《On Hiatus: God's Personal Reasons》


 Chapter 1: On Hiatus Personal Reasons

    <h4>Chapter 1: On Hiatus Personal Reasons</h4>


    A serialized novel site posted a notice for an ongoing series.


    [On a temporary hiatus due to personal reasons.]


    Just one line.


    The story was just starting to get interesting when the author¡¯s announcement was published.


    Naturally, angryments and swearing flooded the board.


    [AnnihtionMaster: Fucking rascal! Another hiatus?!]


    [MidnightSnackKingDongjae: Tsk tsk, I knew this would happen the moment he imed he would update regrly. Old habits die hard, huh? A leopard can never change his spots, bastard!]


    [ProfessorBaekWhoLectures: Damn it! I''m demanding a refund for all my site credits!]


    [SilentlyCrawlingNightmare: Everyone! There''s a rumor that this jerk is taking a break to y some weird game!]


    [TeamLeaderForFugitiveAuthors: The fuck? What game? I''m going after him! --+]


    [MomISteppedOnACracker: Damn you, author! How could you stop now?! Do you want to die?!]


    (Read more)


    Amidst the fiery atmosphere, the author posted a response.


    [TheOnlyGod: Everyone, can''t I at least save the world first? T_T]

 Chapter 2: God-Maker

    <h4>Chapter 2: God-Maker</h4>


    That day had been progressing just like any other.


    I was working in a cafe, tending to my duties as a frence writer. However, with no progress being made, I ended up fiddling with my phone.


    While deleting useless apps to clear up space, I noticed one that I had never seen before.


    It had no name, and its icon resembled a shabby wooden chest.


    <i>Has this always been here?</i>


    Curious about the app, I decided to check it out before deleting it. I tapped on the icon, and the chest opened wide.


    [Wee to God-Maker.]


    [Depending on your choices and y style, you can be a benevolent or a malevolent god.]


    <i>Is this a game?</i>


    The user interface was dreadfully nd. It was just text on a ck screen.


    Just when I was starting to get bored, a small, old cave appeared on the screen. Inside, there was one ant.


    Moreover, it was an ant rendered in choppy 8-bit graphics, reminiscent of arcade games from half a century ago, like Gga.[1]


    ¡°What? When did I install such a lousy game? Did I identally open a spam email?¡±


    To make matters worse, the pixels that made up the lower half of the ant were distorted.


    While I was staring at it, a message appeared.


    [No. 1x xx xx Godx xxx xxx xxxxx.]


    The letters were distorted and barely legible.


    The only words I could read were "No. 1" and "God."


    <i>Could No. 1 be referring to this ant? How do I even y this?</i>


    The game was reallycking in direction. All it showed was this crudely pixted ant.


    Wondering if a menu would appear, I tapped on the ant.


    <i>Pop!</i>


    ¡°Wow.¡±


    With a crunch, the pixted ant was crushed and then vanished like smoke.


    <i>Clink!</i>


    Adding to my surprise, A ck coin about the size of a 500-won piece popped out of my phone. It had a skull and ¡°1¡± engraved on it.


    [No. 1 has been crushed!]


    [You have been rewarded with 1 Dark Godcoin (Gcoin).]


    [The kill has increased Nameless God''s Karma by 1.]


    [Congrattions. You are now a step closer to bing a great malevolent god in pursuit of tyranny and power.]


    ¡°What...? What is this?¡±


    1. Remember that old arcade game where you control a starship to shoot aliens? That''s the one. ?

 Chapter 3: Hello, This is Yu Il-Shin

    <h4>Chapter 3: Hello, This is Yu Il-Shin</h4>


    Twenty years ago, when humans encountered inexplicable events, they would seek out psychiatric hospitals or shamans. In the present day, the ces they consulted had changed.


    At the Supernatural Phenomenon Center desk, a pretty receptionist wearing a badge that said "Kim Yoo-Jung" called out my name.


    "Number 369, Mr. Yu Il-Shin."


    ... I had desperately hoped that they would simply call out my first name.


    "Il-Shin" by itself was quitemon, but with the addition of the surname "Yu," it became a very holy name that sounded like a prayer.[1]


    "<i>Pfffft</i>."


    "Yu Il-Shin? Wow, what a bold name."


    Hearing the whispers of those around me, I blushed slightly and walked briskly toward the receptionist.


    Smiling, she said, "Congrattions, Mr. Yu Il-Shin. The test results indicate that you have a supernatural aptitude."


    I nervously gulped. ¡°Really? What''s my rank, then?"


    This moment could change my life for the better.


    I didn''t even dare to hope for anything above Rank A. D or even E would suffice for me to quit my struggling writer''s life and start anew!


    The staff member smiled as she dashed my expectations. "Rank G."


    Those with supernatural abilities were ranked on a ten-level scale like a pyramid, from SSS to G. The SSS-rank was so rare that it was statistically insignificant; even on a global scale, only a handful of individuals were at that level. Three of them weren''t even human.


    Anyway, that was not the important part.


    "Rank G?"


    Rank G was assigned to those who possessed supernatural abilities with almost no impact on everyday life.


    "ording to the test results, you have a G-rank Material Creation ability, Mr. Yu Il-Shin."


    The staff member handed me the test results and recited what seemed to be the standard procedure.


    "Would you like to register for a Hunter license? If you register, you will be able to participate in future hunting activities suited to your rank."


    "Do I need to pay for it?" I asked.


    "Yes, the registration fee is 280,000 won."


    That basically meant not to bother. There were hardly any gates or dungeons that a Rank G could enter, so it would just be a waste of money.


    I sighed as I looked at my result sheet.


    <strong>Name: Yu Il-Shin (M)</strong>


    <strong>Age: 23</strong>


    <strong>Ability: Material Creation</strong>


    <strong>Rank: G</strong>


    <strong>Analysis: A precision analysis was conducted on the coin produced by the Material Creation ability. Although seven types of test equipment were used, no remarkable findings were detected.</strong>


    <strong>The produced coin¡¯s precision analysis results:</strong>


    <strong>Capper: 95%, Carbon: 2%, Ammonia: 0.4%, Lime: 0.15%, Phosphorus: 0.8%, Potassium Nitrate and Fluorine: 0.75%, Iron: 0.24%, Silicon: ...</strong>


    Curious about one aspect of the results, I asked, "What''s this ''95% capper'' about?"


    "Capper?" The staff member squinted slightly as she looked over the results. She then broke into a smile.


    "Ah, that¡¯s a printing error. There''s no element called <i>''capper.¡¯ </i>It''s copper, sir."


    The emphasis on the word "capper"[2] made me feel as if the staff was deliberately mocking me.


    ***


    ¡¸S-rank Hunter Baek Yoo-Hyun has sessfully cleared the cataclysmic Dark Dragon Dungeon! Humanity has taken another step toward salvation...!¡¹


    <i>Beep!</i>


    ¡¸Seductive and deadly allure. The one thing S-rank Hunter Sung Mi-Na never forgets before entering a dungeon! The only choice to protect your skin! Amondra Perfect Essence...¡¹


    <i>Beep!</i>


    ¡¸Infinite Challenge! Don''t be surprised,dies and gentlemen! Today¡¯s guest is a double-S Hunter! Please wee world star Jack ck!¡¹


    <i>Beep!</i>


    I turned off the TV. News,mercials, variety shows¡ªthey were all about hunters.


    Twenty years ago, when gates and dungeons opened and unleashed monsters that should¡¯ve only existed in imagination, humanity faced an existential crisis.


    Like the protagonists of popr novels at the time, Hunters¡ªthose who had awakened extraordinary abilities¡ªemerged as saviors, their heroic deeds quickly restoring bnce to the world. Moreover, we quickly learned that the opening of gates and dungeons wasn''t all doom and gloom for humanity. New non-polluting energy and materials were discovered from monster by-products, allowing human civilization to advance to a higher level.


    Nowadays, it was no exaggeration to say that society''s entire infrastructure relied on monsters and the Hunters who hunted them. Just as children used to dream of bing celebrities or YouTubers, they now undoubtedly dreamed of bing a Hunter. There were even prep schools for it.


    I had always thought that Hunters belonged to apletely different world than I did, so finding out that I had awakened my ability made my stomach lurch. Creating cap¡ªno, copper, was apletely trivial ability.


    I fiddled with the skull coin in my hand. How much would this coin even weigh? Around twenty grams, maybe? With the market price of copper at about $6,900 per ton....


    "With my luck, I can forget winning the lottery. I should just stick to what I was doing."


    I turned on myptop. Foolishly, I had wasted a day getting all sorts of tests done at the center. I didn¡¯t earn much from writing manuscripts, but I had to make ends meet somehow. Hence, I started working with all my might.


    Five hourster, I was still staring hard at theptop.


    <i>I¡¯ve still got nothing but a nk page... and that stupid, blinking cursor!</i>


    "Fuck."


    I pulled at my hair. It was already 3 a.m., yet all I had done was enter a cycle of writing a few words and deleting them right after. The stress was making my head hurt, and my stomach twist likeundry being wrung out. I could feel my lifespan shortening in real-time.


    "I should just go to sleep."


    From experience, on days like this, no amount of staring at the screen would get me anywhere with my writing. It was better to sleep and try again with a clear head. I¡¯d leave the manuscript to tomorrow¡¯s me. Well, it was already early morning, so it was more like leaving it to myter-today¡¯s self.


    Unfortunately, although I hadid down, I couldn¡¯t seem to fall asleep. Insomnia was like a passive trait among writers. I tossed and turned in bed for about an hour before my eyelids finally started feeling heavy.


    <i>Ding! Ding! </i>


    Just then, my phone on the nightstand rang twice.


    <i>Who could it be at this hour?</i>


    Annoyed, I checked my phone. I had just received a notification from God-Maker. Worse, it was just another iprehensible message.


    [No. 2x xx xx Godx xxx xxx xxxxx.]


    A game notification at four in the morning? Anger boiling, I long-pressed on the message to turn off the notification. However, instead of going to Settings, the gameunched, and an image of a crudely pixted ant in an empty cave appeared on the screen.


    [No. 2x xx xx Godx xxx xxx xxxxx.]


    [No. 2x xx xx Godx xxx xxx xxxxx.]


    Notification sounds rang incessantly as I was spammed with messages.


    I sighed.


    While others could fly around and throw fire or electricity like superheroes, I had spam notifications as my ability.


    Suppressing my frustration and irritation, I began to talk to the ant on the screen. "Ant, what are you trying to say?"


    [No. 2x xx xx Godx xxx xxx xxxxx.]


    [No. 2x xx xx Godx xxx xxx xxxxx.]


    However, all I received was the same message. My irritation intensified.


    Was I crazy for asking a crude, digital ant for answers? It was not like this game had any other menu to solve this situation.


    <i>Might as well mute it and go back to sleep. </i>


    I raised my finger.


    [No. 2 has been crushed!]


    [You have been rewarded with 1 Gcoin.]


    [The kill has increased Nameless God''s Karma by 1.]


    [Congrattions. You are now a step closer to bing a great malevolent god in pursuit of tyranny and power.]


    Another cap coin had popped out of the screen.


    <i>ng! </i>


    Finally, the notifications stopped, and I found some peace. I felt no guilt. After all, it was just a crude game produced by my material creation ability. However, when I tried to sleep again...


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [No. 3x Nameless Godx xxx xxx xxxxx.]


    Another pixted ant appeared.


    "Fuck!"


    I immediately crushed it. Another message about advancing as a malevolent god appeared, and a cap coin popped out of my phone.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [No. 4x xx xx Godx xxx xxx xxxxx.]


    [No. 5x xx xx Godx xxx xxx xxxxx.]


    [No. 6x...]


    <i>Ding! Ding! Ding!</i>


    The ants were now swarming in droves. I tried to turn off my phone, but it was no use. This wasn''t just a phone anymore, it was a manifestation of my ability.


    "These stupid fucking ants! Let''s see who wins this!"


    Frustrated with myck of literary progress and nearly useless awakened ability, my stress shot through the roof. I gritted my teeth and tapped on the pixted ants with my index finger.


    <i>Pop! Pop! Pop! </i>


    "Hmm...."


    <i>This is oddly addictive. </i>


    I could see why people got hooked on popping bubble wrap.


    ***


    Sunlight streamed through the cracks in the window.


    "<i>Ugh</i>... When did I fall asleep?"


    I had been so focused on crushing ants that I must have unknowingly dozed off.


    Something was off, though. The coins that I had sprung from killing the ants had disappeared. I should have earned hundreds, but instead, all I had were threerge coins the size of a baby''s palm. Unlike the others that were marked with a "1," these were engraved with "100."


    "One hundred?"


    At that moment, I noticed a message on my phone.


    [Congrattions, Nameless God. You have met the conditions to unlock the God''s Shop.]


    [Unlock Condition: Possess 100 or more Dark/White Gcoins.]


    [Would you like to unlock the God''s Shop? (Yes/No)]


    1. Yu Il-Shin in Korean can be interpreted as "One and only God." ?


    2. In English ng, ¡°cap¡± means lie or something false. ?

 Chapter 4: God’s Shop

    <h4>Chapter 4: God¡¯s Shop</h4>


    "Atst, a Hunter from our country has opened the Hunter Shop! This calls for a celebration!"


    "Finally!"


    The eyes of everyone in the conference room flickered with excitement. They had fewer than ten people in attendance, but each one was easily recognizable. After all, as heads of the Hunter Association, they were all well-known figures in business and politics.


    They gulped. "Can we see it?¡±


    The host nodded. "Please,e in."


    A middle-aged man with a long beard entered the conference room. Behind him followed a seemingly aloof woman with sparkling emerald hair.


    "This is Mr. Kang-Woo, the S-rank Creation-type Hunter who finally opened the Hunter Shop. For our convenience, S-rank Psychic-type Hunter Sung Mi-Na will be assisting today. Mr. Kang-Woo, will you open the Hunter Shop?"


    Kang-Woo nodded. "Understood."


    <i>Tsstssts.</i>


    Thanks to Sung Mi-Na''s psychic empathy, the shop window, originally visible only to Kang-Woo, appeared in mid-air for all to see. It showed a list of items and weapons that one would only encounter in myths and legends.


    -----


    [Hunter Shop]


    [High Potion (Grade A)]


    Category: Consumable


    Price: 70,000G


    [Excalibur (Grade S)]


    Category: Weapon


    Price: 2,000,000G


    [Blessing of the Thunder God (Grade SS)]


    Category: Divine Skill


    Price: 300,000,000G


    ...


    -----


    "So this is the Hunter Shop!"


    The Hunter Shop. A rare power exclusive to a select few S-rank ability users with Creation-type abilities. Like in a normal store, one could purchase the items or skills listed in its inventory. While it remained a mystery how this ability was triggered, what mattered was that other countries had been monopolizing the Hunters who could ess the Hunter Shop. However, South Korea had gained one such Hunter.


    "Please proceed with the demonstration, Hunter Kang-Woo."


    Kang-Woo nodded. His entourage piled specially crafted gold coins on the table, then extended his hand toward it.


    "Purchase High Potion."


    <i>Tsstssts!</i>


    The pile of gold coins vanished into thin air and was reced by a bottle containing a dazzling blue liquid.


    The Hunter Association chairman¡¯s eyes lit up. Jumping to his feet, he eximed, ¡°There¡¯s no doubt about it! He has ess to it!¡±


    As long as they were still breathing, High Potions could heal and save even someone at death''s door with several missing limbs.


    The host continued, "As you all know, the Hunter Shop uses gold as its currency, and it takes about 100,000 won worth of gold to make one gold coin. Even so, the items in the Hunter Shop are worth every cent, especially the Blessing of the Thunder God, the unique skill of SS-rank Hunter Gillian."


    "Considering Gillian''s power, 300 billion is cheap."


    The USA¡¯s SS-rank Hunter Gillian was one of the first Hunters to awaken. With his Blessing of the Thunder God skill, he single-handedly annihted the one hundred thousand zombies invading New York City.


    "Until this project is fully underway, we must keep it a secret that we now have ess to the Hunter Shop,¡± the president said. ¡° I want Mr. Kang-Woo to always be apanied by at least two S-rank Hunters."


    The president of South Korea solemnly continued, "Everyone, please keep in mind that the fate of the Republic of Korea hinges on this matter."


    ***


    And then... there was me.


    [Congrattions, Nameless God. You have met the conditions to unlock the God''s Shop.]


    [Would you like to unlock the God''s Shop? (Yes/No)]


    Someone once said that curiosity killed the writer. Well, no, it was me. I was the one who said it.


    Regardless, it was a writer''s nature to satisfy their curiosity no matter the consequences. Hence, I immediately pressed<i> </i>¡°Yes.¡±<i>. </i>


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [100 Gcoins are required to unlock the God''s Shop. Would you like to proceed? (Yes/No)]


    Yes, of course.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Currently, the Nameless God only has Dark Gcoins.]


    [You have paid 100 Dark Gcoins to unlock the God''s Shop.]


    <i>Pshhh! </i>


    Simultaneously, one of the cap coins engraved with "100" on the bed crumbled into dust and soon vanished without a trace.


    I gulped. Although I had awakened my ability, it hardly felt real. After all, making cap coins was all<i> </i>I could do. However, just now, one of the coins disappeared. Unlike what the center¡¯s staff had presumed, I felt that my ability wasn''t just a simple creation ability.


    <i>Perhaps...? </i>


    For a moment, I thought of Kang-Woo, one of Korea''s top Creation-type hunters, but the thought soon left my mind. There was a world of difference between an S-rank Hunter like him and a G-rank like me. <i> </i>


    "What do these even mean?"


    I stared intently at my phone screen but couldn''t decipher the writing. It looked like a mix of Arabic and Hebrew. Since they had some numbers next to them, I assumed they were items for sale.


    [-----: 1,000,000 Gcoins]


    [---: 3,500,000 Gcoins]


    [---------------: 1,000,000,000 Gcoins]


    The numbers were staggeringly huge. At the moment, I only had 200 cap coins¡ªno, Godcoins. Considering I earned a coin for every ant I killed, did this mean I had to kill as many ants as those numbers to afford any of the items?


    Trying to decipher the iprehensible script and overwhelming numbers made me feel bleak.


    <i>Swoosh! </i>


    At that moment, the shop window scrolled on its own. With a <i>click</i>, it stopped on a different page.


    [-----: 100 Gcoins]


    The item on the window flickered as if a game tutorial was prompting me to select it. After a moment of hesitation, I obliged.


    <i>Pshhh.</i>


    As another 100 Gcoins disappeared, a message appeared on my phone.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    -----


    [You have purchased the Blind Eyes of God (Innate Power).]


    -----


    [Blind Eyes of God (Innate Power)]


    Description: An innate power of the Nameless God, activated by a strong desire.


    One may catch a glimpse of the truth, but they can never truly see it.


    -----


    <i>Blind Eyes of God? Innate Power?</i>


    The name was profoundly meaningful.


    If one had gone blind, what other use could they have for their eyes?


    And what about this mysterious exnatory text?


    Who was this <i>¡°Nameless God</i>¡±? What did it mean by ¡°one might catch a glimpse of the truth, but they could never truly see it¡±?


    At that moment, as if a curtain had been drawn, my vision turned ck.


    "Huh?"


    <i>Thud! </i>


    Startled, I identally dropped my phone.


    "W-what is this?!"


    Despite having my eyes open, I couldn¡¯t see anything. I was terrified. In that brief moment, all sorts of thoughts crossed my mind.


    "Call 911..."


    Panicked, I searched for the phone that I had dropped. However, no matter how hard I looked for it, I couldn''t find it.


    <i>It must be close by...</i>


    Then, I hit my shin on the table.


    <i>Thump! </i>


    "Ouch!"


    Tears welled up in my eyes as I sat down in excruciating pain.


    "<i>Huuuuuh!</i>"


    Fortunately, my vision soon returned, and I found the phone I had been desperately searching for right at my feet. I breathed a sigh of relief and rubbed my eyes.


    "Ah, that was scary."


    The experience had given me a newfound appreciation for being able to see.


    <i>The skill I bought couldn¡¯t have caused that, could it?</i>


    As if possessed, I picked up the phone. Looking at its screen, I was startled once more.


    "Huh?"


    -----


    [mes of Gehenna (Low-tier God)]


    Category: Exclusive Power for Evil Gods


    Price: 2,000,000 Gcoins


    [Pandora''s Box (Mid-tier God)]


    Category: Exclusive Sacred Item for Evil Gods


    Price: 5,000,000 Gcoins


    [Summonary Devourer (High-tier God)]


    Category: Exclusive Summoning Skill for Evil Gods


    Price: 1,000,000,000 Gcoins


    [Space-Time Return (Top-tier God)]


    Category: Universal Power


    Price: 10,000,000,000 Gcoins


    -----


    The previously iprehensible texts had been tranted into Korean.


    <i>Wow, the names are quite grand. </i>


    Moreover, they were outrageously expensive. Among them, one had a particrly absurd price.


    -----


    [Creation of Heaven and Earth (Transcendent-tier God)]


    Category: Exclusive Power for Transcendent Gods


    Price: 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 Gcoins


    -----


    <i>Hundreds, thousands, millions, billions, trillions... wow... How much is that? </i>


    The price listed for the Creation of Heaven and Earth matched its grade. The amount was so overwhelming that I doubted anyone could save that much in their lifetime. How many ants would they even need to kill to afford it?


    "This is making me feel like the protagonist of a novel, though."


    <i>The protagonist has the lowest-ranked ability within the G-rank category, but he can open a mysterious shop window. Using the powers and items from the shop, he can create a storyline as explosive as a nuclear bomb, dating beautifuldies, making money, and saving the world on the side to be a hero....</i>


    My imagination ran wild.


    "Well, it¡¯ll be nothing more than a fantasy."


    Reality was harsh. Abilities did not develop. G-rank would remain G-rank, and the same applied to S-rank. One could probably increase their proficiency with diligent use, but the limits of an ability were nearly impossible to change. There were a few exceptional cases, but those were like winning a lottery.


    "Anyway, what majestic names. Fitting for me as a writer."


    Unfortunately, the skills disyed in the shop window wouldn¡¯t be able to live up to their lofty names because they were based on my G-rank ability. Moreover, they were overwhelmingly expensive, almost as if deliberately priced so as to prevent purchase.


    I scrolled through the list, looking at the items that seemed as promising as fool''s gold. The categories of abilities, items, and summonings started at over 10,000 coins, and anything that looked decent invariably crossed into the millions.


    Then, I spotted the only item I could afford with my remaining 100 coins.


    -----


    [Crushing Forefinger of God (Growth-type)]


    Category: Innate Power


    Price: 100 Gcoins


    -----


    Just like the Blind Eyes of God<i> </i>that I had just purchased, it was marked as an innate power.


    "Crushing Forefinger of God? Sounds impressive."


    I hesitated before making the purchase, fearing it might blind me like before. After a moment of contemtion, I activated my phone¡¯s voice recognition AI so I could call 911 by voice if needed.


    <i>Alright, let''s try this. </i>


    "Purchase."


    <i>Pshhh. </i>


    Myst 100 coins vanished like dust, and a message window appeared.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    -----


    [You have purchased the Crushing Forefinger of God (Innate Power).]


    -----


    [Crushing Forefinger of God]


    Category: Innate Power


    Description: An innate power of the Nameless God, activated by ruthless ughter.


    The Nameless God speaketh, "Ye insignificant vermin, I deliver the divine punishment bestowed by the God almighty! Be crushed to death!"


    -----


    Despite bracing myself for the worst, the event I feared did not ur this time. In fact, absolutely nothing happened. The message description was absurdly grandiose, so this couldn''t be all, could it?


    "Maybe I should try using it."


    I turned to an empty water bottle rolling on the floor. With all my might, I earnestly shouted, "Crushing Forefinger of God!"

 Chapter 5: Crushing Forefinger of God

    <h4>Chapter 5: Crushing Forefinger of God</h4>


    "Crushing Forefinger of God!"


    Silence ensued. The water bottle had stopped rolling.


    "The skill, Crushing Forefinger of God! The divine innate power Crushing Forefinger of God, activate!¡±


    The silence returned.


    "<i>Haaa</i>..."


    I was d I lived alone. Had someone been around, I might have died of embarrassment.


    "Well, as a G-rank, I wasn¡¯t really expecting much anyway."


    I had only done it for fun, so I wasn¡¯t all that disappointed.


    I sighed and searched for the remote, wanting to watch some TV. I was a typical man living alone, so I had naturally left it under a pile of clutter. However, when I reached out to dig for it, my fingers involuntarily twitched.


    <i>Click.</i>


    I suddenly heard a strange sound, like a switch being pressed.


    <i>Blink!</i>


    The TV turned on, disying a news broadcast about the heroic actions of the B-rank Hunter Thunder Emperor. He was known for wearing a helmet and full-bodytex suit, which set him apart from other famous hunters.


    ¡¸At around 7 AM today, arge fire broke out in a building in Jongro District, Seoul. However, thanks to Hunter Thunder Emperor, not a single casualty was reported...¡¹


    Despite his low rank, even I knew of him. After all, his uniqueness had drawn people''s attention and earned him the nickname Thunder Emperor.


    However, the news wasn''t important to me at the moment. The TV had turned on without me touching the remote.


    <i>Could it be?</i>


    Although skeptical, I decided to test it.


    "Crushing Forefinger of God," I murmured as I flicked my finger¡ªmore precisely, my index.


    <i>Click.</i>


    As I heard the same sound as before, the TV turned off.


    "Crushing Forefinger of God."


    <i>Click.</i>


    The TV turned on again.


    ¡¸Although only a B-rank, the overwhelming public support for Thunder Emperor poses the question of how long he¡¯ll continue his activities while keeping his identity a secret.¡¹


    At that moment, I was convinced


    "Haha, is this my ability?"


    I, Yu Il-shin, no longer needed a remote to turn on the TV. What was this seemingly unimportant yet convenient ability...


    ***


    Twenty years ago, when monsters first appeared and the world was turned upside down, writing was one of the first professions to disappear. Cultural life only resumed once the basic needs of food, clothing, and shelter had been met. The fact that I could presently make a living from writing was proof that the world had somewhat stabilized.


    There was a thought, though. When did writers write? When struck by a brilliant inspiration? Or when they fell in love as if it was fate? No, it was when our bank bnce hit zero!


    "<i>Ugh</i>."


    For the same reason, I groaned like a dog suffering from constipation while staring nkly at my monitor.


    "<i>Ugh</i>."


    Despite having just recentlypleted my previous work, a frence writer who didn¡¯t sell well like me had to start a new project quickly to make ends meet. Fortunately, I was confident about this new work. My previous work had failed horribly, but this time, I could finally dream of eating meat daily and treating myself to premium Korean beef once a week... until I received a disheartening text from my editor a week ago!


    Mighty Editor-in-Charge:<i> Ummm</i>, Mr. Yu. To be honest, it''s a bit mediocre. This piece doesn''t seem to fit the current trends... Can you write something that follows the modern trends and send it again?


    Trend! That damned beloved yet hated word that I just couldn¡¯t seem to grasp!


    In my frustration, I had scrapped everything and started over. Unfortunately, words weren''t something that just magically appeared. If it were that easy, I wouldn¡¯t be living like this anymore.


    I sighed deeply without even realizing it.


    <i>Huuhh, I need my next project to get epted this month. I¡¯ve got overdue rent to pay!</i>


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [No. 301x xx xx Godx xxx xxx xxxxx!]


    [No. 301x xx xx Godx xxx xxx xxxxx!]


    Just when I was starting to think that things had gotten quiet, these damned ants raised a ruckus again. I gave a death stare to my phone, which disyed the God-Maker notification.


    I was already stressed. Maybe I should just crush them all.


    <i>Ding! Ding!</i>


    I was suddenly alerted by a text. My heart sank as I checked the sender. It was my editor-in-charge.


    Mighty Editor-in-Charge: Mr. Yu, you were supposed to send the new work today, weren¡¯t you? It¡¯s about time I get off work.


    The dreaded moment¡ªand the pressure of rushing to meet manuscript submission deadlines¡ªhad arrived! This was the one thing in this entire world that all writers feared the most!


    To make matters worse, he had no new manuscript.


    "W-what should I do?"


    Should I admit that I hadn¡¯t done anything because I was testing my Crushing Forefinger of God ability all day? It wasn¡¯t all for naught, though. Through my experiments, I had found out that my ability was not limited to controlling the TV remote. I could turn the microwave, the lights, and even theptop on and off! Typically, people would need to use their fingers for such tasks, but I could do it all without even touching them!


    ¡°The Human Remote, Yu Il-Shin!¡±


    Saying it out loud made it seem even more pathetic.


    <i>Ding! Ding!</i>


    My nagging editor had sent me another text.


    Mighty Editor-in-Charge: Mr. Yu, are you ghosting me? I truly hope this isn¡¯t the case, but is the manuscript not ready?


    "Oh no..."


    I needed a good excuse, one that could work on an editor who was stressed all the time because they had to work overtime until 10 p.m. Should I say I suddenly caught a cold? That a close friend had been hospitalized? While frantically brainstorming for a creative excuse... I was finally struck with inspiration.


    "Ah-ha!"


    It wasn''t a muse¡¯s descent, but it seemed good enough to get out of the situation and show that I had been writing diligently, not just idling around.


    Yu Il-Shin the Almighty: I''m sorry. I just need one more hour¡ªno, just 30 more minutes, please. I will sort out the draft and send it to you then. Mighty Editor-in-Charge: Are you sure, Mr. Yu? Yu Il-Shin the Almighty: Yes!


    Had my editor been deceived all his life? Why couldn''t he trust people... Oh, he had indeed been deceived quite often. This time, though, I was serious.


    After sending the text, I typed furiously on my keyboard as if I had every intention to break it. Exactly thirty minutester... I clicked on the send button.


    <i>Click.</i>


    <i>Okay. Sessfully sent.</i>


    I had sent about three chapters¡¯ worth of manuscript to my editor about my peculiar experiences over the past few days. Since writing about ying God-Maker was just like writing a diary, I found it as easy as stealing candy from a baby.


    After sending the draft to my editor, I leisurely made myself instant coffee and slurped on it.


    <i>Mmm! Delicious.</i>


    I knew it probably wouldn¡¯t pass, but at least it showed that I hadn¡¯t just been ying around. Today, that was enough. Even I thought it was the perfect excuse.


    Five minutes after I had sent it, my editor responded.


    <i>Ding! Ding!</i>


    Mighty Editor-in-Charge: Wow, this is really interesting. I have a good feeling about this!


    <i>Huh? Really?</i>


    I felt bittersweet. This reaction was not what I had in mind.


    <i>They found this interesting? </i>


    I had spent three sleepless nights on myst work, which they had outright rejected. Now, theyplimented a piece I had written in less than thirty minutes! How could this be possible?


    Yu Il-Shin the Almighty: Mr. Editor, are you serious? You¡¯re not just saying this to make me feel better, are you? Mighty Editor-in-Charge: Yes. The theme is unique and quite amusing! Could you perhaps write about five more chapters? :) This new work seems promising!


    Uncharacteristically, my editor had even sent a smile emoji. He wasn¡¯t just being nice. He had no reason to.


    "<i>Ugh</i>, five chapters...¡±


    Unfortunately, I had no more stories left to tell.


    <i>Ding! Ding!</i>


    I nced at the God-Maker notifications sessively popping out at the top of my phone.


    [No. 301x xx xx Godx xxx xxx xxxxx!]


    [No. 301x xx xx Godx xxx xxx xxxxx!]


    "<i>Hmmm</i>..."


    ***


    <i>Pop, pop!</i>


    I vigorously squished the ants with my finger.


    <i>Clink!</i>


    For every ant I killed, a cap coin would clink and drop. I wasn¡¯t just ying. This was the grueling effort of a writer striving for his next piece.


    Still, there was something oddly addictive about this. Midway, I discovered something intriguing. Every time I umted a hundred cap coins, something extraordinary urred.


    <i>Whirr! Whoosh!</i>


    The hundred coins, wrapped in a ck light, merged into one. Shortly after, a coin marked with the number ¡°100¡± appeared. Seeing a hundred coins condense into one felt like a loss, but it was indeed fascinating.


    "Now I have just one hundred coins... Still far from being able to afford anything."


    Despite having spent a long time scrutinizing the shop window, I failed to find any other abilities that I could afford. The shop also had divine items, but even the cheapest was at least a thousand coins.


    -----


    [Blessing of the Growth God (Low-tier God)]


    [Category: Common Consumable Item]


    [Price: 1,000 Gcoins]


    -----


    Although it was of the lowest rank, the word "growth" still made my heart race. Could this item, unlike my insignificant ability that I used as a makeshift remote, prove to be incredibly useful? Perhaps even just a bottle of this potion could turn a frail writer''s muscle robust.


    Realistically, though, I didn¡¯t really have much hope.


    <i>Pop! Pop!</i>


    Regardless, I now had a new purpose in mind. I resumed crushing the ants, working hard to save up a thousand coins!


    <i>Ding!</i>


    Amid my efforts, a strange message appeared.


    [No. 404x xx xx Godxx Resistancexxx!]


    I scratched my head, then raised my index finger to try to crush the ant again. However, instead of the usual crunch, the same message appeared.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [No. 404x xx xx Godxx Resistancexxx!]


    "Huh? Why won''t it die?"


    The ant not only didn¡¯t die when I pressed on it. It also had a new word in its name: Resistance.

 Chapter 6: No. 404

    <h4>Chapter 6: No. 404</h4>


    Ant No. 404 looked slightly different from the ones I had killed so far. Although it still had the crude 8-bit pixted appearance, It was twice the size of the previous ants and had a dark-red color to it instead of the usual ck.


    ¡°Is this a boss?¡±


    This unique ant, which appeared after I had killed four hundred regr ones, fueled mypetitiveness even more.


    I raised my finger once more and put all my strength into it, determined to crush it in one go.


    <i>Tap!</i>


    I missed.


    ¡°I-it dodged?¡±


    A short distance away from my finger, the red ant¡¯s antennae twitched, seemingly taunting me. Honestly, it worked. It pissed me off so much that my blood started to boil.


    ¡°Do I really have to use both hands just to kill this ant?¡±


    <i>Swipe.</i>


    I aimed my index fingers at the cheeky, little red ant. It had better prepared itself. I was about to show how I beat the rhythm game <i>Beat Mania</i> with a perfect score back in my childhood.


    Using both index fingers, I furiously tapped away at the screen.


    <i>Tadadadak!</i>


    A momentter, while looking at my trembling hands, I began to gasp for air. ¡°<i>Huff! Puff!</i>¡±


    Fuck, I kept missing! How could an ant be so nimble? Maybe it was a cockroach in disguise!


    This cockroach, which had so gracefully evaded my deadly attacks, scurried out of the God-Maker¡¯s cave. Other ants quickly reced it.


    However, rather than feeling victorious, the red ant lingered on my mind. I had lost my prey, which had to have been a boss ant or a monster rted to an event! I couldn¡¯t believe I let it slip past my fingers! This was unfair!


    <i>Tap! Tap!</i>


    [No. 440 has been crushed!]


    [The kill has increased Nameless God''s karma by 1.]


    Venting my anger, I crushed every single ant that entered the cave. Each time, a Godcoin would pop out of my phone.


    <i>Ding! Ding!</i>


    It didn¡¯t take long for me to umte a pile of coins at the foot of my bed. I couldn¡¯t care less about them at the moment, though.


    Like an eagle, I continued searching for any signs of No. 404, that insolent ant.


    <i>That fucking ant. Next time, it won¡¯t be so lucky!</i>


    Unfortunately, despite my resolve, it never came back.


    <i>Tap! Tap!</i>


    By now, I had already piled up 500 cap coins beside me. Switching positions on my bed, Iy down on my stomach with a pillow under me. I then continued tapping on the screen with my index fingers, killing more ants.


    [No. 801 has been crushed!]


    [The Nameless God has umted 800 karma.]


    [Earn 200 more karma to gain the title of a great malevolent god pursuing tyranny and power.]


    [You will be rewarded upon gaining the title.]


    It was already past 3 a.m. The endless notifications now sounded like a luby to me. Exhausted from the simple task of killing ants, I began to nod off. Momentster, my head dropped onto my pillow, and I fell into deep sleep.


    <i>Snore...</i>


    Right after, a faint notification rang in my ears.


    [The innate power Blind Eyes of God has been activated.]


    [You are now tracking No. 404, the lost sacrifice.]


    ***


    In my dream, I had turned into No. 404, the red ant. No, it would be more urate to say that I was looking at the view from its perspective as if watching a movie through its eyes.


    No. 404 seemed to have sustained a serious injury. The red liquid that kept spilling out of it as it crawled told me as much. Eventually, it reached a crude building made of mud and straw, at the entrance of which was a sign with bizarre writing. The symbols looked like earthworms crawling.


    [----- ----- -----]


    I couldn¡¯t make sense of it at first, but when I further focused on it, I finally understood a few words.


    [-- Imperial --- Search Party, Third Corp]


    Imperial search party? Third corp?


    As I processed the words, the red ant coughed up more red liquid and then entered the building. The ce was swarmed with what seemed to be hundreds of ants. From No. 404¡¯s perspective, what I would¡¯ve normally seen as insignificant insects looked like pedestrians. However, they wore red-tinted armor and wielded sharp sticks, reminiscent of medieval soldiers.


    <i>Crunch, crunch. Swallow!</i>


    No. 404 entered a room, finding a group of ants ripping something apart with their grotesque jaws. When some of it dropped on the floor, I quickly realized that they were eating the remains of ck ants. I had heard before that, just like humans, ants also waged wars with each other. The victors not only robbed their enemies of their food andrvae but even ate those that they had taken captive.


    The red antsughed merrily as they chewed on the ck ants.


    ¡°<i>Keke</i>, these ck ones sure are delicious.¡±


    Watching the graphic scene made me feel nauseous.


    No. 404 copsed on the ground, prompting the other red ants to turn to it. Upon getting their attention, its mouth moved as if trying to say something.


    ¡°I have located the captives, but a great monster is guarding the area! I believe it is the god that the ck tribe worships! I barely managed to get away. We have to defeat that monster before it invades us!¡±


    I wasn¡¯t sure if it was because I shared its perspective, but fascinatingly enough, I could understand what it was saying.


    The ants stopped moving.


    <i>Grrrr!</i>


    However, instead of agreeing with it, they all mocked No. 404. It was strange, but I could see their dialogues in the form of text.


    ¡°You coward! You¡¯re just making excuses because the ck ants defeated you!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re an utter disgrace to the great imperial army!¡±


    ¡°<i>Keke</i>, what can a monster worshiped by those weaklings even do?¡±


    No. 404 turned even redder, seemingly feeling the jeers of itsrades.


    Amid themotion, they heard a voice echo from behind them.


    ¡°Silence!¡±


    <i>Thump, thump.</i>


    A red ant walked down the corridor of the crude building, approaching No. 404. It was the smallest among all the red ants present, yet the others couldn¡¯t help but flinch slightly and make way for it. Their group split in half, reminding me of the parting of the Red Sea.


    Soon, the red ant reached No. 404, who was still lying on the ground.


    No. 404 shuddered. Cautiously, it said, ¡°Oh, Great Sage XX.¡±


    The small red ant stroked the white part of its chin, which resembled a beard. ¡°I believe you. I have felt the vile demon¡¯s aura as well.¡±


    As No. 404 reveled in the bearded ant¡¯s words, the bearded ant shook its head.


    ¡°This ce is now under the reign of the Great Imperial Majesty. We cannot just surrender this sacred ground to the foul demon of the ck tribe.¡±


    Afterward, it ced a hand on No. 404¡¯s head.


    ¡°Nature shall be with thee!¡±


    <i>sh!</i>


    A blue light shed and enveloped No. 404. Its wounds, from which blood had been gushing out, healed instantly. I felt as if I had just witnessed a miracle.


    ¡°Lead the way, brave soldier. I will y that demon myself.¡±


    Moved by the scene, the dozens of other ants around them flocked to No. 404.


    ¡°Let me join you!¡±


    ¡°With the sage around, I shall fear no demons!¡±


    The bearded ant chuckled in delight as it nodded. ¡°Thank you! Together, we will vanquish that demon!¡±


    It was quite a touching scene.


    Wait, was I the demon they were referring to?


    ***


    ¡°<i>Cough!</i>¡±


    As soon as I woke up, I wiped the saliva off the corner of my mouth and recalled everything that had happened in my dream. I remembered being an ant in it, but was I just watching the ant¡¯s dream, or was the ant watching mine?


    While still trying to make sense of that nightmare, my phone rang loudly.


    <i>Ding ding!</i>


    [No. 404x xx xx Godx xxx invaded xxx!]


    [No. 808x xx xx Godx xxx invaded xxx!]


    [No. 809x xx xx Godx xxx invaded xxx!]


    ...


    The notifications now had the word ¡°invaded.¡± This time, instead of the usual ck ants, therger red ones appeared.


    ¡°Huh? That bastard!¡±


    Noticing a familiar number, I gnashed my teeth. No. 404, the same cheeky ant that had escaped my grasp, was among them!


    ¡°You¡¯re finally back! I won¡¯t let you get away this time!!¡±


    I vengefully raised my fingers. However, just before I could crush it, a much smaller ant stepped in front of it. Like a corn, its chin was covered with white tufts of hair.


    <i>Is that the same bearded ant I saw in my dream?</i>


    The bearded ant waved its wooden staff at me as it spoke. Surprisingly, I could hear it yelling¡ªno, I could see the words it was saying.


    -Nature, reject this demon!


    <i>Pzzz!</i>


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    A blue light shot out from its wooden staff and out of my phone screen. It hit my forehead before I could even react.


    <i>Bam!</i>


    Falling like a dead tree, I screamed. ¡°<i>Aack!</i>¡±


    <i>Thud!</i>


    ***


    The ants scoffed when they first heard No. 404¡¯s ims. How could a fearsome demon appear in a hunting ground of the lowest difficulty? If not for the guidance of No. 808, their great sage, No. 404¡¯s words would have fallen on deaf ears. Now, they hade to realize that No. 404 had been telling the truth.


    The demon they now faced was much more terrifying than they could have ever imagined. Its size was greater than thergest mountain they had ever seen, and the anger in its eyes burned even fiercer than the sun. Just being in its presence rendered them immobile.


    The demon let out a yell that seemed to sunder the heavens. It then pointed a finger at No. 404.


    <i>Bam bam bam bam!</i>


    Its finger crashed down onto No. 404 like a huge, house-sized boulder. Unlike its first encounter with the demon, this attack was so deafening that No. 404 would have been barely able to dodge it.


    Fortunately, before the attack could hit them, No. 808 stepped forward and unleashed every ounce of its power.


    -Nature, reject this demon!


    <i>sh!</i>


    Dazzling blue light shed, and a miracle followed¡ªthe magic that No. 808 had cast hit the demon in the head!


    The demon fell to the ground. At the same time, it let out an agonizing scream that could bring the heavens crashing down.


    -<i>Aack</i>!


    <i>Rumble¡ª</i>


    The ants flocked to the sage and rubbed their feelers against each other in worship.


    ¡°You have in the demon! You truly are worthy of your title, Great Sage!¡±


    ¡°<i>Haha</i>! His Majesty will be extremely pleased with this magnificent feat! He might even reward you with a portion of the saintess¡¯ meat from this expedition!¡±


    ¡°Congrattions, Great Sage!¡±


    However, despite theirpliments, No. 808¡¯s expression remained dark. It looked up at the sky in despair. ¡°No! This is impossible! I did not spend my entire life umting this power just for it to amount to nothing!¡±


    The sage¡¯s eyes, which had once brimmed with wisdom and faith, were now etched with terror. Turning to itspanions, it said, ¡°E-everyone, run¡ª!¡±


    However, it couldn¡¯t finish what it was trying to say.


    -Fucking ants!


    <i>Crumble!</i>


    Along with the deafening roar, a huge fist came crashing down on the ants like a meteorite.


    What they were facing was no mere demon. It was a malevolent god capable of destroying an entire nation with just one punch!


    No. 808 stared at the demon. In despair and awe, it cried, ¡°Oh, cruel and great god...¡±


    <i>ng ng ng!</i>


    <i>Bam bam bam!</i>

 Chapter 7: I’m the Brutal Killer, Yu Il-Shin

    <h4>Chapter 7: I¡¯m the Brutal Killer, Yu Il-Shin</h4>


    <i>Ding ding!</i>


    [No. 404 has exploded!]


    [No. 808 has exploded!]


    [No. 809 has exploded!]


    ...


    Countless notifications flooded the phone that I had just hit. At the same time, blood trickled down from the small injury inflicted on my forehead. However, I had something far more pressing in mind. Shocked by the ants¡¯ counterattack, I punched my phone out of instinct! Was my phone screen alright?!


    ¡°<i>Phew.</i>¡±


    Thankfully, it was fine; my weak writer''s punch had otherwise left the screen unscathed, and putting a slightly expensive protective film on it proved worth it. The ants weren¡¯t as lucky, though. They were obliterated out of existence.


    ¡°How did those ants manage to attack me, though?¡±


    It didn¡¯t make sense at all. Well, considering I could get a coin for killing ants on my phone, nothing about this whole situation made sense. Still...


    <i>Clink! Clink! Clink!</i>


    Coins began popping out of my phone. A nce was enough for me to tell that I had earned hundreds. I had probably killed dozens of them, after all. However, that wasn¡¯t the only surprise I received.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [The Nameless God has umted 1,000 karma!]


    [Congrattions. You have gained a title of the Malevolent God!]


    ¡°Huh? A title?¡±


    The system message seemed as if it hade straight out of a game. Just to be sure, I clicked on the title in the message window.


    <i>Pzzt!</i>


    Along with a weird noise, the screen glitched, and a description appeared.


    -----


    [Brutal Killer (F)]


    A title earned by umting 1,000 karma (evil deeds) or more. It increases thebat luck of the Nameless God.


    ¡°By training inbat, the one who walks the path of evil can be a true Malevolent God.¡±


    -----


    I seemed to have gained this title by getting 1,000 karma... Well, sure. Its description still seemed strange to me, though. What did it mean by bat luck¡± and that I had to train inbat to be a true Malevolent God?


    <i>Am I part of some martial tribe from a certain webtoon?!</i>


    <i>Pzzzzt!</i>


    Just then, the pile of cap coins on the floor began to merge into 100-unit coins. Momentster, I was left with four 100-unit coins and a few dozen 1-unit coins.


    At that moment, amid the pile, I noticed something shiny


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±


    I picked up the green-colored ring. It was so small that it could barely fit my pinky. I looked closer, wondering if the sparkle was from the gemstone, but it was just made of wood.


    ¡°<i>Sniff</i>. Oh, this smell!¡±


    The ring gave off the natural fragrance of phytoncide, making me feel like I was standing in the middle of a forest. As its scent cleared my head, I became so fascinated with it that I unknowingly stared at it for quite a while.


    Soon, God-Maker sent me a notification, bringing me back to my senses. It informed me of the activation of an innate power.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [The innate power Blind Eyes of God has been activated.]


    [Appraising the ring...]


    [Appraisalplete!]


    ¡°Huh? Appraisal?¡±


    -----


    [Druid¡¯s Ring]


    A ring imbued with the vitality of the forest. No.808 never took it off.


    Special note: Increases elemental power.


    -----


    No. 808 was probably the strange ant that had hit me with a beam of light.


    <i>Anyway, I can appraise items now? Woah.</i>


    Could I only use this skill on items from God-Maker? Or could I use it in my everyday life?


    To test it out, I focused on an object in my room. I stared at it for so long that I felt like my eyes would pop out of their sockets.


    Luckily, I soon received the notification alert I had been waiting for.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [The innate power Blind Eyes of God has been activated.]


    [Appraisalplete!]


    ¡°Hell yeah!¡±


    -----


    [Yu Il-Shin¡¯s TV]


    Around for 1 year.


    Special note: There are still 8 months of installment left to pay.


    -----


    [Yu Il-Shin¡¯s Laptop]


    Around for 1 year and 2 months.


    Special note: There are still 6 months of installment left to pay.


    -----


    [Yu Il-Shin¡¯s Bed]


    Around for over 10 years.


    Special note: An old bed. About time to throw it away.


    -----


    ... I should stop.


    They were all mine anyway, so All I had actually done was confirm what I already knew.


    What if this ability also gave me an insight into other people¡¯s information, though? At the very least, it would be beyond my G-rank rating. I had to test this out once I had gone outside. For now, I had this ring to think about.


    ¡°Druid¡¯s Ring... It¡¯s pretty small.¡±


    I tried putting it on, but it was too small. It could only go as far as the first section of my pinky.


    <i>Sssss!</i>


    Nevertheless, at that moment, I felt a rush of revitalizing energy flow through me.


    ¡°Huh? Eh?¡±


    I felt as light as a feather. Even the pain in my neck and shoulders, which were usually stiff from chronic fatigue and stress, hadpletely disappeared.


    ¡°Woah!¡±


    ***


    As soon as the day broke, I excitedly went to the Supernatural Phenomenon Center. There, I saw the bob-haired female official I had met on the day I received the G-rank awakening test results. She greeted me in a formal tone.


    ¡°You want to retake the test?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    It didn¡¯t make sense that I would still be a G-rank Hunter. Putting the appraisal skill aside, would a G-rank be able to create a ring that revitalized its wearer?


    The female official stared at me for a few moments, then finally let out a sigh. She handed me a piece of wet tissue.


    ¡°Please clean yourself.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Along the way, a pigeon shat on my hair. Then, I bumped into someone, and their coffee identally spilled onto my shirt. I also unknowingly sat on a piece of gum on the train, which was still stuck on my pants to this second.


    My journey to the center had been riddled with hardships. I hadn¡¯t always been on the lucky side, but I seemed to have be even more unlucky when I obtained the malevolent god¡¯s title of Brutal Killer.


    <i>It¡¯s probably just my imagination... right?</i>


    The female official frowned as she stared at me.


    ¡°The tests have a less than 1% chance of error. Do you really want to proceed?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± I eagerly replied.


    Seeing my absolute confidence, the female official let out a defeated sigh. ¡°If you say so. As you know, only the first test is subsidized. You will be charged for each subsequent test.¡±


    ¡°How much is it?¡±


    ¡°1,580,000 won, sir. After making the payment, you will have to wait for your turn in the examination room over there. Would you be paying with cash or a card?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    <i>That¡¯s fucking expensive. </i>


    After saying that I¡¯d take some time to consider, I went to the waiting room and sank into one of the chairs. I thought of swiping my card, but I remembered that I only had 200,000 won left in my bank. Instead of letting the excitement over the ring get to my head, I should¡¯ve looked up the test on the inte beforehand.


    I stared down at the Druid¡¯s Ring.


    <i>Maybe some other time?</i>


    My abilities wouldn¡¯t vanish if I didn¡¯t take the test now anyway. Moreover, to seed as a Hunter, I had to at least be a B-rank. Honestly, I doubted I could reach that rank with my current abilities.


    Humans considered B-rank Hunters and above to be miracles. After all, those people could lift a car or shoot mes like a methrower with their bare hands. With those standards in mind, my current abilities would barely hit D-rank at best. I should just postpone it until I was financially stable.


    If things went well with my new work, then I shouldn¡¯t be too hard-pressed once I had received the signing bonus anyway.


    <i>There are a lot of people here today...</i>


    Despite it being a weekday morning, the center was rtively crowded. Well, I couldn¡¯t me them. Many dreamed of getting rich overnight. Not wanting to waste my trip, I decided to turn my attention to the people in the center, hoping to gain inspiration for my work. After a minute or so...


    [The innate power Blind Eyes of God has been activated.]


    [Appraising the targets..]


    <i>Oh, it works!</i>


    The information of those around me appeared before my eyes.


    -----


    [---]


    A male human. Around for 30 years.


    Special note: Suffering from hemorrhoids.


    -----


    [---]


    A female human. Around for 24 years.


    Special note: Currently pregnant.


    -----


    [---]


    A male human. Around for 41 years.


    Special note: Has erectile dysfunction.


    -----


    <i>Hmm, how weird.</i>


    The fields where my targets¡¯ names should be were left nk. The descriptions seemed callous as well, dividing humans as male or female, like animals and revealing their ages. It made me feel uneasy. Could this be a reflection of my psyche? Did I dislike people in general?


    Even the special notes felt off to me.


    <i>Are these facts?</i>


    If they were, that would be incredible, but it wasn¡¯t like I had a way to confirm it. I couldn¡¯t just ask a random stranger if they had hemorrhoids or erectile dysfunction, could I? Moreover, approaching a slim and pure-looking woman to ask if she was pregnant was straight-up sexual harassment.


    No matter how urate this appraisal skill was, I wouldn¡¯t just go around diagnosing people like some doctor, so this ability was bizarre to me. How was I supposed to make use of it? It would be way more handy if it allowed me to learn their names.


    However, among the people around me, a teenage girl in a stylish and frilly high school uniform stood out the most. It was still early in the day, so there was still time before sses started. Perhaps that was why she was still here.


    The girl was so beautiful that she could pass as an idol. She also seemed so out of ce that I couldn''t take my eyes off her.


    More importantly, among the multitude of empty name fields, only hers actually had a name.


    -----


    [Sung Mi-Ri]


    A female human. Around for 19 years.


    Special note: Electrifying.


    -----


    <i>Electrifying? What kind of bullshit is this?</i>

 Chapter 8: Spiky Rhinoceros and the Electrifying Girl

    <h4>Chapter 8: Spiky Rhinoceros and the Electrifying Girl</h4>


    Sung Mi-Ri recalled the event from earlier.


    A man had approached her.


    <i>¡°Miss, I don¡¯t usually do this, so don¡¯t take it the wrong way.¡±</i>


    She initially thought that the guy was hitting on her. As snobbish as it sounded, it was a daily urrence for her. She had never met anyone like him, though.


    The man had pasty white skin that made her wonder if he had ever gone out into the sun. Moreover, he was sporting an unkempt training suit, horn-rimmed sses, and a penguin-themed bandaid on his forehead. At a nce, anyone could tell that he was a typical jobless man from the neighborhood.


    What truly took the cake was what he had told her, though. ¡°<i>Uhm, </i>are you feeling a spark right now?¡±


    Silence ensued between them. Suspecting him to be a pervert, Sung Mi-Ri clenched her fists.


    <i>Beeeep!</i>


    The man¡¯s face suddenly turned red. ¡°Excuse me, I have to take this call!¡±


    He then swiftly ran away.


    Recalling his beet-red face, Sung Mi-Ri chuckled quietly.


    <i>What a weirdo. He didn¡¯t seem like a bad person, though.</i>


    ¡°Number 49, Ms. Sung Mi-Ri,¡± the officer-in-charge called in the waiting room for examination. ¡°This way, please.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Sung Mi-Ri¡¯s smile disappeared as she clutched her queue number.


    <i>Today, I have to...!</i>


    ***


    <i>p! p!</i>


    In a daze, I went to a park and sat down on a bench. All the while, ps kept raining on my cheek.


    ¡°Uncle, are you okay?¡±


    I nced at Chae Seong-Yeon, my five-year-old niece, who had been unintentionally pping me. She had her hair tied into twin tails today. How did I even end up at the park with this kid?<i> </i>


    <i>After asking the high school girl at the Supernatural Phenomenon Center a ridiculous question, I received a sudden call from Yu Shin-Ja, my older sister. </i>


    <i>¡°Noona, what is it? Huh? You want me to babysit Seong-Yeon? But I¡¯m busy right now...¡±</i>


    <i>¡ª Busy? When you don¡¯t have a job? Stop whining and help me take care of her. </i>


    <i>¡°Tsk, here we go again. Calling writers unemployed just because we hole up at home writing. Do you even know how painstaking and difficult it is toe up with a story?¡±</i>


    <i>¡ª Come on, just help me out. There¡¯s ast-minute seminar that I need to attend. I¡¯ll treat you to a good mealter.</i>


    <i>¡°Hmpf, what am I? A kid? As if I can be bought with food!¡±</i>


    <i>¡ª Il-Shin, don¡¯t you need some allowance?</i>


    <i>¡°Dear Noona, where is my beloved niece right now? I would love to see her.¡±</i>


    It had been roughly an hour since I had be ast-minute babysitter.


    ¡°Your uncle had just made the darkest chapter in his life,¡± I kindly replied to my niece.


    Seong-Yeon tilted her head to one side. ¡°What¡¯s a ¡®dark chapter¡¯?¡±


    <i>Ugh, she¡¯s so cute!</i>


    Such a sweet baby girling from my wicked older sister was nothing short of a miracle.


    ¡°Come here, Cutie Pie! Let Uncle hug you!¡±


    ¡°<i>Eek</i>! Get your face away from me, Uncle! Your beard is pricking me!¡± Seong-Yeon pushed my face away with her little hands, which only made me want to tease her even more.


    ¡°<i>Aah! Eep!</i>¡±


    Around five minutester...


    ¡°Seong-Yeon? Won¡¯t you look at Uncle?¡±


    Having been hugged for a while, Seong-Yeon had crossed her arms and turned away, refusing to look at me. My ex-girlfriend once did the same thing, which stung my heart a bit. Girls were difficult to understand.


    ¡°<i>Hehe</i>, is our cutie pie upset? I only did that because I love you a lot~¡±


    ¡°<i>Hmph</i>, I hate Uncle!¡±


    <i>Ugh</i>, <i>this is more painful than when I broke up with my ex!</i> <i>How do I soothe this girl? </i>


    <i>Puzzled, I stared at her back.</i>


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [The innate power Blind Eyes of God has been activated.]


    [Appraising the target...]


    [Appraisalplete!]


    [Yu Il-Shin¡¯s Niece]


    A female human. Around for 5 years.


    Special note: Wants to eat chocte ice cream.


    Just like magic, my ability hade into action.


    <i>Does she really want to have chocte ice cream, though?</i>


    Just to be sure, I patted Seong-Yeon¡¯s head and asked, ¡°Seong-Yeon, want to go get some ice cream? Maybe a <i>sweet </i>cone of chocte ice cream~?¡±


    Seong-Yeon quickly turned around, beaming as if she hadn¡¯t just been throwing a tantrum. ¡°Yes!¡±


    Usually, she would sulk for at least an hour. Had it always been this easy? Despite being the worst, my ability had juste in handy during babysitting. It still had some use, it seemed.


    <i>Silver lining, I guess.</i>


    Holding Seong-Yeon¡¯s hand tightly, we headed to a nearby fast-food kiosk. I wasn¡¯t fully sure yet, but my innate power didn¡¯t seem like aplete sham anymore.


    At that moment, a question crossed my mind.


    <i>What electrified that girl?</i>


    ***


    ¡°What would you like to have today, sir?¡± the Deria server asked with a bright smile.


    ¡°A cone of chocte ice cream, please,¡± I replied, then dug up some coins in my pocket.


    When I handed her a handful of 10-won coins, the server¡¯s smile twitched. Nevertheless, she remained professional. ¡°Please wait for a moment.¡±


    With a cone in hand, she pressed a few buttons on the ice cream machine.


    <i>Rumble!</i>


    The machine then shat some ice cream into the cone in a swirl. A bit of a strange analogy, but I couldn¡¯t think of another way to describe it.


    ¡°Wow, wow!¡± Seong-Yeon¡¯s eyes sparkled as she watched the entire scene unfold. She truly seemed to be craving some ice cream.


    Just as I was about to assume my doting uncle¡¯s smile, I noticed that something was amiss.


    <i>Huh? That¡¯s it?</i>


    From what I could see, the cone had 20% less ice cream than usual, yet the server had already let go of the button. Shouldn¡¯t she be more generous? Think of the child! Was it because I paid in coins?


    I had no choice but to assert my rights as a consumer.


    <i>Swish.</i>


    I pointed my index finger at the button on the ice cream machine. I then secretly whispered, ¡°Crushing Forefinger of God.¡±


    A miracle ensued.


    <i>Brrrr!</i>


    ¡°Huh? What?! What¡¯s wrong with this machine?¡±


    The flustered server didn¡¯t know what to do. Ice cream kept flowing out even though no one was pressing the button!


    ¡°Wow, you¡¯re giving us so much ice cream. Thank you.¡± Smiling, I reached out and epted the ice cream cone, which was three times taller than usual.


    ¡°What do you think, Seong-Yeon? Is it delicious?¡±


    <i>Lick lick!</i>


    Seong-Yeon stopped licking the ice cream that was towering over her head. She then looked at me, smiling from ear to ear.


    ¡°Yes! It¡¯s so yummy!¡±


    ¡°<i>Aigoo</i>, don¡¯t make a mess.¡±


    Her mouth was covered in ice cream. I fished out some wet tissues from the bag that my older sister had packed and wiped Seong-Yeon¡¯s face. The ticklish feeling made her giggle.


    <i>Eat well and grow up healthy, my dear niece. I¡¯ll cry if you hit puberty and startining that I smell and refuse to sit next to me.</i>


    ¡°Seong-Yeon, won¡¯t you let Uncle have some?¡±


    ¡°No! You ate it all thest time you said that!¡±


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t be selfish. I¡¯ll only take a bite, I promise.¡±


    ¡°<i>Ack</i>! No!¡±


    We were having such an ordinary day that it felt like a portrait of a peaceful daily life.


    <i>Beep!</i>


    ... At least until my phone rang with a sharp notification sound. Sighing, I checked my phone, wondering if it was the annoying ants from before. True enough, it was a message from God-Maker, but it seemed different.


    <i>A warning?</i>


    [Warning! Warning!]


    [The title Brutal Killer (F) has been activated!]


    [The Nameless God¡¯sbat luck has increased significantly!]


    At the same time, an eerie, malicious voice echoed in my ears.


    -Oh great being walking the malevolent path, ovee the iing trials, and be a true malevolent god! <i>Keke!</i>


    <i>Pzzz! Pzzzt! Plop!</i>


    The ice cream in Seong-Yeon¡¯s hand fell to the ground.


    The rmed passersby looked into the air. ¡°W-what¡¯s that?¡±


    <i>Pzzt! Pzzzzt!</i>


    A crack, akin to a spiderweb, had appeared in the air and was gradually opening up. A huge ck horn then emerged from it, soon followed by a head, revealing red eyes as huge as a watermelon.


    -<i>Graaaaaa</i>!


    <i>Rumbleeee!</i>


    The thunderous roar shook the ground¡ªa sign that my peaceful daily life was crumbling down


    My face paled with fear. ¡°A-a gate?¡±.


    I could only watch as a monster the size of a dump truck came out of the crack in the air. Although it bore a resemnce to a rhinoceros, the dozens of spikes jutting out of its body told me it wasn¡¯t from this.


    ¡°A Spiky Rhinoceros...¡±


    Thanks to the information I had collected to write a novel about Hunters, I quickly identified the monster. It was an A-rank monster, capable of destroying an entire city.


    <i>Why would a gate open here...?</i>


    Monsters first appeared on Earth twenty years ago using this exact method. Gates and dungeons would emerge through cracks in the air, destroying cities at random. However, humanity quickly adapted and neutralized the threat.


    Now, we had a defense system that operated around the clock and S-rank Hunters with 99% predictive abilities intercepting the gates and dungeons. These days, Hunters and soldiers would normally arrive on the scene and keep the situation under control before a gate could even open. However, that wasn¡¯t the case now.


    ¡°<i>Kyaaaa</i>! It¡¯s a monster!¡±


    ¡°<i>Aaah</i>! Save me!¡±


    The streets were instantly thrown into chaos. Screams of terror reverberated in the air as people scrambled like ants.


    ¡°U-uncle...¡±


    Seong-Yeon¡¯s shaky voice pulled me back to reality. My niece looked pale¡ªshe only had me to rely on. Without hesitation, I lifted her and dashed away with all my might.


    I had to escape! At least, until the Hunters and soldiers had arrived!


    Nowpletely out of the gate, the Spiky Rhinoceros let out a voracious roar as it went for the fleeing people!


    -<i>Roaaar!</i>


    <i>Baaaam! Baaaam!</i>


    As if bombs were being detonated, I heard loud explosions go off. I couldn¡¯t afford to turn around and face the situation, though. I rushed toward the least crowded area, hoping the monster would chase the fleeing crowd.


    <i>Baaaam! Baaaaam!</i>


    However, the roars didn¡¯t seem to be moving away from me at all. On the contrary, I could hear it slowly growing louder, making me feel as if I was about to be trampled at any moment.


    ¡°<i>Waaaah!</i>¡±


    Despite carrying her in my arms, I didn¡¯t know when I had stopped registering Seong-Yeon¡¯s cries.


    <i>ng!</i>


    The front leg of the Spiky Rhinoceros came crashing down from behind, making the ground shake as if another bomb had exploded. The impact sent me tumbling down.


    ¡°<i>Waaah</i>!¡±


    I didn¡¯t know how long I rolled on the ground, but I kept my arms around Seong-Yeon the entire time. Considering she no longer moved at all, she seemed to have fainted from the shock. Unfortunately, I didn¡¯t have the time to check on her.


    <i>Huff! Huff!</i>


    The monster spewed revolting, pungent breath as its spikes, which jutted out of it like mountain peaks, cast a shadow over us.


    All of a sudden, information about the Spiky Rhinoceros appeared before my blurry vision. I seemed to have unconsciously activated my ability.


    -----


    [Spiky Rhinoceros]


    An asexual monster. Around for 400 years.


    Special note: Wants to devour the Nameless God to gain divinity.


    -----


    Chills went down my spine. God-Maker usually referred to me as the ¡°Nameless God.¡±


    <i>It¡¯s not a coincidence? That monster is really after me...?</i>


    <i>Driiip! </i>


    As if to confirm my suspicion, the maw of the Spiky Rhinoceros opened wide. Sticky saliva dribbled down as a repulsive stench touched my cheeks.


    Death.


    The realization of inevitable death came to me.


    Was this how I¡¯d die? Really? Just like that?


    ¡°S-save me! Someone, please save me! Please! Anyone!?¡±


    <i>Where are the Hunters?! The soldiers?!</i>


    Hot tears flowed from my eyes. It might be embarrassinging from a man, but this was a fear that no human could resist.


    Amid this crisis, a thought shed in my mind.


    <i>Is this how the ants in God-Maker felt when I was about to kill them?</i>


    I stared at the set of hideous teeth and the seemingly bottomless throat that was about to swallow me whole.


    Just then, the voice of a little girl reached my ears.


    ¡°Un...cle...¡±


    She was crying.


    In an instant, I got a hold of myself.


    <i>No.</i>


    <i>It doesn¡¯t matter if I die here. I can totally see myself writing a third-rate novel that won¡¯t even sell in the foreseeable future.</i>


    <i>But Seong-Yeon is still a child. She still has many years ahead of her. And what about my precious family? Dear God, please... If you really do exist, please grant me a miracle.</i>


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Believe in your uncle.¡±


    I covered Seong-Yeon¡¯s eyes with one hand and raised the other toward the mouth of the Spiky Rhinoceros.


    -<i>Graaaaa!</i>


    <i>Finally, I stuck out my index finger.</i>


    ¡°Crushing Forefinger... of God!¡±


    <i>... Click!</i>


    <i>sh!</i>


    <i>Rumble! Baaaam!</i>

 Chapter 9: Thunder Emperor

    <h4>Chapter 9: Thunder Emperor</h4>


    However, no miracle happened.


    Sung Mi-Ri looked at her test results dejectedly. The rows ofplex numerical graphs could be summarized into a few lines.


    -----


    [Sung Mi-Ri (19)]


    Ability: Lightning Combat-type


    Rank: B


    -----


    Korea had fewer than 300 B-rank Hunters.


    Moreover, Lightning Combat was a top-tier ability, with its most famous hardliner being SS-rank Hunter Gillian, New York¡¯s guardian. For those reasons, most guilds in Korea would treat a B-rank Hunter with this ability as if they were an A-rankbat Hunter.


    Nevertheless, Sung Mi-Ri didn¡¯t look happy in the slightest. After all, she had received the same result for the tenth time.


    <i>I failed to surpass it again...</i>


    Despite all her efforts, she still couldn¡¯t ovee the limits that came with her predetermined rank. Was she truly bound to fail?


    A certain someone¡¯s voice echoed in her head. <i>¡°Don¡¯t even think of getting revenge. Keep a low profile, Sung Mi-Ri. You¡¯re just a B-rank Hunter.¡±</i>


    <i>Clench!</i>


    The test report crumpled in her hands.


    ¡°What makes you think I¡¯ll give up?¡±


    shes of lightning blitzed across her ck pupils. She was determined to rise above the ranks using her own power!


    Just then, her phone let out an rm.


    <i>Beep beep beep!</i>


    It was from the Hunter Association.


    <strong>Hunter Association: </strong>Emergency! A gate has appeared at Seongdong-gu, Seoul! An A-rank monster, Spiky Rhinoceros, has apparently appeared! Calling all A-rank Hunters and above in the area for an emergency dispatch!


    ***


    <i>Criiiick!</i>


    Huge clouds of terrifying ck smoke billowed from the severely burnt carcass of the Spiky Rhinoceros, its perforated fats sizzling. Despite being strong enough to destroy an entire city, a girl wearing a ck helmet had in it. Unlike other Hunters, who eagerly put themselves out there, Thunder Emperor hid her identity, which only made her even more popr as a result.


    ¡°Thunder Emperor is awesome!¡±


    ¡°<i>Kyaaa</i>! Unnie, I love you!¡±


    ¡°Did a B-rank Hunter just defeat an A-rank monster?! This is an exclusive!¡±


    ¡°Stay back! This site is off-limits!¡± The police, who arrivedte, began controlling the crowd of people and journalists.


    Meanwhile, Thunder Emperor became the center of attention. Her special-coated helmet prevented anyone from seeing through the visor, leaving everyone unaware of the nk look on her face.


    <i>Am I really the one who killed it?</i>


    Although the gigantic carcass of the Spiky Rhinocerosy motionlessly before her, it still felt all too surreal.


    Thanks to the mobility of her Lightning Combat ability, she arrived at the scene first, finding a monster attacking civilians.


    -<i>Graaaaa!</i>


    A B-rank Hunter like her was normally no match for a monster as strong as the Spiky Rhinoceros. Nevertheless, she disregarded that knowledge when she saw a man hugging a little girl, protecting her with all his might. Her heart throbbed. The heartbreaking sight mirrored her own past.


    <i>No!</i>


    Her body moved on its own.<i> </i>As the Spiky Rhinoceros opened its jaws wide to devour the man and the little girl, she jumped in between them. Then, with every ounce of her power, she activated Lightning Storm¡ªher B-rank lightning skill¡ªand unleashed the most powerful beam of lightning she could muster!


    <i>sh!</i>


    However, it did nothing against the Spiky Rhinoceros¡¯ thick hide. Like a tiny mantis attempting to block a wagon, Thunder Emperor was about to be trampled to death.


    ¡°Crushing... Forefinger of God.¡±


    At that moment, she heard a click.


    As if a switch had been pressed, she then felt something strange happen within her.


    <i>sh!</i>


    <i>Rumble! Baaaam!</i>


    As deafening sounds reverberated, the Lightning Storm instantly expanded several times its original size, engulfing the Spiky Rhinoceros. Based on the damage it had caused...


    <i>A-rank... No, it was clearly an S-rank ability.</i>


    In a daze, Thunder Emperor looked down at her hands, still tingling with electric currents. Her recent examination had told her that she was still a B-rank Hunter. Did facing death awaken the dormant abilities within her? No, that couldn¡¯t be it. She had been in life-threatening situations multiple times before.


    <i>What changed?</i>


    <i>Thump! Thump!</i>


    At that moment, two figures approached her from the sky.


    ¡°It¡¯s S-rank Hunter Sung Mi-Na!¡±


    ¡°Woah! Even Baek Yu-Hyun is here!¡±


    The people who had gathered outside the barricade threw amotion. The reporters immediately took photos of the two, the shutters of their cameras madly clicking.


    Sung Mi-Na was a Psychic-type S-rank Hunter, while Baek Yu-Hyun was a Fire-type S-rank Hunter. He had been a hot topic recently for clearing the Dark Dragon Dungeon.


    Sung Mi-Na¡¯s dazzling beauty and skills made her the most popr Hunter in Korea. In fact, she was always the first pick for broadcasts andmercial films.


    As soon as Sung Mi-Na arrived, she grabbed Thunder Emperor by the cor.


    ¡°Hey! I told you not to act recklessly! You''re just a B-rank Hunter! Why would you face the Spiky Rhinoceros alone?! Are you looking to get yourself killed?!¡±


    ¡°Well, you at least have to acknowledge the results, Mi-Na. Not even an A-rank Hunter can take on a Spiky Rhinoceros on their own.¡±


    ¡°Shut the fuck up, Baek Yu-Hyun! This has nothing to do with you!¡±


    In response, Baek Yu-Hyun simply shrugged and backed away.


    ¡°Why is Sung Mi-Na treating Thunder Emperor so harshly?¡±


    ¡°I heard they aren¡¯t on good terms. Maybe it¡¯s true?¡±


    Hearing the murmurs from the crowd, Sung Mi-Na gritted her teeth and released Thunder Emperor. She then whispered, ¡°I¡¯ll see you back at home. Just you wait.¡±


    <i>m!</i>


    Sung Mi-Na was gone in a sh. Despite being a Psychic type, Sung Mi-Na was still physically superior to Thunder Emperor, who was just a B-rank Hunter.


    The Thunder Emperor watched her leave with a dumbfounded look. Considering how furious Sung Mi-Na was, it was obvious what awaited her at home¡ªcorporal punishment masked as training.


    Nevertheless, Thunder Emperor didn¡¯t regret her actions. She recalled the man she had saved earlier.


    <i>¡°Thank you so much, Ms. Sung Mi-Ri! Thank you for saving me and my niece! I will definitely repay this favor! T-thank you so much for saving us!¡±</i>


    The man bowed deeply, tears streaming down his face, as he held the unconscious child in his arms. She actually remembered him¡ªhe was the same man who had asked her a weird question back at the Hunter Association.


    While he might look sloppy, he definitely wasn¡¯t a bad guy. The fact that he didn¡¯t abandon his family in the face of death was all the evidence she needed. When he said that he would return the favor, she could feel that he was being sincere.


    She was proud of herself. Her decision to stay on the path of a Hunter despite her older sister¡¯s firm opposition made this possible.


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    A thought shed in her mind.


    The Thunder Emperor reached for her face with trembling hands, finding it still hidden by her special-coated helmet. If so, then only her family and the top brass of the Hunter Association should be aware of her true identity.


    ¡°... How does he know who I am?¡±


    ***


    It had been three days since that particr incident.


    I looked down at the Han River from Mapo Bridge. It was one of the top suicide spots, but I wasn¡¯t here to do that. I fidgeted with my phone.


    -----


    [Brutal Killer (F¡úE)]


    The one who walks the path of a malevolent god. Ovee the iing trials and be a true malevolent god!


    -----


    I initially refused to believe that I could open a gate and call upon such a disaster. However, the notification windows that had popped up after the death of the Spiky Rhinoceros forced me to ept the reality.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    -----


    [You have ovee a trial!]


    [The title Brutal Killer has risen by a rank.]


    [As a reward, you may now purchase the power of a Low-tier God from the God¡¯s Shop without using Gcoins.]


    [However, you may only purchase a malevolent god¡¯s power.]


    -----


    <i>I almost died.</i>


    Not just me, but even my niece Seong-Yeon. If the electrifying female student¡ªno, Thunder Emperor did not save us...


    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m sorry, Seong-Yeon.¡±


    My heart still pounded heavily whenever I recalled the incident from three days ago. I couldn¡¯t even begin to imagine how my niece must¡¯ve felt.


    After that day, the first thing I did was try to delete the God-Maker from my phone, but none of the methods I tried worked. Not even factory resetting it did the trick.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll just throw it away. Without this cursed phone...¡± I raised my phone outward, toward the water.


    ¡°<i>Keuk.</i>¡±


    But I couldn¡¯t bear to let go. I kept doubting if it was the right move.


    If my abilities manifested this God-Maker game, then wouldn¡¯t the same still happen regardless?


    More importantly, if this was the root of all problems, shouldn¡¯t I learn more about this and try toe up with a solution instead?


    Complicated thoughts filled my mind. It would have been great if there was a guide, but the game was too obscure.


    <i>Ding! Ding!</i>


    Just then, I received God-Maker notifications.


    <i>Fuck</i>.


    It had been quiet the past few days, but those fucking ants were out and about again! I red at my phone and prepared to crush them.


    A new kind of insect was in the God-Maker¡¯s cave. Instead of ck or red, this one was white. It was shining brilliantly like a gem and was half the size of the other ants.


    <i>Shiver.</i>


    Shaking pathetically, the small termite sent a message.


    [Saintessx xx xx Godx xxx xxxxx.]


    ¡°... Saintess?¡±


    For the first time, the message didn¡¯tbel the critter with a number.

 Chapter 10: Nameless God and Saintess

    <h4>Chapter 10: Nameless God and Saintess</h4>


    Although slightly taken aback, I soon got a hold of myself.


    ¡°So what?¡±


    Despite being called a ¡°Saintess,¡± it was still just an ant. Except for its size and color, it looked just like the ants that I had killed before.


    ¡°Fuck this shitty game.¡±


    The game used to be a way for me to blow off steam. Now, it had be the source of my anger. I med these ants for the brush with death that my family and I had. I wasn¡¯t sure yet, but the timing of the gate opening aligned too perfectly with the notification to be a coincidence.


    [Saintessx xx xx Godx xxx xxxxx.]


    Another one of those illegible messages. I pointed my index finger at the termite to crush it, but I hesitated at thest second.


    The 8-bit termite was trembling in fear. Somehow, the sight reminded me of the time the Spiky Rhinoceros had been about to devour me and Seong-Yeon. As I put down my finger, another notification appeared.


    [The innate power Blind Eyes of God has been activated.]


    I looked at the termite¡ªno, the Saintess, causing another message to pop up.


    [Saintessx xx xx Godx xxx xxxxx.]


    <i>Tzz! Tzzz! Throb! </i>


    The screen rippled, and a surge of migraine assailed me. Even so, I kept my focus on the message.


    <i>Tzz! Tzzz!</i>


    [The Saintess xxx xxxxx the Nameless God.]


    Slowly, the iprehensible text turned into actual words....


    [The Saintess pleads for salvation from the Nameless God.]


    ¡°Salvation? From me?¡±


    <i>Ding!</i>


    As if answering my question, I received another message.


    [The Nameless God has acknowledged the lesser tribe.]


    [You can now read the messages from the lesser tribe.]


    [O¡¯ Nameless God, would you like to save the puny creature? (Yes/No)]


    ***


    Regaining consciousness, the Saintess¡¯ eyes flung open.


    Her skin, once renowned for being as white as snow, was now dirty and covered in the blood of the ck tribe¡¯s warriors. They hadid down their lives fighting against the red ants.


    ¡°Saintess! Quick, run!¡± a ck ant screamed at her. ¡°Please ask the Nameless God to save us¡ª<i>Aargh</i>!¡±


    <i>m! Crackkk!</i>


    Before he could finish, a morning star the size of a house crushed his flesh and broke his bones, causing gruesome sounds to echo in the air.


    ¡°<i>Aargh</i>! No! <i>Nooo</i>!¡±


    ¡°<i>Bwahahaha</i>! Know your ce, cretins! You¡¯ll never be able to stop me!¡±


    A red giant, many timesrger than a ck ant warrior, casually lifted the morning star with one hand. He then bit a chunk of flesh that was stuck on it.


    ¡°The strong eat the weak! That¡¯s thew of the jungle! Surrender yourselves to His Majesty the Great Emperor and our brave soldiers!¡±


    ¡°Everyone, forgive me! Please hold on until I get back!¡±


    Blood-tainted tears rolled down the Saintess¡¯ cheeks as she escaped, leaving her tribe behind.


    Stoogi, the red giant, let out a sinisterugh as he watched the Saintess flee. ¡°<i>Kekeke</i>.¡±


    As the great imperial general of the red tribe, he had been leading the invasion against the ck tribe.


    ¡°Run, Saintess, run! Soon, your tribe will be no more! I¡¯m saving you forst!¡±


    The Saintess trembled in fear. She could feel it¡ªanytime now, the viin would pounce on her.


    Up until that point, the ck ants had been living peacefully in the forest. However, the invasion of over 100,000 red ants, led by their general, Stoogi, put an end to it all.


    Now, they were in shambles. Unless God showed them mercy...


    <i>This will lead me to the sacred grounds.</i>


    The Saintess stared at the entrance of the cave in front of her. Although it looked nothing out of the ordinary, it was actually a sacred dungeon. ording to the legends, a god dwelled within it.


    However, no one knew the origin of the cave, let alone the name of the god inhabiting it. All they knew was that it had existed long before the ck ants made the forest their permanent settlement.


    <strong>Those who survive God''s trial shall receive salvation.</strong>


    No one had a clue what the trial was since everyone who had ventured into the cave was never heard from again. For many years now, they had been forbidden from entering that ce, and the Saintess was no exception.


    Had they not been invaded, the Saintess wouldn¡¯t have even thought of setting foot in that cave.


    ¡°Still, I have to. This is our tribe¡¯sst hope.¡±


    The survival of their tribe rested on her shoulders.


    Summoning all her courage, she went inside the cave. The ce could only be described as bizarre. The deeper she walked in, the more drastically the interior changed.


    Bright crimson lights shed, and loud thumping sounds echoed, making the cave look like a living intestine.


    <i>Rattle!</i>


    She trembled in fear. It was as though she was in the belly of a giant monster. However, she couldn¡¯t afford to stop now.


    After walking for who knew how long, the Saintess finally reached a massive iron door and an old stone monument, which was inscribed with a lost ancientnguage.


    <strong>If you seek God¡¯s salvation, put your life on the line.</strong>


    Shivers ran down her spine. It took her everything just to stand there. However, the thought of her brethren being eaten alive by the red ants kept her going.


    The Saintess gritted her teeth and steeled her resolve. She then pushed the iron door.


    <i>Creaaak!</i>


    After much struggle, she finally opened it. At the same time, a strange message appeared in her mind.


    [The Saintess has entered the sacred grounds.]


    Nevertheless, the Saintess remained undeterred. The absurdity of that message was nothingpared to what awaited her on the other side of the door.


    Soon, she found herself in a boundless space that stretched far beyond the eye could see. It was so unbelievably vast that, for a moment, she forgot that she was in a cave. Within it was a supreme being she couldn¡¯t fully perceive.


    <i>I-is that the Nameless God...?</i>


    His presence made her realize how insignificant she was!


    In awe and fear, the Saintess prostrated on the ground.


    ¡°O¡¯ Almighty Nameless God! I humbly ask for your mercy! Please save my tribesmen!¡±


    She received another message.


    [The Nameless God is keeping an eye on the Saintess.]


    <i>Creeeak!</i>


    An eye as luminous and colossal as the sun looked down at her.


    ¡°<i>Hyiii!!</i>¡±


    His gaze instilled so much terror in her that she emptied her dder like an utter disgrace.


    [The Nameless God is furious at the Saintess!]


    The tone of the message had undergone a dramatic shift.


    [The Saintess shall receive divine punishment!]


    <i>Rumbleee! Swoosh!</i>


    A gigantic finger covered the sky. Like a meteorite, it came crashing down toward her. She was about to be crushed to death.


    The sight, both unbelievable and terrifying, left her speechless. Her life shed before her eyes.


    <i>¡°What has angered Him so much?¡± </i>the Saintess wondered.


    Was it because she peed in his presence? Despite it being an ident, there was no denying that it was disrespectful.


    <i>No. </i>


    Something so trivial wouldn¡¯t anger a supreme being like him.<i> </i>


    In truth, she knew the reason all along.


    For as long as she could remember, her tribe had been turning their back on him. They didn¡¯t even know his name. Moreover, she was only bestowed the title ¡°Saintess¡± because of her unique appearance and the fact that she was the daughter of the chieftain. What right did she have to ask for his salvation?


    Tears overflowed from her eyes like spring water, yet she didn¡¯t avert her gaze from the finger that was rushing toward her.


    Instead, she embraced death.


    During her final moments, the Saintess desperately yelled, ¡°O¡¯ Almighty Nameless God! Please, save my poor tribesmen¡ªeven just the young and innocent! I beg of you! In exchange, I¡¯ll dly offer up my life! I¡¯ll serve you until the day my soul turns into dust!¡±


    She had proposed a soul contract. Her body might perish, but her soul was eternal.


    Considering even the mightiest of gods were vying for the soul of the Saintess, it was an especiallypelling proposition.


    <i>Flinch!</i>


    The finger that wasing down on her stopped midway. Just as the Saintess thought that her fervent prayers had worked, the gates of the sacred grounds opened. Red ants swarmed in, led by the Saintess¡¯ worst nightmare, General Stoogi.


    ¡±<i>Bwahaha</i>! There you are, Saintess! Did you think I wouldn¡¯t find you¡ª<i>gasp!</i>¡±


    ¡°A-a monster!¡±


    ¡°<i>Hyii!</i> So the rumors were true?!¡±


    The red ants panicked at the sight of the god. They could only describe his powerful presence as surreal.


    ¡°Hold your ground! You call yourselves the soldiers of the Great Imperial Army?!¡± Stoogi roared.


    ¡°B-but, General! That¡¯s the malevolent god the ck tribe worships! We lost the Great Sage to that demon!¡±


    ¡°I said shut it!¡± Stoogi smashed his fear-stricken soldier in the head.


    <i>Crack!</i>


    Blood spewed out of the wound.


    ¡°I¡¯m Stoogi, the brave general of the great empire, protected by many gods! No god worshiped by the ck ants shall faze me!¡±


    Stoogi swung his morning star at the finger that was about to hold the Saintess down.


    - <i>Aack!</i>


    Crimson blood spurted from the finger, and a deafening scream tore the heavens asunder.


    ¡°<i>Hahaha</i>! How do you like that, demon?! Unless you want to be turned into mincemeat, hand over the Saintess and get lost! She''s an offering to our Emperor, not a foul creature like you!!¡± Stoogi yelled triumphantly.


    ¡°<i>Ooh</i>! As expected of the general!¡±


    ¡°General Stoogi has defeated the malevolent god!¡±


    The imperial army began cheering over Stoogi¡¯s valor. Just then...


    <i>Ding!</i>


    Stoogi read the message that entered his mind.


    [No. 818 has enraged the Nameless God!]


    <i>Swooosh!</i>


    The bloodied finger now targeted Stoogi! It was so fast and vicious that he didn¡¯t even have time to dodge!


    <i>Crack!</i>


    Gritting his teeth, Stoogi blocked God''s finger with his burly arms.


    ¡°<i>Keugh!</i> This is nothing!¡±


    <i>m!</i>


    The god''s gigantic finger stopped right above Stoogi¡¯s head.


    ¡°<i>Arghhhh!</i>¡±


    Stoogi¡¯s body swelled so much that he looked as if he was about to burst. Unlike the ants that hade before him, Stoogi resisted God¡¯s forefinger.


    ¡°<i>Hahaha</i>! This is nothing to me, malevolent god! I¡¯m His Majesty¡¯s great General Stoogi!¡± Stoogi yelled boisterously.


    However, there was something that Stoogi failed to notice, but the Saintess did. God had ced his middle finger on top of the forefinger above Stoogi. A roar, presumed to be the Nameless God¡¯s, pierced through the skies.


    -Die, you fucking ant!


    Stoogi¡¯s arms, which were still pushing the finger, shook terribly. Soon, they heard bones cracking.


    <i>Crack! Crack!</i>


    Stoogi was sweating buckets. ¡°<i>H!</i> W-wait a¡ª!¡±


    The god didn¡¯t heed his plea.


    <i>Craaaack!</i>


    ¡°<i>Gaaaah</i>!¡±


    <i>aaang!</i>


    Stoogi was ttened to the ground as if he had been put through apressor.


    ¡°<i>Eeeek!</i> G-General!¡±


    The horrific sight threw the imperial army into confusion. Immediately, the adjutants screamed in a desperate attempt to control their men.


    ¡°Calm down! We outnumber him! Avenge the general!¡±


    ¡°Run, and you¡¯ll die by my hands!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re the swords of the Great Emperor! The invincible imperial army!¡±


    The adjutants rallied the frightened soldiers through their bellows. In no time at all, their men regainedposure. As expected of the infamous imperial army, which had united the entire continent.


    ¡°Charge!¡±


    ¡°<i>Waaaaaaah!</i>¡±


    The imperial army charged toward the Nameless God like a red<i> tsunami</i>.


    A miracle unfolded before the Saintess¡¯ eyes. The ten-thousand-strong imperial army was soon annihted. Only those who took advantage of the confusion to defect escaped with their lives. Not a single imperial army soldier who dared to go against the god survived.


    ¡°<i>Ooh, </i>Almighty Nameless God...¡±


    The Saintess burst into tears. She looked up at the mighty god but dared not meet his eyes. Whenever a few soldiers from the fear-stricken imperial army tried to kill her, the god swiftly crushed them one by one. Even though she was an ignorant servant who had forgotten him, much less knew his name, he still kept her safe.


    <i>m! Bang bang bang!</i>


    ¡°Almighty God, this lowly servant humbly requests to learn Your great name,¡± the Saintess cried out.


    Would her desperate plea be heard?


    At that moment, the god spoke...


    ***


    ¡°<i>Ugh</i>, it stings like hell.¡±


    My finger was still bleeding from the wound. I recalled the kitty-themed band-aid that Seong-Yeon had left behind, and went to fetch it.


    I had been bitten by an ant that was ten times bigger than the usual ones. Thinking back about it enraged me even more.


    ¡°How many did I kill? I feel like my finger¡¯s about to break.¡±


    I must have killed thousands at least; the pile of Godcoins in front of me evidenced as much. Soon, they merged into 100-unit coins.


    <i>sh! Ssss!</i>


    After some time, a message appeared on God-Maker.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [The Saintess would like to know the Nameless God¡¯s true name.]


    The termite named Saintess was alive. I didn¡¯t protect it for any reason in particr. When I saw it desperately begging for my mercy, I was reminded of what I did during the Spiky Rhinoceros incident.


    In the end, the Thunder Emperor saved me instead of God. Nevertheless, that experience made me have a change of heart.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [The Saintess would like to know the Nameless God¡¯s true name.]


    <i>Tsk.</i> How annoying. I wrapped the band-aid over the wound.


    ¡°Yu Il-Shin,¡± I then answered even though there was no way the ant would understand me.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [The Saintess has engraved the Nameless God¡¯s true name in her soul.]


    [The Saintess now serves Yu Il-Shin.]


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [The Nameless God has been renamed to Yu Il-Shin.]


    [The Saintess¡¯ servitude has established faith in ¡®Yu Il-Shin.¡¯.]


    [The faith of the pure and noble has been converted into higher-valued faith.]


    [Yu Il-Shin has gained 1,000 faith.]


    [Congrattions. You now qualify as a true god.]


    [Current faith umted: 1,000]


    [You have obtained the benevolent title: Benevolent Savior (F)]


    [You now have both malevolent and benevolent titles.]


    [The newly obtained title has changed Yu Il-Shin¡¯s alignment from malevolent to neutral.]


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [You have been rewarded 100,000 Gcoins for obtaining your first benevolent title.]


    <i>Swaaaah! Swaaah!</i>


    Dazzling white coins poured out from my phone.


    ¡°What...?¡±

 Chapter 11: This Elixir of Growth Tastes Familiar

    <h4>Chapter 11: This Elixir of Growth Tastes Familiar</h4>


    What would a poor person do if they won the lottery? They would probably buy everything they ever wanted.


    That was how I felt now. I had both the white 100,000-unit Gcoin and 8,700 dark Gcoins in hand. Together, they became a whopping 108,700 Gcoins!


    <i>What to buy? Is there anything I might need?</i>


    I scanned the hundreds of items in the God¡¯s Shop interface until my eyes were about to fall out.


    <i>Is there anything here that could help me?</i>


    I could still remember the day when the gate opened, leading to me almost getting killed by the Spiky Rhinoceros, as if it was yesterday.


    ¡°<i>Ugh</i>, there¡¯s too many options.¡±


    It seemed like there were thousands of pages, providing me with ample selection. However, some of the items werepletely useless.


    There were Noodles of the Flying Spaghetti Monster God, Steaming Hot Pizza of the Pineapple Pizza God, and even the Transparent Poop of the Invisible Pink Unicorn. Not to mention, they were worth a staggering 1,000,000 Gcoins each!


    I may not be able to afford them at the moment, but I should avoid such trashy pitfalls and buy only the useful ones. I had to find something to protect myself, ideally before Brutal Killer (E) got activated again. I could still remember how it flickered ominously in my head.


    ¡°Alright. As nned, let¡¯s buy this one first.¡± I tapped on a certain item in the God¡¯s Shop catalog.


    <i>Pzzz.</i>


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [You have purchased the Lowest-tier God Exclusive Item, Blessing of the Growth God.]


    1,000 Gcoins turned into dust and dissipated. In the next moment, a crystal bottle materialized from my phone.


    <i>It really appeared!</i>


    I gulped dryly as I looked at the crystal bottle in fascination. The thumb-sized bottle was filled with glistening golden liquid. I was marveling at the unusual color when...


    [The innate power of the Eye of the Blind God has been activated.]


    [Appraising Blessing of the Growth God...]


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Appraisalplete.]


    <i>Oh?</i> It seemed like the appraisal was a sess. Some text appeared above the bottle.


    -----


    [Blessing of the Growth God]


    Grade: Lowest-tier God


    Description: Contains the bodily fluids of the Eternal Seeker, shed during his training to attain the highest level of divinity.


    Special note: Consuming this will allow mortals to unleash their full potential. The more they drink, the better.


    ¡°So buy more!¡±


    -----


    The appraisal was fine and all, but the sales pitch kind of ruined it. The part about ¡°bodily fluids¡± was especially concerning to me. Now, I could only see the shiny golden liquid as urine.


    <i>It¡¯s quite gross. Should I really drink this?</i>


    I pulled out the stopper from the crystal bottle.


    <i>Pop!</i>


    ¡°<i>Sniff sniff</i>. I can¡¯t really smell anything.¡±


    Had there been a disgusting, sweaty stench, I¡¯d have thrown it out right away. Thankfully, there was no suspicious smelling from the bottle.


    ¡°<i>Argh!</i>¡±


    I shut my eyes tightly and downed the entire bottle, convincing myself that I was drinking a small dose of herbal tonic the whole time.


    <i>Gulp!</i>


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    The sweet and sour vor lingering at the tip of my tongue... It tasted oddly¡ªno, extremely familiar! Surely, all writers who stayed up all night would recognize it! Why, it was the same drink that they jokinglybeled as the ¡°potion¡±!


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this Bhus-F?¡± I murmured, unable to hide my disbelief.


    Also, it absolutely did nothing! I was furious! Fuck, I felt scammed!


    Was it because it was created by my G-rank ability?


    But if that were the case, the title Brutal Killer wouldn¡¯t have manifested a gate with a monstering out of it.


    Then, was all of this a mere coincidence?


    No, there was no way.


    [The more they drink, the better. ¡°So buy more!¡±]


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s give it another try.¡±


    I have around 7,000 dark Gcoins left, on top of the 100,000-unit white Gcoin. I readily purchased six Blessing of the Growth God, and emptied the bottles one by one.


    <i>Gulp! Gulp! Gulp!</i>


    However, nothing happened.


    ¡°Damn it!¡±


    <i>That¡¯s right, I¡¯m a pushover. </i>


    Usually, in novels, a potion would grant abilities equivalent to those of an S-rank Hunter. And yet here I was, not expecting anything and still getting disappointed. At this point, I seriously doubted whether the God¡¯s Shop had any use.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    [God Maker¡¯s assimtion rate has increased.]


    [0% ¡ú 5%]


    [Yu Il-Shin''s innate power has been boosted in ordance with the assimtion rate.]


    ¡°Assimtion rate? What¡¯s that?¡± I was flustered by the content of the message.


    <i>Ping!</i>


    I suddenly felt a pang of dizziness and lost consciousness.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [The title Benevolent Savior (F) has been activated!]


    [A ¡®small miracle¡¯ is happening to Yu Il-Shin.]


    ***


    <i>Katalk katalk!</i>[1]


    I woke up to the sounding from my phone. I opened my eyes and saw the sunlight peering through my window.


    <i>How long was I out?</i>


    <i>Ugh, my head is about to explode.</i>


    <i>That damn Bhus-F! I¡¯m never touching it again!</i>


    <i>Katalk katalk!</i>


    Still, who was relentlessly sending me these messages? With drowsy eyes, I peeked at my phone.


    <i>Oh, it¡¯s my editor.</i>


    Mighty Editor-in-Charge: Despite your harrowing experience with a gate, you stillpleted your manuscript. You even wrote your novel based on that experience! Your dedication is truly admirable! T.T You¡¯re indeed a natural! Please keep up the good work!


    <i>He¡¯s showing how much of a martial arts geek he is!</i>


    Anyway, what was he talking about? Manuscript? After the one I had sent a few days back, I hadn¡¯t written a single line.


    <i>Guess who¡¯s getting drunk in broad daylight!</i>


    Yu Il-Shin the Almighty: Manuscript? What do you mean? I think you texted the wrong writer.


    Mighty Editor-in-Charge: Of course not. I¡¯m talking about the manuscript you sentst night. I read it just now. It was so good, I had to call you right away. Let¡¯s do the ritual and hit the jackpot, Writer Yu Il-Shin! Hahaha!


    <i>Throb throb!</i>


    My head was still pounding, probably due to Bhus-F. It was so unlike the editor-in-charge to spout nonsense so early in the morning.


    Yu Il-Shin the Almighty: <i>Um</i>, Could you send over the manuscript you supposedly received from me? There might be some misunderstanding here.


    Mighty Editor-in-Charge: <i>Aw</i>, Writer Yu. It must be the after-effects of the incident. T.T You couldn¡¯t even recall having written the manuscript. Unbelievable T.T Hold on a sec.


    <i>Katalk katalk!</i>


    Along with the notification sound came a message with an attachment.


    <strong>Yu Il-Shin New Novel(Title WIP).hwp</strong>


    I opened the Word document and slowly read through it.


    <i>Wait, what?</i>


    Despite having no memory of ever writing this, I recognized the writing style as mine. Moreover, the contents went through everything that had happened to me after I gained ess to God-Maker.


    What stood out to me the most was the scene where a random gate appeared, in which I was almost killed by the Spiky Rhinoceros, before ultimately being saved by Thunder Emperor. Not to mention, my saving the Saintess recently in the game was also there.


    It was written with such detail; it was as if I was reading my own journal. Moreover, some of the tidbits there were things that only I would know. Not only that, events that had yet to happen were also documented in it.


    The emperor of the empire of red ants, who had unified the entire continent, ordered the purge of the tribe of ck ants and thest of the gods dwelling in the mystical forest of Ausri. Thus, a powerful army of 100,000-strong, led by General Stoogi, began their invasion.


    Defeating barbarian tribes hiding in the forest was an easy task for the seasoned imperial army. Deeming it a huge disgrace to have arge army go against such a weak opponent, General Stoogi decided to lead a smaller group of soldiers for the conquest.


    True to Stoogi¡¯s expectations, the ck tribe stood no chance against him. After ransacking their vige, he set his sights on their spiritual anchor, the Saintess. She was the exact reason why their emperor had dispatched the troops to that insignificantnd. The Saintess of the ck ants was blessed by the god. Legend had it that she could grant immortality, hence the emperor sought to get his hands on her.


    However, before they could capture the Saintess, the ancient monster worshiped by the ck tribe suddenly appeared. In the blink of an eye, it wiped out Stoogi and his entire army. The Saintess and the survivors of the ck tribe rejoiced, praising the monster.


    Nevertheless, Stoogie¡¯s 100,000-man invincible army remained. Upon hearing the tragic demise of General Stoogi from his deputy general, Hibiscus, the emperor led the remaining soldiers, determined to eradicate the survivors and the monster.


    The document ended there.


    <i>Katalk katalk!</i>


    Mighty Editor-in-Charge: I¡¯m looking forward to seeing what happens next. Numbers are just numbers, it¡¯d be too hard to kill them all with just a finger right? I¡¯ll be waiting for the next episode, Writer Yu ^^


    <i>No, wait. I don¡¯t recall writing this at all. </i>


    Just then, a notification rang, and the cave in God-Maker appeared on the screen. Gathered there was the termite named Saintess, along with roughly 100 other ck ants. They kneeled on the ground, bowing to me.


    [The Saintess and her 101 subjects earnestly plead for salvation from God Yu Il-Shin!]


    [O¡¯ great and merciful God Yu Il-Sin, please deliver our tribe from the clutches of the malicious empire!]


    <i>Dudududu!</i>


    At the same time, my phone vibrated violently, about 100 times stronger than usual! I reflexively dropped it to the floor.


    [The innate power of the Eye of the Blind God has been activated.]


    The dungeon where the Unknown God dwelled in was flooded by a red river. No, that wasn¡¯t a river. It was a huge cluster of living creatures. My eyes instantly went round at the horrifying sight.


    <i>Crrrk! Crrrk! Crrrk! Crrrk!</i>


    The sound they madebined into one, like a stereo turned up to maximum volume.


    <i>Marabunta.</i> I heard it was a term used to refer to a swarm of death ants, often appearing in the Amazons. They would bulldoze through anything that blocked their path. But this swarm of ants I saw through the ability was just as vicious, if not more, and their murderous intent was clearly directed at me.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    Another message appeared on God-Maker.


    [Following the increase in assimtion rate, God-Maker¡¯s battlefield has been upgraded.]


    <i>An upgrade to the battlefield? What¡¯s that...?</i>


    Just then, the ant leading the army raised its pincers and yelled.


    -Charge! y that evil god! It¡¯s for the sake of the Great Emperor and thete General Stoogi!


    <i>-Waaaaah!</i>


    -Kill the monster of the ck tribe!


    <i>aash!</i>


    Like water bursting from a broken faucet, the red ants began swarming out from my phone and into the real world.


    1. Korea''s most popr messaging app, its notification sound follows the name of the app. ?

 Chapter 12: God vs 100,000

    <h4>Chapter 12: God vs 100,000</h4>


    ¡°Oh my god!¡±


    Since my room was less than 10-pyeong[1] wide, the endless horde of red ants covered my room within seconds! It felt like an absolute nightmare!


    <i>Krik! Krrr! Craaack!</i>


    Their buzzing pierced my ears like an awl. I still couldn¡¯t believe this was reality.


    The ants in God-Maker had appeared in real life!


    <i>This can¡¯t be happening!</i>


    <i>Swat swat swat! Tap tap!</i>


    Of course, by this point, my finger had gotten used to crushing them. Nevertheless, having 100,000 ants gather in one space was simply overwhelming!


    The red ants wouldn¡¯t stop falling from my ceiling. It was raining red in my studio apartment. The ants had crawled all the way up from my slippers and on my body.


    ¡°<i>Aaargh</i>!¡± I screamed, and dashed to the exit.


    <i>ck ck!</i>


    However, no matter how hard I tried, the door wouldn¡¯t budge.


    <i>Chomp! Chomp!</i>


    All of a sudden, the ants bit me!


    ¡°<i>Aaargh</i>!¡±


    Did I just get stung by a wasp?! The pain was so excruciating. When I was younger, I yed with ants, but they never bit this hard.


    ¡°Fuck! Get away from me!¡±


    I took off my top and swatted off the ants on my body. Just then, I saw it¡ª<i>my savior, the window!</i> I reached for it in a hurry. Since I was staying on the second floor, I should be able to jump safely.


    ¡°<i>Ack</i>!¡± Just like the door, the window refused to open.


    In the meantime, the ants continued biting me all over.


    ¡°<i>Aack</i>!¡±


    I finally understood why even the most ferocious beasts in the Amazon flee at the sight of the marabuntas.


    ¡°Fuck it!¡±


    As ast-ditch effort, I picked up a chair and threw it at the window.


    <i>aang!</i>


    But instead of breaking the window, the chair bounced off it. It was as if the window was inherently made of steel.


    <i>Drip!</i>


    Blood began to flow from my wounds, soaking the ants. Yet, I could see them raising their heads, opening their pincer jaws wide, as if rejoicing at their sessful attack.


    <i>Shiver!</i>


    Chills went down my spine. I was trapped in a 10-pyeong room with all these ants. I was at my wit¡¯s end. I could easily picture myself dying and eventually being reduced to bones by such a massive army of ants.


    ¡°<i>Aaargh</i>!¡±


    I remembered joking around with my friends, saying that I¡¯d live and die alone like a proper writer. Never once did I imagine I would die this way.


    <i>tter!</i>


    I grabbed whatever was within my reach and hurled it at the ants. My feet also desperately stomped on them.


    <i>Ding! Ding!</i>


    [You have been rewarded with 30 Gcoins.]


    [You have been rewarded with 41 Gcoins.]


    <i>ng! ng!</i>


    Every time, coins would pop out of my phone, but only in the dozens.


    These ants were so agile, almost like cockroaches. They spread like wildfire, with nothing to stop them.


    <i>Swoosh swoosh swoosh!</i>


    Just then, I heard an annoying noise. Reflexively turning around, I saw a horrifying sight.


    ¡°Oh. My. God.¡±


    A volley of red needles.


    -<i>Kyaa</i>!


    The army ants, led by a thumb-sized red ant, marched in unison toward me. Raising their abdomen, they lunged at me. I had nowhere else to run.


    <i>Poke poke!</i>


    In an instant, the needles struck my entire body, turning me into a pincushion.


    ¡°...!¡± I couldn¡¯t even scream.


    Not only did it feel like being stabbed by a ming needle, there were thousands of them all over my body! My mind instantly went nk. It wouldn¡¯t be strange if I fell into shock right there and then.


    <i>Thud!</i>


    As the world before me began spinning, I copsed.


    ¡°<i>Cough! Cough!</i>¡±


    <i>Are those needles poisonous?</i>


    My chest constricted, making it difficult for me to breathe. I began foaming at the mouth, seizures taking over my body.


    <i>Swish, swish.</i>


    The army ants swarmed all over me. They felt like hunters trying to end the life of a wounded beast. I was dying. Death was encroaching, slowly but surely bing an inescapable reality.


    <i>I don¡¯t want to die.</i>


    At the very least, not because of being eaten by a bunch of ants.


    <i>Krrr, krrr.</i>


    However, the endless waves of red ants surging toward me heralded the inevitability of death.


    ¡°...!¡±


    Just then, I caught sight of something rolling on the floor. A bottle of F-Ki, which I bought to repel mosquitos during summer. I didn¡¯t know if it would work on the ants, but it was myst hope.


    Trembling, I reached for the F-Ki with my numb hand, but to no avail. Although it was only a meter from me, it felt as if I was gazing at a desert mirage. So close, and yet so far away.


    <i>Krrrr!</i>


    Meanwhile, the swarm of ants continued their onught. They crawled all over my body¡ªon my limbs and even my face. At a nce, it was as if I was d in red armor. Just before I was fully devoured by them, I gritted my teeth and pointed my finger at the button on F-Ki.


    ¡°Crushing... Forefinger of God!¡±


    <i>Click!</i>


    ***


    ¡°<i>Hahaha</i>! How¡¯s that, you monster?! Feel the might of the Great Empire!¡± Hibiscus, the second-inmand of the army, was ecstatic.


    The first time he saw the monster worshiped by the ck tribe, his heart sank.


    -<i>Grrr.</i>


    Looking up at its colossal figure almost broke his neck. Moreover, the dark murderous aura it exuded made all his hair stand on end. He could see why the empire¡¯s mightiest general, Stoogi, was defeated easily. No doubt, the monster was worthy of the title ¡°god.¡± Still, it was no match for Hibiscus.


    -<i>Grrarrrgh!</i>


    Drenched in its own blood, the monster let out a deafening roar, which thrilled Hibiscus even more.


    ¡°No god or monster can stand against His Majesty¡¯s Great Imperial Army!¡±


    Their empire didn¡¯t only face tribes of their own kind across the continent. They had also faced and yed countless other monsters that imed to be gods. Especially Hibiscus, who was part of the general¡¯s team and the backbone of the God-ying team.


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯ve never faced any of you self-proimed gods before?! Artillery team, charge!¡±


    <i>ck ck!</i>


    Commanded by Hibiscus, ten thousand archers assembled into a group, wielding their giant crossbows.


    <i>Pzzz!</i>


    The crossbows were loaded with sinister,rge red arrows. It was their secret weapon¡ªa poisonous arrow that could take down even gods.


    ¡°Monster! Taste the God-ying Poison! Fire!¡±


    <i>Peeew! Swooosh!</i>


    A volley of red arrows was fired at Hibiscus¡¯ instruction, engulfing the monster.


    -<i>Aaargh</i>!


    <i>Thud! tter!</i>


    The monster, pierced with arrows all over, let out a miserable scream before finally copsing.


    -<i>Cough! Cough!</i>


    The monster writhed in pain, suffering seizures from the poison. Seeing that, the army ants rejoiced all at once.


    ¡°<i>Hahaha</i>! How do you like that, Nameless Monster! This is the might of the Great Empire!¡± Hibiscus grinned triumphantly, then issued anothermand. ¡°All troops, charge! Kill that monster! Cut off its head and present it to His Majesty!¡±


    ¡°<i>Aaaaaah</i>!¡± The army ants charged toward the fallen monster. Right when the hunt was about toe to an end...


    ¡°What a fool.¡±


    <i>Is that what a heavenly voice sounds like? </i>Hibiscus looked in the direction of the voice.


    It was the Saintess of the ck tribe who was imprisoned beyond the barrier where the monster dwelled. Unlike the rest of the lowly ck tribe, her skin was dazzling white. Even whenpared to the women of the empire, she was the fairest of all. They cared not about the spoils from wiping out the ck tribe, only about the Saintess.


    ¡°Know your ce, soldiers of the empire! Do you think insignificant beings such as you stand a chance against God? If you still cherish your lives, turn back!¡± the Saintess spoke solemnly.


    ¡°<i>Hmph! </i>Saintess of the ck tribe, don¡¯t you see that monster is on itsst breath? Maybe your jewel-like eyes are just that¡ªa mere decoration!¡± Hibiscus was rendered speechless.


    ¡°I shall never doubt God Yu Il-Shin. I only pity your foolishness.¡± The Saintess sped her hands together and prayed.


    ¡°<i>Aargh</i>, you foolish witch! Let¡¯s see if you can still say that after I rip off that monster¡¯s head!¡±


    Enraged, Hibiscus unsheathed his longsword. He charged at the monster that was surrounded by the red soldiers.


    -Crushing Forefinger... of God!


    <i>Tssss! Tsss!</i>


    With a tremendous surge of vigor, a huge cloud of mist bloomed, enveloping the monster and the soldiers who were trying to y it.


    ¡°<i>Cough cough!</i>¡±


    ¡°<i>Cough! Cough!</i>¡±


    The soldiers, who were delightfully gnawing on the monster¡¯s flesh, soon clutched their throats in agony. Hibiscus flinched and quickly covered his nose.


    ¡°P-poisonous fog?¡±


    It wasn¡¯t lethal enough to warrant an instant kill, but still dangerous. He yelled at his soldiers, ¡°Everyone, stand back! The monster is about to unleash its final attack!¡±


    Despite the unexpected retaliation from the monster, Hibiscus was unfazed. After retreating to a safe distance, they could keep firing poisonous arrows until the monster died.


    Just as Hibiscus and his army swiftly avoided the poisonous fog and the monster...


    -Fucking ants, die, all of you!


    The monster roared ferociously. Even though Hibiscus couldn¡¯t understand the monster, those words paralyzed him on the spot. It seemed to have the same effect on his soldiers. Some of them froze mid-escaping, staring at the monster in horror.


    The monster was holding arge chunk of metal in its hand.


    <i>Click!</i>


    The monster flicked it, producing a small light.


    <i>Pow! Crunch! ng!</i>


    Once it touched the poisonous fog, what started out as a small spark erupted, swallowing the imperial army.


    ¡°<i>Aaargh</i>!¡±


    ¡°Save me!¡±


    ¡°O-oh my god!¡± Hibiscus eximed in horror.


    The world was burning. Hibiscus dropped his sword at the phenomenal sight. This monster couldn¡¯t bepared to the ones he had hunted before! Most likely, it was a true god¡ªone that the whole empire had to use their absolute power to defeat!


    ¡°I-is this the power of god...?¡±


    <i>Flurry!</i>


    Such was Hibiscus¡¯st words before the roaring mes devoured him.


    ***


    <i>Ding! Ding!</i>


    [You have ughtered countless creations. This is an incredible feat for a new god.]


    [You have been rewarded 100,000 Gcoins.]


    [Yu Il-Shin¡¯s karma has exceeded 100,000.]


    [The massacre has raised the rank of your malevolent god title, Brutal Killer, from E to D.]


    [The rescue of the poor Saintess and the ck ant tribe has raised the rank of your benevolent god title, Benevolent Savior, from F to E.]


    [The newly leveled up malevolent god title brought the alignment of Yu Il-Shin closer to a malevolent god.]


    [The emergence of such a talented divine being has piqued the interest of some high-ranking malevolent gods.]


    [High-ranking benevolent gods are watching you with concern.]


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [A high-ranking malevolent god, Silently Crawling Nightmare, has sent Yu Il-Shin a present.]


    [Favors or gifts from high-ranking malevolent gods may cause a shift in your alignment.]


    [Would you like to ept the gift? (Yes/No)]


    1. ?/pyeong is a measuring unit used in Korea and China. It is roughly 33 sqft. ?

 Chapter 13: Late Night Stalker

    <h4>Chapter 13: Late Night Stalker</h4>


    The wicked imperial soldiers had dared to point their weapons at their master. To them, the great and merciful God Yu Il-Shin spoke solemnly.


    -Foolish insects, perish in mes!


    As per his words, the world erupted into mes, engulfing the defiant imperial soldiers. I watched the spectacle with tears of joy.


    ¡°<i>Aah</i>, even the 100,000-strong unrivaled devils were reduced to ashes by the wrath of Yu Il-Shin.¡±


    <strong><i>Battle of the Great, Merciful, and Radiant God Yu Il-Shin</i> Chapter 2, Part 3 ¡ª Penned by Heavenly King Anty</strong>


    <i>sh! Rumble!</i>


    A lightning shed across the clear blue sky. It wasn¡¯t a natural phenomenon, but an artificial one, caused by a woman in ck helmet. She was Thunder Emperor, a B-rank Hunter. Because of her heroic deeds, she was as popr as a S-rank Hunter.


    Recently, she had single-handedly defeated the Spiky Rhinoceros¡ªone of the strongest A-rank monsters. It was an inconceivable achievement for someone of her caliber. Nevertheless, the attack she had just unleashed wasn¡¯t even half as powerful as the one she did back then.


    ¡°<i>Haa</i>, it sucks.¡± She sighed heavily, her breath could dig a hole straight to the center of the Earth.


    <i>Was it really pure coincidence?</i>


    Thunder Emperor clenched her fist tightly. She refused to give up¡ªnot like this. Not after she had just seen the light at the end of the tunnel. Now, if only she could muster the same power as before. Then maybe, her long-sought-after revenge wouldn''t be so far off.


    <i>¡°Thank you so much, Ms. Sung Mi-Ri! Thank you for saving me and my niece! I will definitely repay this favor! T-thank you so much for saving us!¡±</i>


    She recalled the man whom she had saved from the Spiky Rhinoceros.


    But how? How did he know her real name?


    In the following days, her older sister kept her under tight supervision. But she should finally be able to do some background check on the man.


    ¡°His name was Yu Il-Shin, I think?¡± Thunder Emperor snickered.


    <i>After seeing him cry, I feel like his name didn¡¯t suit him at all. But he did seem cute...</i>


    <i>...Hm? What¡¯s that?</i>


    Ordinary people wouldn¡¯t have seen it. But her vision, which had surpassed the average human¡¯s limitations, saw something clearly. ck smoke was billowing from a residential area about twenty kilometers away.


    ***


    Engulfed in mes, ants were burning and sizzling everywhere. My quick thinking had saved me from the deadly swarm at thest minute. Still, that wasn¡¯t the end of my crisis.


    <i>Flicker!</i>


    Fire was spreading all around. I had to escape from the small studio apartment before it was toote. But I was still immobilized after being poisoned by the ants.


    <i>Ding! Ding! </i>


    <i>Clink clink!</i>


    Notifications and Godcoins kept pouring endlessly from my phone. I couldn¡¯t afford to pay attention to them. I was about to die¡ªeither from the fire, or from excessive smoke inhtion.


    ¡°<i>Cough!</i> P-please save me...¡± I tried yelling for help, but the ants¡¯ poison seemed to have affected my vocal cords.


    <i>Am I really going to die in this way?</i>


    <i>Ding!</i>


    Just then, my phone rang.


    [The high-ranking malevolent god, Silently Crawling Nightmare, has sent Yu Il-Shin a present.]


    [Favors or gifts from high-ranking malevolent gods may cause a shift in your alignment.]


    [Would you like to ept the gift? (Yes/No)]


    A message announcing that a gift had arrived popped up in my head. <i>Silently Crawling Nightmare? </i>The ominous name only made me ufortable. On top of that, there was that second line. Apparently, it could also affect my alignment.


    <i>Yes!</i>


    Regardless, without much hesitation, I made my choice. In order to survive, I had to grab onto the lifeline, even if it was clearly rotten.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [You have received a gift from Silently Crawling Nightmare.]


    [Silently Crawling Nightmare gave you a portion of her power.]


    [Receiving a portion of a high-ranking god¡¯s power is an extremely rare urrence. It proves that they hold you in high esteem.]


    [Yu Il-Shin¡¯s innate power will be enhanced with the portion of power given by Silently Crawling Nightmare.]


    <i>Tzzz!</i>


    Dark energy surrounded me, pulsating on my index finger.


    <i>sh!</i>


    Then, ck light burst from my finger! I grew excited, but then the light disappeared without a trace. Nothing else happened. <i>How anticlimactic.</i> I gritted my teeth while staring at my finger.


    The message clearly stated that my innate power had been enhanced by the gift of Silently Crawling Nightmare. What if God-Maker wasn¡¯t created by my G-rank abilities? If it was something along the lines of supernatural, then a miracle should happen right about now.


    I directed my finger at the burning walls.


    ¡°Crushing Forefinger of God!¡±


    But nothing happened.


    ¡°Fuck miracles.¡± I dropped my finger.


    <i>Flicker! Kwaaaah!</i>


    Soon, I found myself being surrounded by ck smoke and mes. I was helpless.


