Chapter 130
Chapter 130
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 130
Chapter Title: The Whisperer
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The Whisperer.
The master of the first calamity that had learned of Havel's existence.
The owner of the serpent and Möbius, she was far more eloquent than he had expected.
"You've come because you're curious about the transcendent who has newly appeared on the continent, right?"
As proof, in an instant, she transformed Havel into the Primordial Master.
The killing intent and calamity Havel had displayed before them.
And the overwhelming presence that subdued all the calamity masters single-handedly.
A few words from her to change him were hardly difficult.
"What reason do I have to tell you?"
If it was such a ploy, Havel could play along just as easily.
He responded as if he had truly become an arrogant Primordial Master.
"I just thought we could have a more fruitful conversation."
"For example, the Lion Who Swallowed Immortality's power exceeds what we imagined."
The moment she spoke, the calamity masters' gazes converged once more.
They had only momentarily cowed by his aura, but all were deeply interested in the Lion Who Swallowed Immortality.
"In exchange, wouldn't you share information equal to what we provide?"
Havel snorted derisively.
'Clever bastards.'
Since pretending to be a Primordial Master was a lie.
Unless he wanted to be exposed, cooperate with us who hold the initiative.
That was what they meant.
"What reason do I have for that?"
Sorry, but he had no intention of playing their game.
The domineering attitude was Havel's true nature anyway.
"Do you think someone like me can't reach the scraps of information you've grasped?"
Havel lifted his chin.
"I didn't set foot here to chat idly with the likes of you."
The calamity masters began murmuring among themselves.
Of course, since he was openly scorning them.
Some even shot him displeased glares.
But the one mixed in with the Hundred Lions was showing unease and backing away.
No one dared direct such looks at Havel carelessly.
"...Then who did you come to talk to?"
From the Whisperer's position, it was utterly absurd.
She knew his true identity, yet he brazened it out to this extent.
His recklessness had gone beyond limits.
What on earth did he plan for the aftermath?
Through the white lion mask, the corner of Havel's mouth twisted upward.
"God's Duality."
The moment those words left his lips, the atmosphere shifted in an instant.
All stared at Havel with hardened faces, as if daring him to utter that name.
The Whisperer and God's Venom were included among them.
Shock was etched on their faces.
They hadn't expected him to name it even here.
"I've come to speak with him."
In the abruptly sunken atmosphere.
No one could utter a word.
Havel knew for certain now.
God's Duality was an existence none here could dare touch.
'So that monster showed interest in this side.'
It piqued his interest even more.
The bar for who Havel called a 'true powerhouse' had risen tremendously.
"...That one."
The Whisperer stammered before clamping her mouth shut.
She thought getting further entangled would bring headaches.
At the same time, her eyes beyond the mask held a reproachful glint.
Meaning no matter what, that name shouldn't be spoken here.
But Havel didn't back down to such a gaze.
It was the epitome of supreme arrogance over heaven and earth.
"Ahem, hmm, I see. Doesn't seem like someone who'd talk to the likes of us."
Then the one mixed in with the Hundred Lions spoke up, glancing slyly at Havel.
As if fawning over a superior.
His remaining eye sparkled beneath the mask.
The perfect specimen of the weak preying on the strong and the strong on the weak.
As Havel fell silent, the demonic auction house slowly resumed exchanging information.
Of course, they didn't reveal anything crucial.
Thus, only information of great value to them circulated.
But to Havel, every piece was vital.
Each one concerned matters beyond the continent.
The world outside the continent was an unknown realm to Havel.
Quite a lot of intriguing information emerged.
For instance, the world beyond consisted of vast islands.
Not as large as the continent, but sizable islands nonetheless.
All the calamity masters here were lords of such islands.
The larger the island, the greater the calamity it harbored.
Thus, an island's size proved its master's power.
'No wonder these guys are eyeing the continent.'
The fog-shrouded continent boasted immense size.
Naturally, its calamities far outnumbered those of the islands.
The calamity masters coveted the continent's calamities.
'If not for the fog.'
A full-scale invasion war would have erupted.
'Do the Five Great Families know this?'
Havel caught on to the dealings between the Five Great Families and Memento Mori.
'The Gnawer must have tipped off the Five Great Families.'
Memento Mori's leader, the Gnawer, desired to expand his influence on the continent.
The Five Great Families similarly wanted time before the calamity masters invaded.
Their interests aligned perfectly.
'That's why the family heads scattered or went into hiding.'
Preparing for the eventual invasion war.
Or buying time, like August's head Pendragon.
Now everything clicked for Havel as he stroked his chin.
The Five Great Families had been scrambling in their own way.
'More precisely, the family heads.'
Even Pendragon, August's firstborn direct descendant, didn't know his father's actions.
If word got out, chaos would ensue.
So the five heads had deliberately concealed it and prepared.
'Did they think five could handle it?'
Havel let out a hollow chuckle.
His gaze fell on the Whisperer and God's Venom.
They too had planted apostles to stake a claim on the continent.
'An invasion war.'
They had warred over the continent with the Veltron Empire before.
Now, it seemed the world itself would be the prize.
'Should I just kill all these guys preemptively?'
The thought crossed his mind briefly.
Eliminate them, and the war would be easier.
But Havel dismissed it soon after.
'These are just small fry.'
His gaze lifted to the upper floors.
The real ones surely weren't participating in this demonic auction.
The true enemies were those.
Not these here.
Moreover, Havel vaguely sensed it.
There were limits to interfering with them in the demonic auction.
'Even if I return to reality, they'd just take a minor shock at best.'
The calamity masters here were mere mental projections.
