Barbarian in a Failed Game

326. The End of the World (4)

Before the Imperial Army and Khan’s allied forces of various races entered the Cradle of the Void.

At the forefront, as the most elite members of Khan’s party and the Imperial Royal Guard, along with the Battle Mages, attempted to open the path to the Cradle of the Void.

The very front.

‘What is this aura…?’

Yoro was the first to sense something amiss.

Revived by Esperus’s will, he was a mortal, yet almost a demigod-like avatar. Essentially, he was a terminal sent beyond the dimension for Esperus to manipulate in times of need.

‘This is an entirely new holy power. But there’s a sense of familiarity…?!’

It was only natural that Yoro would be the first to react to the aura emanating from within Maya Eldred.

“Divine descent…?”

The guardian dragon Akardnil calmly deduced Maya’s state with the unique insight of an ancient dragon. However, Yoro was certain that Akardnil’s deduction was incorrect.

Unlike dragons like Akardnil, this was a means of divine intervention through an apostle, a terminal for the God’s consciousness.

“Hey, what’s happening all of a sudden?”

Natrix, also sensing the anomaly in Maya, attempted to intervene. She was stopped by the woman, white from head to toe—the Witch of Winter.

“There’s nothing to gain from interfering.”

Her words, spoken with the voice and appearance of a young woman but the mannerisms of an elder, carried a peculiar power.

The reason why witches instilled fear in people. The enchantment in her voice, even though spoken, was close to the divine utterances of a transcendent being.

“This isn’t just one entity focusing its gaze….”

“You, witch. Tell us what you perceive.”

Prodded by Akardnil, the Witch of Winter exhaled a white breath.

“Just now, a powerful entity’s consciousness descended into my domain. It means that the half-formed apostle is in contact with her God.”

She was the one maintaining the domain that protected the party from the Arch Demon’s power. Thus, she could faintly sense Khan’s consciousness, something even Akardnil could not detect.

Moreover, the transcendent beings beyond the veil of the Cradle were also starting to focus on this significant descent.

“Time seems to be tighter than I thought. Whether to be thankful or to rebuke that girl, I don’t know.”

The Witch of Winter muttered, clicking her tongue, as she prepared to withdraw the domain mimicking the sanctuary of a God.

In the meantime, the anomaly within Maya was reaching its climax.

The holy power that exploded within her surged outward, pushing back the surrounding chaos as if it were terrified. Even the mere fragments of this power were enough to drive away the chaos in the Great Demonic Realm. Observing this, the Sword Master’s eyes gleamed sharply.

“This… it seems an old man’s prowess is on the verge of being overshadowed. How can such power exist?”

It wasn’t something one would expect from a legendary swordsman who once carved the sky with a blade, but such words could only come from someone like Valken Lichstaffe.

How many years of rigorous training and hardship did it take for him to become a sword master, to earn the moniker of Sword Master?

Even now, his level had jumped several stages within the infernal environment of the Great Demonic Realm. Valken was someone who had reached the pinnacle of what a swordsman could achieve.

“Useless disciple, it seems your efforts might not be needed as much as I thought.”

“Go to hell.”

“Such insolent language….”

Despite laughing heartily at his disciple Leniyar’s cursing, the Sword Master internally sighed.

‘To think what I’ve achieved over a lifetime could be outdone by divine miracles. This is just…’

Was he jealous?

‘Not at all.’

The Sword Master knew.

Everyone had their own path, and that girl Maya had reached an equivalent level as a swordsman in her own way.

With Leniyar’s level of talent, perhaps. But in his eyes, Maya’s talent was enough to be a prodigy, but not a genius.

Yet, for her to reach the level of a swordsman at her age was proof of surviving countless unimaginable battles.

“She will be a great asset.”

“Regardless, I will be the one to cut down the Arch Demon.”

“If your swordsmanship surpasses mine, that’s possible.”

The two swordsmen, inspired by Maya’s newfound power, renewed their resolve.

But, naturally, not everyone felt the same.

『Why─! Why did you ascend to godhood!』

‘Lord Esperus. Please, calm down.’

『This is not a matter to be calm about. With the laws intervening more strongly, of all times…!』

Esperus.

Watching the situation unfold through Yoro from the Blood Domain, he let out a frustrated cry.

『With Karyan and now him bound by the laws, who will be left to oppose the laws!』

‘I do not believe Lord Khan ascended to godhood thoughtlessly. You must feel the same way, Lord Esperus.’

Esperus fell silent at Yoro’s calm words. It wasn’t that his anger had subsided. Yoro sensed that Esperus was contemplating whether to descend immediately.

‘More importantly, we must understand what blessing has been bestowed upon Lady Maya.’

Esperus agreed with those words.

Yoro, aiming to calm Esperus and check Maya’s condition, approached her.

But before Yoro could do anything, Maya’s eyes suddenly snapped open, as if in prayer.

Startled—

Had she noticed Yoro approaching? No, that wasn’t it. Yoro felt a strange sensation from Maya’s gaze that sent a chill down his spine.

‘Her eyes…?!’

『He’s watching me. Yoro, just like you and me. He’s using that apostle’s eyes to see me. Haha… This is interesting.』

Esperus, now calm, chuckled as if he had never been angry.

『He’s probably listening to my voice too. I don’t know how this is possible. So? Has my brother found the answer? Is becoming a God part of that?』

“My lord…”

Maya’s soft voice echoed, and a hush fell over the assembly.

The domain under the Witch of Winter’s influence seemed to be filled with Maya’s presence, causing each transcendent being to open their eyes wide in astonishment.

Maya, indifferent to this, answered Esperus’s question in a plain tone.

“He always strives for victory.”

『… I see! Victory, huh? I never imagined he’d embody such a concept…!』

Esperus laughed heartily.

