Chapter 157 - Episode 21. God of Ashes (10)
Chapter 157: Episode 21. God of Ashes (10)
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A little later, Jaehwan, Yu Seolha, and Imai headed to the Alliance’s home base under the Clockmakers’ escort.
An ancient palace, black as though it had been molded from graphite. It was a rather modest palace for the residence of the ‘Alliance’s’ Leader.
Andersen whispered in Jaehwan’s ear, sounding strangely excited.
“I’m a little nervous.”
That was understandable. From Andersen’s perspective, she was seeing the target of her vengeance again after five hundred years.
As he walked the road toward the palace, Jaehwan watched the gods on the street watching him.
There were gods who had entered the Eighth Floor after seeing Jaehwan’s broadcast, along with gods who had lived there from the beginning. Some wore Naked Skins and stared at Jaehwan with strange looks in their eyes. It was quite a spectacle.
Perhaps they, too, had once challenged the Leader as Jaehwan had.
They must have dreamed of reaching the Tower’s final floor.
They must have pictured the view waiting at the Tower’s summit.
Then, at some point, they must have come upon an enormous invisible wall. They must have sat down before it, measured its thickness and height for a long time, and fallen into despair.
“Not everyone gets to see the same view. But...”
Jaehwan looked at the crowd in Naked Skins staring at him from afar and thought,
‘So wearing the same clothes is possible.’
Only then did he think he understood, at least a little, why they were so obsessed with Skins.
“God Slayer-nim. I’m a fan.”
The Clockmakers glared fiercely at the god who had suddenly barged in and blocked the road.
Jaehwan shifted slightly, taking the Clockmakers’ stares on his back as he looked at the god claiming to be his fan.
Their equipment prioritized flashiness over practicality. It seemed they did not train their soul form or World Force, because all Jaehwan could sense beyond the Skin was a weak presence. Anyone could tell that they had poured all their trust into drawing the Skin they were currently wearing.
A few gods from the Naked Skin crowd shouted.
“How dare you! Drag that bastard away!”
Several naked gods sprang out from the crowd and dragged the fan away.
Even while being hauled off, the fan cried out to Jaehwan. Their voice was desperate.
“How, how can I become like you?”
It was a foolish question.
The very idea of a god who had climbed this far asking someone how to grow stronger was absurd.
All gods were proud. They were beings who had defied 〈Big Brother〉 and established their own Worldviews. Only stubborn, self-righteous gods could protect their Worldviews from the storms of the 《Abyss》 and reassure their Followers.
Yet that god was asking with even their pride cast aside.
“Stab.”
“I-I already do! How much do I need to do?”
“I don’t know either.”
Someone cursed at those words, while others laughed as though they thought it was a joke. There were also gods who nodded seriously.
Jaehwan looked at them.
The Gods of Yesterday had been the same. Some doubted, some understood, and some acted.
That was the only difference.
“Leave them alone. If they were the kind of god who could understand that, they would have understood before you told them.”
Yu Seolha, who had watched the scene beside him, asked, “You’re popular. We never got that kind of treatment.”
“Why are you following me?”
At Jaehwan’s sharp voice, Yu Seolha shrugged.
“Just bored. They’re not saying anything either.”
The Clockmakers truly did not burn with hostility toward Jaehwan and the Rupture Commanders as they had a few hours ago.
Yu Seolha asked again, “So, are you really going to fight the Leader?”
“If I can.”
“You’ll lose. Don’t do anything stupid.”
Imai said that.
Taking a large bite from a dumpling brought from the inn, Imai gave Jaehwan a quick look from head to toe and asked, “When did you reach the stage of 「Hypothesis」?”
“A few years ago.”
“You seem capable of Sanctuary Manifestation. The quality and quantity of World Force you possess are also exceptionally high. At your rate of growth, if you trained for a few hundred more years, there would be hardly anyone in the entire 《Tree of Illusion》 who could stand against you. But not now.”
Imai swallowed the dumpling still in his mouth and continued.
“Even among the Seven Stars, Russell and Eoduksi are on entirely different levels. Eoduksi can fight even the Seven Heavens above him.”
“You seem to know the Leader well.”
“I’ve seen him. I know as much as I’ve seen.”
“How does he compare to you?”
“That’s a difficult question. At that level, I’d have to fight him to know.”
“Then it’s worth trying.”
Imai frowned.
“You really don’t know your own limits. It seems becoming one of the Seven Stars has gone to your head, but...”
“It doesn’t matter whether he’s strong or weak. I’ve never fought while worrying about things like that.”
Imai looked dumbfounded at Jaehwan’s calm answer.
Before long, the group stopped walking. The ancient palace stood before them.
The Clockmakers let Jaehwan through, then blocked the entrance.
“This is as far as you go.”
The Clockmakers did not seem willing to step back this time. Judging by their unusual presence, many stronger than ‘Nine O’Clock’ had likely been added to their ranks. If they tried to force their way through, even the Rupture Commanders would have to accept some losses.
Yu Seolha made her decision.
“This is far enough for now.”
“Are you really going to leave him like that? That bastard is one hundred percent going to die.”
