Chapter 1096: Level 9 (14)
Fwhoosh!!!
The Cloud Kirin’s magic froze and surged towards Maleon.
Countless ice pillars rose above the Invasion Domain, unleashing a bombardment of blizzards.
[Grrrrooooh…!!!]
The Scaled Dragon’s mummy roared fiercely, and sharp, jagged scales spewed forth, corroding the inner walls of the corridor.
Kagagagak!!!
A blizzard’s bombardment swept across the entire sector. A wave of jagged scales scraped against the walls, gaining speed.
Yet, Maleon did not escape the range of the two Invasion Domains surging simultaneously.
He simply thrust his hand fearlessly into the wave of jagged scales approaching along the wall.
Drrrrrl!!!
The jagged scales, reacting as if in a seizure, spun madly to grind Maleon’s hand.
A violent grating sound, loud enough to pulverize even meticulously crafted alloys.
But Maleon merely twitched an eyebrow for a moment, then flexed his forearm and seized the spinning jagged scales.
“Hoopp…!!”
Screech!!
When Maleon’s hand stopped the jagged scales it touched, the other interlocking scales also stopped.
A surreal scene of a domain filled with cogs, halted by the grip of a single person.
[Screech?]
The moment the Scaled Dragon’s mummy lifted its head, bewildered by the inexplicable result, a silver light shimmered within the wave of jagged scales.
Primitive Magic: Star-Linking Eight Extremes Style
Sixth Form - External Method
[Warped Star Cycle]
Paaaaaat!!!
Starlight distorted and warped, ruthlessly tearing through the wave of jagged scales.
Amidst the immense heat, the jagged scales covering the Invasion Domain melted, transforming into molten metal.
[Nebula]
Kwaaaah!!!
The starlight spread like a cloud in all directions, melting away the entire Scaled Dragon Clan’s Invasion Domain.
[Kiyagyagyagek!!!]
Perhaps even the deceased mummy could not bear the desecration of its Invasion Domain.
As the Scaled Dragon wailed in agony, ice pillars rained down from above.
The moment the icicles, sharpened like spear shafts, launched at subsonic speed.
Maleon’s starlight cloud, by its mere heat, vaporized the icicles, spewing steam.
Pubububong!!
The steam explosion was so intense that its aftermath reached Lennok, who stood behind him.
‘Is the External Method of the Star-Linking Eight Extremes Style for offense, and the Internal Method for protection and enhancement?’
Maleon was using the External Method against enemies, and the Internal Method for allies.
It seemed the distinction between internal and external in the Star-Linking Eight Extremes Style aligned with the distinction between friend and foe.
[Buooo?]
The Cloud Kirin’s mummy raised its head in surprise, but quickly prepared its next attack.
However, Maleon no longer chanted spells to block the opponent’s attacks.
He endured the blizzard falling from above, ignoring the jagged scales that tore at his side.
Thump!!
Stomping his foot loudly to draw attention, the moment he extended his hand towards the charging Scaled Dragon.
The Scaled Dragon’s head was caught by Maleon’s hand and slammed into the floor.
Kwaaaang!!!
[…!!!]
The Scaled Dragon Clan’s scales were a form of hard, heavy metallic jagged scales interlocked like chains.
Naturally, their weight was also incomparably heavy and sluggish compared to other beasts.
Maleon had crushed and stopped such a dragon-kind’s charge with the strength of just one arm.
Whooosh…!!
Starlight rotated fiercely within Maleon’s hand, pressing down on the Scaled Dragon’s head.
The Scaled Dragon also thrashed wildly due to the immense heat boiling beyond its skull, but Maleon ignored its resistance, gripping the starlight and raking it down the Scaled Dragon’s back.
Bwuaaak!!
The Scaled Dragon’s tough scales melted, and the flesh beneath them was crushed like tofu.
The colossal dragon-kind’s body split open, revealing its unrotted organs intact.
[Gagk!]
With a single shriek, the Scaled Dragon stuck out its tongue and collapsed on the spot.
