Chapter 1456: Hall of Ascension (2)

Rummmble…!!!

A black accretion disk, distorted like a black hole, spun in a circle.

A powerful gravitational force dyed the underground cavern dark, distorting the lights shining from all directions.

Despite the transcendent power that bent and pulled in even light, the surrounding barrier walls remained completely undamaged.

An immeasurable, immense power circulated within the black ring, converting into infinite energy.

“Whoaaa…”

Dylan, walking down the circular ramp along the cavern wall, let out a strange exclamation.

“So that’s the legendary black hole engine. The one that’s said to suck in even light and use it for power, right?”

“The entire engine is shining black… I don’t know if that expression makes sense, though,” Felix muttered.

“It seems to be constantly changing shape. Does it not have a physical form?”

“Its proper name is the Singularity Reactor.”

Jutiya, who had walked down behind Dylan, pushed up her glasses.

“The name sounds grand, but its basic function isn’t different from a car or bike engine. The reason its form is changing is probably because it’s not yet complete.”

“No… I think that’s a far cry from any car engine I know,” Mila muttered with a dubious expression.

“The fact that it’s spinning on its own in empty space doesn’t make any sense. What on earth is it using for fuel to make that possible?”

“It was designed from the start for the purpose of traveling between star clusters,” the Blood Emperor said in a calm voice.

“It naturally possesses enough output to escape the atmosphere without any special fuel supply, and in terms of power efficiency, it’s practically a Perpetual Motion Engine.”

“Is it really okay for something like that to be running in a place like this underground?” Jenny asked, looking up at the Singularity Reactor with a slightly pale face.

“No matter how you look at it, it seems incredibly dangerous… If something goes even slightly wrong, wouldn’t the nearby districts be blown away?”

“What are you talking about, Jenicia Bajour,” the vampire said, sounding dumbfounded.

“If that thing explodes, it won’t just end with a few districts. We’d have to redraw the map of the mega-city from scratch.”

“…”

“That’s enough of scaring people with useless talk.”

Lennok, who was walking in the lead, looked back at Racy in disbelief.

“Do you think I would have stored an engine like this underground without any safety measures? I’m showing you this for another reason.”

“By the way, Adamant Thunder, the state of the Singularity Reactor is much better than I thought. At this rate, its reproduction level must be nearly 40% of the original,” Jutiya raised her head with an interested expression.

“It’s an object made with technology from an outer dimension, so even in the Empire, only a few of them worked properly. This is beyond my expectations. How did you succeed in restoring it?”

“The story you told me about the Singularity Reactor before was helpful.”

“The story about the Singularity Reactor?”

Jutiya, who had been blinking blankly, clapped her hands.

“Ah, you’re talking about the information I gave you at Anathema’s funeral?”

Jutiya Heiberk had visited Vulcan with Cyrus to finish the funeral rites for Anathema, who had died at Lennok’s hands.

In exchange for using Anathema’s remains in the ritual, Jutiya, as the Scribe of the Council of Fate, had handed over some information to Lennok.

A leaf of the World Tree and a broken part of the Singularity Reactor. She had shared the coordinates of a tribute offered to Ars Nova with Lennok.

Jutiya’s expression, belatedly remembering that time, turned uncharacteristically incredulous.

“Wait, you didn’t even find the Singularity Reactor part at the coordinates I gave you. You’re telling me you succeeded in restoring the engine just from hearing the story about it back then?”

“I got lucky.”

“…”

Incredulous gazes fell on him from all directions, but Lennok didn’t bat an eye.

Since he couldn’t explain that he had obtained the core component of the Singularity Reactor from the Four Archangel Demonic Mirrors, this was the only answer he could give.

Revealing the Singularity Reactor to his tower colleagues was also an alibi made possible because he had previously heard about the concept of the reactor in his identity as Adamant Thunder.

“Well… it’s surprising, but I’m not surprised anymore.”

“If it’s Van, I guess he could just happen to restore one of the few black hole engines in history.”

“After the Subjugation Operation, I decided I’d believe it even if someone told me Van was actually an Ascendant.”

Indeed, his tower colleagues were accepting Lennok’s shameless answer as if it were a matter of course.

“No, this isn’t something you can just accept and move on from! No matter how much of a genius he is—”

Jutiya preached to the others in disbelief, but no one paid her any mind.

“Van, so what’s the reason you showed us that? Knowing your personality, you didn’t call us here just to show off.”

