Chapter 330

Chapter 330
## Chapter 330

True to its title, this was a clash taking place across a celestial expanse of infinite celestial bodies.

If my team scattered individually, we risked being picked off one by one; however, if we moved as a single unit, time might slip away before we could secure a definitive conclusion.

For the moment, I focused on the immediate improvements I could make.

《The knight order has been bolstered by five ‘Souls of the Forgotten Knight’.》

《The current Dignity of the knight order has reached ‘25’.》

《The second tier of the Dignity effect is now active.》

《All attributes for order members have increased by +3.》

《TIP: Every ‘Soul of a Knight’ retains the memory of the ‘name of the knight order’ they served in life. Reassembling a full ‘Soul of a Knight Order’ provides unique bonus effects.》

That was the extent of it for now.

With the first and second tiers of Dignity stacking, every stat had risen by 3. While that might appear marginal, it was by no means a trivial shift. In high-level combat, where margins are razor-thin, even a minor numerical advantage can dictate an overwhelming outcome.

As we continued to harvest souls and develop the order, our Dignity would climb, unlocking further enhancements. One specific milestone caught my eye.

‘Dignity 500. Strengthening the order with 100 souls grants Divinity. That couldn’t possibly mean achieving actual Godhood, could it?’

The rewards for elevating Dignity were significant. Each successive stage offered more incredible perks and efficiency. I was particularly fascinated by the prospect of ‘Divinity’ awaiting at the 500-point mark.

‘Winning within the hour isn’t the only goal. I need to rack up as many legendary achievements as possible.’

To maximize these feats and accumulate Dignity, both our forces and the opposition essentially had to collaborate toward the common goal of performing ‘Wondrous Feats’.

Among the available tasks, one seemed the most straightforward.

‘The creatures inhabiting these stars. Eliminating them should trigger a feat completion.’

Within this Field of Stars, monsters roamed the various celestial platforms. By clearing these foes, one could seize the stars and reap localized benefits. It was a cosmic version of a territory dispute; the faction holding more ground would naturally wield the upper hand.

“Everyone, fan out and purge the monsters,” I commanded.

“…Are you suggesting you’ll be operating on your own?” Hudson inquired.

I gave a firm nod.

“That is indeed the plan.”

The moment the words left my mouth, Hudson let out a roar of protest, his voice cracking with disbelief at my suggestion.

“Absolutely not!”

“…?”

Giant of Ruin-Demolition VS Park Hyunmyeong.

Hudson’s gaze was fixed with a rare, iron-clad ‘resolve’. It was a look that made it clear he would not let me wander off alone under any circumstances. It had been an age since I’d seen that particular fire in his eyes—perhaps not since the wedding. It signaled just how grave he considered the situation.

“…Captain, I have to side with Hudson on this. Going solo is far too risky,” Serengeti chimed in, stepping forward.

Isabella followed suit, adding her perspective.

“The Giant of Ruin-Demolition possesses terrifying power, and the other Star Guardians are no different. My own transcendent entity, ‘Jormungandr’, views some of these ‘Star Guardians’ with genuine caution.”

For Jormungandr—the World-Devouring Serpent known for its bottomless hunger—to be wary of these beings spoke volumes. Even without further words, the collective sentiment was clear: the consensus was that I was heading toward a death trap if I went alone.

‘The Giant of Ruin-Demolition is undeniably a threat.’

The protector of the ‘Mother Star’ was a beast among beasts. He was the one who had utterly crushed the ‘King of the Dead Ahram’. That same First Lord of Hell who had been plotting a massive demonic incursion from beneath Kramdel! Even after a power-up and resurrection, the King of the Dead had been so certain of his defeat that he chose self-destruction over the fight.

The Giant of Ruin-Demolition was a force capable of toppling a Lord of Hell single-handedly. I had been captivated watching his power previously, thinking how lucky we were to have him as an ally. Now, he was the primary obstacle I had to overcome.

Furthermore, there were ‘Star Guardians’ present that were completely unknown to me.

‘It would be disastrous if the enemy maneuvers as a concentrated unit.’

I took a moment to weigh the risks. The danger of being isolated and overwhelmed was a legitimate concern. If they converged on me simultaneously, even I would be hard-pressed to survive.

