Volume 10 Chapter 48 The Abyssal Apostle and the Sixfold Climate Prophecy
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
The two were peacefully asleep, their breathing soft and even. Like a corpse, the man’s eyes were closed, while the rabbit-girl clung to him affectionately, almost like a pampered child. In the private room where the man and woman slept side-by-side, the door creaked open ever so slowly.
The soft rustle of cloth and the silent padding of footsteps were nearly inaudible. The creeping presence wasn’t enough to stir either sleeper. A shadowed figure wrapped in a hooded mantle quietly approached the pair.
”Can I help you with something?”
”…!!”
Startled by the voice directly behind it, the figure spun around. A lovely face smiled sweetly. Princess Asura had materialized from the empty space behind the figure, as if pulling back a curtain.
”As you can plainly see, Master is resting. If you have business, I would be happy to take your message, yes?”
Princess Asura, the demon girl, tilted her head, giving a sweet, innocent, peeking gesture. The smiling girl’s amethyst-purple eyes seemed to pierce the intruder. A beat of silence hung in the air. After a moment of hesitation, the shadow lowered the hood.
”The Queen of the Forestkin, stooping to mimic a thief? I truly hadn’t thought you were still young enough for such mischief, Isabella.”
”Princess Asura.”
The Queen of the Forestkin, Isabella, revealed pointed ears from beneath her hood. Her face was young and beautiful, though you wouldn’t think she was a mother of two. She returned the demon girl’s gaze, her eyes narrowed.
”My visit is late; I merely took care not to disturb their sleep. I certainly never intended to cause any harm.”
”My, my. I’m sure a thief would say the very same thing. If he were to wake, Master would surely be furious at your lack of courtesy.”
”Nonsense. My daughter is married to him now. As we are already family, I trust he would overlook a small lapse in etiquette.”
Kispe chuckled softly at Isabella’s assertion. The Succubus Princess looked like a child who’d just discovered a fun new toy. If the visitor had been a man, she would have teased him mercilessly. Isabella stood firm, looking down at the girl with a resolute expression.
”And now, may I inquire about your business? At this hour of the night, you wouldn’t possibly tell me you’re here for a midnight rendezvous, completely disregarding your own daughter, would you?”
”I came to check on his condition. It appears his spirit has already been taken.”
Kispe and Isabella both looked toward the bed. The bunny-girl slept soundly, her face adorable. A little drool stained Klock’s shirt as she cuddled against him. Klock, however, was unnervingly still. It was the kind of stillness that suggested a corpse.
Isabella moved toward the door, but Kispe stepped into her path, blocking her exit. She wasn’t about to let the Queen leave so quickly.
”Master’s body and soul are here, yet something has pulled only his spirit out. You were aware this was going to happen, weren’t you?”
”I know the opponent’s objective. It was predictable that they would target him, considering they thought he’d be easy to deal with. I can rescue him.”
Kispe laughed with a delightful little giggle at Isabella’s claim.
”Predictable? That’s a highly suspicious thing to say, Your Excellency. That isn’t a word you use unless you know the opponent. Might you know this person? Or perhaps… are you one of their colleagues?”
”…No. That is not the case.”
Kispe took a step forward, pressing Isabella.
”Master was deeply suspicious of your maneuvers. During the war, you provided aid, yet during the Fairies’ council, you clearly took an aggressive stance without a word of advocacy. You approached him so aggressively as to propose a marriage with Ms. Flavia, yet you’re suspected of involvement in the assassination plot, and there’s been no explanation for the matter involving that Avery fellow. Queen Isabella’s actions are completely backwards. He couldn’t fathom what you were planning.”
”That is…”
Isabella stammered, her brow furrowing, her composure slightly broken. Seeing this, the Succubus Princess curled her lip.
”Calculating and predicting the future… It’s not good for humanity that anyone can do such a thing now. Everyone wants to seize the future. Just as the Humans relied on the Saint’s eyes for their species’ survival, and the Demonkin entrusted their wish to the Lake Maiden. Ms. Isabella, you ought to reflect a bit. The Forestkin have been causing chaos for other races for the past three hundred years.”
It was a scolding, like a parent lecturing a child. The diminutive girl looked up, chiding the Queen of the Forestkin, a being who had lived for centuries.
