Chapter 135: Evolution (1)
"Nothing but barren wastelands."
Whoosh!
Near the Empire's borders. A sandstorm swept across the desolate wasteland resembling a conflict zone. The air was thick with dusty haze, and rough stone fragnts scraped against the skin. The acrid sll of sand dust naturally caused one to frown.
"Huh. The scenery is quite nice."
Three n walked through the middle of this wasteland. Despite the harsh environnt, all three bore smiles on their faces. Most noticeably cheerful among them was Janson.
"Boss, it's been a while since the three of us ca out like this, hasn't it?"
Janson's rough face was hidden behind a silver helt engraved with gold patterns, and matching armor adorned his entire body. Though fully covered, everyone could tell he was in high spirits.
'That stoic fellow speaking so excitedly is a first.'
Erik glanced at Janson briefly. The eyes visible through the helt's gaps sparkled with excitent.
"Boss, what exactly did Thomas do that we're going all the way to the Papal See?"
His enthusiasm even prompted a question.
"I'm curious too. They said we'd crush the black mage group's lackeys, but why suddenly go to the Papal See?"
"Besides, didn't you say that Thomas fellow had nothing but a heart?"
Erik gave his two eager subordinates a brief answer.
"Thomas is a core mber of the black mage group and the one who drove the representative Makia insane."
To strike at enemies, one needs to find the one you know best. That was Erik's reasoning for setting the Papal See as his destination.
'Using teleportation would be instant, but...'
Erik deliberately wanted to walk through this desolate land. The reason being—
'I need to check on the old man too.'
A being that swallows whole the mighty river surrounding the Empire. It was to verify the condition of the old man who had been given the na Gluttony.
"That one maintained his sanity."
Though his master had confird it, Erik preferred to see it himself. As he walked through the wasteland with such thoughts, Du-sik spoke up with a good idea.
"What if we just destroy that heart?"
"Suddenly?"
When Erik asked, Du-sik grinned.
"Well, isn't it more comfortable to just kill him without interrogation and such, given your personality, hyung?"
"That's true, but if you destroy that, he'll just resurrect."
Erik recounted Makia's case.
"Even after his heart was pierced by a holy spear, he resurrected imdiately."
"Boss, aren't black mages supposed to die if their hearts are destroyed?" "The world has changed now."
Erik regarded the changed world seriously. Possessors gained bodies to evade sacred power, and black mages returned to their sponsors' hands even with shattered hearts.
"It's like you using sacred power yourself, sir."
Janson also contributed to that change. His true form was a master of auras who had reached Sword Master, and his status showed a tertiary class [Guardian Knight]. Moreover, a [Heretic Inquisitor] position from the sacred lineage had been added.
"In a way, it seems you're causing the greatest change, Boss."
"That's a good change for ."
During their conversation, Erik stopped in his tracks. A black river flowed toward the Empire's Rofen River. And at the end of that river—
Guhihihihi!
Sothing massive appeared. It resembled a mountain. But the voice was very familiar.
"Huh... Boss, is that really the old man?"
"That's Gluttony, the one I ntioned about before."
Amidst talk of world changes and complicated matters, Du-sik caught sothing he could understand.
"Geez, that thing sure eats well!"
Gluttony. Du-sik knew well that this was an authority that devoured voraciously.
"Brother, doesn't that guy seem bigger than before?"
Du-sik had also seen the hell Lucifer created.
"It would only get bigger. I heard it even properly maintains its sense of self now."
Erik took a long stride toward the old man's side.
Kyaaaahhh!!!
Monsters flowing from the Labyrinth through the river tore at the old man. But the old man ate them too.
"I can't call him 'old man' anymore now."
Erik gazed at Gluttony. Then a resounding laughter echoed across the area.
Guhihihihi!
Boss, don't just watch—help out a bit!
At those words, Erik brought his hand down. Then a massive golden sphere appeared, cutting through the high sky.
Kwaaaang!!
The golden sphere struck the surface of the Styx River, and the shockwave burned away the monsters filling the water. And—
Gkraaaaahhh!!!
Gluttony shrieked. Erik tilted his head.
'Gluttony, who regained his authority, suffers rely from the aftermath of sacred power?'
When black mages manifested their authorities, they gained resistance to sacred power. So could wield their authority to erase sacred power like those seen in the Great Chasm, and others like Lucifer showed overwhelming resistance by adopting the concept of a Fallen Angel.
'The fact that they resist at all remains a weakness.'
Of course, strength was still strength, and stronger power rely overwheld it. After all, even that Lucifer fell to Riferoze's blade, didn't he?
"Old man, or rather, Gluttony. You seem to have gotten much stronger."
Why would Gluttony, who gained a na and grew stronger, suffer from a re 100 million Gold skill?
"Guhihi, Boss, you've beco even more monstrous."
Erik's sacred power had beco denser and more concentrated.
