Chapter 1054: Order Alliance Leader (2)
The Alliance Leader’s proposal: to reconstruct the Great Connection and, at the same time, deal with the Alliance’s sworn enemy.
But the target the Alliance Leader spoke of was a monster that even Lennok found hard to believe.
“I’m not sure what you’re trying to say.”
In the silent Glass Garden, where no sound existed.
Lennok, who had been silent, spoke.
“Are you saying… the Order Alliance is planning to bring down the Second Apostle?”
“…”
“I’m not even sure if you can call that a proper plan in the first place.”
Lennok asked with a cold expression.
“You’re going to try to capture the Second Apostle? That monster of the Cult, the one I know?”
The Second Apostle, subordinate to the Guido Cult.
The Cult’s second Apostle, and the head, known as the foremost of all Apostles.
A Transcendent unbound by the madness that inevitably afflicts Apostles.
Countless words and epithets described him, but Lennok’s impression of him was singular.
The most perfect Apostle.
Could there be any other words that more perfectly expressed and cautioned against the existence of the Second Apostle?
“He is a powerhouse whose odds cannot be predicted even if the Grand Spell Masters of the Alliance were to directly engage him. It’s a plan that wouldn’t break even, no matter the cost.”
Lennok shook his head.
“His Outer God isn’t even known, so how do you plan to kill him?”
Having met the Second Apostle personally, Lennok knew how powerful and mysterious he was.
He was a monster whose true potential was difficult to grasp, even when Lennok pushed his intuition and sensitivity to their limits.
The Cybernetic Abilities he used. The reason he was free from madness. Even the purpose of his activities on the front lines.
Nothing was truly known about him, except for the undeniable fact that he was a Transcendent powerhouse.
Among those who had yet to challenge Ascension, how many superhumans in this world could truly rival the Second Apostle?
“He’s a monster who can choose his own battlefield. It’s hard to imagine such a situation even being created in the first place.”
“As you said, the Second Apostle isn’t someone whose superiority can be determined in a one-on-one fight…”
The Alliance Leader replied, leaning back in his chair.
“That’s why what I want is to pull him from his position as Apostle, to remove him from the Pontiff’s side.”
“Remove him?”
“Originally, I intended to ask Thorben’s Tower Lord for this task, but he declared he wouldn’t interfere in central affairs and refused my proposal…”
Had he already discussed this with Thorben’s Tower Lord once before?
It was surprising that a Tower Lord obsessed with lightning had made such a rational judgment regarding the Second Apostle.
“The other Grand Spell Masters cannot participate in this matter as they must be involved in the reconstruction of the Great Connection.”
The Alliance Leader’s transparent hand slowly tapped the armrest.
“The Conjunction Spell Master, at least, possessed the capability to handle two tasks simultaneously, but he is currently in an unknown state of life or death after his defeat at the first Gateway.”
“…”
“Cheonbeon, who killed Chapman, has been hostile to the Alliance, so considering his unyielding nature, he wouldn’t cooperate.”
If it were the Conjunction Spell Master, who had split his own brain, he might have been able to simultaneously participate in the reconstruction of the Great Connection and suppress the Second Apostle.
But with the Conjunction Spell Master’s defeat by Lennok, the plan had gone awry, and the Alliance Leader was now seeking the necessary deterrent for the plan once more.
“Whether for justification or prestige, a powerful individual capable of rivaling the Cult’s Second Apostle is needed.”
Lennok felt the Alliance Leader’s gaze from beyond the shadows.
“It would be preferable if that person were the Archmage said to possess the greatest talent since the founding of the mega-city.”
“…”
“All that’s needed is a brief period of time. The existence of a superhuman capable of binding the Second Apostle within a pre-established environment.”
The Alliance Leader said.
“For that purpose, I can place any spellcraft inscribed within the Great Connection into your hands.”
“You speak as if the Second Apostle can be dealt with, given enough time.”
Lennok frowned.
The only thing Lennok could sense from the Alliance Leader’s emotionless explanation was a calm certainty.
He realized that this was a manifestation of confidence, a belief that the Second Apostle could actually be ‘brought down’.
If the circumstances and conditions were met, that monster could definitely be hunted.
If the deal the Alliance Leader was offering Lennok was a result of such conviction.
“What method are you considering?”
“We draw the foremost Apostle into a specific domain and rewrite the physical laws of reality.”
The Alliance Leader replied.
“By creating an environment similar to the Boundary Line of the World, like my Garden, we can enforce those laws.”
“Against the Second Apostle, even that would be an incredibly difficult task.”
Lennok shook his head.
“He is not bound by the power of Domains or Jurisdictions. Forcing a specific environment upon him is impossible.”
When Lennok met the Second Apostle at the Duris Workshop, he had deployed his Domain to confront him, only to realize this.
