Chapter 369
Chapter 369
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 369
Chapter Title: Secret of the Celestials (1)
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‘This direction….’
After slipping out of Taluba’s grand mansion, Rokan took off running, following the new bearing indicated by the Compass of Desire.
But something was off about that direction.
If Moteron had hidden something before dying, it should naturally be outside the city or in some secret spot in his home. Yet the path Rokan needed to take led straight to the heart of the capital—the imperial palace.
Could he have unconsciously desired something else? He pondered it briefly but decided to trust it for now. He’d know once he reached the end. With that, he picked up speed.
“Here?”
Ping-grrr.
When the Compass of Desire spun in place again, signaling the destination, Rokan’s location was somewhat unexpected.
A small statue right in front of the imperial palace entrance—that was the final stop.
“Really here?”
One of the countless demon statues being hunted by the Celestial God’s statue. And not even a boss-level one, but a mere minion-shaped figure stood before Rokan’s eyes.
It emanated a faint divine power, so weak it could be called nonexistent compared to the others.
Rokan tilted his head and examined the statue. If there was truly something here, this statue had to be the key.
“Nothing?”
But no matter how closely he looked, there were no ancient runes carved anywhere, no slot for a ring.
“The only hole that looks like it could fit something is… Ah, a hole?”
A thought flashed through Rokan’s mind as disappointment set in.
He flipped his thinking entirely.
Why assume the statue needed a hole? Didn’t the ring itself have one?
Turning his idea around, Rokan slipped the ring onto the statue’s finger. Looking closer now, one finger had a perfect indentation matching the ring’s band.
Fwaaah.
In that instant, the statue’s power reversed.
The faint divine power seemed to vanish completely, only for the polar opposite energy to surge forth in a heartbeat.
Demonic energy.
Intense demonic energy poured out, befitting a demon statue.
A pitch-black gate formed in the direction its finger pointed.
It looked insidious, like a serpent’s maw, but there was no choice. Rokan braced himself to unleash Storm Incarnate at any moment and leaped inside.
Srrrrk.
Right after Rokan vanished, the gate snapped shut.
The sinister demonic energy dissipated, and the statue, still wearing the ring, resumed emitting its faint divine power as before.
“What the….”
Moments later, a tense group rushed out from inside the imperial palace. They had detected an energy they thought they’d never sense again.
But they found nothing at the spot where Rokan had disappeared.
“No way—another one?”
Anxiety surged. Had something they’d barely contained finally burst free?
“To Taluba’s place.”
The apparent leader of the group narrowed his eyes sharply and mobilized his forces.
It seemed they’d need to crack down once more.
***
Ziiing.
Entering some space via the warp gate, Rokan tensed his entire body. It was an unknown area where anything could appear at any time, so he couldn’t afford mistakes.
But as if mocking his caution, nothing showed up. The path wasn’t complicated, and there were no traps.
Just a long corridor lined with murals.
“Start recording.”
Gotta capture this. He might need to analyze it later, so he filmed the murals themselves first.
He proceeded slowly, taking in their details and meanings.
“Huh…?”
The story depicted in those murals was truly shocking.
It began with demons.
In the beginning, there was evil.
Immense power and malice ruled the world.
A world dominated by strength.
A world dominated by demons.
But as the wars dragged on, their numbers plummeted sharply despite their growing worship of power.
Their faith was strong, but their numbers had dwindled absurdly.
So the demons devised a plan.
Carrot and stick.
Choose one to soothe the weak and make them offer divinity.
Choose one to heal the wounded and send them back into battle.
One demon was selected.
At first, it refused, but as it carried out the task, it felt its divinity swelling.
It tasted the thrill of growing stronger without fighting.
The demon realized.
You could grow without pursuing only battle and death.
Greed took root in the demon—greed born purely from its own deeds.
Why share this divinity with others?
One day, that demon led its followers and abandoned their lands. They settled far away and continued the same work.
They healed the natives and planted faith in them.
They mediated conflicts and sometimes imposed trials to deepen devotion.
In case someone recognized it as the demon who’d fled with divinity, it changed not just its appearance but the very color of its power.
From bat-like wings to lush feathered ones, from pitch-black demonic energy to pristine white divinity.
It laundered its past completely.
They even mixed their blood with the natives to alter their very lineage.
Part of it was the limited numbers of those who’d followed the now-Celestial-God-called demon, but they also needed powerful descendants to withstand potential demon invasions.
