Episode 1014 The Age of the Fallen Gods (2)
Ancient Adventure, Chapter 0: The Age of the Fallen Gods.
The evil gods who had ruled the entire continent since the formation of the world were defeated. The remains of the invincible evil gods were buried in the silent desert.
With that downfall, many faiths were erased from history.
The war in which the age of God fell, the Great Divergence.
As time passed, the names of the evil gods vanished even from macroscopic history, and only the few benevolent gods who stood against them survived through faith.
But indeed, what can be called good, and what can be called evil?
The standard of good and evil is ambiguous.
The concepts of good and evil are like two sides of the same coin, and their positions can be reversed by the slightest trigger. Even a benevolent god, considered truly good, can be defined as evil depending on the world’s perspective.
Ultimately, this is because foolish beings fail to reach the essence and perceive only the illusions reflected on the surface. It is because, lacking the intellect to fathom the source, they mistake the fragments revealed in phenomena for the truth.
Ah, noble gods, do not feel wronged.
You are just as swayed, failing to perceive the truth.Since you are neither omniscient nor omnipotent, how can ignorance distinguish a god from a mortal?
An ancient age where nothing is predetermined.An age where destiny approaches.An age where the end of peace draws near.An age where humanity has entered a golden age.
Right against that backdrop, a demon god wearing the skin of a betrayed mercenary fell.
* * *
It was a chaotic campsite.
Bodies with arrows stuck in the back of the head or back are scattered, and bodies pierced by swords through their leather armor are piled up on one side of the cave entrance.
“Pull the arrow out carefully! It’s all money, huh!”“But it’s broken?”“You fucking idiot!”“Hmph, hmph, hmph.”
The humans retrieving arrows embedded deep in the flesh, the humans desecrating dead bodies, the humans tearing apart flesh covered in the blood of others, and the humans whose lives had been taken—they were all mercenaries.These diverse actions implied that they belonged to different mercenary groups.
“Tsk, to think they even hired those guys.”
The Maklasa mercenary captain, sitting by the extinguished campfire, frowns as he watches the Nakren mercenaries literally lusting after the corpse.
“Seeing as you have summoned all the renowned mercenaries in the vicinity, it seems the rumors are true, Captain. That they found traces of the ‘Believers of the Morning Star’………”
God of the Sun.God of the Moon.God of the Morning Star.God of Dawn.God of Twilight.
Most of humanity worships one of the five gods who symbolize light. Mercenaries generally believe in the god of dawn. As it is a dangerous profession where they risk their lives, they hope for the hope contained in the dawn.
and.
A religious war broke out about six years ago.
The incident began with a rumor that the religion of the Morning Star had obtained a sacred artifact of ancient evil gods.Although the captain of the Maklasa mercenaries did not know the details, it appeared that the four religions had investigated and confirmed the rumor to be true.
I have heard that there were beings called evil gods in the incredibly distant past… but to think that four religions condemn it as a betrayal of humanity… it must be a grave sin beyond my imagination.
The region, which encompassed nations, cities, and people who championed the faith of the Morning Star, turned into a battlefield, and the religion of the Morning Star collapsed in just one year.However, remnants still exist, and the manhunt continues. It is said that the ‘Knight of Dawn,’ a top-level wanted criminal, is leading the remnants of the Dawn.
The captain of the Maklasa mercenaries cleared his throat.
“Well, it might be wrong information, just like last time. Everyone tries to act first without verifying the facts, fearing someone else might beat them to it. That’s why it ends up like Etsuche Village.”“Etsuche Village. The madness was indeed immense.”
It is said that the Knight of Dawn is very beautiful. Although its gender is unknown, there were many who believed, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, that it was a woman.
The believers of the Morning Star are not protected by anything, so they receive no punishment no matter what is done to them.
A beauty you can do whatever you want with? On top of that, the bounty is enormous.What man would turn down that?
Find it!
Everyone, including royalty, nobles, and the wealthy, raided the village of Etschche, where the Knight of the Dawn was hiding.
As a result, the rumor was false.