”…How dare you say that?”
The Forestkin Queen glared, and the Succubus Queen covered her mouth with a hand, snickering. It was obvious the Succubus was in no position to lecture anyone about morality, but she was, at this moment, by the Hero’s side.
”I also heard about the utterly hollow terms of the alliance you proposed to him. It’s not normal to hand over a daughter you’ve supposedly raised with such love and care to a complete stranger of a different race without hesitation. You could only do it because you knew the outcome, couldn’t you? It was necessary, right? What was the reason you felt compelled to do such a thing? Did the World Tree show you such a terrible future, hmm?”
”…Kispe.”
Isabella’s expression twisted. Was it hostility or just irritation? She quickly looked away.
”You supposedly claimed to prioritize your relationship with Goddess Teekua, but is that the truth? She would never harm the likes of you. She wouldn’t even be interested. Lady Teekua only deals with matters that could potentially upset the balance of the Nine Worlds. You know this, don’t you?”
”…What are you trying to say?”
Seeing that Kispe wouldn’t let her leave, Isabella conceded and took a step back.
”I am bound by a contract with him. Therefore, as his representative, I must question your true intentions. I have to make certain you pose no danger. Your numerous actions up until today require an explanation. If you cannot answer, I will advise Master to reconsider the relationship with the Forestkin. That you are a suspicious person who knows the enemy but refuses to speak.”
”…”
Isabella cast her eyes down. Kispe’s argument was perfectly sound. It wasn’t succubus manipulation but a simple calling out of Isabella’s dishonesty. Kispe was not being unreasonable in the slightest.
”…You’ve guessed correctly. I use the World Tree to calculate the future and act accordingly. All my actions have been the result of searching for the most optimal path. But I assure you, I have no intention of harming him.”
”Sending Ms. Flavia to him on a whim—that was the most optimal path? It sounds more like you were being robbed and desperately handed over money to avoid being killed.”
”…”
”And I hear you’ve also proposed that he marry the Battle Princess of Liyadro, too. Is that also the best path? A marriage alliance is a common tactic, but bringing it up immediately with someone you’ve just met is excessive and rude. Wouldn’t meeting and talking with the Earth Humans first have been the right move?”
Offering a princess is an act of submission. It was highly suspicious that Isabella, after a cordial meeting with Klock, pushed Flavia on him. It implied a conspiracy. Isabella’s unilateral proposal to also offer the Earth Human Princess was completely out of line, too, and would surely cause friction if the Earth Humans found out. It was clear that she did all this based on knowing the outcome via the World Tree.
”…”
Isabella answered Kispe’s words with silence. She claimed she was just following the divine oracle, but the Forestkin Queen wasn’t foolish enough to blindly follow orders. Every action was surely taken after weighing all factors and great deliberation.
”Your actions are too extreme. Master is not a warmonger. He does not desire bloodshed. He is the kind of person who would extend a hand even to me, one of his former enemies. He wouldn’t easily break an alliance that was only a verbal promise.”
”I was shown that this path would secure our safety. So, I took it.”
”…”
Kispe looked at Klock. He was so still that not even a hint of a snore could be heard in the quiet room. She could see his chest rising and falling beneath the blanket, confirming he was breathing regularly. He wasn’t dead, but his spirit was elsewhere. It was a place so far that even Kispe couldn’t sense it. That meant it was in another dimension, sealed, or physically located an impossibly great distance away.
”So what happens if you follow the path that is not safe?”
”…”
Kispe asked, her expression growing grave. Isabella sighed and turned her face away.
”A terrible omen was shown to us. For the Forestkin, for the Earth Humans, even for the Fairies Clan. We are all trying desperately to avoid annihilation.”
”Annihilation…?”
”There is an entity that will destroy us. The oracle instructed us to approach the Chain Binder. By solidifying our relationship with him, we open the path to survival.”
”—”
Annihilation was not a calm word. A shadow fell over the Succubus Princess’s lovely smile.
”…Who is going to destroy you?”
”The Abyssal Apostle.”
Kispe’s words trailed off. She was clearly stunned, freezing in place as if time had stopped.
”…Are you being serious?”
”We were highly likely to suffer utter annihilation, root and branch. But now, that is no longer the case. Since meeting him and sending Flavia, that future has become obscured and has faded from view.”
