‘What the hell is this guy talking about?’ the specter thought uncertainly.
Honestly, Eugene's actions were incomprehensible. Anyone else would think so as well. Just moments ago, Eugene and the specter had been trying to kill each other. It wasn't just for show, either. Both of them had been giving it their all. The attacks they unleashed on each other were so sharp and precise that even a graze could have led to a fatal blow.
They fought to kill each other, and they had been motivated by sufficient emotions as well.
...Had it been sincere?
Even if it wasn’t necessarily true for the specter, Eugene must have been serious. The specter recalled Eugene’s intense murderous intent. There was no reason for Eugene not to harbor such feelings toward the specter. The specter was sure that Eugene must have resolved to kill him from the moment he reached the royal palace or even before he descended into the city.
And yet, Eugene now showed no intent to kill. Despite his frustrated and irritated expression, he did not charge at the specter like before. The Holy Sword and the Moonlight sword, which had been wielded with such deadly intent just minutes earlier, no longer glowed with their usual light.
It was difficult for the specter to comprehend such a change in Eugene’s emotions, and yet….
"Haaa…." With a long sigh, the specter ultimately conceded and came to an acceptance. It was absurd, incomprehensible, even. Some might consider Eugene’s behavior abrupt and emotional, but that wasn't quite it. Eugene, or rather Hamel, had made the most rational decision under the current circumstances.
But Eugene’s decision wasn’t one made out of sympathy for the specter. Did he feel any pity for the specter’s plight? Perhaps he could find a drop or two of sympathy if he tried hard, but frankly, he didn’t feel any sympathy for the specter at the moment.
As long as the specter sought to kill Eugene, to Eugene, he remained nothing more than an enemy. Eugene was not so overly sentimental as to feel compassion for his foe.Ultimately, Eugene hesitated to kill the specter because of Vermouth. If the specter's existence was orchestrated by Vermouth, it would be wise for him to sheathe his sword and delve into the matter before deciding whether to kill the specter. Perhaps he could reflect more on the specter’s existence afterward and perhaps even feel a slight compassion.
"That's so like you,” commented the specter with a bitter smile.
He could definitely follow Eugene’s train of thought. The specter then sheathed his demonic sword. During this brief lull, Eugene finally took notice of his surroundings.
‘It reminds me of where Raizakia was trapped,’ Eugene noticed.
They were in a rift in space. Eugene had a rough idea of how they arrived here. It was possible that they were flung into this place due to the massive impact created by their swords colliding in the sky. With that thought, he felt a slight worry creep into his heart.
‘Is everything okay outside? I hope we didn't cause a massive disaster and got everyone involved.’
As Eugene pondered such a thought, Anise’s voice suddenly echoed in his mind, [Don't worry, there's no problem.] Startled, Eugene took a step back.
‘Wh-what? How can you speak to me?’ he asked.
[It's because the Light holds you dear,] Kristina responded.
[We became connected just a little while ago. Have you not noticed?] commented Anise.
A connection? Eugene glanced at the Holy Sword in his hand.
His connection with the Saints seemed to return once the Holy Sword’s light was reignited.
‘It's not as clear as before,’ Eugene observed.
[It’s probably to be expected, given the special nature of the space you’re in. How does it feel?]
‘It reminds me of the gap where Raizakia was and… also has a feeling akin to the other side of Lehainjar. We must have gotten tangled up with the spatial magic that the bastard was using,’ answered Eugene with a grimace.
Still, it was fortunate that he wasn’t completely cut off from the outside world. Even if they were in a different space, as long as they were conscious of each other and connected, he could make his way out.
‘So, is everything really okay outside?’ asked Eugene.
[There remains a deep, dark scar in the middle of the sky,] responded Anise.
[Many were startled and fell to their knees at the loud noise, but no one was swept away by the aftermath and died,] Kristina added.
[Hamel, that's not what's important right now. The army of the Nur is quite fierce,] commented Anise.
[Lady Sienna is holding them off, but….] Kristina trailed off.
