Gozine

The Monarch of Evil
Archduke Baal.

At the beginning, when the goddess Arden bestowed upon humans the miracle known as the Philosopher’s Stone.
He was the Judas who betrayed her to monopolize it, and the first demon.
He was the undisputed strongest, being a mythical existence who built his power by pushing aside Belial who presided over hell in one fell swoop.

Moreover, he is also a demon that I’ve never managed to kill in all 27 past lives.
The reason is simple.

Even though I’ve seen the ending, the breadcrumbs related to the angels have never been unraveled.
Now I know what kind of existences these angels are, and I’ve come to realize that in their attempt to use me, they are no different from demons.
But back then, I had never actually seen Baal’s true inception.
The moment that bastard was resurrected, my so called mother,
Angel Altende forced a regression.

— Altende is one of the Four Sages.

— I understand you’re curious about her since you’ve been to the north, but it’s better not to get deeply involved……

That was what I heard from Noah von Trinity not long ago.
Astrid and Noah said they didn’t know about the other sage, but they said they could explain a lot about Altende since they had met her many times.

I was the one who didn’t even know she was called one of the Four Sages.

But now I understand.
For Altende, it must have been difficult to operate on this continent without revealing her identity as an angel.
So, she must have decided to obtain a new identity.
It’s just that the new identity happened to be the grand title of one of the Four Sages.

Some might wonder.
Why am I talking about this at the moment of Baal’s resurrection?

Altende.
Because an angel with a pair of black wings has manifested here.

[You’ve made a foolish choice in the end, Nox. Do you think your sacrifice can change anything?]

The existence floating in the void radiating light like the sun expressed disappointment towards me.
It held no particular meaning.
I am merely doing what I must do now, and the woman ahead will propose again.

Return to the beginning, and start over.

She will whisper sweetly.
That I can revive those I can no longer see. But these petty mental attacks no longer work.
Because no one has died yet.

My dear companions, unfortunately for her, no one has died and they are all alive and well.
Even if she makes a proposal in this situation, there’s no way I would move to the 29th cycle.
Altende must know this too.
That’s why she can’t say anything and is putting on a show of being disappointed in me.

Dddddrrr!

The ground continues to rumble, and the sound of the blackened statue cracking and splitting spreads eerily across this battlefield.
Goddess Arden’s Representative who looks like a fallen angel spoke to me and disappeared.

[It is your choice in the end. Even if a certain outcome is predetermined before your eyes, accept it. Nox, my son.]

“Get lost.”

The demon realm and the heaven realm cannot interfere with each other’s.
Precisely, Arden decreed it so.
This means that even if she is my mother, she will not save me.

Maybe dying here would be more fun.
If she feels even a shred of guilt, she might think of me even a little?

Now, as the fissure breaks and the existence with eyes and body of a giant goat.
As I watch Baal open his eyes, I find myself thinking anew.

A circle called family.
Perhaps because I never felt warmth, I wanted to give more to my companions.
Maybe that’s it.

— Such personal emotions must not interfere with the sword.

Why is it?
In a moment like this, Theo von Reinhaver’s voice, one of my damned family, comes to mind.
In the continent’s trickery meant to mock me, I wish to become complete.

Annihilation of Evil.
By accomplishing this great task, I will become complete.
It’s okay if nothing remains. In the end, wasn’t this what I desired too? I find myself thinking now.

[Again… I came again, huh.]

An overwhelming pressure is felt from his voice alone.
Baal, breaking out of the statue, appeared and looked around.

His pale face, the spear in one hand, and the club held in the other are impressive. This is the symbol of figure known as Baal.
To add, the dagger hung at his waist was also an object symbolizing the demon Baal.

Baal seemed pleased to be back on the earth after so long.
That bastard moved his lips and continued.

[Have human standards fallen even lower in my absence? Nothing but weaklings. There are hardly any suitable to be my vessel. Fortunately…]

Baal’s gaze turns towards me for a moment.

[It seems there is at least one.]

Instantly, as he raises his hand, his mana surges into the void.
The soaring mana, like a black lightning bolt, obscures the sun, casting darkness.

I anticipated this too.
That bastard will target me.

To make me his new vessel.

**********

“…So it has come to this in the end.”

Around the time the lightning clashes, shaking the earth’s very foundations and unsettling the two people.
Esteban finally realized that Baal had awakened and said that. But it’s useless
Esteban had already planned to destroy Arkheim, and he had also planned to kill Baal. It was because he was overly confident in his own power that he made such a judgment.

Penelope bit her lip until it bled and clenched her fists tightly.

“Do you think you can stop it? Father? The current situation… Do you think you can kill me and also deal with Baal?”

