Chapter 258: Dragon’s Corridor (3)
[Divinity: The foundation of a god, born from the coalescence of the power of faith. If you gather faith above a certain level, it changes into Divinity.]
[Possessed Value: 32]
He checked about Divinity.
'I think I roughly understand the structure.'
It seemed that the gathered faith of believers coalesced into Divinity.
The number of cult members right now was close to 470,000.
Seeing that the value was only around 32 even though they prayed quite regularly...
'It must be a resource that's damn hard to gather.'
To raise it quickly, he would have to increase the number of believers.
The next thing he examined was Descent, the third EX-rank skill he obtained after Death Lord and Demon Eye.
[Descent (EX): Consumes Divinity to manifest the form of death.]
[From the moment of descent, all consumption values are converted to Divinity.]
[Warning! If all Divinity is consumed, you may be stripped of the position of God!]
'This is... a kind of ultimate skill.'
A skill that should only be used at truly critical moments.
He wondered if this was the reason Ananke told him to gather faith.
"It says I became a god?"
Cedric tilted his head.
"It turned out that way. You know her too, right? Ms. Siah."
―Of course I know. That woman, isn't she your guild member.
"...A message popped up. Saying she became a Fanatic."
Cedric stroked his bone jaw with a serious look.
Soon, his pupils blazed fiercely.
―Are you perhaps asking that, Master? Whether Lord was also a god?
"As expected of my summon. You catch on quick."
―Correct. Lord was also a god like you.
It's the Death Lord, after all.
It would be strange if a monster who fought directly against an Outer God wasn't a god.
"Thinking about that, I have a question. I heard Death Lord went around killing everyone. Then how did he gather believers? Were there that many cult members?"
―All living beings fear what comes after death. Lord promised them eternal life.
"...He turned all other living beings into undead?"
―Yes. He made countless contracts. The price was one thing. To sing hymns for him for eternity.
"Is it effective if you force them to worship like that?"
―It's not ineffective. Of course, the effect would be much less than 'voluntary' fanatics like that woman Han Siah.
Soon, Cedric, staring intently at Kim Minwoo, asked.
―Is Master perhaps thinking this way? Since Lord was a cruel and cunning Lich, there wouldn't have been many fanatics who followed him sincerely?
―That's a naive thought, unlike you, Master.
Cedric summoned his spear and thrust it into the ground.
The hard marble floor crumbled like a soft cookie.
―Overwhelming power calls for worship. Also, death is the most powerful 'liberation'.
The spear moved, drawing a huge circle.
―If the entire universe is this circle, at one time the Outer God....
A slashed line was drawn across an area exceeding 90% of the circle.
―Contaminated dimensions of this size. In Earth terms, it means all lands except the US belonged to the Outer God.
While Kim Minwoo's jaw dropped, Cedric continued speaking.
―Lord liberated such dimensions. Through death, they were able to escape the Outer God's bind. It was the undead legion born that way who offered prayers to him.
Cedric's eye gleam wavered strangely.
―Although Master commands quite a large force, compared to Lord, it is merely a drop in the bucket.
As if recalling a distant legend, deep awe permeated his voice.
―Lord is not an existence that can be defined simply by the words 'evil Lich'. He was the Outer God's rival and an Absolute who reorganized his own order. Also, since he was Death itself....
"In short, are you saying he was a superstar who drove both fans and antis crazy?"
―...That is a vulgar metaphor, Master. Anyway, Lord fought against the Outer God and....
With those words, Cedric, who had been silent for a long time, spoke.
―The Outer God was quiet for quite a long time after that. Until now.
―...He couldn't return.
"So he lost in the end?"
―...I suppose so. Since we also fell into a long slumber after that....
He roughly understood.
Kim Minwoo's inner thoughts became quite complicated.
Until now, if he had perceived Death Lord as simply a Lich who was defeated by the Outer God—quite strong but ultimately just an ordinary being of a single dimension.
It was different now.
He was an Absolute who liberated the Outer God's dominion, which amounted to a whopping 90%. Furthermore, he was a monster who made the Outer God stay quiet until now.
'Did they fight each other, resulting in Lord dying and the Outer God receiving a fatal wound?'
And that's why it had been quite quiet until now?
But thinking like that, there were strange points.
He was okay with the fact that Lord was a much stronger existence than he thought.
'But... then what was that speech about?'
He recalled Demen's quotes.
The words spoken at the first arrangement.
[I ran for revenge. I dyed the continent with death. I thought I had achieved my goal.]
[But at some moment, I realized. I was merely... one of the puppets on the stage....]
[Even with my power, I couldn't oppose them. Therefore, I decided to plan for the future.]
One of the puppets on the stage.
Couldn't oppose them.
What kind of existence could treat a Lich with such strength as merely a 'puppet'....
And who on earth were they?
Until now, he thought it referred to the Outer God and his Apostles grouped as a set....
'Does that make sense?'
Okay, he couldn't oppose the Outer God.
But weren't the Apostles at a level Lord could easily chew up and eat?
Since he was a monster who made the boss, the Outer God, quiet for a long time.
"Cedric. If Lord fought against the Outer God's Apostle, who would win?"
―...Is that even a question? Lord is an existence who faced the Outer God.
Them wouldn't be referring to the Outer God and the Apostles.
'Then... there's something more?'
And, the words spoken at the third arrangement were...
[Revenge. For that, I have arranged and prepared.]
What he wanted was exactly revenge.
'Is he saying he will take revenge on the Outer God?'
Or... is he saying he will take revenge on them.
If it's the latter, who on earth are the ones included in this?
Suddenly, a bold speculation came to mind.
The notifier that governs everything.
