#505

Interim Summary (9)

As Lennok gazes at the firmly clenched fist of the divine statue, he slowly imprints his intent into it.

Woo-woo-woong!!!

Through the 8th level of causal adjustment, the information of the Old World is re-output.

While it is said that it will settle the desired information to the recipient, Lennok has already grasped the blind spot that Doctor has not mentioned.

'You cannot settle for just any information you desire.'

The power of the statue is not to read and extract the causality of a world that has already perished.

If anything, it returns some of the data extracted from artifacts or information of the Old World that Pandemonium has collected so far back to its members.

Given that this kind of settlement is being adopted, it is undeniable that the accumulated data, technology, and information of the Old World are immense.

Lennok, of course, had to consider the possibility that the information he wanted might not exist within the statue's database.

'In the worst case, I might not obtain the desired information and end up revealing my true objective to Doctor.'

He needed information that was both essential to Lennok right now and likely collected by Pandemonium through its past operations.

At the same time, it had to be a topic useless for deducing or guessing Lennok's identity, and it had to be a secret valuable enough to use all of the vast 8th-level adjustment.

From the moment he heard the word "settlement," Lennok had already made up his mind.

Hoooong…!!

With the desired intent being transmitted to Doctor through the statue, he let out a faint murmur.

"Hoo, how did you…?"

"If it's too difficult, we can go with something else."

"…No, it’s fine. But at this point in time…?"

Doctor, who had been deeply pondering by himself, eventually nodded.

"However, this settlement might need to be reported to the commander afterward. If that’s acceptable, I’ll approve it."

"Are you asking rhetorically?" Lennok smirked.

"Why don't you contact the commander first and discuss it?"

"…If you know that much, then I suppose it doesn’t matter."

Doctor let out a peculiar smile, and at the same time, a faint light emanated from the statue.

Kiiiiing…!!

The firmly clenched hand of the statue slowly opened, revealing an old book shrouded in mysterious magic circles.

The book, which seemed as if it might crumble at any moment, had numerous sheets of crumpled paper densely inscribed with unknown magical formations and ancient characters.

The title written on the cover was so faint and distorted that it couldn’t be clearly read.

But Lennok briefly glanced over it and, without a moment’s hesitation, tucked it into his robes.

He knew that the mere fact this item was successfully settled at this point in time was practically impossible.

And he was aware that no other member should discover this fact.

‘The Five Extreme Laws of the Fated Celestial Scale.’

In WORLD 1.0, it was known as a legendary arcane magic book.

It was famous as the highest-level magic manual, said to contain the quintessence of five different types of extreme arts.

However, very few players had ever actually used this grimoire.

For wizards who find it difficult to master multiple schools of magic simultaneously, the Fated Celestial Scale Grimoire, which contains only the quintessence of five different magic schools without any structured curriculum, was a low-utility item.

By the time WORLD 2.0 was released, the value of the Five Extreme Laws Grimoire had already plummeted, partly because of rumors that it was merely a replica of the transcendent Ten Laws of the World, an exclusive magic of the highest tier that existed only in the lore.

However, Lennok’s reason for selecting the contents of this low-utility grimoire as the cost of settlement lay elsewhere.

'Among the grimoires I remember from the game, this is the only one that possesses both the themes of time and space.'

Lennok's concern wasn't just spatial manipulation magic.

There was also the unique time-based magic that could potentially resolve Lennok’s fundamental issues.

He was fully aware that this was another opportunity to touch the concept of time.

It might have been possible to request a unique time-based grimoire from Doctor, but without a clear grasp of the concept of time, it would have been a pointless endeavor.

Instead, it was more reasonable to choose a grimoire that covered both space and time, thoroughly delve into spatial concepts, and then create a stepping stone to transition to temporal concepts.

Moreover, if it was a grimoire that had gained fame in WORLD 1.0, it must have also been renowned in the real First World.

Lennok believed that such information would certainly exist among the Old World data collected by Pandemonium as causal information.

Doctor looked at Lennok with a curious gaze before quickly turning his head.

"The settlement continues. Next candidate, step forward."

At those words, Vernon, who had not yet participated in the settlement, tilted his bottle and turned his head.

"Victor, what should I bring? Time’s almost up."

"……."

"If you keep hesitating, it'll be over before you know it. There's no point in dragging this out and losing my share, filtration or not."

"Names and details of famous Martial artist from the First World."

Lennok spoke up at Vernon's words.

Lennok's eyes glinted coldly as he adjusted his mask.

"Or request anecdotes related to them from Doctor."

Initially, Lennok had wanted to focus on gunslingers, but that theme would have been too specific and easily identified.

