Chapter 279 : Chapter 279

Chapter 279

In ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍the past, Killian had confronted the Gods personally and experienced the limits of a mortal.

The ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Gods transcended ordinary physical laws and magic. They were opponents who could never be defeated through strength alone.

After ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍being sealed inside a sword, he thought.

When ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍he faced the Gods again.

As ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍a sword, he needed the power to cut them down.

And ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍so, he created it.

A single strike capable of cutting down even the Gods.

A divinity-destroying sword art that allowed a mortal’s power to cut a transcendent God.

‘Palantir.’

One could imitate it upon reaching 9-Star. Once stabilized, it could wound inferior Gods, and once mastered, even superior Gods.

As a sword, Adamas could do nothing on his own.

That was why the partner who wielded him in his stead was so important.

But 9-Star was a realm that even countless heroes had failed to enter.

‘Edan was the only one who became capable of using Palantir.’

Edan used Palantir twice.

Once to cut down the Monster Lord before his battle against the Anomaly.

And once to cut down the transcendent being known as the Anomaly.

‘This is different from when I faced Neptune.’

Back then, Charles’s help had allowed him to reach 9-Star temporarily.

He had been able to cut Neptune down only because Neptune was not in a complete state either.

Now, he used the opening created by the collision between Hazard’s breath and the three Carpe Illusions.

The technique was incomplete.

But so was Isaac Heinrich.

CRACK—!

The Dark Dragon split apart.

Mana seeped into the widening gap.

CRACKLE—!

The dragon bones and scales comprising the Dark Dragon shattered.

Next, Isaac’s black sword broke. It had been crafted by the Empire’s finest master artisan and elevated to the ranks of renowned swords after enduring both Mana and Evil Energy.

The sword was not the only thing severed. Isaac’s body had been bisected from the shoulder holding the black sword down through his lower body.

“……!!”

Isaac looked flustered.

Normally, his body should have regenerated as though time itself had reversed.

He should already have finished regenerating within that fleeting instant and unleashed his next attack upon Killian Eurasia.

But he did not regenerate.

The fleeting instant passed, followed by one second.

Several more seconds passed.

Thump.

The halves of Isaac’s body collapsed to the floor.

His gaze turned toward the sky.

Only then did he understand.

Why the Magic God Stone had not activated.

The severed moon was falling.

Carpe Illusion, Luna Maria.

It was the power Isaac gained upon becoming a transcendent, after casting himself aside and accepting the Magic God Stone completely.

The White Duke had told him as much.

“You will lose to no one but His Majesty the Emperor. The moon created with the Magic God Stone as its source will never permit Your Highness to die.”

He had added that this was the very power of one who had entered transcendence.

Isaac had completely accepted the culmination of centuries of research by the White Magic Tower and the Black Magic Tower.

Then why?

‘How did this happen?’

He stared at the falling moon, unable to understand.

Two possible reasons came to mind.

The first was Serena Constantine, who had entered his Mind Image World.

The second was the single sword stroke Killian Eurasia had unleashed moments ago.

He had never considered how transcendence might be defeated.

‘Could it be…… both……?’

CRACK—!

“……!!”

Killian’s sword pierced Isaac’s heart.

“I told you. It’s too soon for you to speak of the Presence of Transcendence.”

“Ghk…….”

“Even if you reach it that way, maintaining the Presence is another matter. I doubt that bastard failed to realize it.”

Isaac knew the bastard in question was the White Duke.

“What are you……?”

“I’m saying you were incomplete.”

He had been incomplete?

Impossible.

“This is transcendence itself…….”

“Well, thanks to you.”

Killian had realized that he had been unconsciously relying upon Divine Power.

“I also realized once again just how incomplete I am.”

Fwoosh.

Blue Flame ignited.

“I am!”

Isaac shouted, his face twisted with pain.

“I am the Moon of the Empire!!”

An ordinary Superhuman would already have died.

“I am the one who will become the Sun of the Empire!!”

“I will not pray for your repose.”

“The Empire will……!!”

You……!!

I will become the Sun…….

Isaac continued shouting bitter words for several more minutes before he finally ceased to exist.

“What was so damned important about the Sun?”

Killian looked around.

The space had been devastated.