The Succubus Queen blinked. Even Princess Asura looked troubled—a rare sight.
”Why are you so certain it’s the Abyssal Apostle?”
”It’s a prediction. As you know, future-sight is just a massive calculation. If the information required for that calculation is lacking, the result becomes unclear. The World Tree predicted a future where we would be destroyed by an unknown entity. That implies an agent from an alien world that the World Tree’s roots cannot reach.”
”I see. An apostle is a strong possibility, then.”
”Yes. Furthermore, the number of entities that would commit such an atrocity is very limited. We can only suspect the Abyssal Apostle.”
”So, by offering your daughter, you’ve secured Master’s favor, gaining the Hero—your greatest fighting force—as an ally. An entity capable of opposing the Abyssal Apostle.”
Kispe seemed to have been expecting a more entertaining reaction, but her expectations weren’t met. She sighed with an unreadable expression.
”I will tell Master that the Forestkin is a trustworthy race.”
”Thank you. That is a great help.”
As Kispe stepped aside, Isabella immediately slipped past her. She left with a brief promise, “I will return later; we’ll save the complicated talk for then,” and was gone.
”…The Abyssal Apostle, huh?”
With Isabella gone, Kispe sat on the bed, cuddling up beside Klock.
”The Hero has a deeply biased sense of justice. I understand that getting her to act requires being close with Master as a prerequisite. But… you didn’t need to do more than offer your voice, you know? Master would help even someone he hadn’t married.”
The bunny-girl, who was supposed to be keeping watch, was soundly asleep. Kispe gently stroked her head like a parent.
”Unless, of course, Master himself becomes the Abyssal Apostle.”
A monster in human skin. A demon in a woman’s form. It crawled on all fours, then rubbed itself against Klock as if to invite mating. The demon leered at a horrified Klock.
”Welcome to the Demon Continent.”
”Huh…?”
It grinned wider than any mouth should, and the sound of cracking and breaking bones echoed. Then, its face began to crumble. Like a sandcastle, it fell apart piece by piece, and the exposed contents began to melt into a slimy, black goo.
”How did you know who I was? I heard that those without magic power couldn’t sense me.”
”…!!”
The former woman dissolved into a black liquid and sank into the ground. Klock frowned at the sight, but another thought crossed his mind simultaneously.
What the hell is this guy? His way of talking is different again. Did he get smarter?
”Sorry for the sudden visit. I wanted to talk to you, but I heard you wouldn’t meet with me since I’m so disliked. I figured I had to do this to see you.”
”…So, you finally figured out how to self-assess. Now try to work on your body odor next.”
I’d call this an abduction, not a visit. The voice had a certain intellectual sound, but the atmosphere of sheer abnormality still clung to it. The figure was gone, yet Klock could distinctly feel its presence. Without a doubt, it was the same monster that Cianie had scorched back then. The Purifyer was alive.
”What do you want with me? Did you just say this is… the Demon Continent?”
”That’s right. Is this your first time in the Demon Continent? Hey, look at the sky.”
”…The sky?”
He looked up and saw a carpet of stars. The scattered lights formed a magnificent panorama. And in it, a strange cluster of stars was twinkling.
That’s not the moon. What is that?
There were six enormous, glowing celestial bodies. They weren’t as big as the moon, but they were clearly larger than any other star. He’d looked up at the night sky countless times, yet he’d never seen stars like these. It was an impossibly bizarre sight.
”That’s called the Sixfold Climate Zone. It’s the Einpril Archipelago in the northern part of the Demon Continent that marks the boundary. Once you cross to the south, you can see these stars.”
”Sixfold Climate Zone…?”
”The number six is familiar to you Chosen Ones, isn’t it? The fact that you can see these six stars means you’re on the Demon Continent.”
Klock looked down at the ground. The entity that had been speaking was no longer there, just the bare earth. But if he looked closely, he could see a black, water-like puddle. That was the Purifyer. It was hard to see in the dark, but it was the same black liquid that had attacked the cat-town before.
”Why did you drag me all the way to the Demon Continent? What’s your game?”
”It’s a negotiation. You’re one of the Chosen Ones, after all. I wanted to talk to you, so I brought you here.”
