Chapter 123 – Succession

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Translated by Heavenly Cat

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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Deep in the subterranean depths, the nest where the fallen dragons settled.

Shek advanced forward while cutting down countless dragons.

However, whenever he saw the sprawling corpses and humans mutilated into all sorts of horrific forms, doubt bloomed.

Are there really any living people in this cursed place?

Is it possible to survive from the monsters that rush in chasing the warmth of the living?

The deeper he dug inside, the more resignation piled up rather than expectation.

He wondered if he would just see piles of corpses without any reward for coming all this way.

Everything might be a meaningless act.

It was around the time Shek was being crushed by his own thoughts.

The jingling bell sound brought forth a response he had been vaguely giving up on.

“I-Is it a person?”

A hoarse voice was heard from among the pile of corpses.

Both Shek and the Holy Knights widened their eyes.

It was the moment their expectations missed spectacularly.

However, it was also a pleasant misjudgment that they could accept as much as they wanted.

“Yes, it is a person. We are those who serve the god after the Pantheon.”

“A-A god after the Pantheon.”

“Those who serve the Godfather of Stars, Star Creation. You can call us the Nebula Church. Are you alright? Are you hurt anywhere?”

The moment Shek approached the pile of corpses without thinking.

The voice pinned beneath the pale corpses squeezed his lungs.

“I. I am fine.”

“What do you mean, you’re fine.”

“More than me, i-inside. The people dragged inside.”

“Rest assured. You too…”

“I-I cannot leave here.”

The moment he was about to ask exactly what.

“My family is here.”

One Holy Knight, who failed to notice the meaning contained in those words, smiled good-naturedly.

“You can relax. We will safely rescue them…”

If Shek hadn’t raised his hand and blocked his words, he would have continued.

However, Shek ended up realizing the situation contained in the voice from the pile of corpses.

The ‘here’ the hoarse voice spoke of wasn’t the subterranean cavity.

The disorganized, piled-up human corpses.

Shek could not bring himself to look any further at the pile of corpses muddy with bloody water.

“I am sorry.”

“L-Lastly… The Divine Name the god after the Pantheon possesses.”

The only thing he could do was answer the question.

“It is the Godfather of Stars, Star Creation.”

“Star Creation.”

The hoarse voice inside the pile of corpses began to recite the answer it heard over and over again.

The name of the last god. It was the final echo left by the slowly fading voice.

Shek spoke with a more ferocious face.

“Let’s go.”

“…Yes, Captain.”

Afterwards, it was just as the voice said.

Shek and the Holy Knights were able to safely advance inside.

He saw people raising their heads to the jingling bell sound, chasing the light of the light swords.

However, as expected from the pile of corpses passed by just earlier, not everyone was fine.

“A-Ah.”

Those who had been captured for too long couldn’t even spit out meaningful words, let alone their emaciated bodies.

“Urghrr…”

Some were already dying, parasitized by fallen dragons.

Only those who were relatively fine, having not been caught long ago, stood up while wiping their tears with their sleeves.

“A person?”

“They are armed. Furthermore, what is this divine energy…”

“A-Am I not seeing it wrong? Eh? I-It’s really real, right?”

As soon as Shek saw the survivors, he quickly looked around.

Those who could move properly were roughly two hundred.

There was no way the rest were in a sane mental state either.

“Captain, what should we do?”

The Holy Knights waiting for the next instruction and the people starting to sob.

Shek had to make a decision caught between the two groups.

“Calm them down for now and prepare for evacuation.”

“Yes!”

“Let’s divide the personnel. First, find the people who can definitely move.”

Shek, who had become accustomed to handling people, assigned roles to everyone.

And while the Holy Knights prepared for evacuation, he conversed with the survivors and obtained information.

Doing so, he naturally couldn’t help but shudder at the viciousness of the Celestial Church.

“To think an angel lured innocent people to the plains where the dragons were waiting…!”

Since entering the Oraak Great Plains, the mission of the Holy Knights had been protecting the settlement.

Of course, they expected a fight to break out somewhere they couldn’t see.

However, they didn’t know it would be such a desperate fight.

What Star Creation wanted was clear.

This mighty and benevolent god was extremely reluctant to have his people exposed to danger or fear.

Even amidst secretly hearing about the clash with the Celestial Church, he tried to hide the underlying cruelty.

