Chapter 82 (1/2)

A large-scale ion of the Western Continent had been observed

In the saic had also issued an 'extre the appearance of a threat to the entire world: a Cataclysan to act, around the world, all those above a certain level of power unconsciously sensed its presence They treht to be an Evil God

But the danger wasn't limited to the Evil God alone

Not only was the Evil God su an endless amount of low demons called 'dark pixies' around itself, the sa spawned without liic circle While protecting their citizens, the countries in the region were also dispatching their arins

An international suh the use of the 'clairvoyantthe crisis, the sive as e countries would deploy their tru battleshi+ps — airshi+ps equipped with ical artillery — to defeat the Evil God

It had been soranted by an oracle of the Teical weapon project Tactics against ide threats that made use of the Heroes as the centerpieces were now considered a thing of the past

Nowadays, Heroes were only deployed in scenarios where ical artillery wasn't available, such as in linated Cataclysm-class, and so the humans believed that destruction of whole cities would be inevitable

But otten why Heroes were held in such high regard, why they were far more valued than an army of millions

It wasn't about their personal combat power alone

In a world of peace, the huotten that Heroes were the hope of the people

”Not like this…”

Marlene the Sage was at her secret hideout in the Acade talis the curse of the Unseelie Lord that had turned the lirey

There was no one else here The majority of her subordinates had been buried in the collapse of the Tower of Truth

She still had collaborators around the world, albeit not many of them But she was faced with a far er show herself in public

At the moment, Marlene was the criminal that had summoned the Evil God to this world

She still had her reputation as a Heroine Or from another point of view, it meant that without her reputation, she would be immediately thrown into jail the moment somebody found her As it was, she could see ould happen if she showed her face: the Heroine would be forced to stand in the front line against the Evil God, to be used and throay

Marlene's pride could not allow it to happen

The only way she could regain her honor noas to somehow deal with the Evil God herself But she absolutely could not allow herself to be forced to fight until her death, to not be allowed even thoughts of retreat She would not be enslaved

Marlene caressed the enoric stone in the ic stone taken from the corpse of a Dark General-class on Zombie Marlene had recovered it in absolute secrecy Tothethe stone into an explosive It was the Yggdrasia equivalent of a nuclear weapon

She could turn a capital city into ashes in a single attack with this With the enormous amount of mana it consumed and its destructive power, even the Tower of Truth would have put it into the list of forbidden artifacts, never to be created or used, if they were aware of it

Marlene reverently picked it up On her expression was a hint of madness, the same madness of Brian and his cooperators

”A Cataclys the sion of the Eastern Continent He, too, had noticed the h the demihumans' information network, he had found out that it was a Cataclys with the deer a Hero of huht as a true Hero, a savior of the world

At first, he had thought he should inform everyone that the main cause lay in the deeds of humans, but he realized that in all likelihood, the nobility would never agree to it

If he tried to leverage his Heroic reputation, he would also be bound by that very sa his time

Gold are of the Dark Lady Whitehare's plans now He couldn't allow himself to waste ti her lonely battle

”What will you do, sir Hero?”

The young elven princess ith hiaze cool

He , but until now, the Heroes had never shown any initiative in protecting demihuht the Evil God as a Hero of the world? Or should he save Yggdrasia by continuing as he had been, liberating Saplings from the hus”

Gold made his conclusion

He still believed he should challenge the Evil God for the sake of Yggdrasia, even if he knew he'd lose But he also knew that co suicide wouldn't save the world

And this was a Cataclys the Dark General that Gold had lost to, as well as the Dark Lady Whitehare herself He had enough presence of mind to understand that at the

Even if he succeeded in destroying the Saplings, everything would go down the drain if the world ended

But according to a source of inforained quite a bit of power after destroying the Sapling at Xontdix

If that was true, then perhaps Gold and his allies could be of help to the Dark Lady sis

Gold hadn't been able to become the True Savior… but perhaps the Dark Lady could Perhaps that girl of white would save the world

”I'll aid the Dark Lady I believe it's the path to saving this world” Gold replied

”I see Then I shall also offer my cooperation, sir Hero”