Chapter 416: Star, the Parallel Universe (1)

‘Are they playing with me?’

Chang-Sun thought as he gritted his teeth, his gaze becoming cold behind the mask.

Their faces were not the only things that were the same. Their physiques and their auras... Even their talent was the same, as if they were all clones.

Wooosh!

At that moment, the air around the Heavenly Dragon Emperor changed as he released his Divine Class, which made Chang-Sun’s skin sting. Chang-Sun had noticed that the emperor had already achieved ; however, it also seemed that the emperor had been hiding quite a lot of talent, which was at least at the level of the Eighty-Eight Star Signs.

Paah, paah, paah!

The Heavenly Dragon Emperor fiercely pushed Chang-Sun’s hand away, forcing him to let go of the emperor’s collar and take a step backward. Chang-Sun was currently using the body of a human, so using the full power of ‘Divine Twilight’ would likely destroy his current body unless he was using [Execution Sword].

Of course, Chang-Sun still had his talent for combat. As he had continued to train himself in this body, it was more than adequate to fight at the level of a low-ranking Celestial.

Boom, boom, boom―!

Chang-Sun and the Heavenly Dragon Emperor quickly exchanged several attacks in the blink of an eye. Loud booms filled the air as the Imperial Palace trembled violently, as if it would crumble at any moment; the shockwaves created cracks in the ceiling, causing dust to rain down.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Their every step released a storm of Divine Class, which prevented any others from approaching.

“Protect His Majesty...!”

Nevertheless, several military officials desperately searched for a way to get closer, but their attempts were futile.

Slaaaash!

A ray of light flashed, slicing through the area in front of those who tried to approach Chang-Sun and the emperor.

“I see you people are too occupied with that bum, but I want you to remember that I’m here too,” Arin said with a smile, gripping her whip as it transformed into a robust spear.

[The Celestial ‘Unknown Ancient Celestial’ smiles coldly, glaring at the enemies!]

“...!”

“...!”

“...!”

She was not the only one.

[Your Subordinate ‘Jin Prezia’ has summoned his troops!]

[An ice storm is raging!]

Pzzzzz!

White frost spread across the floor where the officials were standing, instantly freezing the area. Undead rose from the frozen field one after another and filled the hall, their ice energy drastically lowering the temperature within.

「Those of you who cannot rest in peace even after your death, and only pursue our master’s glory and honor! These living creatures dare to point their swords at our master, so show them who we are!」

In response to Jin Prezia’s command, the Changgwis let out shrieks and flew at the military officials and priests.

Kiaaaaaaah!

Kieeeeeeeh!

The Imperial Palace fell into chaos almost immediately.

Clang, clang, clang!

“That... is Granduncle’s power,” Treville Prezia murmured, trembling as he watched Jin fight on the front lines.

Ever since his apostle appointment, Treville had gotten the impression that Jin’s Class could not be considered that of a mere mortal. That was why he was unable to sit still.

Treville slowly yet solemnly said, “Vassals of Prezia, listen.”

“We hear you.”

“We hear you.”

“Take over the Imperial Palace. Don’t let anyone enter or leave the palace,” Treville commanded.

“Yes,Your Grace!”

“Yes, Your Grace!”

The vassals who had followed the Prezia Family’s parade quickly took action, their faces red with excitement. Seeing that her once young and naive boy was gone, Sietle faintly smiled at her grown-up son.

* * *

[Your Undead Army has successfully occupied the Heavenly Dragon Palace, the Arcadia civilization’s central divine ground.]

[The ‘Star Order’ has sent a distress call to the Society !]

...

[The Celestial ‘Coma Berenices’ is waiting for an opportunity to drop in on the fight!]

[The Celestial ‘Phoenix[1]’ warns the Celestial ‘Coma Berenices’ not to act rashly!]

[The Celestial ‘Corona Borealis’ intends to censure the Celestial ‘Phoenix’ if they let the Celestia ‘Divine Twilight’ take over the Arcadia civilization’s Imperial Palace!]

[The Celestial ‘Columba’ yells that they will only be dragged to the Divine Trial courtroom or see the Planet ‘Helath’ shatter if they attack without adequate preparations!]

...

seemed to be torn about whether or not to intervene. The members were divided into two completely opposing sides. Some Star Signs suggested that they interfere before Chang-Sun took over Helath completely, and other Star Signs were cautious, as they would be caught up in [Execution Sword] if they blindly descended to the planet.

[The Celestial ‘Sagittarius ’ is fighting hard against the Celestials ‘Aquarius’ and ‘Gemini’!]

