Dark red blood spilled out from between Eugene’s parted lips.

Coughing slightly, Eugene weakly lifted his head as he gasped for air.

The Demon King of Incarceration could have continued his assault, but instead, he glared down at Eugene without doing anything.

This was done to drive the Hero into despair. The Demon King of Incarceration was prioritizing bringing Eugene and his comrades to the brink of despair over killing them. Was that because, after having shown them a past projection of himself in his darkest hour, he wanted them to feel the same despair he had?

Eugene firmly bit his trembling lip. Then, he forcefully swallowed the blood that was surging up his throat.

Despair? Eugene had no desire or intention to entertain such an emotion. No matter how strong the Demon King of Incarceration might be, no matter how unattainable victory might seem, Eugene would never fall into despair. He would never take his own life and move on to the next era like the Demon King of Incarceration had suggested.

He wanted to kill the Demon King of Incarceration. He wanted to slay the Demon King of Destruction. He wanted to save the world.

Everything that he wanted belonged to

this

era. The Demon King that Eugene wanted to kill first, the Demon King of Incarceration, was currently right in front of him, while the Demon King of Destruction was, at this very moment, being held back by Vermouth. The world that Eugene wanted to save was this very world, which still continued to struggle for survival even now.

To be honest, something like the

next

world didn’t at all matter to Eugene.

He wanted to save the world in which the World Tree had set down its roots. He wanted to save the world that had been illuminated by the Light. He wanted to save his Divine Army, which was currently fighting on the battlefield below, as they waited for Eugene to emerge from Babel victorious. He wanted to save all of his believers from all across the continent who were currently praying for his victory on the battlefield. And he wanted to save Vermouth, who even now was being worn down to the very limits of his sanity as he held back Destruction.

That was why he couldn’t afford to despair. Eugene wouldn’t allow himself to fall into despair.

Gasping for breath, Eugene forced himself onto his knees. His shattered internal organs churned as they pieced themselves back together. Eugene felt grateful that he had managed to get his hands on a level of regeneration that was close to immortality. Because if he hadn’t been able to heal from these wounds, he wouldn’t have been able to keep fighting.

“You’re still trying to stand?” The Demon King of Incarceration voiced an observation.

Crack!

Eugene wasn’t able to see this attack coming, either. However, once it had hit him, he was forced to register the blow even if he didn’t want to. Eugene had just been struck by a sweeping kick that broke both of his legs and sent him rolling across the floor.

“Don’t you realize that it’s all meaningless,” the Demon King of Incarceration chided.

After rolling on the ground a few more times, Eugene managed to grab hold of the ground with his hands, arresting his roll. His back teeth were so tightly clenched together that his whole mouth was filled with the taste of his blood. Despite the pain, Eugene glared up at the Demon King of Incarceration with bloodshot eyes.

“It doesn’t matter how many times you get back up,” the Demon King sneered. “Eugene Lionheart, you will never be able to fulfill any of your desires. And what meaning is there in a Hero who is unable to overcome the challenge of a Demon King such as myself.”

Eugene silently attempted to get back onto his feet.

The Demon King of Incarceration slowly walked over while saying, “You will find no victory in this battle, nor in this war. No matter how hard you try to keep from falling into despair, in the end, the fact that you will

never

be able to win will rob you of all your hope.”

Cracrack, cracracrack.

The Demon King of Incarceration’s right hand balled up into a fist. “In the first place, Eugene Lionheart, what you desire is impossible. That

thing

that has destroyed the world so many times over has, by now, become a cataclysm that can no longer be considered as just another Demon King. It is the death that all eras must face. Just as all humans must someday grow old and die, it has become the end that defines the lifespan of the world.”

Eugene stared at the Demon King of Incarceration’s fist with bloodshot eyes. He was keeping all of his focus on it because he needed to be able to see it moving.

“Everything that he originally was has been consumed by ravenous greed,” the Demon King spat angrily. “Unable to be satisfied with just a Demon King’s throne, he coveted an even greater power and ended up consuming everything that existed — even his own ego — until the only thing remaining was that desire to consume. That is what finally ended up becoming Destruction. And that hunger will never reach its end.”

The fist moved.

“Don’t you think that I would have already ended Destruction if I could have? I am the one who hates Destruction more than anyone else, and I have long yearned to bring an end to it.” Incarceration paused in lingering regret. “If I had only managed to complete my duty as the Hero, if I hadn’t allowed my comrades to betray me, if I could have just slain my comrades with my own hands before they succumbed to temptation, were maddened by a curse, or were blinded by their own jealousy….”

Crunch.

Eugene’s heart was pounded deep into his chest. His breath caught in his throat, and his vision shook as he was thrown backward.