As the scion of the Arch Demon deeply involved with the world’s laws, just hearing the clue about Khan’s divine name allowed Esperus to deduce that Khan had become the ‘God of Victory.’

The God of Victory? Though Karyan holds the concept of ‘warrior,’ the idea of victory being attached to a God seemed quite profound.

『Could it mean eternal victory? No, no. Even light and death are concepts that come close but never fully embody their essence.』

Esperus, caught in a peculiar feeling, continued to voice his thoughts. Eventually, he became certain of what Khan’s divine name, ‘Victory,’ signified.

It wasn’t about eternal victory.

『Haha…! I see. He indeed deserves to govern the concept of victory. No one suits it better than him.』

Maya ignored Esperus’s remarks. Her attitude, highly disrespectful towards a lord of the underworld, went uncriticized by Esperus.

This was because not only Esperus but others were also provoked by the presence they felt through Maya.

Boom!

“Witch!”

“I know!”

Akardnil’s sharp warning and the witch’s urgent voice sounded almost simultaneously.

Boom!

The domain the witch had established began to tremble.

The perpetual snowstorm ceased, and the snow that had accumulated everywhere melted away, revealing the desert of the Great Demonic Realm once more.

『You damnable wretch───!』

And once again, a deafening roar resounded as the witch’s domain shattered into pieces. Like shards of glass, the fragmented snowstorm was torn apart, revealing a presence that cast a shadow over the tens of thousands of Imperial soldiers.

“A whale…?”

“No, it’s a demon─! The Scion of the Arch Demon has appeared──!!”

Following the spreading chaos, death spread like wildfire.

The black sun hovering in the sky wasn’t collecting human souls.

『Dare you think you could defy Aecharis and survive──!』

The Scion of the Arch Demon, the World Devourer, Aecharis.

He boasted a massive body, capable of swallowing an entire imperial city whole. His sleek, whale-like form was dotted with numerous large and small maws, all gaping open to collect souls, and the largest maw at his snout spewed a voice filled with dreadful curses.

『Even if you have attained the stature of a transcendent, thinking you can contend with Aecharis is a grave miscalculation─!』

Every word, every syllable from Aecharis was a curse that devoured human souls. With minds weakened by the black sun, it was impossible to resist.

Aecharis’s eyes glowed red, having devoured thousands of deaths in one gulp.

──────!

It was a sound impossible for human ears to comprehend. However, all the transcendent beings on the Imperial side recognized its nature.

Aecharis had unleashed his authority from the start!

Rumble-!

Pits began to form all over the desert of the Great Demonic Realm, swallowing living humans whole. Knights, mages, even various races were helplessly dragged down by the pits’ suction.

Aecharis’s pits.

The worst power that had made demon worshippers in Midland so elusive was now wielded by its master.

Those sucked into the pits were immediately transported to Aecharis’s stomach, where they were quickly dissolved and turned into nourishment. With each soul devoured, Aecharis’s power surged exponentially.

『Stop-!』

Natrix’s dragonic words echoed, reinforced by Akardnil’s immense will as an ancient dragon.

Crrr…!

For a moment, the pits’ suction halted. Humans and other races who barely survived reached out with desperate hands. But there was no salvation for them.

『Foolishness─! I am Aecharis, the World Devourer─! Do you think I would fall while the Arch Demon watches over me…!』

──────!

The ultrasonic wave erupted again. Immediately, Natrix coughed up blood and fell to her knees, with Akardnil hurriedly attending to her.

“That… bastard!”

E-Urel, shocked by the sight of the restriction of the word’s power being brushed off as if it were trivial, scattered his sword towards the night sky. The sword strike, which threatened even the highest divinity, hit the belly of a gigantic whale.

Crash!

It did not penetrate.

This was because Aecharis’ mouths scattered all over had ‘devoured’ the sword strike itself.

Furthermore, Aecharis’ authority did not merely end at devouring.

『I’ll return it. You worm!』

“Damn it…!”

The most massive mouth reflected E-Urel’s sword strike right back onto the heads of the imperial army.

“Whew-!”

Bang──!! With a shout, the fist of the Great Warrior shattered the night sky. He exhibited a holy power, catching E-Urel’s sword strike with his bare hands. However, the Great Warrior’s face was slightly frowned.

“Hmm. It seems it’s not just a matter of merely returning it!”

It was a calm observation, but in reality, it was a statement of despair for the imperial side.

Completely nullifying the attack from this side, and returning it even stronger? How were they supposed to eliminate that colossal entity?

Moreover, Aecharis was swimming through the sky, constantly strengthening by devouring the humans on the ground using his authority. Additionally, the black sun was even extracting the souls of the despairing humans….

“How, how can we win against something like that?”

The imperial battle mage, who mumbled without realizing it, dropped his staff. In response, lenin, the senior knight guarding the battle mage, was startled and supported him.

But he soon realized that there was no need to support the battle mage.

‘His breath…!’

A moment of hesitation, a fragment of despair, created a gap for the black sun and Aecharis to squeeze through. The death of the battle mage, who was known as the reaper of the battlefield and regarded as a symbol of destruction across the continent, felt trivial and empty.

Lenin finally realized.

That destruction was approaching.

『Accept the end.』

『Rejoice and comply.』

『This will be the last and the first grace I bestow upon you humans.』

Lenin’s head dropped. His soul submitted to the black sun.

The last thing Lenin heard was a snickering laugh, as if mocking the struggles of humans.

『The end of the world.』

The voice of the arch demon announcing the apocalypse.

And then-

“We can win.”

It was Maya’s voice, resonating as if to grasp all the souls submitting to the black sun.

“The God of victory has left a ‘strategy’ to kill that arch demon and his progeny.”