Chapter 931: Anathema (5)
Whoosh!
The scene of a white sand desert swept by a chilling wind.
The goat-headed monster, floating against the dark night sky, slowly swung its hand.
The moment it reached out into the air, as if commanding an unseen will-thought.
Hundreds of earthen pillars surged from all directions, rotating to envelop and isolate the entire city.
Kwakwakwakwakwakwa!!!!!
A majestic spectacle unfolded before everyone’s eyes, as if the heavens and earth had tilted and spun in reverse, with the night sky overturning to obscure the view.
Anathema’s Apostle Spellcraft, which engulfed the satellite city of Etanoc and trapped it within a gigantic earthen hemisphere.
Under the Guido Cult, the 6th Apostle, Six Heavenly Tribulations Anathema.
At Anathema’s declaration, proclaiming himself an Apostle of the cult, the air in the ritual grounds froze.
Even the superhumans who had been observing the clash between Lennok and Rage couldn’t hide their agitation at the sight of Anathema, who had completed his Apostle Transformation.
Even Habaek, who had maintained a consistently aloof stance, slowly clicked his tongue.
“Anathema… how foolish. Has a proud exile truly become a mere tool of the cult?”
“The 6th Apostle, of all things. An incarnation of the Subterranean Giant God, perhaps. This is becoming troublesome….”
The giant superhuman muttered in a slow voice, scratching his head with a troubled expression.
Even the leader of Mirror Diver merely raised his visor-clad gaze and muttered softly.
[If it’s the sixth Apostle, then it’s a re-advent, not a new birth.]
“….”
For those who had been bystanders until now, their judgment and knowledge upon seeing the 6th Apostle were surprisingly profound.
The last operation when Pandemonium and the Guido Cult joined hands to launch the Ascendant Pyeonram above the Well of the Codex.
Wasn’t it the 6th Apostle who sacrificed his own existence to bind Pyeonram and buy time back then?
The sixth seat, left vacant after being eternally annihilated by Pyeonram’s hand, was now filled by Anathema.
Both Priestess Seina Naydree, who was with them at the Well of the Codex then, and the 6th Apostle, who sacrificed himself in a fit of madness and vanished.
Leaping across a long span of time, they were together again in this place.
Lennok smiled bitterly at this ultimate irony and turned his back.
“Ugh….”
Rage’s figure, trembling and collapsed, clutching her wounded area with her hand.
The fact that she was still alive despite her carotid artery being pierced was proof of her superhuman vitality, but it wouldn’t last much longer.
The attack Anathema attempted on Rage was not a physical blow, but a spiritual strike meant to fulfill the cost of human sacrifice.
As Rage’s own blood was used as the final step of the Apostle Transformation, Rage, having paid that price, could not survive.
“Take off your helmet.”
But Lennok, knowing this, nodded at her.
“If you don’t want to die, now.”
“….”
Hesitating, Rage’s stiff, cold hand unlatched her helmet’s safety catch.
Her hand, unable to fully remove the bike helmet, fell limp.
As Lennok swept the helmet away with a Magic Scribe, pale green hair flowed out from beneath it.
An alien color, not found among the human races of the continent.
Lennok’s eyes narrowed at the sight of elongated ears peeking through the pale green hair.
“….”
A demi-human. Moreover, traces of a race said to only be found outside the continent.
She was unusually quick and nimble; perhaps it was due to her innate racial disposition.
His thoughts were fleeting. Lennok placed his hand over Rage’s wound and drew forth the authority of a priest.
Kiiiiiing…!!
A pale radiance, invisible to others, purified Rage’s blood with the priestess’s authority.
It was to nullify the offering of Rage’s blood, which had been used as a sacrifice for Anathema, and prevent her death.
Only by nullifying the offering before Rage died could Anathema’s complete Apostle Transformation be thwarted and his power diminished.
“It’s done.”
“Cough, cough…!!”
As soon as Lennok took his hand away, Rage coughed up blood wildly, twisting her entire body.
She coughed and shuddered with a much more pained expression than before, yet life still remained in her.
Lennok stood up and said with a cold smile.
