- It was something someone had to do.
Suddenly, words I had heard long ago flickered through my mind.
That this was reality. That this was my role.
The words I heard back then remained the most deeply engraved memories of all the years I had lived until now.
Crackle. Crackle.
Sparks scattered on the wind. Pure white ash swept across the ground beneath my feet in every direction.
Sizzle.
The land where the flames had passed looked horrific, as if a massive forest fire had broken out. Pure white ash piled atop the blackened earth, covering it like fallen snow.
“No matter how weak a Demon God may be, if you reduce their existence to a lingering soul, ordinary humans cannot withstand the ripple effects.”
Animals and plants alike were burnt to cinders, leaving only remnants behind. Stone and iron melted and then hardened even more firmly than before. It snatched life from the living and form from the formless.
“It was a necessary sacrifice.”
“Indeed.”
It was cruel, but to prevent the earth from being tainted, every last remnant had to be eradicated.
A mask vanished like the ash scattering on the ground. Waving a hand at Eungdal, who was watching him with worried eyes, Xiao climbed onto a nearby rock and sat down.
His eyes stung from the contact with the ash. On this land where only ash and smoke remained, nothing else was left.
“Rex Lapis, who fights the Demon Gods directly, must deal with far worse than this.”
Ultimately, he closed his eyes, uttering the words he hated to say most.
It was uncomfortable. He was merely stating the truth, yet it felt like an excuse.
Battle was something he had always done, even before he was old enough to understand the world.
It was the means to deliver the human world from the demons created by the hatred and grudges of fallen gods.
But now, he had to acknowledge the guilt for the lives departed and his own pathetic lack of capability.
He had to accept all that karmic debt.
“So, you were here.”
“The cleanup wasn't finished yet. It’s done now.”
Xiao opened his eyes at the sound of a calm voice. An Adeptus carrying the blood of the divine Qilin had approached at some point and was speaking with Eungdal.
Xiao listened quietly from where he sat.
“But why do you look so serious?”
“Rex Lapis has...”
“The Lord?!”
The moment the title 'Rex Lapis' was mentioned, Eungdal’s eyes sparkled like the morning star.
Xiao was no different. His shoulders had twitched the second he heard the name.
“He has summoned the Guardian Yakshas.”
“Just us? Why?”
“He says a Demon God has appeared to the north of Mingyun Village.”
“A Demon God? Ah, I see. Well, it is better to burn them as soon as they're caught. But is it necessary for all five of us to go...? Ah, Mingyun Village has many people, so we should go ahead and evacuate them. We’re fairly well-known by now, aren't we?”
Eungdal hummed excitedly, asking and answering her own questions before reaching a conclusion. Xiao watched Eungdal nodding to herself with such composure that he let out a small internal chuckle before standing up.
“No, that is not it.”
“Eh?”
Eungdal’s bobbing head came to a sudden halt. Ganyu watched her and spoke in a quiet voice.
“Rex Lapis has requested that you deal with the debris surrounding the Demon God.”
“Debris? Not demons? More importantly, has he already caught it? No, wait. Didn't you just say it appeared?”
“That is correct.”
“Then...?”
“Rex Lapis said that the Demon God appearing north of Mingyun Village is... that kind of existence.”
“Wow, what a nuisance.”
Though Eungdal spoke cheerfully, her expression was stiff, unlike before.
There were very few Demon Gods who caused harm to their surroundings simply by existing.
Considering how the sea where Osial resides is plagued by constant, maddening storms even when he does nothing, the opponent was likely a top-tier Demon God.
Xiao remembered the terrifying sight he had glimpsed from afar. He pulled his spear from the rock.
“Where do we go?”
#
The five Guardian Yakshas began their discussion without even having time to catch up after their long separation.
General Kapala, the Geo Yaksha Menogias, spread his hands and reshaped the earth. The ground rose, creating a three-dimensional representation of the surrounding terrain.
Marshall Vritra, the Electro Yaksha Bosacius, extended one of his four arms and pointed to a specific spot.
“You’ve likely heard the gist of the situation from Ganyu. The Demon God is currently here. And around this area...”
A black stone was placed down, and a circle was drawn around it.
“This entire region has been covered by something. And strange things are being born within it.”
