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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Night]
[Proofreader - Gun]
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Chapter 317
Luke's magic had long been in a precariously rare state.
It was the power of madness built through Ravias' cultivation technique, combined with the power of order enhanced by Felson's cultivation technique.
These completely opposite forces complemented each other, allowing Luke to maintain his sanity while reaping the various benefits of madness.
It was the result of exceptional talent that no one with mediocre abilities could even attempt to imitate.
Luke's ultimate technique, Chaos Transformation, was also based on this state, maximizing his abilities by adjusting the output of both powers.
But now, that delicate balance was shattered.
Astaon, the Legion Commander of Madness, had cast a spell that caused a small crack in the equilibrium Luke had maintained for so many years, and that crack quickly grew larger.
"Damn it, no…."
Luke realized exactly what was happening to him.
A red mist began to rise before his eyes.
“…Luke?”
Evergreen's worried voice became faint.
The only thing that grew clearer was the unknown whispering.
"…Sanity is a facade. True power comes from instinct."
It was as if Astaon was whispering directly into his ear.
It sounded like the shout of Ravias, who had been dead for a long time... or like Luke himself repeating the words.
He tried to ignore the whispering, but it grew louder and soon became a roar nearly deafening him.
"Don't hold back."
Luke blinked.
Everything was blood-red.
His vision was distorted and twisted.
‘It's just an illusion, like the one Larze showed me.’
If not for Felson's cultivation technique, he might have lost his last thread of sanity.
He lowered his gaze.
Familiar faces floated above the liquid swirling around his ankles.
They were the comrades and close friends he had personally beheaded in the past.
And the last face to appear was...
‘Evergreen.’
Her eyes were filled with disbelief and pain.
Even though he knew it was an illusion, Luke couldn't bring himself to meet those eyes.
The voice in his ears still roared.
"I told you, you're not cut out to be a hero."
“……”
"Your soul is already shattered. Accept this power and become whole."
At that moment, Luke realized something.
‘If I go mad now….’
There would be no one in Avalon who could stop him.
Chills ran down his skin.
Cuculli was stuck on the deck dealing with the 4th Legion Commander, and Ban was on the ground guarding the Infinite Track.
If Luke succumbed to Astaon's madness and went on a rampage, the internal forces alone wouldn't be able to stop him.
With the power of madness at its peak, he could potentially surpass even Ban and Cuculli, if only for a moment.
In an instant, the Emperor, the engineers, and the magicians in the power room could all die by his hand.
And before that, Lucas and Evergreen, who were in the room with him, would be the first to suffer.
‘It's getting harder to hold on….’
He was barely holding onto his sanity with Felson's cultivation technique, but he was reaching his limit.
Astaon's overwhelming magic continued to stimulate the madness within him.
Luke's eyes fell on his sword.
The vibrations, which had started as a faint tremor, were growing stronger.
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
His own hands could threaten the safety of humanity.
Luke was on the verge of making a crucial decision.
Clang-!
Suddenly, the illusion shattered, and the magic that had been suffocating him vanished.
"Luke!"
Finally, the sounds of reality reached his ears.
Luke, panting, quickly scanned his surroundings.
Fortunately, both Evergreen and Lucas were still safe.
‘…Why?’
If a little more time had passed, Luke would have eventually lost control.
But Astaon had given up first.
Luke's gaze slowly turned toward the retreating figure.
Though Astaon's face was twisted and shriveled, making it hard to read his expression, he somehow seemed startled.
Boom-!
At that moment, a ruthless and unstoppable sound pierced everyone's ears.
The low, dull noise started to build, turning into a deafening roar.
The ground shook, and Avalon's hull trembled along with it.
“…….”
Astaon pointed a bony finger at Luke before suddenly vanishing.
As the red light emitted by the grimoire disappeared, the hallway returned to a comfortable brightness.
Only then could Luke grasp the situation.
‘…Professor must have succeeded.’
It seemed the core had finally begun its runaway process.
Exhaling heavily, Luke collapsed to the ground.
His body felt as if he had been fighting for days on end, utterly drained of strength.
Evergreen's worried eyes scanned him up and down.
Lucas, standing a step back, cautiously watched him as well.
“Luke….”
“I'm fine.”
“You just stood there for a full minute. Lucas and I tried to do something, but Astaon kept targeting only you….”
“…It's all okay now.”
Luke shook his head and patted Evergreen's trembling shoulder.
