Chapter 634 - "Critical Point of Fate"

Fate, who had grown stronger.... No. Fate, who has evolved to a stronger being, turned her gold-patterned purple eyes to the Gods, before lightly waving her hand to them.

Thereupon, the Human-Demon Allied Forces who should have been restrained by Chronois' Judgment was released.

[...This is impossible...You deactivated... Shallow Vernal's authority?]

[I didn't deactivate it. I just decided... "that your magic didn't hit right from the start".]

[From the start... Could it be, God of Fate, that you just altered the past...]

[It's just as I told you. I've transcended time, space and life... "I can alter, even the fate of the past".]

[Wha!?]

Having stepped into the realm of the World-creating Gods... the realm of near omnipotence, Fate altered the past all too easily.

However, since she was still far from the likes of Shallow Vernal, Kuromueina and Eden, she chose to alter the event to make it like the Judgment never hit from the beginning, rather than canceling out a spell made from Shallow Vernal's magic power.

However, the Gods wouldn't know that. In their eyes, it would have appeared that Fate had gained a power comparable to Shallow Vernal.

That's why, they were greatly shaken... and an opening appeared within their hearts. As if to exploit the opening within their hearts, Fate raised her voice to the Human-Demon Allied Forces behind her.

[Oi, you slow-witted people! Frustrated? You lot must be frustrated, right? You all wanted to help Kai-chan, holding unto some determination, but you've just become slow-witted weaklings... You find it unpleasant, right?]

Her words pierced the hearts of many in the Human-Demon Allied Forces who hadn't participated in the battle. Especially Kaito's lover, Sieglinde, who was clenching her fist so hard that blood started dripping from her hand.

Lilia can still manage to fight against a low-ranking God. However, Sieglinde doesn't have the ability to keep up with this battle. No, on the contrary, she could only lament her helplessness because she understood that she would only end up dragging down her best friend, Lilia.

There are also others who feel the same way... as even Lilia, who was able to participate in the battle, regretted her weakness, as she had to do her best just to fight against a single low-ranking God.

Facing such people, Fate slightly smiled and declared.

[...That thought of helping Kai-chan, I'm with you regarding that. That's why, I will lead all of you! For a few moments... Beyond the limits of race, beyond the time required to train, to the extremes you can reach with the talent you possess! "To the critical point of your fate"!!!]

At that moment, magic that could shake the space was released from Fate's body, pouring down on each and every member of the Human-Demon Allied Forces.

The Gods somehow knew that it would be dangerous. Therefore, the Gods, especially the High-ranking Gods, immediately began to act.

At the same time as the God of Flash, who had overwhelming speed second only to Chronois, flew out towards Fate, someone quickly flew out from within the Human-Demon Allied Forces.

She, who was lamenting her helplessness even more than the others, jumping out faster than the others... was Sieglinde.

Originally, Sieglinde's abilities, even though she's considered as a powerful Human, would not be able to stand up to an enhanced God, much less an enhanced high-ranking God. Fighting against them would normally have been a momentary exchange, where her fragile life ends.

However, that didn't happen. Sieglinde easily shattered the spear that the God of Flash had thrust out with her twin swords that were filled with powerful Endowment Magic, cutting deep into the God of Flash's body.

[...I- Impossible...]

Such a voice unconsciously leaked out of Chronois' mouth. It wasn't hard to understand why. Sieglinde, who wasn't even counted as a fighter just a while ago, has somehow acquired magic power that surpasses even today's enhanced High-ranking Gods...

Moreover, it isn't just her magic power that has increased like the Gods. The refined and unhindered flow of magic power is proof that Sieglinde has perfected the use of her magic power.

Chronois' eyes widened at the unbelievable sight, but then, she felt time stop and took a stance to intercept Ein, who must have been trying to attack her.

Just like when the battle started, a clash of fists within the stopped time... but receiving Ein's strike, Chronois' arm was blown off.

[Guhhhhh!?]

[God of Time and Space!?]

Yes, Chronois was completely outmatched by Ein. She was so overwhelmed that her arm was blown off... Despite her astonishment, Life immediately healed her, restoring her arm back to normal. Thinking about her blown off arm, Chronois looked at Ein with a shocked expression on her face.

Under Chronois' gaze, Ein lightly plucks at the skirt of her maid uniform, curtsied, before speaking.

[...I guess I have to thank Fate. I thought I had trained myself to the limit as a maid... but it seems that I still have "some room to grow".]

[...What's... happening... What in the world is with this power?]

[Tsk, this is——— Eh?]

They still couldn't understand the situation. However, Life understands that Ein had completely surpassed Chronois. That's why, she immediately tried to support her.

Using her power to create an infinite number of troops, she tried to create more than a billion cavalry... but she was dumbfounded when she found out that her ability didn't work.

[...Why didn't it work?]

[..."I killed them"... when you activated your ability...]

What appeared in front of Life was Isis with a somewhat peaceful expression on her face. However, the moment Life saw such an Isis, she was greatly shaken up inside.

(I don't feel intimidated at all? That's impossible... That would mean...)

Yes, she didn't feel any intimidation from Isis' magic power of death now. At the same time that Life realized what this meant, Isis calmly announced.

