Chapter 1468: Hunt for the First Apostle (2)
BOOM!! BOOM!! KRA-KOOOM!!!
District 49 of the mega-city, Vulcan. A temporary training ground located on the outskirts of the Adamant Tower.
Heavy roars echoed from the vast training ground stretching behind the magic tower.
Standing on a platform on one side of the training ground, the Fearsome Blood King, Racy, waved at Lennok.
“Adamant Thunder, over here. You’re a little later than I expected.”
“I heard you were testing the Guardian Spirit Beast’s abilities. How is it doing?”
“I figured you’d be worried, so I had it checked before the test began. Your pig dragon is in perfect health.”
Racy said with her arms crossed.
“They said there were no injuries to treat. Murphy examined it and said there were no problems either.”
“…”
The unexpected monster battle that had unfolded in District 49.
In a clash that had seemed fierce at first glance, the Guardian Spirit Beast hadn’t sustained a single scratch.
It was just that the memory of it crying after getting hit right at the start had remained vivid in everyone’s minds.
“I heard you were very busy, and the test was going to take some time no matter what.”
While Lennok recalled the memory with a wry smile, the Fearsome Blood King operated the terminal in her arms and asked.
“So I started the experiment before you arrived. I assume that’s okay with you?”
“I agree that we need to test what abilities the Guardian Spirit Beast’s adult form has gained, but…”
Lennok said, looking down at the training ground with a dubious expression.
“I’m not so sure that method is truly effective.”
“Fire!!”
FWOOSH!!!!
On the opposite side of the training ground, a row of mana cannons unleashed a brilliant light, firing heavy armor-piercing shells in unison.
The armor-piercing shells, capable of destroying a tank in a single shot, tore through the training ground in a straight line at supersonic speeds.
They struck the house-sized pig dragon lying on its back with incredible velocity and exploded.
KRA-KA-BOOOOM!!!!!
A dazzling pillar of fire erupted, the ground shook violently, and a mushroom cloud spread across the sky.
But at the center of the bombardment, the Guardian Spirit Beast just picked its nose, oblivious to what had hit it.
[Hmph.]
Thud, thud, thud!!!
Its rippling belly fat deflected all the shrapnel from the armor-piercing shells.
Even amidst the successive explosions, the pig dragon’s scales remained completely unscathed.
It was as if it hadn’t felt the impact of the shells at all, slumping down in place and yawning widely.
Lennok stared incredulously at the Spiritual Beast as it sat there blankly with sleepy eyes, happily accepting and eating the food brought by the tower staff.
“I said to test the Guardian Spirit Beast’s abilities, not to conduct a tactical bombardment. Is this really a proper test?”
“I didn’t want to go this far either, but any weapons or spellcraft weaker than this didn’t even work.”
Racy, too, seemed to think it wasn’t a pretty sight, and she spoke defensively with a rare, awkward expression.
“We went through the trouble of calling in people and equipment to start the test; we can’t just end it with no results. It would be a complete waste of the budget.”
“I didn’t realize a True Blood from Kundara was so concerned with my magic tower’s finances.”
“The budget for the hologram training is quite large, so I can’t help but be mindful of Jenicia’s… ah, anyway!!”
The black-haired girl cleared her throat, composed herself, and explained again.
“As you can see, even the explosive armor-piercing shells we’re testing now don’t work at all. This stuff can cause minor damage to the tower’s outer barrier, but you see how it doesn’t even flinch, right?”
“…”
Indeed, seeing it take so many shells with its bare body without even budging left Lennok speechless.
The tower staff, who adored the Guardian Spirit Beast, were also unfazed, likely because they had conducted this same test hundreds of times, continuously increasing the intensity.
“The test results show that in its preferred pig dragon form, its basic physical class increases overwhelmingly. Its innate strength, as well as its durability and toughness, rise to immeasurable levels. At this point, it practically surpasses most Long-lived Beings.”
The Fearsome Blood King said, flicking through the figures and data graphs on the terminal in her hand.
“I’d like to test its other adult forms, but it’s difficult because the Guardian Spirit Beast won’t listen to us. Even now, if we weren’t giving it snacks after each test, it would have already tried to return to its nest.”
“Are you asking me to order the Guardian Spirit Beast to change into its other forms?”
“Yes, exactly. I especially want to test that Cloud Dragon form, no matter what.”
The vampire’s red eyes, looking up at Lennok, sparkled like a child’s.
“You said the first form it showed you was that one, right? I think that form might be a condition for it to use its unique magic.”
“…”
“The Ouroboros the Guardian Spirit Beast used back then was nearly on par with yours. If it can freely use magic of that scale—”
“…No. I’m sorry, but that will be difficult for now.”
Lennok narrowed his eyes at the Guardian Spirit Beast and shook his head.
