Hearing Jesus's final blessing, Kaelar furrowed his brow, a rush of thoughts flooding his mind.
This blessing… it doesn't sound particularly auspicious…
Jesus Christ, what exactly are you trying to tell me?
But Kaelar had no time to dwell on it further, as the Roman Emperor now stood before him.
The Son of God, Jesus Christ, had ascended.
This was the reenactment of the myth of A.D. 33. From now on, there would be no omniscient Lord's protection. Kaelar would face the Roman Emperor, now transformed into the Beast of Revelation, entirely alone.
The sensation of sinful corruption and overpowering depravity emanating from her was almost intolerable. Kaelar understood this wasn't Nero seducing him; it was simply her very nature as the "Whore of Babylon," the one who seduces the kings of the earth and heralds the world's end as the crimson-scaled Great Dragon.
Just by standing there, she embodied humanity's every forbidden desire.
And yet, anyone who dared behold her, as any human must, felt a primal terror in their soul at the mere sight—this paradoxical beauty on the verge of collapse was enough to drive anyone mad!
Anyone who looked upon her would find all their worst, most hideous desires drawn out.
And if they actually yielded to this exquisite but inhuman beauty, their soul would be ensnared, ultimately becoming the kindling for her judgment, burnt to ashes in the Final Reckoning.
"At last, the meddling nuisance has departed. Now it's just us, my young challenger!"
Nero held up the Primordial Flame, looking at Kaelar with a smile. "You, the one the lowly carpenter's son—who dares call himself the Messiah—places his hopes upon. So, how will you escape my grasp?"
"If I destroy your kingdom and judge your king, no one will remain to hinder my Great Judgment upon humanity."
Kaelar sighed softly, drawing forth an unremarkable, blunt-edged sword from his side. "Roman Beast, you will fail, for I am here to stop you."
"So arrogant!"
Nero's slitted pupils flashed with rage. As one of history's most infamous tyrants, the Emperor Nero was not known for her patience, and her insufferable headaches, worsened by the ritual's completion, had made it even shorter.
The pain gnawed relentlessly, so intense she sometimes wanted to take a saw to her skull, twisting and scraping just to uncover whatever was tormenting her.
With her patience eroded by the endless agony, she discarded all pretense of eloquence, choosing words even the lowliest human could grasp.
Swinging the Primordial Flame, Nero laughed wildly. "Take this, barbarian from a foreign land. This is the might of the Roman Empire!"
Yes, the might of the Roman Empire itself.
The Primordial Flame blazed with such brilliance that no unworthy eyes could bear to look upon it. Just a single glance could shatter one's vision forever.
This was the sum total of the Roman Empire's power—of this Emperor Nero!
The Primordial Flame did not merely reflect Nero's own strength. It mirrored the power of the Pantheon once housed in Rome's mightiest temple. In Nero's hand, now tainted by Beastly authority, the Primordial Flame radiated with the unified brilliance of Rome's gods.
This strike held the power of all Rome's deities, its emperors, its heroes, and every one of its citizens.
The glow of the ancient Pantheon encased the sword, while the authority of the future Christian God sharpened its edge…
This strike was absolute power; it would be nearly impossible for anything in this world to withstand it!
This attack broke past even Kaelar's own limits.
He sustained the most terrifying, most grievous injury he had ever received in his life.
But Kaelar, an EX-class fighter beyond mortal reckoning, ultimately withstood it. However, he paid a heavy price, the Geis markings upon his body dimming considerably.
A light crack sounded—but it was not from Nero's Primordial Flame.
Kaelar's sword had snapped. This was the first time anyone had ever broken his weapon. He touched the cracks forming on his skin, which resembled fine fractures in porcelain, and sighed in genuine admiration. "Incredible, Emperor of Rome. A monster like you, a Beast in complete form… I can't imagine anyone else besides me who could ever bring you down."
Yes, even now, Kaelar remained certain he could defeat this terrifying Beast.
The Savior's power surged within him—a force as mighty as a planet, an immaculate blessing. It allowed Kaelar to withstand Nero's strike, barely, instead of succumbing to the overwhelming weight of the Roman Empire like the King of the Huns.
But Kaelar understood well that the Savior's gift was merely a way to heal his wounds and prolong the battle. It was insufficient to vanquish the Beast—and he knew that such use of the Savior's blessing was the most basic of all.
A war of attrition?
Who could possibly outlast the Beast who had just judged Jesus Christ and achieved the full essence of the Final Judgment?
