Chapter 492: Star Fragments (2)
Chang-Sun froze up. 『He’s us from a different Worldline?』
『That’s right.』
『How could you have hidden that from me until now?』
『I wasn’t doing it on purpose. He was supposed to be...!』 Bel-Marduk answered.
“Don’t blame him. The Lee Chang-Suns from Worldline #132, 599, and 856 thought I was dead,” Asclepius suddenly said, catching Chang-Sun’s and Bel-Marduk’s attention. Asclepius faintly smiled and continued, “Oh no. Did I interrupt your conversation?”
Chang-Sun quickly pulled out the [Twilight Spear] from his inventory, thinking, ‘He isn’t weaker than us.’
The fact that Ascle had eavesdropped on the telepathic conversation meant that he had hacked their divine power patterns, indicating the level of his control of divine power and Divine Class. Besides, Chang-Sun had never seen Bel-Marduk so tense.
“Don’t worry, Number 132... Wait, you prefer Bel or Marduk, don’t you? So, Bel it is. I’m happy to meet you again after a while, so I’ll call you by that name. Anyway, as I said, don’t worry. I’m in a good mood right now.” Ascle giggled.
Chang-Sun was unsure what was going on in Ascle’s head.
“I gave up on everything and have been obediently staying locked up in this prison, but I suddenly became free when I didn’t even ask for it! On top of that, the person who made that possible is an old acquaintance, so I’m very happy...! Hahaha.” Ascle burst into laughter, slicking back his tousled hair.
At that moment, Chang-Sun realized that he could not read anything from Ascle. He thought, ‘It’s because of his madness.’
Ascle did not seem to be in his right mind. When Chang-Sun took a second look, he saw that Ascle’s [Gnostic Eyes] were completely clouded with obsession, greed, and madness. The problem was that Bel-Marduk was more tense over time, despite how he had not been afraid even while going up against Ubbo-Sathla.
“So...” Ascle stopped laughing and said, “I’ll eat you.”
Paaah!
Ascle vanished, then reappeared right in front of Bel-Marduk.
Claaaang!
Chang-Sun stepped in between them, quickly parrying an attack from Ascle’s staff with his [Twilight Spear].
“Pull yourself together!” Chang-Sun roared, bringing Bel-Marduk back to reality.
Ascle laughed more wickedly, his mouth reeking. “Hahaha! Oh yeah. You’re here too! It’s my first time meeting you. Did Bel-Marduk bring you? Where are you from? Worldline #857? 858?”
Whirl―!
Ascle swung his staff in the air, aiming for Chang-Sun’s waist. In response, Chang-Sun quickly pulled out the four slayer swords from the [King’s Treasury]. [Balmung] blocked Ascle’s attacks, while [Gram] and [Nothung] flew toward Ascle’s chest like arrows.
“You seem to be from somewhere pretty close. Didn’t you eat up all the Worldlines around your Worldline, Bel?” Ascle remarked as he spun like a top.
He created a storm that blew away [Gram] and [Nothung], while also extending his leg to trip Chang-Sun. [Trollsverd] flew toward Ascle’s leg to stop him, however. As Ascle slightly retreated backward to dodge [Trollsverd], Chang-Sun closed in on him and fiercely swung the [Twilight Spear].
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Chang-Sun’s attacks were heavily infused with Rád?us Duskfall. Every time he pierced the air, it left behind a hole with a resounding thunderclap, and powerful lightning ripples spread out from the holes.
However, Ascle handled the attacks without difficulty. Dodging the attacks by twisting at bizarre angles, he closed in on Chang-Sun to attack him instead. He leaped around like a monkey while searching for Chang-Sun’s weak point like a snake. The way Ascle quickly ran around and swung his staff resembled a bird too, letting him deliver truly unpredictable attacks.
‘He’s... using his [Gnostic Eyes] too flexibly,’ Chang-Sun thought.
Perhaps because he had two of them, Ascle was seeing several moves ahead of Chang-Sun with his [Gnostic Eyes]. Most of Chang-Sun’s attacks were blocked, allowing Ascle to counterattack. The only reason Chang-Sun was keeping pace was his Rád?us, but Ascle would finish analyzing Chang-Sun’s Rád?us and Duskfall at some point, which meant those two techniques would stop working on him.
