“So, you’re telling me…”
Squeak…
“Without asking anything, all I need to do is block the users until some indefinite deadline?”
“Yes.”
“Hmm…”
In the center of Deserthum. At the low Sun Palace.
Yena, facing Serrek, scratched her chin and read the contents of the quest she was offered.
There’s no deadline, and she doesn’t even know what exactly she’s supposed to guard, but as long as she blocks them, she’ll get a reward.
It’s a bit odd, but the reward itself is guaranteed.
“But where did that guy uncle go? I can let the disaster slide, but that guy uncle should be here, right?”
“……”
“Hmph, I get it. So where should I start blocking?”
“I’ve given you a map. First, the forces are gathered over there, so please block them. The Sand Soldiers and that person will support you.”
Woosh.
A golden light of power seeps into Yena.
Looking to the side, she sees a map with locations marked where Yena needs to go.
[Something seems fishy]
[Let’s go catch the users~ Let’s go catch the users~]
[But if we catch the users, won’t it trigger PK?]
[What about PK?]
[Can’t we just catch Serrek instead? LOL]
[Double betrayal, let’s go!]
[The reward is super sweet, but something feels off LOL]
[Now that we’re in the capital, let’s just go catch that disaster]
[Hmm]
“This kind of quest probably won’t trigger PK.”
“Counter-quests are handled as PVP, yes.”
“Oh.”
“Do you need anything else?”
“I’ll ask this before I go.”
Thud!
Yena lightly settles on the window of Serrek’s office.
She’s in a posture as if she’s about to sprint out.
“It’s true that there won’t be any harm to Lady Lily, right?”
“Of course.”
“Good.”
Yena’s form vanishes.
■
“Are we sure about this?”
“As far as I can ascertain, yes.”
The Heavenly Horse and Black fly swiftly and arrive at the last outer fortress.
Numerous Sand Soldiers block their path, but they ultimately fail to stop them, and even the relatively strong Sentinels crumble under the Heavenly Horse’s single punch.
“There are quite a few fortresses. I think we’ve surpassed five outer fortresses already.”
“That’s true. But it seems if we get past this, we’ll enter the inner fortress.”
“What about the others?”
“The awakened ones are following as well, and I’ve received news that they’ve already passed the fourth outer fortress from another direction.”
“Good.”
The Heavenly Horse’s form moves swiftly.
The giant Sentinel guarding the door of the final outer fortress is instantly crushed, and a sword erupts from the sand fragments.
A sword lunges forward like a serpent’s fang.
The blade lunges like a front tooth.
“?”
Thwack!
The Heavenly Horse’s hand, wrapped in black energy, easily swats away the blade and slips in for a strike.
The Sand Soldier, wearing a cobra mask, tries to block the strike, but it’s pointless.
Boom!!!
As the energy explodes, the Sand Soldier hidden among the fragments is flung out.
If he hadn’t hurriedly pulled back, he would have been shattered in one hit.
─……
“You’re wearing a mask different from the others. Are you in some important position?”
─Leave. This place is not open to just anyone.
“Then do you know what kind of tricks the one who ordered you is using? If you tell me that, I’ll leave.”
─…You’re not understanding my words.
Slash!
Slash!
The Sand Soldier draws two blades.
With a golden machete in hand, the Sand Soldier speeds to the back of the Heavenly Horse, aiming for the neck.
A speed and sharpness that could slice through an ordinary user in the blink of an eye.
But.
Thump!
─…!
“You’re the one who isn’t understanding.”
The earth trembles.
The sands of the desert undulate as they can’t handle the immense energy, and the cobra mask of the Sand Soldier cracks.
The black energy swirling around the Heavenly Horse concentrates in his legs, preparing for a technique.
Noticing the tremendous energy, the eyes behind the Sand Soldier’s mask widen.
This is… impossible.
─H-How can a human have this kind of power…
“Above all, I am no ordinary being.”
‘I am the Ruler of the Heavenly Horse.’
Surpassing the sky, to become another sky after breaking that sky.
Boom!!
“Heavenly Horse’s Dominance.”
As the Heavenly Horse’s right foot crashes down, the surrounding area erupts.
Immense sand defies gravity and floats into the air as the cobra mask shatters completely, leaving the Sand Soldier unable to gather himself, collapsing.
Far in the distance, Black barely manages to plant his sword into the ground to support himself, but it’s clear he’s struggling to hold on.
─Ugh…!
“So, tell me. What the hell is going on?”
─I can’t… say!
“Your body is made of sand; it won’t do you well to hold on—”
The Heavenly Horse’s foot rolls again.
Heavenly Horse’s Dominance takes command of the entire area, boasting overwhelming firepower and spatial control.
Moreover, now that she has become the ‘Heavenly Horse,’ she can control even low-class World Bosses and has gained the strength to face mid-class World Bosses single-handedly.
Thud, thud! Thud, thud!
But the cat leaping toward the sky is different.