“Mila, what are you talking about? It’s natural for people to want to boast about their achievements,” Dylan said, pointing to the golden short spear hanging from his waist.

“I still go around bragging about the short spear Van gave me. Do you have any idea how many drinks I’ve gotten from other mercenaries by showing this off?”

“Sure is something to brag about, you moron! You think Van is a blockhead like you?”

“But surprisingly, it really is something to brag about.”

“Honestly, I’m a little envious.”

“I can tell just by listening that it’s an item of immense monetary value.”

Beside the bickering mercenaries, Belber scratched his cheek.

“Do we need to fix or repair the engine? I’ll tell you now, I’m a complete amateur when it comes to mechanical engineering. I know nothing about engines.”

“Belber, you should speak correctly. You have less talent than a caveman in every field of study to begin with.”

“Even Van wouldn’t expect anything from a stupid stock investor who can’t even protect his own wallet.”

“I know how to repair a bike by myself, should I give it a try?”

“I didn’t call you here to help me restore the Singularity Reactor. I’ll explain now.”

Lennok then explained a summary of the key events he experienced in the satellite city.

It didn’t take long for the expressions of his colleagues listening to the story to turn blank.

“I don’t know what I just heard.”

“Some kind of gate is going to open beneath the satellite city?”

“And you’re saying you can see the memories of Ascendants through it?”

Many people were surprised, but among them were some who calmly exchanged glances.

Veterans who had lived in Vulcan for a long time and were well-acquainted with the history of the city’s expansion development plan.

Felix, who had been listening to Lennok’s explanation with his arms silently crossed, spoke.

“If it’s the satellite city drenched in radiation… you must be talking about Fayuz.”

“It was a city built with the goal of establishing a space station during the development plan,” Jenny, picking up on Felix’s words, said with a stiff expression.

“I thought development was halted after an accident where the entire city was exposed to cosmic radiation… It seems there were other circumstances than what I knew.”

“During the time when Deadrise was affiliated with Vulcan, I heard that a space exploration project was actually underway in that satellite city,” Peshia said bluntly.

“The Elder Council even borrowed a large amount of The Legion’s military equipment for that project. The things that happened there must not have been lies.”

“How absurd. I knew there was more than just one or two secrets buried in this city, but…”

Vulcan was a mega-city that had gone through tens of thousands of trials and errors since Kaiser started the Black Consumer Project.

Having drawn in external forces like Ascendants, demons, and even the Imperial Palace and repeatedly failed, it is impossible to grasp all the secrets that remain in this city.

Therefore, while many knew that a radiation accident had occurred in the satellite city, no one knew the exact details.

“I intend to enter the Hall of Ascension through Heaven’s Gate, which will open beneath the satellite city.”

Lennok, leaning against the ramp’s railing, looked up at the Singularity Reactor floating behind him.

“There, I will peer into the traces left by other Ascendants… and begin my preparations to reach Level 9.”

“…”

For a moment, the surroundings fell silent at Lennok’s calm words.

Everyone present must have clearly understood that after long preparations, Lennok had finally made his decision.

The silent colleagues began to nod one by one, meeting each other’s gazes.

“If you say so, Van…”

“We’ll need to activate Heaven’s Gate. Can we bring it here?”

“Didn’t you say it can only be observed at the location of a total solar eclipse? That’s impossible.”

“It seems we have no choice but to take the Singularity Reactor to the satellite city.”

“That’s right. I want your help in the process of transporting the engine to the satellite city.”

The mercenaries, understanding Lennok’s words, finally nodded.

“Ah, so you weren’t asking us to fix the engine, but to move it to the satellite city?”

“He can’t just entrust an engine of that value to outsiders.”

“Wait a minute, wasn’t that an engine without a physical form?”

Mila, who was staring at the Singularity Reactor with her mouth agape, tilted her head.

“I don’t think we can even carry that to the satellite city in the first place. I mean, can you even touch that with your bare hands?”

According to Jutiya’s explanation, the black hole engine was essentially a force without a fixed form.

It was an object that generated power by circulating a transcendent gravitational force that pulled in even light.

“Don’t worry.”

But Lennok just smiled calmly upon hearing Mila’s words.

“Because to solve that problem, I’ve decided to receive the Cartel’s help this time.”

“…The Cartel?”

