Chapter 263 Chronosphere
After sending the 'Dark Crows' to the surface with Lucia and Noah's teleportation, we got ready and decided to head straight through the door that appeared in the innermost chamber.
We had only fought once today, and we finished the Guardian battle without much trouble. So, we weren't really worn out.
I figured that taking a break would do more harm than good, as it would loosen our tension a bit too much. Plus, if we rested for too long, there was a risk that the Guardians would respawn.
"──Let's go."
I stood in front of the open door and quietly said this.
Each of us held our drawn swords or weapons, ready to strike at any moment, and nodded silently.
Beyond the door was a sky without wind and clouds, reflected like a mirror on the surface of a lake.
There was no solid ground to step on, but
"Just keep going, it's fine."
I trusted Lucia's words and took a step forward.
Then, just below the surface of the lake that I saw, it felt like there was solid ground or maybe a glass floor, easily supporting my weight without sinking even an inch.
"It seems like we can stand..."
It looked like we could walk normally here.
With that thought, I moved forward into the fantastical scenery. Each step created ripples on the lake's surface, but I still didn't sink into the water.
Once everyone entered the [Physical God Realm], Logan asked,
"Aaron, what should we do? They don't seem to be attacking yet."
"Yeah..."
I thought the [Evil God] would attack the moment we entered, but that didn't happen.
After a few seconds of thinking, I quickly came up with an answer.
"For now, let's keep moving."
If we keep going, something might happen, or someone might show up from ahead.
At least, it's more constructive than waiting nervously in front of the door.
Thinking that, I took the lead and walked straight ahead through the endlessly similar scenery.
The [Physical God Realm] is very quiet.
There are no sounds of insects or animals, nor the wind. Only the faint sound of water splashing as we walk and the sound of our own breathing echo slightly.
The same kind of scenery continues, and there are no landmarks at all. Sometimes, I even wonder if we are really making progress, and a few of us occasionally look back to check the door to the 50th layer as it gets farther away.
Eventually, that door disappeared from sight, and after we walked a bit further.
"――――."
I stopped, raised my hand, and signaled my companions to halt.
Then, I spoke to the empty space ahead.
"――Hey, enough already. I've known you've been watching us from the start."
I realized it the moment we entered the [Physical God Realm].
From somewhere, gazes were pouring down on us.
The thin magical energy that has been clinging to us──probably a peeping through [Space Perception].
As if to affirm my words, in the next moment, the magical energy that had been pouring down gathered about ten meters in front of us.
Space magic──[Space Transfer].
What appeared was an old man dressed in a pure white robe, with a white beard and hair, and golden eyes.
Jilva Caduceus.
Or perhaps, Chronosphere.
The old man, with a remarkable physique for his age, opened his mouth while wearing a smile that made it hard to tell what he was thinking.
"Well, you've come this far──."
"Die."
My unique sword technique──[Heavy Flying Blade: Heavy Fang].
A dark slash shot out from my sword as I swung it down, instantly cutting through the Chronosphere.
The Chronosphere was sliced in half without any hesitation, but instead of spilling blood, it scattered into countless particles of light.
──It's not a human body.
In other words, whether it was created by magic or the labyrinth's functions, it was a fake.
A few seconds after it disappeared as light, magical energy for teleportation rained down in front of me again.
This time, it was multiple at once. Five beams of magical energy. And what appeared were 5 Chronospheres.
However, the magical energy felt weak. In other words, these guys were also fakes.
I decided it was pointless to cut them and lowered my arm that I had raised again.
Then the fakes opened their mouths.
"It's useless, Aaron."
"These are just puppets that can be made endlessly."
"I'm not planning to meet you in person."
"Because I'm scared."
Just as he said that,
"──Chronosphere-sama!"
Chloe stepped forward and shouted.
I hesitated to stop her but decided to let her do as she pleased.
It wasn't because I thought Chloe could convince the Chronosphere. I wanted to see what their reaction would be and why they had appeared here.
"Please stop this! Let's go home together!?"
"Well..."
Chronosphere nodded with a smile and said.
"Of course, there's no way I'm going back. Did you come all this way just to say something so silly, Chloe?"
"Isn't it enough already!? You should have fulfilled your purpose by now!!"
Purpose?
What is Chloe talking about?