However, there was a woman of quite fine beauty in the village of Etzche, and the fools mistook the village maiden for the Knight of the Dawn.
A woman whose male childhood friend’s neck was severed right in front of her eyes, and who was subjected to brutal assault in the middle of her suddenly destroyed hometown… … . As soon asit was revealed that she was not the Knight of Dawn, she was sold into slavery as an act of revenge, and it is said that she later committed suicide by banging her head against a wall.
That was the tragedy of Etzche village.
“Captain, but honestly, what was that woman like?”“She can’t be compared to a corpse.”“Hahahahahaha!”
The captain of the Maklasa mercenaries patted his lower body. Before founding the mercenary company, he too had been hired as a mercenary by a noble and had wielded his sword quite well in the village of Etschche.
“Anyway… the Margrave who hired us is a lunatic who would kill every single mercenary he couldn’t hire himself, so everyone watch your words. Saetbyeol, don’t say a word and just do as you’re told. He’s the kind of person who makes sure to get his fair share.”“Yes, Captain.”“But why haven’t the guys who went to check the bodies returned yet?”“They’re probably just badmouthing me for giving them a hassle… Ah, a knight has arrived. Stand up.”
A knight on a well-fed warhorse approaches the cave accompanied by two squires. The mercenaries, who had been distracted, immediately gathered and lined up in groups.
‘The left arm of Margrave Brohnath. Ansir, the Knight of the Guillotine.”Is that at your waist that magic sword?”Indeed, he could kill many with just a glance.’
The mercenary captains were nervous.
Not only was Knight Ansir impressive, but the atmosphere among the attendants was also extraordinary.
Ansir looked down at the mercenaries with eyes characterized by a straight line at the top.
“Did you clean everything up?”“As you can see, I’ve cleaned everything up!”
When rumors spread about a believer in the Morning Star, the powerful figures of the region take action. To them, a mercenary is a capable hunter. Onemust have a large mercenary force under their command to take control of the situation.
So, Margrave Brochnath decided to contract with as many mercenaries as he could control and eliminate all others, ensuringthey could not be hired .He planned to lure them in with the bait of high-paying, large-scale missions, and then have the mercenaries planted inside strike them from behind.
If you cannot have it, destroy it so that it cannot be used.
It is the basis of competition.
I cleaned everything up.
Ansir stared at the cave.
“Then, who is the one eavesdropping over there?”
… … !
Over thirty mercenaries turned around in surprise. Then, with rhythmic footsteps, the betrayed mercenary emerged from the shadows.
[36 people, including the article.]
[There are 5 more than the mercenary said.]
Verden nodded at the voice coming from the mercenary armor and lowered his sword, which was technologically far behind the present era.
Time is running out, so if you’re going to surrender, do it now.
Verden twisted his wrist. The blade,bathed in sunlight, gleamed with a sword light.
There is no next time.
* * *
Can one person defeat ten armed people?
It is not impossible, but difficult.
Even if you are fairly skilled with a sword, it does not mean that a blade will not penetrate your body. If even a farm tool wielded by a peasant is dangerous, it goes without saying that a mercenary’s sword and arrow are even more so.
Unless you are a so-called ‘hero’ who single-handedly cuts down dozens of people or stands tall in war with magic, facing a large number of people head-on is recklessness.
Whoosh!
Nakreng, the necrophiliac mercenary captain, saw the strange hero while spitting blood from his neck.
There isn’t a single person who has awakened their spirit.
Verden slaughtered 23 mercenaries who were charging without formation. Despite not using magic, there was not a single scratch on his body.Even if his strength was limited, the movements of a warrior not reinforced by energy seemed too slow in Verden’s eyes.
The shocked mercenaries froze.
“The armor belongs to the Hatil mercenaries… but there definitely wasn’t anyone like that. I’m telling you, there was never anyone that handsome!”“Are you saying he’s an outsider?”“Where on earth did this guy come from? Uh, how can he move like that….”
The captain of the Maklasa mercenaries hesitated, then glanced at Ansir. It was a look pleading for help. Ansir and his attendants dismounted.
