Chapter 153 : Chapter 153

Chapter 153

Everything around Killian, who had been swallowed by the Grotesquery, was pitch black.

‘Fortunately, I’m still conscious.’

The Mind Image world was a space that gave form to the mind.

A place where one could exert more power than they actually possessed depending on their mental strength, and where they could overcome death any number of times as long as their will remained alive.

It was for this reason that he had willingly offered his body to the Grotesquery’s maw.

‘It’s not like I’ve been transported to another dimension…’

He tried moving his hands and feet.

‘My hands and feet are definitely moving.’

Hwareureuk.

Blue mana bloomed from his body, illuminating the surroundings like a lantern.

‘I can use my mana now that it’s recovered, too.’

Hwa-aaak.

As he spread his mana in all directions, the space that had been hidden by darkness revealed itself.

“……”

Hundreds of weapons were scattered across a wasteland.

They were objects familiar to Killian.

“Well, look at this?”

Killian reacted as if he were seeing an interesting sight.

From the swords used by his old friends to the staves, bows, axes, and spears of those who had journeyed with them.

There were others whose owners he couldn’t precisely remember, but they were all undoubtedly weapons he had seen somewhere before.

“I see.”

A self-deprecating laugh escaped him.

“Have I entered my own Mind Image world?”

It seemed that in order to take over his body, the Grotesquery was planning to conquer his Mind Image world.

“I didn’t know my own mind was so desolate, but it’s not a bad choice.”

A Mind Image world within a Mind Image world.

Something he had only considered a hypothesis in the past was now unfolding before his eyes as reality.

‘Although I’m in a situation where I have to play a life-or-death tug-of-war.’

It would be a lie to say he wasn’t pleased.

Killian picked up the scattered weapons one by one.

The sensation was as vivid as if he had been holding them in reality just a moment ago.

Hwareureuk.

When he gripped the Cheonghwageom, the Blue Flame flared up.

“How long do you intend to hide?”

As the blooming Blue Flame engulfed the area, the temperature of the once-wasteland space rose rapidly.

Killian looked at the weapons burning in the inferno.

Even in the flames, the weapons crafted by masters each emitted their own light.

“If you just keep hiding like that, you’ll burn to ashes in the Blue Flame.”

He said it wouldn’t be able to swallow him that way.

On the contrary.

“You will be swallowed by me.”

The final warning seemed to have been effective.

Kiiiiii.

With a sound that seemed to tear the ears, a hole was pierced in the desolate sky.

Concentrated Radiance fell before his eyes.

‘So you were there.’

Saaaaaaa.

The Radiance soon took on the exact same appearance as Killian.

[I was in the middle of analyzing you.]

A voice identical to his own.

[Afterward, I will begin a new exploration with the body of Killian Eurasia.]

The difference was that something important that a human should naturally possess was missing.

“Did you exclude emotions? If you’re going to imitate, you should have done it properly.”

[Emotion. That is an unnecessary element.]

Ssiik.

Contrary to its words, the Grotesquery smiled.

A harmless smile.

A look that Killian often showed out of habit.

It would have been more perfect if it had been filled with emotion.

But not now.

“You said you were analyzing. You buttoned the first button wrong.”

[My exploration was not wrong.]

The Radiance in Killian’s form raised its hand.

Another wave of Radiance gathered in its hand, materializing a single sword.

The legendary Magic Sword.

[Adamas.]

“……”

[A sword familiar to Eurasia, is it not?]

A sneer was mixed with the harmless smile.

[Emotion is unnecessary in seizing your body.]

The important thing, it said in a blunt voice, was the memories that made up Killian Eurasia and the Magic Sword Adamas.

[Our analysis is not wrong.]

As if confident of its own victory.

The ‘Curse of Exploration’ raised its sword high.

“Yes. This was that kind of place.”

Just as the Piece of Grotesquery had done to Silvana, and Silvana had done to Serena.

Now, the being that had read his memories was confident of its victory, believing it had made the best choice.

“Pfft.”

Killian burst out laughing without realizing it.

To a knight, a sword is merely an aid; the important thing is the knight who wields it.

To think it was confident of victory holding a sword that was merely a materialized shell.

It was so funny that his body shook as he laughed heartily.

[Bluffing is not good.]

It seemed to have analyzed humans properly.

[Arrogance is not good either.]

But that was all.

“The one before you is no ordinary human.”

It had peeked into his memories and mimicked his appearance, but that was all.

Its analysis of the fundamental power of his essence was lacking.

“How foolish.”

Ssssss.

A single sword was gripped in Killian’s hand.

Adamas.

Its form was the same as the one the Grotesquery held, but its essence could not be the same.

Kugugugugu.

Just holding it changed the air.

‘Those guys. Did they feel like this?’

His friends who had wielded him and written legends.

Remembering them, Killian released his mana.

With a simple release of mana, a sea-like torrent of mana engulfed the area.

“Bringing me to a Mind Image world.”

He could see the Grotesquery in his form swinging its sword, cutting through the mana.

“Is the reason for your defeat, Piece of Grotesquery.”

Hwa-aaaaaa.

It belatedly emitted Radiance to try and open an escape route, but.

Tiring.

[The ‘Authority of Exploration’ is activated.]

He mimicked the corresponding Authority to block its escape route.

The mana of the area gathered its traces.

[……!!]

The Radiance that touched the mana let out a scream of some sort.

[The ‘Authority of Observation’ is activated.]

His two eyes, filled with mana, pursued the Radiance.

[The ‘Authority of Enhancement’ is activated.]

Kwajik.

As he leaned his body, the ground was gouged out.

His body, which had kicked off the ground, got behind the Grotesquery in the blink of an eye.

