"It's the center of the earth! Project ...... the Dead King The ultimate goal is to create a 'hell' in the center of the earth! ”

Ian finally understood everything at this moment.

The legacy left by Inaga II to the Grand Duke of Thorin, called 'Spirit Tinder', is a high-level composite psionic project that exists only in conception.

In essence, it is not fundamentally different from the 'Tinder ships' that crashed on Terra and the moon, and its purpose is to create a spaceship that can exist for a long time, travel in space, and preserve all the traces of human existence, all the technology and art, civilization and gene pool, and then launch it to a planet that may be suitable for life.

Next, it is the revival of the spark, the rekindling of the fire of human civilization in Terra, or the absorption and fusion of alien civilizations like the sparks that Terra received, that is the future.

In any case, whether it will be the food for the progress of other civilizations, or a part of the fusion, is evidence that humanity has existed, and it is better than being sealed in the Prison as if it never existed.

A spark burning in pitch black despair.

One of the most helpless choices.

However, because of the early death of Inaga II, this plan did not have time to be implemented...... Of course, it's not just that, because there are too many difficulties in this plan.

Nothing else, just a few problems solved in the hands of Adalbert, if it weren't for the inhumane means used by Grand Duke Thorin to fuse the secret technology of the two countries at the cost of betraying the Empire and joining forces with the Flying Flamelands, success would not have been even imagined.

But even so, Grand Duke Thorin did not have a way to create a psionic spaceship that could stabilize its existence in the cosmic void.

Even if it could, with today's technology, it would not be possible to put it into practical use in 50 years.

So he was desperate and had to choose another route.

Since it is impossible to fire fire...... At the very least, a tombstone would have to be left.

A living tombstone of human civilization.

Adbert believes that there is no environment on Terra that can naturally provide a large amount of energy to supply the soul being, and that is because he is still too young to see the real big scenes and extreme environments...... And Grand Duke Thorin has seen.

He immediately thought of the center of the earth.

Although the center of the earth is not eternal, it will cool and the planet will shatter, just like the moon in the gaze...... But in any case, it will last much longer than the lifespan of any human being, or longer than a country or civilization.

Coupled with the fact that his Grand Duchy was placed by the Empire, the Flying Flame Land was also eyeing it.

Once a war starts, one's own territory will become the center of the war, and it is inevitable that life will be destroyed, even if it is a wasteland.

This desperate situation made Grand Duke Thorin determined.

[If there is no room for my people's happy life above the ground, then it is better to go to hell with all of them]

[At least in hell, there will be no more wars like this]

Seeing that Ian had indeed guessed the ultimate purpose of the Dead King's plan, Grand Duke Thorin smiled wistfully—for years, no one had understood his will, his wisdom, and his plan since that man left.

No one could even guess the true intentions of the Dead King.

King of the Dead, King of Hades, Lord of Hellfire, Judge of all the dead...... Also protectors.

The Prison Star Prison is destined to be unstoppable, even if Inaga II does not die and lives until now, it will not be able to stop the Prison Star Heaven Prison that is five light years away.

That's a barrier with a radius of five light-years...... Just to get to this barrier, it is necessary to gather technicians from all over the world to develop a minimum 'warp engine'!

And what if it is developed? Practicality is a hurdle, even if the special installation is really over, how many people can be brought?

The Prison is closing, its fissures shattered for unknown reasons irreversibly healing.

That way, just leave Terra...... There was no way to come back.

In that case, it would not be so much to get out of the Prison Star Prison...... It's better to banish yourself into the void.

A larger, more no-way cage.

The cage called the universe.

It all boils down...... It's still just a mere tombstone.

At this moment, Grand Duke Thorin whispered the ancient Terra mythological eulogy: [At the beginning of the world, the Heavenly Father stepped from the light to the ladder of nothingness]

[The first ladder of heaven, whose name is the movement of all things, the human body, the clouds of the heavens, the earth of the earth, the flow of water, the agitation of the wind, and the burning of fire, are the basis of phenomena]

[The second ladder of heaven, its name is the condensation of all things, the soul of man, the falling stones of the sky, the solid rock of the earth, the frost and ice of water, the dust of the wind, and the embers of fire, which is the soul of the matter]

[The third ladder of heaven, whose name is the brilliance of all things, the wisdom of man, the aurora of heaven, the molten of the earth, the rain of water, the swift flow of wind, and the flame of fire, are the cornerstone of existence]

[The fourth ladder of heaven, whose name is the authority of all things, the belief of man, the vastness of the sky, the stability of the earth, the infiltration of water, the interaction of wind, and the urging of fire, is the source of the truth]

[Heavenly Father took four steps, and it was done.] The action, soul, foundation, and origin of all things are already in place, and anyone can comprehend the supreme truth from them, and be able to sublimate and elevate themselves.

