“Ha, so laughable. Who put you in charge? I’m going to be the one that kills him.”
“Hehehe. You’ve lost your marbles, haven’t you? Do you want to die?”
Killing intent started emanating outward. However, it didn’t end there.
Boom!
Light and darkness collided as they started fighting while leaving Merlin alone. It seemed their relationship was beyond reconcilable.
“Run!”
“Huh?!”
Merlin grabbed Miho’s arm and started running. Seeing this, a Drakan, a species related to the dragons, rushed to stop Merlin.
Bam!
Like a lightning bolt, Merlin shot out from the Tower of Truth’s main hall and escaped with Miho in tow. Of course, in a one-on-one situation, none of the representatives presented a problem for him, but if they worked together, Miho and Merlin’s circumstances would quickly deteriorate. Moreover, Merlin used the Golden Pill Immortal Technique, which specialized in short-term burst attacks. Any prolonged exchange would be troublesome. And with the representatives being around Level 9 to 11 on average, it wouldn’t be smart to try and fight such a large group of higher-level beings.
Boom, Boom, Boom!
Once Merlin escaped the Tower of Truth’s main hall, he looked down at the Holy Shrine land. As far as the eye could see, ferocious clashes were occurring between thousands of military units.
“Unit 1, attack! Kill that isn’t human!”
“Reclaim the Holy Shrine lands! We, the fairies, will be the ones who enter the garden!”
“Idiots! It seems like you’ll all have to be beaten into thinking straight!”
Boom! Boom!
Clang! Clang!
The fighting was fierce. Everyone was acting in hopes of eliminating the opponent. The battles in popular movies couldn’t even come close to the blood splattering and wretched screaming here. Moreover, beneath the Noise Belt, spilled blood didn’t convert to black smoke, so the scene was gruesome and inappropriate for younger audiences.
“Dang, did everyone go crazy?”
“It seems different, master. The Gold Dragon’s [Order] didn’t seem to want this course of action.”
“You saw what happened in there… everyone lost their minds, even Miho.”
“That’s because the representatives were too close to the Great Will or whatever it was. Just like how Miho regained her consciousness, they should return to normal once some time passes. Of course, their new normal will become something completely different from now on.”
As it sat atop Merlin’s head, Quiet Heaven observed their surroundings. Thousands of guards and military soldiers looked warily at them and emanated fighting spirit, but they weren’t looking at Merlin with crazed eyes like the representatives within the Tower of Truth. Yet, it was more dangerous and difficult to fight someone if they were cool-headed than if they’d lost their minds.
There were three main militaries squaring off. On the right were the dwarves and gnomes or the dwarven faction. Their total numbers were around 1,000, and surprisingly, they were using heavy weaponry like assault rifles and bazookas. Also, there were tanks in between the smaller platoons. Miho groaned when she saw this.
“The Iron Duchy’s Steel Cross Division….”
In contrast to the dwarfs, the left flatlands was where a group of around 1,000 fairies was located. The fairy faction was comprised of fairies, elves, and Treants. The elves peppered the enemies with their bows and arrows while the Treants stood between the platoon of elves.
“Arthia’s Black Forest Division!”
Hundreds of knights in full plate mail and thousands of soldiers were sandwiched between these two factions, and they were being attacked from both sides. Countless soldiers rushed at their enemies with fervor and frenetic drive.
“Idea Duchy’s Special 102 Forces? And they’re accompanied by the holy knights!”
“Do you know all these guys?”
“They’re the ones who are responsible for protecting the Holy Shrine, but this fight is unfair. Those from the Phantom Monster Magic Islands are at a disadvantage since we live so far from here!”
Watching Miho grind her teeth and complain, Merlin couldn’t help but exclaim.
“Do you think occupying the Holy Shrine is the main issue right now?”
“Of course! Didn’t you hear what the Great Will said?”
“Do you mean when the Great Will mentioned ‘fight’? Do we really need to follow the Great Will’s word?”
The Great Will stated that they should fight, and the species that killed the most passengers would be rewarded a seat next to the Great Will and be happy for all eternity. This statement didn’t mean that passengers were the only ones that needed to die; it merely stated that the ‘species’ who killed the most passengers could enter the Peach Blossom Spring. In other words, they were not restricted from killing each other. This was why fighting broke out between the fairy, dwarf, and human factions. However, Miho shook her head.
