## Chapter 226 – 226. Apostle Contract
#226. Apostle Contract
It’s a distant, ancient memory, but it still vividly comes to mind when I close my eyes.
The celestial army filling the sky, the screams of my subordinates echoing from everywhere, and the village engulfed in the flames of destruction.
I remember every detail, from the acrid smell of burning to the stench of blood.
-Why! Why the hell did you do this!
In my memories, I was always a wreck, looking up at the sky and shouting.
-Michael!
Waving platinum blonde hair and golden eyes radiating brilliance.
Archangel Michael, the owner of the sacred flame that annihilates evil among the twelve archangels who guard the heavens.
His flames were burning the village.
-It is the will of God.
I despaired as I saw his eyes colder than ever and my former comrades aiming their spears at me as if following him.
In the end, pierced by ten spears, I was dragged to the courtroom without even putting up a decent resistance.
The charge was treason.
Falsely accused of rebelling against heaven, I was eternally imprisoned in the bottomless pit.
I wasn’t given a chance to defend myself.
Thud-
Darkness and silence settled in.
My voice didn’t reach anyone.
In the immeasurable passage of time, I constantly repeated.
Why did this happen?
I prided myself on being more faithful than anyone else.
I never doubted God’s will. I had always annihilated the enemy on the front lines.
But, why?
-…Is that a foolish question?
Before the flow of time, I eventually accepted the given reality. I couldn’t stop laughing.
Just as useless objects are discarded, I too had been abandoned by God.
No, it would be more accurate to say I was ‘expelled.’
The reason didn’t matter. What mattered to me was avenging my unfairly killed subordinates.
Unlike humans, the emotions of a constellation never fade easily.
Even if the halo above my head lost its light and my pure white wings turned jet black, I repeated my hatred for God.
Every day, I vowed revenge and endured the endless years.
Then one day.
Thump-
The prison door opened.
If the chains hadn’t been binding me, I would have rushed out immediately. It was the moment I had been so eagerly waiting for.
I saw a figure approaching in the bright light.
‘…A human?’
I was sure it would be an angel, but the one who opened the prison door was a human.
Surprised by the unexpected situation, I felt a strong residue of divine power from the rosary around his neck.
Among humans, only a very few within the ‘Twilight Holy Order’ could consecrate such a level of divine power.
Especially the apostles of the archangels.
They were probably planning to send an innocent believer to hell in their place to carry out the execution.
‘Are they afraid of getting their hands dirty, so they’re pushing an innocent human into hell?’
Their unchanging behavior made me laugh in vain.
Most constellations think of humans as expendable.
They couldn’t be happier if they became their source of amusement, and if they saw a human they liked, they would make a contract and use them as their personal chess piece.
I didn’t like that kind of behavior, so I didn’t make a contract with anyone. Thanks to that, I was the only archangel without an apostle, but I never regretted it.
In the first place, not all constellations are interested in the affairs of the Tower.
‘…This is the best I can do right now.’
If I could achieve my revenge, my beliefs didn’t matter.
Although most of my powers were sealed, it was easy enough to take control of a human’s mind using the power I had accumulated.
If I could make him my chess piece and one day be freed from my restraints, revenge wouldn’t be a pipe dream.
That’s what I thought.
But as time passed, he didn’t harm me.
It was too weak to be a trick to lower my guard. I was more helpless than an ordinary human right now.
He couldn’t not know that I could be easily dealt with with just one blade, right?
It was strange that he wasn’t approaching me because he was wary of me.
If he was a believer sent for execution, a little brainwashing would be basic to prevent accidents.
But I didn’t see any animosity from him. Rather, I only felt curiosity and a little lust, like an ordinary human.
‘What the hell is he…?’
As time went on, my questions about his identity only increased.
I couldn’t help but be shocked that a mere human, not even an archangel, had touched Aether’s Vine with his bare hands, and that he wasn’t even a resident, let alone a player.
That was an act that ignored the laws of the Tower set by the system and the creator gods.
It was nonsense that wasn’t worth considering, but what was even more absurd was his sudden offer to help me.
Did he even know what I was talking about?
The moment I felt unpleasant that I was being pitied by a human.
「Time exceeded.」
「Penalty applied.」
「The incarnation of ‘The First Tempter’ appears.」
The system appeared.
‘A penalty…?’
If he was a member of the Twilight Holy Order, a penalty wouldn’t have been applied. My head was getting complicated, but I didn’t have time to think leisurely.
Because a dark snake was appearing beyond the stone door.
It was the ‘Serpent of Eden.’
He was a constellation of a slightly lower rank than me, but he was by no means an ordinary nobody.
Even if it was a penalty mission, it was too much.
It was hard to see it as the judgment of the system that protects the balance of the Tower.
But unlike my expectations, he succeeded in hunting the snake. Of course, there were dangerous moments, but defeating the incarnation of a constellation was something only a mid-level player could do.
But he’s not a player.
‘What the hell is he…?’
Was it possible for a mere human, neither a player nor a resident contracted with a constellation, to have such power?
Was he really from another dimension, as he said?
