Celestial Horse Tribe

“To move within the time prison… what exactly are you?”

The female Celestial’s questioning voice suddenly echoed.

Though it was clearly a language system I was hearing for the first time, communication was possible.

The principle of automatic translation that sounds like one’s native language to the ear.

I guessed this was a kind of xenoglossy.

“Hmm… I wonder how this happened?”

The female Celestial put her hands behind her back as if pondering and gently rotated her toes on the ground.

I stared at her intently, as if enchanted.

A Celestial, who had no business being in the Western Continent, had appeared.

However, she looked different from typical Celestials.

Though clearly a breathtaking beauty, there was a single flaw.

The dark blue veins protruding on her skin throughout her exposed body, including her face, were grotesque.

She looked like virus-infected people from common zombie films.

…Why does she have such a body?

[Are you… from the Celestial Realm of the Central Continent Allos, located at the center of the Elzeria world?]

I cautiously explored with a slightly trembling voice.

“What? No, that’s no longer possible! How long has it been since I left the Celestial Realm! I was completely excommunicated! Even the ascension ceremony that allows immediate access to the Celestial Realm from anywhere in the world is blocked, so I can never return again~!”

The female Celestial waved her hands with a bright eye-smile.

With her hands behind her back, she added in a nostalgic voice.

“…Now I belong to a different place. A place with more gracious truth, with comrades who share the same ideology…”

The peculiar ring pattern pupil in her golden eyes sparkled.

“By the way, it’s rare for beings to recognize us who occasionally descend to the middle realm… who exactly are you who noticed that? Hehe…”

I continued to stare intently at her.

Looking at her gave me a sense of déjà vu, as if something was coming to mind.

I clearly had a feeling that I already knew her well…

Eventually, some information reflexively flashed in my mind.

[Celestial Horse Tribe…!]

An explosive collection of information bloomed like fireworks bursting in my head.

An intense and breathtaking flood of memories like an exploding bomb.

Tremendous warning and danger signals swept through my entire body.

The memories of the four Earth hunters including Wang Junlin, Nerme, Borhu, and Tolga.

The memories of the Chinese soldiers and Khanate soldiers who were ordinary people, not hunters.

It was a signal commonly conveyed to me even by some monsters.

A group with countless aliases such as Spacetime Demon Tribe, Demons of Spacetime, Residents of Spacetime, Time Tribe.

Beings who freely enjoy the grace of spacetime, the most powerful entities across all worlds.

Rulers who occupy 30% of the Elzeria otherworld and 20% of the Earth Gaia.

The main culprits who triggered the dimensional war between the current Earth and Elzeria.

A common archenemy that could unite both sides.

She was a member of the Spacetime Demon Tribe.

“Yes! That’s right! I’m Lumiel! A subordinate of Celestial Demon King Killeon who leads the Celestial Horse Tribe of the heavens! I hold one of the honorable positions among the three Celestial Horse Captains!”

She who revealed herself as Lumiel released her hands from behind her back and gently held one shoulder.

She tilted her head and gave an eye-smile.

“You noticed that too! What exactly are you?”

I focused on the appearance of Lumiel’s pupils.

That is clearly an ouroboros in the form of a snake holding its tail.

All members of the Spacetime Demon Tribe commonly have such pupils.

It is the proof of the power unique to the tribe, the source of spacetime power dwelling within their bodies.

The being that appeared before my eyes right now is clearly the Celestial Horse Tribe, a classification of the Spacetime Demon Tribe.

Originally, the Spacetime Demon Tribe began with a group of mages from the Blue Tower who researched time attribute magic in the Central Continent.

Time is an entity that flows like desert sand even for gods who pursue immortality.

Because it is a treasure commonly possessed by everyone, it is inevitably a regretful subject.

A concept projected onto true gold crafted through alchemy.

Something that no one can grasp, making it incredibly ephemeral.

Therefore, they worshipped time.

Research conducted over hundreds of years, touching on taboo concepts, eventually culminated in madness, providing the six founders with devastating power.

Perfect understanding of six concepts: deceleration, stoppage, acceleration, regression, leap, and space.

The blessings that crafted these concepts elevated them to supreme beings.

Those who reached the extreme of spacetime began to covet even the realm of dimensions.

The founders began to peer even beyond the universe.

And then at some point, they discovered Earth.

Earth, a planet strikingly similar to the blue planet Terra where the Elzeria world unfolds, corresponded to the concept of light and shadow of objects, the two sides of a coin, and existed as a perfect counterpart at the furthest edge of the universe, opposite in location.

