A Transmigrator’s Privilege-Chapter 254

"Infernos, who had caught my gaze, spoke first.

'First of all, I should congratulate you for completing your mission and returning safely. Would you like a cup of tea?'

'I'll pass.'

I pushed my cup aside. Knowing how that flower tea was made, I had absolutely no desire to drink it.

Infernos smiled, as if she had expected this, and leaned back against her chair.

With her hands clasped and her chin raised in an arrogant posture, she spoke.

'Report on the results of your spying.'

It was truly a command full of the pressure and dominance you'd expect from a Demon Lord. In that case, I too should respond with full attention.

I crossed my legs and raised my chin in the same way.

'I will.'

Our gazes met in the air, and with that, I reported.

'The building being constructed by Carpeos is called the Chaos Mausoleum.'

As soon as the words left my mouth, Infernos' pupils dilated. Her greed for knowledge stirred her excitement.

'What kind of place is it? What did you see? What is "his" goal? Hurry, tell me.'

Gladly.

'At the very bottom of the Mausoleum, underground, there is a special place called the "Altar of Chaos." That place is connected to the origin of your demonkind.'

'Our origin...'

'The Cradle of Chaos.'

This was the term used to describe the final dungeon where Tesilid Arzent had thrown himself in his 100th cycle.

It was a place where numerous evils, evil thoughts, and malevolent spirits gathered, forming a dark ocean.

Originally, it was just a mix of various forms of evil, but at some point, a singularity appeared, and the clustered thoughts fused together into a mass.

And a ritual representing the collective will of all evil was spontaneously born.

In other words, a being born at the end of many evils coming together, and it was called Chaos Evil.

In the 100th cycle, Chaos Evil lost its will and was refined into pure power, absorbed by Reid.

But this was the 17th cycle, where time had been turned back. Thus, Chaos Evil still existed.

Here, Reid intended to use his powers to trigger a Dungeon Burst and release Chaos Evil into the human world to bring about the world's destruction.

The reason Reid didn't directly destroy it and chose an indirect method was simple. It was due to the absolute contract he made with Chaos Evil in the 100th cycle.

In exchange for that, Reid was able to maintain his will without being consumed by Chaos Evil.

In the original work, Reid faithfully fulfilled his promise with Chaos Evil and caused a burst in the final dungeon.

So what about Reid now?

Even though he's deviated from the original timeline, his basic plan remains the same, with just one more step of advancement.

'The Chaos Mausoleum was a double dungeon. The altar was the entrance to the Cradle.'

'...'

'Reid intends to trigger the burst twice to bring out the true Chaos Evil—or as you would call it, its "true form"—into the human world.'

'...'

'The reason for going through the process twice is obvious. Every time a burst happens, the power and rank of the dungeon's master are amplified. And so, the true form of Chaos Evil released into the human world would...'

No one knew what kind of existence it would become.

No one could predict what kind of disaster it would bring.

'...It would be horrifying.'

Could it be stopped?

I couldn't be sure.

I couldn't help the voice and gaze that sank low on their own.

[System] 'Judicial transaction (difficulty: SSS)' quest has been completed.

Infernos spoke, as if ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) entranced.

'The true form, as beautiful and wicked as that dark abyss...'

'...'

'Twice activating the power to tear open the gate...'

'...'

'Ah... Ahhh...!'

A long, admiring groan escaped her lips at that moment.

'Such a great plan! I admire you wholeheartedly, Chaos Evil!'

Infernos jumped up from her seat. Her excitement was such that she threw decorum and formalities aside.

Whether this was out of reverence for Reid or because her thirst for knowledge was being satisfied, I couldn't tell.

I didn't care.

'Now, keep your promise, Infernos.'

'Of course.'

It was time to receive my reward.

Infernos stood and, with that, straightened herself toward the Pit of Solitude.

She seemed unwilling to sit back down, so I also stood up to follow her.

Infernos leisurely spoke.

'As I said before, there is a rule that the final entity cannot leave the Pit of Solitude. It’s an absolute rule that irreversibly consumes my power.'

'...'

Her rambling went on for too long. This was no good omen.

