Side Story 58
Natural Enemy
A chain relationship determined by genes from birth, a food chain of being fed upon.
However, only the prey from the lower layers always felt it.
'What is this?'
She stopped.
And, naturally, that didn't apply to the Administrators.
"You... what the hell are you!"
They were the ones who had existed as Kings and Gods under the mask of "Administrators" for a long time.
And Chatogua is among those Administrators on the 94th Floor.
In other words, she is the seventh from the top. She was so far from being prey that the excitement she felt now was inevitably strange.
"I'm starting to get angry."
Swoosh!
Was the sound of a unsheathed sword so chilling?
"I told you to answer."
Kwaaarng!
Shuaakaat!
YuWon's sword swung like a flame.
It was fast, but she could see it clearly.
The lightning-wrapped sword was heading towards her.
Even how the sword's tip would cut her in two.
But she couldn't react.
At the moment she tried.
["The Otherworld Adversary" challenges you]
The System that was exclusive to Players. That was the reason Administrator Chatogua was bound.
Zaaaah!
The cut arm flew in front of Chatogua's eyes, spraying blood. Losing an arm for her was nothing, but seeing her own arm fall to the ground was not a pleasant experience. And the fact that it could have been her neck or heart that was cut instead of her arm was even more eerie.
Thud, thud, thud.
The blood spurting from the severed arm spilled onto the ground. Normally, she would have tried to stop the bleeding, but Chatogua didn't. She, who had narrowly avoided YuWon's sword, closely examined the familiar energy permeating YuWon's sword.
'This time it's Lightning Bolt.'
Crackle, crackle.
Despite being released once, there was still a fierce aura left.
There were many Players who could handle the power of the electric attribute, but only a few could handle it with such speed and sharpness.
Zeus, Hercules, Hargan.
And another person.
No, a being using a power closer to Uranus than them was standing in front of her.
She was about to ask again.
Who are you.
At that moment, Chatogua sighed and extended her severed arm.
Shooo!
An arm sprouted from the cut surface. Uncertain of her new arm, she moved her hand slowly while opening her mouth.
"...Did you ask before? If I killed Vishnu?"
YuWon, who was about to swing his sword again, stopped at Chatogua's words.
"It wasn't me; it was my sister. Or maybe not. Anyway, that woman is resting down there now. She hurt herself quite foolishly fighting against Vishnu."
Two Administrators who looked alike.
They were twins, and their names were also similar.
"Do you mean Jotakua?"
"...There's nothing to be surprised about anymore. Who the hell are you? How do you even know our names?"
"Do you think only I know the names?"
YuWon's gaze froze Chatogua in her place. A look that seemed to penetrate her soul.
Now it was really hard to guess how much he knew.
"Anyway, I'm not her, right?"
YuWon nodded.
'If it's Jotakua, confusion is understandable.'
Chatogua and Jotakua.
They were more than simple twins.
They were two beings that were originally one.
That's why it wasn't strange that they would be confused.
"How much do you know?"
To Chatogua's question, YuWon answered without hesitation.
"Everything."
Kwaaaak!
[Otherworld Sword (2nd stage) confronts Chatogua]
Gripping the sword handle, YuWon approached Chatogua.
"Who are you guys. And why have you come here."
Shwaaah!
The sword wrapped in Divine Power threatened Chatogua.
In an instant, with the feeling that her neck was about to be cut, Chatogua, she, moved away from YuWon as if fleeing.
"Stop him!"
At her shout, the Envoys descended.
Numerous Envoys blocked YuWon's path.
Chatogua, using the Envoys as shields to gain time, touched her neck.
'That guy is our Natural Enemy.'
Both the sword that YuWon holds in his hand. And the Divinity he possesses.
For some reason, undoubtedly, those two things possessed a power similar to that of the Administrators.
No, to be more precise.
'Not just us.'
Outers.
That power would be the Natural Enemy of them, and also of us.
'It doesn't make sense.'
It was confusing.
A being that possessed a power that was the Natural Enemy of the Outers, and also had the power of the Administrators.
Moreover, with the Golden Cinder Eyes of The Great Sage, Heaven's Equal, and the Lightning Bolt of Zeus.
He had the power that would allow him to be a top-tier High-Ranker even with just one of those powers.
Hwararak!
Flames erupted among the Envoys. Purple flames engulfed and burned the Envoys instantly, like moths.
"What-?"
[Heavenly Demon Spirit] dominates [Dancer Dancing With The Flames]
[Dancer Dancing With The Flames] dominates [Flames of Death and Decay]
Frrr!
A giant figure with a fire sword.
Following the gaze of YuWon, who had the Golden Cinder Eyes, it turned its head towards Chatogua.
'Is he using the Heavenly Demon Spirit of the Heavenly Demon Cult and the Name of Tulzscha?'
It was hard to understand.
Clearly, the Martial Arts of the Heavenly Demon Cult and the Name of Tulzscha should be on the Tenth Floor of the Celestial Mountain.
'To obtain it, one must pass the Trial of the Heavenly Demon. There's no way we missed it.'
Jijik.
It was then...
Chatogua's head started to ache as if it was going to explode.
"What is this?"
Vaguely, someone's face passed through her mind. And slowly, the memory of that person.
"A strange guy has entered the Tower."
"A strange guy?"
Gradually, the memory returned.
"Yes. That guy killed the Chimera Creator. Thanks to that, the Tutorial is a mess."
