Chapter 225 – COSMOS (1)
People were watching the final battle in hope that those connected to Elder Lord would return safely. Laney and Polaroid’s lives were also in danger in this fight. The battle they saw on the horizon was terrible.
Their breathing became rough when they were in danger. They felt stronger when Crockta and the war god counterattacked. Those watching the scene were able to sympathize with the emotions of the broadcasters.
Thus, the audience eagerly cheered for those fighting.
“Ah, please…”
“One more time, Crockta!”
“Crockta, fighting!”
Wherever a large screen was installed on a building, people stopped to watch the video. Crowds gathered everywhere. The whole world stopped for this one fight. There were cheers and gasps as Crockta and the war god leapt into the air. The whole country shook with cheers as they pierced her body with the help of others. But she was revived, and her mighty power pushed away the two warriors who stabbed her.
They felt despair. The gap in power between the two parties was too great. She wouldn’t die even when killed. It was a stage designed for them to lose. Defeat was scheduled.
The crowds in the streets gasped.
“Ah…!”
“No…”
Crockta was thrown away and rolled in front of the screen. He rolled across the ground a few times. His landing was such a huge impact that it wouldn’t be shocking if he died. Everyone thought this might be his last moment.
However, the fallen Crockta raised his body again. He shook his body and raised his gaze. The viewers weren’t expecting victory, but Crockta grabbed his greatsword like he wasn’t going to give up.
An indomitable will. The intense emotions of the broadcasters were conveyed to the viewers.
Suddenly, Crockta found them.
–You.
His eyes widened. Crockta met the eyes of the viewers. His front appearance looked even worse. The bloodied appearance of a hero.
Crockta gritted his teeth as he spoke.
–Why are you guys…
In the meantime, strong energy was emitted from the grey god floating in the sky. The power revolving around her turned everything into ashes. The screen was covered with white.
Biiiiiik.
All noise was erased. Nothing could be seen on the screen. For a while, the white screen and strange tinnitus continued. People realized that it was a landscape of destruction. In the midst of it, countless lives were dying. Crockta and the broadcasters were the same.
Some time passed. When it stopped, they could see the face of the orc warrior on the screen. Crockta had wrapped himself around them in order to save them. Smoke rose from his body.
Everyone was at a loss. Elder Lord was no longer a game. Death in Elder Lord would lead to death in reality, and he had saved the broadcasters. Crockta had wrapped himself around the broadcasters to save them.
This was in real time.
“Uh…?”
Then one or two people noticed something. It wasn’t only the viewers, but also the broadcasters. His trademark was the greatsword and steel helmet. That steel helmet was split apart and his face was fully revealed. On top of his bloody forehead was a white star.
The broadcasters didn’t say anything for a moment as the world’s astonishment was mirrored on Laney’s face.
–It can’t be…
The spectators were thinking the same thing. It couldn’t be. The meaning of the white star, rattled the entire world.
Laney opened her mouth and she asked the question that everyone watching wanted to know.
–Crockta, you…
The ragged Crockta was on the screen.
–Are you a user?
Crockta. He was a legend, the lone orc who always fought against oppression and injustice. A warrior who considered honor as more important than his life. Now, he was risking his life to fight against the grey god, except this time, the telltale mark of a user appeared on his forehead.
It was impossible.
Crockta smiled and said,
–Is that important?
–No, you, answer me. Are you truly a user?
–There is no time to waste.
–Crockta!
Crockta turned around and headed back to the battlefield. The grey god was waiting as he walked back towards the pain and death. He dragged his sword with him, leaving a blood trail as he gradually moved away.
Laney gazed at him and exclaimed,
–Please let me know your name! No, tell me your name if you really are a user! You could die here, so this is something we need to know!
Her voice was distraught. Everyone was of the same mind.
–So that people can remember you.
Crockta paused at the tearful voice and slowly turned around. The white sphere was counting down to the end of the world, while the grey god shot her power of death. Everything would be ruined. The surviving gods and mortals screamed as they resisted the destiny of destruction.
That man, Crockta smiled and replied,
–We can talk about it later over a cup of coffee.
–You…!
There was no such thing as coffee in the world of Elder Lord.
The large man walked towards the battlefield where everything and everyone was at stake. He walked alone without relying on anyone else. He walked away with the promise of ‘next time’.
***
The power of the grey god swept over the whole area. It was an overwhelming force, and it wouldn’t be strange if everyone died from it. But a huge shield protected the defenseless.
“It is up to here for me…”
“Please stop her.”
It was the goddess of magic and the god of brilliance that stopped it. They joined forces to spread open the Aegis Shield. Their strength was already at the bottom, so blocking the grey god’s attack ended up destroying their divinity. The price they paid for it was unknown. Their main vessel might be broken or destroyed, or they might sleep for thousands of years. However, they chose to do this.
“Please protect this world.”
Their bodies blurred and they returned to Olympus. It was the departure of the goddess of magic and the god of brilliance.
“How touching,” muttered the grey god as she witnessed this scene unfold. It was touching, but nothing would change. Despite the sacrifices of many people, she was just becoming stronger. Victory and defeat had been determined since this began.
“All the preparations are finished.”
“Good work.”
Paimon appeared beside her.
“I am honored to be with you.”
“I’m really thankful.”
She was now a faint white figure. The white sphere in the sky was taking the shape of a person. She suddenly looked away. Crockta was returning to battle.
“Great.”
The god of war had been thrown back and returned to Olympus from the hit. However, Crockta survived. He truly was a warrior who had defeated a god. The grey god had brought him into this world, but even she couldn’t tell that he would become so strong and that he would achieve all those great feats.
