Chapter 351: The End (5)

After thinking for a bit, Ciara soon replied with a nod.

"The female demon, right? The one who had the ability to ignore the dungeon's power."

"You said the next Demon Army Commander I would fight would be a strengthened version of Lespina."

"Yes, I did. But that was my mistake. I realized it after I obtained this woman's memories. That woman was an Irregular among Irregulars. If this Sherafina woman knew such an odd thing would be born, she would never have given information to the Demon Lord."

Lespina's power was unique even among the countless demons that ever existed. The Demon Lord seemed to have vowed to birth more demons like her, but in the end, no demon like her appeared again. Even the Demon Lord was toyed by Sherafina's hands.

But after subjugating Lespina, there was something I always considered strange.

"Before I defeated Lespina, I met Sherafina for the first time. At that time, Sherafina told me about two things. First, the danger of demons. Second, Ciara Kenex, to take you in. ... That was a magic spell to force someone to act a certain way... a mental suggestion, right?"

"Yes. Because Hero-nim already had Absolute Soul at the time, it was impossible to instill a mental suggestion without Absolute Soul activating unless she met Hero-nim face to face."

"I see, so she did the same to Loretta."

I remembered thinking Loretta was acting strangely by suddenly bringing me to meet the Dungeon Lord.

That was the only time Sherafina met with me directly. At the time, I didn't think it was strange, but thinking about it now, it was too unnatural.

If she wanted to tell me something, she could have done so through the dungeon's messaging system. If she wanted to stay in her automated message-like character, she could have relayed her message to Loretta.

Moreover, if Sherafina wanted to eventually obtain my power, it was better to not show herself in front of me until the time arrived. Because I met her before, I was able to deal with her mana much easily.

There was no way Sherafina didn't know this. It was just that she had to see me at the time to instill a mental suggestion.

The way she achieved this was simple. She put in a mental suggestion to Loretta to bring me to her. After meeting me in person, she successfully put in a mental suggestion to me. It would have been impossible had I mastered Absolute Soul, but I had not completely adapted to Absolute Soul at the time. That was why I fell for her mental suggestion.

What happened afterward, I remembered clearly. Even though I didn't want to meet Ciara again, I decided to pull her in without much thought. Most importantly, I killed any demon I came across mercilessly and ruthlessly.

Of course, I never hesitated about killing an enemy. But at the time, it was almost as if I was blinded by the thought of killing Lespina. I massacred demons without caring for my own safety or thinking straight.

"But why? You should know since you absorbed Sherafina. Why did she need to go so far as to meet me to put in a mental suggestion?"

"They were important to her. She was confident in being able to absorb me and feared that female demon's power. Also... That woman, Lespina, knew part of the truth. She knew about the connection between the Demon Lord and Sherafina, Though, she ended up dying by Hero-nim's hands without being able to do anything."

As I thought, Ciara didn't know.

There should have been one more thing Sherafina was worried about. Me finding out that she was the one giving information to the Demon Lord, that she was the hidden ruler behind the monsters' continent. Ciara said Lespina died without being able to do anything, but the reality was a bit different.

Right, that was when I became certain that Sherafina was my enemy. The moment Lespina fell under the effect of Lilith's Temptation and became my subordinate, the mental suggestion Sherafina left in my head disappeared.

'The Dungeon Lord met with the Demon Lord.'

That was what Lespina said as she was burning to death.

"But Hero-nim, why are you asking about her now?"

Ciara didn't know what Lespina told me. There was only one reason.

Her power wasn't pure.

"I wanted to make up my mind."

"Make up your mind?"

With a nod, I reached my hand out to the air. In an instant, more than half of the mana inside me became concentrated in my hand. It was a technique that I could do, a miraculous ability that is only granted to me.

Ciara quickly interfered with her mana, but I roused Extort's power to the maximum and stole some of its power. The reason I hadn't used Extort until now was for this moment. No matter how overbearing Sherafina's mana might be, I wouldn't lose to her so easily, especially with a trump card or two in my pocket.

Ciara looked astonished.

"Hero-nim, that's..."

"It's a magic called Dimensional Travel."

A magic I learned in Loretta's cabin, where neither Sherafina's nor Ciara's magic could reach. This magic lets me travel through dimensions to other worlds without the dungeon's support. Looking noticeably shocked, Ciara shook her head.

"Hero-nim, don't tell me... Are you trying to leave this place? I apologize, but I cannot let that happen."

"I thought about that too. It should be possible if I use Hermes' power, but I decided otherwise."

I hesitated between two choices. One was to escape first and make a surprise attack later. The other was ending it all here and now.

