Volume 2, Chapter 6: Irritum’s Vanagloria, Part 1: Not a God

Volume 2, Chapter 6: Irritum’s Vanagloria, Part 1: Not a God

Keeping rank and file, those white wings lace the sky.

From the earth well up those incarnations of desire, those to become God’s enemy.

Heaven was already a crucible of chaos, of mingling light and darkness.

While they had an absolute scarcity in number, and would originally never be able to form a large force, the Demons’ Legions already numbered more than a thousand.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

They each took up on the backs of giant flying dragons greater in size than my own body, and raced across the skies that they hadn’t been permitted to step foot in before. It could even be taken as a forecast of the world’s end.

The air that had received God’s blessing was violated with miasma, and none of it gave off a sense of reality.

And it wasn’t just these skies that the armies were flying about.

Based on the signals from my comrades all over the land, the Demons of the underworld had formed factions to attack all of our Heaven.

Mine numbered five hundred. Even with the army ranked fifth within these holy lands…

Even if our wings granted us the territorial advantage here…

The Demons came in numbers greater than we of Heaven could ever muster.

Demons were wicked souls, dark minds smeared with avarice.

If you think of how human hearts were easier to turn to bad than good, it’s likely just a natural matter of life.

That’s why I cannot bear it.

Those maggots creating this nauseous stench to waft about this Eden.

Wings are town off. An ominous whirlwind raced by in the gaps of the light.

Yet another of the Demons stationed behind me fell to the earth.

The irregular army numbering close to one thousand, and it boasted an exceptionally high amount of power.

A man with jet-black hair sat atop a silver wyvern.

Racing left and right about the Demon’s war, a commander. I could barely capture him in my field of vision, and among these piles of trash, he was the one with the greatest power.

“Hm… so this is all they have. We’ve not even the need to bring trouble to Leigie-sama’s hands.”

“…… !?”

From the Angels rushing up to my rear, countless lights were released to brush out the darkness. For us, that were like God’s household, it was an act as simple as taking a breath of air.

Judgement lightning to purify those masses of negative energy. Released without a sound, it filled the sky, and swallowed up that irregular army.

… And, That was brushed off with nothing but a fist.

The army trembled. On that absurd pride. In fear. In awe.

It was originally something that never should have come to be. Something that was impossible.

Our mission was to take down evil. To fulfill our raison d’être, we were to cast aside our emotions.

My sworn friend who ranked second in my army opened his eyes wide, and called to me in a grim voice.

“Gloria, that man is…”

I received the name of Glory from my God.

I held up my hand to stop my friend, who seemed like he’d rush to join the battle at any moment.

The enemy army was too numerous. And that extraordinary man…

Having been created by God, we surely boast a greater amount of power than them. If it were to be one on one, there would be no way for us to lose.

If only we were to destroy that thing rushing about and tearing our light to pieces, the rest would only be a matter of time.

I’ve not the time to be sunken into darkness of this level.

I stake it on my name of Gloria, I cannot let this go on any further. I shall bring Glory to my God’s side.

An indescribable shout wracked the heavens.

The enemy army took position. Those Demons that originally should have been rushing at us to their hearts content were astonishingly quiet.

Hiding behind the back of their leader, they were nothing more than a bother. If only they gave us the space, we would be able to decrease their numbers, and shoot all of them down.

But that meant that the army’s strength, and command all fell to that single man.

And so there’s but one measure to take. It’s simple.

I turned my head to my comrade three heads higher than me. To the Angel with radiant eyes, and six heavenly wings on his back.

“My friend… I leave the command to you. I’ll take down that one.”

“Gloria… but…”

“Speak not. Your commander is… me.”

I am God’s greatest blade.

No matter how close we may be, I’ll have him obey my command.

Even if I’m at a disadvantage, that level of power, and a soul of that extent, a normal Angel’s power… would never be able to stand to it.

