Chapter 37

"As you can see, at this moment, I am 'Satan'."

As his voice fell, the illusory sea of blood responded as if calling to itself. Through magic manifested by terrifying demonic power, the lightning strikes at the tip of the spear he held were multiplied into thousands of layers.

"Are you perhaps seeking to meet God? To make Him stop the Apocalypse? You need not worry about that; the gates of Heaven are always open for you."

"What will happen if I go in?"

"Naturally, you will be cleansed of your sins, and all things on the surface will be purified, ushering you to ascend to the presence of the One."

As a result, Moses merely threw a punch, and the thousands of lightning strikes were annihilated into dust. It wasn't just destruction; it was as if the surrounding space itself shattered and vanished without a trace. This was the very punch that once parted the seas with divine power.

The man's magic circuits, powered by the nascent demonic energy of the Beast, were capable of destroying a region in an instant with multiple lightning strikes. Even though they were repelled and annihilated by the divine-powered fist, the remnants still scattered in all directions, followed by a series of miniature earthquakes.

Armageddon was completely exposed in this strike. The next moment, a vast abyss seemed to spread from the void, more terrifying than the torrential rain Leviathan spontaneously summoned. A storm of thunder and lightning, mixed with raging torrents, violently surged towards Novia above.

Then, the great waters engulfed Novia. In the depths of this abyss that appeared out of nowhere, his entire body began to be churned, the currents relentlessly attacking him.

Next came the source of the ocean itself, which for some reason continued to emit a sound.

The water itself let out a cry like a lament. The blood-red color, originating from the bottom, covered the blue surface of the seawater at a revolting speed, as if literally being painted over.

The abyss, possessing the conceptual nature of the Great Flood of old, was completely swallowed by the blood-red sea in less than a few dozen seconds, thus becoming part of the yet-to-be-born Beast.

Noah's attack was broken, even swallowed.

What followed was the struggle between Novia and Moses. Both were masters of the Jacob's Ladder martial arts, an ancient fighting technique passed down through generations from Jacob, Moses, to Judah, and then to Novia. Both had reached the realm of perfection, capable of defeating even archangels.

The arm strength of the two, one supported by terrifying demonic power, the other by the utilization of divine power, caused visible distortions in the atmosphere with every punch exchanged, as if forcing natural phenomena to yield. Their speed was like a meteor shower descending.

"Without entering the gates of Heaven, you will never be able to see God. It is not in the visible world, nor is it in some distant place as you subjectively perceive. Instead, it is a unified, unparalleled, mysterious realm within the spatial-temporal void of the universe, separated by the planet itself. Even if you were to observe the imaginary space through certain means now, you could not truly reach the place where God resides."

Imaginary space is the reverse side of the world, a realm of imagination containing all possibilities, a domain unobservable by existing physical laws.

"In other words, although the Apocalypse has not unfolded in the order it was supposed to, you will eventually ascend."

"...Then what exactly are you here for?"

"I simply wish for you to accept the outcome."

Moses met Novia's gaze directly, his expression filled only with sincerity.

"The outcome?"

"Yes." Moses nodded and continued, "Even if you defeat us now, you likely won't have much strength left to face the angels that will follow."

"..." Novia fell silent, the lines on his brow, deepened by recent troubles, seemed to merge with old scars, appearing incredibly profound. "Ah, is that so? I can't die no matter what, so that's fortunate..."

His profile now looked like that of a child encountering difficulty for the first time and being unable to solve it.

"But, this is all something that started with me, so shouldn't I be the one to bear it all? Isn't that only natural?"

At that very moment, the earth trembled, the sky ripped apart, and countless streaks of lightning surged from the clouds. Thunder burst forth from the other end of the mysterious reappearance.

"...You've kept me waiting, my Rome. I have always been watching."

The lightning of the Overgod King descended from the heavens.

It enveloped the three of them.

A power, different from that foretold in the Apocalypse, covered everything, completely freezing time and space. In this almost solidified time, a man in dimly glowing golden armor slowly emerged from the descending lightning. Moses slowly looked up at the figure, his smile unchanged.

"The only human who vanished into lightning and reached the position of Overgod, Rome's Overgod Romulus Quirinus... Is that so? So, the Vice-Lord was held back by you alone?"

"Nay! For that Rome, it wasn't me alone, but Mars and Jupiter, and countless Romes alongside me!"

The fact that Romulus's golden armor was no longer divinely radiant but covered in cracks showed the difficulty of his previous battle.

"You don't need to do this. You should be with us..."

"Alas, you who carry the world! My Rome bears the anguish of sin and evil, the cruelty that such a small body shoulders is something I absolutely cannot let my Rome endure."

Romulus did not show anger or issue threats, but spoke with solemn seriousness.

Seeing this, Noah couldn't help but sigh. After all, for a human evil to appear in his own territory, and for the gods not to destroy it but instead choose to protect it, this was probably the only instance on this planet.

"Thank you for your help, Romulus Quirinus..."

Novia raised his eyes, his mind a little hazy. The immense despair, pain, and cries from the sea of blood, felt through his connection to the Beast, were still echoing in his ears.

