“A prince…?”
“That’s right. It shouldn’t come as a surprise. Isn’t it more unusual for someone born a mortal to ascend to a divine status from an ordinary lineage?”
“Most people wouldn’t brag about it themselves.”
“What’s shameful about stating a fact? A warrior’s honor is proven by their deeds. Whether it’s through might or accomplishments, excessive modesty isn’t good. Remember this if you truly are my descendant.”
Khan nodded reluctantly, his face reflecting his mixed feelings. The advice didn’t resonate deeply, but the revelation that Karyan was once a prince was shocking.
“My past is a long story. Let’s not delve into it now. What you want to ask after enduring the ‘Proof of Valor’ isn’t about my history, right? No need to waste your questions.”
Khan nodded once more.
“You mentioned a sorceress designed this sanctuary.”
“Yes, it was a sort of transaction. She wanted me and my descendants to protect this sanctuary. I, too, wished to prevent this cursed chaos from wreaking further havoc. You could say it was a deal born from mutual interest. Ah, but to talk about the sorceress, I must first explain about this sanctuary.”
Follow me.
It was astonishing enough that another dimension existed within the demonic realm, but following Karyan deeper inside revealed an even more astonishing sight to Khan.
“What is this place…?”
Following Karyan, Khan found himself standing before a cliff. Karyan jumped down, and after peeking over the edge, Khan followed suit.
The ground below was remarkably solid. Its material was unknown, but even with all his strength, Khan couldn’t leave a scratch upon it. Moreover, the terrain was full of steep slopes, requiring him to climb hill after hill.
“───.”
For a while, they walked upon the mysterious, reddish-brown land. As mental waves reverberated in his head, Khan kept an eye on Karyan, who seemed unaffected.
‘Am I imagining things? No, that’s not right….’
It felt absurd to think he alone could hear something that even divine senses couldn’t detect. It was possible Karyan was merely accustomed to it, hence showing no reaction.
“Just a bit further…. Why that face? You look like a dog caught in the act.”
“…What are you talking about? If we’re almost there, care to explain? What is this place?”
“Hmm…. Well, since you will see it soon anyway, I guess there’s no harm in telling you.”
Karyan squinted, scrutinizing Khan with his ‘eyes’, before letting out a chuckle and offering an explanation.
“This sanctuary, which you know by that name, and this separate space within it were designed and built to seal away a certain entity.”
“A certain entity…”
“What kind of being requires sealing within an entire subdimension, and why would someone like me spend ages guarding it? The clues and answers lie in what you’ve seen so far.”
Khan and Karyan were walking along a particularly steep path. As they approached the inner sanctum, Karyan suddenly stopped, prompting Khan to do the same and observe his surroundings.
Nothing seemed particularly unusual. Everywhere he looked, the same reddish-brown earth stretched out.
But Karyan wouldn’t utter nonsense. In a world where the path to transcendence for mortals had been blocked, a unique entity who had ascended to godhood from a mortal form wouldn’t speak lightly on such crucial matters.
Most importantly, Figuring it out based on what he had seen so far was not overly difficult.
“The Void. This place seals something that came from the Void, doesn’t it?”
“Correct. Specifically, this land we’re standing on is its corpse.”
“……!”
Khan looked around in shock. This land, larger than most islands, was the corpse of a living being?
“No, calling it a corpse might be misleading. Its powers remain, continuing to exert influence. To be honest, I’m not sure if ‘death’ is a concept that even applies to these beings.”
Karyan’s tone was remarkably calm, but Khan could sense the turmoil beneath.
‘Something must have happened.’
“…So you sealed it here? To prevent its power from affecting the world?”
“Correct. But there was a problem. Killing this brute was one thing, but annihilating it was impossible. Even in death, it regenerated. Every time its tendrils rampaged, I couldn’t leave its side. That ordeal lasted fifty years. I, who was once an imperial crown prince, became an ancient relic within the royal family.”
A span of time incomprehensible to Khan, who had lived for nearly forty years.
“I ordered the Empire to find a way to exterminate this monster. But it wasn’t easy when 80% of our national power was being squandered on wars with dragons, giants, and demons. Any competent mages were preoccupied on the battlefield. That’s when they approached us—the Council of Truth.”
‘The Council of Truth!’
Khan’s eyes lit up.
That notorious group, capable of capturing live dragons for experimentation, had finally been mentioned. They might be connected to the mage as well.
“Those lunatic mages who had taken over a dragon’s domain as their stronghold came to me with an offer. They wanted me to hand over the corpse. It was practically a threat. Insane bastards.”
“So, what did you do?”
“Of course, I tried to kill them. Or rather, I failed to kill them. I couldn’t leave this monster’s side, could I? And those maniacs… when they gather, they can hunt transcendent beings like dragons, giants, and demons. They’re not easily dealt with.”
