◆ Above the Kingdom of Avangarde ◆
Only three beings hold the title of True Angel in the Celestial Realm. Throughout the long history of the Celestial Realm, there have only been three: the Death Angel Zaniel, the Time Angel Chronoel, and myself, the Life Angel Sephiel, who oversees the invasion of the human world. Revered as a founder of the Celestial Realm and sung of as a Divine Being, I am sometimes resented as well.
For thousands of years, I have lived in the Celestial Realm, and the existence of humans was not something I would typically recall. In fact, I doubted the very existence of a race without wings. How could they fly without them? They use stone tools and go about their lives. Such a pitiful existence. I would catch a glimpse of them at the edge of my vision, only to quickly look away and forget. That was truly the extent of my concern.
“What is happening? Is the human world a different realm?”
“Sephiel-sama, it seems there are no humans as we know them here.”
Several Wise Angels have already fallen. The thought of losing lives in this human world is inconceivable. I could obliterate this continent in the blink of an eye, and by the time I sighed, the entire human realm would be finished. Was it not so?
“The Fighting Angel Rikiel, who went to conquer the nation of Kashiram, has also exhausted his strength… What is that? A beast mimicking a human.”
“Preposterous! With Rikiel’s prowess, he would eventually reach the Holy Angels! Luquel! See more clearly! Show me!”
My close aide, the Holy Angel Luquel, possesses a vision that encompasses all directions. He can transfer and share this all-encompassing sight with others. The horrors that Luquel and I witnessed were numerous. In what appeared to be a feeble pastoral nation, a girl resembling a beast rampaged with abandon, dismantling the Blade Angel Jiniel. Following her, a male companion crushed the Scale Angel Liniel. Both were Wise Angels and Child Angels with promising futures.
What perplexes me is that incomprehensible iron puppet. If it is not a human, then what is it? The beast that moves on two legs, mimicking humans, and that gigantic figure is absurd. What is happening in the human world?
“How terrifying… that abomination has slain three Holy Angels…”
“Luquel, show me.”
“Ah, no! You mustn’t look!”
“Can you not hear me?”
“N-no, Zaniel-sama is… uahhh! Aaaahhh!”
Luquel, who can see through any event in the Celestial Realm, is now screaming with his mouth wide open. He has closed his eyes, covering them with both hands. If Luquel looks away, then I cannot see either.
“Zaniel-sama… is dead…”
【Aboro unleashed the Big Bang Knuckle! Dealt 745410 damage to the Eye Angel Luquel! Luquel has been defeated! HP 0/36400】
“So, you are the commander.”
What has happened to Luquel? He burst and vanished. Where has he gone?
“I have taken care of most of your scattered pawns. I thought there might be some with a bit of backbone, but… well, it can’t be helped. The remaining scraps can be dealt with by those on the ground.”
Floating as if boasting of his massive form, this being has no wings. I see, Luquel must have fallen to this entity. Then, I shall make him aware of his life before it is revived later.
“As the commander, you must know the whereabouts of the trembling Religious Founder. Where is Rulud… no, Zeda? Answer me.”
“Utterly ignorant.”
【The Life Angel Sephiel creates life!】
There is no need for a fragile being to evolve into a stronger life. Under this Life Angel’s power, any form of life can be created with ease. If this being claims to be the most superior, then I must show him otherwise.
【Realm Being “Mazoku” has appeared! HP ????????】
“This is me.”
No being surpasses my life. I have birthed the ultimate form that every life form across dimensions can reach, conveniently named “Realm Being.” Evolution and history are meaningless. Even this pretentious genius before me will become this Realm Being after countless cycles of breeding and evolution over millions of years. I, the Life Angel Sephiel, know and govern the beginning and end of life.
“How trivial… I expected more from the top of the Celestial Realm, but… ugh?!”
【The Life Angel Sephiel’s fate manipulation “Edit”!】
“You will realize the value of your own body when you are bedridden by illness.”
From here on, there will be no evolution of life forms like this fool. For fate can be cruel at times. Indeed, even that moment is already in the hands of Sephiel.
“My right arm is numb… I cannot move freely. I have seen countless incompetent beings who command those weaker than themselves, but I see now. So this is the top of the Celestial Realm.”
“This Sephiel will not be confined to the realm of mortals. I govern life, and your fate has already been decreed.”
“It seems you are of a different caliber than that Zaniel. I, Aboro, have praised you this much; you should feel a bit pleased.”
“Zaniel merely became a True Angel. He lost himself in the process, a being of the mundane.”
He is the type to revel in disposing of mere stepping stones. The lowest of the low, the most mundane. Arrogance is a sin, for it breeds such pretentious beings.
