147. But there was no twist (1)
The sky of Nemesis, purgatory visible through the clouds, is shining with its unique ominous red light.
What makes the sea there is not brackish blue water, but red lava that never cools down with a mixture of sulfur.
A red planet where lava flows instead of rivers.
A world originally created to isolate demons from the world forever.
Looking at Purgatory from such a distance, just looking at it, the word hell would come to mind automatically.
Even now, Nemesis’ hatcheries were busy spitting out egg nests, and large-scale legion troops were moving from time to time through the portals that opened toward that hell.
There is an abyss going on right now.
The disasters that swallowed up the control of Purgatory were rapidly increasing their power by slaughtering even the demons who were originally the owners of the land.
Information is coming here in real time that the Legion is struggling to keep those guys from getting bigger.
The silver-haired girl, Luna, who had been waiting in Nemesis by order of the legionnaire, holding back her desire to be of any help, muttered to herself while looking at the portal to purgatory.
“Did you open it… … .”
As the oracle of the ‘high nobleman’, as the members of the corps often say, she packed an object full of divine power and handed it over to the ruler of the corps.
Of course, it didn’t have to be a ‘pendant’, much less need to put a picture in it.
“I don’t think the picture is pretty… … .”
The pendant with the photo in itself was full of personal thoughts.
Luna remembered the fact that the picture she put in there came out unsatisfactory, and for some reason, she felt a strong sense of regret.
“… … Well, this is not important.”
Of course, in the current situation, the fact that the item was a pendant with a picture of herself on it and that the picture came out a little strange wasn’t that important.
Due to the oracle’s requirements, Luna began to worry about other issues that she hadn’t told the ruler of the Legion before.
“You plague… … What the hell do you want from him?”
Luna kept getting nervous that she could feel the terrifying power of the necklace she handed her.
It was a divine power directly sent by the god he enshrined.
Although the ruler of the corps is a being who can use divine power, it is too great a power for an individual to use.
If this power was used, the person who used it would never be safe, and such a terrifying power, such power was contained in the necklace he made.
“Why did you give me such power?”
As a priest who serves a god, Luna handed over the necklace because she couldn’t disobey the order of the ‘high nobleman’, which members of the legion often say.
However, no matter how much the oracle had been, due to the fact that she had handed over something too dangerous to the ruler of the Legion, Luna could not hide the anxiety creeping in.
“If you are listening, please give me an answer.”
If it was usual, I would just do what the oracle told me to do, and I wouldn’t have raised such a question out of my mouth.
Priests are beings who serve gods, and if you disobey their will, all that remains is excommunication and power recovery.
But now it seems that the situation will be resolved only when someone dies.
Luna couldn’t help but wonder why high-ranking nobles had to deal with things this way.
“Why do you covet someone’s life?”
Come to think of it, there could have been better ways for them to help the Legion than this.
Although intervention in the world is controlled, aren’t they sufficiently capable of providing ‘help without dying or getting hurt’?
However, the power of sealing he possesses, as well as the necklace delivered to the ruler of the corps, are things that, if used, the person who used them will die unconditionally.
There must be a better way, but what the hell is the point of handing over power that would kill you if you dared to use it?
“I want to hear your answer.”
So Luna requested an oracle.
Of course, I didn’t expect the answer to come right away when I asked this question.
Originally, it is safe to say that whenever something happens, the creators of God appoint apostles or saints to the area where their church is located, and rarely respond to the requests of priests or believers.
The owners of the Order were unkind people who appeared in their dreams only when necessary, gave orders, and otherwise did not answer questions or give answers.
I didn’t expect it anyway, so I didn’t have a big disappointment.
“… … I will try to find the answer.”
But this time, do you want to tell me the answer?
In Luna’s head, the voice of an old man who had heard it a few times in her dreams, so familiar, as if she was dying, began to hear.
【Have you ever wondered why I want the ruler of the Legion?】
“… … what?”
Surprisingly, even though Luna was not appointed as an apostle or a saint, the Highness did not appear in a dream, but spoke to her directly.
“You plague… … ?”
【Everything has a reason. If you want it that way, I’ll give you a reason… … .]
However, a situation occurred in which the conversation between the nobleman and Luna could not progress any further.
A new portal opened in the air, and a great number of members of the Legion, who had been on an expedition to Purgatory, poured out from there.
“Miss Luna—!!!”
“yes?”
A bald apostle was running towards her with all his might, carrying someone who had fainted on his back.
After that, the members of the other corps also ran in panting with pale complexions, representing that the current situation was not very serious.
