“Hmm. You’re stronger than I expected.”
I said this while healing Han Yu, the Magus of Ultimate Evil, who was half dead.
If we looked solely at the battle’s outcome, it might seem like I toyed with him (which I kind of did), but that wasn’t the whole story.
Han Yu, who had reached the pinnacle of the Origin Spirit, wasn’t that different from me, who had my powers reduced as a penalty.
The only differences were in technique, skill, and plenty of experience.
“It seems like I won pretty easily, though…?”
“That might be true.”
After all, fights aren’t determined only by the total amount of power.
No matter how similar their realms are, the factors affecting victory and defeat are more diverse than you’d think.
[Hahaha!]
[Nothing too special, huh]
[Wow]
[Heavenly Horse Church level! LOL]
[Is Lily really under a penalty?]
[Your tone suddenly changed]
[Got super polite all of a sudden, Magus! Hahaha]
“But why are you suddenly using honorifics?”
“…Even if we share the same realm of Origin Spirit, a difference is still a difference. I spoke like that earlier because I didn’t grasp the situation properly.”
“Ah, I see.”
“If I was rude, I apologize.”
“No, it’s okay.”
As I said before, titles aren’t that important.
Hearing casual speech from someone I just met is super common.
I smiled and said this, while Magus lowered his head with an even darker expression.
“…Then I’ll guide you.”
“Yes.”
■
The Heavenly Horse Church has a total of five palaces, with the Palace of Heavenly Horse in the center and the Palaces of Four Heavenly Kings to the east, west, south, and north.
Each Palace of Four Heavenly Kings was so large that it could easily rival any royal palace, but they couldn’t compare to the Palace of Heavenly Horse.
“That’s massive.”
“It represents the majesty of Lord Heavenly Horse. Naturally, it has to be this big.”
Indeed, the Palace of Heavenly Horse was huge.
There was definitely something mystical about it, as the enormous interior felt even larger than when viewed from afar.
There might also be a difference spatially.
Swooosh…
“This is…”
“Oh. It’s Lord Heavenly Horse’s Magic Array. It shouldn’t pose a problem unless it’s hostile.”
“The energy of Lord Heavenly Horse, huh.”
“That’s right. His energy permeates the entire palace.”
The energy of the Heavenly Horse, in a black shape.
I felt some of it gravitating toward me and scanned my surroundings.
Certainly, the interior was styled with a martial arts theme, but it was quite convenient, unlike the Palaces of the Four Heavenly Kings.
“What kind of person is Lord Heavenly Horse?”
“He is a magnificent being. When he steps forward, mountains crumble, and the world trembles. His teachings truly embody the will of the heavens. No, it’s not an exaggeration to say even the heavens bow to him.”
“Oh? Is he that incredible?”
“Indeed. He is the true heaven.”
Magus lowered his head, truly seeming to respect someone as he gazed at a distant point.
Maybe over there is where the Heavenly Horse is located.
[Hahaha]
[We worship… goat]
[Heavenly Horse Church vibes]
[Is the leader really a leader?]
[LOL]
[Lily should take the Heavenly Horse’s seat]
[Seems kind of modern?]
[Churches are like that, right?]
“I believe without a doubt that Lord Heavenly Horse will transcend the Human Realm and perhaps even the Mid World. What he does is the will of the Sky itself.”
“I’m looking forward to it. If that’s the case.”
“You’ll understand when you meet him, too.”
Just how incredible that person is.
Majul said this and carefully led me towards where the Heavenly Horse is.
‘By the way, the titles have changed.’
Earlier it was Taoist Friend, now it’s Senior.
I don’t care what titles are used, but what really bothers me right now is the aura of the Heavenly Horse I’m feeling.
The Aura of Heavenly Horse is permeating the entire interior of the Palace of Heavenly Horse.
It feels strangely familiar, but it must be a mismatch in terms of timing and scale.
‘There’s no way this could’ve happened in such a short time…’
As I pondered for a moment and followed Majul, I suddenly realized I was standing in a massive pupil.
Not a grand palace, but a dark and gloomy pupil.
In this place where space has changed due to the Magic Array, the leading Majul approached a Man in Black Mask guarding the entrance of the pupil.
There were three masked men, their entire bodies wrapped tightly, making it impossible to determine their gender.
‘Is the possessed power just decision-making?’
I still don’t even know what that decision-making power is, but judging from the explanations given, that seems to be the level of it.
“We came to meet Lord Heavenly Horse.”
“Guardian Magus Majul.”
“Open the door. The Mountain Master behind me is on the verge of entering the Human Realm and wishes to meet Lord Heavenly Horse.”
“……”
The masked warriors fell silent.
More precisely, it seemed they were communicating among themselves with some kind of internal sound.
After a moment had passed, the warrior standing at the back spoke up.
“Not permitted.”
“…What?”
“Heavenly Horse is in closed training. No matter how you identify as Guardian Magus Majul or how the ascetic behind you claims to have reached the Human Realm, you cannot meet the Demon Lord.”
“Closed training? I’ve never heard such information. The Heavenly Horse told me, ‘It seems I need to find something other than training.'”
“Are you suggesting that Lord Heavenly Horse lied?”
Yikes.
Hearing the warrior’s words, Majul took a step back.
While the power and rank were definitely higher on Majul’s side, ultimately, all members of the Heavenly Horse Church were followers of the Heavenly Horse.
