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Chapter 819. Burn One’s Bridges

The space around him was collapsing. It wasn’t a mere attack; Thanatos had twisted the very flow of the space, causing it to unravel. Since most of the heroes were tied to this world, they’d also disappear once the space broke apart. It was clear to Davey that Thanatos was not only trying to interfere with him, but also aiming to annihilate the heroes bound to this space.

“Thanatos used that twisted brain of hers well this time,” Daphne said, narrowing her eyes as she observed the plains splitting open forming a massive crevasse.

“As the time here synced up with the outside world, it created a paradox. What exists outside cannot exist here simultaneously, like us heroes, hence the collapse,” she explained.

Davey remained silent, watching the world crumble

"Well, it’ll hold together for a little bit longer.”

“I have to go,” Davey muttered.

“Don’t worry about this, just continue on with what you were doing.”

“Under these circumstances?” Davey said in an annoyed tone while clenching his fists.

“I’m going to go handle Thanatos. I’ll be back.”

‘And then I’ll think of what to do next,’ he thought.

Daphne paused for a moment before turning away. “I don’t know what you’re planning, but I’m going to make you regret it.”

* * *

Davey wondered if he could meet the heroes again after leaving this space.

As he prepared to leave, the heroes watched him in silence. Hypocria—also known as Sister Hya—silently hugged him.

“This is the end of our journey together.”

They believed they had done their part for Davey, serving their purpose.

“Now you simply need to focus on your future, Davey,” Hya said.

He knew that once the battle against Thanatos escalated, the heroes would sacrifice themselves, taking on the karma meant for Davey. Just like that, they would disappear one by one.

“Wait here,” Davey said firmly.

“Davey,” Hya called softly.

“I’ll make sure no one needs to sacrifice themselves,” Davey replied, his voice calm but resolute.

She smiled faintly, seemingly pleased with his words.

“Goodbye, you little problem child,” Daphne said bluntly, giving him a harsh farewell.

“Be happy,” Rho Aias smiled neatly.

All the other heroes smiled at him as well. He noticed Aeria weeping quietly, having grown attached to the heroes in their brief time together.

“Go. You’ve done everything you can here. From now on, we will neither help nor interfere,” Daphne said.

What they had done for him so far was more than enough for Davey. He bowed his head respectfully to the heroes. “Thank you.”

Despite the ruthless trials they had put him through, Davey wasn’t going to forget what they had given him.

“And stop acting like you’re already dead,” he added.

‘I can’t do much about the heroes who already disappeared, but I can damn well make sure nothing happens to the ones here.’

As Davey turned around without hesitation, Illyna followed, her voice uncertain. "Are you really okay with leaving like this? You sure you won\'t regret it?"

“It’s not like we’re saying goodbye forever,” Davey said nonchalantly.

“What do you mean? Once you leave, you’ll never see them again.”

“Says who?” Davey dismissed her worry. “I won’t allow that to happen,” he declared as he walked toward the rift in front of him.

“I’m not letting any of them die,” he said firmly.

Perserque, having kept silent, smiled and followed him.

* * *

When Davey returned to Heins territory after leaving the heroes behind, he found the situation in Tionis to be far worse than expected.

“There are currently eight confirmed kingdoms under siege by what we now call ‘giant knights.’”

Davey recalled the massive armored knight he had destroyed in the hall—so large it seemed to reach the sky. It looked like a moving wall, but it had been a surprisingly nimble and formidable enemy.

Thanatos had unleashed two types of gray-armored knights upon the world—one type similar in size to normal humans, and the other made up of colossal knights like the one Davey had taken down.

The two differed drastically in not only power but numbers as well. There were far more smaller knights, though their power was nowhere near as devastating as the giants. Their enormous size seemed to render them invulnerable to damage or even scratches from normal magic.

But their size and power were only part of the problem.

Black swamps that devoured everything in their path spread from the corpses—the very same kind of swamp Eclipse and Thanatos had spread before. Killing them only led to the creation of more swamps, turning vast areas into more lands of death. Considering the enemies had appeared all over Tionis simultaneously, it was evident that Thanatos intended to cover all of Tionis in this deadly mire.

