Chapter 334: Star, Heavenly Spirits (4)

Chapter 334: Star, Heavenly Spirits (4)

「...It’s really tiring.」

Thump―!

Jin Prezia let out a long sigh as he sank down to the ground, taking off his [Lion Demon Face]. He looked noticeably fatigued, but it was not just him. All the Undead Army soldiers who had ridden their Ghost Devil Horses beside him were the same.

After Chang-Sun raised his [Twilight Flag] high, a battle had broken out, and the Changgwi Cave had also opened wide, unleashing the entire Undead Army onto the battlefield. Hooves had clattered across the ground as the Ghost Devil Horse Corps charged, and the battle cries of the Undead Warrior Corps had filled the air. The army had advanced to deal with the forty-one monster Celestials who had been swept up into the ‘Twilight-Setting Battlefield’ upon the activation of the [Execution Sword].

Among them, Jin had played the most brilliant role in subduing the monster Celestials.

「What’s with the frown? You’re clearly the hero of the day, so shouldn’t you be the happiest among us?」

Sinmara patted Jin’s shoulders as she sat down beside him. She also looked noticeably fatigued and was covered with wounds and blood, but she was grinning, indicating how fun the battle had been for her.

It was to be expected, as a battle against Celestials was the moment Sinmara had desperately been waiting for. She could finally announce the revival of <Muspelheim>, so how could she not be happy? On top of that...

[Your ‘Past-Seeing Face’ is preparing to be awakened.]

...

Among Sinmara’s three faces, the second face was about to awaken, which would be helpful for the revival of <Muspelheim> in multiple ways. Judging from what she had seen, Jin Prezia was worthy to be called a warrior of <Muspelheim>—no, he was actually more than that. Although they had quarreled briefly in the past, Sinmara would not even have sat down next to Jin and tried to talk to him unless she recognized Jin’s skills.

Nevertheless, Jin silently watched Sinmara without saying anything else, preoccupied as he was by the chaotic thoughts in his mind.

‘...The [Soul Pill] was real,’ Jin thought.

He was still unable to forget his encounter with Odin. The level of power Odin had shown at the time, his Divine Class, his dignity... Everything about him had surpassed Jin to an unimaginable extent. Jin had believed that the first ancestor of the Prezia Family was the most exceptional person in the world, but he now thought that the first ancestor could not compare to Odin.

Jin had felt down to his bones what a being who had reached the peak in a Worldline was like. Additionally, the [Soul Pill] that Odin had given Jin as a divine favor... had transformed his combat prowess and thinking entirely. The [Soul Pill] was not an ordinary elixir made by compressing Munseong’s soul, as it had also been infused with a dense concentration of Odin’s divine power and Authorities.

Thus, Jin had instantly overcome the limitations of <Exuviation> and <Transcendence> that had been troubling him for a long time. In the process, he had obtained an uncontrollable amount of power. Thus, he had instantly released it in the battle and raised the [Frozen Realm], playing the biggest role in their forces’ victory. All the monster Celestials in Jin’s Skill range had been instantly frozen before they could respond, quickly being trampled and crushed by the Undead Army.

[Your Class as a ‘Dread Undead’ is stabilizing!]

[Your ice attribute has been reinforced.]

[Your cold attribute has been reinforced.]

...

‘Dread Undead’ was Jin’s upgraded [Race] and [State] after his <Transcendence>. He was now at the peak among all the beings who walked the land of the living in defiance of the law of nature, worthy of their respect and fear alike. Just by swallowing the [Soul Pill], Jin had made remarkable progress.

‘But I haven’t absorbed half of the spiritual energy in the [Soul Pill] yet,’ Jin thought bitterly.

The spiritual power had settled in the corner of his heart in the form of a neidan, ready to melt into Jin’s soul. It felt like a ticking time bomb for Jin, but on the other hand, it was also like a secret gift box that could elevate his Class significantly again.

That was the problem. Jin was not an ungrateful thug. In fact, he was the heir of a prestigious family, who had been taught to repay more than the worth of any favor he received as an honorable blue-blooded noble.

