MTLNOVEL CHAPTER 238: BIRTH OF HATRED
"Far from that," the Celestial King said calmly, a soft smile resting on his lips. "I'm merely giving an opinion. I think we are going too far, no?" he added, his words echoing with feigned reason.
The humans—battered, bloodied, and broken—watched him, their eyes wide with disbelief and hope. Here he was, a godlike being who had fought on their behalf. In their hearts, flickers of warmth stirred. Gratitude began to take root where only terror had lived moments ago.
"Hmm?" the Celestial King hummed again, his eyes narrowing slightly as if savoring something intangible. That strange, familiar sensation—power swelling within him—returned. He was growing stronger.
He smiled faintly. Interfering in the conflict had proven to be the right decision. The humans were proving far more useful than he had initially expected.
"I agree with him," the Elf Queen and the Dwarf King said in unison, their voices low with remorse. Guilt weighed heavy on their shoulders—guilt for their betrayal, for the mindless slaughter they had allowed. Now, seeking some measure of atonement, they chose to stand for peace.
The Dragon King's gaze darkened, his reptilian eyes narrowing with irritation. The turn toward peace rubbed him the wrong way. To him, war was clarity—its chaos a familiar comfort. Their sudden shift in loyalty felt like betrayal.
"Tch. If that's your stance, then I'm done here. What a waste of time," the Titan King grumbled, already turning away, his massive form stomping off in frustration. His soldiers followed without question, their heavy steps shaking the earth.
Watching him go, the Dragon King clenched his jaw. Though he burned with anger, he had no choice but to relent. Three major clans had now sided against total annihilation, and though he feared no one, a battle against them all would be draining—tedious. He had made his point. His son had learned the intended lesson. There was no reason to linger.
"Very well then," the Dragon King growled at last. "If they have learned their lesson, I will spare them."
He conveniently forgot—or ignored—that it was the major clans who had started the war in the first place. But he didn't care. Might made right. That was all that mattered to him.
"Thank you," the Celestial King said, still smiling. As he spoke, the energy he received from the humans grew stronger. Each surviving human, clinging desperately to life, felt an overwhelming surge of gratitude for him. They forgot, or perhaps ignored, that he had been one of their tormentors. That he had stood by as their kin perished. Their minds, too fractured by horror, clung to his shining image—their supposed savior.
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Boom!
The ground trembled violently as an immense figure crashed down like a meteor.
"Let them go, my foot! We're annihilating them all!" roared the Demon King, his voice shaking the very air. He marched forward, eyes burning with rage.
With a single, casual motion, he struck down a human, cleaving the poor soul in half. Screams echoed in every direction. Panic surged. He moved to the next, and then the next, painting the earth with fresh blood and raw terror.
"That is enough," the Celestial King said firmly, stepping into the Demon King's path.
The Dragon King, Elf Queen, and Dwarf King stood frozen, confused by the sudden escalation. They had no idea that this was all orchestrated—a stage, carefully set by the Demon and Celestial Kings.
"What will you do if I refuse to stop?" the Demon King asked coldly, his tone a blade poised for war.
"Simple," the Celestial King replied, unwavering. "We fight. And I won't stop until you leave."
The Demon King narrowed his eyes. For a moment, time stood still as the two titans locked gazes in a deadly staring contest.
"You better be careful, humans," the Demon King growled at last, turning his back. "I'm not done with you. I will return—and next time, I will annihilate you all."
With that, he departed, his demonic horde trailing behind him like a living shadow.
The humans trembled in fear, haunted by his parting words. But then they looked to the Celestial King—and the gentle smile on his face reassured them.
Yes… he had protected them. He had stood up for them. He was their beacon of hope in a cruel world.
Thus, the plan unfolded perfectly. The humans had fallen for the grand illusion. One entity now stood in their minds as their savior, the other as their mortal enemy. A narrative had taken hold, impossible to erase—worship the Celestial, despise the Demon.
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✦ ✦ ✦
Somewhere far, far away...
Rebecca was cast into the void. The little girl clawed at the air, her lungs gasping for oxygen that didn't exist. Her body began to freeze, the cruel cold of the endless rift biting into her fragile frame.
She had been thrown into an unknown dimension—somewhere beyond her world, a distant universe with alien laws and terrible silence.
Agony tore through her body. Her soul screamed. Her mind fractured from the pain.
But she didn't cry. No, something much deeper silenced her tears.
Hatred.
A raging, searing hatred. Hatred for those who had betrayed her people. Hatred for those who had stolen her parents—her entire world. Hatred for the indifferent gods who had let it happen.
She didn't want to weep. She wanted revenge. She wanted to kill. Every single one of them.
"Ho? Such deep emotions from such a small child. Just how much have you endured?"
A thunderous voice rumbled through the void. A wave of power enveloped her, shielding her from the crushing pressure.
Warmth slowly returned to Rebecca's skin. Her shallow breathing calmed.
She turned toward the source—a colossal being of impossible size and presence. But she didn't bow. She didn't thank him. Death no longer held meaning for her. All she wanted now was power.
"Can… can you help me get stronger?" she asked, her voice a trembling whisper. "So I can crush my enemies?"
Silence followed. Deep and expectant.
Then the being laughed. A deep, resonant laugh that echoed across realities.
"Hahaha… What an interesting child," the being mused. "Yes, I can grant you power. Enough to crush your enemies. Enough to rise above everyone you hate. To dominate the cosmos itself—I can give it to you."
"Then give it to me," Rebecca said, her small fists clenched. "Make me stronger, no matter the cost. I need to pay them back for what they did."
The being paused, then nodded.
"Very well. Consider yourself lucky you met me in a good mood," he said, light swirling around her as it lifted her gently through the void.
Rebecca asked no questions. No wide-eyed curiosity. Just quiet, focused hatred. The being was pleased.
She would not be in the dark for long.
Before her stretched the sight of an entire universe—brimming with galaxies, stars, and infinite chaos.
"Now, little child," the being said, standing before it all like a god of creation and destruction, "let me show you a glimpse of my power—the force feared by all existence. I will show you the might… of the Universe Ender."