    <i>Is this really the end?</i>


    <i>Bam bam bam!</i>


    ¡°Hello! Are you alright?¡±


    Just as I was about to give up on my life, the wall broke down, revealing a girl in ck helmet.


    [Sung Mi-Ri]


    [A female human. Around for 19 years.]


    [Special note: Electrifying.]


    ¡°<i>Electri</i>...¡±


    Then, I lost consciousness.


    ***


    Back then, if I wanted to see mummies, I¡¯d have to head to the museum or Egypt. Now, all I had to do was look into the mirror.


    <i>Well, now things have be more convenient.</i>


    I tried to think more optimistically while lying down in the hospital bed.


    ¡°Is this really uncle?¡± The five-year-old Seong-Yeon asked with suspicion. She poked at my body, which was covered in bandages.


    <i>My dear niece, your uncle is in pain. </i>


    Still, I was d to see that the incident with the Spiky Rhinoceros didn¡¯t seem to traumatize her. I had always known that my niece was strong.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the password?¡± she asked, still suspicious.


    <i>Damn, she¡¯s so sneaky. </i>


    ¡°Mommy is a big fat auntie.¡±


    Seong-Yeon finallyughed. ¡°Hehe, it <i>is</i> uncle!¡±


    <i>p! Punch!</i>


    We both got smacked.


    ¡°<i>Ack</i>!¡±


    ¡°<i>Kya</i>!¡±


    Both of us lowered our heads, yelping in pain. Said ¡°big fat auntie¡± had hit both the patient and child.


    ¡°You two are asking for a lesson!¡± She snorted like a rhinoceros.


    That auntie, who wore thick makeup, was my older sister and Seong-Yeon¡¯s mother¡ªMs. Yu Shin-Ja.


    ¡°<i>Geez</i>, did you forget that I¡¯m a patient?¡±


    ¡°Did you forget who cleaned your mess?! Who told you to set the house on fire, huh?!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s called a disaster for a reason.¡±


    I knew starting the fire was extreme. But had I not done so, I would¡¯ve been eaten alive by the ants.


    ¡°It¡¯s in the past now. Now that you¡¯re admitted in the hospital, take care of yourself. Get well soon. Leave the rest to me. You only have above-average looks going for you. Well done. <i>Sigh.</i>¡± Ms. Yu did a facepalm and sighed.


    As expected, having an influential sister was great. Left on my own, I wouldn¡¯t know what to do. I mimed a sincere bow to my older sister.


    ¡°Your kindness is beyond words. I¡¯m forever grateful to you, my slender and beautiful <i>noonim</i>.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m forever grateful to you.¡± Seong-Yeon followed suit.


    <i>How adorable, right?</i>


    ¡°<i>Aigoo</i>, you¡¯re not my younger sibling but my nemesis.¡±


    ¡°Nemesis.¡± Seong-Yeon pointed her finger at me, imitating her mother.


    <i>My dear niece, you don¡¯t have to follow that, too. That¡¯s dirty.</i>


    <i>Knock knock!</i>


    Someone then rapped on the door.


    <i>Hmm? </i>I shouldn¡¯t have anyone else visiting me at this hour. <i>Who is it? </i>Could it be the Great Mr. Editor? Did he hear of my news and came to pay me a visit?


    ¡±Yes,e in please.¡±


    But there was no reply.


    Seong-Yoon ran to the door and opened it. She stuck her head out.


    ¡°Who dis?¡±


    <i>Ugh! </i>My heart throbbed at the sight. Just how did such a kind and cute daughtere from my fierce older sister?! The world was a huge ball of mystery.


    Seong-Yeon looked outside for a while before turning around. ¡°Uncle, no one¡¯s outside.¡± Instead, she struggled, hobbling back in with arge flower basket.


    ¡°Where did you get that?¡±


    ¡°Near the door.¡±


    Faint rose scent filled the hospital room. It must be expensive. I couldn¡¯t think of anyone who would have sent this to me.


    <strong>Hoping for Mr. Yu Il-Shin¡¯s fast recovery.</strong>


    The note that came with the basket didn¡¯t include the sender¡¯s name.


    ¡°Seong-Yeon, can you give me that?¡±


    I reached out, wondering if there was more to the note.


    ¡°No! This is mine!¡± My niece hid the flower basket behind her.


    <i>Sure, it¡¯s all yours.</i>


    I might not know who sent it, but they might contact me in some wayter. But honestly? It was probably the publishingpany. <i>Hmph</i>, those people. They could¡¯ve sent me food instead<i>. Anyway, love you guys.</i>


    ¡°By the way, Noona. Did you bring what I asked?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± She frowned as she showed me the huge shopping bag and put it beside me. ¡±What are you going to do with all this? Are you trying to set up CESCO?¡±


    Smirking, I took over the shopping bag full of pest control supplies, feeling well-equipped. With these, there was no need to be afraid of those ants!


    ¡°Oh, I have something in mind. <i>Huehuehue</i>. Come at me, you fucking ants.¡±


    ¡°Mommy! Uncle is being weird!¡±


    Crossing her arms, my older sister clicked her tongue.


    ¡°Seong-Yeon, your uncle has always been weird.¡±


    ***


    It was nightfall.


    ¡°<i>Snore, snore.</i>¡± Yu I¡¯ll-Shin snored softly on the hospital bed, covered in bandages.


    Someone was watching him from afar. It was a girl in a training suit, with her long hair tied into a ponytail. She was Sung Mi-Ri, also known as the B-rank Hunter, Thunder Emperor. Hiding on the rooftop of the building across from the hospital, she watched Yu Il-Shin with her supernatural vision.


    It wasn¡¯t her first time encountering this strange man. She met him on the day she was about to retake her exam in the Hunter Association. Then, on the same day, she saved him from the Spiky Rhinoceros. That was the first time she had gone past her B-rank limitations.


    The second time was just three days ago, when she happened to notice a fire outbreak. There, at the scene, she stumbled upon him. He was suffocating from inhaling too much smoke. Once again, Thunder Emperor had saved his life.


    On the way to the emergency room with him, she noticed something.


    <i>I¡¯m moving twice as fast than usual.</i>


    Thunder Emperor realized that she was moving in record time. Coincidences wouldn¡¯t happen twice in a row. Was the man some sort of a catalyst that allowed her to surpass her limitations? She knew how far-fetched it sounded. She must be grasping at straws.


    During the three days when he was admitted to the hospital, she did not discover anything else special about him. The man didn¡¯t seem to have any friends. So far, only his older sister and niece visited him.


    She was getting impatient. She wanted to talk to him in person. But in the end, because of an emergency, she could only leave a flower basket at his door.


    <i>I¡¯m rapidly turning into a stalker.</i>


    In fact, she had snuck out just to see him.


    Feeling ashamed of her own actions, Thunder Emperor was about to leave. If she stayed around, she might get caught by her older sister. Just then, the man let out a strange cry and fell off the bed.


    <i>Isn¡¯t he supposed to be asleep?</i>


    Then, he began acting strangely.

 Chapter 14: Yu Il-Shin is Bestowing Grace

    <h4>Chapter 14: Yu Il-Shin is Bestowing Grace</h4>


    <i>Ding! Ding!</i>


    ¡°<i>Ugh</i>...¡±


    I woke up to the annoying notifications from God-Maker.


    If my phone was unscathed from fire, putting it on silent sure as heck wouldn¡¯t work. I knew it<i>¡ª</i>it was no normal phone! This thing had transcended the realm of senses entirely! But I was still angry!


    ¡°Oh god, shut up! What time do you think it is?!¡±


    It was literally 2 a.m! Clearly irritated, I groggily looked at my phone, only to see a familiar termite along with a swarm of ck ants. They were prostrating themselves on the ground.


    <i>What are they doing?</i>


    As if answering my question, a message appeared on God-Maker.


    [The Saintess and 101 followers pray to Yu Il-Shin.]


    ¡°<i>Haaa</i>.¡±


    Had I woke up at the wrong side of the bed, I¡¯d have ended them. How dare they disturb my sleep? But since they were praying to me, I let it go.


    <i>Sure, pray to me. I¡¯m going back to sleep.</i>


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [The followers wish to offer a tribute to Yu Il-Shin. Will you ept it? (Yes/No)]


    A new message appeared just as I was about toy back in bed.


    ¡°A tribute?¡±


    <i>Aren¡¯t tributes usually gifted to those of high ranks? Besides, what are these ants trying to give me?</i>


    ¡°Yes.¡± I said with a mixture of anticipation and curiosity.


    The termite, the Saintess, then reverently held something up with both arms.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [The tribute has been sessfully delivered.]


    <i>Thud! Roll¡ª</i>


    Something half the size of my pinky fingernail tumbled out of my phone.


    ¡°<i>Uh</i>, what¡¯s this?¡±


    I examined it. It looked simr to MyChew, which Seong-Yeon gave me asionally when she was in a good mood. At the same time, it was soft and emitted a dark crimson light.


    ¡°<i>Sniff sniff.</i>¡±


    <i>Well, it didn¡¯t smell weird, at least. Shall I have it appraised? Would it work?</i>


    [Berry of the World Tree]


    [One of the seven berries which the world tree, Yggdrasil, left in this world.]


    <i>Oh, it worked! </i>


    ¡°Berry of the World Tree? Sounds genuine.¡±


    <i>But the special note...</i>


    [Special note: Increases stamina.]


    <i>Nyam!</i>


    I popped the berry into my mouth without hesitation.


    ¡°<i>Cough!</i>¡±


    The sudden onught of sensations on my tongue made me squirm. It was bitter, spicy, salty<i>¡ª</i>a novelty taste in its own right.


    <i>Ugh, what kind of berry is this?</i>


    [The Saintess and 101 followers are looking forward to seeing Yu Il-Shin¡¯s reaction.]


    The screen showed the ants sping their front legs, looking at me.


    <i>Gulp!</i>


    Even though I wanted to spit it out right away, I forced myself to swallow it. Since it was good for stamina, I¡¯d endure it.


    ¡°<i>Phew.</i>¡±


    Honestly, I felt pretty much the same. I shouldn''t have had such high hopes for the tribute offered by ants to begin with.


    <i>Alright, I¡¯ll go easy on you.</i>


    ¡°Okay, thank you,¡± I muttered.


    The ants cheered and danced to my reaction.


    <i>Wow, they¡¯re quite amusing. Cute too, even.</i>


    Raising an ant colony was popr back when I was younger. I didn¡¯t really understand why I had kept ants as pets back then, but now I kind of did. As I watched with a satisfied look, a message appeared from God-Maker.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [A new feature ¡®God¡¯s Grace¡¯ has been activated on God-Maker.]


    -----


    [God¡¯s Grace]


    In exchange for tributes, Yu Il-Shin can bestow grace upon his followers. This will result in followers feeling grateful and bing more devout.


    -----


    The new menu flickered. I clicked it out of curiosity and...


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Please choose the item to be bestowed to your followers. Items from the real world will be sent to the God-Maker world.]


    This message appeared. But I was only given a horrible tasting fruit...


    ¡°Hmm.¡± I don¡¯t really have anything to give them. While I was conflicted over what to give them, something caught my eye.


    ¡°Well, they¡¯re ants, so this should do, right?¡±


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Yu Il-Shin bestows God''s Grace.]


    ***


    A few survivors from the ck tribe expressed their dissatisfaction with the Saintess.


    ¡°Saintess, how could you offer the treasure of our tribe as tribute! Please reconsider!¡±


    ¡°Have you forgotten how God saved us from the imperial army?¡± The Saintess firmly shook her head.


    ¡°But the Berry of the World Tree has been passed down in our tribe for generations! There has to be another option!¡±


    It was said that this world was created by the Berry of the World Tree, Yggdrasil. While the truth behind the legend remained shrouded in mystery, the fruit did hold bizarre powers.


    With the fruit around, they could stay full without sustenance and be instantly healed of small wounds. The fruit was miraculous indeed.


    In fact, some of the survivors only avoided the eyes of the imperial army because of the fruit. Ironically, it caused the ruthless emperor to set his sights on their tribe.


    ¡°I¡¯ve made my decision. We¡¯ve turned our back on God for a long time. To atone for our sins, even if just a little, we need to offer our most precious treasure.¡± The Saintess stood her ground.


    That was how the ceremony began. Along with the 101 survivors of the ck tribe, the Saintess went to the dungeon where the god dwelled. The cave writhed, making them feel as if they were in the intestines of a living beast. It even gave off an awful stench simr to sulfur.


    Despite it being her second time, she still couldn¡¯t get used to it.


    <i>The being dwelling in this dungeon, was it really a god?</i>


    Actually, this ce had another name<i>¡ª</i>the Devouring Dungeon. Many of those who were at their wit¡¯s ends went to this ce to seek salvation. However, none of them were ever heard from again.


    Everyone else who visited the dungeon before the Saintess had perished. With such cruelty, perhaps "demon" would be a more fitting term than "god."


    They finally reached the end of the dungeon<i>¡ª</i>the space where the god dwelled in.


    ¡°Almighty God Yu Il-Shin, your followers earnestly pray for the honor of your lofty presence.¡±


    <i>Rumble¡ª!</i>


    Their god descended upon that boundless space.


    ¡°<i>Ugh...</i>¡±


    ¡°<i>Hyiie</i>!¡±


    Struck in fear, the survivors hurriedly bowed to the ground. They were appalled by the god¡¯s appearance. Towering like a mountain, the god was enveloped in white cloth.


    Only his eye was revealed, shining ominously. No one dared to make eye contact with the god.


    ¡°Almighty God Yu Il-Shin, this is our tribe¡¯s most cherished treasure. We offer this to you in exchange for your protection.¡± The Saintess then raised the Berry of the World Tree into the air.


    <i>Sss¡ª</i>


    The fruit vanished, only to reappear in god¡¯s hands. The god looked at it for a while, then opened his abyssal mouth without hesitation.


    <i>Gulp!</i>


    ¡°<i>Aah!</i> Did he just...?!¡±


    Just like that, their tribe¡¯s most priceless treasure was gone. The survivors fell into despair.


    Although the 100,000-strong imperial army was wiped out, the empire still stood. Compared to the empire¡¯s true prowess, the force that invaded them was just the tip of the iceberg. Hence why the remnant of the ck tribe needed the treasure.


    On the other hand, the god trembled all over as if he was shocked with electricity, and his heavy lips parted slightly.


    -Okay, thank you.


    The Saintess and survivors were thrilled momentarily. Unlike his horrifying appearance, the god¡¯s voice was benevolent and warm. He reached out to the ants.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [God Yu Il-Shin bestows grace upon you.]


    <i>Srrr, srrr¡ª</i>


    Suddenly, white powder fell from the sky like snow. It was as beautiful as a gem, and had a sweet scent they¡¯d never encountered before. Unable to contain their curiosity, a few survivors tried tasting the powder.


    ¡°N-no way!¡±


    ¡°How is this possible!¡±


    They shuddered all over. It had an otherworldly sweetness that no honey in this world couldpare to! But that wasn¡¯t all.


    ¡°<i>Ooh</i>! I feel energized!¡±


    ¡°<i>Gasp</i>! My arm that was bitten off by the red soldiers has regenerated!¡±


    Having been starving for a while, their malnourished bodies were revitalized, rapidly recovering energy. Not only that, those who had their limbs torn off began regrowing new ones.


    That was a miracle in itself. Just as everyone was shocked at this new change, the Saintess remained calm, expecting no less from the god.


    ¡°Look, everyone. This is our mighty god, Yu Il-Shin.¡±


    Before the god, she humbly dropped to her knees, tears rolling down her face.


    The survivors joined her as they cried from the bottom of their hearts, which were now brimming with envy and deep faith instead of fear.


    ¡°<i>Aah</i>, our great and merciful god, Yu Il-Shin!¡±


    ***


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Congrattions. You have gained 101 true followers.]


    [Yu Il-Shin has gained 101 faith.]


    [Current faith umted: 1,101]


    Ding!


    [You have been rewarded 10,100 White Gcoins for the faith gained.]


    [1 faith converts into 100 Gcoins.]


    Along with the notifications, a dazzling white coin dropped out from my phone.


    What I gave to the ants was a pack of sugar. I had it with me because I like having my coffee sweet.


    ¡°<i>Hmm</i>, to think they went crazy over just a pinch of sugar.¡±


    Even their faith in me increased, resulting in white Godcoins.


    It fell rtively shortpared to back when I received 100,000 White Godcoins. Nevertheless, in terms of dark Godcoins, it was equivalent to me crushing 10,100 ants.


    <i>So, a decent investment, I guess. For just a pack of sugar, too.</i>


    ¡°Ants definitely love sugar.¡±


    I recalled how I would sprinkle sugar for my ants whenever I felt bored. That was where the idea came from and the result was quite satisfactory.


    <i>Poke, poke.</i>


    ¡°<i>Ugh,</i> why do I feel itchy all of a sudden?¡±


    <i>Scratch, scratch.</i>


    I began itching like crazy, scratching all over. It felt like bugs were crawling all over my body.


    <i>Ugh, was the berry I ate earlier poisonous? </i>


    <i>Is this how those ants repay my kindness? I even gave them sugar!</i>


    Going crazy from the itch, I was about to step out to seek help. Just then, I caught a glimpse of my reflection in the mirror on the wall.


    I had scratched myself so much that a part of the bandages on my face had fallen off.


    ¡°H-huh?¡± Something surprising had happened.


    <i>Srr, srrr¡ª</i>


    I took off the bandages on my body.


    ¡°A-all my injuries are gone?¡±


    Not only were the burns I had suffered from the fire healed, but my skin was now as soft as a baby''s.

 Chapter 15: But That’s A Fraud

    <h4>Chapter 15: But That¡¯s A Fraud</h4>


    As soon as the day broke, I asked to be discharged from the hospital. Since I had fully recovered, there was no point in extending my stay.


    Although my older sister said she would pay for it, I didn¡¯t want to be indebted to her, especially since she had already settled the damages from the fire. We may be family, but I should refrain from being overly dependent on her.


    ¡°<i>Haa</i>, I lost everything to the fire.¡± I let out a sigh upon seeing the aftermath of the incident.


    <i>Whoosh~!</i>


    Huge gusts of wind mixed with fine dust blew through therge hole in the wall where the Hunter had saved me. I felt refres¡ªno, musty.


    ¡°Is there anything of value left in here?¡±


    Not only did I have to renovate the entire house, I also had to buy some necessities. Everything needed money. If only I could ask for an advance in royalties from the publishingpany... Unfortunately, I had to be a famous writer for that, which I wasn¡¯t.


    <i>Sigh, couldn''t the heavens rain some gold for me? What a waste, maybe I shouldn''t have eaten that Berry of the World Tree...</i>


    Something that could heal burn injury overnight should be able to fetch at least tens of million of Korean won. Never would I have imagined that items obtained through God-Maker would have such effects.


    ¡°Ah! I remember leaving it somewhere around here!¡±


    I rushed to search through the burnt desk in front of me. Soon, I found the item I was looking for. Thankfully, it was also safe from the fire. It was the first item I had obtained from God-Maker, Druid¡¯s Ring.


    ¡°Here it is!¡±


    -----


    [Druid¡¯s Ring]


    A ring imbued with the vitality of the forest. No.808 never took it off.


    Special note: Increases elemental power.


    -----


    ***


    Back in the days, Jongno was packed with rows and rows of jewelry shops. Now, they had all turned into trading shops specializing in items or monster loots.


    ¡°Huh?! Only this much?! This is a Gorgon¡¯s Horn, y¡¯know! You wanna die, Boss Park?!¡±


    ¡°How much longer do I have to fucking wait?!¡±


    ¡°You blockhead! How dare you scream at me!¡±


    I never knew there were this many Hunters in South Korea. All of them had huge builds, with battle scars all over their bodies, exuding aura like that of proud warriors.


    Knowing full well that I was a weak and timid writer, I¡¯d like to avoid brushing with them if I could. Thus, I headed to a less crowded area.


    Hye-Ja[1] Trading. I liked the shop''s name, it sounded quite reasonable.


    ¡°Hello?¡±


    When I opened the door, a bell with a ssic sound that was unfitting for the 21st century rang. The interior resembled an antique shop instead of a trading shop.


    The weapons on disy were mostly cold weapons that weren¡¯tmonly used in this day and age.


    ¡°Wee. How may I help you?¡± An innocent-looking female with disheveled hair tied into a ponytail andrge horn-rimmed sses greeted me.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    -----


    [The innate power Blind Eyes of God has been activated.]


    [Appraising target.]


    [Appraisalplete!]


    -----


    [---]


    A female human. Around for 26 years.


    Special note: E-cup.


    -----


    This time, the unique power activated on its own like a passive skill.


    <i>But, E-cup?</i>


    I restrained myself from shifting my gaze to her torso.


    ¡°<i>Uhm</i>, I want to sell off my item.¡±


    ¡°Are you a Hunter?¡± Her eyes widened slightly.


    <i>I know, I know, I don¡¯t look like a hunter. No need to look at me like that, Boss.</i>


    ¡°While I did awaken my ability, I still don¡¯t have a Hunter license.¡±


    I had no intention of getting one, either. Why should I, when not a single dungeon would allow the participation of a G-rank Hunter?


    ¡°I happened to get my hands on an item, so I¡¯m thinking of selling it.¡±


    ¡°I see. <i>Uhm</i>, it¡¯s slightly more troublesome to trade items without a Hunter license. Could you fill this out for me first?¡± She handed me a few pieces of paper.


    I began filling out the empty field. Soon, I found a tricky question: where did I obtain the item from?


    <i>I yed a mobile game called God-Maker. There, I killed an ant with a druid-looking beard with my fist and ding! It popped out from my phone.</i>


    Yeah, there was no way I could write that.


    At times like this, I needed to use my imagination as a writer. Now, should I write it in a sensible manner or in a dramatic manner? Just as I was contemting that...


    <i>Click.</i>


    ¡°Please have some of this while filling out the form.¡±


    The female store owner served up a cup of green tea and some cookies. The cookies weren¡¯tmercial products, but freshly-baked, high-quality ones from a bakery.


    ¡°Thank you, you don¡¯t have to.¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯re our store¡¯s esteemed customer.¡± The store owner of Hye-Ja Trading gave a soft smile.


    Despite being addressed as a customer, my sloppy training suit only made me feel like an unemployed guy undeserving of such treatment. Moreover, she had no idea what I was about to sell.


    <i>Growl! Growl!</i>


    My stomach rumbled at that exact moment as if mocking me. Thinking back, I hadn¡¯t had a proper meal today. Unable to control myself, I took a bite of the cookies. It melted in my mouth in an instant.


    <i>Wow, it''s delicious!</i>


    Fascinated by the vor, I wolfed down the cookies. At that time, the familiar doorbell sounded once more, and in came three men.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Appraisal seeded.]


    My unique power activated on its own again.


    -----


    [---]


    A male human. Around for 29 years.


    Special note: Has weak muscles.


    -----


    [---]


    A male human. Around for 35 years.


    Special note: Also has weak muscles.


    -----


    <i>Hey, how are they weak? They are so huge, with their muscles bulging everywhere! They can probably catch a lion with their hands alone. </i>


    These men seemed like they belonged to the Reinforce-type Hunters.


    Reinforce-type Hunters had enhanced physical abilities. They would usually y the role of intercepting monsters at the forefront of the party, much like tanks in games.


    ¡°Oi, whatcha¡¯ lookin¡¯ at?¡± One of the Hunters growled like bulldogs upon noticing my gaze.


    <i>Flinch!</i>


    As a peace-loving weak writer, I averted my gaze in a hurry. I pretended to fill out the papers.


    ¡°So <i>uhm</i>, do I have to fill this...?¡±


    ¡°<i>Ha!</i> He¡¯s straight up ignoring me!¡±


    The angry Hunter seemed like a bull that would charge at any moment.


    ¡°Now, now, that¡¯s a civilian, don¡¯t scare him too much.¡±


    Another Hunter stepped in, trying to calm him down. This person was much skinnier than the other two, who seemed sly.


    ¡°Well, if you say so, Hyung-nim...¡±


    I kept up my pretense, my eyes glued to the form in hand.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    -----


    [---]


    A male human. Around for 31 years.


    Special note: Uses puny mes.


    -----


    As expected, the appraisal did not reveal their names. But the note did mention that he used mes. Did that mean he was a special ability-type Hunter? Also, why was the review in the special note so harsh?


    Thunder Emperor¡¯s ¡°electrifying¡± note seemed much better. Come to think of it, even her name was revealed. Was there some sort of standard in this? I still hadn¡¯t fully grasped my own ability.


    ¡°What? You wanna say something?¡±


    I briefly made eye contact with the puny me user.


    ¡°If you wannain, I¡¯m all ears.¡±


    He sounded polite, but¡ª


    <i>Flicker!</i>


    His eyes med up as he glowered at me.


    <i>Shiver!</i>


    It felt as if I had put my face close to a bonfire.


    <i>H-how is this me user weak?</i>


    ¡°I-It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    I lowered my head even more, transfixed on the papers in front of me. The me guy smirked at my reaction, then turned his attention back to the store owner behind the counter.


    ¡°Ms. Da-Hye, how have you been?¡±


    ¡°W-wee. I¡¯ve been well... How about you, Hunter Park?¡±


    ¡°Haha, as always, I¡¯m doing great. Ms. Da-Hye, you¡¯re looking fine as usual.¡± The me guy was basically leering at her voluminous chest.


    ¡°<i>Uhm</i>, why are you here today...?¡± She smiled awkwardly while covering herself with her hands.


    ¡°Haha, I want you to take a look at something. Show it, guys.¡±


    <i>Snap!</i>


    At the snap of his fingers, one of his men took out the case slung behind his back and dropped it on the table.


    ¡°I found something handy on a dungeon raid with my team. I was reminded that your shop was struggling recently, so I brought this for you.¡±


    ¡°May I take a look?¡± Her eyes sparkled.


    ¡°Of course.¡± He responded, opening the case.


    <i>sh!</i>


    A dazzling bright light shed from the case, reminding me of when treasure chests were opened in children¡¯s folktales. It came from the golden armor stored within.


    ¡°T-this is...!¡± The store owner was mesmerized.


    ¡°It''s Mithril Armor.¡± The me guy smirked, before signaling to his underling.


    His underling swung his great ax at the armor!


    <i>aaang!</i>


    The blow was so hard that it produced sparks, but the armor remained unscathed.


    ¡°What do you think? As you can see, there isn¡¯t a single scratch. It¡¯s one of the highest quality items out there in the market.¡± The me guy spread his arms in exaggeration.


    ¡°W-wait!¡±


    The store owner snapped to her senses. She fished out a monocle, and took a closer look at the Mithril Armor.


    ¡°560 mana points?! That''s incredible! It''s my first time seeing a Grade A defensive gear!¡±


    ¡°Of course. There''s no way anyone could get their hands on something like this so easily. Take this from someone who has been in this circle for a decade. So, Ms. Da-Hye, would you like to strike a deal with me?¡± the me guy nodded knowingly.


    ¡°O-of course! Please sell it to me, Hunter Park!¡± The store owner nodded profusely.


    The me guy pped his hands, seemingly having predicted that response.


    ¡°Since we''ve known each other for a while, I¡¯m willing to part with it for a mere sum of 300 million. But can you pay in cash? I''m in urgent need of cash at the moment.¡±


    ¡°3-300 million in cash?¡± her eyes widened.


    ¡°<i>Sigh</i>, I forgot that Ms. Da-Hye isn''t doing so well financially. I have no choice but to sell it to someone else.¡±


    ¡°W-wait!¡±


    The me guy was about to stand up when the store owner stopped him.


    ¡°I should be able to prepare 300 million won from my deposits! It was meant to pay for my studio, but I can make do! Please hold on for a moment. I''ll retrieve the money from my safe!¡±


    She hurriedly went to her safe, preparing the cash for them. As the men watched her, insidious smiles spread on their faces.


    <i>Ding! Ding! ng!</i>


    The Hunters turned their attention to me when they heard coins falling. I picked up the Godcoins in a hurry, then scratched my head awkwardly.


    ¡°I''m sorry, it''s time for me to feed the ants.¡±


    Dusting off the cookie crumbs on my hands, I stuffed the Godcoins into my pocket. Despite that,plicated thoughts filled my head.


    <i>Should I speak up or not? Ugh, I don''t know.</i>


    The store owner gave me some free cookies, so the least I could do was speak up about the potential scam.


    ¡°<i>Uhm</i>, Boss. I¡¯d like to tell you something.¡±


    ¡°Yes? What''s the matter, Sir?¡±


    I sighed softly, before pointing at that Mithril Armor that shone golden.


    ¡°That''s a counterfeit good.¡±


    I could see its true worth.


    -----


    [Old Scrap Metal Armor in Yu Il-Shin''s Eyes]


    Armor made of scrap metal. Around for 29 years.


    Special note: Enhanced with reinforcement and deception skills.


    Skill duration: 4 hours 9 minutes 32 seconds


    -----


    It wasn''t even a real item, but one enhanced with deception skills.


    ¡°That armor is junk, so don''t buy it.¡±


    I was no saint, but I couldn¡¯t bring myself to see the kind and naive store owner getting scammed out of 300 million won.


    ¡°What did you say?!¡±


    ¡°Fuck off! Who do you think you are?! How dare you call this armor junk!¡±


    Furious at my im, the faces of the two bodybuilder-like Hunters were distorted. I subconsciously took a few steps back.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± the me guy stopped his underlings and approached me with a shameless smile. ¡°Look here, Old Guy. Can you back up your statement from earlier?¡±


    <i>Old Guy</i>?<i> He looks so much older than me!</i>


    ¡°If you''re spouting nonsense without evidence...¡±


    <i>Flicker! Whoosh!</i>


    A ball of fire the size of my head appeared in his hand.


    ¡°...You''re dead meat.¡±


    He was about to roast me like a pork belly with that fireball. Briefly, I regretted my actions, but...


    ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    <i>Whatever.</i>


    I couldn''t be sure, but I''d just have to wing it. I pointed my finger at the armor.


    ¡°Crushing Forefinger of God.¡±


    Then...


    <i>Click!</i>


    A sound rang in my ears.


    1. The word Hye-Ja in Korean also means worthwhile/reasonable in value ?

 Chapter 16: #King of Insects

    <h4>Chapter 16: #King of Insects</h4>


    ¡°Crushing Forefinger of God.¡±


    A brief silence ensued.


    The me guy red at me, his expression twisted like a devil, as I pointed my finger.


    ¡°<i>Ha</i>! Bastard, what kind of bullshit is this?!¡±


    <i>Pzz, pzzt!</i>


    A strange noise came from the armor...


    <i>Boom!</i>


    Like short-circuiting wires, the golden glow around the armor was gone in a sh!


    -----


    [Old Scrap Metal Armor in Yu Il-Shin¡¯s Eyes]


    Armor made of scrap metal. Around for 29 years.


    Special note: Just melt it already.


    -----


    The armor had reverted to its original state, consistent with the appraisal result. What was once dazzling Mithril Armor had turned into rusty junk that would crumble at the slightest touch.


    <i>Heh, did you see that? </i>


    I wasn''t actually confident that this would work, but I''m d it did. The idea urred to me because I could turn off the porch lights without using the switch.


    ¡°Need we say more?¡± I smirked at the me guy.


    In truth, my heart was racing.


    <i>What if he gives me hell for that? Should I call the police now?</i>


    ¡°You just ruined our goldmine! You¡¯re gonna pay for that!¡±


    His bulky underlings got furious and raised their fists all at once. I didn¡¯t doubt they could crush my skull easily like a watermelon with those.


    <i>Argh! I¡¯m gonna die!</i>


    But thankfully, I got to keep my head. Someone I least expected had saved me.


    <i>p!</i>


    ¡°Enough, you moron! Acting as you please!¡±


    ¡°H-hyung-nim?¡±


    After being pped by the me guy, his underling stared at him in bewilderment.


    ¡°Do you have holes for eyes?! Be quiet!¡± The me guy roared.


    Not daring to make eye contact, the bulky underling hung his head. The atmosphere in the shop felt like carnage.


    Then, the me guy shifted his attention to me. As if his previous outburst had been a lie, he had a humble smile on his face.


    ¡°Haha, they¡¯re so cheeky. You should¡¯ve told me that you¡¯re a high-ranking Hunter.¡±


    <i>Eh? A high-ranking Hunter? Who, me?</i>


    ¡°Please excuse us. Mind if we leave?¡± The me guy gave a polite ny-degree bow.


    ¡°<i>Mm</i>.¡± I casually nodded, trying to hide my apparent awkwardness.


    ¡°Thank you! Let''s go!¡±


    ¡°Hyung? Wait, what?¡±


    ¡°You dimwits! We have to go!¡±


    The me guy and his muscr underlings ran out of the shop.


    ¡°<i>Phew</i>, I almost got a heart attack.¡±


    Thankfully, they let things go. I wasn¡¯t really sure how the misunderstanding came to be, though. My guess was because of how I had easily dispelled the enhancement and deception skills. Nevertheless, the fact remained that I was a G-rank Hunter.


    Still, my abilities turned out to be much more useful than I thought. Maybe if I struggle to make ends meet as a writer, I could make a living as an appraiser?


    Just then, the store owner grabbed my hands.


    ¡°Thank you so much! We¡¯ve been trading with him since my mother¡¯s time... If not for your help, I¡¯d be in deep water.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not a Hunter, though...¡±


    ¡°<i>Aah, </i>you did say that. You must be a Hermit then!¡±


    The Hermits, also known as the recluses, referred to people who had abilities but did not work as Hunters, going about their normal daily lives. As a matter of course, I wasn¡¯t one of those people.


    I was just one of the many ordinary citizens. Like everyone else, I thought that in this day and age, the more honor and wealth, the better. If I made it big one day, I¡¯d ditch my job as a writer. After all, despite the amount of effort I had put in, it could barely sustain me. It also didn¡¯t cover my private insurance or severance pay.


    ¡°May I have a look at the item you want to sell?¡±


    The store owner gazed at me expectantly, which made me ufortable. No matter how I look at it, there was nothing impressive about my ring.


    I fished out the Druid¡¯s Ring from my pocket. It seemed smaller than usual, like a child¡¯s toy.


    ¡°Oh, is that it? Let me appraise it!¡±


    Contrary to my anxiety, the store owner was quite enthusiastic. However, after measuring it, we discovered that the mana count was only 12. Compared to the fake armor, which had a mana count of 560, it could only be considered as a piece of junk.


    ¡°I''m sorry, this item is only a Grade D at best.¡± The store owner was deted.


    I had pretty much expected that reaction. Also, she was lying.


    I had gathered information about Hunters before. I knew that, on average, Grade D items had mana count of over 100. Grade C if the mana count was over 200, Grade B if over 300, and Grade A if over 500. Meanwhile, Grade S item had over 1000 mana count and could fetch an astronomical price.


    ¡°B-but, you did help me identify the counterfeit item earlier. This item isn¡¯t too bad. Please sell it to me!¡±


    I now understood why scammers kept flocking to her. She was too generous.


    ¡°No, there¡¯s no need. It''s not that great.¡±


    I didn''t have high hopes for the stamina recovery ring to begin with. While I was in dire need of money, I¡¯d feel bad selling it to her. I¡¯d rathere forward about my difficulties to my editor instead.


    ¡°If I get my hands on something else, can Ie back again?¡±


    ¡°Of course! That''s what I wanted to ask, actually! Next time, I''ll buy your items at a higher price than the market rate. Pleasee again, Mr. Hermit!¡± The store owner bowed deeply as I left her shop.


    I looked at the Druid''s Ring in hand, feeling bittersweet. As expected, I wasn¡¯t fated to win the lottery in this life.


    [Appraisal seeded.]


    Just then, my innate power activated on its own, and a new message window appeared.


    -----


    [Druid''s Ring]


    A ring imbued with the vitality of the forest. No.808 never took it off.


    Special note: Better give this to Sung Mi-Ri, who is nearby.


    -----


    The special note on it changed. Didn''t it say ¡°increases elemental power¡± before?


    <i>Wait. But Sung Mi-Ri...</i>


    ¡°Thunder Emperor?¡±


    ***


    ¡°Move!¡±


    Cursing under their breath, the Hunters who burst out of Hye-Ja Trading disappeared into the crowd on the streets.


    Sung Mi-Ri wore the cap low, covering her face with arge mask, to disguise herself. The heavy, fine dust prevented her from standing out in the crowd. She had concealed her aura as well.


    <i>Phew, at least he doesn¡¯t look like every Tom, Dick and Harry.</i>


    To sense her concealed aura, he¡¯d at least have to be a C-rank Hunter. She was nning to step in if he proved to be no match for the muscr Hunters.


    But what was she, the Thunder Emperor, doing here of all ces?


    The following day, she visited the hospital to secretly check up on Yu Il-Shin. To her surprise, he had been discharged early. Yes, the man whom she recalled had suffered heavy burns when she first saved him. Even though she had witnessed the same man recover fully without a single scar left behind, it was still outrageous.


    Sure, he could¡¯ve consumed the highest-grade potion. The question would be, "From where?" The general public shouldn¡¯t have had any ess to items distributed only to the highest-ranking Hunters.


    The more she observed him, the more peculiar he became. He somehow knew her true identity, which was only revealed to her family and the top brass of the Hunter Association. He could also recover from critical injuries overnight.


    Thankfully, she had learned of Yu Il-Shin¡¯s residential address. In fact, that was how she ended up here. And just now, he had dispelled high-ranking skills that were applied on the armor.


    Back then, at the examination center, she clearly remembered that he was just a G-rank Hunter. Was it really because of Yu Il-Shin that she was able to surpass her limits that day? <i>But...</i>


    <i>What am I doing right now?</i>


    A wave of regret swept over her toote.


    <i>I¡¯m totally a stalker now.</i>


    No matter how desperate she was, she shouldn¡¯t be doing this. Moreover, her older sister had caught on to the fact that she was staying outte at night recently. On the outside, her older sister may appear like an eye-catching, slender beauty, but on the inside, she was akin to raging fire doused with oil. One wrong move, and Yu Il-Shin would get implicated.


    <i>Yeah, I should stop. It might be better to approach him sometimeter in a more proper manner.</i>


    She was about to turn and leave when she heard a voice.


    ¡°<i>Thun</i>... no, Ms. Sung Mi-Ri?¡±


    Surprised and flustered, she turned around in the direction of the voice, only to see Yu Il-Shin standing there.


    <i>But how...?</i>


    Despite the fact that she had a cap and a mask on, Yu Il-Shin easily spotted her amidst the crowd. His eyes were clear and profound, as if he were a sage.


    Yu Il-Shin looked around briefly, before starting cautiously, ¡°<i>Uhm</i>, you might think I¡¯m crazy for saying something like this out of the blue...¡±


    He ced something in Sung Mi-Ri¡¯s hand and continued.


    ¡°Please take this. It will definitely help you.¡±


    What she received was a small ring that looked like a toy. But as soon as it was in her hand...


    <i>Pzz! Pzz!</i>


    The blue gemstone on the ring turned yellow, shining mysteriously.


    ¡°T-this is...!¡±


    Sung Mi-Ri snapped to her senses and looked for Yu Il-Shin, but he had already disappeared into the crowd.


    ***


    I hid under my covers. <i>Fuck. </i>My face was still flushed.


    Thunder Emperor may be greatly admired and respected by many, but Ms. Sung Mi-Ri herself was still a young teenage girl.


    For an adult like me to hand her a toy ring while blurting those words... I couldn¡¯t stop cringing.


    Even if she had covered her face with a cap and a mask, it wasn¡¯t difficult for me to spot her in the crowd. She stood out to me like light shining in the dark.


    <i>But it ended up bing my newest dark chapter...</i>


    <i>It¡¯s still a good thing, right?</i>


    As soon as I handed her the Druid¡¯s Ring, the special note for Thunder Emperor changed instantly.


    -----


    [Sung Mi-Ri]


    A female human. Has been around for 19 years.


    Special note: Extremely electrifying.


    -----


    A new modifier was attached to the existing word.


    <i>...Was that ring really beneficial for her?</i>


    <i>Ugh, how do I stop myself from cringing?</i>


    <i>Whiiing~!</i>


    Ah, right, the hole in the wall. Spring might have arrived, but the weather was still chilly. I wrapped myself in the nket I had borrowed from my older sister, trying to fall asleep.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [The innate power Blind Eyes of God has been activated.]


    ***


    I had a dream that I was in a pce.


    The pce itself was muchrger and more extravagant than any other architecture that had existed across all eras in this world. The grand hall, the size of Jamsil Stadium, was filled with hundreds of thousands of insects. They ranged from wasps, beetles, spiders, and even the red ants simr to the ones I had killed. They were lying on the floor, shaking their heads.


    On a closer look, they didn¡¯t seem to be ordinary insects. Each had a bizarre appearance, seemingly a mix of human and insect. If anything, they looked like insectoid aliens that came out of a Sci-Fi movie oric. The only thing they had inmon was their red color.


    Bowing their heads toward the altar, the insects had a look of fear and awe on their faces. The faint silhouette behind the thick veil spokenguidly.


    -A monster worshiped by the uncivilized ck tribe had wiped out a 100,000-strong army...? Are you sure this report is true?


    His soft voice was heard clearly by everyone, as if it had been spoken directly into their minds.


    The insects buried their heads onto the ground, trembling like mad.


    ¡°I am immensely sorry, Your Majesty! Your ipetent followers deserve to die!¡±


    <i>...Your Majesty?</i>

 Chapter 17: Silently Crawling Nightmare

    <h4>Chapter 17: Silently Crawling Nightmare</h4>


    However insignificant they may be, the overwhelming number of the red ants was just fascinating and awe-inspiring.


    -Fear not, I¡¯m not angry. In fact, it¡¯s quite the opposite.


    An ominous and grimughter, akin to the scraping sound of a rusty iron, resounded from behind the veil.


    ¡°Heed my orders, General Kamikiri.¡±


    In response, an insect in front of the hall jumped up to attention. It was covered in white cloth from top to toe, making its appearance indiscernible. Instead of arms, des emitting a crimson glow protruded from each of its sleeves. Crossing the des, it bowed.


    ¡°Your Majesty¡¯s Four Sword of the Ten Swords, General Kamikiri, awaits your order.¡±


    -All this time, if not for the Berry of the World Tree and the Saintess, I would¡¯ve never batted an eye on the lowly ck tribe. But now, I¡¯m more curious about the peculiar god they serve.


    The emperor dictated.


    -Kamikiri, I shall give you five million troops. Lead them and put that monster into a trial. We shall see whether it¡¯s a god to be worshiped. If it is, you may hand over thest god throne of the empire.


    ¡°What if the monster fails the trial?¡±


    -What do you think the answer is, Kamikiri?


    <i>Baaam!</i>


    From the emperor, murderous intent spread in all directions! Some of the insects couldn¡¯t withstand the aura and pissed themselves. Others even began foaming at their mouths.


    -Rip it apart and offer it to the gods of the great empire!


    ***


    ¡°<i>Cough!</i>¡± I woke up, my entire body drenched in sweat.


    Based on everything I had seen, it was clear these weren¡¯t just nightmares. They were irvoyant dreams. Above all, I couldn¡¯t stop thinking about the outrageous numbers I saw in it.


    ¡°F-five million...?¡±


    A hundred thousand ants was enough to make me keel over. Now, they were going to send an army fifty times that?!


    <i>Fuck. This is it. This is the end! </i>


    <i>What should I do now?</i>


    <i>Katalk katalk!</i>


    I was anxiously trying to think of a way out when my phone rang out of the blue.


    Who was messaging me at this hour? Was it my editor? But the number wasn¡¯t from my contact list.


    Silently Crawling Nightmare: Do you... need power...?


    <i>What a cliche line. </i>


    But why did the nickname look so familiar...? I instantly replied to them.


    Yu Il-Shin the Almighty: Who are you?


    Silently Crawling Nightmare: I¡¯m the evil of all evil, the one who devours everything... the origin of all nightmares...


    Seriously, all his lines were so childish. Was one of the senior writers ying a prank on me?


    Yu Il-Shin the Almighty: Stop joking. Who are you? Are you Cracker hyung?


    Silently Crawling Nightmare: If you need power, I can grant it to you... O new, immature and weak god...


    I still didn¡¯t know who it was, what I knew was they¡¯d keep talking like that.


    Yes, I needed power. Preferably something so devastating, it could wipe out all five million of ants at once.


    <i>Or maybe I should just send in an official request to CESCO. </i>


    <i>Katalk katalk!</i>


    Silently Crawling Nightmare: If so, make an offering...


    Yu Il-Shin the Almighty: What? An offering?


    Silently Crawling Nightmare: Yes... Immature and weak god.... First, offer a hundred of your kind... It would be better if they shared your blood... If you do that, I¡¯ll share my powers as the Ultimate Malevolent God, with you...


    <i>Huh? Are they nuts? They¡¯re taking the joke too far.</i>


    Offer a hundred humans? On top of that, people who shared my blood? Was he asking me to sacrifice my beloved family? Blood rushed into my head.


    Yu Il-Shin the Almighty: Hey, I don¡¯t know who you are, but cut the crap. I¡¯m going to block you if you continue with this nonsense.


    Silently Crawling Nightmare: How dare you... How dare you disrespect me, the owner of nightmares...? Do you realize what you have done...?!


    I raised my finger.


    Silently Crawling Nightmare: Ah! No, wait! Hey, you punk! I¡¯m giving you a gift, yet you¡¯re being so cold...!


    Unlike the slow messages from just a while ago, it was already toote when they sent thetest message.


    <i>Click</i>.


    Blocked.


    <i>Hmph, teach them to roley within limits. How dare they bring my family into this?</i>


    I didn¡¯t know where they found my <i>Katalk</i> username, but it wasn¡¯t my first time dealing with these loonies.


    <i>Rumble¡ª!</i>


    Just then, thunder rumbled in the sky.


    <i>That¡¯s weird</i>.


    In today¡¯s weather forecast, there was no mention of thunderstorms or rain. But soon, neither the weather nor the roleyer mattered to me anymore.


    ¡°Ah, fuck. What should I do?¡±


    Five million ants were targeting me. Such a ridiculous situation it was! Out of this world! Still, I had to find a way to survive first. At the very least, if I knew when those ants would attack...


    [The innate power Blind Eyes of God has been activated.]


    Seemingly responding to my anxiety, my skill activated on its own again. Instead of my room, a vast in appeared before my eyes. A ferocious red river cut across it.


    <i>Stomp! Stomp! Stomp!</i>


    No, that wasn¡¯t a river. It was the army of red ants marching in unison. They were also equipped.


    <i>Rumble! Rumble!</i>


    They were dragging along crude-looking tanks and siege weaponry that resembled catapults. The splendor they disyed made them seem like a well-trained medieval army instead of mere ants.


    Among them, a certain figure stood out. Leading the ant army was an entity shrouded in ck cloth, with a build twenty times the size of a regr ant. As I took a closer look, eerie red glows flickered from beneath the ck cloth where the eyes should be.


    -How dare you, you evil monster!


    <i>W-what? I got caught?</i>


    -Prepare yourself, monster! Soon, you shall see the true might of the empire! I, General Kamikiri, will gouge your eyes out! Your head shall serve as a trinket for His Majesty!


    Those words were definitely directed at me. My heart sank.


    [Duration until General Kamikiri and the imperial army reaches Yu Il-Shin: 71 hours 32 minutes 21 seconds.]


    At that moment, the scenery before me changed once more. <i>Such a handy ability. </i>I calmed my racing heart, trying to assess my current situation objectively. I had roughly three days left. It was neither long nor short.


    Above all, it was a huge advantage for me to know when the ants would attack. If I had to engage in an enclosed space with no escape like before, I most likely wouldn¡¯t survive.


    Regardless of their overwhelming numbers, ants would still drown, right? After that, I probably wouldn¡¯t be able to y God-Maker. Well, still better than dying.


    However, I intended for this to be myst resort. As for my first measure... I opened God-Maker.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Launching God-Maker.]


    As soon as the game finished loading, I saw the termite and the swarm of ck ants bowing in the cave.


    [The Saintess and 101 followers are horrified upon hearing news of the empire¡¯s attack.]


    <i>Are you guys shaking? Well, me too.</i>


    I empathized with the ants as I switched to a different menu on the app.


    [Opening God¡¯s Shop.]


    Soon, a long catalog appeared.


    -----


    New! [Lightning Wielding Hammer (High-tier God)]


    Category: Exclusive Weapon for Benevolent God


    Price: 21,000,000 Gcoins


    -----


    [God-Trapping Jar (Mid-tier God)]


    Category: Exclusive Sacred Item for Malevolent God


    Price: 9,000,000 Gcoins


    -----


    [Summon Guardian of the Benevolent Forest (High-tier God)]


    Category: Exclusive Summoning Skill for Benevolent God


    Price: 100,000,000 Gcoins


    (...)


    -----


    <i>Ha!</i> The prices were as ridiculous as ever. Despite having about 200,000 Gcoins, the only thing I could afford from this store was Bhus-F¡ªno, Blessing of the Growth God. Most Low-tier powers easily exceeded millions. But let¡¯s not forget a certain perk I had...


    -----


    [Brutal Killer (F ¡ª> E)]


    The one who walks the path of a malevolent god. Ovee the iing trials and be a true malevolent god!


    -----


    [You have ovee a trial!]


    [As a reward, you may now purchase the power of a Low-tier God from the God¡¯s Shop without using Gcoins.]


    [However, you may only purchase a malevolent god¡¯s power.]


    -----


    On the day when I almost died because of the Spiky Rhinoceros, that message appeared. Although the perk was limited to the powers of malevolent gods, I could still obtain a low tier one for free. It was the same as making a few million coins at once.


    I read through the store catalog carefully.


    ¡°<i>Ugh</i>, there¡¯s too many.¡±


    The list was so long, I got fed up right away. I didn¡¯t have a guide, much else someone to turn to. I only had my own judgment to rely on. Only a single choice, so I better ponder about it carefully.


    <i>Damn it, if only there was something I could refer to...</i>


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    Just then, a nice-sounding idea struck my mind like a sh of lightning.


    ***


    A man with huge dark circles stared at me, fatigue evident on his face.


    That was me. More urately speaking, it was my reflection in the mirror.


    I had been staring at myself in the mirror for the past five minutes. Not because I was a narcissist, by the way. Thinking that my innate power, Blind Eyes of God, could appraise people or items, I thought that it might work on myself too.


    I tried to focus on myself again and again. Before I knew it, another ten minutes had passed. My eyes stung like crazy and tears began rolling down my cheeks. Did I get it wrong? Could I not appraise myself?


    Just as I thought that I should give up,


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Appraisalplete!]

 Chapter 18: Convicting Middle Finger of God

    <h4>Chapter 18: Convicting Middle Finger of God</h4>


    Fine dust engulfed the dark night sky of Seoul.


    <i>sh! Rumble, bam bam bam!</i>


    From the 80-floor building housing the Hunter Association, powerful lightning streaked across the night sky. It dispersed the thick veil of fine dust, revealing the moon and stars. A miracle made possible by one person.


    ¡°<i>Haa! Haa!</i>¡±


    A girl d in instedtex was panting. Sparks scattered from her long, lustrous ck hair. She was Sung Mi-Ri, also known as the B-rank Hunter, Thunder Emperor, but this was a secret to the public.


    ¡°7,000MP! That¡¯s an all-time high among A-rank Hunters!¡± The researcher who monitored her levels yelled in excitement.


    ¡°That¡¯s awesome!¡± The chairman of the Hunter Association apuded in admiration.


    There were some S-rank Hunters among the spectators, and neither of them could achieve simr results. Moreover, for a B-rank Hunter, especially a rare Lightning-type like her, to rank up was an extremely rare sight. With the addition of Hunter Kang-Woo, who recently gained ess to the Hunter Shop, the advantage was even greater, especially considering there were fewer than ten S-rank Hunters in South Korea.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get cocky, Sung Mi-Ri. You¡¯re just an A-rank Hunter.¡±


    When everyone else was celebrating her achievement, a voice said, raining on her parade. It was Sung Mi-Ri¡¯s older sister, S-rank Hunter Sung Mi-Na.


    ¡°Don¡¯t do anything unnecessary. If you ever think of getting revenge, I¡¯ll kill you myself.¡± Sung Mi-Na spat out those words coldly, before turning on her heels.


    ¡°How scary.¡± Her partner, S-rank Hunter Baek Yoo-Hyun, clicked his tongue in disapproval. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m looking forward to working with you, Little Sister! We¡¯ll be seeing each other on raids more often from now on.¡±


    Some of the officials from the Hunter Association and S-rank Hunters congratted Sung Mi-Ri, but she didn¡¯t feel deserving of it. After all, she didn¡¯t ovee her limits with her own efforts.


    She looked down at the small ring on her pinky finger. Ever since she put it on, her lightning ability received a terrifying and massive boost.


    Surely, not even a Grade S item that cost an arm and a leg could achieve such a feat. Yet, Yu Il-Shin gave it to her as if it were nothing.


    <i>That uncle, just who is he?</i>


    Sung Mi-Ri fiddled with the Druid¡¯s Ring as she thought of Yu Il-Shin.


    ***


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Appraisalplete!]


    <i>Hell yeah!</i>


    Information on me appeared immediately after.


    -----


    [Yu Il-Shin]


    A Low-tier God of Antrinia. Originally known as Nameless God. Eventually attained status through the faith of the ck tribe that presided over the World Tree.


    Special note: Weak loser.


    -----


    ...The fact written in the special note hit me like a punch to the gut. Still, I was a Low-tier God? I guess it¡¯d be weirder if killing a few ants attained me a high rank.


    <i>Huh, why is it so long?</i>


    My previous appraisals were at most four lines long, while my own showed a long wall of information.


    -----


    [Titles]


    Titles are granted through acts of God.


    Currently holding 2 titles.


    -----


    -Brutal Killer (Malevolent God): Rank D


    The power of destruction andbat luck is gained ording to the god¡¯s development.


    The current reward for increasing the title¡¯s rank allows the purchase of a power of a Low-tier God at the God¡¯s Shop without using Gcoins. However, you may only purchase a malevolent god¡¯s power.


    -----


    -Benevolent Savior (Benevolent God): Rank E


    Small miracles happen ording to the god¡¯s development.


    As the evil alignment is currently stronger, you might be favored by the malevolent gods and shunned by the benevolent gods.


    -----


    [Innate Power]


    Powers that gods acquire through their own talents and experience. Closely tied to their alignment.


    Yu Il-Shin currently has 2 innate powers and ¡°???¡±.


    -Crushing Forefinger of God: Rank F


    Description: Your rank increases with the faith you earn or the achievements you unlock.


    -Blind Eyes of God: Rank E


    Description: This innate power has been upgraded from F to E due to the sessful appraisals made by the Low-tier God. Rank increases as you seed in appraising more difficult targets.


    -----


    There was more valuable information presented than I expected.


    First and foremost, the titles. At the moment, my alignment was leaning toward the malevolent side. Apparently, I was shunned by Benevolent Gods. Since my Malevolent God title was at Rank D, I should probably raise the rank of my Benevolent God title to the same level.


    Right, I could also level up my innate powers. Then, I shifted my attention to the next item.


    -----


    -¡°???¡±


    Description: Power bestowed by the Ultimate Malevolent God, Silently Crawling Nightmare.


    -----


    Silently Crawling Nightmare? Wasn¡¯t that the guy who sent me ridiculous messages on Katalk earlier? So, he wasn¡¯t roleying? He was a real god, and of the highest tier?


    ¡°<i>Ah.</i>¡±


    It suddenly urred to me. Something happened during the onught of the army of red ants. When I was about to die in the fire, I received a mysterious message out of nowhere.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    -----


    [The high-ranking malevolent god, Silently Crawling Nightmare, has sent Yu Il-Shin a present.]


    [Favors or gifts from high-ranking malevolent gods may cause a shift in your alignment.]


    [Would you like to ept the gift? (Yes/No)]


    -----


    Clutching at straws, I immediately chose ¡°yes.¡± Yet, despite epting the gift, nothing happened. That day, I only escaped with my life because of Thunder Emperor.


    ¡°Still, I¡¯m kind of curious what they gave me.¡±


    I stared intently on the question marks, hoping that it¡¯d get appraised.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    -----


    [Appraisal failed!]


    [The level of Blind Eyes of God is too low.]


    -----


    ¡°<i>Argh</i>!¡±


    Along with the message from God-Maker, a splitting headache came over me.


    ¡°<i>Huff! Puff!</i>¡±


    I stared at myself in the mirror as cold sweat trickled down my body. This wouldn¡¯t do. I had to level up my appraisal skill first.


    ¡°Is this... thest one?¡±


    Composing myself, I looked at thest item, which might be what I needed the most.


    -----


    [Acquirable Power]


    -Convicting Middle Finger of God


    Power Yu Il-Shin earned by killing 100,000 ants of the imperial army with fire.


    This power can be acquired upon obtaining a Fire-type power of a Low-tier God and above from the God¡¯s Shop.


    -----


    In short, I could unlock innate powers through talent, experience, and the god¡¯s alignment. I obtained Crushing Forefinger of God through ying the game, and Blind Eyes of God through my observation and curiosity of the ants.


    If so, wouldn¡¯t Convicting Middle Finger of God be a Fire-type power? After all, to unlock it, I had to obtain simr power from the God¡¯s Shop.


    ¡°Convicting Middle Finger of God...¡±


    Something about the name made me think that it¡¯d be a great weapon for the uing disaster.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll buy the prerequisite power from the rewards I got from the title Brutal Killer.¡±


    I carefully went through the catalog in the God¡¯s Shop once more. Then, after two full hours of deliberation...


    ¡°I¡¯ve decided.¡±


    -----


    [God¡¯s Shop]


    [mes of Gehenna (Low-tier God)]


    [Category: Exclusive Power for Malevolent Gods]


    [Purchase Cost: 2,000,000 Gcoins]


    -----


    ***


    I was currently in a park near my house. As it was midnight, there was no one else beside me. Since it was the perfect ce for me to try out my new power, I had noints.


    I had purchased the power, mes of Gehenna, from the God¡¯s Shop. As the name suggested, it was a Fire-type power. Also, the word ¡°Gehenna¡± rang a bell. Gehenna, from Jerusalem, referred to a hill where people would burn trash or evildoers. It also symbolized hell.


    <i>Wow, so, hellfire?</i>


    Sounded pretty intense to me.


    [You have purchased the mes of Gehenna.]


    [Since it was purchased as a reward for the Brutal Killer title, no Gcoins were used.]


    <i>Kwaaa!</i>


    When I selected it, my entire body was engulfed in dark mes. Interestingly enough, it didn¡¯t feel hot at all. At the same time, a voice echoed in my head, like sizzling oil.


    -Kekeke, you¡¯ve chosen my power¡ªthe power of the Ruler of Hell! Imend you for your astute judgment! You shall be the absolute ruler, reigning over all evils!


    ¡°<i>Ohhh</i>!¡±


    I definitely felt it¡ªI had hit the jackpot! With this, there was no way I¡¯d lose! As soon as I purchased it, another message popped up.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [You have met the requirements to acquire an innate power.]


    [You can acquire the innate power, Convicting Middle Finger of God, by spending 100 Gcoins.]


    [Would you like to acquire the power? (Yes/No)]


    ¡°Yes!¡± I yelled with enthusiasm.


    <i>Pzzz!</i>


    The 100-unit dark Gcoin in my hand crumbled into dust.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [You have acquired an innate power.]


    -----


    [Convicting Middle Finger of God]


    Category: Innate Power


    Description: Yu Il-Shin¡¯s innate power, activated with hellfire and 100,000 sacrifices.


    The mighty Yu Il-Shin speaketh, "I¡¯m the arbiter of all evil! Those who go against me will burn in the fires of hell!¡±


    -----


    <i>Okay, those lines are just cringey.</i>


    Anyway, that was how I acquired a new innate power.


    ¡°<i>Phew</i>, shall we test it out then?¡±


    I gathered my focus.


    <i>Thump! Thump!</i>


    My heart raced with excitement and anticipation. So far, nothing good ever happened to me since I started ying God-Maker. But this time, I had a rtively good feeling!


    Raising my middle finger to the sky, I solemnly called out.


    ¡°Convicting Middle Finger of God!¡±

 Chapter 19: This Author Writes While On Drugs

    <h4>Chapter 19: This Author Writes While On Drugs</h4>


    I shivered as I sat down on the park¡¯s bench. Out of habit, I pulled out a cigarette and put it into my mouth. But I had no lighter with me. Did I forget to bring it?


    Whatever. I raised my middle finger.


    ¡°Convicting Middle Finger of God.¡±


    <i>Flicker!</i>


    From my middle finger, a lick of dark me, the size of a fingernail, appeared! I lit the cigarette with it.


    I took one long puff, enough to burn the cigarette up to its filter, and subsequently let out a huge cloud of white smoke.


    ¡°<i>Huu</i>.¡±


    The cigarette was quite bitter today. Look. Now I, Yu Il-Shin, had no need for a remote control or a lighter. Such an immacte and wless being I was.


    ¡°<i>Hahaha</i>!¡± Iughed like a madman, tearing at my hair. ¡°Fuck! Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me!¡±


    I red at God-Maker, grinding my teeth in anger.


    ¡°Yeah, to the Han River you go.¡±


    This was a goodbye. Nothing good ever happened since I came across the game. Not only did I almost get killed by the ants, but I also got attacked by monsters! At the very least, with my phone at the bottom of the Han River, the army of ants hot on my heels would drown and die. I jumped out of my seat after making my decision.


    <i>Katalk katalk!</i>


    ¡°Who is it this early in the morning?¡±


    An average writer would¡¯ve stayed up all night and headed to bed as soon as the day broke. Sending messages at this hour would be considered rude.


    Mighty Editor-In-Charge: Mr. Yu, it¡¯s been over a week since youst sent your manuscript. I understand you have personal reasons, but we also havemitments to our consumers. If the dy continues, it will put us in a difficult position. Additionally, you¡¯ve received a significant advance in royalties. T.T


    It was from my worst fear!


    <i>Shiver!</i>


    Before I knew it, my fingers holding the cigarette had trembled. Being cased for manuscripts by their editor-in-charge was one of a writer¡¯s biggest fears! The intensity of this fear grew with the amount of advance royalties received from the publisher!


    Calming my trembling hands, I typed a response.


    Yu Il-Shin the Almighty:


    >I¡¯m sorry... I... I was going through a lot recently...


    ><i>(inserts timid bear emoticon)</i>


    >I was only discharged from the hospital a few days back... But I had the main plot figured out. I should be able to finish it soon. Please just give me a few more days and I¡¯ll send it over...


    ><i>(inserts crying bear lying on the ground emoticon)</i>


    In my desperate attempt to look pitiful, I deliberately added a bunch of ellipses in my replies and even used the timid bear emoticons, which had recently be a huge craze.


    Mighty Editor-in-Charge:


    ><i>Aigoo</i>, of course, I know how you feel, our diligent Mr. Yu...


    ><i>(inserts rabbit wiping tears with handkerchief emoticon)</i>


    >But thepany also has to earn money... If you can¡¯t send at least half a volume''s worth of manuscript by today, the CEO said he would consider terminating your contract... I have no choice... T.T


    ><i>(inserts rabbit holding a kitchen knife with shing eyes emoticon)</i>


    <i>Argh! It¡¯s not working... As expected of a veteran who had been in the industry for over a decade!</i>


    Mighty Editor-in-Charge: Mr. Yu, I believe that you will send me the manuscript before I get off work today. Good luck!


    ¡°What? Hey!¡± I hurriedly sent another response, but it was left on read.


    <i>Arghhh! This heartless Editor-in-Charge! ...Ugh, how much have I written so far?</i>


    Myst manuscript was around 20,000 characters long, so I¡¯d just have to add another 50,000 characters to make it half a volume¡¯s length. ...And that would amount to roughly 500 pages!


    I have to write that much in a day?<i> Absolutely. Impossible</i>. What was I even supposed to write about?!


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [The Saintess and 101 followers tearfully begged not to be forsaken.]


    I opened God-Maker, and saw the ants praying to me. I did feel a pang of sadness watching them, but I needed to survive first. As a matter of course, the most urgent thing on my list was finishing the manuscript.


    <i>Argh, what should I do?</i>


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    I recalled thest manuscript that was sent. I had clearly disyed potentials that not even myself was aware of. I reconfirmed the time of the attack from the imperial army ants.


    [Duration until General Kamikiri and the imperial army reaches Yu Il-Shin: 66 hours 22 minutes 12 seconds]


    <i>Great. There¡¯s still plenty of time for me. </i>


    I would dispose of my mobile phone¡ªno, God-Maker after submitting my manuscript. I ran back home and opened the God¡¯s Shop, then did a bulk purchase.


    -----


    [Blessing of the Growth God]


    Grade: Low-tier God


    Description: Contains the bodily fluids of the Eternal Seeker, shed during his training to attain the highest level of divinity.


    Special note: Consuming this will allow mortals to unleash their full potential. The more they drink, the better.


    ¡°So buy more!¡±


    -----


    <i>That hard-selling sales pitch still stood out like a sore thumb...</i>


    <i>Pop!</i>


    I removed the lid and downed the golden liquid. <i>Uuuggghh. </i>Yep, it tasted like Bhus-F, alright. Then, I looked at the open document in myptop. Nope, still nk. Well,st time, I only found apleted manuscript after emptying six whole bottles, so I should probably do just that.


    <i>Glug glug!</i>


    I emptied five more bottles in an instant.


    ¡°<i>Buuuurp!</i>¡±


    I felt bloated, but I¡¯d dly endure it as long as I could submit the manuscript on time. But...


    ¡°Wait, why is it so quiet?¡±


    Nothing happened. Was I mistaken? Or did this Bhus-F vored potion be less effective with each use? Did I develop a resistance or immune effect?


    ¡°Fine, let¡¯s see who wins.¡±


    I nned to get rid of God-Maker before the imperial army ants arrived, anyway. I bought more potions without hesitation.


    <i>Ding! Ding!</i>


    [The Eternal Seeker feels pleased at the sight of the pushover.]


    I ignored the offensive message.


    ¡°<i>Huff, puff!</i>¡± After emptying ten, then twenty bottles, my stomach was as bloated as a frog.


    ¡°<i>Blergh!</i>¡±


    I could feel the mixture of acid reflux and Bhus-F at my esophagus. If I moved even a little, it¡¯d surelye out. Bted regret washed over me like a<i> tsunami</i>. Why was I so dumb? I should have just worked on the manuscript and ripped my hair out like a normal person.


    As expected, writers shouldn¡¯t look for shortcuts.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [God-Maker¡¯s assimtion rate increased significantly.]


    [5%¡ª>10%]


    [Yu Il-Shin¡¯s innate power has been boosted in ordance with the assimtion rate.]


    <i>Oh, there it is!</i>


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [The title Benevolent Savior (E) has been activated!]


    [A ¡®small miracle¡¯ is happening to Yu Il-Shin.]


    <i>A small miracle! This is it! </i>


    The same message appearedst time. And when I woke up, the manuscript waspleted!


    ¡°Yes! Hurry, before the deadline...!¡±


    <i>Ding dong, ding dong.</i>


    Just then, the doorbell rang. Who was it? I shouldn¡¯t have any visitors at this hour.


    ¡°Who...¡± I was about to head to the porch when I felt dizzy and drowsy. Even the phenomenon was simr.


    <i>Now, the manuscript will bepleted again, right?</i>


    <i>Plop!</i>


    Feeling content, I fell unconscious.


    ***


    A girl fidgeted in front of the door of a half-burnt studio. She was the extremely electrifying high school girl, also known as Thunder Emperor, Sung Mi-Ri. In her hands was the best cake from a famous cake boutique in Gangnam, for which she had to wait in line for two hours.


    Of course, she knew this cake wouldn¡¯t be enough. That¡¯s where the bank book came in. It contained all the money she had earned while working as a Hunter. Since she was mostly active in relief work, her payment wasn¡¯t that high. Nevertheless, she nned to repay him by working harder in the future, even if it¡¯d take her an entire lifetime.


    Yu Il-Shin was her benefactor. She could only achieve what she was capable of today and take a chance at getting revenge because of him. On the outside, he might seem like an average joe, but he was actually quite unusual. Sung Mi-Ri had witnessed it herself.


    Not only was Yu Il-Shin capable of detecting fraudulent items, he also gave her an incredible item without asking for anything in return. A hidden talent who didn¡¯t reveal his abilities to the world.


    <i>Would he find it weird that I showed up at his house?</i>


    <i>Thump thump!</i>


    Her heart pounded heavily as if it was about to burst. She didn¡¯t even feel this way when facing the monsters.


    ¡°Whatever!¡± Sung Mi-Ri shut her eyes and pressed the doorbell.


    <i>Ding dong, ding dong!</i>


    But no one answered the door.


    <i>Is he not home?</i>


    Sung Mi-Ri thought of visiting another day when...


    <i>Creeeak¡ª</i>


    The door opened slightly, which meant that it wasn¡¯t locked in the first ce.


    ¡°<i>Um</i>, is anyone in?¡± She carefully pushed the door open and peeked in.


    <i>Whiiing¡ª</i>


    She was greeted by a gaping hole in the wall, through which wind was blowing. Sung Mi-Ri blushed. After all, she was the culprit behind it. Just as she thought of fixing it as soon as possible, aptop sitting right in the middle of the room caught her attention.


    <i>Did he step out for a while?</i>


    Seeing how theptop was left on, it didn¡¯t seem like Yu Il-Shin would be away for long.


    <strong>Yu Il-Shin Manuscript (Title Not Determined).hwp</strong>


    However, there was only a nk Word document and an anxiously blinking cursor on the screen.


    ***


    <i>Thud!</i>


    Triumphantly, I ced the thick stack of manuscript on the table in front of my editor. He scrutinized the beautiful stack of papers, before sping his hands and giving me a salute.


    ¡°You¡¯re so amazing, Mr. Yu! Who would¡¯ve thought that you¡¯dplete it in such a short period of time! I know you can do it! I¡¯ve always believed in you!¡±


    ¡°<i>Hmph</i>, this is nothing. I can do anything as long as I put my heart to it.¡± I shrugged nonchntly.


    ¡°<i>Hahaha</i>! Are you always this funny?! You¡¯re also fast with your work! This novel will definitely be a huge hit!¡±


    ¡°Hahaha, don¡¯t mention it. Then shall we have <i>Hanwoo</i>[1] today?¡±


    ¡°Sure!¡±


    Both of usughed amicably as we enjoyed our dinner of Hanwoo.


    ¡°Here, Mr. Genius Writer. Please ept this ss of alcohol from me.¡±


    <i>Ugh! This is it! Heaven on earth!</i>


    Chewing on a piece of delicious Hanwoo while moistening my throat with a ss of soju was just blissful.


    This was how life should taste like! But... <i>huh?</i> Did my alcohol tolerance drop? I only had a ss, but why did my cheeks feel hot?


    <i>p! p!</i>


    ¡°Why isn¡¯t he waking up? Is he dead already?¡±


    ¡°But he¡¯s definitely still breathing, Hyung-nim.¡±


    ¡°Shit. How many days has it been? Was he on drugs?¡±


    Angry voices echoed all around me as I opened my eyes.


    The smell of sizzling, fragrant Hanwoo and sweet soju bottles before me transformed into a few muscr underlings and a scrawny guy.


    <i>Drip.</i>


    Tears rolled down my face. <i>Ahh</i>, did I dream ofpleting the manuscript?


    ¡°Oh! He woke up, Hyung-nim!¡±


    ¡°<i>Haha</i>! Finally! ...Why¡¯s the punk crying?¡±


    ¡°<i>Keke</i>, he must be shitting his pants.¡±


    I looked around the shabby warehouse and then at myself. I was tied down to an office chair with a chain that emitted a strange ck light. They went the extra mile just to tie up a poor, scanty writer. Or was this part of the dream?


    I closed my eyes, hoping that I would quickly wake up from this nightmare and return to my studio. Then, I opened my eyes once more.


    <i>p!</i>


    ¡°You punk! Don¡¯t go back to sleep!¡±


    The p was so hard that it woke me back up.


    ¡°<i>Gasp!</i> W-who are you?¡±


    ¡°What? Who? Huh? He can¡¯t remember who we are after humiliating us?¡± The weak hyena-looking guy growled.


    My innate power activated on its own.


    -----


    [---]


    A male human. Around for 31 years.


    Special note: Uses puny mes.


    -----


    [---]


    A male human. Around for 29 years.


    Special note: Weak muscles.


    -----


    [---]


    A male human. Around for 35 years.


    Special note: Also has weak muscles.


    -----


    <i>Huh? ¡°Puny mes¡±? ¡°Weak muscles¡±? </i>


    Chills went down my spine.


    <i>A-are they the same crooks from before?</i>


    I had met them at the trading shop before, when I went to sell Druid¡¯s Ring. They had attempted to scam the store owner.


    ¡°<i>Ha</i>, did it jog your memory? It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you again, Mr. Yu Il-Shin.¡± The me guy snickered, piercing me with his sharp gaze.


    <i>What to do? I¡¯m not d to see you guys at all.</i>


    1. Like how Japan is famous for Wagyu, Korea is famous for Hanwoo. ?

 Chapter 20: The All-Cutting Heavenly Sword

    <h4>Chapter 20: The All-Cutting Heavenly Sword</h4>


    Back at the trading shop, I exposed their fraud. Was that why they kidnapped me? Beyond the windows, darkness seemed to stretch endlessly.


    <i>Wait. </i>


    <i>What about my deadline?</i>


    I snapped out of my daze. The editor had given me a warning. If I didn¡¯t submit it by today, I¡¯d have to kiss my career goodbye. Not only that, if my contract was terminated, I¡¯d have to return all the advanced royalties I had received from them!


    <i>Fuck! How is this a miracle!? This is a total sham!</i>


    ¡°What¡¯s with those eyes? Do you realize what kind of situation you are in?¡± The me guy let out a low growl.


    <i>No, you¡¯re wrong. I¡¯m fully aware of it. </i>


    <i>Argh. </i>Despite how important my submission was, I could see why it wouldn¡¯t matter at this moment.


    ¡°...What do you want from me?¡±


    ¡°What else? You need topensate for our losses, both physically and mentally.¡±


    <i>Ha! </i>What were these scammers expecting to get from a broke writer? Although, I did have some weird coins on me.


    Judging from the menacing looks on their faces, they most likely wouldn¡¯t let me off the hook even if I exined my situation to them.


    ¡°Okay. Can you give me my phone first?¡±


    The me guy signaled with his chin, and one of his underlings took something out of his pocket. It was my phone.


    ¡°Give us your lock pattern. We''ll make the call for you. Don¡¯t try anything funny.¡±


    <i>Flicker!</i>


    The me guy activated his skill, and a ball of me appeared in his hands. Yeah, he had no intention of letting me go. Complicated thoughts swirled in my mind.


    <i>Now what? What should I do? </i>


    Calling the police wasn¡¯t an option, so who should I call? Definitely not my older sister. I¡¯d rather die than involve her and my young niece. I nced at the chains that bound me.


    -----


    [Imitation Chains that Bound the Persecuted Saint]


    Around for a year.


    Special note: Engraved with a sort of binding skill.


    -----


    Was there any way to break this? Cautiously, I tried moving my index finger without them noticing.


    ¡°<i>Ack!</i> It hurts!¡± Underling No. 1 yelped and pped his neck.


    ¡°Asshole, why are you making a fuss?¡± The me guy frowned.


    ¡°S-sorry, Hyung-nim. I got bitten by a bug.¡±


    A bug? My eyes widened in surprise as I looked at his neck. There, I saw the crushed body of a red ant.


    <i>No way...</i>


    I anxiously shifted my focus on my phone, which was held by Underling No. 1. Just how long did I sleep? Had I be a sloth? With a flick of my index finger, the God-Maker wasunched.


    [Appraisal seeded!]


    [Duration until General Kamikiri and the imperial army reaches Yu Il-Shin: 00 hours 00 minutes 00 seconds]


    <i>Fuck, I¡¯m done for!</i>


    ¡°Hey! Throw that phone away and untie me now!¡± I yelled at the top of my lungs.


    ¡°<i>Huh?</i> That punk...¡±


    ¡°Quick, untie me if you don¡¯t want to die!¡±


    ¡°Hehe, looks like someone still doesn¡¯t know his ce. Regardless of what ability you have, they¡¯re useless as long as you¡¯re bound by those chains. Do you know how expensive they are?¡±


    <i>Damn, I have no time for this!</i>


    ¡°<i>Ugh!</i>¡± I gritted my teeth, raising my chained feet and kicking the me guy in front of me. The office chair rolled away as the rebound impact pushed me away from him.


    ¡°Bastard! Hey! Die already!¡±


    ¡°H-hyung-nim.¡±


    ¡°What are you... <i>gasp!</i>¡±


    The me guy turned around and went pale in an instant.


    ¡°<i>Arrrgh!</i> Kwang-Shik!¡±


    Beside him, Underling No. 2 yelled.


    Underling No. 1, who still had my phone, was swallowed by the swarm of red ants. His hands were reaching pathetically to his friends. It was a horrifying sight.


    ¡°S-save...¡±


    <i>Thud! Crack! Plop!</i>


    Just like that, his arm fell off like a twig.


    <i>Crack!</i>


    Then, his body crumbled like a sand castle, and was soon reduced to a pile of half-devoured bones. His death was anything but peaceful.


    The remaining two red at me with clear murderous intent.


    ¡°This asshole! So this is your awakened ability!¡±


    ¡°<i>Arrrgh!</i> How dare you kill my younger brother!¡±


    <i>No, you¡¯re mistaken. </i>


    <i>Ssss, sss¡ª</i>


    It didn¡¯t take long for the massive army of ants to surround the other two from all sides.


    <i>Bang bang bang!</i>


    Meanwhile, ants wouldn¡¯t stop pouring out of my phone like a dam bursting. The me guy gritted his teeth, almost chipping them.


    ¡°<i>Hmph! </i>It¡¯s certainly unique, but they¡¯re still just insects!¡±


    The me guy raised both hands up high.


    ¡°I¡¯ll burn all these damn insects to death!¡±


    <i>aaaast!</i>


    Briefly, my field of vision zed red.


    <i>...Seriously, how are those mes ¡°puny¡±?</i>


    If the fire I produced was like a lighter, his mes were like a methrower from the movies.


    <i>aaaast!</i>


    The huge mes engulfed the swarm of red ants.


    ¡°Hahaha! Die, all of you! Die!¡±


    <i>Tadak! Sizzle!</i>


    As the army of ants perished in the fire, I could hear the sizzling sound of grilled fat. <i>Phew, </i>I felt relieved at the sight.


    But that relief was short-lived.


    ¡°Now it¡¯s your turn.¡±


    The me guy turned to me with a spine-chilling look, both of his hands spewing mes.


    <i>Drr! Drrr!</i>


    I struggled with my feet, desperately pushing myself back, only to hit the wall instead. The me guy smirked at my efforts and directed the mes at me.


    ¡°Die.¡±


    <i>Plop!</i>


    Just then, a certain sound echoed in the room. If I were to describe it, it was simr to the sound of a watermelon falling on the floor.


    The eyes of the me guy rolled to the back of his head. His body fell limp, like a bundle of straw. The back of his head was half-crushed in, with a fist-sized rock stuck in it.


    Soon, I found out how that happened.


    <i>Tzz! Tzzz!</i>


    A crack formed in the air, as if a gate had just formed...


    <i>Drr! Drr!</i>


    A huge swarm of ants appeared, dragging along with them miniature catapults and siege weapons.


    <i>¡°Arrrgh!</i>¡±


    Underling No. 2, the only one left of the scammer trio, ran for his life. He went toward the door.


    ¡°<i>Hyiii!</i> Why! Why won¡¯t it open?!¡±


    <i>Bam! Bam!</i>


    Compared to his physique, the old wooden door looked like a flimsy piece of paper. Yet, despite his furious kicking, it didn¡¯t budge in the slightest. The same thing urred when I was attacked by the 100,000-strong army of ants.


    <i>Swoosh!</i>


    The catapultsunched.


    <i>Bam bam bam!</i>


    Hundreds of stones, zing with red aura, flew toward him. In a matter of seconds, he became a bloody pulp. Just like that, the poor guy was gone. He couldn¡¯t even scream for help.


    <i>Drr! Drr!</i>


    The catapults that killed Underling No. 2 were now aimed at me. The army ants raised their heads high and yelled in unison. Normally, I wouldn¡¯t be able to hear them. However, since there were millions of them, it became loud and clear, echoing the room as if there was a loudspeaker somewhere.


    -<i>Hahaha! </i>We have eradicated his minions! Now, the monster is all alone!


    -<i>Waaaah!</i> y the monster!


    -Show him the might of the empire!


    I could sense the insanity and bloodlust of the army ants all around me. They covered every inch of the warehouse, and even the skeletal remains of the Hunters. The sight sent shivers down my spine.


    <i>Crack crack!</i>


    -We shall feast on the monster!


    -<i>Keke! </i>We¡¯ll be able to attain divinity if we partake in its flesh!


    -Long live His Majesty for bestowing upon us this glorious banquet!


    A <i>tsunami </i>of red ants surged over me.


    ¡°<i>Arrrgh</i>!¡±


    As they crawled all over my body, I could feel death looming over me.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    Just then, a notification rang from my phone, which had fallen on the ground.


    [The small miracle has begun to take effect.]


    <i>What?</i>


    <i>Bam bam bam!</i>


    At the same time, a deafening roar of thunder shook the world!


    <i>Rumble, crackle! sh!</i>


    A dazzling and majestic lightning struck the ceiling,nding right in front of me.


    [Sung Mi-Ri]


    A female human. Around for 19 years.


    Special note: Extremely electrifying.


    The super electrifying girl¡ªno, Thunder Emperor, Sung Mi-Ri, stood before me.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    An actual miracle had happened.


    ***


    Leading the five million-strong army, General Kamikiri oversaw the battlefield like a hawk. Unlike the reports, the monster came with his minions. Two of which wererger than mountains, while the third one couldmand fire. Thetter was the biggest threat, as he had single-handedly wiped out a million of troops in one fell swoop.


    Like a seasoned warrior, General Kamikiri remained undaunted, dispatching his rear-guard troops to y those minions.


    Atst, only the monster remained. General Kamikiri and his troops surrounded it. Victory was right within his grasp.


    Thus, he sent a messenger and delivered an ultimatum.


    ¡°O'' Malevolent God, all your minions have been annihted! Surrender now and kneel before our great and merciful emperor so that your life may be spared!¡±


    In spite of that, the monster onlyughed ferociously. Thatughter alone made part of his army faint and foam at their mouths. Those barely hanging on had copsed to their knees, struck with fear. Even General Kamikiri was staring at the monster in horror.


    The monster onlyughed ferociously in response despite Kamikiri¡¯s message. Theughter alone made part of the army faint and foam at their mouths. Those barely hanging on were feeling weak in their knees, struck with fear. Even Kamikiri was staring at the monster in horror.


    However, General Kamikiri couldn¡¯t clearly make out the monster because it was shrouded in ink-ck darkness. Nevertheless, he recognized the power that was radiating from it. It was akin to the Silently Crawling Nightmare, who had apparently existed since the beginning of time.


    <i>No, there¡¯s no way!</i>


    General Kamikiri dismissed those thoughts. How could a god worshiped by the ck tribe be the god of all gods? Furthermore, only the great emperor couldmand him to die.


    ¡°Troops, unleash the God ying Weapon!¡±


    Before fear could set in, General Kamikirimanded with all his might.


    <i>Swoosh!</i>


    The God ying Weapon then rained down on the monster that was still arrogantly seated on his throne. General Kamikiri and his troops were certain that no matter how powerful the malevolent god was, it wouldn¡¯t stand a chance against the God ying Weapon!


    <i>Bam bam bam!</i>


    Just then, a deafening thunder split the heavens.


    <i>Rumble, crackle! sh!</i>


    A terrifying, blinding bolt of lightning struck the imperial army down.


    ¡°<i>Aaargh!</i>¡±


    ¡°Save me!¡±


    ¡°<i>Arrrrgh!</i>"


    It was as if the entrance to hell had just opened before them.


    <i>sh! sh!</i>


    <i>Rumble, bam bam bam!</i>


    ¡°N-no! How can the minion of a monster be that powerful!¡± General Kamikiri fell into despair.


    Half of his remaining troops had been decimated. The fire minion they had in earlier was nothingpared to the new minion that wielded lightning.


    -<i>Bwahaha! Bwahaha!</i>


    The monsterughed sinisterly as the imperial army was being massacred by its lightning-wielding minion. Kamikiri shuddered even more at the horrifying sight. How much strength did the monster wield if its minions were that powerful?


    If it passed the test, the emperor decreed to give the monster thest throne of the empire. As if the monster would be satisfied with that. There was no mistaking it. This god was looking to destroy the empire and rise to the top.


    <i>Swoop!</i>


    General Kamikiri threw his robe into the air, revealing his half-human, half-insect body.


    ¡±I, His Majesty the Great Emperor¡¯s Four Sword, General Kamikiri shally my life down here today! But!¡±


    <i>sh! Rumble!</i>


    General Kamikiri red at the minion that was ughtering his troops with lightning strikes.


    ¡°I¡¯m taking your minion to the afterlife!¡±


    General Kamikiri raised both his scythe-like hands into the air.


    ¡°O'' All-Cutting Heavenly Sword, your servant beseeches you, bestow upon me your great power!¡± General Kamikiri prayed fervently.


    One of the many gods that the red Empire served was a battle god. Although it was a Low-tier God, itsbat power was second to none.


    To which, the battle god responded.


    -Those who smear blood on my precious sword have to offer an equal sacrifice. What will you offer me?


    ¡°I shall offer the heads of all the surviving imperial army!¡±


    ¡°G-General?¡±


    The lieutenants beside General Kamikiri cried out in shock, but...


    -Very well.


    <i>sh!</i>


    Along with the chilling voice, the heads of his lieutenants fell one by one. The battle god smiled in satisfaction.


    -I have received your sacrifices. I will bestow upon you, Kamikiri, the general of the empire, my divine sword.


    <i>Boom boom boom!</i>


    Then, crimson red energy burst from General Kamikiri¡¯s scythe-like arms.

 Chapter 21: The Divine Sword Is Now Mine

    <h4>Chapter 21: The Divine Sword Is Now Mine</h4>


    <i>Rumble, rumble!</i>


    <i>So cool...</i>


    My mouth went agape at the mesmerizing sight of the Thunder Emperor. Not only was she dazzling<i>¡ªin a tonic way, anyway¡ª</i>lightning sparks also scattered out from her in all directions.


    <i>Swoosh swoosh!</i>


    Hundreds of zing red rocks were catapulted. The same attack that killed the scammers was raining on the Thunder Emperor like torrential rain.


    ¡°Is that all?!¡±


    <i>Rumble! Rumble!</i>


    Streaks of lightning criss-crossed in the air like a spider web, reducing the rocks into powder in a sh.


    <i>Super cool...</i>


    Was this what it meant to be a Hunter? To be the one fighting monsters at the forefront of humanity?


    I suddenly had the urge to write about her<i>¡ª</i>to chronicle her not just for myself, but also for others. I wanted to eternalize her in my work. It was probably a writer¡¯s arrogance of some sort. I knew I was at death¡¯s door, and despite how absurd it was, I found myself wanting to work on myptop.


    <i>Creak, creaaak.</i>


    The massive army of ants that were relentlessly charging at me stopped altogether.


    <i>sh! sh! Plop! Roll¡ª</i>


    Their heads rolled in unison, as if decapitated by a sharp de.


    ¡°...?¡±


    Even the Thunder Emperor was flustered by the sudden change in situation.


    -I have received your sacrifices.


    A voice, as eerie and cold as ice, rang in our minds instead of our ears.


    -I will bestow upon you, Kamikiri, the general of the empire, my divine sword.


    -Thank you, O¡¯ Almighty God of Sword, for the All-Cutting Heavenly Sword.


    From the mes, a mantis the size of a palm emerged.


    <i>Pzzzz!</i>


    Its scythe-like arms were emitting strange energy, which acted like extension des, so I focused on them.


    [Kamikiri]


    A male. Around for 98 years.


    Special note: A general of the empire. Aiming to cut off Sung Mi-Ri¡¯s head with the divine sword.


    <i>Aiming to WHAT?</i>


    While I was still taken aback, the mantis snuck around. It moved silently yet swiftly, just like a shadow, before lunging toward Thunder Emperor!


    ¡°<i>Kya</i>!¡±


    <i>Crumble!</i>


    Sung Mi-Ri panicked and threw a bolt of lightning at the mantis, but...


    -Hihihi! It¡¯s futile!


    Kamikiri swung his scythes in a horizontal cross, splitting the lightning bolt into two.


    -Lightning Minion! I, Kamikiri, shall behead you in the name of the empire!


    <i>sh! Chaaa!</i>


    Just like that, Thunder Emperor¡¯s head, still in its helmet, flew into the air.


    <i>Plop! Roll¡ª</i>


    Even as her head rolled to my feet, I still hadn¡¯t grasped what had just happened. Then, the eyes visible through the crack in the helmet met mine. Seeing the fear and pain in them, my mind went nk in an instant.


    ¡°<i>Aaah</i>! <i>Arrrgh</i>!¡±


    Uncontroble grief and anger overtook me. She didn¡¯t deserve to die, not here, when she was so young! I still hadn¡¯t repaid her for saving me and my niece back then!


    But now she was dead. All because of me.


    ¡°No! No!¡±


    Huge drops of tears rolled down my cheeks, falling onto my knees.


    <i>Fuck this! You call this a miracle?!</i>


    This was a nightmare. A horrible, <i>horrible</i> nightmare.


    -Malevolent God! Your turn hase!


    The mantis stalked me, brandishing its scythe-like arms. They were still drenched in Ms. Sung Mi-Ri¡¯s blood.


    At that moment, my anger outweighed my fear.


    <i>I¡¯m going to end this fucking mantis!</i>


    <i>Woooong!</i>


    Just then, I heard a notification from God-Maker. Then, when I looked around, the mes engulfing the warehouse, the mantis swinging its scythe-like arms at me, and even the world itself<i>¡ª</i>everything had frozen.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [The power ¡°???¡± gifted by the Silently Crawling Nightmare has allowed you to see the fate of those who would join you in ¡°advance.¡±]


    [This has yet to happen in real life, so it is simply a nightmare.]


    [But, it is also fate, so it is bound to happen.]


    As flustered as I was, one of those lines struck me deeply. Did I just witness something that was yet to happen?


    [God Yu Il-Shin, you have the potential to defy mortal fate.]


    [Would you like to use your divine power to alter their destiny? (Yes/No)]


    [It will cost you 100,000 Gcoins to do so.]


    I didn¡¯t even need to think about it.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [You paid 100,000 Gcoins (faith).]


    [The alteration of Sung Mi-Ri¡¯s fate begins now.]


    ***


    <i>Huh?</i>


    Sung Mi-Ri was puzzled. At a nce, she seemed to be attacked by a bunch of ants, but they were actually otherworldly beings. They exuded a simr aura to monsters that hade out of dungeons or gates. On top of that, thebat prowess of the army ants terrified even her, an A-rank Hunter.


    Those scammers didn¡¯t die by pure coincidence. Their fates were sealed the moment they got here.


    But then, all of the sudden, the army of ants that had been attacking her relentlessly suddenly stopped moving.


    ¡°...!¡±


    <i>sh! sh! Plop! Roll¡ª</i>


    Sung Mi-Ri witnessed the heads of the ants flying as if they were harvested by farmers.


    -The god has bestowed the divine sword on me!


    At the same time...


    <i>Tzzz!</i>


    With a burst of strange energy, the mantis leaped at her! She reflexively threw a lightning bolt at it.


    -Hihihi! It¡¯s futile!


    Sung Mi-Ri¡¯s eyes widened in shock. The mantis swung its scythe-like arms, shing her lightning bolt in an instant.


    -Lightning Minion! I, Kamikiri, shall behead you in the name of the empire!


    Then, within a close distance, the mantis swung both of his scythe-like arms, which emitted crimson-red energy. By that time, it was toote for her to dodge.


    As outrageous as it sounded, Sung Mi-Ri could feel that this mantis was going to be the death of her.


    <i>Grab!</i>


    Just then, someone grabbed her by the neck, causing her to fall backward.


    <i>Swaaaah!</i>


    With a sharp shing sound, the mantis¡¯ scythe-like arms grazed the skin of her neck. Blood began to trickle from the small wound.


    ¡°It¡¯s not toote, Child.¡±


    <i>W-who?</i>


    Rather than feeling pain, Sung Mi-Ri felt embarrassed when she turned around. Yu Il-Shin was hugging her from behind, his face twisted like a demon.


    -You malevolent god!


    With an unintelligible roar, the mantis swung its scythe-like arms at both of them, exuding bone-chilling bloodlust.


    ¡°How utterly ridiculous,ing from a tiny insect.¡± Yu Il-Shin pointed his middle finger at the mantis and said, ¡°Convicting Middle Finger of God!¡±


    Was it an illusion? For a split second, she thought she saw a small ck spark appear on the tip of his middle finger.


    <i>sh!</i>


    Then, the world was engulfed in darkness.


    ***


    ¡°<i>Haaaa</i>.¡± General Kamikiri¡¯s scythe-like arms fell limply.


    As one of the Ten Swords under directmand of His Majesty and a general of the empire, he had partaken in countless battles and fought against a myriad of gods. But he hadn¡¯t encountered any god that was like the one he was fighting now.


    This monster, who manipted pitch-ck darkness and wielded hellfire, was basically the lord of all evil.


    ¡°A truly terrifying Malevolent God.¡±


    <i>nk!</i>


    Kamikiri¡¯s scythe-like arms turned into ashes and the extension des fell to the ground. His carapace was tougher than steel, to the point that not even the mes of a C-rank Hunter could graze it. And yet, Yu Il-Shin¡¯s mes burrowed into his body like a curse, catching on to his past transgressions, setting him aze.


    <i>Burn¡ª</i>


    The infernal mes consumed his legs, then his body, then his neck, before finally reaching his head. The pain and horror of being burned alive was unbearable.


    <i>Psss!</i>


    He tried to move his mouth, which was disintegrating.


    ¡°His Majesty...!¡±


    But before he could finish his sentence, he turned into ashes.


    ***


    ¡°<i>Phew</i>.¡± I fell to the ground as I watched the mantis fall to bits. ¡°I thought I was going to die here.¡±


    The red chains that bound me lost their sheen and fell to the ground in a heap. I had used the Crushing Forefinger of God to undo the spell on them. Then, I used the Convicting Middle Finger of God on the mantis that was attacking Thunder Emperor, burning him to death.


    Thinking back, I wasn¡¯t sure how I did all that. How did it ur to me to use the skill that was barely useful as a lighter in that situation?


    [Would you like to use your divine power to alter their destiny? (Yes/No)]


    But the moment when I answered yes to that system message, I felt like a bird flying in the sky, or a fish in the water. My actions flowed fluidly and naturally, as if I knew how things would turn out. At that moment, it felt like I had really turned into a god.


    <i>If possible, I don¡¯t want a repeat of that.</i>


    It was all me, but at the same time, it felt like it wasn¡¯t.


    <i>Sparkle!</i>


    I saw a red gleam from the pile of what was left of the mantis. On a closer look, I spotted a half-buried de, the size of a finger, in it. The appraisal skill activated when I looked at it.


    -----


    [General Kamikiri¡¯s Divine Sword]


    One of the entities of the All-Cutting Heavenly Sword.


    Special note: Fucking sharp.


    -----


    This skill seemed to have a fondness for using certain words in its notes. Was it because of me? Maybe I should moderate the use of mynguage from now on.


    <i>Ssss!</i>


    The de was smaller than a dagger, yet radiated an ominous red glow. It was called a Divine Sword, right? This item looked solid.


    Then, as I tried to reach out for the de...


    -Young God! Don¡¯t touch it! It¡¯s mine!


    All of the sudden, the same unknown voice from before echoed in my mind. I ignored it and went ahead to pick it up.


    <i>Wow, it might be small, but the de was really sharp.</i>


    I tried to test it out by throwing it to the ground.


    <i>Puck!</i>


    It dug easily into the ground, as if it was made of soft tofu. Oh, this was great. It might be small and wed, but I could still fetch a high price for it.


    -N-no! That¡¯s min...!


    After whining for a while, the voice in my head died down like a radio running out of batteries. I dug my ears. Who was that? Was it really the owner of this de?


    <i>Well, finder¡¯s keepers. </i>


    I looked around for a while.


    <i>Oh, there¡¯s quite a lot of drops.</i>


    The army ants died, leaving behind tons of Godcoins. I stared at the ground full of them, feeling slightly overwhelmed. It¡¯s going to be hell picking all of them up.


    <i>Ding! Ding!</i>


    [Begin calctions.]


    Another notification from God-Maker appeared on my phone as it began sucking all the Godcoins like vacuum.


    <i>Drr! Drrrr!</i>


    [Yu Il-Shin has earned 2,880,527 Gcoins.]


    <i>Huh?</i>


    I saw it for myself, it was a 5 million-strong army! Why did I earn so much less Godcoins? Who stole them?


    Also, despite all the mes and lightning, my phone was unscathed. <i>Just what are you?</i> Considering it was ancient and had been around for over a decade, wasn¡¯t that just overkill? All because of a strange game that got installed in my phone one day.


    Just then, a sigh of admiration came from behind.


    ¡°T-that¡¯s amazing.¡±


    <i>I know, right? My phone¡¯s amazing.</i>


    ¡°I was just assuming at first, but it turns out that you really are a Hermit! You defeated a monster that could be an S-rank monster without breaking a sweat! Incredible!¡±


    ¡°What? Hermit? What do you mean? Also, an S-rank monster? Huh?¡±


    Was she referring to that mantis? No matter how strong it was, it was still a mantis. How could it be an S-rank,<i> national disaster-level</i>, monster?


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry! I won¡¯t let a single word of it out to anyone else! I swear it on my life!¡±


    ¡°Wait, I think you¡¯re misunderstanding something.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to hide it anymore. I finally understand why you helped me with the Spiky Rhinoceros before and gave me this ring! You wanted to help me without revealing your identity!¡±


    Thunder Emperor took off her trademark helmet. She might be drenched in sweat, but she still held the innocence and purity of a teenager. She fell to her knees and cried desperately.


    ¡°Mister, please! Please make me stronger! I¡¯ll do everything I can as long as I can be stronger! Please, Mister!¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    I could see stars sparkling in her eyes.

 Chapter 22: My Secret Tuition Class with the Electrifying Girl

    <h4>Chapter 22: My Secret Tuition ss with the Electrifying Girl</h4>


    A recluse, also known as a Hermit.


    In the dictionary, it would mean a Hunter who lived in seclusion. But in recent years, the meaning went through a slight change. Despite clearly posing significant risks, the profession of a Hunter could lead to wealth, honor, and even authority. And yet, instead of making use of their potential to build a career in that field, Hermits chose to lead an ordinary life. Rather than pursuing worldly gains, they chose to make an honest living while maintaining their current lifestyle.


    In New York, a homeless man who charged into an SS-rank dungeon to save his lover. Later, he would be a widely known Hermit nicknamed Homeless. Meanwhile, in South Korea, an S-rank monster emerged from a gate in elementary school. A certain middle-aged man would save his daughter, earning him the nickname Cleaner.


    Of course, most Hermits stillcked the abilities to be Hunters. However, the impact those two made was so significant that some people still fantasize about them to this day. Just like this teenage girl in front of me. ...I wasn¡¯t even a Hermit to begin with.


    ¡°Wow, so you¡¯re a writer! No wonder you withdraw from worldly matters and live in such a shabby ce!¡± the electrifying girl, Thunder Emperor, nodded profusely.


    <i>You got it wrong.</i>


    I¡¯d have quit being a writer if I passed the requirements to be a Hunter. Also, what did you mean by shabby? Yes, my home sweet home might be shabby, but that was just unnecessary!


    ¡°<i>Um</i>, Thunder Emperor?¡±


    ¡°Please call me by my name, Mi-Ri! Starting from today, you''re my mentor!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t recall agreeing to be your mentor. So, Ms. Sung Mi-Ri, until when are you staying here?¡±


    ¡°Until you agree to be my mentor, of course!¡±


    <i>Ugh, my eyes! </i>


    Those naive eyes! They were as clear as the sky and so free of doubt! I couldn¡¯t stop feeling ufortable as she prostrated herself before me. Leaving aside the fact that she was <i>the</i> famous Thunder Emperor, she looked so out of ce in my room! Even more so considering there was a gaping hole in the half-burnt wall behind her! The wind and fine dust blowing through it didn¡¯t make it better!


    <i>Ah, my head is throbbing.</i>


    She was my benefactor. She had saved my life not once, not twice, but <i>thrice. </i>Not just during the attack of the Spiky Rhinoceros, but also when my apartment was burning down, or when the shady Hunters kidnapped me.


    ¡°No, you¡¯re sorely mistaken. I''m really just an ordinary person. In fact, I¡¯m Rank G.¡±


    Yet, her smile didn¡¯t waver. She showed me her pinky, which had the Druid¡¯s Ring on. I heard she was able to rise to an A-rank Hunter because of that ring.


    ¡°I¡¯m d that ring serves a purpose, but I only happened to stumble across it somewhere.¡±


    Though I actually got my hands on it because of God-Maker.


    ¡°I totally get what you mean, Mister! You just don¡¯t want to burden me, right? Still, I can¡¯t just ept this treasure for free!¡±


    Sung Mi-Ri politely offered me something with both hands.


    <i>Eh? Why a bank book?</i>


    ¡°What''s this?¡±


    ¡°This is my entire savings. Of course, I¡¯m absolutely aware that it means nothingpared to the rare treasure. That¡¯s why, I''ll work hard to repay you in full.¡±


    Out of curiosity, I took a peek in the bank book.


    <i>Let''s see... How many zeros are there? One, ten, hundred, thousand, ten thousand.. million?</i>


    <i>Gasp!</i>


    ¡°God! <i>Cough cough!</i>¡±


    ¡°<i>Kyaa</i>! Are you alright, Mister?¡±


    I coughed dryly, my hands visibly shaking. It was my first time seeing a bank book with the amount in the millions. <i>And she wants to give it to me? For real?</i>


    Wondering if it was a prank, I looked at her. Innocenty, she looked back at me, like a duckling following her mother.


    ¡°The password is 1129, my birthday. There''s also a debit card in it.¡± She said shyly, her face slowly reddening.


    Briefly, all kinds of thoughts crossed my mind. With this money, I¡¯d be able to ditch this hell hole of a moldy room, move into an officetel, and get myself a Mercedes Benz.


    It was only basic manners to close an eye and ept it, right? She was the one who offered it!


    ¡°...I can''t ept this.¡±


    I cried internally as I returned the bank book to her. Regardless of how bad of a situation I was in, she was still my benefactor. I wasn''t so rotten as to swindle her out of her hard-earned money. This was the issue of conscience, both as a person and a writer.


    Sung Mi-Ri was crestfallen and her shoulders dropped.


    ¡°I knew it, it¡¯s far from enough...¡±


    ¡°No, it''s far <i>too </i>much!¡±


    ¡°Too much?¡± Her eyes widened in surprise.


    ¡°If you insist, then just give me two¡ªno, one million will do.¡±


    I felt ashamed of myself for failing to stay cool until the end.


    Either way, not only was I on the verge of having my contract terminated with the publishingpany, I also failed to meet my deadline with them. I needed some cash for my living expenses.


    ¡°But just 1 million won for this treasure... Ah, of course. If you really needed money, you would¡¯ve worked as a Hunter! I¡¯m sorry for not considering your feelings as a Hermit...¡±


    <i>Ms. Thunder Emperor, I think you still got it wrong.</i>


    Sung Mi-Ri clenched her fists and jumped onto her feet. Soon, she began taking off her coat.


    <i>Sssk¡ª</i>


    ¡°It might not be enough, but I''ll just repay you with my body!¡±


    <i>Wait, what? What did she just say?</i>


    ***


    Thankfully, nothing special happened. But...


    <i>Swish swish swish!</i>


    In the perspective of a genre novel, the sight of a high school girl working hard was refreshing. In short, Thunder Emperor was now mending the hole in the wall. She said she''d take responsibility since she was the one who caused it.


    ¡°Where did you learn to do this?¡±


    ¡°I did some part-time work when I was younger to train my stamina!¡±


    <i>Wait, but you¡¯re still young, how much ¡°younger¡± were you then?</i>


    She expertly mixed the cement with a shovel, looking like a veteran who had been in the industry for over two decades.


    ¡°This is just right.¡±


    Thunder Emperor spread the cement mix on the wall, filling up the hole.


    ¡°<i>Ah</i>, the bricks are a bit toorge.¡± She frowned, looking at the bricks that did not fit the wall.


    ¡°<i>Hiiiya</i>!¡± grabbing the brick with both hands, she effortlessly broke it into halves, as if it was just a cereal bar. ¡°Hehe, now the size is perfect.¡±


    <i>Do bricks break that easily? </i>


    She even used her abilities to quickly dry out the cement. In the end, it took less than a full minute for her to mend the hole in the wall. But that wasn¡¯t the end of it.


    ¡°<i>Phew.</i> Let me put up the wallpaper for you, too.¡± She offered.


    Then, with skilled hands, she began applying wallpaper over the remaining traces of the fire.


    ¡°Mister, please help me hold onto this for a while.¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay.¡±


    ¡°Please apply some glue there.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    In ten minutes, the once-gloomy walls of my studio were covered in flower-patterned wallpapers. Had the world not turned out like this, she¡¯d have emerged at the top of the construction industry.


    After all that was said and done, I could no longer recognize my own room. Thunder Emperor grinned in satisfaction as she looked around.


    ¡°Now, this looks more like a person¡¯s house.¡±


    Certainly, it was in a terrible state before. The pigsty transformed into a pristine room, soothing my heart. Although, I was slightly ufortable with the floral-patterned walls.


    <i>Rumble! Rumble!</i>


    What was that sound? Was it about to rain outside? And yet, the sky outside was clear as day.


    ¡°Huh? The weather¡¯s great outside.¡±


    The sky outside was clear as day. I turned around to see Thunder Emperor clutching her stomach, her face turning beet red.


    <i>Ah, so it was from her.</i>


    It was well past lunchtime, after all. Not to mention, she also didbor for me. No wonder her stomach wasining.


    ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard. What would you like to eat?¡±


    ¡°ck bean noodles!¡± She yelled as if she had been waiting for that question.


    <i>Wow, a modest choice for someone with millions in savings. </i>


    I picked up my phone, about to call the usual Chinese restaurant I frequented.


    <i>Beep, beep beep beep!</i>


    Just then, the bracelet on the Thunder Emperor¡¯s wrist beeped.


    ¡°That¡¯s an emergency call. I¡¯m sorry, I have to leave now.¡± She said sullenly, looking like a pitiful hungry child, or heck, a beagle.


    I knew that a Hunter was busy, but were they not even allowed time to eat?


    ¡°I''ll see you again, Mister.¡± Thunder Emperor put her ck helmet back on


    ¡°Ah, wait a minute.¡±


    I didn''t want to let her leave empty-handed. Moreover, since it was an emergency call, she¡¯d probably be busy for the next few hours as well.


    However, I couldn''t find anything for her to eat in my apartment, except for one thing.


    I opened the God¡¯s Shop.


    [You have purchased the Blessing of the Growth God from the God''s Shop.]


    Immediately, a bottle of golden liquid fell from my phone into my hands. The fact that it tasted like Bhus-F aside, it was still useful to remove fatigue.


    Her eyes widened in surprise.


    ¡°Wow! How did you do that? That¡¯s just like Hunter Kang-Woo!¡±


    ¡°I''m not sure who that is. But please have this. This should help you for a bit.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Mister! I will cherish it!¡±


    ¡°Down it all at once, it isn¡¯t much anyway.¡±


    ¡°Okay! I¡¯ll see you again, Mister!¡±


    <i>sh!</i>


    With the reverberation of lightning, Thunder Emperor vanished in the blink of an eye. I heard that she could travel 200 km/h, but she seemed to be much faster than that now. Indeed befitting of her name as Thunder Emperor.


    ¡°Should I get myself some food?¡±


    I put on my slippers and dragged my feet out. Since I was going out, I might as well take a walk.


    Not even in my wildest imagination did I think the Bhus-F I gave to her would bring about a butterfly effect.


    ***


    Importance of a Happy Family. That was the name of the Chinese restaurant I frequented. Its affordability, great taste and huge portions kept me as a regr.


    ¡°Here¡¯s your food.¡±


    A piping hot te of fried rice arrived at my table, apanied by sweet ck bean sauce and broth from the spicy seafood noodles for mixing. It was the perfect dish for someone who wanted variations. Moreover, it also satisfied the Koreans¡¯ typical love for rice when eating noodles alone feltcking.


    I poured the ck bean sauce over the oily fried rice and stirred them well.


    ¡°<i>Hmm, hmm, hmm</i>.¡±


    <i>Mixing it here, mixing it there.</i>


    As a cherry on top, I pressed on the soft-boiled egg, popping the golden yellow yolk so that it flowed out.


    <i>Shall I dig in?</i>


    All of a sudden, I felt ravenous. Come to think of it, it was my first meal of the day. Before I knew it, I was inhaling the food. If only Thunder Emperor was here. She was probably busy at the moment...


    Just then, the TV in the dining hall switched channels, showing breaking news on the screen.


    ¡ª Breaking news. 40 minutes ago, a gate had formed at the National Assembly building, from which an S-rank monster known as Drake emerged.


    The Drake was a reptile-type monster that was a hybrid of dragon and crocodile. Its towering height of 20 meters, along with its ten-ton weight, made it a high-ranking monster.


    <i>Did a gate just appear at the National Assembly Building? Just great. Destroy everything there while you¡¯re at it.</i>


    I cheered inwardly as I took another huge bite of my fried rice.


    ¡ªFortunately, thanks to the dispatched Hunters, the Drake was quickly subjugated. Surprisingly, one of the biggest contributors was the widely known B-rank Hunter, Thunder Emperor! The B-rank Hunter was the first to arrive. She fought Drake one-on-one, buying time for citizens to escape from the area, and even dealt a fatal blow.


    At the mention of the familiar name, I stopped munching.


    ¡ªWe¡¯ll be having a live interview with the Thunder Emperor. Ms. Thunder Emperor, how are you feeling right now? Some say that you should be ranked S instead. Is it true that you¡¯re the Hunter Association¡¯s secret weapon?


    The reporter directed his microphone to the Hunter in a ck helmet.


    ¡ª<i>Um</i>, is this a live broadcast?


    ¡ªYes, that¡¯s right. But Ms. Thunder Emperor, you sound quite young. Excuse me, but how old are you?


    Instead of answering the reporter, Thunder Emperor faced the camera and waved her hand, yelling,


    ¡ªHi, Mister! Are you watching right now? I did it! It¡¯s all thanks to the potion you gave me! You¡¯re the best, Mister!


    <i>Pft!</i>


    I spat out the fried rice in my mouth.

 Chapter 23: Human, Do You Believe Mr. Yu Il-Shin?

    <h4>Chapter 23: Human, Do You Believe Mr. Yu Il-Shin?</h4>


    I was watching a rey of the National Assembly Building¡¯s incident, where the S-rank Drake had emerged, on Newtube. Even though it was recent, the video had already hit two million views. Despite being an edited version taken by a citizen on-site, the quality was still rtively good, thanks to the advanced technology.


    Scenes of Thunder Emperor, who arrived at the scene first, yed on the screen. She was fighting hard against the Drake on her own, stabbing it with a lightning spear.


    But soon, the difference between their levels became apparent. Her attacks didn¡¯t do much to the Drake. She momentarily let her guard down, resulting in her getting hit by the Drake¡¯s tail, mming her against the wall of a building.


    When I saw that, I clenched my fist. That monster could easily destroy a building as if it were a sandcastle. Would Thunder Emperor be all right?


    ¡ª <i>Kyaaa!</i> Save me!


    The defeat of Thunder Emperor turned the citizen¡¯s hope into despair. They fled from the scene, their screams reverberating in the air.


    <i>sh! Rumble¡ª</i>


    Just then, a deafening thunder roared, followed by a sh of lightning that struck the copsed building.


    <i>Trudge trudge.</i>


    Thunder Emperor emerged from the wreckage unscathed, with electric currents all over her body. She put down the empty bottle of potion I had given her earlier, subsequently getting into the ready position of a 100m sprinter at the starting line.


    <i>sh! Rumbleeee!</i>


    With another roar of thunder, she charged toward the Drake. In the blink of an eye, she arrived in front of the monster.


    -<i>Kieeeeek!</i>


    As the Drake screamed, Thunder Emperor plunged her lightning spear into its chest, leaving a gaping hole. Comments quickly appeared in real time.


    ©¸Wow, I almost peed my pants watching this! Wasn¡¯t Thunder Emperor too strong? Isn¡¯t she just Thor at this point? How is she a B-rank?


    ©¸She¡¯s an A-rank now, why are you still saying that she¡¯s B-rank?


    ©¸Wah, this is my first time hearing her voice. It¡¯s giving me earworms! Doesn¡¯t she sound quite young?


    ©¸There are rumors that she¡¯s S-rank Hunter Sung Mi-Na¡¯s younger sister.


    ©¸Nah, that¡¯s bull. They¡¯re not simr in any way.


    ©¸You guys are talking about simrities when Thunder Emperor hasn¡¯t done a single face reveal.


    ©¸You can see it just byparing their figures. Sung Mi-Na is a wall.


    ©¸Yep, convinced.


    ©¸Guys, who¡¯s the ¡®Mister¡¯ she mentioned in her interview?


    ©¸Based on her recent development, he must be an S-rank Hunter. Right, I heard that there¡¯s an S-rank Hunter from Russia naturalizing. Maybe it¡¯s him?


    ©¸Whoever it is, he must be super powerful if he could mentor Thunder Emperor.


    <i>Tap!</i>


    I shut theptop.


    <i>That ain¡¯t me. I¡¯m in no way rted to this incident. I¡¯m not even registered as a Hunter to begin with. Theizens seem to be joking as well.</i>


    ¡°Thank you for the food. Still, this restaurant sure is wonderful. They even do delivery at this hour. Hehe, how nice.¡± Thunder Emperor remarked.


    Of course, a Chinese restaurant that offered 24-hour delivery was every writer¡¯s bestpanion.


    Despite being caked in dirt, she still looked adorable. The ck bean sauce all over her mouth didn¡¯t dull her smile.


    <i>Ugh, the perk of being extremely good-looking...</i>


    <i>¡°Hic, Mister. I am dying of hunger... please feed me...¡±</i>


    Just thirty minutes ago, Ms. Sung Mi-Ri came back to me looking like a beggar. Seeing that she hadn¡¯t had a single meal after the emergency dispatch, I took pity on her. Thus, I took it upon myself to order ck bean sauce noodles even though it was past 10 p.m.


    Anyway, hanging out alone with a teenage girl at this hour wouldn¡¯t look good.


    ¡°Now that you¡¯re done, why don¡¯t you go back home? I¡¯m sure your family is worried.¡±


    Hearing my words, she became sullen.


    ¡°No one¡¯s going to worry about me.¡±


    ¡°I doubt it. How can your parents not be worried when they have such a beautiful daughter like you?¡±


    ¡°Both of them passed away fifteen years ago during the Abysm Dragon incident...¡±


    That incident was known throughout Korea. Fifteen years ago, an SSS-rank gate appeared in our country, from which the worst monster known to man emerged. The Abysm Dragon.


    We managed to ovee it by a narrow margin only because of the aid of the entire world. By that time, millions of lives had perished, leaving an evesting horror that was still talked about to this day.


    I wanted to console her, yet I couldn¡¯t think of anything to say. Apparently, it was a feat beyond me. Despite the general fantasy about writers, behind that facade was just a dreamer seriouslycking in social skills. I pushed through the difort.


    ¡°D-d-do you want mine? I¡¯m still feeling quite full...¡±


    I felt myself breaking out into a cold sweat as I handed her another bowl of unopened noodles with ck bean sauce.


    ¡°...Okay.¡± She still looked gloomy.


    ¡°Have some of the pickled radish, too.¡±


    ¡°...Okay.¡±


    ¡°Do you want dumplings? They are super crunchy.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Her mood improved when I tried feeding her more food. Was it just me? Either way, seeing her eating heartily also made me feel better.


    ¡°Is there anything else you want?¡±


    ¡°Please ept me as your student.¡±


    ...I thought she had given up on it.


    ¡°Like I said, you¡¯re sorely mistaken. I¡¯m really just a normal guy.¡±


    ¡°No! You¡¯re incredible! Because of your potion, all of my injuries were gone! I was also full of energy! Normally, I wouldn¡¯t be able to defeat that monster on my own! I¡¯ve never seen a potion that amazing before!¡±


    <i>...Those eyes again.</i>


    It felt as if she¡¯d believe any crap I spouted. She¡¯d probably believe me if I said that fermented soybean was made of mugwort.


    I looked at the empty potion bottle she brought back. <i>That¡¯s weird.</i> When I downed it, it was just a Bhus-F-vored potion. Did the effects differ by person?


    <i>Anyway, what matters the most right now is how to persuade this teenager to go home.</i>


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [The levels of the other party¡¯s favor and trust have met the minimum threshold. If they speak the following keyword, they can nurture faith in you.]


    [Faith development keyword: Believe in Yu Il-Shin.]


    A strange message appeared on God-Maker. What? Favor and trust levels? Did the game confuse itself as a dating sim for teens?


    Still, I couldn¡¯t just shrug it off when it mentioned the nurturing of faith. Could I gain Godcoins like with the Saintess? I was honestly a bit tempted.


    There was no saying I wouldn¡¯t be attacked by the army ants in the future. Back then, I had nned to throw God-Maker into the river. But during thest attack, some of the ants emerged from thin air instead of my phone, rendering that idea futile. In other words, even without God-Maker, my safety was still up in the air.


    <i>It¡¯s best if I can get my hands on more Godcoins. Next time, I should purchase an OP power.</i>


    Carefully, I said, ¡°Ms. Sung Mi-Ri, I have a favor to ask.¡±


    ¡°Sure! Feel free to speak! I¡¯ll do everything within my means!¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing extreme. Can you just repeat after me?¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    <i>Wait, she¡¯s not suspicious at all? </i>I began saying the keywords.