Was it out of arrogance that they couldn’t just rejoice at such consideration?

However, Shek wasn’t the only one in this place who had questions they wanted to know.

The people dragged into the subterranean depths were likewise curious.

To the point that the Holy Knights preparing for evacuation were sweating profusely.

“You said you serve a god, right? Why did the angels drive us here?”

“Have the gods truly abandoned us?”

“It’s different, it’s different. Our Nebula Church serves the god after the Pantheon…”

As a result of following the Celestial Church, those trapped in this place outright revealed their distrust and fear.

Shek, who was blankly watching that sight, suddenly noticed.

The reason Star Creation sent down Holy Knights instead of angels was because of the distrust towards angels.

‘If the angels had come, they might have been wary.’

Gods are not omniscient and omnipotent as usually known.

However, a few mighty gods are evaluated as being close to omnipotent.

Considering the immense power Star Creation had shown, perhaps Star Creation too was close to omnipotence.

If so, no matter what happened, it would be within Star Creation’s prediction.

“Captain, we’ve counted this side. There are 46 people who can move.”

“We looked further inside, and it seems there are about a dozen who haven’t regained consciousness yet. 20 or 30 still look fine.”

“It’s like an anthill. Past a small passage there are rooms, and it seems there are about twenty per room. However….”

He could intuit it from the fading end of the sentence and the vague expression.

It had been a long time since those who could be saved and those who could not had been divided.

They all unanimously only counted ‘those who can move’.

It was obvious what condition those who couldn’t move were in.

Shek threw a self-deprecating question with a gloomy voice.

“Could you carry fifty people each on your back?”

“…”

What returned was silence.

No matter how outstanding a Holy Knight was, carrying people on their backs in the subterranean depths, in a situation where a dragon attack was foreshadowed, was impossible.

Furthermore, the surface was far, far above.

The Holy Knights couldn’t even show off the bravado of trying and dropped their heads.

If they failed, not only themselves but even those they could have saved would all die.

They were people who were bursting into tears at the thought that they might finally see the light now.

They couldn’t make a guarantee when they couldn’t take responsibility for the aftermath.

At that sight, Shek firmed his resolve.

“Everyone, don’t be intimidated. I just said it.”

Shek recalled the law forced upon the world that his god had told him.

The soul of a killed person is bound to the killer.

What a cruel law.

“…For those already parasitized, if possible, we will take their lives ourselves.”

Shek thought so while readjusting his grip on the light sword.

***

Evacuation and euthanasia were carried out simultaneously.

A choice was given to those who were reduced to hosts.

Will you wait until we come to pick you up, or will you be taken to Elysium here?

Then, those panting in pain looked up at the Holy Knights who came holding light swords and rejoiced.

“T-Thank you. To you… and to your god.”

All the survivors gathered their voices and said.

They would rather be killed than wait or be left behind.

Just as they said, rather than letting out screams that would scatter in vain in fear, they chose to die while looking at the light in their final moments.

The jingling bells of the Holy Knights moved those trapped in the subterranean depths in perfect order.

The number gathered at the end of the guidance was a whopping 214 people.

If adding the corpses encountered while coming to where the survivors were, it was unknown how many had been sacrificed.

“Everyone, move. We will illuminate the surroundings.”

“Thank you, thank you…”

The evacuation was carried out amidst sobbing crying sounds from beginning to end.

Even while climbing the bumpy slope, not a single complaint arose.

Everyone’s thought was the same.

They wanted to escape this place even a second sooner.

Of course, other beings did not want that.

“Aargh!!!”

“It’s okay, you just misstepped. You didn’t sprain your ankle… Here, hold my hand and stand up again.”

“T-Thank you.”

It was when Shek was helping a fallen person stand up.

Kiyaaaaak….

The cry let out by a dragon shook the subterranean depths.

It was a shriek reminiscent of a human’s scream.

Enough to make people unintentionally flinch and shrink their bodies.

Shek firmed up his mind and patted them.

Tried to pat them.

“It will be alright. Don’t be afraid, everyone.”

At that moment, the subterranean depths began to shake noticeably.

Kiyaaaaak….

One cry led to another.

Ki a a a ak.

The faint shrieks were becoming clearer and clearer.

[God who makes stars, brutal god of humans.]

A chilling voice tangled with crying and anger was heard from inside his head.

“C-Captain!”

The Holy Knights also shouted out like a scream.

