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Chapter 399: Star, Arcadia (11)
Chapter 399: Star, Arcadia (11)
Chapter 399: Star, Arcadia (11)
‘I’m going to have to do some preliminary work to take Eos away from them,’ Chang-Sun thought.
His first move was to eliminate ‘Ursa Major’ and Sadalmelik’s churches. Temples like churches were a medium for a Celestial to exert their influence in the <Saha World>, so destroying them would eradicate the two Star Signs’ influence over Eos. If he also knocked down the ‘Ursa Major’ Order’s secret labs and safe houses, they would face huge problems progressing their plan.
‘I should leave traces of ‘Canis Major’ all over the place too.’
‘Canis Major’ and ‘Ursa Major’ were on bad terms, making it easy for Chang-Sun to frame ‘Canis Major’ for his deeds. Since ‘Ursa Major’ had a lot of skeletons to hide, the extreme reaction he would have to finding traces of ‘Canis Major’ would start a fight between them.
‘Sadalmelik would then begin to doubt Chiron, who provides ‘Canis Major’ support. This should pit Sadalmelik and Chiron against each other and create internal strife among the Zodiacs.’
Not all the Zodiacs got along and worked together. While Sadalmelik preferred to research and conspire in the shadows over being out in the field, Chiron was a typical fighter. Hence, they naturally butted heads. That was why Chang-Sun had a strong feeling that he would witness something interesting if he could get them on each other’s nerves.
‘I happen to know a technique of ‘Canis Major’ too.’
In <Heaven> of Worldline #801—no, in all Worldlines, Chang-Sun knew the Star Signs of <Horoscope> best. He could even freely mimic their abilities and made some of their Traits, including [Impervious Body] and [Sky Warrior Constitution], into his own.
Ding!
[A Scenario Quest(Star Sign Hunt) has been created!]
[Star Sign Hunt]
· Type: Scenario.
· Description: You have found a lead to the scheme of a Celestial within <Horoscope>. It has given you a strong impression that you can use it in instigating a fight within the <Society>.
Investigate the scheme and start a conflict within <Horoscope> to create discord between ‘Aquarius’ and ‘Saggitarius’ and discover a hidden conspiracy.
· Time limit: ?
· Prerequisite: <Horoscope> antagonist. <Supreme Light’s Face>. Chosen One of <Dull Darkness>.
· Objectives:
1. Start a conflict in <Horoscope>.
2. Investigate the conspiracy behind the scheme.
3. The Scenario Quest will end if you are compromised and rendered unable to proceed.
· Quest Reward: ???
· Quest Failure Penalty: Extraction from the current server.
Reading through the Quest description, Chang-Sun frowned. ‘Conspiracy...?’
There was an ongoing conspiracy aside from the scheme he discovered? It bothered Chang-Sun that he didn’t see that one coming. The system usually acted as a mediator, but it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that it was very favorable to Chang-Sun. His eyes became sharper.
* * *
Wooooosh!
“Fire! Fire!”
“Get water over here! What in the world are the city’s firefighters doing?!”
“All the firefighting equipment has been destroyed!”
“What?! Drag the mages over here, then! Are you just going to watch the castle burn down?”
After Chang-Sun left, Rabralta City’s castle caught fire for an unknown reason. All the mages in the city were mobilized when the fire refused to die out. Even then, the fire only continued to grow and engulf the nearby buildings, including the city hall, courthouse, and ‘Ursa Major’ Order’s church.
“Ahh... Ahhhh!”
“The church is...!”
“Dear Lord, please forgive us for our unholy sin...”
The followers knelt on the ground and prayed to ‘Ursa Major’ for his forgiveness. Meanwhile, the priests ran around in a desperate attempt to save the church’s important documents. However, as if going according to someone’s plan, the building crumbled down as soon as they entered it, further worsening the chaos.
Rumble, thud!
“N-no!”
“The priests are stuck inside! We have to save them!”
“The marbles blocking the way are too heavy! And the fire’s too strong!”
“Do you plan to just watch the priests die, then?! Get moving!”
The fire—no, the inferno burned for three days straight. By the time it gradually subsided, it had already destroyed half of Rabralta City. The incident dumbstruck the citizens so much that they failed to notice that the buildings a distance away from the inferno also crumbled down in the same way and were left with the same bizarre traces, which looked like a colossal hound frantically gnawing at them.
