episode_0049

In the distant past, there was a time when demons and humans lived intertwined with each other.

However, they worshipped different gods.

Humans worshipped the seven goddesses.

On the other hand, demons worshipped a god called K’bat.

But one day, humans decided to drive out the demons who worshipped different gods from their land.

Branding the demons who worshipped the demon as heretics, humans hunted them down and turned the fertile eastern continent into a land solely for humans.

The surviving demons gathered in the barren land to the west, praying to the god K’bat to reclaim their land.

K’bat granted their wish by separating a part of his soul and creating a being known as the Demon King.

The Demon King bestowed power upon the demons and allowed them to thrive even in the barren land.

The early demons, later known as the pureblood demons, shed blood from various races to incorporate them into the demon race and increased their numbers.

Meanwhile, the humans who drove out the demons began to fight amongst themselves once their enemies disappeared.

The humans who worshipped the seven goddesses split into seven kingdoms, each worshipping their respective goddesses.

It was at that time that the demons, who had grown in strength by relying on the Demon King in the west, invaded the land of humans.

The humans, who were already fighting amongst themselves, could not withstand the onslaught of the Demon King’s army.

Driven to the brink by the vengeful onslaught of the demons, humans were nearly wiped out.

Cornered, humans began to pray to the goddesses.

The seven goddesses responded to their prayers, sending prophecies through a saint and creating a being known as a hero.

The hero defeated the Demon King with great power and successfully drove out the demons who invaded the land of humans.

However, the demon soul created by K’bat did not disappear, and a new Demon King appeared in the Demon Realm each time.

And each time, a hero appeared in the land of humans to defeat the Demon King.

Thus, an eternal cycle was created where neither side could achieve a lasting victory.

* * *

As Eldevorn finished the story, he stared at me with eyes as sharp as a tree trunk and said, “It’s up to you how much of this story you believe. But I may not have many opportunities to pass on this story to humans like this again. Human lives may be short, but it’s an old man’s wish that at least one person from your race knows this story.”

I felt something strange as I listened to Eldevorn’s words.

It seemed as if humans were the ones who first drove out the demons and started the fight, even though in the past, demons and humans had lived together.

“Why did humans drive out the demons first? Because K’bat is an evil god?” I asked.

“Whether humans know it or not, do demons know it? If we were to judge good and evil, it might be the seven goddesses who created the heroes who are the evil ones for us demons.”

“Is that so…?”

“Well then, let me ask you. Between humans and demons, who do you think is worse?”

Eldevorn asked me.

I pondered for a moment.

According to the story, it was definitely humans who sparked the flames of war.

But the demons, backed by the power of the Demon King, had also pushed humans to the brink of extinction.

Countless humans and demons were sacrificed in the process.

I am human, but I also knew of the existence of good demons like the Sharina Caria tribe.

But there were enough reasons to consider demons as enemies, like the stories of Milreia’s homeland or the battles in the Horn Valley.

The recent rampage of monsters influenced by the Demon King was also a significant threat.

At this moment, I felt uncomfortable no matter which side I took.

My thoughts were too complex to easily answer Eldevorn’s question.

I am not a person of this world.

Therefore, unlike the people of this world, I could only judge others based on what I see, hear, and experience.

If not for that, Shari wouldn’t be by my side right now.

“No matter how I answer, it seems like a meaningless question.”

“Then, for now, that’s enough.”

Eldeworn closed his eyes briefly and then opened them again.

“By the way, about showing you the way to the surface…”

“In the Abyssal Passage, there are many mushrooms connected to me. If you want to go to the surface, follow the mushrooms that emit a red light.”

I looked up at the giant mushroom above Eldeworn’s head that filled the room.

If he has such a huge mushroom, is it possible?

If the mushrooms emitting a red light guide me as he says, then I won’t lose my way for sure.

I thanked Eldeworn.

Now that I know how to go to the surface, I should start preparing to leave this place.

