The Principle of a Philosopher by Eternal Fool “Asley” - Chapter 469: The Eternal Fool

“What… is this?”

What Lucifer saw, what the monsters on the battlefield saw, what all of humanity saw… it was not Asley. It was the warm aura of arcane energy of Asley enveloping the world.

There was no pressure in the arcane energy, no waves, no fear induced.

It simply embraced the world’s arcane energy like a calm of sea, resonating with Asley, clinging to him. But only Lucifer saw something different. He understood something he wished he did not.

[There’s no mistake…! This… is the arcane energy emanating from him — from Asley! Why!! Why does he possess this arcane energy?! Has he lived thousands more years just to defeat me!? No! Absolutely not! This is not the gentle arcane energy he’s known for! This level of arcane energy, it’s…!!]

“The Space-Time Transmission spell, theoretically, shouldn’t be usable anymore.”

“…!”

“With what little power God had left, I managed to return to the confirmed time of this era, the third day of the sixth month, to the Pochisley Agency. So, theoretically, I can’t go any further back in time than that.”

It was because the power of the Devilkin had surpassed that of God.

“But when I was stuck in the Storeroom, I had no choice but to achieve a greater power. I had to surpass God’s arcane energy — as well as the Devil King’s energy.”

If Asley could surpass both of those higher powers, then Space-Time Transmission magic was possible to invoke. Such was the answer Asley had arrived at — a seemingly impossible achievement within the dimension where even starvation seemed imminent.

“The initial push that allowed me to surpass it was, to my surprise… your Magitek, Lucifer.”

“My… Magitek…?”

“Your Vital Equalizer and Vital Exchange. They really are remarkable techniques — definitely something a Devil King would come up with. They could convert HP into MP, distribute damage equally — it puts everything under your control.”

“What… what are you implying!?”

“So here’s the thing… I had to fight you here once, or else I couldn’t have gone back in time. So, I decided to do something that only I could do — I quantified a certain thing and converted it into arcane energy.”

Right after, Pochi noticed a change in Asley’s appearance.

“W-wha–!? WHAT!? Your hair… it’s…!! LIKE AN OLD MAN’S!!”

Asley’s hair, enveloped in emerald light, suddenly turned white.

Realizing the implications, Lucifer widened his eyes in shock.

“Y-your… lifespan… You’ve converted your own lifespan into arcane energy!?”

It was a foolish plan that only Asley, who had tasted the elixir of life, could choose. The ultimate Magitek that sacrificed lifespan to generate arcane energy.

Lucifer had witnessed this phenomenon before.

It occurred when Lucifer, who had come to Eddo, cornered Asley.

–You are… levitating? Where did you find the arcane energy to do that? You were not supposed to have any remaining. Is it your emotions? Ah, yes, the force of will… that is what makes humanity different from us. More fearsome than us… in a way. However, the most you can achieve with this little energy is invoke the Levitation spell. You cannot even stand — now, what will you do next?

Memories of Asley shedding tears as he attempted to stop Lucifer resurfaced within Lucifer’s mind.

[That wasn’t… that wasn’t arcane energy overflowing from emotions! At that moment, Asley had already shown signs of being able to use this Magitek…!!]

“Oh, and this hair? It’ll go back to normal soon, but you know, I never could make it so that this doesn’t happen — no matter how many times I try, it always turns white!”

Upon hearing these words, Irene had a sudden realization.

It was about the magic invented by Asley, buried away due to its apparent uselessness.

–With my arcane energy, I can summon 30 at a time. Even if I were to use Giving Magic and invoke it all day, you’d only be able to gain only a few thousand experience points… Well, actually, probably less than 3,000.

This was the story Irene heard when Asley succeeded in generating experience points through magic.

“Darklight Eikon…!”

Irene turned to Gaston, who nodded slightly with a smile.

“So that’s why you were able to level up so much…! With this arcane energy, the experience points that can be earned are just… Wait! Could it be!?”

Irene looked back at Asley.

“Right. The young man is on even a higher level.”

Gaston continued,

“The prophecy overwrite was to prevent the young man from being killed. Since he knew that all twelve of the Duodecad were still alive at the moment Lucifer thought he was dead… he needed to redirect the attention of the Devilkin, the attention of Devil King Lucifer, toward the Duodecad.”

“At first, I didn’t realize it, but that’s what it was after all. Lucifer, it was necessary to deceive you until this day, this moment. It wasn’t just Idïa or Cleath. You had to be deceived because you became cautious after experiencing defeat once at the hands of the Holy Warriors. It was important for me to return to the day I met Jun’ko and convey the prophecy of the Twelve Starsigns to her. Until the moment when I invoked the Storeroom, I couldn’t afford to be killed by you…!”

