Chapter 87 - Episode 13. Catastrophe (1)
Chapter 87: Episode 13. Catastrophe (1)
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「According to known records, Catastrophe is the being, or phenomenon, that possesses the most ‘titles’ in all of 《Great Realm》. Its many names include: the first Awakened One. The Sole King of Chaos. The Calamity of Chaos. Gatekeeper of the Abyss. Master of the Deadmans. The Ruined God. The Eternal Penitent...」
Mulack Armelt, from 『Record of the Abyss』
* * *
Three weeks after the Rebirth War ended.
Jaehwan and the 「Abyss Expedition」 arrived at the Strange Factory, known as the ‘Entrance to the Abyss.’
“So this is it.”
Jaehwan muttered as he looked at the distant structure.
Through Mulack’s 『Record of the Abyss』, Jaehwan had gained at least a rough understanding of this place.
Strange Factory.
The final gateway to the 《Abyss》.
The factory was a colossal hemispherical structure encircling the 《Palace of the Dead》, the residence of Catastrophe, the Sole King.
“Everyone, halt!”
Yulhen and Cayman, who had been escorting Jaehwan from behind, each gathered their forces.
Looking over the assembled troops, Jaehwan thought,
...There are too many.
There were nearly three thousand of them in total.
He had repeatedly told them that not everyone who came along could go to the 《Abyss》, yet this many remained.
“There’s no rule saying the weak can’t participate, is there?”
The Abyss Expedition had been 《Chaos》’s long-held dream. Nobody was in any mood to listen simply because someone tried to stop them.
It was a troublesome situation.
And the woman he actually needed to bring along was in that state.
Jaehwan glanced at Sirwen, who was slung over Cheongheo’s back.
He had decided some time ago to include her in the expedition. Sirwen’s disposition and character had not factored into it at all. He was bringing her because she was useful. Dream Demons were a species with many uses.
The problem was that she had rushed at him, saying she would perform some Squeeze or other, then promptly collapsed. She still had not regained consciousness.
Cheongheo met Jaehwan’s eyes and twisted his mouth.
“...What exactly did you do with this woman in that locked room?”
Cheongheo had clearly gotten the wrong idea, but explaining himself would have been tiresome.
Yulhen, who had finished inspecting the troops beside them, spoke.
“Fortress Lord, will you enter immediately?”
“I told you, I’m no longer the Fortress Lord.”
“You will always be the Fortress Lord to me.”
Yulhen’s voice was firm.
Jaehwan’s expression tightened slightly.
“I’m only saying this in case you were wondering, but don’t expect me to play nursemaid for you.”
“Of course. I understand.”
The voice was colder than usual, yet those were words that needed to be said. Yulhen pressed their lips together.
Jaehwan would soon leave 《Chaos》.
From now on, 《Chaos》 would have to handle 《Chaos》’s affairs itself.
Kiiiiing.
The front hangar doors of the Strange Factory began opening all at once. Mechanical noises burst out from every direction, along with the cries of Horned Beasts that filled the sky.
A strange light flickered in Jaehwan’s eyes.
It has begun.
Inside the darkness beyond the hangars, container conveyor belts spun in circles.
Horned Beasts of all sizes began walking out one by one. Most were One-Horned Beasts, but Four-Horned Beasts and Five-Horned Beasts appeared from time to time. An industrial stench seeped from the bodies of the Horned Beasts emerging in droves.
Even putting aside the smell, it was an incredible sight.
The Horned Beasts crawling from the hangars gathered in groups of ten or twenty, then grew into hordes of hundreds. Red and blue Horned Beasts surged forward like countless tributaries joining into one flood.
It was truly spectacular.
Some people, forgetting that their lives were in danger, could only gasp in awe.
“To think this was where Horned Beasts came from...”
Horned Beasts.
Mysterious animals that wandered 《Chaos》, their strength determined by the number of horns they possessed. Their horns, hides, and meat were all treasures, with nothing to waste.
The Strange Factory was the birthplace of those Horned Beasts.
Every Horned Beast wandering 《Chaos》 was created here, in this 「Strange Factory」.
That must have been the sense of discomfort Jaehwan had felt when he used 「Crafting」 on a Horned Beast’s horn at Meikal’s workshop.
The 「Masters」 built this factory.
Jaehwan recalled what Cheongheo had explained before they arrived.
This ‘factory,’ which absorbed energy from the 《Tree of Illusion》 to mass-produce Horned Beasts, had been built to restrain the Deadmans, Catastrophe’s army.
In other words, this factory was the source that maintained 《Chaos》’s ecosystem.
“Everyone, prepare for battle!”
At Cayman’s order, the expedition’s formation changed. Some immediately drew their swords as if they had been waiting for this.
“Ahem! It’s been a while since I changed weapons!”