If he could secure an item of this caliber with an 8th-level adjustment, then it would be reasonable to request information with a 4th-level adjustment—half the cost.

Now that he had obtained what he needed for rank and formula research, it was time for Lennok to uncover the secrets that remained within himself.

Behind Vernon, who tilted his head and approached the statue, Sabrina gestured toward the exit of the theater.

  *

"Is it okay to come out this far?"

"It’s fine. What are you worried about?"

Sabrina, waiting in a secluded parking lot behind the back entrance of the theater, smiled as the cold night air lingered around them.

"Doctor can't leave until the settlement is over anyway."

"And that’s not just due to unwritten rules or the organization's regulations, is it?"

"Of course, it's a form of geas."

Sabrina nodded casually.

"After all, the very power of the statue is created using the power of binding magic."

"……."

"I did add some of my enchantment curses and Clown’s illusions, but it’s basically a masterpiece crafted by Doctor."

Sabrina chuckled.

"Incorporating a system that exchanges Old World causality into an object that doesn’t weigh dozens of tons… Doctor really is a monster. A very clever and alien monster at that."

"Indeed…"

Lennok agreed with her words to some extent.

Even Lennok, who directly infused mana into the statue and activated the system, couldn’t grasp its principles or how it operated.

Perhaps Doctor didn’t create an entirely new system or rule but rather developed it solely to manage the laws of the Old World independently.

Sabrina seemed to have an inkling about this fact.

"Anyway, here's what I want to say: if there’s any useful information, I’d like to exchange it," Sabrina said.

"Given that you came in through a trusted recommendation and visited the Pantheon’s well, you must have seen and heard quite a bit."

"……."

"As I mentioned earlier, I need highly significant yet volatile information."

"Is it because you need it urgently elsewhere?" Lennok asked.

Sabrina nodded.

"Yes. Just like you mentioned earlier, the death of Amrita and the temporary inaccessibility of the Apostle Ritual... that sort of information is perfect. If you know something, share it."

"And the compensation?"

"I'll start by telling you one piece of information from my side. Once it meets your standards, we’ll proceed with the exchange. How about that?"

Lennok couldn’t help but laugh.

It was a remarkably advantageous deal for Lennok, considering that she suggested an information exchange.

"You must be in a hurry."

"There’s an important meeting scheduled. Just one piece of information about Amrita won’t be enough."

"……."

"I’m initiating this conversation because I received information about Amrita's death from you first. Let’s negotiate based on that."

Lennok nodded.

"Go ahead, then."

"……Alright. Since there’s a megacity nearby, shall we start with information about that?" Sabrina replied before Lennok could react.

"Dead Rise, a PMC known as one of the 'Three Heads' of the Vulcan underground, will soon have its headquarters, which had advanced to the central front, return to Vulcan."

"……."

"The ceasefire between the Pandemonium and the Cult has caused a lull in the front lines. They’ll likely take a six-month break before returning to the front."

Dead Rise, a giant organization known as one of the "Three Heads" in the Vulcan underground, along with the Cartel and the Eightfold Fortress.

Was this the long-rumored return of the private military company that had been inactive for so long to the megacity?

Lennok knew their main force was active outside the city but hadn’t realized they had reached the central front.

Were they not only expanding their power in the city's underworld but also growing strong enough to extend their operations to the central front?

Lennok had found the lack of news about them unusual, but he hadn’t expected this to be the reason.

However, Lennok adjusted his mask without revealing his thoughts.

"Continue."

"Is this still not enough? How about this: the Ascendant Jinwa has created a new apostle," Sabrina added.

"There's been a rumor about imitating the End of the Outer Sea, but it seems to be escalating. For us cursecraft practitioners, it’s a serious problem."

"……."

"Shall I provide more information about the central front? The Thorben Mage Tower is withdrawing from the front, sparking intense tension with the Pandemonium," Sabrina said, observing Lennok’s reaction.

"I’ve shared the latest information to the best of my knowledge… Is it still not enough?"

"…No, let’s leave it at that for now."

Trying to extract too much from Sabrina’s knowledge might only raise unnecessary suspicion.

"Since we started with the megacity theme, I'll stick with that."

Lennok smoothly steered the conversation back to a topic he was most familiar with.

"The Vulcan City Council is preparing a new project to succeed the Black Consumer Project."

"…!!"

"It has already gone through one trial and error phase and has entered the stage of concrete planning."

"Is that reliable information?"

"It’s something I heard directly from a council insider."

After all, it was information directly from Madritch Onion himself, so it wasn't a lie.

"Some of the developers who participated in the original Black Consumer Project are involved, and personnel from the military command city are also connected."

