Chapter 80
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 80
Chapter Title: 8th Floor - Lv. 1230 Great Saintess (3)
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Once someone reaches the face of the church, they don't just casually touch their body.
There are many ways to communicate with the gods.
In truth, receiving a divine oracle directly is an exceedingly reverent and rare event, and even receiving a message is considered a prophecy, something profoundly precious.
Conveying any opinion to a god normally requires tremendous effort.
Purification through bathing, selecting the finest offerings, and various rituals—on top of all that, one must seek out a temple or one of those rare ancient altars.
High-ranking priests who receive holy decrees and are designated as saints are a bit different. They can create a sanctuary on the spot, making themselves no different from an altar.
But I had to stop the saintess, who was naturally preparing to commune with the divine while radiating holiness everywhere.
"No, hey, hold on a second. If you do that now, I'll burn to death."
The sun was already bright enough as it was. The sunlight piercing faintly through the clouds—light that held countless symbolic and magical meanings—tormented the undead.
"Even with a makeshift altar and ritual like this?"
"Even if the clan master came, if you're the one leading it, I wouldn't survive."
If she properly communed with the divine through a full ritual, I'd turn to ash first.
The God of Nature frowns at the God of Discipline's finicky behavior.
The God of Discipline has always been like that, no matter the run. The suffix determines the discipline, but at its core, it's ridiculously picky about rituals and formalities.
It's a stubborn god that rarely responds even to direct communication between gods.
The saintess, who had knelt briefly in this awkward situation to offer a prayer, stood up.
Her sullen expression seemed a mix of anger and disbelief.
Her cheeks puffed out slightly—a habit unique to the NPC Merrill. It meant the situation wasn't amusing.
And so, she spoke especially stiffly.
"No helping it, then. The god has permitted it."
"Oh, better hurry."
The moment I clasped hands with the saintess, pain like dipping my hand in a healing spring surged through me. The divine power was too pure, too refined—it hurt.
"I never imagined I'd have to deliver a divine oracle to an impure being like you."
'Ah, come on, let's get this over with quick. You say that, but isn't it just business in the end?'
"Hahaha, what an amusing remark. It's rare to find an Exile who dismisses it so casually, even if it's true."
The moment I heard the voice, my first thought was, 'Ah, what a tiresome god.'
The voice sounded human enough, but it was thin and whiny, and a god using honorifics? Sure, with money attached to the discipline, it made sense—but the attitude screamed merchant haggling like a fishwife.
Dozens of eels slithered through even in the divine oracle.
This wasn't just because my hand was burning. I was objective.
And I already knew what the other side wanted to say.
"You must have something to ask of me."
Ah, damn, beats around the bush so much. Making the first offer is merchant basics, sure.
'Let's rent the saintess for a bit. Limited to this floor. In return, make sure the path is clear. And do you have any info on when Sudden Death starts?'
The Goddess of Chaos is useless for observation unless it's the Abyss itself.
The God of Nature uses fairies and blades of grass scattered across the world as eyes and ears, but honestly, the Grove Fairies...
They're holed up in the forest and don't come out, so there's nothing to see or hear.
The God of Discipline has quite a few eyes and ears.
Not just Exiles'—as a god, it would know things are starting to crumble somewhere.
Sudden Death is like a sacrifice to the Abyss. Everything that vanishes in Sudden Death sinks into the Abyss.
Or perhaps the phenomenon called Sudden Death is the supreme god of the Abyss wielding its authority.
"The price? Saving the saintess already cost a great deal, and you've used up most of that reward. Not enough."
The monetary suffix doesn't always mean literal 'money.' It's more like 'value' itself.
Though it does place heavy weight on material value.
My most materially precious possession.
I pull out the Eye of Akasha.
"An Abyss relic... More than sufficient. Did you kill Karkrish?"
'Yes.'
"The relic still has one use of its power left. It's been ages since I've had a deal with payment overflowing. I'll remember you as an excellent customer."
'Appreciate that. Then I'll borrow the saintess. No Sudden Death?'
