Chapter 108

Arc 13- Public Enemy No.1 - Part 10

In the middle of nowhere, a white spherical energy ball was floating.

Many would have passed by and not noticed anything.

However, this was far from a normal energy ball.

This small spherical energy ball contained an Ultraverse.

An Ultraverse contains the infinite number of universes in this multiverse, an infinite number of dimensions, multiple higher dimensional planes of existence, and more.

Arael had created this Ultraverse rather quickly. It surprised even Nazar.

It is no easy feat to achieve. But Arael managed to create this Ultraverse along with its concepts and abstract existence which kept this Ultraverse from falling apart.

Although it looked no bigger than a football, the inside of the Ultraverse was as large as this Ultraverse.

Leaving that aside, the small ball started to shake furiously.

Immediately after, it blew up.

From this small football-like Ultraverse, two beings came out.

Nazar took a few deep breaths.

Of course, he is in space and it's impossible to breathe. But these are ultra-powerful Gods who can destroy universes with ease.

Nazar was floating in the dark space, surrounded by beautiful stars.

(Am I…?)

He glanced back and saw a nearby sun.

(Ah. What happened...)

Slowly, he looked down at himself.

(I remember fighting Arael in his new Ultraverse but…)

The explosion from their punch had destroyed the new Ultraverse which Arael had created.

(Those emotions...)

Nazar looked around and saw Arael’s battered body - which was floating not too far from here.

“Arael!”

For a split second, his eyes lit up with white energy.

(Shit. Even though I held back…) Nazar gulped. (Is he…? Damn it!)

But the worried look soon vanished when he heard Arael cough.

Slowly, Arael opened the eyes of his battered body.

“I am… yo… your fr...nd...”

Nazar rushed to his side and tried to heal, but Arael rejected it.

“Why…?”

Although he questioned why Arael rejected his offer in this condition, he knew the answer. Arael never liked being healed. He likes to heal over a long period of time.

(“Aarin - the only angel you trusted did this to you.”)

Since he had trouble speaking, Arael spoke to Nazar telepathically.

(“You are my friend. So, I had to save you.”)

With guilt overwhelming him, Nazar lowered his gaze.

(“I destroyed your soul. I used it to break the taboo. But more importantly, it broke your connection to Aarin. I made sure that she won’t be able to affect you in any way.”)

Nazar was not sure what to say but he felt guilty.

(“Well, at least for now. You can always change it back.”)

Arael chuckled.

(“What an oddball, right?”) Nazar said in a self-mocking way while smiling.

(“Heh.”)

Arael paused for a moment as he took a few deep breaths.

(“As for the last part… I didn’t mean to hurt you emotionally. But it was the only way to force you to unleash all those negative emotions out of you. I had to worsen those negative emotions within you in order to free you from her curse.”)

First, Arael destroyed his soul to break off the connection with Aarin. He wanted to make sure she couldn’t affect him anymore. Especially not right now from a remote location.

To get rid of all those negative emotions, he had to make it worse. He had to push him to his limits in every way possible.

Once Nazar couldn't take it anymore, he unleashed everything he had. Not just the power, but all the negative emotions hiding within him.

(“So, sorry about that.”)

(“...Thanks, Arael.”)

He bit his lip.

Nazar felt bad for causing him all the pain and trouble.

So.

(“And-- I didn’t mean to say those things. I don’t hate--”)

(“I know,”) Arael tried to laugh but coughed blood instead.

Seeing the worried look on Nazar’s face, he shook his head.

(“Don’t worry, I can come back from this. It’s nothing. I could heal myself or let you do it. But...”)

He waited for Nazar to finish.

At first, Nazar was confused.

(“Hm…?”)

Realising what Arael was expecting, he smiled.

(“People like us can get rid of our pain. Whether it’s physical, mental or emotional.”)

(“But we would rather get over it over time, right? Take our time to heal. It’s better this way. Makes us more… More...“)

Arael tried to think of the correct word, but couldn’t figure out what that word was.

Instead, he changed the subject slightly.

(“I started to take notes too. I think it’s the better way. Keeps things interesting for someone with a long life such as us, no?”)

(“Hmm-- Huh?”)

Nazar took a moment to considerately think about what Arael said, but after realising what he truly meant, with a blank look on his face, Nazar stared at Arael.

(“I swear, I am not a masochist,”) Arael refuted immediately.

(“Neither am I.”)

Then both of them burst into laughter.

Of course, Arael coughed blood soon after. So, it did not end too well for him.

