Chapter 177 – Wave of the Void (2)

“That thing shouldn’t be left alone!”

Baek Woohyeon shouted while looking at the gradually expanding Great Rift.

Having witnessed a Hollow Specter evolving into a Void Lord, he knew of the Void Lord’s existence and judged that if Hollow Specters widened the rift, a Void Lord would emerge.

Unlike Baek Woohyeon, who was about to rush out of the formation immediately, Seo Minah, commanding the Galaxy Guild, calmly maintained the formation.

“First, we must deal with the Hollow Specters before us! If we try to attack the Hollow Specters widening the rift here, we won’t be able to maintain the formation.”

Even though they were Hollow Specters at the level of 6-Star or below, the current pouring quantity was close to hundreds per second.

Conversely, the Galaxy Guild had mid to high-rank Awakeners contracted with Spirits of 7-Star or higher who could sweep away dozens of such Hollow Specters in an instant.

However, because the enemy’s numbers were too great, holding out stably for now was the best course.

Of course, since they had kept reserves by operating shift groups, they could launch an offensive if they attacked without considering the rear.

But as long as Hollow Specters kept pouring out, they wouldn’t be able to completely stop the rift’s expansion.

At least with the Galaxy Guild’s current forces alone, that was the case.

“Attacking the Hollow Specters widening the rift immediately won’t be the end of it.”

“So, we should just watch?”

“No. We should wait for the right moment.”

Hollow Specters are enemies of the Constellations.

And defeating such Hollow Specters was akin to resolving Constellation missions.

The Achievement they gained each time they defeated a Hollow Specter was two to three times that of defeating a monster of similar level.

Thanks to this, even during the short battle, the accumulated Achievement was enough for lower-rank Awakeners to Awaken anew.

Of course, most of the Hollow Specter defeats were by high-rank Awakeners.

But the moment they formed an assault party from the same guild, similar to forming a party, the Achievement each gained was gradually distributed to the lower-rank Awakeners fighting alongside them.

Fwaaat!

Sure enough.

Among the 2-Star Vessels with the smallest Vessels, Baek Hyeonwoo, who had the lowest Star Rank, Awakened to 3-Star.

This was his True Body’s Star Rank excluding the Blessing of Transcendence, so including the Blessing of Transcendence, he had risen to 4-Star.

Even so, he still couldn’t escape his role as a fortune totem.

Starting with him, others’ Awakenings followed.

Fwaaat!

Shin Gyumin, the Tamer who was 4-Star including the Blessing of Transcendence with a 3-Star Vessel, Awakened to 5-Star and unlocked the Spirit Hero Treasure, ‘Wind Thunder Wings’.

It was a wing-shaped Treasure Vessel with dual wind and lightning attributes, influenced by the thunderstorm hawk he tamed, Thunder.

Fwaaat!

Kim Yul, the Sorcerer who was 5-Star with a 2-Star Vessel, became 6-Star, undergoing Body Reformation and Blooming a new constitution.

Whether due to the influence of the 4-Star Exorcist Spirit he contracted, it was the <Extreme Yang Constitution> specialized in demon destruction.

Those with talent from 2-Star to 3-Star Vessels filled the Achievement needed for Awakening quickly because their Vessels were small.

As if to show this, Seo Minah added an explanation.

“If this trend continues, there will come a time when we create the reserve strength to launch an offensive just before the rift’s expansion causes meaningful change.”

Fwaaat!

Moreover, Seo Minah, a promising candidate with a 5-Star Vessel but actually the lowest Star Rank, also Awakened to 3-Star including the Blessing of Transcendence while speaking.

Thus, the 5-Star Spirit ‘Seohwang’ she contracted also unlocked all Awakening Skills up to the 4th Awakening Skill, excluding the calling Awakening Skill.

Of course, like Baek Hyeonwoo, because her Star Rank was still low, even after Awakening, she would continue commanding rather than directly confronting Hollow Specters.

But as her Grade increased, her expanded senses and mind enabled more detailed command.

Fwaaat!!

Not long after, Do Junwoo and An Gyeongseok, who were 4-Star with 4-Star Vessels, Awakened to 5-Star almost simultaneously.

Do Junwoo Bloomed Gu Yazi’s final famous sword, ‘Pure Sphere Sword’.

An Gyeongseok Bloomed a simple blackboard-shaped Spirit Hero Treasure that realized Einstein’s theory in reality and gained qualification for Divine Artifact Awakening.

Fwaaat!

Next, Baek Hyeonwoo Awakened again.

This time, perhaps because he continuously gained Achievement in his role as a fortune totem, the Spirit Hero Treasure he obtained upon Awakening to 5-Star was dice-shaped.

“…I’ll watch for now. But it would be better not to be too late.”

Seeing the same person get Promoted twice in a short time, Baek Woohyeon seemed to feel that Seo Minah’s words made sense and no longer urged an offensive.

If the allies’ Awakenings continued in real-time like this, they could achieve meaningful combat power enhancement before the Great Rift expanded enough for a Void Lord to appear.

In truth, he couldn’t guarantee that they could definitely stop the rift’s expansion with their current forces, so he felt the need for combat power enhancement.

