Children of the Holy Emperor

[I shall show you something amusing.]

Along with the Holy Emperor’s words, which somehow conveyed a sense of delight, something glowing white appeared before Seongjin’s eyes.

Because the shining form with a smooth, streamlined shape followed them while flapping its tail, Seongjin initially thought it was a fish the size of a forearm.

[This is called a salt image.]

[A salt image?]

[When a concept materializes, it reaches a tangible form like this. It’s also something not easily seen outside of a place like this. Perhaps it may be a good opportunity.]

That fish-like thing seemed to move entirely according to the Holy Emperor’s will. Judging by how it swam close to Seongjin’s left and right, allowing for easy observation.

Huh? But what about that shape?

[Do you know what it is?]

And another fish appeared at Seongjin’s feet. Followed by a third, fourth…

A total of five fish, enveloped in white light, were swimming vigorously while chasing after them.

At that moment, Seongjin realized the identity of these fish.

‘…True Salmon?’

Although it was difficult to discern immediately due to the bright light surrounding them, what these fish were flapping like tails were undoubtedly the guard and hilt of a proper sword!

However, when he slightly turned his head to look, the original True Salmon was properly attached to the Holy Emperor’s waist.

[They clearly look identical to True Salmon, but…!]

Then, a faint vibration was transmitted from the Holy Emperor. It was as if he had let out a small laugh.

‘So this is a salt image!’

Seongjin realized two things.

One was that the image of an object familiar to the Holy Emperor was directly projected onto the [salt images] swimming and following them. He was currently imagining True Salmon with aura blades forming and shining around it.

And the other was…

‘They really resemble a school of salmon swimming against a fierce current…’

In other words, in this gentleman’s mind, True Salmon was already a salmon.

He was absently staring at the flapping swords, dumbfounded by the absurdity, when the Holy Emperor spoke again.

[Yes. Now that you know what these are, let’s see their utility.]

The moment those words ended…

The five salmon… no, the True Salmons simultaneously turned their heads and shot towards the monsters at a tremendous speed!

Swish!

They flew while slicing through all the colliding spaces. Becoming a beam of light while passing through the office, a white thunderbolt under the stormy sky, and a comet with a long tail in the black universe.

Flash flash.

The True Salmons, swiftly traversing from one space to another, finally collided with the bodies of the startled monsters who were trying to dodge, and exploded on impact.

Boom! Bang! Bang!

Every world shook entirely, causing intense vibrations. The monsters, having been struck heavily, let out strange sounds that could have been either screams or grunts as they staggered.

Roar!

‘Oh…’

All the explosions occurring here and there were this gentleman’s doing!

While the monsters faltered, the Holy Emperor, who had swiftly distanced himself from them, asked.

[Do you understand the series of processes in which the salt images are created, move, and finally activate?]

[Well, roughly?]

Seongjin vaguely grasped the essence of that technique. It belonged more to the realm of intuition than reason.

[Then will you try it?]

Hmm, flying swords…

Seongjin tried to visualize the Walnut Cracker in his mind. The sturdy steel blade and the image of it flying straight like a missile.

Then, for a moment, a hazy gray stick-like object flickered before his eyes and vanished.

Oh? It might be simpler than he thought.

‘Alright. Let’s go with this feeling!’

Seongjin tried to concentrate to the best of his ability. Soon, the monsters caught up to them again in a fluster, but he paid no attention to them whatsoever.

Surely this gentleman would skillfully evade them.

Swish.

The tentacled monster, having barely narrowed the distance, rapidly shot out dozens of legs.

From afar, they appeared as soft and supple as anemone tentacles submerged in seawater, but as they flew closer, the thickness and strength of each strand evoked the image of massive logs.

It was a terrifying attack that tore apart all the spaces it touched as it flew, but the Holy Emperor nimbly moved his body and dodged the numerous legs.

Roar!

At that moment, the black beast, which had been running around seeking an opportunity, seized the opening and thrust its sharp fangs.

