Chapter 106. Maha Rukkhadevata is Dead! You're Lying!
"You do not need to call me 'Senior.'"
Faruzan waved her hand.
She looked at Azar with a complicated expression before speaking slowly.
"To be honest—I do not deserve to be your senior. I once believed that, as the Great Sage, everything you did was for the sake of Sumeru."
"But now I know the truth. Everything you are doing is for your own selfish desires."
Faruzan was, by nature, an exceptionally gentle person. For someone like her to speak such harsh words—It was enough to show the depth of the disappointment and anger she had been suppressing.
"..."
Azar quietly met Faruzan's gaze.
He did not attempt to refute her accusations. Instead, he shifted his eyes toward the hundred Scholars gathered before him and asked in a steady voice,
"Do all of you think the same?"
Given the current situation, Azar no longer believed that those standing before him were ignorant of the God Creation Project.
But even if they knew... what could they possibly do?
He had already reached the point of no return. Only a single step remained before success.
How could he possibly choose to retreat now?
It was almost laughable.
Before coming here, he had imagined that standing before more than a hundred renowned Scholars would place unimaginable pressure upon him.
Yet now—
He felt no such pressure.
Instead—
He felt an unexpected sense of ease. Even relief. As though this confrontation should have happened long ago.
Why should he feel pressured?
He was the Great Sage. He had created an Archon. He had accomplished a miracle. He had brought Sumeru's future within reach.
Now that the God Creation Project was on the verge of completion, and Scaramouche had successfully reached this stage—
Only the final step remained.
"Are you asking for our opinion, Great Sage?"
Kaveh looked at Azar with unconcealed surprise. He had never expected Azar to remain so composed. Nor had he expected him to make no attempt whatsoever to deny the accusations.
Instead—
He had directly asked for their opinions.
Before coming here, Kaveh had repeatedly wondered how Azar would respond when confronted by so many Scholars.
But now... Azar's composure exceeded all of his expectations.
He was so calm... that, for a fleeting moment, Kaveh almost questioned whether the accusations against him were true at all.
"Yes."
Azar answered without hesitation.
He looked across the assembled Scholars and spoke in an even tone.
"What do all of you think?"
"I am genuinely curious. Now that you know everything... tell me your thoughts. Everyone standing here is a renowned Scholar of the Akademiya. You are all far more intelligent than ordinary people. Since you understand what I have done—then you should also be capable of understanding why I have done it."
At that moment, an elderly Scholar wearing a pair of reading glasses stepped forward.
She looked directly at Azar, her expression solemn.
"Is your goal... to create an Archon, Azar?"
She was one of the Akademiya's senior Scholars. Both her seniority and her prestige were exceptionally high.
"Yes."
Azar nodded without the slightest hesitation. There was even a trace of pride in his expression.
As soon as the conversation opened up, the other Scholars immediately began questioning him.
"Why would you do something like this?"
"Must the God Creation Project truly continue?"
"Does the Akademiya really have to cooperate with the Fatui? They have ulterior motives! They cannot be trusted!"
"Foolish! Utterly foolish! Creating an Archon?! Azar, your greed has completely clouded your judgment, as a Great Sage, have you not seen that tragedy!"
"I never imagined you would place your faith in a project like this. It seems even you have fallen, Azar."
"To abandon your principles for personal gain... you are a disappointment."
Voices rose one after another.
The Scholars looked at Azar with expressions that blended anger, disbelief, and sorrow.
None of them had expected the Great Sage of the Akademiya—
To place such unwavering faith in the God Creation Project.
An Archon.
They were attempting to create an Archon.
Yet while many openly condemned him, others remained silent.
They watched him quietly, still waiting for an explanation.
"Heh~ profit?"
Azar let out a derisive laugh.
As Scholars who had competed for the Kavikavus Prize, how could they possibly fail to understand Sumeru's current predicament?
"No."
"You all understand. You simply choose not to face it."
His gaze swept across the assembled Scholars.
"And I... I did what every one of you wished someone would do. I accomplished what none of you dared to accomplish. Yet instead of praising this great achievement—you cling to these insignificant concerns, hoping to shake my resolve."
"To be honest... I expected arguments that could truly challenge my convictions. But all I hear are trivial objections. These so-called profits—"
"They mean absolutely nothing to me."
Azar spread both arms wide. His voice suddenly echoed across the Akademiya entrance.
"We are creating an Archon! We are creating an Archon through human wisdom! If humanity cannot attain omniscience and omnipotence on its own—"
"Then we shall create an Archon capable of revealing that path!"
"This... This is the highest expression of wisdom humanity can achieve!"