“If we must fight each other, then it can’t be helped. The Great Will mentioned opening a path to the Peach Blossom Spring… the Peach Blossom Spring!”
“The Peach Blossom Spring? Wait, are your lives so bad that you guys need to fight tooth and nail for something? What is this Peach Blossom Spring? Isn’t it that you guys just want to fight each other?”
Of course, Merlin knew what the Peach Blossom Spring represented. It was heaven, an ethereal garden, or some such holy land that was the goal for those who believed in a religion. What surprised Merlin was that Miho was willing to risk her life to access the Peach Blossom Spring. In Merlin’s eyes, those who lived in the New Continent didn’t seem as if they had terrible or pain-filled lives. Generally, weren’t those who pursued the concept of heaven typically suffering? When she heard Merlin’s question, Miho answered.
“I-it’s not like I want to fight. I don’t even know what type of place the Peach Blossom Spring is.”
“Then?”
“… I don’t know. Yet, for whatever reason, I must go there.”
“Eh?”
Merlin let out a frustrated sigh. Her words didn’t make any sense. However, it didn’t even seem like Miho knew what she was talking about. Among the three, Quiet Heaven was the only one who could parse together what was truly occurring.
‘I know where the Peach Blossom Spring that they speak of is… Isn’t this a bit harsh? Even if they have committed many [Sins]….’
However, Quiet Heaven couldn’t continue its thoughts. The Idea Duchy’s Special 102 Force and the holy knights had surrounded the Tower of Truth.
“Master, log out. Wait, in a minute, this whole place will be filled with enemies, so maybe logging out here isn’t a good idea. Use your Gate Ring to escape.”
Quiet Heaven’s words made sense, but Merlin shook his head.
“No.”
“What’s wrong with you? Do you think that’s a force you can fight? This isn’t the time to gain EXP points!”
“I, too, am not willing to risk my life for EXP points, but if I return right now, what’ll happen to Miho?”
“That….”
Quiet Heaven couldn’t offer a response, and it wasn’t because he didn’t know the answer.
‘Obviously, she’ll die.’
This was the clear result. They were currently standing in the middle of the New Continent. In the land where the human, fairy, and dwarf factions ruled, monsters wouldn’t stand a chance. Additionally, with the Great Will’s [Order], every species would now become confrontational with the others. From now on, if someone saw a member of a different species, they would try to kill them on sight. As such, since Miho was the only member of her species here, it was impossible for her to survive.
Boom!
Some holy knights broke away from the main group and headed toward the Tower of Truth. When Merlin looked back, he saw that the commotion within the main hall had calmed down. It seemed the representatives were preparing to leave the main hall at any moment.
“Let’s make a run for it, Miho!”
“O-okay!”
“Quiet Heaven, do some recon from the sky!”
“Alright!”
Quiet Heaven took off from Merlin’s head as Merlin and Miho started running. Merlin estimated that they’d barely be able to escape the incoming forces, but this estimate neglected the holy knights’ abilities and skills.
“Throw your javelins at them!”
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Tens of javelins flew into the air towards Merlin and Miho. These projectiles were quick, but more importantly, they were thrown with spacing between their intended targets, like individual points on a go board. Hence, there was no space to dodge.
Clang!
Merlin’s two spirits, Younghwi and Shining, deflected two javelins, while Merlin deflected four with his bare hands. With this, Merlin secured a safe space for them.
“Attack! Rush at them!”
However, by the time this happened, the holy knights had moved at incredible speeds to stand right before him. From this fact alone, Merlin could tell that the horses the knights rode weren’t ordinary beasts.
Crack!
With a thick thud, the forefront knight and horse were tossed into the air. Considering the weight of the horse and knight’s plate-mail and the speed of their charge, it was an unbelievable sight. The physical force had to be equal to a modern-day 15-ton dump track slamming into something, and that was a conservative estimate! However, this was the essential power that could be brought about by the Great Strength Vajra Hand, which was said to be capable of pushing 10,000 boulders.
“You little!”
