Chapter 220

Simultaneous with Taewoon’s declaration of war, a chilly smile spread across Kyurihi’s lips.

[What a pity. I thought you might become one who understands… but in the end, you too could not escape the shackles of an ignorant Ordinary Person.]

As Kyurihi raised a hand, the heavens split open, and a torrent of light began to pour down like a waterfall.

[Then vanish. Become fertilizer for my great work.]

With a single gesture, the entire Holy Sanctuary was engulfed in a storm of light.

It was a sight akin to a massive natural disaster striking, but Taewoon had passed through far too many slaughterhouses to be intimidated by something like that.

【Condition Fulfilled】

【Cinema Skill: The Red Man】

The Crimson Mist exploded, pushing back the waves of light.

Taewoon’s body vanished, and having erased his coordinates in reality through the Authority of The Red Man, he appeared in Kyurihi’s blind spot and drove Keshatus downward.

Dark red lightning aimed for the crown of Kyurihi’s head.

However, without even looking, Kyurihi caught the crimson bolt with one hand.

“…!”

As the lightning burned white in Kyurihi’s palm and then vanished, Taewoon clicked his tongue softly and once again blurred his form.

[Pathetic.]

As Kyurihi clenched a fist, space compressed, tightening around Taewoon.

It was on a different dimension from the spatial compression Minos had used. Taewoon immediately spread Mitra’s Wings and unleashed his Divine Authority.

Intense Divinity forcibly pried open the compressing space to create a gap, and Taewoon escaped through that opening to create distance.

‘He’s strong. He’s incomparable to someone like Minos.’

It was only a single exchange, but he could tell. Kyurihi was an opponent difficult to overwhelm even with the power Taewoon currently possessed.

[You may have ascended the path of Transcendence, but the years I have accumulated under the name of a Saint transcend several decades. Can you bridge that gap?]

Kyurihi drew a pattern in the air with a finger. Suddenly, dozens of massive chains of light were created and began to surround Taewoon.

[It is inevitable for humans to commit sins… though the weight may differ, none shall be free from those shackles.]

The various sins, large and small, engraved upon Taewoon’s soul became Incantations, flowing through the chains and imbuing them with powerful compulsion.

Taewoon grit his teeth. The chances of victory in a head-on clash were slim. In that case, he had to create a variable.

Giant shadows wavered behind Taewoon’s back.

The Authority of the Well of Hell—that ominous and alien existence—merged and manifested in reality.

Along with grotesque screams, the power of wraiths intercepted the crosses.

The causality of death corroded the light, and a powerful contamination snapped the links of the chains.

Amidst an explosion that threatened to collapse the Holy Sanctuary, Taewoon seized the opening and lunged at Kyurihi.

【Condition Fulfilled】

【Cinema Skill: Blazing Sword Judgment】

A formless sword of judgment surged forward, aiming for Kyurihi’s throat.

But Kyurihi didn’t even blink.

[Revelation.]

The moment he murmured softly, an old book appeared in his hand.

The pages flipped on their own, and dazzling characters of light poured out, entwining Taewoon’s Blazing Sword.

The sword of judgment, which should have been able to cut through anything, vanished like melting snow the moment it touched the characters.

“….”

[All water flows steadfastly from top to bottom; thus, the blades of the earth shall never reach me.]

As Kyurihi closed the book, a powerful wave erupted, blasting Taewoon far away.

Taewoon rolled across the floor and regained his stance. A streak of blood flowed from the corner of his mouth.

[Not bad, but not yet.]

The pages of the Revelation Kyurihi held flipped on their own. The rustling sound of paper struck his eardrums louder than a clap of thunder.

[As there is light that swallows the sun, the most brilliant darkness shall soon return.]

Thousands of light spears were created behind Kyurihi’s back. They possessed a power diametrically opposed to the energy of the Dawn Sun God that Taewoon held.

‘…Is he trying to gauge my limits?’

Taewoon did not dodge. Instead, he took a step forward and resonated two Divinities.

Taewoon’s shadow twisted strangely and expanded massively. The Crimson Mist swirled, forming the shape of a giant beast’s maw.

It was the Authority of the Void-Swallowing Serpent he had hunted in the Theater in the past.

The thousands of pouring light spears were sucked into the red maw. The shockwave generated by the collision of light and darkness knocked down the pillars of the Holy Sanctuary like dominoes.

[Ho, quite impressive. But how about this?]

As Kyurihi snapped his fingers, the ground Taewoon stood on instantly turned into a swamp, dragging at his ankles.

Simultaneously, gravity amplified hundreds of times, beginning to crush Taewoon’s entire body.

[The earth embraces all, but those who know its weight shall not be able to wag their tongues.]

“…Kh.”

Taewoon gripped the Divine Spear Barata in a reverse hold in his left hand and slammed it down at his feet.

【Condition Fulfilled】

【Cinema Skill: Final Rampart】

A golden shockwave erupted in a sphere from the tip of Barata. The swamp that tried to swallow Taewoon evaporated instantly, and the shackles of crushing gravity were shattered.

Using that recoil, Taewoon leaped upward. His target was Kyurihi, floating in the air.

“Keshatus!”

The spear in his right hand howled in dark red. The Overlord Path magical power of The Red Man seeped into the lightning, and black bolts that seemed capable of burning space itself gathered at the tip of the spear.

