Chapter 60
Chapter 60
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 60
Chapter Title: The Way to Kill a God
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Bulki, nestled in Lilitt's arms, was shedding tears. They weren't born of satisfaction, but of profound relief that he had protected everyone else.
"Oh? Um..."
"I'm Lilitt, the healer on the airship. After you overcame all those terrors once more alongside Cheret and lost consciousness, Cheret brought you here. I told everyone you'd be resting for a bit."
"Ah, my apologies."
Bulki sat up. Only after looking around did he realize he was in his own cabin, just as she said. Then he noticed the tears streaming down his face and hastily wiped them away.
"I'must have made a fool of myself."
"It's fine. You saved everyone-that's worth a few tears. But..."
Lilitt bowed her head without rising.
"As your healer, I'must advise you: your body is nearly perfect. It's your heart that's ailing."
"My heart?"
"Yes. Please take care not to sink into the abyss. You're not alone, Hero. You know that now-we're all here to help you, right?"
Bulki understood her meaning and replied.
"Yes, it's clear to me now. I finally see everyone's role in this world. I-we-are all knights sworn to protect the Saintess."
"Pardon? What do you...?"
"I always tried to save them alone. But the truth is, they've been saving me all along. The Hero isn't one person. We all are."
It was only now that Bulki truly grasped the Hero's conviction in its entirety.
Even if I can't save everyone, they will save me.
This is what it means to wield everyone as my sword. Will, memory-even if the ultimate purpose fades-conviction passes to all. And in that way, it is inherited. The Hero for all; all for the Hero.
But.
"Is protecting the Saintess truly the same as saving the world, Bulki?"
The newly reborn witch planted a tiny spark in his heart.
"Pardon?"
"At the end of this adventure, you'll witness the truth. The Demon King already knows it: the truth of the myths, the covenant, and Miflas. The place we're heading is where a god died, and there will be those who awaken you and draw forth the true power of a Hero."
For a moment, Bulki saw Lilitt-who had suddenly changed in demeanor-overlap with someone he couldn't recall. He tried to remember, but no face came to mind.
Not even the name of the healer who had just left through the door right in front of him.
"What... My mind's still foggy..."
He simply felt swept up in a sense that he must reach Or's corpse through that small spark in his heart to uncover the truth about the Saintess.
And I have now turned the page to the next chapter of the storybook. Once more, the Demon King and the Hero rose from their places for each other's sake.
By the time the two met again, they would set the heavens ablaze, utterly failing to understand one another's convictions.
***
"You've returned, my lord."
Levanaharon greeted Iven in the command tent.
"Where are my two brothers?"
The Great Demon King Iven van Ivelhac asked with weary eyes. Levanaharon instinctively sensed he was different from the Iven of the day before. And rightly so-the current Iven bore the sins and wills of two entire races.
"Are you all right? You seem... changed."
But that, too, was now Iven.
"Nothing has changed. I am the master of all horns. Where are my brothers, Levanaharon?"
"Ah, I'll fetch them right away!"
Iven sat on the simple cot near the fire in the center of the tent. Then Iveldra spoke from beside him.
"Iven, what will you bestow upon them now with the horns you've granted?"
"Iveldra, the horns merely receive their wills. I don't impose my own upon them like Lucifer did. I simply give them the means and let them think for themselves."
As a human, Iven had always thought and pondered deeply. Even as the Great Demon King, he sincerely hoped his kin would do the same.
"I've brought the Gloomson brothers!"
"We greet our lord."
"We greet our lord."
At that moment, the two princes entered the tent.
"Your forms... have changed."
Each having inherited one of their father's horns, the pair were far smaller than before. Iven's size had doubled, but their muscles were denser, their fingers and limbs longer.
"All who received horns have taken on forms like the master's. They can wield a greater variety of weapons now, and move faster and stronger."
As Gihuk spoke, his younger brother Chanheuk continued.
