#260
Playing tag (2)
Oath of reverse heaven.
My bad relationship with them goes back to the first day I entered Outerica.
Coincidentally, the village that Hans first visited when he just set foot in this world was their secret base.
That was at a time when the work of maturing the ‘Fragment of the Immortal King’ was in full swing.
‘Of course, for me it was rather a blessing in disguise.’
Even after our first encounter, I continued to clash with those sworn enemies over various issues.
From the rescue of Elf Cecily in the Northern Mountains to the recent Ovaipo Clan incident in the Republic.
‘We dealt with most of them… but it wasn’t easy to root out those connected to it because it was a strict union of branch organizations.’
Hans gently stroked his chin as he looked at the small piece of metal floating in front of him.
This was a small clue discovered at the site of the opening of the Abyss Gate, which could be said to be the biggest incident among the many tricks they carried out.
Estimated to be part of a thin chain used as a necklace string.
[Kuuuuuuuuuuuuut, did you say his name was Termal Gadias?]
A person who sacrificed everything in return to open the abyss and become a host to madness.
Of course, the background investigation on him had already been completed a long time ago.
After receiving information from Warchief Baltheon, who was responsible for the incident in the south, they immediately mobilized all of their intelligence organizations.
‘It’s a sad story, but…’
Through that, I was able to roughly guess why he opened the door to the abyss and plotted the destruction of the continent.
Isn’t it so common that people who lose something precious due to some incident and blame the world are tripping over it?
However, he was different from others in that he truly had the ability to threaten the world and actually put it into action.
‘Are you a victim who became a perpetrator? Now that I think about it, I think the tragedy that happened to him was also a trick planned by Yeokcheon’s vow.’
Isn’t it the exclusive patent of the forces of evil to approach and corrupt powerful people after they have fallen into the abyss of despair?
Of course, looking at it now that everything has passed, it was just a meaningless guess.
‘Anyway, the important thing now is—.’
He became the host of madness, the host of madness was taken by a revolutionary, and Hans was able to find out the location of the host through an intermediary.
The location of the revolutionary who had been tracked for quite a long time, but in the end his whereabouts were unknown.
Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu
Hans, who was looking at the vibrating piece of metal, took it again and walked out of the lab.
Now that all the preliminary preparations are over, I plan to start the ritual to track him down as quickly as possible, but prepare thoroughly so as not to mess up things while rushing and hunt him down with certainty.
There was no telling what other tricks that annoying guy might have planned.
[Have you come out… King… Girl Olivia… I see the great immortal king…]
As he came out, the Banshee Queen Olivia slowly appeared in front of him and bowed down.
It wasn’t called in advance, but it seems that as soon as it sensed something was wrong with the immortality, it put everything aside and rushed to it.
Indeed, it was his acting ability that could be considered his right-hand man.
[okay. Olivia, I’m glad you came at the right time.]
[Please tell me anything… I will sacrifice the girl’s spirit to fulfill the king’s command…]
Thinking about it, it was a longer time than I thought.
I didn’t expect that finding him would take this long since I had multiple intelligence organizations and could see all of the world’s information at a glance.
‘You have to admit what you have to admit. It’s clear that I’m a bastard.’
But there is no game in the world that never ends.
I was slowly getting bored, so it was time to end it.
[Summon all executives.]
Of course, there was no such thing as a declaration of abandonment such as ‘I can’t find it,’ in his dictionary.
This was not hide and seek, but a game of tag that ended only when one of the players died.
It was Hans who arbitrarily changed the genre of play enjoyed by children in all dimensions into death match.
***
An official announcement was finally made from the imperial family of the Azerion Empire.
What most people expected and waited for.
It was news that Riley would be appointed Crown Princess instead of Simon.
“Hmm… Well, now is the time to make sure the imperial family is clear. “The situation has turned upside down, and we can’t wait for Prince Simon forever.”
“Hahaha! Long live Her Royal Highness Riley Carte Azerion!”
“In fact, I think the succession competition is over. “Should I call this surprising or as expected?”
Since the trend had already been going strong for a while, there was not much backlash.
Above all, it was a big factor that Duke Hermanhart, Simon’s biggest ally and the mastermind behind Riley’s attack, was busy responding to her counterattack.
In fact, not only was there an all-out war, but there was a constant secret struggle going on, so they were busy devoting all their power to preserving the family.
“I want to give a gift to Viscount Isea Pristine… no, the Count, but what should I do? Since you are working as a member of a religious organization… Do you think it would be okay to deliver it to the mansion in the capital first?”
“No matter how you think about it, it’s best to lead the way through Count Pristine. … hmm? Wait a minute. Wouldn’t it be better for Her Highness the Crown Princess to approach the lover she brought to the palace in advance…?”
As a bonus, Isea was also promoted from viscount to count, but other nobles were reluctant to accept it.
In fact, she remained in the Viscounty position because of her lack of achievements under Riley when she had no power, and everyone knew that she would not remain in that position forever.
And it probably won’t end with the count.
If she survives and returns safely from the final battle with the Immortal King, she will have a status that will not be enough for the title of marquess, and after Crown Princess Riley inherits the throne, she will easily rise to the rank of duke.
It was natural that the nobles tried to do good to her.
Of course, that would only happen if she didn’t return to Earth.
and.
When the situation of the empire was fluctuating in such a chaotic situation.
Another large group, the Main Church, was facing even more drastic changes.
“…Riesta, are you okay?”
“Ah… that… yes.”
Heinrich, with a worried face, cautiously called out to Saint Riesta, but she only gave a vague answer, as if her mind was already elsewhere.
Her always lively face looked pale and the corners of her mouth and eyes were constantly trembling.
“We will arrive at the temple soon. “I asked you to prepare the gate in advance, so we will be able to move right away.”
