Chapter 44: A Pathetic Death
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Nero had been in that throne room for over a century. 

His memories of the time before he was in the throne room were beginning to fade. 

Ever since that damn angel had placed him in here he burned with a growing rage. 

Nero, who was known as “Roran” in a past life was a person who was simultaneously called the “executioner” by his enemies and was also known as the “Savior” by others. He had united the world under his own banner and ushered in a period of peace. It was a path laid out in blood and Roran did not mind.

He was a singularly determined individual and would ensure that he did what he felt was right.

When the world was united. It was finally peaceful. But that did not mean Roran was not met with scorn. 

He ruled with an iron fist, prepared to do what was needed to ensure the unity of the world.

But, people grow to love their chains.

And he was deposed. The world who had once praised him had eliminated him and once again became peaceful free from their “tyrant”

Roran’s allies who had helped unite the world with him were slowly killed, hunted, and routed.

His precious allies who had shed blood for his sake, and his lover, Isla were all cut down like cattle.

And then once again the world fell into chaos. As if Roran’s rule had never existed.

Roran found himself in front of a mysterious angel. 

Begging to be left to rest in peace with his companions the angel allowed Roran to be granted his wish.

The wicked angel tricked him, and cast him down to another mortal world, as a dungeon monster.

The souls of his allies were diffused and given to Roran as mana. Their pained voices swirling in his head as their souls were broken into pieces.

The angel had cursed Roran and locked him in endless solitude.

Roran who was left alone in the dungeon was filled with anger. 

To get the chance to strike down the angel who had cursed him.

He created a dungeon using his vast mana reserves and set up pillars filled with the fragments of his allies' souls.

If he could kill enough humans on this planet he would recover enough mana to restore them. 

And thus he waited.

A steady trickle of adventurers came in over the years. Roran deliberately conserved mana to bait them in. 

Soon the pillars began to speak and Roran felt his power grow once more.

Due to his nature as a dungeon beast, he could not possibly leave the dungeon, but he was still the ruler of it.

Roran began to notice the number of adventurers coming into his room lower even further. He had killed too many, they became wary. Fewer and fewer came to challenge him 

Roran laid low and locked his gates. Waiting for adventurers to forget who he was. He could wait, he had time.

His plan worked and when he flung his gates open again adventurers once more began to trickle in.

That was until the man came.

The man who could make blades appear out of nowhere. 

The man was a much harder fight than Roran had anticipated, and although he used his special skill [Overlord] to weaken the man several times, he was unable to land a decisive blow, and thus the man escaped with his life. 

As a person who rarely felt defeat, this was painful for Roran, although he had won the fight and forced his opponent to retreat he was unable to secure the large amount of mana the man had. 

Roran cursed himself and hoped that another would come along.

And she did.

There was a curious girl and her party who came. A girl who was younger than any adventurer he had seen. A girl that was young enough to be Roran’s granddaughter when he had died. 

Roran didn’t move, not wanting to scare them away but the girl looked at him as if she was looking straight into his soul and instantly retreated in fear.

Roran internally praised her intuition but felt as if this was not the last time he would see her. 

It was not long before she arrived again with a determined look on her face.

This time Roran knew that this girl came to fight.

Based on his assumption he knew that she had cast some sort of buff, it was still a meager amount and he toyed with the girl and her party.

The taller girl with them seemed to be able to match him the best but he was unconcerned and waited for them to play their trump cards as he slowly raised the pressure of the fight.

That’s how it was supposed to go, and how Roran had killed many adventurers previously.

That was until the girl who had noticed Roran’s eyes lean against a pillar. 

He instantly felt the consciousness of one of his allies lessen and weaken.

The spot where the girl had touched was now marred.

Roran was horrified. 

This girl was no longer food, but rather an existential threat.

She was an existence that could destroy everything Roran had been building for.

He fought desperately, but every time he tried to get close he was hampered by her allies. 

They grew stronger, faster and soon Roran was having trouble dealing with them.

The girl devoured pillar after pillar.

Roran starting judiciously casting [Overlord]

[Give them back! Give them back! GIVE THEM BACK!]

His body began to steam with mana his body leaking and unable to hold all his allies together.

He felt streams of consciousness that had started to blossom over the years. Begin to fade away.

[GIVE THEM BACK!]

2 pillars left

[GIVE THEM BACK!]

The girl ate another and Roran screamed soundlessly in despair

[GIVE THEM BACK!]

Roran ran over to his last pillar. 

He could see his end, this was Isla’s pillar.

He wanted her to go peaceful…

He struck at it, again and again.

Cracks formed in it and he could hear the confused voice of his lover.

Crack!

The pillar broke and her stream of consciousness faded.

Roran with mana leaking across his body kneeled in front of the dissolving pillar.

His body, no longer human, was sobbing, despite not being able to sob physically.

He stood up and turned towards the girl and her party who looked at him baffled.

Roran charged halfheartedly wanting to be put out of his misery.

He felt his hp fall but he did not mind, for why would a dying animal complain in the manner that they were going to be killed.

He saw his HP reach 0 and his body crumpled; He was no longer in control of it.

He felt something eat at him. The girl could control mana as he could. Was she related to the angel?

She had to know.

“You...have been… Tricked” he said with dying breaths

As his vision faded dark he saw her.

In the beautiful azure dress she wore at his wedding she took his hand. And they walked. To where? Roran did not know, but in his mind, it did not matter.

“Ah, Isla I’ve come home”

And that is the story of how a man who once united the world died.

 

Some of you might be asking, why is this relevant? And all I have to say is that this is the most plot-heavy chapter in the whole series excluding chapter one

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