Chapter 203

Chapter 203
## Chapter 203: Overturning the Board

The individual sporting the lion mask presented a collection of approximately twenty spirits.

Among them was the essence of a Star Awakener, alongside other souls of high pedigree. Despite the impressive display, the man seemed to lack a clear grasp of what a value of 190,000 truly represented in this context.

One reality, however, was undeniable.

*‘Their period of orchestration far exceeds mine.’*

This gathering was fundamentally different from the previous ceremony. These were spirits they had meticulously hoarded and preserved over an extensive duration. It appeared they were finally dipping into their most guarded stockpiles.

In contrast, my tenure as a benefactor had been brief, leaving me with little to offer. I had managed to secure only two souls for the occasion: Union and the blighted spirit.

*Shurup!*

*Thud! Thud! Thud!*

The “Orthodox” members present fell into a hushed trance as they beheld the spirits manifested by the lion-masked man. They watched with predatory intensity, their eyes shimmering with a hunger that suggested they might strike at any second.

*‘Even Hel is being swayed by the radiance of the crimson moon.’*

Hel was not immune to the influence. Though the exact nature of that lunar glow remained a mystery, it was evident that the “Great Moon” shared a profound link with the Orthodox.

“Does any among you possess the gall to challenge the worth of the Golden Lion’s tribute? Anyone at all?”

The figure in the golden mask proceeded with the ritual. Given the formidable nature of the Lion’s offering, no one seemed eager to step forward. To challenge and fail would be to invite public humiliation.

However, when a hand finally rose, the golden-masked leader sounded genuinely intrigued.

“Golden Monkey. I assume your boldness stems from true confidence?”

“Heh. It seems the Golden Lion’s contribution is far more mediocre than I anticipated.”

The insult was sharp and intentional. Upon hearing it, the Golden Lion’s hand tightened into a white-knuckled fist.

“Mediocre?”

“Precisely. You bring a Star Awakener and some assorted trash. Is that the extent of your reach?”

“…Of the spirits we are tasked to hunt, could there possibly be a prize more esteemed than these?”

Their hatred for Players was absolute. They loathed anything touched by the Goddess. In their worldview, a “Star Awakener” sat at the pinnacle of value.

The Golden Monkey let out a mocking cackle.

“Your vision is narrow, Golden Lion. This was billed as a ‘special banquet,’ was it not? The offering isn’t strictly limited to ‘sinners.’ Try using your head for once.”

“Monkey. Are you seeking an early grave?”

The air around the lion-masked man began to churn. Objects drifted upward as if the laws of physics had been suspended. The atmosphere turned brittle, ready to shatter into violence.

“…Desist. We stand in a sanctified domain under the gaze of the ‘Will of the Great Moon.’ Conflict is forbidden here.”

“……”

*Drip!*

The suffocating tension evaporated instantly. The mere invocation of the Great Moon’s presence was enough to restore order. Seizing the moment, the golden mask reasserted control.

“Our only conflict is the ‘valuation of souls.’ The superior spirit triumphs; the lesser is cast aside. Anyone who cannot abide by this fundamental decree has no place at this feast.”

“…… Very well. Let us see if the ‘Will of the Great Moon’ finds your offering as impressive as your mouth, Monkey.”

The Lion gave a curt, dismissive nod. There was no point in bickering; the soul’s value would speak for itself.

*‘The gap is undeniable.’*

The murderous aura the Lion had just projected was chilling. It existed on a plane far above the silver-masked transcendents I had encountered earlier. He was at least a 3-star entity, perhaps even higher. Yet, their specific details remained obscured from me. They were shielded by some powerful concealment.

**《You have been identified as an ‘Unobservable’ target.》**

A notification blinked into existence. Every person in the room was flagged as “Unobservable.” I hadn’t sensed this earlier, but my newly enhanced “Eye of Truth” brought the reality to light. Someone had cast a shroud over the entire assembly.

*‘This mirrors the effect of the Radiant Pureblood’s Presence.’*

While many artifacts offer invisibility or stealth, I knew of only one type of power capable of designating an entire group as Unobservable.

The “Radiant Pureblood’s Presence.”

It stood to reason that the other “Rings of the Absolute” possessed comparable traits. If that were the case…

*‘A Ring of the Absolute is hidden within this very palace.’*

It was a logical deduction. One or more of those supreme artifacts were nearby. Was it held by one of the benefactors? Or someone else entirely?

*‘It isn’t the patrons. They are too fractured by internal rivalries.’*

None of them fit the profile. It had to be someone who viewed them as a collective unit.

*‘Perhaps… the Sleeping Emperor.’*

It wasn’t a stretch to imagine the Sleeping Emperor possessing such a Ring. Had he been the one to cloak the eleven Orthodox masters from prying eyes?

“The crowning jewel of my collection,” the Monkey Mask announced, “is the spirit of the ‘Black Emperor.’”

“The Black King?”

The sovereign of the southern realms, often referred to as the “Black Emperor.” Securing his soul would indeed outweigh a mountain of Star Awakeners. As the Lion voiced his shock, the Monkey merely shook his head.

“No, I speak of one of the ‘Six Emperors’ from the era of the hexagonal ancient empire.”

“The Six Emperors…? The myths of the old continent?”

“Correct. While the history books are sparse, the value of the Black Emperor’s essence will be undeniable.”

A legion of death gods manifested behind the Monkey. Roughly fifty spirits were present, with the legendary Black Emperor positioned at the center of the phalanx. As the room watched, a crimson light coalesced to calculate the worth.

