Chapter 53
“Whose property did you say the dungeon is?”
Lagnis couldn’t believe her ears.
As she knew it, a dungeon was a cursed land.
Horrific monsters lurked within, and if not subjugated in time, the backflow of polluted mana would overflow, causing severe natural disasters.
Although it was said that the people gathered because of this formed a group and eventually developed into a commercial district…
…the fundamental goal of Dungeon City was ‘disaster prevention’.
‘Escape.’
The first thing that came to Lagnis’ mind after hearing the Master of Black Name’s words was to quickly leave his faith.
“Is…is that true…?”
“It is.”
“Then I—”
“Nothing changes. You can continue your dungeon activities, or you can pursue your own goals here.”
What the Master of Black Name wanted was time.
He wanted his follower, Lagnis, to buy time somehow until the other Constellations’ forces arrived.
“Are you… telling me to confront the exploration party…?”
“Precisely. That's exactly it.”
The Master of Black Name clapped at Lagnis’ astute reply.
‘What’s exactly it?’
Lagnis felt a sense of bewilderment.
Claiming ownership of the dungeon, and now confronting the exploration party.
The escalating scale of the situation, deviating further from her intentions, made Lagnis anxious.
“Listen carefully. You are the best follower I have ever acknowledged.”
A statement that would make Lisia and Belladys faint, but the Master of Black Name knew the most effective ways to rally his followers.
“…”
Looking directly at Lagnis, whose eyes wavered, he spoke seriously.
“A dungeon? Dangerous, I know. But me, the owner of that dungeon? You must want to ask if I'm crazy.”
“C-Constellation.”
“But you're the only one. I want you to listen to my story and understand how things got to this point.”
The Master of Black Name spoke convincingly.
The reason he willingly claimed ownership of the ticking time bomb that was the dungeon—
‘Because it’s fun.’
A dungeon? The risk of being discovered and attacked by everyone?
‘It’s my world! I made it!’
The middle-aged man in prisoner’s garb had exclaimed so.
And it was true.
The dungeon, his new playground.
Dungeon City, although unintentional, was largely controlled by his main account’s faith.
The risk of being discovered, the aftermath, none of it posed a threat to him.
Therefore—
“Just trust and follow me.”
The Master of Black Name reassured the uneasy Lagnis and spoke.
“…Am I… a necessary existence to you…?”
Lagnis asked amidst her deep confusion.
“I can’t do it without you.”
From beyond the black mask, with no eyeholes…
…at the Constellation’s reassuring answer, and—
—at the strange sense of trust she felt, Lagnis unconsciously nodded.
***
-At this rate, we’ll lose everything.
One of the observing Constellations gave a brief assessment.
-Are we just supposed to watch as that detestable Absolute Being’s power grows even stronger?
-If you’re so worried, deploy your own forces.
-Are you crazy?
The observing Constellation was filled with deep skepticism.
To think I joined forces with these bastards.
Instead of uniting in the face of the Absolute Being’s return, they were busy shifting blame onto each other—
It made him question whether they truly deserved their lofty titles.
Amidst this desperate situation, where they were preoccupied with checking each other, the approach of an unfamiliar Constellation was detected.
-That’s…
Someone had entered the void, a place even the Absolute Being struggled to find, as if it were their own home.
A familiar form of divine power, with the sun as its faith’s symbol.
-Long time no see, everyone.
-Black Sun…!
The Constellations present were all shocked by the unexpected visitor.
-You! You were clearly… captured by the Absolute Being—
-Yes. I was captured. Tortured too. I really thought I was going to be annihilated. Don’t you know what this means?
What was going on?
The Constellations were bewildered.
The Constellation they thought had been captured and surely killed had returned.
And in perfect condition, no less.
-Wait a minute.
Amidst the bewildered stars, a relatively calm Constellation asked the Black Sun’s Incarnation.
-What’s your purpose here?
-Purpose? Ha.
The Black Sun’s Incarnation found their brazen attitude amusing.
‘Be patient.’
But he could understand, for the sake of the outcome.
After all, they would all suffer the same fate.
-The Absolute Being has returned, and my followers have been attacked. I was reduced to his slave, but I managed to escape. Don't you understand what this means?
-A Constellation’s words are quite long-winded. Aren’t you here on the Absolute Being's orders as well?
In short, the Constellations were suspicious of the Black Sun’s Incarnation.
It was understandable.
He had been suddenly abducted by the Absolute Being one day and returned completely unharmed.
Knowing the Absolute Being’s usual temperament, they knew very well that it was absurd.
Even as a Constellation, he loathed other Constellations, considering everyone but himself an enemy.
During the period of great upheaval in this world, the brutal massacres committed by the Absolute Being were evidenced by the Constellations who had been reduced to dust.
