Chapter 145 – Again (１)

“You’ve all worked so hard.”

After the raid on the Celestial Castle ended, Gijun, Martin, and Hera returned to the Papal Court.

The Pope welcomed them warmly.

For Hera, it was her first time seeing the Pope in person.

Showing his face to Hera was the Pope’s way of acknowledging her efforts.

“Especially…”

The Pope looked at Gijun.

“No one can deny how much your help meant.”

The Pope praised Gijun’s contributions above the others’.

It was only natural.

He’d heard everything that happened inside the Celestial Castle—knew that without Gijun’s help, defeating the Boss Monster would have been impossible.

“…You said the Monarch of the Underworld possessed that monster, correct?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Gijun replied.

“Then that means the Monarch of the Depths has awakened.”

The Pope’s face darkened slightly.

“Correct.”

Gijun didn’t hide the truth.

“It’s clearly begun. This situation is just a prelude to what’s coming.”

“…”

At Gijun’s words, the Pope’s expression grew heavier.

Martin and Hera wore similarly complex looks.

In truth, both of them had already suspected as much.

From the quests they’d been undertaking, it was clear that something ominous was stirring in this world.

But even then, Hera and Martin didn’t take the situation that seriously.

If anything, there was a glimmer of excitement in their expressions.

To them, this world was still just a game.

For Hera especially, the idea that Real Spirit was entering a new phase meant a chance to reshape the board.

And with Jun by her side, the Saint guild soaring to even greater heights didn’t seem impossible.

Even that absurd achievement she’d set as her ultimate goal — the first Real Spirit guild to list on NASDAQ.

Jun’s face, of course, was far less bright.

He knew things they didn’t.

He’d won a battle, seized a victory — but he understood better than anyone that this was only the beginning.

Still… I did get a new weapon out of it.

Blaze Sword.

He found himself already wondering just how devastating this new weapon’s power would prove to be.

Curiosity stirred in his chest.

Then it happened.

“Take this with you.”

The Pope held something out to Jun.

“This is…?”

It was a water bottle.

“It is Holy Water.”

“Holy Water?”

“Here in the Papal Court, we have long used what we call the Water of Origin.”

“….”

Jun had never heard of such a thing.

“No one knows exactly how long it has existed, but ever since the first Pope purified and blessed the spring, a mysterious power has dwelt within it.”

Jun accepted the bottle.

A message window appeared before his eyes.

[Holy Water of Origin]

– When applied to a weapon, increases Light-element attack power by 100% for 30 minutes.

A buff potion, huh.

The effect was undeniably potent.

A full one hundred percent boost to Light-element attack power.

The thirty-minute time limit was a downside, but it was clearly a valuable item.

“I hope it may be of some help, however small, in your battles.”

Jun looked at the Holy Water and replied.

“It’s more than enough. Thank you.”

*

“Are you leaving already?”

“I have to.”

Outside the Papal Court, Jun, Hera, and Martin stood talking for a moment.

“I hope I haven’t delayed you on my account.”

Hera spoke with a hint of apology in her voice.

It wasn’t an unfair concern.

If things had gone as planned, Jun would already have been deep in the Darkness by now.

But he had no desire to blame her.

If anything, he was only grateful.

“Not at all. Thanks to you, I picked up quite a few good things.”

“I’m glad to hear that. Since you’ve helped us this time, please don’t hesitate to call on me if you ever need my assistance.”

“I will. I might need it sooner rather than later, actually. To be honest, I can’t even tell what’s going to happen next myself.”

At Jun’s words — that he might need her help — Hera’s face lit up.

She enjoyed helping him.

Playing the game together with a player like Jun was a pleasure.

And the added value that came from being on his side was just a bonus.

“And you, too—please feel free to call on me, anytime.”

Martin said as well.

The feeling Martin held for Gijun in that moment went beyond gratitude toward a savior—it was something deeper.

Martin was a man who knew debt, and once he owed someone, he gave everything in loyal return.

So in this instant, Gijun might as well have gained the backing of two guild masters and their massive organizations.

“Understood.”

Naturally, Gijun didn’t refuse the sentiment behind Martin’s words.

In the battles ahead, Martin and the Crusader guild would undoubtedly prove invaluable.

“Then I’ll take my leave first.”

“Yes.”

“I’ll wait for your call.”

And so, for now, Gijun and the two parted ways.

It was time to return to Tartaros.

*

[You have endured a long journey. Well done.]

Gijun arrived back at Tartaros.

The first place he sought out was the Temple of the Warrior, where Amalta waited.

“Sorry to keep you waiting so long.”

[No. Alone, I might have struggled, but old friends kept me company—so it was not so hard.]

The Monarchs flanking Amalta nodded.

They had been doing exactly as discussed last time: suppressing the deeper Demon Beasts of darkness, preventing them from breaking through.

