Chapter 236

Chapter 236
Chapter 236

—

Eternal Lord Randolph

A boundless receptacle that had already taken residence within my physical form.

It functioned as the Door of Truth, yet simultaneously, it represented an enormous cosmos.

Merely gazing upon it, as it dilated and branched out into infinity, left me feeling utterly staggered.

‘It makes sense why a person would assume a deity resided within me.’

Any observer of this phenomenon would have arrived at the identical conclusion.

That it was a god.

In comparison to this celestial expanse, I was a tragically minor entity.

It would have been perfectly natural to present a tribute, to perform immolations, and to revere it.

However, I refrained.

I provided no offerings, nor did I bow in worship.

On the contrary, I proposed to utilize this portal as my own container.

A device to house my surging spiritual energy.

-Salutations. You have at last discovered your ‘Door.’

Following those words, the ‘Mouth’ faded away.

That statement was likely not a mere celebratory remark for locating the gateway.

It was probably a commendation for arriving at my own realization.

Undoubtedly, there were likely far more individuals than I imagined who had laid eyes upon this entrance.

There would have been those who unsealed it, and a great many who surrendered their most valued possessions to the Door of Truth.

Consequently, those who received rewards in exchange would have gained the capacity to exert immense dominion or talents akin to supernatural gifts.

‘But that is not my path.’

Regardless, I did not genuinely crave such things.

I sought no favors from the Door of Truth.

One might inquire if I, too, should be required to provide a sacrifice to employ the Door of Truth as my vessel.

Yet that was not the reality either.

I was simply demanding payment from this ‘Door of Truth’ that had squatted within my body at its own whim for so long.

More importantly, I did not view this portal as a ‘deity.’

To do so would imply that I was a ‘deity’ myself, yet I was a mortal, not a divine being.

Only those who aspired to godhood themselves would surrender something of great worth to this ‘Door of Truth.’

‘This gateway is nothing but a container.’

It was merely my property.

Nothing more, and nothing less.

【You have acquired the Hidden Trait ‘Heart of the Eternal Lord.’】

【You have completed the Hidden Quest ‘Mindset of a Lord.’】

【The ‘Door of the Eternal Lord’ is responding.】

【All attributes are aligning and merging into one.】

【The Hidden Traits ‘Heart of the Eternal Lord’ and ‘Randolph of Eternity’ are coalescing.】

【The two Hidden Traits have intermingled and evolved into ‘Eternal Lord Randolph.’】

As though it approved of my perspective toward the Door of Truth, a different entrance that had been sealed away within the Door of Truth swung open.

The Door of the Eternal Lord!

It was a mark of eligibility.

The right to become the Eternal Lord had synchronized with my current standing.

Naturally, there was no chance that this was the conclusion of the matter.

【The quest ‘Origin – Race Reconstruction’ has been issued.】

【The ‘Eternal Monks’ are imprisoned within the ‘Island of God.’】

【If you claim ownership of the ‘Island of God,’ the ‘Eternal Monks’ shall be roused.】

An Origin Quest?

I had encountered numerous Secret Quests or Hidden Quests, but this was the first instance I had ever witnessed an Origin Quest.

‘The bloodline that serves as the root of the Hidden Trait. Does it imply I must revive that people?’

The source of the Hidden Trait.

Still, it had not started as the ‘Heart of the Eternal Lord’ from the beginning.

The Heart of the Iron-Blooded Lord had transitioned into the Heart of the Eternal Lord.

Most likely, holding an upgraded Hidden Trait was the primary requirement.

The individual who held the Heart of the Eternal Lord had to unlock the Door of Truth and fulfill certain prerequisites for this ‘Origin Quest’ to trigger.

‘They were confined within the Island of God… So they did not face total extinction during the Destruction?’

Was there a remnant left behind for the restoration of the species?

What remained certain were the twelve celestial bodies past the ‘Door of Truth’ that the Sunken Emperor had spoke of.

There was no question that this was among them.

Whether that specifically pointed to my own status or to the imprisoned ‘Eternal Monks,’ I was uncertain.

