PHASE 70 - THE WATCHER FROM THE DARKNESS

After the battle, we immediately delivered the heavily-wounded Benedict Hamerov and the ice-sealed Esperia in the Black Cross Prison in Myrrh City. That is the perfect place to lock up Cursed Guardians who did very bad deeds, and he is expected to spend his life until his very death. The Black Cross also confiscated the God Core of Hades, making Benedict powerless.

The frozen Esperia is sealed in the underground-most part of the Black Cross Mansion. A Multiversal Heretic like her must be sealed in the maximum security for the reason that her existence threatens all of existence. There is little to no information about the Heretics like Esperia, but there are records and rumors that there’s a total of thirteen of them.

The Cathedral Exa ladies Guinevere and Z also accompanied us in delivering the cursed couple to the Black Cross. They also gave some bizarre things to the Gate Guardians that are involved in guarding the prisoners. One of those things is a special chain that is used to wrap Benedict’s body.

“That chain is used to seal the Curse of Necross in a person’s body. As long as you don’t take that off, his third eye will not manifest.” Z said.

“You girls are really bizarre. Just where did you guys came from?” Rikkun asked while being skeptical.

“Ohoho! You’re the most bizarre out of all of us, Mister Eisenhower.” Guinevere sassily laughed. “I came from a universe that is quite identical to yours, but about Z…”

“Z came from a clusterf*cked world that has raging wars, slavery, betrayals, and backstabs.” Jecchan continued. “The only good thing in her universe is that dragons actually exist.”

“D-D-Dragons!?” I excitedly pumped my fists. Hearing my most favorite non-existent pet made me aroused in a non-sexual way. “H-How do they look like, Miss Z?”

“Hahaha!” Z laughed as she held her hips. “I’ll show you once I invited my master here. For now, we have to come back.”

“So you guys are already leaving?” I frowned.

“Yes,” Guinevere said. “Our job here is finished, and there are no signs that Necross will appear in this universe.”

“Well, Tiara ate that darn planet. There’s no way it can still exist.” Jecchan said with a smile. “Maybe we should get going too, Alaric, Tiara. We still need to explain to the Aether Crusade members on what is going on.”

“Wait,” Rikkun said as he looked upon Benedict who was sulking on the edge of his cell. “I still have to ask something.”

Rikkun walked forward and held the iron bars. He glared at the person who is responsible for destroying universes. His eyes are not giving off angriness but despair.

“I will ask you again, Benedict. Answer this not because you are Necross Hades, but as an Aether Crusade member and former ally.” Rikkun said. “Tell me, why did you choose to serve Necross?”

“...”

Benedict slightly adjusted his remaining leg to make him a little bit comfortable. Slowly, he stared at the man he once chose to serve but betrayed him and betrayed us all in the end.

“I did not choose it. It just happens. Necross chose me. Esperia showed it to me with her eternal love. It is just a natural occurrence, and from my point of view, it is a perfectly good thing.”

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“You really are messed up in the head, don’t you?” Jecchan cringed as she said those words coldly.

“This universe may be safe from Necross, but mind you… the other universes aren’t. Jeannette Amiella Fontaine von Noctis, you’ve experienced it. Guinevere Arcaliburn, you’ve seen it. Zheastinaleoj De Meister, you will see it. Lord Necross’ might is unstoppable. He can be resummoned from another plain. He can be reconstructed. He can destroy everything, and you can't do anything to stop the others from collapsing. He...will...be...watching...”

“M-Mister Benedict.” I held my aching heart. It pains my soul to see a previous ally turn into a genocidal maniac.

Filled by her temper, Jecchan immediately pressed the red button on the wall, immediately closing the cell with three-layer metal plates that are enchanted with sealing spells. Jecchan started to walk away, which actually sounded more like stomping. She still couldn’t forget the fact of what happened to her universe.

<>

After leaving Black Cross Mansion, we immediately boarded the bus and went to Kozukata Shrine in Heightsburg. There, the members of the Aether Crusade are waiting and still puzzled, but good thing our leader Jecchan explained everything to them.

Guinevere and Z said that they needed to go home, so Rikkun and I excused ourselves from the conference. We escorted the girls all the way back to Dradecim City until we reached the Cathedral Exa. Rikkun and I were amazed when we finally set foot once again on the church.

The church is actually different from most churches I’ve visited before. The central ceiling which gave out cathedral paintings was actually foldable metal plates that are controlled by some high-tech magic. A gigantic blue globe immediately hung from the center of the church. There are rings rotating on the blue globe, and at the center of it is a divine core.

“Wait, is that…” Rikkun muttered. “I-Impossible…”

“Yep~” Z jollily smiled. “That’s a fragment of the Outer God Core of Yog-Sothoth. The Cathedral Exa uses this power to transport different people through multiverses.”

“How did you even get that Outer God Fragment?” Rikkun asked.

“It’s a secret~,” Guinevere said with a smug. “Ohoho! Don’t worry, Mister Eisenhower, Miss Hikari. I know you’ll have the chance to use it.”

“I prefer not to. I might see that annoying f*ckface of Yohan Romanov.” Rikkun grunted.

“Ahaha…” I just laughed in the background.

“Okay then, I guess this is it.” Z said as she stepped in front of the globe. Guinevere followed and then waved goodbye to us. “Take care of yourselves!”

“Yes! Thank you for your help, Miss Z, Miss Guinevere!” I pumped my fists with a smile. On the other hand, Rikkun’s goodbye is just a wordless smile but a happy hand wave.

The globe started spinning as well as the rings around it. The Outer God Fragment immediately made a white light that flashed right into our eyes. We were temporarily blinded by the brightness, but when the light faded, the sassy princess and the witch girl are no longer here. They must have sent back to their respective universes.

And now, there’s only Rikkun and me in this place. We slowly went out of the church and leisurely walked in the mini-forest.

<>

The loud clank of the closing gate echoes, momentarily interrupting the serenity of the afternoon. Everything is colored orange already, and the sun is bound to set. Looking at the ever-bright sun while embracing the gentle afternoon breeze made me appreciate the world we just saved.

“Rikkun, are we going back to the shrine?” I asked.

“Ahhh…” Rikkun looked at the clouds as if he’s thinking. He made a tired but satisfied smile at me. “I don’t want to hear Jeanne’s boring lectures. And we both already know what happened anyway so going back in Heightsburg would be a waste in time and money.”

I just nodded. I’m quite exhausted because of the battle and travel time too. But more importantly…

GROOOOOOAAAANNN!!!

That was my stomach. I’m hungry.

“Auuuu… So embarrassing.” I cried as I held my stomach. I can’t hide the ashamed blushing cheeks on my face though.

Rikkun chuckled, which made my feelings worse. But he immediately redeemed my ego when he held my hand.

“I heard there’s a triple-stack cheeseburger eat-all-you-can promo in the Dradecim Mall. Let’s have a contest.” Rikkun arrogantly smiled. “Same rules. Whoever gets stuffed first will get to pay it all.”

“I’ll take you on! With determination, I refuse to give up!” I jollily said.

“Let’s go then!” Rikkun cheerfully shouted.

“Yeah!”

Just before we ran, I was momentarily frozen in place. At my peripheral vision is a shadow that looked so terrifying yet pitiful. It was a girl with a pale white face, long black hair, and crimson eyes. That person looked a lot like me, or a mirror of me. A chill went down to my spine as I felt the infinitely killing intent of her crimson glare.

“Eh?”

I immediately looked at the direction of the girl, but she was no longer there.

Ah, maybe I’m so exhausted and hungry that I’ve started hallucinating.

It’s just my imagination after all.