Its head was smashed, its spine melted, and its insides exposed – a severe injury.
Even a Long-lived Being turned mummy would find it impossible to move with such wounds.
At the same time, a faint spiritual entity extracted from the Scaled Dragon’s body permeated Maleon as if being absorbed.
“…Hmm.”
Maleon’s expression instantly stiffened, and his movement paused briefly.
The Cloud Kirin, not missing the opportunity, moved immediately.
[Buoooooh…!!]
Swaeaek!!
With a peculiar cry, it flew low, leading its frozen Invasion Domain.
With a slight flick of its fins, it sped through the frozen corridor at supersonic speed.
The Cloud Kirin’s form transformed into a sharp flash of ice, colliding head-on with Maleon, who stood still.
Cheo-eong!!!
A deafening resonance as ice shattered.
A shockwave mixed with frigid blizzards erupted, pushing and freezing everything around it.
“…!!”
The cold unleashed by the Invasion Domain’s power, raging wildly, made even Lennok momentarily consider intervening.
But Maleon, despite taking the Cloud Kirin’s supersonic charge head-on, did not retreat a single step.
He ignored the cold wave freezing his left chest, simply opening his mouth wide and drawing up his mana.
Kii-iing…!!
The mouth of the dragon, clad in silver scales, opened wide, and immense mana swelled within it as if breathing.
In that fleeting moment, Lennok realized it was the Dragon-kind’s profound technique, activated by mixing will-thought and mental image with its breath.
Dragon’s Authority: Eldritch Breath
[Sacred Disintegration Cannon]
Kwaaaah!!!!
A brilliant silver flash of mana erupted from Maleon’s mouth, sweeping over the colossal Cloud Kirin.
The magnificent beam of light shot up, glittering as if vertically bisecting the Spacetime of the Ninth Tribulation.
Chii-iik!!
The Cloud Kirin’s halved corpse split and collapsed on the spot.
Kwooong!!
“Huuuuh….”
Slowly inhaling and steadying his breath, Maleon turned around deliberately.
Maleon, wiping the corner of his mouth, slowly massaged his neck and said, “The way is open. Let’s move immediately.”
“…”
But instead of replying, Lennok gazed at the battlefield Maleon had left behind.
An overwhelming power struggle, stemming not only from superior spellcraft performance but also from superior physical capabilities.
Combat ability that relentlessly crushed enemies without retreating a single step, utilizing the powerful and tough physical abilities of dragon-kind to their absolute limit.
However, Maleon seemed completely uninterested in the overwhelming destruction he had wrought.
“Other Founders will have noticed the commotion. We must move without delay…”
His face calm, he slowly regulated his breathing, speaking languidly.
For a side effect of using the breath, he seemed more out of breath than expected.
Maleon slowly turned and said,
“No, it seems we’re already a little late.”
“…”
[Kuoooooh…]
A colossal buffalo with rings above its head. A dinosaur with plant-like wings. A pure white elephant with blood-red characters carved all over its body.
Mummified remains of Long-lived Beings, possessing powerful Invasion Domains capable of eroding the glass hollow that reflects the Outer Sea, approached them.
The Cloud Kirin’s and Scaled Dragon’s mummified remains vanished, and the lingering Dead Thoughts were absorbed by Maleon.
Noticing this void, other mummified remains began to perceive Maleon’s presence one by one.
Woowoowoong!!!
Starlight, intensely rotating, was born within Maleon’s hand and glowed.
Its resonance echoed beyond the bulkheads, illuminating the darkness without reservation.
Maleon nodded and took a step forward.
“Let’s continue. I’ll open the way first.”
Splat, splat…!!
Torn dinosaur carcasses lay strewn, and the headless body of a buffalo was crushed flat.
Fragments of unrotted, dried internal organs stretched long along the corridor.
Drip, drip…!!
Sticky bodily fluids. A scent so acrid it made his head throb.
His lungs constricted, making it difficult to even breathe.
A chilling sensation, as if his very existence was crumbling just by standing still.
Would this be what it felt like to slowly die within a colossal facility steeped in radiation?