“…But is it really okay? Even if we leave like this….”
“The remaining areas are at a level where they can respond on their own without us. It’s been quite a while since the giants stopped appearing. “If he shows up, wouldn’t it be okay to leave right away?”
“Yeah… right… yes…”
A stupid answer that wasn’t like his usual straightforward answer.
Heinrich, who was quietly leading his companions across the city, glanced at her.
To be honest, it felt a little strange because it was my first time seeing her so embarrassed.
Even when I got involved with the Immortal King, I didn’t react like that…
‘I guess it’s worth it.’
He nodded, recalling the news from the church that had been sent to them while they were outside.
Considering the ripple effect it contained, such a reaction was only natural.
Of course, the content is—.
It was urgent news that the death of the current Pope Hatian II was imminent.
‘There must have been several omens already…. The Pope must have deliberately told us not to make it known.’
I was worried that it might cause unnecessary worry to those outside.
Then, it was not until the last moment that the Pope’s close associate contacted them.
“I was waiting. “Please come this way.”
“We will activate the gate immediately.”
To Riesta, everyone in the Great Temple was like family, but as she was adopted by the current Pope at a young age and entered the church, she had a special meaning to her.
It was the first real family she had growing up in an orphanage.
“welcome. Saint, saint. His Holiness is waiting.”
“Everyone, please come this way. “I will guide you to a place to rest.”
Heinrich also knew that when she was at the Grand Shrine of Roselia, she visited the Pope every day despite her busy schedule.
Even though he had to give up going to his favorite garden, he didn’t break that routine even for a single day.
‘It’s different from me, who only occasionally asked how I was doing. Now that I think about it, it seems like it’s been quite a while since I’ve seen you. ‘Was the last time you saw each other at the summit?’
Of course, there was an excuse that they were busy going out as a warrior party, but they couldn’t help but feel a little pricked by their conscience.
“grandfather!”
“Hehehe, why are you coming in so quickly because it’s such a big deal? “I thought it was time to get married, but you’re still a kid.”
“Grandpa…”
Riesta runs up to the Pope, who has risen from the bed, and hugs him tightly.
Heinrich, who greeted them, stood quietly in the back and waited for them.
In fact, he wanted to leave the room while the two men talked about their problems, but for some reason, the Pope, who was involved, asked him to wait for a while.
And a full-fledged conversation with him could barely begin after Riesta calmed down.
“Hehehe, it was rude to attend a saint.”
“it’s okay. “It is an honor for me to be able to see the bond between the two of you that has developed over the years.”
“Hehehe, thank you for saying that.”
He looked healthy enough to make you wonder if he really had very little time left, but Heinrich could definitely feel it.
The last remaining vitality in his body is burning brightly.
Riesta also seemed to have noticed this, as her hand, which was holding the Pope’s hand tightly, trembled slightly.
“The reason I invited the saintly wolf is because I have one last thing to say.”
“Do you have something to say…?”
Heinrich’s expression became serious at his words.
There was no need to ask who the Pope was talking about at this moment.
The Pope nodded heavily and then slowly opened his mouth.
***
Heart pounding— pounding—
A harsh pounding sound rang out from the border area of the abyss, where chaos and emptiness were mixed.
Of course, the sound soon dispersed and disappeared due to the distortion of space, but its presence still remained, slowly encroaching on the surroundings.
“Ah—Lord.”
A word that seems to be extinguished at any moment comes out from the center.
The voice was distorted and broken to the point where one had to wonder if it was really a human voice, but the madness and fanaticism contained within it was so far-off that it would drive the subject crazy just by hearing it.
‘My death is approaching.’
The being that overheard the sounds of the world with its ears prickled gave a small lament.
There wasn’t much time left now.
The death of an unknown cause that had been slowly approaching, forcing him to make an extreme choice, had finally come to its full form and was strangling him.
‘But it can’t end here.’
Even if he died here… he had a duty to sow seeds for the next generation.
Just as he, who became his apostle, was able to proceed with his work smoothly thanks to inheriting the will of his predecessors.
‘It’s a shame I can’t achieve it, but I can’t help it. Next time, I will willingly become the fertilizer for this body so that it can sprout properly.’ His body, which had become one with the seed of madness
,
kept twitching.
A phenomenon that occurs when the new body is not yet properly stabilized.
I sensed death and hurried as much as possible, but it was still like this.
‘A little faster. properly. Surely.’
When he was so obsessed and was struggling to control his body.
Crunch—
something from below the abyss hit his body.
[———!]
What caught his eye as he slowly turned his head.
He was a humanoid figure with a height up to his chest and a pure white body, and he was someone I had encountered many times before.
“Ah, it’s a little late this time. “I was waiting.”
He was pleased with that, stretched out both hands and quickly grabbed it by the shoulders.
and-.
“Now, under His grace… you too become one with me.”
Cheok—Kwasik!
In an instant, it opened its wide mouth and swallowed its head.
A tragedy that occurred in the blink of an eye.
However, he just used his mouth diligently and ate the remaining remains.
When the whole process is over.
Not only was he about a finger bigger than when he first started, but his unstable body was also refined closer to perfection.
Heart pounding— pounding—
and then the sound of a rough beat began to echo in all directions again.
“…This is unfortunate. “I wish I had started earlier so that I wouldn’t be pressed for time. If only the plans had gone right…”
He let out a light sigh and looked down at his writhing body.
Unlike the impure beings on earth, a clean, smooth, pure white body that is extremely beautiful.
No matter how you look at it, this was truly the ultimate human being.
‘It’s done now…’
So, the former revolutionary and founder of the Oath of Reverse Heaven.
The process for the current ‘King of Madness’ to emerge into the world has entered its final stages.