Chapter 177 - Episode 24. Ancient God (2)
Chapter 177: Episode 24. Ancient God (2)
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Minerva’s declaration plunged everyone into silence for a moment.
―What do you mean? Why would the 《Abyss》 suddenly be destroyed?
“‘If the Metaverse collapses,’ the Abyss will be destroyed. That is the activation condition of the Great Fate I heard.”
Andersen asked incredulously.
―You knew that and still did not stop it?
“I tried to.”
―No, you could have just told us about the Fate!
“Would telling you have stopped it?”
Minerva looked at Jaehwan. The Allies looked at him as well.
They were realizing anew that the man before them was the very one who intended to destroy this world.
After watching Jaehwan for a while, Minerva turned to look at the Followers gathered cozily throughout the inn.
“Not every destruction will be the same. There must be many ways for a destruction to happen, many different kinds. It may sound strange, but perhaps there is even an acceptable kind of ‘destruction’ in this world.”
A wave of people swept through the inn and left, and most of the Followers who remained wore old-fashioned clothes and simple equipment. They blew on their grimy hands for warmth as they chewed dumplings.
“Another bowl here!”
Most were souls revived from the 〈Metaverse〉. It was a meal they could enjoy for the first time in hundreds of years. Some sniffled as they ate king-sized dumplings and slurped noodles, while others grinned from ear to ear.
“There is no such thing as an acceptable destruction.”
“Whether it is acceptable or not, a ‘destruction’ centered around you will happen in the end. You started all of this.”
“What are you trying to say?”
“I placed 「Fate’s Protection」 on you.”
Fate’s Protection.
Jaehwan opened and closed his hand, examining his entire body with 「Doubt」. He could not feel any new energy in particular.
“It is not a Setting you can detect so easily. I placed it on you from the very First Floor of the 〈Metaverse〉. Did you not find it strange? You survived perfectly fine despite suffering wounds that should have killed you.”
Come to think of it, he had not suffered any major injuries even after falling from the Tower. Perhaps that had been the Protection’s effect.
“Why are you helping me?”
If it was a Setting so difficult to read even with 「Doubt」, Minerva must have invested a considerable amount of World Force into using it. Perhaps that was why she could not display much power in the Tower despite her standing.
“It is a gamble of Fate placed by the Goddess of Fate.”
Minerva rose from her seat with a small grunt, then added,
“As long as you have that Protection, you will not die easily. Still, be careful. It will not work against the Seven Divine Thrones or the Twelve Great Lords.”
“Thank you.”
“There is no need to thank me. Think of it as taking out insurance. At heart, I oppose destruction.”
Minerva looked toward the Followers waiting outside the estate.
“Thanks to you, I found friends in the Tower. I plan to travel with them and look into the 〈Metaverses〉 in other regions. Even if they are fated to be destroyed in the end, we should struggle until the very end. Well then.”
Having said all she wanted to say, the Goddess of Fate lightly waved and walked away. It was a cheerful farewell, just like when they had first met. It suited Rene perfectly.
Martis, who had listened beside them the whole time, bowed to Jaehwan.
“I have decided to travel with Minerva-nim for the time being as well. Since I have returned to the 《Abyss》 after so long, I intend to meet some old Companions who may share my purpose.”
Martis, one of the Gods of Today whom Jaehwan had met on the Sixth Floor.
Jaehwan still could not understand why Martis followed him.
He had taught too many gods at once when he taught Martis, so his memories of Martis were as muddled as what he had eaten for lunch the day before yesterday.
Whether Martis knew that or not, his eyes were bright.
“I can live in Today again thanks to you, Jaehwan-nim. Wherever you are in the Abyss, I will come running the moment you call.”
Watching Martis walk away, Jaehwan thought Martis might understand the meaning of ‘Today’ better than he did. Perhaps it was only natural for someone who had lived in Yesterday before coming to live in Today to understand ‘Today’ better than someone who had always lived only in Today.
―They sure are cold. Leaving so quickly.
“Yeah.”
Andersen and Runald each muttered a word.
As they looked around the estate, now desolate after the gods’ departure, they found Karlton packing his belongings as well.
“Wait, Karlton, are you leaving too?”
Karlton gave Runald his usual warm smile, then spoke to Jaehwan.
“It should be about time for Old Man Cheongheo and Sirwen-nim to arrive. I thought I would go meet them. Something always happens if those two are left alone. It may have already happened.”
Jaehwan nodded.
It was true that leaving those two alone was worrying.
“Would you like to come with me?”
“No, I have something to do.”
“Understood. We will continue the conversation once everyone has gathered.”
Karlton turned away with a large bundle, clearly stuffed full of dumplings, slung over his back.
“And Fortress Lord, perhaps it is time you built up a force of your own.”
Karlton paused at the entrance of the estate and suddenly left those words behind.
“I am only suggesting you give it some thought. See you.”
“Hyung! Be careful!”
“Sure. See you soon.”
With those final words, Karlton left without delay. His chin tucked in and his back straight, he looked unmistakably like the stubborn Karlton even from a distance.
Once Karlton had left, Jaehwan began noticing Followers besides the Allies.
Followers leaned against the wall across from the rear garden, casting furtive glances in his direction. Some were strangers, but others had familiar faces. Most appeared to be remnants of the Gods of Today who had learned Stab in the 〈Metaverse〉, or souls revived by the collapse of the 〈Metaverse〉.
