The Forged Betrayal
Long ago, in the distant past, the God-Slaying Corps was a gathering of the continent's strongest, drawn from every faction without distinction. They set aside old grudges for one sole purpose: to subjugate the Monstrous Strength Chaos God.
The finest talents of the era from the righteous, demonic, and Buddhist factions converged in the God-Slaying Corps. Among them was even the young lord of the Demonic Cult. He had reached an unparalleled realm within the Corps and led them based on his prestige. Yet in the end—
Even after sacrificing forty percent of the God-Slaying Corps, they failed to fully subjugate the Monstrous Strength Chaos God. He was the one forced to bear the blame for their defeat. The Monstrous Strength Chaos God did not die. They merely offered sacrifices to seal it away, preventing it from rampaging immediately. Not even the young lord could predict when or how that calamity might break free again.
Thus, he fabricated a tale. One to most effectively deflect the blame coming his way.
"Sword Saint, ■■, betrayed humanity! Consumed by greed for the monster's great and fearsome power, she passed up the chance to slay it and chose to assimilate with the beast instead."
"This lord and the God-Slaying Corps did our utmost to subjugate the Sword Saint alongside it, but we could only retreat in defeat against a transcendent warrior empowered by the Monstrous Strength Chaos God."
It didn't matter that they failed to kill the Monstrous Strength Chaos God. The primary seal was complete, after all. Especially since the sacrifice offered for that seal—the Sword Saint, ■■—was little more than a puppet at an age not even twenty, her beliefs implanted by others. Surely she would offer everything to suppress the Monstrous Strength Chaos God. Her body, her mind, even her once-noble soul until it rotted away completely.
That would suffice. A temporary measure, but at least it let him evade responsibility. So the young lord focused solely on winning over those who remembered the events. He attempted persuasion first, laced with threats when needed, sealing their lips about what truly happened. Those overflowing with pointless chivalry who objected to the sacrifice were quietly "mysteriously" eliminated.
And so he became the Heavenly Demon. For driving out the traitor from the Eastern Regions to the end, despite one emerging from within the God-Slaying Corps, shouldering responsibility to the last. To solidify his newfound position, he pinned even more crimes on others.
Thus, he turned the Sword Saint into...
His old comrade, who had joined the God-Slaying Corps at just seventeen as the youngest member, into a betrayer and rebel. Directing all the wretched hatred poured out by the entire Eastern Continent solely toward her.
"......"
I could sense it instinctively. Right now, in this moment, Sina's state was dangerously unprecedented. Far more severe than when I'd recklessly brought up her past on the snowy mountain.
I tensed every nerve, tracking Sina's movements as I scanned the surroundings. The ruins, likely once a graveyard, bore no trace of tombs. The barren ground was merely cordoned off with talisman-adorned ropes, a placard—clearly carved by the Heavenly Demon Cult—stuck into the earth.
It was impossible to imagine this as the resting place of a heroine who once protected the Eastern Regions. It was utterly desolate, devoid of any respect or reverence.
'...This is insane.'
I felt every sense sharpen to a razor's edge. It was unavoidable. Even I, who knew this world's original story, hadn't anticipated this.
Had I known, I would've stopped at nothing to keep Sina from coming here when she said she wanted to visit the East. My ignorance stemmed from not knowing how her tale had been twisted and passed down in the modern East.
The info I had from the original work had clear limits. From Sina's perspective, it covered only up to when she was consumed by the Monstrous Strength Chaos God. In other words, I had no idea how the God-Slaying Corps survivors had spun the story afterward.
Clench—
'Those crazy bastards.'
I ground my teeth unwittingly, unable to suppress my ill feelings toward them. Afraid to sacrifice their own lives, they'd made a mere girl their scapegoat... and not only failed to frame it as her noble choice, but distorted the past like this?
By then, my hand had naturally drifted toward my sword hilt. Two reasons. First, my surging emotions toward those past God-Slaying Corps members. Second—
"...Sina."
"......"
To somehow prevent the bloodshed that might follow. I turned to her with a rigidly set face and called her name.
No reply came. She simply stared blankly at the placard where her master should have rested.
The problem was her eyes fixed on it—lifeless, devoid of light. In other words... no vitality. Instead, what welled up was
thick, dense killing intent.
Flinch—
I reflexively stepped back from her side. Half-drawing my blade from its sheath to prepare for the worst—that instant.
"Hey! What are you doing in the forbidden zone!"
"......"
Suddenly, a third voice—not mine or Sina's—rang out sharply. I frowned, sensing someone striding toward us from afar.
'Shit.'
I usually avoided crude language as a father raising daughters. But not now. We were truly screwed. My face twisted in dismay.
All I could do was keep watching Sina's eyes, gauging her. She stayed silent for a long moment, then slowly tilted her head.
"You there."
Crunch—!
"...Guhk!?"