(“When I said earlier that you can’t be happy despite all that power...”)

Arael slowly moved his hand.

(“I was wrong.”)

Touching Nazar’s forehead with his index finger, Nazar sucked in a breath.

Nazar remembered all the good things that happened in his life. The people he loved. The moments he spent smiling with them.

(“Maybe most of your life has been very depressing… but it is getting better, isn’t it? A lover. A family who knows your secret and loves you. Friends who are happy to be around you.”)

Arael forced a smile on his face.

(“I am your friend. I care about you. And I am happy to be around you. So, it was my duty as a friend to save you when you couldn’t do it yourself.”)

In this selfish universe, Arael could have ignored him like most. He didn’t have to come here and help Nazar. But Nazar would have done the same if their roles were reversed.

So, that’s why Arael did his best to save Nazar when he couldn’t do it himself.

(“I am like you. With more power than I have asked for and how I can't die. But the best I can do is.. look for the good and ignore the bad. Life is too long. Be happy.”)

Nazar and Arael had been friends for a long time. They always understood each other. And the reason was simple; both were more powerful than they asked for and they were bored with their lives.

Of course, unlike Nazar, Arael doesn’t want to kill himself.

But unlike Nazar, Arael knows that his long life will come to an end one day. It’s something he looks forward to.

(“We don’t know the immediate future… It’s being built as we go along. But we know bad things will come to us. So, don’t think too much about a very uncertain future. Don’t think about something which might not even exist.”)

Arael took a deep breath before continuing.

(“As for the far far future… It’s darker than anything. But you don’t have to worry about that. The dark future is imminent. It will come no matter what you do. But that’s too far away. Billions of years from now, isn’t it?”)

Nazar nodded.

(“Focus on the now. Live your life in the now. Leave those dark futures to the time when it comes. No matter what you do now, you won’t be able to change your final fate. You will be the last man standing when all of us whither out of existence.”)

Nazar was not sure how to feel about that. He just listened to Arael.

(“You have been told this before, right?”)

(“Yes.”)

(“And you have thought about taking their advice, right?”)

He nodded.

(“Then do it.”)

Nazar inhaled sharply.

(“Listen to them. Take their advice. Live in the now and don’t worry about your imminent fate which you cannot change. That’s too far away, so don’t waste the time you have now.”)

Nazar has thought about it before.

But no matter what, something always happened and pushed him to focus on the bleak future rather than the life he has now.

(“You have a family. Friends. A lover. Think about them. Live your life with them. Be happy in the present. Your immediate future can be better because of them… But you already know that.”)

Nazar never thought about the immediate future, but the far far future which will come in billions of years.

Always scared of being the only person who will be left.

When he first found out about his true status, he sent a clone to the far far far future. And there, he found out what happened.

At the end of everything, in the endless darkness, Nazar stood alone. There was nothing left, except for him.

He tried his best to avert that fate, but it has been useless.

Any other attempts for sure will also be useless.

(“Live in the now, huh?”)

Nazar chuckled.

(“I suppose you give some good advice once in a while - surprisingly.”)

(“Of course,”) Arael tried to puff his cheeks but threw away that idea due to pain.

(“But...”)

Nazar looked at the stars and sighed.

(“Your life has been rather bad. But it’s not as dark as you make it out. It’s not something which you cannot overcome. So, stop looking at everything black eyes and enjoy the colourful world.”)

(Yeah, he is right.) Nazar thought to himself with a complex look on his face. (I have been too caught up in the first few years of my childhood… I thought I had grown from it yet it still haunts me.)

Arael heard his thoughts and interfered.

(“No, you got it wrong.”)

(“Hm?”)

(“You can never outgrow it. But what you can do is, live with it. Live with it side by side and one day, you won’t be haunted by it. I haven’t outgrown my bad days, but I can live side by side it.”)

He forced a smile on his face.

(“We are immortals who live forever. We have had many dark days behind us and many ahead of us. But what we can do is, find happiness-- Find light in this infinite darkness--”)

Arael coughed.

Nazar tried to heal him, but he rejected it again.

(“For you it’s your loved ones. For me, it’s fighting and the other Gods, search for rare abilities and strong opponents, and knowledge. And more. That’s what makes this infinitely long and boring life fun. And worth living.”)

(“True,”) Nazar replied slowly.

He wanted to say something else, but Arael spoke, cutting him off.

(“Unlike us, those people you love and care for… They have short lives. It’s too short, in fact.”)

