episode_0105

000

The Masu, Humbaba, that came from another dimension was a seed of disaster that humans created themselves.

The original world was destroyed by ancient wars and the descent of the Golden Comet, and humanity disappeared once, but by the will of the star, a new humanity was created and the second world, the Successor World, began.

The humans of the Successor World also developed in a similar way to the humans of the Original World, and prospered as the new rulers of the star.

However, if there was a difference between the Successor World and the Original World, it was that there were relics left by the ancient people in the Successor World – that is, the humans of the Original World, from the Successor World’s perspective.

In the ancient Successor World, which began to take an interest in their relics, a great kingdom ruled the entire star.

In order to make the country more prosperous and enrich the lives of the people, they began to investigate the relics of the Original World, which were incomprehensible to the humans of that time.

Soon, they discovered a research lab of the Original World inside a huge ruin.

Humans were unable to even understand the ruins and the research lab with their own construction technology, but inside the research lab, there was an artificial spirit left by the humans of the Original World.

The artificial spirit welcomed the new humans and began to impart the knowledge of the Original World to them.

The method of forging holy swords and magic swords, the summoning of spirits, the method of making automata, and so on….

The king began to trust the artificial spirit, who bestowed knowledge upon them, more than any other vassal in the country.

Based on the knowledge of the artificial spirits, the kingdom developed day by day, and the voices of the people praising the king, who had achieved utopia, never ceased.

But the king also had a concern.

That is, the star’s resources are limited, and if his kingdom, which had already reached its golden age, continued to consume resources in this way, destruction would eventually come to them as well.

The fact that the technologies of the Original World, which had enriched humans, were ironically accelerating the shortening of the star’s lifespan was also one of the secrets that could not be revealed to the people.

The king asked the artificial spirit for guidance. Is there no way for the human world to continue even if the star’s resources are depleted?

The artificial spirit replied.

[Including this world, there are countless worlds in the world, and there is a dimension like a passage between those worlds. If you open the gap in that dimension and draw resources from another world, your kingdom and this world will be eternal.]

Hearing that story, the king learned how to open the gap in the dimension from them and began to manufacture armor for exploration that could pass through it.

The materials requested by the artificial spirit were all bizarre in their manufacturing methods, and some were so sacrilegious that they used humans as materials.

The king did not doubt the artificial spirit and, captivated by the mission to save the world, forged the black armor.

That was the completed two-dimensional exploration-only body [Enkidu].

The outer shell was made of `Soul Eater Metal`, which swallowed countless souls in order to complete a single world that completely isolated the inside and outside to protect the rider from the contaminated magical power accumulated in the gap of another dimension.

Self-recovery and evolution capabilities that can adapt to the surrounding environment so that it can operate in any harsh environment.

An auxiliary autonomous personality that was customized to resonate with the rider and draw out abilities by referring to the holy sword and magic sword.

And weapons mounted to seamlessly respond to everything from hand-to-hand combat to long-range combat by transforming the entire body.

All that remained was to use this to directly set foot in the gap of another dimension, discover another dimension, and connect the worlds.

And saying that the king himself, and no one else, had to do this dangerous task, the king abdicated the throne to his daughter on the day Enkidu was completed and disappeared into the gap of another dimension, riding Enkidu.

No one, including the king’s vassals, doubted that the king, who was also the strongest warrior in the kingdom, would embark on an expedition for the world and return with a bright future.

However, it was a harsh thing for them.

From the beginning, such a convenient story could not exist.

As soon as Enkidu and the king entered the gap of the dimension and the passage closed.

The artificial spirit, which had been hiding inside Enkidu, swallowed Enkidu’s auxiliary personality and began to move Enkidu according to its own will.

The king was only slowly withering and dying inside the closed world created by the Soul Eater Metal, constantly absorbing his life force and magical power as a human battery to move Enkidu.

From the beginning, the artificial spirit’s purpose was to find another world where there were those who could destroy the world of the humans who had replaced their world and connect it to the Successor World.

No, it wasn’t even an artificial spirit.

It was truly an ancient person who had endured countless hours while maintaining only his spirit, although his body had perished in the destruction of the Original World.

Later, he, who was called the Black Heretic, wandered through the gap of another dimension, and he could not help but be affected by the contaminated magical power there.

He endured it, driven only by a misdirected hatred for the humans of the Successor World and a grudge against the star.

After enduring for more than a decade, he finally found it.

Fire and sulfur. Power and violence. A world of black magic and demons.

Taking from the futile fantasies of humans, he named the other dimension “Hell.”

The moment Enkidu observed Hell, Hell also observed Enkidu.

The five lords of Hell approached Enkidu and realized the evil in the soul inside.

It was a soul so black and corrupted that it deserved to be accepted as their comrade.

The king had already turned into a mummy and withered away inside, and at the moment he touched Hell, his life was exhausted and he crumbled into dust inside.

Burning the king’s inescapable soul as energy, Enkidu adapted and transformed his body to Hell.

It was like a `ritual to summon a demon into the body`.

When black magical power wrapped around the armor, a black beast with a mud-like surface appeared in its place.

