Chapter 237

Lutecia’s head cradled in Carriel’s hand.

The golden one, watching this scene from the side with an indifferent face, muttered to himself mockingly.

I have always painted worlds.

And within those countless worlds, I see my own form flowing along different paths.

This is my secret method of peeking into other worlds without relying on the World Tree.

So, I understood right away.

From the moment I saw it, I already knew what tricks were up its sleeve.

I figured it out long ago.

I lack direction.

I just let things flow as they come.

But there’s no guarantee that the flow will always take me where I want to go.

Back when I was chasing after that kid…

My journey pursuing Elbat was certainly structured in a way she couldn’t predict.

Because of this unpredictability, it took longer to grasp the situation. If Carriel hadn’t caused any variables…

That guy over there isn’t who he appears to be now but rather a failed version from another world.

His tragic end would’ve become this kid’s life story.

If I must excuse myself, it’s due to lack of information.

Such complexity and tangled causality… How absurd.

But even after everything happens and it’s all over, does it really change anything?

They say if you don’t give up, you’ll get another chance to start anew.

But once failure strikes, everything ends instantly.

Defeat is inevitable.

However, if defeat equates to death, the end, or finality…

Then at that point, you absolutely cannot lose.

Thinking too much makes me slow.

Even though I don’t possess a brain or specific organs for thought in this body,

Everything I perceive feels like an illusion.

All these thoughts and sensations while in this state are meaningless nonsense.

Still, why should I care?

“It’s over.”

Carriel gently placed Lutecia down on the ground and calmly announced the fact.

-How?

“…Isn’t it obvious? I’m not clever.”

He concealed the memories, overlaying them with faint ones that could’ve existed but didn’t.

“They’ll feel distant, like dreams, beyond conscious awareness but lingering subconsciously.”

-Didn’t that make things more complicated?

“I’m used to dealing with imagination and musings.”

-Hmm. True enough.

After decades of messing around with him…

“I couldn’t bring myself to exclude what she truly experienced.”

-You’re weak! You need to cut ties decisively; it’s for his own good!

“…”

Carriel turned his head slightly, noticing the World Tree’s will watching him intently from afar.

“You seem to have something to say.”

-Do I really need to report to you?

He flicked his nose and waved dismissively.

-Handle it however you want.

“…”

Silent for a moment, Carriel nodded briefly and moved away.

-Hmph…

Golden looked up at the sky.

It’s so blue—even in this false world.

Below lies a vast desert stretching endlessly under the heavens.

-Eternal infinity.

An eternal, perpetual eternity.

-Is that so?

She accepted her own understanding.

As the dark back receded further, she smiled faintly to herself.

-I’ve told you everything you needed to know.

From here on out…

-Do your best.

You naive, foolish brat.

Even so, I wish you luck despite your incompetence.

====

“To resolve the situation like this… Isn’t that cheating?”

“…”

“Using someone else’s strength? Couldn’t you handle it yourself?”

Though it might also represent the will of the World Tree, this person could still be considered the childhood version of him.

“Being unable to do anything alone is something you understand well.”

“My resignation wasn’t for such reasons.”

“I regret nothing. All I ever had was today and tomorrow; I never indulged in grand ambitions.”

Metallic fragments clung to my fingertips, transferring armor originally attached to Lutecia onto me gradually.

“So, no regrets? No fear of failing again?”

“I can’t guarantee that.”

With limited knowledge, it’s hard to be confident.

Possessing little, it’s difficult to feel secure.

Some might complain that I have everything, but I remain empty-handed.

What I currently hold could vanish anytime, like sand slipping through fingers or fleeting spring water.

“Well, even in such circumstances, you haven’t grown arrogant or prideful. That’s commendable.”

He chuckled.

“That alone places me in territory I find impossible.”

“You’ve done remarkably well.”

A hollow laugh escapes me.

How impressive must one be to pierce the heavens with overbearing arrogance and self-esteem?

“I already mentioned it before. To become who you are now, you had to abandon everything. It seems I was correct.”

Think about it.

“If a being like me encountered the Demon King of Wisdom, would she have bestowed upon me the same blessings she gave you?”

“…”

I don’t know.

Not flexible enough in thinking to imagine such scenarios.

“If you hadn’t been rejected and isolated by your parents and others, could you have pursued your current path?”

