Once upon a time, in the deepest layer of True Babel.
“Goodness, how bloodthirsty!!”
The Sky Devil, Greyre, shouted in frustration within the space eroded by the creator, Dr Israilia.
“Stop shouting, it’s annoying.”
“It’s like we’re thrashing around inside the intestines of some enormous creature!”
Next to him, Kuraran was assembling a magic formation while Zain swung his sword to protect them. Countless eyeballs appeared around them, emitting beams of light and trying to incinerate everyone present.
“Is this the resistance of Israilia?!”
“More like it’s acting on its biological functions! It’s just trying to eliminate foreign objects!”
“So, we’re the germs here! Indeed!!”
“In that case, are these white blood cells?”
Zain swung his blade. A grotesque form resembling a multitude of overlapping eyeballs was sliced in two, yet it continued to glare at them, preparing to retaliate. He swiftly chopped it to pieces again.
“That’s a bit too horrifying to say!”
While manipulating the magic formation and radiating heat and light in support of Zain, he shouted. Nevertheless, his gaze remained fixed. Floating amid blood and darkness was the luminous cube, the Starstone, the origin of everything. Greyre and Kuraran had been continuously interfering and obstructing the countless root-like tendrils trying to ensnare it.
“Fortunately, we managed to hinder it before it could take control! Setting up all those precautions has proven to be a lifesaver!”
“Can we regain control?”
“At this rate, it will be taken from us! Just like that!!”
With this frank confession devoid of bravado, Zain furrowed his brow.
“Though we’re trying our best to resist, it’s still not enough!”
“Is that the timeframe until the world meets its end?”
If the Starstone were seized, there would be no reason for them to remain on this battlefield. They could teleport away in an instant, annihilating the Ark from somewhere no one could reach.
They were not warriors, and any naive thought like settling everything in this battle could not be expected.
“Is there no choice but to rely on their counterattack? Should we place our hopes on the young ones?”
“In that case, we absolutely cannot die…!”
With that final word, Zain transformed into a blade, focusing solely on cutting down obstacles.
—
In the battle against Guren, Ul had once remarked that the magical phenomena he triggered could be described as a Cataclysm. Indeed, his magic was powerful enough that no one would complain about such a description, overflowing with destruction.
This was proof that he was an exceptional magician. He could induce pressure on his opponents far beyond their abilities, instilling fear and causing misunderstandings. By doing so, he amplified his actual strength by countless folds.
〈【Magic Formation: Freeze】〉
〈【Magic Formation: Lightning】〉
〈【Magic Formation: Wind】〉
On the other hand, the creator’s presence required no such tricks.
It wasn’t that he couldn’t; it was that there was no need.
A Cataclysm of that magnitude could be conjured with the same ease as breathing. And there was no need for complexity; what he wielded was already at its peak from the outset.
“Guuh…!!”
“Darn it!!!”
In response to the lightning that filled the space, Echel unfolded the night’s darkness to absorb the attacks, while Yuri tore apart the overflow of magic. They managed to withstand the strike — but that was all.
With all their strength, they might hold out just once, but the adversary’s assault was unrelenting.
“There’s a limit…!!”
Ul gritted his teeth against the scale of the power unleashed by Dr Israilia, continuing to enhance himself with Chaos Mastery. However, there were still limits on their side.
He felt a tremendous gap in power, even greater than during his fight with the dragon. It felt as if an ant was attempting to move a mountain; it was an insurmountable cliff.
“【Magic Mechanism: Spiral!!!】”
“【Ash Flame!!!】”
But before Ul and the others could endure further attacks, a mechanical shield broke in. It was outside assistance from Sua and the others. Taking advantage of the opening, Ul activated their tank. Dahl and Sur had already retreated. The engine hastily prepared by Davine spun the wheels, and they raced roughly over the Magic Mechanism.
“Chaaah!!”
“【Blue Extreme Formation!!!】”
In order to protect their path, the Magic Mechanism unfolded one after another, while Gronzon, bolstered by the True Persons, defended the tank with his fists. The magical defenses shielding the tank would swiftly be scorched, yet they managed to shield Ul and the others from the Vortex of Destruction for a brief moment.
“Without support from everyone, it’s over…!”
“Where is the God’s true body!!?”
Yuri shouted.
The one who responded was Shizuku, who had been observing the enemy situation inside the tank. From a distance, the torrent of immense energy had obscured everything, but through the Silver Thread and their close proximity, she was deciphering it.
“—It’s in those eyes.”
In response to her words, Diz frowned.
“【Waste Disposal Hole…!?】”
Diz vividly recalled the scene when that colossal god was brought forth. The very space that resembled an eye had absorbed pieces of its physical form. Had it contained the amalgamation of two gods?
“Originally, that was something closely tied to the Ark, a thing that would inevitably regenerate.”
