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A dark, yet strangely well-lit deep passage.  

As Alon walked through it, he suddenly thought.  

‘……I’ve never heard of such a passage existing before.’  

Of course, it wasn’t strange that he didn’t know.  

The Psychedelia he played was a game experienced from Eliban’s perspective.  

So it wasn’t unusual for settings unknown to the player to be hidden.  

However, what puzzled Alon was that this passage revealed a bizarre inconsistency in the Psychedelia setting he knew.  

‘……………Even the barbarians seemed to have considered the Horizon as a kind of sanctuary.’  

Of course, he didn’t know the details.  

In Psychedelia, the northern barbarians were nothing more or less than “enemies.”  

There had never been any detailed settings or stories revealed about them.  

But he vaguely remembered that such a setting existed.  

‘…….If this place were really connected to the Horizon, the barbarians wouldn’t have left it alone.’  

For a moment, the thought crossed his mind—maybe this place wasn’t actually connected to the Horizon.  

Alon briefly pondered that thought before recalling Yutia, who had introduced him to this path.  

‘Come to think of it, what exactly was the order given by the Pope?’  

He hadn’t asked further because he didn’t want to trouble Yutia.  

But ever since she introduced this passage to him, Alon had been curious.  

What exactly was the order Yutia had received from the Pope?  

‘I’ll ask her once I get out.’  

With that thought, Alon pressed forward continuously until he finally arrived at a massive cavern.  

‘…….This is… an altar?’  

The moment he saw the structures built within the cavern, that word immediately came to mind.  

Although it was ancient, it exuded a sacred aura at the same time.  

‘I should let Yutia know about this when I leave.’  

Letting out a small sigh of admiration, Alon passed the altar and continued forward.  

How long had he walked?  

He soon noticed the faint light filtering in from a distant point, signaling the end of the cave.  

Quickening his pace, he headed toward the light.  

And finally, when he reached the end—  

“……This is, the Horizon.”  

The words slipped out unconsciously as he stood there, staring blankly at the scene before him.  

Even Alon, who was usually indifferent to everything, couldn’t help but let out a breathless sigh of awe.  

It wasn’t because there was anything particularly dazzling.  

The landscape before his eyes was the same as the one he had always seen in the North.  

The ever-gray sky, the land covered in snow, and—  

A massive domed structure standing alone in the vast landscape.  

It was too plain to be called beautiful.  

And yet, Alon found it beautiful.  

As if the sky itself had descended.  

The overwhelming horizon was displayed in the vast, untouched white snow covering the land.  

It felt as if the sky and the earth had been reversed.  

Entranced, Alon stared at the scene before him, then slowly took a step forward.  

The pristine white snow, untouched by any footprints.  

He was the first to leave his mark on it.  

‘……Honestly, I thought it might not be real.’  

Even as he passed through the passage, he had considered the possibility that what lay at the end wasn’t the Horizon.  

Because the path had been so easy, it was almost more believable to think it was fake.  

‘I should give Yutia a gift or something.’  

He suddenly felt grateful to her.  

At that moment—  

[Meow?]  

The small black creature that had been hiding in his chest suddenly poked its head out.  

Hop!  

It leaped straight into the snow.  

With a soft puff, its entire body was buried in the snow.  

Yet, as if unbothered by the cold, it eagerly examined the snow around it, utterly fascinated.  

‘Did Blackie always like snow?’  

In the meantime, Basiliora also emerged.  

[This place is quite peculiar.]  

“What do you mean, peculiar?”  

[……………Hmm. It’s hard to describe directly, but it just feels that way.]  

“A feeling?”  

[Yes. Almost as if this space is fundamentally disconnected from everything else… That’s why I decided to come out.]  

“Ah. So that’s why Blackie is acting strangely?”  

Muttering to himself, Alon watched as Blackie started eating the snow.  

[Meow-]  

He quickly retrieved Blackie.  

He had already spent quite a bit of time walking, and he didn’t want to keep Yutia waiting.  

So, with Blackie tucked back into his chest, Alon moved forward and stopped in front of the massive structure.  

A gigantic domed building.  

Its enormous doors stood wide open, almost inviting him in.  

[This place feels even stranger.]  

“Is that so?”  

[Yes. It doesn’t seem particularly dangerous… but it feels odd, so be on your guard.]  

Nodding at Basiliora’s advice, Alon cautiously stepped inside the dark entrance.  

