Chapter 11

"This much is fine, sign here."

The contract stated that after cooperating with Novia to break through this place, Shiyali would help within the maximum extent of her capabilities.

Novia naturally did not refuse, as this was what he had planned.

The other side of the door was only a pitch-black space—no, that was actually what happened just now. Now, a storm of purple lightning was rapidly surging, along with a coffin within it. The metal roots connected to it seemed to be pulsating.

"Then, let's go."

Afterward, the two of them walked through the door together.

The moment they entered, in Novia's azure eyes, the purple lightning storm fiercely reverberating in the depths of the room began to slowly subside.

Simultaneously, the outer form of the coffin within the storm vaguely appeared. Perhaps it was an ancient Egyptian custom, as the coffin's surface was painted with unique human figures.

"...Pharaoh's Sarcophagus…"

Shiyali's murmur reached his ears. He assumed she merely thought it was the remains of a human who had deified after death, like some pharaoh.

"Be careful, it's here."

A creaking sound echoed, a tiny, persistent, hair-raising vibration. Though no one touched it, the coffin's lid opened by itself, and the interior of the coffin was instantly exposed to the air, as black miasma began to cover the entire room.

The Divine Body, precisely the body left behind in the mortal world after a god's death. Novia didn't believe that he and Shiyali could deal with this smoothly. After all, he wasn't Ergo, one of the protagonists in the adventure, or Alexander IV, who would be resurrected two thousand years later.

In the story, Ergo devoured fragments of gods along the way: Sun Wukong of the continent, Set the God of War of Egypt, and finally Osiris.

Unlike the former two who had consciousness, the final Osiris was merely functional remains, fragments of authority. He couldn't communicate, only fight.

To challenge a former Sovereign with a mortal body, even during the Age of Gods, was a legend destined to be passed down through the ages.

Even though it was merely remnants, even though it lacked consciousness, that was still the majesty of a Sovereign, not something mortals after the Age of Gods could directly gaze upon and touch.

At this moment, Shiyali naturally understood this, trembling instinctively all over. Even the Aether Lines surrounding her fingers were entirely devoured by the black miasma.

"Who… who is this Pharaoh… Novia, your contract is still valid. We're no match for him right now. Let me report back to the Director at the Atlas Institute first—"

"Guide me there with your calculations. Leave the rest to me."

Novia placed a hand on Shiyali's tense shoulder.

Upon hearing this, Shiyali's eyes widened, seemingly completely surprised by Novia's recklessness.

"Understood, I support you."

Without a moment's hesitation, Shiyali made her decision.

The next instant, in the dark miasma, Novia saw the birth of a new light. A large number of light particles gathered together, forming a shape resembling the sun. Each particle was knowledge, it was a calculation.

Thus, at the place reached by utilizing the divine protection, before the silver-haired youth, the being who had once ruled Egypt stood tall.

Then, in Shiyali's sight, Novia smiled gleefully.

"The Age of Gods ended long ago, Osiris."

011: The Age of Gods and Men

This other Alexandria Library seemed to have been forgotten by time. This ruin had existed for over several hundred years, slumbering in the lightless darkness, unchanged. One could say that the technology of the Atlas Institute during the Age of Gods was truly excellent.

Now, a change had occurred.

In this final level, in the room where the coffin was placed, the initial anomaly was very small.

It was sand, one grain, two grains.

As the sand gradually emerged, its numbers increased.

Ten, twenty, a hundred, two hundred, a thousand.

Countless grains of sand filled the room as if they had transformed into a desert.

This was likely a fragment of authority that the remnants of Osiris possessed. Even the power of a fragment was comparable to the highest-level barrier magic.

Although Novia had just stood in front of Osiris's body, he now stood as if the giant sun was about to disappear at the end of the desert horizon. Then, as if to nestle against that sun, a majestic river flowed turbulently.

The boundless sea of sand and the river full of blessings existing simultaneously was the reason why ancient civilizations sprouted in this land.

In the past, such a harsh land also required powerful gods. Otherwise, people would be unable to survive the severe environment.

He was revered as the King of the Gods, yet he was killed by his brother through conspiracy. Even so, countless people worshipped him until the end of the Age of Gods. Although considered the God of the Underworld, he symbolized the hope that people believed in eternal glory after death.

Therefore, his essence had not changed; he had always been there.

