Chapter 611 - Omniscient First-Person’s Viewpoint

In the shadow of the World Tree, the residents each prepare at least one safeguard against falls. This is due to the frequent occurrences of tumbles caused by rain, wind, or sudden jolts. Maximilien was no exception. He unfurled his cloak like wings. Though his cloak didn't flutter like a bird's, the rotating blades pushed against the air, allowing him to lift off. Maximilien could drift through the sky with more grace than a bird. With his back to the ground and eyes fixed on the sky, Maximilien watched the disappearing flames, whispering in admiration, "It's not a demon. The world hasn't been overturned." Maximilien observed a tiny, intricate gear within his chest meshing seamlessly. Built with logic stacked like cogs, the mechanical device wound its spring with precise regularity, without a millimeter of deviation. The World Distortion Detection Gear. As its name suggests, it's a device for sensing distortions in the world. This masterpiece by Maximilien was constructed to be robust and resistant to any shock, yet so finely-tuned that it could detect the slightest shift in universal order. When Maximilien encountered the Golden Mirror in a foreign country, the gears changed their tune, resonating differently. The Golden Mirror altered properties merely by its proximity. In the Abyss, the gears spun uselessly. Borrowing the very space of the land, the Abyss caused gaps between the gears, preventing them from interlocking. And as he approached the floating castle of the Magic Federation, the rotation cycle of the gears slightly shifted. Anyone could damage the gears, but only a demon could alter their logical structure. Ever since Maximilien decided to become a demon, he always carried it with him. Thus, he understood that the force that burned the World Tree was not that of a demon itself. "But those flames... different from any flames I know! Power deriving from a demon unknown to me!" Hence, he instinctively realized that such an immense, unfathomable power stemmed from a demon unfamiliar to him. The fire consumed even ashes as it blazed, emitting glittering smoke, disappearing into the distant sky rather than settling. Instead of an unpleasant burnt smell, a sharp, intoxicating fragrance lingered in his nostrils. It was as if the flames were not of this world. The celestial fire was so potent and enigmatic that even Maximilien could discern its difference from ordinary flames. This is indeed the uniqueness only a demon could create. "My gears..." cannot reach it. His gears were insanely useful but couldn't transcend the ultimate logic. They were merely tools acquired by assembling conventional and classical contraptions in complex ways. Like the King of Humans said, gears cannot escape being just tools. "I can't become a demon..." A daunting gap that felt despairingly wide. An unbridgeable gulf. Facing this wall, Maximilien covered his face and scoffed. His laughter spread solitarily in the void, unheard by anyone. "At least my task is clear now! Good! One direction is enough for the gears to move!" His goal was not to become a demon. He only wished to blanket the entire world with the logic of gears. Militarism was his masterpiece, completed with boundless resources backing his genius inspiration, yet it was far from his ideal. For that, he approached the Tree of Betrayal, met Nevida, and joined the Masters of All Things. "All for the King of Humans." His gaze fell below. Towards the large lotus, gently descending alone, scattering beautiful petals. The lotus landed lightly on the ground, as if settling on a water surface. It made no sound, giving the appearance of blooming rather than falling. Wriggle. Wriggle. The lotus writhed as if the space was too cramped. It swayed back and forth for a moment, then realized how to unfurl its petals. One by one, the petals, which had been clamped shut, unfolded like fingers, revealing what was hidden within. In a sky where even clouds burned away with the divine flame, welcoming the light streaming down, the being asleep inside the lotus awakened and stretched. "Ha-aah." Yawning lightly as if matching the clear weather, the being stood gently on the ground. Long gray hair, reaching down to her waist, veiled her chest. Her limbs were so finely built, they exuded an almost primal vitality. Bearing no trace of clothing, she seemed unburdened by shame as she slowly gripped the ground with her feet. She was a beast. A beast standing on the ground is perfectly natural. There was nothing extraordinary, nothing to be alarmed about, yet— This single step taken by her would change humanity entirely. "Hello. It's been a long time." From her long, dormant slumber, the King of Humans greeted the world. The world, too, warmly received her greeting. With the breeze swaying, grass trembling, dew flowing across skins, and light reflecting upon her— Like a newborn child, like an elder waking from a long slumber. As she curiously gazed around, she suddenly glanced down at her body. Not a thread draped upon her bare skin. Tradition might scold her, but appreciation would praise her beauty. She herself cared not whether dressed or bare. "Oh, right. I was told to wear clothes." Deciding thus, She resolved to adorn