“My business with you is done. Live or die, do as you please.”
“….”
Rage, her face pale, could say nothing, lowering her head deeply.
Habaek, who had been watching her with his arms crossed, spoke.
“The neural network near the 3rd cervical vertebra is completely gone. He knew from the start that there was a blind spot behind her neck and aimed for it.”
Even without sight, he accurately diagnosed Rage’s condition more precisely than anyone else.
He seemed to have already deduced why Anathema was able to attack Rage.
“There’s no room for excuses, given he aimed for a hidden weakness. Though it’s meaningless to say it now….”
“Your words are grand, despite knowing Anathema wasn’t in a normal state from the start.”
Lennok, turning away from the fallen Rage, chuckled.
“Do you want to defend this demi-human who foolishly fell for it now?”
“…The events of the civil war are too complexly intertwined to be explained by a single motive.”
Habaek shook his head with a regretful expression.
“From long ago, she felt a strong affinity for Anathema. It’s unfortunate, but perhaps this, too, was a cause and effect determined long ago.”
“….”
Habaek’s answer meticulously drew a line between Rage’s actions and their right or wrong.
Indeed, the other attendees, with the exception of Rage, did not protect Anathema; they didn’t even attempt to intervene.
Rather, as soon as they heard Lennok’s words, they seemed to understand and simply returned to being bystanders.
Given their precise understanding of the 6th Apostle’s abilities and origins, they were not lacking in ability or judgment from the outset.
They simply didn’t want to move first and bear the risk, even with the sight of Anathema becoming an Apostle right before their eyes.
“I see why Peshia Grisbern hates all of you.”
Lennok scoffed.
“That woman is a murderer who deserves to die on the street, but she’s not one to hesitate in her actions, stuck in the past. What exactly are you trying to do right now?”
“As I get older, my self-restraint dwindles, you see. You’ll understand it too.”
Despite Lennok’s cold sneer, Habaek stroked his sword hilt before slowly drawing it.
“Once one starts moving, it’s hard to stop. One realizes how easy it is to be swept away by impulse.”
Lennok was about to retort but stopped speaking at the chilling killing intent emanating from Habaek’s body.
Shaaaak…!!
A terrifying killing intent, uncontrolled and unrestrained, spreading wildly in all directions.
It was crude and violent, more like that of an untrained beast than a seasoned superhuman.
Click!!
The killing intent vanished as if washed away the moment the sword was sheathed.
“Just as Madrich Onnion and Krod Azlan did, we all share similar worries.”
Habaek smiled.
“The longer one endures by transcending their hierarchy, the more difficult it becomes to advance further… the easier it is to become corrupted.”
“….”
Does that mean even the flimsy excuse of the Prohibition Edict must serve as justification for restraining oneself?
Indeed, the Giants of the Light are not as mild or gentle bystanders as one might think.
They are merely gray figures standing on a precarious boundary, empathizing with Anathema’s betrayal and defection deep down.
Groooowl!!!
The gigantic goat-headed monster rose into the night sky above the ritual grounds.
With blood-veined wings fully spread and arms wide open, it pointed towards the ground with its fingers.
At that alone, the ground of Etanoc intensely vibrated, beginning to shake wildly.
As if Anathema’s mere presence caused the surrounding terrain to respond and undergo seismic shifts.
“He’s manipulating the earth with just his will-thought. That’s the Apostle Spellcraft granted to an Apostle.”
Upon seeing the violently shaking ritual grounds, the giant superhuman said without hesitation.
A keen explanation, as if he had already concluded his assessment of the Apostle’s abilities and output in his mind.
“Considering he’s manipulating the very crust, it must be an ability of 8th-level or higher. The manipulation speed, range, and ability to grasp objects are monstrous.”
“How does it compare to innate abilities like psychokinesis?”
“Since it’s based on human sacrifice, its efficiency far surpasses most abilities. Especially in terms of expanding the spellcraft’s range, it’s unparalleled.”
“….”
“Currently, it only encompasses the area around the ritual grounds, but expanding its range won’t be difficult. More importantly….”