The voice was childlike, spoken with a hint of vanity. Could this be considered growth? The intelligence was completely different. The word ‘negotiation’ only raised his guard even higher.
”Are you okay with the Star Magic Array?”
”…The Star Magic Array?”
”…Oh. Don’t you know about it?”
Klock looked perplexed. The Purifyer responded with a childlike voice of doubt.
”It’s a massive magic circle that runs your very life as a spell—built on the foundation of the world itself. A savior’s ritual that seals the Abyss Void and maintains the world’s balance.”
”…Huh?”
”That’s what I’ve been told, anyway. In short, it’s the system that creates you apostles of the Grand Cathedral—the ones called the Chosen Ones.”
A system that creates Chosen Ones. That meant that the ritual was what turned Cianie into the Hero.
”Your lives are drawing the spell. The selection happens six times, but you are apparently the very first of the Chosen Ones. That means you became a Chosen One without knowing or wanting any of it.”
”So what if I was the first one?” Klock scoffed.
He felt a strange sense of danger in the bizarre situation, but an unexpected opportunity had fallen into his lap. He decided to squeeze information out of this black liquid that seemed to know everything. This was a lucky break.
”The first one is the standard. The Star Magic Array is a spell drawn with human lives. That circle absolutely needs a first human to set the standard. That’s the first Chosen One. The key characteristic of that Chosen One is that they possess nothing.”
”…”
Who the hell says I have nothing? He suppressed the urge to speak and listened intently. This was probably the reason why Klock alone had no power. The system was designed to strengthen everyone but him. He never expected to finally hear the truth about the Chosen Ones here.
”Goddess Teekua used you as the benchmark to select the apostles. What the Goddess did must have been a huge inconvenience to you.”
”Yeah, it was. I got dragged into a bunch of crap I didn’t care about.”
Because Cianie was made the Hero, Klock almost died in a roundabout way. Because she became the Hero, he got involved in saving the world and was thrust into conflicts that weren’t his style. But he didn’t care about that part. If it meant Cianie was brought back to life, it wasn’t all bad. The selection and her reincarnation saved her. Klock got to see his childhood friend again.
But being targeted by this monster-in-a-puddle was a different story. That wasn’t just an inconvenience. The smoke he inhaled was lethal.
”You are nothing but a pawn dancing in her palm. Aren’t you upset about that?”
”Yeah, I’m upset. So what?”
”I knew it…! You’re upset! Then I have a great proposition for you.”
He’s definitely going to suggest something awful. This creature delights in deceiving others. The memory of that day was too vivid to forget that.
”How about you quit being an apostle of the Grand Cathedral and become an Abyssal Apostle instead?”
”Like hell, I will, you moron!”
Klock flipped a double middle finger at the creature. See? I knew it. He had already decided to reject it before the offer was even fully out.
”You want me to switch from dancing in the Goddess’s palm to dancing in yours?”
”…I wouldn’t do that. I would never treat you badly.”
”Which mouth are you talking out of, after all the times you’ve tried to eat me?”
He’d probably just kill me instantly so I wouldn’t suffer. That’s why it’s not ‘bad treatment.’ It was no different from some random creep who was dead-set on having his way.
”Why me, anyway? Wouldn’t the other Chosen Ones be stronger and more convenient for you?”
”Anyone who would cooperate is fine, honestly. But the other Chosen Ones are too hard to reach.”
Anyone is fine? That was infuriating. It sounded like he was being called the easy target. Which was probably true. Klock, who had no power, was the most vulnerable.
”Wait a minute. You said the selection happens six times. So there are six Chosen Ones? I thought there were only five.”
He aggressively changed the topic, seizing the chance to ask a question. He had no interest in the Purifyer’s negotiation, but he was interested in the Chosen Ones’ information. He wanted to pry out as much as possible. He was just hoping he’d get lucky.
”No. The selection always happens six times. That’s a system requirement. But the number of people isn’t always six. Last time there were four. This time there are five. That means someone was selected twice.”
”…I see.”
That was a possibility he had already considered, and it made sense. The previous Chosen Ones, for example, Rosetta’s ancestor—the one who bites and inherits. That would be the biter and the inheritor. The Beledia family possesses the Stellar Skill, Wild Fang, and passes that power to their descendants. It was a theory he’d had since Cianie showed him the Sage’s notes. Thanks to the Purifyer, he got his answer.