[...I've always... dreamt of a day like this... "where I could completely control my magic power of death"... for the way I am now... I could even kill... things that hold no life.]

[...No way... God of Fate made that possible...]

Looking at Isis, Life finally understood what Fate meant with the critical point of fate, making her shudder.

[...Raising them to their critical points, to the highest peak of their talent————-!? Oh no! Life! Go focus on fighting Death King!]

What Fate has done was, whether it's the limits of the physical body as a species, or the time of training which would normally take them many years to reach….. ignoring all these factors, she would temporarily make one grow to the limit of their natural talent... And as if Chronois had also reached such a conclusion, someone popped into Chronois' head.

[But someone! Anyone! ———–"Stop Lilia!"]

Immediately after that, a number of glowing trails appeared in the sky. Those glowing trails didn't mean that she was there. Those glowing trails mean that "she passed through there".

As that trajectory of light carved through the battlefield multiple times... The Gods were being slashed apart at a speed that Life's revivals couldn't catch up.

In this world, it was perceived that the Humans, especially the humans, are inferior to other races in terms of individual combat power. In fact, there are probably only a few humans in history who are capable of fighting against High-ranking Demons.

(T/N: Human(upper-case) = The beings living in the Human Realm. humans(lower-case) = the human species itself.)

In that case, are humans inferior to other species? No, that's not the case. It was just that they have a "different special characteristic".

Indeed, the humans have a short lifespan and aren't as physically strong as other species.

However, if a human and a Demon with the exact same level of talent are raised in the same environment with the same training... It would be the human who will become stronger first.

The humans grow at a rate that leaves Demon children far behind, and even if you were to pit them against each other, the human would dominate until the human begins to age and their physical capabilities deteriorate.

Yes, what makes the humans superior to other long-lived species is their growth speed... Compared to other species, humans mature quicker. While they have overwhelming growth potential and speed, they also have a short lifespan.

So, what if a human is freed from the physical limitations of their race and from the deterioration of her abilities due to aging? And what if a human with superior growth potential was born with a talent unparalleled in all of history... a genius who, in less than 20 years, has stepped into the realm of Peerage-ranks, which the Demons only reached after hundreds or thousands of years of training, is freed from all of these shackles?

After she bestowed her True Blessing, Chronois once taught Lilia the magic of manipulating time. Hence, she knew... how she is too much of a genius.

In just a month or so, Lilia mastered the magic of time, which Chronois had predicted would take decades to learn. And now, such a person with bottomless talent is...

Magic power like thunderbolts gushing out, Lilia Albert knocked down the gods with her impermissible talent. A single swing of her sword sliced through several High-ranking Gods, while the space shook with just a single step.

How many beings exist in this world that can stop her now? With such overwhelming power, the rare genius laid waste to the Gods.

[...Well~~ That's quite spectacular, isn't it? With everyone getting super power-ups, the power-balance is completely broken~~]

[...Hey, Shall-tan? Why are we drinking tea and going into relaxation mode? I'm working hard for Kai-chan, you know...]

[Guess you would. However, it's better if you don't push yourself too hard. That state "probably doesn't last that long", right?]

[...Well, holding this state out hurts a bit.]

Alice, watching the fierce battle while drinking a cup of tea she took out of nowhere, and Fate, looking at the battlefield with sweat dripping from her forehead. Both of their states were in contrast with each other.

Fate has indeed risen to a higher stage as a God. However, it is difficult for her to continue to exercise her enormous power when she was still growing up, and thus, the Critical Point of Fate wouldn't last very long.

On top of that, she wasn't used to her new state yet, and was unable to use her powers well.

That's why Fate was desperately hoping that the battle would be settled as soon as possible, as she fought to keep her body from collapsing from exhaustion.

[...I mean, Shall-tan, doesn't my power work at you? I can't see any change in you at all.]

[Ah~~ No, it's just simple. Me, you see... Simply speaking, I've already reached max level and had even done side quests to bulk up my status even more, so I wouldn't grow anymore. That's the case "even before I came to this world"...]

[Eh? B- But Shall-tan, compared to 20,000 years ago...]

[Ahh, well, that has something to do with my special characteristic. The way I am now is quite peculiar, and I can only grow "under a certain condition". Well, putting aside refining various skills and techniques, my physical abilities and magic power wouldn't grow outside of that condition.]

[So, you're saying that from the last time you fought 20,000 years ago, you've met that condition and became more powerful?]

[Yes, it happened just before we had that passionate fistfight under the sunset. Well, my opponent at that time is seriously freaking annoying, but I guess I'm grateful for the growth I've had back then, because it has helped me a lot for this battle.]

[Unnn?]

After saying something that somehow contained some meaning, Alice quietly looked at the battlefield without saying anything else.

(Now then, thanks to Fate-san's hard work, this had led to one of the pretty good developments that I've had expected. However, hmmm... I don't think this battle would be settled before Fate-san reaches her limit. The Gods still have one more trump card left after all... and we'll probably end up "losing even if we defeat the Gods at this rate"~~)

After thinking that much, a small smile appeared on Alice's lips before it was covered up with the tea she brought into her mouth.

(Well, it looks like I'll have to make my move in a few moments, so let's just enjoy our tea time while we can.)