Chapter 221 - Episode 29. Fallen Star (1)
Chapter 221: Episode 29. Fallen Star (1)
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“How could the world change merely because one star fell?”
「Rupture」 Fourth Division Commander, Kasim.
* * *
Adel, the aide, was looking up at the sky.
Dark clouds gathered at the borders of distant Sites. It looked as though a heavy rain was about to pour down.
Pitter, patter.
Tiny droplets fell here and there.
Rain in the 《Abyss》 consisted of fine particles of World Force. The particles were too small for getting caught in the rain to noticeably increase one’s World Force, but they did have a restorative effect. Perhaps that was why even grueling Holy Wars tended to ease off when the rainy season came.
The rain did not discriminate between gods. Vicegerents and Followers exhausted by battle stopped fighting, stood together in the rain, and enjoyed a brief moment of rest.
For as long as the rain fell, even the 《Abyss》 was granted a short peace.
“It is raining.”
The one who spoke was Mirel, Rupture’s Fifth Division Commander, standing beside Adel.
Adel glanced at Mirel’s golden hair, darkened by the rain, and replied.
“It is the rainy season.”
“So it will be peaceful for a while.”
“Would you not call it a deceptive peace?”
“Deceptive?”
Adel silently watched the gathering clouds.
In the 《Abyss》, immense World Force exerted its own gravitational pull. The Sites that had formed around the Eight Divine Thrones worked on a similar principle. Raindrops, which were particles of World Force, also naturally reacted to great concentrations of World Force.
Yet even the Eight Divine Thrones would struggle to create clouds in such vast numbers through their presence alone. For a large-scale weather anomaly to occur, at least two Divine Thrones had to meet, or a being with even greater power had to be born in the 《Abyss》.
Neither possibility was pleasant for Vicegerents. If Divine Thrones met, battle would follow. If something stronger than them was born, bloodshed would sweep through the 《Abyss》.
That was why the beings of the 《Abyss》 respected the rainy season.
“Adel, I have known you for seven hundred years already.”
“Then the same must be true for me.”
“I have always thought it was a mistake to keep someone as talented as you in the post of an inexperienced Company Commander’s aide.”
“You flatter me.”
“But I was also glad you were their aide. Clumsy youngsters need a cool-headed aide like you, or they might make absurd mistakes.”
“Is that so?”
Despite the rare praise, Adel did not look particularly pleased. Mirel continued.
“Still, you seem strangely sentimental today.”
“Does rain not make people sentimental?”
“That is true for ordinary humans.”
“I was once an ordinary human too. Perhaps I still am.”
Mirel seemed to turn those words over for a moment before speaking again.
“Ordinary humans cannot reach Awakening.”
“Do you truly believe that?”
Adel slowly looked around.
The members of 「Rupture」 were enjoying the rain. They tried to hide it, but they could not conceal the emotions faintly showing on their faces.
Most were young souls who had only recently ascended to the 《Abyss》 and joined 「Rupture」. Some looked excited. Others were lost in deep thought. Every one of them wore the face of someone remembering something.
Watching them, Adel continued.
“They are all ordinary humans.”
“...”
“And young people who may soon die.”
Not one of them had avoided the 〈Great Disappearance Simulation〉. Everyone here had passed through that terrible simulation. They had come this far after killing their own memories, again and again and again.
Yet faint emotions still remained in them.
Did being a killer mean one had no emotions?
Adel did not know whether they still deserved to be called human. Still, Adel hoped.
That they would not die. And if they did die, that they could at least die as humans.
Mirel tilted her head as though she found this strange.
“You truly are not yourself today, Adel.”
“A person cannot always remain the same. Someone in 「Rupture」 today may become something else tomorrow.”
“Is this because of the Company Commander you recently accompanied?”
For the first time, unease crossed Adel’s face.
“I do not know what you mean.”
“I mean Yoonhwan.”
Kim Yoonhwan. A brief wave of emotion crossed Adel’s face at the thought of his name after so long.
