Chapter 147

I could feel the weight of the words she had spoken to me earlier, validating her statement despite the time I had spent in that mysterious place.

That reality remained frozen in time, just as I had last seen it. It was as if time had halted completely.

…Time stopped?

…

Yes, it truly has stopped.

The transcendent entity’s body showed no signs of movement, even when it leapt lightly into the air to strike Asulin with force.

Its face seemed obscured, like a dark fog settled over it, making its presence faint. This eerie scene revealed its complete control over Dominus’s physical form, utilizing it as its own body, which sent shivers down my spine.

Thankfully, even such a transcendent entity couldn’t defy the current frozen state of time.

As I scanned the surroundings, it wasn’t hard to find other figures trapped in this halted flow of time, aside from the entity.

The sword, which should have been ablaze with fury and aimed at the entity, was still in its state of suspension.

Asulin, who hadn’t blinked an eye, held her gaze unwaveringly on the sword.

Even the blue lightning entwined around Asulin’s knife,卡拉德沃尔格, remained static, showing no signs of movement.

In this frozen scene, only I seemed to be aware of the halted time.

-What’s happening? Time suddenly stopped? Master, could this be related to the phenomenon where the flow of time drastically slows down as you occasionally demonstrate?

Only Payload, demanding an explanation from me, seemed startled by the sudden stoppage of everything.

Though it was a fortunate situation to take advantage of, I lacked confidence in overwhelming the opponent before me, even with such a favorable condition.

“Huuu…”

I took a deep breath, responding to Payload’s query by carefully observing the current frozen state.

Without time to spare, I conveyed my understanding through this action.

-There’s no need for me to elaborate further, but if you could just alter the trajectory of the sword swung by the entity, the situation would likely turn in our favor.

Payload, having understood my response, immediately knew what to do in this moment.

If we had just acknowledged each other, it would have been clear how to guide the sword to counteract the entity’s attack.

-You’d already know what to do even before I mention it.

The unwavering trust that Payload placed in me felt palpable.

And trust, once given, must be proven to shine.

Though uncertain when things would return to normal, I resolved to intercept the sword swinging towards Asulin, protecting her from the entity’s grasp.

Again, I looked ahead, contemplating my next move.

Asulin’s response to the sudden, threatening ambush was so impressive that it was hard to believe she had barely had time to react.

Not only did she remain composed, but her eyes never faltered, indicating she hadn’t blinked even once during the entity’s approach.

If a typical assassin had approached her like this, the entity would have been subdued or retaliated against before even swinging its sword.

The precarious situation arose not from the entity’s power, but from the limited time afforded by the halted flow of time.

My attention naturally shifted to the sword swung by the transcendent entity.

Due to all motion ceasing, the sword poised to inflict fatal wounds on Asulin had yet to unleash its ominous aura.

Regardless of any intervention, the trajectory of the entity’s sword would inevitably lead to injury, barring any divine intervention.

Despite Asulin’s superior spiritual sense, her response was inevitably delayed due to the entity’s swift movements.

Yet, the entity’s skill in adapting to Dominus’s physical form was formidable.

Had it not been for the mysterious woman’s help, I might have lost myself to rage and rushed the entity, watching Asulin collapse in a pool of blood.

‘But that won’t happen now.’

With these thoughts, I moved forward.

My light step, meant to boldly advance, felt too light, reaching the transcendent entity almost instantly.

Before I could even realize it, my body stood beside the entity, its strength incomprehensible.

However, at this moment, the most critical task was to intercept the sword.

“Let’s go.”

Following Payload’s calm directive, I swung downward, deflecting the entity’s sword aimed at Asulin.

Even in that brief moment, it was clear that Payload’s impact caused slight tremors in the entity’s body.

These tremors signaled the gradual return of time’s normal flow, albeit subtly.

Despite the urgency, my heart remained unusually calm.

Even if the flow of time returned to normal before Payload completed its trajectory, I had faith in its ability to block the entity’s sword.

As the sword’s path became more defined, the tremors intensified, culminating in Payload successfully clashing with the unknown sword wielded by the entity.

“Clang!”

The deafening sound of the swords colliding marked the end of the entity’s grip on the sword, which flew out of its hand.

“Thud!”

The sword pierced the floor, marking the successful interception that saved Asulin from danger.

“…What!”

The entity, caught off guard by my block, and Asulin, who had endured the blow, both expressed their shock.

The eternal pause in time resumed its natural flow, drawing back to its original course.

—

It’s not hard to imagine the frustration felt by someone whose decisive strike was nullified by an unseen interference.

“Kraaaah!”

The entity’s uncontainable anger was evident, but I hoped this state wouldn’t persist.

Though I gained strength from the mystic’s aid, it was clear that my enhanced senses made me more aware of the entity’s true danger.

The lessons learned from the mystic and the book about the peril of rushing in blindly came to mind, prompting gratitude.

—

The entity’s aura, now more tangible than before, surged violently, demanding immediate attention.

—

This aura, reminiscent of sacred energy, naturally emanated from the entity, much like breathing.

—

If Payload and Asulin’s words were any indication, the entity was a failed deity, stripped of its power.

—

“…Huuuuuuuu.”

The entity, having calmed down, stared coldly at me, its immense power suggesting it was more than a mere failed deity.

—

Could I truly confront such a being, one capable of such power?

—

The ongoing stalemate between us continued, neither of us willing to make the first move.

—

“Human child, what happened in that fleeting moment to make your presence resonate with such malevolent spirits?”

—

The entity, suspicious of my change, hesitated to approach, mirroring my cautiousness.

—

Our silent standoff persisted, each waiting for the other to break the silence.

—

The thick book’s influence over me was undeniable.

—

Despite the entity’s attempts to read my thoughts, it couldn’t penetrate my innermost feelings.

—

The entity’s efforts to discern my thoughts resulted in confusion, as if my presence was impenetrable.

—

This standoff suggested that keeping silent might prevent the entity from realizing my changes.

—

“If you want to criticize my arrogance,”

—

I raised Payload’s sword high, challenging the entity.

—

“Wait until you can defeat me with your skills.”

—

The entity’s arrogance was evident in its speech, but it no longer instilled fear in me.

—

To protect what I had gained, I needed to bring down the entity.

—

“Anduin…”

As Asulin approached to assist, I realized I had to act alone.

—

Since our marriage, we had trained together, and now, in this dire situation, I used our secret signals to halt her.

—

I gestured subtly, signaling her to stay back, knowing she understood my intent.

—

“…Be careful.”

—

Her concerned voice echoed, reminding me of the gravity of the situation.

—

“Silence is golden. Even in the face of imminent danger, you remain nonchalant. How presumptuous.”

—

The entity’s arrogance no longer intimidated me, even without direct confrontation.

—

To maintain my gains, I needed to topple the entity standing defiantly before me.

—

“Withdrawing your criticism,”

—

I raised Payload’s sword, ready to engage.

—

“Let me see if you can defeat me with your skills.”

—

The entity, visibly agitated, lunged at me with a fierce punch.

—

“…”

—

Despite the entity’s powerful strike, I deflected it with ease, leaving it stunned.

—

“…”

—

The entity’s confidence shattered, and it retreated, launching itself at me again.

—

The silent standoff ended abruptly, with metal clashing in a fierce battle.