The Lord Who Levels Up by Devouring - Chapter 76

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

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Chapter 76. The Lawless City (2)
I stepped into the Black Market.
The floor and makeshift stalls overflowed with buyers, their voices dropping to hushed whispers as they conducted their illicit transactions.
Merchants—or perhaps beasts—moved goods with practiced efficiency across the cramped space.
Cages and iron-barred enclosures held captive figures.
Chains bound their wrists and ankles as they huddled in tattered rags, their humanity stripped away.
Filth and matted hair obscured any distinction between male and female.
Among them were children.
Some no older than seven or eight years.
A tall fence suddenly cordoned off a section, and creatures that reeked of bestial nature positioned themselves before the cages.
“Come now, such merchandise doesn’t arrive every day!”
The slave trader seized the attention of the crowd, then grabbed the chins of the children within the cages, forcing their faces toward the onlookers for inspection.
“From adolescent girls to courtesans past childbearing age! At today’s prices, you won’t find better!”
My fists clenched involuntarily, knuckles cracking.
A fury far exceeding predatory madness surged through me, and reason shattered in an instant.
Had I not been Ian—
◆The Player’s Will[EX] resists the rising wrath!!
I would have torn that slave trader’s heart from his chest.
…Not yet. Not yet.
One rash move now would render everything meaningless.
Just as I barely suppressed my rage by leaning on the Player’s Will[EX], it happened.
From the corner of my vision.
A group wearing Ashen Masks approached me.
The masks concealed their faces and expressions entirely.
Yet the gaze visible through the mask’s openings fixed intently upon the ring adorning my index finger.
“Might you be a Worshipper?”
They drew near and whispered the question.
I waited once more for the Player’s Will[EX] to activate before speaking.
“I am.”
“Your name…?”
“Avarus.”
The masked figures visibly stiffened in shock.
Avarus held the rank of Executor among the Worshippers.
In the Holy Kingdom, this corresponded to the rank of Archbishop.
These masked figures, by contrast, were Acata.
They held a rank equivalent to the Holy Kingdom’s ordinary priests.
Just as the Holy Kingdom distinguished ranks with titles like High Priest, Assistant Priest, and Abbot.
The Fallen Soul Worshippers similarly designated their ranks as “Acata of [rank]”.
The upper echelon held the title of Worshipper.
The rest were Acata.
That’s roughly how it works.
Therefore, worshippers are assigned distinct titles, and Avarus belonged to the upper echelon of such devotees.
“Executor…?”
All of them possessed a rank disparity with Avarus as vast as heaven and earth.
Yet the eyes beyond the mask studying me still gleamed with suspicion.
Understandably so.
My current appearance bore no resemblance whatsoever to Avarus.
Though I too concealed my face behind a mask, one could discern I was not Avarus even without seeing my features.
Avarus’s true form consisted of grotesque flesh and countless mechanical contraptions.
Yet the reason I boldly declared myself as Avarus was—
“Are you currently in a Transmog state?”
It was because of Transmog, the transformation magic Avarus wielded.
Transmog differs fundamentally from Polymorph magic, which merely alters appearance.
◆Transmog
: This magic is one of transformation and reconstruction. The user can perfectly mimic and transform into the appearance, characteristics, abilities, and even the psyche of a designated target.
However, prolonged transformation can induce permanent alteration.
Transmog is not merely a transformation ‘spell’—it is a high-level alchemical magic requiring one to extract the genetic essence of the target.
Therefore, among all the worshippers, only Avarus possesses the ability to use Transmog magic.
Moreover, without the Predator’s Instinct[S], even I could not discern the difference.
And the Predator’s Instinct[S] is an authority possessed by none other than the Beast Lord.
In other words, without summoning the Abyss Lord, it would be absolutely impossible to distinguish.
Yet why couldn’t the suspicion be dispelled?
Or was it a matter of thorough verification?
“Forgive the intrusion, but might I inquire of the True Name bestowed upon you by that one?”
Aketa of the Ashen Mask questioned me once more—
“Z’thulonak.”
