Chapter 84 – New Adventure

Rewinding time slightly, to the Great Cathedral of Lumen.

There, Hanna, like Pope Beatus, was also connected to the Lantern of Radiance, observing the Demon King Subjugation battle.

Thanks to the Miracle of Interpretation applied to the Sanctuary, she could analyze the principles of the techniques used by the fighters in minute detail.

It was a precious time where simply watching brought a flood of numerous realizations.

Lee Hanseong guided Hanna to progress in a specific direction within this field of realizations.

[Conditions met. Blooming Unique Skill <Embrace>.]

In Dice’s Sword Levitation Technique, which accepted the Pilgrim Knights and made them his own swords, she focused on the capacity to embrace different individuals within oneself.

[Conditions met. Blooming Unique Skill <Full Devotion>.]

In Andrei’s Mountain-Shattering Fist, she concentrated on the knack of drawing out everything one possesses and pouring it into a single strike, blooming two Unique Skills.

And in the sight of the Fungus Demon King, who attempted to use the Star-Absorbing Grand Art on Duren only to have his own energy stolen, she strongly recalled the principle of retribution.

“As you have done, so shall it be returned to you.”

Flash!

A miracle of reflection was born, which embraced all the damage the Fungus Demon King had inflicted upon the Sanctuary and instantly returned it all in one go.

[Feat, ‘An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth’ achieved.]

[The Brilliance Constellation records your feat and the altered history.]

[Fifth Awakening Skill 《Reflection: Reflection》 blooms.]

[Hanna Bright’s 5-Star Promotion is completed.]

With that final message, Lee Hanseong, along with Pheidippides, withdrew from Hanna’s body.

He could no longer change Hanna’s history anyway, having used up all remaining achievement.

He judged it was about time for Pheidippides to regain his physical body as well.

Fwoosh!

The Sanctuary’s resurrection effect applied to Pheidippides in his Primal Spirit God state, and the body that had vanished during the Dimensional Shift was recreated.

He was perfectly restored, even recovering the half he had lost when absorbed by Duren’s Golden Core.

“You are… the Holy Spirit that was within the Saintess’s body?”

Beatus looked at the suddenly appeared Pheidippides with a wary gaze.

Pheidippides, already 7-Star due to the Guarantee of the Righteous Will and elevated to a half-step 8-Star by the Sanctuary’s Blessing, was dangerous even without showing hostility.

Pheidippides, with an understanding expression at Beatus’s reaction, greeted Hanna.

“I am indebted to you during this time. Thanks to you, I was able to complete my recovery.”

“I received much help as well. Will you be leaving now?”

“I suppose I must.”

“Where will you go?”

“I plan to visit Elysion.”

From the elven legends he learned while dwelling within Duren, he found a clue to completing his 7-Star Promotion.

If he followed the process of Ancient Elves evolving into High Elves through the Sun Tree, he could likely obtain the Divinity needed for a stable 7-Star Promotion.

He might be absorbed and vanish into the Sun Tree during that process, but for now, that method was the best.

‘Could Pheidippides, who is practically already 7-Star thanks to the Guarantee of the Righteous Will, possibly fail?’

Just as Admiral Yi Sunsin reached 7-Star by gaining fear and reverence—thus Divinity—from the Battle of Salamis, promotion to 7-Star and above originally required the awe of others.

For awe inevitably leads to the birth of legends and myths.

‘To gain awe, borrowing existing awe is the fastest way.’

Even Admiral Yi Sunsin at the Battle of Salamis borrowed the imagery of the war gods held by Athena and Ares to complete his awe.

This time, he planned to similarly borrow the awe elves hold for the Sun Tree and High Elves to complete Pheidippides’s 7-Star Promotion.

“I see. I will pray you achieve your wish. Lumen.”

“Duren also seems to want to go to Elysion, so I plan to go with him.”

“That will be a good adventure for him too. Becoming a Gold Plate Hero won’t take long either.”

The moment the Fungus Demon King’s subjugation was completed, the subjugation quest was judged as finished, and the heroes who participated earned massive Quest Points.

Duren, who was in the late 900s, must have risen quite a few ranks.

