Dark Sky Village
I looked at him and said, “I refuse.”
“Oh?”
Zhuge Fu replied, seemingly surprised. However, his expression remained unchanged as he asked, “Why do you think so?”
“For one simple reason.”
I aimed my sword at him.
“I don’t trust you.”
There were advantages to teaming up with Zhuge Fu to learn the secrets of the past, having better control over the Alchemist, and gaining assistance from someone dubbed the wisdom and sorcery of the Central Plains. Considering all that, my choice might seem foolish right now.
However, I simply couldn’t trust him. I had seen firsthand what kind of person he was; he’d stab me in the back without a second thought if it suited his needs. Sure, he might fulfill his interests, but it wasn’t worth the risk of dying or being betrayed.
Besides, if I were to be deceived by Zhuge Fu, I could end up tortured or manipulated without even being able to be reborn. Given Zhuge Fu‘s nature and disposition, it wasn’t an impossibility. Considering that risk, trying to control Zhuge Fu by teaming up with him would be utterly arrogant.
Zhuge Fu said, “I’m not asking you to trust me; I’m saying you should use me as long as it’s beneficial to you. I didn’t know you were so thick-headed.”
“No, I understood perfectly.”
I chuckled and continued, “I know my own abilities. I’m still not wise enough or capable enough to handle someone like you.”
“……”
“So, someone like you needs to be killed!”
Fwoosh!
I unleashed a lightning-fast slash. With Thunder Call and White Feather Fan activated, Zhuge Fu could not evade my attack this time as easily as before. My movements had significantly increased in speed; even the shadows were flickering.
Zhuge Fu gathered the power of the previously employed technique, the Surging Crimson Whirl, in both hands and tried to deflect my sword’s flame. However, he still ended up with cuts on his arms and legs. My power and speed had momentarily exceeded his capabilities.
“Ugh.”
Zhuge Fu winced in pain for a moment before casting a spell to evade to a distance.
Swish!
Suddenly levitating in mid-air, Zhuge Fu said, “You’re merely brutish. But… that makes you more troublesome.”
With a self-deprecating tone, Zhuge Fu suddenly pulled out a white Feather Fan from his robe. Realizing this was just the beginning, I tensed up. He opened the fan and declared,
“Treasure: White Feather Fan, manifest your power!”
Treasure?!
I was taken aback by this sudden incantation.
A Treasure is something that can only be created and used by Immortals; it possesses powers beyond the reach of human capabilities. As such, it was on a completely different level compared to the magic tools used by regular mages. Moreover, according to Mangryang, the treasures released into this world were incredibly rare. So why was Zhuge Fu using one?
Whir!
Suddenly, dozens of golden incantations began to spin around Zhuge Fu. Having studied sorcery, I recognized each of those strange incantations as Sanskrit from Tianzhu. You could tell just by the power they emitted that any sorcery related to Sanskrit was immensely powerful. At that moment, I realized that confronting Zhuge Fu directly would be equivalent to signing my own death warrant.
‘Damn it, I need to dodge!’
I immediately used Light Body Technique to teleport to the entrance of the Imperial Palace to escape. Just then, I felt a tremendous white light erupt from behind me.
Fwoosh!
“……!!”
A massive heatwave poured out from behind! I swiftly turned my eyes away, fearing I might be blinded, and shielded my vision with Qi as I ducked behind a pillar. As the light subsided, I cautiously peeked out.
‘Could it have been an attack powerful enough to fill the Abyss?’
A cold shiver ran down my spine. Without Light Body Technique, I would have been instantly killed right there.
I cursed inwardly at Zhuge Fu for being so bloody overpowered! Not only was his martial prowess extraordinary, but he was also an archmage capable of wielding a Treasure! When compared to Mangryang, who had met countless conditions to pull off Five Elements Golden Spell, Zhuge Fu was undoubtedly the best talent in the Central Plains*.
However, it remained true that if I couldn’t defeat Zhuge Fu, my attempt to control the Imperial Palace would fall flat. As I concealed my presence, I began planning how to deal with him while buying a bit of time in the darkness of the palace.
‘If he unleashes that Treasure in a close-range attack like before, I won’t stand a chance.’