Khan was momentarily stunned, unable to fully grasp the enormity of the situation. Great mages capable of hunting dragons, giants, and even demons when they banded together. And Karyan dismissing them as mere nuisances.
“How powerful were those mages?”
“Well, it’s hard to explain in a way you’d understand. Ah, I remember they once managed to capture and bind a dragon in the Imperial Capital, thinking it was harmless. Think of it like that. There aren’t many comparisons you’d understand. These days, people don’t know much about the strength of high demons, ancient dragons, or giant chieftains.”
‘This is insane….’
Who on the continent knows the true strength of those beings better than Khan?
That’s what made this even more shocking. Karyan’s statements implied he had fought those legendary creatures. And since he survived and became a God, it meant he at least drew, if not won. Karyan could have bested them.
‘What kind of man is he, really?’
At first, it seemed like boasting. But then again, for a mortal to become a God in a world where the path to transcendence was blocked, perhaps this level of power was a necessity.
“To return to the story… after driving away the Council of Truth, another mage came to me. At first glance, it was clear he was their leader. I started by throwing punches. We fought for over two days without a clear winner, so I decided to hear them out.”
“That was… the sorceress, wasn’t it?”
“Yes. The Sorceress Mortalia. That was the start of our long relationship.”
Karyan’s eyes softened with nostalgia as he looked down.
“She claimed to be distinctly different from the Council of Truth. Even if they had cooperated briefly, they had parted ways. I thought she was lying at first, but I soon realized it was true. By then, she had already risen halfway to the realm of gods. She had no reason to associate with those still struggling to reach transcendence.”
“Transcendence… wasn’t it impossible?”
“It wasn’t. If it were truly impossible, I wouldn’t have become a God. But you’ll understand better as I explain more. Let’s get back to the point…”
Karyan paused, collecting his thoughts.
“This sanctuary and the other spaces within it were all designed to seal away this entity. The materials and spells used were beyond current comprehension.”
Khan nodded, urging Karyan to continue.
“The materials came from the heart of the last ancient dragon. Spells woven by the sorceress herself, enhanced by her unique understanding of the arcane.”
Khan’s eyes widened in realization, the puzzle pieces falling into place.
“And the entity?”
Karyan’s expression grew serious.
“An ancient horror, a being the Void spat out. A fragment of pure chaos. Even in death, its power lingers. It can’t fully die and constantly regenerates, spreading its influence like a plague.”
Karyan pointed to the ground.
“Which is why this land is red. It’s soaked in the corrupted essence of that entity, and we’ve been fighting to keep it sealed ever since.”
Tap tap.
Karyan tapped the ground lightly with his foot.
“Her proposal was simple. She would create a seal to ensure that the monster’s power couldn’t spread any further. While she couldn’t do anything about the already corrupted land, she could prevent the entire continent from being engulfed. I asked her what she wanted in return for her bold claims. She replied simply: she wanted me to become a God.”
“That sounded like nonsense to me. Become a God? Could anyone just decide to become a God so easily? What about the divine idiots who had been flaunting their status? With such skepticism, I asked her if it was even possible, and she said it was. She explained that my power was already on par with the gods, and I just needed to meet certain conditions.”
“So, what were those conditions for becoming a God?”
“Well, listen. The conditions she mentioned weren’t easy to accept.”
According to Karyan, The sorceress said that for Karyan to seal the void-born monster, he needed to become a God. To do so, he had to make this corrupted land his divine sanctuary.
But there was one more crucial requirement.
“For a mortal to shed their mortal limits and reach transcendence to become a God, they had to escape the world’s laws. And the simplest way to do that was to embrace Chaos.”
“……!”
Khan’s eyes widened in shock. Karyan continued in a detached tone, as if narrating someone else’s story.
“The idea of embracing Chaos to become like those beings from the void was daunting. But the sorceress that it was possible by controlling Chaos herself. I instinctively knew I could do it too. The result is clear.”
There was no need to say it.
“As you can see, it worked. I became a God and earned the name Warrior God. However, I was not part of the divine realm. My sanctuary was this corrupted land, and leaving it would risk the void monster breaking free.”
“If controlling Chaos is the key to transcendence, then what exactly is the void? It is said that the void surrounds this world, blocking the path to transcendence. Yet, for transcendence, one must embrace the power from the void…”
“It’s a paradox. But isn’t it odd that you’re asking about it, young warrior?”
“What…?!”
Karyan—the Warrior God—turned his back, fixing his transcendent gaze on Khan.
“The mage’s true demand was this: to impose a trial on my descendants while offering equivalent rewards. And if any among them could stimulate Chaos, to reveal all attainable truths on this void soil. And now, I can finally fulfill that demand. You, child from beyond the void.”
TL’s Corner:
I got goosebumps reading the last sentence of this chapter. Karyan knows that Khan isn’t from Midland.