’Is it alright when I do evil things and commit atrocities, but it’s bad when others do it? Or is it that I subconsciously choose who to forgive and who to completely antagonize based on my own interpretation of the matter? Maybe if Ciel’s assault had more intensity and caused a lot more harm, I wouldn’t be willing to ally with her. But... what is this? Isn’t this hypocrisy?’

Why am I bothered about the death of millions of people?

But not bothered about hundreds?

Or thousands?

What is it about humanity that should make me upset at the destruction and deprivation of life?

No... should I even be bothered?

After all, I am no longer a human.

Should I not treat humanity the same way I treat Magivores?

No, in a way, Magivores are even more useful.

They can give Special Resources which is useful for Potions, Armaments, Spells, and so on.

They can also be easily controlled through Existential Compulsion.

’Hold on... What am I even thinking about?!’

I sigh and shake my head.

All of this is so confusing... and so difficult to answer.

In my past life, I had a simple answer to everything.

My morality was clear—consistent with the Chivalric Code of Conduct.

After my regression, I relied on freedom.

Everyone should follow their paths and live according to their own true desires.

But, even that led to disaster and I had to reject it.

After all, Zarius was following his desires when he slaughtered my friends and family, nearly plunging this Kingdom into a Civil War and an eventual conflict with the Sarvosia Kingdom.

His free act would cause the ruin of the Randalorion Kingdom.

In the same vein, Lucien’s actions are also consistent with his own pursuit of freedom.

His goals involved the discovery of himself and memories.

These two Leviathans were free to pursue their own goals, yet I rejected their freedom.

I could not accept it!

I still cannot!

Thus, freedom cannot be the answer.

But... I desire freedom.

I desire not to be confined by anything, and to achieve everything I set my heart to without any kind of restriction. To live a selfish life unabashedly, striving for my dreams without any shackles or expectations holding me back.

After I lived in accordance to everyone’s whims in my past life, I wanted this life to be mine.

Mine... and mine alone!

I still do... But I also reject this same line of reasoning in others.

This is hypocrisy!

This is why I had to reject Lucien Zevalis—because I could not stand that he committed such terrible things in the name of his own freedom.

Yet I do not reject myself for further indulging in crime for the same reason.

"Haaa..." A bitter smile forms on my face and I shake my head. "In the end, there is no true answer, is there? Everyone simply moves according to their desires."

If someone steps on my interests or morality, I stop them.

If they cross my bottom line, I retaliate.

In the same way, I will also step on the interests of others and assault their bottom line.

The only difference is the power to do so.

As a Leviathan, I have the power to do this without retaliation from humans.

The same way humans can exploit the powerless animals and Magivores under them, yet they still keep pets and protect the interests of the Magivores they herd... Is that the same way I now view humanity?

There are humans I love and cherish.

And there are those I do not care much for, enough to exploit them, but also to protect them from the further exploitation of others.

’Hmm...’ Scrunching my brows, I feel like this isn’t right.

But now is not the time to dwell on these things, so I have no choice but to toss it aside.

... For now.

"Are you done conversing?" I step forward, towards Alistair.

He turns and looks at me, nodding with a deep sigh. "Yes. I have confirmed how he got access to the secrets that he stole. In exchange, I promised some leniency in his punishment."

"Leniency, huh?"

Even though Lucien Zevalis caused the deaths of tens of millions and nearly destroyed the Randalorion Kingdom, due to his identity as a Leviathan—an Adept for that matter—he can get away with some leniency.

How convenient...

"I understand how you feel, but you should rejoice..." Alistair smiles warmly, sighing yet again.

"Rejoice?"

"Look up... at the sky."

I do as he ways and I see the purple hue slowly receding, and the dark orange colors of dawn slowly appearing. The cracks have also vanished, and the dark clouds are rapidly disintegrating, leaving only white fluffy clouds floating high above.

"The most terrifying threat has been averted. Even though your Kingdom has suffered a heavy loss, it is not without repair."

"I suppose... you are right."

Despite gritting my teeth, I have to admit the truth.

Seeing the sky regain its luster and witnessing the dissipation of that oppressive feeling certainly feels good. At least, the worst has passed us.

I cast my gaze on Lucien, and notice the bastard smiling at me.

Then, he winks.

’What is he winking at me for?’ A surge of rage rises within me for a moment, but I also feel an itch at the back of my mind.

As though I’m forgetting something and he is trying to remind me.

After a few seconds, he finally sighs.

"Quick question..." A hoarse, yet pleasant voice leaves his lip. "I utilized the Ritual and Special Resources I gathered over the years as the catalyst while using the members of the Capital as living sacrifices to create my Magivore army. They numbered thousands... many of them in Cadre 5, Cadre 4, and Cadre 3. They spread out throughout the Kingdom and ended up gathering even more Magivores, forming a Magivore Tide. This spread destruction throughout the Kingdom, until you eventually came and disrupted my—" 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

"What’s your point?" Alistair groans while shaking his head. "It appears we’ve been too lenient with you. Why are you trying to aggravate Javier with your words?"

"Hehe, why don’t you let me finish?"

My frown deepens as he says these words.

The itch continues.

Something... isn’t right.

"So, I used the humans in the Capital for this, right? But... what about all the people I kidnapped before now? All the hundreds of thousands, if not more, that I kidnapped during your Paranormal Abductions Investigation? I wonder..."

"What are you saying? Didn’t you also use them for this ritual?" Alistair yells.

With a hearty laugh, Lucien shakes his head and smiles.

"No, the humans in the capital were sufficient. They were even excessive, which is why I ended up with so many Cadre 5 Magivores in the end..."

