Chapter 152
Chapter 152
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 152
Chapter Title: Tiamat's Revelation
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I raised my middle finger.
“...This is it. Eat shit.”
A fierce gust of wind blew from Tiamat’s nostrils. Having succeeded in provoking it, I took a step back and continued.
“You called others here besides me, didn’t you?”
“...”
“Probably looking for someone who could act in your place.”
“...”
The lack of response suggested I wasn’t wrong.
“You have the power to alter the flow of the future, but you can’t interfere with the past that’s already gone.”
“...”
“That’s why you’re trying to make up for your past mistakes now.”
“...”
“I know about it. One of your irredeemable sins. It’s creating Metatron and Beelzebub.”
The creature’s eyes widened.
It must have been shocked that I knew this. Even if it seemed omnipotent, Tiamat was ultimately just another living being.
A being from another realm, different from us.
“You didn’t interfere with the future’s flow until Metatron and Beelzebub checked each other and the world neared destruction. A. Ma. Do.”
“...”
“You got involved in causality after Lucifer’s fall, right? His fall was orchestrated by another god, not you—Anu.”
The wall paintings depicted Anu, the being of holy power, and Tiamat, the being of dark power.
There were scenes of their opposition, with the ‘Opener’ mediating between them.
“...”
Still no answer.
Proof that my deductions so far were correct.
“When you and Anu disagreed on this world, the God-Demon War broke out, and you wanted all existence to perish then, but it didn’t happen.”
“...”
“And the reason I’m here is simple. If you called me, it means you were looking for someone to carry out the destruction! Am I wrong?”
I stared into the creature’s eyes. It slowly twisted its body and lowered its face toward me.
Then, controlling its breath so I wouldn’t be blown away, it quietly replied.
“You’re all correct. Finally, you understand why you’re here.”
[System Message]
[‘Tiamat’ expresses great surprise at Kim Cheonjae’s deductive skills.]
[Now that the reason is found, a gate will open to let you leave this place.]
Whiiiiiing—
A black gate opened between Tiamat and me. It was a space so dark the other side was invisible.
“...That’s why I told you to eat shit. Why did you decide my future on your own?”
“Arrogant little brat.”
“Arrogance goes both ways. You messed with my future without even introducing yourself.”
“Quiet down and return to your place. My role ends here.”
“...Huh? You’re not going to order me to obey you or force a mark on me or anything?”
Tiamat bared its long fangs and spoke to me.
“The flow is set. I no longer need to intervene.”
“...So ‘the flow is set’ means I’ll move as you want?”
“That’s for you to choose. ‘Opener.’ From now on, never doubt your own choices.”
Tiamat’s body disintegrated into the air and vanished into the darkness. As it disappeared, sparkling stars began to appear all around again.
I walked up to the black gate and thought for a moment.
If I enter this, can I finally wake from this hellish dream?
I nodded slightly and smiled faintly.
“...Yeah.”
As I stepped into the black gate, a soft voice echoed.
[Congratulations on conquering the ‘Lion’s Tower.’]
[Implanting a fragment of ‘Unalterable Memory’ into Kim Cheonjae, who completed training in the formless space.]
[All memories will be etched deep within your body, never to fade.]
‘...Good or bad?’
I wasn’t sure which, but when I arrived at the end of the black gate, a joyful expression formed on my face unbidden.
“...Hoo!”
When I opened my eyes, my companions were all there in front of me.
Seeing them, I couldn’t believe it.
Did only I age? Yoo Sora and Kim Yeonhee looked exactly as they did before I entered the formless space.
Jeongwoo and Michael showed no changes either.
I shouted at them.
“D-Did you all wait for me?!”
I kicked my chair back and stood up. They all looked at me with bewildered expressions.
Silence fell.
I asked them again.
“You all... waited for me all this time? For such a long... time...”
Michael twirled his finger next to his head and said to me.
“Genius Kim, have you finally lost your mind?”
“...Huh?”
Jeongwoo came over to my side and shook my shoulder.
“Kim Cheonjae, you sick or something?”
“...No?”
“Then why the hell are you spouting nonsense like that?”
“What?”
“You blink once, and suddenly you’re bitching about us waiting? We did wait—1 second? 2 seconds? Nah, 10 seconds tops?”
So time in the dream doesn’t sync with the game.
I let out a sigh of relief and linked arms with Jeongwoo.
“Let’s go.”
“...What?”
“Let’s get out of here. We’re done with everything.”
* * * * *
On the way out of the Lion’s Tower, I told everyone about what happened in the dream.
They initially looked at me in disbelief, but when I demonstrated the ability I awakened there, they couldn’t hide their amazement.