Nothing remained of the training ground it had once been.

‘It feels like I’ve been swinging my sword for at least a month.’

It was probably more than a mere feeling.

Two dragons had tangled in battle, while two knights nearing 9-Star had clashed at full power and even wielded the power of transcendents.

It was no surprise that the flow of time had become tangled.

Then.

Thump.

Serena, who had been protected by Wigdrazil’s green Mana, collapsed.

“Has she reached her limit?”

Even with Silvana’s help, she must have fought beyond her limits.

Killian checked the two Aethers lying on the ground.

Then he took two Recovery Potions from inside his clothes and quickly drank one.

He had been unable to find an opening to drink it during his battle against Isaac.

He began pouring the other bottle into Serena’s mouth.

[Whine…….]

Hazard cried that he was exhausted.

“All right. You drink some too.”

Killian fed half the bottle to Hazard and returned him to the pendant.

He would have liked to place Serena inside as well, but only swords and Hazard could enter the pendant.

‘Should I ask Charles to modify it?’

Killian placed both Aethers inside, then lifted Serena onto his back.

“I can only hope she arrived in time.”

He wrapped Mana around the hand holding Anima.

He was preparing to cut through the door.

But then.

[Killian Eurasia.]

A voice came from somewhere.

An instant later, he realized it came from overhead.

“……!!”

Where the moon had hung moments ago, there was now a Sun.

Fwoooosh.

The Sun radiated light.

‘Helios……?’

Helios, the Sun God.

A God widely known among Humans, even among the superior Gods.

‘No, this is…….’

Regaining his composure, Killian stared at the Sun.

“Krusty Heinrich.”

‘This is bad.’

He had drunk a Recovery Potion, but he still could not fight at full strength.

Moreover, unlike Isaac, the Emperor was suspected of being a complete 9-Star.

Sure enough.

Ruuuumble.

Haki poured from the Sun.

Its effect resembled Total Solar Eclipse.

[That is not enough.]

“…….”

[Nevertheless, you have ripened nicely.]

“……!!”

The Sun descended with those covetous words.

Just as Killian tried to deploy Carpe Illusion once more.

Shff.

The Sun’s descent stopped with the appearance of a woman.

“You would cross the Boundary as you please.”

[Lan de Styx.]

“A Human has imitated a God. He will pay the price.”

Fwoooosh.

The Holy Object hanging around Lan’s neck responded.

[I shall look forward to it, another Human blessed by fate.]

“What a load of bullshit.”

Her Divine Power intensified beyond anything it had shown before.

Then.

“Disappear.”

Whoosh.

The Sun vanished without a trace when her Divine Power touched it.

“Lan.”

“Killian Eurasia, now you address me by name without the slightest hesitation.”

Her tone was much gentler than before.

“You look wretched.”

“What happened?”

“The situation is poor.”

She explained that imperial forces had surrounded the area. The Holy Knight Orders were holding them off, but they could not do so for long.

“Did you secure the evidence?”

When drawing Lan into his plan, he had told her he had discovered traces of research the Empire would find difficult to deny.

“Yes. I confirmed that heretical experiments using the Gods’ Authorities were conducted here.”

She scanned their surroundings.

Seeing that it was difficult to recognize any of the original traces, she clicked her tongue.

“Even the Empire will have difficulty denying it. But it seems the most important witness, Isaac Heinrich, is dead.”

He was the current Emperor’s brother and a duke of the Empire.

She meant that it would have been much easier if they had captured him and used him to prove the heresy.

“Not everything can be easy.”

“Do not trade quips with me.”

Lan swept a hand through the air.

Hummm—

Divine Power interacted with the ring she wore and created an oval door.

“It is a temporary Warp Gate. The Temple of Trade is closest, so that should be where it leads.”

‘Did she use the Authority of Boundary?’

Even so, creating a temporary Warp Gate was extraordinary. It drove home once again that she truly was the Saintess.

“There may be 8-Star fighters among the Superhumans the Empire dispatched.”

“Three additional Holy Knight Orders have been deployed. Surely you do not intend to claim that you, half-dead as you are, would be more useful than them?”

“What a clumsy way of saying you’re worried and want me to leave quickly.”

“That damned tongue of yours…….”