Adding the Adventure Points he would gain heading to Elysion, aiming for Gold Plate was within reach.

It was then.

Bang!

The church doors swung open roughly as heroes and knights who had finished the battle rushed in.

Andrei asked with an expression of burning curiosity.

“That miracle that annihilated the Fungus Demon King, what on earth was it?!”

“A new miracle I realized thanks to all of you. The Miracle of Reflection.”

“Miracle of Reflection? Not something like a Miracle of Annihilation?”

Following Hanna’s explanation, they finally recalled that the way the Fungus Demon King vanished was similar to erosion.

If it disappeared as if melting into the Sanctuary because the erosion it inflicted upon the Holy Land by invading acted in reverse, then its tremendous power made sense.

Since it was the Fungus Demon King’s own power to begin with, it was helpless against it.

Looking at the knights and heroes nodding their heads, Beatus expressed his gratitude.

“Anyway, thanks to your help, we were able to protect the Holy Land. Thank you all.”

“We just handled the quest. Your Holiness the Pope need not bow your head like that. Just don’t skimp on the reward.”

“You need not worry about the reward.”

The reward listed on the quest document Andrei received included not just Quest Points but also material compensation.

Special products of Lumen like Star Beasts and Consecrated Weapons.

As Andrei smiled contentedly, having received confirmation about such rewards.

Duren beside him noticed Pheidippides and looked at him with interest.

“But that’s a face I haven’t seen before. Who is it?”

“He is a Holy Spirit serving the Sun Constellation. The Holy Spirit who blessed Lady Saintess and Lord Duren.”

“Oh ho… That guy? His energy is indeed familiar.”

Duren, now in the form of a child, greeted him with a boyish voice, though it was actually their first meeting.

“Pleased to meet you.”

“Hmm. You completely converted my Holy Light Body into your own lifespan, didn’t you?”

Pheidippides let out a sigh as he saw the traces of the Holy Light Body completely melted into Duren’s Golden Core.

No wonder he looked even younger as a boy.

The Internal Energy, condensed to the level of a strong return, had broken the boundary between the acquired and the innate, reaching a level where it supplemented lifespan.

“Thanks to that, I have less to worry about lifespan, but is that a problem for you?”

“No. It’s not a problem at all. Since we’re inside the Sanctuary, the lost part regenerated quickly.”

“That’s a relief then.”

Then Andrei interjected into their conversation.

“But why reveal yourself only now? If you had stepped out from the beginning, the Fungus Demon King could have been easily subjugated, right?”

“Now that you mention it, that’s true. If you were recovering through the Sanctuary, you could have stepped out right after entering the Sanctuary, couldn’t you?”

Hanna chimed in with Andrei’s question.

Beatus’s face also hardened at those words.

“Are you saying the previous His Holiness the Pope might not have had to sacrifice himself?”

“Ah, that’s not it.”

Pheidippides firmly denied the people’s misconception.

“Even if I had stepped out, I wouldn’t have been of much help.”

Pheidippides was more of a commander than a warrior, so his combat ability itself was lacking.

And if the Pope hadn’t sacrificed himself and Beatus hadn’t obtained the Miracle of Blockade, the result of the Fungus Demon King’s annihilation wouldn’t have been achieved.

“The previous Pope’s sacrifice was necessary. But I understand your sorrow. He must have been a precious person to you. If you wish, I apologize for not stepping forward sooner.”

“…No. Actually, I know too. It’s just that it was hard to accept his death without blaming someone.”

When the subjugation began, the situation was urgent, so he hadn’t fully felt it, but after it ended, Beatus keenly felt the absence of the previous Pope.

He soon acknowledged that he was misdirecting his anger and apologized.

“You have been helping Lady Saintess and Lord Duren since before, after all.”

As if to lighten the atmosphere that had grown heavy due to the interrogation, Beatus changed the subject.

“Well, anyway. Everyone must be tired from the battle today, so you may rest now. Let’s finalize the rewards for your merits later and take a break for now.”

“Understood.”

After sending the heroes and Pilgrim Knight Order away, the remaining priests took charge of post-battle cleanup.

