Chapter 228: Als Nova (2)

Translator: Subak

Editor: Arya

---

Muyoung could only be surprised.

The story of having experienced the world one more time. That meant that he knew of Muyoung's return in time.

But he maintained his composure externally.

The administrator spoke.

"The concept of 'time' doesn't exist in the nothingness. The me that you are seeing could be the me from the future or the past. That's why I can recognize a being whose shaft has gone wrong."

He seemed to understand what he was saying. At least it meant that this place didn't work with normal ways of thinking.

The existence of the being calling himself as administrator of nothingness was really pale. Something like a mirage. There was nothing Muyoung would lose by telling him the story of what he had faced.

"What are you curious about?"

"About everything. Don't worry. The time you spend here doesn't affect the time in reality."

He had a lot of time.

Muyoung opened his mouth slowly.

"I..."

What he wanted was a story he was confident in being able to tell it until he got bored.

But of course, he wouldn't think about telling the story in a funny or boring way.

*

Enroth's 'castle' arrived near the territory.

It was big enough to cover the entire territory and it was surrounded by uncountable demons.

However he didn't proceed to attack.

What he  did first was to make a kind of 'declaration'.

"I don't enjoy harassing the weak. Accept defeat and subject to me."

But of course, the only one he wanted was the elder lich. The reason he spoke in that way was to find out the belief of the elder lich.

If the elder lich loved and treasured this place then it would follow follow Enroth.

The lich wasn't a fool. There was no way that a magician at that level would be a fool.

A difference this big.

The three demon kings and the balrog that appeared before were merely appetizers.

It wasn't possible for the lich to not know that and if it was a wise magician he would recognize the difference between them and lower its head.

But of course...

Bang! Bang bang!

The magic circles that were installed exploded and damaged the nearby demons.

A trap he prepared beforehand.

It meant that he wasn't planning on agreeing to his terms.

"How foolish."

It would have been good if he had admitted defeat.

But it didn't matter.

He could take him by force and brainwash him.

Enroth hit the ground with his staff.

Boom!

Blue particles spread endlessly near the castle.

The demons that touched that particle went berserk and turned into mad warriors.

The number of demons inside the castle was 300.000.

Compared to that, all the forces the territory had was merely 100.000.

Even though they were better in quality, there weren't many methods to overcome the difference in numbers.

If absolute power could overturn all tides then the Devils wouldn't have demon kings under their commands.

Enroth thought that strong power also had its limits and he knew several methods to strengthen his forces.

Enroth sat in his throne again and savored the battlefield.

'They are like moths flying into fire.'

Devils liked to suppress others by forces.

And it was no different for Enroth.

The maddened demons were taking the lives of their enemies with crushing power.

But they couldn't easily pierce the middle. It was because of the strong undead, including the elder lich, were stopping them.

'Let's see how long you can endure.'

Something like a hologram appeared in front of Enroth. It was showing the battlefield live.

Enroth looked at the elder lich with eyes of those looking at a disciple.

Bae Sungmin gritted his teeth.

He had prepared many things. 

He already knew that Enroth was going to invade so he mobilized all his wisdom to prepare for that.

The walls were built to be higher with the help of the dwarves and installed countless invisible mines in the air.

He researched black magic to strengthen the undead and also improved the quality of the armor that the soldiers were wearing by a stage.

He also offered lots of things as sacrifices to summon an 'undead knight' but...

'I didn't have enough time.'

Enroth had suddenly increased the speed at which he advanced.

Bae Sungmin had expected 10 days but Enroth arrived in merely 2 days.

There was a limit on how much he could prepare in two days. That's why he had to squeeze out what he already had.

"Beatrice, make a hole in the enemy's castle."

The strongest card Bae Sungmin had was the witch Beatrice. The ray of light she fired encroached everything. It returned everything to nothingness.

It was hard to miss a castle that big.

Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

Beatrice started to shed tears of blood after receiving Bae Sungmin's order.

At that moment, a huge ray of light got fired towards Enroth' castle.

Baaaaaaaaaaang!

An explosion so loud that shook the ground was heard.

But Bae Sungmin' shook his head.

'It doesn't work.'

It was shallow. The castle was being protected with Enroth' magic.

That meant that not even Beatrice was comparable to Enroth in magic.

That by itself was fearful enough.