He was a young man who did not belong in the 《Abyss》. A man with a soul too pure to be worn away within 「Rupture」.
That was why he had eventually left 「Rupture」.
Why was that?
A quiet smile passed across Adel’s lips at the thought of him.
“Perhaps it is.”
“Perhaps?”
“Perhaps I unknowingly drew some strength from that young soul.”
“Adel, are you seriously saying that...”
“And I do not believe Fifth Division Commander is in a position to say such things either.”
Mirel’s elegant brow creased slightly.
“What kind of insolence is that?”
“Was it not Fifth Division Commander who arbitrarily stopped Yoonhwan’s 〈Great Disappearance Simulation〉?”
Mirel’s eyes widened slightly, as though she had not expected that subject to come up here.
She spoke defensively.
“That was...”
“He did not clear the simulation.”
“Even so, he Awakened.”
“Ah, Awakening. Since when has 「Rupture」 accepted something so incomplete as Awakening?”
Mirel did not answer.
Adel continued.
“Something is changing, Fifth Division Commander. You, me, and the other Awakened Ones as well.”
Mirel was silent for a long time.
Pitter, patter.
The cool sensation of rain striking her palm.
Mirel finally spoke.
“Yes. Perhaps it is.”
It sounded reluctant, but it was sincere.
Mirel knew as well.
An unsettling change could be felt.
She did not know what that change was, but something was undeniably happening.
“But before we change, the time of revolution will come for us first.”
“What do you mean?”
The falling rain gradually thickened.
Neither Mirel nor Adel had seen rain this heavy in seven hundred years. No World Force close to the level of a Divine Throne could be felt nearby. If so, perhaps this was a sign that a being just as powerful was about to return to the 《Abyss》.
Mirel kept staring at the sky, unconcerned by the rain entering her eyes. A terrifying being capable of controlling the whole of the 《Abyss》 was there.
More precisely, it was said to be there.
The dark clouds now obscured that place, but even without them, Mirel did not possess the kind of “eyes” needed to see it. Not just anyone could have such eyes.
Perhaps someone might ask how one could believe in something unseen.
But it was not belief. It was something they naturally knew.
Without something like that, the world could not possibly be this way.
Adel seemed to realize something and spoke.
“Do not tell me the rumor was true?”
“...”
“When?”
“Tomorrow.”
Thunder rumbled.
Mirel trembled slightly, but did not lower her gaze. She looked like someone desperately trying to imagine the being beyond the clouds.
“Tomorrow, the Commander will go strike 《Big Brother》. The Abyss’s long two hundred and ten thousand years are finally coming to an end.”
Perhaps sensing the resolve in her voice, Adel stared blankly at the sky as well.
An organization formed for a single purpose, which had raced forward all the way to this point. At last, the ending they had longed for was close at hand.
Adel suddenly wanted to ask.
“Do you think the world will change, Fifth Division Commander?”
Mirel did not answer.
Adel could not tell whether her silence meant the world would not change, or that she did not know such things herself.
Perhaps they had grown too old to think about matters like that.
* * *
At the same time, lightning struck the skies over the Second Site.
As rain intermittently beat against Buddha’s entire body, the God of Reincarnation silently stared ahead.
It is almost tomorrow. There is not much time.
Before Buddha stood the Second Site’s Inner Fortress, which should have fallen three days ago.
A battle that had lasted a full week.
It had been a fight sublime enough to finally deserve the name Holy War. The Followers and Vicegerents fighting to protect their god had been so relentless that even though the tide had clearly turned against them, not the slightest fear could be seen in their eyes.
Buddha spat on the ground and asked Kasim, who stood nearby.
“Fourth Division Commander. How many gods has the Commander gathered so far? Do you have records?”
“Twenty-five thousand mid-grade gods and twelve hundred high-grade gods. On top of that, two of the Eight Divine Thrones have been absorbed. Do you need statistics on the low-grade gods as well?”
“No. There is no point absorbing low-grade gods.”
