Vile Evil Hides Under The Veil

Chapter 2009: Some Burdens Are Worth Having

Eren explained his stance to the twin dragons, letting them know he already knew what he had signed up for.

There was no dramatic flash, no fiery proclamation—just a calm voice under the night sky, steady and firm. The kind that made even dragons go quiet.

"Eren," Marina said after some time, her tone calm but firm.

"This Elder Ichor divinity seems more like a curse than a blessing. The more you grow the more it will punish you from the looks of it. It puts such a heavy burden on your soul, I don't see how anyone could carry it without losing a sense of self along the way.

It might not happen now. It might not happen anytime soon. But it is almost inevitable. The burden of being the Demon Emperor of all the seven Sin Series Planes and all the demons residing within it is just too great.

You say that the Elder God Alephe had to get rid of his emotions to deal with this burden, right? Will you do the same if push comes to shove?

You must remember that Elder God Aleph was already a god when he decided to take this extreme measure. But when he did that, he was already an Immortal.

So when he abandoned the intent-based magic while possessing the authority to the highest-tier of the demonic intent-based magic, he didn't lose much. I don't know how he died but his lack of ability to execute intent-based magic couldn't have been the main reason.

But… Can you give up on intent-based magic at your level? How will you compete with your opponents if you do?"

Eren turned his head slightly to look at her. His face didn't shift much, but his eyes gave away that he was listening.

"This isn't just about pain for power," Marina continued.

"You think you're growing stronger through it. Maybe you are. But I feel like you're trying to justify it too easily. The way you say it—like it's something noble. Something you've accepted."

She paused, her gaze softening.

"But even if that's true, you will break eventually. One day, this unfathomable strain will catch up to you. And ranking up won't make it go away. Even as an S-Rank Kaiser, this weight on your soul will still remain."

Azurea leaned forward, joining the conversation now. Her voice was more pointed, but not unkind.

"Why don't you ask for help from other demigods?" she said. "I know the Elder Ichor divinity is rare. Maybe nobody else has the same exact condition. But it's not a bad idea to at least ask.

There might be others who've dealt with similar soul-based pressure. Even if they can't fix it, they might offer insights. Something to help you manage the passive burden. Something to keep you from… losing yourself.

So go ahead and ask for help from someone you can trust, I'd say. Especially the demonic demigods that have Demon God Sparks."

Eren stayed quiet for a few long seconds. He didn't smile. He didn't deflect with a joke. Instead, he lowered his gaze, as if truly thinking about what they had said.

The warm glow of the fire-element lanterns flickered gently around the gazebo. He took his time before shaking his head.

"I have thought about it and it seems like a bad idea to me. Don't get me wrong. I'm no fan of doing everything solo. So I would've loved to ask for help," he said, his voice calm but laced with something heavier. "Even if I had to pay the right price for it."

He paused, then let out a small, humorless chuckle.

"But I don't think I can do that. You know why?"

He looked at Marina and Azurea, his gaze steady.

"Because I've pissed off almost every known Immortal in existence," he said with a faint smirk.

"Most of the demigods under them wouldn't even consider helping me. And the few who might pretend to? They'd be setting traps, waiting for the right moment to stab me in the back."

Marina frowned slightly. Azurea crossed her arms and leaned back, listening in silence.

"Sure, there are Immortals who support me. I know that. But even asking them for help is dangerous. Once I do that, others will know who's in my corner. And all they'll need to do to shake my plans is go after those few allies.

People can be bought or manipulated. As someone who does it for the living, I know this truth already."

He leaned forward a little, resting his arms on the table.

"Not every demigod is like En—easy to control. Or like Shir—easy to defeat and turn. The rest?" He shook his head. "They've been at this game for thousands of years. They know their God Sparks inside and out. Compared to them, I'm still crawling."

The light in his eyes dimmed just a little.

"So no," he said. "I can't rely on them. I can't show weakness. I can't risk giving anyone the chance to see what I'm going through."

