CH-106 : Where the Hatred Goes

 Chapter 106.1

I slowly walk towards Jerga.

"…Ku…" (Jerga)

A sound leaks out from him. A dark, stagnant sound that eventually turns into laughter.

"Kukuku… Kukukukukuku…" (Jerga)

Jerga looks at me with a warped expression on his face.

"…This is good, I can destroy you with my own hands…Actually, I would like to thank you for reviving…Arnos Voldigod." (Jerga)

Even though he's become a being of magic even after 2000 years his hatred hasn't changed.

"Regret your revival and die!!" (Jerga)

Jerga scatters particles of light from his body and attacks.

"Realise humanity's anger demon king of tyranny!!" (Jerga)

Light gathers in the sky before pouring down on his hands and turns ｢Ask｣ into a sword.

"Ohhh!!" (Jerga)

"For such exaggerated words you're still weak." (Arnos)

Jerga thrusts the ｢Ask｣ sword straight at me but I parry it with ｢Beno Ieven｣ and pierce his chest with my right hand.

"｢Bebuzud｣." (Arnos)

I squeeze his magical body with my Origin Killer coated hand. The light around my hand explodes and scatters causing Jerga to disappear without a trace.

Almost instantly the light overhead gathers and pours down creating another Jerga magic body.

"Fumu. It seems I can't grasp his origin this way after all." (Arnos)

"Seems like you understand. This body ｢Jerga｣ is magic. It's the very order of the world itself. It cannot perish." (Jerga)

That matches up with my hypothesis.

"This game is over. Listen to me people of Azeshion." (Jerga)

Jerga speaks through the magic of ｢Ask｣ and anyone affected by it will hear him directly in their hearts.

"The deep darkness is swallowing Azeshion. The demon king of tyranny has revived again after 2000 years but don't be afraid. Offer your hope-filled prayers to our legendary hero. He will return and the light of hope will clear away the darkness." (Jerga)

Diego said the seeds had been scattered for 2000 years. Was he referring to the ever-growing population and the oral tradition being passed down?

More brilliant than the sun itself light gathers in the sky as the light of hope gathers from all over Azeshion.

"…Uuu…aah…!"

"…The darkness…Aaah! It's coming…"

"Sto…Stoop!!"

The fallen soldiers of the subjugation force were writhing around on the floor in fear. The light of <Ask > was rising from their bodies even more.

I see.

"The magic ｢Jerga｣ was hiding in ｢Ask｣ and when ｢Ask｣ gathered so much magic for the first time it allowed the will of ｢Jerga｣ to materialise and form that body." (Arnos)

Even as I was speaking Jerga's body was absorbing the light from ｢Ask｣ and growing bigger.

"But to maximise the magic of ｢Ask｣ you need to combine everyone's thoughts into one so the hero academy spread the rumour about the deep darkness. When the deep darkness brings despair the people of Azeshion will give their hope-filled prayers." (Arnos)

More light fell on Jerga blurring the outline of his body.

"You bastard Jerga. You're forcibly sucking the hope out of people." (Arnos)

If all hope is absorbed then their hearts will turn to despair. This is the meaning behind the deep darkness. The people of Azeshion will give hope-filled prayers to the legendary hero. That prayer will be absorbed in an instant and they will drop into despair again.

They'll continue to wander in darkness never finding the exit and by doing so all their thought will be forcibly united as well.

This is how ｢Jerga｣ is invoked.

"If they stay in that hopeless hell their minds will collapse. Do you want to destroy me that badly you'll kill your own people king of the humans?" (Arnos)

"What are you complaining about? Have you finally realised it demon king of tyranny? The grudge of us humans. They are willing to sacrifice their own lives in order to destroy you. Their precious sacrifice won't be in vain." (Jerga)

I can only stare coldly at this guy preaching as if its the most noblest of things.

