Chapter 217: The Secret War
Chapter 217: The Secret War
Caelum released the power restraining the crimson mark in his palm.
The mark slowly settled onto the back of his right hand, making him a Servant who had answered a Master’s summons.
However, Caelum existed on a level far beyond the Secret War.
Its contract meant nothing to him and could not restrain him in the slightest.
He could play however he pleased.
The rules of the Secret War had no power over him.
A faint hum sounded.
Invisible force flashed and vanished.
The arcane structure that formed the Secret War appeared within Caelum’s eyes.
In the blink of an eye, he completely mastered the entire extraordinary ritual.
He had gained a method of reaching other worlds.
Unfortunately, the ritual selected worlds entirely at random.
It could not target a specific one.
Caelum had no interest in visiting another world for the moment.
He had only just returned from War and Conquest and wanted some entertainment.
He needed time to relax.
The Secret War was perfect for that.
As Servants from other worlds answered their summons one after another, Caelum’s interest in the war grew stronger.
It had been a long time since he had experienced this feeling.
A knowing and eager smile appeared on his face.
"This really is interesting."
Within a luxurious estate on the outskirts of Travira, a wealthy middle aged man with white hair had drawn a simple arcane guidance pattern on the ground with a branch.
At its center rested an offering associated with ancient mythology.
"The guidance pattern itself does not matter. It only needs to support the summoning ritual."
"What truly matters is the kind of Servant I summon."
The wealthy man stood outside the pattern and began reciting the invocation.
"The mysteries of endless worlds drift within the void of fantasy."
"The stars reflect the devotion within our hearts."
"Noble heroes compose immortal epics."
"Supreme existence."
"God above the heavens."
"Answer my summons at this moment."
The invocation ended.
The crimson mark on his palm began to glow.
Thunder exploded.
Storm clouds gathered across the sky as lightning flashed.
A bolt of lightning descended from the clouds.
A figure wearing silver armor emerged from the thunder and appeared before the wealthy man.
Electric arcs tore through the air.
The newcomer gazed upon everything in the world with cold indifference, as though all living beings were insignificant insects.
His presence carried crushing authority.
"Mortal, offer me your faith."
The wealthy man’s hands trembled with excitement.
His eyes blazed as knowledge of the Servant’s identity entered his mind.
The supreme God of War from the world of Heroes and Magic.
A true god.
Victory was assured.
The wealthy man immediately knelt.
"My god, your most devoted believer offers you absolute loyalty and faith."
The Secret War had not officially begun.
Even so, the wealthy man already believed victory belonged to him.
The entire world was within reach.
Travira had hosted the Secret War countless times.
After every war ended, part of the ordinary residents’ memories was erased.
That was why most people still knew nothing about it.
However, Masters who had participated in previous wars retained their memories.
Over the generations, the victors recorded information about the Secret War and passed it down through writing.
As a result, many families with long inheritances knew of its existence.
The white haired wealthy man clearly belonged to such a family.
One of his ancestors had once claimed victory.
Now he had finally received the right to participate again.
The victor would gain absolute dominion over a new world and become its supreme god.
No one could resist such a reward.
According to his family’s records, most Servants summoned during previous Secret Wars had been epic heroes from other worlds.
The strongest among them were usually figures from myth and legend.
As for an actual god, no such case had ever been recorded.
The wealthy man thought to himself.
"I have already won."
His confidence was understandable.
A god personally entering the war would have been an overwhelming presence in any previous Secret War.
Such a being could sweep through every opponent without difficulty.
This was not merely a god.
It was a God of War.
Victory was certain.
After learning the rules of the Secret War, Van did not recklessly investigate the source of the powerful energy signal.
Once he reported the situation to the DMB, he immediately answered his Master’s summons.
To his surprise, his Master was a housewife.
Until the summoning ended, she had believed the entire experience was only a dream.
"It was real?"
The woman stared at Van in disbelief.
"..."
Van had nothing to say.
His confidence in winning vanished immediately.
Inside an abandoned warehouse, a middle aged man in a black suit held an old and worn notebook.
Without emotion, he finished reciting the invocation.
A long time passed.
Nothing happened.
He frowned in confusion.
"Did I recite it incorrectly?"
"I do not think so."
The sudden voice made the man turn around.
Caelum emerged slowly from the darkness of the warehouse with a bag of sunflower seeds in one hand.
The shells cracked loudly between his teeth.
The middle aged man noticed the mark on the back of Caelum’s hand and relaxed.
He then showed Caelum the crimson mark on his own hand.
The two marks were identical.
"Are you my Servant?"
Confusion entered the man’s voice.
According to the records, a Servant should appear within the arcane guidance pattern after answering the summons.
Why did the one he summoned feel so unusual?
"Servant?"
Caelum shook his head.
"Teammate would be more accurate."
The middle aged man understood.
Servants possessed vastly different personalities.
Some willingly accepted the authority of their Masters.
Others strongly rejected the relationship between master and servant.
Because every Master and Servant possessed different compatibility, their relationships varied greatly.
Some became master and servant.
Some became comrades.
Some even became lovers.
Since Caelum disliked being called a Servant, the man stopped emphasizing their formal roles.
"Then from today onward, we are teammates."
"Allow me to introduce myself. I investigate mysterious incidents in Travira. My code name is Corvus."
Caelum showed no intention of introducing himself.
"An investigator?"
"Yes."
Corvus opened the worn notebook in his hand.
"My involvement in the Secret War was purely accidental, but it suits me well."
"I can use this opportunity to uncover the truth behind the world of mysticism."
Caelum said, "That curiosity of yours is dangerous."
"I fear the unknown more than death."
As he spoke, Corvus used the power granted to him as a Master and attempted to examine Caelum’s identity and strength.
Yet under his investigation, Caelum appeared to be nothing more than an ordinary person.
He possessed not the slightest trace of mystery.