“It seems to consume a great deal of its stored power each time it uses magic. It looks like it needs time to recharge.”
The Guardian Spirit Beast didn’t express its will in clear language, but Lennok, connected to it, could vaguely read the Spiritual Beast’s thoughts.
This was the conclusion Lennok reached after reading the emotions and sensations of the Guardian Spirit Beast, which was currently lying down, treating the rain of armor-piercing shells as a massage.
“That thing has only one thought right now: to eat and store up energy. That’s probably why it has no interest in the test.”
“Ah… I thought it was strangely unresponsive, so that was the problem.”
Looking strangely dejected, the Fearsome Blood King listlessly put away her tablet.
“It can’t be helped. I’ll test the other adult forms later. For now, we’ll have to try a different kind of training.”
“So the armor-piercing shells weren’t the end of it. What are you planning to do?”
“I told you before that I created a hologram training program using your memories of conquering the Ninth Tribulation, right?”
The vampire raised a finger.
“The tests showed the Guardian Spirit Beast’s physical class already surpasses Long-lived Beings. So, what needs to be done is clear.”
“…Don’t tell me?”
“As it happens, the hologram training ground made from your memories contains a residual image of a monster that transcends Long-lived Beings.”
Racy gave a strange smile.
“Wouldn’t it be a great spectacle to have it fight Maleon Gnosis?”
After postponing the match of the century that Racy had proposed,
Lennok immediately began preparations to join the Order Alliance’s plan.
[Output Overload: 1400% Exceeded. Control Mana Depth: Level 9.]
Woooong—
In the center of the vast laboratory, the Incarnation Body lay deep asleep inside a floating glass tank.
The measurement devices and research equipment surrounding the glass tank displayed various data and graphs in real time.
They observed the Incarnation Body’s condition, objectively quantified it, and showed it to Lennok.
[Spellcraft Mutation Rate: 345%. Consciousness Synchronization Rate: 1740%. Mana Resonance: D-Rank. Overload Deviation Intensifying…]
Davi, perched on Lennok’s shoulder, spoke cautiously.
[The output of the Incarnation Spellcraft is getting stronger and stronger.]
“This is the result of recovering my Incarnation Body only to use it in such a harsh way…”
Lennok, who had been silently watching the Incarnation Body, gave a wry smile.
He could tell at a glance that its condition wasn’t good, but it wasn’t incomprehensible.
What the Incarnation Body had received in the Hall of Ascension was the memory of the moment Ban-gung was completed as a Level 9 Ascendant.
It was the memory of his birth, of using Manipulation Spellcraft to realize his origin and reach transcendence.
The amount of information, enlightenment, and transcendence contained within was self-evidently dangerous, so it was natural for the Incarnation Body to show an abnormal reaction.
He was suppressing it as much as possible, but if things continued like this, it wouldn’t be strange for it to break free of his control again, just as it had during the Legion Parade.
“I can’t let it run rampant again after finally getting it back after the Subjugation Operation.”
Lennok toyed with the black ring on his index finger and gathered his mana.
“I need to take measures to ensure it doesn’t escape my control, at the very least.”
Fwoosh—
Thick darkness dripped from inside the black ring, and the Prestige Domain, Mandala, unfolded before Lennok’s eyes.
The endless darkness of the Mandala rotated clockwise, swallowing the entire tank containing the Incarnation Body.
As the Incarnation Body was swallowed by the darkness and vanished, the warning alarms that had been blaring throughout the lab fell silent.
Only then did Davi, realizing the meaning of what Lennok had done, let out a small gasp of admiration.
[Aha, so you used the memories contained in the ring as a medium to seal it?]
“Because the Mandala is the ‘vessel’ itself, which he created long ago.”
The black ring Lennok obtained in Kabahim was a relic that contained Ban-gung’s Prestige Domain, Mandala.
It was the ‘vessel’ itself, created by Ban-gung to store the corpse of the Outer God he had killed in Kabahim.
In the past, Lennok had stored Ban-gung’s memories inside this ring through the mirror of the Ascension Ritual.
That’s why he was able to bind the Incarnation Body, which held another of Ban-gung’s memories, and store them together in the ring.
“The Incarnation Spellcraft is one of the most powerful spellcrafts I possess at present. What happened during the Subjugation Operation was unavoidable, but I can’t let it run rampant anymore.”
Lennok said this, adjusting the ring as he stood up.
“It might become a key weapon in the future, so I’ll have to take it with me for this.”
[A weapon… that sounds rather ominous.]
Davi tilted its head in confusion.
He had used the Incarnation Spellcraft in various ways, but the Incarnation Body itself hadn’t been helpful in combat very often, with the exception of the Subjugation Operation.
