Became the Patron of Villains Chapter 550: Black Flesh (8)

Light descended upon the world.

In the world that had been nothing but red—

After pure white light devoured everyone’s vision, the world finally returned to its original colors once more.

“......”

And Alon could see it.

Al-Akulakka, whose upper body that had emerged outside the cocoon had completely vanished.

With bubbling noises, blood vessels continuously rose upward from the waist that had entirely disappeared, as though trying endlessly to regenerate.

But—

Tszszszzt-!

Because Alon’s magic had already absorbed and detonated every last trace of Divine power lingering in the atmosphere, Al-Akulakka’s regenerating body soon began collapsing like mud—

Kuuung-! Kurururukung-!

—and then the cocoon from which Al-Akulakka had emerged completely crumbled apart and poured down to the ground.

Clear annihilation.

Alon let out a small sigh at the sight—

“......Ugh-”

—but only briefly, before releasing a short groan and descending to the ground.

The black mud raining down like a meteor shower brought relief, but separately from that, his skull was throbbing as though it might split open.

‘......Did I maintain it for too long?’

Perhaps because he had already far exceeded the time limit of Reverse Heavens, Alon’s head was screaming from exhaustion.

As though warning him that if he maintained Reverse Heavens even a little longer, his brain would literally cook to death.

“Lord Alon!”

“Are you alright?!”

The moment he landed, Evan and Penia rushed toward him as though they had been waiting.

Looking at them, Alon nodded reassuringly and spoke.

“......More importantly, are you two alright?”

“I’m fine.”

“Me too! In the first place, Lord Alon was the one who defeated Al-Akulakka, so of course we’re fine.”

“That’s good to hear.”

Penia’s words.

Alon nodded quietly in relief—

But only briefly.

“......Then the two of you should start withdrawing now.”

“Huh?”

“What do you mean......?”

“Al-Akulakka is dead, but it’s not over yet.”

Alon’s words.

For a moment, the two of them looked confused, unable to understand what he meant—

Then they realized something.

And turned their gazes in one direction.

“......”

Alon likewise turned his gaze alongside them.

And there—

[Splendid. I knew I could trust you.]

—the Karma of War was grinning while looking at Alon.

“......Tch.”

Al-Akulakka had been killed.

But that only meant they had crossed one great mountain.

In the end, the one Alon still needed to deal with—

Was the Karma of War.

‘......Can I do it?’

Alon’s mind calculated victory.

His current state was at its limit.

If he used Reverse Heavens any further, his brain probably would not endure it.

Of course, using abilities inside the Karma’s power would still be possible.

Inside its power, Alon himself would become “fixed.”

‘Painful as hell, but the fight itself is still possible.’

......Though whether he could actually win or not was another matter entirely.

And so, just as Alon prepared to fight immediately—

“......Hm?”

He saw it.

The Karma of War’s body was slowly beginning to disappear.

[What a shame.]

As Alon stared blankly, the Karma of War smirked.

Calm, as though already aware of its own condition.

Yet with faint regret mixed into its tone.

Watching it, Alon soon noticed something else.

“......”

Between the black armor that had looked entirely like a physical body—

Around the heart area of its blue skin—

Red blood was flowing down.

[I wanted to settle things with you, but it seems that won’t happen today.]

“......Don’t tell me—”

[That ugly bug pushed its body too far.]

The Karma of War looked at the blood-covered heart for a moment before turning back toward Alon.

[So this time as well, I’ll make you a proposal.]

“......A proposal?”

Alon repeated.

The Karma nodded—

Then thrust its hand directly into the blood-soaked heart.

Puuuk-!

A sickening sound of flesh tearing apart.

Yet the Karma showed not even the slightest sign of pain as it rummaged through its own heart—

Before eventually pulling out a red jewel.

A jewel shining in the shape of a heart.

Holding it out, the Karma spoke.

[My friend, if you wish to return to your original timeline, then you’ll need my power, won’t you?]

“......”

[Take this with you. And in return, I will gladly open the door to the future for you.]

“......What is that?”

[My essence. More precisely, you could call it my ‘power and memories.’ Take this to the future and return it to me there.]

“......To the future you?”

Alon asked.

The Karma nodded.

[I no longer intend to remain Divine blood. I plan to interfere with the reincarnation of this world instead.]

“......If you mean this world’s reincarnation—”

[It means I no longer intend to ascend.]

“!”

Shock crossed Alon’s face.

But the Karma merely turned its gaze toward the collapsing mound of earth and muttered quietly.

[All my life, I lived upon sacred battlefields.]

[All my life, I fought struggles of life and death beside those who protected their honor.]

[All my life, I lived for ascension— and to preserve the honor of the countless souls who crossed paths with me.]

[I lived so I could tell those who upheld their honor and met noble deaths... those who never turned away from war and fought for their convictions... that they were not wrong.]

[I lived so I could tell those who died preserving their honor that they had not been mistaken. That they had fought an honorable duel against one who would become a god.]

