Ranker Who Lives Twice

The Fruit of Good and Evil is considered one of the greatest treasures in history, along with Olympus' ambrosia and Deva's soma. As the symbol of the origin of evil which caused the first humans Adam and Eve to be banished from Eden, it's also a holy artifact that contains immense knowledge and wisdom.

Since it also contains many laws of causality, anyone who absorbs it will exuviate and transcend easily. It's also a way to draw out any transcendence that the laws of causality have hidden.

Sometimes, I wonder—if I could get it somehow, would Kalatus be able to attain his goal of resurrecting the dragons?

* * *

『The…Fruit of Good and Evil?』 Gabriel, who had been speaking confidently as if she were ready to do whatever Yeon-woo asked, froze at his request.

On the other hand, Agares burst out into laughter. 『Hahaha!』 It was a laughter filled with so much madness that those listening shivered. He stopped laughing and looked at Yeon-woo with an expressionless face. Agares always showed his emotions to Yeon-woo, whether it was obsession or lunacy, but now, he looked like an emotionless doll. 『Do you know what that means?』 His dry voice made chills run down the backs of the other envoys.

However, Yeon-woo just nodded calmly. "I do."

『No, you don't.』

"I do."

『No. You don't.』 Agares' face twisted. 『The Fruit of Evil can only be created by our society after many sacrifices. It contains enough absolute evil to create a Demon King and opposes the Fruit of Good. But you want this ridiculous artifact despite knowing that?』Swish!『Are you serious?』

Agares' demonic energy gathered together into the form of a crushed beast. It was his power, Wicked Devil, which Yeon-woo had also used. Wicked Devil growled at him.

The Fruit of Good and the Fruit of Evil were items that the groups which symbolized absolute good and absolute evil needed a lot of resources and time to create. One bite of one of the fruits would bestow immortality and divinity, and eating the entire fruit would make one a superior divine being. Consuming both the fruits would produce a result even beyond that; it was like a clump of the laws of causality.

The fruits had been only created a few times during the war between Malach and L'Infernal, which had gone on for nearly as long as the history of the universe. The two beings couldn't believe that Yeon-woo had so confidently requested it. He was essentially implying that he wanted to take everything Malach and L'Infernal had for himself.

However, sparks suddenly flew, and Sword Thunder tore Wicked Devil apart. Crackle! Rumble.

Agares stiffened. He knew Yeon-woo had become stronger, but he didn't know Yeon-woo would be able to tear his power apart so quickly. Perhaps…it was possible Yeon-woo was already on his level.

Yeon-woo snorted, arms still crossed. "So much talk."

『What?』

"That's for you guys to take care of. It's not my business, is it?"

Agares was dumbfounded.

"Work like dogs if I tell you to. If you don't want to, fuck off. I won't force anyone." Yeon-woo raised a corner of his mouth. "And I'll review my alliance with L'Infernal again. You guys are the ones who wanted to break it off first anyway, right? It's not my responsibility if it's canceled."

Agares contined to be speechless.

"What are you doing? Aren't you going?" Yeon-woo raised his chin.

Agares looked at him wordlessly and looked up. L'Infernal was in an uproar.

[The demons of demonic society <L'Infernal> are protesting!]

[The demons of <L'Infernal> grind their teeth at you.]

[A few demons ask whether they need to honor the alliance considering this treatment.]

[Baal silently watches you.]

Yeon-woo's threat was astonishing to the prideful creatures. However…

[Agares tells the demons of <L'Infernal> to shut up.]

[Many demons close their mouths.]

[A few demons protest timidly to Agares.]

[Agares narrows his eyes.]

[The East Demon Army is on the move.]

[The resistance has been suppressed.]

After Agares quieted the demons, he turned back to Yeon-woo. His blazing eyes were full of madness. 『And if we make the Fruits of Good and Evil? Will you give us the stone then?』

"Of course not. Don't think that you can pay for the stone with just a couple of Fruits of Good and Evil. I already said this isn't a negotiation."

Many envoys familiar with Agares' reputation quickly prepared to activate their powers. They believed that no matter how much Agares wanted Yeon-woo, he wouldn't put up with this much humiliation. He wasn't called "Agares of Madness" for nothing. They could guarantee L'Infernal would probably try to rip Yeon-woo's head off. Even though Baal hadn't said anything yet, it seemed certain that the alliance would be terminated.

『Haha! Hahaha…!』 But Agares burst out into laughter again.

[Agares has temporarily left <L'Infernal>!]

[The East Demon Army follows Agares and declares a collective breakaway!]

『N-no way!』

『H-he left L'Infernal? The Grand Duke of the East?』

Agares' decision to temporarily break ties with L'Infernal left the envoys stunned. Aside from Baal, he was one of the greatest demons of L'Infernal. His subordinates probably made up forty percent of the society, but now they were leaving together. It was a declaration that he would create a new society and walk an independent path.

『You're so amusing.』 Agares snickered, rubbing his lips with his thumb. 『So, so, amusing…』 He fixed his eyes on Yeon-woo. They were filled with desire, madness, and obsession. He looked as though he would like to take Yeon-woo immediately. Who in the world would dare threaten him like this? He probably would have eaten the soul of the idiot who tried, but Yeon-woo's threat didn't displease him. 『I'll give you the Fruit of Evil. We were about to create some anyway.』

Yeon-woo didn't miss the implication of Agares' words. He was "about to"? Yeon-woo realized how Agares was planning to obtain the fruit, and he grinned. It was a ridiculous method, but the fastest and most certain. 'More importantly, the Fruit of Good can be made the same way, too. Is he planning on making the Fruit of Good and Evil here?' Yeon-woo clucked his tongue at Agares' devious scheme.