The moment he did, pitch-black darkness enveloped him.  

Yet, the faint light filtering in from outside dimly illuminated the interior.  

Relying on that faint glow, he walked deeper inside and soon arrived at the center of the building, where the ceiling was open.  

There, he found a door.  

A door so old that turning its handle seemed likely to produce the creak of rusted hinges.  

It stood alone in the middle of the pristine snow.  

Feeling slightly puzzled, Alon reached out and grasped the handle.  

And the moment he opened the door—  

[You’ve arrived.]  

A voice called out.  

***

Great Chieftain Luraka.  

He was furious.  

No, beyond furious—he was seething with rage.  

The reason?  

A girl had trespassed upon the barbarians’ sacred sanctuary.  

With a breezy smile, she had nonchalantly defiled the sacred land that had been protected for over a thousand years and shattered countless spells.  

Because of one girl.  

And when she revealed the reason for her intrusion—  

His fury surged so violently that he nearly lost consciousness.  

The sanctuary was as precious as life itself to the barbarians.  

Only the greatest warriors were ever permitted to enter it, and even then, only once in their lifetime, to receive their sacred markings.  

Yet, this girl had trampled upon a place all barbarians cherished as their very souls—  

For the mere purpose of using it as a shortcut.  

She had crushed every sacred spell that had stood for over a thousand years.  

There was nothing left to hold back.  

Every barbarian, without hesitation, rushed at her.  

Luraka was no exception.  

Originally, he had many questions for the girl standing before him.  

How she had discovered the sanctuary.  

How she had so easily broken the sacred spells that even the greatest shamans could not undo.  

Furthermore, vigilance was also necessary.  

However, the moment the girl uttered those words—  

Luraka, consumed by rage, lost even the slightest shred of patience.  

Forgetting even to command the barbarians he led, he swung his axe and charged forward.  

And the result was—  

“……”  

It arrived before him in the worst possible form.  

“Ah—”  

Luraka let out a faint sigh.  

It happened in an instant.  

His vision was no longer filled with the ashen earth but with a land drenched in blood.  

The piled snow, soaked in crimson, melted into the ground, turning it into a muddy swamp.  

The freshly spilled, bright red snow that had yet to melt froze under the cold of the snowy mountains, forming eerie strands.  

And in the midst of it all— stood the girl.  

With just a few movements, she had turned the ashen land into a sea of blood.  

She had crushed countless of her kin into pools of blood in mere moments.  

Amidst a world drenched in red, she stood there, her eyes gleaming even redder.  

Simply standing, unmoved.  

“……”  

Luraka clenched his teeth.  

He could feel it on his skin.  

The terror of death that had just moments ago painted his comrades in rage.  

No one was an exception.  

Even the chieftains leading the barbarians were gripped by awe and fear at the power the girl had displayed.  

“Kh—”  

Luraka was no different.  

His hands, gripping his weapon, trembled.  

He tried to suppress it, but his body had already escaped his control.  

The only thing he could do— was to cautiously roll his eyes and look ahead again.  

And there— the girl still stood.  

Calmly, or perhaps leisurely.  

Yet, it was precisely that incomprehensible demeanor that dragged the barbarians deeper into the abyss of fear.  

“……Turtur.”  

“Your command, Great Chieftain.”  

“Blow the Black Horn.”  

In the end, Luraka made his choice.  

His lieutenant, Turtur, widened his eyes for a moment at the command but responded immediately.  

“Understood.”  

Without hesitation, he retrieved the Black Horn from his garments and blew into it.  

Woooooong—!!!!  

A sound so loud it echoed through the vast snowy mountains.  

The fear that had just moments ago dominated the barbarians began to wane.  

Luraka, too, shed the terror that had weighed upon him.  

And as he turned toward Yutia, who was still standing there leisurely—  

“You’ll regret not stopping us.”  

The moment he spoke—  

It fell, suddenly and without warning.  

Kwaaaaaang—!!!!  

The heavens and the earth trembled.  

Snowflakes covering the ground were thrown into the air, whipping into a blizzard.  

The blood-soaked swamp shattered, buried beneath the upheaval of earth and snow.  

And then, emerging from the destruction—  

[Hmph—]  

The dark-skinned Outer God,  

who had descended upon the North months ago and hidden his presence, was finally revealed.  

[You have summoned me.]  

Neltar, the Undying One.  

Like a demon, horns protruded from his head.  