Regarding this, I can speak definitively.

Without hesitation, my world would have been confined solely to their domain.

Escaping beyond that boundary only becomes possible when survival elsewhere feels unattainable.

“Even if the world had treated you kindly, the outcome wouldn’t have changed.”

In such a world, you’d lack the determination and commitment necessary to achieve anything significant.

“…”

Pointless words unworthy of mention.

“There’s no need for excuses.”

“That’s true.”

Look at this.

“This isn’t a lie. I genuinely hope you succeed.”

“Cunning.”

“Since things turned out well, let’s call it even. After all, you lost something crucial too.”

Winning against your younger self isn’t exactly praiseworthy.

“Go. Her influence is fading.”

“…”

“I’ll end my petty revenge here.”

Annoying until the very end.

As the sandy plain disappears, the azure sky dims, and the distant fortress fades alongside this fabricated world, including its counterfeit deity, demon king, and masked World Tree.

Thus, everything returns to nothingness.

====

The eroded world abruptly dissipates.

The demons previously dominating the battlefield lose their vigor, whereas the Middle Realm warriors, focused on counterattacks, regain energy and intensify their assault.

Amidst this chaos, several divine beasts soar through the skies, their azure feathers fluttering dramatically.

On their backs, reinforcements unleash torrents of arrows.

Moreover, heroes and Valkyries exhibit noticeable changes in their battles.

“Lanceros?”

Gaejef exclaimed in surprise upon seeing the massive spear slashing toward him, blocking it with a grin.

A Lake Dragon.

Although resembling a scaled lizardman, Lanceros bears a distinct hybrid form combining draconic and humanoid traits.

Wielding a sword, he stood protecting the divine warrior.

“A pitiful soul indeed.”

His deep voice resonated, unsettling the divine warrior.

“What is this? Aren’t you supposed to retreat to some far-off continent and stay hidden?”

“As if you foresaw such a future.”

Having deflected the massive spear, Lanceros demonstrated that mastery of divine techniques wasn’t critical in battle.

Clearly, brute force combined with skill suffices.

Despite wielding the legendary Dragon Divine Sword, to him, it remains merely a tool and step in his training process.

Technically speaking, he’s still akin to a trainee in many ways.

The Dragon Divine Sword wasn’t his creation but rather a pre-existing technique he discovered after arduous effort.

Though perfection remains elusive…

“I can show you one move.”

“Why not reveal your true form?”

“Divine beings are traditionally adversaries to giants. Even we celestial beasts aren’t exempt.”

“Pathetic.”

Frustrating indeed.

Nevertheless, even Lanceros isn’t the divine warrior’s match.

Their clash ended decisively within dozens of exchanges.

“You wield divine arts, yet you can’t fully control them.”

“Truly lamentable.”

With his left arm hanging limp, Lanceros stabilized it with his sword hand and exhaled sharply.

“Lanceros! Don’t push yourself!”

Gaejef shouted, ready to intervene.

But Lanceros replied,

“It’s fine. My role ends here.”

“Who decided that?”

Lutecia’s failure became evident once the erosion ceased.

However, this no longer affects him since he’s immune to the influence of the Demon Realm or erosion.

In essence, his existence defines his world.

Therefore,

Every aspect of the battlefield depends on his decisions!

Hadn’t some bizarre entity approached, he might’ve already decapitated someone or ripped out their heart.

There are various options available…

Diverse indeed, yet…

“Cavalry?”

A colossal tree monster.

Riding solo against numerous demonic creatures, he pierced straight through its trunk before landing gracefully mid-battle.

However, this descent lacked gentleness.

KABOOM!

A powerful shockwave rippled outward.

From there, a figure wielding a massive spear charged directly across the battlefield.

A knight clad entirely in obsidian armor.

Mounted atop a similarly armored warhorse, they charged in a straight line toward their foes.

“This bastard…?”

Before finishing his sentence,

KABOOM!

The horse galloped forward like a bull, and the rider thrust his pitch-black spear downward.

Reflexively, the divine warrior activated his golden shield with his left hand.

Simultaneously, swinging his massive spear-sword, he attempted to shatter both the rider and horse.

The obsidian warhorse collided with the golden shield.

The black spear soared over the shield, aiming for his head.

Meanwhile, the divine warrior’s spear-sword targeted both horse and rider.