"With a new Archon, Sumeru will once again receive divine guidance. We will no longer stumble blindly through the darkness in search of wisdom. Even Irminsul's crisis—One day, it too will be resolved."
"This has always been the Akademiya's ultimate dream. And for that dream—Any sacrifice is worthwhile."
Silence fell.
Many of the assembled Scholars instinctively lowered their voices.
Because... part of what Azar had said was undeniably true.
The Akademiya's present circumstances.
The crisis surrounding Irminsul.
And the possibility of a man-made Archon.
To be honest—
Quite a few Scholars felt their resolve waver.
Although such an undertaking bordered on blasphemy—
As Azar had said—
Resolving Irminsul's crisis—
And reaching a higher realm of wisdom—
Had always been among the Akademiya's greatest aspirations.
"Any sacrifice is worthwhile?"
Faruzan's voice rang out sharply. She fixed Azar with an angry gaze.
"What about those Eleazar patients who died? What about those who lost their lives because of the God Creation Project? And those Scholars who descended into madness after touching forbidden divine knowledge—"
"Were they nothing more than tools to you?"
"Answer me, Azar."
"WERE ALL THOSE SACRIFICES TRULY WORTH IT?"
Faruzan's anger was unmistakable.
Though she came from a century ago— She understood one truth better than most.
The weight of a human life... was not something another person had the right to measure.
"Worth it."
Azar answered without the slightest hesitation.
His voice remained calm.
"As long as the God Creation Project succeeds—Everything will have been worth it."
"Senior Faruzan... You are old. You are shackled by the past. You cannot understand the joy of witnessing an Archon born by human hands. You belong to the past."
"But I... I belong to the present. I know exactly what I am doing. I have already witnessed the birth of an Archon."
There was unmistakable fanaticism in Azar's voice. Ordinarily, he would never have spoken to Faruzan so disrespectfully.
But now—
He genuinely believed she was merely a relic of another era. Someone incapable of understanding what lay before humanity.
Faruzan said nothing.
The disappointment in her eyes only deepened.
Was this... really the Great Sage who now led the Akademiya?
Before anyone else could respond, Tighnari stepped forward. Even someone as composed as he was could no longer hide his anger.
"No. I cannot accept this so-called God Creation Project."
His eyes remained fixed on Azar.
"Does Sumeru not already have Lesser Lord Kusanali? She is the successor of Greater Lord Rukkhadevata. Is this God Creation Project truly necessary?"
He genuinely wanted an answer.
He wanted to understand what Azar was thinking.
Within the crowd, Layla timidly raised her hand. Her voice was quiet—
Yet unwavering.
"Yes... Great Sage. Why must the God Creation Project continue? Sumeru already has its own Archon."
Although Lesser Lord Kusanali possessed little influence among the people—
She was still Sumeru's Archon.
The Dendro Archon.
Because of her existence, Sumeru remained a nation protected by a god. A nation that naturally held diplomatic standing among the Seven.
Moreover—
Lesser Lord Kusanali was also regarded as the most mysterious of the Archons.
For five hundred years—
She had never once appeared before the world. Only scattered rumors testified to her existence.
"Hahahahahaha!"
Suddenly, Azar burst into laughter. There was unmistakable anger hidden beneath it.
"Then let me make one thing perfectly clear. An Archon... Should stand infinitely above humanity. Lesser Lord Kusanali? What exactly is she?"
"We are all descendants blessed by Greater Lord Rukkhadevata. Even if I never witnessed it myself— the Scholars who came before us witnessed true wisdom."
"And Lesser Lord Kusanali?"
"Yes. She is Sumeru's Archon. But what does she truly understand about wisdom? She offers Scholars nothing but confusion. Is that what you call wisdom?"
"How laughable."
"The God of Wisdom... Possesses only the wisdom of a child."
"No. She does not even deserve to bear the title of God of Wisdom. She is nothing more than a fortunate successor who inherited Greater Lord Rukkhadevata's legacy."
"The Sanctuary of Surasthana... That is where she belongs. She should remain there forever. As long as she stays confined within that sanctuary— She will no longer interfere with the Akademiya."
Azar slowly swept his gaze across the gathered Scholars.
"And all of you... Aren't you thinking exactly the same thing? You all know Lesser Lord Kusanali remains within the Sanctuary of Surasthana."
"But tell me—How many of you have ever truly wished to see her?"
A mocking smile appeared on Azar's face.
Among the hundred Scholars gathered here—many possessed sufficient authority to request an audience with Lesser Lord Kusanali.
Although Azar and the other Sages would undoubtedly have obstructed them—
If they had truly resolved themselves to meet her—
They would eventually have succeeded.
And they would also have discovered the cruel truth hidden within the Sanctuary.
