Became the Patron of Villains Chapter 600: Direction (2)

Right after the pure white light wrapped around Peach Blossom Spring.

Two things entered Alon’s sight.

The ground, completely devastated.

And the root, standing in the center without the slightest change, proudly scattering cherry blossom petals.

And the Karma seat of immortal cultivation, who was looking at him from atop that root’s tree with a leisurely smile.

‘So it really doesn’t work.’

Alon clicked his tongue briefly.

Then he recalled the barrier that had wrapped around the root’s surroundings at the moment the sun was about to touch it, and turned his gaze.

‘The Karma seat of Salvation—’

Alon’s eyes moved here and there as he searched for the Karma seat of Salvation.

However.

[Unfortunately, the one you are looking for has already entered “space.” Together with that man who follows you.]

“!”

At the voice that sounded as though she had already known, Alon turned his gaze toward the Karma seat of immortal cultivation.

[You’re faster than I thought? I thought you would come at least a few weeks later.]

But regardless of Alon’s gaze, the Karma seat of immortal cultivation stared at Alon and Penia, then smiled.

As though something satisfied her.

Yet at the same time, a smile that revealed dissatisfaction.

Soon, she erased the smile hanging over her face.

[But, well, fine. Looking at you, it seems all the preparations are finished.]

She took a small stick out from inside her robe.

No, it was not a small stick.

Shrrrrk—!

She took out a fan.

And then.

Rrrrrrrumble—!

Along with that, the sky began to tremble.

“!”

Alon looked up at the sky in surprise for an instant.

However, as though she were enjoying Alon’s reaction, the Karma seat still wore a leisurely smile as she swung the fan once.

And with that.

Kwaaaaaaang—!

Lightning began to strike down.

Like rain.

Without pause.

“Lord Alon!!”

At Penia’s shout calling Alon as she instantly pulled up the dirt on the ground, he instinctively moved his body toward her.

Along with it, the thunderstorm battered the ground.

However, even in that chilling situation—

“How was it!?”

“If that side doesn’t perceive it, it doesn’t seem to defend separately!”

“Do you think we can pierce through!?”

“I don’t know! But if Lord Alon’s magic couldn’t do it, then once the barrier unfolds, piercing through will be impossible!”

—Alon, who had checked the information without difficulty according to the plan he had prepared with Penia in advance, said,

“Then that is fortunate.”

While enduring the thunderstorm constantly falling over his head, he looked at the Karma seat of immortal cultivation, who had already risen into the sky, then let out a deep sigh.

“Reverse Heavens.”

He murmured the spell.

At the same time, stars began to rise in the sky.

Between the pouring thunderstorm, the stars that had begun to rise soon expanded their range in an instant.

Several stars vanished because of the thunderstorm.

But they regenerated.

Dozens of stars vanished because of the thunderstorm.

But they regenerated.

Hundreds of stars vanished because of the thunderstorm.

However.

Hwaaaaaak—!

They regenerated.

The endlessly spreading stars took their place in Peach Blossom Spring.

Hundreds—

Thousands of stars.

And—

“Fixation.”

Phrases began flowing from Alon’s mouth.

“Remanence.”

Between the thunderstorms that had been falling without rest, the magic spheres that had maintained the shapes of pure white stars all began to blur and vaporize at once—

“Designation.”

The next moment.

They gathered in one place.

Finally.

[-]

The moment the Karma seat saw the stars gathered in the sky.

Third-tier magic.

The original form of Hold.

“Eternal Grief.”

Alon’s mouth murmured the final sentence.

At that moment.

──────────!!!!

The thunderstorm stopped.

No.

The world stopped.

As though this world itself had come to a halt.

Everything stopped.

[!]

Surprise filled the Karma seat of immortal cultivation’s expression for an instant.

Conversely, a slightly labored breath flowed from Alon’s mouth.

[How fascinating. You didn’t use anything like this before—]

Along with that came the Karma seat’s remark.

At that relaxed voice, as though she had no reason to hide that she knew him from the first round, Alon did not bother answering.

Instead.

“That is fortunate.”

He only said one thing while looking at the Karma seat, who seemed completely unable to move.

[I see, so that’s how it is? But are you sure this is all right?]

The Karma seat asked with a meaningful smile.

[Looking at you, aside from a few things, you’re no different from “before.” If you use all your strength to stop me, you won’t be able to eliminate the root, will you?]

“.......”

The Karma seat had seen through the current situation.

Alon had no choice but to close his mouth.

Right now, Alon had stopped her attack, and beyond that, he had even stopped her.

However, what Alon could do ended precisely there.

“Hoo—”

No, in truth, even now he was overexerting himself.

The mana that would normally be generated endlessly enough to burst his body was being sucked into the magic he had unfolded, and there was already not much left.

Even so, there were two reasons Alon could remain calm.

“Don’t worry. I do not know about that time you remember, but—”

One reason was that he did not know who the Alon of “that time” the Karma seat remembered had possessed.

“Right now, there are any number of people who can take my place.”

[!]

But now, Penia was here.

And likewise.

“And someone who can attack the root.”

Because Blackie was here.

Penia’s attack, already aimed toward the Karma seat.

And far away.

In the dark moon sky—

[Kkyu—!]

Seeing the enormous spiral-shaped bow about to be fired as though it had been waiting all along.

[.......]

The Karma seat’s face stiffened.

####

“.......”

Deus opened his eyes.