“Heal quickly! Please treat my brother-!!!”
Luna’s eyes widened like a surprised rabbit.
The person who was being carried away fainting was none other than the manager, and of course, this is a moment when the power of the priest is needed more than ever.
“I… … Excuse me, can we talk later?”
Of course, before I could hear the nobleman’s answer, Luna was already running towards the manager who had lost her mind and slumped.
* * *
Luna’s words that this necklace would give me great strength were true.
Based on the aura felt in the necklace, I had guessed in advance that it contained quite a bit of power.
However, after looking closely, I realized that this necklace is an object with such terrifying power that it can split Purgatory here with just one shot.
This is the level of the so-called ‘Deus Ex Machina’.
With just one shot of this, you can bury the ruler of disaster and his tribe forever in this isolated space so that they don’t crawl out into the world.
After withdrawing all the corps and members, including Nemesis, if the power contained in that necklace explodes with a big blow, everything will be OK.
But I ran into a little problem.
In the middle of the battlefield, where demons, legions, and calamitous flesh were waging a melee as the black fog rolled in, a futile, inefficient, and completely unproductive scramble was taking place.
“Keraphim, give it here.”
“No, I said I wrote this.”
“Ha, this obese lizard is really crazy.”
“… … What?”
“Give me that necklace when I say nice things.”
“… … lizard? Did you just say lizard?”
After that damn lizard took that important item to check, he has no intention of returning it to its original owner.
Keraphim was holding that necklace and insisting that he would self-destruct with Purgatory.
I couldn’t understand at all why that lizard guy was being stubborn like that.
There is no reason to show the spirit of sacrifice, but in this situation, there is no need for that lizard to arrange the situation by sacrificing himself.
“Hey, don’t you have a new body now?”
“Shut up the spider king. Where did you see a sacred dragon and said that it was a lizard… … .”
“… … No, sorry for being harsh. But don’t be angry and listen to what I have to say. You now have a new body, and your alien friends will restore your race in a little while. But why are you making a fuss here because you want to search?”
“I will do it anyway.”
“No, fuck. why?”
Apparently, this is all because of Luna and her.
It seems that this lizard friend has also been stained by it, as he often boasts that he will end this war at his own expense.
“Hey, the heads of the demon bastards who fed your kind have already been eaten. There is no need for revenge anymore.”
In the place where the last rite was held, the Lord of Destruction as well as many high-ranking demons were gathered.
Here, the fog suddenly changed and swallowed them all, and they suffered a severe blow from which they could never recover.
Lastly, according to the report of the jellyfish from far away, the demon rank 1, which made us an obstacle, was roughly dealt with.
The demons, the enemies who led dragons in the past to extinction, now go the same path of extinction as they did.
Of course, that lizard guy, who has a bright future now, doesn’t have to die wearing a necklace uselessly here.
“So you don’t have to look around.”
The moment I finished speaking, not only Kerapim, but also the Lord of Guardians, who had been watching the situation from the sidelines, began to open their eyes at the same time.
“Then you will die.”
“Mr. Ji-woo will die if you wear that necklace, right? Are you sure you want to die?”
Well, there seems to be some misunderstanding.
“Why am I dying?”
Of course I have no intention of dying either.
“If you use this, you will definitely… … .”
“Still, I won’t die.”
“If you activate this, you… … ”
“No, no, I’m not going to die. Hey, take a good look.”
In order to convince these friends, I opened the portal and summoned several ‘alterates of the Legion Ruler’ from Nemesis.
There were a total of four clones that appeared through the cracked air, and I gave orders to them.
“coalescence.”
The moment my order was given, the alter egos slowly began to crawl and merge into one another.
The alter egos that were fused into one mass in this way soon created a thick cocoon, which pulsated loudly and gradually grew in size.
“… … What are you doing?”
“Mr. Jiu? Why are they all of a sudden… … .”
Seeing the sudden merging of their clones, the Cheraphim and Guardian Lords couldn’t hide their bewilderment.
“So it is.”
After a while, the cocoon explodes! It exploded with a clatter, revealing its mysterious appearance as a well-formed corps core.
Although it was small in size, its appearance and faintly glowing golden aura were a perfect replica of its original appearance.
“That… … ?”
“What is it? It is a perfect copy of my hive mind body, completed with technology obtained from my alien friends.”
So I mean
“I am immortal, so even if I die, I will not die.”
As long as my mind is alive, the body can just be made anew.
“Then give me the necklace.”
It was time to smash Purgatory.