Chapter 1479: Hunting the First Apostle (13)
KWWAAAAANG!!!
A brilliant blue lightning bolt struck near the Crystal Tower’s rear gate, becoming a pillar of blue light that slammed into the ground.
The impact crushed the monsters crawling in through the rear gate from the head down, splattering their vital fluids.
[Kkueeeeee!!!]
[Kehek, keoheuk…!!]
Upon the pillar of lightning that pierced heaven and earth was a form that flickered ceaselessly, engraved with intense electrical energy like a Spell-Word.
The moment Betagron realized how strikingly similar it was to the Spell-Word Stone of Jinwa that had existed in Paradise Lost.
Lennok began to activate the Spell-Word Stone he had summoned, using a ‘Spell-Word’.
“Deploy Spell-Word Stone. Activate Thunder Word.”
[Perception Domain Collapse]
[Deviation from Line of Observation]
[Conceptual Domain Substitution]
Kiiiiing—
Crackle, crackle…!!!!
As if triggered by those words, the lightning Spell-Word Stone that had struck down from the sky emitted an intense light.
Not with Jinwa’s Spell-Words, but with the Spell-Words of lightning as its foundation, it rewrote the rules of spacetime.
The countless, vast Spell-Words engraved in lightning on the stone’s surface activated simultaneously.
“Manifest Thunder-Net Forbidden Boundary.”
A vast amount of lightning poured out like a waterfall, beginning to cover the ground in blue light.
KWAGWAGWAGWAGWAGWAGWA!!!!!
[Kkegegegegek!!!!]
[Kyaaaak!!! Kyagagaga—!!!]
Swept away by the surging waves of lightning, the Apostles rushing the rear gate were washed away with desperate screams.
The lightning, gushing up like a spring of thunder, annihilated the swept-away Apostles as if melting them with heat that transcended all limits.
The lesser Apostles died in the blink of an eye, unable even to approach the Spell-Word Stone embedded in the rear gate.
It was inevitable that the attention of the Cult and the Alliance, tangled in battle across the entire field, would focus on the rear gate.
“Fuck, what is that! It suddenly appeared behind the Crystal Tower!!”
“It’s a Spell-Word Stone. The kind the master of Paradise Lost used.”
“Wait, didn’t its master die recently? Then, could it be…!!”
“It means the rumors about Adamant Thunder’s notoriety weren’t exaggerated at all.”
This was the conclusion reached by the Transcendents, Alliance Spell Masters, and Cult Apostles from all over as soon as they saw the slaughter at the rear gate.
“He’s a monster who even uses the spellcraft of the Ascendant he killed. A truly heinous Transcendent.”
“That detestable apostate…!! Did he devour Paradise Lost whole?!”
“While Adamant Thunder blocks the rear gate, we push back the Cult’s main force. Move!!”
“Reroute the Apostles assigned to the rear gate. Change of plans…!!”
KWAGWAGWAGWA!!!!!
The superhumans of the Alliance and the Cult moved quickly, exchanging various emotions and curses.
With the rear gate blocked, the direction of the Cult’s offensive changed, and the Alliance’s response also shifted rapidly.
The very state of the battle across the Crystal Canyon was shaken by the existence of a single person.
As Betagron watched the ever-changing battlefield with his jaw agape, Lennok spoke from his side.
“After finishing things in Paradise Lost, I collected a few intact Spell-Word Stones that were left there. This is a research product I made by mixing in the principles of Spellcraft I’ve grasped.”
“Huh, huhh. I see…”
“It’s a medium for activating the language of lightning… what I call ‘Thunder Words.’ Using them, I can cast lightning magic directly under specific conditions without chants or incantations.”
He didn’t need Lennok to explain what those rules were.
Because the lightning engraved on the Spell-Word Stone, glowing crazily with blue light, was clearly displaying the prohibitions Lennok had set.
Crackle, crackle…!!!
[Edict One. The use of prayer spellcraft near the Crystal Tower is forbidden.]
[Edict One. The rampage of inhuman fiends in the Crystal Canyon is forbidden.]
[Edict One. Approaching within 30 meters of the Spell-Word Stone is forbidden.]
[Edict One. Body modification is forbidden.]
[Edict One. Mental resistance is forbidden.]
[Edict One. Prayer is forbidden.]
[Edict One. Faith is forbidden.]
[Edict One. Fanaticism is forbidden.]
KWAAAAAAA!!!!!
Forbidden. Forbidden. Forbidden. Forbidden.
