Chapter 65
Chapter 65: The Protagonist (3)
Everyone experiences at least one truly unfair situation in their life.
It's when you do something with good intentions, but when seen from a fragmentary perspective, it looks like you've done something wrong.
That was the situation Jang Du-sik was in now.
"Come on, brother. I'm thirty-eight years old—would I beat up kids for no reason?"
He was truly wronged.
A massive shadow loomed over the aggrieved Jang Du-sik, and he began fumbling for an explanation.
"W-wait! Brother, listen and think about it! I'm really not in the wrong here."
While monsters swarmed from all directions, the Possessors were arguing with each other, asking why only he had the Pain Resistance stat.
"I don't know much about Skills or anything, right? So I just left it alone—."
As Erik listened to the Possessors' conversation, he got the feeling that Nishida Ryo was acting differently from his instructions.
"Those bastards kept fighting among themselves, and I nearly got bitten to death by those dogs. So how could I just stand there?"
The point Jang Du-sik was making was that he had no choice but to pick up a club.
"And didn't you tell me, brother? It's a loving strike."
As the explanation reached that point, Erik nodded calmly.
And he said.
"Good work."
His expression was very satisfied.
Looking at his mouth split wide open, it was definitely a beaming smile.
Just as Jang Du-sik felt relieved at Erik's reaction.
"Du-sik, it's time for you to get a new club too."
Wasn't Erik pulling out a very large and impressive club from his [Inventory]?
"I've never seen a club that impressive before!"
Jang Du-sik felt indescribable emotion.
He had braced himself for a scolding about beating the kids, but instead he received high praise and even a reward.
He felt completely bewildered.
"Take it."
The club Erik handed over was the highest branch of the World Tree where the Elf Yuren had been standing.
Very large, long, and thick.
"Whew. It fits perfectly in my hand, like it's part of my own body."
Unlike his previous club, the new one Erik gave him was such a magnificent object that its very existence warranted it being treated as an item.
"I'm definitely going to reach 8th Circle with this club."
As Jang Du-sik kept exclaiming in admiration, three Possessors beside him stood with their mouths agape, their eyes wide as they stared at the club.
[Highest Branch of the World Tree (Material Item)]
[Legend Grade]
'A material item in Legend grade?'
In the game, the highest-tier items were broadly of two types.
[Sacred Relics] and [Mythic Grade].
Sacred Relics were items with divine-related settings that could only be obtained through farming.
Mythic Grade were items that possessed the power to recreate myths, and were the kind users could create.
'If I just meet a good craftsman, I could even aim for Mythic Grade?'
In the latter case, you could reach [Mythic Grade] by processing [Legend] grade material items.
'But he's just going to use it without even processing it?'
Tap, tap.
"Hmm, it's got good feel."
Jang Du-sik showed no intention of processing the item.
Rather, he was just looking at the Possessors with hungry eyes.
Reading that gleam in Jang Du-sik's eyes, Erik issued a warning.
"Du-sik, a beating without reason becomes poison."
"...Understood."
Jang Du-sik, holding the World Tree's branch that maximized Magical Power circulation, was frustrated at not being able to exercise physical force.
'If he gets hit there...'
And those Possessors who feared such a Jang Du-sik.
Erik was very satisfied with the current dynamic.
'Du-sik will become the leash.'
The Possessors had now accepted Divine Power.
That meant the Restraint Magic that had been placed on them earlier became meaningless.
The restriction that if you disclosed the secret about the [Sword of Creation], the Divine Power embedded in your body would explode—that effect was now as good as gone.
'And there's no function to expel a Believer either.'
Moreover, once you became a Believer, Erik couldn't even release it.
Still uncertain about the exact conditions for [Believer Appointment], it was also difficult to hastily dispose of the Possessors.
'They're a bit strange, but the kids are good-natured.'
From what Erik had experienced, the three Possessors were quite decent people.
Nishida and Kang Pung-ho had some peculiar aspects, but they weren't inclined toward Evil.
'Though the Favorability Work one is a bit bothersome...'
Recalling the Possessors he'd encountered so far, these ones were worth treating as top-tier Possessors.
'Well, now that the Sword of Creation isn't a problem. I can figure out the rest as I go.'
Having organized his thoughts, Erik decided on his next destination and moved forward.
According to what he'd heard from Jang Du-sik.
Only a few seconds had passed since they entered the Divine Edifice, but this wasn't a situation to be leisurely about.
'Because there are survivors left.'
When he first surveyed the 5th Floor, he sensed two presences.
Having rescued Jang Du-sik's group, the remaining one was likely Imperial soldiers.
Or possibly adventurers.
"Don't you all know why this happened on the 5th Floor?"
