Chapter 170: Belial (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 170: Belial (2)
Belial.
An Apostle.
The 3rd Seat.
One of the worst enemies in the story.
His barrier is nigh-invincible.
It isn't a simple illusion or barrier. It's a power that shatters the boundary between reality and illusion, swallowing space itself—truly the authority of a god.
Even in the original story, his domain was notoriously difficult to deal with. Inside it, he wields power comparable to a god's.
– Wooooom...
When I touched the barrier, it hummed and pushed my hand away.
Can I break through?
I gestured for Yu Hana to step back, then drew upon the mana of the Fragment within me. I focused it at the tip of my spear.
Ghost Slash.
I immediately swung Catastrophe.
The spear aura that left my hand tore through space as it flew toward the barrier.
– KSHHHHKKKK!!
A horrific, grinding sound.
Instead of piercing the barrier's surface, the spear aura skidded across it, sending sparks flying. It slid smoothly along the barrier before dissipating into the distant air.
It won't break.
This was never the kind of prison that could be broken with brute force.
I couldn't believe it.
Five Apostles were defeated in Hamgyeong-do, and one was lost. At a time like this, when they should be focusing all their energy on revival… I never imagined an Apostle would appear in person again.
So, is Belial alone? Or…
Feeling Yu Hana's presence behind me, I readjusted my grip on Catastrophe.
“Comms are… down.”
Yu Hana murmured from behind me. It seemed she had also confirmed that her terminal was dead.
It couldn't be helped. Belial's barrier didn't just completely sever us from the outside world; it also splintered the space inside into dozens, even hundreds of zones.
The zone we were in and the zones the other teams were in might as well have been in different dimensions.
In the worst-case scenario, we could be picked off one by one.
“Hana. Let's run.”
I looked back at her. Her blue eyes met mine, unwavering.
“Where to?”
“To the nearest point.”
Right now, our top priority was to somehow regroup our scattered forces. That meant we had to check if there were any other people or points within our section of the barrier.
I recalled the map from memory and shot off toward the nearest target location.
– Fwoosh!
Yu Hana followed right behind me without a moment's hesitation.
We began to run like mad, cutting through a bizarre forest dyed in shades of purple.
A searing pain burned in my lungs. My heart pounded violently. But I couldn't stop.
How long did we run? I desperately consulted the map in my head, heading for the last known location of Unit 2, Kang A-rin and Yu Serin.
And finally, we reached Unit 2's target destination marked on the map.
But no one was there.
It seemed the barrier had blocked their path forward.
Just as Belial intended, we were completely isolated from each other.
Feeling a sense of futility, I took another step toward the center of the clearing without thinking.
In that very moment.
– Rumble...
The ground trembled.
Before us, at the edge of the clearing, stood a massive rock cliff. Geometric patterns carved into its surface began to emit a golden light.
With a deafening roar, the cliff split open like a giant door.
And from within…
A colossal stone golem revealed its hulking form.
“……”
I stared at it, dumbfounded.
The Fragment… was here.
The golem didn't take an aggressive stance. It simply stood stalwartly to the side, having opened the gate, waiting for the chosen one to enter.
And from where the golem had emerged, inside the dark cave, a brilliant blue light was pouring out.
The Fragment.
But absorbing it now was next to impossible. The moment Yu Hana touched that light, she would lose all her defensive capabilities and fall unconscious.
To become so defenseless in the middle of enemy territory…
It was then.
The purple curtain of the barrier trapping us began to swirl violently, and a sharp, snake-like purple tentacle shot out from within, flying toward the Fragment.
– Clang!
But before the tentacle could reach the Fragment, the blue light inside the cave erupted, vaporizing the purple tentacle without a trace.
– Fwip-fwip-fwip!
Again.
This time, dozens of purple tentacles shot out from the barrier, heading for the Fragment.
‘This is…!’
This could be dangerous.
Just as I quickly leaped up to strike the tentacles down…
– FWOOOSH!
Once again, the blue light struck down all dozens of tentacles.
And this time, the blue light did not disperse.
Belial's barrier, too, seemed to realize further attacks were meaningless, and a brief lull fell.
The situation was urgent.
The Fragment was consuming immense power to protect itself. At this rate, even if it didn't fall into Belial's hands, it might exhaust its power and vanish completely.
A quick decision was needed.
Absorb it here and now.
Or…
It was while I was deliberating.
The blue light, which had been blazing fiercely inside the cave, suddenly changed direction. As if it had found its master, it formed a single, thin beam and shot straight toward the heart of Yu Hana, who was standing beside me.
“……!”
“Yu Hana!”
Unable to utter a word, Yu Hana collapsed.
I hurriedly caught her.
– Thud… thud… thud…
Just then, the giant stone golem that had been standing guard at the cave entrance began to move toward us.
I reflexively gripped Catastrophe, but I felt no hostility from the golem.
The golem stopped in front of me. Then, very slowly and reverently, it knelt on one knee.
It carefully held out a massive stone hand. It was asking me to hand over Yu Hana's body.
The golem was the guardian of the Fragment of Order. In other words, its will was one with the Fragment's.
And just a moment ago, the Fragment had chosen Yu Hana of its own volition.
The Fragment had sensed the threat of Belial and made the most rational decision on its own: to complete the succession as quickly as possible, right here and now.
“……”
I understood.
I carefully transferred Yu Hana's body to the golem's palm.
– Vmmm...
After receiving Yu Hana, the golem slowly rose to its feet.
Then, as if to protect her from external threats, it covered her with its other hand, cradling her.
It then began to walk back into the cave from which the blue light was leaking.
A perfect cradle had been made to protect Yu Hana.
All I could do was watch in silence.
The Fragment…
…never makes the wrong choice.
I had to trust that choice.
What I had to do now was simple.
– Clang!
I plunged Catastrophe into the hard ground before me.
Guard the front.
The golem wouldn't be nearly enough. The guardian was strong, but its opponent… was an Apostle.
How long would it really take Belial to dismantle that golem?
Ominous worries bloomed one after another.
Could Belial, or his subordinates, be attacking the other teams elsewhere?
“……”
I shook my head.
This wasn't the time for doubt. I had to trust the Fragment's judgment. If Yu Hana could safely acquire the Fragment in there and come out, it meant we could overcome this situation.
I believe in Yu Hana.
Just then.
– Vwoooom...
The purple barrier trapping us began to shimmer like mist, letting out a bizarre sound.
And that curtain of light slowly began to approach us.
I reflexively pulled out my spear and blocked the front of the cave.
From within the shimmering purple veil, a single figure walked out in silence.
Pure white priestly robes.
And on them, black patterns that seeped in like stains.
The 3rd Seat, Belial.
He stood before me with a look of utter satisfaction, gazing at the cave behind me.
“The curtain has risen… and the queen is defenseless, I see.”
A look of ecstasy spread across his lips.
“Before the queen, there is only the king.”
He looked at me.
“What will you do, O King?”
I was surprised.
This was the second time I'd faced an Apostle, after Barcus. I should have been terrified, paralyzed by fear in the face of such overwhelming power.
But I wasn't.
On the contrary.
A thought came to me: Thank god.
That this being didn't go to my other teammates.
That he didn't appear before them.
That he came for me.
Feeling something ignite within me, I tightened my grip on Catastrophe.
“You've come to the right place.”
I growled softly at Belial.
This isn't a question of whether I can win or not.
Yu Hana is behind me.
If I fall here, she's next.
So.
I will win.
I absolutely have to.