Chapter 299

Chapter 299
### Completion

If he were a typical deity, he would have never committed such an act, if only to preserve his own pride. To drag himself across the dirt for more than ten days just to flee the Nabelung Forest! If this was not the behavior of a “Dog-like God,” then what else could one label him? Naturally, even Wilhelm was forced to acknowledge that singular, persistent soul that refused to surrender.

Nonetheless, escaping the woods was only the beginning. The location he eventually reached, clutching nothing but a solitary wooden sword, was a specific, towering mountain.

‘What could he be aiming for?’

At a moment when it would barely be enough to visit a town and acquire the necessities for survival, why would he abandon the forest only to immediately scale a mountain? Was his goal to practice his arts far from the reach of society? But this peak was far too perilous for such a thing. It was crawling with orcs.

‘…Is he going to crawl again? On this mountain?’

Even here, the “dog-like” tendencies of the “Dog-like God” were seen once more. Wilhelm never imagined he would witness someone ascending a mountain while maintaining a prone posture. If there was one advantage over the Nabelung Forest, it was the abundance of water to drink and wild fruit to quiet the pains of hunger.

‘Why are you avoiding a fight?’

The orcs inhabiting this peak were far weaker than the beasts in the forest. It was a scenario where he could easily dispatch one or two if he utilized the element of surprise. Yet, he spent seven full days climbing the slopes without killing a single orc. Finally, upon reaching the peak of the mountain, the Dog-like God performed—quite shockingly—a “challenge” that seemed feasible only to a madman.

‘……Has he lost his mind? To think he would provoke the master of this peak!’

He had laid down a challenge to the ruler of the mountain, the King of the Orcs! It reached a point where a hollow laugh escaped Wilhelm from the sheer lunacy of it. Was the reason he refrained from killing, fled the forest, and scaled the heights actually to face the danger of challenging the sovereign of this massive mountain? There was no hope of victory. Even if he succeeded by some freak miracle, descending the mountain alive was an even greater impossibility.

“Great King of Pipul Mountain! I demand a ‘Warrior’s Duel’!”

……It was an infuriating sight. Only at the very top did he finally stand tall and move forward, but this was the inner sanctum where the King of the Orcs lived. Legions of orcs gathered around. Furthermore, the King of Pipul Mountain was not a creature that could be handled while wielding a simple wooden sword.

“…A fascinating human has come before me.”

His frame was at least double the size of the other orcs. The numerous scars marking his flesh served as evidence that he was a powerful combatant. And what would happen if the invitation was declined?

“The many spirits of the orcs residing on Pipul Mountain have acknowledged your presence. I do not understand how you scaled this peak without taking a single orc’s life, but O one who understands honor! Your request for a duel is accepted!”

……He took the challenge. Wilhelm felt a wave of vertigo. Before he realized it, Wilhelm was observing the clash between the two, his palms slick with sweat.

“However, you cannot conduct a proper struggle with that wooden toy. Grab this!”

The King of Pipul Mountain unfastened one of the sheaths from his belt and tossed it. These were all trophies taken from those who had previously challenged him. From among them, he had provided a rare and exceptionally powerful precious sword.

“This is a combat between warriors! If you triumph over me, your life will be spared along with that blade! However, if you are beaten, there is no life for you.”

Sreung!

At last, the ritual duel of warriors commenced. It was a small comfort that it was a one-on-one engagement, but the disparity in power remained obvious. Did the Dog-like God truly believe he could emerge victorious from this encounter?

Chwa-ang!

The blade vibrated. His entire frame shook with the impact. No matter how much he refined his blade skills, the massive gap in raw power was an obstacle that could not be easily overcome. Wilhelm found himself unconsciously mimicking the sword strokes within the swamp of his mental imagery. He did so with desperation, gripped by the thought that victory was mandatory.

‘There is not enough force to pierce that hide. There is no strategy left but to turn that strength back against him!’

