Chapter 115 – Singularity Collection (2)

Unlike Hanna or Rough, what surprised Lee Hanseong was not the fact that the Dragon Slayer Emperor was an 11th Star True God.

The Fungus Demon King was also an existence with the potential to ascend to True Godhood if only possibility was considered. So it was natural to assume that other Singularities had that level of potential as well.

What surprised him was why they specifically attacked the time when he had reached the 11th Star.

‘If they use the Path of the Fairies, they could target the period when the Dragon Slayer Emperor was weak, right?’

Whoosh!

Lee Hanseong’s Insightful Eye and Hyu’s All Phenomena linked, quickly deriving the answer to the question.

Fragmentary scenes of the future unfolding in his mind.

The Dragon Slayer Emperor Subjugation Force goes to Alter’s era, when the Dragon Slayer Emperor was still only a Seven Star, to kill him in advance.

With a True God on their side, killing the Dragon Slayer Emperor wasn’t difficult.

However, the moment the Dragon Slayer Emperor meets his death.

The Dragon Slayer Emperor from the future point in time, having reached the 11th Star, appears on the spot.

‘Ah…!’

The Fungus Demon King was annihilated in the original history by True Gods who descended in a state of 10th Star Existence Reversal before becoming an 11th Star, but.

The Dragon Slayer Emperor overcame Existence Reversal and ascended to the 11th Star, creating this difference.

‘So, an 11th Star Divine Spirit can recognize when an alteration occurs in their own history and descend into past records to prevent the alteration.’

While active alterations like Mirinae’s Historical Alteration are impossible, it seems that from the 11th Star onward, resistance to alterations becomes possible.

Lee Hanseong’s mind raced with this newly learned truth.

Calculations were made on whether their forces could defeat the Dragon Slayer Emperor, who had reached his peak as an 11th Star.

‘It’s not that we have no chance of winning.’

While victory wasn’t guaranteed, the probability of winning itself wasn’t low.

The Golden Constellation Asta, who would face the Dragon Slayer Emperor head-on, was a Giant God who had been an Apostle of the Golden Constellation in a parallel world.

Even if he was demoted to a True God upon crossing over to another world, his mastery of power alone would surpass that of a True God.

Moreover, although they might be too weak to intervene in a True God-rank battle, the other Spirits’ Myth Awakening Skills could still create slight openings even for a True God.

For now, gathering the Subjugation Force was the priority.

“Fortunately, the Pilgrim Knight Order is still staying in the Holy Land, so we can summon Sir Dice right away.”

Perhaps Beatus had similar thoughts to Lee Hanseong, as he had a nearby Priest summon Dice.

“You called for me.”

Shortly after arriving, Pilgrim Knight Commander Dice exchanged glances with Beatus.

The look in his eyes, with Park Seongcheol dwelling within him, recognizing Yu Sehee dwelling within Beatus and expressing joy.

“We need your strength.”

After the situation was explained to Dice (Park Seongcheol) as well.

Knowing about Historical Alteration, he naturally accepted participation.

Thus, with all three people who could be gathered from the Holy Land having joined the Subjugation Force.

Rough nodded satisfactorily and spoke up.

“It seems everyone who can be gathered here is now gathered, so let’s go to where the remaining two are.”

Ziiing.

Following Lee Hanseong’s will, a Rainbow Portal unfolded before Rough.

As Rough raised his arm, signaling them to enter first, Hanna, Beatus, and Dice crossed through the portal in turn, and finally Rough entered, causing the portal to vanish from the Holy Land Lumen.

Pat.

Beyond it was the Sky Island where Duren and Asta were.

* * *

Meanwhile, not long before Rough’s party arrived at the Sky Island.

When Andrei suddenly transformed into Asta, Duren was initially shocked but soon began to be wary and hostile toward the other party.

Clearly, the being before his eyes was the one who had been Andrei, but he felt that now it had become someone completely different from the one he knew.

Superficially, it was a situation no different from some existence similar to the Fungus Demon King seizing Andrei’s body.

Grooooooo!

“What have you done to Senior Andrei!”

Duren, drawing his sword with furious eyes, activated 《Life-Severing Asura》.

He momentarily entered a state that ignored the world’s laws.

Ssskrt!

Since Historical Alteration began with Second Stage Transcendence applied, Duren’s current Grade was 8-Star.

Moreover, with the Extreme Seal of Yato dwelling within him, he even held the Single-Heaven Sword, which had become the Infinite Single-Heaven Sword Art.

Swishswishswishswishswishswishswish!

The strongest slash Duren could unleash was directed at Asta.

Countless slashes, multiplying as if overlapping with the first slash, concentrated in one place.

“Get the hell out of that body!”

The Law of the Zhucheon Star Track, which strengthened with repetition, amplified the slash’s power.

