Chapter 287 67.4 - Bury

There was once a theory on earth.

A theory about a specific type of force.

It was a theory that was widely discussed by many different scientists in the world, yet the most prominent thing about it was the existence of a movie.

Its existence is in a movie that was directed by one of the best, maybe the best, directors in this world.

An undoubted genius in the film sector.

In that theory, it was displayed that gravity was the force that could pass through space and dimensions.

Was that true?

It seemed that was the case.

"You think this changes anything, insect?" Belthazor spoke, his voice a mix of pain and resentment. "I will kill you, and I won't ever forget what happened here."

His words seemed to contain a deep hatred, yet he still seemed to think he could get away from here.

Still, in this position, he seemed to think he had the leverage to speak to me like that. That was his main mistake...The reason why he was bound to be inferior forever.

His arrogance will always blind him, and that will be the case.

He still can't understand who is the hunter here and who is the prey. He still thinks he is in a favorable position, but he still can't understand it at all.

Despite all the facts before him, he still dared to smirk in arrogance, proclaiming, "Next time, when I regain my full power, I'll make sure to finish what we started. You won't escape then."

–WARP!

And following that, he tried to use his teleportation, distorting the space once again and appearing in a far away place.

Yet, just as he initiated the teleportation, something unexpected happened. Something unexpected for him but expected for me.

–Umbralith

I called upon the final form of [Celestalith], and in an instant, the celestial weapon transformed into Umbralith, my fingers now filled with the rings.

I could feel the unstable energy in my hand, directly focused on right above my palm, forming a sphere.

A surge of dark energy emanated from the sphere, and the gravitational force around me intensified.

Yet, I knew that wouldn't be enough. Belthazor was now in a faraway place, which meant a specific connection was needed.

And I could do it right here. After all, this was my initial plan from the start. Even though he teleported far away, I could now see where he was.

Where he stood, what he was doing.

Everything was right before my eyes. That was thanks to the green tendrils connecting me to him.

The Green form of [Celestalith] always let me see the targets I had once marked. Yet, right now, the moment after I had woken up, I instinctively knew a way to specifically control those marks.

Seemingly, something inside me had changed, though I hadn't had the opportunity to check it back.

Utilizing those tendrils, I connected the gravitational field to him.

Belthazor, still mid-teleportation and unaware of the changed circumstances, found himself ensnared by a gravitational pull.

With a focused intent, I manipulated the gravity field around him, using Umbralith's power to its fullest. The distorted space resisted his attempt to escape, and he was forcibly pulled back from his intended destination.

–WRRRR!

"What?"

The demon let out a surprised roar as the gravitational force took hold, making him unable to escape my grasp.

–THUD!

He had fallen to the ground, seemingly unable to move from where he was at all.

"No matter how many dimensions you try to traverse, you won't escape," I declared, my smirk widening. Belthazor, on the ground and seemingly unable to move, looked at me with widened eyes, a mix of surprise and despair.

"Impossible!" he roared, his voice echoing through the cavern. With a desperate attempt, he tried to initiate his teleportation once again, distorting the space around him.

Yet, just as he initiated the teleportation, the gravitational force linked to the green marks connected to Umbralith acted like an unbreakable tether. Belthazor was pulled back once more, violently crashing to the ground.

–THUD!

His struggles became evident, but the force that held him was unyielding. His pathetic head slowly started realizing what was in front of him.

The demon's eyes widened in despair as he realized the futility of his attempts to escape. Even if his ego didn't want to escape, the inferior demonic heart inside him realized.

His instincts were probably screaming at him to leave, screaming at him to do something about this situation.

Yet, his inferior mind will not be able to think anything. This is his fate. The fate awaiting him, the fate awaiting every one of his kin.

TAP! TAP! TAP!

I slowly approached Belthazor with a predatory stride, no longer being able to contain the laughter trying to escape.

The gravitational force linked to Umbralith's power kept him firmly anchored to the ground, thwarting his attempts to escape.

"How does it feel, Belthazor?" I taunted, my voice dripping with malice. "How does it feel to be trapped, to be unable to leave where you are? To see all the ways for you to escape blocked?"

Belthazor's eyes, wide with a mix of surprise and despair, met mine. He struggled against the relentless force that held him, but it was apparent that escape was futile.

"Impossible!" he roared, frustration and rage evident in his voice. With a desperate attempt, he tried once again to initiate his teleportation, distorting the space around him.

Yet, the gravitational force remained unyielding, denying him any chance of escape. Belthazor crashed to the ground once more, the impact reverberating through the cavern.

–THUD!

I stood over the fallen demon, my gaze piercing through his defiant exterior. "You demons are so sure of your superiority, so certain of your invincibility. But look at you now, trapped and helpless."

The pulsating purple glow of Umbralith intensified, casting an eerie light on the scene. Belthazor's struggles only fueled my satisfaction, and I relished every moment of his despair.

"Tell me, Belthazor," I continued, my voice low and menacing, "do you still think you can win? Do you still believe you hold any power in this situation?"

