Silvia's Perspective

“Ark,” I call out, looking at the direction of the capital.

I ignore those looking at me, forget where I am, and focus myself on this feeling that I know belongs to Ark.

His will... I can feel it on my skin. He wants to kill, to destroy someone.

The fact that I can sense it is surprising, since it means Ark's presence is amplified to such a degree even an amature like me can sense it. I still can't feel others near me, only Ark if he amplify it.

Just how much power is he mustering?

I won't get any answers here.

The connection I have with Jeff acts as a bridge, and in the same way he vanished, so do I.

As I arrive, a cry rings in my ears, that of a beast, and I see a mix of red and black clashing against... isn't that... never mind.

Ark pushes himself while roaring. He is furious, completely overtaken by his emotions and. The “presence” he holds is incomparable to even a Titan like Commander Julius.

But the toll is evident from the cracks spreading over his body.

I have to stop this.

My Primordial Wind washes over the area. Like tidal waves, it swallows everything, forcing the clash of two wills to slow.

Then the Primordial Wind is obliterated by the foreign black power.

That... never happened before.

I may be in trouble.

“Ark, a little help.”

◇◇◇

I recover some of my rationality when Silvia calls out to me, but I ignore it.

Get that power off me! I don't want to calm. I want to rampage until either he or I am dead, me being the most likely option.

“Please, Ark. He is fine, but not if you keep this up. Please.”

Dammit!

Having lost my momentum, the black disaster relentlessly pressures me to break. Phantom deactivates—deactivates!—and the cracked black case finally shatters.

Revealed from the ashes, a single shard emerges. It glows iridescent white, radiating a shadow of divinity.

Intense pain sears through me as I try to reactivate my skill. As it flares into action, I channel mana into the shard, as much as I have, and I look at Silvia for a single instant.

She nods, and begin infusing it Primordial Wind, dyeing it platinum. I synchronize with her, our magic powers resonate, our void and wind mesh together in harmony.

Primordial Wind gushes from my heart, coursing through my broken body. The atmosphere hums its tunes, a melody I never knew existed.

It's the easiest it ever was. I realize Silvia has been following suit and attempts to synchronize with me, resulting in an explosive compatibility I've never experienced. Our combined efforts are concentrated on the shard, charging it with more and more Primordial Wind, until even the black power yields.

The shard swirls around at a crazy speed even my trained eyes can't follow, only perceiving a silver trail. It eats away at the black, eliminating every trace. Then, in a straight line, the shard penetrates the black into Iris, directly placing itself in the heart.

My phantom flares, and the intent transforms the shard lodged in Iris's heart and assimilates. The black is purified, and her intent stops breaking.

It's over. For now.

Once the sync ends, I let humiliation, anger, and various negative emotions surge. They are twisted, maddening, but I don't bother suppressing them. Only trying to hide it from Silvia... from the others.

I will kill him. I swear, I will make him regret ever existing!

Sigh, I feel like shit.

“You, healing. Now.” Authority coats my voice, and Giselle hesitates shortly before pumping me with her remaining holy power.

Sensing the damage she heals, her eyes widen. “How are you...?”

“That's enough. Heal this bird.” I gently lift Jeff, entrusting him to Giselle, even as my muscles burn.

Honestly, most of it was done by the reactivation of Phantom. It put immense pressure on my body, almost tearing it apart.

How long has it been since I last deactivated Phantom?

No, that's not it.

From the very beginning, Phantom has only ever been activated. Not a day has passed without it since the day I was born. It's a disgusting feeling, as if I was stripped naked in freezing water.

“Silvia, keep pumping the shard with your power. We don't want another... outburst.”

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“Fine, but Ark, make sure you get rid of all the residuals. They are a lot.”

“Already on it.”

My phantom traces over the area, channeling killing intent to nip the will of destruction in the bud. I do this only with killing intent because I don't trust myself not to lose my mind. I don't want them to recognize the similarities between our powers.

Also, everyone got traumatized. PTSD incoming?

I wonder how me and Silvia look to these war veterans. They must wonder how we can be pragmatic and unfazed as they cower in fear.

Well, it really is a terrible experience.

At some point, Julius and some other big shots arrive, and I let Silvia handle the explanation. My mind focusing on tracking every particle of intent remaining. Once I am done we with the cleaning, I stand up, aware of the gazes.

“Let's have a talk.”

◇◇◇

“Is the princess adopted?” I ask out of the blue.

We sit at a fancy table to discuss what to do with this abomination, world ending threat. There was a useless discussion to which I interrupt and take over. It's finally quiet.

The queen isn't here, recuperating somewhere else. She wasn't injured, and I even protected her mentally, but stress weakened her. Pathetic.

King Alden also looks stressed and tired, yet still trying to maintain a sense of authority. That's admirable, not that I would care either way.

He ponders over his next words, examining my expressions, trying to infer my intentions.

As if I'm in the mood for games.

Before he gets the chance to answer, I stand up and walk away, leaving the room. “Forget it. I will deal with it.”

“You will?”

“I will.”

Disbelief. Distrust. They don't believe me, but no one else can offer a solution.

My solution is simple: kill Iris.

Cruel, but my shard is a temporary fix. It will slowly break, allowing the fragment of a being contaminating her mind to escape and exist.

Worst case scenario, it draws the actual guy from that timeline, and that's a game over for the world. Kaput. Destructive finish.

