Chapter 416

* * * *

Bartaš Castle, situated at the center of Lake Belkan.

-Why did you ask us to gather here?

-I’m not sure either.

-Oren, do you know anything?

-That’s what I’d like to know.

Before the castle gates, Kraken from Lake Belkan, as well as those inhabiting other nearby regions, had gathered to converse. An immense number of Kraken. Of course, Kraken weren’t the only ones here.

-Chief Yagul, it’s been a while. Hororok.

-Chieftain Holton! It’s been a while. Slurp slurp.

The Commanders, Captains, and ordinary squids were also lined up behind the Kraken, conversing.

-Bagram, you’d probably know why Mother asked us to gather here.

-That’s right. I heard the place Mother stayed the longest was your cave, Bagram.

The reason they gathered here was because their mother, Atakshya, the goddess of water and vitality, had summoned them.

-The reason Mother called us together…

Bagram, who had been crouching in the center, opened his mouth to answer the other Kraken’s questions.

-I don’t know the details myself.

Bagram didn’t know the exact reason for their gathering either. He just knew a little more than the other Kraken.

-I understand it’s to capture the human who killed our kin.

The reason they had gathered here was precisely to capture a certain human who had killed their kin.

-…!

-…!

The Kraken who heard Bagram’s words couldn’t utter a sound. They merely stared at Bagram with shocked expressions. Of course, the silence didn’t last long.

-A human?

-Mother summoned us all here just to capture one human?

-You expect us to believe that?

The Kraken spat out the words as if they couldn’t believe it. Hearing the Kraken’s words, Bagram thought.

‘I find it hard to believe myself.’

Bagram found it hard to believe too.

‘What Mother said…’

But it was his mother, Atakshah, who had said it. He couldn’t disbelieve it.

-I can’t comprehend this.

-To capture a single human, we need this many people?

-Even if it’s a human who killed our kin…

-Could it be she has other intentions?

-That seems highly likely.

The Kraken continued their conversation. No matter how they thought about it, it didn’t seem like so many had gathered here just to capture one human.

It was right then.

-What are you thinking…

-Anyway, Mother’s orders…

Swish swish

The Kraken who had been speaking stopped as if by mutual agreement, turned their heads, and stared at one spot.

Whoosh

And as if waiting for them to look, a massive gate appeared in the empty air. It was Atakshya’s gate.

Squeak

The gate opened, and soon Atakshah, the God of Water and Vitality who had commanded the Kraken to gather here, stepped out.

-You have arrived, Mother.

-We greet you, Mother.

As Atakshya emerged, the Kraken each bowed in respect and spoke. Receiving their greetings, Atakshya scanned the gathered Kraken and the octopuses positioned behind them, then slowly descended to the floor.

Thud

Upon reaching the floor, Atakshya approached the gathering of Kraken. Soon, she arrived before them and, seeing Bagram standing respectfully in the center, spoke.

“Bagram, has there been any change in the castle?”

-No, Mother.

Bagram answered Atakshah’s question.

Swish

Hearing Bagram’s answer, Atakshah turned her head and approached the kraken seated farthest to the left.

“Hollard.”

-Yes, Mother.

Kraken Holad, seated farthest to the left, responded to Atakshah’s summons. Atakshah continued.

“Among the brothers gathered here, you are the most sensitive to change. Therefore, I have a request for you.”

-What is it?

“Someone will emerge from the castle. When that happens, you must inform me.”

-Understood, Mother.

Hollard answered Atakshah and began watching the castle. Atakshah returned to the center and addressed the Kraken.

“Judging by your expressions, you seem to have many questions.”

The Kraken’s expressions were filled with curiosity.

“What is it that you wonder about?”

What could possibly be so intriguing? Atakshia asked the Kraken why they were so full of curiosity.

-That is…

Bagram was the first to speak in response to Atakshah’s question.

-My brothers believe Mother gathered us here not to capture humans, but for another reason.

After speaking, Bagram studied Atakshah’s expression. Atakshah nodded upon hearing Bagram’s words and opened his mouth.

“…It is possible they hold such thoughts.”

The Kraken gathered here knew nothing of Myeonghu. Such a reaction was only natural. Atakshya opened his mouth to explain what kind of being Myeonghu was.

“But that human…”

-Mother, the gate is opening!

But Atakshah could not finish her sentence. It was because of Holard’s cry, who had been watching the castle gate.

“…!”

Swish

Ataksa stopped speaking at the shout reaching her ears and turned her head to look at the castle gate. The gate was slowly opening.

‘At last, they’ve come out!’

It wasn’t being opened from the outside. Yet the fact that the gate was opening meant someone was coming out from within. And the one destined to emerge from inside was already decided. Ataksa stared at the gate with eyes filled with fury and coldness.

Squeak!

Soon, the gate swung fully open, revealing the interior. As Ataksa had anticipated, standing there was the human Minghu—the very reason the Kraken had gathered here. Ataksa studied Minghu’s expression.

“…!”

The Myeonghu who emerged through the gate seemed startled upon seeing Ataksa, the Kraken, and the octopuses under his command standing before the gate, his expression momentarily frozen in surprise. Ataksa, observing his expression, smiled at the Myeonghu’s startled look.

‘…?’

However, Ataksa’s smile quickly vanished at Myeonghu’s subsequent reaction.

‘What is that? That expression?’

