The Swordmaster Who Returned After 1,000 Years-Chapter 209

[Translator - Kiteretsu]

[Proofreader - Kyros]

Chapter 209

“The Moon Abyss…”

Kaylen gazed at the massive vortex—the Moon Abyss.

So that is the source of the Demon Realm… the place where the Demon King is born.

“Wasn't the Demon King supposed to be the strongest among demons who ascends to the throne?”

[That’s correct. Only the strongest demon can sit on the throne in the Demon King's Castle, regardless of bloodline.]

To reach the pinnacle of the Demon Realm and become the Demon King, only one thing needed to be proven—

That one was the strongest among all demons.

[However, the one who sits on the Demon King's throne must undergo the ritual to truly become the Demon King.]

“This space is where that ritual takes place?”

[Yes. The next Demon King must enter the Moon Abyss and become the true Demon King.]

“Hm… Then, did the Celestial Demon come here as well?”

Ederna nodded.

[He must have. After all, he devoured all the past Demon Kings.]

“He devoured all the past Demon Kings?”

[Inside the Celestial Demon, all the previous Demon Kings have been absorbed, providing him with dark mana. My father, the Flame Demon King, was also within him.]

“But the Flame Demon King was definitely dead, wasn’t he?”

[At least, to you.]

So, they already knew he was Ernstine.

Kaylen shrugged his shoulders.

Ederna glared at him for a moment before continuing.

[When a Demon King dies, they return to the Abyss. This is true even if they are defeated by a Hero.]

“I see.”

[The Demon Kings who belong to the Moon Abyss pass on their dark mana to the next Demon King candidate. They become part of the Abyss, supplying mana to the Demon Realm, existing eternally…]

Kaylen looked at the Moon Abyss.

If one entered, they would awaken as the true Demon King.

But if they died, they would return and become part of the vortex.

‘Even in death, they become nourishment for the Demon Realm.’

From a Demon King’s perspective, wasn’t this the same as serving the Demon Realm even after death?

Yet, Ederna spoke as if this was some kind of honor.

‘Anyway.’

Watching the slow rotation of the Moon Abyss, Kaylen suddenly asked Ederna,

“By the way, why is it called the Moon Abyss?”

[What do you mean?]

“I mean, why is it named after the moon?”

[Ah, I don’t know the exact reason.]

“You don’t?”

[I only heard the name from my father. I can only guess that it’s because the moon symbolizes dark mana.]

Ederna spoke indifferently, as if it was unimportant.

But Kaylen couldn’t shake the thought of the abyss being named after the moon.

‘When I arrived in this world a thousand years into the future, the thing that shocked me the most was the red moon.’

Even after the dungeon portals disappeared and mana flowed more freely across the land…

When the red moon shone, mana was once again absorbed.

Since the death of the Holy Emperor Benedict, dungeon portals have not appeared, yet the red moon still asserted its presence.

“The red moon—does it have no connection to the Demon Realm?”

[The red moon… When I was the Observatory Chief, I once used its power to observe the Middle World. But that was merely by borrowing the Demon King’s power. The moon, fundamentally, falls under the Celestial Demon’s domain. I do not know.]

“Hm… There must be some connection to the Demon Realm.”

[Why do you think that?]

“When the Celestial Demon was still a Celestial God, he did not absorb mana through the moon. He only gained that ability after becoming the Demon King.”

[…That is true.]

If he had been able to absorb the mana of the Middle World so freely, he would have done so when he was still a Celestial God.

Since that was impossible back then, he must have started absorbing mana through the red moon only after becoming the White Demon King.

Kaylen looked at the massive serpent nodding in agreement.

‘This guy doesn’t know much.’

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Especially regarding the Moon Abyss—he seemed to possess only basic knowledge.

Why was the vortex connected to the Spirit Realm?

Why were spirits of darkness forming?

What exactly had the Celestial Demon done inside the Moon Abyss?

He knew none of these things.

‘Maybe I should just go in myself.’

Back when he was a Hero, the thought of entering the Moon Abyss—the place where one became a true Demon King—would never have crossed his mind.

‘But this is a world where even a Celestial God has turned into the Celestial Demon.’

Who said a Hero couldn’t become a Demon King?

Besides, in order to return to the Spirit Realm, he needed to understand the true nature of the vortex that served as the passage.

“Wait here for a moment. I’m going in.”

“Y-You’re going in there?!”

“Yes.”

[Hero! What are you scheming?!]

“We came from there. I need to confirm if that vortex is connected to the Spirit Realm. And if that thing is the passage to the Moon Abyss, then I need to see with my own eyes what the Celestial Demon did inside.”

[Hmph…! Hero, you lack the qualifications.]

Ederna scoffed.

[Only by sitting on the Demon King’s throne and receiving its recognition can one earn the chance to enter the Abyss. A Hero like you can never enter. If anything, you should be more worried about being torn apart.]

“What happens if I receive the throne’s recognition?”

[All impurities mixed within the dark mana will be refined into pure dark mana. Only then can one enter the Moon Abyss.]

“Hm. That’s all?”

Possessing pure dark mana—

That was a trivial matter.

Kaylen summoned his six swords, then absorbed his shadow sword into his body.

Dark mana quickly engulfed him.

[What nonsense… is… this…]

Ederna, who had been mocking Kaylen, trailed off mid-sentence.