Dilute the substance, Eisenfall.
Ansir drew Eisenfall, an ancient magic sword that uses energy to target an enemy and gradually weaken their existence.
“That is the Ki I’ve only heard about… and the magic sword!”“Indeed, a knight of the Margrave of Brohnath!”
The mercenary captains cheered as if they had secured a definite victory. Verden’s presence pulsated, and his overall energy began to rapidly wane.
‘… … ! An ancient artifact?’
Verden responded immediately.
Fireball
“Go, bear—”
A bright yellow fireball of third-tier magic surged through the air, burning it. Sensing the change in temperature, the horses immediately darted to the side.
“No incantation……?!”
Ansir glared, lifted Eisenfall, and struck down the fireball.
Kwaaaaaaaang!
The pouring flames burned the remaining mercenaries and servants to charcoal. The smoke slowly cleared. Ansir, who had collapsed at the site of the explosion, flinched occasionally as his mouth had been opened, causing burns deep into his airway.
“It’s convenient to be able to use Hierarchical Magic that doesn’t require incantation, even though it’s an ancient era. It also gives me a strong sense of unreality that this world is a game stage.”
In a world where incantation magic is the mainstream, the feeling of casting Hierarchy magic, which is still a long way from being fully developed, was indescribably mysterious.
“Cough… *Gasp*…”“A knight who possesses an ancient artifact yet lacks judgment and cannot properly control his ki. It seems he can’t even use his martial arts.”
[weakness.]
[It is unbalanced.]
Verden stepped onto the uncooled ground and approached Ansir. He picked up the red-hot Eisenpole, its handle adorned with a blue gem.
Judging by the mercenary captain’s reaction, a being who has awakened to Qi appears to be quite rare. Furthermore, the manipulation of Qi is immature compared to the weapons and status possessed. Qi is not common… Qi is not common… Qi is not common… In other words, the concept of Qi has not been established for very long…
Verden and his party understood the characteristics of the stage background.
“So this is the era where Arthur Tarenfold reigned as a human being.”
I think so too.
It was the Second Apostle, Arthur, who established the concept of Ki before the outbreak of the War of Destiny, boosted the strength of the species, and ushered in the Golden Age of Humanity.
Since he became a resistor as a human and participated in the Battle of Destiny, considering his lifespan, it would not be strange at all if the era in which he was active coincided with the game’s timeline between the Great Divide and the Battle of Destiny.
Pfft!
Verden stabbed the agonizing Ansir between the eyebrows, delivering death.A look of pity crossed his eyes.
The soul is real, but the body is false. As if made into a chess piece. What kind of power did the Host receive from ‘you’ as an Apostle?
Verden, who had reached the 8th rank and realized his divinity to perceive souls, felt the souls of Ansir and others leaving for somewhere.
[Your Majesty Asher.]
Alpha pointed at the sword.
[Ancient Artifact. Now His Majesty’s Sword?]
“Hmm, it seems so. Once the assigned task is complete, we should be able to take it out to the outside world. Since it appears to be a powerful weapon that weakens existence in real time, I think it would be good to give it to Rateon or Cain, who specialize in frontal assaults.”
[Complete. Profit.]
It probably also means that the task is difficult, commensurate with the generous reward.
Even using just Tier 3 fire magic puts a slight strain on my magic circuits. Even if I exert my full power, prepared to be unable to move, I would only be able to open Tier 5 magic for a brief moment. It isabsolutely impossible to lay waste to the region like I would in my original state.
“In the end, since this is a game of the Arcadium, does that mean the natural course of action is to accomplish tasks by accumulating knowledge here rather than relying on personal combat?”
It doesn’t matter what it is.
If you are bad at thinking, your body suffers.If your body is bad, your mind suffers.
In short, if one excels in both mind and body, one suffers less. Verden intended to actively utilize even his extremely limited military power.
Beta said.
[Based on the circumstances, it appears that all items on the game stage are coming from the host’s warehouse. It would be a good idea to grab a share if you get the chance.]
