The realm known as Zeldia was vanished along with the world. So what happened to our unconscious figures in the castle?
I don't know the answer. However, when I finally managed to open my eyes, I was fine, and so were the others. Our wounded bodies appeared to be healed completely, as were our souls; I couldn't be sure that someone really stabbed me and brutally afflicted us. Then I slowly stood up from there and looked around as I saw the sleepy figures of the others, trying to make sure that they were alive and fine. But I was relieved. Similar to me, all of them appeared to be fine, just their long-awaited nap yet to come to an end.
Slowly in time, all of them finally opened their eyes from the long nap, trying to understand what was going on around there. None of us could speak out of surprise and wonder; our voices were frozen as our senses were. Perhaps, we weren't expecting to survive, yet did, and that turned out to be the reason for our surprise and speechless faces.
The land we were in wasn't familiar. But in time, I managed to detect the land we were in. It was totally isolated from the Supreme Realm and the main worlds in the 6th layer. However, it was simply mysterious for us, as we had yet to figure out the reason for our survival and transfer to this isolated world.
According to my intuition, it was around a day since the world was burned to ashes and we ended up being here. While we were chattering about the things that happened, Raizel was totally silent and calm. The reason was visible. It was his fundamental goal to keep the world intact and harmless. Yet the storm coming from Arfanez's rage and desire for chaotic redemption slowly drove the 7th layer to the door of destruction. Countless worlds were consistently forced to meet their sudden demise. Raizel was proven to be a failure, a protector who failed to protect the worlds and everything he was ordered to protect.
By the time we woke up from our nap, it was nearly over for both the 7th and 6th layers, as countless worlds were destroyed by Arfanez and his army during that time. Luckily, the world we're in managed to survive the wrath. Was it merely luck that saved us, or could the credit for our survival belong to a certain entity who's hiding beneath the mystery? I didn't know the answer earlier. But it wasn't much long for me to figure out the reason. While scanning the entire world, I detected the presence of a certain magic spell that hid the entire world from consciousness.
Across all worlds, Arfanez and his army destroyed every single world that existed in the 7th layer, and now, he's at the door to destroy the 6th layer and every single world that exists there. Following his mission, it was only the Supreme Realm that had yet to meet his chaotic flames and the undeniable demise.
After realizing the entire situation, I spoke desperately, "It's not how we are supposed to act now. We have to be active; we have to save the 6th layer; we have to save the Supreme Realm. If we keep ourselves in this world just like some useless fools, then what is the point of our existence?" My desperation reached a point where my tears were nearly about to break the eye barrier and come out.
"Can we really take them head-on? Is it even possible to do?" Elesia asked.
"We can. I'm pretty confident that if we try to fight Arfanez and his army, we can win." Aizis replied strongly.
Then he lowered his gaze and thought to himself, "I'm just afraid of losing one of us….. I don't know why, but I'm afraid of losing someone, something I don't want to happen."
"Then why are we still keeping ourselves here? It's not the time to figure out the person behind our survival; it's time to use our survival and do what we are supposed to do." Marco replied loudly.
"It's you, Raizel, who wanted to protect the world, so what do you want now? Why are you still silent? If you don't speak, then I will gladly murder you right here without hesitation. I will definitely never stand alongside a bastard who's afraid of battle." Marco added as he brought out a sword from his belt while shouting.
Raizel closed his eyes and then opened them. He lifted his gaze toward Marco and said, "If it's fate that forced me to stand back and made me a failure, then I will defy the fate and protect what remains."
Then he smiled at Marco calmly and spoke again, "I don't want to be a bastard who will run away, but a warrior who will fight till the end, just like you, Marco."
Marco smiled back as a reply and said, "That's the Raizel I know, right?"
As I was listening to them, a smile made an appearance on my lips, revealing my bright and hopeful expression.
Meanwhile, in the Supreme Realm, it was Muzan who was trying to stand in front of Arfanez and his chaotic army to protect the realm.
"Why are you wasting your innocent soul to protect these sinners? I know your loyal soul that is meant to be the protector and flawless guardian for this realm. So tell me, Muzan, why do you seek to protect these foolish mortals?" Arfanez said with a smile. The Arfanez we witnessed earlier in Zeldia was totally different from this one. Unlike the angry and revenge-seeking persona, the Arfanez here appeared like a saint with a gentle smile on his face.
"I don't want to betray the realm and my master. No matter what, I will never betray the realm and him. So if you want to destroy the realm, you have to destroy me right here and now." Muzan replied straightforwardly. His expression was fearless as he was ready to accept the storm of chaotic flames upon him and be destroyed into pieces of ashes.
"I do not seek chaos. But to change the world, I must choose the path of chaos that can rewrite the world, change the world the way I wish it to be. So, great protector Muzan, step ahead and join me." Arfanez calmly said.
"I believe we can redeem the world and change it to the way it is supposed to be." he added with a smile.
Arfanez is a person whose words and charm can manipulate a person's mind easily. When a person listens to him, his words slowly change them, giving birth to a new belief. Even a saint will believe in chaos if he listens to Arfanez and his words. It's not magic, but pure talent that allows Arfanez to manipulate anyone. Muzan couldn't be any different; his belief slowly began to change.
In his soul, he was facing a conflict between his belief and his loyalty. His loyalty won over his belief; he forced himself to run toward Arfanez and use his sword to cut him.
As he flew toward him, he spoke loudly, "If I can't keep my belief intact, then I will force myself to destroy my belief and keep my loyalty intact."
Arfanez smiled a bit and said, "Mortals are really foolish." As he spoke, a golden magic circle appeared in front of him and a golden sword came out from the circle. The golden sword flew toward Muzan and instantly penetrated through his soul, slamming him into the ground.
As he was slammed into the ground, Muzan coughed up blood. But a strange smile appeared on his face as he barely spoke while bleeding heavily, "I did it; I kept myself loyal, till the end." His soul shattered into pieces as his eyes slowly closed at that very moment. The smile on his face was intact, like the happiest person in the world.
Right at that moment, we landed in the Supreme Realm using a purple magic portal. As we appeared there, Arfanez said loudly, "Welcome back, dear great ones." Judging by his tone, it was safe to say that he was aware of our survival.
"I knew it. I knew that you guys would survive. After all, you guys have her shield above your head. Definitely the great princess will save you guys." He added.
Ignoring him, Raizel stepped ahead toward Muzan's corpse and sat in front of it. Then he deeply locked his gaze on Muzan's closed eyes and said sincerely, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry for being late; I'm sorry for not being able to save you, Muzan."
Then he lifted his gaze upward to the sky and smiled brightly. Then he spoke, "But I believe you are happy. You wanted to be a shield for the world; you wanted to sacrifice yourself for the world. And so, you did it; you did fulfil your long-awaited dream."
"So I believe you will smile; you will definitely smile, like the way you left the calm smile on your soulless figure and that face of yours." Raizel added, calm as always.
As Muzan's soul left the world, his dead corpse slowly began to fade away into the sky, turning into pieces of mist.