95
095 ― A Means to Block That
Jin-woo, who had woken up early in the morning, organized his spot and began to move. His direction was north. He continued running while basking in the sunlight that was beginning to peek over the sand dunes.
When I say running, it wasn't on two feet—he had taken out an off-road vehicle that Shartia had recommended and bought.
Since it wasn't a paved road, it wasn't a good environment for the car to run, but he had bought this car for times like this in the first place. With the windows closed and the air conditioning moderately turned on, he raced across the sand that was gradually heating up.
[ Wow, what is this? Is this a vehicle from your world? ]
"……."
Some kind of mass of light was floating around in the passenger seat.
It was a light that looked white but also bright yellow, and at first glance, it was hard to distinguish from the light of spirits.
It was true that Jin-woo had the spirits of Ego Sword and Rona attached to him, but this light was different from spirits.
[ I've already checked this direction with monsters. How about turning sideways and going west? ]
Jin-woo silently turned the steering wheel and changed direction. Since he had been running north and then turned west, he was essentially heading northwest.
[ The area near the castle has all been checked, so we'll have to go quite far. At this speed, it seems like we'll have to go for a few more days before an unconfirmed area appears. ]
He couldn't accommodate that request.
He was running at a moderately fast pace, so he couldn't increase the speed any further from here. It wasn't impossible, but there were fuel issues and the risk of vehicle breakdown.
In such rough terrain, it was more important to move as stably as possible rather than moving hastily.
[ If we go that way, there's a dried-up riverbed. Should we go straight down that path? Or would it be better to go up? ]
"……You're not continuously guiding me to some strange place, are you?"
[ Strange place? ]
"Like a trap."
[ Why would I lure outside someone who came all the way into my castle. ]
That was also a valid point. If there had been any intention to set a trap, it would have already been attempted at the castle.
If it's not a trap but he keeps talking like this…….
'He's just talkative?'
This guy, called the God of Light, was more talkative than expected. There hadn't been such a guy until now.
The God of Ice Valley didn't seem very talkative either, and the God of Moonlit Forest just whined a bit but didn't feel like she talked much.
"You said you would deal with the God of War. What do you plan to do after that?"
[ Are you worried about what I might do with the recovered divine artifact? ]
He was as perceptive as he was talkative.
From Jin-woo's position, he couldn't help but worry. It was fine to help the God of Light and deal with the God of War. But what if the God of Light, who had seized the God of War's divine artifact afterward, attempted descent?
Then he might have to fight this guy next time. Only the enemy he was facing would change; the situation wouldn't change.
[ Would you believe me if I said I had no such intention? ]
"I can't believe it. Just with words."
[ But there's nothing I can promise you other than words. Hmm…… That's right. I'll also give you some blessings. Like that thing inside you. ]
Did he mean he would give him part of his power, like the blessing received from the God of Moonlit Forest?
For something asked lightly, a heavy answer came back. While Jin-woo frowned, the light in the passenger seat dimmed slightly, then a small light separated and flew toward Jin-woo.
The thing that floated through the air and flew over leisurely couldn't possibly be thought of as light, containing great power.
But even while driving, he could feel it. That thing really contained an aura similar to the World Tree's glass orb.
That thing…….
Tak!
A root that had grown from somewhere struck it down. It was merciless, as if chasing away some bug.
Looking at where in this car the root had appeared, it was connected into Jin-woo's clothes. The root that had struck down the flying light looked at the light in the passenger seat and growled threateningly.
[ The first resident is fiercely opposed. What a shame. ]
There was a strange lingering tone at the end of his words. In that tone that seemed genuinely regretful, no trace of goodwill could be found.
He seemed friendly because he was quite chatty, but he was just talkative; he was far from being actually friendly.
"Don't do useless things, and just guide me. I have no intention of having a relationship beyond cooperating with you."
[ For now, you mean? ]
"If I had to say it, yes. I don't know about future matters……."
As he was saying that, the root that had grown from his clothes patted Jin-woo's shoulder pat pat. It seemed displeased with Jin-woo's answer.
Jin-woo smiled bitterly and corrected his words.
"Just say there isn't any."
It was certain that the World Tree didn't like the God of Light that much. Still, compared to the reaction shown to the God of Ice Valley, this was like a fairy in comparison.
***
After driving for some time, they arrived at the dried-up riverbed that the God of Light had mentioned. It looked like it had once been quite a large river, but now it was completely dried up.
Getting out of the car and sweeping the ground, he caught things like completely crumbling dried leaves. They were so dried and withered that they would scatter like sand with just a light rub of his fingers.
"You've never gone all the way down this way?"
[ No. I only told the monsters to circle around the castle area. Only within the range where the light of my castle is visible. ]
Jin-woo turned his head to look in the direction they had come from. He could see light coming down from the sky near the area where the Castle of Light had been.
That light, which also looked like a pillar, was definitely a lighthouse that would serve as a landmark in this desolate desert.
"If it's that conspicuous, won't the other side discover it first?"
[ That's fine too. If they come attacking from that side, that would also work. ]
Those words were full of confidence. Was he thinking that once a war broke out, he could definitely win?
