Chapter 78 of 79

Chapter 63: Originless Blade

By Feniurme • 9,545 words • Code: NV-53D8gsV

"I have been called upon once again… who in the lower world has gained this power?"

Standing shocked in her remote cabin, Astraea was surprised as she was once again called upon to arbitrate the use of 『Envoy of Justice』

A divine authority that should've been limited to arbiters of justice such as Valkyries and Eumenides but has somehow made its way to the lower world where divinity beyond falna and a spirit's blessing is heavily restricted.

The goddess of justice pondered upon the matter for a few moments before ultimately deciding not to dwell on it for too long, after all, time was of the essence when it came to arbitrating the use of 『Envoy of Justice』

The divine authority was only activated when a user faced great peril against a force they believed to be evil. So, knowing this, Astraea began to pour over the details given to her through divine authority.

Upon receiving the necessary information in her mind, her face grew with disgust as she immediately voted on what should be done.

"I vote to authorize"

Astraea's eyes glowed with a burning fury as she recognized the people whom the envoy was facing.

The children of Sekhmet, a group of mind-broken killers she had failed to subjugate with her familia. A shadow of death that reaped countless lives.

A band of suicide bombers brought to madness and no longer care how many innocents they brought to death. Becoming nothing more than the tools of a demented god.

A horde of monsters, seemingly causing havoc among the mortal populace. Possessing no sense of morality or self, and only wishing to bloody their deathly maw.

And lastly… an existence that revolted her to her very core… she did not know what it could possibly be, but all she needed to understand was that if left unchecked, it would surely only bring about suffering.

"What has this world come to?"

Staring out of her window, Astraea pondered if she should set aside her period of mourning. Perhaps this world needed more seekers of justice like her passed children.

Evil and injustice were still as rampant as ever, but the world severely lacked people who could fight against the futile struggle between good and evil.

Should she find more children? Should she revitalize her defunct familia? Should she raise more heroes who would bear her crest of the sword of justice?

"No…"

Ultimately, Astraea refused to do so. Perhaps it was her selfishness to retain the sanctity of her children's legacy.

Perhaps it was in consideration of her last remaining child who still struggled to accept their passing. But whatever it may be, the goddess of justice didn't take up her sword once more.

"A goddess of justice no longer to undo villainy… you must be laughing up a storm, Erebus…"

The goddess moved away from the window to sit back one more in front of her cabin's fireplace. It was no longer her era. She tried and failed to uphold justice, and it would only result in the same ending if she were to try again.

The world's present problems must be solved by those who live in it, not the specters of a fading golden age. It may be hypocritical, but she decided to place her hopes in the newborn justice that rose to the occasion after the somber embers of her familia.

"It's not every day that someone somehow activates a divine authority of justice. I wonder who this hero might be… and I wonder… if they may take some time to save my last child…"

Settling back to the quiet and peaceful mood she had grown accustomed to in recent years, Astraea let her worries slip out of her mind as she gave a prayer to the current generation of heroes. Hoping with all she had that they may succeed where she failed.

…

"HAHAHA! WHAT KIND OF TROUBLE DID YOU FIND YOURSELF IN YOU RASCAL GRANDSON OF MINE!"

Laughing up a storm in a distant land far from Orario, Zeus grinned widely as he was called upon to authorize the use of authority he failed to understand how Bell acquired.

"Here I thought I would grow accustomed to the absurdities falna developed after seeing the children of my past familia"

"But then again, this is my grandson I'm talking about. Common sense sticks to him like expired glue"

Snickering to himself at how Bell never ceased to entertain him in the past and present, Zeus hardly mulled over the information provided to him through the authority before he gave his vote.

"I vote to authorize"

Bell was the last remnant of the dream his and Hera's children sought to achieve with their own hands. The reincarnation of the first hero who started the new dawn. The fated last hero told in divine oracles, and most importantly, the boy he raised as his family.

The great god hardly possessed any doubt in his grandson's character. After all, they were both working towards the same goal. Making great strides in their quest to realize a world where heroism and justice prevailed.

"I have faith that he can overcome it. If the bastard wants to save the world, he should be capable of sticking it up to some know-it-all bastards up in the sky!"

Confirming his confidence in Bell, Zeus let out another powerful laugh before diverting his attention back to the task he was currently embarking on.

"I should start resuming my search. Where in the bloody heavens is that other child of mine? I get that Argonaut did him dirty, but to be so petty that you disappeared entirely…"

Staring into the distance, Zeus squinted his eyes as he stood atop a great mountain range. Snow covered all that he could see, and the fierce winds violently assaulted his body from multiple directions.

It was a land that little had ever trodden upon, and it was this aspect of this area that made the god of storms hopeful that he could find the person he had been searching for so long.

But just as he was about to resume his journey, Zeus felt an ominous shiver run up his spine. Originating not far from his current location.

"SHIT! YOU CRAZY BITCH! YOU'LL KILL US BOTH IF YOU CHASE ME UP HERE!"

The great god that ruled Olympus had been reduced to nothing more than a bumbling fool as he feared the presence that was coming after him. An orange-haired mature beauty whose eyes glowed an ominous red as she gave chase like a wild beast.

They both performed drastic maneuvers that few would dare to perform in an unwelcome environment such as a high mountain, but for their desires, no other options would be viable.

"Zeus! Face me you coward!"

"Not until you drop that ominous knife, Hera!"

…

"My, the lower world is truly becoming a fascinating place. I somewhat regret not descending when I was able to"

Sitting atop his resplendent throne in Asgard, Odin lamented not being able to observe such curious entities that not even he was aware of.

The one-eyed god of wisdom was quick to reach his own conclusions regarding the situation he observed from on high, and was more than willing to give Bell the last vote of authority to utilize 『Envoy of Justice』

He didn't ponder on how a mortal was able to achieve such a divine power, or how the abominations facing him were made. He already had ideas about how they came about.

What he was more curious about was the outcome of this conflict. Because, though it may seem one-sided, it was nothing more than a temporary advantage.

