===============================

Chapter 4: Let the Law be Upheld

===============================

Karrgghhh--

The beast let out a loud howl.

Finally, the spear pierced his wounded rib-cage, the same place Shurran had pierced from before. Swinging his neck, Krone pierced the back of its neck with Juanna’s knife.

He thought it was weird.

The creature was extremely powerful.

Its agility was clearly above him. Even with its terrible injury, logically, his chance of winning was really slight.

A slight chance.

Yet he did it.

During the fight, the beast was close to deliver his finishing blow. There was no chance for him to avoid it.

However, at the crucial moment, it froze. He thought it was weird, yet he denied his doubt.

Doubt was fatal during battle, and the beast clearly had no need for tricks.

He had to trust his chance.

With his spear, he used his Piercing Drill Arte Instana, with the knife he used his Vibrant Slash Ivra Ilymus. Along with his Aura Coating - Aurelian Arte, the attack power multiplied.

His double attacks hit cleanly, yet…

Even with all the power delivered to it, it still refused to perish.

With his hand inside its rib-cage, he activated his fire magic. However, his mana was scarce. He wanted to activate his Flamme Vyrusha, yet he was simply out of mana.

Even the fact that he could exchange blow with the beast was already miracle.

“Is this, the end?”

As he thought of that, the beast gazed up onto the sky.

“Kar haz, gang gi, weii so so! ”

It was an unfamiliar language. He could not possibly understand it.

However, as strange as it may sound, he had an idea of what it was.

The beast was clearly blaming something. Something in the sky.

As if saying, “The fuck you’re doing, it’s one on one duel!”

A voice then reverberated in the air. It was an unknown language; in fact, it was merely vibration of some sort. Entirely different from the beast’s, yet Krone could somehow understand it.

“Let the Law of the Creator be upheld. You’ve broken the law. You’ve misused your temporary throne. You cannot complain.”

The voice, as if replying to the beast’s protest, explained.

The voice was tranquil, full of calmness.

Krone had an epiphany.

A third party interfered, giving him that chance. Though it might be considered dishonorable during a duel, this time he had no desire to complain.

He had a mission to accomplish.

Yet somehow, the beast continued to struggle. It was kneeling, leaving its height at a mere three metre. Krone was hanging onto its neck. His right hand still by the spear, inside its body, trying to burn its innards.

Regrettably, with only weak fire, it was not effective. It refused to die, even when Krone twisted his weapons several times. From its awkward struggle, its fangs, ever so close to him, embedded themselves onto his right shoulder.

“Ughhhh…”

A howl of pain. He no longer able to refuse his pain receptors from doing their job.

'Dying, here? No matter, I’m bringing you down too.'

But how? As he thought of it, the ring on his right hand clashed with the beast’s rib cage.

'Ring, right! The core!'

How did he forget?

The core from Tulmusk, the giant elephant-like Grand Beast, an S-class beast with a large, shining green core.

Green Core signified life force. Its size and shine, signified quantity and quality.

The power left within the core was most valuable, as it can be used to strengthened the life force and mana of those strong enough to withstand absorbing it. While absorbing a core, its power was released slowly and carefully, in order to avoid any accident.

This time however, he was not going to be careful.

Even at his best condition, a blast from a Grand-level core was not something you can just ignite and ran away all by yourself. He had given up hope for survival.

Wishing nothing more than to die with it, he took out the core from the ring.

The thigh-sized core, with its sturdy structure, actually made the beast’s body bulged.

“Bah, mun inn senna,"

Noticing his intent, he beast forced itself to gain control of its legs.

As if its body was constrained, it used its all, just to jump high into the sky towards the rift.

While they were heading higher up into the sky, it tried to shake him off.

A shame, since its fangs, locked deep into his shoulder, became its downfall.

Krone activated his remaining mana, violently invading the core. When they were so close to the rift, he could feel the power being released all in one go.

"Va vi mu!"

A curse.

That powerful thing, able to wipe out an army by itself, actually cursed.

“A fitting end—”

Krone’s last words, filled with blood coming out of his mouth.

He thought it was a fitting end, since he really must destroy both the rift and the beast, giving a much higher chance for his comrades outside to survive.

Light.

Blinding light.

And shockwave.

The inside of the hive shook, filled to the brim with the power of the explosion.

====

Shaa---

“Hmm?”

He opened his eyes.

A wide, open space all around him.

High up in the sky, he could see the high horizon, forming a blinding, ring-like panorama.

As well as below, a blue planet. A tranquil, blue planet partially shrouded with white.

“Where?”

“One of the places, fitting for valiant warriors. Immortalized by the Creator.”

“Huh?”

He turned. A man in white stood beside him. Tranquil smile was on him, while his voice was familiar.

“You’re from that time?”

“Yes, from that time.”

“Did I die..?”

A faint smile.

He turned to look the high horizon. Brilliant red sun, and tranquil, shining blue lines over the curvature of the planet.

He turned to the young man.

“Why should you be?”

“I mean, I couldn’t possibly survive that—”

“All within The Creator’s Will. By the way, look over there.”

He changed the subject, pointing to a place with his finger.

Towards a wide area of land.

“There?”

From a land over another continent, passing through the blue ocean, passing through the large land mass.

In the centre, his sight covered the high, snowy mountains range.