Without answering, Yu Seolha silently glared at the entrance of the ancient palace Jaehwan had entered.
* * *
Several attendants stood inside the palace.
After confirming Jaehwan’s identity, they gave him a silent bow and began leading the way.
Jaehwan followed the soundless attendants through the inner corridors. His pace was unhurried, as though he were leisurely taking in the scenery. Looking at the displays lining both sides of the hall, he felt like he understood something of the Leader’s tastes.
[Serpent Spear]
[Green Dragon Crescent Blade]
[True Name Sword]
[Twin Dragon Swords]
[Fangtian Halberd]
The exhibits were sealed in plain transparent cases, with their names written in small letters along the bottom front.
Some were weapons Jaehwan thought he had heard of, while others were unfamiliar. He had no way to tell whether those weapons were real.
One thing was certain. The moment he saw them, Dokbul at his waist hummed greedily.
―They’re Parts collected by the Leader. Either genuine pieces, or replicas extremely close to the originals.
‘Security is far too lax.’
―He is confident no one can come this far and steal them.
There were also books that looked like various records.
[Euphrates’ Poetry Collection, Volume 8]
[On the Master’s Tower]
[The Secret of the Three Divine Artifacts]
Some titles made Jaehwan want to open them immediately if time allowed.
He silently scanned the books’ titles before stopping in front of one display.
[Thoughts on the Metaverse and the End of the World]
The title alone was quite interesting, but what drew his attention most was the author.
―Written by Mulack Armelt
At some point, the attendant walking ahead had disappeared.
[Do you want that record?]
Instead, a voice like ashes scattered through gentle darkness guided him.
[Most would covet the weapons first. You are unusual.]
Jaehwan walked toward the voice. The darkness in the corridor cleared away, revealing a bright training hall at the end of the passage.
At its center sat a middle-aged man with his legs crossed, eyes shut.
His hair was half gray, and his face was small and refined. He looked nothing like the vicious Leader of the ‘Alliance.’
Without opening his mouth, the man spoke.
[Thank you for readily accepting my invitation, Jaehwan.]
The Leader slowly opened his eyes and looked at Jaehwan with blue irises. It was a sincere, clear gaze, as if he were seeing Jaehwan himself.
Thinking about it, it had been a long time since someone had called him by name upon first meeting him.
“You’re the Leader?”
The Leader nodded.
The Leader Jaehwan met in person looked somewhat frail. He had a thin body that made Jaehwan wonder whether he could even properly withstand a single sword strike.
Still, anyone who could feel the World Pressure flowing through his whole body would know.
That man was undoubtedly the Alliance’s Leader, the foremost of the Seven Stars, the God of Ashes, ‘Eoduksi.’
When Jaehwan brought his hand toward Dokbul, the Leader said,
[I did not call you here to brawl.]
“Why drag this out? It seems faster to settle things here.”
The Leader slowly rose. When he lightly twisted his body, an elegant wave of World Force swirled through the area. A faint tremor swept across the entire Eighth Floor, like electricity returning to an old factory.
Jaehwan unknowingly gripped his sword hilt tightly.
It might have looked like nothing special to anyone else, but not to Jaehwan.
The man before him might have been one of the three strongest enemies he had ever faced.
[As expected, seeing you in person, you surpass the rumors. With World Pressure of this level, you have passed the fourth stage of Awakening and are now heading toward the fifth.]
“You know about Awakening?”
The realm of Awakening was not something ordinary gods could discuss.
The Leader gave Jaehwan a faint smile, then walked toward the window. Large and small miniatures were displayed there like potted plants.
The Leader quietly looked down at them, then slowly reached out a hand.
[Metaverse Floor 1-1]
[Metaverse Floor 2-6]
[Metaverse Floor 3-5]
[Metaverse Floor 4-12]
······.
Looking closely, every miniature was modeled after the map inside it. The first floor, second floor, third floor, fourth floor...
There was even a panorama of the Eighth Floor.
The moment Jaehwan saw the gods moving inside that scene, along with the black ancient palace at its center, chills ran down his spine.
They were not simple miniatures.
In other words, those were...
“Are you the ‘Driver’?”
[I do handle some of his work for him. You could call it the price of remaining in this Tower. The Driver is very lazy.]
The Leader began repairing broken miniatures with World Force. He managed the stages overseen by the Alliance, added new Parts, and regenerated the monsters used for Tasks.
At times, his fingers moved carelessly and crushed gods inside the miniatures. They were groups on the Tower’s Fourth Floor who repeatedly abused loopholes for bug-like play.
Only then did Jaehwan think he understood a little of what the Leader was.
[I can guess what you are thinking, but you need not worry. I handle this work according to my own fair standards. The Driver leaves it to me because he knows that.]
“Why did you leave me alone when I destroyed the Tower?”
[It had been a very long time since anything like that happened. I became interested.]
Jaehwan understood a little more why the Leader had called him here.
From the beginning, Jaehwan’s threats had meant nothing to the Leader.
At any time, the Leader could simply move a finger and crush every god here to death.
Footnotes:
Chapter discussion