"I don't take that mortal to be the overly proud type, so I'm sure he's well aware of how unfit he is to manage the raw power of a divine authority"

"Play with fire and get burnt. I wonder how long he'll last before the flames of his ideals burn him to a crisp"

Putting himself as a witness, the great god of the Norse pantheon would see to it himself how the fate of this last hero would play out.

"To chase after a dream is to become one with it… either you succeed, or contemplate as you lose yourself chasing after it… I hope your ideals of justice won't consume you whole, young hero"

…

"How in the hell… why are the flames of justice in the lower world?!"

Loki stood shocked as she witnessed a mortal call upon a power that only gods and arbiters of their will could possess.

It was a fire that was akin to a divine weapon of war. As such, it was as if she was seeing a toddler carry around a deadly sword. An impossibility that should have never come to pass.

"Hermes… did you know about this?"

Turning her head to the ever-so-mysterious god, Loki tried to discern every bit of information she could extract from him, but it would seem Hermes was just as stupefied as she was.

"I'm just as surprised as you are, Loki… what a surprise this is!"

Widening his smile, Hermes restrained himself with everything he had to not laugh out loudly in joy as he witnessed the radiance he once observed with Zeus so long ago.

The blinding radiance of a hero. A light he had dearly missed and sought after for a very long time.

"..."

Seeing that Hermes held no answers for her, the trickster goddess turned all around to see if anyone had any semblance of knowledge of what was going on.

But alas, no such people had what she looked for. Freya simply smiled whilst licking her lips in delight. Hephaestus stood in awe at what unfolded before her. Artemis was silent as shock passed through her mind… and Hestia grew tense as worry assaulted her heart.

The message was clear for Loki to see. The battle unfolding around Orario was coming down to the wire, and Bell was the deciding factor to overturn everything in their favor.

With his mere presence alone, it was as if all forms of despair and doubt had been washed away. His light had ignited the once-downcasted spirits of countless people around the dungeon city.

Numerous souls looked into the distance as a pillar of bright light manifested itself, and though the vigilante never held such light as a signal for his coming, the city understood that he had finally arrived in their moment of peril.

It was a feeling that was hard to explain. Its coming was enigmatic. Its effects were poorly understood. But its impact was undoubtedly real.

An error in the bleak and cold truth of reality in the lower world. One that inverted the common truth of many on its head. Giving way to the manifestation of childish idealism.

It went by many names, but undoubtedly, the miracle was commonly referred to as a hero. An existence not made, but asked for by the world in its moment of need.

Loki could only smile wryly as she accepted that her fate was no longer in her hands. As a trickster and jester, she was intimately aware when the spotlight shifted on a stage, and it was undoubtedly shining down on the Gray Ghost.

"Gh-"

In the vicinity where Bell had appeared, the flames had already begun exhibiting their unique nature as they began to burn the creatures and provide warmth to Hestia and Artemis.

It was a fire that ensnared any semblance of evil with a fierce heat and comforted the innocent in its warm embrace.

"..."

The creatures were silent as they struggled to understand what was happening. The goddesses were silent as they anticipated what came next… and Bell was silent as his mind became filled with one obsession.

『???????? ?? ??????? ???? ?????? ??? ????????? ????? ??????. ??? ??? ?????? ????? ??? ????????? ?? ???????? ??? ???? ?? ???????』

…

.̵̨̞̫͚̮̰̤͆̀̚͘.̶̧̛͚͔̘̲̭̭̪͕̖͆̀̆̕̕.̵̡̨̡͕̰̝̗̰͖̺̈́͛͆̒̎͝.̴̨̝̺͓̻͉̠̞͠.̷̨͍͇͉̖̹̝̼̪̅̊̋͠ͅ.̷̨͉̫̻̞̳̈́ ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? .̵̨̞̫͚̮̰̤͆̀̚͘.̶̧̛͚͔̘̲̭̭̪͕̖͆̀̆̕̕.̵̡̨̡͕̰̝̗̰͖̺̈́͛͆̒̎͝.̴̨̝̺͓̻͉̠̞͠.̷̨͍͇͉̖̹̝̼̪̅̊̋͠ͅ.̷̨͉̫̻̞̳̈́

…

A crowd of voices filled his head, chanting for the purging of all evil in sight. Their voices were restless, never faltering in volume or intensity in their bid to urge him to do what must be done.

But rather than fight against it, Bell sought to become one with the voices. He was of the same mind as them after all. Believing all evil should be purged from the world he so dearly loved.

'It burns… my body is burning… my throat… my lungs… my heart… it burns…'

And just as he and Odin had expected, the divine fire had begun to tear away at his body. His vessel was not yet fit to effortlessly reign in the power he had called upon.

He had made a promise to himself to not utilize strategies that would only bring harm to himself, but he considered it necessary when all other options were unavailable to him.

'It burns… my arms… my legs… my feet… my hands… my soul… it burns…'

But just as he tried to assimilate with the power he called upon, Bell felt an unknown presence begin to take over him. Before long, it had consumed him whole.

The gods of danmachi were bound to their authorities like a curse. No matter how futile they tried to fight back, they would be a slave to it for their entire existence.

And for Bell who called upon the authority of divine justice, how did the foreign nature of gods affect his sensibilities as a mortal?

