Episode 925 The Glory of the Dead (12)
The raid on the Ruas Theocracy, before that.
Beneath the island rising from the Hiaremar Inland Sea, the Magical Transcendent of Artisan’s Magic Tower and the Martial Arts Transcendent of Delharun met in the silence.
Control, Indren Piercia Rate.
Mauler, Gareth Cyrilliad.
“My travels were worth it. To think a conservative transcendent like you would ignore the Inland Sea Exploration Treaty.”“It is more stable not to follow the rules than to follow them… Since it is obvious you are going to break the treaty, I cannot simply sit idly by.”“That is why I came here in person. So what do you intend to do now? Do you plan to subdue me and take me away? Just because I dislike change?”“I have told you many times. I do not oppose change; I desire gradual change.”
A sigh escapes.
“However, people like you just blindly try to bring about change as you please, regardless of what happens to others or the world. Since you won’t listen no matter how much I try to stop you, I have no choice but to step forward now.”“That is a tremendous decision…”“Mauler, Gareth Cyrilliard. Watch your words from now on.”
Their meeting was not friendly.
The life King Su could not quite end. Before I take it.
It was a dry and resolute death threat.It was not a bluff.Indren was not the type to say things he didn’t mean in this way. Wasn’t he a benevolent old man wearing the shell of a boy?
Mauler laughed softly.
“So you’ve decided to stop watching from the sidelines like a good-natured transcendent being, Indren. You stepped back from the front lines acting like a side elder and ignored the war between magic towers. Yes, your current attitude certainly suits you better.”
Every transcendent being builds their own unique history. Indren, who avoids radical conflict and seeks sequential stability, was no exception.
The position of Master of the Magic Tower is not easily attained.How much more so in an age of change.
“That is your true nature. The way you were when you were young.”
From mother, Piersia.From father, Rate.From parents, Indren.
Thus, the man who came to life under the name Indren Piercia Rate walked the path of magic as the son of the high-ranking mages of the Artisan Magic Tower.
He was not an innocent wizard.He could not be.
As the child of a high-ranking official in the Magic Tower, politics, not just magic, was inseparable from his life. Whether he wanted to or not, Indren saw, heard, and felt the politics of the Magic Towers from a very young age.
Ideologies and interests, private emotions including jealousy and resentment, deception and scheming that smiles on the outside while hiding a knife behind one’s back, the natural malice of humans that feels no qualms about injury and murder… … .
185 years ago, the ten major magic towers gained a power source, and thanks to that, magic became commercialized 154 years ago, causing the influence of the magic towers to grow endlessly.
Power is bound to follow the thoughts and decisions of the one wielding it. And the desire to enjoy more than before is an instinct of the intellectual.
For a while, among the eight magic towers excluding the Lefragium and Darkwarton towers, conflicts between factions and political expulsions based on victory or defeat were commonplace.
Political ouster usually ended in the loss of status and power, but when political strife escalated to extremes, it sometimes concluded in death.
There were also cases where the victorious faction forced the leader of the defeated faction to betray and kill their most troublesome political rival, thereby putting a humiliating end to their defeat.
Steaming tea.The sound of sipping mixed with conversation.A faint cough.Gasps of breath.A teacup falling from the table and shattering.Pouring blood.Fading breathing.The parents lying frozen on the ground, and the old man breathing in relief as if he could finally catch his breath.The scene of the purge visible through the crack in the door.
… … Indren, who had slowly begun to reveal his innate talent at some point, suddenly plunged into the political world of the Artisan Magic Tower.Soon, he silenced all the enemies surrounding him and seized the throne of the Magic Tower. After awakening as a Transcendent, he became the Artisan Magic Tower itself.
At that time, an elder of the Artisan Magic Tower said this before he died of old age.
───To the Tower Master… … You may offer sincere advice… … You may flatter… … But… … you must absolutely refrain from doing anything that would cause a grudge… … Absolutely… … ! Absolutely… … .
Even though the exact wording of the will may have been forgotten over time, its meaning was passed down forever.Whether Indren reigned as the master of the Magic Tower or stepped down voluntarily, for over a century, no member of the Artisan Magic Tower dared to cross the line Indren had drawn.
Mauler said.