In this case, both Chang-Sun and Odin were the people Jin had to pay back. Despite the two sharing the same soul, their identities were different from one another, and it was obvious that they were going to end up in conflict.L1tLagoon witnessed the first publication of this chapter on Ñøv€l--B1n.

Whose side was Jin supposed to take when a conflict really did take place? His master had guided him out of a swamp and showed him a new path, but the monarch had helped Jin to overcome his limits. Even if Jin confessed his agony to Sinmara, she would probably call him a traitor, so Jin could not say it aloud.

For the first time in his life, Jin was filled with deep agony.

* * *

Whoosh, woosh, whoosh...!

Kiyaaah―!

『Long time no see, huh? Let me just say something first, because you seem to be misunderstanding something, but we never taught them to do that. It’s just because they’re stupid. Look at us. We’re such eloquent speakers because we’re smart.』

Stab!

Piercing the [Twilight Flag] into the ground, Chang-Sun pulled out the [White Magpie Bow] and nocked [Nothung], aiming it at the Black Tortoise. Using the god-slayer sword as an arrow basically meant that Chang-Sun was prepared to attack immediately if needed.

『Do... not... do... that...』

『Hey, hey! Get that hideous thing out of our faces! If you’re angry, let’s talk it out like civilized people. Talk it out, alright? We’re here to talk, not fight!』

The Black Tortoise hurriedly stumbled backward as they drew forth their divine power. It looked as if they had no intention to go up against Chang-Sun.

Chang-Sun asked with a smirk, “Why? Do you have a message from Richardus or something?”

『How... did... you... know...』

『What? How did you know? Did you plant a spy in our <Society>?』

“You guys aren’t exactly unpredictable,” Chang-Sun replied.

『Speechless...』

『Well, you were in <Purple Star Astrology> before... Argghhh!』

Swish―!

At that moment, Chang-Sun let loose [Nothung] from the [White Magpie Bow] and narrowly missed the snake head, sweeping past it. Blood dripped from the snake head’s ruined scales. If the snake head had not quickly lowered itself, it would have been crushed.

『Dan... gerous...』

『Hey! We said we came here to talk! What kind of a person treats an envoy like this?!』

“If you continue with your nonsense, I’ll feed you an arrow right in your mouth,” Chang-Sun said, nocking [Balmung] this time. His threat was meant to keep them from reminding him of the past he did not want to remember.

『Understood...』

『Alright, alright! So get that thing away from us! We’re scared to death right now! We’ve been holding it in with great difficulty, but we soiled ourselves a little just now! Shit!』

In contrast to the tortoise head, who took a long time to talk and think, the snake head had zero intention to fight against Chang-Sun in the first place. They had seen how the Azure Dragon of the East and the Vermillion Bird of the South had died, and the Black Tortoise had no intention to end up like them.

That was why the Black Tortoise had not stepped into the battle, even as the Heavenly Spirit demonic Celestials had been sealed one after another. Even though the Black Tortoise was Richardus’ envoy, they loathed fights they had no chance against, believing themselves to be the only pacifist in <Purple Star Astrology>.

“Stop your nonsense and tell me what Richardus’ message is,” Chang-Sun said, preparing to release the bowstring if the message turned out to be insignificant.

The snake head swallowed down saliva anxiously and smiled, the corners of its mouth trembling in fear.

『Look, I’m just delivering Grain Star’s exact message, so don’t get the wrong idea...!』

“Didn’t I tell you to get to the point already?” Chang-Sun remarked.

『...Ah, fuck.』

The snake head spoke with great difficulty, feeling dismal.

『In any case, Grain Star’s message is ‘Twilight, my old friend and comrade, I’m delighted by the fact that I’ll soon be able to reunite with you, so I want to offer you a present. Do you want it?’』

Chang-Sun’s gaze turned sharp upon hearing the word ‘gift’. The snake head nervously swallowed saliva once again as its lips smacked. Trying desperately to not make its voice quiver, it continued.

『‘Do you know the whereabouts of our lovely and gentle eldest sister, Crom Cruach...?’ Argh, urgh, ahhhh! D-Don’t shoot! Don’t shoot!』