At the break of dawn the next day, Epsilon, fully aware of Millia's routine to be in the kitchen at this hour, was subtly performing her maid chores nearby. When she noticed Anos making his way there, she seized the opportunity. Skillfully tailing him, she discreetly positioned herself by the kitchen entrance, her senses heightened, ready to eavesdrop on the imminent conversation between Anos and Millia.
However, despite being right next to the opened door, Epsilon couldn't discern a single word. The hum of activity and clattering of pots and pans from the kitchen seemed distant, even though they should've been clear and loud. It was as though a veil of silence enveloped the area around the door. Confused and slightly irritated, she attempted to lean in closer for a clearer view.
“—-!?”
Suddenly, an overwhelming sense of dread gripped her. It wasn't magic; it was far more primitive and chilling. Epsilon's limbs refused to obey her, her voice stuck in her throat, her magical energies stagnated. Petrified, she realized she was paralyzed, not by magic or poison, but by sheer, unadulterated killing intent.
The realization hit her hard - the sheer magnitude of killing intent pouring out of the kitchen was enough to render her, a top operative of the Shadow Garden, completely helpless. The weight of the situation pressed down on her, a chilling reminder that she was delving into waters far deeper and more treacherous than she had ever imagined.
A cold sweat broke out on her forehead. She was vulnerable, exposed. Her training had prepared her for deadly attacks, magic, and ambushes, but nothing like this. This wasn't just a show of power; it was a clear message. Don’t move.
Epsilon felt an eternity pass, paralyzed by the raw, unfiltered killing intent emanating from the kitchen. Yet no relief came. The intent neither waned nor ebbed away; instead, it clung to her like a suffocating fog, weighing her down mercilessly, making her feel like prey caught in a deadly snare.
Then, a ray of hope came in the form of Millia. She walked out of the kitchen, humming softly to herself, clearly oblivious to the oppressive atmosphere around her. Millia walked past Epsilon without a second glance, seemingly unaware of her frozen form mere inches away.
However, instead of relief, the killing intent around Epsilon intensified. Each subsequent wave was sharper, colder, more precise. It was as if it had a consciousness of its own, seeking out her very soul. The soft, rhythmic echo of footsteps began to approach the door. The sound felt like a death march, each step resonating with the overwhelming intent surrounding her.
Anos Voldigoad emerged from the doorway, the very embodiment of the dread she felt. He paused after walking a few steps forward, not looking towards Epsilon, his gaze fixed ahead. There was no need for him to look her way; his killing intent alone was a clear and unspoken message. But it was his voice, cold and unyielding, that truly sent shivers down her spine.
"I don't know what your relationship with Cid is" he began, his gaze never turning towards her, "but considering my brother's trust in you, I'll overlook your current insolence.."
His voice then took on a dangerously low tone, "However, let me make one thing clear... if anything were to happen to Millia..."
As Anos's chilling voice whispered the warning about Millia, the world around Epsilon became an abyss of torment. From the shadow of Anos on the floor, the souls of countless beings he had slain in the past began to emerge. Each one was a testament to his immeasurable power and ruthlessness.
Humans, with eyes hollowed from despair, their mouths open in silent screams. Majestic dragons, once rulers of the skies, now looked broken and subdued. Spirits, their ethereal forms wavering, emanated an aura of deep sorrow. Gods, who once held dominion over divine realms, were now mere specters of their former selves, their divine brilliance dimmed. Every conceivable being, from the most insignificant to the mightiest, manifested in that moment, their collective anguish directed solely at Epsilon.
Their eerie, mournful cries pierced her tiny soul. The cacophony of their pleas and the weight of their infinite despair bore down on her. They seemed to be imploring her, begging for release, for mercy, for an end to their eternal torment.
Around her, the sheer volume of the corrupted souls and the force of their emotions was suffocating. Epsilon felt as though she were drowning in a sea of anguish, the weight of eons of unimaginable suffering and death pressing down upon her vulnerable mortal soul.
“—----------”
A silent scream threatened to tear from Epsilon's throat, but no sound escaped her sealed lips. Desperate for relief, she tried to shut out the horrors, but her eyes betrayed her, remaining wide open. She yearned to claw her own eyes out, to spare herself the torment, but her arms remained immobile, bound by an unseen force. Her instincts screamed at her to flee, but her legs were stone, anchoring her to the spot. Tears of despair might have granted her a momentary respite, but even they were denied, her tear ducts frozen in horror. Thoughts of ending it all to escape this terror crossed her mind, but she was trapped, unable to act on even that morbid impulse.