On this Earth, the average human life is 77 while beings such as Nazar and Arael live for billions and billions of years.

(“So, you want to get most of this short time.”)

(“I see...”)

(“Of course, they will die soon,”) he said bluntly. (“You can weep for their deaths later, but for now, forget about that uncertain future and be happy. Make yourself happy. Because others won’t. No one else will make you happy, but yourself.”)

Once again, before Nazar could say anything, Arael raised his hand slowly and stopped him.

(“Yes, their existence and well being can make you happy, but it’s different. They can’t actively make you happy unless you want to be happy yourself.”)

It was something simple, yet Nazar thought he heard the most otherworldly thing. So, he took his time to digest it.

Most of his life, whatever he needed, it was right in front of him. It was easy for him to obtain. So, he thought the same would happen now.

For a being as powerful and smart as him, his idea of the most basic things in life is very wrong.

After a long silence, Arael said, (“When I first saw what Aarin did, I was going to get rid of her curse differently. But when I saw you kill yourself, I got angry and took this approach.”)

(“Oh...”)

(“Killing yourself won’t solve anything.”)

Nazar lowered his gaze.

He knows. He has been told this before. But even then, he still tried to kill himself regularly.

Arael let out a sigh.

(“Either way, I am not going to apologise for that. I enjoyed fighting you without holding back.”)

Nazar laughed.

(“I am disappointed you changed your mind at the last moment and didn't unleash everything against me. Really disappointed.”)

A serious look appeared on his face, washing away that carefree laugh.

Before he could speak, Arael answered Nazar's question.

(“No, I won’t tell you my secret.”)

Nazar clicked his tongue.

Arael looked away at the empty space.

(“Can you collect the remains of the Ultraverse? I need those energies.”)

Nazar followed the trail of his eyes and looked at the empty space.

(“Why?”)

Of course, it cannot be seen by the naked eyes of normal people, but these two are far from normal.

(“I want to study it.”)

Nazar sighed.

He held his hand towards the empty space, a small light white energy ball appeared.

It flew towards Arael.

(“Thanks.”)

The energy ball floated above Arael’s head.

(“Do you want me to--”)

(“Nope,”) Arael said immediately. (“I don’t want to get princess carried by a man.”)

(“Uhhhhhh. Why do you think I would carry you like that?!”)

Arael laughed, but he coughed blood again.

So, Nazar’s hand twitched, Arael vanished into thin air - along with the energy ball floating above him.

He was sent to his world in the sixth dimensional plane of existence.

လလလ

Far from this starry space, in a place of endless darkness, the first angel has been fighting against the Queen of Virrasil for a short while now.

“Hah,” laughed the Queen. “You are less disappointing than your brother.”

“Thanks,” Lucifer said, “you aren’t as weak as I thought you would be.”

“Hah.”

She swung her hand and the darkness started to restrain Lucifer.

“Do you know who I am?”

“I am afraid, no.”

Lucifer’s body started to light up with bright white light and slowly repelled the light.

“And I don’t assume you will tell me who you are. But that energy… I have a faint idea.”

“A fai-- Those eyes…”

Lucifer smiled thinly in return.

“The Eye of Judgement.”

“Yes, an interesting concept created by our creator. It allows us to get a brief idea about the people we face.”

From her expression, it did not seem like she knew a lot about the Eye of Judgement.

However, she was not worried.

The other person had promised her one thing; no matter what happens, people won’t be able to figure out much about her. They won’t get a concrete idea of her origin or powers.

However, that concealment will break if she deliberately wants someone to know about her. Like Michael.

“You have an energy signature similar to Ikeiss, the Eternal. Or as some of us call him, the Dragon.”

Although she did not have her mask on, Lucifer still could not see her true face.

But he could tell what her expressions were.

And right now, she was a little surprised.

“We are both in the same boat, then. I thought you might give me an idea of where the Dragon is at the moment.”

Dark chains started to slither like snakes in this dark place.

“If you have a similar energy to the Dragon… His energy signature is quite similar to the Nameless One and the Supreme One…”

The dark chains slowly started to slither around her slender legs.

Even then, she failed to notice it.

“Which in turn, is quite similar to Nazar’s...”

A blade of light appeared and stabbed the queen in the back.

The large blade expanded as it went through her.

She coughed blood once she noticed the large blade made of light in her chest.

Failing to notice the blade and react to it, she gritted her teeth.

“And since Emily told us about other...”

Lucifer paused for a moment and thought about the word Emily had used.

