I began to have my suspicions about Aloe back when she first awoke and started acting a bit strangely. However, I easily chalked it down to many other factors.


    Training also revealed a lot of inconsistencies in her character, but I gave excuses for those too. Besides, I had checked her using Magic, and there was nothing suspicious about her in the slightest.


    Then, when we teleported to the Nether Cult''s headquarters and got separated; I slowly began formting exnations for the cause of the incident.


    There was a strong likelihood that my Spell was interfered with as we teleported. Thus… suspicion fell on a member of our team. Once the inconsistencies added up, a justifiable basis of suspicion was formed.


    Now that it had been confirmed by the recent series of events—as well as the direct confession of the party in question—I no longer had any doubts.


    ''This is Aloe''s body, but… she''s not Aloe!''


    "Won''t you ask me who I am?" She asked me, most likely confused about my silence.


    "If I was to guess, I''d say you''re one of the Apostles of Aether. You possessed Aloe''s body, and you''re currently using it to your ends. Am I wrong?"


    "H-how did you know all that?" Aloe, or whoever was inside her, returned my distracted gaze with surprise.


    Now wasn''t the proper time for this, but just to make us on the same page, some exnations were necessary.


    "You are too strong. You know too much. And you are too afraid. Once you piece those three together and understand the situation that led to Aloe''s strange behavior—hera when trying  to find [The Moon] Arcana—I can basically make that guess." I sighed.


    "So, am I wrong?"


    "No. You''re spot-on correct. My name is Kazen, an Apostle of Aether."


    "Well, Kazen, I have many questions and reservations about this. However, now is not the time."


    As much as I did not approve of her actions—and I was plenty upset about how she messed up my n—I also recognized her desire to eliminate the imminent threat.


    ''Also, she''s more useful than Aloe. In terms of importance, it''s better to have Kazen on our side.''


    "We need to find a way to win. As much as it pains me to say, that Arcana seems invincible. I''m out of ideas." I shot her a curious look. "Got any suggestions?"


    Kazen shook her head in a sigh. Her brows were crinkled with worry, and she bit her lip helplessly.


    "Our only hope is probably to gather every single Arcana to form our own amalgamation. Unfortunately, the Cult is in possession of some original Arcanas—mine included. Unless… you could make Arcanas from scratch?"


    "H-hold on, is that what the Nether Cult did? Is that how they were able to ovee their shortage of Arcanas?" I gasped in shock.


    Something bitter permeated my mouth.


    "Yes. You figured it out."


    "Ah, I see. Damnit!" Now it was my turn to bite my lip and clench my fist.


    I was overwhelmed with anger… at myself!


    ''My Original Magic studies spells, analyzes them, and can replicate them! Why did I not think the enemy could do the same? If they could see us using our Arcanas and simply extract all the forme and information they need, then… DAMNIT!''


    How could I have been so shortsighted? How could I not have seen this bit of obvious information? How could I have let such an oversight ur?<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    If I nned better… if I prepared a bit more, then none of this would have happened!


    "Even if we miraculously gather all the Arcanas, it''s toote. They''re way ahead of us in the process. Besides, at best, we''d be evenly matched. However, not only are those two more powerful than we are… there''s also Ciel. It''s impossible to win."


    Once I heard ''Ciel'', my mind sparked. The Apostles had been warning us about this being ever since we found the [Strength] Arcana.


    "Ciel? Isn''t that—?!"


    "Besides… it''s already toote. Now that the final Arcana has been created, we can''t stop what wille next." Kazen whispered, her body trembling as she spoke.


    I could see the sky darken, and despair slowly began to take form.


    The air suddenly turned cold and stale, and dark clouds hung all over us. Malevolence filled the air, causing violent chills to assail my body.


    "My friends and I witnessed this same thing many millennia ago…"


    The massive Arcana shot arge burst of energy into the dark clouds, creating an impossibly massive shockwave.


    Karlia, Aloe, and I braced ourselves as we watched all that was going on.


    The multicolored beam of light spread across the dark cloud, instantly forming a huge swirl of dark space in the sky. The swirl increased in size, forming something big—like an all-consuming ck hole.


    However, unlike a ck hole, the massive blot in the sky didn''t take anything in. Rather, it seemed like something was about toe out!


    "Back then, we banded under Merlin and fought it off. We barely won, and a lot of my friends were sacrificed in the process. But now…"


    Despair dawned on me more and more, as a certain embodiment of Nether began emerging from the void. Its misty hand came forth—massive and immensely overwhelming.


    "... There aren''t enough powerful heroes in this world. There aren''t enough Arcanas to go around." Aloe''s trembling whispers pounded within my ears.


    The gigantic legs of the misty Nether entity came next. It was coated in purple energy, and its overwhelmingly powerful manifestation nearly caused me to pass out. My head pounded so much, but I used all my willpower and Nether to remain standing.


    Soon, the rest of the body came from the massive hole, revealing itsplete body—the very embodiment of darkness given the form of a being.


    "The world will end now that the Nether is here."


    *


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    [A/N]


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