Chapter 15 - Heads or Tails [1]
"The blood of the gods...?"
"As grandiose as it sounds, it certainly lives up to its name. Why do you think this ancient city still operates in the first place?"
"Oh, that's amazing..."
Top floor of the Equilibrium Tower in the capital Celia.
Noah could see the whole capital of Eclecia up here from the windows that surround the empty floor, with there only being pillars to support its weight.
As soon as the two of them made contact with the orb beside the elevator, a surge of energy pulsed through the city.
In an instant, the entire capital illuminated with life, revealing its remarkable industrial advancements in all their glory.
No surprise if more Eldias appear the moment they go outside.
But if they possess the artifact that Kuro spoke of, it ensures that they could escape from the dimension once and for all.
The moment Kuro revealed the truth to Noah, it marked the point at which he fully trusted him, unwaveringly and without hesitation.
"This city, was it always this big?" Noah ran to the windows and looked down. He couldn't express himself adequately except to gaze down in awe.
If Eclecia was breathtaking by itself already, the view up here was in another league.
'Amazing…' Noah placed his hand on the window.
The two of them managed to remain alive through incomprehensible adversities; Noah was supposed to be terrified.
Yet Noah no longer feared; all he thought about was how… exciting this journey was.
That wasn't the end of it; he no longer has to worry about his eyes' curse or his destiny to be alone.
Everything that has happened up until now… it was all because of him.
'It was… fun.'
It was all thanks to Kuro.
It's like they'd known each other their whole lives, even though they met two days ago.
Every time he discovered something new, his curiosity got the better of him after leaving his hometown.
His thirst for knowledge kept growing until it wasn't all about vengeance anymore.
"Kuro," Noah resolved himself.
'If I want to achieve both vengeance and my dreams… then all I have to do is get stronger, far stronger than everyone.'
—No matter what it takes.
"I changed my mind, I'm going to Arcadia."
"Huh? So suddenly?" My head shifted towards Noah.
Hmm, I knew it was inevitable… just didn't expect he'd say that at a time like this.
I'm more confused about how he was going to transfer to the college I was transferring to, rather than Arcadia. What's up with that?
"Uhh, good luck, I guess?"
"So Kuro Cyth… no, Kuro of the Historia family. Won't you come with me?"
“…”
“…”
"…What? Me?"
Is this guy planning to bring me to my demise???
If I accept his invitation, everything I built up to this moment will be all for nothing.
Arcadia is where the main story will take place after all.
Hell— my sisters are all there, no thank you?!?
"This city, I can't begin to fathom what Eclecia would have looked like in the past." Noah walked around, admiring the view with a bright smile on his face.
"Imagine what we could do, the things only we can do…"
—Vrrrmm! Crackle!
Noah extended his right hand and did the same trick I did last night, showcasing his proficiency over four elements at once.
He conjured wind, earth, fire and water at his fingertips. Unlike mine, however, it was unstable and was losing form by the second.
"My control over mana may not be as good as yours…"
—Vooom!
The elements grew more violent, each with the firepower of a tank shell to compensate.
If he lacks the ability to manage them as I can, then he needs to simplify the task to a point where it's so straightforward and crude that he can handle it without any difficulty.
'…What a monster.'
Noah couldn't precisely control four elements of magic; he only succeeded because he brute-forced it.
The only one who could do such a thing was Noah himself.
"Your magic control is abnormal, Kuro, but your mana is lacking. It's like we're two sides of the same coin."
"Is that an insult, or a compliment?"
"It's your choice how you want to interpret my words."
“…”
As much as I hate to say it, he's right.
My talent to control mana was admirable. In exchange, my mana is lower than that of an average magician.
If I practiced for a few years or more, then maybe I could lurk in the shadows and help Noah behind the scenes.
He's the protagonist after all, and I'm a character that wasn't supposed to exist.
It just... doesn't feel right, if I'm beside him.
"What do you say, are you in?"
—Whoosh…!
…
…
...
'What a predicament he put me in.'
If I decide to shake his hand, I could become someone significant, someone strong, stronger than my siblings.
—I can finally be somebody special.
Someone who can at long last… belong in this world.
