Chapter 133 – Primeval Practice

The starlight within, which had been as bright as midday, had now diminished to its usual faint, gentle glow.

Deep within, the inner layer touching the soul was already engulfed in pitch-black darkness, except for the area around Lee Hanseong’s consciousness and the newly opened fifth hole.

Creep, creep—

Even the surface with the hole was gradually being shrouded in darkness from the outside.

Still, thanks to having pre-constructed the outer circuits, it was manageable for now.

‘Will I be a bit short on time?’

Even though he was working at maximum speed, considering the rate at which the darkness was encroaching and the amount of work remaining, it was nearly impossible to finish before the hole was completely engulfed in darkness.

Nevertheless, Lee Hanseong did not grow impatient or rush.

After all, even a slight difference in a Myth Skill’s circuit could result in a completely different effect.

Accuracy was more important than speed.

‘Tsk.’

However, prioritizing accuracy eventually led to a point where he couldn’t keep up with the speed.

The darkness encroached not only on the completed sections but also on the parts he was still working on.

Since he was using <Grasp> to perceive the entire fifth hole, he could clearly recognize the shape of the circuit he was working on, even if it was obscured by darkness.

‘But like this, I can’t work on the remaining parts.’

The supply of Spirit Particles, the very material needed to construct the circuit, was blocked by the darkness, leaving the central part of the <Reversal> circuit empty.

A void roughly the size of a Legendary Skill-level circuit had formed.

The void where the hole had been was now filled with darkness.

‘Huh? This….’

Suddenly, another method came to mind.

Whoosh!

Activating the Fourth Awakening Skill, Soul Imprint, a quantity of Spirit Particles equivalent to engraving one Legendary Skill surged toward him from the direction of the fourth hole.

Thanks to this, the surrounding darkness receded slightly, but the area with the hole remained covered in pitch black.

This was exactly what Lee Hanseong had hoped for.

‘Truly, a blessing in disguise!’

[<Primordial Chaos Gang Qi> links 《Soul Imprint》 and <Grasp>.]

Ziiiiii—

Originally, Soul Imprint involved engraving circuits onto the darkness, the framework of the soul, so it was useless for inscribing circuits onto the void above the hole.

That’s why he had been constructing the circuits one by one using the Constellation’s ability, Spirit Particle Manipulation.

But now that the void was filled with darkness, Soul Imprint became effective.

Click!

The newly engraved circuit from Soul Imprint and the circuit he had already completed meshed together precisely under the dominion of <Grasp>.

The moment the <Reversal> Skill completely occupied the position of the Fifth Awakening Skill.

Fwoosh!

Twelve streams of light erupted from within the soul through the fifth hole, adding twelve Empty Stars to his inner world.

For a brief moment during the Awakening, he could clearly see the twelve stars existing within his soul.

‘Aha, the stars inside the soul are the initial stars that define one’s talent.’

The Empty Stars that increased with each Awakening were projections of the stars within the soul, acting like satellites through the newly opened hole in the soul.

The stars that existed even before the 1-Star Awakening were actually the stars inside the soul.

Whoosh!

Along with this realization, the consciousness expanded by the Awakening rapidly ascended to the surface layer of his inner world in an instant.

Pop!

And when he returned his consciousness to reality.

Before his eyes, a message related to the 5-Star Awakening appeared.

* * *

[You have Awakened to 5-Star on your own.]

[The Fifth Awakening Skill <Reversal> is formed.]

[You have achieved the Feat, ‘Practitioner of the Primeval’.]

As his Grade rose to 5-Star, changes naturally followed.

With the Guarantee of the Righteous Will making 6-Star his baseline state, Lee Hanseong’s unique constitution finally began to form.

Grrrrrrumble!

Body Reformation into a physique where multiple constitutions, based on Primordial Chaos Gang Qi, could not only coexist but synergize.

[Conditions met. The Unique Skill <Primordial Chaos Constitution> is formed.]

But the changes to his body did not end there.

Perhaps it was because he had already achieved the 7-Star Primal Spirit God through Second Stage Transcendence even before the 5-Star Awakening.

Sluuuurp—

The characteristics of the Treasure Body, where Treasure Vessel and body were unified, began to merge into the Primordial Chaos Constitution.

[Conditions met. The Unique Skill <Transcendence> is formed.]

The Skill that breaks Grades, Transcendence, formed first, and the Grade separating soul and body crumbled.

Soon, Transcendence fully integrated with Primordial Chaos Constitution, transforming into a new Legendary Skill.

[<Primordial Chaos Constitution> and <Transcendence> integrate.]

[The Legendary Skill <Primordial Chaos Treasure Body> is formed.]

This was Lee Hanseong’s fifth Legendary Skill.

It felt as if power was overflowing throughout his entire body.

