Chapter 418: Tactical Nuke(5)
Chapter 418: Tactical Nuke(5)
While most of the world was focused on Jin’s death, there was one very important fact that needed to be addressed.
It concerned the region where demon worshippers had once gone into hiding to plot the resurrection of Diabolus, only to be eventually wiped out by Jin’s relentless pursuit.
The Xenon Biography was a work of fiction, but certain elements were based on real-world motifs, and the Grey Desert was one of them.
In both reality and the Xenon Biography, it was known as the Grey Desert—a demonic zone where life could not sprout, and only death existed.
When people think of a desert, they usually imagine scorching sunlight and endless stretches of sand. The Grey Desert fit that stereotype to an extent.
The difference was that the sand was a peculiar shade of grey, and because it was frequently covered by clouds, the temperature itself wasn't exceptionally high.
However, regardless of the frequent cloud cover, the dim, gloomy light cast an eerie, desolate atmosphere over the land.
If that were all, it might have been dismissed as merely unusual. But that wasn't the end of it. If the Grey Desert had been safe, it would have been developed into a magnificent trade route.
The Grey Desert could serve as a convenient shortcut for those in a hurry, but beneath its surface slept countless monsters.
The most prominent were the Skeletons. Originally, the Grey Desert was the site of the Kingdom of Gerios, where countless people were slaughtered during the Demon War.
Naturally, a staggering number of corpses must have been buried beneath the sands. This was cited as the reason why there were an absurd number of Skeletons.
Even setting the Skeletons aside, the desert teemed with all sorts of monsters because it was the birthplace of the Demon War.
From Desert Scorpions the size of houses to Desert Sharks and even Giant Sandworms, the term "inhuman hellscape" was a fitting description.
Even in ordinary deserts, areas managed by the Hirt Church usually contained oases or even large rivers, but the Grey Desert had nothing of the sort.
Yet, despite its nature, many scholars remained interested in the region. This was because of the ancient kingdom that once existed there: Gerios.
The Kingdom of Gerios had originally expanded its territory steadily under a brilliant conquering monarch, naturally rising as a wealthy and powerful nation.
Being wealthy and powerful meant the nation possessed great riches. During the Demon War, it was used as a base for demons, and now that it had turned into an inhuman hellscape, no one dared to attempt an exploration.
On the rare occasion that a few passionate adventurers stepped foot inside with bravado, they either never returned or came back as broken shells of their former selves.
A mysterious desert where no one knew what lay within. A place so dangerous that even nations refused to touch it.
Normally, it was a region that would be left entirely alone, but the situation had reversed following the release of Volume 29 of the Xenon Biography.
[The true identity of demons is not beings from another dimension, but humans themselves.]
[The origin of the Demon Clan is demons and humans. However, they live like humans normally and become demons when they experience rage or despair.]
[Is the origin of demons truly human, as stated in the Xenon Biography?]
There was a detail that most people had momentarily forgotten due to the shock and horror of the ending.
The truths that Xenon, who had been tracking Jin, discovered in the Grey Desert: that the origin of demons was human, and that some entity had corrupted them.
If it hadn't been for that ending, the people of the world would have focused on this fact.
Of course, even if the origin of demons was human, it didn't change the fact that they had ravaged the world and destroyed numerous civilizations.
The perception of demons wouldn't change, but the bigger issue was the manner in which the Demon War had broken out.
[Was the Demon War truly a 'man-made disaster'? The misguided greed of the last king of Gerios.]
[All those humans wouldn't have turned into demons simply by an accident. There must have been some kind of intervention.]
[Was this also the work of demon worshippers? Or are the people of the Kingdom of Gerios the ancestors of the demon worshippers? Nothing is certain...]
There were too many lingering questions to dismiss it as an accident caused by a mere human.
The demons' overwhelming power was one thing, but above all, the Demon War was an unprecedented conflict in which the 'Gods' themselves had directly intervened.
The Gods of this world were beings who truly loved and cherished mortals. While they displayed human-like qualities in many ways, they occasionally showed their divine side.
