Chapter 218 – Outer Gods and Reverse Heaven (2)

“It’s truly a coincidence to see you here!”

As Alon wore a bewildered expression, Elivan brightened with somewhat exaggerated gestures.

“I didn’t expect to see you here.”

“I know, right? I didn’t know either!”

Elivan, who was smiling brightly, also bowed his head toward Utia beside Alon.

“Hello, Cardinal. We meet here.”

“Indeed. Have you been well, Elivan?”

“Of course.”

Alon asked him, who had a smile all over his face.

“I thought I heard you were in Ashtalon, why are you here? Moreover, where are your companions?”

He had heard news that he was dealing with aberrant gates that appeared in Ashtalon until recently.

He wondered why he was here.

“My companions are waiting in the base, and I came up to the North because I have some business for a moment.”

“Business?”

“Yes!”

A cheerful answer.

Did Elivan have work to do in the North?

Alon briefly fumbled through the information in his head.

[……Of course, it’s not that there isn’t any.]

According to the original story of Psychedelia.

After a bit more time passes from here, Elivan will have a lot of work to do.

The aberrant gates appearing in the North were one thing.

But a bigger reason was precisely because the barbarians and the Outer God ‘Ultultus’ would appear.

However, that’s only if things flowed according to the original story.

Ultultus had already appeared several years ago and Alon had defeated him.

In other words, from the moment Ultultus was defeated, as far as Alon knew, no major threat existed in the North.

If there was any existing threat, it was about the level of an aberrant gate.

[Just as the Horizon was changed to be visitable in the DLC, if another quest had been created when the DLC was added, there might be something to do……]

As Alon’s silence lengthened, Elivan continued the conversation.

“I heard there is a hidden dungeon in the North, so I came to clear that dungeon.”

“A hidden dungeon?”

“Yes. I received a request to bring back an item inside the dungeon.”

“I see.”

Since it seemed like a kind of quest from the DLC.

Alon, who roughly guessed the reason he came, did not bother to ask further.

Soon they headed inside the outpost.

####

“That concludes the current situation in the North.”

Immediately after entering the outpost.

A knight guarding the base gave a briefing to Deus.

Alon, who was listening beside him, became puzzled at one point.

Namely,

“……Divine Descent has occurred?”

“Yes.”

The phenomenon of Divine Descent was appearing among the monsters of the snowy mountains.

Divine Descent.

Upon hearing that Divine Descent, a phenomenon where strange crystals grow on monsters and also a premonitory symptom of an Outer God’s appearance, was occurring.

Alon could not help but frown inwardly.

[……Divine Descent at this point suddenly?]

As far as Alon knew, as long as Ultultus, namely, the Abnormal God of Monstrous Strength, had disappeared.

Normally, an Outer God should not appear anymore at this point.

[Besides, the fact that Divine Descent was first observed in the North means there’s a high probability that an Outer God will emerge in the North.]

Basically, the Divine Descent phenomenon affects the entire continent when an Outer God appears.

However, the phenomenon primarily appears first in the region where the Outer God intends to descend.

And as far as Alon knew, there were no regions where the Divine Descent phenomenon had appeared recently.

In other words, the only fact that could be known from the story the knight just delivered was one thing.

Precisely, an Outer God was descending in the North.

As soon as he recalled that fact, Alon’s head became complicated.

Since the Divine Descent phenomenon had begun.

It wouldn’t be strange for an Outer God to descend at any time from now on.

But what confused Alon’s head even more was.

The fact itself that an Outer God was descending in the North.

[Just who on earth is descending?]

As far as Alon knew, the only one descending in the North was the Abnormal God of Monstrous Strength, and there were no other Outer Gods.

Of course, there were about three additional Outer Gods who hadn’t appeared since Kailus.

But the places where they appeared were elsewhere, not the North.

[……Were Outer Gods also added in the DLC?]

Thus, there were two facts Alon could suppose.

One was that one of the Outer Gods he knew was descending to the ground.

The other was that an Outer God added in the DLC, whom he didn’t even know, was descending.

Alon, thinking for a moment, erased the latter case from the possibilities.

The Psychedelia DLC that Alon had not purchased.

Its purpose was to lower the difficulty of Psychedelia by adding various non-human powerhouses who would become the protagonist’s companions when dealing with the Five Great Sins, along with additional quests.

In other words, there was no way an Outer God that raised the game’s difficulty would have been added in the DLC.

Then, only one thing remained.