The giant superhuman cast a gloomy gaze at the scattered corpses of flesh monsters around the ritual grounds.
“The 6th Apostle already has mountains of sustenance scattered throughout the city to consume.”
The flesh monsters that had invaded from all over the satellite city were the result of human sacrifice, created by synthesizing living humans.
But conversely, this meant that the existence of these flesh monsters could be used again as material for human sacrifice.
From the very beginning, these monsters were not meant to prevent or obstruct Anathema’s manifestation.
They were sacrifices and materials for Anathema himself, who had descended as an Apostle.
“I see. All these monsters that attacked Etanoc….”
“Though the power of a single monster is low, it’s enough to fill a satellite city. If all these offerings are used as material for Apostle Spellcraft–”
Habaek sighed, and Lennok furrowed his brow, nodding.
“It wouldn’t be strange if the entire satellite city fell within the range of the Apostle Spellcraft.”
“That was likely the objective from the start.”
Boom!!
At that moment, Peshia and The Guileless appeared from different directions, breaking through the ritual ground’s walls.
“What the fck is this sht!!”
Peshia, soaked in blood, glared fiercely around before whipping her gaze towards Lennok.
“Hey, wizard!! Explain yourself!!”
“Van, this situation is dangerous.”
The Guileless, approaching with a hardened expression, said.
“Since there was no one in the ritual grounds, I went around the satellite city to check the situation elsewhere, but….”
“Was there combat happening outside the satellite city too?”
The Guileless blinked silently.
“…Have you already heard about the situation?”
“Anathema tried to kill me as soon as he saw me, under the pretense of imparting abilities. That’s probably because I was the only one who participated in the ritual and returned to the ritual grounds. Those who shared the Eight Trigrams Formation and participated in the ritual likely encountered other forces from the cult’s side.”
“….”
“Anathema himself wouldn’t have prepared the flesh monsters used as offerings, so it must be the doing of a cult official who designed this entire scheme. In the worst case, another Apostle or a high-ranking priest equivalent to one might have stepped in….”
“No, I don’t understand what you’re saying….”
The Guileless said, pressing a hand to his forehead with a perplexed expression.
“Lord Anathema tried to kill you, and the formation itself was a trap? Then the Apostle who appeared in the satellite city’s sky–”
“Armas von Anathema. Himself.”
“….”
Leaving The Guileless with a bewildered expression, Lennok asked Peshia.
“What about that Executioner? Couldn’t you settle it?”
“He ran. He probably never intended to fight an Apostle of the cult in the first place.”
As Peshia spat annoyedly, the giant superhuman spoke.
“The Executioner’s abilities are ill-suited against the cult. Their fanaticism doesn’t abide by the laws of the afterlife even after death.”
“If you’re not going to interfere in this situation, fine. Let me explain the current situation first.”
Lennok cut off the giant superhuman and looked around with a cold gaze.
“The moment Anathema awakened as the 6th Apostle, he enveloped and isolated the entire Etanoc with Apostle Spellcraft. He’s likely trying to use the entire city as an offering to become a complete Apostle.”
Excluding the fallen Rage, there were six people gathered here now.
This number even excluded four or more peak-level ability users, including Olinic, Slain, and Kiriya, who were not currently present.
“The 6th Apostle is said to be an anomaly serving the Subterranean Giant God, using earth manipulation spellcraft, and possessing immense strength even among Apostles. Judging by Anathema’s declaration, the 6th Apostle’s seat seems to have been vacant for a long time and recently filled.”
Lennok spoke rapidly, looking at the 8-level superhumans who were listening intently.
“The fortunate thing is that the body summoned through the manifestation ritual is a body whose Apostle Transformation process isn’t yet complete. It must take some time for Anathema’s noble body to become an incarnation of the Outer Sea.”
“….”
“A monster combining dragon sorcery, innate abilities, and Apostle Spellcraft should have been born, but thankfully, we succeeded in neutralizing his innate abilities, so there’s a chance. If we do this right, we might even be able to kill the newly born 6th Apostle right here.”
Lennok looked around at the ability users observing from all over the chaotic ritual grounds and asked.
