Gozine

Luna got up again and took her place beside me.
It seems my dear master wanted to protect her disciple somehow.
I feel the same.
No matter how much I’m going insane with slaughter, I would never abandon the companions within my circle to kill someone. Or commit acts like killing one of them.
This is only natural.
No matter how intense the whispers become, I can control myself.

It’s the mentality built through dozens of regressions.
There’s naturally no reason to break down here.

I’m just admitting it.

I loved my father,
I sincerely wished to succeed Theo von Reinhaver and become the head of the Reinhaver family,
And crushing someone and climbing higher.
That I loved this damn sense of superiority.

Perhaps I might be similar to Baal.
That bastard wasn’t a demon from the beginning either.

He was merely an existence with a purpose, one that could even be considered more human than anyone in the current continent. You can tell just by the fact that the name Baal contains the meaning of sacrifice.

He just wanted more.
He wanted to prove his greater superiority, and was merely stating that he could do more things for someone.
But the problem was that he completely crossed the line in the process.
It’s said that after obtaining the Philosopher’s Stone, a human legacy, he fell even deeper.

Astrid, Noah.
The sages, who are also my other masters said.
Demons are actually closer to humans than any other life form.

That’s why Arden was so furious and couldn’t accept it.

The Goddess of Creation loved pure humans; this was broken, and she became angry because of it.
They said that perhaps angels are trying to take away the natural desires for power, domination, material wealth, etc from them and return everything to the time before demons existed.

But what meaning do such things have now?
The current Baal has ultimately manifested in the form of evil.

My only Father.
He’s just a monster that devoured Theo.

When my thoughts reached that point and I recalled the images of others, of dying people, I finally succeeded in reining in the surging emotion of slaughter that was hard to control.
If not for this, I might have harmed even my master without properly distinguishing friend from foe.

{I’m okay now.}

I gather my strength.
I vividly feel two more pairs of wings unfolding. Now six wings follow behind me, and Baal also spread all eight of his wings, looking interested, and said:

[A human unfolding six wings… Even though I knew you could use devilization, I didn’t expect you to be such a monster.]

“I don’t want to hear about monsters from your mouth.”

[No matter how I think about it, you’re an existence too precious to die here. How about it? I no longer need your body.]

The Demon King extends his hand and says.

[Unfolding six wings means there’s no one left among the Grand Dukes who can handle you. That means you are sufficient to become my subordinate.]

Baal spoke as if bestowing a favor.

[I will give you a chance. A chance to come with me. Provided you kill all of them first.]

The direction Baal pointed naturally included my companions.
Luna quickly turned to look at me.
It’s not that she’s worried I might defect.
She’s just worried the enemy might forcibly corrupt me.

“Sorry, but I hate myself.”

[What do you mean?]

“Indecisive, wanting recognition from others like a child, wanting someone to look back at me once. Thinking it would be great if I climbed higher and held more, wishing my existence would be remembered long even after death.”

[What’s the problem with that?]

“It’s a problem. It means the emotions and happiness I can feel with the people before my eyes are no longer stimulating to me. The moment it stops being satisfying is when I become disgusted with myself.”

[…..]

“Therefore, I hate you. Baal.”

Baal’s mouth corners tear.

[I think I understand what you mean.]

“You must also know that everything will only be concluded if we see the end in such a childish manner.”

[Good. Last Sword of Reinhaver. In the name of I, Baal, I swear here to fight you with my best effort.]

“You should. Otherwise… it wouldn’t be fun for me either.，，

“Nox, what are you saying…!”

Kwakwakwakwa——!

I quickly activate a formula.
It’s part of the freezing prison I used in the past. There, I imprisoned my master.

“What are you doing!”

“Please watch from there.”

‘Luna’s body is already at its limit. If I let her fight more, she will definitely die.’

Just a moment ago, during my hesitation, Luna had to directly block Baal’s attacks countless times. Moreover, it’s neither full night nor a full moon yet to oppose Baal with the Moonlight Sword.
If she unleashes a final blow, the backlash of that power is more likely to kill her. It would also take much longer for allies to arrive. Frankly, there’s nothing more she can do here.

The plan has changed a bit, but it’s okay.

I’ve reached a conclusion.
I will aim for the opportunity gained through Theo’s death.
Also, at that timing, I will use the Moonlight Sword to defeat the enemy.
This is something I, his successor, can sufficiently do as well.

The life-and-death duel between two existences.
Thus resumed the fight that might be the final one between Baal and me.

**********

Surprisingly, Nox was fighting Baal almost on equal terms.
Using the rugged plain, he crossed swords with Baal who hadn’t yet perfectly adapted to his power, stabbed his weak points with Stormbringer, which began to reveal its true power after being tempered with the White Dragon’s scales, and occasionally fought by lightly enchanting his weapon with his holy attribute mana to dig into weaknesses.

