Chapter 428

All efforts to find Akasha were in vain. It was already in my grasp.

I finally understood everything.

Why there was only one mage in Kantus Magna.

What Bali, the survivor from the original, had done.

[My son.]

[All magic in the world contains some degree of logic. Fireballs contain the logic of generating flames. Lightning contains the logic of discharging electricity. Homunculus research contains the logic of creating life. What about magic that manipulates cold and heat, summons water, and makes trees grow?]

[All magic in the world contains some degree of methodology for implementing the logic of the world with mana as the material.]

[If we can gather enough logic from the world to the point where we no longer need anything else, and if there is a magical tool that can do that.]

[Through that, we may be able to create a world.]

[A tool of creation that concentrates the logic and reasoning of the world to the point where we can extract the logic of the world from magic and construct the world.]

[That is Akasha.]

[We do not know where Akasha originated. It could be the shell that the mages of Kantus Magna picked up and used, which the five gods created for the purpose of creation and discarded somewhere, or it could be an artifact that the founder of Kantus Magna created in the hope of completion and continued to complete in later generations.]

[Of course, if they hadn't foolishly tried to kill me and steal my magic, I wouldn't have known about Akasha.]

[The process of deceiving them and stealing Akasha was complicated, but ultimately, I succeeded and was able to dream of a different world than before.]

[It is not peace obtained through the destruction of humanity, but the attainment of paradise through creation.]

[But now, when we cannot know how this war will end, we cannot be sure of anything.]

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

[I, your father, who knows your heart best, have made arrangements, but I cannot be sure if they will work properly.]

[My son, only the Four Heavenly Kings, including you and me, know about the substance of Akasha and our true purpose. Do not speak lightly of Akasha. Kantus Magna self-destructed after Akasha disappeared, but there may still be remnants searching for Akasha.]

[Also, if humans learn about the substance of Akasha, it is natural for them to covet it. Even if we tell them what we intend to do with Akasha, they will not believe it. They will know that this situation, where they wage war to achieve peace, is proof that trust between the two parties cannot be formed.]

[If I die and Darkland is destroyed, do not seek revenge through Akasha, but walk the path of completing Akasha. Humans have always been our greatest, most dangerous, and most powerful enemies. It will be harder to destroy them than to lead surviving compatriots to paradise through creation.]

[The completion of Akasha is within reach.] "We have always fought a war for survival. Now that there is another option, there is no reason for us to hope for war and destruction. It is uneasy to entrust Akasha to your hands, but if I die, you will be the only Ark Demon. You will be the only one who can lead our lost compatriots. Remember, if you operate incomplete Akasha recklessly, destruction will come. Do not be swayed by petty revenge. My son, I ask of you. Complete Akasha." With those words, I quietly closed the note from the previous Bali. Elelys was frozen, as if doubting her own eyes because of what she had read. "The ancient demon king... did not want war..." Bali's memories, which had disappeared, already contained all the answers and clues to everything. That's why I finally reached Akasha after a long and distant journey. Akasha is a tool that records the essence of the world, and if all the essence is recorded, it can create a new world. There was no dimensional portal leading to this world. This world is created through the tool of creation called Akasha. It is also clear what Bali, who survived from the gap of the Demon War and fled to this bunker, did. There was no way that the incompetent Bali Junior could complete Akasha. He could not have created the courage and wisdom without revenge. Bali Junior would have been desperate to find a way to complete Akasha with revenge in his heart, but eventually realized that it was impossible for him. And then, exhausted by vague revenge and his own incompetence, he operated an incomplete Akasha. A poorly made world created by incomplete laws, and monsters created by those incomplete laws, became a reality. That would be the Gate Incident. [Event Complete - Murder Case Tracked] [Achievement Score 5,000 points obtained.] [Additional Reward - Achievement Score 10,000 points obtained.] [Challenge Complete - Identify Akasha's Identity] [Achievement Score 50,000 points obtained.] I now understand why the challenge was not called 'Finding Akasha' but 'Identifying Akasha's Identity.' Akasha was already found, and the challenge was to understand what Akasha was. [Challenge Complete - Find Kantus Magna] [Achievement Score 30,000 points obtained.] Kantus Magna has already self-destructed. Without knowing that Demon King Bali had taken Kantus Magna, they split internally to find the whereabouts of the disappeared Akasha and self-destructed. Druin, who had infiltrated the Imperial Magic Department, was a remnant of the disappeared Kantus Magna. The reason he suddenly caused the murder case and went to the Lich's tomb was simple. Among the magic books that Charlotte had taken into custody, there must have been magic that only existed in Akasha. Their eyes must have widened. Magic that only existed in the disappeared Akasha had been discovered. Therefore, after torturing and killing the magicians to find the source, they couldn't find it, so they headed to the tomb of the most likely Lich. It wasn't to secure the magic book and put it in Akasha. They came to retrieve the lost Akasha. The achievement score quickly surpassed 100,000 points, and they reached the end of everything. The solution to everything was ultimately too easy. "If we didn't do anything... would it have worked...?" Kantus Magna had disappeared long ago, and the owner of Akasha had become Darkland at some point. Bali was the trigger for the Gate Incident. So, if I don't do anything, the Gate Incident won't happen. Eleris hugged me cautiously. "Joha... still, it's good that we found out the truth like this..." "Yeah, that's right." We can now stop everything before it explodes. Doing nothing is enough to prevent anything from happening. We didn't know it was too late. We should be grateful for just that. I grabbed Eleris's arm. Yes. We have reached the end of everything. If we live like this, without any plots or plans, just living in the temple, there will be no big threats coming. We need to think carefully about how to handle Akasha. The previous Bali wanted to go to a world where there was no confrontation between humans and demons by creating a world with Akasha. He wanted an eternal end to the fighting. However, just like humans, Bali did not trust humans. Humans would not have believed that they would use Akasha to leave for a new world. Instead, they would have thought that humans who coveted Akasha would take it away. Akasha is a magical tool that can bring destruction to the world if used incorrectly. So, the Four Heavenly Kings and Bali would not have talked about Akasha until they died. They trusted Bali Junior, or they believed in the resurrection of the demon king through Charlotte's body. And it was me, their son, who prevented the resurrection of the demon king. Only the Four Heavenly Kings and Bali knew the truth. "Now I understand why the human Larken Simonstate took Darkland's side..." The first Four Heavenly King and Grandmaster who was a human, and Sabiolin Tana's teacher, Larken Simonstate. Whatever the reason, Bali would have either captured or sought out Larken Simonstate. The end of the fight through perfect separation. He sympathized with Bali's thoughts and stood on Darkland's side. That would be a better ending. But the Great War of the Demon World happened, and the heroes killed the Four Heavenly Kings and the Demon King. The hero party may have fought to capture Akasha and heard the story about it, but we cannot know the details. Therefore, it may not have been that the Four Heavenly Kings joined forces, but rather that they each faced a hero party for persuasion.