“Hoooh…!!”
Kwajijijik!!!
With a low shout, the sound of tearing flesh simultaneously reverberated.
The Long-lived Being’s blood, pouring from above, evaporated and vanished in the heat of the rotating starlight.
[Erosion Rate 76%]
Inside the Spacetime of the Ninth Tribulation.
How many Founders’ mummies had he killed, breaking through countless corridors and bulkheads?
Maleon’s form, cloaked in starlight, accelerated, tearing apart approaching mummies.
[Buoooh!!]
Kwaaang!!
He absorbed the elephant’s kick, carved with blood-red characters, without moving.
Holding up the colossal hoof with one arm, he struck a charging reindeer from the side without looking.
Cheo-eong!!
The starlight in Maleon’s hand exploded, scattering a silver shockwave, turning the reindeer into pulp.
Ignoring the headless reindeer, he tore off the elephant’s leg and threw it aside.
The elephant, which had been firing its tusks like missiles, ripped open its belly, spilling its insides.
Third Form - External Method
[Piercing Star]
Bwaaaaaang!!!
The colossal wasp, which had been buzzing behind the elephant, had its body pierced before it could sting.
As the wasp’s belly burst and it thrashed, vibrating its wings, an engine-like roar erupted.
[Bweeeek!! Bweeeek-]
Boom!!
Maleon, who had silenced the wasp by dropping starlight from the sky, turned his body.
“…Van. Are you alright?”
Above the dazzling light of the fiercely rotating starlight, unabsorbed Dead Thoughts swirled.
Even while single-handedly handling all the grueling battles, Maleon prioritized the well-being of others.
Maleon knelt, meeting Lennok’s gaze.
“Breathe deeply and calm your emotions.”
“…”
“You’ve entered a very deep sea. The more you get excited, the closer you get to death. You must maintain composure.”
“It seems you should check on Olivera first… rather than me.”
Lennok said, gesturing with a pale face.
How many times had they passed through the bulkheads blocking their way to enter the Ninth Tribulation?
In this journey of ever-increasing Erosion Rate, it was Olivera who stopped first.
She no longer moved, simply standing silently at the end of the corridor, looking only at Lennok.
“She’s overused her Mystic Eye, so the burden she’s feeling must be severe. If you’re going to treat her-”
[No.]
Olivera replied quietly.
[Go ahead. I’ll rest a bit and then follow.]
“…Olivera?”
[If you clear the path ahead, following will not be difficult.]
Beyond her veil, Olivera’s Mystic Eye glowed faintly.
[I have no intention of giving up this journey now, so I will follow soon.]
“If you fall behind alone, it will be difficult to endure this space by yourself.”
Maleon said quietly.
“Even a slight loss of balance will make it harder. Rather-”
[Oh?]
Olivera asked.
[Is it not you who is feeling the burden more than I am?]
“…”
Kuoooooh!!!
Olivera’s Mystic Eye turned towards the storm of Dead Thoughts swirling above Maleon’s head.
A massive mass of Dead Thoughts still being absorbed by Maleon even at this moment.
Because he had dealt with a large number of Founders’ mummies in such a short time, a significant amount of residual Dead Thoughts still wandered the air.
[I can only feel the will-thoughts steeped in pain so strongly.]
Olivera looked at Maleon and asked.
[For an Ascendant to reveal their will-thought like this, the pain you are feeling now must be far from ordinary.]
“…”
[You too, how long do you think you can endure here like this?]
Each time a Founder’s mummy was dealt with, Dead Thoughts flowed out and were absorbed by Maleon.
Each time he absorbed Dead Thoughts, Maleon’s expression would stiffen slightly, then return to normal, repeating the cycle.
Olivera had noticed through her Mystic Eye that Maleon was experiencing considerable burden during the process of absorbing Dead Thoughts.
“The Founders of Kundara completed the Ninth Tribulation through their deaths, but they themselves were not beings possessing the qualifications.”
Maleon, who had been silent, replied quietly.
“Therefore, their deaths could not be accepted here and wandered the Ninth Tribulation.”
