Chapter 125
Chapter 125
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 125
Chapter Title: Lucifer's Revival
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Lucifer's revival being good news for me? It was so absurd that a hollow laugh escaped my lips.
Beelzebub drew the sword of Hanjo from his waist and continued.
"Until Lucifer arrives, none of you will leave this place."
"Aren't you on bad terms with Lucifer?"
"It might look that way with Lucifer. He kept me locked in that throne for three thousand years, after all."
"......"
Beelzebub and Lucifer were at each other's throats, unable to kill one another. That was the core of the main story transitioning from the mid-game to the late-game in the Land of Ruin.
This part used their conflict as a pretext to give the angels a chance to purge the demons, yet he called Lucifer's revival an opportunity.
I wore a puzzled expression.
Beelzebub, as if unable to understand me, kept spouting words welcoming Lucifer.
"Kim Cheonjae, let me ask you once more. Won't you come under me? Once Lucifer emerges, we can corrupt that damned Michael and Raphael too."
"...... Before Lucifer comes out, maybe we should leave first?"
"No, you won't be leaving. I'll guard this place."
Shak-
Beelzebub swung his sword through the air, and an aura of darkness swirled. A fierce gale followed, swallowing the surroundings and blowing the angels away.
Seeing that, Michael flew in.
Kang!
The resonance from their clashing swords made my armor tremble.
"Michael."
"Beelzebub."
"Long time no see. I've wanted to clash with you properly."
"What do you mean Lucifer's seal is breaking?"
"No comment. I have nothing to say to you about that."
"...... I'll bring heavenly judgment upon you."
"You, heavenly judgment on me? Kahahaha! Fine, good. But you know, even without me, Lucifer was fated to become the king of hell."
"......"
"We all flow within the causal laws created by God. Him becoming a demon was God's will."
Michael swung his massive sword with a furious expression.
Whoosh-
"Shut your mouth!"
Kang!
Beelzebub parried it effortlessly.
"Too slow. For an archangel to be this weak."
Raphael flew in swiftly, emitting holy light. Beelzebub wrapped his body in black aura to block it.
One great demon versus
two archangels.
All the players watched the clash of the three.
[System Message]
[Boss Discovered]
[You have encountered the final boss of the seventh round.]
['Beelzebub's' memory fragment is activated to replay the story cutscene.]
'Hold on.'
Final boss?
I thought Beelzebub wasn't something players fought, just a story guide,
but now it's judging him as a boss.
"...... Hoo."
A pure white mist appeared before my eyes, shrouding the surroundings.
'Hell?'
Before the mist curtain fully spread, I thought about the situation unfolding.
Why had Beelzebub released Lucifer's seal?
According to the original story, Lucifer's seal was set to break at the moment of Beelzebub's death after losing to the angels in the Second Divine-Demon War.
'...... Perhaps.'
The five years I didn't know about.
Had the two reconciled or allied in that time?
Shwoooosh!
The mist curtain unfurled.
Black clouds filled the sky. Flames rose from the ground, and thunder poured madly from above.
The demon castle where the greatest of hell's great demons, the strongest being, resided.
Before it stood Beelzebub and Lucifer side by side.
Beelzebub in human form with a hazy, smoke-like body and short horns on his head.
Lucifer, a demon who had just received the power of darkness and donned an angel's armor.
The form at the moment of rebirth from angel to demon, it seemed.
"Lucifer, how do you feel?"
Lucifer slowly opened his eyes, as if just regaining his senses.
"What happened?"
He looked over his body in disbelief. From head to toe, his skin had turned black.
Two horns, the symbol of a demon, had grown from his head, and his nails stood sharp like blades.
The evil form changed against his will.
Lucifer clutched his head and roared.
"Kraaaah!"
Beelzebub stepped forward and laughed heartily.
"Kahahaha!"
"Beelzebub, what have you done to me!"
"Done? I only did as you wished. I did nothing at all."
"What?"
"That form is born from the hatred boiling inside you. Not something I made."
Lucifer kicked off the ground and lunged, extending his nails toward Beelzebub.
Puk!
Beelzebub didn't block the attack and took it head-on. The nails pierced his stomach and came out the back.
"Good.... Keep going. The more you do, the greater your rage grows, turning to hatred that becomes the source of your power."
"What?"
"You are the demon of hatred, destined to be called 'Lucifer of Pride,' the punisher of the arrogant."
Lucifer gritted his teeth to suppress his fury, then pulled his nails from Beelzebub.
Swoosh- Pak!
"...... You think this makes me a demon?"
"Aren't you already one? Don't deny it. All this is ordained by God."
"......"
"You know it too—God created both good and evil. He loves the heavens and the underworld equally."
"Shut up. Your filthy mouth has no right to speak that holy name."
Beelzebub wiped the blood flowing from his abdomen with his palm, and the wound healed. Like erasing a drawing from a sketchbook with an eraser.
He gazed steadily into Lucifer's eyes and said.
"Why? This demon hell. The angels' heaven. In the end, all decided and made by Him?"
"You lot are trash fallen from heaven. Waste."
"That waste was made by God too, wasn't it? The fact it hasn't vanished means He plans to use it someday."
"......"
"And that time is now. Lucifer, how long will you let those arrogant fools in their so-called holy heaven manipulate you?"
