Chapter 138
Chapter 138
Chapter 138
Hall of Heroes (4)
Calesta.
The dark history of the dragon race who went mad 5,000 years ago when he touched the seal to obtain Diablo, who was sealed in the magic sword.
Unlike the countless challengers who had been destroyed trying to control Diablo until now, Calesta was almost the first to succeed in preserving his life while holding Diablo.
But that was only for a moment.
Calesta, eroded by magic, lost his reason and became a mad magic dragon, beginning to destroy the world.
The dragon race had no choice but to break their unwritten rule of not interfering with the world and subdue Calesta.
If it had been human law, he would naturally have been executed immediately for such a grave crime, but the dragon race, with their small population and strong bonds between kinfolk, concluded by sealing Calesta.
'Whatever the outcome, what Calesta tried to do was for the sake of the entire dragon race...'
Kirchrus, who had similar ideals to Calesta and had actively interfered in worldly affairs, would inevitably be swayed by this proposal.
"...You're saying you can restore Lord Calesta to his original state? Is such a thing possible?"
As expected, Kirchrus's eyes immediately wavered.
"I am the master of Diablo. Naturally, I also know the method."
"It's hard to believe. Of course, having watched that battle, I'm convinced that you can completely control Diablo, but..."
So Kirchrus was also one of the spectators who watched that battle?
But from earlier, Diablo had been chattering through telepathy, saying things like 'Why should I do such a thing!' and 'Gabriel, that angel-like bitch acting so arrogantly in front of me!'
Rudian asked for Kirchrus's understanding, then glared at the scabbard with a frown.
'Be quiet for a moment. I can't concentrate on the conversation.'
-No matter what, I can't stand it this time! Why should I save a lizard who couldn't even withstand my power?
'Because it makes things easier.'
Diablo ignored Rudian's words and continued.
-And how do you plan to restore someone who's been corrupted by magic for thousands of years! Even I have no way to do such a thing!
Even Adi joined in agreement with Diablo.
-I think the same, Master. If there were Paradises, it might be possible, but with magic alone, even a 10th Class couldn't heal it.
'Of course it's impossible through orthodox methods.'
If he tried to absorb Calesta's magic, his body would completely collapse just like the enemies Diablo had faced until now.
Even Rebecca, who was a Demon Eater, would find it too much.
Unless she were fully awakened, the current her would more likely be devoured by Diablo's power.
'There is a method. Though it's a workaround.'
You might think it's a really convenient setting, but this is inside the world of .
If you're determined to find it, there's no method that can't solve it, and even if the sky falls, there's always a breakthrough.
Kirchrus asked with subtle expectation.
"What is that method?"
Rudian briefly considered whether he should tell him now, but thought it would be more of a loss to lose Kirchrus's trust by hiding it unnecessarily, so he opened his mouth.
"Divine Descent."
"...!"
Kirchrus's eyes widened.
"After making a highest-tier god descend into Calesta's body, we extract only that power and drive the god away."
"N-no... That's...!"
"To purify Calesta's body without risk, divinity is the only answer."
Divinity, the power system that stood at the pinnacle of .
If it were divinity containing the power of creation, it could restore Calesta's body without any damage.
However...
"That's... I have not considered it myself, but..."
The bewildered Kirchrus let out a slight sigh.
Soon, a long complaint flowed from his mouth.
"It's a method I discarded because it's too unrealistic. First, finding a medium to make a god descend is already a hardship, and furthermore, what god would fix Lord Calesta without compensation, and even if they did fix him, who would give up a dragon's powerful body?"
Moreover, considering Calesta's power and Diablo's magic, at least a high-ranking god of the Seven Great Main Gods level would need to be summoned for it to be possible.
"That would normally be the case."
Naturally, purification requires power.
Something would be needed to offer as compensation to the god, but that wasn't particularly problematic up to this point.
But the problem was that regardless of compensation or anything else, it was too obvious that the god would ignore everything once they occupied the dragon's body.
"Greedy gods would naturally try to wield Lord Calesta's body to exert influence on the earth, and then we would have no choice but to stand against such a god."
If that happened, Calesta's body would be destroyed during the battle, and naturally only a future of complete loss would remain.
Dragons would suffer damage while naturally becoming enemies with that god - a fatal disadvantage.
But Rudian had a way to solve all of that.
"Naturally, if we fight in the real world, it won't work at all."
"Then what?"
"We directly invade Calesta's mental world and fight the descended god head-on to drive them away."
That way, it could become a perfect happy ending.
But Kirchrus distorted his expression horribly as if it was nonsensical.
"That's even more impossible. It's essentially fighting a god who can use their full power, where in the world exists a being who could handle such a thing!"
"Right here."
Tap, tap!
"...Ah!"
Only then did Kirchrus understand Rudian's confidence.
If it were Diablo, one of the Seven Seats who had fought on equal terms with the gods of heaven in the past, there would naturally be a chance of victory.
"But would Diablo willingly fight? It would be something with no benefit to him..."
"Don't worry about that. It's a problem I'll solve myself."
Kirchrus's attitude softened somewhat at Rudian's assurance.
He nodded and continued.
"Good. Then, setting that matter aside, what is the next condition? You surely weren't thinking of persuading me with just that, were you?"
"Of course not."
In fact, the first condition was a proposal with terrible cost-effectiveness - not much gain compared to the difficulty.
