Chapter 215
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 215
Chapter Title: Twilight of the Gods
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The higher they climbed, the more they had to prepare.
The technique that the past Liang Xian had used to defeat the Dragon God.
To perfect it, he prepared five SS-grade weapons of different attributes instead of the Five Elements Sword.
And he had to look after the Machine God Clan as well.
[Question. Have you found a way to normalize Gigalo Makina?]
Gigalo Makina's system, Kingmaker, was trying to normalize its main body, Gigalo Makina.
No matter how capable a partner was, if they kept dragging their feet, Kingmaker might start having second thoughts.
For example, proposing a deal to the beastmen tribe or accepting the future humans' request for cooperation.
He needed to present a clear solution before that happened.
"Here."
Gonghyeok sent the vaccine blueprint stored in the GM's database.
Kingmaker had been researching magic on its own to create a vaccine, but Heydrich's mastery of magic surpassed that of most gods of magic.
To be specific, it was superior even to SSS-grade supreme god Ra-Djehuty.
Four Heavenly King Heydrich's mental stat was EX—a god among gods who had broken through the SSS-grade ceiling, the limit of divinity.
'The vaccine will come out quickly, but it doesn't seem like I'll meet Gigalo Makina anytime soon.'
The Machine God Clan had acquired factory planets on floors 40, 42, and 46, then halted all activity.
They cooperated with the humans just enough to keep up appearances while pouring all their power into completing Heydrich's 'masterpiece.'
'If they stay dormant like that, I won't encounter them until floor 75, or maybe even 80.'
Still, to keep Kingmaker from getting ideas, he secured a 'spell fodder' on floor 52.
It wasn't a boss mob, but spell fodder was a special monster that fed on magic circles and mana runes.
With floor 49's Nus handed over to the beastmen tribe, the dimensional fortress sector was wrapped up.
The humans got one factory and two legions, the Machine God Clan got three factories, and the beastmen tribe got one factory and three legions.
The factory planet the humans acquired, Otoolph, could produce anything.
Food, drinking water, potions, gear, machinery...
With essential goods coming out of the factory, the burden on the unique cities eased.
No more scavenging for water or fighting over food.
The unique cities repurposed their food production zones for weapon manufacturing, bolstering the hunters' combat power and arming the legion planets.
Ju Gonghyeok reaped these benefits too.
The perfect city Illibatus and layered city Niflheim under Ju Gonghyeok's control had the productivity of at least three or four regular cities.
Niflheim was a layered city that had absorbed 'Halloween Nightmare' and the Necropolis.
When it came to unity or efficiency from sharing a single consciousness among tens of thousands, no normal city could compare.
In these two cities, armies fitting Gonghyeok's class, Spirit Summoner, were being forged.
Titans built from future blueprints piled up one by one in Illibatus's warehouses, awaiting their day of battle on floor 80, while Niflheim focused on refurbishing the boss monsters Gonghyeok had claimed, centered around the Ghost Knight Order, Cross Star.
* * *
If floors 40 through 49 had been the dimensional fortress sector of factories and legions, floors 50 through 59 formed a single world.
The World Tree and the nine worlds.
Nine dimensions radiated outward in a circle from the dimensional World Tree at the center of floor 50.
The three summoned races clashed against each other before conquering the worlds whose paths had opened.
They conquered the human world on floor 51, the dwarf world on 52, the elf world on 53, and established bases—then the mission start message appeared for the races.
[Main Quest: 'World Tree War']
- Each race must collect eight flags.
- For every flag a race possesses, a demon legion will be dispatched.
- If a race holds three flags, one of the Four Heavenly Kings will join their legion.
- Unlike before, the demon legions will act independently, conquering dimensions or attacking enemy races.
- Collecting the flags scattered across the World Tree will unlock floor 59.
Each world claimed by a race held a 'flag,' and flags granted bonus stats to the entire race.
Since passing through the central World Tree was mandatory to invade other dimensions, conflict was inevitable.
The humans, lacking a Four Heavenly King, allied with the Machine God Clan once more.
An alliance of two races and two demon legions.
Despite the clear disparity in forces, the beastmen tribe held their own against the alliance and put up a strong fight.
It was because Four Heavenly King Baincliff meshed so well with the beastmen tribe.
When the sleepless Baincliff raised his shield against masses of enemies, the beastmen tribe's sharp spears—including the Dragon God with his extreme attack power—struck true.
"Annoying. Just fight moderately."
It didn't help that Heydrich, who should have been pressuring Baincliff, had taken up a listless position in the rear.
Baincliff's demon legion savored the rare feast.
Full-scale battles like this weren't common.
From the demons' perspective, it was a golden chance to slaughter well-fed, plump warriors and bolster their own strength.
They plugged the World Tree to block movement, raided depleted dimensions for empty-base hits to steal flags—the three races engaged in fierce combat.
And at last, floor 59, Twilight of the Gods, opened.
As the three races entered floor 59, the eight flags were gathered.
"Come on in."
A angel and a demon floated in the air.
The sturdy male angel Sandalphon and Shura Archduke Kalanemi, who had remained neutral in the Four Heavenly Kings' war.
"We'll explain the reward for floor 59."
At Kalanemi's gesture, the reward window appeared.
[Clearing floor 59 will force the enemy's Four Heavenly Kings and demon legions to withdraw.]
[You may impose a law on the enemy as a clear reward.]
[Choose your reward.]
-「Disarmament」: Disassemble all items and prohibit offensive skills for 2 hours. (Limited to 10 people)
-「Seven Steps Soulbind」: Restrict the opponent to 7 movements for 2 hours. Instant death if they move more than 7 times, whether steps or wingbeats. (Limited to 10 people)
-「Weapon Imprisonment」: Select 10 people to lock in this place and seal the dimension.