[Had you been delayed a little longer, it might have grown difficult. But you came not too late. And you were attending to something vital, so this waiting means nothing.]

“Thank you for understanding.”

If not for them, the deeper door of darkness would have already burst open, and the monsters within would have poured into Tartaros.

‘The Players would’ve loved that.’

Of course, the Players would’ve been thrilled by the new content.

But to Gijun, that was far from welcome news.

He had no intention of letting anyone else snatch the quests and achievements waiting inside.

Call it selfish, but that was something he could never yield.

“It’s been a while.”

Amalta was there waiting alongside them.

“Been keeping well?”

“Of course. This body has grown far stronger while you’ve been off loafing.”

“….”

Amalta did seem more powerful than before.

“I trained under my ancestors. I fought alongside great warriors again and again, and now I am many times stronger than I was in the past.”

Amalta flexed his arm, showing off a bulging triceps.

‘Not like I was just loafing around either….’

The thought crossed his mind.

‘Amalta would make a good test subject for my new weapon.’

The Blaze Sword.

He wanted to try out that ability—one he hadn’t even properly used yet—as soon as possible.

“So, want to have a go?”

Gijun opened with the offer.

In that instant, Amalta’s eyes went wide.

“I’ve been waiting for those words! To teach you a lesson and prove my strength to you!”

Gijun smiled.

Then Libre spoke.

[Truly a dull-witted fool. He never learns, does he.]

Amalta had no idea. He was too busy stoking his will to embers.

“Mother. Will you grant us warriors permission to fight?”

Amalta shouted toward Hamal.

Hamal answered.

“I grant it. I too am curious — curious to see how far my son and the Seeker have grown.”

*

‘Heh heh heh….’

Amalta gripped his spear.

His weapon wasn’t the same one he’d used before.

‘Tubaku. He made me a new weapon.’

Tubaku had opened his heart.

He’d started treating even the Monarchs — and Amalta, a human — with goodwill.

And that was how Amalta had come to wield a new arm.

‘Strong. Light.’

The new spear Tubaku had forged was far stronger, sharper, and lighter than the old one.

Add to that a body honed by brutal training, and Amalta was now brimming with as much confidence as he could hold.

‘Of course, I know damn well you’re strong.’

He was one of the few who’d watched Gijun fight up close.

And for a long time, at that.

Back when Gijun hadn’t been all that strong.

‘Back then, I was definitely the stronger one.’

That was an undeniable fact.

When they first met, Gijun had been weaker than Amalta.

But at some point, it had flipped.

In the span of a moment, Gijun had become overwhelmingly powerful — even by Amalta’s eyes.

‘A comrade’s growth is a joy, but I’m a warrior too.’

A warrior has to get stronger.

Endlessly. Continuously.

And watching Gijun lit a fire under him — a drive he’d ridden to keep growing.

‘Right here, I’ll surpass you!’

His certainty in victory came from a newly acquired power.

‘The Ancestors’ Wisdom.’

A secret technique passed down through the tribes of the plains.

And now, he could upgrade it even further.

KWAH!

He blasted a surge of flame over his spear.

Fierce fire roared up the shaft, staining it red.

Then the flames coiling around the spear began to take shape.

In moments, the fire solidified into a perfect form.

A complete second spear, gently sheathing the whole weapon.

‘…I’ll call it Blaze Spear.’

Aura Spear.

The technique only those who’d reached the pinnacle of the spear could use.

But Amalta had gone a step further.

As a Seeker, he’d fused his flame aura with the Aura Spear.

‘This is my true secret art.’

He’d added the searing, explosive burn of flame to the Aura Spear’s raw might.

When he completed it, even his ancestors had gasped in awe!

‘Come on, then.’

He smiled a meaningful smile, eyes fixed ahead.

‘With this new weapon, I can handle even your freakish magic!’

He knew full well.

How terrifying Gijun’s magic really was.

It never missed its prey, unleashing a torrent of strikes toward the enemy in the blink of an eye.

That freakish magician who left no room to escape was none other than the man called Jun.

But that was fine.

With this weapon, he could both withstand Gijun’s magic and counterattack at the same time.

‘This has amplified my physical abilities even further.’

Because it wasn’t just his attack power—Amalta’s entire physique had been boosted.

Before him, Gijun was drawing his sword.

The Sain-geom.

He, too, knew well what the Sain-geom was.

‘Why pull out a sword?’

But it puzzled him.

What possible reason could Gijun have to draw a blade in their fight?

In that instant.

“…Huh?”

Amalta’s eyes went wide.

Then the corners of his mouth began to twitch.

Right now, crimson flames erupted along Gijun’s blade,

and soon they took on a perfect sword’s shape, wrapping around the weapon entirely.

“You, you….”

“I picked up a similar trick myself.”

Watching Jun speak so nonchalantly, as if it were nothing….

Amalta found himself at a complete loss for words.