It was an outrageous area attack with hundreds of layers! Brashly facing him could very well cost me my life. But if I were to leave the confines of this Imperial Palace, I would instantly get caught up in some traps! That would mean handing over my life to Zhuge Fu.
What to do?
While I was deep in thought, one idea suddenly struck me. I quickly retrieved the Alchemist from my pocket and lightly roused him from his stupor caused by his injuries. He seemed dazed due to the golden sealing, but since he wasn’t purely human, his mind wasn’t completely subdued.
“Ugh… you…”
I looked him straight in the eyes.
“Listen carefully. Zhuge Fu plans to wipe us out with the Treasure: White Feather Fan.”
“……!!”
“There isn’t much time. If you don’t have an escape plan, speak quickly. We need to survive first.”
It was all or nothing.
My only option left was to flee to either the Imperial Palace or Luoyang, but that would leave my comrades at Zhuge Fu‘s mercy! That was something I absolutely wanted to avoid; I had to find a method quickly.
The Alchemist suddenly coughed out some blood and said,
“Cough… the not-yet-completed Super Superior Being… is in the Cheonram room… If we use it, we might be able to stop Zhuge Fu.”
“Super Superior Being?”
“… Yes… it’s a secret weapon that combines Eastern and Western magics… If we awaken it, we could stand a chance.”
Now that I thought of it, Zhuge Fu had mentioned the Super Superior Being before. I wanted to ask him about its power, but somehow, it felt like there was no time for that right now. So, I pressed him hastily,
“Where is the Cheonram room?”
“… Turn right from the throne room, and you’ll see a blue door after twenty steps…”
“Got it! Now, inside, quickly!”
“Ugh…”
The moment his words finished, I shoved the Alchemist back into my pocket. He struggled, but since he couldn’t move his limbs, he was effectively at my mercy. He appeared bewildered, but I didn’t waste any time and dashed toward the Cheonram room.
Whoosh!
“Ugh!”
I felt something white shoot at me from behind and swiftly executed my Ten Thousand Success Sword Technique to slice it. A talisman fluttered in the air, but then five more similar ones followed, igniting my annoyance.
‘Is that an auto-tracking spell?’
What an inconvenience! I had thought that spells had weak direct offensive power and were mainly used for support, but those mages who reached a certain level were terrifyingly fearsome! The problem was that my position had already been exposed due to this attack, so I hastily activated Thunder Call and gave my all in sprinting away.
Paaat!
I burst through the door to the Cheonram room and pushed through two or three more doors inside. There, I found a gigantic stone altar. And on top of that altar lay a curiously beautiful Girl.
‘Is this Super Superior Being?’
The Girl had an artificial beauty to her, something you’d never expect from nature. She looked like a true doll, so meticulously crafted that one could easily mistake her for a well-made puppet. Yet, she was definitely alive and breathing, which I could sense.
Next to her were several stone altars, but no one else was lying on them. It seemed the creation of Super Superior Being had only just begun.
I hastily pulled the Alchemist back out from my pocket again.
“Ugh…”
He looked dazed after going in and out so many times. I grabbed him by the collar and asked,
“Here we are! What now?”
“Ugh… just say the activation phrase and infuse magical power into her…”
“Eh?! Activation phrase? Magical power?”
“I mean, let me go… only I can do it…”
The Alchemist had a mocking grin on his face. It seemed to indicate that he was amused by how I wouldn’t understand how to handle the situation. However, it was impossible for me to trust him, so I glared at him and had no choice but to consider my options.
‘Damn it…’
I resolved to execute my plan to the end. I charged in and severed his leg.
“AAH!!”
Splurt!
The severed leg suddenly morphed into a tiny Tentacle Monster! I crushed it underfoot. As the Alchemist shrieked and gasped on the floor, I held a sword to his throat.
“Maybe it’s better to just kill you!”
“Y-you lunatic! What on earth are you thinking? Why are you being so reckless?!”
I growled back,
“What do I care? If I’m dying anyway, it might just feel good to take your head with me!”
Half-seriously, I unleashed a creamy light aura from my sword that turned the Alchemist‘s face pale. Suddenly, his tone shifted, and he hurriedly cried,
“Alright, alright! I yield! I will obey you! Just please, don’t kill me!”
“So what now…?”
The Alchemist sneered at me,
“I swear to my God! Place your hand on the heart of the Super Superior Being and say [[$&*@$%]].”