This is the reasonable option. If it were up to me, I would like to keep the guy around and challenge him once I can win. I am not doing this because he is decades ahead of my level. He is just too dangerous.

I open the door while thinking like that, entering the room Iris stays. Silvia is by her side, pouring her Primordial Wind.

“Can you give us a moment?” I ask innocently.

For a moment, I think she will refuse. Silvia looks me straight in my eyes, and I think she read something about me. With a short nod, she leaves us be.

Since when was she so dangerously sharp?

Pushing this for later, I sit down at a chair and look at the princess.

“How long before you die?”

“A day or two,” she answers.

“It's a divine item, made out of the divinity of the Goddess Aurora. Even if it's broken, it's invaluable for us mortals.” I share the details, but not how I came to obtain it.

“Well, that guy is even more unbelievable,” Iris's answer is simple.

That guy is strong enough to contend with gods.

Such a leap from trying to kill a mere “immortal” demon king.

“I have seen your memories, the world you came from.” I see her surprise, letting it sink slowly before continuing. “You probably understand as well; that world was irredeemable.”

She opens her mouth, then closes it. She does so again and again, thinking hard about what to say.

In the end, she just asks, “Why didn't you appear?”

“I did. I was the one who destroyed that world.”

(What the fuck? Even a freak like you can be considered human, Ark. That monster can't.)

(Fuck off Maxi. I need quiet.)

Now I see real shock and pain. “You?”

“Me.”

“Why? Why!”

Anger. Resentment. Despair.

It's like looking in a fucking mirror.

“Because everyone I ever liked was killed, so I lost my reason to exist. I fueled myself with vengeance, and once it was done, that worthless world was unneeded, and I wanted to destroy it all—that is the most reasonable conclusion I could get from your memories.”

Just the thought of a world without my loved ones drains me of my strength, fills me with such hopelessness and despair. To actually experience it, that version of me, as messed up as I am, would naturally want it all gone.

Iris is a better person. She fought for the memory and legacy of her family. I can't do it. Because for me, legacy and memories are worthless. What others make of me is insignificant.

“Iris, you know it best. He can never continue to exist. We have to eliminate every trace of him, otherwise the world is doomed.”

“So the plan is to kill me?” Her pale face remains steady even now.

“Yes, that is the easier, safest course of action. All the misery you feel will be gone. I will end you painlessly.”

“And what about you?” She points my selfishness, the danger I represent. “I can't imagine you will let someone... off you, Ark.”

“No, I want to live, so I will keep quiet about this.”

Sure, I could make excuses. My actions saved us from the bad ending, I will become a Hero and kill whatever Demon King will be. I have saved the world and even plan to do so multiple times in the future. I am necessary.

But it all comes down to me wanting to live.

“Then I won't accept this. I also want to live!” Iris screamed, purposely trying to raise a fuss.

She stands on her feet, taken by a momentary wobbling, before steadying and gaining distance.

How futile.

I manifest my spirit, not even bothering to enhance it. Even that little is enough. Slowly sheathing my sword, I look at Iris coldly, pacing towards her.

“Why... why isn't Rufus coming in?” She immediately notices her guard being too late, fear reflects in her brown eyes. “What did you do to him?”

“Soundproof barrier.” I lift my concealment, showcasing it was cast for some time.

Did she think I killed him?

“Just wait a minute, Ark, please!” Iris pleas. “I will just regress in time. There is no way to kill me, so just stop!”

I have cornered her. She is too weak, and I am too skilled to fall for any attempt.

My mind sharpens. I look at my target, the world fades besides me, Iris, and the sword.

“My swordsmanship is special. The attack I will strike you with is a concept, aiming at your soul. It won't just kill you, it will be an irreversible end.”

Souls destroyed won't continue to the afterlife, won't have the chance to reincarnate or resurrect. It will be ceasing of her existence.

“I never liked you, but I don't like anyone. I respect your achievements and resolve. As weak as you are, I respect you, and I hate weaklings.” I don't lie, I really learned to respect her. I almost like that. Almost, but even that is amazing. “However, it seems you were fated to fail. Your life has always been at the hands of others—that's the reason.”

I slash.

Iris closes her eyes, willpower and desperation emanating from her entire being.

Pushed to the limits, her new heart reacts.

My blade, an attack that is still not a concept, something still weak and premature, stops at the moment it reaches the skin. It doesn't pierce even a single layer of that soft skin, something I can easily tear with a normal attack.

The world spins around us, the scenery changes completely as we are thrust into an unknown space.

When Iris opens her eyes, they glow with a radiant golden—the color of divinity.

“What... I... where are we?” Confusion overtakes her.

Honestly, I wanted to ask the same thing, but I have a fair clue.

It was impossible for Iris to survive even a second after being contaminated with destruction itself. She should have died on the spot. The destruction should've eroded her mind and body in an instant, not after years.

“So this is the one who brought ruin to the former world.”

A being appears in the air, descending to the ground as the world is lit with golden. Threads trace over the space, forming a weave that resembles a river.

The being radiates golden divinity, his eyes golden and his hair is the same simple, common brown as Iris. His features are perfect, almost artificial. His intent is unbound into his body, ever-present in this space—his domain.

“My daughter,” He turns to Iris. “I am thrilled at your awakening, at last.”

The real father of the princess, as well as the reason she could survive for so long.

Kronos, the god of time.