Chapter 315

Chapter 315
Chapter 315

—

Moving Forward.

The World Tree of Honor. As his status was being authenticated, the transformation wasn’t limited to the shifting hues radiating from the World Tree.

[The ‘World Tree of Honor’ is evaluating you.]
[The honor held by ‘Park Hyunmyeong’ and ‘Randolph’ is currently merging.]
[You possess a total of 100,200 points of ‘Honor.’]

The calculation of his honor was finalized. Yet, it felt incorrect. No matter how many times he reviewed the data, the sum defied his own bookkeeping.

‘100,000?’

Hitting six figures was supposed to be an impossible feat. Furthermore, there shouldn’t have been separate pools to combine in the first place, given that he and Randolph already existed in a state of shared honor. His personal tally had hovered around 60,000 at its peak. Could this be the influence of the ‘Brilliant Pureblood’s Status’ ring?

‘A Great Status only doubles what you earn in the moment.’

It acted as a multiplier for honor gained during specific feats; it didn’t retroactively double the total already accrued. It was also mathematically impossible for it to double the final combined sum. If that was the case—

‘Is this Wilhelm’s honor…?’

Had the honor belonging to Wilhelm been folded into the total? If so, then reaching 100,000 made sense. The World Tree recognized Wilhelm’s latent honor within him as part of his own essence. It served as a formal validation that he, Wilhelm, and Randolph were effectively a single entity. Soon after—

[You have exceeded ‘100,000 honor points’ for the first time.]
[The designation of ‘Honor’ has evolved.]
[All ‘Honor’ is converted into ‘Sanctification.’]
[You hold 1 unit of Sanctification for every 10,000 honor points.]
[‘Sanctification’ may be ‘Bestowed’ upon God’s Symbols.]
[By ‘Bestowing’ Sanctification upon an ‘Activated God’s Symbol,’ you will reach the rank of ‘Pope,’ granting direct communion with that Deity.]
[By bestowing Sanctification upon an ‘Inactive Symbol,’ you may even call forth a forgotten Deity.]
[The requirements for the hidden dungeon’s manifestation have been fulfilled.]
[The ‘Dungeon of Forgotten Honor (Primal)’ has appeared.]
[Reclaim the glory of the lost and forgotten within those depths.]
[‘God’s Symbols’ can be discovered within the dungeon.]
[Warning: Failure to form a party of seven honorable, sanctified, and deeply trusted individuals may result in eternal imprisonment within the dungeon.]
[Note: Any abilities involving rule alteration or dungeon destruction are strictly prohibited within the ‘Dungeon of Forgotten Honor.’]
[Minimum entry requirement: Individuals possessing over ‘20,000’ Honor, or those with a ‘Holy Soul’ of equivalent caliber, whom ‘Park Hyunmyeong’ has authorized to enter.]

The very nature of Honor shifted into ‘Sanctification.’ Those 100,000 points were condensed into 10 units, and the fundamental application of the resource had changed. Every following detail was staggering.

‘Randolph is the destroyer of God’s Symbols, while I am the one who bestows Sanctification. Through those dormant icons, I can bring back deities that have faded from memory…’

Their paths were now explicitly distinct. Randolph was essentially a ‘God Eater’—a force designed to consume and eliminate divine beings. Conversely, he—Park Hyunmyeong—was a ‘savior of Gods and their messenger.’ He had gained a nature completely antithetical to Randolph’s. Since he had also claimed all the honor—

‘Now I can finally find equilibrium.’

This had to be the key to balancing himself with Randolph. At present, the sheer scale and intensity of the darkness that emerged during his Randolph transformation was overwhelming. It was a power he couldn’t truly govern. It was obvious that without balance, that ‘darkness’ would eventually consume or overwhelm him. But if he could elevate his holiness through those divine symbols?

‘It can be done.’

It was a viable path. To grasp the darkness, find that middle ground, and reach a higher state of completion. And the revelations didn’t stop there.

‘…A Primal-level dungeon.’

The most startling development was the nature of the hidden dungeon. This wasn’t just any secret zone; it was ‘Primal’ rank! That meant it shared the same tier as his ‘Primal Armor.’ This marked the third time he had come across that specific classification.

Haa… Haa…

His lungs burned and his pulse raced.

‘I’ve done the impossible with just the Primal Armor.’

That armor had allowed him to push far past his natural boundaries. What kind of wonders would a Primal-level dungeon hold? One thing was certain: the rewards would be beyond anything he had seen.

‘But where am I going to find people with 20,000 honor points?’

The barrier to entry was the real obstacle. He had never encountered such a demanding requirement. 20,000 honor was a total that was practically unreachable unless one was among the world’s elite, and even then, it required accumulating that fame through strictly virtuous deeds. Even Lyca had been turned away for lacking 10,000 points.

‘In Lyca’s case, his dark deeds must have drained his honor.’

Between the Island of the Gods and the Tower of the War God, Lyca’s standing must have suffered—particularly at the Island.

‘Heavenly Demons and Wicked Deities corrupt the honor of their foes.’

Lyca had contended with the Heavenly Demon during his attempt to unlock the Five Gates. Even though he had been the victor, the encounter itself likely stained his honor. Because Lyca had no memory of what transpired on the Island, he had fallen into despair, assuming he lacked even 10,000 points. However, there was no way Lyca’s true total was that low. It had simply been eroded. Naturally, there was a remedy.

‘…Priest Andrew.’

The ‘Indulgence Copier’ himself! If he could reach Priest Andrew in the ‘Primal Forest,’ the man could likely cleanse Lyca’s honor. The problem was Lyca’s remaining time—he had maybe ten days left. What was the next move? Luckily, the solution was closer than expected.