[One of the Outer Gods I know is descending here. If so, the Outer God that would appear at this point, now that the Abnormal God of Monstrous Strength has been dealt with, is only one person.]

Outer God Neltar.

Alon made a somewhat dizzy expression at the name passing through his head.

Possessing four arms and black skin like a demon, he boasted unrivaled abilities even among Outer Gods.

As an Outer God who was tricky to deal with in Psychedelia and only appeared in the late game, he was a very strong existence.

If he were to reveal himself at this point.

Even assuming Alon prepared magic and landed a clean hit, it was uncertain whether he could win.

[No.]

Strictly speaking, it was a very difficult task for the current Alon to defeat Neltar.

Not just because of the difference in power, but because of the issue of compatibility.

Because Alon was excessively vulnerable to the abilities that Outer God possessed.

Thinking up to that point, Alon steadied his breath and cooled his head.

Anyway, at this point, any kind of inference was meaningless.

Because there were quite a lot of differences between what Alon knew and the current situation to deduce each unforeseen circumstance one by one.

Therefore, Alon decided to focus on what he had to do right now.

[How shall I enter the Horizon?]

As far as Alon knew, the way to enter the Horizon was simple yet difficult.

The reason the method was simple was because the path was out in the open.

Yet, the reason it was difficult was because he had to fight the barbarians.

Especially since the barbarians were blocking the way to the Horizon, he could not avoid a fight with them no matter how he moved.

[……Should I receive help from Reinhardt like last time and be shot down from the air?]

After the simple briefing time concluded.

Alon, who was returning to his room, fell into thought.

At that time.

“Teacher.”

“……Utia?”

Utia’s voice was heard.

“Last time, you mentioned you had business at the Horizon of the Snowy Mountains, right?”

“That’s right.”

“Have you found a way to head toward the Horizon?”

“Strictly speaking, there is a way, but honestly, it’s not a good one. I’d have to face the barbarians as well.”

As if peering right into Alon’s head.

Utia took one more step closer.

“Then shall I tell you about a path?”

“……A path?”

“Yes, if you go there, you’ll probably be able to head straight there without having to face the barbarians.”

“There is such a path?”

As Alon asked back in surprise, Utia nodded.

“Yes, in fact, it’s something I heard in detail after coming here.”

“……About a shortcut toward the Horizon of the Snowy Mountains?”

“Yes, I heard that the priests who arrived here earlier discovered it.”

Alon, who briefly recalled the priests who were at the outpost earlier, asked Utia.

“Is the Pope’s order related to the Horizon of the Snowy Mountains?”

“Strictly speaking, we seem to be related to that cave connected to the Horizon of the Snowy Mountains.”

“I see, so the connecting path is a cave.”

“Yes, but the information is certain.”

Alon pondered and then nodded.

“……Then I shall receive some help.”

“Don’t mention it.”

“No. I feel like I’m always receiving help from you. Is there perhaps something you want?”

Utia gave a bright eye-smile.

“Are you going to listen?”

“Within what is possible for me.”

“Hmm.”

At those words, Utia seemed to think for a moment and then spoke.

“May I talk about it next time?”

“There’s no reason why not.”

“Then I’ll tell you next time. Hmm, after accumulating quite a bit.”

“……Accumulating?”

“Yes, I thought that if I help you even more and accumulate a lot of your heart before speaking, I might be able to make an even greater request.”

“Well, I am willing to listen even up to a certain limit now, but…”

At that, Utia paused for a moment.

Soon.

Her eyes, still curved, stared at Alon.

?

While Alon tilted his head at that sight.

“Is that so?”

Breaking the short silence, her voice vibrated in the air.

“Then, I have some business, so I’ll go first today, teacher.”

Utia left the place first.

Alon watched her retreating figure for a moment.

####

The next day.

Early in the dawn, Elivan headed to the dungeon.

Alon moved along the shortcut where he wouldn’t face the barbarians with Utia.

Deus, who moved a little later than that.

Soon arrived at the boundary line confronting the barbarians, but.

?

A small doubt blossomed in his head.

The reason was.

[The enemy, isn’t there?]

Because not a single barbarian who should have been visible beyond the boundary line could be seen.

A situation where nothing could be seen, as if they had all evaporated as a group.

Deus muttered in bewilderment.

“……An ambush?”

But the adjutant shook his head.

“No.”

“Then where did all those barbarians who were swarming like goblins go? Besides, the chiefs are not seen either.”