Just like that.

Kwajik.

He thrust Adamas into its abdomen.

[ὠμόςμς!!]

The being, whose form had begun to collapse, said something.

But it wasn’t important to Killian.

He then used the Authority of another god who had driven his ancient self into a corner, Pantera.

[The ‘Authority of Domination’ is activated.]

“Curse of Exploration.”

[I do not die.]

“Obey me.”

[We do not perish.]

He twisted Adamas.

“I will find ‘you all’.”

Until then.

“Wait quietly.”

Not Shik, not Ke , not Hyang .

He recalled the power he used when he was an ancient human.

“Gate .”

Killian watched the collapsing world.

He had subdued the fundamental curse that had toyed with even a god.

His body already harbored several curses.

Taking in a few more wouldn’t make a difference.

“I overdid it.”

Even though he had only manifested it in a Mind Image world, his whole body felt like it was aching.

He couldn’t stay here forever.

It was now truly time to wake up.

***

“You really did it.”

Killian took the box containing the Nectar from Rundel and gave a short nod.

The surface of the box containing the Nectar glowed a deep green, and Elven language was engraved on it.

Dalkak.

When he opened the box, the golden liquid in the transparent glass bottle swayed, emitting a sacred aura.

‘Nectar.’

The ingredient for a secret medicine that could solve the reflux of Divine Power and mana.

The purpose for which they had hastily sought Elvenheim.

‘I’ve finally obtained it.’

Serena, too, showed a bright face, though her body was not in a normal state.

He looked around.

The sky was clear, and the trees revealed their magnificent forms.

Thanks to Queen Ashirian de Silvana completely synchronizing with the Divine Tree Yggdrasil, the forest had regained its stability.

“The Queen?”

“She is currently restoring the contaminated territories of other tribes.”

The contamination of Yggdrasil had completely disappeared.

This was because Killian had absorbed the Piece of Grotesquery.

The problem was that the connection with Silvana had also been severed.

“That’s a relief. I thought she would show a listless side after her connection with the god was severed.”

“The Queen is not as weak as you think.”

Rundel defended the Queen with a meaningful expression.

His appearance was no different from when they first met.

“Please understand the situation that prevents her from personally expressing her gratitude. Especially to you, Serena Constantine.”

“……”

Serena, with her pale face, raised her head.

She had not yet fully recovered from the aftereffects of her synchronization with Silvana.

“If not for you, the fairy race would not have escaped a great disaster.”

“I was only following the Commander’s orders.”

“There is nothing suitable to express our gratitude to our benefactor.”

After thinking for a moment, Rundel took off the necklace he was wearing and gave it to her.

“This is…?”

“It is an object that only the Guardian of the Forest possesses. The blessing of the fairy race will always be with you.”

“Thank you.”

Serena gave a light nod and put on the necklace.

Hwiiii.

A wind blew from somewhere, making her green hair flutter.

Rundel, who only made brief eye contact with Id, shook hands with Killian.

“Leave now. If you follow the path, you will find a warp stone that leads to the temple.”

“I look forward to the day we meet again.”

It was about twenty minutes after they had parted with Rundel.

Drago was waiting for Killian on the path leading to the warp stone.

“Is everything finished?”

“Thanks to you. I had a good talk with the Queen.”

Killian said, gesturing with his eyes to the box Id was holding.

“I see.”

This time, Drago extended his hand to Killian.

“Stop by the Black Moon Tribe once. There will come a time when you need help.”

“You acted as if you wanted a proper match as soon as the work was done.”

“I’ll have that unfinished match then.”

“If you ever come to the east, stop by Eurasia. I’ll treat you well.”

“My heart trembles just hearing those words.”

Pfft.

Drago, who had shaken hands with Killian, disappeared in the blink of an eye.

“Let’s go.”

Soon, they were able to arrive at the place with the warp stone.

A moment after they stepped onto the warp stone, a wave of mana was felt, and their bodies were sucked into the light.

The Silvana Temple in the southern frontier.

When they returned via the warp stone, Pale greeted them warmly.

“It seems you have achieved your objective.”

He said, looking at the box in Id’s hands.

“Thanks to you, we were able to save time.”

He had heard from Rundel.

Pale de Silvana and Ashirian de Silvana were siblings.

‘As he walked the path of a priest, Ashirian naturally became the successor.’

For him, there was a sense of guilt for the burden his younger sister carried.

“On behalf of my race, I thank you once again. You have achieved much in a short time.”

Killian and his party substituted a bow for a greeting.

“I feel the presence of the God Silvana from the two of you. May I ask the reason?”

“It seems to be the effect of synchronizing with Yggdrasil.”

“The rumors I heard were true, then. Bring it.”

At his words, a priest standing next to him brought another box.

It was a box similar to the one containing the Nectar, one that could be identified as an item of the fairy race at a glance.

“……?”

“It is a gift. Go ahead and open it.”

At Pale’s words, Killian opened the box.

There was a small seed inside.

“If planted in a good spot, it will become a dense forest. A new life and history will begin.”

It was a gift considerate of the rather barren eastern frontier.

The energy of Elvenheim seemed to emanate from the seed.

His conversation with him was not long.

“I have kept you busy people for too long.”

Pale personally guided them to the place with the warp gate.

The spot where they stood shone with a silver magic crest.

“The coordinates for the Pantera Temple have been entered.”

At the priest’s report, Pale put his hands together and respectfully joined them.

“May the blessing of the God Silvana be with you.”

‘Silvana’s blessing, huh.’

Considering they had fought in Serena’s Mind Image world, it was a rather chilling statement.

“We will see you again.”

Killian and his party stepped onto the warp stone, and a moment later, their bodies disappeared into the light.