Like separated twins growing up with similar appearances, they were twin planets where similar concepts naturally developed even though they were the farthest apart in the universe.

Some differences were simply more civilizationally advanced, and the absence of the concept of mana.

The founders were obsessed with the conceit of widely spreading the concept of spacetime for the benefit of all.

The result of their delusion led to connecting both dimensions and causing a dimensional war.

These are the identities of the Great Demon King and the five Demon Kings.

However, strictly speaking, the title Spacetime Demon Tribe that follows them is comprehensive.

The founders, after first conquering the Demon Realm, simply self-proclaimed themselves as the new Demon Tribe, inheriting the racial name of the Demon Tribe that spreads fear and despair.

While many original Demon Tribe members who pledged allegiance during the fall of the Demon Realm are included, they are a multi-ethnic group with countless mixed races including humans and various other species.

A tribe composed of various figures intoxicated by the blessing of spacetime.

The common archenemy of this world-line’s Earth and the otherworld.

That was the information about the Spacetime Demon Tribe.

[Why have you appeared here?]

I harbored profound doubts about the current situation.

The Spacetime Demon Tribe, the archenemy of both worlds, why on earth are they here…?

In response to my question, Lumiel pressed her lower lip with her finger and opened her eyes wide.

“Well, how should I say this? By the way, it’s really fascinating that I’m properly communicating with a being devoid of reason and intellect. But then again, the other great magical beasts of this continent have been observed seemingly communicating with their subordinates… well, indeed, a member of the Four Great Lords I suppose…”

Lumiel, with her arms folded, muttered distractedly to herself.

She gave a blatantly irrelevant answer to my question.

[What is this about? Why have you frozen the spacetime in this area? Why have you stopped my army?]

“But, you? I asked first, didn’t I? How are you actively functioning within the stopped time? It’s a blessing that only our Spacetime Tribe can use, one of the six omnipotences where only the chosen ones are permitted to move.”

There’s a strange feeling that the conversation isn’t aligning.

We’re throwing questions at each other that miss the point.

Lumiel, looking at me, narrowed her eyes thinly.

“Are you… perhaps also a member of the Spacetime Demon Tribe?”

[Release the restraint on my army, including the time stop, immediately.]

We continued to throw questions at each other with misaligned points.

I asked about the subject that had been bothering me.

[Why are you protecting the Sand Titanoboa King?]

“It’s simple. Something like mass-producing transcendent beings? Our Spacetime Demon Tribe travels throughout the world’s skies, lands, seas, and numerous other regions collecting powerful magical beasts and monsters. Because they become our excellent weapons.”

This time our topics aligned.

Lumiel, with her hand on her side, fluttered the small wings rising from both sides of her head and smirked.

[Mass-producing transcendent beings…?]

I quickly calculated the meaning of the answer I heard from her.

Currently, she is trying to do something with the Sand Titanoboa King, which was the final prey for me, the worms, and the assassins.

I had a somewhat ominous feeling.

[That doesn’t seem right. It was our prey after all.]

“What else isn’t right? It’s not like there’s a name tag marking ownership or property? Finder’s keepers.”

Lumiel kept grinning as if something pleased her and added.

With the conversation not connecting well and her constantly smirking attitude, I felt a strange irritation.

[Release the time stop immediately. And get out of here.]

“I keep saying I don’t want to, why do you persist? This was my objective from the beginning? I’m here to work.”

I subtly measured the distance between us.

Then I laid my body flat against the ground.

[If that’s your answer…]

A typical boss pattern of diverting a mob.

This type of stunt is not to my taste.

I decided to destroy the cliché itself.

Kwarrrruk-!

I accelerated suddenly and rushed forward in a surprise attack.

Fragments like broken ice sprayed around.

Not the soft, pale sand that scatters gently.

From the sand that had completely hardened like ice and was no longer soft, moving encountered tremendous resistance compared to normal times.

“Oh my?”

Lumiel’s eyes across from me, who had been conversing with me, widened.

I kicked my body forcefully from the ground, which had changed texture to become solid like frozen earth.

With my mouth wide open, I roared ferociously.

“Kyuhwaaaak-!”

I pounced with the intention of chewing and predating her.

If the time stop doesn’t release, killing the caster would probably solve it.

The distance between us closed in an instant.

Kuuuung-!

An enormous impact sound like a building collision echoed.

