Chapter 1339: Designed Transcendence (17)

An undisclosed agreement between Kaiser and the Imperial Palace during the project’s progress.

The ancient Ascension Relic, excavated by Left Prime Minister Yuseong for Kaiser during his visit to Vulcan.

I knew its purpose was related to the Pseudo-Eclipse for Kaiser’s ascension.

But I never imagined the Ascension Relic itself would be an object connected to the World’s Ten Laws.

“……”

Transcendent-tier unique magic: The World’s Ten Laws.

A transcendent spell whose origin and structure were shrouded in Noise, making its identity and source unknown, a concept only visible when acquiring the Prestige Domain Mandala in Kabahim.

A unique concept that might even be connected to [Level 10], which does not exist in this world.

Indeed, if such power was hidden in Vulcan, I can understand why Dadam personally came here.

Perhaps Dadam knew all along that our paths would one day cross like this.

‘The Imperial Palace intended to hand over a relic related to the World’s Ten Laws to Kaiser’s side…’

Did Yuseong know about this fact? No, he couldn’t have been ignorant.

There’s no way a figure of the Left Prime Minister’s standing in the Empire would have handed it over to Kaiser without understanding its true value.

Rather, it must be seen as clear evidence that the Imperial Palace was actively trying to exploit Kaiser.

That the Imperial Palace had interfered in the project, even attempting Kaiser’s ascension by providing the Ascension Relic in Vulcan.

That the attempt to bring about Ars Nova’s destruction through the project’s failure was just as critical to the Imperial Palace.

“Van…?”

Perhaps Lennok’s prolonged gaze sweeping the broken corridor floor seemed strange.

Lennok, opening his eyes at Jenny’s hesitant call, stood up.

“Jenny. How are the conditions here? Can you still hold out?”

“…If you’re talking about my body, I’m perfectly fine. I don’t feel like I’m forcing myself at all.”

Jenny glanced down at her hand and replied.

“Ouroboros is a power that can be mutually complementary in all situations. I can maintain it with almost no mana consumption, even in extreme environments like this. You taught me magic for that very reason, didn’t you?”

“That’s a relief.”

Lennok said, slowly taking a step forward.

He hadn’t forced Jenny to come, knowing it might be dangerous.

It was because he was confident that as long as Ouroboros was operating, Jenny’s safety could be guaranteed in most situations.

“Then, I should go a little deeper. It seems the Ascension Relic Dadam mentioned is far more dangerous than I thought.”

“……”

“I had simply intended to complete the investigation and leave… but I might have to retrieve or destroy it right here.”

Kiiiiiing—

Lennok slowly raised his mana, checking his condition, and glanced over.

“Jenny. Keep Ouroboros running and guide the way like this. It shouldn’t be much further.”

“Yes, I can feel it faintly too.”

Jenny, holding a blue triangular light in her hand, slowly extended it forward and nodded.

“Inside the Ark, the particle decomposition becomes extremely severe… until there’s a blank zone where it completely disappears. That must be Van’s destination.”

“……”

“Mistral. I’ll tell you the direction, so you guide the way. You know what to do, right?”

“My memory is a little hazy… but as long as those weird monsters don’t rush us like before, there’ll be no problem.”

“Don’t worry about that part.”

As Lennok gestured with his hand, a colossal Demonic Giant’s arm descended before Mistral.

“I’ve already killed almost everything moving around here. If you want, I’ll have it stick right by your side to protect you.”

“I’m sorry, but if that thing is next to me, I think I’ll forget even the way I was trying to remember.”

Kugugugugugu!!!

They slowly advanced, groping through the interior of Gagameon’s half-destroyed Ark.

Disemboweled bodies, limbs severed, lay scattered between the hangar and the warehouses, bleeding profusely.

Everywhere the eye could see, sword marks were etched, and fragments, as if clawed and torn away, lay untidily.

Innumerable armaments were haphazardly impaled into the corridor floor and walls, with soldiers impaled and hanging dead upon them.

A battlefield left untouched since the final decisive battle during the Vulcan Civil War.