Romulus reached out and patted Novia's shoulder. "I came because of you, and I thank you for holding on this long, Rome!"

"O small yet great Rome, I shall pave the path towardsFantasy!" Between Romulus's hands, a brilliant radiance emerged, illuminating his smile. "Born of us Romans! Witness the love and emotions of humanity, the children who weave romance! Go forth, fight, win, and survive—"

This slightly hoarse voice echoed between heaven and earth, gradually rising, until finally, it overwhelmed all the noise brought by the Apocalypse, transforming into a majestic celestial resonance. What then appeared in the world was like a sea of light, a ladder to the flourishing land of fantasy, which could not be exchanged for anything.

These were the traces written by a being who, as a human, had taken root on the earth and wielded the power of a god. The legend of humanity forged by one who detached from the old era and wove new legends.

"Novia, you are also the Rome I have always loved. Go, go to that divine beyond that everyone yearns for. I am a friend to those who seek to pioneer the world, and I came for this very purpose. Moreover, we Romans in heaven have all acknowledged this! We all because—" Romulus spread his arms and laughed heartily. "All roads lead to Rome!"

This divine blessing, so rare and unheard of even during the Age of Gods, now appeared like a downpour from the lightning surrounding Romulus, eventually gathering in one person's hands.

From Romulus's lightning, then Jupiter's light, Mars's war, Vesta's flame...

At this moment, in Moses's eyes, the crown on Novia's head was filled with so many authorities and names that it could barely contain them.

It was as if, at this moment, the entirety of Rome was revolving around this place, the radiance of countless gods converging onto one person.

This caused the demonic energy from the Beast on his body to circulate, radiate, and spread, enveloping everything. The sword and spear he held were covered in majestic yet violent flames, the divine aura and demonic power intertwined like a helix.

"These gods... all of them used their divine energy, their powers, to send him off, so that he can never influence the mortal world again... Was this their farewell gift?"

Noah murmured from the side. Even as he moved to engage in close combat, he had already realized that Novia before him had made a resolute decision, a truly heaven-defying one. But even so, Novia was still his own child. It wasn't about whether Novia would ascend to godhood, but purely from a human perspective.

What this child... no, this person truly sought... Thinking back now, it made his feelings so complicated.

"Great Ancestor, aren't you going to do anything?"

"I don't oppose sacrifice. After all, combat requires calm and thoroughness. He's still too impulsive," Noah looked up expressionlessly at a bright, radiant star ascending. "...But thank you anyway, Moses. You didn't open the gates of hell the first chance you got."

"Regardless, I still wish to pray for the happiness of all living beings, but it can only be maintained for an hour. After all, this wasn't something I was supposed to control. It's just that the person who should have been here didn't show up, so I had to step in. Great Ancestor, you also took on the position of the Vice-Lord, didn't you..."

Moses looked up.

"He was supposed to ascend, but he chose a different, unpredictable outcome... It's very similar to that person from the East, the one who abandoned the Wheel-Turning King. Speaking of which, that staff he's holding, which looks like a sword—"

Moses paused, as if remembering something, and chuckled softly. "It's exactly the same. I suppose it's a kind of gift."

"...Points of Knowledge, and the Zohar Jewels, be gone."

Having made up his mind, Noah gently waved his hand, calmly watching the dark red shadow that was speeding towards the other side on the sea of light, not needing a key.

For his child's decision, regardless of the outcome, he, as the Great Ancestor, had to at least offer his humble blessing.

071: The Stars Remain (End of Volume) (7k)

Crossing the sea of light that Romulus had summoned at the cost of his own being, passing through a darkness akin to the universe, where there was both boundless radiance and a vortex at the center of all things, a brand new world unfolded before Novia.

The heavens and earth were suffused with blue, a dreamlike world where the blue stretched to unknown distances. Everywhere he looked, there was True Aether comparable to the Breath of Stars. With every step he took, a ripple spread beneath his feet, small circles that vanished without obstruction, yet were ethereally illusory.

Then, countless small lights gradually rose into the air, and before Novia, a pair of dazzling golden eyes, infinitely profound, appeared—

Suddenly, a sound, no, a "vibration" that shook planets and even the universe manifested.

"You—listen carefully."

The "voice" that issued such a command came from ahead. It was truly the voice of God, an absolute speaking voice befitting a god.

"Why are you borrowing Satan's power? That is not meant for you. Discard it."

Simply being looked down upon by those sharp, moist golden eyes and spoken to like this was enough to make Novia, even one bearing all the authority of the Roman pantheon, feel his mind go numb.

And this was merely a fraction of this god's being, a drop in the ocean, a slight manifestation of immense power.

"No, I am 'Satan'." Novia slowly spread his hands, gripping the hilt of the sword and spear, and calmly declared to the god, "And I am 'Lucifer'."

"Voluntarily masquerading as Satan, taking on her sins and evils. Michael... to actually allow those who can only appear in their true forms by stealing my mercy to come here, that's one thing. But for you to defile this place by borrowing their power is simply unforgivable."