‘Is it that difficult?’ Eugene asked, not quite fully understanding.
Molon had defeated the Nur for over a hundred years. Eugene had seen Molon kill the Nur several times during his stay in Lehainjar, and it was never particularly difficult. The most troublesome aspects of the Nur were the ominous dark power they reeked and the poison they emitted upon death.
[If it's just a few, maybe. But the Nur here number over a thousand,] answered Anise.
[I’m not sure if they might be resonating among themselves, but our holy power can’t do more than barely fend them off. Lady Sienna is reducing their numbers with her magic, but…] Kristina chimed in.
"Tch." Eugene clicked his tongue in annoyance.
Indeed. If they had no use besides rampaging mindlessly, they would not have been able to lead the vanguard as the true vassals of Destruction. Thinking back, even the divine army in the Age of Myth struggled quite a bit against the armies of the Nur without Agaroth personally stepping in.
‘Just hold on for now,’ Eugene told the Saints.
[...Are you planning to talk to him?]
‘Haven't you been listening?’ Eugene retorted.
[We didn't intend to eavesdrop. It just happened to be audible.]
‘It's fine. You all need to know this story anyway,’ responded Eugene before looking up.
A little distance ahead, the specter was staring at him with a dark glimmer in his eyes.
"Are you done thinking?" Eugene asked.
"I was waiting for your conversation to end,” responded the specter.
"Ah, okay, our conversation is over, so now you can start talking," said Eugene. He took a casual stance and nodded perfunctorily. "Why do you have to kill me?"
"Before leaving the Black Lion Castle and coming to Hauria, I met the Demon King of Incarceration,” the specter started.
It wasn't to the specter's liking that Eugene looked so half-hearted when he was about to tell important matters. But arguing over such trivial things with that man would prove futile and never-ending, so the specter continued his story without pausing.
"After becoming the Incarnation of Destruction and realizing I was a fake, I... went to the Demon King of Incarceration alone. I climbed Babel and—"
"What, you went to swear loyalty to him?" Eugene mocked with a jerk of his chin.
The specter had intended to continue speaking calmly... but after hearing Eugene’s mocking comment, he became furious. His personality was ultimately derived from Hamel’s memories, so he was bound to share some of Hamel’s fiery temper.
"Don't talk nonsense. Why would I swear loyalty to that bastard?" retorted the specter.
"Those monsters you brought, they were all under that bastard's control, weren't they? Who do you take me for, an idiot...?" said Eugene.
"Why do you keep picking fights when I'm trying to tell you about the situation?" the specter accused.
"Picking fights? Did you just say picking fights? Hey, you bastard, shall we go over who started the whole thing from the beginning?" Eugene retorted while pointing accusingly.
The specter felt an intense urge to swing his demonic sword and chop off Eugene’s accusing finger right there and then, but he managed to clench his trembling fist in restraint.
Eugene felt a sense of satisfaction and lowered his finger as he observed the specter's simmering anger subside.
"So, what did you do when you climbed up Babel?" Eugene prompted, casually steering the conversation back to the beginning. It wasn't exactly smooth, but Eugene didn't consider it a problem for him to worry about.
"I challenged the Demon King of Incarceration,” answered the specter.
"Was he strong?" Eugene immediately asked.
"It wasn't even a fight. All my powers were futile in front of the Demon King of Incarceration,” the specter answered, then he paused for a moment, lost in thought.
When he had challenged the Demon King of Incarceration, the specter couldn't use Vermouth's magic or the White Flame Formula as he did now. He wasn’t as competent with the dark power of Destruction as he was now. Back then, the specter only relied on his massive pool of dark power and used techniques inferior to Eugene’s.
"If we fought now... I might not be defeated as easily. But I'm not confident. The Demon King of Incarceration is that overwhelming,” the specter admitted.
It was a humiliating truth, but the specter had no choice but to acknowledge it.
Eugene had never directly fought the Demon King of Incarceration. Therefore, he desperately needed the specter's assessment now. Eugene judged the specter to be strong. He was infinitely stronger than Iris when she became the Demon King of Fury and likely stronger than the Demon Kings from three hundred years ago.
