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Chapter 418: Star, the Parallel Universe (3)

[Starting synchronization with your soul.]

...

[Remaining time until complete synchronization: 4 minutes.]

‘This is enough,’ Chang-Sun thought.

He had revealed his identity, but he had no intention to descend to Arcadia in his real body yet. Chang-Sun and his allies did not have control of Arcadia yet, so descending in his real body would create strong Spiritual Pressure that would badly affect Helath.

Booom!

“...!” The Heavenly Dragon Emperor stumbled a couple of steps backward as he blocked Chang-Sun’s thrust.

Chang-Sun could not read the Heavenly Dragon Emperor’s expression due to the emperor’s long knight helmet, but was able to see his grip tightening around the spear. The emperor had to be shocked by how Chang-Sun’s attack just now was incomparably stronger than before, but Chang-Sun was not done yet.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh...!

[The Authority ‘Dream-Eating Beast’ has been activated, slashing your enemy!]

Chang-Sun clawed the floor and walls with his spear, emitting destructive Duskfall sparks with every strike.

Boom, boom, boom!

The Heavenly Dragon Emperor seemed to already have his hands full blocking Chang-Sun’s attacks. His spear was destroyed, its fragments flying in the air, and his golden armor began chipping away.

‘He can’t use [Shadow Play] or the [Dragon’s Dream Realm] properly yet.’ Chang-Sun realized that the Heavenly Dragon Emperor had not mastered Xerxes’ and Crom Cruach’s power, so he cornered the emperor even more fiercely.

In response to Chang-Sun’s attacks, the Heavenly Dragon Emperor hurriedly drew forth a new sword from his shadow.

Tap!

Chang-Sun was quicker, stepping on the Heavenly Dragon Emperor’s shadow. Letting go of the [Twilight Spear], Chang-Sun seized the emperor’s arm with his left hand and drew the [Yuchang Sword] with his right hand, which he used to stab the emperor in the chest.

Crash!

The Heavenly Dragon Emperor’s chest plate was crushed as the sword pierced his right chest.

“Your Majesty!”

“Y-Your Majesty!”

The subjects and priests who had been watching them from afar turned pale. They had undoubtedly believed that their emperor would defeat a heretical god with ease, and had never expected their emperor to be injured like this.

“Keough...!” The Heavenly Dragon Emperor groaned quietly.

Chang-Sun could see blood dripping out from under the emperor’s golden helmet.

Drip!

“How... in the... world...?”

The Heavenly Dragon Emperor did not say much, but Chang-Sun could tell what he wanted to say. Worldlines #801 and #802 were so similar that there was barely any difference between them. In other words, Chang-Sun and the Heavenly Dragon Emperor were basically each other’s clones, and also had a similar level of innate talent. In fact, their fighting techniques and habits were the same too. And yet, the emperor had suffered a crushing defeat after exchanging attacks only a few times. It was understandable that the emperor was bewildered by the result.

“You said yourself that you led a fierce life, yes? It just sounds ridiculous to me. You can’t call such a life difficult. When someone’s life is truly difficult...” Chang-Sun paused, his gaze turning sharp as he tightened his grip on the [Yuchang Sword], then continued, “...they can’t even afford to say it’s difficult.”

Staaab!

“Arrrghhh!”

The deeper Chang-Sun drove the [Yuchang Sword], the more pain the Heavenly Dragon Emperor felt.

“Urrrgh! Arrgghhhhh!” The Heavenly Dragon Emperor groaned as he grabbed the [Yuchang Sword] and desperately tried to pull it out, but it did not budge, as if it had been nailed down.

Chang-Sun found everything about the Heavenly Dragon Emperor ridiculous. The emperor had claimed that he had to live fiercely and needed to take the throne to survive.

‘Bullshit,’ Chang-Sun thought, narrowing his eyes.

It sounded as if the Heavenly Dragon Emperor was merely complaining about his blessings in Chang-Sun’s ears. Chang-Sun had always been accompanied by death and fought for his life day after day, to the point that death had become an old friend. On top of that, he had been forced to fight against the Star Signs countless times. He had lived over two hundred years under a precarious guillotine of death that could drop on him at any moment.

However, the Heavenly Dragon Emperor had only suffered for over a decade at most, and his only enemies had been his fellow imperial family members. After the fight came to an end, he had likely enjoyed his absolute power and buried himself in lethargy, calling it an opportunity to rest.

In short, Chang-Sun and the Heavenly Dragon Emperor had grown up in totally different environments. While Chang-Sun had spent most of his life on battlefields where he knew nobody, the emperor had been in the comfortable Imperial Palace; thus, the result was obvious.

Pzzzz―!

The Abomination manifested by the [Yuchang Sword] spread within the Heavenly Dragon Emperor, so he tried to use his divine power to push the Abomination out. However, he was entrapped, becoming infected by the Abomination instead.

[Your Abomination is infecting the Celestial ‘Emperor of the Heavenly Dragon’!]

[It has been confirmed that the soul components of the Celestial ‘Emperor of the Heavenly Dragon’ are very similar to yours, quickening the infection speed.]

