Chapter 52
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 52
Chapter Title: Breaking the Eggshell (3)
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[Deification - Exert sufficient influence over the dungeon's ogres and be acknowledged as an absolute being.]
I never imagined there would be a hidden mission like this.
But there was something even more surprising.
The reward.
[Special Reward - Contract with the Divine Seat, 「Imperfect Secret Bird」]
‘A contract with a Divine Seat.’
It wasn't unheard of for Hunters to clear a dungeon and form a contract with a Divine Seat.
But it was far from common, and in Korea, you could count them on your fingers.
And yet, here I was, about to meet another Divine Seat after the Gardener of the Mother Goddess.
[To activate the special reward, proceed to the ogre statue.]
And so, I now stood alone before the ogre statue, away from the other ogres and Choi Kangwoo.
Under the clear sky, the colossal statue seemed exceptionally tall.
Then, suddenly.
A voice echoed in my head.
[The Divine Seat, 「Imperfect Secret Bird」, offers a greeting.]
If the Gardener of the Mother Goddess had a solemn and profound voice, the Imperfect Secret Bird's was much gentler and more feminine.
"Hello, Divine Seat."
[The Imperfect Secret Bird smiles brightly and nods.]
The Divine Seat seemed to be in a good mood.
In a way, it was only natural.
Considering the connection to the hidden mission, the Imperfect Secret Bird was a Divine Seat favorable to ogres.
Such a being had watched the ogres being slaughtered countless times.
All because of an ‘Interference’ that had twisted providence.
Now that the Interference was gone, someone had finally appeared who had completed the original mission.
"It must have been difficult for you all this time, Divine Seat."
[The Imperfect Secret Bird wears a sad smile.]
However, the Divine Seat didn't launch into a lament or show an extreme reaction.
It seemed to have a much calmer disposition than the Gardener of the Mother Goddess.
Comfortable.
Much better than some emperor who just scratches his belly and yawns.
[The Sage decides to pretend it didn't just hear your thoughts. (º﹃º )]
With the Sage, who was deliberately looking away, perched on my shoulder, I spoke softly.
"I heard the special reward is a contract with you."
[The Imperfect Secret Bird nods.]
"Do you wish to make a contract with me?"
[The Imperfect Secret Bird forms a heart with both hands.]
Just like the Gardener of the Mother Goddess, this Divine Seat was showing me extreme favor.
The Imperfect Secret Bird.
I’d already had my suspicions from the name ‘Saxarba,’ but now I was sure.
‘Abraxas.’
Or Abrasax.
A divine being mentioned in various ancient texts and within Jewish and Christian cultures.
Unlike the legend of Sargon the Great, which was based on a human life, Abraxas was treated as both a god and a demon in its own right.
Its power would be beyond doubt.
Besides, judging by Abraxas's current behavior, it seemed ready to pour all its power into me.
I had to make this contract.
However.
"I would also like to make a contract with you, Divine Seat. But there's just one problem."
[The Imperfect Secret Bird tilts its head in confusion.]
"The thing is, I'm already bound by a contract to another Divine Seat."
[The Imperfect Secret Bird looks puzzled.]
Rightfully so.
I opened my status window and glanced at a specific section.
[Contracted Divine Seats]
None.
The list of Divine Seats was still empty.
Perhaps because the Gardener of the Mother Goddess was a temporary contract, only the blessings I received were displayed, and it had vanished from the contract list.
The Imperfect Secret Bird must have also thought I had no contracted Divine Seats.
"I am already contracted to a Divine Seat. But I don't know when or how it happened. Furthermore, I don't even know who the officially contracted Divine Seat is."
[The Imperfect Secret Bird grows even more puzzled.]
"Would you like to check for yourself?"
[The Imperfect Secret Bird nods.]
At the same time, the ogre statue began to glow faintly.
A warm light started flowing towards my body.
But.
Just as it had happened in the Garden of the Abyss.
As if obstructed by something, the light vanished in an instant.
[The Imperfect Secret Bird looks surprised.]
"Yes, this is the situation."
Suddenly, the voice flowing into my head became more human.
The Divine Seat had decided to use its power to express its will more clearly.
[It says that there is indeed a Divine Seat contracted to you, and its rank is significantly higher than its own.]
"Hmm... so I've been told."
I nodded vaguely.
What good is it if the rank is immense?
It's like getting a job at a major corporation but only having a business card, with no salary or benefits.
The funny thing is, I don't even know the name of the corporation I joined.
Then, the Divine Seat's voice in my head became conspiratorial.
[The Imperfect Secret Bird whispers that it has also discovered a suspicious contractual relationship.]
"So you saw it."
You saw it perfectly.
In fact, I told you to check for yourself so you could see it.
There was a way for even someone like me to receive a Divine Seat's power.
I could receive a sponsorship contract, just as the Gardener of the Mother Goddess had done.