“Esteban the Sun King. People praised me as such. I will not be swayed by a mere demon.”

“Haven’t you already been swayed!”

She shouted, but he ignored her and shook his head.

“I merely found an opportunity. As a foolish emperor, I used them and watched for an opening. I am still same. The time of the Sun King and the time I was called the foolish emperor are no different.”

Penelope created lightning and tried to shoot it down, but it was blocked.
Because Esteban immediately reverse-calculated the magic and shattered the lightning. Next, Zzzt, with a small noise, lightning quickly generated and left Esteban’s hand, shooting straight towards Penelope.

Penelope screamed in astonishment.

“Reverse-calculation at this speed…?!”

But Esteban’s attack did not reach her. The rose pierced by the crescent moon. One of the main characters of this episode that defines the two sisters appeared there.

Luna.

Luna von Arkheim.

If the Sun King of the Empire, the Emperor, was Esteban. Luna, the moon that existed behind the scenes, revealed herself and lightly split the lightning. The Moonlight Sword emitted light.

A slightly trembling voice escaped from Esteban’s lips, as if he was in disbelief

“What… You couldn’t possibly…?”

“….”

“Were you really alive?”

Esteban called out to his lost daughter with the warm voice he used to call Penelope. But the answer that returned to him was icy cold.

“Are you the human who abandoned me?”

Esteban was abandoned by both his daughters and could only feel the world crumbling, but he reached the conclusion that he must attack them to achieve his goal. After all, it was too late to restore his relationship with his two daughters, and too late to secure the empire’s future.

“Even if you survive, you would only live in hell. Therefore, I will end your arduous lives here.”

“Don’t spout such nonsense after giving birth to us as you please. For me, and….”

Luna glanced back.

“This child too, that words that cannot be tolerated”

“Luna……”

Penelope murmured softly.

**********

Rumble!

A sound as if heaven and earth were being created was heard.

Lightning attribute.
It was because the unique power passed down through the Arkheim family erupted strongly. Everyone knows that no explanation is needed for how great and dangerous it is.
Arkheim family was the one possessing this power, the only bloodline inheritance on the continent, that have divine power yet elevated its inherent lacking destructive power through the Divine Punishment magic.

Luna.
Emperor Penelope and the former Emperor Esteban. Facing my father, I think.
The reason I broke through the difficult situation and arrived here is, of course, Nox.
But the reason I came here lies elsewhere.

My father. The father who abandoned me.
The existence who did not acknowledge my mother.

After hearing the story, my anger towards the imperial family and my killing intent towards Emperor Penelope soared.
Frankly speaking, isn’t she the one who took what should have been mine? What my mother should have enjoyed?

So I wanted to kill her.

But at that moment, Nox’s face came to mind.
His characteristic cheeky face said it would be okay if he sacrificed himself, but he had one request. Also, it seemed Emperor Penelope had already heard that request. A request to forgive Penelope.
She has done nothing wrong, so let’s hold the truly wrong one accountable.

Judging by the timing of when he brought it up, Nox probably wanted to say that.

So I thought again.

What exactly did Nox want to tell me?

Would anything change if I killed Penelope as I wished?

Could I become happy from that?

In this situation where I know nothing. Penelope came to see me herself.

My younger sister.
A child who might have become my close sister was sharp-tongued. She was a child who had fallen into extreme utilitarianism, believing anyone could be sacrificed if it saved the majority. Frankly, she was the complete opposite of me.

I was always someone who drew circles.

After drawing a circle, I lived by the oath to protect those inside it even if I were to die.

Others don’t matter.

I had decided to protect Nox and was going to ignore his will to sacrifice.
That’s why I disliked it.

When Penelope came, I was afraid she would try to make me understand Nox’s sacrifice.

But the answer that came back was different.

Please save Nox.

Please mobilize the entire army for him.

It was different from what I thought Emperor Penelope would say.
Perhaps Nox had brought about a great change in her.

I kept thinking that and became certain of one thing.

The fact that Penelope too was ultimately just one person struggling to protect her own life.
The absolute fact was that no one could choose their own birth.
That’s why I came here.

“Sorry, but please die.”

To cut down the emperor, who thinks he is rational but whose ego has already crumbled after being swept up by demons, I assume a stance.

Moonlight Sword.
Middle stage. First form. Flower Serenity
A sword that holds a meaning to urge a flower to bloom blossoms.

A pure white moon rising in the dark night sky. Under it, petals shimmering transparently, reflecting the light, fill their vision. For the first time, Esteban’s gaze trembled.

Strange.

This was clearly strange.

No matter how excellent the Moonlight Sword is, could it produce this level of destructive power?

Ztztztzt!

