Chapter 7: Test (2)

[Every strong person within your memories will come pouring down.]

That was the content of the trial the voice had described.

“You’re not coming down yourselves?”

I prepared my body for the battle that was about to begin.
The sword at my waist, the potions in my pocket, the laces of my military boots tied tightly.

I slowly stretched to loosen the tension in my muscles.

[Of course not.]
[A god must merely watch over the lower world.]
[That is the rule.]

“Really?”
“Lilac interfered plenty.”

[She is not bound by the laws.]
“Because she is special.”

“Special?”

What exactly did it mean for her to be special?

I gently stroked my chin as I pondered the question.

‘Not bound by the laws?’
‘Special?’

Lilac’s strength as recorded in history.

She had fought more than a hundred gods alone on equal terms and killed more than half of them.

I had known from the beginning that her strength was special.

‘But that’s not what this guy means.’

「Only she stands apart from the rest.」

That was how it felt.

[What a strange human you are, having the leisure to get lost in your thoughts at a time like this.]

“What?”

[Are you not afraid?]
[Unavoidable death will come for you soon.]
[How can you remain so calm?]

I ignored the voice’s question and gulped down a stamina potion from my pocket.

“Haa!”
“Good.”
“I won’t have any trouble even if I stay awake for two nights with this.”

[…You’re not going to answer me?]

“No.”
“There’s no point in answering.”

[What?]

The voice seemed puzzled by my answer.

I put the empty bottle away before answering.

“I’m scared.”
“Terrified.”
“Enough to want to run away right now.”

[You certainly don’t look like it…]

“Of course I don’t.”

I shrugged.

“Because I’m making sure I don’t look like it.”

[…..]

My heart trembled.

My legs were shaking.

The tension crushing my insides was so intense that I felt as though I might lose consciousness at any moment.

But.

“Even so, I have to move forward.”
“Because that’s what you do when you want to protect something.”

[You really are an interesting human.]
[A human this devoted to the Calamity.]

“Don’t call her that.”

[What?]

I stepped toward the summoning stone before me.

“Lilac.”
“Don’t give her some shitty title like ‘Calamity.'”
“Got it?”

[…I’ll take that into consideration.]

Step.
Step.

The summoning stone gradually drew closer.

As I approached, the voices began murmuring.

[I’m curious.]
[How long can that human last?]

“Ten minutes.”
“At most, I’ll give him ten minutes.”

[He’s weak.]
[Unbelievably weak.]

“Hehe…”
“Who knows?”
“I think he might actually pass.”

Ignoring the distracting voices, I reached toward the summoning stone without hesitation.

Vwoom–!

Mist rose from the markings on the summoning stone.

The mist slowly spread until it filled the entire cave.

—Kak… Kaaagak!
—Shhk, shiiik!
—Kikiki!
—Kihihihik!

Noises came from within the smoke.

Gazes that sent chills down my spine.

The sound of something licking its lips with gleaming eyes.

They were sounds I knew all too well.

“…Monsters.”

At a glance, there were dozens.

No, nearly hundreds of monsters.

The voice gradually moved away from me.

The majestic resonance coming from above told me the number of enemies I had to kill.

[More than a thousand strong beings will continue pouring out.]
[Face every one of them as they emerge.]
[That is the trial imposed upon you.]

“Haa…”
“More than a thousand?”

It was ridiculous.

[If you think it is impossible, give up now.]
[The moment you face even one of them, there will be no turning ba—]

“Shut up.”
“I need to concentrate.”

Crack.
Crack.

I lightly rolled my neck, the sound of bones clicking into place echoing through the cave.

I drew the sword in my hand and glared at the enemies with all emotion suppressed.

Ssssss…

‘Ah…’
‘It’s been a while since I’ve felt this.’

Every single one of them was probably stronger than me.

The difference between humans and monsters was simply too great.

Even so…

If these were the monsters from my memories…

“That means you’ve already died by my hands before, doesn’t it?”

—Kyaaaaaaah!
—Kieeeeeee!

As the monsters swarmed toward me like a locust swarm, I settled into my stance.

A chilling sensation ran down my spine.

Listening to the voice of the Grim Reaper commanding me to kill them, I slowly curled up the corners of my mouth.

“Come…”
“I’ll kill you again.”

“Hold the line!”
“Don’t let them break through!”

“F*ck!”
“How the hell are we supposed to stop this?!”

Boom!

An ogre swung its massive club with tremendous force.

With a single swing, the soldiers holding shields were brutally crushed.

One soldier shouted.

“No!”
“I can’t hold it anymore!”
“They’re breaking through!”

He lowered his exhausted arms and stared at the enormous club swinging toward him.

“U… uaaaaah!”

The soldier closed his eyes and screamed.

A man’s hand suddenly landed on his shoulder.

“Move.”
“You’re in the way.”

Whoosh!

