Episode 1023 Adventure Story (1)
Bloodia’s violent roar filled the dead end of the underground space. I turned my head upward. A rift that had formed beyond the darkness was opening up.
Crack, Boom!
As the countless cracks that had spread throughout the surrounding area shifted due to an external impact, the ceiling collapsed, and large and small debris began to pour down all at once.
It is dangerous if buried.
The magic circle of reversed heavens that appeared in the right pupil.
Psychokinesis
The structural fragment that came into Verden’s sight came to a halt in mid-air.He gritted his teeth.It was a weight that he could barely control with his current magic circuit output. Verden used his full power to prevent the collapse of the underground space.
The moment they were divided and moved to the left and right to prevent them from being crushed, Bloodia, wearing a blatantly ferocious smile, plummeted vertically.
They forced Verden, who had the body of an ordinary human and could not guarantee his survival if buried underground, to block the falling rocks, and then exploited the gap.
It was a planned move.
Thus, what Bloodia was aiming for after surpassing Verden was the Knight of Dawn… … and the stone coffin located at a short distance away.
The Knight of Dawn reflexively threw herself to protect Hadras’s body. It did not matter if it was nothing more than a soulless body.For her soul, having lost everything, did not want to lose even lies.
Seong-a-seong (Holy Bud Star)
The light of the condensed morning star imbued the sword strike and severed Bloodia’s left arm. However, only fragments of the sleeve scattered in the air.
One arm… …?
At this, Bloodia whispered.
How weak.
Bloodia swung her right hand. The Knight of the Dawn, who had blocked Hadras’s body, belatedly manifested the Shield of the Morning Star.Those sharp claws, which could not be seen as human, shattered the divine power and tore the Paladin’s armor apart like paper.
Dragon claws simply destroy most objects in the material world.
The Knight of Dawn’s left arm was torn off.
The excruciating pain of her body shattering struck the mind of the Last Morning Star, yet she forcibly twisted her upper body and thrust her sword.
Crunch!
Bloodyia’s right shoulder blade was pierced.
A battle fought in an instant.
Bloodia struck the Knight of Dawn with the same speed she had fallen. The two, thrown from Hadras’s coffin, tangled up and rolled on the floor.
The sword slipped out of my hand.
Covered in dust, Bloodia crushed the Knight of Dawn. Its instinctive, beast-like movements, incomprehensible to humans, were the very essence of superhuman technique.
“……!!!”
It pressed the dragon’s claws against her shoulder, causing excessive bleeding from the severed arm. Then, it thrust its sharp teeth toward the nape of her neck.
Kugugugugugung!
Triple Casting: Earth Pillar
Triple Casting: Earth Pillar
Triple Casting: Earth Pillar
Verden tossed the ceiling debris aside and used his Mystic Eyes to cast Triple Cast three times in a row, supporting the precarious ceiling with a rock pillar.At the same time, he moved his right leg. Clang! The iron spear of the Knight of the Kingdom of Hersaon, kicked from below, surged diagonally toward Bloodia.
The sound of the wind brushed past my ears.
Bloodia bowed her head and immediately stepped back.Her red hair fluttered in the wind.The Knight of Dawn, who had immediately risen, struck Bloodia’s hand away. Bloodia pushed off the ground and created a slight distance.
She was wearing a bright red robe instead of a dress that exposed more than half of her chest as she had in Arkadium.
[Did you divide the realm permitted by the game between magic and the body? Interesting.]
So it was you who summoned the dragon to the kingdom’s capital.
[The game of knowledge is not just a simple battle of wits. Overwhelming others with knowledge they do not possess is also what Arcadium pursues. Although, with a body like this, summoning a dragon that is not yet fully grown is all I can do.]
Bloodia slightly lifted her clothes to reveal the cross-section of her torn arm. Although the mechanism was unknown, it appeared she had gained control in exchange for having her left arm eaten by the dragon.
Thump, thump.
Verden took a step, calmed his throbbing magic circuits, and retrieved the iron bars.He stood guarding the Knight of Dawn.
“How’s your body?””I’m fine.”
The Knight of Dawn, sweating profusely, suppressed his pain and bleeding with divine power. His complexion was poor as a significant amount of blood had been lost from his body.
