Ch-177. **The True Divinity**
—
The will of the Omen King, carved into the stone monument.
It surged toward me like an endlessly rolling great sea.
As I absorbed that will and it sank into my body, space shifted at once.
—Ooh… my rightful successor! The one who inherits the true will of Omen!
…The Omen King revealed himself.
Before I knew it, my body had transformed into a *Horrific Dreadbird*.
Seeing me, the Omen King’s will lingering in the monument stomped the ground in delight.
A mere will—yet so intense and self-aware that it seemed alive.
It showed just how lofty a being the Omen King had been in life.
Ominous black flames stretching to the ends of the sky.
Similar to the Horrific Dreadbird—yet incomparably larger.
—The Tower is god. The Tower is everything. And the Tower is one.
He spoke words whose meaning was unknown.
Yet I sensed that what the Omen King uttered were among the truths that penetrated this world.
I repeatedly revisited all Tower-related knowledge in my mind.
—We were the great race who managed such Towers. Though the Towers were shattered by Ruin, and my clan of Omen perished… at last, the one who shall inherit my will has appeared!
Ah…
The Omen King shuddered.
An eternity of waiting.
And at the end of that wait, he met me—
As if he had been waiting specifically for *my* appearance.
—Gather the monuments. Rebuild the clan. Maintain the Tower and revive the divine authorities, and show the world that our clan still stands. Become the true Omen King.
To maintain a Tower—
That meant being in close connection with its master.
A Tower without a proper caretaker was destined to crumble.
Just as Karas had weakened endlessly during the five years that Sansha acted as caretaker.
—Only you can rebuild the clan.
The Omen King extended his hand and placed it on my shoulder.
Immediately, the world warped—and the Omen King’s will dissipated.
Leaving the fate of his clan in my hands.
—
—
“…”
Karas gazed at the raven—the Omen clan—with trembling eyes.
—Kaaak!
A giant raven, nearly one meter tall.
Teetering on its two feet, cawing nonchalantly—yet unmistakably a member of the Omen clan.
*Red tail and multiple pupils.*
The red tail that symbolized the Omen clan.
And a single eye containing *three* pupils.
“That can’t be…”
Karas spoke as if unable to believe it.
There were countless monster-beast species of raven, but that raven could only be a *Omen* clansman.
Yet the Omen clan, who had once overseen Tower maintenance, had gone extinct with the rise of Ruin.
How could a clan thought completely eradicated appear again?
This wasn’t something made possible merely because that man had become a *Horrific Dreadbird*.
—Kaaak?
Soon, the Omen clansman tilted its head and began inspecting the Tower.
Srrrk.
Saaaaaaak!
As it extended its hand, the crumbled, corroded Tower began restoring itself as if in a lie.
“It’s already using the Tower’s ‘administrator authority’…!”
The Omen clansman born from the monument instinctively knew its duty—and started rebuilding the Tower.
At the same time, vitality returned to Karas’s wings, and his body grew in size.
*His authority…*
Karas’s eyes shook deeply.
His strength was returning.
The divine authority he’d lost long ago—one he believed he would never again wield—his very origin—
All of it was rapidly recovering thanks to this Omen clansman.
The Tower’s rotted exterior renewed itself like new.
“Ah.”
Swaaaash!
Karas spread his wings.
Their increased size and luster symbolized his restored power.
He was no longer a half-divinity—he had reclaimed a *complete divine seat*.
The true *Martial God*.
Wuuuuuuuuuung!
In resonance, even the Tower shook violently.
Once limited to 20 floors, it grew as if multiplying—until it reached **30 floors**.
Karas’s eyes deepened, softened—filled with boundless divinity.
He regained the sacred dignity he had lost long ago.
The exalted throne that none had dared oppose in ancient times.
The absolute being who shook the earth and made the heavens tremble—
the Martial God Karas.
At last, he reclaimed his true name.
“…Truly, you are one of the Omen clan.”
Karas smiled.
Why had he doubted?
He berated himself for not trusting what he’d seen.
But the man had proven himself—and now it was Karas’s turn.
“Ascend further. To the very end of my Tower. You possess the right to do so.”
Not the 20th floor.
The original *Tower* did not end at a mere 20 floors.
He meant to tell me to climb to the 30th.
To the higher place—untouched by any being.
During the era when the Tower was whole, not a single challenger reached the 30th floor to face him.
But this man—*I*—had the right.
The right to reach the end and stand before a true divine being.
“I shall be waiting.”
Karas ascended toward the Tower’s peak.
—
—
The Hall of Constellations.
Countless Constellations sensed it at once.
“A divine authority…”
“Martial God Karas… has been resurrected.”
A divine resonance rippled across the world.
As if announcing his revival, warning all:
I have returned.
Tremble in awe.
It was unmistakably the resonance of the Martial God Karas.
“But how…?”
It was far too sudden.
Reviving a divine authority that had already lost its existence was impossible.
Ruin’s first act had been annihilating the Tower-caretaker race—the Omen clan.
With the Omen clan extinct, the Towers lost functionality, and once the Towers fell apart, their masters weakened.
“As expected of him.”
Then, one Constellation spoke.
The Constellation of the Most Radiant Hero.
He, who had once lost his brilliance for a moment, now shone with even greater light.
There could only be one person he smiled upon.