It had mainly been used to support Lennok’s multiple identities rather than to fight alongside him.
But Lennok’s comment implied that the Incarnation Spellcraft itself was an incredibly powerful weapon.
“There’s a method of use I tried a few times in the past and failed. It was too dangerous, so I sealed it away after one experiment.”
Slowly clenching and unclenching his fist, Lennok stared at the black ring with a somber expression.
“Perhaps… I might be able to try experimenting with it again now.”
[…?]
“Let’s talk about that later. For now, preparing to leave again is the priority.”
With that, Lennok headed to a workbench on one side of the lab.
“It hasn’t been long since I returned from Paradise Lost, but since my role in this task is set, the preparations aren’t difficult. If the Guido Cult is the opponent, some calculations are actually easier.”
The Order Alliance Leader had asked Lennok to buy time against the Guido Cult and the Second Apostle while the Great Connection was being restored.
With a clear objective, it wasn’t hard for Lennok to figure out what he needed to prepare.
“If I have to stop the Second Apostle from leading the Guido Cult here, I can experiment with various spellcrafts and barriers. If I make the most of the fact that I’ll be waiting for them, some interesting things might be possible.”
Lennok fell into thought, projecting holograms of various magic circles and barrier models onto the workbench.
“The exact location of the battlefield where the Guido Cult and the Order Alliance will clash is crucial. A place where I can intervene with the environment as much as possible would be ideal…”
[Master, you seem strangely pleased.]
“Not pleased, exactly… but yes, it’s true that I’m interested.”
Lennok almost denied Davi’s question instinctively but soon admitted it honestly.
“This event could end the war between the Order Alliance and the Guido Cult. Just being there in person is meaningful in many ways.”
[Aha, so watching other people fight is the most fun, right?]
“…Don’t you think that’s an oversimplification?”
Though he had retorted without thinking, Davi’s words had, in many ways, hit the nail on the head.
In fact, Lennok’s ready acceptance of the Order Alliance Leader’s proposal was partly related to that.
“If the Second Apostle gets involved, he won’t appear before the Order Alliance without any preparations.”
Lennok said, placing the artifacts he possessed one by one on the workbench.
“But if I can somehow make him fight the Order Alliance Leader, neither side will be able to afford to be so complacent.”
[You mean they’ll have no choice but to show all their cards, right?]
“Yes. And perhaps something even greater could happen.”
It’s a clash between the heads of the Order Alliance and the Guido Cult. It’s bound to be a battle on a scale close to an all-out war.
Both sides will likely bring out their hidden trump cards and key forces.
Therefore, there are significant tangible and intangible benefits to be gained just by watching the war from the sidelines.
If either the Order Alliance or the Guido Cult were to falter significantly, the repercussions would be anything but small.
Above all, the decisive reason Lennok had decided to participate was—
“The Second Apostle is the most powerful Transcendent in the current Guido Cult. If he is defeated by the Order Alliance Leader, the Pontiff won’t just stand by and watch.”
[…]
“This might be the chance to finally confirm the Pontiff’s true intentions. I don’t want to miss that moment.”
The Guido Cult and the Order Alliance were entities Lennok would have to overcome at some point as he continued his journey.
For that reason, Lennok was determined not to let this moment, which could be the end of a long war, pass him by.
He wanted to know why the Pontiff, a being who had reached ‘the third’ through two ascensions, was still observing this world.
Perhaps this event would allow Lennok to confirm it for himself.
“If the Guido Cult goes all out, they’ll have many cards that defy common sense. But…”
Clatter!!
Lennok said, pouring all sorts of artifacts onto the workbench.
“I have a few tricks of my own to use against the Guido Cult. Let’s start preparing now.”
“Ah, you’re here.”
Murphy’s clinic, located in Vulcan’s Outer Zone.
The Fairy Conjunction Master, who was sitting on the edge of the windswept clinic rooftop, glanced back.
Seeing Lennok approaching with a long backpack slung over his shoulder, she dusted off her hands and stood up.
“You said it would take two days, but it’s been less than 30 hours. You must have really finished all your preparations in that time.”
“What have you been doing all this time?”
“Me? I was just waiting here on this rooftop.”
“…”
“Just kidding. I wandered around with the Corpse Ghost Spell Master. Saw the Black Fairy I gave you. District 49 has a lot of interesting things.”
The Fairy Conjunction Master shrugged with her arms crossed.
“It was nice seeing the Corpse Ghost Spell Master after so long. I was glad she was still alive and well, so we chatted a bit, but—”
“I-I’m not going back.”
“…It seems she’s been living a little too well in your magic tower.”
“…”
The Fairy Conjunction Master stared incredulously at the Corpse Ghost Spell Master, who was stammering from behind Lennok with a determined look on her face.