It was different from simply having a Treasure Body.

It felt as if he could embrace not only the constitutions and Treasure Vessels of the Spirits contracted to him but also the constitutions and Spirit Hero Treasures of others.

Hum.

Indeed, when he looked at Jin Yuseong and Yu Sehee and resonated with them, their Radiant Constitution and Black Shadow Constitution were copied into the constitutions belonging to his Primordial Chaos Treasure Body.

An unprecedented power rivaling the 8-Star level through physical strength alone.

Coincidentally, as the duration of the Second Stage Transcendence ended and his Grade dropped to the 6-Star level, he could feel the power of his body even more clearly.

“Congratulations on your Awakening, Successor. Seeing you achieve Awakening alone without a Constellation’s Blessing, I think I understand why Möbius’s will turned toward you.”

The Black Knight noticed Lee Hanseong’s change and offered his congratulations.

“It wasn’t Möbius who chose me, it was Mirinae.”

Lee Hanseong first corrected their misconception.

“Mirinae?”

“Möbius and Mirinae are clearly the same Constellation, but they are separate beings. Don’t think about tying me to Unchain.”

“Ah. It seems Mirinae is another name for Möbius.”

“Yes.”

“However, having a different name does not change the essence. In the end, you will have no choice but to join us.”

Just as Lee Hanseong was about to object to the Black Knight’s words.

Swish.

The Black Knight’s gaze turned toward the sky.

“Have they already found us? Dokgowol. Luke Meyer.”

Rumble!

From beyond the sky, the only two Apostles on Earth were flying together, accompanied by the sound of thunder.

Even before their arrival, the overwhelming presence of the Heavenly Slaughter Demon Lord and the Sun Star King surpassed that of Unchain’s Four Celestial Beings Beyond Heaven.

“Beast King. Hurry and prepare for movement.”

“Understood.”

The kneeling Beast King rose to his feet and melted into the void.

To be precise, he fused with the Twilight Orb that had swallowed half of the Celestial Sky Path.

Grrrrrumble!

The Beast King, now one with the Twilight Orb, began moving the Celestial Sky Path somewhere.

Lycan, who had swallowed the remaining half of the Celestial Sky Path, similarly tried to melt into the Twilight Orb to stop him, but.

—Let him go for now. Lycan.

Lee Hanseong stopped Lycan.

Among the Constellations who had hindered his Awakening was the Sun Constellation.

If the Sun Star King saw Unchain serving Lee Hanseong, he would try to kill him without even giving him time to explain.

That future was reflected in his Insightful Eye.

Path Revelation also indicated that, for now, he must go where Unchain was heading to survive.

Kwa-boom!

By now, the Arhat, who had Celestial Body Transformed again, shattered the boundary of the Reverse Side World that fixed the coordinates of the Celestial Sky Path with his Star-Shattering Fist.

Clang-clang-clang-clang-clang!

The Black Knight’s Formless Sword opened the path for the Beast King to advance.

Whoosh!

The Fallen Angel’s Lantern filled the original location of the Celestial Sky Path with pitch-black Black Radiance, slowing the Apostles’ Tracking.

“Galaxy Guild, everyone gather for a moment.”

Lee Hanseong gathered the other guild members.

“What on earth is all this about?”

“It seems another Aspect of our Lord of the Throne was the master of Unchain.”

“Goodness. What kind of Constellation have we been serving…?”

“But more than that, the Apostles heading here now are the problem.”

Lee Hanseong, standing apart from both Unchain and the Galaxy Guild, spoke while keeping a wary eye on the other Main Tournament participants, who were preoccupied with protecting themselves.

The Grade naturally spread as the Four Celestial Beings Beyond Heaven used their power, seemingly suppressing them so they couldn’t move properly, but since they were Mid-Rank Awakeners, they could still resist.

“Now that our Constellation is connected to Unchain, the Apostles won’t leave us alone. It’s no longer a situation where we just have to hold out until they arrive.”

Their situation was different from the other Main Tournament participants who would be rescued upon the Apostles’ arrival.

Seo Minah glared at him with resentful eyes.

“So, are you planning to stick with Unchain or something? Have you forgotten that those terrorists were trying to kill us just now?”

“Let’s call it a temporary alliance. I have a responsibility to ensure your survival.”

“Does that mean it’s okay to leave the other Main Tournament participants to die?”

“No. I won’t leave them to die either. But since they now know that the Galaxy Guild’s Constellation and Unchain’s Constellation are the same being, I can’t just let them go.”

“If you’re not going to kill them or let them go, then what?”

“The best option is to bring them to our side, and the next best is to kidnap them.”

An Gyeongseok, who had been quietly listening to the conversation between Lee Hanseong and Seo Minah, interjected with a question.

