The Fallen Shrine (2)

“Keuk!”

Perhaps because he was a Black magician who was nothing but bones, he fainted as soon as he was punched. I didn't expect him to go down in one hit.

The Mana around the stone statue dissipated.

Well, I don't know what this guy was preparing, but I succeeded in stopping it anyway.

“Hye-ya! Are you okay?”

“Yes. I took care of it. And I stopped what he was trying to do.”

“No, I mean the fire. What was that black fire….”

“I have Fire Resistance A-rank, you know. It was just warm. Maybe it was just a different color because he was a Black magician.”

I was surprised that Magic flew at me without any casting time. It was different from ordinary fire. It didn't go out easily while stuck to my body.

If I didn't have Fire Resistance, I would have taken a big hit.

‘I need to train the speed of opening ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Subspace more.’

Anyway, in my opinion, what he was preparing was more serious than that fire.

If I hadn't opened the path behind the goddess statue quickly, this guy would have pulled ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠off something bigger.

Even though I was hit by a fake Hellfire, I think my judgment to rush in just now wasn't bad.

Originally, a moment's judgment determines life and death inside a Gate.

I shoved my sword into the neck of the fallen guy. Black magician, there's no need to keep him alive.

You never know what might happen. He might pretend to be asleep and then use Magic.

“Hmm.”

Then, I turned my gaze to where he had been praying. In front of a statue that mixed Noll and human features, a black spear was placed.

A black gem with a gloomy Mana between the spear shaft and the spearhead caught my eye.

[Contaminated Egel's Spear (D-rank)]

……Ancient Evil God?

I was stunned by the description I was seeing for the first time. Among the countless items that have appeared so far, has there ever been one with the title of ‘Evil God’?

‘…I don't remember anything in particular.’

I've never even heard of a ‘God’ in the first place. Anyway, it's an Evil God, but it has the title of ‘God’.

If there was such a thing, there would have been an uproar.

But now, a thing with the title of Evil God, albeit only D-rank, has appeared before my eyes.

Of course, I couldn't be happy about it.

‘The description is quite a sight.’

I was already taken aback by the description of Ancient Evil God, but the rest was absurd.

A weapon that reduces Spirit Stats by -10 and turns people into Noll?

‘It's trash.’

It was a weapon that was of no great use to us. What would we use turning humans into Noll for?

Above all, there was the prerequisite that you had to become an Apostle of the Evil God to use it.

Well, you could turn things that are worse than dogs into dogs, but…….

That would turn them into hyenas, Monsters more ferocious than hunting dogs.

“What is this?”

Uncle, who came late and checked the spear's specs, sighed in vain.

“I was expecting something since it's a ruin, but it's just trash that no one would use even if you gave it to them…….”

At that moment, the black gem attached to the spear caught my eye. It was exuding an ominous Mana.

‘It seems like it wasn't there when the spear was made, but rather attached to it.’

Suddenly, a thought flashed through my mind. If that's the lingering thought of the Ancient Evil God and it's in a contaminated state because of it…….

Doesn't that mean that if I break it, this spear might return to its original state?

“Not yet.”

“Huh?”

I pointed to the black gem that exuded an ominous energy.

“Let's just break it.”

“The spear? How?”

“No. This black gem-like thing. I think this is the lingering thought of that Ancient God. Won't it return to normal if we break it?”

Uncle narrowed his eyes and looked at the spear.

“Come to think of it, the ominous energy isn't coming from the entire spear, but from this thing?”

It seemed he had only quickly checked the spear's specs.

“It doesn't hurt to try. We can't take something cursed with us, so let's break this and if it doesn't work, we'll just throw it away.”

“That's fine. But will it break with a lance or a sword? It looks sturdy?”

“Hey, what weapon are you going to use to break this?”

Wooong-.

Instead of explaining further, I opened Subspace. Subspace contained all sorts of Gate supplies.

In the newly opened space with Subspace Level 2, there was also a heavy sledgehammer-like thing.

“We have this.”

It was incomparable to any ordinary sledgehammer, so perhaps it was something that Awakened beings used in the previous world.

It was very large and sturdy, so Uncle nodded involuntarily.

“Whoa, that would break the spear too. Will it be okay?”

“If it breaks, there's nothing we can do. We can't take this with us.”

I brought the sledgehammer to the black gem and raised both arms above my head.

The weight was considerable. I was about to bring it down with the full force of my body when.

-Wait.

A deep voice was heard from somewhere.

* * *

-Wait.

The voice that appeared with a strange presence didn't seem to be human. It was impossible to tell where the sound was coming from.

Was it the stone statue, or the black gem on that spear?

Did that Black magician guy already do something? I came down very quickly, so I shouldn't have been late…….

Wooong-.

Since I needed to prepare for battle, I opened Subspace and took out Yong-yong. There wasn't any of that poisonous fog here like before.

-Don't be nervous. I have no intention of fighting. There's no need to destroy my lingering thought either.

I'm not such a fool as to relax just because the opponent says that. No, on the contrary, the tension increased even more.

‘My lingering thought’? The spear clearly stated that it was the lingering thought of an Ancient Evil God.

Then, does that mean that what we are talking to right now is the Ancient Evil God…….

Uncle's expression wasn't good either, as if he had grasped the situation.

‘No, I shouldn't have to face the Evil God right now.’

I calmed myself. Even if it was transformed, it was at most a level 21-25 Gate.

The recommended level of the Gate is quite accurate. To fight an Ancient Evil God, even if it's just a lingering thought, is absurd.

