Chapter 276

Chapter 276
## Chapter 276

### The Harbinger of Chaos and the Divine Spark

It was nothing short of a phenomenon!

Aaron found himself weeping. No vocabulary in his repertoire could define this moment other than “supernatural intervention.”

‘As expected of the individual carrying the Goddess’s supreme blessing……!’

The youth had toppled the spire and shifted the position of Sansha through sheer force. Yet, it was the “miracle” currently manifesting within his own body that left Aaron truly breathless.

‘The limits of my sanctified energy…… they have been shattered.’

Vwooom!

A blinding radiance of holy essence surged around Aaron. This was the undeniable evidence of transcendence. He had performed the rite of ultimate sacrifice twice and invoked the Prayer of Adoration. By merely wagering his existence in those recitations, he had been granted a benevolence as vast as the sea itself.

‘The consciousness of the Goddess has finally acknowledged me!’

His pleas had been answered. Aaron’s frame shuddered with a deep, visceral joy. His reaction was justified—for over twelve months, the Goddess Cult had been in a state of decay. Not a single priest had broken through their spiritual ceiling to claim higher divinity. No new “children of destiny” had been gifted to them. A silent, terrifying realization had been spreading through their ranks.

……The belief that the Goddess’s aegis had abandoned the Cult.

‘Her favor hasn’t vanished! It simply found a new vessel!’

The truth was clear now. The divine gaze hadn’t left the world; it had merely shifted from the institution to a specific person: ‘Hyun’ of Adrium. Aaron realized he was likely the only soul alive who understood this. Even the High Pontiff remained in the dark. If that were the case—

“I crave more favor! I seek greater grace……!”

He would position himself as that man’s Primary Apostle, securing an even more potent connection to the divine.

Standing on the 18th level, he wasn’t troubled by the fact that Hyun had disappeared. He felt a spiritual pull, a certainty that they would reunite at a higher altitude.

The grand competition? The political friction between the Empire and the Cult? Such trivialities had faded from his mind. He had lost all concern for worldly affairs long ago.

“Every ounce of prestige shall be yours!”

He would summit this tower and offer every victory to that one person. With that singular motivation, Aaron resumed his ascent.

—

### The Realm of Two Suns

A desolate expanse.

Two colossal ravens loomed like monuments over a scorched earth where even a weed couldn’t survive.

—You pathetic creature!
—You useless idiot!
—You brittle weakling!
—I believe you’re describing yourself!

Boom—!

The two monstrous crows slammed into one another, descending into a brutal physical struggle. The very foundation of the world trembled under the weight of their impact.

‘Where on earth am I……?’

Observing the warring birds, I couldn’t help but feel bewildered. After the 17th floor collapsed, I had been in a freefall so lengthy that my perception of time had dissolved. This destination wasn’t the tower, Pangaea, or even the Abyss—it was an entirely alien reality. The proof was hanging right above me.

‘Two suns.’

I had never encountered a realm with dual suns. More strikingly, they were polar opposites.

‘One is a void of darkness, and the other is the color of fresh blood.’

The black sun felt oddly familiar. During my time as the ‘Terrible Ill-Omen,’ when I summoned the Crow Priests to push Baal to his limit, that ‘Black Sun’ had been the centerpiece of the ritual.

—Perish!
—Die!
—The firmament isn’t big enough for two suns!
—You’re a cheap imitation!
—I am the original article!
—Lies!
—I am a crow!
—Caw!

……What exactly was I witnessing? Their bickering sounded like a raw stream of consciousness. Despite the absurdity, I didn’t dare cut in.

Thoom—!

The sheer mass behind their blows was unprecedented. “Giants” was too small a word for them. These crows pierced the clouds, tearing at each other with murderous intent.

‘It’s terrifyingly powerful.’

The battle raged for half a day. Only when the light died and the horizon turned to dusk did the violence cease.

—I’ll spare you until tomorrow!
—We settle this at daybreak!

As if following a practiced script, they turned away from each other. They didn’t depart, however; they simply stood rooted in place, backs turned.

“Excuse me.”

I took that chance to walk into the gap between them. Both crows partially turned their massive heads to fix their gaze on me.

—What are you supposed to be?
—You’re insignificant.
—You look like a tiny parasite.
—Is it a hippopotamus?

Were they mocking me? It was clear their raw power far outstripped their intellect. I ignored their insults and focused on the vital question.

“Where is this place? Am I still within the Tower of the War God?”

—Tower of the War God? Never heard of it.
—Is that a type of food?
—The name sounds bland.
—I think it sounds quite tasty.

They had no concept of the tower, confirming that I had drifted into an isolated dimension. I sighed and tried another angle.

“How do I leave?”

—You can’t.
—The exit remains sealed until our duel is resolved.

“Then finish it quickly.”

—We resume when the sun returns.
—It is currently the period of rest.

Daylight was for war; night was for peace. A rigid, unspoken contract governed them.

‘There has to be a way out.’

Realizing they were useless as guides, I turned away to scout the perimeter myself. It didn’t take long to hit a wall—literally.

‘……I’m right back where I started.’

No matter the direction I walked, the path eventually looped back to the crows.

—The little bug likes to pace.
—The elephant-thing has plenty of energy.

They watched me with idle curiosity. Occasionally, their eyes would meet, and they would instantly snap their heads away in mutual loathing. When dawn broke and the suns rose—

—Die!
—Destroy!

The frenzy resumed. I could only watch the madness in disbelief.