Without looking away from the Inner Fortress, Buddha quickly finished calculating.
They still did not have enough World Force to begin their Grand Plan. To complete it, they had to absorb at least two more beings at the level of the Eight Divine Thrones.
According to the plan, everything should have ended once they absorbed the Dragon God Droyan, master of the Second Site, and Nameless, the God of Madness and master of the Seventh Site...
Jerome has gone silent at the Seventh Site.
Nameless, the God of Madness, guarded the Seventh Site.
Buddha knew Nameless well enough to know that two Great Lords and one Division Commander should have been more than enough to deal with him.
Besides, one of those Great Lords was Jerome, the Lord of Darkness, who would not fall far behind Buddha even if they fought.
Yet Jerome had gone silent.
Could he have betrayed us?
Buddha bit down hard on his lip.
If Jerome had betrayed them, events could take an unexpected turn. Even if Buddha captured the Dragon God here, they would need the World Force of one more Divine Throne.
That damned Dragon God is still holed up in there, holding out... Hm?
A troubling look crossed Buddha’s face. As if sensing something ominous, Buddha spoke in a heavy voice.
“We are going in.”
“Now? But this is...”
“I know it is the rainy season.”
The rule was not to fight during the rainy season.
“But this is not a situation where we can worry about that. We have to go now.”
Buddha’s tone was firm.
Kasim fell silent for a moment, then nodded.
“Understood. We will enter with you.”
“No. You all return from here. We cannot know what might happen.”
Kasim’s expression twisted at Buddha’s words.
“What do you mean...?”
“It is an order. Return to the home base. Otherwise, get as far away from this Site as you can.”
There was no hierarchy among Rupture’s Division Commanders.
Yet Buddha had said “order.” What nonsense was that?
Still, Kasim did not miss the urgency that crossed Buddha’s face at that moment.
Buddha, the First Division Commander, was a powerhouse whom even all the other Division Commanders together could not be sure of defeating. If someone like him was speaking this forcefully, there had to be a reason.
“Hurry. It will be troublesome if you get caught up in this too.”
“Understood. Then I will withdraw as far as possible and observe the situation.”
That was as far as Kasim’s pride allowed him to yield.
Kasim began leading the members away. A black tide receding like the ebbing sea. Only a devastated battlefield remained where 「Rupture」 had stood.
A short while later, ashes scattered from the fortress of 〈Naraka〉 in the Second Site, and someone began walking out.
An unforgettable fashion sense.
Smoky makeup, a black eyepatch covering one eye, an open black vest, dragon tattoos covering both arms, black fingerless gloves studded with metal spikes, and finally, the huge pillow Doll hanging from the stranger’s back, the final touch to it all.
Droyan was the master of the Second Site, left battered after fighting Buddha for the past week.
The 《Abyss》 called Droyan by the following name.
The Dragon God Droyan.
Having completed a full descent upon a Vicegerent, Droyan spoke in an irritating voice.
[Mimi Nya, could you ask why no one is visible even though this body came out personally?]
A speech bubble then appeared behind the pillow on Droyan’s back.
‘Cowards! Cowards!’
“So the Dragon God has finally come out to die.”
Buddha found it deeply unpleasant that he had fought someone like this for an entire week. Droyan was not an opponent Buddha could not defeat if Buddha fought with everything, but the damage from such a battle would be difficult to bear.
More than anything, Droyan’s Setting, 「Black Flame Dragon」, possessed destructive power considered among the strongest in the 《Abyss》.
Droyan began talking to the pillow Doll hanging from Droyan’s back.
[Mimi Nya, you think so too. Everyone has been eagerly awaiting this body’s appearance.]
‘The Abyss’s hope! The Abyss’s hope!’
[Heh heh heh.]
‘The bald monk is so stiff-necked! The bald monk is so stiff-necked!’
[An arrogant fellow like that needs to be crushed beneath us.]
‘Black Flame Dragon power! Black Flame Dragon power!’
