Chapter 348

R&e;ａd o​n ​Ｋ​at​R​eâding​Ｃ&a;&f;ｅ

It was an unexpected situation.

The collapse of the body could be resolved with super regeneration.

However, even super regeneration could not cope with the contamination of the mind.

If that were possible.

If super regeneration could even fix the erosion of the mind.

Lucille would have met a completely different end than now.

‘I must not use Belial’s authority anymore…’

Mental corruption didn’t suddenly erupt. It was the same as the collapse of the body. It exceeded the range I could handle. It gradually gnawed at my mind, and the moment it crossed the threshold, it exploded at once. 

How foolish. Intoxicated by the omnipotence of the Devil God’s authority, I wasted the time given to me. Maybe even that was a side effect of mental corruption.

‘But without Belial’s power…’

Without her authority, I am just an ordinary ‘one close to God’. A Supernatural who has reached the realm of awakening is not weak, but strength is relative. I can’t honestly say I’m strong in front of a demonic beast. Especially if that demonic beast is none other than the Giant of the End.

[How amusing.]

I slammed my head on the floor and coughed for a while. As I spat out some severed internal organs and bloody froth, I heard Surtr’s cracked voice.

[An output that hasn’t diminished at all compared to the degraded aura.]

It was heat that even bent light. The blood quickly boiled, and the flesh sizzled. I blinked my turbid eyes and raised my head. Through the shaking vision, I looked at the huge flames covering the world.

[An incomprehensible response that only focuses on sealing my movements.]

The giant tree is severed. Burning red, it turned to ashes and fluttered, breaking into pieces. Only the lifeless remains scattered on the wind. I reflexively raised my hand, then spat out blood once more. I only tried to create one more giant tree, but the backlash was beyond imagination. 

Crumble. 

The outstretched hand burst like a balloon. Blood and flesh stuck to my face. My nose was filled with the scent of blood. My mind became cozy.

[I even speculated whether you were trying to protect the humans here… but it was all a vain delusion.]

No, that’s right.

That’s right.

[Was it just a bluff?]

[Self-destruction for not being able to handle excessive output?]

[What a clown.]

My head hurts.

Both physically and mentally.

It felt like my brain was burning.

Maybe it’s not just a feeling, but it’s actually burning.

I don’t hate it. I like it even more.

How long has it been?

To ruin myself like this without holding back.

I always had to restrain myself because of Arin’s surveillance.

It’s tingling. What’s flowing from my nose isn’t blood but my reason. Thinking becomes blurry, and instincts become faithful. 

It hurts. My head feels like it’s going to explode. Ah. Should I really explode it? I feel like I can do it now without even touching it. If I just increase the output of the authority, my skull and brain, unable to withstand it, will explode together. 

I only imagined it, but my heart was pounding. My lower abdomen tingled. Even for me, I can’t maintain my mind without a head. 

Only a headless corpse will be left, scattering brain fluid and bone fragments. 

Lucia’s beautiful face will be nothing more than a lump of blood. I imagined it. I only imagined it. 

For some reason, I couldn’t stop smiling. I want to do it. I want to try it. Now that I think about it, I’ve cut off limbs and cut open the abdomen for organ displays, but I’ve never lost my head. 

I’ve been beheaded, but I’ve never lost my head itself. It might not be bad to experience it on this occasion. 

Starting with the head, arms and legs will explode. Wretchedly, only the torso will remain, rolling around on the hot earth, which would be a kind of aesthetic. It’s hot. It feels good. It hurts. I feel nauseous. It hurts. What. But what am I doing right now?

“Ugh, cough.”

…Ugh, seriously.

Mental corruption is unbearable no matter how many times I experience it.

Judgment is blurred, and reason collapses.

Self-control loses its function, and I only become faithful to instincts.

It was the same just now. If I hadn’t experienced it several times already, I would have been swept away by mental corruption. Should I thank Belial for giving me preemptive learning in advance? Although Belial is the cause of the current mental corruption.

[It’s over.]

[I will burn you without leaving even bone dust.]

Once again, the sunset blazed.

Finally, all the giant trees were completely burned and disappeared.

Having removed all obstacles, Surtr opened his torn mouth even wider.

What was gathered in the giant mouth was the realization of an even greater twilight.

The giant’s breath had finished all preparations to burn the earth.

‘Ah, this… I might really die…?’

I’m going to be nicely roasted and become a barbecued skewer.

Lucia Weldon skewer.

I’ve eaten meat, but I’ve never been eaten as meat.

I’ve dreamed about it. To be miserably defeated and devoured by monsters. Not in a sexual sense, but being physically eaten was Lucia’s romance. Ah, but. Not now. Not yet. I have a lot to protect. As Lucille’s successor. Unless I fulfill her will a little more…

‘It won’t end with just burning me. I have to stop it.’

