Then, bones and flesh spread over his entire body, and feathers sprouted.
In an instant, I became the king of the corpse crows, and Dramut flinched.
"Hey, how? How can a human take the form of a monster?"
"It's one of my abilities, *caw*."
"There exists an ability that can turn a human into a monster...!"
It wasn't just a simple disguise; he had become a monster in every sense.
Even an ancient dragon can't become a perfect human through polymorph.
Similarly, no matter how great a wizard, they can't become a perfect monster.
They can only mimic it.
At first glance, one might be fooled, but if you know the truth, you can't help but notice the subtle differences.
But, there was no way to distinguish. There was not a single trace of difference.
The man before him had broken the laws of the world.
"Dramut, *caw*. Spill everything you know, *caw*."
"......Don't give orders while cawing."
Being human is better.
Seeing a corpse crow caw and give orders was more humiliating than seeing a human speak.
*
Dramut spilled everything he knew.
The reason the Star Guardians gathered in Kramdel.
It was indeed because of the 33rd star.
However, the changes in Kramdel had been ongoing for a year, and the Star Guardians only came here for a different reason.
"The star here is completely different from the 32 stars that existed on the original continent."
"Isn't the star the body of a dead goddess? How can there be a completely different star?"
It was a natural question.
Initially, the stars were just a different name for the dead goddess's body.
If that's the case, wouldn't it be impossible for anything other than the goddess's body to become a star?
"The 32 stars are the goddess Lea. But she had a twin sister, Pina."
"It sounds familiar."
"Setting?"
"No. Keep talking."
I wasn't particularly interested in the setting related to the beginning of Pangea.
I had skimmed through it, but it seemed familiar.
Dramut tilted his head and spoke again.
"......Goddess Lea created the land, and Goddess Pina created the sky. However, in the war against the 'Doom' at the beginning, Lea died. But before dying, Goddess Lea divided her body into 32 parts and scattered them across the continent."
Those 32 parts became the 32 stars.
An essential element for humans to transcend.
Players and gamers have been competing for those 32 stars.
Even if you have the qualifications, you can't transcend if you can't find a star or if there are no stars left.
But if a star holder who has transcended dies, the star falls back to the continent.
This is why 'transcender hunting' often occurs. If you don't have overwhelming power like Wilhelm, a mediocre transcender often becomes prey for major forces.
'That's why the stronger the ranker, the more important the power base.'
One of the reasons gamers formed alliances was to protect the stars.
I, who played alone, often clashed with these alliances.
In fact, some of my transcended characters were killed by them.
Dramut continued.
"Before the entire continent was consumed by the abyss, Pina raised the remaining land. The land that wasn't devoured was disconnected, but could be connected by 'warp.' All thanks to Goddess Pina."
The reason the continent is fragmented.
The setting where you have to use a warp to move between cities.
In reality, the continents don't exist on the ground.
They all float in the sky.
The ground is occupied by the abyss.
And below that, the 'Demon World' exists.
If it weren't for the twin goddess Pina, all the continents would have been destroyed by the doom.
"Summing up, are you saying the grateful goddess Pina is dead?"
"......I don't know. That's why the Star Guardians gathered urgently."
"But why are you still lingering here?"
"A powerful 'mystery' barrier surrounds the star."
The White King also mentioned it.
A unique-grade mystery was spread.
So he couldn't check the inside.
"Can you just remove the mystery?"
"I don't know how to remove it, but even if you could, you must be cautious. The presence of a mystery means something is near the star."
A mystery is proof.
A rock on the road can't have a mystery.
Only living things, those who try to prove their existence, are given a mystery.
If a unique-grade mystery is spread, it means a powerful being is inside.
I stroked my chin.
"If someone can spread such a mystery near the star, it could be a Star Guardian."
"......The possibility is low."
I understood roughly.
The Star Guardians are hesitant due to the unique-grade mystery blocking the star.
No one knows what kind of being is inside.
'I know nothing.'
In that case, I'm no different from them.
But I definitely had an advantage over the Star Guardians.
"Dramut. I can destroy that 'mystery.'"
"Haha! A mystery is like a truth. How can you destroy it?"
Dramut laughed, as if to say, "Don't joke around."
It was a clear dismissal.
"Moreover, it's a unique-grade mystery. Even the White King, the master of Kramdel, and the strongest Star Guardian gave up. You?"
"Didn't you hear that I removed the Imugi's mystery at the Temple of Mysteries?"
"It was quite a commotion. ......Wait. That was you?"
Dramut's eyes widened suddenly.
Even if the Star Guardians were uninterested in Kramdel's affairs, they couldn't have missed the commotion at the Temple of Mysteries.
"A corpse crow humbled the Imugi and went to meet the White King with the Four Seasons."
"It was me."
"......"
Dramut was speechless.
Come to think of it, the main character of the commotion was a corpse crow.
I had heard that he destroyed the Imugi's legendary-grade mystery.
But the Star Guardians dismissed it as a joke.
They thought it was impossible.
But now the person is right in front of him.
Randolph, the owner of the star he guards.
He pretended to be a corpse crow, entered the Temple of Mysteries, and turned Kramdel upside down.
Moreover, he is interested in the 33rd star.
"......Can you really remove it?"
"Of course."
A straightforward answer.
Dramut's head started to spin.
