Chapter 291
Aillet confirmed through the system map that the Ragneif Magic Republic had returned to the human world’s domain.
The Demon Realm’s invasion rate had now fallen below 30%. This created a significant gap from the 67% condition for the Chaos Evil God’s true form to be released.
But this alone was not enough. To end Har-Magedon, the fundamental threat had to be eliminated.
And the method was…
“We must defeat Abyssinis and seal the Chaos Evil God.”
Aillet said grimly.
Before the Chaos Evil God’s true form could emerge on its own, they had to enter the ‘Final Dungeon’ first and seal the entity within the time limit.
And the way to open the entrance to the Final Dungeon was to subjugate Inferinos, Carpheios, and Abyssinis.
Since the first two had already been dealt with, only Abyssinis remained to be defeated.
Tesillid, who had been lost in thought for a moment, opened his mouth.
“Reed must have drawn out the Chaos Evil God once while killing Carpheios.”
“Yes. He probably caused a Dungeon Burst already.”
“Then the Final Dungeon won’t be the ‘Cradle of Chaos’ but the ‘Tomb of Chaos Gods’.”
The final battleground had changed from a cradle to a tomb. Perhaps it was a fitting stage to adorn the final iteration of the regression.
Tesillid smiled bitterly before lowering his gaze.
He continued speaking.
“Since this didn’t happen in my 100th iteration, I can’t gauge how much stronger the Chaos Evil God’s true form has become.”
“I don’t know either, but somehow, I’m not worried.”
“Why?”
“Hmm, because you’re here?”
She praised his existence with a lively tone.
It was clearly a light and affectionate joke that lovers might make.
However, it seemed to resonate differently with Tesillid.
Tesillid, who had been gazing intently at Aillet for a moment, soon responded with a brilliant, deep smile.
“Yes. Saving the world is what I do best.”
“…”
“I will definitely save the world where you exist, Aillet Rodelain.”
From his gaze to his voice, the weighty sincerity compressed within resonated in Aillet’s heart.
Aillet, who had been blushing and captivated by him for a long time, finally regained her composure and spoke.
“O-okay. Then let’s quickly recapture the Pontifical Palace and subjugate Abyssinis first!”
“Speaking of recapturing the Pontifical Palace, do you have a strategy in mind?”
“Of course. Let’s do it like in the 91st iteration.”
“Hmm, wouldn’t the 88th iteration be better?”
“That was too hard on you. Let’s do it efficiently.”
“Alright.”
No lengthy explanations were needed.
It was a condensed conversation possible only between a regressor and a possessor.
It was after the briefing ended. Aillet suddenly made a suggestion, as if something had just occurred to her.
“We have some time left, want to mess with Abyssinis a bit?”
“How?”
She pulled out a Spatial Teleportation Stone and smiled.
“Because Abyssinis’s next move is obvious. Let’s set up the board so that it becomes a perfect bad move for her.”
Abyssinis, who had suddenly lost over 20% of her colonies, couldn’t help but feel anxious.
The Ragneif Magic Republic, stuck in a corner, an unclaimed land without churches, and with narrow inland access routes, was an attractive territory perfect for setting up encirclement.
Abyssinis, unable to give up its occupation, sought to build a wider encirclement for reconquest.
So, after intense deliberation, she decided on a new stronghold for occupation…
“These insolent humans…!”
The phrase “bad move after long deliberation” was precisely accurate.
The moment Abyssinis made her move, the surrounding areas transformed into human territory and encircled her, as if an ambush had been waiting.
Abyssinis calmed her huffing and fell into thought.
Even if her intentions had been read, the opponent’s response was far too fluid for a large-scale mobilization.
‘Could it be?’
Just then, black silhouettes rose and reported, supporting her suspicion.
“<O Apocalypse Seer, two humans are running rampant in the northeastern part of the human world!>”
“<We can’t possibly stand against them! Please send reinforcements… Kuaaagh!>”
This made it clear. The humans hadn’t mobilized multiple forces simultaneously.
Just two individuals were waging guerrilla warfare, using mobility and firepower as their weapons.
‘Who could it be?’
The answer was soon apparent.
“<T-The Evil’s Bane…! The Evil’s Bane Executor! A terrifying human with pink hair is on my side…!>”
Upon hearing her subordinate’s last message, Abyssinis was naturally displeased.
Her molars ground inside her delicate lips.
“Ah, right. Was it that human who dealt with Inferinos?”
The air currents fluctuated, resonating with the Demon King’s emotions.
A gale of demonic energy swept through, shattering parts of the Grand Chapel with a crash.
However, it didn’t last long. As the Demon Realm’s Apocalypse Seer, she had long practiced asceticism and self-restraint.
And above all, it was her own mistake, so she was in no position to vent her anger.
