Published at 2nd of February 2024 7:14 am

Chapter 348: What’s Important Is Not Being Right, but Whether One Can Find Personal Conviction

This chapter is updated by JustRead.pl

“Hillpeople, Elartan…. are the Demon King’s subjects!? Then, what was the history we’ve been taught all this time!?”

The truth spoken by the Demon King was an astounding shock, perhaps for those living in this world, unlike for me and Tia, the outsiders. Ginta’s voice echoed almost like a scream… However, in a different sense, I turned to Ginta.

“……Ginta? Your manner of speaking…?”

“Huh!? Th-this isn’t, Gyo… what the heck is going on, Gyo!”

“No, that’s a bit too late to say…”

“Come to think of it, you said that you adopted that way of speaking because of someone’s influence. Is that perhaps your normal way of speaking?”

“That’s not it, Gyo! There’s absolutely no chance of that happening! I’ve been speaking like this for the past two years, Gyo!”

“Two years… that’s fairly recent… well, nevermind.”

While there was room for banter, listening to the Demon King’s story took precedence now. As we regained our focus, the Demon King resumed the narrative.

“…Let’s continue. I mentioned ‘born and die,’ but I myself am ageless. My body could be harmed and lost, but my soul remained unshaken by such trivialities. So, I could quickly mend physical damage, essentially possessing eternal youth and immortality. However, the beings born from my blood and flesh are different. They were born like humans, bore children like them, and eventually passed away. Living underwater due to my influence was impossible, and they couldn’t reproduce with underwater humans. Instead, they became the ‘Children of the Eternal Earth, El-Tartan,’ a separate human race that took root in this world. It was peaceful. Fulfilled. Of course, there were plenty of problems like discrimination, prejudices, disparities, and even bloody conflicts, but that was life. While developing the surface entrusted by Nuoh, I sought the future with the underwater beings nurtured by Nuoh, and the world progressed… However, something obstructed that progress, arriving one day from the sky.”

At that point, the Demon King paused, casting a resentful gaze towards his left half. The white something, deeply embedded like plant roots, was still faintly pulsating.

“We didn’t understand what it was at first. But Nuoh soon told me that it was different from him, a fragment of a much larger divine power. And suddenly, without even waiting for us to approach, it began to destroy the world. Its power was overwhelming. Being weakened by acquiring a physical vessel, I couldn’t stop it. The world was being eroded rapidly. Even if we exhausted ourselves to defeat it, the next day, it revived as if nothing happened. Our last resort against such an enemy was to seal it. Of course, sealing an entity that destroys worlds would be impossible with just any material. But I had an idea of the best material for it. And that was…”

“Your own body, I suppose…”

I inadvertently murmured, and the Demon King smirked with my face.

“That’s right. Binding with an eternal body and restraining it with an immortal soul. Is there a better material for sealing? Without hesitation, I absorbed the fragment of the god into myself and suppressed it. And to maintain that seal as long as possible, I even layered a seal upon myself. Not just from the surface but from a depth of 12,000 meters, far beyond even Nuoh’s light, at this bottom of the valley.”

“A lightless valley… does that mean, by any chance, this is the ‘Bottomless Abyss’ at the very bottom, Gyo!?”

“Hmm? Is that what it’s called in modern times? I don’t know, but if you think so, it’s probably true.”

To Ginta’s surprise, the Demon King spoke gently. Judging from his demeanor and the contents of his narrative, it seemed that the Demon King had an extraordinary attachment to Ginta… or rather, to the “humans” created by Nuoh in this world.

Well, naturally. If that weren’t the case, there’s no way he’d be here in this form.

“How much time has passed since then… Ginta. You mentioned that I was sealed ‘a long time ago,’ but just how much time has passed? Have my subjects left behind, are they still living on the surface… above the water?”

“That is…”

In response to the Demon King’s inquiry, Ginta clenched his jagged teeth. And in that expression, the Demon King displayed a lonely smile.

“Ah, I see… Well, should I praise and commend myself for being sealed with a fragment of a god for that long? Hahaha… But, I’m sorry. It seems that time is running short. Hence, that’s why you all are here.”

“Does that mean you teleported us along with the ship?”

At Tia’s question, the Demon King nodded.

“More accurately, it was the emergency mechanism attached to the key that activated. Perhaps, before coming here, did you feel something like suffocation? Also, what about the seal of the gate?”

“Well… I’m fine now, but if passing out wasn’t due to the key’s power, it might have been because of that suffocation. As for the gate…”

“It was slightly ajar, Gyo.”

“I see. That was likely because the seal, reaching its limit, was about to break from the inside. Hence, for a moment, the laws of this world set by Nuoh seemed to vanish.

And the forced teleportation was a result of the key, sensing the weakening seal, forcibly summoning you here using the power intended to return you to the surface. I apologize.”

“It seems that the easy way was only one way. Returning might indeed become quite an adventure.”

“Indeed. Enjoy it to the fullest.”

As I made a joking remark, the Demon King chuckled lightly. However, his expression quickly turned serious, and he looked straight into my eyes.

“I’ve mostly said what needed to be said… From here on, it’s purely my wish. Hey, my true self, End Roll, Demon King Of The End. I want you to end me along with these detestable fragments of the god…… Please.”

“…Is that alright?”

In response to the Demon King’s wish, I quietly asked back. Then, with an expression mixed with relief and resignation, the Demon King weakly shook his head.

“Yes, it’s fine. In fact, it might be the best option. Frankly, this was a rather risky gamble. There was no guarantee that you would arrive while I maintained the seal, and having you come, having transformed into something different under Nuoh’s blessings, I couldn’t even predict your actions.

Therefore, if I hadn’t made it in time, or if you had indeed been an existence that brought about the end of this world as your name suggests… I would have decayed here, and eventually, the world would have met its end according to your or that God’s desires.

But you came. A hero existing to eliminate outsiders like us. You reached me, the endpoint, hand in hand with the hero, beloved child of Nuoh, the will of this world. What else can you call this but fate? With my end, the world will continue. There couldn’t be anything more I desire.”

“…I see.”

Facing the Demon King’s powerless smile, I unsheath my sword at my waist. The seal of the gate was already broken, and my power had returned. Thus, the blade, shining like a dawn in the dark underwater world, slowly enveloped in a black light that would bring about an end.

“W-Wait, Ed!? What are you planning to do, Gyo!?”

At my action, Ginta called out. But I only glanced at him sideways, never diverting my gaze from the Demon King.

“What I’ve just heard… I’m going to fulfill his wish.”

“Fulfilling his wish means, from the context of the conversation, killing him, right? That’s definitely not right, Gyo!”

“…It’s not killing, it’s ending.”

“I don’t understand the difference, Gyo! Or, will this person be safe and sound?”

“That… seems impossible. Sorry, but I don’t possess such a kind power.”

“Then, it’s definitely not okay, Gyo!”

“Haah… Ginta, if I…”

“If you insist!”

Trembling legs, trembling hands, trembling voice… Yet, Ginta stood in front of me with a spear in hand.

“I’ll be your opponent, Gyo!”

The last obstacle to remove the god’s fragment capable of destroying the world.

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