.̵̨̞̫͚̮̰̤͆̀̚͘.̶̧̛͚͔̘̲̭̭̪͕̖͆̀̆̕̕.̵̡̨̡͕̰̝̗̰͖̺̈́͛͆̒̎͝.̴̨̝̺͓̻͉̠̞͠.̷̨͍͇͉̖̹̝̼̪̅̊̋͠ͅ.̷̨͉̫̻̞̳̈́ .̵̨̞̫͚̮̰̤͆̀̚͘.̶̧̛͚͔̘̲̭̭̪͕̖͆̀̆̕̕.̵̡̨̡͕̰̝̗̰͖̺̈́͛͆̒̎͝.̴̨̝̺͓̻͉̠̞͠.̷̨͍͇͉̖̹̝̼̪̅̊̋͠ͅ.̷̨͉̫̻̞̳̈́ .̵̨̞̫͚̮̰̤͆̀̚͘.̶̧̛͚͔̘̲̭̭̪͕̖͆̀̆̕̕.̵̡̨̡͕̰̝̗̰͖̺̈́͛͆̒̎͝.̴̨̝̺͓̻͉̠̞͠.̷̨͍͇͉̖̹̝̼̪̅̊̋͠ͅ.̷̨͉̫̻̞̳̈́ .̵̨̞̫͚̮̰̤͆̀̚͘.̶̧̛͚͔̘̲̭̭̪͕̖͆̀̆̕̕.̵̡̨̡͕̰̝̗̰͖̺̈́͛͆̒̎͝.̴̨̝̺͓̻͉̠̞͠.̷̨͍͇͉̖̹̝̼̪̅̊̋͠ͅ.̷̨͉̫̻̞̳̈́ .̵̨̞̫͚̮̰̤͆̀̚͘.̶̧̛͚͔̘̲̭̭̪͕̖͆̀̆̕̕.̵̡̨̡͕̰̝̗̰͖̺̈́͛͆̒̎͝.̴̨̝̺͓̻͉̠̞͠.̷̨͍͇͉̖̹̝̼̪̅̊̋͠ͅ.̷̨͉̫̻̞̳̈́ .̵̨̞̫͚̮̰̤͆̀̚͘.̶̧̛͚͔̘̲̭̭̪͕̖͆̀̆̕̕.̵̡̨̡͕̰̝̗̰͖̺̈́͛͆̒̎͝.̴̨̝̺͓̻͉̠̞͠.̷̨͍͇͉̖̹̝̼̪̅̊̋͠ͅ.̷̨͉̫̻̞̳̈́

'Burn… burn… burn… burn…'

How many have died in this battle? Did his precautions help avert untimely demises? No. Deaths are all but certain in a conflict at this scale.

He had been through two wars in the Kaios desert and witnessed everything himself. It would be naive for Bell to think he could prevent all potential casualties with his intellect.

'It burns… Am I evil? For ushering forth this battle that wasn't meant to happen? For causing deaths that were never meant to pass in the original story?'

Perhaps. But it did little to dissuade Bell. Even if he comforted himself with the fact that fewer casualties were brought about by his meddling, blood still remained on his hands.

His dream remained as ideal as it did all those years ago. His desire to attain it is just as strong. So he will continue chasing after his naive ideals.

To ignore one's past and its effect is the hallmark of a fool. To ignore the cries and pleas of the present out of guilt is the essence of a hypocrite. And to give up all hope for the future out of despair is an insult to everything that came before.

Evil? Justice? They are all subjective. Save Everyone? A world of no evil? Vague and lacking definition.

Bell's desire to become a hero was no longer based on something that would falter over time. Like a jaded superhero or a broken dreamer. It was now an obsession. One that could never falter as it accepted all its imperfections and flaws.

'There is no perfect hero or malevolent villain, only selfish people chasing their own desires… and I'll make sure that I come out on top'

…

『Trace on』

Coming forth from sparks of magical energy, flaming chained blades manifested from all over to target the three creatures, causing them to utilize their immense strength to avoid the deadly attack.

?????… ?????… ?????...

But though they all survived the initial onslaught, Bell didn't give them any chance to breathe or regain their bearings.

?????… ?????… ?????…

More flaming projections came out to hunt them down with ferocity. Bearing the immense power of Bell's magecraft and the Anti-Evil properties of the flames of justice.

"Evade them at all costs!"

Shouting out with frustration, Revis warned her fellow creatures to not let their bodies even be slightly grazed by the weapons of the vigilante.

Ein, though possessing far more power than her peers due to her ability, managed to avoid every attack launched her way.

But the same was not true for Olivas Act. Constantly using underhanded tactics and preying on those weaker than himself had led him to not possess the same abilities as Revis and Ein who constantly fought to survive.

Perhaps as such, karma had finally caught up to him as he was impaled in the chest with a flaming chained blade.

"ARGH!!!"

"Tsk"

Seeing her comrade having been struck, Revis clicked her tongue as she moved to free him from the chained blade.

But as she was on her way, the fire began to devour Olivas. Having perpetrated countless sadistic acts before and after being a creature, such as a nightmare on the twenty-seventh floor, the flames of justice lambasted him with pain that equaled the amount of suffering he had inflicted.

It was a pain that he had never experienced before. One that felt as if it were divine punishment for his sins.

Luckily or unluckily for him, the creature possessed noteworthy regenerative abilities through the blessing of the dungeon.

So though such an attack would have killed him, his immense vitality from his magic stone and regenerative ability as a creature averted his death.

But perhaps oblivion was a better fate than experiencing the torment he was currently undergoing.

?????...

Before Olivas endured another second of torment, Revis swooped in to break the chain Bell had projected. The construct not being able to withstand the immense strength of a creature that stood its ground with Ais in the original story.

"On your feet! We need to move!"

With her frustration mounting, Revis called for Olivas to move, but the poor creature was unable to process her words after all the pain he experienced.

Picking up on his slack, Ein tossed the limping creature on herself. But just as they were about to move, Ein and Revis noticed an odd peculiarity.

"..."

The flames that the vigilante had been emitting were now gone, and so was his figure. They both completely disappeared, unnerving the two creatures immensely.

However, their confusion would soon be answered as Bell re-emerged from thin air. The weapon in his hand sought to finish off the near-unconscious Olivas Act.

"Gh-"

?????...

But before Bell's blade could reach his neck, Ein, and Revis intercepted his strike with their own swords. Doing so with ease. But this display did little to dissuade him from his assault.

"?!-"

????...

Out of nowhere, a plume of flames emerged from Bell's blade. The fire he had emitted was no longer gone, they were simply reigned in to not act so haphazardly.

