Chapter 64: Bael, The King Of Wickedness

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[The [Eighth Ancient Apostle of Death: Bael, King of Wickedness] is manifesting himself before you.]

The entity before us wasn't what I had expected the ruler of the dungeon to ever be. It was something that I could not have imagined, even in my wildest dreams.

Already one damn Apostle was enough trouble, but two?! And based on Bael's words, they were cooperating! This is… well, it is not rare for them to cooperate, if something makes them different than the Archdemons is that they act as an organization, together, most of the time.

"Who is this?" Kevin asked. "T-This presence…" Kevin suddenly started gasping for air, pressing his chest with his hand, and gritting his teeth.

"Ugh…" Baihe fell to her knees in an instant; her eyes could barely look at Bael.

"H-He's scary…" Annabelle was somehow the least affected, but she began stepping back, for the first time showing clear fear in her face.

"Don't look at him directly!" I said, quickly putting myself in front of my friends.

My Eyes of Truth revealed to me what was happening.

[The still-manifesting [Eighth Ancient Apostle of Death: Bael, King of Wickedness]'s Unique Ability [Apostle of Death's Ancient Authority] has been activated automatically.]

[All those that glance at his presence will be automatically paralyzed; all of their stats will drop by -50%, and they cannot use Skills or Magic.]

I looked down at the floor, managing to not get affected, but once you glance at him, your entire body will be paralyzed, including the open eyes, which cannot glance anywhere else. It is an incredibly unfair and deadly power that Apostles possess, especially their powerful Manifestation.

"Hmph. It seems like someone was smart enough to not glance too much." Laughed Bael. "You glanced down after only taking a single look at me; you're not a normal human."

Bael's voice resonated tenebrously as his darkness continued to spread like a sea of pure abyss surrounding his throne.

"Why are you here?" I asked. "The Constellations and the Administrators won't take this too kindly, Bael," I said boldly.

Bael laughed at my words.

"To think a mere mortal knows about the Administrators, even when they have yet to emerge in front of your civilization." He spoke. "What makes you think I'll reveal my intentions to you? However… You're an interesting girl; how about you reveal your secrets instead?"

Suddenly, in a split second, he appeared right before me, his hand grasping my forehead.

"Agh!"

Shadows wrapped around my entire body as he lifted me into the ceiling. My friends were paralyzed in horror at the scene.

"{Mind Reading}"

Abyssal darkness started invading my mind and my very soul, searching for my memories, my thoughts, everything.

No, I don't want this! Why is it happening to me?!

It hurts… this darkness, it feels like it is piercing my very self.

It hurts, and it feels so horrible!

Stop…

Stop...!

STOP!

"N-No… Get away! UGH!" I screamed, struggling.

"Hahaha, a commendable effort, but you cannot escape my absolute power!" He laughed. "Now, let me see."

"S-Stop…! Stop! STOP! GET AWAY!"

In a single second, I found myself within the depths of my very soul and mind, an endless landscape of pure white color, and there, a mass of darkness with multiple red eyes glanced into it.

FLASH!

However, something suddenly surged from within the depths of my soul. It felt as if all the privileges placed inside were activated at once. Resembling spheres of light that constantly spread golden circuits across my very mindscape, Bael stepped back in horror, the light spreading into his own shadows.

What in the world is going on? Is this my power?

A single golden eye surged from the concentration of light, and Bael was left flabbergasted.

"What in the world?! What is this?! A mere mortal! How many Divinity Fragments do you possess?" He screamed in shock. "N-No… UGH! AAAGGGH!"

[The Effects of all [Privileges] have taken effect together, combined with the power of the [Eye of Truth]!]

[All Combined Effects have deflected the still-manifesting [Eighth Ancient Apostle of Death: Bael, King of Wickedness]'s [Mind Reading]!]

And then, instead of Bael being able to glance through my mind and memories, visions of his own memory showed up in front of my eyes. The depths of the dark realm of demons, the countless worlds he brought to ruin, the lives he had taken… everything

I saw Bael when he was young, deep within the Dark Realm of Demons. One of the memories that struck me the most was this one, as Bael glanced into the red skies of his world as countless portals opened, tearing everything apart.

Otherworldly monsters surged from within, massacring everything. The Demons were unable to fight against them; entire cities were consumed in seconds. And leading this army were people with golden armor and shiny, white feathers—angels.

"Your time has come, filthy demons... Your world and your civilization will end today."

