The city built underground is quite far from the surface. There is a thick layer of ground between them, so what happens above ground rarely affects the underground.

    Because of this, it is nearly impossible for a normal demon to dig the ground and sneak in, so they have to enter through a building like a casino.

    So the casino and other buildings were sort of gates. They had various functions, such as verifying identity, exchanging chips, etc., but Hyunho decided not to give them any more significance than just a passageway into the underground city.

    “I think it’s something like this.”

    The door is used by people who have too much time or no strength.

    He had no intention of entering honestly, having confirmed that he felt a familiar aura in the basement. Sometimes, when he was busy, he could go through the window.

    I took a stance on the flat, level ground. This was probably the center. The others also seemed almost ready.

    [I’m excited because I feel like I’m doing something bad. When can I press it?]

    The automaton holding a switch in its hand looked this way and spoke.

    In this situation, it’s also a bit exciting to look like this… I was going to do it anyway without being urged. I put my right hand on the ground and checked the range of the spell again.

    “Bartholin, are you ready?”

    – Yeah. It’s firmly rooted.

    Now that I had handed over complete control of my arm to her, my left arm had transformed into a strange creature with writhing purple tentacles.

    Although not all of the tentacles appeared to be deeply embedded in the ground, they gave an idea of how widely the sensations were transmitted directly to the brain.

    The damp earth, the large rocks stuck in the middle, the cement lid that had been cut in advance. It all felt wide. It was a strange experience that the human body could not feel.

    Take a deep breath and give the signal.

    [I’ll press it, yup!]

    As the clicking sound was heard, a series of explosive sounds engulfed the area.

    Dust was rising from all sides, and I could feel the pressure of my left hand, which was buried deep in the ground. Right now.

    As the prepared spell was activated, Hyunho felt the pressure being applied to his body.

    It was a strange sensation, as if my legs were supporting several times the normal load, but my arms were actually being pulled into the air.

    Half of the dust that had risen into the air quickly settled down, while the other half was falling toward the sky.

    “Ugh-!”

    In the midst of the imbalance of gravity, Hyunho pulled his left arm.

    The tentacles’ hands, buried deep in the ground, grabbed the surrounding soil. The arms, which stretched out for tens of meters, held the earth in their hands to prevent it from collapsing.

    All that remains is to pull it together with strength and skill.

    The ground that I held tightly cracked. The rock I stepped on was engraved with footprints. I thought I could hear a creaking sound coming from the body that had been stripped of its humanity.

    That’s how the change happened.

    – Okay! Let’s move on!

    Hyunho, who had been pulling his arm to the limit, released his strength.

    A kind of fulcrum that causes the initial twist. One movement is followed by the next by inertia. One side goes up, the other side goes down.

    That’s how the earth was turned upside down.

    ***

    The chaos in the underground city accelerated even further. It was only natural that the entire city began to shake, not to mention the explosion of the people next to it.

    While everyone was caught up in the chaos, the person who had actually caused the small earthquake was standing still with his arm stuck in the half-tilted lid.

    “Ugh… Hey, could you please pull me over?”

    Hyunho was struggling with his hands on the ceiling. The automaton, looking at him pitifully, snapped at him.

    [Just cut it. It’ll grow back anyway, right?]

    “Hey, what are you talking about… No. ”

    When making the plan, I didn’t take the arm out. Since disassembly is the reverse of assembly, I thought I could just pull it out again. Hyunho cut off his left arm with a wooden sword with a sad face.

    “Ouch, oh my gosh! Ss …

    Just because it looks like slime doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt. When I cut off my left arm, a burning pain like being cut by a knife ran down my arm.

    The left arm, that is, the purple, slimy mass, began to slosh back into its original shape. It felt thinner than before, as if a considerable amount had been stuck in the ground.

    – You just left that much behind…

    Bartholin looked quite regretful, but it would fall off on its own over time. There was no need to retrieve it now.

    What if it doesn’t come off? You should drink water diligently. Even if you lose an arm, you can get better by drinking water and taking a nap. Hyunho clenched his left hand and looked around.

    “It’s a total mess.”

    It was a total mess, with the demons trying to run away, the dolls quietly standing in place, and even those taking advantage of the chaos to carry out personal business.

