Ch.69Ep.69: Breaking and Entering

# “Good work.”

“What good work… You did everything.”

Radios brushed off Poseidon’s formality and looked at the trident in her palm.

No, should he just call it a spear now?

Triaina, one of the three great divine artifacts of Olympus, had ultimately lost two of its prongs.

The reason was subduing Kraud, who had lost his mind and gone berserk.

“Even though he lost his mind… being a vessel for my father made him quite formidable.”

“When will Triaina recover?”

“Don’t know. It should be usable within three days once it recovers somewhat, but…”

It would just break again like this.

Though she trailed off, Radios understood perfectly.

Let’s recap the situation once more.

Kraud began rampaging after the Scythian tattoo activated, causing him to lose his mind.

Poseidon had to take the lead, with Radios and his companions supporting her, to barely manage to subdue him.

Currently, they had knocked him unconscious and bound his limbs to prevent him from moving.

But truthfully, the situation couldn’t be described as good by any stretch.

“So the Outer Gods have invaded the Underworld. Our damned brother is calling for us to return?”

“Will you go?”

“Me? Why would I?”

“…?”

Radios gave Poseidon a suspicious look in response to her question.

Why wouldn’t she go back when her siblings were fighting against Outer Gods?

“Poseidon… how can you say that when you know your siblings will be dying?”

“Do I look like someone who clings to petty familial sentiments?”

“…”

He couldn’t answer.

Because she was one of the gods who, along with Zeus, had killed their father Cronos.

From the beginning, asking her about blood ties wouldn’t yield a proper answer.

“If they die, they die because they weren’t good enough. If they live, they live. What’s the big deal?”

“That’s quite an irresponsible statement…”

“Irresponsible? There’s no value in saving those chicken-headed cowards who gave up fighting and hid in their coop. Besides, they won’t just die easily.”

Of course, they would continue their resistance in the Underworld.

But in a situation where Outer Gods were attacking en masse, Olympus without Astrape and Kynee would have only one choice.

“They’ll escape to Erebos by any means necessary. The Outer Gods are just trying to take the Underworld.”

“…”

She was cutting ties faster than expected.

Radios, who hadn’t known Poseidon was this kind of god, became somewhat interested in her.

If Olympus had two more people like her…

‘Would things have been different?’

Come to think of it, during the flood incident that contributed to making Elysse an Underworld messenger…

Poseidon reportedly didn’t participate.

‘So there must be… some conflict?’

Even among siblings who overthrew their father together, there must be some conflict between them.

If Poseidon’s guerrilla warfare started for this reason…

‘Should I… bring her to our side?’

The problem was that Radios was an apostle of the Blind Idiot God.

Even if Poseidon’s hostility toward the Outer Gods’ forces was less than Hades’…

Radios was essentially a direct subordinate of their leader.

Even though Yog-Sothoth had betrayed them, Radios was still an apostle of Yog-Sothoth’s creator.

This reality made it impossible to reach out first.

“Let’s put aside the Underworld issue for now. What do you plan to do with this guy?”

“For Mr. Kraud to escape from the Scythian specter, he needs two fragments.”

“You mean the Blind Idiot God’s fragments that Yog-Sothoth has? Don’t even dream about it—it’s impossible.”

Despite just mentioning fragments, Poseidon immediately understood they meant the Divine Fragments—specifically, the four divided fragments of the Blind Idiot God.

Honestly, if this were the old Radios, he would have done anything to obtain those fragments.

But recalling his near-death experience facing Yog-Sothoth’s true form…

He simply didn’t have the courage to attack him now.

“Wait a minute. Didn’t you say Yog-Sothoth went to conquer the Underworld?”

“Yes. Idhra probably joined forces too… and Nyarlathotep would have gone there as well.”

“Then, isn’t Yog-Sothoth’s dwelling empty right now?”

Poseidon let out an exclamation at Arsia’s question.

In other words, what Arsia was suggesting was…

“You want to break into his empty house? Good idea—if you didn’t know Yog-Sothoth, that is.”

“…What?”

“The boundary that exists only once in past, present, and future. Do you know what that is?”

“I do know. I’ve experienced it firsthand.”

During the final battle with Veichel.

Radios had stepped into what was called Yog-Sothoth’s domain—the boundary that exists only once in past, present, and future.