"Oh……"

The Divine Body of Osiris, originally like a machine, suddenly narrowed its eyes and looked at Novia, its gaze as if it were looking at something unfamiliar.

"You say the Age of Gods has ended? Ah, that's right, it has ended, and I have indeed died."

As if recalling this, under the intense sunlight, with the heat haze rising around him, the Divine Body of Osiris gave a gentle smile. His humanoid body suddenly leaned forward, extending a hand as if to lift Novia, plunging it into the sandy ground.

"I was killed by my brother Set, locked in a coffin by him, then cut into fourteen pieces and cast into the Nile River to drift away. Was I sad then? No, on the contrary, I was extremely happy."

"You……"

Novia correctly intercepted it with his long sword, but the bones in his shoulder screamed. He had met the force that seemed to shake space head-on. In an instant, the pressure released to the surroundings almost made Shiyali succumb and end the binding calculation immediately.

At the same time, he was greatly confused. According to the story, this Divine Body—Osiris—had no consciousness; it was merely a Divine Body given to Ergo, without any abilities. But now, it was actually speaking?!

And he said he was happy to be killed by his own brother? That's completely different from the benevolent image in legends.

As the Divine Body, Osiris, spoke, the scene of his death at the hands of his own blood relative, and Set's actions at the time, all replayed in Novia's mind.

"That's right, it's thanks to you that I can be conscious."

The Divine Body admitted.

Me? Could it be because of the pigeon? Because of the Ten Plagues? That's why Osiris's consciousness returned through the Divine Body?

"…Is that so."

The silver-haired youth, lost in thought, spoke as he tried to create distance. With the protection of the wind, he could achieve instantaneous movement beyond human reaction speed. However, the Divine Body approached with impossible speed.

Although Novia managed to protect himself just in time, his wrist went numb.

"You don't seem... afraid of me."

Novia quietly gazed into the eyes of the Divine Body, Osiris, then spoke.

"Why should I be afraid?"

The silver-haired youth's hand lightly touched the fist pointing at his chest.

"The flaws of a god, must I fear them, even if it's a god himself?"

"No matter how you persist, it won't significantly change the final outcome. Rather, it's already over. I killed the human who obstructed me, and in exchange for that, I'll spare you. I'll rule the world, and you'll be second only to me in power… If I said this, what would you do?"

Every word spoken by the Sovereign's Divine Body, the God of the Underworld, entered Novia's heart.

Looking sincerely into those eyes filled with anger, Novia replied.

"It's a tempting offer, but the choice rests with the people living in this era. The era that God, Osiris, protected is long gone."

Calmly, steadily, as if speaking to a close friend of many years.

"For that, I will do what I can."

If something truly began because of him, no matter what, he couldn't leave it for others to resolve.

What needed to be done was clear. So, even if his opponent was the Sovereign, even if it exceeded his expectations, and even if the chance of victory was slim, he would not fear, he could not fear.

"Heh heh, after being killed by Set, I realized that humans are not born into this world completely naked," the Divine Body, God of the Underworld, scoffed. "What one sees with their own fists after birth, that is their own strength. But your strength has too many unnecessary things in it."

The Divine Body, Osiris, turned around, his feet landing on the rising sand wall.

Not only that, but gravity seemed to invert, and countless grains of sand were covering the sky that was now revealed.

"Throw it all away! Throw away everything that binds you!"

He barked, he roared.

"Then, atone for your sins with all your might!"

"Come on!"

With a cold word, an attack that was the embodiment of the word "intense" struck.

However, Novia's swordsmanship was no longer as sharp as it was at the beginning. In his fight against the bare-handed Divine Body, Osiris, he was gradually falling into a disadvantage.

To Shiyali, who was using the formulas left behind by the Atlas Institute with all her might to deal with the dark miasma, this was undoubtedly a one-sided battle.

With a continuous barrage of punches, to her, the Divine Body, Osiris's hands seemed to disappear. Only their trajectories were imprinted in the air. In the time it took to take a single breath, their number had expanded to countless, and each blow was enough to break a person's spine or rupture internal organs.

Naturally, Novia blocked all the punches with his long sword, using magic to protect his body as much as possible. He didn't cry out in pain, perhaps because pain was something one could endure.

'Shiyali.'

'No more small talk. Hurry and retreat. You and I are no match for Osiris. According to the calculations, if I discard one of my hands, I can seal the facility before he emerges.'

Communicating mentally through magic, and sensing the slightly anxious intent, Novia couldn't help but smile.