[The Celestial ‘Aquarius’ proposes that the Zodiacs punish the Celestial ‘Sagittarius’ for the charge of attempting to sell the Arcadia civilization out to an Outer Celestial!]

[The Celestial ‘Sagittarius’ shouts that this is a preposterous claim, and tells the Zodiacs that they will see that the Celestial ‘Aquarius’ is behind everything if they check the Planet ‘Eos’!]

[The Celestial ‘Aquarius’ protests, asking how the Zodiacs can possibly search the Planet ‘Eos’ when the planet is in the hands of their enemies!]

[The Celestial ‘Gemini’ says this is evidence that the Celestial ‘Sagittarius’ tried to sell off the Arcadia civilization to an Outer Celestial, pointing the finger at ‘Sagittarius’!]

[The Celestial ‘Gemini’ adds that the Celestial ‘Sagittarius’ has possibly conspired with the Celestial ‘Divine Twilight’, pointing the finger at ‘Sagittarius’!]

[The Celestial ‘Sagittarius ’ furiously roars, asking what in the world the Celestial ‘Gemini’ is talking about!]

...

[The Celestial ‘Pisces’ is unsure who is speaking the truth, feeling a headache coming on.]

[The Celestial ‘Aries’ frowns without saying anything.]

...

[Animosity is piling up within the Society !]

[The internal conflict in the Society is intensifying!]

...

[The Zodiacs are not sure which side they should take!]

[The Celestial ‘Taurus’ remains silent and neutral.]

The Zodiacs were supposed to have been the mediators that controlled the ongoing chaos, but they were not giving any instructions due to their internal conflict. Chiron and Sadalmelik had already crossed the point of no return, and they were utterly at each other’s throats now.

[Some of the Eighty-Eight Star Signs of the Society have formed a squad, getting ready to interfere in the battle for the Arcadia civilization!]

[13 Star Signs are preparing to descend!]

Thinking that they still had to do something about the situation, some Star Signs volunteered to join the battle, but...

‘Here they come,.’

Chang-Sun thought with a smile.

...they had to stop their descent.

[The Celestial ‘Cancer’, who has been watching outside the Worldline, curses furiously!]

[The Celestial ‘Libra’ asks the Star Signs to stop their descent and come back!]

Paaah...!

[The law of causality is fluctuating violently.]

[A large-scale dimensional teleportation is taking place.]

The outskirts of this galaxy within Worldline #802, a place beyond Chang-Sun’s current area of perception, fluctuated violently.

[The Alliance has appeared in Worldline #802, descending in the domain of the Society !]

[The Society is shocked at how their enemy army is greater than they expected, entering a state of emergency!]

The Alliance had finally arrived at Worldline #802 and started a full–scale war against . Before Chang-Sun got to Arcadia, he had already made arrangements with Tiamat to attack on two fronts. While Chang-Sun attacked them from the inside, Tiamat would attack from the outside. As expected...

Pzzz, pzzzz!

...the world around Chang-Sun shook, the air filling with sharp mechanical sounds.

[Readjusting the Channeling frequencies to the outside!]

...

[A part of the damaged Channeling has been restored, providing smoother communication.]

[The restored Channelings: ‘Primordial Evil Dragon’, ‘A Good Season to Hunt’, ‘World-Encircling Serpent’, ‘Tsunami Bringer’, ‘Antlered Animal King’, ‘Plague Monarch’.]

[The Celestial ‘Primordial Evil Dragon’ has revealed her Divine Class, exerting her influence over the Arcadia civilization!]

The messages of those Celestials with whom Chang-Sun had been unable to communicate began to appear.

Krrrrrr―!

Chang-Sun felt as if he could hear an Evil Dragon’s roar from somewhere.

[The Celestial ‘Primordial Evil Dragon’ grumbles, asking why you are late. She adds that she has been itching with impatience while waiting.]

𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Chang-Sun chuckled, able to picture Tiamat watching Arcadia with a lollipop in her mouth.

[The Celestial ‘Tsunami Bringer’ gives you two thumbs up upon seeing the mess you have made, saying that he expected no less from the Celestial ‘Divine Twilight’!]

[The Celestial ‘Antlered Animal King’ laughs upon seeing how grand of a stage has been set up for him!]

[The Celestial ‘Plague Monarch’ tells you quietly that she has recently made a very fine concoction, so she would like to give it to you if you need it!]

The other Celestials also quickly sent their messages.

[The Celestial ‘A Good Season to Hunt’ is bleeding from both nostrils after looking downward, surprised by the fact that there are two of you!]