The Sanctuary of the Eight Houses. A massive crowd had assembled within the great hall—a mix of young and mature practitioners, numbering a thousand strong. Every single one of them radiated an intimidating presence.

“Are they really going through with the succession ceremony for the Eight Houses right now?”

“It’s hard to believe. Wasn’t the official rite supposed to be much further off?”

“Exactly. The position of ‘Family Head’ has been empty for decades!”

The hall buzzed with confusion and shock. The sudden emergence of a candidate worthy of a seat that had been vacant for generations was a tectonic shift. Moreover, appointing a ‘Head’ carried significant consequences.

“This means the ‘gates’ will finally be unsealed, doesn’t it?”

“Are we actually going to step out into the world at last?”

“Who could it be? Surely it’s one of the Pavilion Lords?”

“The Pavilion Lords are usually so buried in their cultivation that they’re practically ghosts…”

Ranked below the Eight Elders were the Sixteen Pavilion Lords. Each was a renowned master, fully qualified to inherit the deepest secrets of the Eight Houses. They were the elite disciples personally refined by the Great Elder. If a Head was to be chosen, one of them was the logical choice. Yet, no one knew which one had stepped forward.

“I heard there’s a master who’s been training for centuries. Is that actually true?”

“I’ve lived here fifty years and I’ve never even seen the faces of the first eight Pavilion Lords.”

“The Sixteenth Lord at least shows up as a sentry for the Sanctuary. In seventy years, I don’t think I’ve caught a glimpse of the others.”

“They’ll show up for this, right?”

“Doubt it. I heard the high-ranking Lords didn’t even attend when the last Head was named.”

“Do they even exist, or are they just legends?”

The speculation intensified. The Sixteen Pavilion Lords had never been seen together in one place. Even during previous successions, certain Lords chose to remain in seclusion. A Pavilion Lord enjoyed total autonomy, especially the top eight, who were beyond even the Head’s authority. These were people who had spent hundreds of years doing nothing but cultivating in this sacred space, with zero interest in the outside world. Most expected the upper tier to remain absent.

“…It’s the Pavilion Lords!”

“What? Look!”

“All sixteen of them are here!”

“No way…!”

Sixteen figures stepped through the doors and into the pavilion. It was indeed the complete assembly. However, their countenances were grim and rigid. The onlookers were equally stunned.

“If all sixteen of them are standing there…”

“Does that mean the ‘Head’ isn’t one of them?”

The realization shattered everyone’s expectations. They had assumed the title would go to one of their own. Even for those uninterested in the world, the ‘Head’ position was highly desirable because it granted access to the core essence of the Eight Houses and direct instruction from the Great Elder. To see them all gathered like this was unprecedented.

“Who on earth is the new ‘Head’?”

As the tension peaked, the central doors on the ground floor swung wide.

“The Great Elder and the other Elders…?”

“Look at them…!”

The Great Elder and the Elders emerged, their horns fully manifested. Standing right beside the Great Elder was a man.

“Great Elder. Is he the one? The one who reached ‘Completed Honor’?”

The First Pavilion Lord, his hair wild and unkempt, spoke up. He was demanding to know if the person who had mastered the ultimate state of honor was indeed Lyca. He wanted to know if this man was truly qualified to lead the Eight Houses and rule the Holy Land. The Great Elder’s face tightened.

“…You’ve all come out.”

“We have. And the tradition of the Head includes a trial by combat against the gathered Lords. We’re all eager to test the mettle of one who has achieved ‘Completed Honor.’”

A duel against the Pavilion Lords was a mandatory rite of passage. If the candidate failed, they were denied the position. Historically, all sixteen had never gathered for this because the World Tree had never before displayed all seven colors. But the Great Elder shook his head.

“I have personally selected this Head. There is no one more qualified to hold the title than him.”

“Are you suggesting we bypass the trial?”

“The matter is settled. Therefore—”

At that moment, Lyca looked up.

“Let us begin.”

“…Lyca. Besting all sixteen Pavilion Lords is an immense task, even if you were at full strength.”

The Great Elder tried to intervene. Even with the Five Gates open, taking on sixteen elite masters at once was a near-impossible feat. And currently, Lyca wasn’t even supposed to be able to use the Five Gates. But Lyca simply shook his head. In that instant—

Flash!

“……!”

A brilliant golden radiance surged across Lyca’s body. Everyone watching was struck with awe and fear. That golden aura signified only one thing: the Opening of the Five Gates! Lyca then beckoned the sixteen Pavilion Lords with a single finger.

“All of you, step forward. Today, I’ll remind the Eight Houses what true discipline looks like.”

The Grain—the Knot. The act of binding, and the act of severing.

Lyca had spent his life learning only how to sever. He had lived by cutting things away—foes, ties, and his connection to the world. But for the first time, he felt a connection. He was bound. That one statement from the boy—telling him to follow his own heart. That moment of grace—that the student’s honor was shared with the teacher. It had forced Lyca’s heart wide open toward Hyun.

‘Bind. And in doing so, flow.’

He had found a new level of understanding. This time, he didn’t need years of meditation to grasp it. It had been within him all along. He had simply ignored it, or refused to see it. But he realized that if he only knew how to sever, he could never be a master worthy of his student. He couldn’t be a master who could actually support him.

So, for the first time, Lyca embraced everything. The world shifted. His perception, the energy he felt, even the thin line between life and death—everything became infinitely more vivid. And so, Lyca…

‘Perfected it.’

He completed the Five Gates.