Four massive arms and four towering legs loomed over all.  

At the sound of his voice, laced with a sinister amusement, Luraka bowed his head with reverence.  

“Yes. O Great Outer God, I wish to invoke the authority granted in exchange for a sacrifice.”  

[So, what is your request?]  

“Kill that girl.”  

There was no hesitation.  

Neltar, seemingly intrigued, questioned further.  

[You would use my power for something so trivial? Are you certain?]  

“Yes.”  

[Well, it is your granted authority, so I won’t question it. However—]  

The corners of the dark-skinned Outer God’s mouth curled into a grotesque smile.  

[If you wish to borrow my power again, you must offer another five thousand living sacrifices, as you did before.]  

“I shall do so.”  

[Hmph—]  

Power.  

Five thousand.  

Living sacrifices.  

A conversation filled with horrific terms concluded with a simple, expectant remark:  

How exciting.  

Then—  

As Neltar’s gaze turned toward Yutia, the faintest hint of regret flickered across Luraka’s face.  

He had offered up captured Caliban soldiers and knights as living sacrifices to obtain this authority.  

He never expected to use it on the girl standing before him.  

But he did not regret summoning the Outer God at this moment.  

Because he had seen it with his own eyes.  

The power that defied comprehension— the power that, with a single step, had annihilated an entire Caliban forward base, where thousands had been stationed.  

And so, Luraka simply watched.  

As Neltar, like a child finding a new toy, took deliberate, expectant steps toward Yutia.  

[Now, I suppose I should bid you farewell—]  

However—  

[Oh, fa—]  

The moment Neltar reached the girl—  

He could speak no further.  

At that instant, a question arose in Luraka’s mind.  

“?”  

“?!”  

And then, he saw it.  

Shudder, shudder, shudder—  

The being, an unfathomable existence he had been certain would erase the girl without a trace—  

[Why… are you here…?]  

Was now trembling in fear, his body shaking uncontrollably.  

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“What a coincidence to see you here!”  

Eliban greeted Alon with an exaggerated gesture of delight as Alon looked bewildered.  

“I didn’t expect to run into you here.”  

“Me neither!”  

Eliban, smiling brightly, also bowed slightly toward Yutia, who was standing next to Alon.  

“Hello, Cardinal. It’s nice to see you here.”  

“Indeed. Have you been well, Eliban?”  

“Of course.”  

Alon, seeing the broad smile on his face, asked,  

“I heard you were over in Ashtalon. What are you doing here? And where are your companions?”  

The last news Alon had heard was that Eliban had been dealing with strange rifts appearing in Ashtalon.  

It was puzzling to see him here.  

“My companions are waiting back at the base, and I came north for some business.”  

“Business?”  

“Yes!”  

A cheerful response.  

Did Eliban have something to do in the north?  

Alon searched his memory for any relevant information.  

…Of course, it wasn’t impossible.  

According to the original storyline of Psychedelia, Eliban would indeed have many tasks in the north after some time had passed.  

There were rifts appearing in the region, but that wasn’t the biggest issue.  

The real reason was the arrival of the barbarians and the Outer God, Ulthultus.  

But that was only if events followed the original plot.  

Ulthultus had already appeared years ago—and Alon had defeated it.  

In other words, as far as Alon knew, there were no major threats left in the north.  

The only remaining danger was the occasional rift.  

‘It’s like how the Horizon became accessible in the DLC. Maybe there are new quests added with it…?’  

As Alon’s silence grew longer, Eliban continued the conversation.  

“I heard there’s a hidden dungeon in the north, so I came to clear it.”  

“A hidden dungeon?”  

“Yes. I was asked to retrieve something from inside it.”  

“I see.”  

It seemed to be a quest introduced in the DLC.  

Since Alon could roughly guess why Eliban was here, he didn’t probe further.  

Before long, they arrived inside the outpost.  

***

“This concludes the current situation in the north.”  

As soon as they entered the outpost, a knight guarding the base briefed Deus.  

Listening beside him, Alon found one particular detail strange.  

Something—  

“…A divine descent phenomenon has occurred?”  

“Yes.”  

A divine descent phenomenon affecting the monsters in the snowy mountains.  

It was a phenomenon where peculiar crystals grew on monsters—a forewarning of an impending Outer God.  

Hearing this, Alon couldn’t help but frown inwardly.  

‘A divine descent, suddenly at this point?’  

