Why must the devil be Defeated?

———— "The Primordial Substance of the World"

As the name implies, it refers to the very first matter that appeared in this world called Omni Potanssen.

When the Supreme God had created this world with his supreme power, it was born consequently.

For it was an existence formed by the residual power left after the Supreme God had completed the creation of the world.

Its birth was an accident.

Yet, it indeed was the first thing to appear in this world, containing the residual power the Supreme God used to create the world, and can truly be called the crystallization of the divine feat.

The Supreme God discovered it but chose not to take it away; instead, He decided to leave it to this world.

Thus, it rooted itself in this world and over long years gradually merged with the earth, becoming indistinguishable.

Those who knew of its existence called it —— "The Branch of Resurgence."

Its appearance is like a tree branch, which is how it received this name.

In the past, many had searched for it but were unable to successfully locate it.

Even the Hero who founded the Ragnar Empire had searched the land where it had rooted for many years, ultimately finding nothing, and thus he established this country atop that very land.

To this day, besides the Supreme God, no one else has ever seen this primordial substance, the true all-powerful Goddess's crystallization left for the world.

The Supreme God left only one prophecy for it.

"—— 'When the sky is obscured by darkness, and the earth turns into the Red Prison, the Branch of Resurgence shall awaken from its deep sleep and descend upon this universe'—"

It is said that only when all conditions mentioned in the prophecy are met, will the Branch of Resurgence leave the rooted earth and appear in this world.

It is said that whoever obtains it can wield the immense power of the Supreme God, gaining power of the same nature as that used during the creation of the world.

What use that power holds, no one knows.

Some believe it grants eternal life.

Some believe it can create a new world or race.

Even, some believe it can transform a person thoroughly, turning them into a member of the Divine Race.

It is undoubtedly one of the highest-level treasures in the world.

Yet, since the world's creation and the emergence of life on earth, no one has ever found the Branch of Resurgence.

Gradually, the deeds related to the Branch of Resurgence turned into legend, passed down only among a select few.

The Royal Family possesses records of this legend, merely because it involves their ancestors and the legend of the Hero Ragnar who founded the country.

Moreover, since the founding Hero was always rumored to be searching for it, and even established a country on this land because of it, it remains a legend within the Imperial Family and is recorded.

Generations of Emperors have read this book; some believed it to be true and mobilized the nation's resources to seek it, yet found nothing. Some treated it as merely a story for amusement.

Even the former Imperial concubine treated it as a story to amuse children, often telling it to Harvis and Cappelen when they were small.

Until the former Imperial concubine stepped down and Moro ascended, the only ones left who knew of this legend were Harvis and Cappelen who had heard the story in their childhood.

...

"So that's how it is..."

Shane, looking at the ancient book in his hands, wore a suddenly enlightened expression.

"No wonder everyone treats it as just a legend; apart from the Supreme God, no one has ever seen this so-called Branch of Resurgence, huh?"

Moreover, the appearance of the Branch of Resurgence dates back to the very beginning of the world.

At that time, let alone the Human Race, even the Divine Race had not yet appeared, and the Demon King had not yet confronted the Supreme God. So, how could anyone treat it as a real event?

"Yep, flags are set flying everywhere."

Shane couldn't help but retort.

Isn't that right?

Usually, these kinds of supposedly impractical legends always turn out to be true in the end.

Anyway, Shane feels that he has already seen through it.

That meant...

"Did the High Priest really dig up that part of the Empire secretly, unknown to others, just to find the Branch of Resurgence?"

How to put it?

It feels rather absurd.

Hiding in such a remote corner of the wilderness, threatening a group of people to quietly dig—what ghost could they dig up?

The Branch of Resurgence isn't buried in the ground; it is rooted in this land and has merged with the land. Only when the conditions in the Supreme God's prophecy are met will it appear, and yet they bring people covertly to dig?

Okay, so they've literally dug their own grave there, to eternally rest in peace—presumably, the High Priest must be moved to tears?

"Let's not bother criticizing anymore."

Shane sighed, sinking into thought.

In fact, he also knew that the High Priest's actions must have held another significance, not as Cappelen naively guessed—to dig up the Branch of Resurgence.

After all, the master of that place was not the High Priest, but Moro, the Poisonous Consort.

The Poisonous Consort surely knew the prophecy of the Branch of Resurgence.