There was silence for a while, the weight of his words settling in the air.

Then, he looked at Marina with a small, tired smile.

"I understand your doubts. And you have every right to have them. We're allies, and what happens to me could affect you too. You're just being careful."

He exhaled deeply, as if finally letting something go.

"But don't worry too much. I know how I look in the eyes of Immortals and others. Maybe even to you two. Like someone reckless."

His smile widened, faintly, with a quiet sense of defiance.

"But give me time," he said.

"I don't need applause. I don't need a crowd to cheer for me. I'll grow in silence. I'll stay in the shadows where no one's looking. And when the time comes—"

He looked up at the night sky, his eyes reflecting the stars.

"My first impressions will be gone—washed away completely. And they'll see me for what I've become… not what I used to be.

Some people are born with silver spoons. Some have incredible talent, while others have unbelievable luck.

And then there are guys like me, who have to rip success from the hands of fate with sheer force of will. But I'm not complaining.

You might think the blessed have an advantage over the unlucky ones because they get a better start. But the thing about forcefully ripping success from fate's grip is this—whatever we've claimed can't be taken away from us. It stays with us forever."

Azurea looked at Eren with a serious gaze. She processed Eren's words slowly before speaking up.

"Then I guess you already know that people will come after you," she said.

"If so many Immortals are after your head, don't you think taking over this island was a bad idea? It's like lighting a lighthouse to send a beacon of your location to your enemies. Now they know where to find you."

She leaned forward, her tone sharp.

"How will you deal with the problems that will soon come knocking on your door? Even if all the key players of White Raven Island support you to their fullest, do you really think it will be enough?

Some of your enemies will be stronger than Shir, and they'll have numbers on their side too."

Eren listened quietly. He didn't interrupt. Instead, he slowly leaned back in his seat, looking up at the sky for a moment before smiling faintly.

"You say that like I had a choice," he said, turning his eyes back to her.

"The moment I accepted the Elder Ichor's divinity, all this was bound to happen anyway. Whether I took over the island or not, my enemies would've found a reason to come after me."

He paused, his tone calm but firm.

"The thing about becoming a demigod is that you can't go back once you start this journey. There's no off switch. No exit door. It's a one-way path."

He leaned forward, placing both hands on the table.

"So now I have two choices," he continued. "First—I get scared. I throw away my God Spark, I run, and I hide like a rat for the rest of my life. Never show my face. Never reach my goals.

With my abilities, it is completely possible. But if I were to do this, all my previous efforts and struggles would be in vain."

He chuckled, but there was no humor in his voice.

"Second—I still get scared but I move forward anyway. I keep working toward my goals. I keep growing. I push through the fear, the doubt, the pressure—everything."

"Aren't you scared?" Marina asked in a low voice. She was a top-tier existence in Labh Salem as a draconic being with S-Rank powers.

However, she knew that she was nowhere near being called the strongest. Not to mention, there were demigods but also SS-Rank entities who could best her and her sister at the same time easily.

Eren took a breath and met Marina's eyes again before replying honestly.

"Of course I'm scared. Who wouldn't be? But I'm not backing down. I'll take the hits. I'll bleed if I must. But I'll keep going.

I know there'll be hard times ahead. I understand how the cause and effect fabric of the boundless cosmos works. It's a fact that I've killed millions on this island. So there'll be a reckoning unleashed on me.

No matter my reasons for doing so, I'll have to face the consequences of my actions. And those consequences will come in the form of my enemies.

I might come the closest to death in the near future.

But… the cause and effect fabric is as fair as it is merciless. If I face these problems head-on, all my past actions will be wiped clean from my platter.

This was what I meant when I earlier said that some pain is worth suffering.

Some burdens are worth having. Some weights are worth carrying.

They cleanse your past and allow you to move forward into the future.

So… scared or not, happy or not, sad or not… I'll keep walking. That's my only real choice."

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