"Hold on… This is overly sensitive information," Sabrina said with a stiff expression.

"No, I can’t use this kind of information. It could lead to war between cities."

Lennok gave a cold smile.

"Do I have to consider such things before sharing information?"

"……."

Sabrina, after pondering for a while, shook her head.

"I'll pretend I didn’t hear that. Instead, I’ll offer a few more pieces of information from my side. Let’s discuss something else."

Sabrina then talked about the movements of the central front, the Eyes of the Blue, and the civil war occurring in the Western Continent Republic.

Lennok listened quietly before speaking again.

“It seems that the Cult has found a new way to achieve Ascension. Rumor has it that they’ve already completed clinical trials.”

“Ugh…”

Sabrina’s expression showed a hint of dread.

“No, how could you… What have you been doing outside of Pandemonium?”

When Lennok didn’t respond, Sabrina cautiously put some distance between them, her face slightly pale with fear.

“So, that’s why you participated in the Ascendant’s operation. You must actually be someone of very high rank, right?”

“……”

“All this information is impossible to know without considerable backing. Could it be… the Commander or the Bright One themselves…?”

As Sabrina began to misunderstand, Lennok shook his head.

He had tailored the information he knew to fit the situation, but it seemed too dangerous from her perspective.

However, the two pieces of information he had just shared posed no risk even if leaked to the outside.

The City Council's new project and the Cult's new method of Ascension.

Both would work in Lennok’s favor the more they were publicized and countered by external forces.

That’s why Lennok had been comfortable sharing this information, fully aware that others might be eavesdropping on their conversation.

With this thought in mind, Lennok glanced down the alley behind Sabrina.

“This Cursespeaker has spoken. What do you think about it?” Lennok asked.

“The Commander and the Bright One aren’t the type to do anything so cumbersome,” came a cold voice from the alley.

Soryu emerged from the shadows, his face expressionless.

“If you want to avoid our surveillance, you don’t need to hide behind a mask. It’s simply a misunderstanding.”

“Soryu…!!” Sabrina clenched her teeth and quickly turned around.

“Have you been listening all this time, you rat?!”

“You’re making strange accusations,” Soryu replied without raising an eyebrow.

“Taking necessary information for oneself is a reasonable action. There’s no reason to be criticized.”

“What nonsense! We came out here to have a private conversation! How did you even get through the curse barrier?!”

“Are you talking about this?”

Crackle…!!

An array of unknown symbols, frozen solid, was in Soryu’s hand.

Seeing this, Sabrina gasped in shock.

“How did you…?!”

“Materializing mana makes it stronger, but it also becomes easier to interfere with,” Soryu explained as he shattered the frozen symbols in his hand and walked forward.

“You should be more cautious when dealing with a superhuman who understands the transformation of elemental concepts.”

“You…!!”

Ignoring Sabrina’s rage, Soryu calmly approached Lennok.

The two superhumans stood facing each other, the cold night air between them.

Soryu, staring at Lennok’s mask, spoke.

“When we encountered each other in Kaiushu, you didn’t seem inclined to join the operation at the Well.”

“……”

“If it was decided after leaving the city, it’s understandable that Hairea wasn’t aware of it. But that’s not what’s important.”

Did Soryu have an idea of how Lennok got involved in the jungle operation?

Soryu, summarizing what had happened in a few words, asked, “Was the Commander present there?”

“If you heard about the jungle, you should know,” Lennok tilted his head slightly.

“Clown led the operation, and I only assisted. I never saw the Commander.”

“According to Agneta, you took on the most crucial role at the end and succeeded,” Soryu replied coldly.

“I’m asking if there was any support or arrangement from the Commander during that process.”

It was then that Lennok realized Soryu wasn’t talking about the Commander’s presence but rather about the very stake implanted in Gye-Baek’s body.

The final geas hidden within Gye-Baek’s body.

The stake that had been activated with the command to attempt Ascension again, an object said to have been personally created and handed over by the Commander.

Soryu seemed certain that the Commander had made arrangements at the end of the jungle operation, and that’s what he was trying to uncover.

“I understand what you’re getting at,” Lennok nodded.

“But I see no reason to share it.”

“……”

The air around them suddenly grew cold.

Even though Soryu hadn’t actively channeled his mana, the faint killing intent alone chilled the atmosphere.

It was proof of how skillfully Soryu wielded the freezing attribute, to the point of becoming one with it.

As Sabrina, who had been watching from the side, frowned and stepped back, Lennok spoke with a hint of amusement in his voice.

“You could just ask Clown or Freya instead of me. The fact that you haven't suggests there’s something you want to hear from my mouth.”