[The Imperfect Secret Bird wishes to sponsor you through a similar contract.]
"I'm honored."
Good.
This was the situation I wanted.
Unlike the Gardener, this Divine Seat was extremely calm and gentle.
I could have healing conversations whenever I felt weary...
[The Imperfect Secret Bird also says it will grant you a much better power than that potbellied old man.]
"?"
Uh, excuse me? He may be a potbellied old man, but isn't it a bit much to call a fellow Divine Seat that?
[It adds, with a sweet smile, that the potbellied old man seemed to be having it easy lately, and asks if this is the kind of trick he's been pulling.]
Wait, your true colors are showing now?
Honestly, if I were the only one who heard that remark, it would have been fine.
But.
*Fwip!*
Perhaps because we were mentally linked.
The eyeball slime on my shoulder heard it too.
And the Sage, having its former master insulted, did something rash.
[...(ʘ言ʘ╬)]
It trembled with rage and acted.
"No, wait, hold on...!"
[The Gardener of the Mother Goddess picks his nose and answers the call.]
No, why are you calling this geezer at a time like this!
The primordial emperor, appearing at his former pet's call, seemed to grasp the situation quickly.
[The Gardener of the Mother Goddess rebukes, asking what sly bird dares to covet his subject!]
A profound and solemn voice immediately echoed in my head.
The old man had used his power right away.
[The Imperfect Secret Bird covers its mouth and laughs, saying it must have been tough for him to drag that heavy body all the way here.]
"..."
If you're going to fight, please do it outside.
Why are you two brawling inside my head?
[The Gardener of the Mother Goddess commands it not to even look, for this subject has made a contract with him!]
[The Imperfect Secret Bird provokes, asking if he has a signed contract and telling him to bring out the official document.]
Now I understood completely.
Why having multiple contracts with different Divine Seats was digging your own grave.
If it's this bad with a temporary contract, I can't imagine a formal one.
[The Gardener of the Mother Goddess wipes the sweat from his brow.]
However, the tide of battle was slowly turning.
For one, it was difficult for the Gardener to claim ownership of me in the first place.
[The Imperfect Secret Bird emphasizes that a temporary contract goes against the natural order. However, it will not raise an objection. In exchange for its silence, it declares its intention to also use this contractual relationship. It covers its mouth and laughs, saying that if he denies this, even the few remaining strands of his hair will disappear.]
The bird's wit was far too sharp for the primordial emperor to handle.
Though I couldn't see him, I could picture the emperor, crestfallen, stroking his wide forehead.
"So, is the discussion over?"
The Gardener of the Mother Goddess was silent.
He seemed to be sulking.
Instead, the cheerful voice of the bird echoed.
[The Imperfect Secret Bird smiles and nods.]
"Your Majesty, there's no need to be too upset. This is only a temporary contract; it's not like I'm becoming the bird's property."
[The Gardener of the Mother Goddess turns his head away sullenly.]
The emperor remained pouty to the end.
Regardless, the other Divine Seat spoke to me with an excited voice.
[The Divine Seat, 「Imperfect Secret Bird」, proposes a temporary contract with you.]
Is there any reason to refuse?
"I accept the proposal."
At the same time, vitality surged through me, and a warm energy enveloped me.
[From now on, the Imperfect Secret Bird will sponsor you.]
[This is a one-sided sponsorship contract with no conditions. The power level will be adjusted downwards.]
[You have acquired Flame and Frost Resistance Lv. 5 through the Blessing of the Eggshell!]
[You have acquired Confusion Resistance Lv. 5 through the Blessing of the Imperfect God!]
[All stats increase by +15!]
And on my status screen, which had previously read ‘No Contracted Divine Seats,’ new information was inscribed.
[Contracted Divine Seats]
Gardener of the Mother Goddess
Imperfect Secret Bird (秘鳥)
A gentle, feminine voice echoed in my head.
[It laughs, saying they will engrave their names there until your formally contracted Divine Seat appears.]
Even the Gardener of the Mother Goddess, who wasn't there before, had appeared on the list.
Seeing it, an indescribable emotion welled up in my chest.
This list had been empty for over seven years.
"Thank you, Divine Seats."
Although an unfortunate incident occurred due to the Sage's outburst, it meant the Divine Seats liked me that much.
Plus, there was an unexpected bonus.
[The Gardener of the Mother Goddess says he will send you a gift soon and tells you to wait.]
"A gift?"
[The Gardener of the Mother Goddess waves and departs.]
It seemed the appearance of a new Divine Seat had sparked his competitive spirit.
And so, the Gardener left, burning with new passion.
[The Imperfect Secret Bird waves its hand.]
The new Divine Seat also bid farewell.
As I was about to bow my head, I spoke up on a whim.
"Divine Seat. Do you happen to know about the being that made this dungeon this way?"
The being that caused the "Interference."
The Gardener of the Mother Goddess had said it wasn't something he could speak about.