However, the knights weren’t giving up so easily. A divine aura glowed on one of the holy knight’s long spears before the spear elongated toward Merlin.
Bam!
“Ack?!”
Merlin was retreating when he sustained considerable injury from the attack and was pushed back. Then, there was another blow!
“Stop!”
“Ugh! What?”
Boom!
Something unexpected happened. The knight’s long spear, which was making its way down to strike Merlin’s head, suddenly turned and hit a fellow knight. Miho had used Magic Eye to control the knight’s body, causing a hexagonal magic circle to appear in her eyes. In addition, she also took control of the knight’s horse so that it stopped moving. Fortunately, when she understood Extreme Vision, her Magic Eye had also improved; her Magic Eye was now at a level that no one present could resist.
“Let’s make our way around the Tower of Truth to the right! There’s a forest behind the tower, and there aren’t any enemy forces present there!”
“What? That’s too far!”
“There’s no other way! The enemy forces are closing in fast!”
Merlin continued to run while responding to Quiet Heaven’s words in their spirit channel. There was no other option. So, as Miho delayed the knights’ advances and remained beside him, Merlin had to speed up. Yet, he wasn’t facing the knights alone.
“Fire!”
Bam! Bam! Bam!
“Dang it! We have knights chasing us on one side and dwarves shooting assault rifles on the other!”
Merlin placed Younghwi and Shining into a V-shape barrier in front of him to take on the rifle rounds. Since both his Wicalein Rings had risen to Rank 4, the spirits could easily block rifle rounds, and if need be, they could even endure high-caliber sniper rifle rounds.
Bam!
However, whenever the bullets struck Younghwi or Shining, the spirits screamed. This meant that they were not being shot with standard bullets. Each one was imbued with magic power, so they were a sort of magic bullet.
“The situation is not looking good! Is there any way for you to block those guys up ahead?”
Merlin yelled as he took out an external gold core and absorbed it. Merlin’s martial arts direction and specialization didn’t mesh well with prolonged battles. Furthermore, Merlin’s lightness skill wasn’t anything special, so he didn’t have a way to get close to the attackers. As a result, he needed to use a ranged attack. Of course, Merlin also knew how to use Magic Eye, but unlike Miho, he never mastered using it on a group of enemies, which was why he called for her assistance.
Bam!
Yet, before anything else happened, two lengthened long spears broke through Merlin’s spirit barrier and struck his weak points.
“Merlin?!”
Miho screamed as she fended off their pursuers with a type of fire attack that she’d gained after understanding Extreme Vision. Merlin opened his mouth to say he was fine, but all that came out was a mouthful of blood.
‘Ugh. The blood spilled here isn’t a mist or smoke but a liquid. It’s making it hard to speak.’
Merlin had taken critical damage; his life was in danger. However, like all other users, Merlin didn’t fear death, as he could revive and come back later. Furthermore, Merlin had already experienced death before. Of course, if he died, Merlin would have his max stat capacity permanently lowered, but he did not fear that possibility. For users, death was an ‘annoyance,’ not something to ‘fear.’
Rumble.
As he collapsed to the ground, Merlin looked up at the sky. It was filled with dark clouds to the point where the moon couldn’t be seen. He also heard thunder rolling in.
‘It looks like it’ll rain soon.’
With this carefree thought, Merlin closed his eyes. However, right at that moment, someone violently grabbed ahold of his body and shook him.
“N-no! Merlin! Merlin!”
Miho screamed and cried as she shook Merlin’s body. Bullets were whizzing above them, and the cacophony of the battle’s sounds filled the air, but Miho didn’t pay any attention to these things. She shed a deluge of tears, and her expression… wasn’t something that Merlin had ever seen on her before. When he saw her like this, Merlin felt himself instantly regaining consciousness.
‘I can’t die. If I die like this, Miho will also perish.’
Users were immortal beings; they were existences that could die an innumerable number of times, revive, and come back to life. This didn’t just apply to users. The unique monsters in Dynamic Island also revived, which was why Sword Sovereign Sungmuk could return after some training and launch an attack on Starting. Yet, the monsters that lived below the Noise Belt couldn’t revive. If they died, they died, full stop. There was no way to bring them back to life.