He was always a strange one, but thinking about it, he was chosen by the goddess without any trials when he first got the star.
If an unqualified person touches a star, their body should burn, but Randolph just touched it and became the star's owner.
If, by some chance, Randolph can really remove that barrier, this is a big event.
'My status will also rise.'
Naturally, his low status among the Star Guardians would rise sharply.
He would lead and complete what even the strongest Star Guardian couldn't.
The risk was the failure.
"If you approach the barrier, the Star Guardians will notice. Sneaking in is impossible."
"So?"
"You must act in front of all the Star Guardians. But......if you fail, you must be prepared to die."
The Star Guardians are sincere about everything related to the goddess and the stars.
They won't let an unauthorized person approach the star.
Even if they grant permission, they will take your life as collateral if you fail.
"It's not a big deal."
Shrugging, I said, and Dramut replied more seriously.
"All I can do is bring you to the barrier. I can't protect your life."
"That's enough."
Indeed, coming to Dramut was the right choice.
If I went on my own, I might have been killed by the gathering Star Guardians.
Given that the White King had been there, it seemed impossible to approach the star secretly.
"Fine. Wait."
Dramut left the room.
He went to persuade the other Star Guardians.
'I need to prepare thoroughly.'
I need to do everything I can to prepare for any situation.
'The thrones of the City of Thrones. The rewards they offer.'
The list of rewards I obtained by clearing Main Quest 5.
I hadn't chosen a reward yet.
'The thrones that were most friendly to me. I should focus on them.'
The probability of them offering useful rewards is high.
The rewards, obtained with an overwhelming 500 points, are undoubtedly treasures that can shake heaven and earth, but they are useless if I can't use them.
If I choose carelessly, I might fall into a trap.
《The Hourglass of the Clockwork Throne》
《The Ring of the Adventure Throne》
《The Four-Leaf Clover of the Fortune Throne》
《The Spear of the Battle Throne》
《The Armor of the Lunar Throne》
《The Invention of the Alchemy Throne》
《The Hair of the Nameless Throne》
《The Weapon Polish of the Blacksmith Throne》
......
After displaying the list of rewards, I carefully chose one from the list of rewards offered by the thrones.
*
In the underground hot spring.
A vast 'barrier' was spread in the underground tunnel where the hot spring water flowed.
"Can that corpse crow really remove the 'mystery'?"
"If it's a lie, Dramut, you will also be held responsible."
Over a dozen Star Guardians gathered.
They all looked at one figure with displeasure.
The king of the corpse crows.
Everyone was focused on whether the king of the corpse crows standing in front of the barrier could really remove the 'unique-grade' mystery.
However, it wasn't just the Star Guardians present.
"......The White King and the Four Seasons."
"Why are you here?"
The Star Guardians looked at them with even more displeasure.
It was natural, given that the White King and the Four Seasons were both present.
The White King shrugged.
"Is it wrong to step on my own land?"
"I let it slide once, but if you approach the 'star' again, it will mean war."
The strongest Star Guardian, the 'Giant of Evil', raised his head.
There were few giants left, and they were the strongest race on the ground, claiming to protect the goddess.
"I just want to watch. If even that bothers you, there will be bloodshed."
But the White King didn't back down.
He was genuinely curious.
Whether that corpse crow could really destroy the 'unique-grade' mystery.
'I didn't expect him to try to handle it before the announcement of the Four Seasons.'
His action was astonishing.
I was also very curious about how he persuaded the Star Guardians.
But what I was most interested in was the destruction of the mystery.
Unique grade.
The White King and the other Star Guardians couldn't enter due to the mystery.
"Hmm."
......And in front of their gaze, I couldn't help but frown.
What was in front of me was indeed a mystery.
The problem was the message the mystery showed me.
【The First Wall (Unique-grade Mystery)】
【9.96% to the collapse of Pangea】
【0.04% to the start of the first 'dimensional rift'】
【When the collapse reaches 10%, 'The First Wall' will be destroyed.】
【When 'The First Wall' is destroyed, the 'first dimensional rift' connecting to Earth will be created.】
【'Main Quest ??? : Eliminate the King of the Dimensional Rift' will soon begin.】
At the same time, something inside the barrier caught my eye.
It was a star.
A star, darkened, held by the King of the Dimensional Rift!
And countless nightmares, led by the King of the Dimensional Rift, lurked inside the barrier.
Main Quest ???
Can't the others see this?
Even if the explanation of the mystery is understandable, the number of nightmares inside the barrier is more than the number of monsters gathered in Kramdel.
Moreover, the 'King of the Dimensional Rift' holding the darkened star was clearly present.
'It seems only I can see it.'
If they could see it, they wouldn't be so calmly watching me.
Maybe because I'm a player, the content and the monsters inside the mystery are visible only to me.
The First Wall.
'This is the first dimensional rift.'
When the collapse rate reaches 10%, the First Wall will be destroyed, and the dimensional rift will open, leading to Earth.
This seemed to be the 'rift' that was emphasized since I was summoned to Pangea.
The beginning of the full-scale invasion and erosion.
'Why is it in the underground of Kramdel?'
Why are so many nightmares in Kramdel?
The tears of the goddess, which made the hot spring water flow, were undoubtedly caused by the star.
The tears that flowed from the darkened star soaked the