"Well, sothing like that happened."
Erik briefly inford him of his situation. Then he asked about Gluttony's changes.
"Purify by eating! Guhihi! It's a crazy idea, but it was incredibly effective!!!"
The Styx River. The [field effect] created by the black mage group's representative was being eaten, making him stronger. And consuming monsters flowing through the river, he was advancing by leaps and bounds thanks to the power of Gluttony.
"Is that all?"
"How could it be?"
Gluttony. An authority of the Seven Deadly Sins that absorbs the power of what it consus and grows stronger the more it eats.
"Guhihihi, I've co to understand a bit about that crazy woman who created this river."
***
After finishing their conversation and heading toward the Papal See. Three n walked across the distant canyon of the conflict zone. Originally, Erik intended to perform the Miracle of Teleportation after confirming the old man, but so interference prevented it. It was a situation to be frustrated about, yet Erik's face was bright.
"It was fun talking after a long ti. I never thought that would co from his mouth—Greek mythology and all that."
Erik felt great interest in the ntion of Greek mythology from a local.
"I never thought he'd manifest as Hades, the king of the underworld... Boss, isn't Makia a woman? Hades is male."
Janson, a 45-year veteran possessor, spoke at length, seemingly feeling nostalgia.
"Janson, that's a question Nishida Ryo would ask. Is that important right now?"
Erik recalled the existence of 'Kim Su-ho,' but didn't voice it aloud. Instead, he ntioned the similar Nishida Ryo.
"It's not particularly important, but it's still curious, isn't it?" "She probably is."
Erik was 100% certain. The basis for this was [Field Boss - Makia] from the ga. Even with a massive spider's body, Makia maintained the form of a beautiful woman in the upper half.
"Even transford into a spider, she had a woman's body. If she manifested as a humanoid Hades, her gender wouldn't change."
He added one more comnt.
"An incomplete manifestation is more dangerous."
Erik spoke of Lucifer's inverse, the Seven Deadly Sins.
"According to Nishida Ryo, when the head of the Seven Deadly Sins, Pride, is called Lucifer, Gluttony's na becos Beelzebub."
"Isn't the old man Gluttony?"
"Right. But apparently Gluttony is a more familiar na. Sothing about being famous from the Fulltal Alchemist?"
It was a famous ani Erik had also heard of.
"Ah, I know that one."
"What matters more than nas is sothing else."
In other words, even if it contradicts the manifestation's concept, if one has clear standards for oneself, that power can be applied freely.
"In short, as long as one maintains identity, that's enough."
Now that he roughly understood the situation, it was ti to talk about Hades, but—
'I can't rember anything except reading Greek and Roman mythology as a child.'
Like Zeus being a womanizer. Aphrodite being pretty. There was so blacksmith and giants too, it seed. The detailed parts simply didn't co to mind.
"Boss, the king of the underworld Hades kept a pet."
"Oh, Cerberus."
The two offered their own guesses. It was just conversation between a 15-year and 45-year veteran possessor, so there wasn't much progress.
"I think that river grants immortality if you bathe in it... It seems related to the Achilles tendon origin too—"
"Janson, if we just kill it, that's it."
Since it seed like they'd just waste ti, Erik planned to delegate investigation to the possessors he knew well. As he was operating the [Guild Chat], a question ca.
"You said you'd kill it, so why investigate?"
"Du-sik, doesn't Hades have equipnt too?"
Zeus had lightning. Poseidon had a trident. He rembered that much.
"So it's good to know about equipnt at least."
With about 300 gathered, a plausible answer should co out.
[Erik: Ruelle, could you gather the possessors and research Hades for ?]
Erik sent a ssage specifying Ruel's smartphone—Cha Ye-rin. Then ca the response.
—Ding!
[Kang Min-ah: I shall personally investigate.]
A reply ca not from Cha Ye-rin, but from Riferoze's smartphone. In other words, all ssages were being censored by his master.
'Without , it's like she declared martial law.'
Strict censorship and controlled environnt. From the mont the master took initiative, it was already expected. It was unavoidable. Instead of being surprised, Erik smiled warmly.
'At least she's using it well?'
That was because he found it heartwarming how his master was becoming familiar with Earth-style technology. However, Du-sik watching this had an incomprehending expression.
"Why?"
"Brother, give one too."
Du-sik was clearly a believer with absolute faith, but hadn't been invited to the [Guild] system. The locals were beyond help.
'Erica is another matter, but—'
Thinking so, Erik pointed to Janson.
"Du-sik, Janson's here, so ask Janson to do it, why don't you?"
"Huh—"
Du-sik scratched the back of his head nervously and lowered his head shyly.
"Well, if I'm communicating with my woman, Janson can't know about that, can he?"
"Hoho—"
Erik looked at Du-sik with admiration. He'd thought they only exchanged tattoo sessions, but it seed he was conducting a proper love business. Du-sik's face flushed slightly.