Furthermore, the Life-Severing Asura’s power to ignore laws ignored the defensive power of the Giant’s Celestial Body, leaving a cross-shaped sword scar on Asta’s body.

“It seems there’s some misunderstanding….”

But that level of injury wasn’t fatal to Asta.

Crunch! Crack—!

As he tensed the muscles around the wound, the Cross Gang Qi, which was trying to multiply the slashes and enlarge the wound, was crushed.

“I’m not some other being who stole Andrei’s body.”

Smoothly.

Asta, having compressed his body to become as small as Duren, faced Duren.

Somehow, he was already holding the blade of the Infinite Single-Heaven Sword Art with one hand.

It seemed like a light grip, but in reality, the blade couldn’t advance at all, as if blocked by a wall.

Although the Divine Artifact was neutralized with a single move, Duren spoke strongly without being discouraged.

“You expect me to believe that?”

“Listen to the explanation first and then think about it. After hearing it, you’ll understand too.”

“…Fine. I’ll hear you out once.”

At Asta’s serious gaze, Duren changed the sword art he was pointing at him into a spiritual state and retrieved it into his body.

Even this would have been impossible if the opponent hadn’t allowed it, but Asta readily permitted the retrieval of the Infinite Single-Heaven Sword Art.

The conversation continued in a disarmed state.

“The essence of this body currently is indeed Andrei. It’s just that the memories and power of a great being, Asta, have been overlaid on it, making it similar to that being. The essence of Andrei hasn’t disappeared.”

“……? But why are you talking about Andrei as if he’s another person?”

“Because I’m not actually Andrei. You’ve experienced it before too, right? I’m merely an outsider who temporarily possessed this body to change this history.”

“……!”

The one currently speaking through Asta’s body was neither Andrei nor Asta, but Jin Yuseong.

Duren’s eyes widened as he recalled the previous Historical Alteration where Lee Hanseong had possessed someone.

“Lee Hanseong…?”

“……?”

The name Lee Hanseong inadvertently came from Duren’s mouth.

“I’m not Hanseong-ie, though I did possess this guy using Hanseong-ie’s ability….”

“No, I didn’t think you were Lee Hanseong.”

“……?”

“Asta, who you said was overlaid on Andrei—I sense Lee Hanseong’s temperament from him.”

Jin Yuseong was about to deny Duren’s words but paused.

Come to think of it, the appearance of Asta he had seen so far through the Apostle’s dreams resembled Association Head Lee Hyeonseong.

There were slight differences that made it hard to definitively say it was the Association Head, but he had thought it was just a difference due to a parallel world….

‘Is it really Hanseong-ie? Is Asta Hanseong-ie, who became an Apostle of the Golden Constellation in a parallel world?’

It seemed like Lee Hanseong would look exactly like Asta if he were a bit older.

Thinking that way, all the Apostle’s dreams he had had so far now felt like they were of Lee Hanseong.

Thump!

And as if Jin Yuseong’s speculation were fact.

The moment he equated Asta with Lee Hanseong, the Synchronization Rate between Jin Yuseong and Asta greatly increased.

“It seems what you said is correct after all.”

“As I thought, that’s how it is.”

Duren nodded as if his guess was right.

He no longer showed any intention to attack.

Thanks to having experienced the previous Historical Alteration together, Duren also knew Lee Hanseong’s purpose well.

What Lee Hanseong wanted wasn’t to steal bodies through possession, but the growth of the possessed target.

“The fact that you also possessed him using Lee Hanseong’s ability means you share his intentions, right?”

“Strictly speaking, it’s the ability of the Lord of the Throne we serve, but it’s true that I’m together with Hanseong-ie.”

“Then, Lee Hanseong hopes that this time we’ll change history together….”

“Probably, yes.”

“In that case, I look forward to working with you.”

“Likewise.”

The two, united through the commonality of Lee Hanseong, finally moved toward the interior of the Sky Island.

And a short while later.

An architectural structure similar to the Golden Holy War arena they had seen in the metropolis on the ground revealed itself before them.

* * *

The Heavenly Arena was not much different from the ground arena, aside from the difference in scale.

Just as the heroes on the ground did, the giants of the Sky Island also earned points and raised their Grades through requests, adventures, and duels.

“Oh. Newcomers?”

The moment they arrived at the Sky Island arena and encountered another giant serving as a guide.

The Hero’s Plate in Duren’s pocket reacted.

Chrrrrrr—

The points, which had fallen into the negative due to debt incurred for climbing the Sun Tree, were being refilled.

The Adventure Points for having ascended to the Sky Island via Elysion were being settled.

Vrrrm.

Thus, Duren’s hero ranking, with his accumulated points greatly increased, stopped at the two-digit rank of 86th.