Regardless of how sharp a precious sword might be, if the wielder lacked the power to drive the strike home, it was pointless. Furthermore, the titanic strength wielded by the King of Pipul Mountain was at a level that left one speechless. Only by redirecting that strength would it be possible to break through that leathery skin. It began from that moment.

[System: The proficiency of the special attribute ‘Evasion’ has surpassed a specific threshold.]
[System: You have acquired the skill ‘Sword Parrying.’]

Wilhelm’s intent was forged into a tangible skill. Of course, this was not the result of Wilhelm’s will alone. Because he had spent so long crawling around like a “dog” without a moment’s rest, his evasion capabilities were developed enough to manifest the skill.

Huaaaang!

In that instant, it felt as though the passage of time had slowed to a crawl. The heavy strike delivered by the King of Pipul Mountain became clear to his vision.

[System: You have activated ‘Sword Parrying.’]

He deflected the blade at the perfect moment. However, defense alone was not going to be enough.

[System: Flawless execution! You activate ‘Counterattack’!]

He harnessed that incoming momentum. Shortly after, the King of Pipul Mountain lost his footing and toppled. By dodging, deflecting, and striking the center of gravity as it shifted toward the knees, he completed a successful counterattack. The eyes of the collapsed King of Pipul Mountain flickered with shock. However, a faint grin touched his mouth.

“Unbelievable……!”

Pu-uk!

After stabbing into the throat, he sliced clean through.

‘Ah……!’

A surge of electricity hit him at that same moment. Wilhelm’s whole body shivered. He was still here. This was the true sensation of being alive! But that was not the end of it.

[System: Hidden Quest accomplished!]
[System: ‘Slaying the King of Pipul Mountain’ at Level 1 has been achieved.]
[System: It is a magnificent feat.]
[System: This is a unique accomplishment that not a single individual has attained until this moment.]
[System: You have earned the title ‘One who Slayed the King of Pipul Mountain at Level 1.’]
[System: You are eligible to obtain the Hidden Class ‘Indomitable Challenger.’]
[System: Proceed to the ‘Balan Kingdom’ to claim your reward.]
[System: 500 Honor and 500 SP are granted.]
[System: Level has increased.]
[System: Level has increased.]

……
……

After winning the combat against the King of Pipul Mountain, Wilhelm experienced a profound sense of triumph for the first time in his existence. To confront an impossible hardship and succeed. The sheer ecstasy of that victory made Wilhelm feel that he was truly living. However, at the heart of every event was the “Dog-like God,” not Wilhelm.

‘I cannot comprehend it in the slightest.’

Fleeing the woods, and ascending Pipul Mountain. These were all endeavors where “death” was a nearly certain outcome. Nonetheless, he never wavered in challenging them and eventually conquered them. Why? Even though he was inhabiting a foreign body, even though he was merely the one in control, why did he throw himself into it and tackle trials with such frantic focus? It was entirely outside the scope of Wilhelm’s logic.

The subsequent action followed the same pattern.

‘A harbor town?’

The destination the Dog-like God chose was not the Balan Kingdom. It was the port city known as “Yasum.” A location where countless vessels arrived and docked. Because it was a hub for the exchange of goods, it was incredibly wealthy, and all manner of exotic items from across the globe were gathered there.

“H-Help…… me……”
“Uuu……”
“Keep moving!”

Clack!

Additionally, the commerce of “slaves” was a major industry. Slaves disembarked from the ships in long lines, restrained by heavy chains. Without regard for their age or sex, they were all as gaunt as skeletons, with their frames clearly visible. This was because slaves were not considered people in this region. They were merely tools and disposable goods. Consequently, there was no remorse shown when cracking whips or delivering beatings.

‘What does he intend to accomplish here?’

Why did he travel to this specific place? He had naturally assumed the God would go to the Balan Kingdom to collect his reward. Was he looking to buy a slave?

‘……He certainly ended up with them.’

The “could he” became the reality. He did get the slaves. It was not that he purchased the slaves, but rather that he set them entirely free. Because of that choice, he became a criminal hunted by many guards, yet he ignored the danger and emancipated every single slave in Yasum.

‘But for what reason?’

