CRAAAAAS—!
heceilingwaspiercedbythegraylightswungbythehighest-rankingholyknight.
Whatappearedthroughthecollapsingceilingwasasilvershield.
rayandsilver.
wosimilarcolors,yetdifferent.
fthetwo,thesilverhadspreadapairofwingsthatlookedsacred.
tlookedliketheshieldraisedbyaknightofthegods.
“!”
“......!”
Foraninstant,theholyknights’eyeswereseizedbythatshield.
Becausetherewasanunknownholinessinit.
heshieldthathadprotectedcountlesspeoplehad,bythen,grownstrongwiththeweightofallthoselives,anditpossessedaforcethatpulledtheeyesofanyonewhosawit.
Andinthatsplitsecond—
ablack-hairedmancamethroughtheshield.
“h.”
AsmilebloomedatthePope’slips.
heblack-hairedmancomingtowardhim.
ishaircolorwasdifferentfromwhatheknew,but—
“Caleenituse.”
hePopeturnedagentlesmileonthesacrificeapproachinghim.nthevesselfortheodofChaos.
hePopelookedlikeanordinaryoldmanwithakindlyface,thesortonecouldmeetanywhere.
hesmileonhisface,likethatofawarmheartedoldgrandfatherinthecountryside,heldmorebenevolencethanchaos.
“Youcamehereonyourownfeet.owdelightful.”
esmiledatCalewiththegladwarmthofanoldmanwelcominghisgrandson.
hevesseltheodofChaoswouldusewhenhedescendedintothisworld.
hatvesselhadbeenthesourceofeveryvariable,yetintheendithadcometohimitself,soforthePopethiswasatrulyjoyfulthing.
“...AndcanfeelthePrimordialofChaosaswell.”
Andwithinthatvessel’sarmshecouldfeelthedivinerelicoftheodofChaos,thePrimordialofChaos.
Bothhadcometohimatonce.
hePopecouldnothelpbutsmile.
emadenoefforttohidehisfeelings.
“ruly,amsoveryglad—”
Butthen—
“—!”
efaltered.
Caleenitusewascomingtowardhimthroughthegapsinthecollapsingceiling,windwrappedaroundhimasthesilvershieldvanished.
“My.”
heforcepouringfromhim—
thatintangibleforceswelledinaninstant.
tfeltasthoughasinglecolossalboulder,amountain-likemassofstone,werecrashingdowndirectlyatthePopehimself.
Aforcesoenormousitcouldsuffocatehim,overwhelmhim.
Aforcerushinginlikeanaturaldisaster.
“Urgh!”
“Ugh!”
heholyknights’kneesbentbeforetheyknewitattheforcedescendingfromtheceiling.
ikeagreatmountain.
ikeanaturaldisaster.
heholyknightsbrokeoutingoosefleshbeforethisforcethatfeltimpossibletostop.
Andatthecenterofthem,thePopetheywereprotecting—
“Ah.”
Abreathescapedhim.
hePopehadcertainlywatchedarecordingofwhathadhappenedinPrimordialight.
Backthen,Caleenituse—
“Sothisiswhyyouwereabletostandface-to-facewithagod—”
SothiswaswhythesainthadfailedtodefeatCaleenituse!
SothiswaswhytheodofChaoswantedCaleenituseasavessel!
hePopefeltgoosefleshriseonhisarmsbeforetheforcepouringdownonhimasthoughtocrushhim—no,todominatehim.
eloweredhisheadandlookedathisarm.
nthewrinkledskinofhisagedbody,surpriseandfearlandedforthefirsttimeinaverylongwhile.
hecornersofhismouthtrembled.
Andwhenheliftedhishead—
“!”
Cale’spupilswidened.
Anoldmanwithhishandsclaspedbehindhisback,hisslightframehiddenbeneaththeamplerobesofapriest.
ewassmiling.
ButCaledidnotseethatsmile.
Well,damn.
heAncientreeletoutasigh.
Whatthehell?SincewhencanthePopeuseaforcelikethis?
hedominatingaurasoundedflustered.
Sss—
AforceflowedoutfromthePope.
t’schaos!
twaschaos.
But—
Whatisthat?
—itwasdifferent.
DifferentfromthechaosthathadpouredoutoftheodofChaos.
Upuntilnow,everypersonCalehadencounteredfromtherderoftheodofChaos—priest,holyknight,saint—hadallpossessedthesamegray.
ButthePope—
t’svaried.
Brightanddark,denseandfaint.
ikepaintbleedingintoablankcanvas.
hegrayshadesofthechaospouringfromthePopewereincrediblyvaried.
...hisisalmost......
heAncientreemurmuredwithagroan.
...asifit’salive—
hechaosflowingfromthePope—
itgaveoffcountlessshadesofgraylikealivingthing.
Cale!