“Thank you for your help.”

With those words, Killian crossed the gate.

“Nothing but a sharp tongue.”

As she looked around the devastated training ground.

SLASH.

The door serving as the entrance was cut apart, and a man entered.

“He has left.”

“Sir Gasli.”

“Saintess, what will you do?”

She spoke on the Pope’s behalf.

She had already made up her mind.

“Exterminate every imperial knight who pursues him.”

“Then this is war.”

A smile touched Gasli’s lips.

***

The northern Frontier.

Whoooooosh—

A man walked near the Boundary amid a raging blizzard.

Suddenly, he stopped.

The White Duke realized that Isaac was dead.

“He died sooner than expected.”

That also meant Killian Eurasia had reached 9-Star.

“Consumed by pointless vengeance, only to end like this…….”

Isaac had been a test subject the Black Duke had crafted with painstaking care.

Even over an entire lifetime, one could count the number of subjects like him on one hand.

The White Duke had contacted the White Magic Tower and dispatched mages and knights, but the Holy Nation’s reinforcements would arrive first.

They could use Warp Gates at any time through the temples spread across the Continent.

He knew the Holy Nation had been watching the Empire.

Their connection to the Gods had been severed long ago. Moreover, when Krusty Heinrich was still a prince, he had once conspired with the king of the Holy Nation to plot a rebellion.

The Holy Nation suspected the Empire had been behind it.

“One cannot say it was completely unrelated.”

The Magic God Stone had been created through research into the Fragments of the Gods and the Curse of the Anomaly.

Its power had granted them abilities akin to Authorities.

In fact, the Emperor had obtained his current power by using the Formula of Reincarnation twice.

Isaac had been a spare prepared for the Emperor’s next reincarnation.

For that purpose, they needed to make him into at least a minimally acceptable vessel.

That was why they fused him with the Magic God Stone and let him taste the realm of an incomplete 9-Star.

To motivate him, they told him the Moon could become the Sun at any time.

The White Duke expected him to focus on stabilizing his power for the time being, but Isaac appeared to have been far more obsessed with Killian Eurasia than expected.

That much was clear from how fiercely he had reacted to a single rat entering his estate.

“Killian Eurasia must also be the one who moved the Holy See.”

Of Eurasia’s next generation, the White Duke had been watching only Demian Eurasia and Paian Eurasia.

But there was also Charles Cornelia’s awakening, the resurrection of the Mixed Dragon, and the incidents at the Holy See and Elvenheim.

And every other major war and battle.

‘It is truly strange.’

“And to think such a man would come here merely to save one rat.”

Even though he understood better than anyone what entering the estate meant.

If the Holy Nation, which had presented itself as neutral, was now acting this aggressively, it also meant they were preparing for war.

He could wait and see what consequences that would produce.

For now, it was time to focus on his own task.

The Barrier stood before him.

“God Murus.”

The superior God who had continuously prevented influence from crossing the Boundary.

Like the other Gods, the Barrier had weakened over the long years.

But for all the God’s present state, he remained a superior God. Unlike his worthless followers, the power guarding the Boundary was formidable enough to make approaching it difficult.

That was why the White Duke had enticed people like Colin into extracting the curses little by little.

Then, some time ago.

He detected a problem with the Barrier.

That also meant something had happened to Killian Eurasia, the Apostle of the God of the Barrier.

“You defeated Isaac in that state? The blessing of fate can be cruelly ironic.”

Tap.

The White Duke placed his hand against the Barrier, which possessed less than twenty percent of its former power.

Crackle.

Cracks spread across the Barrier.

Whoooooosh—

Wind blew through the cracks.

It was hot enough to make him sweat despite the raging blizzard.

Whooooosh— Whoooooosh—

WHOOOOOOSH—

The wind blew several times.

A smile formed on the White Duke’s face.

Dozens of curses had just escaped through the Barrier.

“The world will be overturned once more.”

An inexplicable tribulation.

The king of monsters, crouched in the mountains as he waited for an opportunity.

Kingdoms dreaming of independence as they prepared for war.

All of them would mingle and spill blood.

“And lead us to transcendence.”

With that vow addressed to no one.

Shff.

The White Duke concealed himself again.