Episode 402
‘I will share the cost of the contract that Lena must pay.’
Chris was the original target of this contract.
By dividing the price, he could lessen the burden of the contract’s responsibility that Lena had to bear.
—“You want to share the… cost of the contract? Do you even understand what that means?”
‘I’m not offering myself as a sacrifice. I just want to take on a portion of the cost.’
—“Still… you won’t be able to escape death.”
Even if he took only part of the cost, survival was impossible. That’s how dreadful this contract was.
‘I’m fine with that.’
—“What…? I… I don’t wish for your death…”
‘It doesn’t matter if I die, because I’ll just come back to life.’
—“…What?”
‘Besides, I have to die for my soul to rightfully go to Gehenna. So death is inevitable.’
Mephina flinched.
She sensed that Chris was hatching some kind of absurd plan.
‘As long as the body I return to is well preserved, there’s no need to fear death.’
Death meant the soul leaving the body and heading to the afterlife.
It was different from the soul’s complete annihilation.
If the body could be preserved and the soul could return from the afterlife, resurrection was entirely possible.
‘Of course, returning from the afterlife is impossible in normal circumstances.’
If it were possible, the world would be full of people who had experienced resurrection, but no transcendent being had ever come back from death.
‘I’m fine. After all, I have to accomplish something far more difficult than just coming back to life.’
Chris shared his plan with Mephina.
‘According to my proposal, I’ll bring you back to the Upper Three Realms.’
—“…What?”
‘You said it yourself, didn’t you? If I reach the Tenth Rank, it’s possible. I’ll go to Gehenna and ascend to the Tenth Rank.’
—“Do you even know what the Tenth Rank means?”
If the Ninth Rank was becoming a superhuman beyond human limits, able to manipulate the world’s causality, the Tenth Rank was different.
It was the realm of embodying causality itself.
In other words:
‘Yes, it means becoming a truly great being as a human.’
—“!!”
It was something he had to accomplish no matter what.
Both the Demon King and the Archmage were Tenth Rank.
‘Becoming a great being of that magnitude is impossible by ordinary means, even for me. But in Gehenna, there’s a way to try.’
Realizing Chris was serious, Mephina let out a low laugh.
—“Fine… I’ll make a contract with you.”
‘Good. When I die, lead my soul to the Seventh Realm.’
At that moment, a piercing shout rang out.
“Chris-ti-an!!!”
It was Idrinne.
Did she sense something ominous? Her expression was desperate.
She wasn’t the only one. Everyone else looked at him with the same grave eyes.
Chris lifted the corner of his mouth.
“I’ll be back. Everyone, just wait a little longer.”
“!!”
At the same time—
A blinding white light flooded his vision.
Death engulfed him.
His consciousness drifted in a colorless space.
‘Is this the afterlife?’
He had no knowledge of what happened after death.
After his previous life’s Ragnarok, he had immediately reincarnated.
Then, Mephina’s voice echoed.
—“This is the Path of Emptiness. It’s the road you pass before reaching the ‘Crossroads.’”
He had heard of the Crossroads.
It was the place where one’s afterlife fate was decided—paradise or hell—based on the sins committed in life.
—“Originally, with the karma you’ve accumulated, you should be going to paradise, to the most glorious place there.”
—“No. I don’t need that. Lead my soul to the Seventh Realm.”
Just as sinners suffered in hell, which belonged to Gehenna, paradise was part of the Celestial Realm.
Going to paradise would be like walking willingly into enemy territory.
—“Before you enter the Seventh Realm, I’ll tell you more about it.”
—“…The Seventh Realm is where fallen demons and renegade angels are imprisoned. Now, it’s used as a prison for those who opposed the apocalypse.”
—“How is your power sealed there?”
Mephina was a Third Realm Great Being.
Not just one, but a whole group like her had been sealed, so the seal couldn’t be easy.
—“They’re sealed in the deepest abyss of the Seventh Realm. The Third Realm Great Beings of the Dark Heavens take turns guarding the seal.”
If Third Realm Great Beings guarded it, breaking the seal was considered impossible.
Even if he became Tenth Rank and gained the status of a Great Being.
‘I’d only reach about the Fourth Realm level even if I became Tenth Rank.’
Mephina continued.
—“If you become Tenth Rank, there’s a way to evade the gaze of the Third Realm Great Beings. For a short time, you’ll be able to regain my sealed power. Leave what happens after that to me.”
Chris scoffed inwardly.
‘She plans to abandon me once she regains her power.’
He couldn’t forget.
Mephina’s opposition to the apocalypse and her help were all for her own selfish desires. Once her goal was achieved, what would she do?
There was no clause in their contract that she would take responsibility for him until the end. She would abandon him once her purpose was fulfilled.
‘Well, it doesn’t matter.’
He had no intention of following Mephina’s plan.
On the contrary.
He planned to use Mephina—and everyone trapped in the Seventh Realm.
That was why he was willing to risk death.
—“Now… I’m entering the Seventh Realm. Be prepared.”
Prepared.
With that meaningful word, his vision shifted.
The deepest, darkest abyss of Gehenna.