If they couldn't make a hole in the castle then it was hard to think about doing a guerilla. In the end they would have to fight hand to hand but the enemy was passing through the field of mines and charged.

'The demons got strengthened. How did he do it with that kind of number?'

The problem wasn't simply in numbers.

The demons that lost their will and went berserk. Taking a glance at them it looked like they got twice as strong.

It was close to impossible to strengthen tens of thousands of demons at the same time.

At least, Bae Sungmin wasn't able to do that. His limit was to strengthen 500 important undead.

'Enroth...'

He had heard that he was a magician.

Then, he was a powerful being that couldn't be ignored.

"I will go in."

At that moment Bae Suzy got next to Bae Sungmin.

Bae Sungmin got to know her name. Even though they had the same surname Bae Sungmin didn't tell his name to Bae Suzy.

My name of the past isn't that important and even if I tell her she will just start blabbering.

'So she borrowed master's strength.'

At the same time he realized a few more things.

That Bae Suzy had come as Muyoung's cover for a moment.

And that Muyoung was getting accustomed to the new power he had obtained.

'I must endure until master recovers.'

He decided to throw away all the unnecessary feelings.

Whatever the case, the most important thing was to hold up.

"You are going to that castle?"

"Ain gave me the blessing of the moon. If I add my stealth then I will be able to enter the ship unnoticed. This war will also end when we get that demon king, right?"

Ain was one of the higher classed high elf.

Bae Sungmin also wasn't able to sense Bae Suzy's presence until she got close to him and talked to him.

But will assassination work on Enroth?

There were 300.000 demons only on the outside. There would be even more inside.

"Just tell me where is Enroth. I will get his head."

Bae Sungmin thought.

'How foolish.'

Bae Suzy's thoughts were really foolish.

Honestly speaking, the probabilities of success was close to 0%. It was the same even if he specified her the location.

But... there were always maybes. And it would also buy they some time.

Buying time. That was the most important task in the current situation.

It was a battle on whether they could endure or not until Muyoung appeared.

If Muyoung lost everything would end but Bae Sungmin didn't even think of Muyoung losing.

"Wait."

Bae Sungmin got determined.

That he would buy time with Bae Suzy.

They would be able to buy a day if they grasped Enroth' location and destroyed some of the power sources supporting the castle.

Bae Sungmin then flew into the air.

Enroth was a magician.

And magicians had a strong pride.

Bae Sungmin was planning on provoking him. With a magic Enroth would never be able to imitate.

"Gravity field."

Swoooosh.

It looked like rain was falling.

Black particles fell down from the sky and stuck to the ground. Then, it started to pull everything in the ground with great force.

It was a magic used for big battles that Bae Sungmin had come up with as he handled gravity.

But the allies also weren't able to get off this influence. It couldn't even inflict big damage to the castle. It was a magic that needed more improvement but the clear thing was that it could control 'gravity'.

Booooooooom!

The huge castle floating in the sky got pulled down to the ground.

There was no bigger provocation than this.

It wasn't able to damage it much but it would scratch his pride if Bae Sungmin was Enroth.

Booooooooom!

As expected, the castle started to float up once again with great force as if answering back.

Enroth was interfering.

Bae Sungmin read where was the center of that power.

"Over there."

A bit higher from the center of the ship.

Bae Sungmin engraved the location to Bae Suzy with carving magic and also carved some points that she had to destroy.

Nod!

Bae Suzy nodded.

"I will end this war."

She had to enter before the ship floated up again.

Bae Suzy moved like an arrow and Bae Sungmin continued the confrontation of pride with Enroth. 

***

"This is Als Nova. It is a book that contains the great circulation magic."

The administrator handed over Als Nova to Muyoung. But it was more of a small marble than a book.

However it clearly wasn't a simple marble.

When Muyoung checked it up close, countless information filled his head.

"Mm."

Muyoung could only fall back a step. The information it contained was too vast that he couldn't see properly.

"Your soul will get destroyed if you look at it for a long time."

"I thought so."

For him to not be able to handle the information of Als Nova even though he obtained a half divinity.

This marble hit your consciousness and soul.

But he was able to memorize some important magic in that short instant.

"Your story was really interesting. I hope we can meet again."

The administrator of nothingness hid himself. Muyoung looked at the place he was standing at and then turned around.

He had obtained an unexpected treasure. He didn't know that nothingness would be at the lowest place, at the smallest place.

