Ch.181White Light

That’s a ridiculous notion. As long as Eidolon’s observatory functions properly, the Demon King cannot return to this world.

Even Arguirion, who would surely be under the Demon King’s shadow, established their own headquarters outside this dimension. They must know that returning within the Ten Towers’ surveillance range would render all their schemes meaningless.

“Do you believe Eidolon is functioning properly?”

Carisia guessed Baekgwang’s thoughts. The two shared similar fundamental natures. It was easy to predict what she would think in this situation.

She’ll follow the same logical progression I would have before meeting Ortes.

“Eidolon is an organization that stands unchecked even within Panoptes. People who dedicate their entire lives to observing other dimensions, never involving themselves in power struggles. But not fighting with anyone also means not being checked by anyone.”

Defectors had emerged from Argos, which was exposed to public scrutiny, and from Blasphemia, which had been in constant conflict with Argos. Could Eidolon, which received no oversight, truly be free of corruption?

A momentary doubt. Ortes detected the subtle ripple in Baekgwang’s thoughts. He raised his sword once more.

A flurry of sword techniques from the left. Regenerating the left arm would be impossible. To regenerate it would require recreating the entire body from scratch.

Baekgwang gathered magical energy at the tip of the staff in her remaining right hand.

The light enveloping the staff extended enormously, taking the form of a sword. A blade made of light—weightless yet more destructive than anything. Light containing the principle of annihilation swept toward Baekgwang’s front.

Carisia rushed into that opening. The plasma aggregate wrapped around her gauntlet met the wave of light and exploded.

The light diffusion was so bright it was difficult to keep one’s eyes open. However, the three gathered here were not bound by ordinary vision.

Ortes’s blade aimed for Baekgwang’s head, while Carisia’s gauntlet, as she dove with her head lowered, targeted Baekgwang’s thigh.

Baekgwang lifted her right foot and stomped down. A barrier of light spread outward in a circle around her. A wave of light that shattered everything in all directions. Ortes and Carisia retreated.

A momentary lull. Baekgwang murmured with narrowed eyes.

“Empty threats. There is no way to contact Eidolon from the outside.”

It was a pronouncement. An imposition of truth in this moment, even if it might not be factual. The best way to avoid the trap of language is to show no interest from the beginning, and the second best is to ignore it even if you’ve heard it.

Baekgwang did not withdraw the light blade she had refined from pure light. The extremities of her limbs began to glow white-hot.

Magic of the same nature as Carisia’s light-body transformation, which allowed her to convert her body into light and gain overwhelming speed. The difference was…

Whoosh! A flash of light illuminated the night sky. So fast that even Carisia, who could see the future through the Crystal of Phoibos, was momentarily slow to respond. Baekgwang, without any particular technique, aimed the light blade at Carisia’s heart.

—Speed.

Overwhelmingly fast speed itself. It was an even faster assault than Carisia’s light-body transformation. Carisia could feel Baekgwang’s silent declaration:

‘I can use all the magic that you can use.’ While Carisia might not be able to use Baekgwang’s magic, there was nothing preventing Baekgwang from using Carisia’s.

However, the blade did not pierce Carisia’s chest. This was because Ortes had once again twisted the magical formula.

Magic that occupies space itself and claims it as one’s domain normally gives the magician overwhelming advantages, from magical control to amplified power. But the problem was that the opponent was Ortes.

The connection between magic and space meant that by interfering with space, one could also interfere with the results of magic. Ortes’s formula overwriting dispersed the blade formed at the tip of the staff.

As a result, Baekgwang’s attack became a simple physical strike. Carisia felt several ribs break as she was knocked back.

But it wasn’t lethal. Her heart and lungs pierced by bone fragments and her broken chest could be regenerated given enough time.

However, Baekgwang had no intention of giving her that time. She recognized that Ortes could interfere with magic by any means. The countermeasure was simple.

Make the magic too fast for interference to catch up. The faster was always the stronger.