[Since you held my compatriots responsible for the sin of harming humans.]

However, Shek couldn’t hear their words.

Instead, he witnessed a massive shape crouching inside the shade of the pitch-black subterranean depths.

Large scales showing a variety of natural colors depending on the angle.

The horrific scar remaining where wings originally should have been.

Murky yellowish eyes burning with vengeance.

Lastly, every time it was exhaled, sticking to the surroundings and becoming frost… the cooling breath.

[I too shall hold humans responsible for your sins.]

Gnashing.

Blood overflowed between lips firmly clenched with all his might.

However, Shek, snapping out of the illusion, couldn’t afford to mind his wounds.

“It’s Cooling Breath! Everyone move!”

Kiyaaaaaak-!!!

The dragon’s cry had already approached up close.

Shek’s desperate shout made the people move frantically, but that was all.

If it weren’t for the stark blue roots surrounding them, they might have given up already.

The roots that created the dirt tunnel were constantly extending.

To put it the other way, it meant it was a fierce offensive enough to push back even the mighty Star Creation little by little.

As if to prove this, the divine power flowing through the roots also gradually became rougher.

The breathing sounds of the people climbing the steep slope were the same.

“Heok, heok. Heo-eok.”

“J-Just a little bit.”

“Get a hold of yourself! Didn’t you hear the monsters approaching?!”

“D… Damn it. Damn it!”

There was no room to complain.

It was an opportunity barely grasped, and an opportunity that would not come again.

While the Holy Knights looked around with anxious looks, the people were moving using every ounce of their strength.

Please, may nothing happen.

The prayer offered in his heart, unfortunately, could not be fulfilled.

Because no one other than Star Creation had warned them.

[Cooling Breath is using all its strength. Be careful, the dragons will storm in soon.]

The subterranean depths are originally not a place where a heavenly being could exert influence.

For a god to repel countless enemies in this damp and dark shade was in itself a very exceptional occurrence.

Star Creation was doing his utmost to buy time for the Holy Knights to rescue the people.

For the Star Creation who was like that to now warn the Holy Knights implied many meanings.

The Holy Knights looked at each other and smiled awkwardly.

“I used to hear stories of heroes who killed dragons.”

“Indeed. To think we would become them ourselves…”

At that moment, the dirt wall collapsed.

Looking at the dust cloud bursting and scattering at once, the word explosion would have been more fitting.

If the body covered in milky white slime hadn’t been seen through the gap, they wouldn’t have even known the cause.

One Holy Knight being swallowed was in the blink of an eye.

However, being swallowed didn’t mean dying right away.

As soon as the Holy Knight realized he was swallowed, he began swinging his light sword.

Faint starlight twinkled inside the opaque milky white body.

Although the sword tip never pierced or severed the dragon….

The Holy Knight was swinging his light sword even while being gnawed by the radula.

“Faden!”

“More are coming, run!”

The root barrier created by Star Creation was finally breached.

There was no longer a safe place in the subterranean depths.

Shek pulled up a Holy Knight who was about to lunge and shouted at the top of his lungs.

There was no time to mourn the scheduled death of a comrade.

Thud, thud, thud, thud.

Cracks were forming on the dirt wall covered in roots.

The people, with faces turned pale white, just desperately ran.

However, the limit was clear.

Bang-.

The moment the dirt wall collapsed once more, a fallen dragon squeezed through the gap and opened its split mouth wide.

Inside the mouth fully covered with sharp radula like a leech.

If someone didn’t block it, it looked ready to tear down the dirt wall at any moment.

At that time, Shek inadvertently ended up making eye contact with one Holy Knight.

A shaggily grown faded golden beard.

“Arshed!”

“I’m resolved!”

The running footsteps gradually reduced their speed.

“Captain, I’m doing this because of faith, not because of orders.”

“…”

“So please don’t make such a face.”

The Holy Knight who had been running together with Shek, Arshed, was already falling behind towards the rearguard.

While raising up the people who couldn’t escape yet and passing them forward.

Arshed remained behind like that.

Turning his back a little earlier than Shek taking his eyes off him, he remained inside the damp shadow.

That end could soon be known.

Thud, thud, thud, thud.

“….Captain.”

“…..”

Shek gritted his teeth.

“Heok, d, damn it. M… my breath.”

“H, Honey. I guess this is as far as I go.”

