Chapter 777: Invitation

At the point when the first barrier opened.

Just as the Matron had intervened in Seoul, there must have been outside beings interfering in various places.

In fact, the one I had met in China.

'That [Grand Duke] was aware of the powers established in other nations beyond the barrier.'

The enormous powers the outside beings had planted throughout the world.

The Grand Duke had tried to win over China’s awakened, claiming that only the Grand Duke could protect humanity from those powers.

But.

'......Does that mean most of the beings the Grand Duke was aware of might already be gone?'

Most of them were no longer present in this world.

As a result of fearing me.

They had erased every trace of their interference in this world and fled.

'I’m going to become that kind of being?'

For someone like me, who was currently struggling just to survive from one day to the next, it was a story I could not understand at all.

It almost seemed more convincing to say that all those beings had collectively gone insane and suffered the same hallucination.

But whether the truth was that they had been mistaken......

Or whether it was an undeniable fact.

“There’s one strange thing, then.”

Even after hearing that story, one question remained.......

No.

It was precisely because I had heard that story that the question arose.

The end of the fate I would walk.

Those who had seen that end had fled, fearing that interfering with this world for no reason might earn my wrath.

But there was one being that had acted in the exact opposite manner.

“What about you?”

That being was the one before me.

“Why didn’t you run away?”

While every other being had fled in fear of my future.

This one alone had approached me instead of running.

“Is it because you possess enough power that you don’t need to fear even my fate? Because you can conquer this world without fearing me?”

It possessed power greater than that of the other beings.

Perhaps that was why.

Unlike those who had fled in fear, it might still covet our world.

But.

“No. I am different from those fools. As I said before, I would appreciate it if you understood that treating me as one of them is somewhat discourteous.”

It denied my assumption.

“I have never desired to claim this world. And that remains true even now.”

“......How am I supposed to believe that?”

“I swear upon my name. My reason for seeking you out is entirely different from theirs.”

At those words.

I frowned and said.

“You swear on your name? What is your name?”

I still did not know its name.

All I could see was the prince’s body.

It had yet to reveal its true form.

“......Ah. Come to think of it, I have not introduced myself. In that case, I understand your unease.”

It nodded as though acknowledging that my words were reasonable, then placed a hand over its chest.

But at that very moment.

RUMBLE.......

The world that had been stopped by that being.

It felt as though the very air within that world had surged violently.

***

'......What is this?'

The flow of air had not actually changed.

Time had stopped for everyone except me and that being.

The atmosphere itself was similarly frozen, so the direction of the wind had not changed.

What had felt that disturbance just now was......

'My soul.'

Only then did I realize.

That being was a divinity that had reached transcendence.

And according to Mirinae, there was a high possibility that it was extraordinarily powerful even among such beings.

......And I had asked for the name of such an existence.

'The names of gods are not merely names.'

They were not simply words used to identify them.

They were equivalent to laws that defined the existence itself.

The weight contained within such a name......

Within a Divine Name, could never be light.

And so.

{My name is Avaritia!}

Merely by speaking that name aloud.

The world shook, and my soul trembled.

{I am a sovereign seated upon one of the thrones of the great Divine Realm Alliance, the union of those who have chosen to live together!}

With one hand placed over its chest, it shouted with majestic dignity.

The world vibrated beneath its voice.

At the same time.

FWAAAAASH!!!

An overwhelming golden radiance erupted from its body.

'.......'

An immense and brilliant light.

It was certainly similar to the light that had filled North Korea.

But its density and volume existed on an entirely different level.

The energy that had filled North Korea had merely been something like residue produced simply by that being breathing.

It had not been deliberately released.

But this was different.

This was energy that had emerged as that being personally revealed itself.

Energy released with unmistakable intent.

The true power that being possessed.......

No.

'Its soul.'

The soul that had descended into the prince’s body.

The moment that soul declared its own name.

It expanded to an overwhelming size, pierced through the flesh, and emerged outside to reveal its form.

The soul broke through the body and revealed itself.

[Activating Trait.]

[Ingredient Appraisal (Enhanced)]

Because it had been concealed beneath the shell of the “prince.”

Even with the being standing before me, I had been unable to learn its name.

But now.

Once its soul pierced through that shell and revealed its form.

Only then could I see the name that had remained hidden until now.

[Radiant Golden Lord - Avaritia]

'Gold.'

Its Divine Name was Radiant Gold.

True to that name.

It was an existence symbolizing gold of incomparable brilliance.

{My fate lies in glory and prosperity that shall remain unchanged for eternity!}

The immense light flowing from its soul enveloped the entire city.

Then stretched all the way to the farthest reaches of the universe.

And.

