pouring from the sky was no different from rainwater. Before long, Lukas’ entire body was soaked.
The Demon God was still standing there with a smile.
He stayed silent without saying anything. It was as if he was giving Lukas time to determine whether he was telling the truth or not.
“...”
The pattering of the rain, the cold touch of his clothes clinging to his skin.
However, the thing that disturbed Lukas the most was the presence that he could feel in the corner of his mind.
‘Is it true?’
[.......]
‘Lightning God, is everything the Demon God said true?’
[Right. It’s true.]
The Lightning God affirmed with a patient attitude.
‘Did you lose on purpose in order to enter my body?’
[Right.]
‘So that was your goal?’
[One of them.]
‘What are the others?’
[...]
Whenever he didn’t want to answer, the Lightning God remained silent. Lukas had no choice but to accept this attitude.
Gritting his teeth, Lukas quickly drew upon void. The surrounding air began to shake.
Hoh, the Demon God let out a soft exclamation. There was a look of genuine surprise in his eyes.
The Lightning God spoke.
[What are you trying to do?]
‘...’
[Are you trying to force me out? No matter the cost? In order to do that, we would have to compete in the imaginary world again. Give up. The Demon God is watching. Do you think he wouldn’t do anything to you while you’re defenseless?]
‘The existence of you hiding within me is much more annoying than the Demon God in front of me.’
The Lightning God fell silent at those sincere words before speaking.
[...I had no intention of causing any direct harm to you. Although, I won’t deny that I didn’t intend to use you.]
‘So what? We should keep going like before? Ha. Bullshit.’
[I will tell you about my goals.]
‘...’
[However, before that, listen to the Demon God’s offer. Didn’t you ask if the reason I sent you to the Three Thousand Worlds to make you listen to Diablo’s proposal? That was half right. As for the other half, it was to listen to what the Demon God had to say.]
‘...and after that?’
[After that I’ll clarify my goals and ask for your cooperation. If you want, I will remove my thought projection from this body. I ‘promise’.]
Promise.
It was a word that didn’t suit a Ruler the most, but it was because of it that Lukas became speechless.
...Had he ever heard the Lightning God say ‘promise’ before?
[─is the conversation over?]
A chilling voice.
The Demon God, who had sat down roughly, suddenly turned his gaze in a certain direction. It was the direction Diablo had gone in. And probably the place where the fiercest battle in the universe was taking place.
[It seems the battle between the Four Knights has begun in earnest. I’m sure you noticed.]
“...”
[I don’t think there is much time so I’ll get to the point. Don’t you want to be happy, Lukas Trowman?]
Lukas paused for a moment.
This was because that was a question he didn’t expect to come out of the Demon God’s mouth.
“You talk as If you know what happiness is.”
[Of course I know. The fact that beings like humans cannot live without happiness and pleasure. However, what about you? If you look back at it, what was your life like? Wasn’t it mostly pain? Compared to the number of years you lived, the amount of happiness you felt is ridiculously small... Have you never felt that before?]
It would be a lie to say he hadn’t.
Especially more recently.
There were even times when he cursed his own fate.
[I think the Lightning God should have revealed a bit about his goals. My goal isn’t that different from his. I also want to experience the apocalypse. If there’s a difference between me and him... I guess it would be that I could make an attractive offer to make you fulfill my goal.]
“What offer?”
[I will let you experience happiness as a human. I will send you back to your home universe. Not just return. The memories, achievements, and history of ‘Lukas Trowman’ that had disappeared from that universe. I will bring that all back.]
“...you, what are you talking about.”
[Do you not think it’s possible? Or do you think it’s a bluff? I can declare it in my name. Everything I say now is true.]
“...”
[It will be for a long time. I will give you and all those you love enough time to become numb to happiness. Not just those from your home universe. The relationships you made in other universes... perhaps I can even bring Sedi as well. You can live with them to your heart’s content, and when you get tired of it, think of death. There won’t be any rush. Even if it takes hundreds of millions of years, I’ll wait.]
Hundreds of millions of years of happiness.
To be guaranteed the happiness that Lukas longed for, for hundreds of millions of years.
Anastasia’s words were correct.
The people Iris brought were not only people from their universe. There were other powerful people from all other universes who agreed with Diablo’s ideals. But none of them dared to intervene in the fight.
In the end, they could only watch on from a distance of dozens of steps away, shaming their initial dignified appearance.
“...minimal time zone.”
“What’s that”
“It’s a place in space-time that probably only less than 20 people in this entire universe can enter. In order to influence this fight, we need to enter that place too.”
“How do we do that?”
At that, Iris turned to look at her for the first time and smiled.
“You wouldn’t understand even if I explained, so for now, just pay some more attention to the Blue Knight’s movements. Our chances of winning will go up if you do.”
...She really couldn’t deal with her.
Anastasia looked at Iris’ side profile for a while.
When was it? The moment her attitude changed.
Was it when the Great Medium told them about Lukas Trowman?
Was it afterwards, when Lukas completely disappeared from the continent?
Was it when Diablo, who appeared suddenly, revealed his goal and asked for their cooperation?
...Or was it...
After, when Peran Jun appeared-
Boom!
There was another explosion. The battle was heating up.
At first glance, it seemed like an equal fight, but the reality was different.
The one who knew that the best was Lucid, who was directly exchanging swords with Pale.
‘Since the fight began, dozens of battles of nerves, hundreds of feints, thousands of contests of force.’
Lucid hadn’t won a single one of all those encounters. If it wasn’t for the defensive ability of the black armour covering him, every bone in his entire body would have long since shattered.
He knew that, but it was hard for him to understand.
It was pointless to say that it was because she’d become one of the Four Knights before him, or because he was ‘too stable’ as Pale had said.
Lucid felt ashamed of being pushed around by a sword that carried no convictions. And it could be seen that, despite having so much power, Pale’s ability to wield a sword was unbearably pitiful.
‘This is no time for sympathy.’
When his shoulder armour shattered, Lucid decided to stop thinking about other things.
[I don’t believe you called so many people out to be spectators.]
Swinging her sword, the Blue Knight, Pale, spoke.
[What are you trying to do?]
[That’s what I would like to ask instead. Blue Knight, why are you not trying your hardest?]
[...]
[If you showed your real power, not to mention me, those behind me would be swept away simply by the aftermath. Nevertheless, you aren’t revealing more than 10% of your power right now.]
[I’m sure it’s the same for you.]
[I’m in a passive situation. If I exert my full power, you can respond to it. However, you are different.]
[...]
Pale’s sword attacks stopped for the first time.
She glanced at the staggering Lucid, then at those standing behind him, watching the fight, then at the surroundings.
[...if I do my best, this world will be destroyed.]
[What?]
[What kind of person do you think I am? Do you think I’d want that?]
...Her manner of speech changed.
For the first time, soft emotions mixed into Pale’s voice.
Only Lucid, who was nearby, and Iris, who was paying the most attention to their conversation, noticed.
Just as Iris’ lips moved slightly.
Boom boom boom!
Suddenly, dozens of spells poured down fiercely onto Pale’s body from the sky. Pale’s small body was quickly devoured by the magical storm and disappeared.
“Wh-, what was that? Did you allow someone to attack?”
Anastasia hurriedly asked Iris, but Iris’ expression was different from before.
“...no.”
“What?”
“It’s not someone we brought.”
The two looked towards the sky at the same time.
There, they saw a man standing in the pouring rain.
“Isn’t that...”
Anastasia’s eyes narrowed, then after scrutinising the man’s face, she uttered.
“...Lukas, Trowman...”
(1/2)