Chapter 481 The Price of Knowledge
The world trembled as Obelisks all around the world shot their beams into the sky. Dread filled the air, shaking the hearts of the world's inhabitants. Children cried hysterically and adults stared at the sky in horror. Animals whimpered and Magical Beasts growled. Everyone could feel the threat and the looming death.
Basil could feel all of this a moment before he was completely engulfed by the golden light. The terror that struck the soul of every inhabitant of the world disappeared as Basil arrived in another world. Not so different from his Inner World, this world was covered with tall golden grass.
Three big tablets stood before him, filled with intricate characters to the brim. Two of the tablets had shining characters, radiating a profound aura that a mere mortal couldn't comprehend. Compared to the other two, the remaining tablet was extremely dull. Despite that, it still exuded profoundness.
Basil took a step forward. His long hair billowed in the air. Out of thin air, a tall, golden-haired man garbed in a golden tunic materialized in front of the dull tablet. He leaned on the tablet with crossed arms. He opened one of his closed eyes when Basil stopped a few steps away from him and looked at Basil with a teasing smile.
"Hello, Body Stealer," Basil greeted, causing the golden-haired man to stumble to the side.
"A blunt one, aren't you?" he said with a wry smile.
"I know you are a God, Matheus."
"Well, I know about that. These guys record everything," Matheus said, gesturing at the tablets. "So, what are you going to do now?" he asked, crossing his arms cockily.
"I will crush your soul. Can you accept that?"
"Fine with me," Matheus answered with a shrug.
Basil stared at Matheus silently. Matheus could either be not caring about the revelation or confident that Basil wouldn't do it. Whatever it was, Basil didn't care. He knew he was going to succeed and that was all that mattered. Ignoring Matheus, he took another step and shoved Matheus aside.
Matheus grumbled about an insolent descendant but didn't hold it against Basil. He watched as Basil stood before the dull tablet before stopping him once his palm was about to touch it.
"I have to warn you that whatever you are going to figure out next might alter your life course. Knowing that, do you still want to bear it?"
"I am a Fragment Bearer. Isn't that what I should do?" Basil asked with a quirked eyebrow.
"I am just reminding you because I know how you are. You have been resisting the influence of the Fragment. You question every questionable action you took and know that you sometimes behave uncharacteristically. You might be able to resist two of them, but not three. I am sure it will be hard for you. You don't like the feeling of losing yourself, do you?"
"You know that is not true," Basil casually rebutted. "Tell me what you are genuinely concerned about."
Matheus frowned before sighing in defeat. "Memories. You will receive the memories of my last day on this plane. You will know what forced me into this situation. You will see enough reasons for you to destroy this world. You will—"
"It's fine," Basil interrupted Matheus before his tone could get any higher. "Your grudge will remain with you. I am unrelated to it, so the anger won't affect me. I won't have any plan to destroy the world, but I also don't have any intention to save it. I just want a safe place for the people I hold dear and that doesn't need to be this world."
Matheus was aware of how unique Basil was but still widened his eyes at his statement. The sheer conviction in Basil's tone made him sure Basil would do what he said. A chuckle escaped his mouth. Time had been rewound twice. He had thought the first one was a taste, but he was glad that the debacle had happened. Things would have gone differently if Basil had succeeded on the first try.
"Then, do go against your words."
In response to Matheus' words, Basil merely smirked. He touched the tablet, causing the intricate characters to light up. His Pacifer Seal activated on itself and his eyes turned gold. His entire demeanour changed. A golden halo appeared above his head, causing him to feel otherworldly. Basil was still there, but his presence was somewhere else.
Basil blinked his golden eyes and the tablet before him disappeared. He still had his hand outstretched, but it was now dirtied by the blood which was, unfortunately, his. As he lowered his hands, he took in his surroundings. He was surrounded by people armed to the teeth. Some of them looked at him in anger, but the majority of them looked at him in fear.