[The Celestial ‘Emperor of the Heavenly Dragon’ has entered the ‘Poisoned’ state!]

Thump!

The Heavenly Dragon Emperor fell to one knee. His radiant golden light dimmed, and Chang-Sun’s Abomination spread in a bizarre fashion through the cracks in the emperor’s destroyed armor.

‘So this is the advantage of having the same kind of soul,’ Chang-Sun thought. He could not believe that having the same kind of soul would allow him to deliver a more destructive attack.

Pzzzz...

The Heavenly Dragon Emperor’s helmet crumbled, revealing the emperor’s noticeably fatigued expression. Chang-Sun thought he had done enough, so he grabbed the emperor’s collar with his left hand, holding him up in the air.

“Your... Majesty!”

“How dare you?! Let go of him this instant!”

“Do you think you can walk away without any consequence after the blasphemy you’ve committed!”

The military and civil officials and priests yelled at the top of their lungs as they looked in Chang-Sun’s direction, but he did not miss the fear in their eyes. They were terrified that Chang-Sun would snap the Heavenly Dragon Emperor’s neck, ending the Arcadia where they could reign as influential figures.

“Do you want to save him?” Chang-Sun asked.

How would they view a galaxy’s overlord hanging in the air, looking like a tattered rag?

“Wh-what are you trying to do to His Majesty...?!”

“Let go of h....!”

“If you want to save him...” Chang-Sun began, and his [Gnostic Eye] blazed fiercely.

“Get lost, all of you.”

Chang-Sun let out a roar of [Wordwielding], making the officials and priests freeze. After accumulating immense gnosis, Chang-Sun had reached a level of magic that allowed him to rewrite the laws of nature.

Whoosh!

[All targets have been evicted in compliance with your Wordwielding command!]

Chang-Sun was not yet done. He said simply, “Arin.”

“Alright, alright. Seriously, this kind of job is always left to me,” Ardrin Tigernmas grumbled.

[The Celestial ‘Unknown Ancient Celestial’ has prohibited any outside interference in the area!]

[The Society <Horoscope> is now unable to watch the Channeling or interfere.]

[The Celestial ‘Cancer’ frowns.]

[The Celestial ‘Pisces’ says that they should quickly look for other Channelings...]

...

[The Celestial ‘Taurus’ continues to laugh enigmatically.]

[The system messages from the Society <Horoscope> are no longer being displayed!]

A dome-shaped, translucent barrier appeared around the fallen Imperial Palace. After confirming that <Horoscope> could no longer see him and the others, Chang-Sun dragged the Heavenly Dragon Emperor behind him and started walking.

* * *

“Where are Xerxes and Crom Cruach?” Chang-Sun asked.

In response, the Heavenly Dragon Emperor groaned and scowled at him, replying, “Keough... Do you think... I’ll tell you that?”

[The Divine Class of the Celestial ‘Emperor of the Heavenly Dragon’ is currently sealed.]

All his power was sealed, but the Heavenly Dragon Emperor showed zero intention to talk, and was not intimidated by the thought of his enemies torturing him. Judging from his gaze, it was clear that he was never going to talk no matter what Chang-Sun did.

‘He didn’t have to be so stubborn either,’ Chang-Sun thought.

Since Chang-Sun was aware of how persistent he could be, he stopped the interrogation, remarking, “Well, I guess it doesn’t matter. It’s not as if I have no other way to get the answer.”

“...What?” The Heavenly Dragon Emperor exclaimed, frowning slightly.

“Be seen,” Chang-Sun commanded, activating [Wordwielding] once again.

Pzzzz...

[Visualizing the Channeling network of the Celestial ‘Emperor of the Heavenly Dragon’!]

Chang-Sun’s <Darkness> circled the Heavenly Dragon Emperor for a moment and spread outward in the form of thick, taut lines. The Heavenly Dragon Emperor’s eyes widened after he realized what those lines were; they were the Channelings to the Star Signs who blessed him and granted him their protection, so that he could be the ‘Emperor of the Heavenly Dragon’. The emperor could not believe that it was possible to materialize those Channelings like this!

However, that was just the beginning of his surprise.

“So it’s this one and that one,” Chang-Sun said as he picked out Xerxes’ and Crom’s Channelings.

“N-No...!” The Heavenly Dragon Emperor looked pressured for the first time.

However, it was a little strange. The reason behind the Heavenly Dragon Emperor’s response did not seem to be Chang-Sun discovering the source of his power; rather, it seemed almost as if he was anxious that Chang-Sun was taking something precious of his that he had to protect...

‘Is it possible that he didn’t extort their power?’ Chang-Sun wondered, having a feeling that the connection between his two comrades and the Heavenly Dragon Emperor was different from what he had thought. ‘I’ll be able to find out more after I meet them.’

The Heavenly Dragon Emperor desperately struggled to hide his Channelings; in response, Chang-Sun tightened his bonds and handed him to Jin Prezia. After that, Chang-Sun traced back Xerxes’ and Crom’s Channelings, which led to an underground area.