And his Hero’s Plate, which had been a Silver Plate, changed to a Gold Plate.

However, the change in the Hero’s Plate didn’t occur only for Duren.

Vrrrvrm!

Andrei’s Hero’s Plate, which had been a Gold Plate, updated to a Platinum Medal, and suddenly his rank, which had been 9th, plummeted to six digits.

“The rank…?”

“Haha, don’t panic, it’s not an error. It’s just that the standard has changed to the Heavenly Realm hero ranking, not the ground ranking.”

Asta, who had been panicked, regained his composure at the guide’s explanation and gazed at the Platinum Medal again.

The change wasn’t over yet.

Chichichichich—

The name engraved on the Hero’s Plate changed from Andrei to Asta, and the rank began to rise rapidly.

“…What?!”

Rather, the guide of the Heavenly Arena panicked at this change.

Chrrrralak!

From five digits to Diamond.

From four digits to Mithril.

From three digits to Adamantium.

From two digits to Orichalcum.

From one digit, the Hero’s Plate changed again to Gold.

“He rose all the way to a Golden Medal in an instant?!”

Click.

Finally, Asta’s Heavenly Realm hero ranking stopped at 2nd.

Since 1st place meant the Apostle of the Golden Constellation.

The current Asta meant the strongest below the Apostle.

“The Heavenly Golden Medal looks a bit different from the ground’s Gold Plate. Right?”

Duren asked the guide while looking at Asta’s updated Golden Medal.

“Uh… yeah. Good observation. The Gold after Orichalcum isn’t the ground’s gold, but a metal that is the materialization of Divinity itself, overseen by the Golden Constellation. It can be said to be the strongest metal that cannot be broken even by a Divine Artifact.”

“Hoh.”

“But the true value of this Golden Medal is that it serves as a Challenge Right for the Apostle’s Seat.”

Just as duels on the ground occur between heroes of the same grade.

In the heavens, duels are also only possible between those of the same grade.

Therefore, the only ones who can challenge the Apostle, the 1st place hero of the Heavenly Realm, are the Golden Medal heroes with the same single-digit ranking.

The guide, who was explaining such content, asked Asta.

“So, do you intend to challenge the Apostle?”

“Of course I will. Not yet, though.”

He wasn’t prepared to challenge the Apostle immediately.

Although he sublimated to an 11th Star by bringing records from a parallel world, the foundation of Divinity constituting Asta remained in the parallel world, so the current Asta couldn’t be considered a complete 11th Star.

The power itself is indeed 11th Star, but it’s a state not yet recognized in our world.

Hence the need for this Historical Alteration.

“To challenge the Apostle, I must first accumulate Great Feats worthy of being recognized as an 11th Star existence.”

As Asta accumulates achievements worthy of an 11th Star from Andrei’s records, his Divine Rank will also gain recognition from our world.

The easiest way to have one’s Grade recognized is to defeat an existence that has already reached that level.

Jin Yuseong intended to proceed with the Historical Alteration by dueling and defeating an opponent who was also a Golden Medal hero and of True God rank.

But then.

Ziiing— Pat.

Rough’s party, having left the Holy Land Lumen, arrived before Asta.

New options increased.

* * *

“The Dragon Slayer Emperor, help defeat another continent’s calamity that reached the 11th Star?”

“That’s correct.”

“Perfect timing. I was planning to defeat a True God anyway, so things have gotten interesting.”

In response to Rough’s party’s request to help subjugate the Dragon Slayer Emperor, Asta readily nodded.

Asta’s situation and the proposal matched perfectly, and since comrades possessing Beatus and Dice were together.

He judged that this entire setup was orchestrated by Lee Hanseong.

“What about you, Lord Duren?”

“Of course I’ll join! Moreover, if we register this as an official request, we can earn points too, right?”

Now that Duren had become a Gold Plate hero, as long as the form of a request was fulfilled, he could convert various material rewards or intangible achievements into points on his Hero’s Plate without anyone else’s mediation.

Although he had recovered some points this time, Duren, who needed a large amount of points to repay his remaining debt, found this a story with no downsides.

Besides, even aside from points, the very idea of going on an expedition to defeat a villain from another continent stimulated his rejuvenated, youthful heart.

‘This is what being a real hero is about!’

As if looking forward to the adventure ahead, Duren’s heart pounded.

Confirming that all scheduled members of the Subjugation Force had joined, Lee Hanseong created a Path of the Fairies leading to Ardenia.

Swoooooosh—

Following the rainbow tunnel piercing through the Void Space, the Subjugation Force headed toward the record where Alter was.

Pat.

They appeared near Alter in Imperial Calendar year 992, ten years after the point when Rough had left Ardenia previously.

It was still an era before the Dragon Slayer Emperor revealed his true colors.