Chapter 219

A dark, yet strangely well-lit deep passage.

As Alon walked through it, he suddenly thought.

‘……I’ve never heard of such a passage existing before.’

Of course, it wasn’t strange that he didn’t know.

The Psychedelia he played was a game experienced from Eliban’s perspective.

So it wasn’t unusual for settings unknown to the player to be hidden.

However, what puzzled Alon was that this passage revealed a bizarre inconsistency in the Psychedelia setting he knew.

‘……………Even the barbarians seemed to have considered the Horizon as a kind of sanctuary.’

Of course, he didn’t know the details.

In Psychedelia, the northern barbarians were nothing more or less than “enemies.”

There had never been any detailed settings or stories revealed about them.

But he vaguely remembered that such a setting existed.

‘…….If this place were really connected to the Horizon, the barbarians wouldn’t have left it alone.’

For a moment, the thought crossed his mind—maybe this place wasn’t actually connected to the Horizon.

Alon briefly pondered that thought before recalling Yutia, who had introduced him to this path.

‘Come to think of it, what exactly was the order given by the Pope?’

He hadn’t asked further because he didn’t want to trouble Yutia.

But ever since she introduced this passage to him, Alon had been curious.

What exactly was the order Yutia had received from the Pope?

‘I’ll ask her once I get out.’

With that thought, Alon pressed forward continuously until he finally arrived at a massive cavern.

‘…….This is… an altar?’

The moment he saw the structures built within the cavern, that word immediately came to mind.

Although it was ancient, it exuded a sacred aura at the same time.

‘I should let Yutia know about this when I leave.’

Letting out a small sigh of admiration, Alon passed the altar and continued forward.

How long had he walked?

He soon noticed the faint light filtering in from a distant point, signaling the end of the cave.

Quickening his pace, he headed toward the light.

And finally, when he reached the end—

“……This is, the Horizon.”

The words slipped out unconsciously as he stood there, staring blankly at the scene before him.

Even Alon, who was usually indifferent to everything, couldn’t help but let out a breathless sigh of awe.

It wasn’t because there was anything particularly dazzling.

The landscape before his eyes was the same as the one he had always seen in the North.

The ever-gray sky, the land covered in snow, and—

A massive domed structure standing alone in the vast landscape.

It was too plain to be called beautiful.

And yet, Alon found it beautiful.

As if the sky itself had descended.

The overwhelming horizon was displayed in the vast, untouched white snow covering the land.

It felt as if the sky and the earth had been reversed.

Entranced, Alon stared at the scene before him, then slowly took a step forward.

The pristine white snow, untouched by any footprints.

He was the first to leave his mark on it.

‘……Honestly, I thought it might not be real.’

Even as he passed through the passage, he had considered the possibility that what lay at the end wasn’t the Horizon.

Because the path had been so easy, it was almost more believable to think it was fake.

‘I should give Yutia a gift or something.’

He suddenly felt grateful to her.

At that moment—

[Meow?]

The small black creature that had been hiding in his chest suddenly poked its head out.

Hop!

It leaped straight into the snow.

With a soft puff, its entire body was buried in the snow.

Yet, as if unbothered by the cold, it eagerly examined the snow around it, utterly fascinated.

‘Did Blackie always like snow?’

In the meantime, Basiliora also emerged.

[This place is quite peculiar.]

“What do you mean, peculiar?”

[……………Hmm. It’s hard to describe directly, but it just feels that way.]

“A feeling?”

[Yes. Almost as if this space is fundamentally disconnected from everything else… That’s why I decided to come out.]

“Ah. So that’s why Blackie is acting strangely?”

Muttering to himself, Alon watched as Blackie started eating the snow.

[Meow-]

He quickly retrieved Blackie.

He had already spent quite a bit of time walking, and he didn’t want to keep Yutia waiting.

So, with Blackie tucked back into his chest, Alon moved forward and stopped in front of the massive structure.

A gigantic domed building.

Its enormous doors stood wide open, almost inviting him in.

[This place feels even stranger.]

“Is that so?”

[Yes. It doesn’t seem particularly dangerous… but it feels odd, so be on your guard.]

Nodding at Basiliora’s advice, Alon cautiously stepped inside the dark entrance.

The moment he did, pitch-black darkness enveloped him.

Yet, the faint light filtering in from outside dimly illuminated the interior.

Relying on that faint glow, he walked deeper inside and soon arrived at the center of the building, where the ceiling was open.

There, he found a door.

A door so old that turning its handle seemed likely to produce the creak of rusted hinges.

It stood alone in the middle of the pristine snow.

Feeling slightly puzzled, Alon reached out and grasped the handle.

And the moment he opened the door—

[You’ve arrived.]

A voice called out.

***

Great Chieftain Luraka.

He was furious.

No, beyond furious—he was seething with rage.

The reason?

A girl had trespassed upon the barbarians’ sacred sanctuary.

With a breezy smile, she had nonchalantly defiled the sacred land that had been protected for over a thousand years and shattered countless spells.

Because of one girl.

And when she revealed the reason for her intrusion—

His fury surged so violently that he nearly lost consciousness.