At the very core of that warship lay the afterimage of a crater, where everything was circularly compressed, crushed, and distorted.

“This is…”

Kuaoohhhhh!!!

An enormous crater, hundreds of meters in diameter, had completely obliterated the core of the warship.

Cracks and sword marks etched into the crater walls emanated a ominous bloodlust, vibrating through the space with a chilling tremor.

A heavy, suffocating atmosphere, where merely observing it made the fierce battle that took place here almost palpable.

As if a force equivalent to a meteor had once collided here long ago—

“The place where Gagameon, defeated in the civil war, fought his final decisive battle.”

Mistral said with a strange expression, looking down into the crater.

“It’s where Gagameon, facing Gileon and Cheondun, died standing.”

“……”

“It’s been… a very long time. I was already out of the civil war back then, so this is my first time here since the war ended.”

Mistral mumbled, slowly walking along the rim of the crater.

“Honestly, even after the civil war ended, I couldn’t believe Gagameon was dead. He was an overwhelmingly powerful Transcendent among all the participants of that civil war. To the point where I couldn’t understand why he wasn’t an Ascendant…”

“……”

“Perhaps that’s why I was so surprised when I heard he couldn’t achieve victory against Ethan Bajour. Demoness. But you knew already back then, didn’t you?”

Mistral turned her gaze towards Peshia, who was slowly following behind.

“You must have been certain of victory because you knew what level Ethan Bajour had reached. That’s why you could mock us so much back then.”

“Well, I do remember the bastards who survived until the end of the civil war.”

Peshia, walking with her spear shouldered, sneered.

“You pointy-eared elf who sided with Anathema, Slain who played both sides, and Olinic whom I want to bash the head of… The war was already over. Everything that followed was just the process of delivering this city into his hands.”

“……”

“But even considering that, I never thought that monster Gagameon would hide an Ascension Relic near his Ark… What the hell was Gileon doing that he didn’t know?”

“Can you really say that? Miloze was in a critical state after participating in the decisive battle to kill Gagameon.”

Mistral shook her head with a bewildered look.

“I heard he couldn’t move due to a chronic illness at the time, but he was forced to step in for the final battle because Miloze’s abilities were needed.”

“……”

“He’s been missing since his clash with Kundara’s Ascendant recently, aren’t you being a bit too insensitive for a former comrade?”

“…No.”

Peshia’s sneering expression suddenly shifted as if looking into the distance.

“If Gileon went to battle, it was by his own will and no one else’s. That bastard possessed the ability to choose his battlefield freely.”

“……”

“I don’t know what he’s thinking, but if he decided to finish things his own way, then that’s fine. I’ve decided to do the same.”

Peshia mumbled in the quiet silence.

“If he’s alive, we’ll meet again somewhere.”

“…You. You’ve changed a lot since I saw you at the summit. I didn’t think you were the type to say things like that.”

“Damn it, do you want to die? Saying the same unlucky things as that Adamant bastard…!!”

“Enough with the reminiscing, come down now.”

Peshia, who was raising her spear with a shout, flinched and turned her gaze at Lennok’s voice.

Lennok had already descended to the bottom of the colossal crater and was walking alone on the shattered ground.

Lennok, walking alone through the heavily compressed air, approached the center of the crater.

His gaze was fixed on a colossal spear thrust obliquely into the very center of the crater.

Kwoong!!

Covered in blood of unknown origin, its blade worn and crushed, an old spear shaft was impaled into the ground.

Over the worn shaft, as if handled by someone for a long time, old cloth and garments hung, fluttering like a banner.

“The aura emanating from this spear is quite unique.”

Lennok said.

“Rather than a transcendent weapon or artifact, it doesn’t seem like something originally made in the material realm. Rather, if anything…”

Should I say it felt subtly alien or out of place, like Agneta of Pandemonium?

A weapon of a species that no longer exists in this world. A type of armament used by Ancient Species, perhaps?

As Lennok pondered the inexplicable déjà vu, Mistral, who had followed him down, spoke.

“It’s Gagameon’s spear. In the civil war, I think it was called the ‘Drill of Torment.’”