* * *
It had been three days since Chang-Sun, Hiyan, and the others safely escaped from Rabralta City. On their way home, Paul and Bixter constantly worried about Viscount Chester’s pursuit or the Rabralta City Army coming to harm the village. However, they eventually realized what Chang-Sun meant when he said they had nothing to worry about, allowing them to feel relieved.
The people of Rabralta City couldn’t afford to care about their escape. Their lord’s castle had fallen, and their churches had been burned to ashes. Those with high social class like nobles and priests were supposed to be untouchable within Arcadia, yet they all got slaughtered. Hence, those in charge were likely all over the place right now. According to rumors, the Imperial Family was apparently about to dispatch a team of investigators. It would take them a long time before they could continue chasing after Paul and the others.
With that in mind, Chang-Sun decided to bid his farewell to the others. He had a lot of work to do, and he couldn’t tow them around forever.
“... Do we really have to say goodbye for good, brother?” Hiyan whined as he grabbed onto Chang-Sun’s sleeve, refusing to part ways with him.
“He isn’t usually like this!” Paul tried to pull Hiyan away, worrying that the boy’s whining would upset Chang-Sun.
Chang-Sun gave Paul a reassuring gesture, then crouched down to meet Hiyan’s eyes. “This farewell isn’t eternal.”
“But you said you have to go somewhere else—!”
“Have you already forgotten who I am?” Chang-Sun chuckled. Hiyan’s eyes widened a little when he realized what the question meant.
“I’m a god and your Guardian. As long as you pray to me, I’ll always be by your side. As my follower, you represent me in whatever you say and do, so be brave. Protect your parents and friends no matter what, okay?”
“Okay!” Hiyan nodded fervently as he held his hands close to his chest, determined to keep this promise he made to Chang-Sun.
Chang-Sun stroked Hiyan’s head as he turned to Paul and Bixter. “The Imperial Family and Star Order won’t be able to chase after you for a while, but they’ll get around to it eventually.”
“We’ll already be at the place you told us before that day comes,” Paul answered with a serious look.
Chang-Sun nodded. Although it was unclear whether or not the Star Order would continue hunting down Paul and the others, he pointed them to a place to hide with the other villagers just in case. It used to thrive in Arcadia, but almost no one remembered it now.
‘Ithaca’s old temple,’ Chang-Sun thought.
It used to be the home of Cha Ye-Eun’s followers in Eos.
‘I’m not sure if Ithaca’s followers are still there.’
The place was hidden within a strong magical barrier, so Chang-Sun used it as his safe house to catch a break every now and then. It was packed with at least a hundred years’ worth of emergency food supply, so the villagers shouldn’t have trouble taking shelter in it.
‘They shouldn’t have problems entering it since Hiyan has my Divinity.’
The magical barrier was so strong that Chang-Sun was certain that no one would find it unless Bel-Marduk himself searched for it.
After their short encounter, Chang-Sun finally went on a different path.
* * *
Chang-Sun arrived at the Gette Barony, a commercial city near Rabralta City. It was as big as most countries, and a church of ‘Ursa Major’ stood in the center of it, which had a lot of foot traffic.
Chang-Sun focused on what was happening beyond the door that numerous people used, allowing him to hear a conversation in the depths of the church. He had circulated his mana to metamorphose little by little in the past few days. His senses now surpassed the level of ordinary people.
?Have we received any news from the investigators we sent to Rabralta CIty?
?We have...
?Good. What did they say?
?Everything was destroyed, and there were no survivors, but they found evidence of assassination all over the place.
?What? What about the product? What happened to it?
?It seems to have been stolen.
?No!
The conversation was between a junior priest and the senior priest who seemed to be in charge of this church. Based on what Chang-Sun heard, it seemed news of the disaster in Rabralta City had already reached this place.
‘Product? Are they talking about this?’ Chang-Sun smiled crookedly, pulling out the marble that he found on the Rabralta Church’s underground floor.
[The Astromancy Sphere of ‘Ursa Major’]
The sphere contains a part of the Divinity of ‘Ursa Major,’ a Star Sign of <Horoscope>. The sphere’s magic formula allows it to function as a storage that preserves the energy it absorbs.
· Type: Energy Source.
· Effect: Energy Absorption. Energy Storage.
‘It would have been more strange if I didn’t find something beyond those dozens of magic circles.’ Chang-Sun laughed internally.