“Know this. This is what is called ‘winning’ in the mundane realm――――”
【Aboro’s Meteor Drive Boost! Dealt 632198 damage to the Life Angel Sephiel! HP ??????/???????】
“Ugh…!”
“Fate, huh?”
Absurd, did it almost reach my life in an instant? I feel my head shake, and the sensation of my consciousness fading for a moment is real. I feel unwell; discomfort courses through my entire body. Absurd.
“Once, there was a girl who was not allowed to live for anything other than saving this world since the moment she was born. There was a boy who saved her.”
“What are you babbling about?!”
“Did you not know? Fate can be changed by a single boy.”
“Foolish bravado!”
There is no doubt that he is putting on a show. No matter how he barks, the fate of this pretentious genius is in my hands. His body will soon cease to move. Yet why? Why?
“I’ve changed my mind. You are no longer needed; I have already discerned the whereabouts of Rulud.”
Why do I find this amusing?
◆ Celestial Realm, Settlement of Celestial Beings ◆
“To the perishing life, salvation…”
The large old man, Madias, waved his hands in the air. The faint light that emanated from Madias was familiar. It was the time of the leader of the Comet Wolf Brigade, Vandalsia. Not only that, I had heard this voice during Aleid’s time as well. Reflecting on it now, it was undoubtedly Madias’s voice. There is no mistake; the root of all this chaos lies with him.
“Oh…! A miracle has occurred!”
“Today, we have been saved once more!”
“Thank you, Madias-sama!”
“We were supposed to perish, but now we can live a little longer!”
The walls of the broken houses repaired themselves, and the clothes everyone wore appeared freshly laundered. Naturally, everyone was delighted. Yet, it felt somewhat forced. They seemed to be celebrating too exuberantly, as if they were putting on a show. The old woman’s demeanor suggested something was amiss.
“The vessel…”
“Yes, here it is.”
Grandma Kaura presented a deep-bottomed pot before Madias. Madias placed his hand over the empty pot and began to stroke it in the air. From here, I could only see so much, but I could roughly understand what was happening. Steam rose from the pot, and something resembling food was being created.
“Food for our starving selves!”
“Thanks to Madias-sama, our clothing and sustenance have been secured!”
“Wonderful!”
I couldn’t tell what kind of food it was. It had a smell I had never encountered before, but it made my appetite stir, so it must be delicious. Kurinka’s stomach was reaching its limit, and her hand gripping my shoulder trembled. Indeed, I was hungry, and facing Madias in this state felt a bit daunting.
“The world has been saved.”
Madias gazed into the distance with satisfaction. He was not looking at everyone at all. No matter how many thanks they offered, Madias showed no joy. In retrospect, it had been strange from the start. Before Madias arrived, the houses were dilapidated, and he made no effort to fix them. The tattered clothes seemed deliberately torn.
“The world is secure…”
Madias’s expression changed. He was staring at something. The faces of those who had been feigning joy also shifted, searching for what lay at the end of his gaze.
“Ah…!”
Someone spotted it. As soon as everyone grasped the situation, the atmosphere shifted as if a prank had been discovered. No, it was not a prank. For there, simply hanging, was a line of dried meat. I couldn’t understand why Madias and everyone else were staring at it.
“T-this was truly our last food! Without this, we would have perished!”
“A sign of prosperity… for the world…”
Madias muttered to himself, deep in thought. Just when I thought he had shown a human-like gesture for the first time, his eyes widened. He pointed his right hand toward the house, and in that instant, it was blown away. I couldn’t tell if it was a shockwave, but what Madias did was certain. The rubble was almost entirely gone, as if it had been erased rather than destroyed.
“Silence! Madias-sama!”
“Have we brought any harm to our world? Please reconsider!”
“We are living beings too!”
Suddenly, everyone began to shout their true feelings. It became clear to me then; they were all terrified of Madias.
“Lord Madias, can you not hear our words? You were once… Guh!”
Kaura, the elder, was sent flying, her words falling on deaf ears. She crashed through the house behind her before finally coming to a stop. Though she staggered, she stood tall and glared at Madias. The coldness of his gaze met hers, devoid of any emotion, as if he were looking at something unworthy of his interest.
“The prosperity of your kind is a future obstacle…”
“Stop it!”