…
…
...
"…I can't."
"…What? Why not?"
"You… you won't get it."
"What…? What do you mean, 'I don't get it'!"
—Rumble Rumble!
Before Noah could press me for an explanation about my hesitation, the ground beneath us trembled, signalling that something was about to unfold—and it certainly didn't sound good.
"Shit! I completely forgot about them!"
The ground quaked violently, throwing me off balance.
Back to the main objective in an attempt to forget Noah's proposal, I ran as fast as I could to grab the artifact.
"Wait, Kuro! I'm not finished talking to you yet!"
"We have no time to lose, Noah!"
In just a few minutes, the tower would undergo a significant transformation due to the sudden surge of energy.
Everything would've been fine under normal circumstances. Instead, the Eldias that were long dormant in this capital would awaken and go into a frenzy, threatening everything in the vicinity.
Mindless beasts or not, the chances of Eldias storming into this building is guaranteed.
If we don't make a run for it, then we'll be reduced to a grotesque tomato paste.
Wouldn't be surprised if an Eldia emerged out of nowhere and broke through the glass—
—Rumble… BOOM!!!
"Kggh…!!" Noah covered his eyes from the explosion where the elevator had been.
Haha… oh, fuck.
'Shame on me for jinxing it.' I ran faster than before and was inches away from the Ichor.
"Wait, Kuro- are you sure it's safe!?"
"Yeah! I think!"
Despite the Ichor's allure, it was still an artifact we didn't know of.
I mean, I do know what this was; it's just that I don't know what will happen if someone other than Noah takes it.
…Hmm, wait… isn't this kinda bad then??
At this moment, all my brain cells went full throttle to come to a conclusion that must lead to the right choice—
"—It's do or die!"
At least it's better than dying!
"Seriously!?" Noah shot me a look that suggested I was completely out of my mind.
He wasn't wrong. Given the horrors I faced and the lengths I'd gone to survive, this seemed almost trivial.
Or at least, that's what I told myself.
"I got it…! Huh…?"
—Ving…!
In an instant, as if time itself had frozen—
—the reality I once knew unravelled into nothingness.
…
…
…
'Where on earth am I…?'
'Noah…?'
I called out for a name, but my voice echoed back in silence.
No one responded to my call.
…
…
…
I tried to look around, but I couldn't move.
I tried to scream for help, but I couldn't speak.
The only thing I could see besides the colour white was my shadow.
There were no entities called Eldias, and the human named Noah was nowhere to be seen either.
…
…
…
It was as if the events that transpired… never happened at all.
Was it all… simply a dream?
My transmigration, the obstacles I've faced and endured. Everything.
The day I isolated myself was when I gave up these depressing thoughts a long time ago.
Was all of this just a long… bad dream?
「Thou art not dreaming.」
An unfamiliar voice resounded in my ears, a voice that felt nostalgic, yet out of place.
'Is anyone there…?'
I tried to reach out to them, even if my voice cannot be heard.
…
…
…
Again, there was only silence that could answer my plea.
…
…
…
My sense of time turned into a blur as every eternity passed by.
My anxiety turned severe, and my patience was running out.
If this goes on, I'll succumb to despair and turn into an empty husk, unable to think.
'Anyone, please… are you there?'
...
...
...
'Please…'
…
…
…
…
…
「Thy kin shall prevail.」The voice reappeared.
It was my desperation that allowed me to hear her voice. It belonged to a girl whose voice rang like a solemn chime.
'Where… am I…?'
My sanity slowly returned, comforted by the knowledge that there really was someone here.
…
…
…
They refused to answer, and silence once more took over.
…But not being alone gave me a sense of solace, that I don't need to fear.
…
…
And before I knew it, something had changed in this space.
—In front of me was a familiar stone, a heretical stone that was the reason why we got sucked into Aleph in the first place.
The space kept twisting bit by bit, until I noticed that I could move my arms.
Then, another stone appeared beside the other.
It was the Ichor, the blood of the gods, that appeared on my right.
And on the left was the Exitium stone, a fragment of an evil god.
「If one's destiny be led astray…」
A thousand pairs of hands appeared and grabbed me from behind, so pale I barely noticed their presence.
