Chapter 359: Everything Is Exactly As It Seems (2)

Endymion could not block Keter’s attack. It wasn’t a matter of speed; what Keter had struck was none other than himself. Keter had taken the Ein Sof arrow he had seized from Endymion and driven it into his own heart.

“Wow...”

Drip.

Keter’s body was abnormally tough. It was harder even than orichalcum, said to be the hardest material in the world. Yet the Ein Sof arrow pierced through even Keter’s flesh with ease, punching straight through his back.

“Damn, that hurts.”

Staggering, Keter grabbed Endymion and leaned against him.

“...Why did you do that?”

At Endymion’s question, Keter lowered his head.

“Discipline,” he answered.

“Who are you disciplining?” Endymion asked.

“Myself.”

Disciplining oneself?

Even though elves were a race known for their extreme emotional restraint, Endymion couldn’t help but show a baffled expression at Keter’s answer. Endymion believed Keter didn’t have long to live. After all, his heart had been pierced by the Ein Sof arrow.

Ein Sof could kill even gods. No matter how extraordinary Keter was, survival was impossible. Since saving him now was no longer an option, Endymion decided that at the very least, Keter deserved to know why he was dying.

“Keter. Your body carries the genetic factors of every living being in this world. Not only elves and dwarves, but monsters like goblins and trolls, and even races like dragons that are Transcendentals from birth.”

“...Sounds like the greatest bloodline in the world. Then why have I never felt it?”

“Because it was like a single grain of sand scattered in the ocean. You had it, but it made almost no difference whether it existed or not. However, due to some catalyst, those factors seem to have awakened.”

“A catalyst, huh.”

Many things came to Keter’s mind, but the most decisive one was likely his physical struggle with Paratul, the dragon. Originally, Keter’s body had been prepared by Akrah for Paratul, but fate twisted, and the body meant for Paratul had instead been claimed by Keter.

If it had been a dragon, controlling the factors of every living being would have been possible. However, Keter was human; this was something he simply couldn’t fully handle. In truth, there had been signs for a long time.

Strange urges, unlike anything he had felt before, had been brushing against his mind. Keter had dismissed them as side effects of becoming a transcendent being and ignored them. More precisely, he had intended to deal with them later, but meeting the dwarves had caused everything to explode at once.

Honestly, who did I get this impatience from?

Nothing in this world was free. Keter knew that better than anyone.

He had known from the beginning that absorbing a dragon heart and coexisting with Eslow were dangerous, and he had also been prepared for the consequences. If he hadn’t grown that strong, he couldn’t have handled the situations he faced now.

At first, Keter had been shocked, but now he accepted it all. He took a deep breath. With a single breath, it felt as though his lungs were tearing apart. In fact, they were. Thick, sticky blood surged up his throat and spilled from the corner of his mouth. Still, Keter endured it.

If I lose consciousness like this, I’ll become a monster.

A horrific creature mixed with the instincts of countless races. Perhaps that had been what Akrah wanted.

What a damn awful mother.

He would have to ask her someday. Though even without asking, he was already certain she had never given birth to him out of love.

What’s in my head isn’t reality. What’s happening in front of me—that’s reality.

This meant he had to push himself even closer to death. What tormented him was instinct—the instincts of countless living beings.

Every species must have different instincts. Trying to satisfy them one by one would be impossible. However, there is one way to unify them.

Instincts expressed their individuality only when in a state of peace. Though before death, everyone thought of the same thing: survival.

Rumble.

Keter convulsed. It was trying to heal the wound in his heart on its own, but the recovery was sluggish. This was partly because it was damaged by Ein Sof, but also because Keter himself was interfering with the healing.

Trying to talk with beasts that don’t understand reason in the first place—that’s the real stupidity. I’ll teach you all something. If you torment me, the only thing you’ll gain is death.

The instinct to live and Keter’s will to die clashed violently within him, right in the middle of the Sefira estate. Leaning against Endymion while blood poured out of him, Keter looked undeniably abnormal. Yet the members of Sefira only glanced briefly at him and showed little concern.

What kind of trick is he pulling this time?

I’m not falling for it.

Thanks to that, Keter could calmly continue his battle against himself.

Meanwhile, Endymion, who had unintentionally become Keter’s support, noticed his condition.

“Do you need anything?” he asked.

Keter slowly lifted his head. His face was drenched in blood. Blood streamed from his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. Even so, Keter smiled.

“I already have everything I need.”

* * *

Immediately after Keter made his hasty exit from the tunnel, the dwarf gestured toward Daat like he was doing him a favor.

“Hey, kid. If you don't want to end up in a sorry state too, get lost. Now.”

“Kid?”

With a single flick of Daat’s finger, the dwarf was hoisted into the air.

“With whose permission do you think you’re living here? Huh? Do you really think I can’t bring this entire tunnel down?”

“W-why, you...! Do you have any idea who I am? I am none other than Black Iron Yun of the Dragonhead Canyon!”

“Are you the one in charge here? No, you're not. Where’s the leader?”

The answer came from the darkness behind Yun’s back.

“We have no such thing as a leader here.”

Though Daat’s eyes had grown accustomed to the dark, he couldn't see the one speaking at all. The voice was clear, yet the person remained invisible.

I didn't sense a single trace of them until they spoke. It’s giving me goosebumps.

Daat was someone who had unofficially learned space-time magic from Krona, the Space-Time Wizard. Space-time wizards were specifically specialized in detecting presences, yet Daat had noticed nothing. This meant the opponent either possessed a technique extremely specialized in erasing their presence or belonged to a race naturally gifted at it.

