Sarkaz, Teekaz.
As a native species of Terra, this race's image before the arrival of Originium was very much in line with the demons of the masses' dreams.
Of course, Teekaz's eerie habits and bizarre abilities also confirm this.
Now, the Sarkaz and the Gods' People are getting closer and closer to humanity due to the influence of Originium.
However, their relationship did not improve due to their similar appearances; instead, it worsened.
This phenomenon has raised questions among many scholars.
Does the Sarkaz race truly possess some repulsive magic that makes everyone hate them?
That's not the case.
Aside from their susceptibility to Oripathy, the Sarkaz have a significant racial advantage.
In terms of power, even among the many mythical species, the Sarkaz hold a place.
However, at the same time, the power gap between the Sarkaz is so vast that it's despairing.
From a minor stab wound from an ordinary knife to the sheer force left behind by death, the power could burn down a lake spanning 100,000 square kilometers.
This peculiar phenomenon necessitates a discussion of the Sarkaz's racial composition.
Compared to other races, the Sarkaz have such a large number of races that it drives scholars crazy.
The Royal Court alone has 10 branches, not to mention the smaller tribes and the Ancient Teekaz who have been extinct in history.
Beneath this outrageously vast array of categories lies a variety of enviable racial talents.
The Lich's innate spatial awareness and intelligence, Goliath's robust physique and strength...
The Sarkaz are all incredibly talented; if they were to join forces, they would surely bring endless surprises.
Driven by a desire to control this powerful force, many people have conducted experiments in an attempt to master it.
But they all failed.
Under normal circumstances, regardless of whether the father or mother Sarkaz, their child will only be Sarkaz.
However, there are special exceptions --
Chimera, also known as a chimera.
Unlike mixed-race individuals in the conventional sense, they possess characteristics of different races while often inheriting the strengths of both.
Research from a Columbia laboratory has shown that Chimeras can be artificially created.
Ifrit, who is currently using rock music to torment the judges' ears during the competition, is a chimeric species of Savra and Flame Demon.
The power of the Chimera has been proven, and even with the warning of the Flame Demon Incident, many ambitious individuals still research the creation of the Chimera.
As scholars study the complex bloodline of the Sarkaz, some can't help but marvel.
"What if, I mean, what if, there existed a Chimera that perfectly combined the abilities of all the Sarkaz races?"
The other scholars exchanged smiles and joked:
"Haha, then this Daichi is probably doomed."
Boom--!
Anubis's figure flew past at breakneck speed, plunging into the sea of lava with the kinetic energy that could destroy mountains.
Before the fiery sea could recede after being pierced, the Demon King flapped his wings and flew over, the belated sonic boom shattering all the lava in his path and creating a vacuum tunnel leading directly to the seabed.
Yes, the once barren wasteland covered in yellow sand has been scorched into a sea by the raging flames unleashed by the demon king's instinct.
However, this environment, which could be described as a forbidden zone for life, did not affect the two combatants, or rather, the environment had long since lost its meaning for them.
Why didn't you fight back!
The Demon King roared, his longsword once again blocked by the scepter. Red eyes met red eyes, revealing the Grim Reaper's hesitation.
The Demon King glanced around; was he taking note of the surrounding tombstones?
Tsk! They were using them to attack just now!
The two were shaken apart again, and the Demon King's Precognition Eye on his forehead began to tremble, as images flashed into his mind.
The Demon King charged again, and this time Anubis's defenses were ineffective.
Missing the intersecting defenses, the Demon King's claws seized God's face.
"This is a return gift from before!"
Vera activated her ability to lash out at the Mind Flayer, freely extracting a large number of Sarkaz painful memories and stuffing them all into Anubis's mind.
The gods were momentarily stunned, for only a second, but that was enough.
"Get out of here!"
The Demon King flapped his wings, grasped the deity, and crashed into the base of the giant tombstone.
Boom--!
The tombstone tilted backward under the impact, but the Demon King's wings did not stop, and he shot straight into the sky, still pressed against Anubis.
Anubis was jolted awake by the violent friction between his back and the monument's surface, and once again unleashed a punch imbued with the power of death upon Vera's abdomen.
The heavy, muffled sound was like a diamond being hammered.
However, physical attacks were of little use, as the power of death had begun to erode the body.
"You think I'd fall for the same trick twice!?"
The Vampire's power was activated; the moment the attack made contact, the Demon King's flesh, tainted by death, was stripped away, and the wound healed before it even touched the air.
