Chapter 80
Chapter 80
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 80
Chapter Title: Muhammad Appears in the Sanctuary
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"Here it is. The first sanctuary that informed us of the demon invasion."
Lord Kolon pointed to the entrance of the sanctuary.
Onbiroad, like Earth, had a first sanctuary, and now Kolon had brought Geon-woo and Pang there.
"Since it's here, none of the users could have known about it. The imperial palace is the size of a decent city, and there were no users logging out from the palace."
"That's how the secret was kept."
Pang nodded as if he understood why Onbiroad's first sanctuary had remained a secret until now.
"At the alliance's general meeting, we acknowledged the contributions of you two and granted you special permission to use the Prophecy Stone."
Kolon looked at Geon-woo and Pang with a solemn expression.
The Prophecy Stone was what they called the Prophet's Obelisk on Earth—a stone pillar like a terminal that could intervene in the dimensional system's settings.
After the Marquis of Helparis died and the demons' final seal fell to Geon-woo.
Onbiroad's system declared the end of the dimensional war.
In response, Onbiroad's leaders decided to grant Geon-woo and Pang access to the Prophecy Stone, leading them here to Onbiroad's first sanctuary in the imperial palace.
"It's an honor, but I feel sorry about it too."
Geon-woo gave Kolon an awkward smile.
It was only natural to receive a reward for one's merits, but considering what he and Pang would take from here, he couldn't help feeling guilty.
It wasn't something that could be given away easily.
"There were those who were greedy for it. But they all knew their own limitations and stepped back."
After learning about the rewards obtainable through the Prophecy Stone, many had coveted it.
But there was no one whose abilities matched their greed.
In a way, the opportunity had come to Geon-woo precisely because no one else could claim it.
Even so, Geon-woo couldn't shake the feeling of guilt.
The reward held that much value.
"We've come this far, so turning back empty-handed would be pointless. I understand. I'll gratefully accept it."
In the end, Geon-woo said that and stepped into the sanctuary.
Past the entrance and down the corridor lay a hall.
In the center of that hall stood a stone pillar unlike those in other sanctuaries.
"That's the Prophecy Stone. You call it something else, right?"
Kolon said, gazing at the stone pillar.
"On Earth, it's called the Prophet's Obelisk."
"Prophet or seer—it's just a difference in names. Whatever you call it, we're grateful for its existence."
"That depends on how you see it. I think it's just part of the system's rules."
Warnings about dimensional invasions, the emergence of the system, the downgrading of demons who crossed dimensions to invade.
Some, like Kolon, were thankful for it, while others, like Geon-woo, saw it merely as predetermined rules.
Onbiroad had more of the former, Earth more of the latter.
Perhaps because of that, Geon-woo viewed warnings related to dimensional wars and system-maintained balances as rules set from the beginning.
He doubted it was benevolence specifically for Earth or Onbiroad.
"There are those who think that way among us too. But what does it matter to dwell on it? That's... unknown territory for us."
"You're right."
Geon-woo agreed with Kolon.
Then.
"Still, you might find answers. If anyone can uncover them, it's more likely you than us."
Kolon said that and nodded toward the Prophecy Stone.
It was time for him to claim his reward.
"Hoo."
Geon-woo took a short deep breath and gestured for Pang to join him. Together, they approached the Prophecy Stone and placed their hands on it.
Woooooong!
What emitted green light on Earth now glowed brown on Onbiroad.
"Isn't this a bit off?"
Pang stepped closer and asked Geon-woo.
Geon-woo nodded at him.
The moment they placed their hands on it, Onbiroad's Prophecy Stone granted Geon-woo and Pang 'qualification.'
The problem was that this 'qualification' was far different from what they expected.
Fsssh!
As he thought that, the pyramid-shaped tip at the top of the stone pillar crumbled into dust.
"Hmm."
Kolon let out a low groan, his face like he'd lost something precious.
"Now it's not an obelisk anymore—just a real stone pillar?"
Pang leaped up, brushed the now-flat top of the Prophecy Stone, and landed as he spoke.
Kolon composed himself and approached them.
"So, what changed?"
"Nothing much. Just that we won't receive penalties from higher dimensions."
The special privilege Geon-woo gained from the Prophecy Stone was qualification to go to higher dimensions without penalties.
But that qualification amounted to merely avoiding penalties from higher dimensions?
"Nothing else?"
Kolon asked again, incredulous that it was just that.
"No. It didn't even tell us how to get to higher dimensions. Oh, one more thing."
"Hm? There's more?"
"From now on, we might face restrictions in this lower dimension."
"So what is this? We're getting restrictions instead? No benefits, just losses."
Pang shouted, his face screaming what the hell.
"The restrictions aren't severe. It's just that growth is halted in our current state."
"Growth halted? And that's no big deal?"
"Seems like more than a simple issue."
Pang and Kolon both looked serious, but Geon-woo just smiled.
"What more growth can I achieve here? That's impossible on Earth or Onbiroad."
It was a vague hunch, but Geon-woo had already surpassed the limits allowed by Earth and Onbiroad.
So restrictions on growth in this dimension posed no problem.
