Chapter 241: Awakening of Divinity (4)

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The tightly shut eyes opened.

Queen, who remembered the Master’s pupils usually imbued with vivid crimson light, felt a sense of unfamiliarity at the strange form flickering within them now.

“……Master?”

Carl did not respond to her call, instead focusing inward.

‘The power of Kylos is blending into the Divine Art.’

Beyond the unconscious, fragments of divinity not yet assimilated gathered in one place and completely melted into his mental imagery.

The divinity surging throughout his entire body was proof that he was evolving into something beyond human.

Along with it, the previously stagnant martial realm had become indistinct, to the point where distinguishing its boundaries felt meaningless.

In other words…

“It feels like someone forcibly elevated my realm.”

As he descended to the ground, Carl examined his body.

He could sense that he had surpassed the Realm of Transcendence.

It was an unfamiliar sensation since he had never reached this level even in the Central Plains, but he had a rough sense of how to handle it.

“Mas……”

As Queen called out to Carl again, she and the other Black Label members began to float lightly into the air.

“Eh?!”

They weren’t the only ones.

Everything near the altar—no, everything in the chamber—rose into the air, defying the laws of gravity.

“So this is how it works.”

Carl looked around.

With just intent thought, he could strongly interfere with and manipulate reality.

Was this what it meant to enter the Realm of Transcendence?

Though he vaguely grasped the sensation, it seemed he would need actual combat to refine it properly.

“Queen, where is King right now?”

“According to the most recent report, he is currently staying with Flick under NOX.”

“Let’s go right away.”

Thud.

Queen and the others’ feet returned to the ground.

As she hurried to follow Carl as he left, Queen cautiously glanced at him and asked,

“Are you… alright?”

Even normally, Carl’s presence was hard to detect.

Even when seen with one’s own eyes, he gave off a blurry impression, like someone who didn’t truly exist—but now, the atmosphere around him was indescribable.

It felt as if he had become an entirely different person…

“Ah, I see.”

Carl nodded as if realizing something from Queen’s question and suppressed his aura.

True divinity, not merely divine power borrowed from a god, inevitably felt alien to ordinary humans.

Queen’s reaction was natural.

Seeing Carl’s atmosphere return to normal, Queen let out a breath of relief.

“Queen, how did I seem to you?”

“It’s clear you achieved something, but you felt like an entirely different person. Like something wearing the Master’s skin……”

“Hmm.”

Carl gave a short nod.

Fragments of Kylos had melted into his mental imagery.

Even if he had suppressed each personality one by one, some level of mixing was unavoidable.

‘I’ll need to be careful.’

—That’s right. You do need to be careful.

‘…….’

Carl narrowed one eye at the familiar voice ringing in his ear.

It was the voice of the female fragment of Kylos he had just fought and absorbed here.

—Isn’t it a bit too much to react like that? I’m the one who helped you.

‘You helped me?’

—Even fragments like us are divine beings. No matter how powerful you are, did you think you could absorb us in the mental realm without any issues? It was obviously thanks to my help from inside.

That explained it.

He had crossed the threshold so naturally it had felt strange.

So she had assisted from within.

‘Why? If something happened to me, it’d only benefit you fragments.’

—That’s the contract. You passed the trial of a Demigod. But at the final end, a last trial will descend again. When you gather all of our fragments and fully complete a Demigod’s divinity, it will be questioned whether you are worthy to participate in Ragnarok.

‘What a grand way to put it.’

Carl chuckled faintly.

‘You’re basically begging me to collect the scattered pieces of Kylos’ divinity in your stead. In the end, if you take over my mind, you can claim it all easily.’

—I won’t deny it. But it’s not like you’re losing anything. You’ve gained, haven’t you?

Carl nodded.

He never expected to consolidate divinity and transcend a realm here.

He had planned to do something—anything—before Walpurgis Night began, but it felt like he had reached this state far more easily than expected.

‘Everything in the world comes with balance and causality. This night will be a difficult one.’

As he exited the ruins, Carl looked back one last time at the path he had come from.

‘Cooperate, Kylos. Time is running short. I’ll begin the process of absorbing your fragments without delay.’

“……Is your growth phase still not over?”

King, facing Carl, widened his eyes in shock.

Having completed his assigned mission, he was devoting himself to training in Flick’s underground chamber, revitalizing his aged body.

On his bare upper body, muscles that did not match his age writhed clearly.

He had begun a journey to regain the power of his prime by consuming mana beads developed by NOX and various elixirs.

“That’s what I should be asking. Did you rejuvenate or something?”

“Shows how effective the mana beads you developed are.”

King Yohanell let out a hearty laugh and looked down at his body.

“I didn’t expect them to work this well. I really do feel younger. My granddaughter would faint from shock if she saw me now.”

Carl stared at him silently.

