Millis Continent
A few months ago.
"Have you heard the rumors about the Fourth Prince of the Asura Kingdom in the Central Continent?"
"Yes, everyone says he's a demon, but mysteriously, everyone who talks about it dies the next day... Many have considered him a reincarnation of an ancient demon. They even say he rejects the gods and any religion related to it."
Millis Religion is the largest religious organization in the world, founded by Saint Milis, and is present in almost every continent where humans reside. Unfortunately for Gilgamesh, even if he wanted to do something against this religion, he could do little due to how deeply rooted it is in the hearts of humans.
The Milis Religion followed scriptures that stated 'all demons must be destroyed' and rejected the Demon Race. However, 300 years ago, a priest read a scripture that said, 'All races are equal under Millis,' and questioned whether the Demon Races are also equal. This caused a division among the priests and led the religion to split into two factions, which have been in a power struggle ever since.
But those fights stopped when rumors of Prince Gilgamesh spread throughout the central continent and reached the ears of Papa Harry Grimoire, who by then was behaving strangely. His visions of the future began to appear, ranging from the large-scale massacre that occurred in the central sea, where most adventurers exploring a newly created dungeon died.
He also announced the widespread elimination of nobles in the Asura Kingdom, which also happened. And as if that weren't enough, he also announced the progressive disappearance of all elves from the world, and as expected, it happened.
But what shocked everyone was the announcement of the mana catastrophe, which shook the entire Millis religion. Of course, the warnings arrived late in the central continent, and that's why most lives lost due to that catastrophe could not be saved until now.
Nevertheless, Papa Harry Grimoire gained more influence, completely overshadowing the girl named Miko, who could see people's memories just by looking into their eyes. Of course, Papa Harry Grimoire's visions were scarce, and his power was purely spontaneous. But in secret, he announced the birth of a demon who took over the body of a human and who will be the protagonist of the greatest lands ever in the whole world.
For someone with such abilities, many thought that some of the demons of antiquity would take power again to terrorize humans. But when everyone discovered that this person would be the monarch of a human kingdom, everything changed abruptly. In secret, everyone turned their attention to Gilgamesh, and it was this boy who might cause trouble in the future.
Fear spread in the hearts of those who believed in Papa Harry Grimoire's words, and that's when Gilgamesh, the Fourth Prince of the Asura Kingdom, was called a demon, who will possibly be the next protagonist of a great war.
"Richard De Luke, in the name of our sacred Millis, do you pledge to hunt down and eliminate the Demon called Gilgamesh Asura? Your duty as a holy knight is to kill him with your divine sword and put an end to the future war that will shake us all." Papa Harry Grimorie ordered the holy knight named Richard De Luke, a powerful swordsman with the title Emperor of the Sword.
Richard, who fully trusted Papa Harry Grimorie's words, nodded and said, "Yes, Papa Harry, I will purge the human of life with the sacred sword."
"Remember, the attack of the divine sword is unique, and you can only deliver one blow. That blow far surpasses the ordinary God rank and is explicitly prepared to eliminate him. You will even be able to simulate the ancient attack that was used against demons in the war."
"Yes, Papa Harry Grimorie..."
...
Richard De Luke, the Emperor of the Sword, found himself at a crossroads. He had been entrusted with a mission that was perplexing and challenging: to kill Gilgamesh, the prince of a powerful kingdom. However, unlike many impulsive knights, Richard was known for his prudence and wisdom. Before taking any action, he believed it was crucial to assess the situation and understand the reasons behind such a drastic order.
From his perspective, he couldn't comprehend why he had been tasked with eliminating Gilgamesh. The prince, although arrogant and cruel to his enemies, had not given any reason to justify such an extreme command. Richard knew he couldn't act hastily and set out to thoroughly investigate before making a decision.
Just as he was about to embark on his journey to assess the situation and determine the truth of the order, a young woman named Miko crossed his path. This girl was known for her special ability: she could see people's memories and minds through visual contact. Intrigued by this unique ability, Richard listened attentively as she explained the true reason behind the order to kill Gilgamesh.
Miko confessed that the religion of Millis, which had been a fundamental pillar in Richard's life and that of many others, was becoming corrupted. A new source of divinity had emerged, along with a being that called itself the "Human God." This being had personally intervened in the memories of Cardinal Leblanc McFarlane, the religious leader of Millis, to prevent a confrontation between him and the faction led by Papa Harry Grimorie.
Miko's words resonated in Richard's mind, causing him to doubt the purity of the religious leaders and high authorities in the Millis continent. She warned him that the entire religion was corrupting, and their plans were to gather the strength of various kingdoms to overthrow the mandate of Gilgamesh, the future Emperor of the Central Continent. Additionally, she revealed that Gilgamesh was as powerful as a god and that they were using him as a distraction to gain time for their dark designs.
The young Miko, with seriousness in her eyes that left an indelible impression on Richard, recommended that he join Prince Gilgamesh's faction. Together, they could seek a way to alleviate the impending war and try to thwart the threat of the "Human God." When Richard asked Miko why she offered her help, she simply responded with a somber tone, "That Human God is truly a bad person."
Miko's words echoed in Richard's mind, prompting him to reflect on the actions of religious and political leaders in Millis. He began to notice the abnormal behavior and hidden agendas underlying the upper echelons of the continent. The purity of his faith and loyalty to the religion that had been part of his life since childhood slowly faded away.
As he delved deeper into his investigation, Richard discovered corruption within the ranks of the Millis religion. Religious leaders, instead of serving the welfare of the people, were manipulating the masses' faith to achieve their own selfish objectives. The religion had become a tool to consolidate power and control over people.
In contrast, Prince Gilgamesh had proven to be a leader seeking unity and prosperity for his kingdom. Though ambitious, he was not the monster they had painted him to be. Richard began to question the motivations behind the order to assassinate him and concluded that he had been manipulated by the true villains behind the corrupt religion.
Finally, when the day arrived, Richard embarked on his journey where he would meet Prince Gilgamesh and supposedly have the opportunity to kill him. However, he had a new goal—to tell him everything he knew, convinced that it was the only way to confront the "Human God" and those who were contaminating his religion and continent.
Everything he knew was just the tip of the iceberg. Richard knew that his loyalty and beliefs had changed forever, and now he fought not only for his kingdom but for the truth and justice that had been distorted by the dark interests of the higher-ups in Millis.
...
"Master!" Richard cried out in madness as he wielded his sword with fury.
How did this happen?
He needed to meet Prince Gilgamesh and warn him; he needed to do it.