He was not a stranger to the scene. In his past life, he had been looked like this. The same cowards who had looked at him in horror would then bootlick him and beg for his help in the future. The fickleness of humans always made him laugh. With that said, he was sure the scene he was witnessing was not one from his memory.
"We are very sorry to do this, Master, but we have no choice." His head turned to the owner of the melodious voice. It was a well-endowed woman with long white hair and a cloth covering her eyes. "This is the only way for us to survive. We need your heart to achieve the strength to kill the Seven Princes."
"How ironic," he scoffed against his will. "I taught you Magic and showed you the way to achieve victory against the Demons, but this is how you pay me, Lindy!" he bellowed murderously. "I am ashamed to have ever had students like the four of you!"
The woman with an eye-covering who was addressed as Lindy flinched. The three people closest to her frowned before stepping forward as if to shield her from him.
"At this rate, humans will perish. Their growth is astounding, but not fast enough. By the time they had enough power, everyone would have been wiped out. We want to prevent that from happening!" the golden-haired male amongst the three shouted.
"Those well-stringed words are nothing but a hypocritical justification to gain power for yourself, Gregory. Look at the people you are following, everyone! Even before attaining Divinity, they no longer consider themselves to be one of you. These scoundrels are thirsty for power!" he exclaimed, full of conviction. "Shameful!"
"Shut the fuck up, you damn God! You keep preaching about 'survive and thrive,' but how can you know our struggle? Someone who is born in a beautiful place such as the Heavenly Throne will never understand our hardships! We just want to have a good life for once and you can give it to us. Didn't you come here to be our saviour? Just die and fulfil your purpose!"
Basil clicked his tongue at the words of the desperate buffoon in the crowd but couldn't utter a single thing. He was present in the body that he inhabited at this moment but couldn't do anything to control it. Against his will, he spread his hands and looked at the sky. Some of the stars blinked as if mourning for his imminent death.
"I shouldn't have helped," he uttered. It was something that he had said once in his past life. "I thought I could change what was predetermined. I thought I would be different. I was wrong. I am nothing special. I don't write my fate. I have been following a script that leads me to this moment." A twisted grin appeared on his face. "So be it."
"Kill him!"
The people in his surroundings came at him as his body was engulfed in a golden light. For the first time, Basil could control his body. The immense power he felt made him feel like he could crush the world in his palm. He could change the course of history, but he didn't. Something was telling him to not do anything and watch.
So he did.
Squelch!
The golden light engulfing his figure died down, revealing him impaled by the weapons of his four students. The negligible mobs were gone, wiped out by his sheer presence. He looked at each of the faces of his students. He carved each of them deeply in his mind.
The one with the golden hair and a scholarly look was Gregory who would be called the God of Knowledge. The one with a cloth covering her eyes and an innocent look was Lindy who would be called the Goddess of Love. The one with long, wavy black hair and a righteous gaze was Justina who would be called the Goddess of Justice. The one with grey hair and a gentle look was Layland who would be called the God of Peace.
Basil was watching the birth of the Four Gods and the fall of the Four Heroes. He could feel the disappointment of the person whose body he inhabited as he looked at the four ungrateful scoundrels. Despite that, he had a serene smile on his face. It was frustrating, yet he could only accept reality.
"Be careful of what you wish," he warned. "With great power comes a great responsibility. You may find it hard to keep your hearts beating."
"Your death shall bring peace to this world, Master," Layland uttered as his friends were getting uncomfortable.
"How long will it last? I wonder."
He could tell from the looks his students were showing it didn't matter. Their purpose was not peace, in the very first place. It didn't matter. He would get back what was cruelly torn from him. He would come to get the payment for the debt the ungrateful scoundrels owed him. A serene smile remained on his face; even as his students took his heart out and split it amongst themselves.
It was all right. He would get his due revenge. Gregory, Layland, Justina, and Lindy would die after his reborn. Humans, the ungrateful low-lives he had helped, would perish. His most loyal servants that he left behind, the Pacifer, would accompany him in his endeavour.
The Lord shall return and the world shall burn.
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