Chapter 444: The Temple (7)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 444: The Temple (7)
To 'The Gazing Void,' the events of today had been a series of incomprehensible situations.
But without a doubt, the most confusing moment was right now.
To be precise, it began the very moment the human—no, the thing—standing before him appeared within the Void’s sight.
[……Why?]
A hollow question escaped the mouth of The Gazing Void.
He had never anticipated this situation.
No, it was more accurate to say he hadn't even considered it.
After all, 'that thing' had never shown itself, at least not before the Void’s previous death.
In the first place, he had never once seen it move.
But the real shock lay elsewhere.
He could accept the fact that it was moving. He himself had attempted a different strategy this time based on his past failure.
In other words, while he might be surprised that 'it' had appeared now, there was no reason to be flustered.
And yet, the reason the Void was lost for words was—
“Why are you so surprised? Is it the fact that I exist right now? Or is it—”
It was because he—
“—because I am human?”
—had appeared before the Void as a 'human.'
Fundamentally, the form of Divine Blood changes slightly at each stage.
At the 1st Stage, they take a form close to their essence.
From the 2nd to the 4th Stage, they take on human forms.
In that sense, the being before him should have been infinitely close to a human shape. He was the only one among all Divine Blood who had reached the heights of the Creation of Heavenly Law and was a being close to omnipotence.
Even more so than the Four Divine Blood Factions that exerted the greatest influence at this point in time.
However, the man before him...
He was not the 'Divine Blood closest to omnipotence' that the Void knew.
Nor was he a Divine Blood stronger than the Four Divine Blood Factions.
The being standing there was simply a human.
A mere human, the kind Divine Blood dismissed as nothing more than tools for gathering faith.
Because he could not understand this at all—
[Ha—]
The Void let out a dry laugh.
But he—no, Nataman—said with a smile:
“I suppose that’s the case.”
[……Have you finally gone mad? You cast aside all your power to return to being a mere human? You abandoned that strength?]
“Does it look strange to you?”
[Look at yourself. That omnipotent power that twisted the very laws of the world, even if it was just a sub-par version of the truth, is nowhere to be found. You have become nothing more than a common human.]
The Void spat out a sneer, find the situation absurd.
But Nataman did not let the smile fade from his lips.
“Yes, you’re right. From your perspective, it could be seen as me losing everything. But it couldn't be helped. I—”
Ssh—
“—ended up being enchanted by possibility.”
He uttered words that made no sense.
[What……?]
Nataman suddenly threw out a question.
“Do you know the difference between Divine Blood and humans?”
[…….]
“Divine Blood are perfect beings. Clad in the laws permitted by the 'Truth' of this world, they possess the privilege to reach omnipotence using this continent—a privilege incomparable to humans. That is what Divine Blood is.”
[…….]
“In comparison, humans have nothing. Their lifespan is a mere hundred years, and they are nothing more or less than tools to be used by Divine Blood.”
[You know it well.]
“Right. I used to think that way too. Until I saw the Star Eater—no, until I saw Alon.”
At the mention of that name, the Void reflexively grimaced.
Whether in the past or now, that was a name he never wanted to hear.
However, as if the Void’s feelings were of no concern, Nataman laughed pleasantly.
“Do you know? He was, and still is, an ordinary human. A common human who is nothing more than a tool for Divine Blood.”
“But what about the path that human has walked?”
The more he thought about it, the more enjoyable it seemed, as the smile on Nataman's lips deepened.
“With the body of a mere human, he achieved victory over an Outer God. Then over another Outer God, then a Magus, and then an Apostle.”
And after that, over the Divine Blood.
“Every single match was nonsensical. The opponents Alon faced were always stronger than him, and the things he sought to overcome were each more irrational than the last.”
[……What are you trying to say?]
“He overcame adversity by growing. Unlike us, who have already reached perfection and can no longer grow.”
Just like in the past, and just like now.
The Void let out a huff of a laugh.
He had realized what Nataman was trying to say.
[So, you’re saying you threw everything away because you went mad for that measly 'possibility' the Star Eater showed you.]
Beyond a hollow laugh, the Void was now openly mocking him.
However.
“No, no. You have the cause and effect reversed.”
[What……?]
“I didn't throw everything away because I went mad for a measly possibility.”
Nataman’s characteristic abyss-like black eyes flashed.
“—It was only after throwing everything away that I gained possibility once more. You wouldn't know yet, but—”
He spoke with a deep smile.
[…….]
The Void frowned.
He didn't like how this man, who had become a mere human, prattled on as if he knew everything.
……No, strictly speaking, he didn't like the words themselves.
It felt as if Nataman was handing out hints like charity, suggesting the path the Void was walking was wrong.
Because the words of one who had already reached the destination—words that might very well be the truth—felt like a denial of his own existence.
[……Fine, perhaps so. As you say, possibility itself might be important.]
Grin—
[But it’s a pity.]
“Why is that?”
[Because you won't be able to realize that possibility.]
'The Gazing Void' decided to kill him.
He didn't know why the man was here.
But killing a mere human was far too easy for the Void.
Therefore.
[I will kill you, gather my strength, and then kill the Star Eater and that monster of a woman as well.]
