“…”
Delun could instinctively sense that the figure before him was the Demon King.
That instinct was something he trusted without a shadow of doubt, for the darkness emanating from the Demon King was both terrifying and chilling.
However, Delun felt no fear. More precisely, he had no emotional response to fear. His lack of will to live made this possible.
“…Why did you save me?”
From the start, Delun wondered how he was still alive, given that a fist-sized hole had been torn through his waist—a fatal injury. Without an artifact of extraordinary quality, survival would have been impossible.
Delun doubted whether he was even alive by normal means, especially now with the Demon King standing before him. The thought crossed his mind that perhaps his life had been preserved by the power of the Dark God.
Contrary to Delun’s concerns, however, his injuries had indeed been properly treated.
This was due to Anthonyus possessing a high-grade holy artifact necessary for recovering from fatal wounds.
Anthonyus hadn’t carried the artifact to save anyone; rather, it was because the divine energy within the artifact inherently countered the Blessing of the Dark God, helping him maintain his sense of self.
Thanks to this, Delun remained alive.
“…”
Anthonyus stood a few paces away, looking down at Delun.
Johanna’s death was a devastating loss for the current Empire, and Anthonyus had come here to ensure Speira could prevent her demise.
Even after achieving his original goal, Anthonyus decided to save Delun for another reason.
“You have something to deliver to the Empire.”
“…”
Delun stared blankly at Anthonyus.
Something to deliver to the Empire? After pondering the meaning, Delun soon scoffed in derision.
“Find someone else.”
Delun found it absurd. He was satisfied—or rather, not entirely satisfied—but nonetheless, he closed his eyes with relief, expecting to finally escape his suffering and bring everything to an end.
But then he opened his eyes again, only to find the Demon King who had destroyed the South standing right before him. And now, the Demon King was insisting there was something he needed to convey to the Empire.
Delun didn’t want to understand the situation anymore.
He no longer wanted to hear about the dirty and horrifying truths he didn’t know.
Delun didn’t desire the truth. Exhausted, he simply wanted to let go of all the anguish weighing on his heart and be done with it all.
“I’m… tired of this.”
There was no more will left in his heart.
Delun muttered these words while staring at Anthonyus with unfocused eyes.
“I wanted to live a life like my brother…”
He admired Ray and dreamed of living a life like him.
But the ideal Delun chased after had collapsed without leaving any trace, crumbling under its own weight.
It was difficult for Delun to accept that the lifelong ideal he pursued was nothing more than a mirage born out of a mistaken assumption.
“I resent my brother.”
In front of the Demon King,
Delun whispered his true feelings for the first time—feelings he couldn’t confess to those close to him.
“If I was going to abandon everything and leave like this… what exactly was my brother striving for? This is too… futile.”
“…”
Anthonyus quietly looked down at Delun.
Though his body had escaped death, Delun was mentally drained.
The reasons people wield swords are generally complex, driven by personal desires or beliefs among other cravings. These interwoven motivations lead them to pick up a sword and move forward.
However, there are rare individuals who prioritize a single craving blindly.
Ray wielded his sword solely for Bella and upheld his initial vow until his final moment.
Anthonyus wielded his sword only to protect his sister and embraced the darkness when her rest came.
In that sense, Delun belonged to the type who could only move forward by holding onto unwavering belief and justice.
The moment that belief—or ideal—collapsed,
Delun stopped in his tracks.
And he could no longer progress mentally, only continuing to wear away.
“…”
The gleam in Delun’s eyes when they met in Izgith remained vivid in Anthonyus’s memory.
But today, those eyes had lost their brilliance, clouded instead by despair.
Even if Delun were to wield a sword again, the light in his eyes would never return.
What Delun needed now was an idol and belief he could trust and follow.
Ultimately, the allure of belief isn’t about how correct it is but how convincingly it is presented.
Shaping belief isn’t difficult.
For religious figures or politicians, it’s almost a fundamental skill.
So Anthonyus spoke.
“Foolish.”
“…?”
“You belittle the value of someone else’s life from the perspective of a mere bystander.”
Grinding his teeth!
Anthonyus tore off the helmet that covered his face.
As black liquid flowed, revealing the helmet damaged by the Blessing of the Dark God, Anthonyus’s face distorted by the same curse became visible.
“Don’t act smug, Delun.”
“…!!!”
Delun’s eyes widened.
Despite being warped by the Blessing of the Dark God, Delun recognized Anthonyus. Despite the various rumors circulating about Anthonyus, Delun had never believed the Demon King’s true identity was Anthonyus.
Staring in shock, Delun watched as Anthonyus took a step closer.
