Chapter 428. Seeker of the Path (7)
Darkness-Eating Sword remained silent.
The Divine Bloods who had used their power to create clone bodies and approach the Divine Land were watching the scene completely stunned.
A gigantic sword floating high in the sky.
Of course, the sword was imposing, but the Divine Bloods were not surprised just by its size.
Yes, it was ridiculously huge, but that was it.
The reason why everyone, without exception, had lost their words and couldn't look away was—
The energy that emanated from that giant sword.
[What… is exactly that?]
[It looks like us, but it is also different—]
Confusion arose among them.
And within that confusion…
[I see…!]
One of the Shinhyeong understood.
[That— is human divine power.]
[Human divine power?]
[Yes. When human insects gather faith among themselves, they can manifest it in that form. I have seen it from above sometime… but I didn't think I would witness it so closely upon descending to the earthly world….]
With those words, the other Divine Bloods finally grasped its nature.
While the curious gazes continued—
[……Wait, isn't this weird?]
It was Darkness-Eating Sword who broke the silence.
[What do you mean?]
[Didn't they say this territory is ruled by Star Eater?]
[That is correct.]
[Then, how can there be a human with a different faith inside his domain?]
He could not understand it.
With Darkness-Eating Sword's doubt becoming deeper, the Divine Bloods also started to sense the strangeness.
[If this place is Star Eater's territory, then no human insect wielding another kind of faith should be born, right?]
[Not a bad deduction.]
[What is happening here?]
The murmuring lasted only an instant.
[Wait.]
The Divine Blood who, since their arrival in Divine Land, hadn't uttered a single word and only watched the giant sword, opened his mouth. All eyes turned to him.
He didn't even pay attention to being watched, and kept his calm.
Only concentrating on something, using those grotesquely elongated ears.
And then his eyes snapped open.
[……Really…?]
A murmur of disbelief escaped his lips.
The other Divine Bloods were bewildered.
[What are you hearing?]
When Darkness-Eating Sword asked, the Divine Blood shrank his gigantic ears to their normal size and said:
[It seems humans were able to start wielding faith thanks to Star Eater.]
He dropped such a declaration.
[What?]
[Is that true?]
The others started asking one after another.
[I cannot assure if it is true or not. But what I did hear clearly was that the human who awakened that faith said he could use it thanks to a power granted by Star Eater. And—]
The Divine Blood who had spied on the conversation took a deep breath and continued:
[—if we assume his words are true… that is, if Star Eater can allow humans to use a faith they didn't originally possess… then he could also grant divine power.]
It was a deduction completely opposite to what everyone expected.
But no one could refute it.
No, to be exact, there was nothing to refute it with.
They themselves had seen with their own eyes and heard with their own ears:
The existence of a human wielding faith within the territory ruled by Star Eater.
And the testimony of a simple human who claimed he could use power thanks to Star Eater.
That is why—
[…Let's return.]
The Divine Bloods, who had come to check Star Eater's power, decided to obediently go back.
…And all that happened barely five minutes after their arrival in Divine Land.
A month passed since then.
Alon was crossing the desert beyond the border of the Allied United Kingdoms.
An arid, dead land, where absolutely nothing existed. Looking out the carriage window, lost in his thoughts, he—
"Phew—"
—let out a sigh and ran his hand through his hair.
After meeting with Yutia and Karsem a month ago, Alon hadn't stopped researching magic.
To be exact, the research could already be considered finished. The only thing missing was the final demonstration.
But he still didn't have the necessary capacity to demonstrate it.
And that is why he hadn't advanced further.
‘…It's harder than I thought.’
Alon looked to the side.
Penia was still absorbed in research.
Since obtaining the ability to use a Mage's magic a month ago, she dedicated the entire day to the study of that magic, except when helping Alon.
Just as it was said in Psychedelia, she was a genius, and learned Phrases at an impressive speed.
Even faster than Alon, who had started investigating them a month earlier.
Thanks to that, Alon understood a little why so many people envied her.
‘……What is it that I am missing?’
Penia looked at him sideways and adjusted her hair elegantly.
Alon remained immersed in his thoughts.
He already mastered the basic Phrases almost perfectly.
And yet, he still couldn't complete magic with just intention.
While he reflected—
"…There really is nothing here."
It was Evan.
Alon put his thoughts aside for now.