However, it would seem that Bell's control was not perfect as sporadic bursts of fire erupted from his body and projections.

"HHhhhaaa… HHhhhaaa… HHhhhaaa…"

Bell's breath was laborious as steam rose from his body. Even his projection of armor began to falter under the immense heat, requiring it to be repaired manually over time as he continued to utilize the divine power.

『Envoy of Justice』was a detriment to him as much as it was to his opponents. It was far too potent at its current level for him to handle.

It was melting him from the inside, but it was the only way to bridge the gap between himself and his opponents. Aside from a massive large-scale destructive projection that he couldn't use inside Orario.

So he struggled to reign in the out-of-control power. Letting loose when attacking, and restraining it when not. Doing so in the hopes that it would lengthen the time he could fight by even just a few more seconds.

The pressure on his back was enormous. The pain he was experiencing was even more so. But in spite of it all, he never lost track of what he had to do.

As the vigilante stood deathly still as bursts of flame came out of him like a soon-to-erupt volcano, he was slowly being surrounded by enemies.

Having sensed the arrival of the main target, all the Evilus forces deployed in Orario began to gather en masse at his location.

But as he stood in the middle of immense danger, the creatures who stood in front of him widened their eyes in shock as they noticed something about Bell.

The heat of 『Envoy of Justice』began to tear away at the mask that hid his identity. Though it was able to repair itself, the two creatures saw for themselves a sight that struck fear into them.

Even as he was surrounded. Even as he was struck with pain. Even as his own powers tore him up from the inside… his eyes were as clear as ever… and they focused solely on eradicating those who stood in his path.

『Trace on』

"!!-"

The battle resumed in earnest, with Bell projecting more chained blades to break the deadlock between himself, Ein, and Revis.

The creatures moved to avoid being hit with the flaming weapon but inadvertently allowed the projections to strike at another target in their path.

Such was how Bell began to fight from then onwards. While pursuing Ein and Revis, he would clean up the trash that had gathered around him.

It was a way of fighting that belittled the efforts of those who wished to oppose him. Monsters? Nothing more but ash to clean up. Children of Thanatos? Simple desperate grievers. Children of Sekhmet? Unredeemable killers.

????… ????… ????...

It was as if he was back to fighting with Arry on the frontlines of the war, taking lives on a scale that would horrify many. Amounting them all too simple unfortunate souls to have been matched up with a force such as himself.

????… ????… ????...

Even as his body endured a lucky few sank their blades into his body, exploded their bombs near himself, or trapped his extremities in their monstrous maws, it all resulted in nothing more than a simple inconvenience.

His flames burned away those that reached him. His blades finished off those who survived. And he simply healed himself to undo the damages he incurred.

He was relentless as he was domineering. He walked through a hail of blades, explosions, fangs, and fire, but he was not deterred in the slightest.

To those who didn't receive his ire, he was like a force of nature that sought out evil.

To those that did, he didn't resemble a hero at all… but a demonic judge of hellfire.

…

"ARGH!!!"

Through the streets of Orario, a unique scene unfolded. Countless hostile entities ran through the streets with immense bloodlust.

All possessing power capable of taking countless lives. But instead of focusing their power on harming the populace of Orario, it was now being concentrated squarely on Bell.

But even as he was faced with this daunting force, he simply continued to fight as he burned from the inside.

『Trace on』

It was a chaotic mess of violence. Flaming chained blades erupted from all over, forming an intricate deadly web of burning metal blades. Rendering all who were caught in it into a cindering crisp.

Bell maneuvered himself through the streets of Orario, using his chained blades to swing himself across the city with immense speed.

Blocking, parrying, and dishing out attacks to the countless enemies that assaulted him. Bathing the vigilante in ashen dust and crimson blood.

He screamed with all his might as he pushed his body to continue fighting. If he let up the pressure for even just a second, he would be quickly overwhelmed by the sheer amount of bloodlust directed toward him.

『Reinforce』

Sparks of energy erupted from his body as he employed every ounce of fighting experience he accrued to dispatch all the assassins, suicide bombers, and monsters in his sight.

His sword flowed like water and his body moved like a blur as he took lives at a frightening rate. But just as he was able to reach an equilibrium between himself and his enemies, he was staggered.

"GUH-"

????...

From the shadows of the mass of ultra-violence directed at Bell, a large claymore struck at him with a speed and strength that far outclassed all the other fodder thrown against him,

An attack that stood near the peak of absolute strength among adventurers around the world, a blow from Revis who attacked Bell from where he least expected.

?????...

Being struck in the stomach with the powerful sword strike, Bell had been able to prevent his body from being cut in half, but he was still blown away by the force of the blow. Sending his body flying across the air before crashing into a clock tower.

"HHhhhaaa… HHhhhaaa… HHhhhaaa…"

Bell's eyes were bloodshot as he struggled to gather air into his lungs. Burning and aching sensations wrecked his mind as they were slowly trying to be relieved by his Avalon, but just as he concluded before, any slip-up in his pace would leave him overwhelmed.

In an instant, he was once again set upon by a mass of enemies who wished to finish him off. But he refused to simply end it here as he let loose the restraints he placed on 『Envoy of Justice』

????…

Plumes of evil-burning fire erupted and coated all his assailants in immense heat, however, his counter-attack was shortlived as another explosion was set alight.

????…

The suicide bombers had released their explosions at the base of the clock tower, collapsing its structure and confusing Bell's focus.

In the midst of his confusion, another powerful attack was launched against him. This time by Revis and Olivas. The former drove her sword into a part of his body where his armor hadn't regenerated, and the latter blasted him away with a deep kick to the chest.

?????…

Bell was once more thrown through the air before crashing into a building. Unable to resist the attacks of the powerful creatures.

"..."

Watching the cloud of dust erupt from the crash of the vigilante, the three creatures stood atop what remained of the clock tower as they awaited what had become of Bell.

It didn't please them, but taking cheap shots at him was the only viable strategy for them to eliminate him.