If this continued, everyone would be killed. Before Madias could make his next move, I leaped out of the house from the stairs. Finally, I stood face to face with the Arbitrator God, Madias. Up close, he was truly enormous. He wasn’t as large as Zaniel, but I couldn’t help but wonder how I had missed him at this height. More than that, there was an unsettling feeling about him, as if he were entirely devoid of emotion. No matter who I faced, Vandalsia was ruthless, Aboro had a fiery passion that erupted from deep within, and Branburm’s anger was unstoppable. But Madias was like the machines of the Kingdom of Metallica—lifeless and utterly inorganic. He even gave off the impression of being something created by someone else.
“You know who I am. You granted power to Aleid and Vandalsia to try and defeat me.”
“…Those who defy reason.”
“I’m here too!”
“Those who defy reason…”
“First, if you lay a hand on these people, we will be your opponents.”
I wanted to avoid fighting if possible. To be honest, it felt like a long shot. But I had hardly encountered anyone who could be reasoned with. The way Madias looked at us was different from how he regarded those others. At the very least, when he recognized us, his eyelids moved, and I could finally sense his anger.
“Species that should not exist…”
“There must be another way to maintain the world. If you possess such incredible power, then…”
“Do you have it…?”
“Huh? Yes, I do.”
“It does not exist…!”
[The Arbitrator God Madias has appeared! HP: ??????]
I was now certain that he was genuinely angry. His white beard fluttered, and his robe billowed in the strong wind. Demonstrating his power, he blew away a house. I had no confidence in my ability to protect everyone from such a being. Yet, for some reason, Kaura seemed to trust us, quickly directing the others who had been blown away.
“With the power of miracles… are you going to kill us too?!”
[Rua has unleashed the Sonic Spear! Dealt 7,520,654 damage to the Arbitrator God Madias! HP: ??????/??????]
“……!!!!”
It was the same full-force strike I had used to defeat that massive serpent. There was no need for restraint; I would obliterate him. I thought he would vanish entirely, just like that serpent. In fact, he seemed on the verge of being erased, leaving almost nothing behind. But he quickly regained his form, returning to his original state. I felt a definite impact. It was unlike mere regeneration. It was an incredibly strange sensation.
“Child of destruction…!”
[A shockwave is unleashed from the hand of the Arbitrator God Madias! Rua takes no damage!]
“Wh-…!”
It didn’t hurt, but I was sent flying with tremendous force. It was the same attack he had used on the elder. It wasn’t as bad as I had feared, but I couldn’t grasp the nature of the attack. Was it some kind of skill or magic? I couldn’t dodge it, no matter how I tried. It felt as if he could blow me away no matter where I tried to escape.
[The Arbitrator God Madias points his right hand at Kurinka! A chilling Frost Aura attacks Kurinka!]
“It… it’s cold…”
“Kurinka!”
Suddenly, Kurinka stopped moving, ice creeping over her limbs and robe. This was another unavoidable attack. What on earth was happening? Kurinka wasn’t doing nothing; she should have been able to resist with fire. Yet, it seemed ineffective.
“I… can’t melt it…! Then!”
[Kurinka transformed into a Dragon!]
As soon as she became a dragon, the ice covering Kurinka shattered and scattered. Breathing fire, she seemed to be warming herself. An attack that could freeze even Kurinka, a force I couldn’t defend against. Was this also the power of miracles? A sense of unease continued to swell within me. If Madias intended to kill us, why wasn’t he using more powerful attacks? He had the ability to cause disasters and destroy the world.
I recalled something Branburm had said through hologram. The disasters that struck Metallica had intervals, sometimes long, sometimes short. Unstable—this was my first impression of Madias’s power. Was there some kind of limitation, or something else? Regardless, this was a chance; if he wasn’t serious, I could end this here.
“I’ll put an end to this!”
[Rua unleashed the Destruction Spear!]
A strike infused with my power of “destruction.” Whether it was Vandalsia or a god, I would obliterate them. An invisible destruction, by the time it was unleashed, it was already over. I could only perceive it that way. Indeed, it had already ended. The attack passed through Madias, completely carving out the terrain behind him. It left behind a mark that looked as if it had been meticulously crafted by someone rather than mere destruction.
[The Arbitrator God Madias has been destroyed! HP: —]
I had decided not to use this technique unless faced with an extraordinary opponent because it was far too merciless. My guess was that this didn’t just mean killing; it completely obliterated everything. Not even becoming Undead or a ghost, it destroyed both soul and body. Now that I had learned to wield it, I could say that “destruction,” even if it wasn’t Madias, perhaps should not exist in this world.
“I… I did it… Lua-chan. We defeated him, right?”
“Yeah, he’s gone. It doesn’t feel like he escaped with a skill or anything.”