The battle earlier had destroyed half of the Imperial Palace, covering the hallways with debris, so it was difficult to pinpoint the exact location. Only after Chang-Sun cleared away the debris was the entrance to the underground floor revealed.

“Stop! Please stop!” the Heavenly Dragon Emperor pleaded, his voice trembling.

Was there actually something that Chang-Sun was unaware of?

While Chang-Sun was thinking that, Jin put a gag on the Heavenly Dragon Emperor.

“Urgggh! Ahhhh!”

“I think Kali and I should go downstairs first, so can you cover the entrance with Treville, Jin?” Chang-Sun asked.

「Sure.」

As Jin nodded, Arin suddenly interrupted. “Wait! Me too! I’ll go too!”

“You want to go too?” Chang-Sun asked.

“The Inspection Bureau dragged away many of my people, so let me rescue them,” Arin said.

“Go ahead. Is there anyone else?” Chang-Sun asked as he looked around.

When no more volunteers came forward, Chang-Sun led the way. Jin handed the Heavenly Dragon Emperor over to Arin, who carried the emperor over her delicate shoulder. There was no knowing what kinds of magical devices could be in the Imperial Palace’s underground floor, so the emperor would be their master key. The Heavenly Dragon Emperor writhed as Chang-Sun and the others treated him like mere luggage, but Arin was unfazed. Her face was red with excitement from the thought that she would be able to rescue her people soon.

“Let’s go,” Chang-Sun said.

Creak!

The door opened wide, and they walked down a spiral staircase to get to the underground floor.

[The authentication is complete, deactivating the first trap.]

[The second trap has been deactivated.]

...

When they were close to arriving at the location, Arin frowned after picking up a reeking stench. She muttered, “It’s... too gruesome.”

Condemnation, pleading, hostility, despair, pain... Countless negative emotions from the deceased filled the air to the point that it felt sticky.

“How many people died here?” Arin murmured in disbelief.

“Countless. Maintaining their empire for such a long time has to have meant that they had to purge their opposing forces numerous times. I think many Celestials have been sacrificed too,” Chang-Sun replied.

While serving as an infantry soldier, Chang-Sun had heard all about how dangerous the imperial family of Arcadia was. As soon as one got on their bad side, the imperial family would spare no effort to viciously, meticulously persecute the person in every possible way and eliminate them. At the same time, the imperial family’s legitimacy and dignity came from <Horoscope>, so people could not possibly oppose them.

Among those people who had died one after another, many of them were Celestials who had completed <Exuviation> and <Transcendence>. As those Celestials could be potential problems to the reign of <Horoscope> and the Star Order, they had framed those Celestials as heretical gods and eliminated them. The Ancient Celestials, the laws of nature, had also been killed, so it was inevitable that Worldline #802 would slowly die.

“...Well, I would have ended up the same if I had gotten caught,” Arin, the only surviving Celestial of Worldline $802, said with a bitter smile.

Tap!

Chang-Sun and the others finally arrived at the underground area, but they had to go further for a long time to get to their presumed destination. Countless cells were lined up on both sides of a narrow and long hallway, and many prisoners who seemed to be in the worst possible condition were locked up inside.

“They... aren’t the guards?”

“They’re people from outside the prison!”

“What? Then were all the earthquakes just now from the Imperial Palace’s fall?”

“Hey! Get me out of here! If you do, I’ll let you people have an unimaginable amount of treasure!”

“I’m going to rip you people to shreds if you don’t get me out of here! So open the door right now!”

The prisoners either coaxed or threatened Chang-Sun and the others, frantically shaking the cell bars.

Ignoring all of them, Arin looked inside the cells and found the people she was looking for, muttering, “There you were, Hills.”

“...Boss?”

“I’ll get you out of there, so hold on.”

“Is it really you, boss? I’m not dreaming, right? Boss... Boss is here to save us... Yes! I knew this day would come! Our revolution succeeded! Hahahaha!”

While Arin strengthened her vines to rip out the cell bars, Chang-Sun arrived at the end of the hallway, which looked very different from the rest of the area. The dark wall had no metal bars, but rather undulated like a living creature; Chang-Sun immediately recognized it. He muttered, “The [Dream Wall]...”

[The Celestial ‘Goddess of Massacre and Destruction’ has appeared!]

“...Crom is here,” Kali said as she emerged from the Changgwi Cave, staring desperately at the wall. She knew it was the magic barrier that Crom always built to protect herself while she was in slumber.

Crom’s [Dream Realm] was her lair, so her [Dream Wall] also served as a gate. The problem was... Since it was her home, all sorts of security devices and guardians were present within.

“I think this is why Antares couldn’t harm Xerxes and Crom any further,” Chang-Sun murmured.

Richardus had driven Crom to the verge of death and caused her to lose her body, so it had to have been the best choice she could make. Chang-Sun could sense how many hardships she had to go through until now.

“We’re going in,” Chang-Sun said.

The Heavenly Dragon Emperor continued to writhe, trying to stop them, but Chang-Sun and Kali entered the [Dream Wall] without hesitation.

[Entering the lair of the old Celestial ‘Thousand-Year Slumbering Dragon’!]