Chapter 237: The Path to Supreme Godhood (End)
"How dare that idiotic emperor? We've helped him defend the border so many times!"
"You still dare to talk about wisdom? Giants are just a bunch of inflexible morons."
"I'm rebelling against him! I've been fed up with the Empire for a long time, so if I want to pick a fight, I'll just go and have a fight with him—"
"Shut up," said Vansalar.
The whole audience was silent because of the Archmage's silent rage. He took the place of the Supreme Mage and sat at the head of the table. His will was Karthod's will.
"This meeting was supposed to be chaired by the Supreme Mage, but he's not here, so I'm acting as his deputy. Why is that?" Vansalar said coldly. "The little guy who just shouted for war, stand up and tell me why."
The green-haired young man stood up, uttering incoherent words out of fear: "My Lord, he...he went...to heal the World Tree..."
"So you know." Vansalar nodded. "Then what about the Emperor? What is the Emperor doing? I tell you, the Emperor is fighting a desperate battle with the Death Outlaws on the front lines. He knows that if those skeletons take advantage of the opportunity to sneak in, the World Tree will wither and the entire Senluo Secret Realm will fall apart."
"And you dare to mention war." Vansalar looked at them. He suddenly roared: "Who do you think you are!!"
The mage faced his wrath, and the shadow shattered his mind, killing him instantly. The loudest idiots sprawled dead in their seats. A bunch of idiots. He tossed the useless bodies out the window and dismissed the meeting.
No one dared to resist his orders.
Sitting in the empty conference room, he couldn't help but feel a deep sense of doubt about all this. How could we have raised such short-sighted pigs? These idiots didn't even understand the greater good as the hunters in the mountains.
Maybe they are really wrong.
"Hey, Vansalar," he heard Lavaeva's voice. "It's going to be okay, right?"
"certainly."
"I think the Empire is overreacting..." Lavaeva hesitated. "They might have calculated something terrible, but it's not necessarily correct. We... Sigh. If only they could more clearly understand our own strength. In the eyes of those giants, we are still just a traveling circus..."
Of course someone was playing tricks. Anyone could see it couldn't be such a coincidence. "It'll be fine," he repeated, then cut off the call. Then he saw his old friend's weary face.
"Good news! The World Tree's injuries have stabilized." Karthod's eyes were filled with unbearable pride. "Even an old dragon might not be able to handle this. It's worth all my time studying demons."
"Your wisdom is unmatched." Vansalar relaxed. "So, it's really a demon?"
"I'm convinced. The King exists." Karlsode said seriously. "I can't find any trace of him. He's an invisible and formless being. He could have been more indifferent, but he's making such a big show. He's challenging us."
"So you can't leave yet."
"At least until the World Tree recovers, yes." Karthod sighed. "Damn it, I really want to spit in that stupid emperor's face. But the situation is really dire right now."
"Just leave it to me," Vansalar said. "With me here, not a single spark will be created."
"Don't be too..." Karlsode hesitated to speak.
"Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures."
"...Okay." The Supreme Mage nodded, "I'll leave it to you."
Vansalar kept his word. From apprentices to full-fledged mages, every member of the Spiral Tower had a slayer beside him. He crushed troublemakers in front of many teachers and students, demonstrating to everyone that he didn't mind taking down fools who didn't understand the bigger picture.
He entrusted his disciples with important tasks and gave those he trusted code names to prevent their real names from being used as curses. Burning Embers and Curse Thunder were the first to grow up as good guys. They paid close attention to every sign of crisis and used the most ruthless means to deal with heretics and villains.
Many people dare not call him by his name. They call him "the Lord of Killing Ghosts".
"Lord Vansalar, I think this is a bit too cold-blooded," Waklo complained. "You don't mind if I kill a few more idiots, do you?"
"Go paint your picture and stop causing trouble for me." Vansalar sneered, "I don't care."
"Oh, this is really, this is really..." Waklo's ears twitched, and he dropped his paintbrush. "My lord, there has been a change in the imperial capital, Holy Son Yingyue."
"Black Moon is serious now."
