SPELLCRAFT: Reincarnation Of A Magic Scholar

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry… I—"

The hulking figure of the Nether seemed to revel in the destruction he had wrought on this dead world. The Nether ignored Neron, and he did the same.

There was no point in a clash, anyway.

It was all over.

"It's not my fault. It's not my fault. It's not my fault. It's not my fault. It's not my fault. It's not my fault. It's not my fault. It's not my fault. It's not my fault. It's not my fault. It's not my fault. It's not my fault. It's not my fault. It's not my fault. It's not my fault!!!"

He repeated these words so much that one might have thought that he was insane, Neron remembered all the events that had led to the world's destruction and the part he'd played in ensuring it happened.

Now that everything had come crashing down, and he was all alone, he realized the foolishness of his actions—as well as the betrayal of the one he had trusted most.

"You're a sight for sore eyes, Neron."

"It's not my fault. It's not my fault. It's not my fault. It's not my fault. It's not my—" Neron stopped his mantra and his eyes found the man whose fault all this was.

The person was the true architect of the chaos—the personification of evil that felt more sinister than the Nether.

"Legris Damien!"

Right when the Nether fully appeared, so did Legris.

At first, Neron was confused to see his dead friend. He thought that a wish of his had actually come true and Legris was revived.

How naive he was.

"I set it all up, Neron." Legris had told him. "I was in on the real plan the entire time. Ciel and I have always been partners, and it was all to ensure I kept you under control while she advanced her plans. She's a sicko, isn't she?"

It was all so confusing at first… how much Legris had changed from what he knew.

The confidence he now exuded, the charm… and most importantly, the power that leaked out of him. It was unbelievable.

"Y-you were… you did all… wait… no…"

Neron was smart.

Despite how confusing the whole the whole thing was, he was able to figure it all out rathe quickly.

Legris staged his death.

He found a way to manipulate the bodies so that even when Neron used his Original Magic, he would see what Legris wanted him to see.

Serah was right.

The Midas Empire was innocent all along.

Not just that, but Legris had been with him from the very beginning.

"Your childhood friend, Legris… perishing at the hands of that rogue Scholar along with the rest of your friends… I did all of that, you know? I caused those events to happen, all to lead you down this path." Legris bragged. "Everything you've lived through and lived for… it was all according to my design."

After hearing all of these things, Neron could only mutter one thing.

"W-why?"

"Because there are so many branches of reality… so many Nerons. I needed to find a way to get all of the Arcanas in one place, but in all the realities that I visited, the Nerons there were too formidable for me to beat."

He went on to mention Neron Variants he encountered and how impossible they were.

… How he lost to them.

"But you… you were the easiest to manipulate." He smirked. "So I decided to insert myself into your life at an early age and groom you to become the man I needed you to be."

It was thanks to Neron the Cult could gather all of the Arcanas so quickly.

"After all, you're the great Singularity… the Nether Cult's Number 1." He smiled. "You are the perfect pawn."

Neron was broken.

He listened to all of these words as he watched the whole world burn, and now… as everything rested in ashes and The Nether sought to ascend and consume the rest of this branch of reality, Neron was faced with Legris' taunting gaze again.

"Don't look at me that way. Isn't this a result of our efforts?" The one he had once called his best friend said this to him with a twisted grin.

"This… this isn't what I wanted! You lied to me! You… I thought we were friends!"

"Hahaha, well… I guess that's one way of putting it."

"You bastard! You and Ciel tricked me! You… why…?! Even Serah didn't survive… I thought you cared about her!'"

"It was unavoidable." Legris shrugged. "I don't care either way, but apparently, she's the one who wanted this outcome."

What exactly could he benefit from this chaos?

Ciel, the madwoman who was in love with the Nether, was reunited with her Master.

But what of Legris?

"W-why…?"

"Well, the work is done. Sooner or later, I'll get what I want. It's a shame, though. This world is doomed…"

What did he want?

"N-no…"

"Yes. The Nether is here, after all. It's only a matter of time."

Neron could only shudder and wither away as he felt even more despair.

He cursed himself, regretting everything he had ever done. How he had joined the Nether Cult and rose to the First Seat.

How he'd participated in the massacre of the Midas Race.

How he'd helped gather all the Arcanas to bring about the very end of everything.

The world. Existence. Himself.

Everything was going to end!

"I…"

Millions of thoughts echoed in his mind. However, out of the many emotions that consumed him, two remained the strongest.

Regret… and HATRED!

Neron raised his head and his pure black eyes slowly showed a glimmer of light.

"… I won't allow it!"

Suddenly, the entire area was enveloped in white light, and the shock was enough to send ripples of distortions to every corner of the world.

He finally caught the attention of both the Nether and Legris Damien—both of whom reacted with immediate precision.

Neron had now become a threat!

And not just any kind of threat. It was the only threat that could stop what was happening—the only kind that existed in the world.

It was the power of the Singularity, Neron Kaelid!

"I'll stop all of you!"