Episode 1047
Chapter 250: Zipple and Kinzello (Part 1)
June 2, 1804 — The Tower of Stories.
Zipple was nearing the completion of merging the ‘Sanctuary’ with the Tower of Stories. The aftermath had left the area around the tower so chaotic that even Valeria struggled to make sense of the records.
“Amazing. I expected the Balmel Alliance to arrive first… but you came before them.”
At the tower’s highest floor, Keliak faced a figure who had just descended from the sky.
“More than that, I never imagined you would come first.”
Brigette.
The solar deity’s persona in the form of Temar. Compared to when he first met Zipple, Brigette now radiated even more brilliance—having claimed more flesh on his way here.
This meant his rank and power had grown significantly. Yet Keliak seemed utterly unthreatened by him.
[You knew I would come, yet you still lie so blatantly, Keliak Zipple.]
A smile tugged at Keliak’s lips.
As Brigette said, he had anticipated this encounter all along. The Demon God Stone had timed Brigette’s arrival here with absolute precision—down to the very second.
Now, it was time to see if Brigette’s words would hold true.
“If I caused offense, I apologize, Brigette, solar deity’s persona.”
[You’ve crafted a terrible device to evade my insight, dared to predict me, and even seized another of my incarnations. How could I not be displeased?]
Another incarnation—Brigette’s words referred to Zipple’s ‘Sanctuary.’
The Tower of Stories was shifting constantly, its location impossible to pinpoint even with record magic.
Yet Brigette found it instantly because he could sense the Sanctuary. It was, in itself, a solar deity’s persona—just like Brigette.
Keliak shrugged and waved his hand toward the floor.
Suddenly, a table, chairs, a teapot, and cups materialized on the empty floor, as if they had always been there.
A grotesque power mimicking the ‘true self.’
Only now did Brigette realize that Keliak’s Demon God Stone had reached this level. And with that, he understood he could not hold the upper hand in negotiations. It was yet another humiliation following his resurrection.
Keliak sat first and extended a hand toward the chair opposite him.
“I’m still clumsy with this power, so I hope the tea leaves suit your taste.”
The Demon God Stone had already completed its research on Brigette.
Brigette sensed this and took the offered seat.
[I was detected by your devices the moment I was resurrected. The incense is not to my liking.]
“Regrettable. It must reflect another persona’s preferences. Adjustments will be necessary.”
Brigette felt insulted by every word Keliak spoke. How dare this pretender to divinity mock him?
But attacking Keliak was out of the question. Killing him was impossible, and worse, he risked being ‘consumed’ by another persona.
[Malugia… I wonder how your other persona, whom you call Elona Zipple, came to be your weapon.]
“I have quite an interesting story about that. Would you like to hear it?”
[No. I know the pitiful tale of your family, starting with Reginald Zipple. What I want to know is why Malugia allowed himself to be captured by you.]
“…Allowed himself to be captured?”
For the first time, Keliak’s smile vanished.
[Malugia is the greatest persona of destruction. When we fragmented, Malugia sought to erase everything—this world we created, even ourselves. Malugia was the embodiment of the end.]
Malugia opposed nearly every persona, including Brigette, who sought to rebuild the world. His sole goal was to return everything to nothingness.
This was new information to Keliak—meaning the Demon God Stone had not relayed it.
“Fascinating.”
[Malugia chose you to bring about total annihilation. That’s the only logical assumption. Otherwise, there’s no reason he would be captured by you.]
“So you’re saying my family and I have fallen into a trap. This is… troublesome.”
[Most likely. We do not change. The persona that desires preservation continues to preserve; the one that desires reconstruction continues to reconstruct; the one that desires destruction continues to destroy. From beginning to end, never changing.]
“If Malugia was as powerful as you say, he would have had more chances to destroy the world in ancient times. So why choose such a complicated method to select us now?”
[You think a powerful being can do anything. To some extent, yes. But the world we created isn’t that simple. There are too many unnecessary variables. The sun is unstoppable, but if you cover your eyes with your hand, you can avoid its gaze, can’t you?]
Keliak’s eyes narrowed.
It was astonishing information. But even if true, it wasn’t something that would seriously harm Zipple now.
After all, Elona was slated for disposal once the final battle ended. Keliak focused less on the information and more on Brigette’s intentions.
His reason for bringing this up was clear.
“To be honest, I thought meeting the world’s creator wouldn’t hurt… but Brigette, you’ve just proven you have your own value.”
This was negotiation.
Brigette had come seeking to remove the ‘Airan’ restriction. And to secure that deal, he brought up Elona—Malugia.
[I will protect you from Malugia.]
“Hahaha…!”
Keliak leaned back, laughter spilling out. After a long moment, he met Brigette’s gaze again.
Of course, Keliak had already found a way to completely dispose of Elona Zipple. Even if control through the Holy Water Pavilion failed, he could handle Elona when the time was right.
But the more safeguards, the better—especially against a predictable solar deity’s persona.
“Oh dear, I’ve shown disrespect again. No matter how I look at it, I don’t think Brigette can do anything to Elona. But…”
Whirrrr—!
Suddenly, a dozen green windows appeared near Keliak. Inside, texts in a language only he could read described Brigette.
Brigette was growing accustomed to this human’s irreverence.
“If the personas allied with Brigette join, this might not be impossible.”
[I will awaken them.]
“But will those personas accept this humiliating deal? They might instead unite against us.”
[You speak nonsense, Keliak Zipple. Your greed to use us is so obvious that even without insight, anyone could see it.]
“My family and I want to rule the world as humans—not become a sole god like Brigette. To keep our humanity, we must make efforts like this. Otherwise, we risk thinking and acting like an immortal such as Brigette.”
Zipple’s approach was fundamentally different from Kinzello or the Solar Deity Cult. To him, the solar deity’s power was a means, never the end.
“The price Brigette demands is the removal of the ‘Airan Biment’ restriction on Temar’s body.”
Brigette nodded.
“In exchange, we will protect you if Elona Zipple ever goes out of control. And one more thing…”
[Once the Airan restriction is lifted, you will want to possess Temar’s body.]
“That’s right. Though it’s just a cumbersome shell to Brigette, it holds deep meaning for us. Shall we proceed with the contract?”
[Agreed.]
The green windows vanished, and flames erupted near Keliak—the seal of fire, the power of Shinu, the god born from the solar deity.
“This oath will be enforced by Shinu’s power. Compared to the freedom Brigette will gain, this is a minor humiliation. Place your hand here.”
Brigette reached toward the flame before Keliak. The fire coiled around his arm like a serpent—signaling the contract’s completion.
“As you know, this contract can be broken anytime before the process begins. If you find another way before I remove the Airan restriction, disperse this flame.”
Brigette stared at the fire wrapped around his left arm for a moment.
[How much time do you need?]
“Changing the history of the oldest mortal in the world will take at least half a year. If our enemies stay still, it might be shorter—but they won’t. Look, exactly seven seconds after I finish speaking, a dimensional gate will open here.”
Seven seconds later, just as Keliak said, a steel dimensional gate opened—the Orgal Gate.
But those who emerged were not the usual key players of Kinzello.
They were black figures with humanoid shapes. Seeing them, Keliak frowned and sighed.
“Helluram. Those monsters, descendants of Brigette, are targeting me. They’re called the Abyss Legion.”