‘There's no need to worry about anything else. Think about the purpose of clearing the Gate.’

Story-type Gate. The Black magician is dead. Now, we need to resolve something through dialogue with the Evil God.

Even if a problem arises, at most, a degraded version of an incarnation will appear.

‘An Ancient Evil God resembling a Noll.’

Considering that there was no Noll Awakened being earlier, that level would be just right.

After thinking it through, my mind and body become stable in many ways. Haa, I took a deep breath into my calmed mind.

“What do you want?”

-Judging by your appearance, you seem to be someone from another continent who has appeared to find a solution, pushed by the Magical Erosion. Take my hand.

‘Magical Erosion?’

It was a word that felt familiar. When did I hear it? When Subspace became Level 2.

The previous Space Master told me to ‘survive the Magical Erosion’.

In the circumstances, that ‘Magical Erosion’ seemed to be referring to the Gate situation.

“If I take your hand?”

-I can help you survive the Magical Erosion.

A burst of hollow laughter escaped my lips.

-Why are you laughing?

“It seems like you've already been devoured by that Erosion.”

Ancient Evil God.

Even while working as an Unawakened Hunter, I had never heard of information about ‘Gods’. Am I the first? I don't know.

‘The information might be controlled.’

Important information related to the Gate is rarely disclosed. On that day 10 years ago, the world was in chaos as if it was facing its end.

Marts were looted, crimes occurred……. It was to prevent such social collapse.

Anyway, whether this guy is an Ancient Evil God or whatever, it was certain that he had not survived the Magical Erosion.

If that Evil God had the ability to stop the Magical Erosion, he wouldn't have appeared inside the Gate.

-…….

The Evil God on the other side was silent for a moment.

-So, that's how it was. You must be people from another world. No wonder I felt a strange sense of déjà vu.

Huh?

I felt a slight sense of doubt because I had heard that the characters in ‘Story-type Gates’ cannot recognize other worlds.

Evil God, is he different because he's a God after all?

-Then everything has already happened. I'm just a lingering thought eaten by that bastard.

“Bastard? Is the Magical Erosion something that actually exists?”

-Well, it depends on how you look at it. It's closer to a re─── caused by ─self.

Suddenly, the Evil God's voice was cut off. As if only that moment was muted.

-Damn it, it seems like it doesn't work because it's in a space created by that bastard.

Suddenly, a brilliant idea came to mind.

“Are you trapped in this spear right now? I have my own space. You can talk there.”

-Really?

“Yes.”

-But why should I do that?

Uh…… That's right.

I didn't have anything to say. Isn't it strange to want recognition from an Evil God?

-It's futile. I'm just going to disappear, so you guys struggle.

Suddenly, anger surged. He can't help, yet he tells us to struggle.

“A guy who was killed by that Erosion is acting cool. Even the name of God is too good for you. Get lost.”

-……?

A moment of silence followed.

He must have hurt his pride as a God.

I quickly swung the sledgehammer in my hand with all my might.

It was because I didn't know what kind of trouble this guy would cause in response to my provocation.

-Y, you impudent……!

As expected. His voice mixed with anger was heard. In an instant, a strange presence and ominousness exploded and grew.

But it doesn't matter.

Because the sledgehammer had already struck the black gem.

Thud, crack-!

At the same time as I felt the impact on the sledgehammer, the strange presence and ominousness disappeared.

As expected, it was good ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to act quickly.

“W, what? Is it over?”

Uncle was looking at me with his mouth open. I smiled. Waiting for a transformation is something that only happens in movies or animations.

“Waiting for a transformation is for amateurs, right? I just smashed it first.”

I pointed the sledgehammer at the stone statue.

“A guy who can't do anything with one hammer blow is being arrogant. He's already dead.”

As I said with a smile, Uncle let out a hollow laugh. His expression was relaxed.

“What's all this about? The Gate being transformed into the past because of you, and the Evil God too.”

“I know, right.”

I was just as embarrassed.

“The Erosion that guy mentioned earlier, that's referring to the Gate situation, right?”

I had been open with Uncle, so I had told him about what happened inside Subspace.

“I think so.”

“Even the Evil God couldn't win, so…… are we really okay?”

I'm worried about that part too.

“That doesn't mean we can die. The previous Space Master also told me to reach the end of Subspace. We have to try.”

“Yeah, that's right.”

It was then. I felt something moving towards the spear with my Spatial Sense.

Thud, roll-.

When I saw what it was, a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠circular white gem was rolling away. Feeling a strange sensation, I quickly picked it up.

[Divinity Stone (A-rank)]

-A stone that faintly contains divinity.

“Could that be it?”

Uncle narrowed his eyes.

“Yes, it looks like the black gem that was attached earlier.”

“Isn't it dangerous?”

“The color has changed, so I think it's okay?”

I showed the Divinity Stone to Uncle as well.

“Huh? A-rank?”

Uncle was surprised, but soon became sullen.

“It's A-rank, but what can we use this for?”

“I know, right. Maybe we can give it to a Holy Knight and they can use divinity?”

It's said to be faint, so it seems like it would only last for one or two uses. Somehow, it felt like we were picking up ambiguous items, just like the Fire Jade last time.

It was at that moment of disappointment.

[You have destroyed the lingering thought of the Ancient Evil God. Although it is a lingering thought, it is a great achievement for a human to have destroyed a part of God.]

[Magic stat increases by 10.]

[You have gained experience.]

[You have leveled up.]

[The top contributor, ‘Han Hye’, is granted a job Skill acquisition ticket.]

“Oh?”

“Oh!”