Chapter 239

Chapter 239
## The Realm of Art

Name: Randolph
Class: Heir of Stars
Class: Supreme Sword Saint

The first details that drew my attention were my name and my designated classes. These core identifiers remained unaltered. However, a staggering transformation had occurred in the data that followed.

Level: 9
Strength: 146 (114+32)
Stamina: 144 (112+32)
Agility: 145 (113+32)
Intelligence: 144 (112+32)
Holy Power: 233 (125+108)

…For a brief moment, I questioned my own eyesight. The leading digit of one particular statistic had shifted entirely.

‘Holy Power 233?’

It was a number so inflated it felt like a system glitch. Anyone else seeing this would likely start ranting about “cheat codes” or “illegal hacks.” Since Holy Power was the sanctified conversion of magical energy—and magical energy was the primary metric of an entity’s “status”—I finally understood why the Abyss Masters, including the Sunken Emperor, had mistaken my presence for ‘Destruction.’

‘Is it even possible for growth to be this vertical?’

Measured by the raw gain alone, my Holy Power had surged by 75 points. No standard enchantment or divine favor could produce such a spike. Usually, an increase of this magnitude would demand a catastrophic price, such as the permanent sacrifice of other attributes or even the user’s life. Worried, I scanned further down the status window to search for any hidden penalties or terminal side effects.

Natural Regeneration: 11,200%
Total Penetration: 34.3 (23.3+11)%
Curse Penetration: 15%
Curse Reflection: 30%
Curse Duration Increase: 30%
Proficiency Efficiency: 900 (450+450)%
Total Experience Gain Rate: 200%

“……?”

Could this actually be a bug? If it wasn’t a software error, then some fundamental law had surely been broken. The sheer absurdity of the data left even me, the beneficiary, feeling bewildered.

‘Eleven thousand two hundred percent?’

My natural recovery rate, which had previously been climbing toward 4,000%, had suddenly rocketed past the 10,000% mark. It had effectively multiplied by 2.5 times. This was a divine level of healing; even shattered bones would likely knit back together perfectly in less than twelve hours. And it wasn’t just about closing wounds quickly.

‘Even if a limb is lost, it will return.’

The terrifying reality of natural regeneration is that once it crosses a specific threshold, it grants the power of true biological reconstruction. As long as a spark of life remained in my chest, severed arms or legs would simply grow back. I had attained a level of hardiness that made a cockroach look fragile. But the surprises didn’t stop there.

‘I’ve never seen total penetration numbers exceed 30%.’

As my Holy Power climbed, my armor-piercing capabilities reached a nonsensical level. It was a stat that essentially rendered physical shields and magical barriers irrelevant. In a world where even a 1% increase in total penetration is considered a treasure, I was sitting at a staggering 34.3%.

‘I could probably pulverize a Cursed Ki-Heaven Stone with a single punch.’

It felt like only yesterday that I was straining every nerve just to crack one of those stones, yet now, shattering them seemed trivial. Was there a single person alive with a penetration stat over 30%? Certainly not among the human race. Even a warrior like Raiga likely hadn’t touched that ceiling. As I stood there, stunned into silence, the window revealed even more.

‘A total experience multiplier has appeared, and my proficiency growth has doubled.’

It appeared that the new experience rate had a secondary effect on my skill training. Since learning a skill is technically a form of gaining experience, the two were linked. However, while items that boost proficiency are known to exist, a flat increase to the “total experience gain rate” was something I had never encountered.

‘Experience gain is exactly what I need right now.’

Level 10. To reach that peak, this specific trait was mandatory. Because the experience requirements for me were on a completely different scale compared to others, reaching Level 10 had previously seemed like a mathematical impossibility. Struggling to hit Level 9 was hard enough, but the jump to Level 10 required ten times the effort. Essentially, I would have had to repeat the journey from Level 1 to Level 9 ten times over just to level up once more.

‘This is unbelievable…’

Having processed all of this, only one word came to mind to describe my current state. Insane. No, that wasn’t strong enough. It had gone far beyond mere madness.

‘…It’s a masterpiece.’

Every single adjustment felt like a stroke of genius. To understand the root of these miraculous changes, I turned my attention to the ‘Special Notes’ section.