With a single motion of the man’s hand, the soldier was sent flying through the air.

He landed hard on his backside.

Boom!

“Argh…”
“That hurts…”
“Who threw me—”

“Huh?”

Crack!
Crack!

The soldier raised his head and looked at the man who had thrown him.

“Lord Surd?!”

The ogre’s club was being held in one hand.

Crack!
Crack!

The enormous pillar-like club in Surd’s grasp was being crushed to pieces.

He let out a brief grunt before casually swinging the greatsword strapped to his back.

Slash!

A red blade of sword aura flew from the tip of his sword.

With a single swing, the ogre’s enormous body was split in half.

Boom!

Surd gripped the sword with both hands.

“Tell everyone this.”
“The Third Unit is to retreat as it is and rest for one day.”
“The Fourth Unit will take over the Third Unit’s position.”

“Y-yes!”
“Understood!”

“Go.”
“I’ll take care of things here.”

“Yes!”

The soldiers quickly began retreating.

As they withdrew, even more monsters surged forward, but every one of them fell miserably beneath Surd’s sword.

Bang!
Crack!
Slash!
Splat!

Watching the pieces of monsters flying through the air, Robelm clicked his tongue in amazement.

“Truly incredible.”
“It’s been ten years since you retired from the front lines, yet you’ve only grown stronger.”

The officer beside him felt the same.

“Indeed.”
“I can’t understand how a human being can become that strong…”

Trolls, Cerberuses, harpies, wyverns, wild boars.

Not a single monster could withstand Surd’s sword strikes.

Every time the greatsword in his hands swung, the massive bodies of more than ten monsters were effortlessly torn apart.

Watching the scene, the officer spoke.

“Truly…”
“Lord Surd has no luck when it comes to his son.”
“To think someone that weak is the adopted son of a hero.”

“What?”
“What did you just say?”

Robelm glared at the officer.

“Isn’t it obvious?”
“Less mana than an ordinary person.”
“A pathetic record of one hundred defeats in one hundred sparring matches.”
“Such a human is the hero’s son?”
“How could that not be unfortunate?”

“Hah…”

Robelm quietly placed a hand on the officer’s arm.

“Have you ever sparred with him?”

“No.”
“Of course not.”
“There’s no way I would spar with someone like that.”

“Really?”
“Good.”
“Because if you had fought him, you would definitely have died.”

“What?”
“What are you talking about?”

Robelm turned his head toward Surd.

“When you look at Lord Surd, what do you think?”

“He’s strong.”
“Beyond anything I can put into words.”

“Right?”
“You can’t even find the words to describe it, can you?”

The officer nodded.

Robelm narrowed his eyes.

“Cain is that kind of human too.”

“What?!”
“What do you mean?”
“How could that man possibly be the same kind as Lord Surd?!”

“How do you think he came back from every war with the enemy commander’s head?”

Strength capable of cutting through everything.

Power capable of crushing everything.

If that was Surd’s style of fighting, reminiscent of his overwhelming strength…

“A Grim Reaper capable of killing everything.”
“That’s Cain’s way of fighting.”

“…What?”

Robelm closed his eyes and recalled the battlefields he had shared with Cain.

He was weak.

He was definitely weak.

He didn’t have the strength to block an ogre’s club, nor the mana to counter a Cerberus’s flames.

‘But he killed every single one of them.’

A large monster?
/ Attack its legs or gut.

A monster that used curses?
/ Cut its throat.

His sword breaks and he has no weapon?
/ A monster’s extracted tooth makes an excellent weapon.

A fighting style specialized solely in killing.

Because of that fighting style, Cain always restrained himself as much as possible when sparring with humans.

‘The reason he has a record of one hundred defeats in one hundred matches is because he doesn’t attack properly out of fear that he might accidentally kill someone.’

Robelm patted the officer’s arm.

“Anyway, let’s resume the search.”
“We only have two days left.”

“Ah…”
“Yes!”

“Whoo…”

Ground stained crimson with blood.

A red moon rising in the sky.

Looking at the moonlight of the Demon Realm, which seemed even redder than usual, Robelm quietly murmured his name.

“If you’re still alive…”
“Where are you now?”
“What are you doing, Cain?”

[My goodness… Is that really a human?]
[Could it be a demon disguised as one?]

[Stop joking around.]
[But… I have to admit, he’s impressive.]

[I told you.]
[I thought he might pass.]

The waves of monsters continued pouring forth.

Vwoom…

Slash!

As one new monster was summoned, the head of another fell to the ground.

“Aah…”
“Aaaaaaaaaah!!!”

His skin was reduced to tatters.

His body was hanging together by threads.

Moving his ruined body without rest, Cain continued swinging his sword toward the monsters’ vital points.

Slash!
Slash!
Stab!
Crack!

Neck.
Heart.
Eyes.
Head.

