Ch.150Cradle’s Shadow (3)

The early records of the hero were contained in the Elven ancient texts.

“After their victory in the ancient war, the Celestials demanded spoils from humans.”

The World Tree recounted those times. This was after Tantalos had emerged from the Great Forest. In the past, the ruler of the forest would have been filled with sorrow, but now those traces of sadness were erased.

She spoke to Durin with a calm demeanor.

“First came religious devotion. The God of Light needed to be worshipped by humans to maintain power. They erased Death’s authority and repackaged it as mere fear.”

“That’s how the demon race managed to survive.”

“Evil must exist. For a god to offer salvation, there naturally needed to be something that endangered humans.”

The Celestial Realm and the Demon Realm must coexist.

No matter how much they despised each other, if one were to completely collapse and disappear, everything would end. They were mortal enemies yet bound in a strange symbiotic relationship.

“Then an unexpected entity emerged that the Celestials hadn’t predicted.”

The World Tree turned her head to look at the sleeping hero.

“The Hero. A human chosen by the Creator God. A child that Fate delights in watching.”

“In the human realm, it’s believed that angels bestow power, but the reality is completely different.”

“They claim to deliver divine prophecies, but in truth, heroes are humans who move according to the Creator God’s will. They are symbols meant to overcome crises ordained by Fate among God’s creations. Far beyond what angels could handle.”

This was the spoil the World Tree wanted to speak about.

“Then a question arises here.”

Durin looked directly at the World Tree.

“Those chosen by the Creator God are moving according to the angels’ whims.”

“That’s how it is now.”

“What is the Creator God doing up in the Celestial Realm?”

A being of higher rank than the God of Light. The transcendent father who oversees this world, giving trials and rewards.

If that being were to move, the current abnormal power structure of the Celestial Realm could be overthrown.

“No, that’s not right.”

Durin erased his thoughts.

“The Goddess of Night is also a child of the Creator God. Isn’t that so?”

“That’s correct, Durin.”

She didn’t deny it. The last child born of the Creator God wore a sad expression.

“She was Father’s beloved daughter.”

“On the day the God of Light conquered the Celestial Realm. The moment demons were driven out. Even then, the Creator God didn’t move.”

According to the World Tree, this meant he had tacitly allowed the death of his beloved daughter.

What was he doing while his son wielded the sword?

“Do you know anything about it?”

“No records from that time remain. I’ve been in the human realm all along, so I have no way of knowing.”

“I’d appreciate even a guess.”

The Creator who remained motionless for a thousand years while the world existed in a distorted structure.

Suspicion about him grew.

“Fate merely watched. Even this would be enjoyable for her.”

“The desperate struggles of the Demon Realm would have been her greatest pleasure.”

“Did even the Creator God enjoy the suffering of his creations?”

“Of course not.”

The World Tree shook her head. Her slightly moving lips held the enormous secrets of the world.

“Father loves everyone. Every single being, down to the smallest creature.”

“Then we arrive at one conclusion.”

Durin rose to his feet. He stood before the sleeping hero.

He looked down at the human who remained motionless, still trapped in the past.

“The Creator God has been sealed for some reason. So much so that he couldn’t even send a single prophecy to the hero.”

“He hasn’t been completely cut off from his creations.”

The World Tree stood beside Durin.

“This hero was unusual.”

“I need a detailed explanation.”

“While the demon invasion was a common occurrence and things proceeded normally at first, he didn’t move according to the angels’ will.”

Durin searched through the past. It was when he was frantically suppressing dissenting forces after the Demon King had fled.

He recalled something he hadn’t noticed while his attention was diverted elsewhere.

“The hero had no reason to join the Demon King.”

His consciousness, which had been buried in war, now floated to the surface. He continuously questioned the approaching fate.

“The traitor used love as an excuse. But the hero? That’s impossible. If he carried the will of the Celestial Realm, he should have harbored hatred, not love.”

“That divergent movement is the evidence. It means the Creator God finally reached out.”

After a thousand years, God had moved. He created a small crack. Because of this, countless world-lines twisted, allowing them to reach this point.

The hero fell into the clutches of the Demon Realm, and the Celestial Realm sent armies to rectify this, suffering great losses one after another.

Now they had reached a point where they needed to fight with their very existence at stake, beyond mere correction.

“That distortion led us here.”

While they had only been fighting against the flow, trying to survive, everything they did had drawn them into the center of the whirlpool.

It wasn’t about expressing fear of the unknown.

The Celestial Realm, which had buried so many lives on the battlefield, was moving toward a goal he didn’t understand.

He calmly evaluated their actions.