“?!”

To his astonishment, the elongated black spear deflected his weapon effortlessly.

‘This bastard?’

This technique triggers uncontrollable rage.

Apparently, the extended weapon wasn’t mere whimsy.

Yet, the divine warrior now wore an ancient golden helmet reminiscent of old myths.

In an instant, his figure vanished magically, almost illusorily.

However, the silent gap following this disappearance allowed the obsidian knight to naturally adjust his steed’s course.

“You damn brat! Always playing games whenever we meet?!”

Despite appearing insignificant compared to the divine warrior’s enormous spear-sword,

The obsidian spear neither shattered, bent, nor broke as it countered smoothly.

The harmonious interplay between the mysterious spearwork and the warhorse’s precise maneuvers ensured seamless responses.

Even ambushes leveraging invisibility or stealth proved ineffective.

When chains erupted explosively,

The warhorse evaded them with ghostlike precision.

Even more astonishingly,

“Huh?!”

It seemed as though the knight traversed space itself—or rather, shadow, darkness, or the abyss.

‘Whatever.’

“Caligula.”

He whispered softly.

“Charge forward.”

The iron-clad steed roared ferociously.

And then, without hesitation,

Charged ahead.

BOOM!

“What?!”

While the divine warrior contemplated summoning a chariot,

The spear unexpectedly swept upward from below, rapidly expanding into a colossal blade-like cudgel.

In a flash, it struck toward his torso.

CLANG!

Though the divine warrior desperately blocked it with chains encircling his arm,

The impact sent him flying through the air like an arrow.

“You son of a—!”

Just then, an ancient chariot drawn by two black horses descended from the sky, catching the divine warrior dramatically.

Meanwhile, the obsidian warhorse ascended vertically using the momentum created by the earth-shattering collision.

The obsidian knight aimed directly at the divine warrior’s objective.

“What the hell are you doing, you—!”

Roaring furiously, the divine warrior skillfully maneuvered the chariot to intercept.

At that moment,

The knight leapt off the warhorse, hurtling toward the divine warrior.

In his left hand, he held a spear.

In his right,

He wielded a massive obsidian flame.

-The Radiance of Mastema (משטמה).

Reverse Holy Fire.

Spewing infernal flames toward divinity.

“Gah!”

Sensing imminent danger instinctively, the divine warrior’s entire body emitted obsidian chains that wrapped around him protectively.

Attempting to extinguish the heat, a freezing cold surged momentarily, freezing the surrounding air solid.

But,

THUD!

The obsidian spear disintegrated upon contact.

-Fekkata.

Destroying divine elements upon comprehension is no longer challenging.

Though not easy, if it’s worthless to learn initially, there’d be no reason to study it.

Thus, when the occasion arises,

I shall willingly utilize it.

“You bastard! How far will you go—!”

Stop yelling already.

You’ll die during that time.

The obsidian spear split into multiple branches, targeting gaps in his breastplate and weak points in his defenses.

“?!”

One of the dozens managed to graze past.

But that was enough.

“Ugh!”

That alone made the opponent scream as though dying.

Mistletoe.

You should’ve kept me wary regardless of how well you performed, considering I withheld this from you intentionally.

More divine elements mean greater countermeasures against natural enemies.

Similarly, knowing doesn’t necessarily mean preparation or execution comes easily.

“This isn’t your time to shine. At least for now, it’ll feel extremely unreasonable for you.”

Extracting himself from the divine warrior’s chariot and landing atop its horses, the obsidian knight declared assertively:

“You think I’ll let you go? On a day like today?!”

“Not if it means losing my next opportunity.”

“Forfeit avoidance? Missing the sole chance to finish me?! You trash!”

“…”

“You, you damn brat. You’re truly hopeless.”

“I’m aware.”

Through the obsidian helmet, he responded dully. The obsidian warhorse caught the airborne knight mid-leap.

“…I’m aware.”

The obsidian warhorse collided with the ground.

The earth trembled, froze momentarily, and cracked under the impact.

Yet, the lone rider remained unscathed, maintaining an imposing presence devoid of any wavering or weakening signs.

Witnessing this spectacle, someone once called a hero and still regarded as a great hero quietly murmured:

“Grandeus…?”

Gaejef glanced at his old comrade, repeating the name.

Rorona spoke it aloud.