-There's no way he would let the Constellations he captured live.
-How would I know?
-…What?
-How am I supposed to understand what goes on in that psychopath's mind! Whether he wants to kill other Constellations or make them his slaves, does it matter?
-What are you talking about?
-Even if everyone here attacks together, it will be a close call against the Absolute Being's forces…!
The Black Sun’s Incarnation put on a desperate performance.
Inwardly, he wanted to drag everyone present into the depths of hell, but now was the time to completely hide those feelings.
‘I’ll ask him myself! Okay?!’
The day his request for promotion was flatly rejected by the Absolute Being, the Black Sun’s Incarnation had continued to ponder.
How could he bring down that arrogant Absolute Being?
The answer lay within himself.
The Black Sun's Incarnation swallowed his pride and decided to act directly, instead of using his followers.
If you want something, take it yourself!
A principle he had learned from his past humiliations.
That's how the Black Sun's Incarnation managed to return to the hideout of the group he once belonged to.
-Listen carefully.
The Black Sun's Incarnation willingly spoke to the Constellations who were still clueless.
-Now that the Absolute Being has returned, it's only a matter of time before we are hunted down.
-Why are you telling us this now?
-Because if other Constellations survive, I survive!
-What… what does that even…
I’m on your side.
With the Absolute Being as their common enemy, they had to trust him completely.
-Nonsense! Hunt?! Hunt, you say! How dare you utter such arrogant words…!
-No, it's not that absurd. Have you already forgotten? The atrocities committed by the Absolute Being in our humiliating history?
The Constellations remembered.
The hellish scenes created by the Absolute Being's fanatics during the countless holy wars.
-Do you think our followers can survive by starting another holy war and facing ‘those’ again?
The Absolute Being’s followers were fundamentally different.
-His followers are all insane.
-Especially that red-haired follower, she’s not even human.
-And that's not all. The vampire from the Black Sun faith is even more bizarre and terrifying.
-There's even a dragon follower who has taken the lowly form of a human.
That faith, which only produced horror stories.
The Constellations shuddered at the spectacle of insane followers matching their insane god.
-Y-Yes! His legion will attack our children!
The Black Sun’s Incarnation inwardly agreed with their statements, skillfully manipulating their desires.
Followers were a Constellation’s lifeblood, their face.
-Y-Yes, it might be better to listen to Black Sun for now…
-If he has the skills to escape the Absolute Being's grasp, he must have a way to resolve the current situation.
-No, wait.
Just as he felt he had almost won over the Constellations, the Constellation who had been objecting spoke up.
-If we blindly trust him and entrust him with this task, everyone here could be in danger.
-So what, are we just supposed to sit around like cowards and twiddle our thumbs?!
-Who said that? I don’t want to waste time either. Hey, Black Sun.
Black Sun? Black Suuun?
He was once a Constellation of considerable rank.
When had he fallen so low that even a measly Constellation could address him so casually?
The Black Sun’s Incarnation lamented his situation, but believing this to be the final hurdle, he answered the Constellation’s question.
-If you want to work with us, you have to offer information that will entice us.
-…What do you want?
-Proof.
Proof that he had completely escaped the Absolute Being's grasp, or…
…proof that the Black Sun’s Incarnation was clearly hostile towards the Absolute Being.
-But even if I present proof here, the Law of Dianon can be easily manipulated.
-That’s for you to prove.
What kind of absurd logic was this?
Had he become a dog, rolling around in Dianon, and decided to become stupid as well?
The Black Sun’s Incarnation felt a sense of bewilderment at the illogical attack of questions.
However…
…thinking about it, the Black Sun's Incarnation did have a rather plausible alibi.
After all, once before—
—he had ordered his follower to directly attack the Absolute Being.
Although it wasn’t his intention, and it was done under duress from the Absolute Being…
-I have the key.
-What key?
-You all must know that my follower wounded the Absolute Being’s summoned body.
-…!!
At the Black Sun’s Incarnation’s words, the void trembled.
It was due to the resonance of numerous Constellations.
Wounded the Absolute Being.
What a prestigious and monumental achievement!
-A lie?
-Do you think I would risk my life lying here?
The Black Sun's Incarnation simply stated the facts.
As taught by 'someone' with white hair and a punchable face.
A single drop of cunning falsehood amidst numerous truths.
It was the birth of a perfect ploy to completely draw the opponent in.
-Trust and follow me. Then I will tell you how to attack the Absolute Being.
‘Just you wait and see.’
The experience of being manipulated and toyed with according to a single Constellation’s will.
‘I’ve played this game before.’
It was like a game.
A very sticky game, dragging the opponent into a bottomless swamp.