The Seventh Realm.
Pitch-black darkness.
An endless abyss.
A crushing pressure, as if a giant had stomped on him, weighed down on his soul.
—“This place is a space of punishment. It won’t be easy for you to endure.”
Chris nodded.
Just existing here placed an enormous strain on the soul.
If Chris were mortal, his soul would have collapsed immediately.
This place was originally a prison for Great Beings.
—“I don’t know how you plan to reach the Tenth Rank… but you should hurry. This isn’t a place where your level can endure long.”
Mephina lowered her voice.
—“And… you’re not alone here in the Seventh Realm… so be careful with your actions.”
She meant the other Great Beings and Great Stars.
He could already feel their piercing gazes.
—I’ll protect you as much as I can…
—“No, that’s unnecessary. I’ll clear away these bothersome things myself.”
Chris pushed away the barrier Mephina had set up for him and moved forward.
Chilling stares, as if tearing his soul apart, pierced him.
Even so, these were still Great Beings.
It was difficult to endure, but Chris forced a crooked smile.
As a newcomer, he made his first greeting.
—“Is this the gathering place for idiots?”
Did they not understand what he said?
For a moment, the atmosphere fell silent.
Only briefly.
—“What did you just say?”
A storm of murderous energy from the enraged Great Beings crashed down.
Chris didn’t flinch; instead, he raised the stakes of his words.
—“Am I wrong? For beings of this caliber to be sealed in an abyss because of some scheme… calling you idiots is an understatement. And on top of that, you can’t even recognize the savior who’s come to free you from this hell.”
Suddenly, the murderous intent directed at him stopped.
They reacted to the word ‘savior.’
—“What… do you mean by that?”
A humanoid figure appeared from the darkness of the abyss.
Radiating the energy of brilliant stars, it seemed to be an avatar of a Great Star.
‘Is this the representative of the Great Stars sealed here?’
Despite most of its power being bound, an overwhelming presence was felt.
Third Realm. It appeared to be the highest rank among them.
Normally, such a high being would be unapproachable, but Chris kept his arrogant expression.
—“You’ve been spying on the surface for a long time, so you must know who I am.”
—“Shut up, arrogant human. What do you mean by helping us?”
—“I’ll break your seals.”
An astonishing claim.
This was Chris’s plan.
‘If I break their seals, Gehenna and the Celestial Realm won’t be able to focus on the surface anymore. They’ll be too busy fighting these beings.’
The Great Star’s avatar frowned.
A look that said it was nonsense.
—“You don’t understand how our source of power is protected. If you keep spouting nonsense, I’ll tear your soul into thousands of pieces and annihilate it.”
Perhaps fearing a clash, Mephina intervened.
—“Christian… what are you saying all of a sudden? No matter how much you become Tenth Rank, it’s impossible to break all our seals.”
What Mephina wanted was just to regain her power by some shortcut.
—“No, I can do it.”
—“!!”
—“You’ve been spying on me for a long time, so you should know. This kind of thing? With my ability, it’s entirely possible.”
It was a lie.
It was impossible.
‘But if I can use these guys, the story changes.’
Exactly.
The success of his plan depended on whether he could make these beings his pawns.
The future was what mattered.
—“Mephina, are you satisfied with just regaining your power? And then calling yourself a Great Archdemon?”
Mephina remained silent.
Of course not.
How could she call herself a Great Archdemon without taking revenge on the enemies who had thrown her into this pit with such a vile scheme?
—“The others here are just as pathetic. They’re like maggots fallen to the bottom, yet they think to persecute me. Truly, Great Stars and Archdemons, huh?”
The atmosphere fell silent.
No one dared to speak despite the grave insult.
After a while—
—“What method do you have?”
—“I can’t explain the exact method. But promise me your full cooperation. Then I’ll free your source.”
It was an absurd demand.
Asking for cooperation without even explaining the method first.
As expected, the great dignitaries who heard the story were furious.
“If you don’t like it, then quit. I’m only here to benefit myself, and once I leave this Seventh Realm, that’s the end of it.”
“!!”
“Or do you have some other plan? You’re nothing but powerless beings stuck in this cesspool, just waiting for the inevitable destruction to come.”
Chris crossed his arms, his form flickering as a spirit.
“I think you’re mistaken. Right now, you’re not the ones in control. You’re not even second-class players—you’re insignificant pawns.”
No one could argue against that.
Then, from a dark corner, a low voice spoke up.
“I… the ‘Screamer’ will accept your proposal.”
“!!”
The avatar of the Great Star turned sharply, surprised.
“Heh heh… isn’t that right? If we’re just going to wait for destruction, it’s better to grasp at any straw we can.”
One by one, voices of agreement began to rise.
In the end, even the avatar of the Great Star nodded.
“…So, you really have a way?”
“Of course. But only if you fully commit to following my instructions, as you promised.”
At that moment, a sharp voice cut through the room.
“Everyone… what foolishness is this? You’re seriously going to trust a mere mortal like him?”
Turning to look, they saw a humanoid male avatar glaring at Chris.
‘Is that the avatar of the Archdemon from the Third Realm?’