Chapter 56
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 56
Chapter Title: Necro King Akrosis (3)
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Another tiring day came to an end.
Id promised myself Id get by on ramen for the time being, but my exhausted body managed to overpower my frugal spirit.
The results of that battle were the beer and convenience store chicken now sitting on my table.
Pshht.
I cracked open a can of beer, bought cheap in a four-pack, and took a sip.
The cool sensation flooding my mouth felt like it was washing away the days fatigue.
After wetting my throat with the refreshing beer, I glanced at the TV screen, where the news was playing.
- And now for world news. The unrest that began in several African nations is now showing signs of spreading across the entire continent.
- In the capital of South Africa, twenty days after the situation began
The world news was on again today.
It seemed the African continent had been quite tumultuous lately.
Being a story from a distant land, it didn't really hit home for me.
No matter how you looked at it, it was practically on the other side of the world.
Even if they called it news from the global village, it was only natural to feel a sense of distance.
Is there anything interesting on?
Click.
I pressed a button on the remote, changing the channel.
I was hoping to find a good movie on TV.
But after flipping through several channels, nothing caught my eye.
And I couldn't be bothered to go online and search for something.
Leaving the TV on some random channel, I picked up my smartphone and launched the game.
Ugh. Might as well just play the game.
Since it was an idle game, the characters moved on their own without my input.
My plan was to just have the game open and watch it while I ate my chicken.
After launching the game and tapping through the loading screen, I saw the characters bustling about.
Characters who looked like followers were moving and cutting lumber.
It seemed they were repairing the damaged Order.
I watched the busy followers for a moment, then swiped the screen to check my remaining Karma.
I wonder how much Karma I have today.
I read the Karma count displayed in the corner of the screen.
1972 Karma.
Looking at it, I almost felt like I was reading a year.
Ever since Kueberbergs Karma acquisition rate had dropped, the overall increase had slowed significantly.
On top of that, I had lost followers in the attack from the outside force, which also reduced the bonus from faith.
With two negative factors hitting at once, it was only natural for my Karma income to decrease.
However, there was one surprising thing: a Karma value obtained by Necro King: Akrosis.
The Karma itself hasnt increased much but theres a new entry.
Swipe.
I scrolled through the accumulated messages to find the one about Akrosis.
Below the usual messages reporting Kueberbergs hunts.
A new set of messages generated by Akrosis had appeared.
- Necro King: Akrosis has performed an offering to you.
- Sacrifices offered to you: 42
- The effect of Scales of Karma: Offering is activated.
- Karma has increased by 84, proportional to the number of sacrifices offered.
- The number of the Orders followers has greatly increased.
- Some followers have acquired the Fanatic trait.
- Karma has increased by 14.
Looking through the messages, the first one that stood out was that Akrosis had made an offering to me.
A creature, not a character, making a direct offering to me.
It was a stark contrast to Kueberberg, who had only ever supplied Karma through hunting.
Scrolling down a little further, I saw another message stating that the number of followers had greatly increased.
An increase in followers at the same time as an offering.
I couldn't help but question these two contradictory messages.
How did they become followers if they were part of an offering?
To make an offering, you had to sacrifice characters.
But somehow, those sacrificed characters had become my followers.
It meant that the followers offered up by Akrosis were now living their lives in faith, perfectly fine.
I wanted to find Akrosis to understand this incomprehensible situation, but right now, I had no way of knowing where he was.
The day I handed over Shadow Fiend: Beta to Loan, I had tried to find Akrosis myself, but ultimately failed.
I have no idea whats going on. But its too much of a hassle to go looking for him myself.
Akrosis had long since vanished completely from the mountain where he was summoned.
Even if I wanted to search for him, I would have to scour the entire map.
I didnt feel the need to go to such lengths to find him.
Considering that I was getting Karma, it was certain that he was doing something beneficial for me.
If I just left him be, he might turn into a tidy profit and come back to me someday, like a stock I'd bought and forgotten about.
Well, if I just leave him alone, hell probably earn me Karma one way or another.
Leaving my hopeful dreams for Akrosis aside, I continued to scroll down.
There was still more to the message log below the ones about Akrosis.
It seemed another message had arrived, aside from the one about the new creature.
As I scrolled down, I found a familiar name.
Looks like the magic book I gave Yutenia came back, too.
At the very bottom of the message box was a message from Yutenia.
It said she had sent the magic book to me using an offering.
The magic book I received from Yutenia was Magic Book: Giga Lightning.
It was an item I had previously acquired from the gacha and given to her.
After confirming the new magic book in my inventory, I immediately used it to learn the spell.
- You have learned Giga Lightning (Lv.MAX).
