The Final Crusade (2)
The desert heat rose day by day, as if a lens had been laid over the continent.
"This is brutal."
Canis shaded his eyes with his palm.
Commander Marbas of the Fifth Legion—his demonic onslaught, the Conflagration—had even dried up the oases.
Shirone said, "Friji and Argan are restoring each city's oasis. It won't hold for more than three days, though..."
Zulu pointed at the horizon.
"There, over there."
A huge oasis shimmered like a mirage.
"Nagnak. It means the Holy Grail of the gods. It's a royal domain directly managed by the Parass Kingdom."
Arin stuck out her tongue. "Water."
They could make water with magic, of course, but drinking with your own eyes from an oasis was a different kind of refreshment.
Canis said, "The Pyramid of Truth is the center of a six-kilometer restricted zone. Pilgrims, travelers, and explorers all gather at Nagnak for that reason. It's the closest point ordinary people can get to."
Shirone produced a permit. "If we submit this to Nagnak's National Treasure Administration, the soldiers said they'll escort us."
As they spoke, they reached Nagnak.
About two hundred households clustered there, and many outsiders were coming and going.
"Whoa…"
A cool breeze hit like cold water; Arin shrugged off her cloak and wiped her sweat.
"Canis, look. The oasis hasn't dried. It didn't rain while we were staying at the royal castle."
"What—?"
Just as Shirone was about to explain, two familiar apostles walked out from the village interior.
They were the ice dragon Friji and the storm dragon Argan.
"A dragon."
When Arin blurted that out, Canis's shadow sharpened and lengthened.
Friji approached. "We were waiting for you, Messiah." Silver-haired and cold, she never showed emotion—even before Shirone.
"The oasis is holding up well?" Argan asked.
"We prepared it three days ago using our breath. We planned to tour other villages, but Kira sent word, so we've been on standby in a polymorphed state."
Kira was a first-rank resident of the Unified Cosmos Administration and a master of undead magic.
"Speaking of Kira, where is he?" Shirone asked.
"He intended to wait with us, but the Ivory Tower sent an urgent dispatch and he left," Friji replied.
"A dispatch?"
Shirone raised an eyebrow.
Stang Kingdom.
When Shirone called for him, a streak of light flew across the sky and arrived before them.
"You summoned?"
It was Rampa, a third-rank resident of the Ivory Tower and an authority on information magic.
"I heard Kira left the moment he received an urgent dispatch from the Parass Kingdom. What happened?"
Unless it was an exceptional case, all matters were reported to the Five Great Stars.
"That is..." Rampa hesitated, then recounted the situation. After hearing it, Shirone's expression turned grave.
"So they've shown themselves at last."
"Yes. The army of Hell led by First Legion Commander Baal is engaged with the Corona Kingdom. The front is razor-close. All the stars except Shirone have been summoned to the Ivory Tower."
"Corona isn't weak. What Lord Taeseong fears is… the demon realm?" Shirone said.
Rampa nodded. "The Deadly Cross. Baal—or more precisely Havitz—intends to break the Ivory Tower."
"But they still haven't opened the demon realm. They must have a deeper motive."
"They're aiming for a holy war. Since Corona is participating, holding the Ivory Tower hostage would give them the upper hand in negotiations."
A headache began to throb.
"Then why didn't you call me? A simultaneous incident should be enough."
Rampa spoke carefully. "It was Lord Taeseong's order. I don't know the reason, but the atmosphere at the Ivory Tower isn't the same as before. Lord Fried and Lady Amanta—System Surveillance and the Balance Bureau—have lost their Five Great Stars. Losing ten stars across the Ivory Tower is an enormous blow. For now they'll have to absorb and consolidate, and at the center of that is Lord Sing."
"Sing."
One of the Law Bureau's Five Great Stars.
"Lord Sing's worldview diverges from Shirone's. It hasn't come to the surface yet, but I suspect the stars and residents of the Ivory Tower are quietly forming their decisions. Minerva still flies Yahweh's banner, but I estimate many will follow Lord Sing's perspective."
"That's unexpected."
Shirone didn't mean it as pride. He thought they understood each other—enough, at least. Why had Sing suddenly changed?
"The mood isn't good. We should convene a full assembly, but with the holy war and Corona's fierce front… For now, it seems Lord Taeseong only blocked Shirone's summons."
"Is it that serious? Lord Sing is strong, yes, but I did things at the Ivory Tower."
"That is..." Rampa's brow furrowed deeper. "Lord Sing has approved the Taeguk Law. That news shocked the stars and residents."
"Taeguk."
Two people came to Shirone's mind.
"Eumji and Yangji."
At the Ivory Tower, twin sisters who looked identical had entered Sing's chamber.
"You called?" they had asked.
Eumji and Yangji—fourth-rank residents of the Ivory Tower—were easy to tell apart by their completely different auras.
"So, what's the situation with Corona?" Yangji asked.
"Nothing serious. Baal's army is Hell's strongest elite, but I can sweep them away. Send us now," Eumji insisted.