Nero had once devoured the Hun King Attila and, through her Beastly inversion, had reversed her ability to turn civilization to mana, transforming it instead into an absolute oppression against any barbarian civilization weaker than Rome's own.
This civilization metric applied to entire races and nations, not individuals.
Kaelar, as a Celt of Britain, might personally exceed any ancient civilization in culture, but averaged with his fellow Celts, he still amounted to little more than a "barbarian."
Kaelar knew that in his current state, he could not directly confront such a terrifying Beast as Nero.
This was the second time he'd faced such a lethal crisis, and Nero alone posed far more of a threat than the seventy thousand Anglo-Saxons who had once imperiled him.
He brushed his fingers across the Geis rune on his hand, finally making up his mind. "Beast… Emperor of Rome… I, Kaelar, in my absolute self, shall lay down my very life, burn my soul… and swear an oath yet more terrifying!"
"I will love all of humanity, from the highest to the lowest, without distinction. And by this vow, I shall gain the power to save humankind!"
"With my next strike, I shall shatter the heavens and earth!"
Nero crossed her hands at her slender waist, laughing mockingly. "How amusing~ A weakling without a weapon, speaking of shattering the heavens?"
"Weakling, if you understood your true essence, if you could see past the illusions of your form, perhaps then you'd have the right to boast in my presence!"
"My sword has never left my hand."
Kaelar stretched out his hand, and as he grasped the air, a fine, blunt-edged sword materialized in his grip. This sword resembled the one that had broken, but held an inherent power that even Nero instinctively respected.
This was Kaelar's True Sword of Reason, The Blunt Sword of Ceased War, which he'd entrusted to Morgan for safekeeping. Morgan had always kept it on her person, ready for Kaelar whenever he might call for it.
But if Kaelar wanted this sword, he didn't need to speak with Morgan. This sword, carrying all his glory, had always been in Kaelar's grasp.
Meanwhile, far away in Britain, Morgan felt an ache in her chest, the pen in her hand snapping as she wrote. She instinctively reached for Kaelar's sword, the treasured gift he had entrusted to her, only to find her hand coming up empty.
No one could take anything from Morgan without her noticing, especially something she held so close.
Instantly, Morgan understood. Kaelar must have encountered danger, a situation so dire that he'd summoned his holy sword back.
"Kaelar, what is happening?" Morgan murmured, clutching her chest in worry. "What have you encountered in Europe?"
---
Nero trusted her own instincts completely, and in that moment, she followed them, taking a step back.
I don't need to clash head-on with this barbarian!
In the next moment, Kaelar raised his blunt-edged sword high, pointing the flat of the blade at Nero. A massive, destructive light wave shot toward her, slicing through the sky as if to split heaven and earth.
Returning to the purest essence, the final form of any holy sword is to unleash a beam of light.
Reflected in Nero's eyes was this terrifying attack. Gone was her arrogance, her confidence in questioning Attila's strength as she had once done. The proud Roman Emperor could no longer sneer at Kaelar, asking if his strike could shake the five million square kilometers of the Roman Empire.
As Kaelar had said, this strike was destined to shatter the heavens and earth!
This blow was powerful enough to rival and even overwhelm a Beast.
Nero felt fear. Once fear took root, hesitation followed, and her confidence wavered. Against this attack, Nero instinctively took a defensive stance she had never shown before.
She raised the Primordial Flame before her, its brilliance combined with the divine authority of the Pantheon and the power of Christianity's god. The Beast of Revelation, the Star-Eater's essence—all her powers gathered in front of her.
As if trying to reassure herself, Nero muttered, "It's fine. I am the crown jewel of the Roman Empire, the most dazzling gem of Rome. A treasure like me can't gather dust, let alone crack…"
"I'm not afraid of him. There's simply no need to clash directly—I'll just weather this strike!"
Kaelar's attack, though apocalyptic in appearance, left everything around it untouched. As the wave of light swept past, not a single pebble or blade of grass was damaged. It seemed as though this earth-shaking strike was nothing more than a breeze passing by.
Only Nero, standing directly in its path, felt the full weight of its force. Though no one else could see, she knew the pain intimately, like water knowing its own depth. Her lifetime curse of headaches flared, tormenting her like the ever-looming shadow of her wicked mother, haunting her at this crucial moment.
Nero's emerald eyes turned blood-red, the relentless pain driving her to a frenzied rage. She felt an urge to slam her head against a mountain, and indeed, she acted on it.