More than dozens of prohibitions spread out from the Spell-Word Stone, suppressing the entire canyon beyond the Crystal Tower’s rear gate.
Whenever a prohibition written on the pillar of lightning was violated, the penalty was converted directly into mana, casting a lightning spell.
Waves of lightning that could incinerate even Apostles flooded the surroundings, beginning to burn everything that approached.
[Ultramarine Swarm Thunder]
[Eight-Arrow Thunderstorm]
[Hundred White Convergences]
[Extending Pillar of Foundation Thunder]
CRACKLE-CLANG!!!!
“Unbelievable. How can this be…”
With just one Spell-Word Stone embedded in the rear gate, the monsters trying to approach the Crystal Tower couldn’t even get close.
The pinnacle of Spellcraft: literally forcing control over an entire area and rewriting the ‘rules’ of spacetime altogether.
Was this a fragment of the authority possessed by Jinwa, the master of Paradise Lost?
However, the fact that Adamant Thunder, of all people, was wielding this power meant—
“So you didn’t just kill the Ascendant in Paradise Lost…”
Betagron, who had been staring blankly, turned his gaze with a jolt.
“You fought that Ascendant… and stole her talent. Is it really okay to show off this kind of ability so openly?”
“It’s fine. Spell-Words aren’t that easy to handle.”
Lennok replied curtly.
“It’s a difficult ability to use unless you’ve decided on the location beforehand. In fact, it’s a spellcraft that’s best used in situations like this.”
A Spell-Word was the power to force one’s words upon a target.
Since the methods and conditions changed depending on the target, it was a power that relied entirely on the caster’s talent.
Lennok was able to use Spellcraft through his talent for magic, but he couldn’t wield Spell-Words like Jinwa, who could meticulously adjust the conditions in real-time.
Pre-engraving prohibitions on a Spell-Word Stone like this and using it to dominate a specific area or passage was its most efficient application.
Besides, anyone with a keen eye would quickly figure out the conditions and situations under which Lennok’s Spell-Word Stone could be used.
“Unless it’s an Apostle strong enough to ignore the stone’s prohibitions, they won’t be able to approach the rear gate. Just planting that there eliminates all other variables.”
Saying so, Lennok formed a simple hand seal and reached for the sky.
“And if I can utilize the massive amount of power supplied in the process, I can go beyond just occupying the rear gate and do this—”
Casting-Type Unique Magic
Origin Hierarchy Base Construction
From within the endlessly churning waves of lightning, the head of a giant toad made entirely of thunder rose up and roared.
“It becomes possible to rewrite the very properties of the Crystal Canyon.”
“Th-this is…!!!”
[Oooooooooh!!!!!]
The house-sized toad’s head surged up from the waves, swallowing the monsters that had been knocked away by the lightning.
The lightning extending from the toad’s form spread beyond the area enforced by the Spell-Word Stone and surrounded the Crystal Tower.
It began to construct a fortress of lightning that intercepted and incinerated everything that approached.
Provisional Fortress Deployment
[Pseudo: Armored Dragon Star Fortress]
KWAGWAGWAGWAGWAGWA!!!!!
[Keheek…!! Keogeogeok!!!]
[Kreuk, keugeugeuk…!!!]
The monsters, drooling, retreated and bypassed the rear gate, heading straight for the main entrance.
Evading the lightning that was coiling around the Crystal Tower in real-time, they sprinted toward the Eccentric Monk sitting alone before the main gate.
Amidst the chaos, the monk, sitting in a lotus position with his eyes closed in meditation, opened his mouth, his voice hoarse.
“The lingering spirits wandering this Saha world cry out, unable to find the pure land of Sukhavati.”
Crunch—
A giant palm appeared above the Eccentric Monk’s head and crushed a monster with tremendous force, causing it to burst.
The shockwave pierced the earth and shook the ground, instantly triggering a powerful earthquake across the entire battlefield.
BOOOOOOOOM!!!!
KUGWAGWAGWAGWA!!!!
Behind the Eccentric Monk’s closed eyes, a giant Buddha statue with a benevolent smile materialized, looking down upon the battlefield.
It was a display of overwhelming power that made even the Transcendents holding the line flinch and turn their gazes, let alone the Alliance spellcasters and Cult priests.
“To balance all things in creation is the beginning of the proper cycle of reincarnation.”
The Eccentric Monk slowly opened his eyes and looked down at the monsters from his seated position.
“Beings who have forgotten how to speak, come forward. It is still not enough.”
[Kreuk…!!]
[Keeeeeeeh!!!!]