‘...How could Bel-Marduk fail to defeat Ubbo-Sathla even though he had this man?’ Chang-Sun wondered.
Booooom!
The collision between the [Twilight Spear] and Ascle’s staff spread powerful shockwaves everywhere.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh...!
[The Outer Celestial ‘Harbinger’ yells that he heard a noise outside just now!]
‘Damn it...!’ Chang-Sun gritted his teeth.
To Chang-Sun’s surprise, Ascle had wasted a lot of their valuable time. As Chang-Sun could sense that the Eight Gods of Disorder were approaching in his direction, he needed to find a way to lose Ascle.
Boooooom!
Just then, Bel-Marduk thrust his divine power sword [Asaruludu] between Chang-Sun and Ascle, giving Chang-Sun time to distance himself from Ascle.
Tap!
Like a monkey, Ascle somersaulted backward and landed quickly and nimbly.
With a determined look, Bel-Marduk said, “We’ll all die at this rate, so why don’t we talk things out after we get out of here, Ascle?”
With his [Gnostic Eyes] twinkling in amusement, Ascle half-smirked and replied, “Whoa... My Bel must have become a big boy, to make me an offer like that. You couldn’t even look me in the eyes before. You’re all grown up! Hahaha!”
“...Stop playing around.”
“Hahahaha! Okay, okay. I was just joking, so you don’t need to be all serious. I feel embarrassed now.” Ascle shook his head, then took a look around. “To be honest, I don’t really care if I can get out of this place... but the outside will be a lot more interesting than staying here. Alright. I’ll go, since it’s your first time making me an offer.”
“Then...!”
“But there’s a condition.”
Bel-Marduk looked tense again, worried that Ascle would ask for Chang-Sun’s <Star Fragment> as it was out of the question. However...
“Give me your buddy’s key.”
“His key...?” Bel-Marduk froze up again after hearing the last demand he could possibly had expected.
“Yeah, the key is actually the reason why I followed you.”
Bel-Marduk turned to look blankly at Chang-Sun, who tucked his golden key under his top.
Chang-Sun asked, “Why do you need it?”
“Because it’s the Absolute Relic that’s outstanding enough to unseal the Tower,” Ascle replied casually.
It was Chang-Sun’s and Bel-Marduk’s first time hearing the word ‘Absolute Relic’, but they thought there could be no better word to describe the golden key, which could <Unlock> even an Emperor’s installation. In fact, the word ‘absolute’ was the only fitting description for the golden key.
At that moment, Ascle stopped grinning as if his entire personality changed, then narrowed his eyes. “And you guys don’t even know what it is, do you?”
“...But you do?” Chang-Sun replied.
“Of course, it’s very dear to me. Fakes like you don’t deserve to have it, so give me—no, please return it to me. You two don’t—no, can’t begin to fathom the history behind it, so you’ll never be able to use it.” Ascle’s mischievous tone suddenly turned serious, and he began to look like a completely different man. That was how Chang-Sun could tell how serious Ascle was.
‘The history I don’t know...?’ Chang-Sun recalled the fog in his head that never seemed to go away. The fog was outright tormenting him at this point. ‘I knew it. The key is related to me.’
And yet, Chang-Sun did not know how he was connected, frustrating him.
“It’s the same for your Nereid Stone, Bel,” Ascle said, turning to look at Bel-Marduk.
“...How did you know I had the stone? I got it after you went missing,” Bel-Marduk said.
“I have no reason to explain myself to you,” Ascle said with a shrug. “Ubbo-Sathla has been tormenting us all this time, but she’s dead now, which marks the end of our <Punishment>. We don’t need to suffer because of our <Mark> anymore, and have a future ahead of us... You two don’t really need it, do you?”
Chang-Sun and Bel-Marduk exchanged glances.
『Oh my! My cuties came all the way over here!』
The shadows on the ground amassed, then spread in every direction; Aphoom-Zhah was coming.
