Chapter 334
Chapter 334
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 334
Chapter Title: Queen Sepirina
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Demon Merchant Association.
Dagon, now the branch chief of the Valhalla branch, was busier than ever, with no time to catch his breath.
"Handle them with care! Each spirit stone is worth more than your worthless lives!"
Dagon's sharp voice lashed out like a whip at the lesser demons moving crates filled with spirit stones that packed the warehouse.
His eyes gleamed like a hawk's, scrutinizing every stone for even the tiniest scratch.
As a thoroughbred demon merchant, he treated even his subordinates as potential sources of loss.
After all, he held the exclusive rights to supply spirit stones from Valhalla.
Valhalla, the land of endless strife.
Of course, they weren't produced from the ground itself.
The Evil God Ialdagols.
Only his followers, the "Crystal Ants," could create spirit stones.
They shared all thoughts, souls, and memories through the "Mother Crystal," and what was newly generated each time they molted was none other than the spirit stones.
Moreover, infused with Valhalla's pure fighting spirit and soul power, they held value incomparable to ordinary mana stones.
The quantity wasn't explosively abundant, but their rarity and unique energy were alluring enough to sway higher beings sensitive to mana—especially the demon gods.
And that was just the beginning.
Rumors spread faster than the winds of the Abyss.
The emergence of Valhalla spirit stones delivered a fresh shock to the stagnant Abyss market, and soon, several of the Twelve Races cautiously approached the Valhalla branch.
Among them were the Dragonkin, the Dusk Tribe, and surprisingly, the Star Realm Tribe, the Giant Tribe, and the Qilin Tribe.
Five out of the Twelve Races had shown interest in the spirit stones.
And representing the Dragonkin was Darkan.
"I want to acquire the spirit stones needed to rebuild the Dragon God Temple."
"The remaining stock isn't plentiful, Lord Darkan."
"Then just hand it all over to us Dragonkin. Ataraxia specially released you lot, after all."
A shrewd merchant's smile spread across Dagon's lips.
"It's true that Lady Ataraxia freed us, but the Demon Merchant Association ultimately operates on merchant logic. I hope you understand."
Darkan's eyebrow twitched slightly—an overt sign of displeasure.
"Restoring the Dragon God Temple isn't just our Dragonkin affair. It concerns the balance of the entire Abyss. I figured even demons like you would have some sense of duty."
Dagon didn't flinch; instead, he flashed an even craftier smile.
"Duty is a fine thing. We merchants have our own sense of duty: maintaining the 'balance of trade.' If we granted exclusive rights to the Dragonkin alone, the Star Realm Tribe, Giant Tribe, Qilin Tribe, and Dusk Tribe would all voice their complaints."
Darkan's expression hardened further.
"I expected as much, but you're even stingier than I thought."
"Am I not one who inherits 'His' will?"
He referred to Sepiro.
The one who had entered the rift and now ruled it.
"What do you want?"
"As you know, with the 'Black Witch' potentially threatening Valhalla, it's hard to grant special privileges to the Dragonkin alone. Unless the Dragonkin step up to fully defend Valhalla..."
"You know that's no easy task."
Dagon nodded.
Without Sepiro, even if Ataraxia and Darkan wielded full authority, most dragons wouldn't follow.
The Sloth and Despair clans alone couldn't protect this place from the Black Witch, and in any case, the destruction and rebuilding of the Dragon God Temple was a far weightier matter.
Valhalla was Sepiro's domain too, but the dragons didn't see it that way.
Sepiro's true stronghold was the dragons' world: the Dragon God Temple.
They had no intention of defending this place with their lives.
"The Star Realm Tribe, Giant Tribe, Qilin Tribe, and Dusk Tribe are all eyeing these spirit stones. If the Dragonkin monopolize them, they might bring unnecessary pressure on Valhalla."
Darkan openly showed his irritation.
"So you're planning to pit the five races against each other."
"To put it precisely, we'll resolve it through a 'fair auction' rather than mere competition."
Darkan closed his eyes briefly, deep in thought.
Dagon's scheme was plain as day.
Pitting the five races against one another to maximize the spirit stones' value and amplify Valhalla's—and the Demon Merchant Association's—influence.
Plus, dragging things out to watch the situation and squeeze extra profits.
"Quite the bold move toward the Twelve Races."
"You're too kind. We simply pursue fair trade for all. And above all..."
Dagon continued with a leisurely smile.
"The Interracial War is just around the corner, isn't it?"
The Interracial War—crucial for all, especially the Dragonkin—was imminent.
Naturally, spirit stones were among the best means to boost a race's power and warriors' might.
Darkan clicked his tongue inwardly.
He didn't welcome this situation, but there was no choice.
Securing the spirit stones as quickly as possible was the priority now.
"Fine. We'll play by your rules. But the Dragonkin will secure the quantity we need."
Dagon bowed his head with utmost satisfaction.
"An excellent decision. I'll soon arrange negotiation tables with the other races as well."
The Dusk Tribe were shadows.
Beings of darkness itself.
They spread dimness and swelled their forms according to their foes.
The Qilin Tribe were called the tribe of mystery.
They could connect lives, souls, thoughts, and visions among themselves.
The Star Realm Tribe possessed bodies made of starlight, wielding stellar power and gifted with precognition.
The Giant Tribe boasted overwhelming size and strength straight out of legends.
The Dragonkin were masters of magic.
Five utterly mismatched races had gathered.
In the deepest, most secure conference room of the Valhalla branch, they glared at one another across a massive obsidian table, sizing each other up warily.
The air crackled with invisible clashes of power and will, almost sparking like electricity.