    – There’s no need to sneak in like we planned. What are you going to do?

    Bartholin saw a vortex of blood rising through the air, swallowing up so many people that it was the size of a house.

    “Still, the work that needs to be done remains the same.”

    The automaton approached Hyunho, who was standing still with his wings spread in the air. It seemed to be creating the functions he wanted whenever he needed them. It was the first time I saw it, but it was a natural flight. She asked Hyunho what to do next.

    [Are you going straight to Helia?]

    That too is something that needs to be done, but the essence is different.

    “No, save the people first.”

    The reason I came here was not to take revenge on Helia. It was to save the demons and dolls living here. Defeating her was just a means to an end. It was more like a subquest that I didn’t have to clear.

    Even though he said that, the clash with Helia was unavoidable. He had no intention of avoiding it. Hyunho flapped his wings widely, thinking that this match would be different.

    The target is a vortex of blood suspended in the air, a collection of strange powers that distort time and suck energy from everything they touch.

    Hyunho looked at that sight and recalled the sight of himself and his comrades in the castle. The broken and rusted Mayhen sword. His own heart ripped out. It was a past that would not change no matter how much he regretted it. He approached the center of the whirlpool.

    – Are you okay? Can you do it?

    In response to Bartholin’s question, which seemed to show concern, Hyunho silently raised his hand and put it inside.

    As I brought my hand closer, the orb of blood licked my arm, its veins flickering. The skin that had once been swept over turned black before returning to its original color.

    A mass of aura. The fear of the demons who had just died. Resentment, anger. A collection of negative emotions.

    The part that touched the blood had its energy drained, but Hyunho was able to read the thoughts inside instead. The final words of those facing death were not very pleasant to see.

    Remembering the past is not for regret, because turning back time doesn’t change what has already happened.

    That was for the present. To look back on the past and decide the future. He had the ability to do that.

    “I’m sorry, but I’ve already seen it once.”

    Hyunho muttered like that and then put his hand into the center of the sphere.

    Once I saw it, I could easily imitate it. When I was naked and had nothing, it was difficult to imitate the knights’ movements because I lacked physical condition. As proof, now that I have a strong body, I can imitate the knights’ techniques very easily.

    In that sense, the blood controlled by the former emperor, Karl, was easy to handle. The power I have been using until now. The power of the goddess who can twist time and overturn the results.

    The conditions for using that power had been met long ago.

    “What, it’s easier than I thought.”

    The blood that had been pulsing like a heart was compressed into a fist and placed on Hyunho’s hand. It was such a simple thing that he couldn’t understand why he had been helpless in the last match.

    Or maybe I got stronger. Hyunho thought it would be better if it was the latter, and stared at the mass of energy in his hand.

    Although I succeeded in capturing it, it was difficult to utilize it. Countless lives had been sacrificed, and the energy still had thoughts. I did not want to absorb even this.

    Hyunho held it in his arms and looked down at the village. Karl’s power that had been blocking the road had now disappeared.

    It was good that I saved the people in danger, but once the situation was over, I was the one in trouble. I turned to Helia’s castle before everyone noticed. It would have been trouble if it had been known that the situation was over.

    The goal was to create a crystal pillar that would spread light throughout the city. The idea was to temporarily obscure the truth by extinguishing the light.

    At that moment, a red aircraft flew in and hit Hyunho.

    “Kekekeke-!”

    As if shooting a flying disc with a gun, Hyunho bounced off and hit a nearby building. The only difference was that the bullet had a greater mass than the disc. The field of vision changed in an instant, and the dust rose, so he couldn’t see the projectile, but it was obvious even without looking.

    “Are you the one who started this commotion?”

    The voice I had heard once made me more certain. No matter what, it was a surprise attack. Did he think that I ruined his city? Well, if I think about it as the price I paid for hitting him in the back of the head last time, it was just retribution.

    A tall figure that looked huge even outside the hazy field of vision. The air was scorching hot. It was the appearance of Helia, the tyrant of the underground city and the dragon of flames.

    0 Comments

    Heads up! Your comment will be invisible to other guests and subscribers (except for replies), including you after a grace period.
    Note
    // Script to navigate with arrow keys