章節 16: CHAPTER XVI: Baby True Creator

When the "True Creator" descended, whether under the clear sunlight of the outside world or amidst the storm of the forsaken lands, all the "Secrets Supplicants" experienced an unprecedented sense of peace and joy, as if a ship had finally returned to harbor or a lost wanderer had found their homeland. The True Creator, passing through them, touched the earth, and the tormenting whispers that had both plagued and guided them for so long fell silent. For the first time, their world became truly still.

In the initial moments of the god's arrival, as angelic-level battles raged at their fiercest, the roars and furious whispers of the True Creator almost shattered their minds. Madness and loss of control surged through them like a storm. Yet, those who survived this brief but harrowing test found themselves immersed in a profound inner peace. They stood strong, wrestled with their own natures, prayed fervently, and fell to their knees in both spirit and flesh, unwilling to cease their devotions even for an instant.

In a small house in Silver City, Lovia's mouth was smeared with blood. At the peak of her agony, she had crushed her own fingers, broken her teeth, and clutched her head as if to keep it from splitting apart. She believed death was imminent believed she would perish before ever witnessing the divine light with her own eyes. But she did not die.

Her flesh mended itself, and she forced herself to stand. In the silence that followed, Lovia gazed out at the storm of lightning and thunder through the narrow window, filled with a mix of dread and fragile hope for the transformation of her Lord.

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The Gate Passage Seal and Spirit Teleportation alternated rapidly. Within five minutes, Edward had covered a distance that could have circled Tingen several times, finally shaking off the oppressive gaze of the Eternal Blazing Sun. He reappeared in a grove just outside Backlund, using a final spiritual teleportation. The sensation of being grounded at last made him laugh with relief. Gathering his scorched clothes, he felt as though he had just escaped the aftermath of a fire.

"The Eternal Blazing Sun really is thorough," Edward muttered. "He was the one who sent the angel to kill me, and now, after his angel's failure, he's the one finding fault. As if I hadn't gone easy on them, leaving them a piece of themselves."

Brushing off his clothes, Edward removed his burned coat and draped it over his arm. Thankfully, his white shirt remained intact. Now that he was in Backlund's territory, there was no need to traverse the spirit realm. He could enter the approximate vicinity of the Aurora Society's stronghold directly through the Door of Seals.

Edward squinted his eyes, which were behind an expensive pair of flat glasses. He didn't need them for vision—mythical creatures had no such weaknesses. Rather, the Monarch of Decay required them to stabilize his human form.

"Where has Aurora gone now?" Edward mused, surveying the west side of Backlund. "Should I return home through the spirit world first? It would be inconvenient to stumble into some nobleman's back garden by accident..."

"…Take those clothes away first," a voice suddenly interrupted from the object in Edward's hand. "They reek of solar path spirituality, it's nauseating."

Edward's steps faltered.

For a brief moment, the human expression of the Outer God failed. The words that reached his ears seemed detached from his own thoughts. His face contorted grotesquely, as if struggling against an overwhelming force of fate. His eyes widened, his orifices narrowed, and the corners of his mouth twisted upwards uncontrollably, almost splitting his face into a hideous grin.

With effort, Edward reached up and wiped his face, forcibly smoothing his mouth into a neutral expression, kneading his stiff facial muscles into calm.

He looked down at the small, red-eyed baby wrapped in his coat, cradled in his arms

"Oh, ally?" I greeted casually. "I didn't even notice before, but you look pretty good right now."

Tingen seemed to have provided a small feast, and the True Creator, in the form of a nearly one-month-old baby, displayed no discernible expression, though a hint of confusion lingered.

"I'm not sure," the True Creator admitted. "I was engulfed in extreme madness, but the moment I descended into this body, I suddenly regained my senses. I thought it might be a positive effect, but now, an hour has passed, and I'm still fully aware."

"So, you've always been lucid?" I inquired. "Were you just observing me from the Eternal Sun?"

The True Creator's expression remained unchanged. Instead of being distracted by my attempt to shift the subject, they continued to ponder why they had regained their senses. Despite the presence of several angels over the years and numerous unsuccessful divine attempts, it was unusual for a god to remain conscious after such a descent. The True Creator's red eyes were filled with doubt.

