0.01 Second Sword Master

192

0.01 Seconds Swordmaster Episode 192

Hell is collapsing.

From the perspective of Remegaton, it appeared that way.

No. All the demons in this hell must be thinking the same.

Their hell was about to be erased by that one man.

Boom—!!

Explosions erupted from all directions, the ground split apart, and the crimson sky crumbled.

Countless demons rushed in to prevent the collapse of hell, but they were reduced to dust by Aslan’s graceful sword dance.

The ancient demons, who had been sleeping in this hell, awoke one by one at the commotion.

Boom—!!

Yet, even their long tentacles and massive bodies could not withstand Aslan’s strike, turning to flesh and scattering.

“How dare you—.”

Aslan hovered in the center of hell, passing judgment on all living beings within.

“Do filthy demons dare to reject my power?”

With each step he took down to the ground,

Boom—!!

The earth split, rising and colliding, while the flames of hell below surged upward.

However, those scorching flames could not singe even a single hair of Aslan.

Instead, the golden flames he conjured horrifically incinerated the demons.

Truly omnipotent.

It seemed as if Aslan was demonstrating what true divine power was right here.

Remegaton faced Aslan, who was slowly approaching, having cut down millions of demons.

“······!”

The glinting gaze pierced through him, causing his body to tremble like a aspen leaf.

I am the king of this hell, Remegaton, and I am hell and darkness itself.

How could I be so frightened by a mere human?

“Remegaton.”

Moreover, that overwhelming voice felt as if it were gripping his heart.

“Offer the power of your darkness to me.”

Remegaton shouted as if in desperation.

“Stop him!! We cannot let him get any closer!!”

The demons moved according to his command, rushing forward to block Aslan.

But the one right in front of him vanished like smoke.

“······?”

Like the demons, Remegaton too had lost track of Aslan’s movements.

Where on earth did he go······.

“How ugly you remain until the end, O King of Hell.”

“!?”

It was a moment that sent chills down his spine.

At the sound of the voice behind him, Remegaton slowly turned his head.

“Gah!”

A glinting blade was already aimed at his throat.

“W-why are you doing this to me? What have I done to you! It was not I who harmed your empire, but Tercana!”

He tried to voice his grievances, but,

Thwack-!

“Gah!”

The blade had already pierced through his neck.

“How dare you wag your treacherous tongue before me. I already know that you and Tercana are no different.”

Remegaton threw himself back, managing to pull the sword from his neck.

He let out a howl and attacked wildly.

How could he end like this, in a body that had been resurrected?

“Die! I command you to die!!”

Yet no matter how fiercely he fought back, Aslan merely walked toward Remegaton with an indifferent demeanor.

“It is done.”

He slowly raised his sword high.

“I thought a King of Hell would be somewhat different.”

And then he swung that sword downwards.

“How trivial.”

⎯⎯⎯!

The attack of Remegaton had ceased.

He stared blankly at Aslan.

“This, this can’t be······.”

Then, slowly, his vision began to split apart, darkening on both sides.

Boom-!

From his half-split body, black smoke surged upward.

It was the soul of Remegaton, refusing death, rising.

[Aslan. No matter how much you struggle, you cannot kill a god.]

Though the body may die, the soul is something that can never be destroyed—that is the essence of a god.

That is why even Rahal could not bring himself to kill Remegaton, instead sealing him away.

[Do you wish to possess the power of darkness?]

The soul of Remegaton spun and lunged at Aslan.

[Then offer your body to me!]

The black smoke entered Aslan’s body.

The energy of darkness spread rapidly throughout his being.

[Heh heh heh.]

A chilling laughter echoed from within Aslan.

[Foolish one. In the end, you have succumbed to your own power.]

Remegaton took hold of Aslan’s body as he had planned.

But—.

[······No?]

Despite forcibly inserting his soul, Aslan’s body remained intact.

[Why······ why does my command not work!]

Remegaton believed he had seized control of Aslan’s body with his soul, but in fact, it was the opposite.

“Remegaton.”

Aslan spoke quietly.

“Do you truly believe that a god’s soul cannot be extinguished?”

[W-what?]

“No. Nothing in this world is imperishable. That includes gods as well.”

Aslan spread his palm.

Above it, the soul of Remegaton began to rise, small and flickering.

From his diminished perspective, Aslan appeared immensely large.

“I am the one who kills gods. Now, you too shall cease to exist.”

[Wait, just a moment!]

Kwahk-!

Aslan immediately clenched his outstretched hand.

Like a thick grape bursting, the soul of Remegaton vanished just like that.

Without a single scream, it was a moment that was utterly unbelievable for the end of a god of darkness.

“······.”

Aslan slowly opened his clenched fist.

A small wisp of black smoke rose and then dissipated above it.

But not everything had vanished.

“Finally… I have obtained it.”

The dark power that the soul of Remegaton had harbored remained upon him.

