Chapter 1327: Engineered Transcendence (5)
Whoosh—!!!
High up in the sky, where bone-chilling winds raged.
White cumulus clouds swiftly passed by, changing the scenery in real time.
A Mothership of the Reconnaissance Agency traversed the Central Front, flying over mountain ranges and grasslands spread out below. On the uppermost observation deck of the Mothership, which orbited a central crystal.
The day after confirming the true nature of the [Second Gate] with Kalien, Lennok sat alone on the observation deck, looking at a tablet.
“They said they would move out of the front line immediately once the Gate was confirmed…”
He had confirmed the demise of one of the corrupted Three Grand Dukes, The Grand Duke of Grasping, but that didn’t mean they could immediately assault the Second Gate.
Kalien herself had stated that the Second Gate exploration plan itself would be at least several quarters away.
She must have told Lennok this to provide him with data collected by the Reconnaissance Agency, as previously mentioned.
It wasn’t a wrong judgment. Lennok also felt the need to investigate The Grand Duke of Grasping’s existence more thoroughly.
Especially if The Grand Duke of Grasping was none other than a Manipulation Spellcaster like Ban-gung, and a Transcendent connected to him in a different way—
“Ah, connected.”
The network connection icon appeared on the top bar of the screen, and a green light came on.
As soon as they entered deep into the Central Front, the severed communication network reconnected and began to operate.
Was this the result of moving out of the Central Front for over a full day on such a fast Mothership?
The moment he swiped the screen with his finger, the backlog of news began updating at an incredible speed.
Whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh!!!
[(Breaking News) Four Archangel Demonic Mirrors Conquered]
[The Hell of the Dead, which no one could overcome, has fallen.]
[Complete collapse of a corner of the Central Front. What are the expected continental trends?]
[The reason for the Demonic Realm’s conquest success despite the defeat of the Order Alliance and the Guido Cult.]
The news feed, displaying real-time updates from the Central Front, stuttered and was almost paralyzed.
Blazing red headlines appeared one after another, pushing each other out.
The speed was so fast that Lennok missed several titles with his naked eye.
But even amidst that, he could clearly understand what news was coming from the Central Front.
[Who is the master of the Hellfire observed at the outermost edge of the Four Archangel Demonic Mirrors?]
[Various Magic Towers have completed observation of the same type of persistence as the Flame Flower left at the First Gate.]
[Cheonbeon Evan Martinez is presumed to have succeeded in conquering the Four Archangel Demonic Mirrors.]
“…”
Less than two days had passed since the corrupted Demonic Realm began to fall.
But information about it seemed to be spreading rapidly across the entire Central Front.
It wasn’t incomprehensible. With the Grand General’s annihilation, geological upheavals had occurred throughout the jungle, and the ground was flowing like a sea.
It would be stranger for those observing the Central Front in real-time not to notice such an anomaly.
However, the fact that Cheonbeon was the one who succeeded in the conquest was a bit surprising.
It was also strange how quickly the components of the flame Lennok unleashed in the Demonic Realm were compared and confirmed with the Flame Flower he left at the First Gate.
The speed was incredibly fast, as if someone had intentionally leaked the information, knowing Lennok’s involvement from the start.
[It wasn’t me.]
“…I didn’t say anything.”
[No, really, it wasn’t me. If I had spread it, I wouldn’t have leaked it so amateurishly.]
Davi, who had eerily read Lennok’s mind, grumbled.
[I would have done it naturally enough that no one would notice, but clearly enough for everyone to know. Professionals like me never miss even such minor inconsistencies!]
“And yet you cause such blatant trouble on the Deepweb?”
[Hee-hee-hee~]
Lennok stretched and released Davi’s cheeks, then picked up the tablet and swiped the screen.
[Order Alliance and Guido Cult officially declare a pursuit order against Evan Martinez.]
[Massive withdrawal confirmed for conquest-oriented organizations that were focused on exploring the deepest parts of the Central Front.]
[Some are concerned about the intense competition to contact the conqueror of the Four Archangel Demonic Mirrors…]
“It seems the Alliance and the Cult also generally know what happened inside the Demonic Realm.”
Lennok looked down at the tablet, resting his chin on his hand.
“They deployed forces and even after they were annihilated, they left behind means to understand the internal situation. It might simply be because of the Priestess’s existence, but…”
The Priestess Ureka’s Spiritual Presence, which had clashed with the Grand General, was torn to shreds and completely swallowed by Lennok’s lightning.