“They are people who spent their entire lives trapped in the Tower.”
Manri Shintong emerged from the house and spoke with his hands clasped behind his back.
“They will do anything you tell them to. They have been in the 〈Metaverse〉 so long that they have forgotten how to live without a Task.”
“I am not a babysitter.”
“I am not asking you to babysit them. You brought them out, so give them at least their first job.”
Just then, one of those lingering near the entrance of the estate hesitantly approached. He was a fierce-looking man. Jaehwan thought he might be looking for trouble, but the voice that came out was as quiet as a mosquito’s buzz.
“Um, excuse me...”
The man bit his lip, then abruptly threw himself face-down on the ground and shouted.
“Please accept me as your subordinate!”
“No.”
“Th-then...”
The man looked up at Jaehwan with tears in his eyes. Despite his appearance, the amount of World Force Jaehwan could sense from him was low.
Jaehwan was about to say something when Andersen whispered.
―Looks like a Vicegerent of a Concept God, or a Follower of a low-grade god. If you do not take him in here, he probably has nowhere else to go.
After thinking for a moment, Jaehwan said,
“Go sweep the yard or something.”
“Yes!”
The man’s expression brightened, and he fetched a broom from somewhere before beginning to sweep the estate.
That was the beginning.
“Um...”
“Excuse me, me too.”
“I can do anything!”
Followers appeared one after another and formed a line before Jaehwan.
Jaehwan glared at them for a moment, then said,
“Go over there and stab at anything.”
“Yes!”
As if they had made a promise, they took off their shirts and began doing Stab together with matching shouts. Followers who had lacked the courage to speak to Jaehwan quietly joined in as well, and in no time an unruly army had formed.
Before long, the rear garden was filled with Followers stabbing toward the sky.
When he looked beside him, Manri Shintong stood with his arms folded, smiling contentedly.
“Do you not think they could become a decent army?”
“I am more comfortable alone.”
“Of course you are more comfortable alone, but it will be hard to become happy alone.”
Jaehwan did not answer.
Runald had somehow moved to stand before the Followers and was demonstrating while imitating Karlton.
“That is not how you do it. Like this!”
“L-like this?”
“No, like this!”
He was wrong. This time, though, Jaehwan did not point it out.
The Followers gathered close together and began performing incorrect Stabs toward the sky.
Perhaps Manri Shintong was right. Maybe doing the wrong Stab together was more fun than doing the right Stab alone.
Jaehwan suddenly looked down at Dokbul at his waist.
For a very long time, he had performed Stab alone with this sword.
Could he continue winning the same way?
Could the ‘end of the Tree of Illusion’ truly be reached through one person’s efforts alone?
As if proving Jaehwan’s uncertainty, large and small cracks had formed along Dokbul’s hilt and scabbard. Under normal circumstances, it should have repaired itself naturally, but there was clearly a problem with its function.
Perhaps he had overstrained it while destroying the 〈Metaverse〉.
“I want to have this sword repaired. Do you know any blacksmiths?”
“There are plenty of blacksmiths. Are you planning to repair that sword?”
When Jaehwan nodded, Manri Shintong bent down and carefully examined Dokbul’s condition.
“It is obviously no ordinary sword. It is not something ordinary blacksmiths can handle.”
Naturally. Jaehwan’s scabbard had been made by Meikal, Deputy Workshop Master of Twilight Dusk, a blacksmith with some renown even in 《Chaos》.
Jaehwan thought of Meikal’s face for the first time in a while.
“With a scabbard like this, it would be difficult for anyone but a Dream Demon to work on it. It is the work of a remarkable artisan.”
Would Meikal be pleased if he heard Manri Shintong say that?
Meikal Garnad, the blacksmith who had lived his whole life with an inferiority complex toward Dream Demons. How was he living now?
It was then that Manri Shintong said something unexpected.
“Good timing. A famous Dream Demon is visiting 〈Caspion〉 right now.”
“A Dream Demon?”
“Not a 「Master」, but in terms of skill alone, they would not be lacking even compared to a 「Master」. They should be nearby. I heard they opened a temporary shop for this festival.”
A Dream Demon like that piqued Jaehwan’s curiosity as well. Sirwen was the only Dream Demon he had met in person so far.
A festival...
“A festival to celebrate the Tower’s collapse?”
“Ah, you would not know. Caspion is normally in festival season right now. Have you heard of the 〈Caspion Grand Auction〉?”
He had. Being chased away from the entrance to that auction house had been what led him to enter the 〈Metaverse〉 in the first place.
“If you have time, it would not be a bad idea to visit the Grand Auction House while you are there.”
“I do not have good memories of that place.”
“Is that so? Still, there may be something among this auction’s items that catches your interest.”
For an instant, light returned to Jaehwan’s indifferent eyes.
“Is Yoonhwan being auctioned off?”
“Always talking about that friend, awake or asleep. It is not that friend. Still, it is certainly a Product that will interest you.”
The sky of the 《Abyss》 reflected in Manri Shintong’s eyes.
Now, both Jaehwan and Manri Shintong knew clearly.
There was something beyond that sky.
And long ago, there had been people who challenged that ‘beyond.’
As if reminding him of that fact, Manri Shintong finished speaking.
“There is a rumor that an Ancient God’s ‘Three Divine Artifacts’ will appear at this Grand Auction.”
Footnotes:
Chapter discussion