A prime example was the massacre of Beastkin committed by humans during the Race War.
Immediately after the Demon War ended, Savior had branded the newly emerged Demon Clan as demons and carried out an indiscriminate massacre.
The fact that the Gods had directly revealed their presence played a large part in the ensuing fanaticism. Eventually, the incident was brought to a close through Luminous's direct mediation.
But the Beastkin massacre was different. At that time, humans were not caught in religious fanaticism like Savior, but had fallen into the madness of war and committed genocide.
In such cases, the Gods remained bystanders. While they disliked other races suffering because of them, they tended to leave the paths chosen by the mortals alone.
[The fact that the Gods intervened means that the demons had a comparable existence on their side.]
[Could it be that this being turned humans into demons? But how?]
This left scholars in a state of extreme confusion. As explained above, for a God to intervene, they needed a sufficient justification.
That justification meant that an entity rivaling a God had to take a hostile stance. Scholars had concluded that this entity was an Evil God from another dimension.
Because demons were invaders from another dimension with unclear origins, the Gods had pushed themselves to intervene in the mortal world to protect mortals.
It was a mythology that fit together perfectly, so not only scholars but most people believed it.
Until the massive tactical nuclear bomb—the claim that the origin of demons was human—was dropped.
"This is preposterous! The origin of demons is human? No matter how much it's Xenon, I cannot accept this!"
The place reacting most sensitively to this matter was, naturally, the Holy Nation 'Savior'.
Cardinal Hera slammed her fist onto the desk and shouted in a heated voice.
She had been shocked by the incident involving Cardinal Bark previously, but she had since recovered. In fact, she had used Bark as a cautionary tale to become an even more devout believer.
"Cardinal Hera. Please, compose yourself. You are in the presence of His Holiness."
With a bushy beard and thick eyebrows that even covered his eyes, Cardinal Deimos, whose unique appearance was quite striking, spoke in a low voice.
It wasn't that he didn't understand her feelings, but they weren't the only ones present.
At Deimos's advice, the huffing Hera took a long breath and calmed her excitement.
"Phew... My apologies. But I believe His Holiness will understand my heart as well."
"Of course."
A solemn male voice echoed throughout the meeting hall. Whether it was because he had a naturally resonant voice or was intentionally projecting, it was a powerful tone.
The man who agreed with Hera's opinion was the supreme leader of Savior and the individual who could be called the light most cherished by Luminous.
Brick Laurence.
The surname Laurence could only be held by those who held the position of Pope; upon ascending to the throne, they discarded their original surname. This was so they could remain solely as the faithful light of Luminous.
Furthermore, while one might expect a Pope to be an elderly man with a kind and refined image, Brick was quite the opposite.
He wore clerical robes that were a harmonious blend of white and gold. Despite the clothes covering most of his body, Brick's physique was difficult to hide.
What caught the eye even more were his trapezius muscles. From those traps alone, one could naturally imagine the body beneath.
And what of his face? Any trace of a gentle image was nowhere to be found, and a long scar etched across his cheek spoke of his rugged life.
Before ascending as Pope, his position had been Grand Inquisitor. Brick was the Grand Inquisitor who preceded Kate.
"As Cardinal Hera said, we cannot let this matter slide. Even if we have to push ourselves, we must determine if the truth lies within the Grey Desert."
Brick spoke with a grave expression, his hands clasped together. His piercing brown eyes glowed as if they were burning.
Hera, Deimos, and the others felt overwhelmed by that single gaze. It was a feeling similar to, yet different from, Kate.
If Kate led Savior with her unique brand of fanaticism, Brick was gripping Savior with powerful charisma rather than fanaticism.
"How are the preparations for the expedition team proceeding?"
Brick asked, casting his gaze toward Deimos. Deimos cleared his throat briefly before answering in an aged voice.
"Yes. Adventurers are being recruited one after another, and the Holy Knights are beginning intensive training."
"What about Cardinal Kate?"