What is Lucien saying?

What is he trying to imply?

"There’s a second ritual?!" Alistair speaks right as I am about to say something.

It is only at this point that the itch stops.

That’s it!

The thing that has been bothering me all this time!

"Bingo!"

Once Lucien says this, laughing heartily as he does so, a chilly breeze suddenly envelops us and the oppressive feeling returns.

’No... No!’

The sky starts to darken, turning into a deep purple hue.

The clouds... they start to regain their black luster while shedding off their last vestiges of purity.

It’s happening again!

It’s starting!

The signs of a Temporal Breach!

Then—

RUMBLE!!!

The ground starts to quake violently as we feel several tremors from the ground beneath us.

"Hurry! Get back to the surface!" Alistair orders everyone, as they already sit on their mount.

"Come on, Javier!" Jamie calls for me, offering a seat right behind him. "Hop on!"

"T-thanks!"

Barely letting go of my initial shock, I suppress my hesitation and sit on the mount. I watch as Alistair drags Lucien’s powerless body while ascending on his own mount as well.

After a short while, we make it to the surface.

That’s when we spot something in the far distance... something horrific!

It is a creature over a thousand meters tall!

Its colossal body resembles an elephant, but it is covered in spiky fur, with eyes all over its extremely robust body. Several horns jut from its head, almost like a crown, and everything around it seems to be in flames.

Steam rises from its body as it stands oppressively while glaring at everything around it.

Clearly, the monster’s instincts tell it to cause chaos.

It is simply seeking where to start.

"Is that...?!"

"No, it’s not a Temporal Beast, if that’s what you’re wondering." Alistair sighs. Although it isn’t particularly a sign of relief, I can tell it’s something close.

"Look closely... at its body."

I catch a Potion tossed at me from Amnesis, quickly gulping it down before narrowing my eyes.

Only then do I make out the details.

On its body, amidst the spiky furs, I see the faces of countless humans.

They appear to be inside the terrifying creature, all of them showing painful expressions. All of these faces wriggle within the body of the beast, as though trying to make their way out.

The squirming flesh only causes the oppressive atmosphere in the beast to rise.

Once I witness this sight, I immediately understand.

This is an Artificial Magivore.

It is a horrific entity made using the body of human beings, while fusing them with all kinds of Mystical Characters in other to achieve this mutation.

But, that isn’t the most terrifying thing about this creature—no, not at all.

It is its rank.

"That’s a Cadre 6 Magivore!" Elma screams right next to me, her eyes bulging.

"Hehe... That’s right!" Lucien Zevalis chuckles, almost proudly. "It’s a countermeasure I put in place in case my main ritual was destroyed. Unlike with the Main Ritual, I can’t control the Cadre 6 Magivores that emerge, so I saved them for last."

"Magivores? Them?" My eyes bulge.

"Oh... You didn’t think there would only be one, did you?" Lucien laughs out loud, his ugly face contorting into a happy expression.

"You bastard!"

"Now what will you do? One way or the other, the Kingdom will be destroyed—I will make sure of it. There are at least six of those Cadre 6 Magivores running around the Randalorion Kingdom as we speak. Each of you can only take on one at a time, and that’s if we’re being generous. I know you’ve already used up most of your resources in your endeavor to defeat me!"

"T-this...!"

We were tricked yet again!

Lucien Zevalis actually had a trump card all this time...

... In the form of Cadre 6 Magivores!

A single Cadre 6 Magivore can lay waste to the entire Randalorion Kingdom.

This level of existence is something humans cannot deal with!

If we let even one of them loose, it will bring about the eventual downfall of my home.

My people!

My loved ones!

All of them will perish here if that Magivore is not stopped!

’Judging by everyone’s exhausted state, they can barely handle one Cadre 6 Magivore, even if they are of a higher Rank than me.’ I sigh deeply. ’As for me, I probably can’t take on a single one on my own.’

The last time I faced a Cadre 6 Magivore, it was the Crimson Direwolf Emperor.

It was a Magivore that wasn’t built for combat at all.

It wasn’t experienced either.

I also only managed to win because I had the Floating Horse Construct and a Divine Grade Armament—none of which are readily available to me now.

"Why are you hesitating? If you don’t make your decision quickly, your Kingdom will be destroyed, you know? Hehe... In fact, every second you waste, I’m sure thousands are dying!"

I shudder at the realization.

But... I am also paralyzed by this situation.

What exactly can I do?

’All of us combined, we’re only eight Leviathans. I can’t really be useful in combat, so let’s say seven of us. But Amnesis and Gabriel are Seekers and aren’t adept at combat. Plus, the Cadre 6 Magivores are likely to be spread throughout the Kingdom, so we will all be separated if we wish to deal with them quickly.’ My thoughts are in overdrive as I panic. ’If we wish to form teams and deal with them in a much safer way, more lives will be destroyed, and the Kingdom could be destroyed before we finish eliminating the six Magivores.’

While all of this tension envelops us, the oppressive atmosphere suddenly ceases, and the sky returns to its normal color. The cracks that were already forming in the distance start to vanish, and the clouds once again turn bright.

"I see. Since the ritual was only to conjure the Magivores, and it isn’t a constant operation, the temporal instability was also resolved quickly..." Alistair mumbles something while staring at this development.

What he essentially means is that there is actually no threat of a Temporal Breach.

"In the first place, what made the previous ritual so dangerous was the fact that I used it to unreasonably speed up the mutation of the humans in the capital. Compared to that, the mutation of those kidnapped people has been occurring for a long time. In fact, it’s only because the developmental phase had passed that I finally decided to fully enact my plan in the capital!"