“Come on, starting with the starlight……!”
Sob!
Blood gushed from the mouth. Red fluid flowed from the nose, eyes, and ears as well. A condition that could not be explained by the arm injury alone.
Alpha immediately jumped down and investigated the light of magical power.
[Scan complete. It is poison.]
[Kuh-huh-ha-ha.]
Bloodia showed her right arm, heavily stained with the Morning Star’s blood. Dragon claws had sprouted from the fingertips, which resembled those of a human.
[There are many dangers in the Host’s adventures. Especially in this primeval adventure. So, befitting an adventure, there is no choice but to target weaknesses.]
Bloodia’s level had dropped to the limit. Some of the dragon’s characteristics and claws remained, but their sharpness had dulled compared to the original…
There are several strong people in the capital of the Kingdom of Hersaon who can kill the current Bloodia.
Archmage Talakan.The Kingdom’s Extermination Captain.Knight of the Dawn.The Intellectuals of Arcadium.
In particular, since the Knight of Dawn is an Apostle, there is no chance of winning if you face her head-on in a one-on-one battle.So, pretending to target the coffin, he drew out her weakness, inflicted serious injuries, and injected her with dragon poison made from dragon blood.
Bloodia, who knew ancient history, was well aware that the Knight of the Dawn cherished Archbishop Hadras’s corpse more than himself.
Transcendental violence endowed with wisdom.
That is the reason Bloodyia is the first VIP.
[The Last Morning Star Exits.]
The knight at dawn staggered and collapsed.
We’re the only ones left.
The starlight of dawn fell between Verden and Bloodia. It was the result of the Knight of Dawn striking away Bloodia’s hand just moments before, as Bloodia had dodged the iron bars and tried to snatch it.
“Blodia’s task is unknown. However, judging by how boldly he is acting, it seems he has already obtained it, even if he has not yet completed the task.”
Verden drew Eisenfall.
“Mercy, and, of charity…… Morning Star…… Goddess, of the Morning Star…… Even if, obscured by countless lights…… we cannot see, we…… only You…….”
The Knight of Dawn prayed and healed his body, which was being destroyed by the dragon’s venom. Perhaps because the toxicity was so strong, his recovery was not good, but he was avoiding instant death.In other words, if the Knight of Dawn could not hold out and lost consciousness, he would die in the game.
Press firmly.
Alpha identified the body structure through a scan and applied appropriate stimulation by pressing on the nerves in time to prevent the Knight of Dawn from losing consciousness.
[Knight of the Dawn. Alpha in charge.]
“okay.”
Verden pulled his chin down and gripped the iron bars and Eisenpol in both hands.
I’ll leave it to you.
Verden and Bloodia were shot out head-on at almost the same moment. Because her physical abilities were superior, she approached the dawn starlight faster, but Verden had weapons and magic.
Dilute the substance, Eisenfall.
[… … !]
Bloodia’s weakening begins.
A magical explosion struck the ground, sending the dawn starlight far away. Bloodia, laughing instead, stomped his foot and thrust his arm out.
Boom!
The Devil God and ‘your’ apostle clashed with overall equal ability levels.
* * *
The ground is shaking.
Deus, mounted on Pegasus, lured the dragon into colliding with the remnants of the evil god.His magical abilities here would be identical to Thearel’s, and even considering the peculiar unique magic he wielded, it was an astonishing display of skill.
The type of experience is different.
If Tearel’s experience was something he had personally accumulated as an adventurer, Deus’s felt like a highly advanced experience, as if he had learned it from someone.
The master of the Lefragium Magic Tower?
I can’t imagine it.
Who could possibly teach a transcendent being who has long stood at the pinnacle of the modern magical world? Even Tearel had been self-taught ever since learning only basic magic.
anyway.
On top of that, even if luck is on his side, he cannot last long. Because the moment he takes a single blow from a dragon or a monster, he dies instantly.
Marenon
The waves of the Great Sea shattered the magical barrier and swept through the royal castle corridors. Seven minutes until the magic path closes. You must reach the Archmage by then.
But as expected, it is difficult.
