The World after the Fall

Attempting an a.s.sa.s.sination in a heavily fortified palace with such a small group, it was something he would have never have tried on normal circ.u.mstances. Even if the Lord was a non-adapter as per rumors, the Saint was known to guard his back. And the Saint was not someone a mere 9th seat Ark could hope to compete with. 

But there was a reason why Yun Yong had to resolve to this drastic option. 

“So you"re saying, that your sect was destroyed?”

“Yes.”

“When?”

“As I said, a week ago.”

Chung Heo considered what he said, and spoke.

“So basically, it’s this,”

“…..”

“Just when your sect was destroyed, you heard that we are picking a new Lord with a duel. So you came here sink or swim.”

“…..Something like that.”

“But you lost.”

“I did.”

“The sect is gone, and you couldn’t beat the lord. So since you have nowhere else to go to, you are asking him to take you in?”

“Yes.”

“Hmmm……”

It made sense contextually. If the sect was ruined, and he was kicked out of the Fort he was originally in because of that, then going to another Fort was the safest option. But this story had a flaw. Chung Heo had no difficulty seeing it.

“Why do you lie like this?”

“Excuse me?”

“You said that the Thunder G.o.d’s sect was destroyed a week ago.”

“…..That is correct.”

“And there’s no news of it yet?”

It was one of the ten sects. In >, due to the instability of spirit power, the efficiency of messaging skills was low compared to the >, but a week was more than enough for news to escape.

“Considering the distance between [Manticore] and [Gorgon], a week seems a teeny bit too long, doesn’t it.”

Kaiman also put his two cents in. Yun Yong hung his head down.

“You may not believe it, but it’s the truth. And the news didn’t reach here yet because…”

His tone became weak.

“The information is blocked.”

“You call that an excuse?”

Chung Heo said in voice full of mistrust. Information blocking was not an easy feat in Chaos. It was not something that could be dealt with by a few officials gathering and deciding ‘hey, why don’t we block some info yo’. 

If his sect had been destroyed, countless message lamps would have floated towards the sky. How would they handle  that? Did someone shoot down every one of them with a skill?

“It’s not possible to restrict that much information from getting through without mobilizing the whole fort. If they don’t constrain the message skill using the skill system itself….”

Yun Yong’s face turned strange. It was something like rage or grief. It was the face of a person who could not accept a fact without great pains. He looked at Chung Heo.

“Saint, examine my body.”

“Why?”

“You will know when you do.”

Chung Heo looked reluctant as he scanned Yun Yong. Because he had gotten the consent of the one being examined, he could inspect more than just his corruption level and spirit pressure. He could see the skills, and stats, and all the figures regarding it.

“Hoo, quite a collection of skills these….. Hrmm? What’s this?”

Chung Heo’s complexion changed slightly.

“All the skills related to message have been restricted?”

It was as he said. All the skills pertaining to any kinds of communication skills have been locked. Yun Yong was a resident of Manticore. The only person who had the power to restrict the skills of their members was the Lord.

“Then everyone in Manticore?”

“Yes.”

“Why? Did you do something against the Lord or something?”

One of the ten sects of Chaos was in crisis, but the Fort restricted communications. Their intentions were clear. They planned to remove all outside influence that could a.s.sist them. Chung Heo did not know what happened, but if the situation was this dismal, then Yun Yong managing to survive was an accomplishment. 

“Then… Who was it. The third or the first sect?”

Groups that could destroy one of the ten sects had to be other sects of the ten. Kaiman commented,

“But this is weird. I thought the Blue Dragon sect and the Black Forest sect had good relations with you?”

“It wasn’t them.”

“Then which sect was it?”

The possibilities of that happening were slimmer than before. There was no way a sect existed that could suppress the 9th seat with overpowering strength, manage to obtain the pardons of the first and third sect, and receive the cooperation of the Lord. The only possible one could have been the second sect, Limitless sect, but that sect was member of Gorgon in the first place. If they moved, there was no way Gorgon wouldn’t notice.

Kang Hw.a.n.g Gua shouted in frustration.

“Just tell us who it was already!”

“…..”

“So who’s the one that demolished your sect? We can’t help or whatever if you don’t tell us anything. It seems like you came here to appeal for revenge.”