“Skeleton Summon.”
A steel skeleton appeared in front of me. I grabbed its head and chanted the spell again.
“Skeleton Summon.”
After chanting twice, bone spikes protruded from the skeleton soldier’s shoulders and elbows, and its face elongated like an alien’s.
Jeongwoo marveled at my summon.
“What’s this now?”
“A skill I got from awakening while fighting Tiamat.”
“Awakening?”
“Yeah. Didn’t know it myself, but once proficiency hits a certain level, the system awakens it.”
“...Why haven’t I awakened yet?”
“Probably not enough proficiency.”
I stroked the head of the skeleton soldier I summoned and continued.
“But the stronger this guy gets, the bigger the drawback.”
“Drawback?”
“Yeah, overall stats doubled, but population cost tripled.”
“...Bad if you see it that way, good if you don’t. Depends on how you use it.”
“Exactly.”
Kkiiiiiik.
Thud!
I opened the door to the final staircase leading to the surface.
Mikael and Uriel were waiting for us.
They looked displeased, their faces twisted.
Mikael looked down at me and asked.
“Did you reach the top of the tower?”
“Yeah.”
“Lucifer’s whereabouts?”
“...Couldn’t find out. It was a place totally unrelated to him.”
“Is that so...”
“No, didn’t you two enter the tower too? Why are you out here?”
“...”
Uriel stepped forward and continued.
“We were denied entry and warped outside the tower.”
“...Oh. Really?”
“Kim Cheonjae, what was inside the tower?”
Even the archangels don’t know about Tiamat?
Or are they testing me?
I answered without much thought. Even if they knew the truth, there was nothing they could do.
“Met Tiamat.”
“...Tiamat?!”
“Yeah. It was waiting at the top floor.”
Mikael flew into a rage at my answer. He spread his wings wide and thrust his sword forward—full-blown fury.
“Kim Cheonjae! You met that one?!”
“...Yeah.”
“If it’s a lie, I won’t forgive you.”
“You say that again. Why would I lie to you guys about that?”
“...”
“No funny business. Ask what you want to know now. I won’t tell you later.”
Seeing my calm reaction, Mikael folded his wings.
“You really met Tiamat?”
“That’s what I said.”
“...What did you talk about?”
“Why I came to the tower, and Lucifer’s whereabouts. That was it.”
“...You said you don’t know Lucifer’s whereabouts, so no answer there.”
“Right.”
“You must’ve said you came to find Lucifer for the other question.”
“...”
“Obvious. Nothing else?”
He answered his own questions and wrapped up. No need to explain further—let it go.
“Nope.”
Uriel eyed me suspiciously.
“Really?”
“Yeah.”
“...Understood. Then, with no time to waste, let’s go find Lucifer’s trail again.”
I extended my hand to block their path.
“Hold on.”
“...Why?”
“From now on, we’ll move separately from you.”
“What?”
“You said time’s short? I hear the Corridor reunion takes about a week.”
“How do you know that...”
“We need to find Lucifer’s traces by then, right? Better to split up and search than stick together.”
“...”
Mikael and Uriel flew into the sky and conversed in their own language.
We held a quick strategy meeting while waiting.
“Ma Jeongwoo, Kim Yeonhee, Michael. You three head to the ‘Forgotten Valley,’ and Sora and I will go to the ‘Dark Vent.’”
Everyone nodded in understanding.
“The Forgotten Valley team prioritizes finding Lucifer’s heart, and Sora and I will track down the hidden ancient dragon as fast as possible and join you at the valley.”
Jeongwoo glanced at Kim Yeonhee and said to me.
“You could take Kim Yeonhee. Forgotten Valley’s fine with just me and Michael.”
“No, better to bring her just in case. She has Armor Break and Weapon Break.”
“Don’t need it.”
“Better to have it.”
“...Fine.”
Ma Jeongwoo and Kim Yeonhee.
I knew their chemistry was bad, but they filled necessary roles this time.
A headless knight ‘Dullahan’ was waiting in the Forgotten Valley.
As soon as our talk ended, Mikael descended to the ground.
“Very well. Raphael stays here at the cathedral, and whoever finds Lucifer’s trace first reports to her.”
“...Good. So we split up now?”
Mikael nodded solemnly, wrinkles deep between his brows—clearly unsatisfied.
“Yes.”
“Until when?”
“Five days from now. Everything must be done by then.”
Five days ahead.
“...Five days. See you then.”
[System Message]
[Sub-event ‘Find Lucifer’s Traces!’ activated.]
[Time Remaining: 119:59:58]
[Visit the cathedral with Lucifer’s traces within the time limit! Raphael eagerly awaits your information.]
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