    ¡°B-believe in Yu Il-Shin...¡±


    <i> Ugh, I¡¯m feeling embarrassed saying it out loud.</i>


    But Sung Mi-Ri yelled it vigorously without a hint of hesitation.


    ¡°Believe in Yu Il-Shin!¡±


    And God-Maker reacted to it.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Faith development is sessful!]


    [Congrattions. Sung Mi-Ri is your first follower on Earth.]


    [Current faith umted: 1,102]


    Messages of her bing my follower appeared. Unlike my expectations, Godcoins did not appear. Instead, another weird menu appeared.


    [A new menu, ¡®Skill Share,¡¯ has been created.]


    <i>Skill Share?</i>


    -----


    [Skill Share]


    The rtionship between a god and a follower is inseparable. As the faith increases, the god gains divine powers, while his followers obtain more blessings.


    Since you are still a young god, there are no proper blessings to give. Nevertheless, like how water flows from the higher to the lower, strength is applied in the same way. You may lend your followers a portion of your power.


    Amass strong faith! And you will get stronger in return!


    Current possible Skill Share party: Sung Mi-Ri


    -----


    ¡°<i>Pfft.</i>¡±


    The text may sound convincing, but let¡¯s not forget the fact that I had been tricked a few times. This time was probably no different.


    Without thinking too deeply, I decided to test it out.


    ¡°Skill Sharing, Sung Mi-Ri.¡±


    <i>Pzzt! Pzzt!</i>


    Sparks began appearing on my right hand, and...


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    <i>sh!</i>


    <i>Rumble¡ªBoom boom boom!</i>


    The ceiling disappeared, and I was left staring pathetically at the cloudy sky of Seoul.


    ¡°Wow! Mister! You can manipte lightning, too? You''re indeed amazing!¡±


    <i>What''s this? I''m scared...</i>


    <i>Ding!</i>


    <i>ng!</i>


    [You have been rewarded 30 Dark Gcoins.]


    ck Godcoins began appearing on my phone.


    <i>Why would I get coins out of nowhere?</i>


    ***


    The universe was immensely vast. Amongst the countlesss, some held the miracle of life just like Earth. The inhabitants might be as great, simr, or even lesser than humans. And amongst one of those miraculous stars, there was Antrinia.


    An emperor reigned over the, seated on the throne and draped in a red veil. Then, he spoke to his subjects, who bowed to him from underneath.


    ¡ªSo, has the malevolent god received my envoy?


    A half-human, half-insect locust dressed magnificently bowed deeper.


    ¡°The Foreign Minister, Kataka, has departed with the finest beauties in the empire, along with the highest quality ether equal to theirbined weight. On top of that, we also have the stood surety for the 999th divine throne. We obtained it from the shrine that the empire worships in His Majesty''s name. Surely, that would be more than enough to satisfy a third-rated malevolent god?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It may be thest seat, but it¡¯s still above the stature of a subpar malevolent god.¡±


    The five million troops, including General Kamiri, that the empire lost to the demon were just the tip of the iceberg. If it meant gaining a formidable monster under their belt, those were worthy sacrifices. Afterward, the emperor would be able to use the monster as an arrow in the uing great war.


    ¡°<i>Keke</i>, soon, the true face of the malevolent god will be revealed to me.¡±


    The emperor, notorious for being iron-blooded, thought that he had shown great favor and mercy. Never would he have imagined that a mere malevolent god would reject his offer.


    The emperor had everything figured out. By eradicating the lowly and uncivilized ck tribe, the Saintess and the Berry of the World Tree would fall to his hands. He¡¯d spare the malevolent god if it submitted to the empire. And in exchange, the monster would obtain the position of a god and a treasure from the heavens.


    Surely, no greedy malevolent god would be able to reject such an offer? At least, that was what the emperor and all of his subjects present believed.


    <i>Creaaak!</i>


    Just then, the door to the great hall opened, and a messenger stormed in with all its might. A grasshopper wriggled its antenna.


    ¡°How dare you make a fuss before His Majesty!¡±


    ¡°Something bad has happened! The ruthless malevolent god has killed the emissaries!¡± the messenger screamed in fear.


    ¡°W-what? Preposterous! How could he kill His Majesty¡¯s emissaries! We even offered a seat and ether! Truly the vilest of all malevolent gods!¡±


    Since faith and ether were treasures that could enhance godhood, even the most arrogant of gods coveted them like a ravenous beast. The grasshopper couldn¡¯t wrap his head around the malevolent god¡¯s actions at all.


    ¡°I-it''s the truth! The malevolent god didn¡¯t pay the emissaries any heed! He sent a bolt of lightning without warning, instantly decimating everything!¡±


    ¡°H-how is that possible!¡± the grasshopper turned grim.


    <i>Ssss!</i>


    Cold frost emanated from the emperor, who sat behind the veil that covered the great hall.


    ¡°Grasshopper, were you the one in charge of this?¡±


    The grasshopper flinched, falling to his knees.


    ¡°<i>Hyii!</i> Your majesty! Please have mercy on...!¡±


    <i>Puck!</i>


    In the next moment, a needle silently shot through his heart.


    ¡°For disturbing His Majesty, pay with your life.¡±


    The voice belonged to Killerbee, one of the Ten Swords and the most skilled swordsman in the empire. And yet, he was nowhere to be seen. Killerbee delivered inescapable death with utmost stealth and nonchnce.


    ¡°<i>Aaargh</i>!¡±


    The grasshopper¡¯s body melted like ice cream under the sun, leaving no remains. The rest of the subjects cowered in fear. Only death awaited those who disturbed their emperor. Such was thew of the steel-blooded empire.


    ¡°<i>Aaargh</i>! That impudent malevolent god! In the five hundred years since I ascended the throne, this is the first time I have suffered such humiliation!¡±


    <i>Rumble!</i>


    The earth quaked along with the emperor¡¯s fury.


    ¡°Imand the entire continent! Bring me the head of that insolent malevolent god! By the honor of your emperor and the divine throne worshiped by the empire!¡±


    ¡°We heed yourmand, O¡¯ Mighty Demigod and Ruler of the Empire!¡±


    The royal decree for the subjugation of Yu Il-Shin rang through the continent and to the gods worshiped by the empire.

 Chapter 24: I’m the Secret Trainer, Yu Il-Shin

    <h4>Chapter 24: I¡¯m the Secret Trainer, Yu Il-Shin</h4>


    Next morning, I went to the park dressed in a training suit. Alongside me was Thunder Emperor, Sung Mi-Ri, standing at attention with full military discipline. I sighed heavily, like a weight pressing into the earth. Finally, I spoke, ¡°Alright, Ms. Sung Mi-Ri, shall we begin the lesson?¡±


    ¡°Yes! I¡¯m ready, Mister!¡±


    Okay, let¡¯s put a brief pause to this. Why were we having a lesson out of the blue? Let me tell you, aplicated adult situation was at y here. To give more context, it all began when I used the Skill Share function and blew up the ceiling of my studio. At that time, I could envision my future being as pitch-ck as the night sky of Seoul.


    But then, a hand of salvation reached out to me. Sung Mi-Ri offered to cover all the repairs. So, angels did exist.


    Nevertheless, I still had a conscience as an adult. I couldn¡¯t just blindly ept financial aid from a teen? Above all, she was my benefactor, who had saved my life thrice. Thus, I decided to help her grow stronger to the best of my abilities.


    Of course, there was also a catch.


    ¡°But Mister, may I ask you a question?¡± Sung Mi-Ri asked nervously.


    ¡°Sure, but please be gentle¡ªI¡¯m more used to softballs than curveballs!" I tried making a dad joke to lighten the mood, but she didn¡¯t reply.


    With a serious look, Sung Mi-Ri pointed at the young girl sleeping soundly in my arms, asking, ¡°Who is she?¡±


    ¡°Oh, she¡¯s my niece. My older sister told me to babysit her since she¡¯s busy. If you find it too distracting, we can always do the lesson another time.¡±


    ¡°Ah! Isn¡¯t she the girl from before?! No, of course not! I found her adorable, Mister!¡±


    ¡°Right?¡±


    <i>Hehe, Seong-Yeon is adorable indeed</i>. <i>Her cuteness became top-notch when she was sleeping. So please don¡¯t wake up.</i>


    ¡°Okay, so where do we start?¡± asked Sung Mi-Ri. Her eyes sparkled like a baby bird waiting to be fed.


    <i>Oof</i>. Looking at her pricked my conscience.


    ¡°Well, why don¡¯t we warm up for a bit? Let¡¯s run a few rounds around the stadium until you feel tired.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡± she replied enthusiastically, without the slightest hesitation, and began runningps.


    <i>Swish swish!</i>


    She finished an entirep in less than ten seconds without using ability. Before I knew it, she had run over twentyps. I was sure I told her to ¡°warm up¡±?


    <i>Wow, high-ranking Hunters are something else. </i>


    Then, I offered her an energy drink. It wasn¡¯t anything special. It was just an ionized drink, easily absorbed by the body, mixed with a certain something that I bought from the God¡¯s Shop.


    ¡°Ms. Sung Mi-Ri, please have some of this.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Even after running over a hundredps, she didn¡¯t show any signs of exhaustion besides a few huffs. ¡°This tastes simr to the potion you gave me.¡±


    <i>Of course, since I added the Blessing of the Growth God, you could also say that it tastes like Bhus-F.</i>


    ¡°Now that you¡¯re all warmed up, let''s move on to strength training.¡±


    I pointed at the dumbbells we had prepared in advance. Although they looked like small ones meant for dieting, they were actually Hunter-exclusive equipment that weighed over 30 kg. I found myself struggling bringing them over. By the way, Sung Mi-Ri paid for them.


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    Not only did she lift them up easily, but she also did shadow boxing with them.


    ¡°<i>Hap</i>! <i>Hap</i>!¡±


    <i>Swish! Swish!</i>


    I didn¡¯t make those noises. While she was working out, sweating profusely, I went back to make more of those energy drinks.


    <i>Gurgle gurgle.</i>


    ¡°Ms. Sung Mi-Ri, have some of this.¡±


    ¡°Okay! What should I do now?¡±


    ¡°<i>Hm</i>, what about squats?¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    She really did as she was told, without any questions. Despite feeling guilty, I didn¡¯t put her up to do all this for nothing. I had been reading books about training, and I also had a trump card up my sleeves.


    [The innate power Blind Eyes of God has been activated.]


    After she became a follower, I was able to learn more about her.


    -----


    [Sung Mi-Ri, Yu Il-Shin¡¯s First Earth Branch Follower]


    Around for 19 years.


    S-rank Hunter, Lightning Combat-type (Sealed)


    Special note: Extremely electrifying. She is an A-rank Hunter, with part of her abilities sealed.


    -----


    Thanks to the Druid¡¯s Ring, Sung Mi-Ri rose from Rank B to A. And yet, the information visible to me imed that she was an S-rank Hunter. The special note also stated that some of her abilities were sealed.


    Imagination was a writer¡¯s livelihood. They¡¯d glean for the most useful and usible things from all sorts of delusions, before selling them to the mass.


    I recalled my first meeting with Sung Mi-Ri, when she saved my niece and I from the Spiky Rhinoceros. I had one question. How did she manage to kill a monster stronger than herself?


    That was where my imagination came in. What if she was an S-rank Hunter to begin with? Wouldn¡¯t that exin why she could easily defeat it?


    I watched as she continued with her squats.


    [The innate power Blind Eyes of God has been activated.]


    I concentrate fully on her, as if scrutinizing her under a microscope, hoping to gain more detailed insights. My eyes looked past her physical body and into her mind. Atst...


    <i>Pzzz! Pzzz!</i>


    I spotted a gigantic and fierce monster in her, d in lightning.


    -<i>Kyaaaa!</i>


    Bound with unidentifiable chains, the monster screamed in agony.


    I kept applying my full concentration on her.


    -----


    [Sung Mi-Ri¡¯s Essence (S)]


    Sealed for 10 years.


    Special note: Bound by SS-grade sealing chains


    -----


    Surely, that was the true form of her innate power? Of course, this could all be just in my mind. Still, I didn¡¯t stop my imagination from running.


    How did she manage to defeat the Spiky Rhinoceros that day? How did I seed in revealing the counterfeit armor altered by the scammers? How was I able to break free from the special chains? Was my innate power, Blind Eyes of God, simply an ability to kill ants or turn appliances on and off?


    No. My delusion went on. What if its nature was ¡°On/Off¡±? Now, all that was left was to test it out and see if it worked.


    I raised my forefinger, then pointed it at the chains binding the monster within her.


    ¡°Crushing Forefinger of God.¡±


    <i>Click! Creaaaak!</i>


    Cracks began forming on the chains.


    <i>Tuduk! Tududuk!</i>


    ¡°Uncle! Uncle!¡±


    My concentration was broken by the small hand urgently shaking me.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°I! I need to pee!¡± Seong-Yeon frowned and fussed around.


    When did she wake up? Also, Dear Niece, could you stop pulling on my hair? It was as delicate as It was precious.


    ¡°<i>Huff, huff!</i>¡± Sung Mi-Ri was still squatting diligently.


    ¡°Ms. Sung Mi-Ri, do you feel any different?¡±


    ¡°Huh? What?¡±


    ¡°<i>Hmm</i>.¡±


    Apparently, it was still too early for any effects to show. Besides, I hadn¡¯t broken all the chains yet. It might take some time, given how tough they were.


    But why was it sealed, and not to mention, by SS-grade chains?


    ¡°<i>Hiiing!</i> Uncle! It¡¯sing out!¡±


    ¡°<i>Gasp!</i> No! You must hold it in, Seong-Yeon!¡±


    In a sh, I picked up my crying niece and dashed for the toilet.


    ***


    ¡°I¡¯ll see you tomorrow then, Mister.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Make sure you drink the potion I gave you before you sleep.¡±


    ¡°Bai-bai, Pretty Unni.¡±


    ¡°See you next time, Seong-Yeon.¡±


    I felt happy seeing how well they bonded in their first meeting. After wrapping up my training with Sung Mi-Ri for the day, I sent Seong-Yeon back to my older sister, before heading back. Such a rewarding day it was.


    [Silently Crawling Nightmare is watching you sadly.]


    [All-Cutting Heavenly Sword is ring at you resentfully.]


    ...Right, I forgot about this. Also, the names sounded familiar?


    One was the bastard who spammed me on Katalk, whom I blocked after a while. As for the other, wasn¡¯t it the owner of the fruit knife I¡¯d looted from the mantis?


    They had been trying to reach me in thest few hours, confusing and annoying me.


    [Silently Crawling Nightmare demands to correct that she¡¯s a bitch, not a bastard.]


    [All-Cutting Heavenly Sword is yelling that his de isn¡¯t a fruit knife but a divine sword that can kill even gods.]


    <i>Wait, do they read minds too? Also, isn¡¯t the vibe of Silently Crawling Nightmare quite different from the Katalk messages?</i>


    [Silently Crawling Nightmare confesses shyly that she thought she should showcase the magnificence of god during your first encounter back then.]


    <i>Well, who cares?</i>


    Other than being slightly annoying, it wasn¡¯t like they were harming me in any way. They¡¯d probably get tired after a while. I, Yu Il-Shin, had received countless negativements throughout my ten-year writing career, honing my mental skills. Nothing could phase me anymore.


    ¡°<i>Sniff sniff</i>. <i>Blergh</i>, I haven¡¯t worked out in a while, and I smell like sweat.¡±


    What kind of workout did I do, you ask? Need I remind you of how I made sure my niece¡¯s dder didn¡¯t burst?


    Alright, time for a shower. Then, I¡¯d head to bed early. I had another training session scheduled with Sung Mi-Ri again tomorrow morning.


    <i>Swaaaa!</i>


    <i>Hoo</i>, I could feel the fatigue of a day¡¯s hard work getting washed away.


    <i>Ding ding!</i>


    [Silently Crawling Nightmare stared at your thing and marveled at several aspects!]


    [All-Cutting Heavenly Sword sneered, your thing is nothingpared to his sword!]


    ¡°<i>Arrrgh</i>! Seriously, these stalkers!¡±


    ***


    <i>What are gods? </i>


    ording to the dictionary, they are an object of religion, believed to have supernatural powers and would bestow blessings upon humans. They were also a symbol of omnipotence.


    I used to be an atheist. However, the recent encounters made me rethink about the existence of gods. Being omniscient meant having awareness of every action. Had I remained ignorant, I might be able to shrug it off, but now I couldn¡¯t.


    ¡°Look here, Stalkers. How long are you going to keep this up?¡± I red at God-Maker, with a towel wrapped around my lower half.


    [Silently Crawling Nightmare requests to unblock her on Katalk.]


    [All-Cutting Heavenly Sword requests you to return his divine sword.]


    I could unblock the former as long as she stopped sending me nonsense. As for thetter, I almost died because of that divine sword! As if I¡¯d let it go just like that!


    [All-Cutting Heavenly Sword offers to return the 2.2 million Godcoins he had received from the sacrifices in exchange for the divine sword.]


    <i>So that''s where the remaining Godcoins went!</i>


    [Silently Crawling Nightmare snickered, finding the situation absurd. She signals that she¡¯d give you Godcoins if you give her the sword.]


    [Silently Crawling Nightmare offers 10 million Gcoins.]


    <i>Ooh, not too shabby. That¡¯s quite generous of her.</i>


    With that, I could purchase an appropriate low-level innate power or item from the God''s Shop. I could also bulk-purchase potions for Sung Mi-Ri.


    [All-Cutting Heavenly Sword feels uneasy about the bid with Silently Crawling Nightmare.]


    [Silently Crawling Nightmare snorted,menting that All-Cutting Heavenly Sword is a beggar.]


    [All-Cutting Heavenly Sword sniffled, adding his power into the offer.]


    <i>His power? Also tempting.</i>


    ¡°What kind of power?¡±


    [All-Cutting Heavenly Sword reveals his innate power: Sword Devotion]


    [By using his innate power, no sword master would dare to be your match.]


    ¡°Sword Devotion?¡±


    <i>That name sounds kinda cool. </i>


    Although there weren¡¯t many chances for humans to use a sword, it still pandered to the fantasies of men. Even more so when I had aspired to be a<i> murim </i>author before.


    [Silently Crawling Nightmare scoffed, offering you her innate power, Night Rose.]


    [You can easily overpower your opponent without a fight.]


    Oh, being able to win without fighting was probably the best<i>.</i> But... <i>Night Rose? </i>What kind of name was that? The ability sounded useful, though, at least ording to the description.


    ¡°<i>Oof</i>, what a dilemma.¡±


    Didn''t they always say to stop fighting and start haggling?


    Unlike with Sung Mi-Ri, I wouldn¡¯t feel guilty ripping off these annoying stalkers. I wasn¡¯t holding any grudges or anything!


    ¡°Any more offers?¡± I forced a smile.

 Chapter 25: Night Rose and Knife of Madness

    <h4>Chapter 25: Night Rose and Knife of Madness</h4>


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [You have received the following from All-Cutting Heavenly Sword: Innate power Sword Devotion, 2.2 million Godcoins, and three tickets to ess the Heavenly Sword Treasury.]


    [The Heavenly Sword Treasury is one of the best treasuries in the God Realm. Even nonbat gods would die for it.]


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [You have received a gift from Silently Crawling Nightmare.]


    [Silently Crawling Nightmare has given you innate power Night Rose.]


    The messages from God-Maker excited me.


    <i>Hoho, what great deals. </i>


    In exchange for returning the fruit knife I had looted from the mantis, All-Cutting Heavenly Sword gave me his innate power, along with the Godcoins he robbed from me. I even received three tickets to use his so-called Heavenly Sword Treasury.


    To be honest, I didn¡¯t know how good of a deal that was, but it should be quite a useful item. After all, it discouraged Silently Crawling Nightmare so much that she withdrew from the bid. Despite that, I still received her innate power. When I asked why she still gave it...


    [Silently Crawling Nightmare shyly says that she still favors you immensely, and thus wants you to ept her power.]


    Such nice stalkers¡ªI mean, nice pushovers. I couldn¡¯t possibly reject a free offer?


    ¡°But I don¡¯t feel any different at the moment...¡±


    <i>Guess I¡¯ll have to try it out.</i>


    ¡°Maybe tomorrow.¡±


    It waste. Besides, sting my ceiling through Skill Sharing with Sung Mi-Ri taught me an important lesson. Humans learn from failures. This time, I would test out my newfound power in a remote and vast area.


    Iid down in bed and fell asleep unusually quickly. I must¡¯ve been exhausted. I didn¡¯t know someone would pay me a visit that night.


    ***


    Faint ripples emerged on the phone screen, which had God-Maker on disy. Then, insects stealthily crept out of it, about a dozen or so.


    Were they an army sent by the emperor? Doubtful. Their numbers were too few to bebeled an army. Not only that, their pumpkin-colored patterns were reminiscent of honey bees.


    The intruders were none other than the emperor¡¯s Ten Swords and an assassin, Killerbee, along with his direct line of descendants. After the emperor had ordered the subjugation of the malevolent god on the entire continent, Killerbee and his party were the first to arrive.


    Killerbee stared at the malevolent god.


    <i>So, this is the malevolent god that killed Kamikiri...</i>


    Truly a fearsome being it was! Its size was more akin to a broad mountain range than to any living creature.


    <i>Rumble! Rumble!</i>


    The malevolent god snored thunderously, with what Killerbee assumed to be his chest rising and falling.


    <i>Shiver!</i>


    Everyone else in his party trembled, petrified in fear.


    ¡°Fear not, for our n is invincible!¡±


    ¡°M-Master Assassin.¡±


    ¡°Only a fool like Kamikiri would fail to defeat the malevolent god despite leading five million troops. Our n is different! Unlike the ground crawlers, we¡¯re no lowly insects. Remember the long line of gods our n has in until now. Even the most arrogant and cruel gods fall prey to our poison.¡± Killerbee went on smugly.


    Indeed. Their wings allowed them to fly freely, while their venom allowed them to kill gods. Outnumbered and outgunned by the red ants they might be, but Killerbee¡¯s n prided themselves on being the strongest in the empire. After all, there was nothing in the world that they couldn¡¯t kill.


    ¡°Step forth, my brave children. Show those lowly ants the might of our n!¡±


    For one hundred years, their n had been notorious as poisonous assassins. They rose from humiliation, and secured a seat in the Ten Swords. Atst, the chance had arrived for them to revive their n!


    ¡°The valor of god-ying shall be ours once more!¡±


    ¡°<i>Woooo</i>!¡±


    Along with the Killerbee¡¯s roar, the n flew toward the malevolent god like arrows.


    <i>Booong!</i>


    In groups of two or three, the n advanced, aiming their poisonous needles at the malevolent god¡¯s neck and heart. Meanwhile, Killerbee aimed for his weakness¡ªthe eyes. The poison that he was about to use was a hundred times more lethal than the one that killed the grasshopper at the great hall. It was a deadly god-ying poison from their n.


    A content smile tugged at Killerbee¡¯s mouth. From this day forward, the best of the Ten Swords would no longer be that arrogant and moody tarant bitch, but him!


    ¡°Die! You malevolent god!¡±


    Burning with zeal, he charged forth at the god before him, armed with a poisonous needle.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [You have met the conditions for Silently Crawling Nightmare¡¯s innate power Night Rose.]


    [Ohohoho! Lowly creatures! Tremble in fear! Your nightmare begins now!]


    ¡°What?¡±


    <i>Pzzz!</i>


    Strange aura emanated from the malevolent god. At the same time, tentacle-like vines sprouted from his body.


    <i>Flick! Flick!</i>


    The vines coiled around Killerbee and his nsmen like whips. The sudden attack caught them off guard. But that was only the beginning.


    <i>Drrr!</i>


    A towering figure had overshadowed them. When the party turned to look at it, they saw a gigantic flower budding from the god¡¯s head. The crimson bud exuded a fragrance as sweet as honey and as deadly as ecstasy. Mesmerized by its beauty and sweet scent, the bees forgot about the vines that entangled them. Even Killerbee was no exception.


    <i>Swish¡ª</i>


    At least, until it blossomed and bore its head.


    -<i>Kyaaaaa!</i>


    Along with the ghastly roar, a giant, fanged mouth emerged from the flower.


    ¡°<i>Aaaaaargh</i>!¡±


    Killerbee and his party screamed all at once, struggling to break free of the vines, but...


    <i>Flick, gulp!</i>


    <i>Flick, gulp!</i>


    The monstrous flower moved its vines and swallowed the bees one by one.


    ¡°<i>Aaargh</i>! S-save me, Master!¡±


    ¡°No! Enough, you monster!¡±


    In no time, his nsmen met their gruesome demise. Unable to bear the sight, Killerbee hurled the poisonous needle that was meant for the malevolent god at the monstrous flower.


    <i>Swoosh!</i>


    Flying like an arrow, the needle lodged itself in the flower¡¯s mouth. The poison of the Killerbee¡¯s n was unrivaled, capable of taking down even the mightiest of gods. Poisoned, the petals of the flower rustled, and eventually remained still like a statue.


    <i>Yes!</i>


    Killerbee¡¯s gaze flickered slyly as he anticipated the monstrous flower''s imminent end


    -<i>Kihihihihi</i>!


    However, instead of a scream, an eerieughter of a female echoed. Blossoming even more, the monstrous flower looked back at Killerbee. Instead of withering, it only flourished from the poison...


    ¡°N-no way...!¡±


    Then, it finally urred to Killerbee. He had read it from a book that was passed down through generations in his n. Night Rose, or the Flower of Nightmare. It was the apostle of the Silently Crawling Nightmare, the worst of gods that had devoured 90% of the continent¡¯s poption. The only existence that their poison wouldn¡¯t work on.


    That very flower was staring right back at them, salivating.


    <i>Streeeetch!</i>


    ¡°Aaaaargh!¡±


    <i>Gulp! Srrrr¡ª</i>


    Soon, that mouth became the final destination for Killerbee and his n.


    Having fulfilled its duty, the flower disappeared back into Yu Il-Shin¡¯s head.


    <i>Snore!</i>


    Afterwards, only the loud snoring of Yu Il-Shin remained in the room.


    ***


    <i>Beep beep beep beep! Beep beep beep!</i>


    The incessant rming from the phone woke me up, and I bolted from the bed. Was it morning already?


    ¡°<i>Ergh</i>~!¡± A burp escaped my mouth. ¡°<i>Ugh</i>, why do I feel so bloated?¡±


    I didn¡¯t remember eating anything elsest night.


    ¡°Well, whatever.¡±


    It worked for me, since I couldn¡¯t be bothered to have breakfast. With that so-called positive outlook, I washed up and changed into my training suit. After that, I headed for the park.


    It was still rtively early, so the park was empty.


    <i>Great. Time to test out my new powers.</i>


    I woke up much earlier than usual just to test out the two new powers I had acquired yesterday. One of them was Night Rose from Silently Crawling Nightmare, and the other was Sword Devotion from All-Cutting Heavenly Sword.


    Since I could only use the Heavenly Sword Treasury thrice, I had to be sparing. I decided to focus on the other two for now. Let¡¯s start with the Night Rose. I gathered my focus and chanted the activation phrase.


    ¡°Power, Night Rose!¡±


    Silence. Nothing else happened.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    Amidst my confusion, messages appeared from God-Maker.


    [Failed to activate innate power. Conditions were not met.]


    [In order to activate the innate power, the owner has to be asleep.]


    ¡°I have to be asleep?¡±


    I inadvertently winced. What kind of ridiculous power was this? No wonder she gave it away for free!


    The name was so cringe, so I wasn¡¯t expecting much from the start. But this was just annoying. If I had to be asleep for it to work, how was I supposed to know what kind of power it was?


    ¡°<i>Hoo boy</i>, it¡¯s fine. It probably has some uses.¡± I calmed myself down by taking deep breaths.


    Not like that was the only power I could try out. I fished out a sword from my pocket that resembled a 5,000-won kitchen knife from Daiseo. I didn¡¯t really cook at home, so it ended up staying in my kitchen drawing. Nevertheless, it didn¡¯t have a speck of rust, and was about a centimeter longer than a normal knife. It made me feel as if I was holding a real sword.


    [All-Cutting Heavenly Sword reminds you that if you use the innate power Sword Devotion while wielding the sword, no sword master would dare to be your match.]


    Recalling the previous message from All-Cutting Heavenly Sword, I tightened my grip on the hilt.


    ¡°I sure am nervous.¡±


    I remembered my favorite childhood martial arts story. After acquiring a divine sword, the protagonist became the greatest swordsman in the world.


    To wield a sword was every man¡¯s dream.


    ¡°Sword Devotion!¡± I yelled with anticipation, looking forward to what would happen.


    Would a Sword Aura engulf me whole? Would I be able to pull off some cool sword moves?


    But... more silence. As expected, nothing happened. There wasn¡¯t even a message informing the failure this time.


    ¡°Seriously?¡±


    Feeling scammed, I made my decision right then and there.


    ¡°Fine. I¡¯m going to sell that divine sword or whatever it is.¡±


    After making that deal, I nned to use that Heavenly Sword Treasury thrice before returning it, so I had stowed it in my drawer. Even if I sold it, it would probably fetch a price simr to scrap metal. I should also cut off all ties with these stalkers.


    -...want.


    I heard a voice in my ear.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    -I want to kill...


    The voice was faint, like a mosquito¡¯s, but it was slowly growing clearer. I quickly nced around my surroundings, only to find no one.


    ¡°What...?¡± Still in disbelief, I looked down at the sword in my hand. ¡°<i>Nah</i>, probably not.¡±


    Haha, what were these crazy thoughts that crawled to my head? Must be because of all the ridiculous happenings in my life recently.


    -I want to kill! I want to kill!


    <i>Woooong!</i>


    The sword began pulsating with a terrifying force, and a high-pitched shriek pierced through my eardrums.


    ¡°<i>Ugh</i>!¡±


    An intense and uncontroble thirst surged in me. An overwhelming desire to purge the entire world, bathing it in blood, surged over like a tidal wave.


    Momentster, a voice overflowing with frenzy escaped through my lips.


    ¡°<i>Keke</i>, I want to kill...¡±

 Chapter 26: Importance of a Happy Family’s Yu Il-Shin

    <h4>Chapter 26: Importance of a Happy Family¡¯s Yu Il-Shin</h4>


    Importance of a Happy Family.


    A Chinese saying that meant everything was good so long as the home was harmonious.


    But in my neighborhood, it specifically referred to a certain Chinese restaurant.


    ¡°<i>Huff! Huff!</i>¡±


    The victims of my frenzy piled high before me. Vegetables were sliced so thinly, they were almost see through. Bloodless cubes of meat, diced to perfection. Moreover, I had also deboned the pile of fish over there.


    ¡°No way! In less than an hour, he has finished preparing four days¡¯ worth of ingredients for our establishment!¡± the generous boss eximed.


    Earlier, I had approached him with a face as pale as a sheet and bloodshot eyes. On top of that, I was also holding a knife. Had I not been their regr, I¡¯d have been reported as a suspicious guy.


    -I¡¯m... satisfied now...


    The knife in hand mumbled quietly, like a lion that had eaten its fill.


    ¡°That''s so? You''re finally satisfied?¡±


    I barely held myself from cursing out loud. Because of this knife, I had to do so much work early in the morning! Its desire was simply too overwhelming! I was afraid that if I let my guard down, I¡¯d identally hurt someone or, in the worst-case scenario, became a murderer.


    ¡°Sonny! Do you want to work at my restaurant? I''ll pay you handsomely!¡±


    ¡°<i>Uhm</i>, Boss, your pants!¡±


    The restaurant owner grabbed his stretched pants like a cool city man and hurried home.


    ¡°Alright, for starter!!¡±


    <i>Drag¡ª Bang! Sizzle! Riiip!</i>


    I quickly put the knife away in a drawer, then took a roll of tape, sealing it off.


    <i>Huff puff!</i>


    <i>See if I ever touch that damn knife again</i>.


    After sealing the so-called sword, I slipped under my covers once more.


    <i>Damn it, I''ve worked so hard since morning, and now I¡¯m feeling sore all over. </i>


    ¡°<i>Argh</i>! Those fucking scammer gods! Just you wait...¡±


    <i>I¡¯ll never forget what happened today!</i>


    It was still before 7 AM. Since there was still some time before my training session with Sung Mi-Ri, I thought of catching up on some sleep.


    <i>Ding! Ding!</i>


    But then, notifications came from God-Maker.


    [The Saintess and her 101 subjects earnestly plead for salvation from God Yu Il-Shin!]


    <i>Wow, it¡¯s been a while.</i>


    ¡°Okay, what¡¯s wrong this time?¡± with heavy eyes, I peered at my phone screen. ¡°Huh? What¡¯s wrong with them?¡±


    My followers, the Saintess and the ck ants, were pleading as they died one by one.


    ***


    When I looked for ant remedies on the inte, most of the search results were about how to get rid of them. Nothing remotely relevant to my search showed up. Average humans seemed to treat ants like pests. Well, not like I was any different.


    ¡°<i>Hmm</i>.¡±


    The red ants were infuriating, yes. But the ck ants? They were kind of like my pets. I did feel guilty now for killing them without much thought at the start.


    [The Saintess and her 101 subjects earnestly plead for salvation from God Yu Il-Shin!!]


    The way they shook as they bowed at me made my heart ache for them. I¡¯d like to save them if possible. So, I tried sprinkling some sugar, remembering how happy it made them.


    However, none of the excitement fromst time could be seen.


    <i>What exactly happened?</i>


    Did theye into contact with insecticide somewhere? <i>Damn it</i>. If only we could understand each other¡¯snguage. But not all hope was lost¡ªI had these special eyes! I focused on the pleading group.


    [The innate power Blind Eyes of God has been activated.]


    <i>Ding!</i>


    <i>-----</i>


    [Appraisalplete.]


    -----


    [Saintess and 101 followers]


    ck tribe that serves Yu Il-Shin.


    Special note: Poisoned by the Killerbee n.


    -----


    <i>Poisoned? But weren''t killer bees the venomous bees native to Africa? </i>


    ¡°H-how did you guyse across a bee venom?¡±


    Did they rob a beehive for honey while I wasn¡¯t looking?


    -<i>Cough!</i>


    One of the begging ants coughed out ck fluid and copsed, its bodyid motionless.


    [One of your followers has died of poison.]


    <i>Sizzle.</i>


    The remains of the ant turned gray, before turning into dust, disintegrating into the air.


    ¡°I-it¡¯s dead?¡±


    Despite that, there were no coins. A vain death, leaving nothing behind. They might be lowly creatures, but they still followed and relied on me. I might be a pathetic third-rate writer, but I was still a merciful and great god.


    ¡°I want to save them...¡± I muttered sorrowfully.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Yu Il-Shin¡¯s earnestness toward his followers activated the Miracle menu.]


    God-Maker responded out of the blue.


    ¡°What? A miracle?¡±


    -----


    [Miracle]


    To followers, miracles are one of the most important aspects of a god¡¯s existence. Depending on the alignment of the miracles you bestow upon them, your followers will either revere you or fear you as they put their faith in you.


    -----


    [You may perform miracles on your followers, who are dying of poison.]


    [Would you like to use your divine power? (Yes/No)]


    [It will cost you 100,000 Gcoins to do so.]


    -----


    I didn¡¯t even need to think about it. I could afford it, and although I didn¡¯t know what divine power was referring to, I was more than willing to use it.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [You paid 100,000 Gcoins.]


    [Yu Il-Shin currently has 4,886,342 Gcoins.]


    [Performing miracles on the followers ording to Yu Il-Shin¡¯s will.]


    [Part of the Fruit of the World Tree consumed by Yu Il-Shin is used as a catalyst for the miracle.]


    <i>Swaaaah!</i>


    Dazzling golden rain suddenly began pouring in the God-Maker app. As soon as it hit the ants, it seemed to detoxify them, relieving them from their pain. The dying ants looked up at me tearfully, amazed at the miracle bestowed upon them.


    [The Saintess and 100 followers shed tears of joy while praising Yu Il-Shin.]


    That message made me feel both embarrassed and proud at the same time. I might have grown attached to them. Still, something was off...


    ¡°<i>Ugh</i>, why do I... feel so sleepy... all of a sudden...?¡±


    I felt as if a huge chunk of energy had been depleted from my body. Soon, heavy drowsiness threatened to take over me. I sumbed, copsing into bed.


    <i>Thud!</i>


    I heard the subsequent notifications from God-Maker, but I couldn¡¯t read the messages as I had fallen unconscious.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [The title Benevolent Savior has risen from Rank E to D.]


    [The newly leveled-up benevolent god title has changed Yu Il-Shin''s alignment from malevolent to neutral.]


    [Several high-ranking malevolent gods explicitly expressed their bitterness.]


    [Especially Silently Crawling Nightmare, who thinks that you have be less charming.]


    [Several Benevolent Gods begin to look at you in a different light.]


    [Infinite Abundance, in particr, took notice of you.]


    ***


    The ck tribe had been attacked by Killerbee, one of the empire''s Ten Swords, and his n. Despite their attempt to intercept the invaders, they were no match for the flying, venomous creatures.


    ¡°You¡¯ll see. Once I¡¯veid the malevolent god to waste, I shall offer all of you as sacrifices to His Majesty.¡±


    ¡°One wrong move, and you¡¯re done for. Our n possesses a millennia-old arcane poison. Worry not, we have lowered the concentration so that you won¡¯t die right away. There¡¯s no antidote for it!¡±


    The Saintess and her tribe cowered in fear. How could they not? To this date, Killerbee and his assassin n had in over ten gods, earning them their notorious reputation. Despite their small numbers, they were once the terror of the continent. Their poison was feared by gods, and their wings gave them free rein over the sky. At least, until the emperor ascended the throne.


    After attacking the ck tribe, Killerbee and his n went to hunt the Malevolent God.


    The ck antsy poisoned on the ground, tormented by fear and despair as they teetered between life and death. Their attackers might spare them after the god had been in. Even then, all that awaited them in the empire was either being eaten or enved for the rest of their lives. All they could do now was pray for the victory of their god, Yu Il-Shin.


    <i>Rumble!</i>


    Suddenly, the skies parted and their god appeared.


    When she saw that their god was unscathed, the Saintess was in disbelief. No, it was only a given. Those lowly assassins couldn¡¯t even hope to harm their god!


    <i>Rumble!</i>


    Yu Il-Shin looked down at the ants as theyy on the ground, dying. His eyes burned like inferno. Was it her imagination, or was there a glimmer ofpassion in those fiery eyes?


    -Tiny creatures, I¡¯ll grant you a miracle.


    Their god, Yu Il-Shin, spoke.


    <i>Swaaaa!</i>


    The sky darkened and dazzling golden rain began pouring down.


    <i>Sizzle!</i>


    As soon as the rain touched them, ck vapor rose from the dying ants, washing away their ailments and toxins.


    ¡°<i>Aah</i>, Almighty God Yu Il-Shin...¡±


    The tribe cried as they looked up at their god. Yu Il-Shin looked terrifying, but that was only on the surface. How could their god be this merciful? How could they turn their back on such a god? How could they leave him in such a filthy cave for hundreds of years? They grew ashamed of themselves and their ancestors.


    Just then, Yu Il-Shin stumbled.


    <i>Thud! aaang!</i>


    After performing a wonderful miracle on them, their god seemed to have exhausted all his energy and copsed.


    ¡°O¡¯ Almighty God Yu Il-Shin!¡±


    ¡°N-no!¡±


    ¡°Our god has fallen!¡±


    The ants cried wistfully likembs that had lost their mother.


    ¡°Saintess! Please offer my body to god!¡± said an ant.


    The best thing they could offer to a god¡ªespecially a malevolent one¡ªwas a life sacrifice. The ck tribe was prepared toy down their lives for Yu Il-Shin.


    However, the Saintess turned to her tribesmen and said firmly.


    ¡°Everyone, you just witnessed how far God Yu Il-Shin was willing to go for our sake! Would someone like him ask for a life sacrifice?!¡±


    The tribesmen became silent.


    Indeed. Despite looking like a hideous(?) demon, their god had the heart of an angel. He¡¯d never ask for them to surrender their lives!


    ¡°The faith and belief you have in your god is the best tribute you can offer! Let¡¯s put our faith in God Yu Il-Shin¡¯s recovery!¡±


    The ck ants cheered in agreement with the Saintess until their eyes turned red.


    ¡°The Saintess is right!¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s show our faith to the god!¡±


    ¡°For God Yu Il-Shin!¡±


    ¡°<i>Waaaaah</i>!¡±


    ***


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [The Saintess and 100 followers had fallen into a state of fanaticism.]


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [The result of fanaticism is being created.]

 Chapter 27: Yu Il-Shin Doing a Quest

    <h4>Chapter 27: Yu Il-Shin Doing a Quest</h4>


    After being out for god knows how long, I finally woke up.


    ¡°Mister, are you awake?¡±


    When I opened my eyes, I saw a teenage girl beside me.


    ¡°Ms. Sung Mi-Ri? What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t show up at our agreed time. I was worried, so I came over. Do you know how shocked I was when I saw you lying on the ground?! You should still sleep on the bed no matter howzy you are.¡±


    ¡°Haha, sorry about that.¡± Iughed awkwardly while scratching my head. ¡°But why are you looking at me like that?¡±


    ¡°Mister, did you get skin treatments?¡± Sung Mi-Ri stared at me.


    ¡°Huh? What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Your skin looks good!¡±


    Wondering what she was talking about, I looked into the mirror in the corner of my room.


    ¡°...?¡±


    Due to the frequent all-nighters, I usually had dark circles. However, the face reflected in the mirror was smooth and wless! Other than my skin, my body also felt awesome. My shoulders were no longer stiff, and my chronic headache had disappeared. When was thest time I felt this great?


    ¡°But Mister, what is that?¡± Sung Mi-Ri asked, pointing at a sculpture the size of my forearm.


    <i>Wait, what¡¯s that? </i>


    Since when did I have that in my room? And why did it look so cursed? It resembled the face of the Four Heavenly Kings at the entrance of temples! Surely, even a child would be terrified to death. Even I was afraid of seeing it in my dreams.


    Just then, my skill kicked in.


    -----


    [Idol Statue of Yu Il-Shin, God of the ck Tribe]


    The statue was made by the ck tribe in the image of their god. They crafted it to express their gratitude and fanaticism for the miracle bestowed upon them.


    Special note: Ugly.


    -----


    That special note was personal. How could they put this trash in my room?! I saved their lives!


    ¡°That statue... looks like you, Mister.¡±


    <i>What? That¡¯s the face of someone who cackled while roasting people in hellfire, you know? And yet, you said that it looks like me? Ms. Sung Mi-Ri, that¡¯s just unnecessary.</i>


    ¡°Wow, the more I look at it, the cooler it gets! Also, how do I say this, it looks... cute? Mister, if you don¡¯t need it, can you give that to me? Pretty please?¡±


    <i>She has to be joking, right?</i>


    But the glimmers in her eyes said otherwise.


    ¡°Ms. Sung Mi-Ri, I¡¯d suggest you visit an optometrist.¡±


    Just as I was concerned about her eyes, the special note on the statue changed.


    -----


    Special note: Ugly. But the statue casts a strong charming illusion on followers of Yu Il-Shin. Upon seeing this statue, the followers will be infatuated with Yu Il-Shin.


    -----


    <i>That¡¯s crazy. I don¡¯t need to know all this information!</i>


    ***


    I finally finished training with Sung Mi-Ri. I said ¡°training,¡± but it was just a pretext to unbind her seal. But since it was an SS-grade seal, progress was slow. I expected it¡¯d continue for another month.


    ¡°Lla~¡±


    Sung Mi-Ri went home with my statue in her arms. I saw her off withplicated emotions. At some point, I gave in to her pleading, but now I was having second thoughts. Was it really alright for a highly-sensitive teenager to keep something like that at home?


    [Silently Crawling Nightmare envies the female human, wishing she had that statue as well.]


    [All-Cutting Heavenly Sword is upset at the foolish child for not realizing the greatness of the power bestowed upon him.]


    Messages from the two stalkers appeared, but I ignored them. Being made to prep all the ingredients at the Chinese restaurant so early in the morning was thest straw. If I were to serve those stalkers again, I¡¯d stop being a human.


    ¡°<i>Haa</i>, let¡¯s get down to business then.¡±


    I steeled myself, then set myptop on the half-burnt table. Somehow, it felt like I was able to get some writing done today. From now on, I¡¯d solely focus on my next submission deadline! I red at myptop, my heart and eyes burning with creative passion. However...


    ¡°Damn it.¡±


    Myptop screen remained empty, just like my bank ount. My willpower didn¡¯t match my work speed; my brain wasn¡¯t working at all!


    ¡°<i>Gosh</i>.¡± I let out a heavy sigh.


    Then, my eyes wandered to the phone lying in a corner of the room. Before I knew it, I hadunched God-Maker. In my defense, I wasn¡¯t ying a game, but trying to get materials for my writing. I was also worried about the ants that were poisonedst time.


    [Wee to God-Maker.]


    [Depending on your choices and y style, you can be a benevolent or a malevolent god.]


    Polite yet in messages greeted me, and the screen changed.


    <i>Sizzle.</i>


    The first thing I saw was a bunch of ants gathered around something in the cave. They were both joyful and in despair. Did our connection as god and followers allow me to feel their emotions? What made them feel this way?


    Then, noticing my curiosity, the termite Saintess bowed to me in deep respect. Soon, the others followed suit.


    Atst, what they were surrounding was revealed to me. I could barely make it out with my naked eye, but it seemed to be a bud. It was no bigger than the ants¡¯ antennae. My skill activated itself.


    -----


    [Bud of the World Tree]


    Asexual. A newborn sprout from the World Tree, developed with the miracle bestowed by Yu Il-Shin, who had absorbed the Berry of the World Tree.


    Special note: It fell sick and will soon wither.


    Estimated lifespan: 24 hours 30 minutes 39 seconds.


    -----


    Berry of the World Tree? Was that weird berry offered by the ants as tribute back then? After eating it, I instantly recovered from serious burns. I still recall how much I regretted not selling it.


    So this bud was the World Tree? My greed swelled.


    <i>Imagine if this bud grew into a huge tree and bore lots of fruits... Jackpot!</i>


    I¡¯d no longer have to worry about my retirement n as a writer! Except, there was an issue...


    -----


    Special note: It fell sick and will soon wither.


    Estimated lifespan: 24 hours 29 minutes 49 seconds


    -----


    Even now, the bud was rapidly withering. Determined, I clenched my fists, saying, ¡°Let¡¯s save it!¡±


    <i>All for my bright retirement years.</i>


    -<i>Ooh</i>, the god is resurrecting the World Tree for us!


    -As expected of God Yu Il-Shin!


    -<i>Kyaa</i>! I love you, God Yu Il-Shin!


    The ants rejoiced, dancing at my resolution.


    [Yu Il-Shin bestows the Blessing of the Growth God on the Bud of the World Tree.]


    The first thing I tried was to sprinkle Bhus-F¡ªno, Blessing of the Growth God on it. I dipped my chopsticks into the liquid and trickled a droplet on it...


    <i>Sizzle.</i>


    Blue light began to envelop the bud.


    <i>¡°Ooh</i>!¡±


    However, the light onlysted briefly. In the next moment, the leaves reverted to their withering, deep yellow color.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [The disease is hindering the growth of the World Tree.]


    I thought it was a solid idea, but it didn¡¯t seem to work.


    ¡°What else can I do?¡±


    I proceeded to ess the God¡¯s Shop.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    A long list of thousands of items appeared in the catalog. Surely, there must be a power or item that would be useful here. <i>Sigh</i>, it would still be a hell of a job to find it, though. Almost like finding a needle in a haystack.


    As I scrolled down the catalog, I spotted some items with the ¡°New!¡±bel on it. Huh? Were these new arrivals? One of them caught my eye.


    -----


    New! [Tears of Infinite Abundance (Low-tier God)]


    Category: Exclusive Item for Benevolent Gods


    Price: 20,000 Gcoins


    Effects: Cures all nt diseases through the goddess¡¯ grace.


    Special note: Can only be used after being acknowledged by the goddess.


    You can only purchase it afterpleting the prerequisite quest.


    Note: Gcoins won¡¯t be refunded if you fail toplete the quest.


    -----


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    The description that it could cure all nt diseases drew my interest. Wouldn¡¯t it be able to cure the Bud of the World Tree? Nevertheless, if I wanted to purchase it, I¡¯d have toplete a quest first. And if I failed, a refund wasn¡¯t possible. Thest part only made me uneasy. Didn¡¯t that imply there was going to be a risk?


    ¡°<i>Hmm</i>.¡±


    After giving it some thought, I proceeded with the purchase. Before arriving at that decision, I had looked at other items, but this was the only one that could cure nts. Besides, other recovery items cost millions of Godcoins.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s only 20,000 Gcoins anyway.¡±


    It was worth the investment.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [You have purchased Tears of Infinite Abundance.]


    [You paid 20,000 Gcoins.]


    [A quest has been activated!]


    Slight anticipation and excitement rushed over me. What kind of quest was it? As a genre writer, I naturally expected it to be a high-difficulty quest, especially considering the circumstances. Usually, the location of the quest would be specified, allowing the protagonist to save people.


    <i>Ah, but I¡¯m worried if the quest is too hard... </i>


    But didn¡¯t I have Sung Mi-Ri? I should be able to ovee it, probably.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Quest: A single good deed a day makes the world a beautiful ce]


    <i>Huh? What kind of quest name is that?</i>


    -----


    Infinite Abundance was a benevolent god.


    In order to use her item, one must prove their goodness. No good deed is too small. Benevolent gods do not discriminate against them.


    Good deeds required toplete the quest: 0/100


    Duration: Unlimited


    -----


    ¡°<i>Uh, uhm</i>...¡±


    All kinds of thoughts swirled in my mind. This wasn¡¯t quite what I had been expecting.


    <i>Anyway, she wants me to do good deeds, right?</i>


    ***


    As per the quest name suggested, doing a good deed a day wasn¡¯t that bad. But at this rate, the Bud of the World Tree would wither and die. It¡¯d be wise for me toplete this quest today. Thus, I sprang into action.


    <i>ck.</i>


    With a tong and a garbage bag in each hand, I grabbed the cigarette butt from the ground and threw it away. Soon...


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [You helped clean the world.]


    [Your good deeds have increased by 1.]


    [Good deeds done until questpletion: 10/100]


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s up by 1 again.¡±


    For the past hour, I had been picking up trash in my neighborhood, resulting in 10 good deeds done.


    ¡°Haha, this is quite rewarding.¡±


    I wiped the beads of sweat off my forehead while looking at the clean streets. Was this why people do good deeds? It might be boring, but at the rate at which I was going, I should be able to achieve 100 good deeds with ease.


    ¡°Nice! Let¡¯s work hard for a bright retirement n, Yu Il-Shin!¡± I yelled in high spirits. I imagined the great World Tree growing fully, bearing a lot of berries.


    ...Little did I know, that was only the beginning.


    Three hours of street cleaningter, I checked my progress...


    [Good deeds done until questpletion: 10/100]


    ¡°Why! Why isn¡¯t it going up?!¡±

 Chapter 28: The Strongest Cleaner

    <h4>Chapter 28: The Strongest Cleaner</h4>


    He was Choi Kang-San. A specialist in this circle, so to speak. But that day, a new face threatened to take his ce!


    Choi Kang-San red fiercely at the youngster who invaded his territory.


    ***


    Despite having picked up the trash in my neighborhood for over three hours, the good deeds counter wasn¡¯t rising. As soon as I realized that, I decided to switch locations. My next destination was the subway station near my house.


    <i>Oh, it''s going up again!</i>


    [You helped clean the world.]


    [Your good deeds have increased by 1.]


    [Good deeds done until questpletion: 11/100]


    Sure enough, the unmoving counter began rising after changing ces. I picked up an empty can and threw it into a recycling bag.


    <i>Haha, I, Yu Il-Shin, am a man who also takes part in recycling.</i>


    [You are an excellentw-abiding model.]


    [Your good deeds have increased by 1.]


    [Good deeds done until questpletion: 12/100]


    ¡°Hehe, it''s going up again.¡±


    Great. While it did stop earlier, if I keep going at it, I¡¯d be able to achieve 100 good deeds within a day.


    Merely imagining the mature World Tree, abundant with wondrous berries, was enough to make me smile. All of the sudden, someone grabbed my shoulder from behind.


    ¡°Boy, what are you doing in my territory?¡±


    Surprised, I turned around. An elderly man with a long, silvery beard stared back at me. He donned a scruffy dark gray jacket, with a mesh bag slung over his shoulder.


    I immediately broke into a cold sweat.


    <i>T-this man is...!</i>


    Although they had be a rare sight in recent years, this man was clearly one of those who lived near the subway stations¡ªthe so-called ¡°homeless men¡±!


    ¡°This isn''t a ce for a newbie like you.¡± Said the man while sizing me up with his vicious eyes.


    Yeah, I did hear that the homeless were sensitive about their territory.


    I tried to think about my current situation objectively. I had an unkempt magpie hair, and was wearing a shabby training suit. I was also covered in dirt and sweat after picking up trash for thest couple of hours. He probably mistook me as a new face invading his territory.


    ¡°<i>Uhm</i>, I think there''s some misunderstanding. I''m not who you think I am. Ah, here. I have something for you...¡± I pulled out a crumpled 5,000 won bill from my pocket.


    ¡°<i>Hmph</i>! How dare you belittle me, this Choi Kang-San!¡± the old homeless man red at me.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    I hurriedly tried to keep the bill away, but...


    <i>Snatch!</i>


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    The bill vanished from my hands and ended up in the old man¡¯s, which were d in a pair of worn-out cotton gloves. His speed was tremendous, like a hawk snatching a chick from its mother.


    ¡°But I, Choi Kang-San, would never ignore other''s sincerity.¡± As he said that, he slid the bill into his own pocket.


    <i>Hic, goodbye, my dear Mr. Yulgok Yi-yi.</i>


    Pocketing my bill, he bolted into a convenience store nearby. I felt bitter as I watched him walk away, but I was still feeling expectant.


    <i>I donated to a homeless elderly. Won¡¯t this count as a good deed?</i>


    However, contrary to my expectations, the number on my quest window didn¡¯t change.


    <i>Why? Recycling trash counts, but donating doesn¡¯t?</i>


    Seriously, what was the system¡¯s definition of ¡°good deeds¡±? As I pondered about that, the old man went out of the convenience store.


    ¡°<i>Pwah</i>! Drinking alcohol in the afternoon is the best!¡±


    <i>No shit. I can see why it doesn¡¯t increase.</i>


    Seeing the old man holding soju bottles in each hand enraged me. I couldn¡¯t help but scream, ¡°Look here, old man!¡±


    ¡°What is it, punk?¡± The old man stopped drinking and approached me. ¡°How dare you call Choi Kang-San an old man!¡±


    <i>Crack!</i>


    The moment he straightened his back, he somehow became a head taller than me. Even though he wore a jacket, I could see how well-built his body was up close. His biceps alone were twice as thick as my scrawny arms.


    <i>H-hmph! Do you think I¡¯m scared?! I have a powerful kid with me!</i>


    ¡°If you have something to say, say it!¡±


    <i>ng!</i>


    The soju bottle he was holding shattered like chips.


    ¡°<i>Tsk</i>, the bottles are so flimsy these days,¡± the elderly man muttered, clicking his tongue regretfully at the spilled alcohol on the ground.


    <i>You sure it¡¯s because of the bottles?</i>


    ¡°So what is it?¡±


    I held out the bag of recybles in my hand, trembling. ¡°I-I wanted to give you this.¡±


    Like I said, I wasn¡¯t scared.


    ¡°<i>Hmph</i>. I, Choi Kang-San, don¡¯t care about such crap. I only deal with much bigger and more harmful trash in this world!¡± He snorted.


    <i>Oh, I see.</i>


    Instinctively, I knew that it was best not to get involved with him any longer.


    ¡°Well, take care then, Hyung-nim. I¡¯ll get going now. I still have some work to do.¡±


    <i>Grab!</i>


    The old man grabbed my shoulder with his hand, which was still soaked with alcohol.


    ¡°W-what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Did you just call me ¡®Hyung-nim¡¯?¡±


    I could feel tears welling up in my eyes when the crazy elderly glowered at me.


    <i>Dammit! Just how unlucky can one be?!</i>


    But then, the unexpected happened¡ªthe old man suddenlyughed boisterously!


    ¡°You¡¯re quite the tactful kid, aren¡¯t you! I do look younger than my age. I like you. Where are you from?¡±


    Rocky Media. I caught and stopped myself in time, remembering that I was fired for not submitting my manuscript on time. <i>Ugh</i>, it made my heart ache.


    ¡°...I¡¯m a frencer now.¡±


    ¡°Oh, well. It¡¯s more convenient to work alone. I like you more now. Hahaha!¡± he said, tapping my shoulder with such force that a bruise wouldn¡¯t have been surprising.


    Just as I was contemting how to get away from this crazy old man...


    <i>Whiiing!</i>


    All of a sudden, a familiar siren red loudly. The rm, which was a few decibels higher than that of a fire engine, signaled that a gate or dungeon had appeared in the area.


    <i>Wait, there¡¯s a monster nearby? </i>


    I shuddered, recalling my traumatic encounter with the Spiky Rhinoceros. On the contrary, the old man lit up.


    ¡°Keke, did it appear? Miracle¡¯s prediction is urate after all.¡±


    Miracle? I had heard this name from somewhere before, but who were they?


    ¡°Hyung-nim. I think something has happened nearby. I¡¯ll excuse myself first.¡±


    If a monster had truly appeared in the vicinity, we¡¯d have to evacuate right away. My surroundings would likely head for the subway station, where the bomb shelter was located.


    ¡°<i>Hmm</i>, are you going to help as well? Follow me. I¡¯ll show you what I¡¯m capable of.¡±


    However, it looked like the old man misunderstood me somehow.


    ¡°Excuse me? Where to...¡±


    Before I could finish my sentence, the old man had grabbed the scruff of my neck, and then...


    <i>m!</i>


    We jumped.


    ¡°Hahaha! How refreshing!¡±


    <i>Is this a dream?</i>


    <i>Whiiiing!</i>


    My feet were no longer nted on the ground, and strong gusts of wind began pping my face. Ironic how I described him as a hawk snatching a chick earlier, when I ended up bing said ¡°chick.¡±


    Beneath my feet, the cityscape seemed like a miniature toy.


    <i>Fuck! I just remembered!</i>


    No wonder I found that old man familiar. He was just an ordinary street cleaner¡ªat least until a gate appeared at his daughter¡¯s elementary school. The day he saved his daughter was also the day he became a legend nicknamed Cleaner. Otherwise known as the S-rank Hunter, Choi Kang-San!


    ¡°<i>Hmm</i>? Is there something on my face? Why are you staring at me so intently, Boy?¡± he asked, smiling brightly.


    That was thest thing I saw before I fainted, foaming at the mouth.


    ***


    Choi Kang-San watched Yu Il-Shin, who fainted in his arms, in disbelief.


    ¡°What¡¯s with this punk? Did he just faint? Strange. I thought he was at least a B-rank hunter.¡±


    Did his senses dull in thest few years after stepping down from active duty? Regardless, from the moment he firstid eyes on Yu Il-Shin, he could tell that thed was different. Yes, like a cute whiz.


    ¡°Well, I can always think about itter.¡± Choi Kang-San then slung Yu Il-Shin over his shoulder and continued forward.


    He was heading for ¡°that ce¡±.


    ¡°Miracle predicted there was an 80% chance a gate would appear there, and sure enough...¡±


    A crack formed in the air, as if a giant had shed across it.


    [The apostle of ??? enters Earth.]


    Strange text not originating from Earth appeared in the air, and...


    <i>Riip! Riiip!</i>


    A creature¡ªno, a monster that was at least twenty meters long, resembling a frog, emerged from the crack. Nevertheless, the gigantic horns and white, shark-like teeth jutting out of its mouth made it clear that it was no harmless frog.


    ¡°A Beelzebufo?¡±


    The ferocious, A-rank monster was called such because it resembled Beelzebub. In Korea, it was known as the Horned Devil Frog, and didn¡¯t appear that often.


    ¡°Just in time for a good warm-up. Been a while.¡±


    As an S-rank Hunter, Choi Kang-San could handle a mere A-rank monster by himself.


    What Choi Kang-San didn¡¯t expect was that this Beelzebufo was different from the rest, evident from the crown of ck bumps between its horns. King Beelzebufo was an exceptional being favored by a great god.


    The so-called King Frog grimly squinted his eyes as he stared at Yu Il-Shin, who was sprawled in a corner.


    -Is that the rumored young god? This is my lucky day. To think I arrived before everyone else. My master will be thrilled if I offer him as a tribute.


    King Frog flicked his tongue, which was entangled with live snakes. He warned Choi Kang-San, who stood in his way.


    -Move aside, decrepit human. Since I¡¯m in a good mood, I¡¯ll spare your life.


    In spite of that, all Choi Kang-San could hear was the monster¡¯s cries.


    ¡°<i>Geez</i>, this monster¡¯s so loud.¡±


    Taking a deep breath, Choi Kang-San clenched his fists.


    <i>Riiiip!</i>


    Instantly, his copper-colored muscles burst through his top, ripping it to shreds. Choi Kang-San smirked, baring a row of yellow teeth.


    ¡°<i>Keke</i>, nice! I¡¯m having alcohol with frog legs tonight!¡±


    -Such insolence! I¡¯m a favored subject of a great god, and you dare stand in my way?!


    King Frog was furious when Choi Kang-San refused to move.


    <i>sh!</i>


    With a tremendous aura, King Frog¡¯s body emitted a radiant golden light. The ground shook as if an earthquake had hit the area.


    -Lowlife! Look! This is the power of those favored by the gods!


    Choi Kang-San was taken aback by the king frog¡¯s unexpected power, but thenughed maniacally.


    ¡°Haha! In thest few years I¡¯ve been away, the level of the Horned Devil Frog has increased this much? Great! I¡¯ll be able to use my full strength!¡±


    -You overestimated yourself! Fine! If that¡¯s your wish, I¡¯ll show you the might of the great god!


    ¡°Come at me, Frog!¡±


    The strongest human and strongest monster were exuding bloodlust, about to sh at each other when...


    <i>Ding!</i>


    A message appeared on Yu Il-Shin¡¯s phone.


    [A life-threatening crisis targeting the wielder of the innate power has been detected.]


    [You have met the conditions for activating Silently Crawling Nightmare¡¯s innate power Night Rose.]


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    -<i>Krrr</i>?


    Both Choi Kang-San and the king frog instinctively turned around, and found themselves facing their worst nightmare.


    ¡°<i>Arrrrgh</i>! What the fuck is that!¡±


    -<i>Kweeeeeek</i>!


    <i>Whirrr!</i>


    <i>Gulp!</i>


    ...Silence followed.

 Chapter 29: Why Did You Come Out From There?

    <h4>Chapter 29: Why Did You Come Out From There?</h4>


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [You have contributed to world peace by subjugating the minion of a malevolent god.]


    [Your good deeds have increased by 1,000.]


    [Good deeds aplished: 1,012/100]


    [You have exceeded the number of good deeds required for the quest.]


    [Congrattions! You havepleted the quest: A single good deed a day makes the world a beautiful ce!]


    [You have been rewarded Tears of Infinite Abundance from the quest.]


    [The effects of Tear of Infinite Abundance cured the diseased bud of the World Tree.]


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Infinite Abundance shows great favor over you for exceeding the number of good deeds done.]


    [She will continue to carefully watch you and your good deeds.]


    ...


    I dreamed of eating deliciously at the most luxurious restaurant.


    <i>Nyam nyam, chew chew chew!</i>


    It tasted simr to chicken, but so much better at the same time, for it was both nutty and clean on the pte. A fine delicacy, fitting of an expensive restaurant! <i>Hehe, </i>it was so delicious.


    Just as I was enjoying my food...


    <i>Craaack!</i>


    I chewed on something tough like stone.


    ¡°<i>Ugh</i>!¡±


    My face contorted voluntarily. Not only was it hard, it also tasted absolutely disgusting, like a dishcloth soaked in water that had been left overnight.


    <i>Tweh!</i>


    ¡°<i>Blergh</i>!¡±


    I spat it out immediately and opened my eyes, vomiting in the process. It was definitely a dream, yet the revolting aftertaste lingered in my mouth.


    <i>Ugh, </i>I didn¡¯t have a weak stomach, the taste was just that horrid, so much so that I was afraid it¡¯d appear in my dreams again.


    <i>Huh, where am I?</i>


    I suddenly recalled the acrophobic experience I had with the old man earlier. It was so traumatic, I ended up fainting. By the way, said old man was sleeping nearby, snoring loudly.


    ¡°Why is he sleeping here? <i>Ugh!</i>¡±


    My nose crinkled in disgust as I approached him. He was covered in sticky, ck liquid, and the stench was no joke.


    ¡°Damn, did he fall into a sewer? He smells horrid!¡±


    My guess? He must¡¯ve tripped and fell after getting drunk.


    ¡°<i>Hic</i>, Mommy. I¡¯m scared...¡±


    <i>Wow, he¡¯s even talking in his sleep.</i>


    ¡°<i>Haa</i>, this doesn¡¯t make any sense.¡±


    How could this man be an S-rank Hunter? The future of our country sure looked bleak. He¡¯d just be an endless source of headache, so I better avoid getting tangled with him in the future. Thus, I decided to return home.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see...¡±


    I looked around for a while, and spotted a stack of newspapers on the ground. I couldn¡¯t bring myself to leave him lying on the streets.


    <i>Flutter, flutter.</i>


    Iid one piece over his body, one over his legs, and thest one over his head. <i>Whew, I¡¯m such a good person</i>. Just as I was wondering if this action would count as a good deed on God-Maker...


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    I noticed that not only had I exceeded the number of good deeds, the quest had also beenpleted. The description was also unexpected. I contributed to world peace by taking out the minion of a malevolent god? Since when?


    That old homeless man couldn¡¯t be the minion of a malevolent god, right? What happened while I was out?


    [The innate power Blind Eyes of God has been activated.]


    Just as I was having doubts, the innate power activated on its own, and my view shifted.


    A gigantic tree stood magnificently before me, like a pir holding up the sky. Its leaves shone splendidly and mysteriously in an array of rainbow colors. Fruits resembling eggs hung from its branches, each emitting mystical white light. Nevertheless, the presence of the mysterious tree paled inparison to the woman who prayed devoutly beneath it.


    Her snow-white hair flowed to the ground, with a veil draped over it. Her charm made it impossible for anyone, including me, to take their eyes off her. All of a sudden, she turned around, and her veil fluttered, revealing her face.


    <i>Lift.</i>


    Her beauty could only be described as god¡¯s work of art. Her red eyes, radiating the majestess of a queen and the sacredness of a saint, bore into me. Soon, a bright smile akin to the arrival of spring appeared on her face.


    <i>Thump! Thump!</i>


    My heart began pounding. Why? Why was it going crazy all of a sudden?


    Her red lips parted, and a mellifluous voice came in a whisper.


    ¡°<i>Aah</i>, you have returned, O¡¯ great and merciful god...¡±


    <i>Whiiing!</i>


    The sudden loud siren pulled me back to reality, and the mysterious tree from earlier vanished from my sight. Instead, I saw a termite and a group of ck ants bowing down before me as they surrounded the bud of the World Tree.


    I inadvertently rubbed my eyes. My body must¡¯ve been deteriorating to the point that I started hallucinating. Maybe I should have a bowl of <i>ramyun </i>with two eggs to nourish my body. I hurried away, seeing the police car and ambnceing my way.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Congrattions. You have sessfully revived the World Tree.]


    [Foundation for the revival of the ck tribe has beenid.]


    [As the number of followers increases and thrives, so will your divine powers.]


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [In honor and appreciation for the revival of the World Tree, the ck tribe has erected an additional statue, Yu Il-Shin Statue (2).]


    ...As soon as I got home, I found a second statue identical to the one I had given to Sung Mi-Ri.


    <i>Oh,e on! Don¡¯t do this to me!</i>


    ***


    Lee Ji-Tae, chairman of the Hunter Association, was reading a report in his office. Before him, stood a well-dressed man in histe thirties, wearing silver-rimmed sses. He was Choi Woo-Shin, an A-rank Hunter who was also the chief of staff and Lee Ji-Tae¡¯s right-hand man.


    ¡°As expected of the Cleaner, Choi Kang-San. Despite having a gap period, he could easily handle an S-rank monster from a gate.¡± Choi Woo-Shin nodded satisfactorily while going through the report. ¡°But I heard that he was hospitalized, how is he doing now?¡±


    ¡°He was unscathed.¡±


    ¡°<i>Hoho</i>, I expect no less from. He¡¯s as strong as always.¡±


    ¡°But...¡± Choi Woo-Shin trailed off.


    ¡°Hmm? What¡¯s wrong...?¡±


    ¡°During my visit, I brought him some flowers, but then he started convulsing...¡±


    Choi Woo-Shin began, recalling the incident that happened a few hours ago. Choi Kang-San was roaring adamantly that there was nothing wrong with him, demanding to be discharged.But he instantly fainted and even frothed at the mouth at the sight of the flower basket.


    <i>¡°H! Flower! Monster! Arrrgh!¡±</i>


    ¡°Was he always so averse to flowers? I never knew he had such weakness. Be careful next time, since he¡¯s one of the strongest pirs of South Korea.¡± Lee Ji-Tae tutted.


    ¡°Yes, I will make sure of it.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, how are things going at the Hunter Academy?¡±


    ¡°Everything is set in stone. We will begin the project as soon as Mr. Choi Kang-San gets discharged from the hospital.¡±


    ¡°Okay, he¡¯s getting on in years now, so it¡¯d probably be best for him to focus on training the young ones rather than running on the front lines. Oh, which reminds me, isn¡¯t that girl also a student at the Hunter Academy?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡±


    Despite her young age, Thunder Emperor was a rare Lightning Combat-type Hunter. Recently, she had also been promoted to Rank A. If she kept that up and rose to Rank S, she¡¯d be a great pir in preventing future disasters.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure Choi Kang-San will be a great mentor for her.¡±


    There was no better catalyst for growth other than a good mentor. The chairmanughed wholeheartedly as he recalled both Thunder Emperor and Choi Kang-San. As long as those two were around, the future of South Korea would remain bright.


    ***


    ¡°Ms. Sung Mi-Ri, are you ready?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to start the timer now. Ready, go!¡±


    <i>sh! Rumble!</i>


    A striking sh of lightning was followed by a deafening roar of thunder momentster.


    <i>Click!</i>


    I pressed the stopwatch as soon as the lightning shed in front of my eyes.


    ¡°Mister! How many seconds is that?¡± Sung Mi-Ri asked, her eyes gleaming as her body emitted residual sparks.


    <i>Tzz tzzz!</i>


    That blinding gaze aside, I was feeling some sparks¡ªliterally, probably because of the lightning.


    <i>Let¡¯s keep some distance between us.</i>


    ¡°Wow, 1.84 seconds.¡±


    ¡°Yay! I finally broke my 2 seconds record!¡±


    As it had been a while since I did some math, my brain was confused for a moment. Since she ran at 54 meters per second, her speed would be approximately 200 km/h.


    <i>Ms. Sung Mi-Ri, let¡¯s work a bit harder and catch up with KTX. At your current pace, it should be possible.</i>


    ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to you, Mister!¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t do much. It¡¯s all because of your own potential.¡±


    I secretly took a look at the gigantic monster bound in chains within her. It resembled a certain pocket monster that emitted electrical sparks. Then, I subtly directed my forefinger at her.


    <i>Pzzz! Pzzz!</i>


    In the beginning, that lightning beast would growl fiercely at me. But now, it was wagging its tail gently as if feeling d to see me.


    <i>Good boy</i>. On a second look, it was quite adorable, like a huge cat. I cast my innate power on it.


    ¡°Crushing Forefinger of God.¡±


    <i>Click! Craaack!</i>


    One of the chains binding it shattered. Under the pretext of training, I had released almost half of the seal that restricted her power. In proportion to that, her power had also risen significantly.


    What would happen once her seal was fully broken? My heart throbbed at the thought that I personally helped the growth of the tenth S-rank Hunter in South Korea.


    ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard today.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mister! See you tomorrow!¡±


    I bade goodbye to Sung Mi-Ri. She gave me a ny-degree bow and left. I headed back, thinking that I had a fruitful day. Upon reaching home, I was greeted by another statue. The excitement in my heart dissipated.


    <i>Another one?! Enough of these statues!</i>


    ¡°<i>Sigh</i>, it¡¯s really ugly.¡±


    Pretty sure I didn¡¯t look like that. Those ants needed to get their eyes checked. I pushed the statue away into a corner and sat down. Now, what should I have for dinner?


    Thick Neoguri noodles drizzled in spicy broth would be nice. The rich taste of ck soybeans mixed with the MSG in ck bean noodles also sounded good. After agonizing over them, I decided to have a mix of both.


    <i>Hoho, the best decision that even lone eaters would admire!</i>


    I went to boil a pot of water on the stove.


    <i>Ding ding!</i>


    But then, notifications came from God-Maker. Right, it was time to feed the ants. I fetched the sugar box.


    <i>Hm, I, Yu Il-Shin, will once again bestow upon you blessings of Housewife Baek.</i>


    But afterunching God-Maker, the first thing that appeared was...


    [Some of your followers are seriously injured.]


    There were some ck ants lying on the ground, with some others helping to nurse them.


    <i>Damn it, why are they always reduced to such a state whenever I wasn¡¯t looking? Are they the neighborhood punching bags? </i>


    ¡°What happened this time?!¡±


    I focused on the ants and activated my power.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Appraisalplete!]


    -----


    [Incapacitated ck Tribesmen]


    Followers serving Yu Il-Shin.


    Special note: Attacked by a demon.


    -----


    ¡°...Demon?¡±


    <i>Huh? A demon? Whatever the case, how dare they touch my ants! Unforgivable!</i>


    Just as I was fuming, the Saintess crawled to me in a hurry and said something.


    <i>Katalk! Katalk!</i>


    I was wondering who had sent me messages, but...


    <strong>Saintess:</strong> O¡¯ great and merciful God Yu Il-Shin.


    <i>Huh? Why are you here?</i>

 Chapter 30: Demon of Chaos, Fear, Horror, and Shock

    <h4>Chapter 30: Demon of Chaos, Fear, Horror, and Shock</h4>


    I was in shock. How was it possible for an ant to send me messages on Katalk? I still asked, just in case I was mistaken.


    <strong>Yu Il-Shin the Almighty: </strong>Who are you?


    <strong>Saintess:</strong> It is I, Lord Yu Il-Shin¡¯s loyal servant.


    ¡°No way. Is this real?¡± I asked, looking at the termite, to which she began nodding profusely.


    <i>Haha, life sure is unpredictable. </i>


    I had heard of huntersmunicating and interacting with animals, but I was probably the only one in this world who could send messages to ants through Katalk. Just how did this happen?


    <i>Woong!</i>


    At that moment, the statues in the corner of my room began vibrating, emitting a faint light. My eyes began appraising the phenomenon.


    -----


    [Idol Statues of Yu Il-Shin, God of the ck Tribe]


    Statues made by the ck tribe in the image of their god. They crafted it to express their gratitude and fanaticism for the miracle bestowed upon them.


    Special note: Ugly. Casts charming illusion on followers.


    -----


    The information up until here was the same as before, but there was something else after that.


    -----


    Assimtion rate with the God-Maker world, Antrinia, has risen by 10% due to the statues¡¯ effects.


    Assimtion rate increases in proportion to the amount of faith and tributes received from followers.


    -----


    ¡°Assimtion rate increases because of the statues?¡±


    Those shitty statues caused this to happen? So, they acted like ¡°Statue Wi-Fi¡± connecting God-Maker¡¯s world to my reality?


    <i>Katalk! Katalk!</i>


    <strong>Saintess:</strong>


    ><i>Aah</i>, no words can express how overjoyed I am to be able to speak privately with our Lord in this manner...


    >This lowly servant would like to know everything about Lord Yu Il-Shin!


    >Please bestow your foolish followers with your sacred and lofty words!


    ...


    A string of messages came in.


    <i>I-I¡¯m scared. Did I just start a cult?</i>


    ¡°Hey, stop this.¡± I inadvertently muttered.


    <strong>Saintess:</strong> <i>Hyii!</i> I-I¡¯ve overstepped my boundaries! It is entirely my fault, so spare my pitiful tribesmen! Just punish me instead T.T!


    The termite implored, shaking like a leaf because of those unintentional words. I honestly felt like such a terrible guy. Not to mention, I killed some of her tribesmen back then. In my defense, I didn¡¯t know better then... Nevertheless, the fact remained that I killed quite a few of them.


    A wave of remorse and guilt overtook me.


    ¡°<i>Uhm</i>, don¡¯t cry. It¡¯s not like you did anything wrong? Stop crying. Do you want some sugar instead?¡±


    I talked softly as if I was consoling a child, but...


    <i>Growl!</i>


    This time, another ck ant copsed, foaming at their mouth. Apparently, my words of constion were just that unsettling. If I were in their shoes, I could understand why they''d be scared to see a giant talk, let alone get angry at them.


    <i>Shiver.</i>


    I sent a reply to the Saintess, trying to sound as merciful as possible.


    <strong>Yu Il-Shin the Almighty:</strong> Don¡¯t be afraid, Saintess. I do not harm those who believe in me. I consider all of you my children. How can a parent hurt their own child?


    I was a writer, so ying a character was a piece of cake for me.


    <strong>Saintess:</strong><i> Aah</i>, Lord Yu Il-Shin! Children? We dare not! Beings like us are undeserving of such kind words?! Compared to gods, we¡¯re akin to a speck of dust... T.T


    You guys were just ants, not dust. Anyway...


    <i>Katalk! Katalk!</i>


    <strong>Yu Il-Shin the Almighty:</strong> <i>Hmm.</i> Anyway, lead me to the demon. How dare they hurt my precious followers! I¡¯ll give them hell!


    <i>Mhm</i>. Personally, I thought that these lines suited my new concept well. As expected of a writer who had been in the industry for many years! I was feeling aplished with what I was doing right now.


    <strong>Saintess:</strong> O¡¯ Lord Yu Il-Shin. Thank you for your grace T.T


    The Saintess and ants bowed deeply once more, shedding huge droplets of tears.


    <i>Now you guys are just making me sad...</i>


    Recalling the times I killed their kin without much thought just to get coins made me feel so bad.


    <i>In that case, I should treat them better from now on! </i>


    I decided as I sprinkled more sugar on them. I felt happy watching the ants dance in joy as they received the treat.


    <strong>Yu Il-Shin the Almighty:</strong> Go ahead and lead me to the demons.


    <strong>Saintess:</strong> Yes, My Lord.


    The Saintess began leading the way along with a few healthy-looking ants.


    ¡°<i>Ooh</i>, it¡¯s changing.¡±


    The background on the screen changed as the ants went on their way. The nauseating cave changed into what seemed like a dense jungle. Almost immediately, I could smell the phytoncide. The forest experience felt so real, as if I were watching a 4D movie.


    Was this the effect of the so-called Wi-Fi that increased themunion rate? My heart began racing. But soon, I was reminded of something else. They were just ants, so they walked terribly slowly.


    ¡°<i>Yawn~</i>¡±


    <i>Tick tock, tick tock.</i>


    It was only after I had <i>ramyun</i>, washed the dishes,id down in a corner reading aic book, and nodded off...


    <i>Katalk katalk!</i>


    <strong>Saintess:</strong> We¡¯ve arrived, Lord Yu Il-Shin!


    Oh, did we finally? How long has it been? An hour? Two hours? I looked at the app to see the Saintess pointing at an opening in the forest.


    <i>Why is there an opening in the middle of nowhere?</i>


    <strong>Saintess:</strong> It¡¯s there, Lord Yu Il-Shin. Please punish those wretched and foul demons!


    A dark group had gathered in that area. I remained unfazed. The demons that the ants were so terrified of were probably just insignificant insects. It shouldn¡¯t take much to defeat them.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see...¡±


    I zoomed in on that specific area, taking a closer look at them.


    <i>Kazak kazak!</i>


    No wonder that area was vacant. Those demons had devoured the trees! Even though they seemed to be five times the size of the ants, I was confident I could crush them with my finger.


    ¡°But they sure look simr... Where have I seen them before?¡±


    Glossy ck hide. Long feelers stretched like fishing rods. Not to mention, the revolting sight of them vomiting out what they had eaten and sharing it with each other...


    ¡°<i>Gasp!</i>¡±


    Sharp chills shot down my spine, as if a de had shed my back.


    ¡°Holy shit! Those, those are roaches!¡±


    I desperately tried to keep my cool. My hand, which was holding my phone, shook terribly. I was only human! Fearing them was just a basic instinct at this point! And I was supposed to kill them with my bare hands? I couldn¡¯t stop shaking just thinking about that!


    The skill activated as I looked at the demons.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Appraisalplete!]


    -----


    [Cockroaches (Summons)]


    Demons of darkness. Summoned by Sorcerer Cockroach from the demon realm.


    Special note: Their number doubles every hour.


    Remaining time: 1 second.


    -----


    <i>Crack! Crack!</i>


    What seemed like fifty cockroaches split apart simultaneously, doubling their number to a hundred.


    <i>Katalk katalk!</i>


    <strong>Saintess:</strong> O¡¯ Almighty God Yu Il-Shin! Please punish those evil demons!


    How I wished I could turn a blind eye right now. Demons of darkness? What a load of crap.


    They were everyone¡¯s worst nightmare, and as if that wasn¡¯t bad enough, they doubled every hour!


    <strong>Saintess:</strong> ...Lord? Did wemit some sort of mistake...? T.T


    The Saintess sent a message nervously as I fell silent. I quickly sent a reply.


    <strong>Yu Il-Shin the Almighty:</strong> I made a mistake!


    <strong>Saintess:</strong> Pardon?


    <strong>Yu Il-Shin the Almighty:</strong> As they say, give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime! Even if I help you defeat those demons, there will still be a second, and even a third trialing at you. I cannot protect you every time. So you have to defeat those cock¡ªno, demons, with your own power!


    <strong>Saintess:</strong> B-but My Lord, we¡¯re too weak to fight against such fearsome demons T.T


    I sympathized with the Saintess, who had turned pale and was shivering on the spot. Of course I would, I reacted pretty much the same way whenever I saw those roaches.


    However, I tried to keep my cool and smiled, maintaining my dignity as a benevolent god.


    ¡°Say no more. Just believe in me, Saintess.¡±


    <i>You guys will be able to defeat those cockroaches. Mark my words.</i>


    ***


    -Nothing will go wrong this time, right?


    The emperor, ruler of Antrinia, sat arrogantly behind the veil.


    ¡°Yes, of course,¡± answered the Demon Sword, Cockroach, one of the strongest individuals amongst the Ten Swords of the empire, who also excelled in the arts of magic. He bowed respectfully toward the veil.


    His robes covered his body, but a small slit revealed his ck feelers and skin. He resembled the very demon he had summoned. Such was the price of dabbling in dark arts.


    ¡°I summoned that demon from the demon realm using the forbidden arts of my n. I believe Your Majesty has witnessed its effectiveness in thest war?¡±


    -Yes, that was quite entertaining.


    The emperor chuckled sinisterly as he recalled thest war. At the beginning, Cockroach only summoned one demon. But soon, it multiplied endlessly, eventually devouring an entire nation. The war itself onlysted for less than two days.


    ¡°Give me at most three days. I will present Your Majesty with the malevolent god. I can¡¯t guarantee he will be intact, though, as he¡¯s likely to be devoured by my summons!¡± Cockroach said smugly.


    -I¡¯ll look forward to that. But remember, if you fail me, you¡¯ll have to pay with your life.


    <i>Roooar!</i>


    Cockroach shuddered at the murderous aura emanating from behind the veil.


    ¡°O-of course, Your Majesty. I will definitely live up to your expectations.¡±


    Cockroach was confident in not just thebat power of his summons, but also their ability to survive in all kinds of environments. Above all, their ability to reproduce endlessly was the key to victory.


    Even if the malevolent god had in hundreds, or even thousands of them, as long as there was one remaining, they could still make aeback. After all, it only took a few hours for that lone survivor to respawn a massive army.


    ¡°There¡¯s something I need to report urgently!¡±


    Just then, a messenger rushed into the great hall.


    ¡°Really? Now tell me, what is the fate of the devil of the ck tribe? Was he torn into pieces by my summons?¡± Cockroach asked nonchntly, expecting to hear good news.


    ¡°<i>U-uhm</i>...¡±


    However, the messenger¡¯s expression suggested otherwise, making Cockroach feel a shred of uneasiness.


    The emperor¡¯s voice echoed from behind the veil.


    -Commence with the report, lest I rip your filthy mouth open!


    ¡°Y-yes! Tell us quickly! What happened to my summons!¡± Cockroach shouted anxiously, grabbing the messenger by his cor.


    ¡°In less than two days, the demons summoned by the great Wizard Cockroach multiplied to the millions, but...¡±


    ¡°But?! What exactly happened to them?!¡±


    At that point, the messenger¡¯s face had turned a ghastly blue, as if terrified to utter a single word about the situation.


    ¡°<i>Hyiii!</i> That brutal, ruthless malevolent god, he...!¡±

 Chapter 31: Proliferating Thumb of God

    <h4>Chapter 31: Proliferating Thumb of God</h4>


    As a lesser being, <i>it</i> didn¡¯t have a name. Compared to the high-ranking demons of the demon realm, <i>it</i> was nothing but a mere insect, let alone whenpared to the gods. Yet ironically, <i>it</i> had survived longer than any of the archdemons.


    The demon realm was an uninhabitable ce, without a single de of grass to be found, where demons drank blood instead of water. It might not be the best, but it was the most ancient line of demons.


    -O¡¯ Familia of the Great Destroyer, Abyss of the Demon Realm, Ruler of the Swamp of Abomination Covered in Filth, Nameless One. Abide my call, the Summoner of Demons, Cockroach, and descend onto this world!


    Thus, courtesy of Cockroach, the Demon Sword, one of the Ten Swords in the empire, the demon was summoned to the world. To the demon, the world was like heaven, abundant with food.


    <i>Criiick criiick!</i>


    He rejoiced, announcing his existence to the world. He would eat, multiply, and destroy. Time passed quickly. He would share the food he ate with his<i> </i>kin, resulting in changes to their<i> </i>bodies, which used to swim in puddles of excretion.


    It was time for them to reproduce again.


    -<i>Criiiick!</i>


    <i>Crack!</i>


    They<i> </i>began to split like a <i>naria,</i> and their numbers soon exceeded the thousands.


    -<i>Grr, grrr.</i>


    The very first demon summoned by Cockroach soon realized that it was time. This number should suffice. Besides, he<i> </i>was tired of being vegetarian. He couldn¡¯t wait to taste some warm-blooded, sweet-tasting animals. Their screams of agony as they were torn apart would be the best spice.


    He had a target in mind. The small and crispy-shelled ck tribe. During the first attack, he<i> </i>had to retreat because he was outnumbered, but how the table had turned! Now, his<i> </i>only concern was whether the ck tribe would be enough to fill their bellies.


    -<i>Grrrr!</i>


    <i>sh sh, sh sh sh!</i>


    The horde of demons quickly invaded the forest ruins, heading for the dwellings of the ck tribe, from which sweet and refreshing scent wafted.


    Sometimester, the corner of the demon¡¯s seven eyes caught the sight of the ck tribe. They were hobbling along, carrying something.


    ¡°A-a demon!¡±


    ¡°Run!¡±


    Seeing the demons, the terrified ck ants fled in panic. The demons chuckled. How slow those ants were! They called that running? Soon, they¡¯d be ripping into the flesh of the ck ants, gnawing and devouring them. The thought made the demons twitch their<i> </i>feelers in delight.


    <i>Crunch!</i>


    The demons, who were about to hunt the ck ants, halted.


    -<i>Krik</i>? -<i>Krik</i>?


    The demons iled their feelers in the air. There was no mistaking it<i>¡ªfood!</i> And the best quality, at that! It smelled too divine for them to ignore.


    After scanning their surroundings, the demons soon found the origin of that blissful scent. It came from inside the huge ck box carried by the ck ants earlier!


    <i>sh sh sh!</i>


    Without caring about hierarchy or order, the demons rushed into the box. Everyone was desperate to have the first bite. They fought among themselves, tearing each other from limb to limb. The feeding frenzy had begun.


    -<i>Kyaaaa!</i>


    The demon that was dragged halfway out was enraged and bit off the head of his fellow and tore away his limb. Soon, there was carnage, but it didn¡¯tst long. They discovered that countless identical boxes were scattered throughout the vige, emanating the same mouthwatering smell.


    -<i>Kiiik! Kriiiiik!</i>


    The demons rejoiced, rubbing their shells against each other. Unlike the white locusts they¡¯d annihted, the ants had offered them food! They decided to spare the ck tribe. At least until they finished this tasty treat.


    <i>Crack! Craaack!</i>


    The demons frantically crawled into the boxes, scarfing down their food.


    <strong>Roach Exterminator Combat</strong>


    A line of incoherent text was engraved on the box. Not that it mattered to them. That very ignorance would eventually lead to their doom.


    -<i>Krr, krrr...</i>


    Remains of the demons scattered all over the ce. They were foaming at their mouths, likely to be poisoned. No one would¡¯ve believed the same demons from before had been reduced to such a state, writhing in pain.


    The demons were certain that no poison could harm them, who had lived off rotten corpses and demon blood. But there was no denying the cruel reality now.


    ¡°They''re still alive!¡±


    ¡°Kill them!¡±


    As they walked among the bodies strewn on the ground, the ck ants would dig their fangs into the neck of those that had yet to die.


    <i>Crack!</i>


    -<i>Kieeeek</i>!


    Along with the agonizing scream, the demon crumbled into sand, before turning into a pure white metal coin.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Yu Il-Shin¡¯s followers havepleted the noble task of killing the demons that gue the world.]


    [You have been rewarded with 1 White Gcoin.]


    Other ants also delivered the killing blows.


    <i>Crack! Crack! Kieeeeek!</i>


    The sounds of decapitation and screams from demons echoed in the air. They died in vain, unbefitting of a line of demons that had gained notoriety.


    <i>Clink! Clink!</i>


    At the same time, Godcoins began dropping all over the ce. They disappeared in the blink of an eye, as if being sucked away.


    However, not all of the demons met the same end. Within a short period, fewer than fifty of them developed immunity to the poison, feigning their deaths. They exchanged a brief nce as the ck ants gathered, then...


    <i>Swish swish swish! </i>


    They scattered in all directions, fleeing.


    ¡°C-catch them!¡±


    ¡°Don''t let them get away!¡±


    Panicking, the ck ants gave them pursuit, but it proved to be quite a challenge.


    Having made their escape, the demons gritted their teeth, vowing to get revenge. Even if most of them perished, having just one survivor was more than enough.


    Now that they were immune to the ck tribe''s poison, they woulde back stronger and in much greater numbers. They would annihte the ck tribe just as they had annihted them! Ultimately, victory would be theirs!


    <i>Swoosh! Thump!</i>


    Just then, something fell from the sky toward the retreating group of demons.


    <i>Swish swish swish! Bam bam!</i>


    Dodging it reflexively, the demons eyed the metal barrel on the ground warily. Another string of unknown text was engraved on its surface.


    <strong>Deal with those roaches in one go! Super power~! Roach hell smoke grenade!</strong>


    <i>Tzzz! Roooar!</i>


    Poisonous gas engulfed the demon instantly.


    <i>Kieeek!</i>


    The demon¡¯s final screams echoed all around.


    ***


    [You have been rewarded with 30 Gcoins.]


    [You have been rewarded with 24 Gcoins.]


    A handful of white coins dropped from my phone along with those messages. <i>This is new. </i>So far, I had only received dark Godcoins every time I killed something. Was this because they were cockroaches? Yeah, I agree. They were indeed a threat to humanity.


    -<i>Waaah</i>! We defeated the demons!


    -Praise to God Yu Il-Shin!


    The ants were cheering and shouting boisterously on the screen.


    <i>Haha, are you guys happy? Me too.</i>


    If those roaches swarmed into my room in the worst-case scenario... <i>Phew</i>, just thinking about it made me feel dizzy. The only issue was, I would have to dip into my emergency funds to buy the medicine for them.


    ¡°<i>Phew.</i>¡± Just as I was taking a breather...


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [You have met the requirements to acquire an innate power.]


    [You can acquire the innate power, Proliferating Thumb of God, by spending 100 Gcoins.]


    ¡°Proliferating Thumb of God?¡± I clicked on the power for more information.


    -----


    [Proliferating Thumb of God]


    Category: Innate Power


    Description: An innate power obtained by Yu Il-Shin after ying the endlessly multiplying demon from the demon realm.


    Special note: God¡¯s poweres from faith, fear, and the achievements aplished!


    ¡°Keke,e forth, trials. I will ovee them and get stronger!¡±


    -----


    <i>Tsk, such childish lines</i>. I endured the cringe and paid for the new innate power. 100 Gcoins were nothing to me now.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [You have obtained the innate power Proliferating Thumb of God.]


    After 100 Gcoins disappeared into thin air, this message appeared. As always, I didn¡¯t feel any particr change in my body. At times like this, it was best to give the new power a try.


    <i>Flinch¡ª</i>


    ¡°<i>Uhm</i>.¡±


    I looked at the unfinished ceiling, feeling slightly uneasy. What if something went wrong when I tested it? Maybe I should just head outside...


    I changed into a training suit, about to head to the park.


    <i>Katalk katalk! Katalk katalk!</i>


    Suddenly, more messages came in.


    I checked my phone, thinking that it was from the Saintess.


    <strong>Mighty Editor-in-Charge:</strong> Mr. Yu, please give me a call as soon as you read this message T.T


    <i>Huh? What¡¯s wrong with him?</i>


    ***


    My editor-in-charge, with whom I had a love-hate rtionship, was a man in his mid-thirties wearing horn-rimmed sses.


    ¡°Mr. Yu, please have another ss.¡±


    The same man was offering me a ss of soju with a pleasant smile on his face.


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t I fired?¡±


    ¡°<i>Aigoo</i>, please don¡¯t say something so depressing! Of course, my boss went on a rampage when you missed the deadline for your manuscript, but did you forget who I am? I¡¯m your most trusted editor-in-charge! You may have fallen into a slump, but I¡¯ve convinced my boss that you are a genius writer who can lead ourpany to greater heights!¡±


    ¡°Me? A genius?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Didn¡¯t you know?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my first time hearing this.¡±


    ¡°Haha, I¡¯m sure a ss of soju will refresh your memory! Now, drink it. Down the entire ss.¡± He smirked, refilling my empty ss.


    One shot, two shots, and three shotster...


    ¡°<i>Hmm</i>, I still don¡¯t recall anything.¡±


    ¡°Oh no, the alcohol must not be enough. Madam! Please give us another bottle of Chamisul!¡±


    No writer could say no to free alcohol, which was akin to an oasis in a desert. This was especially true for me, who had abstained from it for two months. I was forced to, because I had no money.


    ¡°<i>Aigoo</i>, Mr. Yu. You¡¯re drinking well tonight.¡±


    ¡°<i>Nyam nyam</i>. The snacks are delicious. Can I have another portion of whelk?¡±


    ¡°Haha, of course. I still have twelve other corporate cards on me!¡±


    The merry atmosphere at the dinner tablested well until we emptied the third bottle. Well, it actually stillsted until the fifth bottle. But we should have stopped by the tenth bottle.


    ¡°...<i>Hic! </i>Mr. Yu, just believe in me, Team Leader Lee! I believe that we can hit the jackpot and shake up the genre novel industry! Then, we¡¯ll be able to enjoy whiskeys, develop properties, and even get married! <i>Hmm</i>? ...Mr. Yu, what have you been doing since earlier?¡±


    I solemnly raised my thumb and yelled, ¡°Proliferating Thumb of God!¡±


    <i>sh!</i>

 Chapter 32: The Almighty of Creation

    <h4>Chapter 32: The Almighty of Creation</h4>


    ¡°Proliferating Thumb of God!¡±


    <i>Ding ding!</i>


    ¡°Oh? Wow, it¡¯s really multiplying. Fascinating~¡±


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± my editor shoved his flushed face toward me.


    ¡°<i>Hic!</i> Ehehe, I¡¯m ying a game. Would you like to see it? Aren¡¯t my ants super cute? Look at them multiplying whenever I touch them!¡±


    When I showed my editor the multiplying ants, he was enraged.


    ¡°Wait! Instead of working on his manuscript, this asshole is ying games?! Are you nuts?!


    Naturally, I got angry as well.


    ¡°So what?! I can do whatever I want!¡±


    ¡°Hey, Asshole! Be honest with me! You missed the deadline because you were gaming, right?!¡±


    ¡°Who are you calling an asshole? You asshole of an editor-in-charge! Are you done yet?!¡±


    ¡°Just you see! I¡¯ll straighten your shit today!¡±


    ¡°<i>Hmph!</i> Get rid of those bs first! You look pregnant!¡±


    ¡°What? You punk!¡±


    My editor-in-charge yanked my hair.


    <i>Oh-ho! And you call yourself a dignified man belonging to the novel world?!</i>


    ***


    Meanwhile, back in Antrinia...


    Thanks to Yu Il-Shin and his ck tribe, the horde of demons was annihted, except for the very first demon summoned by Cockroach. He was extremely cautious. He survived the allure of the deadly trap and even the spray of toxic gas. Naturally, as he had never left for the surface.


    <i>Crack crack! Gulp!</i>


    He buried himself deep in the ground, sustaining himself with just dirt. Compared to the food he could get on the surface, it might not be the best. But for the sake of surviving and getting his revenge, this would have to suffice.


    <i>Crunch! Crunch!</i>


    After eating for some time, his body split into two. Then, he resumed eating again. Even when his stomach threatened to burst, he repeated the process, efficiently and effectively hastening the multiplying progress. Soon, their numbers exceeded ten thousand, far surpassing their previous count. Not long after, their numbers surpassed the billions.


    The very first demon was proud and confident. Their overwhelming numbers would render the use of trap, bait, or poisonous gas useless, and make their enemy yield without a fight!


    -<i>Kyaaaak!</i>


    His kin, hiding underground, broke through to the surface. It was time for revenge. He was determined to devour every bit of flesh and bone of the ck tribe and the god they served, leaving nothing behind.


    <i>Boom boom boom! Swoosh swoosh swoosh!</i>


    Like erupting volcanoes, the demons burst through the ground, threatening to swallow the entire continent. Unbeknownst to them, their emergence on the surface had been expected.


    ¡°Praise the miracle that God Yu Il-Shin has bestowed upon us! My fellow tribesmen, let¡¯s get rid of those wicked fiends in the name of our Lord, God Yu Il-Shin!¡± the Saintess cried out.


    <i>Shiver!</i>


    Billions of ck ants surrounded the demons that threatened to overturn the world. They were created by the innate power Proliferating Thumb of God.


    -Proliferating Thumb of God!


    The heavily alcohol-intoxicated Yu Il-Shin suddenly raised his thumb, directed it at his followers, and used his innate power.


    [The effects of Proliferating Thumb of God multiplied the Saintess and 100 ants from the ck tribe!]


    [Effect: The number of the Lowest-tier followers in the world doubles every thirty minutes.]


    [Duration: 24 hours]


    <i>Pop! Pop pop! Pop pop pop!</i>


    Suddenly, a strong energy fell upon them, and their fellows began multiplying. The sight caused a massive confusion. However, it turned out to be preordained by their god so that they could eradicate every single one of those demons!


    The Saintess was overwhelmed with awe toward their great and merciful god.


    <i>Shiver.</i>


    The feelers of the demons twitched in fear. All this time, overwhelming their enemies with numbers had always been their <i>modus operandi, </i>but how the table had turned...


    ¡°Attack!¡±


    ¡°<i>Waaaaah!</i> Die, demons!¡±


    ¡°May God be with us!¡±


    <i>Bam bam bam bam!</i>


    The fanatical cries of the ck tribe announced the beginning of a carnage.


    ***


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [You have seeded in subjugating the God of Destroyer ???¡¯s familiar, Demons of Catastrophe.]


    [You have been rewarded with 300,000,000 White Gcoins.]


    [The title Benevolent Savior has risen from Rank D to C.]


    [Congrattions!]


    [This is a great feat impossible for a newborn god to achieve!]


    [The newly leveled-up benevolent god title has changed Yu Il-Shin''s alignment from neutral to good.]


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [A few high-ranking benevolent gods express great interest in Yu Il-Shin.]


    [Amongst them, Infinite Abundance willingly gives her support.]


    [Other high-ranking benevolent and malevolent gods are shocked.]


    [Especially Silently Crawling Nightmare, who is glowering at her.]


    [Infinite Abundance confidently puffed her voluptuous chest.]


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [The Support system has been unlocked.]


    [As a privilege for getting the Benevolent Savior title to Rank C, you can now choose any power you like.]


    [The fees will be covered by Infinite Abundance.]


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [You have chosen the following power.]


    -----


    [Creation (Transcendent God-tier)]


    Category: Power exclusive to Transcendent Gods


    Price: 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 Gcoins


    -----


    [Infinite Abundance¡¯s hands trembled, breaking into cold sweat.]


    [Her chest is heaving.]


    [She is looking at you with wistful eyes.]


    [She warns that the Transcendent God-tier power is dangerous, capable of affecting the causality of the world.]


    [Do you really, really want to choose the Transcendent God-tier power? (Yes/No)]


    Unfortunately, the finger relentlessly clicked on ¡°Yes.¡±


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Infinite Abundance eventually bursts into tears.]


    [Other high-ranking benevolent gods sympathize with her.]


    [Other high-ranking malevolent gods chuckle in amusement.]


    [Silently Crawling Nightmare sprinkles ground sesame with salt in her tea.]


    [Some of the malevolent gods¡¯ favorability toward you increases.]


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [You have purchased Creation.]


    [Creation is a Transcendent God-tier power.]


    [You are not at the level to fully utilize the full potential of this power.]


    [The power adapts itself to match your level, bing False Creation with one-time use.]


    [A portion of the Gcoins paid for the purchase will be returned to Infinite Abundance.]


    [Infinite Abundance breathed a sigh of relief.]


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Yu Il-Shin activates False Creation!]


    [<i>Whiiiiiir!</i>]


    [Warning!]


    [The world will be partially altered.]


    ***


    ¡°<i>Ugh</i>.¡± I woke up suffering from a terrible headache.


    I could faintly recall myself getting into a fight with my editor, then reconciling with him at our second round of drinks... But I couldn¡¯t remember anything after.


    <i>Ah, my head hurts.</i>


    ¡°What the hell?¡±


    I found myself sprawled on the park bench in just my underwear. My hand was gripping my phone tightly, with God-Maker still running.


    ¡°That treacherous bastard! He abandoned me and went off on his own!¡±


    <i>I¡¯ll stand him up in our next meeting!</i>


    With that determination in mind, I quickly gathered my clothes, which were scattered all over the ground. Thankfully, nobody was around, or I might have ended up in jail.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    When I looked up at the night sky, something stood out to me. The moon was shining brightly upon this drunkard writer. It was so mesmerizing, that Lee Tae-Baek would probably fall in love at first sight, <i>haha. </i>But there was another one.


    ¡°Ms. Moon, you had a twin?¡± I rubbed my eyes, thinking that I was hallucinating, but there were still two of them in the sky. ¡°I¡¯m still drunk, it seems.¡±


    <i>Sigh</i>. I should quickly go home, wash up, and get some sleep. The pair of moons that illuminated me was unusually bright that night.


    ¡¸Breaking News! A second moon appeared in the sky at 2:10 a.m. without any warning! NASA¡¯s report on the so-called ''Second Moon'' suggests the possibility of a huge crack forming, which could lead to the emergence of a gate...¡¹


    ¡¸The Hunter Association put a special team of Hunter on standby to respond to calls of emergencies from now on...¡¹


    ¡¸The United States hasunched a rocket to explore the Second Moon! The expedition is led by Gate Cracks Expert Rick Goldstone, along with SSS-rank Hunter Royce and SS-rank Hunter Jack ck...¡¹


    <strong>[Nave Keyword Search Ranking]</strong>


    <strong>1. Second Moon</strong>


    <strong>2. Gate Crack</strong>


    <strong>3. NASA report</strong>


    <strong>4. United States Second Moon Expedition rocketunch</strong>


    <strong>5. Special hunter mission team members</strong>


    <strong>...</strong>


    <i>Rumble¡ª!</i>


    While I was asleep, the world was being turned upside down. At the same time, it gave birth to a certain darkness that had been lurking around.


    ***


    Among the approximately 100 guilds in Korea, there existed a certain mid-tier guild called Brilliance Guild. For the past decade, it had consistently ced 50th on the Hunter Association¡¯s evaluation rankings, almost as if by design.


    However, humans were unpredictable. Unlike what the name suggested, this guild dominated the ck market in South Korea. Not only did it manufacture and distribute illegal drugs made from monsters, but it also engaged in organ trafficking of high-tenacity Hunters.


    The headquarters of Brilliance Guild was situated in the outskirts of the Gyeonggi Province.


    ¡°<i>Huff puff!</i>¡±


    Two men could be seen panting as they climbed the stairs. One of them was Guild Leader Park Sang-Chul of the Brilliance Guild, while the other was his henchman, a muscr middle-aged man over two meters tall.


    <i>m!</i>


    He opened the door to the penthouse harshly, yelling, ¡°Mr. Apostle! We¡¯ve finally found the brats responsible for our people¡¯s disappearance! One of them is none other than the A-rank Hunter, Thunder Emperor...!¡±


    ¡°<i>Shush</i>.¡±


    In the middle of the penthouse, a man could be seen standing naked with his back turned to them. His long, dark auburn hair and chiseled body resembled that of a Greek statue.


    Park Sang-Chul briefly fell into a hollow trance, and when he turned to the side...


    ¡°<i>Haaah</i>!¡±


    All that was left of the henchmen who followed him all the way there were their shoes, with their ankles still attached. The rest of their bodies had been severed by what appeared to be a sharp de.


    Chills traveled down Park Sang-Chul¡¯s spine. His henchmen had died right next to him. How did he not realize it? As a B-rank Hunter, he could tell that this was definitely on another level.


    ¡°M-Mr. Apostle! Please forgive me!¡± Park Sang-Chul fell to his knees, turning white.


    The man called ¡°Mr. Apostle¡± was the actual owner of the Brilliance Guild, who also happened to be a Hermit.


    As far as Park Sang-Chul understood, despite not being registered with the Hunter Association, the man¡¯s abilities were infinite. In fact, his existence was the very reason why the Brilliance Guild was able to dominate the tumultuous ck market.


    ¡°Look at the sky, Guild Leader.¡±


    ¡°W-what?¡±


    When he looked up, Park Sang-Chul finally realized that the ceiling had disappeared without a trace. Beyond that were two moons shining brightly in the night sky.


    ¡°Do you see it?¡± the Apostle asked in response.


    The man, who had killed people as easily as crushing bugs, smiledpassionately like an angel.


    ¡°Rejoice, for God has given me a revtion. Our long-awaited day has finally arrived.¡±


    ¡°Y-you mean...?¡± Park Sang-Chul began sweating a fountain of cold sweat, shaking in his boots.


    ¡°Indeed. The time hase for me, the Apostle of God, to make my existence known to this world. Please arrange for the ceremony.¡±


    ¡°How many people should I prepare this time...?¡±


    ¡°The morembs, the better, yes? Ah, right, let¡¯s prepare two thousand of them first.¡±


    By mbs,¡± the man was referring to human sacrifices. Park Sang-Chul felt a surge of terror at the absurdity he was hearing.


    Such inhuman beauty and entricity¡ª! Such profound, mysterious abilities¡ª!


    Perhaps Johan was correct in proiming himself as the apostle. An apostle of the devil, rather than god.


    ¡°P-please give me some time. I, your lowly servant, will definitely fulfill your wishes.¡±


    Then, Apostle Johan looked up at the two moons in the night sky, fervently shedding tears.


    ¡°Bestowing God¡¯s salvation upon this wretched world.¡±

 Chapter 33: Ants Evolve Too

    <h4>Chapter 33: Ants Evolve Too</h4>


    For a while, the world was in an uproar. An unidentified, otherwise known as the Second Moon, had suddenly appeared in Earth¡¯s orbit.


    Despite the US attempt to dispatch an exploration team and a rocket, the strong force field in the Second Moon¡¯s atmosphere foiled their efforts. It was heart-wrenching to watch the rocket go up in smoke and crash in the live broadcast. Thanks to the two high-ranking Hunters on the team, no casualties were reported.


    After that, exploration was banned until something could be done about the force field. Still, to be able to drag the stranded rocket back to Earth, one had to wonder just how impressive those two Hunters were.


    The Second Moon in the sky glowed golden at night and green by day, asserting its presence. Both the government and the Hunter Association were on edge due to spections about a massive spike in gates and dungeons. However, so far, nothing had happened. All was calm, including the life of a certain ordinary Citizen A, me.


    ¡°<i>Ugh</i>...¡± I groaned, slowly crawling from beneath my sheets.


    After staying up for almost three days and three nights to work on my manuscript, I felt like dying.


    ¡°W-water.¡±


    Rubbing my still groggy eyes, I fumbled around my bedside table for a water bottle. Momentster, I grabbed something, but... it felt hard.


    ¡°...Again?¡±


    In my hand was yet another grotesque statue. This time, it depicted a giant giving a thumbs-up to the ants. I assumed it was tomemorate our victory over the cockroaches.


    <i>Look, guys, I get how you feel, but can you please stop?</i>


    I sighed, ncing at the corner of my room where other statues were stacked. Now that I had ten of them, it felt somewhat like a hassle.<i> Sigh, </i>not like I could get rid of them either.


    [Silently Crawling Nightmare pleaded with her gaze, asking to give her the statues if you don¡¯t need them.]


    [She begged profusely, saying that she would nibble, suck, and treat those statues nicely if you gave them to her.]


    Ignoring the ridiculous messages, I took out a bottle of water from the fridge, chugging it down.


    ¡°<i>Phew</i>, that hits the spot.¡±


    <i>Didn¡¯t they say to drink cold water to refresh yourself?</i>


    ¡°Awesome.¡±


    Once I had sobered up, I sent the revised manuscript to my editor. I had written about my experience with God-Maker, including all the strange little things I had encountered so far. Pulling all-nighters for three days straight was exhausting, but it felt satisfying to see that I had written a whole volume. It was probably the most rewarding moment for a writer.


    <strong>The email has been sent to ¡®</strong><u><span ss="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="4904282e28243e263b222c3b09242c2d2028672a2624">[emailprotected]</u></strong><strong>¡¯.</strong>


    </a>


    Okay, done and dusted. Now, to wait for the review of my manuscript.</i>


    </a>


    <a> ¡°Damn, I¡¯m starving. Is there anything to eat?¡±


    </a>


    Ding ding!</i>


    </a>


    <a> Just then, my phone rang with notifications from God-Maker. Wondering what was happening, Iunched the app. I was greeted by the sight of the Saintess surrounded by her fellow tribesmen.


    </a>


    Phew, thank god. </i>If they hadn¡¯t, just how much sugar would I have to sprinkle for them? Anyway, what were they up to?


    </a>


    <a> ¡°God Yu Il-Shin said, instead of giving the child a fish, a true parent would¡¯ve taught them how to fish!¡±


    </a>


    <a> Suddenly, a female voice could be heard. I was shocked, thinking it was a ghost, but it turned out to be the Saintness.


    </a>


    <a> ¡°Praise be to the great, merciful, and omniscient God Yu Il-Shin~!¡±


    </a>


    <a> Then, a praise rang through my phone in the middle of the dawn. Up until that point, I could only understand the ants through the help of subtitles. But now, I could hear them with my own ears!


    </a>


    <a> The strange phenomenon started after the third statue of myself appeared in my room. If I recall correctly, as the number of the Statue Wi-Fi(?) increased, so did themunion level. Was that why I could finally hear the voices of the ants in my mind?


    </a>


    <a> ¡°With a snap of his fingers, God Yu Il-Shin could easily have defeated the cursed and greedy demons threatening to wreak havoc on our sacred ground! But no! He wanted us to stand on our own two feet!¡±


    </a>


    No, I just didn¡¯t want to touch them...</i>


    </a>


    <a> ¡°God Yu Il-Shin bestowed upon us a miracle, turning us into an army of millions, teaching our weak and foolish tribe the pride and joy of victory! s, this is the true holy grace of god!¡±


    </a>


    <a> The ants cheered in response to the Saintess¡¯ sermon.


    </a>


    Waah</i>! God Yu Il-Shin! God Yu Il-Shin!¡±


    </a>


    <a> ¡°O¡¯ ck Tribe, let us prosper under the blessings of God Yu Il-Shin forevermore!¡±


    </a>


    <a> Now, all that was missing for the Saintess to be a full-fledged cult leader was for the ants to scream ¡°Hallelujah¡± at the top of their lungs.


    </a>


    Dear lord, this is so embarrassing. Thankfully, no one else is around to see this.</i>


    </a>


    Flick!</i>


    </a>


    <a> The ants turned to me in an instant, their eyes shining brightly.


    </a>


    Ooh</i>! God Yu Il-Shin is here!¡±


    </a>


    Waaah</i>! Our great and merciful god!¡±


    </a>


    Kyaaa</i>! Did he just look in my direction?!¡±


    </a>


    <a> They were all losing their minds.


    </a>


    Gosh, just stay calm and have some sugar.</i>


    </a>


    Sprinkle~</i>


    </a>


    <a> As I sprinkled sugar over them, the ants danced in joy.


    </a>


    Heehee</i>.¡±


    </a>


    Aren¡¯t these kids just adorable?</i>


    </a>


    Ding!</i>


    </a>


    <a> As I was watching them while grinning from ear to ear, a message popped up.


    </a>


    <a> [Saintess is looking at God Yu Il-Shin eagerly.]


    </a>


    Huh? What¡¯s with her?</i>


    </a>


    <a> ¡°Why? You want some sugar too?¡±


    </a>


    <a> ¡°Lord Yu Il-Shin, may I trouble you? I¡¯d like you to give me a name.¡± The Saintess asked carefully, holding both her front legs together.


    </a>


    <a> ¡°A name?¡±


    </a>


    <a> ¡°Yes! Please bestow a name upon this humble servant!¡±


    </a>


    <a> Why would she bother to ask me for a name now? Well, I guess it¡¯d be awkward to keep calling her ¡°Saintess.¡±


    </a>


    Hmm</i>, okay, let me think about it for a moment.¡±


    </a>


    <a> ¡°Of course! Even if it takes a lifetime, this servant is willing to wait for as long as Lord Yu Il-Shin requires!¡±


    </a>


    Isn¡¯t the way she looks at me kind of troubling? How can an ant¡¯s eyes look this beautiful?</i>


    </a>


    <a> Briefly, that thought shed across my mind.


    </a>


    Alright, since she¡¯s white, maybe Whitney or Boney? Nah, those names are for a dog, not an ant. She¡¯s slightly dense, so what about Baeksoon?</i>


    </a>


    <a> After contemting for ten minutes, I realized something¡ªmy naming sense sucked.


    </a>


    ¡°Pfft, hahaha! Mr. Yu! What the hell is this name? You call your main character ¡®Sam-Shik¡¯?! In the future, never name your characters again, got it?¡±</i>


    </a>


    <a> I recalled the time when my editor-in-charge ridiculed me. Actually, now that I thought about it, that was annoying.


    </a>


    What¡¯s wrong with Sam-Shik?! Despite how tacky it might sound, it¡¯s the most fitting and memorable name for a main character!</i>


    </a>


    Gosh</i>, why am I overthinking this so much?¡±


    </a>


    <a> It was just a name for an ant! I thought of naming her Ant, but since she was a girl, I decided to go with Anty.


    </a>


    <a> ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go with Anty. What do you think?¡±


    </a>


    Hic, hic</i>,<i> hic,</i> Lord Yu Il-Shin! Thank you for your grace! Your servant, Anty, swear by the name you have bestowed me, that I will be your most faithful servant for the rest of my life!¡± Anty nodded gratefully, wailing all the while.


    </a>


    <a> I was starting to feel guilty for giving her such a crude name.


    </a>


    <a> ¡°D-dear Lord! Please bestow me a name too!¡±


    </a>


    <a> ¡°M-me too!¡±


    </a>


    <a> ¡°Lord Yu Il-Shin, please¡±!


    </a>


    Ding!</i>


    </a>


    <a> [The 100 followers from the ck tribe plead desperately to God Yu Il-Shin.]


    </a>


    <a> The other ants caught on and began to request for a name.


    </a>


    Fine, since I¡¯m in the mood today, why not? 100 of them? No problem!</i>


    </a>


    <a> ¡°Okay, get in line. That¡¯s right. You, Il-Ho. Next, Yi-Ho, then Sam-Ho. Hey, Oh-Ho! Don¡¯t cut the line!¡±


    </a>


    <a> ***


    </a>


    Phew</i>, this is actually tiring. I¡¯m covered in sweat!¡±


    </a>


    <a> ¡°Mister! What are you doing?¡±


    </a>


    Gasp!</i> You scared me! Huh? Ms. Sung Mi-Ri, it¡¯s been a while. Working as a Special Task Hunter must be tough, I assume?¡±


    </a>


    <a> Ever since the Second Moon appeared, experts spected an increase in gates and dungeons. To anticipate that, a Special Hunter Task Force was created. As a matter of course, a rising star Hunter like Sung Mi-Ri was included. It had been three days since west met, so I assumed that she had been busy. Her shoulders slumped like a tired puppy.


    </a>


    <a> ¡°We¡¯re mainly on standby now. Work isn¡¯t too hard, but still... I¡¯m sad that I can¡¯t continue lessons with you.¡±


    </a>


    <a> ¡°Haha, those training sessions aren¡¯t much. Since it¡¯s your day off, why don¡¯t you take it easy?¡±


    </a>


    <a> ¡°No, Mister! Start the training!¡±


    </a>


    Ouch</i>! My arm is about to fall off! Slow down!¡±


    </a>


    <a> ¡°Let¡¯s go, Mister!¡±


    </a>


    <a> Thus, I left with her to start our training. Unbeknownst to me, change was happening in the world of God-Maker.


    </a>


    Ding!</i>


    </a>


    <a> [Names of Saintess and the 100 ck tribe followers are being updated.]