“…”
“It is inevitable that I, who have gained qualification, will collect the meaning left in the Ninth Tribulation. Their deaths are no different.”
“That’s not something to explain away so simply.”
Lennok said, his expression hardening.
“If that’s true, isn’t an immense amount of damage forcibly accumulating in your mind each time you overcome a Tribulation?”
While the words were simple, tasting each lingering death could not be light.
These were the Dead Thoughts of high-level Long-lived Beings who, even after death, could wield Invasion Domains.
The process of absorbing all sorts of negative will-thoughts, including the pain, memories, and emotions they left behind as they died.
The burden on Maleon’s own mind during that process would truly be immense.
“It’s not something that can be stopped or avoided once we entered the Ninth Tribulation. It’s something I must bear myself, something I was prepared to do.”
Maleon replied, calmly steadying himself.
“It was something I anticipated even before starting the plan. Rest assured, this will not halt our journey.”
“Maleon.”
“Don’t worry. I won’t change.”
Maleon smiled at Lennok and said,
“No matter what happens, I will keep my promise to you until the very end.”
“…”
Lennok, who had been silent, slowly turned his steps towards Olivera.
“Olivera.”
Spreading his right hand to conjure a magic circle, Lennok said,
“I’m creating a barrier that halves the Eternal Pressure of the Ninth Tribulation. I can complete it if I secure a few more variables.”
[…How astonishing. You mean you were seeking a way to adapt to the environment of the Ninth Tribulation in the meantime?]
“I have an intuitive understanding of how to handle souls themselves.”
Click, click!!
Lennok muttered, slowly changing the arrangement and symbols of the magic circle in his hand.
“If I can just systematize that a little and filter the pressure exerted on souls…”
Having directly learned the sensations and techniques of handling souls from the masters of Military Spirit Spellcraft, among the military spirits left in the Military Spirit City Yorta.
He sought a way to reduce the Eternal Pressure on mind and body by incorporating that experience into Barrier Spellcraft.
This would significantly reduce the physical burden of movement, regardless of mana consumption or spell output.
“I’ll leave this prototype of the barrier spellcraft here.”
Lennok said, inscribing the magic circle drawn with his right hand beneath Olivera’s feet.
“Once your body stabilizes, follow slowly. Until then, Maleon and I will be clearing the path.”
[Rest assured, I have no intention of being left alone in this hellish realm.]
Olivera smiled faintly.
[If you truly wish to go all the way, there’s something you must keep in mind, isn’t there?]
“…”
Lennok did not reply, slowly turning away.
Since Olivera had temporarily separated from the group, from now on, Maleon and he would have to break through the bulkheads and clear the path alone.
Maleon looked at Lennok’s face with an expression as if dazzled.
“It’s astonishing.”
“…Maleon?”
“Your talent is not merely a power confined to this world.”
Maleon said softly,
“It is something unprecedented, even beyond this world, outside the Outer Sea.”
“…”
“Perhaps, it was you, not I, who should have been here from the beginning.”
Maleon, staggering, stood up and silently looked down at Lennok.
Boundless Dead Thoughts continued to be absorbed by Maleon even at this moment.
Maleon’s eyes, absorbing their pain and memories, flickered, blurring and sharpening repeatedly.
Maleon, who had been silently looking down at Lennok, asked,
“If I had a talent like yours, would something have been a little different?”
“…”
Even after becoming an Ascendant, Maleon had not felt satisfied or fulfilled.
The inadequacy and emptiness he had felt while watching Lennok during the Promotion Ritual.
What did Maleon Gnosis truly think about that fact deep down?
That’s why he had said it was worth challenging, that a difficult path was natural, but perhaps that wasn’t the truth.
Perhaps, what Maleon truly desired was-
“…Let’s stop here. Other Founders are approaching.”
Maleon slowly opened his eyes, gazing at Lennok with a serene look.
“I can smell the stench of the Invasion Domains they drag along, even from here.”
“…”
“We’ll move immediately.”
Maleon was no longer smiling.