Andthedominatingauragraspedtheidentityofthatforce.
hisisn’ttheodofChaos’schaos!
fcourse,Calehadalreadyrealizedittoo.
tsharesthesameroot,butthatchaosbelongstohim!
Yes.
hatwasthePope’schaos.
hePopewassomeonewhopossessedhisownchaos.
Whetheritisornot.
ButCaledidwhathehadtodo.
heWaterthatDevourstheSkyspokeinaroughvoice,clearandsharp.
e’sstillabastardwhoneedstheshitbeatenoutofhim,right?
Caleagreedwiththatcompletely.
Shhhh—
hespearofwaterinCale’shandimmediatelylefthisgraspandshottowardthePope.
CRAAAAAS—!
Adeafeningexplosionrangout.
hewaterexploded.
“Urgh!”
“ah!”
heholyknightsatthePope’ssidehurriedlyleapedaway.
Watchingthat,eneralMol—swordoftheDemonKingandleaderofthehirdArmy—hesitated.
Whyisthishappening?
ummmm—
hedivinerelicinhispossessionstirred.
ventheDemonKingdidnotknowthisrelic’struenature.
thadbeenpasseddownthrougheneralMol’sfamilyforgenerations,andothersthoughtitwassimplyMol’sweapon,but—
itstrueessencewasagod’sobject.
Andnowthatgod’sobjectwasvibrating.
Mol’seyesturnedtoCalewithouthismeaningthemto.
CalewaschargingagaintowardthePope’sside,wheretheexplodingvaporanddusthadnotyetcleared.
Molcouldnotkeephisgazethereforlong.
“Damnit!”
Molraisedhissword.
isbodyslidbackward.
Beyondthebladehehadliftedtowardthesky,hesawtheexpressionlessfaceofthehighest-rankingholyknight.
Andtherewasablackdragonandayoungmanchargingtowardthathighest-rankingholyknight.
heblackdragon—Choian’ssword—headedstraightforhim.
ButChoian’sattentionwasonCale.
...hePope!
hatpresencegaveChoianachillingfeelinghehadnotfeltinalongtime.
hatCalehandlingthePopehimselfwasthemostcorrectchoice.
Andthatinthemeantime,Choianshoulddealwiththehighest-rankingholyknightandthengohelpCale.
Choianthoughtsotoo,but—
e’stoorelaxed.......
hehighest-rankingholyknightbeforehimhadstillnotusedallhisstrength.
ewasmerelyavoidingChoian’sbodywithleisure.
edidnotevenseemtohaveanyintentionofprotectingthePope.
“.......”
“.......”
WhenChoian’seyesmettheholyknight’s,thehighest-rankingholyknightsaidcalmly,
“amonewhoprotectsthePope,and—”
ehadtworoles.
“—onewhorestrains.”
hemomentChoianfeltuneaseatthesmileonthehighest-rankingholyknight’slips,
Calewasalreadymovinginaccordancewiththatominousinstinct.
hehandthathadjustthrownthespearofwaterwasempty,butnow—
Fwoooosh—
areddish-goldfireboltwasalreadyhoveringthere.
hroughthevaporanddust,thatreddish-goldfireboltshotstraighttowardwherethePopehadbeenstanding.
Crackle,crackle!
Asthoughitwouldburneverythingaway,theblazingreddish-goldlightmadetheholyknightsnearbyfallback.
Calefoundthatstrange.
olyknightswhoseemedtotrustthePopemorethananyone,andtoprotecthim.
nsteadofthrowingthemselvesinfrontofhim,insteadofsacrificingtheirbodiesforthePope,theyyieldedtoCale’spower.
heymerelyretreatedbyafraction.
...hey’reafraid.
Andthemomenttheyfacedthatwrithinggrayforcethatlookedalive,theywerefrightened.
heyfearedthatforcemorethanCale’sdominatingaura.
AndCalewasabletotouchthesubstanceofwhattheyfeared.
ap.
Cale’sfoottouchedthegroundattheplacewherethespearofwaterhadstruck.
hemomenthesawthePopethroughthesteam—
“......!”
Calesawabizarresight.
hat’simpossible!
heWaterthatDevourstheSkycriedoutindisbelief.
heAncientreesighed.
Damn.
Wrigglinggray.
UnliketheodofChaos,ithadnoeyes.
nstead—
mouths.
Countlessmouths.
hewrithinggraycurledaroundthePopelikeamassiveserpent,surroundinghimlikeashield.
Andsetinthatgraysmokewereinnumerablemouths.
hosemouthswereeatingthesteamandwater.
AllofitwasthespearofwatertheWaterthatDevourstheSkyhadfired.
Slowly,thePopemovedhishand,andtheshieldvanished.hegrayforcewrappedaroundhisbodylikepriestlyrobes.
hePopeopenedhismouth.
“Withinchaos,anythingcanexist.”
oodandevil.
