Chapter 162: Chaos And Ruin (III)

This chapter is updated by Novels.pl

Gray motes of light suddenly began accumulating near Lino, causing his body to shudder strangely for a moment as his sharp eyes turned dull for a second . His mind capsized and the world around him morphed eerily . Yet, before he had a chance to sink in entirely, the gem embedded into his necklace suddenly shone in conjunction to his sword, covering his body in a strangely ethereal, golden light .

Within the seething darkness of the world he appeared reverently holy as his eyes regained their sharpness . Erkhaan hadn’t anticipated Lino would free himself of the illusion so quickly, causing him to frown . However, it mattered little; if Lino was so weak as to give into the illusions, he would have never pushed Erkhaan to the point of no return .

Although Erkhaan now possessed only a single arm, Lino didn’t dare underestimate him . The energy which had swirled within him had changed considerably, causing Lino to frown and wonder; it felt familiar, almost friendly, yet he couldn’t quite put his finger onto what it was .

Erkhaan grasped the sword tightly and held it out, taking brisk and confident steps toward Lino . The latter -- still enveloped in the holy radiance -- relaxed his posture as he once again tried to use the . Erkhaan’s movement and attack had all been an illusion, but thanks to the necklace as well as the

"Your standards are still quite high, Adabbith . Yet, still not quite high enough . " Lino, too, spoke out yet his voice it wasn’t; it was one of similar ancientness, similar coldness and indifference, aloofness beyond this world .

"Indeed: my Vassal has shamed me," the voice spoke out yet again . "Though he is only one of the many . What do you have besides the half-broken boy who cannot even withstand the Matter without the external means?"

"Though my Eye had grown dull and old Adabbith, it still reigns supreme over all others," Lino’s counterpart replied . "What I see others cannot; what I understand others will not . Why do you think Yuel trusted me so?"

"You still dare utter Her name shamelessly?!" Erkhaan counterpart’s voice turned even colder with a trace of anger that could collapse the world unto its feet present . "Indeed, she trusted you with Her whole heart -- yet, what has it brought Her?! Had it not been for you, none of the shameful history would weigh on any of us! If only your ’eye’ wasn’t beset with arrogance, you would have seen what you were doing more clearly!"

"Your hate is yet to diminish," the voice coming out of Lino suddenly turned gentler and even warmer . "Have you truly loved her that much?"

" . . . we all have," Erkhaan’s voice replied . "Even though you steered her heart astray toward that filthy Angel, we were still willing to listen . To obey . But--"

"I . . . have never touched Yuel’s heart," Lino’s voice spoke out with a low sigh . "I have never touched any of your hearts . Since your dawns, all of you had been given free reign over your fates . "

"LIES!!!" a massive surge of catastrophic energy bellowed out of Erkhaan yet was easily diminished by a much stronger surge that bellowed out of Lino . "She was Holy!! She was the Chosen!! She would have never submitted to that filth of Her own Will!!"

"Whatever you may think of me Adabbith," Lino’s voice suddenly seemed to have aged and turned even more archaic . "I have never desired to drag any of you into my own battles . I have chosen to Defy -- you had not . The only reason Yuel departed on that day was because of Asmodei . The Angels were falling one by one as Gaia began rising the army of the Fallen . The Age of Balance was coming to an end, and Yuel knew that what followed would result in all races either submitting to Gaia or dying off . In her heart . . . she would never allow either fate to besiege Asmodei . That was her own Will, Adabbith . Her own Heart . If you all love her as much as you claim . . . how can you deny everything she fought and died for?"

" . . . " there was no reply for a long time, leaving the entire realm to seethe in strange silence . "You could have stopped Her . "

"I could have done many things in the past . . . but, whether you believe me or not, I also couldn’t have done many things . Surely, by now, you realized why am I fighting this war, Adabbith . If you hadn’t, you would have long since joined with Gaia . "

"You can continue to uphold your high moral ground as much as you want . . . but, what worth is it? You are all alone . There is not a single Titular Bearer that wishes to stand on your side . Devils? They will devour you the moment the opportunity presents itself . The Fiends? They will listen to anyone who feeds them . What force you have to rely on besides that mortal trash? Do you think he can stand against the entire world on his own? Don’t make me laugh . "

" . . . you have always underestimated my Chosen," Lino’s voice spoke out with strange confidence . "But, it will be different this time around . He will make it . "

" . . . your are old," Erkhaan’s voice spoke with a sigh . "You have fought and fought . Come and join us . Let Gaia and others do as they wish . "

" . . . you know I can’t do that . "

"You really are set on choosing the World over your own Children?" the voice asked with the same traces of anger appearing yet again .

" . . . " Lino, however, didn’t reply .

"It is so, then . . . " after realizing that the other side wasn’t answering, Erkhaan spoke out with strange loneliness . "We won’t disturb your chosen . If he falls too, we will come to your aid . "

"No need," Lino’s voice spoke out the last time . "If he falls, it will signal my own end . Let it be, Adabbith . Another will rise in my stead . "

" . . . "

" . . . " the two no longer spoke and, a few moments later, their auras retracted back, as though they were never there . Lino and Erkhaan regained controls over their bodies . The latter sighed as he shook his head while Lino stood with his mouth agape .

"You fucker had such awesome kids this whole time and never asked them to help me?!!" Lino held onto his head as he fell onto his knees . "And you--you---oh my god no wonder you fail every time!! You’re too fucking stupid!!" and so Erkhaan quickly learned that this strange-looking beggar was rather unique . His anger and hatred toward the source of everything he was . . . was quite real; he also realized that the Empyrean Writ never stood a chance if all its Bearers were so hateful . Alas, he didn’t know Lino was an abnormality rather than the norm .