There, Veichel had drawn the Crescent Blade of Barzai.

When hit directly by the attack, Radios realized:

The only way to block the Crescent Blade of Barzai was to fix the surrounding space using a power greater than the blade’s energy.

It didn’t attack the person but the space forming the person’s shape.

Literally an attack that ignored defense.

The reason Veichel, who wasn’t qualified, could wield the Crescent Blade of Barzai was…

Thanks to summoning the boundary that exists only once in past, present, and future.

Meanwhile, hearing that Radios knew about this, Poseidon curled up one corner of her mouth.

“If you’re trapped in Yog-Sothoth’s domain… you can’t use your Order.”

“What? But you, Poseidon—”

“I use Divine Order, not Order, so it doesn’t matter to me.”

In other words, the only beings who could properly fight in Yog-Sothoth’s domain were…

“Only those without Order or those with Divine Order. But my Triaina is in this state, so even if I use Divine Order, it’s only half-effective. If Yog-Sothoth detects me and returns…”

Game over.

Having already crossed into the Underworld, if Yog-Sothoth confronted Poseidon, he would certainly try to kill her.

There was no longer any reason not to kill her.

But what Poseidon hadn’t considered was…

“Then I can go alone.”

“What? I clearly said you can’t use Order— Ah.”

Poseidon looked Radios up and down, realizing he was still a being without Order.

‘Ha! A skilled fighter like this still hasn’t obtained Order?’

Poseidon’s eyes gleamed with interest.

Even if one awakens Order, it’s meaningless if done at an awkward time.

To advance to the next level, one must learn everything from the lower stages.

One can awaken Order without necessarily mastering all those stages.

Most Order-bearers tend to overlook this, becoming intoxicated with their Order.

This was true even for Zeus, Hades, and Poseidon.

Probably most Outer Gods had also sacrificed growth for Order.

But Radios was different.

Beyond mastering everything needed before obtaining Order…

‘This guy might… awaken Divine Order as soon as he gets Order.’

Someone who knows nothing about martial arts learns quickly, but…

A martial artist who falls just short of perfection grows painfully slowly.

What if someone who knows nothing about martial arts…

Could reach perfection at the same speed?

‘If he plays his cards right… someone even greater than me might be born?’

When Poseidon smiled silently, Radios felt uneasy.

Was mentioning his lack of Order something to make such an expression about?

Anyway.

“There’s no one stronger than me among people without Order. So I can go alone.”

“Wrong. You shouldn’t go there now.”

“What? Then what about Mr. Kraud—”

CRASH!

Poseidon suddenly brought Triaina down toward Radios’s head.

Radios, interrupted mid-sentence, backed away from the sudden attack.

Instantly, goblins and Radios’s companions surrounded Poseidon.

“Oh my. Do you think you can stop me?”

“What the hell are you doing?!”

“I see potential in you… so I’ll personally sprinkle some water on you!”

WHOOSH!

As Poseidon swung Triaina, rain began pouring from the sky.

Radios was simply dumbfounded by her sudden action.

‘What kind of thought process leads to this conclusion?!’

If not for his reflexes just now, he would have been cut in two by her attack.

He couldn’t help but be bewildered by Poseidon’s change in attitude after he merely mentioned lacking Order.

Even with Triaina in its damaged state…

They couldn’t stop Poseidon when she was emanating Divine Order.

“You must never awaken your Order, no matter what.”

“…What?”

“Hold it in as much as possible. When the time comes, release it all.”

“What are you talking about—”

“This is a gift for that moment.”

THWACK!

Before Radios could react, a blue beam pierced his right collarbone.

Immediately, the pouring rain disappeared.

“Damn it! What the hell are you doing?!”

“I’m just giving you a gift.”

“Don’t awaken Order? Without Order—”

“You’ve been fighting beings with Order and survived well so far, haven’t you?”

“…!”

Poseidon was right.

Radios had defeated beings with Order one after another, despite not having Order himself.

But still…

“I’m asking what the hell you’re doing!”

Poseidon’s attack couldn’t be justified.

Radios had no choice but to protest more fiercely than ever.

To this, Poseidon smiled and delivered a shocking statement:

“What am I doing? I’m sharing the right to use Triaina with you.”

“…!”

That meant…

She was sharing the right to use her divine artifact, which was like her own extension, with Radios!