And in that case, I, the one brought forth by God to protect the throne, governing Glory and Justice Gloria Seidthroan will be his opponent.

… In the place of my petty army being outdone by something like a Demon.

From the blessed ten wings adorning my back, I released my power.

Without waiting for an answer from the man, I dashed forth. There’s no obstruction in the skies to these wings. In an instant, I had come before the man’s eyes.

The rising sun. A feeling of catharsis close to omnipotence refined my power.

Now receive it if you will.

The virtue I govern… 『Iustitia』’s authority.

I need no weapons. I directed the palm of my hand to the pitiful male Demon who didn’t even have any wings.

Eternal darkness, and the mud of destruction. You can just fall back to that place.

“『Judgement Rain』”

The spears of lightening handed down to me by God filled the sky.

The man’s dark expression was swallowed up whole.

An Iustitia Skill.

Among the numerous authorities granted to Angels, it was the power most specialized in bringing ruin to Demons.

“Ahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!”

This cathartic feel of turning it all to nill. An endless laughter gushed forth from my heart.

There’s no one to swing their fist before the Glory of God.

No matter how strong in power he may be, in the end, he’s just a negative soul. A filthy wingless mongrel fated to crawl about the earth.

My entire body was covered in a light even greater than before. That itself was the proof of my growth.

The proof that my justice had been recognized by God.

“Gloria… don’t let your guard down.”

My friend behind me made an address with a stern face.

He was a heroic man who had fought a long time as the vanguard of God, but he was too much a worrier.

“… That one is… strong.”

“Affirmative. Among those maggots, he… was decent at least.”

I turn my eyes to my front.

No need to be tense. He’s already gone. I’m not negligent. He’s already gone.

There’s no way for one who’d received God’s grace such as myself to face defeat, and absolute victory was in my hands.

I stopped in midair.

I folded my arms, and glared about the area from which the light had cleared away.

My 『Paradise Field』 Skill vividly grasped the presence of the man who was supposed to have been annihilated.

He was a measly man whose power quantity and quality both fell far below mine. Even among those Demons’ ranking system, he shouldn’t even be classified as a Lord.

Even when compared to the Lords of Demons I had consigned to oblivion before, he should have been undoubtedly weaker.

But he was alive.

It only took an instant for the light to clear. Those standing proud before the swarm of Demons, my family were slightly disturbed.

“So 『Judgement Rain』 doesn’t work. What an irritating man.”

Even after taking up God’s rain of judgement upfront, his expression shoed no pain, and his body wasn’t damaged.

The man frowned a little, and gave a condescending glare. One head higher than my sworn comrade, the glare let out from that high stature was soaked in a temperature of absolute zero, and it wasn’t something a Demon of his rank should be sending at someone like me.

That look and bearing was something I had a recollection of. The sin embraced by a number of Demons I had purified.

“So you’re a 『Superbia』.”

I’ve hunted down more Demons than I can count. I have ample information on them.

An ability to erase another’s Skill, 『Overrule』.

What impudence for him to act so overbearing before an emissary of God. They were the hardest to forgive of all those trash Demons out there.

Even when his power was only that which would fly away if I blew on it, his body gave out a feeling of pressure far surpassing his Mana.

That pressure was something I had a slight recollection of, so I frowned, and observed.

Its identity came to my mind in an instant.

Ah, that’s a form taken on by his willpower.

In the end, those bugs that haven’t even been blessed will become a large calamity if we leave them be.

What a sad thing it is, for there to be a Superbia out to Overrule God’s Judgement.

The man seemed sophisticated. Yet he was a diminutive existence that needed to borrow the power of the dragons to even set foot in heaven.

“… Hm. This is a pointless conflict, but at the very least, I’ll have you become an offering to my lord.”

“Ahahahahahahahahahahahaha, you sure know how to make one laugh. No one lend a hand. This man is… my prey.”

On my laugh, the enemy army shook.