“Ha, so laughable. Who put you in charge? I’m going to be the one that kills him.”
“Hehehe. You’ve lost your marbles, haven’t you? Do you want to die?”
Killing intent started emanating outward. However, it didn’t end there.
Boom!
Light and darkness collided as they started fighting while leaving Merlin alone. It seemed their relationship was beyond reconcilable.
“Run!”
“Huh?!”
Merlin grabbed Miho’s arm and started running. Seeing this, a Drakan, a species related to the dragons, rushed to stop Merlin.
Bam!
Like a lightning bolt, Merlin shot out from the Tower of Truth’s main hall and escaped with Miho in tow. Of course, in a one-on-one situation, none of the representatives presented a problem for him, but if they worked together, Miho and Merlin’s circumstances would quickly deteriorate. Moreover, Merlin used the Golden Pill Immortal Technique, which specialized in short-term burst attacks. Any prolonged exchange would be troublesome. And with the representatives being around Level 9 to 11 on average, it wouldn’t be smart to try and fight such a large group of higher-level beings.
Boom, Boom, Boom!
Once Merlin escaped the Tower of Truth’s main hall, he looked down at the Holy Shrine land. As far as the eye could see, ferocious clashes were occurring between thousands of military units.
“Unit 1, attack! Kill that isn’t human!”
“Reclaim the Holy Shrine lands! We, the fairies, will be the ones who enter the garden!”
“Idiots! It seems like you’ll all have to be beaten into thinking straight!”
Boom! Boom!
Clang! Clang!
The fighting was fierce. Everyone was acting in hopes of eliminating the opponent. The battles in popular movies couldn’t even come close to the blood splattering and wretched screaming here. Moreover, beneath the Noise Belt, spilled blood didn’t convert to black smoke, so the scene was gruesome and inappropriate for younger audiences.
“Dang, did everyone go crazy?”
“It seems different, master. The Gold Dragon’s [Order] didn’t seem to want this course of action.”
“You saw what happened in there… everyone lost their minds, even Miho.”
“That’s because the representatives were too close to the Great Will or whatever it was. Just like how Miho regained her consciousness, they should return to normal once some time passes. Of course, their new normal will become something completely different from now on.”
As it sat atop Merlin’s head, Quiet Heaven observed their surroundings. Thousands of guards and military soldiers looked warily at them and emanated fighting spirit, but they weren’t looking at Merlin with crazed eyes like the representatives within the Tower of Truth. Yet, it was more dangerous and difficult to fight someone if they were cool-headed than if they’d lost their minds.
There were three main militaries squaring off. On the right were the dwarves and gnomes or the dwarven faction. Their total numbers were around 1,000, and surprisingly, they were using heavy weaponry like assault rifles and bazookas. Also, there were tanks in between the smaller platoons. Miho groaned when she saw this.
“The Iron Duchy’s Steel Cross Division….”
In contrast to the dwarfs, the left flatlands was where a group of around 1,000 fairies was located. The fairy faction was comprised of fairies, elves, and Treants. The elves peppered the enemies with their bows and arrows while the Treants stood between the platoon of elves.
“Arthia’s Black Forest Division!”
Hundreds of knights in full plate mail and thousands of soldiers were sandwiched between these two factions, and they were being attacked from both sides. Countless soldiers rushed at their enemies with fervor and frenetic drive.
“Idea Duchy’s Special 102 Forces? And they’re accompanied by the holy knights!”
“Do you know all these guys?”
“They’re the ones who are responsible for protecting the Holy Shrine, but this fight is unfair. Those from the Phantom Monster Magic Islands are at a disadvantage since we live so far from here!”
Watching Miho grind her teeth and complain, Merlin couldn’t help but exclaim.
“Do you think occupying the Holy Shrine is the main issue right now?”
“Of course! Didn’t you hear what the Great Will said?”
“Do you mean when the Great Will mentioned ‘fight’? Do we really need to follow the Great Will’s word?”
The Great Will stated that they should fight, and the species that killed the most passengers would be rewarded a seat next to the Great Will and be happy for all eternity. This statement didn’t mean that passengers were the only ones that needed to die; it merely stated that the ‘species’ who killed the most passengers could enter the Peach Blossom Spring. In other words, they were not restricted from killing each other. This was why fighting broke out between the fairy, dwarf, and human factions. However, Miho shook her head.