“This one’s completely enchanted by your magic tower. She’s even forgotten why she’s being held hostage here.”
“Th-the food here is much m-more delicious…”
The Corpse Ghost Spell Master stammered, glancing at Lennok.
“Th-they don’t make me work… the c-community is fun… I-I want to stay here…”
“You haven’t changed a bit, still saying only the most pathetic things. In fact, you might have gotten even more hopeless.”
The Fairy Conjunction Master turned to Lennok, exasperated.
“I have to take her back someday, but you’ve completely ruined her. What are you going to do?”
“No matter how I look at it, this doesn’t seem like my fault.”
Wasn’t the Corpse Ghost Spell Master staying at the tower in the first place because the Fairy Conjunction Master had practically dumped her there?
Since she was a hostage Lennok had never wanted in the first place, he felt no responsibility for her.
Seeing Lennok not even bat an eye, the Fairy Conjunction Master frowned, then chuckled and shook her head.
“You’re right, it’s not really an important issue. Let’s talk about the Corpse Ghost Spell Master’s situation again when we get back.”
“Huh, huh…?”
The Corpse Ghost Spell Master, who had been standing there with a determined expression, blinked her eyes.
“Y-you’re not taking me…? B-but I…”
“What, are you disappointed I’m not taking you now?”
The Fairy Conjunction Master chuckled and tilted her head.
“I came to get Adamant Thunder this time, so don’t tremble like that. My spellcraft was needed, you see.”
“…”
“If you’re ready, I plan to leave right away. Is it okay if you haven’t told the others?”
“I’ve given them the gist, so don’t worry.”
Lennok said this and looked back at the magic tower visible beyond the rooftop.
Even now, inside the tower, Jenny and the selected personnel must be preparing to head to the second branch.
“Everyone’s going to be busy from now on. It can’t be helped that we all have different things to do.”
“Hmm… you’re more sentimental than I thought.”
The Spell Master, who had been looking up at Lennok with her chin in her hand, chuckled.
“Well, alright. We’ll have plenty of time to talk when we arrive. Shall we leave right away?”
“I assume you’ll be the guide? We’ll have to move diligently to reach the rendezvous point.”
In Lennok’s experience, traveling to the Central Front often required multiple transfers between different modes of transport.
As the Central Continent was such a harsh battlefield, all sorts of incidents and accidents tended to occur during the journey.
Even with the Fairy Conjunction Master’s guidance, traveling to the Order Alliance would take a good two weeks.
If he hadn’t checked Pyeonram’s information and confirmed there was enough time, Lennok wouldn’t have participated in the plan.
But as soon as she heard Lennok, the Fairy Conjunction Master shook her head as if to ask what he was talking about.
“No. What are you talking about? If we were going to travel directly, I wouldn’t have come all this way in the first place.”
“What?”
Splash!!
As she untied the gourd from her waist, water from it flowed into her hand.
“If you have any spellcraft resistance or immunity, you should probably turn it off for a moment.”
Catching the falling water in one hand and sprinkling it over her head, the Spell Master gathered her mana and said.
“We’re going to travel to the Central Front via the Spirit World.”
WHOOOOOSH!!!
In that instant, the water droplets scattered above the Spell Master’s head exploded in volume, pouring down on the two of them like a waterfall.
An unbelievable amount of water, impossible to have come from such a small gourd, swallowed Lennok and the Fairy Conjunction Master whole.
It instantly pulled them into a seemingly endless, transparent sea.
Rumble…!!!
Underwater, where his ears were muffled and he couldn’t breathe, a place with no end in sight.
But even then, Lennok didn’t panic, quickly gathering his mana and looking around.
A giant palace of water and a transparent lake. Mystical fairies that didn’t exist in the human world flashed past.
The current that had enveloped Lennok and the Spell Master instantly passed through the water palace and entered another passage to the real world.
Soaked by the pouring water, the two of them fell into the middle of a vast, endless wilderness.
Shwaaaaa!!!
“This is…”
A distant plateau stretching to the horizon. An empty plain dotted with huge rock formations.
Before Lennok’s eyes lay a dimensional gate so vast it filled one side of the horizon.
An illusion of dozens of dimensional gates, shimmering with multicolored light and distorting space, were layered one on top of the other.
Countless glass corridors were superimposed and floating around the gates that connected different dimensions and spaces.
A mystical sight, as if secondary dimensions attached to reality had fused and merged, floating in the air.
“It’s been a while since I traveled with someone else, so that was a bit close. But we made it in one go, so it’s all good, right?”
“…”
“Its proper name is the Ideological Pavilion, Dimensional Corridor.”
The Fairy Conjunction Master said, wringing out the sleeves of her wet clothes beside Lennok.
“Welcome to the headquarters of the Order Alliance.”