Chapter 260
Chapter 260
Chapter 260
Transcendence (2)
Rudian was at a loss for words.
This was because he was acknowledging deep down that the administrator's words were probably correct.
'Even so... that can't be Adi's fault.'
This was entirely Rudian's fault for avoiding the accurate recognition of the situation and relying on Adi's power.
The administrator continued with a snicker.
"The energies currently gathered in your heart are quite complex. And originally, this should be impossible."
"...Yes, I'm aware of that."
"Energy isn't like oil and water. Those who originally handle multiple energies either thoroughly separate and manage those energies, or naturally fuse them to create new power."
The former could be described as Elvin, the latter as Evangeline.
The administrator said this while tapping Rudian's heart.
"Originally, when handling two or more types of energy—what's called heterogeneous energy—the body usually can't withstand it."
There are easily over hundreds of magic pathways flowing through the body.
Thoroughly controlling different energies through such complex pathways without collision requires tremendous talent.
In other words, unless one becomes quite familiar with it, combat is out of the question.
"And if you carelessly attempt fusion, you can't guarantee what side effects might occur. The essence of body and soul changing is common, and normally the body explodes from being unable to handle the synergy."
That's why Evangeline was remarkable.
She possessed the tremendous power of Elemental, and even accepted the divine-level energy called Death King's energy without losing her essence.
"But you have as many as seven different powers. And yet your soul hasn't been corrupted, nor has your body mutated."
"......"
"So you need to achieve ascension before it's too late."
"Before it's too late... I see."
Rudian understood what the administrator was saying.
It might have been fine when Adi was intact, but now Adi was gone.
In other words, as time passes, these energies would gradually start to rampage, and Rudian would self-destruct without even needing to take a trial.
'Previously, Shub's blessing made it okay... but now even that is gone.'
Rudian slowly moved his energy to create an energy sword.
Since Grandia and Daylight had disappeared, if he had no teeth, he'd have to manage with his gums.
"What should I do now? Should I attack you?"
Even if he were broken hundreds or thousands of times, Rudian was prepared to willingly become an egg smashing against a rock.
But for some reason, the administrator smiled mysteriously and said:
"Good. That stance seems to be the most comfortable posture in your swordsmanship."
"......?"
"Stay in that position as you are. By the way, keep the sword as is."
"......??"
Another question mark appeared above Rudian's head.
Not to attack, not to meditate, but to just stand still while holding a sword?
"Your body should have overcome nutritional intake issues... Just stay like that for about a hundred days. That's my first teaching."
"Wh-what did you say?"
"If you don't like it, never mind."
With those words, the administrator flopped down on the spot and went to sleep.
"......"
Rudian felt a strong urge to stab the administrator's belly once with the energy sword he had drawn.
But if he did such a thing, it would likely be considered task performance and he'd be countered by the administrator, so he had no choice but to endure it.
'This is supposed to be teaching?'
Honestly, just standing still was easy.
Not just a hundred days, but even a thousand days would be possible.
This energy sword... maintaining what was essentially an aura blade continuously was somewhat burdensome...
'But it's not impossible either.'
Even without Adi's assistance, the amount of energy Rudian had accumulated so far was beyond imagination.
Beyond transhuman level, it was practically equivalent to the highest-tier Demon King class.
'...Let's try it.'
Still, having several hundred years of time leeway was a fact already confirmed through the administrator.
'Investing about a hundred days is definitely worth trying.'
Rudian closed his eyes and began concentrating solely on energy management, casting aside all other distracting thoughts.
After all, no matter how comfortable it was, maintaining one posture required tremendous mental and physical strength.
'Hehehe, he has no idea what's going to happen.'
The administrator, who had been watching Rudian with half-open eyes, inwardly let out a pleasant laugh.
'He's going to experience hell from now on.'
He had him hold a sword, but had no intention of teaching swordsmanship.
No matter what advanced swordsmanship he taught, it would be useless to the current Rudian.
'If he doesn't want to die, he'll have to realize why I had him hold a sword and maintain that posture...'
Well, even so, compared to the pain that ordinary practitioners endure for ascension, this was less than one ten-millionth, but considering the path he had to walk ahead, this much was basic necessity.
The administrator lay down and looked up at the sky, smiling.
'Now, Berus... Here's the big prey you so desired.'
So hurry up and notice, and send down trials.
***
The gentle breeze gradually began to carry a blade-like coldness.
The environment of this place, which seemed to fully implement the four seasons, was surprisingly awkward rather than familiar.
Since this was a world where magic existed, even seasons could be manipulated at will.
'How much time has passed?'
By feel, at least two months seemed to have passed.
Though he realized it belatedly, this place fully implemented the four seasons, and when Rudian entered, it was just entering late autumn.
From then, complete winter with even snow had arrived, so at minimum one month to at maximum three months had passed.
'No, that's not the problem right now...'
Rudian felt cold sweat dripping down his cheek.
'The energies are gradually going berserk.'
As initially expected, maintaining the posture itself wasn't particularly difficult.
About two weeks in, he even thought that administrator was just mocking him.
But 30 days, 40 days, 50 days...
