Ch.322Blood Paradise. Kreeks Hall (1)

After recovering their strength for three days at Cape Bartholomew, the Solar Army boarded the Sky Warden once more amid enthusiastic cheers and was now heading toward their next destination, Creeks Hall.

-Current speed 230km/h. Acceleration to 380km/h scheduled in 2 hours.-

The engine room was broadcasting the current cruising speed, while the soldiers, having returned to the vessel, were enjoying their personal maintenance time with card games or computer games.

“From this height, everywhere looks peaceful… but down below, every day must be a war for survival.”

“Sadly so.”

Even without going as far as Parsifal, just looking at Karluk in the former continent of Hyacinths, there were people suffering from extreme poverty—not just relative poverty or a sense of deprivation, but poverty so severe they could barely maintain basic human dignity.

“Even if an empire is established, I wonder if they can be saved.”

“Poverty is like that. It’s truly a plague of the mind because it’s so difficult to escape.”

Even during the Nariakiran Empire, humanity’s golden age, poverty was a major social problem.

Not just relative poverty, but absolute poverty.

Even a civilization with technology so advanced they didn’t need to build roads couldn’t find a solution for putting food in people’s mouths.

Isn’t that frightening? To be unable to solve something as basic as poverty…

Without looking far, Victor himself had made every effort to escape poverty, but ultimately, completely breaking free from it was only possible by leaving Parsifal.

Victor gazed with complicated emotions at Cape Bartholomew as it receded into the distance.

How many poor people were there? How many couldn’t achieve their dreams due to lack of money?

It could be more or less than he imagined.

But he knew instinctively.

Even searching through 351,203 years of memories, the conclusion remained the same.

Gods cannot eliminate the absurdities of human society.

Courage through blood eventually becomes recklessness that breaks society; contemplation through knowledge becomes arrogance and chosen people ideology; happiness through pleasure causes disconnection from reality; and prosperity and abundance make people cast aside everything else for gold.

Sadly, among all faiths, belief in the Sun was the worst.

The Sun represents the world, and humans are ultimately parasites on that world.

The stronger the faith in the Sun, the stronger the cynicism toward humanity.

Because it’s all human karma—destroying the world, excavating it, polluting it, ruining it.

So the eyes of believers inevitably grow dim. They ignore worldly chaos, becoming lost in empty talk while disregarding secular matters.

And that empty talk soon becomes hollow talk—meaningless rituals full of empty formalities, causing them to sink deeper into their own fantasy world.

Given the Sun’s nature, disconnected from human joys and sorrows, this was the inevitable course. By the late period of the ancient empire, the religious orders had been taken over by such corrupted clergy, ultimately severing the spiritual connection between the Sun and its subjects.

With the imperial family running amok and social order crumbling, when even the religious world—the last refuge—abandoned the people, the Ascension of the Four Gods occurred, triggering the empire’s downfall and the beginning of the Eclipse Era.

“…They say that in the ancient Earth era, gods didn’t connect with humans, nor did they bestow blessings or curses…”

“Hmm?”

“Sometimes I wonder… what if this world were like that? If it were governed by comprehensible reason and rationality rather than incomprehensible divinity and terror… would this world have become a better place?”

As Victor spoke, Simon’s eyes narrowed.

Even for a sage like him, there were questions he couldn’t answer.

For example, if asked whether he preferred his mother or father, one would inevitably be at a loss for words.

Victor’s question was similar. When comparing reality with a hypothetical world, there would inevitably be a hundred different answers to a hundred questions.

“I don’t know either. But what’s certain is that you’re trying to make this world a better place. If you don’t forget that, surely this world will become a slightly better place to live.”

“Thank you for saying that.”

Victor smiled and looked back again.

Cape Bartholomew had receded beyond even his sight.

If he became Emperor, he might someday return to Cape Bartholomew and appoint locals born and raised there as officials.

But it wouldn’t be like now. Unlike his current status as a pilgrim, as Emperor, he would be the ruler of the 13 continents.

So if he came, it would be for an imperial inspection, and when his business concluded, a commemorative stele would be erected to mark his visit.

What would it feel like to have one’s every move recorded? Even now he was accompanied by an adjutant, but as Emperor, he would need to be mindful of his every gesture.

“So… are you alright?”

“…Yes. I can still hold on.”

“That’s good… really good.”

Though the conversation lacked subjects, there was no problem understanding it.

The omitted subject was clearly about his personality. He had unmistakably exercised divine power and authority, and the question was whether this had dealt a critical blow to his personality, which was already gradually transforming into that of a god.

Fortunately, that hadn’t happened, but there was nothing to be particularly happy about.

The fact that there were no side effects despite using divine power in a human body meant that divinity had already taken over his extremities.

“How long do you think you can hold out?”

“…I don’t know. I think I can somehow manage until the 10th continent. After that… I really don’t know.”

Even if his personality is consumed by divinity, he won’t suddenly become an emotionless war machine.

However, he will no longer feel the sensibilities, sensations, and emotions he had as a human, becoming a typical god fixated solely on purpose.

Not hungry, not thirsty, not sleepy. Therefore, no need to eat rice, bread, or noodles; no need to drink water, juice, or alcohol; no need to lie in bed or sit in a chair to sigh.

These may seem trivial, but such small actions are what define humans as humans.

How could you call a being that doesn’t eat, drink, or sleep human?

“If I cease to be human, you won’t leave me, will you?”

“Of course not. You need me, don’t you?”

“Yes. I need you.”

It was a lie.

While he might need Simon now as a human, once he becomes a completed god, he will no longer need the human Simon.

Though it would be devastating for Simon to hear, everything he could do could be completely—and with superior speed and quality—replaced by the apostles of the God of Wisdom.

Just as humans are replaced by machines.

-Current cruising speed 380km/h. Engines normal.-

-Cumulonimbus clouds ahead. Forced closure of ventilation ducts. Switching to internal circulation. Smoking indoors prohibited until we pass through the cloud zone.-

-Personnel who had sexual contact with locals in Bartholomew must report to the infirmary immediately for STD screening. This order is valid until 21:00.-

Oblivious to the complicated feelings of the two men, only the officers’ announcements mixed with mechanical sounds echoed through the bridge.

*

“Yes. That’s a fucking massive ship.”

“Massive prey brings massive glory. God is with us.”

“That’s fucking right. Gather your equipment. It’s time to give the Sun God a welcome greeting from the War God.”

And the servants of the War God, knowing the ship was heading to Creeks Hall, began gathering their equipment as they watched the Sky Warden’s voyage from below the mountain.

Until now, the pilgrimage had proceeded too peacefully, which was quite displeasing to Karyl, the God of War.

And to satisfy their god, the believers would offer tribute.

With bows and swords, guns and cannons, rockets and missiles.

“Surface-to-air missile batteries ready.”

“And the breaching team?”

“They’re ready too. The aircraft units have also launched. They’ll arrive in 4 minutes.”

“Good. Very good.”

Their numbers totaled 133,200.

Almost equal to the Solar Army, and they had the advantage of a perfect ambush.

Now that all preparations were complete, they would fight and die honorably in war under the name of the Blood God.

“Order to all troops: Attack the Sun God’s flagship!”

With the commander-in-chief’s order, thousands of surface-to-air missile batteries began launching tens of thousands of missiles.

“Karyl sends his regards! Ghost of Nariakira!”

It was summer.