Ch.158Pursuit (3)

# Pursuit (3)

In the sky, the Legion Commanders and the Twelve Heavens are fighting, while on the ground, other dragons and demons are battling.

And I can say with certainty that the fight between Belphegor and La•Pa could potentially annihilate everyone in the area depending on where it takes place.

Neither option is satisfactory.

Both Legion Commanders and soldiers are needed.

War isn’t something you do alone.

The dragon clan doesn’t protect the world. However, if it’s La•Pa’s order, they could easily throw away their lives.

In such a situation, for Belphegor who must invade the human realm and take that place, it’s difficult to simply give up either option.

Legion Commanders are necessary to face powerful enemies. And numerous soldiers are needed to cover the wide area and deal with remnants after occupation.

“Your Majesty!”

“Ah?”

Belphegor isn’t particularly wise. She’s impulsive and tends to solve most problems with force.

However, she’s well aware that this is her weakness.

She knows there’s no need to obsess over things she can’t do.

That’s why she keeps someone by her side who can think for her.

“4km to the west! There will be no damage to our army there!”

“Good, well done, Lilith.”

Belphegor didn’t doubt it.

There was no reason to doubt. So she immediately decided to lead La•Pa to the place Lilith mentioned.

Of course, the opponent wouldn’t simply go along with Belphegor’s plan if they knew what she was aiming for…

Boom!

Blue flames that devoured the world swallowed the two people nearby.

Belphegor doesn’t know. She doesn’t know what kind of power she has stolen.

But even someone like her can understand a little if she’s been feeling that power for a long time.

If there’s something she’s heard through prior traditions, she can at least imagine.

And ‘miracle’ is the ability to make such imagination reality.

“You…”

La•Pa is shocked.

For her, who had been trying to buy as much time as possible by clinging to Belphegor, she faces the worst situation.

Despite being cautious of Belphegor’s actions, she was moved in the blink of an eye. The place where she’s standing now is none other than below a cliff.

It’s a treacherous area with no people, located 4km west as Lilith had indicated.

But that wasn’t important now. The problem was that she had been dragged here without even being able to react.

“How can you use that power…! You… how can you…?”

The heavenly god who grants salvation to those who pray earnestly.

A transcendent being who performs miracles. What could be called the foundation of that power…

“How can you use that?”

A power that transcends the world without any resistance or precursor.

Something even La•Pa cannot replicate, the karma possessed by the ascetic of Capilla who embarked on a journey to save the world.

A special ability possessed only by heavenly gods, who have reached beyond and returned.

“Is it so strange to use the power one possesses?”

“…Don’t be ridiculous. Just because you have it doesn’t mean you can handle it.”

The heart beats and blood flows.

But knowing that doesn’t mean you can change how the heart beats or arbitrarily control the direction of blood flow.

You have it. You know it. But you’ve only observed it, you can’t control it.

Being able to do that means you’ve reached the realm of gods.

What made the heavenly god special was that he had walked such a path with his entire life at stake. Because he had subjected himself to asceticism while walking under the blue sky.

Because he walked the path toward heaven, unbound and free from the seven emotions and six desires.

“But you don’t know. How could you, who has just been lazily sleeping on the throne…”

Genius? It’s not that kind of realm.

“No… you from the beginning… Yes, that’s natural, but… even so…”

La•Pa became interested in Belphegor because she had stolen the heavenly god’s power. Because that immense power had fallen into the hands of an ignorant fool. That’s why it was troublesome.

But she hadn’t thought.

“Could it be…?”

La•Pa doesn’t know.

She had no way of knowing how insane Belphegor’s comprehensive estimated value was in Esmeralda’s eyes.

Esmeralda didn’t trust La•Pa, and La•Pa also found Esmeralda’s abilities annoying.

But she should have known.

If a hero appears when a threat comes to the world, wouldn’t the abilities needed to resolve that threat also bloom?

Yes, La•Pa should have listened to what Esmeralda had seen.

At the very least, she should have clearly recognized such an absurd power gap.

“From the beginning, you…”

“You talk too much.”

But she couldn’t trust.

Because she didn’t give trust.

The most important information that should have been shared to resolve the matter.

“You have power equal to me or the heavenly god…”

She knew that Belphegor had crossed a line.

After all, Belphegor had already surpassed First, who was presumed to have crossed the wall at that time.

That means she is in the same realm. But… she never thought that realm would be on the same level as her own.

Because she was inconspicuous and lived with such a faint presence that her existence couldn’t even be known until she became a demon lord.

“Well, this is a bit…”

La•Pa is an evil god.

All sorts of heroes have risen to defeat her, and her original sin has often strangled her neck.

But she survived. As always, as ever, she has overcome everything.

That’s why she could establish herself as the only evil god who descended upon this world.

“This is going to be tough.”

So it’s the same this time too.

La•Pa is not a noble being. She’s vile, petty, cowardly, and has even put aside her pride.