Isn't Chronosphere being controlled by the [Evil God] or cooperating with her? If that's the case, then his purpose must be the same as the [Evil God], meaning the purpose hasn't been fulfilled yet.
Chloe sounds very sure, but Chronosphere denied it.
"Chloe, it seems like you're misunderstanding something."
"Or maybe others are misunderstanding too?"
"It might be a different misunderstanding from yours, but should I tell you anyway?"
"Let me be clear. My purpose is to exterminate humans. The humans on the surface."
"Miriallia acknowledges this too. If she can replicate humanity, she plans to kill the humans on the surface."
"That's why I'm cooperating with her."
"That's a lie!!"
"It's not a lie."
Why does Chloe deny it?
What does Chloe even know?
There are so many things I don't understand, but... it seems certain that Chronosphere is the enemy. In other words, Chloe's persuasion has failed.
"Chloe, this is it."
I cut off Chloe, who was about to speak again.
There's probably no time left to talk, nor does she intend to talk to Chronosphere anymore. Because──
"I have a request for you."
"It's a heartfelt request. Please listen without any doubts."
"──Will you die here?"
Ripples.
Countless, an overwhelming number of ripples appeared around us, as if they were surrounding us, even though nothing was moving.
And beyond the swaying surface of the water, separated by a thin film of water, was the ground that should have been a solid platform──yet from even deeper below, I sensed powerful beings rising up with immense magical energy through my [magical energy sense].
"Fiona, Logan, Io."
"Yeah, I know."
"Understood."
"I'm already ready."
In the next moment, Logan quickly drank the 'Activator' he took from the ring, blew his clothes to pieces with [Dragon Scale], and donned [God's Armor].
Io unleashed flames that spread over his body, burning away his clothes, and wrapped himself in [Divine Robe].
Fiona activated [God's Descent], summoned the [Sword God] to her, and activated [God's Body]. Then, as if she hated even the slightest resistance during her movements, she blew her clothes away with [Dragon Scale].
I immediately activated [Dragon Scale] and became completely n*ked, then followed up with [Chaos Strength]. From there, I further infused my aura into my right hand, "Black-White," dyeing it with heavy attributes.
My unique battle technique────[Chaos Strength: God of Calamity].
A pale, glowing aura enveloped my body, dyed by a heavy attribute aura. It painted my entire being like a pattern. On top of that, the "Black-White" that was split into black and white was re-dyed completely black.
There was no time to leisurely take off my clothes.
Everyone understood that. That's why Fiona also flung her clothes away. In a super-fast battle, even the slightest air resistance from clothing can be a hindrance.
Anyway, as we quickly prepared, powerful beings with the magical energy we sensed continued to emerge from the ripples around us.
Recognizing their presence, we couldn't help but groan.
Lucia had warned us.
We had expected it.
But even seeing it with my own eyes, it was hard to believe they could do this much.
What appeared were false goddesses with 6 pairs of wings, silver hair, and golden eyes.
[God's Remains Labyrinth] 50th floor guardian──[the Original Priestess Lucia]
With a loving smile plastered on their faces, they floated in the air like high walls surrounding us, densely packed together. It was ridiculous to even try to count them, but there were definitely over 3 hundred.
"Hey, hey, hey...!!"
"This is just too much...!!"
"The labyrinth's final boss shouldn't just spawn like goblins...!!"
The clan members let out urgent groans, completely losing their usual lightness.
And it was only natural.
We had certainly defeated the false god before, but that was when there was only one of them, and we had over 80 people. Even if we had won once, they were not an easy opponent.
And now, there were over 3 hundred of them.
The labyrinth is not impossible to conquer, nor is it at an unbeatable difficulty level. However, the scene before us is so unreasonable that calling it a labyrinth is an understatement; the difficulty is ridiculous.
Instead of just preventing us from progressing, it embodies a murderous intent and malice that aims to kill us for sure.
But even if that's the case, neither I nor Logan groaned.
"You really do the worst possible thing without hesitation, don't you...!!"
"Even with 5 bodies, this is definitely ridiculous...!!"
I don't know if it's because 5 bodies are enough, or if it's because the 'recreation' cost is higher than that of the false goddess, but the reason is unclear.
However, those that appeared around us at equal intervals are definitely not something we can ignore.
――'Sword Saint Cain'
Five Swordsmen with the same face stepped forward,
"Please."
Chronosphere said to us.
"Die."
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