Ch.74Ep.74: Meeting Again

“Ha! This is absurd! Is even Tartarus rising up now?”

While Yog-Sothoth was pushing Atlas back, he detected an earthquake stronger than when he had first appeared.

He realized the epicenter was Tartarus, which existed as a prison beneath the Underworld.

Indeed. Tartarus, which had long ago been absorbed into Olympus’s domain, was now rising up.

But according to Yog-Sothoth’s investigation, Tartarus couldn’t exert its full power from its prime.

Even so, Tartarus was still a being with Divine Order.

The Outer God forces, who had easily subdued Atlas and were somehow trying to create a door to Erebos…

Had to postpone their plans slightly when two beings with Divine Order appeared.

“Think about it, Sothoth. With Nyarla in an abnormal state… continuing to pursue Olympus is unreasonable.”

Additionally, Idra also tried to stop him.

Continuing the operation as planned seemed too risky.

Still, he had no intention of retreating.

If they didn’t kill Atlas and Tartarus here, who knew how formidable they might become in the future.

“Let’s just deal with those two and then leave. Support me.”

“Sigh… do something about that damn stubbornness of yours.”

Though Idra complained, she still backed up Yog-Sothoth.

She also thought it would be better to deal with Atlas and Tartarus here.

“We’ll handle this quickly and return. If we can just incorporate the Underworld into our territory…”

Then they could completely remove the residual thoughts of the Blind Idiot God lingering in the Divine Fragment.

Yog-Sothoth smiled as he realized that while the details might not be perfect, the overall plan was proceeding as intended.

But did he know?

That in his domain, a man and woman who had secretly infiltrated to attempt burglary were having a fierce argument.

And though their objectives differed, both would ultimately cause harm to Yog-Sothoth.

No matter what, he would never know.

***

Boom! Rumble!

Lightning swirled around them, instantly evaporating the sweat falling from their bodies.

Radios and Veichel, pointing weapons at each other…

Without any verbal exchange, they attacked, deflected, and countered.

They were communicating only through their eyes what they couldn’t say in words.

‘How could you be alive in the Underworld? You should have been annihilated.’

‘I used a little trick. I just reduced my life force to the minimum before being annihilated and went to the Underworld.’

‘You deserve to rest. I told you I would take down both Olympus and the Outer Gods. So why?’

‘How would you feel if someone told you Arsia would avenge your betrayal in your place?’

‘I’d be grateful.’

‘No, that’s wrong. You’d think: why are you taking away my revenge?’

Every time their weapons clashed and created friction…

Radios and Veichel were continuing their conversation without speaking.

Generally, Radios asked questions, and Veichel answered them.

However, neither of them put any killing intent into their attacks.

If their previous battle had been a bitter fate where they had to kill each other to end it…

This fight was merely happening because Radios couldn’t control his emotions.

Neither had any intention of killing the other.

“Isn’t this enough? Fighting more will only benefit those bastards.”

“Veichel… I don’t want you to commit any more sins. So–“

“Who decides what’s a sin? Are you saying you’ll judge the severity of sins?”

Veichel frowned when the topic of sin came up.

Sin is relative. The same goes for laws.

What’s forbidden in one country might be actively encouraged in another.

When you add a supposedly objective perspective to a relative concept, it’s no longer objective.

“Committing sins? Who decided that?”

“…Veichel.”

“Don’t live trapped in a framework, Radios. Sin is a relative concept… and the origin of sin is ultimately just Olympus.”

Boom.

Killing intent began to form gradually at Veichel’s words.

From her appearance, Radios could tell how much she hated Olympus.

‘No, it’s worse than before.’

Whether she had been hiding it or not, the Veichel that Radios had killed had hatred for Olympus, but…

She didn’t have such uncontrollable anger as she was showing now.

Something had clearly changed in her.

“That tattoo… how long have you had it?”

“This? It started growing when I began devouring spirits, and now it’s proudly become my trademark.”

“…I see.”

Radios thought.

That tattoo seemed reminiscent of the Scythe tattoo that Kraud had.

But he didn’t mention it.

