Ch.200Towards the End. (2)

I’m growing closer to the Demon God bit by bit. Kiel was more aware of this fact than anyone else.

The number of wings flying at him had significantly decreased. That was because the number of returners had increased that much.

Slash!

Each time he cut through a wing, Kiel’s face contorted in pain. Though he was clearly surrounded by demonic energy, and his face showed no expression.

The being before him was undoubtedly Olivia.

Kiel gripped the handle tightly.

Could he live well for the rest of his life after committing such an act? Kiel knew he couldn’t.

With each slash, red blood gushed forth like an eruption. The blood of his friend.

“……”

Only by touching the tip of his sword could he know.

The Demon God.

Olivia was losing.

Despite knowing this fact, Kiel kept his mouth shut. But in his heart, he was screaming.

To die together with Olivia here would be too greedy.

“……”

Because dying like this would be nothing more than running away.

Kiel recalled the conversation between the Emperor and the Great Witch.

[“That bastard is really something else, isn’t he?”]

A conversation etched into his mind due to his transcendent senses.

[“If I were Olivia, I would have killed them all regardless of past connections. Why spare those ungrateful beasts who don’t even know gratitude?”]

Of course, he knew that he wasn’t the subject of that conversation.

But Kiel knew that he wasn’t much different from them.

It was a sudden thought.

This arrogant swordsman who was taciturn, dogmatic, and only thought of himself.

How many times had he hurt Olivia?

It wouldn’t be just once or twice. It would be far more than that.

[You said you wanted to atone?]

There’s no way he could atone with something like this. Even if he killed the Demon God, even if that was what Olivia had wished for throughout eternity.

Kiel had no intention of forgiving himself for such a reason.

Slash.

Feathers were cut off in droves, scattering everywhere, and even the wing joints were torn apart.

From the tip of Kiel’s sword, crimson flames began to blaze. The light grew so quickly that one might mistake the sky for brightening momentarily.

Kiel pushed his own life force into the flames. Remaining lifespan, future years, physical limits… he didn’t care about such things.

If she had suffered for eternity because of him.

Then he, too, should rightfully atone for eternity.

Whoosh…!

The flames swelled larger and larger. Kiel bent his knees while holding his breath.

And then.

Boom!

He stepped forward.

*****

Olivia.

She was watching all of this from within the Demon God.

The battlefield, which had been disadvantageous until there were seven, became even when there were nine.

[“Aaaaaaah…!”]

At some point, nine became eleven, eleven became thirteen, and thirteen soon became fifteen.

Some spewed anger, some spewed hatred, and others shed tears.

But all of them were calling out Olivia’s name, not the Demon God’s.

[Returner, ‘Serial Murderer’ uses ‘Fatal Strike’.]

The Serial Murderer, who had drawn out his own blood to create a massive scythe, shouted.

“Olivia, close your eyes…!”

Cain, despite his tearful face, forced a smile.

[I’m glad. That you and I weren’t that close.]

He was repeating the exact words he had spoken in a cycle she couldn’t remember.

[Returner, ‘Aurelia’ is…]

[Returner, ‘Melina’ is…]

Countless messages appearing simultaneously.

Suddenly, memories of the past flashed through her mind. When she thought this world was just a game, she always heard:

[If fifteen returners gather, they can destroy the Demon God without a player.]

The number of those people was exactly fifteen.

‘Since there are two Arias.’

They were proving that statement was correct.

The raised sword fell. A heavy slash that bisected the entire space descended upon the Demon God.

The Demon God frantically moved its wings. But the number was far too insufficient to block the incoming slash.

Swordsmanship, magic, divine power, psychic abilities, human strength.

Shields, arrows, kamas, scythes, dragon words, elemental power.

Curse power, and intelligence.

All kinds of abilities were holding the Demon God’s wings in place. Clearly, the Demon God’s regenerative abilities had no limits. But from the moment the returners focused on binding the movement of the wings, the outcome was decided.

Unless it tore off its own wings, it couldn’t escape from that restraint.

Crack!

With a terrible sound, the Demon God’s body bent. Its knees buckled, unable to withstand the force. It barely avoided having its head severed, but Kiel’s sword tore through its shoulder and down to its abdomen.