The attack that he had planned to break free from failed. Anubis only felt a void behind him as the Demon King carried him to the top of the sky.
"Since you're concerned about these things..."
The demon king bent his arm, gripping the god and pulling him backward to gather strength.
"Then let's find another place to fight!"
Like a cannonball, Anubis flew toward the edge of the wasteland, with the Demon King flapping his wings in pursuit.
Clang--!
Catching up before the god landed, the longsword, wreathed in blue flames of fury, clashed with the scepter once more.
Anubis, who had been silent, spoke once more:
[Give up. I am not your enemy. After the due punishment, you will still receive the rewards of the trial.]
"[Sarkaz curse!] Who the hell is going to make up for the time I'm missing!?"
The Carrion Eater's power activated, and a twisted, decaying tree burst forth from the Daichi, grabbing the deity high in the sky and slamming him violently to the ground.
As the sandstorm erupted, Anubis, having severed all his restraints, raised his staff, and countless tombstones fell from the Void.
The length of time is meaningless to the gods; through the trial, you will gain eternity...
"Stop being so self-important! Who cares about your time!"
The hundred-meter-tall tombstone crashed into the Demon King, shattering like willow catkins.
The Demon King struck like a bolt from the blue.
"A life lived alone... is meaningless!"
Anubis paused for a moment, the Demon King's charge was already upon him.
The black tide pushed the gods backward, and amidst the parting waves of sand, Anubis lowered his demands.
[If you promise not to break the taboo against death again, I can spare you punishment.]
The Demon King was taken aback, and the force in his hand lessened.
"Those who have already come back to life..."
[The deceased will surely return...]
"You dare to play me!?"
Following the king's wrath, flames coiled around his body.
In yet another clash, the two pushed each other away, and Anubis raised his staff, ready to repeat his old trick.
[World-Burying Tribute]
"You think you're the only one who knows how to play with stones?"
As the Gargoyle activated its power, Anubis lost its footing, and as it plummeted, a massive shadow loomed over it from both sides.
From the left and right, the ground rose up like mountains, forming a pincer movement that would squeeze Anubis into a flowing core.
However, the mountains merged too quickly and in too little time, and Anubis, exhausted from the long battle, finally remembered that he could fly.
"[Stop!]"
The Banshee's decree was invoked, but Anubis only trembled slightly; the Spellvoice was clearly insufficient to affect a god.
The Demon King's eyes sharpened as he looked at the merged mountain range.
"[Accelerate!]"
Boom--!
Under the influence of the law, the suddenly accelerating mountain range pressed the deity firmly into the center.
No... not yet!
Rumble--
In the center of the merged mountain range, a barely perceptible crack slowly opened.
Anubis braced himself against the two stone walls, a look of rage appearing on his jackal-like face.
[Stubborn to the end!]
Golden divine power manifested in his muscles, forcefully pushing aside the obstacles!
Anubis is about to break free, but what is the Demon King doing?
In the dark night sky, a point of light appeared, and a spiral of fiery clouds rapidly spread out from the tip of the Demon King's sword.
She's gathering her strength!
The power belonging to the Flame Demon unfolded, and the melting sea of flames in the distance rapidly cooled down. All the heat that could be mobilized converged towards the Demon King's Oath, causing a thin layer of ice to form on the ground.
The sword's light grew even brighter, and its terrifying heat distorted the Demon King's figure into a bizarre and grotesque form.
As he watched all this, the phantom of a heart appeared in Anubis's palm.
With one hand clasped together, the phantom of the heart shattered, and the demon king in the sky was momentarily stunned.
Did the Demon King fail? After all, it was the authority of the Grim Reaper...
Wrong!
Anubis looked up in astonishment, not sensing the Demon King's soul.
Surprised?
The gods could not see the demon king's smile, but they could hear the smugness in his words.
"I saw it all along, everything you wanted to do!"
After a brief moment of confusion, Anubis understood everything, his inhuman face unable to conceal his rage.
[Undead Revival Effect: Revives and strengthens monsters to fight for you.]
Before Anubis could use his power to kill him, the Demon King ended his own life and resurrected himself using forbidden power.
At the same time, under this forbidden power, each death of the Demon King is stronger than the last, which means...
The Demon King transcended death before the Grim Reaper!
"I can fight you for 10,000 years!"
