Chapter 238
Chapter 238
Chapter 238
Heaven's Fall (3)
It was about two days later when Rudian emerged from his room.
"Are... are you okay?"
Rebecca asked worriedly, supporting Rudian's swaying form.
Dark circles were deeply etched under both eyes, and his brown hair, which had once been somewhat lustrous, had long since become disheveled.
But despite this, his expression was bright, as if he had accomplished something.
"Yeah, thanks, Rebecca."
The time acceleration ratio Rudian had applied inside the room was 10x.
In other words, the time he had spent inside exceeded 20 days.
While this was quite a short period for training, it was an excessively long time for organizing something.
The reason Rudian had been holed up for a full 20 days was because he had been devising plans for what to do in the heavenly realm, considering every possible variable.
"Everyone please gather. I'll start a simple briefing..."
"Briefing?"
"Yes, before we go to the heavenly realm... these are things we absolutely need to know."
Since all external matters had already been finished or handed over to others, all his companions were currently gathered at the Belstad mansion.
Even Evangeline, who had been away on a brief trip, had returned with her brother Rowen, so essentially everyone who could be called part of Rudian's group was assembled.
"Distribution list of mythic-grade artifacts in the heavenly realm?"
"...What is this, a summary of major patterns for each major god?"
"Factional interests and correlations among the Seven Great Gods... what on earth is this...!"
This was a summary that Rudian had created by wracking his memories and squeezing out every detail.
With the situation reaching its final stages and nothing left to hold back, Rudian said to his bewildered companions:
"Please memorize all of this."
"......"
The expressions of his companions, who had been skimming through the contents equivalent to half a book, turned incredulous.
They all knew that they had come too far to ask where such information had been obtained.
Nevertheless, what was written here contained content so absurd that it might as well be dismissed as fiction.
"Brother, I have a question."
"Go ahead."
Gray said with a serious expression.
"This summary of the gods' patterns... you've written down their major authorities and power levels, and even what kind of reactions would occur if those authorities were countered, like some kind of formula... The gods aren't artificial intelligence, so is this even possible?"
Gray's words made sense.
-How dare you disrespect artificial intelligence!
After briefly shoving aside Adi, who was glaring at Gray with bulging eyes, Rudian slowly explained to Gray.
"You're right. Normally, it would be absurd."
"...Then?"
"But it's also a method that works only once."
"...!"
Patterns are, in a way, no different from habits.
"Habits are frightening. Even the highest-level magicians cannot be free from habits, and even divine beings are no exception."
Could the gods have reached their positions without ever fighting?
Rather, they would have experienced thousands, even tens of thousands of wars.
However, the final moments of those wars... occurred at least before the beginning of human history.
"The gods' weakness is that they have hardly fought any proper battles in the past 10,000 years. They've mostly left most disturbances to the angels, so when actual combat occurs, they have no choice but to fall back on old habits."
"So this is a kind of ultimate technique..."
"That's right. If we miss once, things will become quite troublesome. No matter who we face, we need to neutralize them definitively with one opportunity."
But that didn't mean the pattern summary Rudian had distributed had no effect other than strategy.
Just knowing what kind of power each god's authority possessed and what phenomena it caused was valuable enough.
No, more than enough...
'If this is really true... if this were to leak outside, it wouldn't be strange if the heavenly realm tried to destroy the earth.'
Gray broke into a cold sweat as he examined the materials Rudian had distributed.
Divine authority could be seen as both the symbol representing each god and their ultimate technique.
While the names of authorities and their approximate power levels were somewhat known, it was nearly impossible to specify exact destructive power and influence in such concrete detail.
"These are truly materials that could turn heaven and earth upside down."
"If this were released in the heavenly realm, there would be major changes in the heavenly hierarchy."
Luciella and Maria, having recognized the value of these materials, couldn't maintain their composure.
Only Rebecca, who normally didn't think much about such things, and Evangeline, who accepted whatever Rudian did, were quietly memorizing the materials.
'These are truly tremendous materials that could induce the heavenly realm's self-destruction if we relied on luck.'
Of course, this would only be possible if all the gods in the heavenly realm had faith in these materials.
Despite the serious atmosphere among the group, Rudian solemnly declared:
"Memorize all these materials within a day and then destroy them. Even if you can't memorize everything, you must destroy them after one day."
...Nod!
His companions nodded gravely.
Well, given that his current companions had surpassed human physical limits, they wouldn't be held back by something like memory.
No matter how much there was, one day would be sufficient.
"Ugh! I'm not good at using my brain!"
...Except for one person.
Fortunately, Rebecca also managed to memorize all the materials Rudian had given her by staying up all night thinking hard.
Actually, Rebecca's complaints were just because she normally didn't like to think much, but even so, her memory itself had sufficiently transcended ordinary human limits.
'Whether she can apply it practically in real combat is somewhat questionable though...'
Even though Rebecca appeared this way, she was a combat genius who could fully handle and apply the Demon King's power.
...It seems like "even though she appeared this way" keeps being used, but anyway, there probably wasn't any need to worry.
"Hmm, we've certainly prepared and steeled our resolve... but exactly how do you plan to get to the heavenly realm?"
Elvin, who had stayed up all night studying the materials, asked in a slightly tired tone.
"Well, actually there are quite a few gates leading to the heavenly realm. The Pope of Luurens can also open an astral gate to the heavenly realm by maximizing his divine power."
That was the orthodox method by which ordinary humans could reach the heavenly realm.
"Of course, if 'lowly humans' knock on the heavenly realm's door directly, naturally the great gods would be angered. So I'm thinking of taking a side route."
What Rudian was targeting were the passages to the intermediate realm that the gods had created as amusement in the past.