The downside of wide maps is that even though they're vast, you don't get particularly long. Instead, because there's so much to cover, Sudden Death creeps in like a nudge to wrap up and leave.
Now, nearly ten days into the 8th floor, it was getting dangerous.
By the time you notice the edges crumbling—its defining trait—it's usually too late.
"From the eyes of my followers at this map's edge, the Abyss's energy is surging. At longest a day, at shortest tonight."
As expected. Close call.
This floor had too many things tangled up at once. Not enough time to sort them methodically, so I pushed through—and it worked out for the best.
"Out of concern, the stairs are in the middle of the Empire's city. Corner of the map—better hurry."
'Ah, I already knew that. You're not deducting from the payment, are you?'
"Strong-arming goes against commercial ethics. And I should express my greetings. Thank you for saving Merrill."
This was unexpected. Gods, ancient veterans by any measure, rarely express such overt gratitude to an Exile—let alone for one of their own followers.
Setting aside the sleaziness, it might actually be a decent sort.
I've seen plenty of gods who've lived for tens, hundreds, thousands of years in their divine seats, and from their perspective, that's no easy expression.
"With more than half the payment left, feel free to visit the church anytime."
'Can't you just grab any follower and relay a message?'
"...Since you're the customer who sold me the relic, I'll offer that much service. Just don't go blabbing about it."
Well, damn. This guy's more rebellious against the divine seat than I thought. The seat of the God of Discipline isn't supposed to have this much flexibility.
It happens sometimes.
When a god accidentally sits in a seat that perfectly matches their original nature.
Probably a pervert who loved money and deals from the start?
Offering service from the seats of Discipline and Commerce. Must be pretty agonizing.
"Uh, wasn't that super rare and amazing and important?"
"Yeah, so we sell it now."
"If it's instant-death on ambush, doesn't it get even better the further you go?"
"True, but better to entrust it to the god than run around like a wanted criminal in the kingdom."
"Entrust it?"
"We can reclaim it."
"Oh... If Uncle says so, then it must be."
Strictly speaking, the true value of the Eye of Akasha isn't in its three limited uses.
In the late game, procuring weapons becomes a real hassle.
Enemies get stronger, so you need better gear—but around here, weapons are extreme consumables.
It was maddening even back in the game days. Weight limits meant you couldn't carry much, yet you had to haul a bunch of backup weapons.
[Main Dungeon] entry makes it worse—you can't easily exit to reequip.
But gear that's a supreme god's relic has top-tier performance as a weapon, plus insane durability.
It'll shatter eventually, but ten times the durability of regular high-end gear is key for weight management.
Material was something like crystallized divinity. Not physical, so it lasts.
"Gonna need to restock daggers too."
"Not many left, huh."
Thrown daggers are always a great attack option. But as progress ramps up, properly armed foes appear, and looting daggers gets tough.
The Labyrinth has a ton to consider.
Everyone quickened their pace.
Fatigue was a risk, but I wasn't worried.
I know what's coming on the 9th floor. The future intel gave a solid overview.
Even if info can alter the future, it won't change the floor's core content.
The 9th floor is comfy. If you're resting, do it after arriving.
I touched the small cape-like scarf on my back. The cool, smooth feel of its split ends wrapped around my fingertips.
Barbaroy's authority to dominate blood.
Against foes with ingestible blood, it offers near-infinite sustain.
Barbaroy used it that way—what about me?
No need for words.
Before the kingdom, most Exiles are human.
Even in the kingdom, plenty haven't shed their humanity.
If it's humans, I could handle thousands alone.
PvP floors? Free wins no matter what.
That's why I snagged it, though it's a shame the next theme has no PvP.
For now, the God of Discipline didn't seem to notice what it was—keep it hidden.
Just walking turns into laborious marching after dozens of kilometers.
As a vampire, I'm free of physical stamina limits.
The Girl and the youngest have insane natural physiques.
Trdongt's an orc, old or not. The saintess needs no worry.
The Hunter was the one who nearly collapsed.
"No divine spell restores physical stamina itself."
The saintess declared and hoisted the Hunter onto her back.