I, too, was puzzled. This outcome was unexpected. The "Decay" path, with its inherent curses, was supposed to guide life toward death. My personal love even prevented death, granting immortality to those I cherished. Why was this god able to communicate normally? Typically, those tainted by my curses exhibited confusion, self-sufficiency, loss of emotion, irrational thinking, and long-lasting madness.

The body decays, the heart decays, emotions decay, the soul decays, consciousness becomes foggy, and the self is lost. In her later years, Roselle, plagued by my curse, managed to retain some clarity through the Fallen Mother Goddess, but this only led to his deeper entrapment in the mausoleum, never daring to move.

What was the True Creator's current state? The Aurora Society's secret prayers spoke of peace, but only for a few minutes before the whispers resumed. This suggested that the "True Creator" in my hands was incomplete, still bound to their sanctuary.

"I see, I see," I said, suppressing my disdain. I looked at the baby and suddenly asked, "Are you very weak right now?"

The True Creator's gaze shifted slowly to me. They didn't seem pleased to have their condition mentioned, as no one, God or otherwise, would be happy in such a situation. Nonetheless, they replied, "That's correct. I expected to retain half my power, but something went awry, and I'm currently only at Sequence 8."

"But my connection to the core remains strong. I can transition my power and gradually merge into one," they warned me.

I nodded, immediately understanding the issue.

"Weakened strength, heightened consciousness… This is the curse I've experienced, the curse of Sequence 8 of the 'Decay' pathway: 'The Powerless.'"

Sequence 9 is "Strength Increases, Consciousness Weakens," where physical and extraordinary abilities are significantly enhanced, but inner self-definition becomes unstable, and memory becomes confused. I used it to corrupt Roselle, enhancing her records. Sequence 9 is dangerous but not as lethal as Sequence 4, "The Heartless Man."

Sequence 4 is particularly terrifying due to the "death of the heart." Under the influence of potions, self-perception becomes foggy, leading to traits vastly different from the true self. Misinterpreting the potion-induced changes as one's true intention leads to certain death. Even cautious individuals may fall victim, like a demigod who perished due to recklessness.

"That's a good thing, ally," I said. "Perhaps due to the calamity of the night, but you succeeded in your arrival, thanks to Ouroboros."

Ouroboros, the king of angels of "Fate," had played a crucial role. I had underestimated him. He had protected the True Creator, channeling his full power to ensure that the curse yielded the most beneficial result for the True Creator. With this assistance, the True Creator gained awareness—something no one else on this planet could achieve in challenging my fate.

"Ouroboros…" the True Creator murmured, seemingly lost in thought. "I cannot yet speak openly, but it is necessary to inform the higher echelons of the Church."

Our eyes met, and we both understood. Once the Aurora Society realized the success of the divine arrival and the gods of the Eternal Sun, Storms, and Knowledge recognized the True Creator's altered state, the tacit agreement among the seven gods would break. The three gods would then unite to pursue and intercept the True Creator's followers.

"Thanks to you, the impact of this divine descent is less severe than I anticipated. I was prepared for a divine war as soon as I arrived," the True Creator said solemnly. "It remains calm, and it seems they have yet to determine the success of my descent."

"You don't have a church," I replied. "Based on our relationship and who you are, I feel inclined to let you go on your own. I've adjusted my approach—Roselle did well, and it's safe now."

I teased casually, "So, what do you want to do?"

The baby, with striking black and gold hair, looked around and finally fixed his gaze on the pendant of the "Pure Cross" hanging from my ear. The True Creator then spoke:

"Help me get a light."

...I suddenly had a bad feeling.

"The Lord is whispering, but the Lord is not answering our prayers..."

"Mr. Z in the sea felt the spiritual shaking! The Divine Descent Ceremony has begun? Who did it? Isn't this supposed to be over?!"

"... Lord, please take my soul with..."

"Don't panic! Back in his place, His Excellency the Dark Sage is already performing a ritual and will soon receive a response from the Lord!"