But they couldn’t just keep enhancing combat power indefinitely.

‘If Void Lords pour out like Hollow Specters, a few mid to lower-rank Awakeners getting a bit stronger won’t be enough to stop them.’

Timing was crucial.

Considering the time needed to achieve combat power enhancement and successfully launch an offensive to stop the rift expansion, they had to start the offensive at an appropriate point.

Looking at the trend of Achievement accumulation, if they spent a bit more time, even the promising candidates of the Heavenly Palace Tournament could Awaken once, but waiting until then would be too late.

“Mr. Gyeongseok, please check the time until the rift reaches the Critical Point. If that time is within 3 minutes, we will launch the offensive.”

“Understood.”

Fortunately, Seo Minah seemed to know this too, instructing An Gyeongseok to constantly check the rift in the sky and time it.

And a short while later.

“Three minutes from now!”

An Gyeongseok announced that it was time to launch the offensive.

“Switch formation to wedge type!”

Since they had prepared for the offensive in advance, the formation change was swift.

With the enthusiastic Baek Woohyeon at the forefront, the promising candidates came forward and crushed the Hollow Specter waves.

Kwa kwa kwa kwa kwa kwa!

Not merely holding their positions but rapidly charging toward the Great Rift.

The still lower-rank Awakeners had mid to high-rank Awakeners summon high-rank Spirits to carry them and run, matching their speed.

Once they launched the offensive, as the number of Hollow Specters defeated per time increased, the accumulated Achievement exploded.

Perhaps because of that.

Fwaaat!

Seo Minho, who was 7-Star despite having a 2-Star Vessel, was Promoted to 8-Star.

Including the Blessing of Transcendence, he was already 9-Star.

Seo Minho’s species, similar to a were-tiger, evolved closer to a Divine Beast through evolution.

His fur, dyed snow-white, was proof that the myth of the White Tiger had imbued him.

As if boasting of it.

―Kheuheuheng!

Seo Minho’s body, in tiger beastman form, exploded in size, taking the form of a White Tiger.

Seo Minho, tearing through the Hollow Specter waves like a tank pushing through and charging toward the rift, overtook Baek Woohyeon and surged to the front.

Meaning the Galaxy Guild’s advance speed had increased even more.

“Good! If we keep going like this, we can stop it!”

Before they knew it, the Galaxy Guild had arrived right below the rift where Hollow Specters poured like a waterfall.

Like carp ascending against the waterfall, high-rank Awakeners who had formed a Primal Spirit God and even deployed Spirit Overlay climbed against the Hollow Specter waterfall.

At the forefront was Seo Minho in White Tiger form clad in winged garments.

Wielding the Desireless Iron Axe’s power in his claws and tearing apart Hollow Specters was refreshing.

Tsu tsu tsu tsu tsu!

Perhaps because the rift’s expansion was nearing the Critical Point.

The number of pouring Hollow Specters increased even more.

Until now, even as the rift grew, the quantity of Hollow Specters pouring out had been similar.

As if they had gathered what should have increased gradually and poured it out all at once, the Hollow Specter pressure suddenly became heavier.

“No! If this continues, the calculation…!”

The speed of climbing against the Hollow Specter waterfall slowed.

With less than a minute left until the rift reached the Critical Point now.

A variable had arisen.

―Not late!

Fwaaat!

The winged garments vanished, and Seo Minho’s form disappeared.

《Unclothed Heavenly Escape》.

His 3rd Awakening Skill, Heavenly Garment Flight Escape, which materialized winged garments, achieved Polarity Reversal, creating a Concealment ability.

Seo Minho, ignoring Hollow Specters in a manner similar to Form Exchange and heading straight to the rift alone.

And finally, the moment he reached the sky where the rift was located.

―Polarity Reversal, Time Discrepancy.

The Polarity Reversal of Seo Minho’s 4th Awakening Skill, Rotten Axe Handle, enveloped the Great Rift.

If the original Rotten Axe Handle was an ability to momentarily move oneself outside the flow of time and Leap into the future.

Time Discrepancy was the opposite ability, banishing the current target to a desired future point.

Of course, depending on the target’s Grade, the distance in time that could be sent would differ.

But anyway, through this, the Galaxy Guild gained time.

* * *

While the Great Rift was banished outside the flow of time, the lagging Galaxy Guild members also ascended to the height where the rift had been while defeating the remaining Hollow Specters.

Once the Great Rift returned to the flow of time shortly, they would be able to sufficiently stop the rift’s expansion.

…Or so they thought.

Jjeojeojeojik!

“…What?!”

“Why…!”

The Great Rift, released from Time Discrepancy’s effect and revealing itself again, had somehow already passed the Critical Point.

Meaning it was pouring out not only Hollow Specters but also Void Lords.

As if it had spent the same time as them even while outside the flow of time.

“Could it be because they are beings of Void…?”

As if suddenly remembering something, An Gyeongseok muttered.

Considering the characteristics of the Void Space that transcends time and space, it was easy to understand.

What fills the Void Space is Void, and Void is precisely the element composing Hollow Specters and Void Lords.

