Became the Patron of Villains Chapter 602: Direction (4)

~9 minute read · 2,262 words

Previously on Became the Patron of Villains...

Deus is brutally beaten by the Karma seat of Salvation, yet remains defiant. Alon and Penia attempt an attack, but it proves ineffective against the Karma seat. Deus, recalling Alon's words, realizes the Karma seat's motivation and confronts him directly. The Karma seat attacks Deus again, but Deus anticipates the move and appears before the Karma seat, touching his forehead.

“.......”

[.......]

They looked at each other.

A silence that lasted only the briefest instant.

But in the next moment, the Karma seat’s finger had already moved.

─────────!!!

At that moment, the ash-gray world burst apart.

Dust exploded outward in an instant, and the temple that had been perfectly intact only a moment ago collapsed in miserable ruin.

And the one who walked out of that shattered temple was—

[Ha.]

The Karma seat of Salvation.

Unlike Deus, the Karma seat of Salvation walked out in a form far too intact, as though he had not suffered even the slightest damage, and gave an incredulous laugh behind the mask.

Where he sent his gaze—

Deus was there.

His condition was still bad enough to be called the worst.

And yet, despite that, the Karma seat of Salvation’s expression was not good.

Because he had seen it.

Those eyes.

Those eyes, feeling no particular sentiment about the current situation.

[.......]

Irritation filled the Karma seat of Salvation’s eyes.

What rose next was doubt.

That was, at least as far as the Karma seat thought, impossible.

No, it had to be impossible.

That was not something one could imitate.

What the Karma seat of Salvation was doing in this space right now was not any action or act.

He was merely outputting “cause” and “effect.”

Yes, like a god, he had erased every action and act.

Of course, the Karma seat of Salvation had given up many things to do that.

Gave up.

And in the end—

He obtained omnipotence.

Even if it was endlessly half-baked compared to true omnipotence, it was unmistakably omnipotence.

At least inside this space.

Inside this place he ruled, the ability he displayed was clearly omnipotence.

And yet.

[......How?]

How could that thing imitate the Karma seat of Salvation?

There had to be an act in order to imitate.

Imitation required a process.

If there was no process, imitation could not exist.

That was why it could not be imitated.

Because his power had no process.

And yet.

[Why—]

The Karma seat’s expression distorted.

The eyes visible beyond the mask narrowed ferociously.

A twisted cruelty unsuited to a savior gathered in his eyes.

And with it—

Tsst—!

The Karma seat of Salvation appeared in front of Deus.

The Karma seat, appearing as though the process had been omitted and only the conclusion existed—

silently brought his finger to Deus’s heart.

And then.

────────KWAAAAAA—!

The battle began.

Just when it seemed Deus’s body had been slammed into the ground, it shot up into the sky.

Just when it seemed he had shot up into the sky, he was plunged into lava that had appeared at some point.

There was not even time for him to scream at the chilling TSSSSSSSSS—! that rang out before Deus’s body flew somewhere again.

A process so fast it was impossible to follow with ordinary human perception.

KWAAANG—!

Deus’s body was slammed into the ground.

KWADDDDDDDK—!

And as though it had been waiting, the earth folded in half and crushed Deus down just like that.

While undergoing that overwhelming attack, Deus recalled the conversation he had with Alon.

‘......Deus, I will say this one more time. This is dangerous.’

‘Once you use the law, you will no longer be able to return. The diluted emotions you offer as the price of the law will never come back.’

‘Even so, do you want to do it?’

‘Do you truly want to offer your emotions as the price and obtain “possibility”?’

KWADDDDDDDK—!!!

‘If that is truly what you think, then keep my words in mind.’

‘......The moment you enact the law, half of you will become “Sloth.” That is the maximum concession I can make.’

‘......And if that happens, then beyond becoming able to use that artifact, you will also be able to use Sloth’s power.’

‘Sloth’s power, sir?’

KWADDDDDDDK—!!!!

‘Deus, do you remember when we met Sloth?’

‘......What were the puppets Sloth moved like?’

‘They were strong. They also used their original abilities well enough that it was hard to believe they were puppets.’

‘That is it, Deus.’

‘......Pardon?’