"...No."
Could it be that the brigade commander, who was known as a mage, suffered Magical Power exhaustion and the Floor Master was released?
Initially, he had thought this, but Erik soon considered another possibility.
'Those black mage bastards.'
A Calamity-class Black Mage had appeared in the southern empire.
From that moment on, Erik's five senses became very keen, and perhaps because of that, he had an indescribable ominous premonition.
While lost in such serious thoughts.
"Brother, but why does my head keep shining like this? It's like Consecration is continuing infinitely."
Jang Du-sik posed a very important question.
It was the kind of matter that needed priority handling over black mages.
Erik thought about the cause of the infinite Consecration.
'Perhaps...'
Jang Du-sik is very ignorant.
The back alley where he'd grown up was an environment where he couldn't learn common sense by the time he became an adult, and on top of that, Jang Du-sik's nature was far from studious.
Such a barbaric environment had made Jang Du-sik grow into a very simple being.
However, in this chaotic world, being simple was actually an advantage.
'Ignorance is no problem at all.'
Jang Du-sik is an honest, stubborn, and loyal man.
Ever since Erik taught him the meaning of sworn brothers as a child, Jang Du-sik had served him faithfully as brother.
In fact, regarding the marriage with the Imperial Princess, Erik even thought it was a waste of Jang Du-sik.
The grounds were sufficient.
'Loyalty.'
Such a stubborn character had made Jang Du-sik's loyalty like a sublime conviction, and perhaps that's why he gains the effect as a Believer of the [Nameless God]?
That was Erik's conjecture.
However, since the other party was Jang Du-sik, he summarized it in one line.
"Du-sik, that light is your conviction."
"What the hell are you talking about?"
"Keep living the way you are now."
"Oh, that's what conviction means?"
"Yes."
Anyway, exchanging such small talk, the group approached the presence of the Imperial soldiers.
* * *
"The brigade commander must survive at least!"
"We will become a suicide squad! Please, just head to the entrance of the Floor—."
The brigade commander's direct unit was composed entirely of Knights.
Each of them was loyal to the empire, and they were elite soldiers who valued their superior's orders as much as their lives.
"I won't allow it. We die together, all of us."
One who commanded such Knights couldn't be a trivial person.
The brigade commander didn't even remove his helmet bearing the emblem of an imperial brigade commander despite the calamity.
Because of such stubborn character.
The brigade commander was resolved to face death alongside his subordinates.
'How did it come to this...'
The brigade commander recalled the source of this calamity.
'Those black mage bastards—.'
Blocking the Floor Master of the 5th Floor had gone smoothly.
They'd brought plenty of Magical Power Potions in their supplies, so it was just a matter of holding position and slaughtering the Floor Master.
However, black mages suddenly opened a Portal and appeared.
"What an unexpected harvest opportunity!"
The 5th Floor was a kind of Assembly Point.
There were many adventurers, and all the survivors had gathered here.
The black mage with six lines who appeared then consumed both adventurers and imperial soldiers.
Because the Possessor Black Mages had used the [Severance] spell, the brigade commander and his direct unit were trapped in an isolated space.
"Everyone, aim for one point!"
When the brigade commander escaped.
There were no survivors on the 5th Floor, and they had consumed most of their forces to break the [Severance].
The brigade commander suffered Magical Power exhaustion, and the Knights' stamina had reached its limit, so they had no choice but to flee from the Floor Master.
'-Our journey may end, but the Empire will be eternal.'
After finishing his brief reminiscence, the brigade commander shook hands with each of his subordinates one by one.
After that, he began an solemn final address.
"Our deaths will be known, and His Imperial Majesty will declare bloody vengeance! So let us all face an honorable death while remembering the glory of the Empire!"
Magical Power exhaustion, loss of Aura.
On top of that, cursed by Black Magical Power, his natural regeneration was significantly reduced.
However, the fighting spirit of the brigade commander and his unit seemed ready to tear through the Labyrinth's ceiling.
"Prepare for the final battle."
The unit hiding in the massive ancient stone building checked their equipment in perfect unison.
Crack!
Shortly after the brief check, a cracking sound came from climbing the building's wall.
The defensive barrier the brigade commander had put up with his last remaining Magical Power had shattered.
"To the shield wall!"
Toward the crack, the shield-bearing Knights who held the unit's front line advanced.
Clang, clang!!!
A chilling roar came from between the shattered barriers.
Gnoll King, the master of the 5th Floor, surrounded everything.
The doors, windows, and even the ceiling were filled with monsters drooling saliva.
Crack!
Eventually the Magical Power barrier broke.
Like water rushing through a broken dam, monsters poured in.
"Hold the line!"
"Thrust!"
