CH 428

All the efforts to find Akasha had been in vain, for it had already been in my grasp.

It was only then that I could finally understand everything.

Why there had been only one mage in Cantus Magna.

What kind of deeds the surviving Valier from the original work had done.

[My son.]

[In every magic in the world, there is a certain degree of principle embedded. The Fireball spell contains the principle of generating fire, the Lightning Bolt spell contains the principle of discharging current, and the Homunculus research contains the principle of creating life. How about magic that deals with cold and heat, magic that summons water, and magic that makes plants grow?]

[In all magic of the world, there is a certain degree of methodology for implementing the principles of the world using mana as a material.]

[If one could succeed in gathering enough of the world's principles to no longer require anything else, if there were a magical tool that could do this.]

[Through it, one could create a single world.]

[A tool of creation designed to concentrate principles and logic from the world's magic to compose the world.]

[Akasha is such a thing.]

[I cannot know the origin of Akasha. Perhaps the mages of Cantus Magna had picked up and used the shell that the five gods had created for the creation and left somewhere, or it might have been an artifact that the founder of Cantus Magna had hoped to complete and then left for future generations to continue to complete.]

[Of course, if they had not foolishly tried to kill me and covet my magic, I would never have known about Akasha.]

[The process of stealing Akasha while deceiving their eyes was complicated, but in the end, I succeeded, and now I can dream of a different paradise than before.]

[A paradise achieved through creation, not the peace obtained through the extinction of humanity.]

[However, I cannot be certain of anything as I cannot know how this war will end.]

[My son, if you are reading this, it means I no longer exist in this world.]

[I, your father, who knows your temperament best, have prepared something for you, but I cannot know whether it will function properly.]

[My son, only the Four Heavenly Kings, you, and I know about the whereabouts of Akasha and our true purpose. Do not speak carelessly about Akasha. Cantus Magna has self-destructed after the disappearance of Akasha, but remnants may still be searching for it.]

[Also, if humans learn of the existence of Akasha, it is only natural that they would covet it. Even if we tell them what we intended to do through Akasha, they will not believe us. This war, which is fought because both sides want peace, is the very proof that trust between the two cannot be formed.]

[If I die and Darkland is destroyed, walk the path of completing Akasha rather than seeking revenge through it. Humans have always been our greatest, most dangerous, and most powerful enemies. The path of annihilating them will be more difficult than leading the surviving brethren to paradise through creation.]

[The completion of Akasha was within reach.]

[We have always fought for survival. Now that there are other alternatives, we have no reason to desire war and destruction.]

[I am uneasy entrusting Akasha to your hands, but if I were to die, you would be the only Archdemon. You alone can lead our lost kin.]

[Remember this: if you activate the incomplete Akasha recklessly, doom will come.]

[Never be swayed by petty revenge.]

[My son, I implore you.]

[Complete Akasha.]

I gently closed the final note of the late Valier.

Eleris, having read the contents, looked as if she doubted her own eyes.

"The Demon King… didn't want war…"

The vanished memory of Valier.

Within it already lay the answers and clues to everything.

That's why I've come this long, winding road to finally reach Akasha.

Akasha itself is a tool that records the principles of the world, and when all principles are recorded, it can create a new world.

There was no portal to another world.

The other world is created.

Through the instrument of creation called Akasha.

It's clear what Valier, who survived the Demon War and fled to this bunker, did.

The foolish and incompetent Valier Junior could never have completed Akasha.

Revenge and anger would not have granted him the power and wisdom.

Valier Junior, embracing revenge, would have struggled in this underground to find a way to complete Akasha, only to eventually realize it was impossible for him.

And then,

Exhausted by his vague revenge and his own incompetence, he activated the incomplete Akasha in despair.

The imperfectly created world, the monsters born from its unfinished laws, started to enter reality.

That must be the Gate Incident.

[Event Completion - Murder Case Tracking]

[Acquired 5,000 Achievement Points.]

[Additional Reward - Acquired 10,000 Achievement Points.]

[Challenge Completion - Identifying Akasha's Identity]

[Acquired 50,000 Achievement Points.]

