Ch. 286 Heroine – Chapter 286
by AfuhfuihgsChapter 286
Spiritual Vein.
Spiritual power flowing through the land.
Its origin stemmed from the great tree connecting the land and sky, the World Tree.
The World Tree was the pillar supporting the heavens and the root solidifying the earth. The essence flowing from the World Tree became spiritual veins, and the earth was imbued with divine energy. The solemn grace of the four seasons. If supernatural abilities were a grace bestowed upon humans, the World Tree was a blessing bestowed upon the world itself.
The God of War founded the United Nations centered around the spiritual veins.
Because spiritual veins were a bulwark and breakwater against the invasion of the otherworld.
The occurrence of rifts in space-time is drastically reduced in lands where spiritual power flows. Due to this unique characteristic, the monsters burned the World Tree first, but even after the World Tree withered, the spiritual veins remained. Although weakened compared to when the World Tree was thriving, the grace of the four seasons still embraced humanity.
“Truly disgusting.”
District 1.
The capital of the United Nations and the land where the most powerful spiritual vein flows.
In a waterfront park created along the river, a small child was lying face down on the ground.
Despite the hot summer weather, the child was wrapped in a thick padding, and a white cloud mask covered the face. It was quite a unique attire, but no one paid attention to the child. Even on a weekday morning, the area was not deserted. Many people passed by the child, but no one looked at the child.
It might seem callous at first glance, but it was a natural phenomenon.
The space surrounding the child was abnormally distorted. Light refracted, concealing the child’s appearance. The child was here and not here. A ghost-like existence that no one could see or hear.
“I feel so nauseous I could throw up. The human body is so incredibly uncomfortable.”
Murmur frowned. District 1 had such powerful spiritual veins that even breathing filled the lungs with spiritual energy. Ordinary people wouldn’t even notice it, and even supernaturals wouldn’t properly recognize it, but it was different for a devil god. The energy of the spiritual veins seeping into the body was infuriating.
“But, well. It can’t be helped. It’s more advantageous to procure supplies from the enemy.”
The World Tree is a life tree used by the Four Seasons for terraforming.
Originally, this world was the world of the devil gods. More precisely, it was a world created by the ‘Ancient One.’ A paradise for monsters. The Four Seasons were usurpers who invaded the paradise, not the original owners.
Naturally, it was a paradise only for monsters.
It was not a suitable land for humans to live in.
To solve this, the Four Seasons planted the World Tree.
To rebuild the monsters’ paradise into a paradise for humans.
That was the fundamental reason why the spiritual veins rejected the invasion of the otherworld.
Because that was the power for that purpose from the beginning.
A power that repels monsters and protects humans.
“Anything can be used in its own way.”
The power of the spiritual vein seeped into Murmur’s body.
Lightly dismissing the resistance, Murmur greedily plundered the power.
Once the power of the spiritual vein is processed, it becomes pure, untainted energy.
The spiritual energy for humans was instantly transformed into spiritual energy for devil gods.
‘…Has it already been a month since that day? Time really flies.’
Murmur clutched her chest. More than a month had already passed since that time of being so miserably defeated.
Almost killed by the human she had so looked down upon. If Agares hadn’t intervened, she would have certainly died. Surprisingly, it wasn’t humiliating. It would have been different if she had been defeated by an ordinary human, but the opponent was ‘the Chosen One’. The Four Seasons’ blade to kill devil gods. The defeat was a natural course from the point of misjudging the opponent’s capabilities.
A boy like the night sky.
Murmur frowned, recalling the God of War.
Could she win if they fought again?
She couldn’t easily answer that question.
It wasn’t a one-dimensional reason like not wanting to admit inferiority because of pride. Purely in terms of power standards, there wasn’t that much difference between Murmur and the God of War. It was clear that the God of War was superior, but it was by no means an insurmountable level. That’s why the last fight was shocking. She was unilaterally defeated without even being able to put up a fight.
‘The authority of the Chosen One…’
The details were still unknown, but she could deduce based on experience.
The ability to interfere with the authority of the devil gods. Considering how he nonchalantly interfered with space manipulation, it was a strong possibility. It was certainly a terrifying ability. But if that was all, she wouldn’t be agonizing this much. Any ability has its weaknesses. If she could exploit that part, she could bet on victory.
‘If the story of fighting Baal wasn’t a bluff, then he wasn’t using his full power at that time.’
It meant that he competed with and returned alive from the king of the devil gods.
Considering Baal’s status, it was an absurd achievement.
Remaining in the category of a devil god like Murmur, Baal was fundamentally different from other devil gods. A being comparable to the ‘ancient one’. Perhaps an absolute being that transcended the original form. For an ordinary devil god to challenge Baal was the same as an ordinary human challenging a devil god to a fight.
Agares, ranked 2nd.
Vassago, ranked 3rd.
Amon, ranked 7th.
