Chapter 465: Recollection

“The Calamity has begun.”

Karyl slowly opened his eyes.

In his hand lay an old book, its cover so worn out that the title had faded beyond recognition. It looked to be at least several centuries old.

“What about Suan and Aidan?”

“There is still no word from either of them. The airship of the Guidance Mercenary Gang remains docked in the forest behind the capital.”

Karyl gave a slight nod to the silhouette concealed in the shadows. He then softly closed the book.

That was the day the Third Calamity, Lice, had struck once again. It was also the day troops had been deployed to various fronts. Zigra himself had been tasked with escorting Anchar.

“I’ve always wondered who was using that thing. Looks like I finally have my answer.”

After Zigra had departed, Yurin Huygar glanced at the Aegis of Meteoric Iron mounted on Hawat’s back.

“You two are heading to the front where Wingel Hart is stationed. Give him that shield.”

“You mean by Wingel Hart is...?”

As soon as Yurin realized what Karyl was planning, he laughed in disbelief.

“Ascalon... That giant isn’t meant to fight small fry. No, he should face a worthy opponent.”

Karyl looked Yurin in the eye as he whispered,

“Pharel.”

It was on that same day that Karyl swore to destroy Pharel, right in front of Yurin Huygar and Hawat. And just before giving them their orders, he had been quietly reading that book.

“...What’s that, if you don’t mind me asking?”

Just before departure, Yurin Huygar, always quick to notice small details, showed interest in the worn book Karyl held. Karyl had never struck him as the kind of person to read a book in moments of crisis.

“This?”

Karyl held up the battered tome.

“It’s nothing special. A diary, maybe... or just someone’s notes. Or maybe a will.”

“...?”

Yurin tilted his head slightly, puzzled by the vague answer.

“Or maybe... a guide to godslaying.”

“...What?” Yurin chuckled, not taking Karyl seriously.

“You have a strange sense of humor, you know that? Anyway, I probably shouldn’t be saying this, being a priest and all, but I think the word ‘godslaying’ suits you better than anyone else. Still, not even you would pull that off so easily. If that book actually contained a way to kill a god... someone would’ve succeeded by now.”

Yurin merely assumed Karyl was messing with him.

Karyl, on the other hand, cast his eyes downward, a bitter smile straying on his face.

“Well then, I’ll see you on the battlefield.”

“Sure.”

Even after Yurin Huygar and Hawat had left, Karyl remained, standing alone in silence. Eventually, he reopened the book to the first page.

I, Kaye Aesir, leave these words behind for anyone who dares to walk the long, arduous path I once did—the path to slaying a god.

His heart pounded in his chest, just as it had the first time he opened the book—confirmation that this was the real thing. When Darryl Harian had handed him Kaye Aesir’s will before leaving for the Spirit Realm, Karyl had been reluctant to read it. Now, in hindsight, he no longer understood why.

His encounter with Yula in the Spirit Realm had taught him something invaluable—that gods weren’t absolute.

Yula was unaware of the fact that Karyl had come back in time, and she hadn’t realized that he had acquired the Dimension Spiral. Even though she was the one who had created this world, she did not exert complete control over all realms—which was why the Demon Realm was still intact.

The confirmation that gods were also flawed gave Karyl the resolve to finally read Kaye Aesir’s final words.

Of course, Kaye Aesir had lived in a different dimension, and there were many gods out there. As such, his method of godslaying couldn’t be taken as absolute. The one known as the Lord—said to be the highest of all gods—was undoubtedly a being of unimaginable power. Defeating such an entity would prove most difficult.

Darryl Harian had once told Karyl that Kaye Aesir’s essence lingering in this world was proof that killing a god was possible. Even so, Karyl had his doubts—though not whether Kaye had actually slain a god.

A fragment of a god had lain in the Demon Realm; the Pharel of another dimension had emerged; and Kaye Aesir, a human from another world, had been pulled into this one.

If all of that had happened because of a battle with the gods...

What had become of the realm Kaye Aesir had once lived in? If one succeeded in slaying a god but ended up sacrificing their home, was that really a victory? In that sense, Kaye Aesir and Karyl stood on different grounds. The stakes of this mission were enormous, and for that reason, Karyl could not help but question every possible outcome.

