By that calculation, those surviving things had histories of at least a thousand years.
"I already know the truth."
The White-Haired Oni's voice was heavier than before. He swept his gaze over their curious faces and said, "But do you really want to hear it?"
"Isn't that obvious?"
Sirin had waited a long time for his answer. She had repeatedly overdrawn the power of the Edict Blade for this very answer.
"We followed you to Takama-ga-hara to search for traces of humanity. Wasn't the reason for that to uncover the truth behind the Kishin invasion you mentioned?"
"Even if the truth is cruel—so cruel that it drives people to despair and leaves them unable to bear it?"
"No matter what truth you're going to tell us, I want to hear it."
After putting in so much effort, with the truth right before them, he was now saying that they might not be able to accept it and should perhaps stop listening.
Who could possibly stand that?
"Tell us."
Kiana was also curious about what the White-Haired Oni would say next. "We were mentally prepared for the Void's strength long ago."
Their wills had been tempered through countless battles, yet after discovering this truth, they still inevitably felt despair.
He did not think Sirin and the others' wills could be firmer than his own.
But...
"None of this has any meaning."
No meaning?
Who would have thought that the first sentence the White-Haired Oni used to reveal the truth would be, "None of this has any meaning"?
"Have you been affected by too much Void, to the point that you've become excessively pessimistic?"
The White-Haired Oni ignored Sirin's remark.
He continued, "Salvation... was a destination that never existed from the beginning."
Kiana froze.
Those words...
"Why do you say that?"
"Because..."