To a vast, snowy plain, down to a green sight, mixed with various colours.

Vibrant with life.

Here and there, lakes of crystal blue.

Truly, a wonder to behold.

“You recognize that land?”

“…Recognize? It can’t be, Kharlussia?”

Krone was honestly surprised.

It was as if a child first learning an amazing fact never thought possible before.

“Yes, your motherland you struggled to protect. The land of your ancestors, of your father and mother. Of your people, of your friends, your trusted one and your beloved.”

With that, he left Krone in silent.

He seemed mesmerized by the sight. He had always thought his homeland was beautiful.

But now, high above the land, he thought it was beyond magnificent.

…

“Beautiful?”

After a while, the man in white inquired.

Beautiful?

No, that did not do justice. How to express it? Artful, yes, artful!

Truly artful.

“Not merely beautiful, it was as if, it contains deeper signs. A message? I don’t know how to put it in words.”

Hearing this, the man smiled.

“You’re indeed good enough.”

“What?”

“I wished to inquire something, if you’re willing.”

Their eyes locked, telling him clearly he wished for a serious answer.

“Fire away. If I can answer, why not?”

“Then, why did you fight, valiant warrior? All when you could have gone to other land, and live with relative ease?”

…

His question came in as a surprise. It was not as if he never thought of it before, yet to him, fighting against the invaders and the beasts was as natural as breathing.

After thinking for it a little while, he decided to just answer it as honest as possible.

No reason to hide anything, anyway.

“Are you a human?”

“…No, but I can sympathize.”

The man in white replied simply.

“Fair enough. Tell me, do you ever wish to see your people enslaved? Their life dictated for them?”

Krone looked into his eyes.

It was a question, yet it was not one expecting an answer, so the man was silent.

“Their mind, controlled by people, who had no love for them. Soon, they, my people, our children, grandchildren, won’t even notice they’re enslaved…”

His eyes fell upon the wide mass of land, his motherland. He drew a deep breath, as if coming to term with something.

“After a generation or two, their mind’s inner workings would have been perverted, so much so that black becomes white, white becomes black. God no longer exists, and neighbours be damned. They will be made to kill others like us, and believe it to be right doing so.”

Closing his eyes, he gripped his fist, trembling.

“Can you stand it? Your people’s values be crooked? Thus, they’re led to the slaughter house called Hell, without most of them even suspecting. They would be thinking; ‘It’s the right thing to do.’”

He paused. He closed his eyes.

A long silence.

The man in white, waited enough, asked.

“Why? Why can’t your next generation even suspect their rulers doing such a thing?”

“They aren’t using their mind. They can’t use their mind. How can they? They have never trained to do so. Plus, they’re blocked from using their mind. The pressure of the masses are massive. Shaking the control off by oneself, I fear, only a percent or so are able to.”

Hearing this, the man in white nodded.

“Indeed, the way of the mind control, is not so simple.”

“Yes. Would anyone sane, want that for their children? Their next generation? Do you?”

Krone turned to look at the man in white.

His face was serene, his demeanor tranquil.

As if nothing in the world worried him. Krone turned his gaze to his homeland again.

His right fist to the East, and left fist to the West.

“By the Owner of the East and West, know that I don’t. I definitely don’t. Vehemently don’t. This reason seemed simple, but to me? It’s worth it.”

The man looked at him for a while. Seemingly satisfied, he nodded.

“By the Possessor of the Glorious Throne, you are fully supported.”

“Huh?”

Krone noticed his words. It was a proclamation, a declaration of some sorts.

“I will present you with your choice. Choose wisely.”

Slowly, his hand waved to his front. Two balls of energy appeared, one blue, the other, red.

“You’ve done well, you deserved to rest. The blue one is that choice. Rest, there’ll be more comfort than you could even imagine. You will be alerted when the time comes for Judgement Day.”

“Rest? Then the red one?”

“That’s a Redo choice. It’s a difficult, steep path.”

“Redo... Does that mean, I’ll continue fighting?”

“Yes, you will, but not in the way you’re thinking. The law had been twisted. It was within our calculation, so we let them be. Yet as per usual, they transgressed. Indeed, they’re transgressors.”

“...They?”

“Yes, they. Your obvious enemy, the Devils.”

“Devils? Is it the beasts? The Lords from Union?”

“No, not them. And not all of them. You can think it through about them later, you will know in time. The Redo choice, will not make you continue where you left of.”

“You can just say it directly. Speaking in circles is wasting time.”

“You’re right. Let’s just say you’ll return to twenty years before, after the law is twisted, and just before the rift to your world open. You’ll keep your memory with you, plus a few other perks.”

Hearing this, Krone had his eyes opened wide.

“That’s possible?”

“By Creator’s Will.”

Krone raised his eyebrow. Pose straightened, he placed his right hand on the red energy ball.

“I choose to redo it.”

“…You can think it over for a little more. No need for haste.”

“No, I already answered your question before. What’ll it make me if I take more time than this?”

The man in white turned silent.

Krone understood very well why he had posed the question to him beforehand. An assuring smile on the man, satisfied.

“Let the Law of the Creator be upheld. The devils had twisted the law to their convenience. Most assuredly, we fully expected them to complain when we—”

The man in white smirked.

“–Played by the same rules.”

…

==========