Chapter 139
Chapter Title: A God’s Counsel
-----------------------------------------------------------------
139.
A god.
A transcendent being far beyond the grasp of common sense.
These transcendent beings were once able to freely come and go from the mortal realm.
Historians of today say this:
A god, by its very existence, must have been a mighty being capable of swaying the mortal world.
‘In reality, that wasn't the case at all.’
One might think that the gods had a tremendous influence during the so-called Age of Gods, but that was not the truth.
“I greet you, great one.”
“No need for such sudden formalities.”
The god chuckled at Leo’s polite greeting and rested his chin on his hand.
“Still, this is fascinating.”
“What is, sir?”
“As you know, gods who descend to the mortal realm are restricted in their power. At best, all we can offer you is knowledge.”
Of course, even a fraction of their knowledge could send immense ripples across the world.
That is why the gods watch their words.
“And yet, why do you… no. Why do you receive the blessings of the gods?”
Leo smiled at the god, who was smiling back with narrowed eyes.
“How much have you seen?”
The god looked amused as Leo answered with a question of his own.
‘Well, look at this. He certainly knows how to deal with a god.’
Before a god, any and all beings were nothing more than inhabitants of the mortal world.
But the elf before him was different.
‘No, he’s not an elf.’
The eyes of a god see through all illusions.
The male god could clearly see the form of a white-haired boy within Akint’s body.
‘A human boy… no. A young man, perhaps.’
The god, who had vaguely perceived yet another form faintly visible beyond Leo’s, wore a look of understanding.
“I see. The Record System.”
“What is the Record System?”
“Shouldn’t you be the one who knows best? You’re benefiting from it even now.”
The god smiled benevolently.
“My apologies, I haven’t introduced myself. My name is Pivua. I am grateful for this meeting.”
“I am Leo Flove.”
Leo revealed his identity without reservation.
“Right, Leo. You seem accustomed to gods, so I’ll ask for your understanding in advance. The knowledge of the gods is not to be carelessly shared with the children of the lower world. Even if it is a fabrication.”
Hearing Pivua’s words, Leo felt a chill run down his spine.
‘He even knows that he’s a fake?’
He was once again reminded of just how incredible a god truly was.
“What great deed could you have possibly accomplished for a mortal to become the master of the Record System?”
“By Record System, do you mean the Hero Record—this power to manifest the past?”
“Hmm. So you don’t know the specifics? Whoever gifted you the Record System was rather irresponsible.”
After a moment of thought, Pivua nodded.
“Since you are the master of the Record System, a simple explanation shouldn’t cause any major issues. The Record System… yes. How much do you know about the power you call the Hero Record?”
“I know that it’s where the deeds of those who have accomplished feats worthy of the gods’ recognition are recorded. And that it can manifest past worlds like this one, and by conquering those worlds, a conquest reward is given.”
“A conquest reward?”
His eyes, glazed over with boredom, were now colored with curiosity.
To a god with near-omniscient insight, the unknown was a treasure more valuable than anything else.
After a moment’s thought, Pivua realized what a conquest reward must be.
“I see. Theoretically, it wouldn’t be impossible. In that case, it’s a very powerful system. Which means it wasn’t created by a single god…”
Pivua asked with a serious expression.
“Leo, what great deed did you accomplish for the gods to bestow such a powerful gift upon you?”
Leo hesitated, unsure how to answer.
‘Even if he’s a fake god, is it okay to reveal everything?’
If things went sour, it could create complications in conquering the Hero Dungeon.
‘But this is a good opportunity to learn more about the Hero Record.’
He considered this as he met Pivua’s gaze.
‘I’ve never heard of a god named Pivua.’
Even Luna hadn’t known that the principal of Barharun was a god.
‘She did say the most benevolent gods are the ones who remain silent, right?’
Deciding Pivua was a god he could trust, Leo spoke of his great deed.
“…I saved the world.”
“Indeed! Saving the world is certainly worthy of receiving the Record System as a gift! How exactly did you save the world?”
Pivua exclaimed, straightening his posture.
