Void——or should it be a “dream”?
The infinite tranquility akin to
the embodiment of emptiness itself dilutes the human imagination infinitely.
The overwhelming, inhospitable
space forbids the existence of will and life.
In its background are the small,
shining lights from tens of millions of stars.
When looking closely, each of
them is the manifestation of divine might to create, or even destroy life.
However, the lives of stars are
not eternal either. The endless void that is the universe would eventually
drown the brilliance of the stars in pure darkness as well.
Is it providence that darkness
is bound to emerge victorious in the battle of light and dark?
The will that shouted “No” forged
yet another twinkling beam
of light amidst the emptiness.
+
*BANG*——!
The high-density magic in the
leg of Deus Machina Demonbane, the power that distorts space, created an
intense light in the middle of the void as it charged against the enemy in
front.
Melee Crushing Spell, “Atlantis
Strike.”
The steel-crafted leg, akin to a
gigantic hammer, struck the chest plate of the crimson Deus Machina, Liber
Legis, as a spinning kick. The collision of metal unleashed a tremendous amount
of energy. Its aftermath became a spatial wave, shaking the sea of stars as
Liber Legis got knocked back a great distance.
Yet, there was no damage to the
machine. The sharp claws on both hands left long marks on the vacuum
as they were thrust through space, and eventually, the recoil momentum was
halted. The crimson Deus Machina was able to endure this otherworldly strike,
which would crush an ordinary Deus Machina——no, even a Great Old One of lesser
divinity. Its endurance could only be described as super-paranormal.
Demonbane once again closed in
on Liber Legis, which had regained its stance. Activating the
spatial-distortion mechanism in its legs, it swung its leg once more as it trod
the void——
“Continuous activation! Atlantis
Strike Vortex!!”
(Yes, Master)
The Grimoire answered the orders
of Demonbane’s pilot, the sorcerer Hadou Kouzou.
Right, left, right, left, and
right——Demonbane’s chain of spinning kicks slammed onto Liber Legis with a
tornado-like force as they also swallowed the surrounding space. Every single
blow packed a certain, deadly destructive power.
“Hoh——well done.”
The “voice” of Liber Legis’ pilot,
the Grand Master, Master Therion, drifted into Demonbane’s cockpit.
“It is a rare sight for one with
such a powerful offense, even among all the Demonbanes that I have fought
thus far. It was a good choice to lend you the Heart.”
“Drop the bravado, Master
Therion!”
Hadou’s words appeared to be
impatient, in contrast with Master Therion’s tone, filled with a mysterious
leisure.
In the past, right before the awakening
of Master Therion, Hadou Kouzou managed to steal the Magical Core Mechanism—Liber
Legis’ “Heart of Infinity”—and incorporated it into Demonbane’s frame.
Henceforth, Demonbane was now equipped with two Hearts,
one of which originally belonged to itself. This excessive output enabled the machine
to activate its strongest offensive spells in succession.
And it was also Hadou himself
who chose space as the stage of their decisive battle. In this place, he needed
not to be concerned about collateral damage to Earth and could exert Demonbane’s
destructive power to its fullest.
With him able to secure an
advantage of territory and time, the situation was more favorable than ever——one
that was impossible regardless of any cycle. It should have been
advantageous. There would never be a better chance to finish off his
eternal rival, Master Therion, than now.
But the “Heartless” Liber Legis
stood unfazed by that force, despite being caught up within the vortex of
destruction created by Demonbane.
“I couldn’t be thankful enough,
Hadou. You’ve entertained me by offering your aging body with everything you’ve
got.”
Master Therion spoke in a singsong
tone.
“Now...... shall I try dancing
once to answer your will?”
“Keep that hogwash to yourself!”
Cloaked in remarkably intense
light, Demonbane’s leg struck Liber Legis.
Yet——Liber Legis took a step
backwards as it lifted its leg in the same manner as Demonbane. The clash of
two steel legs forcibly halted Demonbane’s rotation. Next, Liber Legis switched
legs and delivered another kick at Demonbane.
Demonbane staggered, scattering pieces
of its armor.
——Impossible......!
Though an imitation, it was
still a Deus Machina. The machine, armed with countless layers of magical
defenses and an armor made of special
alloy, should have been completely immune to such
mundane attacks. In short, Liber Legis’ kick was amplified by a powerful
offensive spell akin to the “Atlantis Strike.”
(Report: Right shoulder armor
damage 70%. Power transfer to arms down 32%)
“Initiate repair.”
(Yes, Master)
Demonbane took a wide leap back.
At the same time, the power intended to be an offensive spell transferred to
the right shoulder in the form of a repair spell, regenerating the armor and
internal mechanism like a rewinding film.