Moreover, the Easter egg technique Gangsigong had no growth limits.
"Well, if that's really the case..."
"It's fortunate, but..."
Once again, Pang and Kolon wore similar expressions, amusing Geon-woo.
"Anyway, no need to drag it out. Let's head back to Earth."
Geon-woo said to Pang with a smile.
Kolon’s expression darkened further.
"If you leave now, it might be hard to see you again."
With the dimensional war against the demons over on Onbiroad.
The growth system for capsule users here would soon close.
What users could do on Onbiroad would be mere leisure.
The residents might even refuse user connections.
Geon-woo was well aware of the growing exclusive sentiment against immortal users.
The best solution was to limit dimensional exchanges between Onbiroad and Earth.
"I'll come as often as opportunity allows."
Geon-woo turned away after making a promise he wasn't sure he could keep.
Pang waved to Kolon and quickly followed.
Kolon remained alone in the sanctuary plaza, seeing them off.
"We owe you a great debt, but I wonder if we'll ever repay it."
Kolon’s bitter mutter scattered across the sanctuary plaza.
* * *
"Ah, there you are. We’ve been waiting quite a while."
Cheonsuwan, the leader among the bio-armor implant users, waved with a welcoming smile.
"What’s this about?"
Behind Cheonsuwan stood Ivan, Muhammad, and Tucker.
Four members of Onbiroad’s 1st Expedition Team appearing together.
Including Muhammad, whom they hadn’t seen since the 1st expedition.
"Only Arthur and Alphonse are missing? Did they cut ties?"
Pang sidled up to Geon-woo and glared at Cheonsuwan.
Excluding Muhammad, the others all had bad blood with Pang.
They’d once tried to kill him with poison.
Without Geon-woo, Pang would have died.
How could he forget that grudge?
"Pang, I apologize for the past. Words might seem meaningless, but we all had our circumstances. I’d appreciate your understanding."
Unexpectedly, an apology came first from Cheonsuwan.
Pang froze, caught off guard.
"Let’s set personal grudges aside for individuals to handle later. Let’s talk about us."
Then Muhammad stepped forward from the back.
He was the man wanted as the world’s most dangerous terrorist.
In the 1st expedition team, he was the one Geon-woo had been most wary of—dangerously skilled.
After Onbiroad’s 1st expedition ended, he’d vanished from the world.
Rumors persisted like urban legends that he was among Onbiroad’s top rankers, but nothing more.
"Our talk? Muhammad, do we have anything to discuss?"
Geon-woo had forgotten about Muhammad after the 1st expedition.
Since Muhammad hadn’t caused any major incidents, he’d stayed off Geon-woo’s radar.
But now, out of nowhere, he wanted to talk?
"It’s about the Prophet’s Obelisk inside there."
Muhammad pointed to the entrance of the first sanctuary, mentioning the Prophet’s Obelisk.
"You showing up here made me think something was up. And it’s because of the Prophet’s Obelisk?"
Geon-woo had rushed to the sanctuary upon learning of their arrival.
He’d sent Sunryeong Molti to block them at the entrance, so of course he knew.
"Precisely, it’s about the qualification you can obtain through the Prophet’s Obelisk."
Muhammad said, staring straight into Geon-woo’s eyes.
Geon-woo noticed Muhammad’s pupils slit vertically.
"You’re an implant too?"
Ice formed on Geon-woo’s face.
"Birds of a feather, huh."
Pang pointed at Ivan, Tucker, and Cheonsuwan, all clad in bio-armor.
"We already knew about those guys, but Muhammad was a surprise. Barely any mutation means he got the implant recently?"
Muhammad only had pupil changes, flickering momentarily.
So Geon-woo figured the implant was recent.
"No, don’t misunderstand. I got the bio-armor implant early on. Think of me as a first-generation implant."
But Muhammad claimed to be a first-generation implant.
First-gen meant those who received the bio-armor factors Leat Rohit brought from the demon dimension.
The originals among implant users.
"You’re first-gen?"
Even Geon-woo was startled by Muhammad claiming to be first-gen.
"What? Did you get some defective factor? Why no mutation?"
Pang, surprised for the same reason, voiced what Geon-woo wanted to ask.
Muhammad clenched his fist, thrust it forward, and transformed his entire arm.
Crunch! Crackle!
"Whoa? You were hiding that?"
Pang yelped in shock, reinforcing his Yulturen armor.
"Amazing. Until now, I barely sensed any implant aura, but now it’s overwhelmingly strong."
Geon-woo had never seen someone switch from human to implant aura so instantly.
"Human and crustacean. I can maintain both forms. And they’re gradually becoming like me too."
Muhammad called his bio-armored form "crustacean" and pointed to Cheonsuwan and the others.
"Like you? So they can take human form too?"
Pang pointed at Ivan, Tucker, and Cheonsuwan.
"Not just that. We’re returning to our true nature, completing our forms. In time, the crustacean form might become just a distinctive skill."
"Does that mean implants can fully revert to humans?"
Geon-woo asked with a glimmer of hope.
"Yes. You can see it from me, right?"
Muhammad reverted his armored arm to human and answered confidently.
"Wow!"
Pang gaped in astonishment.