He possessed far too much danger for their pride to take charge of how they should fight him.

The three creatures watched with tense breaths as they saw monsters and Sekhmet assassins beginning to flood the crash site where Bell was sent towards.

The overall amount of fodder that was used to distract Bell was significant. A medium-sized detachment was exempted to keep the rest of Orario's forces busy protecting civilians and to avoid them aiding the vigilant, while the rest were set loose to do as they pleased with the Gray Ghost.

But looking at what remained of the once fearsome horde of bloodlust… Ein couldn't help but turn her attention away from the crash site to see the absolute carnage Bell had wreaked.

Across numerous streets, ashen dust, burnt black remains, and dried crimson entrails painted the path he trod upon.

Countless broken weapons were embedded across the city. Slowly fading away into a mysterious blue haze that the creature couldn't understand.

Bell may have been fighting on his back foot for the majority of their battle, but it would be unfair to assume that such a thing was embarrassing upon seeing the aftermath of his determination to keep fighting.

The scenery he had made erupted memories within Ein. Memories she tried so hard to forget. Memories of the nightmare of the twenty-seventh floor. The sheer carnage she witnessed right now was reminiscent of the horror she saw so many years ago.

Ein felt her body grow cold as she felt the uncanny resemblance between the two sceneries. She had long wished for a hero to save her from her despair… but both the Gray Ghost and the flood of monsters produced the same horrifying battleground before her eyes.

So, what was the difference that separated them both? What differed the Gray Ghost from the flood of monsters that tormented Orario with a nightmare that had yet to be forgotten?

"?!-"

But just as Ein pondered this, the cold shiver in her body became more intense as she felt an ominous presence coming from the crash site.

Beside her, Revis and Olivas were also scared stiff as they realized who was the source of this ominous pressure pressing down on them.

????… ????… ????...

His footsteps were like an eerie bell that tolled a foreboding future that would come for them. His chains were dragged across the ragged rubble, producing a cold hollow clanking of metal against rock.

From the clouds of dust, his battered figure emerged. Inflicted with countless scars and immense heat radiating off his body.

He wasn't reminiscent of an image of a shining hero with gleaming honor, but a bloody mess that was intimately aware of pain and battle.

Welcoming him was neither cheer nor the cries of bloody murder, but absolute silence. There were no more monsters to assault him. Suicide bombers to impede him. Nor Assassins to impale him.

For they were all gone now. Removed from this world by his own hand. Their remains are evident across the length of his chained blades.

"..."

With the evacuation of Orario, Bell didn't need to worry about encountering any civilians or people to be saved as he fought. He needed only focus on eliminating the opponents in his sight, and he had done just that.

One thousand monsters. Five hundred children of Thanatos. One hundred children of Sekhmet. All gone because of one person.

"You freak"

Revis whispered under her breath, her contempt for the sheer violence Bell had inflicted with his own two hands.

Never before had she seen a human resemble a monster so well before. Perhaps… he was even more monstrous than her.

"Me? A freak?... Maybe…"

Bell responded to Revis with somber words that didn't seem reminiscent of his usual behavior. In the heat of battle, he didn't have the time to talk like he usually did.

Reduced to remaining silent as he dedicated all his mental processes to making sure he continued to survive. His mind moved like clockwork to bring about the most efficient outcome regardless of desire or opinion. Like a machine.

"..."

Looking down at his hands, he struggled to gather enough emotion to conjure a response to what he had done. Perhaps it was『Envoy of Justice』repressing his emotions as his mission remained incomplete… or perhaps he had truly gone off the deep end and was no longer fazed by committing such a loss of life

Either way, such things were not of importance at the moment. He still had three enemies remaining, and he still drew breath… so until such time when he can no longer take another… he must…

…

But as Bell prepared to fight the three creatures all by himself, his intentions were broken quickly as powerful presences began to close in on their location.

"Damn it!-"

Olivas cursed with immense emotion as his widened eyes caught sight of a figure he didn't want to meet during this battle. Ottar.

"..."

Standing quietly among the remaining unbroken buildings, the beastman quietly looked upon the battle with his sword in hand.

Following him were the executives of the Freya familia. Imitating their captain's silent demeanor as they arrived at the field of battle.

But they alone weren't the only familia to arrive. Slowly, all around the perimeter of the battleground, more and more familias began to arrive.

Loki. Artemis. Hephaestus. Aphrodite. Ganesha. Countless prominent familias began to gather en masse to assist the Gray Ghost. Just as the forces of Evilus had done at the beginning of the confrontation between Bell and the creatures.

The tides had finally turned against the evils Enyo had gathered as they were being pushed back into a corner from their once-dominant position.

"Visual on hostiles confirmed! Maintain formation! Let none of the remaining evil-doers escape this line!"

Just as quickly as they arrived, the numerous familias began to fall into formation in order to truly end the battle that suddenly erupted within their home city.

With Bell having thinned a majority of the forces Enyo had gathered, the remaining familias were able to secure a defensive line for the non-combatant citizens of Orario and dispatch the stronger forces to aid the vigilante in his battle that was noticed all across the city for its immense ferocity and intensity.

As much as the newly arrived adventurers focused on the three creatures, they also diverted a portion of their attention to the battered and injured Bell.

Taking note of his blood and damaged equipment, they were both in awe and fear of one person's sheer capability against so many enemies.

To those who were present, the sight of the Gray Ghost standing silently atop a mountain of corpses solidified their image of him as a dominant figure in the world.

"..."

As for the others who held a closer bond to him than most, they struggled to formulate an opinion about the vigilante at present. Because the air he exuded was far different from his usual demeanor.

It was as if he was consumed with a desire that consumed him whole. Making him inspire not hope among the people he wished to protect, but fear.

"What the hell happened to the Gray Ghost?"

Commenting on the peculiarity Bell was currently exhibiting, Fin felt his thumb begin to ache. As if fate had turned for the worse as Bell continued to act in the way he did.