A single swing was enough to take a life.

Every time he swung his sword, another monster lost its life.

—Graaaar!

Stab!

Cain’s sword plunged into the ogre’s stomach.

Thrust!
Stab!
Stab!
Thrust!

He continued driving his sword into the ogre’s belly.

—Grr… Graaaaaah!

“Die.”

Stab!

Whoosh!

The Cerberus’s fangs approached the back of his defenseless neck.

But.

Crack!

Cain picked up a stone from the ground and smashed it into the Cerberus’s head.

Crack!
Crack!
Crack!
Crack!

All three heads burst apart in a gruesome mess.

Each time the blood splashing through the air soaked his body, Cain became increasingly consumed by murderous intent toward them.

Boom!

“Huff…”
“Huff…”

—Kik…
—Kiek…

He couldn’t remember how many monsters he had killed.

He didn’t even know how long he had been doing this.

But…

“I’ll kill you…”
“I’ll definitely kill you…”
“I won’t leave a single one of you alive!!!”

He knew exactly what he had to do now.

Step…

Cain stepped toward the monsters slowly backing away.

With every step he took forward, the monsters took another step backward.

“What are you doing…?”
“Come on.”
“I’m human, remember?”
“The human meat you love so much.”

“Are you really going to keep running away…?”

“Then…”

Ssssss…

“I have no choice but to come to you.”

Lifeless black eyes flickered as they stared at the monsters.

Only about ten monsters remained.

[Haha…]
[Now that’s something.]
[The Calamity picked up quite an interesting one.]

[I’m jealous…]
[I want him.]

All of them praised Cain in admiration.

Cain continued walking forward.

Step…
Step…

There was no grand reason why those monsters had to die.

They had simply caught his attention.

[The Grim Reaper’s gaze.]

Cutting off life.

Severing the enemy’s neck.

There was no need for mercy.

Approach the dying life with a smile.

Shout with laughter at the life you are taking.

Become the Grim Reaper’s scythe and harvest the lives that are pitifully withering away without hesitation.

‘It’s what I’m best at…’

“And it’s what I’ve done the most.”

Whoosh!

Cain mercilessly severed the necks of the monsters fleeing after losing their will to fight.

Slash!
Slash!
Crack!
Stab!
Thrust!

And the moment the last remaining monster breathed its final breath…

Vwoom!

Lilac’s sealing stone appeared before Cain’s eyes.

“…This.”

[Excellent.]
[To think you killed all those monsters.]
[Impressive.]

“…..”

Cain stared blankly at the sealing stone.

The pure-white stone was reflected in his lifeless black eyes.

[Congratulations.]
[You have obtained what you desired—]

“Don’t make me laugh.”

Cain drove his fist toward the markings engraved on the sealing stone.

Whoosh!

Crash!

As Cain’s fist struck, half of the sealing stone was blown away.

Cain raised his head toward the ceiling.

“Quit your bullshit and send out the next one.”
“I’ve only passed half the trial.”

[Oh?]
[You knew?]

“Idiot.”
“It’d be harder not to know.”

Cain’s body had just reached its limit.

That was why he remembered the words written on the stone tablet.

The one who surpassed his limits would obtain what he desired.

A body that barely moved.

Muscles that could no longer produce strength.

Extreme fatigue had overwhelmed his body to the point where he felt he could collapse at any moment.

And yet, he was already gathering his murderous intent to kill the next opponent.

[I’m speechless.]
[Who would have thought a human who isn’t even a hero could become such a monster?]

“A monster?”
“That’s not something you guys get to say, is it?”

[Haha…]
[Perhaps not.]

The sealing stone flew rapidly through the air and settled at the center of the cave.

“…What?”

Cain’s eyes widened as he stared at the sealing stone, half of which had been blown away.

Beside the sealing stone, black smoke began to writhe and rise.

[Try saving her.]
[Realize the arrogance of a mere human daring to save a god.]

Step.
Step.

A red-haired man slowly emerged from within the black smoke.

He stood over two meters tall.

Countless scars were etched across his arms.

A massive greatsword was strapped to his back.

“…That’s…”

[He is the strongest person within your memories.]
[If you can destroy the sealing stone while avoiding him, you will win.]

Sching.

The red-haired man glared at Cain with golden eyes gleaming like a beast’s.

Faced with the instinctive danger of standing before a predator, Cain quickly raised his sword.

“As expected…”
“So that’s how you were going to do it.”

He had known.

At least who would appear at the end.

‘The strongest person in my memories.’

There could only be one person who fit that description.

Cain slowly approached the man coming toward him.

“It’s been a really long time.”
“Has it been almost two years?”

Whoosh!

As the man’s foot moved, the distance between him and Cain vanished in an instant.

Watching the massive greatsword swing toward him, Cain offered him a greeting for their reunion.

“It’s good to see you again.”
“Father!”