The Life of a Wise Cult Leader - Chapter 155

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 155

 

“….”

 

It was a problem I had never thought about.

 

No… I couldn’t think about it.

 

‘System, if I collect all the sacred relics, will this body be taken over by the consciousness of the Forgotten Gods? Where will I go?’

 

[Yes, Ascetic sir. This is Cel, your faithful assistant. I cannot tell you about that part. I’m sorry.]

 

‘Why?’

 

[Because it’s an unknowable part. I must deliver accurate information to you, user.]

 

When I remained silent for a long time, the Demon King craned his neck forward to look at me.

 

“You weren’t unaware of this, were you?”

 

“No… Yes. I don’t really know what kind of existence I’ll become either.”

 

Ife had said that. That I had changed quite a lot.

 

She also said I was becoming a demigod.

 

I had carelessly brushed it off, thinking good things were good things.

 

If the system… that is, if the consciousness of the Forgotten Gods gets mixed in, can I still exist as myself?

 

I need to save Sernuan, keep my kids with me, enjoy this world more, and even try making a family. I’m running this life for those reasons, but if that happens, what will become of me?

 

“Are you afraid?”

 

A voice filled with laughter reached me.

 

Someone at least two heads taller than me was looking down with a relaxed smile. His gray skin, red tongue, and sharp fangs caught my eye.

 

“It would be a lie if I said I wasn’t afraid.”

 

“Well now, the ‘vessel’ has become a rookie…”

 

The Demon King let out a short sigh and looked straight ahead again. Particles of dust danced in the beams of light filtering into the stone cathedral.

 

“Brother, why are you trying to stop Lumensia?”

 

“What about you, foreign soul?”

 

“…I just like this world. I’ve found precious people too.”

 

“Quite a sentimental reason. For me, it’s because Lumensia is the one targeting my life, and he’s the only one in this world I can’t kill.”

 

That was quite a tyrannical statement…

 

It was hard for me to understand, having been a nobody my whole life, but if I were the second strongest in this world and the strongest was trying to kill me, and if he disappeared I’d become number one, I’d probably try to kill Lumensia somehow too.

 

Hmm, that makes sense. Clean and simple.

 

Muscle-heads are really straightforward.

 

Erendor! It seems your adversary has appeared! You said you wanted to be the strongest, right? Looks like it’s impossible as long as the Demon King exists!

 

“I see…”

 

“How many sacred relics are there, and how many do you need to collect?”

 

“There are 9 total, and I’ve currently collected about 5.5.”

 

“Not much left. What happens if you die before collecting them all?”

 

The system answered for me.

 

[Lumensia’s Adversary would disappear, this world would be destroyed and fall into the demons’ grasp.]

 

I relayed the system’s words.

 

“What’s the method for transferring your power?”

 

[1. Prepare a suitable body 2. Mutual agreement 3. Prepare ancient magic for transfer]

 

[If the body is not suitable, the power will separate and disappear. Be careful!]

 

The Demon King made a short humming sound after hearing my words.

 

“Quite complicated.”

 

Why did he ask about this? Was he preparing for the case where I might die?

 

“I don’t die easily, so don’t worry.”

 

“…You, who’s skinny as a twig? You look like you’d die if you tripped over a pebble.”

 

“I can heal myself.”

 

“Even if your head gets blown off?”

 

“Yes. Though I’d need to rest for a while.”

 

“That’s definitely good.”

 

At first I had asked the Demon King questions, but now he was asking me in return.

 

Since we’d have to become allies anyway and he was essential for the Prometheus plan, I freely shared information with him.

 

“…So I plan to execute something called the Prometheus plan.”

 

“What items are needed for that plan?”

 

“I need to collect all the Sage sacred relic series. I’m negotiating with the Magic Tower about that, so they should come into my possession soon. Also, there’s one more sacred relic in the Demon Realm, so I’d be grateful if you’d let me and my comrades retrieve it.”

 

“I’ll do that.”

 

“What’s planned afterward is to have people revere me to weaken Lumensia’s foundation, and build up Centa and the Demon Realm’s strength to physically suppress the Empire. Since we ruined this year’s Dawn Festival, Lumensia probably didn’t absorb enough power, and if we ruin it again next year, we should be able to suppress him to some degree.”

 

“Is partial power transfer possible?”

 

“…?”

 

Why is he suddenly asking about this?

 

A sharp tension crept around my heart.

