Episode 1080: The Second War of the Transcendents
The Arcadium hosted by the host does not discriminate against races.The only things considered are knowledge and intelligence.As the most powerful race, it was a perfectly natural providence for dragons who had risen to the highest ranks to be invited as honored guests to the banquet of knowledge.
However, it is difficult to find traces of dragons in today’s Arcadium.
Either dead… or… forced to sleep.
It was the result of not responding to an invitation sent by a host three or more times, regardless of which of the two reasons or for any other reason.
This is not the age of the dragon.
In the Age of Magic, there are hardly any dragons capable of functioning in various ways. Unless they are extremely powerful or incredibly lucky to the point of astonishment…
The four great ancient dragons belonged to the former.
Among them, the Blazing Dragon, Red Dragon, and Giant Dragon clearly maintain their identities on the current continent and attended the recently held Arcadium.
The arcadium is based on competition.
The ancient dragons, whose instinct is to despise the weak, have entered the game by enclosing their consciousness in a single shell to prevent suffering a loss if they were to face each other.
Bloodyia.
The alias put forward by the first distinguished guest of Arcadium is a name that the Red Dragon Sarkandra occasionally used quite a long time ago when he went out for play in Polymorph, andit is the name of the shell that ‘your’ fourth apostles use as an integrated terminal in Arcadium.
[Arkhand Lineage Tain Xerion.]
Crunch—bang!
The metal cup was not only crumpled in the rough grip but shattered into pieces as if it had exploded.
[Inferior species acting arrogantly.]
The woman had the form of a human, but she was enormous for a human—large enough that no human species would be compelled to look up at her. Thethick, dark brown scales covering her hands and various parts of her body suggested that she was not fundamentally a lower species like humans.
Giant Dragon
The alias created for being the largest and most physically superior of all dragons—it was a proper name existing solely to signify that woman.
[I have aided in the Second Coming, yet instead of expressing gratitude, you tell me not to intervene? How dare you…!]
The mighty dragon causes natural disasters with just a change in emotion.
The wrath of the giant dragon soon became the fury of the earth.
A massive earthquake struck the Rare, which boasted overwhelming hardness and strength as it was forged by the power of the Great Dragon. A faint cracking sound spread out like waves.
Wave-cratering lava lake.
The only ones capable of quelling such emotions of a Great Dragon are the other Four Great Ancient Dragons. After all, the beings dragons hold in the highest regard are their own kind, possessing equal power.
Do not get angry over trivial things.
A middle-aged man dressed like a high-ranking noble of human society approached the giant dragon, leaning on the ground with a short cane that barely reached his pelvis.
On the outside, he looks exactly like a human… … .
The man wore an expression that looked as if not a single drop of blood would come out even if stabbed with a knife, but within his pupil, another pupil lay a completely different essence.It was the crystallization of intense emotion that he himself found difficult to control.
Fierce Dragon
He was the most violent dragon.
[After all, we did not bring the Sixth Apostle back to life to receive thanks. The sequence of events was our duty to do, and it was necessary for us. And didn’t we have no intention of intervening in the Sixth Apostle’s duties?]
The Great Dragon and the Fierce Dragon are the fourth apostles who rule the Followers of Fate.
[This is a matter of choice and mood. A mere minion who didn’t even have the right to choose is volunteering to make a choice just because the Wheel of Fortune has been destroyed?]
[That shouldn’t happen.]
[And, you’re forcing a choice on me?]
[That’s impossible.]
Gyeokryong accepted her words and stopped in front of the lava lake. Standing upright with both hands on his short staff, Gyeokryong looked like a seasoned politician.
[I certainly underestimated the Sixth Apostle a little. I expected them to refuse intervention, but I never imagined they would sever the connection entirely.]
As soon as Akhand summoned the Citadel, the realm of the Sixth Apostle, with the power bestowed upon him by ‘you’ and concluded his meeting with Verden, the first thing he did was carry out a ruthless and uncompromising purge.
All the Followers of Fate stationed by Akand’s side were killed.By the Dragon Sword.
This was a silent declaration that even fellow apostles would be hostile if anyone tried to defile the sacred rituals by getting involved in war in any way.
[Is it because we are both human? He seems to bear some resemblance to the Second Apostle. I have no choice but to keep his followers far away from the battlefield.]
[Arthur… … .]
Georyong narrowed his eyebrows nervously, as if recalling an unpleasant memory.
The Second Apostle, Arthur Tarenfold.
The first king of the human world and the traitor to the resistors was the most insane human she knew, excluding ‘you’ and the first Demon King.