Exactly why would the Dog-like God decide to perform such a pointless task? An act that provided no gain and resulted only in loss. It made no sense to Wilhelm. Unlike the earlier trials, he was actively searching for trouble. But baffling events continued to occur one after another.

Protecting the vulnerable, doing virtuous deeds, refusing to bow to those in power, and eventually arriving at the Balan Kingdom to be granted the status of a knight. He wondered if these were calculated moves to earn a knighthood, but even after achieving that, his behavior remained unchecked.

……And. Before he was aware of it, Wilhelm was following him in his journey.

‘I cannot be defeated.’

It might have been a sudden flare of immaturity. But for some reason, he did not want to be second best. The sheer grit to reach a destination even if it meant crawling like a dog. The self-assurance to never break. It was likely due to that. Wilhelm persisted in training with his blade. If there was one area where he surpassed the Dog-like God, it was his “sword.”

Someday. He felt that if he continued to wield his weapon without pause, he might eventually stand on equal footing with the Dog-like God.

‘I want to understand you. I want to show you who I am.’

…It might have been because he wished to prove his existence to him. Then, starting from a certain point, Wilhelm became known as the “Knight King.” A respected figure who received the devotion of all. He developed the swordsmanship of the Creation of Heaven and Earth and launched the Great Expedition that everyone attempted to prevent, but—even so, he never truly reached him. The Dog-like God.

He had insulted him and felt bitterness toward him. But now, he saw everything clearly.

‘Only now…… do I truly understand myself.’

Regarding the person known as me, regarding the soul known as me. After wandering in circles, only in the shadow of death did the realization come. However, he was once more in a position where he faced his end. All these memories were like a spinning lantern before the final breath. It was far too late to understand and move forward. However, even with that being the case, it was enough.

‘Observe. For this is the final inquiry I offer to you.’

It was the ultimate question, and the final task he assigned to him. Wilhelm tightened his grip on his blade. Because he had finally “perfected” it.

Understanding the self, and revealing the self. The “Byeok” of the Creation of Heaven and Earth. However, originally, this style of swordplay was not meant to be broken into pieces and used in isolation. It was a style that only reached completion when every element merged into one.

[System: You activate ‘Creation of Heaven and Earth.’]

In this manner, I shall reach out to you. …O Dog-like God.

Kwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaang—!!

When the Supreme Sword struck the earth, it delivered a sentence of death accompanied by a deafening sonic boom. An absolute decree of destruction! Not a single living creature could survive the fatality of this blade.

“……What?”

However, Randolph could not prevent a scowl from forming. This was because the Supreme Sword had failed to make full contact with the ground. Someone had intercepted the Supreme Sword. Wilhelm. He had done it.

“You……”

But it was bizarre. The Supreme Sword was a weapon that was fundamentally impossible to block. Only something that defied all standards could hope to stop a standard-defying blade. But Wilhelm did not possess such a “standard-defying” weapon. If that were the case—

‘He has turned into something standard-defying himself……’

Standard-defying. Rising to the level of a God himself! However, this was also a strange phenomenon. No matter who they were, a person could gain insight, transcend their limits, and hold a divine rank. But actually becoming a God was considered impossible. Because a God is not a manufactured thing. A God is a being that is born and exists in flux with the world. Just as Randolph, who held the Hidden Traits ‘Eternal God’ and ‘God of the Demon Blood Race,’ had not truly transformed into a real God. He merely held the credentials equal to one. They sounded like similar concepts, but they were definitely not the same.

And yet. ……In spite of that.

Randolph could not help but feel rattled. Because there was no data regarding such a thing even within the Gate of Truth. Wilhelm’s style was to control phenomena. To think that at the conclusion of his path, he would turn into the “phenomenon” itself!

Wilhelm’s form as he appeared through the settling debris—

“You turned into a God yourself……?”

He had seized the Supreme Sword with his bare hand, not with a blade. He had shifted the destiny of “Death” into “Life” by his own will. He had become a being who could dictate his own path. That presence, without question—it would not be unusual if he were referred to as “God” itself.