It seems unaffected by this immense control, hopping and flying in to snatch away the Sand Soldier.
The clash of bodies and powers, resisting even the overwhelming might of Heavenly Horse’s Dominance.
The clash of body and power.
“Is this the soldier that Serrek mentioned? Doesn’t look very strong to me…”
“Yena?”
“Ugh… Seems like I’ve gotten stronger again?”
Yena.
Yena pushes back the crumbling Sand Soldier and lifts up the Green Hermit.
The Heavenly Horse squints at Yena.
‘The rank is high. Apart from her own built-up level, she possesses quite a high standing as well.’
It’s not just a matter of Yena’s race or class; she’s also under the Pharaoh’s blessing, the master of this place.
It seems that not being under the control of Heavenly Horse’s Dominance is largely influenced by that.
“Heavenly Horse.”
“Yena. What are you doing?”
“Calm down. Why are you attacking this place?”
“I’ve heard that the master of this place isn’t killing the disaster. As you know, if the disaster isn’t contained, the entire world will turn into a desert.”
The world turning into a desert is a serious issue.
Most living beings can’t survive normally in a desert.
“Thus, I judged that it’s necessary to ascertain this situation accurately… However, it seems your thoughts are a bit different.”
“It’s not that urgent yet.”
Hmm…
“Think about it. The master of this place is that guy uncle, and who is that guy uncle’s master?”
“Lily.”
“That’s right! If Lady Lily comes, everything will be solved. There’s no need to barge in right now.”
“……”
That’s a valid point.
Certainly, the Emperor wouldn’t let the disaster, which aims to destroy the world, ‘absolutely’ survive.
If he becomes aware of this situation, he will surely take some action no matter what.
However.
“There’s a problem.”
“Problem?”
“So when is Lily coming?”
When will Lily, the core of this situation, show up?
“Since that day, Lily hasn’t shown herself. I don’t know how the disaster has changed, and even if she comes, it might take a long time to recover.”
“That can’t be true…”
“Are you sure?”
Everything is hypothetical.
The things known by users, including the Heavenly Horse, is that Lily has used immense power and fallen asleep, and there’s been no news since.
In a situation where even a summon’s rebellion is common, there’s no assurance that Lily’s summon, whose existence is uncertain, wouldn’t betray.
“But…”
“Above all, Lily is not a caretaker.”
Lily is just a single user with strong power.
If Lily isn’t here, they can just continue the fight without her.
A user receiving the System’s blessing isn’t that weak after all.
“……”
“Do you happen to know anything? Like the background of this incident?”
“Nothing.”
“And yet you’re helping them? Without any reason?”
“Well… it’s not entirely without reason…”
“This isn’t right, meow…”
“What then?”
Yena falls silent.
Then, she quickly twirled her dagger and sliced through Black’s heart, who was carefully observing her.
In an instant, Black transformed into a blue particle.
“Guh?!”
“I’m sorry, meow. It’s tough to go 2 against 1 against Lord Heavenly Horse, meow…”
“Yena!!”
Ka-boom!!
An explosion of internal energy erupts where Yena was standing, and Yena barely dodges it, twirling her dagger while shouting.
“I trust Lady Lily, meow! So please understand, meow!!”
“You… foolish one!”
Among the recently rearranged rankings, two top-tier users rank within the top five: Heavenly Horse and Yena.
The battle between these two prideful geniuses begins.
■
The black internal energy swirls violently.
Each strike possesses overwhelming destructive power that even a greatly enhanced Yena wouldn’t survive if hit.
‘Assuming being hit.’
“Haaak!”
“Hiyahh!!”
“Heuuuuu!!!”
“…That’s really loud!”
But Yena is a fast-moving Cat Beastman.
She inherited the teachings and power of the deity known as Myeosin, the God of Beasts, and is blessed by the system providing absolute protection.
Swish!!
“Sand?”
“Haap!!”
In addition, she’s currently receiving Pharaoh’s powers to assist the Desertum.
It’s like holding three grand powers that would overwhelm an ordinary human with just one.
Such a feat is normally impossible, but the protection of the system made it possible and transformed her into a monster.
Swish!!
Yena’s dagger cut through the flesh of the Heavenly Horse.
She avoided fatal wounds due to the Heavenly Horse Divine Art’s avoidance technique, but she couldn’t dodge all the minor attacks.
“…You’re pretty good. Your skills have improved a lot.”
“Hehehe. This body has truly entered the realm of true transcendence, meow…”
“If it were the former ruler, I wouldn’t have been able to win.”
Thud.
The Heavenly Horse’s arms drop.
Yena tilts her head in puzzlement at the sudden surrender, but her hunter instincts don’t let her miss the opportunity.
“I wanted to show this to Lily first, but…”
It can’t be helped.
The Heavenly Horse’s foot rises once more.
That sensation from back then.
The sensation of ‘possibility’ that Lily showed her.
‘I will shatter the sky.’
“True Heavenly Horse’s Dominance.”
The desert is turned upside down.
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