"Gray… what's wrong with you?"

Whispering quietly as she readied her weapon, Arethusa articulated her concerns for her former comrade in arms. A sentiment echoed across the many huntresses of Artemis.

Having experienced the vigilante's character herself, the red-haired huntress was unnerved by what she saw. Because the person she was currently looking upon wasn't the same person who had saved them from the malevolent Antares.

"Somethings wrong with Bell"

Asfi and the Hermes familia grew uneasy with anxiety as they picked up on the oddities of the young man. Same with the captain of the Aphrodite familia, and the children of Freya.

All of them recognized the truth that most hadn't seen.

"That isn't the Gray Ghost"

Breaking the tense silence among the gathered familias, Tiona spoke out her belief that the person all of them were seeing was not the Gray Ghost.

"That person isn't the Gray Ghost… he isn't… that isn't him…"

The amazoness had nothing to base her words on but her instincts. The vigilante she knew was a person who wished to become a hero for those he wanted to protect. Not the cold machine-like individual standing before them right then and there.

In response to her claims, no word was spoken. None tried to refute or support what she had said. Because how could they?

They saw for themselves how powerful this person was. How he killed countless enemies to end the threat to Orario.

So long as they possessed the strength to realize their goals, and aligned themselves with their own forces… What else was needed for one to be called a hero?

"..."

Being met with silence, Tiona was shocked that no one was even averse to accepting such brutal carnage to don the mantle of a hero.

Even as she turned to her beloved friend Ais, the blonde-haired swordswoman could do nothing but avert her eyes.

Recognizing how hate-filled the sword of the Gray Ghost currently, she couldn't look her friend in the eye to support her words. Because she was intimately aware of what it was like to lose yourself in hate.

'No! It shouldn't be like this! Heroes aren't like this!'

The young amazoness felt her heart tighten as a flood of emotions poured into her mind. Her vision of a hero wasn't a person who worked like a cog in clockwork. Such a thing was unacceptable.

'Heroes are people that inspire… people we should strive to be… people who can show us that we can be better…'

She recalled the countless storybooks she read as a child. Fantastical stories that allowed her to break away from the bitterness of reality.

Tales of valor and hope. Teaching her that she could be more than just a senseless brutal amazoness. That she could put her cruel strength born and bred in blood to do more than simply cause harm. The heroes of the past inspired her to be better than the rest… to not simply accept her lot in life…

'Argonaut taught me that I could do more than simply kill and survive. He taught me to laugh… to smile… to protect those dear to me… to protect my sister…'

Heroes were close to her heart. Ever since she could remember, and even before she was born, heroes were the essence that supported who she was.

So how could she accept her comrades and the entirety of Orario to be content with the husk of a person the Gray Ghost currently was?

'How can I help him?'

A hero isn't someone to settle for. A hero isn't someone to compromise with. A hero is someone who inspires others to be better. To follow their lead and act when no one else does.

…

"What should we do now?"

Breaking her usual silence, Ein decided to ask Revis what their plan of action should be. Being the one who possessed the most strength out of them all currently, the red-haired creature was the current leader of their small group, and it was evident that she was struggling to make a decision.

'We possess no remaining trump cards. We have exhausted all our resources and lost the window of opportunity to take down the Gray Ghost'

They had all assumed that the vigilante wasn't capable of repelling such a mass of threats in an urban environment, and yet again, their expectations were thoroughly broken by the enigmatic figure.

'Demi-spirits? Not possible. Outside of a coordinated assault, ??? has disallowed the usage of Jewel Fetuses on the surface'

'Current Demi-spirits? Unwise. Once the veil is revealed, we will be locked in combat until we win or we are eliminated. With our current forces, we need to recuperate before we have a shot at winning'

'Damn it-'

Faced with no options that could allow her to decide her own fate, the red-haired creature's face began to contort beneath her hood as she had to accept the fact that she would need to rely on ???.

"I'll be utilizing the promise. So make a break for it once it begins"

Hearing Revis' words Olivas and Ein were quick to understand what was to come. Olivas began to smile sadistically as he began to revere what he believed to be the one true goddess manifesting before his eyes once again, and Ein simply returned back to complete silence. Evidently growing discomforted upon realizing that ??? will make an appearance.

????… ????… ????…

Performing coordinated steps, Revis began to move towards Bell. Immediately agitating the surrounding adventurers as to what she was about to do.

But after she entered a distance where she could strike Bell with her claymore, countless intents to subdue her were released.

With the sheer amount of high-level adventurers targeting her, the strings of fate began to be awoken. Because Revis held a special place among the creatures. She was not meant to die so early on… and sensing that her death was soon to come, her patron had awoken to protest this change in fate.

??????… ??????… ??????...

The ground beneath Orario began to shake violently as a malevolent pressure began to press down upon all people who currently reside behind the walls of the dungeon city. Restraining even the likes of Ottar to an incredible degree.

'What… is… happening…'

The beastman was shocked to experience such complete and utter domination over him in such a long time. Having to support his weight on his sword to not completely fall on the ground.

??????… ??????… ??????…

The shaking continued to grow in intensity as if the vibrations were echoes growing in strength as their resonance increased. Like a roar from beneath the earth that shook the world with its presence alone.

It was a protest from a primordial force against the outcome the strings of fate had concocted at that moment. For the promise it had forged between itself and the gods wouldn't allow such a thing to pass.

And with its protest, fate began to rewrite itself to appease its demands. To the few who could detect fate's presence, a chilling sensation washed over them like a cold shower.

Finn's aching thumb was now a searing hot sensation of torture. Warning his intuition in every way possible that the end was nigh for them all. Driving the pallum to experience a sense of helplessness he hadn't felt in a long time.

For Cassandra who was among the many healers assigned to treat the injured civilians, poems of demise and visions of apocalypse flooded her mind. Causing the young girl to buckle and vomit at the sheer horror of what she saw.

As for the gods, many remained oblivious as to what was unfolding before them at present. Many cursed their misfortune as an earthquake befell them on top of the chaos they had already expected.

