Chapter 124

<Hayan, it’s you again, isn’t it? Are you joking right now? Stop using the bulletin board however you please. Where on earth did you learn such weird things?>

<┌─── Kid Collection Log ────┐>

<Division 2 personnel, assemble at the coordinates sent via private message. Defense forces at the Archives are insufficient.>

<└─── Collection Complete ────┘> …

『FEAR NOT!?』

“Ah, I posted a few of those using my alt accounts. Don’t worry too much.”

I analyzed the state of the war while firing a Zenith at a Cockatrice flying toward the Red Tower.

Magic Towers are national strategic assets. Even though we hadn’t requested cooperation from each guild—unlike when we raided Seeds of Calamities like the Thirteen Palaces of Emptiness or the Sea of Decay—many were volunteering for the fight.

Though the Old Gods’ Wound had yet to descend, they were at least offering passive help in exterminating the monsters loitering near Tartaruga.

Since the enemy’s objective had already been identified, secondary damage to the city was lower than expected. At this rate, it seemed we would block the attack without much trouble, but that wasn’t the important part.

“The Chairman clearly isn’t interested in tearing down the Magic Towers. She wants one thing.”

『FEAR NOT?』

“Correct. The Star Scar held by the Outer God of Salvation.”

The Abyssal Tentacle used in the Thirteen Palaces of Emptiness was a single-digit-tier tentacle. It shared a similar role with Bindingy,¹ who had grabbed Velada’s head in the Necropolis, but its power was on a completely different level.

A restraint so powerful it could shift the very position of a star fixed in the night sky.

The moment the Outer God of Salvation was dragged down by it, Trishy began to move. She believed she could finally grasp the power of an Outer God—something that had been out of her reach until now.

I kept my eyes fixed on the Magic Tower where I assumed she would appear. It was the Yellow Tower, where the main lens of the Astronomical Observation Wing was currently pointed at the Outer God of Salvation.

While no specific signs had been observed yet, if she intended to steal the Star Scar, that was the only place.

The crucial question was: exactly when would she strike?

And when a high-ranking Archduke manifested, the question remained: was there anyone left in Seoul to stop her?

“It seems the Sword Immortal hasn’t returned from Japan yet, and the White Immortal won’t interfere in a crisis involving the Magic Towers…”

There was no suitable candidate.

That’s what anyone would think.

『FEAR NOT?』

“So, you’re asking if this is the end? No, I don’t think so.”

Since Ha Yeri had attended the Council with me, she must have reached the same conclusion. That even if we successfully defended the Magic Towers from the demons, we would lack the military power to face an Archduke.

However, that didn’t necessarily mean defeat.

Because within the Special Unit, there was a brigade organized solely for this moment. And the Commander who led them…

<EMERGENCY NOTICE: All personnel, excluding the Archduke Extermination Unit, are to quickly move away from the former site of the Yellow Tower.>

The darkness that had been slowly encroaching upon the sky finally swallowed the sun whole. The Gate that had been vomiting monsters distorted, and space-time itself began to scream.

The manifestation of an Archduke.

The moment the Eleventh Night arrived, the smartwatches of all personnel rang once more.

<ADDITIONALLY: The Commander-in-Chief has been deployed to the field. DO NOT look up at the sky under any circumstances.>

“They’re finally making their move.”

『FEAR NOT?』

“It’s rare for two Star Scars to gather in one place. Let’s watch, and if an opportunity arises, we’ll go steal them.”

I stood up, moving away from the attacks of the retreating demons—who had clearly decided I was impossible to break through.

“Of course, I have work to do before that.”

I turned my steps toward Ground Zero, where many monsters still remained.

“This is the first time even I’ve seen the Self-Made Immortal step out personally! Yeon-hwa, you don’t have experience fighting an Archduke, right? Even though this is your ‘Year Zero,’ you’ll have a lot to gain from this mission.”

“…”

“Yeon-hwa?”

“Shut up. I’ve already put in years at the guild.”

At Kang Cho-won’s call, No Yeon-hwa turned off her smartwatch. As she lowered her wrist, she saw countless citizens evacuating below the buildings. An ominous energy swirled above the Yellow Tower, looking as if something was about to burst out of the murky darkness at any second.

As No Yeon-hwa adjusted her hood against the fierce wind, Deputy Commander Kang Cho-won asked:

“You seem to be in an even worse mood than usual today! Is there a problem?”

“No.”

“I deployed you to this mission because I thought you could handle facing an Archduke now that you’ve reached the Upper Level, but if you’re anxious, you can sit this one out!”

“Who said anything about running away? My head just hurts a bit.”

