Nugatory: The Secret War (Disgaea 5 Fanfiction)

Chapter 40

AN: Whoooo, second last chapter! Hope you enjoy reading~

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Chapter 40:

The tunnels were narrow and twisting, designed to confuse. And they had no one to lead them. There was one thing they had to guide them: the scars and markings marring the caverns walls. As they increased in damage, the more confident Killia became that they were heading in the right direction.

Rounding a bend in the tunnel, they were greeted by a bright light.

That must be it. That must be the core of Nugatory.

Samuel...

Killia knew that at the centre of Nugatory was a tree. The tree. The Tree of Death. Samuel himself had told him. But he was still taken aback by the sight before him as he and the others rushed into the light.

A tall, spiralling elm tree, branches with thick dark green leafage, and roots twisting deep into the rocky soil. It was similar in appearance to the trees of Demunshroom, but significantly larger and far more menacing. It had a presence all of its own. Darker. Malevolent. Omnipresent and all consuming.

More disturbingly, scattered at the gnarling roots of the tree, were Seedlings. Thousands of them. The golden seeds glisten under the ambient glow of the luminescent mushrooms and crystals.

That was it. That was the Tree of Death. That thing was responsible for all the Seedlings that were infesting the Netherverse.

"Welcome!"

Killia's eyes widened as a bristle of rage raced through him. That voice. "Arch-Overlord..."

Perched upon one of the misshapen branches sat the very demon that caused untold chaos across the Netherverse, the twisted smirk on his lips stating that he was well aware of the anarchy he had reigned.

"You've arrived," he said. "Although, a little earlier than expected."

"Where's Samuel?" Killia demanded.

Arch-Overlord tilted his head to the side, his smirk never faltering. "Straight to the point, I see. But that is a question I don't want to answer. I have a bit of gloating to do first."

"Gloating?" Christo repeated. "About the fact that you were behind everything?"

"Of course!"

"Working with someone like Void Dark was quite the feat, I'll give you that," Christo returned, though without a hint of admiration. "Especially since he killed everyone else. You must have quite the silver tongue."

Arch-Overlord sent Christo a rather flirtatious wink. "One of my most defining traits, really. I'm so glad you noticed."

Christo twitched in response, and Killia felt that he did as well. The man was truly infuriating.

"Weren't you afraid of Void Dark, plip?" Usalia asked suddenly.

"Void?" Arch-Overlord threw his head back on a mocking laugh. "That pile of faecal matter was hardly a threat to me. I could have killed him whenever I wanted."

His smirk abruptly turned from sadistic pleasure into that of absolute loathing hatred as he began to rant. "Such a selfish, boorish child. That was all he was. A child. A child who couldn't accept that his sister wanted to spend time with someone else. A child that didn't want to listen to the wise words of his father. A child who could not accept responsibility to his own actions. A mere waste of space. Truly sicking that the Netherverse nearly fell to the tantrums of a mere child."

His anger surprised Killia for a moment. It was clear, however, that he knew quite a lot about Void and his past. Was he aware of everything? What else did he know?