In one of the largest strongholds of the Aurora Order of Bakerlandry, the underground church buzzed with activity. Although it wasn't a Sunday and only a few scattered believers had come to pray, the atmosphere grew increasingly intense. The Sage of Darkness was presiding over a small Mass as usual. But at noon, a strong wind swept through the church, and the curtains flew up, blocking the skylight at the top. The natural light that had illuminated the idol disappeared, leaving only darkness.

Candles extinguished one by one, plunging the church into an oppressive, impenetrable blackness. Shadows rose from the kneeling believers, enveloping the entire church in a dark veil. The idol became the only visible object in this pitch-black environment.

Panicked prayers erupted as the believers desperately sought solace, their voices rising in fervent cries. Amid the chaos, the sounds of flesh tearing and bodies crumbling filled the air. The church seemed to dissolve into an abyss of shadow, time and space becoming indistinguishable. The darkness was so dense it felt as though there was no air, yet breath was unaffected. The enveloping shadows felt like layers of glue, rendering movement nearly impossible. When eyes were closed, distant cries and whispers echoed like a tidal wave.

Suddenly, sunlight burst into the church, and the believers, who had been clinging to their sanity in the depths of spiritual turmoil, exhaled in relief. The overwhelming darkness lifted, and the murmuring in their ears subsided.

Sage Tenebrous Kisma, who had been about to reassure the crowd, was interrupted. He fell to his knees before the idol, pressing his forehead against the steps, blood streaming from his wounds. Across the world, high-level Aurora Order members experienced a spiritual awakening—a pure ray of sunlight piercing through the darkness. They saw the pitch-black inverted cross, a symbol of their deity, shining brilliantly.

"I anointed myself with blood and hung upside down at the end of the world to bear the pain of all beings and to atone for their sins. You were created by me from the dust, like leaves with no place to cling. You are like standing in a stream, with no rest under your feet. Find those who share our destiny, join in the never-ending tribulation, believe in me, and be saved."

"Pray and keep preaching with all your strength. Cleanse your souls with prayer and praise My grace with faith."

Just before the proclamation ended, the pitch-black cross transformed, becoming a radiant golden cross, shining with the brilliance of the sun itself. The revelation was overwhelming for those who had witnessed the sun's fall.

Long-lived saints and angels were stunned, tears streaming down their faces. On the Furious Sea, Leomaster, the "Sage of Darkness," knelt in ecstatic reverence despite the turbulent waves. In the shadows of the Godforsaken Lands, Stever, the Angel of the Word, was enveloped by a darkness even deeper than the shadows surrounding him.

"Praise be to You! Glory to You! Creator of all, Juggernaut behind the Veil of Shadows! You are the god of gods, ruler of the vast astral plane! Your words descend from heaven and bring us joy and salvation!"

"Do not halt Your steps but cast out the demons of the earth for the Lord! Your kingdom will come, and You will return to heaven! We will love You with all our heart and might and witness the heavenly hosts before Your throne once more!"

"We are dedicated to You; this is our faith. He who has ears to hear, let him hear the gospel of the Lord…"

"… What is visible to the eye will surely witness the glory of the Lord. As long as we can move, we will let Your land come."

The ecstasy of the crowd was intense. Even after the spiritual revelation had passed, they remained on their knees, continuing their prayers and praises for a long time.

"It's over?"

"Yes, it's spiritually draining and tiring to broadcast accurately around the world. The last bit of sunlight on your clothes has been used up, so throw them away."

"... The broadcast drained my spirituality, and now you're tired? My clothes are handmade. You'll have to reimburse me when we return."

"Demons care about money too?"

"Soon, you'll care too."

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[Original Authors notes: *Much later, Medici, who had missed the Lord's broadcast due to being imprisoned in the basement, was so furious that he wrestled with himself for 300 rounds to vent his frustration.

*The "Decay" pathway progresses from sequence 9 to 4, encompassing various curses affecting consciousness, power, body, emotion, soul, and heart. It bears some resemblance to the Chained Pathway, though its curses recur intermittently. After reaching sequence 3, all curses disappear, allowing one to use these powers to curse others.

As Edward Vaugh's quoted: "You must experience the decline yourself, understand it, accept it, and then you can make others feel the same."]