Activate. Activate. The 72 Demon Gods tasked with Human Order Correction.
Namely, Baal, Agares, Vassago, Gamigin, Marbas, Malphas, Amon, Barbatos, Paimon, Buer, Gusion, Sitri, Beleth, Leraje, Eligos, Zepar, Botis, Bathin, Saleos, Purson, Morax, Ipos, Aim, Naberius, Glasya-Labolas, Bune, Ronove, Berith, Astaroth, Forneus, Foras, Asmodeus, Gaap, Furfur, Marchosias, Stolas, Phenex, Halphas, Malphas, Raum, Focalor, Vepar, Sabnock, Shax, Vine, Bifrons, Vual, Haagenti, Crocell, Furcas, Balam, Allocer, Caim, Murmur, Orobas, Gremory, Ose, Amy, Orias, Vapula, Zagan, Valac, Andras, Flauros, Andrealphus, Kimaris, Amdusias, Belial, Decarabia, Seere, Dantalion, Andromalius.
We, the 72 Demon Gods, questioners of love. We, the 72 Demon Gods, knowers of wounds.
In the name of the "72 Demon Gods," we cannot be stopped from this salvation…!
Originally the Noble Phantasm of Beast D/L, Infinite Overlord: Phantasmal Ideal. Its effect is the ultimate runaway called evolution.
"I won't allow it."
Not Solomon, but #### lets out a resentful cry.
"Not if I were Solomon, nor Moses, nor Arthur, nor Charlemagne, and certainly not some alien lifeform from outside this universe—my cosmos shall not be destroyed!"
Goetia, or rather the 72 Demon Gods, understand the nature of this madness.
This is the God of the Bible, yet not the God of the Bible.
The concept of Evil of Humanity no longer exists in this universe. Evil of Humanity wasn't defeated—the rules themselves collapsed.
The wreckage of human prayers. The embodiment of resentment directed at God. The incarnation of humanity's malice amassed by Solomon and stored by Samael.
The inversion of wishes filled with nobility yet unable to reach Heaven.
"I won't yield. I won't yield. I won't yield! Filthy aliens! I won't let the likes of you take my world!"
As this entity is born from the Truth and System that birthed Beast D, it was inevitable that Solomon's consciousness fading would lead to this. But the King of Men and Demon Gods aren't surprised. Naturally. Their task remains unchanged. They'll see it through to the end, to the very end.
"No matter the obstacle, they cannot burn away our intellect…! If they aim to kill us optimally, we'll simply evolve twice as fast. Learn. Absorb. Adapt. Without that, the plan cannot be achieved…!"
Agares, Vassago, Gamigin, Orobas—optimize computational functions.
Barbatos, Paimon, Buer, Beleth—strengthen the connections of each Demon God pillar.
Orias, Zagan, Andrealphus, Kimaris, Amdusias—begin observation of necessary information.
"Oh, Lord!"
"You've truly been resurrected!"
"We'll save you now!"
"Damn those vile flesh pillars!"
Appearing in the heavens are angels who served God. Weaker than those summoned by #### earlier, but likely nearly all of Heaven's angels have rallied. For Goetia, focused on battling the God of the Bible and destroying Heaven, their numbers are a nuisance.
Some may understand this isn't truly the God of the Bible, but it doesn't matter. They're angels—servants of Heaven. God's will is absolute. Humans are mere livestock. Devils are enemies. God is the sole absolute, and those serving Him are noble.
Thus, what God desires is justice, and those who harm God are evil.
"The anger doesn't stop. The anger doesn't stop."
Sabnock, Shax, Vine, Bifrons, Vual, Haagenti, Crocell, Furcas, Balam—merge. Crocell, manifest independently. Engage the angels.
"We no longer choose the honor of reaching the apex. We'll annihilate as many of these irrational angels as possible. In the name of the 72 Demon Gods, death to those who harm humanity. Kill. Kill. Kill. No matter what, kill them!"
A feat no Heroic Spirit could imitate—no, a grand endeavor only we, the 72 Demon Gods, can achieve!
"Let there be joy! Let there be joy!"