The landscape around Epsilon warped and twisted, a vast tableau of apocalyptic destruction and desolation unfolding before her eyes. It wasn't just the things emerging from Anos's shadow that horrified her, but the haunting visions they brought with them.
She witnessed grand cities, the pinnacle of civilizations, reduced to ruins within moments. Entire species, which once thrived and prospered, were obliterated without a trace. Even the fiercest and most cruel of beings trembled under Anos's unfathomable power. They dropped one by one, prostrating themselves before him, their pride shattered and their defiance obliterated. From the majestic libraries of the learned, to the lively markets of bustling cities, to the serene temples of the devout, all were consumed by the dark fires of Anos's wrath.
The people she saw were of all ages: children who never had the chance to grow, young lovers torn apart before their time, elderly who met cruel fates despite having survived the test of time. The mighty dragons, their scales which once shimmered in the sun, were now dull and lifeless, chained in eternal servitude. Spirits, who once danced freely in the winds, were trapped in relentless storms of their own despair. Even the gods, their luminous aura replaced with a dark void, were powerless against the brutal might of the Demon King of Tyranny.
Every vision, every memory brought with it an overpowering sense of loss and grief. These were not just tales of conquest, but of a force so overwhelming that nothing in its path could survive.
Yet what truly sent a chill down Epsilon's spine was not just the swathes of destruction or the sheer number of entities forced into submission. As she delved deeper into these harrowing memories, she began to perceive an even more disturbing pattern. Anos, with his unfathomable powers, had not just wreaked havoc and obliterated entire civilizations. He had erased history itself.
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Landscapes that once bore the marks of his tyranny were now serene, untouched, as if the chaos had never occurred. Entire epochs were wiped from the collective memories of surviving civilizations. Detailed archives, oral tales, and even the echoes of time seemed to have been altered or purged. The depth of Anos's control over time and reality became evident. By erasing these events, he ensured that new eras would remain oblivious to the gruesome atrocities he committed.
To obliterate lives was one thing, but to erase their very existence, their stories, their legacies, was an entirely different level of cruelty. It meant that the pain, the struggles, and the sacrifices of those who suffered under his rule would never be acknowledged. They would never be mourned, remembered, or avenged. It was as if they had never existed at all.
Epsilon felt a sense of overwhelming loss and despair. It wasn't just about the sheer scale of Anos's malevolence, but the realization that entire chapters of history, filled with lives, dreams, and cultures, had been wiped away. The weight of forgotten stories pressed heavily on her fragile heart.
The profound nature of this revelation emphasized how truly formidable Anos was. If he had the power to manipulate the past and memories to this extent, what hope did anyone truly have against him? The notion that even memories could be manipulated was a terrifying thought, for it robbed the victims of their last sanctuary: their place in history.
As these terrifying visions blurred rapidly with no end in sight, Epsilon was left with the chilling realization of the vastness of Anos Voldigoad's might. The scale of destruction and the depth of the pain he had caused was unimaginable. Trembling, she tried to regain her composure, but the weight of what she had just witnessed left her paralyzed in terror.
And then, as suddenly as it began, the souls retracted back into the shadow, and the overwhelming tyrannical aura dissipated. But the echo of their wails and the agony in their eyes haunted Epsilon. She lay there, gasping for breath, soaked in a combination of her own fear and the weight of countless souls' despair.
As the last of the visions faded, a stark comparison began to take shape in Epsilon's mind. The Cult of Diablos, for all their notorious acts, their reigns of terror, and their conquests, seemed like mere child's play in the face of the devastation caused by Anos Voldigoad. The Shadow Garden, which she had always held in high regard for its mission to dismantle the Cult of Diablos, now felt like a drop in the vast ocean of power and horrific history that surrounded Anos Voldigoad.
The sheer malevolence and destruction unleashed by the Demon King of Tyranny made even Demon Diablos' recorded notorious actions seem trivial, almost as if they were child's play. It was a terrifying realization, making Epsilon's situation even more unfathomable.
All the covert operations, strategic eliminations, and even the major battles the Shadow Garden had won against the Cult seemed utterly trivial. The scale of Anos's actions, the merciless annihilation of entire civilizations, and the eradication of species on a whim were on a level she hadn't even fathomed. It was like comparing a single raindrop to a boundless ocean, the differences were so vast that Epsilon felt like a tiny ant looking at the sun.
A creeping sense of insignificance enveloped Epsilon. The pride and confidence she once held in her position, in her noble organization, and in her abilities dwindled. How could they ever hope to stand against, or even understand, a force like Anos Voldigoad? The Cult's collective evil deeds, accumulated over centuries, were dwarfed by what Anos had singlehandedly wrought in one day.