Myeong-hu had clearly been startled. Yet now, there was no trace of surprise on his face. And that wasn’t the only problem.

‘That look in his eyes…’

Seeing Myeong-hu’s eyes, Ataksa couldn’t help but flinch.

‘That look in their eyes back then.’

Back when he was called a monster, not a god. The gaze of those higher predators who had tried to absorb his power. Right now, Myeong-hu was showing that same predator’s gaze.

‘He must know his attacks won’t work?’

Ataksa couldn’t understand why Myeonghu was wearing that look. No matter how powerful, human attacks couldn’t harm a god. Myeonghu knew that too. So why was he wearing that look?

Thud

At that very moment, Myeonghu, who had been gazing outside with the predator’s gaze, shifted his steps and stepped outside the castle gate.

“Hahaha!”

What was so amusing? After stepping outside the gate, Myeonghu stopped, grinned, and laughed aloud.

“…”

Hearing Myeonghu’s laughter, Ataksa frowned. But that lasted only a moment; soon, Ataksa had no choice but to smooth his furrowed brow. And for good reason—a change had occurred in the castle that should have been buried here forever.

Whoosh

The castle walls, once devoid of any patterns. Strange patterns began to appear on the walls. And that wasn’t all. Light—bright pillars of light began to emerge throughout the castle.

* * * *

A message appeared, and upon seeing it, Myeong-hu understood that it was over and why Haran hadn’t used the Key of Curse.

‘Ah, so he wasn’t going to use the Curse Key.’

No wonder Haran hadn’t used the Curse Key and was just staring blankly—he wasn’t supposed to use it in the first place. Just like the auxiliary barrier pillars before, the central Curse Pillar could only be destroyed by defeating Ekalim.

Swish

Myeonghu turned his head to look at the Curse Pillar. It was changing color at an even faster pace than when Haran had used the Curse Key. It was changing at an incredible speed, transforming more than half its color in just a moment.

[The Curse Pillar is being destroyed.]

Propelled by this absurd speed, a new message appeared shortly after. It announced the destruction of the Curse Pillar. Of course, this wasn’t the only message. Starting from the destruction notification, a massive flood of messages began pouring in.

[Fame increases by 20 million.]

[Maximum Fame Reached.]

[Fame accumulates.]

[Current Cumulative Fame Rank: F]

[Special Quest ‘The Last Pillar’ completed.]

[Receive reward.]

[Level Up!]

.

.

[Level Up!]

[Acquired the Shattered Bartaš’s Token.]

[Completed the prerequisite quest ‘The Last Pillar’.]

[Special Quest ‘The Truth of That Day’ has been activated.]

[You are near the Sacred Pillar.]

.

.

[Damage taken from enemies is reduced by 20% for 10 minutes.]

Numerous messages appeared, including reputation accumulation messages, quest completion messages, level-up messages, and quest activation messages.

‘The Broken Seal of Bartash?’

However, what caught Myeonghu’s attention was a message related to the token that appeared in the middle.

‘Not a fragment?’

Up until now, what he received after completing quests were token fragments. Since one quest remained, Myeonghu assumed he would obtain another fragment this time. But contrary to his expectation, what he acquired upon quest completion was not a fragment. Myeonghu quickly opened his inventory to inspect the newly obtained ‘Shattered Bartaš’s Token’.

The token of the Second Great God, Bartash. Destroyed, it cannot grant its effects. But if you gather the scattered token fragments, the story changes.

[Barthash’s Token Fragment A: 0 / 1]

[Bartsash’s Token Fragment B: 0 / 1]

[Barthash’s Token Fragment C: 0 / 1]

[Barthash’s Seal Fragment D: 0 / 1]

‘…!’

After confirming the information, Myeong-hu took the destroyed token out of his inventory. The token had empty spaces here and there, and it seemed he could fit the token fragments he had acquired so far into those spots. Finishing his thoughts, Myeong-hu took Token Fragment A out of his inventory.

‘Here it is.’

After confirming the shape of the empty spots on the destroyed token and the token fragment, he inserted the fragment into the appropriate position.

Swish

A bright light flashed as the token fragment merged seamlessly into the token. Myeong-hu checked the destroyed token’s information once more.

The fragment A section, which had been 0/1, had changed to 1/1. Myeong-hu smiled as he closed the information window. He then began taking out the remaining fragment pieces from his inventory and fitting them into the token.

Swish

The moment he inserted the final fragment, D, into the token after B and C. An immense light erupted from the destroyed token. Myeong-hu smiled at the message that appeared next.

[All fragments have been gathered in the Destroyed Bartaš’s Token.]

[The Destroyed Bartaš’s Token has been annihilated.]

[The Seal of the Second Great God, Bartash, has been acquired.]

After reading the message, Myeonghu looked at his hand. The shattered token he had been holding was gone. Myeonghu shifted his gaze from his hand to his inventory. Sure enough, a new item he hadn’t seen before now occupied a slot. It was clearly the Token of the Second Great God, Bartash. Myeonghu checked its information with eyes full of anticipation.

“…Huh?”

After checking the token’s information, Myeong-hu couldn’t help but let out a gasp.

============================ Afterword ============================

Did you have a happy Christmas?

I was lying down comfortably. Heh.

Now it’s a fun weekend.

I hope everyone eats lots of delicious food and has a happy weekend!