“Will you tell me your story? It has been a very long time since I’ve met a hero like you.”
‘Gods love heroic tales. They spare no praise for the inhabitants of the lower world who challenge the impossible to achieve great deeds.’
A long time ago.
Recalling what Lisinas had once told him, Leo spoke.
“I defeated Erebos.”
For a moment, the great god did not comprehend Leo’s words.
A moment later, the great god’s face, which had been looking at Leo, was overcome with shock.
***
Darkness fell over Barharun.
The night streets of Barharun, the grand city of the High Elves, were exceptionally brilliant.
The sight of Barharun, its streets illuminated by splendid magic lamps, was nothing short of breathtaking.
Elves, drunk on alcohol, wandered the streets.
Before the endless peace met its end and the world’s destruction loomed.
The world was more peaceful, and more depraved, than ever.
“This city is strange.”
A man muttered from a back alley of Barharun.
Where the light is strong, the shadows are deep.
Unlike the bright, clean main streets, the back alleys of Barharun were dark and filthy.
“To think a place so bright could be this comfortable.”
“The Legion Commanders told us that most of the elves from this era are already rotten.”
A small sneer echoed from the darkness of the alley.
A female student in a Barharun uniform approached.
“So isn’t it natural that this rotten city feels so welcoming to us?”
“Still, do not let your guard down.”
The middle-aged man standing opposite the sneering girl warned her.
“After all, there are elves here who defeated the Legion Commanders of this era and ultimately helped bring down the great being.”
“Hmph.”
The girl scoffed.
“So, Viner. Why did you gather us here?”
“It seems a rat has entered the dungeon.”
“A rat, you say…?”
“It means the dogs from the Hero Cadet School have caught a scent.”
“A dungeon conqueror.”
The man scowled.
“How many?”
“We’ve only found one so far. But it’s unlikely there’s only one conqueror if they’ve made it this far.”
Viner gave a wry smile.
“They don’t seem to have grasped the situation yet. So it’s easier to deal with them before they can group up. Sarman, you were in charge of the jailers in the underground prison, weren’t you?”
“That is correct.”
“A student named Jera has been imprisoned. Find an opportunity and eliminate her.”
“So that’s what it was. There was a commotion about a student who had never learned Aura suddenly emitting it. A dungeon conqueror, was she? This has become a nuisance.”
Viner cackled at the middle-aged man’s words.
“So what? Isn’t this kind of thing fun?”
Her eyes shone venomously.
“The looks on their faces as they watch the page of their great and revered Great Hero burn to ashes… it’ll be a sight to behold!”
Just the thought of it made Viner cup her cheeks and tremble.
“To think of the despair that will cloud those righteous faces… Ah! It’s ecstasy!”
Seeing Viner’s state, an old man spoke.
“It is good to be true to your desires, but I hope you do not let them ruin the task at hand.”
“Heehee—don’t you worry.”
“We have met an obstacle in conquering this world… but this, too, is a trial we must overcome. My comrades.”
The old man looked at Viner and Sarman and spoke seriously.
“In accordance with the will of the great Erebos, we must destroy this page.”
***
Though night had fallen, Pivua was completely engrossed in Leo’s story.
It was something that even a near-omniscient god could not have imagined.
The feat accomplished by the Great Heroes was an achievement that could only be described as a miracle.
Before they knew it, darkness had settled inside the Tower of God.
Unlike the brilliant magic lamps outside, the only light inside the tower was the faint moonlight shining down from the night sky.
Even that was obscured by clouds, making it difficult to see clearly.
“To think a child of the mortal realm defeated that primordial monstrosity.”
Pivua looked at Leo with an expression of disbelief.
In response to Pivua’s words, Leo said.
“I did not do it alone.”
“Haha. Yes. You said it was an achievement accomplished with your comrades?”
“Why did the gods leave Erebos be?”
“That monstrosity is certainly an existence on par with us gods. A monster that the inhabitants of the lower world cannot hope to face. But it is fundamentally different from us.”
Pivua clicked his tongue.
