Chapter 114

Chapter 114
## Chapter: 114
Chapter Title: The Fall of the Neutral Cities

《The neutral metropolis ‘Aian’ has been conquered by the Four Evils Baal.》

《‘Aian’ begins its descent into the dark void.》

《Mount of Cultivators, Delpian, Pavlin, and Aian—four territories have been erased from existence.》

《The Four Evils Baal has claimed the status of ‘Evil God.’》

《The Four Evils Baal has reclaimed his primitive strength.》

《Only two neutral cities remain: ‘Kartel’ and the ‘Rune Temple.’》

《Should the Four Evils Baal seize ‘Kartel’ and ‘Rune Temple,’ the ‘One Who Is the Abyss Itself’ shall be realized. A gateway to Earth will be established.》

Reports of Aian’s collapse, the third neutral city to fall.

Following the loss of Delpian, Pavlin and Aian had been demolished in a terrifyingly swift sequence.

Because the initial extermination team had been annihilated in a single day, no functional defensive perimeter could be organized in time.

The pace was too frantic, the pressure too immense.

This unforeseen velocity had pushed everyone to the brink of insanity.

-Just how powerful is this Baal prick? Every place he strikes falls apart in less than twenty-four hours.

-It looks like he’s evolving as he goes.

-Evil God? Is there a stat boost for a title like that?

-Wait, regaining his original power? Is this dude for real?

-He’s moved past the Four Evils; he’s essentially the Demon King now.

They were being scattered like dead leaves in a gale.

The rulers of the neutral cities lacked even the remaining energy to resist.

Total destruction was their only remaining prospect.

Baal, one of the Four Evils, had reached a level of power where being labeled an Evil God or the Demon King was an understatement.

The most dire concern was the clause regarding the Five Evils launching an assault on Earth if the five neutral cities were lost.

-Does anyone have Hydragon’s Soul?

-I saw a clip. Someone back in Korea used the soul to call forth a Hydragon.

-So did they scour Korea for it?

-Word is they turned the country upside down, but found nothing.

-If the owner has a shred of decency, speak up. Or are we all going down together?

-Is Gracia our only shot? Where the hell is Master?

-Assemble, Mincho Dan!

-Phantom God! Come through for us!

Gracia’s efforts to locate Hydragon’s Soul were fruitless.

The possessor remained hidden. No one could identify them.

Suddenly, a player sent a message through the global chat.

-I know who is holding ‘Hydragon’s Soul.’

-You’re lying in a crisis like this? This is a garbage joke.

-Absolute troll.

-If you’re full of it, someone is going to find you and take your hands.

The tension among the players reached a boiling point.

It was a rational reaction.

Unlike the battles in Pangeniar, everyone understood that if the Four Evils crossed over to Earth, there was no solution.

Absolutely no way out.

Primarily, unlike defeating the Four Evils within Pangeniar, Earth required the use of ‘Fragments of the Golden Rule’ as a separate necessity.

If the Four Evils struck a different nation instead of one’s own, would people truly volunteer for an overseas campaign just to burn through those invaluable fragments, regardless of their supply?

Too many conflicting interests were at play.

Furthermore, unlike Pangeniar’s divided city-states, Earth was a unified front.

-He is currently located within the Empire.

-I could have guessed that much.

-If he’s really in the Empire, what’s the plan? Invade the Empire?

-That is all I can disclose. But ‘Master’ would definitely know his identity. He was also in the Empire until just recently.

-Master was in the Empire?

-I thought he was away from his keyboard?

-Then where is he at this moment?

If he had been in the Empire, his departure should have been tracked.

With even Gracia taking a public stand, Master’s continued avoidance of the situation was highly suspect.

Master was a figure of even greater scrutiny than Gracia.

-Look, he’s under a hex, and his Pangeniar avatar turned into a ‘pig.’ He likely can’t show his face until the spell breaks. Even if it does, the shame might be too much.

-…A pig? What kind of ridiculous curse is that?

-This guy has been talking nonsense since he arrived.

-I can actually see it. That shape is Master’s psychological scar. It’s proof the rumors about him being harassed as a ‘pig’ when he was a kid are true.

-He’s just making up a story now.

-But there were whispers Master was severely bullied as a child, right?

-Everyone involved is dead and buried, so it’s impossible to verify.

-Why does this guy’s attitude feel so suspicious?

Eventually, the community dismissed him as a provocateur.

However, the debate was cut short.

《‘Rune Temple’ has been defeated.》

《‘Rune Temple’ starts to descend into the abyss.》

《If the final city ‘Kartel’ is taken, the ‘One Who Is the Abyss Itself’ shall be realized.》

-…

-Why now?

-What just happened?

A mere three hours after Aian’s downfall.

…The ‘Rune Temple’ had also been lost.

The fountainhead of the Reaper Church.

The Imperial Palace of the Empire.

Standing at its very core, I surveyed my surroundings.

This was a hidden domain that even Wilhelm was unable to access.

I had managed to step inside, at least.

‘None of them look like humans.’

Every ‘person’ in this chamber was concealed behind an ‘animal mask.’