"......"
"Metatron claims to relay God's words, but did he really tell you everything?"
Lucifer's eyes wavered.
Beelzebub smirked and continued.
"What if among the unrevealed messages was one saying not to fight us? Why must heaven and hell always war? If one side wins, this fight ends."
"What are you getting at?"
"Metatron only relays parts of God's words to you. He's deliberately dividing heaven and hell to incite endless strife."
This was the first time I'd heard this in the game. The story of Lucifer and Beelzebub had only been vaguely outlined in text on fan sites.
To hear such a detailed conversation.
I flew right up beside them, focusing on every word.
In the silence, Lucifer took a step toward Beelzebub and asked.
"You think I'll fall for your silver tongue?"
"If you think so, I have nothing more to say. But this much is certain—Metatron wants war."
"......?!"
"Lucifer, think carefully. Why did Metatron try to build a cathedral in hell? Sacrificing countless angels in the process."
"That was God's—"
"God ordered a cathedral in hell? Even starting a divine-demon war? So you're saying not Metatron, but God wants war?"
Lucifer couldn't respond.
Beelzebub turned as if the conversation was over.
"Lucifer, I'll no longer interfere in your affairs. Do as you will from now on."
"......"
"As I said earlier, you're a demon now. All causality in this world is set by God. You receiving the power of darkness today is ultimately His will."
"......"
"Lucifer, even if you say you want to become an angel again, no one here will stop you. The choice is yours."
Beelzebub with his meaningful smile, and Lucifer's eyes filled with venom.
Thus, their conversation ended.
* * * * *
The mist curtain drew closed, and the hellish scene vanished. With the mist still shrouding our vision, it was clear it meant to show another sequence.
I didn't know what scene it would show next, but the wait was quite long.
"......"
I see.
When the mist lifted, I understood why. The system had to depict so many scenes that the wait was extended.
It was just footage, yet the thick stench of blood assaulted my nose.
Beelzebub lay collapsed on the ground,
and Lucifer pinned his chest underfoot.
"Beelzebub, hell is mine to rule now."
Lucifer wore no angelic armor, confirming this was after a visit to heaven.
"Kuh...."
"Didn't expect this? How strong an angel becomes with demonic power too."
Crunch!
Beelzebub's chest bones cracked, and he screamed in agony. It was unmistakably an overwhelming battle.
Compared to Beelzebub's battered form, Lucifer had not a single scratch.
'Hmm....'
I wished I could have seen the extent of their power difference.
Lucifer snapped Beelzebub's elbows and knees, then grabbed his throat.
"Any last words?"
"Kuh- You are the finest demon I ever made."
"......"
"The hatred toward the heavens that abandoned you in the divine-demon war, and the rage toward the God who ignored your desperate prayers."
"......"
"...... Perfect. I didn't expect such thorough corruption—you've become a perfect demon."
Kwach!
Beelzebub's neck snapped. My face twisted watching it. The bone-cracking sound was so vividly clear.
Beelzebub's health bar above his head turned gray as his body dissolved into a swarm of flies.
Whiiiiiing-
The flies flew high, then clustered together again.
Pabababap!
The clustered flies emitted an aura, mashing like clay into a single being.
'Beelzebub?'
Beelzebub had revived.
In a perfect, pristine body.
Lucifer saw it and hissed through his teeth.
Sssip.
"How did you survive?"
"Kahahaha! Didn't you know it's impossible to kill me in hell?"
"I've heard you have an immortal body. But regeneration like this is new. No, not regeneration—rebirth, since it's newly formed?"
Beelzebub smirked and said to Lucifer.
"Lucifer, let me propose once more. How about joining hands with me?"
"......"
"Don't you want to meet God? To ask why He didn't save you."
Lucifer's eyebrow twitched.
Silence fell.
Moments ago his eyes burned with murderous intent, but Beelzebub's words shook him, shrinking his emitted aura.
"...... What do you want?"
"Nothing."
"Nothing?"
"Yes. I just want to see you take revenge on the heavens."
"...... Don't lie."
Beelzebub grinned like a circus clown's twisted smile.
"Caught me?"
"A being like you wouldn't ally with me without reason."
I didn't know what ability he used, but space warped between Beelzebub and Lucifer, drawing them closer.
"Lucifer, you wouldn't know as one reborn from angel to demon. But those born evil from the beginning enjoy others' suffering."
"...... So?"
Beelzebub's face grew ominous, his smile vanishing. He pointed his palm at hell's sky and told Lucifer.
"Covering the heavens, earth, and underworld alike. Drowning all the living in suffering. That's the world I desire."
Madman.
He craved something horrific.
Unlike my reaction, Lucifer's expression showed no change.
"Then let's do this. I desire the annihilation of all existence. You desire suffering for all."
"......"
"Understand what I'm saying?"
Beelzebub nodded with a wicked smile.
"When do you plan to execute the plan?"
"Three thousand years from now, when the 'Opener' spoken of in ancient prophecy appears."
* * * * *
The mist cleared, ending the story cutscene. By the time players returned to normal, Beelzebub was gone from sight.
The gate area brimmed with radiant light. I looked up to its source.
Dazzling.
Within the holy light hovered an angel with dozens of wings.
All the angels knelt, paying homage to him.
"...... Metatron."