Taewoon’s form became a red flash, surging toward Kyurihi’s face.

Kyurihi did not panic and closed the Revelation to use it as a shield.

[In the name of the Saint, this is forbidden.]

A transparent barrier blocked Kyurihi’s front. A powerful defensive means constructed on some unknown principle.

But Taewoon did not stop. No, he had no intention of stopping.

‘I’ll break through.’

Mitra’s Wings deployed explosively behind Taewoon’s back.

【Condition Fulfilled】

【Cinema Skill: Dawn’s Daybreak】

The Authority of the Dawn Sun God. The power of the daybreak, which returns everything to its starting point, fused with the lightning of Keshatus.

The moment the tip of the spear touched the transparent barrier, a fine crack appeared in Kyurihi’s prohibition, which had been deemed absolute.

[Splendid.]

An intense light, so strong it was impossible to keep one’s eyes open, erupted from Kyurihi’s entire body. It felt as if one would go blind just by approaching.

‘The total amount of power is staggering… and just how many mysterious Authorities does he possess?’

Taewoon had also stepped into the realm above the heavens by clearing numerous Theaters, but the years Kyurihi had accumulated and the magical power of this land he had absorbed surpassed even the mythological battlefields Taewoon had traversed.

Furthermore, seeing that composed demeanor, Kyurihi likely had more cards in his hand than Taewoon expected.

A wall difficult to overcome; Taewoon felt acutely and instinctively that he did not have many means left.

[Surely you are not just this much. There must be more for you to show.]

“…Just as you say.”

Taewoon activated the Memory of the Hunted once more, summoning one of the most powerful Authorities of the Tormented Goat.

Black and white bubbles floated everywhere, and they began to read the history of the existence known as Kyurihi.

[Ho.]

“Choose, Kyurihi. Refusal is not permitted.”

After observing the situation for a moment, Kyurihi chose one of the bubbles before him, and accordingly, history was altered, and Kyurihi’s very existence began to shake.

The nature of his magical power, the change in his existence—the difference wasn’t extreme, but he was clearly a different being from the previous Kyurihi.

However, Kyurihi merely let out a smile as if intrigued, showing no sign of panic as he adapted to the change.

[It is impressive… but not to the point of being a problem.]

Kyurihi’s body floated into the air.

Twelve wings of light unfolded behind the ascending Kyurihi. The ceiling of the Holy Sanctuary was completely blown away, revealing the night sky of Seoul. However, the sky was as bright as broad daylight due to the golden light Kyurihi emitted.

[As the flood overflows, on the eleventh day, all the filth of the earth shall be washed away.]

As Kyurihi opened the book, a rain of light began to pour from the sky.

The rain seeped in everywhere, beginning to form a powerful Holy Ground, much like Sharliaete’s ability in the past.

‘…How can he do that?’

Without a doubt, the Authority of the Tormented Goat belonged to the most bewildering category of miracles Taewoon had ever experienced.

Those encountering it for the first time would not be strange to be greatly shaken or have their posture collapse, yet Kyurihi was acting so familiarly, as if it had been his own from the start.

‘No, perhaps it’s different from that.’

His nature had certainly changed, but he felt that in the case of the Authorities Kyurihi handled, there was no fundamental difference from before.

As if acknowledging Taewoon’s doubt, Kyurihi, who had created Holy Grounds everywhere, opened his mouth and spoke.

[There is no need to be so surprised. The mission of a Saint is immutable; even if numerous forks in the road are given, the end shall never change.]

“….”

The energy felt from Kyurihi, who had established all the Holy Grounds, was truly immense; it felt as if it would be impossible to compete using ordinary Authorities.

Furthermore, the Authority of the Tormented Goat was slowly running out of power, and it seemed difficult to achieve a meaningful result even if he brought out the Authorities of other beings.

‘At this rate… I can’t win.’

Taewoon knew instinctively.

If he couldn’t prepare a means to pierce through Kyurihi, he would ultimately be the one who continued to be worn down.

And if he fell, it could only be seen that all life on this land would effectively be finished.

‘If only I had a little more time…’

But circumstances never wait for anyone, and this was the reality laid out before him.

Regret or lamentation were meaningless.

Taewoon wiped his blood-stained lips and reached into his clothes.

Something containing a warm and mysterious energy touched his fingertips.

‘…In the end, is this the only way?’

The trump card Taewoon had prepared for an emergency before leaving for the Holy Sanctuary.

A key that could overturn this situation, though he did not know what would happen the moment it was used.

A streak of determination began to fill Taewoon’s eyes.

“Kyurihi, let’s settle this.”

[Very well. Come then.]

Taewoon pulled a single Ticket from his clothes.

A Ticket that was mysterious but not flashy, appearing not particularly special at a glance.

However, the eyes of Kyurihi, who looked directly at what was contained within, widened greatly for the first time.

[That is…]

In the middle of the battlefield where the rain of light poured, the Ticket in Taewoon’s hand began to emit light with a strange resonance.

Finally, the Ticket was torn, and a space with a familiar energy swallowed Taewoon and Kyurihi where they stood.

A Transcendent-grade Ticket.

It was the beginning of the final gamble, mediated by the greatest mystery the Theater possessed.