    </a>


    <a> [Saintess Anty, ck tribe member Il-Ho, Yi-Ho, Sam-Ho, Sa-Ho, Oh-Ho, Yuk-Ho, Chil-Ho, Pal-Ho, Gu-Ho......Baek-Ho.]


    </a>


    <a> [With the blessings of Yu Il-Shin¡¯s innate power Proliferating Thumb of God, the Saintess and the ck tribe had defeated demons summoned by Cockroach. Converting the umted experience points...]


    </a>


    Ding!</i>


    </a>


    <a> [Experience points of the tribe have reached the maximum threshold!]


    </a>


    Ding!</i>


    </a>


    <a> [All conditions for race evolution have been met!]


    </a>


    <a> [Conditions for race evolution: Name bestowed by god and maxed experience points.]


    </a>


    Ding!</i>


    </a>


    <a> [Evolution begins!]


    </a>


    <a> ***


    </a>


    Phew</i>, I¡¯m so exhausted.¡±


    </a>


    <a> I was currently on my way home after training with Sung Mi-Ri. Even though she did all the training, why did I feel so spent?


    </a>


    <a> ¡°Did I not eat enough?¡±


    </a>


    Ugh, I want to eat some meat.</i>


    </a>


    <a> I would if I hadn¡¯t stripped my bank ount bare to catch those roaches.


    </a>


    Haa. </i>Since I had submitted my manuscript earlier, should I ask for an advance for my royalty? But ording to my editor-in-charge, my CEO was looking for an excuse to get me fired. In the end, I decided against it.


    </a>


    <a> Actually, Sung Mi-Ri did offer to reimburse me for the training sessions. But as an adult, how could I bear being indebted to a kid¡ªespecially one who had saved my life and even covered my house renovation?


    </a>


    Haa.</i> Should I look for a part-time job?¡±


    </a>


    <a> I suddenly recalled the name card from the boss of the Chinese restaurant I was given a while back.


    </a>


    Importance of a Happy Family. </strong>


    </a>


    We handle the meals of a harmonious family. </strong>


    </a>


    Speedy delivery! Open 7 days a week!</strong>


    </a>


    <a> I recalled the look on his face when he begged me to work for him on a part-time basis.


    </a>


    Hmm...</i>¡±


    </a>


    Ah. </i>I must¡¯ve left it when Sung Mi-Ri rushed me out of the house earlier. I hurriedly went home.


    </a>


    <a> I found my phone hidden under the covers in a corner of my bed. God-Maker was still running on the screen. I must have forgotten to lock it.


    </a>


    <a> ¡°Huh?¡±


    </a>


    <a> Something seemed off with the ants.


    </a>


    <a> ¡°Y-you guys, what the hell happened?¡±


    </a>


    <a> To be more precise, the screen didn¡¯t show any ants, but something else.


    </a>


    Waddle waddle.</i>


    </a>


    Dribble!</i>


    </a>


    <a> Amongst them was a charming little girl with white hair and blue eyes. She ran toward me.


    </a>


    Wah</i>! He has descended! Our great and merciful God Yu Il-Shin!¡±


    </a>


    ...Who are you?</i></a>

 Chapter 34: Reality is the Way for Games

    <h4>Chapter 34: Reality is the Way for Games</h4>


    My ants had evolved.


    Were they even ants at this point? Sure, they still retained their antennae and long abdomens, but aside from those, they lookedpletely human. If anything, they resembled beast folksmonly seen in genre novels. Maybe calling them insectoid humans would be more precise.


    <i>What happened while I was out?</i>


    The God-Maker app, manifested through my ability, wasn''t user-friendly and didn¡¯t provide game logs. Still, I had a certain innate power. Calming myself down, I focused on my ants.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [The innate power Blind Eyes of God has been activated.]


    -----


    [Saintess and 100 followers of the ck Tribe]


    Originally a lowly race, but have evolved through the grace of God Yu Il-Shin and the experience points gained from killing the Demons of Catastrophe.


    Race: Gayami (tribe)


    Special note: A cutie.


    -----


    They evolved after I gave them random names? They even had a field indicating their race now. In archaic words, Gayami meant ants.


    ¡°O¡¯ Lord Almighty, are you repulsed by what we have be?¡±


    Anty and the other ants¡ªno, Gayami looked up at me with deep uneasiness, like a bunch of puppies afraid of being abandoned.


    ¡°<i>Hm</i>? N-no. All of you look fine. Why didn¡¯t you evolve sooner? I like this, by a whole lot! <i>Hahaha</i>!¡±


    ¡°<i>Waaah</i>! God Yu Il-Shin is pleased with our transformation!¡±


    Anty and the Gayamis danced and cheered. Iughed awkwardly while scratching the back of my head.


    <i>They¡¯re kind of cute.</i>


    As I watched this mini-sized tribe...


    <i>Boom boom!</i>


    Just then, firecracker explosions appeared on the screen, along with a few messages.


    [It¡¯s only natural for followers to resemble their god.]


    [Congrattions. God-Maker user Yu Il-Shin¡¯s level has increased by 1.]


    [Yu Il-Shin is now Level 2.]


    <i>Huh? This game has levels?</i>


    [The increase in level has unlocked the Civilization Revival menu.]


    A button appeared on the screen, leading to a new menu


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±


    I clicked on it, and the following description appeared.


    -----


    [Civilization Revival]


    Gods can develop the civilization of their followers. Grow their civilization and increase their faith in you. The higher their faith, the stronger your power will be.


    The following menus are avable at Yu Il-Shin¡¯s current level:


    >??, ??, ??


    The menus can be activated with a touch.


    -----


    There were three unknown menus in total.


    <i>How intriguing. Now this looks more like a game. Let me take a look at the first menu.</i>


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Congrattions. You have activated the Development menu.]


    <i>Development?</i>


    -----


    [Development]


    Develop forests or wastnds, turning it into a territory.


    Cost: 1,000 Gcoins


    -----


    <i>1,000 Gcoins are just chump change to me now.</i>


    I activated it immediately.


    [Land development begins.]


    <i>Sizzle.</i>


    A thousand Gcoins vanished from the corner of my room, and the screen on God-Maker changed.


    <i>Sizzle! Rumble!</i>


    The forests and rocks around Gayami¡¯s vige melted away and were soon reced with fertilend.


    [You gained 1,000-<i>pyeong </i>ofnd from the development.]


    [You can transform the developednd into farnd.]


    -----


    [Farming]


    Gain food to feed your followers.


    Cost: 1,000 Gcoins


    -----


    <i>Click! Ding!</i>


    [Transformingnd into farnd.]


    Then, shoots began to sprout, transforming the once-empty farnd into a field of golden wheat. The Gayami widened their eyes in shock.


    ¡°U-unbelievable!¡±


    ¡°God Yu Il-Shin has performed another miracle!¡±


    ¡°<i>Ooh</i>!¡±


    <i>Wow, this is kind of interesting.</i>


    I then clicked on thest menu.


    -----


    [Construction]


    You can create buildings for your followers. For now, you are able to build the following buildings:


    -----


    [House]


    A ce for followers to stay.


    Cost: 100 Gcoins


    -----


    [Training Ground]


    A ce for followers to train their bodies.


    The Warrior ss can be unlocked once the Training Ground levels up.


    Cost: 1,000 Gcoins


    -----


    [Temple]


    A ce for followers to worship Yu Il-Shin and receive education.


    The Priest ss can be unlocked once the Temple levels up.


    Cost: 2,000 Gcoins


    -----


    [Fortress Walls]


    A sturdy barrier that protects followers from the outside world.


    Cost: 50,000 Gcoins


    -----


    I felt bad seeing Gayamis living in shacks, so I built a house for each of them. After building a hundred houses, I moved on to build one of every other building on the menu. I especially liked the Training Ground and Ramparts.


    Now, whenever they were bored, they could do something else besides praying. The Ramparts would also ensure their safety. All in all, it was a worthy investment. Not like it cost me much, anyway, only less than 100,000 Gcoins. Even more so when I was rewarded 300 million Gcoins from eliminating the roaches.


    <i>Rumble!</i>


    After purchasing everything, my phone vibrated loudly and the scene underwent a dramatic change.


    <i>Swoosh!</i>


    The rundown shacks, made of dirt and wood, transformed into a hundred white, modern two-story houses. At the center of them all was a temple so elegant and beautiful, reminiscent of ancient Greek architecture. Next to it was a circr structure, looking simr to an ancient colosseum.


    However, the most overwhelming of them all were the Ramparts. The walls were a hundred times taller and thicker than the Gayamis, which surrounded their vige and farnd I had just created.


    ¡°Unbelievable! Did I just see farnd and buildings springing from thin air?! Am I dreaming?!¡±


    ¡°A-a miracle! God Yu Il-Shin has bestowed another miracle upon us!¡±


    The Gayamis stared at me, joyful and heartfelt tears streaming down their faces.


    ¡°Everyone! Did you see that? Have you witnessed the miracle our Lord has brought upon us?! When he pointed at thend, a field of wheat rose so we wouldn¡¯t go hungry, houses so we wouldn¡¯t shiver in the cold, and majestic walls so we wouldn¡¯t be harmed by evil hordes!¡± Anty eximed.


    ¡°<i>Ah</i>, God Yu Il-Shin!¡±


    ¡°Praise be to the Almighty God Yu Il-Shin!¡±


    Seriously, they were making a mountain out of a molehill. Well, I enjoyed hearing them cheer. Also, this really took me back to when I was ying a certain simtion game.


    Now, only onest menu left.


    Feeling excitement and anticipation, I tapped the button.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    -----


    [Tower of Warriors]


    A tower of penance and trials condensed over eons.


    Produce the Warrior ss.


    Cost: 50,000,000 Gcoins


    -----


    ¡°W-warrior?¡±


    Did they mean the apostle of justice?! The very same beings who fought demons and demigods, with the purpose of taking over the world?!


    ¡°So this is an RPG game all along?!¡±


    ***


    Meanwhile, in the empire, the frigid voice of the emperor echoed from within the veil.


    -You have disappointed me, Cockroach.


    Hearing that, the powerful sorcerer of the empire, whose power reached far into the demon realm, copsed to his knees, trembling pathetically.


    ¡°T-this can¡¯t be happening.¡±


    -Pay with your life.


    Cockroach went white at the deration of the emperor.


    ¡°Y-Your Majesty! As a sorcerer, I¡¯ve made a pact with the Demon King! Please give me onest chance! I¡¯ll be sure to eradicate the ck tribe this time!¡±


    -I won¡¯t repeat myself.


    <i>Slick¡ª</i>


    From behind the veil, a ck hand reached out with the forefinger pointed at Cockroach.


    ¡°<i>Arrrgh</i>!¡± Cockroach let out a piercing scream and tried to flee the Great Hall.


    At the same time, a dazzling light shot out from the emperor¡¯s forefinger!


    <i>Rooooar!</i>


    Like hot, hardened steel, extreme heat swept through the Great Hall, so intense it felt cold. Even the subjects present seemed to be frozen


    <i>Pzz, smack!</i>


    The fleeing Cockroach copsed into a pile of ashes in the middle of the room.


    -What a bunch of useless insects! Must I do everything myself?!


    <i>Rumble!</i>


    The emperor finally rose to his feet, apanied by an earthquake.


    ¡°Your Majesty, pleasepose yourself! You are the direct descendant of a majestic demigod! Your hands are too precious to be used on such lowly subjects!¡± his subjects repeatedly mmed their heads against the floor, pleading.


    -Silence! Do you still expect me to wait and trust any of you after everything?! You can¡¯t even get rid of those lowly ck ants, you worthless knaves!


    As if responding to the emperor¡¯s anger, the Great Hall glowed bright red like scorching iron.


    ¡°<i>Argh</i>! Your Majesty! Please calm down...!¡± his subjects pleaded, gasping for air in the blistering heat.


    However, the emperor was undeterred. He lifted the veil slightly and reached out.


    <i>Drip! Drip! Sizzle!</i>


    Beads of sweat dripped from the kneeling subjects, evaporating the moment they hit the floor. At this rate, everything in this pce would be burned to the ground without exception.


    ¡°<i>Hoho</i>. Please quell your anger, Your Majesty,¡± a female voice, sweet as honey, echoed through the Great Hall.


    The sweltering heat engulfing the Great Hall dissipated in the blink of an eye. Then, a strand of translucent thread extended from the ceiling.


    <i>Ssss.</i>


    The woman descended like a flowery dress, her entire body embroidered like a colorful-patterned silk.


    ¡°Oh, Goddess!¡±


    The subjects lit up as soon as they saw her.


    -Midy, you¡¯ve returned.


    Even the emperor¡¯s voice,ing from behind the veil, sounded uncharacteristically soft.


    She was known as the Yin Sword, the strongest of the Ten Swords, and was also the emperor¡¯s favorite. One mustn''t be fooled by her beauty, for even a demigod like the emperor couldn''ty a finger on her. Such was Goddess Arachne, the one who oversaw the countless gods worshiped by the empire.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve safely fulfilled the mission entrusted by Your Majesty and returned.¡± Arachne curtseyed.


    -I-in other words...?


    As if his wrath from before had been a lie, the emperor¡¯s voice faltered slightly.


    ¡°The Owner of the Hundred Seats, the Mightiest of Gods, assured me that he unabashedly recognizes you as the god of this.¡±


    -<i>Hahaha</i>! Atst, after 500 years! Those arrogant bastards finally acknowledged me!


    The emperor beamed.


    ¡°Indeed. Congrattions, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°C-congrattions!¡±


    Sensing it was their cue, his subjects praised him in unison.


    Arachne then bowed again.


    ¡°I have heard of everything that has transpired recently. Your Majesty, you¡¯re a sovereign. Soon, you¡¯ll transcend your demigod status and be reborn as a true god.¡±


    Arachne¡¯s voice had a charming quality, like beads rolling smoothly on a tray. She could thaw the man¡¯s heart. Of course, no one dared to speak ill of the emperor¡¯s woman.


    ¡°Leave the worldly affairs to your subjects, My Lord. I suggest that you prepare for your ascension to the realm of gods. I will see to the eradication of the lowly ck tribe and the malevolent god they serve. Not a single soul shall be spared. I swear upon my name, Arachne.¡±


    The emperor sank back into his throne. No trace of the man who was about to go on a rampage earlier remained. Right on cue, the vortex of energy that enveloped the Great Hall vanished.


    -Very well, Lady Arachne. I shall take your word for it. Do not let your guard down, three of the Ten Swords have lost to them.


    Arachne¡¯s ck lips twisted into a bewitching smile.


    ¡°<i>Hoho</i>. Your subject, Arachne, is different from those brutes who only know violence. Let me show you. Those who mistook a mere malevolent god for a true god were nothing but frogs in a well.¡±

 Chapter 35: Tower of Warriors and Vampire Count

    <h4>Chapter 35: Tower of Warriors and Vampire Count</h4>


    I looked at the new menu.


    -----


    [Tower of Warriors]


    A tower of penance and trials condensed over eons.


    Produce the Warrior ss.


    Cost: 50,000,000 Gcoins


    -----


    Okay so, fifty million Gcoins weren¡¯t just chump change for me. But still, I was curious about it...


    ¡°Whatever.¡±


    My curiosity won. Besides, they said warriors! As if any man would remain calm at the mere mention of that word!


    I boldly touched that button.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [You paid 50,000,000 Gcoins.]


    [Constructing Tower of Warriors.]


    <i>Ruuumble!</i>


    The tower stood tall in the middle of the makeshift vige I created. Since it was a scene in God-Maker, I saw it only through my screen, yet I could still feel its grandeur. Compared to the houses I¡¯d built, the tower was at least a hundred timesrger.


    ¡°Let''s see.¡± I zoomed in, basking in the majesty of the tower. ¡°Can this tower really produce warriors?¡±


    <i>Woooong! Kieeeeek!</i>


    I asked that because the gloomy darkness and screaming skull ornaments on the wall didn¡¯t suggest that at all. If someone said it was a Demon King¡¯s tower, I¡¯d believe them. Did I make a mistake?


    Believing there was some kind of mistake, I activated my skill.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Appraisalplete!]


    -----


    [Tower of Warriors]


    Modeled after the tower that worships Eternal Seeker.


    It thirsts for the blood and souls of valiant challengers with deep faith.


    Special note: Survival rate is below 0.000001%


    -----


    <i>Shit. Thirst for blood and souls? Also, what¡¯s with that impossibly low survival rate? Didn¡¯t that mean absolute death?</i>


    <i>Warrior? Pfft. Bullshit.</i>


    [The sight of the Tower of Warriors terrified the Gayamis.]


    The Gayamis, who danced happily when I made them farnd and houses, were visibly in fear. Their bodies shook uncontrobly, with terror in their eyes.


    ¡°I-if My Lord so wishes, this servant will sacrifice herself to that ominous tower!¡± said Saintess Anty.


    With a pale face, she then crawled slowly toward the entrance of the tower.


    ¡°No, hold on! It¡¯s still dirty! Move away, I tell you!¡± I blocked her path with my finger.


    <i>What''s with the huge fuss anyway?</i>


    ¡°<i>Sigh</i>.¡±


    I looked at the tower. Did I just spend fifty million Gcoins for this? Imagine how many Bhus-F I could¡¯ve purchased with that amount! No wonder impulsive buying was scorned upon. It¡¯d take time before my heart could fully heal.


    ¡°<i>Tsk</i>. Maybe I should block off the entrance for the time being.¡±


    While I doubted that the Gayamis would enter the tower, I couldn¡¯t say the same for Anty. Despite her cute appearance, she could be quite stubborn.


    I opened the Construction menu again. I proceeded to build tall walls around the tower''s entrance, crushing a few of them on purpose.


    <i>Crumble! Boom boom boom!</i>


    A whileter, a huge mountain of rocks, weighing a few hundred tons, had piled up at the entrance. That should be enough to keep her out.


    ¡°<i>Oomph</i>!¡±


    Anty tried to move the rocks herself, but to no avail.


    ¡°Hey, like I said, it''s dirty. Go away. <i>Shoo</i>.¡±


    Just as I was chasing Anty and the scared Gayamis away from the tower, my phone rang.


    <i>Diririri!</i>


    <strong>Mighty Editor-in-Charge</strong>


    <i>Oh, did he finish reviewing the manuscript already?</i>


    ¡°I need to take care of something right now, so you guys better be good. Don¡¯t ever think of going near that tower, got it?¡±


    ¡°Yes! Don''t worry about it, O great and merciful God Yu Il-Shin!¡± Anty and the Gayamis then bowed, sending me off.


    ¡°Hello, Mr. Editor,¡± I answered the call, expecting a positive reply from my editor.


    ***


    As soon as Yu Il-Shin left, the Gayamis dispersed. They went to look around and rejoice at the houses and farnd that had been built for them. Meanwhile, Saintess Anty went to the splendid Temple to offer her prayers, steadfastly expressing her faith again.


    <i>Rooooar!</i>


    No one was interested in the ominous Tower of Warriors. They steered clear of it. All except for one, who was doing everything in his power to clear the boulders at the entrance.


    ¡°<i>Huff! Huff!</i>¡±


    Originally, Gayamis were strong beings capable of lifting objects weighing ten times their own weight. However, the boulders left by their god didn¡¯t budge an inch.


    Il-Ho¡¯s shoulders sank dejectedly. Was hecking muscle strength? He looked up at the overwhelmingly huge tower.


    <i>Rooooar!</i>


    The macabre and deste aura exuded by the skull ornaments was enough to make him freeze.


    <i>Grit!</i>


    Il-Ho clenched his jaws. He was made aware of his extreme weakness. If only he had the strength needed to be a warrior of his tribe. Perhaps then, he wouldn¡¯t have lost his friends to the vicious empire. The empire had devoured them alive, like a demon crawling out of hell. He didn¡¯t want his surviving tribesmen to meet the same fate.


    The moment Il-Hoid eyes on the tower, he felt it in his bones. If he conquered this tower of trials, he would gain the power needed to prevent further bloodshed. He clenched his fists.


    ¡°Oh Almighty God Yu Il-Shin! Wait for me! I, Il-Ho, will definitely conquer this tower and meet your expectations! I will protect my tribesmen no matter what!¡±


    <i>sh!</i>


    He dashed to the Training Ground, his gaze radiating with blind faith. If he wanted to remove the boulders at the tower¡¯s entrance...


    ¡°Muscles! I need strong and thick muscles!¡±


    ***


    The call I had with my editor ended upsting for hours. Thankfully, the feedback for my manuscript was rtively good.


    ¡ª<i>Haha</i>, Mr. Yu. Your manuscript is great. If you can increase the length, will you consider serializing it?


    ¡°What? S-serializing?¡±


    ¡ªYes. We can start with free serializing on Dalpia, and if the response is good, we can switch to paid serializingter. I¡¯ll also outsource a novel cover for you. Do you have any particr requests?


    ¡°...In that case, can I have one of the ants featured on the cover? I don¡¯t care what they look like.¡±


    ¡ªOf course, Mr. Yu!


    ¡°Wow, serializing.¡±


    Something about that vocabry always made a writer¡¯s heart race.


    I had been rejected for so long, I began to wonder if I should give up on this career. Now, I found a way to stay in the circle again! Back then, I did say that I¡¯d give up on writing as soon as I had my awakening, but I didn¡¯t really mean it.


    I loved writing, I loved it so much, especially when I typed on my keyboard to bring the world I had been imagining to life in the document. Nevertheless, the process of creation was as joyful as it was painful. Sometimes, that dream could turn into a nightmare¡ªa slump familiar to many writers. Hence why it was a love-hate rtionship.


    Overwhelmed with mixed emotions, I picked up my phone.


    [Launching God-Maker.]


    At first, I thought it was some strange game, especially when I saw the ants. But not anymore. The power I had obtained through God-Maker had gotten me through a few close calls. Above all, it had be my muse.


    <i>I wonder what my children are up to?</i>


    It was alsote in the night on God-Maker.


    <i>Snore snore¡ª</i>


    The ants¡ªno, Gayamis were sleeping in the houses I had built for them. I feel proud watching them, but...


    <i>Sigh, why is she sleeping here?</i>


    The termite¡ªno, Anty was sleeping on the marble floor of the Temple, drooling. She must¡¯ve fallen asleep in the middle of her prayers.


    ¡°Lord Yu Il-Shin... <i>Nyam nyam</i>, you¡¯re so cool.¡±


    <i>Even in her sleep? What a fanatic!</i>


    <i>Sigh, is there anything I could use to cover her?</i>


    I looked around, and spotted a carpet hanging on the wall. I zoomed in on it and saw the scene of me battling an army of red ants, spitting fire like Godzi. I never did that!


    Anyway, upon touching that carpet...


    <i>Oh, it moves!</i>


    I slid my finger, causing it to be yanked off the wall, and draped it over Anty.


    ¡°Muscle! Muscle!¡±


    <i>Hmm?</i> Just then, I heard a faint voiceing from somewhere nearby. I zoomed in on another part of the screen and saw lighting from the Training Ground, which I had built earlier.


    I peeked in and saw a topless Gayami sweating profusely as he lifted rocks. Wow, he was training so hard even in the dead of the night...


    -----


    [Il-Ho]


    A warrior of the Gayami tribe.


    Special note: Training hard to protect his tribe.


    -----


    I had a newfound respect for him upon reading that special note.


    ¡°Muscles! Muscles!¡± he shouted every time he lifted the rocks.


    Well, he wasmendable and all, but personally, that chant was just pathetic. Engrossed in his training, Il-Ho didn¡¯t seem to notice my presence.


    I bought a bottle of Blessing of the Growth God and opened the God¡¯s Grace menu.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Yu Il-Shin bestows Blessing of the Growth God on follower Il-Ho.]


    When pulling an all-nighter, Bhus-F was the go-to! After giving a gift to Il-Ho, I steeled my mind and sat down in front of myptop.


    <i>Alright, I¡¯ll draw inspiration from his motivation and work on my writing!</i>


    <i>Tadak! Tadadak!</i>


    I opened a bottle of Bhus-F and began typing away on the keyboard.


    ***


    What was the living thing that humans killed the most? Most would expect the answer to be "humans." But in reality, humans kill only 4.5 million other humans each year. The top spot on that list, however, belonged to a living thing that humans killed a staggering 7.25 million every year, which was...


    <i>Crackle! Crackle!</i>


    A crack appeared in the air, from which a certain creature slipped into the real world. He was Mosto, otherwise known as Blood Sword, one of the Ten Swords of the empire.


    <i>So this is the fortress of the malevolent god...</i>


    It took him a few moments to process the unfamiliar sight. Then, he turned to look at the malevolent god. The malevolent god let out a deafening groan while being seated.


    <i>That must be the rumored malevolent god.</i>


    As expected of the being that dispatched three of the Ten Swords into the afterlife, both his size and aura were on a different level! Yet, Mosto was unfazed.


    <i>Tzzz!</i>


    His gaze fell on the long needle in his hand. It glowed with a sinister crimson light. This was given by the excellent Goddess Arachne of the empire.


    <i>¡°Bloodsucker Mosto, take this cursed needle bestowed by the Leader of the Horrible gue, and plunge it into that malevolent god. No matter how robust his body, he will be helpless against this curse.¡±</i>


    <i>Mosto¡¯s eyes widened at her words. </i>


    <i>¡°Hoo. So, this is the divine artifact given by the God of Diseases?¡±</i>


    <i>¡°Indeed. What do you think? This ought to be simple for you, right?¡± </i>


    <i>Mosto¡¯s stealth was 999 times more impressive than Killerbee¡¯s n of assassins.</i>


    <i>¡°Of course, Goddess. But can I make a request?¡±</i>


    <i>¡°What is it?¡±</i>


    <i>Mosto bared his fangs, smiling wickedly.</i>


    <i>¡°Can I taste the malevolent god''s blood? I''m curious what the blood of the god worshiped by the ck tribe tastes like. Hehe.¡±</i>


    <i>Vampire Count Mosto. As part of the blessings of the Bloodsucking God, Mosto would grow stronger upon drinking blood. However, that skill, acknowledged even by Goddess Arachne, had a certain side effect: a constant urge to suck blood.</i>


    <i>Mosto would drain not only the enemies of the empires but also those within his territory, leaving them shriveled up like mummies.</i>


    <i>Arachne''s dark purple lips twisted into a smile, reminiscent of a poisonous wolfsbane. </i>


    <i>¡°Of course. Both the honor of killing and the blood of the malevolent god are yours to take, Vampire Count Mosto.¡±</i>


    <i>Tadak! Tadadak!</i>


    With the needle wedged in his mouth, he stealthily flew toward the malevolent god, who was still typing away furiously.


    <i>Whiiiing!</i>


    Even after Mosto hadnded lightly on the malevolent god¡¯s head, his prey still didn¡¯t notice a thing. Then, Mosto pierced him with the needle.


    <i>Poke!</i>


    <i>What a fool. All size and no brain. Time to die.</i>


    Now, all that was left was to trigger the artifact and watch the malevolent god in his death throes.


    ¡°Before that, should I have a taste of his blood first?¡±


    Mosto was tempted by the warm blood coursing within the malevolent god. Opening his jaw wide, he bit the malevolent god¡¯s flesh.


    <i>Suckkk!</i>


    Mosto instantly widened his eyes. He didn¡¯t expect this at all!


    <i>This...!</i>


    Fresh blood, as rich as wine, exploded inside Mosto like an active volcano. It tasted divine! Mosto¡¯s skill, Bloodsucking, allowed him to grow stronger the more blood he drank, especially from a formidable foe.


    <i>Tzzz!</i>


    Mosto was delighted.


    ¡°<i>Oooh</i>! I can feel it! I can feel power surging through my body!¡±

 Chapter 36: Feeling Uncomfortable Because of Some Weird Baldie Acting Chummy

    <h4>Chapter 36: Feeling Ufortable Because of Some Weird Baldie Acting Chummy</h4>


    <i>Crack! Craaack!</i>


    Mosto shuddered. After drinking the malevolent god¡¯s blood, his body began to evolve.


    <i>This power! With this, bing the new ruler of the empire wouldn¡¯t be impossible¡ªno, I can probably even secure myself a seat with the gods!</i>


    If that happens, that alluring Goddess Arachne would be his!


    <i>Whiiiing!</i>


    But then, a typhoon crashed into his tantalizing daydream.


    ¡°...?¡±


    The moment Mosto looked up, he went speechless. The malevolent god¡¯s colossal palm, which could cover the skies, wasing down on him like a meteorite!


    ¡°<i>Arrrgh</i>!¡±


    <i>p! Squash!</i>


    ***


    ¡°<i>Ouch</i>! It hurts!¡±


    <i>p!</i>


    I had reflexively pped my forehead. Then, I looked at my hand, stained with the remains of a dead mosquito and my blood. I inadvertently frowned.


    ¡°<i>Sigh</i>, it''s almost winter. Why are there still mosquitoes around? Also, why my forehead of all ces?¡±


    <i>Darn it, South Korea. No wonder they said you''ve been slowly turning into a Southeast Asian country. Even mosquitoes can be seen inte autumn.</i>


    I¡¯d have to grab some mosquito repellent from Daiseo tomorrow.


    ¡°<i>Ugh</i>, it''s super itchy. Should I apply a mosquito bite relief cream?¡±


    I scratched the small red bump on my forehead and continued working on my manuscript.


    The next morning...


    ¡°<i>Aaargh</i>! What the hell is this?!¡±


    Absolutely nothing could prepare me for the horror that awaited me when I gazed into the mirror. A ck skull tattoo, the size of a baby¡¯s fist, had appeared on my forehead!


    I tried washing it with soap, but it didn¡¯t go away at all. Just when did this appear?!


    ¡°<i>Ohoho</i>. The power of darkness hase.¡±


    This rebellious phase type of line would go so damn well with that tattoo.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [A mark of Leader of the Horrible gue.]


    [The curse of chills is now active.]


    <i>Huh? What''s this?</i>


    All of a sudden, chills began spreading all over my body.


    ¡°<i>Achoo</i>!¡±


    ***


    Somewhere, a man took out a skull-shaped bomb that he had prepared in his bag. As a matter of course, it wasn¡¯t just any bomb.


    It was a biological bomb made of byproducts of an A-rank monster, the Bomb Bug. Since it could bypass any metal detector, it was a top-tier item on the ck market. It wasn¡¯t as umon as it was expensive, since the asking price could hit hundreds of million Korean won. A feat made possible because the ck market was sponsored.


    <i>Rip! Riiip!</i>


    With the bombs lined up nearby, the man called Kim Teh-Beom began ripping box tape. He was a warrior chosen by the Order. Despite being a newly emerging religion, it couldn¡¯t bepared to other countless religions on Earth. After all, their religion genuinely believed in the existence of gods.


    It was no delusion either. Kim Teh-Beom had witnessed the glorious miracles by himself, performed by none other than Johan, the emissary and apostle of god who had descended on Earth. Furthermore, it was only because of Johan¡¯s baptism that a G-rank Hunter like himself could ascend to C-rank.


    <i>¡°My dear precious followers, did you see that? That Second Moon shining brilliantly in the sky? It is but an omen. It won¡¯t be long until our god descends and cleanses this rotten world! To wee him, we have to make countless sacrifices! Kim Teh-Beom, Warrior of God, do not be afraid. The more sacrifices you offer to our god, the more treasures and beauties await you in heaven!¡±</i>


    Recalling Apostle Johan¡¯s words, a maniacal grin crept to Kim Teh-Beom¡¯s face.


    ¡°Leave it to me. Everything will go ording to the wishes of Apostle Johan and our god!¡±


    ***


    <i>Ding! Ding!</i>


    [The curse of fever has been activated.]


    [The curse of muscle pain has been activated.]


    [The curse of anemia has been activated.]


    ...


    ¡°<i>Aigoo</i>, I''m dying.¡±


    I thought aspirin would solve it, but the symptoms only got worse. The fear of death made me consider going to the hospital. But then, the fear of hospital fees made me reconsider. Ultimately, I turned to God¡¯s Shop in God-Maker. The hospital would be myst resort.


    -----


    [Yuanhua¡¯s Pill made Using Secret Form from the ssic Green Satchel (Low-tier God)]


    Category: Exclusive Item for Benevolent God


    Price: 50,000 Gcoins


    -----


    As I scrolled through the list in God¡¯s Shop, this particr item caught my eye. Yuanhua may sound foreign, but it is the true name of Hua Tuo, the god from the Three Kingdoms. Still, it was somewhat misleading. Anyway, as someone in the field, I haven¡¯t heard of a writer who wasn''t a fan of the Three Kingdoms.


    I purchased it without hesitation.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    -----


    [A quest has been activated!]


    Wait, something simr had happened before. I looked at the quest details.


    [Quest: Save others if you want to live]


    The lives of others are as precious as your own. O sick patient, if you wish to live, save 100 other humans with that motivation. Only then will I cure you of your illness.


    Number of humans saved until questpletion: 0/100


    Duration: Unlimited


    -----


    ¡°Fuck!¡±


    That had me swearing aloud! Save a hundred people?! How the heck?! Thanks to that quest, I made a trip myself to the university hospital in the city despite my shallow wallet. I especially chose that hospital because they gave discounts to Hunters.


    Since my health insurance had expired, my health benefits were cut off. That discount saved me a lot. For the first time, I was grateful for being a G-rank Hunter.


    ¡°Mr. Yu Il-Shin, pleasee in.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    I wobbled into the examination room.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [The curse of stomachache has been activated.]


    ¡°<i>Cough!</i>¡±


    <i>Grooowl!</i>


    Without any warning, my stomach churned like ava in an erupting volcano! At that moment, I, Yu, Il-Shin, saw my entire life sh across my eyes. Breaking in cold sweat, I struggled to ask the nurse.


    ¡°<i>Huff! </i>N-nurse, where is the toi... <i>Argh!</i>¡±


    Watching me twist my legs and sensing the urgency in my voice, the nurse quickly pointed down the hallway.


    ¡°Down the hall to the right!¡±


    They always said that humans awakened superpowers in times of crisis.


    <i>Ugh, i-it¡¯sing out!</i>


    Despite my ailing body, I still dashed to the toilet.


    ¡°W-wait!¡±


    I quickly cut in front of the man who was about to enter the cubicle.


    <i>Plop plop plop! Brrrr!</i>


    ¡°<i>Haa</i>.¡±


    After what seemed like a fierce battle with a series of machine gun shooting, I prevailed. It was hard fought. I barely defended my honor and underwear. My stomach ache was gone! But soon, the pain in my body returned. Infuriating, I know.


    ¡°<i>Aigoo</i>, I''m dying.¡±


    I walked out of the cubicle, weak in my knees. At the door, the man I had cut in line was waiting for me.


    <i>Gulp!</i>


    I hadn¡¯t had a chance to take a good look earlier, but now that I had, I realized that he was a head taller than me. His skull tattoo and high-shaved head made him look so intimidating, he could easily pass off as a gangster.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry. I was in a hurry and, <i>uh</i>... would you like to go in now?¡± I meekly stepped out of the way, leaving the stall.


    However, he showed no signs of wanting to go inside. Understandable, it smelled like death there. I should¡¯ve known better than to eat sweet potatost night!


    ¡°You...¡±


    The man¡¯s sharp gaze pierced me. All of a sudden, his hand flew.


    <i>Gasp! He¡¯s going to beat me up!</i>


    I shut my eyes tightly, covering my face with my hands.


    <i>Grab!</i>


    The following sound was different than I had expected.


    ¡°...?¡±


    I slowly opened my eyes. The man smiled brightly like a sunflower¡ªa huge contrast to what I had imagined him to be.


    ¡°Nice to see you there!¡±


    He grabbed my hands, squeezed them slightly, and gave me a bow.


    <i>Uh, I-I haven¡¯t washed my hands...</i>


    Whether he realized the shameful look on my face, he stared intently at my forehead.


    ¡°Such foreboding power! I have chills just looking at it! You must be the henchman of Apostle Johan! I¡¯m honored that you¡¯vee to see me in action!¡± the man eximed in excitement.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, what?¡±


    ¡°Please deliver this message to Apostle Johan. Tell him that his youngmb will be the best sacrifice today!¡±


    I had no idea what kind of nonsense he was spouting. The skinhead rambled on for a bit more, then left the washroom after.


    I stared after him, still dumbfounded, when my skill got activated.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    -----


    [---]


    A male human. Around for 31 years.


    Special note: A follower of ???, the God of Destroyer.


    -----


    <i>Huh, follower of ???, God of Destroyer? What¡¯s that?</i>


    <i>Groooowl!</i>


    Just then, my stomach rumbled, signaling for an uing battle. Shit, the one from earlier wasn¡¯t the end of it?!


    ¡°<i>Arrrgh</i>!¡±


    <i>Clunk! Bam! Ploop ploop ploop! Brrrr!</i>


    ***


    ¡°<i>Ugh</i>... My asshole... feels like it¡¯s ripping apart...¡±


    I crawled out of the stall as if I had just survived a second or even third war.


    ¡°<i>Kyaaa</i>!¡±


    Then, chaos ensued.


    The skinhead I saw earlier was restraining a nurse with one hand. He was strapped with what appeared to be bombs all over his body, holding a detonator in his free hand.


    ¡°P-please save me!¡±


    My mind froze the moment I saw that. This was straight out of a movie! Was I cursed?! Why did so many bad things happen to me recently?!


    ¡°Everyone! Don¡¯t move and get on the floor! Run, and all of you will die!¡± threatened the man while raising the detonator.


    ¡°<i>Aaaaaaaaaah!¡±</i>


    Screams erupted from everywhere. People dropped themselves to the floor in a heap, their expressions full of terror.


    Meanwhile, I was petrified on the spot, still desperately trying to wrap my head around everything. At that moment, my eyes met the skinhead¡¯s. For some reason, he smirked and even winked at me.


    <i>Dude, I don¡¯t even know you!</i>


    As a result, those crawling on the floor eyed me suspiciously, probably suspecting me of being his aplice.


    <i>N-no! I''m not! This is a misunderstanding! I don''t know this baldie!</i>


    I shook my head profusely.


    Then, as I slowly got down on the floor, avoiding their piercing gazes...


    <i>sh! Boom boom boom!</i>


    With a brief sh of lightning, the entrance was destroyed, and an alluring figure of a woman emerged from the dust. She was wearing a ck helmet and insted tights.


    <i>Crackle! Craaackle!</i>


    Intense bolts scattered from all over her body, sparking hope in the victims and striking fear into the baldie.


    ¡°T-Thunder Emperor?¡± Baldie eximed in horror.


    <i>Yep, that¡¯s right! My baby, the electrifying girl, has appeared! Ms. Sung Mi-Ri! Quick, blow that baldie away and save us!</i>


    ¡°D-don¡¯t move! Especially you, Thunder Emperor! You think I won¡¯t blow this whole ce up?!¡±


    ¡°<i>Kyaaa</i>! Please save us!¡±


    Thunder Emperor was about to leap straight at the baldie when she saw the skull-shaped bombs and hostages.


    ¡°<i>Hmph</i>, what a coward!¡± She scoffed.


    Just then, Baldie looked right at me, and shouted desperately, ¡°Please help me, Brother! I can¡¯t possibly handle Thunder Emperor alone!¡±


    ¡°What? You have an a... <i>Huh</i>?! Mister? What are you doing here?¡±


    Then, they both stared at me and started arguing out of nowhere.


    ¡°Who are you calling ¡®Mister¡¯?! He is the henchman of the Order and Apostle Johan!¡±


    ¡°Says who?! He is my mentor!¡±


    ¡°Nonsense! How do you exin that evil and sinister powering from him?!¡±


    ¡°Did you just call my mentor evil and sinister? Do you want to die?!¡±


    Thanks to that, all eyes were on me. I broke into a cold sweat.


    <i>Fuck, leave me out of this!</i>


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [The curse of necrosis has been activated.]


    Just as I was pondering over what to do next, another message appeared.


    <i>Necrosis? As in, the copse of cellr tissues or cessation of their functions? </i>


    At the same time, the jaw of the skull tattoo on my forehead opened wide.


    -<i>Kikiki</i>!


    An eerieughter, resembling that of a grim reaper, resounded.


    ¡°<i>Cough! Blegh!</i>¡±


    I vomited ck blood, my vision growing hazy. The skull on my forehead dered ominously.


    -Young god, the hour of your death has finally arrived!

 Chapter 37: Too Many Sadists are After Me

    <h4>Chapter 37: Too Many Sadists are After Me</h4>


    -Young god, the hour of your death has finally arrived!


    Following the skull¡¯s announcement, the cells in my body began shutting down like extinguished candles. The blood that stained my cheeks felt terrifyingly cold. Soon, my sense of touch also disappeared.


    <i>Is this how death feels like? No, I¡¯m scared. Someone save me!</i>


    ¡°Mr. Yu Il-Shin!¡± Sung Mi-Ri screamed as she ran to me.


    Meanwhile, Baldie took that as a chance to press the detonator. Just like in action flicks, I saw his actions in slow motion. In that fleeting moment, I also witnessed his thoughts.


    <i>Apostle Johan said it¡¯s best to reap the victims after sufficiently terrifying them, but I have no choice! In return, Thunder Emperor will be made into a sacrifice! I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll forgive me!</i>


    How dare this imbecile think of harming her!


    <i>Sss¡ª</i>


    Drawing myst breath, I raised my forefinger, aiming it at Baldie.


    ¡°Crushing... Forefinger of God.¡±


    The sensation that I felt then was simr to when I was a giant crushing the puny insects in God-Maker.


    ¡°<i>Gasp!</i>¡±


    Baldie instantly went white. The fact that he was sweating buckets was highlighted by his shaved head. His pants were also soaking wet. As he mumbled in horror, his fearful eyes found me.


    ¡°W-who are you? A-are you... the God of Destroyer...?¡±


    ¡°Ms. Sung Mi-Ri... now!¡±


    As I red at Baldie, who was spouting nonsense, I yelled at Sung Mi-Ri, who wasing at me.


    <i>sh!</i>


    Sung Mi-Ri came to her senses on time and lunged at Baldie.


    ¡°<i>Gasp!</i>¡±


    The sh of light caused Baldie to reflexively mash the detonator.


    <i>Click! Click!</i>


    ¡°<i>Argh</i>! Why?! Why did nothing happen?!¡±


    Of course, because I had turned it ¡°off¡± earlier with the Crushing Forefinger of God.


    ¡°Away with you!¡±


    Baldie was in too much panic to dodge Sung Mi-Ri¡¯s punch, and her fist connected to his stunned face.


    ¡°<i>Aaargh</i>!¡±


    With a furious thunderp, Baldie was mmed into the hospital floor. The security guards rushed in, swiftly removing the bombs from the foaming Baldie.


    ¡°W-we¡¯re saved!¡±


    ¡°Thunder Emperor! Thank you!¡±


    ¡°<i>Kyaa</i>! Unnie!¡±


    The people cheered and surrounded Sung Mi-Ri.


    ¡°W-wait! Please let me through! Mister! Are you alright!¡± Sung Mi-Ri shouted anxiously.


    Soon, she found me lying on the floor, and began sobbing.


    I looked terrible. My pale face was sunken in a puddle of blood, my eyes rolled back, and my tongue fully stretched out. I looked just like a corpse.


    ¡°<i>Waaaaaah</i>! Mister! Don¡¯t die on me!¡±


    Suddenly, the supposed corpse, Yu Il-Shin, stood up.


    <i>Phew, I thought I was going to die there...</i>


    I almost crossed the Jordan River. I was only alive thanks to the questpletion.


    -----


    [Quest: Save others if you want to live]


    The lives of others are as precious as your own. O sick patient, if you wish to live, save 100 other humans with that motivation. Only then will I cure you of your illness.


    Number of humans saved until questpletion: 1,238/100


    Duration: Unlimited


    -----


    [You have exceeded the number of humans saved required for the quest.]


    [Congrattions! You havepleted the quest: Save others if you want to live!]


    [You have been rewarded Yuanhua¡¯s Pill from the quest.]


    [The owner of the ssic Green Satchel is pleased with your good deeds.]


    [His divine power has been imbued in you as an additional reward.]


    A refreshing taste, simr to Eundan[1], filled my mouth. The pill dissolved almost immediately, and its contents were absorbed into my body. I was resurrected, and my body was recovering slowly but surely.


    I wasn¡¯t sure how all of this happened. But apparently, I had sessfully prevented Baldie from blowing the whole ce up, saving everyone in the area.


    ¡°What¡¯s with that guy?¡±


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t he supposed to be dying? Was it an act?¡±


    A few survivors murmured among themselves, watching me quizzically.


    Right, they suspected I was in cahoots with Baldie. I''d better leave as soon as possible!


    With my phone in hand, I waved at Sung Mi-Ri, who was surrounded by people, reassuring her.


    After mouthing the words, ¡°I¡¯ll call youter,¡± I fled the scene.


    <i>Ohoho, that sure was dangerous, but look! I don¡¯t have to pay any hospital bills!</i>


    Little did I know, this incident would lead to a bunch of sadists targeting me.


    ***


    A few days after the bomb threat at the hospital, Thunder Emperor became a hot topic on all media channels for saving the day. The Hunter Association saw this as an opportunity to calm public opinion after the appearance of the Second Moon, and thus promoted her.


    Meanwhile, in the office of the guild leader of the Brilliance Guild...


    A man with long, curly hair watched the CCTV footage of the hospital from a few days ago. On the screen, Thunder Emperor could be seen apprehending the terrorist. In response, the terrorist pressed the detonator, but it didn¡¯t go off.


    When he saw that, the guild leader¡¯s mouth instantly went dry. After all, he was the one who prepared those bombs. Immediately, he sank to his knees with a thud.


    ¡°A-Apostle Johan! I have checked the bomb several times. Teh-Beom must¡¯ve made a mistake somewhere...!¡±


    ¡°<i>Shush</i>.¡±


    Johan held his index finger up to his lips, signaling the guild leader to keep quiet. After reying the CCTV footage a few more times, Johan seemed to figure something out. He smiled and stood up, still not wearing any clothes.


    The guild leader didn¡¯t say a word about his state of undress. He knew that the Apostle was a lunatic to begin with, especially considering a certain incident. If only he didn¡¯t know, maybe he wouldn¡¯t be so scared right now.


    Only half a year back, Johan had blown off the upper half of the previous guild leader, who was an A-rank Hunter at the time. In fact, that was how the position fell into the current guild leader¡¯sp. It was nothing to be happy about.


    ¡°Guild Leader.¡± Johan¡¯s blood-red lips parted.


    ¡°Y-yes!¡±


    ¡°Everyone makes mistakes. Sometimes, these mistakes be stepping stones that bring us to a higher ce.¡±


    Instantly, colors returned to the guild leader¡¯s face.


    ¡°Thank you! I won¡¯t disappoint you next time, Apostle!¡±


    ¡°Of course you won¡¯t, because there won¡¯t be next time.¡± Johan smiled gently. ¡°I¡¯ll give you three days.¡±


    ¡°Sorry? What do you mean...?¡±


    Johan pointed at some people on the screen with his long and slender fingers. First was Thunder Emperor, then the dying man lying in a pool of blood in the corner.


    ¡°Kill that girl and bring that man to me.¡±


    The guild leader could see why Johan wanted Thunder Emperor dead. She had put a damper on their n. Even if she had just risen to Rank A, it wasn¡¯t impossible to kill her. Yet, he had no idea why the Apostle wanted that man alive.


    ¡°Apostle Johan, why do you want that man alive...?¡±


    Johan shook his head slowly.


    ¡°<i>Sigh</i>, what a dunce. See, this is why you aren¡¯t favored by god. How can you be blind to the value of this man? He¡¯s shining so brilliantly among all those worthless cretins.¡±


    Johan pushed his face toward the screen. Reflected in his eyes was the scene of Yu Il-Shin awkwardly getting up from the puddle of blood on the floor.


    ¡°<i>Aah</i>, I can see it. I can see the favor of god within your body.¡±


    Johan licked the part of the screen where Yu Il-Shin was, his member standing upright, swelling with desire.


    ¡°<i>Kukuku</i>, I¡¯m looking forward to the time when we meet.¡±


    The guild leader watched the entire scene unfold in horror.


    ***


    ¡°<i>Uuh</i>, so cold.¡±


    Chills slowly crept up all over my body, making me shiver.


    Hadn¡¯t I recovered already? Was there a mistake? Believing in Hua Tuo¡¯s reputation, I paid 50,000 Gcoins and evenpleted the quest, but the medicine still didn¡¯t cure me.


    ¡°When is thising off?¡±


    The skull tattoo was still on my forehead. It had faded quite a bit since I first saw it, but still looked quite shady. My hair stood whenever I recalled the sinister announcement of the skull.


    ¡°Is there any tattoo removal medicine in the God¡¯s Shop?¡±


    I opened the God¡¯s Shop and was about to browse the shop catalog when...


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [A Gayami follower, Il-Ho, is desperately looking for you.]


    Il-Ho? Was it the one training at the Training Ground that day? I essed the Training Ground and saw Il-Ho sprawled on the ground.


    ¡°<i>Huh?</i>¡±


    In just a short period, the once scrawny Il-Ho became packed with muscles! Even though he used to be skin and bones, like a ssic refugee! <i>Mhm,</i> exercise was important after all.


    ¡°So, you were looking for me?¡± I spoke in a low tone, trying to act like a god, causing Il-Ho to shudder.


    He couldn¡¯t even raise his head as he shouted, ¡°Lord Yu Il-Shin! I have received the secret potion! As expected, the effects were amazing! The sick will be fully healed, while the old revitalized!¡±


    <i>Huh? What did I give him? Oh, I remember now.</i>


    After seeing how hard he trained ale at night, I gave him a bottle of Blessing of the Growth God. Apparently, what was merely a Bhus-F to me became a panacea to him.


    ¡°P-please forgive me, Lord. But could you give me more of that secret potion?¡± Il-Ho then pleaded.


    ¡°Sure, why not.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t a difficult request.


    [You have purchased 100 bottles of Blessing of the Growth God.]


    [You paid 100,000 Gcoins.]


    <i>Ding! Ding!</i>


    [Eternal Seeker is very pleased with this pushover. He is nning to put a new product line up in the shop soon. He hopes that you wille again.]


    My frustration at being called a pushover aside, the hundred vials I had purchased appeared in God-Maker¡¯s world.


    <i>Thud! Thud thud thud!</i>


    In no time, the Training Ground was filled with huge vials that were many timesrger than Il-Ho. Il-Ho stared at me with a mixture of gratitude and disbelief.


    ¡°<i>s</i>, M-My Lord...¡±


    ¡°Do you need anything else?¡±


    100,000 Gcoins were nothing to me now. <i>Pfft</i>, was this how squandering money without a care in the world felt like? I might be dirt poor in Korean won, but I was filthy rich in Godcoins.


    ¡°<i>Hic, hic</i>! Thank you for your grace, Lord Yu Il-Shin! I, Il-Ho, will absolutely repay you for yourpassion!¡±


    <i>Aigoo, for an ant, he sure has a way with words. </i>


    ¡°Okay, just don¡¯t overdo it,¡± I nodded as my ears tingled, and replied dryly.


    Il-Ho might''ve acquired human form, but he was still the size of an ant. At least in the game, anyway. What else could he do for me? I then turned off God-Maker.


    ¡°<i>Ugh</i>, I¡¯ll have to take some tonics tomorrow.¡± I tucked myself under the covers, drifting off to sleep.


    <i>Snore, snore.</i>


    And just as I was deep asleep, I had a strange dream in which I was surrounded by a thick fog.


    <i>Click ck, click ck.</i>


    An unusual-looking figure riding a ck horse was approaching.


    <i>Haha, a skeleton?</i>


    Even as a fantasy genre writer, this dream was just too much. Was this an upational disease? But for some reason, the skeletal figure looked familiar?


    The skeleton glowered at me with red eyes.


    -How dare you! I, the Leader of the Horrible gue, shouldn¡¯t be made to descend like this! Do not rest easy yet, Young God! You haven¡¯t escaped death!


    1. A kind of candy that makes one''s mouth feel refreshed with its smell. ?

 Chapter 38: First Floor of the Tower of Warriors - Trial of Rock

    <h4>Chapter 38: First Floor of the Tower of Warriors - Trial of Rock</h4>


    In the world of God-Maker, Antrinia...


    What appeared to be a termite was dangling from the ceiling, cocooned in pure white thread.


    <i>Drip, drip drip!</i>


    Its bodily fluids trickled into a golden goblet encrusted with jewels right beneath it. When the goblet was almost full, a handsome man with leopard-printed wings carefully retrieved the goblet.


    He trod down the dark and deste hallway, which resembled a cave. When he reached a door engraved with a spider design, he knocked.


    ¡°Your Grace, I¡¯ve brought your meal.¡±


    ¡°Buttor, is that you? Enter.¡±


    In response, a voice that sounded like fluttering jade beads came from within. Buttor proceeded to open the door with courtesy.


    Inside was Arachne, lying indolently on a bed made of silk threads. Her elegance, reminiscent of a bellflower, paired well with her decadence. Indeed a beauty worthy of the affection of the cold-blooded demigod, the emperor.


    Buttor swallowed hard. Deep down, he knew that she was more than just a ravishing beauty. Arachne was a natural predator. Many men had fallen prey to her charm, bing a part of her. In spite of that, he found it difficult to suppress his desire to be eaten by her.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    ¡°No, Your Grace looks so beautiful that I couldn¡¯t help myself...¡±


    ¡°Am I? How can I possiblypare to your wings?¡± Arachne chuckled.


    ¡°Compared to your beauty, my wings are nothing but rags, Your Grace.¡±


    ¡°<i>Hoho</i>. You sure have a way with words. Come closer, Buttor.¡±


    Buttor bowed slightly, approaching Arachne. Arachne¡¯s eight pairs of eyes feverishly took in Buttor¡¯s leopard-printed wings.


    ¡°Everyone is vying for your wings. Little did they know, they contain a deadly poison that can kill tens of millions.¡±


    ¡°My poison wings belong solely to you, Your Grace. Give me your words, and I¡¯ll see that the malevolent god sumbs to my poisonous powder.¡±


    Despite his mboyant appearance, Buttor was also one of the Ten Swords of the empire.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for you to step up, Buttor.¡±


    ¡°But if the curse of the Leader of the Horrible gue didn¡¯t work on that evil god... His Majesty... will be furious.¡±


    Arachne caressed Buttor¡¯s beautiful wings, whispering, ¡°<i>Hehe</i>. Don¡¯t worry. The Leader of the Horrible gue is a very relentless and greedy god. He won¡¯t let any of his prey escape.¡±


    ***


    The skeleton, Leader of the Horrible gue, jutted out his tongue, which resembled a ck heat haze, and licked his teeth.


    -Ahaha! Do you think you can cheat death with those petty tricks of yours? You¡¯re mine. Every ounce of your divine power is also mine... What are you doing, punk?


    <i>Can¡¯t you see? Oh, right, the skeleton has no eyes.</i>


    I was spreading a nket on the ground. Since this was a dream, I only had to will it into existence. It was a piece of cake for me, who had mastered lucid dreams since young. dIt may be unconventional, but the method I used to wake up from lucid dreams was to go to sleep.


    -B-bastard! What are you nning! Hey, I¡¯m speaking to you! How dare you ignore me?! I¡¯m the great malevolent god of the 7th Realm! You insolent young god!


    <i>Ugh, why is this skeleton making so much fuss?</i>


    ¡°Skeleton, shut up already. Let me sleep.¡±


    The skeleton was so furious that he was rattling all over.


    -<i>Kehehe</i>. I haven¡¯t suffered such a humiliation in a thousand years. Just you wait. I¡¯ll use you as a pod to cultivate diseases! You¡¯ll suffer from all manners of illnesses in this world! Eventually, you¡¯ll beg for me to end your suffering, weeping until your tears dry up! But by that time, it¡¯ll be toote! You¡¯ll live on for eons in torment!


    <i>Yes, yes, whatever. What a noisy skeleton.</i>


    I turned my back and the skeleton and did my best to wake up from this dream quickly.


    <i>Crack!</i>


    The skeleton gritted its teeth, growling.


    -O¡¯ Scythe of Death, sever the neck of that arrogant young god... Huh? Aren¡¯t you Nightmare? How are you...!


    <i>Whiiir! Grab!</i>


    The skeleton suddenly sounded flustered.


    [Night Rose¡¯s vines coiled around the Leader of the Horrible gue¡¯s skeleton.]


    [Silently Crawling Nightmare is adamant that Yu Il-Shin is hers.]


    <i>Rattle rattle!</i>


    [Night Rose¡¯s vines ripped Leader of the Horrible gue¡¯s skull.]


    -W-wait! I wasn¡¯t informed of any of this! You had eyes on hi<i>¡ªaargh</i>!


    <i>Crackle!</i>


    [Leader of the Horrible gue¡¯s skull has been sucked off by the Night Rose.]


    [All-Cutting Heavenly Sword watched with regret as the spectacle unfolded, and eventually left the skeleton lying motionless on the ground.]


    <i>Rattle rattle!</i>


    ¡°<i>Nyam nyam</i>, I can¡¯t eat anymore.¡±


    Ignoring the bone-crushing sound, I continued sleeping peacefully in the cradle of nightmares.


    ***


    ¡°<i>Mm</i>, what a nice sleep I had!¡±


    The next morning, I woke up early. I felt awesome and refreshed, probably because I had slept well. More importantly, the skull tattoo on my forehead was gone! I didn¡¯t even know how I got it in the first ce. It vanished as suddenly as it appeared.


    ¡°Actually, who am I kidding? Pretty sure it¡¯s because of this shitty God-Maker.¡±


    I was no longer surprised by anything that happened to me. Did I always have such a mentality? Having a brush with death a couple of times might¡¯ve desensitized me to everything. In that case, things must¡¯ve gone from bad to worsetely.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Il-Ho desperately pleads for salvation from God Yu Il-Shin.]


    ¡°Il...-Ho?¡±


    When I saw Il-Ho¡¯s salvation request, I immediatelyunched God-Maker. But he wasn¡¯t in the Training Ground. I looked around the city I had developed, and my gaze eventually fell on the macabre tower at the center.


    I clearly remembered barricading the entrance of the tower with a bunch of debris. But now, that mess had been cleared somewhat.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me...¡±


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Il-Ho desperately pleads for salvation from God Yu Il-Shin.]


    Sure enough, I found Il-Ho inside the tower. He was lying on the floor, half his body crushed, on hisst breath.


    ***


    ¡°Muscles! Muscles!¡±


    Il-Ho never stopped training in the Training Ground. Without any sleep or rest, he endlessly and recklessly trained like a madman. As a result, not only was he sweating blood, all of his muscles were bursting. Even if the Gayami was an inherently strong race, there was still a limit.


    <i>Plop!</i>


    ¡°<i>Urk</i>...¡±


    Copsing to the ground, Il-Ho crawled toward the giant crystal pir in the center of the Training Ground.


    <i>Pop!</i>


    Barely making it, he popped open the bottle cap, then chugged the yellow liquid inside. And to his surprise...


    [Blessing of the Growth God enters Il-Ho.]


    [Eternal Seeker remarks pleasantly that muscle ruptures are the norm for gym rats.]


    Il-Ho jumped to his feet. His muscles weren¡¯t not only healed, but also became stronger and firmer than before.


    ¡°<i>Ooh</i>, Almighty God Yu Il-Shin!¡± Il-Ho praised their god, overwhelmed with joy.


    The divine drink bestowed by God Yu Il-Shinpletely erased his fatigue, so he didn¡¯t even need to rest.


    ¡°Muscles! Muscles!¡±


    Il-Ho picked up several more rocks that were muchrger than himself, before runningps around the Training Ground. Just as he did so, the statue of Yu Il-Shin on the Training Ground spoke.


    [Experience points of Il-Ho have met the conditions to obtain a ss.]


    [Il-Ho has been promoted to a Soldier.]


    [Il-Ho has been rewarded with +2 on all armed-rted stats.]


    ¡°...?¡±


    While Il-Ho couldn¡¯tprehend the unintelligible words, he could feel the change in him.


    <i>Tzzz! ck! ck!</i>


    Il-Ho¡¯s entire body burst with power, and at the same time, gleaming metal armor appeared on him.


    ¡°<i>Ooh</i>, Almighty God Yu Il-Shin. Thank you.¡±


    Il-Ho could tell that he had be much stronger than before. However, he still wasn¡¯t satisfied. He recalled the overwhelming strength of the ruthless emperor and his army. He still had a long way to go if he wanted to stand on equal footing with them.


    Then, he recalled the nightmare where his fellows were being devoured alive by them¡ªso vividly, as if it had been yesterday.


    Il-Ho nced at the Tower of Warriors in the middle of the city. If not for those boulders at the entrance, he¡¯d be able to brave the tower.


    After a few hours of work, Il-Ho finally stepped into the Tower of Warriors.


    <i>Step!</i>


    The inside of the tower was unlike anything he had expected. The vast space spanning several hundred <i>pyeong </i>was filled with nothingness.


    <i>A passageway?</i>


    Il-Ho was looking around the ce when he spotted arge, diagonal passageway. It led upward, and could probably fit around ten people. As soon as he stepped in the passageway...


    [Challenger Il-Ho takes on the Trial of the Warrior.]


    [First floor: Trial of Rock]


    [Clear conditions: Go through the passageway to reach the second floor.]


    [The trial starts now.]


    Then, a dull, bleak sound rang.


    <i>Ruuuumble!</i>


    A boulder the size of a human rolled down the passageway.


    ¡°<i>Gasp!</i>¡± Il-Ho reflexively dodged to the side.


    <i>Bam!</i>


    The boulder that whizzed past him crashed on the first floor.


    <i>Ruuumble!</i>


    But that was only the first one. Whenever he went up the passageway, boulders would roll down.


    ¡°Now!¡±


    After being promoted to a Soldier, Il-Ho was able to dodge them with ease!


    <i>I can still take on such trials!</i>


    Soon, Il-Ho realized how sorely mistaken he was.


    <i>Ruuumble! Ruuumble!</i>


    A boulder sorge that it seemed to fill the entire passageway rolled down, dashing Il-Ho¡¯s hope.


    ¡°Oh, Lord...¡±


    <i>Bam! Squash!</i>


    ***


    ¡°...<i>UuuUuuh</i>.¡±


    Il-Ho was tragically crushed by a huge boulder. His bones and flesh were ruptured all over. If it weren¡¯t for the armor bestowed on him, he¡¯d have died instantly.


    Drawing hisst, he finally understood why God Yu Il-Shin had barred entry to this ce. Il-Ho cried in despair. How foolish and weak he was! Why did he do something so reckless?! He let the fact that he¡¯d gained a little strength go to his head.


    ¡°<i>Haa... haa</i>... P-please save... Yu Il-...¡± With a mangled body, Il-Ho cried out.


    But did he have the right to ask for salvation to begin with?


    <i>Ruuumble!</i>


    Another boulder, evenrger and heavier than the previous one, came tumbling down. It rolled with such a terrifying force, threatening to finish him off.


    Il-Ho tightly shut his eyes. He was going to die. If only he could see God Yu-Il Shin, along with the fair and just Saintess for onest time...


    <i>Oh, Almighty God! Please protect the Saintess and my tribe in my stead!</i>


    <i>Ruuumble!</i>


    The massive boulder rumbled loudly, about to crush Il-Ho. But...


    <i>Tzz! Tzzz!</i>


    The space before Il-Ho split open and a huge finger appeared!


    <i>Bam!</i>


    Il-Ho struggled to open his eyes at the thundering sound. A miracle had happened. The giant boulder was stopped by a finger.


    ¡°Oh, Lord Almighty...¡±


    Tears rolled down as Il-Ho looked up at the owner of the finger.


    There was Yu Il-Shin, who looked down at him with mercy andpassion.

 Chapter 39: Healing Ring Finger of God

    <h4>Chapter 39: Healing Ring Finger of God</h4>


    I looked down at Il-Ho with turmoil. Crushed by the boulder, Il-Ho could only lie helplessly on the ground. For some reason, it reminded me of Ant No.1, which I encountered the first time I yed God-Maker.


    At that time, I still couldn¡¯t read the message. But that ant was probably asking for salvation, just like Il-Ho was right now. Yet, I crushed it with my finger. With or without intention, I had killed it. Hooked on generating more Godcoins, I killed even more of them without the slightest guilt.


    Only now did I feel remorseful.


    What was the difference between those ants and Il-Ho? A pixted ant and a humanlike ant? Or a stray cat and a pet cat?


    [10 seconds until Il-Ho¡¯s death.]


    [9 seconds, 8 seconds, 7 seconds, 6 seconds...]


    I stared at the message that kindly gave a countdown until Il-Ho drew hisst. It resembled a warning I used to get after losing a fighting game at the arcade.


    <i>I want to save him¡ªI want to! But how?!</i>


    Hua Tuo¡¯s pill might be able to save him. But to obtain it, I¡¯d have toplete a quest. There wasn¡¯t enough time to find an alternative in God-Maker.


    <i>That¡¯s right! </i>


    I rushed to grab a pack of sugar from the cupboard and sprinkled it on him. I was grasping at straws, hoping that it¡¯d do something. However, it didn¡¯t show the same effects as before. Was it because he had evolved and was no longer just an ant?


    ¡°Almighty God Yu Il-Shin... Please protect the Saintess and my tribe in my stead...¡± Il-Ho struggled to speak.


    ¡°Don¡¯t give up! Il-Ho!¡±


    In that moment of desperation, I recalled the time when I was dying in the hospital. Didn¡¯t I hear a message back then?


    <i>[Congrattions! You havepleted the quest: Save others if you want to live!]</i>


    <i>[You have been rewarded Yuanhua¡¯s Pill from the quest.]</i>


    <i>[The owner of the ssic Green Satchel is pleased with your good deeds.]</i>


    <i>[His divine power has been imbued in you as an additional reward.]</i>


    Looking back, I had been tricked by God-Maker over and over again. Yet, I dared to hope. Of my five fingers, I looked at the one that wasn¡¯t tied to any innate power yet. My fourth finger.


    In olden days, it was also known as the ring finger because it was often doused in liquid drugs.


    [The divine power of the ssic Green Satchel owner will activate at Yu Il-Shin¡¯s will.]


    <i>Ssss.</i>


    The fourth finger of my right hand let out a faint glow. At the same time, God-Maker responded.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [You have an ¡°acquirable¡± innate power in the God''s Shop.]


    -----


    [Healing Ring Finger of the God (Growth-type)]


    A medical technique and divine power gained from saving more than thousands.


    Category: Innate Power


    Price: 100 Gcoins


    -----


    I instantly came to my senses and didn¡¯t waste any time purchasing the innate power.


    <i>Ssss!</i>


    My white 100-unit Gcoin disappeared, and my ring finger glowed even brighter than before.


    [The innate power Healing Ring Finger of God has been activated.]


    -Who dares meet their end under my watch? Step forth now! I shall ne''er permit thy demise!


    Immediately, a cringey line appeared in my mind. I ignored it and aimed my ring finger at the dying Il-Ho. In the meantime, the countdown was still going...


    [3 seconds, 2 seconds, 1 second...]


    <i>Please let it work! </i>


    ¡°Healing Ring Finger of God!¡±


    <i>sh!</i>


    A blinding white light swallowed Il-Ho.


    [Calcting the causality rate of the healing target: Il-Ho...]


    [A follower of Lowest-tier God Yu Il-Shin. Also a member of a lower race from The 10th Realm. An insignificant existence that wouldn¡¯t affect the rules between gods and the world.]


    <i>Ding! </i>


    [You paid 1 Gcoin for the healing.]


    <i>Crack! Craaack!</i>


    The light faded, revealing Il-Ho¡¯s body, unscathed as if everything had been a lie.


    ¡°H-how is this...¡±


    Il-Ho looked at himself in disbelief.


    <i>Phew, </i>I wasn¡¯t sure about it at first, but thank goodness it worked! I¡¯d be lying if I said I didn¡¯t do this to feel better about myself after killing ant No. 1. It did take off some of the guilt, at least.


    ¡°<i>Waaaah!</i> My lord! T.T¡±


    Il-Ho wailed, tears and snot running down his face, as he mmed his head against the ground.


    ¡°Huh? Why would you cry? Are you still hurt somewhere? Should I heal you again?¡±


    ¡°<i>Wahhh!</i> This weak and foolish one didn¡¯t expect that Lord Yu Il-Shin would descend upon him and use his precious divine power, on top of that! How am I supposed to repay your immense grace! T.T¡±


    <i>Okay, that¡¯s weird.</i>


    Since the Statue Wi-Fi appeared, I did begin hearing their voices, but why did I start seeing emoticons as well?


    <i>Why? Why? WHY!</i>


    This darn game. And here I thought I had it figured out.


    ¡°<i>Waaaah! Waaaah!</i> T.T¡±


    Il-Ho¡¯s square face and slightly muscr body struck a chord with me. Why did I feel like I had seen this appearance quite often?


    I see, he looked like a Lego<i>. </i>I used to y with Legos when I was younger. Well, that wasn¡¯t important right now. I cleared my throat and lowered my voice slightly.


    ¡°<i>Ahem</i>, my follower, Il-Ho. Enough crying, rise to your feet. This ce is still far too perilous for you to venture. You can always return when you¡¯re much stronger in the future. Let this be your lesson. Now, return to your family and tribe.¡±


    Of course, that was a bald-faced lie. As if I¡¯d send any of my ants into a tower with such a ridiculously low clear rate. After this, I¡¯d create tons of walls so that none of them could get in.


    ¡°I shall obey your orders, Lord Yu Il-Shin. T.T¡±


    Wiping away his snot and tears with his forearm, Il-Ho ran toward the entrance with his stubby legs.


    I let out a sigh as I watched him leave. But he never did. Instead, he turned around with a bewildered look on his face.


    ¡°M-My Lord.¡±


    ¡°<i>Hmm</i>? What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°T-the door won¡¯t open,¡± Il-Ho grunted, trying to open the door with all his might, but it didn¡¯t even budge an inch.


    ¡°<i>Whew</i>, move. I¡¯ll open it for you.¡±


    I tried to push the door open with my finger. <i>Huh?</i> Why wouldn¡¯t it open? It didn¡¯t move at all!


    I decided to use my innate power.


    -----


    [Entrance of Tower of Warriors]


    A replica of the Eternal Seeker. Around for 39,131,321 years.


    Special note: ¡°You can enter as you may, but not leave as you wish.¡±


    Clear at least 50 floors to leave.


    -----


    I was shocked at how old this tower was, but nothing could prepare me for that special note.


    <i>You have to clear a predetermined amount of stages to leave?! Fuck!</i>


    ¡°My Lord? T.T¡± Tears streamed down Il-Ho¡¯s square face.


    A brat who almost didn¡¯t survive the first floor was expected to clear all 50 floors of this shitty tower?!


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Eternal Seeker, who is still training to be the Ultimate Neutral God and Top-tier God, is staring quietly at Yu Il-Shin.]


    Eternal Seeker? Wasn¡¯t that the god who created the Bhus-F potion I regrly bought? He had something to do with this rotten tower too?


    [Eternal Seeker is asking Yu Il-Shin if he¡¯d like to try out the newly-added items in God¡¯s Shop. They might help in clearing the stages.]


    Was that another sales pitch I heard? But since we were basically in a standstill, I might as well take a look. I opened the God¡¯s Shop and was greeted by the two items at the top of the catalog.


    -----


    New! [Strong Blessing of the Growth God Ver. 2 (Low-tier God)]


    Category: Common Consumable Item


    Price: 3,000 Gcoins


    -----


    New! [Special Blessing of the Growth God Ver. 3 (Low-tier God)]


    Category: Common Consumable item


    Price: 5,000 Gcoins


    -----


    Just like Bhus-F, the new arrivals were also of the Low-tier God grade sold for a steal. As I stared at them with a frown, new messages began popping up.


    [Eternal Seeker rmends you to try it out. He has put a lot of effort into making them.]


    [He pounds heavily on his majestic chest, iming to be an expert on conquering towers.]


    <i>Sure, let¡¯s buy one of each. </i>


    8,000 Gcoins disappeared without a trace as I clicked on purchase, and two bottles popped out from my phone. Unlike the original Bhus-F, Ver. 2 contained a white fluid, while Ver. 3 contained a red fluid.


    I appraised them with my eyes.


    -----


    [Strong Blessing of the Growth God Ver. 2]


    Grade: Low-tier God


    Description: Contains the bodily fluids of the Eternal Seeker, shed during his training to attain the highest level of divinity.


    Special note: Men is strength! By consuming this, mortals will be able to exert every single muscle in their body. The more they drink, the better.


    -----


    <i>It¡¯s those weird bodily fluids again...</i>


    -----


    [Special Blessing of the Growth God Ver. 3]


    Grade: Low-tier God


    Description: Contains the blood, sweat, and tears of the Eternal Seeker, shed during his training to attain the highest level of divinity.


    Special note: Blood, sweat, and tears! A man¡¯s blood, sweat, and tears absolutely have to be rewarded! And, of course, the more they drink, the better. Only effective in the Tower of Warriors, which was connected to the power of the Eternal Seeker.


    -----


    <i>Huh? Now even blood, sweat, and tears are thrown into the mix? This god is suspicious¡ªvery suspicious! Would these items really help Il-Ho survive and clear the stages?</i>


    ¡°Whatever!¡±


    What else was there to contemte? I should just drink it and find out.


    Popping open the Strong Blessing of the Growth God Ver. 2, I downed the bottle in one go. The white fluid did make me gag somewhat, but I held it in for the sake of Il-Ho.


    <i>Glug! Glug!</i>


    ¡°<i>Huh</i>?¡±


    This thick, distasteful vor tasted familiar. It reminded me of the time when I¡¯d hit the gym every day for a week or so just to get some exercise in. It was the same vor as the drink my trainer gave me at the gym! It was protein.


    <i>Pop! </i>


    I then tried out the red liquid, Ver. 3, the so-called blood, sweat, and tears.


    <i>Glug glug!</i>


    I recognized that slight tanginess, coupled with a dose of taurine right away. It was thest resort of writers for rushing their deadlines!


    ¡°Holy shit! It¡¯s Red Bull!¡±


    <i>What the hell is this god¡¯s body made of?!</i>


    Regardless, there was no change in me after drinking them. There were no side effects either. I purchased a few more bottles and gave them to Il-Ho.


    ¡°Your grace is immeasurable, My Lord! <i>Waaaaah!</i>¡± the boy sobbed again.


    <i>Glug! Waaah! Glug! Waaah!</i>


    <i>Either you drink or cry, choose one.</i>


    After Il-Ho drank all the liquid, I asked him, ¡°How is it? Do you feel any difference in your body?¡±


    ¡°<i>Ooh</i>, My Lord! I can definitely feel tremendous energy surging through my muscles! If I keep training in this state, I think I¡¯ll get stronger!¡± Il-Ho blinked his squarish eyes.


    ¡°Oh, really? Then do it quickly.¡±


    ¡°Yes, My Lord!¡±


    Opening his eyes wide, Il-Ho grabbed arge boulder that was rolling nearby, raising it like dumbbells.


    ¡°Muscles! Muscles!¡±


    Despite the weird color and taste, the effect from the Growth God¡¯s Ver. 2 protein and Ver. 3 Red Bull was indeed incredible. Il-Ho had moved on from lifting boulders the size of his body to the one that was way bigger. He was currently pushing the massive boulder that had crushed him earlier.


    <i>Grunt! Grunt! Rolling¡ª</i>


    He might be slow, but thinking that all these happened in a span of five hours, it could only be considered a miracle.


    I never stopped watching him. His training was all that I could think about, I even forgot to eat. I hadn¡¯t realized how nervous I was until I realized that my hands were mmy with sweat. This was the only way for me to help him. When I tried to open the door for him the first time...


    [Warning!]


    [Only the challenger can clear the warrior¡¯s solemn trial!]


    [Moving to the challenger¡¯s waiting room!]


    It was considered invalid, and Il-Ho was teleported back to the waiting room on the first floor. Only Il-Ho could clear this stage.


    ¡°<i>Arrrrgh! Muuuscles!</i>¡±


    <i>Cluck! Thud!</i>


    The boulder, which had been rolling at the speed of an ant, finally reached the top. A feat that took ten hours to aplish.


    <i>Sizzle!</i>


    As it arrived at the second floor, the huge boulder melted away and was absorbed into Il-Ho¡¯s body.


    ¡°T-this...?¡±


    [Congrattions! The First Floor of the Tower of Warriors: Trial of Rock has been cleared.]


    [The challenger has been rewarded with Blessing of Rock from Eternal Seeker.]


    [Blessing of Rock: Challenger, you will be blessed with muscles hard as rock!]


    Il-Ho¡¯s muscles turned into the color of rocks.


    ¡°I did it!¡± Drenched in sweat, Il-Ho turned to look at me. ¡°My Lord! Please rejoice for me! I¡¯ve finally made it! T.T¡±


    ¡°Great job! Il-Ho!¡±


    Was this how a coach felt when their athlete won a gold medal in apetition? I was overwhelmed with pride and aplishment!


    ¡°Il-Ho!¡±


    ¡°<i>Waaaah!</i> My Lord! T.T¡±


    Just as Il-Ho was about to high-five with my finger...


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [The Second Floor of the Tower of Warrior: Trial of Wind]


    [Clear conditions: Survive in the wind trial and reach the third floor.]


    [The trial begins.]


    <i>Gush!</i>


    Something sharp cut through the air and...


    <i>Puk!</i>


    An arrow struck Il-Ho on the forehead.


    <i>Hic! Plop!</i>


    I screamed as I watched Il-Ho copse.


    ¡°Il-Hoooooo!¡±

 Chapter 40: Peaceful Life of Yu Il-Shin and the Gayami Tribe

    <h4>Chapter 40: Peaceful Life of Yu Il-Shin and the Gayami Tribe</h4>


    Struck by an arrow in the forehead, Il-Ho fell limp. Despite my huge shock, he didn¡¯t die. Thanks to the Trial of Rocks, his body had be as solid as a rock.


    To ovee the Trial of Wind, Il-Ho would have to climb to the third floor while dodging flying arrows. With renewed vigor, we tried again, but the results were still disastrous.


    ¡°<i>Uaaaah</i>! I¡¯m sorry for burdening you, My Lord!¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay, don¡¯t move. An arrow is still stuck on the back of your head.¡±


    Il-Ho ended up looking like a hedgehog. After removing all the arrows stuck on him, I used the Healing Ring Finger of God to heal his wounds.


    However, the root of the issue wasn¡¯t resolved yet. Il-Ho was so slow, he couldn¡¯t avoid any arrows. So, we tried a workaround this time.


    What if we used the boulders from the first floor to block the arrows? They would serve as shields to help him advance. But when we tried it out...


    [No tricks are allowed in Tower of Warriors!]


    [The challenger must rely solely on their physical strength to ovee the trials!]


    A deafening roar rumbled through the tower, followed by a volley of arrows. Even after making quick work of Il-Ho¡¯s boulder, the arrows were still falling. They wereing for Il-Ho!


    ¡°<i>Argh</i>!¡±


    Instinctively, I shielded him with my finger.


    <i>Puk! Puk puk! Puk puk puk!</i>


    After fearfully screaming some gibberish, Il-Ho then asked, ¡°M-My Lord! Are you alright?!¡±


    I was getting teary-eyed. It felt as if I was in an acupuncture session, getting pricked by hundreds of needles at once. Still, I forced myself to sound calm.


    ¡°Of course. ''Tis just a scratch.¡±


    ¡°B-but there¡¯s a lot of b-blood...¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not true at all!¡±


    Fleeing from the volley of arrows, both of us returned to the waiting room on the first floor.


    <i>Sigh, what a pain...</i>


    Not to mention, for the past ten hours, I¡¯d been doing nothing but this. My editor would kill me if he found out.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to get some sleep. Il-Ho, you¡¯ve had a rough day today, so don¡¯t overexert yourself.¡±


    ¡°Yes, My Lord. Please have a good rest.¡± Il-Ho bowed down on the ground.


    I left my phone aside andid on my bed. I decided to get some rest before figuring out how to get Il-Ho out of that damned tower.


    ***


    Left alone in the tower, Il-Ho crossed his arms and racked his brains.


    ¡°My Lord said to rest, but how can I?¡±


    Il-Ho couldn¡¯t forget how God Yu Il-Shin shielded him from the hail of arrows, bleeding profusely. His god got wounded because Il-Ho didn¡¯t heed his words. In the first ce, none of this would¡¯ve happened if Il-Ho hadn¡¯t recklessly stepped into that tower! How was he supposed to rest without worry?!


    Il-Ho looked back on the Trial of Wind. He definitely couldn¡¯t avoid those deadly arrows with his stubby legs, but look at it this way. What if he rigorously trained his muscles to be able to withstand them?


    <i>Glug glug!</i>


    Emptying the bottle of Blessing of the Growth God, Il-Ho red at the pile of boulders on the first floor like they were his sworn enemies.


    ¡°<i>Hyaaa!</i> Muscles!¡±


    Il-Ho no longer used them as makeshift weights or dumbbells. Instead, he began charging at the boulders like a raging bull.


    <i>Bam bam bam! </i>


    After a few hundred, then a few thousand charges, dust rose like mist, and the boulders slowly turned into gravel.


    <i>Bam bam! Craaaack!</i>


    Even the massive boulder that had crushed Il-Ho to death began cracking.


    ¡°<i>Muuuscles</i>!¡±


    <i>Bam bam bam! </i>


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Eternal Seeker smirked as he looked at Il-Ho, the challenger who was now walking down the path of a true man.]


    Blessing of the Growth God increased the drinker¡¯s potential, while Ver. 2 optimized their physical abilities during training. Andstly, Ver. 3, the Red Bull drink, was a blessing of ¡°time,¡± directly corrting to how much blood, sweat, and tears the challenger had spent inside the tower.


    Il-Ho had been practicing smashing rocks with his body for a week. But in the real world, less than an hour had passed. Such was the true power of Ver. 3, Eternal Seeker¡¯s masterpiece.


    <i>Thud!</i>


    Exactly two hourster, despite being turned into a pincushion, Il-Ho managed to pass through the passageway of the Second Floor, sessfully reaching the third floor. The arrows that pierced him all over couldn¡¯t prate his muscles, ultimately failing to inflict a mortal wound.


    [Congrattions!]


    [The challenger has been rewarded with Blessing of Wind from Eternal Seeker.]


    [Challenger Il-Ho takes on the Third Floor of the Tower of Warriors: Trial of Steel.]


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Congrattions! The Third Floor of the Tower of Warriors: Trial of Steel has been cleared.]


    [The challenger has been rewarded with Blessing of Steel from Eternal Seeker.]


    [Challenger Il-Ho takes on the Fourth Floor of the Tower of Warriors: Trial of Fire...]


    ***


    <i>Grooowl!</i>


    I woke up famished, and the world was spinning around me. <i>Ugh, I can see why. </i>Despite only just recovering from my fever, I didn¡¯t rest much because I got caught up with Il-Ho¡¯s trials.


    ¡°This can¡¯t go on. I need to take care of my health.¡±


    I pulled <i>it</i> out from the fridge, which I had bought a few days back. While the amount was small, let¡¯s not forget about the power I acquired from God-Maker.


    <i>Thump thump!</i>


    ¡°<i>Oof, </i>I sure am nervous.¡±


    I probably acquired this power just to use it in this way. I stared at<i> it</i> seriously.


    <i>This is it! Please work out!</i>


    I resolved myself, as if I was about to confront my mortal enemy. Then, I solemnly raised my thumb, screaming, ¡°Proliferating Thumb of God!¡±


    Yes, it was the very same power I had acquired from the roach extermination. And the results...


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [You have seeded in multiplying the target: Hanwoo 100g.]


    <i>sh!</i>


    Along with the dazzling light, the 100g Hanwoo doubled! I pumped my fists in the air and cheered, ¡°Yay! I did it!¡±


    <i>Holy shit, this power is awesome. From now on, I''ll be able to eat Hanwoo every day! </i>


    I first used this power when I was drunk. Even then, it was on the ants, so I didn¡¯t know how it¡¯d work out in the real world. But the results were just wow!


    I did feel guilty for only buying a 100g Hanwoo from the madam at the butcher. But after seeing this, it was definitely worth it!


    ¡°Ah, but the te didn''t multiply.¡±


    It seemed that my innate power only applied to organic matter. If not for that, I¡¯d have multiplied gold and be a millionaire overnight.


    <i>Well, this is good enough. Hanwoo is just as wonderful.</i>


    ¡°Proliferating Thumb of God! Proliferating Thumb of God!¡±


    <i>sh! sh!</i>


    <i>Hehe, they''re increasing. More, more!</i>


    Just as I was gleefully salivating at the Hanwoo which continued to multiply at my will, God-Maker rang.


    <i>Ding ding!</i>


    Worried that something happened to Il-Ho back at the tower, I rushed to my phone. However, the one looking for my attention wasn''t Il-Ho.


    ¡°Oh Almighty God Yu Il-Shin! You have descended!¡± eximed Baek-Ho, who prostrated himself at my arrival.


    Unlike Il-Ho¡¯s rectangr appearance, Baek-Ho''s face and body were stretched like a cucumber.


    ¡°Were you looking for me?¡±


    ¡°I have made a song that praises your actions.¡± Baek-Ho solemnly said.


    ¡°A song?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Please have a listen!¡±


    ¡°S-sure. Sing it then.¡±


    Baek-Ho cleared his throat, humming at first, then began dancing to the groove...


    ¡°<i>WoOoh</i>! Our God Yu Il-Shin! Defeats the enemies! Burns the enemies! <i>WoOoh</i>! God Yu Il-Shin has appeared! Soil your pants, Empire! God Yu Il-Shin roars! Demons, run! God Yu Il-Shin raises his thumb! <i>WoOoh</i>! Damned Emperor, prepare yourself! God Yu Il-Shin has descended!¡±


    <i>Ouch, my ears... </i>He was kind of loud for an ant.


    ¡°Stop...¡±


    But the others seemed to have heard Baek-Ho¡¯s voice and gathered.


    ¡°God Yu Il-Shin has descended!¡±


    ¡°Sam-Ho greets you, My Lord!¡±


    ¡°Greetings, God Yu Il-Shin! I, Chilyi-Ho, offer the fruits I¡¯ve picked from the forest!¡±


    ¡°<i>Hmph</i>! How could you offer mere fruits to Our Lord! Lord Yu Il-Shin! Please ept my offering! A ferocious beast had been roaming around the city. I, Il-Ho, pierced his head in one fell swoop! Please praise me!¡±


    ¡°Sure. That¡¯s a ferocious-looking pill bug...¡±


    ¡°What kind of crude offering is that?! My Lord! Please take a look at the fish that I, Gu-Ho, have caught! This is thergest fish I¡¯ve ever caught in my life!¡±


    ¡°<i>Woah,</i> it¡¯s a huge minnow...¡±


    ¡°Lord Yu Il-Shin! Please look at my, Gusip-Ho¡¯s, offering!¡±


    After having some of the hundred bottles of Blessing of the Growth God, the Gayamis seemed to have evolved. Each of them had a distinct personality now, I guess... Of course, it was a good thing. But listening to them talking non-stop was exhausting. I felt like a huge mascot doll surrounded by children at a kindergarten.


    Just then, someone came to my rescue.


    ¡°How disrespectful of you! How can you summon Lord Yu Il-Shin for such things?! He¡¯s a busy man! Now, get back to work!¡±


    ¡°...Understood, Saintess.¡±


    Saintess Anty appeared and started nagging them. Afterward, the Gayamis retreated with slumped shoulders.


    <i>Heave! Ho!</i>


    They soon returned to work, building a statue of me. It was extremely huge, iparable to the ones I¡¯d seen before. At a nce, it seemed at least ten timesrger¡ªand that thing would show up in my room? I had shivers thinking about it.


    ¡°Anty.¡±


    ¡°Yes, at yourmand, Almighty Lord Yu Il-Shin.¡±


    ¡°Do you absolutely have to make that?¡±


    Anty turned pale and fell on all fours.


    ¡°<i>Aah</i>, I apologize! Of course! Compared to the grace Our Lord has bestowed upon us, this is simply too small and insignificant of a repayment! I shall instruct them to build a muchrger and more majestic statue right away!¡±


    <i>No. Don¡¯t. Please.</i>


    After much persuasion, I finally managed to convince her to not offer thepleted statue to me. Instead, it would be ced at the center of the city. She hesitated for a while, then finally decided that it wouldn¡¯t be a bad thing to show her tribesmen my majesty.


    With that, my small personal space was saved.


    ¡°But Anty, did you drink that Bhus¡ªno, Blessing of the Growth God?¡±


    ¡°Correct. It¡¯s a holy drink bestowed from my lord. Of course I made sure to drink it.¡±


    ¡°<i>Hmm...</i>¡±


    ¡°My Lord, why do you look at me that way?¡±


    ¡°No, I just thought that you¡¯ve gotten prettier.¡±


    <i>That¡¯s right.</i>


    When she first evolved, she looked adorable. But now, she was basically a cutie. She was three-heads tall, looking much prettier than the dolls my older sister yed with when we were younger.


    ¡°<i>O-omo</i>[1].¡± Anty¡¯s pale cheeks turned beet red. ¡°I never imagined myself, a mediocre girl, to be praised by you, My Lord. <i>Hehehe</i>.¡±


    She must¡¯ve been happy to beplimented.


    ¡°Good luck with the construction, then. I am going to eat.¡±


    ¡°Yes! Please look forward to itspletion! The next time you descend, the statue will definitely be finished!¡± Anty shouted, clenching her small fists.


    <i>No, you don¡¯t have to. </i>


    ¡°Don¡¯t push yourselves. Be sure to take proper breaks.¡±


    ¡°Yes! In ordance with your words, I will have them work twenty-two hours a day!¡±


    <i>Twenty-two hours a day? What country¡¯s ves are you guys?</i>


    Well, let¡¯s look on the bright side, they were once ants. I exited God-Maker, scratching my head.


    The ants¡ªno, Gayamis, had evolved into humans. I could no longer take them lightly, as they could evenmunicate with me directly.


    ¡°<i>Ah</i>, should I share my Hanwoo<i> </i>with them?¡±


    Since Hanwoo<i>¡¯s </i>the way to everyone¡¯s heart, I was sure they¡¯d love it as well. Thus, I picked up the te, about to grill a few to share with them and Il-Ho in the tower...


    ¡°...<i>Huh</i>?¡±


    About twenty portions of Hanwoo<i> </i>I had multiplied earlier were all but gone, leaving only the original te of 100g Hanwoo.


    ¡°Where did my Hanwoo<i> </i>go!¡±


    Then, my eyes helpfully assessed the situation.


    [The effectiveness of Proliferating Thumb of God has dropped.]


    [A higher-ranked divine power is required to maintain the multiplied stage in the Earth branch where Yu Il-Shin belongs.]


    ¡°N-no way.¡±


    <i>Plop!</i>


    I copsed onto the floor in despair.


    <i>There goes my dream of having Hanwoo for every meal...</i>


    ¡°But wait. Then I just have to eat them all up before they disappear, right?¡±


    An hour on God-Maker was about two to three minutes in real life, so I should just finish it before the duration ended. Otherwise, I could just pretend I was eating <i>beef tartare</i>.


    <i>Ohoho, such a genius I am.</i>


    My desire to have <i>Hanwoo </i>burned once more!


    ¡°Proliferating Thumb of¡ª¡±


    I was about to use my power, but...


    <i>Ding dong! Ding dong!</i>


    <i>Sheesh, why is everyone ruining my Hanwoo moment?!</i>


    Still, I didn¡¯t remember making an appointment at this hour, so who could it be? Ms. Sung Mi-Ri?


    However, someonepletely unexpected appeared at the door.


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°Hello, Mr. Yu. It¡¯s a great honor to meet you. I¡¯m the lead Hunter scouter of Brilliance Guild, Department Head Kim Tae-Min.¡±


    An elite-looking man bowed to me and introduced himself.


    1. Omo is a kind of exmation. Like, oh my but cute and embarrassed. ?

 Chapter 41: Dear Lord! I Offer You My Muscles!

    <h4>Chapter 41: Dear Lord! I Offer You My Muscles!</h4>


    The man wore an expensive suit, leather shoes, and a shiny Rolex around his wrist. Anyone could tell at a nce that he was trying to show off his wealth.


    ¡°You are a Hunter scouter? But why would you look for me? Are you sure you aren¡¯t mistaken?¡±


    ¡°You are Hunter Yu Il-Shin, right?¡±


    ¡°I am Yu Il-Shin, but definitely not a Hunter.¡±


    ¡°Soon, you will be.¡± Department Head Kim smiled widely. ¡°Can we have a chat?¡±


    It took a while for me to clear the garbage and create a small space for us to sit down. After that, I weed the unsolicited guest in. I then prepared some drinks and brought them over.


    ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t have any cups. A fire broke out a while back, and I haven¡¯t gotten around to recing them.¡± I ced a bowl filled with instant mixed coffee.


    ¡°<i>Haha</i>. Thank you.¡±


    However, contrary to the words he said, he didn¡¯t touch the drink. The coffee still looked delicious to me.


    <i>Slurppp¡ª</i>


    <i>Mmm, Maxim will always be the best coffee.</i>


    ¡°I''ll cut straight to the case. Brilliance Guild would like to recruit you.¡±


    ¡°<i>Cough!</i>¡± I almost spat out the coffee in my mouth. ¡°<i>Cough, cough!</i> M-me?¡±


    The man''s eyes gleamed from behind his silver-rimmed sses. ¡°Before showing up, we did our due diligence on you. You¡¯ve shown up on our radar in a couple of recent incidents.¡±


    I subconsciously flinched. <i>It¡¯s true.</i> I had experienced quite the roller coaster recently, be it with the Homeless Man, and even the Baldie at the hospital.


    ¡°We would¡¯ve overlooked it in most cases, but our scouts discovered that there was more to you than meets the eye. It seems that you are close to Thunder Emperor as well.¡±


    ¡°Did you guys do a background check on people?¡± I felt offended when he brought up Sung Mi-Ri out of nowhere.


    Flustered at my reaction, Department Head Kim rushed to bow apologetically.


    ¡°I apologize. We don''t usually do that, but because the guild leader has taken quite an interest in you...¡±


    ¡°The guild leader of the Brilliance Guild? ...In me?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Our guild leader thinks extremely highly of your potential. He even told me to recruit you no matter how much it was going to cost.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t believe what I was hearing.


    ¡°I¡¯m just a G-rank Hunter... What on earth did he see in me?¡±


    ¡°He must¡¯ve sensed your extraordinary potential. On top of that,¡± With a gleam in his eyes, Department Head Kim spoke in a whisper, ¡°This is ssified information, but our guild can help our Hunters raise their ranks. You might feel inferior for being a G-rank Hunter, but with our vision, there¡¯s a possibility for you to advance to at least C-rank or even A-rank Hunter. It all depends on your gift.¡±


    Every word that came out of his mouth was a shock. Once it had been decided, it was almost impossible for any Hunter to advance beyond their rank.


    Sung Mi-Ri, who had risen to Rank A recently, was a special case. She originally had the talent of a S-rank Hunter, but it was sealed.


    ¡°Will my rank really increase?¡±


    ¡°Of course. I will be able to share more details with you if you join us.¡± The man¡¯s eyes were full of conviction, and it didn¡¯t feel like he was lying. ¡°Shall we discuss the contract terms then?¡±


    Thus, we began to talk about the contract terms.


    ¡°...The actual contract amount will have to be discussedter on. For now, with my authority, I can guarantee an annual sry of at least 300 million Korean Won. I¡¯d like to propose a 7:3 split for the bounties and by-products obtained from the raids. How does that sound? The Brilliance Guild may not be the most renowned guild in the world, but I¡¯m confident that this is the best offer you could get in the industry.¡±


    ¡°3-300 million Korean Won in annual sry?!¡±


    The staggering amount made my head spin. I knew that being a Hunter was a high-paying job, but I never realized I could earn that much as a G-rank Hunter! Of course, the skills and items I¡¯d obtained from God-Maker and God¡¯s Shop recently were quite handy. I wouldn¡¯t let the Brilliance Guild in on my little secret.


    ¡°What do you think? If you consider the terms as favorable, why don¡¯t you follow me to the guild and sign the contract? In fact, a car is on standby. Our guild leader is eager to see you as well.¡±


    As a third-rate writer barely making ends meet, I¡¯d wee 300 million Korean Won with open arms. However...


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m actually in a rush, so I can¡¯t make a decision right now. Can I contact youter?¡± I asked cautiously.


    Briefly, Department Head Kim¡¯s expression stiffened. ¡°Do you find the contract terms unsatisfactory? I can guarantee that you wouldn¡¯t be able to get the same conditions elsewhere.¡±


    ¡°N-no, of course not. I actually have a manuscript that I have to submit urgently...¡±


    ¡°Please forgive me for saying this, butpared to what you¡¯ll earn as a Hunter, the royalties you receive now amount to less than 1%.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not working as a writer just because of money,¡± I said, choking.


    Realizing his mistake, Department Head Kim bowed. ¡°My apologies. I won¡¯t force you to sign the contract, but the guild leader insisted on bringing you back to the guild for a chat, so I¡¯d appreciate it if you could spare some time to meet him.¡±


    Slowly. cold sweat began to form on my forehead. ¡°If you put it that way, then it can¡¯t be helped. <i>Uhm</i>, do you mind if I use the toilet for a moment? My stomach hurts all of a sudden...¡±


    ¡°Yes, sure. I¡¯ll wait for you.¡±


    I left Department Head Kim and retreated into my small 1-<i>pyeong </i>toilet.


    <i>Shit, what should I do?</i>


    The offer was quite unexpected, and although I was happy, I still had to think about this man¡¯s appraisal result.


    -----


    [---]


    A male human. Around for 34 years.


    Special note: Dreg of the God of Destroyer.


    -----


    That special note left me panicking. I clearly remembered it¡ªduring the hospital bombing, didn''t Baldie have the same note?! Were they out to get revenge? With trembling hands, I picked up my phone. Who should I call? The police? Or the Hunter Association?


    <i>Rattle rattle!</i>


    The handle to my toilet door began moving...


    <i>Craaaack!</i>


    Just like that, the door was torn open like a sheet of paper. It was the originally weak-looking Department Head Kim. He swiftly picked up the door with one hand and flung it aside.


    <i>Thud!</i>


    He red at me, then at the phone in my hand. ¡°Mr. Yu, who are you trying to call?¡±


    Chills went down my spine. ¡°<i>Haha</i>, I have an urgent call with the publishingpany.¡±


    ¡°Asshole, lying through your teeth.¡± The aura of Department Head Kim did aplete turnaround. ¡°Fuck! I tried, okay! You¡¯re the one who oveplicates things!¡±


    Grabbing me by the scruff of my neck, Department Head Kim tossed me out of the toilet without difficulty.


    ¡°<i>Aaargh</i>!¡±


    Despite weighing a solid 70 kg, I flew like an empty tin can, mming into the wall across the room.


    <i>Thud! </i>


    I could feel tremendous pain sweeping through my body. Did my spine get crushed?


    ¡°...!¡±


    Apparently, what they said was true. When one was in so much pain, one wouldn¡¯t even be able to utter a single word. Despite feeling as if I was dying, I couldn¡¯t even muster a groan.


    As Department Head Kim roughly tore off his tie, a few buttons fell off his shirt, revealing his neck. The same ck skull tattoo that was on the Terrorist Baldie was there.


    ¡°<i>Ugh</i>...¡±


    ¡°Hurt, doesn¡¯t it? Should¡¯ve just done as you were told when I was still being nice.¡±


    Department Head Kim¡ªno, that bastard choked me with one hand, lifting me up. This was no ordinary human strength.


    ¡°Be still, Mr. Writer. I¡¯ll knock you senseless in a sh. I¡¯m an expert on this.¡± That bastard grinned, shing his white teeth.


    He began to tighten his grip.


    ¡°<i>Cough, cough!</i>¡±


    I struggled, attempting to punch and w at his arm. And yet, I couldn¡¯t even graze his steel-hard arm.


    ¡°I said to stay still, didn¡¯t I? I¡¯m a physical specialist, a Reinforce-type Hunter, and a B-rank, at that. What can a G-rank like you even do?¡±


    ¡°<i>Cough!</i>¡±


    I heard if strong pressure was applied on the carotid artery, the person would lose consciousness in ten seconds. And indeed, against my will, my consciousness was slipping away.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [An emergency quest has urred!]


    [Follower Salvation Quest]


    Amidst my fading consciousness, I read that message. <i>Huh</i>? What kind of quest...? My question expanded the text window.


    -----


    [Follower Salvation Quest]


    The faith of your followers is the reason for your existence and the source of your divine power. Remove any obstacles that dare to hinder your followers and secure their faith in God Yu Il-Shin! The target of this current Follower Salvation Quest is as follows.


    -----


    [Quest: Save Sung Mi-Ri, First Earth Branch Follower, from a critical situation.]


    Quest reward: Sung Mi-Ri¡¯s faith +100


    -----


    I doubted my eyes for a moment. <i>Critical situation</i>? Sung Mi-Ri, the A-rank Hunter? I owed her! She saved my life so many times! And even my family! If that message was true, this wasn¡¯t the time to struggle!


    ¡°<i>Wow</i>, you¡¯re holding on quite nicely. Most would¡¯ve fainted after a while.¡±


    <i>Strength, I need strength.</i>


    Just then, someone¡¯s voice rang in my head.


    -Almighty God Yu Il-Shin!


    A faint, yet familiar voice.


    <i>Il...-Ho?</i>


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [The innate power Blind Eyes of God has been activated.]


    Suddenly, the scene of Il-Ho in the Tower of Warriors appeared before my eyes. Il-Ho climbed the tower alone. He crossed the volley of arrows on the Second Floor, and received the Blessing of Wind. Then, after clearing the Third Floor, he received the Blessing of Steel. Now, he was going through the Trial of Fire and was enduring hellish mes on the Fourth Floor.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Congrattions! The Fourth Floor of the Tower of Warriors: Trial of Fire has been cleared.]


    [The challenger has been rewarded with Blessing of Fire from Eternal Seeker.]


    <i>Tzzz!</i>


    The mes that had been endlessly tormenting Il-Ho hovered around him once more, before seeping into his body. At the same time, a stairway leading up to the Fifth Floor appeared.


    But Il-Ho did not advance. Instead, he knelt in reverence.


    ¡°Almighty God Yu Il-Shin!¡±


    He raised both fists and yelled, ¡°I offer you my muscles! So please return victorious!¡±


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [The skill of Gayami¡¯s Tribe Il-Ho has been added to the Skill Share menu.]


    -----


    [Skill Share]


    Followers of Yu Il-Shin may share their skills.


    Current avable target to share skills with: Sung Mi-Ri, Il-Ho.


    -----


    In my oxygen-deprived state, I muttered faintly, ¡°Skill Sharing... Il-Ho, Strong Body.¡±


    <i>sh!</i>


    All of a sudden, the statues piled up in the corner of my room shone brilliantly. At the same time, the bastard¡¯s arm went limp, and white smoke billowed out.


    ¡°W-what?¡±


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [The skill Strong Body from Gayami tribe¡¯s Il-Ho has been shared with Yu Il-Shin.]


    -----


    [Strong Body (Body of Steel, Rank A)]


    Originally ants, the bodies of the Gayamis are so strong that they can exert a force ten times their own weight. Follower Il-Ho honed this trait even further in the Tower of Warriors, and acquired an indomitable body. He is currently blessed with Blessings of the Rock, Wind, Steel, and Fire.


    -----


    My muscles exploded, tearing apart the shirt I wore.


    ¡°W-what?!¡± I eximed in shock.


    Then, like Il-Ho, I screamed at the flustered bastard.


    ¡°<i>Musclesss</i>!¡±

 Chapter 42: Sword Demon, How Dare You Challenge Me!

    <h4>Chapter 42: Sword Demon, How Dare You Challenge Me!</h4>


    ¡°<i>Aargh</i>, what did you¡ª!¡± I grabbed onto both his arms as I yelled.


    His expression contorted fiercely. ¡°This fucking punk! You¡¯re just asking for it!¡±


    As soon as I strengthened my grip on him, his face began turning pale.


    ¡°W-wait a min¡ª!¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    <i>Craaack!</i>


    Along with the muffled scream, his arm was crushed! I was so shocked by it that I inadvertently let go at the same time.


    Like a wrung rag, blood streamed out of his crushed arm and onto the floor, creating a giant puddle. He wasn''t lying when he said he was a B-rank Hunter. Despite that level of injury, this bastard was still standing.


    ¡°You fucking bastard!¡±


    With bloodshot eyes, he red at me, swinging his uninjured fist. He moved with the speed of a bullet, tearing the air. Briefly, I wondered if he was even hurt at all.


    ¡°<i>Gasp!</i>¡±


    I reflexively raised my arms and curled my body up like a tortoise, but it was no use.


    Like a trained sparring athlete, the bastard changed the trajectory of his punch, aiming for the gap between my arms. His fist struck me like an awl.


    I didn¡¯t fail to see it. He shed me a smug grin.


    <i>Craaack!</i>


    A sharp crack of bone breaking to pieces¡ªexcept it wasn¡¯t from me, but his fist.


    ¡°<i>Aaargh! </i>My hand!¡±


    Just how the attacker ended up suffering from a bone fracture instead of the victim remained a mystery. Anyhow, now was my chance!


    ¡°<i>Muuuuscles</i>!¡±


    Don''t ask me why I yelled that word in this situation, because I had no idea myself.


    My palm¡ªnow the size of a cauldron lid¡ªshot through the air and sent a punch flying into his face.


    <i>Smaaack! </i>


    The sound of armor shattering rang through the air, and the bastard''s body vanished without a trace.


    <i>Huh? Where did he go?</i>


    I looked for him and eventually found him sprawled on the street, 10 meters away from my front door. Scattered around him were what seemed like roughly twenty popcorn. They turned out to be his teeth.


    ¡°Wow, how did I be so strong...?¡± I took a look at myself in the mirror, wondering what was going on.


    <i>Huh? Who the heck?!</i>


    Instead of looking like the usual scrawny writer, I was now a muscr hunk with a towering height of almost 2 meters. Not to mention, my skin was red hot like heated iron.


    Under those broad thoracic muscles were shredded washboard abs. My tattered trousers struggled to cover my rippling, national-treasure-level thighs.


    <i>Is this really my body?</i>


    Just then, my appraisal skill activated.


    -----


    [Yu Il-Shin]


    Antrinia¡¯s Low-tier God. Originally known as Nameless God. Eventually attained status through the faith of the ck tribe that presides over the World Tree.


    Special note: Skill Sharing his follower Il-Ho¡¯s Strong Body.


    Duration left: 4 minutes 32 seconds.


    -----


    The timer under the special note was decreasing rapidly.


    ¡°<i>Ah</i>! Now isn¡¯t the time to be spacing out! Ms. Sung Mi-Ri!¡±


    I could always revisit thister. Right now, my utmost priority was to make sure if that Salvation Quest was real.


    ¡ª The number you are calling cannot be reached. You will be connected to the voicemail...


    When I called her, it didn¡¯t go through. <i>Shit!</i> What now?


    <i>Ah, God-Maker!</i>


    I quickly opened the APP.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Launching Yu Il-Shin¡¯s Follower Management system.]


    [Yu Il-Shin currently has a total of 102 followers.]


    -----


    [Earth branch (1 pax)]


    Sung Mi-Ri


    [Antrinia branch (101 pax)]


    Gayami tribe¡¯s Saintess and 100 others/pax


    -----


    I tapped on Sung Mi-Ri¡¯s name.


    [A follower who desperately requires God¡¯s salvation.]


    [Would you like to inquire about the follower? (Yes/No)]


    [You paid 1,000 Gcoins to inquire about a follower from the Earth branch.]


    My coins were overflowing anyway, so I inquired about Sung Mi-Ri without hesitation.


    <i>Tzzz!</i>


    Suddenly, my view shifted entirely.


    ¡°<i>Hmm</i>~¡±


    Sung Mi-Ri, d in a school uniform, hummed a melody with bouncy steps.


    ¡°<i>Hehe. </i>I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll like this!¡±


    She was bringing a letter ofmendation and a <i>Hanwoo </i>set. They were the rewards for her admirable deed of stopping a bomb threat at the hospital.


    ¡°My mentor is incredible indeed!¡±


    ¡ª <i>What? Me? Why?</i>


    Sung Mi-Ri shivered slightly as she recalled the incident. The bomb had been confiscated by the police, and was sessfully identified as a specially-crafted item made of monster remains. Judging from the area of impact and intensity, they determined that it could affect the surrounding area of the hospital as well, potentially iming thousands of lives.


    Meanwhile, Sung Mi-Ri had another spection. She had seen it. Just before the terrorist could detonate the bomb, Yu Il-Shin pointed his index finger at him and used a skill.


    <i>¡°Ms. Sung Mi-Ri... now!¡±</i>


    She didn¡¯t know how, but she instinctively knew he had deactivated the bomb. It wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say that he had single-handedly prevented the terrorism! And yet, he disappeared, letting her take all the credit. Her admiration toward him only grew. Her mentor cared not for wealth or honor! Truly respectable! The pinnacle of all ability users!


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Faith has increased by 1.]


    ¡°<i>Hmm</i>? That sound again?¡±


    She was unsure when exactly this had begun. But as her respect and faith toward Yu Il-Shin grew stronger, she started to hear these faint, indecipherable sounds.


    ¡°Oh, well. It only happens whenever I think of my mentor, anyway.¡±


    Already entrenched in that rose-tinted view, Sung Mi-Ri didn¡¯t dwell on it.


    ¡°I have to protect him so that he can lead afortable life.¡±


    Yu Il-Shin must¡¯ve had his own reasons for wanting to hide his abilities. At least, Sung Mi-Ri believed so. She also felt a deep sense of mission to protect him.


    -No, that¡¯s a misunderstanding...


    At that moment, Sung Mi-Ri¡¯s each and every move, including her thoughts, were so vivid as if depicted by an omniscient writer. Still, contrary to God-Maker¡¯s warning, I didn¡¯t see her being in any kind of danger?


    But I judged too quickly. Just when I thought the Salvation Quest was a mistake...


    <i>Creep!</i>


    Suddenly, Sung Mi-Ri flinched and shuddered. Then, her body flew backward.


    <i>sh!</i>


    At the same time, something sharp shed her back, and blood gushed out.


    ¡°<i>Aaarghh</i>¡ª!¡±


    ¡°And here I thought I waspletely undetected. If not for your good reflex, you¡¯d have died a painless death.¡± A long-haired man in a lengthy ck coat stood there, wielding a bloody sword.


    <i>Gasp. Who the heck is that?</i>


    I was so sure no one else was around! Where did this mysterious assante from? The skill in my eyes activated.


    -----


    [Sword Demon]


    A male human. Around for 32 years.


    Special note: Crazy about swords.


    -----


    Unusually, this man¡¯s name appeared in the appraisal results. <i>Sword Demon? </i>


    ¡°Is it true that you¡¯ve been promoted to Rank A recently? Hunting you is going to be so much fun!¡± the man cackled, licking the blood from his de.


    ¡°W-who are you?¡± Sung Mi-Ri asked, her face etched with horror and pain.


    ¡°I¡¯m Sword Demon. I¡¯m here to kill you.¡±


    ¡°B-but why...?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. Just doing my job.¡± Once again, Sword Demon pointed the tip of his sword at her. ¡°If you wish to live,<i> fight.</i>¡±


    ¡°<i>Hyiii</i>¡ª!¡± Gritting her teeth, Sung Mi-Ri reached toward Sword Demon with both hands. ¡°Lightning st!¡±


    <i>Rumble! sh!</i>


    She unleashed an unprecedented tidal wave of lightning, engulfing Sword Demon!


    ¡°Incredible. Most A-rank Hunters can¡¯tpare to you. Still, it¡¯s useless against me.¡±


    ¡°H-how...?¡±


    Despite taking the full force of her attack, Sword Demon was perfectly unscathed. His trench coat had since disappeared, revealing a ck armor.


    ¡°Do you know what this armor is made of? It¡¯s the hide of an S-rank monster, Lightning Dragon, which possesses a natural lightning resistance. A mere A-rank Hunter¡¯s skill won¡¯t leave a scratch on it.¡±


    Sung Mi-Ri staggered, the blood from her injury pooling around her. She seemed to have used up all her power earlier.


    ¡°Is that all?¡±


    <i>Trudge trudge.</i>


    Sword Demon began to approach Sung Mi-Ri. As she stared at the encroaching figure, pure despair shed across her eyes.


    ¡°P-please spare me. I still have an unfinished job... I can¡¯t die before avenging my parents¡¯ death. Please...¡±


    ¡°Like I said, I have nothing against you.¡± Sword Demon raised his sword. ¡°Rest assured. You won¡¯t feel any pain. I¡¯ll finish you off with a single blow,¡± he said solemnly, as if that was the greatest mercy he could offer.


    ¡°Teacher...¡±


    Tears welled in Sung Mi-Ri¡¯s eyes. Then, as I watched her, our gazes interlocked.


    <i>Tzz!</i>


    Static appeared on God-Maker, and just like that, I lost sight of Sung Mi-Ri.


    ¡°<i>Ugh</i>!¡±


    <i>Drip! </i>


    Stinging tears overflowed from my eyes, rolling down my cheeks, as messages from God-Maker appeared.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [The power ¡°???¡± gifted by the Silently Crawling Nightmare has allowed you to see the fate of your follower.]


    [This has yet to happen in real life, so it is simply a nightmare.]


    [But, it is also fate, so it is bound to happen.]


    I had experienced something like this before! It happened during the onught of the red ants back then! Right when Sung Mi-Ri almost died by the mantis equipped with a divine sword!


    <i>I recognized the ce where she was at! It should be around here!</i>


    Despite my inner turmoil, my mind was extremely calm. Her soon-to-be attacker was a man known as Sword Demon. He crept up on her and easily defeated her¡ªthe A-rank Hunter, Thunder Emperor, who should have been a notch above due to her Lightning abilities.


    In that case, he should at least be an S-rank Hunter. Would I be able to save Sung Mi-Ri from him? I honestly wasn¡¯t certain. Sure, I had an easy victory over that B-rank bastard, Department Head Kim, but that was only because I was Skill Sharing with Il-Ho.


    As a writer, imagination was my greatest strength. I racked my brain for a short while. Hadn¡¯t I obtained a small yet mysterious power after ying God-Maker for so long?


    <i>Think, think! There has to be a way to save Sung Mi-Ri from that psychopathic Sword Demon...!</i>


    <i>Wait, what? Sword?</i> My gaze fell on the drawer that was sealed with box tape.


    [God Yu Il-Shin, you have the potential to defy mortal fate.]


    [Would you like to use your divine power to alter her destiny? (Yes/No)]


    I reached for the shelf and yelled my decision, ¡°Yes!¡±


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [You paid 100,000 Gcoins for the alteration of her fate.]


    [The effects of the title Benevolent Savior (C) and the Second Moon created by Yu Il-Shin trigger an ¡°incredible miracle.¡±]


    <i>sh! </i>


    A blinding light enveloped me, and I vanished on the spot.


    ***


    ¡°Mister, please save me...¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no us¡ª¡±


    <i>Thud.</i>


    Just before his sword could slit Sung Mi-Ri¡¯s throat, Sword Demon froze.


    ¡°...Who? How long have you been standing behind me?¡± Sword Demon turned his head around in surprise. ¡°How did I fail to notice you? Is your stealth that good?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Did the Brilliance Guild send you as well?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Speak, or I¡¯ll consider you my enemy and kill you as well.¡±


    ¡°...<i>Heh, hehehehe..</i>.¡± A twistedugh escaped from my lips.


    ¡°Are youughing at me? Do you even know who I am?¡± Sword Demon¡¯s face contorted like a beast.


    ¡°<i>Hahahaha</i>!¡± I couldn¡¯t stopughing at all.


    ¡°<i>Tsk,</i> just a crazy guy.¡±


    Thinking that I wasn¡¯t even worth the effort, Sword Demon ferociously swung his sword at my neck, about to cut my throat.


    <i>nk nk nk!</i>


    Yet, his sword never reached its intended target.


    ¡°D-did you just block my demon sword?¡± His voice faltered slightly. ¡°...Using that dull sword?¡±


    <i>That¡¯s right</i>.


    In my hand was a knife I had obtained before, which led to the incident at the Chinese restaurant.


    ¡°<i>Keke, </i>I want to kill...¡± I grinned at him with glee.

 Chapter 43: I’m the Sword God, Yu Il-Shin!

    <h4>Chapter 43: I¡¯m the Sword God, Yu Il-Shin!</h4>


    Honestly, even though his target was the A-rank Hunter, Thunder Emperor, Sword Demon didn¡¯t take thatmission seriously. For a while now, he had prepared a strategy to deal with her, one that involved suppressing her main ability. Any high-ranking Hunter would be reduced into a sitting duck once that happened.


    This was probably never made public, but Sword Demon had killed S-rank Hunters before. In addition to his demonic swordsmanship, he always came up with a surefire way to deal with his targets. Hence, despite being an A-rank Hunter, Sword Demon was considered world-ss in the assassination circle.


    Until one day, out of nowhere, a man appeared and blocked his attacks with a mere kitchen knife.


    ¡°<i>Keke</i>, I want to kill...¡±


    <i>Shiver!</i>


    Yu Il-Shin¡¯s maniacalughter made Sword Demon retreat instantly, as if he was catching fire. His fingertips trembled slightly.


    <i>Did I just feel fear?</i>


    Yu Il-Shin might be holding a kitchen knife, but the aura emanating from it was just something else, and it made his entire body tingle.


    <i>Is he a master?! Who is this man?!</i>


    ¡°Mister, run away!¡±


    Recognizing the lunatic as Yu Il-Shin, Thunder Emperor screamed tearfully. Although she was overjoyed to see hime to her aid, Yu Il-Shin was only equipped with a kitchen knife! How could he possibly hope to win against the terrifying Sword Demon?! He was just courting death at this point!


    <i>He¡¯s her mentor? </i>Sword Demon¡¯s eyebrows twitched. Then, he finally understood the situation.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re her mentor?¡±


    If the lunatic before him was indeed Thunder Emperor¡¯s mentor, then he must¡¯ve been an S-rank Hunter. But then, how did Sword Demon never catch wind of his existence in South Korea? Still, he had a hunch. Rumor had it that there was a secret group called Unknown, consisting of unofficial S-rank Hunters, known only to the government or the Hunter Association.


