Chapter 154

One Who Burns Eternity (4)

A trial refers to the list of ten things that humanity must eventually resolve.

The list is ordered by when each trial came into existence.

The first to leave a meaningful mark was Eremus, who earned the title of <Corruptor> and took position number 1.

Taking position number 2 was Aranea, named <One Who Strings the Blade> for occupying a certain territory and beheading anyone who set foot there.

<Wanderer> Necropolis, who wanders the world collecting souls filled with regrets, took position number 3.

These are the trials where even making contact means risking your life.

They are trials of a completely different caliber.

Next come <Dreamer> Morpheus and <One Who Halts Steps> Skadi. Both are closer to phenomena than actual living beings.

After those come <Future Drawer> Deus Ex Machina and <Wind’s Tomb>, with <One Who Holds the Sky> following as the 6th, 7th, and 8th trials respectively.

The 6th, 7th, and 8th trials are considered inferior compared to the preceding ones. Of course, that doesn’t mean anyone can take these monsters lightly.

Even so, such evaluations exist because these three positions on the list have changed multiple times.

The 8th trial, <One Who Holds the Sky>, earned its place by trampling and killing the previous trial.

Thus, while trial numbers indicate their order of birth, they’re also considered a ranking of strength.

So what about numbers 9 and 10?

These are commonly called the exception numbers.

Right off the bat, the 10th trial, <One Who Is Everywhere> Malice, isn’t a single entity but rather a term referring to human malice.

The 10th trial represents not an entity or phenomenon, but the human heart itself. In fact, Belial is more of a symbol of a trial than an actual trial.

It’s an emotion that can never be completely erased from this world, yet if left unchecked, will expand uncontrollably.

‘Malice.’

Then what about the 9th trial?

What about <One Who Burns Eternity>, which, like Malice, has been assigned an exceptional number?

This is actually simpler than you might think.

While they say Phoenix is fixed at the 9th position, that’s not exactly true.

Strictly speaking, it would be more accurate to say it keeps returning to 9th place.

The list of trials can change at any time. Phoenix was once recorded in the 6th position, but was removed from the list when it died.

Yes, once… no, Phoenix has died many times already.

But as long as there’s a spark left in this world, it will resurrect.

A strange life born from flames and dying in flames when its time comes.

There are times when it’s stronger than ever and times when it’s weaker than even common magical beasts.

Immortal yet mortal.

If we were to compare how long it has lived, it would probably be similar to Hecate.

-We’re close friends!

“……”

So, I asked her about it, but I’m not sure if this is right.

It could just be Hecate unilaterally considering them friends, couldn’t it?

If I were to ask Hecate if she’s close with me, she’d definitely say yes.

But that’s not my opinion.

She’s not someone I want to be close with. The reason Hecate could act so brazenly and selfishly in the first place was because she had the power to back it up.

If she were to act all chummy without any power like now, I can hardly even imagine what situation might unfold.

“From what I know, One Who Burns Eternity dislikes those who seek eternity, right?”

Is it because it repeats life and death? I understand Phoenix has considerable aversion to immortality.

The reason there are hardly any black magicians in the current era is because it burned them all to death. After all, they fundamentally fear death and seek to live forever, even as undead.

In that sense, how could Hecate, who’s already undead, be close with it?

-Tsk tsk tsk! You only know one thing and not the other! I guess this senior has to explain properly! Listen well. Vicarious Saint, what’s my purpose?

“Making people tired?”

-That’s more of a hobby! My purpose is to resolve the regrets of vengeful spirits.

“Ah, right, that was it.”

-I may lead ghosts and undead, but I’ve never raised them directly. Moreover, resolving regrets means helping them achieve peace.

“When you put it that way, it makes sense.”

-Just after a few words of conversation, even Phoenix nodded and said it respected my intentions, you know?

I see, so it’s a difference in purpose?

If Phoenix hated black magicians who became liches because they sought immortality, then Hecate aims to give them a definitive end.

With such different mindsets, they might respond differently even to the same outcome.

This means they can at least communicate.

Besides, none of us are fools who seek immortality anyway.

*     *      *

Trusting Hecate’s words, we decided to continue our journey.

Naturally, we had no intention of taking Ilina Crowley with us.

Though she had somewhat recovered emotionally, we couldn’t bring her along when we didn’t know what lay ahead.

She would remain behind, waiting at this hut.

Just as I disabled the barrier I’d been maintaining alone for so long and handed it over to Ilina Crowley…

“Hmm, kid. It seems something troublesome has come, likely sensing that young lady’s power?”

“…Pardon?”

Eremus, who had been sprawled out, muttered while slightly opening one eye.

“Urgh?! Suddenly, my mana! I can’t control it!”

Just after Ilina Crowley took over, it seems that became some sort of trigger.

“Is it because of me? Because I haven’t fully let go…?”

She kept clutching her staff, trying to suppress her power as if the problem lay with her.

“Princess Ilina. This isn’t your fault. So just withdraw your magic.”

“What…?”

“It’s fine, so please cancel your magic. Forcing yourself to use magic now might have an even worse impact.”

“Ah, alright!”

Strictly speaking, we can’t say it’s not because of her.

Her existence might have called forth <One Who Burns Eternity>.

I’d been thinking all along that her coming here was due to her connection with <One Who Burns Eternity>.

Her constitution is clearly derived from Phoenix. Considering her parents were Phoenicia, it’s quite plausible.