 

Why?

 

“That’s… why are you asking?”

 

“Just curious. Since you said you’re a vessel, I thought maybe it could be ladled out bit by bit…”

 

“That’s not possible.”

 

“Is that so. Too bad.”

 

“…”

 

“Anyway, you, Ascetic, are the Empire’s Saint… so if people believe in you, wouldn’t the Empire grow stronger too?”

 

“I’m making efforts in various ways to prevent that. I was the one who canceled the Dawn Festival celebration. With me at the top, rather than the Empire becoming prosperous, power will concentrate on me and it will weaken from within.”

 

“It didn’t seem that way. Fine, I understand. Let me ask one more thing.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Do you have family?”

 

“…There are those I think of as family.”

 

“I see.”

 

The Demon King rolled his eyes for a moment, then blinked slowly.

 

This pounding feeling like being a rabbit before a predator.

 

The throbbing of my heart. The tension slowly tightening around my neck. My slightly trembling hands and the sharp pain creeping up my spine…

 

Ding.

 

The bell at my waist rang even though I hadn’t moved.

 

I immediately rolled across the floor.

 

A beat later, a transparent slash split the wall. Half the cathedral flew away, revealing the night sky.

 

“I definitely aimed properly. Why did it miss?”

 

I got up from where I had rolled. Dust clouds dispersed.

 

“…What are you doing? Didn’t you clearly agree to a ceasefire and join hands with me?”

 

The Demon King, 1.5 times bigger than me, was picking at his fingernails. Spider-web-like hair was tangled around his shoulder epaulettes.

 

He opened his red mouth.

 

“Who would be more advantageous at killing Lumensia – me, who’s tried it once before, or you, who doesn’t even know the ways of this world?”

 

Damn it.

 

I lifted my veil. And looked straight at him with both eyes. His red eyes and my probably golden eyes reflected each other.

 

“If you kill me now, you won’t be able to obtain the remaining sacred relics. You don’t know where they are, do you?”

 

My lips went dry and my muscles tensed completely. The pressure of killing intent brushing against my skin was pressing down on me from head to toe.

 

“I wasn’t thinking of killing you. I was thinking of cutting off your lower half or so. I thought if you crawled around with your upper body, you might collect all the remaining sacred relics and come to me.”

 

“What kind of…”

 

I asked back, unable to hide my bewilderment. The Demon King stood tall like a pillar. And he casually dropped the hand he’d been fidgeting with.

 

“That pendant from earlier.”

 

“That was the problem?”

 

“It was a human family I cherished.”

 

“Let’s talk this out. We can resolve this sufficiently with words.”

 

“They ended up dying anyway… Well, if I had turned back time to before that, I might have tried talking…”

 

“…Where are my family members?”

 

“Now I know how much having a family makes a person weak.”

 

“Family also makes people stronger. That’s a logical fallacy. So, where is my family? Did you lay a hand on them?”

 

“Well. I’m not sure how far my advisor’s reach extended.”

 

The Demon King slowly raised his head to look at the gaping hole blown through the ceiling.

 

‘No, it’s okay. I only gathered skilled people. I don’t know what kind of devices are set up in that room, but their life signs are fine. There are no fluctuating threads either. Should I peek at their vision now? No, if I peek, I’ll really become Ser/nuan. There’s only that one advisor I sent for surveillance, right? There’s even Cardil there who can substitute for me… It’s okay. I just need to survive. My current situation is the most critical.’

 

“Seeing as you don’t seem likely to obediently hand over the sacred relic or perform the duties of the Forgotten God’s proxy. I’m quite pressed for time too. Sorry. I mean no ill will…”

 

“Now is not the time for us to fight each other!”

 

Damn, I should have realized it from when he was asking about sheep and whatnot earlier. I shouldn’t have thought he’d be completely on my side!

 

“What are you doing when even combining our forces wouldn’t be enough?”

 

“That’s why I’m trying to combine them. If you’re left with only your upper body, wouldn’t you sign a contract under mutual agreement? As a result of trying it, most humanoid species do that.”

 

I forgot why this bastard was called the Demon King. The title of Demon King wasn’t given for nothing.

 

‘If I act defiant toward the Demon King here, I’m really screwed. The plan itself was made assuming the Demon King would cooperate. What do I do if the top damage dealer acts like this!’

 

I racked my brain as much as possible. If I want to live, if I want to save Sernuan, if I want to rescue our kids, I need to use my head!

