Chapter 545

[Is it truly so?]

Akasha was startled.

[Nothing comes to mind for me…….]

“That’s the same for me. I still can’t remember who I was before, or what I was. But… I remembered where it is.”

Arilnan smiled in satisfaction.

“It is all thanks to you, Akasha. As expected of my apostle. No… I suppose I should say my former apostle now.”

[I’m sorry.]

“There’s no need to apologize. This is all due to my own failings.”

Arilnan didn’t seem to care.

Right now, she was delighted. Truly.

“Just confirming that what I lost is there is enough to satisfy me.”

“Where is it?”

Arilnan said it was in the Usurper’s treasure chest.

Then where was that treasure chest?

Arilnan answered.

“The Usurper’s treasure chest. Everything of mine remains there. Not only mine—everything stolen by the Usurper is gathered there.”

“…Really?”

Taesan was shocked.

If what Arilnan said was true, it meant she had identified the place where everything the Usurper had stolen was collected.

“This is something even the Usurper didn’t foresee.”

Arilnan said, amused.

“Any being usurped by that one loses everything. Their very existence is erased from this universe. But I was not.”

Arilnan had indeed been forgotten by everyone.

Yet her apostle, having lost herself, remained in the Labyrinth. How that was possible—why Akasha had remained in the Labyrinth—neither the Magician nor Arilnan knew.

But Akasha had remained in the Labyrinth and appeared before Taesan.

And Taesan had defeated Akasha, used her materials to make a ring, and revived Akasha.

And as he continuously let power dwell within Akasha, Akasha recalled Arilnan.

That was how Arilnan could show herself to the world again. A miracle born from countless coincidences overlapping.

“I can finally shove it to that damned thing. What a delightful day.”

Taesan looked at the Magician.

“Do the Transcenders know too?”

“We found out this time. It’s surprising, but… it’s good. It means we can land a blow from our side.”

The Magician looked quite pleased as well.

“Until now, whenever we fought the Old gods, we were always the ones being attacked first.”

It couldn’t be helped. The Old gods couldn’t be killed, and they were finite beings. And they were the victors. They had no choice but to defend.

But now, there was a chance to strike first. The Magician was genuinely delighted.

“We don’t know how much the Usurper has stolen, but if Arilnan’s case is any indication, it won’t be little. If we can destroy all of it, it’s a great opportunity. It means we can reduce one of their cards before the war even begins.”

From Taesan’s perspective, it wasn’t bad either. To stick it to the Usurper. That was good.

And a memory flashed through Taesan’s mind.

In the past, when he still hadn’t become solitary as the Usurper.

He had once dreamed a dream.

In that dream, every noble concept and material in the world lay strewn about like trash.

And a single twisted being stood guard there.

That place might have been the Usurper’s treasure chest. If his dream was real, then Arilnan’s words were correct.

But there was one problem.

“So where is this treasure chest?”

The Magician and Arilnan fell silent at the same time.

Seeing their reaction, one possibility formed in Taesan’s mind.

“Don’t tell me.”

“Just like you think. There’s no way an Old god’s treasure chest would be in this world.”

The Magician gave a bitter smile.

“The realm of the exiled Old gods. The Usurper’s treasure chest is there.”

—

The gods had won the war.

The losers were the Old gods. They were driven out of this universe and sealed beyond the far side.

And inside there was the Usurper’s treasure chest.

After a brief silence, Taesan asked,

“Are you sure it’s even possible to go in?”

“It’s… ambiguous.”

The Magician couldn’t answer definitively.

“That place is unknown even to us.”

The Transcenders had exiled the Old gods beyond the far side.

And they had not intervened again.

There was no need to enter the prison where all the universe’s evils were locked away. It was enough to catch the occasional escapee and deal with them.

That was why even they didn’t know what lay beyond, where the Old gods had been exiled.

“Then isn’t this a pointless story? You can’t even cross over.”

“Right. That side isn’t this world. There’s a high chance the universe’s concepts won’t apply. Transcenders can’t cross over.”

“Then…”

Taesan cut himself off.

The Magician and Arilnan were looking at Taesan.

Taesan frowned.

“Don’t tell me.”

“There is only one being in this world who can cross beyond.”

Arilnan murmured.

Taesan let out a hollow laugh.

“You’re telling me to go over there?”

“I’m not telling you to. Just that you’re the only one who can.”

The Magician spoke in an ambiguous tone.

“In the end, you’re the only one in this world who’s free even in an Old god’s realm.”

The Usurper’s treasure chest was in an Old god’s realm.

And the only one who could cross was Taesan.

It was simple elimination. It wasn’t wrong.

“You really don’t know what’s over there at all?”

“Nothing.”

The Magician shook his head.

“But we do know about the past.”

“The past?”

“We won the war against the Old gods and exiled them. We gained ownership of the universe. What do you think that means?”

“…So this world originally also contained the Old gods’ realm?”

“Correct.”

The Magician affirmed.

“You saw the old Demon God’s realm too, didn’t you?”

“I did. It was weak to the point of being meaningless.”

“Think of it as an expanded version of that. It was horrific and alien. A place where beings of this world couldn’t set foot. When we won, we exiled their realm together with them to the far side, and made the present universe.”