As far as Alon knew, with Ulthultus—one of the Chaos Gods—defeated, there shouldn’t have been any more Outer Gods appearing.  

‘Moreover, if the divine descent phenomenon was first observed in the north, it means the Outer God is likely to appear here.’  

Typically, the divine descent phenomenon spread across the continent when an Outer God descended.  

However, the region where it first manifested was usually where the god intended to descend.  

And as far as Alon knew, no such phenomenon had appeared anywhere else recently.  

That meant only one thing.  

An Outer God was descending upon the north.  

The moment he realized this, Alon’s thoughts grew chaotic.  

Now that the divine descent phenomenon had begun, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Outer God arrived at any moment.  

But what confused Alon even more was the fact that an Outer God was descending here at all.  

‘Who exactly is descending?’  

As far as Alon knew, the only Chaos God that appeared in the north was Gwaeryeonnanshin.  

There were three other Chaos Gods that hadn’t appeared since Kylrus, but they were supposed to descend in entirely different regions.  

‘Did they add new Outer Gods in the DLC?’  

That left Alon with two possibilities.  

One, that one of the Outer Gods he knew was descending.  

Or two, a new Outer God had been introduced in the DLC.  

After a brief consideration, Alon dismissed the second possibility.  

He hadn’t purchased Psychedelia’s DLC.  

That DLC had been designed to lower the game’s difficulty by introducing powerful allies from various races to aid the protagonist against the Five Great Sins.  

It was unlikely that it also added new Outer Gods to make the game harder.  

That left only one possibility.  

‘One of the Outer Gods I know is descending. And given that Ulthultus has already been defeated… there’s only one candidate left.’  

Neltar.  

Alon’s expression grew slightly grim as the name flashed through his mind.  

A being with four arms, jet-black skin akin to a demon, and unparalleled abilities even among the Chaos Gods.  

Neltar was notoriously difficult to handle in Psychedelia, appearing only in the late stages of the game.  

If he were to appear now, even if Alon prepared his magic and landed a clean hit, victory would be uncertain.  

“No.”  

To be precise, with Alon’s current strength, defeating Neltar was nearly impossible.  

It wasn’t just a matter of power—it was a matter of compatibility.  

Alon was particularly vulnerable to Neltar’s abilities.  

Realizing this, Alon took a deep breath, trying to cool his head.  

Any speculation at this point was meaningless.  

Too many discrepancies existed between what he knew and the reality unfolding before him.  

Thus, Alon decided to focus on the task at hand.  

‘How do I enter the Horizon?’  

As far as Alon knew, the method to enter the Horizon was simple yet difficult.  

It was simple because the path was clearly visible.  

The reason it was still difficult was because they had to fight the barbarians.  

Especially since the barbarians were blocking the path to the Horizon, there was no way to avoid a battle with them.  

‘…Should I ask Reinhardt for help again and launch an aerial attack like last time?’  

After the brief meeting ended, Alon walked back to his room, deep in thought.  

At that moment—  

“My Lord.”  

“…Yutia?”  

Yutia’s voice reached him.  

“You mentioned before that you had business at the Horizon of the Snowy Mountains, right?”  

“That’s right.”  

“Have you found a way to get there?”  

“Technically, I do have one, but honestly, it’s not a great option. I’d have to fight the barbarians.”  

As if she could see straight through Alon’s thoughts,  

Yutia took a step closer.  

“Then, would you like me to show you another path?”  

“…A path?”  

“Yes, I believe this way will let you reach the place without encountering the barbarians.”  

“A path like that exists?”  

Surprised, Alon asked again, and Yutia nodded.  

“Yes, actually, I only heard about it after arriving here.”  

“…A shortcut to the Horizon of the Snowy Mountains?”  

“Yes. The priests who arrived earlier discovered it.”  

Recalling the priests at the outpost earlier, Alon asked Yutia,  

“Is the Pope’s mission related to the Horizon of the Snowy Mountains?”  

“Technically, it seems that our mission is connected to a cave that leads there.”  

“So, the path is through a cave.”  

“Yes, but the information is reliable.”  

After a brief moment of thought, Alon nodded.  

“…Alright, I’ll take your help.”  

“Don’t mention it.”  

“No, I feel like I’m always relying on you. Is there anything you want in return?”  

Yutia smiled, her eyes crinkling with amusement.  

“Will you really listen to my request?”  

“As long as it’s within my ability.”  