“…. Why do you care. You’re not going to help anyways.”

“Huh?!”

Yun Yong flinched before shaking his head.

“The Fire Monarch’s sect alone is inadequate anyway.”

Kaiman, who had only been listening calmly, asked in a whim.

“Then if the North Sea helps too?”

“Still impossible.”

For the help of the 5th sect and the 8th sect to be lacking. Just who was this opponent?

“The reason I wanted to come under your protection was this. The enemy I face cannot be overcome with the ten sects.”

Chung Heo smacked his lips.

“So that’s why you rushed over here. You wanted to get the Lord’s power and retaliate against that foe.”

“….. I apologize for that matter.”

Because his words held veracity, Chung Heo distrusted it the more. Jae Hwan, who had been silent, opened mouth for the first time.

“Can you beat him with the help of Gorgon?”

“…… The truth is, I don’t know either.”

A whole Fortress is moving, and the victory isn’t a.s.sured? Was there such a being in >?

“Who is it.”

“Will you believe what I say?’

“Is this the time to argue your credibility?”

Kang Hw.a.n.g Gua was about to spit fire. After hesitating a long time, Yun Yong said,

“It’s the Forbidden Heaven sect.”

“Are you s.h.i.+tting me?”

Kang Hw.a.n.g Gua exploded.

“The 10th seat? You will have to pay for your words.”

It was something no one could accept as true.

“I also heard that Forbidden Heavens was growing in strength recently. But I cannot believe that they are stronger than the North Sea and Fire Monarch combined.”

The cold voice of Kaiman made Yun Yong describe in detail.

“It seems like I have made an error.  I will start again.”

“You aren’t thinking that changing your words will work?”

The blade of Kang Hw.a.n.g Gua was already drawn. He was not the type to take an insult laying down.

“Not only the 5th and 8th sect, but even the 1st and 3rd together can’t beat them.”

“You s.h.i.+t!”

The one to stop Kang Hw.a.n.g Gua was Kaiman. Despite his anger he asked calmly.

“What do you mean by that?”

“It is as I said.”

“You say that as if Blue Dragon and Black Forest already fought with Forbidden heavens.”

“That is true.”

Kang Hw.a.n.g Gua’s eyes twitched.

“What nonsense….!”

“I was afraid you would all act like this! It’s plain that you won’t believe me…. But do you still not realize why I did not ask those two sects for help and instead came to Gorgon?”

Something was flowing down his cheeks. Kang Hw.a.n.g Gua and Kaiman, who had both been callous could not hide their awkward coughs when they realized that they was tears. A man over 200 shedding tears was an uncomfortable sight.

“Then, did the Blue Dragon and Black Forest also get done in?”

That could not have been. Three sects were destroyed in a single morning? Nothing came close to that in the history of Chaos.

“…. It’s not just those two.”

The next part was truly preposterous.

“They also seized Fort [Manticore].”

A boy lay on the throne of Manticore with an oozing atmosphere of arrogance. Under his feet lay the head of the Lord.

“…. At the end I couldn’t get the guardian gaksu. Well, whatever.”

The Castle Lord’s shrewder than he had expected. Until the very end, he did not hand over the guardian gaksu as he was drained of his spirit power. 

The boy stepped on the head with slight irritation and broke it. It slowly turned into powder.

The ones who were on their knees in front of this boy trembled at this sight of this violence.

Ark of the Forbidden Heavens, Im Jin Hong. 

He appeared like a meteorite one day 30 years ago and flew to the position of the Ark. Some said that he was an [Over-adapter], while some said that he was from the age of legends. But no one knew for sure who he was.

“Er, can I give you my report now?”

“Sure.”

“Firstly, the Blue Dragon sect and the Black Dragon sect-“

“Just show it.”

One of the servants opened a bird view hologram video of the Fort. A live stream of tentacled monsters with ma.s.sive mouths chasing the members of the sects.

-Kwaaaak!

-S, stop!

“Oh, my apologies.”

The volume was too loud. A servant hastily turned it down. On the screen, the markings that indicated the places where battle was ongoing, where it was over, and the average losses of both sides were shown. Jin nodded in satisfaction.

“Everything will be resolved by today it seems.”

