Episode 487: The Marquis of Discord (5)

The river of blood has finally dried up.

The war between the human world and the demon world that lasted for decades was left in history as an eerie record called the 'Age of Destruction'.

And the day when the victory of the human world is engraved on the rock.

A head was hung at the main gate of the Baskerville family, famous for being a family of iron-blooded swords.

Bikir. 'Vikir van Baskerville'.

The illegitimate son of Hugo Les Baskerville, the head of the Baskerville family.

A shadow that has had countless blood on its hands behind the family's back.

It was the hunting dog of the Baskerville family.

* * *

… … .

A severed head is speechless.

The world where the dog's head was hanging was suffering from the aftereffects of the war.

The ecliptic was destroyed in half.

The Red and Black Mountains were devastated by fire and water.

Colosseo Academy has been turned into ruins.

Dozens or hundreds of trees soaring into the sky.

Leviathan, Don Quixote, and Usher are still encroached upon by the Red Death.

Baskerville Street, where only smoke is rising.

The corrupt Quo Vadisga.

The fallen bourgeoisie.

Morgue struggles alone.

Tochka's dead bodies dried up due to depletion of drinking water.

Broken angel statue.

A collapsed clock tower.

Nouvelle Vague disappeared without a trace, etc... … .

How could I forget this scene that is so familiar!

How can we see that wasteland red with the blood of countless dead comrades... … !

"… … ! … … ! … … !"

Bikir trembled as if struck by lightning.

Yes.

Andras did not open the door to destruction.

However, it was no different from opening the door to destruction.

A world beyond where the door to destruction is already open.

The world where Vikir lived and died before returning.

The portals leading there were thrown open!

[Huhuhuhu- A world line where the door to destruction is already open. It's the door leading to that place.]

This was not achieved solely by Andras's abilities.

The bloodline of the emperor.

'Gerald Golding', the emperor of the great empire that unified the continent into one, was said to have the ability to see the future.

The 1st Crown Prince of the Golding family, who inherited the bloodline of the first emperor, also had power inherent in his bloodline.

As a result of combining the host's ability, future precognition, and the unique ability, 'the ability to open doors', Andras has the ability to jump across the time axis and open doors to the past or future world.

In other words, he gained the power to interfere in the parallel world.

Although its power was quite limited in many ways, it was actually an enormous power.

Unlike other Tensangsi who chose hosts with outstanding military strength, Andras chose hosts with abilities that he could best utilize.

As a result, Bikir can now stand here.

Andras grinned.

[Do you finally feel like accepting the deal? If you just tell me who my brother is and where he is now, I will help you avoid the worst.]

"… … ."

[You're not planning on destroying this world either, are you? Are you planning to bring only misfortune wherever you go? Isn't it necessary to protect at least one side of the world?]

"… … ."

Vikir frowned.

The original world where one is not dead.

There, the gates of destruction are already open and the destruction of polar hell has descended.

Tsutsutsutsutsu… …

That place and the current world were about to be connected.

Even though it passed through a bridge, it was indirectly connected to hell.

The rain of fire will pour down.

Numerous monsters will come over.

It was clear that countless human beings would die again.

but.

"… … In the past life, humans were victorious. In any case, the era of destruction is over."

Yes.

Even though 99% of humanity died and Vikir was also executed at the end by falling for the devil's plot... … As a result, humanity did not become extinct.

A great flood occurred, albeit belatedly, and put an end to the monsoon season.

All of the Ten Sangshi were either dead or missing with their magic power wasted.

The thousand fires that covered the entire world were extinguished, and all remnants of the monster were hunted.

Sapilgwijeong (事必歸正).

All the trivial things that crossed the gate of destruction eventually disappeared.

As a result, although there were only a handful of humans left, who were as numerous as grains of sand on a white sand beach, they still won.

"So even if we create a portal connecting to that world, there are no flames or monsters that will come over to this world."

Bikir gritted his teeth and said.

Before the regression, humanity avoided the apocalypse thanks to the sacrifices of countless heroes.

That was clearly what I saw before the head was cut off.

But Andras just laughed as if it was ridiculous.

[Do you really think so?]

"… … what?"

[Do you really think the destruction is over and you humans have won?]

Andras goes beyond ridicule and bursts into laughter.