“What are you going to do now? Both of you know how nerve-wracking it will be after that perverted rabbit gets to you,” Ascle remarked.
Aphoom-Zhah was not the only one, however.
[The Celestial ‘Pure Good’ is descending!]
[The Celestial ‘Pure Evil’ is descending!]
Rummmble!
White and black lightning bolts struck down from the sky as Metatron and Baal came for them. Ascle genuinely seemed not to care if he got arrested again, but Chang-Sun noticed that Ascle was observing his and Bel-Marduk’s every movement with his [Gnostic Eyes]. Ascle had to be waiting for an opportunity as he psychologically drove the two to the edge of a cliff. Afterward, he would use that moment to take away the golden key and Nereid Stone.
‘What should I do...?’ Chang-Sun wondered as he quickly analyzed the situation.
Ascle would no doubt never let them go, and would cling on to them like a leech. For some reason, Bel-Marduk was terrified of Ascle, whose Divine Class was a lot higher, so throwing Ascle off track was not an option in the slightest.
Of course, there was still a way out of the situation. Chang-Sun had been thinking about it from the beginning, but had not tried it because of the risk involved. However, he would be able to fulfill Ubbo-Sathla’s wish if he succeeded.
『Bel-Marduk.』 Chang-Sun sent another telepathic message.
“Hmm? Didn’t I tell you that I can hear you? You know, I think it would be better to decide as soon as possible. Otherwise, everything will be over.” Ascle sneered at Chang-Sun, tilting his head.
However, Chang-Sun did not care one bit. Bel-Marduk also looked at Chang-Sun, unsure of his plan.
『‘There’s a way to meet him, so help me,』 Chang-Sun continued.
“Him? Who is that?” Ascle frowned, thinking that something he was unaware of was going on.
As Chang-Sun nodded at him, Bel-Marduk let out a sigh after instinctively realizing what Chang-Sun meant.
―Buy me time.
Bel-Marduk was unsure whether it was the right move, but he had to do something, as he did not want to be dragged back to the prison without a fight.
Boooooom!
[The Celestial ‘Taurus’ has activated the Authority ‘Namtillaku’!]
Swoooosh―!
Releasing lightning sparks, Bel-Marduk flew at Ascle, who frowned. The moment they collided...
Rummmble!
...a lightning storm spread out and swept across the area.
[The Celestial ‘Pure Good’ has descended!]
[The Celestial ‘Pure Evil’ has descended!]
Metatron and Baal were engulfed in the lightning storm right after their descent.
『Huuuh? What is this now?!』
Aphoom-Zhah was swept away in the storm too, becoming bewildered. Powerful energy waves raged everywhere, so he could not tell anyone apart. Of course, Aphoom-Zhah only had to recalibrate his senses and was able to recover in a flash, but that was all Chang-Sun needed to shove the <Star Fragment> into his mouth.
[Commiting the Taboo ‘Celestial Cannibalism’!]
Perhaps because the <Star Fragment> was the concentration of numerous <Star Fragments>, Chang-Sun felt a strong impact on his Divine Class. A vast amount of energy stirred up his insides, filling him with numerous people’s memories. However, he remained unfazed and tried to contain everything in his Divine Class... A storm of his Divine Class almost burst out from him, but he directed it toward the tip of the [Twilight Spear], which shook violently as if it would break down at any moment
“H... owl.”
With Chang-Sun’s [Wordwielding] command, an immense amount of power was infused into the [Twilight Spear].
Oooooong―!
Even Chang-Sun, who was wielding the power, lost his balance for a moment. Shortly after, he thrust the spear as hard as he could toward the floor where he was standing.
Boooooooom!
With an enormous explosion, a huge hole appeared in the ground, and cracks spread all across the horizon outside the tower.
Rummmmble...!
“N-Nooo!”
“You lunatic!”
Metatron and Baal screamed after belatedly realizing what Chang-Sun was doing, but what was done was done. Cracks grew wider, revealing a deep valley where R’lyeh lay sleeping.
[You have found the Tower’s hidden underground floor!]
[R’lyeh has appeared!]
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