The Hall Masters, including Kang Hwang of Fire King Hall, spoke excitedly.
It was understandable. Quite a few of the charging Horned Beasts were Four-Horned Beasts or stronger.
Horned Beast horns could be processed into medicine that reduced contamination, but their most efficient use was still as weapons. Not only were their horns exceptionally durable, they became ‘lethal weapons’ against 《Chaos》’s Deadmans.
There was no need to say more when it came to horns from Four-Horned Beasts or stronger.
Clang, clang, clang!
The sounds of weapons rang out from all directions. Countless skills erupted with explosive force.
Before the fearsome charge of the Horned Beasts, the expedition did not give an inch. Jaehwan and the Awakened Ones picked out only the dangerous Horned Beasts above Four-Horned Beast grade and cut them down.
「Garnak’s Majesty」.
The unique skill embedded in Dokbul’s scabbard also shone.
When Garnak’s Majesty activated, the low-grade Horned Beasts trembled and opened a path.
Only special Horned Beasts refused to retreat. Every one of them was worth a fortune. Some even appeared equal or superior to Dokbul’s scabbard.
Five-Horned Beast Garnak.
A named Horned Beast resembling a wolf.
They were the very creatures Jaehwan had happened to hunt shortly after arriving in 《Chaos》.
Yet there was not just one or two Garnaks.
There were enough to call them a pack. At the center stood an enormous Garnak, several times larger than the others. It stood well over ten meters tall. Eight horns protruded menacingly from its head.
Someone shouted.
“An Eight-Horned Beast!”
Horned Beasts above Five-Horned Beast grade were rarely found in 《Chaos》, and even when they were found, hunting them was not easy. The more horns a Horned Beast had, the greater the variation in its combat power. By the time they reached Seven-Horned Beast grade, they possessed truly terrifying strength.
At that point, even Adapters of the same grade could barely hunt them. Known records said that confronting a single Seven-Horned Beast required at least three seventh-stage Adapters.
Yet what stood before them was an Eight-Horned Beast.
Graaaargh!
With one roar, the nearby Five-Horned Beasts tumbled through the dust.
At that level, even a Lieutenant General-class Lord would have difficulty facing it.
Yet none of the expedition members looked afraid. If anything, they looked as though an entertaining spectacle had appeared.
The Eight-Horned Beast Garnak’s whiskers twitched in confusion.
Had it ever encountered humans like these?
The Eight-Horned Beast Garnak glared at the expedition members one by one. Finally, its gaze settled on Jaehwan, more precisely, on Jaehwan’s scabbard.
Grrrrrr.
It was a clear expression of fury.
With a roar from Garnak, countless Garnaks charged toward the expedition.
“Fortress Lord, I will take that one.”
“No, please allow me to take it!”
Cayman and Karlton drew their swords, competing to move first.
“You brats, don’t you know respect for your elders?”
Cheongheo, who had stepped forward a beat later, joined them.
Until now, he had held back for the sake of appearances, but an Eight-Horned Beast was an opponent worth fighting. It would be a suitable test of strength, and more than anything, he coveted the reward.
A weapon made from an Eight-Horned Beast’s horns.
Who would not want that?
Yet someone moved before all of them.
It was Jaehwan.
“Fortress Lord! That is unfair!”
Normally, Jaehwan would not have cared whether it was an Eight-Horned Beast or a Nine-Horned Beast. Yet there was a reason he endured the trouble and drew his sword first.
Hummm!
Dokbul kept crying out, thrilled to have met Horned Beasts.
Garnaks screamed relentlessly. As Dokbul cut down the Five-Horned Beasts, it swallowed their horns by the handful.
Crunch!
Each time Dokbul swung, more than ten Five-Horned Beasts were sent flying into the air at once.
It must have been hungry.
Dokbul had been damaged so severely during the battle against Samyeong Garam, the Dark Fragrance Lord, that it was nearly broken in half. If Dokbul had not been a spirit weapon capable of regenerating its own wounds, it would have been better to forge a new sword.
It was about time for its second evolution.
According to Meikal, spirit weapons underwent Great Evolution three times in total. Each Great Evolution explosively increased their inherent durability and performance.
Jaehwan had stepped forward to hunt the Eight-Horned Beast in order to hasten Dokbul’s Great Evolution. At its current durability, Dokbul would not be enough to face the enemies ahead.
Hummm.
As though it understood Jaehwan’s intentions, Dokbul’s blade gradually gained a sheen.
As the Five-Horned Beasts guarding it were thrown aside indiscriminately, the Eight-Horned Beast Garnak grew even more vicious. At the same time, it became more cautious.
It had realized that the human before it was no ordinary opponent.
After just a few Stabs, Garnak’s balance was already faltering.
