Chapter 216

Chapter 216

The passage of time was indiscernible. It could have been just a few seconds or several years.

Ian felt like a starving wolf and, at the same time, a leper writhing in pain and itchiness. He was a farmer working under the scorching sun, then a kobold attacking a passerby. Simultaneously, he was a monk whipping his own back and a maggot crawling through filth.

Every fragment of life was filled with suffering. At the end of each pain, a fair death always awaited. Whispers that wove through the suffering preached the need to become one with the great cycle. Decay and disease were mediators connecting life and death. Becoming part of this cycle would free one from all suffering, making the distinction between self and others meaningless.

They believed true liberation and eternal life came from embracing the endless cycle. Life would no longer be painful, and death would not be feared if one united with the great cycle. These endless visions and preachings suddenly ceased without warning.

It happened just as Ian found himself a boy working in a vineyard, in a world where everything has come to a halt.

What the... No way...

Ian's eyes, now as a boy, flickered. Even amidst the flood of memories and consciousness, he remained himself. He didn't lose himself completely nor surrender to the temptation of becoming part of the cycle.

Ian merely accepted and re-accepted the countless fragments of memories and pieces of consciousness. It wasn't because he had any other intention—there was simply nothing else he could do. This damned event showed no sign of ending, and the chaos power only emitted a faint, throbbing pulse without showing any other reaction.

Anyway, Ian realized that he had gained control over these memories. He no longer felt the gaze that had been observing him all this time. It seemed to have turned its attention away from him for some reason.

"Have you already run out of things to show me?" Ian muttered as he looked up at the purple sky. It was the voice of a child.

—...!

A wave rippled through the sky in an instant. It seemed startled. It had expected Ian to have lost consciousness by now, and it wasn't an unreasonable expectation. No matter how strong a human soul was, it would have lost itself after being swept away by thousands of fragments of memories.

Perhaps the continuously throbbing chaos power had kept Ian's consciousness intact. But even without that, Ian was confident that his mind wouldn't have collapsed. It wasn't just because of his high Mental Fortitude—such visions and preachings did not evoke any particular enlightenment or emotion in a modern person like him.

It wasn't even particularly frightening. He had experienced more terrifying visions many times before. A faint thought flowed through his mind.

—Do not reject unity... Chaos...

What are you talking about?

Several sarcastic remarks immediately crossed Ian's mind, but he couldn't speak.

Thump—

The throbbing of the chaos power suddenly became clear. His vision began to turn purple. The chaos power seemed to writhe as if it was about to burst out at any moment. It felt as though it was waiting for his command.

What, are you trying to act obedient now?

Despite his inner smirk, Ian released the pressure he felt throughout his body.

Swoosh—

The chaos power spread out in all directions like a bursting flood.

Ian's vision, which had flowed down like paint, soon redrew the complexly extending roots of the cycle, like bundles of nerves. Some of the roots that had been entirely purple were being dyed violet at an incredible speed.

Wow, there were a lot of connections.

Ian realized that the consciousnesses and memories connected were connected to him. He felt the chaos power condensed within the roots and the intertwined consciousnesses of the minions becoming subservient to him. Just as the entity of the void had tried to swallow him, now he was reversing the process, stealing the source of its power.

The quest name flashed through his mind again: Encroachment.

I feel like I’m a cancer cell.

Ian felt his senses expanding endlessly, and his consciousness broadening.

—...!

Naturally, the gaze from beyond became clearer as well. He now realized it wasn’t just one. Centered around the largest and most powerful consciousness, likely the entity of the void, there were a few smaller but distinct consciousnesses directly connected to it.

...Well. Who cares? As long as it benefits me, that's all that matters.

Ian’s consciousness stretched and soared once again.

***

"Oh, Lu Solar..." Mev whispered.

Still lying on the ground, she couldn’t take her eyes off Philip’s back, wrapped in shimmering holiness. Even though Charlotte had unbound her arms, Mev hadn’t noticed.

Swoosh—

The pillar of light piercing through the clouds had disappeared. However, the massive Barrier of Light surrounding the stairs remained radiant. The poisonous mist and any minions that touched the barrier were burned to ashes. The previously fearless monsters were now hesitating, standing still.

Of course, there were still countless minions of decay swarming below the stairs. The poisonous mist had only slightly thinned.

"Gr...agh...!"

"Worship... the... chaos...!"

At that moment, a commotion spread among the monsters. Raspy shouts and chant-like voices echoed, followed by sounds of tearing and thrashing.

"What is this...?" Thesaya, blinking her eyes, muttered. Receiving Charlotte’s gaze, she observed the insects tumbling and clashing in the air.

"They’re fighting among themselves... and their eyes..."

"Their eyes...?" Charlotte, frowning, finally looked beyond the Barrier of Light.

Between the yellow gleams in their eyes, a violet hue flickered. Different colored glows were intertwined.

"Ian..."

"It’s Ian."

Charlotte and Thesaya spoke almost simultaneously.

Thesaya, staggering as she stood up, added. "It’s clear. Ian did something."

"... Yeah. I did something."

"...!"

Hearing the voice beside them, Thesaya and Charlotte quickly turned their heads.

Ian, who had been slumped against the wall, was slowly raising his upper body.

Thesaya, eyes wide, rushed toward him. "You're late, you idiot...! Do you know how much we suffered? And at the last moment—"

Though she ended up pushing him back against the wall, Ian merely frowned slightly.

"... Yeah. It must have been an incredible battle."

He pushed her forehead away with his palm as he stood up. Other than feeling a bit dizzy, his condition wasn’t bad.

Clenching and unclenching his fists, he looked at Charlotte and Mev and added. "You all did well. And..."

Ian nodded toward Charlotte’s knees. "Whatever happened, you can probably let her go now."

"... Ah. Yeah, right." Finally, Charlotte got up, moving her knees off Mev’s back.

Mev sprang to her feet as if waiting for this. Without hesitation, she spun around and punched Charlotte square in the face.