“It’ll be fine next time.”
The presence of the demons quickly faded away from Avalon.
Luke slowly closed his eyes.
* * *
Meanwhile, the three surrounding the core exhibited an extraordinary concentration level at the top of the Stake.
The density and quantity of the magic flooding into the core were so overwhelming that they could only barely intervene by giving their all.
The only fortunate thing was that Leciel and her party were perfectly blocking the defensive forces.
They had quickly broken through from the bottom layer to the top and were now firmly holding the entrance, ensuring that not a single demon passed through.
"Good, it's going smoothly."
The conditions were optimal.
Thanks to this, they could successfully overload the core in a short amount of time.
Larze wiped the sweat from his forehead and spoke.
"Now we just need to pour in the magic according to the pre-set circuit slowly. Once the spell is completed…."
“Once the spell is completed?”
"We run like hell."
The most crucial factor here was the timing of the detonation.
The explosion had to occur at a point when the main force had gained enough distance to avoid being caught in it, while still allowing them enough time to escape safely.
But despite the daunting challenge that remained, everyone’s expressions were bright.
‘We've passed the hardest part.’
The work on the core was finished.
The explosion was now inevitable.
“Whew….”
Larze sighed as she looked up at the gaping hole in the ceiling.
“Let’s set it off in 30 minutes. That should be enough time.”
The hero nodded.
“When should we leave?”
“Give it 15 minutes to be safe. Keep pouring in the magic until then.”
The hero paused for a moment, then signaled outside.
Perhaps the situation outside was wrapping up as well because Arpheus promptly opened the door and stuck his head in.
He coughed briefly from the thick magic in the air, but quickly regained his composure and asked briskly,
"What is it, sir?"
“How’s the situation?”
“As you instructed, we prioritized dealing with the demons. Only a few monsters remain.”
“Good, then you should return to Avalon. The demons should be heading this way by now, so be careful not to encounter them.”
It had already been agreed upon.
Arpheus nodded and began preparing to leave.
"I'll lay down some defensive plants at the entrance and in the hallway before we go."
Ssshhh-
Where he extended his hand, numerous plants rapidly sprouted.
They were no ordinary plants.
They grew to several meters in size, each equipped with menacing fangs and tentacles.
One vine coiled like a living snake, wrapping around the entrance.
Another creature oozed venomous liquid from its thorns.
Watching this, Larze and Izaro both made curious remarks.
“Huh, growth magic. Definitely not a power a ‘hero’ would use. You’re actually a dark magician, aren’t you!”
“…It’s been a while since I’ve seen growth magic manifest. Larze, refrain from spreading baseless rumors about abilities the Lord created for the sake of humanity.”
“Seriously, these blessings are fascinating. At first glance, I would have thought it was a monster.”
Arpheus, blushing furiously, laid down some herbs from his pocket and disappeared outside.
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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Night]
[Proofreader - Gun]
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Shortly after, Leciel also briefly stuck his head in.
“Be careful on your way.”
“Sure, you be careful too.”
Hesitating as if wanting to stay longer, Zion eventually lead them away.
Soon, the sound of footsteps rapidly faded away.
All the demons that could interfere with the core had been killed.
With no variables left, the rest of the team could withdraw safely.
Thus, only four remained by the core: Maktania, Larze, Izaro, and the Hero.
Amid the resonating hum of the heated core and the echoed screams of monsters defeated by plants, the Hero reviewed the plan one last time.
‘The only variable left is if the elite demons arrive faster than expected…’
As if reading the Hero’s thoughts, Larze replied.
“They won’t be able to make it in 15 minutes. We’ve set up a field that blocks teleportation in this area… Besides, it'll be too late even if they arrive after that. The core will be beyond saving.”
Larze sat down on the ground, placing a hand on the core.
“So let’s rest a bit. From now on, be careful not to pour too much magic into it. We need to save some strength for escaping. Izaro and I are exhausted, so you’ll have to carry us if we need to flee.”
“Got it.”
A short silence followed.
Then, Maktania, who had been neutralizing the demonic energy, suddenly spoke up.
“Now that things have come to this, I’m curious.”
Izaro responded.
“About what?”
“Zero.”
At the unexpected mention, both the Hero and Larze turned to Maktania.
“What kind of person was he?”
As if feeling the need to elaborate, Maktania continued.
“This is the moment Zero longed for the most, right?”