The first to bring news of that person was the Tutorial Administrator. His tone was one of anger or amusement.
"The Chimera Creator? That's cool. Has his ability rusted after creating chimeras for almost a thousand years?"
"That's not all."
"What else?"
"Surtr is dead. By that guy's hands."
"...What?"
Upon hearing those words, Chatogua doubted her ears. It's not that she believed the Tutorial Administrator was playing with the Tutorial, but it was a story too unbelievable to believe.
Surtr.
Although he was degraded to a low-rank demon upon descending to the Tutorial, he was undoubtedly a being that not even decent Rankers could kill.
That's why his role in the Tutorial wasn't some kind of Trial.
Punishment for those who failed.
The destruction of the remaining world.
Surtr was originally not a being that Players completing the Tutorial were supposed to hunt.
"Isn't that strange?"
"Yes. It's strange. That guy moved so planned, as if he knew Surtr would appear later."
"He knew the entire System? Is that possible?"
"Originally, it would be impossible. But even if that were true, I'm willing to accept it. That's also his ability, and originally, neither Surtr nor the Chimera Creator are types you can catch just because you know they're there."
It was true.
It's not like you could catch Surtr and the Chimera Creator just by knowing of their existence.
Only The Great Sage, Heaven's Equal, for example, could barely survive against Surtr, let alone defeat him.
"A truly incredible guy has entered."
"That's right."
"What's that guy's Name?"
"Guess. You'll find out soon anyway."
The Tutorial Administrator responded with a mocking smile.
Why had she forgotten it?
That guy's Name.
Kwaang!
Zzzzzz!
The Heavenly Demon Spirit sword wrapped in purple flames passed by Chatogua's side.
A scorching heat on her face.
"Hey, have you heard the news?"
Shortly after, Jotakua approached Chatogua, excited.
"What do you mean 'hey'? Anyway, what news?"
"Hey, there's that rookie who entered a while ago. The one who supposedly killed Surtr. That guy, he's finally done something."
"What did he do?"
"That guy passed the Trial of the Heavenly Demon Cult."
The Trial of the Heavenly Demon Cult.
For Administrators, this was even more surprising than defeating Surtr.
"So, I guess..."
"Yes. That guy got the Flame of Tulzscha."
Long ago, a flame descended upon the Heavenly Demon Cult.
The Holy Fire.
A sacred item of the Heavenly Demon Cult that honored the next Leader of the Heavenly Demon Cult.
But that was a long time ago, a Trial that the Administrators had planted in the Heavenly Demon Cult.
"What's that guy's Name?"
A Player had been born who gained power outside the Tower.
It wasn't something that could be ignored.
That meant much more than the simple birth of a new High-Ranker.
In response to Chatogua's question, Jotakua replied with the name she had already learned.
"His name is Kim YuWon."
Chiiii-.
A burning sensation in her eyes. Feeling the immense Arcane Power and Divine Power moving the Heavenly Demon Spirit in front of her, Chatogua swallowed her saliva.
'I remembered.'
Kim YuWon.
A Player who changed history by reaching the top of the Tower in the shortest time possible, becoming a Ranker, and destroying Great Guilds like Olympus, The Heaven, and Muspelheim.
The traces he left in this Tower were countless.
But then, why?
Neither he himself nor anyone else seemed to remember.
Zzzzin, zzzzin.
Chatogua's mind got tangled in complex confusion as the name Kim YuWon resurfaced.
The more she struggled to remember, the more her head hurt as if it was going to explode, so Chatogua shook her head.
'...This is not the time for this.'
Now was not the time to obsess over the memories of YuWon that suddenly appeared in her mind.
Hwaaaak!
The Heavenly Demon Spirit sword flew towards her. At the same time, Chatogua extended her hand forward.
Kiiiiiiing-.
The Heavenly Demon Spirit sword, which was gradually slowing down, stopped.
With trembling arms, Chatogua opened her eyes and snapped her fingers.
"If you keep being so violent."
Pafang!
The Heavenly Demon Spirit sword shattered like glass, and the Divine Power that had lost its center scattered.
"I'll scold you."
With the Heavenly Demon Spirit losing strength and staggering, Chatogua regained the smile she had lost.
The Flame of Tulzscha was certainly a threat. It was a flame that belonged to a concept superior to any other flame in this world.
However, Chatogua was confident. She trusted that she could defeat him, even if the one in front of him wasn't a Player using the power of Tulzscha, but Tulzscha himself.
'I don't remember everything, but my opponent is just a Ranker who has been in the Tower for a little over 10 years.'
Hwaaaak!
She felt the World's Arcane Power moving following her gestures.
At the next moment.
Peureuk!
YuWon's Heavenly Demon Spirit crumpled like a sheet of paper under Chatogua's gesture.
'He's not an opponent I can't defeat-.'
"It's strange, isn't it?"
Just when Chatogua was smiling inside and out.
Kwadak-.
Sharp teeth bit into her shoulder. With a sharp pain, Chatogua opened her eyes, and a sound that should never have remained in this world reached her ears.
Beeeeeh-.
Beeh-.
Black Woods Goats, covered in purple fur.
Jebuk-.
"I'm not Vishnu, so I won't lose to guys like you or Jotakua."
Amidst their bleats, YuWon approached with a confident voice.
"It seems there was one more."
-
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Tags:
LWTG (Novel)