I answered without hesitation—
“…My apologies for the excessive scrutiny. Please, come this way.”
Every trace of suspicion that had lingered beyond the mask vanished completely.
* * *
The place I arrived at following the Ashen Mask’s Aketa.
It was a tent situated deep within the Black Market.
Though no magical barrier seemed to be erected, it was a secluded location that would escape notice without careful observation.
As I waited within the tent—
Soon, someone entered.
A mask with large, sharply torn eye sockets.
Around them stretched crimson lines, creating an impression as though madness and fury radiated from the gaze itself—
‘Who is this?’
I possessed Avarus’s genetic information, but not his memories.
Therefore, this figure approaching me now—
I couldn’t identify who he was, but through Predator’s Instinct[S], I could grasp enough to understand.
==【Character Information】==
Name: Iratum
Classification: Animalia, Mammalia, Hominidae, Homo sapiens
Gender: Male
Age: 45
Distinctive Feature: Pact of the Abyss[?]
I knew this one.
The Destroyer of Wrath, Iratum.
Iratum was also one of the Fallen Soul Worshippers.
Moreover, he held the rank of Revelator—a tier above Avarus.
A Revelator, meaning “one who reveals,” was a position corresponding to a Cardinal.
He was part of the Dark Merchant Company’s actual leadership structure.
Iratum was a higher-ranking priest than Avarus, which meant he possessed far greater knowledge.
In that sense, this Pact of the Abyss[?].
◆Pact of the Abyss[?]
: The covenant bearer’s soul becomes connected to the Negative Dimension. Thereby, the covenant bearer can freely utilize the energy of the Negative Dimension, enabling the use of ᚛⦸ϻäⓑℰ౦ҭΐ₵, as well as ԋȉ๓, ɏųҝⱪԫἓⅉҝ and Ꮹἁᶇցℌ₳, ⅾƌҝάԝໍռⱬҝ ίռѕἰḵ.
Negative Dimension.
According to the Grand Mage of the Allied Forces—
—it’s a dimension characterized by laws and energy properties opposite to the normal dimension.
Void, Chaos, Abyss.
The Negative Dimension—a dimension founded on ‘uncertainty’ composed of these three elements.
I couldn’t claim to fully understand it either, but—
—it’s easier to think of it as a dimension that doesn’t exist in this world.
And whenever the Grand Mage explained the Negative Dimension, there was always one entity that came with it.
The Abyss Lord.
The Grand Mage had referred to the Abyss Lord as the ‘Lord of the Negative Dimension.’
Because of this, the Grand Mage could explain nothing regarding the Abyss Lord.
The Saint’s miracles, the Spirit Summoner’s spirits, the Blacksmith’s divine artifacts—all became useless before the Abyss Lord.
An inexplicable terror beyond comprehension.
The Allied Forces could only define the Abyss Lord in those terms.
Therefore, it was only natural that I too couldn’t understand it, but—
‘Was it because I devoured Avarus?’
The genetic information I obtained by devouring Avarus—Z’thulonak—through Predation[S+].
With that, I could grasp it somewhat.
Yet due to the incompleteness of Predation[S+], I hadn’t obtained it completely, and characters were corrupted in places—
“Every time I feel it, it’s truly incomprehensible.”
A voice suddenly reached my ears.
The moment I dismissed the information before my eyes, Iratum had already closed the distance, standing right before me.
Beyond the mask, Iratum’s blood-red eyes gleamed.
Within those eyes, a flicker of doubt surfaced before swiftly dissolving away.
“So, what brings you here all of a sudden?”
Iratum gestured with his chin, urging me to state my business quickly.
Absolute anonymity was the rule of the Black Market, and equally the rule of the Dark Merchant Company and the Fallen Soul Worshippers.
Neither he nor I had removed our masks.
“I’ve come to procure homunculus materials.”
At that moment, Iratum’s mask twitched subtly.
“You’ve already depleted your supply?”
“Circumstances arose.”
“Circumstances?”
I explained the preceding events with composure.
Specifically, the incident involving an assault on Beneron Barony from Whitewolf Territory.