Lavaeva's message arrived almost simultaneously, and he later received calls from the other two archmages. The black moon above the Imperial City was as full as a hollow, and the First Abyss stretched its claws toward the Empire. But before any anxious calls could be heard, before the first drop of black blood fell to the ground, he had appeared above the Imperial City, facing the thousand-eyed and ten thousand-armed Abyssal Spider.
Surprise flashed in the eyes of the Fallen One. "You are—"
"I am the Lord of Demons." He raised his staff, "I am everywhere.
·
It had been a long time since he'd fought such a difficult battle, but this time, he'd triumphed. The cowardly Fallen begged for mercy before dying, and he planted the spell, completely controlling it with the Void Sky Shadow technique. For no other reason than they needed fighting power... and he also needed a living witness familiar with the outsider's information.
The entire Spire cheered him on, but this time, he was too exhausted to perform his magic tricks. He felt like he was going to give up, but he also felt like it was all worth it. He didn't see Lavaeva in the crowd; the worried woman wasn't there at that moment, which was a rare sight.
"Look at you." Vansalar heard a familiar voice, "The hero who protects the imperial capital."
The Supreme Sorcerer smiled at the front of the crowd and hugged him vigorously. "You're finally back, little bastard!" He patted Carl's shoulder. "You're recuperating well in the city-state, huh? You even have a beard."
"The food there is delicious, and it's a great place to cultivate your character." Karlsode laughed. "I can't wait to see what our wise Majesty will say."
They discussed excitedly, wondering if the next Warmaster might be coming. They were like two naughty children, but they had every right to celebrate. In this tug-of-war, they had won, upholding justice and themselves.
But when the Giant Emperor himself arrived, even Karthod was stunned.
"I never thought he would come to thank me in person," Karlsrud said. "That old-fashioned, cold-blooded, inflexible fool..."
"When we were little, we had to call him Your Majesty." Fansalar laughed, "Let's go and hear what His Majesty has to say."
In hindsight, they should have been prepared for what was about to happen. Everyone knew the giants' steely tempers, and as former citizens of the Empire, they particularly understood the ways of this nation. But they turned a blind eye, just as they had to every past mistake. So much so that, just before the Emperor opened his mouth, they were still plotting how to ridicule this self-righteous dictator.
"Supreme Mage Karlsod, on behalf of the Giant Empire, I issue you an ultimatum," the Emperor said. "The Oracle has concluded that elemental magic has a fatal flaw. You will become the Fourth Outer Path."
Karlsod's smile froze.
The emperor continued, "Until the measurement results stabilize, you must cease all research. The two righteous gods will stabilize your spirit body..."
Karlsode seemed stunned and spoke with great difficulty: "Hey, you may not have received the latest news. We just protected your empire."
"I know," said the Emperor.
"You know," Karlsod repeated, the tips of his beard trembling. "My friend, I just saved your people, and now you come here to accuse me?"
"Fifteen standard time units ago, the Empire detected direct communication between the Spiral Tower and the Cradle of Oblivion." The Emperor said indifferently, "According to the Oracle's calculations, there is an 87.6% chance that the Spiral Tower orchestrated this attack—"
"That's enough," Karlsrud said softly. "That's enough."
Vansalar heard a soft, cracking sound, as if something had shattered. The terrifying being that had been restrained erupted with a rage so terrifying that even gods would recoil. He was blown away, a dazzling, scorching light standing before the emperor, and the world shook with his roar.
“—Get out of my country!!”
That was the first time he had witnessed the Sorcerer Supreme's rage. That uncontrollable emotion set the entire world ablaze.
·
Karlsod sat in the charred ruins, looking up at the black night sky.
He hadn't spoken a word since the battle, and no one except Vansalar dared approach him.
"Karl," Vansalar whispered. "Hey, Karl."
"They think I'm wrong," the Sorcerer Supreme said. "What do you think, Vansalar? Are we wrong?"
Vansalar stood in silence, knowing his friend didn't expect a response. Karsod shook his head, gazing at the dark night sky.