The hesitant Apostles’ eyes became bloodshot, and they soon charged toward the Eccentric Monk.
Simultaneously, the Buddha statue that had appeared behind him moved its arms, striking the charging Apostles.
KWAAAAANG!!
TATATATATATANG!!!!
So immense was the Buddha’s power that the moment it struck, the tough bodies of the Apostles burst like balloons, and space itself collapsed.
It was a monstrous physical strength that could grind all charging Apostles to dust with a blow so powerful it momentarily distorted one’s vision.
Was that the ancient Incarnation Spellcaster, who was said to possess the continent’s greatest physical strength?
“Hoo, hahahahat!!!!”
KWAGWAGWAGWANG!!!!
At that moment, with a deafening roar, one side of the Crystal Canyon’s wall exploded and collapsed.
A terrifying presence descended, instantly destroying the siege cannons Betagron had installed on the ridge.
“Uwaaah!!”
Horrified, Betagron quickly fell from the collapsing ridge, opened a parachute, and headed toward the Crystal Tower’s main gate.
At the same time, a boy with chains on both arms, drenched in blood, landed in the middle of the battlefield with a maniacal laugh.
“I was watching to see what you were up to, but I can no longer stand by!!!”
FWOBOBOBONG!!!!!!
Every time the boy swung his chains, the spellcasters caught in their path were crushed like toys.
The Third Apostle, swinging his arms, sprinted madly toward the Crystal Tower, covered in blood.
“So you stole Jinwa’s spellcraft and placed dozens of prohibitions on the battlefield!! Your very existence is the most asymmetrical force in this war!!”
“He’s here…!!”
“Took you long enough, you monster!!”
The Iron Lion, Abraham, and the Young Master reacted simultaneously upon seeing the Third Apostle storm the battlefield.
The Iron Lion, shouldering his blood-soaked iron fragments, leaped forward, and Abraham followed behind with his scimitar drawn.
“We’ll handle this one, you guys take care of the rest. You remember your roles, right!!”
“He’s a monster we might not be able to hold back even if we risk our lives. Let’s focus.”
The Third Apostle was a monster classified as special-grade within the Cult. Excluding the Second Apostle, he was undoubtedly the force to be most wary of in the Cult.
Thus, the role assigned to the other collaborators was not to defeat the Third Apostle, but to risk their lives to tie him down until the Leader’s descent.
The Third Apostle also roared with laughter at the Transcendents approaching him and drew upon his mana without restraint.
“Hahahat!! Yes, this is what a real war should be!! This time, let’s all rampage until we die!!”
“You monster. You’re completely insane…!!!”
The Iron Lion and the Third Apostle clashed through gritted teeth, Abraham joined the fray, and the Young Master rained down a bombardment.
Betagron, who had landed in front of the Crystal Tower’s main gate, hastily grabbed his terminal and began to operate his war machines.
“Cough! Th-this is no time to be standing around…!!!”
Currently, the Alliance’s Grand Spell Masters and high-ranking spellcasters were unable to actively intervene as they were each participating in the restoration of the Great Connection and the descent ritual.
It had already been assumed from the start that there would be a power disparity between high-ranking members, even with the help of collaborators.
Therefore, instead of actively deploying the collaborators on the front lines, the Alliance had requested they focus thoroughly on defense and stalling for time.
Yet, even though the Cult’s highest-ranking Apostles had begun to make their move, they still hadn’t even been able to approach the Crystal Tower.
“It’s already been over 10 minutes since the descent resumed…! If this is all they can do even when the Cult is going all out, we definitely have a chance of winning!!”
KUGWAGWAGWA!!!!
The lower-grade Apostles couldn’t even approach the Spell-Word Stone that was embedded like a guard at the rear gate’s passage.
All the monsters charging the Buddha statue standing firm at the main gate were impartially crushed to pieces.
The Alliance’s spellcasters, while being unilaterally slaughtered, were using their bodies to block the 9th and 10th Apostles rampaging above the canyon.
The collaborators blocking the Third Apostle were getting bloodied and thrown about miserably, but were somehow managing to hold him down.
If time continued to be stalled like this and the Miniature Garden was completed, the Leader would soon descend upon reality.
“Activate plant production line. Drop satellite stockpiles. Scramble tactical assault ship Behemoth!!!”
Clank! Whoooosh!!!
The cannon barrels, which had been receiving shells produced from the plant to bombard the battlefield, changed their direction.
Drones that received the command dropped incendiary bombs on the battlefield, and mechanical arms moved busily, assembling parts.