The middle-aged American trudged on, crisis of shame be damned.
The saintess clearly didn't like this setup.
"Don't like me?"
Falling out with the continent's strongest saint isn't smart.
Her expression turned subtly odd, and she countered.
"Do I have any reason to like you?"
"No, but any reason to hate me?"
"Didn't you nearly kill me back at the ruins?"
Oh, right. That was aimed at Trdongt. She threw herself to shield him and took the hit. Nearly severed her spine.
Forgot about that!
"Fine, can't be helped then."
Her face twisted weirdly again.
Trdongt, who'd ditched the God of War and temporarily joined the church of Chaos, bellowed a laugh.
"Kid, mingle more with non-believers. Next time something like this happens, handle it differently."
Unlike with me, she replied to Trdongt with utmost courtesy.
"I shall."
"Strictly speaking, I saved you—can't that count for something?"
She pouted and glared at me.
Didn't open her mouth.
Damn. Better work on Trdongt instead.
I sidled up and whispered.
"By the way, how'd you convince her?"
I was curious. She's a priestess who hides it well, but holds grudges hard. Somehow turned her human again.
Even with lingering attachments, returning means uncertainty, or hating humans altogether.
Left alone, she'd adapt to being an orc.
I figured Trdongt could persuade her, but the method intrigued me.
In past runs meeting Merrill, it took ages of effort. Especially when I handled it myself.
Trdongt glanced around, then whispered back.
The saintess could've heard if she wanted but didn't eavesdrop on her master's words.
That's what's amazing.
It's normal for the saintess to depend on Trdongt, but obeying him so well after reverting to human? Rare.
Even if the game shifts slightly each run.
"Told her to do it like an orc."
"What kinda bullshit is that?"
Like an orc? She's only been one for a year or so.
"Smash everything and raise the church of Discipline as humanity's one true faith. Struggle and conquest. Orcish enough?"
"Wait... Isn't that my future opinion?"
Doesn't sound like it. Too radical.
"My heart."
"How'd things end up like this? The God of Discipline allows it?"
"Seemed so."
"Wait, isn't this guy a merchant?"
The saintess glares again as I badmouth her god. Whoops, watch it.
Meeting an unusually flexible God of Discipline leads to this?
Nothing beats monopoly for profits, after all.
Butterfly effect or whatever.
Has any server had a single party progress this dominantly?
Before kingdom Exiles could interfere, I'd handled most major events solo.
Usually, history bends from multiple Exile parties' meddling.
This is 100% me solo-running it.
Not even in my past runs.
Too many encounters that shouldn't happen pre-kingdom.
"Well, it's fresh. Nice."
Feels like properly playing the game again after ages.
Games are for fun.
By then, the long march ended. Unlike the Empire's fortress, the city brimmed with proper stone buildings.
No walls still. Barriers blocking fights? Pointless for Greenskins.
From now, the saintess would buy time for our party to reach the stairs, per the deal.
"I'll declare a sanctuary—get far away, quick."
Her eyes narrow at me. Feels like baseless hate. Though there is a reason—still, this much?
A bit sad.
Once our group was far enough, a pillar of light struck down. Divinity spread everywhere.
Great Saintess Merrillis ascended with wings of light.
The city grew noisy. Some already rushed out weapons drawn.
The saintess charged straight at the ground.
Golden radiance crashed into the earth with a boom, hurling up chunks of terrain skyward.
"Let's move past quick."
Trdongt said gravely.
"Exciting. First time descending stairs with an Exile in my life."
"It'll be fun."
In more ways than one.
We dashed through the chaotic city swirling with light, divine power, shouts, and clashing weapons, leaping into the stairs.
Still snowy theme, so a snow-covered forest welcomed us.
A few Exiles had arrived first.
And one recognized us.
"Prez?"
The little mage from the archer girl's party, after ages. No archer girl or old man in sight.
Whatever they'd endured, she looked haggard and exhausted. Injuries everywhere.
Worn to the point death wouldn't surprise.
"Long time. What happened?"
Tears streamed from the little mage's eyes.