One by one, their stamina was running out.

Starting from the weakened ones, they gasped for breath reeking of sweetness.

Then, several of the Holy Knights exchanged glances.

And before Shek could say anything, they began to fall behind little by little, inconspicuously.

“Alang, Hop.”

“Doesn’t it feel like knights from the old days? It’s cool. Things like ‘leave the rear to me’.”

“A knight. It reminds me of my mum who smacked me when I said I wanted to be a knight.”

Trivial chatter, trembling hands.

It was the last appearance they showed when they were in the light.

When Shek noticed belatedly and looked back, they were looking at Shek with quivering eyelids.

“…..”

Shek couldn’t catch them.

Couldn’t catch them.

Like that, the three people also remained in the moldy darkness.

It was the same throughout afterwards.

The dragons constantly tried to collapse the root-covered cave.

In the end, whenever the cave collapsed, the Holy Knights volunteered one by one to remain behind.

Countless dragons died fighting the Holy Knights.

And the Holy Knights also died while preventing the dragons from approaching.

-Prepare for horrific pain and death.

There were also those who collapsed while climbing the winding slope.

“I, ihii… I… Not anymore. Aha, ha, haaa….”

“Hold on.”

“Ehee…. Eh? Yes?”

“Let’s get out. Definitely.”

Shek reached out his hand towards the fallen one, pulled them up, and looked at them clearly.

“Heo-eok, heoheoheoheo… huuheuheuheu… Yes, yes. Yes!”

Even though it was just two words and a hand reached out, the man burst into tears and stood up.

However, the dragons had no intention of letting the humans go easily.

The dirt pouring down from the ceiling increased more and more.

Even amidst the death throes of dragons screaming endlessly right before they died, the walls shook.

Eventually, when there were merely fifteen Holy Knights left beside the survivors, everyone in the subterranean depths heard a furious voice.

[The strong eats the weak. The hungry devours others to appease their hunger!]

Cooling Breath was roaring.

[God who makes stars, I shall devour all the humans you cherish so much and take revenge!]

At the same time, the sound of the ground shaking became fiercer.

Cooling Breath, the archdemon leading the dragons, was finally moving.

A being that humans couldn’t possibly handle.

What must be done to stall for even a single second.

The moment the remaining Holy Knights looked at each other, Shek was inadvertently recalling a passing memory.

-I, I don’t think I can do it like you, brother.

His brother who fought to the end hoping Den would survive.

-Don’t let go!

Ad, who always took care of him with a confident attitude.

‘Looking at it now, the subterranean depths and underwater are alike.’

Above the slope Shek looked up at, a faint light lingered.

It was the light that guided the floundering Shek to the surface of the water.

Up there was the surface where the mighty and benevolent last god for humanity waited.

“I’m staying.”

“Captain?”

“It’s better for one to stay than for fifteen to stay.”

Shek’s footsteps began to slow down.

“Captain, what about Den!”

“I’ll leave it to you!”

“Captain!”

“I somehow became the captain, but they were still my people.”

Shek, who had stopped blankly at some point, swept up the blade of the light sword with his index finger.

Praise the great Godfather of Stars, the young father.

May he shine from the sky to the darkest subterranean depths.

The slogan Star Creation himself had shouted was unknowingly engraved in Shek’s mind.

“I should receive his will and illuminate the subterranean depths.”

“Captain….”

“Take the people and go out. Lead those who crave the light.”

“What about you, Captain!”

Shek burst into laughter.

“I’ve seen enough to be blinded, so I’m fine.”

And he turned his back without any lingering attachments.

Down the downhill path with not a single handful of light left, towards the moldy and gloomy shadow of the subterranean depths.

Whatever they said, it wouldn’t get through.

The Holy Knights, noticing the firm resolve in his turned back, had no choice but to move again in the end.

The survivors, squeezing in between and gasping for breath, also followed the Holy Knights.

Instead, before leaving, they looked at Shek with profound eyes.

Someone didn’t understand, and someone didn’t hide their mournful eyes.

Finally, when everyone had left.

Left alone, Shek aimed the tip of his sword at the approaching roar.

‘It’s okay.’

While forcing his trembling hand to clench and open.

‘…It was a life that already died once anyway. A-Ah, no.’

While licking the dried blood scab on his lips.

“It is a-a bit scary after all.”

Unable to hide his bursting tears, he stood his ground.