Naturally, there was almost no possibility that Ureka’s consciousness, so severely damaged, would be sane or intact.
Even with a conservative estimate, her condition would have deteriorated to a level where normal communication was impossible. What did it mean that the Cult was still grasping the situation?
Before his thoughts could progress, new news updates appeared consecutively, as if in a race.
[City-states that have long been silent begin to move.]
[With the seemingly impregnable Demonic Realm now open, the continental situation is rapidly changing…]
[The number of investigation teams dispatched to the collapsed site of the Four Archangel Demonic Mirrors is unprecedented…]
[It is expected that a fierce struggle for interests will follow as soon as specific circumstances are ascertained…]
“Even other city-states are moving. The situation is getting complicated…”
As soon as the entire continent became aware of the Four Archangel Demonic Mirrors’ conquest, they began moving to investigate the site.
Looking at the updating news, it seemed even super-large city-states that had not intervened in the Central Front until now were getting involved.
Perhaps, once the Four Archangel Demonic Mirrors were successfully conquered, it was inevitable for things to unfold this way.
If the mere fact of success in conquering the Central Front, which was considered practically impossible, led to thoughts of Ars Nova beyond it.
Then it would be natural for everyone to reach out once again for the forgotten heritage of the central city.
The incoming news accurately summarized and reported this trend in a single sentence.
[Could the conquest of the Four Archangel Demonic Mirrors be the prelude to the recapture of Ars Nova?]
[Evan Martinez becomes a new spark for the Central Front conquest.]
[(Column) The significance of Cheonbeon successfully conquering the Four Archangel Demonic Mirrors.]
….
However, Lennok wasn’t surprised by the news that the entire continent was mobilizing to investigate the collapse of the Four Archangel Demonic Mirrors.
After all, most of what Lennok needed to gain from that Demonic Realm had already been acquired.
Even the coordinates of the path the Grand General of Brilliance opened for Lennok were held only by Lennok, via a marker.
Now that geological upheavals had overturned the entire Demonic Realm, finding that location would literally require digging beneath the crust.
“What are you thinking about alone?”
“…Aileen.”
Aileen, having silently ascended to the Mothership’s observation deck, now stood behind Lennok.
Her complexion was pale, with bandages wrapped around her arm and an IV drip inserted. A blue patient gown swayed beneath her outer coat.
“We’ll soon arrive at the Central Front’s border, where we can safely drop you off.”
Aileen approached naturally, leaning against the railing as she spoke.
Her blue hair swayed with the wind blowing through the clouds.
“I’ve found a suitable spot to avoid revealing your location as much as possible, but I don’t know if you’ll like it.”
“The privilege of a wizard is to avoid troublesome things as much as they wish.”
Lennok replied, swiping his tablet.
“Just drop me off somewhere suitable; I’ll manage on my own, so don’t worry.”
“I no longer worry about your safety. What concerns me is rather the aftermath and reactions to this incident.”
She glanced at the tablet in Lennok’s hand and shrugged.
“The Four Archangel Demonic Mirrors turned upside down, and aftershocks spread across the continent, causing chaos. All city-states are currently issuing statements about this incident, one after another.”
“…”
“Well, I couldn’t have predicted things would turn out this way, so it can’t be helped… Are you going to be okay?”
Aileen, pale-faced, rubbed the arm with the IV drip, discreetly glancing at Lennok.
But instead of answering, Lennok gazed intently at her face.
“Your mana has stabilized compared to before. Are you feeling better yourself?”
“…The Reconnaissance Agency’s medical facilities are quite high-level, even among the Central Front’s best.”
Aileen chuckled, pointing to the IV drip she was receiving.
“Exploring the deepest parts of the Central Front means there are many strange side effects and injuries. The Mothership meticulously manages those aspects.”
“So that’s why there’s no one else on the Mothership besides us.”
“In my case, it was a penetrating wound to the shoulder and excessive bleeding, so I’m in a better situation. Of course, it’s thanks to you more than me that it ended like this…”
Leaving Lennok without an answer, Aileen cast a sidelong glance.
“Now, you and I won’t be the only ones who know that fact.”
“…”
“From now on, the entire continent will be looking for you.”
Aileen said with a calm, subdued expression.
“They’ll do anything to make you their guide to the Demonic Realm. Even to seize the heritage of Ars Nova beyond the Central Front.”
“…Right.”
“Have you thought about what you want to do next?”
“Well… I have a lot to do, but nothing is set in stone right now.”