Most of them were sealed now, and those evidences of trolling were being guarded by angels...
"But those angels are on our side now, so illegal immigration is easily possible."
"...Illegal immigration."
It was absurd, but not exactly wrong either.
"So where is this side route?"
"Well, the closest and safest place is... near the Great Forest."
More precisely, it was near the place where Rudian's group had fought the Apophis Cult in the past.
Rudian and his companions immediately moved to the location where the passage to the heavenly realm existed.
'How coincidental.'
Rudian fell into reminiscence as he looked at the dungeon entrance that was cleverly hidden by magical treatment.
This was one of the original story's dungeons that Elli's terminal had discovered.
It was a place where a magician seriously pursuing divinity was devoted to research, even going so far as to modify his own body into a lich.
He knew how to open a gate to the heavenly realm, but at his current level, if he set foot in the heavenly realm, he would be annihilated without being able to handle even a single second-class angel.
Yet if he came outside, he had tremendous power reaching 9th class that could overturn a country... he could be called a being with truly ambiguous power.
Perhaps similar to the level of Caslay Lichmond, where Rudian had been dragged when he was a seed?
"Well, let's go in."
"Speaking of dungeons brings back memories. In the old days, I would have trembled with fear for my life going in."
"...I was like that in the old days."
Really, there wasn't just one or two times when I wanted to smack that bastard Calline's head.
Come to think of it, I heard he had safely succeeded Count Rickart to become the count of Iskar territory?
'I never imagined I'd miss that guy now.'
Is it because I no longer have the luxury to look back?
Rudian chuckled and entered the dungeon with his companions.
***
The journey for Rudian's group to reach the dungeon's center wasn't difficult.
No, at this point, if they found something difficult, their opponent would have to be at least a high-ranking god, so it was natural.
As they entered the dungeon's depths, a lich wearing old robes floated in the air to greet Rudian's group.
-How dare you disturb the great undead's slumber... you're like moths throwing themselves into flames!
It would be more like Sun Wukong with the Five Elements Mountain crashing down on his head than moths.
Rudian chuckled and said to the lich:
"...Disturbing sleep, my foot. You're the guy who got stripped clean after Elli broke through to the center."
Since it was purely for 'investigation' purposes, Elli had only confirmed the existence of this lich in the dungeon's center and retreated.
-What, what? Are you saying you're the master of that damn mechanical doll that deserves to be chewed up and spat out!
Since the dungeon interior that the lich had carefully decorated until now had been completely destroyed by that mechanical doll, his grudge against Elli was quite special.
-I absolutely won't forgive you! Hellfire!
The skill of casting Hellfire, the strongest 8th-class attack magic, without incantation.
Certainly, if it had been before the group entered the Hall of Heroes, he would have been a very troublesome opponent...
"Dispel."
SNAP!
With Gray's finger snap and a single nullification magic spell, the Hellfire simply crumbled into dying embers.
-Wh-what?
"The level is quite decent. Similar to the Celestial elders."
Since all the Celestial elders were great magicians who had reached 9th class, this was decent praise from Gray.
-Ce-Celestial! Are you saying you belong to that damn group!
Since Gray was Giovanni's disciple and was scheduled to inherit Celestial, that guess was accurate.
Rudian stepped forward and said:
"Well, whatever. I heard you've been researching the astral gate at the end of this dungeon."
-So what if I have?
"Could you step aside? We have business in the heavenly realm."
-...
For a moment, the lich stopped, looking dazed.
Then suddenly he began to sneer through his teeth.
-Keh, keheheh! Foolish ones...
"......"
-I'll acknowledge that you have the skill to dominate the continent. But do you think you can covet the world of creators with just that level?
'Yeah, I think we can.'
It seemed like that guy had been stuck here without knowing what had happened outside.
-As a senior who has lived life a little longer, I'll give you advice. Go back. Be satisfied with living as kings of ants. The next stage is nothing but endless despair.
"...He's quite kind, isn't he?"
Perhaps thinking it was sincere advice to his juniors, the lich's atmosphere seemed quite heavy.
"In that spirit, I'll at least spare your life."
-You refuse the wine of advice and choose to drink the wine of punishment!
Being quite old, he spoke in a rather classical manner.
But would he be able to say such things even after being beaten up?
"Gray, Senior Elvin."
"Yeah."
"Sure."
At Rudian's call, Gray and Elvin stepped forward.
Since Rebecca, who didn't hold back, and Luciella, who had started handling Outer Force, might cause some collateral damage...
"Please handle him appropriately."
-Huh?
The lich saw the two approaching while cracking their knuckles, and unconsciously took a step back.
Thus came the greatest crisis in the life of Aubesl Carsian, the master of this dungeon called 'Abyss Pit,' a 9th-class great magician who had lived for 700 years.
***
"We have been waiting for you, Sir Rudian, and companions."
Cherubim Siniel.
Gabriel's adjutant and an angel who had fought alongside Rudian in the previous Space War, he was known as the most promising candidate among the next Archangel candidates.
As such, he was also the talent entrusted with the important task of leading Rudian's group to the heavenly realm while avoiding the Pantheon's eyes.
"Um, but..."
Siniel looked at 'something' attached to Rudian's hand with a strange expression.
Having received a report from a subordinate angel that Rudian's group had arrived, Siniel had headed to the outskirts of the heavenly realm with a welcoming heart...
But wasn't there some skull radiating death energy hanging from Rudian's hand?
"Is this also one of Sir Rudian's companions?"
Seeing it chattering its teeth, it seemed to be some kind of living undead...
"Well, that's..."
Rudian scratched his cheek with an ambiguous expression.
"Should I call it... asking for trouble?"
"...Pardon?"