The preparations for battle were completed in an instant.
This was a battle of an unprecedented scale – the final war against the Creator.
Despite such monumental stakes, the crew of the Uuga moved without hesitation. Though their faces had been pale with dread during the meeting, they now worked with a swiftness that seemed to say, “We’re used to this.”
However, there were still those who needed to be rallied.
These were the warriors who had been forcibly teleported to the Uuga by Echel, effectively kidnapped. They had fought fiercely until the absolute last moment before the Creator’s appearance, only to then evacuate to the Uuga.
“There are so many,” Ul commented plainly as he watched the assembled warriors from behind a pillar near the newly constructed second boarding gate on the outer edge of Dragon Swallow Uuga. The number of warriors far exceeded his imagination.
“Echel really worked hard,” Shizuku said.
“I did!” Echel nodded vigorously in response to Ul’s observation.
“You could say I caused quite a stir,” Jain interjected, causing Echel to shrink back immediately. Even at this critical juncture, her emotions were transparent and rapidly shifting. Victor and Ikaza, who had been addressing the warriors, nodded.
“They are those who, after receiving information, chose to fight alongside us,” Victor stated.
“I thought I might be killed depending on the situation,” one of the warriors grumbled.
“It’s not like anyone thinks this predicament is entirely your fault…” Victor began, then trailed off as he glanced toward the warriors. They clenched their fists tightly and shouted.
“Hey! Come out, Ash King! Let us beat you up!”
“My house was blown up! Let me punch you once!”
“Explain in detail! And let me punch you too!”
“Many are furious. So, for now, show your face. Otherwise, we can’t possibly get organized,” Victor urged.
“If they each get to punch him once, won’t he be killed?” a warrior questioned.
It seemed that asking for cooperation from those whose lives had been thrown into chaos, and who were in a hostile state, was indeed a bit too much. But this…
“Isn’t this your own doing?” Davine remarked.
“Yeah, I guess… Wait, Eckstein, you’re back already?”
Before he knew it, Eckstein had returned to the Uuga. Ul stared at Eckstein with a dubious gaze, but he simply shrugged and smiled.
“I couldn’t miss the Ash King’s speech, could I?”
“Do you really think I can give a proper speech?” Ul retorted.
“Not at all,” Eckstein replied instantly, and Ul laughed.
“Don’t underestimate me, you’re absolutely right.”
His life had not been one where he could deliver a proper speech. As he considered this, some of the tension left his shoulders. There was no point in trying to do something he couldn’t. He couldn’t persuade them with eloquent words, so attempting to do so would be futile.
He decided to say what needed to be said as it came. With that, Ul stepped forward.
“Well, I am the Ash King.”
“Is he a comedian?”
Ul ignored Eckstein’s quip.
◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆
The moment Ul appeared, a murmur went through the warriors, followed by a brief silence. He had expected an immediate barrage of insults, but apparently, some semblance of reason remained. Just as he thought this, one of the warriors stepped forward. Ul recognized the dwarf, who wore an expression that clearly conveyed his desire to punch Ul squarely in the face.
“You…!”
It was Begud of the White Sea Ripples.
“Ah, senpai,” Ul replied.
“I’m going to hit you. No, let me hit you…! And do you have anything to say, any excuses?”
“No,” Ul answered without hesitation. Begud’s brow furrowed deeply.
“You have nothing? Do you understand what you’ve done…?”
“You went charging in during the war between the Sun God and the Evil God, creating a stalemate, and then further stirred up the pot with a vanguard force, resulting in a disaster that threatens to destroy the world.”
“Do you understand that…!”
He understood. He truly did. If he didn’t, he wouldn’t be standing here now. What he had done was the height of selfishness, and the dire straits the world was in could be attributed to his self-serving actions. There was no room for excuses. He could accept being killed right now without complaint. Because of this, Ul had stepped forward.
However, before Begud could say anything more, another person came forward. Facing the elder leaning on his staff, Ul’s expression softened slightly.
“Light Bearer, it’s been a while.”
“Oh, it has indeed, Ul,” the Light Bearer priest, who had apparently gone to great lengths for Ul during the Sun Eater incident and after Ul was imprisoned in Scor, waved cheerfully. Ul bowed his head in earnest. Before all this chaos, he and the elder had been on such terms that they exchanged letters.
“Truly, things have become quite troublesome. Now, Ul.”
“Yes.”
“In this situation, we do not grasp everything. Likely, there is information we do not know. Therefore, I will not press you with questions. The situation is dire.”
“I understand.”