And such aspects also become her strength.

***

Legion Commander First discovered a single dragon trying to face him alone.

Unlike other dragons, this being was polymorphed into a monstrous form with six arms.

The new leader of the Twelve Heavens, the Great Self-Existent Heavenly King (Maheshvara) Shiva.

“Do you intend to face me alone despite knowing you’re numerically overwhelmed?”

“I knew you thought of us as idiots, but did you think we were so stupid that we couldn’t recognize the difference in caliber?”

“No, I merely harbored a natural doubt. If you face me alone, you will surely die.”

“Hahaha!”

First’s observation was correct.

If Shiva fights First, he will definitely die. If he fought together with everyone else, nine out of ten would die, but it couldn’t be said there was no chance of victory.

Yet the reason he’s facing First alone.

“Even if my death is certain, doesn’t probability still exist in the process?”

“…”

First fell silent at Shiva’s attitude, speaking of his own death as if it were of no concern.

The opponent’s goal isn’t to win.

He’s clearly moving to interfere with our objectives.

Then what Shiva called “the process” means…

“Do you think you can wear me down?”

“Why not? Even at this moment, am I not wearing you down? Well, has your doubt been resolved? How many minutes have you spent resolving that doubt?”

“…”

His goal is to buy time.

If that’s the case, just engaging with him is already to the opponent’s advantage.

Realizing this fact, First didn’t waste any more time.

“I see. I shouldn’t waste any more time.”

He doesn’t know what the opponent’s scheme is. There’s too little information to judge what they’re trying to do by buying time.

Then there’s only one certain solution.

“Die.”

At that moment, blood flowing from Legion Commander First’s fingertips began to dye the sky red.

***

“Good. Looks like we’re not too late.”

After hearing information from Third, the hero party immediately followed the demon lord’s army. Thanks to moving as quickly as possible, they discovered the sky dyed red and the space further away tinted blue.

So far, according to plan. No, they were able to catch up with the demon lord’s army much faster than planned.

Probably because it’s an army moving, not a powerful individual.

However, if some things go according to plan, other parts may differ.

It’s natural to face situations different from what was heard beforehand.

“This is strange, Lacrima. What’s going on here?”

“Yeah… why is someone who shouldn’t be here, here?”

Esmeralda looked up at the red sky spreading in the distance, then slowly lowered her gaze.

There was white there.

White spider webs were spread out.

Those spider webs, spreading as if alive, were changing shape and position to create a maze.

Seeing that pure white color filling the surrounding area, Esmeralda couldn’t help but chew her lips.

“Legion Commander Eight…”

Master of defense.

According to the original information, that spider demon who should have been guarding the demon lord’s castle was now protecting the rear of the demon lord’s army.

To make matters worse, it seemed like he had already set up defenses, as the preparations for defense were perfect.

“This is troublesome…”

Legion Commander Eight is nowhere to be seen. Even if they were to burn the spider webs with Garnet’s flames, by the time they reached that point, the opponent would notice them.

If that happens, other general-level officers or Legion Commanders might step in.

The hero party’s identity is that of an assassination squad. The hero party’s purpose is infiltration.

But rushing in with a large-scale display of firepower here would be like advertising their entry in advance.

Moreover, Legion Commander Eight probably has no intention of facing the hero party.

He’s merely protecting his allies through defense and detecting someone’s attack. He’s likely to remain hidden until the end, and trying to find him when he’s deliberately hiding would just be a waste of time.

“You said it reacts immediately when touched, right?”

“Yes, that seems to be the case.”

These widely spread spider webs are connected to Eight, so he can detect everything that touches them.

In reality, the option to bypass is nearly impossible, and breaking through would obviously alert the opponent.

Then…

“Garnet.”

“…Yes, that would be the best.”

Whoosh!

Garnet unleashed flames. As if flaunting her presence, she dropped a huge fireball from the sky, using the effect of Carbuncle Soul.

“I don’t know if they’ll fall for it, but let’s play the role of a madwoman.”

If they’re going to be discovered anyway, they’ll only expose one person’s identity.

Fortunately, the demon lord’s army doesn’t know about the relationship between the hero party and Garnet.

Here, it’s time to play the role of Five, a madwoman who’s lost her mind after being abandoned by the demon lord’s army.

Drawing attention while burning the spider webs, and having the hero party advance along that path is the best choice.

In other words, Garnet must sacrifice herself alone here.

“Don’t worry, Garnet.”

“Are you going to stay with me?”

Garnet smiled broadly.

A gentle smile seen after a long time.

And Lug, who stepped forward telling Garnet not to worry, responded with an equally gentle smile.

“No one will doubt the fact that you’re a madwoman.”

Lug was confident.

Even if Garnet appeared alone and caused trouble, they wouldn’t think she had a plan; they’d just see her as a madwoman.

“Trust my judgment, having seen you from within your legion.”

“…”