Opaque light was endlessly whirling inside the palm-sized marble.
‘They were going to activate this magic device to store the souls of everyone in Rabralta City during Eos’ downfall.’
It was an Anomaly in some way. Chang-Sun could swallow it right now since he was already at the level of an Abomination, but he didn’t bother to.
‘Nothing good will happen if I let people know that I can swallow it.’
The Astromancy Sphere’s disappearance alone would already pose a big problem for the ‘Ursa Major’ Order’s priests anyway. After all, they were essentially disrupting their god’s plan.
?I hate to say this, but... we have even bigger problems right now.
?What? All of your reports so far are already huge problems!
?The investigators believe that the priests of ‘Canis Major’ are on the move...
?What? Why are they meddling with our business?!
?We’re trying to get answers to that right now.
?Get them no matter what! If ‘Canis Major’ actually caught wind of what we’re doing, then we’ll be facing a disaster!
?Yes, sir.
?What about the witnesses? Did they see anything suspicious?
?Around the time when the Rabralta Church caught fire, many witnesses saw a man wearing a plain metal mask. The investigators are currently tracking him down.
Chang-Sum smiled, toying with the metal mask on his face. Wondering how those priests would react if they found out that their metal-masked perpetrator was right here, he stood in front of the church’s gate.
However, he was soon stopped by a guard. “Stop! Put down your weapons and remove all objects that can hide your iden—!”
[An Explosion Rune has been activated!]
Rummmmble?!
Before the guard could finish speaking, scarlet fire engulfed the church. That day, an inferno burned down half of the Gette Barony, much like what happened to Rabralta City.
[The churches of the Celestial ‘Ursa Major’ in Rabralta and Gette Districts have been destroyed!]
[The Celestial ‘Ursa Major’ raises his eyebrow, noticing that he’s been subjected to two terrorist attacks in a row now.]
However, Chang-Sun was just beginning.
[The church of the Celestial ‘Ursa Major’ in the Honste District has been destroyed!]
[The Celestial ‘Ursa Major’ is furious about the devices’ disappearance during the terrorist attacks! He orders his clergy to do what must be done to get the perpetrators.]
[The prophecy of the Celestial ‘Ursa Major’ has caused an uproar in his order!]
...
[The church of the Celestial ‘Ursa Major’ in the Heneva District has been destroyed!]
[The Celestial ‘Ursa Major’ growls at his clergy, asking what in the world they are doing.]
...
[The church of the Celestial ‘Ursa Major’ in the Penon District has been destroyed!]
[The multiple terrorist attacks have put the Celestial ‘Ursa Major’ on high alert.]
...
[The church of the Celestial ‘Ursa Major’ in the Sanastan District has been destroyed!]
[The Celestial ‘Ursa Major’ has gone to the Planet ‘Eos’ to track down the perpetrator himself.]
...
[The Celestial ‘Ursa Major’ has failed to find anyone.]
...
[Hearing that another terrorist attack has been carried out has destabilized the mentality of the Celestial ‘Ursa Major.’]
[Many of the clergy are held accountable and excommunicated.]
[The ‘Ursa Major’ Order is on the verge of collapse.]
...
[The Celestial ‘Ursa Major’ pleads to the unidentified terrorist to stop!]
...
[The Celestial ‘Ursa Major’ is upset.]
...
[126 of the 291 churches of the Celestial ‘Ursa Major’ in the Planet ‘Eos’ have been destroyed!]
...
[The attacks on the churches of the Celestial ‘Ursa Major’ have instilled terror in a significant number of his followers.]
[Numerous followers of the Celestial ‘Ursa Major’ have decided to convert!]
[The number of followers visiting the churches of the Celestial ‘Ursa Major’ has significantly decreased!]
[Fearing death, the clergy of the Celestial ‘Ursa Major’ attempts a quick escape!]
...
[The Faith of the Celestial ‘Ursa Major’ has decreased in quality.]
[The ‘Ursa Major’ Order only has a few priests left.]
...
[The Faith of the Celestial ‘Ursa Major’ has decreased!]
[A story of defeat has been added to the Myth of the Celestial ‘Ursa Major,’ worsening the assessment of the Planet ‘Eos’ about the Celestial.]
[The Divine Class of the Celestial ‘Ursa Major’ is rapidly weakening!]