Suddenly, the giant dragon asked.
[But where did he disappear to? I can’t sense his presence at all.]
[If it is not on the continent, it must have returned to the rift between worlds. Since that is the domain of the Second Apostle, it will appear on its own when the time comes.]
The giant dragon and the swarm dragon did not know what situation the first king of the human world was in.
The fact that the Rift of Worlds was split in two, that the Demon God was born, and that Arthur cannot immediately get out of the Rift of Worlds because of it… is because the Ancient Dragons have no reason to interfere with other worlds.
Above all, I never imagined that Arthur would be in such a situation.
The Great Dragon looks down on all races except dragons, and despises humans even more, but does not disregard the individual strength.She clicked her tongue deeply and decided to leave the arrogant Sixth Apostle alone.
[… … But, just because we stand by and watch, do you think the other one will stay quiet?]
[You mean Sarkandra.]
[She is unpredictable. Especially since she set up her nest in a different place from us.]
The Red Dragon Sarkandra resides in the Demon Realm. It seems to be plotting some sinister scheme with the Great Demon of Parasitism, but I did not know the details.
How could ‘your’ apostle be plotting with the devil?
It is ridiculous.It must be a game.
So I didn’t take it seriously.
When the Battle of Destiny resumes, the Red Dragon will once again act as ‘your’ apostle, provided it does not walk a path hostile to ‘you’.
anyway.
The Red Dragon is the most ferocious dragon, making it nothing short of a disaster that even dragons cannot control. Just a century ago, it ran wild from the Demon Realm and destroyed human cities.This is despite the fact that it must not make a rash move, as it is in a balanced confrontation with the Resistance side.
[The war of the Sixth Apostle is the reconstruction of the completely shattered Wheel of Destiny. That is why I said I would not intervene out of respect for the Sixth Apostle’s mission, but if the war escalates and invades the Ancient Dragon’s territory, the story changes.]
Geokryong struck the glowing red ground twice briefly with his staff.
[There’s no need to stop him. No matter how Sarkandra runs wild.]
[I guess so. That’s true, too.]
Once ‘you’ awaken, there is no longer any reason to remain outside of Oldarc’s sight.The light spewing from the intertwining lava illuminated the fangs of the ancient dragons.
[Let’s just watch for now.]
The Undead Legion of the Sixth Apostle and the Legion of the Fate Destroyer, who came to possess Draven’s soul in the Arcadium due to the Host’s neutral actions.
The Ancient Dragons were Apostles, but strictly speaking, they were not on either side. After all, ‘your’ Apostle was an individualist faithful to their own purpose to the very end.
* * *
Troposphere boundary.
Somewhere between the atmosphere and the stratosphere, a massive shadow fell over the clouds. It was a city enveloped in darkness, and an island that devoured death.
It was an unrealistic sight.
Because it was something one could not even dare to imagine what would happen to a continent if a mass of that magnitude fell from a height of several kilometers above the ground.
Xerion Empire Imperial City, Citadel.
The city, on a scale resembling several metropolises joined together, exuded an intimidating aura simply by its existence. An unprecedented sense of oppression, as if an entire continent were being transported, weighed down on the clouds.
However… … the Citadel was silent.
Citizens who do not whisper.
Only the sounds of hard or squelching footsteps mingled in the wind blowing between the buildings.The number of undead wandering the imperial capital endlessly was enough to form several legions, yet there was not the slightest sense that the numbers had been met.
Everything was empty.Like a hollow shell.
and.
The imperial palace where the former king resided was the largest structure in the capital of the new Xerion Empire.The emperor’s audience hall was a space far too vast to be called an audience hall.
There were three people in the center of that citadel.
Nakhtel, the master of Amri.
Ruminant, rucaria.
The Holy Canon of the Sea of Corruption, Tiazra Morton.
Three transcendents who rule the glory of the corpse without the first and second servants. In their respective eras, they were all the third servants.
Nakhtel said.
“Verden of Eon, Heavenly Sword Adrian Chambers, Saint Leonhardt…… There are three Transcendents immediately visible.”
The eyes of the transcendents forming a triangular formation had all turned white. They were remotely controlling the undead, which had been refined in advance, by using them as terminals to imbue and synchronize their consciousnesses.
This is Rucaria’s unique magic.
Being able to wield the power of a transcendent being as a mere undead while keeping the main body quite far away from the battlefield was indeed a useful magical tactic for war.
Lecaria tilted his head.