Simultaneously, a large revolver
manifested as though forged from nothingness inside Demonbane’s right palm, and
fired arcane bullets in a barrage at Liber Legis.
The magic bullets soared in an
arc, striking their target. Liber Legis caught them all within its palm, then transformed
and hurled them back as gravity bullets of pure darkness.
“......!!”
Demonbane fired its revolver at
a rapid rate once more. The gravity bullets were neutralized in the void, but
one managed to slip through and grazed its flank, scraping off a chunk of its frame
completely.
(Report: Left abdominal armor
and——)
“Initiate repair.”
(Yes, Master)
Two, three steps——Demonbane
jumped further back, putting distance between them. It treaded space for five,
then ten steps in parallel with the activation of its legs’ spatial distortion
mechanism, yet was still unable to shake off Liber Legis, which pursued
relentlessly with its crimson wings spread.
How? Though it was manifested
via Master Therion’s superhuman magic power, it should have been impossible for
the current Liber Legis without its original power source to inflict even a
scratch on Demonbane. Where in the world did it draw that power......!?
The Grimoire answered Hadou’s concern.
(Analysis: Liber Legis
interfered and reversed Demonbane’s offensive spells)
“......Is that even possible?”
(Analysis: Since Demonbane’s second
Heart was originally from Liber Legis, there is a possibility that it forms
defective magic circuits)
Liber Legis’ offensive power
originated from Demonbane itself——then, should he stop the second Heart? But is
it possible for him to defeat the “Strongest Deus Machina,” Liber Legis that is
infinitely close to indestructible with only a single Heart?
(Master, your order)
“The second Heart...... No, let’s
go all-out on this!”
Hadou proclaimed.
“First Melee Sublimation Spell:
Double Formation!!”
(Yes, Master)
The Grimoire obeyed her master’s
command and began to activate the greatest, strongest offensive spell within Demonbane’s
arsenal.
(Activate the Hilanipla System.
Confirm Naacal Code invocation. Spell decompression. First Melee Spell, seals
released. First Heart, second Heart, simultaneous double power output——)
The “Keeper of the Silver Key”
built into both chests rotated at maximum speed, unleashing the output of two
“Hearts of Infinity.”
At the same time, Demonbane
raised both hands, forming a gesture with its index and middle fingers above its head, and brought them down. A
pentagram-shaped Evil-Slaying
Seal emerged from behind Demonbane.
WUOOOOOH——!!
Demonbane howled. Its entire
magical engine, bearing a load nearly double its design limit, burst open
everywhere.
“Lemuria Dual Impact!!”
From its left chest to its right,
from the right chest to the left; the flow of magic akin to glowing blood
vessels was guided to concentrate on both palms. Scattering sparks and
splinters from its whole body, Demonbane grabbed at Liber Legis with its two shining
hands.
Liber Legis turned its body
sideways to dodge the attack and caught Demonbane’s left palm with its right
hand. The infinite heat of “Lemuria impact,” which should have struck
instantly, was absorbed into the crimson arm as raw magic power and reversed.
Demonbane’s palm froze instantly
and shattered to pieces. Liber Legis then drove its right hand with its
fingertips gathered in a gouging thrust. It was the hand-blade of absolute zero,
“Hyperborea Zero-Drive.” The right hand, charged with not merely ultra-low
temperature but negative infinite heat, crushed Demonbane’s left
forearm; furthermore, it ascended to shatter the elbow, upper
arm, and shoulder, heading towards the “First Heart” in its left chest——
Right before that moment,
Demonbane took an even wider step forward and struck its right palm at the
center of Liber Legis’ chest. A barrier expanded outward, focusing on the palm,
and enveloped all over Liber Legis in a sphere. This was the perfect finisher
using “Lemuria Impact” with the left arm as the bait.
In this world of light, there is no place for you
beings of darkness——
At that moment when the spell was
about to be completed by Hadou’s incantation...
The crimson hand-blade broke
through the barrier, akin to an eggshell being cracked from the inside. Likewise,
that hand carried arcane energy comparable
to “Lemuria Impact.”
Tearing the small fissure
wide open, Liber Legis’ upper body emerged from the barrier.
Yet, that was also within Hadou’s
plan.
*CRASH*——!!
Demonbane slammed into Liber
Legis with its whole body, pushing Liber Legis alongside itself back into the
barrier.
They will face mutual destruction.
“Hadou——!?”
“You believe this old man would
even hold on to his life now!?”
The spherical barrier rapidly
enveloped the two locked steel giants.
“On this day, in this moment,
our battle comes to an end! Fall with me, Master Therion!!”
——Suddenly, from a gap in the
barrier, an ominous blood-red planet caught the eyes of Hadou Kouzou.
Mars——
Their battle, which was supposed
to be taking place in proximity to the satellite orbits of the Earth, had ended
up this far away before they knew it.