The world really is full of monsters.

Though internally tense, Daat spoke into the darkness without letting it show.

“Show your face. I’m here as the representative of Sefira.”

“We have been waiting for you, Mr. Daat.”

Sshhh...

A figure emerged from the shadows, but he had to look quite far down to see them. Daat himself was on the smaller side, but he was still larger than a dwarf. However, the person stepping out of the darkness was smaller even than the dwarf. No, they were rather dainty than small.

“I am Yoka of the smallfolk.”

“The smallfolk... they actually exist?”

“It’s a long story, but we have been barely clinging to our legacy.”

“Since you said there’s no leader, I’ll change the question. Who talked you all into coming to Sefira? And why choose to live in a tunnel, of all places?”

“

Sigh

... We originally intended to explain everything to Lord Keter. But...”

Yoka pointed toward the hole Keter had smashed through.

“He changed so suddenly. I was so terrified I froze up for a moment.”

The look of genuine fear on the Yoka’s face was quite cute, but it didn't work on Daat. However, since Daat could empathize with that feeling, he lowered Yun, the dwarf, back to the ground.

“Nothing is more awkward in life than a sudden turn of events. From Sefira’s perspective, you all are the sudden ones.”

“We have no excuses. However, we believed Lord Keter would understand.”

“That sounds a lot like you came to Sefira specifically because of Big Brother.”

“Yes, we came to make a proposal to Lord Keter and to Sefira.”

“Your attitude is polite enough, but wasn't it your people who ate the cow hearts and released the mosquitoes?”

“It wasn't me, but it likely was the work of one of our members. Since we have no leader, everyone is equal, but the downside is that we are difficult to control.”

“That’s your problem. Right now, everyone is keeping quiet because they think it was Keter’s doing, but if they find out people like you are living underground, even the most merciful Sefira won't just stand by and watch.”

Despite his cute appearance, Daat was resolute and cold. Yoka looked into Daat's eyes.

The smallfolk were, as their name suggested, tiny. They were smaller than goblins, but unlike their adorable looks, they were the world’s finest assassins. They were a race born for the kill. More than ten Transcendentals had died because they let their guard down around those petite bodies and cute faces.

Yoka was strong because they survived; only a few would dare to look them straight in the eye. However, his opponent was Daat.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

Born and raised in the Lawless City of Liqueur and having survived under Keter, Daat was not about to lose a staring contest. Realizing that Daat was no ordinary man, Yoka nodded.

“We know a fair amount about you, Lord Daat. You are Lord Keter’s right-hand man.”

“You think I’m his subordinate?”

“Are you not?”

“Completely different. I’m more like a friend than a subordinate. A comrade more reliable than a friend. And at the same time, a versatile, polymathic strategist.” Mirroring Keter’s habit, Daat pointed to himself and shouted with conviction, “And I am also a space-time wizard.”

At this introduction, overflowing with as much confidence as Keter himself, Yoka took a step back into the darkness. After whispering to someone in the shadows, Yoka stepped forward again.

“Understood. Since it seems Lord Keter is currently in no state for conversation, I will speak with you, Lord Daat.”

“As you should.”

“Follow me. Everyone is waiting.”

Yoka led the way, and Daat followed.

A thought occurred to Daat once again.

I’ve really grown.

In the past, his heart would have been pounding so hard from nerves that he’d worry the enemy could hear it. Now, even while walking alone through the dark, he was the picture of calm,, relaxed enough to strike up a conversation in front of a race specialized in assassination. .

“The knights of Sefira are alive, right?” Daat asked.

“Of course. We didn't come here to fight.”

“How long have you been here?”

“I’m not sure by human time, but it hasn't been long.”

“Why didn't you try talking to us immediately?”

“Because you were fighting. We were taught never to talk to a human who is still heated from battle.”

“Are you a woman?”

“...That’s a sudden question.”

“I’m just purely curious. You don't seem like a man.”

Just as Keter was a bit of a freak, Daat was an eccentric in his own right. In terms of curiosity, he surpassed even Keter.

“All smallfolk are gender-neutral,” Yoka said.

“In what way?”

“...”

Eventually, Yoka shut their mouth. But Daat wasn't the type to let a conversation die.

“How many of you are living in this tunnel?”

“I don’t know exactly. Not all non-human races are social creatures.”

“You're not social, yet you're living under someone else’s land?”

“That’s how desperate we are.”

The mood turned heavy, but Daat continued his relentless questioning. After a mix of serious talk and trivial chatter, Yoka finally stopped. Ahead of them was a hollow glowing with a faint light.

“We have arrived.”

“Phew.”

Crack.

Daat stretched his arms and cracked his neck, preparing himself. Having finished his mental preparations, he stepped into the hollow.

The moonlight swirled softly within the moderately sized cavern. Daat recognized the glow—it was from moon stones, which were rarer than sun stones. In the center of the hollow stood a stone table and chairs, with about nine individuals seated around it. Each one had a distinct, unique appearance.

“It’s been a while.”

One of them stood up to greet Daat. He wasn’t sure, but the voice was definitely familiar. He just hadn't heard it in so long that he couldn't quite place it.

“Have you forgotten me?”

However, hearing it a second time and seeing her clearly as he approached the table, it was impossible not to know.

“H-how... Why are you here?”

She had seven fluffy tails, and a body that could stir the desires of any man. She was one of the Nine-Tailed Fox Tribe, one of the Seven Cursed Species, and...

“Big Sister?!”

It was Inara, Keter’s wife from back in their Liqueur days.