“Ooh…”

Sabrina inadvertently let out a murmur of admiration before clamping her mouth shut, and Soryu’s gaze turned icy.

“Should I really share that information with someone who was eavesdropping until just now?”

“What do you want?”

“The Skull Staff you tried to use against the Gambit at Kaiushu. Or the Binding Artifact you submitted for this settlement.”

“……”

Lennok laughed as he watched Soryu remain silent.

“Prince of Kabahim. I heard you possess quite a collection of rare artifacts. If you offer one of that caliber, I might consider it.”

It was an excessive demand just for information about the jungle incident.

But given that Soryu had intruded on the conversation and requested information about the stake without revealing his true intentions, it was fitting.

By setting strong conditions, Lennok aimed to elicit a response that would help him discern why Soryu wanted information about the Commander.

Until Soryu nodded immediately.

“Fine.”

“…What?”

“I didn’t know you were interested in the legacy of the Kabahim Dynasty,” Soryu said as he touched the engraved symbol on his wrist, activating it.

“I’ll open the storage vault. Choose one item, then we’ll talk.”

“Wait a minute. Are you serious?” Sabrina’s eyes widened, and she raised her hand.

“No, if you’re going to do that, even if it's not as valuable as what Victor has, you should at least offer me some compensation! The information I just provided was worth—”

“Fine. Wait your turn.”

“Damn, I knew it… Wait, what?!”  

Did this ice user standing before him even know how to say "no"?

Thinking back to their encounter in Kaiushu, where Soryu had intended to travel all the way to Vulcan to confirm Lennok’s identity, it seemed his way of thinking might simply be different from that of ordinary people.

Just as Lennok felt his impression of the cold prince shift, he noticed Soryu’s fingers twitch.

Kiiing…!!

A faint, thread-like sound echoed in Lennok’s ears.

“……!!”

At the same time, Sabrina and Soryu’s auras, which had been engaged in conversation, briefly sharpened before quickly returning to normal.

It was a subtle distortion so faint that only Lennok, observing up close, could have noticed it.

But Soryu nonchalantly formed a hand seal and pulled out a dagger from his sleeve.

The blade was pitch black, like ink, and emitted a dark, ominous aura.

Without hesitation, Soryu gripped the dagger in a reverse hold and offered the handle to Lennok.

“Kaiushu. You still remember it, don’t you?”

“……”

Soryu’s words were laden with meaning, but Lennok indeed remembered that dagger.

It was the one Soryu had used to stab and subdue Yanikus Barbaria at Kaiushu.

Soryu’s sudden offer, to let Lennok select a treasure but then hand over the dagger, carried its own significance.

There was someone who needed to be stabbed.

“I see. Is this your preferred method?” Lennok nodded, grasped the dagger, and swung it directly at Sabrina.

Slaaash!!

“Wait, what the…?!”

Sabrina’s expression hardened as she quickly retreated, activating a spatial shift.

The dagger appeared behind her head, embedding itself in the empty air and coming to a halt.

[Ugh…!!]

At that moment, as if space itself had cracked, a person fell backward, appearing out of nowhere.

The dagger was lodged in the front of their helmet, oozing dark energy.

Soryu, who appeared behind the staggering figure, delivered a powerful kick to their back.

Bang!!

The fallen figure crashed into a corner of the parking lot with a loud impact.

Soryu dusted off his hands with a blank expression, while Sabrina stood up, her face slightly pale.

“Hey, at least warn me next time!”

“When was there time for that?”

Lennok replied indifferently, glancing around.

“We’re surrounded. Impressive work.”

At the end of the parking lot, under the bent streetlight and the shadows of split cars, figures wearing visors of various colors began to appear one by one, silently watching the scene.

They were clad in black suits that covered their entire bodies, with their glowing, multicolored eyes visible through their visors.

The new group exuded a completely different level of aura and intimidation compared to the person Lennok had just killed.

A dozen or so superhumans silently gazed down at them without uttering a word.

“We can't leave this place until the settlement is complete,” Soryu said, picking up the dagger from the ground.

“Let’s notify Doctor and handle this.”

“Sabrina, make the call.”

“Don’t you guys carry something like a communicator?” Sabrina grumbled as she reached inside her robe to pull out a device.

[There's no need for that, Pandemonium,] said the superhuman wearing a green visor at the far right.

[Everything is already prepared.]

“What?”

At that moment, an unfamiliar rumbling sound echoed from above, causing Sabrina to look up, her mouth slightly agape.

Rumble…!!

A massive black meteor was crashing down onto the roof of the huge theater behind the three of them.