"We must be cautious until all the stars have gathered. First, consolidate the Ivory Tower's unity..." Eumji urged.
Yangji cut in. "If we use our Taeguk, Lord Sing's law will absolutely reach enforcement. Just send us—we'll wipe out the demon army and tear Baal apart."
"Don't be ridiculous," Eumji spat.
"If Baal dies, Havitz will come. If one of the Taeguk dies, it could lead to the Ivory Tower's annihilation. The demons will take over the world. They'll torture humans, and we'll be at their mercy…" Eumji's body trembled. "We'll suffer everything. They won't kill us quickly. We'll scream and struggle until death. Only pain. It's over. This world is finished!"
Yangji shouted, "It's not over! We have eight stars through the Taeguk's law. No Great Star is above us! Ah, Lord Sing, I'm sorry—I didn't mean to wound you."
"What good is it? We're still human—no different from worms in the ground. Living beings are insignificant. They can never, never beat Satan!" Yangji cried.
At that, Sing cut in. "Stop."
Eumji and Yangji's expressions snapped back, and they stood side by side like twins again.
"I know your thoughts. But I will not make any choice. For now, the order is to make the Ivory Tower's residents our allies. Start from there."
Eumji asked, "If I may be bold, why the split? I thought Lord Sing liked Shirone."
Sing's gaze darkened. "I trust no one. I accepted you only to carry out my will. Tell the stars of the System Surveillance Department my intent. It'll be fine if you two go together."
When Eumji and Yangji left, Sing turned to the window that showed the upper atmosphere.
"Shirone."
If Sing had favorites, Shirone would be one.
"Understand me."
At the Nagnak oasis, putting the Ivory Tower's politics aside, Shirone focused on what had to be done in Parass.
The simultaneous incident was his personal sense; sharing it would only unsettle everyone.
"All right, let's go."
The group headed for the administrative office in the center of the village.
It was the only stone building. A junior clerk argued with pilgrims across a table.
"We're not asking to go inside! You can't even see the Pyramid from here!"
"It's the king's order. The number of visitors has increased tenfold in the past two months. Go back."
"Then at least let one family through! They'll return as soon as their Emotion Sickness is cured..."
"You don't get it! Do you know how many people like you I have to deal with each day? This isn't a hospital! Go back before I call the guards!"
Shirone looked at the carving on the building's wall.
Pyramid of Truth.
In bas-relief, a large eye hovered above the pyramid.
All-Seeing Eye.
Had ancient peoples known about the world's gaze?
The ultra-ancient civilization isn't recorded in Omega—the data could be lost if mishandled—yet the symbol showed people once visited the Pyramid of Truth.
Waiting his turn, Shirone approached the table with the pass the king had personally given him.
"Hello. Pyramid of Truth—"
The clerk sighed. "Listen, you can hear me, right? How many times do I have to say this? Do you take us for fools, working out here in the desert?"
"No, that's not—"
Shirone handed over the permit, but someone at the end of the table snapped, "What are you talking about? I got permission four months ago—from the Minister of Land Management!"
"That was four months ago. Don't you know the world's situation? The king has changed. What use is that document now?"
"Four months is tight! An exploratory survey isn't a joke—personnel, equipment—"
"Fine. If it's not allowed, it's not allowed. Go back."
The clerk who had been consulting Shirone shook his head and sneered. "See? Even the Minister of Land's pull doesn't work now. So—"
Just as he reached to take the permit back, his eyes widened.
"Oh? This..."
A large royal seal—the seal of King Kitra of Parass—was stamped right in the center of the permit.
"My apologies!"
The clerk paled, leapt up, and shouted. Everyone turned to look.
The explorer at the end saw Shirone and his party, then shifted his gaze back to the clerk. "If you don't approve this, I'll file an official complaint with the Parass Kingdom—"
The clerk assigned to Shirone's case spoke, "Please, come this way."
Even after leaving the table, the clerk escorted them. The explorer suddenly realized something.
"Hey! Those people—are they really going to the Pyramid of Truth? What's going on? I thought it was forbidden?"
Before the clerk could answer, the explorer hurried after Shirone.
"Hey, you there! Wait a moment!" When Shirone turned, a bearded explorer grabbed his shoulder and shook him.
"You got approval, didn't you?"
"Well, um—"
"Tell me! No, take me with you! Our team has prepared for a long time! We'll definitely help."
Because the mission was dangerous, Shirone tried not to involve civilians.
"Sorry. We're traveling separately—"
"I'll pay! Is it because of Emotion Sickness? Or an ancient relic? Don't do this… huh?"
Half out of his mind, the explorer peered at Shirone as if trying to see through him.
"Shirone?"
Hearing his name, Shirone stared, blank for a moment at the face half-hidden by the beard.
"Huh?"
At that moment, the explorer's eyes shone red.
"Uahahaha! So that's it, Shirone! You really are Shirone!"
"Ares?"
It was Amy's second older brother.