The one who was `Enkidu` led the demons who had become his comrades and returned to the king’s hometown.

Five great demons.

Satanail, Samael, Yaldabaoth, Yahweh, Shaklas.

And the worst, greatest, and oldest great demonic beast standing at their center.

Humbaba tore open the gap of the dimension and appeared, turning the world into Hell.

Humans suffered a great destruction, losing almost all the knowledge they had learned.

Utopia no longer existed, many died, and most became slaves of demons.

Humbaba – the Black Heretic was delighted.

Even if the star’s life is exhausted, his purpose will be accomplished if the false humans disappear.

All that remains is to watch the destruction coming to them.

But the star’s will had already gained a great awakening from the previous failure.

The opponent brought in from the outside, the Golden Comet, had too much power, so it failed.

Already, there were humans with numerous possibilities growing their strength on this land.

The warriors of the holy sword overcame trials as opponents of the demons, gained strength, practiced the will of the star, and sealed the demons.

Humbaba fell last, and it was she who tore the Black Heretic’s soul from the demonic beast.

A girl who led the country admirably after sending her father into the gap of another dimension in her childhood, but lost everything due to the echo of ancient evil.

But a princess who survived even the demons’ rule and led humans.

Holding a sword that would never break in her hand, she, who cut off the demonic beast’s neck, was the existence at the pinnacle among the opponents of the `demon` chosen by the will of the star.

The princess banished all the demons to their original dimension and then tried to find a way to destroy the ancient person’s soul that was residing in the demonic beast.

However, since the destruction of a soul with a strong obsession required many sacrifices, she chose to seal him in the ancient person’s tomb.

Similar to Soul Eater Metal, she created a stone tablet with the power to hold souls and divided the ancient person’s soul into three parts, sealing each of them.

The world suffered so much damage that it could not return to the days before the demons ruled.

Many technologies were lost, and things that were taken for granted could no longer be reproduced.

But humanity did not repeat the failure of the Original World.

They survived properly and took the path to the future.

001

[GRUWAAAAAAOOOOO!!!!]

The roaring of the beast echoed inside the barrier that imprisoned him.

Humbaba, who had been completed once again in the gap of another dimension using a human battery named Lyle, let out a roar of anger.

With himself and the demons alone, the previous events would only be repeated, so it was necessary to summon the Golden Comet that had destroyed the Original World once again.

But everything he had arranged was about to disappear once again due to the opponents prepared by the will of the star.

[Why, will of the star!! Coordinator of the world! Why did you so easily lead our world to destruction, but you don’t let this world do the same!!!]

At the sight of the giant beast with red mud like blood flowing from its eyes, the casters who were spreading the barrier around it falter in their concentration with the fear rising from inside their bodies.

“Keuk…!”

As the magicians staggered, the thickness of the barrier also gradually disappeared.

The enormous concentration of magical power spewed out along with the roar of hatred was weighing down not only their bodies but also their minds.

And there will be many who are feeling fear at the very fact that the demonic beast that led the world to destruction in ancient times has descended on this world once again.

As Humbaba took a step, the place was immediately submerged in darkness, and sulfur fire rose from the ground.

Its very existence was eroding the surrounding world.

“I, it’s impossible… There’s no way we can defeat a monster like that.”

A magician, whose will was completely broken by the sight, tries to drop his staff.

If even one of the 13 casters maintaining this barrier is missing, the barrier will not be able to maintain its form.

Of course, that should not happen.

The head of the Department of Divinity grabs the shoulder of the caster behind him, who is trying to drop his staff, and injects magical power into him.

It was a type of divine magic that calms the mind, but it was enough to help the magician regain his composure.

“Demons will try to break your hearts first. You must endure. Until they stop the demons.”

The head of the department said that and looked at the four people who had appeared by passing through the gate of the dimension that had unfolded inside the barrier.

A magician with red hair. A cleric with green hair. A hunter with orange hair.

And a black-haired magic swordsman with a red sword in one hand and a white holy sword in the other.

It was Kleon and his party.

“Come to think of it. Isn’t this the first time the four of us are fighting together in one place like this?”

As Sasha spoke while holding her bow, Kuon and Kleon also replied, “Come to think of it…”

[Five.]

Iona spoke as if to tell them not to forget about her, and Kleon nodded.

[Detestable opponents of the Successor World… Puppets of the star’s will…!]

Humbaba, seeing those who had fearlessly crossed the barrier and revealed themselves in front of him, glared at them with a blazing gaze.

In the next moment, the mud of his body stretched out like a whip and rushed to grab them.

Each one twisted in the air like a living snake and split into dozens, hundreds, and poured down.

Immediately, the four people scattered from where they were standing and began to fend off the tentacles of mud rushing towards them.

Arrows of magical power collided with the tentacles, and when divine magical power exploded, the mud that was aiming for Kuon burst on the spot.

A wall of fire protected Ryla, and when Kleon swung his sword, numerous strands fell on the spot.

“Judging from the fact that it can’t break through the barrier, its power isn’t complete. As expected, we need to pull out the core biological battery and destroy this form.”

Ryla said that, and using flight magic from the wall of fire, she flew out and detonated a giant fireball towards the leg part that was creating the tentacles.

