Chapter 165 - Nanarai Bodra 3 (2/2)

He decided humility wasn’t his thing.He affirmed their praise!Each step taken by Artpe made the entire ruin react to him.The focus of the ruin was trying to center around him.Currently, Artpe was the ruin.This implied only one thing.

“It means Artpe-nim has reached a level higher than Nanarai Bodra!”

“As expected of master······.”

“Stop buttering me up.”

His party had to buy him some time, but he had taken over the magic circle created by Nanarai Bodra.So their words weren’t technically wrong.Artpe felt an odd emotion.

“Let’s head in.”

“Alright.”

“Ah.Before we do that....”

Artpe gave Mana to the Golems that had not recovered yet.When they were able to move, the Golems started to move into the inner room.They moved slowly in an orderly fashion.Artpe’s party followed behind them.

When they walked through a dark and narrow tunnel, they were greeted with a kingdom made out of light.

“Ah······.”

Artpe’s party members had a hard time working in harmony, yet at that moment, they all let out an exclamation.It didn’t matter if they could see the true nature of what they were seeing or not.They all became surprised by what they saw.

“How pretty.”

“It is truly horrific and terrifying······.”

Would one be able to find a place like this in the human realm and the Demonic realm?It was a location where a massive amount of Demonic energy and Mana existed in one place.

The Demonic energy created an enormous current, and the 33 Golems sucked in the Demonic energy to create Mana.The black current of Demonic energy and the white current of Mana met at the middle.It was as if an explosion was imminent.A very unstable equilibrium was being maintained.

“Artpe-nim was right.If we detonated even one Golem….”

“We would have been blown away alongside this ruin.”

Of course, the Golems weren’t the only ones purifying the Demonic energy.There was an altar at the middle of the square.It was filled with magical runes, and it was the backbone of the purification process.

“Artpe-nim, this looks more like a seal….?”

“That’s right.There is a massive amount of Demonic energy being produced here.We can’t simply say a lot of Demonic energy is here, because we are at the heart of the Demonic realm.You can feel it, right?”

“Yes.”

There was an item within the altar that was emitting a horrifying amount of Demonic energy.The altar was doing its best purify it, but it couldn’t purify all the Demonic energy.The remaining Demonic energy was being purified by the Golems and the Artifacts installed around the ruin.

“······it is a very familiar energy, oppa.Also…That altar is very familiar too.”

Sienna’s face stiffened.It was the same for the others.

“Evil Heart, nyaa.”

“Correct.”

“······sunbae-nim.”

“That is also correct.”

Artpe didn’t know what expression he should make.He had a peculiar expression on his face as he nodded his head.He approached the altar, and he read the words written on the altar.Each letter contained the power of magic.It was definitely a message to those that searched out this altar.

“‘I am Nanarai Bodra.After the Demon race was found, I became their greatest magician.”

“Those words are very familiar and pompous.”

“‘It is to be expected.At one time, I used to be the best magician in the human realm, and I was also the hero.My skills were all retained….as I changed into a Demon.’”

At that part, Artpe shut his eyes tight.

When he sensed the familiar shape of the altar, he had expected this.However, it was an entirely different manner when his suspicions were confirmed.

The identity of Nanarai Bodra was his sunbae-nim,.He had transitioned into becoming a Demon.He had fallen.

He didn’t need to read the rest, but the wide eyes of his party members were all trained on him.He had to continue reading it for his comrades.

“‘Everything is the result of human folly.Once the Evil Heart was made, it wouldn’t stop unless all the Mana of the world was converted to Demonic energy.This was the same for the race that was created by humans.’”

“Created······?What is he saying?”

Maetel asked the question, and Artpe answered her.

“It means the Demon race was a race created by humans.”

“······huh?”

Maetel still had a hard time comprehending Artpe’s words.No, it was more apt to say that she was having a hard time accepting it.From a young age, she had grown up hearing stories about the hero and the Demon King.She was being presented with an enormous story that contradicted the origin of the antagonistic relationship between the human race and the Demon race.Of course, she was having a hard time accepting it.

“A race made by the humans….?”

Instead of answering that question, he continued to read the words written on the altar.

“‘In the beginning, there was no Demon race.There had been no Demonic energy.The humans had gone through copious amount of research in an attempt to make the power of Mana into something more destructive.At the end of our research, we were able to create the Evil Heart.In the process of researching the Evil Heart, humans were able to change into Demons.They gained the power they had been yearning for.However, the Demonic race was made from Demonic energy, so they had a strong basic instinct towards destruction.They also developed a fundamental animosity towards Mana.In the end, they turned against the humans.’”

“My god······.”

This was how the Demonic race and the Demon realm was born.If they thought about it, there had been plenty hints.When they found the Demonification research, they should have thought about this possibility.Since they didn’t think it was a possibility, they had unconsciously denied what had been in front of them!

“‘Those that are able to read these words have respected my wishes.By reaching this place, you’ve shown the desire to correct this twisted reality.I want you to heed my advice.Don’t touch this horrible item.Turn back.There is nothing that can be done.The Winter Queen and the Dragon that taught me the way of magic couldn’t do anything.The Elves, who are blessed by Mana, and the Dwarves, who are master craftsman, couldn’t come up with a solution.’”

The passage was reaching an end.Their faces had turned pale, but Arte continued to read the rest of the passage.

“‘When I realized this truth, the only thing I could do was to break and seal the fragments of the Evil Heart.It merely stopped the expansion of the Demon realm.I chose to change myself into a Demon, and I dedicated my extended lifespan in order to research a solution.I researched for a way to turn the Demons back into humans.If I succeeded, this place won’t exist.If I didn’t get the result I desired, this place will still exist.If you were able to find this place, you should leave quietly.Do not get greedy.If this location is revealed to the Demon race, the human realm will face a huge calamity.’”

After he read the whole passage written on the altar, Artpe started thinking.

This really sounded like an ominous flag.

[You are late.]

At that moment. Artpe realized that someone had teleported into the ruin.

[I am here.]

It was expected.He knew this would happen.Artpe let out a sigh as he turned around.His eyes took in the sight of a Demon.

Before he entered the ruin, Artpe knew that there was a Demon that was higher in level than the 1st ranked Four Heavenly King from his past life.He was the Demon that Artpe hadn’t met in his past life.