“The day Ray and I first met.”
“…?”
“He already knew about my tragedy but chose to turn a blind eye, accepting my fate with resignation.”
This was Anthonyus’s speculation, but it was eerily accurate.
Before meeting Anthonyus, Ray had been aware of his tragedy.
He knew about the unfortunate destiny of Anthonyus’s sister and why Anthonyus had to die in the original timeline.
But after reincarnating into this world,
Ray never once tried to resolve Anthonyus’s tragedy.
Without attempting anything, Ray concluded that he couldn’t save Anthonyus.
Because…
Saving Anthonyus and his sister was far beyond Ray’s capabilities.
The sacrifice of the Sacred Maiden was essential to maintaining the system of this world.
Ray wasn’t foolish enough to dismantle and negate the system without proposing an alternative.
Ray couldn’t save the Sacred Maiden.
He couldn’t offer an alternative to the system that required such sacrifices.
This was the inherent limitation of Ray’s talents.
With his abilities and knowledge, Ray couldn’t save Anthonyus.
Ray was well aware of his limitations, and knowing them, he often lamented the inadequacy of his talents.
This regret was not some trivial pretense.
The best Ray could do, given his insufficient talent, was to strive for the happiness of the people within the existing “system,” which required all his efforts.
And he sought to conform and be content with it.
Thus, Ray deceived Anthonyus and turned a blind eye to the fate of the Sacred Maiden.
Ray…
“Accepted the endless cycle of abuse and sacrifice that my sister had to endure…!”
“…!”
Crack!
Delun’s body floated into the air, pulled toward Anthonyus.
Immediately afterward, the darkness emanating from Anthonyus enveloped Delun.
This darkness originally projected illusions to confuse enemies.
Anthonyus used this technique to show Delun the terrible frustration he himself endured on “that day”—the harrowing memories from the moment he met the Sacred Maiden until he grasped the Command Blade.
“…!! Gasp…!! Choke…!!”
When the illusion obscured his vision,
Delun couldn’t breathe.
The frustration, guilt, and malevolence conveyed through the illusion felt like they were choking him, making it impossible to draw breath.
I will not forgive you.
Anthonyus’s final declaration pressed down on Delun’s chest like a heavy weight.
As Delun clutched his throat under the suffocating pressure,
Clang!!
Anthonyus threw Delun to the ground and glared at him with blazing red eyes.
“But… in the end, he didn’t choose compromise or complacency.”
Amidst the tumultuous life since his reincarnation,
what Ray chose in his final moments before death.
“To break free from this disgusting shackle.”
Every revolution aimed at establishing a new system faced resistance from the old one.
And the establishment of the new system always entailed tremendous sacrifices.
Only the victors’ political justifications obscure the fact that even the most righteous and successful revolutions in history were soaked in the blood of innocents.
Moreover, what Ray chose wasn’t merely a change in systems.
It was a revolution against the very foundation of this world.
To twist the world’s foundation necessitated enduring immense sacrifices.
This was what held Harshia back 600 years ago.
“Because Harshia feared the sacrifice of the innocent, she refrained from taking this path… but that boy chose it.”
Ironically,
Because he didn’t love this land, Ray could choose a future farther ahead than Harshia.
“Did you say Ray’s death and choice were meaningless? Don’t belittle them lightly. His death will be recorded not as the end of a myth, but as its starting point.”
Crash!
Anthonyus reached out and grabbed Delun by the collar, lifting him up.
In Anthonyus’s eyes, Delun could now perceive a fierce killing intent that hadn’t been there moments ago.
A chaotic mix of hatred and malice screamed within the intense killing intent overflowing from Anthonyus’s eyes.
That intent was directed beyond the heavens.
“Delun, remember this.”
“…”
“His death…! His choice…! It will sever the revolting shackles that perpetuated my sister’s suffering…! And truly free the mortals of the continent.”
Anthonyus repeated the word Ray had mentioned sarcastically during their last encounter in front of Delun.
“Great Reset.”
Ray sought to protect Bella’s hope.
Anthonyus aimed to avenge his sister’s tragedy.
Resina intended to trample on El-Lam’s victory that cost her Harshia.
Even if the desires and intentions of those leading this event weren’t entirely pure,
the result of their choices would be revolutionary—a great transformation and a new beginning.
“We’re tearing down one era and starting anew. Don’t dwell on the tragedies before your eyes. When this chaos ends, we will finally sever ties with our helplessly ravaged past.”
Anthonyus coldly declared as he released Delun.
“That is the ‘greater cause’ your dullness cannot see, and the ‘destination’ we must reach.”
