harleyscars Page 62
Page 62
This is the home of the gods, this is paradise for men, but you tempted primordial serpent! Return to mythology!
Based on the paradise of the Crown of Wisdom, Kenneth constructed this Eden recorded in mythology. The white light dispelled the darkness, and Sajō Aika, held by the neck by Kenneth, ceased her struggle at that moment. Miracles are not accidental; they are destined. When Sajō Aika transformed into a beast, she bore the legend of the 666 Beast, the legend of the seductive serpent. Here, having lost her beast form, Sajō Aika can only be that crawling serpent.
Chapter 163 Imprisonment
Relying on the inherent barrier of the Crown of Wisdom, Kenneth seized the concept of Adam, the primordial being, and with the magic of the Third Law as its foundation and the biblical record as its core, the seemingly paradoxical barrier dragged Aika Sajou's soul into it.
"Is this your method? You can't kill me either. How long can its protection last?"
As if to confirm Ayaka Sajou's words, the barrier that replicated Nero—the Golden Theater that invites the heart to tremble—sounded as it crumbled. The protection of humanity rapidly dissolved, and the concept of the Beast of 666 was constantly eroding this barrier called Eden.
"Yes, you can't be kept here, and I can't kill you."
With a sudden burst of force, Kenneth embedded Ayaka Sajou's soul directly into the grass covered with gold and jewels. The savagery in his eyes faded, and a compassion that shouldn't exist appeared on Kenneth's face.
[Declaration—I destroy, I create. I harm, I save. No one escapes my hand, no one is left unseen, returning to dust.]
The dissipating white light foreshadowed the start of the ceremony: the baptismal chants of the Holy Church, the only miracle permitted to be learned by the Church, a simple ritual to elevate lost souls and send them back to their rightful "seat." Sajou Aika panicked, waving her hands to pry open the hand choking her throat, her struggling legs kicking Kenneth's chest repeatedly.
"Impossible! This is impossible! How could you, a magician, possibly use this! This..."
The scorching flames spread from the ground, and Ayaka Sajou's expression became incredibly distorted in the flames of liberation. With a sudden burst of strength, she smashed the gems that covered the ground, and Kenneth choked her before she could even utter a question.
The defeated and the old are called to me. They commit themselves to me, learn from me, and serve me faithfully...
【Give you rest. Do not forget to sing praises, do not forget to pray, do not forget my name, my body is light, I liberate you from the weight and suffering of all things, cast off your disguise.】
"This is impossible! You have no faith at all! Your foundation..."
Her hands, scorched by the flames, gripped Kenneth's wrists tightly over the pillar of fire. Sajou Aika's voice grew increasingly hysterical. Over the rising flames, Kenneth gazed at the dead soul before him with a saintly look.
To forgive with revenge, to trust with betrayal, to hope with despair, to light with darkness, to the things of this world with a gloomy death—rest is what I bring. Burn your sins, brand them.
Dragging Sajou Aika's body into the air, the baptismal chant, far surpassing that of a fanatic, completely engulfed the figure in his hands. As the baptismal chant came to an end, the soul in Kenneth's hands completely lost its resistance at this moment.
[Eternal life can only be granted by death; forgiveness be upon me, I, who have taken flesh, hereby swear that the Lord may have mercy on this sorrowful soul.]
As the chanting of faith ended, Kenneth released his grip, and Sajō Aika's body slammed heavily onto Eden, paved with gold and jewels. Looking down at the utterly defenseless Sajō Aika, Kenneth's voice was completely flat:
"I am not a believer, but this is Eden, and I am Adam!"
"Drink—drink! It's run out of supplies, you can't kill me... Soon, very soon I'll be gone... You'll become a part of me completely..."
Panting as she got up from the ground, Ayaka Sajou stared at the man before her with eyes full of greed. The remnants of her humanity had been burned away, and Ayaka Sajou had now transformed into a beast that devoured everything.
"Yes, I can't kill you anymore, but when did I ever say I was going to kill you? Who gave you the illusion that I'm a savior!"
The aura of the Third Law filled the shattered Garden of Eden, and the shimmering white magic formed a cage that imprisoned Ayaka Sajou's body on the spot. With the same greedy gaze, Kenneth stood in front of Ayaka Sajou.