But for the more knowing divine beings, they could tell where exactly the sense of a coming disaster was originating from.

"..."

Turning their heads down to the ground, Hestia, Artemis, Hephaestus, Freya, Loki, and Hermes recognized where the sudden oppression and shaking were coming from. It was coming deep beneath the grounds of Orario. The living dungeon.

Meanwhile, beneath the guild's headquarters, in his prayer room, Ouranos grew uneasy as he was faced with the sudden change of fate and reality around him,

"Lord Ouranos, the promise!-"

Coming to the old god's side, Fels recognized immediately what was the source of all this havoc. To which Ouranos agreed, but it didn't ease his tension by acknowledging it.

"Must the promise be broken so early… the lower world is far from ready to face it!"

The god of the sky furrowed his brow as he struggled to accept that such timing had come to pass. Must all the years he had spent preparing gods and mortals to survive go to waste?

Must he simply accept all the losses he had accrued to reach this point to be for nothing? To simply accept the end as if it were the only choice they have?

"You only have yourself to blame, Gray Ghost"

As every single mortal and god in Orario struggled to even remain conscious, Revis continued walking towards the deathly still Bell as she brandished her sword.

"I have no idea how an anomaly such as yourself came to be. Even ??? was baffled upon meeting you. But none of that matters, because you are far too dangerous to be kept alive… and as such… the end has come closer to dealing with your existence"

??????… ??????… ??????…

The butterfly effect states that one change can lead to a series of non-linear impacts on a system. So how many impacts have Bell's actions brought to the world of Danmachi?

The averting of the Artemis familia's fate. The averting of a non-canon disaster to Altena. The increased prominence of Arry and Shalzard's destiny. The expedited elimination of the Behemoths and the black desert. Along with a myriad of other changes that have deviated the world far from the canon of the story.

"You only have yourself to blame for bringing about all of this. In your hubris to become a hero, you have doomed everyone else to suffer for it"

Revis readied her sword to let it fall down upon Bell's neck. Once she eliminates what ??? considered to be a breach in the promise between ??????? and the gods. The fated time will arrive. The promise will shatter as the end times come. The time to determine who will reign dominance over the lower world. Mortals or monsters.

"Have solace, Gray Ghost… no… Bell Cranel… your death will serve as the tolling bell to the end of all suffering and futility. In that way, you may consider yourself to have saved everyone from a life of pain"

Bell's eyes stared at the creature's weapon with a blank gaze. It was as if it had calculated the futility of any resistance and relented any attempt to continue struggling towards his ideals.

Only do what you're capable of doing. Never dream beyond what's possible.

Let bones break and blood be shed. Beget all your creations as you remember all loss and forget all gain. Succumb to pain and give up all hope for one's arrival. Mount regret. Forget your path. For your whole life is without meaning at the end of it all.

…

"Gray… Ghost…"

A pained voice calls out.

"Gray… Ghost…"

Struggling and quiet, but struggling in spite of all the futility.

"Gray… Ghost…"

Tiona didn't know if her voice could reach the hero she admired, but she tried no matter how useless it seemed to her.

"Gray… Ghost…"

She was an idiot who was only good at fighting and killing. All her life, she knew this for a fact as it was reinforced by everyone around her.

As she killed the young girls she was raised with from birth. As she ended the lives of countless others who no doubt lived stories she could hardly understand. Tiona knew she was only good at being a musclehead idiot for fighting and killing.

But one story… changed her life… taught her that a smile was enough to conquer any challenge… that even a fool could become a hero if they simply kept smiling through the pain.

It was an idiotic lesson that many would refute as worthless. But for her, it was everything. With a smile, she kept her sister from wallowing completely in sadness. With a smile, she led them both out of the home they hated for so long.

With a smile, she settled herself and her sister in a caring familia. With a smile, she lifted a young Ais from a life of hate. With a smile, she welcomed a brooding Bete to begin acknowledging their presence in his life. With a smile, she brought a tense Lefiya to become comfortable around them… with a smile, Tiona became someone worth more than her ability to inflict harm and take lives.

That's why she loved heroes so much. That's why she wished to meet a hero so much. For the little girl that learned to smile, Tiona wished that heroes would continue existing. For any other little girl that went through the same thing as her.

So she couldn't just accept and watch as a hero was ended right in front of her eyes. The dream of a hope-inspiring hero must be kept alive at all costs. A mission that resounded in her soul greatly. A mission she undertook in this life… and in her past.

"Gray… Ghost…"

She called out his name with bloodshot eyes. Continuing to do so in spite of the pain it caused her. Because on top of wanting to keep the dream of a hero alive… she was driven by another desire…

"Gray… Ghost…"

Anyone can be a hero. Anyone can be deserving of a hero. Anyone can don the mantle. In Tiona's eyes, she had many heroes. The Argonaut. Her sister. Her friends. Her familia.

So if she had so many heroes to support her… who would support the Gray Ghost… who would be his hero?

"Gray… Ghost…"

It was a childish desire fueled by naive goodwill, but it was everything Tiona had… and it would be what she stuck to even at the end of everything.

"..."

To the quiet Bell, he picked up on the silent whispers of the struggling amazoness. He even began to pick up the quiet cries of his friends and comrades. From the countless familias he helped to the people he forged a deep connection with.

Hearing all this, the once stoic Bell began to let out a smirk beneath his mask.

"I won't be empowered by the power of friendship all of a sudden… but I appreciate the concern and goodwill"

Bell spoke out with a cheerful tone as he walked forward, not in reality, but in his mental landscape.

"I was right in being suspicious of this ability. What a dominating effect"

Walking atop the white sands of his reality marble, the white-haired youth set his eyes straight at a sword that had embedded itself deep within the plains of white sand within his mind.

Before Bell was a sword with a scale embedded on its crossguard. A sword he recognized to be the source of his skill『Envoy of Justice』

From the handle of the blade that pierced the ground of his reality marble, a spiral of divine energy was funneled down from the sky and implanted deep within his mental landscape.