    <i>Did I get caught?</i>


    After all, the man arrived at the scene too quickly. Did others set him up? As a lone wolf and a frencer, Sword Demon was the target of many organizations. And yet, Sword Demon felt ted.


    ¡°This is for the best.¡±


    Rather than going against Hunters with special abilities like Thunder Emperor, he preferred Reinforce-type Hunters. He enjoyed fighting against those whose bodies went through the extremes. They were the best opponents to hone his sword skills.


    Yu Il-Shin¡¯s entire body was covered in reddish muscles, a testament to the fact that it had been honed to its ultimate state.


    ¡°<i>Khehe</i>! I can¡¯t ask for a better opponent!¡± Sword Demon bared his wolfish white teeth. He had just gotten the perfect opportunity to raise his cultivation level that day!


    ¡°I¡¯ll show you what I got, Thunder Emperor¡¯s Mentor!¡±


    <i>m!</i>


    Sword Demon crouched, then stomped the ground hard, charging toward Yu Il-Shin.


    ¡°Boulder-Splitter sh!¡±


    As its name suggested, that sword skill could slice boulders like <i>tofu. </i>Using that skill, he performed a diagonal sh at Yu Il-Shin!


    <i>aang!</i>


    Sword Demon widened his eyes in shock.


    ¡°How?¡±


    Even though he had used a skill, Yu Il-Shin effortlessly blocked it with his kitchen knife.


    ¡°Impossible!¡±


    Bewildered and terrified, Sword Demon swung his sword wildly like a typhoon!


    <i>nk! Baaam!</i>


    Even though his speed was imperceptible to the average person, he couldn¡¯t evennd a single strike on Yu Il-Shin! Moreover, his A-grade sword couldn¡¯t even chip Yu Il-Shin¡¯s kitchen knife! Realizing that, Sword Demon trembled in fear.


    Then, the eyes of the two men collided. Yu Il-Shin stared at him in contempt, akin to cats ying with their prey. His eyes seemed to say: <i>Is that all? There has to be more, right? Humor me, cretin.</i>


    Instantly, Sword Demon¡¯s fear vanished, swallowed by his rage.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look down on me!¡±


    So what if he was Thunder Emperor¡¯s mentor? So what if he was an unofficial S-rank Hunter? Sword Demon wouldn¡¯t allow anyone to look at him that way! Retreating, Sword Demon took out a bottle of potion. Unlike ordinary potions, the liquid was as ck as sewage water.


    <i>Wriggle wriggle!</i>


    The viscous liquid began to move, pressing against the walls of the bottle, as if it were a living thing.


    <i>Crack! </i>


    <i>Glug glug!</i>


    Without caring in the slightest, Sword Demon cracked the lid with his teeth and downed it in one go!


    In truth, that potion was also the reason why he had epted thismission. It was none other than the God''s Elixir, which was only avable in the ck market.


    <i>Tsss! </i>


    ck aura ferociously rose from his body like evaporating steam, and a dark skull tattoo appeared on his cheek.


    Yu Il-Shin appraised Sword Demon once again.


    -----


    [Sword Demon]


    A male human. Around for 29 years.


    Special note: Thebat power he had borrowed from ??? God of Destroyer has doubled.]


    -----


    Sword Demon clutched his beloved sword with both hands. Using potion might be cheating, but he was certain he could defeat an S-rank in this state!


    ¡°<i>Bwahaha</i>!¡±


    <i>Rumbleee!</i>


    The ground shook fiercely, as if an earthquake had struck the area. But it was nothingpared to the aura leaking from his sword.


    <i>Tzzz! Tzzz!</i>


    It was a supreme skill exclusive to Qigong-type Combat Hunters, capable of slicing through steel with ease. His beloved sword radiated Grade A sword qi, expanding from at least 2 meters to a whopping 5 meters.


    Sword Demon red at Yu Il-Shin with bloodshot eyes, possibly a side effect from the potion he drank earlier.


    ¡°<i>Hahaha</i>! How¡¯s that, Thunder Emperor¡¯s Mentor! I bet you¡¯ve never seen this before! Even the strongest Hunter in China, Lin ShaoMing, wouldn¡¯t be able to produce sword qi of this magnitude!¡±


    Yet, Yu Il-Shin didn¡¯t answer. He simply stood there with his kitchen knife, hunched over. Sword Demon¡¯s sword qi only earned him a nce. Yu Il-Shin¡¯s silence and nonchnce made Sword Demon feel looked down upon, and he gritted his teeth.


    ¡°I¡¯ll kill you, Thunder Emperor¡¯s Mentor! Shadow Stomp!¡±


    <i>Ssss¡ª</i>


    Sword Demon disappeared, as if he was erased. d in the ultimate state of stealth, Sword Demon crept to Yu Il-Shin¡¯s blindspot. Then, he unleashed his amplified sword qi at the defenseless Yu Il-Shin!


    <i>aash! Crunch!</i>


    Just then, Yu Il-Shin twisted his neck at an impossible angle! It was reminiscent of how the female lead of the horror film Exorcist spun her head around 180 degrees!


    ¡°<i>Argh!¡±</i>


    ¡°<i>Huh?!</i>¡±


    Their eyes met. Waves of chills shot down Sword Demon¡¯s body. Yu Il-Shin¡¯s eyes were akin to the bottomless abyss. Madness lingered within them¡ªone that no sinner dared to fathom.


    Yu Il-Shin then smirked. ¡°<i>Kekeke</i>, I did it.¡±


    ¡°W-what...?¡± Sword Demon couldn¡¯t understand what he meant.


    Then, instead of lopping off Yu Il-Shin¡¯s head, his sword qi only cut through the air.


    ¡°N-no way.¡±


    Sword Demon looked at his hand. His sword, known to cut through all things, was reduced to just its hilt.


    <i>Cackle! Riiip!</i>


    Meanwhile, the wall behind Sword Demon was stained with ck marks, as if locked by a beast.


    ¡°<i>Gasp!</i>¡±


    Sword Demon looked at the wall in disbelief. <i>How?! </i>When he was struggling to even score a hit on his opponent, Yu Il-Shin managed to leave those marks.


    Wouldn¡¯t it be so much easier if Yu Il-Shin had shredded him into pieces instead? He couldn¡¯t grasp the man in front of him, who had an extremely high level of mastery.


    ¡°J-just who are you?¡±


    <i>tter! </i>


    Like shooting stars, fragments of his sword fell around Yu Il-Shin, who remained in his knife-wielding stance. The scene, which seemed to transcend all of humanity, left Sword Demon in awe.


    Yu Il-Shin flicked his sword and said, ¡°<i>Keke</i>, I''m the Sword God.¡±


    At that moment, Sword Demon felt as if a lightning bolt had struck his head.


    <i>Sword God? The god of sword? Some kind of fanatic?</i>


    However, that man did have the right to im that.


    Sword Demon¡¯s gaze was brimming with fear and awe. Standing before him was a legend. And he knew that even if he¡¯d trained his whole life, he¡¯d never catch up to that man.


    <i>Thud!</i>


    Copsing to his knees, Sword Demon banged his head on the ground at Yu Il-Shin¡¯s feet.


    ¡°I... I''ve lost, Sword God.¡±


    ***


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Yu Il-Shin has devoured Sword Demon''s Beloved Sword (A) using All-Cutting Heavenly Sword¡¯s power Sword Devotion and his favorite sword, Sword God.]


    [Yu Il-Shin¡¯s favorite sword, Sword God, can now be evolved.]


    A burp-like sound came from my kitchen knife, and anguid voice echoed in my mind.


    -I''m full... Going to sleep...


    ¡°<i>Huh</i>?!¡±


    As soon as the madness and desire to cut everything dissipated, I reverted to my ordinary citizen Yu Il-Shin self.


    <i>Sss¡ª</i>


    At the same time, the Skill Sharing duration of Il-Ho¡¯s Strong Body had ended. Thus, my body returned to its normal, feeble state.


    Feeling high alert, I tapped the slumbering knife in my hand. ¡°Hey, hey! Wake up! How can you sleep now?!¡±


    Yet, it didn¡¯t react, as if it were an ordinary kitchen knife.


    Although Sword Demon was still prostrating himself at my feet, there was no saying he wouldn¡¯t have a change of heart and attack us again.


    ¡°You shitty knife! Wake up!¡± I yelled.


    Sword Demon visibly trembled and murmured, ¡°You even have conversations with your sword. That¡¯s true mastery of cultivation right there.¡±


    <i>Huh? What was he bbering about?</i>


    ¡°<i>Ah,</i> as expected of you, Mister. The best...¡±


    <i>Plop!</i>


    Sung Mi-Ri had witnessed the entire fight between me and Sword Demon. Ovee with relief, she fell to the ground.


    ¡°Ms. Sung Mi-Ri!¡±


    I hurried over, supporting her. She leaned against me, her face pale. Blood was still gushing out from her back injury like a broken faucet.


    ¡°<i>Haa,</i> <i>haa</i>!¡±


    <i>Damn it, we got to stop the bleeding first!</i>


    ¡°Please excuse me, Sword God.¡± Sword Demon appeared beside me, speaking in a depressed tone.


    <i>Gasp, you scared me!</i>


    Just as I was worried that he might attack us right then, Sword Demon fished something out of his pocket. A ss bottle filled with golden liquid. He proceeded to pour it over Sung Mi-Ri¡¯s wound.


    My eyes appraised the bottle of liquid.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    -----


    [High Potion]


    The highest-grade potion that Sword Demon carries with him as an extra life.


    Special note: Can save anyone as long as they aren''t dead.


    -----


    Then, something amazing happened. As if sewn together, Sung Mi-Ri¡¯s wound closed up without leaving a single scar. After that, he poured the remaining liquid into her mouth.


    Soon, color returned to Sung Mi-Ri¡¯s face. Wow, I had heard that High Potions were extremely OP, but I didn¡¯t expect them to be at this level.


    Then, Sword Demon met my astonished gaze. He immediately smashed his head against the ground once more.


    ¡°I apologize for crossing the line! Toy a hand on your disciple, I deserve death! But, if you show me mercy, I¡¯ll follow you for the rest of my life! I¡¯ll be your loyal dog!¡±


    <i>Follow me for the rest of his life? What nonsense is he talking about?</i>


    ¡°Please! Please allow me one more chance to witness that glorious and majestic sword qi that you used on me earlier! I¡¯m willing to offer my life to you!¡±


    Just then, God-Maker rang.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Congrattions. You have seeded in nurturing fanatical faith by showcasing the overwhelming majesty and terror of gods.]


    [Sword Demon has be the second follower of the Earth branch.]


    -----


    [Sword Demon]


    ssification: Fanatic


    Special note: Try asking him to die as a test. He might happily oblige.


    -----


    <i>...Eh? He''s a fanatic?</i>

 Chapter 44: I’m Here To Convey Good News

    <h4>Chapter 44: I¡¯m Here To Convey Good News</h4>


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [You have sessfullypleted the quest: Follower Salvation Quest.]


    [Sung Mi-Ri¡¯s faith has increased by 100.]


    [Sung Mi-Ri¡¯s faith is currently at 139.]


    [A job change is possible when a follower¡¯s faith has surpassed 200.]


    [You have been rewarded 10,000 White Gcoins.]


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [You have gained Sword Demon as a follower (Fanatic).]


    [Yu Il-Shin¡¯s favorite sword, Sword God, can now be evolved.]


    <i>Whiiing!</i>


    Police cars and ambnces were dispatched over. They reached the remote neighborhood in no time. I could see why, since the shes involved high-ranking Hunters like Thunder Emperor and Department Head Kim.


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave her in your care.¡±


    I handed the unconscious Sung Mi-Ri to the paramedics.


    ¡°<i>Oh</i>, wait a minute. Can we please ask you... <i>Huh</i>? Where did he go?¡±


    By the time the police tried looking for me, I had left the scene.


    ***


    <i>Sss¡ª</i>


    Sword Demon and I appeared out of thin air in a deserted park.


    [Sword Demon has deactivated his skill, Stealth.]


    It was the effect of his skill, which showed his specialization.


    Sword Demon respectfully knelt down before me. ¡°I¡¯ve done as you asked, Mr. Sword God.¡±


    Leaving aside the sword slung over his shoulders, his disheveled hair and tattered trench coat made him look like a vagrant. In the darkness of the night, his sharp eyes glowed brightly like a hungry beast. Perhaps, that was his true nature. I couldn¡¯t think of a better name that would suit him other than the one in the appraisal window.


    Yet, the same man was kneeling meekly before me.


    -----


    [Yu Il-Shin¡¯s Fanatic, Sword Demon]


    A male human. Around for 29 years.


    Special note: Try asking him to die as a test. He might happily oblige.


    -----


    On top of that, he now had thebel of a Fanatic.


    I had learned about the entire situation from Sword Demon. The Brilliance Guild hadmissioned him to assassinate Sung Mi-RI. It aligned well with the fact that Department Head Kim came knocking on my door uninvited this morning.


    But why would they target the two of us? Well, I had a certain theory. Most likely, it was because we had foiled their bombing n. They probably wanted to make an example by getting rid of us. Once, I even considered alerting the police.


    Still, to think they were crazy enough to target an A-rank Hunter like Sung Mi-Ri... And to prove it, the lunatic they sent after her was now standing in front of me. The very same Sword Demon who became a fanatic of mine and would die if I ordered him to.


    <i>Fuck you, bastards. Fuck you. </i>


    ¡°Mr. Sword Demon.¡±


    ¡°No need to be so formal, Mr. Sword God.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m morefortable like this.¡± I didn¡¯t want us to sound too close. ¡°So, how strong are you?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t darepare myself to you, Mr. Sword God.¡± His eyes glinted faintly, making my skin tingle. ¡°But as long as I have sufficient time to prepare, there wouldn¡¯t be a person in this country I couldn¡¯t kill.¡±


    I liked that answer. But just in case, I tested it out.


    ¡°You. Will you do anything I ask?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Any of yourmands!¡±


    ¡°Then, take care of the Brilliance Guild. Didn¡¯t theymission you to kill both Ms. Sung Mi-Ri and I?¡±


    Briefly, his gaze flickered, taken aback by my order. He looked as if I had told him to die.


    I red at him, a glint in my eyes. ¡°Why? Can¡¯t you?¡±


    After a momentary hesitation, he shook his head with determination. ¡°Your wish is mymand, Mr. Sword God.¡±


    Sword Demon stood up, clutching his sword so tightly it seemed he might break it into pieces. That previous look on his face had disappeared. No matter how strong he was, he wouldn¡¯t stand a chance against a guild full of Hunters. Not that I cared. Why should I? This trash tried to kill Sung Mi-Ri.


    ¡°<i>Haa</i>.¡± I covered my face, then swept my hair back. ¡°I haven¡¯t been this pissed off in a while.¡±


    No, I hadn¡¯t been this angry in my entire life. It¡¯d be a different story if they were only targeting me, but toy a hand on those around me? Eventually, they would approach my family, that much was apparent. I dreaded just thinking about it. If only I hadn¡¯te across God-Maker...


    ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous.¡±


    [Yu Il-Shin¡¯s wrath has activated the title Brutal Killer (D).]


    I wanted to be stronger. I need something more concrete to protect me and my people¡ªlike strength.


    <i>What if I use the God¡¯s Shop?</i>


    But I quickly shook my head. Many past instances proved that those items were of little use to me.


    <i>Unless it¡¯s a Top-tier God¡¯s innate power or item, I¡¯ll only be wasting my coins.</i>


    But the prices of such items or powers were outrageous¡ªat least a billion Gcoins! My current bnce of 200 million Gcoins didn¡¯t evene close.


    [Silently Crawling Nightmare wonders why you left the insects who installed that game alone.]


    [All-Cutting Heavenly Sword agrees, saying that you should disy the splendor of god so they wouldn¡¯t walk all over you.]


    [Infinite Abundance chimes in, suggesting that you should bepassionate and care for them instead.]


    <i>It¡¯s those stalkers again. Also, there¡¯s another one? Just in time.</i>


    ¡°Guys, how can I be stronger in a short time?¡±


    [Silently Crawling Nightmare says that naturally, evil the easiest way. Wreak havoc! Instill fear! Make those insects worship you!]


    [All-Cutting Heavenly Sword agrees. Feel free to use the sword that you have while you¡¯re at it.]


    [Meanwhile, Infinite Abundance shook her head profusely. Killing is only a short-term solution! Although it might be a good way to amass power, eventually, you¡¯ll be left with no one! For a long term solution, she rmends to keep doing good deeds and build a strong following, just like what you¡¯re doing with the Gayami tribe.]


    In conclusion, killing would be the shortcut to gain strength. But Infinite Abundance seemed to have a point, since I¡¯d also been saved by Il-Ho before.


    <i>Alright, I¡¯ve decided.</i>


    ¡°I¡¯ll just do both.¡±


    Iunched God-Maker.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Wee to God-Maker.]


    [Depending on your choices and y style, you can be a benevolent god or a malevolent one.]


    I, a Low-tier God in the world of God-Maker, Antrinia, addressed my followers: Saintess Anty, Il-Ho, and the rest of the Gayami tribe.


    ¡°Guys, I need your help with something.¡±


    ¡°Muscles! Just ask, and it shall be done!¡±


    ¡°Please give us yourmand, O¡¯ great and merciful God Yu Il-Shin! I and the Gayami tribe will serve you to the best of our abilities!¡±


    Looking back, I was too passive. As a result, I almost got killed by the red ants and other bugs from the Empire on a couple of asions. I should just strike before I get cornered again, at least for my own good.


    ¡°We¡¯ll start by eradicating that damned Red Ant empire first.¡±


    The Brilliance Guild would be next.


    [Silently Crawling Nightmare and All-Cutting Heavenly Sword watches you in excitement.]


    [Meanwhile, Infinite Abundance watches with concern.]


    ***


    Team Leader Lee, the pir of the editorial department of Rocky Media, was furious at the email he had just received.


    ¡°<i>Aargh</i>! This damn writer has gone low again!¡±


    <strong>[Yu Il-Shin </strong><u><span ss="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="2a654446536d454e6a444f5c4f5804494547">[emailprotected]</u></strong><strong>]</strong>


    </a>


    Something really. really urgent came up and I can¡¯t push it off any further, so I¡¯ll have to deal with that first. T.T</strong>


    </a>


    I¡¯ll make sure to work on the manuscript after resolving this urgent issue. </strong>


    </a>


    From your beloved writer, Yu Il-Shin, who always holds deep admiration and loyalty to his mighty editor-in-charge.</strong>


    </a>


    Beep beep!</i>


    </a>


    <a> ¡°This fucking writer! Pick up the phone already!¡±


    </a>


    <a> Exasperated, Team Leader Lee kept calling Yu Il-Shin until his phone overheated, but the writer never answered.


    </a>


    Haa.</i> Aren¡¯t you letting your attachment cloud your judgment?¡±


    </a>


    <a> ¡°Mr. Yu is a genius.¡±


    </a>


    Eh</i>? Isn''t it the total opposite? He looks quitecking to me. His debut novel might¡¯ve been a hit, but all the ones after that didn¡¯t do as well, did they?¡±


    </a>


    <a> ¡°You don¡¯t know anything.¡±


    </a>


    <a> Team Leader Lee recalled what happened ten years ago. A 13-year-old boy had walked into his office with a stack of exercise books containing his first draft. His eyes exuded endless insanity, unlike now.


    </a>


    <a> ¡°He could write something really great if he put his mind to it.¡±


    </a>


    <a> ¡°R-really?¡±


    </a>


    <a> ¡°Or not.¡±


    </a>


    <a> ¡°Pardon?¡±


    </a>


    <a> Assistant Manager Yoon was dumbfounded by Team Leader Lee¡¯s abrupt change.


    </a>


    <a> In response, he chewed on a piece of no-smoking gum, saying, ¡°If I knew how things would unfold from the get-go, I wouldn¡¯t be here living like this. You¡¯ll have to open the blind box to find out. That¡¯s what makes this industry interesting.¡±


    </a>


    <a> ***


    </a>


    <a> [Launching God-Maker.]


    </a>


    <a> In the world of God-Maker, Antrinia, what appeared to be a 100,000-strong horde was making their way to the North. They consisted of a few tribes, but most of them were people from the Termite Kingdom, which had recently fallen into the hands of the empire.


    </a>


    Ughh</i>...¡±


    </a>


    Arghh</i>...¡±


    </a>


    <a> Every single one of them looked worn, their faces pallid, yet they didn¡¯t stop marching forward. Unable to endure the tyranny, they had chosen to flee. As a result, the imperial army was hot on their heels. Only a gruesome end of being devoured alive by their predators awaited those who got caught.


    </a>


    <a> ¡°We¡¯re almost there, everyone! Let¡¯s keep it up a little longer!¡±


    </a>


    <a> The elder of the Termite Kingdom encouraged the refugees. Their destination was the demonic forest, Areulia. ording to the legends, an ancient malevolent god dwelled there, so the ce could be ominous. Regardless, it was also theirst hope, as it was the only ce the empire had yet to conquer.


    </a>


    <a> Rumors also said that the malevolent god had risen from the dead and massacred millions of the Empire¡¯s troops. Still, they had no other choice.


    </a>


    Rumble!</i>


    </a>


    <a> Just then, clouds of dust fiercely rose in the distance, causing them to stop in their tracks. At first, they were worried that it might be the empire, but something seemed different.


    </a>


    Rumble!</i>


    </a>


    <a> Beautiful men of towering heights, just like the warriors from the myths, could be seen pulling huge carts of grain. Just like the refugees, they also had antennae on their heads, along with insect-like tails. Even though they appeared to be the same species, they were also vastly different


    </a>


    <a> ¡°Impossible!¡±


    </a>


    <a> ¡°Look at those huge, rich grains!¡±


    </a>


    <a> Above all, the refugees couldn¡¯t take their eyes off the cartful of grains. Because of the empire¡¯s tyranny, theirnds became barren, and the young were reduced to food and eaten alive. They had nothing else left to offer aside from thebor. To them, the sight of such ample grains seemed like an oasis.


    </a>


    Rumble!</i>


    </a>


    <a> The group of Gayamis stopped before them. A woman sat in front of the cart, leading the Gayamis. She was enveloped in a pure white cloth, radiating a holy glow.


    </a>


    <a> ¡°I-is she a goddess?¡±


    </a>


    <a> ¡°She''s beautiful.¡±


    </a>


    <a> The sight of her, who was as gorgeous as a lily, mesmerized the refugees.


    </a>


    Hehe</i>, hello everyone!¡± waving her hands, the woman leaped off the cart, looking like an angel descending...


    </a>


    Plop!</i>


    </a>


    ...</i>Only to fall on the ground in a heap.


    </a>


    Gasp!</i> Saintess!¡±


    </a>


    Aigoo</i>, why do you exert yourself when you''re so delicate!¡±


    </a>

 Chapter 45: Yu Il-Shin of Salvation and Disaster

    <h4>Chapter 45: Yu Il-Shin of Salvation and Disaster</h4>


    ¡°<i>Waaaah</i>! It hurts! It hurts!¡± A young refugee cried in pain.


    The child was in such a gruesome and heart-wrenching state that others couldn¡¯t help but look away. Two of his legs were devoured by the imperial soldiers. He had lost so much blood, his white shell became as transparent as ss. Some even wondered if they should just end his suffering right then and there instead.


    ¡°<i>s</i>, how pitiful...¡± Saintess Anty reached out to the crying refugee. ¡°Young one, I shall bless you in the name of God Yu Il-Shin. Healing Ring Finger of God Yu Il-Shin!¡±


    <i>Tzzz!</i>


    Radiant white light emanated from Saintess Anty¡¯s hand, enveloping the child, and his cry ceased abruptly.


    ¡°<i>Huh</i>?¡±


    The child became dumbfounded when he looked down at his lower body. Not only did his pain disappear, but he also saw a new pair of legs growing out in ce.


    ¡°Unbelievable!¡±


    ¡°A-a miracle!¡±


    Astonished at the sight, the others looked back at the Saintess Anty, who performed the miracle.


    Putting her hands on her hips, Saintess Anty looked up toward the sky, ¡°Such is the power of our great and merciful God Yu Il-Shin!¡±


    ¡°<i>Ooh</i>!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll let you in on a secret. The power I demonstrated earlier was just a small fraction of his total strength! God Yu Il-Shin was capable of raining down fire on millions of imperial army, reducing them into ashes! Once, he even transformed the hundred of us into billions to suppress demons!¡±


    ¡°<i>Oooh</i>!¡±


    ¡°Everyone, do you believe in God Yu Il-Shin?¡±


    ¡°Y-yes.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t hear you! Everyone! How do you expect your voice to reach him?!¡±


    ¡°We do! We will believe in him!¡±


    ¡°<i>Oooh</i>! God Yu Il-Shin! <i>Hurrah</i>! Praise be the Saintess!¡±


    Hearing the refugees cheer made Saintess proud.


    <i>Thankfully, my daily prayers to God Yu Il-Shin have paid off.</i>


    Just yesterday, she had received a strange message when she was performing a sermon at the Temple.


    <i>[Experience points of Anty have met the conditions to obtain a ss.]</i>


    <i>[Anty has been promoted to a Priest.]</i>


    <i>[Anty has been rewarded with +2 on divine power-rted stats.</i>


    <i>[As the Saintess and the very first Priest of Yu Il-Shin, Saintess Anty is now able to use a fraction of the healing power that Yu Il-Shin possesses.]</i>


    <i>[Skill avable for use: Healing Ring Finger of God Yu Il-Shin.]</i>


    <i>Dazzle~!</i>


    <i>Surrounded by white light, her attire transformed into a pure white robe.</i>


    <i>¡°Eh?¡± </i>


    <i>She was flustered at the sudden change, which also affected the scene before her. Finally, after so long, she could see the image of Yu Il-Shin.</i>


    <i>Aah, I can¡¯t believe this! Lord Yu Il-Shin, your loyal servant can finally behold your dashing figure!</i>


    <i>She could see Yu Il-Shin in the god realm, holding his precious sword. He seemed to be holding some sort of ritual.</i>


    <i>-Evolve this damn kitchen knife...no, Sword God!</i>


    <i>Ding!</i>


    <i>[God Yu Il-Shin''s favorite sword, Sword God, is evolving ording to your alignment.]</i>


    <i>[You paid 44,444 Gcoins for the evolution.]</i>


    <i>Swoooosh!</i>


    <i>The coins were absorbed, and thus began the transformation of the original kitchen knife...</i>


    <i>Thud!</i>


    <i>However, at the most crucial moment, Saintess Anty¡¯s vision returned to her own reality. The connection might be brief, but her body shivered as she recalled that overwhelming moment. It bore witness to her heightened sense of unity with him! On top of that, she was allowed to use his magnificent powers!</i>


    <i>I have to work even harder with my daily prayers from now on! I have to be one with God Yu Il-Shin as soon as possible! Saintess Anty steeled her resolve.</i>


    Just then, the representative of the refugees, the elder termite, looked at Saintess Anty with tearful eyes.


    ¡°Saintess, are you truly the descendant of the 5,882,825th Princess?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I am.¡±


    A hundred years ago, the 5,882,825th Princess from the Termite Kingdom fell in love and eloped with the chief of the ck tribe. Saintess Anty¡¯s bloodline was atavistic, allowing her to inherit pure white skin and hair, unlike those of the ck tribe.


    ¡°<i>Waaah!</i> I¡¯m honestly moved! Our royal lineage hasn''te to an end! Thank god!¡± the elder termite burst into tears.


    The royal family of the Termite Kingdom either perished after surrendering or offered as tributes to the imperial family to be devoured. Meanwhile, the remaining survivors had to move from ce to ce to avoid capture. Having lost their pir of support, they could barely survive.


    As such, the appearance of Saintess Anty was akin to light at the end of the tunnel. On top of that, not only did she provide the famished group with ample food, but she could also heal the heavily injured.


    ¡°Saintess¡ªno, Princess! We shouldn''t remain here any longer! The imperial army must be gaining on us even now, so please evacuate to a safer ce!¡±


    Hearing the elder¡¯s words, fear resurfaced on the faces of the other refugees. <i>Indeed. </i>After meeting Saintess Anty and getting served ample grains, they had momentarily forgotten that their pursuers hadn¡¯t given up the chase.


    However, Saintess Anty was unfazed.


    ¡°Please do not worry, everyone.¡±


    <i>Tzzz¡ª</i>


    All of a sudden, Saintess Anty¡¯s emerald eyes turned red.


    ¡°The mighty God Yu Il-Shin should be raining judgment on the insolent imperial army right about now. <i>Mwehehe</i>!¡±


    ¡°<i>Gasp!</i> It''s happening again!¡± Those from the Gayami tribe retreated slowly.


    ¡°Punish the wicked imperial army with madness, chaos, and destruction!¡± Saintess Anty screamed fanatically.


    <i>Ruuuumble!</i>


    Instead of dazzling white light, a dark aura emanated from her. The antennae of the Gayami tribe twitched in curiosity. Saintess Anty seemed a little off recently. Did she pray too hard?


    ***


    <i>What¡¯s wrong with her now?</i>


    I looked at Anty, feeling troubled. After using Blind Eyes of God, I had obtained thetest appraisal result on her. It no longer showed the phrase ¡°Saintess and Priestess of Light,¡± but rather ¡°Anty, Fallen Saintess and Priestess of Darkness.¡±


    Something seemed to have possessed her. Was it my fault? Did my increasing bad deeds affect her as well? Maybe I should work on my good deeds and raise my benevolent titles. <i>Sigh, </i>after I was done with this, I guess...


    ¡°Lord Yu Il-Shin! I have found the imperial army!¡±


    ¡°Oh, you did?¡±


    Upon hearing Baek-Ho¡¯s report, I quickly turned my attention and changed the screen to where he was. When I started ying God-Maker, I couldn¡¯t leave the cave. But now I could, thanks to the help of my followers, the Gayamis. I had arranged a few of them to patrol areas around the city I had built beforehand. Apparently, the imperial army was spotted in the area where Baek-Ho was patrolling.


    -All troops, charge! The ves must be nearby!


    -<i>Kekeke</i>, the one who eats them first, wins!


    <i>Rush¡ª!</i>


    As per Baek-Ho¡¯s report, a flood of red came rushing in the distance. Although most of them were red ants, other insects could also be spotted among them. I cracked my fingers, warming up.


    ¡°Great timing. Let me take care of this area. Stay back, Baek-Ho.¡±


    But Baek-Ho shook his head, ¡°No! This loyal follower, Baek-Ho, is obligated to stand witness! I have to capture the essence of your prowess and brilliance in battle and turn it into a song! <i>Oh, </i>I can feel the melody of majestic destruction stirring in my heart! Please look forward to it! This song is definitely going to be a hit!¡±<i> </i>


    <i>Okay, this is scary.</i>


    Did I really have to listen to his screeching? My malevolent side told me to just crush Baek-Ho so that he¡¯d shut up for good, but I held back. He was still my follower, after all. I sighed deeply. How did a strange personality like Baek-Ho appear in the Gayami tribe?


    ¡°<i>Haa</i>, okay. But stay away and don¡¯t get swept up in the battle.¡±


    ¡°Yes! Please don¡¯t worry about me! Unleash your great divine power onto them!¡±


    Baek-Ho watched me with gleaming eyes as he retreated. Then, I took out the thing I had prepared beforehand.


    [Silently Crawling Nightmare watches with excitement as she opens a bag of popcorn.]


    [All-Cutting Heavenly Sword grumbles, asking when will you use his sword.]


    [Infinite Abundance covers her eyes, unwilling to witness the battle.]


    ¡°Shall we start the bug extermination project then?¡±


    The prelude of a disaster that would shake up the empire was just about to begin.


    ***


    The higher-ups of the empire were taken aback.


    ¡°The Bird of Paradise Troop, which was chasing the remnants of the Termite Kingdom, got eliminated?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not all! We have also lostmunications with the troops dispatched to the surrounding area of the demonic forest!¡±


    ¡°An emergency report from the Demonic Troop! The Cypress Troop guarding the borders were also wiped out by the malevolent god!¡±


    ¡°The Iron Wall Troop stationed at the Aphid Kingdom has also been attacked!¡±


    Arachne nched at the severe reports concerning their troops, which were stationed all across the continent. The estimated damage was


    The grim reports received from their troops stationed all over the continent made Arachne turn pale. The estimated losses were more than twenty million! Although it was still considered trivialpared to the empire¡¯s total strength, they suffered such a massive loss in less than half a day!


    ¡°The Hyacinth Troop is besieged by the malevolent god! Please send reinforcements! <i>Huh</i>?! The Ladybug Troop is annihted!¡±


    The massacre was happening in real-time.


    <i>Grittt!</i>


    Arachne gritted her teeth, clenching her hands until she drew blood.


    <i>What the hell is happening? How did that malevolent god survive the curse of the Leader of the Horrible gue?!</i>


    But the gue God had retained his throne for over thousands of years! And yet, he was bested by a sproutling god?! Arachne never saw thating. Still, regardless of how many prayers she offered, she couldn¡¯t reach the Leader of the Horrible gue.


    <i>Did I miscalcte the potential of that malevolent god?</i>


    Just then, a few soldiers brought the wounded into the conference room. ¡°We have a survivor from the attack!¡±


    Arachne jumped to her feet and asked, ¡°What is your affiliation?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Mole Cricket, a quartermaster of the Bird of Paradise Troop.¡±


    Mole Cricket used to be a warrior of great stature and skill, but now there was no trace of that left.


    ¡°What exactly happened? What power did that malevolent god use?¡± Arachne asked impatiently.


    As they always said, <i>to win every battle, thou must know thy enemy and know thyself</i>. By learning about the malevolent god, she¡¯d be better prepared for his attacks.


    Mole Cricket turned his head toward the sound in the distance.


    <i>Chills!</i>


    ¡°<i>Gasp!</i>¡±


    To the horror of Arachne and the higher-ups, Mole Cricket revealed his empty eye sockets, now just hollow darkness.


    ¡°<i>Cough cough!</i> We were chasing the runaway ves of the Termite Kingdom. We made it a ''finder''s keepers'' situation¡ªa great way to ensure we¡¯d capture them, I¡¯d say, since their flesh whetted the appetites of our hungry troops. I was part of the supply unit, in charge of carrying a day¡¯s worth of provisions.


    I remember it being peaceful as we followed the main party, worrying about nothing. After all, we still had 100,000 termite ves... But then, out of nowhere, the malevolent god appeared!¡± Mole Cricket struggled to talk with its parched mouth.


    <i>Tadadadak!</i>


    Mole Cricket became white, and his antenna quivered violently.


    ¡°I had never seen such a hideous and savage monster my whole life! He was colossal, like a moving mountain! Even his fingernail was bigger than I, who was called a ¡®giant¡¯ by myrades! Despite being flustered at first, we quickly charged at the malevolent god like the brave imperial army of His Majesty!


    With a 300,000-strong army, our marvelous red tide swallowed the world. However, the malevolent god simply looked down upon us with a sneer. Then, he raised the bizarre-looking divine artifact that hung around his neck at us. T-then...¡±


    ¡°T-then?¡± Arachne and the other heads swallowed dryly.


    Mole Cricket iled his legs in the air like a drowning man, his face turning even whiter.


    ¡°<i>Gaaah!</i> A cursed tune, simr to the echoes of the depths of hell, resounded! Threatening to turn anyone who heard it insane...!¡±


    to those echoing from the depths of hell, that could make anyone who heard it turn insane...!¡±

 Chapter 46: #Even Fanatics Need God’s Salvation

    <h4>Chapter 46: #Even Fanatics Need God¡¯s Salvation</h4>


    Mole Cricket recalled the harrowing moment.


    <i>Beeeeeeeep!</i>


    As he looked at the divine artifact in the hand of the malevolent god, an awful, bizarre sound resounded through the air.


    He had never heard something like that in his entire life! What was that?! An ultrasound that transcended the auditory realm?!


    ¡°Without entering my ear, that abysmal sound rang straight inside my head like the scratching of countless needles! Our gant troops suddenly went mad and turned against each other. But <i>s</i>! It was only the beginning! With a single tap of his forefinger, the malevolent god caused a thick poisonous fog to rise from the ground, swallowing us all! <i>Aah, </i>the screams of the fallen were akin to the tolling of doom, heralding hell on earth...¡±


    Mole Cricket clenched his heart with a groan.


    ¡°My unit was at the rear. We didn¡¯t even waste a second to hold our breaths, yet the poisonous fog killed anything it touched! Despite the burning pain all over my body, I did my damnedest to run away. ¡®<i>I must survive!¡¯ </i>I desperately thought, leaving myrades behind to rot.


    ¡°Then, that abominable butcher¡¯s finger emitted a blinding light. Instinctively, I buried myself underground. A deafening roar was heard behind me as massive lightning engulfed the area. When I resurfaced a few hourster, the Bird of Paradise Troop was no more. Nothing remained of 300,000 of them, except for ashes...¡±


    Mole Cricket¡¯s gaze was hollow, while his feet twitched as if he had fallen into a swamp.


    ¡°Everyone, do not go against that malevolent god. Run... just run, until your wings and feet give out... That¡¯s the only way to survive, even if just for a bit longer... <i>Cough! Blerghhh!</i>¡±


    As Mole Cricket desperately mustered hisst words, ck blood oozed out from all his crevices. He died shortly after.


    ¡°<i>Gasp!</i>¡±


    ¡°<i>Aargh</i>!¡±


    All of a sudden, the soldiers who brought Mole Cricket in began convulsing madly, and vomited ck blood one after the other. Arachne held her breath as she withdrew from them.


    ¡°S-stand back! It''s the malevolent god''s curse!¡±


    ¡°<i>Hyiieee!</i>¡±


    Everyone stepped away from them, their eyes filled with dread. Those soldiers eventually met their demise as well. But nothing could prepare them for the sheer terror that was toe.


    <i>Sizzle!</i>


    Their remains crumbled into sand and disintegrated, transforming into a ck circr mass of metal. An ominous skull mark was engraved on it, emitting a sinister aura.


    [You have been rewarded 3 Dark Gcoins.]


    <i>Swoosh!</i>


    Along with the unintelligible sound, the mass of metal disappeared as well.


    ¡°W-what¡¯s that...?¡±


    ¡°...Oh, dear lord. Does that mean you won¡¯t leave anything behind if you perish to that malevolent god?!¡±


    Even the most seasoned warriors and higher-ups of the empire were aghast. Arachne was no exception, as she felt a chill that made all her hair stand on end.


    <i>How preposterous!</i>


    She couldn¡¯t believe it. How could a sproutling god have such power?! Not only was he capable of emitting soundwaves that drove people into a frenzy and spewing lethal fog, he could alsomand lightning! Wasn¡¯t that a feat exclusive to heavenly gods?! And that dreadful sight they¡¯d witnessed earlier!


    <i>He¡¯s only going to get stronger. We must take care of him before that could happen!</i>


    What if that malevolent god decided to amass faith and rise through the ranks? That could very well threaten the existence of this iron-blooded empire that the emperor had spent five hundred years developing!


    ¡°Summon all the Ten Swords and great generals scattered across the continent right away!¡± Arachnemanded with a severe look on her face.


    ¡°Pardon? B-but Mdy, the underwater demons are lying in wait at our borders, waiting for an opportunity to attack...¡±


    ¡°Who cares about such trivial matters!¡± Arachne furiously mmed her fist against the table. ¡°His Majesty is in the process of ascending the god throne and will soon achieve it! We must offer the head of that malevolent god to him! Unless you want to incur the wrath of His Majesty, do as I say!¡±


    ¡°Y-yes, Mdy!¡±


    Arachne gritted her teeth as she watched the higher-ups move busily. No matter how strong the malevolent god was, he stood no chance against their overwhelming number!


    <i>Shiver¡ª</i>


    And yet, she shivered helplessly as an unconquerable fear rose from the depths of her heart.


    Meanwhile, outside the conference room, a handsome man chewed his lips as he watched Arachne. He was the Poison Sword of the Ten Swords, Buttor, who had been unable to attend the meeting.


    ¡°That insolent malevolent god! His followers are just as impudent! How dare they upset my enchanting goddess! They¡¯vemitted unpardonable sins!¡±


    Buttor bowed respectfully toward Arachne¡¯s direction.


    ¡°Please forgive me for leaving without uttering a single word to you. I know leaving is thest thing you''d want, as you cherish me greatly, but I¡¯m crossing the line this time. Do not worry, and await news of my victory. I, Poison Sword, Buttor, will be sure to eradicate the malevolent god and his people!¡±


    Indeed, Buttor had also witnessed the power of the malevolent god earlier. In spite of that, his eyes were fearless. The malevolent god could wield a gazillion bizarre powers, yet none of it would matter as long as he was out of reach.


    ¡°Malevolent God, your lowly and puny followers will go down first.¡±


    God and their followers were closely connected. By wiping out their followers, the malevolent god would lose a huge chunk of his power. With a fiery gaze, Buttor spread his tiger-striped wings and flew up north to the forest where the malevolent god was.


    ***


    [You have been rewarded 3 Dark Gcoins.]


    [You have epted 300,123 refugees of the Termite Kingdom into the territory.]


    [You have epted 131,302 prisoners of the Aphid Kingdom.]


    [Through the propagation of Saintess and Priestess Anty, the refugees and prisoners are being converted into ¡°Yu Il-Shinism.¡±]


    [Current progress 69%...]


    [Experience points of Anty''s have reached the maximum threshold!]


    [Anty has been promoted from a Priestess to a Bishop. She has obtained the Bishop¡¯s exclusive skill: Descent]


    [Congrattions! The Ninth Floor of the Tower of Warriors: Trial of Darkness has been cleared.]


    [Experience points of Il-Ho have reached the maximum threshold.]


    [Il-Ho has been promoted from an Aspiring Warrior[1] to Rookie (Muscles) Warrior.]


    [Challenger Il-Ho challenges the Tenth Floor of the Tower of Warriors: Trial of Poison.]


    [Experience points of Yi-Ho¡¯s have reached the maximum threshold.]


    [Yi-Ho has been promoted from Soldier to Spearman.]


    [Experience points of Sam-Ho¡¯s have reached the maximum threshold.]


    [Sam-Ho has been promoted from Soldier to Archer.]


    ...


    [Experience points of Baek-Ho¡¯s have reached the maximum threshold.]


    [Baek-Ho has been promoted from Soldier to Field Musician.]


    ¡°<i>Phew</i>.¡±


    <i>Pop! </i>


    I opened a bottle of Bhus-F, Blessing of the Growth God, while reading the messages from God-Maker.


    ¡°The ultrasonic repellent sure is handy.¡±


    I put down the instrument hanging around my neck on the table. Technology must¡¯ve been advancing quite a bit, seeing how we could repel insects using ultrasound. In principle, it emitted high-frequency sounds that only insects could hear to manipte them.


    <i>Honestly, I¡¯m not exactly sure how it works, but it¡¯s definitely useful in exterminating them.</i>


    ¡°Also, I can Skill Share with Ms. Sung Mi-Ri roughly three times.¡±


    While exterminating the insect empire, I took the opportunity to test out Skill Sharing with her. Currently, among my followers, only Sung Mi-Ri and Il-Ho were avable for Skill Share.


    Il-Ho¡¯s Strong Body had a skill duration, while Sung Mi-Ri Lightning ability had a limit to the number of uses. Using it once was fine, but more than that, I began to feel worn out and dizzy. I had also tried to see if I could use both their skills simultaneously...


    [Warning! Insufficient divine power!]


    [As a Lowest-tier God, your body might break down if you Skill Share with followers stronger than you!]


    However, the vicious warning from God-Maker stopped me.


    <i>Doing so will cause my body to break down...? Seems like sticking with one person at a time will be best for now.</i>


    Still, something stood out to me.


    ¡°I¡¯d understand if it¡¯s Ms. Sung Mi-Ri, but how is Il-Ho stronger than me?¡±


    Well,pared to when he first entered the Tower of Warriors, there was no denying that Il-Ho had be much stronger now. After all, I had spent tons of Godcoins on the series of Blessing of the Growth God just for him.


    <i>But still, isn¡¯t he originally an ant? Lately, I¡¯ve also been training hard...</i>


    As both a human and a god, it hurt my pride to be seen as weaker than an Il-Ho.


    <i>No way. There has to be a mistake.</i>


    I suddenly thought of Il-Ho.


    <i>Oh, right, wasn¡¯t he challenging the tenth floor? Seems like he managed to clear the ninth floor without any trouble.</i>


    The Trial of Darkness on the ninth floor required him to safely navigate the passageway in pitch-ck darkness and reach the tenth floor.


    It might sound easy, but there was a huge obstacle on the way: an immense, endless rift. It stretched from the start of the ninth floor to the next, roughly 1 km long if measured against the height of an adult male.


    At the same time, there was something akin to bridges across from it, in the form of small peaks. They were the size of Il-Ho¡¯s head, with about 30 meters of space around them. Although they might serve as footholds, it was hell to navigate in the dark. And of course, Il-Ho slipped.


    ¡°<i>Aaaaargh</i>! Oh, Lord! I''ll be going<i> aheaaad</i>!¡±


    ¡°No! Il-Ho!¡±


    ¡°...<i>Muuuuucles</i>!¡±


    Il-Ho fell into the bottomless rift, leaving behind such a bizarre will. No words could describe how hard my heart pounded as I watched that.


    <i>Ssss¡ª</i>


    However, momentster, a haggard-looking Il-Ho returned to the starting point. Apparently, as long as he survived the fall, he¡¯d be respawned at the starting point.


    ¡°Healing Ring Finger of God!¡±


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [You paid 1 Gcoin for the healing.]


    As he caught his breath, I rushed to cast my healing skill on him.


    ¡°Thank you, My Lord! I will make sure to seed this time!¡±


    As soon as his body was healed, he took on the challenge again and suffered another fall. He couldn¡¯t make use of the footholds with those stubby legs. Not to mention, to step on them, he needed to be able to <i>see </i>them first.


    [Warning!]


    [Only the challenger can clear the warrior¡¯s solemn trial!]


    But when I tried to illuminate a path for him with a torch, a warning came and extinguished it right away.


    Thus, Il-Ho fell again and again. After he had almost fallen a hundred times, Il-Ho began doing something weird. Instead of attempting to cross with the footholds, he threw himself into the rift.


    ¡°Hey! What''s wrong with you! Are you crazy?¡±


    ¡°Interestingly enough, my muscles and bones feel stronger every time I¡¯m healed after a fall! Surely, this is a new epoch to muscle training, My Lord!¡± Il-Ho replied seriously.


    Il-Ho grinned like a batshit Lego. That side of him honestly terrified me.


    ¡°<i>Ah</i>... I see... <i>Hmm</i>, I have something urgent to tend to, so I''ll be away for a while. Be good while I''m away and don''t jump down by yourself. Got it?¡±


    ¡°Yes! I''ve just discovered my momentum, so you don''t have to worry!¡±


    Then, while I was away, Il-Ho managed to clear the trial on his own without issues.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t the tenth floor the Trial of Poison?¡±


    In Korean, the word ¡°<i>godok</i>¡± did not refer to ¡°solitude¡± like in Solitary Gourmet[2], but rather poison. It was a type of ancient curse, which required him to fight against countless other poisonous insects <i>Battle Royale-</i>style.


    ¡°That kid, Il-Ho... will be fine, right?¡±


    I was slowly getting worried. I med the name of that trial. Iunched God-Maker, raising my ring finger just in case I needed to use my skill right away.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [The Tenth Floor of the Tower of Warriors: Trial of Poison.]


    The scene on my phone had changed to what seemed like part of an Amazon Jungle. Then...


    -<i>Kieeeek</i>!


    ¡°<i>Muuuuucles</i>! Stay still, <i>dammit</i>!¡±


    <i>Rumble!</i>


    Glowing faintly, Il-Ho pulled out the head of a centipede many times bigger than him.


    ¡°Hahaha! Another tribute to offer to God Yu Il-Shin! I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be happy!¡±


    Around him were small piles of countless headless monsters he¡¯d in. What was he? A stray cat I had brought back home? Was he trying to repay me by bringing back the corpses of whatever insects he could catch?


    <i>Il-Ho, I didn¡¯t know you have that kind of side, too!</i>


    <i>Alright, let¡¯s pretend I never saw that.</i>


    I carefully turned off God-Maker, then drank the white fluid, Special Blessing of the Growth God Ver. 2.


    ¡°Shall I wrap up my training then?¡±


    Just as I was doing my warm-ups, God-Maker rang again, surprising me.


    Thinking Il-Ho was trying to offer tributes, Iunched the APP. But it turned out not to be the case.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [An emergency quest has urred!]


    [Follower Salvation Quest]


    [Target: Sword Demon (Fanatic)]


    [God Yu Il-Shin, do you wish to save your fanatic Sword Demon from a life-threatening crisis? (Yes/No)]


    1. He was a soldier before, so he probably leveled up off-screen ?


    2. From 2012 TV show: <u>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kodoku_no_Gourmet</u> ?

 Chapter 47: Be Immaculate at Work

    <h4>Chapter 47: Be Immacte at Work</h4>


    <strong>A mysterious terror attack happened at Brilliance Guild, resulting in a mounting number of casualties! The terrorist was a man in histe twenties, equipped with a longsword...</strong>


    <strong>The suspect was once a promising talent from the Hunter Academy?</strong>


    <strong>A colleague from the Academy, S-rank Hunter Shin Yoo, reveals the suspect to be Sword Demon Kang Geom...</strong>


    <strong>Brilliance Guild¡¯s shocking identity! The mastermind and distributor behind the awakening drug circting in the ck market!</strong>


    At the moment, these article headlines were causing a huge stir in South Korea. A lone wolf had indiscriminately waged a war against a guild full of Hunters. Meanwhile, it was revealed that the Brilliance Guild was the mastermind and ringleader behind the infamous ck market. Countless VIPs from the business circle were involved in it, and every channel I tuned in was talking about it.


    I didn¡¯t give a damn. Overall, Sword Demon did a fantastic job, which made me ponder about something.


    [An emergency quest has urred!]


    [Follower Salvation Quest]


    [Target: Sword Demon (Fanatic)]


    [God Yu Il-Shin, do you wish to save your fanatic Sword Demon from a critical situation? (Yes/No)]


    The message from God-Maker was flickering at me. Based on my experience, it was apparent that Sword Demon was in grave danger.


    But did I really have to save him?


    He was a killer who tried to murder Sung Mi-Ri. His weird category, Fanatic, didn¡¯t allow him to give me Godcoins or share his skills like other followers.


    Besides, didn¡¯t that nasty line say that he¡¯d dly die if I asked him?


    Moreover, back when I saved Sung Mi-Ri, I was rewarded with an increase in Faith, but as for him...


    [Quest reward: None]


    <i>Yeah, let¡¯s just ignore it.</i>


    ¡°Mister, what are you so preupied with in the middle of training?¡± an overweight tiger asked, shoving his face close to mine.


    More urately, it was the face of the tiger on the gym manager¡¯s t-shirt, which was stretched out due to his belly fat.


    ¡°C¡¯mon, c¡¯mon! Keep at it! Work harder so you can have a great body like mine! Fighting!¡± The gym manager encouraged me, flexing the bumpy muscles on his forearm.


    Unfortunately, it didn''t motivate me at all. Was it because of Il-Ho? I could feel my standards of muscles growing significantly.


    <i>Pop!</i>


    Feeling thirsty, I emptied a bottle of Special Blessing of the Growth God Ver. 3.


    ¡°Mister, don¡¯t take weird drugs. It''s been a hot topic these days in our circle.¡±


    ¡°Don''t worry. This is just a normal beverage. You know Red Bull, right?¡±


    However, the gym manager still stared skeptically at me. He picked up the empty bottle and sniffed the residual smell. Ignoring the gym manager, I added another piece of weight.


    <i>Alright, how about I try 40 kg on the bench press this time?</i>


    ¡°<i>Hyaaaa</i>! Muscles!¡±


    [The Eternal Seeker is pleased to see that you¡¯ve finally learned the appeals of muscles.]


    ¡°<i>Pfft.</i> Wow, it¡¯s just 40 kg and he¡¯s that proud?¡±


    ¡°<i>Sigh</i>, how embarrassing. I don¡¯t even bench press with that.¡±


    The muscr weightlifters prattled.


    <i>Do you think I couldn¡¯t hear you? Nobody has a great body right off the bat?!</i>


    Strange. Il-Ho worked out after drinking the Blessings of the Growth God and became a bulging machine, but why didn¡¯t I have the same effects?


    [The Eternal Seeker suggests to start with dumbbells and not be impatient.]


    [All-Cutting Heavenly Sword grumbles that a sword will solve everything, why bother training your muscles.]


    [Silently Crawling Nightmare strongly encourages you to train harder and show her your six-packs.]


    [Infinite Abundance cries asking if you¡¯re going to save the devout believer.]


    <i>These stalkers are annoying the hell out of me. Haa, I want to exercise in peace.</i>


    <i>Jiiing!</i>


    Suddenly, my ears rang as everything began to slow down.


    <i>Oh, it feels like I¡¯m getting high...</i>


    Of the three versions of Blessing of the Growth God, the third, the Red Bull, had a time-rted blessing. Time would slow down upon use, though this effect was limited to the Tower of Warriors. However, since I was connected with Il-Ho, who was currently there, I could experience the same effects.


    The shortest amount of training time yielded the greatest effect.


    [The innate power Blind Eyes of God has been activated.]


    <i>Huh? </i>


    My power activated on its own again, and this time, I saw Sword Demon.


    ***


    Sword Demon was strung up in chains from the ceiling, gruesomecerations all over his body. His right arm was missing. It seemed to be recent, as blood was still oozing from the cut.


    ¡°Sword Demon Oppa, aren¡¯t you quite persistent?¡±


    Ady in red traditional Chinese <i>qipao </i>drew her face closer to Sword Demon. I activated my skill.


    -----


    [Cheol-Mi]


    A female human. Around for 26 years.


    Special note: Blessed by the God of Destroyer ¡°???¡±. Uses quite effective mes.


    -----


    ¡°You¡¯re a hired sword, what are you being so loyal for? Be honest with me, who is your employer? Only a nutcase would attack the Brilliance Guild despite knowing that the psycho, Johan, was there. Now stop being so stubborn, and just out with it. <i>Hm</i>?¡±


    Cheol-Mi coquettishly ran her red tongue over Sword Demon¡¯s ear.


    ¡°If you tell me who they are, I¡¯ll send you straight to heaven before you die. What do you think?¡±


    Sword Demon struggled to speak with his parched lips.


    Thinking that he finally decided to fess up, Cheol-Mi¡¯s face lit up. She excitedly leaned in closer to hear his response.


    ¡°<i>Hm</i>? What was that? Say it again.¡±


    ¡°...I said, get your vile mouth away from me.¡±


    ¡°<i>Huh</i>?¡± Cheol-Mi¡¯s eyes turned yellow like a snake¡¯s. ¡°This bastard! You still have some screws loose!¡±


    Furious, Cheol-Mi struck Sword Demon with a whip, tearing his flesh and causing blood to gush out.


    ¡°Just kill me... I did it on my own...¡±


    ¡°<i>Haa</i>, <i>haa! </i>Even in the face of death, you¡¯re still <i>the</i> Sword Demon! Sure! I¡¯ll take you on!¡±


    Gritting her teeth, Cheol-Mi was about to swing her whip again when a huge hand stopped her.


    ¡°Oppa?¡±


    The owner of the hand was a giant about 2.5 meters tall. Bulging muscles covered his entire body, serving as armor. ¡°A bear¡± would be the most apt description for him. What stood out the most was his white eyeballs, without any pupils. An old scar stretched across his eyes, looking as if it had been left by a de.


    ¡°Tell you what, I don¡¯t care who told you to do it. I just want one thing from you: payback for what you did to my eyes three years ago!¡±


    The man clenched his fist.


    <i>Kekeke.</i>


    As the skull tattoo on the back of his hand cackled menacingly, his muscles swelled up.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    -----


    [Cheol-Du]


    A male human. Around for 31 years.


    Special note: Blessed by the God of Destroyer ¡°???¡±. Has quite strong muscles.


    -----


    ¡°Hold on a sec. You aren¡¯t really going to kill him, right? Johan asked to keep him alive as best as we can to be used as an offering. He even offered one billion Korean won.¡±


    ¡°Stop me and I¡¯ll kill you,¡± Cheol-Du growled dismally as his white eyes reflected Cheol-Mi.


    ¡°I never said that. I¡¯m just sad that we won¡¯t be getting the money. Just kill him if it makes you feel better! With Sword Demon gone, we¡¯ll be the best in this world! <i>Hohoho</i>!¡± Cheol-Mi retreated awkwardly.


    Cheol-Du ignored her and swung his fist.


    ¡°Die, Sword Demon.¡±


    <i>Boooom!</i>


    Cheol-Du¡¯s giant fist cut through the air, flying toward Sword Demon¡¯s face, but he remained expressionless.


    Thanks to the spiritual bond I had with him as god and fanatic, I was able to witness his fate¡ªand, at the same time, a fragment of his past.


    He was the son of a prostitute. When he was four years old, his mother dragged him to the underworld to be sold. Raised as an assassin, he awakened with Qigong ability and was trained in swordsmanship. Nevertheless, to him, a sword was merely a tool to take care of his targets stealthily and efficiently. Even when he joined the Hunter Academy to carry out his assassination mission, that never changed.


    Until one day, Sword Demon finally saw light in the darkness.


    It was the day when I wielded the Sword God, disying peak madness and skill.


    In fact, when I defeated him, he was happy.


    So far, his abilities were nothing more than the brutal techniques of a ughterhouse. Thus, he began to aspire. He wished to be able to wield his sword in the same way. Not just to kill, but also to mesmerize the eyes of the beholder, and possibly even inspire them. Just like the Sword God.


    Such was his newfound dream. But <i>s, </i>it was never meant to be.


    His own mother had abandoned him. Johan had severed his right arm. Yet, in hisst moments, he thought of none of them¡ªonly the Sword God: me.


    <i>Sword God, please stay safe.</i>


    Yes, even when his death was approaching, Sword Demon still thought of me. Despite having absolute faith in me, he was also scared for me. He was afraid that I¡¯d fall prey to Johan, the apostle who severed his right arm with some bizarre sorcery.


    <i>I wish I could¡¯ve be Sword God¡¯s shield...</i>


    When I saw that, I was in turmoil. But this man tried to kill Sung Mi-Ri...


    Just as Cheol-Du was about to m his fist into Sword Demon''s head...


    ¡°Crushing Forefinger of God.¡±


    <i>Boooom!</i>


    Cheol-Du''s punch ended up smashing nothing. He lowered his white eyes.


    ¡°...Who are you? Where did youe from?¡±


    With his chains undone, Sword Demon fell to the floor. He looked up at me in astonishment.


    ¡°S-Sword God?¡±


    <i>Ding!</i>


    Messages from God-Maker appeared after.


    [You paid 100,000 Gcoins for the alteration of his fate.]


    [The effects of the title Benevolent Savior (C) and the Second Moon created by Yu Il-Shin trigger an ¡°incredible miracle.¡±]


    [Infinite Abundance praises your actions. She says now that he¡¯s your believer, you should embrace him. She also advises you to give him a chance to turn over a new leaf, even if he used to be a viin.]


    ¡°<i>Haa</i>.¡± I scratched my head and threw the dumbbell in my hand. Watching the flustered Sword Demon, I asked, ¡°Mr. Sword Demon, can you lead an honest life from now on? Don¡¯t kill anyone without a valid reason.¡±


    ¡°What...?¡±


    ¡°Answer me.¡±


    ¡°If that is your wish, then I¡¯ll oblige. I swear upon my life... and sword.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    I¡¯d follow what that Abundance Lady said and give him a chance. I was indebted to her in a way, so listening to her for once wouldn¡¯t hurt.


    ¡°I asked who you are!¡±


    Thinking that he¡¯d been ignored, Cheol-Du let out a deafening roar.


    Had it been me from a few days ago, I would¡¯ve pissed my pants from his overwhelming power. But now, strangely, I remained unfazed.


    Annoyed, I plugged my ears and nonchntly pointed at Sword Demon, ¡°I¡¯m his master.¡±


    I mean, he was a Fanatic. Our rtionship was akin to a cult leader and a cult member. <i>Ah, not exactly, a god and a cult member, maybe.</i>


    ¡°<i>Waaaah</i>, Mr. Sword God!¡± The razor-sharp man burst into tears for some reason.


    <i>Seriously, what was so moving about that sentence?</i>


    ¡°<i>Hmph!</i>¡±


    shing his white eyeballs, Cheol-Du swiftly went for my head. His hand was sorge that it could wrap around my entire head.


    ¡°Ridiculous! I don¡¯t sense any power from you! How dare you im to be his master?! You must¡¯ve had some petty tricks up your sleeve!¡±


    Why was he overreacting? Was he suffering from some sort of inferiorityplex?


    Cheol-Du began strengthening his grip.


    <i>Crack! Craaack!</i>


    ¡°I¡¯ll blow your head off right now!¡±


    Tremendous pain rushed through my head, as if it was about to be crushed. ...At least, that was how it was supposed to be before.


    ¡°Y-you...!¡±


    Panicking, Cheol-Du used both hands to put more pressure on my head. Seeing how red his face was turning, it was easy to imagine how much he was exerting himself.


    ¡°<i>Uuugggh!</i>¡±


    ¡°Oppa? What are you doing? You could easily break stones with your bare hands before.¡±


    ¡°Shut up! Does it look like I¡¯m fooling around?!¡±


    Back then, my stalkers had advised me tomit more bad deeds to get stronger in a short time. After all, killing an ant would give me 1 Dark Gcoin, whereas gaining a follower would give me 1 White Gcoin. Between the two, it was obvious which one was easier.


    Hence, wasn¡¯t the path of a malevolent god much more efficient? Nope. Back then, I just didn¡¯t know.


    After massacring over twenty million of the imperial troops, I upgraded the title Brutal Killer to Rank C, awakening its true function.


    [The massacre has raised the rank of your malevolent god title, Brutal Killer, from D to C.]


    [Great malevolent god, War of Carnage and Madness, grants you the title ¡°Blessing of ughter.¡±]


    -----


    [Blessing of ughter]


    Destroy, kill, and kill again! Let your evil deeds be your strength!


    -----


    ¡°Equip malevolent god title: Brutal Killer (C).¡±


    <i>Tzzz!</i>


    Power and arrogance surged through my body, and my eyes turned red like Anty¡¯s. At that moment, I felt as if the whole world was beneath my feet.


    ¡°Insect, do I look like a small fry to you?¡±


    ¡°W-what?! What¡¯s this power?¡±


    ¡°W-who the hell are you!¡± Cheol-Du roared, breaking into cold sweat.


    ¡°Malevolent God Yu Il-Shin.¡± Iughed sinisterly, clenching my fists.


    <i>m!</i>


    Then, I drove my fist into the pit of his stomach like a cannonball.

 Chapter 48: Even God Had To Get Things Done Personally At Times

    <h4>Chapter 48: Even God Had To Get Things Done Personally At Times</h4>


    ¡°<i>Cough! Cough!</i>¡±


    Inded a clean hit, and Cheol-Du staggered backward.


    ¡°<i>Huff huff!</i>¡±


    Cheol-Du gasped for air, the corner of his lips torn and bleeding slightly. Despite that, he was still standing.


    ¡°Huh? Why didn¡¯t he fall?¡±


    <i>Gosh, this is so embarrassing. I tried so hard to act like a legit malevolent god!</i>


    Was massacring over twenty million of the imperial troops not evil enough?


    ¡°Yu Il-Shin?¡± Cheol-Mi pondered about my name for a while, then eximed in delight, ¡°<i>Ah</i>! It¡¯s you! Johan put a bounty of ten billion won for your capture!¡±


    With gleaming eyes, Cheol-Mi wildly licked her lips with her snake-like tongue. She stared at me as if I was a golden pig standing right before her, ¡°Ohoho, just my luck! You¡¯re mine!¡±


    [Silently Crawling Nightmare fumed, iming that you are hers.]


    <i>Excuse me, Ms. Nightmare stalker, you¡¯re overstepping the line here.</i>


    Sword Demon was still gasping for air as he mustered, ¡°<i>Haa, haa</i>! Mr. Sword God, please, don¡¯t let your guard down. They are the top three in the assassin circle... and Johan¡¯s drug has be much stronger than before, so use your sword now...¡±


    Seemingly having heard Sword Demon, my backpack began rustling on its own.


    <i>Rustle rustle!</i>


    I frowned at the response. <i>Hey, did you think I would really use you?</i>


    The recent evolution also upgraded the frenzy, so I¡¯d never use it. Even when it was still a kitchen knife, the self-proimed Sword God already drove me crazy.


    ¡°<i>Aaarghhh!</i>¡± Cheol-Du roared like a beast, ¡°Bastard! How dare you! You¡¯re not even the Sword Demon! How fucking dare you?!¡±


    ¡°Cheol-Du Oppa?!¡±


    <i>Wooong!</i>


    A dazzling white aura enveloped his fist.


    ¡°<i>Arghhh</i>! I¡¯ll kill you! I¡¯ll absolutely kill you!¡±


    ¡°Wait, Oppa! You can¡¯t!¡±


    Cheol-Mi tried her best to stop him but Cheol-Du was faster.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Cheol-Du used the skill Rock Smash.]


    My appraisal skill activated on its own, evaluating his skill.


    <i>Since it¡¯s called Rock Smash, is it for crushing rocks? Wouldn¡¯t that be great for mining? </i>Just as I thought that, Cheol-Du swung his fist toward my head.


    <i>Craaaack!</i>


    The disconcerting sound of bones shattering rang in the air. Of course, it wasn¡¯t from my head. I did a Skill Share earlier just in case something like this happened.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [You have activated Skill Share for Strong Body with Gayami¡¯s Aspiring Warrior, Il-Ho.]


    <i>Il-Ho, you stone¡ªno, steel-headed punk.</i>


    Again, I was the one who got punched, so how could he suffer from a fractured bone?


    ¡°<i>Arghh!</i> My hand! My hand!¡± Cheol-Du screamed while clutching his broken fist.


    I watched him with mixed feelings. For a while now, I had to look up at him because of our height difference. But thanks to Skill Share, I no longer had to. Then, I tried punching him in the gut again.


    <i>Puk puk puk!</i>


    ¡°<i>Uuuooorgh!</i>¡±


    Like a folder, Cheol-Du bent down ny degrees, shuddering as if he had been zapped, before finally copsing.


    No way, was Il-Ho really stronger than I am?


    Just as I was mulling over this in all seriousness, an angry cry came from Cheol-Mi.


    ¡°You! How dare you hit Cheol-Du Oppa! I''ll never forgive you!¡±


    <i>Riiiip!</i>


    Cheol-Mi ripped the bottom half of her qipao, revealing her curvaceous body and snow-white skin. Despite how unbing it was, I found myself gawking at her like any normal guy.


    <i>Sssss!</i>


    Ominous aura spread from the skull tattoo on her thigh, and ck, snake-like scales covered her entire body.


    <i>Flicker!</i>


    Akin to how a snake would swallow preyrger than itself, Cheol-Mi opened her jaws wide open. Then, a firework erupted within her mouth.


    My eyes appraised it.


    [Cheol-Mi used the skill Imoogi¡¯s Breath.]


    ¡°<i>Kyaaaa</i>!¡±


    Along with a scream that sounded like death, Cheol-Mi unleashed a firestorm.


    My view was dyed red. Given my cynical tendency, the special note for Cheol-Mi¡¯s mes was quite high. Still, since I¡¯d recently been training my body using Il-Ho¡¯s skill, I felt that I could at least withstand her mes.


    ¡°<i>Cough! Cough!</i>¡±


    The same probably couldn¡¯t be said about the dying Sword Demon behind me.


    <i>Raise¡ª</i>


    I raised my middle finger at Imoogi''s Breath.


    <i>Don¡¯t be mistaken, it''s not a ¡°fuck you.¡±</i>


    ¡°Convicting Middle Finger of God.¡±


    <i>Click!</i>


    A small ck me appeared from the tip of my middle finger. Obviously, I couldn¡¯t stop her with just this. It mighte off as random, but I believe that ingenuity was my strength as a writer. Then, I ced my glowing middle finger on my thumb.


    ¡°Proliferating Thumb of God!¡±


    It jumped toward Imoogi''s Breath.


    My first time using the Proliferating Thumb of God in real life was on a <i>Hanwoo. </i>Back then, I had a theory that the skill could only be used on organic items. Suddenly, I got curious. What if I used it on top of my other skills? That was what led me to try it out this time.


    The results were as per the current situation:


    <i>Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop!</i>


    My small ck me multiplied rapidly with rhythm. Like piranhas devouring a bleeding beast, it swallowed Cheol-Mi¡¯s firestorm in an instant!


    ¡°W-what?¡±


    Cheol-Mi''s eyes widened to an extent that seemed impossible. By that point, she was surrounded by my ck mes, about to get burned.


    ¡°<i>Kyaaa!</i> Save me!¡± Cheol-Mi screamed, covering her face with her arms.


    <i>Snap!</i>


    At that moment, I snapped my fingers, and the ck mes disappeared without a trace.


    ¡°<i>H-huh?</i>¡±


    <i>m!</i>


    I followed up with a strong punch to her stomach, just like with Cheol-Du. A malevolent god¡¯s fist didn¡¯t discriminate against gender.


    <i>Puck!</i>


    ¡°<i>Kya!</i>¡±


    Like a folder, Cheol-Mi also bent down, copsing to the ground shortly after.


    Now, both siblings were unconscious, foaming at their mouths.


    ¡°<i>Heave-ho</i>.¡± I canceled the skill sharing with Il-Ho.


    <i>Sssss¡ª</i>


    Like air escaping from an inted balloon, my body soon returned to its original state. <i>Alright, time to tie them up. </i>An item caught my eyes when I was browsing God''s Shop before.


    -----


    [World-Binding Snake''s Rope (Mid-tier God)]


    Category: Common consumable item


    Price: 100,000 Gcoins


    -----


    I chose ¡°purchase.¡± My rued 100,000 Gcoins disappeared, reced by a set or ropes made of snake-scales.


    -----


    [World-Binding Snake''s Rope]


    Description: Made of the scales of the Snake of Destruction. Imbued with power that could seal the magic and power of those bound by it.


    Special note: Extremely tough


    -----


    I wasn¡¯t a killer, so I used the extremely light yet tough rope to tie up the siblings. I¡¯d hand them over to the policeter.


    ¡°A-as expected of Mr. Sword God...!¡±


    Still, where did this burdensome feelinge from? Then, I found Sword Demon staring at me in admiration.


    ¡°You¡¯re unarmed, and yet you¡¯re so strong! Your body even transcends the average human! I truly admire you!¡±


    The fanatical gaze from the former bloodthirsty killer deeply disturbed me. Having read his mind, I knew the full extent of his admiration toward Sword God.


    At the same time, I was the one who told him to attack what turned out to be thergest organization in the underworld. As a result, he lost his right arm, the livelihood of a swordsman. And yet, he still looked at me, his master, with the eyes of a Dobermann.


    Honestly, it pricked my conscience a little.


    ¡°<i>Haa.</i> Hold still.¡±


    ¡°<i>Huh?</i>¡±


    I pointed my ring finger at him. This would be my first time using this skill in real life¡ªon a person, too. Would it really work?


    ¡°Ring Finger of the Healing God.¡±


    A sh of white light enveloped Sword Demon.


    [Calcting the causality rate of the healing target: Sword Demon...]


    [A follower of Low-tier God Yu Il-Shin. Also a member of an 8th-ranked lower race. An insignificant existence that wouldn¡¯t affect the rules between gods and the world.]


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [You paid 1 Gcoin for the healing.]


    Before my eyes, Sword Demon¡¯s wounds healed rapidly, and color returned to his face. Although his right arm wouldn¡¯t regenerate, all of his injuries disappeared, as if he had consumed a High-grade Potion.


    Sword Demon looked at his own body in bewilderment. Then, he mmed his head against the ground, tears streaming down his face.


    ¡°<i>Waaaah</i>! Mr. Sword God! To bestow such a miracle upon me, your grace is immeasurable!¡±


    This man here was quite the historical maniac. <i>Gosh, it just feels so weird.</i>


    I could heal a person in real life for just a measly Godcoin? I mean, it was great to be able to heal someone for a steal, but something felt off... Anyway, if I¡¯d known it was going to be this effective, I¡¯d have used it on Sung Mi-Ri! Once everything had been settled, maybe I should visit her at the hospital.


    Then, I turned to Sword Demon, ¡°If you feel okay now, let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°What? Where are we going?¡±


    I pointed to the chained-up siblings and said, ¡°To where their master is.¡±


    That was actually part of the reason why I came to Sword Demon¡¯s aid. I thought it¡¯d lead me straight to the Brilliance Guild. Though in reality, I ended up stumbling across the weird siblings, Cheol-Mi and Cheol-Du.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m not doubting your strength, Mr. Sword God. But still, it¡¯s too risky! Not only are we outnumbered, their leader, Johan, uses unidentifiable, bizarre abilities!¡±


    ¡°Mr. Sword Demon, can¡¯t you just do as I say?¡±


    ¡°I-I¡¯ve crossed the line! Please forgive me this once, Sword God!¡± shuddering, the pale Sword Demon nodded obediently.


    <i>Goodness. What have I done to get this kind of response from him?</i>


    I nced at my reflection in the window.


    <i>Wow, that¡¯s definitely the face of a notorious malevolent god. </i>


    I mean, I was kind of pissed off. I had a ten billion Korean won bounty? I shuddered, imagining the bounty hunters going after my family or even Sung Mi-Ri to collect it.


    Hence why I decided to go there instead. I was determined to end this today.


    ***


    ¡°This is the ce, Mr. Sword God.¡±


    With Sword Demon¡¯s guidance, we arrived at Wuwon City. This new city used to be under the spotlight for a while, as there were talks of relocating the capital there. However, about a decade ago, a catastrophic rift opened up, reducing it into a ghost town. Abandoned buildings lined up on the streets like a graveyard.


    Just in case, I decided to cover my face with a paper bag. I had even poked eye holes on it.


    ¡°Wait a minute.¡±


    Sword Demon was staring at me for some reason.


    ¡°Why? Do you need to cover your face too?¡±


    ¡°<i>Ooh, </i>what an honor, Mr. Sword God!¡± he eximed, then bowed deeply as he received the paper bag.


    <i>How was THAT an honor?</i>


    Anyway, the pair of suspicious-looking men wearing paper bags soon arrived near one of the abandoned buildings. There was a secret underground entrance, barred by a sturdy, pristine iron door that contrasted sharply with its dpidated surroundings.


    <i>Bam bam!</i>


    I knocked on the door, since it was basic manners.


    <i>Creaaak!</i>


    The CCTV camera attached to the door turned toward us.


    -Who is it? If you¡¯re a follower of Apostle Johan, show me the mark!


    So, it had a speaker attached too. I tried to put on my best, nicest smile. Well, it was pointless anyway, since I had a paper bag on.


    ¡°Hello. I¡¯m from Yu Il-Shinism, here to preach to the scumbags.¡±


    Sometimes, in this modern age of endlesspetition, a god had to take care of things personally.

 Chapter 49: The God of Destroyer’s Apostle Johan and Poison Sword Buttor

    <h4>Chapter 49: The God of Destroyer¡¯s Apostle Johan and Poison Sword Buttor</h4>


    -You bastard! Are you shitting me?! Where the fuck do you think this is!


    Despite my civil request, the iron door didn¡¯t budge. As such, I couldn¡¯t help but think of the famous OST from Frozen, my niece¡¯s favorite. I solemnly cleared my throat.


    ¡°Do you wanna build a snowman~?¡±


    -This motherfucker! You wanna die?! Hey! Fucker!


    In response, a symphony of profanities flowed out from the speaker. I nodded and answered with my fist.<i> Alright, goodbye.</i>


    <i>Bam bam bam!</i>


    The dented iron door flew open as if being thrown by grenades.


    -<i>Aackk</i>! What the fuck?!


    <i>Boom!</i>


    I stomped down the iron door and said to Sword Demon, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    He watched me in astonishment, then drew his sword with his remaining arm. ¡°Mr. Sword God! Let me open the way.¡±


    Sure, that¡¯d be easier for me. The passageway that led underground was deep and dreary, simr to a coal mine shaft.


    <i>Sniff sniff¡ª</i>


    As we made our way down the passageway...


    ¡°Stop that prick!¡±


    ¡°How dare you!¡±


    The shitheads rushed over. Oh my, did they want to hear me preach so badly?


    ¡°Move! How dare you get in the way of Mr. Sword God!¡± Sword Demon charged forward, his eyes shining brightly.


    ¡°<i>Aaargh</i>!¡±


    ¡°Damn it! How is he so fast?!¡±


    ¡°S-save me!¡±


    Like pandemonium, screams resounded everywhere. I did tell Sword Demon not to kill if possible, but I didn¡¯t have much sympathy for these scums. They were either a bunch of terrorists or evil cult members. Taking the garbage out one by one, we slowly descended.


    <i>Ew, what¡¯s that smell?</i>


    A sharp, pungent stench hit us all of a sudden. It reminded me of the smell of raw pork left forgotten in the fridge for months. I soon found the source of it: a door painted with a red hexagonal mark. It seemed to be fresh blood, as the ink was still dripping.


    -----


    [Sacrificial Chamber]


    A ce where offerings are made to the gods.


    Special note: Demonic energy flows within it.


    -----


    Sacrificial chamber? That name itself sounded horrible already. Frowning, I tried to open the door, but it was firmly locked.


    ¡°Mr. Sword God, let me do it.¡±


    Sword Demon aimed his sword at the door...


    <i>sh! Thump!</i>


    With a dazzling sh, the steel door was shed diagonally, revealing what was hidden inside.


    ¡°<i>Ugh</i>.¡± I gagged, instinctively covering my mouth.


    A circle was drawn on the floor, and bits of flesh were strewn all around, looking like a ughterhouse.


    The flesh definitely belonged to a human, and not just one person. There should be at least a hundred of them. Among them was a small hand that seemed to belong to a child.


    <i>Clench!</i>


    I gritted my teeth in anger.


    ¡°An important guest has graced us today.¡± A refreshing voice came from the darkness, uncharacteristic of that hellhole.


    <i>Trudge, trudge.</i>


    From the darkness, a man emerged, walking toward me. Hair so long that it reached his hips. Pearl-like skin and delicate features. Chiseled body, not covered by a single thread. He was the most beautiful human I¡¯d ever seen in my life. If not for that <i>thing </i>dangling below, I¡¯d have mistaken him for a woman.


    <i>Fuck! My eyes are rotting!</i>


    <i>A wild pervert has appeared!</i>


    ¡°Please be careful, Mr. Sword God.¡± Nervousness lingered in Sword Demon¡¯s voice. ¡°He was the one who severed my arm.¡±


    Looking at Sword Demon¡¯s empty right sleeve, the man smiled gently.


    ¡°Indeed. God foretold that by sparing you, an important guest would pay us a visit. Ah, our God sure is magnificent!¡±


    After offering a short prayer, he turned to me. His gaze burned like mes in a furnace.


    ¡°After seeing you in person, I¡¯ve be more convinced! You¡¯re also an apostle like me, baptized by Almighty God!¡±


    <i>Ding!</i>


    Against my will, my eyes decided to appraise this man.


    -----


    [¡°???¡±¡¯s Apostle Johan]


    A male human. Around for 29 years.


    Special note: In charge of sacrifices for the God of Destroyer ¡°???¡±


    -----


    In charge of sacrifices offered to the God of Destroyer? But what was with the question marks?


    Despite straining my eyes further, I still couldn''t read the text.


    ¡°<i>Aah,</i> how excited I am!<i> </i>I¡¯m trembling all over! I never imagined that I could meet arade!¡± he tearfully reached out to me.


    <i>ng!</i>


    Then, a shining white sword stopped the man in his tracks.


    ¡°Do not approach the Sword God any further!¡±


    ¡°<i>Tsk</i>.¡±


    The man''s serene expression contorted into a vicious grimace. He waved his hand in annoyance, as if swatting a bug...


    <i>Bam bam bam!</i>


    Horrifying bang resounded throughout the room.


    ¡°Get lost, cretin.¡±


    ¡°<i>Uuuggh</i>...¡±


    Sword Demon copsed to the ground, covered in blood. He might¡¯ve lost an arm, but he had once defeated Sung Mi-Ri. So, how could this man take care of him so easily?


    My hunch told me that man was no ordinary pervert, but a super strong one.


    The man shoved his feverish face at me and said, ¡°Which god are you serving? The same god as I am, perhaps? <i>Aah, </i>how thrilling would that be! Quick, Brother, tell me!¡±


    ¡°Yu Il-Shin,¡± I answered.


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°I said I serve myself, you cultist pervert!¡± I then followed up with, ¡°Skill Sharing, Il-Ho, Strong Body.¡±


    <i>Crack! Craaack!</i>


    Strong muscles honed by Il-Ho at the Tower of Warriors covered my whole body.


    The pervert watched in awe as I turned into a giant, and I raised my palm at him.


    <i>Smaaack! m!</i>


    The pervert flew like paper at the impact, mming against the wall with a thunderous crack. He was bleeding all over, and a few pieces of teeth fell onto the floor. ring at the pervert stuck on the wall, I pulled out my phone. I was about to report him to the police, but the line wouldn¡¯t go through.


    ¡°That won''t do.¡± A sleazy voice whispered into my ear.


    rmed, I turned around. Before I knew it, the pervert had stood beside me. His body and teeth were unscathed.


    ¡°Two blessed apostles have finally met in person! What is this if not a glorious meeting? Why would you invite those lowly insects here? Now, my almighty brother in god, remove that ridiculous paper bag and show me your face! Let us have a heart-to-heart talk!¡±


    As he slowly approached me, immense fear overtook me. I mean, his dangling <i>thing </i>was growing bigger! Also, why was he licking his lips?!


    ¡°<i>Aargh</i>! Get away from me!¡±


    Sumbing to fear, I pped the approaching pervert across the face with all my might.


    <i>Boooom! aap!</i>


    With a booming sound, his head fell, squashed like a watermelon.


    <i>Ssh! Stumble¡ª</i>


    Missing his head, the pervert stumbled a few steps before copsing to the ground.


    <i>Thud!</i>


    <i>Gasp! I''m done for!</i>


    My mind turned nk. Did I kill a person?! I should¡¯ve controlled my strength!


    ¡°<i>Hehe</i>, as expected of Mr. Sword God! Yes, show him no mercy with those hands of yours! Respect!¡± Sword Demon gave me a thumbs up, oblivious to my internal dilemmas.


    <i>Sheesh, he¡¯s just fanning the fire.</i>


    Just as I was at a loss of what to do, the pervert¡¯s body reverted to its original state. My heart sank.


    ¡°Seems like my words can''t reach you.¡±


    Even his head, which was clearly pulverized earlier, was soon restored.


    ¡°Then, should I save our heart-to-heart talk for after I¡¯ve captured you?¡± the pervert smiled, barring his white teeth like a werewolf. ¡°O¡¯ Almighty God, please lend this humble servant your power!¡±


    <i>Sizzle sizzle¡ª</i>


    The red magic circle gleamed, absorbing the corpses on it like a swamp.


    God-Maker reacted instantly.


    [God of Destroyer ¡°???¡± received 129 human sacrifices.]


    <i>Ruuuumble!</i>


    The earth shook as if there was an earthquake, and the spiteful cry of a beast emanated from the magic circle, piercing the air.


    <i>Rooooar!</i>


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [God of Destroyer ¡°???¡± rewarded Apostle Johan for the sacrifices.]


    ¡°O¡¯ Almighty God, thank you.¡±


    Shuddering the pervert smiled brightly as he spread his arms wide open.


    <i>sh! Bam bam bam!</i>


    Then, red beams of light appeared from the magic circle, surrounding him. Momentster...


    <i>nk nk! Thud thud!</i>


    The nking of heavy metal echoed, and the pervert walked out from the light. Unlike earlier, he was now d in spiky red armor. His current build wasparable to mine when I was Skill Sharing with Il-Ho.


    -<i>Grrrr!</i>


    His chest was emzoned with the mark of a dragon opening its jaw wide. Loud growls seemed toe from it, as if it were alive.


    My eyes appraised the mark.


    -----


    [God of Destroyer¡¯s Demonic Armor Set (Iplete)]


    A tribute the God of Destroyer paid to Apostle Johan in exchange for the human sacrifices.


    Special note: An SSS-grade equipment that holds a fraction of the God of Destroyer¡¯s power. However, it''s iplete due to insufficient sacrifices.


    -----


    One of the three SSS-grade equipment that existed in this world, albeit iplete. What shocked me most was discovering what was missing from the armor. The helmet and the codpiece.


    I gritted my teeth as I looked at his lower half.


    ¡°Brother, brace yourself!¡±


    The pervert in crimson armor charged at me, his <i>thing </i>swaying freely down there.


    ¡°Fuck!¡±


    <i>No, cover your precious little brother first! I beg of you!</i>


    ***


    Meanwhile, in the world of God-Maker, Antrinia...


    Priestess¡ªno, now Bishop Anty, was wearing a white hat that had the image of Yu Il-Shin giving a thumbs up. She couldn¡¯t conceal her excitement after getting promoted to a Bishop! Not only did she feel a deeper sense of unity with Yu Il-Shin, she had also acquired a new skill!


    The new skill was Descent.


    -----


    [Descent]


    [A skill that only gifted, devoted senior priests could use, allowing them to bring God to the world.]


    [Descent duration: 60 minutes]


    -----


    Anty wanted to use the skill right away, but decided against it. What would Lord Yu Il-Shin think? However, she eventually sumbed to her desire to greet him, and casted it.


    <i>sh!</i>


    With a sh of dazzling light, the space before her split, and <i>he </i>descended. It wasn¡¯t Yu Il-Shin, but the missing Il-Ho.


    [Yu Il-Shin''s temporary apostle, Il-Ho]


    ¡°W-why is it you instead of God Yu Il-Shin?¡±


    ¡°Muscles! My Lord is currently fighting a dreadful and fearsome evil god!¡± Il-Ho shouted while holding a stance.


    His dark body was covered in grotesque muscles, lit with searing me. On top of that, there was also that revolting stenching from him.


    Of course, she was delighted to find that her tribesman was still alive, but the disappointment of not seeing God Yu Il-Shin was greater.


    Just then, Il-Ho stood up.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°I''m returning to the Tower of Warriors!¡±


    ¡°Why bother when you''ll be returning in an hour?¡±


    But Il-Ho shook his head vigorously. ¡°No!¡±


    ¡°W-why not?¡±


    Briefly, fear shed across his valiant face. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll lose my title if I remain here for another minute!¡±


    ¡°Pardon...?¡±


    Anty watched as Il-Ho trudged toward the Temple of Warriors.


    ¡°W-wait! Mr. Il-Ho!¡±


    She ran after Il-Ho with her short legs.


    ***


    <i>Flutter flutter¡ª</i>


    Meanwhile, in the city, white power was snowing down from the sky. Just as the recently-settled refugees were basking in the mesmerizing sight...


    ¡°<i>Cough cough!</i>¡±


    Someone bent down, coughing uncontrobly. Soon, the surroundings began doing the same, as if they had caught some viral cough.


    <i>Spatter¡ª!</i>


    Then, one after another, they began vomiting blood.


    Seeing the sudden change in situation, Il-Ho stopped in his tracks and rushed back to Anty, shielding her with his muscly arms.


    ¡°It¡¯s poison powder! Saintess! Please hold your breath!¡±


    ¡°P-poison powder? W-what is happening here?¡±


    Instead of answering, Il-Ho turned his attention to the sky. There was a small speck, barely noticeable to most, but Il-Ho saw it clearly. Amidst the blue sky, an absolute beauty of a man spread his leopard-printed wings.


    ¡°Filthy, lowly barbarians who worship the malevolent god! You deserve to die a hundred times for disturbing my lovely goddess! I, Poison Sword Buttor, will eradicate every single one of you with my poison powder!¡±

 Chapter 50: Easier on the Brain if Muscles are Great!

    <h4>Chapter 50: Easier on the Brain if Muscles are Great!</h4>


    Towering walls surrounded the city of the Gayami tribe. Yu Il-Shin personally built it to be unbreachable by imperial troops, ensuring the safety of his vulnerable followers.


    Yet, those walls were powerless against the catastrophic disaster that had befallen them.


    <i>Sprinkle sprinkle.</i>


    Countless white kes fell from the sky, as mesmerizing as the first snow. Little did they know, it was raining deadly poison.


    Those who inhaled it vomited blood and copsed to the ground. At the root of it all was a handsome yet cruel man flying in the clear blue sky.


    He was the Poison Sword Buttor, one of the Ten Swords of the Empire. His prowess as a one-man army was acknowledged even by the emperor. Once, the emperor even offered Buttor the title of duke, only for him to refuse. His reason was that he preferred to serve his goddess, Arachne, instead.


    -Unfathomable. You¡¯re a powerful man, capable of annihting an entire nation. And yet, you want to serve a mere woman? What is your motive? Need I remind you that she¡¯s still mydy? You darey your hands on what¡¯s mine?


    <i>Flicker!</i>


    The emperor¡¯s outstretched hand appeared from beneath the veil, and a fierce me was roaring on it. One wrong move, and Buttor would be reduced to ashes. Nevertheless, he was undaunted. He spread his resplendent wings and said, ¡°It isn¡¯t wanton lust that I harbor for her, Your Majesty. As long as I can be by her side and protect her happiness, I need nothing more.¡±


    -<i>Haha!</i> You have quite a silver tongue. But, I don¡¯t believe in love.


    ¡°Then, how about this?¡±


    <i>sh! Plop!</i>


    -Buttor, you¡ª?


    To the emperor¡¯s surprise, Buttor cut off his own manhood.


    <i>¡°Haa... haa</i>!¡± with a pale face, he looked up at the emperor, still bleeding down below. ¡°Will you... believe my intentions with this? Your Majesty the Iron-blooded Demigod.¡±


    -<i>Bwahahaha</i>! <i>Ahahaha</i>!


    Laughing like a hungry tiger, the emperor¡¯s shoulders shook violently.


    -Interesting. All right, you¡¯ve shown your determination. Have it your way, Buttor.


    ¡°Your grace is immeasurable, Your Majesty.¡±


    <i>Flutter flutter!</i>


    Sprinkling poisonous powder, Buttor looked down at the ground.


    ¡°Die an excruciating death, lowly barbarians of that vile malevolent god! That¡¯s the only way to lessen your sin for disturbing my beloved!¡±


    ¡°Shoot! Shoot him!¡±


    The Gayami soldiers shot arrows at Buttor, but none came anywhere near him.


    ¡°<i>Cough! Cough!</i>¡±


    ¡°<i>Bleeergh</i>!¡±


    Instead, they were poisoned by Buttor, and copsed one by one.


    ¡°Everyone, hide in the buildings! Do not inhale the poison powder!¡± Anty shouted as she dragged the fallen Gayami people to shelter. ¡°Mr. Il-Ho! You should get inside too!¡±


    Yet, Il-Ho didn¡¯t listen and just stood there.


    <i>It¡¯s happening again!</i>


    Il-Ho¡¯s shoulders trembled.


    ¡°Kyaaak!¡±


    ¡°<i>Huff! Huff!</i> S-save me...¡±


    ¡°<i>Aaargh</i>!¡±


    Hisrades were dying from the poison. It reminded him of those ughtered by the imperial army back when he was just a puny warrior. He didn¡¯t want to go through that again. He didn¡¯t want to be helpless anymore. Hence, he challenged the Tower of Warriors.


    ¡°No! No one will ever take myrades from me again!¡± Il-Ho¡¯s gaze seared with determination. He roared at Buttor, who was flying in the air. ¡°How spineless! If you¡¯re a man, get down here! Fight me fair and square!¡±


    Buttor looked at Il-Ho, snorting, ¡°<i>Hmph</i>, ridiculous barbarian.¡±


    Why should a high-born like him fight one-on-one against a filthy barbarian? Still, he had to admit that Il-Ho was holding pretty well against his poison.


    ¡°<i>But...</i>¡±


    <i>Sprinkle sprinkle!</i>


    Partially folding his outstretched wings, Buttor focused his poison powder on Il-Ho.


    ¡°Barbarian, how long do you think you¡¯llst?¡±


    <i>Swaaaa!</i>


    The once light snowfall grew heavier, piling on Il-Ho.


    <i>Thud!</i>


    Il-Ho fell to his knees. ck blood trickled from the corner of his mouth as he clenched his jaw. Even his steel-like body couldn¡¯t withstand Buttor¡¯s lethal poison.


    ¡°<i>Uuurk</i>! You coward!¡±


    ¡°Not cowardice, but a strategy, you dunce. Shut up and die.¡± Buttor mocked, showering more poison. ¡°<i>Hmph, </i>there¡¯s no way a barbaric oaf will survive this much poison. Now, shall I take care of the rest?¡±


    Buttor scanned the city like an eagle hunting its prey. He could see other barbarians crammed in buildings, like turtles hiding in their shells.


    ¡°Do you think that will save you?¡±


    He could manipte his powder at will. Besides, he could easily poison them through the cracks in the buildings.


    ¡°Fine. Keep on hiding. I¡¯ll see that it bes your final resting <i></i>...¡±


    <i>Shiver!</i>


    Chills went down Buttor''s spine.


    ¡°<i>Muuuscles</i>!¡±


    ¡°<i>Gasp!</i>¡±


    Instinctively, Buttor stepped to the side.


    <i>aash!</i>


    A sharp spear sliced through the air, grazing Buttor¡¯s cheek in an instant!


    <i>Trickle¡ª</i>


    A slit marred his sculpted face, trickling with blood. Buttor looked down at the ground in horror.


    ¡°<i>Aargh</i>! <i>Huff!</i>¡±


    Il-Ho staggered out of the fog of poison. Such a horrifying sight it was! His body was festering from the poison. His eyes were zed over; oozing ck, putrid blood.


    ¡°Spineless bastard! Show yourself! Fight me to death!¡±


    In spite of that, Il-Ho¡¯s fighting spirit was unwavering. He was akin to a ravenous beast, ready to pounce on and shred his enemy anytime.


    ¡°So persistent. As expected of the servant of that wretched malevolent god.¡±


    <i>p p!</i>


    Buttor pped his wings and ascended to a higher altitude. He wasn¡¯t afraid of the dying and blinded Il-Ho, but just in case.


    As the sound of Buttor¡¯s wings grew faint, Il-Ho fell into despair.


    <i>O¡¯ Almighty God Yu Il-Shin! Please enlighten me! How can I defeat this craven enemy and protect my people?!</i>


    Il-Ho made a desperate plea. However, his god was currently engaged in a battle against a terrifying evil god, preventing him from responding immediately.


    Was it out of desperation? All of the sudden, he recalled the words Yu Il-Shin had said in passing. It was during the time when he, wholly unprepared and ignorant, had challenged the Towers of Warrior.


    -Il-Ho, when I see you, I¡¯m reminded of these words.


    ¡°Oh, what are they?¡±


    Il-Ho knelt down modestly, his eyes sparkled as he waited.


    Yu Il-Shin spoke.


    <i>Thud! Thud! Thud!</i>


    Suddenly, a loud bang echoed on the ground. Keeping his guard up, Buttor scanned the ground.


    ¡°What¡¯s that...?¡±


    He saw a huge boulder which wasparable to a small hill.


    Shouldering the boulder, Il-Ho turned toward the sky and shouted blindly, ¡°Brace yourself, coward!¡±


    ¡°<i>Huh</i>?¡±


    Buttor was dumbfounded. Was that barbarian trying to throw that at him?


    As if a boulder that massive could affect Buttor¡¯s current attitude. Even if it could, only a snail would be unable to avoid it.


    ¡°God Yu Il-Shin said it! It¡¯d be easier on the brain if my muscles are great! <i>Hyaaaa¡ª</i>!¡± Il-Ho yelled.


    <i>Booom!</i>


    Il-Ho threw the boulder into the air. Sure enough, the boulder didn¡¯t even reach a tenth of his altitude before crashing back to the ground.


    ¡°What an imbecile.¡±


    Just as Buttor was mocking Il-Ho...


    ¡°<i>Muuuuscleees¡ª</i>!¡±


    Il-Ho¡¯s muscles bulged as if they were about to explode, especially in his right arm. Then, he unleashed a ferociousbination of Blessing of Fire and Blessing of Wind into the air.


    ¡°W-what?¡±


    With an ominous feeling, Buttor fluttered his wings, flying higher, but...


    <i>Bam bam bam!</i>


    Il-Ho¡¯s fist reduced the falling boulder into pieces in no time.


    Hundreds, or even thousands of, rock shards flew toward Buttor like shotgun shells.


    <i>Swoosh!</i>


    ¡°<i>Ugh</i>! This is nothing!¡±


    Gritting his teeth, Buttor spread his wings wide, evading them with the nimblest of moves. It was a marveling sight, like a dancer spinning in the air. Thinking that was thest of them...


    ¡°...<i>Cough!</i>¡±


    Buttor suddenly spat out a mouthful of fresh blood. On closer inspection, there was a tiny, easily missed hole on his chest. A shard barely the size of a fingernail had pierced his heart.


    ¡°<i>Ahahaha! </i>A stroke of luck... You¡¯re lucky, barbarian. Is this a blessing from the malevolent god you serve?¡± Buttorughed hysterically.


    Then, while clutching his chest, Buttor flew in the opposite direction. Once again, the sound of his wings grew fainter.


    ¡°<i>Bastaaaard</i>! Goddamnit! Don¡¯t run away!¡±


    On the ground, Il-Ho threw a fuss. After exerting so much strength moments ago, his body had gone limp.


    ¡°You cowardly scoundrel!¡±


    Buttor didn¡¯t let that provocation stop him.


    He had poisoned all the barbarians. Soon, they would be no more. Going out of his way to kill them was just unnecessary. He had fulfilled his duty.


    <i>Hence, I should rightfully return to your side. Isn¡¯t that so, Mdy? How I¡¯ve missed you.</i>


    However, the journey to her was long, <i>too </i>long. His consciousness was diminishing. Did he fly too high? Unbeknownst to him, his wings were slowly being burned by the sun. Yet, Buttor smiled and flew higher¡ªtoward the sun.


    ¡°<i>Aah, </i>Mdy. There you are. Buttor ising to you right now.¡±


    To Buttor, the dazzling sun looked like the enchanting smile of his goddess. Against his will, the pounding of his heart slowly faded. Which came first: his scorched wings or the cessation of his heart?


    ¡°My love... Goddess Arachne...¡±


    Buttor plummeted to the ground.


    <i>Swoosh! St!</i>


    ***


    Back in the real world...


    ¡°Brother, I¡¯ming!¡±


    ¡°Get away from me, pervert!¡±


    d in the God of Destroyer¡¯s demonic armor, Johan charged toward me head on. I, covered with strong muscles, braced myself.


    <i>Baaaam!</i>

 Chapter 51: All-Cutting Heavenly Swords Treasury

    <h4>Chapter 51: All-Cutting Heavenly Sword''s Treasury</h4>


    <i>Ruuumble!</i>


    A sh between demonic armor and muscle armor!


    ¡°<i>Uuwoooggh</i><strong><i>¡ª</i></strong>!¡±


    However, I was the one being pushed back.


    I staggered backward, leaving a huge crater in the ground. On the other hand, Johan stood firm, unmoving like an iron wall.


    <i>Tzzz!</i>


    Moreover, after touching the demonic armor, my shoulder blistered as if burned.


    <i>Ugh, what¡¯s this?</i>


    My skill appraised it.


    [The God of Destroyer¡¯s demonic armor is engraved with a searing curse. Your health and fire resistance will decrease continuously.]


    <i>A searing curse?</i>


    When he saw me panicking, Johan grinned.


    ¡°Brother, hold your breath. Sword of Destruction,e forth!¡±


    <i>Woooong!</i>


    Then, a sword manifested in his hand. It emitted a red beam, just like lightsabers in Star Wars. Johan smirked, brandishing the sword.


    ¡°Brother, feel the might of God.¡±


    <i>aash!</i>


    A crescent-shaped sword qi flew toward me! And it wasn¡¯t just one!


    ¡°<i>Ack</i>!¡±


    In an attempt to dodge all the sword qi, I twisted my body in all directions, but there were simply too many of them!


    <i>sh!</i>


    I missed one of those sword qi and suffered a diagonal sh across my torso! Thankfully, due to Il-Ho¡¯s Strong Body, it wasn¡¯t fatal, but...


    [You have been afflicted with putrefying poison on the God of Destroyer¡¯s Sword of Destruction. Your wound has begun to fester.]


    ¡°<i>Cough!</i>¡±


    <i>Thud!</i>


    Groaning, I fell to my knees. Pus leaked from the wound on my chest.


    <i>Argh, I can¡¯t move at all...</i>


    <i>Clunk clunk!</i>


    The fully armored Johan charged toward me. He let out a heavy grunt, imposing his momentum on me. Even scarier was the dangling piece of meat on his lower half.


    ¡°Bastard, not one step closer! Stay away from Mr. Sword God or die by my sword!¡± roared Sword Demon.


    Despite being in such a grievous state himself, he still stood in front of me. Madness flickered in the eyes of the dying man.


    But to our enemy, we must¡¯ve seemed like reckless small fries.


    ¡°Worthless insects.¡±


    Johan wielded his lightsaber, amplifying the sword qi.


    ¡°<i>Hyaaa¡ª</i>!¡±


    Sword Demon yelled, swinging his sword at the rutnt sword qi lunging toward us¡ªbut it was futile.


    His sword shattered into pieces.


    ¡°<i>Aaargh¡ª</i>!¡±


    Sword demon let out a scream as blood spurted from his newly inflicted injury.


    <i>Ssss¡ª</i>


    He fell face first to the ground, oozing putrid ck blood.


    ¡°Mr. Sword Demon!¡±


    The man wouldn¡¯t respond to my call. Was he done for?


    ¡°A fitting end for an insect.¡± Johan sneered.


    ¡°You bastard!¡± I raised my middle finger at Johan.


    He frowned, thinking that I was swearing at him.


    ¡°Are you insulting¡ª?¡±


    ¡°Convicting Middle Finger of God!¡±


    <i>Poof! </i>


    My skill activated, and a ck me the size of my thumb flew toward the pervert.


    ¡°<i>Hmph. </i>What are you trying to do with such a weak me?¡± Johan swatted the me with annoyance.


    I smiled with satisfaction at his reaction.


    <i>I got him!</i>


    I recalled the phrase that appeared when I first acquired this skill.


    -----


    [Convicting Middle Finger of God]


    Category: Innate Power


    Description: Yu Il-Shin¡¯s innate power, activated with hellfire and 100,000 sacrifices.


    The mighty Yu Il-Shin speaketh, "I¡¯m the arbiter of all evil! Those who go against me will burn in the fires of hell!¡±


    -----


    As per the description, the me from my skill ruled and judged all evil.


    ¡°<i>Hm?</i>¡±


    Almost immediately, the ck me seared Johan¡¯s arm.


    ¡°<i>Huh?!</i> <i>Aaahhh</i>!¡±


    For the first time, fear appeared on Johan¡¯s face. This pervert was the biggest scum among everyone I¡¯d ever met. And sure enough, my me caught onto his evil deeds. It grew in size, burning more fiercely as it threatened to devour him whole.


    ¡°<i>Eek!¡±</i>


    <i>sh!</i>


    Out of panic, Johan cut off his own arm with his demonic sword.


    <i>Crackle!</i>


    His armor might be unscathed, but his left hand had turned into ashes. Johan clutched his self-inflicted injury, gasping. ¡°<i>Huff! Huff!</i> Why wouldn¡¯t it regenerate?! God''s blessing is with me! I¡¯m invincible! You¡ª! What have you done to me?!¡±


    A while back, he could still regenerate his pulverized head. But his arm, which had been licked by my ck mes, couldn¡¯t.


    Instead of answering him, I snapped the ck me on my middle finger with my thumb.


    ¡°Convicting Middle Finger of God! Proliferating Thumb of God!¡±


    Then, another ck me bounced off my middle finger, and it wasn¡¯t just one!


    Multitude of ck mes closed in on Johan, leaving no room for escape.


    ¡°O¡¯ Almighty God! Please protect your servant!¡±


    <i>Tzzz!</i>


    The lightsaber in Johan¡¯s hand transformed into a gigantic shield, defending him from my mes!


    <i>Bam bam bam!</i>


    My condemning mes shed against Johan¡¯s shield! The earth rumbled as if an earthquake had urred!


    However...


    <i>Thud, thud.</i>


    Johan was still standing. He smirked, holding up the shield that was billowing ck smoke in my face.


    ¡°Brother, I have to admit, you have the power of an apostle. But that¡¯s it. You¡¯ve already been devoured by my God¡¯s power. Surrender if you wish to live. There won¡¯t be a second chance.¡±


    <i>Tzz!</i>


    Johan was right. The skin on my shoulder had been corroded, revealing my shoulder de. The sword injury on my chest was infested with maggot, oozing with fetid blood.


    ¡°It¡¯s... not the end, you pervert.¡±


    <i>Closer,e closer. </i>


    I glowered at Johan as he approached me, struggling to raise my ring finger.


    Perhaps wary I¡¯d deliver another blow, Johan raised his sword. But I was about to unleash a different skill this time. Honestly, I didn¡¯t really want to use it on myself. I directed my ring finger to my chest injury.


    ¡°Healing Ring Finger of God!¡±


    [Calcting the causality rate of the healing target: Yu Il-Shin...]


    [A Low-tier God of the 10th realm. Also a member of a lower race of the 8th realm. An existence that can potentially affect the rules between gods and the world.]


    Ding!


    [You paid 10,000,000 Gcoins for the healing.]


    <i>Tzz!</i>


    My skill activated,pletely healing the cursed wounds on my body. Then, I pointed my ring finger at Sword Demon, who was still spilling red blood.


    ¡°Healing Ring Finger of God.¡±


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [You paid 1 Gcoin for the healing.]


    ¡°<i>Cough cough!</i>¡±


    A veil of white light cascaded upon Sword Demon. Soon, he began gasping for breath.


    <i>Thank goodness, he¡¯s still with us...</i>


    <i> </i>Still, why did healing him only cost me 1 Gcoin, whereas my own cost 10,000,000 Gcoins?


    <i>What a rip-off! This is why I don¡¯t want to use the skill on myself!</i>


    Johan saw everything unfolded and was dumbfounded. It was as if his absolute faith had wavered greatly.


    ¡°H-how were you able to use the divine power of my God...?¡±


    ¡°How else? Godcoins are the shit!¡±


    Seizing the opportunity, I heavily stomped on the ground.


    <i>Bam bam bam!</i>


    ¡°<i>Ack</i>!¡±


    The ground shook violently, causing Johan to stagger.


    Without missing a beat, I quickly moved behind him, wrapping my arm around his neck. It was one of the two areas unprotected by his armor.


    ¡°Got you!¡±


    ¡°<i>Gasp!</i>¡±


    I put Johan into a chokehold¡ªa wrestling technique. It¡¯d stun the opponent bypressing the carotid artery in the neck using an arm.


    ¡°<i>Kegh! Cough!</i> Let me go!¡± Johan screamed, twisting his body in an attempt to break free.


    However, he was missing an arm, while mine had expanded to the size of a log, thanks to Il-Ho¡¯s Strong Body. After roughly twenty seconds, Johan finally copsed, foaming at the mouth.


    ¡°Nice.¡±


    Just to be sure, I checked on him a few times until I was fully sure he was out cold. Since my opponent had the ability to regenerate, I tried stunning him, and it worked.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get this annoying armor off of him first.¡± I applied pressure on Johan¡¯s armor.


    -<i>Grrr!</i>


    In response, the dragon mark on the armor writhed and growled, as if resisting. I ignored it and continued exerting more strength.


    <i>Craaaack!</i>


    Soon, the armor crumbled like a crab¡¯s shell.


    ¡°Still trying to fight back?¡±


    <i>Flick, thump!</i>


    I strewn the armor shards all around, then essed the God¡¯s Shop menu on God-Maker.


    -----


    [World-Binding Snake''s Rope]


    Description: Made of the scales of the Snake of Destruction. Imbued with power that could seal the magic and power of those bound by it.


    Special note: Extremely tough


    -----


    I purchased another set of ropes, simr to those I had used to restrain the Cheol Siblings. Then, I proceeded to bind Johan tightly. Afraid that one wasn¡¯t enough, I bought five more, wrapping him like a mummy.


    <i>Ugh, how tiring...</i>


    <i>Ssss, ssss¡ª</i>


    Just then, the duration of my Skill Sharing with Il-Ho ended, and my body returned to that of a frail writer¡¯s.


    ¡°Is it over?¡±


    Heck, I hadn¡¯t even transmigrated yet, but here I was, single-handedly going up against an evil organization. I didn¡¯t want a repeat of this. I was obviously not made for this. I didn¡¯t want to be a hero! I just wanted to write a story where heroes did great things!


    ¡°Oh, right, I have a deadline to rush.¡± I dropped an email and went off the grid. My editor-in-charge must be out for my blood right now. I needed to think about what excuse to use this time.


    <i>Wooong!</i>


    All of a sudden, my phone vibrated. Speak of the devil! I nced at it, but it wasn¡¯t my editor-in-charge. Nor was it my phone.


    ¡°...?¡±


    Instead, the epicenter of the vibration was at my feet. It was from the blood-red magic circle that had swallowed the corpses earlier.


    <i>Tzzzz!</i>


    It glowed with light that was much more sinister than before.


    <i>W-what¡¯s that?</i>


    At the same time, my stalkers chimed in.


    [Infinite Abundance shouted that it was a breach of contract!]


    [All-Cutting Heavenly Sword watches the current situation with interest.]


    [Silently Crawling Nightmare warns you to run from that ce right away.]


    [Eternal Seeker res at ¡°???¡± with resentment.]


    -<i>Grrr...</i>


    A bizarre sound came from the blood-red magic circle. An ethereal sensation, brimming with malice, greed, and starvation surged in me. Reflexively, I tried to fend off the overwhelming fear, only to suffer a splitting headache.


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    [Appraisal failed!]


    [The level of Blind Eyes of God is too low.]


    <i>Thud thud thud! Creaaaak!</i>


    ¡°<i>Aaarrgh</i>!¡±


    A sound like something being forcibly ripped apart, apanied by an earthquake, rang, and threatened to wreck my eardrums.


    [Warning! Warning!]


    [God of Destroyer ¡°???¡± is forcefully breaking into Earth!]


    Red characters, seemingly written in blood, floated up on the magic circle. Something ck tried to emerge from it. I instinctively knew it was something that mustn¡¯t be released into this world.


    After all, would a ¡°thing¡± that had devoured mountains of corpses as if they were nothing have any regard for human lives?


    I had to stop it¡ªbut how?


    ¡°Crushing Forefinger of God!¡±


    I tried to use my power on the magic circle.


    [You failed. He¡¯s a Top-tier God unaffected by Yu Il-Shin¡¯s power.]


    It didn¡¯t work.


    <i>Crackkkk!</i>


    At the same time, what appeared to be a sharp, ck de emerged from the magic circle. It looked like the ws of a gigantic beast.


    <i>Riiiip!</i>


    As it forced its way through the magic circle, a portion of its massive eyeball peeked through the gap, burning like the sun.


    -Grrrr!


    <i>Plop!</i>


    The moment I locked eyes with it, my entire body went limp, and I crumpled to the ground.


    The ¡°thing¡± was simply beyond humanprehension. In fact, it could very well be the real ¡°God¡± or ¡°Devil¡± that humans believed or worshiped. A real one, unlike the fake gods in the game I was ying.


    <i>Shiver!</i>


    I trembled uncontrobly, hyperventting. I couldn¡¯t even move due to the overwhelming fear and helplessness, let alone escape. Was this how an ant felt when facing a human?


    Thus, I could only watch in devastation as the ¡°thing¡± crawled out of the magic circle.


    <i>Am I going to die? </i>


    <i>Ding ding!</i>


    [The innate power Blind Eyes of God has been activated.]


    God-Maker reacted violently. I saw my ants, the Gayami tribe, in the Antrinia world. They were covered in unknown white powder, and were slowly dying one by one. And yet, that didn¡¯t stop them from praying to me.


    -God Yu Il-Shin, you mustn¡¯t yield to the evil god! Please use my muscles!


    -God Yu Il-Shin, please do not turn reticent! You are this servant¡¯s only God. Please stay strong!


    -O¡¯ great and merciful God Yu Il-Shin, I pray for your victory!


    The prayers from Il-Ho, Anty, and the rest of the Gayami tribe woke me up. Yes, I wasn¡¯t alone.


    ¡°<i>Huff! Huff!</i>¡±


    <i>Puck! Puck!</i>


    Punching my legs, which had gone weak, I struggled to get on my feet. But the reality didn¡¯t change. That ¡°thing¡± wasn¡¯t something I could easily take down. The sword in my backpack jerked violently, as if asking me to use it.


    ¡°No.¡±


    I admired its confidence, but the enemy was on an entirely different level¡ªone that a kitchen knife couldn¡¯t wish to ovee.


    <i>But, if it¡¯s the sword of a true god...</i>


    I looked up and said, ¡°Mr. All-Cutting Heavenly Sword.¡±


    [All-Cutting Heavenly Sword asked why you¡¯re calling for him.]


    ¡°As per our deal, let me use your treasury.¡±


    [All-Cutting Heavenly Sword twirls the tip of his sword roughly.]


    Regardless, I red at the monster that was about to emerge from the ground...


    ¡°Summon Heavenly Sword Treasury.¡±


    I used it.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [You have used one ess to All-Cutting Heavenly Sword¡¯s Heavenly Sword Treasury.]


    [Heavenly Sword Treasury descends on Earth!]


    <i>Riiip!</i>


    Then, like an egg hatching, my world shattered.

 Chapter 52: Sword of the Mountain-Gnawing Titan

    <h4>Chapter 52: Sword of the Mountain-Gnawing Titan</h4>


    I no longer bore witness to the cathartic situation in which an unknown god was invading my world. Instead, a boundless, enigmatic white space expanded before me.


    The endless space held only one thing: swords.


    Despiteing in various shapes and sizes, they were all the same in one way<i>¡ª</i>extraordinary. Even an outsider like me could tell.


    The limitless space where countless swords floated was none other than the Heavenly Sword Treasury.


    [All-Cutting Heavenly Sword ims that all divine swords in the past, present, and future belong to him.]


    [All-Cutting Heavenly Sword asks you to choose one of the swords in the Heavenly Sword Treasury as per the agreement.]


    <i>tter¡ª</i>


    All of a sudden, a myriad of splendid and mighty-looking swords, emitting colorful radiance, encircled me. They seemed to be urging me to choose them. I gazed at them in awe, feeling like a king surrounded by a harem of beauties.


    How could I bear to choose only one? That was just harsh<i>¡ª</i>I wanted to take them all!


    [All-Cutting Heavenly Sword says that you can choose more than one. He¡¯ll just reduce the number of tickets you have.]


    <i>Of course! This dirty little prick!</i>


    I stared at the divine swords floating around me. Which should I choose? Which could help me stop a monster I couldn¡¯t even appraise?


    [The innate power Blind Eyes of God has been activated.]


    I concentrate fully on the divine swords, hoping to make the best possible choice. ...Just then, I caught sight of <i>it </i>in the distance. If the many dazzling swords around me were akin to alluring dancers, this one would be a defeated soldier<i>¡ª</i>old and wretched. Despite that, as if in a trance, I strode toward it, ignoring the rest.


    [All-Cutting Heavenly Sword is quite embarrassed. He said that it was an old piece of scrap metal, and suggested that you choose another sword.]


    On a closer look, it¡¯d be more precise to call this sword a small spire. After all, this piece of junk barely had the most essential part of a sword: the de. Nevertheless, it was still a couple of timesrger than myself, so I could only imagine its original splendor.


    [All-Cutting Heavenly Sword says that sword is too heavy for a weakling like you to even wield properly, so choose another sword instead...]


    At that point, I stopped paying the Heavenly Sword stalker attention.


    ¡°Did you summon me?¡±


    <i>Woooong!</i>


    The broken sword hilt began to respond violently!


    My skill activated, appraising it.


    -----


    [Sword of the Mountain-Gnawing Titan]


    No. 444 in All-Cutting Heavenly Sword¡¯s collection.


    Special note: It wants revenge!


    -----


    ¡°Re...venge?¡±


    Still in a daze, I reached out for the crude hilt.


    And then, I witnessed something.


    ***


    He was colossal, rivaling the size of mountains. In fact, that was his staple food. Every day, a huge mountain would disappear, turning into his meal. The humans, who were both in awe and fearful of his power, revered him as the Titan.


    The titan was neither a malevolent god nor a benevolent one. On one hand, he had destroyed an entire nation for disturbing him; on the other, he had saved a vige from andslide. Even then, it was because a girl had offered him flowers.


    <i>Thump!</i>


    The fact that she was a heartstopping beauty with a voluptuous body yed a significant role.


    Time had passed since then. The once beautiful girl had grown into a captivating middle-aged woman. She respectfully prayed to the Titan.


    ¡°Congrattions on bing a god among gods, Titan.¡±


    -Why would you congratte me?


    Smirking, the Titan gnawed on the mountain in his hand.


    -None of those self-proimed gods could withstand a single blow from my sword. And those weaklings call themselves gods?! Outrageous.


    Once again, the Titan had conquered the world. Taking down all of those who imed to be gods, he became the sole ruler of this world.


    -But my love, why do you look so gaunt? Did someone torment you? If that swine you call a king dares to flirt with you again, I¡¯ll eradicate his kingdom at once!


    The Titan looked down at the meek maiden and said that.


    ¡°N-no. The king wouldn¡¯t dare to covet me, the maiden of Titan. But...¡±


    -But?


    ¡°I¡¯ve been having bizarre nightmarestely, and they worry me.¡±


    -Nightmares? Those, <i>uh</i>... those so-called scary dreams that humans have while asleep?


    The emotionless Titan couldn¡¯t understand.


    ¡°Yes, what a terrifying nightmare it was! In my dream, I saw a god so huge, my words failed me! It was absolute evil<i>¡ª</i>it swallowed the whole world! I¡¯m aware it¡¯s a dream, but merely thinking about it scares me...¡± The maiden answered, shuddering ever so slightly.


    -<i>Hmph</i>!