No Yeon-hwa wasn’t afraid, regardless of whether an Archduke manifested or an Outer God descended. The reason she couldn’t focus on the battle wasn’t those out-of-scale beings.

It was because of a certain voice that had been flashing through her tangled mind ever since she followed Hayan to the Alps to rescue Professor Hans’s daughter and reached the Upper Level.

—Forget it.

—The same thing again? Are you a Word-Spirit user?

—Come back and find it later.

—What?

—Your memories. Come back and find them later.

A dark room with bars.

A white-haired girl standing behind a version of Hayan that was strangely different from the one she knew.

Expressionless, violet eyes, a strange shadow, immune to Word-Spirits.

The one who held Hayan, embraced Hayan, worried for Hayan, was worshipped by Hayan.

The non-human being who called Yeon-hwa a “stray cat” for approaching him…

—What are you? Who… just who are you…!

—You don’t need to know. What I can tell you now is… let’s see.

“FEAR NOT!!!”

“What?”

Just as she was about to remember who that voice belonged to, Kang Cho-won shouted. Always loud-voiced, he spoke as if making sure every single member of Division 1 could hear.

“It is true that an Archduke is a formidable enemy that humanity finds difficult to face when fully manifested! However, the times they have been able to exert their full power can be counted on one hand.”

“What are you talking about all of a sudden…?”

“Because we know how to restrict them so they cannot use their true strength!”

Fighting an Archduke is worlds apart from exterminating ordinary monsters or demons.

Faced with their overwhelming status, the mana possessed by a human is crushed like a submarine sinking into the deep sea—rendered as useless as mere physical force. It means one cannot even lay a finger on them, as if they exist in a different dimension altogether.

Unless one is an out-of-scale existence known as the “Apostle of an Outer God,” a head-on brawl with them is impossible. However, if there were a way to drag an Archduke down to the realm where supernatural powers could reach, then a chance of victory would exist.

“One of those methods is borrowing the power of an Outer God.”

Kang Cho-won pointed ahead with the spear held in one hand. There stood Seona, who had always been confined to a wheelchair, now floating in the air with her eyes closed. As she murmured as if in prayer, her skin began to peel away layer by layer, as if burning. The shed skin drifted upward like ash, vanishing into the massive clouds.

Soon after, a scream so loud it felt as if eardrums would burst echoed out, shattering the glass windows of the surrounding buildings.

“Ugh…!”

“Through an Oath, the Archduke is bound and dragged into the mortal realm. Even if we strike them down, we cannot completely annihilate them—they leave behind a Seed of Calamity—but that alone is enough for us to drive back the Night.”

“…”

“In that sense, I am also placing high expectations on your ability, Yeon-hwa.”

“Mine?”

“Yes. Fundamentally, a Word-Spirit is the act of tailoring the world through language.”

It would become a prison that draws a transcendental being into a perceivable domain. Just as the Dragon Immortal once did.

No Yeon-hwa clicked her tongue at Kang Cho-won, who spoke with blood trickling from his ears.

“Why don’t you do it? Since you’re the successor to one of those grand Seven Immortals.”

“Hmph! If it were possible, that wouldn’t be bad, but there are complicated circumstances! As it is a family matter, it’s not something I can decide alone!”

Yeon-hwa knew the gist of it from what she’d heard. Among the Seven Immortals, the Confinement Immortal had a rather unique mechanism for their ability, making it possible to inherit the power within the bloodline. However, the power could not be split among many. Currently, there could only be one person to become the successor of the semi-retired Confinement Immortal.

“The power of the Confinement Immortal is passed to a single successor! In other words, since the heir has not been firmly decided yet, we have no choice but to wait for the right time!”

Was it Kang Nabi and Kang Ha-neul? However, the three did not necessarily need to engage in a fair competition. Unlike his younger siblings—especially Kang Ha-neul of Division 3—Kang Cho-won had long been building a distinguished record in Special Division 1 and was already an Upper Level Awakened. If he put his mind to it, becoming the next Confinement Immortal wouldn’t be that difficult.

After staring at him for a moment, No Yeon-hwa decided to lose interest. Right now, it was more important to organize the memories surfacing in her mind so she wouldn’t forget them again.

“Anyway, you’re saying if one becomes a Transcendent, they can face an Archduke.”

“That is correct!”

“And since there’s no one capable of that right now besides the Commander, our job is to deal with the Archduke weakened by the Commander-in-Chief.”

“Exactly!”

“Then let’s go.”

No Yeon-hwa pulled a megaphone from her pocket and stepped over the building’s railing.

“Soar: A guide for the heavens, for passengers via the Milky Way.”

Above the Yellow Tower, a black, tar-like liquid was pouring down as if the sky were vomiting filth.