The sanctuary was as precious as life itself to the barbarians.

Only the greatest warriors were ever permitted to enter it, and even then, only once in their lifetime, to receive their sacred markings.

Yet, this girl had trampled upon a place all barbarians cherished as their very souls—

For the mere purpose of using it as a shortcut.

She had crushed every sacred spell that had stood for over a thousand years.

There was nothing left to hold back.

Every barbarian, without hesitation, rushed at her.

Luraka was no exception.

Originally, he had many questions for the girl standing before him.

How she had discovered the sanctuary.

How she had so easily broken the sacred spells that even the greatest shamans could not undo.

Furthermore, vigilance was also necessary.

However, the moment the girl uttered those words—

Luraka, consumed by rage, lost even the slightest shred of patience.

Forgetting even to command the barbarians he led, he swung his axe and charged forward.

And the result was—

“……”

It arrived before him in the worst possible form.

“Ah—”

Luraka let out a faint sigh.

It happened in an instant.

His vision was no longer filled with the ashen earth but with a land drenched in blood.

The piled snow, soaked in crimson, melted into the ground, turning it into a muddy swamp.

The freshly spilled, bright red snow that had yet to melt froze under the cold of the snowy mountains, forming eerie strands.

And in the midst of it all— stood the girl.

With just a few movements, she had turned the ashen land into a sea of blood.

She had crushed countless of her kin into pools of blood in mere moments.

Amidst a world drenched in red, she stood there, her eyes gleaming even redder.

Simply standing, unmoved.

“……”

Luraka clenched his teeth.

He could feel it on his skin.

The terror of death that had just moments ago painted his comrades in rage.

No one was an exception.

Even the chieftains leading the barbarians were gripped by awe and fear at the power the girl had displayed.

“Kh—”

Luraka was no different.

His hands, gripping his weapon, trembled.

He tried to suppress it, but his body had already escaped his control.

The only thing he could do— was to cautiously roll his eyes and look ahead again.

And there— the girl still stood.

Calmly, or perhaps leisurely.

Yet, it was precisely that incomprehensible demeanor that dragged the barbarians deeper into the abyss of fear.

“……Turtur.”

“Your command, Great Chieftain.”

“Blow the Black Horn.”

In the end, Luraka made his choice.

His lieutenant, Turtur, widened his eyes for a moment at the command but responded immediately.

“Understood.”

Without hesitation, he retrieved the Black Horn from his garments and blew into it.

Woooooong—!!!!

A sound so loud it echoed through the vast snowy mountains.

The fear that had just moments ago dominated the barbarians began to wane.

Luraka, too, shed the terror that had weighed upon him.

And as he turned toward Yutia, who was still standing there leisurely—

“You’ll regret not stopping us.”

The moment he spoke—

It fell, suddenly and without warning.

Kwaaaaaang—!!!!

The heavens and the earth trembled.

Snowflakes covering the ground were thrown into the air, whipping into a blizzard.

The blood-soaked swamp shattered, buried beneath the upheaval of earth and snow.

And then, emerging from the destruction—

[Hmph—]

The dark-skinned Outer God,

who had descended upon the North months ago and hidden his presence, was finally revealed.

[You have summoned me.]

Neltar, the Undying One.

Like a demon, horns protruded from his head.

Four massive arms and four towering legs loomed over all.

At the sound of his voice, laced with a sinister amusement, Luraka bowed his head with reverence.

“Yes. O Great Outer God, I wish to invoke the authority granted in exchange for a sacrifice.”

[So, what is your request?]

“Kill that girl.”

There was no hesitation.

Neltar, seemingly intrigued, questioned further.

[You would use my power for something so trivial? Are you certain?]

“Yes.”

[Well, it is your granted authority, so I won’t question it. However—]

The corners of the dark-skinned Outer God’s mouth curled into a grotesque smile.

[If you wish to borrow my power again, you must offer another five thousand living sacrifices, as you did before.]

“I shall do so.”

[Hmph—]

Power.

Five thousand.

Living sacrifices.

A conversation filled with horrific terms concluded with a simple, expectant remark:

How exciting.

Then—

As Neltar’s gaze turned toward Yutia, the faintest hint of regret flickered across Luraka’s face.

He had offered up captured Caliban soldiers and knights as living sacrifices to obtain this authority.

He never expected to use it on the girl standing before him.

But he did not regret summoning the Outer God at this moment.

Because he had seen it with his own eyes.

The power that defied comprehension— the power that, with a single step, had annihilated an entire Caliban forward base, where thousands had been stationed.

And so, Luraka simply watched.

As Neltar, like a child finding a new toy, took deliberate, expectant steps toward Yutia.

[Now, I suppose I should bid you farewell—]

However—

[Oh, fa—]

The moment Neltar reached the girl—

He could speak no further.

At that instant, a question arose in Luraka’s mind.

“?”

“?!”

And then, he saw it.

Shudder, shudder, shudder—

The being, an unfathomable existence he had been certain would erase the girl without a trace—

[Why… are you here…?]

Was now trembling in fear, his body shaking uncontrollably.