“Are they demons?”
“Likely not.”
“They aren't?”
“No. Because they are using elemental power.”
“Elements? Then they possess Visions...”
“That’s not it either. They don't have Visions. However,”
“However?”
“They don't have Visions, but they possess something similar.”
Bosacius pulled something small from his sleeve and set it down. It wasn't a Vision, but it was something very much like one.
Instead of the elemental sigil that should have been engraved on a Vision, it bore an unknown pattern.
“What... is this?”
“I don't know. But what is certain is,”
Bosacius looked up toward the forest. Not a single bird could be heard today.
“...that things like this are emerging from within.”
Everyone fell silent. It was an unstable silence, like a midnight festival suddenly brought to a halt.
The one who broke the silence was General Chirping Dragon, the Hydro Yaksha Bonanus, who had been listening quietly.
“By the way, what is the Demon God’s name?”
“Logos.”
“Uh... I've never heard of him.”
“He is called the Great Demon God of Dreams.”
“God of Dreams? Then...”
Bonanus stole a quiet glance at Xiao. Xiao merely stared at the map in silence.
Bosacius shook his head as he looked at Bonanus.
“It’s not that Demon God. Just think of it as an alias. It’ll be easier that way.”
“An alias? Then what’s his real name?”
“Actually, I don't really know.”
“What kind of answer is that?”
Eungdal’s playful remark slightly deflated the atmosphere, which had been as tense as an overinflated balloon.
Bosacius let out a small chuckle, then wiped the smile from his face and whispered quietly.
“I almost wanted to join... no, I’m talking nonsense.”
The Yakshas were, first and foremost, Adepti who had entered a contract with Rex Lapis to protect the laws and maintain the mortal realm. The Guardian Yakshas were the strongest and most exceptional leaders among them.
Having received the Lord's command, their hearts were filled with a righteous light more brilliant than ever before.
“In any case, our job is to wait until the Lord arrives while preventing any calamities.”
With a tone that suggested they were performing a trivial task, Bosacius tapped various points on the map.
“First, Eungdal goes here, Xiao here, Bonanus here, Menogias here, and I’ll take this side. Even if an unexpected situation arises, the descendant of the Qilin is at a distance where she can see everything, and her arrows will—”
Whiz— Thwack!
An arrow flew from somewhere and pierced the ground. A white cloth was tied to the end of the arrow, which was lightly frosted with ice.
“...inform us like this. So, you don't need to feel too much pressure.”
Bosacius finished his sentence, pulled out the arrow, untied the cloth, and slowly unfurled it.
His face hardened.
“Forget everything I just said. We leave immediately.”
“...What happened?”
“A human has been captured.”
The five Guardian Yakshas dashed toward the forest.
“But what if that Demon God fellow tries to use them as a hostage?”
“I wonder...”
He didn't think a Demon God that powerful would resort to such tactics, but then again, was it even possible for an ordinary human to get that close to him?
Or was even that part of the Demon God’s intention?
His thoughts grew complicated and his mind tangled, but seeing the other Yakshas looking at him, Bosacius spoke calmly as if it were nothing.
“Rescuing the hostage is the top priority. However, let’s act as if we don't care about the hostage.”
“Does that mean...?”
“If they lose their value as a hostage, he won't pay them any mind.”
At those words, the thought 'What if he kills them as soon as they lose their value?' crossed Eungdal’s mind, but she swallowed it down. She knew well enough that this wasn't the time for such comments.
Though they say all lives are equal, everyone has priorities. If even one of them fell in this battle, the thousands or tens of thousands of lives that one person could have saved would vanish.
And she knew that everyone here shared her thoughts.
But contrary to her expectations, Bosacius said exactly what she wanted to hear.
“If there is even a hint of an attempt to attack the hostage, stop it immediately.”
“Yes!”
Eungdal gave a loud, beaming response to Bosacius’s order. Bonanus, who was running beside her, looked at her in surprise.
It was exactly the command she had hoped for.
#
The earth was being crushed. Breath felt heavy.
Just by stomping his foot, the atmosphere surged and the ground twisted. The descendant of the Qilin, who had been watching from afar, drew closer.
While everyone was considering their next move, blood gushed from the mouth of the human collapsed at the Demon God’s feet.