In addition...he obtained a hint that Solomon could be still alive.

'I will find him if he's alive.'

He had to ask him of his responsibility.

Muyoung nodded and returned.

His soul started to head higher and swell up and then arrived at the world.

Booom!

When he opened his eyes he could only hear explosions.

There was quite a lot of distance from there but Muyoung could hear that as if it was happening right next to him.

'So Enroth invaded.'

It happened faster than he expected. But he couldn't just watch from behind because it was fast.

Muyoung stood up.

Swish.

And then disappeared like smoke.

***

"We are retreating!"

Bae Sungmin came to a conclusion.

The war became less advantageous for them the longer it kept on.

They needed to retreat and inspect their arrangements.

He was worried about Bae Suzy but the probabilities for her to succeed were faint. He couldn't continue to defend this place to the end while betting on that small probability.

'There is no hope like this.'

Enroth' advance was just too fast.

The only thing Bae Sungmin could do with his strength was to stop him. However, not for long.

"Stop them! Block their escape path!"

"It's a hunt! Wahahaha!"

The demons ran wild but it seemed like they hadn't gone completely crazy. They had the least bit of consciousness to 'hunt' efficiently.

That was really bothersome.

Bae Sungmin clicked his tongue.

If they retreated like this he would lose about two to three thousand warriors. But he still had to do it.

If he didn't, he wouldn't be able to avoid annihilation.

"Fall...."

Baaaaang!

It was at that moment.

Something came flying.

It came flying like a cannonball but its range couldn't be compared to a mere cannonball at all.

A huge crater got formed and about 500 demons died by that aftershock.

Flames!

A strong fire devoured the nearby demons.

The demons got astonished and fell back. Normal demons don't leave behind a corpse so the demons that were nearby turned into dust and scattered.

There was someone at the middle of that,

"Master?"

Muyoung!

He had appeared.

Fwhoooosh!

The Ruler of Fire. The fire created by the real Ruler of Fire couldn't get put out. At first, the fire was merely a copy of Diablo's fire but now the power became Muyoung's complete authority.

Six pair of wings also got created by fire.

Muyoung approached in that state.

The demons couldn't dare think to get close.

"Where is Bae Suzy?"

"She entered the ship."

Bae Sungmin kneed down and answered.

Muyoung frowned.

"Why didn't you stop her?"

"It was something she wished. She should at least be able to buy some time."

"Are you fine with that?"

At this point, Bae Sungmin also tilted his head. It was because this was the first time Muyoung asked such trivial things.

"Is there a reason why I shouldn't?"

Maybe he didn't recognize her?

He could not know because Muyoung didn't tell him but it was too coincidental.

He couldn't turn a blind eye to it.

He couldn't ignore this matter anymore.

How indignant would it be if he never knew the truth in front of him?

But of course, he just let it pass until now because it would get more chaotic but the story changed if the two involved parties had gathered.

And Muyoung didn't wish the two of them to fall in crueler situations because of ignorance.

Muyoung said.

"Bae Suzy is your daughter."

Chapter 229: Als Nova (3)

Translator: Subak

Editor: Arya, DearestKafka

---

"Just what..."

Bae Sungmin got serious.

A daughter?

He was a lich. An elder lich. The king of all liches. All the memories before that were vague.

He couldn't think that he would have any ties with living beings excluding Muyoung.

But it wasn't just a tie but it was his daughter?

"I can't make a long explanation but Bae Suzy is indeed your daughter."

Muyoung looked up the 'castle'.

The castle that got out of the effect of the gravity field was floating up once again. 

In addition, even more devils had appeared and their escape routh was being blocked.

Bae Sungmin flinched.

Mu young had no reason to lie. He always spoke the truth or at least he never lied to Bae Sungmin.

If Muyoung's words were true.

It felt like the sky was falling down the moment he thought like that.

"So... the thing I have to find is."

Bae Sungmin had always anguished. 

He felt like he had lost something really important. 

He always had the pressure that he had to find something.

But he had never imagined that that something was his daughter.

"I didn't want to bring you confusion. No, actually I couldn't make a judgement. You are someone that stands on death and Bae Suzy grieves for life."

That's right. Muyoung couldn't make a judgement regarding this matter.

That was the biggest reason but it was also an excuse.

He just couldn't judge what was right and what was wrong.

