Ch.347115. How Could Wishing Be a Sin?

…

Silence.

The air is still.

‘How… did this happen?’

Consciousness stretches out.

As if submerged underwater.

‘I am…’

Ah, yes.

It begins to dimly return to me.

Günter was summoned somewhere.

And not just him alone… but with others.

Then the world’s malice came shooting forth.

It took form, spewing curses and abuse, unleashing indiscriminate violence.

Like an ancient warrior, it was imposing and tyrannical, overwhelming everyone.

Even the mighty Kael could barely hold his ground against it.

That being casually recited curses, repeatedly cursing and resenting us.

Its wrath and fury were like a stormy sea, so immense it seemed capable of burning and consuming the entire world.

…Who would dare stand against such a thing?

‘Could it be….’

Günter himself doesn’t matter.

He had already received the remains of an unnamed Demon King from Kael.

Therefore, he cannot die.

Or rather, even if he dies, he won’t be annihilated or disappear.

Even if his soul grows old and worn away to nothing.

His will and legacy will remain steadfast.

…However.

That only applies to Günter himself.

For those who were brought here with him… none of this applies.

Therefore, I…

‘Did I drag them into this?’

Was it my greed?

My excessive ambition?

Or… my foolishness?

All of it.

Yes, all of it was the problem.

A mistake.

This wasn’t how I intended things to go.

‘Can one not deceive a demon after all? As expected.’

I sought to die as a living being, then be reborn yet not alive, to enter hell.

But I never imagined it would be applied in this way….

‘It’s my fault.’

Self-blame and self-mockery.

With no one else to blame, only his bitter regret and despair consume him.

On the vast, endless sea, we are truly nothing, not even a speck of dust.

Yes, all of this, as always, is so insignificant, so worthless….

“…”

But isn’t it somewhat unfair to simply accept this?

Why did you create us?

Why give us birth, burden us with desires, and make us harbor hopes?

…Why bestow upon us the instinct to chase the light?

“Or was it all… meaningless?”

An overwhelming sense of frustration surges.

If such beings swarm in the demon realm and hell,

how could I ever establish a foundation on this earth?

‘Was it beyond ambition, into excessive greed?’

Yet I wanted to strive for it.

Regardless of whether it was possible, I wanted to achieve it.

I…

Beyond any great task or achievement, I simply dreamed of a world where everyone could breathe a little easier.

Because our world is so cruel.

Besides, must we suffer endlessly even after death?

What are we, after all?

“…”

Is it wrong to hope?

Is it wrong to dream?

I don’t know.

Which is the answer?

Or perhaps the very concept of an answer is a futile hope, a dream?

Perhaps no answer, no absolute truth bearing the name of truth… actually exists?

“…”

Consciousness sinks.

If I close my eyes here and open them again, surely everything will be over.

Because of my own mistakes.

“…”

Did I truly do wrong?

‘How could I weigh such a thing?’

We are creatures who live embracing mistakes and sins.

…If we were crushed by each one.

‘How could we live?’

I open my eyes.

My vision is still blurry, but I cannot remain lying down or sitting.

Yet I feel utterly powerless, unsure of what to do.

Compared to Kael, I am nothing.

Even compared to his sister.

Even Iriel has changed dramatically from before.

The only one who hasn’t changed but has grown weaker is Günter himself.

“…”

I close my eyes and open them again.

Then it appears clearly.

That warrior who overwhelmed everyone, wearing armor shaped like muscles that might have been used in ancient times, with thick iron chains wrapped around his arms and a grand helmet.

Truly the war god so praised in ancient times.

Yes, the very embodiment of a war deity.

But why did it curse us and drive us into a trap in this hellish land?

‘A way out…’

A way to escape, a way to break free.

None exists.

Then there is only one path.

‘Head-on confrontation.’

But is it possible?

No.

Impossible.

…Only such an answer stands clear.

But I must reject and refuse that answer.

If not for myself.

…Then for my brothers and other brothers.

‘Give me… I implore, just one chance…’

In his sinking consciousness, Günter prayed desperately.

He had prided himself on never having to do this, but now there was truly nothing else left.

…Even if all this proved futile, he intended to wake up and continue actions bordering on suicide.

But he feared even that would become pointless, meaningless.

That, that was what terrified and saddened him so deeply.

…Perhaps that’s why.

“…”

Suddenly opening his eyes, he found himself looking up at a sky filled with a sea of stars.

The ground beneath him was somehow slightly submerged, wetting his back and ears.

Cold, but neither unpleasant nor bothersome.

Just a little…

“…”

As he suddenly opened his eyes and raised his upper body.

There he stood.

…

From within a pitch-black form, someone with half-open, brilliant golden eyes layered over the darkness.