As I was about to finish the conversation and leave, Eldeworn said to me.

“You handle magic, don’t you?”

I’ve been doing magic transformations whenever I have the chance, so it’s natural.

It’s nothing special.

“Oh, yes. I know a little bit.”

“There are many dangerous creatures in the Abyssal Passage. But it seems like you don’t need to worry.”

I’m actually very worried.

I’m not strong enough to not worry.

While I was thinking that, Eldeworn added unexpectedly.

“You, the vessel for magic, seems endless.”

***

I thought it was strange.

When I first learned magic transformation, it was said that each person has a different limit to how much magic they can store in their body.

People who can store a small amount of magic in their bodies live ordinary lives because they can’t become adventurers.

So how can you know the limit of that magic?

According to Oren, who first told me about the existence of magic, you can ‘naturally’ know.

And come to think of it, whenever I had spare time, I always did magic transformations as a habit.

Even now, I could clearly feel that new magic accumulates in my body after a magic transformation.

The sensation of feeling magic is like a sixth sense different from the five senses, so if the magic no longer accumulates in my body, I would definitely notice.

The vessel of invisible magic inside me.

Since I can’t see the size with my eyes, if I don’t fill it up, I can’t gauge its size.

As Eldeworn said, if my magic vessel is infinite, it means I can become infinitely strong.

“Yuno realizes that his magic vessel is infinite and mistakenly thinks that it means infinite power.

But no matter how large the magic vessel is, what’s the point of filling it with just one drop at a time?

At the rate he’s filling the magic vessel, Yuno will never reach the power he imagined until he grows old.”

In a moment when I was admiring my infinite talent and envisioning a hopeful future, the narration poured cold water on me.

Listening to it, it was true.

If you only fill a vessel of infinite size with water drop by drop, the size of the vessel becomes meaningless.

If the vessel is large, you need to pour water into it with a large ladle to get the proper efficiency.

But following the principle of magic transformation that I do whenever I have the chance, it was difficult to increase the amount of magic accumulating in my body.

The surrounding magic flows through my entire body to accumulate magic little by little, but because more than 98 out of 100 magic put into my body would scatter and escape again.

Is there another way?

Anyway, now that I know I have this talent, I need to find a way to quickly accumulate magic in my body.

“Are you leaving soon?”

As I stood in front of the gateway to the abyss, prepared to ascend to the surface, Benos, who had come to see me off, asked,

“Are you ready to go up to the surface? As Eldevorn said.”

As Eldevorn had mentioned, there was a noticeable red glow emanating from a mushroom that hadn’t been there before at the entrance to the gateway.

I had a sturdy sword made from carved mushrooms strapped to my waist, and I also brought some emergency rations.

“I have to go back. There are people who would be sad thinking I’m dead.”

“Even if you safely pass through the abyss gateway, the surface is where Kutranux is right in front of you. Be careful not to attract unnecessary attention.”

Benos warned me.

The Demon King’s castle… I have no idea what kind of being the Demon King is.

But the demon Bloodstain, who I saw in the Horn Canyon, was truly terrifying just to look at.

The thought of meeting the demon with the axe that fought with Milaia and Hogak on the surface was chilling.

“Yeah, I’ll be careful.”

“Yunoa! Shari! Be careful on your way!”

Kiki, who came to see me off with Benos, vigorously waved her hand above her head and shouted.

Shari, who was perched on my head, fluttered around Kiki a few times, then quickly returned to me.

“Thank you for helping me in many ways. Take care, Benos and Kiki.”

I would like to meet again if fate allows, but realistically, that may be difficult.

Leaving Benos and Kiki behind, I officially stepped into the abyss gateway.

I couldn’t know how long the journey back to Kubel would be.

There is the Demon King’s castle on the surface, and not all demons will understand me like the Karia tribe.

But I will definitely return to Kubel.

And when I reappear after everyone thought I was dead, I must see the surprise on their faces.