The voice of a male angel echoed the most within Bael's memories—the one voice that shook his very being and that single man that made him hate everything. Even the demons went through the same thing we did. Though differently. It was a war between Angels and Demons, and it seems the Demons lost. Those that survived—Bael and a few dozen demons that would eventually become the Apostles and Archdemons—escaped their ruined world as it crumbled apart.

Slowly, they invaded other worlds, obeying the Administrators and the "System" run by the "Higher Ups" themselves, so they wouldn't be the ones to be deleted from existence, nor their legacies and cultures.

From the victims that were invaded, they slowly shaped into invaders that ruthlessly sought worlds to invade, wiping out all life and strengthening themselves. The reason they seek to transform worlds with their miasma and Demonic Energy is to attempt to recreate their ruined world.

"Ugh… AAAAGGGHHH…! Don't... DON'T LOOK AT MY MEMORIES!"

Bael screamed, suddenly stepping away from me. The effects of the Mind Reading stopped as I landed on the floor, barely alive while gasping for air.

"W-What was that?! How could you glance into my very psyche?!" Bael asked, his voice sounding completely shocked. "You're not normal... I must kill you; I have to kill you before you become a problem in the future! Now that you know the fate we demons went through, I cannot let you live! {Demon Sword Summon: Gram}!"

[The still-manifesting [Eighth Ancient Apostle of Death: Bael, King of Wickedness] has summoned the [Wicked Demon Sword of Destruction: Gram]!]

[Bael is fully intending to slay you!]

[Temporarily, all of his attention will be concentrated on you.]

"DIE!"

In less than a second, Bael ran towards me and raised his demonic sword, imbued with enormous quantities of demonic power from all the surrounding Demonite Ores, and swung his sword with all his strength. He was so fast; I could barely react.

However, the shock of having had his mind read instead provoked him to become slower, slow enough to allow me to use my trump card against these insane situations.

I'm sorry for everything you've gone through, but that won't make me stop you from invading our world.

"{Anubis' Judgement}"

"What?!"

Bael instantly fell to the floor, feeling as if his own, still-manifesting body had grown several times heavier. His power was slowly being drained away by the authority of a divinity of death.

"T-This is?!" He screamed in shock. "A-Anubis presence?! YOU! You're Anubis Incarnation?!"

"Something like that, yeah." I sighed. "Let's put it that way for now."

[Player Anna has begun the [Weighing of Hearts Ceremony]!]

[While the Ceremony is in effect, both members cannot move or use any of their abilities.]

[Player Anna has decided to balance the target's powers and sins in comparison to her own, which are reflected in the Feather of Truth.]

[Due to the Feather of Truth being assimilated by Player Anna's body, her heart will be taken instead.]

At the same time as this happened, in front of everybody, the illusion of a balance made of gold emerged above the two of us. My own heart flew to one side, while Bael's demonic heart was torn apart from his body and placed there, much to his own disdain. He was unable to stop this.

The small demonic heart of Bael far outweighed my own small heart; he was no Archdemon, but an Ancient Apostle of Death was as sinful as one. So many were his sins that the balance completely leaned to his side.

"No! Why are my sins are being judged?!" Bael cried. "Only a divinity as powerful and ancient as Anubis could ever overpower someone as me, who has greatly surpassed mere mortals such as you!"

[The [Weighing of Hearts Ceremony] has finished.]

[Eighth Ancient Apostle of Death: Bael, King of Wickedness] has been judged by his terrible sins.]

[The difference in power between both users is incredibly high.]

[Due to the difference in power exceeding 50%, proper compensation and debuff will be applied to both parties, respectively.]

"And this, Bael... is how I beat Leviathan." I said. My eyebrows furrowed. Despite his terrible past, when he tried to read my mind, it made me feel violated. There's no way I'm going to forgive him now. "If I have to, I'll have to just kill you."

[Player Anna's Total Power has increased by +700% for the duration of this battle.]

[The target's Total Power has been lowered by -70% for the duration of this battle.]

[As compensation, a {Guardian of the Balance} has been summoned.]

[Cooldown until next Skill Usage: 12 Hours]

RUMBLE!

The caves trembled. Stone, rocks, and the Demonite gathered together into a gigantic golem-like giant of absolute power and authority, exuding a temporary divinity of death. The Guardian of the Balance is here.

[The {Guardian of the Balance}: {Demonic Stone Golem of Crushing Judgement} has been summoned!]

"This is bullshit…" Bael muttered.

He had a rather similar reaction to Leviathan.

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