Ch.8080. Divine Protection

The slime burst weakly at the light swing of his hand.

Rex looked down at his palm with a twitching corner of his mouth. The sensation of sticky mucus clinging to his skin was truly unpleasant.

[It’s dead.]

A circular barrier had formed around Boreas at some point. Thanks to it, she hadn’t been hit by slime fragments like Rex had. Floating gently toward him, Boreas spoke with a chuckle.

[Congratulations. You’ve passed the trial.]

“…Is this also a joke?”

Rex barely managed to keep his expression from crumpling. He wiped away the slime mucus that had splattered on his face. Beyond the unpleasantness of the sticky sensation, he simply couldn’t comprehend the current situation.

[Why would you think that?]

“Killing a mere slime as the content of a trial—that’s absurd.”

Slimes are weaker monsters than even goblins. And according to what he’d heard from Berger, trials were supposed to bring forth powerful monsters that couldn’t even be compared to slimes or goblins. Like minotaurs, or the highest-ranking orcs.

Boreas responded in an indifferent tone.

[If I, as the master, decide that the trial’s opponent should be a slime, is there a problem?]

“But…”

[Enough. I have no obligation to listen to your complaints. You just need to accept what you’re given.]

Rex closed his mouth with a disgruntled expression. Certainly, obtaining the trial’s reward this way would be beneficial for him. It was like reaping the fruits without facing any danger. Objectively speaking, Boreas was showing him a favor right now.

He just couldn’t understand why, which left him confused.

Boreas’s transparent eyes stared at Rex. She knew what he was thinking. Twisting the corner of her mouth, she sneered.

[Do you know why trials were created?]

“No, I don’t.”

[To select.]

Dungeons are a kind of filter.

A massive vessel created to find those with talent and filter out those without qualification. Gods are not emotionless inanimate objects. All gods can bestow blessings and divine power, but they cannot give them indefinitely to all humans. If that were possible, the world would have long been filled with superhumans who had reached high realms.

[Humans who have been filtered once through dungeons proceed to trials. Because when they reach the deep layers, they soon encounter their limits.]

Among those humans, trials are stages set up to gather those with exceptionally outstanding talents and sift through them once more.

[Originally, the content of trials is as you imagined—facing powerful monsters. If you overcome them, you form a contract with me and receive more powerful blessings and divine power.]

Rex tilted his head with a puzzled expression. Sensing his “so what?” attitude, Boreas sighed and added:

[It’s because of Kaordix.]

“Ah.”

[Do you think that troublesome giant would quietly watch you and me form a contract?]

Rex couldn’t bring himself to say no. When Boreas had tried to bestow a blessing on him, the image of Kaordix roaring in fury was still vivid in his mind. Yet it also felt awkward to agree with such disparaging remarks about him.

As he finally averted his gaze without saying anything, sharp winds swirled around Boreas. After glaring at empty space with sullen eyes for a moment, Boreas continued.

[As the master of the dungeon, I am bound by covenant. I have an obligation to provide rewards commensurate with the difficulty of the trial. Let’s say you passed the trial normally. All I have to give you are blessings or divine power, but I’ve already tried to bestow a blessing upon you once before.]

“…I know.”

[Do you know what Kaordix ranted about then? He forcibly invaded my mental realm and threatened to annihilate me if I coveted what was his even one more time. He was so enraged over just one blessing—how do you think he would react if I tried to form an even closer contract?]

Boreas shuddered with an expression of disgust.

[Anyway, for that reason, bestowing a blessing is impossible. The same goes for divine power. From what I can see, you seem to be on the verge of reaching the next realm. Are you aware of your own condition?]

Boreas’s finger pointed at Rex’s heart. The place where the symbol was engraved. Looking at Rex with narrowed eyes, Boreas remarked in an indifferent tone:

[It’s about to overflow.]

“What?”

[The symbol is a vessel for divine power. You possess energy unsuited to your realm. When a vessel is full, what happens if you pour more water into it?]

It overflows. The vessel can no longer contain the water.

Since receiving Kaordix’s blessing ten months ago, Rex’s achievements had grown steeply. Having risen to the level of Sacred Flame at an unprecedented speed, he now possessed skills superior even to Sacred Pillar practitioners of the same realm.

The backlash of that rapid growth had arrived.

Rex asked with a serious expression:

“How do I expand the vessel?”