As time passed, Rudian realized that something was going wrong inside him.
'He was aiming for this.'
The seven energies that had maintained balance due to Adi's protection began to slowly escape control and rampage on their own.
"It's begun."
The administrator seemed to notice Rudian's physical condition and was staring at him with his chin propped up.
"Soon you won't have the leisure to respond, so just listen."
"......"
"The seven energies you've accumulated are probably rampaging inside your body by now. Naturally, controlling those energies that include even 'divinity' with just your pure control would be an arduous task."
If it hadn't been for Leviathan's core, his body would have exploded long ago.
Even as his insides were becoming a complete mess, Rudian calmly listened to the administrator's explanation.
"But even so, you have a 'center.' No, all life forms that handle energy have a central force that gathers those energies together."
The administrator wasn't referring to Leviathan's core.
"Chaos. Originally chaos, treated as a lower concept of divine power, exists as the greatest power in your heart, holding onto the other seven powers."
The mention of chaos might seem sudden, but there was definitely a trigger.
The resonance of the Seven-Colored World.
Within Rudian, who had repeatedly fused and used that power multiple times, a great chaos had settled.
"The reason the divinity among the powers within you can't unify the other powers and remains in chaos is simple. The other powers within you are too vast for divine power to devour."
"......"
Divinity—the supreme power system of the worldview.
Except for its opposing attribute, demonic nature, it was an absolute power with superiority over any other force.
That such divinity couldn't properly exert itself meant Rudian's situation was much more dangerous than expected.
"The primordial force that composes this world is certainly chaos, but divinity is a higher power that emerged from chaos. The reason is simple."
Though he didn't specifically point out Rudian, the administrator clearly presented the direction Rudian should take.
"The first divinity was the result of refining chaos into order. Nowadays, it's common to transform one power into divinity through extreme processing, but the orthodox way is to guide chaos—the origin of all energies in this world—into order."
This was the same as the previous discussion about the value of magic swordsmen.
The pros and cons of accumulating multiple powers had been a long-standing issue discussed on the continent, and Rudian had concluded that pursuing various paths diversely was more advantageous than digging deep into one path.
'Fuse all powers into chaos, and guide it to divinity.'
Rudian found the answer in the administrator's words.
But...
'There are limits to... fusing powers internally.'
That was easier said than done—if it could be done so easily, the Heavenly Pantheon would have been oversaturated long ago by ascended new gods.
BULGE! BULGE!
Rudian's limbs began writhing grotesquely, unable to withstand the rampaging energies.
Seeing Rudian like this, the administrator quietly advised:
"If you can't endure, you'll become an unprecedented being of chaos."
If that happened, only two endings remained for Rudian.
He would either lose his reason and become a god of destruction that destroys everything, or lose his essence and be sublimated into a completely different being that desires the world's destruction—an absolute evil.
"In the current situation, whatever you become, the ending will be the same... but wouldn't ascending properly to godhood be better than losing disgracefully?"
'I... know!'
Rudian desperately concentrated on control with his eyes closed.
He keenly felt Adi's absence while doing his best with the determination not to rely on Adi anymore.
But there were far too many things in the world that couldn't be solved just by doing one's best.
'Damn!'
Once the reins were loosened, the power no longer obeyed Rudian's control and began destroying his body as it rampaged throughout his limbs.
RIP! RIP!
Rudian's body, made of flesh, was cracking and crumbling.
Watching Rudian's downfall, the administrator's eyes glinted coldly.
'The pain must be no joke, yet his mental strength to maintain his posture is commendable...'
The pain of his entire body tearing was incomparable to the pain of just one or two nerves being severed.
The impulse to smash his head against a wall and find relief was probably dominating his entire body right now.
"If you don't quickly find a way to deal with it, you'll die, kid."
The administrator's tone was, for some reason, quite similar to the previous Diablo.
***
'Is this the end?'
Rudian despaired, realizing his control no longer worked.
The pain attacking his entire body in real time constantly interfered with his concentration, and the energies that gradually loosened control continued to rampage, seeking their own survival.
'This... isn't something willpower can handle. There must be some method...'
Even as his reason crumbled, Rudian desperately searched for a solution.
And with the mindset of grasping at straws, he found one last method worth trying.
'The sword...'
From the beginning, the energy sword Rudian had created was still emitting a brilliant blue light, unaffected by the rampaging energies.
'If I can drive these energies... into the sword...'
This energy sword was a crystallization of condensed energy itself, so originally the concept of using it as an external battery should have been impossible.
But having maintained the energy sword for nearly a hundred days, this blade had become familiar and intimate enough to be processed however Rudian willed.
'Nothing to lose...'
The situation was already at its worst anyway.
No matter what other gamble he tried, there was no chance of success.
—Chaos Domain.
Though Rudian couldn't use 10th class magic, he could similarly mimic it by applying Leviathan's authority.
The energies that had been coursing through his entire body began rushing toward the blade through his hand, following Rudian's guidance.
'Circulate them.'
Simply driving energies into the blade wouldn't work.
The blade was merely a medium.
He had to use this to regain control of the rampaging energies.