What existed beyond was an Old god’s realm that had once existed in this world.

“We remember it, but… it’s been too long. We can’t be sure how much it’s changed now.”

“And it won’t be only the Old gods there. There will be plenty of broken beings born from them as well. And among them, there will be those with proper intellect—ones you can speak to.”

“Like the traitors?”

“Similar, but different. The traitors were beings of this world who chose their side. But those are beings born from the Old gods in the first place. Their nature is different.”

What lay beyond.

And what kind of world it was.

It was unknown. The Magician spoke as if making excuses.

“I’m not bringing this up with no chance. In fact, the odds are good. Even if you cross into that world, the Old gods won’t be able to target you.”

“Why?”

“They’re busy too.”

The Magician flicked a finger lightly. Space skipped, and the view expanded.

Beyond space, there was the barrier separating the Old gods’ world and this one.

Cracks were spreading through that barrier, gaps showing.

It looked like it might shatter at any moment, unstable—yet it was holding. Because countless Transcenders were manifesting concepts to defend it.

“The Usurper and the Fallen god messed with the barrier, but it won’t break that easily. If the Transcenders hold, the Old gods have to pound on it with everything they’ve got.”

“This chance is their opportunity to trample the universe again, so they’ll be going all-out. They won’t have room to worry about the inside.”

“With your Boundary, can’t you hide your body?”

Taesan nodded.

He knew one thing now.

If he wrapped himself in Boundary and truly meant to conceal himself, he could hide even from Old gods.

If the other side already recognized Taesan, or if they got within a certain distance, it would be difficult—but otherwise, it would work.

Simply stepping into the far side wouldn’t let them notice him.

“I see why you suggested it.”

Taesan muttered. While the Old gods were focused on breaking the barrier, he would enter the far side and smash the Usurper’s treasure chest.

It was reasonable.

But in the end, no one knew what lay beyond. The one taking on the risk was Taesan. The Magician knew that too, and spoke calmly.

“This isn’t an order or a trial. It’s a proposal.”

In the first place, they couldn’t order Taesan anymore. He was effectively an equal existence. They had to deal with him through exchange, not trials.

“If you don’t accept, the 96th floor’s quest will change to something else.”

“I won’t insist either. It’s a shame, but this won’t be the last chance. We’ll fight them anyway. Opportunities will come.”

It was a world where concepts might not apply. Even the Magician and Arilnan couldn’t help.

They assumed Taesan would likely refuse.

“Fine.”

But Taesan accepted immediately.

It was so unexpected that surprise rose on the Magician’s face.

“Really?”

“Didn’t you propose it because you wanted me to accept?”

“No, that’s true, but… the risk is too big.”

“It’s a risk I’ll have to bear someday anyway. The barrier will break eventually.”

In the end, it was only a matter of time. The barrier would break, and the Old gods would reveal themselves to the world.

The Usurper would be among them.

And the Usurper was aiming for Taesan.

It wasn’t simple killing intent or curiosity. It was clear greed—wanting to devour Taesan and make him its own.

“Then like you said, now is the chance.”

While the Old gods had no room to spare, he would gnaw away at the Usurper’s power. It was the right answer.

But that was the story from an outsider’s view.

For the person involved, it was an outrageous burden.

Cross into an unknown Old god’s realm, then enter the Usurper’s treasure chest whose location he didn’t even know. There was no guarantee he could return.

But Taesan felt nothing in particular.

“I have to do it anyway.”

While their attention was elsewhere, he would clean up the Usurper’s treasure chest. It was the right answer. Then Taesan would simply do it.

“Why are you surprised now? I’ve always been like this.”

Taesan found it stranger that the Magician was surprised. He could understand Arilnan not knowing him well, but not the Magician. The Magician should know Taesan had reached this point by doing exactly this sort of thing.

“That’s… true.”

Taesan wasn’t someone who calculated possibilities and then acted.

But Taesan had now reached a solitary, complete realm.

To other Transcenders, that was a kind of destination. They no longer needed to challenge or take on risks. That was why so many Transcenders stopped taking on new challenges after reaching their realm.

But Taesan wasn’t like them.

For him, reaching this realm meant nothing.

He was still himself.

So he would simply do what he, as himself, had to do.

“That’s right.”

The Magician let out a hollow laugh.

It really was right. Most of them had reached their destination and, in doing so, forgotten themselves.

‘You make me remember myself again.’

The Magician thought to himself. His eyes grew serious.

“Alright. Then you’re accepting.”

Taesan nodded. Arilnan let out a bitter laugh.

“This… makes me feel sorry. The current me has nothing fitting to give you.”

“It doesn’t matter. I’m doing this for myself too.”

“No. Even so, a Transcender must repay what is owed.”

Arilnan raised her hand with a solemn expression.

“I, as a goddess who lost herself, declare this. If you reclaim what is mine, I will give you what is mine.”

A declaration sworn on a name by one who had lost her name. The moment she regained her name, that declaration would carry absolute binding force.

The Magician clapped loudly.

“Then let’s prepare right away. To cross into the Old gods’ realm—unknown to all.”