"If you're talking about ties to heresy, then the Divine Tree City-State is probably even less likely to escape blame. If you're talking about harsh tactics, then the Emperor himself is the greatest tyrant in the world. If you're talking about extreme measures and a lack of tolerance for freedom, why not look at those ancient dragons who claim to be gods and see the 'civilizational competition' they once single-handedly led?" The Supreme Mage spoke slowly. "There's no such thing as a perfect person in this world. They can sacrifice other things for the greater good... but we can't?"
"Our people have died and been injured for peace, our people have sacrificed for the greater good. We have dedicated our magic, our hard work, everything we have to this world, and in the end, they call us heretics!!" The Supreme Mage suddenly roared, "Tell me! Why, after all this, do they call me a heretic!!!"
"I don't know!!" Fansalar yelled back, he was also going crazy. "Because we were wrong! So what?! Just like you said, is there anyone in this world who has never made mistakes? Why can they do it, but we can't?!"
Carlsod took off his glasses and chuckled softly. His laughter grew louder and louder, like a simple and happy child who had finally figured things out.
"Do you know why?" He grasped his friend's shoulders, delighted with his own answer. "Vansalar, do you know?"
"I said I didn't know—"
"Because they are righteous gods, and I am not!" Karsod waved his hands excitedly. "That's why the emperor never advises the old dragon, and no one dares to mention how the World Tree communicates with outsiders. They are the supreme righteous gods, and the entire world relies on their protection. Therefore, no one dares to anger the Supreme Being. They still rely on the righteous gods to survive!!"
"So the righteous gods are always right. They must be right. If you don't rely on these right people, you will only end up in the abyss!!"
"This is the true God! The life of all living beings depends on him, and he defines what is the right God!"
The Supreme Mage let go of his friend's hand, with deep remorse in his eyes.
"I was wrong, old friend," said Karlsod. "This is all due to my lack of strength, but soon all problems will be resolved."
"I have understood the mysteries of the world."
"Carl!" Vansalar panicked. "Calm down! Carl!!"
Karsod soared into the air, a smile of enlightenment on his face. Golden and black light swirled around him, like a spiral that had never separated. An impossibly vast formation erupted, instantly enveloping the entire Senluo Secret Realm. The distance between them grew ever greater. Vansalar screamed, reaching out to grasp the unreachable god.
"Karsode!! We can do some tests first and make a plan. At least let us help you make some more preparations!!"
"We never needed that."
They seemed to have returned to the day when they had just returned from the deep sea, and the young child told him the secret of magic. It was the avenue of the mind and emotions, the art of change and individuality.
"Once you are enlightened, you will ascend to godhood."
The world ends in light.
The elements of the entire Shendong world are boiling at this moment.
·
Vansalar felt he could no longer hold on. He was spreading, like a thin vapor, dispersing into an overly vast world. The consciousness that supported him was collapsing, and Sephiroth Six, the "Silent Void," was at its end, because the void could no longer be maintained stably.
He will become an insignificant point.
He was about to fall into the second abyss.
To maintain his elemental connection with emotion, he forced out his courage. Only courage could maintain his form. But this time, even courage and love were ineffective. His unwavering emotions betrayed him. He sank in the fog, feeling the cold, bewildered death.
—Vansalar. Arouse your emotions.
Sorry, Carl. He smiled bitterly inwardly. I screwed up. I'll never catch up with you on this one.
You can do it. You just forgot that little trick. Remember when you first started learning magic?
Of course he remembered. The memories kept coming back. That damned wild boar. His timid, anxious self as a child.
——Where there is fear, there is courage.
——Embrace fear.
He grasped at the ropes of fear.
Then the fog parted and the world turned upside down.
·
"Are you okay, Vansalar?"
He stood up suddenly, stretched his limbs, and joy cut through the astonishment, making him laugh with joy. He spoke incoherently, danced with his hands, and danced in circles on the spot. Karlsode laughed loudly.
"Oh my god! Oh my god, Carl!!" He clapped his hands vigorously. "The world of Seismic Point 7 is amazing. I have never felt so... free!!"
"Do you understand now?" Karlsrud asked him. "Do you understand?"
"Of course, you're right. You're always right!! All problems are solved!!"
He was delighted, hugged his friends vigorously, and at the same time dispersed himself into many perspectives.