"I'll create two units for you—one for you and one for the princess."
Having confird that Gluttony, the Glutton, maintained sanity. The twins could also be given freedom.
'I'll embed one of them in the imperial palace at this opportunity.'
It would be good stimulation for the lazy pair. When they finished this conversation, an unfamiliar landscape appeared before them.
"Tsk, the Papal See is a complete punching bag. Every ti we co, it's funny how it's getting beaten up by sothing."
The Papal See under attack by black mages. Below the cliff was full of monsters, and a massive black cube surrounded the Papal See. This was the [Isolation] spell perford by black mages.
"Du-sik, that's why the Papal See was built here."
Erik imbued divine power into his eyes. It was an awe-inspiring force. This allowed him to pierce through the isolation spell and see the interior of the Papal See clearly.
The figure of the Paladins fighting a massive monster was distinct. Yet that monster took no damage even from the attacks of Holy War Knight Commander Julius.
'Why is a monster that only appears beyond floor 40—'
Erik tilted his head seeing a monster that shouldn't exist at this point.
'They're suffering because they don't know how to clear it.'
The Paladins fought with passion, but rely managed to block the monster's attacks.
'It's a monster unknown at this point, so it can't be helped.'
It was a monster that took no damage unless its weak point was attacked.
[Drake]
Erik realized the seriousness of the situation.
"Boss, what do you see?"
However, the other two couldn't see what Erik saw. Erik briefly explained the situation to them.
"We need to pierce the isolation and tell them the weak point..."
Janson swallowed hard. The area was full of monsters surrounding the Papal See, and plenty of black mages had ford the [Isolation]. However, Erik was resolute. He simply smiled as usual.
"I can see a Slayer over there."
Erik's eyes fixed on Luke standing before the Papal See's main gate.
"It's a bit early, but I'll show you the raid system."
Erik spoke of the [Raid], ard with solemnity and subli spirit, following the [Guild] connected by great covenants. Even in crisis from the attack on the Papal See, he conveyed its weight.
"The raid covenant is not to be broken under any circumstances."
Of course, there were exceptional circumstances. Like the death of one's father. Or the death of one's mother.
"Seriously, you can only leave if your parents die? Even the imperial military in warti doesn't do that."
"It's a covenant with blood-sworn guild mbers. Without such serious circumstances, it cannot be forgiven."
Erik left a firm word and pressed [Raid Composition]. Normally only guild mbers could be invited, but since the 25-person schedule wasn't always aligned, there was a separate [Temporary Invitation] column. Erik intended to use it to invite the Slayer Luke.
Whoosh!
[Guild mbers] Janson Jang Du-sik
[Temporary Invitation] Luke
"Hm?"
Erik looked at Du-sik. Why did he appear here?
"Du-sik, what are you?"
"Well, I'm here, aren't I? What do you an 'what'?"
Du-sik blinked his eyes. Erik manipulated his status window and invited all three. Thus, the continent's first [Raid] was created. Erik pressed the headset button that appeared in his status window. Then,
-Can you hear ? -Oh, boss, you have sothing like this too?
The basic function of a raid is [Team Voice]. There were other minor advantages, and additionally there were raid-exclusive items that could be used—
-Janson, this function didn't exist when you possessed. -Tsk, boss, you're amazing. Implenting telepathy like this!
For now, the [Team Voice] function alone was more than sufficient. A system where only guild mbers could hear each other's conversation. Usually one would use external voice chat apps, but Continental Online completely blocked this to prevent illegal programs used by Chinese users.
-This is what was created instead.
However, Du-sik seed not yet adapted.
"Um... Well. Ah. Brother? Why is this coming out as voice...?"
Erik and Janson pressed [Team Voice] shown in their status windows to converse, but Du-sik had no status window, so it was natural.
"Du-sik, try speaking with your thoughts."
Erik offered advice with his own guess. Then ca the reply.
-Really, it was this? -Tsk, Du-sik brother also joined the raid, huh. -I should get a taste of that amazing raid too.
Then Erik called the two. He put his finger to his lips and gestured to be quiet.
[Luke has been added as a temporary raid mber.]
An important ssage appeared.
-Wait, I already said it with telepathy so it's quiet, so what more—
Then ca a voice.
-Wh, who are you, sir?
It was the Slayer Luke inside the [Isolation] spell. Erik sighed in relief.
'I thought I'd die from frustration.'
Even monsters from higher floors were rely common mobs. Erik was frustrated to the point of madness seeing such powerful Paladins struggling with re common mobs. So he fired off words like machine gun fire.
-That big one dies by bursting the red dot on its shell. Since you're a Blood Knight class, taunt it and draw the aggro.
With a much relieved expression, Erik drew his sword.
"The urgent fire's out, so let's go too."
Erik's gaze turned toward the black mages forming the [Isolation]. His eyes were cold.
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