I Start with 13 Hidden Traits Chapter-361

Ch-361. **Hidden Scenario.**

—

The World Tree Community.

An overwhelming flood of questions began pouring in.

【Is the Tower of Ruin that appeared in the Holy City of Adrium the real Tower of Ruin?】

【Constellations, has Ruin truly appeared?】

【Is Pangaenia going to be destroyed?】

【What even is the *Tower of Ruin*?】

There was only one question everyone wanted answered.

A message that appeared out of nowhere—

*The Tower of Ruin has manifested!*

The moment they saw it, everyone was left dumbfounded.

Ruin was an existence that, in the distant past, had driven Pangaenia to the brink of annihilation.

Stories about it were so abundant that there was no need to go looking for them.

Yet precisely because it was a name that should *never* appear again, no one could believe it.

A Demon King appearing would’ve been one thing. Even a new enemy, perhaps.

But Ruin?

【Constellation of the Collapsed Dawn (Mid-tier): There is no such thing as a fake Tower of Ruin. It’s real. Accept this answer.】

【Constellation of the Twilight Guide (Low-tier): Something is wrong.】

【Constellation of the Despairing Shadow (Low-tier): We’re confused as well. I have no idea what’s going on.】

【Constellation of Cruel Radiance (Low-tier): Run. Do not approach it under any circumstances.】

The real problem was that even the Constellations couldn’t give proper answers.

They, too, clearly didn’t understand the current situation.

They were gathering as much information as possible, but not a single Constellation had grasped what was truly happening in Adrium.

One thing was certain—

No one should ever go near Adrium.

They, too, were instinctively afraid.

And so the Constellations unanimously began guiding people to avoid the *Tower of Ruin*.

The Hall of the Hundred Gods.

They were gods whose names had been forgotten, and along with their names, much of their memories had faded.

Yet the fear of *Ruin* was something every single one of them still possessed.

As was the knowledge that, unless they banded together, they would be annihilated in an instant.

“……Everyone is in chaos.”

The Constellation of the Most Brilliant Hero said, shaking his head.

The Holy City was sealed.

Neither the Constellations nor any other means could perceive Adrium.

Even the Constellations’ authority to read *stories* was rendered useless.

It appeared only as a mass of pitch-black storm clouds.

No one could tell what was happening inside.

But he knew.

Park Hyeonmyung.

That he was another form of Ruin.

That he was the one who had summoned the Tower of Ruin using Randolph’s authority.

“Constellation of the Most Brilliant Hero, wouldn’t revealing the truth minimize the confusion?”
The Constellation of Purity approached, a floating question mark hovering over his face.

But the Constellation of the Most Brilliant Hero shook his head.

“I am nothing more than a reader of his story. Spreading it is not my role.”

“Will you just stand by even if he leads the world toward destruction?”

“…….”

Was that really the case?

He couldn’t answer with certainty.

No one knew Park Hyeonmyung’s true intentions.

Not even the Constellation of the Most Brilliant Hero had expected him to erect the Tower of Ruin in the Holy City of Adrium.

He had assumed Park Hyeonmyung would strengthen the power of light together with the Feather of an Outer God.

Yet instead, he chose to build the Tower of Ruin and amplify the power of destruction……

Honestly, it was a dead end.

There was no way to understand why Park Hyeonmyung was acting this way.

Perhaps—

He had decided to fully turn into Ruin.

*Is he planning to make the entire world his enemy?*

Announcing the emergence of Ruin meant exactly that—turning the world into his enemy.

No god would ever stand on Ruin’s side.

Nor would any being in Pangaenia.

Instead, they would desperately try to eradicate it.

At best, demons might rejoice and help deepen the chaos.

*I thought he wouldn’t use the authority of Ruin until balance was achieved……*

The Constellation of the Most Brilliant Hero trusted Park Hyeonmyung.

That he would seal away the power of Ruin, strengthen the power of light, and restore balance.

That he would set the world right.

But this was far too early.

If the already terrifying power of Ruin was strengthened even further now, it would spiral out of control.

And of all places, he manifested it in the Holy City of the Church of the Goddess.

If Adrium were to become a Land of Ruin……

*The balance of light would never be restored.*

The thought alone was horrifying.

That was why he couldn’t understand it.

This was nothing like the path Park Hyeonmyung had walked so far.

Hadn’t all of Randolph’s achievements been honorable?

Then why?

At that moment, the Constellation of Purity suddenly spoke.

“Aren’t you afraid?”

“Afraid of what?”

“That he becomes Ruin.”

“…….”

“If he truly decides to become Ruin, then this world will be utterly destroyed—without question.”

If they were to stop him, the time was now.

It still wasn’t too late.

But the Constellation of the Most Brilliant Hero still couldn’t reach a conclusion.

All he could do was hope.

Hope that Park Hyeonmyung would not grow disillusioned with this world……

*

*

 

Forty-eight hours passed.

And simultaneously—

《48 hours have passed since the ‘Tower of Ruin’ appeared.》

《The Holy City of Adrium is transforming into a ‘Land of Ruin’.》

《The ‘Goddess (Outer God)’ loses her authority and dominion.》

“N-no……!”

The Outer God was stripped of the Goddess’s authority.

As the divine power vanished, the brainwashing across Adrium was lifted.

And that wasn’t all.

“Is this… your true form?”

