6th layer, Inner ring
We finally made it. We were in the inner ring of the sixth layer. The City of Gold. The trip was fast and without much worry. Atlas had anchored the boat on the river bank and pointed in the direction of the palace.
"It's a bit far from here, but if you keep heading North and over that Rusted Iron Wall, you should see it. The Golden Palace of the Vagetha the Golden Conqueror."
He pointed in the direction of a large wall that reached at least a kilotre high. The wall was covered in rust and possessed massive openings that spewed out hot molten magma from it. This magma had ford several streams around the wall spreading off into different directions, but none ever touching the river of souls. There were golden statues, just a little bit shorter than the wall, placed in a position that made them seem like they were keeping the walls from falling down.
"Ugh. Make sure not to offend the guardians of the wall or you'll end up being used to build one of those statues."
With that final warning, Atlas returned to his boat and started to prepare for his trip back to the outer ring.
'Um… a little bit over the top, don't you think?'
Before I could ask the agent what it ant by that, my ears perked up at the sound of devils running like wild buffalo in a stampeded. In a distance, much like how things were when I first t Malius, a swarm of devils were charging at .
Knowing that there was sothing more to it, I looked past the swarm and saw that a ginormous figure was chasing them my way. It gave off the sa aura as the monster from the first ti, which could only an one thing.
'Ars Goetia?', I thought as my lips started to tremble.
"Fuck! Get in here! There's sothing chasing em!", Atlas, concerningly warned . However, as hard as I tried, I couldn't find a single part of that wanted to listen to him. My mind and body could only focus on one thing.
I rembered the promise I made to myself on the day the agent attacked . I swore I'd never run away from anything that tried to kill . I would face any sort of challenge the world threw at with a resolve of steel.
Had I followed through on that promise?
I couldn't say for sure. I an, I was missing so parts of my mory thanks to [Evolver], but one thing that I knew for sure, was that I did not want to run away from this Ars Goetia I'd heard so much about.
Even worse, I was right next to my goal. I had to hurry up then return to the ho I'd made for myself in this odd world. From where I stood, I could almost see the tip of this Golden Castle Atlas spoke of.
"Sorry, but a NEET like can't help but want to hurry up back to my ho.", having co to my conclusion, I waved Atlas off and marched towards the swarm.
Without looking back, I could tell Atlas listened to and was going away hurriedly. I couldn't help but laugh at the scene before continuing.
'I guess that's just how he is.', I didn't expect anymore from him given his disposition. He had completed his job and wanted nothing more than to return ho. In a sense, we were both alike.
While moving towards the swarm, I noticed that other than what was chasing the swarm, there was another smaller figure just watching from afar. The being was sitting down and looking at while I walked towards what I assud to be his ally.
The agent muttered with a sort of distaste.
'What do you an?'
>
The agent said unexpectedly, clearing all my thoughts away. It felt as if I could see a silhouette of the agent's presence next to , but I just slapped my face and brought myself back to reality.
None of this nonsense mattered. Whether I was becoming more like a devil, whether I was human, whether I was a monster. No one but was allowed to define myself. Akira, Hinotori, Hyakkiyako, Akkun, Kira, simple labels but none could explain the entity I was.
'All I know is that I am who I am. Nothing more, nothing less!'
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