[Fire Shield][Berserk][Strength]
The Demon King swung his sword with all his might, and a blazing white beam of light, along with Anubis, pierced through the Daichi.
The Daichi is the canvas, and the flames are the brush.
Everything the sword touched, everything the brushstrokes reached, was rendered in cyan, resembling a scene from the underworld.
At the very bottom of hell, Anubis remained motionless.
Along with the attack came the memories sent by the Demon King.
The Sarkaz have a history spanning ten thousand years; they are a living hell.
Constant destruction, constant struggle, endless slaughter—living is harder than dying.
Anubis was controlled by the Sarkaz's memories of the cesspool.
It's not simply a matter of storage for ten thousand years; there are also different versions among different Sarkaz.
But He did not reject these memories; He simply observed them.
Under the influence of the Mind Flayer's power, this memory link also affected the Demon King, who began watching the movie with a lot of grumbling.
A dazzling sun, scorching winds, endless yellow sand, shimmering rivers...
That was the most vivid image in Anubis's memory.
But even gods would get bored with an unchanging landscape over a long period of time.
What truly imprinted this image in Anubis's mind was the life he shared on the Daichi with—
Human beings.
I have heard [Lat] say that before He was born into the world, those fragile people were already living on the Daichi.
To the gods' astonishment, why didn't such fragile creatures perish under the feet of those Behemoth?
A long life always needs some entertainment, so Anubis began to observe these wondrous little people.
They would die from the slightest ailment, and from the fear of small, poisonous insects.
Yet, even with life-threatening injuries, he could still hunt down Behemoth with his spear.
They would fight each other over food and their tribesmen, and they would also risk their lives to help their injured compatriots.
What a contradiction...
Anubis, still curious about humanity, was strolling across the Daichi as usual when he saw a dying human.
He had just survived a fierce battle, his internal organs dragged out by wild beasts. Despite his severe injuries, the man still resolutely crawled towards the settlement.
Anubis estimated the distance and bluntly told humanity that he could no longer reach his home.
Humanity was greatly shocked by the appearance of the gods, but even after understanding the facts, they did not stop their actions.
Do you think I'm lying to you?
"No, it's just that I won't be satisfied unless I fight to the very last moment..."
Anubis was deeply attracted.
He had never seen such will, such desire to continue life and achieve a goal at all costs.
But humanity eventually died, and Anubis continued to draw people's souls to him as always.
Why do humans push themselves to this extent?
Anubis asked a question, seemingly aware of his death, and humanity had lost the awe they felt upon first meeting him.
"Your question is strange. Is there anything wrong with wanting to live?"
[I cannot understand how your life has been so difficult, that you couldn't even guarantee your daily meals.]
"It's different. Perhaps because you are a god, it's difficult for you to appreciate the wonder of life."
What is this answer?
Anubis was displeased.
[I possess everything that you humans have, and I am even stronger than you. Why can't I understand?]
Humanity pondered for a long time and gave an unexpected answer.
"Perhaps it's because you can't die."
Anubis was disappointed by the delusions of humankind.
[The short lifespan of humans, in your words, has become a virtue?]
"It is precisely because life is only given to us once that it is so precious, and that is why humankind strives so hard to live the most wonderful life in its short span."
I can't understand...
Death was a false proposition for Anubis; no one could kill him, so he could not verify whether the other party's words were true.
But even if Anubis admitted it, he clearly wouldn't be convinced.
Then--
If I were to give you a second life, would you be able to maintain your original aspirations?
The human shook his head and corrected him:
"If you want to prove it, you should at least give me the same life."
God agreed.
Anubis gave his eternal life to the other, in exchange for eternal existence in the Underworld, whereby he would be forbidden from entering the world of the living.
Through the souls that entered the Underworld, Anubis was able to learn about the history that followed.
The reborn man quickly won over the hearts of the people with the Divine Miracles that occurred to him, and they called him Pharaoh.
Under his leadership, humanity united to drive away the Behemoth along the river of life and establish the first kingdom.
After forging excellent weapons, the kingdom expanded outwards, the Behemoth were driven away, and humanity gained more and more fertile land, gradually leading to the rise of a glorious civilization.
The kingdom grew stronger over time until no other kingdom in the region could rival them.
Gradually, the pharaoh ceased to be wise; he began to indulge in pleasure and became tyrannical and incompetent.
The kingdom decayed, and its people endured their suffering in silence.
It will be fine once the Pharaoh dies. The princes are kind and loving; they will surely be able to restore the kingdom.