[The Celestial ‘World-Encircling Serpent’ tilts his head in confusion, saying that both of you have similar looks, physiques, and souls.]

Chang-Sun slightly frowned after seeing J?rmungandr’s question, since it had been bothering him too. His original plan had been to make the Heavenly Dragon Emperor a hostage, take over the Imperial Palace, and buy time to rescue Xerxes and Crom Cruach from the dungeon. However, the Heavenly Dragon Emperor had put up quite a fight. Of course, it was not enough to match the ability of ‘Divine Twilight’, but the problem was that the emperor was skilled enough for Chang-Sun to be unable to subdue him with ease. The bigger problem was...

‘His combat techniques are the same as mine,’

Chang-Sun thought, and his frown deepened.

When Chang-Sun saw the Heavenly Dragon Emperor for the first time, he had thought had made a clone of him using the DNA traces he had left in Arcadia. With their extremely advanced knowledge of magic, mass-producing homunculi in Arcadia would be more than possible. Just as the had tried to clone Kali, could have studied ‘Divine Twilight’, their ferocious enemy, producing the emperor as part of their research.

Nevertheless, Chang-Sun could tell that the Heavenly Dragon Emperor could not possibly be an ordinary clone who only looked like him. Each martial move and behavior... Even the habit of getting the lay of the land where he was fighting was the same as Chang-Sun’s. Such similarities would only be possible if they grew up with a similar childhood in addition to sharing the same DNA.

Besides, J?rmungandr had said that even their souls were similar for some reason. Celestials never paid attention to mortals’ appearance. Just as all cockroaches were similar in the eyes of humans, Celestials had a similar impression of mortals, so they used mortals’ souls to distinguish them.

A body was merely a shell that one could shed at any time, but a soul never changed, and each one had a unique characteristic of its own. In addition, J?rmungandr was the most observant Celestial, so Chang-Sun could never take his word lightly. And...

“Who in the world are you?” The Heavenly Dragon Emperor finally broke his silence, speaking in the same voice as Chang-Sun’s.

...it seemed that Chang-Sun was not the only one who had received that impression.

“How can you use the same combat techniques as mine...? No, it’s not just your fighting techniques. Your eyes, way of speaking, habits... Everything is the same. It’s as if I’m looking into a mirror.”

Chang-Sun could be certain that the Heavenly Dragon Emperor was also bewildered by their encounter. If had created the emperor to research Chang-Sun or perturb him, he would not have reacted that way. Thus, he had to have actually been born as an ordinary member of Arcadia’s Imperial Family and lived for many years as an emperor.

“Answer me. Who in the world are you?” the Heavenly Dragon Emperor asked as his eyes blazed, ready to rip Chang-Sun to shreds if he refused to answer the question.

“I...” Chang-Sun was about to answer, but at that moment...

[The Society has advised the Alliance to retreat from the following Worldline! The protests that proceeding with this conquest any further will threaten the Great Universe’s peace!]

[The Society belligerently threatens the Alliance, saying that they will stop the alliance if the Celestial ‘Primordial Evil Dragon’ becomes a Celestial King by disrupting the law of causality even further!]

[The Societies and have participated in the war to mediate in compliance with the treaty they formed with the Society !]

Worldline #802’s law of causality fluctuated violently once again, indicating that and had actually joined in on the war.

[The Celestial ‘Malignity-Drinking Saturn’ is waiting for an opportunity to bite through your neck!]

Satan’s threat popped up in the center of Chang-Sun’s vision, but a new message appeared right after Satan’s.

[The Celestial ‘Taurus’ is watching with intrigue, wondering if you have discovered a new truth!]

‘I’m not sure what exactly happened... but it’s clear that he’s involved.’

Chang-Sun gritted his teeth, realizing that Bel-Marduk was toying with him.

Then, he took off his metal mask.

Click―!

Chang-Sun’s current body was already nearly synchronized with his soul, so his appearance resembled his real body. Of course, Chang-Sun looked the same as the Heavenly Dragon Emperor in his current body too, so the emperor’s lips trembled after seeing Chang-Sun’s face.

Looking at the emperor, Chang-Sun coldly said, “Lee Chang-Sun, the ‘Divine Twilight’. Let me ask you this time. Who are you?”

“I... am the Heavenly Dragon Emperor, the great ruler of Arcadia and owner of Helath.”

Chang-Sun’s eyes reflected the Heavenly Dragon Emperor, while the emperor’s eyes reflected Chang-Sun.

“And... My name is Sean li Arcadia.”

1. This is a constellation that was named after the actual mythological creature. ?