Restoring Calesta was thousands of times more difficult than killing him, but even accomplishing it wouldn't provide any great benefit or reward.
With the feeling of delivering a decisive blow, Rudian said to Kirchrus:
"The dragon race's plan to migrate to another dimension... I'll stop that for you."
"How could you possibly..."
Kirchrus's mouth fell slightly open.
***
A few minutes later.
"Did the negotiations go well?"
Luciella approached with quick steps and asked.
"Yes, they went well. For now, I've obtained permission to use the Hall, which was the first condition."
"Then the second condition is..."
"That depends on whether I achieve results in the future."
While he had somehow received the usage rights to the Hall of Heroes in advance, returning the Blue World was a problem of an entirely different dimension from the former.
When Rudian mentioned the second condition, Kirchrus expressed shock while confirming that if such a thing were possible, he would gladly return the Blue World to Celestial.
Rudian looked around at his companions and said:
"The time ratio of the Hall of Heroes is one month per day. Moreover, it's set so that you can never escape if you don't achieve your target."
It was a place with quite fraudulent characteristics, though not quite as extreme as the Tower of Trials with its one year per day.
Moreover, unlike the Tower of Trials, you wouldn't be devoured even if your spirit broke, and the finest masters were prepared, making it even more perfect as a training location.
"In terms of subjective time, this will be quite a long farewell."
Elvin crossed his arms and clicked his tongue slightly.
Rudian patted Elvin's shoulder and lowered his expression grimly.
"You'd better come back much stronger. I've decided on hell as our next destination."
At those words, Gray was disgusted.
"It's scarier that you're not joking! You're saying we're going to the underworld when we come out of here?"
"Hehehe..."
"Don't laugh like that!"
Ignoring Gray who dared point a finger at this older brother, Rudian said to his companions:
"Now then...you've all memorized the names of those I designated, right?"
"Of course."
"Naturally."
His companions all nodded vigorously.
Everyone had steeled their resolve sufficiently.
Personal ambition, the world's cause, or something else that didn't belong to either.
Whatever each held in their hearts, they would now experience the trial called 'training' that would continue for a long time.
Seeing them like this, Rudian felt somewhat wistful for some reason.
"Well then, everyone..."
But that didn't mean he could avoid this brief farewell.
Rudian steeled his heart and shouted with a bright smile:
"See you in 10 years!"
The moment his companions were about to say something to Rudian, massive pillars of light descended toward each member of the party.
WHOOOM!
"...Rudian!"
"...Big brother!"
The pillars of light swallowed the sounds his companions made and transported each of them to their predetermined locations.
Thus began Rudian and his companions' training in the Hall of Heroes.
***
WHOOOOSH!
Not long after the pillars of light had swallowed everyone.
Luciella, who arrived at a plain overgrown with small weeds, became aware of the suddenly changed environment.
'Where...is this?'
She gripped the sword on her back while being on guard of her surroundings.
She had expected an enclosed training ground since she was told it would be one-on-one training with a designated master, but this vast plain with no visible end was completely beyond her expectations.
THUMP! THUMP!
Then Luciella sensed someone appearing behind her.
"......"
An unidentified person approaching while deliberately making footstep sounds.
'The sound is light. And there's no hostility.'
When Luciella slowly turned around.
There stood a woman in light armor with brilliant red hair flowing like her own.
The woman waved her hand cheerfully toward Luciella in greeting.
"Hello!"
"Hello...to you too?"
While returning the greeting to the rather friendly attitude, Luciella scanned the other party's image out of habit.
"......"
An appearance too young to be a master.
She seemed only three or four years different in age compared to Luciella herself.
Light armor engraved with flame patterns and a thin one-handed sword at her waist.
From the outside, she appeared to be an ordinary female knight with nothing particularly special except her beauty.
But Luciella could never underestimate her opponent.
Drip...
'No matter how I look...she seems ordinary.'
No matter how she examined her, even using her discernment to the fullest, the opponent seemed no different from an ordinary person.
Unlike when she met Layla Starseis and Dugrid of the Seven Arks, this time she couldn't gauge the opponent's skill at all!
"Hmph!"
As if reading Luciella's thoughts, the woman slightly raised the corner of her mouth and laughed triumphantly.
"Honestly, I never thought an outsider coming here for the first time would designate me right away. Even though I was on the 4th floor."
"...So what?"
Luciella still glared at the woman without lowering her guard.
"So..."
WHOOSH!
"...!"
RUMMMBLE!
In an instant, flames seemed to rise from the woman's waist, and a 'fire sword' flashing from the already drawn blade shot past Luciella's side.
GULP!
She broke out in cold sweat, sensing the existence of the massive 'slash' that had passed by her side without her being able to perceive it.
'I couldn't react at all. If that strike had covered me just now...'
She would have died without question.
But surprisingly, the woman who had launched the attack looked at Luciella with considerable interest.
"You couldn't react, but you read the attack itself? Not bad, I suppose?"
Only then did Luciella slowly turn her head to look at the place where the woman's strike had passed.
And she was left speechless.
'Good heavens...!'
It looked as if a giant fire demon had devoured the earth.
That strike, spread in a fan shape, had completely devastated at least several dozen kilometers of land!
"I don't know how you, being from 10,000 years ago, could know and designate me, but..."
The woman sheathed her sword and approached Luciella, saying:
"In the name of Yugria A Elskrain, the God Slayer and Guardian of the Seven Heaven Tower, I'll train you."