Bae Sungmin had died. Died and became a lich and also lost most of his memories of the past.

Muyoung couldn't know how knowing that he had a child would affect him in that unstable state.

That's why he kept reserving it for later...but he thought that he should tell him the truth when the two involved parties have met.

It wasn't that he could evade it forever.

"Bae Suzy. Is that kid really my daughter...?"

"I will respect your choice."

He left saving and not saving Bae Suzy to Bae Sungmin.

Bae Sungmin had become a completely new existence after he died. It meant that he didn't have to rely on memories from when he was alive.

But Muyoung was going to respect his decision if he chose to grab onto his past.

Bae Sungmin was disoriented right now.

He was the one that drove Bae Suzy to the jaws of death even though she had requested it.

He didn't feel a bit of guilt at that decision.

But would he have done the same if he knew that she was his daughter?

Most of Bae Sungmin's emotions were dulled. A lich was originally a dry existence. It wasn't probable that denial existed in him.

'Why can't I remember anything, why!'

But the current Bae Sungmin was experiencing extreme instability in his emotions.

He couldn't remember anything even though he heard the truth.

But it seemed like a milder scene was being made when he put Bae Suzy in his memories.

He wouldn't hesitate at all if memories did pop up.

"Is that kid...alive?"

"She is, but it seems like she is not in a good state."

Muyoung and Bae Suzy were connected. But of course, he couldn't know everything just because of that. However the clear thing was that she was weakening.

Bae Sungmin nodded.

"I, I will go find her. I have never seen that kid properly."

When Bae Sungmin first saw Bae Suzy he had compared her as a 'rat'.

And didn't try to face her after that either.

Why did he do that?

It was because he got swept in unknown emotions when he saw her.

He had to face her properly at least once but he couldn't do so.

'I need to see her. Keep looking at her until a clear picture gets drawn in my head.'

It wouldn't be late even after facing her, holding a proper conversation and coming to a conclusion.

But he had to first rescue Bae Suzy if he wanted to do that.

The work of rescuing someone that crawled to death. That was something that didn't suit a lich at all as they were 'death' itself.

Muyoung smiled faintly.

"I will open up a path."

Their escape route was blocked.

They couldn't do anything against the tens of thousands of strengthened devils with just twenty thousand.

Flames!

The fire got wilder.

The six pairs of wings Muyoung had got swept in the fire and became so huge it could touch the sky.

And then, Muyoung closed his eyes and recited.

"That light has certainly existed."

Beams!

A hole pierced the sky.

And light brighter than ever covered the ground.

"Graaaaagh!"

"Sa, save me! It hurts!"

"Please! Argh!"

The devils that touched the light struggled in pain.

The divinity Muyoung possessed got strengthened with a chant of Als Nova.

Als Nova was a gathering of short prayers.

If you possessed a divinity, you were able to show this much strength just by reciting a chant.

But not even Muyoung knew all of the prayers. He was able to memorize some strong chants when he first saw Als Nova.

"Burn like fire and roar like the sea."

Swoooosh!

Muyoung's wings got instantly bigger and then devoured all of the devils at its range.

More than a hundred thousand devils perished with just two attacks.

But there were still lots of devils left but they couldn't help but get shocked at what happened in an instant.

Totter!

Muyoung tottered.

'The chants of Als Nova consume a lot of strength.'

At most three times. That was the number of chants Muyoung could recite. He felt like his magic power and divinity wouldn't be able to endure more than that.

Shiing!

Muyoung pulled out Anguish.

He had succeeded in bringing chaos to the enemy and also opened up a path. He couldn't miss this opportunity.

"You won't be late if you go now."

Followed by that Muyoung raised Anguish high.

All the spirits, undead, Ogar and Tacan looked at Muyoung.

"Follow me. It's time to annihilate the enemy."

* * *

"Who are you?"

Bang!

Enroth slammed down his staff.

At the same time, black tentacles surged up and covered the body of the infiltrator.

He couldn't think that someone could pass through countless devils and reach the center of the castle.

Anyone besides Enroth would have been killed.

But it was precisely because it was Enroth that he didn't get killed.

The infiltrator shut her mouth shut. Blood was flowing from her body but didn't die yet. But the clear thing was that she would fall to a dangerous state soon.

Enroth shook his head while looking at the infiltrator.