The Primordial Flame in her hands, bearing countless blessings and powers, shattered the moment it touched Kaelar's world-shattering strike. The remnants of the wave continued unabated, crashing toward Nero…
In her mindless agony, Nero instinctively met the blow head-on.
Great sound flows from silence, and great form is formless.
The clash of two forces beyond comprehension left the world in stunned silence.
Kaelar's blow drained him completely, the power of his oath demanding an even greater vow of universal love. Pouring every ounce of strength into that strike, Kaelar was spent, yet even so, it hadn't dealt a decisive blow to the complete Beast of Revelation, the Roman Emperor Nero.
Turning, Kaelar chose a strategic retreat. Squeezing the last drops of mana from himself, he channeled it into his ancient steed. His horse, sensing his intent, burst forward like a streak of light, galloping like a shooting star.
By this time, Nero had withstood the apocalyptic strike in its entirety.
Kaelar glanced back one last time at this formidable foe, the singular enemy of his life. Their eyes met, and Kaelar murmured to himself, "Not yet, Emperor Nero, Roman Beast…"
"This battle will wait. Someday, I'll give you a true answer."
Nero, regaining her senses, caught a flicker of understanding in Kaelar's gaze. Though they were mortal enemies, this silent exchange of glances conveyed the unspoken—the kind of bond that arises from an unyielding rivalry.
A single drop of blood trickled down her forehead, adding a tragic beauty to her flawless face. Wiping it away, Nero heard a soft tearing sound as her dress split right down the center…
The gown parted in two, one side east, the other west, mirroring the eventual fate of the Roman Empire.
If Kaelar had stayed, he would've witnessed this unparalleled sight—pale, flawless skin and a rare vision of earthly beauty.
But, alas, the battlefield for miles around was a wasteland, devoid of a single living soul, leaving this breathtaking scene unseen and unadmired.
"A terrifying strike," Nero mused, her cold gaze brightening with a trace of amusement. "Even Rome found it hard to withstand. Who would have thought there was such a powerful warrior in this world?"
Her slitted eyes glinted with ice as she laughed softly. "Kaelar… so that's your name, isn't it? Rome will remember you. No matter where you flee, even to the ends of the earth, Rome (I) will never let you go."
"You've torn my dress, trampled upon Rome's honor. By the thousand-year glory of the Roman Empire, Kaelar, I swear I will judge you!"
In the next moment, the power of Rome's judgment flowed into her, rapidly healing the wounds Kaelar had inflicted.
This eerie, overwhelming regeneration was something Kaelar had yet to counter. That was why he had chosen to retreat for now.
The blood that Nero had spilled seemed to have a life of its own. It twisted and shifted as it hit the ground, at times embodying divinity, at others, demonic corruption—a blend of the emperor's regal power and the ordinary citizen.
With a gentle wave, the droplet flowed back into her, melding seamlessly with her being. The torn dress repaired itself, looking as though it had never been damaged.
No one could dishonor the crown jewel of the Roman Empire and walk away unscathed.
As the embodiment of all Rome's emperors, Nero also inherited Rome's notorious memory for vengeance. The same Rome that had, after all, prevailed against Carthage even with clumsy grappling tactics after a humiliating defeat at sea.
Yet Nero touched her throbbing head, and, after a moment's thought, dismissed the idea of chasing Kaelar immediately.
After all, the barbarian's nation lay nearby. She could crush him whenever she chose. Besides, she had other matters at hand—such as the fact that the Roman Empire of this era was divided, and the regions once subjugated by Rome were showing signs of unrest.
How could such disrespect toward the honor of the Roman Empire be tolerated by this tyrant, who held Rome above all else?
Crush them all! Every barbarian who dared defy Rome—every single one of them must be crushed!
"You, who once quivered under Rome's power, who cowered beneath Rome (my) feet—it's time you knelt again before your master."
"You can't escape…" Nero whispered to herself, staring coldly in the direction of Britain. "You barbarians conquered by Rome… your emperor has returned!"
---
Though Kaelar had managed to seriously wound Nero, he hadn't fared much better himself. His mana was nearly depleted, leaving him on the brink of unconsciousness, pale and hollow-eyed, the markings on his body dim.
Since he had taken Morgan's Geis and reached EX-level mana, he had never encountered mana exhaustion—especially not to this extent, as if he'd nearly drained his very life force.
