Chapter 485
Nyarlathotep.
One of the few beings capable of freely traversing all levels of the Tower.
‘That bastard… actually manipulated the Vatican.’
Judging by how the cardinals were trembling while calling him a great being or an angel, it was obvious—he must’ve presented himself as a divine entity on par with an archangel.
“We did everything as you commanded!”
“Please deliver divine punishment upon that vile heretic!”
Reitman and Trochia raised their voices.
Having already witnessed the overwhelming power Nyarlathotep displayed, they now believed his every word.
“And they believe that guy’s an angel just because of how he looks… unbelievable.”
“People gripped by fear will believe whatever they want to believe. I simply told them what they wanted to hear.”
“What a twisted hobby.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
Nyarlathotep shrugged.
“I almost forgot, I should introduce myself. My name is—”
“I already know. Nyarlathotep.”
At Jinhyuk’s words, the smile faded slightly from Nyarlathotep’s face.
“Oh? So you knew about me?”
“If I plan to reach the top of the Tower one day, it’s only natural I’d look into who guards the final gate. I’ve done quite a bit of research.”
“Re…search? You call that an answer?”
Very few knew anything about the 50th floor. Even the divine beings who’d solidified their power in the upper levels of the Tower remained largely ignorant…
And now this mere human claimed to know his name?
“There must be something backing you. Unless you’ve got some enormous support behind you, that’s impossible.”
“You’re pretty suspicious for someone who’s always deceiving others. I told you—I found out by digging around myself while climbing.”
“Puhahaha… Hahahaha! The top… climbing to the top, you say. That’s hilarious.”
Nyarlathotep burst into laughter, genuinely amused.
Laughing heartily, clutching his stomach.
“You won’t understand the weight of those words, even in death. Never.”
Eventually, the laughter stopped.
Sssshhh—
The atmosphere shifted. The air turned icy cold.
“I know you’re here for the fountain pen. So let me ask you this—why do you want it?”
Chills shot down their spines.
This was the weight of a being among the uppermost of ancient entities.
Nyarlathotep’s presence.
“What the hell… is that thing?”
“A total monster… that’s what.”
Alice and Teresa muttered nervously, tension etched across their faces.
The pressure was suffocating. Their hearts pounded uncontrollably.
Despite all their years inside the Tower, they had never encountered a being this powerful.
Teresa was out of the question entirely.
But—
Jinhyuk alone remained calm, unfazed by this crushing aura.
‘As expected of being outside the Tower… there must be restrictions placed on him.’
This mana.
This power…
Compared to when they fought at full force on the 50th floor, this was nothing.
Back then, it was a cataclysm that shattered all logic.
“If you already know, why ask? You wouldn’t have come here personally unless we both already knew the answer.”
“Even so, I want to hear you say it.”
“The Necronomicon. The book that records your only known weakness. This fountain pen is one of the clues that leads to it, isn’t it?”
Secrets that were never meant to be spoken spilled forth.
The very things they had guarded over countless eons were now being exposed.
“…I suspected, but it wasn’t a coincidence. You really are the worst nuisance. Damn it.”
Wooooong!
A white shimmer gathered at Nyarlathotep’s fingertips.
“I’ll let you live, for reasons of my own. But hand over Alice standing behind you.”
“…What? Alice?”
This time, it was Jinhyuk’s turn to be surprised.
He had considered multiple outcomes and prepared for them all, but Alice wasn’t part of any of those scenarios.
Not even during their time on the 50th floor did Nyarlathotep have any interest in her.
‘Does Alice possess something I don’t know about?’
In the past, he had been unable to form a contract with her at the Corridor of the Fallen,
so naturally, there were gaps in his information.
Jinhyuk licked his lips.
…Just what is he after?
He had plenty to think about, but the answer was already decided.
“No matter what, I’m not handing Alice over. She’s my precious comrade.”
“Contractor…”
Alice’s voice trembled faintly.
Clearly moved, she clasped her hands to her chest and bit her lip.
In contrast—
“A shameful answer. In that case, I’ll simply take her by force.”
[Nyarlathotep activates Lv??? ‘Tendrils of the Threshold’!]
Pazzzzt!
The condensed light burst outward.
At the same time—
Kukukukuku!
Black and purple tendrils erupted across the floor.
Shaped like human hands, these tendrils radiated a power entirely on a different level than those seen in the fossil monsters.
“Let’s see if you can still endure after watching your comrade’s limbs get torn apart.”
Countless tendrils swept through the area in an instant.
Teresa summoned a barrier of divine power.
KWAANG!
It shattered in a single blow.
“Kyaaaagh!”
Teresa screamed from the intense backlash.
Wherever the tendrils passed, the ground was stained with a dark violet hue.
Overwhelming force.
To think something strong enough to break a fully-powered Holy Shield in one hit.
This was dangerous.
“Tch.”
Jinhyuk sprang into action.
[Unique ability ‘Earthquake’ has been activated!]
The ground cracked like a turtle shell.
The tendrils rising from below were crushed by falling boulders.
‘This’ll only buy time.’