'Don't block the miasma. He's trying to connect to the library system. Lure him in with your formulas. His physical body is too powerful, making it difficult to break through. Oh, and he's not that Osiris at all. At best, he's a lingering spirit born from his remains.'

Because his combat methods were too crude, he couldn't even control the innate divine authority well. He was purely a user of force; this was something Novia understood from the battle and its reactions. Moreover, the Divine Body, Osiris's emotions seemed to be solely anger. If the true Osiris was like this, how could he have so many believers after being killed?

'I think you've noticed it too, the next candidate for the head of the Atlas Institute.'

'Of course. I was about to tell you. I can no longer impede the miasma. What you do next is up to you. I will help you gain access to this place.'

The moment she heard Novia's words, Shiyali suppressed her instincts and observed the Divine Body, Osiris, seriously. She discovered that his soul was indeed too weak, not like someone returning from the inner realm, but more like a newly born soul. She couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

'Thank you. It's great having you here.'

'What, what do you mean? Let me be clear, I have no intention of running away, as the contract doesn't allow for such actions.'

For some reason, Shiyali suddenly became flustered. It was because Novia had stopped exchanging words, and there was only a calm warmth that seemed to linger in her heart.

At this moment, Novia submerged his consciousness, using his mind to feel Shiyali's formulas, and entangled with the Divine Body, Osiris, who was attempting to seize the library system.

One of the purposes for creating the submerged Alexander Library was to turn Alexander IV, who had devoured the fragments of the three gods, into the ultimate calculation device to find a way to avoid the apocalypse.

And now, two thousand years before the plan began, here, Novia, who was outside the plan, was fighting with the Divine Body, Osiris, who, without intent, had become malevolent, for control of the library.

Understand that suffering at the soul level far surpasses suffering at the physical level.

The souls of the two were falling, falling in the darkness of the struggle for control, a process of being torn apart.

The howling wind that rushed towards them, the pressure on their limbs, was akin to flesh being stripped from bone, bit by bit.

With every collision, fresh blood splattered in the wind, nerves screamed in agony, and even internal bones were being scraped away.

Unlike the Divine Body of Osiris, who sought to seize all of the Atlas Institute's research on human extinction, Novia paid no mind to these monstrous entities. He simply continued his relentless assault on the enemy.

"You madman! You human are terrifying!"

The Divine Body of Osiris couldn't help but curse. He regretted it; he shouldn't have taken control of the system first, leaving him in such a predicament.

Indeed, just as Novia had surmised, this was not the consciousness of Osiris himself, but merely a fragment of his soul, born from the Divine Body's anger towards his brother Set. However, it was only by encountering the magical foundation Novia was slowly establishing that this fragment was able to be born so smoothly.

The howling winds fell into darkness, as if unaware of the fierce battle, remaining perpetually calm, chillingly so.

That light illuminated a figure locked in a fierce struggle with the Divine Body of Osiris.

"Terrifying, huh? Is that how I appear to you?"

Casually lifting his longsword with his right hand, resting the blade on his shoulder, Novia let out a scoff.

He pointed his now-free left hand at the Divine Body, into the gale that tore at his nerves—

"Now, no one on earth is anything more than fragile. No one is a god. Even those who possess the power to rule the earth and are certain they will live forever cannot change this fact."

His smile deepening, the silver-haired youth declared, and in the blink of an eye, he closed the distance between them.

The Divine Body of Osiris attempted to escape, but Shiyali outside restrained him with Aether Lines. Furthermore, Novia gave him no chance to disengage, unleashing his full offensive power.

"What a joke— this is nothing, just a mere human! How could you possibly compare to my body! I am Osiris, the God of the Underworld! I am the sovereign god of Egypt! I have returned to this world to show Set that I am the true master of Egypt!"

During a brief opening in Novia's assault, the Divine Body of Osiris unleashed a magical technique. His body emanated a purple light, and the surroundings were instantly filled with the aura of death. Horrifying beastly roars echoed all around— the cries of Jackalmen. Countless inky-black Jackalmen surrounded Novia, surging towards him like a tsunami.

In response, the silver-haired youth showed no surprise, nor any agitation.

He simply closed his eyes slightly, as if understanding. He parted his lips.

"Is that so? Is that how it is? But you see—"

A powerful flash erupted, not physical, but a colossal magical force that burned through space itself.