”Why six selections?”
”Isn’t it a structural thing for this world? Hey, even the apostles from the alien worlds are six, right? Paradise, Moon Court, Crimson Spire, the Void, the Fortress, and the Sanctum. Apostles appear in the six alien worlds, excluding the Grand Cathedral, the Abyss, and the Fragment, so the Chosen Ones are selected the same number of times. I don’t know much about the Star Magic Array’s mechanism, but I think the number of alien worlds sets the number of selections.”
That was completely new information. If it were true, that meant there were no apostles in the Grand Cathedral, the Abyss, or the Fragment. Wait, the Chosen Ones are the apostles of the Grand Cathedral. So that’s how it is for the Grand Cathedral. The six alien worlds are chosen by the world, and the Grand Cathedral is chosen by the Goddess. The Abyss, on the other hand…
”The Star Magic Array has a set destination. Just like a magic circle activates and reaches its final state, the Star Magic Array moves toward a pre-set answer. The reason you Chosen Ones are so ridiculously strong is because that answer is incredibly far away and difficult to reach.”
”What do you mean by that?”
”The destination is set, and the necessary components to reach it are added to the other Chosen Ones. That’s the power of the Star Magic Array. The Hero who so easily defeated my terminal is incredibly strong, right? She must have gained an immense amount of power. That means the answer Lady Teekua seeks is a truly brutal one. You, who have no power, will likely struggle horribly. In fact, you might be the only one who dies.”
That interpretation was difficult to grasp. Did it mean there was a conclusion—salvation—and the power needed to reach it was distributed and adjusted among the other Chosen Ones? So, Cianie being impossibly strong was an indicator of how difficult the salvation was going to be? Something like that? …Even so.
”So far, I see zero upside to me becoming an Abyssal Apostle.”
”Aww… zero upside? Don’t you hate being a Chosen One?”
”I do hate it, but not enough to switch sides to the Abyss. If you want to tempt me, you’re going to have to show me something more valuable.”
”Hmm, I see…?”
He rejected the offer gently so as not to provoke the creature. The reply was exactly as childish as the voice suggested. It almost made Klock wonder if the Purifyer was really just a child. Even if all that was in front of him was a puddle of water.
He just used the word ‘terminal’ a moment ago. What was this being made of? The black water talking made no sense, and the personality changing every time it spoke, like with the wolf-centipede, was also baffling. Was this current form a terminal, too? Or was this, perhaps, the main body?
”Okay. Then I’ll go consult with my friend. You want a benefit that makes you want to join me, right?”
Friend? This monster has a friend. That friend was almost certainly an Abyssal Apostle.
The Purifyer had just asked Klock to become an Abyssal Apostle. That meant this entity creates them. And, it probably wasn’t limited to one. Just like the Grand Cathedral, the Abyss was also creating multiple apostles. Or rather, beings called Abyssal Apostles. In other words, the Abyss’s Chosen Ones.
”Why do you even want a Chosen One? Why go through all this trouble?”
”Ah, that. We want the Goddess’s Blessing.”
”The Goddess’s Blessing?”
”Yes. The Goddess’s Blessing that the Chosen Ones possess. We want that. With that alone, our goal will be achieved…!!”
So, the goal when it ravaged the Beast Country was the Blessing that Klock possessed. What was the purpose of that?
”I’m sorry for trying to eat you before. I thought I could get the Blessing if I ate you. But it turns out you can’t acquire the Blessing by eating it.”
So he was planning to eat me if it worked. This monster was absolutely irreconcilable. He was a monster through and through. Even if he pretended to be an ally, he would immediately betray Klock the moment it benefited him.
”…If you’re done, can you send me back? You brought me to this ridiculously far-off place. How the hell am I supposed to get home?”
He felt like he still had more to ask, but he couldn’t think of anything immediately. He needed to go home. Klock was completely defenseless right now. Since his opponent was utterly unpredictable, securing his safety was the priority.
”Oh, I’m sorry. To get the ability to summon you, I ate the body of the Lake Maiden¹. I heard she had the ability to call other people’s spirits, and I wanted to usurp it. But… it turns out I don’t have the power to send you back.”