“The end of these foolish ones has been left to demons.”

The typical behavior of those who covet what belongs to others without protecting what is theirs.

Despite ruling the heavens, it wasn’t enough, so they were doing this.

Without any counterbalancing force, they displayed an arrogance that no one else would dare to harbor.

“Having defeated demons through human heroes and drawn closer to faith, now it’s time to use them in reverse.”

“It’s time to show those who forced false beliefs what a true hero is.”

“But they won’t just sit there and take it.”

In the moment when the conversation paused.

“Your Excellency!”

One of the Durahans accompanying him arrived. From the urgent breath, the regent could instinctively sense it.

The World Tree and Durin looked at each other. Then, they nodded.

“Take care.”

“We’ll see each other again soon.”

A hero would return to humanity.

A true hero who follows the Father Creator God, not the God of Light.

#

“Durin. Have you heard the news?”

As soon as he left the Great Forest, Yoannina came to find him.

“I heard a false hero has appeared.”

“It happened while the World Tree was creating a true hero.”

Yoannina smiled.

“Very coincidental.”

“It must be Fate’s mischief. Isn’t this the kind of scene she would enjoy?”

The Celestial and Demon Realms would each present opposing figures. They would share the belief of protecting humanity but move in completely different directions.

“Durin. To be honest, the other side isn’t just a false hero.”

Yoannina put a brake on Durin’s judgment.

“What do you mean?”

“Someone presented as a hero must possess that level of power.”

“Wouldn’t it be appropriate to hypothesize that an angel is disguised?”

“I considered that too, but it doesn’t add up. A hero must be overwhelming.”

It didn’t simply mean the strongest in the human realm. Someone capable of battling the Demon King.

If the Celestial Realm were to disguise someone, the War Commander would have been the appropriate candidate, but as we know, he was currently on the battlefield.

“Then there’s only one possibility left.”

Yoannina was certain.

“The former Demon King would be more than capable.”

“She did possess strength akin to having the Creator God’s power. But why would she follow the will of the Celestial Realm?”

“I’ve already collected evidence for that. While you were in the Great Forest, I investigated her time disguised as a saint.”

Yoannina gestured, and several holy knights stepped forward.

“The Black Armor Knights. They were part of the escort when that one was active.”

“I’m surprised they’re still alive.”

When Durin sneered, the knight gave a bitter smile.

“We didn’t know the faith was false.”

“It’s good that you know now. And now, you can prove it before me.”

The aura of death stirred. As divine power-infused demonic energy poured out, the knights instinctively knelt.

With trembling voices, they confessed.

“When the saint took control of the church, she made a secret agreement with the Holy Army.”

“Did they form a non-aggression pact?”

“Something similar. The content was that as long as they engaged in fierce battles to the saint’s satisfaction, the main force of the Holy Army would not be touched.”

“Can you prove this?”

“Many high-ranking church personnel who can verify this remain, and there are also separate records.”

Before the power of a god, humans could not lie.

“There was also an anti-saint faction, so cross-verification is possible. If you wish, I can…”

“No need. Just tell Southern Yursael to submit the documents.”

Durin looked at Yoannina.

“It seems the Celestial Realm is going to deploy a necessary evil.”

“They’ll use a fake hero to locate and kill the real one.”

“With the power of a Demon King who stood toe-to-toe with me, it’s entirely possible. And there’s another fact we must keep in mind.”

There was one variable.

“The goddess’s final flesh fragment in the underground of the Papal Territory.”

“They’ll try to obtain divine power to confront you, Durin.”

Yoannina expressed her concern. She always maintained composure, but not this time.

“Even combining the wrists and ankles, they’re no match for the head that the Papal Territory possesses.”

“In the end, he and I will be evenly matched again.”

“He might even be stronger.”

Only the Celestial Realm could stand back and watch.

Whichever side lost, they would try to write an easy narrative.

“They’re waiting for an opportunity. The moment when the traitor and I exhaust ourselves fighting.”

“The entire forces of the Demon Realm will rush in to stop them. Even if the Archangel comes.”

“I’ve already made arrangements for that.”

If they try to shake the Demon Realm with a hero, we’ll greet them with a similar move.

“We’ll spread terror in the human realm.”

“With what?”

“Descent.”

Since a hero has appeared, shouldn’t we send a fitting adversary?

“The Demon King will descend and shake the human realm.”

“Finally, an all-out war.”

“It will be on a different scale from previous wars. Prepare thoroughly.”

A great war that could only be seen in records from a thousand years ago.

He intended to expand the board greatly, just as Fate desired.

“I’m also curious to see how much the Celestial Realm can handle.”