‘Have you never thought about it? Why mere puppets could use their abilities that well.’

‘.......’

‘That is because—’

BANG—!

‘—at some point, after they had already stepped into Sloth’s domain for a certain amount of time, Sloth could use those abilities as well.’

‘......!’

With the sound of KWADDDDDDDK—! and a cloud of dust rising up, Deus blankly looked at the sky.

In the sunset-colored sky, a meteor had appeared before he knew it and was falling.

A meteor descending with a horrifying sound, tearing through the atmosphere as though it meant to destroy this entire world.

‘Then how were you able to win?’

‘It was simple.’

Deus lifted his gaze toward the sky.

‘Before reaching that hopeless moment—’

A KWARRRRK—! rang out.

Along with it, the skein began twisting madly.

The skein twisted.

Twisted.

Twisted, until—

‘—I stopped it.’

■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■—!!!!!!!!

A sheep’s skull head was created behind Deus.

Violet threads poured out.

The world discolored.

‘Deus.’

‘I trust you.’

‘......So do not be eaten by Sin.’

‘Instead—’

Deus’s finger rose.

And then.

‘You devour it.’

‘The Sin.’

‘......So that I do not regret this.’

Tuk—

The meteor stopped.

“.......”

Deus lowered his gaze.

There, he could see the Karma seat of Salvation with his eyes wide open.

Beneath that Karma seat, the eroded black world spread outward.

And then.

“Thanks.”

Grin.

Deus smiled.

“For inviting me—”

As though enjoying himself.

Covered in red blood.

His black reversed eyes gleaming.

“—into this world.”

However, with clear reason still visible in both eyes.

He opened his mouth.

“This world where I won’t die.”

[Ah—]

[Now I can finally convey it.]

Before long, a low voice flowed from the black sheep.

A voice Deus had once heard.

####

A horrifying thunderstorm fell in every direction.

Violently enough that the noise outside could no longer be heard.

But even within that violent thunderstorm—

“—”

the stars continued to rise.

“Hoo—”

With a short sigh from Alon, the stars that had been erased by the thunderstorm gathered all at once and instantly formed a gigantic shape.

What formed like that was a massive pillar of light.

─────────!!!!

The arrow he had calmly created while avoiding the thunderstorm, and at the same time hiding it within this pouring storm, swallowed the falling thunderstorm and shot toward the Karma seat.

However—

[Hmmm—]

The Karma seat of Immortal Cultivation merely smiled calmly as she looked at that arrow and did nothing.

Soon—

Swish—

she lightly swung her fan.

And then—

FWAAAAAAK—!

The magic that had been advancing violently as though it would swallow the Karma seat turned into cherry blossoms.

The cherry blossoms, which had become cherry blossoms and changed into the night sky’s scenery far too emptily, as though Alon’s magic held no meaning at all.

And on top of that.

[Since I received a gift, I should return one too, shouldn’t I?]

The smiling Karma seat soon lightly swung her fan once again.

From above to below, with only a light flick of her wrist.

Once.

“!”

At the chill he felt in that instant, Alon instinctively twisted his body to the side even in midair.

And then.

───────────!!

It disappeared.

The background.

The scenery that had decorated Alon’s back until just now—

as though there had been nothing there from the very beginning.

“......!!”

Alon involuntarily opened his mouth at the overwhelming sight that had occurred in a single instant, but only for a moment.

BANG—! KWAGAGAGANG—!

“Lord Alon!”

The thunderstorm fell again.

Hearing Penia’s shout from the ground, Alon hurriedly dodged and, breathing roughly, looked at the Karma seat.

“Hoo, ha—”

They had already exchanged blows with the Karma seat several times.

And yet.

[Is that the end?]

The situation was running parallel to before.

......No, it could not be called parallel.

“.......”

He looked at Penia.

Like Alon, she was breathing roughly.

A clear sign that she was exhausted.

She had certainly become stronger than before through Immortal Cultivation, but unfortunately, it still seemed impossible for her to use the magic of a True Mage for this long.

No, perhaps it could even be said that it was impressive Penia had endured this much.

The magic of a True Mage consumed an absurd amount of mana compared to ordinary magic, and it demanded an enormous amount of calculation as well.