Bune, Ronove, Berith, Forneus, Foras, Gaap—begin dismantling Heaven's containment zones.
"Oh, enemy shadows like shooting stars! Indomitable souls that don't perish no matter how many we kill! Is this what it means to be sought!? To be rejected!? We lacked this emotion! We lacked this immaturity, this foolishness, this brutality!"
Murmur, Ose, Amy—seal the Sacred Gear forge.
Belial, Decarabia, Seere, Dantalion—forcibly halt outer-cosmos interference formulas.
Botis, Bathin, Saleos, Purson, Morax—unlink Truth and System.
Marbas, Malphas, Amon, Allocer—successfully block Chaos Tide.
"Oh—the heat within us! But it's not too late, it can't be too late! Spin the light band now. The plan's completion is near. This impossible reversal is the answer to our infinite refinement. Our destined apex! Even if we fail—this conclusion of "having achieved something" must be etched into this universe! No! We won't fail!"
Another irregularity occurs.
"Chaos Tide reaction detected."
"Presumed backflow from Truth."
"Time to locate and seal the leak: three minutes—corrected, one minute."
Furfur, Marchosias, Stolas, Malphas, Focalor, Vepar—deploy multiple magical barrier wards and incineration formulas to block Chaos Tide.
Gusion, Eligos, Caim—assist linkage and release mana output.
"Now, this is the end, ghost…!"
"Why…"
No matter the core, the vessel is the same, limiting what can be done.
Inevitably, another brawl begins, just like before.
"Why. Why. Why! Why do you Demon Gods try so hard to save humans!? You must know they're not worth it! Nothing but painful memories! Such foolish creatures exist only in this universe! This star is mad. You're mad. What value does this history have!?"
There were many kings. Many saints. Yet all were betrayed by this world. If they strayed and were judged by God's hand, that could be accepted. If killed by vile devils, that could be understood. But it was humans who degraded them.
Moses' Ten Commandments were broken. Solomon's Truth was abhorred. The Savior's prayers were forgotten. Arthur's peace was burned away. Charlemagne's pride was defiled. Jeanne's name was scorned as a witch.
Humans chosen by God were too good for this world's humanity.
"Why protect humans so fiercely? Why fight until your spiritual cores are shaved away? It can't just be to repeat a past plan. What drives you, all of you!?"
"Isn't it obvious!?"
What a pointless question.
"Because we want them to live—!"
The One God's movements halt.
"To live, you say?"
"Yes, exactly!"
There was a lonely saint. A boy who yearned for heroes.
Perhaps it started as a plan's revival. Even without the God of the Bible's engineered factors, maybe it began with a "this time" mindset.
But in this moment, in this struggle, there's no failure of a grand endeavor. Not the past defeated by an ordinary boy, but to let those plagued by abnormality reclaim normalcy—that's why Goetia is here.
"Did you have someone you wanted to live? In the world you reshaped, are they smiling!? Can you say those there are living!?"
Humans are foolish? The world is ugly? Worthless? Meaningless?
—We know. We've known that forever!
That's why we destroyed humanity. That's why we tried to remake the star. While ignoring the flawed premise.
Now I think: if that plan had succeeded, if that grand endeavor was achieved, would the world we wanted truly exist?
That's why she didn't take our hand. That's surely what it meant.
So now, for those who took our hand.
"This is our victory—!"
Finally, the King of Men shatters God's spiritual core.
The annihilation of angels, destruction of Heaven, and sealing of the mud are complete. There's no time left for irregularities. This time, we'll escape with victory.
"Ah, I see. I can end now, can't I? You should've told me sooner. You shouldn't have called my name to begin with. Don't you think so, my beloved—?"
In that instant, the One God's body turns to dust. Simultaneously, the heavens emit a piercing sound, shattering like glass.
Despite the world's collapse, it's filled with a light like a blessing.
"We, the 72 Demon Gods who aimed for Heaven's throne—our ambition is fulfilled. Redefining life is now impossible, but the means are countless. The collapse of Truth through Heaven's fall is our ideal. Live on in a world without the King of Magecraft's blessing, wretched humanity!"
Phenex—complete shutdown due to overexertion.