“If we must fight each other, then it can’t be helped. The Great Will mentioned opening a path to the Peach Blossom Spring… the Peach Blossom Spring!”
“The Peach Blossom Spring? Wait, are your lives so bad that you guys need to fight tooth and nail for something? What is this Peach Blossom Spring? Isn’t it that you guys just want to fight each other?”
Of course, Merlin knew what the Peach Blossom Spring represented. It was heaven, an ethereal garden, or some such holy land that was the goal for those who believed in a religion. What surprised Merlin was that Miho was willing to risk her life to access the Peach Blossom Spring. In Merlin’s eyes, those who lived in the New Continent didn’t seem as if they had terrible or pain-filled lives. Generally, weren’t those who pursued the concept of heaven typically suffering? When she heard Merlin’s question, Miho answered.
“I-it’s not like I want to fight. I don’t even know what type of place the Peach Blossom Spring is.”
“Then?”
“… I don’t know. Yet, for whatever reason, I must go there.”
“Eh?”
Merlin let out a frustrated sigh. Her words didn’t make any sense. However, it didn’t even seem like Miho knew what she was talking about. Among the three, Quiet Heaven was the only one who could parse together what was truly occurring.
‘I know where the Peach Blossom Spring that they speak of is… Isn’t this a bit harsh? Even if they have committed many [Sins]….’
However, Quiet Heaven couldn’t continue its thoughts. The Idea Duchy’s Special 102 Force and the holy knights had surrounded the Tower of Truth.
“Master, log out. Wait, in a minute, this whole place will be filled with enemies, so maybe logging out here isn’t a good idea. Use your Gate Ring to escape.”
Quiet Heaven’s words made sense, but Merlin shook his head.
“No.”
“What’s wrong with you? Do you think that’s a force you can fight? This isn’t the time to gain EXP points!”
“I, too, am not willing to risk my life for EXP points, but if I return right now, what’ll happen to Miho?”
“That….”
Quiet Heaven couldn’t offer a response, and it wasn’t because he didn’t know the answer.
‘Obviously, she’ll die.’
This was the clear result. They were currently standing in the middle of the New Continent. In the land where the human, fairy, and dwarf factions ruled, monsters wouldn’t stand a chance. Additionally, with the Great Will’s [Order], every species would now become confrontational with the others. From now on, if someone saw a member of a different species, they would try to kill them on sight. As such, since Miho was the only member of her species here, it was impossible for her to survive.
Boom!
Some holy knights broke away from the main group and headed toward the Tower of Truth. When Merlin looked back, he saw that the commotion within the main hall had calmed down. It seemed the representatives were preparing to leave the main hall at any moment.
“Let’s make a run for it, Miho!”
“O-okay!”
“Quiet Heaven, do some recon from the sky!”
“Alright!”
Quiet Heaven took off from Merlin’s head as Merlin and Miho started running. Merlin estimated that they’d barely be able to escape the incoming forces, but this estimate neglected the holy knights’ abilities and skills.
“Throw your javelins at them!”
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Tens of javelins flew into the air towards Merlin and Miho. These projectiles were quick, but more importantly, they were thrown with spacing between their intended targets, like individual points on a go board. Hence, there was no space to dodge.
Clang!
Merlin’s two spirits, Younghwi and Shining, deflected two javelins, while Merlin deflected four with his bare hands. With this, Merlin secured a safe space for them.
“Attack! Rush at them!”
However, by the time this happened, the holy knights had moved at incredible speeds to stand right before him. From this fact alone, Merlin could tell that the horses the knights rode weren’t ordinary beasts.
Crack!
With a thick thud, the forefront knight and horse were tossed into the air. Considering the weight of the horse and knight’s plate-mail and the speed of their charge, it was an unbelievable sight. The physical force had to be equal to a modern-day 15-ton dump track slamming into something, and that was a conservative estimate! However, this was the essential power that could be brought about by the Great Strength Vajra Hand, which was said to be capable of pushing 10,000 boulders.
“You little!”