Alon, for his part, was having Blackie handle auxiliary calculations, but from Penia’s position, where she had to perform all the calculations alone, it was no wonder she was tiring quickly.

In other words, the scales were tipping.

Not toward Alon’s group, but toward the Karma seat of Immortal Cultivation.

‘Absurd.’

And while looking at that Karma seat, Alon felt doubt.

The ability of the Karma seat of Immortal Cultivation, like the Karma seat of Salvation’s, stood in the realm of the absurd.

The Karma seat of Immortal Cultivation clearly had a definite weakness.

Her ability, as a restriction, gifted her opponent the strength called “Immortal Cultivation.”

That was not all.

Her ability also provided perfect information to her opponent as a restriction.

But even so, it was strange.

‘Can this much of a restriction obtain this much of a price?’

Alon firmly shook his head.

The Creation of Heavenly Law was a process of approaching omniscience and omnipotence.

In other words, because it was a process, although it might be similar to omniscience and omnipotence, it was not omniscient and omnipotent.

But the Karma seat before his eyes......

[Hmmm—what are you thinking about?]

She was too strong.

“.......”

Alon looked at the Karma seat of Immortal Cultivation.

Seeing her wearing a relaxed smile, as though all the clashes until now had meant nothing, Alon turned his thoughts.

What was it?

What had he missed?

What had he overlooked?

Alon’s mind spun without pause.

And at that moment—

[Ah, you’re thinking I’m too strong, aren’t you? That maybe I’ve hidden something—something like that.]

The Karma seat’s voice reached him.

“.......”

When Alon lifted his gaze at that, the Karma seat laughed softly and spoke.

[Am I right?]

“......Yes.”

[Oh, I didn’t expect you to answer so obediently.]

“Is that so?”

[Yes. ......Mm, or maybe not? Now that I think about it, even though you seem a little different from before, if I think of you as similar to last time, you might have answered obediently.]

Saying things like that while showing that subtly irritating smile, she giggled, then covered her face with her fan and spoke.

[You know, how was this world?]

At the attitude of the Karma seat of Immortal Cultivation, who suddenly began a conversation as though the battle until just now had been nothing, Alon wore a blank expression for an instant.

[Ah, if you play along with the conversation, I’ll tell you what you want to know.]

At the Karma seat’s following words, Alon answered without erasing his suspicion.

“The scenery is beautiful, but disgusting.”

[Mm—your evaluation is similar to last time. Aside from being a little colder.]

Mhm, mhm—nodding, the Karma seat soon turned her gaze to the side and looked at Penia.

[What about you?]

“.......”

Penia looked momentarily flustered, as though she had not expected the Karma seat to point her out.

But.

“The same.”

At her answer that followed, the Karma seat made a hmmm— sound and replied.

[That’s a lie.]

“......What are you talking about?”

[Ah, you don’t want to reveal it? Well—if that’s the case, I’ll pretend I don’t know. Well—this much I can do for you.]

When Penia frowned at the Karma seat’s words, the Karma seat let out a laugh and turned her gaze back toward Alon.

[Now then, since you answered my simple question, I’ll answer your curiosity too. Yes, I am hiding one fact.]

The Karma seat of Immortal Cultivation continued speaking with a smile.

Alon quietly asked.

“......Telling us information wasn’t the restriction.”

[Mm—correct. But let me say one thing first. There was no lie in anything I said, you know? And no trap either.]

“You expect me to believe that?”

[I won’t insist that you believe me. But everything is true. It is true that if you cultivate immortality, you can become stronger, and it is true that if a few months pass without you escaping, ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) this world will close and you will become elixir pills—]

“.......”

[Isn’t that right?]

Alon did not bother answering those words.

Because, laughably enough, she was not wrong.

Instead, he only held a new question.

If telling them information was not a restriction, then she had no need to tell Alon’s group such things.

No need to tell them to cultivate immortality.

No need to tell them that if several months passed, the world would close and they would become elixir pills.

Then why had she said such things to Alon’s group?

“.......”

[You’re curious, aren’t you? Why I deliberately told you things I didn’t have to tell you.]

The Karma seat of Immortal Cultivation opened her mouth as though she had seen straight through Alon’s mind.