Chapter 366

C366. On Sin (4)

The world came to a halt.

The red sky, which just a moment ago was filled with dust, vanished without a trace.

And in its place appeared…

A darkness as deep as the abyss itself.

A darkness that contained absolutely nothing filled the sky.

And amidst that overwhelming landscape…

Alon observed the being in front of him.

…To be honest, the situation was incomprehensible in every sense.

He didn’t understand why he, who was on the deck of the ship, suddenly found himself standing on the ground.

He couldn’t comprehend what the thing before him was, either.

As far as Alon knew…

Even if the Sin of Wrath entered its second phase, it never acquired a form like that.

Alon stared blankly at the being before him.

It was stranger than any other Sin he had seen.

The figure of the holy knight in front of him…

It didn’t have the shine of any other Sin. It wasn’t as imposing as them. Nor as destructive.

It was simply… serene.

Like the empty abyss visible between the cracks of his armor. Holding a single massive sword with his single arm.

He was excessively calm. Silent.

—And for that very reason, he seemed dangerous.

[I ask you once more.]

Amidst those thoughts…

Alon involuntarily turned his gaze toward the voice that resonated.

[Can you bear the karma of the Sins?]

The same question as before.

A question as serene as the void inside the armor rang in his ears. But Alon couldn’t answer.

He had no idea what those words meant. Nor what exactly that being was. He had never seen anything like it, not even in Psychedelia.

Therefore—

“What the hell… are you?”

Alon returned the question.

And that something, which observed him in silence…

[Why do you ask that? You already know.]

He murmured almost inaudibly and then looked down at him.

[I am the Sin of Wrath. And at the same time—]

He raised his single arm.

[I am also the ‘Bearer’.]

Wooong—!

When that arm, which seemed to be composed only of bones, was raised, the sword began to emit a red glow.

“Master!”

“Brother!”

With that…

The voices of Seolrang and Radan, who until a moment ago were watching the scene in shock, resonated.

And a familiar figure interposed herself between the Bearer and Alon.

However—

CRASH—

The sword, held by the one-armed being, was not swung, but rather stabbed into the ground.

RUMBLE—!!!!

The earth split open and enormous spines began to sprout.

Spines large enough to pierce the torso of a gigantic monster surged in all directions, tearing up the terrain.

The grotesque noise and the screams of the soldiers resonated at the same time. And then—

“Are you alright, Master?”

“Yes.”

The ground, transformed into a massive cluster of vines…

When Alon, rescued by Seolrang, turned his gaze toward the distance, where the Bearer now was…

He could see him. He had lifted the sword again, previously embedded in the earth…

And he was floating, solemn, in the sky.

And furthermore…

He was looking directly at him. At Alon.

[From now on, the trial begins.]

The Bearer’s voice resonated calmly.

The sword in his hand this time emitted a bright blue vapor.

[To know if you can truly bear our karma.]

With a freezing sound that made bones creak—

The sky, previously devoured by the abyss, began to crack.

One crack…

Two…

Four—

In an instant, countless lines spread across the dark sky, and with the sound of breaking glass, it appeared…

[If you will be able to save this world.]

The galaxy.

A starry sky—

A galaxy so gigantic that no one, ever, had contemplated something like it.

[Or if I need to destroy it myself.]

With the shining sky at his back—

[Prove it.]

The Bearer demanded…

Gripping his massive sword.

The soldiers, who a moment ago were screaming in terror…

The knights trembling as they unsheathed their weapons…

And the mages, hesitating whether to erect magic shields again…

Everyone, absolutely everyone, directed their gaze toward a single point.

Toward the Bearer, who remained upright, with his single sword, standing against the stars.

Everyone present knew it.

That being was a monster. He was a calamity capable of crushing them like ants in any instant.

But even so, no one could look away from him.

Why?

Because he looked majestic?

Because he was overwhelming?

Because he was despairing?

Because he inspired fear?

Because he transmitted liberation?

—Or because he emanated sadness?

Alon tried to keep a cool head.

He still didn’t understand what that was.

It was natural not to understand.

He didn’t understand his existence, nor his words. Nothing made sense.

As far as he knew, the ending of Psychedelia consisted of eliminating all the Sins.

Then, the world would be free of them and the happy ending would arrive.

That was the ending of Psychedelia he had always known.