Fortunately, the spread of the swamps seemed contained to Tionis for now. Apparently, even Thanatos knew it was impossible to carry out such a massive assault on multiple worlds at once.

“Anything else to report?” Davey asked.

“Ah... The thing is...”

Amy hesitated for a moment, then sighed. “A revelation has come, your Majesty.”

"Revelation?"

He didn\'t know why, but that word sent chills down his spine.

“The cause of this disaster... according to the revelation, it’s divine punishment. God’s wrath over the immoral actions of Davey O’Rowane.”

‘What...?’

As Davey looked at Amy in disbelief, she quickly shook her head. “I don’t believe that, Your Majesty! But people from Valchas and elsewhere received the same revelation. They’ve been sending protests to Heins Territory and the Kingdom of Rowane...”

The emergence of the armored knights had caused countless casualties, and people were desperate for something—or someone—to blame.

“So?”

“They want you to appear in person and explain the situation. They want to know if you\'re the reason they came...” Amy said, her voice full of worry.

‘And if I am, they believe I should be responsible for them,’ Davey finished her sentence in his thoughts.

“This is the issue being raised at the Continental Alliance meeting.”

Many nations on the continent were friendly toward Davey, but there were also those that viewed him with suspicion or outright hostility. Those who saw him as a threat were seizing the opportunity to put pressure on him.

Amy bit her lip. “Your Majesty... Is the revelation...?”

“It’s not from Goddess Freyja.”

“Then...?”

“It’s from the unwanted guest I’m currently fighting,” Davey said coldly.

Only gods could bring revelations. And since he knew it wasn’t from Freyja... it could only come from her.

Amy’s expression turned blue at his response.

“Where is the Continental Alliance meeting taking place?” Davey asked.

“T-The... Imperial Palace of the Pallan Empire.”

“Send a message to the Rowane royal family. Tell Baris to not engage in any military activity. Sit tight and keep cool. If the enemy comes... Give up everything and retreat. Don’t fight to defend the castle.”

Davey figured his orders were cryptic in a way. But Amy just nodded and said, “As you wish, Your Majesty.”

* * *

The Imperial Palace of the Pallan Empire, where the Continental Alliance meeting was in full swing, buzzed with heated arguments. Kings and their delegates were gathered to address the crisis threatening the continent.

“We shouldn’t be here just talking! We need to find Saint Davey O’Rowane, arrest him, and get to the bottom of this!” one of the kings shouted. Their voice reflected the growing sentiment among the majority.

“Trouble started from Eastern Tionis and has now spread to every part of the continent! These knights are creating swamps, and those swamps are turning into lands of death!”

“Plus they spawn unpredictably, making massive casualties unavoidable!”

The King of the Hyeon Kingdom, located in the Western Continent, tried to interject, “Nothing has been confirmed yet...”

But he was immediately cut off by a delegate from another kingdom of the Western Continent. “It’s a revelation, Your Majesty. How can there be any debate about a revelation?”

“That’s right! Refusing to act on this would be blasphemy, would it not?!” Another king from a small kingdom said as they turned toward Saint Lena, who represented the Holy Empire Valchas.

“Hmm... There was indeed a revelation, but to unilaterally conclude that Davey is behind this when he hasn’t even had a chance to explain himself is...”

She had also received the revelation, seeming confused with the situation as well.

“That’s why we need to pressure the Heins Territory! To make them hand him over!"

“I agree!”

As more and more people agreed, the room became even more chaotic. Crown Prince Sullivan sighed. After the Duke Neto La Lili incident, Davey had agreed to get married to Illyna, though he wasn’t sure what had gotten into him for him to agree. Everything seemed good ‘til then as he knew if Illyna was with Davey, no one could harm her.

But he couldn’t believe how things had turned out now. He wasn’t sure who to side with anymore. Defending Davey simply because of their closeness seemed difficult, given the current situation. The continent was in too dire a state for that.

“The Daughter of Heaven from the Great Empire of Ming almost met an unfortunate end after that armored knight attacked the imperial palace! The Daughter of Heaven has called for more investigation, but our ministers have different thoughts. Regardless, Prince Davey must answer for this disaster!” an official from the Great Empire of Ming declared, his voice full of arrogance.

