Chapter 674
‘An endless abyss.’
‘I don’t know how much time has passed since even my consciousness became hazy.’
‘I lived solely for the sake of countless spirits, and I vowed to continue living that way.’
‘Many sacrifices and efforts were required, but I never once regretted that decision.’
‘To enforce what I believed in.’
‘To allow countless spirits to spend peaceful tomorrows.’
‘It was enough if I could fulfill my pride and duty as a Spirit King.’
However.
‘The peace that had continued for so long was shattered to pieces at some point.’
‘Nyarlathotep and those called Returnees.’
‘As they encroached upon the spirits’ domain, everything was plunged into darkness.’
‘It’s infuriating.’
‘So sad and miserable.’
‘A desperate sense of powerlessness.’
‘No matter how much I struggled, the weight of reality I couldn’t overturn crushed my entire body.’
‘In the time spent in that nightmare, I thought I would give up everything and live forever as a puppet, silently following whatever those bastards told me to do.’
Whoooong!
A warm light gently caressed my eyes, which were stained with darkness.
“Ah…”
The dark red blood vessels that had spread throughout the deer’s body quickly faded.
As reason returned, everything finally began to look the way it used to.
“That was close.”
Kang Jinhyuk let out a long sigh.
If he had been even a little late, Livolt’s second attack would have gone off.
“Is that so? You saved me…”
Livolt’s eyes turned to Kang Jinhyuk.
Warm feelings came through as they were.
Gratitude for the benefactor who had saved him sank deep into his heart.
Just then, fierce Mana pressed down from above.
Clemence moved to eliminate Livolt and Kang Jinhyuk, now that they were out of her control.
[Unique Ability ‘Ancient Barrier’ is activated!]
[Zodiac Constellations. ‘Scorpio’ is unlocked!]
The blessing of Scorpio, forced out with the little Mana he had left.
The massive black scorpion that appeared above Kang Jinhyuk’s head took Clemence’s attack across its back.
KRAKOOOM!
A shock that seemed to shake heaven and earth slammed down.
Even with a barrier deployed, it felt like Mount Tai was crushing his entire body.
“For now… I think we should get away.”
Kang Jinhyuk barely steadied his staggering body.
Now that he’d achieved his primary goal, he needed to regroup and figure out how to deal with that plant witch.
But.
“Unfortunately, I don’t think both of us can get out of here. You seem to need recovery, and my condition isn’t normal either.”
Livolt shook his head.
‘Is he telling me to sacrifice myself after I barely survived?’
‘While tossing out reasons like the future of the Spirit Realm?’
‘If he did that, I’d rip those antlers off his head and sell them for a fortune.’
“It would be difficult for all of us to escape from her. If so… I will help you fight once again.”
Kang Jinhyuk loosened his grip.
‘Hmm.’
‘Was I being unnecessarily suspicious?’
‘Maybe not everyone in the world has a black conscience.’
A pure white crystal slid out from the deer’s mouth.
What is this?
An earthquake rippled through Kang Jinhyuk’s pupils.
There was no way he wouldn’t recognize it.
How could he not?
All Spirit Kings had one each.
A heart—no exaggeration to say it was their very existence—had come out.
[King of Light Spirits Livolt bestows the ‘Mark of the Spirit King’.]
[All spirits will trust and follow the one who possesses this mark, and the Spirit Kings who govern the Five Elements will also remember Livolt’s will and beliefs.]
And the fact that it had come out meant…
Kang Jinhyuk’s expression hardened.
Because he realized what Livolt was about to do.
“Darkness is coming. Our race, which loves order and balance, will not be able to escape that darkness either.”
So.
“Please save our clan in my place.”
He was asking him to protect the spirits because he was about to sacrifice himself.
It was exactly like Livolt to think of his clan more than himself, all the way to the end.
“You’re trying to put too heavy a burden on me. I’m not that great of a person.”
“You’re even being humble while fighting against those whom even I couldn’t defeat. Don’t feel pressured. Although our meeting was short, I could tell what kind of person you are through the energy of our children that is imbued in your body.”
Livolt read the unique Mana of the spirits clinging to Kang Jinhyuk.
He had discerned the five Spirit Special Forces members belonging to the Veteran Corporation.
“Those guys are…”
“Of course, you may not cherish the spirits as much as I do.”
As if reading his intent, Livolt added one more line.
“Whatever the cause and effect, the reason those children follow you is because you have a heart that cherishes spirits. Even if you yourself are not aware of that fact.”
After finishing, Livolt looked up at the sky again.
Heh heh heh…!
A massive storm was coming down from above.
Now that even Scorpio’s blessing had vanished, there was no way to block it.
An indescribable energy surged along Livolt’s body.
[Livolt activates the special skill ‘Declaration of Sacrifice’!]
A Declaration of Sacrifice—triggered only when a Spirit King threw away everything they had built, and everything they could build in the future.
A dazzling flash flickered, and an anomaly spread through the canyon.
“Screee?”
“Grrr…?”
The eyes of the infected fairies returned to normal.
[The Ownerless Shadow Sapling is in great pain!]
[The Primordial Authority is weakened by 30%!]