“Yes.”

“What happened to the Arks?”

“The Blue Dragon Ark is in the prison cell with his four limbs severed. Black Forest Ark is still out there fighting…. But,”

“Who’s fighting him?”

“The vice-ark and the elders have personally gone out.”

“Then it should end soon.”

“Yes.”

The boy did not particularly do anything threatening, but the servants continued to shake in fear.

“Ahh, did you catch the Thunder guy yet?”

“That’s… I apologize.”

“Huh.”

Jin had a displeased face. That was the only failure in this operation [Capture Manticore].

‘I did not expect them to cooperate so fast.’

As soon as the palace fell, and the exit was blocked, the Arks quickly joined forces to retaliate. The 3rd Ark was especially impressive.

-You, who have delved into forbidden territory, Chaos will not forgive you for what you have done today.

The 3rd Ark had quickly smuggled Yun Yong out of the Fort at that time.

“Did you find out where he escaped to?”

“That’s…. We think Gorgon.”

“Gorgon.”

Things are turning bothersome. Jin had also heard the recent news that was spreading in Chaos.

‘Making an expedition team with his position at stake.’

It was laughable. That someone still held such thoughts in Chaos.

‘I won’t be able to meet the Sovereigns of Darkness anytime soon.’

This large scale invasion was secretly supported by a sovereign of the Great Lands.

Chaos Unification Plan.

According to Jin’s plans, Gorgon Fortress should have been seized already together with Manticore. The troops sent to seize Gorgon was 20 percent of the members of Forbidden heavens. It was not much considering that nearly 50 percent was used to capture Manticore, but the work put into Gorgon was much more in comparison.

‘For Maihan to be subdued…’

He had delegated the matters of Gorgon to Maihan. That should have been more than enough, but Jin had invested even more time and effort into it. But the plan failed. With the entrance of a single man.

‘……Was his name Jae Hwan.’

He roughly knew how it happened. A lone man single handedly killed all his sect members nearing the thousands. He seems to have power equal to or surpa.s.sing that of the Saint. There was also a report that he had killed them all with a single thrust. That was clearly a false report, but nevertheless, that man was something to be wary of. Jin thought as he looked at the video a subordinate had sent. It was the scene where Jae Hwan was fighting Zanya.

‘He looks familiar.’

At that moment, one of the officials in charge of the palace rushed in.

“Excuse me, the Sovereign of Darkness sent a message.”

“The Sovereign? What is it?”

The Sovereign of Darkness, Jerome, was Jin’s greatest supporter. 

As the official was about to open the message, Jin waved his hand lazily.

“Tell me the point.”

“It is the same as the last message.”

“Ahh, the thing about finding his missing [product]?”

“Yes.”

“Ahh, dammit. Why are they asking us to find the thing they lost? Tell him that we understand.”

“Yes.”

When the official retreated, Jin tapped his chair and contemplated something. He opened his mouth after a while.

“It doesn’t make sense does it.”

“Yes?”

“How can a [product] kill the owner of the tower at the tutorial stage and escape to Chaos after destroying the tower? Does this make sense?”

“I, It doesn’t make sense at all! Hahaha!”

“Right. Out of their minds.”

The servants sweated profusely. Because talking of one of the Sovereign in that way, even if he was a lord, was dangerous.  No matter how strong Jin was in Chaos, the ones called sovereigns were on a different plane.

“Anyways. Where were we?”

“That the Thunder sect’s Ark ran away to Gorgon.”

“Then can’t I just leave him be?”

“But….”

“The other Arks are gathered there as well. That’s actually a good thing.”

JIn thought back on the last report Maihan left. If by chance they failed to capture Gorgon for whatever reason, that plan would automatically be executed.

-We will start the annihilation of Gorgon.

That was the last words of Maihan. Jin still did not know what exactly happened to him.

The chilling power of the deceased coming from Gorgon, which Jin could feel even from Manticore. Leaving him, who was approaching the 9th order, trembling on the ground.

King Catastrophe.

Although his presence was gone from Gorgon, Jin knew that his descent from Abyss was not the frightening point. Jin smiled darkly.

“They will soon know why the King of Chaos, Catastrophe, is a natural calamity.”