Chapter 756. Operation Persephone
Gasp!
Perserque’s eyes snapped open. From what she could see, she was in the deepest part of a gorge filled with nothing but fog and darkness. Cold wind blew around her in this place devoid of warmth or human presence. Despite the glaring darkness, Perserque knew where she was.
“This place again? I’m so tired of this.”
When did she start having these dreams? Usually, the contents of one’s dreams should be hazy and indistinct upon awakening. But in Perserque’s case, this recurring dream was clear and could never be forgotten.
[Stop resisting. We are one.]
Along with the dark and gloomy voice, the black fog began to move as if it were alive and gathered in front of Perserque. The fog soon took on the vague form of a human with a glowing pair of eyes as its only distinctive feature. The fog looked at Perserque.
“Enough... Stay away from me. Even if you continue to say it again and again in this dream, things won’t work out the same way you want them to.”
[I am you, and you are me.]
“My name is Perserque. I’m not Thanatos!!!”
[We are one... You should know of our sorrows.]
Perserque could only retreat as the black fog slowly approached her, saying whatever it wanted regardless of her consent. She couldn’t communicate with it at all.
Thud!!!
In the end, the black fog reached the place where she was standing only moments before and slammed its fist on the ground. At the same time, the fog and darkness around her made the hem of Perserque’s clothes and her hair flutter wildly. She could only close her eyes and hold onto her hair to stop it from flying all over the place.
[No matter what happens, the one slumbering will awaken. It has already been predetermined. It is time.]
“Once the Absolute Gem completely cuts the Abyss off from the world, your hatred will no longer be able to bear fruit.” Cheêck out latest novels on n/o/ve/l/bin(.)c/o/m
[Even if you do that, nothing will change.]
With those words, the fog and the darkness surrounded Perserque as the black fog walked toward her once again.
[Remember. Recognize. My sorrow. My pain. The betrayal that I suffered... My voice that was born and abandoned by the primordial until I fell into the Abyss.]
The being in front of Perserque was one that only ever spoke these exact words over and over and over again.
“I...” Perserque trailed off. Then, she gritted her teeth and said, “I will say this again one more time, so open those ears of yours!!! I am Perserque! I am not Thanatos!!!”
Perserque repeated the same words that she had uttered so many times before, shouting as if she wanted to carve them into the fog’s entire being.
When this happened the first time, she screamed and wept, unable to help but fall into despair after realizing the tragic reality that she was going to face. For days on end, she couldn't even sleep due to her fear of this dream plaguing her. But the dreams were forcing her to face reality, and the conclusion that she had seen...
“Right... This is enough. This is more than enough,” Perserque murmured, a sad smile gracing her face.
[You should know how this ends.]
Her expression hardened as a single teardrop fell from her eyes.
“Listen well, Thanatos.”
The first time, she was afraid. The second, she felt helpless. But now? She had made up her mind. She no longer has anything to be afraid of.
“I will never allow you to step foot into this world. That’ll never happen.”
Thud!!!
Following her will, a huge force erupted and pushed away the fog that was Thanatos.
Ha!
Perserque gasped, her eyes snapping open. When she turned her head, she saw the face of a young man silently looking down at her. “Davey.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“...”
Davey held Perserque and soothed her all night. She wouldn't let him go, as if she wanted to feel his warmth just a bit longer. Only after she fell asleep did he exit her embrace and stand up.
Davey looked out the window. There, he saw the reddish pillar of light that stretched out from the place where Kain was activating the Absolute Gem. It might look like the Abyss was starting to retreat, but from what Davey could see they were just preparing for their final shot. Basically, this was the calm before the storm.
‘The rain and wind is going strong outside. It’s cold. Whether it’s you who's shabby or us... hmm... that’s not it.’
Davey stared at the reddish pillar of light in silence. After a while, he started to move. Rinne followed Davey’s every move, but that didn’t bother him at all.
Davey activated the power of taboo that Arbit had awakened in his body while his soul and body were in synchronization. He used that power, which was also called sin of god, to connect to the Red Void.
Rinne looked at Davey in surprise when she saw him open a space that was completely red. However, she did not ask anything and just followed behind him. The terrifying and icy red fog covered Davey’s entire body, giving a chill down to his very bones.
Arbit.
[My lord, you’re back.]
A gigantic dragon appeared through the red fog at Davey’s call. This space was normally quiet and calm, but it would shake and fluctuate fiercely at the slightest chance.
In fact, Hercules had become an expert of survival in the process of stabilizing and taking over this space. In a sense, this space—which Hercules stabilized after dying hundreds of thousands of times—was like a planet born from chaos. It was a world that was no different from the world that Goddess Freyja created. Of course, the only thing left in this world was red fog.
“The Absolute Gem will be activated in one and a half days. Once that is done, the Abyss and all of the path that connected it to the world will be cut off. But before that happens, I will tear Thanatos apart.”
[Are you... talking about that Thanatos?]
“Whether Eclipse or that damned bastard Katshi interfere, it doesn’t matter to me. The outcome will not change.”
[My lord.]
“Tell me the way,” Davey said. Although he sounded extremely arrogant, no one could stop him from doing what he wanted.
The time flowing inside the Red Void was different from the time outside.
Arbit closed his eyes for a moment after hearing Davey’s demands. Then, he slowly opened them and said...
[It’s impossible to kill a god, my lord. It’s because creations and the creators are on different levels in the hierarchy of things.]
“Who in the world doesn’t know that?”
[Sir?]
“A method. Find it.”
Arbit’s gigantic eyes blinked blankly at his words.
If it was impossible, then he just had to make it possible. Was he really supposed to give up just because it was supposed to be impossible?
Arbit turned silent for a while.
[My lord. Please calm down and tell me what’s going on first...]
“Just tell me. I’m going to tear apart and kill that damn bastard Thanatos.”
Although he fell short of the Primordial God, Goddess Freyja, God of the Abyss Thanatos was still a god. The Abyss and all living beings in the Abyss were all born from the hands of Thanatos. That wasn’t all—he was also a god who possessed enormous powers.
That was why Davey knew that he could not do what his master had done before.
[My lord, I really want to rest now. I have been alive for far too long...]
“Resignation rejected. You have to work a bit longer, understand?”
[A method...]
Not long after, Arbit opened his mouth.
[I understand the situation, but... there’s only one method... that I know of...]
“There is one?”
[By any chance, have you heard of this legend? There’s this place called the Underworld. If a living being eats the food from that place then they will never be able to return.]