And underneath that unpleasant smile, there was a hint of composure and malice that could not be hidden.

Soon, several more portals opened nearby.

Tsutsutsutsutsutsu… …

A portal pulsing with black energy.

A transparent film like a mirror appears in the darkness.

The world beyond the portal became visible a little further away.

A wider land and a higher sky began to come into view.

Moment.

"… … !?"

Shock and disbelief filled Vikir's eyes.

Through my shaking pupils, I can clearly see an image of a world I had not remembered.

After Bikir was executed, the world was becoming more and more cruel.

Huge fires can be seen continuously rising in the highlands where the surviving humans were gathered.

The roar of giant monsters that were thought to be extinct can be heard.

Centipedes coiling around the mountains, cephalopods as large as islands rising from the sea, giants tearing up the ground, birds so large they cover the sky, and various wild beasts running across the land.

And at first glance, demons with powerful magical power were running rampant, leading numerous hordes of demons.

The eastern desert was completely filled with human blood and turned into mud.

A storm was blowing strong enough to turn the western jungle into a wasteland.

The southern seas have turned into rotten water due to an outbreak of a terrible plague.

A tidal wave of fire so hot that it turns the northern snowfield into a lava field.

The demons and monsters running rampant in droves were more numerous and much more ferocious than any miserable times Vikir had ever experienced.

Oh-oooooooooooo… …

All that can be heard is screams full of anger, sadness, and grief.

The few remaining humans were fighting desperately, but it seemed obvious that they would not be able to hold out for long.

"Oh, how can this happen? Surely I died after seeing the victory of the Human Coalition... … !?"

It is rare for Bikir to be upset.

It was even more so after returning.

However, the situation that was happening now was something that even a seasoned veteran who had crossed the firing line countless times could not help but be surprised.

"This is ridiculous. "Is that really the world I lived in?"

Bikir's pupils tremble.

The world in front of me was clearly the world where Vikir originally lived.

This was based on intuition that led to the rank of superhuman.

A terrifying sight that far surpasses all the horrors Vikir had seen and heard before his return.

The world of human magic itself can amaze even those who have experienced the era of destruction.

-You got hit! More demons are coming!

-annihilation! Total annihilation!

-This… … This is impossible!

-How much longer do we have to fight!

-Better kill me! Kill it!

-It was better when the Gates of Destruction first appeared.

-The heroes are all dead too!

-… … it's over. Now is the real end.

.

.

Countless people were dying.

The situation is getting so serious that even the brave and great generals who overcame the era of destruction with Bikir are dying like trash.

The monsters that came out of the Gate of Destruction and the Sipsanshi that led them were literally nothing more than a 'tutorial'.

I suspected two or three times that Andras was showing a subtle hallucination.

[…] … human. That's not hallucination or brainwashing. It's really real.]

It is not a lie as long as the same thing is visible in the eyes of the demon Decaravia.

The landscape seen beyond the portal was clearly the world after Vikir was executed.

Andras grabbed his bulging stomach as if he was going to die from laughter.

[What did I say earlier? Did you say that the world became much more stable after you died? If I were to be honest, that was a lie.]

"You can't do that! "I definitely died after seeing all ten of them defeated!"

[I saw it well. It's true that we failed. In any case, it is 'us'.]

"… … !?"

Andras smiled heartily and continued.

[As long as the 'Gate of Destruction' remains, the devils can rebuild their power. Do you know why?]

And soon, unbelievable words came out of Andras' mouth.

[We Sipsangshi are only the 'weakest' among the Demon Lords.]

Obvious story.

A common cliché.

… … But there is a reason why those things work.

That's because the obvious and common things reflect reality best.

Soon, huge shadows appear beyond the numerous portals.

Tsutsutsutsutsutsutsutsutsutsutsu… …

The shadows were so large and enormous that they not only cast a deep shadow over the world beyond, but also extended beyond the portal into this world.

Andras said:

[I am Andras. 'Marquis of Discord'. And the devil of the bottom stone, only 63rd out of 72 ranks. … … Do you understand what this means?]

With a smile that goes beyond the corners of the mouth and goes up to the top of the head.

[I mean, beyond that gate of destruction, there are sixty-two more demons stronger than me.]