“I hear the elders who were said to have gone missing before you ascended to the Tower are still missing, aren’t they? Unaware of that, those wretched things perceive you as a merciful and generous Transcendent Being.”“I have tried to cultivate generosity in my own way. When someone crossed the line, I did not try to drag them out to make them pay an excessive price; I dealt only with the part that crossed the line. If the leg crossed, I dealt only with the leg; if the arm crossed, I dealt only with the arm; if the head crossed, I dealt only with the head… However, a little judgment is required for those who are halfway across the line. Just like now.”
Indren opened his eyes halfway.A cold glint surged in his eyes, unlike the appearance of a boy.
“Mauler, you. Just how many people have you killed since entering the island’s underground?”
Mauler annihilated an exploration team from another faction he encountered while secretly exploring the underground. Among them was an elder of the Zentir Magic Tower.It is difficult to survive after facing a hostile Transcendent in a confined space. The indelible scent of blood lingered on Mauler’s hands.
“Who would be stupid enough to count the bugs they stepped on while passing by?”“Intentional murder of an explorer. You are disregarding the exploration treaty far too much. You would have acted the same way even if you had encountered the Artisan Magic Tower’s exploration team.”“Of course.”
Mauler lightly rubbed his neck, baring his strong teeth.
“Because I have no reason to fear the Artisan Magic Tower.”“That is why I cannot simply stand by and watch you. If I leave you alone like this, you will truly end up killing everyone. In a time when the world’s enemy is clear, your actions are not right at any point. At this rate, I have no choice but to consider you a minion of the Glory of the Dead.”
Mauler’s eyes twitched.Anger flashed through him.
“Who is this bastard calling a henchman?””Since the Glory of the Dead, who infiltrated the World Conference, has heard about the Dragon Sword, it is highly likely that it is somewhere around here. Since hindering the exploration benefits the Glory of the Dead, how is this any different from being a henchman? Anyway.”
Indren activated the magic circuit.
“You can’t go any further. Stay right there. If you cross the line even a little more, I won’t be able to endure it any longer.”
thud!
Mauler took a blatant step forward.
“What are you going to do now?”“……Hmph.”
There was no delay in the decision.
As expected, transcendents are difficult to handle.
Mado
The path pioneered by Indren places emphasis on stability. After all, stability is a concept originally used to maintain a constant state or when reaction speeds are slow.
Control of the material world.
Indren can control the movement of all things within the limits of his power.
… … !
The moment Mauler’s body stiffened, something transparent surged. Gathering his energy, Mauler let out a battle cry and broke the restraints.
Boom!
A very small explosion occurred in the space where his left leg had been just moments ago. Although its scale was as small as a palm, its power could not be ignored.
“This world may appear to stand still at times, but in reality, it is always in motion. The invisible forces themselves are like that, and so is life. Among them, humans breathe ceaselessly, unconsciously activating their organs. Even we, having transcended the confines of the human species, ultimately still sustain our lives in that same way. In that sense… I find myself a little curious.”
The airflow stopped around Indren.
“I wonder if the Transcendent will be safe even if the physical body completely ceases to function.”“I thought I would end up killing the Heavenly Sword first.”
Strong stance.
“I’ll kill you, old man.”
Mauler stomped hard on the ground and advanced, twisting his waist. A massive fist clad in a brutal gauntlet filled the field of vision.Before it could even touch the skin, a shockwave using the air as a medium struck.
Dan Gyeong
The phenomena, including Mauler’s stance, came to a halt. Like an object vanishing beyond the edge of a mirror, Mauler’s strike did not reach Indren.
Crack───
As Mauler put more force into his forelegs, the surface of the labyrinth split open.
All directions are vibrating.
As the power to be controlled grew stronger, Indren gradually increased his magical power and output of magic accordingly.Tendons bulged on the back of his hand as he gripped the short staff.
“You weren’t even born when I was in the prime of ruling the Artisan Magic Tower… You’ve only heard rumors, so why are you pretending to know me?”
Indren flicked his staff.
I’ll teach you a lesson, kid.
A storm raged.
BANG!
Mauler slammed into the wall and was swept away, wreaking havoc on the surrounding area.The outcome of the battle between the two depends on distance.If he allows the other to approach, Indren will face a dangerous situation, and if he ultimately fails to approach, Mauler will not be able to even touch Indren.
This was exactly the dynamic between the martial arts and magic worlds.
Crunch!
Mauler thrust his arms into the wall to withstand the intense force of the atmosphere. Feeling his blood boiling, he lifted his head.
Strongness – Shocking
A single blow tears apart and scatters the control of the storm.
A chain reaction.
Mauler, speeding up and disappearing from sight.Indren deploying his unique domain.
Kuuuuung───!