Unfortunately, there was no time to discuss matters. Even if they were to talk, the situation was too complicated to settle anything. Therefore, Ul had no intention of explaining everything to everyone present. However, this elder warrior of the Light Bearer seemed to understand that as well.
“So, at the very least, please reveal your inner thoughts.”
“My inner thoughts?”
“Given the circumstances, you must be short on time. Therefore, what is needed is understanding.”
His words lacked physical strength. They were the words of an old, frail voice. Yet, they resonated so deeply. Was it because he had long fulfilled a role of guiding many?
“I don’t know if you can be convinced to fight with me.”
“If you were truly a person who garnered no sympathy, no one would have gathered here.”
Ul observed the warriors, who waited silently for his words. He scratched his head once, then finally turned his gaze to everyone.
“I never really liked this world.”
◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆
“I was Nameless, and I faced discrimination to some extent, so I had more unpleasant memories,” Ul explained. In truth, Ul’s life up to that point had not been one of privilege. He had wandered through various cities with his sister, who was not recognized as human. During that time, he had been exposed to much malice and hostility, and he had faced discrimination. While he hadn’t passively endured all of it, there were times when he had no choice but to flee. As a child from the lowest layer with no power, his unpleasant experiences weren’t just a few. Even after becoming an Adventurer and gaining strength, he had often felt the same. Ul understood himself not to be a saint who could bless the world even after enduring such tragic circumstances, unlike Diz.
“But, during the Sun Eater, seeing so many people fighting made me happy.”
Of course, during the battle itself, there was no time to think such thoughts amidst the chaos, busyness, and danger. But looking back on the battle of the Sun Eater, a warmth welled up inside him.
“It made me realize that I am where I am today because so many people supported me with all their might.”
Countless warriors had fought desperately. They had strived to prevent the destruction of the world. The truth of that had a profound impact on Ul. He had thought, “It’s not something to be thrown away.” He still felt that way, even after learning the truth of this world. Even if the structure of this world was filled with malice, he understood that the goodness of the people who lived within it would not be lost.
“Participating then was for my own convenience, but I resolved to do my best… though it was so hellish that I almost broke midway… still, I was proud to become a part of the supporting force, even at the fringes.”
He remembered again what a terrible battle it had been and let out a small laugh.
“So, honestly, I was angry that we were left out of the final moments, of the battlefield. We were told to stay in a safe place. ‘We’ll take all the fallout,’ they said.”
“Ouch, that stings,” Davine winced, while Shizuku looked down slightly. Ul chuckled, looking at the two of them.
“Well, so, I think one of the reasons I wanted to protect the two of you, to reject this terrible situation… was because I wanted to deny that a world I thought wasn’t fit to be discarded would tolerate accepting such a terrible situation.”
The world, where everyone had desperately struggled to resist, to survive, and to support each other, was allowing two girls to be sacrificed. That fact had angered him. Of course, it wasn’t the only reason. The elements surrounding Ul were chaotic. But that undoubtedly became a significant factor.
“I’ve come to like this world quite a bit. So, I just wanted to do something about it… And now,” Ul turned around. The newly constructed boarding gate on the outer periphery was very close to the Uuga’s head, and the view outside was clear.
“That god,” he continued, “is currently at the center of Sin City Plaudia, where True Babel once stood, impersonating a Giant God.” He was mechanically drawing a massive magic circle in the sky with his six arms, as if unconcerned by anything. Ul explained, “He says that because his creation was flawed, he will erase everything, turn it to ash, and start over.” He wasn’t protecting, wasn’t defeating, wasn’t destroying or recreating. He was simply erasing everything to a pure white, and then building anew. That was his intention.
“Certainly, this place is a world of mixed villains and good people, a world that is difficult and unmanageable.” Ul turned his back to the warriors and walked forward. Those who had chosen to fight with him followed as if compelled.
“We make mistakes, we make embarrassing displays, and we say foolish things, but…” He stepped onto the huge tank that had been prepared. It had been mounted on the Uuga for a long time and had been gathering dust for a while, but Davine had serviced and modified it.
“However,” he declared, standing tall on the scaffold made of Machine Screw atop the tank. Pulling the Machine Screw armored tank were two horses, a giant white and a giant black horse. They whinnied as if to say, “You’re slow.” Ul offered a wry smile.
“Just because it’s not beautiful, or because it’s tarnished—” Ul glared at the god, who sat enthroned in the center of the Ark in Plaudia, and declared, “—there’s no reason to erase it all!!!”