    The Titan pulled out his sword, which was buried in the ground. The tremendous ck sword towered like a spire, piercing the clouds.


    -Your worries are for naught! Both you and this world belong to me! Only a mindless fool would dare vie for what¡¯s mine! Just go ahead and sleep in peace!


    The Titan shouted arrogantly with a grunt.


    ¡°Indeed. We do have the lovely Titan in this world.¡± The maiden smiled brightly.


    <i>Thump!</i>


    Even after a hundred years had passed, his feelings whenever he saw her smile remained unchanged. And the Titan wouldn¡¯t ask for more.


    But the Titan had failed his promise. He had lost everything. His beloved maiden, the world, and even his life.


    All that remained was the broken sword and his delusions.


    Thus, a thousand years passed.


    ***


    <i>Woooong!</i>


    The huge, spire-like sword shook raucously. Did I just assimte with the sword? I could feel a stream of tears trickling down my face. What I saw was nothing more than a fragment of the sword¡¯s memory, but how heartrending it was! I hoped that I could write about them someday.


    I then said to the Titan, ¡°Yes, let¡¯s do this together.¡±


    [Yu Il-Shin has chosen collection No. 444, Sword of the Mountain-Gnawing Titan, from All-Cutting Heavenly Sword¡¯s Treasury.]


    <i>Hiss!</i>


    Then, the infinite white space vanished, reced by a dreadful nightmare.


    <i>Ruuumble! Kiiiiik!</i>


    The sight of that monster trying to force its way through the magic circle into my world along with deafening screams, pulled me back to my senses.


    ¡°<i>Huff! Huff!</i>¡±


    Regaining his senses, Sword Demon stared at the monster. Tears streamed down his extremely pale face. The dangerous-looking man seemed to have turned into a cowering child.


    ¡°Mr. S-Sword God?¡±


    I walked past him and headed for the monster.


    ¡°Dear Lord!¡±


    The one who screamed was the root cause of this situation, Johan. The man, restrained by ropes, seemed to havee to his senses.


    The god he imed to serve was about to descend, yet Johan didn¡¯t look the slightest bit happy. Instead, he was despairing with the look of sheer terror in his face. If I had to guess, it was because they were connected and he knew what the monster had in mind.


    ¡°N...no... My Lord. This isn¡¯t what I want. You want to devour everyone, including those who served you?! P-please, have mercy...¡±


    <i>Crack!</i>


    The magic circle was being ripped apart. The gigantic golden eyes peeking through it looked at Johan.


    ¡°<i>Hyiiiieee!</i> <i>Aaarrgh</i>!¡±


    A simple eye contact was enough to drive Johan insane. He turnedpletely white as he coughed up ck, putrid blood. Perhaps, he had begun to realize the true identity behind the ¡°god¡± he served: a ruthless and voracious demon.


    ¡°I know, right?¡±


    I stood before the shattering magic circle that was about to break at any moment.


    <i>Crack!</i>


    The gaze that had quickly dealt with Johan was now directed at me.


    <i>Roaaaar¡ª</i>


    An overwhelming sense of dread and terror engulfed me, akin to how an ant felt toward a human, a human toward the ocean, and the ocean toward the vast universe.


    Normally, that gaze alone would plunge me into despair, but... I wasn¡¯t alone now.


    I reached out into the air.


    <i>Bam! Bam bam bam!</i>


    Upon my call, a towering ck sword appeared in my hand, piercing through the ceiling of the basement and rising into the earth.


    Sword of the Mountain-Gnawing Titan.


    Briefly, I swore that the monster''s gaze wavered as it caught sight of the sword.


    ¡°Sword Devotion.¡±


    The power, bestowed upon by All-Cutting Heavenly Sword, unleashed the full potential of any sword. At the same time, it also united my mind and body with the sword. When I activated Sword Devotion, the violence came not from the power, but the Sword God himself!


    <i>ck ck!</i>


    The knife in my bag thrashed violently as if heavily objecting, which I ignored.


    ¡°<i>Hyaaaaa</i>!¡±


    Through Sword Devotion, I transformed into the Titan from ancient times.


    <i>Rooooar!</i>


    Mythical power and vengeance surged through my entire body. I pointed the huge sword toward the monster behind the magic circle...


    ¡°Destroyer! Get out of my world!¡±


    I yelled along with the Sword of the Mountain-Gnawing Titan.


    ***


    Ten years had passed since a crack formed in the 12th District of Wuwon City, reducing it into a ghost town.


    ¡°Search deeper!¡±


    However, right now, thousands of people are gathered there. They consisted of over two thousand Hunters and military units, dispatched by the Hunter Association.


    Three hours ago, a crack of at least SSS-grade had formed in that location. For a few seconds, a monster was detected within it, one that was capable of wiping out an entire nation.


    Although it could¡¯ve been a mistake on the analyzing Hunter¡¯s part, it definitely couldn¡¯t be overlooked. A man in his mid-forties, donning ck sunsses and a Burberry coat, sighed heavily at the sight before him.


    ¡°What exactly happened here?¡±


    In the middle of the ruined city was a canyon extending over a hundred meters in length, its bottom hidden from view.


    ¡°Why would this happen when our hands are full with the Second Moon!¡±


    He was Heo Kang-Cheol, director of the Hunter Association. He visited the site to assess the situation firsthand. ¡°It seems like we¡¯ll have tomence with the project swiftly.¡±


    Just then...


    ¡°There¡¯s a survivor here!¡±


    Someone from the search party pulled out a survivor buried in the dirt.


    <i>Flick!</i>


    Heo Kang-Cheol rushed over with swiftness that was unfitting for his age. He was a former Hunter, after all.


    The survivor was an old, wrinkly man with white hair, who seemed to be in his eighties.


    ¡°Mister, what exactly happened here?¡±


    ¡°<i>Kehehe</i>... <i>Hehehe</i>...¡±


    The old man beganughing, drooling profusely. His eyes were zed over, while filthy fluid was oozing from his lower body.


    ¡°This man is in no condition to speak. Take him to the hospital right away.¡± Heo Kang-Cheol frowned.


    The old man carried away in the stretcher thought of the god who tore through the crack, trying to descend into this world.


    -<i>Grrrr</i>!


    Eyes as massive as the sun. Nail that would rend the mountain asunder. Truly,pared to such a god, humans were utterly insignificant! That god needed no more than three days to consume all of humanity.


    Yet, in the face of such a fearsome being, that man¡ªYu Il-Shin¡ªgripped his sword in both hands and held it high.


    His muscles rippled like a war god as he swung the gargantuan ck sword, striking the god¡ªno, demon that was trying to descend into their world.


    ¡°Destruction! Get out of my world!¡±


    -<i>Kyaaak</i>! <i>Kieeeek</i>!


    With a deafening wail, the world exploded.


    The old, crippled man, also known as Johan, muttered between drools, ¡°...<i>Ah</i>, Yu Il-Shin. Truly, a god among gods...¡±

 Chapter 53: Would You Kill or Save a Billion?

    <h4>Chapter 53: Would You Kill or Save a Billion?</h4>


    The city of Gayami in Antrinia suffered a devastating aftermath from Buttor¡¯s poison. Not even those who took shelter in the buildings were spared.


    ¡°<i>Hyiiiie!</i> My body, my entire body, is burning! <i>Aaaarggh</i>!¡±


    ¡°It hurts! it hurts so much, Mommy!¡±


    ¡°<i>Aaargh!</i> It hurts so much! Just kill me!¡±


    Screams and wails echoed everywhere as if hell itself had been unleashed upon their world.


    ¡°<i>Huff, huff.</i>¡±


    The Saintess, Anty, struggled to heal them. However, her power alone wasn¡¯t enough to heal over millions of them.


    ¡°<i>Cough cough!</i>¡±


    Anty spewed ck blood. Yes, she also fell victim to the poison.


    ¡°S-Saintess...¡±


    <i>Flop! Thud! Thud!</i>


    One by one, the Gayamis who helped Anty copsed to the ground. Although the evolution had made them stronger, they were still no match for Buttor¡¯s poison.


    Tears welled up in Anty¡¯s eyes as she watched her tribesmen bleed to death. Was this how everything was going to end?


    ¡°<i>Muuuuscles!</i>¡± A yell rang from the city center. ¡°O¡¯ Almighty God, please return victorious!¡±


    Il-Ho raised his muscr arms like an ancient statue. He prayed for Yu Il-Shin¡¯s victory in the battle against the evil god. Every time he shouted, he¡¯d cough up ck blood, yet his voice didn¡¯t falter in the slightest. One wouldn¡¯t believe that he was dying from the poison.


    ¡°Yu Il...¡± Il-Ho suddenly turned silent after all the shouting.


    ¡°Mr. ...Il-Ho?¡±


    Il-Ho turned toward Anty.


    <i>Trickle!</i>


    Tears were streaming down his squarish face like a waterfall. Anty¡¯s heart sank.


    ¡°W-what¡¯s wrong? Did something happen to God Yu Il-Shin?¡±


    ¡°<i>Waaaaah!</i> He has won the battle against the evil god!¡± The muscr man wailed like a child.


    <i>Ruuumble!</i>


    Just then, there was a blinding light in the skies, and Yu Il-Shin descended into Antrinia. The sight of her god left Anty in awe. She could only imagine how terrifying his opponent was, seeing him injured all over.


    Then, Yu Il-Shin spoke in a tired voice...


    -Wait... a minute... I¡¯ll heal all of you soon.


    He proceeded to point his ring finger at the city.


    -Healing Ring Finger of God!


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Calcting the number of targets to be healed by Healing Ring Finger of God.]


    [You paid 5,212,385 Gcoins for the healing.]


    <i>Tzzz! sh!</i>


    Dazzling white radiance enveloped the entire city, and a miracle happened!


    ¡°H-how?¡±


    ¡°No way! It¡¯s unbelievable!¡±


    ¡°I-I¡¯m all healed...¡±


    The dying citizens were restored in such pristine health. It was as if they''d never been poisoned, to begin with. Not only that, they felt way more energized than ever! The incredible and extraordinary miracle performed by Yu Il-Shin had saved them!


    Yu Il-Shin then spoke to them.


    -I¡¯m going to... rest then... I¡¯m exhausted because of that pervert, fuck...


    <i>Thud!</i>


    They heard Yu Il-Shin uttering a strange incantation, ¡°puck¡± before copsing. Then, they witnessed how a sharp-looking giant swiftly supported him.


    -Mr. Sword God! Are you alright?! Dammit! Let¡¯s get you treated first!


    <i>Flick! </i>


    And that was thest they saw of Yu Il-Shin.


    ¡°<i>s</i>! God Yu Il-Shin...¡± Anty fell to her knees, sping her hands together.


    After a hard-fought battle against an evil god, Yu Il-Shin was heavily wounded. And yet, he still prioritized the well-being of his insignificant followers. Truly, he loved them as if they were his own!


    ¡°God Yu Il-Shin, puck.¡±


    Anty earnestly prayed for his speedy recovery.


    She didn¡¯t know what it meant, but it should have a profound meaning since their god said it. Led by Anty, the others knelt down simultaneously.


    ¡°God Yu Il-Shin.¡±


    ¡°O¡¯ God Yu Il-Shin.¡±


    ¡°The great and merciful...¡±


    ¡°God Yu Il-Shin, puck! Puck!¡±


    Hot tears flowed as they praised Yu Il-Shin.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [The faith conversion rate of the city has reached 100%.]


    [You have gained 5,212,224 followers.]


    [The ss of the new followers has been changed.]


    [You can now earn 100 Gcoins for every 1 faith.]


    [You have been rewarded 521,224,500 White Gcoins.]


    [Congrattions. Your current number of followers has met the promotion requirements!]


    [Evaluating your new divine achievement: Stopping the Descent of ??? the God of Destroyer...]


    ***


    Two days had passed since I fought against the pervert and the eyeball monster. Finally, I was able to return to my sweet room! Ah, I was so d to have my peaceful life back!


    ¡°Uncle Il-Shin, do I stick it here?¡±


    ¡°<i>Hmm,</i> no. A bit higher... Yes, just a bit more. Oh, yes! <i>Aaah</i>, how refreshing.¡±


    <i>p p!</i>


    ¡°Uncle sounds like a grandpa.¡±


    Seong-Yeon giggled, applying the ster on my back with her small hands.


    <i>Uh-oh, Dear Niece? You aren¡¯t supposed to say that to a young bachelor.</i>


    Why was I making a lot of noises while being pummeled by my little niece, you ask? That giant divine sword from the Heavenly Sword Treasury was to me. Sure, it was powerful enough to fend off that eyeball monster, but it had put so much strain on my untrained body. As a result, my muscles were aching all over.


    ¡°...But Uncle?¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    Seong-Yeon ced a hand on my ear and whispered, ¡°Who is that scary uncle?¡±


    Kneeling in the corner of my room was the epitome of S.S.S. Strict, stern, serious. The man was as motionless as the statues offered by the ants. In fact, anyone who visited would probably mistake him for one.


    Sighing, I called out to him, ¡°Mr. Sword Demon.¡±


    ¡°Yes! Mr. Sword God, you called?¡± he shouted, smashing his head against the floor with a thud.


    How burdensome. After that incident, this guy¡¯s extreme behavior only escted further.


    ¡°Why are you still here?¡±


    Hadn¡¯t we dealt with those cultists? Why was he still sticking around?


    Sword Demon¡¯s eyes sparkled as if he had been waiting for that exact question.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have a home! I¡¯ll follow you wherever you go!¡± he said.


    Sword Demon stared at me with a burning passion, almost like a fanatic. Wait, he was indeed one.


    [Sword Demon (Yu Il-Shin¡¯s Fanatic)]


    Trying my best to ignore the title blinking above his head, I asked, ¡°What about the thing I asked you to do?¡±


    Before, I had instructed him to clean up the remnants of the Brilliance Guild, since it¡¯d be a hassle if they regrouped and plotted revenge.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for me to do anything.¡±


    Huh? What did he mean by that?


    ¡°The Hunter Association¡¯s special task force was already hunting them down. Not to mention, it was led by the S-rank Hunter, Sung Mi-Na. It¡¯s safe to say that the ck market of Korea is done for.¡±


    Sung Mi-Na, the S-rank Hunter with both beauty and talent. She¡¯d asionally appear on TVmercials, overshadowing most celebrities. At the same time, she was also a veteran in conquering S-rank dungeons.


    Still, why did that name sound so familiar? I was probably mistaken. If I didn¡¯t know better, I¡¯d think that she was Sung Mi-Ri¡¯s sister. But the two of them didn¡¯t look simr in the slightest. Despite her young age, Sung Mi-Ri was quite morous, while Sung Mi-Na... Yeah, their body type was too different.


    <i>Ah,e to think of it, I wonder how Sung Mi-Ri is doing? </i>


    Since I was feeling better now, maybe I should go visit her at the hospital. If she still hadn¡¯t recovered, I could use my power to heal her.


    ¡°Mr. Sword God.¡± The culprit behind Sung Mi-Ri¡¯s hospitalization spoke. ¡°Actually, I have a gift for your niece.¡±


    ¡°A present?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I did my best to prepare a gift for her. Will you please ept it?¡±


    I honestly didn¡¯t expect that? I mean, he had such a fierce and blunt appearance. Maybe he wasn¡¯t such a bad person after all...


    ¡°No, I should be the one thanking you. Seong-Yeon, this uncle says he has something for you.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    Seong-Yeon peeked out from behind me, a mix of fear and excitement in her eyes as she heard about the present.


    Blushing slightly, Sword Demon bashfully took out a neatly wrapped present.


    Seong-Yeon beamed, expecting it to be snacks or toys. But the thing Sword Demon revealed was totally unexpected.


    A blood-red dagger about 15 cm long.


    Seong-Yeon widened her eyes in surprise. ¡°<i>Waaah, </i>it¡¯s pretty!¡±


    <i>Wooong!</i>


    As if responding to Seong-Yeon, the crimson light intensified. My skill activated on its own, appraising the dagger.


    -----


    [Demonic Sword Hrunting]


    A demonic sword crazy for blood.


    Special note: Fucking sharp.


    -----


    <i>Crazy for blood?</i>


    Sword Demon grinned slyly, revealing his teeth.


    ¡°<i>Hoohoo, </i>As Mr. Sword God¡¯s niece, Ms. Seong-Yeon must have the same potential! I secretly stole this famous Grade A sword when I raided the ck market. Please ept¡ª¡±


    <i>Punch!</i>


    I reflexively got up and punched him straight in the head.


    ¡°Are you nuts?! How could you give an innocent child such a thing?! What will her parents think?!¡±


    ¡°<i>Kwek</i>!¡±


    Letting out a scream unbefitting of his appearance, Sword Demon fell to the ground like a frog smashing a rock, andid motionless after.


    ¡°<i>Uhm, </i>hello?¡±


    Shocked that he didn¡¯t respond, I flipped him over and saw that he had fainted. Wow, not only was he foaming at the mouth, but his eyes were also rolling back.


    ¡°That''s weird. I didn''t hit him that hard?¡± I thoughtlessly looked at my fist that hit him.


    Huh? Was my fist this big before? It seemed to have grown twice the size.


    Plus, my body seemed to have be better. Was I finally seeing results from the training with the Tiger Gym Director? I stood before the cracked mirror and took off my shirt. Then, I examined my body closely.


    Instead of looking like a broke, out-of-shape writer with a pot belly, I now had defined six-packs.


    <i>Wow, seriously... This is awesome.</i>


    Although my body didn¡¯t look as macho as Il-Ho¡¯s, I preferred this. The muscles were built in the right areas. Seems like I¡¯d be more popr with thedies soon.


    ¡°Seong-Yeon, how does uncle look now?¡± I flexed my muscles to her and even made a pose.


    But Seong-Yeon remained nonchnt, before wordlessly turning away. Apparently, she wasn¡¯t impressed.


    <i>Niece! Please take some interest in your uncle! </i>


    I sighed dejectedly, crouching down in a corner of my room at her indifference.


    The man who fainted beside me pricked my conscience, so I covered his face with my nket. That''s better.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Calctions for your achievements arepleted.]


    [You have stopped the God of Destroyer ¡°??? (1/100)¡±¡¯s alter ego from descending on Earth.]


    [Your good deeds have increased by 1,000,000.]


    <i>nk nk!</i>


    Dazzling white Godcoins poured out from my phone.


    Were they referring to that eyeball monster that tried toe to Earth? Huh? There were 99 more of those?!


    Unbelievable. I recalled the monster that tried to get out of the crack. It seemed to be a few timesrger than the Jamsil Stadium...


    More messages came from God-Maker.


    [Congrattions, Yu Il-Shin. ]


    [With the amazing features and millions of followers under you, you are now qualified for the promotion quest.]


    [Upon thepletion of the quest, you¡¯ll be upgraded from a Lowest-tier God to a Low-tier God.]


    [Having both benevolent and malevolent god titles, you may simultaneously proceed with the promotion quests for both paths.]


    -----


    [Low-tier Benevolent God Promotion Quest]


    Have over a billion intelligent beings, or ept ten (10) intelligent beings of S-rank or higher as your followers.


    -----


    [Low-tier Malevolent God Promotion Quest]


    Sacrifice over a billion intelligent beings and umte karma, or sacrifice ten (10) intelligent beings of S-rank or higher and assimte their powers.


    -----


    [Yu Il-Shin, will you ept the Promotion Quests? (Yes/No)]

 Chapter 54: Guardian, You Must Fully Believe in Yu Il-Shin

    <h4>Chapter 54: Guardian, You Must Fully Believe in Yu Il-Shin</h4>


    A S-rank dungeon had appeared at the Blue House. Due to a precedent at the National Assembly, the government and Hunter Association swiftly dispatched a team onsite. They were a huge raid party consisting of S-rank Hunters such as Baek Yoo-Hyun, Sung Mi-Na, along with thirty other high-ranking Hunters.


    However, the other Hunters were questioning if they were even needed. After all, Sung Mi-Na could probably clear the dungeon on her own.


    Sung Mi-Na stood by a two-headed serpent. The fact that the monster was a few hundred meters long made her look tiny inparison. The scene looked so surreal.


    -<i>Krrrr...</i>


    Sung Mi-Na''s eyes turned blue.


    -Shut up.


    Frustrated, Sung Mi-Na stepped on the growling Two-Headed Dragon¡¯s head. Its hide could deflect steel, yet Sung Mi-Na¡¯s heel prated it with ease. Unable to let out even a roar, the dragon could only shed huge droplets of tears.


    Sung Mi-Na''s ability was mind control. As a Psychic-type Hunter, the Hunter Association had set herbat level to be lower than her actual level. Since she dislikedbat to begin with, she was assigned to support the rear that day. However, just as they were about to kill the Two-Headed Dragon, Sung Mi-Na stepped to the frontline.


    Grimacing, she looked down at the heads she trampled on andmanded.


    -<strong><i>Kill each other.</i></strong>


    Born sharing a body, the two heads never fought¡ªuntil that day. They ferociously attacked, gnawing and poisoning each other. As a result...


    ¡°Are you really an S-rank Hunter? Dragons are known to have particrly high mental resistance. How did you manage to easily...¡± Baek Yoo-Hyun said with a frustrated look.


    ¡°You can do the clean up yourself, right? Hand me the Return Stone.¡±


    ¡°What? Where are you going?!¡±


    ¡°Just give it to me!¡±


    Annoyed, Baek Yoo-Hyun tossed the shining blue Return Stone to Sung Mi-Na.


    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s the rush? That stone is worth 100 million won. Do you absolutely have to use it? Can¡¯t you just go home normally?¡±


    ¡°Shut up! It¡¯s none of your business!¡± Sung Mi-Na anxiously bit her nails and muttered under her breath. ¡°I only joined because Miracle said the monster was a Dragon-type! What is this worthless shit? ...Darn it, what a waste of time!¡±


    <i>Swoosh!</i>


    Afterward, she used the Return Stone and disappeared from the dungeon.


    ¡°<i>Ugh, </i>I swear, her mood swings...¡± Baek Yoo-Hyun scratched his head.


    Sung Mi-Na was a renowned blue-chip of the advertising world due to her innocent beauty. Such bullshit. In reality, she was a tyrant through and through!


    ¡°<i>Tsk</i>. Thank god she¡¯s a beauty.¡±


    With a smile, Baek Yoo-Hyun turned to the dumbfounded Hunters left in the dungeon.


    ¡°Then, as our queen said, shall we clean up this ce? We conquered an S-rank dungeon with no casualties. Amazing, right?¡±


    ***


    -----


    [Quest: Low-tier Benevolent God Promotion (In Progress)]


    Normal Followers: 5,212,326/1,000,000,000


    Followers of intelligent beings at S-rank and above with potential for transcendence: 0/10


    -----


    [Quest: Low-tier Malevolent God Promotion (In Progress)]


    Normal Followers: 0/1,000,000,000


    Followers of intelligent beings at S-rank and above with potential for transcendence: 0/10


    -----


    So, I ended up taking both promotion quests.


    ¡°<i>Ugh. </i>Can I even clear them?¡±


    Both quests had an insane difficulty. Either amass a billion followers or kill them. Otherwise, amass 10 S-rank followers or kill them. Both were hopeless.


    <i>Well, worrying over this wouldn¡¯t help to solve anything. I¡¯ll just think over itter.</i>


    In fact, it didn¡¯t make much of a difference being a Lowest-tier or Low-tier god.


    <i>I should just visit Sung Mi-Ri at the hospital first.</i>


    I returned Seong-Yeon to my older sister, then headed to the hospital where Sung Mi-Ri was admitted. Thus, I arrived at Buhwal University Hospital.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s here?¡±


    <i>Knock knock!</i>


    I knocked on the door to Room 505.


    ¡°Ms. Sung Mi-Ri! Are you in?¡±


    ¡°<i>Whoa</i>! Wow! <i>Ouch</i>! Mister!¡±


    The fully bandaged Sung Mi-Ri was doing push-ups with an index finger. When she spotted me, she jumped up and rushed over to greet me.


    ¡°Teacher Yu Il-Shin! Are you here to visit me? I¡¯m so happy!¡±


    Her eyes sparkled. If she had a tail, she¡¯d probably wag it like a little puppy.


    ¡°<i>Haa</i>, why are you doing this when you¡¯re hurt?¡±


    ¡°Hehe, I¡¯m feeling a bit sore from staying still all day.¡±


    Her bright smile made me unable to argue any further.


    ¡°Are you feeling better?¡±


    ¡°Yes! I¡¯m totally fine! Without a single scar to be seen! Would you like to check?¡±


    Sung Mi-Ri unraveled her bandages to show me the wound on her back. Flustered, I quickly turned around.


    ¡°How does it look? Totally fine right?¡±


    <i>Um, hello? Do you realize that we¡¯re treading very thinly on child-youth protectionw? I didn¡¯t see anything, Your Honor!</i>


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    Just then, I heard an ice-cold voice.


    Looking ahead, I saw a woman standing with a baseball cap pushed down low. Her face was covered with sunsses and a mask. Despite her casual attire¡ªjeans and a puffy stadium jacket¡ªan unmistakable aura surrounded her.


    Her brows furrowed as she looked at both of us.


    ¡°Prick, what¡¯s your rtionship with my younger sister?¡± she asked.


    <i>¡°Younger sister¡±? She¡¯s Sung Mi-Ri¡¯s older sister? </i>


    My face turned red. I was wearing the same sweatshirt I¡¯d been wearing for the past few days. My sneakers were also worn out. I reeked of unemployment. A wave of regret washed over. Had I known that I¡¯d meet her older sister here, I¡¯d have dressed better!


    ¡°I¡¯ll kill you if you deceive my younger sister.¡±


    Although she was shorter than me by two heads, the eyes behind those sunsses were as sharp as a hawk¡¯s.


    Just as I was wondering how I should best answer her, Sung Mi-Ri chimed in. ¡°Unni! Why are you so rude to Teacher Yu Il-Shin!¡±


    ¡°Teacher? <i>This</i> guy?¡± The woman took off her sunsses.


    Well, they did look alike. In contrast to Sung Mi-Ri¡¯s, the woman¡¯s gaze was frigid as she scanned me up and down.


    ¡°Is he a teacher from the Hunter Academy?¡±


    Huh? Hunter Academy? Oh, so that was why Sung Mi-Ri¡¯s uniform looked so familiar when we first met. She became a B-rank Hunter at such a young age, after all. I could see why the Hunter Academy would scout her. Moreover, most of the active S-rank Hunters in South Korea were graduates from there.


    In short, that was an elite course. But me, a teacher of the Hunter Academy? No way. I was just a third-rate writer who struggled to pay his own bills.


    ¡°I,¡± I was about to answer when I noticed that Sung Mi-Ri kept winking at me with a sullen look on her face. ¡°Yes, yes... That¡¯s right.¡±


    Unintentionally lying hurt my conscience.


    ¡°What do you teach?¡±


    ¡°I-I¡¯m a physical education teacher.¡±


    Technically, it wasn¡¯t wrong. Hadn¡¯t I been helping Sung Mi-Ri with training?


    ¡°In that case, you¡¯d be active as a Hunter. But why haven¡¯t I seen you around?¡± She stared at me, her gaze skeptical and taunting.


    ¡°What is your rank? You don¡¯t look like much.¡±


    ¡°Unni, that¡¯s too harsh!¡±


    I was dumbfounded, unsure of how to respond.


    ¡°He¡¯s super amazing! You may not recognize him, but he might be stronger than you?! Don¡¯t look down on him!" Sung Mi-Ri blurted.


    The woman dropped her gaze, before throwing her hat and mask onto the floor.


    Her staggering beauty made me speechless. The blue-chip of the broadcasting industry, whose beauty surpassed most celebrities. All this time, I could only see her on TV or Newtube. But now, the S-rank Hunter Sung Mi-Na was standing in front of me in the flesh. I thought the simrity in their names was purely coincidental, but they were actually siblings.


    Actually, I had a hard time believing any of this was real.


    ¡°Mi-Ri, you sure are brave.¡±


    Approaching her younger sister, Sung Mi-Na¡¯s hair stood on ends due to an invisible force at work.


    ¡°What? Nothing scares you now that you¡¯re an A-rank Hunter?¡±


    She might be smiling, but her gaze was chilling.


    ¡°Need I remind you who¡¯s stronger?¡±


    <i>Howl!</i>


    The air around Sung Mi-Na distorted like a mirage as if repelled by the aura she emitted.


    ¡°<i>Ugh</i>...¡± Sung Mi-Ri turned pale and broke out in cold sweat.


    Sung Mi-Na turned scornful at the sight. ¡°<i>Hmph</i>, how weak you are. And you call yourself a Hunter? Just do as you''re told, got it?¡±


    ¡°I-I...¡±


    Sung Mi-Ri tried to answer, but she could only tremble in fear under the invisible power that was suppressing her.


    ¡°Please calm down, Miss.¡±


    I stepped in to prevent things from escting further.


    Sung Mi-Na looked up.


    <i>Tzzz!</i>


    The blue aura in Sung Mi-Na¡¯s eyes pierced through me.


    ¡°<strong><i>Outsider, get lost</i></strong><i>!</i>¡±


    <i>Wow, despite her slender frame, she sure is loud. </i>


    ¡°<i>Ugh</i>, you¡¯re louder than expected.¡±


    I frowned. It was as if she was screaming in my ear.


    Briefly, she had a flustered look on her face.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you leaving? How?¡±


    ¡°Pardon?<i> Ah</i>, I might have stepped out of line, but isn¡¯t it better to talk things out as siblings?¡±


    ¡°Y-you...?¡±


    Even Sung Mi-Ri was beaming at me.


    <i>Ah, that burdensome expression again...</i>


    ¡°As expected of my teacher! You resisted Unni¡¯s Power of Words!¡±


    Power of Words? Something that could affect people in real life? But why would Sung Mi-Ri bring that up now?


    <i>Ms. Sung Mi-Ri, good things will happen if you say nice words. However, the opposite is also true.</i>


    ¡°You... is your rank...?¡± Sung Mi-Na gave me aplicated look. Suddenly, she lowered her gaze. ¡°I apologize for my rudeness. I misunderstood because you look too young to be a teacher. You¡¯re Mr. Yu Il-Shin? I entrust my younger sister in your hands.¡±


    Unlike earlier, Sung Mi-Na¡¯s attitude shifted drastically.


    ¡°Ah<i>,</i> no. I should be the one saying that.¡± Reflexively, I bowed in return.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got an appointment to go to. I¡¯ll see you another time.¡±


    ¡°Oh, sure.¡±


    ¡°Sung Mi-Ri. Don¡¯t skip your meals just because the hospital food tastes horrible.¡±


    Then, she ced a paper bag on Sung Mi-Ri¡¯s bed. It was porridge from a famous franchise.


    Despite her temperament, she seemed like a nice older sister.


    Afterward, she turned on her heels.


    <i>Hmm. Should I tell her? </i>


    ¡°<i>Uhm, </i>Miss...¡±


    After hesitating for a while, I finally decided to stop her.


    ¡°Yes? What¡¯s the matter?¡± Sung Mi-Na turned around.


    ¡°Are you feeling sick? Or cursed, perhaps? <i>Uhm,</i> does a curse of Abysm ring a bell?¡±


    My skill had activated on its own, and I saw something in her appraisal window.


    -----


    [Sung Mi-Na]


    A female human. Around for 24 years.


    Special note: Under the curse of Abysm of the God of Destroyer.


    -----


    <i>God of Destroyer again? Why does he appear so often?</i>


    <i>Shiver!</i>


    Goosebumps crept up my back instantly. If looks could kill. Sung Mi-Na was ring at me as if I were her mortal enemy.


    ¡°How did you know?¡±

 Chapter 55: As Fanatics Say, It’s Appalling

    <h4>Chapter 55: As Fanatics Say, It¡¯s Appalling</h4>


    <i>How can someone¡¯s eyes do that?</i> She could stab someone to death with just one look! But something seemed amiss...


    <i>H-have I gone crazy?</i>


    <i>Thump thump!</i>


    My heart pounded like crazy. Was this the bloodthirst of an S-rank Hunter? Or was it because Sung Mi-Na still looked beautiful even while ring at me?


    ¡°How did you know?¡±


    Thinking that she might have misunderstood me, I continued cautiously, ¡°I have an appraisal skill... But was I mistaken...?¡±


    ¡°<i>Hmph</i>.¡± Sung Mi-Na snorted.


    However, her eyes narrowed gently, so much so that I suspected if what I¡¯d seen earlier was real.


    Sung Mi-Na bowed politely at me.


    ¡°Let¡¯s meet again soon, Mr. Yu Il-Shin.¡±


    After saying those words, Sung Mi-Na left the room.


    ¡°<i>Phew</i>.¡± I let out a deep sigh, feeling relieved.


    Not only did her beauty make me nervous, but the pressure of an S-rank Hunter was no joke! Not to mention, she was a Psychic-type! How scary would an S-rank Combat Hunter like Baek Yoo-Hyun be?!


    <i>Huff, I¡¯m not sure how I could persuade people like them to be my followers.</i>


    ¡°Mister?¡± Sung Mi-Ri looked at me with aplicated look.


    When I saw that, I quickly grabbed a hold of myself. Due to her sister¡¯s overwhelming presence, Ipletely forgot about Sung Mi-Ri. She didn¡¯t look like she needed any treatment, but since I was here, I thought I should just give it a test.


    ¡°Ms. Sung Mi-Ri, shall we head to the rooftop for a moment?¡±


    ***


    I didn¡¯t invite her to the rooftop to enact the scene behind that famous movie line, <i>¡°Follow me to the roof!</i>[1]<i>¡±</i>


    Hadn¡¯t I grown from the most recent incident? As such, I might be able to break those chains once and for all...


    I looked into Sung Mi-Ri¡¯s true essence. Then, I activated my skill at the chains that bound the lightning monster within her.


    ¡°Crushing Forefinger of God!¡±


    But I failed.


    ¡°Mister! Are you alright? Oh no, you¡¯re sweating so much.¡±


    ¡°<i>Huff huff!</i> I-I¡¯m fine.¡±


    I quickly drank a few bottles of Bhus¡ªno, Blessing of the Growth God, and barely caught my breath.


    <i>Weird. Why is this so difficult?</i>


    I had nned to use my skill to destroy the chains binding Sung Mi-Ri¡¯s monster just like before. Surely, without them, she¡¯d be able to reach S-rank in no time. However, a problem arose when there were only three chains left.


    <i>Tzzz!</i>


    Red sparks scattered from the chains. The intensity was also way stronger than before. I tried using my power on it dozens of times, but to no avail.


    Was my assumption wrong? Why couldn¡¯t I break those remaining chains?


    ¡°Ms. Sung Mi-Ri, could you stand over there for a moment?¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± She answered, looking perplexed.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    Then, my appraisal skill activated and disyed information about her.


    -----


    [Sung Mi-Ri, Yu Il-Shin¡¯s First Earth Branch Follower]


    Around for 19 years.


    S-rank Hunter, Lightning Combat-type (Sealed)


    Special note: Extremely electrifying. She is an A-rank Hunter, with part of her abilities sealed.


    -----


    It was the same text as before. Instead, I tried to focus on the word ¡°sealed¡±.


    ¡°Mister?¡± she fidgeted, blushing slightly.


    However, I was too focused on the words to pay attention to her. It was like attempting to see the view outside a room through the eye of a needle.


    Then...


    <i>Ding!</i>


    Finally!


    However, it was totally different from what I had expected. Frowning, I muttered, ¡°Fuck, what¡¯s this?¡±


    ¡°Mister?¡±


    ¡°Ms. Sung Mi-Ri, do you know where your sister went?¡±


    It looked like I¡¯d need to arrange a sit-down parent consultation session soon.


    ***


    In the special prison for Hunters was an elderly man praying on his knees. He looked so virtuous, he could be mistaken for a saint.


    In truth, he was the head of the ck market drug distribution. But that was just the tip of the iceberg. He had murdered countless people as human sacrifices. Although the death sentence had been abolished in South Korea, the severity of his crimes made the jurisdiction debate over his sentence.


    Apostle Johan recalled his past.


    He first received an oracle from god five years ago, when he was still an average high school student. He was dozing off on the subway, exhausted from a night shift from his part-time job.


    -...<i>Tsk. </i>Only three are eligible to ept a fragment of myself?


    The sudden voice jolted Johan awake. He looked around, but there were only fellow students or working adults like him dozing off on the subway.


    -Insignificant insect, be honored that I have chosen you!


    The voice came to him again. It sounded so ominous and sinister, as if all the malice in the world hade together like tar.


    -Inferior being, what are you doing? Hurry and kneel!


    Had he gone mad? He must¡¯ve pushed himself too hard recently. Just as he was debating on cutting back on the number of part-time jobs he was taking...


    <i>Pwoosh!</i>


    His eardrum burst.


    ¡°<i>Arghhh</i>! <i>Arghhhh</i>!¡±


    A terrible pain swept through his entire body all at once, rendering him breathless. He felt like a squashed bug.


    ¡°<i>Arghhhh</i>!¡±


    However, no one on the subway reacted, as if his extreme pain was inconceivable to them.


    ¡°W-who... are... you...?¡± Johan mustered those words while writhing in pain.


    -<i>Kekeke</i>. What a pitiful worm. I¡¯m a great god of destruction and ruin. From today onward, you shall be my tool.


    The god dered.


    Johan¡¯s nightmare began from that day on. At first, he resisted vehemently. He had to pay the price every time. Those around him¡ªhis family, friends, and even his lover¡ªdied horrible deaths. Eventually, he gave up resisting.


    True to his im, that being was a ¡°god,¡± or at least a demon of sorts. A force that no human could hope to defy.


    The price of obedience was as sweet as honey. At the cost of his sanity, he acquired power beyond the dreams of any S-rank Hunter, along with a sea of wealth and honor. After all, he couldn¡¯t fulfill everything the god requested of him without going insane.


    As Johan descended into madness, he clung to the being fanatically. How else was he supposed to go on?


    Above all, the god said this to Johan,


    -Do not fret, Apostle. The day I descend would be the day everyone in your world, including you, achieves salvation.


    Salvation. The word ¡°salvation.¡±


    He had clung onto that sliver of hope until that day.


    <i>Ruuumble!</i>


    That day when the true form of god he had served all these years was revealed to him.


    -<i>Grrr</i>!


    Johan saw it when his god was about to descend into his world through the blood-red magic circle.


    <i>Creaaak!</i>


    Peeking from the crack was the god¡¯s eye, burning like the sun. Partially connected to the god mentally, Johan witnessed the monster¡¯s true color. An absolute evil with endless voracity. Even if it devoured the entire world, it wouldn¡¯t be satisfied. It¡¯d continue on an endless search for otherworldly life.


    Such was the essence of his ¡°god.¡±


    At that moment, it dawned on Johan. The meaning behind the promised salvation from back then. To devour everything in this world, including himself. To merge them into his bloodstream. For these paltry worms to be part of such a great being¡ªwhat an honor that would be!


    The brutal truth drove Johan into despair. The curse that had gued him for the longest of time had been dispelled, only to be reced with despair. Johan cried, secreting bodily fluid from his nose, genital, and anus. He regretted his wrongdoings.


    However, his regret came a tad toote.


    Just then, someone came up to him. The man whom he had mistaken to be an apostle like himself.


    What a ridiculous thought! How could an insignificant worm like him evenpare to that man?!


    The great and mighty man, wielding a sword as colossal as a mountain, struck the embodiment of his misdeeds and despair, ultimately preventing it from descending onto Earth.


    Thus, the world was saved.


    ¡°I do not wish for forgiveness. My only wish is to be at your service in future endeavors. If you''re willing, I''ll offer you everything¡ªmyself, my life, and even my soul.. Please, allow this humbled and depraved human to serve the magnificent and holy God Yu Il-Shin!¡± Weeping tears of repentance, Johan prayed.


    While Johan was praying without rest, a strange message appeared.


    [Your faith in Yu Il-Shin has been established.]


    Briefly, Johan felt the same aura from that day¡ªYu Il-Shin¡¯s, along with a strong unity, as if he was with him. Yu Il-Shin had epted even someone as heinous as him! The miracle made him wept from the bottom of his heart.


    ¡°<i>Waaah</i>, God Yu Il-Shin! Thank you!¡±


    ¡°Yu Il-Shin?¡±


    Suddenly, a voice that sounded like grating steel scraping together interrupted his prayers.


    When he opened his eyes, he saw someone looking at him behind the window bars. The person wore a strange beaked mask like a gue doctor.


    ¡°Who are you? How did youe in?¡±


    This prison was known for holding Hunters, and every prisoner was a Hunter. Not to mention, A-rank Hunters guarded the entrance to the basement where Johan was locked in, around the clock.


    So how did this mysterious person enter the premises? Johan smiled with a spection in mind.


    ¡°Did the higher-ups decide to remove me even though they covet my ability? Are they


    Seems like the higher-ups have decided to remove me? Are they worried about the public''s opinion?¡±


    However, the man remained silent.


    ¡°It''s fine even if you don''t answer me. I have no intentions of staying in this ce any longer.¡± Johan stood up.


    <i>Whoooosh! </i>


    A strong energy rushed from his body. Johan might be an apostle no longer, but he still retained a fraction of the power received from the monster. It should be more than enough for Johan to deal with this mysterious stranger and escape from this ce.


    ¡°I won''t kill you, but I¡¯ll absolutely crush you, so please don''t me me.¡±


    Johan¡¯s body heated up. He couldn¡¯t wait to get out of this prison. He wanted to see Yu Il-Shin and prove his faith.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re not Abysm.¡±


    ¡°Abysm?¡±


    ¡°Still, I can¡¯t forgive you for trying to hurt Mi-Ri.¡±


    A hint of bloodthirst seeped from behind the mask.


    ¡°What...?¡±


    The mysterious person pointed at Johan¡¯s heart.


    ¡°<strong><i>Stop</i></strong>.¡±


    ***


    I never met Sung Mi-Ri¡¯s older sister in the end.


    As both an S-rank Hunter and a celebrity among celebrities, her schedule was probably hectic as hell. I tried to go to the fashion show she participated in, but the security was so tight that I couldn¡¯t even get close. It seemed like I¡¯d have to wait until next time to talk with her.


    I went home with a heavy heart. Sword Demon was nowhere to be seen. I saw my nket neatly folded in the corner, with a note left on it.


    O¡¯ Almighty Sword God, something suddenly came up. I¡¯ll be away for a few days. It breaks my heart to leave you without telling you in person.


    ...


    I, Sword Demon, will continue to wield my sword to thest of my body while recalling the beautiful Sword Devotion you have shown me before. Please take care of yourself while I¡¯m away, and give my regards to the lovely and adorable Miss Seong-Yeon...


    Small text filled the A4-sized paper,den with praises for me.


    <i>Crumple!</i>


    I crushed the paper and threw it into the bin.


    ¡°<i>Haa</i>... Actually, don¡¯te back.¡±


    Thest thing I needed in my small apartment was a freeloader.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Johan, a human from Earth branch, has been converted from a follower of ¡°???¡± God of Destroyer to ¡°Yu Il-Shinism.¡±]


    [Johan belongs to the Fanatic category.]


    -----


    [Quest: Low-tier God Promotion (In Progress)]


    Normal followers: 5,212,326/1,000,000,000


    Followers of intelligent beings at S-rank and above with potential for transcendence: 1/10


    -----


    ¡°Johan?¡±


    Wasn¡¯t that the name of that naked pervert?


    Just as I was trying to figure out what happened, more messages came from God-Maker.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Johan, Yu Il-Shin¡¯s Fanatic, has died.]


    [A fanatic¡¯s whole being belongs to the god he serves.]


    [Absorbing sacrifice.]


    ¡°Absorbing sacrifices after death...what? <i>Gasp!</i>¡±


    <i>Boom boom boom!</i>


    A tremendous amount of energy exploded from my body.


    1. From the Korean movie Almost Love (2006) ?

 Chapter 56: God-Gamer God-Writer

    <h4>Chapter 56: God-Gamer God-Writer</h4>


    The next day, a small article was featured in the corner of an inte news portal.


    <strong>A Prisoner at the Hunter Prison Suddenly Passed Away due to a Heart Attack.</strong>


    The article briefly mentioned that the prisoner was the ringleader behind the recently controversial ck market. Even if it didn¡¯t reveal his name, I knew who it was right away. Johan, that perverted head I¡¯d caught.


    I felt sick. He was a bad guy. Did it matter if he died? But the suddenness of it made me feel like I was the one responsible for it. Even more so when it affected my ongoing promotion quests.


    -----


    [Quest: Low-tier Benevolent God Promotion (In Progress)]


    Normal Followers: 5,212,326/1,000,000,000


    Followers of intelligent beings at S-rank and above with potential for transcendence: 1/10


    -----


    [Quest: Low-tier Malevolent God Promotion (In Progress)]


    Normal Followers: 0/1,000,000,000


    Followers of intelligent beings at S-rank and above with potential for transcendence: 1/10


    -----


    The number on both quests increased by 1 because of Johan. Turning on selfie mode on my phone, I appraised myself. A few new pieces of information had popped up.


    -----


    [Power Seize]


    Seize the power of those you y and terrorize.


    -Target: Johan.


    1. Demonization


    Offer tributes to summon a divine being (exclusive to malevolent gods).


    2. Conscious of Sacrifice


    Summon a divine being worthy of the live sacrifices offered to the malevolent god.


    -----


    I recalled the eye of the gargantuan monster that tried to descend onto Earth. Didn¡¯t Johan summon it by sacrificing humans?


    ¡°... I shouldn¡¯t overthink things.¡±


    If I hadn''t stopped that man, the people around me and I would¡¯ve gotten hurt instead. But still, I couldn''t help but feel down.


    ¡°<i>Haa</i>...¡±


    After resolving something huge, relief and gaping emptiness washed over me at the same time.


    <i>What should I do now? </i>


    I wielded various types of powers¡ªthere was nothing I couldn¡¯t do now. I could be a famous Hunter, attaining both wealth and honor.


    Still, was that what I really wanted? How strange. Even after I¡¯d acquired all these powers, I never even considered that option. My heart felt dreary.


    Then, I saw myptop in the corner of my room.


    <i>Ah,e to think of it, I missed my deadline.</i>


    I reached for it.


    <i>Tadak, tadadak. Tatatak!</i>


    Thus, my story began unfolding in the empty, white world.


    ***


    The manuscript was every writer¡¯s life and soul. Before me,id the result of my sleepless night.


    ¡°It¡¯s finally done.¡±


    Approximately 130,000 characters. I was astonished by the sheer volume of words on the document. That¡¯d be about 25 chapters for a serialized book. The market had shifted quite a bit these days, along with its standards. Nevertheless, manuscripts like this could mark the start of a series.


    <i>Click.</i>


    I essed Dalpia, a novel serialization site, and created a post on the message board.


    <strong>God-Gamer God-Writer</strong>


    This title was inspired by the fact that I was a writer ying god-Maker.


    <i>Hohoho! How about that? It sure lives up to the recent trends! </i>


    I even uploaded ten chapters for it, along with a prologue.


    <i>Thump thump.</i>


    ¡°<i>Ah</i>, I¡¯m nervous.¡±


    How long had it been since Ist started on a series? Still, this wasn¡¯t the end. After publishing about a volume¡¯s worth for free, the publisher would decide whether or not to add a paywall. It depended on the subscriber count and response. If my free chapters were trash, all my hard work would be for naught.


    Of course, I was confident. Not just because my editor assured me this story was interesting, but also because it wasn¡¯t pure fiction. I wrote it based on my own experience¡ªI staked my life on this masterpiece!


    ¡°<i>Ohoho. </i>There¡¯s no way this will fall t!¡±


    <i>Growl! </i>


    My nervousness went away, reced by hunger. <i>That¡¯s right. </i>I hadn¡¯t eaten the whole day.


    ¡°<i>Hoo, </i>I was hyper-fixated on writing.¡±


    To celebrate the beginning of my serialization, I added two eggs to my ramyun, along with some dumplings because I was feeling generous. After finishing up my sumptuous meal and cleaning up, I went back to check out thements.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    Some readers leftments under my post.


    <i>Wow, they¡¯re fast.</i>


    My heart fluttered with excitement as I began reading thements.


    Extremely Spicy Chicken: Wow, this writer sucks ass. I could write a better story with my feet.


    Ant Lover: No! Not the ants! Don¡¯t kill them! They¡¯re so pitiful T_T


    King Sejong Holding Korean Dictionary: Terrible spelling. They didn¡¯t invent the Koreannguage for this. Come back after you¡¯ve studied more Korean.


    Wrecked Bnce: Getting off the train!


    Silently Crawling Nightmare: How could you block me on Katalk when you barely survived the life-threatening situation? Such a thoughtless writer.


    All-Cutting Heavenly Sword: Shitty plot development! If you¡¯re gonna spend your time writing this, return my sword!


    ...I should stop reading them. Readers were leaving some hurtfulments recently. Although, some of the usernames seemed familiar, or was it just me?


    <i>Trickle.</i>


    Don¡¯t get me wrong, I wasn¡¯t crying. My eyes must¡¯ve been so dry. Yes, it was just a natural response.


    <i>...How dare I call myself a writer. I should just consider a career change at this rate.</i>


    I buried my face into the sheets, sniffling.


    <i>Ding dong, ding dong.</i>


    I went to open the door, and saw Sung Mi-Ri standing outside.


    ¡°Oh, Ms. Sung Mi-Ri. Are you discharged from the hospital already?¡±


    ¡°Mister!¡±


    <i>Plop!</i>


    Sung Mi-Ri went on her knees immediately, seemingly about to cry.


    ¡°<i>Huh</i>? What¡¯s wrong? Did something happen?¡± I hastily pulled her up to her feet.


    ¡°Mister, can I ask a really, <i>really</i> difficult favor from you?¡± There was desperation in her eyes.


    Just what happened that made her react like that? I pounded my fist on my chest and answered loudly, ¡°<i>Aye</i>! Just ask me anything! I¡¯ll do everything I can¡ªno, even if I can¡¯t do it, I¡¯ll put my best foot in to help you.¡±


    ¡°<i>Wow</i>, as expected of my mentor! Thank you!¡± Ms. Sung Mi-Ri rejoiced and pulled me into a hug.


    <i>M-Ms. Sung Mi-Ri? </i>Others might misunderstand if they saw us like this.


    Just then, God-Maker responded.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Faith of Sung Mi Ri, Earth Branch Follower, has increased by 10.]


    Huh? Her faith increased by ten? When I didn¡¯t even do anything yet? What kind of favor was it?


    ***


    Choi Kang-San had a dream.


    It was a dream of the time before he became a Hunter. When he was just an ordinary family head working as a street cleaner.


    Like many before him, Choi Kang-san lost his dear wife when the crack first appeared. Ironically, he awakened as a Hunter shortly after. Had it happened sooner, maybe he wouldn¡¯t have lost his wife!


    Devastated, Choi Kang-San turned to alcohol to escape reality. A few yearster, more people awakened, ushering in the era of Hunter careers. But he didn¡¯t join them. Rumors spread that the government was assembling high-ranking Hunters to form an army. Additionally, some powerful Hunters had gone on a rampage, giving Hunter a bad name in the society.


    Choi Kang-San chose seclusion. He¡¯d use his awakened ability to protect histe wife¡¯s legacy¡ªChoi Eun-Bi, the cutest daughter in the world. He didn¡¯t care if others called him selfish. If something happened to his daughter while he was involved in something unusual, he couldn''t live with himself.


    But in a cruel twist of fate, a crack appeared at his daughter¡¯s elementary school. The infamous Minotaur, the strongest S-rank monster, emerged from it. As a Monarch-type monster, it could set up its own territory and summon other monsters at will.


    The government and Hunters rushed to seal off the school all at once, nning to drop Ragnarok, an anti-monster weapon developed by the U.S. It yed a role in defeating the unprecedented monster, Dragon of Despair.


    Some citizens and children were still trapped in the school with the monster. They were deemed necessary sacrifices to prevent a greater disaster. If Minotaur broke through the crack, history would only repeat itself, leading to a second Dragon of Despair incident in South Korea.


    Choi Kang-San arrivedte at the school. He was horrified to see the army and Hunters setting up barricades a few meters away from the school.


    ¡°No! Please, save our Myeong-Seok!¡±


    ¡°Mr. Hunter! I beg of you!¡±


    ¡°<i>Aaaargh</i>! Fucking bastards! Are you even human?! The children are still inside!¡±


    Cries echoed at the barricades as if it were hell as people pleaded to the Hunters.


    Many of them were either S-rank or A-rank Hunters that had appeared on TV. Yet, none of them would infiltrate the school to save those trapped inside. Despite wearing designer goods from top to bottom, none seemed willing to risk saving the innocent.


    <i>Grit!</i>


    Gritting his teeth, Choi Kang-San threw the broom in his hand. He approached the men by the barricades.


    ¡°What are you doing? Sir, this ce is off-limits.¡±


    ¡°Move. My daughter is in there.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but there¡¯s nothing we can do. Please return, it¡¯s dangerous here. We¡¯re about to detonate the ce soon.¡±


    ¡°I said move!¡± Choi Kang-San roared and charged at them like a tank.


    ¡°What? Stop that madman!¡±


    ¡°<i>Arghhh</i>!¡±


    ¡°Permission to use abilities!¡±


    Despite having awakened their abilities, the Hunters couldn¡¯t stop the unarmed middle-aged man from storming into the dark school building.


    <i>Bam! Kiekkkk!</i>


    Booming explosions and monsters¡¯ screeches reverberated in the air.


    Five minutes left until Ragnarok was dropped...


    <i>Boom!</i>


    All of a sudden, the Minotaur¡¯s head was thrown at the barricade!


    Out came Choi Kang-san, covered in blood. He had transformed into a 2-meter-tall brute, shredded with muscles. In his arms were sleeping children.


    He red at the stunned Hunters and government officials.


    ¡°You rotten scoundrels! I¡¯m changing this world starting today!¡±


    That day, the legendary Hunter Choi Kang-San, otherwise known as Street Cleaner, was born.


    ¡°One, two! One, two!¡±


    The sound from outside the window woke Choi Kang-San. He was seated in the principal¡¯s office at the Hunter Academy.


    ¡°I must¡¯ve fallen asleep.¡±


    A table, chair, and a couch. Other than the simplest of fixtures and fittings, his office was pretty much bare¡ªa testament to his character. Oh, there was one decoration. The head of the Minotaur, the first S-rank Monarch-type monster he¡¯d ever defeated. It was stuffed and hung on the wall.


    ¡°We! Are the proud Hunters! Of South Korea!¡±


    Choi Kang-San grinned in satisfaction as he watched the students pacing the grounds.


    ¡°Yes, atta boys. You guys are the future of our country.¡±


    Choi Kang-San was too old to be doing active duty. Just like how the Yangtze River receded, it was time for him to step down. He decided to devote his remaining time to raising a new generation of Hunters. To ingrain a proper mindset in them so that they could seed him and defend the nation.


    <i>Knock knock.</i>


    Someone knocked on the door to his office.


    ¡°Mr. Principal, Ms. Sung Mi-Ri is here with her guardian for a consultation.¡±


    ¡°<i>Hoho</i>,e in.¡± Choi Kang-San stood up.


    Sung Mi-Ri, also known as Hunter Thunder Emperor. Her true identity was revealed only to him and the top brass of the Hunter Association. Due to her recent rise in rank, the Hunter Association had high hopes for her. Choi Kang-San was the same. In fact, she was part of the reason why he epted the position of headmaster at the Hunter Academy.


    However, whenever he wanted to give her personal training, she¡¯d often skip. Maybe she was still too young.


    <i>I¡¯ll give her a stern warning today. Hopefully, she¡¯lle to her senses.</i>


    ¡°<i>Hoho</i>, we...¡± Choi Kang-San smiled warmly as he greeted Sung Mi-Ri and her guardian.


    ¡°Hello. I¡¯m Yu Il-Shin, Sung Mi-Ri¡¯s guardian.¡±


    Choi Kang-San¡¯s expression stiffened when he saw the man apanying Sung Mi-Ri.


    <i>Is that guy...? No, that can¡¯t be. Why would hee here in the first ce?</i>


    Then, Yu Il-Shin recognized him.


    ¡°Oh? Homeless Uncle?¡±


    ¡°<i>Eeeekkk</i>!¡±


    ¡°<i>Huh?!</i> Principal!¡±


    <i>tter!</i>


    Choi Kang-San screamed, shattering the window and leaping out right away. As a side note, the principal¡¯s office was on the tenth floor.

 Chapter 57: Would You Like To Take A Test?

    <h4>Chapter 57: Would You Like To Take A Test?</h4>


    ¡°Mister, can I ask a really, <i>really</i> difficult favor from you?¡±


    Sung Mi-Ri¡¯s plea led to a quest that increased her faith by a whopping ten. I had braced myself at first, expecting to fight an S-rank monster. But I was mistaken.


    Instead, we arrived at the Hunter Academy, one of the most prestigious ces in South Korea. Not only were all of the top twenty S-rank Hunters in South Korea from the academy, but over 7% of the active high-ranking Hunters were also affiliated with it. The academy was a true elite course, as it was divided into middle, high, and adult visions.


    Nowadays, getting into Hunter Academy was harder than getting into Seoul National University.


    <i>It¡¯s disgustingly huge.</i>


    Looking at the imposing front gate made me realize that this ce wasn¡¯t for me.


    ¡°Wow, Mister! You look great!¡± Sung Mi-Ri eximed in awe. Her eyes lit up when she saw me dressed in a suit.


    ¡°Really? I¡¯ve only worn this twice and thest was at noona¡¯s wedding. I¡¯m surprised it still fits.¡±


    Truthfully, a writer didn¡¯t have many opportunities to wear suits. One would at most wear it once or twice a year, when attending funerals.


    ¡°<i>Uhm</i>, Mister. How about wearing like this on normal days, too?¡±


    ¡°But I only have this suit...¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll buy it for you! Let¡¯s head to the department store after the meeting! In exchange for helping me out, I¡¯ll buy the suit for you!¡±


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t waste money. There¡¯s no reason for me to wear them anyway.¡±


    Besides, as an adult, I had my dignity to uphold. How could I let a minor buy me clothes...


    ¡°I have a lot of money! Pretty please? What do you think? I can get you a training suit instead! Don¡¯t wear the same green one every time! You look so great when you dress up! The world needs to witness your coolness!¡±


    Huh? The world needs to witness my coolness? Apparently, Sung Mi-Ri had simr fanatical tendencies as Anty and Sword Demon. I suddenly felt guilty for roping this innocent girl into the unintentional cult.


    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go. At this rate, we¡¯re going to bete for the meeting.¡±


    Indeed. I was here with her today to take on the role of her guardian. Or to be precise, her older brother.


    ¡°Let me get this straight. You skipped too many lessons and the academy wanted to call in your guardian. But you don¡¯t want your older sister to know?¡±


    ¡°Yes... She¡¯s going to kill me if she knew.¡± Sung Mi-Ri shuddered at the thought.


    Certainly, I¡¯d only met her once, but Sung Mi-Na¡¯s presence was no joke. By the way, after fulfilling her duty as a Hunter, Sung Mi-Ri skipped sses so that she could train with me. Knowing that made it all the more difficult to turn her down.


    ¡°Well, if you¡¯ll have me, I see no reason to refuse. But I have a favor to ask. Can I have your older sister¡¯s contact information?¡±


    ¡°What? Her number? Why?¡±


    ¡°I have something to ask her personally. Do you mind?¡±


    ¡°<i>Uhm</i>...¡± Sung Mi-Ri pondered for a while with a slightlyplicated expression. But in the end, she relented. ¡°Is she your type...?¡±


    Didn¡¯t she misunderstand something? I didn¡¯t really like fierce and touchy personalities. She probably wouldn¡¯t like me too. Anyway, that was all I had to say for myself.


    We passed the magnificent gate and entered the pce-like building. There, a burly, short-haired man greeted us.


    -----


    [Lee Geun-Wook]


    A male human. Around for 33 years.


    Special note: Useful muscles.


    -----


    My appraisal skill activated on its own. After seeing the positive special note, I realized that this was no ordinary person. <i>Hmm, Lee Geun-Wook... </i>That name suited his muscr build.


    ¡°Hello. I¡¯m Sung Mi-Ri¡¯s homeroom teacher, Lee Geun-Wook. Excuse me, but may I know what is your rtionship with Sung Mi-Ri...?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m her older cousin.¡± This was what Sung Mi-Ri and I had agreed upon.


    ¡°For a pair of cousins, you sure don¡¯t look simr...¡± Mr. Lee stared at us with a doubtful gaze.


    ¡°No! We look totally alike! We¡¯re definitely cousins!¡±


    <i>Sung Mi-Ri, you¡¯re a terrible liar. Do you have to be so agitated about it?</i>


    ¡°I thought Ms. Sung Mi-Na would be here.¡± Mr. Lee scratched his head apologetically.


    ¡°S-she¡¯s busy! She¡¯s still exploring the S-rank dungeon right now!¡±


    ¡°It can¡¯t be helped then. Pleasee this way. The principal is waiting for you.¡±


    Mr. Lee pressed the elevator button, and we got on first. Mr. Lee followed suit, causing the elevator to shake violently.<i> Wow</i>, he was heavier than I thought.


    ¡°Our principal is the best Hunter in South Korea. He had saved countless lives. In the past, he even took it upon himself to reform the Hunters who had gone astray. Nowadays, he¡¯s still active in the frontline. However, his main focus is nurturing the next generation of Hunters. He¡¯s a great example for all of us Reinforce-type...¡±


    He was also quite talkative.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like the principal.¡± Sung Mi-Ri whispered into my ear.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°He asked me to train with him even though I already have you.¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s better to learn from someone like him than myself.¡±


    ¡°No!¡±


    As if in agreement, the beast in Sung Mi-Ri¡¯s inner world shook its head violently.


    <i>Alright, you adorable little thing. I¡¯ll break all those chains as soon as I can so that you can unleash your power to your heart¡¯s content. </i>


    ¡°Is Mi-Ri¡¯s cousin also a Hunter? As the rtive of Ms. Sung Mi-Na and Ms. Mi-Ri, you must¡¯ve been quite talented!¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m just an ordinary citizen.¡±


    ¡°Our oppa is a writer!¡± Sung Mi-Ri eximed proudly, her nostrils ring.


    How embarrassing. I didn¡¯t even write any masterpieces.


    ¡°Oh, so you¡¯re a writer? I¡¯m quite the bookworm, so may I know what books you wrote...?¡±


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t have any specific genre I specialize in. Right now, I¡¯m writing a story about raising ants through a mobile phone.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Mr. Lee gave me a weird look.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    ¡°Oh, we¡¯ve arrived.¡±


    The elevator stopped, revealing the door to the principal¡¯s office. Mr. Lee knocked on the door and announced. ¡°Mr. Principal, Ms. Sung Mi-Ri is here with her guardian for a consultation.¡±


    ¡°<i>Hoho</i>, pleasee in.¡± The voice of a nice old man came through the door.


    Fixing my necktie, I followed Mr. Lee into the office.


    ¡°Hello, I am Yu Il-Shin, Sung Mi-Ri''s guardian.¡±


    I respectfully greeted and looked up, only to see a familiar face. A well-kempt old man stood in the office. His clothes were clean, while his beard was shaved neatly. Regardless, I recognized him right away.


    He was the homeless man I met when I was doing Infinite Abundance¡¯s quest. Yes, the same guy who blew my entire fortune of 5,000 won on a bottle of soju. An S-rank Hunter who was widely known as Street Cleaner, Choi Kang-San.


    Nevertheless, I was also d to see him here.


    ¡°Oh, Homeless Uncle?¡±


    <i>tter!</i>


    After I said hi, he went white and leaped out the window. But why? Did he dream of rebelling at his age?


    ***


    Afterward, Choi Kang-San returned with band-aids on his face, and the meeting resumed.


    Mr. Lee whispered to me with a perplexed look. ¡°I apologize on his behalf for the surprise. Our Principal has been suffering from PTSD since hisst active duty. He still rpses from time to time.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s understandable.¡±


    Even when I first met him, he didn¡¯t seem to be in his right mind, so it made sense to me. He became this way because of protecting the citizens. Who was I to argue with such a Hunter?


    ¡°Mister, no¡ªOppa. Have some biscuits.¡±


    ¡°<i>Nyam nyam</i>. Oh, it¡¯s delicious. Have some too, Ms. Sung Mi-Ri.¡±


    ¡°<i>Heehee,</i> it¡¯s fine, Oppa. Here, have some more.¡±


    Sung Mi-Ri wouldn¡¯t stop grinning for some reason. She also didn¡¯t touch any of the refreshments served by Mr. Lee. What was she so happy about?


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Sung Mi-Ri, Earth Branch Follower, offered ¡°Choi Kang-San¡¯s hidden snack¡± to Yu Il-Shin.]


    A weird message popped up, but I ignored it.


    Speaking of which, why was Homeless Uncle staring at me like that? Surely, it wasn¡¯t because I ate his favorite snack?


    ¡°Uncle, is there something you¡¯d like to say?¡±


    <i>Flinch!</i>


    ¡°Homeless Uncle?¡±


    ¡°D-don¡¯te closer! Stay away! Keep a distance from me!¡± Choi Kang-San shouted, quickly withdrawing at my approach.


    I was secretly offended. Why would he avoid me to such an extent?! Was I a cockroach?! Since the principal was unfit to conduct the meeting, the baton naturally passed to Mr. Lee.


    ¡°I hope that you won¡¯t skip lessons in the future.¡±


    ¡°Yes, rest assured. I will make sure to pay more attention to Mi-Ri.¡±


    ¡°<i>Heehee</i>, he called me ¡®Mi-Ri.¡¯¡±


    With a silly smile, Sung Mi-Ri blushed slightly, cupping her face. She seemed to be in a good mood today.


    Anyway, in summary, she promised to attend sses more diligently. As a side note, Mr. Lee didn¡¯t seem to be aware that Sung Mi-Ri was the famous Thunder Emperor. Since it was a secret, there was no need for a dispute.


    Well, now that the session had ended, it was time to head home.


    ¡°No!¡± Homeless Uncle yelled just as we were about to leave the office. ¡°Not like this! I can¡¯t let you go just yet!¡±


    ¡°<i>Hmm</i>? Do you mean me?¡±


    ¡°After that day, I searched for you high and low! This must be fate!¡±


    <i>Huh? I don¡¯t really want to get involved with you, though.</i>


    ¡°Our Hunter Academyes with the best facilities. Would you do me a favor and go through some of the tests here?¡±


    ¡°Why should I?¡±


    All of a sudden, his expression became pitiful, as if he was begging for cigarettes on the streets.


    ¡°W-what do you want in return?! I¡¯ll do anything within my capability if you take the test!¡±


    <i>Even if you offer me that, there¡¯s nothing I really want. Oh, right. He¡¯s still the principal of the Hunter Academy.</i>


    ¡°<i>Uhm</i>, then can you turn a blind eye if Mi-Ri skips a few lessons here and there? Also, don¡¯t force her to attend training if she doesn¡¯t want to.¡±


    Sung Mi-Ri nodded profusely with glittering eyes.


    ¡°Deal!¡± Choi Kang-San agreed with fiery eyes.


    ***


    After Anty¡¯s summon duration had ended, Il-Ho returned to the Tenth Floor of the Tower of Warriors: Trial of Solitude.


    -<i>Grrrr!</i>


    He was fighting his mortal enemy, a pure white snake hundreds of times his size. Its venom could melt even steel. But thanks to Buttor¡¯s toxic powder, Il-Ho had developed immunity to poison and venom. Otherwise, he¡¯d have died several times over by now. On the second day of the battle, Il-Ho pressed the nape of the white snake.


    ¡°<i>Hyaaaaa!</i> <i>Muscleees</i>!¡±


    Il-Ho¡¯s arm muscles bulged to the fullest. After millions of attempts, the neck of the giant white snake finally broke.


    <i>Boom boom boom!</i>


    As the snake¡¯s body copsed to the ground, messages appeared for Il-Ho.


    [Congrattions! The Tenth Floor of the Tower of Warriors: Trial of Solitude has been cleared.]


    [The challenger has been rewarded with Blessing of Poison Immunity from Eternal Seeker.]


    [Blessing of Poison Immunity: Challenger, no poison in the world can harm you from now on!]


    <i>Tzzz!</i>


    Then, the poison turned into blue smoke and seeped into Il-Ho¡¯s body.


    ¡°<i>Huff huff!</i> I finally overcame my trials! I dedicate this victory to God Yu Il-Shin! Puck! Puck!¡± Il-Ho prayed and cheered toward the sky with his bloody face.


    ¡°<i>Tsk</i>. But s, everything disappeared. I don¡¯t have any tributes to offer.¡±


    Unfortunately, all the heads of the poisonous insects had turned into smoke and been absorbed into Il-Ho¡¯s body. The white snake¡¯s body was no exception. He felt more disappointed and upset than relieved by clearing the trial.


    ¡°<i>Hm</i>. Next time, I will be sure to offer my tributes before clearing the trials.¡±


    How could he call himself a loyal follower without offering any tribute to God Yu Il-Shin?


    ¡°I want to be as strong as him.¡± Whenever he recalled Yu Il-Shin¡¯s battle, Il-Ho''s heart still pounded in excitement. Yu Il-Shin looked so cool and majestic when he effortlessly swung that huge sword!


    ¡°<i>Aah... </i>If only I had a sword like that...¡±


    [Eternal Seeker says that he will be able to fulfill Il-Ho¡¯s wish if he clears the 20th floor.]


    Il-Ho cheered at the message.


    ¡°<i>Ooh</i>! Really?!¡± Il-Ho was on cloud nine. He steeled his resolve to clear the trials. He wanted to obtain a sword asrge and powerful as God Yu Il-Shin¡¯s!


    ¡°There¡¯s no time to waste! Let¡¯s start the next trial!¡±


    <i>Thud thud!</i>


    Il-Ho hurried up the stairway to the next floor.


    [The Eleventh Floor of the Tower of Warriors: Trial of Flower.]


    Il-Ho was slightly flustered. Until this point, the trails had been bloody and gruesome. But now, a gorgeous field of flowers, emitting a sulent fragrance, greeted him.

 Chapter 58: I’ll Go Along With You

    <h4>Chapter 58: I¡¯ll Go Along With You</h4>


    Sun shone warmly on the gorgeous field of flowers. The ce was akin to paradise¡ªa far cry from the gory, grueling trials that came before.


    ¡°What kind of trial is this?¡±


    What kind of objective awaited him here? Would he have to harvest honey from the flowers like a bee? Amidst Il-Ho¡¯s confusion, another message appeared.


    [Challenger Il-Ho takes on the Eleventh Floor of the Tower of Warriors: Trial of Flower.]


    [The prettiest flowers have the sharpest thorns. Challenger, survive this trial!]


    <i>sh! Flick!</i>


    Suddenly, vines emerged from all directions, restricting Il-Ho¡¯s limbs.


    ¡°...!¡±


    Il-Ho struggled, trying to break free. However, his muscles were no match for the tough vines. Huge shadows loomed over Il-Ho.


    -<i>Krrr!</i>


    -<i>Kieeeek!</i>


    The same colorful, vibrant flowers from before opened their mouths, baring their fangs. They were carnivorous flowers that ate living creatures with relish. Half-insects like the Gayamis were especially delicious. Since Il-Ho was their first challenger in a century, he was a prize catch.


    Il-Ho chuckled at their bloodlust.


    ¡°Now, this is what I call a trial! I¡¯ll rip your throat and offer it to God Yu Il-shin! <i>Muuuscles!</i>¡±


    Meanwhile, the gate of the city of Gayami was crowded with people. They were refugees from all over the continent. After suffering under the reign of the empire, they went to the rumored dwelling of god.


    Among them was a shabby old man dressed in dirty rags. He spoke to a member of thedybug tribe. Despite their size, that tribe was renowned for their knowledge.


    ¡°I-is this the sacrednd of God Yu Il-Shin?¡± he cautiously asked.


    ¡°Indeed. You must¡¯vee because of the rumors. This is the ce where God Yu Il-Shin hadid countless imperial troops to waste, and also where Warrior Il-Ho had yed Buttor, one of the Ten Swords.¡±


    Then, another bystander from the silkworm tribe approached thedybug. Deeming their silk suitable for clothing, the empire exploited their tribe.


    ¡°Still, I can¡¯t help but worry. Will this ce truly be safe for us? I heard that Lady Arachne was furious after losing her favorite subject, Buttor. Apparently, she¡¯s nning to unleash hell here soon.¡±


    ¡°Certainly, she¡¯s notorious for being a venomous woman. After falling from such a height, Buttor¡¯s remains were unrecognizable. And yet, she... she ate them, even the poisonous wings. She wanted him to live forever inside her. Now that she has marked this city as her target, who knows how long this ce canst. I heard the empire had gathered over hundreds of millions of troops so far...¡± Thedybug nodded.


    With doubt in their eyes, thedybug asked the old man, ¡°But Elder, which tribe are you from? I haven''t seen anyone like you in this area.¡±


    ¡°I...¡±


    <i>Ruuuumble!</i>


    Just then, the gates to the city opened.


    ¡°Hello everyone! Wee!¡±


    Along with the energetic voice, Saintess Anty appeared with an entourage of escorts from the Gayami tribe.


    The refugees eximed in awe at her entrance.


    ¡°<i>Ooh</i>! Is that the rumored Saintess Anty?¡±


    ¡°Is that the Saintess who performed a miracle and healed mortal injury? She looks gorgeous...!¡±


    ¡°Look at her snow-white hair and skin. She¡¯s the true blood of the Termite Kingdom!¡±


    ¡°The Gayami look so mighty! They look like the legendary warriors from the myths!¡±


    After witnessing Il-Ho¡¯s fierce battle against Buttor, muscle gained booming poprity among the Gayamis. Thanks to daily rigorous training while drinking Blessing of the Growth God, they bulked up.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to fear the ruthless empire any longer! The almighty and merciful God Yu Il-Shin is with us!¡± Saintess Anty screamed aloud.


    Then, Saintess Anty raised her arms toward the sky and prayed, ¡°Lord Yu Il-Shin! These poormbs havee to serve you! Please, grace them with your divine being!¡±


    <i>Ruuuumble!</i>


    The skies were torn asunder and God Yu Il-Shin descended.


    ¡°O-oh my gosh!¡±


    ¡°<i>Hyiiieee</i>!¡±


    ¡°<i>Aaaargh</i>! Save me!¡±


    Body as colossal as the mountain, shrouded in ck me. Face so hideous and terrifying, even the demons from hell could be called handsome inparison... The refugees cowered in fear, many soiling their pants.


    [4,210,221 faithless refugees would like to join the city.]


    [Will you ept and bestow your favor upon them? (Yes/No)]


    After ncing at the screaming refugees briefly, Yu Il-Shin moved his fingers a few times.


    [Farnd development begins.]


    [Constructing more houses.]


    [Expanding Fortress Walls.]


    <i>Ruuuumble!</i>


    With just a few moves, the fortress walls expanded, houses were built, and farnd brimming with golden grains appeared.


    ¡°U-unbelievable...¡±


    ¡°Am I dreaming?¡±


    The refugees marveled at the miracle unfolding before them.


    <i>Ssss¡ª</i>


    As soon as his work was done, the miracle bringer disappeared. This was also in consideration for the refugees, who were horrified by his appearance.


    ¡°<i>Ahem</i>! Everyone! Have you seen the miracles that God Yu Il-Shin bestowed upon us?! Look! With a wave of his hands, he conjured the fortress walls, grains, and houses to protect and feed us!¡±


    Anty snorted proudly, cing her hands at her hips, ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about the empire anymore! The great and merciful God Yu Il-Shin blesses us! Unlike other demons, God Yu Il-Shin doesn¡¯t ask for live sacrifices. Our faith is all he wishes for! Now, let us pray together! O¡¯ Almighty Lord Yu Il-Shin, puck puck!¡±


    ¡°G-God Yu Il-Shin, puck puck!¡±


    ¡°God Yu Il-Shin! Puck!¡±


    The jubnt prayers echoed throughout the sanctuary.


    ***


    ¡°<i>Haa</i>,¡± I sighed, turning off my phone.


    When Anty summoned me, I thought something had happened. But it turned out to be just a horde of bugs at the city gates.


    The current city size wouldn¡¯t be sufficient to amodate the new refugees. Thus, I expanded the city and built a few other things while at it. Well, getting more followers for myself was a good thing.


    -----


    [Quest: Low-tier Benevolent God Promotion (In Progress)]


    Normal Followers: 10,112,326/1,000,000,000


    Followers of intelligent beings at S-rank and above with potential for transcendence: 1/10


    -----


    The number of followers for the promotion quest had well surpassed ten million and counting. But still...


    ¡°¡®God Yu Il-Shin, puck puck¡¯? They were right. Adults should control their mouths in front of children.¡±


    I was worried. I would need to persuade them to use nicernguage one of these days.


    ¡°Was it something important?¡± Mr. Lee asked.


    I shook my head, answering, ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing. So, what do I do next?¡±


    I stood in the Hunter Academy¡¯s examination room. True to Choi Kang-San¡¯s words, it was full of high-tech gadgets. Although, there were also some strange-looking objects resembling African totems. I didn¡¯t know what they were for.


    Choi Kang-San¡¯s eyes sparkled as he shouted, ¡°Let¡¯s start with testing your Awakening Rank!¡±


    <i>Why is he so excited?</i>


    ¡°For him?¡± a female in ab coat and silver-rimmed sses said, scanning me with a look of disapproval. Her absolute beauty was overshadowed by her temperament.


    She red at Choi Kang-San and said, ¡°<i>Haa... </i>He isn¡¯t even a student of the academy. You have no business conducting a test on a citizen. This is an abuse of authority, Principal. Surely, the Hunter Association and Hunter Kang-Woo didn¡¯t donate all this equipment for that?


    ¡°Just look away this once. This is important.¡±


    Unbefitting of his muscr frame, Choi Kang-San was acting meek, like a mouse standing before a cat.


    <i>Just get this over with already. I want to go home and take a nap.</i>


    After pulling an all-nighter to work on my manuscript, the fatigue was finally catching up to me. The responses of the readers sucked, though. Regardless, I started the serialization on Dalpia with the manuscript I had worked on. Of course, I also notified my editor-in-charge about it.


    <i>Maybe it¡¯d improve after I revised it ording to his feedback</i>, I hoped.


    The woman approached me, ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Choi Eun-Bi, head of the Hunter Academy¡¯s dedicated medical team.¡±


    That title sounded grand, but putting it bluntly, she was like a school nurse.


    ¡°I see that you¡¯ve taken a test recently?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t usually do retests but... <i>Haa</i>, since the Principal is insistent, I have no choice but to go ahead with this. Again, this is abuse of authority. Can you please enter the ranking room?¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    I entered the room that was roughly 3-pyeong wide. Inside was a table and a single crystal ball with various cables attached. One would expect some high-tech device to measure a Hunter¡¯s level, but reality was often disappointing. Modern technology hadn¡¯t fully grasped the mechanism.


    -----


    [ssifying Crystal Ball]


    A magical tool belonging to the Hunter Academy. Around for 20 years.


    Special note: A tool used to measure human¡¯s abilities. Also used to sort followers and tributes.


    -----


    My appraisal skill activated. In truth, the crystal was the core of this device. It was a magical tool rumored to be worth billions. After all, only a Creation-type Hunter could obtain it from the Hunter Shop.


    But was that its name? The special note about sorting followers and tributes made me feel concerned.


    ¡ªPlease ce your hands on the crystal ball.


    The school nurse¡¯s voice yed through the speakers in the room.


    I did as told.


    <i>Tzzz.</i>


    The crystal ball glowed a radiance of colors as information about myself traveled outside.


    ¡ªThe examination isplete. You may now exit the room.


    Stepping out, I saw Choi Kang-San, Mr. Lee, and Ms. Sung Mi-Ri gathered around the school nurse, looking at my examination results. Their expressions weren¡¯t good.


    ¡°Rank G. There¡¯s no difference in numbers either. I¡¯ve never seen anything like this in my five years in the field. The value of his physical strength and ability are so low. He can almost be considered an ordinary citizen.¡±


    ¡°N-no way. Could the device be malfunctioning, Eun-Bi?¡±


    The school nurse pushed her sses slightly upward and replied haughtily, ¡°When we¡¯re at work, please refer to me as Chief Choi. The possibility of error is lower than 0.1%, Principal. Besides, this is only a month old.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just odd. No way... Then, that day, how did you...?¡±


    Well, it was stated in the description that the crystal ball measured human ability. I might be of the lowest tier, but I was still a god.


    ¡°Can I leave now?¡±


    Choi Kang-San hurriedly stopped me, ¡°W-wait! Actually, I don¡¯t believe in those machines! Yes! Men should tough it out! Let¡¯s fight!¡±


    ¡°Why should I?¡±


    I had to fight this old man when I was dead tired? Not like I was getting anything out of this.


    ¡°C-can¡¯t you do it just this once? I¡¯m asking you a favor.¡± Choi Kang-San pleaded.


    I recognized that expression. It was the same as the one he showed me on the day he begged me for money. He purchased alcohol soon after.


    Just as I was about to reject him coldly, Sword Demon and Johan shed across my mind.


    <i>Wait, I might be able to benefit from this. </i>


    Didn¡¯t the two of them be my followers after I defeated them? Well, not exactly, since they were fanatics. Should I give it a try?


    ¡°Sure, let¡¯s do it then.¡±


    I could gain another S-rank follower needed for the promotion quest.


    Choi Kang-San lit up. ¡°That¡¯s the spirit! Let¡¯s head to the sparring room now!¡±


    ¡°Wait, Principal. If it¡¯s just sparring, let me do it.¡± Mr. Lee stepped up.


    ¡°You?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it a bit out of ce to spar with the legend of South Korea? How about having a go with me first, Sir?¡±


    ¡°No, I...¡±


    ¡°Haha, don¡¯t worry. You won¡¯t be hurt. I¡¯ll go easy on you.¡± Mr. Lee smiled gently.


    I could feel the mixed emotions hidden beneath that smile. He must¡¯ve found it ridiculous that a mere G-rank would go up against the legendary Choi Kang-San.


    <i>That¡¯s kinda cringe.</i>


    ¡°Well, sure.¡±


    <i>Let¡¯s see who¡¯s going easy on who.</i>

 Chapter 59: I’ll Get Serious If You Want

    <h4>Chapter 59: I¡¯ll Get Serious If You Want</h4>


    Within the Hunter Academy¡¯s sparring room was a 10-meter octagonal cage reinforced with special iron. I heard it was a magical material that could absorb the impact from force and abilities.


    <i>Maybe I can use this as a reference for my novels in the future...</i>


    But when I tried to take a closer look, Mr. Lee interrupted me. Wearing his gloves, he spoke disgruntledly.


    "Where¡¯s your protective equipment? Aren¡¯t you going to wear any?"


    "But you¡¯re not wearing any either."


    ¡°Our situation is different.¡±


    ¡°It''s fine. I won''t wear it if you aren''t.¡±


    Veins bulged on his forehead as he maintained a stern expression.


    ¡°I warned you.¡±


    <i>Is he offended?</i>


    Then, Mr. Lee revealed his copper-colored, shredded muscles, which resembled lond gori¡¯s. However, I was no longer excited to see them. Perhaps, I was too ustomed to Il-Ho¡¯s muscles.


    ¡°Don''t let your guard down. Geun-Wook is one of the better Reinforce-type B-rank Hunters out there. He might be falling behind in rank, but he¡¯s well-versed in various martial techniques. To top it off, he¡¯s also a veteran in battles! He can even go against A-rank Hunters with no problem!¡±


    ...Said Choi Kang-San from beyond the barbed wire like a coach.


    ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± I answered dryly.


    Meanwhile, the school nurse, Choi Eun-Bi, showed a bored expression. She likely thought she didn¡¯t need to watch to know the oue.


    ¡°Te...n-no, Oppa, good luck! Finish him in one blow!¡± <i>Ms. Sung Mi-Ri, can you tone it down a bit? My opponent is your homeroom teacher, you know? Are you really asking me to finish him off?</i>


    <i>Chatter chatter.</i>


    Students of the Hunter Academy paused their training and gathered around our sparring room.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that the P.E. teacher from the High School division? Who is he sparring against?¡±


    ¡°The Principal is here too! Maybe they are testing a new teacher?¡±


    ¡°Wow, it¡¯s going to be interesting!¡±


    Mr. Lee took a stance as he nced at the kids who assembled around. ¡°Let¡¯s wrap this up before we attract more attention.¡±


    I was slightly taken aback. Wasn¡¯t that the stance of a certain famous character in Tekken?


    ¡°Let¡¯s begin.¡±


    His friendly greeting marked the start of the battle. Then, Mr. Lee paced in the arena.


    <i>Bam!</i>


    He stomped, digging his feet so hard that I could feel the earth shake!


    <i>Boooom!</i>


    Following his perfect form, his fist ferociously jabbed at me! A wless, nimble, powerful attack that didn¡¯t leave any gap for me to take advantage of. Truly a man of muscle, as stated in the note.


    ¡°Equip malevolent god title: Brutal Killer (C).¡±


    This title would allow me to increase mybat prowess ording to the amount of evil deeds I¡¯dmitted. Like the scene in The Matrix, I could perceive his fist traveling on a terrifying arc in slow motion. Then, our eyes met briefly. He widened his eyes as tears welled up in them.


    Did he finally realize he wasn¡¯t dealing with a potato, but a mountain?


    <i>Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Lee. I¡¯ll go easy on you.</i>


    <i>Tap!</i>


    I lightly tapped on the glove that wasing toward me.


    ¡°<i>Huh?!</i>¡±


    Then, Mr. Lee¡¯s arm jerked to the side, as if getting pulled out of his torso.


    Everyone was in shock. Seeing that he had lowered his guard, I lightly punched his stomach.


    <i>Poooop!</i>


    Like a balloon popping, Mr. Lee flew a distance before mming into the iron mesh.


    <i>Boom boom boom!</i>


    True enough, the wall absorbed the physical impact, remaining unscathed.


    ¡°<i>Cough¡ª</i>Y...you, how...¡±


    Mr. Lee seemed about to say something, but his consciousness failed him. He copsed to the ground limply.


    <i>Hmm. This is noteworthy.</i>


    Before, I failed to knock that Cheol-Du guy out, but now that wasn¡¯t the case. Even though I didn¡¯t use my full strength, the B-rank Mr. Lee went out cold. Then, was it safe to assume that my malevolent god title, Brutal Killer, was almost on par with an A-rank Hunter?


    ¡°<i>Kyaaa</i>! Oppa is the best!¡± Sung Mi-Ri hopped like a bunny.


    ¡°H-how...? But, based on his numbers... isn¡¯t he a normal person...?¡± the school nurse was so shocked that her sses slipped down her nose.


    ¡°Wow... He knocked down the P.E. teacher in one blow? W-who is he?¡±


    ¡°He must be at least A-rank. Was there anyone like that?¡±


    The students were astonished by me as well.


    <i>Uhm, this is a bit too much...</i>


    ¡°<i>Hahaha</i>! My guess was right!¡± Choi Kang-Sanughed heartily as he ran into the sparring room. Leaving Mr. Lee in the school nurse¡¯s care, he turned to me with a sharp look.


    ¡°Spar with me!¡±


    Choi Kang-San took off his top, revealing a scarred body and rugged muscles, unweathered by age.


    If Mr. Lee¡¯s muscles were like a gori¡¯s, then Choi Kang-San¡¯s were truly out of this world. Was he a dinosaur in human form?


    My appraisal skill activated again.


    -----


    [Choi Kang-San]


    A male human. Around for 58 years.


    Special note: Has muscles with potential for transcendence.


    -----


    Transcendence potential? It was my first time seeing that phrase. Still, considering his body, it did make sense. Choi Kang-San red his nostrils like a raging bull.


    ¡°This is making my blood boil with excitement! Shall we begin?¡±


    <i>Ugh, he¡¯s quite the impatient man.</i>


    ¡°Wait, Homeless Uncle. Before we start, let¡¯s make a bet.¡±


    ¡°A bet?<i> Haha</i>, sure! What would you like to bet on?¡±


    ¡°How about doing the winner a favor?¡±


    ¡°A favor? You have a favor to ask me? Keep in mind, I¡¯m still a public servant, so nothing illegal.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing much, don¡¯t worry. If I win, you just have to repeat a line after me. Easy, right?¡±


    Just in case he didn¡¯t be my follower after I won, I¡¯d make him say the keyword. Yes, the same line that appeared on a message when I made Sung Mi-Ri my follower back then.


    [The levels of the other party¡¯s favor and trust have met the minimum threshold. If they speak the following keyword, they can nurture faith in you.]


    [Faith development keyword: Believe in Yu Il-Shin.]


    That message didn¡¯t appear this time, but there was still a precedent.


    ¡°Sure. I don¡¯t know what this is about, but okay! However, if I win, you¡¯ll owe me a favor in return!¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course.¡±


    It didn¡¯t matter what favor he was going to ask, since I¡¯d emerge the victor.


    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s begin. C¡¯mon, I¡¯ll give you a handicap.¡± Choi Kang-San idly gestured with his hand.


    <i>Look at that cliche gesture he¡¯s doing. </i>He must¡¯ve read some martial arts novels back in the day.


    ¡°Okay, I won¡¯t refuse.¡±


    Clenching my fist, I delivered a powerful straight punch to his six-pack.


    <i>Swaaaash!</i>


    With a crunching sound, as if air was being ripped apart, my fist mmed into him.


    <i>Bam bam bam bam!</i>


    However, instead of flesh and blood, the sound of steel being hit reverberated.


    Choi Kang-San stood tall like an iron mesh, whereas I was knocked back several steps by the recoil of my punch.


    ¡°What do you think? I¡¯m still strong, right?¡± Choi Kang-San smirked.


    <i>Throb throb!</i>


    My fist turned red from the punch.


    <i>Ouch, that hurt like hell! Damn it, what happened to my body!</i>


    I updated my database. Thebat level of this malevolent title, Brutal Killer, was below an S-rank Hunter¡¯s! I wondered if increasing the number of evil deeds would change that?


    ¡°Stop messing around and get serious! Show me what you¡¯ve got! My intuition has been honed in battle! I can tell when someone is concealing their power!¡±


    After doing some stretching, Choi Kang-San began warming up.


    ¡°Let me show you my full strength. <i>Haaaa!</i>¡±


    <i>Tzzzz!</i>


    Golden glow surged as his body began transforming.


    <i>Crack! Craaaack!</i>


    Gradually, his shadow grew, looming over me. Soon, a giant with sculpted muscles, seemingly chiseled by God, stood before me. Would Hercules from


    His shadow grew gradually, looming over me. Soon, a giant with perfect muscles, seemingly created by God himself, stood before me. Would Hercules from Greek mythology look like this? The title God of War would suit him.


    Suddenly, I saw the Homeless Uncle in a different light. The ultimate Hunter who swept through dungeons and cracks, not leaving a single monster in his trail. That was how that legendary Hunter in South Korea earned his nickname: Street Cleaner.


    Should I bring my A-game? I muttered quietly, ¡°Skill Sharing, Il-Ho¡¯s Strong Body.¡±


    Let¡¯s see if Il-Ho¡¯s skill could match the S-rank Hunter with the strongest physical abilities.


    <i>Grooooowl! Crack! Craaaack!</i>


    My spirit, rivaling Choi Kang-San¡¯s, surged. My body transformed as well.


    ¡°So, it was you.¡± Choi Kang-San was taken aback briefly, before nodding in satisfaction. ¡°I have a friend called Miracle. Once, that reclusive fe gave me a prophecy in secret. Apparently, a loftiest, malevolent being would appear before me, and I must do my best to keep him in the Hunter Academy.¡±


    That name was familiar. Miracle was an S-rank Foresight-type Hunter¡ªa world-ss expert who predicted over 90% of the S-ss dungeons and cracks that emerged in South Korea. Even foreigners traveled from afar to seek his foresight.


    And that person told Choi Kang-San to keep me at the Hunter Academy? That piqued my curiosity.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°That...¡±


    Just as he was about to tell me...


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Your devout believer and temporary apostle, Il-Ho, has offered a tribute.]


    God-Maker rang, and something appeared in my hand. A beautiful bouquet of flowers, which smelled sweet and fragrant. The sudden tribute surprised me, but considering how he¡¯d offered me the heads of venomous bugs, it was definitely a huge improvement.


    I was feeling somewhat ttered when...


    -<i>Kieeeek!</i>


    -<i>Kyaaaak!</i>


    <i>Grab!</i>


    The crazy flowers suddenly became alive and kicking! They squirmed and bit at my hands!


    ¡°<i>Argh</i>! The fuck is this?!¡± I freaked out and threw the bouquet away.


    <i>Plop, rollll¡ª</i>


    Itnded at Choi Kang-San¡¯s feet.


    -<i>Kieeeek!</i>


    ¡°So? Why did he tell you to keep me here?¡±


    I was waiting for a reply but heard nothing. Choi Kang-San tensed up at the sight of the monstrous flowers.


    ¡°<i>Uhm</i>, Homeless Uncle?¡±


    ¡°<i>Ahhhh</i>! Mommy! Save meee!¡±


    That shocked me! Choi Kang-san suddenly screamed like a child and stormed out of the sparring room. <i>What¡¯s wrong with him? </i>Did he have a flower phobia? Also, was the iron mesh supposed to tear that easily?


    ¡°F-Father!¡± the school nurse called after him, but Choi Kang-San was long gone.


    <i>Bam! Bam bam bam!</i>


    All that was left was a hole in the sparring room.


    <i>Whiiiing!</i>


    The wind blowing through the hole swept over Mr. Lee and the watching students. <i>Wait, so what happens now?</i> Since he ran off, did I win this?


    However, God-Maker didn¡¯t notify me about Choi Kang-San turning into my follower.


    Instead...


    [An emergency quest has urred!]


    [Follower Salvation Quest]


    [Target: Sword Demon (Fanatic)]


    [God Yu Il-Shin, do you wish to save your fanatic Sword Demon from a life-threatening crisis? (Yes/No)]


    <i>Again?</i>


    ¡°<i>Haa... </i>What has he been doing?¡±


    Anyway, I wouldn¡¯t be able to sleep at night if someone I knew died, so I decided to save him. Fortunately, no one else paid attention to me because of Choi Kang-San¡¯s episode.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [You paid 100,000 Gcoins for the alteration of his fate.]


    [The effects of the title Benevolent Savior (C) and the Second Moon created by Yu Il-Shin trigger a ¡°great miracle.¡±]


    <i>sh!</i>


    My body disappeared along with the message.


    ***


    Momentster, I appeared in apletely unfamiliar ce. It seemed to be a hut deep in the mountains. Although it cost me some Godcoins, being teleported was convenient.


    ¡°<i>Uh</i>... <i>uuurk</i>!¡±


    When I finally spotted Sword Demon, I was rendered speechless. He was about to stab his own chest with a sword. How ridiculous! The message appeared because of this?!


    ¡°<i>Ugh</i>, Mr. Sword Demon. What are you doing? Do you have a hobby of attempting suicide?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Sword God. S-save me...¡±


    However, he didn¡¯t look suicidal. His eyes were also bloodshot. I hurriedly snatched the sword from his hand.


    <i>Plop!</i>


    Sword Demon gasped for breath as he fell to the ground.


    ¡°<i>Huff huff!</i> T-thank you, Mr. Sword God!¡±


    ¡ªI didn¡¯t sense anyone around earlier... Where do you appear from?


    A mechanical voice, likely from a voice changer, came from behind. I turned around to see a grotesque creature with a creepy mask, resembling a gue Doctor.


    Sword Demon gritted his teeth, shouting, ¡°Mr. Sword God! Don¡¯t let your guard down! This person uses strange abilities!¡±


    <i>Um, uh, yeah. This is kind of embarrassing. There¡¯s no use trying to hide your face. I can see everything.</i>


    -----


    [Sung Mi-Na]


    A female human. Around for 24 years.


    Special note: Under the curse of Abysm of the God of Destroyer.


    -----


    ¡°What are you doing here, Ms. Sung Mi-Na? Also, what¡¯s with that outfit?¡±

 Chapter 60: My Secret Family Consultation with Her Guardian

    <h4>Chapter 60: My Secret Family Consultation with Her Guardian</h4>


    ¡°What are you doing here, Ms. Sung Mi-Na? Also, what¡¯s with that outfit?¡±


    I called the name of the person wearing a beaked mask, causing her shoulders to flinch.


    ¡°You...¡±


    <i>Thud!</i>


    Her mask fell to the ground. She was sweating, but that only enhanced her beauty.


    ¡°How did you know it was me?¡±


    ¡°I told you, didn¡¯t I? I have an appraisal skill.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous. This mask is an A-grade concealment item with a voice changer. You¡¯re telling me your appraisal skill can bypass that?¡± Sung Mi-Na gritted her teeth.


    <i>You don¡¯t have to glower at me like that, it¡¯s the truth.</i>


    ¡°Anyway, what are you doing?¡±


    Sung Mi-Na pointed at Sword Demon and said, ¡°Killing him,¡± making him wince.


    That much was obvious. Still, was that guy some kind of neighborhood punching bag?


    ¡°Mr. Sword Demon, just admit it, you¡¯re a weakling. Didn¡¯t you say there¡¯s less than ten people you couldn¡¯t kill?¡± I whispered to Sword Demon.


    ¡°Assassination requires groundwork. Also, that woman is definitely one of those ten.¡± Sword Demon smugly puffed out his chest.


    Was that something to be proud about? I sighed and turned to Sung Mi-Na.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what¡¯s going on, but can¡¯t you forgive him? I know, he looks like a bad guy. But once you get to know him, he¡¯s quite pitiful and even a bit foolish at times.¡±


    ¡°M-Mr. Sword God?¡±


    ¡°<i>Ha? </i>Did you just ask me to release the guy who tried to kill my little sister?¡± Sung Mi-Na¡¯s eyes burned with anger.


    So, she knew.


    ¡°He¡¯s changed, and besides, he¡¯s lost an arm. Is there really a need to kill him? If you¡¯re still mad, I¡¯ll take responsibility and have him turn himself in. Aren¡¯t you an S-rank Hunter? You can still be considered a public servant, right? Shouldn¡¯t you be upholding thew...¡±


    However, Sung Mi-Na looked around at the surroundings, not paying attention at all.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t seem like anyone else is tailing you. Unlike your appearance, you¡¯re quite reckless.¡±


    Then, her ruby lips curved into a smirk, taunting me.


    <i>Ah, she¡¯s so goddamn pretty, my heart can¡¯t help but flutter. Masculine instincts are so sad.</i>


    ¡°This suits me. I was about toe after you once I¡¯m done with him. Now, I can take care of you both. Saves me the trouble.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t believe what I was hearing. While I could see why she wanted to get rid of Sword Demon, why me?


    ¡°W-why me?¡±


    ¡°Drop the act. Johan mentioned your name before he died. I figured that you¡¯re the one behind all of this.¡±


    <i>Mastermind? Me? Wait, how did you get it so wrong?</i>


    ¡°Why did you approach Mi-Ri? You won her over by pretending to save her, didn¡¯t you?! What are you nning to do?!¡±


    <i>But I am just an ordinary third-rate novelist in South Korea. Ah, wait. I''m not even one. </i>


    I fell into depression as I recalled thetest novel I had uploaded on Dalpia. Now that she med me for everything, I felt like wallowing in misery.


    ¡°I also have a question for you. If you care so much about your younger sister, why did you seal her power?¡±


    Sung Mi-Na was petrified. It seemed like I¡¯d struck a nerve.


    That day, at the hospital, I desperately tried to break Sung Mi-Ri¡¯s seal, only to fail miserably. Finally, I appraised the seal on the monster.


    -----


    [Blood Pearl Seal]


    Around for 13 years. Suppresses the Thunder Beast¡¯s power, from which Sung Mi-Ri¡¯s abilities originate from.


    Special note: The seal was made by the cursed Sung Mi-Na with her own life.


    -----


    ¡°I just can¡¯t wrap my head around it. Why risk your own life to seal her? No way, are you jealous of her? Do you hate the idea of her surpassing you as a Hunter? Is that why you decided to nip it in the bud?¡±


    ¡°Nonsenses! You don¡¯t know anything!¡± Sung Mi-Na¡¯s face contorted horribly.


    Then, Sung Mi-Na pointed her finger at my heart, saying, ¡°Skill, Reaper¡¯s Deration.¡±


    Like a bodyguard blocking a bullet, Sword Demon panickedly leaped in front of me.


    ¡°No! Mr. Sword God!¡±


    ¡°<strong><i>Stop!</i></strong>¡±


    But Sung Mi-Na was faster. Except, nothing happened.


    Caught up in the atmosphere, I felt a bit nervous.


    ¡°Mr. Sword God, are you alright?! Do you feel any difort?!¡± Sword Demon scanned me all over with a pale face.


    ¡°I don¡¯t feel anything.¡±


    ¡°And here I almost killed myself on her order... As expected of Mr. Sword God! You¡¯re amazing!¡± His eyes brimmed with respect.


    Of course, I wasn¡¯t pleased at all. <i>Did you hear? </i>That woman mistook me as the mastermind behind all of this!


    ¡°Despite my best efforts, mymands still didn¡¯t work on you.¡± Sung Mi-Na bit her lips until it bled.


    Based on Sword Demon and Sung Mi-Na reactions, her ability seemed to be outstanding, yet it didn¡¯t affect me in the slightest.


    ¡°I¡¯ll admit that you¡¯re much stronger than I thought. But if you think that¡¯s the full extent of my power, you¡¯ve made a huge mistake!¡±


    <i>Rooooar!</i>


    Her hair flew up as her aura surged.


    ¡°Mr. Sword God, be careful. I¡¯m not fully certain, but there are rumors that she¡¯s actually an SS-rank Hunter. She may be a Psychic-type Hunter, but you shouldn¡¯t let your guard down.¡± Sword Demon dryly gulped, directing his sword at her.


    ¡°SS-rank?¡±


    So far, the highest rank for Hunters in South Korea had been S. But if what he said was true, then wouldn¡¯t Sung Mi-Na be the strongest Hunter in our country?


    <i>Tzzz!</i>


    As Sung Mi-Na extended both hands toward us, her pupils turned blue.


    ¡°<strong><i>Burn.</i></strong>¡±


    Then, something unbelievable happened.


    <i>Roooooar!</i>


    A powerful firestorm burst from her hands. Wasn¡¯t that an elemental power exclusive to Special Ability-type Hunters?!


    ¡°<i>Eek!</i>¡± Both Sword Demon and I dodged reflexively.


    <i>Tzzz!</i>


    Although the fire didn¡¯t graze me, the heat alone was enough to scald my skin.


    ¡°You rats! <strong><i>Freeze!</i></strong>¡±


    <i>Whiiiing!</i>


    This time, a blizzard appeared.


    <i>Crack crack crack!</i>


    The cold blizzard froze our legs in an instant! How could she freely manipte elements of other abilities?!


    This absolutely defied allmon sense and logic! Sure, some Hunters who could wield more than one power at a time, but never those of conflicting elements?! And not at the same time?!


    ¡°Sword God, don¡¯t be fooled! This is all an illusion!¡± Sword Demon yelled in a hurry.


    ¡°Let me ask you this.¡± Sung Mi-Na snorted and raised her hand into the air.


    <i>Ssssss!</i>


    The scattered, flying gravel gathered around her, merging into one.


    ¡°How does a perfect illusion differ from reality?¡±


    Hearing that, I suddenly recalled a few cases. Someone froze to death despite being trapped in a broken freezer. A mother used her raw strength to lift a car that pinned her child. The mind did take over the body at times, whether positively or negatively.


    <i>Ruuuumble!</i>


    Sung Mi-Na hovered the boulder, now about the size of a mountain, over our heads.


    ¡°If you want to live, speak! Who are you?! What is your motive?! Even if this is an illusion, if your mind perceives it as reality, you¡¯ll die regardless!¡± she warned us.


    <i>Seriously, so much bloodlust. </i>Well, if she was that curious, I suppose I should just tell her.


    ¡°I¡¯m Yu Il-Shin, a frence novelist. Recently, I¡¯ve been ying god to ants. Oh, I¡¯m also Ms. Sung Mi-Ri¡¯s dedicated trainer. I want to help her be an S-rank Hunter someday. So why don¡¯t you break her seal, you stubborn guardian?!¡±


    ¡°Huh? <i>HAHAHAHA</i>!¡± Sung Mi-Naughed in disbelief. But soon, her expression twisted once more. ¡°If that¡¯s your wish, die!¡±


    Tremendous shadow loomed over me and Sword Demon.


    A burning meteorite, weighing hundreds of tons, came crashing down at us, threatening to crush us to death.


    ¡°<i>Arghhh!</i> Mr. Sword God!¡± Sword Demon screamed, turningpletely white.


    Facing such an impossible threat, a sword master like him must¡¯ve felt like an ant going against a wave.


    Meanwhile, I was unfazed.


    ¡°Skill Sharing, Il-Ho¡¯s Strong Body.¡±


    Along with the skill, I also equipped the malevolent god title, Brutal Killer. I felt an immeasurable surge of strength as my muscles ripped my clothes to shreds.


    ¡°W-what?¡± Sung Mi-Na¡¯s eyes widened in shock.


    Who cares if the falling meteorite was real or an illusion? All I had to do was smash it to pieces! I clenched my fists, punching in the direction of its trajectory.


    <i>Bam bam bam bam!</i>


    The meteorite shattered with a deafening bang!


    ¡°N-no way!¡±


    Shards of the meteorite rain all over, shattering the ice that shackled me in ce. As Sung Mi-Na watched in disbelief, I approached her.


    The moment I grabbed her by the neck...


    ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate me! Skill, Mental Space!¡±


    The veins on her forehead bulged. At the same time, my world changed.


    <i>sh!</i>


    <i>Huh? What¡¯s this?</i>


    There were neither Sword Demon, mountain, nor meteorite in sight. Everything had vanished. It was a strange space, akin to a nk canvas, and I stood there alone.


    Wait, not really. Sung Mi-Na soared above my head like a bird.


    ¡°You really pissed me off.¡±


    <i>Even without you saying so, I can tell.</i>


    She seemed about to pop a vein, and her hair stood on end like a hedgehog¡¯s. <i>Interesting hairstyle you got there, </i>just as I thought that...


    <i>Ssss¡ª</i>


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    The floor I stood on suddenly turned into a swamp. I was sinking. In a panic, I tried to resist, but...


    <i>Flick! Flick!</i>


    Chains flew at me from all directions, binding and dragging me down.


    ¡°<i>Argh</i>!¡±


    <i>Crack! Craaaack!</i>


    I tried breaking them, but they were just too many. Thousands after thousands of chains restrained me, like a spider capturing its prey.


    <i>Ssss¡ª</i>


    Sung Mi-Na watched me smugly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you won¡¯t die. You¡¯ll only turn into a vegetable and never wake up.¡±


    Then, she stepped on my head with her high heels, sinking me deeper until my neck.


    ¡°This is yourst chance. Tell me. Who are you? What is your motive?¡±


    I pondered over it seriously. Was this an illusion or reality? If it was an illusion, I could say whatever I wanted, right?


    ¡°Ms. Sung Mi-Na...¡±


    When I spoke, she smiled brightly, looking satisfied.


    ¡°Very good. Do you feel like talking now?¡±


    ¡°I can see your panties. White...¡±


    ¡°<i>Kyaaaa</i>!¡± she screamed, withdrawing a few steps.


    <i>Who told you to step on others while wearing a skirt?</i>


    <i>Growl¡ª</i>


    That was thest thing I saw as I got swallowed by the swamp. Darkness enveloped everything around. It felt as if I¡¯d been plunged into a vast universe of dark matters. Sleepiness from three all-nighters in a row to rush the deadline pervaded me.


    <i>Mm, I¡¯m getting sleepy. Wait, I shouldn¡¯t be sleeping.</i>


    I hadn¡¯t found out why she sealed Sung Mi-Ri¡¯s powers. Yet, against my will, my consciousness slipped away.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    Faintly, I heard a notification from God-Maker.


    [You have met the conditions for activating Silently Crawling Nightmare¡¯s innate power Night Rose.]


    Somehow, I felt that this was going to be a good dream.


    ***


    Only Sung Mi-Na was left in the mental space.


    ¡°I never got him to fess up. He must have something to do with Abysm!¡±


    She stared at the swamp that had swallowed Yu Il-Shin with mixed feelings. What a shame she failed to figure out his true identity. At the very least, that was one less threat directed at Mi-RI.


    <i>Shall I head back?</i>


    Just as she was about to return to reality...


    <i>Flick flick flick!</i>


    ¡°...!¡±


    A giant vine suddenly appeared from the swamp, attacking her.


    <i>Bang bang!</i>


    ¡°<i>Urk</i>!¡±


    Sung Mi-Na leaped into the air, barely dodging the vines, but that was only the beginning.


    <i>Ruuuumble!</i>


    A massive earthquake shook her mental space! Then, an absurdly gigantic being rose from the swamp.


    ¡°O-oh my gosh! W-what¡¯s that?¡±


    Sung Mi-Na was startled when the tall shadow loomed over her. It was an outrageously huge yet eerily beautiful flower.


    ¡°H-how did this end up in my mental space...?!¡±


    It was her domain! There shouldn¡¯t be any unrecognizable or unapproved entity here?!


    <i>Ruuumble!</i>


    That cryptid flower looked at Sung Mi-Na, opening its jaw wide and roaring ferociously.


    -<i>Kieeeeek!</i>


    ¡°<i>Kyaaaa</i>! D-don¡¯te near me!¡±


    Sung Mi-Na¡¯s nightmare had begun.

 Chapter 61: Even Gods Feel Anguish at Times

    <h4>Chapter 61: Even Gods Feel Anguish at Times</h4>


    The mental space was Sung Mi-Na¡¯s secret weapon. She forged it with blood, sweat, and tears just to exact revenge. No entity or being should be able to defeat her within that space.


    However...


    ¡°Die! Just die already!¡±


    Nothing worked. Neither a firestorm, a blizzard, a steel-cutting gust of wind, nor a meteor rain could take down that beautiful, gigantic flower.


    -<i>Kieeeeeek</i>!


    Despite unleashing all attacks she could muster, Sung Mi-Na couldn¡¯t even pluck a single petal.


    She fell into despair¡ªit was as if she was reliving that harrowing, fateful day all over again. The nightmarish day where everyone was devoured by that abomination, leaving her and Sung Mi-Ri behind.


    <i>Flick flick flick!</i>


    The taunting flower wrapped its vines all over her body, before revealing its hideous fangs.


    <i>Grrr!</i>


    Abyssal darkness stared back at Sung Mi-Na.


    ¡°<i>Ahhh</i>! N-<i>nooo</i>!¡± She screamed, tears welling up in her eyes.


    However, the Night Rose only chuckled, as if relishing her terror.


    ¡°P-please! I still have things left to do... I can¡¯t die like this!¡±


    Night Rose cared not for her pleas. Like an insect caught in a venus flytrap, Sung Mi-Na was devoured by the nightmare incarnate.


    <i>Gulp!</i>


    ***


    <i>Snore¡ª</i>


    As I sank into the swamp of the mental space, I wrapped the darkness around me like a nket and drifted to sleep. It was cozier than I thought. Maybe I could use this method to cure my insomnia...


    ¡°God, p-please save me...¡±


    The voice of a scared little girl interrupted my sleep.


    ¡°<i>Wahhhh</i>!¡±


    ¡°D-don¡¯t cry, Mi-Ri. Unni is here.¡±


    Mi-Ri? The familiar name made me curious.


    [The innate power Blind Eyes of God has been activated.]


    [You¡¯re watching Sung Mi-Na¡¯s ¡°nightmare.¡±]


    <i>sh!</i>


    All of the sudden, I was no longer in the world of darkness. Then, the figures of two children entered my sight. The older child hugged the younger, both shivering like cold, drenched ducklings.


    The youngest seemed to be about my niece¡¯s age. In her hand was a golden cross. As soon as I saw it, information about it appeared in my head. It was given by her parents.


    After hiding the two in the basement, their parents acted as decoys, before ultimately getting devoured by <i>it. </i>


    -<i>Kyaaaa</i>!


    -<i>Arghhh</i>! Save me!


    ¡°Oh, God... Please save me...¡±


    The desperate cries of people.


    Praying pitifully to God, the younger child clutched the golden cross so tightly that her palm bled. Her prayer went unheard amidst the ensuing hell.


    -<i>Grrr!</i>


    Then, I saw a gargantuan dragon. Its long, forked tongue swept through the city, devouring humans. Such a horrifying and surreal sight it was, like an anteater swooping through an anthill to eat ants.


    I finally realized what it was. The strange horns sprouting from its head, resembling a spiky crown, was a dead giveaway. Fifteen years ago, a massive earthquake struck South Korea. Following that, a seemingly endless SSS-rank crack opened up on the ground, bringing forth the worst monster in history.


    Abysm Dragon. The legendary monster that had turned the world upside down and imed millions of lives, before being in by the World Alliance.


    The younger child cried and wailed, scattering yellow sparks around her.


    <i>Tzz! Tzzz!</i>


    ¡±D-don¡¯t cry, Mi-Ri. The monster won¡¯t be able to find us. When have I ever lost at hide-and-seek?¡±


    The child¡¯s eyes turned blue.


    <i>Ssss¡ª</i>


    The air around them warped as a bluish barrier enveloped them, hiding them from those outside.


    ¡°Look, how is it? Isn¡¯t it amazing?¡±


    Forcing a smile, the older child, Sung Mi-NA, stroked her little sister¡¯s head.


    ¡°<i>Wow</i>.¡±


    After seeing the protective barrier and her older sister¡¯s smile, the younger child finally stopped crying.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, my little sister is so sweet.¡±


    With a trembling hand, Mi-Na continued patting Mi-Ri¡¯s head. Thetter was still giving out small electric sparks.


    In truth, Mi-Na wanted to cry so badly. The sight of her parents being swept away by the dragon¡¯s forked tongue, before being devoured alive, was seared in her memory.


    Still, she couldn¡¯t afford to cry. Not when she had promised her parents to protect her little sister no matter what.


    How much time had passed? Before she knew it, the screams were no more. The abrupt silence brought hope to Sung Mi-Na. Did they survive from that horrible monster?


    How wrong she was.


    <i>Ruuuumble! Bam bam bam!</i>


    With a deafening sound, the ceiling of the basement they were hiding in was torn open! At the same time, a yellow reptilian eye peered into the basement. Mi-Na shivered while burying her little sister¡¯s head in her arms.


    <i>It¡¯s fine, Mi-Ri. Don¡¯t worry. That monster will never be able to see us.</i>


    <i>Rumble¡ª</i>


    After scanning the basement, the monster¡¯s eye stopped.


    -Strange. I was sure I¡¯d smelled a worm here, but where is it?


    That wasn¡¯t a voice, but a telepathy. It was so sinister, like fingernails wing her brain. Already an aplished psychic at such a young age, Sung Mi-Na could connect with the dragon instantly. Although only a glimpse, she could see its essence.


    <i>What the hell... a demon?</i>


    No, the word ¡°demon¡± wasn¡¯t even close. Describing it as that would be far too generous.


    The best fitting term was likely "extinction"¡ªthe end of all beings.


    <i>Shwishhh¡ª</i>


    Sumbing to fear, Mi-Na peed in her pants.


    The dragon narrowed its eye, as if mocking her. It could see them from the beginning. It was simply ying with itsst prey.


    <i>Flickkk!</i>


    The ck, forked tongue that had ughtered millions effortlessly shattered Mi-Na¡¯s protective barrier, wrapping around the children.


    ¡°<i>Aaaaaah</i>!¡±


    The dragon opened its jaw wide, revealing what seemed like an entrance to the abyss, just as its name suggested.


    <i>No!</i> Unable to watch this any longer, I attempted to save the two girls.


    <i>Swish!</i>


    However, my body passed through them, as did my attacks on the dragon. I was a captive audience in this nightmare, being made to watch as the dragon swept the children into its mouth, just like it did with millions of others.


    But then, something seemed to have changed its mind. The dragon¡¯s tongue stopped as it red down at the children. Mi-Na was paralyzed in fear, whereas the crying Mi-Ri was firing electric attacks.


    -It¡¯ll be a shame to eat both of you right away. Despite being mere worms, you have quite the potential.


    The dragon blinked several times in contemtion. Seemingly having made its decision, it nodded.


    -Alright, I¡¯ve decided. Even if I consume every human on this tiny, my divinity will remain unchanged. In that case, I should just raise them myself.


    <i>Crackle¡ª</i>


    Then, a skull mark exuding a malicious aura appeared in the air. The pair of siblings screamed and wailed as the mark was branded on their chests and backs.


    -<i>Kukuku</i>. I think I finally understood Infinite Abundance a bit. Sowing seeds, was it? It¡¯s quite thrilling.


    The dragon smiled sinisterly as it looked down on the crying pair.


    -Worms, I¡¯ll wait until the day your abilities fully mature. The brand of sacrifice I left on you will help you transcend the limit of your potential. I look forward to you bing worthy of me and my master until doomsday.


    Chuckling, the dragon vanished, leaving the branded sisters behind. That day marked the start of Mi-Na¡¯s nightmare and time passed like a panorama.


    Roughly half a yearter, Mi-Na heard rumors of the dragon getting in, but she didn¡¯t buy it. It might¡¯ve been for a brief moment, but she had witnessed the dragon¡¯s essence, and therefore, she was sure it wasn¡¯t the kind of monster that would easily be killed by humans.


    Thus, in order to escape from the fate of bing a sacrifice, Mi-Na pushed herself to the extreme. True to the dragon¡¯s words, the mark helped Mi-Na¡¯s abilities grow by leaps and bounds. Despite her tender age of fourteen, Mi-Na became the youngest S-rank Hunter globally. To top it off, her abilities were only getting more powerful.


    <i>I can be stronger. And when that timees, that Abysm Dragon will...!</i>


    Her growing power convinced her that she¡¯d be able to rise into Rank SSS one day, the so-called god¡¯s domain. At the same time, Mi-Na realized that it also came at the cost of her life.


    For some reason, her body had stopped growing at some point. Her organs were degenerating, and she experienced <i>hemoptysis </i>repeatedly.


    Regardless, Mi-Na was willing to endure everything as long as she could exact revenge on the Abysm Dragon. But then, an incident urred when Sung Mi-Ri was nine years old...