"It seems so."
"Wasn't Nangwon living around this area?"
"I heard his base was around here."
"I wonder how someone can live in a place where there is absolutely nothing."
Alon agreed, although he also remembered the other individual he had to see.
‘Before returning I have to meet with him too.’
The golden dragon, Lainicius.
The person he met when they defeated Rakrakkamur.
Perhaps he could also explain why Blackie could use the power of a Divine Blood.
"…But seriously, how far are we going? It almost looks like we're going to cross into the Empire… Huh?"
Evan suddenly raised his voice.
Alon directed his gaze toward where he was looking— and then he saw it.
"…A tower?"
A tower stood in the distance.
One that didn't exist the last time they were in that desert.
Even with a quick glance, it was huge.
"……I think it's bigger than the Central Magic Tower."
Penia also let out an exclamation of amazement.
At that instant—
Fwip!
The letter fragment that until recently shone in violet shot out toward the tower and disappeared.
"I suppose we have arrived at our destination."
Shortly after—
The carriages of Colony and Rosario, including Alon's, arrived before the tower.
Alon got off and looked up at it, becoming even more surprised.
‘It's huge.’
It wasn't an exaggeration: the tower guided by the violet glow was immense.
Even the Central Magic Tower, which always imposed, seemed small in comparison.
Did it reach the very sky?
That thought crossed his mind without apparent reason.
"You have arrived."
A voice sounded beside him.
The skull mask that had given them the letter appeared next to them.
"I was waiting for you."
It bowed politely toward Alon's group.
"There are still a few days left for the official announcement of the Seeker of the Path, so please stay comfortably."
Saying that it would guide them to their rooms—
Fwip—
The mask divided into three identical copies before their eyes.
"¡…!"
Although surprised by that strange action, the three masks acted as if it were the most normal thing in the world.
"The King of Palantia, follow me this way."
"The guest of honor of Rosario, this way."
"And the King of Colony, here, please."
Without additional explanations, the three masks started walking.
"See you later."
"Yes, brother!"
"Yes, master."
The group said goodbye lightly and separated.
Alon entered the gigantic tower and followed a labyrinthine corridor until reaching a room.
"I will give you a brief explanation while we move."
"…Move?"
Alon repeated, surprised by the mask's words.
"Yes. Actually, someone arrived before you, so I would like to introduce you to them."
"I have no problem, but why?"
"The Seeker of the Path wishes for the contenders to maintain the greatest harmony possible."
Adding that it was for the peace of the continent, the mask moved forward again.
Alon followed it.
After a while—
"It is here."
Inside the room, there was a man sitting.
A man with golden hair so bright it almost dazzled.
"—Hmm?"
The man, who was looking out the window, turned his gaze toward Alon.
"This is the Emperor of the Northern Empire, Contanias."
Alon bowed his head slightly. Although he never played Calipsophobia, he knew who he was thanks to the rumors Evan brought.
‘The Crying Dragon, was it?’
The prince who controlled the guardian of the Northern Empire, the Crying Dragon: Contanias.
While Alon recalled that information, the mask spoke again—
"Lord Contanias, this is—"
"Enough."
He couldn't finish.
Contanias interrupted abruptly.
The emperor looked at him in silence, with an indecipherable expression, and then—
"I am not so magnanimous as to listen to or remember the name of something so inferior."
He spat out those words.
Only then did Alon understand the emotion on his face.
"You should feel grateful just for being able to share this space with me."
It was contempt and mockery.
The capital of the Northern Empire.
Even though four-tenths of the empire had been destroyed by the Divine Bloods, the city enjoyed impressive wealth.
In the center, there was a gigantic palace.
Bigger even than the palace where Emperor Contanias resided.
And that palace was—
"Where is Contanias?"
"T-The Emperor is out at this moment."
—under the control of a woman.
A woman with a huge black dragon tail, clear proof that she was not a simple human.
"Tell him to come quickly. I have a task for him."
"I-It's just that at this moment that is a little—"
"Oh, really? Then I suppose I can leave now, right?"
"N-No! Please! Please, stay, Lady Arculainisis!"
"Then bring him as fast as possible."
"I need to ask him something."
She murmured in a low voice, with red eyes marked by dried tear streaks and deep dark circles.
While she stroked a piece of a coat she kept in her hands.