Lennok replied slowly.
“First, I need to re-organize what I gained and learned from this incident. Then, naturally, I’ll know what to do next.”
The core of the Singularity Reactor obtained during the Mausoleum exploration. The Quasi-Authority Corrupted Golden Rule received from the Grand General.
The marker coordinates for entering deep into the Central Front, and the meaning of the warning the Grand General of Brilliance left for Lennok.
Even tracking the movements of Ethan Bajour, who wrote the Demonic Realm Travelogue.
“Everything that happened in the Demonic Realm was unpredictable… but on the other hand, some things went smoothly.”
Lennok closed his eyes.
“I can’t expect things to go that way next time.”
It would take time to sort out all the events in the Four Archangel Demonic Mirrors and collect the results.
For now, he would just sit here quietly, organizing his thoughts and waiting for time to pass.
“It seems we’ve… arrived.”
Aileen, looking down at the flowing scenery of the land, pulled out the IV needle from her wrist.
Grabbing the blade hung on her coat, she climbed onto the railing and nodded to Lennok.
“Let’s go down. We can finish our conversation below.”
“…Below?”
Lennok, unconsciously turning his gaze, paused at the strangely familiar sight of the ground below.
A pure white ice island floating on the sea.
The sight of a massive new maritime terminal constructed with railway tracks laid upon it.
Flash!
As the Mothership’s spatial transfer activated, Lennok and Aileen were standing before the terminal.
Workers bustled between the railway tracks, building a new tunnel on the ice island.
In front of it, small gravestones were lined up, each adorned with a vibrant bouquet of flowers.
“…”
Lennok easily understood for whom that space was. He hadn’t forgotten the incident where the Cult’s former 9th Apostle had attacked the seabed terminal.
The Apostle’s massacre, turning humans into grotesque flesh monsters for offerings. This was a memorial space created to mourn those victims.
“They say after the seabed terminal collapsed, the authorities, recognizing safety concerns, decided to rebuild it.”
Aileen said, walking towards the gravestones.
“Your ice island was so sturdy that no special foundation work was needed, apparently.”
“…Is that so?”
“If we’re going to part ways, it’s neat to finish it near where we first met, isn’t it?”
With that, Aileen planted her blade in front of the memorial space set up near the construction site.
She clasped her hands and bowed her head slightly, lost in silent prayer.
Watching her from behind, Lennok also quietly closed his eyes.
Workers transporting materials everywhere. The terminal and trains, now operating normally. Amidst the bustling passengers, Lennok and Aileen remained silent.
“I’m sorry, old man.”
After finishing her prayer, Aileen pulled out her blade and said softly.
“Next time I have to debate someone about Power Rankings, I’ll take the side of Black Art, just once, instead of Cheonbeon.”
“Nonsense…”
“Haha, you’re not upset, are you?”
Aileen turned to Lennok, chuckling softly.
“But looking back, that side suits you well. Someone who, despite possessing transcendent powers, is no different from an ordinary person… Perhaps that’s why the Grand General remembered you.”
“…”
For a moment, Lennok fell silent, unable to answer those words.
She, who had asked nothing even after hearing the Grand General’s words to Lennok, was now speaking about Lennok for the first time.
Lennok instinctively sensed that Aileen was trying to bring closure to this journey in her own way.
Aileen glanced at Lennok’s face over her sunglasses and shook her head.
“No matter what your relationship is with the Imperial Palace, it’s fine. I, who escaped the destruction of the central city, probably had no right to hear the full story.”
“…It’s not because of that reason.”
“But putting all those circumstances aside, it’s clear that you are one of the very few superhumans capable of conquering this Central Front.”
She lifted her gaze.
“There aren’t many who could enter a Demonic Realm with just one guide, burn everything in the Mausoleum, and emerge alive… Such a feat.”
“…”
“So I don’t regret helping you. I nearly died several times, but I learned that the Demonic Realm in the Central Front isn’t an insurmountable wall. I learned that perhaps, before the world’s end comes, our homeland might truly be within reach. So…”
Aileen lowered her sunglasses and looked up at the sky.
“Here, I swear on my blood with a Geas. That I will not disclose any of the facts I’ve heard about you to anyone. That I will not convey or tell anything about you in any form.”
“…Aileen.”
At that moment, Lennok also felt a powerful, intangible binding constrict her inner self.
A Geas, sworn on the True Blood of an Ars Nova Central Noble.
Within Aileen, it was actively forming, tangling her blood and Spiritual Presence in a meaningful way in real-time.