“Nine large-scale airships alone. That’s impressive. Is it possible for magical technology to advance to that extent? It truly deserves to be called the Age of Magic.”“I heard that Eon stands on equal footing with the Artisan Magic Tower among them. In the thousand-year history of the Transcendents, the influence of the Magic Realm’s Transcendents has never been this great.”
They reached their prime and met their deaths before the Age of Magic dawned and before the Magic Tower obtained an infinite power source.It was a natural reaction for a wizard to feel a sense of unfamiliarity upon seeing a world that had developed so brilliantly.
Even so, technology is nothing more than technology.
Tiazra Morton’s presence gradually grows. A unique magical power imbued with the aura of corruption originates from her and is transmitted to the undead terminals.
In the end, the Transcendent is everything.
Pulsating powerful fraud.
I will cast the opening spell.
The goal is Verden.
By sheer luck, I secured Lady Lunesica’s soul with [Animus], but due to that bastard’s magic, all I managed to salvage were mere fragments… … All that is needed to restore it is time. To think that is the best I can do, even with the power of [Animus].
Tiaz did not hide his amorphous hatred toward Verden. Nakhtel and Rucaria felt the same way. For Draben and Lunesika, who had founded the Glory of the Dead, were their long-time spiritual pillars.
I could not forgive Verden for executing Lunesica in front of the humans who worshipped the false goddess.
Whoosh!
The three people each stretched out their arms forward.
My opponent is an 8th-tier transcendent being. Moreover, he is the very one who executed the first and second servants. I understand the reality that I cannot defeat him alone.
Joint Super-Level Magic.
Therefore, they confront with the majority.
* * *
Helion Tower Master – Frontline War. Triton Martus.
That’s a terrifying number.
Triton stood on the deck of a massive airship and looked down at the Foltein Plains. An undead legion he had never seen before was staining the land with death.
But is that just the tip of the iceberg? Just what kind of scene will unfold as I get closer to the Four Gates…
I have experienced countless battlefields, but it felt as though I were colliding with death itself. To die or to live. In the end, it all boils down to one of the two, though.
It was self-evident that this war would be the greatest battlefield of Triton’s life.
“Still, our tactical advantage is overwhelming. It seems there are almost no top-tier undead, so if we reduce their numbers as much as possible through bombardment, we can minimize damage—”
It was just when Triton was trying to read the tide of the battlefield with his experience and knowledge.
“hmm?”
The perceived temperature dropped.I got goosebumps all over my body, as if I had developed hives.
Paat.
Within the legion of approximately 100,000 undead… beams of dark purple magical energy shot up diagonally from the east, west, and south.They converged into a single point in the sky and began to form a large sphere.
My heart trembled without me realizing it.
As the master of the Magic Tower ranked 9th overall, there was no way I could not understand what that uncontrollable magical power meant!
“Super-level magic……!”
Transcendents were hiding within the undead army.
The ominous sphere continued to grow in size without showing any signs of stopping. Its scale was comparable to that of a fortress. It did not appear to be ordinary super-level magic.
It looks like an explosive format.
Triton was aware of the strength of the Ternetia subjugation army that had established a front line.
If we don’t neutralize it right now, we will suffer near-total annihilation. At the very least, we must neutralize it before it gets close to avoid a direct hit!
Super-level magic is the exclusive property of transcendents and is capable of killing them.No one can escape unharmed by a direct hit.
Triton sensed the mages of the Helion Magic Tower becoming agitated and tried to turn on the communication device. He intended to hastily convey a response plan.
But… … do you really think the Divine Being wouldn’t know this?
From Triton’s perspective, Verden is a figure close to the pinnacle of the current magical world. There was no way he would fail to realize Triton’s mindset.
And, that prediction was true.
thud.
Berden stood at the forefront of the entire Allied Forces, gripping [Interis]. As he activated the magic circuits throughout his body, an infinitely blue, pure magical energy began to take over the vast plains.
Madou
Verden, who had transformed the blue magic into a dark red, parted his lips.
“Oppression.”
Magical Spear Art—Belkaelum—combining magic,
Verden, the god of demons who has reached the 8th rank, has established such new and diverse magical powers.
He unleashed the spell of destruction.
“Light heat.”
All sounds disappeared from the world.
The frail mage of the World Alliance, who had been staring blankly at Verden’s retreating figure, had already lost all strength in his body but could not kneel.He could not control himself, as if the will of the world itself had not permitted it.
‘This is… … that sensation when I showcased incantation magic at the Magic Festival… … !!’