She abruptly closed the distance to the man—likely this area's overseer, clad in Demonic Cult robes proving his affiliation. Even my dynamic vision barely caught it; a speed where reaction was all I could manage.
Sina reached him and seized his throat. Before I could bite my lip and turn to her again, her words followed.
"You answer. What does 'traitor' mean on this placard?"
"Kkh, hngh?! Guh...!"
"Choose your words carefully, by the way. This lady's mood... isn't great right now. Might just snap your neck like this."
At a glance, the man was at best a 4th Hierarchy warrior. By Eastern standards, somewhere between first-rate and peak. Naturally, no match for Sina.
Yet he seemed sharp enough for an Eastern denizen. Realizing the gap between himself and the girl gripping his throat, his pupils twitched as he swallowed hard and answered.
"T-The traitor... you mean the Sword Saint of that era, who abandoned humanity a millennium ago...?"
"......"
"I-I don't know much. Just hearsay—she was someone who, blinded by power, chose to parasitize the ancient monster."
He probably had no inkling why Sina asked. Why would he connect the girl before him to that traitor?
Thus, he bore no sin. Not yet, anyway.
"Th-This forbidden zone was designated because of that traitor too! Her master lost the right to be buried for raising someone who endangered the entire Eastern Continent a millennium ago."
"...Ha?"
"The sages of the time all said so unanimously, so it's probably true. In that case, she must've been an outrageous villain. Betraying the world for power... Kkh, guhek!?"
Squeeze...!
The man couldn't finish. Sina's eyes finally snapped.
As she unleashed her full strength, a red mark bloomed clearly on his throat. A few more seconds, and he'd be done. So I judged, sighed, and had no choice but to intervene.
Thud—
"......"
"Calm down, Sina."
I grabbed her slender wrist. It bought the man a little more time—but
"...What kind of look is that on your face?"
I, too, could only let out a troubled sigh at the eerie glare Sina turned on me. Those emotions swirling in her golden eyes were beyond even my judgment.
Not mere anger, frustration, or despair. Killing intent transcending them. A complex tangle impossible to pin down had overtaken her gaze. It hurt my heart.
With a pained expression, I added, "Your anger is utterly justified, but the one you're holding is just some future soul who knows nothing. Someone who couldn't possibly know exactly what happened a millennium ago."
"......"
"You're directing it at the wrong target. I know even my stopping you like this feels loathsome right now... But as your father, I'll say it as many times as needed. Calm down."
Just then, Sina's eyes twitched. I sighed inwardly.
'We're screwed.'
I knew instinctively. That was no good sign. Far from it.
Whoosh—!
"...Kkh!?"
Sina immediately shook off my hand and released the man's throat—but the way she did it was the problem. She hurled him sideways like trash.
Boom!!
"Kuh, heuk...!"
Naturally, he couldn't escape unscathed. Flying at least ten meters, he slammed into a wall, spewing blood and losing consciousness.
...Well, for openly insulting the Monstrous Strength Chaos God and her master to their faces, it was a cheap price. Either way, I couldn't spare him more thought now. My own neck was on the line.
I narrowed my eyes slightly and turned to Sina. She stared back with an emotionless, sunken expression. But seeing her face, I couldn't help flinching for a split second.
"Sina... you."
"......"
Her face looked utterly frozen cold. Yet a single tear trailed down her cheek.
Unaware of my reaction, she spoke in a chillingly icy tone. "Wrong target for my anger...?"
"......"
"You're right. The vermin who sullied me and my master's honor a millennium ago have all lived out their lives and returned to dust by now."
"...Sina."
It seemed like agreement at first glance, but no way. In cases like this, what followed was usually the real point. I met her eyes with a troubled look as she slowly emanated an aura nearing the 9th Hierarchy, sharpening her nails to claws.
"Then... where do I vent this anger? Tell me, Kyle. What should I do?"
"......"
What could I say? Any words now would feel like empty platitudes to her. I shut my mouth, and Sina smirked coldly, as if expecting it.
"A millennium's time serves as their pardon. So where does this rootless rage of mine explode?"
One step. She closed in on me. I silently drew my sword.
"The silver lining is that their descendants—the ones I remember from back then—still live on this land. Ah... truly fortunate."
Sina smiled. But it wasn't natural like before. Alien. Mournful, even. In other words, madness.
The madness she'd somewhat suppressed while living with me this past year. The fury-mingled insanity piled up over a millennium, now bursting forth.
Standing before me, giggling softly for a long while, she suddenly wiped the smile away.
"I'm going to raze this city now. Conveniently, it's still the Demonic Cult's stronghold too..."
"......"
"Anyone tied to that young lord from back then—not even an ant will I spare."
And so, she added, gazing up at me with a hollow expression before muttering, "Move aside, Kyle. Even you—if you get in my way, I'll tear you apart and go."