They might have received Phoenix’s power, wishing for their child’s well-being.

Phoenix is likely sensing that and coming.

Ilina Crowley probably wanted to come here because of that.

I thought we’d face this eventually, sooner or later.

I just didn’t expect it to come directly to us without waiting.

“Ah, Senior. By the way, do you have any ideas about Princess Ilina’s constitution?”

-I’m not too sure about that. Even among close friends, one should maintain boundaries.

“How does someone like you who knows that…”

How did you end up like this?

Hecate didn’t even wait for me to finish and started throwing punches at me with puffed cheeks.

It doesn’t hurt at all.

But it seems being impeached really hurt her feelings. Her reaction is quite intense.

“Let’s stop and go out together. I don’t want to get burned sitting in the hut.”

-Hoeeeee~

With Hecate’s tail in my grasp, I opened the door of the hut.

Outside, it wasn’t cold.

The biting chill that had once threatened to freeze even mana and holy power had significantly weakened.

In the distance, I could see what looked like a sunset. No, it was a massive fireball that felt like a sunset.

“Hecate.”

-Yes, junior. Go ahead.

“Are you really close?”

-We definitely were.

“Then why isn’t that thing stopping?”

-It’s just showing how happy it is to see us…

Yeah, right.

I knew it would be like this. How could I trust Hecate’s words?

A being that charges at us as a fireball the moment we meet—I’d hardly call that “close.”

Though I couldn’t see its exact form yet, I could feel its heat.

The warmed air clearly announced its presence.

“To be honest, I didn’t have high expectations.”

-That’s harsh, but fortunately so.

Even though I listened to Hecate, I didn’t think things would go smoothly if we encountered it. Still, I decided to proceed based on what I’d heard about Phoenix’s nature from Hecate.

That it hates eternity and is an entity one can reason with.

And most importantly, the fact that this place is Skadi.

“There’s no need to fear a being that has put shackles on itself, right?”

Even the three monsters belonging to the <Wind’s Tomb> were greatly influenced by their environment. Would Phoenix be any different?

The reason it deliberately lives in Skadi is obvious.

Phoenix is born from a small flame and burns eternally until it dies.

This environment allows it to live the longest.

“If it won’t listen, then…”

Instead of defensive holy magic, I poured out vast holy power to summon a force meant to stop it.

“We’ll just have to subdue it.”

Neptune’s wave.

I summoned the tsunami said to have swallowed an island.

Naturally, in Skadi’s environment, even seawater freezes.

The wave, towering high enough to swallow mountains, freezes instantly.

BOOM!

Phoenix, flying towards us, collides with the suddenly formed ice wall, creating a massive explosion.

Its fierce charge halts, momentarily losing momentum.

“This won’t be enough, right?”

But I know how monstrous these so-called trials can be. I don’t think something like this would stop it.

No matter how favorable the environment is for us, trials are beings that can overcome even that.

“Let’s see how far we can go.”

Swoosh!

I summoned Neptune’s wave, which had created the massive ice wall, several more times, slamming it onto Phoenix’s body which had been momentarily halted.

Steam rises enough to obscure my vision, and frost and ice fragments fill the air.

“It’s not dead yet, Lost.”

“No need to explain what we already know, Titan.”

It would be more suspicious if it died like this. It’s definitely still alive.

Neptune’s wave was the best preventive measure using the environment.

Now it’s time to test offensive means.

“Honestly, even I can’t handle this, but that shouldn’t matter.”

This time, in exchange for holy power, I borrowed the ice spear of Frosti and Jökul, gods of frost and icicles.

A massive ice spear heads towards the ice mountain where Phoenix is trapped.

No, by the time it left my hand, it could no longer be called a spear.

Empowered by Skadi’s environment, it had grown to a massive size, more like a huge stake.

Boom!

The ice stake pierces through the center of the ice mountain containing Phoenix.

Eventually, as if the mountain and stake had always been one, they seamlessly join, and frost and ice explosively expand around them.

“Let’s see how it fares and respond accordingly. Titan, you get ready too.”

“Hmm, I’d prefer to escape without a scratch.”

“That’s quite the nightmarish request. But I feel the same way.”

The series of measures I’ve built up so far has consumed about 1/3 of the holy power I was holding.

It was a definitive move to seize the initiative, and despite striking with it, I think there’s a chance it might emerge without a scratch.

Skiiiiit──.

Steam rises around the ice mountain. Ice melts and frost sublimates.

Through this series of processes, I’ve managed to contain it for about 30 seconds.

That’s enough of an achievement.

At least it’s more than enough time for my companions to prepare for battle.

“It’s coming.”

BOOM!

It was the moment Eremus, half-closing his eyes while being held by Lilia, spoke. As if it were a prophecy, the ice mountain collapsed.

-Seed of eternity. Foolish pursuer of immortality. Why have you returned? You should have lived a human life, yet you end up like this.

It had a small stature.

It looked almost human.

A middle-aged figure with flaming hair and orange attire.

The environment of Skadi must have been a significant shackle, as evident from the wounds visible all over his body.

Certainly different from the ‘bird’ form described in literature.

But that wasn’t important. What mattered most was…

“You… what exactly are you?”

Upon meeting it, incomprehensible memories surge within me.

A temple the size of a city, people, myself. And most importantly…

-Yes, son of man. Am I not your enemy?

The being before me that burned it all.