By the time he reached British soil, he had already slipped into unconsciousness, with his faithful horse guiding him all the way back to Camelot.
During Kaelar's recovery, Emperor Nero had restored the full might of the Roman Empire. Under her tyrannical authority, the Empire was once again united, the fracture that had separated it since 395 CE mended.
Emperor Nero had revived Rome at its peak, not for any increase in power, but purely for her own satisfaction.
For a mighty one, that alone was reason enough, wasn't it?
In Camelot's royal palace, Kaelar slowly regained consciousness. Staring at the familiar ceiling, he blinked in confusion, then memory flooded back, his heart racing as he sat up suddenly.
"Lily? Are you here?"
"I'm here, Kael. I've been here all along…"
Her voice was calm and familiar, and her hand, cool as always, reached out to take his, a gentle comfort. "Kael, what happened in Europe?"
"My sister said you summoned your sword from here."
Kaelar took a deep breath, steadying himself, and asked urgently, "Lily, never mind that—how long was I out?"
Artoria glanced out the window. "Not quite seven days, Kael. Why?"
At the sound of voices, the door opened, and a stunning figure entered, her dark blue eyes fixed on him—it was Morgan.
"You're finally awake, Kael?" Morgan cast a fleeting, irritated look at Artoria before turning to Kaelar with concern. "We were all so worried about you."
She and Artoria had taken turns watching over him, and she had only just stepped away to rest. The fact that Artoria had witnessed his awakening moments after she'd left left Morgan with a pang of almost laughable disappointment.
But naturally, the proud Morgan would never admit to spending three and a half days anxiously by his side.
Kaelar licked his parched lips and sighed deeply. "Indeed, it's serious. Britain's destruction is now close at hand."
Artoria froze, but rather than surprise, she simply nodded. "I was prepared for this, Kael. You don't know how the skies seemed ready to fall when you were brought back, barely breathing."
"For you to be injured like that, something terrible must've happened in Europe—or rather, in Rome."
Her expression was light yet resolute. "Perhaps the kingdom of Britain will meet its end, but as long as we give everything, leaving no regrets—that will be enough."
"No, it won't happen. I won't let that come to pass. I will save Britain," Kaelar said, his eyes narrowing. "Rome's fifth emperor has transformed into the Beast of Revelation, the creature prophesied to judge all earthly kings, to pass judgment on humanity, and to ultimately become the sum of all human history."
"In the end, one becomes all, and all becomes one. She will embody human civilization. One will become all of humanity, and everything humanity has created will become a part of her."
If no one stopped her, the Beast of Revelation Nero would consume the world, turning Earth itself into her own garment, rendering all of humanity as nothing but extensions of herself.
All Beasts were like this, each embracing humanity in their own way, each carrying the burden of humankind's inevitable self-destruction.
But Kaelar would not tolerate this. For him, humanity was precious, each life a treasure… Well, that wasn't quite the truth—it was simply that Kaelar's ideals clashed with Nero's. A conflict of ideologies, a schism too deep to reconcile!
Kaelar's goal wasn't to transform humanity into a single entity basking in its own destructive end.
He intended to save the world, to be the savior who would bring humanity through this era of annihilation.
Kaelar and the Beast of Revelation Nero were ideologically opposed. This clash of philosophies was irreconcilable, which was why words were superfluous between them; they had chosen to fight.
"Nero, the Roman Emperor now possesses the qualities of a cosmic predator, a Star-Eater!" Kaelar murmured. "She's not only one of the greatest civilizations in human history—Rome—but she's also an alien terror, a celestial predator… Who in this world could face her?"
Who could stand against such a Beast? Who would dare challenge her?
That phrase echoed again in Kaelar's mind.
In that instant, a clearer, more resolute thought rose within him.
"I can."
"Only I, Kaelar, can defeat this Beast!"
Kaelar threw off his covers, his upper body bare, covered in tattoos. Morgan's eyes glinted with worry. Kaelar had sworn another deadly vow. She knew now that he had truly faced a formidable foe in Europe.
A geis power was great, but it demanded even greater sacrifice.
Whatever vow Kaelar had made, it must be as daunting as his previous oaths.
Kaelar spoke. "I am a sinner."
For I once swore to impose my heart as the will of heaven upon all humankind, disregarding every root of good or evil within them, compelling them to love as I saw fit.
This is my unpardonable sin!
Kaelar continued, "I am a saint."
For I am free of personal desire, my heart as clear as a mirror, all my actions in pursuit of justice, for I love humanity and wish to save all humankind.