A dread-filled realization settled in her core: If Anos Voldigoad truly viewed the world through such a lens, where entire worlds could be snuffed out like candles, then their understanding, their perspective, and their strategies were all woefully inadequate. Epsilon, for the second time in her life, felt truly small and outmatched.
Seemingly indifferent to her pitiful condition, Anos continued forward, his pace unbroken, leaving a traumatic mark on Epsilon's consciousness. The true scope of Anos Voldigoad's formidable power and the terror he instilled became undeniably clear to her. It was in that profound and chilling moment that she finally grasped the dire threat that Shadow-sama was dealing with.
Epsilon was brought back to reality as the voices around her abruptly ceased. Anos's intimidating presence had moved on, leaving the hallway empty, but the weight of what she had witnessed lingered, gnawing at her very soul.
Crouching behind a pillar, tears streamed down her face as the profound reality of her situation washed over her. The whispers of Shadow-sama's warnings echoed in her mind. They had always emphasized the danger of Anos, advising all members to maintain their distance and approach with utmost caution. Yet, in her arrogance and curiosity, she had disregarded those orders, thinking her training and experience were sufficient to tackle any challenge.
Now, she felt a mixture of regret and guilt. Shadow-sama had been confronting this omnipotent force alone. While she and others were given much safer tasks, assignments, and roles, he faced the True Demon, Anos Voldigoad, head-on. And Epsilon hadn’t truly understood the gravity until this moment.
A gut-wrenching realization hit her. The Demon King of Tyranny had infiltrated Shadow-sama's domain, held his family hostage, and had likely subjected him to worse horrors and untold torture. The burden Shadow-sama must've been shouldering alone was unimaginable.
Shadow-sama had borne the brunt of it all for their sake, enduring everything silently. His orders, which they had foolishly ignored, were crafted not out of caution but to protect them from wandering too close to the very heart of this peril.
Epsilon’s knees buckled, and she slid to the ground, burying her face in her hands. “How could I have been so foolish?” she whispered to herself, tears flowing freely. Every directive, every command, every piece of advice from Shadow-sama had been aimed at protecting them, and she had brushed it aside, leading her to this devastating confrontation.
The enormity of her oversight consumed her. Epsilon had faced numerous foes in her time, had waded through complex conspiracies, and navigated intricate webs of deceit. Yet, in her arrogance, she had ignored the most simple instruction from Shadow-sama: to avoid Anos Voldigoad.
Wracked with guilt, she found herself thinking back to every encounter, every observation, every interaction she had had with Anos. Were there signs she missed? Clues she overlooked? Or was she simply so out of her depth that she had no hope of truly understanding the monster she was up against?
She knew she had to warn the Shadow Garden, to relay her findings, to emphasize the danger. But how could she convey the sheer scale of devastation she had witnessed? How could she make them understand the threat that Anos Voldigoad posed, not just to them, but to the entire world?
Her thoughts whirled, each more despairing than the last. Epsilon knew she had to find a way to make things right, to correct her mistakes, and to protect those she cared about. But for now, she was overwhelmed, lost in a torrent of guilt, fear, and regret.
Determined to make amends, she slowly rose to her feet. She needed to reach Shadow-sama, to apologize, to convey everything she had learned. With newfound resolve, she set off, hoping it wasn’t too late.
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◈◈◈ Next Chapter ➠◈◈◈
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Chapters 1 through 25 can be accessed by the public on Patreon.
Chapter 26「 New Atomic Magic 」 (Now available on Patreon)
Chapter 27「 Quantum Magic & Family Drama 」 (Now available on Patreon)
Chapter 28「 A Reincarnator From My Era? 」 (Now available on Patreon)
Chapter 29「 A Date with the Demon King 」 (Now available on Patreon)
Chapter 30「 Assistant Principal Lutheran 」 (Now available on Patreon)
Chapter 31「 A Father's Dilemma 」 (Now available on Patreon)
Chapter 32「 The Academy's Arrival 」 (Now available on Patreon)
Chapter 33「 A Father's Desperate Plea 」 (Now available on Patreon)
Chapter 34「 Cult of Diablos's Prophecy 」 (Now available on Patreon)
Chapter 35「 Anos Voldigoad's Duel 」 (Now available on Patreon)
Chapter 36「 Empress Elara 」 (Now available on Patreon)
More chapters coming soon.
Patreon page: www_patreon_com/ridoux