Many present were either genuine victims of the knight’s wrath or opportunists hoping to capitalize on the chaos. It was undeniable that Davey’s influence across the continent was significant.

"T-That brat..." Sullivan muttered. Davey then held down Illyna, who was ready to storm the room.

“Demand immediate action against Heins Territory, Crown Prince! What are you waiting for?!” a king from a small kingdom urged Sullivan, but before he could reply, Emperor Contas interrupted.

“Careful with your tongue. Carelessness can hasten death.”

“H-Hmph!” The small king stammered, clearly intimidated.

Contas, seated on his throne adorned with a scorpion emblem, his usual bored expression etched on his face, had been quietly watching the argument unfold. "It\'s true that I also want an explanation from Prince Davey, but I can\'t stand this attempt to disregard all the good he\'s done in the past."

Emperor Deorte of the Lyndis Empire stayed silent, along with Crown Prince Sullivan. Yet, Contas wasn’t finished speaking.

“You fools have no idea what he’s been up to, behind the peace you’ve enjoyed,” he sneered.

“What... What are you saying! Emperor Contas! He may be a war hero, but everyone else also...”

“That’s not what I’m talking about,” the emperor said, standing up.

“Prince Davey once came to the Western Continent. It’s not widely known, but he was chasing a special criminal organization.”

“And what does that have to do with anything?”

“How could it not be related? If he hadn’t stepped in to stop them, do you think the continent’s stability would’ve lasted this long?”

“...”

Silence fell over the room. His words, as one of the emperors of the three empires, carried immense weight.

“T-That’s speculation...”

“Speculation? You ignorant fool,” said Emperor Contas. His harsh words made the king who had been arguing with him grit his teeth.

“This... This insult will not go unanswered...”

“Are you going to challenge me? If you’re so eager for a fight, I’ll oblige. I’m not going to stand by and watch selfish fools like you act against the empire’s best interest in a time like this.”

It was a bold statement, fitting for the energetic Emperor Contas.

“Enough! We didn’t come here to fight, Emperor.”

“But you’ve been through something similar, haven’t you?” the emperor pressed, referring to the incident with the First Lich, Nyx.

“At the very least, you of all people should be able to understand,” he added.

“The weight of a revelation is not something to be taken lightly, especially before he explains himself.”

“He hasn’t left the Heins Territory. We should demand that he be taken into custody for questioning...”

As the argument dragged on, Davey quietly listened and assessed the situation. He wondered if there might be another reason Thanatos was playing this game with her so-called revelation, but he realized his worries were unnecessary.

“Heins Territory isn’t an independent nation with zero ties,” Davey interjected, causing the room to fall silent.

Tap, tap...

Illyna and Perserque followed behind Davey as he lightly sauntered down to the center of the meeting hall. The silence was as if a bucket of cold water had been thrown over everyone.

“Why the hesitation? Please, do go on. But first, let me clarify something...” Davey said, letting divine power surge through his body.

The overwhelming power pressured everyone in the room, making them instinctively realize his power was something beyond ordinary mana.

“In this case, you should’ve made your request to the royal family of Rowane, not Heins Territory. I’m a subject of His Majesty, not the king of some independent nation,” Davey coldly addressed those who had been shouting to demand that Heins Territory hand him over.

“Gaa!”

“Ugh...”

They reflexively lowered their gazes, trembling in fear under the weight of his divine power.

“Prince... You’ve gotten quite the power,” Emperor Contas muttered, visibly tense.

“Yes... It feels almost like the energy from miracles of Goddess Freyja,” murmured Saintess Lena, causing another stir among the onlookers.

“I hear there’s been a revelation.”

“Yes, Prince. The revelation claims that you are the cause of this disaster.”

“And... you’re certain this revelation came from Goddess Freyja?”

The room went silent again, broken when one high-ranking priest stood up.

“That’s blasphemy! How dare you question the authenticity of Goddess Freyja’s revelation?!”

“And how dare you fools speak of blasphemy, believing it came from Goddess Freyja when it actually didn’t?”

Thud!!

