◈ Chapter 546. If They Are Gods, Then I (3)
There wasn’t just one or two messages flashing.[The Goddess Church has declared war on you.][Your relationship with the Holy Land Muon has drastically decreased.][Your influence in the Holy Land Muon has drastically decreased.]……
And it wasn’t just Muon.[The Pantheon has declared war on you.][Your relationship with the Pantheon has drastically decreased.][Your influence in the Pantheon has drastically decreased.]……
Even the ones above them, the Pantheon, were in an uproar.‘I’d guessed as much from the moment the Saintess acted that way.’Apparently.
We’ve really gotten on their bad side, haven’t we, Granfell?
Thinking that made it feel unbearably wasteful.‘Ah, my donation……!’But who was Lord Granfell?
A master of earning like a dog and spending like a minister.
He spoke as if he didn’t regret even a speck of it.
“Material things are futile in any case.”
Right, well, let’s just think of it as all for the best.‘Let’s say I made a splendid donation.’If not for my support, the Arcanians of Muon might have starved to death as they were. Besides, considering your personality, Granfell……. Even if you hadn’t donated it to the Goddess Church, you would’ve spent it in a similar way anyway.‘And it’s not like there were no gains at all.’Not everyone in Muon had betrayed me.[You have obtained command authority over the Holy Knights of the Goddess Church.][15,800 holy knights under Talim Eber, commander of the Goddess Church’s Holy Knights][Current Status: Advancing]
Talim Eber.
Even in a situation where not only the Goddess Church, but the Goddess herself had declared war on me, Talim had not betrayed the Crusade Alliance……! I think I’m honestly going to be moved, Talim.‘Even after Granfell said such outrageous things……!’The dizzying blasphemy that flashed through my mind.
-“I do not believe in gods.”
-“Because there is no definite proof that they exist.”
-“However, there is also no definite proof that gods do not exist.”
Now that the Pantheon had opened through the emergency update?
It was as good as having obvious proof that gods existed.
And yet, he spoke with shameless composure as always.
“You have finally turned your eyes away from the illusion called god, Talim.”
So now you’re going to dismiss even the Goddess who appeared in person as an “illusion”?
You’re really something, honestly.
I clicked my tongue at Granfell’s carefree way of thinking only for a moment.
Then I decided on my destination.‘Current status: Advancing, huh.’Since Muon had entered a full-fledged war, the Crusade Alliance must have begun responding accordingly. Even if I, the commander-in-chief, had left my post, there were Marcelo, Hakuna, and further beyond them, the guild masters of the Great Alliance.‘In a way, they probably have more experience than I do.’I wasn’t truly worried.
But I couldn’t completely relax either.
Because I couldn’t easily estimate it.
An unknown variable.‘The Pantheon.’I hadn’t been able to confirm what was inside it either.
Therefore, the only god I knew was a demigod.
The Shadow God.
Now that I mention it.
I wonder what he’s doing right about now.
That guy, the Shadow God.‘Since the Pantheon has opened…….’Had he sided with the Pantheon, since he had craved divinity?
I thought that, then soon shook my head.
At this moment, to take even the Shadow God’s movements into consideration.
My brain capacity, Lee Hoyeol’s brain capacity, was insufficient.──────[Breaking News] Bohemian expedition begins…….[Breaking News] Bohemian: “Our destination is the Holy Land of the Goddess Church, Muon. Anyone is welcome to join us at any time, but you must prove your faith.”[Breaking News] Church-affiliated players release collective statement──────Incidents were breaking out in real time.
The guild master of Bohemian.
I knew Gaiber well.‘Well, I can understand it.’The executor of the [Holy Knight] class quest.
I could also guess why Gaiber had made that decision.
It was obviously because of his class quest.‘Leaving right and wrong aside, he must have a justification.’System messages did not lie.‘This isn’t really a situation where I should feel betrayed.’After all, though I, having been trapped in Akkshan, didn’t know much about it, back when this was only the Arcana game. I’d heard that back then, tens of thousands of players fought wars where they killed and were killed over a single quest, several times a day.‘The only thing that’s changed is that real lives are on the line now.’And if I had to add one more thing.