If spatiotemporal abilities don’t work on them?

Then this situation where Time Discrepancy seemed ineffective also makes sense.

“Identify the cause later! Attack for now!”

“Understood!”

Roughly grasping the situation, the Galaxy Guild focused on confronting the Void Lords that had appeared right before them.

Void Lords of various kinds, from familiar humanoid forms to Phantom Beast forms, monster forms, and other unfamiliar forms, were pouring out in quantities similar to the Hollow Specters that had appeared before.

Each was at a level no different from a Transcendent Species of 7-Star or higher, yet an enormous number poured out.

Among them, Void Lords at the level of 8-Star or 9-Star were not few.

A situation beyond the Galaxy Guild’s ability to block.

“Kuh! We can’t block this…!”

“Damn, are we dying here?”

As despair gradually began to Possess them at that moment.

Jjallang.

Once again, Kim Yul stepped forward, shaking his stone staff.

Originally, Kim Yul, who had just barely reached 6-Star, shouldn’t have been a match for Void Lords.

But.

Gooooooo!

Something was different.

Like a shaman communicating with a god, he walked slowly through the air, eyes rolled back enough to show the whites.

As if time had stopped at his appearance, everything around ceased action.

Uung―

His devout faith worshiping Lee Hanseong was forming a connection with Infinity Star.

The Fragment of Infinity Star that Lee Hanseong had gifted into his inner self in the past awoke, acting as a conduit for infinite Starlight.

Chiii!

The Mark of Transcendence was engraved, raising Kim Yul’s Grade by two levels.

From 6-Star to 8-Star.

At this moment, the total of stars and Empty Stars within Kim Yul became 18.

Among them, 6 were filled with 2-Star Sorcerer and 4-Star Exorcist, so there were 12 Empty Stars.

Uuung―

The Fragment of Infinity Star within Kim Yul and Infinity Star of the Chaos Constellation connected through Primordial Chaos Divine Art, mediating a new Spirit Contract.

Originally, Kim Yul had Aptitude for the True Center, but perhaps due to Infinity Star, he was in a state where he could contain Spirits belonging to other Constellations as well.

A Spirit belonging to the North Pole, the opposite of the True Center of beginning, imbued him.

Through Primordial Chaos Divine Art, Synchronization reached 100% Synchronization Rate instantly.

“…Rian Shin.”

He contracted with the Divine Spirit of Lee Hanseong, who was still 11-Star as the Apostle Duel was in progress but would soon become an Apostle.

The moment the contract ended, the Resonance of Infinity Star subsided, and the aura Kim Yul had been emitting also subsided.

Only then did the Void Lords, freed from restraint, begin moving again, targeting Kim Yul.

Pat.

The moment the Void Lords’ attacks were about to engulf Kim Yul, a step ahead, Rian’s Stigma 《Magic Palace》 unfolded.

Though he couldn’t summon Rian, who was in the Apostle Duel, or achieve Spirit Overlay, he could freely unfold his Stigma and Authority.

Inside the Magic Palace, the reversed North Pole Divine Realm, a lifeline for Rian naturally materialized.

Ileong―

Space twisted, and the attacks from Void Lords targeting Rian crossed, heading to wrong places.

Amid attacks colliding and canceling each other or distorted attacks targeting other Void Lords, Kim Yul, without a single wound, spat out a word.

“Die.”

An Order, no different from a kind of Law, with the Stigmas 《Wish》 and 《Sorcery Emperor》 applied.

Among the Void Lords that entered the Magic Palace’s range, those below 8-Star, lower Grade than Kim Yul, all met death in an instant.

Of course, even so, there were still over hundreds of Void Lords of 8-Star or higher.

But Kim Yul hadn’t seriously used his power yet either.

“Eternal Magic.”

As if filling the Magic Palace, a 4-dimensional Dodecaplex Magic Circle unfolded, materializing Eternal Magic.

Chwarureureuk!

With Perfect Mana Control adjusting the 4-dimensional Magic Circle, dozens of types of high-level magic that could be fired with Eternal Magic arose in Kim Yul’s mind.

【Blizzard】, 【Absolute Zero】, 【Frozen Tempest】, 【Cyclone】, 【Tornado】, 【Fire Storm】, 【Giga Lightning】…….

Among them, magic centered on wind attributes suitable for aerial combat began pouring out.

Kugugugugugugugu!

Storms and lightning bolts where heat and cold intersected engulfed the Void Lords.

The Void Lords also each unfolded their Awakening Skills and resisted, but before the Authority of [Eternity Star], even their myths paled.

Moreover, since the magic occurred inside the Magic Palace, friend-or-foe distinction was precise.

“Is that Kim Yul…?”

“He just borrowed the Guild Master’s Authority to contract with a new Divine Spirit, right?”

The Galaxy Guild members could only watch Kim Yul’s performance with dazed expressions.

But Seo Minah’s reaction was different.

‘Somehow, I feel like I could do that too…?’

Since her Oppa Seo Minho’s resurrection, her faith toward Lee Hanseong was not inferior to Kim Yul’s, so it was a thought she could have.