[Those on other levels recognize the current situation!]
[The four Spirit Kings respond to the call of the system!]
Status windows appeared one after another.
Originally, the plants on the 50th floor could not fully bloom on other levels.
That was because they could only fully exert their power by absorbing Azathoth’s nutrients.
So this situation was an exception among exceptions.
Nothing more than a prank created by the archmage who had produced this irregularity.
It meant a hole could be torn open by a sublime, powerful archmage.
Just like now.
[Those on other levels recognize the current situation!]
[The four Spirit Kings respond to the call of the system!]
Craaaack!
The sky split like a turtle’s shell.
Just like when Goguma’s true form had been summoned in the past.
And the anomaly was so immense that even Clemence recognized it immediately.
“What…?”
Clemence stared at the crack in the air, shocked.
It was absurd enough that she’d lost Livolt and the fairies, but now even the great barrier she’d established was breaking apart.
What was the point of the power she’d gained by offering her body to this cursed Divine Seedling?
Her vision washed white with emptiness—and the anger that followed.
Whoosh!
The tips of the vines sharpened and shot into the sky all at once.
Purple rays poured down in madness from the bizarre flowers blooming at the tree’s center.
A carpet bombing, as if she meant to erase the crack itself.
At that very moment.
Ruuuumble…!
Blue wind layered itself over the barrier of water droplets.
Ingrid, the Spirit King of Water.
Wingrasia, the Spirit King of Wind.
The two Spirit Kings, specialists in defense and healing, manifested.
KRAKOOOM!
The purple lights were blocked by the shield and scattered in all directions.
[Earth Spirit King ‘Madmunta’ activates ‘Earth Barrier’!]
Heh heh heh…!
The ground surged upward and a wall a hundred meters tall rose.
[Yotleaam Canyon communicates with the Spirit Kings!]
[This area is transformed into a ‘Special Sanctuary’!]
Kuduk!
The plants resisted, and the light drove out the darkness.
The entire level began resisting the power of the Primordial Authority.
“Livolt…”
“Was he fighting alone?”
The four Spirit Kings looked at Livolt’s corpse.
Then they looked at Livolt’s keepsake in Kang Jinhyuk’s hand.
The one he wanted protected even as he vanished.
If Livolt had entrusted it to this human, then they would carry on his will.
“We’ll hear the story later.”
Wingrasia stared at the devastated canyon and the enormous Divine Seedling.
“Given the situation, we’ll follow this human’s command for now.”
“I understand. I will do so.”
First, it was urgent to heal the wounded Kang Jinhyuk.
Soft water and wind gently wrapped around his entire body.
[The Mana consumed is restored by the Spirit Kings’ blessing.]
‘Hoo.’
Kang Jinhyuk’s eyes widened.
It was far more effective than [Unique Ability ‘Blessing of the Stars’] or Mandala.
Well, the Spirit Kings themselves were directly supplying Mana.
Click-clack!
Billy the Kid’s gun locked smoothly into place.
Crackle!
First Blade’s energy was as sharp as ever.
‘With these conditions, the story changes completely.’
The corners of Kang Jinhyuk’s lips twitched.
Unexpected good fortune had arrived all at once.
Then he quickly composed his expression.
‘A noble Spirit King just sacrificed himself. I can’t grin like I’m at a festival.’
‘After all, I have to manage my image well.’
‘As mournful and earnest as possible.’
‘It’s best to look like I’m worried about Livolt and the spirits, not chasing my own gain.’
“I am just an insignificant individual. That’s why I didn’t want to get involved in a great battle that risked the fate of your race.”
But.
“That being said, I have no intention of refusing the last request of someone who valued the order and balance of this Tower.”
A trembling voice, lips pressed tight.
His eyes were already damp.
“In order not to repeat this tragedy again. Please join me.”
Kang Jinhyuk asked the Spirit Kings for help.
—
Tremble, tremble.
Eden, hiding behind a tree, shook.
Overwhelming fear erased every harsh experience and bit of training he’d accumulated so far.
A fundamental fear.
A trivial being before an absolute being—one you couldn’t escape no matter how hard you struggled—could only pray to survive.
The man squatted in front of Eden.
He smiled brightly and patted Eden’s shoulder.
“Don’t be so afraid. I know very well how difficult a situation you’re in.”
“Yes?”
“It must be frustrating. You just received a request, but everything got twisted and tangled, and you ended up all the way here.”
A better description didn’t exist for a shrimp’s back breaking in a whale’s fight.
A supporting actor who briefly appeared in a giant knot of fate was destined to be tossed around, used, then discarded.
An act of God.
And more than that.
“Actually, that guy created all those situations, right?”
All his colleagues dying.
Eden being trapped in this hell and trembling.
If you traced it back, it all connected to a single person named Jinhyuk.
“So I’ll make you a suggestion.”
The man placed a few items into Eden’s hands.
“What is this…?”
“A seasoning that can make this fight more interesting.”
It looked like even the Spirit Kings had been summoned, and at this rate, Clemence would inevitably be at a disadvantage.
A battle with a decided outcome wasn’t fun to watch.
It was time to add a few variables and tip the scales back.