“……”
His God.
It was highly likely that an Otherworldly Mage was indeed swearing an oath to his deity. However, strangely enough, the moment I listened to his incantation, an unusual feeling washed over my mind. The notion of swearing an oath to a deity brought a massive aversion within me.
“You wouldn’t understand, human. If you set me free, I’ll do it properly.”
It was peculiar.
‘Huh…?’
It seemed to be true; I had no idea how to pronounce the Super Superior Being‘s activation phrase or what it meant. It was probably a bizarre language used by the beings from Dark Sky Village. However, I instinctively understood that I wouldn’t be able to articulate it without stepping into a trance.
I walked trance-like toward the Super Superior Being Girl. Then, placing my hand over her heart, I softly said,
[ Ph’nglui Mglw’nafh…]
Grrr…
Time stopped.
I didn’t understand it, but it really did.
Time around me came to a halt.
[ Cthulhu R’lyeh Wgah’nagl Fhtagn…]
The remaining words flowed from my mouth effortlessly. These were words that no human could possibly pronounce or comprehend; yet, I found myself understanding how to say them instinctively. I didn’t know why, but somehow, that was the case.
Whoosh!
An overwhelming force poured out.
Starlight seemed to penetrate through realms.
A gigantic ‘power’ began to seep into the Super Superior Being Girl before me. That power felt like it was coming from somewhere beyond this world. I had an intuitive sense that some ‘great entity’ was lending me strength.
‘What is this?’
Suddenly, the Alchemist, who had been watching from the side, started sobbing uncontrollably.
He seemed utterly shaken, overwhelmed by a shock too great even for an Otherworldly Race’s psyche to bear.
“AhAAAAAAAA!! The divinity! The divinity…!! Without any ceremony, offering, or cost… bestowing the blessing of the constellations upon a mere human!!!”
“……”
“I can’t believe it! What on earth are you?!”
I didn’t react.
I felt no need to.
Somehow, Zhuge Fu’s sobbing seemed to me like that of a bug.
While I ignored the muffled cries of the Alchemist and focused solely on awakening the Super Superior Being, he laughed maniacally.
“Ahhh! To think the energy of the Super Superior Being, not even 10% ready, would fill rapidly! Something impossible with the Philosopher’s Stone… ahahaha… what a world…”
No.
This guy had already lost his mind.
And with his final shred of sanity, the Alchemist let out his last words.
“I lived from the very beginning… in despair…!!”
BAM!
In the next moment, the Alchemist‘s body was ripped apart, transforming into an unrecognizable Tentacle Monster that went berserk. Being aged from Otherworldly Race, he had concealed his true nature all this time as a humanoid, but the instant he lost his sense of reason, he burst forth as an immortal being. At that point, it would not be an exaggeration to say that he was already dead.
Eeeek!
Yet, I felt no concern about this newly transformed Tentacle Monster attacking me. Somehow, the creature was exuding fear and abandoning the room in a panic!
Moreover, I harbored an inexplicable confidence that such a bug wouldn’t dare attack me.
Boom!
Moments later, the sounds of the Alchemist-turned Tentacle Monster being crushed by Zhuge Fu’s magic echoed from outside. Even in his humanoid form, he could not stand against Zhuge Fu, especially not now that he had unleashed a Treasure!
At the same time, the Girl who had been lying on the stone altar slowly opened her eyes and began to rise. With a doll-like, emotionless gaze, she looked at me and said,
“Please give me an order, Master.”
In that instant, I snapped back to reality. Awareness rushed back and I inhaled sharply.
“Gah! Gah! Hah…?”
It felt like I had just been entranced, focusing solely on pouring strength into the Super Superior Being. Shaking my head to clear my thoughts, I stabilized my breath. I couldn’t fully comprehend the process, but I had somehow acquired the Super Superior Being—a secret weapon of the Imperial Palace. I quickly commanded her,
“Kill Zhuge Fu, who’s rampaging outside!”
“Understood.”
The Super Superior Being Girl suddenly vanished from her spot. It felt like she teleported, but it was unlike any spell I had ever encountered. Just as I was about to leave the Cheonram room, a colossal explosion resounded.
Boom!!!