“How could desire be a sin?”

Had that being suddenly spoken?

Though the voice was tiny, it came through clearly.

“Without it, what meaning would our lives have?”

“Who… are you?”

Perhaps a god?

Or… an angel?

No description of such a being was written in any book or record. Nor were there any examples.

Yet Günter was somehow certain.

This being before him… was clearly something beyond the ordinary.

Yet why?

Why does he seem so… familiar?

****

It unleashed hatred one-sidedly.

What’s certain is that for Eileen, Kael, and Iriel, it was nothing short of an uncontrollable outburst of anger.

…But what if that being was too powerful for them to handle?

Moreover, if it was mentioning their father’s name and occasionally their mother’s name while pouring out anger and fury.

…How would they take this?

‘Geez, looks like he got a beating from dad.’

‘What a lunatic. To do such a disgusting thing with that much power.’

‘Ah, after getting involved with demons, now I’m really… summoned to hell? No, the demon realm? Is that thing in the sky what demons call the demon realm water? But why does it look like that?’

When it finally took form, surprisingly, Iriel was the first to react.

‘That’s… what I saw in the book, isn’t it?’

Ancient armor and helmet.

With a sturdy build like steel, he glared fiercely with red eyes, like a mythical warrior, his massive frame wrapped in thick chains.

His entire body was pitch-black, ominously foreboding.

…If it’s a demon, is this at least an archduke-level demon?

If it’s a demon race… could this be a demon king or perhaps a legion commander?

As Iriel’s mind raced, Günter, who had been thrown far away by the shock, lost consciousness.

…Iriel was worried about him, but since that young man Kael had said he wouldn’t die from something like this, Iriel set aside her concerns for now.

With their lives hanging in the balance.

[I spent thousands of years traversing this cursed labyrinth. I wanted to vent this anger and resentment… but he has risen to an unreachable position.]

So now.

[I have no choice but to take it out on you, his bloodline.]

“…How tasteless.”

Eileen muttered quietly.

[…]

The fallen war god’s red gaze suddenly turned.

“Eek!”

Just his gaze makes her spine tingle and knees weak.

Did her heart stop for at least 2 seconds?

[You, woman, especially you, I will not spare.]

“Hey, you’ve been saying you’ll vent your anger and exuding killing intent! If you’re going to kill us anyway, why make such dog-like threats?”

If he’s not going to just give us a knock on the head and send us back, what’s with this act?

“Haa.”

Kael sighed, thinking she’s still the same, while maintaining his guard.

“Whatever comes, I won’t refuse a fight.”

A pitch-black sword forms in Kael’s hand.

The ominous aura from before is gone, now emitting a clear, pitch-black energy.

“…”

However.

For Iriel, this was a disaster like no other.

‘Is there any room for me to intervene here?’

In this situation where Kael and Eileen are seriously confronting that thing, what can Iriel herself do?

Um… cheer them on? Or just make sure she doesn’t get caught up in it?

“Nngh.”

Although he holds a sword imbued with holy power, it’s no match for a holy sword.

Half a holy sword might qualify as one.

‘Don’t be complacent. You never know, right?’

Iriel looks around calmly while continuing to check on Günter.

“…”

Plus, that being keeps mentioning her father’s name, which is unsettling.

‘Let me think. There might be something I can do.’

Soon.

As massive collisions that shake the earth occur one after another.

Iriel’s eyes widened in shock at the battle escalating more extremely than expected.

‘I knew they were amazing, but!’

No, this is too much!

Kael and Eileen.

Their sincere, all-out effort was a chain of impacts and collisions Iriel had never seen before.

Yet.

…The being facing them was actually pushing them back.

Swirling chains lashed out like living snake heads and whips, driving them back.

That steel and bronze giant-like body, contrary to its appearance, moved nimbly like a beast, like a relentless monster, shaking the earth and shattering the atmosphere.

The aftermath caused intact space to burst repeatedly, creating gusts and explosions in succession.

The eye couldn’t follow.

By the time the sound erupted, multiple collisions had already occurred, with pillars of fire and storms mixing, turning the surroundings into a hellish landscape.

Iriel was truly dumbfounded.

‘…The metaphor in myths about gods and warriors overturning the earth and shattering the sky wasn’t just a figure of speech after all.’

But.

Even this seemingly endless battle.

With Eileen’s slight misstep, it collapsed in an instant.

The war god’s massive body struck Eileen’s torso directly.

Like a house-sized monster ramming into her.

“Eil!”

As Kael flinched, chains burst through the ground and side, grabbing his ankle in that moment of vulnerability.

“Guh?!”

This caused Kael’s body to be flung into the air and then slammed onto the ground.