Of course, I didn’t recount it exactly as it had transpired.
I altered the perpetrator from myself to Kai, and changed the outcome to Avarus’s victory.
“I managed to suppress them by activating Infinite Silence, but I lost all my combat-type homunculi in the process.”
“Hmm….”
Iratum’s expression grew grave—
“What of the Predestined One?”
The Predestined One.
This term referred to Seraphia.
“You needn’t worry about that. The Predestined One has already consumed the elixir imbued with her power.”
“Well, in that case.”
Iratum released a small sigh of relief.
I observed him carefully before posing my question casually.
“But why share her power with the Predestined One? What role is the Predestined One meant to fulfill…?”
“Beats me. It seems to be a directive from the Presence From Afar.”
The Presence From Afar.
This could only refer to The Emperor of The Empire.
The Allied Forces called The Emperor by titles such as [The Emperor] or [Lord of All], but those were merely designations used by the Allied Forces themselves.
The Imperial Army always referred to The Emperor as [the Presence From Afar].
A being who exists from some distant, incomprehensible realm, or so they say.
In other words, it was now certain that this matter had been ordered by The Emperor, not The Abyss Lord.
“From what I gather, it seems the directive was to prepare for when the Predestined One reaches a crossroads of choice.”
…A crossroads of choice?
“What does that mean?”
“Didn’t I just say I don’t know the details!”
His irritation flared suddenly.
“You don’t need to know such things. Just tell me how many homunculus materials you require.”
Pressing further would only invite suspicion.
Besides, it seemed Iratum himself didn’t possess detailed knowledge, so further inquiry would be pointless.
It was unfortunate, but confirming that The Emperor himself—not The Abyss Lord—had issued the order was achievement enough.
“Would you be able to manage around 100 people?”
“100 people? Sigh, I’m already swamped as it is… tsk.”
Iratum clicked his tongue in displeasure.
I feigned ignorance and asked again.
“Is it possible that he gave you different instructions?”
“His orders are genuine, but it seems this time too that someone from a distant place issued the directive.”
“What could it be…?”
“Didn’t I tell you that you don’t need to know!”
Iratum flared up again, his temper igniting once more.
At this point, his anger management issues were quite severe.
In that sense, the epithet “Wrath’s Destroyer” suited Iratum well.
It wasn’t without reason that such a title had been bestowed upon him.
In other words, nothing had changed from then until now.
But there was still more to probe here.
“I wondered if perhaps I could be of assistance.”
“…You?”
“Don’t you always procure materials for Iratum?”
“It’s nothing but a nuisance.”
“This time, I’ve handled all the duties assigned to me as well, and I asked out of a desire to repay the kindness Iratum has shown me….”
I lowered my head slightly as I spoke.
“If I’ve overstepped, I apologize.”
“No, well. It’s not so much overstepping as… ahem.”
Iratum’s aggressive tone softened.
Though his expression remained hidden behind the mask—
“If that’s your intention, then… ahem.”
He seemed quite pleased.
“He ordered me to find the Valley of Kardun.”
The Valley of Kardun.
An ancient valley where darkness and curse lay thickest.
It was a legendary land that existed only in records. But I knew it was real.
The six lords who served The Emperor.
The Lord of Death.
The Valley of Kardun was where he had been sealed away.
So the Devotees of the Fallen Souls were searching for the Valley of Kardun?
More precisely, The Emperor ordering them to find the Valley of Kardun meant—
‘Has The Emperor not yet brought all the lords under his control?’
Come to think of it, Seraphia had not yet become The Frost Lord.
It seemed The Emperor would begin his full-scale activities in ten years.
Perhaps that period was the time it took to subjugate all the lords.
Then, based on what we’ve ascertained so far—.
‘The Beast Lord and the Abyss Lord have been firmly brought under control.’
The remaining Lords, particularly
◆The Player’s Will [EX] resists against the stolen cognition!
there’s a possibility they still serve The Emperor.
If that’s the case—.
“Then, might you be willing to share with me the information you’ve gathered so far regarding the Valley of Kardun?”
“I haven’t uncovered much, but….”