"Regrettably, it seems we have no choice but to exclude Cardinal Kate. She said she would be focusing on the child who was harmed by the demon worshippers for the time being."
"Hmm..."
Brick nodded after hearing Deimos's report. Kate's absence was quite regrettable at this moment.
Kate's martial prowess was undeniably powerful. In Brick's eyes, she had many shortcomings, but she possessed the Divine Power to cover them.
Moreover, this expedition prioritized support over raw power. Since the scouts had already determined an appropriate route, they only needed to follow it.
"That can't be helped then. We shall set aside the matter regarding Cardinal Kate. Instead, Cardinal Deimos, I would like you to go as the person in charge."
"I understand."
"Thank you. Then..."
Brick paused for a moment, lost in thought. The other Cardinals waited quietly until he spoke again.
The biggest concern for Brick right now was the timing. Whether to send the expedition team now or later.
The world was currently focused on whether Jin in the Xenon Biography would live or die.
Because the ending had such a massive impact, articles regarding the truth about demons were hardly being covered.
To be precise, they weren't being covered. Savior had applied pressure to ensure those articles weren't written.
Even the occasional news that did surface was disappearing, and aside from the inner circles of each nation, things were relatively quiet.
'If it's a lie, only Xenon will suffer. And even that will be minimal. But if it's the truth...'
The theory of the human origin of demons that appeared in the Xenon Biography. The moment it was revealed to be true, the impact would be beyond imagination.
Jin's death would cleverly mask it, but Brick couldn't help but be conflicted.
Whether to send the expedition team now, as they were being prepared, or to send them after things quieted down.
If it were the former, they wouldn't have the power of public opinion behind them, so the raid itself might end in failure. If it were the latter, they could receive support from each nation, but the aftermath would be severe.
'Xenon surely wrote it because he knew there was something there. Otherwise, there's no way he would write such a heretical origin story.'
Brick was also in a situation where he believed the Xenon Biography was a book of prophecy. Recall that before he ascended as Pope, he served as the Grand Inquisitor.
He held the position of believing in God and subjugating heresy more than anyone else, yet Luminous was openly protecting Xenon.
Could he really not believe it? Furthermore, Xenon—that is, Isaac—had heard the words from Clark, so it was indeed the truth.
It was only because the Xenon Biography was world-famous that this result came about; if an ordinary scholar had revealed it, they would have been immediately branded a heretic and executed.
'Why? For what reason did Lord Luminous hide this fact? Because we didn't ask? Or...'
Doubt breeds doubt, and that doubt leads to anxiety. Brick furrowed his brow at the doubts that kept spiraling.
If the origin of demons was human, then who exactly was the being that transformed those humans?
Just what kind of entity did the Gods intervene in the mortal world to stop?
What was that entity, that not even a single 'trace' or 'record' remained?
Why did the Gods...
'...Do not doubt.'
When his doubts eventually turned toward Luminous, Brick shook his head from side to side. Doubting God deserved divine punishment.
Luminous and the other Gods were personal beings who loved mortals more than anything.
Even if the origin of demons was human, it didn't change the fact that they were invaders and cruel beings.
Furthermore, hadn't they tried to fill the world with water? If it weren't for the World Tree, this world would have been entirely covered by the sea.
Emerging from his thoughts, Brick nodded as if he had made a decision, then gave instructions to the Cardinals.
"We will proceed with the raid when the situation has quieted down. The most important thing is the truth, not relics or treasures. We will pull the success rate to its maximum."
"I understand."
"I will do as instructed."
"Good."
Having made his decision, Brick took a long breath, closed his eyes, and whispered softly.
"Do not doubt..."
Another tactical nuclear bomb had been planted.
*
Around the same time. Maishal Mansion.
"Gwanma!"
"Oh, my. Yes, yes. That's right, I'm Grandma."
"Gwanma! Gwanma!"
"Oh~ what should I do? How can she be this cute?"
Anna was healing her emotional wounds with Ariel's cuteness.