Its teeth, dripping with jet-black mana, were nearly as tall as Seongjin, and it was clear that if his body got caught in them, he would be torn apart without a trace.

The Holy Emperor then leaped through space while carrying Seongjin. Instantly, a stormy black sky unfolded around them.

Clack!

The beast’s muzzle followed, viciously snapping its jaws, but they effortlessly dodged its fangs and were already flying under a tranquil starry sky.

Close calls continued thereafter, but this entire process was merely a simple practice session for the Holy Emperor. He was silently waiting for Seongjin to realize something.

[It doesn’t necessarily have to be a weapon. Just try to think of what you’re most familiar with.]

As the phenomenon of hazy sticks appearing and disappearing repeated meaninglessly, the Holy Emperor gently advised him.

Hmm, something familiar…

Seongjin pondered seriously while dangling.

[Roar! That’s really annoying!]

Sowing, who had lost some of his lower tentacles, flailed about and grumbled. With a body less mobile than the beast-shaped Greed, he had taken quite a heavy blow by being hit by four out of the five swords alone.

[The emperor of Delcross is indeed no easy opponent, as expected.]

Despite being confident that he hadn’t let his guard down, Greed had to admit that their preparations were insufficient.

In recent years, the Holy Emperor, bound by the [Agreement], had been unable to perform even the simple act of ‘directly drawing’ properly due to a lack of causality. That’s why they thought that just their avatars, not their main bodies, would be sufficient to confront the Holy Emperor.

However, the king of Delcross was quite adept at exploiting loopholes. Instead of doing something directly, he launched salt images to strike them indirectly yet efficiently.

The salt images themselves were in the form of small swords that weren’t very lethal, but they chased after them as if possessing a will of their own, causing explosions of varying sizes. Of course, compared to the power of the avatars they had brought, it was a minor damage.

However, even if it was an attack so trivial it was laughable, if they kept getting hit without being able to land a single blow, the story would be different.

If the night passed like this, it was evident who would emerge victorious.

[Moreover, there’s something bothering me…]

Greed frowned as he looked at the boy dangling from the Holy Emperor’s grasp.

The boy had his eyes closed and was muttering something intently. It was an exceedingly carefree demeanor in this situation, but…

Strangely, an ominous aura was emanating from that boy.

[What on earth is he doing?]

Sowing muttered in a daze while gathering his retracted tentacles. He, too, had sensed something foreboding.

Greed shouted while forcefully kicking one of the intermingled dimensions.

[That one is the prepared one! It wouldn’t be strange for him to initiate anything. Be careful!]

At that moment, a small spark appeared in front of the boy with a flash.

Something small. Something easy to imagine.

But something that could become the most lethal if it struck the enemy.

Soon, a small dark red flame flickered before Seongjin’s open eyes. It resembled a small fragment of the Demon King’s soul, or perhaps the flames of Gehenna.

As he was gazing at the flame, which was gradually taking on a more distinct form and burning, the Holy Emperor glanced at it and nodded.

[Yes, it looks good.]

[Haha!]

Seongjin grinned with satisfaction. It was the first clear salt image he had created.

Delightful. From now on, he would name it Demon King No. 2!

[Then what will you do with it now?]

[I’ll launch it at the enemy!]

[Alright.]

Great! Fly, Demon King No. 2!

Seongjin confidently commanded the flame.

However, perhaps because the image was too different from the missile he had initially envisioned, Seongjin’s Demon King No. 2 did not fly magnificently like the Holy Emperor’s salmon.

The flame, which fell limply like a poorly thrown ball, fortunately collided with the wobbling head of the tentacled monster that happened to approach closely.

It was too small to begin with, and since it wasn’t the Holy Emperor’s threatening sword strike in the first place, the monster had clearly let its guard down.

However, the outcome was unexpected.

The moment that small flame touched…

Whoosh!

Suddenly, fierce dark red flames erupted from that spot and rapidly spread, engulfing the monster’s upper tentacles and devouring it.