It wasn’t so much that he ignored the abilities or effects of a Domain, but a peculiar sensation as if he couldn’t be truly grasped by the spacetime of reality.
Not being bound by specific phenomena or environments was, in itself, the origin and true nature of the Second Apostle’s power.
It was also the reason he was truly free from the madness that afflicts Apostles.
Even if one were to risk their life to fight the Second Apostle, he possessed the ability to choose his own desired battlefield for the confrontation.
The Apostle Spellcraft used by the Second Apostle, as much as his inherent combat prowess, was also a difficult power to contend with.
“I don’t intend to force laws upon the Second Apostle.”
But the Alliance Leader continued to explain in a calm voice, even after hearing Lennok’s words.
“In the first place, changing the environment isn’t even for him.”
“Then what is it for?”
“The reason I wish to create an environment similar to my Garden is because I require a spacetime where the concepts of life and death are mixed and intertwined.”
The Alliance Leader replied.
“Because there is a miracle permitted only in the fleeting moment of the Great Connection’s reconstruction.”
“…Surely not.”
In that instant, Lennok’s expression subtly stiffened as he understood the Alliance Leader’s words.
The domain the Alliance Leader wished to draw the Second Apostle into was an environment similar to his own Glass Garden.
If it wasn’t to force the Garden’s rules upon the Second Apostle, or to influence him—
“Alliance Leader. Were you planning to move directly and confront the Second Apostle yourself?”
“When the time comes, when the concepts of life and death intermingle, I will descend myself to face him.”
The Alliance Leader said calmly.
“Two things are needed: a deterrent to buy time until the stage is set, and the existence of a spellcraft to serve as that stage.”
“…”
Only then did Lennok understand why the Alliance Leader was so certain he could deal with the Second Apostle.
The Alliance Leader was a formidable Transcendent who led the Alliance, yet he resided in the Glass Garden and could not interfere with reality.
However, during the Great Connection’s reconstruction, he could move free from those restrictions.
That was because the Alliance Leader’s very reason for not intervening in reality was closely tied to the existence of the Great Connection.
Therefore, was he planning to personally step forward to deal with an ultimate combatant like the Second Apostle, solely during the moment the Great Connection temporarily ceased?
In the first place, this entire plan was a process for the Alliance Leader himself to confront the Second Apostle.
“Are you saying that an environment must be created for you to descend, and the Second Apostle must be bound within it…?”
Indeed, a Transcendent of the Alliance Leader’s caliber would certainly have a high chance of victory against a monster like the Second Apostle.
Lennok, too, would have room to reconsider if it meant not fighting the Second Apostle alone, but merely buying time until the Alliance Leader descended.
As one of the preeminent powers even on the Central Front, the Order Alliance would surely possess an immense and unparalleled array of spellcraft.
If, in exchange for participating in this, he could choose any spellcraft from the Great Connection, he could seriously weigh the pros and cons.
‘Considering the unfolding situation, there’s a high possibility I’ll be able to observe the Great Connection’s reconstruction firsthand.’
Lennok fell into thought.
‘I’ll also be able to ascertain the identity of the next Grand Spell Master replacing the Conjunction Spell Master, and the other Grand Spell Masters.’
While it meant siding with the Order Alliance and opposing the Cult, the Alliance was not Lennok’s ally either.
To see with his own eyes what this Great Connection, so desperately maintained by the Alliance, truly was.
And if he could gauge and prepare for the full power of the Grand Spell Masters and the Alliance Leader, that alone would be a significant gain.
Crucially, if the plan succeeded, the threat of the Second Apostle could be eliminated in future confrontations with the Cult.
There were several significant advantages to be gained simply by accepting the Alliance Leader’s proposal right now.
But Lennok, even understanding that fact, shook his head.
“I understand it’s not an unrealistic plan, but even so, it’s a difficult offer to accept immediately.”
“…”
“If the plan fails, I’ll inevitably become an enemy of the Second Apostle. It would be making an enemy of the monster who single-handedly half-destroyed Machina.”
“You’re quite cautious for a wizard who earned the epithet ‘Apostle-Slayer’.”
Lennok felt the Alliance Leader react from beyond the shadows to his reply.
Lennok’s response, drawing a line even after hearing this explanation, seemed to amuse him.
“Even after personally killing Anathema, you still have such concerns?”
“As you said, the Second Apostle is qualitatively different from other Apostles.”
“…”
“The timing and location of the plan. The identities of the Spell Masters participating. Specific information about the reconstruction of the Great Connection.”
Lennok said, arms crossed.
“And above all, I won’t decide anything until I hear why the Second Apostle would move according to the Alliance’s plan.”
As he was being asked to lend his power, the initiative remained entirely with Lennok.