A conflict between the transcendents was beginning in the island’s underground labyrinth.
* * *
Adrian clad in the robe-shaped artifact [Shadow Spider] and roamed the labyrinth freely.
This robe, obtained from the vault of the Republic of Beldirn as a reward for defeating the Bone Dragon, can conceal its presence at the wearer’s will.It also has the ability to melt into the darkness and become invisible to the eye when the activation word is recited at night.
It is night now.
Adrian passed by other expeditions without slowing down.Of course, he was not detected.
Not even a trace of the corpse’s glory is to be seen. Just how vast is this?
I thought I had moved quite a bit, but there were no notable results. So far, the only things I had seen were black bugs roaming the underground labyrinth and ambushing intruders, and mummy knights.The exploration faced repeated difficulties because the perceptible distance was limited due to the labyrinth’s environment.
“You servant bastards. Just use a transcendental skill to test whether there’s a reaction or not—”
Adrian sensed something while contemplating an extreme decision. He immediately stopped in his tracks, hid in a corner, and glanced only a short distance.
There is someone.
It is invisible to the eye andunclear.
Still, I can feel it.
As if sensing it as well, the opponent stopped in their tracks and seemed to be watching us. Adrian, gripping the light sword [Silendar], assumed a drawing stance.
A short time passed.
Adrian first deactivated the [Shadow Spider]’s cloaking to identify his opponent. This was because he was confident that he would not let the enemy escape.However, at the same time, the opponent also dropped their camouflage, revealing their hidden identity.
Both of them knew each other.
“As expected, you’ve come too, Adrian.”“Master.”
Master, Vendie Kaenar.Heavenly Sword, Adrian Chambers.
It was only a few days after the search had begun in earnest that the two transcendents came face to face. As soon as they recognized each other, they each let go of their weapons. Sincetheir ultimate goal was the glory of the corpse, they were in a relationship where they had to cooperate rather than fight.
“Did you find any traces?”“Not yet. How about you?”“There are some, but they aren’t very significant. I’m trying to minimize the number of paths while creating the map, but the scale of this underground labyrinth is beyond my imagination.”“I’ll take a quick look.”
Adrian approached Bendy, crossed his arms, and looked down at the map. He roughly understood which direction she had come from.
“Looking at the map, I came from this direction. I have thoroughly searched the vicinity in my own way, so even if we were to check here again just in case, the probability of finding them would be low.”“In that case, I think it would be best to explore a direction we haven’t taken.”“Now is the time for a bold decision. If we are late, I will have no face to show my lord.”
The direction is north.
Adrian gazed into the darkness beyond. Bendie also looked in the same direction, then glanced at Adrian.
Prudent and bold aspects.
It was unexpected, as Adrian was known to have such a terrible personality. He was a figure who had even gotten into a fight with Temple’s disciples in the past.
Adrian took the lead.
“Let’s get moving right away.”“Before that, let me share a piece of information.”
Bendie asserted.
“We have confirmed that a number of Transcendents, including ourselves, have entered the labyrinth. The ones definitely here are Gareth and Lunesica.”
Mauler, and the second servant.
Bendie used his insight to sense the faint energy remaining in their footprints. However, since his ability could not be used for tracking other than confirming their presence, he could not chase them.
“And there is one more transcendent being.”“Who is it?”“It is a presence I do not recognize. However, I have a guess as to its identity. You must have heard it, too.”
Bendie said.
The unofficial Transcendent who appeared in Highlandia, left a wound on the Oath-Wielder’s arm with a dagger, and vanished.
* * *
Dantel, who had recovered the head of the old king following orders from above and handed over parts of Barcazel and Grimmel’s corpses to the Glory of the Dead, infiltrated the labyrinth.
For the sake of fate.
The Mummy Knights and Black Worm passed by without attacking him. Specializing in stealth maneuvers and assassination, Dantel could deceive even the senses of a Transcendent.He revealed himself only when he had the will to do so.
but.
The creature beyond the corner was not a being classified as a transcendent.
“A strange smell…… It definitely seems to be around here.”
Regrit Narsilia, the War Lord of the Arnach Empire who had suddenly rushed toward us, twitched her nose and made a sound with her footsteps.
‘Yongin… … the origin of the demon race.’
Dantel furrowed his brow while hiding his body.
Is this a result outside of fate?
Dantel, who follows the Wheel of Fortune, detected the presence of Regrit for the first time, having been reborn as a new race due to a twist of fate.