“Then a new Demon King would never have been born,” the Demon King of Incarceration sighed. “No one would have sat down on that throne. In the eternities that I have lived through since that moment, can you imagine… just how many times I have regretted my failures during that moment?”

Eugene hunched over as he hacked for breath. The prayers screamed by the Saints in their panic ran through his head. His injuries were already being regenerated at high speed. However, the attacks from the Demon King of Incarceration were too fast and heavy for his regeneration to keep up.

“I have gone through these cycles of regret and hatred over and over again, desperately hoping to end Destruction that was born from my failures. However, I have never been able to bring an end to it. The world continues to be destroyed and reborn anew, and no God has ever been able to save their world,” the Demon King of Incarceration said as he began to approach Eugene once more.

With the accompanying sound of a sharp scream, Eugene’s right wing flashed. Anise, who had transformed back into her angel form, leaped towards the Demon King of Incarceration.

“When my world was destroyed, the angels also screamed as they died,” Incarceration calmly observed. “Just like you are now, Anise Slywood.”

Anise’s body froze in midair. A dark, deathly aura that had been shaped into the form of a hand was now clenched around Anise’s throat. Anise struggled as she clutched at the hand that was choking her by the neck.

“I fell from grace after denying those gods who could neither stop Destruction nor save the world,” the Demon King of Incarceration sneered. “Chaining myself to that fool and his throne while he was still in the process of transforming into Destruction as he suffered from a hunger that refused to abate no matter how much he ate and ate, I used that connection to take my own seat on that throne.”

Boom!

The deathly aura shaped like a hand slammed Anise into the ground.

Kristina was no longer able to keep up her stream of prayers. She also transformed into the form of an angel with a desperate yell as she stood in front of Eugene and spread her wings protectively.

“That is how I was reborn as the Demon King of Incarceration. But why… do you think I chose to become a Demon King? It was because I couldn’t allow myself to die. Because I needed to take responsibility for my failure. Because someone had to be there to create something in the wake of Destruction.” Incarceration paused before continuing, “So after everyone and everything in the world was destroyed, in a world where nothing living remained… I, on my own, restarted everything from the very beginning.”

Anise, who was still lying on the floor, reached out with a trembling hand to grab hold of the Demon King of Incarceration’s ankle.

Bam!

The kick she was met with caused the light to fade from Anise’s eyes.

Without sparing further attention to Anise, Incarceration continued, “I raised the land from beneath the waves that had covered everything and carved out the mountains. I released the souls that I had previously incarcerated and restored the circulation of lifeforce. Once living beings and civilization began to emerge into this new world, I resumed my role as the Demon King and retreated into the darkness to wait for the return of Destruction. This cycle has repeated itself over and over again. In order to ensure that the world was never completely destroyed, I have repeatedly created the next era of the world.”

Kristina’s eyes shook as she resolutely remained standing in front of Eugene. If those words were true, then — despite being a Demon King — the Demon King of Incarceration had actually been playing the role of the Creator God.

“With the continuous destruction of each new era, that ‘thing’ has completed its transformation into the very concept of Destruction, but the chain that I tied to it at the very beginning still remains intact. Thanks to that, I will never die at the hands of Destruction, but neither am I able to slay Destruction.” The Demon King of Incarceration said with a sigh, “As such, I… have been forced to compromise. Without being able to end Destruction, I have been forced to… accept the role of Destruction while continuously moving on to the next era.”

Aaaaaaaah!

With a bestial roar, Molon rose to his feet. Blood was still pouring down from his torn-open throat, but instead of covering up the wound, Molon leaped onto the Demon King of Incarceration’s back.

“That is why I am telling you now: what you desire is impossible. Sometimes… when things are impossible, you need to accept the truth and compromise,” the Demon King said, even as his hands caught the thick pair of arms that came flying in from behind him as they tried to wrap around his body.

Compared to Molon’s muscular arms, the Demon King of Incarceration’s hands seemed almost small, but when he started to clench his fingers, Molon’s muscles and bones were easily crushed under the pressure of his grip. After breaking both of his arms, the Demon King of Incarceration threw Molon to the side.

“You say that you are going to kill Destruction? While still insisting that you also want to save Vermouth? That simply isn’t viable. You also claim that you are going to save the world by killing me? That, too, is an impossibility. The only reason that the current world still exists is because I am the one who created it,” declared the Demon King of Incarceration.

Sienna staggered to her feet. She covered her punctured abdomen with one hand as she filled in her wound, biting down on her bloody lips to distract herself from the pain.

Clutched in her trembling grip, Mary was pointed at the Demon King of Incarceration. The soul power concentrated on the tip of the staff erupted into a spell.

Boooom!

However, even a spell of such power was easily scattered with a gesture from the Demon King of Incarceration. The deathly aura transformed into a streak of lighting at Incarceration’s command and pierced through Sienna’s abdomen once more.