In reverse order of the evacuation, the priests returned the evacuated residents to their respective homes.

They calculated the rewards to give to those who participated in the subjugation based on the merits recorded in the Sanctuary.

And they prepared the funeral for the previous Pope, the sole casualty of the subjugation battle.

* * *

The next morning.

A modest funeral for the previous Pope was held at the Great Cathedral.

The process of interring the empty coffin in the church basement proceeded under solemn procedures.

Only after the funeral ended were the rewards distributed.

“Please state the miracle you desire, and we will deduct from your merit points to provide the reward.”

Star Beasts containing miracles like Purification, Healing, and Regeneration were distributed in small vials according to merit.

Since all combat participants possessed Treasure Vessels, instead of giving Consecrated Weapons separately, rewards were handled by permanently imprinting blessings directly onto their Treasure Vessels.

“I’ll… request the miracle of the Light Sword.”

Duren followed the choice most other swordsmen made and received a blessing for his Single-Heaven Sword.

It was a simple miracle that enhanced the power of Aura Blade and Sword Flux.

Given his talent, he judged that increasing pure power in this way was better than adding entirely new abilities.

“Hmm. So it’s like this…”

Having received all his rewards, including taking one of each type of Star Beast, Duren left the Holy Land Lumen without hesitation.

Hanna, who became the Saintess, Beatus, who became the Pope, and Dice, who became the Pilgrim Knight Commander, had to remain in the Holy Land.

But he no longer had a reason to stay here.

“Guess it’s time to go see the elves.”

It was time to set out to find the dream of his childhood.

Perhaps because his body was younger, his heart pounded more than when he was an old man.

The unique excitement and anticipation that the word ‘legend’ brings swirled throughout his body.

It was just as he set out towards the north of the Holy Land.

Pat.

“Let’s go together, Duren.”

Pheidippides, who had been waiting for his departure, joined him.

Since both were under the Spirit Possession of Lee Hanseong’s consciousness, it was practically a prearranged companionship according to his will.

“Hey. If you’re going to Elysion, I’m coming too.”

An unexpected person joined as well.

It was the hero Andrei, who reached a half-step 7-Star due to the Fungus Demon King subjugation feat and rose to 9th place.

“Do you have business in Elysion too?”

“More precisely, above it. To renew my Hero’s Plate to Platinum, I need to go to the Sky Island of the giants atop the Sun Tree.”

“So the Sky Island really exists!”

At Duren’s childlike reaction that matched his appearance, Andrei smiled faintly and finished explaining.

“Of course it’s real. If there are High Elves under the Sun Constellation and Angels under the Brilliance Constellation, then there must be Giants under the Golden Constellation.”

“Oooh!”

“The limit for humans is up to 6-Star. For us born human to rise to 7-Star and above, we need to be reborn as a Transcendent Species.”

It meant that from 7-Star onward, one’s race changes according to the chosen Constellation.

But Lee Hanseong, quietly listening from within the two spirits, found something puzzling.

Didn’t Earth’s Awakened or great figures maintain their human form even after reaching 7-Star and above?

‘No, they should be seen as Transcendent Humans, not humans.’

Transcendent Human.

Beings who have achieved Primal Spirit God, those who have broken through the limits of the human species.

That’s also why talent grows with each generation of Awakened.

The children of those who became Transcendent Humans beyond 7-Star cannot help but be different from ordinary humans.

“So, the answer?”

Having organized his thoughts, Lee Hanseong focused again on Duren’s situation.

Andrei was asking if he would accept him joining.

“I’ll accept you joining.”

There was no reason to refuse.

Unlike the Pilgrimage Path that was paved from the Ten Spirit Domain to the Holy Land Lumen, there was no specially made path between Lumen and Elysion.

It meant they had to forcibly break through the Domains of Territory Lords.

“Anyway, I heard Phantom Beast Species of Fungus Demon King level are all over near Elysion. The more combat power to break through, the better.”

“Let’s help each other.”

“Now, since it’s decided, let’s hurry and go.”

Thus, the companionship of three was decided.

And two weeks later.

The three, who halved the originally month-long distance, arrived at Elysion.