As if it were the flames of Gehenna itself, instantly consuming everything.

[Argh! What is this?!]

The startled anemone, surrounded by flames that wouldn’t easily extinguish, stopped in its tracks and began headbanging!

[How pathetic. Why aren’t you extinguishing it quickly?]

As Greed passed by the monster and asked in disbelief, Sowing cried out with a wronged voice.

[No! There’s something strange about this! It won’t go out! What the hell is this?]

He thrashed about, enveloped in flames.

The sight of the massive tentacle bundles burning away strand by strand, scattering bright embers, was truly a spectacle to behold.

As he was contentedly watching that dazzling fireworks display, the Holy Emperor uttered a word of praise.

[Well done.]

[Hahaha!]

You think so too, Father?

As Seongjin was laughing with satisfaction, the Holy Emperor glanced around and spoke.

[Let’s head back now. We’ve delayed more than expected. I’ll deal with the remaining one swiftly.]

[Swiftly?]

What was this gentleman going to show him this time?

As Seongjin’s eyes sparkled with anticipation, the Holy Emperor nodded.

[Yes. Thanks to you, the causality is sufficient.]

And the moment those words ended…

‘…!’

Seongjin’s eyes widened as he held his breath. Hundreds, no, thousands of fish had appeared around them and begun swimming in unison, encircling them.

Seongjin gaped blankly at the majestic yet beautiful sight.

The dazzlingly shining white salmon moving in parallel yet in perfect unison appeared as if they had become a single giant creature.

Or perhaps those fish themselves were a silver-glowing wave, and they were swimming in the sea of that light.

And after a while…

[Go.]

With a brief command, that peaceful scene came to an end.

Swish!

Like hundreds of cruise missiles launched simultaneously, the silver swords changed direction and surged towards the monsters in unison.

It was a truly remarkable sight to see those white streaks of light traversing and leaping across spaces as if each possessing its own will, tracing hundreds of trajectories.

And without exception, they struck the black dog and anemone, emitting a blinding white light with a whoosh.

‘…!’

Seongjin tightly closed his eyes, bracing himself for the impending impact. However, strangely, he didn’t feel the anticipated shock. The surroundings were utterly silent without a single sound of an explosion.

Slowly opening his eyes, he found himself standing on a mountainside with a drizzling rain.

The Holy Emperor, who had unleashed hundreds of missiles at the monsters, had taken refuge beyond the fragmented spaces before they even exploded.

Was it alright like this? Without confirming the fate of those monsters until the end?

[Once the result is determined upon impact, it does not change. By now, they wouldn’t have even a trace of their forms remaining. We can leave this place now.]

The Holy Emperor spoke upon seeing Seongjin’s dumbfounded face. Then, gently placing Seongjin on the ground, he slightly raised the corner of his mouth.

[Come to think of it, I had promised to examine your sword someday.]

After the Heresy Tribunal had been reduced to its current state, the Holy Emperor had asked Seongjin to bring his sword during an audience.

The problem was that since then, with the birthday banquet preparations and the Monster Special Task Force work, both the Holy Emperor and Seongjin had become busy, making it difficult to find an opportunity.

The Holy Emperor drew True Salmon from his waist and slowly aimed it forward as he continued.

[This, too, shall be a good opportunity. Engrave this path well in your mind.]

The blade of the salmon… no, True Salmon, held in his hand, was enveloped in light, and a beam of light began to extend forward from it.

[The path of the sword should always be the simplest. However, it does not become the same path for everyone.]

The white, glowing aura blade had elongated to about the length of the Walnut Cracker. However, Seongjin strangely felt that the tip of the sword was so long that it was out of sight.

It wouldn’t be unreasonable.

If this sword was aiming at the end of the world in a space that reached there the moment one thought of it, it had already touched that boundary.

[You will eventually reach here on your own. So it wouldn’t be too bad to experience it in advance once or twice.]

And then…

Without any warning…

Without even a sound of something breaking…

The world before his eyes was split in an instant.