So, the purpose of Moro establishing that secret base was definitely not to unearth the Branch of Resurgence, but something else altogether.

Although Shane didn't know what she intended to do, he could guess her objective.

"She must be trying to fulfil the conditions mentioned in the prophecy."

Shane was sure of it.

Why would the Hero who founded the Ragnar Empire establish a country on this piece of land?

Just to reside here long-term, conveniently searching for the Supreme God's treasure, right?

To establish a Kingdom just for convenience?

Shane did not think that the Hero and Cappelen were that naive.

The Hero Ragnar established this Empire, definitely with a purpose in mind.

And that purpose, like Moro's, was to gather the conditions prophesized to manifest the Branch of Resurgence.

Unfortunately, Hero Ragnar had not achieved his goal before he became too ostentatious and firmly settled his whereabouts here, thus being slaughtered by a certain Dragon Demon who wanted to quickly kill the Hero, the natural enemy of the Demon Clan.

And Moro knew about this incident, which brought him to this Kingdom.

"Why, hating the Hero so much, did she not trouble the more representative Mitra Kingdom, but instead come to stir trouble in the Empire?"

"And why did she come here to become the Imperial Concubine, and stay for ten years?"

There was only one answer.

That is, in this Empire, she could achieve Moro's goal.

She was after the Branch of Resurgence.

For this, she needed to set her plans within the Ragna Empire, gather the prophetic conditions, and let the Branch of Resurgence appear.

But then, the question arose.

"What is her purpose in setting her sights on Tielle?"

This was something Shane always had in mind.

After all, he was here for Tielle, and any other purpose was secondary.

Moro had set her sights on Tielle, wanting to use her for something, that much was certain.

But what exactly did Tielle possess that she needed?

And was this thing also capable of fulfilling Moro's goal, namely, the conditions to manifest the Branch of Resurgence?

But why would the conditions to manifest the Branch of Resurgence be related to Tielle, a descendant of the official lineage of the Kingdom Nobles and the Descendant of the Brave?

Just because Tielle was a blood relative of the Lefirut Family outside?

Then why not simply target the people of the Lefirut Family?

"Hmm, I can't figure it out..."

Shane was baffled.

He knew too little about the Empire, even less about Moro, and had never even seen Moro's face, truly at a loss for where to begin.

"Now, the secret base of the High Priest has been blown by me, that route is no longer viable."

Then, he could only start from another direction that Harvis had given him.

"Lani Bafen..."

Lasha and Lilith should still be watching that area, right?

"After leaving the Imperial Palace, I'll go look for them."

Having decided this, Shane flipped through the ancient book in his hands a few more times, confirming there was no superfluous information, before finally putting it back.

"Woo... Woo woo...!"

At the same time, a plaintive cry finally reached Shane's ears, pulling him out of his deep thoughts.

Shane turned his head, looking toward the source of the blocked cries.

The Emperor was still hanging upside down, his face swollen and blue, his mouth stuffed with cloth, struggling and writhing miserably, making his short and plump body continuously squirm.

That sight was quite an eyesore.

Shane remained silent for a moment, then approached the figure.

"...!?"

The Emperor seemed to have just awakened from unconsciousness, instinctively crying out, and upon seeing Shane, immediately recalled his past ordeal, stopping his cries and squirming.

Fear and panic existed in his swollen eyes, even carrying a strong plea for mercy.

Undoubtedly, he recognized the cloaked intruder before him as the mysterious powerful figure who had annihilated the Lefirut Family.

He thought Shane came to kill him, hence his heart was filled with fear.

To be honest, Shane indeed had the thought of conveniently disposing of him.

Such a foolish and incompetent Emperor was a nuisance to keep.

However...

"Someone told me not to kill you because they want you to kneel before his mother and confess."

Shane's voice slowly reached the Emperor's ears.

"So, I won't kill you."

Upon hearing this, the Emperor breathed a sigh of relief.

However, Shane suddenly changed his tone.

"Although I won't kill you directly, you truly are an eyesore."

Shane extended a hand toward the Emperor.

"Since you forced others into a deep sleep without waking, I'll turn you into a madman, enduring mockery from others."

"Don't thank me."

"I'm just trying to do something good."

With that, Shane, regardless of the Emperor's terrified and desperate gaze, mercilessly cast a spell.

"[Grant·Madness]."

That day, the current Emperor of the Ragna Empire went mad.

The Empire thus entered a true period of chaos.