"It'seems because a different will was bestowed from Father's, my lord. Those without horns retain their old forms and still endure their hunger."
"And those who received horns?"
"They're holding back their hunger and beginning reconnaissance farther afield. Those whose size matches the master's with the horns are working as the tribe's technicians, pioneering new ideas-like tunneling through the earth. We are no longer Red Blood Savages; we are the Red Blood Tempered."
Iven smiled at Chanheuk's words. Their combat prowess was preserved, their intelligence enhanced, and now they could enact what Iven had prepared.
"Now we can lay the foundation for nation-building. Iveldra, summon Hyeon."
"Understood, Iven."
As Iveldra bowed, a black portal appeared beside Levanaharon. From it emerged Hyeon, stepping out with refined grace as if he'd been waiting.
"You called for me, my lord? Ah, the Red Bloods have been refined further. And you truly resemble the Great Demon King now."
"I am like him now, but what I seek is even greater. What came of what I said about the frozen lands?"
Hyeon drew a map from his robes and floated it in the air, continuing his explanation.
"I'll brief you-all the horns here, Lady Iveldra, and you, master-on the current progress."
At Hyeon's words, all eyes turned to the map of Gehenna in the western continent.
"First, Nephilim, the new king of the Mountain Giants who inherited the horns, has honored your will by creating an island about a third the size of Gehenna. They nobly accepted their deaths and produced fertile soil."
"And then?"
"Per your will, they're building a land bridge connecting the island to Gehenna. It'should be complete within a month."
"Good."
Hyeon glanced at the Red Blood Tempered and the region they inhabited before explaining further.
"It will connect the existing Midvar Wastelands and the island. Since no resources come from the wastelands, as you said, master, we'll build the land bridge to supply each race with goods and establish training and military facilities."
As Hyeon described, the map of Gehenna showed the land bridge extending from the island like ink dissolving in water. With another gesture from Hyeon, it spread from the Midvar Wastelands to every corner of Gehenna.
"Then what is our role?"
"We can fight and hunt."
"Of the two brothers, Lord Gihuk will oversee the military facilities. But we'll need technicians for combat as well. The Queen of the Night Imps is preparing for that."
Gihuk glanced at Chanheuk with a grin before replying.
"Now it's possible."
Hyeon swept his hand over the map again, and a new line appeared connecting Demon King Castle Tehom, the Midvar Wastelands, and the island made by the Mountain Giants.
"Lord Chanheuk will oversee linking the land and water routes, distributing supplies, and providing food resources to the races. It's still lacking, but we'll base it on construction, hunting, and farming. I've planted seeds from the eastern continent on the island, so let's discuss that further. I'll share the Demons' knowledge."
The first method Iven envisioned was for them to unite their strengths for self-sufficiency. If they could do that, they could pioneer and prosper.
Thus, Iven laid the cornerstone for the Demons not merely to survive abandoned on the earth, but to build an economy and culture.
"But laying the cornerstone isn't enough."
"Indeed, my lord. Once supply distribution begins, you must establish laws and administration accordingly."
"The devils and dream demons should handle that. They're closest to Tehom. Don't start with markets or lords. Treat this vast continent as one city-regulate supply and demand through fair plans devised by the devils."
Iven spoke of building a nation, but it was too soon for the Demons. So from Tehom at the continent's heart, he would manage all resources, letting each race thrive by leveraging their traits. Hyeon bowed in response.
"Your orders are received. The southern continent development plan is complete."
"Then the north remains. The frozen lands... the Night Imps and your wolfkin."
Levanaharon tilted his head at Iven's sudden mention.
"Hyeon, if the south builds the foundation, the north will make us stronger. Whether because Or and Neshef vanished, the frozen lands still raise the undead, forcing us to abandon resources in the Hatam Mountains. Our preparations there are to control them."
"No way, my lord..."
This was the next method Iven had devised.
"We Demons must usher in an age of iron and machines. We must spark a civilization."