“Originally, light and darkness are inseparable. If this world is the light, that monstrosity is the darkness. That is why it has existed since the beginning as an immortal monster. We gods could not destroy it, but by lending our strength to the children of the lower world, we have maintained a balance by driving it back into the far reaches of darkness for a long time.”
Before the Age of Calamity.
Leo focused on the story of a distant past he knew nothing about.
“But as the light grows stronger, so too does the darkness. Erebos, having gathered its strength in the far reaches of darkness for a long time, would eventually grow powerful enough to drive the gods from the mortal realm. That is likely what you call the Age of Calamity.”
‘Is that why even the gods said it was impossible to save the world?’
Leo recalled the past.
“It is the natural order for a world long enveloped in light to meet its end. But you and your comrades defeated that monstrosity with your own strength. You should be proud. Leo Flove. You are a remarkable hero who has achieved a feat that even the gods could not.”
“What good is that? It’s all been forgotten.”
“That is truly a pity.”
“I’m used to it now. At first, I was angry about being forgotten, but I’ve decided not to care anymore. More importantly, I have something I must do.”
“And what is that?”
“The complete annihilation of Erebos.”
Hearing those words, the silent Pivua let out a deep sigh.
“Leo. You have accomplished a great feat that even the gods dare not judge. That also means you have endured an unimaginably terrible ordeal.”
No one in the mortal realm could understand Kyle’s pain.
A pain only his companions, who had shared the journey, could comprehend.
“Do you intend to repeat that suffering once more?”
Just because he did it once did not mean he could do it twice.
The primordial evil was not an opponent that could be faced with such a complacent mindset.
The one who knew that best was the very person who had defeated Erebos.
“Your second life is surely a miracle that not even the gods could have foreseen.”
Even for a near-omniscient god, it is impossible to perfectly preserve the memories of a reincarnated soul.
“Do you intend to spend that precious second life in hardship as well? Do you have no intention of leaving it to the next generation and taking a rest?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
In the darkness, Leo’s red eyes shone brightly.
The moon, once hidden by clouds, revealed itself.
With it, moonlight illuminated the interior of the Tower of God.
The gentle moonlight shone down on Leo.
In Pivua’s eyes, the sight was nothing short of noble.
“Because that’s what I’ve decided to do.”
Looking at Leo standing in the moonlight, Pivua thought.
‘Has the day to finally put an end to this long battle come?’
Pivua felt his hands tremble.
‘Is the day finally coming when the mortal realm no longer needs gods?’
A thrill coursed through his entire body as Pivua spoke.
“I see… so there was a reason the gods gifted you a world of this magnitude.”
“...? But this world belongs to Luna.”
“Leo. The Hero Record you speak of is likely an artifact the gods gifted to you. In other words, the Hero Record itself was originally yours.”
Leo was surprised by those words.
“The fact that you alone receive special rewards is likely for that reason as well.”
Pivua’s expression turned serious.
“However. If an artifact made by the gods is broken, there must be a cause.”
The god’s insight flashed.
“Leo. A darkness may have fallen upon this world, no… upon the Hero Record.”
“What do you mean?”
“I cannot tell you clearly. If I were to break the laws instead of you, I would be discovered. This is the most I can advise you. Therefore, you must find out for yourself.”
*Step— Step—*
Pivua walked over.
He then took out the Polium that was stored in a glass case.
Gripping the Polium’s leaf, Pivua roused his power.
Divine power then settled into the leaf.
‘One day, when the time is right, this power will be of help.’
Pivua turned and handed the Polium to Leo.
“This is a staff made with my knowledge. It will surely be of help to you.”
“Is it okay for me to take this? It’s a treasure of the elves.”
“The Polium chooses its master. And it has now acknowledged you as its master.”
Pivua smiled.
“It will surely help you navigate this world.”
As Leo gripped the staff, it seemed to come alive, brimming with vitality.
It was a sign that the Polium had accepted Leo.
Watching Leo, Pivua smiled brightly.
“O great Great Hero, may blessings be upon your path.”