1: Possesses ‘Heir of Stars – 4 Stars (All Stats +20)’
2: Physical form has synthesized with the ‘Transcendent Baal Set,’ incorporating those attributes into the body. New gear may be equipped in those slots.
3: Core statistics have been refined by the ‘Randolph of Eternity’ effect.
4: Hosts the ‘Baal’s Core (Fragment of Destruction)’ within the heart.
5: Base Strength (2), Agility (1), and Holy Power (3) increased via the ‘King of the Dead’ ability.
6: Wielder of the Supreme Unique-grade ‘Winter’ (All stats +10, all negative effects reduced by 50%)
7: Total Penetration +9% (scaled to level) provided by ‘Primordial Armor’
8: ‘Heavenly Demon Divine Art’ 6th Stage (1.6x multiplier to base Holy Power)
9: ‘Infinite Vessel’ – Elimination of stat ceilings and removal of all associated blowback from exceeding limits.
10: ‘Sloughing’ – Massive boost to natural regeneration and 2x experience gain.

‘…So that explains it.’

Items 1 through 7 were familiar records. Items 8 through 10, however, were the fresh additions. The 6th Stage of the Heavenly Demon Divine Art provided a massive 1.6x boost to my Holy Power, yet there were no repercussions.

‘The Infinite Vessel has neutralized the inherent risks of the Heavenly Demon Divine Art.’

Ordinarily, that art was a double-edged sword that made a practitioner vulnerable to corruption and threatened to turn them into a hollow shell if they pushed too hard. There were undoubtedly hidden “traps” left behind by the Evil God. But thanks to the ‘Infinite Vessel,’ those boundaries were gone. Every hidden drawback had been purged.

‘The Evil God would be screaming in frustration if he realized this.’

I looked down at the Heavenly Demon Map. The dark deity was staying very quiet, hiding in the shadows of the artifact.

-This fellow is behaving strangely. He’s started shrieking out of nowhere.-

Then, ‘Winter’ chimed in. Even if the sound didn’t reach my ears, it seemed ‘Winter’ could sense the Evil God’s presence due to their shared nature. The dark deity had finally realized I had bypassed the constraints of his art. A small smirk touched my lips.

‘The 6th Stage.’

It seemed my progress in the Heavenly Demon Divine Art had accelerated once the limiters were removed. At this pace, reaching the Great Completion seemed like a straightforward path. I wondered how the Heavenly Demon would react to such news.

‘The Heavenly Demon likely assumes I haven’t even touched the technique.’

He probably expected that the Evil God would have consumed me long before I could master the art. Instead, I hadn’t just survived the trap; I had dismantled it and walked away with gains that defied logic. I moved to the next portion of the display.

‘Collections and Skill Mastery.’

The review was nearly complete.

《‘Throne of Light’ + ‘Winter (Final Twilight)’ = ‘Dazzlingly Cold Seat (Total Penetration 2%)’》
《‘The One Who Carried the First Fire’ + ‘Winter (Final Twilight)’ = ‘The First and the Last (All Stats +2)’》

Bow: Lv 10, Realm of a Master
Sword: Lv 32, Sword-Force Release (Damage +60%)
+Sword proficiency cap raised to Lv 35 by ‘Winter (Final Twilight)’
Damage grows by 5% for each level beyond 30.

There weren’t many drastic shifts in these categories compared to the rest. Finally, only one section remained.

‘Hidden Traits.’

【Vanity】
【Dexterity】
【All Master】
【Weapon Master】
【Giant’s Magic Resistance】
【Beast Lord】
【Golden Grace】
【Mutant】
【Greed】
【Eye of Truth】
【High Druid’s Great Nature】
【God of the Magic-Blood Race】
【Eternal Lord Randolph】
【Celestial】

Fourteen traits remained. With the Heart of the Eternal Lord and Randolph of Eternity merging into one, the total count had dropped by one. Nothing else seemed out of place, except…

‘The sequence of these traits… Celestial is still positioned at the very bottom.’

A thought crossed my mind. While exploring this ‘Island of God’ and collecting starlight, I had begun to suspect that the ‘order’ of these traits held some hidden significance. I gave a small shrug. Regardless, the audit was finished.

‘It’s flawless.’

A more optimized status window simply couldn’t exist. I still needed to discover the specific powers of ‘Eternal Lord Randolph,’ but given it was a fusion of two powerful traits, the discovery was bound to be rewarding.

“What… are you exactly? How did you manage to repel those creatures from the Abyss?”

A sudden voice drifted from behind me.

‘Raiga.’

I had retrieved him when he was at death’s door, and against the odds, he was still clinging to life. However, his state was critical. Even as we spoke, the light of his life was fading. I turned my head and met Raiga’s gaze directly.

“You seem to be terrified of me.”

“…Ha. Me, afraid of you?”

Raiga tried to dismiss the idea, but I could see through the bravado. He was deeply unsettled. More than that, he was truly scared. Raiga was a man who prided himself on understanding the world, yet to him, I had become an unsolvable enigma—a pure mystery. I spoke in a calm tone.

“Don’t you have a desire to live?”