The plains of white sand trembled as a foreign flame began to break apart his mind. Trying to wrestle control of it away from Bell entirely.

But unluckily for the skill, Bell had long been aware of its consequences. There is no such thing as an immense blessing with no drawbacks, especially with something originating from the divine.

"So the more a person uses『Envoy of Justice』the more their mind is taken over by it. My, and I thought I was already over my brooding Archer arc"

Climbing the hill where the sword continued to infect his mind, Bell smiled as he slowly reasserted his claim over his reality marble. Not being satisfied with being a cog in the machine.

"I'm selfish. So I'll make sure my ideal comes out on top over anyone else's… but I do it my way… a way that is bleeding with hypocrisy, but one that I like the most"

Grabbing the handle of the flaming sword in his hands, Bell began to take control over his fate one more time. Not handing it over to the gods or a concept of canon. Like it or not, this was his life now, and it was up to him and him alone as to how he led it.

"I can appreciate being Argonaut's reincarnation and the last fated hero… but like hell am I gonna be chained down by that"

As the『Envoy of Justice』 began to reject Bell's interference, the white-haired youth simply upped the ante as he continued to resist its control over him

The entirety of Unlimited Blade Works began to spur with life. Rebelling against the chains imposed upon it by the divine authority of justice.

"『Envoy of Justice』is a divine weapon that funnels arcanum of the authority of justice into a user, as per what Hestia told… so let's see what happens when I try to break it"

Opposite the spiral of divine authority being funneled into 『Envoy of Justice』, UBW began to spiral its own energy into the sword.

The two forces began to clash with one another. Neither one gaining dominance over the other as more and more tension built within『Envoy of Justice』

?????… ?????… ?????...

Unable to withstand the growing forces placed upon it, the sword began to break under the pressure of the clash as reality began to distort the point where the two forces met.

"What happens when an unfathomable force meets another unfathomable force? Hell if I know. But what I do know is that it has a good shot at breaking reality"

?????… ?????… ?????...

"When I got these powers, there was one weapon I always had in mind but didn't know how to make… but now… I have an idea of where to start!"

?????… ?????… ?????...

The rules of reality began to break as the divine energy of justice continued to clash with a foreign existence. Something it was never meant to interact with.

Spiraling faster. More and more. As the two forces continue to pour into a singular point of contention, an anomaly among anomalies slowly began to take form.

?????… ?????… ?????… ?????...

Soon the cracking of the sword turned into the tempering of its structure as UBW began to morph it entirely.

Bell would free himself from his shackles and turn the skill he had been given into one that obeyed his will alone.

He won't accept a life of servitude following another's ideals whilst forsaking his own. He wouldn't make a good reincarnator if he committed the same mistakes as his predecessors.

To cut down any external force that wished to punish him for changing the canon, or to force him to act a certain way… he would simply cut them all apart.

『Once seeking for the ultimate blade. A blade of steel cutting no flesh, nor bones and neither life.』

The tempering of the blade had begun in earnest. With a prayer as the guide for its form, it was scuffed beyond belief and far from the form Bell had seen in his past life… but for now, he didn't need perfection, he simply needed to bring forth its manifestation into this reality

『What I seek for is the clearance of resentment. The cutting of bonds, fate and destiny.』

The breaking of reality between two great opposing forces became the essence of its creation. The divine authority tempered it, and Bell's origin molded it. Turning it into a weapon that turned against the gods themselves. Its coming creation leaked out of the reality marble and into reality itself.

『That is, to free oneself from Karma.』

A brilliance of light that far surpassed the flames of justice was birthed into the world in a split moment. Veiling is a weapon that overturned the rules of the world on itself. Detesting the shackles of fate, the bounds of destiny, and the debt of karma.

Preaching the self-determination of the one-minded blacksmith who forged in futility, the blade of unknown beginning began to unwind the tapestry of fate that had attached itself to its wielder.

『Upon one's arrival are countless tools. Carved over a thousand blades, forming a pile of swords.』

The wind howled as if to welcome its birth. The lifeless body of Bell remained still as the sword, a manifestation of everything he was, began to spring forth from his hands.

The flames of its creation burned away his mask and armor. Burning everything it touched to its bare essence. There would be no more deceit. There would be no more cunning

『This is the place where all paths cross. This is the place where all desires flow. This is the place where all deaths await』

For at the edge of this blade…

『My whole life was for this single swing. The heart of the blade is right here!』

Lies only the truth…

[Originless Creation of Sword]

Bellowing with all his strength as he regained his freedom, Bell called forth the condensing of his entire essence into a single blade.

『TSUMUKARI MURAMASA』

…

Bell had gone to a point of no return. As the strings of fate no longer heeded the words of ??? who sleeps at the dungeon's deepest floor, the coming of the promised time ceased as was all misfortune.

Fate was severed. Destiny inversed. Karma exonerated. The laws of the world were cut clean and true by a sword of anomalous creation. A foreign existence that was never meant to exist in this world.

Such was the depth of the ego and selfishness of Bell Cranel. Aspiring hero, and a fool who so dearly loves the world that he breaks it apart to rebuild it anew.

It was as such that a new age came for the world. As the white-haired youth stood triumphantly as his mind became unconscious. Afflicted with mind-zero, but never once faltering.

It was in such a place that Bell Cranel revealed himself to the world.

…

Editor:

The Darkest Knight#4796

Word Count:

9.5k

AN:

Thank you for reading this chapter.

I hope all the people who were hoping for UBW weren't too disappointed with my choice of direction.

I will be using what I wrote for Tsumukari Muramasa for all the major future developments for Bell's abilities

As promised, the next chapter will be detailing the R18 chapters I skimmed over, and after that, it will be detailing the aftermath of Bell's first scuffle with the remnants of Evilus and Enyo.

That's all from me.

Hope you look forward to the next chapter, whatever it may be, and as always, may you all have a nice day!