Chapter 216
Chapter 216
Chapter 216
Opening of War (5)
—Not long ago, there must have been a great turning point in your destiny. Isn't that right?
At Krakar's words, the gazes of those around turned to Rudian.
—I'll say it once more. Our great mother holds great favor for you. I hope you won't abandon that favor.
Rudian replied with a bland voice.
"What nonsense. If that's the level of your bullshit, it's quite spectacular."
—…….
"I'm grateful for Shub's favor, and I have a mind to repay it someday, but that doesn't mean I'd call you Shub's representatives."
SNAP!
Rudian snapped his fingers as he spoke.
"Yev."
—……!
Behind Rudian, a small girl, Yev, appeared.
And the moment Yev appeared, Rudian saw Krakar's countless eyes immediately distort.
"If Shub sent me proof of favor, it would be Yev, not you."
—You bastard….
"I don't know how you obtained information from Shub, but your purpose isn't to help me. It's to kill Berus and usurp that position."
—I cannot understand. Even though you could walk the same path as your goal, you would refuse?
"Using barbarians to control barbarians has its limits too. You're beyond my ability to handle."
Their nature was clearly evil.
Even if Berus was the mastermind behind all this, joining hands with such creatures to catch Berus would be a shortcut to self-destruction.
—You will regret this.
"Not at all."
Krakar and Rudian glared at each other.
A moment of silence passed between them.
Then, cheerful laughter burst out from behind Rudian.
"Ahahahaha! Creatures full of nothing but greed. I knew it would come to this."
—…Yev!
Yev, who had been showing a wicked smile, glared at Krakar with flashing purple eyes.
"You probably thought you were being quite rational when you made that proposal, but there's no way this guy would trust greedy creatures who covet a position equal to mother's despite being unworthy."
—What!
Toward the enraged Krakar, Yev sneered.
"When that goat opened the door, when mother sent me instead of you, didn't you realize? It seemed like she pitied you and gave you a chance, but you wasted that chance by joining hands with the likes of Garganta."
—Nonsense!
Krakar summoned a massive orb glowing with purple light in his hand.
"……!"
Considering Krakar's true form, the size was large enough to easily contain a small island, but Rudian couldn't fail to recognize its essence.
"…The purple world."
—That's right. This is proof that mother trusts us and shows us favor! What else could be absolute proof if not this, Yev!
If a god like Krakar began to fully wield the seven-colored worlds, he might become an even more troublesome enemy than the Seven Great Gods.
The seven-colored worlds were divine objects whose power varied tremendously depending on the user's caliber.
But even so, Yev laughed.
"Heh, hehehe… hehehehehe…."
—What does that laughter mean, Yev? It would be best not to act up like before. With just this, the power of Ktuna and I will surpass your and Nug's power!
It seemed there was some kind of strange tension between Krakar and Ktuna, and Yev and Nug.
"Yes, that might be so."
At Krakar's words, Yev coolly acknowledged it.
"But even so… do you think the reason mother gave you the purple world was to bestow upon you a weapon to kill Berus?"
—…What do you mean?
Krakar asked back with a hardened voice.
"What do I mean? I mean it literally. Now then…."
Yev's gaze turned to Rudian.
"Human, try to guess. What do you think is the reason mother gave that lacking fool the purple world?"
"……."
Rudian didn't answer immediately.
A hypothesis had immediately come to mind, but it seemed too absurd to blurt out right away.
But since no other thoughts came to him, he had no choice but to voice that hypothesis.
"It's not that she's telling me to kill Krakar and recover the purple world on my own to use as my full strength, is it?"
"Ahahahaha! You got the right answer immediately!"
Not expecting it to actually be correct, Rudian blinked slightly.
—…What kind of nonsense is that?
Krakar's voice was filled with rage.
—Mother would abandon us, who have served for millions of years, for just one human!
"Of course. As you know, mother isn't entirely merciful, is she?"
A bitter sneer hung on Yev's lips.
"What you considered an opportunity is also a crisis. Well, crisis and opportunity exist simultaneously. If you covet the supreme position, shouldn't you prove your qualifications accordingly?"
—……!
"If you can't overcome just one human, then your vessel is only that much."
—I see, mother considers the victor here to be qualified to challenge Berus…?
Krakar had an expression of understanding something.
GOOOOO!
At the same time, all distracting thoughts disappeared from the creature, and intense fighting spirit filled only with battle will was transmitted.
Seeing Krakar like this, Yev smiled and patted Rudian's shoulder.
"Well then, work hard."
"…You're not going to help?"
After provoking it like that, she's leaving like this?
Facing Rudian's bewildered expression, Yev reached out and stroked Rudian's head.
"What I can help you with is after you overcome the current crisis."
"Shub's intention… is that really it? Making me and that guy fight so the winner can face Berus?"
"……."
Yev didn't answer immediately and smiled bitterly.
After a moment, Yev's answer came.
"Didn't I tell you? Mother doesn't have such a merciful personality."
"I see…."
"Mother is quite displeased with Berus, who tries to protect the pinnacle of the divine throne even by twisting the origin. But since she can't directly deal with Berus herself, she's trying to choose a blade that can reach him."