Just as questions were piling up one after another.
Ting-
「The First Tempter smirks.」
「”…Do you think it will end here?”」
The Serpent of Eden, refusing to accept defeat, crossed the line.
Ignoring the system’s restrictions, he was trying to use his power to descend his true self into the incarnation.
‘…That’s crazy.’
If he did that, his existence would be guaranteed to be annihilated. Even if he survived, he would be reduced to an existence that could no longer be called a constellation.
But I didn’t care much.
In the first place, it was impossible for the Serpent of Eden to descend as long as the system existed.
The system wouldn’t stand idly by such an unfair thing.
That’s what I thought.
But why…?
The system was condoning his atrocities.
It was clearly capable of stopping him, but it was only giving superficial penalties.
Why?
The system is an entity that protects the balance of the Tower.
It doesn’t take sides, even if the opponent is a constellation.
In this incomprehensible situation, a hypothesis suddenly came to mind.
What if even the system doesn’t know his identity?
Is it trying to deal with him in advance because it judges that he might harm the balance of the Tower?
‘…Irregular.’
My revenge was ultimately about killing one of the creator gods. I needed a helper for my hatred to become a blade and reach the sky.
If he was an existence that deviated from the existing laws, he might become a dagger that pierces the neck of God.
Once that thought filled my head, his identity no longer mattered.
Even if he was a demon, it was fine.
As long as I could achieve my revenge.
***
「The Fallen Star proposes an apostle contract.」
「Do you want to contract with the Fallen Star?」
I was about to end the matching when I stared blankly at the screen that appeared in front of me.
‘Apostle contract?’
Wasn’t that something the demon Purpur had offered me?
My head was getting complicated by the sudden situation, but I didn’t have time to think deeply.
I was a little suspicious, but anything was fine as long as I could kill that snake head. My pride was a little hurt to end the matching like this.
Besides, it’s not Earth, so if things get too big, I can just give up the matching.
“I’ll contract.”
Ting-
「The constellation has made an apostle contract with the Fallen Star.」
「Connected to the Fallen Star’s Star Soul.」
「Error, error, error, error.」
「The constellation’s rank is sealed.」
「Some powers are restricted.」
「The contract is converted to a temporary contract.」
「The Fallen Star bestows the power ‘Twilight Extinguishing Flame (S).’」
Whoosh.
At that moment, dark purple flames erupted all over my body. I didn’t feel the heat.
Rather, the wounded areas were rapidly recovering.
「Twilight Extinguishing Flame
Classification: Power
Rank: S
A celestial flame that destroys evil and burns demons.」
The wounds covering my body burned. It wasn’t just a matter of cauterizing.
Flesh regenerated, and bones reattached. Even the ruptured muscles were rapidly recovering. It was such an overpowered ability that I couldn’t help but gasp.
Of course, it consumed a lot of magic power. I probably could only maintain my current state for about a minute.
That was enough for now.
I took out Gillennium. Dark purple flames, not blue sword energy, rose above the blade.
At that moment, I was convinced.
I was sure that this flame could cut through those ridiculously hard scales.
Thump.
Just in time, his massive body began to move. He didn’t look to be in very good condition.
That explosion that sent me flying at the end, it seemed to be a kind of self-destruct that damaged himself.
Covered in blood, he glared at me as if he would kill me.
「The First Tempter grinds his teeth.」
「”That flame is…”」
The low-pitched wailing and murderous intent forcibly sharpened my senses.
Of course, I wasn’t scared or anything.
The closer a beast is to death, the more it puffs itself up.
I used my footwork and ran forward. With only about 50 seconds left, there was no time to spare.
Whoosh!
The flame that bloomed from the tip of the sword knew its role and grew in size on its own. As if flustered by the tremendous firepower, he flapped his wings and tried to escape.
Of course, I had no intention of just watching him run away.
Formless Lightning Body.
Diamond Energy enveloped my body, temporarily freeing me from the interference of the surroundings. My speed exceeded its limits, and I ran like a bolt of lightning.
I swung my sword at him just before he escaped into the air.
Surprised by the unexpected speed, he hurriedly swung his claws. The sword strike wielding the flame collided with the claws, and the result was as expected.
Crack-
「The First Tempter’s eyes widen.」
「”I, it can’t be!!”」
His claws were cut off like tofu.
I didn’t stop there. I rotated my body and swung my sword again.
He was flustered and reacted a beat late. The price was terrible.
Slash.
「The First Tempter groans in pain.」
「”Kuaaaa!!!”」
A cry of pain echoed.
A fountain of blood gushed from the severed end of his leg. Of course, my sword didn’t stop there.
He struggled pathetically against the relentless sword strikes. But the victory was already decided.
Before long, one wing and the remaining forefoot were also cut off. The scales he had been so proud of were long gone.
Covered in wounds and lying on the floor, he glared at me as if he would kill me and breathed roughly.
“Let’s end this.”
I lightly swung my sword and cut off his neck.
It was the end of a tiring fight.
Ting-
「The constellation has defeated the incarnation of ‘The First Tempter.’」