The moment he shouted, both the white and black horses let out a war cry. The carriage surged forward from the boarding gate, propelled by the Uuga’s gravity magic and the footing that the Machine Screw system was creating. The warriors who had decided to support them followed in their wake. The remaining warriors were left behind, as if told to do as they pleased. Ikaza and Victor said nothing to them. They gave no orders. They simply left it to their will.
“…That’s right,” one of the knights who had long defended Plaudia drew his sword.
“Yeah, that’s right,” an adventurer, who had been making money as if the country didn’t matter, readied his beloved axe.
“Whether it’s a god or whatever, I won’t let them decide things for me,” a Sun-Emperor Knight, who had served and revered gods, spat out.
“Yeah, that’s right! Let’s do this!”
“We’ll fight! We’ll survive!”
“We won’t be defeated! We won’t die!”
The war cries spread like an echo. Seeing this, Ikaza and Victor exchanged glances. Then, they drew their swords, raised them, and shouted with sharp voices that could be heard by everyone.
“Resist!”
“Let’s go!”
The warriors roared, and everyone followed the path Ul had taken.
◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆
The tank raced across the aerial bridge created by the Dragon Swallow Uuga and the Machine Screw. Ul stood atop the tank and, with a wry smile, felt a familiar vibration from beneath his feet.
“I never thought I’d end up riding this thing again…” The Rock N Roll Go, a product of Ul’s trial and error as an Adventurer, had been extensively modified by Davine, changing its form considerably, but its original shape remained. It evoked a strange sense of nostalgia and affection, but now was not the time for reminiscing.
“Dahl, Sur, approach them to the very limit, then detach. It might be reckless, but…” Ul spoke to the two horses pulling the carriage. The two horses, which were Diz’s beloved steeds and had somehow arrived, whinnied powerfully while pulling the carriage at tremendous speed.
“Who are you talking to?” Diz translated.
“Reliable,” Ul chuckled at Diz’s translation. He knew these two overly intelligent horses would not overexert themselves without being told. After all, they were the friends of a hero who raced through pitch-black nights. Therefore, the problem wasn’t with them…
“Here they come!” it was the god’s attack, blocking their path. A storm came from all directions, rather than directly from the front. There was no premonition. It was a flame that consumed everything. Everyone braced themselves to slash through the attack.
《Stop it!!!》
《Oh…!!!》
Before Ul and his group could move, countless defenses struck from behind, preventing the attack. Individually, they were not strong, but they overlapped and united, forming a shield that slightly deflected the god’s fury. Behind Ul and his group, countless warriors were supporting him. The Demon Realm tank also sped forward, acting as a shield for Ul and his companions.
《Don’t stop!》
“Yeah, but… no.”
Hearing the voice on the comms, Ul tried to warn them for a moment, then smiled and changed his words.
“To the limit, I’m counting on you.”
《We’ll do it!!》
In response to Ul’s words, the warriors let out a roar.
《Everyone!! Don’t let any attacks reach the Ash King!! Fire off every attack you have to spare!!!》
Amidst the explosions, roars, and violent storms, the Rock N Roll charged through. But of course, the opponent was not so lenient as to let them do as they pleased. Consecutive explosions erupted in their path. It was a scene where escape routes seemed non-existent, but Ul was not flustered.
“Uuga!!!”
《We’ll launch you!!》
“Hah! Go on!!”
With the voices of Karkara and Davine, the path created by Uuga and the Machine Screw shifted, forming a ramp. The next moment, Dahl and Sur rapidly ascended the ramp, and at a perfectly synchronized moment, they released the towing mechanism and detached. The tank was instantly launched into the sky.
◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆
“Tanks can fly, huh…”
“They did, didn’t they…”
“They flew, indeed…” Shizuku and Diz responded to Ul’s somewhat nonchalant observation about the scene unfolding before them. But it was obvious to everyone that this was no time for casual remarks.
“Is this the time to be saying that? Here it comes.”
“So big…!” Echel exclaimed in astonishment at Yuri’s pointed remark. The god, who had taken True Babel as a sacrifice and reigned at the center of Sin City Plaudia, seemed to have fixed its gaze on them, who appeared as mere specks from its perspective. Its eerie, colossal eyes stared directly at them.
〈You’ve come again, Usurper.〉
“Yo, see you again, God,” Ul greeted casually. Meanwhile, the six colossal arms twitched, each deploying a magic circle. Facing the god, who wielded the most powerful and precise abilities in this world, its ultimate \[Divinity], Ul and his group readied their respective weapons and powers.
〈I am busy as well. You are a nuisance, so disappear.〉
“No, we won’t.”
The next moment, their powers clashed and exploded in the sky.
The final battle, which would determine the fate of all, had begun.