herself as most humans did. In that moment of decision— Wild grasses began to sprout. Druidism: the understanding of plant structures, roots, and flows guiding their growth. With that insight, she cultivated cotton. The cotton plant sprouted quickly, blooming snowy cotton flowers, producing fruits, and soon burst, scattering to the ground. The seeds within the cotton burst, leaving only pure white cotton fiber behind. Tiny lightning threads wove intricately into the fiber. The complexly entwined fibers uncurled as though combed, forming bundles that twisted like snakes into threads. The King of Humans moved Her hand, weaving warp and weft into fabric. The fabric traced along the King of Humans' body, wrapping and stopping at the necessary places. Flicking Her fingers, She cut the cloth; scraps fell to the ground as it transformed into a complete garment, enveloping the King of Humans with honor. —All this happened in less than a minute. Resurrecting human civilization rapidly, the King of Humans, clothed from nothing, casually tied Her hair to one side. Clearing Her tresses out of the way, She gazed at the unexpected visitor. "Peeking while I dress is considered rude. Everyone told me that." Maximilien emerged from the shadows of the tree. Though he neither concealed his presence nor flaunted it, he faced the King of Humans with a refreshingly bright expression. The King tilted Her head, smiling as She responded. "Of course. It's called 'common sense,' right?" "No, no, King of Humans. Isn’t your version of 'common sense' quite different from others?" Maximilien grasped his coat. "King of Humans, you don't wear clothes out of necessity, nor does the world have the power to compel you to do so. Yet, you choose to wear them, because clothing has become an inseparable concept for humans." "Indeed. It's not like I can live without wearing clothes." The King of Humans smiled benignly at Maximilien, stating the obvious, yet universal truth. "Unlike your gears, Maximilien." There was something in Her tone, almost as if She could see through his thoughts. Clothes are already a part of humans. People from diverse regions instinctively create garments to wear, converging on this outcome without being taught. However, gears are just one way to interpret the world and remain far from becoming an intrinsic part of humanity. So while the King of Humans dons clothes, She does not use gears. "But, King of Humans, even if my understanding never reaches the demonic realm, or spreads universally..." Conversely, if the King of Humans were to use gears. And if their use spread from the King of Humans to all humankind. The reversal may not always be true, but occasionally humans fall into the illusion that it is. And if all humans share this illusion, it becomes reality. That's the relationship between humans and the King of Humans. "If you, the King, adopt my gears, all humanity will follow." Even though Maximilien was satisfied with crafting the militaristic wonder of a nation that moved by the logic of gears, he was irresistibly drawn to the Masters of All Things, seeking the King of Humans for this very moment. "Please use the gears. For my sake." Every gear orbiting his body aligned. Click, click. The sound of meshing cogs ceased and vanished altogether. All 918,000 small and large gears connected in unison. The principle of gears is straightforward, requiring not nearly as many for any specific function. The number 918,000 transcends the realm of fantasy into the absurd. Nevertheless, Maximilien reached the epitome of inefficiency to link all that power as one. Maximilien's unique magic, Gear Maiden. This ability allows him to rotate the gears at his will. How much raw power would be needed to operate a structure of 918,000 gears with a single cog? It's unfathomable, beyond reckoning. Even the toughest gears would break and wear out. But, conversely. Through a specialized unique magic, moving all 918,000 gears— If all that power could be focused into a singular gear at one moment. If he could endure and implant that shock into the King of Humans. Maximilien's longing would be fulfilled. "Full assembly of gears." Having absorbed every gear, Maximilien appeared like a giant. With a creaking sound, his body began a fierce stationary rotation. Air trapped between the gears burst out, producing strange explosive sounds. All the revolutions within and around his body converged into one hand. The concentrated force of dozens of overlapping gears was focused into that hand. The gears throughout his body creaked. Such immense power led to the wear and tear of the gears themselves. Although they were made of top-quality alchemical steel, the gears making up Maximilien's body crumbled and eroded under the logical pressure of layered cog assemblies. A force that no living creature fearing death could muster, surpassing limits guided by logic, gathered into the single gear attached to Maximilien's right fist. "It's the Sun Gear. Go ahead, take it!" By then, it had become something beyond mere rotation. The incredible speed heated the air into a blaze, akin to the wheels of a solar chariot. A colossal power, hard to find anywhere in the world, was directed towards the King of Humans who gazed at him with inquisitive eyes.