Five days ago, when Han-bin’s group was still in Armorica, Althea gathered everyone and gave a detailed explanation.
“There are six sacred items in this world that we have ordained.”
Han-bin’s party nodded.
It was a fact that everyone knew well. Ryu Han-bin had already taken one of them.
“Gather all the remaining ones. That’s the first part of the plan.”
Kibie frowned.
“Is that possible? I don’t even know where the other sacred items are right now.”
Althea glared at her with a look of bewilderment.
“… Why on Latna do you think I came down?”
The girl held out a map of Latna with five markings.
“I’ve got permission from all the others. We have to find them.”
People from Latna, such as Leon Hart, Artis, and Effir, looked fed up.
Given that those others were the Goddesses, it was a very difficult expression to adapt to.
Ryu Han-bin from Earth didn’t think it mattered.
He looked back at Kibie curiously.
“Didn’t you say that there is only one sacred item of Goddess per era?”
The idea of collecting all of them was something he had made before.
“You’re already using the darkness, so everything else is useless anyway.”
At that time, Kibie was not lying.
She was wondering, too.
“Is it possible to activate the other sacred items, Althea? That might break the balance of the world.”
“Kybriel.”
Althea sighed deeply.
“The balance of the world is already broken.”
The Goddess couldn’t break the balance of the world.
It wasn’t that they didn’t want to, but they couldn’t.
“But if it’s already out of balance, it’s possible to activate another sacred item?”
Only then did Kibie smile bitterly as if she understood.
“I see. Then we have to find them and pass the tests quickly…”
“There’s no time for that.”
Althea interrupted her.
“We’ll fuck up the world doing that.”
The girl took a finger to Kibie’s forehead. A faint light permeated through Kibie through her fingertip.
It was part of the wisdom of the Goddess of Light.
“I gave you our control over our trials and tests, so put down all the switches and get them quickly.”
With just a simple movement, all control of the six sacred items was passed on to Kibie.
In a hopeful voice, Artis asked, “So you’re going to find all the sacred items and drive them into Han-bin?”
Ryu Han-bin, who would be six times stronger by then, would smash Omphalos with the completed Heavenly Sword Diastima!
“How comfortable that would be…”
Altia and Kibie shook their heads at the same time.
“Unfortunately, he already has the Sacred Heart of Darkness. The extent to which light can be taken will be limited.”
“I told you before, didn’t I? Giving it to those already blessed by the Goddesses is very inefficient.”
Now, Ryu Han-bin had become a strong individual who wasn’t far behind the former Sword King Baotolt.
“Even if you receive the sacred item of light, maybe an increase of 20 percent in your strength will be the limit.”
If he brought the third gift on top of that, it would amplify his power even less.
“Approximately 5 percent?”
It would be less than 1% for the fourth one, and for the fifth or sixth, it wouldn’t even do anything.
Althea looked at Leon Hart, Artis, and Effir.
“You are the ones who will take the remaining sacred items.”
Nominally, they became the Top Four, but honestly, the team was weak except for Ryu Han-bin. They needed to level up fast.
“You need to be able to take an apostle of the Devil alone, at least. That way, we can proceed with the plan.”
The three nodded with nervous faces.
“I see.”
“I’ll do my best.”
“It wasn’t just for Han-bin.”
Althea squinted and grinned.
“Not exactly. He’ll be doing something later as well.”
“… What?”
* * *
A map of the entire Latna was on the screens of light.
Tens of thousands of red dots resembling the pillars of the Devil were scorned around the world.
They went out one by one.
Genovia of the Void spoke up.
“The pillars of Kaldera are being destroyed.”
Omphalos wasn’t shocked.
It was like a tiger trying to hunt rabbits.
Would the tiger pounce if they ran away or if they stood motionless?
“It’s proof that they are fighting back hard.”
That relieved him.
“That’s enough to stop the Goddesses, right?”
The six apostles of the Devil deliberately didn’t even defend the angel statues.
If their will to resist was completely defeated, he would also be in trouble.
“It’s because the value won’t be that good.”
His apostles couldn’t naturally restore their power in Latna. Once they used their strength, they had to return to the palace to recharge.
“They’re not efficient. It costs a fortune to get them to work.”
Looking back at Genovia, Omphalos grinned.
She was flushed.
Omphalos looked forward to something, but she didn’t know what it was.
“Uh, isn’t it funny?”
“… Were you kidding?”
“That’s enough. I’ll finish my work.”
Omphalos glared at the screens with a slightly sulky look.
The missing red dots shone again.
The same was true elsewhere.
Red spots disappeared and reappeared throughout Latna.
It was a waste of power to send apostles to defend the statues.
Omphalos looked at the bottom of the screen.
[Phase 2, Heavenly Net.]
[Progress: 17.3%.]