Following that, Melina’s magic was fired. Golden chains that cut through the air bound the Demon God’s body.

…Rumble.

As the wounds on the Demon God’s body increased, the space where Olivia was also began to collapse bit by bit.

Like old cement falling off, cracks were forming from the outer edges.

“…Huff…”

‘Olivia’ exhaled a long breath. Blood that welled up stained the floor red as it flowed down her lips.

She was trying to swallow the rising blood, but it seemed to keep coming up no matter how much she swallowed.

Her hair color had completely changed to black.

Her eyes were not just black but seemed red with prominent blood vessels.

Yet, despite this, ‘Olivia’s’ face showed no painful emotion. She gazed at this side with calm, settled eyes.

“So it has come to this after all.”

‘Olivia’ sat in the chair as if collapsing. As if proving that her claim of sealing the Demon God’s immortality within herself was not a lie, her upper body was now in tatters.

“…I wanted to hold out longer.”

‘Olivia’ said with a smile. The battle beyond the screen grew more intense, and as it did, ‘Olivia’ became more haggard.

Rumble.

Once again, a trembling vibration was heard from beyond the darkness. Olivia’s eyes were focused on this gradually collapsing space.

What would happen if this space completely collapsed? Would she die? Could she return to the world she originally lived in? Now was the only time to ask.

“…Can I go back?”

To this inevitable question, ‘Olivia’ was silent for a moment.

“There are people waiting for me.”

As the vibrations grew stronger, Olivia naturally couldn’t help but be agitated. That’s why she was trying to provoke an answer by stimulating her psychology.

But it wasn’t a lie. Although she felt a sense of belonging and affection for this world due to being assimilated with ‘Olivia’, that was all.

She had packaged many lies as truths all this time. Although they maintained an amicable relationship now, she couldn’t hide the truth forever.

‘It will be revealed someday.’

And at that moment, everything would collapse.

“To answer your question directly, yes. You can go back.”

‘Olivia’ spoke while looking at the screen that was gradually losing its light.

“Because you are… a being from a higher dimension.”

“Higher dimension?”

“It’s a name I arbitrarily gave. If one can observe the history of another dimension in any form, they are higher; if they are observed, they are lower. Usually, it’s manifested in the form of books like this.”

As she spoke, ‘Olivia’ held a book in her hand.

[The Chronicles of Leodrant]

It was a book she knew. It was one of the few novels that Aria liked.

“Then… does that mean the content written in that book actually happened somewhere?”

“All events in the lower dimension have already happened, and are also happening now.”

“……”

It was difficult to understand. At least, that’s how Olivia felt. But one thing was clear. Why she called her a being from a higher dimension.

‘Lactea.’

Because she had observed this world in the form of a game.

“…Huff.”

‘Olivia’ struggled to lift her eyelids that had been closed. Even that seemed difficult for her now.

“Don’t… worry too much. You will… somehow be able to return.”

Rumble.

Once again, a strong vibration sounded. Olivia’s eyes were fixed on the shadow behind ‘Olivia’. On the shadow that was constantly writhing like a living creature.

Crack!

‘Olivia’ groped for that shadow and gripped it tightly. It seemed she could barely see now.

Olivia kept her mouth shut.

Because she had been assimilated with her until recently, she knew better than anyone how much pain she was feeling.

Static…!!

The screen showing the battlefield was now full of flickering, stuttering noise.

The end she had so longed for was approaching. Olivia furrowed her brow. She thought she would naturally be happy, but for some reason, her heart felt only heavy.

The inner world, which had begun to collapse from the edges, had shrunk to a size incomparable to what it was at first.

“…ia.”

‘Olivia’.

No.

Olivia took my hand.

“…With this…”

Somehow, a sharp piece of ice was now in my hand.

My breath stopped for a moment. As her breathing grew fainter, my pupils dilated.

“……”

Olivia gripped my hand a little more firmly.

‘Please don’t feel guilty.’

She mouthed those words.

‘I was happy.’

It wasn’t a forced smile. She was sincere in every moment.

Olivia slowly closed her eyes.

“……”

I slowly nodded.

And I did as she wished.