If he said anything more, he would truly have to fight Veichel to the death.

“You said you came to burglarize?”

“Yes. Since I can’t return to the Underworld… and I’m in a spiritual state without a physical body, I was planning to get a suitable body here and escape.”

“I see.”

It made sense that Veichel would be in a soul state since she died and went to the Underworld.

He had personally cremated her body and buried it in the ground, so her original body wouldn’t exist anymore.

‘Should I remove her grave now too?’

Judging by the look in Veichel’s eyes, she had a strong desire to obtain a physical body and take revenge on Olympus.

Therefore, Radios said:

“…I’ll look forward to meeting you again, Veichel.”

“Oh? You’re going to get on my nerves and just leave?”

“Then… shall we go all the way?”

Whoosh.

When Radios revealed his killing intent, this time Veichel took a step back.

She also knew how much he had been holding back.

‘This crazy bastard. Not even devouring spirits yet being this strong is cheating.’

The Radios who had fought her to the death in the past was nowhere to be seen.

The energy emanating from him now was enough to surpass even the 12 Olympian gods.

Of course, if he continued training there, he would become even stronger.

If they clashed with full power… she would lose eight or nine times out of ten.

Veichel knew she still couldn’t match up to Radios.

No matter how many new skills she explored, Radios had the ability to copy others’ skills.

He also had a skill called Divine Killing Bullet that could inflict fatal wounds on beings with Order.

In many ways, he was an opponent too valuable to fight with full power.

“Then let’s part ways here. But if you interfere with me next time…”

“I should be the one declaring war. Expecting anything from our past relationship ends today, Veichel.”

“…Ha! Fine, let’s have a proper fight someday, old comrade.”

Today is the last day he would show respect as a former Guardian Spirit comrade.

Seeing Radios cutting ties so decisively, Veichel embraced a bitter feeling while forcing a cold appearance.

To create a world where humans come first… everything non-human must be excluded.

That includes the goblin clan with whom Radios has close ties.

In other words, they would inevitably clash properly one way or another.

Veichel couldn’t identify what emotions she was feeling.

She could no longer recall what Radios meant to her.

Was he an enemy?

‘Our relationship ends here.’

He was signaling that if she came any closer, they would have to fight properly.

Veichel couldn’t say anything more to him.

She would just leave this place to obtain her physical body.

Radios watched Veichel’s retreating figure with a wistful gaze.

Just before her death, she had told him she loved him.

He didn’t think those words were a lie.

However, the Veichel he met today didn’t seem like Veichel.

‘Someone lacking something, who sacrificed everything for an ideal… a life without self-consideration.’

She somehow didn’t seem to be living as Veichel Breate.

She seemed like she had turned herself into a puppet to create the world she wanted.

He wanted to stop her. He wanted to tell her to stop and join him.

But Radios couldn’t bring himself to say those words.

Because Veichel was a woman who had never once gone back on her decisions.

“…Goodbye.”

If they met again, they truly wouldn’t be able to have this kind of conversation.

They would probably rush at each other with full power, trying to kill each other.

Thinking about that made a part of his heart ache.

If he had just thought about her a little more, if she had been given just a little more time…

Could things have been different?

However.

[There’s no time. Quickly take the fragment and run.]

“Damn it…”

The Blind Idiot God didn’t sympathize with Radios’s feelings and just gave orders.

Time had already been wasted considerably due to the fight with Veichel.

If they weren’t careful, Yog-Sothoth might return and ruin everything.

Radios took the Divine Fragment: Replication and headed toward where he felt energy resonating with it.

Not long after.

Woooong.

“So this is…”

[Divine Fragment: Infinity. It was here.]

Gulp.

Now that the fragment was before him, Radios couldn’t keep his composure.

Because the moment he touched it, he would have to flee at full power.

Radios applied every possible enhancement to his body.

Grab.

The moment he grabbed the fragment.

Kwaaaang!!

He launched himself at full speed toward the gate he had entered through.

And at that moment.

“What the hell..!”

Yog-Sothoth detected something making contact with the Divine Fragment: Infinity he had left at his base.