**【120,105】**

…The figure was significantly lower than the Lion’s total. The Monkey Mask began to shake.

“T-That’s impossible! The calculation is flawed!”

He screamed in protest at the dismal score, but the numbers remained unmoved. The other patrons clicked their tongues in disappointment.

“How pathetic.”

“Indeed. Even the ‘Will of the Great Moon’ must find this display lacking.”

The Lion’s mocking laughter cut through the Monkey’s protests.

“Hahaha! You arrogant primate. All that talk for a mere 120,000? I would have stayed hidden if I were you.”

“……”

“Black Emperor? You must have mistaken a common shadow-worm for a legend. What a joke.”

“……”

The tables had turned. The Lion was the victor, the Monkey the humiliated loser. The loser had no recourse but to swallow his pride and curse his own incompetence.

“…… Are there any other challengers? We are all required to reveal our hands eventually. Though, the ‘Will of the Great Moon’ tends to favor the bold who step forward first.”

The Lion spoke with the smugness of a man who believed he had already won.

“Then why don’t you lead the way, Golden Mask?”

“Fair enough. I shall proceed.”

The Golden Mask inclined his head. As the leader of the proceedings, he had to set the standard. A swarm of death gods appeared behind him. Interestingly, he had brought only two spirits, but their sheer scale required the entire legion of death gods just to hold them steady.

“…… What in the world is that?”

“Souls of that magnitude?”

Even the seasoned patrons were stunned. They had never witnessed spirits of such colossal proportions. The Golden Mask spoke with an air of casual superiority.

“These are the souls of the twin behemoths rumored to have held up the sky in the ancient world.”

“You don’t mean… ‘Cheonrak’ and ‘Narak’…?”

“Ah, Golden Lion. I see you are well-versed in the old lore.”

“……!!”

A wave of shock rippled through the patrons who recognized the names. Cheonrak and Narak were figures of pure myth. While they hadn’t literally supported the world, they were giants of such terrifying scale that they had become legends. Two souls bound to a single, massive existence.

“Size is one thing,” the Lion muttered, trying to salvage his pride. “But did they actually achieve anything of mythic significance?”

**【250,000】**

The score obliterated the Lion’s record.

“……!”

“A quarter of a million. Acceptable,” the Golden Mask remarked with a shrug.

The Lion remained frozen, likely ashen-faced behind his golden facade. The ceremony continued, but the results were largely consistent.

*‘Most are landing in the 100,000 range.’*

Aside from the leader, almost no one broke the 200,000 barrier. Only one other came close to the Lion’s initial lead.

**【245,000】**

The “Fox Mask” had narrowly missed the top spot. Her offering consisted of a “Saint” and a “Cardinal of the Goddess Church.” High-value targets, certainly, but they lacked the primordial weight of the mythic giants.

“Incredible. I don’t believe we’ve ever seen a banquet with spirits of this caliber before.”

“If we were permitted to consume these, our power would reach unprecedented heights.”

The group marveled at the collective wealth of souls on display. Finally, the first eleven finished their presentations.

“Now, Golden Goat. It is your turn.”

…… My moment had arrived.

I let out a quiet breath and moved to the center. Standing near the Golden Mask, a thought occurred to me.

*‘Hel isn’t capable of summoning death gods.’*

Hel had never demonstrated that ability. Even in his transformed state, he acted alone. I felt a flicker of anxiety, given that everyone else used death gods as their spiritual couriers. But there was no turning back now.

“Have you brought something for us today?”

“We’ll see. Though I doubt it will compare to what has already been shown.”

“I see.”

My time to prepare for this “banquet” had been nonexistent compared to theirs. Because of this, the looks I received were filled with blatant condescension and mockery.

*-Kkekkyak!*

Hel suddenly swung his massive blade.

*Crack!*

Hel’s form began to warp and expand, completing a grotesque metamorphosis. The patrons watched with tilted heads, confused by the sight.

“What is that hideous shape?”

“…… He didn’t summon a death god. He *became* one?”

“A total anomaly.”

Instead of acting as a master of the Orthodox, Hel had merged with the essence of a death god. It was a bizarre, freakish display that defied their norms. Ignoring their whispers, Hel produced a single, void-black soul.

“Only one?”

“He clearly has no intention of competing.”

“Coming in last with nothing to show for it.”

Every other participant had offered multiple spirits; some had brought hundreds to inflate their score through sheer volume. Offering just one looked like a forfeit.

I ignored their chatter and spoke softly.

“The spirit I have brought is that of the ‘Cursed One.’”

“The Cursed One? Is that all?” the Golden Mask inquired.

I nodded. “That is all.”

In truth, I knew nothing more about it. The label was all I had. I didn’t hold out much hope. It was the essence used by Destruction to taint the Ainharsar, but whether it held any weight against mythic giants was anyone’s guess.

“…… I suppose it serves as the bare minimum required to stand among us.”

Even the Golden Mask seemed let down. He clearly thought I had scraped together the smallest possible offering just to keep my seat. He wasn’t entirely wrong.

“Let us see the result. Golden Goat, let’s see if you can repeat the shock of your first banquet.”

…… That arrogant snake.

*‘They planned this from the start—to humiliate me in front of the whole group.’*

The Golden Mask had rigged the expectations to ensure I would be cast aside. At the last banquet, Hel had stolen everyone’s thunder. Now, they were eager to return the favor by making me irrelevant.

“……”

I stood with my arms crossed, watching the crimson light swirl and form into digits.

The numbers flickered into place.

**【666,666】**

*‘……?’*

…… The board hadn’t just been shifted. It had been completely overturned.