The Void twisted his lips into a smirk and activated his law as he stepped forward to crush the human before him.
Even if he had fallen to the level of a human, the Void had to be cautious, knowing who the being before him once was.
And the law he activated...
Instantly dyed the Void’s body in a darkness like the abyss.
His law was not flashy.
It wasn't specialized for attack, either.
Yet, the reason he had been able to rise to the 4th Stage was that his law was irrational.
His law, which stained his entire body in the black abyss, was simple and clear.
'To possess enough resistance to nullify any attack.'
In other words, from the moment he used his law until it was deactivated, he could ignore any attack. He stepped forward to tear his opponent apart.
And then he saw it.
Nataman, who had been standing still, created a magic orb above his hand.
At a glance, it looked feeble.
Its small size seemed fit only for killing something like an orc, and while its crackling aura seemed somewhat potent, that was all.
What Nataman had created was nothing more or less than an ordinary magic orb.
However, Nataman pulled the corners of his mouth up in a satisfied smile.
Flick—
Then, with incredible lightness, he fired the magic orb.
The Void, raising his hand dismissively to swat it away—
[……?]
—felt a sense of dissonance.
It was bizarre.
The Void had certainly raised his hand to strike down that pathetic magic orb.
Yet, strangely, the magic orb had vanished.
The very moment he raised his hand.
The moment he felt the strangeness of it.
[Cough, hack?]
The Void saw red blood spilling from his mouth.
Blood flowing down through the black abyss.
And only then did he realize.
The magic orb had not vanished.
The magic orb—had pierced through his body.
[Kahak—!]
The Void, his heart pierced, collapsed.
His eyes were filled with confusion, still unable to understand.
And in that moment.
“You don't have to worry too much about that part.”
Nataman spoke.
His abyss-like black eyes flashed.
“Because I am already growing.”
He waved his hand toward the fallen abyss.
And with that, stars began to appear in the night sky, where previously only the blue moon had existed.
From one to two.
“Do you know? Among the laws I created for my believers, there is one called 'Breath of the One Who Cast Aside.'”
From two to four.
“The effect is simple: 'To apply the defense of the opponent touched by the magic to myself identically.'”
From four to eight.
“Looking at it this way, it’s a trivial ability in this situation. Unlike the laws granted by the 'Truth,' the incomplete laws I created consume a ridiculous amount of mana, and unfortunately, I cannot handle that much mana.”
From eight to eighteen.
“But I told you, didn't I? That I am growing.”
From eighteen to thirty-six.
“What if I became able to 'Reverse' that law itself?”
[……!!]
Seeing countless stars, far beyond thirty-six, rising into the night sky.
The Void looked at Nataman.
He was still smiling.
And while smiling like that—
“It all became possible because I became human. Rebuilding magic, learning laws—and even moving to the next stage. It’s all thanks to Alon that I could become like this.”
He spoke with a faint heat in his voice.
In that sight, the Void felt a strangely bizarre obsession.
He opened his mouth, unable to comprehend it at all—
[……What on earth do you want from the Star Eater—]
—But unfortunately, the Void could not hear the answer.
─────────────!!!
At that point, the stars falling from the sky poured down, cleanly erasing his body from this world.
As if he had never existed from the start.
Even in that situation, Nataman remained lost in thought for a moment.
“I only want one thing.”
“For him to continue to grow, and grow, and grow again—”
As if the mere thought was delightful.
“—so that at the final moment, he can fight the grown version of me.”
“That is what I want. So—”
Filling his abyss-like black eyes with a smile.
“Alon must not die.”
“Because he must die by my hand.”
“As a trial for me.”
“Because he must gift me with omnipotence.”
He whispered.
“So, as far as Alon is concerned, absolutely not.”
“Even if this world is destroyed.”
“Alon, at the very least, absolutely not.”
Soon, the 'Black Eye' moved his body.
And with that.
No one remained in the territory.
* * *
From the next day, Alon set out from the west of the Empire to return once again to the United Kingdoms.
In truth, he still had much to do in the East.
Besides obtaining a law from the Father of Maggots at the Eastern Temple as the Seeker had suggested, he also remembered what The Wanderer had said before.
'She told me to meet The One Who Peeks In.'
Furthermore, he remembered being told to come to the edge of the East when the Divine Blood fell, so he thought it might be better to look into everything before returning.
However, he soon dismissed that thought.
It was because he had left Palantia vacant for too long.
Of course, if someone were to ask if he was only now starting to care about such things, he would have nothing to say.
In the first place, he had rarely stayed in his territory, both in the past and now.
Moreover, there were several people in the territory whom Alon could trust with his work.
Even so, it was true that he had been away for too long immediately after becoming king, so Alon decided to return to the United Kingdoms right away.
Thus, Alon set out and, after a month of traversing the West, reached the eastern border.
As Alon’s party approached the border, wondering if they could enter peacefully—
“Oh, you’ve come, my lord.”
“……Princess?”
For some reason, he was met by Serdea Polantisia, who had been waiting for him.
“I have come to hear the answer to my proposal.”
With those words.
“…….”
“…….”
Alon began to feel a strange chill running down his spine.