Chapter 537 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator |
At Frondier’s question, Satan smiled and pointed down with his finger.
He was pointing at the river flowing around Yggdrasil.
[Drink.]
“……What?”
[You must have guessed it. Right now, the only way for you to save Azier is to cross worlds. But that’s impossible with a human body.]
“……Then, this river water……”
[Yes, drink it and you will die.]
Satan said it as if it were natural.
[When you die, your soul will ride this Yggdrasil and move. From there, you have to catch Azier’s soul heading to Tartarus.]
[What else? You bring it back to the human world. Azier’s body and soul are separated, but he’s not dead. This is the weakness of Thanatos’ power. The cause and effect of death are reversed. He brings about the ‘result’ of the body and soul being separated first, and only after entering Tartarus does he face the ‘process’ of completely dying. So, if you skip that process, he can come back to life.]
Frondier’s eyes narrowed at Satan’s words.
It was up to Frondier how much he could trust Satan’s words.
However, even if he believed this story 100%, there was still a problem.
“……If I bring Azier back that way, then I…”
[You go your own way.]
His own way.
In other words, death.
[I told you. If you drink this water, you will die. This is not a trick like Thanatos’ power. To die and then ask to be brought back to life, isn’t that a bit too much?]
In other words, in exchange for the opportunity to save Azier, Frondier would surely die.
“So this was the deal.”
[Yes. The demon and the god, who share a common enemy in Frondier. The two of them joined hands for the first time to kill one human. Congratulations, Frondier. You are the only human in history to have made them do such a thing.]
Clap, clap, clap.
Satan’s applause echoed dryly.
This plan, in which Satan used the Moirai and Thanatos to separate Azier’s soul.
It was a tactic that could only be used to kill Frondier.
It was useless against ordinary humans.
“To give up your life in exchange for a chance to save someone. It’s not something an ordinary person would choose.”
Satan had been watching Frondier since his plan failed at the Imperial Palace.
Not just that day, but Satan’s plans had been repeatedly thwarted every time Frondier stepped forward.
At first, he thought it was because of Frondier’s extraordinary strength.
Then he thought it was because of the strength of his companions.
And now.
Finally, Satan understood.
“Frondier doesn’t care about his own life. More than a demon.”
Frondier, who always defied Satan’s expectations.
It was because Frondier didn't think like an ordinary human.
“It’s a bit different from the ‘courage’ to overcome the fear of death. I didn’t see such nobility in Frondier.”
He had seen many heroes with courage. They also surprised Satan, but Frondier was different.
“Frondier doesn't think about death.”
Even Satan couldn’t understand it, but if he knew that Frondier’s way of thinking was like that, he could use it even if he couldn’t understand it.
Satan added one more thing.
[Well, you might become a god, so why don't you give it a try?]
Humans could be elevated to godhood if they achieved great feats and were praised by people.
Originally, the 12 ‘Zodiacs’ in the Empire were names created with that desire in mind.
But it was a very slim chance.
Moreover, for someone like Frondier, who was far from being ‘praised’, the probability would be close to zero.
‘Even if I don’t say this, Frondier will choose death anyway.’
But just to be sure.
Frondier, as a human, would never let someone precious to him get hurt, not even with a 1% chance,
but he wouldn't care if he died, even if it was a 99.9% chance.
“……..”
Frondier knew what Satan wanted.
He was predicting his actions.
But just as Satan predicted, Frondier couldn’t move now.
‘If I drink this water.’
He would die.
However, there was a very slim chance that he would be elevated to godhood.
Neither option was good for Frondier. Giving up his life for a single chance to save Azier.
…However.
Azier wasn't his real brother.
He was a game character.
Should he throw away his life for a mere character?
He hated dying a dog’s death.
He didn’t want to die.
It was just a game.
Just a game character.
There had to be another way to clear this game.
Swoosh?
With that thought in mind, Frondier knelt on one knee in front of the river.
The three women widened their eyes slightly and watched him.
‘Satan was right. Frondier is not normal.’
When they first heard Satan’s plan, they thought it wouldn’t work.
There were often humans who would give their lives to save someone.
But there were no humans who would die for a slim chance to save someone they might not even be able to save.
That’s why they expected it to fail, but they followed along because there was nothing to lose. Many gods, including the Moirai themselves, wanted Frondier dead.
To think that they could kill Frondier so easily.
Splash?
Frondier’s hand went into the water.
‘Ugh!’
That’s when he felt it. The smell of death that filled the water. He just put his hand in, but it felt like his whole body was rotting.
It wasn’t that death was mixed in the water, but that death was mimicking water.
‘I see. I’m definitely going to die.’
Frondier scooped up the water with both hands.
After drinking this water, he would enter Yggdrasil and head to Tartarus to save Azier’s soul.
And then.
…Let’s think about that later.
He had to save Azier.
With that simple thought, as he slowly raised both hands.
[Ah………………………………………….]
…A very.
Draining sound rang out.
[Ah, can you hear me?]
It wasn’t Satan, nor the Moirai.
Someone who didn’t reveal themselves was speaking, only their voice reaching him.
But he had definitely heard that voice somewhere before.
“Who…?”
[Good. Seems like you can hear me. I was getting confused because it’s been so long.]
And then the voice spoke, still leisurely.
[Hey, Frondier. You can’t do that. You can’t be fooled by such an obvious lie. It’s beyond disappointing. I didn’t teach you that way.]
A slightly longer sentence reached his ears.
That relaxed voice, as if it knew Frondier.
That brazen tone that seemed to grate on his nerves.
Frondier blinked, then his eyes widened.
“……Be,”
[Belphegor!]
Satan must have recognized it immediately, his relaxed expression changing.
[How did you…! I burned the Yggdrasil in Nastrond! It should take at least a few hundred years for it to grow back…!]
[Ah, that’s right. Just like you said, it burned brightly and only ashes remained. You are so needlessly thorough. Don’t you know what a hassle it is?]
Belphegor’s words were laced with yawns. That alone was enough to irritate Satan.
[So, I used a different method instead of Yggdrasil. Well, to be honest, I was going to use this method from the beginning.]
[What…?]
[I drew a rune. A really good one. With this, I can contact Frondier when he comes to Yggdrasil.]
At Belphegor’s words, Satan’s eyes narrowed.
Frondier could barely understand what Belphegor was saying.
Satan spoke in a confused voice.
[No way! But that rune isn’t the type that can be sustained. It’s impossible unless Frondier knew about it beforehand! It won’t last a few minutes after activation!]
[Haha, you’re saying strange things, Satan. If Frondier doesn’t know about it beforehand, I just have to recast it until he arrives.]
Belphegor said it as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Satan’s mouth fell open.
[Recasting it indefinitely until Frondier gets here…?]
[Satan, don’t you know who I am?]
Laughter tinged Belphegor’s voice.
[Even though I’ve descended from the seat of the Seven Deadly Sins, I am the Demon of Sloth, Belphegor.]
For a moment, Satan saw Belphegor’s figure.
Not only that, but the three Moirai goddesses and Frondier also saw the same image.
It was clearly an illusion.
Belphegor, sitting on a chair with one leg crossed over the other, leaning back as if he were about to fall asleep.
[This body enjoys being lazy.]