Crack!

With a terrible sound, Kael’s body went limp.

“?!”

Eileen, who had been thrown far and rolled, quickly got up, but the impact was too severe, and she staggered, bending one knee.

“Ugh!”

Her shoulder and chest area didn’t look good.

‘Bones… seem broken.’

But even this might be nothing compared to what Kael suffered.

With his ankle bound, Kael was still being repeatedly thrown into the air and slammed onto the ground.

No matter how tough he is, if this continues, he’ll become a corpse in all but name.

Finally, Eileen realized she needed to go beyond her full strength, to give her all.

‘This is bad.’

Mom said to use this only when my life is truly in danger!

“Huu!”

Running at full speed, Eileen silently recited.

Hevatein—

The pure white flames suddenly transformed into deep red infernos.

Soon those flames began to fiercely burn not only Eileen herself but also her surroundings.

Her clothes and armor burned to ash in those flames, melting and dripping away.

Eventually, even Eileen’s body became half-transparent, and she transformed into the very embodiment of flame, a fire deity.

The pure white was painted deep red, and as she evolved into the very incarnation of fire.

Eileen’s movements also transcended human capability, suddenly traversing the atmosphere and rushing through space and void, completely enveloping the war god’s entire body.

[Do you think such a petty technique can harm my divine body?! Not a chance!]

Whether it’s a chance or not isn’t my concern!

‘Ugh!’

Consciousness feels like it’s being sucked somewhere.

Suddenly, she recalled what her first mother had told her when she whined about not wanting to learn, that it hurt, that it was hard—that she must master this, though she didn’t know why.

‘For my sake, and because she sincerely hoped… I wouldn’t regret it….’

Was that it?

What was she saying?

“Stop!”

Kael, who had somehow broken the chains binding his ankle, forcibly grabbed her and pulled back from the war god.

Hey, are you okay?

‘Uh…’

She can’t speak.

Come to think of it, in this state… the mouth… no, do we speak with vocal cords? Ah, the tongue too?

Anyway, with only her form being faint but her physical body essentially gone, Eileen’s words scattered emptily.

“It’s fine, don’t speak. That state, don’t go any further.”

It’s ironic for Kael to say such things when his entire body is covered in blood.

Yet even in this state, Kael manages to stand and point his pitch-black sword.

“Haa… this is why I should have devoted myself to training.”

Even his rough breathing has calmed.

[Yes, show me what you can do now. If not now, there won’t be a next time.]

And if you fail, the result is obvious, right?

At the war god’s mocking words, Kael’s expression crumpled.

“…”

But he doesn’t lose his composure.

He just hardens his expression.

Focusing his consciousness.

Even in this situation, he keeps his senses heightened, wary of a surprise attack.

‘I must surpass this now.’

If I don’t surpass it now… as he said, there won’t be a next time.

‘I don’t believe in myself.’

Therefore.

…I will objectively judge only the process I’ve built.

And that process and journey is…

“Para Ensis.”

Immense magical power rises from Kael’s entire body, enough to fill the world.

[Hmm?]

Like his father’s son, trying to use the technique his father used?

How clumsy. How clumsy indeed.

Even if he could do it, how could you worthless children compare?

Besides, even that didn’t work on me, a war god!

[I’ll crush you.]

Whether in hell or the afterlife, wherever you’re watching from.

[Watch closely! See what miserable end your descendant will meet!]

I’ll completely eradicate your blood and make them curse your stupidity forever and ever!

“…Kanus.”

Black cracks condense on the pitch-black sword Kael holds.

Like countless layers piling up, cracks and blackness mix and intertwine.

…Eventually, the black sword becomes a huge… cauldron of chaos with chaos inherent within, a vessel forcibly containing it, becoming a precarious form that could burst and break at any moment.

[Hmm?]

Strange. That technique I saw before, what was revealed after that technique name was mentioned, wasn’t like this?

It’s not over yet.

“Para Ensis.”

Black streams of fire rise from Kael’s body.

This is clearly different from magical power.

Moreover.

Huh?

Even the flames burning Eileen’s entire body are suddenly drawn into Kael’s sword and body.

As black and red harmonize, all the streams of fire are sucked into the sword of chaos containing chaos.

Eventually, the pitch-black sword transforms into a pure white form.

“…”

Mikate.

The gathered power splits, differentiates, fuses, mixes and combines at once, collides and harmonizes, explodes and oxidizes.

…At once, it swallows the war god, the ground he stands on, the space, the realm.

Truly, it devours the entire heaven and earth and more, its aftermath alone emitting immense power that tears the atmosphere and causes cracks in space.

Between the torn spaces, blackness and white night flicker.