No matter how much of a Heavenly King you are, actions that bring shame upon the name of the Heavenly Horse are not tolerated.
“What nonsense…”
“Guardian Magus Majul, this is not like you. How can the one responsible for protecting the Heavenly Horse Church bring an outsider ascetic here? Are you still claiming to be a ‘Guardian’ Magus?”
“Is it really ‘Guardian’ Magus?”
“……”
“In this place where the Demon Lord resides, you are the same as a God. Do not tarnish the name of Lord Heavenly Horse any further and step aside.”
[Shivers]
[Who does he think he is?]
[But he’s not wrong, right?]
[LMAO]
[Let’s kill him.]
[But aren’t the Four Heavenly Kings higher up? Why is he talking so casually?]
[He doesn’t seem that strong though.]
[If Lily came, she should’ve shown up by now, LOL.]
Guardian Magus Majul, unable to withstand the mental tussle with the warrior, stepped back.
It wasn’t due to being overpowered in strength or rank.
‘Belief in the Heavenly Horse.’
These people do not tolerate acts contrary to the will of the Heavenly Horse, as they all follow him.
Majul turned back at me with a troubled expression.
He probably thought he could persuade me…
“I want to meet Lord Heavenly Horse.”
I had no intention of backing down.
[LMAO]
[Yeah~ you will meet him.]
[If I just hit them a few times like earlier, they’ll probably show me the way.]
The warrior in the mask at the back quietly glared at me.
“…What’s your name?”
“It’s Lily. Lily Elbrite.”
“Lily the Practitioner. Your strength doesn’t matter. Even if you were to kill everyone here to meet Lord Heavenly Horse, it wouldn’t make a difference.”
Tap. Tap.
The warriors closed in around me.
Their hands and feet, and the surroundings were imbued with spiritual power, about to attack me at any moment.
However, perhaps due to facing a strong opponent, aside from the warrior at the back, the other two looked a bit shaken.
“However, meeting the Demon Lord won’t be easy. The pinnacle of the magic array resides beyond this door. You may never escape this space.”
“Hm…?”
“Freedom of choice.”
The warrior pointed to the entrance of the pupil as if giving me a way out.
The pupil emitted the Aura of Heavenly Horse, beckoning me to come in.
But instead of entering, I stared at the warriors directly.
“Is there really a need to go in?”
“What…?”
“There’s someone I’ve been looking for here.”
[?]
[Huh?]
[???]
[What do you mean?]
[Huh?]
“Lord Heavenly Horse.”
The Heavenly Horse is right here.
Majul, who had been retreating with a dark expression, suddenly looked startled, and even the other warriors blinked in surprise.
The only one unfazed was the warrior at the back, who had been chatting away.
He shook his head as if finding it absurd.
“…That’s a funny story. A Practitioner who has supposedly stepped into the realm of the human world is this ignorant.”
“Is that so?”
“Indeed. I’m just a warrior. If merely chatting a few words with the Guardian Magus meant that everyone would call him Lord Heavenly Horse…”
“Except for you.”
“Not you.”
That warrior is not the Heavenly Horse.
The Heavenly Horse I was looking for is one of the two warriors blinking right in front of me.
As I approached the most trembling warrior, the space shifted again, returning to the form of the palace.
A long table laden with exquisite dishes, a Guardian Magus bowing his head nearby, and two warriors.
The woman with long black hair sitting directly across from the table smiled at me.
“It’s been a while, Lily. How have you been?”
“I thought it was a joke… but you really are here?”
The Heavenly Horse of the Heavenly Horse Church.
She was not a resident but an outsider, a user.
■
I had somewhat anticipated this.
At first, I thought it couldn’t be the Heavenly Horse I knew due to timing or circumstances, but the oddly modern atmosphere of the Heavenly Horse Church was troubling.
Though it had a martial arts vibe, there were reflections of modernity in many aspects, and most importantly, I had witnessed her using the Heavenly Horse Divine Art while contending with the Magus of Ultimate Evil.
It was a technique similar to that of the Heavenly Horse I knew.
I was assured when I felt the ‘Aura of Heavenly Horse’ in the palace, but I couldn’t help but have doubts.
[???]
[The Heavenly Horse?]
[No way.]
[Why is the Heavenly Horse lady here?]
[LOL]
[Heavenly Horse! Heavenly Horse!]
[Why is she here?]
“Just as I expected from you. You saw through my Magus Soul Phantom so easily… I need to train more.”
“I’m surprised too. You couldn’t have had much time.”
The Heavenly Horse had hidden her movements since the Kraken and Scorpio hunt.
It had only been a few months since that day, and I couldn’t believe she had built such an incredible force in such a short time.
Moreover, she probably hadn’t even reached level 121, one of the requirements for multi-dimensional entry, so time must have been even tighter.
When I asked her about this doubt, she laughed as if it were nothing special.
“Aha. It seems you have some misunderstandings.”
“Excuse me?”
“I am indeed the leader of the Heavenly Horse Church, but I did not ‘establish’ the Heavenly Horse Church.”
“???”
Hehe. She raised her teacup proudly.
“When I first came here, there was a self-proclaimed Heavenly Horse and his following, the ‘Heavenly Horse Church.’ However, there cannot be two Heavenly Horses under the sky. I drove him out and became the true Heavenly Horse of the Heavenly Horse Church.”
“Huh?”
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