"I made the wrong question. Let me state it again. Who is 'he'?"

Enroth was looking at Bae Suzy but he was feeling that 'someone' that was beyond Bae Suzy.

He didn't kill Bae Suzy right away because of that strong presence.

The one pulling the strings all of that happened. Perhaps, the real one that killed Shar-Shazar.

He was careless towards Bae Suzy or the lich but the real deal was the 'someone' that was beyond.

"Is he a demon god? Someone that was born in another world like Diablo?"

Bae Suzy was connected with that 'someone'.

But he felt a gap that he didn't know. A gap this big...There were none at least between demon kings. It was a gap he could only see in transcendent beings or demon gods.

But it was also new. He had never felt a gap of this kind.

Bae Suzy showed a small smile.

It was enough with that.

"In other words you are the kind that doesn't understand with good words."

Enroth was curious. He felt like dying because of that curiosity. That's why he tried to take control of Bae Suzy's mind.

Moving consciousness was Enroth' specialty. Playing with the consciousness of a completely suppressed opponent was like child’s play to him.

He extended his hand and grabbed Bae Suzy's hair. Then wrote some runes with his staff.

"I will ask you again. Who is 'he'? Tell me what the existence that is inside you."

It didn't take long.

But Bae Suzy wasn't answering.

She was just letting out a strange laugh.

She had fainted.

It didn't matter if she fainted or not if the mind control worked properly.

Originally Bae Suzy should have answered Enroth' question.

But there was only one case if she didn't answer.

'My mind control doesn't work?'

He couldn’t believe it. His power to dominate wasn't working!

The Demon King of Iron Enroth. The real power he had was to control and dominate.

That was also the reason he could strengthen hundreds of thousands of devils at the same time.

But it was obvious for Enroth' strength to not work.

When Muyoung got out of the Blue Temple he planted a 'self defense mechanism' on Bae Suzy.

It was a measure to not let know of others the existence of Muyoung but the mechanism also had a strong 'mental defense'.

'Wung Chunglin's' brainwash was top class. It was also better than Enroth' at some detailed parts.

Compared to Enroth that simply pushed with magic power and magic, Wung Chunglin had organized the mind in a really systematic way.

Muyoung had prepared for Wung Chunlin so there was no way it would get pierced that easily.

Only then did Enroth' expression change.

"So I was the one that got baited...!"

Flames!

At that moment, a huge pillar of light shone on the castle and the exploding fire engulfed the castle once again. The barrier protecting the castle melted down just like that.

A defenseless state. The castle started to fall down thanks to the exchange of magic power that occurred in an instant.

It was a dreadful power. Not even Enroth would be able to imitate it.

This power, he was sure of it.

That 'he' had appeared.

Ha!

Enroth let out a roar.

It was really coincidental.

He was trampling down on the devils and himself after appearing like he was waiting for this moment.

Perhaps.

He may have been the one that got baited ever since the death of Shar-Shazar.

He had come to hunt but he was the one being hunted.

"I am Enroth. The great Demon King of Iron! Do you think I will be defeated that easily!"

He couldn't admit it.

He was the one that placed the traps. Hunting was also something that only he should be doing.

Enroth denied the fact that he was the one to fall in a trap.

Boom!

Boom!

Boom!

But that wasn't the end.

Something else was coming.

But this power didn't belong to 'him'.

Someone was piercing the castle now that it didn't have the barrier protecting it anymore.

A fearful magic power.

He was piercing a hole by amplifying his magic power.

Enroth turned around.

And at the same time said.

"Elder lich...!"

An elder lich that was holding a staff appeared exactly at the middle.

It was absurd.

'He' could appear at any moment but a lich also appeared?

Enroth admitted his potential and had also thought of making him his subordinate but he changed his mind. A mere lich couldn't defeat the Demon King of Iron.

If all this was his 'script', Enroth decided to kill that lich and woman to destroy that script.

"Do you think that you will be able to beat me!?"

"I didn't come to defeat you."

Bae Sungmin turned his head.

Bae Suzy was alive. She was in a terrible state but what was important was that she was alive.

It seemed like she had lost consciousness.

Bae Sungmin shook when he saw Bae Suzy. If he had eyes, then his pupils would be shaking with no stop.

Bae Sungmin looked at Enroth once again.

And spoke with deep regret.

"I...just came so that I didn't have any regrets."