Royal Road
Chapter 434: Star, Taurus (9)
Chapter 434: Star, Taurus (9)
“What is that?” Chang-Sun’s face darkened.
Each of the tentacles was several kilometers long and was as large as a building, but their grotesque appearance wasn’t the only thing that bothered Chang-Sun. An Anomaly, an Abomination... Chang-Sun wasn’t any different when he activated [Prelati’s Spellbook].
The problem was the various emotions that the tentacles exuded. Despair, fear, chaos, eerieness, ominousness, madness... they were spreading all sorts of dark emotions in the form of whirlpools. Ordinary mortals would have gone insane just by looking at them—no, they weren’t the only ones the tentacles could affect.
“Wh-what in the world?!”
“An Outer Celestial!”
“Why is a Great Ancient here?!”
“Arrrghh! My eyes! My eyes are rotting away! Someone help me!!!”
The Celestials with relatively low Divine Classes fell to the ground, screaming and grabbing onto their heads. Those who met the Outer Celestial’s eyes directly had theirs burst, causing them to shed tears of blood.
“Hehe. Hehehehe. Where am I? Where is this place? Wait, who am I? Who am I!!!!!”
Others went insane or disintegrated, their Divine Classes having fallen to pieces. Weakened by [Gaia’s Curse], they no longer had the strength to withstand the encounter with the Outer Celestial.
Whirl!
However, what shocked Chang-Sun the most was the fact that not even [Gaia’s Curse worked on the tentacles. On the contrary, as they descended, they traveled through and waved the fog of [Gaia’s Curse] away with ease.
“That Outer Celestial is different from ordinary Celestials,” Odin said as if he read Chang-Sun’s mind. Chang-Sun turned his head, he found Odin’s [Gnostic Eye] blazing up with anger. “We live inside the Great Universe, so our karma is equivalent to our value and the evidence of our existence. Accumulating enough karma creates <Myths>, and from <Myths> we collect Faith. We then use Faith to activate Authorities. That is why we and the others are vulnerable to the Mother Terra Celestial’s primordial curse.”
Odin’s anger soon turned into fury resembling a violent ocean wave that could sweep away the whole world.
“But Outer Celestials are different. They live outside the Great Universe. They don’t have <Myths> of their own and don’t need Faith, Concepts, or Authorities because they already existed long before the Great Universe’s creation. Their entire being is incomprehensible.”
“That is who the Great Ancients, Ancient Rulers, and Outer Celestials are,” he continued through gritted teeth.
Chang-Sun wasn’t sure why Odin was angry at Outer Celestials, but Odin looked angrier than when he ran into Michael and Satan, the destroyers of <Asgard>.
‘No, this isn’t fury. This is...’ Chang-Sun observed Odin. ‘... Revulsion.’
He wasn’t sure about Odin’s reason, but it was clear that Odin found all existing Outer Celestials disgusting.
“That’s an Outer Celestial?” Chang-Sun frowned.
He had never been outside the Great Universe, so he didn’t know much about Outer Celestials. Mephistopheles was the only Outer Celestial he had ever met. Counting indirect encounters would only add Hsan, whom he saw in Ithaca’s memory, to the list.
However, when Chang-Sun visited the Changgong Library and accumulated gnosis, he learned some secrets about the Great Universe’s creation and how to distinguish Nys’ territory from Eros’. While Eros’ faction became the Great Universe’s laws of nature by following <Supreme Light>, the Nyx’s faction, which served <Dull Darkness>, existed as the Great Universe’s environment.
Chang-Sun was roughly aware of who Outer Celestials, Nyx’s representatives, were. However, he had never seen records of an Outer Celestial with such an appearance.
“Don’t limit your thinking to what you already know,” Odin sneered, seeing through Chang-Sun again. “Your knowledge, common sense, standards... They’re above all of that and more. They can come and go as they please, sometimes even appearing out of nowhere. If they were bound by the laws of nature, I wouldn’t have called them incomprehensible.”
Chang-Sun finally understood why Odin loathed Outer Celestials. ‘It’s because he can’t understand them.’
Odin was a warrior and a wizard, but he was also an academic who wished to gain every existing knowledge and rise above the laws of nature. Using the gnosis he had accumulated, Odin observed and assessed everything within the Great Universe until he finally understood everything inside it.
However, it was different for Outer Celestials, Ancient Rulers, and Great Ancients. They couldn’t be understood or explained. Their incomprehensibility made them Odin’s natural enemies.
[An unknown intrusion has been detected!]
[Activating a Firewall.]
[Failed!]
[The security system has been issued the highest-level alert, activating a Level 9 Firewall and an anti-virus program.]
[Error! The attempt has failed!]
[Error! The attempt has failed!]
...
[A system error has neutralized all defense systems!]
...
[The <Management Bureau> has declared a state of emergency!]
......
[The Celestial ‘Primordial Evil Dragon’ bristles up upon seeing the beings that just showed up!]
[The Celestial ‘A Good Season to Hunt’ shivers.]
[The Celestial ‘World-Encircling Serpent’ cowers.]
...
[Most of the <Anti-Star> Alliance Celestials are shocked!]