- You can now use the Giga Lightning spell by consuming mana.
- Giga Lightning has been added to the sharing list of Divine Artifact: Astrape.
As the magic book disappeared from my inventory, a skill icon for Giga Lightning appeared in the corner of the screen.
The icon for Giga Lightning looked like a rain of lightning bolts.
When you learn a new skill, its only right to try it out.
I moved my view to a different nearby mountain to avoid damaging the Order.
Normally, I would have just thrown the spell at any village, but that was no longer an option.
The reason being that there were no intact villages left near the Order.
Well, since there are no characters I guess Ill have to try it on some animals.
Tap.
I touched the Giga Lightning skill icon, activating a new targeting reticle.
Then I placed it in the middle of the mountain and tapped it.
A flash of light erupted from the target, and soon, hazy dark clouds began to form over the entire mountain.
The moment those swirling clouds condensed into one massive thunderhead.
CRACKLE!
With a single bolt of lightning, a cataclysm began to unfold across the entire mountain.
- You have used Giga Lightning.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Bolts of lightning began to strike randomly over a wide area.
A deer passing through the mountain was struck in the head by lightning and froze completely.
The damage that appeared above the motionless deers head was 30.
It was a bit low to take down a character, but that wasn't the end of Giga Lightnings effect.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The deer, struck again by the continuous downpour of lightning, vanished into gray dust.
As long as Giga Lightning was active, the lightning would continue to fall.
It was designed so that even if you survived the first hit, you would take damage from the next bolt that came crashing down.
Now this is a true AoE skill.
Lightning bolts striking random targets in succession.
It was a spell that showed tremendous effectiveness in wiping out enemies all at once.
While it was a powerful spell for area-of-effect, it also proved to be quite formidable against a single target.
The irregularly falling lightning seemed difficult to defend against.
Aside from its massive mana consumption, it was a perfect skill.
Phew Its been a while since I made such a worthwhile purchase.
Moved by the power of my new spell, I put down my smartphone and took a bite of a chicken leg.
I was truly satisfied with the power of the skill I had just obtained.
It felt like I was building my arsenal around lightning-based skills, but that wasn't necessarily a bad thing.
Its not uncommon to stick to a certain theme when playing a game, after all.
I felt like all the stress that had built up throughout the day had completely vanished.
A cold beer. Crispy chicken.
And on top of that, the ultimate AoE skill.
It didn't take much to transform a difficult day into a perfect moment.
At the new branch of the Order, located in the southwestern part of the continent.
The massive crowd that had gathered to see Estacia had long since formed into a faction of its own.
They had managed the ever-growing throng of people and continuously constructed buildings to accommodate the members of the Order.
At first, there were outsiders who resisted their control.
But after they all witnessed Estacia, their complaints subsided, and they became followers of the Order.
The miracle of an angel, witnessed firsthand, held that much power.
As the Orders influence grew, their first symbolic building was completed.
It was only natural for Estacia to participate in the completion ceremony of the Orders first historic building.
On the day the building was finished.
The old man, who had taken on the role of bishop, led Estacia to the front of the building.
Standing before the structure built with effort and devotion, the old man looked at Estacia and spoke.
The temple for the Angel and the Great One is finally complete.
A temple built for the Angel and the Great One.
Hearing his words, Estacia quietly nodded her head.
The Estacia facing the old man was quite different from how she had been on the first day.
A small golden coronet now rested beneath her halo, and a gold necklace and bracelets adorned her neck and wrists.
Everything about her had completely changed, except for the clothes she had worn down from the heavens.
Now, no angel from the celestial realm would look at Estacia and think of a poor, lazy angel.
Estacia, laden with jewelry, looked at the entrance of the building, which was engraved with a wing pattern, and spoke.
Is this my new home?
With the arrival of the hot summer weather, Estacia had been feeling the discomfort of living in a cave.
Lately, she had even started to think it would be nice to have a more comfortable space.
At Estacias words, the old man smiled warmly and opened the door.
He then gave her the answer she was hoping for.
Of course. A large space has been prepared for you, Angel, behind the chapel.
A space just for me
Please, come inside. I will guide you.
As the old man led Estacia inside, he didn't forget to give an order to a young man waiting by his side.
He was a simple young man named Alfons.
Alfons had already prepared a drink, having received the old mans order in advance.
Alfons! Bring the drink you prepared!
Yes!
As soon as he heard the old mans command, Alfons approached Estacia with careful steps.
For the people of the Order, serving Estacia was the highest honor.
For Alfons, a loyal follower of the Order, it was a glorious task he would never refuse.
As Alfons drew near with the drink, the old man gestured towards him and spoke to Estacia.
A cool drink prepared for you, Angel. Please have a glass as we walk.
