Masquerade (2)
Transcendent.
It was a term used to refer to those who had transcended the limitations that defined their existence through the karma they had accumulated endlessly.
It didn’t matter if it was the ultimate physical or mental attainment achieved through training, or even infinite magical power or extreme techniques.
The important thing is to break out of the mold, break free from existing constraints, establish your own definition, and pioneer a new path.
Because of this, the power they use is closer to authority than ordinary abilities, and they can reign as absolute beings over those who cannot overcome that wall.
That’s why it’s transcendent.
He was the one who stood at the top of the world and proved his worthiness to ascend to divinity.
“Hah! Malfi! This way too···!”
“Whew, okay. Are you still okay?”
“···It’s not okay at all, but I can’t help it because I’ll die if I just sit here. I can’t just give up like this, right?”
“That’s a good attitude. I think you’re still in good shape.”
“Malfi··· An···!”
But as with all things in life.
Even among those who have reached such great heights, there is bound to be a hierarchy among them.
Just as when conflicting definitions collide head-on, only the stronger one survives.
Not all transcendent beings are equal, even if they have overcome the wall.
“Jose! Are you okay? Can you hold out for another 30 seconds?”
“···Don’t make fun of me. I still have about a minute to spare.”
“Really? Then one minute.”
“I hope it ends as quickly as possible though. I can hold out, but it feels like one of my limbs will fly off.”
If you think about it, the moment you cross the wall of transcendence, it is no different from standing at the starting line of an unlimited race where all restrictions disappear.
There were already seniors running ahead of me, there were heavily armed competitors with all sorts of modifications, and there were also plenty of anti-tank mines they had scattered.
“Phew.”
Still, An, who was proud that he had escaped the beginning of the race, took a deep breath.
And as he slowly exhaled it, he twisted the direction of the chakra that had been flowing within him.
‘Now is not the time to worry about the Oracle. The priority is to minimize the damage and buy time. Until Malphi resolves the spatial blockade and secures an escape route.’
At first, I was furious at the fact that the President had been attacked, but after some time, I was able to regain my composure to some extent.
In any case, revenge can only be achieved if you are alive.
Rather than hanging on to the prospect of a life-or-death struggle in this extremely disadvantageous position, it was much more rational to somehow escape and then wait for an opportunity.
‘The good news is that this is Malphi’s territory. The escape route is blocked, but the other means are still intact, so it won’t collapse easily.’
Given the vast difference in power between them, simply twisting the space around and setting up traps to somehow disrupt a head-on confrontation was a great help.
Another unfortunate blessing was that his assistant Ken was blocking the executioner, the strongest force on the Buncheonhoe side.
The situation didn’t look so good because they were literally just blocking it…
Wedge—!
Kwaaang!
Ken was hit by the tail that was swung like a whip while engulfed in flames, and was slammed into the wall behind him with black energy spreading out all over his body.
[Indeed, it’s very sturdy. It’s a bit disappointing, but it’s enough to kill some time.]
“Ugh!”
Ken stumbled out from the rubble of the collapsed wall and shook his head from side to side.
A strength he had never felt before was constantly welling up within him, but the demon known as the Executioner was still overwhelming him with impunity.
If I hadn’t forcibly raised the rate of assimilation with the newly injected energy by using “Thought Transfer”, I wouldn’t have been able to endure this much.
‘If only I could fully control this power, how could I have rubbed it!’
For now, he was somehow able to fight back since the other person was showing interest in him, but it didn’t seem like that would last long.
And that moment when interest completely dies down is when the door to destruction opens.
‘This damn employer! I don’t know what you’re doing, but please hurry up and do it…!’
An, who had confirmed the situation between Ken and the executioner, focused her mind again.
It didn’t look like it would collapse any time soon, but the urgency was the same on both sides.
“No! It’s still far… Huh!”
“Hmm.”
Malfi moved around the space to create an advantageous situation, and in situations where there was absolutely no other way, the fighters including Jose stepped forward to buy time, but everything was overpowered in the face of the overwhelming power difference.