Kiiiiing—

At that moment, from the opposite side of the underground cavern, a rainbow-colored radiance so intense it stung the eyes flashed.

A heterogeneous radiance, so intense that the Singularity Reactor, which relentlessly absorbed all light in the cavern, couldn’t momentarily absorb it.

The moment the brilliant seven-colored light spun sharply and plunged toward the center of the Singularity Reactor as if being sucked in.

The rotation of the Singularity Reactor, which had been circulating and absorbing the cavern’s light without a moment’s rest, froze to a halt.

Krrrraaaaack!!!

“Kuhk…!!”

“Get down!!”

The ramp on the cavern wall shook violently, a shock so powerful they had to instinctively grab the railing.

The superhumans, who immediately regained their balance, turned their gazes toward the source of the light and saw a tall woman in magnificent robes standing on the opposite side of the cavern.

A wide robe with long sleeves that flowed down to her fingertips, and between them, skin so pale that her veins were visible.

Over her face, which was obscured by shadows and not clearly visible, the veil that had always been drawn was now lifted.

The mercenaries, recognizing the radiance of the Mystic Eye a moment later, wore slightly stiff expressions.

“Olivera Ron Maize…”

“So the Chairman of the Cartel agreed to lend a hand.”

“Ah, so that’s The Seven Debts Jewels Mystic Eye I’ve only heard about in rumors.”

The Blood Emperor’s red eyes sparkled with interest.

“I heard it’s one of the very few Innate Abilities that can interfere with causality, and the rumors weren’t wrong. Did she just eliminate the very cause needed for the Singularity Reactor to operate?”

“Even using the Mystic Eye, she won’t be able to stop the Singularity Reactor for long. But it should be enough time to transport the engine near the satellite city,” Lennok said.

“However, I won’t be taking everyone gathered here. Jenny and a few others have to leave on a business trip for matters related to the Magic Tower’s second branch.”

“…Van, about that.”

“Since we don’t know how much time this will take, it would be best for those accompanying Jenny to wait at the tower. Instead…”

Glancing over, Lennok stared intently at the gloomy, black-haired woman standing at the very end of the group.

Lennok smiled at the Corpse Ghost Spell Master, who flinched with a pale face the moment his gaze landed on her.

“We can just take one more person who isn’t affiliated with the Magic Tower.”

“Uh, huh…?”

The Corpse Ghost Spell Master muttered, her shoulders trembling.

“Again?!”

Thud!!

The desolate landscape of the vast satellite city, Fayuz, where a wind mixed with musty dust blew.

The sun, floating above the satellite city, was slowly turning black as it was obscured by the moon, their orbits overlapping.

The tower’s mercenaries had arrived in the satellite city just in time for the start of the total solar eclipse.

Dylan, who kicked aside concrete debris and climbed onto a steel frame, muttered.

“This place is a complete mess…”

Whoooosh…!!!

The scene below, where acrid smoke scattered, was close to collapsed ruins.

The buildings were collapsed as if the entire city had been struck by an earthquake, ruins covered in tree trunks.

Ghouls and mutants with rotting bodies swarmed like insects everywhere the eye could see.

[Kuk, krrrk-]

[Keeeeeeeh-]

[Kakakakakakak!!!!]

Monsters roamed the satellite city, convulsing as if screaming or laughing maniacally.

All those ghouls and mutants were rampaging, wildly excited as if intoxicated by an immeasurable life force.

“Is the fragment of the World Tree exposed on the surface, causing the ghouls to be affected by its life force?” Felix, carrying a massive hammer on his shoulder, muttered.

“We’ll have to go through a lot of trouble to break through that and activate Heaven’s Gate.”

“Individually, they’re nothing special, but there’s a huge number of them.”

Chk-chak!!

Mila, loading her shotgun beside him, spat and said.

“If they’re like this because of the World Tree fragment, won’t they just keep regenerating even if we kill them? This is going to be a pain.”

“It might be better for someone to stay behind and hold them off. Anyone volunteer to be bait?”

“I-I was d-dragged here, so c-can you please l-leave me out of this…”

[Van, I’ve finished the agreement with the district office in charge of the outer zone near Fayuz.]

Chk—

With a sharp burst of static, Jenny’s calm voice came through the communication network.

[I lobbied the district councilman and restricted all access to the district, so no one will be able to approach for the time being.]

“Good work.”

Clank!!

The cargo hold of a massive truck swung open, and Lennok walked out into the ruins.