[We are righteous thieves.]
Alpha and Beta, who perceive the host as an enemy, whisper to each other about aiming for a lot of spoils. One wonders where they learned such an attitude, but honestly, Verden felt the same way.
Yeah, if I have the time.
Click.
Verden, with the Eisenpol strapped to his waist, mounted Ansir’s horse. Although its coat was scorched by the flames, it was undoubtedly a highly trained warhorse, judging by the fact that it had not fled far despite the explosion.
“Oh, there are quite a few gold and silver coins in the saddlebag. There aren’t absolutely no copper coins either. I don’t know how much it is, but there’s no need to go out of your way to loot the dead mercenaries’ belongings.”
Verden held the reins loosely and retraced the path Ansir had taken. His warhorse would guide him, knowing its homing instinct and realizing where it had come from.
Normally, he should have captured one of them alive to extract information, but Verden had already figured out what his mission was just by eavesdropping on the conversation.
Verden rummaged through his pockets.
Together with Alpha and Beta, I unfolded the rolled-up parchment and examined its contents.It was a record book given to the game participants.
Second Game: Ancient Adventure.
Participant: Fourth Guest of Honor – Asher.
Task of Knowledge: Acquire ‘Starlight of Dawn’
[ Acquired Knowledge ]
• The faith of the Morning Star has fallen.• The setting of the ancient adventure is the era when the Second Apostle reigned during his human days.
[ Acquired Item ]
• Equipment: Execution of Sinking – Eisenfall
As the fourth guest, the record is updated whenever new information is obtained.
Seize the starlight of dawn.
In other words, the objective must be to find the Knight of Dawn who is currently being tracked. So, finding those chasing them would be the proper order of things.
[The target is Margrave Brochnath.]
[The Beginning of the Adventure.]
Just as Verden, Alpha, and Beta had traversed the Desert of Silence, they set out on a journey to the ancient city in search of the master of the estate.
* * *
Ancient Adventure, Chapter 1: The Journey.
The devil god, wearing the skin of a betrayed mercenary, understood the task of knowledge.
In the primeval age, one of the five faiths symbolizing light collapsed.The starlight of dawn fell, plummeted, and was abandoned.
The god of demons walks through the ancient times when demons were not born.
Does the dawn wait for the devil god, or does the devil god go to the dawn?
Causality is unknown, but the encounter is inevitable.
At the end of the journey, the devil god who has obtained the morning star will draw closer to another truth.
* * *
Thump, thump, rattle.
Magion, who had fallen into the same game stage as Verden… The Provider, Deus Widen, was riding in a carriage in the guise of a wizard. A magic teacher. That was the situation and identity assigned to him in the adventure.
A visitor from a noble family sat opposite and chattered happily. Deus merely feigned agreement while gazing at the sky outside the carriage.
Primeval Adventure.
The Host’s claim that he did not tamper with the selection of the second game theme was likely true, but in any case, it was an unwelcome situation.To Fate.To the Resistor.As long as military power was limited, there was a possibility that both Bloodia and Deus could die. The average power of this era recreated by the Host is weak, but its peak is not much different from the modern age.
Above all, the problem is the task of knowledge.
Most intellectuals, including VIPs, believe that tasks are assigned randomly, but that is only half true.
Tasks always assign knowledge that the person possesses as a goal. Regardless of whether the level of knowledge is trivial or significant, they are common in that they are new.
Of course, Verden might be assigned a task that isn’t particularly important, but if the opposite were true.
Deus groaned inwardly.
‘In this era… … there is too much for Verden to gain.’
Verden might take the Ancient Artifact, one of the Host’s most powerful treasures, and get closer to the greater truth.
The latter is particularly important.
The moment Verden, who is not under the influence of the primordial sorcerer like Deus, leaves the Arcadium having obtained too much truth,a phenomenon occurs in which multiple taboos are violated all at once.
If you’re not careful, ‘you’ will wake up.
We must stop Verden in a hurry.
Excessive knowledge is poison.