“I intend to kill Anathema and prevent this situation from spreading to Vulcan. What about you?”
“….”
“Although he used Apostle Spellcraft, the outer walls of the city are not yet very thick.”
Habaek asked.
“You could attempt an escape, but why choose to remain and fight here?”
“Because only by killing Anathema can I obtain his innate ability.”
Lennok answered without hesitation.
“I still have personal business to handle. I have no intention of returning without any gains after coming all this way.”
Not only his deal with Olivera, but suspicions still lingered from this summit that remained unresolved.
To foolishly let go of the clue to an innate ability after coming this far would be a loss as well.
“Given how this summit turned out, some cleanup is necessary in cooperation with the City Council, but….”
“What I had to do was decided from the beginning.”
Habaek trailed off, and The Guileless said, forcefully striking his spear into the ground.
“Of course, I will follow the Tower Lord’s will.”
“….”
Peshia remained silent, her face twisted in annoyance, but she couldn’t say she would opt out.
Perhaps because she had promised a similar price to Lennok in her deal with Olivera.
“I have no intention of getting involved in dangerous matters.”
The giant superhuman, who had somehow pulled out another snack from his pocket, mumbled as he chewed.
“Dealing with contaminated minds like Apostles is a loss in itself. However, I’ll cooperate if it means lending my ability for tasks other than direct combat.”
“Who’s this pig to be so defiant again?”
“….”
Peshia, having silenced the giant superhuman with a single remark, looked around and said irritably.
“Blind old man. Old man from Turyeonmun. Half-dead elf. And a lonely bastard creepily peeking? Is that all? Is there no one else?”
[….]
The leader of Mirror Diver, who had been standing near the ritual ground’s ceiling, didn’t even respond to Peshia’s sharp words.
Lennok turned his gaze to the giant superhuman.
“Superhuman. With Habaek, go around the city outskirts, dismantle the Eight Trigrams Formation, and find an exit.”
“Do you know what my ability is?”
“More importantly, taking the two of us out of the battlefield now–”
“Peshia and The Guileless will face Anathema with me.”
Lennok ignored the giant superhuman and Habaek’s objections and said.
“No need to drag this out. One side will dismantle the Eight Trigrams Formation to diminish Anathema’s power, and the other will face Anathema and eternally annihilate him. That will be enough.”
[The incarnation of the Subterranean Giant God is the Apostle most specialized in group combat and siege warfare among the Apostles.]
At that moment, Marcus Tranquiller spoke.
His face, unseen behind the visor, turned towards Lennok, emitting a stiff, mechanical sound.
[If it’s a fight meant to bind and buy time to achieve a goal, no one can match him.]
“….”
[Don’t you think it’s an absurd gamble to attempt with a battered body and only two vanguards?]
His words weren’t wrong. Indeed, the previous 6th Apostle, consumed by madness, had managed to tie down and buy time against a 9-level Ascendant.
Even though Pyeonram wasn’t in his right mind, it was clear that the 6th Apostle’s Apostle Spellcraft boasted an immense scale.
Lennok scoffed.
“Then are you planning to lend a hand in this matter?”
[….]
“It’s meaningless to discuss the odds while accounting for unpredictable variables.”
Lennok ignored the silent Marcus and turned to Peshia, saying.
“At least I have the ability to predict success using only the cards immediately at hand.”
“F*ck, wait….”
Before Peshia, who felt an ominous sense of déjà vu, could resist, Lennok unreservedly drew forth his mana.
Pazzzzt!!
Lightning, glowing bright blue in his hand.
Just witnessing the residual traces of elemental mana, manipulated and drawn forth, made others’ complexions change dramatically.
Lennok unhesitatingly threw the condensed lightning in his hand towards Peshia.
“…!!”
“Don’t move.”
[Converging Binding Shatter]
Just as Peshia cursed and tried to whip her head away, a sharp vortex of lightning settled above her crown.
[Residual Thunder Body]
[Pillar of Heavenly General]
[Four Fish Heart Madness]
Pazzzzzzt!!!
Powerful electrical signals flowing through her central nervous system stimulated and fiercely ignited Peshia’s entire body.