The Singularity Reactor, contained in a giant glass tube, descended, floating in the air behind Lennok.

Vwoooom…!!!

Despite being temporarily shut down, it vibrated faintly, its form seeming to warp the surrounding light.

Every time it did, the glass tube containing the Singularity Reactor darkened, as if space itself were being distorted.

Lennok approached the superhumans who had already arrived and spoke.

“Before we begin, a final explanation. From now on, we will transport the Singularity Reactor to Heaven’s Gate, which will open beneath the satellite city.”

“…”

“We need a lot of hands, as we’ll have to find a path to the satellite city’s underground, break through the monsters scattered throughout the city, and move the reactor.”

Lennok looked at his colleagues who had naturally gathered around him.

“Since I have to control the Singularity Reactor directly, it will be difficult for me to pay attention to anything else during transport. I’ll open a path first, so I’d appreciate it if you focus on protecting the reactor.”

The reason he had involved his tower colleagues in this was fundamentally because handling the Singularity Reactor was an extremely difficult task.

The Singularity Reactor was a black hole engine created with outer-dimensional technology, a power source meant to be used in starships that fly between star clusters.

Just as he had used the reactor’s core to face the Grand General of Brilliance in the Demonic Realm, its power was such that even Lennok could barely control it with his full strength.

Although he had used Olivera’s Mystic Eye to temporarily halt it, if Lennok didn’t directly control the reactor’s output, it was an object that could go berserk at any moment.

“Understood. So, we just need to find the path down to the satellite city’s underground and escort Van, right?”

“This is finally our first real combat since the Subjugation Operation.”

“Alright, shall we get going then?”

The superhumans gathered around Lennok checked their respective equipment and formed up.

As they raised their magic, the ghouls swarming all around the satellite city turned their heads in unison.

[Kaaaaahk!!!]

[Krrrrrrrk!!]

Ghouls and mutants stared this way, drooling as they crawled on the ground, scattering pieces of rotten flesh.

Each time, fluid contaminated with radiation dripped from their bodies, melting the ground and constantly exposing it.

Thump!!

Felix, slamming his hammer on the ground, said in a calm tone.

“I’ll handle the mutants with Soo-ryun. Dylan, I’ll leave securing the high ground to you.”

“Mila, you move around and find a way down.”

“Leave it to me.”

[Keeeeeeeh—!!!]

The ghouls let out monstrous cries, spewing fluid and scattering rotten flesh as they charged without hesitation.

The other mercenaries, having finished their discussion in an instant, turned toward the charging ghouls and readied their weapons.

“I don’t know what you’ve all been talking about.”

Rummble…!!

Above the overcast sky, a flash of brilliant blue lightning appeared with a clap of thunder.

“When did I ever say we would be fighting on the ground?”

“…Huh?”

Kra-ka-ka-ka-ka-ka-ka-ka-

In that moment, the sky split open, and lightning of an enormous size appeared above the satellite city.

A massive key, hundreds of meters long and made of overflowing blue light, slowly rotated.

The key, so large it covered half the sky in the blink of an eye, plummeted toward the satellite city like a spear of lightning.

It ignored the resistance of the convulsing ghouls, incinerating their bodies and evaporating them without a trace.

Summoning the Piercing Thunder Key.

Kra-kooooooooom!!!!!!

[Kaaaaaaaahk!!!]

[Kahak, kakakak…!!!]

The mutants flailed and screamed, unable to bear it and fleeing. Even they didn’t get far before their entire bodies were engulfed in lightning and scattered into nothingness.

The swarming ghouls were incinerated, and the tree trunks covering the asphalt burned and melted away, revealing the scene of the satellite city’s underground.

“I used Lightning Unraveling Spellcraft to decompose the life force contained in the World Tree fragment.”

Lennok said, slowly lowering his raised hand.

“The ghouls won’t be regenerating for a while, so let’s head underground immediately. I’m glad I could use a simple summoning spell before we started.”

“…”

His colleagues, staring at the blue key that had pierced the center of the satellite city, silently met each other’s gazes.

As if recalling an old memory, they stared at each other with familiarity, then nodded and began to walk behind Lennok.

The Corpse Ghost Spell Master, who was watching the scene from the very back with her mouth agape, muttered with a dumbfounded expression.

“Th-they’re not saying anything…? A-after seeing this, they’re r-really not saying anything…?”