After analyzing her ability... No, just based off of what Ciara said, if I escape, Ciara would go back to Earth. That would only make her stronger.

If I were to fight Ciara here, it would be no different than fighting Sherafina, and I would be able to use everything I prepared against Sherafina on Ciara. Since Ciara couldn't use her Evil Eyes' ability, the outcome was already decided.

Through the dimensional gate that opened up, I threw in a single coin. Immediately, Ciara's irresistible mana swept over the gate, closing it all too easily.

"Hero-nim... What was that coin for?"

Ciara asked with an expression that seemed to say she couldn't understand. I answered.

"It was a signal."

"Signal?"

Seeing Ciara tilt her head in a cutesy manner, I drew in the urge to smack her head. For now, I nodded calmly and replied.

"Do you remember when I finished off Lespina?"

"Of course! I watched all of Hero-nim's fight with my eyes! Aaah, no matter the situation, Hero-nim was magnificent, glorious! As for that female demon, Hero-nim burned her to death with chaos flames!"

"Right, and you know what chaos flame is, right?"

"An inextinguishable flame that burns until the target is dead!"

Ciara's eyes lit up. It was as though she forgot about the dimensional gate I just opened.

This child was really too dangerous. Having an absurd amount of mana and the ability to see the history of the past 4.6 billion years was one thing, but her personality was too twisted.

"Hero-nim used to favor that power in the past! Aah, I still remember how much my heart fluttered when I first saw Hero-nim use that power! My only regret is not having been there to see it in action!"

"To tell you the truth, there are actually two ways to extinguish those flames. Do you know them?"

"Yes! The first is for the target of the flames to die."

"And the second?"

With an undulation of space, a gate opened up in the air. I didn't open this gate. It was opened from the other side by the one who received my signal.

At that instant, Ciara's expression paled.

"... Hero-nim?"

I spoke with a grin.

"It's for me to extinguish it myself..."

From the gate, a supple bodied woman walked out. Violet hair and light blue skin. Other than the complete white pupils she had that made her eyes frighteningly creepy, she was a rare beauty.

"Before the target dies."

A demon.

"Master, I'm glad I made it on time."

"Yeah, Lespina. It's good to see you again."

"Me too, Master!"

"H-How...!?"

Seeing the dumbfounded Ciara, I kindly explained.

"I faked Lespina's death. To prevent Sherafina from finding out."

"How...!? No, just where was that woman!?"

"Edias."

I spoke briefly.

"I had the feeling Sherafina was closing in on me and Lespina was also reaching her limit. I released her to a different world so she wouldn't have to live in hiding. It seems I managed to trick you because of it."

"Edias... The world's enemy!?"

"Yep. She was also a safeguard I prepared for my trip to Edias. Do you really think I would go to a world filled with danger without a safety net? Lespina was my safeguard."

Mastering Peruta Circuit wasn't part of my plans. Only a fool would rely on a lucky encounter to save his life. I thoroughly planned for my survival, and that was to bring Lespina along. With Lespina's power to reject all impure power, I had the confidence to survive in any situation.

But one unexpected happening after another occurred, and I ended up not using Lespina. But I managed to carry out my second purpose in going to Edias. A place filled with Peruta's mana, Peruta Mountain Range. There couldn't have been a better place to hide from Sherafina's eyes and recover at the same time.

If not for this, I would have made all of Peruta's mana in the continent into mine. Why else would I have left behind such valuable mana?

"How did you achieve... Dimensional Travel?"

"You need two things for Dimensional Travel. First is the spell to cast Dimensional Travel, second is the mana is to use Dimensional Travel.

I gave Paul all the necessary ingredients.

I didn't just give Paul his world's power as he went back to the Edias continent. I also placed magical knowledge that would allow Lespina to find my coordinate and the mana she would need to use Dimensional Travel.

With the previous coin, I sent Lespina the signal, and she managed to find me successfully.

"But how... Sherafina should have kept a close eye on this man called Paul!"

"I only asked Paul to do one thing. To go to Peruta Mountain Range and make a tomb for Peruta."

I was no fool. Why would I explain Paul everything? His task was finished when he went to Peruta Mountain Range, where Lespina was staying. The rest, Lespina could figure out.

"That's why Sherafina didn't find out."

"Hu, huhu... But a single demon won't change anything, Hero-nim."

"You're wrong. If I wasn't sure, I would have taken everyone and escaped."

"There's little you can do with that demon, Hero-nim. Don't underestimate the League of my ability. I devoured Sherafina's power in my powerless state. No matter how much I love Hero-nim, I might get mad if you look down on me too much!"