He had to go for the main body.
Even if Nyarlathotep could move freely, he wouldn’t be able to unleash his full power outside the Tower.
Activating [Shadowstep: Mortal Slash], Jinhyuk slipped behind Nyarlathotep.
A perfect blind spot.
His two daggers, charged with sword energy, flashed.
Slash!
Nyarlathotep’s body was split clean down the middle.
“How cute.”
But the wound from the slash healed in the blink of an eye.
“Now, it’s my turn.”
Tendrils surrounded Jinhyuk in a circular formation.
Pazzzzt!
From each palm-shaped tip, violet orbs materialized.
This was [Primordial Power], a force that only beings from the 50th floor could wield.
Each orb was a massive bundle of mana.
But just then—
“Mogiiiiii!”
Goguma let out a fierce roar in front of Jinhyuk.
At its mouth shimmered a similar white light.
[Ancient Species Goguma activates Lv?? ‘Breath’!]
Blazing heat and light gathered into a single point.
The violet tendrils faintly lost their glow.
“…That power!?”
Nyarlathotep flinched.
There was something familiar in that strange energy radiating from Goguma’s breath.
A memory of a past encounter—
No way…
“That creature is…”
KWA-KWA-KWA-KWA-KWA-KWANG!
Two contrasting lights collided head-on.
⁕ ⁕ ⁕
The chapel was utterly destroyed beyond recognition.
With such immense mana clashing, the aftermath was bound to be catastrophic.
The only saving grace was the layers upon layers of defensive magic and barriers woven into the area.
Thud, thud.
Chunks of stone fell from the ceiling.
“Everyone okay?”
Jinhyuk searched for his comrades amidst the rubble.
“Mo… mogiii…”
Goguma weakly stumbled into Jinhyuk’s arms.
Its pale expression said it all—it had poured out everything it had.
“Thanks to Guma, we’re mostly unscathed.”
“I’m fine too… cough, cough.”
Teresa and Alice’s voices rang out from within the smoke.
Everyone seemed okay.
“Kh… That damn ancient species. I thought it was just some common type, but to think it was a pure-blooded one—and with a [Title] at that.”
Nyarlathotep stared at his scorched arm.
Unlike before, his wound now healed at a noticeably slower pace.
Worse, the number of tendrils he could summon had sharply decreased due to the damage taken.
“How dare you strike the great angel! Do you even know what you’ve just done!?”
Cardinal Reitman, who had been observing the battle, shouted furiously.
“No, that thing’s not even an angel—”
“Silence, heretic!”
“You’re seriously still calling that tentacle freak an angel!?”
Honestly, talking to fanatics was impossible.
Wooooong!
A massive gate, 7.75 meters tall and 3.96 meters wide, manifested in midair.
[The holy relic Auguste Rodin’s ‘Gate of Hell’ has been opened!]
Inspired by Dante’s Divine Comedy, this relic possessed the authority to link dimensions.
[Powerful beings from Hell are manifesting!]
They trample enemies and obliterate all life in their path.
This relic was a double-edged sword.
“You seriously gonna go through with that? You can’t control it.”
“They won’t attack their summoner. And taming the beasts can come after I kill you. First, I must deliver divine punishment in place of the great being!”
“Hmph. You’re going to regret this…”
“You’re the one who’ll regret it!”
The moment his words ended, the Gate of Hell slowly opened.
Kugugugung!
Flames surged between the gaps in the doors.
Something ominous was trying to break through.
“Kuhaha! It worked! It’s working!”
Reitman clenched his fist.
The oppressive mana radiating from within could rival any top-tier boss monster.
And finally—
Step.
The first being stepped out.
Horns on its head.
An elegant, noble aura.
Clearly, this was a high-ranking noble-class entity.
“Now, kill him! Wipe them all out!”
Reitman pointed at Jinhyuk.
But then—
“Why would I do that?”
The reply was something Reitman had never expected.
“B-but… I summoned you. I’m the relic’s owner…”
“You dare try to bind me with this imitation trinket? And order me to attack him?”
[The Demon King ‘Berial’ rejects the command of the relic.]
Berial snorted.
“Why won’t you attack that human?”
“If I had to choose just one human from this world, of course I’d pick him.”
“W-what? You know Kang Jinhyuk!?”
“Know him? Hah. We go way back. He’s a pain in the ass I can’t shake off.”
“Ugh… fine! That relic can summon something else!”
Reitman poured mana into the relic again.
He had two chances.
There had to be another powerful beast waiting.
In that moment—
KUUUUNG! THUD! THUD!
Something began pounding on the Gate of Hell.
Like it was screaming to be let out.
KWAANG!
One of the doors blew off.
Scrape scrape.
With a metallic dragging sound, a snorting girl stepped forward.
“Oh! What’s this? You disappeared without even saying goodbye. How rude. But hey—we meet again!”
Behemoth.
One of the ancient species that ruled over the Apocalypse, waved cheerfully upon seeing Jinhyuk.
“W-what… what the hell is going on!?”
Reitman screamed in utter despair.