Yet, the specter was utterly defeated by the Demon King of Incarceration.
"I see,” said Eugene.
The specter judged that he would still suffer defeat in a hypothetical battle against the Demon King of Incarceration in his current state.
However, it didn't matter. It was the specter who was defeated, not Eugene. Someday, Eugene would climb Babel and challenge the Demon King of Incarceration. By then, he would undoubtedly be far stronger than now and fully prepared for the challenge.
"I actually wanted to die at the hands of the Demon King of Incarceration, but he didn't kill me. Instead, he spouted some nonsense about finding the answer to my existence by myself and kicked me out of Babel,” the specter admitted with a sigh. Shaking his head, he continued, "I sought that answer . I traveled the world, visited libraries, and crammed my head with events from the past three hundred years. I went to Lehainjar to see Molon and to Aroth to see Sienna."
"Why didn't you see Anise?" Eugene's abrupt question made the specter furrow his brows and glare at him.
"Should I have paid tribute to Anise's statue in Yuras’ square?" questioned the specter.
"Kristina is Anise,” said Eugene.
The specter was struck with the information without any warning, and his eyes widened in shock. He was so startled that he couldn't continue speaking and stepped back hesitantly.
"Kristina Rogeris is... Anise? What nonsense are you…? Could it be…? Was Anise also reincarnated?" the specter inquired.
"Not reincarnated. Her soul remained in this world and possessed Kristina,” Eugene explained.
It was hard to understand even after Eugene’s explanation, but it wasn’t necessarily important to understand its logic. What mattered was that Anise existed in this era and was helping Eugene for the sake of the world.
"...I see," the specter said. He felt a complex swirl of emotions.
He thought of Hamel, who died alone in Babel, and his comrades who had stood before him. He thought not of betrayal, hatred, or revenge but the true emotions Hamel and his comrades harbored three hundred years ago.
The specter could never truly possess those emotions, and he did not desire to covet those memories. But upon realizing that Hamel had been reincarnated, that Molon and Sienna were still alive, and even Anise, whom he thought was dead, still existed, he felt a slight tremor in his heart. He felt it all the more after realizing the truth.
Finally, the specter said, "Being killed by the Demon King of Incarceration.”
The conversation with Eugene stirred a slight tremor in the specter's heart.
If they could understand each other to some extent and their ultimate goals aligned, couldn’t they perhaps enjoy peace for the time allowed? Could he not assist Eugene's journey within his possible means? Couldn't he, even in his current state, still contribute in some way?
"Do you know what it means to be killed by him?” the specter asked.
He dismissed the various desires born from the slight tremor in his heart. In the end, they were all petty ambitions. The specter gazed at Eugene with calm eyes.
"Death, I suppose,” Eugene answered after a moment.
That gaze made Eugene uncomfortable. Yet, it was still a relief that he could hold a real conversation with the specter. If it were the Demon King of Incarceration, he would have likely responded with cryptic answers before disappearing.
"No, that's wrong,” the specter shook his head. "Being killed by the Demon King of Incarceration means your very existence gets trapped by his power.” The specter continued, “You have memories of your past two lives, so you must also know that this world was once destroyed by the Demon King of Destruction.”
Eugene knew. The specter was referring to the Age of Myth when Agaroth and numerous deities lived.
"Even as the Demon King of Destruction annihilated everything, the Demon King of Incarceration survived. He experienced the destruction of the previous era. He wasn’t erased and reborn, nor awakened to a past life like yourself. The Demon King of Incarceration simply... survived,” explained the specter.
Eugene just listened to the specter’s tale quietly.
"He showed me directly," the specter said.
The light touch of chains had resulted in a flood of information for the specter. He had seen some of the Demon King of Incarceration's memories. It had come as a shock far greater than being pierced and shattered. He had allowed his head to explode because he didn’t want to understand. The Demon King of Incarceration’s memories had been horrifying and void beyond comprehension.