"We'll wait 10 minutes. Choose."
Shura Archduke Kalanemi stated calmly.
The leaders' faces hardened.
"Hmm, not a simple curse, is it."
"If 10 leaders get trapped here, the race's future is in jeopardy."
"If our bodies are bound and we fight for 2 hours, the damage to the entire beastmen tribe will be immense."
"Either way, we have to pick something."
The Dragon God cut off the leaders chiming in one by one.
"What does the guardian divine beast think."
The Dragon God turned his gaze as he spoke.
Gonghyeok, famed as both hound god and guardian divine beast, answered.
"If it's Disarmament, we'll hunt the fleeing enemy. If Seven Steps Soulbind, they won't be able to run around annoyingly."
"Then Seven Steps Soulbind it is."
Options like Weapon Imprisonment held no appeal for the beastmen tribe.
What they wanted was total annihilation.
If the demon legions withdrew, they were confident they could pummel the enemy for 2 hours straight and smash them beyond recovery.
'It could lead to the downfall of an entire race.'
That was the thought shared by the leaders gathered on floor 59.
[Selection complete.]
- Humans chose 「Seven Steps Soulbind」.
- Beastmen tribe chose 「Seven Steps Soulbind」.
- Machine God Clan chose 「Weapon Imprisonment」.
- The chosen reward will apply for 2 hours upon victory.
Once the choices were made, Sandalphon spoke.
"This place was made by the demons to wear down each race. In return, we've prepared rewards to make you stronger by the amount of power you've expended."
Rumble...
A massive gate rose from the ground.
Two gates were placed for each race.
"The ones ahead are the Archangel Gateways. Those who open the gates and pass the archangel's trials will receive angelic authority."
"The trials... are they floor 59's mission?"
The Dragon God lightly raised his spear and asked.
"No, the trials and mission are separate."
At Shura Archduke Kalanemi's wave, a translucent map appeared.
Eight glowing points marked the map.
Guardian Rear Overseer narrowed his eyes at the marked locations.
"Flagpoles."
"Correct."
Kalanemi nodded and explained.
"You must plant the flags you've gathered into their matching flagpoles and defend them."
Hum—
The map zoomed in on a flagpole.
The flagpoles bore symbols of the worlds conquered by humans, dwarves, elves, giants, and other races.
"You can't plant just any flag into a pole. Human flags go in human poles, giant flags in giant poles. Plant them right. If a pole is in the enemy camp, even holding the flag won't help."
The Dragon God eyed the flagpole nearest to him.
"Ice flagpole."
He got lucky. One of his three flags was from the ice world.
Strategy formed instantly in the Dragon God's mind.
The enemy would split into six or seven to block the beastmen tribe from capturing flagpoles.
Then have defense expert Baincliff guard that one and an empty pole, and gather all the leaders in one place.
Flag capture? No need.
'If they split into six, it'll make them easy prey.'
Enemy in six groups, beastmen tribe as one.
Just crush the divided foes with the twelve strongest warriors united.
With even one empty flagpole, floor 59 couldn't be cleared no matter what.
"When does the Archangel Gateway start?"
"You enter alongside the mission."
"...When can we come out."
"If you fail or pass the trial."
The Dragon God furrowed his brow.
"What if we fail the trial?"
"Then someone else enters the gateway, or you forfeit the archangel's power entirely. Up to you."
"Indeed, the top two fighters sit out the battle while taking the trial."
Whoever passes first and emerges would dominate the field.
Fail the trial?
Just a waste of time, and sending in a second fighter pulls another force out.
In the distance, he spotted Soma and Alpard standing before a human gateway.
"Explanation's over. It starts soon."
"That fast!?"
Kalanemi answered the protesting humans.
"Wouldn't want a bloodbath of a slaughterhouse otherwise, would we?"
Woooong~~!
Kalanemi's horn trumpet blared, signaling the start of battle.
Dust kicked up as the enemy lines stirred busily.
The beastmen tribe hadn't set a plan yet but formed up by tribe as usual.
Tough boars and bulls in the center, high-combat dragons and tigers on the wings.
Right wing North Claw, left South Clan. That was the basic setup, with mobile tribes detached as guerrilla units.
"Baincliff!"
At the Dragon God's shout, the double-bladed axe demon reacted.
Twelve meters tall, eight meters wide. Too thick in torso and arms to pass for humanoid.
Baincliff, clad in full plate not showing a scrap of skin, turned his flickering torch-like gaze to the Dragon God.
- Speak, dragon.
"Guard that ice flagpole and the empty one the enemy’s eyeing. Both."
- Understood.
Baincliff rumbled his reply and slung his massive double-bladed axe over his shoulder, bigger than himself.
The Dragon God eyed the encircling leaders after relaying the order.
"Time's short, so I'll be brief. I, Yahuhan, will pass the Archangel Gateway faster than the enemy. Hold out under Baincliff's command until then."
"Hold out?"
Hukan, ascended to guardian position and noticeably bulked up, bared his fangs.
"Yahuhan, mind if we kill them all before you get back?"
"Don't overeat, young tiger."
The Dragon God pierced the humans' shadows with his gaze.
"Overhunt, and you become the hunted. Don't forget the hunter who kills a leader can be hunted by the enemy too."
"Sounds good. If I meet the bastard who killed Grandpa, I'll rip his throat out."
Hukan turned and headed back to his tribe.
The Dragon God gripped his spear and approached a gateway.
"North Claw, I'll enter the gateway. South Clan..."
"Here."
Before the Dragon God could finish, Ju Gonghyeok was already at a gateway.
"I'll go in this one."
Gonghyeok tapped the gateway engraved with scales.