“…….”
“All the careful preparations have come together, and the goal is within reach.”
Her eyes slowly scanned the three gathered around the core.
“A human who prepared all of this for hundreds of years… I thought I could get an answer here.”
Indeed.
Zero had created a homunculus that bore his essence.
A great magician who had devoted half his life to pursuing salvation.
And lastly, the salvation he poured all his desires and power into.
If there were any to ask about Zero, it would be these three.
“Aren’t you curious? Well, Izaro probably knows quite a bit.”
Izaro answered.
“You’ve seen him too.”
“I did see him. But I was sealed away right after.”
Maktania had been the first celestial to cross over when Zero opened the gate to the heavens.
But due to showing hostility towards humans, she was promptly sealed for hundreds of years—a painful memory.
“…Do you resent my master?”
“A little back then. Not so much now. For us, it was only a moment. And honestly, heaven is a monotonous repetition of the same day. It’s much more interesting here.”
“Interesting, huh?”
“Thanks to Doppelganger.”
The Hero shivered.
Maktania chuckled and looked at the Hero.
“If anything, he should be the one with resentment.”
“…Are you talking about me?”
“I know you’ve lived a more independent life than other homunculi. But it’s also true that much of your life was dictated by Zero.”
The Hero listened quietly.
Larze watched their conversation with great interest.
“You’ve had to endure hardships and trials you didn’t deserve. You’ve faced pain, loneliness, and moments of despair. Don’t you hold any resentment?”
“…Like a child who resents their parents for leading them to a miserable life?”
“A perfect analogy.”
“If that’s the case…”
The Hero shook his head.
“No, I don’t resent him.”
“Why not?”
“Because I wasn’t the only one thrown into an unfair situation. There were many things I could experience because Zero created me. If anything, I’m grateful.”
[Ha, a saint indeed.]
Just as someone interjected sarcastically, Izaro’s expression noticeably hardened.
“…Izaro?”
Izaro shook his head a couple of times before standing up.
“It’s about time.”
Larze also stood up, agreeing.
His red eyes studied the core carefully.
“Good. At this point, we can leave.”
The Hero hoisted Larze onto his shoulder, and Maktania cradled Izaro in her arms.
Larze whispered into the Hero’s ear.
“I’m really curious to see how they—especially Theo—will react. It’s almost a shame I won’t get to witness it.”
“Well, they’ll probably be waiting, furious, at the 50th Sector.”
A childlike laugh echoed through the top floor of the tower.
The Hero leaped up, soaring out of the hole in the ceiling.
“Alright, let’s go.”
To the final battle.
* * *
A sky thickly covered with dark clouds.
Beneath it, a grand flame rises.
The wrinkled face, illuminated by its light, appeared even more grim.
Uncontrollable rage coursed through Theo’s body.
How dare they.
How dare mere humans thwart the Demon King’s descent.
And using the same method that caused the Demon King trouble hundreds of years ago!
Though he blinked repeatedly, as if unable to believe the reality before his eyes, the explosions of the 48th Sector continued unabated.
On the contrary, they spread wildly, consuming the demonic energy at the 50th Sector.
“Well, Theo… What are you going to do now?”
Came the languid voice of Malekia from behind.
Without turning, Theo spat his words.
“We abandon the 49th Sector. Gather all forces at the 50th.”
“The troops heading west too?”
“Yes, recall them all. Ignore the pursuing human army. We’ll strike them from both sides.”
“Hm… Truly a strategy with no retreat. His Majesty will be most pleased.”
Only then did Theo turn to face Malekia.
Their relationship had soured long ago, ever since Theo started drinking heavily after devouring Yole.
Malekia was barely hiding her smugness as she looked at Theo, who had completely ruined the descent.
Theo’s eyes flashed with anger.
“…Be grateful that we have an important ritual ahead, Malekia.”
“Noted.”
Theo watched Malekia’s retreating figure, then refocused his gaze forward.
There was no time to get distracted by cheap provocations now.
The loss of the demonic energy made the descent incomplete—that was certain.
‘But still…’
The last line hadn’t been crossed.
There were still 8 hours left.
The worst could be avoided if they could prevent the enemy from entering the Demon King’s castle during that time.
“…….”
For the first time in ages, fear flickered in Theo’s eyes.
One final battle remained.
It would decide the fate of both humanity and the demons.
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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Night]
[Proofreader - Gun]
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