'Once the offering enters the Pit of Solitude, even I, as the Demon Lord, find it difficult to nullify it. But there's no need for you to worry. The contract is absolute. The promise will be kept.'

'...'

She reassured me with words of trust, but at the same time, her eyes gleamed sadistically as they scanned me.

The ominous feeling soon became a reality.

'However, I’ll have to use a shortcut. I'll simply substitute the fallen offering with another one.'

At that moment, I couldn't hold back a scoff.

Ah, I knew it.

The reward promised by the quest for my success was ‘Tesilid Arzent's survival.’

The vague phrasing had made me anticipate this backstab from the moment I read it.

'So, become the offering, Executor of Evil.'

Crack!

The ground beneath my feet crumbled.

[System] Warning. Entering the Pit of Solitude.

[System] Warning. You are the 10,257th offering.

A distant feeling overwhelmed me as the message popped up.

'The World-Creating Enchantment' sighs as it sees what has come.

'The Soul-Judging Scales' sighs at the scheduled developments.

'The Oracle of Cosmic Secrets' clicks its tongue at this couple’s way of never passing a cliff.

A force stronger than gravity pulls my body down. At that moment, I thought of him.

The man with black hair.

Reid.

'So that's why you synthesized the Holy Sword of the Cross with the Demon Lord's Sword.'

If all of this were part of his plan...

Then...

'Is my choice now part of your plan as well?'

I would find out soon enough.

Swish!

The sound of my fall filled the air, and it was deafening.

Around that time, a hot energy gathered in my right hand. The jagged blue crescent-shaped symbol engraved on my palm began to burn.

With the establishment of the contract, the symbol vanished.

Crunch!

As I plummeted, the ground beside me began to rise, elongating like a pillar. A man was crouching atop the raised earth.

He turned his head from where he had been facing the ground and looked my way.

In that fleeting moment, our eyes met.

'Kid...?'

You're safe, Tesilid.

I saw his face, and that was enough.

'Kid...!'

The second call quickly faded into the sky.

I confirmed that he had reached the ground.

The deal had been made.

Now then...

'It's time for me to strike you in the back of the head, Infernos.'

Crack.

I clenched my fist with my right hand. The wire that had once wrapped around my five fingers glimmered silver and revealed itself.

'Do you know, Infernos?'

I locked eyes with the Demon Lord, who was looking down at me from the ground.

When I smiled slightly, I saw her flinch. If she sensed something amiss, I would praise her for her sharpness.

'My specialty is wrapping wire around someone else's body.'

At the very moment the taut tension was transmitted through my hand...

'Gah...?!'

Infernos finally noticed the silver wire wrapped around her neck.

Before the Demon Lord’s overwhelming magic, the Harp Strings of the Spirit King would be torn in less than a second. However...

That one second or less was more than enough.

At the moment her balance tipped into the cliff, I was judged to have entered the Pit of Solitude.

This was an absolute rule space where even the Demon Lord could not make exceptions. Good.

'Let’s go together, Infernos.'

In response to my words, a shout echoed from above.

'Executor of Evil!'

Her bloodshot red eyes glared at me as if to kill me. It was a face I enjoyed seeing.

I’m sure my eyes, too, were gleaming sadistically like theirs as I gave her a broad smile.

At that moment.

'No, kid!'

'...'

The desperate shout from the ground made me briefly turn my head.

When my eyes met the ocean-colored ones, I had no choice but to change the way I smiled.

I could only hope that the bright smile I forced now...

'Don’t worry, Terry. I’ll be fine.'

I hoped I could reassure him.

And then, the blackness that had dimmed the light completely covered my sight. A call pierced through the darkness, reaching my ears.

'Come back, Ayleth Rodeline!' 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

I felt sorry for Tesilid, but it seems I prefer being the one to cause worry rather than being the one worried.

I closed my eyes with satisfaction in this reversed position. The system messages came flooding in at that moment.

[System] Warning. The combined rank of the offerings exceeds the capacity limit of the Pit of Solitude. The Pit of Solitude will close.

[System] Warning. The "King’s Rank Offering" condition has been met, and the curse of 'Solitude' has leveled up.

The last message that clung to my eyelids was as follows:

[System] The 'Battle for the Throne' begins now."