“I can also… do it!”

At this moment, a bright yellow halo moved from Penelope’s fingertips to the Moonlight Sword and began to burn like a sacred flame.

‘…Lightning. Lightning attribute mana.’

Esteban couldn’t help but recognize it.
Covering the Flower Serenity of the Moonlight Sword is lightning. The same kind he wields.

“What is this?”

Luna asked Penelope. She too hadn’t anticipated the situation, but Emperor Penelope acted as if it wasn’t important.

“The fact that you are his daughter has already been proven. The fact that you have a body that does not reject lightning attribute mana is the evidence.”

“This is… the lightning attribute mana of the Arkheim Empire?”

“Correct. Of course, I know that your father’s existence was never positive for even a moment. Luna. But I also know that to defeat him, you must use everything you have. If it’s to protect what we truly love.”

“You’re saying quite romantic things for sisters gathered to kill their father. You.”

“If it’s necessary.”

Luna smirked.

A smile she made while looking at her half-sister. It immediately drew forth immense power and began to cast a shadow of death over the enemy ahead, her father.

“If it’s necessary.”

She answered the same and raised her sword.

Esteban narrowed his eyes in astonishment.

“What the…? The Moonlight Sword was clearly an incomplete and unfinished swordsmanship!”

“Neither my master nor I have been idle.”

Flower Serenity.

With Luna’s voice, the flower blooms in full. It wasn’t a spectacular, cherry-blossom pink, but it was beautiful enough. Like a life born even on the streets, the flower, reddened by containing Esteban’s splattered blood vessels amidst the pure white, glowed with full vitality.

It soon became a giant tidal wave and began to erode Esteban’s lightning.
A shocked voice trembled finely.

“…This can’t be. I didn’t anticipate… this.”

Eventually, Esteban shot lightning to block it, but it was ultimately consumed by the dancing petals.
Luna didn’t stop there and proceeded to finish it.

Moonlight Sword. Initial stage, Third basic form.
Moon Split.

Although it was an early form, the moment it hit, everything was settled. Penelope also swung lightning strike with all her might onto Luna’s cold moon. Onto the sword.

Ztztztzt!

A sword imbued with lightning and moonlight attributes bisects the enemy.

Cough..cough…

Esteban could no longer speak.
Luna and Emperor Penelope were certain.
The fact that the sun of the old era had set, and he would soon die.
Along with the bleakness that there was no longer anyone to whom they could call father, there was the one solid truth that they could now protect what they loved.

Amidst being unable to even utter a word, Luna coldly sheathed her sword and muttered.

“You, you won’t go to heaven.”

Penelope bowed her head for a moment, then lifted it.

‘Father ultimately failed to protect what he should have protected and created an opening… He fell for the whispers and temptations of demons and crumbled. This is perhaps the inevitable conclusion……’

Soon, Esteban’s body crumbled, and rain began to pour down.
It washed away the cold blood and reminded Penelope of one new event.

“…Ah!”

Penelope’s expression froze coldly. Luna quickly asked.

“What is it?”

When Luna asked, she answered.

“Baal, he has awakened. We must save Nox! Luna… I know it’s shameless, but.”

“You’re asking me to lend my strength. Understood.”

Luna said that and, leaving her younger sister behind, turned around.
She had to finish it anyway.

Since Luna thought she needed to severely scold her disciple who was making a fuss about sacrificing himself, she wanted to go quickly.

Seeing her disciple’s face, she wanted to live a life where, after everything was over, she could leisurely teach him the Moonlight Sword.
Now, she just wanted to reclaim her own life, no longer the boss of a criminal organization.

**********

“No! If you’re exposed to the darkness for too long! Everyone…!”

Eleanor quickly created a small spark to illuminate the area, but it was useless.

Because most of the allies’ soldiers were already in chaos, running around aimlessly.
No matter how she thinks it. This isn’t right.
We can’t win.
This sense of complete defeat became a spark and began to slowly spread.

I am the only one who can move freely here.
Isn’t it obvious?
Dark element mana is maximized, creating a huge field around.
To move freely here, one must possess mana equivalent to this.
Thankfully, I belong to that category.

Astrid and Noah couldn’t even come here in the first place.
Mages emitting darkness are only useful in large-scale army battles. Here, there is almost nothing they can do. Setting up a barrier to prevent others from getting hurt is almost all they can do.

It was like the Paimon battle.

Back then, they focused only on barely enduring, holding on like mayflies, and from behind my masters, they begged them to protect the people.

As I was lost in sentimentality, Baal’s voice was heard.
It was a line worthy of the arrogant main axis of evil.

[You’ve achieved something great for your youth.]