Slide.
I looked up at the sky with a cold gaze.
“You look exceedingly amused.”
Demonic Eye.
Perhaps it was the fact that the eyes of the Ten Thrones were watching this entire situation.
An occupational disease of a demon hunter.
I did not overlook the influence of the Ten Thrones surging through reality.‘It’s an environment where malice can run wild.’Moreover, it was not ending with [Fear]
or [Possession]
alone.[Corruption]
A highest-tier status abnormality had been added.
What that meant was simple.
I spoke coldly.
“I shall dispose of them according to procedure.”
In order.
And at the same time, swiftly.
It meant I had to bring the situation under control.
Click.
Even the time consumed in manifesting a portal felt wasteful.
I activated [Heavenly Demon Sovereign Step]. I immediately folded space and stepped forward.
Did my destination even need to be said?
First, let’s go to the Magic Tower.
There might be data or information that hadn’t been released to the media.
I also couldn’t forget to ask Talim directly about the internal situation in Muon.‘Is he away?’The place where my shoe stepped down was none other than Marcelo’s office.
By the way, how long has it been since he rose to the position of Tower Master…….
And you’re still using the same things you used when you were chief, Marcelo?‘He’s too frugal.’Honestly, that excessive integrity of his isn’t something he needs to learn……
That was the moment I grumbled inwardly.
A red light abruptly entered my vision.[Lycoris Grown from Blood
- Preserved]……
Huh.
Why is that on Marcelo’s desk?
And why is it sitting there with [Preservation] magic activated on it……?‘Wait.’Whether I liked it or not, I had accumulated experience.
During the time I had fallen into hell.
I could at least vaguely guess what had happened.‘This seems like…….’Everyone is seriously misunderstanding something, aren’t they?*
It was an unprecedented atmosphere.
The commander-in-chief’s empty seat.
Looking at Hoyeol’s place, Marcelo thought.‘If I cannot be with you in hell.’Then I shall make this place hell as well.
And thus, I shall make everyone feel your pain.
Even by his own reckoning, it was an exceedingly extreme declaration.‘It is somewhat comforting.’Yet not a single member of the Crusade Alliance objected to his will.
It was only natural.
Because anyone belonging to the Crusade Alliance would have witnessed it.
Marcelo’s eyes sank.‘The world that took your sacrifice for granted, Sir.’Soon, Marcelo opened his mouth.
“The strange land, Seoul. Enemies will never set foot on this land, where the Commander-in-Chief’s mercy resides. Not even a single step will be tolerated. To ensure that.”
Nam Cheolmin, who had exchanged glances with him for an instant, stepped forward.
“Yes. We’ll have to target Muon, the enemy’s gathering point, first.”
“It won’t be easy……”
The one who trailed off was a player who had experienced Muon before.
It was Shreig, the guild master of Second Sun.
Nam Cheolmin added an explanation to his mutter.
“That’s right. The attack won’t be easy. From the moment we enter a siege, Muon’s walls will not collapse easily. And now that the Goddess has revealed her true form, even more so.”
The Goddess’s combat strength had not yet been confirmed. However, considering the state of priest-type class players who had received an upward adjustment through the emergency update.
Nam Cheolmin continued as he looked at the hologram.
“In simple numerical terms, there is already a high possibility that they are at ranker level, or beyond.”
Excluding the out-of-standard Hoyeol, the average level of rankers in the top 100 was around level 600. It was a figure at least 150 to 200 levels ahead of average players.
But in the hologram, the graph of their total stats had at some point been overturned.
“It’s not that the gap has narrowed in basic stats such as strength, agility, or magic power. It is because the priest-type classes’ unique stat, [Faith], has risen drastically. That value likely represents the pure power of the Goddess.”
An influence great enough to overturn the state of battle in an instant.
Indeed, she was worthy of being called a god of the Arcana Continent.
The problem was that this wasn’t all.