'The number of Orcs must have limits too.'
Considering the monsters that had been densely filling the area around the Castle of Light, it was reasonable to be confident.
The Orcs serving the God of War, or other races for that matter, probably weren't that numerous. In terms of numbers, this side was overwhelming.
The problem was the exceptionally strong individuals among the Orcs. Subordinates like Bertus or Graktar, whom he had fought recently.
'He probably accepted Hunters and Elves into the castle to have them face such guys.'
This side definitely had a lot of military strength, too. He could understand why the God of Light was confident.
However, there was one thing that worried him.
"You know that the God of War split Moonlit Forest, right?"
[ I saw it through Galeo's eyes. A barbaric act befitting a barbaric bastard. ]
"It was that powerful. Do you have a means to block that?"
He disparaged it as a barbaric act, but it was indeed powerful. It was a strike delivered by a 6th floor deity directly descending, even if partially, so it couldn't be weak.
With that strike, even 5th floor Dragons would have to be careful of their necks, wouldn't they? He wasn't certain, but it was a strike that made him think such thoughts.
[ That is umm……. ]
Even the God of Light was at a loss for words about this. Because he couldn't think of a way to block that strike in this lower realm.
No matter how much it bestowed blessings and sent down light and power, there were limits. The opponent was the deity personally manifesting directly, while this side was only sending down some energy—could that block it?
[ To block it the same way, I would also have to partially manifest. ]
"How? Should we collect divine artifacts on this side and do the same thing?"
[ There is such a method. Though I don't really feel like it. ]
He didn't know if it was sincere, but for now, a reluctant answer came back. Given what he had said earlier, the God of Light seemed to dislike direct descent, unlike the God of War.
Come to think of it, the God of War was the strange one. Weren't those in the Spirit Realm supposed to have reached the Spirit Realm through indescribably long cultivation and enlightenment?
Why would he want to come back down from the Spirit Realm that he had barely managed to reach?
In the first place, he fundamentally didn't understand why deities would take interest in a place they called the lower realm.
Setting up altars and temples at Gates and intervening, and the God of Sky eroding Earth as well.
'The common point is that they're not just deities but lords with seeds of Erosion planted in them…….'
Could the fact that they showed interest in the lower realm in some way be related to Erosion?
He wanted to ask, but he still couldn't trust the God of Light. Their relationship wasn't built up enough to ask such things. He didn't know if it would be built up in the future either.
'The God of Moonlit Forest would be a bit more trustworthy, though.'
The God of Moonlit Forest, the World Tree, was more trustworthy than the God of Light. It was certain that that side was showing goodwill toward him.
However, the fact that this goodwill was for unknown reasons was concerning. It was certain that it was related to his previous life, but memories of his previous life hadn't surfaced that far yet.
An untrustworthy opponent and one who sent goodwill for unknown reasons.
'……It might be better to find out while fighting the God of War.'
That guy was attempting descent even while stealing divine artifacts.
He didn't know what meaning divine artifacts left in the 3rd floor held for Lords, but that guy's actions would be tantamount to provoking all Lords.
There must be a reason why he wanted to descend so badly that he would go that far. Wouldn't he naturally learn that reason while fighting that guy?
Just then, Jin-woo tensed his body sharply.
"Enemy."
[ What? Where? ]
The light in the passenger seat blinked in puzzlement. Nothing was visible and no energy could be felt, so where was there an enemy?
But Jin-woo's sense had caught it. Black flames were positioned up ahead. In a place not immediately visible to the naked eye.
It was underground.
Kwaaaaaa!
The sand up ahead shot up and was honed like a blade. A blade made of vibrating fine sand particles rushed forward like a shark fin.
Jin-woo's sword could block that, but the car couldn't. The automobile, which was just a lump of iron, would be split in half in an instant.
"Keuk!"
Still, his reaction was quick because he had known in advance. The car turned with the hastily turned steering wheel.
The car leaned as if it would tip over from the sudden turn, but it didn't tip over. However, there wasn't just one blade.
He had avoided the first one he discovered, but he couldn't dodge all of the subsequent 2nd and 3rd strikes, and finally.
Kwajik!
The car split into three pieces, and Jin-woo quickly extracted his body. The light that had been in the passenger seat also leisurely flew up and followed Jin-woo.
"Damn it, it was a new car!"
Even though Jin-woo had no attachment to cars, he couldn't tolerate his new car, which he had gotten not long ago, becoming a pile of scrap metal.
Up ahead, he could see a bulk covered in black cloth. A sandstorm remained above the revealed green palm.
An Orc. Probably a sand mage who handled sand. It seemed like he had deliberately prepared a guy strong in desert environments since he was setting up a desert barrier.
"You cannot pass through this place, human. If you really want to go, leave your neck and go."
Sand around the threatening guy undulated and surged like waves. It had been a place with fairly solid ground, but the area around that guy looked like a yellow sea.
An enemy who handled sand, which was lethal in a desert environment.
But Jin-woo's eyes, looking at that guy, were burning for a completely different reason.
"I'll have to take the car's price from your body."
Jin-woo drew Ego Sword. Wind rose around him, and sand began to be blown away.