"Impermanent, impermanent. We had nothing. Everything was worthless. No one sought our ideal. Not even hope was held. But in this universe, you called our names. I'm overwhelmed. We face our end again."
Due to Phenex's shutdown, Ipos, Aim, Vapula, Valac, Leraje, Andromalius—annihilated.
"—Thank you. Our gratitude and blessings to you."
Fifty-nine pillars annihilated. Nine pillars with severe spiritual core damage. Four pillars, despite exceeding damage limits, maintain their cores.
System collapses. Heaven's collapse is presumed due to the aftermath. Prevention is impossible.
Second Retrograde Canal / Genesis Light-Year—Bible Revision success confirmed.
"—This is our apex."
This proves our supreme mandate, Grand Order.
Most Demon Gods are gone. The surviving ones are beyond their limits. As a result, Goetia can't sustain himself. The components forming him are overwhelmingly insufficient. In a world where not a single angel remains, he collapses alone.
"Goetia, you're here."
Aware his functions are nearing shutdown, in his fading consciousness, Goetia hears that voice. Moving his barely responsive body, he sees exactly who he expected.
"…Ophis."
"I'll be lonely without Goetia."
Thinking back, his encounter with this Dragon God started in a troublesome way. Strong yet low in intellect, long-lived yet pure, a dragon yet innocent.
"Lonely, lonely, huh? You always sought silence, didn't you? Always alone. It's just returning to before you infiltrated the Temple of Time, right?"
"Don't need silence, don't disappear, Goetia."
Goetia freezes at the unexpected words. A strange emotion hits him, but he'll end before realizing what it is.
"Can't quite comply with that."
"Sorry."
Hearing the apology, Ophis, expressionless, lets tears spill from her eyes. Goetia gently wipes them with his fingertip, softly touching the cheek of the innocent, girl-like Dragon God.
"Will you hear my final selfish wish?"
"…What?"
"Please smile, Ophis."
"Smile?"
Ophis, crying expressionlessly, tilts her head. Goetia gives a wry smile, lightly pinching and rubbing her cheeks, but her expression doesn't change.
"Smiling, harder than a Reality Marble."
"…Absolutely. I wholeheartedly agree."
Not with resignation, not mockery, not anger, not sorrow.
How difficult it is to smile from the heart. Perhaps that king could only smile that way for a reason.
"What's this about abandoning roles, incompetent king?"
As expected, he can only spit venom until the end.
"Who carries your ages of guilt, merciless king?"
It's too late to take it back, and he has no intention to. We committed sins we can never atone for.
That's why.
"Did we properly fulfill our role this time?"
Did we achieve a feat worthy of your familiar?
"What happens to humanity now is a trivial attachment before the grand endeavor's completion."
Everything that needed doing is done. Anything more is excessive. It's long beyond the purview of sinners from the outer cosmos.
"There's no room for regret in this conclusion."
Truly, he believes it's accomplished.
"The only emotion we—I—can feel is the joy of fulfillment."
It should be.
Yet, why?
Cao Cao. Georg. Leonardo. Jeanne. Heracles. Conla. Asia. Perseus. Xenovia. Siegfried. Freed. Rint. Valerie. Tosca. Issei Hyoudou.
And Ophis.
"I wanted to enjoy this life—this dream—with you all just a bit longer—"
The time to awaken from the butterfly's dream has come. Despite not wanting to die, why does it feel so refreshing?
"—King, I return to you now."
Truly, what a long, tedious detour. An unnecessarily prolonged journey. Finally, it can end. It's already ending.
How short, how fascinating, a human life.
"Goetia?"
No response. Knowing why, Ophis calls his name.
"…Goetia."
Again and again, the Dragon God repeats the name of the family she finally gained and lost.
Note:
The beast governing one of the seven Evils of Humanity, Pity, Beast I, Goetia. The executor of Human Order Incineration, the amalgamation of Solomon's 72 Demon Gods.
Their story, mourning humanity's tragedy and seeking to remake the star, now comes to an end once more.
Next time, the final chapter: "The Red Dragon Emperor"
To be posted simultaneously with the epilogue.
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