”…Huh? You can’t send me back?”
”Yeah, I’m sorry. You’re just a spirit right now, so if you die, I think you can go back. You might lose your memory, but it won’t affect anything.”
It affects everything! What the hell is he talking about? This was an utterly desperate and awful declaration. This monster truly was insane. He had talked about negotiation, but he never intended to let Klock leave alive.
”Are you kidding me? Stop saying something so idiotic and figure out how to send me back!”
”—”
Isn’t there another way? Klock tried to stay calm and continue questioning, but then a strange feeling washed over him. The Purifyer had fallen silent. In his sight, the black water was still at his feet. But it had become perfectly still, as if remembering it was just a puddle.
”…?”
A black shadow began to surface and spread within the puddle. It was hair. Long, black hair spread out like a spiderweb, and a head slowly rose from the center. Bifurcated horns. A face covered in scales quietly emerged from the water’s surface. It was the form the Purifyer had been mimicking just moments ago.
”Oh, this is bad—”
He mumbled the words without thinking. They spilled out because a wave of emotion had washed over him—a force so strong that even Klock, who couldn’t sense magic power, felt it. It was unmistakable rage. Irritation. Pure fury. As it was directed at him, Klock immediately lost his balance.
”…Hk!”
Noticing the entity, sensing the danger, preparing for it—all of it was too late. The creature’s breath tore into the ground, vaporizing the spot where the Purifyer had been, then liquefying Klock’s lower half. The forest behind him was flung away. From a great distance, an explosion roared, and Klock recognized that he was caught in a cataclysm. He understood that he had been instantly killed.
”No way…”
The naked woman covered in scales. In his vision, her grotesque form rapidly changed. Long whiskers. A massive jaw and a serpent-like long body. The colossal form that appeared covered the sky, and the terrifying eyes of the awful monster focused on him.
That must be the Lake Maiden herself. Not a huge lizard-dragon, but a giant, serpent-like dragon with a long torso. The woman the Purifyer had mimicked was the form of the Lake Maiden. They say the Lake Maiden is a superior being. He was surprised to find a human who had evolved into a dragon.
”…You gotta be kidding me. I’m the victim here…”
His lower half was gone, and as he lay on the ground, his consciousness rapidly faded. So, the Purifyer had poked a dragon in the bush just to get the ability to call Klock. Maybe it just ate a part of her body to gain the ability. And in doing so, it incurred her wrath, and now Klock was being turned to ash as a result. Being caught in the crossfire of this retribution was the absolute worst.
Am I gonna die…?
No, he was already dead. Half of his body was gone. He was just in that tiny time lag before death. But since he was a spirit, he should wake up as long as his body and soul were intact. That was the only silver lining. The memory he gained as a spirit, though, couldn’t be brought back. It was a shame to lose all this crucial information.
”…Kata… ma!!”
In his blurring vision, the gigantic creature’s eyes peered down at him. Its small limbs, disproportionate to its body, tried to grab Klock, but failed. Something had picked Klock up. The monster receded from his vision. Was someone running? But before Klock could recognize who it was, his consciousness finally snapped.
”WOOOOAAAAHHH!!”
Klock shot upright, shouting with a voice that didn’t sound like he’d just woken up. He pressed his hand to his stomach, blinking as he checked the reassuring feeling of his body being whole.
”Good morning, Master.”
”…Huh?”
He looked up to see the contract-bound, lovely demon girl. Next to her was the bunny-demon with an unreadable expression. And then…
”…What the hell is going on?”
Flavia and Primlena were looking at Klock. Standing behind them was Isabella. Why was she here? They were all gathered around Klock’s bed.
”…Did you guys have a sleep-gazing party or something?”
”Fool. This was hardly the time for that.” Primlena said in a tone of weary exasperation.
”My Lord. I am so relieved you are safe. Are you in pain anywhere?” Flavia asked, leaning in with a concerned expression.
…Flavia.
That was your voice, wasn’t it?
In his head, the voice he heard just before his death played back. Klock had apparently been rescued. And he still had his memory.
”Flavia. Thanks. You saved my butt.”
”No. I am the one who is sorry for not realizing sooner.”
The Forestkin Princess smiled. Her doll-like features softened with relief.