Only three exceptionally powerful devil gods could barely establish a fight with Baal. The rest of the devil gods struggled even to stand before Baal. That’s why it was so unbelievable. The God of War. Did that boy really stand before Baal? Did he fight? And did he survive? How? With only that much power?
‘It would be fortunate if it’s a bluff… but if it’s not…’
It would be a troublesome matter.
Not just one ‘Chosen One’, but two.
The ‘chosen one’ that Agares was truly wary of was the boy named Eugene who had not yet awakened.
That meant that Eugene was an even more formidable and dangerous enemy than the God of War.
“Haa…”
Murmur couldn’t hold back the sigh that came out.
Spreading her arms wide like a plant photosynthesizing, she basked in the sunlight.
Absorbing spiritual energy from the earth and receiving sunlight from the sky.
Murmur, who was greedily plundering external energy with her whole body, said with a mix of annoyance.
“What is it? Why did you come? If you’re just going to bother me, why don’t you just go back? I’m not in the mood to play along with your pranks.”
“Ahaha, the same reaction as always. Looks like you’re feeling a bit better?”
A shadow covers the white cloud mask.
The girl with the red fox mask hung her parasol on her shoulder and said in a teasing voice.
“You stayed still even when I was holding you, carrying you, stroking you, and changing your clothes. It was cute, but it’s a shame.”
“…I was too lazy to do anything back then.”
“Aren’t you lazy now?”
“I’m even more lazy. Just get lost.”
“That’s too much. I’m hurt, you know~?”
“Be hurt then. No, please do be hurt.”
Astaroth burst into laughter. Murmur was extremely weak when she was defeated by the God of War. The core was broken. In human terms, the heart was broken. Having weakened as much as she could, resisting Astaroth’s pranks would only waste energy. Murmur, making a rational judgment, left Astaroth to do as she pleased.
She was played with like a toy doll for two weeks.
Agares had to warn her not to interfere with the recovery, or she would have been tormented for more than two weeks.
Murmur glared at Astaroth, revealing her blatant annoyance.
“So, why did you come? If it’s another useless reason, your ranking will be 54th instead of 29th from today.”
“Oh, a ranking competition? It’s been a while. But too bad. Today’s not the day.”
Astaroth tilted her head. The red fox mask tilted. The end of the lips hidden behind the mask curved.
“I came to deliver Agares’s message.”
“…”
“The time axis will soon return to normal.”
“!”
Murmur jumped up. She was so surprised that the distortion of space that had been hiding her returned to normal for a moment. The time axis. The chain of causality that bound Agares. As a price for reversing the time axis, Agares was unable to intervene in the present world. The fact that the time axis was returning to normal meant…
“Has the time finally come?”
“That’s right. The time has finally come.”
Agares’s descent into the present world.
The noble prince finally will arrive in the stolen paradise.
The implication of that fact was clear.
It was time to realize the ‘plan’.
Five years since the Great Catastrophe. The grand scheme that the devil gods had been preparing for five years since they descended into this world. The recapture of the paradise they had been waiting for, even enduring the humiliation of hiding in human bodies. The time had come to reclaim the lost homeland.
“He told me to recover your condition before that day comes. Is that possible?”
“Ha.”
Murmur let out a dry laugh. She clenched her small, dainty fist tightly. Strange distortions spread out like a spider web. The manifestation of authority. The space screamed terribly.
“It’s already done.”
“Considering that, weren’t you absorbing the spiritual veins as if you were going to drain them dry?”
“I wanted to stockpile power.”
To repay the bitter defeat.
But now it’s unnecessary.
Revenge has been removed from the priority list.
Compared to the grand scheme, revenge is just a trivial matter.
No, to be more precise, it’s closer to the target of revenge changing.
The child with the white cloud mask trembled with swelling excitement.
“Finally…”
She doesn’t remember.
But it was engraved in her instincts.
The injustice of the ‘Ancient One’.
The unfairness of being taken away.
The sense of loss of losing.
Monsters hate humans. It was a blind contempt. It was natural. The creator’s anger was engraved in the soul of the creation and endlessly inherited. The devil gods are also creations of the ‘Ancient One’. Hatred was in the realm of instinct.
“…The time has come to take back paradise.”
The time has come to return the pain to the disgusting Four Seasons and the loathsome humans.
Revenge is ours.
Pay the price stained with blood.
Those who defeat you will be your past selves.
‘Hmph, I wonder.’
Murmur, captivated by joy and revenge, did not notice.
Astaroth took a step back and smirked.
As if Murmur’s anger was a separate matter unrelated to herself.
‘We’re not entirely clean either, you know.’
That’s why you shouldn’t just listen to one side’s opinion.
Author Note
A/N (Author’s note):
It’s hot.The weather is crazy these days.
Please save me.
Translator Note
T/N (Translator’s note):
Astaroth’s only sin is being stupid.Free Astaroth, she has done no wrong.
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