“…I triggered the Five Gates. The final gate is a one-way trip that costs a life. Besides… my body won’t hold mana anymore. I’ll be gone soon.”

Raiga spoke with the detachment of someone who had already accepted his end. Left to his own devices, he would certainly perish. However, I wasn’t ready to let him die just yet. There was still a wealth of information I needed to extract from him.

‘There is something consuming his mana the moment it forms. Parasites so microscopic they elude the eye. I shouldn’t interfere with them directly.’

These were the tiny insects controlled by the Sunken Emperor, and they were draining the very essence of Raiga’s body. My instincts told me that physical contact with them would be a mistake.

“Before I pass, tell me. Who are you really?”

“You aren’t going to die.”

“…Hmph. If that were true, the former leaders of the Eight-House would still be walking the earth.”

It seemed his predecessors had all met their end after utilizing the Five Gates. His face was a mask of total resignation.

“If things stay like this, the lineage of the Eight-House ends with you.”

“Yes… I suppose that’s true.”

“Which is why, if there were a way to survive, you would do whatever it takes.”

“Didn’t I just say? Survival is not an option…”

“Nothing is beyond my reach.”

Standard medicine couldn’t save him, yet I spoke with absolute certainty. I saw a flicker of doubt and hope cross Raiga’s eyes. Finally, he spoke again.

“…I still can’t figure you out, but why go to such lengths for me? We aren’t exactly on friendly terms.”

We had spent a significant amount of time trying to kill one another. There was no love lost between us. I laid out my terms without rushing.

“It isn’t a gift. If I bring you back, you must pledge to grant me a single favor.”

“A favor…”

“To be clear, this pledge must supersede every ‘covenant’ you currently hold. Can you agree to that?”

Raiga’s expression turned grim instantly. Every covenant. That meant a promise that held more weight than his oaths to the Emperor or the Eight-House itself.

“You’re out of your mind. Do you want my life or something?”

“The choice is yours. Die here as a failure, or live to ensure the Eight-House continues.”

“…If you’re asking me to turn against the Empire, I won’t do it.”

“Rest easy. It won’t be anything that violates your core principles.”

I only had one goal: The Fragment of Destruction. Specifically, the secret to mastering the ‘bug’ within that fragment. He was the key to that knowledge. Isabella had referred to it as a ‘blessing,’ but I knew there was more to the story.

“……”

Raiga stared at me for a long silence, weighing his options.

“Fine. Try it.”

Raiga spoke as if challenging me. He was thinking of all the Eight-House successors who had failed before him. He was questioning how I could succeed where the entire wealth and power of the Empire had failed.

‘I couldn’t do it alone.’

Raiga’s injuries were beyond my personal healing capabilities. Even the Blessing of the Stars or a rare potion wouldn’t stop his clock. But there was a path forward.

‘That parasite.’

The mana-eating bug from the Sunken Emperor wasn’t just a weapon of destruction. Properly utilized, it could be the very thing to stabilize Raiga’s failing body. The hurdle was finding a way to convince the Sunken Emperor to cooperate.

‘I have a plan.’

For me, “impossible” was just a word.

The following day.

Raiga’s eyes went wide with shock.

“Y-Your Majesty… the Emperor…!”

The meeting happened sooner than anticipated. The Sunken Emperor had manifested right before him. However, the Emperor didn’t even acknowledge Raiga’s presence. His focus was locked entirely on me.

Saaaaaaa—!

He radiated a heavy pressure, cloaked in flickering blue flames. Ignoring the intimidation, I reached into my clothing and pulled out an object.

“Is this what you’re looking for?”

“……”

I held up a small glass bottle containing a mysterious liquid. It looked ordinary, but I was well aware of its true nature.

“It seems your most cherished companion was trapped in here.”

“……”

“If you understand the situation, let’s discuss a trade.”

I tucked the bottle back into my robe. Getting it had been simple enough. After giving back the Heavenly Demon Map—now completely drained of its essence—to the Heavenly Demon, I had received this bottle in exchange. This was the reason the Sunken Emperor had been loitering by the cave. He hadn’t been hunting me; he had been searching for the Heavenly Demon who held this bottle.

“…What are your terms?”

The Sunken Emperor finally broke his silence. What should I demand? Raiga’s health was a minor detail in the grand scheme. Now that I grasped the true worth of the liquid in that bottle, Raiga’s recovery wasn’t nearly enough. The Heavenly Demon had surrendered it because he didn’t realize its significance, but I did. I knew exactly how much it was worth. The Sunken Emperor would give me almost anything to get it back, because that bottle contained the thing he valued most in the world.

At that moment, a realization struck me with absolute clarity.

‘He isn’t the same person.’

That old man. The one I had spent the night with… he was not the Sunken Emperor.