Shub was in some ways a deity close to omniscience and omnipotence that surpassed Berus, but had the fatal weakness of being unable to leave her temple.
"But the fact that 'I' am a token of trust formed between you and mother doesn't change."
Rudian saw emotion in Yev's eyes for the first time.
Pity, sympathy. And encouragement.
He didn't know why Yev was showing such eyes.
But this time, Rudian stroked Yev's head and said:
"Yes, see you soon."
***
"What a touching scene."
"Shut up. When you say it with that laughing face, it only sounds like mockery."
Rudian felt like punching Baal in the face and turned his head.
"Baal."
"What is it?"
"Can you summon all my companions here?"
"Hmm, have you changed your mind?"
"Yes."
Currently, only Maria and Rebecca were by Rudian's side.
Elvin and Luciella were in the standby group, Gray was in the support group, and Evangeline was currently protecting the surface at Nevan's imperial palace.
"Just a moment ago I said I wouldn't rely on the seven-colored worlds, but it seems I was too arrogant."
Rudian sighed and pressed his forehead.
"Interesting. So you're giving up on the surface? Even though some of their forces are taking a detour to target the surface?"
If Evangeline, the core axis of the surface defense line, was removed, there was no telling what variables might occur.
That's what Baal was saying.
"That's why I'm saying…."
Rudian looked directly into Baal's eyes.
"You protect the surface, Baal."
"…Are you serious?"
"Let's put aside pride and such. You could easily keep even a single mouse from entering, couldn't you?"
Baal waved his hand with a bewildered expression.
"No, that's not it… you're telling me to stay stuck in the rear when such a delicious… I mean, interesting enemy is right in front of me?"
Red anger began to rise in Baal's eyes.
'…This guy was really eyeing Krakar's divinity all along.'
Rudian sighed and pacified Baal.
"I'll properly take care of your share later. And anyway, alien divinity is a delicacy for you, but if you eat it wrong, won't it give you trouble?"
"……."
Baal's lips pouted.
"Come on, you can eat the alien lesser gods who went to the separate unit much more safely and deliciously, can't you?"
That was actually true.
Anyway, this Baal wasn't a fighting maniac like Diablo or Agares.
If he could be given benefits, this kind of persuasion actually worked better.
"…Just this once."
Baal lightly gathered power and began summoning companions scattered everywhere.
Indeed, since it was alien space rather than inside a middle realm planet, using power seemed much more convenient.
"Huh? Brother?"
"Lord Rudian?"
The companions were summoned one by one into outer space.
They were skeptical about the suddenly changed operation, but as always, they gladly followed Rudian's unreasonable demands.
"But brother and the rest don't have seven-colored worlds, right? How are you going to do it?"
Gray questioned the operation of using resonance.
"Actually, thinking about it… this turned out to be a blessing in disguise."
Rudian said, looking around at the group.
"Luciella and I will be the center of the operation."
"What does that mean?"
"As you said earlier, you're still not accustomed to the seven-colored worlds yet. Then we just need to use them in a different way."
Resonance was ultimately just power amplification.
Efficiency varied tremendously depending on how it was used.
Those who possess seven-colored worlds must devote all their strength to handling the power of resonance.
"And I still can't handle all the power of resonance."
In other words, someone who didn't have seven-colored worlds but was outstanding in capability needed to share the burden.
"Luciella and I will be the ones utilizing that resonance power. It will essentially be a 2:1 fight."
A battle where six seven-colored worlds collide.
The extent of the aftermath was truly unknown.
The only way to minimize it was to directly embrace the power of resonance and fight.
"…Will it be okay? Luciella's body and mind might not be able to endure it."
Maria said with a worried tone.
Certainly, as he had felt when using three simultaneously before, using the power of resonance forcibly elevates the body and mind to a higher dimension.
Even if one was a god, they would become intoxicated with omnipotence like being addicted to drugs, but if a mere mortal encountered such power, there was a high possibility their essence would completely change.
"I believe it's possible."
But Rudian showed infinite trust in Luciella.
"Among us, Luciella has the strongest mental strength."
"……."
A woman of steel who wouldn't collapse no matter what happened, and who remained faithful to her role no matter what situation.
He was convinced that she could maintain her original self even before the absolute power of the seven-colored worlds.
"I will definitely live up to your expectations."
Hearing her confirmation, Rudian turned his head toward Krakar, who had been watching them with arms crossed.
"Thanks for waiting."
—Since you reduced your own strength, there's no reason I couldn't wait that much.
Krakar seemed quite pleased that Baal had withdrawn.
—Besides….
GRIN!
—Since you've gathered the seven-colored worlds like this, shouldn't I be thanking you instead!
"Is that so?"
—Six seven-colored worlds! Having gathered them all, I will surpass mother and Berus to reign as the absolute god of a new world!
Krakar no longer hid his ambition.
"Yes, indeed, someone like you looks much better this way than with hypocrisy."
Rudian raised one corner of his mouth and sneered at Krakar.
"Let's have a fight then."