Asley’s words pierced Lucifer.

“How I instructed Idïa to target the Duodecad, and how I tried to make you experience a living hell — all of it…! All of it was a part of your scheming!?”

“Uh, sorry, that’s just you being you. I’m just an idiot who turned his lifespan into power… I didn’t plan it THAT meticulously. I just did what I could as an idiot… or should I say… a Fool?”

“Fool… foolish… Indeed, incredibly foolish…! The magitek… it’s such a double-edged sword that could kill you in an instant with even the slightest miscalculation! Yet you… You…!!”

“Yeah, only I could do it, you know?”

As Asley finally acknowledged himself as a fool…

“”Asley!!””

Voices reached him — the voices of his comrades.

With Asley’s arcane energy enveloping them, the Devil King’s army on the battlefield was on the brink of collapse. Entrusting the rest to the Chappie Army, those who had sacrificed themselves had come for Asley’s sake.

From the south came Bruce, Blazer, Betty, Haruhana, Argent, Belia, Ryan, Reid, Mana, Reyna, Adolf, Ideá, Midors, Dallas, Bull, Eigul, Tzar, Tarawo, Tangalán, Dragan, Trace, Leon, Minerva, Blue, Anri, Claris, Shiny, Platina, with Latt and Hawk on the Star Horse’s back.

From the southwest were Melchi, Charlie, Jennifer, Natasha, Russell, Jacob, Catherine, Amil, Duncan, Scott, and Ricky.

From the southeast came Shi’shichou, Kohryu, Kokki, and Weldhun.

But it did not end there. All the Resistance had come this far, witnessing the fleeing monsters, like rabbits fleeing from a hunter.

“Hey, perfect timing.”

“What!?”

“Monsters are the vanguard of the Devilkin, right?”

“So what!?”

“Feast your eyes on this… Billion Magic!”

In the next instant, thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of millions of Spell Circles were drawn over the southern battlefield.

[“That’s the signal!”]

[“Get outta here, Chicken!”]

“Now we go… to Father’s side!!”

Upon seeing this, Chappie immediately guided all the Violet Phoenixes toward Asley and the others.

What remained on the southern battlefield were only the fleeing monsters and lesser Devilkin.

“What… is that…?”

Countless Spell Circles were drawn.

Lucifer could not keep up with this abnormal situation.

Irene, the only one who had heard about the potential of this magitek, looked at Asley incredulously.

–The most promising one right now is the Deca Spell… I guess.

In the southern sky were billions of Spell Circles.

Asley, who had mastered the Eternal Fool, did not draw all these Circles with his staff, his fingers, or even his eyes.

What he chose was — arcane energy itself.

“You drew all these with just the movement of arcane energy… It’s just one spell, but there are so many of them… Heh, he really is a fool.”

Indeed, Billion Magic was a Magitek that regulated the movement of arcane energy to draw Spell Circles. It was a Magitek that ordinary mages could never accomplish. Without a vast pool of arcane energy, so vast that it enveloped the world, it could neither be used nor invoked — it was Asley’s ultimate Magitek.

As Irene had said, the magic Asley chose here was extremely simple.

A magic spell cast over a vast area, the effect of which would prevent collateral damage to Regalia and the surrounding region.

“Rise, Hell Gravity Stamp.”

Layers of gravitational pressure crushed all the monsters, burying them in the earth.

The earth groaned, and the world shook.

In just over ten seconds, all the monsters returned to the earth and disappeared into nothingness.

“JUSTIC SHALL PREVAIL!!”

Chappie’s voice echoed over the ruins of Regalia Castle.

Once tasked with supporting everyone, Chappie and his army, Minerva, Blue, and Leon had a different purpose here.

It was to gather everyone in this place where Asley and Lucifer were, to divide the Devil King’s army and humanity.

The relentless assault of the Chappie Army and Asley’s invocation of the Eternal Fool led to absolute chaos — so they had endured that short moment to prepare to act all this time.

Hundreds of members of the Resistance encircled Asley and Lucifer.

Lucifer looked around again and again… but his comrades, anything that he could call an ally, were nowhere to be found.

“Uh, so, this prophecy… what does it actually say?”

Irene asked Lylia.

In response, Lylia spoke nostalgically of what was dubbed the Legend of the Enlightened.