“Hmm~”  

She pondered for a moment before speaking.  

“Can I tell you later?”  

“I don’t see why not.”  

“Then I’ll let you know next time. I’d like to gather up a few things first.”  

“…Gather up?”  

“Yes, I thought that if I help you more and gain your favor, maybe I can make a bigger request later.”  

“I mean, I’m already willing to grant you a reasonable request—”  

At that, Yutia hesitated for a moment.  

Then, still smiling, she gazed at Alon.  

“?”  

As Alon tilted his head in curiosity—  

“Is that so—”  

Breaking the brief silence, her voice rippled through the air.  

“Well then, I have some business to attend to, so I’ll take my leave first, My Lord.”  

Yutia left first.  

Alon watched her departing figure for a while.  

***

The next day.  

At dawn, Eliban set out for the dungeon.  

Meanwhile, Alon and Yutia took the shortcut that would let them avoid the barbarians.  

A little later, Deus, who had set out afterward, soon reached the boundary where they were supposed to encounter the barbarians—  

“?”  

A small question arose in his mind.  

The reason was—  

“There are no enemies?”  

The barbarians, who should have been visible beyond the boundary, were nowhere to be seen.  

It was as if they had all vanished at once.  

Puzzled, Deus murmured,  

“…An ambush?”  

But his lieutenant shook his head.  

“No.”  

“Then where did all those goblin-like barbarians go? And even their chieftains are missing.”  

“The soldiers reported that early this morning, they suddenly left for somewhere.”  

“…Left for somewhere?”  

“Yes.”  

Deus’s expression darkened with confusion at his lieutenant’s report.  

At that moment—  

“This is the place?”  

“Yes, it is.”  

Alon looked up at the massive cave before him.  

“It’s huge.”  

“Once you pass through this cave, you’ll see the Horizon you’ve been searching for, Marquis.”  

Nodding, Alon suddenly remembered something and asked Yutia,  

“But isn’t this area controlled by the barbarians?”  

“Hmm, I’m not sure about that part, but when the priests investigated, they said no barbarians ever came here.”  

“Is that so?”  

“Yes. So don’t worry and go ahead.”  

As he naturally took a step forward at Yutia’s farewell, Alon suddenly hesitated.  

“…Wait, aren’t you coming with me?”  

“No, as I mentioned yesterday, my job is only to investigate this cave.”  

“I see.”  

“Take your time. I’ll be busy with my own work here.”  

Smiling, Yutia lightly waved her hand.  

Alon hesitated for a moment but eventually said,  

“Then, I’ll be going.”  

He left her behind and stepped into the cave.  

Before long—  

As Alon disappeared from sight, Yutia, who had been waving at him, murmured with a cold smile, “You all arrived sooner than I expected.”  

She turned around, erasing all traces of laughter from her face.  

And before her stood—  

“A woman.”  

Barbarians.  

Not just one—  

Dozens.  

Hundreds. No—  

There were so many that they clearly stood out against the gray world.  

Countless barbarians had surrounded Yutia.  

Tens of thousands of eyes focused on her at once, and the murderous intent and hostility emanating from their bodies were directed at her.  

And among the eight barbarian tribes, the strongest chieftain, a man who was effectively the leader of all the barbarians in terms of raw power, a giant over eight feet tall—Luraka—stepped forward.  

“Are you the one responsible for this?”  

“What do you mean?”  

“I’m asking if it was you who severed all the blessings and sorcery that had been bestowed upon our tribe’s sacred land for the past thousand years and dared to set foot in this forbidden sanctuary.”  

A voice rough and wild.  

However—  

“So what if I did?”  

Yutia calmly countered.  

“Do you even realize what you’ve done? You have desecrated this sacred place and cut off the magic our tribe has upheld since we first settled in this harsh northern land!”  

As Luraka trembled with fury, Yutia let out a soft chuckle.  

“Oh dear, what a shame. But you see, I had my reasons.”  

“Rea…sons?”  

“Yes, I needed a path to the Horizon. And this was the best way to get there without having him encounter your people, wasn’t it?”  

“…What??”  

“Did you not understand me?”  

“You mean to say that just for that petty reason, you carelessly destroyed the sacred land and sorcery our people have protected for over a thousand years?”  

Unable to hold back his anger, Luraka gripped his massive axe tightly.  

Yet Yutia did not stop speaking, her red lips curving slightly.  