His divine power surged again, spreading across the room. As it grew stronger, it instilled instinctive fear in everyone present. But unlike what they would expect, he wasn’t emitting mana. He was unleashing as much divine power as he could to pressure everyone, to the point that even those who weren’t aware of mana could feel his power. The reasoning behind this was simple: seeing was believing.

“Prince... Can you explain yourself?” one of them asked.

“That’s why I’m here. Let me get straight to the point. The God of the Abyss, Thanatos, the God of Sleep and Dreams, issued a false revelation to drive a wedge between me and the rest of the continent.”

“Thanatos? Hah! I’ve never even heard of such a god!”

“Just because you’re ignorant doesn’t mean the truth ceases to exist,” Davey said coldly, raising his arm to reveal the stigmata of Neltarid.

“T-That mark...!”

“Apart from Goddess Freyja, this is the stigmata of Neltarid, a God of Harmony from another world. I’m sure you won’t be able to deny the divine power radiating from it.” Davey explained.

The high priest stammered at his words. Davey figured the priest had likely been waiting for a chance to undermine him. After all, even though Davey wasn’t part of the Holy Empire, he held the highest levels of power, which must’ve been quite inconvenient for the priest.

But with Saintess Lena’s eyes lighting up in recognition, the high priest couldn’t easily dismiss Davey’s stigmata as a fake.

“Wow... What incredible power that is... It’s a little different from Goddess Freyja’s power, though,” Lena said.

Davey nodded and continued to explain.

“Goddess Freyja created two gods, but they aren’t the Sun God Syras or the Moon Goddess Cryas that most people know. Long before them, there were Thanatos and Neltarid.

“Do you now believe in the existence of other gods?” Davey asked.

“But... if such a fallen god issued this false revelation, what has Goddess Freyja been doing this whole time?”

“She’s been protecting this land more than you realize. It seems you’ve forgotten... but not me, since I’m also a Saint.”

Davey continued to talk.

“Do you not understand that blaspheming a god in front of a saint is akin to asking for death?”

‘Only I have the right to criticize Goddess Freyja—not you all, fools so blinded by greed you can’t even tell friend from foe,’ he thought.

The room grew tense. Though they clearly wanted to argue, no one dared to speak under the weight of Davey’s divine power.

“Prince Davey has been investigating Thanatos and preventing her influence from spreading across the continent. Whilst all of you have been enjoying peace without understanding the true situation, he has been sacrificing everything to protect you,” Illyna chimed in.

Then several people shifted uncomfortably.

“But... We never heard anything about that...”

“Even in a situation like this, you still want to spread information like that into the mix and cause chaos? I want to ask everyone why you’re treating someone who risked his life to protect the continent this way,” Illyna snapped.

“Princess, how insolent! How dare you speak to us like that?! I wonder if being ill-mannered is a trait that runs through the royal... Gaa!?” a noble shouted, standing up angrily. But then, Crown Prince Sullivan of the Pallan Empire threw something at him, knocking him down.

“There’s a limit to how much insolence I will tolerate, Marquis Volta. If you’re going to insult the entire Pallan royal family, I see no reason to let it slide,” Sullivan said coolly.

The room fell silent once again. No one expected the usually calm Sullivan to act so suddenly, clearly shocked by his outburst.

“So, what will you do?” Sullivan asked. Then some of the people widened their eyes.

“Prince! Are you seriously going to believe Prince Davey’s outlandish claims?!”

“At least his claims make more sense than those of you who can’t even recognize the real danger in front of us, too busy protecting your own interests,” Sullivan retorted.

“He’s emitting something beyond mana. A demigod, something I’ve only read about in ancient texts. Unbelievable. Alright, if we have issues trusting each other, the Contas Empire will side with the Pallan Empire on this,” Contas declared.

“There\'s been a lot of talk within Valcias... but I don’t believe that this revelation came from Goddess Freyja,” Lena added. With even the Saintess weighing in on his side, the tide shifted in Davey’s favor.

The emotional tension was palpable, a situation completely different from usual political games. No one realized Davey had purposely guided things to this point.

‘I hope they don’t think I’ve been emitting my divine power for nothing.’

“So, what do you want from us?” someone asked.

“It’s simple: Just run away.”

Davey wasn’t going to let Thanatos have it all go the way she wanted.