The existence of the Pharel from another dimension in this world—and the fact that the entity known as the Lord had perished—certainly served as evidence of Kaye Aesir’s victory. Yet Karyl still couldn’t determine whether that outcome truly represented triumph or self-destruction.

If he had resolved to blindly follow Kaye Aesir’s path—without knowing the full picture or planning out his own course—then surely Karyl would have been swayed by what was written in the will.

However, his path was his own. He had crafted a clear plan, and he had even confronted Yula herself. Learning Kaye Aesir’s method of slaying a god wouldn’t sway him. Kaye’s path was merely a reference point, something Karyl would use to measure the unique course he had chosen for himself.

Wuuuuuuuum

...

As he opened the book, the first letters began to glow. In that moment, Karyl felt a tremendous amount of mana being drawn out from within his body.

“No warning again, just like last time.”

Karyl gave a bitter smile.

It felt similar to when he had acquired Riseria’s heart after returning. Had he not obtained the Bracelet of Greed left behind by Kaye Aesir, he might have died a pointless death, overwhelmed by the rampaging mana.

My true name in the world I once lived in is Newt Brian. I fought alongside the Blader once known as Muto, along with his son, to slay a god.

Karyl’s eyes slowly drifted across the glowing text, one word at a time, as if carefully engraving each one into his mind.

“Newt Brian...”

He had suspected that Kaye Aesir was not his real name, but the revelation that he had fought alongside a Blader from another dimension came as a considerable surprise.

I am not a Blader. I was merely an exile who betrayed them. Perhaps the only reason I’m able to leave this will behind—in a world I’ve never even lived in—is because the gods sentenced me to atone for that betrayal, to ensure the people of this world could live free.

You who read my words... You are likely walking the same path as me—the path of godslaying. I have preserved the memories of our journey with the hope that they might help you achieve your goal.

“Our?”

Of everything in the journal, that word struck Karyl the most, as it revealed that Kaye hadn’t slain a god on his own. In hindsight, it wasn’t surprising. The very idea of slaying a god seemed outlandish, and it made sense that the one who had managed it hadn’t done so alone.

Are you a regressor? Or someone who has obtained a Master Key? Or perhaps one who has broken the divine law?

Karyl remained silent.

I imagine you’re rather surprised to read all this, but worry not. In the world I lived in, all of it happened: going back in time to kill a god, a Master Key held by a Blader, and the breaking of divine laws. None of it is anything to be shocked about.

Karyl gasped ever so slightly, a bitter smile forming on his lips.

Everything we did was to deceive the gods. In the end, we found the one person capable of killing a god. He was the son of Muto, the greatest Blader among all seventy-seven dimensions.

Muto created a plan. Pharel wasn’t a god’s creation, as it had existed since the dawn of time. Knowing that it was the sole thing that allowed one to go back in time, Muto used the tower to send his son back.

Perhaps it was merely a father’s desperate attempt to save his child... but being Muto’s son, the boy awakened. He overcame the weakness of his former self. I spent seven days and seven nights fighting alongside him against the entity known as the Lord. For me, that was the price of my sins. But there is no need for the people of this world to know that part.

In the end, we succeeded in killing the god. But because of that, the Dimension Spiral he possessed shattered into pieces and scattered across dimensions. I, too, was caught in that chaos and vanished with it.

Karyl turned the page.

Whether it was luck or misfortune, a fragment of the god entered my body. Because of that, though I was swept into the dimensional vortex, I survived. I landed here, alongside Pharel, and discovered a sealed Blader. And I could tell right away—this world had faced defeat.

That final sentence left a bitter taste in Karyl’s mouth.

‘Why did they lose?’ I wondered, even though it seemed foolish. After experiencing countless defeats before succeeding in slaying a god, I started to reflect on what this world lacked. What was it that made us succeed and made them fail?

There were two reasons. The Master Key can only be held by the rightful bearer of the Fifteenth Seat. Acquiring that seat is an arduous challenge. It can only be granted to two candidates at most. Yet in every dimension, there has only ever been one Master Key of the Fifteenth, never two. My world was the same. I suspect that was intentional. The Lord created them with such intense fighting spirit that, while they gained the power to slay gods, they remained incomplete.

“Hmph. Karyl, you have already acquired one of the two missing pieces. Not only do you have Mael, but you have also inherited the Lycan's will,” Allen Javius remarked.

“I see.”

Karyl nodded in agreement.