This is my undeniable sanctity!
Kaelar said, "I am a being of the Age of Gods."
Kaelar was born in Britain's Age of Gods, a hero endowed with power from birth!
Kaelar said, "I am a Star Pioneer, a harbinger of the future!"
He came from the future, one who stood at the zenith of human advancement, one who would bring change to the world as it once was!
Kaelar's gaze softened, turning to the sky outside the window. He murmured, "I am both humanity's love and its evil… So, I am a monster equal to that Roman Emperor."
This truth Kaelar had always avoided. He'd known it deep down but had been reluctant to face it.
—He, too, would bring humanity's end. He, too, was humanity's evil, a Beast!
"But I'm willing to bear it!" Kaelar's eyes softened yet held firm. "If it means saving the world, I won't turn away from the power of disaster!"
"If I'm to be a Beast in the end, can I not, at least for now, save humanity my own way? Resist this evil with my own will?"
But all Beasts thought like this. Even Nero, the complete Beast of Revelation, even as her headaches tortured her, clung to the honor of the Roman Empire and her love for Rome and all humankind.
"Will my love surely destroy humanity? I refuse to believe that! Power does not drive me; I wield the power. I will control this force that can destroy humanity."
All Beasts derived their power from their love for humanity. Yet they could only watch as their love threatened to ruin human history. The deeper their love, the greater the danger.
Now, Kaelar was ready to open his own Pandora's box. To save the world, he was prepared to descend into hell.
To bear the agony of watching what he loved be destroyed by his own hands…
A Star Pioneer was one who revolutionized humanity, who turned the tide of history.
The first was Drake, who defeated the "empire on which the sun never sets", leading Britain to its place as a global power. His accomplishments turned the course of history.
The second was Tesla, who brought the godlike power of the Age of Gods to Earth, his lightning rivaling that of Zeus himself.
The third was Da Vinci, whose countless contributions to human civilization advanced fields like science, mathematics, engineering, naturalism, music, architecture, sculpture, painting, invention, and weaponry.
Kaelar's contribution to humanity was his thorough reformation of the Anglo-Saxons, the future rulers of the world, tempering their brutal nature. His merciful path, inspired by his saintly resolve, would later influence Christianity's culture of repentance.
Yes, his transformation of the Anglo-Saxons alone was enough.
In fact, Kaelar's contribution to human civilization likely exceeded that of the previous three pioneers.
The Anglo-Saxons brought unprecedented destruction to human history, with records of ethnic cleansing, invasions, cultural destruction, and relentless warfare…
By fundamentally changing the nature of the Anglo-Saxons, Kaelar altered the actions of a thousand-year dynasty, with a power of transformation that would forever change history.
With the status of a Star Pioneer, Kaelar would be granted the protection of human order itself. As humanity's love, he would represent them, repelling all that was "non-human."
Repelling everything that threatened, harmed, or was despised by humanity—including Rome, humanity's evils, even the gods…
Kaelar's attack would target all that did not see itself as human, all alien threats, all inhuman horrors. Though he too would be a Beast, he would also be humanity's savior.
Kaelar no longer hesitated. Turning to Artoria, he said, "Lily, I will save Britain, and I will save all humankind."
In the meantime, Nero had been sweeping across Europe, slowly and methodically, retaking all that had once been Rome's.
After completing her ritual and assuming the form of the Beast 666, her approach to everything had become almost leisurely, as though indifferent to the outcome.
Now, Nero stood before the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire, Constantinople.
The state of Western Rome had already reached the Eastern Empire by various means. It had been decimated, over a million judged and resurrected by the tyrant emperor, leaving only a man and a woman in its ruins.
This tyrant was the fifth emperor of Rome, and she had once more crucified the Savior to gain the power to conquer the world.
Nero stood alone. She had no army, no heroes, no generals, only herself, standing before Constantinople.
No troops were necessary. The support of Roman citizens was unnecessary. She alone was enough to reunite Rome once more!
---
A/N: A brief note on Beast Nero's origin: Revelation foretells seven Beasts, each representing an empire. Rome is the sixth of these seven.
In Hebrew numerology, the letters representing 666 sum up to form Nero's name. He was also the emperor who first persecuted Christians, famously burning them alive.
Nero certainly has a flair for fire, doesn't he?
T/N: Things really went from 0 to 100 real quick...
Thanks for reading! Let me know if you spot any mistakes or inconsistencies!
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