A Symphony of Chaos (3)
Crash—!
A bolt of lightning struck down with a deafening roar, illuminating the ruins of a desolate building.
Screeeech!
Bloated pieces of corpses flew in all directions, and a grotesque golem, split in half, let out a ghastly wail as it collapsed.
Thud.
The ground rumbled lowly, and the experience bar surged upward.
Nearly halfway to the next level already. But there was no time to savor the moment.
Whoosh—
As soon as Dalen leaped high into the sky using his jump skill, the ground where he had just stood crumbled away.
Emerging from the gaping hole was a corpse golem, the size of a three-story building, with four arms and four legs.
Roar!
The golem, a mass of corpses, bellowed at Dalen.
Between its vine-bound limbs, dozens of faces screamed in a cacophony of terror and agony.
Boom!
Amidst the cascade of shattered stone and earth, the golem slammed its massive fist into the ground.
Its target was the warrior standing in the sky. The creature reached out with an arm as thick as a tree trunk toward Dalen.
“Yuseop.”
And the sky flashed.
Fwoosh…
The sky, heavy with dark clouds, parted as a single cloud reversed its color and descended.
The white streak that reached down to the earth resembled lightning without thunder.
But instead of carrying millions of volts, each branching streak held the holy fire of divine power.
‘The White Flame of Danma.’
The Inquisitor of the Holy Knights.
The white flame, a symbol of their unique status.
The dozens of lightning strikes descending from the sky were a divine punishment wrought from that white fire.
Roar—!
Screeeech!
The white lightning engulfed not only the leaping corpse golem but also those hiding underground or within buildings.
Pillars of white flame erupted everywhere, and the ruins echoed with the countless screams of the monsters.
”…”
Dalen stood in mid-air, staring blankly at the scene below.
Just watching it sent chills down his spine. His hand, gripping his sword, tingled as if electrified.
It was a different sensation from witnessing the power of the Red Spear.
This was a force not granted at birth but honed and perfected through sheer will and effort.
As he gazed upon the power of a transcendent who had refined themselves for over a century, Dalen felt a strange resonance deep within.
It wasn’t overwhelming; it was more akin to a sense of aspiration.
This wasn’t a mountain to be conquered with gritted teeth like the end of the world, but a checkpoint to pass through someday.
“Let’s go. I can sense the witch’s presence over there.”
Lost in thought, Dalen was brought back by Everon, who approached him, pointing toward the city center.
Instead of moving immediately, Dalen paused to gaze at the transcendent before him.
”…Is there a problem?”
Still dressed in the garb of an ordinary soldier, with the face of a common noble.
But the magic supporting him and the divine light in his eyes were unlike anything Dalen had ever seen.
‘The flight spell taught at the Delos Tower, the sanctuary of wind mages. And the White Flame of Danma, passed down only to the Inquisitors of the Holy Knights.’
Two powers too disparate for one person to possess.
They were indicators of Everon Raktala’s true identity.
The power that earned him the moniker “The Face of a Thousand Changes” was twofold.
The ability to split his existence into countless parts, living dozens of lives in a single era.
And the skill to gather those lives, blending them seamlessly into a single consciousness.
His power to wield numerous forces within one body and domain might just be a glimpse of the path Dalen needed to follow.
Gathering his thoughts, Dalen spoke.
“It’s nothing. I just find it remarkable seeing it firsthand.”
”…What do you mean?”
“Living dozens of lives as one person. And then containing that power within a single body.”
Everon looked momentarily surprised, then let out a soft chuckle.
“It’s as if you’ve stepped into my shoes. How could I ever lose interest in you?”
Dalen shrugged, then began walking in the direction Everon had indicated.
He could feel the witch’s magic growing stronger, a sign that she had finally noticed their intrusion.
It was time to move.
Like the other districts in the Bronze Zone, the Western District was divided into 20 areas.
The witch’s barrier surrounded the area near the city center in District 41.
It was a vast area to search on foot, but Dalen and Everon, who could fly over the buildings, soon found traces of the witch.
“Matilda.”
Behind the Western District’s administrative building, in a large grain warehouse complex.
Everon landed in the open space and spoke.
“Hiding like that won’t help. What can you possibly do wedged into a space like that?”
[At the very least, I can wait for you to leave. I didn’t come here to fight you.]
Crack—
The air split like a beast’s hide being torn, revealing a small-statured woman.
Barely reaching Dalen’s waist, she wore a long, flowing robe that dragged on the ground.
Her deeply hooded head was adorned with runes, and her mask-like magical artifact was impervious even to the Eye of Shadow.
The only discernible feature was her hair, a shade of greenish-gray.
‘This won’t be easy. Good thing I left the dragon outside the barrier.’
Dalen instinctively reached for his weapon, thinking.
The Vine Witch was powerful.
Roughly on par with, or slightly above, the high-ranking demon Kalkas.
Though she lacked the backing of hell’s power, the density of magic emanating from her was not much different from his.
And if left unchecked, she would soon ‘ascend’ to become a demon, creating her own hell.
[If I had wanted, the Western District’s guards would already be dead. I showed some mercy, yet you repay me by killing my minions and breaking through the barrier. Do you have no sense?]
“If you were going to use mercy as a shield, you went wrong the moment you addicted thousands with drugs refined through dark magic. Isn’t that right, old hag?”
[Tsk, tsk, a brat who hasn’t even lived half a seer’s life, and yet so insolent. What do I care how many worms die? Isn’t that what you think too?]
As Dalen subtly reached for his axe, a fiery exchange of words erupted between Everon and the witch.