“……”

“It’s known as a divine weapon that allows Gagameon to use his power to its fullest, but it’s a weapon that only those with the blood of Ancient Species can wield, so no one could touch it. That’s probably why it was left here.”

“Now that you mention it, Gagameon’s corpse isn’t here.”

Jenny said, turning her gaze after hearing Mistral’s words.

“His weapon is here where he died, but his body isn’t… Did someone take Gagameon’s corpse?”

If Gagameon died standing here, it would be normal for his corpse or parts of it to remain.

However, around this crater, there was no trace of Gagameon’s body, not even flesh or bloodstains.

“I don’t know. I heard that immediately after the civil war ended, Gagameon’s corpse had ‘transcended in status’ so much that it was untouchable.”

Mistral shrugged.

“I heard it wasn’t in a state where anyone could take or retrieve it, but at some point, it just disappeared.”

“A great warrior whose status transcended even in death after a fierce battle.”

Lennok was lost in thought.

“Indeed, anyone would covet the corpse of such a Transcendent… but.”

Gagameon was a Transcendent with the blood of Ancient Species, extremely rare across the continent.

Even Lennok, who had traveled extensively, had only seen two or three Ancient Species, including Agneta, making them truly rare beings.

Therefore, it wasn’t incomprehensible that he had tried to harness the ancient Ascension Relic’s power before others.

As a hybrid of Ancient Species, he might have possessed the means to handle or control ancient relics.

It was somewhat natural for someone to covet the corpse of such a Transcendent who died after a life-or-death struggle.

“Does The Legion know anything? After all, Deadrise, which helped kill Gagameon, should know its whereabouts.”

“…You’ve ignored everything I’ve said all day, and now you’re asking me?”

Peshia, sensing gazes from all directions, snapped.

“I don’t know. I haven’t talked about Gagameon since that fight. Do you really think The Legion had the leisure for that?”

“……”

She wasn’t wrong.

Lennok now knew that as soon as the civil war ended with Kaiser’s victory, the project was hurtling towards failure.

Considering the conflict between Kaiser and Ethan at the time, it wouldn’t be strange if Deadrise inside had paid little attention to Gagameon’s corpse.

However, if there was one nagging point, it was this:

“It’s clear that Gagameon tried to turn the tide using the Ascension Relic before his defeat in the civil war. This excessively huge Ark might have also been part of an attempt to utilize the Ascension Relic.”

Lennok turned his gaze.

“But while the Ark and the Relic remain nearby, Gagameon’s corpse is nowhere to be seen… I can’t think of this as mere coincidence.”

“……”

This coastline, where Gagameon’s Ark was abandoned, was the Forbidden Zone outside the city, directly managed by the Elder Council.

Therefore, it’s highly probable that the Elder Council knows who retrieved Gagameon’s corpse and obtained it.

“While I’m not uninterested in what happened to Gagameon after his death… there’s something more pressing to do right now.”

Saying so, Lennok stretched out his hand towards the colossal spear stuck in the center of the crater.

“I need to first confirm what the Ascension Relic hidden somewhere along this coastline looks like.”

“No, wait a minute, Adamant.”

Mistral said with a flustered expression.

“That’s an object only descendants of Ancient Species can wield. If an ordinary human touches it without permission—!!!”

Chwaaaaaak!!!!

There was no time to answer.

The moment Lennok grasped the old spear shaft, countless eyes surfaced on its surface.

And as sharp teeth sprouted from the worn blade, it let out a grotesque scream.

[Kiiyaaaaaaah!!!!!]

A chilling roar that sounded like it would scratch and tear eardrums just by listening.

The countless teeth that sprouted from the shaft and blade rapidly enveloped and gnawed at Lennok’s body.

Kagagagagagak!!!!!

“……!!!”

The spear moved ferociously, as if to swallow Lennok whole on the spot.

Like a living beast, not a cold weapon, it tried to bite and devour the flesh that touched it.

Jenny’s expression hardened slightly, and as Peshia frowned, Mistral moved.