‘I am completely marooned.’

Spatial magic was dead. Logging out was impossible. Even the ‘Spear of Longinus’ remained dormant. I was caught in a flawless dimensional trap. And then there was the physical toll.

‘My body…… it’s hardening.’

That familiar sensation of paralysis was returning. My reflexes were slowing; my limbs felt like lead. I knew that if this continued, my physical form would eventually freeze entirely. My only hope for survival lay with those two idiots.

—I’ll give you a pass for now.
—As if you had a choice.

As night fell, the fighting stopped instantly. In this brief window of relative sanity, I spoke up.

“How long has this been going on?”

—About 87,000 years?
—It’s 130,000 years, you moron.
—Actually, it’s 190,000.
—Oh, right. Probably a million years by now.

The timeframe was so staggering it felt abstract. They had been at each other’s throats for an eternity.

“Why? What is the point of this?”

—Because I am the superior one!
—Because I am the strongest!

A contest of vanity. They had spent eons fighting just to prove a point. My curiosity peaked.

“What kind of deities are you?”

They were clearly divine, and not just minor spirits. They felt like Primary Gods—beings who anchor an entire world. Why were such entities acting like children?

—I am the God of Ill-Omen (Hyung).
—I am the God of Calamity (Jae).

At least they were honest. The God of Ill-Omen and the God of Calamity.

‘Both are lineages tied to the tower.’

The Clan of Ill-Omen managed the tower’s existence, while the Clan of Calamity dictated its hardships. Their powers were distinct.

‘War God Karas belongs to the Clan of Calamity.’

Specifically, their sovereign. Meanwhile, the Clan of Ill-Omen had been wiped out by Destruction, leaving only remnants in stone. I had managed to manifest their essence through Randolph, but I hadn’t gathered all the artifacts. While their worshippers were struggling or extinct, these two were just playing a million-year game of king of the hill.

“So you just need a winner?”

—Naturally.
—The sky can only accommodate one sun.

The God of Ill-Omen with his Dark Sun, and the God of Calamity with his Crimson Sun. They were perfectly balanced. No winner could emerge. Then, a risky plan formed in my mind.

“Instruct me in your arts. I will be the arbitrator. I will determine who has the superior power.”

—Listen to this speck of dust.
—Our secrets are for the kin alone.
—A non-crow seeking death, I see.
—No lesser beast can grasp the majesty of the crow.

They scoffed. These were skills that even their own descendants struggled to master. But I had already inhabited the form of a ‘Corpse Crow.’ I had summoned the sun with Randolph. I was the heir to the Ill-Omen King’s legacy and had been validated by Karas.

“Then simply turn me into a crow.”

It was a desperate gamble. If I stayed here, I was a dead man anyway. My heart would eventually fail. The two gods stopped and blinked in unison.

—Caw?
—Caw?

—

### The Tower’s Collapse and the New Objective

Caw!
Caaaaaw!

Panic erupted among the crows of the Clan of Calamity. Entering the interstitial space between floors was a forbidden act. Even observing it was a grave transgression.

“Ca, caw……”

The Ill-Omen crows were just as distraught. Where was Karas? His presence was mandatory to fix this mess. Yet, despite the unfolding disaster, the War God was missing. He had last been seen heading for the 30th floor after sensing something wrong with Randolph’s summoning. Since then, he had vanished.

The 30th floor—the pinnacle and the Champion’s inner sanctum—was off-limits even to the managers.

“Caw!”

Desperate, the lead crow of the Clan of Ill-Omen steeled itself. It would have to use its own power to stabilize the situation.

Caw!
Caaaaaw!
Wait, is this safe?
We’re coming too!

In an unprecedented move, the two clans—Calamity and Ill-Omen—joined forces. Theoretically, their combined authority could override any tower error. However, they were operating blindly within the ‘Gap between floors.’ As one group searched for the rift and the other tried to recalibrate the tower’s difficulty—

《Structural reconfiguration in progress.》
《Tower trials have been modified.》
《Structural reconfiguration in progress.》
《Tower trials have been modified.》
《Structural reconfiguration in progress.》
《Tower trials have been modified.》
……
……
《Challenger positions are being randomized.》
《New participants are being admitted.》
《Champion’s Throne ascension protocol has been altered.》
《Global announcement is being synchronized.》
《‘Tower of the War God’ system update complete.》
《Objective: Terminate ‘Champion Randolph’!》

Ca, caaaaaw!
Caw! Caw!

The crows screamed in terror. They had lost control. The situation had spiraled far beyond their reach. They had to face the grim reality: they had completely broken the tower.

—

### The Call to the World

《Global announcement is being synchronized.》

“……An update?”
“What’s happening?”
“What changed in the Tower of the War God?”
“Kill…… Randolph?”

The notification appeared before everyone. Every player could read the new directive. But the news wasn’t restricted to the players.

“A holy decree!”
“The heavens have commanded! To the Tower of the War God!”
“Soldiers, we march for the tower!”
“Our master orders it. To the tower!”

Every inhabitant of Pangaea, regardless of race, received the message. They were given a purpose to storm the spire. And among the massive crowds preparing for the climb—

“Laktusha.”
“I am here, Black King.”
“Take the Dark Elves and the Ant King Phermon. Scale the tower, execute Randolph, and ensure you bring ‘that’ back to me.”

“By your will.”

The Sword Master Laktusha, loyal servant of the Southern Ruler, the Black King, set off with his elite unit.