“Hiding a weak point there is quite rational.”
It certainly was rational. There was no room for leniency in its method of fighting. Even out of personal greed, it wouldn’t engage in a straightforward brawl like a greedy dragon.
“So, it can’t be destroyed?”
“It can be destroyed. It just regenerates. The only possible solution is to destroy the god’s true body before it can regenerate—but—”
〈Why fight to such an extent?〉
In the midst of this, a voice descended from above.
Ducking between the gaps of the onslaught, a massive eye looked down upon them.
—
———The weak point appeared right before them.
As soon as that thought crossed their minds, Ul and Yuri sprang into action. There was no signal; the moment they judged they could kill it, they bypassed all other considerations and acted. Ul readied the Dragon Fang Spear, while Yuri drew her sword, slicing through everything.
“【Roar】”
“【Final】”
However, they were thwarted by the barrier that had been erected before the eye. Their powers were cloaked in Ash Flame, ready to shatter everything, but the sheer number of barriers was overwhelmingly high. After shattering and cutting through dozens of walls, none of their strength remained to reach the true body.
〈Why do you repeat such fruitless actions?〉
“Because I don’t want to die!”
There was no need to elaborate. This god was aiming to turn them all to ash. If they didn’t resist, there awaited nothing but total annihilation. The choice was even less than what Diz and Shizuku had faced. If they didn’t resist, everything would end.
It felt like they were being asked why they didn’t want to die. This was beyond unreasonable.
〈You have failed.〉
Of course, the god moved as if indifferent to their will.
〈Because of the old humanity, laced with chaos, inequality, and ugliness has mimicked humanity.〉
A halo shone as six arms moved, collectively generating a vortex of destruction capable of obliterating the world. Sua formed a barrier, while Shizuku spread the Silver Thread around, deflecting the immense power—but the limit came almost instantaneously.
〈In the end, you fight, despise each other, pull one another down, and spill pointless blood.〉
The barrier shattered, and the Silver Threads broke. The armored bodies flying through the air began to burn one by one. The tank dashed through the path that had become a sea of flames, forged by Akane’s crimson ending and Echel’s darkness. Yet, the flames could not be extinguished, scorching everyone’s bodies.
〈It’s a painful, sad standstill. That’s why even after a thousand years, it’s still a fight to the death.〉
“Don’t speak as if it doesn’t concern you! You’re an involved party too!”
〈That’s right. That’s exactly it—thus, I bear all the responsibility.〉
Defiantly, Diz unleashed her Magic Sever sword. But once again, the blade couldn’t reach its target. The god allowed the warriors to approach, knowing full well that reducing the distance held no significance. Watching the chaotic movements of a monkey flailing in its palm, all resistance fell far short of the creator’s imagination.
〈Futile. The ground is rotting, so nothing new can sprout.〉
There was nothing worthy of seeing.
With that sense of disappointment accompanying their words, the six arms once again unfolded a magic formation. It was stronger, more complex, and more sophisticated than before. Even after a thousand years, no one had ever been able to keep pace with the exceptional mind crafting trajectories that held a kind of beauty within them. There wasn’t even the willpower to try to resist—
“【Path】 deployed!!!”
———However, even before that, the Ash King never ceased his advance.
Bursting forth from the storm of 神奥, he launched himself forward, spear in hand, targeting, of course, the distorted eyes said to harbor the weak point—yet,
〈I already know that.〉
“…………!!!”
Before the tip of the Ash King could reach the eye, it was intercepted by a barrier far stronger than those encountered during past contacts in the lower layer. Ul grimaced, understanding that it had already adapted. However, this didn’t provide a valid reason to give up.
“Noah!!!”
With the shout came the formation of a new path. Immediately after, Ul dashed to escape the magic unleashed by the creator. The creator glared at him as if regarding an almost expired insect.
〈Noah, come back.〉
〈Pii〉
“You don’t want to now.”
The reply from the artificial intelligence called Noah was curt. It sounded like a cry. To articulate that, Ul interpreted it.
〈Did you format it?〉
Amidst the cacophony and the whirlwind of destruction, it seemed that the god had indeed heard his words. Though he was supposed to reign as a completely transcendental being, a somewhat exasperated sigh escaped the Giant God.
〈It’s bothersome, seeing myself when I was young.〉
“I don’t dislike this kid who strives even while being a crybaby.”
At that response, Ul wore a sardonic smile.
“You’re much more adorable than some guy who keeps repeating ‘failure, failure,’ to himself—!?”
In the next instant, light erupted.
A part of the Giant God’s body exploded, piercing through Ul. It happened in an instant, leaving Ul bewildered as to what had transpired, feeling completely taken aback.
〈AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHAHAHAHAHA!!!〉
“Ugh…!”
From the Giant God’s body, angels, stretching out like branches and leaves, ensnared Ul and skewer him with their spears.