Perhaps that was because the Garden of the Abyss hadn't been affected by the Interference.
But the Imperfect Secret Bird was a Divine Seat that had been directly affected.
However.
[The Imperfect Secret Bird quietly shakes its head.]
Does that mean it doesn't know anything?
Or that it knows but cannot speak of it?
But in the end, the Divine Seat gave no further answer and disappeared.
***
Even after receiving the special reward, there was still work to be done.
"Ru."
"-----."
At the top of the cliff, in the place called the god's bedchamber.
I gazed at Ru, who had returned to the nest, and the baby phoenix.
"You did well."
Ru.
The phoenix that had burned its own life force to protect its egg and helped me fend off the invasion had reached its limit.
Its brilliantly shining red feathers had become as brittle as sand, and its once elegant neck was bent weakly.
A final flicker of life before death.
The battle was over, and a clear blue had returned to the sky.
Beneath it, the phoenix, having spent its last moments with its chick, was now dying.
Heading not for rebirth, but for complete ashes.
There was something I had to do before that happened.
"----!"
As I approached, the baby phoenix, which had been clinging to Ru's side, blocked my path.
Still a fledgling, it was about the size of an ostrich.
Yet it spread its wings wide, trying to protect its parent.
"----."
It was Ru who stopped it.
The phoenix moved its head and gently nudged the chick aside.
A week ago, we made a pact.
I would do everything in my power to help the egg hatch.
And once it hatched, Ru would offer its life to me.
Though death was at its doorstep, the wise divine beast had not forgotten its promise.
As I drew the Emperor's Vestige, Odolph spoke from behind me.
"My Lord, I can do it in your stead."
"No, Odolph."
This was a promise between Ru and me, and it was my duty to fulfill it.
"----."
To the pitifully crying chick, Ru opened its beak and let out a clear cry.
What was it trying to say?
Perhaps it was telling its child that it was now the guardian of these ogres.
When the cry ceased, the baby phoenix quietly gazed at me.
Then it stepped aside.
"Ru, thank you for everything."
Ru's black eyes closed.
I added one last thing.
"I'll be counting on you from now on."
***
[The dungeon, Ogre's Sanctuary, will soon close. All party members, please prepare for rift transfer.]
I swiped the status window away.
Behind me was a swirling blue dimensional rift.
Before me was the landscape I had seen for so long since entering this place.
The ogre village of tents.
The giant ogre statue holding a torch, and the steep, sheer cliff behind it.
But the sky was no longer a dirty gray, and what we stood on was warm earth, not frozen snow.
[Saksarva, please, take this.]
One of the ogres kneeling before me stood up and held something out.
It was the one-eyed ogre, the chieftain.
"A ring?"
It was a ring that fit my finger perfectly.
It looked crude, as if carved directly from iron.
But the fire pattern engraved around it was quite mystical.
[This is a tribe treasure, passed down through generations since our distant ancestors. Please, accept it.]
"This seems precious. Is it okay for me to take it?"
[Of course.]
As I took the ring, the Sage immediately began its analysis.
[Ring of the Burning Heart - A-Rank]
[A ring that can only be obtained by a human acknowledged by the ogres. The engraved fire pattern symbolizes the strong heart of an ogre.]
[All stats +5. Grants the skill 「Heart of the Incarnation」. 「Heart of the Incarnation: Temporarily increases resistance to all physical attacks.」]
After putting it on my finger.
"I will leave you with my final divine word."
I addressed the ogres lined up behind me.
"This land was filled with despair from a long winter, so I descended myself and saved you with flames. But remember this. If such hardships and adversities befall you again in the future, you must kindle the flames yourselves."
...That's right.
Since I was already being hailed as a messiah, I decided to play the part properly until the very end.
"Spring is not eternal, and winter will always return. When that time comes, you shall reclaim the spring with your own strength. Engrave these words deep in your hearts, and prosper here forever with the guardian I have left for you."
The guardian referred to the baby phoenix.
When Odolph translated this, his face a mask of extreme guilt.
"GROOOOAR!"
The roar of the ogres, their vigor restored, echoed across the land.
[Glory to the Ogre God!]
[This life for the great Saksarva!]
[Loyalty to Saksarva and his aide, Choi Kangwoo!]
Ah.
This whole concept could be kind of addicting.
Snap out of it.
What's so great about being worshipped as a god by these sweaty warriors?
Just then.
[Your fame for achieving deification begins to spread.]
"?"
A status window suddenly popped up before my eyes.
But it wasn't the smooth dungeon status window; it was the rugged MonMonMak window.
The kind of pixelated window with a rigid tone that appeared when talking to a Lord.
I looked closer.
[The Lord's Castle where the divine beast 'Ru' resides has been recognized as the Holy Land of 'Saksarva'.]
[From now on, the relationship between the different species that worship 'Saksarva' and the Lord's Castle will change.]
...What is this?