‘I will discover the truth once I am the master of the island.’

If I secured the Island of God, everything would be revealed.

It was a straightforward objective.

It was merely a task of succeeding in this contest.

I had intended to accomplish that regardless.

If I had no such intention, I never would have participated to begin with.

Nothing had shifted.

‘Now, it is time to depart.’

To the exterior.

I could not stay floating in this immense sea indefinitely.

I ripped through the shell that had held me captive.

I demolished and shattered the boundaries that obstructed me, and I brushed off everything that had restrained me.

【‘Sloughing’ is finished.】

And with that, I surfaced into the world.

When I unsealed my eyes, I was located in a pitch-black cavern.

As I attempted to exit the cave, a mysterious ‘Specter of the Night’ was obstructing my path.

‘Oh?’

What was the meaning of this?

Observing how the astral light I held was wavering, it was certainly a ‘Specter of the Night.’

But why was a Specter of the Night standing guard at the cave’s mouth?

‘It does not appear to possess any murderous intent.’

It seemed it was not trapping me, but shielding me.

From the ‘beings’ I could sense in the distance outside.

‘A Specter of the Night is acting as my guardian?’

This was a confusing development.

the vibrations I sensed from the outside certainly came from other contestants.

The Masters of the Abyss and ancient terrors.

I was unaware of why the Specter of the Night was standing against them to keep me safe, but…

“Step aside.”

When the dawn arrived, the Specter of the Night would vanish.

I was destined to confront those individuals regardless.

I had no desire to hide from them.

Particularly since one more motive to claim this island had been introduced.

I walked forward and spoke.

“You are blocking my way.”

I instructed it to relocate if it had no desire to participate in a combat against me.

Then, the dark shape gave me a single look and gradually retreated into the back of the cavern.

Its movement felt as though it was weighted with some form of lingering sentiment.

‘A conflict took place.’

Nevertheless, the state of affairs outside was more vital than the Specter of the Night at this moment.

It appeared that a significant skirmish had occurred.

The vast amount of craters made it appear as if the world had collapsed under a rain of fire.

Hah.

Just observing the remnants was enough to cause a shudder.

However, I dispassionately studied the clues and reconstructed the event.

‘The combatants who clashed were three. One is that individual on the steed, and one is Raiga who is collapsed over there. The final one… the Heavenly Demon.’

Evidence of the Heavenly Demon Divine Art was scattered everywhere.

However, the Heavenly Demon himself was nowhere to be found.

Did he retreat?

Raiga was also pathetic, buried in the earth, looking like a bloody wreck, so it seemed the person on the steed had reduced them both to that state.

Gooooooo—!!

Simultaneously, there was a being that projected murderous intent toward me.

A colossal golem.

That prehistoric golem was a potent entity that functioned independently and governed the Abyss.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

It was sprinting toward me like a maniac while projecting fierce animosity.

I reached into my clothing.

And then, I tossed a bronze currency at the creature.

“I am giving this back to you.”

…… Gooooo.

The golem, having intercepted the coin, came to a sudden halt.

As if it had not anticipated that I would yield what I had seized so readily.

The loser of an Expedition Duel forfeits their most prized possession, and the victor claims it.

However, there was no rule claiming that one was forbidden from returning it.

There was only a single instance where it could not be restored.

That was only when one was bested by a Specter of the Night and had it confiscated.

I gazed at the ‘Master of the Tomb,’ who was standing there stunned while clutching the coin, and spoke.

“Master of the Tomb. It turns out to be the final keepsake left by the artisan who constructed you. Are you still seeking your creator who might be lost somewhere in the Abyss?”

Guided by that lone coin, the prehistoric golem had been roaming the Abyss.

What I had witnessed was not merely the recollections of the Heavenly Demon Map.

I had also caught a glimpse of the history attached to the Master of the Tomb’s coin.

‘The artisan is already deceased.’

The youth had built that golem moments before he perished during the ‘Destruction.’

Leaving behind nothing but that single coin.