That is good.
The decisive battle between me and
Master Therion will reach its conclusion without anyone knowing, witnessed by
only that red planet of death. That is a fitting ending.
For a split second, when Hadou
thought so——
“Hahaha, well done, Hadou! To
think you can make it this far!”
Master Therion let out a roar of
laughter despite being burned alongside his machine by the world-ending flames
from another dimension.
“I would like us to perish in
mutual annihilation like this out of consideration for the extent of your
resolve, but——hmm, I guess being intimate spoils the fun of the game, doesn’t
it?”
Liber Legis lifted its right
hand. The surface of its molten armor flowed into its fingertips like a streak
of blood. Upon flicking its finger, a droplet resembling a bead of blood flew
from the tip of its sharp claw. It was a crimson lava droplet, seething with
intense heat.
The crimson droplet narrowed its
way through the gap of the contracting barrier and soared into outer space.
“What is that!?”
(Report: Tracing the ejecta——temporal
transition. It is moving towards the past)
“The past...... you say?”
(Report: From the result of
orbital back-calculation, the projectile will arrive on the surface
of Mars approximately twenty thousand years ago)
——*Whoosh*——
Right before Hadou’s eyes, the
image of Mars distorted in an instant and morphed.
From a dead planet covered in
red desert——to a planet carved with countless linear veins across its surface,
teeming with the presence of ominous lifeforms.
A single drop of blood shed by
Liber Legis had changed the history of an entire planet just now, at
this very moment.
“——What did you do to that
planet, Master Therion!?”
“Heh heh...... Who knows, why
don’t we have a bet on if your determination will be rewarded or not?”
“Kuh!!”
Hadou shouted to his Grimoire.
“Telegraphic device! Send it to
Earth——”
After 0.5 second, the barrier of
“Lemuria Impact” completely closed, and the super-energy from another dimension
was released inside it. The flash of death and destruction caused the spherical
barrier to light up like the sun.
+
In the pitch-black universe, there
was something that witnessed the birth of another new sun with a loathsome sneer. Just like a spectator
enjoying the match between gladiators, or like a child gazing excitedly at the
fight between two ants——it observed the hyper-divine clash between two Deus
Machina with an evil interest.
It was the Blind and Faceless One, the Crawling Chaos, and
the Eater of Souls. The Mighty Messenger. The Howler in the Night, the Haunter
in the Dark, and the Three-Lobed Burning Eye——nay, even if spending a million
words, it would be impossible to convey even a fragment of its existence. Its ever-changing
nature and unchanging malice were its very essence.
Indeed, it assumed numerous
forms based on its own unfathomable desires and whims. It became
a human in the time meant to be a human, it became a beast in the time meant to
be a beast, and it became a monster in the time meant to be a monster——
Yet, right now, in the midst of
emptiness where no observer exists, what would truly be the appropriate form
for it?
Now, there are no words in the human vocabulary to describe it
at this moment; it could only be expressed as a cosmic form.
It
precisely captured the final attacks unleashed by Master
Therion and Hadou Kouzou, respectively, as well as their aftermaths through its
sensation that surpassed human comprehension.
On the surface of Mars, the servitor
race born from Liber Legis’ blood was rapidly thriving.
Alongside, a bundle of telegraphic
information sent by Hadou was heading towards Earth at the speed of
light.
They were the final gambles of
the two supermen trapped inside the barrier.
Which one would achieve their
goal first? That remained to be seen.
(——Oh, this is getting interesting)
Within it, a human interest sprouted,
forming a human thought.
(A huge once-in-a-lifetime
gamble that put the fate of the world at stake. Well then, I guess I’ll be on
board too)
From
the body of the unnamable and colossal cosmic being, a slender, long, and black
arm came out. Then, in another place, thin, human-like lips emerged.
“Ny...... a, r......”
Its thin lips uttered a human
incantation, while its black fingers, adorned with many rings, drew a complex sign.
Nyarlathotep!
Nyarlathotep!
Nyarlathotep, Ai, Ai!!
I invoke mine name three times, to fulfill mine
will in the world of men, Ai!!
It
defined its own existence as “Nyarlathotep” and summoned itself into
a plane recognizable by humans. Its position was a favorable state for it.
Because acting in dimensions perceptible to humans was the condition where it
could express the human-like malice harbored within its
existence most effectively.
The Black King, Nyarlathotep, took flight into the human world as
it let out a maniacal, uproarious laughter; while the spherical barrier left
behind—the remnant of “Lemuria Impact,” which had been emitting a fierce light—rapidly
contracted and vanished.
“——Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha......!!”
All that remained were nothing but the empty space and the echo of its raucous laughter.
[Previous Chapter] [Main] [Next Chapter]
0 Please Share a Your Opinion.: