Chapter 280: Seventy-Third Floor, The Furnace’s Conspiracy (4)

[Dismantle the conspiracy attempting to consume the world. Time remaining: 33 hours 47 minutes.]

“Shit!

Oh,

great Master of the Five Carriage Wheels!”

A massive barrier formed from divine power materialized around Tunyak’s war chariot.

Tat, tat, tat—

Dozens of bullets hammered against the shield.

Tunyak released his tautened bowstring, and the arrow curved through the air beyond the barrier before tearing into the machines.

Ever since he had cast blessings on Kwon Su-Hyeok, he hadn’t had a moment to catch his breath.

The suffocating presence of Endless Furnace’s divinity pressed in from all directions, and the mechanical units raining down from the sky and rising from the earth gave him no time to think.

He hadn’t even had a chance to properly take in the grotesque sight that was the mechanical fortress.

Over twenty of his comrades had already fallen. He wanted nothing more than to help the friend the goddess had summoned, but there simply weren’t any resources to spare.

Tunyak bellowed, voice hoarse with urgency, “Get your heads on straight, you bastards! We’re circling to the right!”

“To the right!”

His soldiers had responded faintly, but he didn’t have the heart to scold them.

The world had changed.

What had once been a battlefield veiled by a dark-red sheen of light had vanished, washed away in a wave of radiant blue light. The suffocating divine energy, which had blanketed the air itself, evaporated like mist.

In its place, a warm, unfamiliar divinity settled over the land.

Even the soulless machines, devoid of spirit and thought, seemed to hesitate for a moment.

What in the world?

Tunyak gazed at the far side of the sky. His pupils shrank for a second, then dilated as wide as they could go. There he was, suspended in the sky above the mechanical fortress, pushing back the crimson world with his light: Kwon Su-Hyeok.

For a brief moment, Tunyak thought he looked like a god.

Then, after realizing how blasphemous that thought was, he shook his head quickly.

Despite the transformed environment, the machines pressed on without pause. Gunfire continued to rain down.

Ratatatatata!

“To the right, I said! Move, dammit!” Tunyak shouted again as he drew back his bow.

Along with his words, the goddess’s blessing descended upon everyone. It formed another divine barrier, and they felt empowered while standing within it.

Without realizing it, Tunyak gradually brought the chariot to a halt and turned his eyes to Kwon Su-Hyeok.

A god of lightning was descending from the sky.

No, he wasn’t descending. He was driving downward like a bolt, toward the apostle of the wicked god still rooted in the earth.

There I go again, blaspheming.

Tunyak muttered a silent apology to the goddess, but he couldn’t tear his eyes away.

A cluster of lightning bolts over thirty meters long surged around Kwon Su-Hyeok’s axe. Standing atop the towering smokestack of the mechanical fortress, he brought the weapon down with all his might.

The afterimage of the lightning imprinted itself on Tunyak’s vision.

Suddenly, everything was light. Only light.

The entire world was drowned in it.

Amid the vast, endless sea of blue-gold light, a single sound broke through the gunfire. It was the crack of metal shattering.

A second later, something rumbled deep in the earth, before—

KWAHHHHH!

The fading light gave way to an explosion, and the world turned crimson once more.

It wasn’t the same sinister red as before, however. It was a warm, glowing red. Once caught within it, the machines scattered across the ground and sky began to drop one by one.

A mushroom cloud had replaced the mechanical fortress and was slowly rising toward the heavens. From it, a furious wind came sweeping across the wasteland, kicking up a wall of sand.

Tunyak instinctively raised his arm to shield himself, but when the sandstorm struck the divine barrier with a loud thud, he let his arm fall. He couldn’t see a thing, not even an inch ahead.

Only then did Tunyak finally catch his breath.

What the hell just happened?

He was sure Kwon Su-Hyeok was dead.

What he had witnessed—the transcendent power and the unfamiliar divinity—it had felt like standing before a god. No one could survive that kind of explosion, though.

Tunyak cursed him in his heart.

You lunatic. So what if the goddess summoned you? Did you really have to throw your life away?

According to the goddess, Kwon Su-Hyeok was from another world. However, he had sacrificed himself for them and the goddess without hesitation.

He even wondered if that blinding light earlier had been Kwon Su-Hyeok’s life force flaring out in its final moment.

Tunyak couldn’t remember the last time he had cried, but he felt tears prick at the corners of his eyes.

Eventually, the relentless sandstorm passed. His vision returned, and the mushroom cloud rising into the sky began to unravel and spread. Tunyak could sense that the thick, unpleasant divine energy he had felt before was gone. The air felt clean, pristine.

Suddenly, a strange sound reached his ears. Tunyak’s heart leaped, hoping Kwon Su-Hyeok was still alive. He turned his head quickly, full of hope, but—

“Whooong!”

The sound was coming from the divine beast, galloping toward them from far across the battlefield. It was the one Kwon Su-Hyeok had ridden into the mechanical fortress. Somehow, it had survived the blast and was now sprinting toward them.

The native warriors cheered.

“It’s the divine beast!”

“It’s alive! The divine beast is alive!”

Not a single person seemed concerned for Kwon Su-Hyeok. This didn’t surprise Tunyak in the slightest; Kwon Su-Hyeok was a stranger most had met just yesterday. Now, the monstrous mechanical fortress was gone, and their sacred beast had returned.

Still, Tunyak sighed.

“Geez.”

It was hard to tell whether he was smiling or on the verge of tears. He didn’t know how to feel.

Should I be happy that the divine beast survived? Or should I mourn the man who didn’t?

Tunyak sensed something, and his voice cracked as he exclaimed, “Wait, what?”

Amid the crisp, clear air, a familiar warm and indescribable divinity returned. His eyes narrowed briefly, then widened to an unbelievable degree.

From the black wasteland bathed in faint moonlight, small flames flickered here and there. Kwon Su-Hyeok was walking toward them, separating the hazy swirl of sand and dust.

Doppy opened his mouth and screamed, “Su-Yeok!”

Kwon Su-Hyeok’s hair was spiked up wildly, and he was covered in soot, probably from the explosion. Apparently uncomfortable, he splashed some water over his face as he walked. It left his face noticeably paler than the rest of him.

Tunyak acted before he could think. He snapped the reins and drove the chariot toward him.

Then he shouted—for a different reason this time, “You crazy motherfucker! I thought you were dead!”

𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Kwon Su-Hyeok looked at the charging Tunyak and smiled cheekily.

At that moment, Tunyak thought he looked almost holy. Something about him had changed. There was a gravity to him now, something solemn, something that made him seem... distant.

Doppy suddenly remembered how he had yelled at Kwon Su-Hyeok earlier and glanced embarrassedly at him. Thankfully, Kwon Su-Hyeok didn’t seem to care.

He dropped down into the chariot seat. “Why would I die, man? I’m gonna live long enough to see my grandkids get married.”

The joking tone put Tunyak at ease, and he responded without thinking, “You have a partner?”

“I could, if I felt like it.”

“Funny. That’s exactly what single guys say.”

“I mean it.”

Tunyak snorted, and Su-Hyeok smirked again.

After exchanging a laugh, Tunyak leaned down in a subdued manner. “Anyway. Thanks.”

“Thanks? I was gonna do it, regardless.”

“

Ah

. How am I supposed to repay this favor?”

“A favor? Just think of me from time to time. For every nine times you think of the goddess, maybe once for me?”

“You want me to think about you?”

“Didn’t I pretty much save the world just now? A little mental thank-you is enough, like you would to a god.”

Kwon Su-Hyeok spread his arms wide and puffed out his chest. Despite being covered in soot, he still looked sacred.

“

Heh,

you lunatic. You think you’re a god?”

“Didn’t I kinda look like one earlier?”

Agreeing to such a statement could be considered blasphemous, but even as Tunyak chuckled, he found himself unable to deny it. “Well, maybe a little?”

Doppy interjected, “Su-Yeok, are you alright? Want me to cast a healing spell?”

“

Hm?

Nah. I’m just dirty. Not really hurt anywhere.”

While Kwon Su-Hyeok and Doppy chatted, Tunyak’s chariot arrived near the other assault team members.

“

Whoooa!

The monster slayer returned from the explosion!”

“For Master of the Five Carriage Wheels!”

“All thanks to the goddess’s blessing!”

“The savior summoned by the goddess!”

“

Oh

, Master of the Five Carriage Wheels!”

“For the goddess!”

Some were praising Kwon Su-Hyeok, but even more were shouting the goddess’s name. Tunyak wanted to shout back at them that it was Kwon Su-Hyeok who had saved them.

Of course, it wasn't as if the goddess hadn’t helped. She had supported them with the divine spell and summoned Kwon Su-Hyeok.

However, ninety percent of the credit belonged to Kwon Su-Hyeok.

He didn’t seem to care much about the crowd’s reaction, though, as he gave a casual wave and looked away. Tunyak gazed at the place where the mechanical fortress had fallen.