‘What to do.’
Abyssinis looked to the left of the throne.
Only two Deadly Blooms had fully bloomed. At this rate, their great plan was in danger of being overthrown.
She was quite wise. Thus, she decided to confess honestly before it became too late.
“Huuuh…”
Rising from the throne, she walked barefoot down the dais. One step, two steps, three steps.
Then space distorted, and a new location greeted her. A distance that would normally take hundreds of steps was shortened.
The place she arrived at was the Sanctuary, located deep within the Pontifical Palace’s rear garden.
The lush trees and water flowing over the rock face made it feel as if one were in a forest.
Crossing a shallow pond, a human figure was visible on a crude altar carved from the rock face.
“…”
A decadently beautiful man, leaning loosely against a stone pillar with his eyes closed.
His mere presence exuded an insurmountable pressure, yet his appearance was so carelessly disheveled that it visually enticed onlookers.
Such a being, with conflicting gaps, reacted to Abyssinis’s presence.
Through the slowly parting eyelids, blood-red eyes were revealed.
The mere meeting of gazes stimulated the fundamental awe Abyssinis held.
She quickly knelt and bowed her head.
“O Chaos Evil God…”
Abyssinis hesitated for a long time.
She was a Demon King, but before Reed, she was merely an humble servant.
How could a servant not be afraid after failing their master’s great work?
The red eyes, which merely stared intently without asking anything, seemed to have already grasped the entire situation.
Was it a good thing or a bad thing that she didn’t need to confess her sins in detail?
No, there was something far more important than that.
Reed, whom all demons revered, adored, and admired endlessly.
What disposition would he harbor beneath his indifferent exterior at this moment?
Would he be angry?
Of course. He would be angry.
Then how angry would he be?
She was terribly curious. But she couldn’t know. Ignorance was good fodder for fear, and this was no different for a Great Demon.
Abyssinis barely managed to cut off her thoughts. She decided to offer her apology first.
“I apologize for disappointing you.”
“…” - Truth
At that moment, Abyssinis committed an impious act.
No matter how much she had cultivated herself, her essence was that of a Great Demon. She could not defy the impulses true to desire and obsession.
What now occupied her mind was nothing but the desire to know Reed’s true intentions.
Thus, Abyssinis impiously raised her head and looked directly at Reed.
And even more impiously, she stained her left eye red.
Her other eye. The ‘Mind-Reading Eye of Insight’ revealed the truth behind the words Reed had spoken.
‘…!’
The supreme being was not disappointed in her!
But the momentary relief was nothing but vain luxury.
“Because I had no expectations either.”
“…” - The Mind-Reading Eye of Insight functioned again. It was nothing short of a cruel sentence for the Great Demon.
Abyssinis shuddered, feeling endless despair at her own incompetence and uselessness.
Reed turned his gaze away, as if he had not the slightest interest in Abyssinis.
The catastrophic night sky, still pouring down stars, filled his vision.
Of course, his hollow eyes properly reflected nothing of the real world.
Ever since he had secluded himself in this cultivation Sanctuary, he had been thinking of the one existence truly valuable in this world.
Aillet Rodelain.
His uncontrollable variable. As long as she opposed him, things in the world certainly wouldn’t go as smoothly.
Around that time, Abyssinis offered a pathetic excuse.
“T-This is all because Inferinos failed to do his part.”
It meant that if they had succeeded in corrupting the Holy Saint in the Pit of Solitude and turning her into a slave prostrate at the Chaos Evil God’s feet, none of this would have happened.
Abyssinis was blaming the current situation on Inferinos’s failure.
But Reed’s judgment was different. It wasn’t Inferinos’s failure, but his own.
The surrounding air keenly detected his displeasure and began to settle heavily on the floor.
Abyssinis hastily changed the subject.
“O Chaos Evil God, I shall personally step forward. I will deal with the Evil’s Bane Executor and…”
“Enough.”
“Pardon?”
A surprised counter-question. But before long, Abyssinis’s eyes calmly settled.
Although she had shown a momentary impatience due to a grave mistake, she was originally a wise and sharp Great Demon.
“Surely, the Chaos Evil God himself…?”
“…”
Reed rose without a word.
Thud.
It was the moment the Final Mastermind, who had confined himself to the Sanctuary, finally began to move.
The moment he walked past Abyssinis, something fluttered down onto her gracefully folded hands.
“O Chaos Evil God, this is…”
“Saint Kazriel Church. The Holy Saint will soon come there. Deliver this.”
With those words, Reed’s back faded into the distance.
The remaining Abyssinis looked at the object in her hand.
A black letter sealed with a deep crimson emblem, reminiscent of red eyes.
It was an Invitation.
Privilege for Possessors