Thus, she felt sadder. She wished she had met him in a different situation.
“Now I will finish this.”
She released her strength. The goddess of magic had sacrificed herself to block the previous attack, but now there was no one to stop this one. Hundreds of grey rays materialized in the air and recognized each target.
“Don’t let me be bothered.”
Time passed again. The sun was falling and it was becoming darker. As the next day arrived, the world would return to a single point and be created again. She would reverse entropy by using the power of the destroyed world.
It was her mission.
“I will accompany you then.” She chose a way where even she would disappear. “It would be nice to finish this with a smile.”
There was a time when she spent her days relaxing in Olympus, just like any other god. At that time, the star god was alive and the sun god hadn’t fallen asleep. She spent her days with the war god, the goddess of magic and all other gods in Olympus.
They looked down at the ground and laughed, wept and joked. Why didn’t she know how happy that time was? The old days. She could never get that time back. Why did time only flow in one direction? If only she could rewind time for a bit, it would’ve been nice to spend a bit of time in the old days.
Still, there were no regrets. She was doing what she could, what only she could do. The universe must be lifted from the eternal sinking.
“Hello.”
Her power shot towards the targets. Most of them were pierced and died. But there were others who blocked it.
Kaaang!
Crockta swung God Slayer. He was holding his greatsword and stumbling towards her. His body staggered, but he regained his balance and stepped forward. Their eyes met. His eyes were blazing. Her attack seemed to have poured oil on the fire.
“Cool until the end.”
He truly had an indomitable will. Who could beat this will? It was only death that could stop him. However, her hands shook in the air. It was hesitation. Their roads were different, but it was too sad. She wanted to talk with him. He who had the strongest spirit that she saw in her long life.
“I will take care of the rest.” Paimon read her emotions and said.
“Thank you.”
“It is nothing.”
Paimon shot towards Crockta instead of her. He was also given power from the sphere. The power of the grey god was connected to him.
“It is the end.”
The thought of the orc’s life ending disturbed the grey god’s heart.
Crockta recognized Paimon. There was tension between the two of them. Paimon grinned and emitted power. The power of the grey god filled his hands. He tried to kill Crockta before Crockta could open his mouth.
However. It was Paimon who was prevented from saying anything.
The mysterious steel belt around Crockta’s waist. It moved. The moment that Paimon realized. A huge mouth swallowed him.
***
The grey god, who left the finishing touches to Paimon, was rising towards the sphere.
Then she felt a fierce strength behind her. It was somehow familiar. A strength that was similar to hers. It exploded and swallowed Paimon. Her connection with him was broken.
The grey god turned around. There was a huge mouth that swallowed everything.
“You…!”
It was an existence that she knew very well. In the past, when she fought against the gods, the commander who led her army. He looked like a timid child, but he was actually a ruthless glutton who devoured everything.
“Beelzebub──────!”
He completely swallowed Paimon. The greedy mouth was dissatisfied and turned towards her.
“How are you…?”
“Mother.” He started talking. “I’m sorry.”
The shape of the child in the darkness of the ‘Demon’s Mouth, Beelzebub whispered.
“Crockta promised me.” The giant mouth roared towards the grey god. “He will prove it with his own life.”
The end of the universe that the grey god saw was also communicated to Beelzebub. She felt a terrible despair and barely held her spirit together, while Beelzebub was so terrified he could do nothing but cower in fear.
He became half crazed and then he met Crockta in Quantes. He showed Crockta the end of the universe. He tried to pollute Crockta’s mind with emptiness and hopelessness. However, Crockta made a promise with him.
‘The world isn’t a void. Even if the world will end someday, life isn’t meaningless.’
In the darkness, Crockta was like a glowing light.
‘Follow me. If you follow me then I will prove it.’
The eyes of the orc warrior were unshaken. His eyes were still clearly facing the world.
‘My life.’
Thus, Beelzebub contemplated the world alongside Crockta. He sat at Crockta’s waist and watched. The world that he saw was quite different from what Beelzebub knew. Many things happened. Beelzebub watched everything.
This man stood alone on the battlefield of the world’s destruction. That’s why Beelzebub acted in the last moment.
Did Crockta prove it? This was Beelzebub’s answer.
Beelzebub roared, “Kuaaaaaah─────!”
The greedy demon Beelzebub’s mouth covered the grey god. It was an unbelievable mouth that could even swallow divinity. This was the demon who terrorized the gods.
“You also deserted me for Crockta.”
The grey god smiled bleakly.
The gods of Olympus came with him. She was betrayed by Gushantimur, who previously agreed with her. Abaddon stepped back and now her closest ally revealed himself against her.
“It won’t change anything.”
She was swallowed by Beelzebub’s mouth. But she didn’t care. She wielded her divine power inside Beelzebub. The dark insides of Beelzebub retreated. His body was torn apart from the inside. A hole was created, revealing the outside scenery. Beelzebub’s giant mouth fell to pieces.
“I will destroy the world soon.” The grey god shattered Beelzebub’s body and declared to Crockta. “You are the only one left. Crockta.”
Everyone else was down. He was standing alone. The white sphere was filling the sky. The grey god would join with it. And Crockta only had a greatsword.
It was the final stage.
“I see.”
Crockta slowly lifted God Slayer. A friend who was always with him. The sword was crying at him.
Crockta smiled. The two stood facing each other.
Crockta whispered, “Bul’tar.”
Then they attacked each other again. Time flowed slowly.
At that moment. The fallen Beelzebub, who acted like he was dead, rose up and swallowed them both.
