Chapter 170

‘Rules, rules…’

Even as he observed the interior of the Holy Ground with an infinitely precise gaze, it was not easy to obtain clues regarding them.

However, that only made one part even more puzzling.

‘Why is Sharliaete going out of her way to explain these various regulations to us?’

It could be interpreted as her having that much composure, but in Taewoon’s opinion, there was a hint of unnaturalness in such behavior.

Perhaps it wasn’t her own intention, but rather an act of fulfilling some kind of obligation?

If so, why did such an obligation exist? As Taewoon slowly pondered the reason, his thoughts soon reached a possibility he hadn’t noticed until now.

‘Is there a rule for visitors, as Aquila mentioned, hidden within those?’

If that were the case, it would make sense. Certainly, the power of the Holy Ground possessed by Sharliaete was incredibly potent, and it didn’t seem like an ability that came without any risk.

Constantly recalling Sharliaete’s words and actions up until now, Taewoon was soon able to complete a reasonably sound deduction regarding the truth of this Holy Ground.

‘…Right. Come to think of it, religion must be open to everyone. There’s no way it would simply oppress visitors unilaterally like this.’

Sharliaete had been hiding that fact with subtle actions and eloquence, but once Taewoon began to realize the answer, his train of thought did not stop.

At the same time, unlike before, the things captured in Taewoon’s vision began to increase.

“…I see it now.”

“Pardon? What are you talking about all of a sudden?”

“Well, for example, it’s like this.”

As Taewoon sent out a clear will, surprisingly, the Holy Ground—which until now had seemed to belong only to Sharliaete—began to respond to him.

And the first thing Taewoon had to do had already been decided long ago.

‘I offer the Final Rampart skill and the Divine Spear Barata as offerings!’

A handful of light escaped from Taewoon’s body, and soon, a familiar sense of loss began to lightly envelop his entire body.

Simultaneously, the pressure and restraint he had felt ever since stepping into the Holy Ground were resolved, and Taewoon’s condition returned to its peak.

“My… you’ve noticed already? You are sharper than I thought.”

“Given my experiences, this sort of thing is my specialty.”

Sharliaete had said that if an uninvited guest stepped into the Holy Ground, a corresponding price would inevitably follow.

Then, what must a mere visitor do to appease it? It was simple. One only had to offer an ‘offering’ to the god through this Holy Sanctuary.

‘Until now, Sharliaete had been stealing our abilities and offering them to the sanctuary… but in truth, we could have done the same.’

The sin of trespassing into the Holy Sanctuary was nullified by offering a proper offering, and the Holy Ground no longer regarded Taewoon as an outsider to be excluded.

As Sharliaete realized this fact, an unpleasant smile began to settle on her face for the first time.

“…Baran’s Divinity, how on earth did this happen?”

“She isn’t the only one who can utilize the rules of the sanctuary. The reason this Holy Ground has been able to show such overwhelming majesty is that it is, fundamentally, a space that is fair to everyone.”

Upon hearing the facts Taewoon had discovered, Taerim and Seoyoon also offered appropriate offerings to the sanctuary, and soon, it could be felt physically that their Aura had transformed into a sharper stage.

“This is troublesome… but what changes with just that?”

“Well, I wonder?”

Sharliaete was intentionally acting nonchalant, but hidden within was an anxiety that hadn’t been visible until now.

Noticing this, Taewoon, confident in his own thoughts, picked up Keshatus and began to continue his reasoning.

‘It’s true that Sharliaete, as the priest of the sanctuary, has more authority, but that wouldn’t be absolute. And looking at her actions so far, she is definitely…’

She is committing a fraud by deceiving the rules of this sanctuary. That was the reason Sharliaete was able to exert such powerful strength.

‘I offer the Mitra’s Wings and Soul Chasing Path Destruction skills as sacrifices! If there is one who has committed fraud here, let them pay the appropriate price!’

The offerings Taewoon gave were normally absorbed by the sanctuary, and soon, a strange sound, like the ticking of a clock, began to fill the interior of the Holy Sanctuary.

Then, the gaze of Sharliaete, who noticed the anomaly, gradually distorted.

“How… how possibly…”

“If the tail is too long, it’s bound to be stepped on. Doesn’t the Gwangseong Church teach such basic facts?”

Until now, Sharliaete had stolen the abilities of Taewoon’s party and offered them as if they were her own, and similarly, she had even burned the souls of Kalliedu and other priests as sacrifices.

As Taewoon paid the appropriate price to denounce that fraud, the impure offerings Sharliaete had given began to return to their original owners one after another.

“Her power… is it weakening?”