To truly kill them, he'd have to meet them in reality and sever their necks.
Havel's eyes grew icy.
Those daring to invade his domain didn't look kindly upon him.
These fools treated his continent as a playground for their sport.
Before long, the auction hall fell silent again.
Havel's fury was gradually permeating the space.
Everyone began stealthily watching his mood.
When Havel belatedly noticed.
"A welcome guest has arrived."
From the third floor above.
A voice quietly echoed.
A chill ran down spines!
Not just those in the hall.
Even Havel felt an instantaneous shiver from the immense presence.
Rumble rumble!
The hall trembled faintly.
The entire demonic auction reacted to that man's presence.
There stood a man wearing a mask of white and black.
He silently surveyed those below.
Just that made everyone's breath catch.
"God's... Duality."
The Whisperer swallowed hard, naming him.
That man was God's Duality.
Havel's eyes met God's Duality's.
He had finally appeared.
In that instant, God's Duality sharply shot calamity at him.
Unlike Havel's widespread emanation, this targeted only him.
For any other calamity master, it would cause fainting or at least disorientation.
"Hah."
'He underestimates me.'
Havel simultaneously fired calamity back at God's Duality.
In a flash, their calamities crossed in midair, hurtling toward each other.
"..."
Neither showed any reaction.
As if such calamity posed no issue.
"Ho."
After a brief exclamation of admiration, God's Duality eyed him with interest before turning away.
As if he had merely come to test Havel.
Satisfied with that, he leisurely departed.
Step step—.
As his footsteps faded, the masters' breaths eased.
They patted their chests as if having faced an overwhelming foe.
At the same time, doubt deepened in their gazes toward Havel.
They knew from earlier he was no ordinary being.
But the moment he appeared, God's Duality had shown up.
And God's Duality recognized him.
Anyone could see he came to meet Havel.
And the clash of auras afterward.
Most hadn't even sensed it, but a few had.
Some eyed the silently departing God's Duality in puzzlement.
Those who grasped the reality stared at Havel in shock.
Havel smoothly unfolded his arms.
Then turned leisurely.
"Is that all there is?"
With those words, Havel exited the hall.
In the hushed hall, no one could halt his steps.
Such was the overwhelming presence he had imprinted on the masters.
Yet Havel's expression as he walked wasn't relaxed either.
Beyond the lion mask, his lips moved slightly.
'I knew it already.'
God's Duality was a genuine monster.
Against him now, nine out of ten fights would end in defeat.
Such an absurd monster had been there.
'Saw something good.'
It made him even more determined to devour calamities fully.
As Havel walked, a presence appeared ahead.
Lifting his head, a long-cloaked man stood there.
His face hidden by the cloak, which was thoroughly tattered.
Yes, "gnawed" fit perfectly.
"The Gnawer."
Havel named him first, and he turned.
"Lion Who Swallowed Immortality."
Calling his epithet, the Gnawer swallowed a hollow laugh.
"No. Should I call you Havel?"
He too knew Havel's identity.
"You caused quite a stir in the hall."
"What do you plan for the fallout?"
"None of your concern."
Havel ignored the advice.
He wouldn't have done it if he worried about such things.
"I see."
The Gnawer chuckled dryly and looked up.
"You must have heard most of what you wanted in there."
The calamity masters' identities.
Havel now knew they hailed from beyond the continent.
And that they would one day invade it.
"Was tipping off the Five Great Families your doing?"
"I'm just one of them. They're no fools either."
Others among the masters had also warned the Five Great Families.
"The other calamity masters underestimate them.
The continent's calamities are only a century old.
They don't know how many are scattered across it."
In other words, the Five heads' power wasn't inferior to the calamity masters.
Havel, having confirmed it himself, nodded.
"But not enough to rival the Primordial Masters."
God's Duality.
He meant that group including him.
"To block the Primordial Masters, you and the Five Great Families bought time?"
"Yes. They're beyond our control."
"Then preventing the Tower clear was..."
"The Primordial Three Calamities are the continent's three pillars."
When the heads absorbed all calamities.
Only then clear the Primordial Three Calamities to face the Primordial Masters.
That was the implication.
"And lately, the fog protecting the continent is steadily thinning."
The Gnawer slowly raised his head from within the robe.
Havel already knew what that gaze meant.
The Gnawer, along with Havel's master, was one of the few who knew of the Demonic Palace clear.
In other words, Havel had toppled one of the continent's three pillars.
"August's head is holding it back somewhat.
But without the fog, it won't take long.
One pillar has fallen."
Havel tapped his crossed arms slowly.
"So what you're saying is."
"Clear the Tower as fast as possible. And the Labyrinth Island too."
Devour all calamities before the fog vanishes.
That was the Gnawer's message.
Havel eyed him briefly.
"Is your reason for this to keep the continent's calamities from the Primordial Masters?"
"Yes."
Even if power concentrated on Havel, he'd block that much.
He conveyed as much.
Understanding everything, Havel nodded.
It aligned with his original plans anyway.
But one thing he didn't know.
Havel hadn't fully absorbed the Demonic Palace yet.
"Don't worry. I plan to proceed as before."
Havel turned without revealing that.
The Gnawer watched his back and spoke.
"Just one thing."
Havel listened without stopping.
"One of the calamity masters has crossed the fog into the continent."
Havel halted at those words.
Turning back, the Gnawer was already facing away.
"Keep that in mind."
With that, the Gnawer vanished.
'Damn.'
That guy loved dramatic flair too.
Havel turned.
If a calamity master entered the continent.
'Just smash it to pieces.'
As always.
Just like that.