"Dedicate everything to my completion, Aika Sajou."
The sound dissipated, and the gleaming white cage, drawn by the laws of the soul, surged towards the materialized soul. With the blessing of humanity, it resisted the beast's corruption; with the barrier of Eden, it separated the soul; with the baptism of faith, it crushed the rebellious consciousness, sealing the passage to the source within its body. It used the world, it used humanity, to gain the greatest benefit in the struggle between the world and the beast.
Outside, with Ayaka Sajou's soul imprisoned, the all-consuming Beast 666 also ceased its actions. Sensing the Beast 666's abnormality, Jeanne d'Arc solemnly lowered the flag spear in her hand.
"Now you can tell me what his plan is!"
"Master succeeded."
Faced with Chris's explanation, Jeanne replied: "Old man, subway, cell phone." Just as Jeanne was struggling with the Riddler, Mordred, having dealt with the Servant clone, looked towards the distant mountain peaks based on his ancestral intuition.
Familiar armor, different physique, a twitch of the nose, and a somewhat similar aura caused Mordred's sword-wielding hand to tremble unconsciously. A surge of inexplicable anger rose within her, and Mordred appeared before the cloaked man, sword in hand, wielding the King's Sword designed to counter the ahoge (cowlick).
"Who are you?!"
"Are you Mordred from this world? How adorable."
The voice etched into his DNA made Mordred tremble. Crimson lightning crackled around the King's Sword, and without a word, Mordred swung it at the old sword.
"Merlin! What are you doing wearing my father's clothes?!"
With a clang, the invisible sword blocked the king's sword, and the crimson demonic lightning dissipated in the swirling wind. As if recalling something unpleasant, the old swordsman raised his sword-wielding hand and sent Mordred flying.
"Merlin, she's here too! And she didn't slack off at all."
"she??"
Catching the old sword's choice of words, Mo Zai, whose brain wasn't working properly, started spinning her ponytail rapidly.
"Is that so? So Merlin in this world is a man, oh my god!!"
A chill ran down his spine. Thinking of the masculine Merlin causing trouble in front of him, Old Sword felt his holy sword wanting to be unleashed uncontrollably.
Meryl: Pass! Pass!
Banishing the malice from his mind, Old Sword turned around and removed his cloak. Before Old Sword could speak, Mordred, whose expression changed rapidly, raised his royal sword and attacked once again.
"It was you! Gawain, you gorilla, why did you steal my father's clothes!"
With a clang, Old Sword, no longer wanting to explain, sent Mordred flying while simultaneously dispelling the barrier and revealing the holy sword before Mordred's eyes. Looking at the dumbfounded child, Old Sword spoke gently:
"Lord Mordred, I am Arthur Pendragon, the Arthur of another world, and I have come in search of evil."
You, you, you!!
Leaving aside the dumbfounded Mordred, during the time that Old Saber appeared, the Heroic Spirits who had already eliminated the Servant clones also focused their attention on the mountain where Old Saber was located. Clearly, Old Saber's self-introduction was also for the others.
"Another King Arthur? How amazing. Indeed, I still have a lot to learn."
Muttering to himself, Karna, shrouded in flames, slowly landed in front of Old Sword. Following Old Sword's gaze, he looked at the malfunctioning 666 Beast. Having already understood the other party's intentions, Karna conjured a divine spear and blocked Old Sword's path.
"King Arthur of a parallel world! Until I fall, no passage is permitted!"
Following Karna's statement, Kyoshiko and Chris drew their weapons and stood before the old sword. Just as the atmosphere grew increasingly tense, a wail resounded, and under everyone's gaze, the thousand-meter-tall 666 beast collapsed rapidly as if deflated.
Chapter 164 The Opportunity for Usurpation
A sea of stars, an endless sea of stars. The moment Kenneth completely sealed Ayaka Sajou, Kenneth's consciousness was almost overwhelmed by the star-like scene. These were the pasts of those devoured by the Beast 666, a heavy burden enough to burn away the rationality of an ordinary person. Imprisoning the Beast with a human body, Kenneth's spirit was already on the verge of its limit.