The majority wore dark-colored masks, while a select few, who appeared to be overseers, wore silver versions.

‘Why is Number 1 the only person without a beast mask?’

Instead, Number 1 was the sole individual sporting a golden mask.

Pushing my internal queries aside, I proceeded further into the palace, eventually encountering a space where an incredibly long table groaned under the weight of a feast.

Standing around that table were ten individuals, each adorned with distinct golden masks.

They shifted their gaze toward Number 1 and myself.

“The ‘cleansing’ of Darkan is finished, it seems.”

“How many were found to be ‘sinners’? Want me to guess? Twenty?”

“I’ll bet on fifty. If that brutal ‘Golden Mask’ was in charge, at least fifty met their end.”

“Oho, let’s make a wager! The one who loses gives up a thousand slaves.”

“But who is that following him? A black goat?”

They were all aware of the ‘cleansing’ that had occurred in Darkan’s lands.

The Golden Mask.

Number 1’s associate spoke up.

“This individual is the protector of the twelfth ‘orthodox.’ His golden mask was not yet prepared, so he is wearing a black one for the time being. He asks for your tolerance.”

“Well, it’s understandable for a first appearance.”

The one wearing a golden cat mask spoke.

The frame hinted at a male, but I couldn’t be certain. Every voice here was muffled to the point of gender ambiguity.

“Regardless, the twelfth, hmm. I’m quite interested to know what ‘orthodox’ this refers to.”

“Hmm. I assumed we were the final ones. A twelfth? It’s not mentioned in any of the archives, is it?”

“We can verify it. Find out what ‘orthodox’ it actually is.”

The masked figures expressed their interest regarding ‘Hel.’

At that point, Number 1 walked to the head of the table and took a seat.

The others had already settled in.

Every chair was crafted to match the specific attributes of its masked user.

Predictably, there was no chair provided for me.

I was unlisted and uninvited.

“It appears there isn’t a seat waiting for me.”

My comment drew laughter from the masked group.

“You haven’t earned the right to sit among us yet.”

“Hmm. Searching for a chair without even revealing your ‘orthodox.’”

“Remain on the floor until the feast concludes. This is not your place right now.”

Number 1’s eyes sparked with curiosity.

He was waiting to see how I would manage the slight.

Understood.

The Reapers’ Banquet.

I realized that the area around the table wasn’t intended for me.

“In that case, I’ll sit here.”

The only window in the chamber.

Right in the center of the iron-barred frame.

I moved to where the sunlight streamed in.

The person in the golden sheep mask then inquired.

“Without even a stool?”

“No stool? Isn’t there one right here?”

“Hmm…?”

In that instant.

Fwaaaaaah!

A pillar of light erupted, far more intense than the natural glow from the window.

It took on a form that was magnificently radiant and exquisite.

【The Most Radiant Throne of Light】

The supremely dignified, most luminous throne manifested itself.

If there isn’t a seat, you create one.

I sat down upon the throne, resting my chin on my hand with an air of indifference as I looked back at them.

Like a witness.

Or as if the entire room belonged to me.

Who here is the genuine ‘orthodox’?

“……”

“……You’ve brought an amusing one.”

“Is this guy a performer? Golden Mask, did you bring him along to make a fool of us?”

“Truly, a twelfth ‘orthodox’ is an impossibility.”

The golden-masked masters shared their thoughts while observing the display.

He had moved to the window’s midpoint where the light was strongest and suddenly called forth a throne of pure radiance.

The light was so piercing it was difficult to look at directly, shining with brilliance.

A throne made of light that clearly wasn’t a common item.

‘A desirable throne.’

‘A unique-grade? No, that’s not a standard unique.’

‘Hoo.’

Some began to evaluate the throne’s worth.

They were privately calculating its rank with respect or were simply mesmerized by its glow.

But the confusion didn’t last.

The throne was remarkable, certainly, but the location was the problem.

Where was this?

The Imperial Household. The gathering place of all ‘orthodox.’

Nobody would dare display such insolence in their presence.

The ruler of a city? The monarch of a kingdom? Tragic jokes.

No one in existence except for them held real authority.

Thus, that man’s life was effectively forfeit.

……Unless he was genuinely a ‘guardian of the orthodox.’

“At the very least, the ‘Three Swords’ pledged their very souls and lives. They swear he is the protector of the ‘twelfth orthodox.’”

Slicing through their skepticism, the Golden Mask spoke up.

The Empire’s Three Swords.

He gave his recognition to the man in the black goat mask.

They looked on with minor astonishment.

“The Three Swords?”

“Isn’t the Three Swords your student, Fox?”

Every gaze converged on a single point.

There sat the individual wearing a golden fox mask.

They had a delicate frame. Long indigo hair was pulled back, and they sat with their legs crossed in a relaxed manner.

A blade decorated with plum blossom engravings lay across their knee, being petted softly as if it were a small animal.

【Lv. ??】

……Just as I thought, it was hidden.

The level.

The data.

Everyone in this room, all of the ‘golden-masked owners,’ shared the same status.

‘This is odd.’

It baffled me.

Hidden attributes like the Iron-Blooded Lord’s Heart or the Great Sage.