 

This is someone I defeated with end-game weapons when I was a player. Even if all the kids I brought gang up on him, they can’t win.

 

If he’s determined, he could really turn me into Ser/nuan and more, he could even make me into Se/r/nu/an.

 

‘The Demon King can’t kill me. He’s just trying to threaten me to reach a mutual agreement. Why is the Demon King so pressed for time? Human family? What kind of influence did that have? Is there a reason to be this urgent? I haven’t even gathered half yet? If he’s going to attack, wouldn’t it be better to attack later? Was there something in my conversation that made him more urgent?’

 

We can’t kill each other anyway. The Demon King is now…

 

He muttered.

 

“As expected, you’re emotional, fragile, and slow to judge…”

 

Clang!

 

The bell rang violently. I could feel the wind brushing against my nose. In that moment, the Demon King had launched a slash attack just by swinging his hand.

 

‘Pattern 1.’

 

As the wind brushed by, the Demon King appeared before my eyes.

 

As if I had anticipated it, I dropped flat to avoid the follow-up attack. Then I rolled to the side to create distance.

 

“Haa, hoo. I don’t want to fight.”

 

“Neither do I. However, after failing once… I realized there’s no room for ambiguity.”

 

“I already know that. That’s why even more…!”

 

“Tick tock tick tock… Time is passing, Ascetic.”

 

The Demon King made the sound of a clock’s second hand. His eyes were sunken with sadness.

 

“Soul from another world. Your plan was useful, but well. You’re weak and sentimental like I was before. That only becomes baggage. It’s the kind of thing you can never realize unless you die at least once.”

 

Kwagagagagak-!

 

Something strangely twisting around me with power. The Demon King’s slash cut my earlobe and hair.

 

‘Persuasion…’

 

In an instant, I finished regenerating. The world was completely dark.

 

The torches and candles from before were all torn apart by the Demon King’s casual swipes, leaving only pitch-black darkness. The only thing visible was the Demon King’s violent aura with its red energy.

 

Now are the optimal conditions to draw out the power of the God of Darkness. Attacks that won’t kill me. Evasion is easier than I thought. It must be the bell’s influence. If I call upon the God of Darkness as a last resort…

 

“You haven’t lost someone precious to you yet, so that’s why. And this world doesn’t have time for you to realize that… Lumensia is already fully prepared. If you hesitate, you’ll only be swept away by the wave of destruction.”

 

I can persuade him.

 

“Do you know why I was selected as the vessel? It’s because I know how to combine and handle all the sacred relic powers. If you take them, do you think you can draw out all that power?”

 

I can persuade him!

 

“At least I, who have tried it once, would be better than a wet-behind-the-ears brat like you, wouldn’t I?”

 

“So you think. Then why weren’t you selected as the vessel in this world now? It would be good if the Forgotten Gods chose you, who has tried it once, over me.”

 

I took a step closer.

 

“It’s obvious. Because I can handle that power better.”

 

At my provocative words, the Demon King’s eyebrows twitched. His red eyes flashed in the darkness.

 

“Arrogant. The gods didn’t choose me because I refused to become their ‘tool’.”

 

The Demon King raised his voice slightly for the first time.

 

“The Forgotten Gods have always made wrong choices. This current choice will probably be the same. I’m cleaning up their mistakes.”

 

I approached again. The Demon King allowed me the distance. But since I had no attack skills, I decided to just act brazenly.

 

I poked his chest.

 

“You only know how to destroy. I’m trying to persuade you now, somehow combine our forces to overcome this ordeal. On the contrary, you’re trying to solve everything with force. Is that why the previous result turned out that way?”

 

I could see veins bulging at the Demon King’s temples. But if I had been intimidated by such things, I wouldn’t have made it this far.

 

“Seeing you pathetically turn back time after taking a large stab wound to the chest from someone called the Empire’s Hero, the Forgotten Gods must be beating their chests in frustration. After seeing that sight, if there’s anything called learning ability left in your head, they’ll choose me over you.”

 

The Demon King was about to cast pattern 2. I could see ominous aura gathering in his grip. Without delay, I grabbed his hand and brought it to my neck.

 

I felt the cool temperature of his hand on my neck. I looked straight at him and shouted loudly.

 

“Go ahead and walk the same path you failed once before. Cut my body in half, tear off my limbs, gouge out my eyes and try to steal my power!”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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