“Do you have some kind of plan?”

“First, the fact that Unchain hasn’t been caught by the Apostles until now means their base is somewhere the Apostles’ power cannot reach. And to my knowledge, the only such places are Dimensional Corrosion Zones where the Otherworld has flooded into reality.”

“Your guess is correct, Guild Master. According to information from the Seven-Star Guild where I was previously, Unchain is based in an Otherworld that has corroded the former location of the Japanese archipelago.”

“Japan… you say.”

Suddenly, he remembered the oath he made with a Geass while fighting Sangwi early in the Hundred-Man Slaughter.

The oath to save the Japanese archipelago, which had sunk due to dimensional corrosion.

That too would have to be resolved someday… but it was still a distant matter.

An Gyeongseok continued his explanation.

“Yes. I heard that because the laws of the Otherworld apply there, Apostles cannot draw upon their Constellation’s power. They can only use power at the 11-Star level, so even Apostles can’t easily touch it, I was told.”

“Ah. So that’s why.”

The Four Celestial Beings Beyond Heaven, though 10-Star, could use Authority, making them Half-Step Eleven-Star. If they combined their attacks, even a True God at the 11-Star level would be at risk. That’s why the Apostles hadn’t recklessly dealt with Unchain.

As he was about to accept that explanation, he felt a sense of incongruity.

If that were all, a calculation emerged that Unchain couldn’t have survived this long.

‘Even if Apostles are reduced to 11-Star, there are two of them, plus the 11-Star Transcendent Awakeners who are the Guild Masters of the Ten Great Guilds.’

If all twelve or so 11-Star Awakeners took action, even the Four Celestial Beings Beyond Heaven wouldn’t be able to hold out.

When he actually pointed this out, An Gyeongseok pondered for a moment and then nodded.

“As you say, Guild Master, something is off. It seems there’s something I don’t know.”

“If my guess is correct, Unchain’s base is probably located in the Reverse Side World of the Corrosion Zone. And that place is likely not easily accessible to Apostles or other Transcendent Awakeners.”

“Are you planning to buy time there?”

“Yes. While our connection to Unchain might be a fatal factor for us now, after I become Earth’s third Apostle… or at least once our guild has just one Apostle-rank Spirit, we could balance things through the logic of power.”

Lee Hanseong’s gaze fell upon Jin Yuseong.

More precisely, he had Asta, contracted to Jin Yuseong, in mind.

Through this Historical Alteration, Asta, recognized as an 11-Star Spirit not only in the parallel world but also in this world, was in a state where he could challenge an Apostle right now.

The one most likely to become an Apostle the fastest was still Asta.

“Even in the worst case, if we have to fight an Apostle before reaching our destination, we should be able to buy some time to escape somehow.”

Möbius’s Authority [Primordial Fusion].

If he applied that to Seras, Asta, Fenrir, and the Sword Demon, who would possess the Formless Sword Demon Armor, all of whom came over through the Authority of Primordial Chaos.

He would be able to connect with the Constellations in their world, allowing him to temporarily draw out all the power of a 12-Star Apostle.

‘Of course, since the Contractors are mortal, the best we could manifest would be at the True God Rank level…’

But by utilizing the Apostles’ Prerogative of being able to use all the numerous Authorities of a Constellation, we might not win, but we wouldn’t lose easily either.

Moreover, even if the Apostles followed us to the Reverse Side of the Corrosion Zone, he had another plan.

The Corrosion Zone could be considered the intersection of the Otherworld and Earth, so its Reverse Side would be closer to the Otherworld.

‘If necessary, we can cross over to the Otherworld.’

With the Void Fairy Path that Rough obtained in this Historical Alteration, we could safely cross the Void Space between dimensions.

For the Crossroads of Ascension, discovered at the Crossroads of the Scales, to function properly, Constellations that have descended to Earth cannot invade the Otherworld until the dimensional collision fully begins.

Surely, the Apostles wouldn’t follow us to the Otherworld either.

The judgment was that the safest place when hostile to Earth’s Apostles was the Otherworld.

But then.

[Where do you think you’re running off to?]

As soon as a violent voice that shook the heavens echoed forth, two figures pierced through the Fallen Angel’s Black Radiance and appeared where the Celestial Sky Path had been.

Flash!

Before he could even recognize and react to it, a black light and a golden light swept across the outer edge of the Celestial Sky Path.

The Celestial Sky Path, which had just reached the airspace above the Japanese archipelago, tilted precariously and began plummeting violently toward the ground.

Groooooan! Thud.

The Heavenly Slaughter Demon Lord descended upon the Celestial Sky Path, displaying overwhelming Grade.

[Kneel.]

A pressure as if gravity had increased tens of thousands of times in an instant.

It was the Heavenly Demon’s Sovereign Stride.