They trembled with fear. Your fate has run out here, at this very moment.

I’ve destroyed hundreds, thousands of Demons. I activate a Skill I’ve used hundreds of times.

The light sharpens, and takes shape at the palm of my hand.

What manifested was a pure-white sword… in order to cut down Demons, 『Sin Breaker』.

I directed it at those unbearable soldiers who seemed to be under the misconception they could attain victory against God.

Speed. Maneuverability. Offensive power. Territorial Advantage.

In these skies, all of them lay with me.

“If you think you can Overrule the Power of God, then…”

All creation came to a stop.

In a split second, I circled around to the man’s rear. Not the wyvern, nor the man, nor even any of my men could follow me with their eyes.

Receiving my 『Iustitia』, the sword let off a dull light.

Right, if he can overcome the might of God, then I myself will…

“… In God’s place, I’ll deliver heavenly retribution unto you.”

＊＊＊＊＊

Oww…

The depths of my head hurt. My dreams of the past were eating into my present reality.

I slowly opened my eyes.

There’s no sound. There’s barely any light. That thin ink-like darkness was what illuminated the room.

No matter how much time passed, the dark was the only thing I could never get used to.

“Damn 『Kaiser』…”

No matter how much I hate him, it isn’t enough. No matter how much will I bring up to kill him, my emotions won’t clear up.

What still existed in the depths of my memory was what despised above all else.

Over the space of many years, that name that had receded to a corner of my memory gained color, and floated up like a bubble of soap. The reason was clear.

“Rank One… The Prideful Kaiser, Heard Lauder, is it…”

How useless.

It’s true that the wall between general and Lord is a severe one. But staying as a General Class, he was a Demon who had power rivalling the Lords of Heaven.

Now as a Lord, I seriously wonder just how much power he’s amassed.

Even if Rank One was an excessive position for him, there’s no doubt he’s a superior Demon Lord.

I was sure I was already gone and done with that matter from long ago.

So why is it that that the Soul Core in my chest is acting up once more?

There was no one about to listen to the words I threw out.

I raised myself from the large canopied bed.

It was a vast bed, where even my two meter build could lie, but in my current state, it might be a little too wide.

Around the bed stood a number of humanoid forms.

Wordlessly, they merely looked over me with their glass-ball-like eyes. Countless Demons. Men, women, all ages. An infinite variety. Their beat was a little faint, but each and every one of them was a Demon.

I’m not sure where I had gone wrong.

No, I didn’t care that something had gone amiss, but I couldn’t determine what to do next.

My wings of light that had once shone so bright were now so dark and wet. This fallen one no longer had any allies, and all that was left was this body itself.

“Ku ku ku ku…”

But that’s fine. This body is more than enough to serve my purpose.

God and friends, and even followers are… unnecessary.

My body aside, there’s but a single thing I need.

I directed the palm of my hand towards one of the Demons standing about like dolls.

Back when I embraced 『Iustitia』, this was definitely not a Skill I desired. But as long as I have it…

Even if… it is the means of a Demon.

I spread out the five sets of wings garnishing my back.

No, I didn’t really care about the reason.

I’m already a Demon. Then… there should be no hesitation in me to carry out my desire.

Now, Heard Lauder. Is it not the time for us to settle that match we were never able to before?

I’ll teach your body the meaning of defeat.

Answering to my will, the eyes of those around produced a dull light.

The countless subordinates surrounding me all bowed at once with mechanical precision.

The darkness coating them was strong enough to override their Sin, and blow away their sense of self. It temporized their souls.

Not of God, but of my power alone…

“Oh wicked ones, perish by my justice.”

Outside the seven sins held by Demons.

In the distant past, when I had been brought to the same level as those I derided as maggots, merely using it made me nauseous, The authority of the greatest of fiends.

When I fell to Demonhood without even understanding the reason, it was what I had held from the start.

And I naturally came to understand that authority’s name.

Of 『Irritum』.