Triton recalled the memory of hearing Eon’s incantation at the Gargant magic festival and leaned against the railing as if collapsing.
Waveform.
A transcendent presence weighed down on my entire body. Only rough groans crawled from my mouth.The Tower Masters belonging to the extermination legion were overwhelmed by an unknown power.
There were no exceptions, neither the armies of the Kingdom of Din’el, the Kingdom of Belmair, the armies of the Silpera Autonomous Territory, the armies of the Principality of Noden, the armies of the Upper and Central Beastmen Tribes, the armies of the Land Without Masters, the mage orders and phases of Eon, nor the Holy Order and clergy of the Ruas Theocracy.
─────────!
Even Adrian couldn’t help his heart beating wildly.
Leonhardt clutched the Holy Sword tightly, overwhelmed by the pressure that had exceeded all expectations. His face looked less like that of a newcomer and more like that of a young man facing the unknown.
The public referred to that emotion as follows.
Dōchōn.
It’s fear.
Veins bulged on Verden’s temples. He poured his attention into every single word.This was the process of transforming the incantation magic of the first Demon King, who had annihilated the ancient gods during the Great Divide, into Verden’s own super-level magic.
Crackle crackle crackle crackle.
Centered around Verden, the land spanning several hundred meters could not withstand the force and cracked. The earthquake shook the ground beneath my feet as if the tectonic fault were shifting.
At that moment, an undead creature paused.
[───Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!]
A scream echoed.
[Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!]
[Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!]
[Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!]
A sense of unease, which should not exist within the undead legion that hates the living, spread widely. They showed signs of retreating in terror, as if driven by a survival instinct.
Do the undead fear death?
It is impossible.
Naktel, Tiazra, and Rucaria also recognized the anomaly, but they did not stop and constructed a joint super-level magic using Naktel as a medium.
Kugugugugugugugugugugu… … !
Finally, a vast sphere of death energy manifested.
It was prepared assuming the super-level magic of an 8th-rank transcendent being, so if it falls into the middle of the World Alliance forces, widespread death, including the transcendent being, is unavoidable.
Three transcendent beings of the dark magic realm aligned their wills.
Crystal of triadic intersection.
Umbrium
A condensed form of death, whose principles of black magic had been altered by Nakhtel’s magic
Verden was still standing in that spot.
“O cosmic meteoroid.”
The prison was completed.
Destroy this place together with the Demonic Path.
The unique magic created by the primordial wizard during the mythical era was reinterpreted by a modern transcendent being and unfolded in the age of wizards.
Extraterrestrial extinct star.
Orbis Endveil
The ground was twisted.
Every being reflexively raised their head.
────────────────!
The cloud layer scattered explosively and was pushed in all directions, and a rock from space was magically drawn and plummeted diagonally along with gravity.The massive rock, turned red by friction with the atmosphere, was clad in the concept of destruction on its surface.
A dark red flash of light flashed.
The
Kwag
The horizon of the Foltein Plains, which the World Allied Forces faced, was swept away by explosions and pressure. The ground within a radius of about ten kilometers virtually evaporated.The seaplanes were forced to retreat.The aftermath alone pushed the front line established by the punitive force back.
… … How much time has passed?
Just as the dust cloud covering the surroundings began to settle, Triton, who had been lying low on the deck with all his dignity at stake, finally, slowly raised his head.
“Is this… possible? No matter how transcendent he is, a mere individual…..”
The topography specified on the world map has changed.
A huge crater.
Although the exact number was impossible to count, it seemed that more than 80% of the undead army had been wiped out. But… … a staggering 80,000 undead were annihilated by a single spell.I was speechless to think that the same result would have occurred even if the opponent hadn’t been the undead.
“……ah.”
Triton shuddered, yet finally understood the true meaning of this war.
An individual overwhelming the multitude.A one-man state.The master of power.A scene of paradox where the tide of battle turns with the mere presence or absence of an individual, and where the very power and nature of that individual must be guarded against more than any other legion in the world.
Yes, this is it. This is exactly… …!
The fierce storm cleared the Allied forces’ view.
“Adrian, Leonhardt. Two terminals of the Transcendent are alive. Fortunately, they are far enough apart that they appear to be straddling the boundary of the range. Kill them all.”“I obey my Lord’s will.”“I, I will obey the Alliance Commander’s will.”
Verden still hadn’t moved a single step from his spot, so having successfully completed the opening spell, he aimed [Interis] forward.
World Union.
The Struggle of the Awakened
March forward.
The curtain has risen on the Second War of the Transcendents.