The progress was a little slower than in the beginning.
But it was still faster than expected.
The Devil was pleased.
“It’s going smoothly.”
Of course, he couldn’t just let them break the angel statues with excitement.
“I think I’ll have to step forward here.”
An oracle had been granted to the followers of the Devil, the people of Omphalos.
“Please wake up, my people.
Rise and rejoice that a new world has opened.
Go out and fight with joy.
This is the will of the only God, Omphalos.
He who fights for me will have eternal life!”
Genovia muttered casually.
“Again, Ectos’s work?”
“No, this is my phrase.”
“… You don’t have much literary talent.”
Despite her rude remarks, Omphalos only smiled.
“Who do you think my apostles resemble?”
* * *
Selkid, a level 65 fighter, was originally a Hunter targeting Tower Mountain Rufus, one of the Four Prohibited Areas.
When Ser Rufus burned down, he barely survived. After hearing the rumor, he headed to Armorica with hope.
There were already other survivors gathering to strengthen the banner of a counterattack.
Under the guidance of the Goddesses who came to Latna, they rose above races and nationalities, uniting only to defend the world against the invasion of the Devil.
Being a member of the Latna Liberation Army, Selkid once again vowed revenge.
His level was quite high. Hence, he could take over a unit. He became a unit commander and led 300 troops to the southern frontier of the continent.
It was their duty to destroy the angel statues in this area, a field that used to be the land of the Tedial Kingdom.
Selkid was making a campsite and enjoying a decent dinner.
It wasn’t the usual tasteless, dry food. People in nearby villages welcomed the Liberation Army and offered potatoes, pickled pork, and alcohol.
“Oh, how long has it been since I drank!”
“And pork!”
“Ugh, my tongue is melting.”
On behalf of the delighted soldiers, Selkid thanked the villagers for bringing food.
“We’re grateful for your hospitality.”
“This is all we can give to those who fight for the world. We’re deeply sorry.”
“Don’t worry about it. You’re not in a position to relax either, are you?”
With his head bent down, the chief smiled nicely. He then left the camp, praying for luck.
Looking at his back, Selkid looked moved.
“They’re kind-hearted. Their stocks can’t be abundant either.”
On the other hand, the adjutant responded strangely.
“Don’t you think it’s kind of weird, though?”
“What do you mean?”
“For people who are starving, they seem very healthy…”
“Maybe? Didn’t you already check that there’s no poison?”
“That’s true.”
The Devil’s seal glistened briefly on the forehead of the chief far away from them and disappeared again.
It was proof of prayer.
‘Omphalos, your enemy is here!’
Soon, monsters began to gather from all sides. Soldiers who were in the middle of a feast hurriedly grabbed their weapons.
“Huh?”
“I-it’s a raid!”
“Monsters are attacking!”
* * *
At the same time, at the western frontier of the continent where the Xrad Kingdom once existed, in the forest of the ridge, the Latna Liberation Army was engaged in a desperate battle against countless beings defending the angel statues.
They had already destroyed seven columns, but each battle was hard-fought.
The opponent wasn’t just Alien monsters.
“Kill them all!”
“We have more numbers!”
Men in thick armor wielded sharp spears and swords among a group of monsters.
They were once knights of the Three Continental Powers and Hunters of the Four Prohibited Areas.
The Liberation soldiers vented their anger at Omphalos’s minions.
“You traitors!”
“How can you sell your soul to the Devil?”
The Latnains, who became puppets of the invader, blushed.
They were still human beings that could feel embarrassed.
They deceived themselves into hiding their shame.
“Omphalos is the only true God in the world!”
“Now that we’re out of temptation, we’re following the truth!”
Rather, they criticized the Liberation Army and swung their weapons with increased morale. Their shame was great, but their hostility was even more so.
It was an ironic situation.
Those who forcibly accepted Omphalos’s cause to survive were risking their lives.
But they tried to ignore the contradiction.
The moment they believed in him, their faith clouded their judgment.
“We who serve Omphalos shall become eternal!
“Heaven shall reach down to those who die for him!”
“You lunatics!”
A tense battle ensued.
The balance was broken after another group of forces entered from the left.
“Hahaha!”
In a roar, a group of up to 100 personnel mercilessly cut down the Latna Liberation Army.
Likewise, they were some of those who had been granted the seal of the Devil, but their levels were all too high!
“Oh, my God, who are they?”
One of the Latna Liberation Army, a former knight of the Kaldris Kingdom, recognized them.
“Aliens from Akhtarun!”
Cowardly, the knight shouted at the traitorous Latnains.
“Open your eyes! They’re Aliens!”
“Yes, and we used to be on the same side.”
Gustav, the leader of the Aliens, snorted at him.
“Don’t you think it’s a little funny that you’re blaming them now?”
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