[But He saw that this world was still not good enough, so He took three steps again and gave three layers of grace to all living beings]

The silver-eyed Dead River looked at Ian, who was lost in thought, and Ademobert, who was clenched into fists on the other side.

He said softly: [That is the fifth layer of the Heavenly Ladder 'Steel Pedestal', the sixth layer of the Heavenly Ladder 'Star High Court' and the seventh layer of the Heavenly Ladder 'Distant Land Flat']

[The creation that represents civilization and wisdom, coming from above the sky, inspiring all beings to invent the furnace with fire and steel, and leading all people from the 'Dark Age' to the 'Age of Fire and Steel']

[Hanging on the other side of the top of the heavenly dome, shining with endless brilliance, leading all beings to look up and know what is vast, what is infinite, and what is beyond the high dome, ending the 'era of war and chaos' and moving towards the 'era of exploration']

[As for the final ......]

Speaking of this, Grand Duke Thorin laughed bitterly, he only laughed quietly at first, but then laughed louder and more presumptuous: [The horizon is a line that can never be reached, and the extreme that the ancient sages can imagine is to represent the 'distance that can never be reached', which is the eye of the Father, and the distance that the light of the sun cannot reach, that is, the eternal horizon]

[It is a good wish, I wish that our civilization can go to eternity, to the sea of stars beyond the sea of stars, the infinite beyond the infinite]

[The civilization of the previous era should have stepped up to this seventh layer of the ladder, they have ended the era of war and chaos, they are walking towards the starry sky, they are starting, they are climbing this supreme ladder]

[However, the stars went out]

[We are locked here by the prison where the stars are imprisoned]

[And then...... There is no hope]

Ian can understand the ancient myth of Terra, the ancient sage borrowed the words of the Father's ladder to send good wishes to future civilizations.

They judged and predicted the degree of civilization based on the height of the sky, and believed from the bottom of their hearts that future generations would definitely be able to surpass their predictions and go to distant places.

He could understand the optimism and praise contained in this sacred prayer...... and the uncontrollable sorrow in the heart of Grand Duke Thorin.

- because there is no longer far away.

The horizon has an end, and the imagination of all beings has reached the extreme.

Five light years away, the Star Prison has erased all illusions and expectations about the sea of stars.

There are no stars and no future.

This world ......

Only the top of the mountain remains.

The second half of the song of the dead came to the boy's mind.

A great sorrow suddenly rose in Ian's heart, and he closed his eyes tightly and slowly chanted: "We will gaze upon you, all those who are destined to die but are not dead......

"We will not receive mercy and salvation."

"As ...... You are the same]

Ian and Grand Duke Thorin uttered the last words at the same time, and then fell silent at the same time.

They felt the same emotion.

- Yes, yes.

If it is said that in the plan of Grand Duke Thorin, the world that the dead king who sank into the center of the earth and the souls of the dead king will create is the so-called 'hell'.

So, isn't this hell born in the heart of the infinite depths of the earth a new cage?

The blood, tears, corpses, lamentations and anguish of the souls of the dead have turned into a hell in the heart of the earth, and they are indeed imprisoned by the sins and despairs of this world in a cage with no exit, no salvation in Hell.

They are dead, but they will sink in hell for eternity.

But Ian, and all the beings who are still living in this world...... All those who are destined to die but are not dead.

And what is the difference with them?

"It's all the same...... Aren't we, who are wrapped in the Prison of the Stars, imprisoned in place by this cage that has no exit and is eternal and unchanging? ”

Ian closed his eyes.

There is no salvation, there is no mercy.

Both the living and the dead.

Is it an emperor or a beggar.

Is it a sublimator or an ordinary person.

In this dark night without stars, in this world without distance.

All...... It's all the same.