‘They likely won’t kill me, given my status as the god of the Druids and the guardian of the World Tree, but still…’

Realistically, if the Giant of Ruin-Demolition and his guardians had any sense, they wouldn’t finish me off. I had made sure that fact was burned into their consciousness before we entered this zone. To kill me would be to declare eternal enmity with the Druids—a bridge they couldn’t afford to burn. More importantly, the restoration of the other World Trees would be doomed. The ‘Star Guardians’, tasked with upholding global equilibrium, wouldn’t jeopardize that.

“…Fine. I’ll take your advice. We will move in pairs,” I conceded.

Having pivoted my strategy, I realized two-man cells would suffice. Any larger and we would move too slowly to finish within the one-hour window.

“However.”

I paused to add a non-negotiable directive. Every eye was on me as I spoke slowly and with total clarity.

“You are not to kill the ‘Star Guardians’. Subdue them only.”

“…Are we really in a position to be that lenient?” Hudson asked, sounding skeptical.

He was questioning whether we actually had the luxury of holding back against such monstrously powerful foes. In a life-or-death struggle, casualties were usually inevitable.

I nodded anyway.

“If subduing them seems impossible, then retreat.”

“Will they even permit a retreat?”

“They will.”

I was certain of it. A creature like the Giant of Ruin-Demolition wouldn’t waste his energy chasing down a fleeing opponent. This wasn’t a slaughter or a deathmatch; the win condition was singular.

Neutralize the opposing commander!

…Even if I was still working out exactly how to bring down the Giant of Ruin-Demolition.

Regardless, I projected absolute confidence.

“Don’t forget. We are engaged in an ‘honorable competition’.”

This was a fundamental rule of the dungeon, one I had noted upon entry.

《Tip. The knight orders will have to compete honorably.》

Essentially, the trial demanded fair play. It was a call for cooperation rather than a mindless bloodbath where we tore each other apart. If it weren’t vital, the system wouldn’t have flagged it as a specific ‘Tip’.

‘The goal is to facilitate mutual feats. By working together in this manner, the most capable order reaches the root. That’s the intended path for this clear.’

I had encountered a similar trial once before while pursuing a party dungeon quest.

‘…The dungeon for the Demigod trait followed a similar logic.’

The Demigod with his corrupted sense of honor had tried to sabotage the progress by sowing seeds of suspicion, hoping we would turn on each other. When his psychological warfare failed, he was forced to reveal himself and engage us directly. We cleared it precisely because we refused to be divided by his tricks.

This environment operated on the same principle. The most effective way to succeed was to remain unified against the ‘Forgotten Gods’ who sought to fracture our resolve. The only difference this time was the scale. Back then, it was a group of four; now, there were 91 of us across seven different factions. Coordination would be an uphill battle.

…But I wasn’t looking for a simple victory. I wanted more.

‘A perfect clear.’

I intended to achieve a flawless completion of this Primal-grade challenge.

—

Lyca glanced at the figure standing beside him. Through the process of pairing up, he had found his partner. Naturally, he had assumed he would be alongside his student, Hyun.

“…”

“…”

The air between them was thick with an uncomfortable silence. It was hardly surprising; he never envisioned being teamed up with Albino.

“It seems we were due for a conversation,” Albino remarked after the silence became unbearable.

As the Great Elder of the Eight Houses and the Great Chief of the Druids, Albino had found his relationship with Lyca to be a source of mental strain. The emergence of the Druid of the Golden Rule had turned their traditional hierarchy into a tangled mess. He had never faced such a social paradox and was genuinely unsure of how to conduct himself.

Lyca answered with a shrug, acting as if it were a non-issue.

“Just maintain your usual demeanor.”

“…I cannot show lack of respect to the individual whom the Druid of the Golden Rule calls Master.”

“…”

“…”

“…”

“…”

“…”

“Let’s just get to the fighting,” Lyca finally suggested.

He had run out of options. He couldn’t comfortably boss around someone whose standing was technically far above his own, so they had settled on an agreement to use formal, polite speech with one another. It was a relationship that was simultaneously intimate and distant, fraught with lingering awkwardness.