Tearel took charge of the swift breakthrough and Beta the skillful defense, but the moment they reached the upper levels of the royal castle and entered the open space, they were surrounded.With high-ranking incantation mages fully prepared, it was extremely difficult to break through.
“Is it the remnants of the Morning Star who summoned the power of the evil god, or the party of the woman controlling that dragon? It doesn’t matter which one it is.”
The commander of the Royal Family’s direct magic corps, who was already on the verge of going mad at the sight of the capital in ruins, gave an order filled with murderous intent.
Remove it.
It was then.
───He is my guest.
The knights and wizards froze in unison. Agitation spread. The astonished commander of the wizards appealed toward the door behind them.
“Lord Talakan! They have invaded the royal castle…!”
───Let it in.
The door burst open.
The Wizard Commander trembled but ultimately could not resist and bowed his head. Following him, the kingdom’s soldiers stealthily retreated.
What is the intention?
Tearel climbed the stairs, sticking close to Beta and never letting his guard down. Just as he was about to cross the boundary of the gate, the Commander of the Wizards muttered.
“I, myself, will surely deal with you.”“Yes.”
Tearel did not fear the dead’s resolve in the slightest.
thud.
The door closed.
I passed through the passageway of the study, which reeked of the distinctive scent of paper.It was a dome-shaped space.In the center of that place, which resembled an observatory, an old man dressed as a high-ranking wizard was watching the situation in the kingdom.
“Archmage Talakan.”“What brings you from the outside here?”
When Talakan asked that, Tearel got straight to the point as if he didn’t have time.
“I have come to obtain the Blue Abyss from you.”“Is there a reason why I must give you the Blue Abyss?”“I need it…… um?”
Tearel frowned.
“You’re the host. Why are you here?”
[Is Talakan the host?]
{indeed.}
Talakan pretended to be impressed and immediately glanced at the two of them.
{True to a transcendent being embodying the concept of the sea, you clearly grasp the unknowns of the deep.}
“You said you wouldn’t interfere with the game. Did you trick us?”
{‘I’ did not deceive. It is just that the answer you got right was only half. This ‘I’ is a small soul that branched off from the main body and became independent in the distant past. To put it simply, the ‘me’ of the past and the ‘me’ of the present have been separated.}
Tearel and Beta looked at each other, then straightened their heads.
[It’s a pun.]
“that’s right.”
{But that is the truth. There is no room for disagreement that the host outside and I are different entities. I am also part of the game. I have been in every adventure that has begun so far.}
Talakan put his hands behind his back.
{As an observer and manager.}
Participants are assigned roles, situations, and tasks randomly in the adventure,but if it were to unfold in such a disorderly manner, it was highly likely that the new knowledge the host intended to see in the Arcadium would not emerge.
Talakan is the one coordinating that.
This is to allow participants to clash their knowledge more indiscriminately and fiercely with one another, and to enable each participant to acquire new knowledge.In the case of tasks, each individual determines a candidate task and then selects one randomly.
So, overall, the randomness was correct.
It is simply that we did not go out of our way to convey to the participants that the adventure story is constructed through two processes, rather than just one.
Thearel asks.
“Why is that necessary?”
If you chase knowledge, there comes a time when you reach a dead end. Do you wait for new knowledge, or do you create new knowledge? The host chose the latter. Adventure games are one of the results.
Talakan continued speaking.
{Recording how much a past with variables inserted differs from the present. The spectacle of change depending on choices is worthy of being called new knowledge.}
By adding various variables to the past that has been looked back upon, one reads the distant future. Thiswas knowledge that Beta possessed.It was virtually identical to the fundamental concept of the Wheel of Fortune.
{You guys aren’t exactly in a position to spare, so let’s stop here for now. Did you say you wanted Cheongram? Of course, I can give it to you, but we must play the game fairly.}
Someone appeared from between the study rooms.
Since there are intellectuals with the same task as you.
“Hahaha……! I never knew there would be such a secret in an adventure story, O Talakan, an independent fragment of the Host.”
The third distinguished guest of Arcadium appeared.His task was to obtain the Blue Light.It matched the task of knowledge that Thearel had to accomplish down to the last detail. There is only one winner. One of the two must lose.
Thump.
As Talakan snapped his fingertips, the spacious library expanded like a maze.