Sienna’s body collapsed forward as Mary and the Demoneye of Fantasy fell to the floor.

“I applaud your determination and solidarity, but the hope you cling to just feels like stubbornness to me. Just how much longer can you keep it up?” the Demon King of Incarceration asked with idle curiosity.

Still struggling to catch his breath, Eugene stepped forward to stand in front of Kristina. Startled, Kristina tried to stop Eugene, but instead, he pushed Kristina behind him.

“Just how much longer… do you intend to put up such pointless, worthless, and ignorant resistance?” the Demon King of Incarceration demanded, a note of anger entering his voice. “Just how long will you insist on being so greedy and stubborn?”

“Until I defeat you,” Eugene quietly responded.

The corner of the Demon King of Incarceration’s cheek twitched in anger at these words. For a moment, the Demon King of Incarceration felt a surge of genuine annoyance and rage.

“It seems that it will be difficult to drive you to despair,” Incarceration said with a sigh. “In that case, even if it means that your soul will end up somewhat damaged, I have no choice but to kill you.”

Eugene’s legs moved forward. He brought his arms up to defend himself. Until now, he still hadn’t been able to catch any of the Demon King of Incarceration’s movements. If he couldn’t see them, he couldn’t react to them. He couldn’t stop the attacks. He couldn’t avoid them. He couldn’t even get a grip on the Demon King, nor could he get any of his own attacks in.

Eugene couldn’t allow things to go on like this. Anise and Molon had been pinned to the ground. Sienna had also collapsed and seemed incapable of getting back up. The situation was turning out the same as it had three hundred years ago when Hamel hadn’t even been able to make it to the top of the Demon King’s palace.

However, unlike three hundred years ago, the Demon King of Incarceration wouldn’t just stop there. Vermouth wasn’t here, and there was nothing that could motivate the Demon King of Incarceration into making another Oath. Eugene also had no intention of relying on something like that Oath to end this battle.

For Vermouth’s sake, for Sienna’s sake, for Molon’s sake, for Anise’s sake, and for Kristina’s sake; for the God of Giants and the other Ancient Gods who had fused together into the Light, and for the Sage who had transformed herself into the World Tree, for his family, for the Lionhearts, and for the whole world.

The only outcome that Eugene would accept here was his complete victory.

‘I….’

He needed a miracle. He

had

to come up with a miracle. He could hear all of their wishes. The prayers of his believers were still finding their way to him. He couldn’t fall here. He couldn’t allow himself to be defeated. He must not fall into despair.

‘I will definitely….’

The Demon King of Incarceration moved, but time and space suddenly seemed to disappear. Eugene could see the result of the Demon King’s attack, a fist that tore its way through his chest and crushed his heart. In a single moment, he glimpsed the future that was about to occur. This time, he managed to see through the Demon King’s movements.

So Eugene moved.

Thuthump!

Eugene leaped over the Demon King of Incarceration’s fist. The irritation and rage that had been on Incarceration’s face was washed away by surprise. It was as if the Demon King couldn’t have ever imagined that Eugene would actually manage to avoid his attack just now.

This surprise couldn’t be helped. The current Demon King of Incarceration had released himself from all of the chains that were usually binding him. Freeing himself from his restrictions, the Demon King of Incarceration had unleashed his full power.

Ever since Vermouth had come to him three hundred years ago, swearing to break the eternal cycle that they were both trapped in, the Demon King of Incarceration had been storing up his vast reserves of dark power as well as the immortal life-force that had kept him alive over the eternities. His purpose for storing up these reserves of energy was to prepare for the creation of the next era. But the Demon King of Incarceration was now sacrificing a part of these reserves in order to ensure absolute certainty. Thus, the Demon King was certain that there was no way he could lose this battle.

But that certainty had now been partially shaken. The definite outcome of his actions that had had no room for error had been altered. In that moment of stopped time, the Demon King of Incarceration’s eyes had met with Eugene’s. A light was sparkling deep within Eugene’s bloodshot eyes. It was the light of hope that could never have shone amidst despair.

“I finally saw through it,” Eugene gasped out.

The light in his eyes transformed into a divine glow. The embers that had been about to die out flared into life once more as the flames of hope reignited. The clinging darkness could no longer cover up and snuff out his light.

Thuthump.

Eugene took a step forward.

Fwooosh…!

Even his dimly glowing wings burst back into light. His outspread wings formed the shape of a halo that illuminated the darkness. The spreading rays of light swept over Molon and Anise. Under this light, their broken bones and torn muscles were reconnected. Their closed eyes eventually opened as the two staggered back onto their feet.