“What are you doing, stop it quickly!! Do you want to see your Tower Lord get eaten alive?”

“…No, not really.”

“Leave him, pointy-ears.”

Jenny scratched her cheek, and Peshia said curtly.

“Didn’t you learn your lesson after getting beaten up at the summit? If you just leave him be, he’ll handle everything.”

“What??”

“He’s a monster incomparable to the geniuses who soared in the civil war. There’s no way he’d act thoughtlessly like you.”

Peshia’s eyes gleamed as she looked at Lennok, whose entire body was covered in sharp teeth.

“He must have already found a way.”

“Found it.”

Click!!

A calm voice echoed from Lennok’s head, covered in teeth, immediately followed by a sharp clang.

At the same time, the colossal spear blade, which had been brutally trying to swallow Lennok’s body, abruptly stopped in place like a machine.

Mistral, watching the scene, recoiled with a terrified expression.

“W-what are you trying to do…?”

“I wasn’t trying to do anything dangerous.”

Lennok said, easily extracting himself from the spear’s bared teeth.

“I was just wondering how Gagameon controlled this grotesquely huge Ark.”

“What?”

“It’s a flagship comparable in size to an island thousands of meters long. It’s impossible to fully control a flagship of this size from a single cockpit or control room.”

Lennok looked up.

“But even if it couldn’t be properly controlled, the master key, which takes precedence over all authority of this warship, must have been held by Gagameon himself until the very end. So wouldn’t he have used a weapon that no one but him could touch as the key?”

“That’s…”

“It’s clear that Gagameon tried to use the Ascension Relic in the final battle of the civil war and fought to protect it.”

Kugugugugugu…!!!

Lennok, standing on the slowly swaying wreckage of the warship, spoke.

“Then, it’s highly likely that the method of approaching it was also something only Gagameon himself held until the very end.”

Kwagagagagagaga!!!!

The fragments and facilities of the collapsed and half-destroyed warship heaved, overturned, and shifted.

The crushed ground of the crater surged upwards, opening the ceiling and activating the barrier walls.

The moment the keel split in two, and the colossal hull began to disassemble and rotate as if breaking apart.

The landscape of the floating island hidden inside the Ark emerged before Lennok’s eyes, as if surfacing from underwater.

“……This is.”

The components and facilities that made up the Ark were merely its outer shell. Its true value was in concealing the island hidden within.

The reason Gagameon’s Ark was unusually huge was, quite literally, to hide another actual island inside it.

Oooohhhh!!!!!

The colossal island, having risen above the disassembled wreckage of the Ark, began to slowly float above the sea surface.

At the center of the swirling currents. The form of an unnamed ruins site, where small islands gathered to form a cluster.

Above it, bright light poured down as if standing beneath a midday sky, illuminating the ruins.

Paaaaaaat…!!!

Old stones and masonry lay scattered, as if a great temple once stood here.

Colossal statues of mysterious forms, of unknown species, looked down on humans from all directions.

And at its center, the presence of a transparent [mirror] holding a deep violet glow.

Just by looking, he knew.

“It seems my guess wasn’t wrong after all.”

Lennok said, slowly massaging his neck.

“I think I’ve found the Ascension Relic.”

“…A mirror.”

Jenny mumbled, intently observing the island with Ouroboros deployed.

“I don’t feel any special aura. The mirror itself might not be the relic, but rather a medium or catalyst.”

“Isn’t the entire island the Ascension Relic? That’s why Gagameon tore out the entire island and stored it in the Ark, right?”

“The entire island’s space is distorted, almost like an Otherworld. If we’re to explore it as Adamant said—”

“No.”

But Lennok’s gaze never left the mirror situated at the center of the colossal island.

“I can feel it even at this moment. That’s no ordinary mirror to begin with. That is…”

Because it held nothing, conversely, it reflected everything transparently.

Lennok’s mana, greatly amplified to find the relic, was synchronizing with the mirror across the way.

Simultaneously, a golden radiance mingled with the mirror’s form, distorting and beginning to glow.

Every time Lennok moved his mana, it transformed, as if into a—

Kaleidoscope.