“Demon King Baal….Because of you, too many have died.”

[You’re not about to preach to me, a demon, are you? Do you want something?]

“Not particularly. No matter what I say, I will kill you. There’s only one thing I want.”

Baal looks at me with interest.
The bastard strokes his chin and says.

[You are certainly different from other humans. Why? I can’t understand it, but you do not fear death. Not only that, for some reason, you seem to have already prepared for death.]

“Though I hate to admit it, you are strong. Isn’t that natural?”

[Then it would be better to bow your head to me obediently.]

“Either way, even if I bow my head, you will target my body, won’t you? Your current form is incomplete. You are merely at the stage of barely taking root on earth as a spirit. Maintaining this without a physical body is nearly impossible.”

[Oh ho, you’re quick-witted too. That makes you even more interesting.]

Let’s see.
Baal, who started the conversation, scrutinized me closely and said.

[The sword of the Reinhaver family, huh… Jin. It’s the same as the one that bastard used. But why? Why is there a faint light energy lingering?]

“It’s like a bomb planted by a certain damned person to use me.”

What Baal’s talking about is the mana hidden within me.
Holy Attribute.
This seems to be due to the influence of my mother, the angel Altende.

I realized during the experiment with an imp before.

I have several main attributes, but I can also handle multiple variety.
Among them, the most central is darkness.
But that’s not all.
For example, Holy attribute that has now surfaced, and additionally, the moonlight I acquired later.

Using these, I must drive the enemy before me to a state near death, so I focused myself.
Isn’t this moment precisely when I can properly utilize the characteristic of a regressor?

“I won’t waste words. Bring it on. If you covet my body. Try to take it by force.”

[Good. I too want to stretch my body after so long. But, before that.]

Baal raised his hand for a moment, then lowered it. Suddenly, soldiers began to fall, one by one. Those with meager talent had already collapsed, unconscious, and the rest were barely on their knees, enduring, or propping themselves up with swords or staffs.

It’s nothing.

All Baal did was draw out his mana and pressure them.
It worked perfectly, and everyone either fainted or had already lost their minds.

[You all, stay out of this fight as well. This is a historic, national-level battle announcing me, Baal’s, arrival in the human world.]

— Yes! We will obey your command!

Even Grand duke-level demons don’t easily interfere.
It was only natural.

He gathered the nine fragments of his soul.
Knocking them down, sending them to hell, and making them his followers?
Baal could do that whenever he wanted.
Of course, a Sword Emperor and a Sage might barely endure.

But in this space, the only ones who can withstand are the Emperor with her special attribute, Nox, and that’s about it.

The problem is that said Nox is me.

I raised Stormbringer upright.
The battle that will unfold from now on, though it guarantees I, Nox von Reinhaver’s death, with a success rate of less than 1 percent.
It will be a hellish war.

The outcome of this war is one of two.

Either both Baal and I die…
Or only I die, and the entire continent is destroyed.

**********

Right after his resurrection, Baal fell into brief thought as he looked at the boy before him.
How is such a thing possible?

‘Interesting.’

The human world has certainly become trash compared to before. This was an indisputable fact, and its level had hit rock bottom compared to the past.
But that boy was different.

The past.
The days when the three great dark families existed.
He had power rivaling that of the first family heads.
Jin von Reinhaver, Wellan von Marvas……
And the other one, that damned bastard..

Of course, it wasn’t that Nox had already reached that state.
They were literally mythical existences.

Especially Jin. His one-on-one swordsmanship even surpassed mine.
The undead army led by Wellan was difficult for even demons to deal with easily.

Nox had the talent to become such a monster.

That’s why he believed his long-held wish would be realized.
Baal, who was first called Judas.
He recalls the past.

— If only that bastard had been a little stronger, he might have reached the heavens!
— He might have brought down the Creator Goddess, Arden.

It was a story he had heard countless times.
Baal became stronger through the Philosopher’s Stone.

Because of this, he was also sealed, but the catalyst for his strength was the stone.
It wasn’t that he was born with immense power or talent and grasped everything from the start. But Nox was different.

‘What if I seize that bastard’s body?’

If I can just do that, I can break the Reinhaver family’s curse and simultaneously obtain the body of the strongest.
I will finally gain the ability to challenge Arden, that damned goddess.

Everyone will worship me.

‘Everything is perfect.’

Although he was a spirit, Baal had no confidence that he would lose to a mere boy like that.
Their levels were too different.

So, even while receiving Nox’s first attack, he merely thought.

What should I do first after I take that body?

But Nox, too, at that moment, kept repeating his thoughts.

‘The chance is only once.’

Everything will be decided in that single moment.

Nox as a regressor, of course the one who knew this best.