Day after day, year after year, the princes grew old and passed away, while the pharaoh remained young.
Death could not take the Pharaoh away; he grew ever more tyrannical and ruthless.
He divided people into different classes, assigning labor to the lowly and indulging in luxury and extravagance to the noble.
One day, unable to bear it any longer, the commoners stormed into the banquet and plunged a dagger into the Pharaoh's heart.
The tyrant is gone.
Centuries later, the pharaoh and the gods meet again.
You say that human life is precious because it is short, yet you possess endless time, and use it to trample on those fleeting lives.
Anubis was deeply disappointed. He looked at the decaying soul before him, trying to find the shadow of the warrior who had survived in the yellow sand.
[You failed to keep your promise; as a price, your soul will be condemned to eternal damnation.]
"Great Grim Reaper, I have realized my mistakes."
"When a mortal lives like a god, he doesn't become a better god, but only a tyrant who is tired of humanity."
"Please give me a brief moment to apologize to those poor people who were hurt."
Pharaoh was in tears, and his sincere expression made the gods hesitate.
Final--
You have only one day left.
The Inquisitor maintained the order of death closed his eyes on that day, but Pharaoh did not repent as promised.
He opened the gates of the Underworld and used the resentful army of the dead to launch a counterattack on the world of the living.
The kingdom was destroyed by the very people who originally founded it.
Deaths and devastation...
That was the biggest mistake Anubis ever made in his life.
After the incident, Anubis was punished by Ra and imprisoned in the Underworld forever.
Until disaster struck--
They called this phenomenon "Void."
The Magic Stone shattered in the war, and the node that maintained the balance of the world failed.
The barriers of the world crumbled, and darkness mercilessly devoured everything it touched.
All living beings were forced to unite in a counterattack, but they still failed, and His Underworld was about to be breached.
Finally, Anubis, who stood up against the Void, was mercilessly pierced through the chest by the monster that resembled him.
That was the first time Death truly came close to death.
On the verge of death, that chaotic being saved His life.
"Another world destroyed. It seems you are the last Fire Seed."
[... the Fire Seed?]
"I don't have time to explain it to you slowly. Just understand it as a sample of civilization; as long as the Fire Seed remains, the world still has the possibility of being repaired."
That guy used a fragment of the Magic Stone to plug Anubis's wound and brought Him, along with the entire Underworld, to a space called the [Ark].
"Stay here and do your best to find and preserve the Fire Seed until the war against Ark Void ends."
Where is the Ark headed?
"Who knows? If the war cannot be ended and the barriers of the world cannot be repaired, there will only be more and more Fire Seed like you, and then it will never end."
[... What should I do?]
"Do what you've been doing until we win."
Bearing this responsibility in mind, whenever the Ark passes by those destroyed worlds to collect the Fire Seed, Anubis records those destroyed civilizations and erects monuments for them.
As time passed, even with the protection of the Magic Stone, the souls of some of the Fire Seed still reached their end.
The chaotic beings never reappeared; it seemed... the end they were waiting for would never come.
So long that even Death himself felt it was an eternity, the Ark ceased its search for Fire Seed.
The Void has arrived.
They somehow found the Ark and began to corrupt the Fire Seed inside.
To ensure the survival of the Ark, the guardians, including Anubis, led their followers to form a defensive line once again.
The Void was briefly repelled, but the pollution did not stop, Fire Seed began to kill each other.
Left with no other choice, the Guardians reunited the fragments of the Magic Stone once more, isolating the corrupted Fire Seed from the Cleanser.
But while the intact Magic Stone solidified the Ark's defenses, its energy also attracted old enemies...
How much longer do you intend to watch?
"!!!"
The Demon King awoke with a start, and before him sat Death, cross-legged, seemingly having waited for a long time.
"You..."
[Let's call a truce. Our fight is meaningless. If you continue to resort to forbidden tactics as before, our battle will never end.]
So you're giving up?
The Demon King awkwardly lowered her sword. She had already given up two lives; was she really going to stop just like that? Her Demon King Council had clearly been gathering its strength...
"[... If you mind, although I cannot truly die, I can let you kill me twice.]" Seeing the Demon King's thoughts, Anubis added:
[I understand why you violated the taboo, but even without Underworld, death should be equal for all, just as you seek equality for the living, so too should death.]
"What kind of bullshit order of death is this!" Ignoring Anubis's suggestion to give up two lives, the Demon King interrupted Him aggressively.