“You saw through it?” the Demon King of Incarceration repeated, the surprise having disappeared from his face. Pulling back his fist that had paused midair, Incarceration continued speaking, “Do you really believe that?”

The moment that the Demon King finished asking that question, his fist seemed to disappear. In that instant, Eugene’s field of view felt like it had been drastically widened as he tried to see where the Demon King of Incarceration’s attack was about to land. The rapid attack that had been completely untraceable just a few short moments ago was now somewhat visible, if only slightly. To be more precise, Eugene’s divine senses were now able to detect the point of impact right before the blow actually landed.

Eugene still couldn’t see through the trajectory of the Demon King’s attacks just yet. However, by detecting the point of impact, he would at least be able to come up with some sort of response instead of helplessly allowing himself to be hit as he had been before. It was with that thought that Eugene raised his arms.

“Fuck,” Eugene swore as he immediately felt regret.

He might be able to see it coming, but it was the height of arrogance to think that he would be able to easily deal with the attack. The Divine Sword that Eugene had tried to use to block the point of impact exploded in a burst of light as the arm that he had only belatedly managed to regenerate was broken and torn to pieces once more. As Eugene leaped backward in retreat, the Demon King of Incarceration let out a snort.

“It seems you have managed to see something,” the Demon King of Incarceration accepted.

Being able to react perfectly to the blow was a completely different story from just being able to see it coming, yet the Demon King of Incarceration couldn’t help but feel surprised by the fact that Eugene had managed to see anything. The fact that his speed, which Eugene hadn’t been able to keep up with, was slowly becoming visible to the Hero meant that—

‘Even now, Eugene Lionheart is still growing stronger as this battle goes on,’

the Demon King of Incarceration realized.

Could Eugene really have adapted to the Demon King’s speed sometime during the continuous attacks? Incarceration could have accepted that Eugene would slightly be able to adjust to his speed after seeing it a few times. However, the Demon King of Incarceration still believed that there was such a gap between their strengths that it would have been impossible for Eugene to overcome it. The Demon King of Incarceration felt unnerved by the fact that Eugene seemed to be narrowing the gap between them by growing stronger and unlocking more of his potential.

But it seemed that the Demon King of Incarceration had no choice but to acknowledge this revelation as well.

Eugene Lionheart’s most overwhelming strength was actually his ability to grow. The fact that he had been able to reach such a level in just a few years wasn’t simply because he was the reincarnation of Agaroth and Hamel.

The Demon King of Incarceration mused,

‘Does he grow stronger every time he surpasses his limits?’

But Eugene wasn’t the only one. Right now, in this battle against the Demon King of Incarceration, Eugene wasn’t fighting on his own.

Molon’s bellows shook the darkness. Although he was covered in such grievous wounds that it wouldn’t be strange for him to have already died several times over, Molon still rose up, almost as if he was an undead, and charged at the Demon King of Incarceration. Even if he hadn’t truly died, having been pushed to the very brink of death, Molon should have been experiencing great terror and agony right at this very moment, but there were no such emotions in Molon’s eyes. The only thing burning in his eyes was hostility and murderous intent directed at the Demon King of Incarceration.

As Eugene’s Greatest Warrior and Incarnation, Molon found himself linked to the heightened level of senses that Eugene had managed to reach. Molon, who had been rushing forward with a fierce roar, felt as if time had started slowing down around him as his senses grew sharper.

Molon intuitively felt that this wasn’t just his illusion or a fantasy but was a real phenomenon. Even with this slowing down of time, the Demon King of Incarceration’s attack was still terrifyingly fast, but Molon’s finely-honed senses were able to foretell the target of Incarceration’s attack.

Molon didn’t try to avoid the blow. He didn’t even put up any defenses. Instead, he met the Demon King’s attack with his own attack. Rather than swinging his axe, Molon recklessly threw his fist at the oncoming blow.

Cracracrackle!

It sounded as if the world itself was shattering into pieces. The muscles of Molon’s arm bulged to the extreme before bursting explosively, and his fist was shattered into pieces. But even then, Molon refused to back down. And despite having shattered Molon’s fist with his punch, the Demon King’s fist also found itself unable to advance any further. There was definitely the sensation that the Demon King’s attack had been blocked.

[Hamel, just what on earth have you done?] Anise, who had transformed back into a wing of light, asked in surprise.

“I didn’t do anything,” Eugene spat out as he turned to look accusingly at Sienna.

Sienna met Eugene’s gaze as she was getting back up after having regenerated her wounds.

“Now that things have reached this point, you should start earning your keep,” Eugene demanded as his eyes slid down to stare at the Demoneye of Fantasy.

[Ahahaha.]

A sound of laughter that Eugene had previously heard in his nightmares rang inside Eugene’s head.

Openbookworm & DantheMan's Thoughts