Chapter 139: External Field Trip (12)

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The aftereffects that occurred within the space of mental imagery were all illusions, so they usually did not manifest outwardly.

In other words, if an excessive shock was applied, it could affect reality as well.

“……”

Carl clenched his teeth.

Kailos, who had entered his inner world, was rampaging as if this was the last moment of his life.

Without any thought for what came after, he scattered light recklessly, wreaking havoc on Carl’s insides and leaving them in chaos.

‘Damn bastard.’

For something that called itself a Demigod, its actions were more vile than those of a demon.

If he left it alone any longer, his energy channels could be damaged, so Carl hurried to counter it.

Swoooosh─!

The torrent of the Heavenly Demon Divine Art surged in all directions, pressing down on the violently thrashing blue light.

As if declaring he would meet force with force, he showed no mercy, seizing its hair and slamming the back of its head with all his might.

[Hahaha! Yes, let’s do it! Let’s see who can endure longer!]

‘So you intend to resist until the end.’

Admitting defeat and submitting was the true end of a battle.

But this stubborn being called a Demigod, clinging and gnawing at him endlessly, made his blood boil with disgust.

‘Fine.’

Carl steeled his resolve and let out a deep breath.

‘It doesn’t matter if I expend all the divinity now. As long as I can erase your consciousness.’

He had already memorized the energy of divinity.

Just like when he had taken a great elixir, its traces lingered throughout his energy channels, so if he spent time and effort later, he would be able to gather even the tiniest fragment.

It wouldn’t be identical to Kailos’, but it would be enough to reproduce divinity.

Shiiiiiing!

The Heavenly Demon Divine Art and the Bright Heaven Divine Art merged together, forming a vivid gray current.

Faced with the overwhelming surge of the Primordial Unity Divine Art, Kailos widened his eyes once more.

[Again! This damned divinity…!]

Kailos thrashed desperately.

Since he had entered Carl’s body, if he struggled with all his might, Carl’s movements would falter.

Even though he could somehow endure the other two divinities, before this gray current, it was strangely difficult to move properly.

[……Kuhak.]

In the end, like a man swept away by a tide, he was hurled back, then buried beneath the raging torrent, his existence erased completely.

Even so, Carl did not lower his guard, pursuing the traces of light until even the remnants were thoroughly obliterated.

‘Haa…’

The space of mental imagery collapsed.

Carl’s mental strength had reached its limit.

It had been a very long time since he had felt exhaustion from a battle with someone, so he let out a weary breath as he slowly opened his eyes.

“……?”

His vision was dyed red.

The aftereffects from the mental imagery had carried over into reality, leaving his body covered in wounds.

As if he had endured brutal torture, no—like he had rolled naked over a path of iron thorns—his body was riddled with torn and pierced injuries.

The stench of blood pricked his nose, and just as he gave a bitter smile and tried to move, Carl belatedly noticed the weight pressing against his chest—Laysis’ presence.

“……”

Laysis, eyes tightly shut, was holding him in her arms.

Her fingertips trembled with fear, yet the hands clutching his back refused to let go, as if never wanting to release him.

“……Hold fast to us. Merciful Light, look down upon your devotee…”

Praying earnestly to her god, Laysis kept reciting her prayers, unaware that Carl had already awakened.

“Laysis.”

“…Ah.”

When Carl gently stroked her back, she flinched and lifted her head.

Her tearful eyes looked up at Carl’s blood-soaked figure, and she immediately burst into sobs again, clinging to his neck.

“Carl, it really is you, right?”

“It is me.”

“Thank goodness, thank goodness. If even you had your body taken away…”

“That could never happen to me.”

Carl let out a small laugh as he lightly patted her.

She must have been terrified.

She had fallen alone into a trap, been left before the Demigod Kailos, and even had her body seized.

And when she regained her senses, she saw him standing there, which must have filled her with dread all over again.

“Are you all right now?”

“It seems so.”

“……”

Laysis slowly released his hands and stepped back a pace.

Because she had clung to him so tightly, her body was smeared with blood, but more than that, she seemed embarrassed, her lips pursing as she struggled to meet his gaze.

Carl’s attention, however, was fixed elsewhere.

‘About one-tenth of Kailos’ power remains within my body.’

The great amount of divinity had been swept away together with Kailos’ consciousness by the torrent of the Primordial Unity Divine Art.

Still, leaving behind a tenth was more than expected, and Carl felt satisfied.

Sssaaa.

When he slowly drew it out, a faint white radiance began to gather at his fingertips.

“…This is.”

“It seems I’ve gained an amusing ability thanks to that Demigod.”

“You mean you can wield divine power?!”

At Laysis’ wide-eyed question, Carl gave a slight nod.

“I haven’t become Kailos’ believer or anything of the sort. I simply absorbed the remnants left behind by his existence. I’m not even sure if I should call this divine power.”

“Well, divine power is originally a strength bestowed by the gods… but still, since it came from Kailos, wouldn’t it be fair to call it divinity?”