Joy,despair,sorrow,exultation.
Allcouldexistwithinit,andthusitwaschaos.
“notherwords,chaoscaneatanything.”
hatwaswhychaoscouldcontainanything.
Coulddevourit.
“WhentheodofChaoswatchesoverallthings.”
herewasnowherehisgazedidnotrest.
Becausetheworldwasgraduallyfillingwithchaos.
AndsothePoperealizedhisownrole.
“amtheonewhoconveyshiswill,andtheonewhoofferschaosupforhim.”
hatwaswhyheneededmouths.
Becausehehadtodeliverthatwillthroughspeech.
Andbecausehehadtoeat,inordertoofferchaos.
hatwaswhythepowergiventohimbytheodofChaos—gazealone—wasnotenough.
Sowiththegod’spermission,hecreatedachaosofhisown.
hatwastheformheworenow.
Writhingchaos.
hatwasthePopehimself.
AndwhatresidedwithinitweremouthsfortheodofChaos.
hePopetookonestepforward.
hemouthsofchaosspreadlikehisgarments,likehiscloak,openingtowardCale’sreddish-goldfirebolt.
heywantedtoeatit.
Becauseitwassomethingtheyhadneverseenbefore.
hemouthsofchaoshadgreatlywelcomedthewatertheyhadeatenearlier.
Becausethattoohadbeensomethingtheyweretastingforthefirsttime.
“ruly,whatavesselfilledwithsomanydeliciousthings.”
hePopecouldseeit.
“Avesselthatisbuildingacompleteworld—”
ethoughthecouldunderstandwhythegodcovetedit.
hePope,whowishedtobecomeamouthforthegod.
ehadnolustforpower.odesireforhonor.
eactedonlyforthegod.
Sohewasglad.
Step.
etookanotherstep.
hegraymouthsworkedopenandshut.
“Come—”
heoldmanbeckonedwithakindlyface.
eopenedbotharmswide.
“Comehere.”
ewalkedtowardCale.
AndCale—
e’sinsane!
—swunghisarmasheheardthevoiceoftheDestructiveFire,fullofdisbelief.
Crackle—!
Areddish-goldfirebolt.
hatfirebolt,whichpurifieddeadmana,shottowardthePope.
CRAAAS!
Anotherdeafeningroarburstout.
Step.
Calesteppedbackward.
hisbastardisgenuinelyinsane!
heMisersoundedutterlyappalled.
Damnit!Damnitall!
heWaterthatDevourstheSkycouldnotcontainherfury.
Chomp,chomp.
hefireboltexplodedwitharoar.
hegraythathadbeenflippedoverbythatblastswallowedthelightning,thefire,andthesmokewithitscountlessmouths.
Asifallofittastedunbelievablygood.
Asthesmokecleared,thePopewasstillcomingforward.
Damnitall!hatchaosisdifferentfromtheodofChaos’s!needtimetofigureitout!
heWaterthatDevourstheSkypouredoutherwordsinaroughrush.
ogetherwiththedominatingaura,theWaterthatDevourstheSkyhadfacedchaos,andtogetherwiththeMisershehadgainedthepowertopurifyit,toovercomeit.
ButthatchaoswasnottheodofChaos’s.
thadbegunfromthesamechaos,butitwasthePope’s.
AndsothosemouthscouldswallowwhatCale’sAncientPowersproduced.
Step.
hePopecameforwardagain.
AndCalestoodstill.
“Comehere.”
hePopebeckonedtoCale,tothevessel.
Becauseavesselthatwascreatingaworldwassoveryprecious.
Andthen—
Step.
CaletookonesteptowardthePope.
edidnotretreat.
Cale.
heAncientreespokequickly.
hosemouthsmusthavelimitstoo.
herewerecountlessmouths.
Butthebellythatcouldholdwhatthosemouthsatehadtohavealimit.
BecausethatbellywasthePope.
Cale.urpowershavegrowntremendouslynow.
edidnotknowwhethertheycoulddefeatagod,butattheveryleasttheyhadbecomeagigantic,overwhelmingpowerlikeanaturaldisaster.
Wouldn’titbepossibleforthosemouths—forthatstomach—toswelluntilitbursts?
heAncientreeofferedatheoryofhisown,areasonableone.
BecausethePopewasdifferentfromtheodofChaos,therewouldsurelybealimittowhathecouldcontain,whathecouldeat.
Shhhh—
WaterroseinoneofCale’shands.
Crackle—
Reddish-goldcurrentdancedintheother.
wodifferentthingsbloomedinhishands.
AsmiledeepenedatthePope’slips.
Unlikethecountlessmouthsthatonlyate,hespoke.
“Areyoutryingtotestwhoselimitsaregreater?”
raysmokebegantopourfromthosemouths.