[Some of the <Anti-Star> Alliance Celestials look away in fear of meeting the eyes of the beings who just showed up!]
...
[<Horoscope> Star Signs are suffering!]
...
[The Celestial ‘Sky-Resemble’ bites his lower lip as he watches the intruder breach the law of causality!]
[<Maleakhe> seraphim actively protest against the Society <Horoscope> for summoning ominous beings.]
...
[The Celestial ‘Malignity-Drinking Saturn’ dumbfoundedly chuckles and says that everything is fucked up!]
[<L'Infernal> demon kings are surprised by and are suffering due to the unchallengeable, foreboding entities!]
...
The <Anti-Star> Alliance, which had already withdrawn, the united army of <Horoscope>, <Maleakhe>, and <L'Infernal>, which were suffering from [Gaia’s Curse], even the Nine Heavens who tried to become Celestial Kings and reach the level of Emperors... they were all terrified of the Outer Celestial!
[The <Management Bureau> has failed to restore the system. Endless errors are being created due to an unknown reason.]
[The <Management Bureau> has sent a distress call to <Deus Ex Machina>, the Supreme Administrator!]
[<Deus Ex Machina> has received the distress call.]
...
[<Deus Ex Machina> is analyzing the situation to determine whether or not he should intervene!]
[Analyzing.]
[Analyzing.]
...
Pzzz, pzzz, pzzz―!
Like a corrupted image, the space around the Outer Celestial distorted, forcing them to stop moving. It was as if it was tied down by an invisible force.
[<Deus Ex Machina> has determined that there is a properly established link between the cause and effect and therefore denies the request of the <Management Bureau>.]
[An unknown being has resumed their activities!]
Breaking free from their shackles, the Outer Celestial struck areas with large groups of seraphim, demon kings, and Star Signs.
[The Celestial ‘Bootes’ has become a sacrificial offering!]
[The Celestial ‘Monoceros’ has become a sacrificial offering!]
[The Celestial...]
...
They couldn’t even scream.
Ooooong―!
[An unknown being demands more food because the sacrificial offerings they received are not enough!]
...
[All the barriers in the Central Divine Ground ‘Star Palace’ have been destroyed!]
...
[The Celestials have been thrown into chaos!]
Loud, creepy howls shattered all the laws of nature around the Star Palace like glass.
“Everyone, run!”
When the Outer Celestial’s tentacles searched for new prey, the seraphim and demon kings quickly scattered to avoid them.
[Despair is descending!]
Angels? Demons? Star Signs? Celestials? Transcendental beings were helpless prey in the face of that colossal catastrophe.
“God of gods!” Sadalmelik, the one who summoned the Outer Celestial, was the only one lost in bliss. “I prepared a feast for you! Help yourself! Enjoy! Bring <Extinction> to this Worldline!”
Sadalmelik had gone completely insane. With madness overpowering her rationality, she was driven to consume her <Myth> combustion potion, use Chiron and Castor as sacrificial offerings, and summon the Outer Celestial.
Oooooo!
At that moment, one of the tentacles, covered in circles that looked like suckers, passing above Sadalmelik stopped moving and slithered toward her. Its tip then split into four and opened up, revealing something black and eye-like.
You. Called. Me.
Oooooooong.
A flood of unrefined energy and information poured out, almost blowing away Sadalmelik’s mind. However, it only made her laugh harder, proud of the greatness of the Outer Celestial she had summoned!
“That’s right! I called you here!” Sadalmelik exclaimed, praying to the being more divine than gods. “As per our agreement, please protect me from the danger of annihilation, and make me like—”
I. Asleep. You. Woke. Me. Forcibly.
Sadalmelik abruptly stopped, sensing unexpected annoyance from the Outer Celestial.
Fly. Should. Die.
The tentacle extended and struck Sadalmelik’s head like a whip.
“Our contract! Please follow the contract! This isn’t what we agreed on!” Sadalmelik countered, finally realizing that something had gone wrong.
Her madness vanished, replaced by bewilderment. As the tentacle drew closer, her bewilderment changed into fear.
“I was told that you would turn me into an Outer Celestial If I gave you sacrificial offerings—!”
Thuuuuud!
A thunderous sound muffled Sadalmelik’s scream.
Contract.
The information and energy that the Outer Celestial released through their tentacle reverberated in the area.
I. No. We. Not. Need. Such. Thing.
[The Celestial ‘Aquarius’ has become a sacrificial offering!]
Crunch, crunch.
Just like what they had done to the other Celestials, the Outer Celestial sucked out every bit of Sadalmelik’s <Myths>. Every time the tentacle undulated, those watching the scene turned paler. Even a Zodiac couldn’t do anything against them.
Everyone.
Despite having already eaten away Sadalmelik’s <Myths> and the bodies of Chiron and Castor, Outer Celestial still hadn’t had enough yet. While slowly pulling out their tentacles from the ground, their eyes wandered until they found Chang-Sun, Odin, and Bel-Marduk.
Must. Eat. Everyone. Hungry.
Whirl!
The Outer Celestial’s tentacles lashed out toward Chang-Sun, Tiamat, Michael, and Satan, their goal to devour the Star Palace, Arcadia, and this Worldline.