Dagon sat at the head, watching the tense scene with satisfaction.
At his feet, a small mana condensate glowed faintly, absorbing the room's tense energy.
A merchant's foresight—for contingencies, and to store even this tension as energy.
"Thank you all for taking the time to come here, esteemed representatives."
Dagon opened with a smooth voice.
His words sliced through the room's taut tension, echoing clearly.
"As you can see, Valhalla's spirit stones are limited in quantity. As branch chief of the Demon Merchant Association's Valhalla branch, I wish for this precious resource to be distributed as fairly and valuably as possible."
His gaze swept over each representative in turn.
Darkan of the Dragonkin still couldn't hide his displeasure, but the desperation to secure the stones was etched on his face.
Darkan spoke first.
"Gathering like this for Valhalla's spirit stones is unprecedented for all of us. But keep this in mind: yielding them to the Dragonkin is the wisest choice for everyone's benefit."
In response, the Giant Tribe's representative, Garum, let out a rough laugh.
His deep, resonant voice boomed through the chamber.
"Typical Dragonkin arrogance. When it comes to battlefield might and prestige, the Giant Tribe deserves to claim the spirit stones."
The Star Realm Tribe's representative, Iris, added coldly with an expressionless face.
"This isn't just about raw power. The coming Interracial War will bring chaos and disorder. The Star Realm Tribe, able to foresee and prepare for the future, should have the spirit stones—for the good of all."
Then, from the Dusk Tribe representative's shadow, a hissing sound emerged as darkness writhed, followed by a low voice.
"Only the Dusk Tribe can truly prepare for wars in the shadows. The spirit stones are a treasure suited to us."
At that moment, the Qilin Tribe representative, who had remained silent, interjected with a clear, mystical voice.
"How brazen you all are. Greed alone doesn't make it happen."
The five representatives glared at one another simultaneously, locked in a fierce battle of wills.
As if he'd been waiting for this exact moment, Dagon smiled and slowly clapped his hands.
"Excellent. You all clearly recognize the value of the spirit stones. Now, we must discuss how to distribute this vital treasure fairly."
Dagon continued in a suave, practiced tone.
"Each race, please state the quantity of spirit stones you desire and the commensurate price you're willing to pay. The final decision will, of course, be based on your offers."
The representatives' eyes sharpened.
Dagon smiled inwardly at their reactions.
The competition had only just begun.
Just as Dagon wanted, the five races were sinking deeper into the mire of rivalry.
This alone would deter the Black Witch from even thinking of touching Valhalla.
But then.
Rumble rumble rumble!
The world shook.
The Abyss screamed.
The Star Realm Tribe reacted first.
Hearing the stars' cries, they clutched their heads in agony.
"This is...!"
Representative Iris's body trembled violently.
His starlight form distorted and wavered like flowing water.
The fear in his eyes spread to fill the entire chamber.
The Star Realm Tribe influenced all things around them.
The moment his emotions transmitted to everyone...
"...A new god has been born."
Everyone knew.
A new god had been born—an unprecedented evil god.
The God Devourer.
The absolute evil god that devoured stars and even their gods!
This was no time to dawdle.
Because...
Giant Tribe's Garum said in a heavy voice.
"It's coming... straight to Valhalla."
The evil god born from the fusion and evolution of the Cradle's master, Ta Baek, and the immortals was hunting down and devouring every hidden god.
Soon, the evil god's gaze turned to Valhalla.
More precisely, to "Evil God Ialdagols."
Ialdagols himself realized it.
He had been the master of distant universes, a baleful god even demon gods shunned.
Though weakened now, having lost his world...
【...You underestimate me greatly, newborn evil god.】
Ialdagols's tree shook.
The glutton shaking the cosmos saw him merely as prey and approached.
Devouring gods along the way, growing ever larger.
【Crystal Ants, my followers. I permit you to unleash the power of the "Mother Crystal."】
Rumble!
Rumble rumble!
From deep beneath Valhalla's earth, 100,000 ants that had been huddled in hiding burst upward through the ground.
At their center.
A colossal ant dwarfed all other Crystal Ants.
【Are you the new queen?】
"We greet our god. I am Queen Sepirina."
The name oddly resembled Sepiro's, but there was no time to dwell on that now.
Ialdagols, who had birthed a goddess by unleashing the Mother Crystal's power accumulated by the ants over eons, stared at the approaching evil god.
This was a showdown to determine the true "Cosmic Glutton."
Not yet ready for full revival, but during his time in Valhalla, Ialdagols had rapidly regained his divinity.
Especially recently.
As Park Chan-woo's mana grew mightier, so did the Mother Crystal's power.
Now, he could demonstrate a portion of his divine might.
【Destroy that insolent fool.】
"Your command is received."
In an instant, the ants shuddered and began evolving.
Growing larger, sprouting wings, adapting to thrive in any Abyss environment.
All the ants had become warriors.
Crystal Ants.
Once the strongest race that dominated the entire universe in ancient times.
They had hidden until now, but true to form as followers of the sole god and glutton Ialdagols, their foundation was purely combative.
The spirit stones Dagon took were mere shed husks from their molts.
The Mother Crystal's true power was incomparable to such shells.
"......"
"......"
"......What are those ants?"
Dagon and the five races watching from Valhalla were momentarily speechless.
Dagon knew of them, but he hadn't imagined they could exude such ferocious mana and shift into full battle mode.
The other races were equally stunned by this unfamiliar species.
The Cradle's master.
Discovered by Sepiro and fused with Ta Baek, he devoured gods while thinking.
'Park... Chan-woo.'
His mind was filled solely with those three syllables.