In front of me, blue energy and golden light crystals intertwined, creating a brilliant barrier.

The holy power barrier completely wrapped around Lumiel and the nearby Sand Titanoboa King.

My charge with all my might was blocked.

“My, a sudden attack? What kind of etiquette is this?”

Lumiel, who had created the holy power barrier, tilted her head and added in a languid voice with her hand on her side.

Her other hand was still touching the nearby Sand Titanoboa King.

I tried to push my head further into the barrier that blocked me.

[With just this paltry thing…]

Kudududuk-

A cracking sound like lifting a heavy object echoed.

It seemed unlikely that I could easily break it as it was tougher than expected.

Then I have many other means to dissolve it.

I cause blood to flow back from my internal blood pouch.

I opened my mouth wide, filled with blood.

Chwahaaak-!

A blood cannon with high acidity that could melt even diamond pours from zero distance.

I spewed out vomited blood that could swell in volume to an absurd amount, using the principle of Central Continent vampires’ blood magic.

Crimson blood dirtily covered and flowed down the surface of the holy power barrier.

Surprisingly, this attack too was withstood.

Lumiel beyond the holy power barrier grimaced.

“Ugh… how dirty.”

Though banished from the Celestial Realm, the power that maintains her essence was preserved.

However, it’s not a simple holy power barrier that blocks attacks.

It’s applied with power that reverses phenomena inflicted on the surface.

Deep blue spacetime magic crystals bloom from the holy power barrier.

It was treating my attacks as non-existent phenomena by reversing them.

An incredibly lethal power, theoretically the most perfect defense method.

The first time I witnessed the martial prowess of the Spacetime Demon Tribe.

I realized it was a type that the current me couldn’t approach.

Beyond the holy power barrier, Lumiel’s eyes curved strangely.

“Hmm… how should I put it. As expected of a beast that has achieved existence evolution, you have intelligence and can communicate adequately. Simply put, it’s wondrous.”

The smile suddenly disappeared from Lumiel’s face, which had been smirking.

Kadeuk.

Lumiel audibly ground her molars.

It was instantaneous how the female Celestial’s face, beautiful like a sacred painting, contorted like a demon.

“…Mere beast, do you take the Celestial of heaven lightly? You lowly insect! Ugly and vicious bug! Subject like a beggar living by digging sand in this desolate land! How incredibly impudent!”

The agitated Lumiel poured out a sermon.

Clearly observable self-intoxication and arrogance.

Despite being expelled from the Celestial Realm, her characteristic haughty pride of her species remained intact.

“…Well, how should I say this. I just intended to retrieve and leave… but I’ve changed my mind. Because you made me angry.”

Lumiel stroked the Sand Titanoboa King with a languid touch.

“I see… It seems you need a more definite means of punishment. That sin must be repaid with death.”

Shuuuu…

Suddenly, a strange power began to be injected into the Sand Titanoboa King.

The spacetime magic that Lumiel is currently adding to the holy power barrier.

That power was being rapidly absorbed by the creature.

I couldn’t prevent it.

Seurureuk-

The black and white lattice patterns cast on the Sand Titanoboa King were released.

“Kya, aak……!”

The Sand Titanoboa King, freed from stoppage in the halted world, moved again.

Its appearance had completely changed from before.

Clocks of various sizes were embedded throughout its body.

It looked like a bizarre art toy doll.

Even its scales changed from sand color to blue-gray.

“That’s it! For now, I’ve placed a delightful restriction. Only one survivor between you two can escape this spacetime prison!”

Lumiel, who regained her characteristic eye-smile, smiled benevolently.

“Well, I guess I’ll come back to retrieve in about 3 hours. So…”

Spacetime magic crystals gently scattered from her form as well.

“Now, enjoy your time with the transcendent being!”

Lumiel’s form immediately became translucent and disappeared.

Leaving only cheerful words like a festival host.

Shuuuuuu-!

Ominous dark blue smoke rose copiously from the body of the remaining Sand Titanoboa King.

Intoxicated with its newly acquired power, it prepared to roar while inhaling air deeply.

Even from its widely opened mouth, breath of the same color seeped out.

“Kyuhik…!”

A premonition that prickled like needles to my highly developed worm senses.

I could tell with my instinct as a magical beast and predator.

This creature now was certainly no joke.

“Kyushaaaak─────!”

The ferocious cry of a magical beast upgraded from B-rank to S-rank immediately echoed.