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Everything nearby became tinted with red, and everywhere he looked, he only saw towering flames. From within, a continual wail of agony emerged.
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
He didn’t know whose soul was screaming. But one thing was for sure: from where Joshua stood, at that very place, it was clear that the place was nowhere within the realm of human beings but rather another dimension.
- The Second Lesser Demon Realm. You’ve been accepted to the Raurava Hell, and I commend you for that.
Joshua stared wordlessly as Lugia’s words went in one ear and exited out the other.
A person in a black robe appeared in front of him before he could react.
- Gloomy clothing that’s highly contrasting against the blue staff and that worn-out crown on his head—exactly how I remember the Lich King.
“....”
- The question is, how will you get his recognition when he’s known for his pride…
Joshua interrupted Lugia with a question before the demon could complete its sentence.
“What happened to Evergrant’s soul?”
- His soul was a kind of sacrifice.
“You mean…”
- In other words, it’s the price he paid. Since he dared to call the Lich King, who is of a different ‘class,’ then he has to pay the price—his soul.
“....”
-If you get the Lich King’s recognition, then Evergrant’s soul will be trapped in eternal torment inside the King.
Lugia continued bleakly.
-Even if you don’t gain his recognition, the soul will still be destroyed.
“Even if it wasn’t voluntary?
Lugia responded in a haughty tone…
- It’s within my abilities to make it happen.
“....”
- Of course, there are a few stringent requirements. First, the offering itself has to be worthy of the King’s attention…
“I see,” Joshua said as he took a step forward. “How?”
- Why are you asking that? You already know.
“....”
- Bring him to his knees with power so overwhelming that nothing could match it.
Lugia’s statement made Joshua’s eyes sparkle.
Top-tier Demonic Power. Top-tier power.
If there really is a ‘class,’ then…
Joshua slowly drew power up from the ground. Just as he was about to release his power, he was interrupted.
- That’s enough.
“...!”
Joshua’s eyes widened when he heard a new voice. It came from in front of him.
- You don’t need to exert that much effort.
“....”
Clack.
- I recognize you and bow before you, my new Master.
Unbelievably, the figure dressed in black knelt before Joshua.
- This… is beyond my expectations. King, he’s one who was once called the Demon Realm’s Great Strategist…
Joshua was dumbfounded. Just like Lugia said, he had gained King’s recognition so easily that it was absurd.
“Why?”
- Do I need a reason to serve my Master?”
“Yes, you do,” Joshua responded firmly.
The Lich King went silent as it took in Joshua’s reply. They were both still for a while.
- I see that you have already gained Cubar’s recognition.
“Cubar?”
- She was the strongest in the Demon Realm in terms of physical strength.
“....”
- Right now, She may look like nothing, but she was once called the Demon Dragon. Once she regains her lost power, the Evil Sin, she will become a powerful force.
“Stop talking about complicated things. Just answer my questions.”
The Lich King froze for an instant before abruptly standing up again.
- A reason… If it’s a reason you want, then you should ask him.
“Him?”
The Lich king wordlessly turned to look at a specific location—he was looking at the shining red spear.
As if to show that he was equally surprised, Lugia dropped for a moment.
- …Me?
“....”
Joshua’s gaze became sober.
“I see… that seems about right.”
- …What?
“I have some knowledge about the Demon Realm that doesn’t make sense, but the information I have about you is very clear. Which makes sense since these knowledge and memories aren’t mine, but yours, Lugia.”
- What the hell? Why is this going in that direction…
“At first, I thought you were purposefully limiting information, but now I know.
- ….
Lugia had no choice but to remain quiet at that.
“You weren’t attempting to keep secrets or hide anything from me. You didn’t know it yourself.
- ….
“It wasn’t just your power and strength that you lost. Some of your memories have been sealed as well.”
Only Joshua’s voice was heard. Silence could also be taken as agreement.
“The Sole Darkness, the Lord of the Lesser Demon Realm, and one of the eight who hold the power of Evil Sin, pride. If I put all that together, I can figure out your real identity. It is…”
It was the Lich King who finished Joshua’s words.
- The Battle Ghost, Lucifer.
“....”
- I did not expect the glory of the past to show up in this place
Though it was soft, the Lich King's voice quietly filled the air.
***
The earth, no, it was the World Tree Yggdrasil, was split into two.
Freya, known as the ‘Brightest Elf,’ looked at the scene in front of her with a devastated expression.