As executives who tried to help somehow were sacrificed one by one, the only thing that remained to overcome this crisis situation that was getting worse by the minute was her ability.
Wooooow—!
The energy that was violently spinning inside my body resonated with the world.
Chakras are the power to intervene in concepts and phenomena through the inner microcosm.
Her microcosm opened wide and her sole thought began to force the surrounding phenomena.
The chakra that opens inside is ‘destiny’.
This, combined with her unique skill “Probability Manipulation,” allowed her to avoid the Oracle’s gaze while simultaneously overcoming the wall of transcendence.
—Fate manipulation.
A member of the Burning Torch Society frowned as he launched an irritated attack at the tenaciously holding out cadres of the Burning Torch.
“Hmm? This is···.”
Then he looked down at his hands with narrowed eyes and slowly looked around again.
He wasn’t the only one who displayed such behavior.
The attack that should hit doesn’t hit.
A counterattack that was thought to be meaningless suddenly became threatening.
The terrain changes that were already annoying became even more difficult, and the process of getting through them and approaching them became more cumbersome.
“Tsk, this will take some time.”
Nagaraja, who had been anxiously watching the executioner to see if he would kill Ken while leaving the task of cleaning up the burning torch to the other members of the group, also clicked his tongue when he realized the situation.
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But that’s it.
He then casually covered his ears and turned his gaze back to the executioner.
It was certainly great to be able to influence so many powerful people who had reached the realm of transcendence, but there was a clear limit to what could be done indirectly like this.
At best, it’ll just be a nuisance and a waste of time like it is now.
“There’s no need for me to come forward.”
It would have been quicker if he had stepped forward himself, but he had no intention of doing so.
The outcome was already decided anyway, and this current spatial blockade wasn’t something that could be lifted with the passage of time.
His judgment was that it was better to prepare for an emergency like now.
There was nothing wrong with that idea.
‘What is this?’
If only a very special variable had not occurred, which no one could have predicted.
‘What the hell is going on? What is it that makes fate act so wildly…?’
While helping the party who were holding out against the Burning Clan, there was a strange expression on An’s face as he used his chakra to increase the chances of lifting the blockade.
A certain flow of change that started from outside was constantly stimulating her as she wandered in search of ‘possibility.’
As the numbers detected as “probability manipulation” jumped around randomly, a fate whose source was unknown beckoned and tempted her.
What you want is right here.
The only problem was that I had no idea what it was…
However, her worries, which had continued for a while, did not last long.
‘Whatever it is, it can’t get any worse than it is now.’
Her powers bought her some time, but it wasn’t the ultimate solution.
This is a situation where you have to do something to create variables right now, regardless of what happens later.
Woohoooooo—
In the end, she used all her remaining strength to manifest ‘fate manipulation’ as her intuition led her.
Praying that this unknown variable will help them.
That was the moment when she grabbed hold of the string of fate that had been knocking on her from the outside and pulled herself inward.
Paaaaat—!
With a dazzling light that occurred at close range.
A beautifully shining blade pierced through the space.
“···knife?”
There was no time to be flustered by him.
The blade, which had been wriggling in place for a moment, was then cut straight down, creating a long crack in the air.
And in that gap.
“···Hmm? What’s going on? The resistance suddenly got weaker? Thanks to that, I was able to get through it more easily than I thought. Is it a bit weak against external intrusion?”
A strange man’s voice flowed in.
Clang— Clang—!
With a heavy sound of metal clashing.
‘That’s···!’
An’s eyes, which had been watching the situation, slowly grew wider.
A being that suddenly burst into this closed space.
As he appeared, the brightness around him rose several levels.
It wasn’t just a feeling.
Of course, he’s spreading his halo so blatantly!
At the same time she was able to realize.
There is a variable that can turn this situation around in an instant—.
“Well, I guess it doesn’t matter. I came in anyway.”
—No, that a miracle has descended.
But one thing I couldn’t have predicted was…
“Hahaha! Who bullied our rookie!”