“Kyahhh!!”

Behind Aslan, demons began to swarm in once more.

No matter how many times they were killed, this was the very place where demons were endlessly generated—this hell.

Aslan turned his body to face them.

The demons no longer attacked him.

“Now I am your new master.”

At those words, the demons howled and bowed to their new master.

Yet Aslan’s expression grew even colder.

“But I do not need you.”

“······?”

It was at that moment.

Wuuung-!!

In the red sky, dozens, hundreds of black meteors began to form like embroidery.

Without stopping, the black meteors converged into one, taking on a massive spherical shape.

“······.”

That day, the demons witnessed.

The end of hell.

* * *

“Your Majesty!”

After erasing all life in hell and destroying it, I returned to the palace.

It seemed that my subjects and knights had been waiting for my return all night, as they stood outside my chamber.

Only after seeing me did they let out a sigh of relief.

“Your Majesty, are you unhurt?”

“I heard from Grand Knight Lailakan. You went alone to annihilate hell…”

I nodded as I looked at them.

“Yes. Hell is now gone. There will be no more invasions from demons.”

“Is that truly the case?”

“The king of hell, Remegaton, has also been destroyed. While there may still be remnants of demons left on this continent, no new demons will be born from hell.”

At the mention of Remegaton’s destruction, they looked at me with disbelief.

“No matter how divine one may be, one cannot escape my judgment.”

“…”

I called for Horace and asked.

“Horace, is there anything to report to me?”

“If… if hell has truly vanished, it seems there is nothing of great concern.”

“Speak.”

“The portals that opened across the continent are showing signs of instability. Additionally, the door you discovered is also shaking unsteadily.”

The door, you say.

It no longer matters.

With hell gone, there is no need to close the door.

“Just leave it be. Nothing will come out from there anymore.”

“Yes. I will convey that.”

“Everyone, withdraw. I shall rest now.”

They examined me with worried eyes before all retreating.

Finally left alone, I lay on the vast bed, staring blankly at the ceiling.

“Hell is gone.”

And the Lemegaton also vanished.

However,

Swoosh—!!

I spread the power left by the Lemegaton across my palm.

[Power of Darkness]

– A force that can govern all darkness.

– If the power of darkness is sown into the ground, a new hell can be born.

I had eradicated hell and made all demons disappear, yet the power that was their source remained within me.

Perhaps they might be right.

Didn’t they say that gods can never truly die?

The Lemegaton was obliterated, but his power did not fade away.

He was dead, yet not dead.

“What I must do now is…”

Having obtained the power of darkness, I must now find Rahal.

He possesses the power to resurrect everyone.

Well, considering that he is essentially the god who created this continent, it’s only natural that he would have the power to bring the dead back to life. Moreover, hadn’t the system window told me so?

If I grant the power of darkness to Rahal, I would gain the ability to resurrect the deceased.

“But why isn’t he showing up?”

Surely he hasn’t just up and died somewhere, has he?

I thought that once I acquired the power of darkness, Rahal would appear right away.

So, even after I had eliminated hell, I waited for him to emerge from that very spot.

But he never showed up.

Where on earth could he be hiding?

The system window had already thrown a quest called Apocalypse at me, urging me to meet Rahal and make the final choice.

“So what am I supposed to do if he doesn’t show up?”

In that case, there’s only one option left.

“I have no choice but to go find him.”

Now, where should I look for him?

My contemplation didn’t last long.

“Ugh. I just lay down. Damn it.”

I let out a short sigh and stood up from my seat.

Then, I dropped a pillar of light above my head.

* * *

This place, known as the Celestial Realm.

Rahal’s sacred land, where his servants, the angels, reside, was more chaotic than ever.

It was far more confusing than when the presence of the Creator, which had always been felt, vanished.

“Hell… to think that hell would actually disappear.”

“How could this happen…!”

Hell, the complete opposite of heaven, had vanished.

All demons had been eradicated, and both Lemegaton, the king of hell, and Magi had simultaneously disappeared.

“What… what will happen to heaven now?”

“Isn’t it a good thing that darkness has disappeared?”

“How foolish! Light and darkness must coexist to maintain balance. If one completely vanishes, the other will also collapse and disappear!”

The reason the Celestial Realm had refrained from eliminating the Demon Realm all this time.

The reason Rahal preserved hell instead of destroying it.

The angels had known this for a long time.

It was precisely because of the balance between light and darkness.

If one of the two were to disappear, the other would not be able to maintain its balance and would ultimately crumble.

Thus, for darkness to exist, light had to exist, and for light to exist, darkness had to be present as well.

[Then you should also disappear equally.]

“!?”

At that moment, a pillar of light fell upon the Celestial Realm.

Flutter~.

A man emerged, his red cloak billowing behind him.

“Just like hell.”

He was Aslan, who had destroyed what seemed eternal hell.