"No, Ciara. If that power was yours, I wouldn't have been so relaxed. But..."

Turning around, I spoke as I shook my head.

"It seems that power isn't yours."

If that power purely belonged to Ciara, she would have known everything in regards to Lespina. If she did, things wouldn't have come to this.

She would have done everything she could to prevent Lespina from crossing over to Edias continent, and she would have been hell bent on having Lespina killed. The fact that she failed to do so proved that Ciara's power was rejected by Lespina's authority.

Lespina rejected all impure power. Her power rejected Ciara.

"Then whose power is it!?"

Ciara shouted. Lespina had already taken action. I transferred the remainder of my mana to Lespina and using my mana, she separated Ciara from all of her powers. This included Sherafina's power, the League she possessed, and Earth's power.

Ciara tried to draw up her mana, but it was futile. Her desperate attempts to resist became laughably sad.

As I pulled these powers towards me, I became certain. Mm, considering how only Sherafina's power was being sucked in, it seemed Ciara's original power really wasn't mine.

In that case, there was only one other candidate.

"Not telling ya."

Speaking tauntingly, I grabbed Ciara.

I could finally catch her. With her boundless mana and lofty League disappearing, the Ciara in my hand was no different than an ordinary 13-year-old girl.

"P-Please save me."

She said.

"Please save me! You were the one who told me about Hero-nim!"

I felt like I knew who she was talking to, but this being didn't reply.

"Save me! I need to give Hero-nim his power... I must! Otherwise, Hero-nim is too pitiful. Hero-nim should be a king that rules over all... Oh, please!"

"Do you like me that much?"

"Hero-nim, I've been saying it from the beginning! You are the only one for me! From the moment I was born, I knew about Hero-nim and I lived only for Hero-nim!"

She should know what I was about to do to her. Still, Ciara's eyes were only filled with affection and longing.

"Hero-nim, it's not too late. Connect all worlds to Earth! Hero-nim will become God, and by your side, I..."

"But I hate you. I have since the moment I met you, and I still do."

"Hero-nim—"

Without hesitating any longer, I tore her in half. Then, with my power of lightning, I incinerated her body without leaving behind a piece.

"Aaah, Master, so cool!"

"You did well too, Lespina. You know what to do now, right?"

"Yes."

Lespina placed her hands over my own and began to transfer all of her power to me. Though it was a bit difficult when I had yet to fully absorb Sherafina's power, I still successfully took in her mana. Lespina's power was vital for what I wanted to do next.

My unique power, Sherafina's power, and now Lespina's power to reject all impure power. It was incredibly unnatural for these powers to mix. In the first place, it was contradictory for a power to reject impure power to combine with other powers, thereby forming something non-pure.

But the talent I was born with made this possible. Under my watchful eyes, all three powers fused into one unbelievably smoothly. The inside of my body expanded endlessly, and my mana grew explosively without limit. It was hard to believe that a simple fusion of three powers could result in something like this.

My appearance also began to change. I grew taller, my skin began to glow, and another golden circle appeared in my eyes. Finally, my halo let out a brilliant light before beginning to change shape.

"Master, it was an honor to serve you."

"Yeah."

Afterward, Lespina raised her hand and tried to stab her stomach. But looking at her, I reached out and stopped her.

"... I planned on killing you at first, but you've been too helpful. Plus, I don't feel like killing anyone else right now... You should continue living by my side."

"Master!"

Lespina shouted with a touched look. The fact that she was alive and would continue to live went against the creed I lived by until now. But, in a way, this didn't seem so bad.

Though it was an act of mercy I made on a whim, thinking about it again, that might have been the final catalyst in making me reach this position.

The position of godhood.

"Then what will you do now, Master?"

Though she lost all of her power and became an ordinary demon, Lespina asked with a voice full of energy and happiness. Compared with the moment she submitted to me, her change in attitude was almost a bit unnerving, but I believed this was for the best.

Reaching out to her with my hand, I filled up her mana and spoke.

"I don't know. There's definitely a lot for me to do but..."

Putting the dungeon back in operation, cleaning up Earth, taking care of other worlds... There was just too much work for me to do.

But for now.

"Let me sleep a bit."

"Yes, Master!"

After sleeping just a little bit, I'll take care of the rest. Thinking that I snapped my fingers. Looking at the golden bed that appeared in front of me, I furrowed my brows.

"Dortu, try to make it softer."

[I am Dortu. Metal is normally hard. It's definitely not because I hate Master for sleeping with another woman.]

Well, I won't be sleeping I guess.