“Petty reason? It was important to me. He found the thought of encountering you all exhausting.”  

Not a hint of fear in her demeanor.  

“So, do you think that fool won’t confront us?”  

“A fool, you say.”  

In that instant— a deep silence fell upon the scene.  

Yutia rolled Luraka’s words around in her mouth for a moment.  

Then—  

“Since you’ve said that—”  

She nodded.  

“All of you will die here anyway.”  

The moment her hand slowly lifted, her index finger pointing forward— countless barbarians rushed at her, their sheer numbers overwhelming.  

It was a truly overpowering sight.  

Their murderous intent solidified into a visible aura, dyeing the gray world in a dark red hue.  

Their madness, raw and unrestrained, focused entirely on a single person.  

Every weapon they wielded was aimed at one target— Yutia.  

And just as their blades were about to reach her body—  

Whip—  

A single, delicate finger moved slightly.  

From left to right.  

Just once.  

And then—  

Tick—  

From Yutia’s lips, a small sound echoed, like the ticking of a clock’s second hand.  

At that moment—  

Fwoosh—  

The gray world was engulfed in a flood of crimson.  

Silence fell.  

No, silence was imposed.  

The bodies of the charging barbarians no longer existed.  

What remained was nothing but red blood and scattered flesh.  

Nothing else.  

Thus, a massive red circle was drawn around the girl at its center.  

The blood left behind by the vanished barbarians painted a picture of death, and their shattered remains awakened a primal survival instinct in the others.  

The bloodlust of the barbarians turned into tense caution.  

Their wild fervor morphed into an eternal, suffocating fear.  

And standing at the center of it all— Yutia Bludia, without a trace of emotion, looked toward the terror-stricken barbarian who had mocked him.  

Tick—  

And indifferently, she pronounced—  

A death sentence.  

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About a week had passed since they headed north.

“…Certainly, handling it that way might increase our power.”

“Right? The miracle bestowed by the Marquis is truly powerful. And if Lord Reinhardt can master lightning, he might even gain an advantage in a fight against my brother!”

“…Oh?”

“No, Sili—that’s a bit—”

“What do you think, Lord Reinhardt? Doesn’t it sound incredibly intriguing?”

“Hmm, well, it does, but… I’ve never believed in a god that way before—”

“Don’t worry. I’ll teach you how. Now, shall we give it a try? First, extend one hand, clench it into a fist, and extend your index and middle fingers.”

From the moment the northern expedition began until now.

Sili had persistently persuaded Reinhardt without rest, eventually converting him into a believer(?).

Alon inwardly clicked his tongue at her sheer persistence.

“…This is beyond my expectations.”

Evan, seemingly having similar thoughts, muttered blankly, and Alon nodded in agreement.

Soon, Reinhardt was imitating the unique prayer posture of the Kalannon faith.

Watching him, Alon wore a peculiar expression.

‘That’s not a prayer pose… He’s forming a seal.’

How did that posture end up being considered a prayer?

As Alon pondered for a moment, a sharp gust of cold wind brushed past his face.

“Cold.”

Naturally, he recalled what Kylrus had once said.

‘At the heart of the coldest place.’

It wasn’t an exact destination, merely a hint.

But even so, Alon had a rough idea.

‘It’s probably the horizon.’

The horizon of the snowy mountains.

Players simply called it “the horizon.”

A place one could reach after passing through the barbarians—a place considered both the coldest and sacred.

…That was the extent of Alon’s knowledge.

Even he had never been there.

More precisely, no player in Psychedelia had ever set foot on the snowy mountain’s horizon.

They only knew about it as “information.”

After all, the snowy mountain’s horizon was merely part of the game’s lore; there was no actual way to reach it in the game.

Despite this, Alon—and other players like him—were aware of its existence.

It was because of “the strong.”

Once the mid-game began and the Sins started to appear in full force…

A powerful being would emerge to aid the player, depending on their past choices and actions.

One such figure resided at the snowy mountain’s horizon.

‘It was Thousand-Year Ice, right?’

A name that didn’t quite fit among the barbarians—one with the power to freeze anything within his vicinity.

Whenever he was with the player, he would always mention the snowy mountain’s horizon.

Because of that, most players, despite never having been there, knew of its existence.

‘I think I heard it was unlocked in the DLC.’

Alon shook his head slightly, dismissing the thought.

Whether or not the horizon was included in the DLC wasn’t particularly important at this moment.