Lilith covered her mouth and laughed.

A single book floated open before her—

The *Book of Principles*, containing everything she had learned about her opponent.

And within it appeared the records of the Outer God, Tará-shi.

Only two pages.

One of them depicted Tará-shi’s true form.

Lilith clicked her tongue upon seeing it.

“Pathetic.”

……A grotesque mass of tentacles, reeking of filth beyond description.

So wretched it was impossible to even imagine it as a goddess.

That *thing* had tried to become a goddess—laughable.

It was nothing but trash.

No—truthfully, to her, everything in this world except her master was trash.

So revolting that she couldn’t bring herself to approach it.

“After all the effort it took to seize this chance…… aaah!”

The Outer God screamed.

How much toil had gone into taking this vessel and stealing the Goddess’s authority?

Just as everything was within reach—

Ruin appeared.

Along with Ruin’s retinue.

But the Outer God soon hardened her expression.

“It doesn’t matter. There’s nothing you can do now. The scales have already begun to tip!”

“What scales are you talking about?”

“……!!!”

At that moment—

The Outer God’s eyes filled with shock at the sudden appearance of another presence.

Lilith’s reaction, however, was completely different.

“Ah! My great master!”

Her welcome was so fervent it was almost embarrassing.

The way she looked at him, cheeks faintly flushed, was downright overwhelming.

……I deliberately ignored Lilith and turned my gaze to the Outer God.

She bit her lip and spoke.

“Fine. I’ll admit it. I never imagined Ruin would appear. But even if you kill this body, I won’t die. I’ll simply wait for another opportunity.”

This body was nothing more than a vessel.

Killing it wouldn’t erase Tará-shi.

All she had to do was wait for another vessel to appear and be summoned again.

Even if that wait took countless eons—

What Ruin could do right now was still limited.

“And besides, can you even kill this body? It’s a body your companion is quite close to, isn’t it?”

Could he really kill Sonora’s body so easily?

Having occupied it, the Outer God had stolen Sonora’s memories as well.

Her memories with Isabella were sweet and beautiful.

And Ruin had Isabella as a companion.

Her voice was confident.

But there was one thing she didn’t know.

“Now I see it.”

Only after losing the Goddess’s authority did it finally become visible.

The decisive reason I had built the tower.

Her symbol, hidden within that authority.

Swoosh—

I reached out.

And then—

“W-what……?!”

The Outer God panicked.

She had never imagined I would notice her symbol—let alone grab it.

Honestly, I was surprised as well.

I never would have guessed this was an *Outer God’s symbol*.

It was completely different from the symbols of the Forgotten Gods I’d seen in the World Tree’s dungeon.

So, gazing at it, I murmured softly,

“A fragment of the Spear of Longinus as a symbol……”

“S-stop! I’ll help you! The others won’t fall as easily as I did! Now that we know Ruin exists, we’ll prepare much more thoroughly!”

Only now did the reality of her death truly sink in.

But it didn’t matter.

Completing *Longinus* was far more important.

*A power that transcends dimensions.*

The reason I could exist in Pangaenia as Park Hyeonmyung was precisely because of the fragments of the Spear of Longinus.

Likewise, the reason these Outer Gods could enter Pangaenia seemed to be the same.

And at the same time—

These were their symbols.

What I had to do became perfectly clear.

Hunt Outer Gods.

Collect the fragments of the Spear of Longinus.

Complete it.

They were nothing more than prey.

“Aaaah! Please! Terrifying existences are paying attention to this place! I’m nothing! But if I help you, then surely—!”

“You talk too much.”

“N-nooooo—!”

Rip!

I tore the symbol—the fragment of the Spear of Longinus—straight out of her chest.

At that moment—

Thud.

……Sonora’s body collapsed to the ground like a puppet with its strings cut.

Thankfully, she was still breathing.

After checking her condition, I combined the fragment I already possessed with the fragment taken from the Outer God.

And at the same time—

Thump!

……My heart pounded so violently it hurt.

That wasn’t all.

In an instant, the world stopped.

And then—

—Come find us.

—Please, find us.

……The Two Goddesses appeared before me.

*

*

 

“H-how could this happen?”

“What have I done……”

One by one, the people of the Holy City of Adrium regained consciousness.

The Pope. The cardinals. The countless holy knights and citizens.

Yet none of them could properly remember what they had done.

All had lost their reason under the forced authority of the Goddess.

And then—

“T-the Tower of Ruin?!”

“What is this…… how could such a thing appear in the Holy City……!”

The black tower looming before their eyes filled them with utter despair.

The situation was already beyond control.

If left as it was, Adrium would be destroyed.

In the end, the Pope had no choice but to lower himself.

He cast aside all pride—his dignity as the Pope.

“I beg you. P-please…… save us…… save the Church of the Goddess.”

To a man he had never met before.

To an unknown being who called himself the Master of the Round Table.

He could only kneel, weeping, and plead.

Because there was no other answer.

At that moment—

The one who received the Pope’s plea.

I pulled the silver mask back over my face and spoke.

“Knights of the Round Table, hear me.”

Snap—

I addressed them as they stood lined up in formation.

“From this moment on, we conquer the ‘Tower of Ruin.’”

The Tower of Ruin that *I* had erected—

I would conquer it with my own hands.

And then—

Ding!

《The ‘Hidden Scenario’ has begun!》