That is why I will leave the Master Key I once used hidden in this world. We called it the Beast. It grants the power of the Lycanthrope.

“...What? The Lycan’s Will was the Master Key Kaye Aesir once used?”

Both Karyl and Allen were stunned by the revelation.

But since it does not belong to this world, it might cause confusion between dimensions. That is why I sealed my Master Key away. I am not worried, though. You who read these words—since you’ve already acquired my diary, you must’ve also found my Master Key as well.

“Huh...”

Karyl gasped softly.

“It is certainly within the realm of possibility,” Mael cut in. “In truth, there was a competition for the Fifteenth Seat among the Bladers. I myself was sealed, so I cannot say what became of the other Master Keys. I only assumed they were sealed like I was after discovering one trapped inside a necklace in the north.”

Karyl said nothing. For some reason, he suddenly felt hesitant to turn the next page.

But even though you now possess a Master Key and have earned the right to be a Blader, you will need one more power to slay a god—namely, you need the will of a god.

Reading that, Karyl bit down on his lower lip.

“

Lancepho...

”

If the Bladers represented the gods’ power, the Lancepho signified the will of the gods. Only when both powers coexisted in full harmony could one manifest true divine strength.

To tell you the truth, I myself cannot make sense of it. This is an unbelievably difficult feat. So many possibilities must intertwine and converge at a single point of mastery for it to work. Even after countless brutal battles, none of us ever managed to unite the powers of the Lancepho and the Bladers.

Karyl kept reading, scanning each word attentively.

The reason we were able to succeed was because my own bloodline contained the world’s only Lancepho. Yes, I am now telling you of something we ourselves were never able to accomplish. But thanks to the Dimension Spiral absorbed into me, I was able to see fragments of the world of the gods.

Now, I leave you my final words. The method to become the one known as Lancepho, the embodiment of the gods’ will. With it, you will become the only human to possess the complete power of a god, something not even us managed to achieve. I do not know exactly what that power is. It may very well cost you your life.

But if you manage to defy the odds—even if that chance is one in a hundred million—and reach the possibility of killing a god... You will face a life unlike anything you have ever known. It may even push you beyond the boundaries of humanity itself. Still, if you seek to walk this path to the end, turn to the final page. I will show you the way.

It was a warning.

A new, final challenge that would demand everything, including his life.

Kaye Aesir had not gained the power of the Lancepho. He had not killed a god with that power. In contrast, Karyl had climbed the Pharel through eons just to defeat Yula. He had consumed two dragon hearts, released the Spirit Kings, and even obtained two Master Keys. He had also reassembled the Ten Godslayers.

Maybe—just maybe—this time, it truly was possible. But if something went wrong, it could unleash an even greater danger upon the world.

“This guy... He really is leaving you with impossible choices. Are you seriously going to do it?”

Allen asked incredulously.

“...”

“Ah, I should’ve kept my mouth shut...”

he muttered to himself as he watched Karyl stare intently at the book, not saying anything.

I should have kept my mouth shut.”

He muttered to himself as he watched Karyl stare silently at the diary, saying nothing in return.

“This isn’t a challenge.”

Karyl and Kaye Aesir were clearly different. One had just sought to kill a god, and the other, he also sought to protect his world, his people.

“This is simply the process of obtaining power.”

It was for the sake of a perfect victory that Karyl resolutely turned to the final page. The moment he did so, a brilliant light engulfed him.

***

“Hey, what are you doing here, at a time like this?”

Miliana had come looking for Karyl. Now, she stood at the entrance of the royal tomb, watching him intently.

She was clearly frustrated with Karyl, unable to understand why he would waste time here when the battle that would decide the fate of the world was upon them.

“I’ve decided to leave it for now,” Karyl sighed, as though setting a decision in stone. “I almost made a fool of myself. I can’t meet him yet, not while Pharel is still standing.”

“...What?”

Miliana cocked her head in confusion. It was then that something caught her attention.

Wait... did I just imagine that? What was it just now, behind him...

She narrowed her eyes, certain she had glimpsed something faint and hazy trail him as he walked past her.

“W-Wait! What is that?!”

The thought vanished as she shrieked in surprise at the golem revealed by the magical projection.

“Yes. We’re going to attack Pharel,” Karyl said calmly as he turned toward her.

“This should be interesting,”

Allen Javius muttered under his breath, as if already certain of their victory.