Chapter 1125
Episode 258: The Predator Beyond Dimensions (15)

The sole absolute ruler reigning above all dimensions.

To the Demon God Corps, Keliak was exactly that kind of being. He transcended every known order, law, and power of their world, defied all common sense, and was an unshakable, perfect existence. Yet now, he was in a state where he needed support.

“I won’t allow anyone to insult Lord Keliak any further, Midor.”

“And if you won’t allow it, what will you do? His combat power is roughly on par with mine. If Lord Keliak stands alone and punishes me, I will accept it. I’ll probably become a soul that can’t even die. That doesn’t scare me. What frightens me is only one thing: that Keliak Jiple, the man, will betray my trust.”

“You bastard!”

[What are you babbling about? Do you find fighting easier?]

Murakan surged toward Rondo. He had transformed into a human form, keeping only his right arm in the shape of a dragon, and was sweeping over Rondo’s head.

The problem was that Rondo was momentarily shocked by Midor’s attitude. He failed to notice Murakan closing the distance in time.

Murakan’s claw sliced across Rondo’s chest. Though Rondo hastily raised a shield and pulled back, the claw had already dug in an inch or so, catching on his collarbone and sternum.

The shield backfired. Had Murakan’s claw been caught by the shield, the cut would have been clean. Instead, it left a messy, deep wound on Rondo’s chest, as if struck by a rusty, chipped blade.

“Ugh.”

At least Midor hadn’t completely betrayed them. He clenched his teeth and unleashed a spatial explosion to shake Murakan off.

“Still, let’s survive and protect him, Lord Rondo. Let’s see if our leader truly falls like this!”

Midor wasn’t the only one thinking that way.

All the Demon God Corps’ Changsung fighting alongside Rondo shared the same sentiment. If Keliak couldn’t stand on his own, he was no longer worth following.

If Keliak fell, they too would face death. The path back to their home dimension would be blocked, and some of their homelands had already been destroyed by Malugia. The Bamel Union would never forgive them.

Their only choice was to fight to the end—even if they could no longer trust Keliak.

The spear launched from the Flame Orb once again tore through the dark sky, only to vanish in vain. Its power was immense beyond words, but it was wildly off course.

[We must finish them off as soon as possible and reinforce the battlefield!]

Because Rondo was severely wounded, the Demon God Corps no longer had the capacity to support Keliak. Their best option was to endure the pressure from Murakan, the superhumans, and the fleet.

Even without Rondo, the five remaining Changsung, the gods, and the Holy Water Corps made for an incredibly strong force. But the Bamel Union had gathered people and built a fleet precisely to take down warriors like these.

[The enemy’s spears are dulling continuously. We’ll begin support from Laprarosa soon. First fleet, proceed to the battlefield.]

At Luet’s command, the flagship Sara increased its power.

Though Tess had vanished, Jin’s Azure Flame still burned bright. The flagship Sara drew a blazing blue blade and charged toward the heart of the battlefield.

Screeeech!

Sara’s blade struck Keliak’s crimson shield. Had this been when he first appeared, Sara wouldn’t have even gotten close.

But now, Keliak frowned, fully aware of Sara’s presence.

“Preposterous scrap metal…!”

A harsh grinding sound echoed between blade and shield. Keliak tried to crush the blade with his magic, but suddenly noticed Ban approaching from the side and turned his head.

Both were panting heavily, neither clearly more exhausted than the other. Ban’s sword was no longer as sharp as before, and Keliak’s senses were dulled as well.

The moment Ban’s sword pierced Keliak’s neck, the shield collapsed, and Sara stepped inside.

“Gah!”

Keliak’s eyes blazed with fury as he grabbed Sara and hurled her away like a rag doll, roaring in rage. He tried to use the ship’s hull as a shield against Ban’s sword, but Shiron and Araksion had already closed in on him.

Blood and flesh splattered. Though slower, Keliak’s regeneration would handle it, but the Changsung took note of his reaction.

‘He’s trying to avoid attacks as much as possible.’

Keliak had always fought in a way that allowed him to deliberately take some hits if it meant creating openings.

His increased focus on evasion now was likely because his regeneration had finally reached its limit. The life force he once thought endless was truly running out.

Unconsciously, his gaze shifted briefly to the center of the battlefield.

‘…Am I really paying attention to them? Wondering why they can’t pin down the flying fortress?’