As I looked upon that enormous light, I thought.

'Mirinae.......'

She had said that the golden energy was unusual.

She had even warned that its owner might possess a rank equal to that of a Great Immortal.

But inwardly, I had no choice but to criticize her.

Because.

'This isn’t what you told me.......'

The immensity of that soul.

That radiant rank......

Could not be compared to a “mere” Great Immortal.

If there was anyone comparable to it.

'......The Golden Dragon I saw within Mirinae’s memories.'

A rank equal to the Celestial Emperor.

Or perhaps even greater.

CLENCH.......

It felt as though my entire body was being crushed beneath that enormous presence.

But I gritted my teeth, endured, and resisted the pressure.

This weight existed merely because it had revealed its presence.

Had that energy intentionally tried to crush me, resistance would have been impossible.

But because it had not, I was able to endure.

I understood why it had only now revealed its name.

'It thought I wouldn’t be able to withstand it.'

Ridiculous as it was.

Out of consideration for me, it had delayed revealing its name.

“......All right. I understand that you’re sincere.”

It had sworn upon its name that it did not covet this land.

And it had even revealed that name itself.

At the very least, it was now certain that its objective was not to steal our world.

“But you still haven’t gotten to the point. Why did you come to meet me?”

{Do you know why I called those who coveted this land fools?}

“......Because coveting this land was foolish?”

{Surely not.}

Then.

The enormous soul that had emerged even through the prince’s body.

The golden giant moved and spoke.

{Coveting this land was neither a sin nor an act of foolishness. They did not know of your existence, so it could not be helped.}

A mistake committed in ignorance was not foolishness.

Its perspective was more broad-minded and generous than I had expected.

{Even so, I called them fools...... because after seeing your existence, they chose to flee.}

“.......”

{A truly wise being does not choose to flee when confronted with a great existence beyond its ability to handle.}

At those words.

I imagined the situation it had described.

The choice one should make when faced with a great existence beyond one’s ability to handle.

'The worst course is hostility.'

Fighting an unwinnable battle against an overwhelmingly powerful existence was the height of foolishness.

'The middle course is avoidance.'

If you could not fight, you avoided it.

That was the method the many outside beings had supposedly chosen.

It was not the absolute worst choice.

'The best course is.......'

An instinctive answer surfaced in my mind.

{To stand together with that existence!}

The one who spoke the answer aloud.

Was not me, but the golden giant.

{The void of the universe is absurdly vast and boundless. No matter how great one may be, how could anyone live forever in solitude?}

“.......”

{That is why we chose to live together.}

We.

At the word it spoke.

I remembered the phrase it had declared immediately after revealing its name.

'The union of those who have chosen to live together. The great Divine Realm Alliance.'

Those who had chosen to live together.

It followed exactly the same logic as the new law I had engraved into the System.

{As one of the seven sovereigns of the Alliance, I, Avaritia, the Golden Lord, convey the will of the Alliance on behalf of my brethren.}

At that moment, the sky began to change.

The energy that had filled the golden sky.

It began moving while changing its own color.

'Worlds?'

Before long, it began drawing the image of an enormous world across the sky.

The sky had not opened like last time.

It was more like painting a picture or carving a sculpture.

It was merely using its own energy to show me the scenery of another world.

SHHH......

The first to appear was the world I had seen before.

The radiant world overflowing with golden light that had been revealed when the sky opened.

{We are those who chose to live together. And......}

Beside it.

Countless other worlds revealed themselves.

{These are the worlds that chose to live together.}

A green world overflowing with abundant vegetation.

A world where countless civilizations had established themselves and enjoyed prosperity.

Among them was even a world that looked similar to Earth.

The only difference was......

Vehicles flew through the sky there, and even those afflicted with fatal illnesses were saved through extraordinary technology.

Every one of them was an absurdly prosperous and beautiful land.

{You who are still weak, but shall soon become great. Your fate has entered its course...... but your homeland has not.}

And.

Those worlds were somewhat different from the world I knew.

Unlike our world, which existed alone within the empty universe.

Those worlds......

'They’re connected.'

Countless worlds were engraved into the air.

At their center was not the void of the universe......

But an enormous wasteland.

{We can protect your world.}

Countless worlds were connected through a barren expanse of red earth.

{We will not take it from you. We will respect your rights. Therefore, there is only one thing we desire.}

And.

The scene formed by the golden energy changed.

{Join us.}

Countless worlds gathered together, forming another universe within the universe.

And another world joining them.

{You asked why I descended into this land despite the danger. This is the answer.}

A beautifully shining blue planet.

{We, the Divine Realm Alliance...... invite you and your world to join us.}

Earth.

Connecting to their worlds.