Chapter 246
Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 246
Chapter Title: The Hunter's Resolve (1)
"Wh-what are you talking about, old man?"
Isis looked back and forth between the sinner and Jamie with a flustered expression.
The sinner, as if he couldn't hear her, stared only at Jamie and spoke again.
"How peculiar. His soul is still in the primordial darkness, yet how can you be here?"
"……."
"Nothing can escape the primordial darkness. Not even the 12 Gods can interfere in that realm. What trick did you use?"
Jamie didn't answer.
It wasn't because he didn't want to.
His mind was in turmoil from the sinner's words.
'Not reincarnated? I didn't die? But these are memories from my previous life. There are definite gaps, but…….'
As those thoughts swirled, Jamie's eyes widened slightly.
Indeed, there were quite a few gaps in his current memories.
He didn't know why they were missing, but he'd chalked it up to the aftermath of reincarnation.
However, those missing memories filled in one by one whenever he realized remnants of the past.
'Even if some don't get added.'
Those were ones he'd remembered from the start.
When he gained new powers or acquired something like Leviathan, forgotten memories resurfaced.
He'd never thought deeply about why.
He'd taken it for granted, never imagining his soul was still trapped in the primordial darkness.
But hearing the sinner now, it wasn't natural at all.
'It doesn't make sense that gaining something revives my memories.'
It wasn't like recalling forgotten things upon seeing a memento.
Whenever memories returned, it felt like Jamie himself was transported back to that time.
As if someone was putting lost memories back in their rightful place.
'I took it too much for granted.'
That's why he hadn't noticed.
He'd never considered incomplete reincarnation.
He hadn't even known it was possible.
It was natural.
This was his first reincarnation.
Without knowing its mechanics, sensing anything odd was impossible.
Unless he'd questioned reincarnation itself.
So Jamie asked the sinner.
"What do I look like to you?"
"……You."
The sinner narrowed his eyes like someone with presbyopia, craning his neck forward.
As if trying to see Jamie more closely.
In that pose, he said nothing for a long while.
Only Isis, standing between them, fidgeted restlessly.
The sinner finally spoke.
"Confusing, astonishing, bizarre, and mysterious."
"What is?"
"That soul isn't yours, yet it's made of you. Is this reincarnation? But no soul escapes the primordial darkness……."
"I have a question."
"A question?"
"The eons-sealed space where I was confined. The primordial darkness. Can a soul escape from there?"
"That is……."
The sinner started to answer but trailed off, as if choked.
Jamie was puzzled.
The space where he was sealed allowed no light, no existence—a world of nothingness.
He'd tried escaping.
It was undeniably perfect.
Only openable from outside; impossible from within.
'Come to think of it…… Could I reincarnate after dying inside?'
Yet here stood 'Jamie Welton,' with the past life of 'Diablo Volpir.'
That fact was unshakable.
Doubting his identity was absurd.
These memories in his head were wholly his, not some sloppy copy by a third party.
They couldn't be fabricated.
He could assert this as the greatest sorcerer since the dawn of time.
'Someone might have intervened in the reincarnation.'
Perhaps Diablo's followers, or if not, Yormungand.
Maybe her plan.
One thing was certain: whatever this body, his goal remained singular.
"It doesn't matter anymore."
"Jamie Welton?"
Isis stared at Jamie's abrupt statement.
As he approached the sinner, Jamie said.
"Whatever I'm made of, I'm a man with the past life of Diablo Volpir. I'll just run toward what I couldn't achieve before. Yes. I exist to destroy the 12 Gods."
The sinner's eyes widened.
He'd uttered words not to be spoken lightly.
"So, truth or not, it doesn't matter. Real or fake, my desire remains unchanged."
"I see. So that's it."
A spark lit in the sinner's eyes.
Having spent countless eons here, life had faded from them.
But now was different.
With the gaze of when he wasn't the sinner, he spoke.
"Will, then. That fierce will to eradicate the 12 Gods called Gaia!"
"……Gaia?"
"The creation goddess Gaia. The being who practically shaped the current world. She's in deep slumber now."
Such a being existed?
Truth be told, Jamie knew little of the ancient gods.
In his era, they'd been annihilated by the 12 Gods.
How much he'd searched for their traces to oppose them.
Yet all he'd found were ruined temples and powerless relics.
'But an ancient god stands before me now.'
All Diablo Volpir's searches had failed.
No—even if found, it might mean little.
'If they're in the same plight as him.'
Anyway, this creation goddess Gaia mattered now.
"Did Gaia intervene in my reincarnation?"