The destroyed golden ring was edited at Baekgwang’s gesture. Fragments of the eclipse gathered behind her back, forming wings of light.

Then each wing fragment scattered in all directions. Even the fragments alone were deadly weapons, and the light occasionally radiating from their tips had enough power to vaporize any shield.

Ortes knew it was time to play his trump card. Carisia had made ‘preparations.’ They had years of coordinating their breathing together. He knew the most effective way to use Carisia’s preparations.

So then.

“Isn’t it strange?”

Ortes opened his mouth toward Baekgwang for the first time.

***

Baekgwang wanted to ignore Ortes’s words. An avatar of chaos whose mere existence increased uncertainty. Any response other than erasure would be meaningless.

But Ortes’s tongue was sharper than his sword tip.

“The Ten Towers expedition should have been in constant communication with Eidolon, receiving situation reports. But isn’t it strange? That the expedition’s signals can’t be received?”

It was the plain truth. After the Ten Towers fleet departed, all communication was cut off. But their destination was another dimension. It was natural for communication to vary with the flow of extra-dimensional storms.

“Do you really believe their explanation that it’s just communication failure due to extra-dimensional disasters? Do you think the current situation is normal, where not even a single voice signal can be exchanged despite the lighthouse formula constructed with the power of the Ten Realms’ Baekgwang?”

It was obviously abnormal. Lampades’ extra-dimensional navigation interference waves would still be broadcasting at full power.

But that was information Baekgwang didn’t know. Ortes continued speaking while cutting down the approaching light.

“You said there’s no way to contact Eidolon from the outside, ha!”

He infused his voice with mockery. Simultaneously, he interfered with Baekgwang’s domain again, evoking the first magician who could control that great magic.

“Is there any need? Eidolon was observing other dimensions.”

Ortes raised his empty left hand toward the sky.

“Don’t you know best who is on the other side of that dimensional wall?”

There was no need to infiltrate Eidolon. They themselves approached to find the Demon King’s will beyond the dimensions. Wasn’t it the perfect environment to realize ancient truths and devote oneself to the greater cause?

It was merely circumstantial evidence. But it was reasonable doubt. Baekgwang’s eyebrows twitched.

“Are you trying to say you’re the Demon King?”

“Well, what would you like me to be?”

Ortes now lowered his sword. A sign of confidence.

Raising his left hand, he asked. His meticulously calculated posture resembled that of an orator. It intuitively drew people’s attention and persuaded them.

“Does the relationship between you and the Demon King seem to be recreated in the relationship between Carisia and me? Then who would I be, Baekgwang? Would the Demon King you claim to have ‘killed’ 2,074 years ago truly be dead?”

“Of course he’s dead. All his soul could do was leave thought imprints on the Ten Realms.”

“Then why did you fear so much whatever is behind Arguirion?”

Ortes smiled. He closed his eyes once. It was time for technical adjustment of his vision, but also preparation for a performance.

For dramatic contrast, first the left eye. Keeping the other side closed.

“Look.”

He opened his eye.

“Can’t you see? The proof of the complete ascension you sought but never reached?”

Blue light, an unnaturally deep blue light momentarily overwhelmed the starlight Baekgwang had engraved. A single gleam from human eyes suppressed the starlight shining from heaven and earth.

Baekgwang had reached a more profound state than anyone else present. And because of that, she could verify Ortes’s “truth.” The moment he opened his eyes, she saw the essence of the “eye.” A vision of blue brilliance spreading like an infection across the celestial sphere filled with countless stars.

That was truly divinity.

Questions created ripples in Baekgwang’s composure. What she had once revered more deeply than anything in the world, what she had buried with her own hands, appeared before her again.

Just as Baekgwang was about to dismiss it, the communication line exclusive to the Tower Lords, the owners of the Ten Realms, activated.

That secret function created thousands of years ago to plot the Demon King’s annihilation.

The Lord of the Green Eye Tower screamed:

Arguirion! Arguirion is here! Saying they’re following the agreement with House Hydra who declared the succession war against you—