Salvos (A Monster Evolution LitRPG)

Chapter 606: How Does the Corruption Work?

606. How Does the Corruption Work?

I sat with Haec, Taburas, Bertrugil, and Aemula before the Devil himself. His eyes were closed. He soaked in the moment as he regaled his tale his lips moving slowly, his words like a song.

Once, I ruled the Netherworld. I didnt have a single domain my kingdom spanned across all the layers of the Netherworld! Hundreds of millions no, billions looked up to me. They heeded my every word. I was more than just a king, I was a god.

Sal relished in his words. My pocket space began to shift, even against my will, and shadows seemed to crawl across the glass-like walls. The cracks on their surface rippled, taking the vague shape of a vast city expanding throughout [The World Of My Mind].

Haecs eyes flickered, noticing the moving images. Taburas shifted up next to him, and Bertrugil frowned.

The Devil sighed exaggeratedly.

And now, it is all gone. My kingdom is gone. My subjects? Gone. Everything I have ever worked for? Gone

I already knew that!

I interrupted his morose rambling. He blinked, and I raised a clawed hand aimed his way as the shadows creeping across the corner of my eye faded away.

You said you were going to tell me the truth about the end of the world! But youre just telling me about things I already knew about!

My dad waved a hand off dismissively, turning to the four Archdemons sitting to the side. He shook his head as he spoke casually.

Im simply giving context to your friends, my dear daughter. My story wont be as compelling without knowing the full extent of my tragedy

Its not a tragedy when you literally trusted a guy called the Trickster. What did you think was going to happen?

I scoffed, crossing my arms at the Devil. He placed a hand on his chest, affronted.

Ill have you know that I was very suspicious of Trico for the first hundred years I knew him!

And you still ended up trusting him!

It wasnt just me! Everyone did! He spent over a thousand years throughout countless cycles of Advent building up our trust!

Well, Belphegor didnt make it sound like he ever trusted Trico at all!

You know what they say, hindsight is twenty-twenty

What does that even mean

Haec, Taburas, Bertrugil, and Aemula glanced between my dad and I as we bickered back and forth. It took a while, but Haec finally decided to interject, stopping our argument.

Salvos, I want to hear what the Devil has to say.

I paused, turning to my companion with a betrayed look. Sal snickered as I scowled, muttering to myself.

Youre supposed to side with me

Even your friends think youre being rude, my daughter. Seriously, do you have no manners? I cant believe this where did I go wrong in raising you?

My dad grinned at me, and I glared back at him.

You didnt raise me, and you arent even there most of the time, I mentally quipped back, but bit back the remark.

He tapped a finger on his chin, wondering aloud.

Right so where was I?

You mentioned ruling the Netherworld ruling all of its layers.

Haec leaned forward curiously, his head cocked to the side. He continued as shook his head.

Ive never heard of these layers before. Not once has Oracli or Regnorex mentioned such a thing.

Thats because they are as clueless about it as you.

Sal smirked as his gaze scanned the four Archdemons in his audience. He tilted his head back, adding quickly under his breath.

Also because the rest of the layers are mostly gone but thats beside the point!

The creeping shadows returned, and the cracks in my pocket space began to shift once more. The white flames burning outside dimmed as if we were escaping from the Netherworld. But I knew that we hadnt even moved at all.

The Devil sighed as he lowered his head.

I built an empire that should have lasted an eternity, but it was all destroyed because of the corruption.

Haec furrowed his brows, and Taburas glanced at him curiously. He placed a hand on his chin as he slowly turned towards me.

And this corruption you said its causing the end of the world, right?

Yep.

I nodded in response. I placed a hand on my chin, trying to remember what the Kobolds told me a long time ago.

So, um, the corruption comes from these holes in the planes? And they are formed by traveling through them? Or something?

I wasnt actually too sure about all the specific details. And evidently enough, Haec had more questions to press me with. He drew closer, interrogating me as I scratched the back of my head.

