Chapter 553

“Three, huh.”

This time, he had usurped three authorities at once. Considering that, until now, Soul Rank Ascension could only steal a single authority, it was a visible achievement.

As it turned into Soul Rank Usurpation, it was no longer a matter of simply defeating the opponent and stealing their power. By Taesan’s will, he could devour the opponent itself and make it wholly his.

With the loss reduced so drastically, it seemed he’d managed to usurp three.

“Hoo.”

Taesan caught his breath.

The powers that had been nearly depleted all recovered in the process of usurping the Usurper. Not only that, he reached an even higher level.

‘Even my Divinity is filling up.’

Not just the black, but even Divinity had been usurped.

That meant the Usurper’s fragment possessed Divinity as well. Considering it was a being that usurped the concepts of the universe, having Divinity wasn’t strange.

But the Usurper couldn’t wield Boundary Line.

It wasn’t as if he hadn’t tried. Over long ages, he must have challenged it endlessly. He might have even tried back in the war long ago.

And he would have failed.

“Hm.”

Either way, it wasn’t bad news for Taesan. He had gained powerful forces.

Among them were authorities that could change his future direction itself.

But he didn’t have time to check them at leisure right now.

He came here after receiving a quest.

So he should finish that first.

Taesan placed his hand on the bottom of the treasure chest.

“Come out, and devour it.”

The beast howled.

Boundary Line rose and began to cover the domain.

The domain was vast. No matter how strong Boundary Line was, it couldn’t devour it all at once.

But there was no longer any interference.

Taesan waited calmly as Boundary Line covered the domain.

“It’s a shame, though.”

The countless concepts in here.

Given the special nature of his Soul Rank Usurpation, it wasn’t impossible that he could turn all of it into his own power.

But at least for now, it was impossible.

Because the owner of this treasure chest was still the Usurper himself.

The authority he had stolen with Soul Rank Usurpation belonged only to the fragment. Unless he defeated the Usurper’s true self, ownership of this place remained with the Usurper. He could usurp it temporarily, but he couldn’t make it permanently his.

‘It’s not completely impossible.’

With what he was now, there was a chance.

But too much is as bad as too little. He couldn’t even handle the new power he had just obtained properly yet, so there was no need to force these things into himself.

So he wouldn’t usurp them.

Instead, he would release them.

The Boundary Line that had spread in a creeping wave soon devoured the entire treasure chest. Taesan clenched his fist.

[You have activated Soul Rank Usurpation.]

Kuuuuung!

The treasure chest was the Usurper’s own authority. Permanently usurping it was impossible.

But stealing control temporarily was something he could do as much as he liked.

So, aiming for that momentary gap, he would release everything inside.

“Pierce.”

Following its master’s command, the beast of the Boundary Line howled with delight. The Boundary Line that covered the treasure chest tore at the domain like sharp teeth.

Kugugugung!

The towering authority of an Old God began to waver under Boundary Line.

And it wasn’t long before a hole opened.

Kwagagagagang!

Then countless authorities poured out through that hole. Leaping across time and space, they returned to where they were originally meant to be.

The Usurper’s treasure chest was emptied in an instant.

“Good.”

Taesan smiled. It was a satisfying result.

He pulled at space and stepped out of the treasure chest.

There was no one outside.

Only the same dark world remained.

“Still not coming.”

Then, with his work done, all he had to do was go back. Taesan launched himself forward.

But the direction he took was different from the way he had entered.

Even from this far away, he could feel the lingering traces of power.

The collision of enormous concepts and twisted authorities.

Taesan headed there. Before long, the source of the collision came into view.

The Old Gods were there.

Twisted, broken beings that could shake the universe on their own.

They were hammering at a barrier.

Beyond the barrier, the Transcenders were blocking the Old Gods’ attacks. Both sides were so focused on each other that they couldn’t spare any attention for anything else.

Taesan arrived at the barrier.

“You’re all working hard.”

A small voice rang out.

The Old Gods noticed Taesan’s presence. Their gazes turned toward him.

And with that alone, everything Taesan was could have been trampled.

A crushing gaze so overwhelming that even a Transcender couldn’t endure it without their concept wavering.

But Taesan withstood it without any particular burden.

The Old Gods couldn’t do more than glare. They were exerting their full power to break the barrier.

So Taesan had the leisure to look over the Old Gods one by one.

The Worthless One.

World Slayer.

The monster that walks time.

Old Gods he had fought, and Old Gods he hadn’t.

And among them was one Old God.

The Usurper.

That twisted being was sending Taesan a gaze more intense than any other Old God.

Taesan smiled.

“Next time, let’s fight your true self.”

Wooooong.

The barrier was dyed with Boundary Line and swallowed Taesan.

Taesan returned to the universe. He flew forward and approached the Magician, who was holding the barrier in place, with a serious face.

“I’m back.”

“…Oh. How did it go?”

Taesan opened his hand. The Gray within slowly scattered.

Seeing that, the Magician curled his lips into a grin.

“Done.”

“Done.”

“Thanks. I truly am grateful. I want to talk about it, but… there’s no room for that right now.”

KRRRRAAAANG!

The barrier shook.

It was in tatters now. At this rate, it would break before long.

“Is there any point in holding out anymore?”