"Dead is dead. They didn't bother anyone. What's wrong with wanting to live?"
"If saving them is my desire, I will never be satisfied, but will continue to be greedy!"
Even if you bring me the poison of death, I will become the healer of death! I will fight against death forever!
So stubborn...
"I think you're the one who's stubborn!"
Recalling his experience of watching the Sarkaz's ten-thousand-year history from the audience, the Demon King became increasingly confused.
"I've had enough of just watching, but what about you? You can't possibly enjoy watching this, can you?"
I am merely fulfilling my duty as the Grim Reaper.
"Besides death, have you never tried living any other way? Have you never tried walking with people?"
He wanted to walk with people... but He had long since lost the opportunity to do so.
Anubis scratched his head in frustration, while Vera's mind was also in a state of confusion.
Anubis's memory contained an enormous amount of information.
The Void... that dangerous thing has already breached the world's defenses, isn't the Evil Lord going to do anything about it?
That chaotic being... that's clearly Transcender, right? How long did the war he mentioned last? Why haven't we heard from him at all? Could he really be dead?
And another thing! Why did they travel through time? Shouldn't the [Ark] accept the Fire Seed of a destroyed civilization?
Their world can't be like that either...
Vera slapped her face hard. No way, they were perfectly fine before they came!
However, she now understood why the [Dungeon] harbored such deep malice towards them.
If those monsters are the so-called "Fire Seed," then isn't what they're doing just human trafficking?
With a mix of trepidation and excitement, Vera sought confirmation from Anubis.
No, the corrupted Fire Seed have lost their function as anchors; they have lost their souls.
"What about the King Snow Ape? He clearly recovered after being resurrected."
[... They were all born after the war, infected by the remnants of the Void, like the Ash Lords who participated in the First Void War, whose corruption had penetrated deep into their very souls.]
"Then why not just kill them sooner and then revive them?"
[...]
Anubis watched Vera silently, and she gave an awkward smile.
[... Not everyone can use Miracles.] Anubis eventually provided an explanation.
What does "Miracle" mean?
[The post-apocalyptic world bestowed upon her surviving child a final blessing, which you might call "skills."]
Normal necromancy merely manipulates corpses, but when it reaches the level of Miracle, it's practically a resurrection.
"And you..."
My world has not yet been destroyed.
Anubis said firmly.
[The beings of Chaos said that if they win, and as long as the Fire Seed remains, there is a possibility that the world can be repaired.]
"... Um."
Instead of attacking him, Vera looked at Anubis's chest.
"Don't you have the Magic Stone? Can't it repair the world wall?"
[Useless. Since Genesis, the power of the Magic Stone has primarily been used to maintain balance.]
[To repair the world walls, the Void must be banished; otherwise, the chaotic beings wouldn't have left them on the Ark.]
"Then could you...?"
[Yes, but I have conditions.]
Anubis removed the Magic Stone and handed it to Vera.
[Some Magic Stone fragments have been stolen; you will have to retrieve them yourselves.]
"No problem."
Without asking how the Magic Stone was stolen, Vera immediately agreed.
Nodding, Anubis waved his staff, and two portals opened behind him.
Vera breathed a sigh of relief. Enough time had already passed; she wondered how the boss and the others were doing.
Vera hesitated briefly before turning back as she walked toward the portal.
"Do you... want to leave with us?"
Even though she knew it was impossible, Vera still couldn't help but ask:
Bearing the responsibility of being the Fire Seed of civilization, Anubis lives here, waiting for the return of the Transcender.
But if the Ark is destined to be destroyed, then staying here is nothing more than a futile wait for death.
Surprisingly, Anubis did not refuse immediately.
Does your world not have Underworld?
Vera immediately became alert.
"No, what do you want? I've already told you, my area isn't your responsibility."
[Then I will go with you.]
"Uh-huh?"
Vera was taken aback, Anubis explained:
[Although I am not aware of your transmigration, I am aware of the current state of that world called Terra.]
"... What's the meaning?"
[The Ark only accepts the Fire Seed of destroyed civilizations. Since you were able to enter, it means that your world meets the Ark's acceptance criteria.]
[But now that the Ark is damaged, all I can do is gather information about the world to create a tombstone for the new civilization.]
Seeing Vera's still somewhat doubtful look, Anubis said directly:
[From the moment you were able to step onto the Ark, it has already been proven...]
That Daichi will eventually perish.