Now I understood why the challenge's name was 'Identifying Akasha's Identity' rather than 'Finding Akasha'.

Akasha had already been found, and it was necessary to discover what Akasha was.

[Challenge Completion - Finding Cantus Magna]

[Acquired 30,000 Achievement Points.]

Cantus Magna had already perished. Unaware that Demon King Valier had taken Akasha, they fell apart while searching for the vanished Akasha.

Roswin, who had infiltrated the Royal Magic Department, was the remnant of the disappeared Cantus Magna.

There could be only one reason he suddenly committed murder and went to the Tomb of Lich.

Among the spellbooks Charlotte brought to the Royal Magic Department, there must have been a spell that only existed in Akasha.

He must have been beside himself.

The magic that could only be found in the vanished Akasha was discovered.

Thus, he killed the mages and tortured them to find the source, but in the end, he could not determine it, so he headed to the most likely place - the tomb of the Lich.

His goal was not to secure the grimoire and insert it into Akasha.

He came to retrieve the lost Akasha.

His achievement score exceeded 100,000 in an instant, and he reached the final destination of everything.

The answer to everything, in the end, was too simple.

"By doing nothing... it could have been resolved..."

Cantus Magna had long disappeared, and at some point, Darkland became the master of Akasha.

The trigger for the Gate incident was Valier.

So, if I do nothing, the Gate incident won't happen.

Eleris cautiously embraced me.

"Your Highness... at least, we have discovered the truth like this..."

"Yes, I suppose."

Before the incident erupts, we just need to stop everything from now on.

Doing nothing is enough.

We are not too late to realize this. We should be grateful for that alone.

I grabbed Eleris's arm.

Yes.

We have reached the final destination and conclusion of everything.

To prevent anything from happening, we just need to live as we are now. Without any conspiracy or plan, just living in the temple.

Once we deal with issues concerning the followers of the Demon King and the Demon forces, there will be no more impending threats.

We must carefully consider how to handle Akasha.

In the past, Valier wanted to create a world with Akasha where humans and demons would not oppose each other. He wanted the eternal end of battle.

However, just as humans did, Valier did not trust humans.

The humans would not have believed Valier's statement about leaving for a new world using Akasha. Instead, they must have thought that the humans who coveted Akasha would snatch it away.

Akasha is a magical tool that can bring destruction to the world if misused.

So, until their death, the Four Heavenly Kings and Valier would not have spoken about Akasha.

They trusted Valier Junior and, perhaps, believed in the advent of the Demon King who would resurrect through Charlotte's body.

And the one who prevented the advent of the Demon King was me, his son.

Only the Four Heavenly Kings and Valier knew the truth.

"Now I understand why the human, Larken Simonstite... sided with Darkland..."

The first human Heavenly King, Grandmaster, and the master of Saviolin Tana, Larken Simonstite.

In some circumstances, Valier either captured Larken Statement or he sought Valier.

The eternal end of the battle is through perfect separation between the two.

He agreed with Valier's thoughts and sided with Darkland.

Because that would be an even better outcome.

However, the Great Demon War occurred, and the heroes killed the Four Heavenly Kings and the Demon King.

The hero party might have heard the truth about Akasha from the Four Heavenly Kings, or they might not.

In the end, the battle took place, and the hero party died along with the Four Heavenly Kings of the demon world and the Demon King.

The hero party might have fought to reclaim the Akasha after hearing about it, but the details are unknown.

That's why it's possible that the Four Heavenly Kings did not join forces but instead faced the hero party one by one in an attempt to persuade them.

However, the truth is now unknowable. The truth of the battle is beyond my comprehension since it took place outside my awareness.

What has happened has already happened.

The Akasha is in my grasp.

But this place is not only known to me.

Charlotte and Turner already know of this location, and Charlotte has even decided to supply the royal family with the magic books found here.

She may not have realized it yet, but Charlotte will undoubtedly discover that this place is incredibly strange.

What will happen if the Imperial Royal Family learns about the Akasha?

It is unknown.

But it cannot be left like this.

There is no reason to delay any longer now that everything has become clear.