{Cheongram is in the library. The third and sixteenth distinguished guests must use their respective knowledge to find Cheongram and bring it to me. Death is a condition for nullifying the game, and the two distinguished guests may use any means necessary as long as they do not inflict direct harm on each other; however, the loser of this game loses all knowledge.}
“…….”
{Would you agree?}
No matter how vast their knowledge, the moment they lost, it was the end. Nevertheless, the two accepted the game without the slightest hesitation.
“I will accept.”“I agree.”
Confirmed the intentions of both.
Talakan lightly swung one arm.
Start the game.
The third guest and Tearel entered the library maze through different passages. Finding no clues, the third guest, who was scanning the bookshelves first, raised his voice.
“Terin! I would like to show you mercy since you are acquainted with the fourth guest, but unfortunately, I cannot! This is a game! So, even if you become a ghost, resent it—”
Kwaaaaang!
Beta burst through the study and pounced on the third VIP. In an instant, he collided with the massive weight and was slammed into the study.The third VIP, barely clinging to life, had his eyes rolled back and was drooling saliva and blood through his broken, yellow teeth.
“and.”
Tearel poked his head out of the wide-open study.
Beta’s single eye gleamed.
[Beta is the fourth guest, so he is not bound by the restrictions of the game. Therefore, it is not a foul, and as you can see, the third guest did not die, so the game to find Cheongram is not invalidated.]
Hahahahaha.
Talakan laughed softly, as if he couldn’t stand it anymore.
In the sole pursuit of knowledge, perfect rules are meaningless. Only when there are invisible loopholes in the rules can one see something new.
There was always a gap in the arcadium.
{Look. Is it not truly interesting?}
* * *
It was truly a bloody battle.
Eisenfall blocks the dragon’s claws, the iron spear targets the dragon’s vital spot, and instant elemental magic tightens its grip on the dragon’s throat.
Kagagagagang! Crack! Kagagagak, Kwaang! Kwaaang!
Verden did not give his embrace at all.
Bloodia fought back with the dragon’s weakened senses and resistance, repeatedly swinging his single arm in an attempt to pierce Verden’s head, neck, or heart.
The total amount of power is merely a matter of scale.
The synergy between the two was in a realm that transcended scalability.Although their specialized abilities differed, they were currently on such equal footing that it would not have been surprising if either of them were to die in the blink of an eye.
The more thick-headed followers of Fate often speak of you this way: that you are the modern-day Oldarc. It is certainly not an exaggeration.
Bloodyia tangled Eisenfall between her fingernails and pushed him hard to the side. Her kick grazed his handsome face, leaving a scratch.
Then, Verden rotated the iron spear with one hand, gripped it extremely short, and extended the spear out, instantly increasing the range of the thrust.
Crunch… … !
The spear pierced Bloodia’s abdomen as he stepped back, but slipped out without reaching his internal organs.
[Those eyes. That talent. That tenacity. You seem more like the bloodline of Oldarc than the descendants of the Magic Kingdom. That is why ‘you’ want to possess you. Because your single existence could shatter the balance.]
“…….”
[Do you know? You destroyed the Wheel of Fortune and ruined ‘your’ plan, but at the same time, you eliminated the Magic Tower’s power source and thwarted Oldark’s grand, insane plan as well.]
Verden showed a reaction.
Bloodyia walked slowly in a circle, touching her lips.
[Ah, my mouth is itching. If there were no taboo, I could whisper the whole truth. But it’s not that there isn’t a way.]
She narrowed her eyes.
You just have to become an apostle, too.
“Shut up, Apostle.”
Verden anticipated Bloodia’s moves and once again took up his stance.
“Do you think I will be loyal to ‘you’?”
[Loyalty?]
Bloody burst into laughter, elegantly covering the corners of her mouth with the back of her hand.
[Loyalty, huh? Well, it’s not wrong, but… there is still so much you don’t know. I look forward to seeing how you react when you learn the whole truth someday. I wonder if the Host feels the same way. And let me make one more correction.]
Bloodia licked the dragon’s claws.
[I am not an apostle.]
The taut tension snapped. Leaving footprints on the floor and reducing the distance to Verden at maximum speed, her pupils split vertically.
[They are apostles.]