According to Kael’s intention, for just a moment, the power he emitted oxidized the entire world into emptiness.

“…”

The best of the best.

Despite succeeding, Kael’s complexion turned deathly pale.

‘What a crazy thing… I managed to do.’

Without completing even one, he completed two separate techniques and fused them to fire.

If he had made a mistake, everyone including himself, perhaps this entire area, might have been reduced to dust.

…But nothing less would work against that.

With that conviction, this wasn’t a matter of choice but a certainty. An inevitability.

“Hey, are you okay?!”

Eileen, whose body had halfway returned to normal, asked with a fuss.

“…Shut up. My head is ringing.”

The whole world is swaying, and his insides feel churned, as if about to spill their contents, endlessly unpleasant.

‘Damn.’

His body feels heavy as stone.

An exhaustion he’s never experienced before.

‘Please just like this, quietly…’

Let it end.

But why?

…Ominous premonitions never seem to pass by.

Crack.

[Kuh, kuhuh! Kuhahaha! Magnificent! Even that bastard’s son has taken a step further?! At this rate! When you’re fully grown, you’ll be no less than my indomitable brother!]

‘Damn.’

We’re doomed.

Despite Kael succeeding in his best, maximum gamble.

…It couldn’t defeat that?

How on earth can we defeat someone who survived this attack?

“…Eil. Take her and leave this place.”

“What?”

“You just… saw it. If this isn’t enough, we… can’t win against that.”

A deep sense of defeat weighs down his entire body.

But defeat isn’t the end.

It mustn’t be the end.

‘When has the world ever gone according to my wishes?’

Kael is a human who has already thoroughly tasted absurdity.

Throughout his life, everything was absurd and unreasonable.

Even what seemed advantageous to him, when compared to others, was endlessly awkward, strange, and cheap.

…He wanted to not just follow Adrian but surpass him.

But no matter how hard Kael himself tried and struggled desperately.

…Adrian would take several steps when Kael took just one.

‘Even this doesn’t work.’

Yet if Adrian were here.

…Strangely, he doesn’t seem like he would lose to that thing.

It’s curious.

Even if that great mother herself descended, it would be too much.

Even if all his sworn brothers mobilized together.

But if Adrian came…

‘That’s why I wanted to become like that.’

Was it impossible?

“Hey! Kael! Wake up! What are you mumbling about?!”

“…”

Even if we escape from here, how would we survive?

Thinking this way, he feels a sense of hopelessness about escaping this place.

‘With my body in this state, has my mind also collapsed?’

He straightens his consciousness.

Though it will only be temporary.

[Now it’s my turn.]

Look at that.

That evil smile, ready to joyfully strike us down at any moment.

Despite his face being so dark that only his fiercely glowing red eyes clearly revealed his emotional state.

Somehow, it’s clearly readable.

His intentions and emotions.

The hatred remained, and now it was time for the climax of his venting.

Therefore.

“?!”

With just a few steps, he appeared right in front of us.

Immediately, he grabbed Eileen’s neck with his huge hand and strangled her.

“Ugh!”

The war god lifted Eileen’s burning body with that grip.

[You’re first. False seed. The true Elehermina is dead, and all life forms born from her are false existences.]

So you are the worst tragedy I understand on earth.

[Die miserably, wretchedly.]

—?!!?!

He’s squeezing so hard that not even a breath, let alone a groan, escapes.

She strikes at his thick hand and chain-wrapped forearm in various ways.

…It doesn’t budge at all.

‘Eil…een.’

He needs to move, but his body won’t listen.

The war god, therefore, left Kael alone in his powerlessness, to remind him of it.

You’re next anyway.

“Ugh…”

Damn it!

“Uh, uh, aaagh!”

[Noisy.]

Thud!

Despite just being kicked, Kael flew far away, spitting blood as he sprawled.

[It’s just a matter of seconds, such useless resistance.]

Snorting, the war god looks at the girl gradually losing strength in his grasp.

Red hair, blue eyes.

Literally embodying the characteristics of her family.

That makes her all the more detestable.

Damn it all.

[…]

But this too is now ending.

No world should allow Elehermina to bear descendants and live happily.

Because.

The true Elehermina Berk Enzul is dead.

This multitude of worlds that mock and insult her death is hateful. Detestable.

The providence, the rules of this world that make my life, our lives seem like lies, worthless, are truly abominable.

[Only I… must be the truth.]

Only then will her fleeting death be elevated to something not meaningless.

This world, that world, everything that dares to insult her death…

I didn’t want to leave any of it alone.

Looking at the girl who was gradually losing strength and dropping her arms.

[Hmph!]

The war god, wishing to bestow a final mercy, tightly clenched his hand around her neck.

Crack!