As his words fell, the supreme throne instantly appeared. Seated upon it was a figure with golden hair, only an outline, with no facial features. They looked as if they were sitting melancholically and lazily on the throne, idly propping up their cheek.

"But it's alright. Well, fine. I forgive you. I forgive you no matter how many times. I forgive you for everything, because I am very forgiving. I love everything. Moreover, you are going to ascend anyway. Since you want to be Satan so badly, I'll give you a name. It shall be Satan Yah."

"If you love everything, then why did you initiate the Book of Revelation?"

"Why are you so foolish? This is necessary purification. Otherwise, human desires will destroy themselves, will destroy the planet. The planet's wails will echo throughout the universe, and humanity will perish along with it."

The emotionless words were a declaration from God. This was the decision of the omnipotent god, praised on that planet, arguably the most powerful in the past, present, and future. A god capable of destroying all creation, heaven and earth, reducing everything to dust.

His assertion was always consistent and made sense.

However, this decision was wrong. Someone needed to redo it.

In this gap that might or might not be the universe, human and omnipotent god met each other's gaze.

"Yahweh's idea is to continuously cleanse human desires, to prevent the arrival of the steel-like barren land of the end," Novia judged.

So, should he fight, shedding blood, or ascend, holding hands?

Novia questioned in his heart whether this was right or wrong.

The future of humanity in this world was only the end. Creating the possibility for human survival was precisely what this most powerful god wished for.

In His view, humanity's future held no hope, no possibility.

"Those who forget their desires can only vanish. This is the fundamental principle of life, the means by which living beings truly survive."

Novia rejected this future.

But God, in a way, held that perspective as well.

"A future that remains unchanged indeed holds no value. Even if this is merely a foolish stagnation, it is still a future in which humanity can live. This cannot be denied."

"You only acknowledge this future?"

"No, like you, I do not acknowledge it. However, I do not hate it either. I simply... am unwilling to accept it."

"...Is that so? However, what you say is too distant for me. Moreover, I am not here for that reason."

The man who insisted on his own opinion, while accepting the premonition of failure, gripped the sword and spear in his hands.

Whether past or future, all that could be considered real in terms of time and space was only the present. The past was mixed with thoughts, and the future was infused with hope.

Therefore—

"I will not let you kill her or initiate the Book of Revelation."

The final battle not recorded in the Book of Revelation, words of parting, drew the curtain on the commencement of hostilities.

"Yahweh, on this planet, the Age of Gods is already a distant past."

"I love everything, so naturally I love you too. I will fight with the same power as you, and under the same rules."

In God's right hand, power that no one in this world could control was gathered. He didn't even rise from his throne, his left hand still supporting his cheek, a gentle smile on his face. Just by being there, this world itself reacted before anything else. A blue explosion of light instantly occurred, an energy equivalent to a massive scale crustal tsunami on Earth.

The conceptual power enveloping heaven, earth, and the world was about to materialize. Faced with a spectacle that could almost shatter stars before his eyes, Novia, who had instantly lost all authority and power of the Roman pantheon, heard God's next calm words.

"No matter what, you will ascend to the Spiritual Throne."

Next, for Albion, whose soul resided within the 'Spear,' watching the terrifying scene before him, facing the storm of a world heading towards its end, she, as the strongest, had a "question she shouldn't be thinking"—"Is this... the One and Only God...?"

Yahweh's hands, enshrouded in brilliant flames, simply waved gently towards Novia's neck, drawing a perfectly straight trajectory.

Its speed was incomparable to himself or any being in the world; it was a power more terrifying than any sight seen before.

Therefore, even though Novia was prepared, he still couldn't react to this terrifying speed. Instinctively raising his staff, it formed a net of intersecting lines in the air, blocking the path.

"So Jesus has gone to find you. That's only natural. After all, you are the only spirit whose path I cannot discern."

His casual remark made Novia, who was in a predicament, suddenly remember. Since they were under the same rules, could he use the 'Omnipotence Paradox' to weaken him to a certain extent? Without time to think, he spoke directly:

"Can you create a stone that you cannot move?"

"Your question itself is a contradiction, but it is interesting. Good, good. You have indeed weakened me to a certain extent in this situation, but—" Yahweh paused, "–so what? The very concept of 'One and Only' exists because it is unique. What meaning does a simple increase or decrease in power hold?"

What erupted from Yahweh was a power that, in Albion's eyes, would make even the supreme god-kings of other pantheons tremble. It was power beyond the planet, something that Albion, as a Pureblood Dragon, could neither understand nor deduce. Not to mention fighting this power, even understanding it was impossible.

Striving to maintain her rationality, which could vanish at any moment, Albion thought through gritted teeth, her mind hazy, her language functions declining, her vision fading. This, she suspected, was the power of God.

"Then let's try it!"

At that instant, mana flowing from all directions converted into immense energy within Novia, giving his attack an explosive temporary boost. Like a roaring pillar of mana, he charged at high speed, aiming to shatter the God seated on the throne. He raised his left hand.

The two collided, followed by a surge of immense light. The scattered energy reached a point that could be considered Ragnarok.

But──