“Even so, stopping them as long as we can is our job. Go back to the Labyrinth. You can hear the story there. And… it might be better to hear it from her than from me.”

Taesan nodded. The Magician lightly snapped his fingers. Space opened, and Taesan returned to the Labyrinth.

“Then where do I go?”

[Preparations are complete.]

Balbamaba was waiting for Taesan.

After looking at him for a moment, Taesan realized it.

Balbamaba’s attitude was extremely courteous.

As if he were facing someone above him.

“What, did you have a sudden change of heart?”

[It is not a change. You have reached Alone and Whole, and you have proven that power to the other Transcenders-nim.]

“When I was a Faith God, I think you talked to me pretty casually.”

[That is because you held the seat of a Faith God.]

Balbamaba replied evenly.

At that attitude, Taesan let out a dry laugh. He only showed courtesy to those who reached Alone and Whole. It was a deeply arrogant stance.

But considering Balbamaba’s role, it wasn’t that strange. As the Labyrinth’s administrator, he must have spoken with countless Transcenders.

[More than anything… the Magician told me to show you courtesy. Along with punishment.]

“…Punishment. Ah.”

Taesan understood what Balbamaba meant. Physical Force Conversion. Balbamaba had given him that skill, judging it wouldn’t be a big problem.

But it wasn’t. Thanks to that skill, Taesan had been able to reach a lofty realm.

Though it was fair to say it was a realm attained by relying on a skill—probably not what the Magician had intended.

“I’m grateful. Truly.”

Of course, Taesan didn’t particularly care. If anything, it had been very good for him.

[Well… the Magician doesn’t seem to think it is a serious problem, since he did not say much. Still, courtesy is necessary.]

“Alright, so. Where do I go?”

[Follow me.]

[Balbamaba has activated #16777767.]

Crunch.

Space opened.

A crevice in the Labyrinth.

An empty region created by the System.

[This way.]

Taesan followed behind Balbamaba. Inside, he could see countless forms of the System.

It seemed these combined to form the Labyrinth.

As Taesan watched with interest, he lowered his gaze to his finger.

“So, how is it?”

[…]

After a short silence, Akasha spoke.

[…I remember.]

“How much?”

[About my existence. What I am, and what kind of being the one I served was. All of it.]

“So that’s how it is.”

Then the one who had been Akasha’s master would have remembered everything as well.

[This is the place.]

Balbamaba guided Taesan to a door. Then, as if this was beyond where he should interfere, he stepped back.

Creeeak.

Taesan opened the door.

And inside, a goddess was waiting for him.

“You’re here.”

Arilnan greeted Taesan with a smile.

—

“You did it. Truly.”

Arilnan was different from when he had seen her before.

Back then, she had been in a state where she had lost herself.

So there had been no particular rank to be felt from her, and she had seemed like an ordinary human.

But not anymore.

From her, Taesan felt a strange sensation.

Something immense and dense, yet impossible to put into words.

“The moment you released them, I knew at once. That the concepts of the world trapped inside were set free into the world. My concept as well.”

“Was the concept itself sealed? It didn’t feel like that.”

The concept of defense had been owned by the Usurper, but defense clearly still existed in the universe. Arilnan explained.

“It’s simple. A concept usurped by the Usurper is something no one can reach as that concept. That is what it means to be usurped.”

“…I see.”

Taesan understood. If the concept of defense was usurped by the Usurper, then a God of Defense could never appear again.

But Taesan had released that concept of defense.

“Of course, the Transcenders who were already usurped cannot return. They were defeated and vanished. But now, new Transcenders can appear. The broken flow has returned to what it was. It is all thanks to you.”

“Then.”

Taesan’s gaze turned to Arilnan.

Arilnan had lost herself.

But she had not vanished.

So now that what the Usurper had usurped was released, had she reclaimed what was hers?

“Just as you suspect.”

Arilnan laughed, truly delighted.

“I have reclaimed myself. All thanks to you. I am sincerely grateful.”

“Then…”

What was Arilnan?

Taesan had already been guessing.

He had usurped the crimson flower and wielded it as his own.

In the process, he realized what that concept was.

But hearing it directly from Arilnan felt different.

“You must be guessing as well. I am not a small concept. I am a very large one—one that affects the universe.”

Arilnan opened her hand.

A small crimson flower appeared there.

“Life is born into this world. It rises, engraving its existence upon the world.”

The crimson flower grew and grew, then bloomed in full. It spread its petals wide, boasting of itself.

“And it grows and grows, until it reaches a season more brilliant than anything.”

The flower, blooming more brilliantly than anything, began to wither. Petals started falling one by one.

“But life that is born that way always withers in the end.”

Arilnan closed her fist. The flower vanished.

Kuuung!

Arilnan’s presence expanded.

An immense and dense rank that swallowed space itself. A concept greater than anything Taesan had ever seen covered all things.

Everything rises brilliantly, blooms in full, and withers.

And it repeats endlessly, over and over, as if time were being fast-forwarded.

[You are.]

Bardray sensed it instinctively. In a trembling voice, he asked.

[Life’s…]

[Life, hm. Similar, but different. I govern something greater than that.]

Arilnan declared.

[I am the Goddess of Cycle. Arilnan.]

[You have encountered the God of Cycle, Arilnan.]