    ¡°Unni, look at this. Isn¡¯t it amazing?¡±


    Mi-Ri blew up an entire hill with a single lightning sh, proving that she¡¯d reached S-rank.


    ¡°Unni...what¡¯s wrong? I¡¯m scared...¡±


    Mi-Ri did it to be praised by her only sister, who was akin to a parental figure, but she ended up terrifying Mi-Na instead.


    Mi-Na could live with this curse, even if she only had less than a decade left. As long as she could get her revenge, she¡¯d die with a smile.


    But what about Mi-Ri? What if her parents¡¯ only legacy died without ever growing into someone she wanted to be?


    No, not on her watch.


    ¡°Mi-Ri, look at me.¡± Mi-Na¡¯s eyes shone blue.


    ¡°U-Unni? What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    <i>Trickle!</i>


    Rotten, ck blood spilled from her eyes and nose. Despite having be an SS-rank Hunter, she still couldn¡¯t remove the mark left by the dragon.


    But at the very least, if she risked her own life, she should be able to seal it.


    The essence of Sung Mi-Ri¡¯s power, the Thunder Beast within her soul.


    ¡°<i>Aaaaargh</i>! Unni, it hurts! Stop it!¡±


    ¡°Shut up! You talentless idiot! Don¡¯t ever think of bing a Hunter!¡±


    And yet, I could hear the voice of Mi-Na¡¯s heart.


    -You should lead a normal life, Mi-Ri. Before I die, I¡¯ll get rid of everything that stands in your way. So please, my dear little sister, please... live on.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Devoured by Night Rose, Sung Mi-Na¡¯s consciousness is breaking down.]


    [You have destroyed the Mental Space restricting you.]


    Along with those messages...


    ¡°<i>Gasp!</i>¡±


    I woke up from her nightmare.


    ***


    Humans were tormented beings. Throughout the tribtions of life, humans faced countless problems and struggled to solve them. And I, a Lowest-tier God, was no different on Earth.


    Sword Demon crept up on me. ¡°Mr. Sword God, I have an idea.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re in a deserted mountain right now. Why don¡¯t we get rid of her quietly?¡± he said, silently unsheathing his sword.


    ¡°<i>Hahaha</i>, Mr. Sword Demon, no¡ªSword Demon.¡±


    ¡°<i>Oooh</i>! You finally decided to forego the honorifics! Yes! Mr. Sword God! I¡¯ll do whatever you ask!¡±


    ¡°Shut up and stick your head on the ground.¡±


    ¡°Understood!¡± Sword Demon obediently followed his master¡¯s order.


    Meanwhile, with a throbbing head, I cautiously turned to Sung Mi-Na. She was curled up on the ground.


    ¡°<i>Uhm</i>, Ms. Sung Mi-Na?¡±


    She looked up at me, giving me an innocent smile that no one had probably witnessed before.


    It made my heart flutter, but for a different reason.


    <i>Please don¡¯t smile at me like that. I¡¯d rather you re at me or treat me like trash.</i>


    Whether she knew what I was thinking, Sung Mi-Na tilted her head sideways and said, ¡°...Mommy?¡±


    I clutched my head.


    <i>Fuck, I¡¯m about to lose my mind.</i>

 Chapter 62: Warrior Climbs the Tower, Saintess Builds the Country

    <h4>Chapter 62: Warrior Climbs the Tower, Saintess Builds the Country</h4>


    The Twelfth Floor of the Tower of Warriors: Trial of Remorse.


    ¡°Kill them!¡±


    ¡°Show those barbarians who don¡¯t recognize the might of the Emperor no mercy!¡±


    The imperial soldiers swarmed over like raging beasts. Such a majestic sight it was, like a massive tidal wave rolling over in the distance.


    Only one person stood in the face of that iing wave.


    ¡°<i>Aaaarrghh</i>! <i>Muuuuscles</i>!¡± Il-Ho roared, charging at the huge army head on.


    Each swing of his fist roared like a thunderp, scattering dozens of soldiers in every direction. None of those soldiers stood a chance against hisbat prowess.


    ¡°Fire!¡±


    ¡°B-but General Stoogi! Ourrades are still fighting him!¡±


    ¡°I said fire!¡±


    His enemy closed the insurmountable gap in strength with their overwhelming numbers and savagery on the battlefield.


    <i>Swoooosh!</i>


    Hundreds of catapults were fired, raining rocks down on both theirrades and Il-Ho.


    <i>Bam bam bam bam!</i>


    ¡°<i>Aaaargh!</i>¡±


    ¡°<i>S-save meeee!</i>¡±


    The imperial soldiers cried for help. Bloody rocks piled up on Il-Ho, burying him. Seeing that, General Stoogi sneered and said, ¡°<i>Kehehe, </i>way too extravagant for a lowly barbarian¡¯s tomb.¡±


    Due to that attack, thousands of imperial soldiers perished along with Il-Ho. Nevertheless, this amount of damage left General Stoogi unfazed.


    ¡°Now, to finish off the remaining barbarians and capture the Saintess alive...¡±


    <i>Ruuuumble!</i>


    ¡°W-what?¡±


    The ground suddenly shook, making General Stoogi flustered.


    <i>Bam bam bam!</i>


    Rocks flew into the air like those from an erupting volcano, and bloody Il-Ho burst through the rocky mountain.


    Raising his arms into the air, Il-Ho roared, ¡°<i>Arghhh! Muuuuscles!</i> The great God Yu Il-Shin is with Il-Ho!¡±


    General Stoogi watched the scene unfold, tightening his grip on his mace. ¡°That lowly barbarian! All soldiers, charge! He¡¯s dying! End him!¡±


    ¡°<i>Waaaah</i>!¡±


    The battle between the Empire''s 100,000-strong expeditionary force and a single warrior.


    ¡°<i>Huff huff!</i>¡±


    The lone warrior won. Drenched in blood, Il-Ho turned his back on the mountain of imperial troops¡¯ corpses. The hiding Gayamis cheered as they saw Il-Ho return victorious.


    ¡°He did it! We believed in you!¡±


    ¡°Hyungnim! When did you be so strong?!¡±


    ¡°You did it, Dear.¡±


    His wise and strong father, tender mother, trusted brothers, and the woman he was engaged with.


    However, Il-Ho walked past all of them, since none of this was real.


    The reality was the other way around. General Stoogy and his expeditionary force had massacred his family. The mountain of corpses were theirs. Instead of rejoicing, his family and beloved desperately cried for him...


    They were his remorse. As much as he wanted to cry, Il-Ho held back his tears. All that flowed out was blood from his wounds.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Congrattions. The Twelfth Floor of the Tower of Warriors: Trial of Remorse has been cleared.]


    [The challenger has been rewarded with Indomitable Will from Eternal Seeker.]


    [Indomitable Will: Challenger, nothing in this world will be able to bend your will!]


    Il-Ho steeled his resolve¡ªto never go through the same pain again. Instead of remaining in the past, he would protect the present, and look forward to the future.


    <i>Glug glug!</i>


    Il-Ho burned with passion as he downed the Blessing of the Growth God given by Yu Il-Shin. Then, he headed to the trial on the next floor.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Aspiring Warrior Il-Ho has potential for transcendence.]


    [Yu Il-Shin watches Il-Ho with a smile of contentment.]


    ***


    Arachne drank a ss of blood diluted with strong wine. ck aging spots marred her once-beautiful skin. It was the side effect of eating Poison Sword Buttor¡¯s wings. Nevertheless, it was also proof that he was living inside her.


    ¡°Buttor, how I miss you.¡±


    Sorrowful tears filled her eyes as she gazed at the small piece of wing he¡¯d left behind.


    <i>nk!</i>


    Suddenly, the door opened, and the High Chancellor bowed deeply toward her.


    ¡°Goddess! Reporting! Oak Tree Unit and ck Moss Unit have joined up! This increases the total strength of the expeditionary force to over a billion troops! The Ten Swords and General are requesting to set off at once!¡±


    Arachne emptied the ss of blood wine at once.


    <i>m!</i>


    Then, she shattered her ss, her eyes glowing with hatred.


    ¡°Not yet! That¡¯s far from enough!¡±


    Arachne wanted a perfect revenge, one that didn¡¯t allow room for any loopholes or variables to happen. She wanted to crush them with such overwhelming strength that they couldn''t lift a finger. Only then could she exact vengeance for Buttor¡¯s miserable death, even for just a bit.


    ¡°When ites to that malevolent god, relying solely on numbers will only put us at a disadvantage! Every single troop of our empire will assemble in a month! I¡¯ve also spoken to the gods of the thrones to lend us their power! Tell them to wait until then!¡±


    The High Chancellor¡¯s face turned pale blue. They could blow up the entire continent with that! Weren¡¯t they up against a misfit malevolent god and refugees? They were going overboard with this strategy!


    ¡°Still... I can¡¯t wait patiently for that long.¡± All three pairs of Arachne¡¯s eyes glowered eerily.


    ¡°ursed followers of the malevolent god... You should lose something precious, just like me. It¡¯s only fair, right?¡±


    At the same time...


    <i>Sha sha sha!</i>


    A group stealthily scaled the fortress walls of the Gayami tribe. The imposing walls, built by Yu Il-Shin to protect his followers, could hold back millions of troops. And yet, it was nothing to them.


    The group that scaled the steep fortress walls as if walking on level ground were the eight-legged spiders from Arachne¡¯s n.


    They¡¯d arrived under her secretmand, which was to assassinate. They looked through the city for a while to find their target. Soon enough, they found her. Her holy aura was like a candle burning in the darkness, so they identified her right away. Saintess Anty.


    ¡°O¡¯ Saintess.¡±


    ¡°Please bestow your grace upon us, too...¡±


    Anty had been working hard to heal the refugees and spread the belief of Yu Il-Shin to them. As a result, the number of followers for Yu Il-Shinism grew. Nevertheless, her Gayami bodyguard, Yi-Ho, watched her with a pale, concerned face.


    ¡°Saintess, you should probably rest. You¡¯ve been performing miracles for the refugees for days on end without sleeping.¡±


    ¡°But there¡¯s still so many of them hoping for God Yu Il-Shin¡¯s miracle...¡±


    ¡°Thanks to your teachings, both Oh-Chil and Gu-Gu have be priests. Their powers may notpare to yours, but you can trust them to heal minor injuries.¡±


    Unable to refute, Anty nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll leave it to you then.¡±


    ¡°Also, please give the Elder¡¯s words some thought.¡±


    By that, Yi-Ho was referring to the elder of the Termite Kingdom who had arrived not long ago. In hope of reviving the country, he proposed for Anty to be queen, especially since she inherited royal blood.


    ¡°Do you think someone like me can take up such a heavy responsibility?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to make a decision right away, but please remember this. Both I and the Gayami people are always with you.¡± Yi-Ho bowed respectfully as he escorted Anty to her quarters.


    ¡°<i>Pheeew</i>.¡±


    Now left all alone, Anty took off the white robe that covered her body.


    <i>Flutter flutter¡ª</i>


    The mirror reflected her short figure, pearly skin, and flowy white hair. Thanks to the grace of God Yu Il-Shin, her body transformed. It looked so enchanting, she almost couldn¡¯t recognize herself. However, her mind was the same as when she was still an ant.


    ¡°I only gained God''s favor by chance. I¡¯m still my scared and weak self. Will I be able to bear the weight of the crown?¡±


    She couldn¡¯t do anything when the people were dying from the poisonous powder spread by Buttor, the Poison Sword of the Ten Swords. More refugees had joined the city, and now their poption had hit the millions. Would she be able to look over all of them? Instead of her, wouldn¡¯t someone with overwhelming power be more suitable for the crown? For example, someone like Il-Ho.


    ¡°Lord Yu Il-Shin, please provide me with enlightenment.¡± Anty sniffled as she prayed piously.


    The response was unexpected.


    <i>Flick flick!</i>


    White threads flew at her from all directions, wrapping her like a cocoon!


    ¡°S-someone<i>¡ªmmph!</i>¡±


    <i>Flick! Plop!</i>


    She tried to cry for help, but an extremely sticky mucus stopped her from talking.


    <i>Ssss¡ª</i>


    Along with a strand of thread, Intruders appeared from the ceiling. Six glowering eyes, ck fur, and eight legs. They were spiders.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that. We¡¯ll end you right at this second.¡± The leader of their group turned to his subordinate, who was holding a crystal ball. ¡°How is it?¡±


    ¡°There''s no trace of that fringe malevolent god!¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± The Leader smiled widely, revealing his venomous fangs. ¡°I almost cracked up. A queen? A lowly, insolent barbarian like you? How hrious!¡±


    ¡°Peakedy! Especially when all of you are going to die soon!¡±


    The spiders chuckled amongst themselves while mocking Anty.


    Suddenly, the subordinate who looked into the crystal ball yelled, ¡°Leader, I can feel a crack appearing! The malevolent god will soon descend! Please hurry!¡±


    ¡°<i>Tsk</i>, he¡¯s faster than I thought. Saintess, it¡¯s a shame, but this is goodbye.¡±


    The Leader dug his fangs into Anty¡¯s white neck.


    <i>Squelch!</i>


    ck venom seeped through the puncture wound, spreading through her white skin like spider webs.


    ¡°...!¡±


    Anty writhed as pain ran through her body. The mucus that glued her mouth together prevented her from screaming.


    <i>Please help me! Please save me, Lord Yu Il-Shin!</i>


    The Leader chuckled as he watched Anty tear up and said, ¡°You won¡¯t be lonely, Saintess. Soon, the rest of the barbarians will follow the same fate. Our wrathful Goddess will tear that crude god you worship limb to limb.¡±


    Anty instantly stopped convulsing.


    <i>Kill him? How dare they! He''s my one and only! How dare you touch my Lord Yu Il-Shin!</i>


    Her newfound anger triumphed over the torment of death.


    <i>Tzzz!</i>


    ¡°L-Leader!¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    Flustered, one of the subordinates called to the Leader, ¡°A-a tremendous d-divine power...¡±


    But they did not get to finish their sentence.


    <i>Baaam!</i>


    ...Because the crystal ball exploded in their face.


    ¡°W-what?¡±


    ¡°Convicting Middle Finger of God Yu Il-Shin.¡±


    ¡°<i>Arrrrgh!</i>¡±


    ¡°<i>Kyaaaak!</i>¡±


    <i>Flicker! Saaat!</i>


    ck mes soared all around them, reducing the Leader¡¯s subordinates into ashes.


    Something had gone terribly wrong! The Leader tried to make his escape, but soon realized that his legs were no more. He stumbled to the ground.


    <i>tter! St!</i>


    Anty stepped on the Leader¡¯s head with a bare foot.


    ¡°<i>Ugh</i>...¡±


    ¡°Care to repeat yourself, you wretched spider?¡±


    Anty''s bloodshot eyes red at the Leader as if he was an insect.


    ¡°Who will be torn from limb to limb by whom? Do you honestly believe you¡¯ll be able to touch him?¡±


    ¡°<i>Urk... </i>Such arrogance. Saintess... no, you heretic bitch! For the first time in 500 years, the entire force of the Empire and the great gods will unite! Not even the God of Creation can defeat us! A malevolent god like yours...¡±


    ¡°Shut up, you impudent trash. Convicting Middle Finger of God Yu Il-Shin.¡±


    <i>Baaam!</i>


    ¡°<i>Arrrrgh!</i>¡±


    Furious, Anty shot out ck mes, engulfing the spider¡¯s entire body. His scorched body turned into ashes in an instant, scattering in the wind.


    ¡°Saintess! Are you alright!?¡±


    Upon seeing mes in Anty¡¯s quarters, Yi-Ho rushed in with a spear. But soon, his heart froze from shock. He saw a breathtakingly beautiful woman, naked, with jet-ck hair and ruby-red eyes.


    ¡°Ms. A-Anty?¡±


    He almost couldn¡¯t recognize her, but she was unmistakably Anty, the Saintess of their tribe.


    ¡°Yi-Ho.¡± Her seductive red lips moved. ¡°Please convey this to the Elder. I shall ept their request. However, our nation shall be named Gayami, the symbol bestowed upon us by God Yu Il-Shin. Onest thing, have Baek-Ho lead the messengers to convey this to the entire continent. <i>¡®To unite as one at the Holy Nation of Gayami, where we worship the great and merciful God Yu Il-Shin and stand against the wicked empire!¡¯</i>¡±


    <i>Tzzz!</i>


    ck energy exploded from Anty. ¡°Those wicked imperial bastards. I will no longer stand back! How dare you harm our God Yu Il-Shin!¡±


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Anty, fallen saint and dark priestess, has potential for transcendence.]


    [Yu Il-Shin, who arrivedte, flinches at the sight of the transformed Anty. However, he soon came to his senses and enthusiastically cheered on her.]


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [You now have 2 more S-rank or higher intelligent beings with the potential for transcendence.]


    [Additional targets: Il-Ho, Anty]


    -----


    [Quest: Low-tier God Promotion (In Progress)]


    Followers of intelligent beings at S-rank and above with potential for transcendence: 3/10


    -----

 Chapter 63: Sword Demon, I Bestow You the Demon Lord’s Heavenly Sword

    <h4>Chapter 63: Sword Demon, I Bestow You the Demon Lord¡¯s Heavenly Sword</h4>


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [You now have 2 more S-rank or higher intelligent beings with the potential for transcendence.]


    [Additional targets: Il-Ho, Anty]


    -----


    [Quest: Low-tier God Promotion (In Progress)]


    Followers of intelligent beings at S-rank and above with potential for transcendence: 3/10


    -----


    A new message appeared on God-Maker. At the same time, change also happened to me.


    <i>Tzzz!</i>


    A dazzling white light enveloped my entire body. I could feel myself rapidly getting revitalized. Apparently, their growth had affected me as well.


    <i>I¡¯ll have to reflect on myself.</i>


    Il-Ho and Anty were originally ants, but they worked so hard. So I, as their god, mustn¡¯t remaincent. I suddenly felt ashamed for ying God-Maker to escape reality.


    ¡°Alright! I must face my problems head-on! Time to set things right!¡±


    <i>Suck suck suck!</i>


    But then, I saw Sung Mi-Na sucking on her thumb, sound asleep. <i>Well, there goes my resolve. </i>My headache also returned.


    <i>Fuck, how am I supposed to fix this? I can¡¯t think of anything!</i>


    Despitebing through God¡¯s Shop, I couldn¡¯t find anything that would rectify the situation.


    ¡°<i>Haa...</i>¡±


    Remember, in the olden times, people started a fire by piling rocks together. <i>So, stop looking for it, I¡¯d say.</i>


    ¡°Hey, stalkers! You''re all seeing this, right? How can I restore Sung Mi-Na to her original state?¡±


    [Eternal Seeker says that a healthy body is a healthy mind. He suggests getting in shape immediately.]


    <i>Yeah, next.</i>


    [All-Cutting Heavenly Sword mocks you for caring so much about a girl nearing the end of her life. He casually suggests that you just sacrifice her for yourself.]


    <i>I didn¡¯t expect much from you to begin with.</i>


    [Infinite Abundance says that you should work hard to earn good deeds and obtain more followers, be a High-tier God, and heal her with the Healing Ring Finger of God.]


    Of course, I had tried that too, but the power only healed physical wounds and had no effect on mental trauma.


    ording to Lady Abundance, I could heal her if I was promoted to a High-tier God. Easier said than done, when I could barely advance to a Low-tier God right now. How long would it take until I became a High-tier God?


    Again, dismissed.


    <i>Hm? Someone sure is quiet...</i>


    My memory was hazy, but I knew Night Rose activated after I¡¯d lost consciousness.


    ¡°Would you like to say something, Ms. Nightmare?¡±


    [Silently Crawling Nightmare makes an excuse, saying that there¡¯s nothing she can do about something that has been eaten.]


    ¡°So? Just leave her like this? Is that what you¡¯re trying to say?¡±


    [Silently Crawling Nightmare stammers, revealing about a certain method.]


    ¡°Oh? Really?¡±


    My face lit up, but hearing the method from her made me frown.


    ¡°...Sleep with her?¡±


    <i>What kind of bullshit is this?! Am I in an M-rated novel?!</i>


    ***


    Morning came early in the mountains. I woke to the melody of birdsong, something unheard of in the city.


    <i>Suck suck suck¡ª</i>


    Sung Mi-Na was still fast asleep, sucking on her fingers.


    ¡°<i>Aigoo</i>, at least tuck yourself in before you sleep.¡± I draped the nket back over Sung Mi-Na.


    Then, her long eyshes fluttered open, her drowsy eyes looking back at me.


    ¡°Where...you going?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go prepare breakfast for a bit. You¡¯d like some food, too, right, Ms. Sung Mi-Na?¡±


    ¡°<i>Mm</i>, me likey...food...¡± Sung Mi-Na mumbled as she slowly drifted back to sleep.


    When I first heard the method from stalker Nightmare I was shocked, but it turned out there was nothing sexual about it. Sleeping together would allow Sung Mi-Na¡¯s memory, which I had devoured, to flow back to her through dreams, like water flowing from high to low.


    In fact, I could already see some effects.


    ¡°Now, let¡¯s check up on you. What¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°Sung Mi-Na!¡±


    ¡°What do you like the most?¡±


    ¡°Mi-Ri! My little sister! She¡¯s cute!¡±


    ¡°What do you hate?¡±


    ¡°<i>Waaah</i>... Flower... Scary...¡±


    Thanks to my efforts(?), Sung Mi-Na¡¯s mental age had developed from a toddler to a child. Although, it cost me my sleep.


    I sighed and began browsing for articles on my phone.


    <strong>It¡¯s been three days since S-rank Hunter Sung Mi-Na suddenly went missing. Is this revenge from the remnants of the Brilliance Guild or the ck Market?</strong>


    <strong>Noments from Hunter Association! Where is she?</strong>


    <strong>Sung Mi-Na¡¯s partner, S-rank Hunter Baek Yoo-Hyun, warns terrorists: Lay a finger on her, and you¡¯ll learn the hard way why he was nicknamed Dragon yer...</strong>


    <i>Tap!</i>


    My phone screen froze. <i>Ugh</i>, getting a stable connection in the mountains was so hard.


    As expected, the disappearance of South Korea¡¯s most famous Hunter and celebrity was making waves on the inte. At this rate, I might get killed. I shouldy low until Sung Mi-Na returned to her normal self.


    Fortunately, the foothills of Jiri Mountain, where we were staying, was a notoriously dangerous ce, making it a perfect hideaway. Despite the spotty connection, I still managed to send a quick text to her sister, Sung Mi-Ri, exining the situation.


    ¡°<i>Hya! Hya!</i>¡±


    I saw Sword Demon outside the cabin. He had been swinging his sword furiously since the wee hours of the morning.


    <i>Woong! Woooong!</i>


    Actually, calling it a sword would be quite a stretch. A ridiculously huge iron rod would be more urate.


    ¡°<i>Ah</i>! Mr. Sword God, you are awake?! Greetings to you!¡± Sword Demon greeted, bowing toward me like a warrior.


    <i>Well, I¡¯ve gotten used to it by now.</i>


    ¡°How is your training? Is it going well?¡±


    Hearing my question, Sword Demon¡¯s eyes sparkled childishly. ¡°Of course! The sword techniques you taught me are indeed majestic! Truly unconventional, shattering my preconceived notions!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡±


    I then looked at the booklet beside him.


    The title on the cover was written in Chinese characters, which tranted to: Demon Lord¡¯s Heavenly Sword. Demon Lord himself was a fearsome, important key figuremonly seen in martial arts novels. Lately, he¡¯d been featured more often in modern fiction as well¡ªat times working as a hunter, baker, restaurateur, amongst other popr upations.


    In novels, anyway.


    ¡°<i>Hmm</i>, I think I¡¯ve been scammed,¡± I muttered.


    [All-Cutting Heavenly Sword scowls, shouting who do you think he is!]


    The stalker who sold me the Demon Lord¡¯s Heavenly Sword became enraged.


    In truth, I never expected to be able toplete the Low-tier God promotion quest. <i>Let¡¯s face it.</i> Did converting a billion or ten S-rank Hunters into my followers sound like a reasonable level of difficulty?


    However, Il-Ho and Anty¡¯s growth changed my mind. Hunters werebeled modern-day aristocrats, with S-rank and above considered superior to the rest. They were unlikely to be my followers. So, I decided to approach it from another perspective. What if I advance my pre-existing followers to Rank S?


    Luckily, I had the perfect fanatic for this job.


    The notoriously powerful swordsman! A veteran assassin! A high-ranking Hunter! The one and only Sword Demon, albeit he lost an arm recently... Since I had to hide here for the time being and focus on healing Sung Mi-Na, I decided to test my theory by training Sword Demon. With that in mind, I checked God¡¯s Shop to see if there was anything that could help him.


    [All-Cutting Heavenly Sword says he has some great items for a swordsman¡¯s growth. He suggests you try them out.]


    Then, a ¡°New!¡± item appeared in the catalog. As I wondered what it was, my appraisal skill kicked in.


    -----


    New! [Sword Treasury Demon Lord¡¯s Heavenly Sword (Low-tier God)]


    Category: Common Consumable Item


    Description: Part of All-Cutting Heavenly Sword¡¯s secret collection. A book of sword techniques left behind by a powerful man who spent his entire life seeking defeat.


    Special note: Purchase now to receive a free Weighted Training Sword!


    Price: 20,000,000 Gcoins


    -----


    What? Twenty million? The amount made me hesitate. But for any man who read martial arts novels, the words ¡°Demon Lord¡± and 1+1 training sword were enough to make them impulse buying. But like all impulse purchases, I couldn¡¯t help but feel cheated when I came back to my senses.


    The training sword turned out to be a massive iron rod that seemed to weigh over 100 kg. I skimmed through the booklet, but it all felt like myths and mysteries to me.


    <strong>sh at the weakness, not the flesh.</strong>


    <strong>To abandon is the ultimate of the sword.</strong>


    <strong>Beyond humans, sh at the sea, the sky, andstly, the god.</strong>


    When I read thest line, I became certain.


    <strong>Actually, <i>my</i> fist is stronger!</strong>


    ...It indeed sounded like a scam.


    Quietly looking up at the sky, I said, ¡°If it doesn¡¯t work, I¡¯m asking for a refund.¡±


    [All-Cutting Heavenly Sword flinched and said it¡¯s non-refundable.]


    <i>Oh shit, this bastard! No, this god bastard! My head hurts.</i>


    Alright, I shouldn¡¯t rely on that Demon Lord¡¯s Heavenly Sword too much. Instead, I should turn to drugs with a long history and tradition.


    ¡°Please have some of this before you continue training.¡± I handed Sword Demon a set of the Blessing of the Growth God, the Bhus-F, Protein, and Redbull.


    Since Il-Ho had experienced tremendous results, I thought it¡¯d be the same for Sword Demon as well.


    Sword Demon looked at me with tears in his eyes. ¡°Mr. Sword God! Your grace is immeasurable!¡±


    <i>This man watches way too many period dramas.</i>


    ¡°I¡¯m going to prepare breakfast now, so good luck on your training.¡±


    ¡°N-no! Let me help...!¡±


    ¡°Just help me by getting stronger.¡±


    I¡¯d keep my eye open for one more S-rank follower so I could bag that promotion sooner. I had a lot on my te right now. In the real world, the Sung sisters were branded as sacrifices by the Abysm Dragon. Meanwhile, in God-Maker, the damned imperial army was after me and my followers.


    I needed to muster every ounce of strength I had.


    ¡°I will definitely live up to your expectations!¡±


    I left the overjoyed Sword Demon alone, and headed for the mess hall. The ce was a short distance from the cabin and was equipped with a gas stove. I went ahead to prepare for a simple breakfast. cing a pot of water to boil, I added some instant rice and curry. Lastly, I added stir-fried kimchi from the convenience store.


    In the modern era, such was the normal diet for a naturalist. How did I get my hands on all these items, you ask? The answer was a no-brainer: the mess hall was fully stocked with them. Oh, right, I recalled hearing that Johan had set up a few such hideouts around the country.


    After hearing about this location, Sword Demon set out to raid this ce. He wanted to see if there were any S-rank items he could offer me. But in the process, he got attacked and nearly killed by Sung Mi-Na. Wait, none of this would¡¯ve happened if not for Sword Demon!


    <i>Swoosh!</i>


    Just then, I heard a strange sounding from the sky. I looked up and saw the sun shining brighter than usual. But, something was amiss. Why were there two suns?


    The sunnded in the mess hall where I was in.


    ¡°Sword God! Danger!¡± Sword Demon panicked and flew in at me.


    <i>Bam bam bam!</i>


    The breakfast I was preparing disappeared along with the hall.


    <i>Bubbles¡ª</i>


    It wasn¡¯t the sun, but a man whose entire body was engulfed in mes, melting everything he touched likeva.


    Still, I recognized that fiery red hair, or that admittedly handsome face. Above all, there was that great sword with the dragon sigil on it.


    My appraisal skill activated.


    -----


    [Baek Yoo-Hyun]


    A male human. Around for 26 years.


    Special note: A fire-wielding user with potential for transcendence.


    -----


    Baek Yoo-Hyun. One of the best Hunters in South Korea, a Special Ability-type Hunter that wielded fire. On top of that, he¡¯d recently earned the title Dragon yer after single-handedly conquering the catastrophic Dark Dragon dungeon.


    ¡°Hey.¡±


    <i>ng!</i>


    He pointed the huge Dragon-ying Sword at us.


    ¡°Where is Mi-Na?¡±


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 64: Even Gods Hold Two Jobs During Economic Recessions

    <h4>Chapter 64: Even Gods Hold Two Jobs During Economic Recessions</h4>


    ¡°Where is Mi-Na?¡±


    <i>Oh, Mr. Baek Yoo-Hyun is looking for Sung Mi-Na? She¡¯s sound asleep in that cabin over there.</i>


    But I pondered over it for a moment. There were rumors that the two were more than just business partners. They might even be lovers. Something told me he wouldn¡¯t take too kindly to Sung Mi-Na¡¯s regressed mental state.


    <i>Uh-huh, he¡¯d give me hell. </i>


    As a peace-loving person, I was racking my brains for an amicable resolution until...


    ¡°How insolent! Do you know who he is?!¡±


    Sword Demon suddenly appeared.


    ¡°Who is he?¡±


    Then, Sword Demon pointed at me and roared, ¡°He¡¯s the almighty Sword God!¡±


    Silence ensued.


    ¡°Sword God? What¡¯s that?¡± Baek Yoo-Hyun asked, dumbfounded.


    ¡°<i>Ugh.</i> You foolish one! The title Dragon yer is wasted on you! Open your eyes and take a good look! How can you not see his greatness?!¡±


    ¡°He just looks like a normal guy to me.¡±


    ¡°<i>Haa...</i> What a disappointment. To think that the renowned Dragon yer is just a kid who can¡¯t gauge his opponent¡¯s true strength.¡±


    <i>Uh, Mr. Sword Demon? Can you stop? You¡¯re embarrassing me here.</i>


    ¡°<i>Keke</i>, even the girl you¡¯re looking for, Mi-Na, has been defeated by Sword God. Now, she can¡¯t live without him.¡±


    <i>Oi, Bastard! Watch your mouth!</i>


    ¡°She can¡¯t live without him? What do you mean?¡±


    Predictably, all traces of emotions vanished from Baek Yoo-Hyun¡¯s face as a tremendous aura soared from him.


    <i>Roooooar!</i>


    ¡°If what I think is true, you¡¯re all dead.¡±


    I¡¯d been thinking about it, but wasn¡¯t Sword Demon the type to pour gasoline over a burning house to extinguish the mes?


    ¡°<i>Haha</i>! You got guts! Mr. Sword God, sit back and rx! Let me take care of him!¡±


    Where did all that confidencee from? The opponent was one of South Korea¡¯s top S-rank Hunters!


    ¡°Look. My trusty sword, Dragon Tooth, is shivering with excitement! How it lusts for blood!¡±


    <i>Shiver!</i>


    Indeed, the sword in his hand was trembling. Also, Dragon Tooth? When did he name it?


    ¡°Are you sure your hand isn¡¯t just tired?¡±


    Regardless of how strong he was, he¡¯d been lugging that 100 kg sword all morning.


    ¡°Of course not! Watch me, Mr. Sword God. I¡¯ll show you the results of my training!¡±


    Full of confidence, Sword Demon charged forward, pointing his sword at Baek Yoo-Hyun.


    ¡°<i>Haaa</i>! Baek Yoo-Hyun! Feast your eyes! This technique is called Demon Lord¡¯s Heavenly Sword, bestowed by Sword God himself!¡±


    Then...


    <i>Bam bam bam bam!</i>


    Baek Yoo-Hyun¡¯s Dragon-ying Sword spewed mes at Sword Demon, knocking him back!


    ¡°<i>Aaargh!</i>¡±


    Sword Demon¡¯s body was charred ck.


    ¡°S-Sword Demon! Are you alright?¡±


    Sword Demon stumbled, roaring in frustration, ¡°You coward... Using your ability... in a battle of swords...¡±


    <i>Plop¡ª</i>


    And... he fainted.


    ¡°What¡¯s with this idiot?¡±


    Baek Yoo-Hyun stared incredulously at the unconscious Sword Demon.


    <i>My thoughts, exactly. Haa, that guy. </i>


    Was he the same Sword Demon I met back then? Pretty sure he wasn¡¯t like this...


    Suddenly, Baek Yoo-Hyun disappeared, leaving only embers where he had stood.


    <i>Flick!</i>


    He reappeared in the blink of an eye, grabbing me by the neck.


    ¡°Where is she! What did that idiot mean earlier!¡±


    <i>Baaam!</i>


    His Dragon-ying Sword was aimed at my head, menacingly bursting with mes. Instantly, I saw its essence. A red dragon the size of a building ferociously glowered down at me.


    -<i>Grrr!</i>


    It roared at me, baring its fangs, instilling the pride and might of a dragon, the so-called mightiest of monsters. Surely, its heat alone could burn me to a crisp.


    One of the stalkers chimed in.


    [All-Cutting Heavenly Sword asks why would you allow a worm to infest your territory.]


    <i>I know, right?</i> I was starting to get annoyed with him myself.


    ¡°Equip malevolent god title: Brutal Killer (C).¡±


    <i>Rooooar!</i>


    The power began surging through my entire body.


    -<i>Grr</i>?


    The once intimidating red dragon slowly looked up at the sky, fixated on something. Its gaze was no longer arrogance, but fearful.


    The scales of the red dragon quivered all at once. It started trembling and peeing like a frightened puppy.


    -<i>Kggghhgk</i>!


    I pointed my forefinger at the red dragon¡¯s forehead.


    <i>Squash!</i>


    The mes on Baek Yoo-Hyun¡¯s sword went out in an instant.


    ¡°W-what?¡± Baek Yoo-Hyun looked at his sword.


    <i>Don¡¯t be shocked yet.</i>


    <i>Rip! Riiip!</i>


    <i>Thud! Thud!</i>


    Spider web patterns spread across the de, shocking Baek Yoo-Hyun. He turned to me.


    ¡°D-did you do this?¡±


    Under the influence of malevolent god¡¯s karma, I smirked.


    <i>Now, what should I do with this worm? How dare it grab me by the neck with arms so much thinner than Il-Ho¡¯s! Do I crush him in a single blow? Or condemn him with the mes of hell?</i>


    ¡°<i>Ack</i>! Skill! Agni¡¯s...¡±


    Seemingly sensing my thoughts, Baek Yoo-Hyun gritted his teeth, about to do something.


    I saw sparks of transcendent mes writhing fiercely in his body, but I was faster. I pointed my index finger at Baek Yoo-Hyun and...


    ¡°<i>Nngh,</i> so noisy...¡±


    <i>Clunk!</i>


    The cabin door opened, and Sung Mi-Na walked out, sleepily rubbing her eyes.


    Briefly, both of us froze, registering her appearance.


    ¡°Hey, Sung Mi-Na! Are you okay?!¡±


    In contrast to Baek Yoo-Hyun, who was happy to see her, Sung Mi-Na didn¡¯t look too good.


    ¡°Bad guy!¡± Sung Mi-Na murderously red at Baek Yoo-Hyun.


    On the outside, it did seem like a scary, fiery guy was oppressing me.


    <i>Tzzz!</i>


    ¡°<strong><i>Die!</i></strong>¡±


    Sung Mi-Na¡¯s eyes turned blue as she shot amand at Baek Yoo-Hyun.


    ¡°<i>Cough!</i>¡± Baek Yoo-Hyun coughed up a mouthful of blood, instantly loosening his grip on my neck. ¡°<i>Keogh</i>, Mi-Na. H-how could you...¡±


    Baek Yoo-Hyun copsed to his knees, unable to finish his sentence.


    ¡°<i>Huff huff!</i>¡±


    As an S-rank Hunter, he seemed to have survived, but his face was deathly pale.


    Meanwhile, the barefoot Sung Mi-Na ran to me, staring at me with concern.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°<i>Ah</i>, yes. I¡¯m good.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Unni will protect you from the bad guys,¡± she said, hugging my waist.


    But... <i>Unni</i>? Despite her apparent recovery, her memory seemed to be jumbled.


    ¡°M-Mi-Na...¡±


    Writhing in pain, Baek Yoo-Hyun stared at Sung Mi-Na. But not once did she look back at him. Tears began welling up in his eyes.


    I unequipped my malevolent god title. ording to inte rumors, Baek Yoo-Hyun and Sung Mi-Na might be more than business partners. He came all the way here only to be attacked by the very person he tried to rescue. Not to mention, she clung onto me like a cicada.


    If I were him, I wouldn¡¯t want to live in this world anymore.


    <i>Haa, I¡¯ll cut him some ck</i>. I directed my ring finger at Baek Yoo-Hyun.


    ¡°Healing Ring Finger of God.¡±


    Then, a dazzling white light enveloped him.


    [Calcting the causality rate of the healing target: Baek Yoo-Hyun...]


    [A member of a lower race of the 8th realm. Has potential for transcendence and might affect the rules between gods and the world.]


    <i>Ding! </i>


    [You paid 100 Gcoins for the healing.]


    It cost me 100 Godcoins to heal him, just like with Sung Mi-Na. Apparently, healing an ordinary person like Sword Demon would cost 1 Godcoin, whereas healing S-rank Hunters would cost 100 Godcoins. Well, both amounts didn¡¯t matter much to me at this point.


    <i>Ah, but would healing Il-Ho cost me 100 Godcoins as well?</i>


    It¡¯d turn into a bit of an issue, considering how driven Il-Ho was. He always came to me after reducing himself into rags.


    ¡°D-did you just heal me? What is this nonsensical healing ability...? Even the S-rank Hunters I met from South America weren¡¯t this good...¡± Baek Yoo-Hyun stared at me with a mixture of shock and awe.


    At the very least, it didn¡¯t seem like he¡¯d remain hostile.


    ¡°<i>Uhm</i>, Mr. Baek Yoo-Hyun. I think you¡¯re in a huge misunderstanding. Let me exin what¡¯s going on...¡±


    <i>Ruuumble!</i>


    Suddenly, the sound of a whirring helicopter came from the sky. Sung Mi-Na looked up and eximed in delight, ¡°Oh, it¡¯s Mi-Ri!¡±


    <i>Huh? Ms. Sung Mi-Ri?</i>


    ¡°Mister! Unni! Are you alright?¡±


    ¡°Ms. Mi-Ri! Calm down!¡±


    Sure enough, it was Sung Mi-Ri. A school nurse could be seen trying to stop her as she recklessly leaned out of the helicopter, about to jump down at any time. Apanying them was Choi Kang-San, or Homeless Uncle. He was beaming at me for some reason.


    Why was he looking at me like that? Something seemed off...


    Afterward, I calmly filled everyone in on everything that had happened.


    ¡°...So that¡¯s what happened.¡±


    It might seem like a swift resolution, but in fact, I spent about an hour exining to them.


    Meanwhile, Sung Mi-Na clung onto Ms. Sung Mi-Ri like a piece of gum, rubbing their cheeks together.


    ¡°U-Unni? Stop it. People are watching.¡±


    ¡°<i>Hic</i>, Mi-Ri. Do you hate Unni?¡±


    ¡°N-no. I don¡¯t hate you...¡±


    ¡°Then, you dislike Unni?¡±


    ¡°No, I-I like you, Unni...¡±


    When she first learned that her own sister sealed her power, Sung Mi-Ri was enraged. No wonder, since she worked so hard to advance in ranks. However, after learning that Sung Mi-Na did it at the cost of her own life, Sung Mi-Ri couldn¡¯t bear to treat her coldly.


    ¡°<i>Ehehe</i>.¡± Showing a killer smile, Sung Mi-Na continued rubbing her cheek against Sung Mi-Ri¡¯s.


    Nevertheless, it was nice to see them get along so well. Once Sung Mi-Na recovered, I hoped she¡¯d be as loving to her younger sister.


    ¡°Please ept this.¡± The school nurse handed something to me.


    When I opened it, I found a B-rank Hunter license issued by the Hunter Association.


    ¡°<i>Huh</i>? This is...?¡±


    ¡°Though the machine determined you as G-rank, Principal Choi Kang-San vouched for you. Above all, the monster flower that you summoned...¡±


    ¡°<i>Hic!</i>¡±


    ¡°<i>Kyaaa</i>!¡±


    Choi Kang-San gulped hard in panic, while Sung Mi-Na shivered in Sung Mi-Ri¡¯s arms like a terrified kitten.


    ¡°<i>Ahem,</i>¡± the school nurse cleared her throat and rephrased. ¡°You were granted a B-rank Hunter license because you could summon such monstrous creatures. Do not be disheartened. Many guilds out there are looking for a B-rank Hunter.¡±


    <i>Summon monstrous creatures? Ah, she must be talking about the flowers that Il-Ho gave to me as tribute from before.</i>


    ¡°Yes! Furthermore, a B-rank Hunter is qualified to be a teacher at our academy! Right, Eun-Bi?¡±


    ¡°I told you to not call me by my first name in public, Principal.¡±


    Paying no heed to the glowering school nurse, Choi Kang-San scooted over to me and said, ¡°Speaking of which, why don¡¯t you work with me?¡±


    Then, he began his grand briefing.


    I wasn¡¯t really interested, but I still asked. ¡°What is the sry like?¡±


    After tapping a few keys on her calctor, the school nurse showed it to me.


    ¡°This will be your starting pay, including whatever special budget the Principal has avable.¡±


    The amount was impossible to refuse.


    ***


    Hunter Academy¡¯s high school division, ss 3-A.


    ¡°<i>Hehehe</i>.¡±


    ¡°Mi-Ri, you look happy today. Did something good happen? Before, you alwaysined about not wanting to go to school.¡±


    ¡°Yeah! Because someone very special ising today!¡±


    ¡°Someone special? Who is it?¡±


    <i>Draaaag!</i>


    The ssroom door opened and I stepped in, wearing a blue training suit. All the eyes of our future elite Hunters gathered on me.


    ¡°Who is he?¡±


    ¡°<i>Oh</i>, I¡¯ve seen him before! It¡¯s the guy who knocked out Mr. Lee in the sparring room!¡±


    <i>That¡¯s quite excessive. But hey, first impressions count. </i>


    ¡°<i>Ahem</i>. Hello everyone.¡± I mustered the sternest look I could as I greeted the students. ¡°I¡¯m Yu Il-Shin, a temporary teacher. I¡¯ll be the recement for Mr. Lee while he is on sick leave.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Wait, what? All of a sudden?!¡±


    Hearing the sudden news, the students made amotion. Immediately, Sword Demon mmed his sword down on the ground.


    ¡°Silence, everyone! I¡¯m Sword Demon. I shall be assisting him in the lessons. <i>Hehe... Hmph! </i>Consider it an honor to be taught by the almighty Sword God, kids!¡±


    Yeah. As you could see, I got employed.

 Chapter 65: The Brutal God Demands Tributes

    <h4>Chapter 65: The Brutal God Demands Tributes</h4>


    At the Hunter Association, in the president¡¯s office, Lee Ji-Tae handed over a file with the name Yu Il-Shin on it.


    -----


    [Yu Il-Shin]


    Age: 23


    Awakening Rank: E


    Ability-type: Creation


    Job: Webnovel author


    ...


    -----


    ¡°Is this the child Choi Kang-San had his eyes on?¡±


    The head secretary, Choi Woo-Shin, nudged his sses and replied, ¡°Yes. He even requested a B-rank Hunter license to hire him as a teacher at the academy.¡±


    ¡°<i>Hoho</i>. He sure is fond of him. What exactly stands out about him?¡±


    Choi Woo-Shin nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s see. Despite his low rank, he could defeat Mr. Lee Geun-Wook, a B-rank Hunter. The creature he summoned was also unusual. Based on theb results, it¡¯s a creature that has never been summoned before. We¡¯re still verifying it, but he also has healing abilities on par with a high-ranking healer.¡±


    ¡°If everything you just said was true, it¡¯ll be amazing. Other countries would be vying for him! Still, I don¡¯t understand... If he has such outstanding skills, why is his rank so low?¡±


    ¡°The core of the rank measuring instrument was purchased from the Hunter¡¯s Shop. There may be variables we¡¯ve yet to uncover. Besides, while this is extremely rare, such a case isn¡¯t unheard of. We¡¯ll have to monitor the situation and consider adjusting his rankter.¡±


    Lee Ji-Tae tapped his forehead with his index finger. ¡°Okay, then. Obtaining a B-rank license won¡¯t draw too much attention. But...¡± then, he pointed at Sword Demon¡¯s document. ¡°Isn¡¯t he a heinous criminal? Shouldn¡¯t we arrest him right away? He¡¯s even rted to China¡¯s Triad! How can he be allowed to mingle with the students of the academy?¡±


    ¡°Other than Yu Il-Shin, Choi Kang-San also vouched for this man¡¯s identity. After some investigations, we discovered that he hasn¡¯tmitted any significant crimes in our country. While he did attack Thunder Emperor, from what I understood, the matter was settled amicably amongst themselves.¡±


    A wicked glint shed across Choi Woo-Shin¡¯s eyes. ¡°Despite the slight risk, it¡¯s worth bringing him onto our side. He¡¯s a top-tier A-rank Hunter, whosebat power is on par with a sub-level S-rank Hunter. If we y our cards right, disposing of the hidden remnants of the ck Market will be much easier. We can also keep track of any members of Triad who might enter our country.¡±


    ¡°<i>Hmm, </i>letting foreigners fight it out themselves... Certainly, there were those recent mysterious cracks and Miracle¡¯s prophecy to think about. The more cards we have, the better. But how is Miracle? Is he still unconscious?¡±


    ¡°Yes. His health has been declining recently.¡±


    ¡°How devastating. For the association¡¯s best foreseer to copse at this time...¡±


    <i>Clunk!</i>


    Just then, the door to his office burst open, and a member of the disaster response team rushed in.


    ¡°We¡¯ve got a problem, Mr. President!¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s...!¡±


    The staff, catching his breath, handed over a piece of photograph. Depicted in the photo was a hotel room that looked more like a ughterhouse. Flesh and guts scattered everywhere. A bizarre sentence could be seen on the wall, written in blood.


    <strong>Kujitolea kwa Mungu.</strong>


    ¡°What the hell is this?¡± Lee Ji-Tae¡¯s expression twisted.


    ¡°After testing the fingerprints and remains left at the scene, the victim has been identified as Sergey Brin, the missing S-rank Hunter.¡±


    ¡°Sergey?¡± Lee Ji-Tae¡¯s face stiffened.


    Sergey was a Russian S-rank Hunter who naturalized in South Korea. They¡¯d invested a huge amount of time and money into recruiting him. So howe only his mutted remains were left?


    ¡°Did the Russian government take him out?¡±


    ¡°No! We found what appeared to be Dragon-type scales on the scene! The forensics team concluded that he was eaten by the monster!¡±


    ¡°Darn it! Where was he found?!¡±


    ¡°At a casino hotel in Gangwon Province.¡±


    ¡°Oh, lord...¡± Lee Ji-Tae clutched his head.


    A Dragon-type monster capable of eating an S-rank Hunter appeared in South Korea? How much easier would it be to handle if it were the work of the Russian government!


    ¡°Dispatch all avable Hunters to Gangwon Province immediately!¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re on the way. We¡¯ve also asked for cooperation from neighboring military units.¡±


    ¡°Please, let this end smoothly and without any damage.¡±


    Lee Ji-Tae scrutinized the photo, trying to spot any important clues. Then, he pointed to the bloody writing on the wall.


    ¡°What does this say? Was this Sergey¡¯sst words?¡±


    ¡°No, this isn¡¯t his handwriting. We¡¯re analyzing it now and waiting for the results...¡±


    Just then, Choi Woo-Shin, who had been quiet, spoke up. ¡°It¡¯s in Swahili, a nativenguage in Africa.¡±


    ¡°What does it mean?¡±


    ¡°<i>Kujitolea kwa Mungu</i>.¡± Choi Woo-Shin¡¯s voice dropped to a whisper, ¡°Sacrifice to the gods.¡±


    ***


    Ko Myeong-Ji, a student of ss 3-A from the Hunter Academy¡¯s high school division, was concerned. The reason was the substitute teacher who reced Mr. Lee Geun-Wook, who was on sick leave.


    ¡°By the way, I¡¯m also in charge of his P.E. lessons. Hence, tomemorate our first lesson together...¡± Yu Il-Shin continued, dead serious, ¡°It¡¯s self-study time.¡±


    Then, he proceeded to plop down on the teacher¡¯s desk.


    ¡°<i>Ugh, </i>I¡¯m sleep deprived. The room is cramped. Baek Yoo-Hyun also insisted on sleeping together. I¡¯m so exhausted...¡±


    The sharp-looking ck-haired man, the proimed assistant teacher, solemnly bowed his head. ¡°Please rest well, Mr. Sword God. I will be on guard.¡±


    <i>Snore¡ª</i>


    It didn¡¯t take long for Yu Il-Shin to fall asleep. Then, Sword Demon turned to the students. He red at them and raised his iron club.


    ¡°Everyone, breathe quietly from now on. Disturb the slumbering Mr. Sword God, and my Dragon Tooth will make you pay!¡±


    <i>Rooooar!</i>


    Although Sword Demon¡¯s mental state was questionable, his aura was the real deal. Even higher-level B-rank Hunters broke in cold sweat before him. In short, none of them had the guts to rebel against him.


    ¡°Oh god! I-I can¡¯t move!¡±


    ¡°I-is he an A-rank Hunter?¡±


    Such was Yu Il-Shin¡¯s turbulent first day as a teacher. The next day...


    ¡°<i>Hoahm~</i> I heard your exam period ising up soon? Why don¡¯t we continue the self-study session?¡±


    <i>Snore¡ª</i>


    The following day...


    ¡°<i>Haa</i>, it¡¯s raining today. It can¡¯t be helped, time for self-study.¡±


    <i>Snore¡ª</i>


    Again...


    ¡°What a beautiful day, perfect for self-study.¡±


    <i>Snore¡ª</i>


    Yu Il-Shin had been sleeping for four days in a row during his entire lessons. Was that how a substitute teacher was supposed to act? Even when he was awake, all he did was... y games on his phone.


    ¡°Look! Il-Ho finally reached the 20th floor! What an amazing kid! <i>Huh?! </i>He even received a sword as a reward?! So awesome! Mr. Sword Demon, look at our Il-Ho!¡±


    ¡°<i>Ooh. </i>Indeed, such a tremendous and beautiful sword it was. Marvelous. He is worthy of being your follower.¡±


    ¡°No way! Anty has be a queen too! <i>Hic</i>... Why am I tearing up at such a joyous asion? Is this how a father feels when his daughter turns independent?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Sword God! Congrattions! Anty will definitely make a great queen!¡±


    Two adult men happily discussed the characters they raised in the game. One got a sword, and another became a queen. Some! Her hatred toward them peaked during lunchtime.


    ¡°<i>Oh</i>, if it isn¡¯t the new teacher. You look handsome as always,¡± the canteendy said.


    ¡°<i>Hehe,</i> you look beautiful today too, Noonim. If I¡¯m ten years older, I¡¯d have swept you off your feet. What a shame!¡±


    ¡°<i>Haha</i>! What a charmer, this young teacher!¡±


    ¡°<i>Oh</i>! There''s pork cutlet today! Won¡¯t you give me some extra?¡±


    ¡°Sure, I''m feeling generous today! Enjoy your meal!¡±


    After buttering up the canteendy with all sorts of ttery, Yu Il-Shin seeded in obtaining a mountain of pork cutlets on his te. He began wolfing them down.


    ¡°<i>Nom nom!</i> Yes! Even our meals are free. I made the right call epting this offer! <i>Hm?</i> You guys want some?¡± Yu Il-Shin talked to himself, then tossed over some pork cutlets onto his phone.


    <i>Poof poof!</i>


    Before they could hit the screen, the pieces of meat disappeared.


    -Look, everyone! Our great and merciful God Yu Il-Shin has sent some pork cutlets to us!


    -Such a divine vor! <i>Ooh</i>! I feel alive again!


    -<i>Wahhhh</i>! Praise the God Yu Il-Shin!


    -God Yu Il-Shin! God Yu Il-Shin!


    A petite girl with a crown happily ate the pork cutlets while being surrounded by insects.


    ¡°<i>Huh</i>?¡± Ko Myeong-Ji rubbed her eyes in surprise. What did she just see?


    <i>What¡¯s this? Have I been too stressed outtely?</i>


    What did she just see?! Just as Ko Myeong-Ji was panicking, she heard the sound of a shirt popping.


    ¡°<i>Wow</i>, Mister. Look at you eating so well.¡±


    The owner of that voice was none other than her best friend, Sung Mi-Ri.


    <i>Munch munch! Chew chew!</i>


    Sung Mi-Ri blushed as she watched Yu Il-Shin scarfing down his food. Since she skipped school oftentely, it was nice to see her getting her act together and having a meal. But Ko Myeong-Ji was worried. The cause of that... couldn¡¯t be Yu Il-Shin, right?


    <i>Huh? Just what did you see in him?!</i>


    Sung Mi-Ri, <i>the</i> A-rank Hunter and student council president of the high school division. What the heck happened to her standards?!


    After ss, Ko Myeong-Ji went to see Sung Mi-Ri. With a worried look on her face, Ko Myeong-Ji asked why she liked thatzy and tacky substitute teacher. After all, not only did he skip teaching, but he also always wore the same training suit!


    ¡°Fine with me. This way, only I understand his charms. <i>Hehe. Ah, </i>I¡¯m keeping the teacher and Unni waiting! Myeong-Ji, I¡¯m going first!¡± Sung Mi-Ri replied with a sparkling smile reminiscent of a maiden in love.


    ¡°Hey! You¡¯re still meeting that man after school?! Hey! Wait for me!¡±


    Watching Sung Mi-Ri running away gave birth to a sense of duty in Ko Myeong-Ji. She¡¯d never let her best friend wreck herself! <i>That¡¯s it. </i>She¡¯d take matters into her own hands. She¡¯d crush those pesky rose-tinted lenses!


    Just then, an opportunity arose. After a week or so of self-study, Yu Il-Shin seemed to have gained some tact, as he took the ss to the sparring room. Honestly, the principal probably scolded him.


    ¡°Today, we¡¯re going to do some sparring to get a feel of actualbat. You often did this when Mr. Lee was around, right? Feel free to pair up and fight in moderation.¡±


    Although it ended up being another self-study.


    After exining that, Yu Il-Shin curled up in the corner, about to take a nap.


    ¡°Wait, Mister!¡± Ko Myeong-Ji raised her hand.


    ¡°Yeah, what is it?¡± Yu Il-Shin turned his attention to her.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have a partner!¡±


    The ss was odd-numbered, so she wasn¡¯t lying.


    ¡°<i>Ah</i>, we have no choice, then. Why don¡¯t you partner up with Mr. Sword Demon? Again, fight in moderation.¡±


    ¡°No!¡±


    Myeong-Ji red at Yu Il-Shin with fiery eyes, not wanting to let go of this golden opportunity!


    ¡°I would like Mr. Yu Il-Shin to be my opponent!¡±


    ¡°How dare a pup like you challenge Mr. Sword God!¡± Sword Demon exuded his aura, pointing his Dragon Tooth at Ko Myeong-Ji.


    ¡°Why! Is it too much to ask for a spar?¡±


    Despite being afraid, she mustered up her courage. For the sake of her best friend¡¯s future!


    ¡°You still...!¡±


    Yu Il-Shin interrupted Sword Demon.


    ¡°<i>Haa...</i> You¡¯re Ko Myeong-Ji, right? Okay, I¡¯ll spar with you.¡± Yu Il-Shin scratched his head and continued begrudgingly, ¡°She threatened to cut my sry if I keep messing around. Fine. I¡¯ll pretend to work.¡±


    Myeong-Ji gritted her teeth. She heard everything. <i>This asshole.</i>


    ording to rumors, Yu Il-Shin had defeated Mr. Lee Geun-Wook, a B-rank Hunter. But Myeong-Ji didn¡¯t believe it. Well, even if it were true, she still had a trump card.


    Myeong-Ji clenched the skull ne hanging around her neck tightly.


    <i>Watch me, Mi-Ri! I¡¯ll show you the true nature of this asshole! Then, you¡¯ll finally see him for what he¡¯s worth!</i>

 Chapter 66: I’m the Star Hunter Lecturer, Yu Il-Shin

    <h4>Chapter 66: I¡¯m the Star Hunter Lecturer, Yu Il-Shin</h4>


    ¡°I would like Mr. Yu Il-Shin to be my opponent!¡±


    <i>Sigh¡ª</i>


    I let out a curt sigh as I looked at the small and feisty Ko Myeong-Ji, burning with determination. Was she that eager to spar with me?


    Actually, I could see why she was acting like that. She must¡¯ve been frustrated at how I¡¯d been conducting lessons in the past week. I left my students to self-study while sleeping the whole time. I must¡¯ve been a bad substitute teacher.


    This morning.


    ¡°<i>Ouch</i>, my head.¡±


    As if having a splitting headache wasn¡¯t enough, the first thing I saw in the wee hours of morning was...


    ¡°<i>Groooooook!</i>¡±


    Homeless Uncle, Choi Kang-San, snored loudly with his stomach out. The redhead youngster, Baek Yoo-Hyun, who looked more like an idol than a Hunter, was snuggled up to him. They were both fast asleep.


    <i>Fuck, my eyes! My eyes! </i>


    A few empty bottles of alcohol rolled near their feet. They chugged themst night.


    <i>And you¡¯re telling me they¡¯re S-rank Hunters? </i>I could sense a dark future looming over South Korea.


    ¡°<i>Haa</i>.¡± Sighing, I kicked the two rude men lightly. ¡°Excuse me. Shouldn''t you be sleeping at home?¡±


    Neither of them reacted, so I decided to stomp on them instead. They didn¡¯t budge in the slightest. As expected of S-rank Hunters and of the Combat-type. If it had been just a day or two, I¡¯d let them be. But it¡¯d been a week! I was growing frustrated with each passing day.


    On the first day...


    Choi Kang-San came to my dorm, bringing an armful of alcohol. He wanted to congratte me onnding the job.


    ¡°<i>Haha</i>! Congrattions on getting the job,d! This calls for alcohol!¡±


    My boss congratted me with free alcohol, so I dly epted it.


    The next day...


    ¡°Yeah, Yoo-Hyun. Why are you here?¡±


    ¡°How can I turn a blind eye when my partner is troubling someone! I¡¯ve gotten my hands on a good bottle of alcohol, so I brought it along as a gift!¡±


    He had a point. I was forced to live with Sung Mi-Na to help restore her memory. Baek Yoo-Hyun brought a few bottles of alcohol aspensation, and they were too good to refuse.


    A case of <i>Johnnie Walker Blue King George V. </i>A bottle of rare alcohol, which was hard toe by. Simply put, the temptation was too strong.


    ¡°Wee in, Hunter Baek Yoo-Hyun.¡±


    ¡°<i>Haha</i>. Why are you so stiff? Just call me hyung.¡±


    ¡°Okay, Yoo-Hyun hyung.¡±


    Heck, I was even willing to call him ¡°father¡± for that <i>Johnnie Walker Blue King George V. </i>That day, the three of us drank happily.


    The third day... I clutched my head from the awful hangover that resulted from drinking two days in a row. My grunting was interrupted by my editor-in-charge.


    <strong>Mighty Editor-in-Charge:</strong> <i>Hahaha</i>! Mr. Yu! Congrattions!


    <strong>Yu Il-Shin the Almighty:</strong> Yes? <i>Ah</i>, did you find out that I got employed?


    <strong>Mighty Editor-in-Charge: </strong>Oh, c¡¯mon, Mr. Yu, stop ying dumb. Yourtest novel on Dalpia won first ce in the Best Popr Novel rankings!


    <strong>Yu Il-Shin the Almighty: </strong><i>Huh</i>? Really? You¡¯re joking, right?


    <strong>Mighty Editor-in-Charge: </strong>(stern teddy bear emoticon) You really have no clue? No wonder you haven¡¯t updated in so many days! Go check it out!


    It was indeed news to me. After seeing the offensivements and disastrous view count, I thought mytest novel was hopeless. I quickly essed Dalpia and looked at the poprity rankings.


    <strong>Dalpia Golden Best Popr Novel rankings</strong>


    <strong>1st. God-Gamer God-Writer (Writer: TheOnlyGod)</strong>


    ¡°N-no way!¡±


    I felt struck by lightning. It was real. It had arrived¡ªthe day I reached the top of the poprity rankings! Moreover, the waves of negativements from before had now turned into full-blown praise


    <strong>-Il-Ho is so cute!</strong>


    <strong>-When will our pearly doll Anty appear?</strong>


    <strong>-Muuuscles! Writer-nim! Make the Gayamis appear more often, please!</strong>


    <strong>-Darn it, the intelligence of the main character...</strong>


    <i>Katalk katalk!</i>


    <strong>Mighty Editor-in-Charge: </strong>You should upload the next chapter! Your readers are dying to read it! This is the most important period! Maintain this hype until it bes a paid serialization! As you may know, I believe in you. Good luck! (cheering teddy bear emoji)


    <i>Trickle¡ª</i>


    A single tear rolled down my face. I was in despair, thinking that my writing career had ended. But it didn¡¯t. Just as I was crying tears of joy, Choi Kang-San and Baek Yoo-Hyun appeared out of nowhere.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Lad? Did something happen?¡±


    After hearing my story, the two of them eximed in delight.


    ¡°<i>Ooh</i>! We should celebrate this! Lad¡ªno, Writer Yu! I never knew you had such a talent! So, you weren¡¯t just an ordinary jobless guy!¡±


    ¡°Jobless? Did you think that I was unemployed all this time...?¡±


    ¡°<i>Haha</i>! We can¡¯t sit around on a day like this! Kang-San hyungnim! Il-Shin bro! I¡¯ll treat you guys to a meal!¡±


    ¡°No, wait! I have to work on the novel!¡±


    The fourth day...


    ¡°<i>Aigoo</i>, my head hurts. I¡¯ve grown old. I¡¯m already hungover after three days of drinking? Unbelievable... Age is catching up on me.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we sober up with some hangover drink?¡±


    ¡°Yes, hangover alcohol! The only way to cure a hangover! <i>Hahaha</i>! Yoo-Hyun knows his stuff. Lad, you¡¯ll join us, right?¡±


    ¡°Get lost! I have a novel to write!¡±


    ¡°<i>Hehe</i>, even if you say no, your body doesn¡¯t lie. <i>Bwahaha</i>! How does the <i>Bantine 30 Years</i> taste in your throat? Tasty, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    The fifth day...


    ¡°What a gloomy day. How about having Dongdongju and Korean pancakes?¡±


    ¡°An excellent choice.¡±


    ¡°I-I¡¯m done...¡±


    ¡°<i>Nuh-huh</i>! Did you forget our oath that night? Like Liu Bei, Zhang Fei, and Guan Yu¡¯s Oath of the Peach Garden, we seek not to be born on the same day! We merely hope to drink on the same day!¡±


    ¡°What nonsense is that!¡±


    ¡°<i>Tsk.</i> Yoo-Hyun, drag him away!¡±


    ¡°Got it, Hyungnim.¡±


    ¡°Let me go! I said let me go! Let go of me, you drunken fools!¡±


    The sixth day...


    With a light gesture, Choi Kang-San suggested another round of drinks. Baek Yoo-Hyun nodded, before grabbing onto my shoulder when I attempted to escape.


    Then, it led to the present, today.


    They were a menace. Choi Kang-San was a raging alcoholic. Despite his adamant refusal, Baek Yoo-Hyun clearly had feelings for Sung Mi-Na. Thus, they stuck to me and invited themselves over so shamelessly.


    Of course, I could see why he¡¯d be bothered to see his crush sleeping with another man. But I wasn¡¯t even alone with Sung Mi-Na. Did I look that shady?


    ¡°Sword Demon. Throw these men out.¡± I said to the other tenant in my room.


    Sword Demon slept like a statue among the stacks of statues in the corner. When he heard my instruction, his eyes flew open.


    ¡°Understood!¡±


    Deftly slinging Choi Kang-San over his shoulder, he lifted Baek Yoo-Hyun with another hand and strode out the door.


    <i>Toss!</i>


    I could faintly hear the sound of something being thrown away in the distance.


    <i>Snore snore¡ª</i>


    Only the Sung sisters were left in the room. They snuggled up to each other, sound asleep. The sightforted me, like a ray of sunlight.


    <i>Nice. Now that the menaces are gone, let¡¯splete the manuscript before I head off to work.</i>


    I turned on myptop.


    <i>Tadak. Tadadak.</i>


    Thus, in the first year of the Yu Il-Shin calendar, Saintess Anty was crowned the first empress of the Holy Nation of Gayami.


    Unable to withstand the tyranny of the empire, refugees from all across the continent joined them. Soon, the Gayami poption reached fifty million. The Gayami tribe had evolved into a nation.


    Holy Empress Anty wore a radiant golden crown and pure white robes as bright as the dawn. The moment she appeared in the city square, both the people and Gayami armored soldiers fell to their knees. They marveled at her venerable figure, blessed by God Yu Il-Shin¡¯s grace.


    Then, Holy Empress Anty extended her hands to the people, opening her pomegranate-red lips.


    ¡°Finally, this day hase. How we have suffered! How many of our people have perished by the empire''s des? If not for the mercy and grace of God Yu Il-Shin, we would be facing extinction! My beloved people, are you witnessing this? Our gant, hundred generals and valiant soldiers of Gayami! I, the first Holy Empress of the Holy Nation of Gayami, Anty the First, shall stand against the corrupt empire! I shall save our people from destruction, and spread the teaching of our great and merciful God Yu Il-Shin!¡±


    ¡°<i>Waaaah</i>! Long live the Holy Empress!¡±


    ¡°Everyone! Do you believe in God Yu Il-Shin?¡±


    ¡°Yes! God Yu Il-Shin is the one true god! Puck Yu Il-Shin! Puck!¡±


    The people and soldiers cheered in unison.


    Meanwhile, Il-Ho was still challenging the Tower of the Warriors...


    I had been working on my manuscript for a while when...


    <i>Pull¡ª</i>


    I felt a tug on my sleeve.


    I turned around and saw Sung Mi-Na rubbing her eyes drowsily.


    ¡°Me, hungry.¡±


    Thanks to my treatment, Sung Mi-Na had recovered quite a bit.<i> Her mental age should be around ten years old now, I think?</i>


    <i>Haa, </i>I had intended to write about Il-Ho¡¯s adventure today, when he cleared the 20th floor of the Tower of Warriors and obtained the divine sword. But the kid said she was hungry, so I had to feed her.


    ¡°Anything you want to eat?¡±


    ¡°Kimchi fried rice! Make me kimchi fried rice!¡±


    ¡°Alright. Please wait a while.¡±


    As someone who¡¯d lived an independent lifestyle for the past five years, kimchi fried rice was a child¡¯s y.


    <i>Clunk clunk!</i>


    In the desk drawer, a certain kitchen knife shook violently, asking me to use it. Naturally, I didn¡¯t.


    Pouring ample cooking oil onto the frying pan, I seared the finely chopped scallions to let out the fragrance. Then, I added sliced kimchi and cold rice to stir-fry. Lastly, I added a soft-boiled egg with runny yolk as a topping.


    ¡°Wow! Looks so yummy!¡±


    With sparkling eyes, Sung Mi-Na ate the fried rice, nicely coated with scallion oil, with delish.


    ¡°Ms. Sung Mi-Ri, wake up and have some.¡±


    ¡°<i>Mmm</i>, did you prepare a meal for us again...? You should¡¯ve woken me up instead...¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still growing, so you need more sleep. Go wash up first.¡±


    ¡°<i>Sniff sniff.</i>¡±


    Choi Kang-San suddenly appeared on the porch like a ghost. He was lying down. His sense of smell, simr to a dog''s, must have brought him back.


    ¡°Is it time to eat? <i>Oof, </i>my stomach hurts... Got any soup?¡±


    ¡°Just eat whatever¡¯s avable.¡± I frowned.


    Sword Demon entered the house by stepping on Choi Kang-San¡¯s head.


    ¡°<i>Blergh</i>!¡±


    ¡°<i>Ooh</i>! These finely chopped scallions... this sliced kimchi, they¡¯re proof of magnificent talent! Mr. Sword God...! How honorable!¡±


    ¡°This insolent punk! Respect your elder!¡±


    ¡°The hell, old man? Didn¡¯t I throw you into the trash? How did you arrive here first?¡±


    <i>Ugh, </i>even the breakfast was noisy.


    Getting rid of those hindrances left me exhausted. When I reached school, I couldn¡¯t muster the energy to do anything. I had to work on the manuscript whenever I was free. After Anty became queen, God-Maker¡¯s system was upgraded, so there were more things I had to oversee. I also had Il-Ho to take care of. He¡¯d always return to me in tatters after his trials at the Tower of Warriors.


    On the outside, it might look like I was ying around. In reality, my hands were so full that even two of me might not be enough to keep up. Thankfully, I didn¡¯t have to see both Choi Kang-San and Baek Yoo-Hyun from today on. The Hunter Association summoned them. I saw how dead serious they were during the call. But they were S-rank Hunters, so I shouldn¡¯t think about it.


    Sung Mi-Na still wasn¡¯t in the right state to be dispatched. Whenever I was conducting lessons, she was looked after by the school nurse. When I nned to take some rest during ss today and work hard on my manuscript...


    -----


    [Ko Myeong-Ji]


    A female human. Around for 19 years.


    Special note: Uses decent necromancy skill.


    -----


    On the other side of the sparring room, Ko Myeong-Ji red at me with zing eyes.


    <i>While she may be from the high school division, she¡¯s still a student of the academy.</i>


    Not only could I see her name in the appraisal window, her evaluation on the special note was also remarkable. The future of South Korea Hunters was promising.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Mister!¡±


    She pulled off the skull ne around her neck. ¡°Open your eyes, my familiar Hades!¡±


    <i>Hades? The Netherworld King? From Greek mythology?</i>


    ¡°Skill, Summon Necromancy!¡±


    <i>Rooooar!</i>


    Darkness surged from the skull ne, and a towering skeletal being, seemingly three to four meters tall, emerged from it.


    <i>sh!</i>


    The skeletal giant glowered down at me, its eyes shing red. My skill activated on its own.


    -----


    [Giant Skeleton]


    A summon from the famous 7th Realm. Around for 1,100 years.


    Special note: Once a knight of the Mountain-Gnawing Titan, but has been reduced to bones over the years.


    -----


    ¡°<i>Oh</i>, is this necromancy?! I¡¯ve only ever heard about it!¡±


    A necromancer Hunter thatmanded corpses! I never expected this little chipsqueek to possess such a rare ability! Things were getting interesting. I could write this in my novel.


    -<i>Grrr!</i>


    Giant Skeleton roared, swinging its fist down toward me like a hammer.


    ¡°Equip malevolent god title: Brutal Killer (C).¡±


    I equipped the title, excited to take on Giant Skeleton, but...


    ¡°H-Hades, what¡¯s wrong? Quick, attack him!¡± Myeong-Ji shouted in panic, but Giant Skeleton remained unmoving like a statue.


    <i>Thud!</i>


    Then, it fell on all fours before me. I was puzzled and dumbfounded at the situation, when a wild thought popped into my head.


    -Lowly...fallen subject...greets...the...great...Supreme...

 Chapter 67: This God Accepts Skeletons As Followers Too

    <h4>Chapter 67: This God epts Skeletons As Followers Too</h4>


    -Lowly...fallen subject...greets...the...great...Supreme...


    The Giant Skeleton fell on all fours.


    ¡°Hades! What are you doing! Attack him already!¡± Ko Myeong-Ji yelled in panic, but it refused to budge.


    The summoner''smand was absolute to the summoned creature, and yet that immutablew was being broken.


    ¡°W-what¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°<i>Uhm, </i>Mister? Did you just subdue Myeong-Ji¡¯s summoned creature? You didn¡¯t even lift a finger... Just how?! What kind of ability is that?!¡±


    The sudden behavior of the Giant Skeleton took all of us present by surprise, but...


    ¡°<i>Kuku</i>, this skeleton is wise. It recognizes the greatness of Mr. Sword God.¡±


    ¡°<i>Hehe, </i>Uncle Sword Demon, I know right? Our teacher is so cool.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Sword God has always been cool.¡±


    Okay, not ¡°all of us,¡± per se. My fanatic and follower seemed to be more in sync than I thought.


    ¡°<i>Hic! </i>Hades! Move! Please move!¡±


    Meanwhile, Ko Myeong-Ji was tearfully shaking the Giant Skeleton.


    As a matter of course, a girl the size of a pipsqueak couldn¡¯t get the Giant Skeleton to move. I suddenly felt sorry for her. Thus, I attempted telepathy with it.


    -How about we pretend to fight?


    -How would I dare...to fight the Great Supreme...It may be faint, but...I can sense the power of my master, Mountain-Gnawing Titan, from you. Please retract your words...


    Mountain-Gnawing Titan? Come to think of it, it was also mentioned in the special note earlier.


    -----


    Special note: Once a knight of the Mountain-Gnawing Titan, but has been reduced to bones over the years.


    -----


    <i>Oh, right. </i>Back when that eyeball monster was about to descend onto Earth, didn¡¯t I stop it using a broken, humongous divine sword left by the Mountain-Gnawing Titan? So, this Giant Skeleton was his knight? Absent-mindedly, I touched the skeleton, and its memories flooded me like a panorama. They were the same ones I had seen before.


    A titanrger than mountains, wielding a sword as tall as himself, faced off against an enemy.


    -You are not allowed to step into my world! You Brutal ¡°???¡±! Get out of here!


    The name roared by the titan couldn¡¯t be heard, as if purposefully bleeped out. Then, a thundering roar resounded from the sky.


    No, it wasn¡¯t the sky, but an absurdly gigantic mouth, so much so that only a part of it could be seen. Compared to it, even the mountainous titan seemed like a tiny, weak ant. Nevertheless, the titan still took up arms and fought against the catastrophe that was about to devour his world.


    The followers of the titan witnessed the battle. The titan¡¯s beloved goddess, the giants who yearned for his strength, and Giant Skeleton.


    ¡°O¡¯ Titan. Please return victorious and save our world.¡±


    ¡°<i>Aarggh</i>! Protect the Goddess!¡±


    <i>Bam bam bam bam!</i>


    The giant knights desperately held up their shields, protecting her from the aftermath of the battle. But ants didn¡¯t stand a chance against the iing tide with their insignificant force. Eventually, the titan lost, and his sword was broken. The world was plunged into catastrophe.


    Giant Skeleton failed to protect its master and the woman he loved.


    Grief washed over me and my heart grew cold. Giant Skeleton became a ghost full of resentment, wandering the underworld. After a thousand years, it finally returned to this world at the summoner¡¯s behest.


    I sympathized with its crippling grief. Despite its gigantic size, it trembled, reminding me of a poor dog who waited for its deceased owner.


    Just then, God-Maker responded.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [You possess a small fraction of Mountain-Gnawing Titan¡¯s power.]


    [You have met the conditions for ¡°Follower Session.¡±]


    [Will you ept Mountain-Gnawing Titan¡¯s Fallen Holy Knight? (Yes/No)]


    <i>Tzzz!</i>


    Then, dazzling white enveloped my body and my mouth moved on its own.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while, My Knight. What is your name?¡±


    The remnants of the Mountain-Gnawing Titan''s power still lingered in my body from when I once used the giant sword. It was used to speak to the Giant Skeleton.


    -After wandering the underworld for a millennium, I could no longer recall my name. My summoner now calls me Hades.


    ¡°I see. From now on, you shall be known as Hades. This young and weak god, Yu Il-Shin, has inherited my will. As you were once my knight, let me ask you this: will you serve as his sword and shield?¡±


    Shaking in excitement, Hades mmed his forehead against the floor.


    -Master! The Supreme One! I¡¯m deceased, left with nothing but bones, but please allow me to serve you!


    Then, the Mountain-Gnawing Titan vanished, and my consciousness returned. I turned to the knight, who eagerly sought my permission, and said, ¡°I grant you permission.¡±


    <i>Tzzz!</i>


    Briefly, an uplifting feeling spread through my entire body, as if we were connected.


    [Congrattions! You have seeded the Mountain-Gnawing Titan.]


    [Giant Skeleton Hades has be the third follower in the Earth branch.]


    -----


    [Giant Skeleton Hades]


    Category: Follower


    Special note: He lost most of his power due to years of decline, but you can evolve it by consuming your divine power.


    -----


    It could evolve? I focused on the word evolve, and another window appeared.


    [Do you wish to consume your divinity to evolve Giant Skeleton Hades? (Yes/No)]


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    [Equipping Malevolent God title Brutal Killer.]


    [Equipping Benevolent God title Benevolent Savior.]


    <i>Bam bam bam bam!</i>


    As both titles activated simultaneously, energies of two contrasting colors¡ªwhite and ck¡ªflowed into Hades. Then, an incredible transformation took ce!


    <i>Hiss¡ª</i>


    Slowly, ash-colored skin wrapped its bone.


    <i>Clunk clunk!</i>


    At the same time, a dark armor and helmet covered his entire body. A greatsword and a massive shield engraved with a thumbs-up mark appeared in his hands.


    He had been reborn into an impable knight.


    [Congrattions! Giant Skeleton Hades has evolved into Death Knight Hades!]


    -----


    [Death Knight Hades]


    Category: Dark Holy Knight


    Special note: Through the mercy and grace of God Yu Il-Shin, he has regained his original power. Has potential for transcendence.


    -----


    Hades spent a few moments gawking at his own body in bewilderment. Then, he burst into tears, kissing my feet.


    ¡°Lord Yu Il-Shin, thank you for your eternal grace! I, Hades, swear upon my soul to be your shield!¡±


    Ko Myeong-Ji looked at Hades, about to faint. ¡°H-Hades transformed? He can talk?!¡±


    <i>Uh-huh, his voice even has bass. I think it¡¯s nice and macho. </i>


    I wanted to respond to Hades¡¯ oath kindly, but I was hit by a dizzy spell.


    ¡°<i>Huh?!</i> Master!¡±


    ¡°Teacher!¡±


    ¡°Mr. Sword God!¡±


    As my consciousness faded, another notification appeared.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    -----


    [Quest: Low-tier God Promotion (In Progress)]


    Followers of intelligent beings at S-rank and above with potential for transcendence: 4/10


    -----


    ***


    I woke up in a dream.


    How did I know that? Well, because it¡¯d been like that for a week.


    <i>Swahhh¡ª</i>


    Gentle breeze blew across the fields of golden wheat. At the center, stood a statue of a woman, holding a grain in each hand.


    ¡°Oh, is it Lady Abundance today?¡±


    <i>Tzzz¡ª</i>


    The statue glowed.


    [Infinite Abundance protests, her expression stern, saying she isn¡¯t old.]


    <i>Her ears are sharp. </i>


    ¡°Sure, Abundance noonim.¡±


    [Infinite Abundance smiles benevolently, feeling content.]


    Not only did the poption of the Holy Nation of Gayami exceed 50 million, but Anty and Il-Ho also had the potential for transcendence. As a result, small changes began urring to me.


    One of them was gaining ess to the stalkers. I couldn¡¯t meet them, but I could talk to them in their territory at close range.


    [Infinite Abundance praises you for saving the Mountain-Gnawing Titan''s follower. She cheers you on, saying you¡¯ll be a great benevolent god if you carry on as you are.]


    <i>I don''t really want to be a benevolent god, but thank you, Abundance noona.</i>


    Regardless, I was d it was her today. Nightmare was annoying, while Eternal Seeker would always try to put me into training.


    [Infinite Abundance says that you should use her territory to recover, especially after consuming a huge amount of your divinity to save a follower.]


    <i>As expected, Abundance noona is the best human¡ªno, god amongst the stalkers.</i>


    After giving her a thumbs-up, I went to find a suitable ce to rest. This ce looked awesome. Soft and cushy fields of wheat, with the blue skies as my nket.


    <i>Haa, wee to paradise.</i>


    [Infinite Abundance bestows healing on you.]


    <i>Tzzz¡ª</i>


    At the same time, the golden field of wheat glowed, sending a wave of a warm, fuzzy feeling into me. I felt safe, as if in a mother¡¯s embrace, and soon fell asleep.


    Little did I know, while I was resting in her territory, a dark, malicious being was slowly encroaching upon us in reality.


    ***


    <i>Lick lick¡ª</i>


    In the school clinic, Sung Mi-Na enjoyed a huge candy by herself, waiting for Yu Il-Shin and Sung Mi-Ri to return from school.


    Although the candy from Choi Eun-Bi was yummy, it was getting boring.


    ¡°<i>Ah</i>!¡±


    All of the sudden, Sung Mi-Na¡¯s eyes beamed. She took out a long wooden box from her bag. Yu Il-Shin had hidden it in a drawer at home.


    Whenever Yu Il-Shin was cooking, it¡¯d rattle noisily, catching her attention. Sung Mi-Na carefully tapped on the box.


    ¡°<i>Knock, knock.</i>¡±


    The thing inside responded violently.


    ¡°Who is it?¡±


    <i>tter!</i>


    ¡°Want a piece of candy?¡±


    <i>tter tter!</i>


    ¡°Just kidding! No candy for you. It''s all mine.¡±


    <i>tter tter tter!</i>


    Seeing the violent responses of the wooden box, Sung Mi-Na couldn¡¯t help but tease it. ncing at her briefly, Choi Eun-Bi sighed heavily.


    ¡°Her original state was much better. What''s with that?¡±


    Just how did Sung Mi-Na, nicknamed Ice Queen, be such a cutesy child?


    Even so, Choi Eun-Bi didn¡¯t find her child-like state awkward at all, probably because it only made Sung Mi-Na look like a teen. There was no trace of her usual self, covered in thick make up to disguise her age.


    <i>Dad and Baek Yoo-Hyun should be fine, right? Had Sung Mi-Na gone with them, I wouldn¡¯t worry so much.</i>


    Choi Eun-Bi thought of Choi Kang-San, who was dispatched to catch the monster that killed S-rank Hunter Sergey.


    ¡°<i>Kyaaaak</i>!¡± Sung Mi-Na screamed out of the blue.


    ¡°What''s wrong? Ms. Sung Mi-Na!¡± Choi Eun-Bi hurriedly looked at the younger girl. The candy that was once in her mouth had shattered into pieces on the ground.


    ¡°No, no...¡±


    ¡°Ms. Sung Mi-Na, don''t worry. If you''re sad about the candy, I have more s.... <i>Kyaaak</i>!¡±


    Sung Mi-Na trembled, burying herself into Choi Eun-Bi¡¯s arms.


    ¡°Scared, scared...¡±


    Sensing that something was unusual, Choi Eun-Bi cautiously asked, ¡°Ms. Sung Mi-Na? Calm down. What are you scared about?¡±


    ¡°M-monster!¡± Tears welled up in Sung Mi-Na¡¯s eyes. ¡°It''s here to eat me...¡±


    Meanwhile, at the gate of the Hunter Academy...


    A filthy man in pungent rags had been standing at the gate for a while, staring at the Hunter Academy Buildings.


    ¡°Hello, entry is prohibited for ordinary citizens.¡±


    The security guard frowned, approaching him.


    ¡°Hey, do you hear me? You''re forbidden from entering!¡±


    Perhaps violence was necessary to fend off the man. Thus, the security guard rolled up his sleeves roughly. Despite his profession, he was a D-rank Reinforce-type Hunter. Subduing an average citizen was an easy feat for him.


    However, the tattered man didn¡¯t budge an inch.


    <i>Hmm?</i>


    ¡°<i>Hc!</i>¡±


    Turning around, the man opened his mouth wide at the security guard.


    ¡°What...¡±


    <i>Crunch! Pwooosh! Thud!</i>


    That was thest of the security guard. Only his lower body remained, gushing blood like a fountain before copsing to the ground.


    <i>Squelch squelch!</i>


    ¡°<i>Tweh!</i>¡±


    The man spat out the flesh. The guard wasn¡¯t worth swallowing. A greater harvest awaited him inside thepound.


    <i>Craaack! Thud!</i>


    Tearing the iron gate with his bare hands, the man headed into thepound. His bloody lips moved, letting out a low growl like a ravaging beast.


    ¡°Kujitolea kwa Mungu (Sacrifice to the gods).¡±

 Chapter 68: Reaper, The Second Apostle, Gustav

    <h4>Chapter 68: Reaper, The Second Apostle, Gustav</h4>


    <i>Whiiiing!</i>


    The siren red for the first time since the Hunter Academy''s establishment. The cause was none other than the hooded, tattered man.


    ¡°<i>Kyaaaa!¡±</i>


    <i>¡°Aarrgh! </i>Save me!¡±


    <i>Too many noisy insects.</i>


    The strange man, Gustav, thought.


    <i>Punch! Crash! Thud! Bam!</i>


    At least their numbers were going down. Humans were just too fragile. A slight wave of the hand and they exploded like a balloon, dying.


    ¡°<i>Fuckkk!</i> Die!¡±


    <i>Flicker! Baaam!</i>


    As ast-ditch effort, the students unleashed various elemental abilities at Gustav like the future Hunters they were. However, like an egg thrown against a rock, they couldn¡¯t graze him. Gustav bent down, picking up a pebble from the ground, clutching it.


    <i>Craaack!</i>


    The pebble shattered into pieces!


    The pebble shattered into pieces, and tossed them like shooting shotguns at the students attacking him.


    <i>Pew pew!</i>


    He flung them at the attacking students with the velocity of a shotgun st!


    ¡°<i>Ah</i>...¡±


    <i>Cough! Plop!</i>


    Small holes opened on their bodies. Soon, the students copsed helplessly on the ground, coughing out blood.


    ¡°Stop it, you murderer!¡±


    Shadow loomed over him, and Gustav looked up. It was a man in his sixties, his hair almost fully white, while his face red with anger. He swung down his sword at Gustav.


    It was no ordinary sword.


    <i>Crackle! sh!</i>


    Like lightning, the sharp de struck Gustav¡¯s neck in an instant. The old man, a retired Hunter and a teacher at the academy, was nicknamed the Thunderbolt Sword. He was Park Jeon-Geom, an A-rank Hunter.


    ¡°What?¡±


    However, his expression twisted in shock and horror.


    Unexpectedly, Gustav had blocked his sword with his outstretched arm. His sword, which could even cut through steel. His enemy didn¡¯t even budge an inch.


    <i>Shaaah!</i>


    Gustav¡¯s eyes turned yellow like a reptile¡¯s. He opened his mouth and hissed, sounding like a rusty hinge being pried open.


    ¡°Only slightly useful...¡±


    Although the old man in front of him was slightly better than the other worms he¡¯d killed, he was still unworthy of a sacrifice to offer to the gods.


    ¡°Not good enough.¡±


    Then, something akin to a whip flew over, crashing into Thunderbolt Sword¡¯s head. It burst open like a watermelon, scattering chunks in every direction. That was how the old man, one of the academy¡¯s strongest teachers, met his end. Witnessing his demise, nearby teachers had a look of pure horror on their faces.


    ¡°All students, evacuate!¡±


    ¡°Any news from the Association?!¡±


    ¡°Due to the incident at Gangwon province, no S-rank Hunters are avable at the moment! Baek Yoo-Hyun is rushing back, but it¡¯ll take at least half an hour!¡±


    ¡°Darn it! A-rank Hunters are fine too! <i>Argh,</i> of all days, Principal Choi Kang-San isn¡¯t around!¡±


    Gustav nced at the buzzing insects. In less than a full minute, silence was all that remained.


    <i>Thud thud thud!</i>


    Standing alone, Gustav looked at his vicinity. He examined the floor, littered with gore and flesh.


    Where did the sacrifice sought by god hide? God had personally sown seeds in it to be reaped in the future.


    ¡°Found you.¡±


    There were two. One in the east, one in the west.


    Sung Mi-Na was in the infirmary, while Sung Mi-Ri was in the sparring room.


    Gustav tilted his head. ¡°Why hasn¡¯t one of them ripened yet?¡±


    He couldn¡¯t understand. The seed should have blossomed by now, or, in human terms, reached its full potential. The sacrifice should¡¯ve at least risen to Rank S. Just like Sergey Brin, the Russian S-rank Hunter he had offered as sacrifice not long ago.


    Gustav pondered for a while. In the end, the sacrifice still bore the seed, albeit unripe, so maybe he should still harvest it anyway.


    <i>Trudge trudge¡ª</i>


    Following his beastly instincts, Gustav went for Sung Mi-Ri, the weak.


    <i>Crunch¡ª</i>


    But then, he halted.


    ¡°...?¡±


    Suddenly, Gustav became confused. His reptilian eyes scanned the sparring room again. S-rank Death Knight; two A-ranks, including Sung Mi-Ri; ten B-ranks; and a bunch of worms. Definitely not an issue for Gustav. It¡¯d be a different story if the hundreds of high-ranking Hunters and troops dispatched at Gangwon Province were there.


    However, his instincts warned him that the ce was dangerous. It reeked of a threatening, deadly scent of nightmare. Gustav trusted his guts and decided to change his destination.


    <i>Trudge trudge¡ª</i>


    He went to the infirmary instead. Although not as great as Sergey, Sung Mi-Na was about to ripen and fall from the tree. Surely, his god would be pleased to receive such a tantalizing offering. But before that...


    <i>Ssss¡ª</i>


    Gustav raised his hand. He had to ensure that his sacrifice didn¡¯t escape and that no one got in the way. He could sense a few S-rank Huntersing this way at breakneck speed.


    <i>Bam bam bam bam!</i>


    From his hand, darkness erupted like a volcano. It formed a huge dome around him, enveloping the entire academypound. The S-rank Hunters wouldn¡¯t be able to break through this easily.


    ¡°Time for reaping.¡±


    Afterward, Gustav leisurely went for Sung Mi-Na.


    In the sparring room...


    ¡°<i>Phew</i>, I¡¯m saved...¡±


    When they saw Gustav walk away, the students breathed a sigh of relief.


    The teachers, once renowned Hunters, had been ughtered by Gustav. Although the students had awakened, they were still hatchlings. What chance did they have against such a monster?


    ¡°T-thank god. I was so scared...¡±


    ¡°Who the heck is that guy?! How did such an abomination...?¡±


    Yu Il-Shin had copsed from exhausting his divine power to evolve Hades.


    Meanwhile, Sword Demon seemed to have decided on something. With a look of determination, he turned to Hades, the Death Knight.


    ¡°I can¡¯t go.¡± Hades shook his head. He looked at Yu Il-Shin, and then his summoner, Ko Myeong-Ji. ¡°I must protect God Yu Il-Shin and Master.¡±


    Looking at Yu Il-Shin¡¯s pale face, Sword Demon nodded. ¡°No problem. I¡¯ll feel at ease if you¡¯re by his side.¡±


    As if reading his mind, Hades said, ¡°Don¡¯t go, God Yu Il-Shin¡¯s familiar. It¡¯s too dangerous. I¡¯d survive at most ten blows facing it head-on, let alone you, who¡¯d lost an arm.¡±


    Sword Demon closed his eyes, recalling the past.


    ¡°When Mr. Sword God spared my life, in exchange for taking me under his wing, he asked if I could lead an honest life. With my life and my sword, I swore to him that I would. So, I should go¡ªno, I <i>must </i>go.¡±


    ¡°U-Uncle Sword Demon! I¡¯ll go with you!¡± Sung Mi-Ri clung onto Sword Demon¡¯s hand.


    Sword Demon shook his head. ¡°Please stay back, Mr. Sword God¡¯s disciple, it¡¯s unsafe. I¡¯ll take care of this.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s too dangerous alone!¡±


    Snorting, Sword Demon raised his huge, dark iron club. It was his sword.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I have this precious sword and the Demon Lord¡¯s Divine Arts he bestowed me.¡±


    <i>Ssss¡ª!</i>


    Then, Sword Demon transformed into shadow and vanished.


    ***


    After hearing the siren, Choi Eun-Bi hurried out of the infirmary with Sung Mi-Na and a few other students. They hid in the basement shelter. However, the shelter, designed for a nuclear bombing, couldn¡¯t stop that man.


    <i>Bam bam bam!</i>


    Along with the explosions, the shelter shook violently. Its sturdy exterior, akin to a turtle¡¯s shell, crumbled. Soon, Gustav¡¯s reptilian eyes found Sung Mi-Na, who was in Choi Eun Bi¡¯s arms.


    ¡°Found you, Sacrifice.¡±


    ¡°<i>Aaaaah</i>! <strong><i>Stay away!</i></strong>¡± Sung Mi-Na screamed,manding Gustav, but to no avail.


    <i>Roooooar!</i>


    Terrified, Sung Mi-Na¡¯s hair stood on end. ¡°You monster, <strong><i>die!</i></strong>¡±


    Even S-rank Hunter Baek Yoo-Hyun would get seriously injured because of that.


    <i>Puuunch!</i>


    Gustav¡¯s head jerked backward as if getting punched, but that was it. ck blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. He wiped it while smirking at the girl.


    ¡°As if someone blessed by god can bemanded by a human.¡±


    Then, Gustav reached out for Sung Mi-Na¡¯s head.


    ¡°Kujitolea kwa Mungu (Sacrifice for the god).¡±


    Sung Mi-Na instinctively understood what he meant. Her expression was etched with terror as her tears streamed down. ¡°N-noooo... Mommy, Daddy, save me...¡±


    Gustav''s palm split apart. He opened his jaw wide, revealing his hideous fangs.


    ¡°<i>Aaaaah!</i>¡±


    ¡°Not even S-rank Hunter Sung Mi-Na can deal with him!¡±


    ¡°S-save me! Anyone?!¡±


    ¡°These worms.¡± Gustav grimaced.


    Even though he was about to offer the sacrifice to his god. How dare these worms intrude upon such a sacred moment? Gustav picked up some stones and crushed them with his fist.


    <i>Crunch!</i>


    He was about to throw those rock shards at the students when...


    <i>Lurch!</i>


    His shadow wriggled, and a man in ck appeared from within. Gustav turned around to see a familiar face. The A-rank human who was with Sung Mi-Ri.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to use my assassin skills, but you leave me with no choice.¡±


    With a cold gaze, Sword Demon leaped, a massive sword aura exuding from his heavy sword. Then, he charged at Gustav.


    <i>Baaam!</i>


    Sword Demon swung his sword aura directly at Gustav¡¯s head. Despite being caught off-guard, Gustav appeared indifferent. This A-rank human was nothing but a pesky worm to him.


    When Gustav raised both arms, attempting to block the attack, Sword Demon grinned.


    ¡°Fool.¡±


    He shouldn¡¯t have done that.


    This Demon Lord''s Heavenly Sword was bestowed by Sword God himself. He worked hard to master the secrets of the sword. Although it took some time, he finally did it.


    The first stance of Demon Lord¡¯s Heavenly Sword.


    ¡°Demon Lord¡¯s Descent.¡±


    <i>Baaam!</i>


    A somber, ck sword aura shrouded the heavy sword. At the descent of the Supreme Demon, Demon Lord¡¯s Descent shook the heavens and earth.


    ¡°Kneel!¡±


    <i>Crunch!</i>


    Instead of stopping Sword Demon¡¯s attack, Gustav¡¯s arms broke like a twig.


    ¡°...?¡±


    For the first time, Gustav¡¯s eyes were filled with shock. <i>A mere A-rank worm?</i>


    ¡°<i>Kiieeek</i>!¡±


    <i>Crack! Baaam!</i>


    Gustav was pinned to the ground, feeling as if he was crushed by a giant.


    ¡°W-who is that person?¡± Everyone stared wide-eyed at Sword Demon.


    Sword Demon looked down at the hole beneath his feet and mocked.


    ¡°<i>Hmph</i>, you won''t be able to kneel in that position.¡±


    ***


    On the day Johan was made to be an apostle for an unknown god, two others were also baptized. And one of them wasn¡¯t human.


    To begin with, it was absurd to think that humans were the sole owners of Earth, especially with a notorious being around devouring them.


    The king of Lake Tanganyika in Africa was a cannibal who¡¯d reportedly killed over three hundred people. He was the strongest creature alive, both persuasive and maniptive. Horrified and in awe, the people named him Gustav.


    It wasn''t a coincidence that he heard the voice of god.


    -You¡¯re a lowly but useful beast nheless. I will allow you to be my second apostle.


    Having killed countless people made Gustav think he was the best. Hearing that voice taught him how mistaken he was.


    The merciful god bestowed his power and wisdom to his lowly self. On top of that, he was also given the role of tending to the sown seeds and harvesting them when they were ripe. Such an honor it was!


    Left mangled by Sword Demon¡¯s attack, Gustav¡¯s eyes fluttered open.


    -<i>Grrr</i>. It''s been a while since I shed my skin.


    Low growl came from the beast in the ground.


    ¡°T-this man. Is he a monster?¡± Sword Demon paled.


    <i>Crunch, crunch!</i>


    Then, the sound of something breaking and reconstructing could be heard.


    In a hurry, Sword Demon turned to Choi Eun-Bi and yelled. ¡°Hey, Woman! Take Sung Mi-Na and the kids to the Sword God and run!¡±


    ¡°W-what?¡±


    <i>Ruuuumble!</i>


    A huge shadow loomed over Sword Demon. When he turned to look at the owner, he became speechless.


    A giant crocodile towering 8 meters in height stood before him. It was the second apostle¡¯s, Gustav¡¯s, original form.


    ¡°Darn it.¡±


    <i>Flick!</i>


    Gustav whipped his tail at Sword Demon.


    <i>p!</i>

 Chapter 69: Sword God Returns

    <h4>Chapter 69: Sword God Returns</h4>


    Describing it as a movement from an 8 m entity would be a stretch.


    <i>Swaaaah!</i>


    Gustav¡¯s tail swatted at Sword Demon at an almost imperceptible speed.


    ¡°<i>Ugh</i>!¡±


    <i>Punch! Craaaash! </i>


    Sword Demon flew like a rag doll, crashing deep into the shelter wall.


    ¡°<i>Koff! Blergh!</i>¡±


    Sword Demon coughed putrid ck blood, convulsing all over. That single attack destroyed his arm and right ribs. Still, he was fortunate to shield himself using the heavy sword. Had he used his own body, his upper torso would¡¯ve disappeared.


    <i>Sword... My sword...?</i>


    With zed eyes, Sword Demon looked around for the heavy sword bestowed by Yu Il-Shin. It had broken into two, rolling on the ground.


    <i>Ugh, Mr. Sword God. I am so sorry.</i>


    The fact that he had broken the sword hurt him more than his sustained injury.


    -He survived my attack?


    Gustav bent down, looking at Sword Demon. His eyes, now the size of a man¡¯s head, brimmed with wonder.


    -What a strong man. But s, not quite good enough for the god.


    <i>Riiip¡ª</i>


    Gustav spread his jaw wide at Sword Demon.


    -Still, in honor of your strength, I¡¯ll eat you!


    Sharp, saw-like teeth were revealed within his elongated snout. The darkness beyond them was about to engulf Sword Demon when...


    <i>sh! Ruuumble!</i>


    A bolt of lightning struck Gustav on the head. Caught off guard, his body stiffened from the blow.


    <i>Flick!</i>


    In the next moment, Sword Demon vanished.


    -Who is that!


    His prey was being snatched away! Gustav was so furious that his eyes rolled back. He spotted Sung Mi-Ri about twenty meters away, carrying the wounded Sword Demon like a princess.


    ¡°That was my maximum st, but you weren¡¯t hurt in the slightest! You really are a monster!¡± Sung Mi-Ri glowered at him in anger.


    ¡°Disciple Mi-Ri, I said not toe here as it¡¯s danger¡ª<i>cough!</i>¡±


    ¡°Oh no, Uncle Sword Demon! Are you alright?¡±


    -A sacrifice?


    Gustav had confirmed that the seed of sacrifice was wriggling inside Sung Mi-Ri. He smirked. He had purposefully avoided the sparring room after sensing the danger. And yet, Sung Mi-Ri came over on her own.


    -Good girl. You¡¯re unripe, but I¡¯ll harvest you today.


    Gustav charged at Sung Mi-Ri.


    ¡°<i>Hyii!</i>¡±


    <i>sh!</i>


    Cloaking herself in lightning, Sung Mi-Ri fled with Sword Demon in her arms.


    Gustavughed at the foolishness. The idea that crocodiles were slow onnd was amon stereotype.


    -Do you think you can get away?


    <i>Stomp stomp!</i>


    Gustav chased Sung Mi-Ri with an unbelievable speed for a giant crocodile! In no time at all, he caught up.


    ¡°<i>Kyaaa</i>!¡±


    -Got you!


    Gustav pped his palms together, trapping Sung Mi-Ri and the Sword Demon between them, like catching a mosquito.


    <i>m!</i>


    ¡°<i>Aaaaah!</i>¡±


    ¡°<i>Arrggh!</i>¡±


    -<i>Keke</i>, so much noise.


    If he wanted to, Gustav could¡¯ve squashed them to death, but he didn¡¯t. After all, he had to sacrifice Sung Mi-Ri to the god alive.


    Well, at least one or two of her bones might¡¯ve broken, but he didn¡¯t care. Holding them with one hand, Gustav pointed at them with his other one.


    -Kujitolea kwa Mungu (Sacrifice to the god).


    His palm split open like a parted mouth, revealing hideous teeth. Gustav merely pointed his hand at her, not moving in the slightest. But then...


    <i>sh sh!</i>


    In the blink of an eye, Sung Mi-Ri¡¯s body was riddled with minor wounds, as if gnawed by a swarm of piranhas. Soon, her entire body was soaked in blood.


    ¡°<i>Aaaah! Aaarrgh!</i>¡±


    Her flesh was being torn bit by bit, like a death sentence in ancient China. Being eaten in one go would¡¯ve been more merciful.


    ¡°You <i>monsteeer! </i>How dare you touch Mr. Sword God¡¯s disciple! Stop it!¡± Sword Demon screamed while coughing blood. Gustav¡¯s hand prevented him from moving.


    With his ck tongue, Gustav licked Sword Demon.


    ¡°<i>Urk! </i>You monster!¡±


    -Enough fuss, Human. After I offer the sacrifice, your turn wille.


    ¡°<i>Eeeeeeeeek!¡±</i>


    The horrifying wail of Sung Mi-Na¡¯s younger sister resounded in the air.


    ¡°No, <i>noooo!</i>¡±


    ¡°Ms. Sung Mi-Na!¡±


    Wailing, Sung Mi-Na pushed away Choi Eun-Bi, running toward Gustav.


    ¡°<i>Aaaah</i>! <strong><i>Stop! Stop!</i></strong>¡±


    <i>Tzzz!</i>


    Sung Mi-Na¡¯s eyes zed blue as she yelled a series ofmands at Gustav. But her words didn¡¯t affect the monster in the slightest. It was her worst nightmare.


    ¡°Please help. Someone, please save my little sister... Please...¡± Sung Mi-Na continued to cry, calling out to those around her for help.


    ¡°<i>Aaarghhh!</i>¡±


    ¡°<i>Hyiiiieee!</i>¡±


    However, the terrified students were busy running away, taking advantage of the fact that Gustav was preupied with Sung Mi-Ri. No one was to me, since ants couldn¡¯t defeat a dinosaur. The same went for Sung Mi-RI.


    <i>I¡¯m scared...</i>


    With the mentality of a ten year old, she was basically a child. Meanwhile, her opponent was immune to her power. As such, she couldn¡¯t help but cower. Her body shook like an aspen tree as she wet her pants.


    ¡°<i>Aaaarrgh! Unniiiii!</i> Save me!¡±


    But then, she heard the heartbreaking cry of her dying younger sister. Forgetting her fear, Sung Mi-Na regained herself.


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch my sister, you monster!¡±


    <i>m!</i>


    She kicked the ground, leaping on top of Gustav¡¯s head.


    -<i>Hmm? </i>


    Gustav widened his eyes when Sung Mi-Nanded on his head.


    -<i>Keke, </i>another sacrifice came to me on her own. Nice,e to me. You¡¯re up next.


    ¡°Shut up, you fucking crocodile!¡±


    <i>Crunch crunch!</i>


    Veins popped on Sung Mi-Na¡¯s forehead, about to burst. cing both hands on Gustav¡¯s head, she yelled, ¡°Skill, Mental Space!¡±


    -What?


    <i>Swoooosh!</i>


    Gustav¡¯s mind was absorbed into the mental space created by Sung Mi-Na.


    <i>Click!</i>


    In reality, their bodies remained still like statues.


    ***


    Infinite Abundance¡¯s territory was extremely cozy and warm. I felt like a baby sleeping in a cradle while being rocked by my mother. Then, I dreamed. More urately, I saw a fragment of Sung Mi-Na¡¯s memory, which I¡¯d unconsciously consumed.


    A giant dragon with bizarre, crown-shaped horns was devouring the world. He unleashed his maw like the entrance to the abyss, about to swallow both Sung Mi-Na and the younger child in her arms.


    ¡°<i>Hnggggg! </i>God, please save Mi-Ri...¡±


    Even in the face of death, Sung Mi-Ri only wished for her sister to live. But there was no god, only despair.


    <i>Ssss¡ª</i>


    Amidst the golden field of wheat, my eyes fluttered open. I wasn¡¯t the god Sung Mi-Na sought desperately as a child. Nevertheless, I looked up toward the sky.


    ¡°I should get going now, Abundance noonim.¡±


    [Infinite Abundance is worried because your divine power hasn¡¯t fully recovered. She heard that this monstrous apostle has potential for transcendence. She says you¡¯ll need at least ten people to bring him down. She also warns that it¡¯ll be dangerous for you to face him alone.]


    <i>Actually, she might be right. </i>Oddly enough, I knew what was going on out there right now. Was it because my followers, Sung Mi-Ri and Sword Demon, were fighting against Gustav at this moment? Or was it because of another power I had yet to recognize?¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± I scratched my head, slowly stretching my body. ¡°I still have to try.¡±


    [Infinite Abundance is tearful, saying you¡¯re already a great benevolent god.]


    <i>Tzzz¡ª</i>


    Like a daydream, Infinite Abundance¡¯s territory vanished, and I woke up to reality.


    -God Yu Il-Shin! Are you awake?


    My bodyguard, Death Knight Hades, hurriedly reached out to me. I had no time to waste.


    ¡°Hades, just to be safe, stay here and protect the students.¡±


    Briefly, Hades flinched, but then he bowed deeply.


    -I shall abide by yourmand. But, if you¡¯re in any danger, I won¡¯t hesitate toe to you.


    I tried to equip my malevolent title, but to no avail. I had exhausted my divine power.


    <i>In that case, Il-Ho, lend me your power for a bit.</i>


    Il-Ho, let me use your power for a bit.


    ¡°Skill Sharing... Il-Ho, Strong Body.¡±


    <i>Crunch! Cruuunch!</i>


    My body transformed; my muscles rippled as strength surged likeva through my body.


    ¡°M-Mr. Yu Il-Shin?¡± The students withdrew in surprise.


    <i>m!</i>


    I charged toward Gustav, crushing the ground with my feet.


    ***


    Sung Mi-Na and Gustav were still at standstill. Sung Mi-Ri had fainted.


    ¡°<i>Uuugh!</i>¡±


    Meanwhile, Sword Demon desperately tried to free both himself and her from Gustav¡¯s grasp. Yet, no matter how much he struggled, he couldn¡¯t move.


    ¡°Darn it! I should¡¯ve helped the disciple escape before he made his move!¡±


    Just then, the state of Sung Mi-Na and Gustav changed.


    <i>Drip, drip drip.</i>


    Rotten blood trickled from Sung Mi-Na¡¯s nose. At the same time, Gustav¡¯s body shook violently, as if the chains binding him were breaking.


    In Sung Mi-Na¡¯s mental space...


    <i>Flick! Flick!</i>


    Sung Mi-Na used all her power to bind the raging Gustav with chains.


    -<i>Grrrr</i>!


    Countless ck chains wrapped Gustav¡¯s huge body, so much so that his hide couldn¡¯t be seen. He sunk into the mental swamp.


    <i>Shaaaa!</i>


    Just then, Gustav''s reptilian eyes turned.


    -I''m Gustav, apostle and harvester under the great god''smand!


    <i>Pop! Pop pop!</i>


    The chains binding Gustav shattered one by one.


    ¡°No, no! Please!¡±


    <i>Drip¡ª</i>


    Despite the blood trickling from her eyes, Sung Mi-Na continued to pour all her power into restricting Gustav.


    <i>Crunch! Crunch!</i>


    -<i>Gaaaah!</i>


    The pain, akin to being ripped apart, enraged Gustav. He unleashed a portion of the divine power bestowed upon him.


    -Bitch! How dare a mere human sacrifice try to restrain me! I¡¯m blessed by god!


    <i>Bam bam bam bam!</i>


    ¡°<i>Eeeeek!</i>¡±


    A deafening roar, akin to a dark typhoon,id Sung Mi-Na¡¯s mental space to waste.


    ¡°<i>Koff!</i>¡±


    Sung Mi-Na coughed putrid blood in reality.


    <i>Stumble¡ª</i>


    She fell from Gustav¡¯s head, oozing ck blood from all her orifices.


    ¡°Ms. Sung Mi-Na!¡± Choi Eun-Bi screamed as she witnessed it. Despite being an S-rank Hunter, Sung Mi-Na was grievously wounded. If she fell from such a height...


    At that moment, the unchained Gustav came back to his senses.


    -How dare a mere sacrifice insult me!


    In blind rage, Gustav stretched his mouth open, about to swallow the falling Sung Mi-Na whole.


    ¡°<i>Aaaaaah!</i>¡±


    Afraid to witness the imminent tragedy, Choi Eun-Bi shut her eyes tightly.


    <i>Grab! m! Crunch!</i>


    Gustav chomped down, only to realize that he was biting air.


    In anger, he looked down. A muscr man had appeared out of nowhere, carrying the bloody Sung Mi-Na in his arms.


    -<i>Grrrr</i>. Who are you!


    <i>Clunk clunk!</i>


    Instead of replying to Gustav, the man went to the corner to pick up something. A wooden box that had been rattling violently since earlier.


    -She is my sacrifice! I¡¯m offering her to god! Put her down!


    Gustav bared his teeth, letting out a threatening, angry growl.


    ¡°<i>Keke... Kekekeke!</i>¡±


    That man merely sneered at him in return.


    -How dare you...


    Gustav was speechless. The muscr man may be a decent S-rank Human, but that was all. He was so full of himself! Did he know that Gustav could break through an SS-rank mental space?


    Gustav could not forgive this man.


    -Die, you insolent worm!


    Gustav pivoted his huge tail, whipping at the muscr man.


    <i>Swoosh!</i>


    It was even faster than when he attacked Sword Demon, almost reaching the speed of sound. But just as his tail was about tond...


    <i>Slice!</i>


    Instantly, Gustav¡¯s eyes widened.


    <i>Flick!</i>


    Something very familiar flew into the air.


    <i>Thud!</i>


    Then, it fell on the ground. It was his tail, sliced into two.


    -<i>Gaaaaah!</i> My tail! My precious tail!


    Gustav let out a piercing scream while clutching his severed tail.


    The muscr man, carrying Sung Mi-Na in one hand and a grotesque knife in the other, was none other than Yu Il-Shin.


    ¡°<i>Keke! </i>Crocodile, more. I want to cut more of you!¡± Yu Il-Shin roared.

 Chapter 70: Look, This is the True Demon Lord’s Heavenly Sword

    <h4>Chapter 70: Look, This is the True Demon Lord¡¯s Heavenly Sword</h4>


    <i>Ruuuumble!</i>


    I charged to the scene, equipped with Il-Ho¡¯s strong body. There, I saw the aftermath of the fight between Sung Mi-Na and the giant crocodile. Her mental space was in shambles, while she herself fell to the ground, spilling ck blood.


    -How dare a mere sacrifice insult me!


    Furious, the giant crocodile attempted to eat Sung Mi-Na.


    ¡°<i>Aaaaaah!</i>¡±


    I snatched her from the crocodile¡¯s maw just in time.


    <i>Grab! m! Crunch!</i>


    Chomping thin air, the crocodile glowered at me as I held Sung Mi-Na in my arms.


    -<i>Grrrr</i>. Who are you!


    I didn¡¯t reply. My appraisal skill activated.


    -----


    [Gustav, ¡°???¡±¡¯s Apostle]


    A male crocodile. Around for 85 years.


    Special note: Harvester of sacrifices raised by the God of Destroyer ¡°???¡±. A quasi-transcendent. Has SS-rank abilities because of the power bestowed upon him.


    -----


    <i>That damn God of Destroyer again?</i>


    Seeing the crocodile up close, I finally understood why Abundance noonim said we needed at least ten S-rank Hunters. That was an SS-rank monster right there! I¡¯d only heard of such a National Disaster-level monster in passing!


    <i>This isn¡¯t going to work...</i>


    Most of my divine power went to evolving Hades, so I couldn¡¯t equip my malevolent title. Il-Ho¡¯s skill wouldn¡¯t be enough to defeat this monster. Fleeing would probably be wise, and yet I couldn''t.


    What about Sword Demon, Sung Mi-Ri, and the school nurse? Not to mention, other students who couldn¡¯t escape due to their sustained injuries...


    ¡°Please save... my little sister... Mi-Ri...¡±


    Sung Mi-Na was dying in my arms, and yet she still pleaded desperately.


    ¡°Leave it to me, Ms. Sung Mi-Na.¡±


    I¡¯d fight the crocodile no matter the oue. Just as I mustered the courage...


    <i>Rattle rattle!</i>


    ¡°<i>Huh?</i> Why are you here?¡±


    The crazy knife that I¡¯d sealed at home was here for some reason.


    <i>Rattle rattle!</i>


    The wooden box rattled noisily again. Looking at the current situation, it couldn¡¯t be helped.


    ¡°Alright, I get it. Stop pestering me.¡±


    Time to borrow the power of a cat¡ªno, a knife. I picked up the box.


    <i>Click. Roooooar!</i>


    I removed the lid, revealing an 80 cm rutnt chef¡¯s knife.


    <i>Sss¡ª</i>


    At the same time, the hilt of the sword split, and a pair of ruby-red eyes appeared.


    <i>Ugh, gross. I didn¡¯t even want to touch it. </i>


    The eyes reproachfully red at me.


    <i>Huh?! What¡¯s that?! Don¡¯t act like a demonic sword when you¡¯re just a kitchen knife!</i>


    I grabbed the kitchen knife, the self-proimed Sword God.


    ¡°Sword Devotion.¡±


    An innate power bestowed by All-Cutting Heavenly Sword, which maximized the sword''s power.


    <i>Kwaaaaaa!</i>


    Then, the Sword God¡¯s frenzy surged in me.


    ¡°<i>Ugh</i>!¡±


    This endless madness! It was nothingpared to when I first encountered Sword Demon! I felt like it could only be quelled by turning the entire world upside down! It swept my mind like a tidal wave, apanied by immense pleasure and pain.


    At that moment, I saw an angry-looking, entric old man with a scruffy beard. Was it just me?


    <i>sh!</i>


    Then, my consciousness became one with the Sword God.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [All-Cutting Heavenly Sword gazes at you, dering this is the true unity of sword and man.]


    -She is my sacrifice! I¡¯m offering her to god! Put her down!


    The crocodile growled, baring his fangs at me.


    ¡°<i>Keke</i>...¡± I chuckled faintly, shing my own teeth. ¡°<i>Kekekeke!</i>¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but burst outughing. I¡¯d never seen such a huge and sturdy crocodile in my life!


    <i>I want to cut at it! I can¡¯t wait to sh it!</i>


    -Die, you insolent worm!


    The second apostle of God of Destroyer, Gustav, furiously swung his tail at me.


    <i>Swaaaah! Kyaaaak!</i>


    Behind me, the sound of tearing air echoed like a wail. An engineered attack, faster than the speed of sound. Gustav was about to blow my upper body with his tail.


    ¡°<i>Keke.</i>¡±


    Regardless of how fast he was, I knew where he was about to strike. What kind of swordsman fails to dodge something so obvious? Before he couldnd a hit, I made my move. I twisted my body, and his tail swept right past my head. At the same time, I swung my sword in a semi-circle trajectory.


    <i>sh!</i>


    It shed quite well with that speed.


    <i>Flick! Thud!</i>


    Gustav¡¯s severed tail fell to the ground, and ck blood sttered.


    -<i>Gaaaaah!</i> My tail! My precious tail!


    Gustav¡¯s horrified scream, which followed after, pleased me. Quite a decent scream for a crocodile, but it wasn¡¯t enough.


    <i>I need more, more, more!</i>


    More blood! More screams! Thankfully, Gustav¡¯srge size would provide just that.


    ¡°...God?¡± Sung Mi-Na tearfully gazed at me.


    I put her down and lunged at Gustav, reversing the hilt of my knife.


    ¡°<i>Keke</i>, Crocodile. I want more!¡±


    -<i>Gaaah</i>! Why, you little...!


    Gustav was stronger and faster than I was, yet not a single attack of his grazed me. A simple movement and gesture from that darn God of Destruction was enough to tame this cryptic beast.


    As if he could touch me anyway. My sword never ceased to move.


    <i>sh sh sh!</i>


    I tore his flesh out bit by bit, just as he did with Sung Mi-Ri.


    -<i>Gaaaah</i>!


    Blood and flesh fell from his body like a downpour, staining the ground ck. Witnessing the scene, Sword Demon burst into tears.


    ¡°<i>Aah, </i>that¡¯s it! That¡¯s the swordy I wish to learn...¡±


    <i>Thud!</i>


    -<i>Ugghhh</i>!