The massive structure had been obliterated by the explosion, but mechanical parts scattered about the plains still smoldered, occasionally lighting on fire.

Tunyak waited silently. In fact, he couldn’t bring himself to speak because Kwon Su-Hyeok's presence felt different from before.

Kwon Su-Hyeok stood lost in thought for a while, then eventually turned back to Tunyak. “It’s time for me to go.”

It was just like before. Right after the goddess finished speaking, he had vanished without a trace. Although there wasn’t a visible sign that marked his disappearance, it always happened when the moment of farewell arrived.

Caught in a wave of deep regret, Tunyak searched for the right words.

In the end, only one phrase came to his mind. “Thank you.”

“Stop saying thank you.”

It was a familiar exchange.

Perhaps Kwon Su-Hyeok felt it too, because he smiled and changed his response. “Actually, no. It’s good that you’re thankful. Be really thankful.”

“

Haha

, alright. If you ever need help, just call me. I’ll come find you, like you found me.”

Instead of replying, Kwon Su-Hyeok simply smiled faintly. In the next instant, he vanished.

Staring at the empty space where he had been, Tunyak prayed to the goddess.

Oh, Master of the Five Carriage Wheels, who is he?

He wasn’t expecting an answer, but to his surprise, the goddess spoke.

“

He is a young god.

”

A young god?

“

A young god who tore through the countless restraints that bind this realm, by his own will. One who believes in himself.

”

***

「Invisible message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has slain an apostle whose god partially manifested in them. All stats increased by 5. His skill has leveled up. Divine Power is now lvl 5.」

「Invisible message: Divine Power has germinated. Beings outside Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok’s race can now perceive his divine presence.」

「Invisible message: The third-class god ‘Endless Furnace’ has forfeited the bid for ‘Planet A-29182’ due to a failed auction, despite having paid ■ ■ ■.」

「Invisible message: The third-class god ‘Endless Furnace’ has been demoted to fifth-class.」

「Invisible message: The fifth-class god ‘Master of the Five Carriage Wheels’ has been promoted to third-class.」

***

The Community of the Dead, on the seventy-third floor.

[This is insane!!!]

[Light Su-Hyeok descends.]

[He really became “Light” Su-Hyeok.]

[Hey, am I the only one feeling Divine Power right now?]

[Nope, I feel it too. Just like with the other gods.]

[The literal “God of Earth.”]

[God Su-Hyeok = Kwon Su-Hyeok the god. “Light Su-Hyeok” = Kwon Su-Hyeok, god of lightning. Mad foresight.]

[I used to hate the Shadow Su-Hyeok fan club, but I gotta admit that I’m sold. Where do I sign up?]

[I mean, is it not overkill to call him a god just for smashing one thing?]

[You wanna die? What else do you call someone who demolishes a moving fortress the size of a mountain?]

[Ikr? 😂 If you smash a massive, chaotic monster that moves, that makes you a god, idiot.]

***

[Congratulations. Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has conquered the seventy-third floor of the Tower of Ordeal: The Furnace’s conspiracy. He will now enter the waiting room.]

[23 hours 59 minutes until the rest period ends. Please take a rest.]

“

Ugh

, I’m exhausted.”

The moment I returned to the waiting room, weariness washed over me. It wasn’t that I felt physically tired, but more likely because I had used Divine Power.

I felt completely drained.

I figured I would have to be more careful with using this power until I got used to it.

Divine Power, huh.

I really was taking steps toward becoming a god.

Wanting to tell Ha Hee-Jeong, I quickly pulled up the Leaderboard. Unfortunately, she was still conquering a floor.

Guess I will tell her later.

Now that I had nothing to do, the lingering discomfort from the explosion settled in more heavily. I briefly considered going for a shower, but then shook my head. Honestly, I had thought I was going to die.

Well, I am so proud of myself.

I had awakened a power so overwhelming that it defied description.

Oh wait. I need to check something first.

After telling Doppy to go wash up, I rushed to the training room and tapped on Mung-chi to take out my belongings.

The first items that I laid out were the ones I had received from Tunyak on the seventy-third floor, but after a quick glance, I ignored them. That wasn’t what I was most curious about.

From under a belt, I pulled out a red, rectangular mechanical device. It emitted faint traces of life and the divine power of Endless Furnace.

“Su-Hyeok! You have to take that with you!”

Yoonie had cried out amidst the chaos, and I had managed to grab it in time.

I held the device up. Inside, a fist-sized lump of flame stared back at me with bead-like eyes.