～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～

Brave One with Red Wings departs, on the Journey to defeat the Devil King,

Overcoming many Lands and Trials, they stand against the Monster,

Burden of Future on both Shoulders, in the End they fall to the Earth,

Bathing in Glory of Success, the King’s Magic swept to the Wind,

Men’s trembling Souls lifted, their Celebration resounding,

Brave One with Red Wings, enlightened, emerges to Rescue,

Brave One with Red Wings, enlightened, strikes the King,

Brave One with Red Wings, enlightened, claims their Victory

～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～

Once, when Polco Adams handed the Awakening Stone to Asley, he recited a story — that was the Legend of the Enlightened. Lylia, being one who lived in that era, could not have been unaware of it.

The same went for Tūs.

Hence, the two were the first to realize the overwriting of the prophecy.

“That’s definitely something we wouldn’t hear in this era, isn’t it…?”

Irene’s question was answered by Minerva.

“Yes, Mister Asley could not let Lucifer know about this legend. Gaspard, and by extension, Lucifer, was to not even investigate it. The one with the red wings — referring to Mister Asley with that red mantle of his — couldn’t let it be known that it was him.”

Minerva then pointed at Asley.

“An upright Fool represents unknown potential… Isn’t that right, Miss Pochi?”

Surprisingly, it was Pochi whom Minerva addressed.

After a brief pause, Pochi’s face lit up.

“Y-yes! That’s right! That must be it!!”

The wedge driven by the fool — that was something Pochi had long thought and felt about Asley.

‘Fool’ was more than just a word. Sayaka’s divination result was never wrong.

Minerva confirmed the meaning of the Fool with Pochi.

“My Master… My Master can do anything! He can become anything!”

As Pochi exclaimed, everyone understood.

They understood who Asley truly was.

“Lucifer, it’s over.”

“Hmph! You wish–!!”

Lucifer’s arcane energy did not emanate from his body.

It was forcefully suppressed by Asley’s arcane energy enveloping his world, mercilessly — just like that time, during the past war.

Asley, the Eternal Fool, channeled the overflowing arcane energy into his fist.

“Mister Asley may very well be recognized as a Philosopher one day…”

Minerva said, and Irene added,

“BUT…”

And then, everyone chimed in.

Through Lylia’s tale and Pochi’s words, they knew who Asley was.

“”NOT TODAY!!!!””

Now, precisely, the title of ‘Fool’ was displaying its true worth.

Asley, who had decided to challenge the Devil King’s Chestpocket on the day of his departure, continued to aim for that place without doubt. His relentless pursuit might have been foolish, but never was it reckless.

Even after facing the Devil King, Asley continued to challenge and aim for that place. Bravery lay at the heart of Asley’s persistent actions, no matter how battered he became.

Indeed, it could be nothing other than bravery.

The place where only Asley, acknowledged by the Devil King, could stand — that place was the Devil King’s Chestpocket.

Throughout history, the one to challenge the Devil King was not a fool. They never could be.

And this was spoken through the Legend of the Enlightened, through Pochi’s feelings.

――――勇者と。

The Brave One — the Hero.

Asley began to run.

Towards the Chestpocket of the Devil King, Lucifer.

Was it foolish for one who was both the Hero and a practitioner of arcane arts to pursue the path of a fool?

“Now listen here… I wanna… REALLY wanna… become a Philosopher!!”

At this crucial moment, one might call someone who stubbornly insisted on their selfish desires a fool.

Yet, no one laughed at him.

“”Asley!!””

“”Sir Asley!!””

“”My friend!!””

“”Mister Alsey!!””

“Youngling!!”

“Ash!!”

“Young man!!”

“Father!!”

“Instructor!!”

“Master!!”

The only Hero who could challenge Devil King Lucifer — that was Asley, their hope and future.

“”GOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!””

Everyone’s voices pushed the Hero forward.

“”OOOOOOOOOHHH!!!!!!”

The collective voices, the Hero’s cry, froze Lucifer’s very soul.

[Why… Why am I trembling? Why!?]

Lucifer, even with his contorted face never, realized that the answer was fear.

When he saw Asley approaching, closer and louder with each passing moment, he understood his own demise.

“…N-NO! STOP–“

The Hero’s devastating blow pierced through the Devil King’s heart, sending both of them high into the air.

Lucifer’s wordless screams echo through the vast sky. With the Hero’s punch hacking through the Devil King’s whole being, it finally signaled the end.

The bursting arcane energy of the Devil King, the descending arcane energy of the Hero — Those who watched over them could only pray, hoping for the Hero’s return.

All that remained afterward was silence… save for the calm sounds of the wind.