"It wasn’t just once either. I can't be sure of the exact number, but the Demon King of Incarceration... has witnessed the world's destruction several times. Do you understand what I am saying? The Demon King of Destruction has already destroyed this world multiple times,” the specter continued.
The world would be filled with countless corpses and desolate cities. Waves would surge from somewhere. After the sea engulfed everything, leaving no land to tread upon, the land buried deep under the sea would rise to create continents. Life would begin anew. Mountains would rise, and rivers would form. Trees would grow, forming forests; grass would spread, creating fields. Somewhere, sand would accumulate to form deserts.
"And the Demon King of Incarceration always survived,” said the specter.
In the newly born world, the land where the Demon King's castle was first built became the Devildom.
"The Demon King of Incarceration moves on to the next era with the souls he commands. If you are contracted with him or killed by him, once your existence is trapped, you can never reincarnate,” the specter explained.
Eugene's face inevitably stiffened at those words. Humans offered their souls as payment in the contracts they formed with demons and Demon Kings. In other words, the majority of Helmuth’s citizens were already deprived of reincarnation. Helmuth was an empire of souls deprived of the cycle of rebirth.
But if this reincarnation wasn’t limited to this era but extended to the next, and if souls captured by the Demon King of Incarceration were not freed even after the world was destroyed by the Demon King of Destruction, then….
"This era is special,” the specter said with a long sigh. “The Demon King of Incarceration also knows that this era is unique…. Why do you think it's special?”
"Because Destruction has been postponed," Eugene replied.
"You are dodging the answer," the specter said with a bitter smile. He pointed at Eugene. "What makes this era special is your presence, a reincarnated individual. Eugene Lionheart. In your past life, you were Hamel, and before that, a God of War."
Eugene remained silent, his expression sour. After a moment of silence, he said, "I'm aware the Demon King of Incarceration has witnessed several eras. He is present in the vague memories I have of my previous lives. So, why do you seek my death...?"
Eugene’s train of thought abruptly came to a stop as he was struck by a sudden realization. Eugene stopped speaking and glared at the specter, prompting him to continue.
"Just as the Demon King of Incarceration is focused on your uniqueness, so is Vermouth," the specter began. "I believe Vermouth… wanted to end everything this time."
Vermouth sought out Hamel, the reincarnation of Agaroth, and made him an ally. They roamed the Devildom together and defeated Demon Kings.
~
— If you had been with us, there would have been no need to fight the Demon King of Incarceration upon reaching the summit of the Demon King's castle.
— My primary condition was reaching that summit. If I could meet the Demon King of Incarceration's true form there, that would have been enough.
~
It was a failure. Vermouth kept his deepest wishes hidden from his comrades.
Eugene, as Hamel, never managed to guess Vermouth's situation. All Hamel thought about was not wanting to hold back his comrades and not wanting a disgraceful survival. He desired a death befitting the deeds he had done.
"Vermouth failed to achieve his goal three hundred years ago. But it wasn't a complete failure. On the other hand, strategically, the failure back then might have been for the best,” said the specter.
Eugene understood the significance behind the specter’s words. In the three hundred years leading to his reincarnation, Sienna and Molon had grown stronger, and Anise's soul had passed on to Kristina.
And the reincarnated Eugene was incomparably stronger than when he was Hamel. He had even awakened Agaroth's memories.
"You must not die by the Demon King of Incarceration's hand now," the specter declared. "That's why I intend to kill you. If you can't surpass even me, if you die by my hand, you'll never defeat the Demon King of Incarceration."
After accepting the truth shown by the Demon King of Incarceration, this was the only conclusion the specter came to.
Vermouth placed his hope in Hamel, not in himself. Hamel of three hundred years ago didn't know this, nor did the world. At that time, the Hero, the hope, was the Great Vermouth.
But that was no longer the case in this era.
"We can't let the hope that is you be bound by the Demon King of Incarceration. If it's impossible in this era, if you're not confident in defeating the Demon King of Incarceration, and if you can't even beat me."
The specter glared at Eugene, declaring, "It's best to end this world here."