”How did you get to a place like that?”
”I traveled through the Void. The forest in the Demon Continent was a difficult place, but my mother had located the place, so I managed to find you.”
I see. That secret spot was a forest. The Void could allow for continent-spanning travel. If Flavia hadn’t been an ally, he would have woken up with a blank slate in his mind again.
He was exhausted just from remembering it all. Klock slumped back onto the bed with a sigh.
—
Summary:
Klock’s spirit is kidnapped by the evolved Purifyer to the Demon Continent. Meanwhile, Kispe confronts Isabella, the Forestkin Queen, who reveals her desperate, calculating moves are based on a World Tree prophecy foretelling annihilation by the Abyssal Apostle. Klock learns the Star Magic Array’s shocking truth: he is the powerless baseline for the entire Chosen One system. The Purifyer, having stolen power from the enraged Lake Maiden, kills Klock’s spirit, but Flavia rescues his mind just in time to preserve his crucial knowledge.
—
Character Insight:
Isabella is not malicious, but terrifyingly pragmatic, sacrificing family and reputation to secure Klock’s protection against a foretold doom. Kispe’s loyalty to Klock supersedes her demon nature, making her a sharp-witted investigator protecting his interests. Klock, despite his powerlessness, proves his intelligence by expertly extracting critical information from the Purifyer while in a high-stakes, life-threatening situation.
—
Behind the Scene:
The ‘Sixfold Climate Zone’ is the Demon Continent’s unique cosmology, linking it to the six non-Abyss/Fragment/Grand Cathedral alien worlds. The Purifyer’s constantly evolving intelligence is a sign of it consuming power/knowledge from other entities, a dangerous process that is unstable but rapidly makes it a more formidable threat than its previous purely predatory state. Flavia’s use of the Void for intercontinental travel confirms the scale of the world and her specific high-tier skill set.
—
T/L:
¹ Lake Maiden: This is an entity or goddess associated with a lake, often the source of immense power or prophecy, akin to the Lady of the Lake in Arthurian legend. The Purifyer essentially ate a mythical being’s ability to get to Klock. ↩
Notes:
• Isabella – Forestkin queen, appears after Klock meets the Phantasmal Beast. Leads peace talks with Humans. Mother of Avery, Flavia. Calm, strategic ruler.
• Avery – Forestkin princess, Isabella’s eldest daughter, appearing after Klock meets the Phantasmal Beast. Questions her mother about Klock, the Chosen One. Sister to Flavia. Linked to peace with Humans. No direct tie to Klock. Calm, proud, analytical nature.
• Flavia – Younger Forestkin princess (132). Gentle yet resolute. Sent by Queen Isabella as marriage pledge to Klock, the Chain Binder, symbolizing the Void’s loyalty to the Goddess Teekua.
• Goddess Teekua – The deity who saved Sylvia after her death and granted her rebirth as a hero.
• Ada – Female. Ada the Wild Wind. An A-rank adventurer. Her appearance is striking, with black hair mixed with fiery red, multiple earrings, and an axe spear as tall as she is. She is incredibly strong and fast, with a Unique Skill called the ‘Blessing of the Wind’ that enhances her speed and agility. Ada is ruthless in combat but shows a surprising willingness to negotiate. She is highly respected in adventurer circles and feared by criminals. Her relationship with Klock is adversarial, as he stole from her and escaped using trickery.
• Fit – Solo archer adventurer; first appears at Barreith volunteer gathering, introduces herself to Klock and group, joining Brave Knight against Demon Lord’s Army
• Cianie – A noble girl with a fluffy white and light blue dress, indicating her high status. She has a hesitant and flustered personality but is kind and courteous. Her relationship with Klock begins as an accidental encounter and develops into a romantic interest. She has a fiancé but expresses feelings for Klock, complicating their relationship.
• Primlena – Orange-haired merfolk priestess, fierce yet elegant | First v8c3 | Sister of Sea General Primjune, subordinate to Primrity | Once captured and violated by Klock, now obsessed with reclaiming honor | Commands Obsidian Riders on giant fish, fights with trident | Seeks to drag Klock to Seabed Temple for marriage trial or execution | Unique note: revenge-driven siren bride who masks fury under ritual grace
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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