Asthegraysmoke,writhinglikealivingthing,spreadthroughtheair,hesaidinabenevolentvoice,
“Doyoutrulythinkyouwillwinthattest?”
herderoftheodofChaos.
Chaosthatexistedeverywhere,hiddenwithincountlessdimensionsandworlds.
Andwithinthatrder,therewasonlyonePope.
AsinglePopeamongcountlessworlds.
DidCaleenituse,standingbeforehim,understandwhatthatmeant?
hePope,too,hadavastvessel.
ispathwassimplydifferentfromCale’s.
“tseemsmustmeasuremylimitsagain,forthefirsttimeinalongwhile.”
hePopesmiledwarmly.
verythingwasmerelydelightful.
Becausetheendofallthosevariableshad,intheend,ledhimontoashortcut.
Shhhh—
Crackle—
Waterandfire.
WindcurledaroundthefeetofCale,whoheldboth.
AtthePope’sfeettoo,writhinggraygathered.
AndthemomentCalesteppedforward—
Whoooosh—
hisbodyshotahead.
hePopespreadbotharmsandwentforwardtomeethim.
odevoureverything—
“chaos,youshallcontainallthings!”
hesmileathislipsdeepened.
hen—
“!”
hePopesawthewaterandfirevanish.
—
ntheirplace,silverbegantogather.
CaleacceleratedhimselfwiththeSoundoftheWindandclenchedthesilverlineswhirlingaroundbothhishands.hosefinelineschangedintosomethinglikeagrip.
AndCale’seyeswereblazinghot.
’msupposedtohandoverfood—
“—forwhosebenefit?”
twashardenoughfeedingthebastardswhoactuallyearnedtheirkeep.
WhythehellwouldhefeedanythingtothisbastardofaPopetoo?
a!
heAncientreeletoutacry.
o.
Caledidnotwanttogivethosemouthswhattheywanted.
Andtherewasonewhoreactedtothatmorestronglythananyone.
o!
hecrybabyoldman,whocouldneverholdbackhissorrowandangerwhenhesawinjuredcomrades,injuredfamily.
Andthegluttonouspriestesswhohadembracedthatoldmanquietlyflaredtolife.
hat’snotwhateatingis!
Forthegluttonouspriestess,theactofeatinghadbeenaconvictionshehelduntilthedayshedied.
Shewastheonewhohadevenshoveledpollutedearthandsoilcorruptedbydeadmanaintohermouth.
Shecouldnottoleratethegraymouthsbeforehernow.
Calefeltthesameway.
“hehellyou’regoingtoeatanything!”
atwhat?
Calehadmadeavow.
fyoulaidahandonsomeoneprecioustoanotherperson,thenyouhadbetterbepreparedtogethitbackdozensoftimesharder.
Woooo—wooooo—
AsilvershieldappearedinCale’shands.
Ataglance,itlookedalittleliketheshieldthattop-tierholyknighthadusedwhenhecreatedhallucinations.
Butitwasdifferent.
Caleraisedtheshield.
Andthen—
CRAAAAAS!
esmasheditdown.
Straightintothecountlessmouthsinsidethewrithinggray.
“eh.”
Calelaughed.
“oodthingthere’ssomuchtosmash!”
fhekeptbeatingthem,maybethosemouthswouldfinallyclose.
Caleshranktheshield,whichheusuallyspreadoutonahugescale,downtoasmallsizeandcoveredthefrontofhisbodywithit.
heUnbreakableShield.
Andsoitdidnotshedsomuchasasinglespeck.
hemouthshangingopencouldeatnothing.
nstead,thosemouthshadtotaketheblowofthatsolidshield.
ummmm—
hebrilliantsilverrefusedtoallowthegraymouthsevenasinglemoteoflight.
Regenerationmovingmorestronglythanever,eart’sitality,thetreefacingwhatitcouldnottolerate,theUnbreakableShield.
AndCalefeltlikehewouldnotcalmdownuntilhebeatthelivinghelloutofthePoperightinfrontofhim.
ummmm—humm—
Becauseithadtwowings,theshieldwasnotheavy.
Calegrippeditandmoved.
heshield,followingitsmaster’swill,shonewithevenmorebrilliantsilverandhardenedfurther.
Andashewatched,Raonshouted,
“t’sMom’sway!”
heformerordSheritt.
hatdragonwhousedashieldhadpreferredtosmashheropponentswithit.
Becausethegreatestprotection,thegreatestdefense,washittingfirst.
CRAAAAAS,BA—!
Windlashedaroundhisfeet,shieldinhand,andCalebegantorampage.
Ashedid,hisheartthrobbed,wringingoutasmuchpowerasitcould.
hesightofhimresembledKimRokSoofromthedayswhenhehadnothingelsehecoulddoandhadchargedinwithasheetofmetalinhishand.
Butunlikebackthen,whatCaleheldinhishandnowwastheUnbreakableShield.