Why cant these holes be repaired? How do they cause the corruption? Why does it mean the end of the world?

Because thats

I backed away, before throwing my hands in the air exasperatedly.

I dont know, alright? Ask my Dad!

I finally said as I turned to the Devil. He chuckled, shaking his head at me.

Come on, my dear daughter. I would have thought that at your age, you would rely on your father a little less.

Im like eight years old.

I replied with a snort. I wasnt sure if I was actually eight or not I might have been older, or maybe younger. I didnt really care to keep track of time. All that mattered to me was my levels.

Sal sighed as he faced my companion. Haec wore a frown, suspiciously looking the Devil up and down. Even though I had already reassured him that my dad could be trusted, there was still some doubt and skepticism present there.

The corruption isnt a thing.

The Devil explained as Haec blinked.

Or rather it is more like the destruction of a thing. A decay in the fabric of our reality that spreads like a deadly virus. When you are corrupted, you dont become something else. You just become less.

His eyes flickered towards me, and he whispered to himself.

Or at least, thats what I thought.

Huh.

I cocked my head, but I didnt say a word. Bertrugil folded his arms across his chest, pondering aloud.

So youre saying that the world is slowly decaying, and its happening because of these tiny holes in space which were causing by moving between the planes?

He looked down at my pocket space with pursed lips.

And not only are we not doing anything about it, but were only exacerbating the problem?

I shrank back as he gave me a sidelong glance. Taburas also looked my way, blinking a few times as the realization settled in. But the Devil sighed, leaning back against the glass-like wall of my pocket space.

The problem already exists. It has existed for a long while. Even if both the Spirit Lord and the Demon King halt their summonings between the planes right now, it makes no difference. The corruption shall continue to spread, and the Nexeus shall collapse.

So were supposed to just accept our fate?

Taburas spoke up, staring wide-eyed at the Devil.

Were just supposed to roll over and die? Is no one even trying to put a stop to the end of the world?

Well, poor ole Reggie boy doesnt even know the world is ending, and Soli thats my nickname for the Spirit Lord is trying something. Whether it works out or not? I dont really care.

Sal just shrugged as Haec narrowed his eyes.

And why not? This is your world too, is it not?

It is indeed my world. But I already used up all my care for the end of the world a long time ago.

I watched as the Devils eyes flashed with a hint of regret for just a moment. One of the very few times he showed even a hint of seriousness. But it was gone in an instant. And I knew he was going to try and pivot away from this topic usually with a joke or some dumb remark. So I caught him before he could continue.

And what does that even mean? Did you try to stop it and fail?

I pressed him, and he opened his mouth to respond. But I didnt stop there.

Is that why you gave up and left Belphegor alone down there to face the end of the world himself? Because you gave up?

And Sals brows snapped together. He definitely wasnt expecting me to say that. He looked angry for a moment the very same wrath he displayed when I had affected him with [Zealous Call] when I was still studying in Mavos Academy.

The day he nearly killed me.

But he calmed himself quickly. The anger in his eyes vanished, replaced with a carefree smile that seemed to hide a lingering sadness.

Did I give up? Perhaps. But it is not as simple as you make it out to be, my dear daughter. For you see, my battle against the corruption started long before the end of the world even began.

He whispered as the shadows in the room faded away. The vague images of his empire expanding behind him on the glass-like walls vanished, and all that remained was the Devil sitting before us.

His eyes fluttered as he spoke softly.

Because everything I built everything I did it was all to save the world from its demise.

But how did you know the world was going to end before it even happened?

I blinked a few times, staring quizzically at my dad. He looked up at me and held my gaze with his black eyes. His lips twisted into a smile.

Because, my dear daughter, you see it was Trico who warned us of the impending apocalypse.

Um, what?

I paused as the Devil nodded.

It was he who betrayed his own kin he who slew his fellow Worldwalkers and offered us salvation.