Alfons positioned himself next to Estacia, holding a tray with the drink.
Estacia turned her head and carefully observed the glass on the tray.
Inside the glass was strawberry juice with cool ice.
It seemed they had prepared ice separately to make the drink cold.
Estacia lifted the glass with the ice and spoke to the old man.
Theres ice under the juice.
We had a mage freeze it, thinking you might be warm. Please, have a sip.
Okay.
Estacia brought the glass to her lips and took a sip of the iced strawberry juice.
The sweet aroma of strawberries, chilled by the ice, flowed down her throat.
Gulp.
Estacias expression softened as she quickly swallowed the strawberry juice.
She placed the empty glass back on Alfonss tray and, savoring the coolness of the drink, said.
This is what heaven is like
I am glad you are satisfied. It was worth bringing the mage.
Make this for me sometimes from now on.
Of course. Now, lets head inside.
Step. Step.
What greeted them as they opened the door and stepped inside was a wide hallway.
In any other building, the hallway would have been lined with numerous doors, but this was the Order, where followers gathered.
On the first floor, aside from one very large door, only a few small doors could be seen.
The old man began to introduce the small rooms one by one to Estacia.
This is the kitchen.
Okay.
The followers in charge of the Angels snacks will be stationed here.
Awesome.
Next to the kitchen was the pantry.
The pantry still looked rather empty.
This is the pantry.
Okay.
All sorts of food ingredients will be stored here.
Awesome.
After the pantry was a room filled with a pile of desks.
The old man pointed to an empty desk and said.
The Orders finance department will be located here.
Okay.
This is where the treasures to be offered to the Angel will be decided upon and selected.
Awesome.
The pantry. The kitchen. The laundry room. The cleaning supply closet.
The old man continued to explain the various facilities on the first floor of the Order.
Each time, Estacia would simply nod her head in agreement with the old mans words.
After they had checked all the rooms on the first floor.
The old man opened the largest door, located in the center of the first floor, and spoke.
This is the last space on the first floor. The chapel, and connected behind it, the Angels room.
Creeeak.
As the chapel door opened, a still-modest space was revealed.
Except for an ornate chair in the center of the dais, only a few wooden chairs were sparsely arranged.
The interior of the chapel had not yet been properly decorated.
However, the chair on the dais alone maintained its splendor amidst the simplicity.
As Estacia passed through the chapel, she pointed to the chair on the dais and asked.
Whats that chair?
It is the chair for the Angel to sit on.
Okay.
She had asked just in case, and sure enough, the chair was hers.
Nodding, Estacia approached the area behind the chair.
A small door was installed behind the ornate chair.
Estacia reached out and pushed open the door in the chapel.
Click.
The door opened to reveal another room, this one lavishly decorated.
This place has a good feeling.
The room beyond the chapel, unlike the outside, was splendidly decorated.
It was painted in all sorts of beautiful colors, and a fluffy-looking bed was also furnished.
Estacias eyes scanned the lavishly decorated room.
Familiar-looking ornaments were displayed here and there around the room.
They were the items Estacia had received as gifts from the followers of the Order.
Seeing Estacias eyes sparkle as she looked around the room, the old man spoke to her as if he had been waiting.
This is the space for you, Angel.
This is my home?
Yes. You may use it as you please.
Hearing the old mans words, Estacia leaped onto the bed with a satisfied look on her face.
The fluffy bed, made with the devotion of the followers, supported Estacia.
The softness against her back was completely different from the hard floor of the cave she had been sleeping on until now.
Lying on the fluffy bed, Estacia smiled happily.
Then, snuggling into the bed, she spoke to the old man.
Its so fluffy, I love it.
I am glad you are satisfied.
Then, shall we stop looking around for today?
At the words of Estacia, who was content with the bed, the old mans expression turned to one of surprise.
There were still many places in the Order he had yet to show her.
Including the second floor, there were countless things to see on the third, fourth, and fifth floors.
Flustered by Estacias attitude, the old man brought up the second floor to try and persuade her.
If you go up the stairs, there are many more things prepared for you, Angel!
Stairs?
Yes. If you go up the stairs, youll reach the second floor.
But climbing stairs is a hassle.
However, upon hearing the word stairs, Estacias face grew even more languid.
Estacia and the old man looked at each other in silence.
The old mans pleading face was directed at Estacia.
Despite his expression, Estacia spoke to him in a firm voice.
Thats all Im looking at today.
I understand. We will stop here for today.
The old man looked disappointed, but here, Estacias opinion was the top priority.
Nodding, the old man had no choice but to stop the tour of the Order with Estacia.
The guided tour had ended a mere ten minutes after they had entered the building.