When and how to move to confront the Second Apostle.
Even knowing in advance the principles by which the Great Connection’s reconstruction would occur would be sufficient.
The Alliance Leader, too, seemed to agree at a glance, slowly tapping the armrest from beyond the shadows.
“It’s not an unexplainable matter… but time is up.”
“Time?”
CRACKLING…!!!
At that moment, the flowers that had bloomed all around the Glass Garden began to open simultaneously.
Transparent glass droplets fell along the petals, and the flowers slowly raised their heads.
The dark night sky scenery split apart, beginning to illuminate the reality where Lennok resided.
The spacetime of the Glass Garden, which was close to the Boundary Line of the World, was tilting back towards reality.
Lennok was also ready to break his consciousness and return to reality at any moment, but he hadn’t expected the Alliance Leader to be the first to mention time.
Was the time an outsider could stay in this Glass Garden limited?
CRACKLE…!!
While Lennok was deep in thought, the night sky scenery changed, and a fissure appeared above Lennok’s head.
“As for the detailed matters, I will convey them through another Spell Master later.”
The Alliance Leader said, looking at Lennok.
“Furthermore, regardless of your participation in the plan, I will compensate you for this matter.”
“Compensation?”
“As I said, your entry into my Garden is unequivocally my responsibility as well.”
The Alliance Leader smiled.
“You may consider it a way of sharing a portion of the responsibility for that.”
“…”
Lennok had sensed it earlier, but the Alliance Leader was indeed different from other Transcendent.
Quite apart from his presence and voice merely resembling a normal human’s.
A reaction that suggested he wasn’t madly fixated on his own path, but rather engaged in normal conversation and communication with others.
Considering that most of the Transcendent Lennok had encountered were unilaterally twisted, the Alliance Leader’s personality felt unusually normal by contrast.
Was this related to his unique nature, living in the special environment of the Glass Garden while leading the Alliance?
“Near the Western Front…”
The Alliance Leader said, drawing out his words.
“The Harvester Spell Master [刈荷術主] will arrive soon. I will instruct him to clear the battlefield and cooperate with you on your way to Kundara.”
“…”
“He is quite a capable Spell Master within the Alliance, so he will be of help.”
The Alliance Leader seemed to smile at Lennok from beyond the shadows.
Instead of replying, Lennok gazed at the shadows with an expressionless face.
The Alliance Leader’s message, casually mentioning the path to Kundara and offering cooperation.
The fact that he had been aware of the real-world situation from the very beginning was contained entirely within that single statement.
But Lennok, instead of showing emotion at the Alliance Leader’s words, slowly shook his head.
“I’ll handle that part myself.”
CRACKLING…!!
The fissure that had split the sky above the Glass Garden descended towards where Lennok stood.
The moment he touched it, this meeting would end, and Lennok would return to reality.
“Ah, now that I think about it, I forgot to ask one thing about your descent.”
Lennok, who had been looking at the Garden distorting hazily before his eyes, turned his head belatedly.
The two conditions the Alliance Leader had mentioned while explaining his method to Lennok.
Because he realized they hadn’t yet discussed the latter.
“You said you needed a deterrent to buy time for your descent, and one type of spellcraft.”
“It’s the spellcraft needed to create an environment similar to my Garden.”
The Alliance Leader replied in a calm tone.
“It’s literally the power to designate a specific area and rewrite its physical laws.”
“Does ‘needed’ mean that the Alliance doesn’t possess that spellcraft yet?”
Like the Spellcraft Extraction the Corpse Ghost Spell Master performed on a General-grade entity of the Headro Warlords.
Were the Spell Masters of the Alliance going around searching for and collecting the necessary spellcraft for this plan?
It would be good if he could hear from the Alliance Leader why the Alliance was moving regarding that matter before returning to reality.
The Alliance Leader nodded.
“Correct. That spellcraft does not currently exist within the Order Alliance. It is a condition that must be acquired for the plan.”
“If that spellcraft isn’t acquired, the plan itself would be impossible.”
“That is why the Alliance is searching for the possessor of that spellcraft across the entire continent.”
The Alliance Leader replied.
“It is certain that the spellcraft exists somewhere in the world. So, we must find its owner, ‘kill’ them, and extract the spellcraft.”
“What is the name of the spellcraft?”
“It won’t be difficult to remember. It literally embodies the principle of tearing the sky apart and making it a part of oneself—”
The Alliance Leader’s voice suddenly turned infinitely strange and cold.
“It is called Celestial Spellcraft [天體術式].”
CRACKLING…!!
There was no time or leisure to react to those words.
The moment the sky of the Glass Garden bloomed and folded like a petal.
Lennok found himself, in an instant, standing before the Corpse Ghost Spell Master, who lay collapsed and covered in blood.