[When you raise your realm, the vessel will naturally expand as well. The vessel is ultimately the symbol, and the symbol’s limits follow the soul. It’s not a bad thing. Rather, your case is unusual. Normally, people first raise their realm and then fill their insufficient vessel, but you’re the opposite.]

Boreas muttered with an interested tone and extended her hand.

[For these reasons, I cannot give you blessings or divine power. Yet I cannot break the covenant either, so what can I do? I can only minimize the difficulty of the trial.]

Whoosh! Blue light spreading from Boreas’s fingertips enveloped Rex’s body. Feeling the sudden cool sensation penetrating his entire body, Rex flinched.

[Don’t be alarmed. It’s the process of divine protection settling into your soul.]

“…Divine protection?”

[To explain simply, it’s a one-time blessing. Even Kaordix would accept this without much complaint. It’s an excessively generous reward for defeating a slime, but… I sense something oddly familiar about you. Consider it a gift.]

Boreas withdrew her extended hand with a gentle smile. Rex awkwardly scratched his cheek and said:

“I’m grateful for your gift, but… what effect does it have?”

[The name of this divine protection is Wind Spirit Flying Flower Barrier. It has the ability to deploy a miniature barrier containing my divinity that isolates you from the outside for a certain period of time. While the barrier is maintained, it will block any attack in this world. Even an apostle couldn’t penetrate my barrier.]

Rex stared at Boreas with wide eyes. Even considering that it would disappear after one use, it was an incredibly powerful ability. Boreas’s claim that it was a gift given out of pure goodwill was no exaggeration.

“Thank you.”

As Rex bowed his head, Boreas replied with a serene expression:

[If you’re grateful, then when Kaordix returns later, speak well of me to him. No, actually, just tell him not to come back at all. I’m sick and tired of seeing his face.]

“Haha…”

Rex nodded with an awkward laugh.

[I look forward to our reunion in the future.]

Boreas flicked her finger with a smirk.

***

Upon opening her eyes, what entered her vision was an endless sky. The open view had a magical quality that captivated the gaze. Chloe was staring at the sky in a daze when she suddenly turned around, sensing a presence.

A semi-transparent girl with pale blue coloration was floating in the air, looking down at Chloe.

“W-who are you?”

The girl did not answer the reflexive question. After a brief silence, a thin smile spread across the girl’s lips. Meeting that gaze made Chloe’s heart pound uncontrollably.

[Child.]

When the girl opened her mouth, a warm breeze swept over Chloe. The wild beating of her heart subsided, and the tension throughout her body melted away instantly. Chloe fidgeted with her fingers, wearing an anxious expression.

[Don’t be afraid. I am Boreas, the master of this place.]

“*cough*!”

The wind god, Boreas. Upon hearing that name, Chloe suddenly choked and coughed repeatedly with tears in her eyes. Belatedly, she felt dizzy. What an embarrassing display in front of the god she had longed to meet all her life. However, Boreas smiled gently, as if finding even this foolish appearance endearing, and said:

[Child. You and I are already connected by fate.]

“What?”

[I bestowed a blessing upon you before. Gale. Even the finest sword will rust if not regularly maintained. The same applies to blessings. And you, it seems, have maintained it very diligently. It has ripened well.]

Chloe awkwardly opened and closed her mouth. The god was acknowledging her, but even though she wanted to express gratitude, the words wouldn’t come out properly.

[I can see the affection curled up in your heart. Love is a good emotion. It becomes the driving force that moves humans.]

“L-love, you say?”

[Rex. Don’t you like that fellow? But I also glimpse a trace of inferiority. This is, yes, directed at another woman by his side. You don’t want to lose him. You want him all to yourself. Jealousy, hehe… That too is a good emotion. Though if mishandled, it can twist and go astray.]

At these words that hit the mark, Chloe’s face turned bright red. Boreas formed a seemingly benevolent smile and moved her lips.

[I can fulfill the wish you desire.]

“…What?”

[Not losing anything, and keeping your loved one by your side. Child. Take my hand. I will make that dream a reality.]

Boreas extended her hand.

Staring blankly at Boreas, Chloe slowly took that hand.

***

[Your mother…]

“……”

[I see. It seems I’ve touched a painful spot. I apologize.]

“……”

[You’re so mature. But, will you really be alright? If you continue like this… I’ve misspoken. Well, it’s time for you to return. Don’t worry. I didn’t say anything to him.]

No voice was heard.

In the center of the sky (天空) where everyone had departed, Boreas murmured with an expressionless face:

[Fate is, truly, a terrible thing.]