480 - Regressor of the Fallen Family

Chapter 480: "Indeed, this world is filled with intriguing variables." Aion, the God of Water and Agriculture—or more accurately, Aion’s Apostle—pondered this thought. The reason for distinguishing between the two entities was clear: when a god resides within a human body, its cognitive and reasoning abilities diminish, inheriting some of the body's lingering desires. No matter how similar the essence may be, if the level of perception and desires differ, how can they be considered the same being? Of course, there are exceptions, like Ageron, the God of Gold and Commerce, formerly a Golden Dragon Lord, whose inherent nature was so fierce that human remnants barely influenced him. Regardless, Aion's Apostle found the current situation quite fascinating. This unexpected calm stemmed from his confidence in handling whatever unfolded, paired with the human he possessed—a priest of Aion—having an incredibly relaxed disposition. "It wasn't a lie." He finally gained reassurance upon witnessing the intended avatar's destruction of Zibric’s fragment instead of its incorporation. Perspective shapes thought; when the way we view the world changes, so do our thoughts. Even as a god, his divine status had declined greatly, losing much of his inherent wisdom. Yet, it was sufficient to grasp the underlying circumstances. However. – How dare you!!!!! When the remaining fragment of Zibric began to draw upon all the power of the altar once again, he couldn’t help but furrow his brow. Just as he'd seen three hundred years prior, Zibric contorted the conditions of the descent ritual, which could only be used on his descendants imbued with his magical trace. He altered it so that even a slight trace of his blood sufficed. Given that Zibric departed the world two millennia ago, it wouldn’t be surprising if his blood had spread to most humans on the continent. Essentially, this condition meant that any human could serve. Certainly, the energy and divine power loss was substantial, but Zibric likely had no other choice. It was better than complete annihilation. So, Zibric, with parts of his shattered soul, displayed an amazing transformation, instantaneously overhauling a resurrection ritual nearing the 10th class. "Indeed..." That surpassing genius, who was supposed to be born into the Dragon tribe yet erroneously dwelt in a lower species, the human form, remained unchanged. Yet. "After all, it's just a fragment." The Apostles remained unperturbed. It wasn’t due to their ignorance that they dealt with the situation so half-heartedly. They had already devised the best method to eradicate the parasite repeatedly attempting to exploit the resources like prey from a fishery. Unveiling part of their true power through the Apostles was only a fragment of their plan. “...Seems like it's been expended quite a bit.” “The power gathered at the altar is far greater than anticipated.” “Perhaps our perspective as these limited beings is too restricted.” The Apostle of Asaron, from the Dragon race, and the Apostle of Atrane, from the Dwarf race, added remarks they didn't necessarily need to, strengthening Aion's words. The other Apostles surely grasped the correlation at a glance. Even reduced to such small existences, the innate servitude to the Dragons from their original species seemed to surface. Aion's Apostle found this amusing but didn’t show it. He just calmly spoke up. “It's getting problematic to let it proceed this far. We can't afford any more losses." "Ageron, it’s time. Your Apostle needs to make the sacrifice as promised." Ageron's golden scales quivered fiercely, but no immediate response followed. Though understandable, the desire to refuse still had to be upheld as a 'promise.’ Since Ageron's Apostle could do nothing but abide by it, Aion's Apostle watched the scene with serene composure. In contrast, Logan was anything but composed. “No…!” At first, when the halo had appeared, he thought he had a solution. With the observing Apostles and the memory of once defeating Zibric’s soul, he believed that extreme measures wouldn’t be necessary. But the moment the bracelet radiated light and Zibric’s soul attempted to invade the Emperor’s body, his perspective had to shift dramatically—precisely when he witnessed the waning figures of Clayton and Luisa. Casting a quick glance at the Apostles revealed inexplicably no reaction from them, and their essence was too elevated to discern even a shard of their intentions. Grinding his teeth, Logan steeled his resolve. “There’s no other choice.” He decided to ponder on the Apostle later. He couldn’t stand by and witness Zibric’s descent or the demise of his people. A resonating hum. The nine Force Cores within his heart forcefully resonated, expelling an additional core. At that moment, the binding force of the magic circle unraveled. Crack. “My goodness?” “How is that possible?” “Inconceivable…” The Apostles’ gasps of admiration barely faded before Logan’s beloved sword, Lux, shone with radiant golden light as it swung forth. Swoosh. The ninth form of the Divine Art—an indomitable strike that reversed causality—sliced through the magic circle, Zibric’s soul, and the Emperor's body in one swift motion. Yet. "…Impressive." The Emperor, or rather, Zibric, had already risen, glancing at his raised right arm with an impassive gaze towards Logan. With a soft crumble. The supreme bracelet, an artifact that once even influenced the Pope, fulfilled its purpose and disintegrated to dust. Then, from that spot, a shadow-gray mist began to spread like fog. The golden energy that had threatened to consume Zibric’s form quickly receded under the expanding grey mist. Zibric, who watched the scene without any change in expression, turned his gaze towards the sacrificial offerings piled at the back. Their bodies appeared to dry