Everything was built upon what he had accumulated so far.

Of course, Nox’s body which was the foundation was crumbling.
Anyway, the one week of lifespan he had left was continuously being whittled away.

‘Can’t drag this out. I can only hope Theo moves quickly. For that, I too can no longer afford to hold back my power.’

After unfolding six wings, Nox finally began using his Black Sword techniques, the final stage forms.
Sword style developed based on the Black Dragon his father used.
With them, he was attacking Baal.
Naturally, these were Theo’s techniques. Their destructive power far surpassed before.

It was also proof that Nox was burning his life force, but above all, it was the greatest evidence that he had broken through the wall. He had already reached a level comparable to a Sword Emperor.

One can’t help but acknowledge.

The fact that a continent’s new Sword Emperor was born at the mere age of fifteen.
And that it was none other than his father Theo von Reinhaver passed this on to him.

Nox continued to create openings, Baal parried and thrust his spear back at Nox.
The intermittently swung club shattered the ground, breaking the surface and began disrupting the balance.

The end of such a fight arrives in only one moment.
It will be only the very instant Theo spoke of.

“Everyone, listen carefully.”

Noah opened her mouth and spoke like that.
Now she had to tell them.
The only way for Nox to survive. That it was none other than someone else sacrificing themselves, and that this was completely different from the outcome Nox desired.

“The only way for Nox to survive was already mentioned once in our meeting. It was before Nox brought it up.”

“How can that be. Headmaster… Why didn’t you tell us about that method beforehand?”

Eleanor cautiously asked.
Because she unknowingly felt that no matter what the risk was, it was nothing compared to Nox’s life.
It might be called vulgar, but Eleanor was already deeply in love with Nox. This was an undeniable fact. Although she yielded the opportunity to Zitri in the tower, she also stole a kiss.
If desired, Eleanor was prepared to sacrifice herself for him at any time.
It was scary, but wasn’t a continent without him even scarier?
Because she truly thought so.
Therefore, even when the next story came out, honestly, she wasn’t that surprised.

“Because someone else had to die instead.”

Noah said that. She continued before others could ask who that person was.

“It was a plan only possible if Theo, the head of the Reinhaver family… and Nox’s father sacrificed himself instead.”

“May I ask what you mean?”

That was Leon’s question.

Thalia was in despair, covering her mouth with both hands.

If she were in such a situation?
If a situation came where she had to abandon Robert and Cell to survive?

She absolutely wouldn’t have been able to accept it.
Astrid spoke on behalf of the emotionally agitated girl.

“Literally. There were several conditions for someone who could have Baal possess their body. First, they must have a strong body possessing a Dark Element. Second, the Philosopher’s Stone must be completed. Only possession when all nine fragments were complete had meaning. So Theo waited. For the timing to save his son.”

“…Are you saying it was a situation where either Nox or the Reinhaver family head… one of the two had to die?”

“Correct. Leon handles dark mana but he’s a mage, and Iana is the same. It’s still difficult to resist such powerful mana, and they can’t use devilization either. They couldn’t even be a vessel.”

“So that was it. The reason Nox tried to sacrifice himself.”

“…Yes. From the Reinhaver family’s standpoint, they thought it would be better for Nox if Theo lived. He said he didn’t love his father, and said he would be the same, but.”

“The Family Head was not like that. He was someone who cherished his son more than anyone… So that’s why he made such a decision…”

Emperor Penelope’s hands trembled.
Then the battle unfolding now is, therefore, a duel between Baal who gained a body and Nox. Simultaneously, isn’t it a duel between Baal possessing his father’s body and Nox?

Looking at the figure fighting before Nox’s eyes made it clear.
There, only Theo and Nox were confronting each other.
Both were close to demons, and seeing the eight wings with demonic eyes on Theo’s back confirmed it.

“He has to fight his father to death…? Was there really no other way…”

“There wasn’t. Sorry, Thalia.”

Noah said that, and Astrid continued indifferently.

“Nox must surpass his father. Only then can he gain recognition for his existence and kill Theo. Also, that it’s the same as killing his father… He must know that too.”

“We couldn’t make a decision because we couldn’t be sure he could endure this. Even if it works as Theo said, if Nox resents this… Ultimately, he would break down.”

All those who heard the explanation from the two unknowingly shook their heads.
No one could empathize with his emotions.

He must kill his father himself.
They can only hope this fact doesn’t weigh heavily on him, and selfishly, we only hope that Nox succeeds and returns to our side, smiling.