A vast sea of memories flashed before his eyes, suppressing the stinging pain in his soul. Kenneth observed these people's lives as if he were a bystander. Kenneth knew very well that when he immersed himself in any one of them, his spirit would be lost in this sea of lives.
"You're exhausted, go to sleep... just leave everything to me..."
"Shut up right now, Aika Sajou!"
While Kenneth was resisting the mental onslaught, the imprisoned Ayaka Sajou used her bewitching voice to manipulate his consciousness. This was the final gamble; if he could withstand this, the cage of the imprisoning beast would close completely, and Ayaka Sajou would have no chance of escape.
"What are you thinking... You are evil, I am evil... You are also pursuing depravity, aren't you?"
"Why refuse me? If we unite, nothing in the world can stop us."
...
Calm her mind and ignore the whispers in her ear. As the third method continued to strengthen, Aika Sajou's voice became intermittent.
"You...can't hold...me down!"
"I can't keep you in my arms, yes, but what I want to do is control you!"
The cloying laughter ceased, Kenneth's mind cleared, and his perpetually active soul showed signs of fatigue. His materialized soul closed its eyes, and Kenneth's consciousness fell into a long-lost tranquility.
What is your true nature?
"To survive...to live a better life..."
In a daze, Kenneth, completely relaxed, couldn't even open his eyes.
What is your true nature?
"Humans...humans filled with desires..."
The voice carried absolute pressure, and under this inexplicable force, Kenneth was completely unable to avoid the question. The bell tolled, and Kenneth's consciousness instantly returned. The space imprisoning his consciousness shattered, and the body of the Beast 666 dissipated at that moment. Touching his still-present head, Kenneth, with lingering fear, used the Third Law to construct a temporary body for himself.
A whooshing sound came from above. Karna, who had been leading the way, exchanged a glance with Kenneth and then silently returned to Kenneth's side. Footsteps followed one after another. Kenneth stood up somewhat unsteadily and met those green eyes that resembled the same kind of ahoge (cowlick) on his head.
"Master of the Black Faction, you now..."
While Kenneth and the Old Sword were locked in a stalemate, Joan of Arc, sensing Kenneth's condition, placed her hand on the hilt of the Sword of Saint Catherine. Under Joan of Arc's divine revelation, Kenneth's aura was constantly shifting between the beast and the human.
"I'm fine, Ruler."
Kenneth gave Joan of Arc a perfunctory answer and continued to stare at the Old Sword. After a while, the Old Sword sheathed the invisible sword in his hand.
"You sealed it away?"
"As you can see."
With narrowed eyes and a serious expression, Old Sword stared at Kenneth, who was constantly exuding the aura of a beast with a 666-like aura.
"You can't keep it in check; it will break free."
"I know."
With his hand gripping the hilt, the old sword couldn't comprehend Kenneth's thoughts. The man before him knew how terrifying the monster was, yet he felt no sense of danger whatsoever.
"You want to be it?"
"No, I will control it!"
Intuition told Old Sword that the man before him was serious. Taking a few deep breaths, Old Sword finally loosened his grip on the hilt.
"I'll be back before things get worse."
The cloak covered her face again, and the old sword disappeared under everyone's gaze. After seeing the old sword off, Kenneth looked back at Joan of Arc, whose expression was solemn.
"Ruler, I'm fine, now and forever."
"I hope so."
Combining her revelation with the conversation between Kenneth and the old sword, Joan of Arc had already guessed Kenneth's intentions—a plan that could be described as insane. Faced with Kenneth, who had imprisoned himself, Joan of Arc, who dared not gamble, also loosened her grip on the hilt of her sword.
"It looks like this thing's magic is almost completely drained. Ruler, aren't we going to go see that guy?"
Reminded by Kenneth, Joan of Arc then noticed the Great Grail that looked exactly like a stone. Following Kenneth's gaze, Joan of Arc looked at Amakusa, who was staggering.
"Astolfo Flying Kick!"
With a clang, despite being told it was a flying kick, Astolfo struck Amakusa on the head with Achilles' shield. Amakusa's decades-long plan had failed. Sitting amidst the ruins of the Yggdrasil Tree, Kenneth closed his eyes wearily. Having imprisoned Ayaka Sajou, the rudimentary Holy Grail device was meaningless to Kenneth. With proper manipulation, he could reach the omnipotent realm that every magician yearned for.