On the surface, it seemed like a meaningless argument. Not the kind of conversation you’d expect with an enemy right in front of you.
But Dalen’s senses, heightened by battle, could perceive the underlying tension in their words.
Crackle!
Beneath their feet, faint impressions flowed through the ground.
Snap!
They tangled and severed each other, vying for even an inch more of territory.
[This is a sight that will benefit you. This is what a true transcendent’s battle looks like, human.]
The dragon, observing quietly from its domain, interjected. Its voice was as dry and heavy as ever.
[A third-tier transcendent manifests their own vision into reality, while a fourth-tier twists even existing visions to their will. But to ensure effectiveness, they must still thoroughly utilize their surroundings.]
Crack!
Tiny sprouts broke through the stone slabs. Unclaimed footprints sank into the overturned earth.
Yet the two transcendents remained rooted in place, not charging at each other, only exchanging sharp words with fierce expressions.
[A fifth-tier transcendent is no longer bound by the environment. Their vision transcends mere reality manipulation, allowing for far more extensive feats.]
‘So they create an environment favorable to themselves.’
[You’ve nearly grasped it. They overlay a portion of their distorted realm of illusion onto this reality.]
Crack!
Around the witch, the sprouts rapidly grew into a massive forest of vines, covering half the square.
Meanwhile, on the other half where Everon stood, shadowy figures began to multiply amidst the falling rain.
This wasn’t merely a spell to grow plants or a technique to create clones.
It was the manifestation of their respective realms, constructed from their visions in the realm of illusion.
The appearance of their world of possibilities, partially revealed in reality.
[They say the third-tier’s qualification is to create a realm, and the fourth-tier’s condition is to twist existing visions within that realm.]
The once meaningless argument had subsided.
Now, fully focused on each other, the two transcendents unleashed the visions they had honed over centuries.
Amidst the rain, the shadowy figures of the superhumans began to take on distinct colors and shapes.
The dark green vines opened their various flower buds, revealing sharp teeth and digestive fluids.
This was no mere distortion of magical currents, but a warping of the world itself.
In Dalen’s mind, as he shared the vision with Jeokchang, the latter concluded in a low voice.
“When one ascends to the fifth rank, they gain a power known as domain expansion among the transcendent.”
“Domain Expansion: A Kaleidoscope on the Mirror’s Edge”
“Domain Expansion: The Faded Facet of the Fountain of Abundance”
The moment when two worlds collide.
Dalen felt a surge of excitement stirring deep within his chest.
The clash was imminent.
Crackling—!
Space folded in on itself, forming sudden whirlpools, and the dark clouds split as if sliced by a blade, unleashing torrents of thunder.
Instead of a gentle blending, the overlapping worlds reacted violently, creating a chaotic phenomenon.
The boundary between the two domains, centered around the plaza, was instantly ravaged by what seemed like a series of natural disasters.
The power of the two transcendent beings collided right at the heart of that boundary.
“Haah! Die!”
“O God of Light, Powell!”
“Deloram—Parekh!”
Dozens of figures charged through the rain towards the witch.
Warriors wielding swords, mages conjuring gusts of wind, paladins swinging hammers imbued with divine power, and archers silently releasing a volley of arrows.
A myriad of spells and incantations flew through the air, while the explosive force of gunpowder and arrows whistled past.
In response, the vines covering the plaza opened their toothy blooms, spraying a thick, venomous mist.
Whoosh!
Boom!
The relentless tide of vines couldn’t withstand the onslaught from the dozens of superhumans from Everon’s domain.
A single strike from a sharp blade severed a trunk as thick as a temple pillar, and a rain of fire ignored the downpour, incinerating the vines.
Yet, as if unfazed, a larger wave of green surged forth, crushing the plaza floor and surrounding buildings.
“Do you understand now?” Jeokchang asked, watching the battle from a corner of the plaza.
Dalen nodded. “A little.”
“Yes, you have that potential.”
Part of him wanted to join the fray immediately. His blood boiled with the desire.
But his rational mind told him otherwise.
Rushing into the battlefield wouldn’t change much.
However, if he could grasp the new inspiration blooming in his mind, he might become the decisive factor in this battle.
“You have an inexplicable potential within your imagination. Even though your true abilities are far from reaching the fifth rank, your hands unknowingly hold the key.”
Jeokchang’s words stirred a distant memory.
Defending the Fortress of the Rift, soaring high into the sky, and plunging into the midst of the enemy army.
Recalling the sky beyond his imagination, the scene had become reality, albeit clumsily.
It was an awakening sparked by the profound impact of witnessing a large-scale battlefield for the first time.
Since that day, he had never felt such a resonance, but now, watching the transcendent battle, it was awakening once more.
“You just need a small trigger to break out of your shell, as foretold by the Well of Reversal.”
Jeokchang spoke, his tone uncharacteristically charged with faint excitement.
Dalen glanced up at the sky.
The rain continued to pour. The dark clouds still loomed overhead.
Yet, the gap between the divided clouds, created by the clash of the domains, remained unfilled.
Sss…
Unconsciously, he raised his sword, its tip pointing towards the distorted gap in the night sky.
Rumble…
A faint thunder, as if echoing from a place higher than the sky, seemed to respond to his action.
“Yes. Opportunities like this are rare. Use the power of the holy sword to step into the uncharted domain.”
Ignoring the mixed tone of goodwill and anticipation in the dragon’s voice, Dalen lightly pushed off the ground.
Boom—!
The ground exploded as his form shot upwards.
Just as he had done months ago, atop the walls of the Rift.