At that exact moment, Xiao’s spear and Bosacius’s lightning were fired toward the Demon God.
Bonanus followed right behind them, and Menogias’s power rose to protect the Yakshas.
Realizing her final role, Eungdal donned her mask and immediately charged at the Demon God. Then, she darted past him.
Having bypassed the Demon God, Eungdal grabbed the human and instantly retreated from the spot.
The thought that this might be enough kept rising in Eungdal’s heart. She wanted to set the human down and go back this instant, but Bosacius’s words echoed in her mind.
‘Rescuing the hostage is the top priority.’
If an operation launched to rescue a hostage resulted in the hostage being harmed, it would be putting the cart before the horse. Even if the Yakshas fell, they had to ensure their sacrifice was not in vain.
With that fact etched deep in her heart, Eungdal continued to run.
After setting the human down, Eungdal turned back the way she came. Worry bubbled up in her heart as she returned.
The opponent was a top-tier Demon God. Though they were strong, they were still beings who couldn't even reach the Lord’s feet. Dark thoughts continued to plague her mind.
Fortunately, however, the battle was continuing without a single one of them falling, contrary to her fears.
Eungdal joined the fray immediately.
She noticed that the Demon God’s movements were somewhat strange. He was parrying and dodging the Yakshas’ attacks using only his right hand, while his left hand was held close to his chest.
She wondered if he was holding something, but strangely, she couldn't bring herself to care, as if a fog had settled over her mind. Eungdal cleared away the useless thoughts and focused on the battle before her.
Then, at one point, Bosacius’s attack reached the Demon God’s skin. It was a faint but definitive strike.
At that sight, Eungdal cheered inwardly. The thought, 'Maybe we can... before the Lord even arrives!' flashed through her brain.
And in that instant, the Demon God’s aura shifted completely.
Crash— Shing!
Xiao’s spear shattered as it collided with the Demon God’s sword, and the blade, losing none of its momentum, sliced through Bonanus’s hand.
Xiao and Bonanus were thrown backward, and simultaneously, both of their masks split in half. The shattering of a mask didn't signify death, but it meant they had sustained a blow equivalent to it.
Eungdal’s hands froze for a moment at the sight. Bosacius threw himself between them to block any follow-up attacks on the fallen pair.
But instead of attacking the two on the ground, the Demon God threw his sword. Ganyu stood directly in the sword’s trajectory.
Only then did Eungdal realize her mistake, but the sword was already making contact with Ganyu’s bow. Fortunately, thanks to Menogias’s support, Ganyu was saved, though she lost her bow.
Instead, the Demon God was already in front of Menogias. Eungdal reached out the moment she realized her error, but the world was unfair.
The time it took for her to reach out was far slower than the moment the Demon God struck down Xiao and Bonanus, threw his sword at Ganyu, and reached Menogias to cut into his body.
Eungdal’s mouth fell open at the future unfolding before her. But it was clear that the Demon God’s sword would cleave through Menogias faster than a voice could leave her throat.
Eungdal cursed herself. If only she hadn't frozen earlier. If only she had kept her wits about her. If only she had been a little stronger to begin with.
She hated how her mind raced so quickly for self-loathing only when things reached this point.
If only her thoughts had moved this fast when Xiao and Bonanus were hit.
Endless self-reproach dug into her heart.
And at that moment, a massive pillar rose from the ground. The sudden pillar blocked the path between the Demon God and Menogias. With a deafening sound, the sword sliced into the pillar.
The sword cut halfway through the pillar but still didn't lose its momentum. Its speed had decreased, but it still had enough power to reach Menogias.
However, that did not happen. The sword stopped as if blocked by something before it could touch Menogias’s shoulder.
The sky grew dark. Looking up, Eungdal saw a massive meteor falling toward them.
At that sight, Eungdal let out a sigh of relief. Simultaneously, she bit her lower lip at her own reaction.
Where had all her previous thoughts gone? To feel relieved the moment the Lord arrived?
Eungdal steeled her heart and prepared for battle once more. The presence of a shield surrounding her body protected her state of mind.
But Rex Lapis did not attack the Demon God. And atop the Demon God’s body sat a shield identical to her own.
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