He has not forgotten, but he tried to think hard about this word he learned recently.

“Ul...tra...ver--hrk--se?”

The queen spoke as she forced her hands to move.

“Ah, yes! Ultraverse. An odd word, if you ask me.”

The queen groaned as she destroyed the [Blade of Light] with the touch of her fingers.

Blade of Light. A technique made by Lucifer where he concentrates the power of Heaven into a shape of the blade. It works especially well in the dark. The darker the environment, the more effective the Blade of Light becomes.

Furthermore, the more the evil a person is, the more pain they will feel.

How do you quantify evil within someone? What is evil? Who decides what that evil is?

Look no further, you are looking at him.

Lucifer.

The first angel.

He decides how much evil is within his opponent. He decides what evil is.

Did his opponent save a cat from the tree? Did his opponent save a universe from annihilation?

These are heroic deeds.

But Lucifer can change that. Those heroic deeds become evil.

However, he didn't use that ability of his. He didn't change the goods within her to evil.

No. She is evil. Her very existence is nothing but evil.

The princess from a long time ago was not evil. She was not made to be evil. But over time, she became evil. So evil that not a good thought exists within her.

Realising that, Lucifer's heart skipped a beat in fear.

He tried his best to not show it on his face.

Even then, for a split second, fear could be seen on his face.

Putting that fear aside for now...

“I presume you are one of them.”

“One of them?”

The wound left by the Blade of Light was gone, so she could speak clearly once more.

“[Creator].”

Creator. It is a name given to beings such as the Supreme One whose role is to create. To create life, to create a universe, to create anything.

On the opposite side of the spectrum stands the Destroyer. It is a role given to someone like the Nameless One who can destroy anything. These beings exist to balance each other out.

So, her question is… How does Lucifer know that?

This concept of Creator and Destroyer was made by...

“I made those concepts when in my adolescence. How do you know that?”

And the answer is simple.

“I just do. I have so for a while now.”

Anyone would have frowned upon it, but she knew better.

“The Dragon.”

“Perhaps so,” Lucifer was not sure about it himself. But this answer was satisfactory to him.

“That-- Urk??”

Remember those dark chains?

Yes, those entered her body through a certain… body part. It moved up inside her body, infecting it with dark purple energies and then the chains came out of her head.

The chains shot up.

(Something is… wrong,) she thought to herself.

The chains immediately changed the direction. It moved in the air and stabbed her in the chest.

In what seemed like a second, her body had hundreds of holes in it.

“You see before I came here, I equipped myself with a new form of energy…”

“D-d-des…truc...tion?” she said painfully while groaning.

“And you would be correct.”

Lucifer shot himself at her.

“You are powerful. Very powerful. But as a Creator, you are bound to be weak to Destruction.”

In Lucifer’s hand, a dark purple energy sword appeared.

Moving faster than she could react in her current state, he slashed her head off.

Lucifer stood over her “dead” body and let out a sigh of relief.

“I doubt that will keep her down. But she is not unkillable.”

Although he was standing on top of her dead body, he did not feel victorious.

In the back of his mind, he thought something was off.

“Hehehe.”

Abruptly, he looked back.

“Hehe.”

A chilling laugh rang out in the dark place.

“Interesting.”

“No wonder it was easy.”

Lucifer did not look very disappointed.

The Queen of Virrasil was standing behind him and yet he still had the calm look on his face.

“An avatar. I should have guessed.”

Yes, he was fighting an avatar of the Queen.

“I think I have an idea of your capabilities.”

Lucifer realised his mistake too late.

“You are correct, Destruction is what we are weak against…”

She clashed her hand and cut the space between them.

“I, however, am very resistant to it.”

Lucifer and the Queen stared at each other in the eyes for a moment.

A sword appeared in her hand too.

“Well… I guess I have no other choice,” said Lucifer as he cracked his index finger of his left hand with his thumb.

Smiling thinly, they clenched the swords in their hands.

”I leave the rest to you,” Lucifer said that to an unknown person.

Someone who is not present at the moment. Someone very far away.

“Shall we?”

He nodded.

“Of course, it is my only option at the moment.”

Lucifer took a deep breath.

“Come to me,” he said slowly.

For the first time in his life, Lucifer called all of his power. For the first time in his life, he accessed his true power. For the first time in his life, he will use every ounce of his power to battle an enemy.

“Impressive,” she said with a thin smile.

And so, they clashed once more.

The battle between Lucifer vs the Queen of Virrasil continues.