“The blessings obtained through offerings that did not follow the regulations are vanishing, and she is paying the price for it.”

And, naturally, now was the opportunity.

Exchanging quick glances, Taewoon’s party charged in sequence, approaching Sharliaete, who had lost some of her momentum.

“Hehe, huh, if you thought I would crumble this easily… you are gravely mistaken.”

Sharliaete’s power and Aura, which had been rapidly decreasing, began to rise again and reach a certain balance.

Now, instead of using others’ things, she had offered her own possessions as sacrifices to nullify the price of the fraud as much as possible.

‘But… that goes for us too!’

Taewoon offered the abilities he had just received back as offerings to the sanctuary, and along with a blessing enveloping his body, he began to strike down with the Lightning of Destruction.

At the same time, Taerim also summoned the returned Black Divine Army and began to run wild as if venting her frustration, and Seoyoon exploited the gaps created by this, relentlessly pushing Sharliaete.

“Khh…”

Sharliaete still possessed the strength befitting a Level 7-rank Hunter, but her majesty was not as great as before.

It meant that the momentum of the battle had completely shifted toward Taewoon’s party.

【Condition 1: Possess fire control ability above a certain level】

Condition 2: Have reached the stage of Heart Sword

【Condition 3: Possess more than 10% of remaining Magical Power】

【Condition Fulfilled】

▶【Cinema Skill: Blazing Sword Judgment】

Soon, a streak of light containing immense heat pierced Sharliaete’s flank, burning her wings and sending her crashing to the ground.

Simultaneously, a fire bird that flew in from somewhere attacked the falling woman, and several stakes flying toward the ground began to suppress her movements.

The other Hunters, having escaped the threat of the Black Divine Army, had returned to the battlefield to join Taewoon’s party.

“It’s over, follower of Kyurihi. Pay the price for your actions and hand over your neck obediently.”

“Hu, huhuhu, hu…”

Pinned to the ground like a bird that had lost its wings, Sharliaete began to let out a hollow laugh, which soon transformed into a manic smile.

“I suppose… I must admit it. To realize His ocean-like will, I was too lacking a being.”

“What?”

“But since I can offer everything in this world for Him… at the end, there will surely be a beautiful and brilliant radiance.”

A faint glow settled over Sharliaete’s entire body, and soon, divine flames began to cover her.

At this moment, Sharliaete offered herself as an offering to the sanctuary.

By the time they realized it, a massive power that could not be opposed had transformed into a rule, suppressing the souls of Taewoon’s party.

“Now, the end of the world has come… you all should return to His embrace with me.”

Sharliaete’s body was burning and crumbling in real-time, but Taewoon’s party did not have the strength to endure that time.

‘At this rate… everyone will become offerings for the sanctuary!’

Surprisingly, in the face of this massive pressure, even turning one’s gaze or twitching a finger brought a profound burden to the physical body.

Taerim’s Black Divine Army were already crushed by Sharliaete’s Spiritual Nature, and Seoyoon’s ability had also reached its limit, completely losing its power.

In that desperate situation, a familiar mechanical sound flickered, disturbing Taewoon’s ears.

Aquila, who had been watching the situation, had left a final piece of advice for Taewoon, even at the cost of her own collapse.

• Offer the ‘Theater of All Things’… as an offering.

Soon, her holographic body twisted, and Aquila became an offering to the sanctuary, vanishing before Taewoon’s eyes.

‘Offer the Theater of All Things… as an offering?’

At that absurd statement, honestly, Taewoon couldn’t even properly understand its meaning for a moment.

In fact, the Theater of All Things was the only means left to Taewoon; if he reached the absolute worst-case scenario, Taewoon had even thought about using the Waiting Room’s entry function and selling items to immediately enter a new Theater.

‘If that fails, there’s no way back…’

But Taewoon himself acknowledged Aquila’s insight and foresight, and if Aquila had judged it so, it was more than worth believing.

Finally having made his decision, Taewoon closed his eyes tightly and, with a feeling of ‘come what may,’ clearly conveyed his will to the sanctuary.

‘I offer my Trait, [Theater of All Things], as an offering!’

At that moment, the pounding heart and the feast of massive Magical Power sweeping the surroundings stopped, and a silent stillness covered the world as if time itself had frozen.

In that achromatic space, Taewoon felt something hot within him slowly begin to leave his body.

It was a light that was hot and intense, massive and powerful.

However, the light, which seemed ready to leave his body at any moment, soon stopped its movement and returned to Taewoon’s interior.

And.

In Sharliaete’s Holy Ground, which had been as solid as an iron fortress, an infinitely sharp and massive crack began to form.