Perhaps from his head bursting and regenerating so often under the Union and Immortal’s assault, Keliak mistook what Midor had said about him ten minutes ago as something that had just happened.

‘Midor, that bastard. He’s right… If I fall, he can mock and spit on me all he wants. He deserves it. Though I doubt he’ll survive the enemy’s onslaught.’

His legs felt unbearably heavy, his bones creaking with every movement. His vision flickered like a dying light, and his magic surged wildly like a raging torrent beyond his control.

There had been many mistakes leading to this state.

Suddenly, Keliak realized he wasn’t much different from the countless tyrants in history who believed they held ‘absolute power.’

‘Arrogant because of strength, complacent because of fearlessness, bored because they had everything. Those fools from history—I was no different from them…’

To change the unchanging.

Even that which never changes in any world or time can be twisted.

Keliak had long believed that his only remaining desire was this: to conquer all dimensions and resurrect the Sun God. Those were merely steps toward that goal.

But now, Keliak understood.

‘I should have been different from those common fools from the start. Because I wasn’t, I’m in this mess.’

He wanted to live.

He wanted to enjoy life. To rewrite history, move time, and shape the world as he wished. A desire more intense than ever stirred within him.

And that desire wasn’t just writhing inside him.

‘What the hell is this…!?’

Suddenly, a sticky, unpleasant liquid began to rise from the battlefield’s ground.

It glowed a vivid red, like congealed blood. Though triggered by Keliak, this change was neither magic nor blood.

It was desire.

Like a masterless warrior forming a sword from sheer will, or a mountain cleaved by a single strike of sword energy.

Keliak was materializing his desire—giving form to his inner emotions.

Within five seconds, the liquid had already spread across the entire battlefield, advancing toward the far edge of the Black Sea.

<Keliak Jiple’s desire spreads. Keliak Jiple’s desire spreads. Keliak Jiple’s desire spreads. Keliak Jiple’s desire spreads across the world…>

“Ugh…!”

Valeria suddenly gagged as she saw the entire record window overwritten with the same sentence.

“Valeria!”

“Valeria?”

Despite Jin and Enya’s calls, Valeria seemed unable to respond for a moment, struggling to maintain her composure.

As the guardian of the records and one who could ‘read’ history, she instinctively sensed the catastrophic consequences this desire would bring.

“Snap out of it!”

“This kind of record… this must never remain in the world. I can’t erase it… We have to end that monster quickly.”

“What do you mean?”

“Listen carefully, Jin. This red liquid is the materialization of Keliak’s desire, and before today ends, it will spread worldwide. Once it does, the land will never be restored. Even your regenerative powers won’t be able to stop it—it will consume everything.”

“Desire… you say? This is it?”

Looking around, it was true. The red liquid was already swallowing the golden aura left by Jin and his comrades, erasing it completely. Even the light that had never been erased by Helluram’s darkness or Malugia’s solar power.

Desire swelled.

Only moments ago, it had barely wetted their ankles; now it was rising to their knees. The Changsung and Immortals sought higher ground to avoid it while attacking Keliak.

But Malugia floated calmly in the sky, watching the spreading red liquid below with a face full of stunned disbelief.

“Keliak, you’ve ultimately failed!”

Keliak looked up at Malugia and burst into laughter.

“Now, no matter what destruction you bring, that red mark can never be erased. The so-called meaningless end can no longer come to pass.”

A mark of desire that would never vanish, even if the entire dimension met its end.

Keliak knew exactly the nature of the red liquid and masses pouring from himself.

No matter how many millions or billions of sword winds he unleashed, or how many lightning strikes exploded, the red desire only seemed to vanish briefly before surging back instantly. Just witnessing it made his mind reel.

A strange impulse swept through his head—the urge to respect and follow his own desire.

“So now, you have no reason left to fight, no reason to even exist. You won’t be scrambling to settle grudges like mortals do… Come to me. I will bring you peace.”

Malugia said nothing. Neither did Hailin, who stood beside her. Soon, they both fell to the ground like puppets with their strings cut.

Before the two could sink into the crimson sea of desire, it was Helluram who saved them. Holding the two as if they were stone statues, he looked down at Keliak.

[In the end, you’ve destroyed the world, orphan…]

At those words, Keliak’s eyes gleamed as he replied,

“This is only the beginning, witch. Can you feel it? The Demon Stone you so painstakingly corrupted has just arrived here.”