[Of course that is what I intend, Mimi Nya. Now, let us begin. O power closer to Legend than legend.]
‘Fate’s destiny! Fate’s destiny!’
[Darkness...]
‘Darkness’s dark! Darkness’s dark!’
Buddha frowned.
That lunatic needed a beating.
As Buddha gathered World Force into both hands, a special current of World Force formed in the air. Buddha’s prized Innate Setting unfolded.
「Thousand-Armed Avalokiteshvara」
A gigantic image appeared behind Buddha.
A Buddha with a thousand arms. Countless palms exploded fragments of World Force through the air as they poured down upon Droyan.
Buddha thought:
I will use everything. Even if I take losses, I will finish this bastard now.
Before the descending palms, Droyan wore a panicked expression, having yet to activate 「Black Flame Dragon」, Droyan’s Innate Setting.
[Hell deeper than hell, west of the west... Ngh, my chant is not finished yet...!]
‘Coward! Coward!’
The 「Black Flame Dragon」 that activated belatedly in Droyan’s hand had only just begun to raise its head.
Its difficult conditions of use and long activation time were the sole weakness of the strongest Setting, 「Black Flame Dragon」.
The incompletely summoned Black Flame Dragon began to be crushed bit by bit beneath Buddha’s full-powered 「Thousand-Armed Avalokiteshvara」.
Droyan’s expression twisted.
[Mimi Nya, I loved you.]
‘Love’s love! Love’s love!’
Buddha pushed the World Force of Thousand-Armed Avalokiteshvara to its limit.
“You are still spewing bullshit to the end.”
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
Ten strikes, twenty strikes, thirty strikes.
Every time a palm of 「Thousand-Armed Avalokiteshvara」 struck, Droyan’s body bent at grotesque angles.
[Heh heh, heh. Heh. Gah! Ngh! Ngh! Ngh ngh heh ngh!]
‘Kyaah! Kyaah! Kyaah! Kyaah! Kyaah! Kyaah! Kyaah! Kyaah! Kyaah!’
A sound that could have been laughter or crying flowed from Droyan.
Silver clots of blood poured out at last.
A Divine Throne once called invincible against all but 《Big Brother》 was nearing a hollow end.
“Dragon God, you look terrible.”
Then someone’s voice reached Droyan’s ears.
A voice only Droyan could hear.
Realizing who it was, Droyan cried out convulsively.
[Mimi Nya, could you offer words of welcome to my dearest friend?]
‘Flame’s flame! Flame’s flame!’
[Who said someone like you was my friend?]
[Mimi Nya, it seems our love has won after all.]
‘Miracle’s miracle! Miracle’s miracle!’
[Yes, that damned God Complex of yours hasn’t changed at all.]
‘Love is invincible! Love is invincible! Kyaah! Kyaah! Kyaah! Kyaah!’
[Mimi Nya seems to be doing well too.]
Whoosh!
A spectacle of flames exploded one after another through the air. Great hellfire, unlike anything found anywhere in the 《Abyss》, spread across the battlefield. Massive flower buds of flame opened, crimson fire bursting into bloom across the Site.
Buddha hurriedly controlled 「Thousand-Armed Avalokiteshvara」 to protect himself.
Flames covered the entire sky. Even a thousand palms could not block all that heat.
Buddha knew the name of this Setting.
「Crimson Flame Tribulation」
One of the strongest Settings in the 《Abyss》, competing with Droyan’s 「Black Flame Dragon」 for the highest level of destructive power.
[Crimson Flame Tribulation has gotten much stronger. Was all that training in the forest worth it?]
“Are you jealous? Then you should strip naked and go scrub their backs too.”
[I will pass.]
With Ignis’s voice, the flames withdrew, revealing a man.
“Hey, bald monk. Are you the one called Buddha?”
A naked man with a red pompadour.
“You dare turn my 〈Tropical Night〉 into this mess?”
Karavan, Ignis’s Vicegerent, who had parted ways with Jaehwan in the forest of madness, stood there revealing far too much.
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