Didn't this System also have existences similar to managers?
Referring to themselves as existences within the veil.
Pushing the Hero Party's equipment to this side.
The existence that gave a 99% discount on the Job Change Ticket....
<1. Astonishing. To think one who has accumulated karma surpassing the limits of the species has appeared.>
An existence whose name even Ziphael, the Intermediate Angel he met in the past, dared not mention.
Would they have just watched blankly while the Outer God devoured the entire dimension?
If they were existences that cold and dispassionate, they wouldn't have created the Celestial City to accept refugees either.
It seemed certain they would have kept trying to intervene.
The Fist King could be seen waving his hand with a lively face.
"Look at that. Just as you said, the painting changed!"
Currently, they were in Corridor 3.
After seeing the painting in Corridor 2, he had moved to the next room with the Sword Saint.
The Fist King was also waiting after smashing the Dragon race just like the Sword Saint.
Thanks to that, he leveled up for free.
'...Clearing this place comes first.'
Outer Gods, Death Lord, existences within the veil... things like that were stories too distant to think about right now.
Deciding to just remember them for now....
Kim Minwoo began to slowly approach the changed painting.
From Corridor 1 to Corridor 7.
A total of six awakened beings rejoined.
Sword Saint, Fist King, Divine Spear, Poison Demon, Sword Demon, Park Siwoo, and himself.
They were awakened beings who could toy with mere physically enhanced Sub-Dragons like toys.
So there was no problem with rejoining.
They had also checked all the paintings.
"Hyung, what do we do about Siah Noona?"
The condition to proceed to the next room in the corridor.
The structure required the participant from the previous room to join.
It meant that an Awakened in Room 4 couldn't move directly to Room 5 just because they killed the guardian.
To proceed to Room 4, the participants from Corridors 1, 2, and 3 had to gather together.
Park Siwoo was in Corridor 7, so even after disposing of the Sub-Dragon, he had no choice but to wait helplessly.
Han Siah was missing among the seven Awakened already gathered.
That meant Room 8 had been assigned to her....
"S-Siah Noona doesn't have many attack skills. That's why whenever we partied, I hunted everything!"
That was precisely why Park Siwoo was stomping his feet in anxiety.
The Sub-Dragons here were quite powerful.
Their bodies were so hard that even his sword didn't cut through easily.
How would it be for Han Siah?
Of course, her defensive skills were considerable, but if the Sub-Dragons with these insane bodies continued to attack, her defenses would inevitably be breached.
After all, two whole hours had passed since they entered.
Even with potions, it wouldn't be strange if her Mana was depleted by now.
"...She'll be fine. Since no message has popped up."
"...You can't check survival status in the Guild Window."
"There's something else I can see besides that."
He meant the Cult Information Window.
If the Saintess had died, a message would likely have appeared, but the Cult Information Window remained unchanged.
That meant there was a high possibility Han Siah was still safe.
The door to the next corridor opened.
[Entering Corridor 8.]
Along with the message, the space distorted.
It was on a different level from the previous corridors decorated with flashy gold and lapis lazuli.
A pungent scent of blood piercing the nose.
Dark red liquid soaking the floor.
Made up of torn chunks of meat and mounds of bones scattered everywhere, this place was closer to a living hell.
The sound of Park Siwoo swallowing dryly rang out exceptionally loud in the silence.
In the pitch-black darkness, a single faintly burning candle illuminated the center of the space.
Two figures were visible there.
One was a hideous Dragonkin with its skin flayed from its entire body, gushing blue blood.
And the other was Han Siah, kneeling side by side next to it.
A monster and a Saintess.
Two existences that could never go together were offering prayers, shoulder to shoulder.
A chill ran down the group's spines at that bizarre dissonance.
Kim Minwoo cautiously opened his mouth.
Han Siah’s shoulders, which had been mumbling as if chanting a spell, stopped.
Soon, she slowly turned her head.
Deep within her eyes reflecting the candlelight, a chillingly dense golden madness flickered, then vanished in an instant.
Han Siah jumped up from her spot as if nothing had happened.
As if paying no mind to the blood staining the hem of her priest robes, she approached with her usual bright smile.
"You came earlier than I thought? You aren't hurt anywhere, are you?"
"...We are fine, but what about you, Ms. Siah?"
"Me? As you can see, I was very safe. It was actually good. The atmosphere was really calm. Enough to pray with a truly peaceful mind."
She pointed at the Dragonkin behind her and smiled brightly.
An overly nonchalant attitude.
But that alien tranquility evoked an even greater fear.
Park Siwoo grabbed Kim Minwoo's sleeve and whispered in a shrinking voice.
"Hyung, Noona looks a bit... something, something seems a bit... strange?"
Was it due to the sharp senses of an Awakened?
Park Siwoo whispered quietly as if he sensed something.
Kim Minwoo was also just agreeing with those words.
Along with a sharp metallic sound, a chilling killing intent cut through the space.
Japan's top swordsman, Sword Demon Nakazawa, drew his long sword in an instant.
"There was something alive."
His gaze was not on Han Siah, but on the Dragonkin still banging its head against the wall.
He found a monster, so he would eliminate it.
It was a perfectly natural instinct for an Awakened.
The moment Nakazawa raised his sword and tried to step toward the Dragonkin.
Han Siah blocked Nakazawa's path.
The bright smile she showed just a moment ago was nowhere to be found.
A coldly hardened expression.
Her unfocused eyes stared piercingly at Nakazawa.
Han Siah's lips parted slightly.
A voice, low but carrying undeniable pressure, rang through the corridor.
"It is prayer time now. Do not disturb him."
A stern voice resonated.