They blocked with shields and thrust through the gaps, trying to face the monsters with techniques while conserving their Aura as much as possible.
"Retreat!"
But the situation wasn't favorable.
'There's no way through.'
The Knights intended to keep the brigade commander alive.
They had reached an implicit agreement through eye contact, so they planned to open a way at the right moment and lead the brigade commander to the entrance of the 5th Floor.
"Damn it, second line, two-step retreat!"
Monsters literally poured down like water.
There was simply no escape route. Rather than breaking through, it felt like they might be crushed to death just as they were.
"Heh, it won't go the way you're thinking. Everyone, don't spare your Aura!"
The brigade commander likewise understood his subordinates' hearts.
And knowing that couldn't be achieved, the brigade commander let out a dry laugh and drew out his staff.
"Damn, looks like we're really going to die with the brigade commander."
"I was hoping to have the glory of carrying the brigade commander and running away..."
An army that had braced for death—no, whose death was scheduled.
Their situation was harsh, but their hearts were at ease, and the swords they wielded were infinitely light.
The final battlefield where life burned away.
"The Empire will remember us—!"
For that glorious death.
The brigade commander cast his final spell.
Kuung!
Light rose in the Magic Circle filling the building.
Wide-area expansion magic, proof of the 8th Circle, was cast.
Named: Apocalypse Flame.
It was large-scale massacre magic that could only be used with the Noble Council's permission, but on the 5th Floor where there were no survivors, it didn't matter.
Magical Power exhaustion?
This was the final magic used by sacrificing life itself, so that much was sufficient.
After all, wasn't everything ending anyway?
Kuung!
The light grew increasingly intense.
The inside of the building was soaked in the Knights' blood, and the corpses of dead comrades were immediately trampled and crushed by the Gnoll King.
However, smiles deepened on the faces of the brigade commander and his unit.
"Glory to the Empire!!!"
As the final Apocalypse descended.
Kwaaaang!!!
The world was engulfed in crimson light.
The flames incinerated everything.
Death drew near.
"—Let Holy Fire be upon this land."
However, such a solemn suicide squad's death was deferred.
Beyond the fading consciousness, a deep, heavy sound was heard.
"—Let Blessing be upon this land."
"—Let the Healing Miracles be upon this land."
The body engulfed in flames.
The arms and legs being eaten alive by the Gnoll King.
And the hand of the 4th Corps brigade commander holding a staff, melting away.
Ssshhhhhhh.
Piercing through the flames, they began to regenerate from the overflowing Divine Power.
The Apocalypse Flame subsided into the Divine Light, and the monsters threatening them scattered and disappeared like particles.
"...Is this... death?"
Those who had already lost consciousness couldn't accept reality.
"D-Divine Power—."
Those who survived opened their eyes wide as the pain that had tormented them vanished as if washed away.
Thud!
A brilliantly shining man appeared at the entrance of the building where the imperial forces had been hiding.
With his massive physique combined with his sacred appearance.
It was nothing short of the Incarnation of God.
* * *
[You have obtained Faith.]
[+GP 23,790]
After attending to the imperial brigade commander and his subordinates, a status window appeared before Erik's eyes.
The [Divine Management] window shining in golden light.
"Lift your heads, all of you."
The GP that had been merely 23 had jumped to the ten-thousands in an instant, but Erik didn't find it strange at all.
And for good reason.
"Aah... how could this be—."
How grateful must those who escaped scheduled death feel toward him?
The Knights were just the baseline, and even the brigade commander stared at Erik with bowed head unable to look at him directly.
"Thank you deeply for saving our lives, Divine One—."
Originally, many imperial officers were non-religious.
They were the type who thought of the Emperor like a god rather than religion, but experiencing something miraculous had apparently changed their minds.
"I merely did what needed to be done."
Erik collected the corpses of the dead Knights alongside the brigade commander's direct unit.
"Thank you for attending even to the funeral of our comrades."
The brigade commander's head bowed further.
Erik waved his hand calmly.
He hadn't saved the imperial soldiers simply for profit.
For Erik, the lives of people and the military honors of those who burned themselves out in duty were far more important than GP whose use was unknown.
"It is only natural."
It was the rightful duty of any human, and atonement for the lives he couldn't save in conflict zones when he was young.
'Saving us is something that should be done, and attending to those who fell in battle is only natural...'
Not just the brigade commander, but every single soldier under his command felt a deep pang of emotion in their hearts.
[You have obtained Faith.]
[+GP 7,840]
They say good deeds bring good results.
[Your GP now exceeds 30,000.]
[The Shrine expansion function of the [Nameless God] has been unlocked.]
A 3D bird's-eye view of the shrine appeared before Erik's eyes.