Those numerous hands pointed at the stones, as if to tell me something crucial.
「Devour Everything.」
—Rumble...!
The space shook violently, and the white space was on the verge of collapsing.
'W-Wait… you haven't answered my questions yet!'
I tried to grab one of the arms, not noticing that all my five senses returned to me.
—Rumble Rumble!!!
At that moment, the space distorted, and the ground collapsed without warning.
'Tch…! I'm gonna fall off!' I instinctively grabbed hold of the broken flooring to keep from falling.
But it was too late.
"Ah."
I fell out of the white space and embraced the void, falling for all eternity.
…
…
…
—Wake up…
Another voice echoed in my head. This time, I recognized who it belonged to.
'Who was it again? Oh right… it's…'
Feeling drowsy, I found myself slipping back into sleep, the events leading up to this moment fading from my mind.
…
…
…
…
…
"WAKE UP!!!"
—BLAM!!
They screamed into my ear and thrashed me around like a rag doll.
"Huh? Where am I… Noah? Why does my cheek hurt so much…?"
"WAKE THE FUCK UP!!!"
—POW!!!
He punched me so hard it felt like my entire jaw was going to break.
"Ack- FUCK!! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU!?"
"You wouldn't wake up, okay?!"
"Okay, and!? You didn't have to punch me that hard to wake me up, you IDIOT!!!"
It hurt so much that I totally forgot what happened in that bizarre dream.
—Rumble Rumble…!
—BOOM!!
"■○●■○■○□■○■○□!!" An eldritch monster screeched.
It came from beneath the elevator, enraged and out for our blood.
It was the Eldia from back then that dug through the entire elevator system to catch us, giving it enough time to reach this floor.
I would have been scared shitless a few minutes ago, but this time we have a trump card in our hands.
"Noah! Catch!" I threw the Ichor at him.
"H-Huh!? What- what am I supposed to do with this!?!"
He observed the Ichor around as if this was his first time seeing a Rubik's Cube.
"Erm… think of a weapon you desire the most and infuse as much magic as you can!"
"I'll try!"
…Surely this will work, right?
—Prrk…! BOOM!
The Eldia broke free from the elevator.
"■○□○●□○□!!!"
'Tch. How persistent!'
Because the Eldia was rammed by the gates closing, its bottom half was crushed, and black blood spewed everywhere.
"It's injured! Hurry up and kill it!"
It's only a matter of time before it regenerates, so we have to kill it as fast as we can.
"Oh, you make it sound sooo easy, do you!"
—Ting… Ting…! Prrrrrrrk!!
The Eldia surged toward us in the blink of an eye.
"You're taking too long… dammit!"
—Kachick! Boom! Boom! Boom!
I took my magic firearm from my pocket and shot the glass panes around the tower. It had enough firepower to break through the glass.
—Boom! Boom! Boom!!!
"□○●■○□○●□○□!?!"
The windows broke one by one, attracting the Eldia's attention. This would buy enough time for Noah to figure things out.
"Are you finished yet!? We're running out of time!!"
—Vooom…!
A golden light coated the room, bright enough to overwhelm me while I was firing at the windows.
"Ugh…!" I shielded my eyes with my hand, causing me to lose focus.
"I-I'm finished!"
"Took you long enough!"
"■-□○●○□●■○□●■○■■!!"
—Vrrrm…! PRRRRKKK!!
The Eldia took its chance and charged at me at such speed you wouldn't expect from someone whose bottom half had been obliterated.
'Hurry up… Noah!'
—Swing…!
…
…
...
At that moment, a crimson longsword cut the Eldia in half, turning it into a fourth of what it should've been.
A sword that was endowed with a flowery design, a vibrant flame that carried humanity to where it is now.
A sword that once belonged to the legendary hero of Demiurge himself, inherited by its rightful successor.
—Spluuurt!
The Eldia met its end in a moment's flash, and the first yet the hardest step came to an end.
From here on out, we can only go up from here.
"Yikes…"
…But since Noah exterminated the Eldia right in front of us, we were both covered in pitch-black, gooey blood, and the Eldia's guts were on full display.