What he could see was the world he had seen before.

A world where the sunset was dyeing everything red.

In the sky, corpses with nooses around their necks swayed faintly.

On the ground, corpses could be seen bowing toward the temple visible far in the distance.

The world inside the space created by the Karma seat of Salvation.

He was not surprised.

“.......”

Deus looked over that place, let out a short sigh, and stepped forward.

He passed the corpses hanging in the sky, and after that, he passed the corpses bowing on the ground.

And so, when Deus finally reached the front of the temple, what he could see was—

[You arrived.]

The Karma seat of Salvation, sitting on an enormous stone throne just as before and looking at Deus.

Wearing a smiling clown mask over his face, and priestly robes that looked like a clown’s clothes.

Deus quietly murmured.

“We are not starting from ‘outside’ like last time.”

At that, the Karma seat answered calmly.

[I already heard your impression once, so is there any need to show it again? Or—have you felt like seriously thinking about salvation?]

Deus fell silent.

Soon, he quietly recited.

“May I ask a few things I am curious about?”

[What?]

“Why did you call me?”

At the calm question, the Karma seat answered immediately.

[Because I wanted to save you the most.]

“......Save?”

[Yes, salvation.]

“You always speak of salvation.”

[Because that is my meaning.]

“Then let me ask one more thing.”

[Ask.]

At the Karma seat’s words, as though he were doing Deus a favor, Deus threw out another question.

“Do you remember before?”

[Remember?]

“I mean when you called Lord Alon an ‘incarnation of self-destruction.’”

At Deus’s words, the Karma seat fell silent for an instant, then answered.

[Why that?]

“What did that mean?”

At Deus’s question, the Karma seat looked at him for a while with an expression hidden behind the mask, then spoke.

[I don’t particularly want to talk about that.]

The Karma seat avoided answering, then continued.

[More importantly, why are you curious about something like that? Are you trying to delay salvation even a little longer?]

“.......”

[But unfortunately, now that you have entered this place, there is no way for you to get out. You know that, don’t you? Once you have entered this place, there is only one choice decided for you.]

A smile flowed into the Karma seat’s murmur.

[Salvation.]

“.......”

[Only salvation will make you comfortable.]

The Karma seat rose.

The next moment, he was in front of Deus.

As though he had become a god.

Ignoring even every law, he had already arrived in front of Deus.

[So you do not need to bother dragging out time. The conclusion will converge into one anyway.]

The Karma seat continued speaking with a smile.

However, Deus only stared at him.

There was no particular emotion visible in his eyes.

“You seem to be misunderstanding something.”

[What?]

“I am not dragging out time. I was only satisfying my curiosity to the end.”

[Ah, so these are your last questions before receiving salvation?]

“That is not it either. First, one thing. I have not particularly resigned myself, nor was I trying to buy time. To begin with—”

Simply without emotion.

“—I wanted myself to enter this place.”

That was all he said.

[......What?]

For an instant, doubt entered the Karma seat of Salvation’s voice, but Deus continued.

“So what I am asking now is simply pure curiosity. Why you said such a thing to Lord Alon. And whether you truly chose me according to Lord Alon’s ‘prediction.’”

[......You.]

And only at that point did the Karma seat of Salvation sense a sense of wrongness.

‘Something is different.’

The Karma seat of Salvation looked at Deus before him.

His appearance was no different from before.

Strength?

The Karma seat did sense that Deus had clearly become stronger compared to before.

However, that was only the result of struggling as one mere human, and he clearly recognized that it was not to the degree of reaching the Karma seat.

In other words, the Deus before him had not changed that much.

But he had changed.

Something had.

Subtly.

No.

Clearly.

As though...... like the Star Eater.

And the moment he recalled that.

[......!]

The Karma seat of Salvation realized that strange difference.

[You—]

The Karma seat of Salvation’s voice was heard.

And along with that, a series of memories flashed through Deus’s mind.

They were memories from the past week.

‘I reject it.’

‘No.’

‘Impossible.’

The first thing that came to mind was a firm voice.

A voice calmly refusing with an expression that did not change in the slightest.

‘......There must be another way.’

‘That is too dangerous.’

‘I think it would be better to take a more roundabout path.’

‘My law does not exist to be used that way.’

The next voice he heard was a voice trying to persuade him.

The final voice he heard was—

‘......Deus, I will say it once more. That is too dangerous. No matter what, you have too much to lose.’

A voice worrying about him.

And.

‘I know. But if I, who am still lacking, am to use what Lord Alon gave me—’

‘.......’

‘If I am to grow stronger and move forward, then it is absolutely necessary.’

Deus’s voice, persuading Alon.

And.

‘......I still have no intention of turning you into a Sin.’

‘.......’

‘But—’

The final voice he heard was.

A voice mixed with unmistakable concern and worry.

However.

‘If that is truly what you want—’

—it was also a voice mixed with resolve.

[You discarded your emotions.]

The Karma seat of Salvation’s voice had already grown quiet.

The amused voice disappeared.

What came in its place was a hardened voice.

“I did not discard them.”

Deus’s eyes began changing into black reversed pupils.

Along with that, the skein of thread already held in his hand twisted grotesquely and moved behind Deus’s back.

And with the ground where he stood as the center, a violet space began to erode.

And finally—

“They were only clouded for a moment.”

Deus—

No.

The Sin of Sloth looked at the savior and murmured calmly.