Yet the uppermost elite clung to their identity. They refused to mix blood with natives, preserving their pure lineage and strength.
To maintain mighty power as leaders, or perhaps to be ready to return anytime.
“This is real?”
Having glimpsed this colossal secret, Rokan stared in disbelief.
Was this truly fact? No one would invest this much effort in a lie, but it shattered common sense.
Didn’t people usually see angels and demons as entirely separate races—or angels falling to become demons?
Yet they’d all originated as demons, with the deserters becoming Celestials?
Considering the Celestials’ arrogance and hatred toward demons, it was hard to imagine.
“So that’s why they killed him? To hide the shame?”
If true, even “pure Celestials” were born from demon-native unions—and the imperial family still carried demon blood?
This struck at identity and legitimacy alike.
Would pure Celestials accept an emperor with demon blood if this got out?
Sure, they lacked the purity to judge others, but from what he’d seen, they’d fabricate history to preserve their chosen-people complex.
Claiming natives who’d mated with deserter demons had something special, for instance.
“But the imperial family can’t cover that up.”
What about a pureblood demon Celestial emperor? What excuse could they possibly give?
Rokan saw it as impossible. That’s why they’d sent imperial guards to kill Moteron after he uncovered it.
If exposed, other pure Celestials might topple the imperial family to hide their own flaws and cling to their uniqueness.
Realizing this truth, a smile curled Rokan’s lips.
“This is useful.”
More than useful—it could empower the anti-emperor faction massively.
Now armed with a weapon to shake Celestial society, Rokan grinned wickedly as he checked the updated quest.
[Moteron’s Vengeance 4][Quest]
Avenge the Celestial archaeologist Moteron, who met an unjust death.
-Success Condition: Avenge Celestial Archaeologist Moteron 0 / 1
-Success Reward: Archaeologist’s Legacy
-Failure Penalty: None (Curse Nullified)
The second linked quest investigating Moteron’s death had ended, and the one probing his secret completed in one go.
Now the fourth quest. The reward was finally revealed.
“Archaeologist’s Legacy?”
Still vague, though.
What even was an archaeologist’s legacy? Sounded like a pile of junk, but he didn’t tap abandon.
No failure penalty, and it aligned with what he planned anyway.
Who knew? As an archaeologist, he might have ancient artifacts—and one could be useful.
No high hopes, but no reason to reject a duplicate quest, so he pondered a way.
A method to avenge Moteron and fracture the Celestials simultaneously.
A sinister smile spread across Rokan’s face.
***
Emerging outside again, Rokan retrieved the ring and hid. In the time he’d entered and exited that place, something must’ve tipped them off—Taluba’s mansion was abuzz.
Even though they’d perceive his Nightmare encounter and subjugation as a dream.
‘They sensed the demonic energy?’
Rokan grasped it instantly. The demonic energy activating the warp gate would’ve been noticeable to the palace Celestials.
Fortunately, no execution for Taluba.
The guards—all over level 400—lingered at his mansion for a while before leaving. Confirming Taluba’s survival, essential for his plan, Rokan moved on.
To meet Lafuze, a top anti-emperor figure and second-class Celestial.
“Polymorph cancel.”
“Who’s this guy!”
“Intruder!”
“This aura…?”
But you couldn’t just meet someone of that stature casually.
Even high-level stealth would fail, and in pure Celestial form, they’d dismiss him as beneath notice. So he boldly dropped polymorph, revealing himself.
The Divine Beast Hunter title auto-activated, heightening Celestial alertness. It stirred instinctive revulsion and fear.
Thus, Rokan raised his open palms above his head to signal no intent to fight. The pure Celestials aiming weapons at him hesitated to strike.
He radiated no resistance, but his mad aura was terrifying.
“I want to meet Lafuze.”
Exuding an overwhelming, suffocating pressure laced with madness, Rokan flashed a pale smile.
He requested an audience with Lafuze.
An incomprehensible approach by normal standards—but it made sense for Rokan.
Soon, good news came.
“…Lord Lafuze will see you. Follow.”
The second-class Celestial Lafuze—duke-equivalent in human terms—had agreed to meet Rokan.
They’d meet in a reception room under mana freeze spell as precaution, but Rokan had no plans to cause trouble.
“So, you’ll see me?”
Entering, a fairly aged pure Celestial sat in the high seat, looking down at Rokan.
The clandestine meeting began.