The ceiling of the plant built next to the Crystal Tower split open, and a large battleship rose from within and flew up into the sky.
SHWoooooo…!!!!
FWOBOBOBOBONG!!!
The wings of the newly assembled battleship opened wide, and from beneath them, mechanical soldiers poured down in succession.
Pillars of fire erupted along the battleship’s trajectory, wiping out thousands of priests and cultists.
“Kuaaaah!!!”
“Save me, save me!!!”
“The blessing…!!!”
The Cult’s knights somehow broke through the front lines to advance, and the Alliance’s spellcasters defended the passages and held their ground.
The more that happened, the more desperate the Cult’s movements became, and the number of lives being ground down increased even further.
[Approximately 5 minutes until descent ritual completion!!!]
[Once the Leader descends, all high-ranking spellcasters will join the battle.]
[All units, hold your positions!!!]
“We’ve won…”
Even the Alliance spellcasters being ground down instinctively felt victory, so lopsided had the balance become.
But Lennok, amidst it all, was calmly observing the battlefield where corpses continued to pile up.
‘Where is he?’
The reason Lennok was out here with a full view of the battlefield, instead of defending the rear gate himself.
It was because he was certain the First Apostle would personally intervene in this battle in some way.
‘The Second Apostle will definitely come in person. Where does he plan to start?’
With the Fairy Conjunction Master’s help, he could pinpoint the Second Apostle’s location anywhere within this Crystal Canyon.
Now that the power of the Spell-Word Stone had reached its peak, Lennok’s own sensory capabilities had also reached their zenith through the lightning flooding the battlefield.
Within this canyon, no matter where the Second Apostle appeared, he could intercept him at full power and obstruct his approach.
But even knowing that, Lennok didn’t stop thinking.
The first among all Apostles. The most trusted core force of the Pontiff, a Transcendent beyond measure.
If he was the strongest and most outstanding Apostle in the current Cult, he wouldn’t have given up the fight already.
Lennok trusted not in his intelligence or abilities, but in the status and position he held within the Cult.
He would try to strike from somewhere completely unexpected.
Think. The most difficult variable to consider in this situation.
The worst-case scenario that even Lennok had barely considered.
A single move that could shatter the battlefield’s balance and create a fissure within the Alliance.
That would be, as expected, not from the Cult’s side, but—
“Eccentric Monk!! We have the upper hand. I’ll help you block the front gate!!”
Betagron, riding a mechanical drone, approached the Eccentric Monk who was guarding the front gate alone.
He was sitting silently in a lotus position with his hands clasped, with the corpses of the monsters the Buddha had slain piled up on either side.
Betagron smiled, seemingly pleased just by the sight of the cultists’ corpses strewn everywhere, and said.
“Since Adamant Thunder’s Spell-Word Stone has blocked the rear gate, let’s concentrate all remaining forces on the main gate. Hah, he really is the Demon King of Paradise Lost, no less—”
“…The balance has been tipped.”
“Hm?”
The Eccentric Monk, who had been sitting silently before the main gate, slowly opened his mouth.
His eyes were empty as he looked past the approaching Betagron, raising his gaze.
Looking at the massive Spell-Word Stone standing tall behind the Crystal Tower, the Eccentric Monk spoke in a raspy voice.
“Then there’s no choice but to set it right again.”
“What? I don’t understand what you’re saying. We’re both Apostle-Slayers, could you explain a bit more kindly—”
Shunk!!
There was no answer.
The moment the Eccentric Monk reached out, his hand had already sunk gently into Betagron’s heart.
“…Ah?”
Betagron froze in place, looking down at his own chest with eyes full of disbelief.
Pierced by the Eccentric Monk’s hand that had penetrated his heart, he staggered, almost leaning against that withered arm.
As Betagron coughed up a mouthful of blood, the Buddha statue that had materialized behind the Eccentric Monk slowly extended its hand.
KUGUGUGU…!!!!
As the giant Buddha statue raised its hand, a roar split the air and the ground shook.
The moment the Buddha, having lifted its massive arm, rotated its shoulder with a benevolent smile to strike the Spell-Word Stone.
Lennok appeared from thin air, slammed a bolt of lightning into the Buddha’s forearm, and smashed it into the ground, stopping it.
[Fang Thunder]
JJEEOOOOOOONG!!!!!!
“I had my suspicions when you started spouting nonsense about balance.”
Lennok, having torn off the Buddha’s arm and slammed it to the ground, glared at the Eccentric Monk with icy eyes.
“I never imagined that you, a member of Pandemonium, would side with the Cult. Since when?”