‘It’d be nice if we could enter easily, but that’s probably impossible.’

Alon subtly shifted his gaze toward Deus and the expedition force guarding the carriage.

Even if he had traveled alone without the expedition, avoiding battle with the barbarians would have been impossible.

The barbarians were hostile toward anyone who didn’t live in the north like they did.

Thus, if Alon wanted to reach the horizon, he would inevitably have to fight them.

‘…Hopefully, it won’t be too much trouble.’

Alon let out a quiet sigh.

As if to remind him that they had truly reached the north, his breath turned into a white mist and scattered.

Realizing this made him feel colder, so he tucked his hands into his coat pockets.

Then, he suddenly recalled what he had seen at the roots of the World Tree.

‘The technique is Reversal of Heaven.’

As he gazed at the sunset over the mountains, he mused—

‘What exactly will be there?’

His curiosity about what lay at the center of the horizon slowly began to rise.

As his thoughts continued to spiral—

…He suddenly craved sweet potatoes.

“Evan.”

“Yes?”

“Let’s have sweet potatoes today.”

“…? Uh… sure.”

“Why do you sound unsure?”

“Well… you just had them two days ago, so it’s a little surprising.”

The end of his thoughts was a well-roasted sweet potato.

***

Evening.

Caliban’s third-ranked sword master, also known as the Shadow Blade, Marc—

He watched the carriage in the distance with a strange expression.

It was the carriage of Marquis Palatio.

The first thing that caught his eye was—

Marquis Palatio and a cat licking a sweet potato at his feet.

Next, he saw the knight guarding him absentmindedly peeling a sweet potato.

And beside them…

Deus Macallian, the first sword of Caliban, was poking at a peculiar pet snake that had accompanied the Marquis.

There were others as well.

Sitting next to the harassed snake, chattering away, was Sili, now called the Saint of Kalannon.

And Reinhardt, making mysterious hand gestures.

At a glance, nothing seemed too out of the ordinary.

Except…

The snake occasionally flickered as if it were a spiritual projection.

The cat beside the Marquis subtly glanced at him, and then, out of nowhere, fangs emerged from its belly to devour the sweet potato.

‘…Well, it’s a bit unconventional.’

It was an odd combination, but not one that seemed particularly dangerous.

At the very least, it still fell within the bounds of an ordinary dinner scene.

After all, even around him, knights were gathered in small groups eating together—only without a carriage.

Yet, the reason why Marc found himself unable to look away from that gathering was—

‘…Why is everyone praying to Marquis Palatio?’ 

It was because of the knights surrounding the group.

The Solar Eclipse Knights, led by Deus Macallian.

They were sitting in a circle behind the Marquis’ party.

That alone wasn’t particularly strange.

But the way they sat…

Anyone could tell—they were praying to the Marquis.

No, it wasn’t just that it looked that way.

It was certain.

The Solar Eclipse Knights were offering prayers to Marquis Palatio.

And they were doing so with deep reverence.

As if they were truly praying to a god.

Their posture was slightly different from normal prayer, but still—

Seeing humans praying to another human was… extremely bizarre.

What the hell is going on? 

Just as Marc harbored such thoughts—

“…Why are they acting like that?”

“No idea. I heard something about Marquis Palatio being called a god or something.”

“A god?”

“You haven’t heard the rumors? They say he manifested as a god in Lonovellia.”

“Oh, that?”

“Yeah, that.”

Marc unintentionally eavesdropped on the murmuring knights.

“But isn’t that rumor just exaggerated nonsense?”

“Probably. From what I heard, the Grand Duchy of Luxibl worships Kalannon, the lightning receiver, and since the Marquis kind of resembles their statue, the rumors just spread.”

“…Well, considering how Sili, the so-called Saint of Kalannon, treats him, it might actually be true.”

“But for a mere rumor, the Solar Eclipse Knights seem a little too devoted.”

“…Yeah, I have to admit, it’s kind of creepy.”

Then, one of the knights whispered, “Maybe they’ve all lost their minds together?” while twirling a finger near his temple.

Immediately, his companion grabbed his hand and yanked it down.

“You idiot! Are you trying to get yourself killed?”

“What? What did I do?”

“If someone hears that, you’re done for. Don’t you remember what happened? A knight from the Fifth Blade made a joke about Marquis Palatio and got beaten to a pulp by a Solar Eclipse knight.”

“…I thought that was just because he was being reckless?”