Now he no longer needed to rely on the slayers, he could observe the world from countless angles. But he still habitually split his perspective and borrowed the eyes of those kind little creatures. He had just been unconscious for so long, he had to be safe and check if those slayers were—
He saw blood and body parts.
He heard screams, pleas for mercy, curses and cries.
He saw shadows crawling behind children, saw beasts tearing fresh flesh, saw fire swallowed by the night, saw panic drive the crowd crazy. He saw groups of wild beasts biting life, he saw shadows crushing the bones of warriors.
He existed in countless visions simultaneously, he saw tens of millions of deaths, and he saw countless sorrows flowing in the shadows.
He witnessed a single second in Shen Dongjie.
A second dominated by fear.
This was his "memory" after he lost consciousness. It was from an hour ago.
Then, three thousand six hundred "one seconds" came at the same time.
He heard himself laughing in reality.
His reason howled in the hell of endless suffering.
In the endless blood and corpses, only the old friend stood alone, as kind as ever.
"Are you ready, Vansalar?" Karlsod held out his hand to him.
"Then let's go. Everything has just begun."
"Let us work together to change the world!"
·
From that day on, the tides of the sea of illusions rose less frequently, the range of the dissipation of the fog of history decreased, and the light of the cradle of oblivion would be temporarily obscured on certain nights.
Because there is wind and snow in the world.
There is sand and dust.
There were earthquakes. Volcanoes. Thunderstorms. Tornadoes. Unpredictable phenomena that appeared without a clear pattern, that made even the abyss retreat.
People called it a "natural disaster."
·
I can hardly remember anything that happened after that.
Pointless conversation.
Seems like a meaningful education.
Repeating the test of the brave.
Looking forward to the appearance of someone who can break the fear.
In the fleeting, dew-like time, one day, there was a ray of light worth remembering.
It was a long, long time later. A slayer was defeated, and the warrior overcame the test. He emerged from the slayer's corpse and saw a child holding a shadow sword and a light shield.
"Congratulations, you have conquered your fear!" he said. "The Nightmare King is ready to reward you. What do you want?"
The child pointed his sword toward the sky.
"Can you build a barrier in the sky to protect us? With this, natural disasters will be less frequent, and it will be harder for outsiders to enter."
He was stunned for a moment, remembering the conversation he had with his old friend that night long ago.
"You want the sky?"
"Sky...that's a great name!" the child said excitedly, "Can you do it?"
“There was a guy who had the same idea as you before. He failed,” he said. “I can’t do it either.”
"I see... I'm sorry for putting you in a difficult position. I'll just keep trying."
The child raised his shining shield and spoke confidently.
"When I become stronger, I will make sure that the world has the sky!"
He wanted to cry, to laugh, to curse hysterically.
He leaned over and stroked the child's hair.
"That's a wonderful wish," said the devil. "May it be successful."
So, time fades away.
In the void of time, the dream came to an end.
·
He slowly opened his eyes and looked at the empty hall.
Reality is a little more desolate than dreams. Time is like dew on the veins of a leaf; no one knows when it will vanish. The past and life itself vanish with it, leaving only the world before our eyes. Like a kaleidoscope, a single second in a world of motion spins endlessly.
He was growing weary, and just then, the messengers entered one after another, kneeling before the Nightmare Lord's throne. Burning Embers, Cursed Thunder, Limb Spiders, Night Walkers. All present, leaving the city with nothing worth mentioning.
He sighed deeply. His consciousness had returned to reality, but the memory still lingered in his dream. Then, on a whim, he asked, "Zhizhu, who asked you to go to the Imperial Capital back then?"
"I remember that," said the spider tremblingly, "but... does it matter?"
"Yeah, it doesn't matter." He nodded and yawned. "What's the matter? What's the matter? Why are you all here?"
"Ran Jin has observed the formation." Ye Xing said, "The 35th Brave Warrior is preparing to ascend."
Vansalar laughed, a laugh of anticipation and contentment. He rose from his throne, and four shadows shot out like arrows, piercing the bodies of the four messengers. That was the Demon King's command.
No retreat allowed.
No escape allowed.
Go all out.
"Let us begin this grand final battle." Fansalar laughed. "The Demon King's army, attack with all your might!"
(End of this chapter)
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