Nicolas, tired and injured, had lost his eyes and was unable to see Neo. All he sensed was a terrifyingly titanic aura from the sky pressing down on the world.
It was as if the heavens themselves were angry.
The Protector of the Zone 9 roared. As soon as the dimensional barrier was broken, Tartarus strengthened the Protector to the limit.
The Protector was about to dash towards Neo when suddenly Neo shifted his head.
The Protector felt it.
Neo was looking at him.
Cold fear seeped into the Protector's heart. His body refused to move and attack Neo.
Sweat poured down his body as he lowered his head.
Then finally, Neo turned back his attention to Vlad and the Protector could breathe again.
Neo floated down to the surface.
"Can you guys leave this Layer?" he asked Tyr and Nicolas as he healed them to their peak condition.
"We can't. The Sacred Treasure Olivia had was destroyed when she was killed," Nicolas answered.
He had seen her being killed. Her daughter had died due to Neo's mistake, and now her too.
No matter how strong he became, it was never enough.
"I'll send you to a safe space until my battle with him ends—"
"I'm afraid that might be difficult," Vlad spoke up. "Letting those two escape after everything they know would make things difficult for me."
He seemed to be in a good mood that his taunt worked, which was why he even let Neo talk with Tyr and Nicolas.
Thanatos – the Intent Clone being controlled by Neo – entered the Zone through the crack in the dimensional barrier.
He could sense the tense atmosphere.
'I can't hear the dragons' thoughts through the hivemind. Seems like they blocked my entrance access.'
'They must be holding a vote to decide how to deal with me.'
He saw several smaller Nyxtharion and a few wall guardian Nyxtharion on his way.
There was no need to attack them.
If he did, everyone would know he was the traitor.
He quickly arrived at Nyxtharion #2's location.
"You have created an awfully loud commotion," Nyxtharion #2 said.
"I apologize if it disturbed you," he said.
"Do not worry about it." The dragon smiled serenely. "Now, have you attained the answers to the question of Great I? It would be optimal if you could give them to the Great I now.
"There is not much time left before the Great I realizes the Great I was the traitor helping you, and eliminates the Great I."
"I haven't found all the answers yet," Thanatos said honestly.
"Is that so?" Nyxtharion #2 smiled.
The dragon had expected it. To find the answers related to the Elder Dragon's past, Neo would need to devour Nyxtharion #1 and gain his memories.
But that was easier said than done.
"Nevertheless you must have found the answer to the Great I's last question," Nyxtharion said. "Have the Great I and I served justice until now, or the twisted judgement of a madman?"
"Pardon the Great I's foolishness. Since you decided to erase all Zones, it must mean you found them too disgusting to be left as is. That is enough to answer the question."
Nyxtharion #2 had a regretful look in his eyes.
He couldn't remember his past. He couldn't remember why he was serving Tartarus.
And now an outsider, someone who was able to look from an outside perspective, told him the justice he had been serving was nothing but the whims of someone who thought himself to be the absolute judge.
"I don't know," Thanatos suddenly spoke up.
"I don't know the answer to your last question."
"…did you not devour the Zones? That must be because you decided they were 'wrong'."
"That was not why I did it," Thanatos answered.
"Then what is your answer to my question?" Nyxtharion #2 pressed. "What is the truth of all I've been doing?"
"I don't know. I can't judge your actions. I'm no God."
"But you said you were a Grim Reaper!"
The dragon realized he had shouted. He froze, then lowered his head.
"Please forgive the Great I's manner. The Great I did not mean to take out anger on you. The Great I… is just lost."
Thanatos knew how that felt.
He had 'seen' countless people like that.
Nyxtharion #2 wanted answers before he was killed. He was desperate for them.
Thanatos did not comfort him.
Instead, he repeated his words,
"I can't judge you. I'm no God.
"And I can't deliver justice for others on you. I'm no avenger."
The dragon bit his lips.
His nails dug into the ground, helpless.
He was going to die without knowing anything—
"I can give you another chance. To live again. To find yourself what you have been living for."
Without waiting for the dragon's reply, Thanatos placed his hand on Nyxtharion #2's claws.
A warm and soothing energy surged out of Thanatos and began to cover Nyxtharion.
"Nyxtharion, meet the people you've judged. The answer you will find by yourself will be far more worth than anything I will give you."
Nyxtharion #2 was teleported to Neo's Cosmos.
He saw Celestra there.
Surprised, the dragon noticed he couldn't connect to the hivemind.
"Can't talk to your buddies?" Celestra spoke, knowing Neo must've sent Nyxtharion #2 there for a reason. "This place is an entirely different universe. It's normal you can't maintain contact between two different cosmos.
Nyxtharion #2 followed her words, and he froze.
The landmass looked like a gigantic flat land floating in empty space.
It looked like something that was created by meshing several worlds together. Nyxtharion #2 recognized the architectures from Zone 1 and Zone 3.
The dragon noticed the people.
He recognized some of them as mindless monsters who roamed Zone 2 and Zone 3. He even saw the Protectors.
And, he saw the Grand Expedition members who had been killed on Floor 1 and Floor 2.
"Apparently, he was able to revive those people when he devoured their corpses which were buried all over the Zones. I didn't ask for much details though. So I'm not exactly sure how it works either," Celestra answered.
Watching the people, the dragon recalled Neo's words.
'Meet the people you've judged and find out the answer by yourself.'
Nyxtharion #2 looked at Celestra.
"Can the Great I talk to them?"
"Sure?" Celestra rubbed her chin then nodded. "I don't see why not. If Neo sent you here, that means he gave you the permission."
As the dragon descended, he couldn't help but smile.
Yes, he was not a god.
He was something beyond it.