“No. It wasn’t.”

“…That’s terrifying.”

“So just shut up and eat.”

The knights, now whispering more cautiously, averted their gazes and returned to their meals.

Marc, too, turned his attention back to the Solar Eclipse Knights.

They were so devout in their prayer that they seemed more like holy knights.

And—

Facing away from them, unconcernedly eating a sweet potato, was the Marquis himself.

‘…This is straight-up heresy, isn’t it?’ 

That thought slipped out before he could stop it.

But if that were the case, why wasn’t the Rosario faction reacting more strongly? 

His gaze shifted toward the Holy Knights accompanying Cardinal Yutia.

Of course, Rosario didn’t outright condemn other religions.

Even when the Grand Duchy of Luxibl changed its state religion, Rosario had not interfered.

Still, that didn’t mean they were entirely indifferent.

As Marc pondered this, he suddenly realized—

‘Now that I think about it, Cardinal Yutia is always around… but today, I don’t see her.’ 

Recalling how even Yutia had never made much of a fuss about the situation, Marc decided to drop the matter and return to his meal.

After all, it had nothing to do with him.

Or at least, it shouldn’t have.

“Hello.”

“…!”

Marc nearly choked on his food.

‘When did she get here?’ 

The woman who had been talking to Reinhardt just a moment ago was now standing right in front of him.

Still dazed, Marc heard Sili speak.

“You’ve been staring this way for a while.”

Only then did he realize his mistake.

He had been watching them too blatantly.

“…My mistake.”

“Oh, I’m not here for an apology.”

“Then—”

“I was just wondering… are you interested in lightning?”

Sili beamed at him.

Marc awkwardly scratched his head.

Truthfully, he had no interest in Kalannon.

Or rather, he wasn’t particularly interested in any god.

But since he had already been caught staring, he figured he should at least be polite.

“…Well, I suppose I am a little curious.”

“Oh! Really?” 

Sili’s eyes sparkled as she eagerly launched into an explanation.

The next day.

And the evening after that.

“Kalannon’s lightning is pure and bright—like the blue sky of this world itself. In other words, his lightning is no different from the heavens themselves—”

‘…Please, someone save me.’ 

Marc realized.

He had made a grave mistake.

***

Several weeks later.

Aside from occasionally locking eyes with Marc, who still looked at him with an odd expression, nothing significant happened before Alon finally arrived in the north.

And at the base camp—

He encountered an unexpected face.

“Marquis—!”

“…Eliban?”

It was none other than Eliban, the protagonist of the original story.

Rumors had spread that he was successfully handling Scribes and Warped Beasts in the Grand Duchy of Stalian.

Yet, for some reason—

“Hello!”

—he was here in the north.

***

The capital of Caliban.

“…This is unexpected.”

Hidan had come to Caliban at the usual time to deliver intelligence on the Blue Moon to Deus.

Scratching his head at the news of Deus’s expedition, he thought,

‘There wasn’t supposed to be an expedition last time. Well, it can’t be helped.’ 

After a brief hesitation, he took out a piece of paper and began writing a letter imbued with magic.

Normally, he would have waited here.

But with orders from Red Moon, time was tight.

So, Hidan decided to leave the letter at Deus’s mansion and depart.

However—

“…?”

He noticed something strange.

A peculiar statue.

It had massive antler-like horns atop its head, and an overly long coat flowing around it.

Of course, Hidan had seen plenty of odd statues before—he had built up an immunity to them.

So in and of itself, the statue wasn’t particularly strange.

But what made it stand out to him was—

He knew this statue.

It was a monument to the Great Moon.

‘…Was it always like this?’ 

Hidan immediately shook his head.

Even if he wasn’t particularly observant about his surroundings, he would have noticed a drastic change like this.

The last time he had seen it, the statue had no horns.

The coat wasn’t that long.

And most importantly—

‘…Why is it so handsome?’ 

It wasn’t this handsome before.

The face had been sculpted into the ideal form of a strikingly beautiful man.

If this statue were alive, its eyes would probably be radiating celestial sparkles from sheer elegance.

It was so meticulously crafted, almost to the point of being overdone.

Hidan stared blankly at the upgraded version of the Great Moon’s statue.

‘…Isn’t this a bit too much?’ 

That was his final thought on the matter.

Alon, on the other hand, had been so embarrassed by the statue that he hadn’t even dared to look at it properly.

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