Everyone present—
Perhaps all of them already knew about Lesser Lord Kusanali's situation.
Yet... had anyone spoken out? No. No one had.
Over time—
They had simply grown accustomed to an Akademiya that existed without its Archon.
Azar's words left the gathered Scholars speechless.
For a moment... No one knew how to respond.
Clap.
Clap.
Clap.
The sound of applause suddenly echoed through the square.
Azar instinctively turned toward the source. The moment he saw Futsu Mitama and the others approaching, a trace of vigilance flashed through his eyes.
"What is the meaning of this... esteemed future Raiden Shogun? Do you intend to interfere in the internal affairs of the Akademiya?"
To be honest, Azar was deeply wary of Futsu Mitama. On the surface, Futsu Mitama had no legitimate reason to interfere in Sumeru's internal affairs.
However—the God Creation Project was powered by Inazuma's Electro Gnosis.
If that truth were exposed before everyone present—
There would be nothing Azar could say in his own defense. So, before Futsu Mitama could even speak, Azar deliberately framed the issue as interference in the Akademiya's internal affairs.
He wanted to seize the initiative.
At the same time, another thought surfaced in his mind.
When had Futsu Mitama arrived?
Before leaving to confront the gathered Scholars, Azar had specifically instructed the Thirty to reinforce the entrance and maintain order through the Akasha System.
If the situation deteriorated, he had even intended to order them to arrest the protesting Scholars immediately.
Although many of the Scholars gathered here possessed respectable combat ability...
None of them should have been capable of overwhelming professionally trained mercenaries.
Yet now—
Futsu Mitama had appeared without warning.
Azar frowned.
The situation was already beginning to slip beyond his expectations.
How had Futsu Mitama broken through the Thirty's encirclement? Why had no report reached him through the Akasha? Were those mercenaries truly that incompetent?
The appearance of Futsu Mitama also drew varying reactions from the surrounding Scholars.
Some looked embarrassed.
Some were visibly surprised.
Others frowned in displeasure.
Those who felt embarrassed believed the Akademiya had become a complete laughingstock.
No matter how one looked at it—
The God Creation Project was an internal matter. If it had to be discussed, it should have been discussed behind closed doors.
Yet now—
An outsider had witnessed everything.
How could they not feel ashamed?
Among some of the Sumeru Scholars, another thought also emerged.
Although Futsu Mitama was indeed the future Raiden Shogun—He was still a citizen of Inazuma. By what right should Inazuma's future Archon interfere in the Akademiya's affairs?
On the other hand—
Those who already knew the truth, such as Faruzan and Tighnari, felt genuine relief.
Futsu Mitama's arrival meant only one thing. This matter... was finally nearing its conclusion.
"Actually..."
Futsu Mitama looked toward Azar.
"I only wish to say two things."
His tone remained perfectly calm.
"Azar. You still remember that I came to Sumeru because I was entrusted by an Archon to find Lesser Lord Kusanali. Isn't that right?"
Azar frowned slightly.
He had expected Futsu Mitama to immediately bring up the Electro Gnosis.
Or the God Creation Project.
Instead—
He unexpectedly mentioned this matter.
Was he also trying to buy time?
The thought flashed through Azar's mind.
He gave a slight nod.
If Futsu Mitama wished to delay the conversation—
Then Azar had no objection. After all, the longer this continued—the more advantageous it became for him.
"Do you know..." Futsu Mitama smiled faintly. "Which Archon entrusted me?"
"Who?"
Azar asked with a puzzled expression. In truth, he had never cared about that question. In his mind—
There was only one possible answer.
Beelzebul. The current Raiden Shogun.
As for why she would send Futsu Mitama to Sumeru—
That was obvious.
To recover the Electro Gnosis.
Did Futsu Mitama intend to steer the conversation in that direction?
"Maha Rukkhadevata."
Futsu Mitama answered calmly. The moment those words left his mouth—
The entire square erupted.
Every Scholar present was visibly shaken.
Even Azar himself stiffened. His entire body trembled. He pointed directly at Futsu Mitama.
"Impossible! Absolutely impossible! Maha Rukkhadevata is dead!"
"Futsu Mitama—You are lying!"
For generations, the Akademiya had continued to preach the wisdom and benevolence of Greater Lord Rukkhadevata.
Yet at the same time—
They had consistently refused to acknowledge Lesser Lord Kusanali.
In a sense—it was their way of refusing to accept the death of Greater Lord Rukkhadevata.
But... Five hundred years had already passed. Even the Akademiya had gradually accepted that unchangeable reality.
Because of that—virtually every Scholar present found Futsu Mitama's claim impossible to believe.
How could a dead Archon—entrust anyone with anything?