Iratum, firmly believing me to be Avarus, readily divulged the hard-won intelligence.
Thus, I obtained information about the Valley of Kardun with surprising ease.
“In any case, since the Distant Presence cannot move at present, we must not allow any discord to arise.”
…Hmm?
What is this now?
“Ah, yes. In that regard, another directive came down.”
“What directive is that?”
“To find a certain man….”
Iratum described the man’s appearance in meticulous detail.
As I listened to that description—.
‘…Ian?’
It was Ian.
The man Iratum was describing could only be Ian.
Which meant—.
‘The Emperor is searching for Ian?’
The Emperor was currently searching for Ian.
But why? And how?
“Why is the Distant Presence searching for that man?”
“How should I know? When has there ever been a reason? If the Distant Presence wills it, then it is so.”
Iratum’s response was considerably more dismissive than before.
Presently, Iratum shrugged once—.
“Well, the Vicarius might know, though.”
Vicarius.
This rank, meaning “deputy,” represented the highest echelon among the Fallen Soul Worshippers, corresponding to a papal authority.
And I, as the Special Forces Duke Commander, an operative of the Dark Merchant Company and intimate with all the Fallen Soul Worshippers, could identify everyone except one.
I could not uncover the Vicarius.
To be precise, I knew the Vicarius’s true identity.
The Abyss Lord.
The Vicarius is the Abyss Lord.
But not the true Abyss Lord.
Befitting the title of deputy, it could be called an “Avatar” controlled by the Abyss Lord.
Therefore, if I could eliminate the Vicarius, I could stop the Abyss Lord. Yet I could not discover whose avatar it truly was.
But what about now?
“By any chance, do you know where Vicarious currently is—?”
“Are you unaware that matters concerning Vicarious are not permitted to anyone?”
Iratum cut me off, his expression turning grave.
He didn’t throw a tantrum like before, but unfortunately, his discretion regarding Vicarious was absolute.
It wasn’t for nothing that I’d been unable to uncover his identity even during my time with the Allied Forces.
“My apologies. I’m currently in a Transmog state.”
“In any case, the materials you requested will take about five days, so wait until then.”
With that, Iratum rose to leave.
“Just one more question, if I may.”
“…What is it?”
“Among the key figures of each kingdom, could you tell me who has been recruited into our Cult thus far?”
“Why would you—”
“As I just mentioned, I’m in a Transmog state.”
Transmog was no mere transformation spell.
It was magic capable of perfectly mimicking the appearance, characteristics, abilities, and even the [mind] of a designated target—
“My memory tends to be a bit unreliable.”
“….”
Iratum seemed about to protest, but then—
“I’ll prepare a list so you don’t forget.”
He provided the information to me with meticulous care and courtesy.
* * *
Shortly after concluding my conversation with Iratum and slipping out of the Black Market.
I made my way down a sparsely populated alley before removing my mask.
Then I carefully organized the information from our exchange.
Details I hadn’t known in my previous life.
I began assembling the puzzle, piece by piece.
First of all.
Setting everything else aside, The Emperor was searching for Ian.
‘Then the reason Ian has remained hidden all this time—’
That was when it happened.
A sharp whistle!
A warning from my instincts suddenly pierced through me.
That lethal instinct screamed at me.
If I don’t dodge, I die!
Without time to think, I hurled my body aside—
Kaboom—!!!
A massive explosion erupted from the spot where I’d been standing moments before.
…That was close.
Far too close.
Had I not increased my agility in the Infinite Labyrinth, I could never have reacted in time.
Yet even with such heightened agility, I barely managed to evade it.
If I hadn’t dodged…?
Without thinking, I swallowed hard, my throat constricting.
Tension coiled through me, taut and suffocating.
Within the swirling veil of dust and smoke, I activated Predator’s Instinct[S] toward the obscured assailant.
And the information materializing before my eyes revealed—
“Commander Isolde…?”
Isolde Cordelia.
She was the commander of the Holy Command and—
simultaneously a hero of the Allied Forces—
and The Saint who possessed the most formidable holy power in the history of The Continent.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

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