“Whew… I was worried for a moment…”
Kurinka, having returned to her human form, slumped down weakly. I wondered if, deep down, she feared my destruction. No matter if it was a god, it couldn’t be avoided or prevented. Whatever it was, it left behind only the result of destruction. If I didn’t possess this power and someone else did, I would surely be terrified.
“Unlike Kurinka’s regeneration… I can only truly destroy.”
“But that can save things too. Like the people here.”
“Ah…”
“…I apologize. I have caused you trouble.”
Kaura returned with everyone who had taken refuge. Despite having defeated Madias, she seemed oddly calm. The others also looked somewhat apologetic, turning their faces away or wearing bitter expressions.
“Um, it seems we defeated Madias…”
I wondered what I was saying. I had intended to do this from the start, yet I found myself apologizing. But Kaura showed no signs of anger. On the contrary, she regarded us with a calm gaze.
“It seems my instincts were correct from the first time I saw you. Not only did you come through the Grassland Sea, but it also lends credibility to the fact that you defeated Darkflow.”
The Celestial Being who had not trusted me now looked down in resignation. No one said anything; perhaps they were too shocked or frightened. Kaura began to speak as if she had made a decision.
“Our village has been intentionally left partially destroyed. Otherwise, we would be annihilated by Lord Madias. He believes that the prosperity of your kind leads to the world’s collapse.”
“There’s food… which means we could survive. That’s why Madias was angry even at that dried meat.”
“Indeed. The Celestial Realm is in a similar state everywhere. If you live on the brink, Lord Madias will provide aid. Even dying species are part of Lord Madias’s world.”
“W-wait, I don’t quite understand… What did Madias want to do? Help or destroy?”
“He is broken.”
Branburm’s repeated cries echoed in my mind. Madias had long been broken; the fact that it came from Kaura, a Celestial Being, confirmed it.
“To maintain the world, peace… For Lord Madias, that is likely his fate. No, he bears a fate imposed upon him long ago.”
“Imposed? Why does Kaura know so much about this?”
“I was once a Holy Angel, and long ago, I served alongside the True Angel under Lord Madias. Many of my comrades who spoke of the future were lost in the battle against Darkflow…”
“Former Holy Angel…”
It seemed my instincts had been correct. She had navigated the gravity zone with ease and had taken little damage when blown away by Madias. But why had she been there? It felt as if she had been waiting to welcome us.
“Though I have been saved, I cannot offer you any hospitality. At the very least, I can provide a meal and guide you to the True Angel.”
“A meal?! Is that really okay?”
“Ah, all the meals prepared by Lord Madias have been overturned. It might be uncomfortable to sleep, but for tonight, you should stay. I’ll do my best to host you.”
“Kurinka… you’re saying something important, but… Kaura, I’m curious about the True Angel, but we’ve already defeated Madias…”
“You haven’t defeated him. That was probably just a temporary form.”
Kurinka looked shocked, but I wasn’t that surprised. There had been a constant feeling of unease, and that old man’s appearance seemed artificial. When I first struck with the Sonic Spear, it felt like he had just reshaped his temporary form.
“So… the real Madias is…”
“With one of the three Great True Angels… Time Angel Chronoel. If you’re willing, I can guide you there tomorrow.”
Time Angel Chronoel, according to the subsequent explanation, is said to be the most powerful being in the Celestial Realm. Since the invasion of the human realm involves him, we have no choice but to meet. If all goes well, he might put a stop to the invasion.
“However, if by any chance the conversation goes awry, do not resist under any circumstances. As one who governs Time… you understand how unreasonable that power can be.”
“Yeah… but Madias is stronger than that Chronoel, right?”
“Indeed. But if there is a chance of victory, it would be with Lord Madias… and it’s likely that Chronoel desires this as well.”
“W-What do you mean? I don’t understand at all.”
“He would surely be pleased to meet you… the current Celestial Realm has reached its limits.”
While I listened intently, Kurinka was only half-paying attention, her gaze fixed on the meal being prepared. Both the Celestial Realm and Kurinka’s stomach had reached their limits. It seemed best to rest for today.
◆ Shin Report ◆
Hah—it’s not going to end that easily.
Even Shin understood that wasn’t the real one.
After all, the genuine article wouldn’t conveniently show up in such a desolate place.
I’ve been caught up in countless battles with monsters, but this time I might actually die.
Thinking back, how did it come to this?
It all started when I began monitoring these creatures under the Demon Lord’s orders.
When I first encountered that head, I thought I was going to be killed, but they turned out to be rather sweet.
Since then, I’ve been traveling with the Demon Lord, recording their journeys—
Such things, those things…
What’s this? It feels like something’s coming from my eyes…
Not yet, not yet—Shin is still alive!