Peshia’s eyes widened, tearing, at the intense pain running down her spine.
“K-Aargh…!!!”
The shock was so immense that Peshia merely gasped, unable to even scream.
Even the giant superhuman frowned at the sight of electricity bursting and flickering from Peshia’s throat, distorted like a demon.
Crack, crackle…!!
The lightning flowing through Peshia’s entire body rapidly stabilized, beginning to support her form.
“The stabilization process has begun.”
“Haaah, haaah…!!”
“I created a similar enhancement spell, based on the principle of the spinal nerve stimulation activator I injected into you last time.”
Tszzzzzz…!!!
Each time she panted roughly, dripping with sweat, a tingling lightning flowed from her respiratory system and sweat pores.
It was a strange sight, as if all the biological material in Peshia’s body had transformed into an electrical attribute.
“It’s an Electro-Physical Transformation ability that forcibly changes the body’s nature by flowing electrical signals into the central nervous system and maintaining that state.”
Lennok nodded with a satisfied expression.
“I was worried about what would happen if you died, as it didn’t account for the user’s stimulus threshold during the body’s property transformation, but it worked well.”
“You, you motherf*cker…!!!!”
Peshia turned her head, her face contorted with indescribable rage.
Each time she lost control of her emotions, lightning violently erupted from her entire body, bathing the surroundings in blue light.
“I almost died, you son of a b*tch!!!”
Clang!!
The moment she swung her fist, her shoulder explosively rotated and accelerated.
Peshia’s arm moved at an invisible speed, shattering the corpse of the flesh monster behind Lennok.
“…!!”
A clearly increased physical ability that made even Peshia herself flinch for a moment.
Only then did the other onlookers’ expressions stiffen, having confirmed the true value of the enhancement magic Lennok had just cast.
“…I can’t believe it.”
Habaek muttered with agitation.
“An enhancement spell capable of boosting even an 8-level peak-level ability user’s power, created on the spot right here?”
Enhancement magic, by its nature, is greatly affected by the level of power, so high-level superhumans are less affected by such magic.
Just as various debuff spells, including curse spellcraft, don’t easily work on high-level superhumans.
To overcome this, not only must the caster of the enhancement magic be powerful, but the enhancement magic itself must be a high-level spell crafted at the 8th-level.
This meant that Lennok had spontaneously created an 8-level enhancement spellcraft on the spot.
“It’s practically an innate ability, only fueled by mana.”
As Habaek marveled at Lennok’s spellcrafting ability, which literally transcended common sense, the giant superhuman spoke.
“Transmitting elemental mana to the central nervous system to transform the body’s nature is the realm of innate abilities, not spellcraft. How is this possible?”
“I wonder? Perhaps it’s because the subject I tested this enhancement magic on before was a superhuman.”
“….”
At Lennok’s nonchalant reply, a chilling silence briefly fell over the ritual grounds.
“The ability to successfully cast enhancement magic on an 8-level peak-level ability user is astonishing, but I cannot shake the thought that it’s reckless.”
The superhuman, uncharacteristically clearing his throat, asked.
“You’re facing a high-ranking Apostle of the cult, a noble from the Central Council. Is that level of preparation truly enough?”
“You, of all people, have no idea what I’m about to do.”
Lennok chuckled.
“A wizard is fundamentally responsible for the rear in combat. Don’t you understand what that means?”
“….”
Pazzzzt, pazzzzzzt!!!!
With two spear masters radiating intense mana positioned to his left and right, Lennok passed Habaek and the giant superhuman and exited the ritual grounds.
Far in the sky, the true body of the colossal Apostle hovered, surrounded by surging pillars of earth.
Lennok smirked, gazing at the upheaval of the ground that convulsed throughout the entire satellite city.
“Even if we’re facing a high-ranking Apostle, if this much power is present on site, the starting point for discussing our chances changes.”
Kwoooh!!!
Lennok’s eyes, fixed on the Apostle’s true body obscured by the gigantic earthen rings, glinted coldly.
“I’ll show you firsthand what a wizard who has secured two capable vanguards is capable of.”