“See, we needed this time, just the two of us, to sort things out in the end, didn’t we?”
Aileen smiled, seeing Lennok speechless.
“Don’t you think we’ve made a pretty clean finish?”
“…”
Aileen knew from their conversation inside the Mausoleum that Lennok never intended to join the Reconnaissance Agency.
That’s why, in this moment, independent of the Reconnaissance Agency’s will, she swore to protect Lennok’s secret out of her own volition.
If Lennok was the only one in this chaotic Central Front who could reach the central city.
If he was the only one who could achieve results that others couldn’t even dare to attempt.
Aileen was saying that she would help Lennok, even if it meant abandoning the Reconnaissance Agency.
“…Right. I owe you one this time.”
Lennok, who had been silently looking at Aileen’s face, slowly began to walk.
“As you think, I have no intention of joining the Reconnaissance Agency. But I don’t disregard their abilities or information either.”
“…”
“Kalien intended to inform me about the next planned destination for the Central Front conquest. That’s probably because she knows where others’ attention will be drawn after the collapse of the Four Archangel Demonic Mirrors.”
Lennok looked up.
Whoosh—!!!
The Mothership, slowly approaching from beyond the thick clouds over the terminal, began to take shape.
“If we both don’t give up on conquering the Central Front, we’ll meet again someday.”
Lennok nodded, watching the shadow of the Mothership slowly descend to pick up Aileen.
“So, if the opportunity arises… I ask for your guidance again next time.”
“…Right.”
Aileen replied with a wry smile.
“The Reconnaissance Agency will continue to challenge the Demonic Realm and tirelessly explore. Until the day we reach Ars Nova, no matter when…”
“…”
“So, until we meet again, don’t die. Stay alive.”
“Don’t worry.”
Lennok smiled.
“That’s exactly what I want most.”
The journey that began on the maritime train now concluded at the terminal they had returned to.
Even amidst a rapidly changing world, one can avoid losing their center if they hold onto the beginning and the end.
Perhaps Aileen brought Lennok here knowing that fact.
But Lennok said nothing more and turned away.
He watched the Mothership, bathed in brilliant light, recede beyond the clouds.
The sight of the rebuilt terminal on the frozen island, nearing completion. People bustling about.
The earthly scene of civilization, constantly dreaming of reconstruction and moving forward, even after destruction.
Lennok silently watched the scene, then unhesitatingly walked towards the maritime train terminal.
Whoo-whoo—
The heavy train horn blared like a ship’s whistle.
Feeling as if the conquest of the Four Archangel Demonic Mirrors had finally ended, he boarded the train heading to Vulcan’s satellite city.
As soon as he settled into a quiet seat with hardly any passengers, Davi peeked out.
[Master. Do you know that Vulcan’s entire central network has crashed right now?]
“…I don’t know what you’re talking about. The central network, not the Deepweb, crashed?”
[Yes. It seems this incident has made Cheonbeon incredibly popular in Vulcan, you know.]
Davi, uncharacteristically beaming, wagged her tail furiously.
[Let’s go back and check quickly. It seems something really interesting has happened!]
“…”
Having heard a brief explanation from the Reconnaissance Agency, he had a rough idea of what had happened.
With a corner of the Central Front collapsed, as Aileen said, Transcendent beings across the continent would begin to move.
Related to that, repercussions and reactions would be intense across the continent, and information would be overflowing.
To prepare for the changes, Lennok also needed to return to Vulcan, rest, and make preparations quickly.
As Lennok thought that, he manipulated the TV channel broadcasting inside the train to check the news from Vulcan.
“…Wait.”
Lennok’s expression stiffened slightly upon seeing the news channels completely plastered with red breaking news headlines.
The atmosphere seemed even more urgent than simply broadcasting the conquest of the Four Archangel Demonic Mirrors in real-time.
The news screens showed countless crowds moving through various parts of the city, and a series of splendid delegations being broadcast.
Momentarily forgetting his fatigue due to the unusual atmosphere, Lennok quickly scrolled through the news to check the information.
And then, upon encountering completely unexpected news, he froze on the spot.
[With the collapse of the Four Archangel Demonic Mirrors, various reactions are emerging across the continent.]
[Transcendent beings previously missing or presumed dead are continuously issuing statements about this incident…]
[Especially in Vulcan, the entire Eastern Continent has entered a state of tension in anticipation of an Ascendant’s officially announced visit to the mega-city…]
“…What?”