Calming his restless soul, Kenneth knew who it was from the footsteps he heard. Magic containing the Third Law surged forth, and the curse of Lion's Demise crumbled before the higher level of mystery with a wave of his hand.
"You did very well. Start a new life, Lion's Roar."
Opening his eyes, Kenneth saw a somewhat bewildered Mordred. With a thought, the Command Seal of Lion's Claw appeared on his arm. Looking at the crowd confronting each other before the Greater Grail, Kenneth calmly said:
"Mordred, I will grant your wish as well. Before that, I think you must have a lot to say to your Master. I will summon you one day from now."
The ownership of the Greater Grail was no longer Kenneth's concern. He stood up and looked at the workshop in Tulipas. Just now, the barrier Kenneth had left in the workshop had been activated. As the saying goes, a pillow is sent when you're sleepy. Kenneth was already missing that shameless old man, the Jewel King. He activated the transfer spell, and under Kenneth's gaze, Kyoko walked into the magic room filled with blue light. Facing Kenneth's gaze, Kyoko devoutly gave an explanation.
“My Lord has given me revelation, and I will quietly await the arrival of destiny.”
Ignoring what destiny King Hassan had left for Kyo, and having no intention of cleaning up the mess, Kenneth accepted Kyo's choice. The next second, Kenneth appeared in the workshop in Tulipas. On the temporary test bench, Gemstone was embedding the furnace core that Kenneth had left in the workshop into the man-man colored staff.
"You're back. You really caused quite a stir this time. My old bones almost fell apart."
"You don't seem to be in the mood for a broken body. As a senior, shouldn't you give me some guidance on what the true Dharma is like?"
Raising his cheerful Mystic Code above his head, under Kenneth's regretful gaze, Zelrich's serious formal attire transformed into a shimmering magical girl-themed outfit.
Suppressing the urge to punch the shameless old man in front of him, Kenneth lay down on the rocking chair in the middle of the room.
"It seems you've noticed, just as you thought, that before you acquire the Law, you are ultimately human, and your capacity determines how much you can obtain."
The doubts were answered, the last veil of fog surrounding Kenneth dissipated, the path ahead was already beckoning, and the miracle of completion lay within the cage Kenneth had built.
"Your actions have attracted someone's attention, and how long can you withstand that thing's corrosive influence?"
"I've already attracted that thing's attention. As for what's inside my body, I think I already have a solution."
The aura of Human Order had not yet dissipated. Over the course of several days, Kenneth glimpsed a corner hanging over the heads of primates—the unconscious force guiding humanity and driving what was called Human Order. A plan that could be described as insane surfaced in Kenneth's mind: to use a human body to usurp the power of Human Order and completely overturn the consciousness that weighed down on them.
Volume: Volume 4
Chapter 165 Mo Zai's Mental Breakdown
Kenneth had a dream, or rather, Kenneth witnessed the Holy Grail War in Tokyo from an observer's perspective. The difference was that Kenneth was sacrificed to the Beast 666, while standing above the void was Ayaka Sajou, her chest pierced. Her body was disintegrated, her soul assimilated. The extremely familiar pain startled Kenneth awake. He raised his hand, and his arm, which dissipated like smoke, indicated that what Kenneth saw was not an illusion.
"We really can't let our guard down for even a moment, Aika Sajou."
During Kenneth's rest, Sajō Aika, whom he had imprisoned, interfered with Kenneth's soul with her overwhelming magic. Realizing that he might have to engage in a fierce battle with Sajō Aika, even Kenneth, who possessed limitless energy, couldn't help but feel somewhat conflicted. The escaping corruption dissipated under the suppression of the Third Law, the disintegrated arm reassembled, and looking at the wall clock, Kenneth fell into thought.
Through the power of human reasoning, Kenneth has come to understand what the so-called Alaya is: the survival consciousness of all individuals within a primate group, a safety mechanism to prevent humanity from heading towards destruction. In short, it is the collective consciousness of the human group to seek advantage and avoid harm; under this clear direction, anything that contradicts the survival of humanity will be met with the hostility of Alaya.