Still, the Master of the Tomb stubbornly believed that the youth was still surviving, somewhere in the Abyss.

That was why it persisted in wandering the Abyss.

Without pause, for an incomprehensible duration of time.

‘The Master of the Tomb is unaware of the history attached to the coin.’

The most valued object.

The most valued memory linked to it.

The Heavenly Demon was unaware of the goal of the Evil God residing within the Heavenly Demon Map, and the Master of the Tomb was oblivious to the narrative linked to the coin.

What would this suggest?

‘I am also in the dark. My own most valued thing and the memory linked to that valued thing.’

One could only perceive it once it was stripped away.

One could only learn if the rival deciphered the memory of the valued thing they seized from me and informed me of it.

And that was extremely likely to be an exceptionally critical memory that I myself did not recognize.

Precisely like the information linked to the Heavenly Demon Map and the coin.

‘I must also uncover it. About my most valued thing and the narrative linked to that valued thing.’

The Island of God was not simply a location for hunting the memories of the heavens.

This was a realm of memory where one would come to truly understand themselves.

Hence.

“I am aware of where your creator is.”

Accompany me, Master of the Tomb.

Just as I restored your most valued thing, you only need to restore my most valued thing to me.

This contest cannot be conquered if played in isolation.

I had to recruit companions.

There had to be a contestant who would act exclusively according to my command.

In order to uncover the concealed truths, it was a requirement.

-……

The Master of the Tomb displayed no response.

However, this was sufficient.

The animosity had long since evaporated.

I shifted my gaze.

The man mounted on the steed of sapphire flames.

‘It appears he has concerns with the ghost inside the cavern, not with me.’

In a similar fashion, there was no animosity.

However, he appeared very intrigued by the ‘Specter of the Night’ that had retreated into the cave.

He seemed set to fight if I did not get out of the way.

He was observing me as if telling me to pick one of two paths: step aside, or do battle.

‘Everyone is observing.’

Furthermore, other contestants were also present.

They were visibly monitoring this spot from a distance.

If I moved away, they would regard me as a weakling.

Moreover, the ghost inside the cave had shielded me regardless.

I was unaware of the motivation, but if it had not obstructed the path while I was sloughing, my attempt would have ended in disaster.

If I did not step aside, there was only one remaining path.

‘Conflict.’

That man on the steed was a being who had defeated the Heavenly Demon and Raiga at the same time.

Even though I had finished my sloughing, he was not a simple foe.

Of course, I only needed to endure until the dawn.

Because if it turned into a Star Expedition Duel, there was no way I could be defeated.

However…

‘Even that feels insufficient.’

It was also odd to provide a display of winning by other strategies after barely surviving.

The frantic triumph of the fragile does not impress them.

I had to project an irresistible presence.

And it was vital to create a sense of dread in them, even more so than becoming the ruler of the Island of God.

Because even if I became the master of the island, if I were disregarded by them, they would storm in to seize the island at any moment.

‘What I crave is the definitive triumph.’

I did not desire a basic win in a contest.

I desired a genuine victory.

I wanted to ensure that no one would think to easily lay a hand on what belongs to me.

In Pangaea, and here in the Abyss as well.

Furthermore, to make the ‘Master of the Tomb’ obey my words entirely, something that eclipsed everything was required.

“…I also happen to possess a respectable mount.”

I remarked as I looked at the steed of sapphire flames that was exhaling heat.

Since I also possessed a quite respectable mount.

And I had been inquisitive for a long duration.

What sort of behavior would the Masters of the Abyss display when they witnessed ‘this’?

Just what sort of rank ‘this’ held within the Abyss!

‘They surely recognize it.’

There was no possibility they wouldn’t recognize it.

It would be bizarre if they didn’t.

Naturally, they would have far more data about ‘this’ than even I possessed.

Now that several Masters of the Abyss were assembled in one location, there would be no better chance than this to satisfy my curiosity about ‘this.’

And so, I invoked it.

“Baal.”

…The Four Perils, Baal.

Kwaaaaaaaaang!