[I lived to grant true honor to all who fought me.]

But—

[If that is the form waiting at the end of it all,]

[then I will no longer remain a Karma.]

At the Karma’s calm words, Alon let out a faint sigh.

Surely, an unimaginable amount had been sacrificed for it to reach that position.

And yet—

It had abandoned all of it.

For the honor of those who had fought it.

For its own convictions.

[For all those who died preserving their honor.]

Alon looked at the Karma of War.

With eyes incomparably upright, it looked back at him.

[Will you accept it?]

The Karma asked.

And so—

“......Very well.”

Alon quietly nodded.

Only then did the Karma once more reveal the grin that had somehow become familiar by now—

And tossed him the red jewel.

Then—

A distortion field formed behind Alon.

Unlike the Karma’s usual ability, this one was an extremely small gate, barely large enough for Alon’s group to squeeze through.

[Go. And deliver it to the me of the future.]

Watching Penia immediately begin eroding the distortion field, Alon slowly opened his mouth.

“......How am I supposed to find the future you?”

[It won’t be difficult. Even if I’ve handed my essence over to you, I am still myself. No matter the era, I’ll surely be famous.]

“There’s no shortage of famous people.”

[Is that so?]

The Karma hummed softly—

Then glanced at itself, already vanished up to the chest.

[Very well. Then I’ll at least show you my face. Even through reincarnation, appearance ultimately remains the same—]

—and raised a hand toward its head.

“!”

At the clattering sound, Alon flinched in surprise.

Only briefly, however.

Because he had clearly believed that was its actual head, not a helmet.

[Here.]

And the moment Alon saw the Karma with its helmet removed—

His eyes widened in shock.

Because—

He recognized that face.

“...You—”

Alon muttered in disbelief.

The blue-skinned Karma laughed as though it had expected that reaction.

[See? Didn’t I tell you? I said I would be famous.]

It spoke almost cheerfully.

[Then I’ll see you in the future.]

And with those final words—

Before Alon could say anything at all—

The Karma completely disappeared.

And then—

“Lord Alon, that bastard was—”

Evan’s muttering lasted only a moment.

“Ugh-”

At Penia’s groan, Alon immediately turned his head.

“......Penia, are you alright?”

“I’m fine, but— I think we’ve got a problem......!”

Penia’s words.

The moment Alon followed her gaze—

“......Ha.”

—he let out a hollow laugh.

Because what he saw was—

■■■■■■■■-!!!

—Al-Akulakka.

It had become far smaller than before, and the same was true for its Divine power and strength.

However—

The enormous number of Black Flesh creatures stained by the black mud Al-Akulakka had scattered around itself made Alon laugh in disbelief.

“We’ll deal with that later!”

Just as Alon began thinking about how they were supposed to handle this, Penia’s voice rang out.

Without hesitation, both Alon and Evan immediately threw themselves toward the small opening.

Yet even after both of them entered—

The distorted erosion field did not close.

“W-What?!”

Penia’s face filled with panic.

As though unable to believe it, she placed her hand directly against the erosion space itself—

Then soon cried out in shock.

“Someone’s blocking the distortion field!”

“Blocking it?”

“More precisely, they’re forcibly stopping the distortion field from moving! This is—”

Penia turned an urgent gaze toward Al-Akulakka.

And following her line of sight, Alon let out a sigh.

‘That bastard—!’

Penia was right.

Al-Akulakka was interfering with the distortion field.

To prevent them from returning to their original timeline, it was using Divine power even at the cost of accelerating its own destruction.

‘What do I do?’

Watching it, Alon fell into thought.

Because he realized something.

Simply attacking Al-Akulakka would not be enough to stop this interference.

‘Can I even do this?’

Alon clenched his teeth.

Penia already looked at her limit simply from holding onto the distortion field.

Her lips had turned blue, proof that her mana was nearly exhausted.

Meaning—

At this distance, the only one capable of dealing with Al-Akulakka was Alon.

But Alon himself was equally at his limit.

‘Neither Divine power nor Reverse Heavens can be used.’

Technically, he could still use Reverse Heavens.

But if he pushed it even for a single instant longer, his brain would melt.

■■■■■■■■■■■-!!!!

Al-Akulakka’s horrifying scream harmonized with the shrieks of the blackened flesh masses.

And the flesh masses began crawling madly toward Alon’s group.

An absolutely hopeless situation.

And within that situation—

Crunch-!

At last—

‘I have no choice.’

Alon made his decision.

He had no choice.

If Alon failed here, everyone would die.

And so, forcing down the splitting pain in his skull, he prepared to recite a spell—

Tap-!

Suddenly, someone blocked his view.

What he saw was an all-too-familiar back.

And then—

That figure had already advanced far ahead, standing before the black flesh masses.

And the moment Alon realized whose familiar back it was—

“At last—”

......Evan opened his mouth.

“—looks like I finally get my chance to shine.”

With an unbearably familiar grin.