"Stupid." (Arnos)

"You speak as if its someone else's problem king of the mazoku. This is your sin you piece of shit. You are the one who made us humans hold such a grudge Arnos Voldigod!! This would never have happened if you'd never killed humans!! That sin, that stupidity, confess and regret it then rot away in misery!!" (Jerga)

Is he absorbing more hope? The agonised cries of falling humans sounded across the battlefield.

The light in the sky became even more brilliant lighting up the whole forest.

Jerga's body began to collapse. It had already lost its original form while the divine light quickly spread across the forest.

A huge person wearing armour started to appear from the light. It appeared to be imitating the hero and in its hand was a long, thick and brightly shining holy sword.

"Escape with the injured my subordinates. This whole area is going to be blown away." (Arnos)

The large holy sword is swung down so I stack ｢Beno Ieven｣ along with my 『Demon Eyes of Ruin』 and accept it.

The surrounding trees are blown away and the ground cracks from the aftermath of our power colliding.

"Know the power of justice." (Jerga)

Jerga takes a step forward and swings his sword down again. He's that big his step caused an earthquake binding the legs of the soldiers trying to flee.

"I'll create a demon king castle underground." (Sasha)

"Ice Castle." (Misha)

The silver-haired girl casts ｢Ibis｣ and a robust ice castle is built deep underground a short distance away.

"I'll help you. Even a demon king castle won't last long against an opponent with that much magical power." (Melheys)

Melheys comes over and draws a magic formation on the castle.

"Dimensional Prison ｢Azeishis｣." (Melheys)

The underground demon king castle is isolated with ｢Azeishis｣.

What happens outside cannot make it inside but it does have a weakness in that the entrance needs to be open so the soldiers can evacuate inside.

With Jerga's current strength he might be able to break through but with the demon king castle as well this two-tiered defence should be able to withstand him to some extent.

"I can't let any of them escape." (Jerga)

Jerga tried to see the location of the demon king castle with his demon eyes but at that moment it started to drizzle.

It spreads out blocking his view and obscuring the magical power of the mazoku as well as the demon king castle.

It's Misa's ｢Fuska｣.

Jerga starts muttering.

"…Is this…the ability of the great spirit forests guardian…? Are the spirits siding with the mazoku…?" (Jerga)

"Times have changed Jerga. They changed long ago. There are no enemies anymore." (Arnos)

I concentrate my magic power and flick away the huge holy sword before firing a ｢Geo Greys｣ at that huge helmet.

It was briefly wrapped in black flames before quickly being extinguished by anti-magic.

Jerga turned his eyes to me as if nothing had happened.

"…I won't be deceived demon king of tyranny. You! Using your strength to manipulate the spirits. How unjust!!" (Jerga)

Jerga raises his sword in the sky and a magic formation appears.

"Know this mazoku. Your bodies shall pay for the sins your ancestors committed!"

Countless ｢Teo Trias｣ pour down from the formation overhead.

｢Fuska｣ can't be aimed at by magic but this is just an indiscriminate bombardment. By sheer numbers, some of them will hit.

From the ground, four magic formations appear comprising of earth, wind, fire and water and block the ｢Teo Trias｣'s bombardment.

"…Runaway quickly! Because they are holy magic I can block them to some extent but they won't last long against that huge person…" (Eleonor)

Eleonor sets up ｢De Igeria｣ and protects the Midheys troops as they withdraw.

The commander demon emperor Elio stops and looks at her.

"…Brave human soldier…" (Elio)

He cuts straight to the point.

"…Earlier as well. Why have you helped us mazoku?" (Elio)

She responds clearly.

"Our country declared war. I know that but this is different. We didn't want to fight. I want to protect. Also, that huge man is trying to kill both mazoku and humans." (Eleonor)

Eleonor glares at the huge shadow that can vaguely be seen in the mist.

On the other side of the Midheys unit, the subjugation forces were having their hope absorbed while lying on the ground.

"The Deiruheido forces started to withdraw and the demon king subjugation force also tried to withdraw. This war is over. I have no grudge against any of you." (Eleonor)