“The World Tree… Mr. Elenbrus, what have we been doing all this time?”
Ash clenched his teeth when he heard her. Her voice was filled with pain.
However, the one who was suffering the most right now was him. He had endured decades of humiliation. As a High Elf, he should have been serving as the representative for the elves, but instead, he had had to live as a gatekeeper for the elves’ sanctuary.
He had done all that for the World Tree, but now… it had lost all meaning.
“Damn it…”
This was immediately followed by a slew of curses.
- I have known you for a long time and consider you a friend, so I am saddened by your loss, Elenbrus.
Ash’s head swung up toward the voice.
“Krevas!”
He shot a venomous glare at the dragon, desperate to vent his anger at someone.
- But I think this is rather for the better.
“What?”
- How did the elves come to rely solely on the World Tree? If my memory serves me right, it hasn’t been that long.
“What are you saying?”
- I’m saying that it’s slowly time for you to come out of the darkness and into the light.
Ash’s eyes widened.
- Isn’t one mere human giving you, the cowardly elves, the opportunity to move forward?
“....”
- Of course, the choice is yours, but…
The elf remained silent, but Krevas’s voice was loud and clear.
- I am certain that the elves will never be able to leave this place if it’s not now.
“You mean—”
- The King of the Dwarves had a dream—an alliance of diverse beings.
Ash’s eyes widened until they couldn’t get wider.
- Isn’t it worth attempting if it’s for that?
While the two of them were having a shocking conversation, something else was happening in a different area.
“Master!”
“Cain?” Icarus asked in confusion.
“Why haven’t we heard anything? Like, maybe there’s a dungeon inside the World Tree, or—”
“Stop talking nonsense!”
When Icarus raised her voice, Cain shook his head as he looked at her.
“You never know with humans.”
“You still don’t trust our master? Just be patient a bit and believe in him!”
“And what if something goes wrong? Icarus, you think you can make it alone in this harsh world?”
“How can you joke in this kind of situation?”
“I’m far from joking right now. I can’t take this anymore. I’m going down there myself.”
Icarus’s eyes widened at Cain’s words.
“Where are you going? You can’t be talking about the massive tree. You can’t even see the bottom of it!”
They had climbed at least dozens of meters high, so if they took the roots into consideration, the tree could be much bigger. And yet, Cain was saying that he’d jump down from that height.
“Do you think you’re like our master?” Icarus said in a sharp tone, arching her brow.
Cain flinched at her response, but his determination remained unwavering.
“No one can stop me, not even you, Icarus.”
“Stop it. Seriously. You’re not funny right now.”
“Master, I’m going in…!”
Cain really seemed like he was going to jump into the abyss.
“This virgin—!”
Just as Icarus was getting ready to yell some more, something black flashed before her eyes. Her expression turned strange.
“What just…?”
“Master!”
“Master?” Icarus turned to look at Cain as she repeated.
“Joshua!”
“Really—?”
Iceline and Ash shouted out as well.
Soon, Joshua landed softly on top of the World Tree.
- Kekeke. The protagonist has arrived.
Krevas’s low and resonating voice drew everyone’s attention to one particular spot—a man whose eyes seemed to take in the entire universe at once.
“That person…”
Freya forgot about her devastation and looked at him with twinkling eyes.
“Isn’t he that human from before…?”
“He battled against a Class 8 mage on equal grounds.”
“Then that means he won, right?”
The other elves weren’t much different from her. Admiration, envy, and an unexplainable sense of expectancy. All of them stared at Joshua.
“Did you wait long?”
Icarus was the first to reply. “That’s all you have to say, master? I thought I was going to die from the suspense!”
“I believed in you!”
“M-me too, Joshua.”
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“What took you so long?”
Joshua grinned at the rapid succession of their loud greetings.
“Seems like everyone has a lot to say.”
“Because you have a lot to explain,” Icarus said.
“I’ll answer all your questions. But since we’ve all been rushing without rest, let’s sit down a bit and then talk.”
“Then I apologize, but…” A man moved forward as if he had been waiting. “I feel like I should go first.”
“Theta?” Iceline’s head tilted to one side as she looked at him.
He’d been holding a brilliant, spherical thing in his hand for quite some time.
“Crystal ball of communication…” Iceline mumbled as she realized what it was.
“It started.”
“It?”
Joshua seemed confused at those words.
“As of today, in the 725th year of the continental calendar…”
“...?”
“The Continental War… has begun.”
“...!”
A deafening silence descended around them.