Although it seemed like Agares' departure from L'Infernal was an impulsive act, Yeon-woo could see it had been carefully planned ahead of time. Baal probably had some input, as well.

『Crazy…bastards.』 However, it clearly didn't seem that way to Gabriel because she looked from Agares to Yeon-woo with an appalled expression. It seemed crazy to her that Yeon-woo could ask for the fruit as though it were an apple growing in their backyard, and it was just as crazy that Agares agreed to give it. Her free spirit often resulted in nagging from the seraphs and scoldings from Metatron, but these two were even more impulsive. Agares had left his society over something so simple? Even though it was temporary, she didn't understand.

To gods and demons, societies weren't simply affiliations. They were a source of protection from external threats and allowed them to maintain the legends that made up their existences. It was impossible to abandon a society. Even if demons were selfish, it wasn't something that happened. They didn't have to be loyal to their society, but there were certain lines that they couldn't cross, although it was true that some beings wandered alone like Cernnunos and Vimalacitra, who left his society recently. However, those two were known to have surpassed the limits of transcendents, gods, and demons.

Agares and Yeon-woo were nothing like them. It seemed to Gabriel that both Yeon-woo, who ordered the gods and demons around like slaves, and Agares, who acted as he wished, would meet their downfall soon. She spread her hundreds of white wings open.

Metatron had ordered her to come down, but she felt like she'd go crazy as well if she stayed any longer. She didn't know what her punishment would be, but she'd rather be stuck in Eden for even 200 years.

『Where are you going?』 Agares asked the floating Gabriel with a twisted smile. His sharp canines glistened.

『You guys can make that Fruit of Good and Evil or whatever on your own. We don't have any Fruits of Good to give to you, and we have no plans to create them.』

『What makes you think you don't have them?』

『What?』 Gabriel frowned, not understanding Agares. Swish! Suddenly, black demonic energy soared up from the ground and created hundreds of columns that trapped Gabriel.

『Huph!』 Gabriel flapped her wings in surprise. Rainbow-colored light flashed, breaking the demonic energy columns. 『What are you…!』 Just as she was about to protest, the broken pieces of demonic energy joined back together like a spider web and sent out tentacles to imprison her.

This time, someone else had joined the fray. Clatter. Emptiness appeared in the air and black chains tumbled out of them. Yeon-woo smiled coldly at her.

『You psychos!』 She realized that they were trying to capture her and frowned. Gabriel released as much of her powers as she could.

〈His Hero〉

〈Month of Aquarius〉

〈Water of the First Month〉

Rainbow-colored light turned into waves of water that gushed like a tsunami as sharp blades poured down like rain. The sky shook as they cut space itself, leaving several tears. Her extraordinary strength befitted her role as one of the greatest angels of Malach, but unfortunately, she was facing the second-most powerful figure of L'Infernal and the successor of the Black King, who put Malach on guard. There were also dozens of envoys who saw it as their chance to eliminate more competition.

『Aaack!』 In the end, Gabriel's powers were destroyed before she could even do anything, and a storm of demonic energy ripped her wings apart. The white wings were either red with blood or black with demonic energy.

Clatter! The black chains pierced through her shoulders and calves, wrapping around her entire body. No matter how much she resisted, the divine iron absorbed her holy power.

『If you lack absolute good to create the Fruit of Good, you can just collect enough nutrients for it.』 Agares chuckled at Gabriel, who was floating in the air. She looked like a saint nailed on a cross. 『Since you're so bothersome, it looks like things worked out well.』 Agares had a refreshed face as if all his worries had gone.

『Do you think you'll get away with this?』 Gabriel shouted at Agares and Yeon-woo, who watched her silently. She had been punishing evil for a long time already, and she was confident she hadn't been defeated. She knew that Malach would soon move to punish them!

Absolute good against absolute evil—the Armageddon they were postponing would finally happen, and because of Agares' wicked greed, the order of the heavenly world would be crushed.

『I think we will』 However, Agares' twisted smile didn't leave his face.

Gabriel's eyes widened. 『What?』

[The godly society <Malach> has banished Gabriel!]

[From this point on, Gabriel is unaffiliated with any group.]

『M-Metatron?』 Gabriel called the name of the scribe she respected, thinking that there was something wrong with her eyes. However, the message that had popped up was accurate.

[Metatron looks at Gabriel with an indifferent expression.]

『W-why…?』

[Metatron looks at Gabriel with an indifferent expression.]

『N-no way…!』

There was only one question in Gabriel's mind: why?

Agares gave her the answer. 『Hahaha! Do you still not understand? I don't know if you're naive or dumb. No, you must be dumb. You were a sacrifice from the beginning. Do you think that sly snake didn't know what ### wanted?』

Gabriel was speechless.

『You've been abandoned by the society you trusted so much. You are nothing more than a chess piece. 』

『T-that's not true!』

『Is it a small sacrifice for the greater good? You angels amuse me each time I encounter you.』 Agares licked his lips like a cat. His movements were smooth and alluring.

[Metatron glares at Agares with a displeased face.]

『Anyway.』 He smirked. 『Goodbye.』

『Noooo!』 Gabriel cried out desperately, but the chains binding her grew tighter.