However, the truth is now unknown. The truth of the fight happened outside of my knowledge.

What happened has already happened.

Akasha is in my grasp.

But this place is not just known to me.

Charlotte and Tana already know this place, and Charlotte even intended to supply the magic book of this place to the imperial family.

Although she may not have realized it yet, Charlotte will surely realize that this place is very strange someday.

What will happen if the Imperial Family learns about Akasha?

It is unknown.

But it cannot be left as it is.

Now that everything is certain, there is no reason to delay any longer.

As this is a very dangerous artifact, it may have infinite usefulness and may be able to end all conflicts between demons and humans.

I may have to complete the dream that Bali could not achieve, the Biwon that Bali Junior gave up on in the original.

If Charlotte touches Akasha without knowing much about it, it could create a situation that is not even like Charlotte causing the Gate Incident.

"There may be a way to move Akasha to another place, but we'll have to look into that later...."

For now, I have to go back to the Yellow Road.

The situation will become uncontrollable the later I return.

* * *

"A tool of creation...."

On the outskirts of the battlefield.

Antirianus was listening quietly to the story while facing Ark Lich.

"Yeah, you guys seem to have Akasha without even knowing that it's Akasha."

The reason why Lukren Ark Lich came to the tomb of the Lich was because the magic developed independently in Kantus Magna contained Akasha's traces.

Lukren thought it was his last chance to retrieve Akasha.

Why couldn't they find Kantus Magna until now?

Why did Lukren come to the tomb of the Lich alone?

Antirianus finally understood the whole situation.

Kantus Magna was stolen by Akasha, and they suspected each other and perished without knowing who stole Akasha.

And the one who stole Akasha was the former Demon King Bali.

And the current Demon King didn't even know that what he held was Akasha.

"If you cooperate in finding the lost tool of creation, I will forget everything you have done. Tell me, Antirianus, where is Akasha?"

If they cooperate only in finding the lost tool of creation, they will forget everything that has happened.

Antirianus was slightly tilting his head, listening to Ark Lich's words, whether to believe them or not, leaving aside other issues.

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

"...What?"

"Would becoming a god be fun?"

Antirianus was narrowing his eyes as if he didn't understand Lukren's words. "I will become an absolute being who can make everything in the world function according to my will and adjust everything to my intentions."

"So, why do you assume that would be interesting?"

Antirianus smiles quietly.

"The joy of life and the world is because it cannot be predicted."

"Do you think that omnipotent power that only functions in a world where everything moves according to my will and everything returns to nothing with a single gesture from me can give you pleasure?"

"Well, it might be interesting for a moment."

"But soon you will lose interest."

"What else is left besides boredom at the end of the process of clearing and rebuilding, clearing and rebuilding, clearing and rebuilding?"

"Anything other than boredom is left."

"If you become a god and create a world, whether it is perfect or not, if you face it from the perspective of a creator rather than a creature, what kind of appreciation can you get other than admiring the technical solidity of a well-made sculpture?"

"Without despair, sadness, pain, anger, hatred, and disgust, there can be no joy, delight, ecstasy, pleasure, happiness, and love."

"The world must live as a creature to be enjoyable. If you become the ruler of chaos, it will ultimately be a very boring thing."

Lukren forgot what he was saying in Antirianus' words.

"Are you crazy, trying to become a god?"

"If you use Akasha for such a boring thing, I cannot allow you to have Akasha."

Antirianus smiles.

"I told you, Lukren. I was curious about what Akasha was, but I never thought I wanted it."

Antirianus clenches his staff.

"At least the boy I know would use Akasha more interestingly than you."

"Antirianus... this crazy old man..."

Still suffering from the aftereffects of using a large-scale magic, Lukren could not be Antirianus' opponent now.

The only reason he refused to become a god was that it would undoubtedly be boring.

Lukren sees the madness flashing in the old vampire's golden eyes.

"Lukren, will you show me despair for the last time?"

The incarnation of madness that transcends good and evil.

"Will you show me the pain, despair, and misery that must end the desire that you have dreamed of for an unimaginably long time in this place?"

A crazy wizard who wanders around looking for despair and passion.

"You showed me a very boring paradise compared to the long wait. Shouldn't you at least scream properly?"

Antirianus raises his staff.