further, and with a surge of red energy, a newly regenerated left arm emerged. Zibric, inspecting the peculiarly pale arm, soon returned his attention to the golden light that still opposed his power. The hum continued. "To wield such power with the force of life... indeed, it's regretful. The loss was too significant, letting you go." Zibric's eyes briefly acknowledged the apostles still bound by the magic circle before returning to Logan. "My descendant, child who defied time. You must pay the price for my losses." As Zibric raised his pale left hand, the ashen aura intensified, pressing harder against the golden light. A resonant hum. Boom. Boom. Boom. The cavern rocked as if an earthquake had struck, the ashen energy starting to overpower the golden light. "Damn." Sweat trickled down Logan's forehead. He was already at the brink of his attributes' manifestation limits. But the power of the resurrected Zibric was overwhelming beyond expectation. He hadn't imagined the disparity would be so vast between the mere soul and after it claimed a physical form. Moreover... "Is it regenerating?" He witnessed Zibric’s fragmentary soul consuming the remnants of the Emperor's within him, growing larger in the process. Consequently, Zibric's power increased in magnitude. In this truly hopeless situation, Logan, unbeknownst to even himself, bit his lip hard. "So, it was a shortcut after all. There’s no point in further expectations." "Ageron, are you still hesitating?" "Fulfill your promise." "Before it’s too late." "Before even the body is claimed by Zibric." "...Fine, damn it." Disjointed voices, hard to comprehend, emanated from where the apostles stood, followed by an explosion of giant golden light. A dazzling radiance, distinct from his own golden light. Before Logan could grasp its significance, Zibric’s expression contorted into a snarl. BOOM!! "Ageron!? How is this possible!?" "This time, I'll put an end to you, Zibric." Ageron’s voice thundered following the brain-rattling noise. Only then did Logan realize that the ceiling of the cavern plaza had been blasted open. Through the enormous hole in the rocky wall, hundreds of meters high, he saw the complex intertwining of golden and ashen lights against the sky. Rumble. Even the impact alone carved out the mountain, causing the plaza to collapse. The long-lost power of true gods had manifested in the present world. Logan, momentarily transfixed by the scene, came back to himself when a fragment of falling rock brushed past his face. "Damn it." Reacting instinctively, Logan summoned his aura to lift the vast rocks threatening to crush Clayton and Luisa. After a brief hesitation, he even rescued Lord Dongik, who perhaps might become a family relation, as he attempted to escape the collapsing cave. Flash! Suddenly, the two forces clashing overhead collided head-on, causing an intense explosion of light. Dazzlingly beautiful yet imbued with the power of destruction, the descending beams shattered everything beneath them. Logan, raising his aura fully, enveloped himself and the three others, using all his might to sever space and safeguard their souls. The fierce light turning his vision blinding white was brief. The cataclysmic flow waned, and Logan hesitantly lifted his gaze skyward. Specifically, at the enormous orb of light, half golden, half ashen. "It's magnificent." Though the luminescent flashes had ceased, the sheer intensity of the power within the sphere was overwhelmingly palpable. This late realization of his surroundings came into clear view. "…Hmm." The once stalwart mountains had vanished, leaving him standing in a crater amid a desolate wasteland where everything was obliterated. "The mountain, the range, has vanished without a trace." As the chilling realization of how fearsome such ancients must have been settled in his chest, bewildering murmurs reached his ears. "Engaged in a power struggle, are they?" "If one of us aids, it would conclude faster." "Then why don't you volunteer?" "I won't waste a millennium of cultivation. Better to discard the apostle's body." "But if Zibric prevails, there's no choice but to do so, right?" "Surely, Ageron can't fail to manage just one fragment." Surrounding him, five monstrous figures voiced their views one by one. "Apostle…" Logan uttered, almost in a whisper, to which the blue-scaled apostle responded, turning towards him. "It was impressive, descendant of Zibric." Huh? Logan was taken aback by the strangely non-hostile tone. "For a human, you are truly extraordinary." "Perhaps we should consider you as our emissary." The apostles, with appearances of a gigantic elf and a dwarf, also expressed favorable reactions. Why are they acting this way? Perplexed, Logan found himself flustered as the gigantic orc-like apostle sighed. "In that case, the oracle must be adjusted, hmm. That wouldn’t reflect well on my stature." "But it might be worth it." The white-scaled dragon kin apostle nodded in agreement as the blue-scaled one delivered a statement that sharply snapped Logan’s attention back. "Indeed. I thought it was a shortcut, but it seems you touched the realm of a demigod, even without magic." Ah... Logan finally realized why he hadn't collapsed from exhaustion even after utilizing his attributes. The series of battles had nudged him past the threshold he was teetering on. Upon realizing this, his once turbulent mind settled as if by magic. The sensation of his will exercising complete control over his surroundings. The newfound conviction that he could warp the laws of the world and alter causality with sheer willpower. “Hah…” A soul that fully grasped its level scanned the surroundings. Unlike before, he could instantly comprehend the apostles' circumstances and the state above. A quiet chuckle escaped Logan as he finally grasped why the apostles were behaving in such a manner.