Zhuge Fu was standing in the corridor leading to the Cheonram room, glaring at me with an expression of dismay. The one opposing him was the Super Superior Being Girl, who was floating in mid-air, extending her hand toward Zhuge Fu.
Zhuge Fu glared at me and spoke, his composure clearly shaken.
“How did you activate the Super Superior Being? I had only just created a rough outline, and there’s still nothing to act as a power source! How did you…?”
“Well, one thing’s for sure, I have enough power to kill you.”
“Just a doll, incapable of facing a Treasure!”
Shouting as if casting a spell on himself, Zhuge Fu swung the Treasure: White Feather Fan with all his might. Simultaneously, numerous talismans emitting radiant golden light appeared, filling the air around him. There seemed to be countless talismans, making escape seem impossible.
Zhuge Fu poured all his might into conjuring his spell.
“Fallen Star…”
Boom!
That was all it took. The floating Super Superior Being Girl had somehow positioned herself behind Zhuge Fu, and his limbs and neck were shattered into pieces before he could even finish his spell.
Thud!
The dismembered corpse of Zhuge Fu fell lifelessly to the ground.
‘What? What just happened?’
I was shocked by the incomprehensible victory. I couldn’t perceive how the Super Superior Being had moved! Instead of being a feat of speed, her actions were better described as if she had obliterated time itself the moment my awareness shifted. I had always been able to vaguely sense the movements of top-level martial artists, yet now, I couldn’t grasp what the Super Superior Being had done at all.
I felt a cold shiver run down my spine.
An accomplished Super Superior Being was able to obliterate Zhuge Fu, who wielded a Treasure like a bug! Considering the stone altar beside me, it would be reasonable to assume that once the power of the Seven Luminaries was borrowed, many Super Superior Beings would awaken upon the completion of the Philosopher’s Stone. In that case, victory would be impossible.
“Well, at least we won, right?”
I sighed, beginning to piece together the situation. I rummaged through Zhuge Fu‘s possessions to see if there was anything worth taking, obtaining his White Feather Fan and various magical aids.
Then, I turned and ran towards the crystal stone stele in the depths of the Abyss. The stele was inscribed with strange languages, but, like the ruins of the Seven Luminaries, I could roughly read it. Focusing, I began to carefully read through the content.
There were a total of 14 clauses, something poetic and metaphorical intertwined within. I was curious if I could use this content to create a specific Philosopher’s Stone. Scratching my head, I pondered how to go about it.
“Hm… Should I try to memorize it?”
Despite not being fully comprehensible, memorizing it seemed likely to hold value. I thought that while doing so, I stood there for quite a while, repeatedly committing the words of the crystal stele to memory. Strangely enough, even though it would benefit me to regroup with Mangryang, I felt oddly entranced by the power of the crystal stone.
“……”
Something felt off…
My body felt unwell.
‘What is this?’
I suddenly stumbled and sank to my knees. A splitting headache ravaged me, and I felt nauseous. A feverish sensation swept through my body as if I had caught a cold.
Something hazy came into view.
Something, someone, was calling me.
The abyss of darkness.
The deepest and largest one.
I found myself unconsciously waving my hands.
“Hah… Hah…”
The entity that had lent me power before beckoned me. They sought no payment, yet they wished for me to come to them. Such is their peculiar goodwill.
An intense magical power enveloped me, enchanting me. An immense impulse unlike anything I had ever felt began to tighten around my soul.
Unknowingly, I muttered again,
[ R’lyeh Wgah’nagl Fhtagn…]
No.
This must not happen.
It would have been better to lose to Zhuge Fu! That thought crossed my mind.
From the depths of the abyss, something called out to me, ensnaring my soul like a fishing hook and pulling me in rapidly.
I gritted my teeth. My eyes blazed with determination.
Would I surrender my soul to you?
I would never bow down to a being like you!
For the pride of humanity!
Stab!!
In the next moment, I drew my sword and stabbed it into my neck.
My vision blurred, but I realized that the magical power wrapping around my body ebbed as if a tide, greatly loosening its grasp. A colossal divine presence that had cloaked me began to recede.
On the verge of death, my body trembled as I grinned. A colossal ecstasy tinged my brain as the intense pain faded into the background.
In sacrificing myself, I had protected my soul from the ancient conqueror!
Thud!
As my body fell forward, consciousness faded away.
This marked my 13th death.