“You might say so, Laysis, but I wonder what others would think if they saw it.”

Wouldn’t it be fortunate if they didn’t accuse him of heresy?

To an ordinary person, it might simply appear as radiant light, but to priests and clerics deeply versed in divinity, it would not be difficult to notice that this was a power distinct from the usual gods.

“Which means I should avoid using it as much as possible.”

“Yes, if you were mistaken for a heretic, it would be troublesome.”

There had been an age of savagery in the past, when heretics and witches were hunted fervently.

Of course, even now such things still happened beneath the surface, but compared to the past, those boundaries had greatly faded.

Which god one believed in was now determined by personal choice and faith.

This was evident just by looking at Gallon For, a priest who served a god whose name was not even widely known.

“First, are you hurt anywhere?”

“…Hmm, now that you mention it, my body does feel a little sore.”

“I don’t know if you remember, but Kailos once clashed with me using Laysis’ body. That aftermath must have built up inside you. Please, this way for a moment.”

Carl extended his hand and bestowed the divinity he had drawn upon Laysis’ body.

Although divinity could not erase the bloodstains on her clothes, cleansing the fatigue and impurities within her was an easy task.

“Oh? My body feels lighter!”

“Well, since it is divinity, it seems capable of at least this much.”

Carl himself did not know what kind of god Kailos had been.

The only record in the clubroom’s texts was that he was a Demigod who once opposed a hero.

As he carefully healed every part of Laysis’ body, Carl confirmed that there was nothing wrong with her.

‘That’s a relief.’

He had worried that some lingering aftereffects or traces might remain from Kailos’ possession.

Hadn’t even in the space of mental imagery, the Heavenly Demon and Bingbaekmok appeared, and Kailos had spoken of causality he would have to endure?

‘Causality, huh.’

Carl looked over his own body.

While he was at it, he used divinity to heal his wounds, and the traces scattered across his body began to close and vanish.

It was unlikely that such trivial injuries could be called causality.

So what form would it truly take?

Even when he observed his inner self, he could feel nothing beyond the newly condensed divine power.

‘…Perhaps.’

If he absorbed all of Kailos’ divinity sealed across the continent—

Could he then aim for the seat of a Demigod?

“Then, since much time has passed, we should gather what we need and leave.”

“Yes, I don’t want to stay here any longer. This place was unpleasant in so many ways.”

Laysis hugged her body, grimacing as she looked around the altar.

She had thought it was simply a ruin, but to think a Demigod, spoken of only in ancient legends, would truly exist here.

“Something else won’t appear, will it?”

“I don’t think so.”

Even with Carl’s assurance, Laysis did not lower her guard, drawing her sword as she searched the shadowy altar.

Since the area was an empty space, aside from the altar for offerings, there was nothing much to investigate.

Approaching it carefully, she examined every corner and discovered small jewels and treasures that had been offered to the god.

“As payment for all the hardship, this is rather disappointing. I at least wanted some compensation for having my body stolen.”

“Indeed. …Ah, and there is something I failed to mention.”

Carl scratched his head with an embarrassed expression.

While searching for Laysis, he had swept through the entire upper fortress with the Heavenly Demon Divine Art.

That must have affected not only the remaining wealth but also the accumulated treasures of the fortress.

What could be salvaged would likely be only a small portion.

“Ah, I already know about that.”

Laysis smiled lightly, as if guessing what Carl wanted to say.

“Kailos showed me. I saw you rampaging through the fortress.”

“…You saw that?”

“Yes.”

Laysis nodded slightly, but embarrassment quickly overtook her again.

The vivid memory of Carl storming through the fortress, abandoning priceless treasures and relics for her sake, had come back to her.

‘Could it be that Carl…’

Laysis stole a glance at him.

Though his body was stained with blood, for some reason, that only made him seem even more rugged and wild.

“Laysis.”

“……”

“Laysis?”

“…Ah, yes!”

Startled from staring at him too intently, Laysis straightened her posture and responded in a slightly flustered voice.

“Why? Do you sense something wrong with my mind…?”

“No, no. I was just spacing out a little because I’m tired. It’s nothing like that, so you don’t need to worry.”

She waved her hands in a hurry, vehemently denying it.

She couldn’t admit that she had been so focused on looking at his body, so she desperately tried to calm her burning face while insisting she was fine.

“It seems we should take this passage to ascend.”

“…Ah, it did seem quite deep, so it’ll take a while.”

“If you don’t mind, I can carry you up in one go like before.”

“Oh.”

Laysis instantly understood what he meant.

Back then, she had been distracted by exploring the ruins, so it hadn’t bothered her.

But now, for some reason, she felt even more embarrassed than before.

“Please, then.”

“I’ll carry you safely.”

Carl reached out, gathered Laysis into his arms, secured her with wire, and lightly kicked off the ground.

Clinging tightly to his back, Laysis looked down as the ground receded rapidly.

‘I feel sorry for Yuria.’

She couldn’t help but feel guilty, as though she had just built memories she could never tell her closest friend.

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