“From what I’ve checked with the soldiers, it is said they hurriedly headed somewhere early this morning.”

“……Headed somewhere?”

“Yes.”

At the adjutant’s report, the wonderment on Deus’s face grew even deeper.

At that point.

“Is it here?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Alon looked up at the giant cave in front of him.

“……It is large.”

“If you pass through this cave, the Horizon the Marquis was looking for will be visible immediately.”

Alon, who was nodding, asked Utia as if he had remembered something.

“By any chance, isn’t this place barbarian territory?”

“Hmm, I don’t know about that part, but I heard that the barbarians did not come when the priests investigated.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. So don’t worry and go on.”

Alon, who was about to naturally move his steps at Utia’s send-off, soon felt a doubt.

“……Wait, aren’t you going together?”

“Yes, I told you yesterday, but my investigation site is strictly near this cave.”

“I see.”

“Take your time. Meanwhile, I’ll be doing my own work.”

Utia waved her hand readily with a smile.

Alon pondered for a moment, but.

“Then I’ll be going.”

He left her and entered the cave.

Soon.

Utia, who had been waving until Alon’s figure disappeared.

“Everyone came earlier than I thought.”

She turned her body, wiping away any trace of a smile.

Before her eyes as she turned around,

“……Wench.”

Were the barbarians.

Moreover,

Not just one person,

Dozens.

Hundreds. No,

Enough to clearly distinguish the world unified in gray.

Countless barbarians were surrounding Utia.

Nearly tens of thousands of eyes looked down at her simultaneously.

The murderous intent and fighting spirit from their bodies were directed at Utia.

And the strongest tribal chief among the eight barbarian tribes.

The man who could be called the head of virtually all barbarians in terms of military force.

Ruraka, a giant over eight feet tall, stepped forward.

“Did you commit this act?”

“What do you mean?”

“I am asking if you, wench, cut off all the blessings and spells that have descended upon our barbarians’ sanctuary for the past thousand years, and stepped foot into this forbidden sanctuary.”

A very rough voice.

However,

“What if I did?”

Utia calmly asked back.

“Do you even know what you’ve done now? You’ve cut off this noble sanctuary and the spells that all of us barbarians have protected since the time we’ve lived in this barren North!”

Utia burst into a light laugh as she saw Ruraka trembling all over with anger.

“Oh my, that’s…… a pity. But I had my reasons too.”

“Rea, sons?”

“Yes, I needed a path to the Horizon. This is the only most convenient path to the Horizon without him running into you, isn’t it?”

“……What??”

“Didn’t you understand?”

“Just for something like that, you recklessly destroyed the sanctuary and spells we’ve protected for over a thousand years?”

Ruraka clutched the giant axe he was holding as if he could no longer endure it.

But Utia did not stop moving her red lips.

“Something like that? It’s important to me. He found it tiring to run into you.”

Without even a hint of fear.

“So, do you think that idiot won’t run into us?”

“Idiot, you say.”

At that moment,

Silence descended on the area.

Utia, who was rolling the word Ruraka spat out in her mouth for a moment.

“Of course, from the moment you said those words,”

She soon nodded.

“Because anyway, all of you will die here.”

At that time, as her hand was slowly raised and her index finger was extended…

Countless barbarians rushed toward her, enough to discern the gray world.

It was truly an overwhelming sight.

The murderous intent of the barbarians took shape, dyeing the gray world dark red.

The madness of the barbarians was focused solely on one person.

The weapons they were holding were also directed at only one person, Utia.

Finally, the moment those blades were about to reach her body.

Swish.

The thin index finger moved slightly.

From left to right.

Only once.

And then.

Tick.

From Utia’s mouth,

At the same time as a small sound like a clock hand ticking flowed out.

Bloom.

The gray world.

Was dyed in blood flowers.

“-”

Everyone was silent.

No, they were forced into silence.

The bodies of the barbarians who had rushed in no longer existed.

What existed there was purely red blood and flesh.

Besides that,

Nothing existed.

Thus, a giant red circle formed around the girl.

The red blood left by the disappearing barbarians painted death,

And the fragments of the barbarians awakened the survival instinct in their comrades.

The barbarians’ murderous intent soon turned into tension,

And their madness bloomed into an eternity of fear.

And.

The girl standing in the center, Utia Bloodia.

Toward those who mocked him and were dyed in fear, once again,

“Tick.”

She just indifferently spat out.

A sentence of death.