Then, a big explosion occurred, and the mud in the leg part evaporated, temporarily preventing that part from maintaining its form.

However, the mud quickly regenerated and recovered before it lost its balance.

“Tch, these regenerative golem-type monsters are the most annoying…”

Ryla clicked her tongue and increased her altitude to use magic with even greater power.

“Prometheus Gate!”

The red magic circle that appeared in the air spewed out numerous spears of fire, trying to tear Humbaba to pieces.

However, a head in the shape of an ominous bird aimed at Ryla and opened its beak.

The spears of fire also entered the beak, but it didn’t seem to care at all.

And Ryla quickly lowered her altitude at the eerie feeling that swept through her entire body and moved away from the direction her eyes and mouth were looking.

A mass of magical power, compressed inside her mouth, began to take shape, and with a roar, she fired a giant pillar-like magical power cannon.

It used its enormous mass to tear through the magic circle as a whole and erase the magic, and of course, it also made a hole in the barrier that was momentarily confining him.

“Wha, what was that just now. Breath? This guy isn’t even a dragon-”

Ryla said in a flustered voice, and everyone outside also looked up at the sky and swallowed.

If that was not aimed at the sky like just now, but at the direction where the casters maintaining the barrier are-

No, more than that, if it was aimed at the place where people have taken refuge-

No one could easily predict the worst situation.

Cold sweat dripped down Ryla’s spine.

If she had been even a little lower in altitude, she realized that the lives of many people would be at stake with just one choice of position in this fight.

“..Haha…”

A dry laugh flowed from her lips. Had she ever fought with this kind of burden and responsibility before?

If she naturally turned her gaze towards Sasha and Kuon, feeling like she was about to be crushed.

Sasha was activating the seals to the maximum in order to fend off the numerous attacks aiming at Kuon using arrows of magical power.

Under Sasha’s help, Kuon was constantly purifying the surroundings to protect others from being contaminated by the magical power of the other dimension, and at the same time, she was supporting Kleon with auxiliary magic.

With Kuon’s help, Kleon was running around in all directions, finding parts where the flow of magical power was weak, swinging his holy sword, and attacking those parts intensively, trying to create a gap in Humbaba in any way possible.

Ryla herself did not feel the same pressure in Kuon and Sasha’s eyes.

She could tell the reason in an instant.

No matter how huge and powerful the existence in front of them is, and even if it is an avatar of terror.

That was because they had an ally who was stronger and more reliable than anyone else in their opinion.

“… …”

Ryla realized that their mental support was making them stronger.

And maybe.

The reason she was able to use Dragon Tongue magic without hesitation in the fight against the Isolation Tree, where her memory was vague-.

In the next moment, Kleon raised his head at the huge magical power reaction felt from the sky.

There, he could see Ryla chanting something while spreading magic circles in eight directions around her.

It’s different from Dragon Tongue magic – that’s a limited magic that can only be used with a catalyst called Luti’s scales.

It wasn’t just Kleon who felt that magical power reaction. Humbaba also raised his head and looked at Ryla’s side.

Once again, his mouth was opened, and the magical power that had gathered in his mouth was about to take shape and turn into a breath.

This time, however, Ryla was not moving from that spot and was continuing to create magic.

“Kleon!”

At Kuon’s cry, Kleon flew up at a speed close to the speed of sound and kicked the beast’s jaw upwards from below.

But even so, the correction of the trajectory was not enough, so Ryla was still within the range of the breath.

“─Therefore, this is our proof of existence. The eyes of those who hold the secrets of fire. We are the watchers. We are the fire of destruction. We are the embers of regeneration.”

“Ryla! Dodge!”

Kline’s cry was indifferent, and the black magical power was sprayed directly on Ryla’s body.

Everyone’s eyes had no choice but to widen, because Ryla had disappeared into Humbaba’s breath as it was.

Only the staff she was holding fell to the ground.

Everyone, including Kleon, looked at the situation with their mouths shut.

However, the beast’s lips went up, and he spoke with a bitter smile.

[One down first…. That wench who disturbed my mind with low-level magic….]

“Don’t kill her as you please, okay?”

In the next moment, Ryla’s voice echoed once again in the air.

With the sound of fire igniting, red flames spontaneously rose up as if fire magic had been activated and greatly increased in size.

“Magical Path, Flamewatch.”

Soon. The fire transformed into a human form.

There, the `Fire Magician`, who was burning red with her entire body turned into flames, was looking at Humbaba with literally burning eyes.

“Is that… Ryla?”

“Who else would it be.”

Ryla shrugged at Kleon’s murmur and smiled.

“…It’s magic I’ve never seen before.”

“Well, that’s right. It’s magic that you shouldn’t use recklessly in the first place…. I used it because I trust you.”

Ryla looked at Kleon and waved her hand lightly.

Then, flames several times stronger than the magic she usually used rose up in a state of no chanting and burned Humbaba’s surface.

[GRUAAAAAAA!]

“I’m going to burn you with all my strength. Along with my weakness.”

Ryla looks down at the hideous beast with a cold voice.

That figure was the `Avatar of Fire` itself.