"Nothing is certain about you. But if she did, revival isn't entirely impossible."
Her being female made Gaia a goddess.
"Is that true, old man?"
Isis's eyes gleamed.
Gaia's involvement meant she still existed somewhere.
The creation goddess would greatly aid future plans, whatever her form.
The sinner nodded slowly.
"As I said, nothing's certain. What's your name?"
"I'm Jamie Welton now."
"You've accepted this life. Impressive—not easy."
Rebuilding from zero as a powerless infant after immense power was torment.
Even on a familiar path, retracing it was asceticism.
"I've confirmed your will."
"And you? What are you?"
"I am……."
Life still swirled in the sinner's eyes.
"Osiris."
With clear mind, he recalled his long-forgotten name.
Then, as if asking Jamie, he said.
"Can you be the savior?"
With that, the life faded from his eyes, consciousness snapping like a lie.
"Old man! Old man!"
Isis shook Osiris, but he wouldn't wake soon.
"Osiris."
Jamie murmured the name.
He'd learned an ancient god's name for the first time.
A being who could read soul flows.
Knowing him was a huge gain.
'And the secret about me.'
His goal to kill the 12 Gods unchanged, but reasons for his state existed.
Intuition said learning that secret would bring change.
Unknown what, but he needed to gather Diablo's scattered traces swiftly.
Isis sighed and slipped through the spatial rift.
Jamie followed.
The rift closed.
They stood on a vast, empty plain.
Known only to Frontier's executives, a passage here linked to Osiris's sealed space.
"Haa. I don't get it at all."
Isis sighed, head aching.
She'd only meant to introduce Jamie to Osiris.
But unexpectedly, a secret unveiled.
"Talk later. My head hurts."
She waved a weary hand and vanished.
Alone, Jamie looked skyward.
The night sky brimmed with stars, so dense they seemed ready to fall.
Reach out, and he'd grasp a few.
"Good I came here."
He'd been dubious at first, but perhaps fate's pull?
Jamie teleported to his lodging.
Upon arrival, a hulking figure leaned against the wall.
"You're late."
It was Hawks.
Why visit so late?
"Thought you were main course, but owl? What brings you at this hour?"
"Follow me."
Hawks spread wings without more words, soaring high.
Jamie followed silently.
They flew wordlessly to a spot away from Avalon.
They landed on a vast plain like Osiris's seal site.
Avalon's surroundings were expansive plains; terrain wouldn't change abruptly.
"Bringing me here—does it mean we fight now?"
Jamie asked, shedding his cloak and drawing his staff.
A sword would be nice, but Red Dragon Kairos broke it.
Hawks, silent affirmation, gripped a long spear in right, crossbow on left gauntlet.
Clenching left fist loaded it.
Hand-operated crossbow.
"No need to wait days. Postpone if tired."
"Funny joke, birdbrain."
"Strong for human, but human nonetheless."
"Believe a human once nearly toppled the 12 Gods?"
Hawks didn't reply.
Just battle stance.
Jamie sparked lightning in hand, forming a lightning sword.
Lacking a real blade, but better than nothing.
Grinning provocatively, he said.
"I'll show you now."
"Hando, Jindo, Bayril. None matched me."
Hawks was likely Frontier's third strongest after Isis and her companion.
Top-tier in human realm.
Honestly, beating him without peak 9th class was tough.
No black magic meant slimmer odds.
But fine.
"Bad luck, Hawks."
Strength isn't just training and fortune.
"Today's me, you can't beat."
Azure lightning crackled from Jamie's eyes.
His second-favorite attribute after black magic.
Thunder Spirit Magic
Lightning sword surges.
The lightning sword thrummed.
9th class lightning magic.
A calamity erasing all without trace.
Overlaid with 'holy light.'
Kraaaaaaaaah—!!!!
Pure white lightning scorched the vast plain black in an instant.
Hawks cloaked in aura, fired crossbow, thrust spear simultaneously.
Wings folded, body straight-lined, piercing the pure white lightning.
His eyes turned green.
Hawks unleashed his authority.
Body of Diamond
All feathers blacken and crystallize. Hardness surpasses diamond.
An authority raising body hardness to extreme.
Unimpressive alone, but with user Hawks, different.
Peerless hunter, supreme aura user.
Master-class aura infused every wing feather.
Hawks fully spread wings.
Feathers harder than diamond, aura-clad, cleaved pure white lightning completely.
Forcing back even 9th class magic.
That hinted at Hawks's power.
However.
"Let there be light."
His foe was a sorcerer.
Jamie, teleporting past space, placed hand on Hawks's abdomen.
And there was light.