“And we cannot overlook the variable mentioned by AAU Branch Manager Park Minjae, Raymon Sean. Of course, that also goes for the Demon Kings of the Ten Thrones, who must be watching for an opportunity even at this moment.”
Therefore, the Crusade Alliance could not move all of its forces in this war. In particular, the Commander-in-Chief’s direct troops, who could be called the elite among elites, could not be moved by anyone other than the Commander-in-Chief.
Hakuna nodded.
“So it means we cannot neglect either offense or defense.”
The conclusion was reached, and the meeting wrapped up around that point.
“Preparations are complete, Tower Master.”
Matisse, the senior of black magic, bowed his head.
Including Matisse.
A dozen or so senior mages had jointly manifested a teleportation magic circle.
Nam Taemin whispered.
“Why teleport, not a portal?”
“Because they are strictly different.”
“……
What, weren’t they the same?”
Magic Spearman Hisagi showed off his magical knowledge.
“Teleport can be manifested consecutively any number of times depending on the caster’s proficiency. It is clearly different from a portal, whose entrance and exit are fixed by coordinates.”
“Consecutively manifested……?”
“For example, like this.”
Ssssk.
Hisagi manifested teleportation.
Forward, backward, sideways, his position changed in an instant.
Nam Taemin snorted.
“It is fast, but it can’t avoid my animal instincts.”
“That must be nice, Taemin.”
“……
What’s this, are you suddenly being sarcastic?”
“It isn’t sarcasm. I mean it sincerely.”
Hisagi spoke with conviction.
“Unless one possesses dynamic visual acuity similar to yours, Taemin, it is impossible to follow teleportation with the eyes. From now on, we will be fighting while utilizing that kind of teleportation as if it were a passive skill.”
“W-what? That’s possible?!”
“That is why my eyes look like this, is it not?”
Their abilities were truly unfathomable, the senior mages.
In that sense, she looked truly remarkable.
The player who was not falling behind them and was doing her part.
The Archmage, Jesse Heinness.
Hisagi spoke subtly.
“It seems we must strive harder as well, Miss Leoni.”
“I know. I know that.”
“What is it that only you two know? Tell me too!”
Nam Taemin’s shout lasted only a moment.
The three guild masters of the Great Alliance stepped onto the teleportation magic circle. Following them, the players, Talim’s holy knights, and the soldiers of the Yusra Kingdom moved.
Srrng.
Hakuna raised his sword.
“The moment your view changes, the battle will begin!”
Marcelo thought.
If she is a true god, she must surely know of our advance.
Then today, we shall show that we can surpass even a god.
Gooooo.
Magic power seeped into the teleportation magic circle.
The light of magic power poured into their vision.
Soon, the scenery changed.
“……?”
However, no one in the Crusade Alliance could swing their sword.
It wasn’t that the teleportation coordinates were wrong. It was nearly impossible for there to be an error in magic designed by Marcelo, the founder of theoretical magic.
Then what was the reason?
“I-I did not expect this.”
What was it.
What had flustered even Nam Cheolmin, the analyst who had prepared dozens, hundreds of contingency plans?
As if answering that question.
Dark clouds gathered over the Holy Land, Muon.
From beyond Muon’s firmly shut gates came screams.
“The Goddess’s revelation has disappeared……?”
“There is no way the Goddess has abandoned us!”
“Then why, all of a sudden……?”
It was something one would hesitate even to approach.
“……
It’s the Saintess.”
“That’s it, the Saintess has sinned!!”
“Drag down the corrupted Saintess at once!!”
“Burn the Saintess, no, the witch!!”
It was madness.
Marcelo thought.‘……
The Goddess’s revelation disappeared?’Who on earth could take away the Goddess’s revelation?
There was only one person he could think of.
Hoyeol.
But Sir is in hell……
“……
Could it be?”
Soon, Marcelo’s “could it be” became reality.
Click.
I had no leisure to exchange greetings out of relief.
Why had Muon ended up in that state?
And what did I do wrong…….[The legend, ‘A Being Who Blasphemes Even the Goddess,’ echoes through the Pantheon.]
Why is that embarrassing legend echoing all the way through the Pantheon?!!