"Hiss-"
The grating sound of boiling water hitting ice rang out for who knew how many times.
Roland held his hands slightly raised, repeatedly snuffing out the lingering flames of destruction on his body.
Every wisp could easily burn through the infinity of several universes in the outside world. If allowed to enter the body, even a Demon God would undoubtedly face an irreversible, slow death.
Yet now, these genuine embers of Principle swiftly vanished into nothing as his fingertips, gleaming like white jade, gently closed together.
They left behind neither ashes nor even smoke.
Judging by the process alone, he was not clearing away the aftermath of a battle at all. It looked more like idly picking loose pills off a sweater.
After all, Roland's face showed none of the delight or excitement of having avenged a great wrong, nor any enlightenment or compassion from comprehending the truth. He simply repeated the movements of his hands with perfect composure.
That air of merely attending to a tedious task made the sight all the more chilling.
"Is everything all right now?"
Only after a long while, when Roland raised his head again, did Aiwass, who had appeared behind him, ask softly.
This domain, still steeped in an aura of destruction, allowed no spectators. Gremlin's Demon Gods had already been captured by Slash Emperor and turned into batteries supplying power.
Only Aiwass, intimately connected to both Roland and the foundations of this domain, could appear without harm.
"I'm fine. It's just a little strange that a power that could once have killed me without leaving a body no longer even counts as a nuisance."
Roland shook his head, looking thoughtful.
While removing the remnants of Principle from his body, he had also understood why defeating the lesser foe this time had