Still, their objective was undeniable. The sky was an abyss, resembling the deep reaches of space. Scattered across the ‘minor stars’ were various entities. Their priority was to topple the monsters clad in obsidian armor and claim the ground.

Albino gave a sharp nod.

“That is the most sensible path.”

“Shall we simply force our way through?” Lyca asked.

“Are you suggesting the two of us push straight to the end?”

“Albino, are you intimidated by the Giant of Ruin-Demolition?”

“No. In fact, it is the confrontation I have been anticipating.”

With their strained but polite dynamic established, the two reached a consensus. Given their combined prowess, they were confident they could take on the entire Knight Order of Ruin-Demolition by themselves. Lyca and Albino locked eyes once, then blurred into motion, charging forward.

—

The order consisted of thirteen individuals. When split into pairs, a single person was destined to be left as the odd man out. That person turned out to be Hudson.

“What am I supposed to accomplish on my own…?”

Left isolated, Hudson felt a wave of pessimism wash over him. Factually speaking, he was the weakest link in the order. Even with Randolph gone and only Park Hyunmyeong remaining, the latter still outclassed him.

Hudson took a hard look at his own progress.

‘Level 11. I haven’t even reached transcendence yet.’

When he had first crossed paths with Randolph, Hudson was stuck at level 9, a plateau he’d been on for over a year. Meeting Randolph had allowed him to break that ceiling and climb to level 11.

‘I’m lagging behind everyone.’

Despite his progress, his growth rate was the most sluggish. Serengeti, Isabella, and Isaac had all sped past him long ago. Then there was Saintess Sea, who occupied a realm of power he couldn’t even fathom. And Priest Andrew? After their recent reunion, the man seemed to have reached an entirely different echelon of strength.

…Even Balte, the newest recruit, had eclipsed him some time ago.

‘It’s because they’ve all transcended, or at least attained power equivalent to it.’

This realization made his prospects feel dim. He had valid reasons, of course; he was a merchant burdened with a mountain of responsibilities. He had to oversee the development of the labyrinth city and navigate his role as a prince of England in the real world.

But… that didn’t change the facts.

‘…I’m in no position to look down on Sir Hyunmyeong.’

Observing Park Hyunmyeong always left Hudson in awe. The man had essentially started from nothing and scaled a mountain of power in record time. As the pupil of Lyca—the Empire’s finest—and the god of the Druids, he was surrounded by legends Hudson barely felt worthy to stand near.

‘I need to grow.’

He couldn’t be the one constantly receiving charity and protection. This place offered him a chance to find the key to his own evolution. The Star Guardians—if he could extract the secret of ‘transcendence’ from those who stood watch over the stars…

“Well now. A very tasty-looking scrap of prey.”

“…”

The sound of heavy paws hitting the surface drew Hudson’s attention. A massive wolf, as large as the legendary Fenrir, loomed over him. Its speed was incomprehensible; it had closed the distance in an instant.

As soon as he saw the creature, a single thought crossed Hudson’s mind.

‘I’m dead.’

…It felt like this was the end of the line.

—

《‘Wondrous Feat (6)’ – ‘Annexation of 10 Stellar Zones’ has been achieved.》

《The ‘Knight Order of the Golden Rule’ has successfully occupied 10 regions of the ‘Field of Stars’.》

《HP recovery rates and total armor penetration have increased by 10%.》

《‘10’ attribute points have been randomly assigned to your stats.》

Notification windows flashed into existence. We had secured ten stars and triggered a feat reward.

“The pace is solid.”

Barely ten minutes had elapsed. At this trajectory, we were off to an excellent start.

“…Are you certain it’s wise for us to remain stationary?” Priest Andrew asked from my side.

We were currently loitering at the initial spawning point, which seemed to bother him. But I had my reasons.

“This is the safest location for now.”

“For the ‘Captain’, perhaps, but…”

Because of the unique properties of the starting zone, the ‘Captain’ was granted a specific layer of protection.

【‘Star of the Beginning’ – While the ‘Captain’ remains in this location, all of the ‘Captain’s’ resistances are boosted by 50%.】

—

I have finished the paraphrase as requested. Would you like me to continue with the next chapter or focus on a specific character’s perspective?