However, the knights weren’t giving up so easily. A divine aura glowed on one of the holy knight’s long spears before the spear elongated toward Merlin.
Bam!
“Ack?!”
Merlin was retreating when he sustained considerable injury from the attack and was pushed back. Then, there was another blow!
“Stop!”
“Ugh! What?”
Boom!
Something unexpected happened. The knight’s long spear, which was making its way down to strike Merlin’s head, suddenly turned and hit a fellow knight. Miho had used Magic Eye to control the knight’s body, causing a hexagonal magic circle to appear in her eyes. In addition, she also took control of the knight’s horse so that it stopped moving. Fortunately, when she understood Extreme Vision, her Magic Eye had also improved; her Magic Eye was now at a level that no one present could resist.
“Let’s make our way around the Tower of Truth to the right! There’s a forest behind the tower, and there aren’t any enemy forces present there!”
“What? That’s too far!”
“There’s no other way! The enemy forces are closing in fast!”
Merlin continued to run while responding to Quiet Heaven’s words in their spirit channel. There was no other option. So, as Miho delayed the knights’ advances and remained beside him, Merlin had to speed up. Yet, he wasn’t facing the knights alone.
“Fire!”
Bam! Bam! Bam!
“Dang it! We have knights chasing us on one side and dwarves shooting assault rifles on the other!”
Merlin placed Younghwi and Shining into a V-shape barrier in front of him to take on the rifle rounds. Since both his Wicalein Rings had risen to Rank 4, the spirits could easily block rifle rounds, and if need be, they could even endure high-caliber sniper rifle rounds.
Bam!
However, whenever the bullets struck Younghwi or Shining, the spirits screamed. This meant that they were not being shot with standard bullets. Each one was imbued with magic power, so they were a sort of magic bullet.
“The situation is not looking good! Is there any way for you to block those guys up ahead?”
Merlin yelled as he took out an external gold core and absorbed it. Merlin’s martial arts direction and specialization didn’t mesh well with prolonged battles. Furthermore, Merlin’s lightness skill wasn’t anything special, so he didn’t have a way to get close to the attackers. As a result, he needed to use a ranged attack. Of course, Merlin also knew how to use Magic Eye, but unlike Miho, he never mastered using it on a group of enemies, which was why he called for her assistance.
Bam!
Yet, before anything else happened, two lengthened long spears broke through Merlin’s spirit barrier and struck his weak points.
“Merlin?!”
Miho screamed as she fended off their pursuers with a type of fire attack that she’d gained after understanding Extreme Vision. Merlin opened his mouth to say he was fine, but all that came out was a mouthful of blood.
‘Ugh. The blood spilled here isn’t a mist or smoke but a liquid. It’s making it hard to speak.’
Merlin had taken critical damage; his life was in danger. However, like all other users, Merlin didn’t fear death, as he could revive and come back later. Furthermore, Merlin had already experienced death before. Of course, if he died, Merlin would have his max stat capacity permanently lowered, but he did not fear that possibility. For users, death was an ‘annoyance,’ not something to ‘fear.’
Rumble.
As he collapsed to the ground, Merlin looked up at the sky. It was filled with dark clouds to the point where the moon couldn’t be seen. He also heard thunder rolling in.
‘It looks like it’ll rain soon.’
With this carefree thought, Merlin closed his eyes. However, right at that moment, someone violently grabbed ahold of his body and shook him.
“N-no! Merlin! Merlin!”
Miho screamed and cried as she shook Merlin’s body. Bullets were whizzing above them, and the cacophony of the battle’s sounds filled the air, but Miho didn’t pay any attention to these things. She shed a deluge of tears, and her expression… wasn’t something that Merlin had ever seen on her before. When he saw her like this, Merlin felt himself instantly regaining consciousness.
‘I can’t die. If I die like this, Miho will also perish.’
Users were immortal beings; they were existences that could die an innumerable number of times, revive, and come back to life. This didn’t just apply to users. The unique monsters in Dynamic Island also revived, which was why Sword Sovereign Sungmuk could return after some training and launch an attack on Starting. Yet, the monsters that lived below the Noise Belt couldn’t revive. If they died, they died, full stop. There was no way to bring them back to life.