This is an extremely dangerous artifact, possessing infinite utility, and it might be the object capable of putting an end to all discord between demons and humans.

I might have to complete the secret wish that Valier couldn't achieve, which was given up by Valier Junior in the original work.

If Charlotte unknowingly meddles with the Akasha, it's not inconceivable that she could cause a gate incident.

"There must be a way to move the Akasha to another location, but for now, I have to find out later..."

It was certain that chaos would ensue since I disappeared from the Lich's tomb.

"First, I must return to the Imperial Capital."

The longer it takes me to return, the more uncontrollable the situation will become.

------

"The tool of creation..."

On the outskirts of the battlefield.

Antirianus quietly listened to the story while facing The Archlich.

"Yeah, it seemed like you guys had the Akasha without even knowing what it was."

The Archlich Lukren had come to the Lich's tomb because it contained magic that had been independently developed within the Cantus Magna.

Upon discovering traces of the Akasha, Lukren thought this was his last chance to retrieve it.

Why couldn't the Cantus Magna be found until now?

Why had Lukren come to the Lich's tomb alone?

Antirianus finally understood the whole situation.

The Cantus Magna had been robbed of the Akasha, and they were unable to determine who had taken it, which led to mutual suspicion and ultimately their destruction.

Moreover, it wasn't someone from within but the former Demon King Valier who had stolen the Akasha.

And the current Demon King had been unaware all this time that what he held was the Akasha.

"If you cooperate in retrieving the Akasha, I'll forget about what you've done. Tell me, Antirianus, where is the Akasha?"

If he cooperated in finding the lost tool of creation, all past events would be forgotten.

Antirianus tilted his head slightly upon hearing Archlich's words.

Leaving aside whether to believe him or not, there was another issue.

"Lukren, why do you want to become a god?"

"What did you say?"

"Do you think becoming a god would be enjoyable?"

Lukren narrowed his brows, as if he didn't understand Antirianus' words.

"It's about becoming an absolute being, controlling everything according to my will and making everything function as I desire."

"So why would you assume that would be enjoyable?"

Antirianus smiled faintly.

"Joy and pleasure in life and the world come from their unpredictability."

"Do you think that having the omnipotent power to control everything according to your will, a world that moves only according to your will, and the ability to turn everything to dust with a mere gesture would bring you happiness?"

"Well, it might be fun for a short while."

"But soon you'd lose interest."

"At the end of a process of discarding, recreating, discarding, and recreating, what would remain but boredom?"

"What would remain but boredom?"

"If the dreams that Cantus Magna has nurtured thus far have been delusions of the pleasures of being a Creator... it's terribly disappointing."

"The world is enjoyable when experienced as a creation. Regardless of the world you create as a god, if you encounter it not as a creation but from the standpoint of a creator, what appreciation could you possibly gain other than admiring the technical solidity of well-crafted objects?"

"Without despair, sadness, pain, anger, hatred, or animosity, there can be no joy, ecstasy, indulgence, pleasure, or love."

"Lukren, the world is chaos, and I love that chaos."

"Being the master of chaos would ultimately be a very boring endeavor."

At Antirianus's words, Lukren was at a loss for a response.

"You madman, you're refusing the path to godhood?"

"If you're going to use the Akasha for such a boring task, I can't allow you to have it."

Antirianus smiled.

"I told you, Lukren, I'm curious about what the Akasha is, but I never said I wanted it for myself."

Antirianus raised his staff.

"At least the boy I know would find a more interesting use for the Akasha than you."

"Antirianus... you insane old man..."

Still suffering from the aftereffects of using large-scale magic, Lukren was no match for Antirianus at the moment.

There was only one reason for rejecting the path to godhood: it would undoubtedly be dull.

Lukren saw madness flash in the golden eyes of the old vampire.

"Lukren, will you show me despair one last time?"

The embodiment of madness beyond good and evil.

"Show me the pain, despair, and wretchedness of having my long-dreamed desire end in such a place."

A mad sorcerer seeking despair and passion.

"Considering how long I've waited, you've shown me a terribly boring dream. Shouldn't you at least scream properly for me?"

Antirianus raised his staff.