‘T-This dark mana… It’s purer than my father’s…

No, how can a Hero wield dark mana so effortlessly?!’

Ederna felt an unjust sense of frustration.

But for Kaylen, who was preparing to battle the gods, something like this was as easy as eating a meal.

‘H-Hah, but the Moon Abyss won’t accept him. He’s human!’

No matter how pure his dark mana was, the Moon Abyss would surely reject a human.

Ederna, holding onto the pride of demonkind, hoped the Moon Abyss would deny him entry.

“Well then, I’ll be back soon.”

“Yes. Safe travels, Father.”

As Kaylen stood before the Moon Abyss—

Srrrhh—

The vortex spread wide, welcoming him.

“It seems to be greeting me.”

[How… How could the Moon Abyss accept a Hero…?]

“Ederna, take care of the others for me.”

[Urk.]

The moment Kaylen disappeared into the vortex, Ederna instinctively moved toward the Moon Abyss.

[I-I’m going in too!]

If it allowed a Hero—

Then surely it had to accept the Demon King’s daughter as well!

The Moon Abyss had remained sealed until now.

But now that the entrance was open, she had to follow after him somehow.

However—

Thud.

The moment Ederna tried to step inside, the vortex hardened like a wall, blocking her path.

Facing the cold reality, Ederna lowered her head.

“Are you alright?”

[…Don’t pity me. Just leave me alone.]

The interior of the Moon Abyss resembled a cave.

‘It’s not as strange as I expected.’

They called it the place where a true Demon King was born.

But aside from the blackened ground and cave walls, there was nothing unusual inside.

‘I should go deeper.’

Step. Step.

Kaylen walked further into the pitch-dark cave.

The deeper he went, the weaker the light of the Holy Sword became.

—Master, this space… It suppresses light.

“I see. Because of the dark mana.”

The deeper he ventured, the denser the dark mana became.

‘To the point where it even nullifies the Holy Sword’s light… This is truly pure dark mana.’

Only now did this place feel special.

“Don’t force yourself to resist the dark mana. I can walk without light.”

—Understood, Master.

At Kaylen’s words, the Holy Sword’s light faded even faster.

Soon, all light had disappeared—

And Kaylen continued walking, enveloped in complete darkness.

How long had he been walking?

Thud.

“The end of the cave.”

Though he couldn’t see it, he could feel something blocking his path.

With just a brief touch, Kaylen sensed the overwhelming amount of dark mana embedded within this ‘wall.’

‘This is on another level.’

The Four Attribute Infinity that existed in the Spirit Realm—

Even though it contained the refined mana of each attribute—

It couldn’t compare to this wall.

If the former Demon King of Crimson Flames had possessed dark mana of this magnitude, then no matter how great Ernstine was as a Grand Sword Master, he wouldn’t have been able to withstand it and would have been defeated.

‘A power comparable to this… Only a godlike being could match it.’

Perhaps only the Celestial Demon or the Dragon God could stand on equal footing with it.

Until now, Kaylen had continued walking deeper into the abyss, unhindered by the mana of darkness.

But if this cave had intended to consume him, he might have been swallowed instantly.

‘The world is truly vast.’

That was the thought that crossed his mind as he faced the wall of darkness.

He had always believed that the Demon Realm was nothing more than a land conquered by the Celestial Demon, reduced to his puppet state.

Yet, to think such dark mana had been lying dormant within the Moon Abyss.

‘This must be something even the Celestial Demon couldn’t absorb.’

The Celestial Demon had entered the Moon Abyss and devoured all the dormant Demon Kings within.

Yet, even he had failed to consume this wall of darkness.

It made sense—had he absorbed it, he would have lost the ability to wield both light and darkness simultaneously.

That would have shaken the very foundation of his existence.

‘If I were to obtain this dark mana, I would have the power to stand against the two Absolute Gods.’

Would that mean a former Hero becoming a Demon God?

Kaylen let out a bitter smile as he placed a hand on the wall of darkness.

‘In a world like this… I have no reason to reject becoming a Demon God.’

If he absorbed this immense darkness—

Could he even maintain his sense of self?

‘I’m not so sure.’

Just like Ernstine, who lost himself to the Six Sword Path and became the Dragon God.

If he absorbed the wall of darkness, Kaylen had the feeling that he, too, would lose his reason.

‘I should give this up cleanly.’

The two gods—he would face them with his sword alone.

Just as Kaylen made his decision and turned his back on the wall of darkness—

Rumble—

The ground beneath him trembled for a moment.

—So, you have returned after all, having abandoned your resolve.

At the same time—

A benevolent voice echoed from the wall of darkness.

It wasn’t spoken in human language, yet its meaning was perfectly understood—a voice of an absolute being.

Kaylen instinctively summoned his six swords in response.

The voice shifted to a tone of surprise.

—You… You are not him. And you are not of the Lunar Clan either.

“If you mean ‘him,’ are you referring to the Celestial Demon?”

—The Celestial Demon… So, he still clings to his futile dreams.

The wall of darkness slowly dissolved—

And like a door, an empty space formed.

—Uninvited guest, I extend to you a formal invitation.

“……”

—Enter.

Beyond the wall of darkness, an invitation from an enigmatic absolute being.

Yet, there was no sign of hostility in its voice.

“Alright.”

Kaylen slowly stepped forward into the unknown.

[Translator - Kiteretsu]

[Proofreader - Kyros]