“Ah… The air is so stuffy that I feel dizzy. Did I come here for nothing? I feel like I’m going to throw up, so I should hurry up and finish up and go…”
“Wow, it’s been a while since I’ve had a bite to eat.”
The fact was that there were quite a lot of them.
***
‘Let’s see, the situation is···.’
Heinrich, fully armed in pure white armor, slowly looked around.
Of course, the fighting had already reached a lull.
‘That makes sense.’
It was only natural that he appeared with such a loud voice.
Isn’t this area completely sealed off so no one can enter?
They say it healed in an instant now, but it still took a lot of effort even after using the Holy Sword’s “Space Slash”.
It would have been strange if a group of people dressed in unique attire had barged into such a place without warning and not attracted the attention of those around them.
“···What the heck, how did you get in here?”
At that moment, Nagaraja, who had always had a relaxed attitude, opened his mouth softly with a stern face.
He had already pulled out his long spear and was ready for battle, and no trace of his former relaxed demeanor could be seen even if you looked hard enough.
His eyes, which had turned bright yellow like a snake’s, quickly scanned the unexpected strangers.
“The saint of the other world, the phantom, and···.”
A white knight wearing pure white armor, a helmet, and a halo radiating from his entire body.
A Phantom wearing a neat black suit and a pure white half-mask over his face.
His gaze turned from the two people he already knew well to the other two.
‘So the saint was in league with those guys. But those two···.’
From giants with half-naked bodies wearing hideous beast skins on their heads, to monsters wearing baggy clothes, gloves, and motorcycle helmets that block every inch of their bodies from contact with the air.
As the branch manager of a district, the database in his head, which had been exposed to various information, was spinning.
‘The helmet is the same as the guy who showed up during the Seoul terrorist attack, carried out relief work, and then disappeared. The other guy…’
While preparing the trap, I also took note of the personal details of the suspicious people, but I had no idea what they were.
In fact, there was already a history of extensive activity, but the Doctor’s memories were not fully conveyed, so the related information was omitted.
But, as soon as he appeared, Ban-ra’s large body, which had been stretching here and there, took a step forward and shouted proudly, not knowing how to accept his reaction.
“Hahahaha! If you ask who this body is! I am the leader of the Masquerade! ‘Lion’s Tail’!”
“Ah··· Well··· I don’t care, so just call me whatever you want···.”
There was even a voice from the man in the helmet who was sagging and had no motivation to follow suit.
Nagaraja’s eyebrows twitched at the self-introduction that showed not even a trace of tension.
Doesn’t that mean they are ignoring you to that extent?
[Huh— This is really interesting.]
The moment he was about to say something in anger, a voice interrupted them.
The demon who had been quietly watching the situation as it happened blasted Ken away from him as soon as the change occurred.
The executioner had already arrived where he was.
[Honestly, I had some expectations coming here… This is more than I expected. I never thought so many of them would show up all at once.]
The devil, with the corners of his mouth turned up and his teeth bared, slowly looked around at the intruders as if he had received an unexpected gift.
A heavy presence emanating from the opponent that makes your whole body tingle.
It wasn’t a feeling of multiple forces coming together as one.
Although they may not be as good as the Heavenly King, each and every one of them was an extremely powerful force that even they themselves could not look down on.
[Puhhhhh!]
His body, pickled in struggle, writhed wildly.
He had no fear of the many strong men.
Just the anticipation of a bloody and flesh-splattering fight is overflowing!
[Good, very good! A fight for survival! A fight for life is the greatest value that a living being should pursue! I was a little disappointed, but it was worth it to come this far!]
“Haha! This is a friend who is on the same page as me! Okay, to show that we’re getting along well, I’ll give you a gift!”
[Hmm? A gift?]
“Oh, I really like it? It tastes amazing.”
Harley smiled faintly at the puzzled person and strode closer.
When the distance became somewhat close.
“Hahahaha! Don’t leave any leftovers and eat them all up!”
He didn’t hesitate for a moment—.
Kwaaaaang—!
“Because it’s our rookie’s turn!”
He gave his opponent a huge first blow.