It was rare for him to bring up his granddaughter himself.

Had the memory faded enough to be joked about?

Feeling Carl’s gaze, King gave a bitter smile and continued.

“Don’t look at me like that. I can’t live forever clinging to her memory. I need to let her rest, if only to smile when we meet again someday.”

“That’s not a sentiment I particularly relate to.”

“Do you remember every single one of the dead?”

“Of course.”

Carl immediately nodded in response to King’s question.

“I remember every person who passed by me. They are a part of my life.”

From his time in the Central Plains until now.

He remembered everyone who had passed through his life without exception.

Even in a far-off future where he might be left alone, it would be the same.

Seeing Carl like that, King let out a quiet chuckle.

“Yes. That too contributes to the solidity of one’s existence. Perhaps that mindset greatly influenced the Master’s character.”

King slowly raised his sword and pointed it at Carl.

“Sometimes, it’s because something is too precious that one must forget it. Otherwise, the mind and body cannot endure.”

“Because it’s precious, it must be forgotten.”

Carl nodded again.

That must be King’s way of remembering his granddaughter.

“Enough small talk. Get ready. You didn’t come to me just for a chat—you came to test the power you gained from transcending a realm.”

“So you noticed.”

“A vigorous young man like you doesn’t have many reasons to visit an old man like me. Especially not while exuding that much fighting spirit.”

King’s expression turned cold as he continued.

“This reminds me of the old days. I suppose I no longer need to hold back. It feels like seeing a grown son. However…”

“You don’t need to worry about the surroundings.”

Click.

Carl activated a small cube he took from his pocket.

Immediately, a barrier formed around them and sealed off the entire area.

Though it looked like a perfect copy of the original street, it wouldn’t last long once the battle began.

Carl layered several arrangements on top using the power of divinity and divine arts.

“This is just to hone my senses. Please fight me seriously.”

“Of course. If I go easy, I’ll be the one getting hurt.”

King spoke casually, but his eyes watched Carl with wary intensity.

‘He really is a monster.’

He had been an extraordinary man from the very first meeting.

Though King had known Carl was growing at an abnormal rate, reaching his level by adulthood was beyond imagination.

‘I thought time flew fast, but this isn’t speed—this is something else entirely.’

Nowhere on the continent would one find a being like Carl.

He possessed a monstrous talent that defied explanation.

“It’s been a while since I crossed swords with someone.”

“Indeed…”

Shhhhp.

Space distorted as a sharp slash was unleashed.

Carl immediately drew the Heavenly Thunder Sword to block, but he was pushed back and slammed into a building.

Rising from the debris, he gave a bitter smile as he looked at King.

“Your temperament hasn’t changed.”

“Getting hit again. You’re still too soft on those you consider within your boundaries.”

“I just didn’t expect the noble old knight to resort to such underhanded tactics.”

“What knight? I renounced all honor and titles when I left the kingdom. The man before you is just an old swordsman, bound by stubbornness and pride, unable to let go of his sword.”

“Even so…”

Swoosh!

This time, Carl made the first move.

As his figure vanished in an instant, King heightened his senses and felt an immense force descending from above.

“Heaven-Flow Twilight Flash?”

Fwaaaah!

Aura Blades fell like a waterfall and tore the earth apart.

But King lightly swung his sword, forming a thin blade barrier that nullified every attack that rained down on him.

“This one’s too obvious…”

Thwack.

King tilted his head as a slash tore through the air.

A single blade pierced through the space his head had occupied—thrust from behind.

Narrowing his eyes, King looked at the blade of the Heavenly Thunder Sword and let out a mocking laugh.

“Seems your stealth technique has improved. I couldn’t sense any sign of it.”

“You flatter me.”

“If even I can barely detect it, others wouldn’t react at all.”

Seeing a few strands of hair fluttering in the air, King readjusted his grip and twisted his shoulders with a rough motion.

“It’s been a while since I’ve faced a worthy opponent. I needed some practice to regain my edge, so I’ll gladly accept this.”

Claang─!

A powerful slash, indiscriminate of direction, came crashing down upon the Heavenly Thunder Sword.

Carl received it head-on but had to take a silent breath as he staggered.

‘…What kind of power is this?’

A bitter smile came to his lips.

Was this really the kind of strength one could draw from an aging body?

If this was King in old age, he couldn’t even imagine what kind of knight he had been in his prime.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

A series of fierce clashes followed.

Glancing around briefly, King nodded and spoke.

“That’s a sturdy barrier. It’s holding even after all this. You did well.”

“I took care to prepare it.”

“In that case, I suppose I can raise the intensity a bit. Now that I’ve warmed up, shall we go all out?”

“……”

Carl raised the Heavenly Thunder Sword with a tense expression.

Because he knew—the monster before him hadn’t even stretched yet.

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