After suffering an unexpected blow, the Eight-Horned Beast Garnak’s momentum changed sharply.
Gwooooor!
Powerful spiritual power particles gathered in Garnak’s mouth.
The unique ability used by Horned Beasts above Seven-Horned Beast grade.
Breath.
The condensed spiritual power exploded toward the ground.
This time, it was not an attack the expedition members could easily shrug off. Several who had been watching from nearby swiftly retreated dozens of meters.
Yet some Awakened Ones, including Cayman, remained where they stood.
Cheongheo had started to step back, but seeing them, he returned to his place.
“Damn it, you brats are all too proud for your own good...”
“Haha, Divine Doctor. It is not only because of our pride.”
The one who replied was Yoon Yong, Hall Master of Thunder God Hall.
Cheongheo frowned and asked,
“Then why?”
“Because this may be a sight we will never see again.”
Everyone there understood what he meant.
It was something they had all thought about, though they had tried to turn away from it.
The 「Abyss Expedition」 would soon depart.
And Jaehwan had not yet chosen which expedition members he would take to the 《Abyss》. How many of them would truly be able to follow him...?
“Heh heh, it seems everyone is getting anxious.”
Cheongheo laughed triumphantly.
At his innocent certainty that he would obviously be chosen, everyone gave bitter smiles. At times like this, it was difficult to believe Cheongheo was really twelve hundred years old.
Then Cheongheo’s gaze settled on someone.
“But why do you look so grim?”
The person the Divine Doctor was looking at was Cayman.
No one in the expedition had earned Jaehwan’s trust more than Cayman. Yet even Cayman did not look pleased.
“Don’t worry. I don’t know about the others, but won’t the Fortress Lord definitely take you?”
Even at Cheongheo’s encouragement, Cayman could only give a weak smile.
Something about Cayman’s sorrowful expression puzzled Cheongheo. Just as he was about to speak again, a flash of light exploded before them.
Those worried about 《Chaos》’s future.
Those concerned over who would be selected for the 「Abyss Expedition」.
For this moment, all of them forgot their own worries.
Kwooooooong.
The herd of Horned Beasts split apart beneath the ray of light. Darkness showed through the cracks in the world.
It was power that made every being in 《Chaos》 hold their breath.
It was a sublime realm of martial prowess.
“It is incredible, no matter how many times I see it.”
“...I have no choice but to admit it.”
The Eight-Horned Beast’s Breath was torn apart in midair. Nearby Five-Horned Beasts that were only grazed by fragments of the flash were shredded apart without even having time to scream.
World Stab.
The technique truly suited its grandiose name.
Everyone watched the sight with the same thought.
So this was an Awakened One who had opened Creation.
The Eight-Horned Beast’s body exploded miserably.
With a cracking sound, the broken horns of the Eight-Horned Beast flew through the air. Dokbul did not miss the chance. It caught every horn and crunched them down.
Crunch, crunch.
The crunch conveyed just how satisfying the texture was.
The surroundings were already beginning to settle. The Horned Beasts that had charged in without fear now crawled away trembling. The Eight-Horned Beast Garnak, all its horns broken, writhed in pain as it lowered its body to the ground.
Jaehwan approached the Eight-Horned Beast to finish it.
Then a voice rang out from inside the Strange Factory.
[Release Garniak.]
The voice sounded like iron scraping against iron.
Then came voices that sounded as though minerals of varying hardness were striking one another.
[Remarkable human. A Lord’s presence. Cannot be felt.]
[It has been a very long time since we have seen someone drive Garniak that far.]
[Hmph. Do not get carried away just because you crushed a few mass-produced goods.]
Since when had they been there?
Three powerful Spiritual Pressures stood atop the Strange Factory, radiating terrifying force.
Their bodies were not as massive as Garniak’s. In fact, their builds were close to human.
Still, they were undeniably Horned Beasts.
Anyone who saw them could easily understand that fact.
Ten horns protruded from their heads.
Ten Horns.
Several expedition members gasped.
“My God... They really existed.”
Jaehwan’s eyes had narrowed as well.
So these were them.
The Strange Factory had been created to seal the 《Palace of the Dead》 of Catastrophe, the Sole King, at the entrance to the Abyss.
According to the 『Record of the Abyss』 Mulack left behind, a total of four ‘humanoid Horned Beasts’ existed within this Strange Factory.
「They possessed the aura of Horned Beasts, yet they were not Horned Beasts. Each was as powerful as a Lord and possessed wisdom equal to that of sages. Apostles of a ruined god, summoned from the 《Abyss》 according to a contract with the 「Masters」...」
Only three stood before them.
It seemed one had not come out.
“So you finally showed yourselves, you damned 「Factory Masters」.”
Cheongheo’s voice, as if he were chewing the words, rang through the air.
Footnotes:
Chapter discussion