But, contrary to the information he had…

The Bearer in front of him spoke of something completely different.

“Bear the karma of the Sins…? Save the world…?”

Meaningless words to Alon.

“Wow…”

At that moment, he suddenly remembered something from the past.

“What I wanted to protect… were humans.”

The final phrase of the Sin of Sloth, when he had been defeated.

Remembering that, Alon looked at the Bearer with complex eyes. There were still too many incomprehensible things.

But if one thing was certain…

It was that there was a “behind” that he was unaware of.

And—

“Yes, Master.”

No matter how many doubts arose. No matter how many truths he discovered.

His duty did not change.

“Get ready.”

Alon had to stop him. Otherwise, destruction would arrive.

As he reached his hand into his chest…

The Bearer, who until now hadn’t moved, raised his hand at the same time.

CRASH—!

A crystal sphere appeared in Alon’s hand and shattered.

A shattering sound propagated through the entire ruined zone.

It was a signal previously agreed upon between Alon and the Alliance.

If something unforeseen occurred and that sound was heard, it meant the soldiers must retreat immediately.

When the signal burst in Alon’s hand, the soldiers began to move hurriedly.

And in that instant—

“….”

The Sins… became visible.

The Sin of Envy, which hadn’t managed to manifest before, appeared with eight enormous arms.

The Sin of Greed, defeated in Fildégreen, emerged flapping hundreds of wings.

The unfeeling man who had returned as the dark calamity in Ashtalon.

The black dragon of Pride, who never bowed his head to anyone.

One by one, they slowly reconstructed their bodies and manifested.

“This is madness—”

“Th-that…”

Panic spread among the soldiers.

Horror, spreading like a plague through the retreating ranks.

But…

Alon, who also frowned upon seeing them, calmed down with ease.

“They are not the real bodies.”

The Sins he saw were not their true forms.

Although physically identical… Their colors were ash grey, just like the spines that had emerged from the ground.

And their power… was too weak to be authentic Sins.

Of course, weak in comparison to the real ones.

BOOM—!

The dragon of Pride disappeared at a speed that surpassed Alon’s perception and launched itself toward the soldiers of Asteria.

A speed so absurd that no one could react.

The fleeing soldiers didn’t notice it.

Not even the commander standing right there perceived it.

In that briefest instant—

Pride brought down its claws.

ZAP—!

Until someone interrupted it.

BZBZBZT—!

A golden lightning bolt illuminated the grey dragon.

A completely golden figure, the Lightning God, reflected in its faceless visage.

“Time…”

“Thunder Strike.”

…reversed.

BOOOOM—!

In an instant invisible to the human eye…

Pride was sent flying, destroying all the spines in front of it due to the impact of Seolrang’s kick.

And almost as if they had agreed upon it…

The other Sins also moved.

However…

They didn’t achieve their objective either.

“…Just as I heard.”

Radan appeared before Envy, twisting his body with confidence.

“I already finished the scouting.”

Thousands of golden crowns surged around Greed, who was trying to deploy its wings.

“I won’t allow it.”

Over the dark territory extended by Sloth, where some soldiers still hadn’t managed to retreat…

Violet lines began to intertwine chaotically.

A complete confrontation between peers.

Although they had managed to slow down the Sins…

The situation was still not favorable.

Even if they contained the Sins…

There was no one who could stop the Bearer.

And even if they managed to stop him…

They couldn’t ensure victory in this state.

Furthermore, even if the Sins were mere puppets created by him…

They still retained part of their abilities.

That is: they could delay them, but not eliminate them completely.

But even knowing that, Alon’s face remained calm.

Because those who could face the Sins were not just them.

An ominous black energy spread around.

A black hand surged from it and grabbed the body of a Sin trying to rip off the golden crowns.

“Change of situation—”

Ryanga, with her giant horns extended, giving off a chilling magic, crushed the body of Pride that was lunging toward Seolrang.

SWISH—!

A cold figure, Historia, cut the black threads attached to every territory that was spreading, appearing with an icy expression.

With that, the balance was restored.

And then—

“Master.”

“Yutia?”

“I will help too. If it is defense, I can handle it.”

Yutia joined them.

“Good.”

A white light spread from her hand.

“…Diffraction.”

The battle began.

And soon…

The galaxy started to shine.

Clearer than ever.