I continued to walk towards Belthazor, the malevolent satisfaction evident in my every step. The echoing tap of my footsteps resonated in the cavern, underscoring his helplessness.

"Tell me, Belthazor," I hissed, my voice low and taunting. "What do you feel now? Do you feel despair? Do you sense that you can no longer do anything? Is your heart pounding so fast that it feels like it will jump from your body?"

Belthazor's face turned ashen as he struggled to rise from the ground, his attempts at defiance replaced by a realization of his dire situation.

"I'll give you credit for one thing," I sneered, "You demons certainly know how to put up a facade of strength. But deep down, you're all just pitiful creatures clinging to delusions of grandeur."

As I approached him, the gravitational force maintained its firm grip on Belthazor, preventing him from standing upright. He glared at me with a mix of hatred and desperation.

"You won't escape," he spat, his voice a strained growl. "I'll break free from this, and when I do, you'll regret ever crossing paths with me."

I chuckled at his futile attempts at bravado, the pulsating purple glow of Umbralith casting an ominous hue over the scene. "Ahahahahahahaha...." It was so funny that I felt like I could die from laughter here.

Or not.

In a last-ditch effort, Belthazor summoned all his remaining strength and attempted to teleport away once more. The distortion of space began, and he strained against the gravitational force, determination etched on his face.

Yet, as he initiated the teleportation, the unyielding gravitational pull linked to Umbralith's power acted like an invisible chain. Belthazor was forcibly pulled back, crashing to the ground on top of his knees.

–THUD!

"Arghk-"

He groaned, the intense gravitational pull exerting an unbearable pressure on his body. It was evident that he was experiencing the relentless force linked to Umbralith's power, making any attempt to move an agonizing struggle.

I loomed over him, the chilling glow of Umbralith intensifying the darkness surrounding us. "Y-you..." he stuttered, his widened eyes locking onto mine.

"Isn't this kind of ironic?" I mocked, relishing the moment. "The almighty Belthazor is now kneeling before me? Kneeling before the being that you once thought of as inferior?"

In a futile attempt to move, Belthazor strained against the unseen force binding him. He tried to summon his demonic strength, but it was clear that the relentless gravitational pull had drained him of any remaining energy.

"You thought you could break free," I taunted, "but look at you now. Your own arrogance has become your shackles."

Belthazor's face twisted in frustration as he struggled against the gravitational restraint. However, the more he resisted, the tighter the Umbralith-bound force constricted around him.

"Ahahaha, you know, it's almost pitiful to watch you struggle," I chuckled, savoring the sight of his futile attempts. "You wasted your mana pointlessly just to show that you are superior to me. Do you know the reason why you are in this state right now?"

I asked, looking at him. The more he knelt before me, the more I relished this feeling. I felt like I was taking my vengeance properly.

The demon who had attacked our village probably was not even here, yet it was probably an insignificant being.

"It is because you wanted to use that spell of yours to prove that you are strong. Why? Were you preparing that spell so that you could showcase that to your ancestors? To your kin that once looked down on you? Was your childhood kind of rough?"This chapter was originally shared via N0/vel/Biin.

Belthazor's eyes widened in shock, and for a moment, the mask of his defiance slipped. It seemed like I had touched upon a sore spot, revealing a vulnerability he tried to hide. Well, knowing him from the game, I was well aware of his pathetic backstory.

"How do you know about that?" he shouted, his voice laced with despair. "How can you possibly know?"

I couldn't help but smile at his desperation. "Does it matter, Belthazor? In the end, you find yourself in the same position as before. Your past, your struggles, none of it changes the fact that you are at my mercy."

"Why? Why is this happening?" he cried out, his voice breaking. Tears of blood welled up in his eyes, a manifestation of his shattered spirit.

The once-mighty demon now knelt before me, broken and defeated. The taste of vengeance was sweet, and I reveled in the poetic justice of his downfall.

I didn't know how I looked right now, but it sure wasn't something any normal person would want to see.

I raised my fingers, coating them with the Level 1 spell 「Etheric Claws」.

"Why, you ask?" I said, my voice filled with a mixture of bitterness and hatred. "Why? That was a good question."

I laughed, but there was no joy in it. Instead, my face turned grim as the memories flooded back.

"Why did those demons attack our village? Why did they kill everyone? Why was I the only one who survived? Why...why...why...why...the same fucking question that no one can answer."

I brought my face inches away from Belthazor's, locking my gaze with his. The intensity of my hatred burned in my eyes.

"Why did she die before my eyes? Why wasn't it me? The same fucking question that I ask myself every day."

The pulsating purple glow of Umbralith reflected the darkness in my heart.

"It was because demons like you decided to kill everyone, and that was it," I declared with a cold determination. "So, you should understand why I'm going to do this, right?"

With those words, I brought my mana-coated claws dangerously close to Belthazor's eyes.

"N-no..." His fighting spirit was broken; he was no longer in a state to fight, yet that wasn't enough.

He needed to feel the pain she felt. Every one of them needed to.

"AAAAAAARGHK!"

Just like that, screams started echoing in the cavern....as the Phantom's Land started crumbling.