The one and only being under his watch—
“Could it be… Randolph?”
“Randolph again?”
“How could Randolph possibly revive a divine authority?”
Randolph??
Unless he had monopolized every major event in the world—
How could he possibly revive a divine being?
It made no sense—but…
They were curious.
Curious to the point of madness.
Yet the problem was that Randolph’s stories were *expensive*.
If it involved the revival of a divine being, the price would be astronomical.
They had to consider whether it was worth wagering their very essence as Constellations.
*I want to see it! I want to know!*
But greed overflowed in their eyes.
This story was undoubtedly a secret—a mystery left unsolved for ages.
And the Constellation of the Most Radiant Hero alone was savoring the fruit of that secret.
*Ahhh!*
Their frustration deepened.
—
—
《The Constellation of the Most Radiant Hero marvels greatly.》
《The Tower restored, and a divine authority resurrected!》
《All Constellations in the Hall now fix their gaze upon you, unable to believe the reality before them.》
《At the Tower’s highest place, the ‘Eternal Hall,’ the Martial God Karas awaits your arrival.》
…What’s going on?
Did the revival of the Omen clan stoke their curiosity this much?
*The number of floors increased.*
When I returned after reading the Omen King’s will, Karas was no longer there.
But I clearly understood the message he left.
Reach the very top—up to the 30th floor.
*The Tower originally had 30 floors.*
But as Karas weakened, the number decreased.
Nodding, I began climbing the Tower with the Omen clansman.
*Of course no one will be here.*
21st floor.
No one.
No opponent.
Naturally—it had just been created.
22nd floor, 23rd floor—I simply climbed the stairs.
《First Achievement! ‘First Challenger to Reach the Martial God’s Tower – 21st Floor’ has been earned!》
《Honor +300》
《First Achievement! ‘First Challenger to Reach the 22nd Floor’ has been earned!》
《Honor +350》
《First Achievement! ‘First Challenger to Reach the 23rd Floor’ has been earned!》
《Honor +400》
…
《First Achievement! ‘First Challenger to Reach the 30th Floor’ has been earned!》
《Honor +900》
My Honor skyrocketed.
I was accumulating more points just by climbing floors than through any dedicated honor-grinding.
I hadn’t done anything special.
Simply reaching new floors granted Honor.
*A first achievement. A place no other player had ever reached.*
Everyone believed the Tower ended at the 20th floor.
So did I.
But who would have known it was only half?
I didn’t stop.
There was no reason to stop.
Nothing blocked me. Nothing forced me to pause.
And when I finally reached the 30th floor—
“Challenger who has reached the end of the Tower…
Do you challenge the Martial God Karas?”
Karas.
His appearance completely different from when he was a half-divinity.
Radiant with divine majesty, he sat upon his throne, waiting for me.
No longer the incomplete Karas who had been controlled by Sansha—
but the true Martial God who governed the world.
—
—
Ten days after the Second Invasion began.
Players from all over the world gathered.
They had assembled as the Allied Forces of the Hero Council.
Never in history had so many players gathered in one place.
“…Looks like it easily exceeds fifty thousand.”
“Were there always this many players?”
Even those gathered here were stunned.
It must have included a massive number of recluse coming out of hiding.
Otherwise, gathering such numbers would have been nearly impossible.
“I thank you. For the difficult decision you have made. I, Darkstar, bow my head in fervent respect.”
Darkstar.
He stood before the Allied Forces.
The man who had become an overnight sensation after standing toe-to-toe with Gracia on SNS.
Having transcended and reached at least 3-Star might, he had more than enough qualification to lead the alliance.
At his side stood other heroes as well.
“Where’s Gracia?”
“Wasn’t Gracia supposed to be here too?”
All but one.
Gracia was missing.
As murmurs rippled through the crowd, Darkstar spoke again.
“Gracia has withdrawn from the Hero Council. He is no longer a hero under our banner.”
“Is there a reason?”
“Weren’t we supposed to fight together?”
Their questions were reasonable.
After all, Gracia had been one of the heroes representing the Hero Council.
Shouldn’t he be preparing for the Second Invasion alongside the alliance?
“He is no longer the greatest hero. He has lost his strength, and even his glory. He has forfeited the right to stand with us and lead us.”
But Darkstar remained cold.
Gracia who had lost his power and honor was no longer needed.
“But fear not! For we have gained an even greater power! That vile army of demons will never destroy this Earth! Believe in me! Believe in our Hero Council! Let us fight together!”
Darkstar shouted with all his might.
All the while, smiling inwardly.
Gracia’s position was now his.
*Are you listening from somewhere, like the rat you are, Phantom?*
More importantly, Phantom was surely hiding somewhere within the allied forces.
The thought alone made him laugh.
Now then.
It was time for thunderous cheers and applause.
“Huh?”
“…W-what is that?”
“Is this a bug?”
But instead, completely different reactions burst out everywhere.
Even the heroes standing behind him couldn’t respond at first.
The reason it was nothing like what he expected was simple.
A far greater reason had appeared before their very eyes.
Every player present—without exception—gasped in shock and widened their eyes.
“Am… am I seeing this right?”
“Randolph… was doing a *Main Quest*?”
“What the hell is that? Is he insane?!”
“T-that score—what’s with that score?”
—