If I leave Surtr’s attack unattended, I will burn, and the city will burn too. Material damage is secondary, but people’s lives are at risk. Shelters are useless. The shelters and citizens will all become a handful of ashes. I have to stop it. 

To do that, I need Belial’s authority, and using her authority will break my body and mind. I trembled with my parched lips. It was too obvious which one to prioritize.

‘The collapse of the body with super regeneration, and the erosion of the mind, I’ll just have to endure it!’

It’s okay. Even if my mind completely collapses and I end up drooling, that’s incredibly tempting… no, even if I myself perish, protecting everyone is the role of the saintess! Right, Lucille? It’s definitely not my personal desire!

I regenerated my right arm that had burst earlier. Bones, nerves, tendons, flesh, skin… regenerated one by one from nothing, revealing a complete arm. I regenerated it, but I was going to burst it again soon. I pointed at Surtr and manifested Belial’s authority.

“Creation.”

Once again, the forest overflows.

The view was dyed blood red.

◈

“Hee, as expected, you’re struggling?”

The child in the white cloud mask smiled as she watched the fire of the end and the overflow of life.

Considering that Surtr was Belial’s experiment, it was truly a comical farce.

The Giant of the End, created for the experiment of the Devil God’s birth.

Belial’s masterpiece, which had the destiny of annihilating the Devil Gods in reverse to create a Devil God.

Belial doesn’t admit it, but Surtr was one of the strongest demonic beasts among Belial’s countless creations.

Belial doesn’t acknowledge Surtr because he failed to achieve the purpose of creation, not because he lacked strength.

The fact that he competed with the colossus god of storms, Typhon proved that he had the highest level of strength among demonic beasts. 

There were also Devil Gods who tried to make Surt their subordinate, highly valuing that strength. However, due to Surtr’s nature of antagonizing the Devil Gods, all attempts were meaningless. 

There were Devil Gods who liked that rebellious aspect, but no one dared to make Surtr their subordinate.

Surtr was clearly Belial’s creation.

Strictly speaking, Surtr was Belial’s property and subordinate, and it was taboo for a Devil God to covet another Devil God’s subordinate.

The Devil God’s subordinate.

It’s not just a concept of a direct subordinate.

It’s a hand and foot. An eye and a heart. It’s a being so special that they give away a part of their own flesh (divine power).

That’s why Devil Gods don’t make subordinates easily.

The fact that they make someone their subordinate is proof that they like them that much.

Therefore, subordinates had a very special meaning to the Devil Gods.

‘Vassago survived with only the loss of his eyes because he handed over his subordinate Typhon to Agares.’

The Devil God Ranking War was actually close to a game between Devil Gods.

Having lived for too long, there were few sources of entertainment, and the ranking war broke out in boredom.

That’s why Devil Gods don’t care much about the ranking. It was just a game at one time anyway. What meaning is there in a ranking that changes quickly?

But there was a moment when that perception changed, and it was the battle between Agares, the 2nd ranked, and Vassago, the 3rd ranked.

It was not a game, nor was it entertainment, but a war that truly aimed for each other’s lives.

Naturally, the winner was the Noble Prince. Vassago lost both eyes and survived in exchange for handing over his subordinate Typhon.

After that fight, there were no more ranking wars.

‘Agares also liked Typhon. Strong, sincere, and loyal… I wanted to have such a subordinate too.’

That’s why Murmur was very envious of the late Astaroth.

Where did that guy pick up such a kid?

There was no shortage of potential strength as a demonic beast, and the personality was sincere and upright, unlike the master.

Especially, the spirit of constantly pursuing development was pleasing to Murmur.

Although there were still clumsy aspects as it had not been long since evolving into a demonic beast, it was certain that it would become a powerful demonic beast in the future. Yes, Surtr, who is rampaging there, was originally weak too. It became one of the strongest because of the obsession with strength. That kid also showed enough promise.

“So, how about my offer?”

Murmur took her eyes off the flames and looked straight ahead.

With small and slender hands like ferns, she was gripping someone’s neck.

It was a really unusual scene. A child of about ten years old was strangling a sturdy young man’s neck.

If you knew that the identity of that young man was one of the pinnacles of humanity, it was an even more alien sight.

“Ereshkigal.”

At the end of the gaze, the woman in the red fox mask.

While grabbing Johan’s neck as if to crush his neck bones, Murmur said.

“Won’t you become my subordinate?”

Because your master, Astaroth, is dead.

Author Note

A/N (Author’s note):
Murmur NTRing (not) the subordinate (power) of her dead friend.

Translator Note

T/N (Translator’s note):
Wow what a dumbo for ruining the fight!

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