    Gustav slumped to the ground. I twirled my sword hilt, snarling at Gustav.


    <i>Is that all you got?</i>


    -You! So you are the one! You¡¯re the deadly nightmare owner I sensed back then!


    Gustav clutched his shoulder, where the white bones were exposed. After scanning me with his bloodshot eyes, he gave me a smirk.


    -But now, I can only smell traces of it! I¡¯m no longer scared of you! You shall witness my power!


    ¡°<i>Keke?</i>¡±


    I was just getting bored and about to behead him. But I decided against it and observed the situation for a moment.


    -<i>Krrr</i>! I¡¯ll sacrifice you! <i>Oh, </i>how pleased my great god would be to receive you!


    <i>Kwaaaa!</i>


    A dark, ominous aura surged through Gustav¡¯s body as he began to transform.


    -Look! This is the power bestowed by God of Destroyer upon me!


    <i>Crunch crunch!</i>


    Watching Gustav transform only riled me up.


    ¡°<i>Kekeke!</i>¡±


    <i>So you have more up your sleeve? Bring them all out! Make it worth my time! </i>


    [All-Cutting Heavenly Sword chuckles,menting that you know the audiences¡¯ hearts.]


    [Infinite Abundance is worried about yourcency.]


    [Silently Crawling Nightmare cheers on you, waving a cannibal flower in each hand.]


    [Eternal Seeker is disappointed because you forgo your good muscles and use a sword.]


    <i>Can I sh these stalkers while at it?</i>


    <i>Tzzz!</i>


    Just then, Gustav¡¯s transformation ended.


    ¡°<i>Keke</i>.¡±


    When I saw his new form, I got furious! He had shrunk into a pitifully small size! How was I supposed to enjoy cutting him up?! This was how he repaid my patience?! The only thing that stood out to me was the dark scales covering his body.


    ¡°<i>Keke</i>.¡±


    Annoyed, I shed at Gustav, ready to cut him into half.


    <i>nggg!</i>


    Yet, there was a sharp sound of de hitting against iron. For the first time, my knife bounced off his skin.


    <i>I can¡¯t hurt him? Me? The Sword God?</i>


    <i>That¡¯s unforgivable!</i>


    ¡°<i>Keke</i>! Again! Crocodile!¡±


    <i>Throbbing¡ª</i>


    My arm muscles swelled instantly as I gripped my sword. At the same time, I swung with all my might, raining blows on Gustav like a torrential downpour!


    <i>ng ng ng!</i>


    Sparks scattered from Gustav¡¯s scales like sparkles, yet they remained unscathed. Instead, my de became chipped.


    Gustav sneered, baring his hideous teeth at me.


    -<i>Kekeke,</i> a mere sword can¡¯t hope to graze the dragon scales bestowed by god!


    <i>Smackkk!</i>


    His fist connected to the pit of my stomach like an awl, sending me flying like a cannonball.


    ¡°<i>Cough!</i>¡±


    Inded on the floor, spewing blood like waterfall, mixed with bits of my intestines. I could no longer see his moves.


    -What do you think?! This is the power granted to me by god!


    Gustavughed as he advanced on me.


    Gritting my teeth, I swung my sword. He didn¡¯t even bother dodging this time. He used his body to deflect my de and struck me down.


    <i>Bam bam bam!</i>


    ¡°<i>Arghhh!</i>¡±


    Gustav pummeled me like a sandbag. Soon, I was covered in blood and my vision blurred. He clutched my head, about to hit me again.


    ¡°O¡¯ Almighty God, please ept this delightful offering!¡±


    <i>Riiip!</i>


    His palm split open, revealing a hideous mouth.


    -Kujitolea kwa Mungu (Sacrifice to the gods).


    Briefly, I saw it. I saw the colossal being that had devoured Mountain-Gnawing Titan¡¯s world. It gaped its mouth at me.


    <i>Ruuuumble!</i>


    Death loomed over me.


    ¡°Master!¡±


    There was a blood-curdling cry, apanied by a giant sword shing at Gustav.


    <i>nggg!</i>


    Even that sword did nothing against the dragon scales, but the impact pushed Gustav backward.


    ¡°Are you alright?!¡±


    Death Knight Hades, the 4-meter-tall giant in ck armor, hade to my aid.


    Fury shed across Gustav¡¯s eyes.


    -You undead! How dare you interrupt the sacred ceremony!


    ¡°You God of the Destroyer¡¯s seed! You won¡¯t steal my master from me again!¡±


    Roaring like a raging beast, Hades swung his sword at Gustav.


    <i>ngggg! Bam bam bam!</i>


    Messages from God-Maker appeared as they shed together.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [The Skill Sharing duration has ended.]


    [Il-Ho¡¯s Strong Body has been retracted.]


    The thickyer of muscle covering my body vanished, and I returned to normal.


    ¡°<i>Arghhhhh!</i>¡±


    Tidal wave of pain that no ordinary human could bear pervaded me.


    ¡°<i>Cough cough!</i>¡±


    I writhed in pain like a worm sprinkled with salt.


    When I tried to heal myself with Healing Ring Finger of God...


    [Healing failed. Insufficient divine power.]


    As Iid on the ground, wracked in pain, Imented. Did possessing the power of a god make me arrogant? Usually, I¡¯d have feigned ignorance and run away. Who gave a damn about who might die?


    -God Yu Il-Shin! Please stay strong!


    -O¡¯ great and merciful God Yu Il-Shin! You are our only god!


    I could hear the voices of my followers.


    Anty and the soldiers of Gayamis were in a huge war. Il-Ho was also fighting against a gigantic monster in the Tower of Warriors. And yet, they stopped just to pray for me. They were in tears.


    <i>Blind Eyes of God.</i>


    ¡°Oh God, please save Mi-Ri...¡± Sung Mi-Na prayed desperately, shedding tears while holding the bloody Sung Mi-Ri in her arms.


    ¡°<i>Urk... </i>I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Sword God. If only I were...a bit stronger...!¡± Sword Demon crawled toward me, crying as he med himself for hisck of power.


    <i>Tzzz...</i>


    Their despairing, tearful prayers of tears flowed into me.


    ¡°<i>Hiiiiic...</i>¡±


    I endured the tremendous crushing pain as I tried to stand up. Then, new messages from God-Maker appeared one after the other.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Fanatic Sword Demon and Dark Holy Knight Hades have been added to the Skill Share list.]


    New! [Sword Demon: Demon Lord''s Heavenly Sword]


    New! [Hades: Blessing of Immortality]


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Sung Mi-Na has be your temporary apostle.]


    [You will attain true faith by fulfilling Sung Mi-Na¡¯s earnest wish and saving her from the God of Destroyer.]


    <i>Bam! Crushhh!</i>


    Not even Hades, an S-rank summon with potential for transcendence, was a match for SS-rank Gustav.


    ¡°<i>Gaaaah!</i>¡±


    -Outrageous! As if a mere corpse can best me, an apostle of god!


    The tenth blow destroyed Hades¡¯ armor, and Gustav trampled on it.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [All-Cutting Heavenly Sword has been watching you. He urges you to use the Heavenly Sword Treasury. He reminds you that you still have two ess tickets.]


    <i>I don''t need it.</i>


    I stumbled as I retrieved the knife from the ground. The de was ruined, calling it a saw would be more urate. But this was enough.


    <i>Isn''t that right, Sword God?</i>


    <i>Wooooong!</i>


    Sword God cried fiercely in affirmation. I directed the sword at Gustav.


    <i>Sword Demon, youmented that you couldn¡¯t assist me, but you¡¯re wrong.</i>


    ¡°Skill Sharing... Sword Demon, Demon Lord''s Heavenly Sword.¡±


    <i>Woooong!</i>


    Sword God turned at Sword Demon.


    <i>Keke, watch this, Sword Demon. You¡¯re thest thing I need to make it perfect.</i>


    Although it was definitely my first time using it, it felt strangely familiar. I slowly drew the de.


    ¡°First Stance of the Demon Lord¡¯s Heavenly Sword, Demon Lord¡¯s Descent.¡±


    Then, the world split apart.

 Chapter 71: God is Available All Year Round, Even in Dreams

    <h4>Chapter 71: God is Avable All Year Round, Even in Dreams</h4>


    <i>Kwaaaa!</i>


    ¡°Please, please get through!¡±


    S-rank Hunter Baek Yoo-Hyun unleashed mes with all his might, creating something akin to a raging forest fire. In spite of that, the ck dome surrounding the academy showed no sign of breaking.


    ¡°Move aside!¡± Choi Kang-San stepped forward. ¡°<i>Hyaaaaa!¡±</i>


    All of his muscles bulged, about to burst. His fists shing bright golden with each swing.


    <i>Bam bam bam bam!</i>


    He rained blows on the barrier with a tremendous crushing force.


    Nevertheless, the barrier stood unwavering, and nervousness crept across their faces.


    A Russian S-rank Hunter, Sergey Brin, was scheduled to naturalize in South Korea. Butter, he was reported dead, eaten by a monster. Thus, Choi Kang-San and Baek Yoo-Hyun, along with most of South Korea¡¯s powerhouses, were assembled. The extermination team was dispatched to Gangwon Province.


    They had the monster cornered.


    But, the mysterious creature merely stared back at them, especially the S-rank Hunters, and spoke.


    -This number is slightly troublesome. We¡¯ll meet again, after I¡¯ve harvested the sacrifice of god. Then, I¡¯ll deal with you, one by one.


    <i>sh!</i>


    Suddenly, there was a blinding sh of light, and the monster vanished. He had used the teleportation skill that S-rank Hunter Sergey Brin was famous for. Not too long after, an urgent report announced that an S-rank or higher monster had appeared at the Hunter Academy.


    At that moment, it felt as if the sky was falling. Baek Yoo-Hyun teleported them back right away. Upon arriving, they were met with another issue: Gustav¡¯s imprable barrier.


    The Hunter Association had made a miscalction. This monster was at least SS-rank or higher¡ªa National Disaster-level monster.


    ¡°Damn it! Eun-Bi! No!¡±


    Choi Kang-San roared as he pummeled the barrier with his bloody fists. He shouldn¡¯t have ignored Miracle¡¯s words! Before losing consciousness, Miracle had personally warned him.


    <i>¡°Sooner orter, an inevitable misfortune will ur, depriving you of what you hold most dear. To prevent that, you must catch him.¡±</i>


    <i>¡°What I hold most dear? D-do you mean my daughter, Eun-Bi? W-who is he?¡±</i>


    <i>¡°Not sure. I couldn¡¯t make out the details of him. Still, one thing is certain. He is the noblest of beings, but also the most vile. Whether he will save mankind or lead to its downfall, I do not know. But if it¡¯s him, he should be able to prevent your misfortune. If you meet him, try to keep him in the academy.¡±</i>


    <i> </i>


    Yu Il-Shin¡¯s oblivious face shed across Choi Kang-San¡¯s mind as he recalled the past. If he was really the man from Miracle¡¯s prophecy...!


    <i>Please save my daughter and the students!</i>


    ¡°Kang-San hyungnim!¡±


    Just then, Baek Yoo-Hyun pointed at the barrier with a pale face.


    <i>Ruuumble!</i>


    A diagonal crack had appeared on the barrier. Despite going all out, they hadn¡¯t made a single dent until now. Yet, the barrier was copsing.


    <i>Boooom!</i>


    A horizontal trajectory was drawn, as if a giant sword had shed from the sky.


    ***


    -A mere undead dare to go against an apostle like me?!


    <i>Crack! Bam bam!</i>


    Gustav had been trampling on Hades for a while when, suddenly, a burst of energy erupted. He turned around in surprise.


    -What is that?


    ¡°First Stance of the Demon Lord¡¯s Heavenly Sword, Demon Lord¡¯s Descent.¡±


    <i>Ssss¡ª</i>


    Then, Yu Il-Shin initiated his strike. A strike so slow and futile, like a thin brush stroke in the air, even a child could dodge it. Just as Yu Il-Shin¡¯s trajectory was about toe to an end...


    <i>Riiip¡ª ng!</i>


    His de shattered into a million pieces.


    -<i>Hah!?</i>


    Fear instinctively kicked in, and Gustav shielded his face with both arms. But... even after some time had passed, nothing happened.


    -What did you just do?


    His question was met with silence.


    <i>Grit!</i>


    Gustav ground his teeth until it cracked.


    -Bastard! Did you trick me?!


    For an apostle to cower because of a mere bluff! Gustav was both furious and ashamed of himself.


    ¡°S-stop.¡±


    -Get lost, you undead!


    Hades tried to reach for him, but Gustav stomped on his hand, before striding to where Yu Il-Shin was.


    <i>Thud thud!</i>


    Even though Gustav had entered his attack range, Yu Il-Shin didn¡¯t move whatsoever. Gustav¡¯s reptilian eyes quietly observed Yu Il-Shin.


    -...I¡¯m speechless. Did you faint already?


    Despite losing consciousness, Yu Il-Shin had maintained his sword-wielding stance.


    -<i>Keke. </i>What is he even trying to do?


    Gustav spread his mouth wide, aiming for Yu Il-Shin¡¯s shoulder.


    -Before I sacrifice you to God, I shall take your right arm! That¡¯s what you get for humiliating me!


    <i>Thump! Plop!</i>


    But when Gustav was right in front of him, he found himself falling on all fours.


    -W-what?


    Gustav¡¯s eyes widened in shock. His body had disappeared from the waist down.


    -<i>Gaaaaaaah!</i>


    Gustav cried, coughing up blood. But that was only the beginning.


    <i>Thud!</i>


    His right arm disappeared, and his face fell at Yu Il-Shin¡¯s feet.


    -<i>Kiiiieeeeeeek!</i> Bastard! What have you done to me?!


    The pain was so excruciating, Gustav couldn¡¯t help but scream. With his remaining left arm, he tried to grab hold of Yu Il-Shin.


    <i>Psss!</i>


    But soon, his left arm crumbled into dust and disintegrated. Just like that, he had lost his other limb. Gustav was overwhelmed by indescribable terror. He looked up at Yu Il-Shin, who stood still like a statue.


    This man was clearly a puny human! Nothing but prey to satisfy a beast''s hunger!


    -...?


    Briefly, Gustav saw it. Yu Il-Shin¡¯s essence. What a huge miscalction it was!


    <i>Is he even human? </i>


    No.


    <i>Grooooowl!</i>


    His essence was like an abyss, a ck hole consuming everything.


    -<i>Hyiiiieee!</i>


    Every single dragon scale on his body shuddered. Why didn¡¯t he teleport when he first saw Yu Il-Shin?! It was toote now. Web-like cracks formed on the dragon scales granted to him, and his body crumbled like a sandcastle.


    During hisst moments, Gustav recalled the eggs he¡¯d left in hisir.


    -My dear children...


    Only his head was left. Gustav cried out while shedding tears of blood.


    -Please...


    Just then, God-Maker reacted.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Gustav, God of Destroyer ¡°???¡±¡¯s apostle, has died.]


    [Absorbing sacrifice.]


    -<i>Huh? Kyaaaaaaak!</i>


    <i>Psss¡ª</i>


    Along with his final cry, Gustav¡¯s head fell apartpletely. Then, a ck smoke in the shape of a crocodile billowed, screaming.


    <i>Psss!</i>


    Then, it got sucked into Yu Il-Shin, unable to resist. More messages from God-Maker appeared.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Congrattions, God Yu Il-Shin. Gustav, God of Destroyer ¡°???¡±¡¯s apostle, is a high-ranking sacrifice equivalent to five S-rank beings.]


    -----


    [Quest: Low-tier Malevolent God Promotion (In Progress)]


    Sacrifice of S-rank or higher intelligent beings with potential for transcendence: 2(+4)/10


    -----


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [You fulfilled the earnest wish of your temporary apostle and sessfully showed her the feat of god.]


    [Congrattions. Sung Mi-Na has be the fourth follower of the Earth branch.]


    [Sung Mi-Na is a high-ranking follower equivalent to two S-rank beings.]


    -----


    [Quest: Low-tier Benevolent God Promotion (In Progress)]


    Follower of S-rank or higher intelligent beings with potential for transcendence: 5(+1)/10


    -----


    ***


    I opened my eyes. Did I dream again?


    I asked that because I stood in an endless space filled with swords. At the center stood what appeared to be a symbol of the Hall of Sword God: a giant statue impaled with numerous swords, resembling a hedgehog.


    <i>Is it a giant statue embedded with swords? Or is it a giant statue made of swords? Hard to tell. </i>


    Then, one of the stalkers, the owner of this ce, spoke.


    -All-Cutting Heavenly Sword sneers, saying it¡¯s thetter. He ims that his body is made of swords.


    <i>Ha, I¡¯ve heard of that childish line many times before. Isn¡¯t this just giarism?</i>


    -All-Cutting Heavenly Sword exims in anger that his body has been this way for thousands of years!


    I sighed heavily. Lately, whenever I fell asleep, I¡¯d be forcibly dragged into one of my stalkers¡¯ territories. I didn¡¯t like this one bit. Still, nice timing, since I had a question for Mr. Heavenly Sword.


    ¡°Mr. Heavenly Sword, the sword you gave me is broken. Are you sure it isn¡¯t defective?¡±


    -All-Cutting Heavenly Sword mockingly asks, what did you expect from a freebie?


    <i>Uh, Mister? You were the one who tempted me with the freebie to begin with! How dare you say that!</i>


    ¡°Give me a refund, then.¡±


    -All-Cutting Heavenly Sword says there¡¯s no backing out of a trade.


    ¡°So, this is how you¡¯re going to y, <i>huh?</i>¡±


    <i>Fine, then! I¡¯ll never bargain with you again, ever!</i>


    -All-Cutting Heavenly Sword is taken aback. He suggests in a friendly manner that you repair the sword.


    -All-Cutting Heavenly Sword offers to fix your sword for only 10,000,000 Gcoins. He¡¯ll also throw in a sword for Sword Demon.


    <i>Hmph! Did he see me as a pushover?!</i>


    -All-Cutting Heavenly Sword says that if you ept this after-sales service, he¡¯ll throw in another freebie as a bonus.


    The mention of a freebie piqued my interest once more. At first, I thought the Demon Lord¡¯s Heavenly Sword was a sham, but I was wrong. Although I lost my consciousness shortly after using it, I recalled that the Demon Lord¡¯s Descent had disintegrated the crocodile.


    ¡°So, what¡¯s the freebie this time?¡±


    -All-Cutting Heavenly Sword hypes you up. The free gift this time is...


    ¡°Is?¡±


    Then, another stalker chimed in.


    -Eternal Seeker adamantlyins that it¡¯s his turn. He asks why All-Cutting Heavenly Sword cut the line!


    -Eternal Seeker tears through the fabric of space in the Hall of Sword God, snatching you away.


    <i>Grab!</i>


    In the next moment, a giant, muscr hand ripped through space, grabbing me. Knowing where Eternal Seeker was going to drag me to, I paled and struggled against his grip.


    ¡°W-wait! I don¡¯t want to go there! Why should I train my muscles in my dream?!¡±


    -Eternal Seeker shakes his head, saying that even in dreams, one must work hard to attain a strong mentality.


    ¡°<i>Eek! </i>What nonsense is that!¡±


    My efforts were futile. Eternal Seeker yanked me out of the Hall of Sword God.


    <i>sh!</i>


    Then, I was surrounded by mountains of iron, hundreds of timesrger than myself. In the middle of it all was a stone statue of a shredded macho man in a cringe pose.


    It was the Hall of Muscles, the self-proimed Temple of Seeker.


    -Eternal Seekerments having to struggle with his apostle despite his esteemed status as a god. He flogs you, saying if you¡¯re a god, why aren¡¯t your muscles as good as Il-Ho¡¯s?


    <i>Crack! Crack!</i>


    ¡°<i>Arghh!</i>¡±


    By the way, that wasn¡¯t a figure of speech, but a real whipping. This might be a dream, but it still hurt like hell!


    -Eternal Seekerpliments your muscle mass and suggests using two-ton dumbbells for a light warm-up.


    <i>Two-tons for a warm-up?! Is he nuts?!</i>


    I doubted my ears.


    ¡°Fuck no, you muscle freak god!¡±


    -Eternal Seeker says this is all for your own good. He whips you back into muscle training.


    <i>Crack! Crack! Crack!</i>


    ¡°<i>Arghhh!</i>¡±


    The hellish whipping began once again.


    ***


    On the 29th floor of the Tower of Warriors...


    Il-Ho had been praying fervently for Yu Il-shin¡¯s victory for quite some time, when he suddenly opened his eyes.


    ¡°<i>Muuuuscles!</i>¡±

 Chapter 72: I’m the Prince of the Sea, Il-Ho!

    <h4>Chapter 72: I¡¯m the Prince of the Sea, Il-Ho!</h4>


    On the 29th floor of the Tower of Warriors...


    Il-Ho had been praying fervently for Yu Il-shin¡¯s victory for quite some time, when he suddenly opened his eyes.


    ¡°<i>Muuuuscles!</i>¡±


    Cheering, Il-Ho raised his muscr arms into the air. ¡°He won! <i>Hehe! </i>As expected of God Yu Il-Shin!¡±


    <i>God Yu Il-Shin is so strong and cool! </i>Especially his ultimate attack, Demon Lord¡¯s Descent, which yed the monster crocodile and tore the sky asunder! Il-Ho tried to perform the same move.


    ¡°I hope I can unleash a simr attack someday! <i>Yapyap!</i>¡±


    All of the sudden, something caught his eyes.


    ¡°Where am I?¡±


    Il-Ho realized that he was standing in what seemed to be a damp cave. The reddish outer wall wriggled like living fresh, with fish bones strewn around him.


    ...Wasn''t he in the midst of battling a monster? He recalled its enormous, squishy tentacles, almost as fluid as water.


    <i>Beep beep beep!</i>


    Just then, the sword on his back red. Il-Ho dismissed the thoughts. It was no longer important.


    ¡°<i>Huh, </i>time to work out already?¡±


    He couldn''t skip his training. Il-Ho drew his weighted sword, which he¡¯d obtained after clearing the 20th floor of the Tower of Warriors.


    Besides its rm function, crafted by the so-called greatest cksmith of the gods, it had another impressive feature.


    ¡°This sword seems to be gradually getting lighter... Alright, Weight Increase!¡±


    <i>sh!</i>


    With a blinding sh, the sword grew heavier.


    ¡°Weight Increase! Weight Increase!¡±


    After repeating it ten times, Il-Ho''s knees had bent halfway.


    ¡°<i>Keke</i>, this is it! This is the perfect weight to train my muscles! Muscles! Muscles!¡±


    Il-Ho lifted the heavy sword, causing his pectoral muscles to tighten.


    -Eternal Seeker watches Il-Ho proudly,plimenting that he knows how to use a sword properly.


    ¡°I wonder how Big Eye hyung is doing?¡±


    On the Twenty-Eighth Floor of the Tower of Warriors: Trial of Pond, Il-Ho met and became sworn brothers with a frog named Big Eye. Together, they fought the evil ruler of the pond, a variant of the giant catfish monster.


    Big Eye was a striking man with excellent hind leg muscles. He taught Il-Ho the spirit of perseverance. Unfortunately, Il-Ho was transported to the next floor right after defeating the catfish monster. He couldn¡¯t even say goodbye.


    ¡°Come to think of it, it''s the Trial of Sea on the 29th floor, but what''s a sea?¡±


    Il-Ho had never seen the sea in his entire life. Although during that trial, he was on a boat in the middle of the sea, a monster attacked him soon after. He didn''t get the chance to admire the view.


    <i>Growl!</i>


    ¡°<i>Oof</i>, I''m hungry.¡±


    After working out for a while, Il-Ho felt a pang of hunger. But when he was about to drink his usual Blessing of the Growth God...


    ¡°<i>Ah, </i>right!¡±


    He no longer had them.


    The pouch containing all the series given by Yu Il-Shin was left on the boat. Il-Ho became pale. If he didn¡¯t drink Ver. 2, dubbed by Yu Il-Shin as a ¡°protein drink,¡± he¡¯d lose some muscles!


    ¡°Oh, no!¡±


    He¡¯d worked so hard to build his muscles! He couldn¡¯t allow this to happen.


    Il-Ho scanned his surroundings. He deeply pondered about gnawing on the scattered fish bones.


    <i>Wriggle, wriggle! Swaaaaa!</i>


    Then, the cave wriggled even more, raining blue liquid on him.


    <i>Tsss!</i>


    The liquid melted the fish bones on contact. Il-Ho screamed in horror at the sight.


    ¡°<i>Nooo!¡±</i>


    The stomach acid covered Il-Ho as well. But thanks to the Blessing of Rock and the Blessing of Steel, Il-Ho was immune to it. More importantly, he needed protein from meat for his muscles.


    ¡°Wait...¡±


    Il-Ho squeezed the reddish walls of the cave. It clearly felt like meat. Why didn¡¯t he see it like this? It was meat galore!


    ¡°This is going to be a hearty meal!¡±


    The walls shuddered at the salivating Il-Ho.


    <i>Bounce bounce!</i>


    A short whileter, the carcass of a giant squid floated on the blue sea''s surface.


    <i>Pop!</i>


    Il-Ho punctured the squid¡¯s intestines,ing out of it while being covered in ink.


    ¡°<i>Kekeke!</i> I''m finally free!¡± Il-Houghed in victory as he took in the sea fragrance.


    ¡°<i>Ooh!</i> So this is the sea!¡±


    Il-Ho eximed at the sight of the vast, endless sea. Feeling thirsty, he dunked his head into the water.


    ¡°<i>Tweh tweh!</i> The sea is salty!¡±


    Despite appearing to be an infinite source of water, the sea tasted terrible!


    <i>Bounce bounce.</i>


    Just then, Il-Ho spotted something on the horizon. It was the same boat he first used when entering the floor!


    ¡°<i>Hmm... </i>How do I get there?¡±


    Il-Ho didn¡¯t know how to swim. Had he known he¡¯d be put in this situation earlier, he¡¯d have asked Big Eye to teach him how to swim instead!


    <i>Swaaaa!</i>


    ¡°<i>Hmm?</i>¡±


    Il-Ho turned around at the approaching sound.


    <i>Kwaaa!</i>


    A mouth with sharp, triangr fangs swam against the current,ing for him.


    ¡°<i>Hoho! </i>What a huge fish!¡± Il-Ho let out a boisterousugh.


    <i>Pounce! Swallow! </i>


    The great white shark swallowed both Il-Ho and the dead squid whole.


    ***


    Out of the frying pan into the fire.


    That¡¯d perfectly describe my situation right now.


    ...And here I thought I¡¯d narrowly escaped the whipping of the muscle freak god. If I¡¯d known what would happen, I¡¯d have obediently worked out.


    Currently, I was in the Hall of Dreams. It was the territory of one of my stalkers, Silently Crawling Nightmare. Calling her obsessed would be an understatement of the century.


    On the outside, it looked beautiful. A celestial flower garden adorned with blossoms in every color of the rainbow. It was perfect... except they were carnivorous flowers. I sure hoped they wouldn¡¯t appear in my dreams.


    <i>Chew chew¡ª Suck suck suck. Rolling¡ª</i>


    A ck tongue sucked me like candy, thering me with saliva.Right now, I was inside the mouth of the carnivorous flower, aka the most terrifying flower in the Silently Crawling Nightmare¡¯s territory.


    I recalled when Silently Crawling Nightmare said she¡¯d eat, nibble, and suck on me. Yes, she said that.


    By the way, a guest had been here before me.


    -P-please...kill...me...


    A half-melted ck skeleton cried out, pleading to me. In the next moment, a vine entangled the skeleton¡¯s body, dragging him into the hellish mouth.


    -<i>Arghhhh!</i>


    The skeleton¡¯s pitiful screams faded away. I felt a deep sense of sympathy and kinship as I listened to him. But wait, why did he seem familiar?


    ¡°Ms. Nightmare, when will you stop? It¡¯s been half a month, so please let me go...¡± I pleaded, desperately resisting the ck tongue that tried to crawl into my mouth.


    -Silently Crawling Nightmare says this is all for your own good. Once her salivapletely permeates your body, no poison or curses in this world can harm you. She smirks and tells you to stop resisting and just open your mouth.


    <i>For my own good? Bullshit!</i>


    I strongly suspected she was just acting on her own selfishness.


    -Silently Crawling Nightmare flinches and vehemently shakes her head.


    <i>Sure, whatever you say. </i>I¡¯d just endure until it was time to visit Abundance noona. That ce was my only hope.


    Suddenly, the tongue that had been molesting me froze.


    -Silently Crawling Nightmare chokes, wailing in hysteria. She asks what¡¯s so great about that stupid cow!


    ¡°Well, she¡¯s thick and big-hearted. Unlike you, you perverted stalker!¡± I cried out from the stress.


    <i>I can¡¯t believe she criticized Abundance noonim! </i>


    -Silently Crawling Nightmarements tearfully, saying that you¡¯ve been seduced by that bitch.


    <i>Then you shouldn¡¯t have gone this far, you perverted stalker! Spit me out and have a normal conversation!</i>


    -Silently Crawling Nightmare rages, saying that besides Abundance bitch, there are too many females lingering around you. She says that if she couldn¡¯t have you, she¡¯ll eat you!


    ¡°<i>Huh?</i>¡±


    <i>Grrr!</i>


    Suddenly, a low growl crept out from the carnivorous mouth I was inside. Briefly, I recalled how the skeleton was dragged into the abyss.


    <i>Ms. Nightmare, I was mistaken. Wow, your petals are so beautiful. I actually prefer thin over thick, hehe. </i>


    -Silently Crawling Nightmare screams at you to stop being a jerk!


    <i>Swoosh! Flick!</i>


    I was caught by the vines and got pulled into the abyss!


    ¡°<i>Arrrgh! </i>Save me!¡±


    ***


    ¡°<i>Aargh! </i>Flowers! No!¡± I screamed as my eyes darted open.


    ¡°<i>Huh?</i>¡±


    But instead of the carnivorous flower¡¯s stomach, I found myself in the bed of the Hunter Academy¡¯s infirmary. As if to prove I¡¯d woken up from the horrifying nightmare, I saw Sung Mi-Ri dozing by the bed across from me, with Sung Mi-Na fast asleep on it.


    <i>Trickle¡ª</i>


    Tears of joy trickled down my face.<i> Finally, I¡¯m back in reality! </i>But I soon got angry.


    ¡°<i>Grrr!</i>¡±


    Recalling the hellish torments I suffered in my dreams made me gnash my teeth.


    <i>Fuck that muscle freak god and shitty carnivorous flower! I¡¯ll kill them all!</i>


    My thirst for power rose like never before.


    <i>I want to be strong so I can sleep peacefully at night!</i>


    ¡°<i>Ah!</i> Mister, you¡¯re awake! W-wait a moment! I¡¯ll call Ms. Choi Eun-Bi!¡±


    Seeing that I had woken up, Sung Mi-Ri ran to fetch the school nurse.


    I didn¡¯t feel much pain, so I didn¡¯t think there was a need to make a fuss. But when I saw the date on the wall clock, I realized I¡¯d been out for a week.


    Even though it felt like I¡¯d spent over a month in my dream, only seven days had passed in reality. I wasn¡¯t sure if I should be happy about this or not. I went to fetch my phone from the locker, and saw that I had over fifty missed calls and a hundred messages from my editor.


    ¡°<i>Ah</i>, I¡¯m done for...¡±


    In other words, I¡¯d been M.I.A. for a week since my deadline. My stomach churned at the thought of all the hatefulments I might receive from readers.


    ¡°...You¡¯re awake?¡± Sung Mi-Na rubbed her eyes. ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    Sung Mi-Na crawled over to where I was. She stared at me like a worried puppy. I couldn¡¯t help but stroke her head.


    ¡°I¡¯m alright. Thank you for your concern.¡±


    I felt like a parent to Sung Mi-Na, who¡¯d mentally regressed.


    Sung Mi-Na flushed, and at the same time, my appraisal skill kicked in.


    -----


    [Sung Mi-Na]


    ssification: Follower


    Special note: A new follower with potential for transcendence. Has a strong favorability toward Yu Il-Shin. Try asking her to kiss you, she might happily oblige.


    -----


    <i>Huh? Since when did Sung Mi-Na be my follower?</i>


    The special note made me even more speechless. <i>A kiss? </i>It was simr to Sword Demon¡¯s special note, but rece the word ¡°kiss¡± with ¡°die.¡±


    This was strange. <i>Very strange</i>.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    Just then, a message from God-Maker appeared.


    [Your devout believer and temporary apostle Il-Ho sends his tribute.]


    [O¡¯ Almighty God Yu Il-Shin, I offer you this fish I hunted. Please eat this and get stronger! God Yu Il-Shin, <i>puck puck!</i>]


    <i>Fish?</i>


    <i>Tsss! Baaaam!</i>


    Just as I was pondering about it, something huge came out of God-Maker, smashing against the wall!


    ¡°<i>Huh?!</i> The heck!?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Sword God! Are you okay!?¡±


    ¡°<i>Eeeek!</i> Unni! Mister!¡±


    Sword Demon, Kang-San hyungnim, Sung Mi-Ri, and the school nurse rushed into the infirmary. They were shocked. Understandable. Anyone would when a 20 m great white shark, like in the movie <i>Jaws, </i>appeared out of nowhere.


    <i>Now, how do I exin this situation?</i>


    <i>Haa... Il-Ho, that punk!</i>


    I needed to have a serious talk with him about what he¡¯d been up totely. But now, since the timing was right...


    ¡°So, who wants to have shark fin for lunch?¡±


    ***


    Meanwhile, in the world God-Maker, Antrinia...


    ¡°Atst, the time hase! Let¡¯s show the might of the emperor and the gods we worship to that evil god and barbarians!¡± The Imperial Goddess, leader of the Ten Swords, Arachnemanded. She was d in gleaming golden armor.


    ¡°All troops, march!¡±


    ¡°Understood!¡±


    ¡°<i>Raaaaaaah!</i> Fight for the emperor and the great gods!¡±


    Apanied by the loud cries, the imperial army moved in unison.


    <i>Boom! Boom!</i>


    Their marches resounded like thunder. No wonder, as their numbers amounted to a whopping 100 billion.


    The overwhelming force flooded in like an all-swallowing red tsunami. This was the empire¡¯s full strength. Their destination was the newly established nation, Gayami, where Anty was crowned the empress.

 Chapter 73: Yu Il-Shin Attempts to be a Low-tier God!

    <h4>Chapter 73: Yu Il-Shin Attempts to be a Low-tier God!</h4>


    After Apostle Gustav¡¯s attack, the Hunter Academy was closed temporarily. There were significant casualties, both dead and wounded. Moreover, it became a huge topic due to the fact that it happened at a facility where future Hunters were trained. Regardless, it seemed that the issue was settled nicely while I was asleep.


    At the same time, I was worried that it might leave the students traumatized, but the ss 3-A of the highschool division was...


    ¡°Attention, ss! Greet the teacher!¡±


    ¡°Good morning Mr. Yu Il-Shin!¡±


    <i>Well, this is new...</i>


    I didn''t know Ko Myeong-Ji was the ss representative. The chipsqueek girl had a strong voice for her petite build.


    Anyway, they looked unexpectedly cheerful despite going through such a harrowing experience. To be frank, this ss didn¡¯t seem to have suffered much. A few of them gossiped among themselves.


    ¡°A rumor said this teacher is the association¡¯s secret weapon. I wonder if that¡¯s true?¡±


    ¡°I think so. I even heard that S-rank Hunter Sung Mi-Na stuck to him like a piece of gum nowadays.¡±


    ¡°<i>Wow</i>, incredible.¡±


    <i>I can hear all of you.</i>


    They stared at me with a twinkle in their eyes. How burdensome.


    ¡°<i>Kuku. </i>Atst, they recognized Mr. Sword God¡¯s greatness.¡± Sword Demon nodded with a look of satisfaction.


    <i>Uh, this is making me ufortable.</i>


    Despite my request, Kang-San hyungnim failed to fully prevent any information about me from leaking. The huge scale of the incident probably made it impossible. On top of that, I also evolved Ko Myeong-Ji¡¯s summoned creature to S-rank in front of them.


    ¡°<i>Ahem</i>.¡±


    I deliberately cleared my throat to hide my awkwardness. Then, I greeted them. ¡°Hello, everyone. Nice to meet you, it¡¯s been a while. Let¡¯s do some self-study today...¡±


    I could see the clear disappointment in their eyes. How awkward. I brought myptop to school today, nning to catch up on the manuscript I fell behind on. I didn¡¯t know what to teach them besides how to write a web novel.


    ¡°...Well, how does one-on-one consultation sound?¡±


    Their eyes sparkled with life again. I could feel my stomach churning from the iing pressure.


    ***


    The school nurse, Choi Eun-Bi, agreed to let me borrow the infirmary for a short while. Students of ss 3-A made a long queue in front of the door, like patients waiting for Heo Jun.


    I said ¡°consultation,¡± but it was nothing great, really. Just me using my innate power, Blind Eyes of God, to examine the students and advise them ordingly.


    For example...


    ¡°Next. Xu Zhu?


    <i>Thud!</i>


    ¡°Yes sir!¡±


    Befitting her name, the student stood before me like the famous warlord from the Three Kingdoms. But unlike her size, she spoke softly while blushing.


    -----


    [Xu Zhu]


    A female human.


    Special note: Ignorant.


    -----


    <i>...I have a lot to say, but let¡¯s keep them to myself. </i>Well, nothing was more important than the fact that the student was strong and healthy. Despite appraising her, there wasn¡¯t much I could say to her.


    Then, I focused on the word ¡°ignorant.¡±


    [The innate power Blind Eyes of God has been activated.]


    <i>Ssss¡ª!</i>


    The word flickered briefly, undergoing several changes.


    [She''s unaware that her energy and blood cirction are disrupted..]


    At the same time, some schematics appeared. It was the schematics of the body''s circtory system, often seen in Traditional Chinese medicine clinics. Her Dazhui point and Shenzhu point, located between the neck and back, were severely twisted.


    How did I know those names, you ask? Once upon a time, I harbored grandiose ambitions to write a martial arts novel. Besides, wasn¡¯t it natural for men to learn about acupuncture? As a side note, that martial arts novel ended up being aplete flop.


    ¡°By any chance, does your back hurt?¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?<i> Ah</i>, since I was young, I¡¯ve had a tickling sensation. I heard that I fell off a tree andnded on my back when I was three. <i>Hehe.</i>¡±


    Just a tickling sensation? When her points were severely disrupted? What a tough high schooler!


    ¡°Can you stand still for a bit?¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    I pointed my ring finger at her, then said, ¡°Healing Ring Finger of God.¡±


    Then, she was enveloped by a white light.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [You paid 1 Gcoin for the healing.]


    Now, her points were aligned.


    ¡°<i>Wow! </i>What did you just do, Sir? My body feels so much better now! It¡¯s as if something was unblocked! It¡¯s so refreshing! I¡¯ve never felt like this before!¡±


    Xu Zhu twisted her body several times. When she clenched her fists, they glowed a dazzling white.


    <i>Tzz!</i>


    Her eyes widened in shock. ¡°<i>Wow!</i> My Qi sensitivity has doubled!¡±


    She must¡¯ve awakened as a Qigong-type. She could either channel the energy in her body into a weapon, or reinforce her own body. It was popr with some enthusiasts because it reminded them of fantasy and martial arts.


    <i>Actually, I was one of them. </i>Right, didn¡¯t Sword Demon have the same ability?


    <i>Ding!</i>


    New messages appeared from God-Maker.


    [Xu Zhu¡¯s favorability and trust in you have increased.]


    [Increase Xu Zhu¡¯s favorability and trust to turn her into a follower.]


    Aside from her, I received simr messages from other students as well. But I didn¡¯t have any ulterior motives. I did this out of goodwill to make up for the time I skipped teaching to nap. Of course, I also didn¡¯t want them to join a cult this early in life.


    ¡°Alright, next student?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Teacher Il-Shin!¡±


    The next student who walked in was Ko Myeong-Ji, my newest follower. She wore a skull ne, Hades¡¯ artifact.


    She was no longer hostile to me. Now, she just looked like a chipsqueek whose cheeks were stuffed with walnuts. No wonder, she had an S-rank summoned creature, after all.


    ¡°As for you...¡±


    Thus, I¡¯d appraise the students and give them advice. And if their health wasn¡¯t good, I¡¯d heal them. Basically, it was like taking a pulse.


    ¡°Next?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Two students came in together at once, responding ecstatically. When I saw who they were, I scratched my head.


    ¡°What are you two doing here...?¡±


    ¡°I want to hear Mr. Sword God¡¯s advice too!¡±


    ¡°Me too!¡±


    They were none other than Sword Demon and Sung Mi-Ri? Seriously, why? Not only were we living together, I even trained them personally!


    ¡°<i>Haa...</i> okay. Who¡¯s first?¡±


    ¡°Me please!¡±


    ¡°No! I¡¯m first!¡±


    ¡°<i>Hmph</i>, even if you¡¯re his disciple, I came here first.¡±


    ¡°In the first ce, Uncle Sword Demon isn¡¯t even a student here!¡±


    ¡°You can always learn no matter your age!¡±


    Watching them growling at each other, I sighed again.


    ¡°...Stop arguing. Alright, I¡¯ll take care of both of you at the same time.¡±


    Immediately, they looked at me enthusiastically. Just as I was about to use my appraisal skill on both of them...


    <i>Znnng!</i>


    <i>Huh?</i>


    My vision shifted.


    <i>Kwaaaa!</i>


    An endless sea of red was surging. But instead of liquid, it was made of what seemed to be an infinite number of insects. The red sea obliterated everything that stood in its path. Dense forests would disappear without a trace, while vast mountains crumbled to sand. What terrified me the most was the three monsters that followed behind it.


    <i>Thump! Thump!</i>


    A gnarly, seven-headed beast, resembling a giant snake. A sabertooth tiger sprouting bat wings. A chariot of fire bearing a human head.


    I appraised them.


    -----


    [Apostle of Ruler of the Abyssal Swamp]


    An androgynous snake. Around for 2,000 years.


    Special note: Summoned by Goddess Arachne. Regenerates endlessly.


    -----


    [Apostle of Beast of Deceit and Rapacity]


    A male beast. Around for 666 years.


    Special note: Summoned by Goddess Arachne. The most ferocious beast in the forest ruled by the Beast of Deceit and Rapacity.


    -----


    [Apostle of Fire Shining in the Highest Skies]


    Asexual. Around for 2,200 years.


    Special note: Summoned by Goddess Arachne. Uses horrifying me.


    -----


    Not only were they the apostles of gods, there were <i>three </i>of them. What if they were the equivalent of the SS-rank Gustav? The mere thought terrified me.


    God-Maker responded.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Duration until Goddess Arachne, the 100,000,000,000-strong army, and apostles arrive at Gayami: 78 hours, 12 minutes, 5 seconds.]


    An army of 100 billion insects and three apostles. Would insecticides even work at this point? Even if I dumped a truckload on them, it¡¯d be akin to pouring a cup of ink into the ocean. Moreover, they were headed for the Holy Nation of Gayami, where Anty was. Could I protect the ants from them?


    ¡°Mr. Sword God?¡±


    ¡°Mister, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    <i>Fuck! I¡¯m so fucked!</i>


    ***


    When cornered, a man would grasp at straws. I came to the canteen looking for said straw. Then, I spotted a muscr man eating at a table in the middle of the room, with a mountain of meat on his te.


    -----


    [Choi Kang-San]


    A male human. Around for 58 years.


    Special note: Has muscles with potential for transcendence. Has favorability toward you for saving his daughter.


    -----


    ¡°<i>Nom nom</i>. Lad, why do you keep staring at me?¡±


    ¡°Kang-San hyungnim, I have a favor to ask.¡±


    ¡°<i>Gulp!</i> Favor? <i>Haha</i>, just say it. I¡¯ll do anything you ask!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Can you just repeat what I¡¯m about to say?¡±


    Choi Kang-San tilted his head at my request. ¡°Sure. Here: I believe in Yu Il-Shin. Will that do? <i>Nom nom!</i> What a weird thing to ask...¡±


    I waited, but nothing happened.


    <i>I believe in Yu Il-Shin.</i>


    That was the keyword for bing my follower. But unlike with Sung Mi-Ri, nothing happened when he said it.


    <i>Hm, it didn¡¯t work?</i>


    I asked this from him because Choi Kang-San was an S-rank Hunter with potential for transcendence.


    -----


    [Quest: Low-tier Benevolent God Promotion (In Progress)]


    Follower of S-ss or higher intelligent beings with potential for transcendence: 5(+1)/10


    -----


    ¡°Unni, eat the vegetables too. Here, <i>ah~</i>¡±


    ¡°<i>Ah~</i>¡±


    With the addition of Sung Mi-Na, who was worth two S-ranks, I only needed four more S-rank followers to be promoted to a Low-tier God. Hopefully, ascending my rank would help me resolve this situation. However, it seemed that merely saying the keyword without meeting the prerequisites wouldn¡¯t do.


    ¡°Kang-San hyungnim, is there anything I can do for you? Something that would make you go, <i>¡®Wow!¡¯ </i>and put more faith in me?¡±


    Choi Kang-San narrowed his eyes. ¡°What are you nning? Could it be...¡±


    <i>Eek, was I too straightforward?</i>


    ¡°Listen, I like you, but I won¡¯t hand you my daughter!¡±


    <i>Cough! What bullshit is this daughterplex spouting!</i>


    Although, I had to admit, the school nurse was an intellectual beauty. In fact, I couldn¡¯t believe she shared this old musclehead¡¯s blood.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not interested in older...¡±


    Sung Mi-Ri and Sung Mi-Na flinched, anxiously ncing at me.


    <i>m!</i>


    Choi Kang-San mmed his spoon on the table. ¡°You punk! You don¡¯t like my daughter?! That¡¯s what you tryna¡¯ say?!¡±


    <i>The fuck does this old man want?! </i>


    ¡°<i>Ah!</i>¡± Choi Kang-San suddenly recalled something and turned to me. ¡°Right. Didn¡¯t you say you have healing abilities? Do you think you can heal someone with a short lifespan?¡±


    Someone with a short lifespan? God-Maker responded while I was still puzzled by his words.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [A Follower Quest for Choi Kang-San, an S-rank intelligent being with potential for transcendence, has urred.]

 Chapter 74: Miraculous Miracle

    <h4>Chapter 74: Miraculous Miracle</h4>


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [A Follower Quest for Choi Kang-San, an S-rank intelligent being with potential for transcendence, has urred.]


    -----


    [Follower Quest]


    Heal Choi Kang-San¡¯s friend and show him the might of god.


    Target: Choi Kang-San


    Quest rewards: Choi Kang-San¡¯s Faith


    -----


    Choi Kang-San¡¯s follower quest appeared in God-Maker. I jumped to my feet. I didn¡¯t know who his friend was, but I had the innate power Healing Ring Finger of God.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go right now!¡±


    Nice, I bagged another S-rank follower!


    ***


    Choi Kang-San and I arrived at a familiar ce, Buwhal University Hospital. In the past, I¡¯d stopped the God of Destroyer¡¯s underling, Baldie, frommitting terrorism with Sung Mi-Ri.


    We headed to the special ward on the top most level. Security was strict, even around the elevator, and the guards exuded an unusual aura. Their names showed up when I appraised them, so they must at least be B-rank Hunters. Upon verifying Choi Kang-San¡¯s identity, they bowed deeply and granted him permission.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    One of the security guards tapped a card key at the entrance of the special ward, and the door automatically opened.


    <i>Ziiing¡ª</i>


    The special ward resembled a sterile room. A woman was sound asleep on therge bed, spacious enough tofortably fit four adults.


    I nced at Choi Kang-San, who stood beside me.


    ¡°What are you looking at?¡±


    ¡°You said it was your friend.¡±


    ¡°Well, she is! No, more than that! She''s arade-in-arms who went through hell and back with me!¡± Choi Kang-San eximed, his nostrils ring up.


    I could probably describe their rtionship as that of a father and daughter. The white-haired woman, who seemed to be around my age, was surrounded by flora and fauna. If someone said there was a photoshoot for Sleeping Beauty, I¡¯d believe it.


    But as they always said, <i>never let appearance fool you. </i>


    She was one of the heroes who saved South Korea, alongside Choi Kang-San, the Street Cleaner. She could urately predict the urrences of gates and dungeons, saving countless lives. The best foreseer not just in South Korea, but in the entire world! To honor her, people referred to her as Miracle.


    However, despite being an S-rank Hunter, she was diagnosed with a chronic disease. She wasst seen in public fifteen years ago, after the Dragon Despair outbreak.


    <i>¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m really sorry...¡±</i>


    Many lost their families in the wake of the tragedy. Even though some said the disaster was inevitable, others med Miracle. I was a child then, but the sight of her bowing deeply before the angry crowd left asting impression on me.


    Fifteen yearster, I finally saw her again. Aside from the fact that her once jet-ck hair had turned white, her appearance hadn¡¯t changed a single bit.


    <i>Ssss¡ª</i>


    Just then, the flora scattered around her withered rapidly.


    ¡°Excuse me.¡±


    The attending nurse quickly retrieved them as if it was a normal urrence, before recing them with fresh ones.


    ¡°Miracle has reached the end of her life span. She¡¯s barely hanging on by drawing the energy of her surroundings. The doctors and Hunters had tried every possible method to heal her, but to no avail.¡±


    Then, with a look of hope and nervousness, Choi Kang-San asked, ¡°What do you think? Can you do it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll give it a try.¡±


    I should at least appraise her to see what was going on.


    I activated Blind Eyes of God.


    -----


    [Lee Mi-Rae]


    A female human. Around for ??? years.


    Special note: Frozen to maintain her remaining lifespan.


    -----


    Frozen to maintain her remaining lifespan... <i>Huh?</i> Why was her age blurred? Was it an error?


    I had never seen anything like this before. Perplexed, I focused my attention on the ¡°???¡±, trying to see if I could turn it visible.


    [Obsessing over a woman¡¯s age isn¡¯t very gentlemanly.]


    Along with the innocent voice of a girl, I heard the sound of a rolling, jade bead.


    <i>Roll¡ª</i>


    My vision changed.


    <i>Chirp chirp chirp!</i>


    I could hear the chirping of sparrows. Wasn¡¯t this a cliche sound that often appeared in old novels? I was no longer in the hospital, but a bushy park.


    ¡°<i>Hehe</i>, is it good?¡±


    <i>Chirp chirp! Chirp chirp chirp!</i>


    I saw a white-haired woman sitting on a bench, sprinkling rice at the sparrows. She was Miracle, the same woman who was lyingatose in the hospital bed.


    Our eyes met.


    She waved at me, smiling like a gourd flower.


    ¡°Hello.¡±


    I stood there, dumbfounded. Miracle tilted her head, pointing at the chubby sparrow perched on her hand.


    ¡°Do you know why sparrows are sparrows?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Because they taste so good.¡±


    Hearing that upset the sparrow, who rushed to fly away.


    ¡°<i>Ah..</i>.¡±


    Miracle gazed wistfully at the sparrow for a few moments, then turned back to me.


    ¡°Do you know what wind blows cutely?¡±


    She then reached for me,ughing out loud like a child. A gentle breeze blew through my hair, caressing it.


    ¡°Boon-dang[1].¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°How strange. Is it not funny? I was just trying to lighten the mood.¡±


    If it had been a guy, I would have punched him for those dad jokes. Thank god it was a woman. and a beauty, to boot. I actually wanted to p myself for notughing.


    ¡°So you¡¯re Miracle, Ms. Lee Mi-Rae... right?¡±


    Even though I was transported to a park out of nowhere, I was unfazed. Probably because I had fought Sung Mi-Na before. This was probably Miracle¡¯s mental space.


    As if reading my thoughts, Miracle nodded. ¡°Yes, correct. My abilities are simr to that pitiful child you saved recently, Mr. Yu Il-Shin.¡±


    ¡°Do you know me?¡±


    ¡°<i>Ah,</i> of course I do. Yu Il-Shin. You¡¯re the chosen one in our world.¡± She stood up and picked up a wooden cane, walking toward me.


    She was a head shorter than me, and the empowering scent of acacia wafted from her.


    ¡°What a surprise. You look so different in person. In my visions, you were the embodiment of evil. Clearly, to get to know each other better, we need to meet in person." Miracle stared at me with a smile. ¡°You¡¯re much nicer and less goofy, too. I¡¯m a bit relieved about that.¡±


    Was that an insult or apliment? Should I be getting upset?


    Miracle then muttered to herself, ¡°If you¡¯re an irredeemable evil, I¡¯d dly risk the rest of my lifespan to get rid of you.¡±


    <i>...Thank god I held myself back. </i>


    I should at least show the elder and the hero of humanity some respect.


    ¡°But why did you bring me here...?¡±


    ¡°I can no longer move my body in reality, and I wanted to see you in person. Please forgive my rudeness.¡±


    Her overly serious demeanor made me ufortable.


    ¡°Now that you have, can you please let me go? I want to heal you.¡±


    I had a lot to do. After healing her and turning Choi Kang-San into my follower, I needed to figure out how to deal with the 100 billion-strong insect army and apostles.


    ¡°Healing me will probably be difficult, I think. Would you like to use your ability on me?¡±


    ¡°<i>Huh? </i>I can use my abilities here?¡±


    Miracle smiled softly. ¡°You seem to not know much about your power. Go ahead and try it out.¡±


    Then, she closed her eyes in front of me. I knew there wasn¡¯t any other meaning behind this, but my heart still fluttered nheless.


    <i>Is this the charm of older women?!</i>


    Anyway, I pointed my ring finger at her and tried using my skill.


    ¡°Healing Ring Finger of God.¡±


    <i>Tzzz¡ª</i>


    Then, a dazzling white light enveloped her.


    [Calcting causality rate of healing target: Lee Mi-Rae...]


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Healing failed!]


    [Insufficient divine power level to heal this target.]


    The candle extinguished before the wind.


    ¡°<i>Huh?</i>¡±


    Back then, I could heal S-rank Hunter Baek Yoo-Hyun for a whooping one million Godcoins. So, why couldn¡¯t I heal her? I¡¯d never seen something like this before!


    Without warning, Miracle knelt down before me.


    ¡°W-what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a young and inexperienced god, but I¡¯ve decided to put myself and the fate of Earth in your hands.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I, Lee Mi-Rae, believe in Yu Il-Shin.¡± Miracle suddenly recited the key phrase.


    Then...


    [Congrattions. Lee Mi-Rae has be the fifth follower of the Earth branch.]


    [Lee Mi-Rae is a strong follower equivalent to 2 S-rank beings.]


    -----


    [Quest: Low-tier Benevolent God Promotion (In progress)]


    Followers of S-rank or higher intelligent beings with potential for transcendence: 6(+2)/10


    -----


    [Lee Mi-Rae¡¯s skill has also been added to the Skill Share menu.]


    New! [Lee Mi-Rae¡¯s ¡°Precognition¡±]


    While I was still overwhelmed, Miracle spoke, ¡°If you keep saving small words like you are now, one day you might be able to save our world. When that dayes, I hope you¡¯ll save me as well. I¡¯ll be waiting with excitement, my adorable and young god.¡±


    <i>Ssss¡ª</i>


    Then, Miracle and her park scenery faded away, like paint diluted in water.


    ¡°W-wait! Could you please exin to me what is going on...!¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, I don¡¯t have much time. Don¡¯t overthink it, Young God. The solution to your problem may surprisingly be close to you.¡±


    Along with her enigmatic words, I snapped back to reality.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you okay?¡±


    Choi Kang-San quickly supported me as I staggered.


    ¡°<i>Huff huff!</i>¡± I mulled over herst words. The solution was close to me?


    ***


    In the end, I couldn¡¯t heal Miracle. But seeing that Choi Kang-San follower quest didn¡¯t have a time limit, I might be able toplete it in the future. Still, I didn¡¯t expect Miracle to be my follower. Now, I only had to gather two more S-rank followers for the promotion quest.


    Nevertheless, there was no guarantee that bing a Low-tier God would solve my situation.


    I sighed. A massive army of 100 billion insects and three apostles. Five billion of them nearly killed me and Sung Mi-Ri back then.


    Back to my room, I plopped down on the floor. I was all alone. Sung Mi-Ri and the others were still at the academy.


    ¡°<i>Haa...</i> how annoying.¡±


    I felt a knot in my stomach. It was the same feeling when I forced myself to write without inspiration due to the looming deadline.


    <i>I wonder how Anty and the Gayamis are doing?</i>


    Could they be shaking in fear as well? I picked up my phone.


    [Launching God-Maker.]


    The screen changed, and Antrinia appeared before my eyes. My assimtion rate had reached 40%, probably due to frequently drinking Blessing of the Growth God. Now, I could feel everything vividly, as if I was watching a 4D movie at the theaters.


    I immediately looked for Anty.


    In the middle of the Holy Nation of Gayami, stood a white castle. Gaining countless followers and establishing a nation unlocked the number of avable constructions, and that castle was one of them. As a gift for hertest promotion, I paid a hefty sum to build this for Anty. But I couldn¡¯t find her there.


    <i>Huh? Where did she go?</i>


    I looked at the nation, trying to find her, and something like an arrow appeared.


    <i>Blink blink¡ª</i>


    <i>Could she be in that direction?</i>


    The arrow was pointing at a certain area. I used my finger to zoom in on it. It was the residential area for the newly joined refugees.


    There, I found the petite girl d in a dazzling white dress and a crown.


    <i>Wow, Anty now exudes an aura befitting of an empress!</i>


    ¡°<i>Argh!</i> It hurts!¡±


    ¡°Just a moment, please. Healing Ring Finger of God!¡±


    A white light emanated from Anty¡¯s hand, covering thedybug''s wound.


    ¡°U-unbelievable! The wound inflicted by the imperial army¡¯s arrow is gone! How should I repay this immeasurable grace you have bestowed upon me, Your Majesty the Empress... <i>Hic, hic!</i>¡±


    ¡°No, this is all thanks to our merciful God Yu Il-Shin.¡±


    ¡°Ah, God Yu Il-Shin, puck...¡± Thedybug shed tears, praying with gratitude.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [You have 1 new follower.]


    Anty was going about her rounds healing the wounded refugees. Every time she healed one of them, I received that message and also gained a Godcoin from it.


    <i>Our Anty is kindhearted indeed.</i>


    ¡°<i>Huff puff!</i> Empress Anty!¡±


    From the distance, the Termite Elder hurried along with an entourage of servants.


    ¡°Oh my, Elder. Why the hurry?¡±


    ¡°<i>Aigoo</i>, Your Majesty! It isn¡¯t the time to be doing this!¡± The Termite Elder burst into tears as he clung onto Anty.


    1. In Korean, the word "blows" is pronounced as "boon-da" (??), and whenever we want to say something in a cute manner, we will add the sound "-ang" at the end. So, in this case, the answer is "boon-dang." ?

 Chapter 75: I am Your God

    <h4>Chapter 75: I am Your God</h4>


    ¡°Right now, as we speak, Demoness Arachne and the imperial expeditionary force are heading straight for us! We don¡¯t have time for this! You should head for safety!¡±


    ¡°But didn¡¯t we seed in stopping their attackst time?¡±


    ¡°Those were just 10,000 troops stationed at the forest borders!¡± Termite Elder eximed, thumping his chest repeatedly in frustration. ¡°ording to rumors, even the troops stationed at the borders of the demonic realm are among their ranks! Moreover, they have 100 billion troops! That¡¯s more than twice our poption!¡±


    ¡°Oh no!¡± Anty held her cheeks in shock.


    ¡°That¡¯s not all! Demoness Arachne even requested help from the gods of the thrones! The most horrifying malevolent gods in history are joining her! Ruler of the Abyssal Swamp, Beast of Deceit and Rapacity, and Fire Shining in the Highest Skies! I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t think a whack, weird god without proper divine power can take them on!" the Termite Elder continued with zeal.


    ¡°Oh my!¡±


    Thinking that his persuasion had worked, the Termite Elder grew more agitated.


    ¡°We¡¯ll all be dead meat if we remain here! In order to keep the Gayami nation alive, you have to survive! All escape routes have been prepared! Let us depart with haste, Your Majesty!¡±


    ¡°But I don¡¯t want to.¡± Anty smiled broadly.


    ¡°Yes, let''s g... what? You don''t want to?¡±


    ¡°You can leave first if you want, Elder. I''m not leaving.¡±


    With that, Anty ran toward the other wounded.


    ¡°Your Majesty! Wait for me!¡± The Elder chased after her in a hurry.


    ¡°Healing Ring Finger of God Yu Il-Shin! ...Certainly, God Yu Il-Shin may be weaker than the gods that the empire serves.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that''s right! So please, let''s run away!¡±


    ¡°But he saved me.¡± Anty looked back at the Elder with clear eyes.


    ¡°I was merely a worthless, weak being who cried for help at the time. My tribe had left him in a forsakennd and even forgot his name. And yet, he still saved me. I didn¡¯t know why, or how, but from that moment, I made up my mind that I¡¯d never turn my back on him again.¡±


    <i>Rooooar¡ª</i>


    ¡°If any of those treacherous chatans dare to harm him, I will...¡± Anty¡¯s eyes turned red, and her hair stained a dark color. ¡°...rain fire upon them.¡±


    <i>Flick!</i>


    Searing ck mes appeared on Anty¡¯s hand, causing the Termite Elder to flinch and take a few steps back.


    ¡°Y-you¡¯re definitely powerful. During thest attack, you might¡¯ve stopped them with your strength, but it¡¯s different now! One can¡¯t possibly stand against ten?! Moreover, the enemy has over a hundred billion troops, the Ten Swords, and the apostles...¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care even if I¡¯m no match for them.¡± Anty sped her hands together. ¡°Dying for Yu Il-Shin is the least I could do. That alone makes me happy.¡±


    <i>Throb!</i>


    My heart ached. This cute and small kid was willing to die for me. But was I really worthy of such a feat when I was merely a weak-willed human?


    <i>Sniff, sniff sniff¡ª</i>


    Just then, Anty suddenly wrinkled her nose and...


    ¡°<i>Ack!</i>¡± Her head suddenly jerked toward the sky. ¡°God Yu Il-Shin! Are you there?¡±


    <i>...Huh, do I smell? I better take a good shower next time.</i>


    -<i>Ah</i>, yes.


    My answer caused a great uproar.


    ¡°<i>Arghhh! </i>A t-thunder in the clear sky!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s God Yu Il-Shin!¡±


    ¡°I-incredible!¡±


    Was it because Anty recognized me, or was it because of my curt response?


    It seemed like others in the Gayami nation became aware of my presence. Especially the nearby Termite Elder, who fell to the ground in horror.


    ¡°<i>Hc! </i>F-forgive me, O¡¯ Strange God...¡±


    <i>Shhhh¡ª</i>


    Liquid flowed out from the Elder¡¯s butt. Was that piss? I knew I looked like an abysmal god to them, but this was a bit much.


    <i>Ah,e to think of it, didn¡¯t he call me a whacky god without a proper title?</i>


    ¡°P-please spare my life...¡±


    I didn¡¯t really care, but the knave must have felt guilty.


    -<i>Hmm</i>, it¡¯s fine, Termite Elder. I won¡¯t harm you as you are a precious subordinate to my Anty.


    I said gently, trying to y the benevolent god.


    Anty snickered, wriggling slightly. ¡°<i>Hehe</i>, he said ¡®my Anty.¡¯¡±


    But, the only personughing was her. The rest of them were still terrified and did not dare to look up. Should I sprinkle some sugar on them?


    Suddenly, Anty looked up and shouted, ¡°Good thing you¡¯re here! I have a favor to ask, Lord Yu Il-Shin!¡±


    -A favor?


    Anty¡¯s eyes sparkled at me. ¡°Yes!¡±


    ***


    I was worried for a while. But then, I found out that her favor wasn¡¯t a big deal.


    A group of ants marched to the training ground, their antennae twitching anxiously. They were the ones who helped me fight the crocodile, Gustav, and fend off the imperial army from attacking the Gayami nation. Of the thousand or so insect neers, most were termites.


    -Okay, your name¡¯s Cheon-Ho.


    ¡°Yes! I can¡¯t thank you enough!¡±


    For example, this termite I had just named Cheon-Ho. He was about three times the size of other ants, and quite loud as well.


    ¡°Apparently, he was a famous general in the Termite Kingdom. In the past, he single-handedly defeated more than thirty imperial troops!¡± Anty smiled.


    -That¡¯s impressive.


    -...Your name will be Cheon-Sa.


    ¡°<i>Hic, hic</i>. Thank you, Lord Yu Il-Shin! I¡¯m undeserving of such a name! You¡¯re the god of salvation!¡± the tattered insect crouched before me with tears streaming down his face.


    It stood out to me how active he was for his age. Even his voice sounded hoarse and weak.


    -<i>Phew,</i> andstly, Cheon-Baek. That should be all of them.


    <i>Tzzz!</i>


    A change happened after I named thatst insect.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Names of 1,000 citizens of the Holy Nation of Gayami are being updated.]


    [Baek-Il, Baek-Yi, Baek-Sam...Cheon-Baek.]


    [All conditions for race evolution have been met!]


    [Conditions for race evolution: Name bestowed by god and maxed experience points.]


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Evolution begins!]


    <i>St!</i>


    A dazzling light surrounded the newly named insects, and they transformed. Even though it was my second race evolution, this was the first time I witnessed the process firsthand. Back when I evolved a hundred Gayamis, I fainted. I wondered how much I¡¯d grown since then.


    <i>Rip! Riiip!</i>


    Like a chick hatching from an egg, their insect shells cracked open, revealing human skin underneath.


    <i>Ssss¡ª!</i>


    Each of their six legs merged into a pair of arms and legs. Their bodies now had upper and lower halves, more suited for walking upright. Such a swift and dramatic evolution it was! I couldn¡¯t believe they used to be insects!


    Since most of the insectoid humans were termites, they had white skin and blue eyes. Cheon-Ho was no exception. Yes, they¡¯d turned into Anty look-alikes.


    <i>Hm, are they distant rtives of Anty?</i>


    Also, I didn¡¯t know they¡¯d be left naked upon transforming. I opened a menu in God-Maker.


    [Bestowing the rank of ¡°Soldier¡± upon the newly evolved Gayamis.]


    [Equipping one soldier with basic armor costs 1 Gcoin.]


    [Equipping one soldier with a basic weapon costs 1 Gcoin.]


    [Do you want to arm all the newly evolved Gayami soldiers? (Yes/No)]


    <i>Sure, every soldier will only cost me 2 Godcoins, after all. </i>I clicked on ¡°Yes¡± immediately.


    <i>sh!</i>


    ¡°U-unbelievable! What amazing body and armor!¡±


    ¡°I look like a mythical warrior!¡±


    ¡°<i>Oh</i>, God Yu Il-Shin! Empress Anty! <i>Puck puck!</i>¡±


    The new soldiers cheered. Indeed, free gifts are the best to win hearts and minds.


    ¡°<i>Mwehehe</i>. Congrattions, my newrades favored by God Yu Il-Shin! On such a joyous day, why don¡¯t I dedicate a song to all of you?¡± Baek-Ho suddenly emerged from his hiding ce, carrying an instrument woven from grass.


    ¡°<i>Aah</i>, brave warriors~ Bestowed with the name and body of a warrior by God Yu Il-Shin~ I, the messenger and heavenly singer of god, Baek-Ho, shall bless you~ Baek-Il is equipped with armor and weapon, cheering <i>yo-ho! yo-ho!</i> Baek-Yi is equipped with armor and weapon~ Cheering <i>yo-ho! Yo-ho!</i>¡±


    <i>Ack. </i>It¡¯d been a while, but Baek-Ho¡¯s screeching voice stayed the same.


    ¡°Baek-Chil is equipped with armor and weapon~...¡±


    <i>Don¡¯t tell me he¡¯s going to sing until he reaches Cheon-Baek? </i>Would now be the right time to shut him up with my forefinger? But...


    <i>Untz untz!</i>


    The Gayamis were already dancing to his song in excitement. I guess they just have a weird taste in music. I scratched my head, then carefully spoke to Anty.


    -Anty.


    ¡°Yes? What is it?¡±


    -Please don¡¯t take this the wrong way. But just in case, why don¡¯t you follow what the Elder said and evacuate to a safe ce?


    In fact, Icked confidence in my ability to protect Anty.


    ¡°<i>Hehe</i>, Lord Yu Il-Shin?¡±


    -Yes?


    Anty grinned and threw herself back...


    ¡°<i>Noooooo!</i>¡±


    <i>Eeek, what good vocal cords for a small kid! </i>


    Just as I was holding my tingling ears, Anty knelt down before me.


    ¡°We¡¯ve lost everything to the ruthless empire. This is ourst bastion. We have no other ce to run to. Even if we managed to escape, we¡¯d be on the run for the rest of our lives, living in constant fear of being devoured by them at any moment.¡±


    Anty bit her lips so hard that they almost bled. ¡°That¡¯s why... I¡¯d rather face the empire with honor! With the great and merciful Lord Yu Il-Shin around, there¡¯s nothing I fear!¡±


    As soon as Anty said those words, the Gayamis and citizens nodded in unison.


    ¡°Please let us fight alongside you, God Yu Il-Shin!¡±


    ¡°Please allow us!¡±


    ¡°With God Yu Il-Shin around, nothing shall faze us!¡±


    I shut my eyes tightly. Manyplex thoughts raced through my mind. Still, I couldn''t disappoint the Gayamis, who had ced their trust in me.


    <i>I am their god, after all.</i>


    -Alright. Believe in me and follow me! I am your god!


    I gave them a thumbs-up and even showed a dependable, cheesy smile.


    ¡°<i>Aghhhh!</i> God! Please forgive us!¡±


    ¡°He is going to eat us!¡±


    The rookie soldiers scrambled in all directions, screaming at the top of their lungs. Honestly, seeing that hurt me a bit.


    ***


    Anyway, I snapped back to reality, and began preparations right away.

 Chapter 76: God vs 100,000,000,000

    <h4>Chapter 76: God vs 100,000,000,000</h4>


    ¡°...Please deliver my order by tomorrow.¡±


    <i>Click!</i>


    Mission aplished. I hung up the phone. I emptied my bank ount for this, so it had to work!


    ¡°<i>Hyaaa!</i>¡±


    Sword Demon screamed with every swing of his sword in the corner of the academy''s training ground.


    Except, the thing he swung was too huge to be called a sword. In fact, it was much taller than himself. Calling it an iron mace would be more appropriate.


    -----


    [Sword Demon''s Training Sword Ver. 2]


    Version 2 of the Demon Lord''s Heavenly Sword. Sold to Yu Il-Shin at a rip-off price by All-Cutting Heavenly Sword. Its durability and weight were significantly better than Version 1.


    Special note: Freaking heavy and sturdy.


    -----


    The word ¡°rip-off¡± just made my blood boil. Anyway, true to the special note, the sword¡¯s weight had increased fivefold. In other words, it was above 500 kg, or at least half a ton now.


    Honestly, with such a weight, it could no longer be considered training¡ªjust torture. Even Sword Demon struggled to wield it when he first got it.


    Nevertheless, driven by his obsession and excitement to grow stronger, he could finally wield it freely without issues. Regardless of the number of Blessing of the Growth God I had sponsored him, this development was massive. <i>Ah, </i>by the way, that Ver. 2 sword also came with a freebie that All-Cutting Heavenly Sword had promised.


    <i>Don''t be rmed reading this...</i>


    -----


    [Taiji Wisdom Sword]


    All-Cutting Heavenly Sword¡¯s secret collection of Zhang Sanfeng¡¯s essence.


    -----


    It was the same Taiji Wisdom Sword owned by Zhang Sanfeng! Yes, the founding father of the Wudang Sect!


    <i>The 20 million Godcoins I gave to Heavenly Sword didn¡¯t end up being a waste, after all...</i>


    I gave the collection to Sword Demon and...


    ¡°I-it is indeed an impressive scripture. But Mr. Sword God, this sword art of subduing opponents with Extreme Gentle and Supreme Ultimate technique shes with my sword art of Extreme Strength. I haven¡¯t even mastered the Demon Lord¡¯s Heavenly Sword technique yet. I¡¯m afraid my qi will be twisted if I learn this recklessly and end up hindering you instead.¡±


    ...He politely declined.


    In the end, All-Cutting Heavenly Sword did a good thing.


    ¡°<i>Huff.</i>¡±


    Sword Demon swept his hair back. He was drenched in sweat after training for a while. Eyes as sharp as des. Nostrils ring. Lone wolf swordsman aura. He did look captivating.


    ¡°<i>Ah</i>...¡±


    A girl stood in a daze, admiring Sword Demon. She was none other than Necromancer Ko Myeong-Ji, ss 3-A¡¯s representative and mascot.


    <i>Wow, she¡¯s drooling...</i>


    ¡°Stop watching and join me.¡±


    Sword Demon beckoned her with his index finger.


    ¡°Y-yes! Would you like some water, Teacher Sword Demon?¡±


    Ko Myeong-Ji flushed in embarrassment and scrambled to her feet.


    ¡°No, not you, Girl. I was referring to the summoned creature beside you.¡±


    Ko Myeong-Ji dropped her head in grimace while Hades, the Death Knight, frowned.


    ¡°Sir Sword Demon, I am Knight Hades. Also, my summoner isn¡¯t ¡®Girl.¡¯ Her name is Ko Myeong-Ji.¡±


    ¡°Who cares. Come at me already, I¡¯m starting to lose my edge.¡±


    ¡°What a rude man!¡± Hades snapped, jumping to his feet.


    To amodate the height of the training room, Hades had shrunk to half his usual size. Nevertheless, he was still a giant, as he was two heads taller than Sword Demon.


    <i>Rooooar!</i>


    As Hades looked down at Sword Demon, intense darkness enshrouded his entire body, making him look like a huge evil spirit.


    ¡°Maybe a taste of defeat will bring you back down to earth, Sir Sword Demon!¡±


    ¡°<i>Hmph! </i>It¡¯s going to be different this time! <i>Hyaaa!</i>¡±


    Sword Demon and Hades fought with each other.


    <i>ng! Changgg!</i>


    The swords shed with a thunderous ng, sending sparks flying.


    I wasn¡¯t sure if it was because they were both swordsmen, but Sword Demon seemed to consider Hades his rival. It could also be because Hades was Rank S, while Sword Demon was Rank A.


    ¡°<i>Haha, </i>Sir Sword Demon! You can¡¯t prate my shield with such an attack!¡±


    Hades might disliked Sword Demon¡¯s attitude, but he was clearly enjoying their duel. Perhaps, he was reminiscing of his time with the Mountain-Gnawing Titan.


    ¡°Shut up! This isn¡¯t even my full power!¡± Sword Demon snarled.


    ¡°Very well! That is the fighting spirit of a true knight! I challenge you! Unleash your full power on me!¡±


    Sword Demon gritted his teeth, pulling back his sword. ¡°Take this!¡±


    <i>Tzzz!</i>


    The ck sword qi on his sword was as dense as glue. ¡°Mr. Sword God''s secret technique, Demon Lord¡¯s Descent!¡±


    Sword Demon drew a long semicircle with his sword, mimicking what I did before.


    ¡°<i>Hep!</i>¡±


    Sensing the unusual aura, Hades raised his shield in panic.


    <i>sh! Thud!</i>


    In the next moment, the ck sword qi cut his shield in half and even prated his armor. A long, deep gash ran across his body, as if shed by a giant beast''s w.


    ¡°<i>Cough!</i>¡±


    Hades¡¯ broken shield rolled on the floor. He was mortally injured, to the point his insides were spilling out.


    ¡°<i>Keke, </i>how about that?!¡±


    Sword Demon smiled triumphantly, but itsted briefly as Hades roared in response.


    ¡°I am a knight who has conquered death!¡±


    <i>Baaaam!</i>


    [Death Knight Hades activates Immortal¡¯s Blessing.]


    -----


    [Immortal¡¯s Blessing]


    The ultimate skill of the undead Knight. As long as his soul remains intact, he can restore his body.


    Daily limit: 3 uses


    -----


    <i>Ssss¡ª!</i>


    Hades¡¯ fatal wounds disappeared like nothing.


    Stunned, Sword Demon stuttered, ¡°W-what?¡±


    <i>Sss¡ª Bam!</i>


    With a ground-shattering stomp, Hades lunged at Sword Demon with surprising speed for his size. Sword Demon didn¡¯t even have time to react. The hilt of Hades¡¯ sword mmed into his stomach.


    ¡°<i>Cough!</i>¡±


    Sword Demon coughed up blood, flying over ten meters.


    <i>Sssss¡ª Clink¡ª</i>


    Sheathing his sword, Hades looked down at Sword Demon.


    ¡°It was a pretty impressive attack, Sir Sword Demon. But still not enough to defeat me.¡±


    ¡°<i>Keugh¡ª</i> What an arrogant giant... Just you... wait... I will definitely catch up...¡±


    <i>Plop!</i>


    Before he could finish his sentence, Sword Demon copsed.


    ¡°Of course. You¡¯re blessed with life. You¡¯ll catch up with me in no time. I actually envy you, Sir Sword Demon.¡± Hades hoisted Sword Demon over his shoulder, before bowing respectfully to me. ¡°Master Yu Il-Shin, I¡¯m taking him to the infirmary.¡±


    <i>Such a wonderful bass voice, Hades!</i>


    He sounded like a medieval knight, polite and solemn.


    I nodded, acting like his lordship. ¡°You may go.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me.¡±


    <i>Click, thud. Click, thud.</i>


    ¡°Hades! Let me go with you!¡± Ko Myeong-Ji chased after them like a chipsqueek.


    As I watched them leave, a thought came to mind.


    <i>If Sword Demon keeps training, he might be able to surpass the S-rank Hades one day.</i>


    But of course, only time would tell.


    ¡°<i>Hoo...</i>¡±


    I popped open a bottle of Blessings of the Growth God Ver. 1, emptying it.


    Then, God-Maker responded.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [God-Maker¡¯s assimtion rate increased slightly.]


    [45%¡ª>46%]


    [Yu Il-Shin¡¯s innate power has been boosted in ordance with the assimtion rate.]


    <i>Only 1%?! This is my 2000</i><i>th</i><i> bottle, you know! What nonsense is this?!</i>


    After reaching 40% in assimtion, I considered myself lucky for not getting bloated from drinking tons of it. Regardless, this was too inefficient.


    Still, I was obsessed with the need to get stronger. After eating some pan-fried dumplings, I picked up Ver. 2 of the Blessings of the Growth God, aka the protein, and downed it.


    ¡°How is it going?¡±


    I walked over to the Sung sisters, who were still struggling with each other.


    Sung Mi-Na was hugging Mi-Ri from behind, holding her head tightly. From a distance, it looked like a gesture of affection, but it was actually something else.


    <i>Tzzz!</i>


    In the past, fearing that Sung Mi-Ri would be a sacrifice to the Abysm Dragon, Sung Mi-Na deliberately sealed her power. Now, she was trying to break that seal.


    ¡°<i>Arghh!</i>¡±


    Suddenly, Sung Mi-Na groaned, releasing Sung Mi-Ri¡¯s head. She broke out in cold sweat, panting heavily.


    ¡°U-Unni! Are you alright?¡±


    ¡°Yeah... I¡¯m fine.¡±


    However, Sung Mi-Na sounded exhausted. She struggled to break her own seal, especially with her memory still iplete.


    ¡°Take your time, and don¡¯t overexert yourself too much. You can do it. Good luck!¡± Sung Mi-Ri encouraged, pumping both fists into the air.


    Sung Mi-Na turned around with a pout, muttering, ¡°...Mi-Na.¡±


    ¡°<i>Huh?</i>¡±


    ¡°Not Unni! Call me Mi-Na!¡±


    <i>Yeah, she is still a child.</i>


    ¡°<i>Haha,</i> Ms. Sung Mi-Na. Do you want some candy?¡±


    After rummaging through my pockets, I gave her a handful of candy, and a smile returned to her face.


    <i>Phew. I hope she¡¯ll regain her memories soon and break Sung Mi-Ri¡¯s seal.</i>


    -----


    [Quest: Low-tier Benevolent God Promotion (In progress)]


    Followers of S-rank or higher intelligent beings with potential for transcendence: 6(+2)/10


    -----


    To be promoted to a Low-tier God, I needed two more S-rank followers. How nice would it be If Sword Demon and Sung Mi-Ri ascended to S-ranks... Still, was it too much to expect them to achieve it in a short period of time?


    I couldn¡¯t discount their efforts. Anty, the Gayamis, and even Il-Ho, who was still in the tower, were giving their to be stronger for my sake.


    As their god, I couldn¡¯t stand by idly.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get back to it then.¡±


    I warmed up my body, then pulled out my pillow.


    <i>p p!</i>


    I put on my eye mask and slipped on my socks. Afterward, I wrapped myself in a down featherforter I spent a fortune on.


    <i>Snore¡ª</i>


    The dream world weed me soon after.


    ***


    -<i>Kieeek!</i>


    -<i>Kyaaaa!</i>


    The carnivorous flowers howled ferociously, spreading their mouths wide open.


    [Silently Crawling Nightmare glowers at your return, screaming hysterically that if she can¡¯t have you, she will eat you!]


    ¡°<i>Haa.</i>¡± I sighed heavily as I watched them.


    <i>Why does it have to be the obsessive stalker?</i>


    ¡°Mr. Heavenly Sword! Have you finished repairing the de?!¡± I shouted urgently, feeling my life and sanity slipping away.


    [All-Cutting Heavenly Sword says not yet. He needs more time because the de was destroyedpletely.]


    ¡°Can¡¯t you lend me something in the meantime?!¡±


    [All-Cutting Heavenly Sword says you need to pay 1 million Gcoins to borrow and use a sword in the Hall of Dream, Silently Crawling Nightmare¡¯s territory.]


    ¡°What?! Did you just double it?!¡± I choked.


    [All-Cutting Heavenly Sword says nobody is forcing you to pay.]


    <i>Ugh, what a scammer! </i>


    I sighed again and paid 1 million Godcoins.


    <i>He isn¡¯t dying the sword repair just to extort more money out of me, right?</i>


    <i>Rip! Riiiip!</i>


    Then, a rift appeared in the air, and a wooden sword appeared before me.


    ¡°<i>Huh? </i>A wooden sword?! You think I¡¯m a goddamn pushover?!¡±


    [All-Cutting Heavenly Sword says, unlike its appearance, it¡¯s a good sword, so just try it.]


    ¡°<i>Keugh!</i>¡±


    <i>I have no other choice, anyway!</i>


    <i>Swoosh!</i>


    -<i>Krrr!</i>


    -<i>Kieeeeek!</i>


    The flowers were charging at me. I unsheathed my wooden sword, ring at them.


    In order to protect my followers, I needed to be stronger. To do so, I had toe to the dreand and meet my stalkers, my avenue to boost my growth.


    ¡°Sword Devotion.¡±


    My innate power, Sword Devotion, unleashed the sword¡¯s potential to the fullest.


    My eyes appraised the sword subconsciously.


    -----


    [Old Wooden Sword]


    A wooden sword made of plum wood. Around for 850 years.


    Special note: Wielded by the founder of the Volcano Sect, also one of the Seven Immortals of Quanzhen, Hao Datong.


    -----


    <i>Woooong¡ª</i>


    My sword resounded morosely as a thick plum scent emanated in all directions.


    The sword qi of the legendary Volcano Sect, oftenpared to the Wudang Sect in martial arts, was now recreated in my hands.


    ***


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Duration until Goddess Arachne, the 100,000,000,000-strong army, and apostles arrive at Gayami: 0 hours, 0 minutes, 0 seconds.]


    The clock kept ticking...


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [The holy war of Yu Il-Shin¡¯s fate has begun.]


    Finally, the big day arrived.

 Chapter 77: Holy War of Fate Begins!

    <h4>Chapter 77: Holy War of Fate Begins!</h4>


    [Infinite Abundance smiles as radiantly as the sun seeing your rming growth.]


    [All-Cutting Heavenly Sword looks at the pile of Gcoins in his safe and snickered like a shrewd.]


    [Eternal Seeker appreciates how you look more like a god with your decent-looking muscles.]


    [Silently Crawling Nightmare flushes and moans, asking you to be rougher next time.]


    A happy ending for everyone, aside from myself.


    ¡°Fuck off! See if I ever return again!¡±


    My teeth ttered whenever I thought of spending time with these stalkers in this hell.


    I spent over three months training here because time passed much slower than in reality. Popping open the Blessing of the Growth God with my teeth, I downed the contents in one go.


    <i>Glug!</i>


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Assimtion rate with God-Maker has increased slightly.]


    [49% ¡ú 50%]


    [Yu Il-Shin¡¯s innate power has been boosted in ordance with the assimtion rate.]


    [Following the increase in assimtion rate, God-Maker¡¯s battlefield has been upgraded.]


    By the time my assimtion rate reached 50%, all my preparations werepleted.


    ¡°Come at me, you insects!¡±


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Duration for the Empire¡¯s Goddess Arachne, 100 billion-strong imperial army, and the apostles to reach Gayami nation: 0 hours, 0 minutes, 0 seconds.]


    [The holy war of Yu Il-Shin¡¯s fate has begun.]


    ***


    <i>My beloved Poison Sword Buttor, atst, the time hase for me to avenge your death.</i>


    With zing, piercing eyes, Goddess Arachne red at the Holy Nation of Gayami. Hundred of fortress wallsid out like palm trees, surrounding the nation, making it seem like an impregnable fortress.


    It would be, if they weren¡¯t facing the great imperial army.


    A deafening sound, like thunder, shook the skies. It came from the twitching of their antennae and the baring of their fangs.


    Soon, the mighty imperial army surrounded the Holy Nation of Gayami. Their jaw-dropping 100 billion number defied allws of war, making the fortified nation seem like a small boat adrift in a vast sea.


    <i>-Krrr!</i>


    <i>-Kieeeek!</i>


    <i>-Kyaaa!</i>


    As if that wasn¡¯t enough, the apostles followed in the rear. A mythical seven-headed dragon, the mightiest of beasts, and the Sun God¡¯s ming chariot. With such a lineup, there was no room for defeat.


    Arachne sought to inflict as much pain and despair as possible on the barbarians and the malevolent god they served. She was the embodiment of hatred and revenge. She stood tall at the top of the Tower of Babel, d in a white robe.


    ¡°The day has finally arrived! Now, who will show those arrogant barbarians the might of the empire?!¡± Arachne shouted to her 100 billion-strong army.


    ¡°Goddess! The Blind Unit shall lead the way! Our stone-crushing jaws shall shred them to pieces!¡± the army roared in unison.


    ¡°No! Us Formic Acid Unit shall dissolve the barbarians and fiend in one fell swoop!¡±


    ¡°<i>Hahaha! </i>We¡¯re diggers! Those walls are useless against us! Please give us, the Earth Dog Unit, a chance!¡±


    Each and every one of the imperial troops stood tall and strong, and Arachne was pleased by the sight.


    After pondering for a moment, Arachen made up her mind.


    ¡°Beelzebul! I¡¯m assigning you and your flies unit to lead the vanguard!¡±


    ¡°<i>Keke</i>, a wise choice, Goddess,¡± replied Beelzebul, the Filthy Sword of the Ten Swords. He restlessly rubbed his hands together with a glint in his eyes. ¡°I will never let you down, Goddess!¡±


    <i>Woooong! Wiiiing!</i>


    With the crowned Beelzebul at the helm, the filthy flies flew out in unison. Not a single fortress wall of the Gayami nation could stand in their way.


    Inside, the people of Gayami wore expressions of terror.


    ¡°<i>Keke</i>. Lowly earth crawlers.¡± Beelzebul looked down at them, then roared, ¡°Come, my brothers!¡±


    <i>Tzzz!</i>


    Hisrades swarmed around him, forming a giant crowned fly that covered the skies like huge, dark clouds.


    <i>Wiiiing!</i>


    ¡°<i>Kyaaa! </i>A monster flies!¡± the people screamed in fear.


    Beelzebul rubbed his front legs together, praying.


    -O¡¯ abominable God of Filth and Infectious Diseases, I implore you to rain your dreadful curse upon those lowly earth crawlers.


    <i>Kwaaaa!</i>


    The malevolent god answered his prayers, and a foul stench spread from Beelzebul¡¯s body. His eyes, made of thousands of flies, glowed sinisterly. He couldn¡¯t wait to see those cretins being putrefied by the power of God of Filth and Infectious Diseases!


    -<i>Keke</i>, die! Die, you worthless bunch!


    <i>Kwaaaa! </i>


    Beelzebul opened his jaw wide, about to spew evil power when...


    <i>Rip! Riiiip!</i>


    A crack started to form in the air, catching him off guard.


    -W-what¡¯s that?


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Assimtion rate with God-Maker has reached 50%.]


    [Following the increase in assimtion rate, God-Maker¡¯s battlefield has been upgraded.]


    [You can now directly intervene in Antrinia.]


    [With the increase in assimtion rate, Yu Il-Shin, the Guardian of the Holy Nation of Gayami, has been rewarded with the divine modifier.]


    <i>Ruuuumble!</i>


    Then, something emerged from the crack. Instantly, everyone there, including Beelzebul, the 100 billion-strong army, and even the apostles, held their breath.


    <i>It </i>descended to the ground.


    <i>Thud! Bam bam bam!</i>


    With a single step <i>it </i>took, the earth quaked. <i>It </i>was thousands of timesrger than everyone present and the most hideous of all monsters.


    <i>Krrrr!</i>


    <i>It </i>spewed ck mes with every breath. Beelzebul didn¡¯t even dare to stare at <i>it </i>directly.


    -N-no way!


    For <i>it </i>to look like that, just how many atrocities did itmit?!


    <i>Ssss¡ª</i>


    <i>Its</i> gleaming eyes, Yu Il-Shin''s, turned to Beelzebul. He was holding a long metal can in each hand.


    <i>Craaaack!</i>


    His face contorted into a fiendish grimace as he pointed the cans at Beelzebul.


    <strong>F-Killer.</strong>


    Although Beelzebul couldn¡¯t decipher the words engraved on the metal can, he instinctively felt fear. A primal fear that urged him to make an escape right away.


    -<i>Ugh,</i> there¡¯s those disgusting flies too.


    Yu Il-Shin muttered, pressing the cans with his forefingers.


    <i>Spraaaay!</i>


    White mist came out from the metal cans, engulfing Beelzebul.


    -<i>Cough! Cough cough!</i> N-no way!


    That was a huge cloud of deadly poison. Despite covering his mouth, the toxic cloud prated the skin, spreading in an instant. Even Beelzebul and his unit, who fed on rotten flesh and germ-infested filth, couldn¡¯t withstand it.


    -<i>Arghhhh!</i>


    Beelzebul¡¯s army of flies crumbled like a sandcastle, raining down on the imperial troops below.


    ¡°<i>Arghh!</i>¡±


    ¡°<i>Hc!</i>¡±


    Pelted with chunks of Beelzebul¡¯s flesh, the imperial troops rotted and dissolved. The imperial troops near Yu Il-Shin screamed in terror.


    ¡°<i>Arghhh!</i> T-the monster has appeared!¡±


    ¡°Dear lord! Is that the legendary evil god served by the barbarians?¡±


    ¡°Run! He¡¯s going to eat us alive!¡±


    The soldiers panicked at the sight of Yu Il-Shin.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid! He is alone!¡±


    ¡°What are you doing! Fight for the Emperor and the Gods of the Empire!¡±


    The generals immediately regained control of them.


    <i>Ruuumble!</i>


    The sound of Yu Il-Shin looking down was akin to a thunderp.


    <i>-Tsk</i>, there¡¯s too many of them. They could probably fit the entire Yeouido.


    <i>Thud thud!</i>


    He threw away the empty cans and raised his index finger.


    -Should I reduce their number first?


    And flicked his finger down.


    -Crushing Forefinger of God!


    <i>Ssss¡ª</i>


    Then, like a pebble tossed into a calmke, Yu Il-Shin¡¯s divine power spread outward.


    <i>Phooosh!</i>


    ¡°W-what¡¯s this sound?¡±


    The imperial troops suddenly heard a bizarre sound from their surroundings.


    The Crushing Forefinger of God allowed Yu Il-Shin to switch things on and off. As for what he¡¯d just turned on...


    <i>Tssss!</i>


    White smoke rapidly billowed out everywhere. Ten thousand insect-repellent smoke bombs had activated simultaneously. As a side note, he paid them with a rental deposit and a loan using his position as a teacher at the academy.


    <i>Kwaaaa!</i>


    The poisonous spray of death threatened to engulf the world.


    ¡°<i>Arghhh!</i> Run!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t let the smoke touch you! You¡¯ll die!¡±


    The imperial troops died one by one, their bodies contorting when they came into contact with the poisonous mist.


    Watching the horrifying scene unfolded below, Arachne gritted her teeth.


    ¡°You wicked god! Do you think the same trick will work again?!¡±


    In fact, she had a counter n for it. Naturally, as this tactic cost them dearly in thest attack.


    Arachne prayed to the vicious beast sprouting huge bat wings.


    ¡°Apostle of Beast of Deceit and Rapacity! As per our agreement, please lend us your power!¡±


    -It shall be done.


    The beast¡¯s eyes gleamed red as it pped its wings.


    <i>Whirrrr! Kwaaa!</i>


    Following that, a strong gust of wind blew the poisonous cloud away.


    ¡°<i>Wahhh! </i>Is this the mythical power of an apostle?!¡±


    ¡°God of Filth and Infectious Diseases! <i>Hurray!</i>¡±


    Thrilled at the apostle¡¯s feat, the imperial troops heaped praises. But in the next moment, the beast gaped its gigantic maw at them.


    ¡°<i>Arghhhh!</i>¡±


    <i>Gulp!</i>


    Like a starved beast, it devoured hundreds of thousands of the imperial troops alive.


    Arachne clenched her fists until they bled.


    <i>To borrow the power of gods, sacrifice is inevitable!</i>


    No god would help someone for free. Anyone who wished to borrow a god¡¯s power had to pay the corresponding price. Ever since the beginning of time, such was the unwrittenw between gods and creatures. The Empire had an overwhelming number of soldiers, anyway.


    -Fuck. That¡¯s my entire wealth, you know...


    Meanwhile, Yu Il-Shin watched in dismay as the wind swept the poisonous cloud away.


    ¡°That evil god is in confusion! This is our chance! Dragonfly Unit! Blind Unit! Attack!¡± Arachne¡¯s eyes glowed wickedly.


    <i>Wooong!</i>


    Upon hearing Arachne¡¯smand, thousands of dragonflies flew into the air. They were dozens of timesrger than other insects and had blindfolds over their eyes.


    ¡°Blind Unit, descend!¡±


    ¡°Descend!¡±


    The Blind Unit, also known as the Dorylus, rained down on the ground like a torrential downpour. Half of the unit crashed to the ground, bleeding to death before they could reach Yu Il-Shin. But their sacrifice wasn¡¯t in vain.


    The Dorylus of Earth could prate hard crab shells with their shearing jaws. Meanwhile, the Dorylus of Antrinia could crush rocks.


    ¡°Death to the evil god!¡±


    The Dorylus sank their jaws into Yu Il-Shin¡¯s flesh.


    <i>ng ng ng!</i>


    But the sound that followed made them question that.


    [Eternal Seeker smiled in satisfaction, saying that a body relentlessly honed with iron bes iron.]


    The Blind Unit was flustered. Their jaws couldn¡¯t graze Yu Il-Shin!


    ¡°All troops! Dig an entrance into his body! His entrails and organs shouldn¡¯t be this hard!¡± theirmander called out in a hurry.


    The Blind Unit moved in ordance with themand. Yu Il-Shin raised his middle finger at the swarm of ants.


    -Convicting Middle Finger of God!


    <i>Kwaaaa!</i>


    Then, hellish mes erupted from his middle finger like a volcano.

 Chapter 78: Apostles of the Empire’s Gods

    <h4>Chapter 78: Apostles of the Empire¡¯s Gods</h4>


    <i>Kwaaaaa!</i>


    ck, hellish mes erupted like a volcano, instantly reducing the Blind Unit that surrounded Yu Il-shin into ashes. But the catastrophe had only begun.


    Yu Il-Shin ced his middle finger, still flickering with ck mes, on his thumb.


    -Proliferating Thumb of God!


    <i>Flicker flicker!</i>


    The already horrifying ck mes of inferno multiplied endlessly around Yu Il-Shin.


    <i>Kwaaaaa!</i>


    The searing ck mes surged, shattering and warming the space around Yu Il-Shin. To the imperial army, it was as if the hell¡¯s entrance had opened on earth.


    <i>Bang!</i>


    Yu Il-Shin snapped his middle finger and thumb together, hurling ck mes down on the horrified soldiers.


    ¡°I-it¡¯s raining hellfire!¡±


    ¡°<i>Arghhh!</i> Save me!¡±


    <i>Kwaaaaa!</i>


    Like a massive methrower, Infernal fire raged in all directions, engulfing tens of thousands of imperial troops.


    <i>Ssss¡ª!</i>


    The remains of the dead turned into ashes, falling onto the battlefield like gray snow.


    <i>Sizzle!</i>


    In the midst of ashes, sizzling oil, and death stood Yu Il-Shin, the Guardian of the Holy Nation of Gayami. A chilling silence enveloped the battlefield.


    ¡°I-is that the power of the barbarians¡¯ evil god?!¡±


    ¡°D-darn it! Stop pushing! I don¡¯t want to die!¡±


    Yu Il-Shin¡¯s overwhelming power forced the march of the imperial army into a halt.


    Just a moment ago, Yu Il-Shin unleashed mes like the Supreme Malevolent God in myths, but...


    -<i>Huff! Huff!</i> Darn it!


    Yu Il-Shin gasped and cursed under his breath.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    -----


    [Quest: Low-tier Malevolent God Promotion (In progress)]


    Normal sacrifice: 52,023,002 /1,000,000,000


    Sacrifice S-rank or higher intelligent creatures with potential for transcendence: 2(+4)/10


    -----


    I felt sure I¡¯d killed many of them! But when I checked the quest requirements, I found out the number had only surpassed 50 million. Given that the imperial armyprised over 100 billion, I thought it¡¯d be easy, but the reality was different.


    <i>Well, even if I¡¯d been promoted to a Low-tier God, I don¡¯t think that¡¯ll help me ovee this situation.</i>


    <i>Ping!</i>


    I began to feel a wave of dizziness after exerting my divine power. Moreover, I could feel their eyes on me.


    <i>Why is that punk on the carriage ring at me like that?</i>


    -----


    [Apostle of Fire Shining in the Highest Skies]


    Asexual. Around for 2,200 years.


    Special note: Holds killing intent toward Yu Il-Shin, who wields the same mes as his master.


    -----


    <i>Thud!</i>


    The apostle¡¯s ming head sent a death re at Yu Il-Shin.


    Just then, Arachne, theirmander, called out, ¡°Apostles of the great Gods! Please take care of this evil god!¡±


    -I, servant of God Fire Shining in the Highest Skies, Chariot of Fire, epts your request! In return, I demand 100 million sacrifices!


    The head on the ming carriage responded to themand.


    ¡°As you wish!¡± Arachne replied readily.


    Sure, the number of sacrifices was high, but it was only a thousandth of their full strength at best.


    ¡°W-wait! Goddess!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going to sacrifice us?!¡±


    The imperial army, as vast as the red sea, shook like a maelstrom.


    <i>Flick flick!</i>


    Then, one in every thousand soldiers began to catch fire.


    ¡°<i>Aaaargh!</i>¡±


    Chariot of Fire watched as the mes burned the soldiers alive.


    -Reaping sacrifice!


    <i>Swooosh!</i>


    It sucked the burning soldiers into its mouth like a giant vacuum cleaner.


    <i>Kwaaaa!</i>


    As if fueled with oil, its size and intensity grew enormously, reaching about the size of a dozen dump trucks.


    Yu Il-Shin broke into cold sweat.


    -...I might be screwed.


    <i>sh!</i>


    The eyes of the Chariot of Fire flickered ominously at Yu Il-Shin and...


    <i>Wiiiing!</i>


    The chariot¡¯s wheels spun at an incredible speed.


    <i>Ruuuumble!</i>


    It charged toward Yu Il-Shin, leaving a dark fiery trail on the ground.


    -<i>Keugh!</i> Crushing Forefinger of God!


    Yu Il-Shin raised his forefinger toward it and used his power, but...


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Failed to activate innate power! Insufficient divine power!]


    <i>Bam bam bam!</i>


    -<i>Arghhh!</i>


    Engulfed in mes, Yu Il-Shin''s body flew dozens of meters up into the air and came crashing down.


    <i>Craaack! Thud!</i>


    Arachne shivered with joy while watching from the top.


    <i>Ssss¡ª</i>


    ¡°Buttor! Did you see that?! The malevolent god¡¯s hopeless end! I¡¯ve finally avenged you!¡±


    <i>Psss!</i>


    Then, the burnt body of Yu Il-Shin fell to the ground motionlessly.


    Just then...


    ¡°<i>Noooo! </i>God Yu Il-Shin!¡±


    Atst, the firmly sealed gates opened, and a white-haired girl ran straight toward the battlefield, crying in despair.


    ***


    ...Was I defeated?


    I knew I was originally weak and frail. But still, even after bing a god, was I still incapable of protecting the ants?


    ¡°<i>Aaaang! Noooo! </i>God Yu Il-Shin! Please, open your eyes! Healing Ring Finger of God Yu Il-Shin!¡±


    My consciousness was pulled to the abyss, yet a white light clung to it.


    My eyes slowly fluttered open.


    <i>A-Anty...Why are you here...?</i>


    Shouldn¡¯t Anty be inside the castle? What was she doing in front of me?


    ¡°Healing Ring Finger of God Yu Il-Shin! Please, please!¡±


    With her hand on my cheek, she relentlessly tried to heal me. Tears endlessly streamed down her face.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Healing effectiveness reduced due to interference from Fire Shining in the Highest Skies!]


    Apparently, one of the most gruesome deaths in the world was being burned alive. Half of my body was reduced to charcoal. If it weren¡¯t for Anty¡¯s constant healing, I¡¯d be dead.


    -Persistent bastard! You¡¯re still alive?


    <i>Ruuumble!</i>


    Digging its fiery wheels into the ground, Chariot of Fire raced toward Anty and I. The human head glowered at me, its mouth wide open.


    -Just you watch, evil god with dirty mes! I¡¯ll burn you down and sacrifice you to my master!


    <i>Rooooar!</i>


    mes, akin to zing furnaces, leaped from its mouth.


    <i>I-I¡¯m going to die!</i>


    ¡°A-Anty... Run...¡±


    ¡°I will never leave Lord Yu Il-Shin to die!¡±


    Anty shielded me with her body. Even though the ming chariot was tens of thousands of times bigger than herself, she refused to step aside.


    -Die!


    The Chariot of Fire was about to hurl its mes at us when...


    <i>Flutter! Thud!</i>


    A giant shadow descended from the skies, standing between us.


    -What are you doing, Chariot of Fire?! We made a deal! We agreed to divide this malevolent god into three parts!


    A beast resembling a saber-toothed tiger with bat wings growled, baring its long fangs.


    Chariot of Fire smirked in disbelief.


    -<i>Hmph!</i> He obviously belongs to my master! I caught him!


    -This will only turn into a fight.


    A strange voice interrupted, or should I say, voices? It was as if seven people were talking simultaneously.


    <i>Kyarararara!</i>


    Then, I heard the sound of people puking. The chariot and the beast withdrew in a hurry. A pool of strong liquid acid appeared where they once stood. It melted the ground, creating a seemingly bottomless sinkhole.


    -<i>Argh! </i>


    -That foul snake!


    The Chariot of Fire and the beast gritted their teeth, ring at the snake. The seven-headed monster resembled Hydra from Greek myths.


    Opening all seven mouths in unison, Hydra spoke to the two apostles.


    -<i>Ssss! </i>Silently Crawling Nightmare is fond of this malevolent god! As such, my master, Ruler of the Abyssal Swamp, demands that he be kept alive! Why don¡¯t you hand him to me?


    -You treacherous snake! What are you implying?! Do you want me to roast you?!


    -<i>Grrr!</i> How dare you renege on your words! You still call yourself an apostle of god?! I¡¯ll rip you to shreds in the name of Beast of Deceit and Rapacity!


    The apostles directed unbelievable bloodlust at each other. They looked like three beasts fighting over prey.


    I gasped for breath, struggling to muster a few words to Anty. ¡°Anty... Now... It¡¯s time for you to run...¡±


    Anty shook her head violently and whispered to me, ¡°Please wait a bit longer! I will summon someone over to help!¡±


    <i>Summon help? But who? </i>


    Anty clenched her fists tight and yelled with all her might. ¡°O¡¯ mighty warrior braving the Tower of Warriors, heed Saintess Anty¡¯s call! Protect our God and myself from this crisis! Skill, Descend!¡±


    Then, blinding white light enveloped Anty.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    -----


    [Descend]


    A skill limited to devoted high priests. Allows the god or his apostles to descend upon the world.


    Skill duration: 60 minutes


    -----


    <i>Rip! Riiip!</i>


    The space before us tore open and...


    ¡°<i>Muuuuscles!</i>¡±


    With a boisterous yell, a petite, chocte-muscled warrior appeared.


    ¡°O¡¯ great and merciful God Yu Il-Shin! O¡¯ beautiful and noble Saintess! Il-Ho is here! Are those the enemies?!¡±


    <i>Shriiiing!</i>


    Il-Ho unsheathed his dumbbell-looking sword strung over his back.


    ¡°Revolting giant monsters! How dare you bully our god and saintess! Prepare yourself! My muscles and sword won¡¯t show you mercy!¡±


    <i>Roooooar!</i>


    A tremendous aura surged from Il-Ho¡¯s body, making the ground shake. Simply incredible. When did he get that strong?


    ¡°<i>Ah</i>, Warrior.¡±


    ¡°Il-Ho...¡±


    Anty and I stared at Il-Ho¡¯s back in awe. He looked so dependable right now. He, who used to be so small and weak, had grown stronger and was protecting us.


    Il-Ho grinned at us, showing his dazzling white teeth. ¡°<i>Kekeke!</i> Don¡¯t worry, I got this! I, Il-Ho, have caught one or two of these monsters<i> bef</i>...!¡±


    <i>Riiiip! Bam bam bam!</i>


    But he was cut off prematurely. The saber-toothed beast had devoured Il-Ho in an instant.


    <i>Gulp!</i>


    -<i>Gr? </i>What a fool. He spoke too much.


    The beast licked its lips.


    ¡°Il-Ho!¡±


    ¡°<i>Kyaa! </i>Mr. Il-Ho!¡±


    Both Anty and I eximed at the same time.


    <i>That damn cat ate my Il-Ho!</i>


    <i>Swoosh! Swooosh!</i>


    Just then, a volley of arrows poured from the sky onto the apostles.


    ¡°Save God Yu Il-Shin and the Empress!¡±


    ¡°All troops, attack!¡±


    Yi-Ho led a million-strong soldiers of the Gayami nation, raining arrows and spears at the enemy. Calling it an army was a stretch. It was mostly children and the elderly that the Gayami had gathered with all their might.


    <i>ng ng ng!</i>


    Not only did their attacks fail to graze the apostles, they also rebounded.


    ¡°T-the arrows aren¡¯t working?¡± Their faces were etched with fear.


    -<i>Ssss! </i>How dare these lowly creatures attack the apostle!


    -You snake punk. Move! I¡¯ll raze all of them to the ground!


    The Chariot of Fire opened its mouth and let out a st of fire.


    <i>No! Everyone will be annihted at this rate!</i>


    Just then, I heard a miraculous voice ring in my ears.


    [All-Cutting Heavenly Sword has finished repairing your sword. Since he¡¯s ripped you off, he¡¯s going to send it to you for free this time.]


    <i>Riiiip! Wooong!</i>


    The space before me ripped open, revealing a blood-red demonic sword with a bizarre saw-like de.

 Chapter 79: Listen, My Name is Sword God!

    <h4>Chapter 79: Listen, My Name is Sword God!</h4>


    <i>Wooong!</i>


    The sword, surrounded by a ck aura, vibrated quietly. It was a stark contrast from when I fought Gustav using Demon Lord''s Descent.


    The saw-like, toothed de was over a meter long. Embedded on the ck hilt was a pair of blood-red eyes, staring back at me.


    <i>It looks so ominous! Is that really my old kitchen knife?!</i>


    -Die!


    The Chariot of Fire was about to spew searing mes at the Gayami soldiers.


    <i>Dammit! </i>I quickly reached for the sword.


    ¡°Skill Sharing, Sword Demon.¡± I employed the best offense I could in this situation. ¡°Demon Lord¡¯s Descent!¡±


    With the same sword that had defeated Gustav, I shed horizontally at the apostles.


    -<i>Grr! </i>Something¡¯s afoot!


    The beast was the first to sense the sword¡¯s unusual aura. It warily spread its bat wings and flew into the sky.


    -<i>Huh?</i>


    Meanwhile, Chariot of Fire noticed it toote. It shifted its gear in surprise, avoiding the iing bloodlust, but it couldn¡¯t dodgepletely.


    <i>sh! Thud!</i>


    A third of the Chariot of Fire, including its rear wheels, was sliced off.


    <i>Baaaam!</i>


    Chariot of Fire stumbled and rolled on the ground. It screamed as if its head were being torn apart, spewing mes the whole time.


    -<i>Arghhhhh! </i>My precious body! My master sculpted it personally for me!


    As for thest apostle, Hydra, it took the Demon Lord''s Descent right to the face


    <i>sh sh! Thud thud!</i>


    All seven heads were decapitated and fell to the ground.


    <i>Pwooosh!</i>


    Blue blood gushed out like a fountain as the gigantic body fell to the ground.


    ¡°<i>Huff puff!</i>¡± I caught my breath and was taking in everything that had happened.


    Thankfully, the sword didn¡¯t break after using Demon Lord¡¯s Descent. The miser seemed to have done a good job repairing it for the amount I¡¯d paid.


    <i>Only one left.</i>


    Hydra was dead. Without its rear wheels, Chariot of Fire shouldn¡¯t be able to move for the time being. I red at the saber-toothed tiger beast flying in the air.


    <i>Great, I just have to kill that one! </i>


    It hadn¡¯t been that long since it devoured Il-Ho. I might be able to rescue Il-Ho if I took it down and split open its stomach. Besides, I had a small chance of winning.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [The seal on Earth Branch¡¯s follower, Sung Mi-Ri, has been released.]


    [Sung Mi-Ri has potential for transcendence!]


    -----


    [Quest: Low-tier Benevolent God Promotion (In Progress)]


    Normal followers: 50,212,321/1,000,000,000


    Followers of S-rank or higher intelligent beings with potential for transcendence: 7(+2)/10


    -----


    Sung Mi-Na had finally broken Sung Mi-Ri¡¯s seal in the real world! As a result, the number of my S-rank followers increased by one! It seemed to have an influence on me, as I could feel some power surging in me. Despite the severe pain from the burn, I felt like I could still fight for a while.


    I pointed the sword at the beast.


    <i>Alright, let¡¯s execute Demon Lord¡¯s Descent once more!</i>


    <i>Hisss!</i>


    Then, a deafening sound echoed from behind me. Something wrapped around me like chains, and I turned in surprise to see a creature covered in snake scales.


    <i>Flick! Bam bam bam!</i>


    ¡°<i>Ugh!</i>¡±


    Hydra, the apostle I¡¯d decapitated earlier, was crushing me!


    Although, calling it ¡°Hydra¡± was a stretch, seeing it was left with only two heads. One of its heads looked down at me and said.


    -<i>Hiss!</i> Took you by surprise, didn¡¯t I? You lowly, misfit malevolent god. The Ruler of the Abyssal Swamp has blessed me with immortality! A mere sword won¡¯t kill me!


    <i>Bubble bubble!</i>


    In the meantime, one of Hydra¡¯s severed heads regenerated. He now had three heads.


    <i>Bubble bubble!</i>


    Another new head appeared, smirking.


    -<i>Hiss!</i> Yes, you can¡¯t kill us!


    <i>Oh, I see now... So that¡¯s how it is.</i>


    I saw a certain phrase when I first appraised this apostle.


    -----


    [Apostle of Ruler of the Abyssal Swamp]


    An androgynous snake. Around for 2,000 years.


    Special note: Summoned by Goddess Arachne. Regenerates endlessly.


    -----


    <i>Hmm, so this apostle isn¡¯t only simr to a hydra in appearance.</i>


    -<i>Arrrghhh!</i> My <i>boooody!</i>


    Hydra shook its heads as it watched Chariot of Fire rolling over in pain and screaming.


    -<i>Hiss! Hisss! </i>Why make such a fuss? You don¡¯t even have a living body! That thing is an embarrassment to the apostles.


    -<i>Grrr!</i> You snake! Don¡¯t monopolize the malevolent god! Give me a third of him! We had a deal!


    The flying beast growled, ring at Hydra. In response, Hydra licked its lips with contempt.


    -<i>Hiss!</i> A puny sword qi is enough to make you flee like a frightened kitten! You don¡¯t have any right! This god belongs to the Ruler of the Abyssal Swamp!


    -<i>Grrr!</i> You snake! Should I knock some senses into you?!


    -<i>Hissss!</i> Come at me, Beast. See how useless your wind is!


    -Shut up! <i>Gaaah!</i>


    The beast snarled, about to lunge at Hydra when...


    -¡±Puny sword qi,¡± you said?


    A chillingly, brittle voice resounded. Even though it was so low and quiet, everyone on the battlefield heard it. It stood apart from the voices of humans and even apostles.


    I was terrified, but it was a natural response. The sword I held just spoke!


    Hydra looked at the sword in my hand with an avaricious gaze.


    -<i>Hisss!</i> That sword is more handy than I thought! Alright, I¡¯ll be taking you as a trophy...


    -Silence, Snake. Did you just call my sword qi ¡°puny¡±?


    Hydra looked at the sword with reproachful eyes.


    -<i>Hiss!</i> Am I mistaken? All the great divine swords in the world, including you, are powerless in the face of my endless regeneration. How utterly insignificant. <i>Hiss! </i>Now,e here, Demonic Sword. I¡¯ll use you as you were meant to be used¡ªto decorate the entrance of my cave!


    -<i>Keke! Kekeke! Kehahaha!</i>


    Sword God went berserk all of a sudden. As I held onto the knife, it felt as if I wasughing in a fit of insanity.


    <i>Huh? </i>But how did I still retain my sanity despite wielding Sword God?


    Anger appeared in Hydra¡¯s eyes.


    -<i>Hiss!</i> Did you justugh at me?


    -How could I not? The dead one is spouting nonsense!


    -<i>Hiss!</i> Speak for yourself! Who are you calling dead?!


    -You, of course, Multi-headed Snake.


    Sword God mocked and dered.


    -You¡¯re already dead!


    <i>Sizzle...</i>


    -<i>Hiss?</i>


    Soon, Hydra¡¯s body began to crumble like a sandcastle.


    -<i>Hiss!</i> You put a curse on me! <i>Hiss!</i> B-but if I use the Blessing of Regeneration given by my master...!


    <i>Bubble bubble!</i>


    <i>Pssss!</i>


    Hydra¡¯s entire body attempted to regenerate, but to no avail. Its body was disintegrating faster than it could heal. He met the same fate as Gustav, who was struck by Demon Lord¡¯s Descent.


    -<i>Hiss! Hisss!</i> N-No way! How could a mere sword...?!


    The green scales covering Hydra¡¯s heads became white as if struck with fear.


    -Everything submits to my Demon Lord¡¯s Descent, and you¡¯re no exception.


    -<i>Hisss! N-noooo!</i> Ruler of the Abyssal Swamp! P-please save...!


    Hydra¡¯s remaining snake heads pleaded to its master for help. Before it could finish its words, it crumbled into dust and disappeared.


    <i>Psss!</i>


    Sword God sneered.


    -<i>Keke</i>, puny snake.


    Following Hydra¡¯s death, more messages appeared from God-Maker.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [You have killed the Apostle of Ruler of the Abyssal Swamp.]


    [Absording sacrifice.]


    Hydra¡¯s ashes seeped into my body.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Congrattions, God Yu Il-Shin. The Apostle of Ruler of the Abyssal Swamp is a sacrifice equivalent to 2 S-rank beings.]


    Then, along with Apostle Johan; Gustav, an equivalent of five S-ranks; and Hydra, an equivalent of two S-ranks....


    <i>Ding!</i>


    -----


    [Quest: Low-tier Malevolent God Promotion (In Progress)]


    Normal sacrifices: 52,023,002 /1,000,000,000


    Sacrifices of S-rank or higher intelligent beings with potential for transcendence: 8(+3)/10


    -----


    As the number of S-rank or higher sacrifices hit 8, a tremendous power surged within me.


    <i>Ssss¡ª!</i>


    Not only that, my burn wounds began to heal rapidly, probably due to the regenerative power of the Hydra I¡¯d absorbed.


    ¡°<i>W-wow</i>.¡±


    While I was marveling at the dramatic change, Sword God bellowed.


    -You stupid bastard, behind you!


    Startled, I turned around and...


    <i>Whiiing!</i>


    The beast flew past me like an eagle, enveloped in a blue gust of wind.


    <i>-Grrr! </i>Toote! I shall rip you to shreds! Try dodging this!


    pping its bat wings, the beast sent a de of wind cascading toward where I stood.


    ¡°Damn it!¡±


    I hurriedly lifted Anty, who had been caught in the fight between me and the apostles. Then, I shouted to the Gayami soldiers, ¡°Everyone, run!¡±


    Then, I sprinted in their direction with all my might.


    <i>Bam! Bam bam bam!</i>


    Struck by the gust of wind, a huge crater formed on the ground, as if shed by a giant sword.


    The beastughed at our escape.


    -<i>Krrr!</i> It¡¯s futile! Struggle like the rats you are... <i>Keeeek!</i>


    The beast¡¯s eyes widened to the fullest.


    -W-what?


    <i>Growl growl! </i>


    Suddenly, its stomach began convulsing, wriggling wildly...


    -Weight Increase! Weight Increase! Weight Increase!


    A familiar voice came from within its belly.


    -<i>Aaaah!</i>


    The beast¡¯s stomach sagged as if it¡¯d swallowed a massive boulder. He plummeted rapidly to the ground, gravity dragging him down with relentless force.


    -<i>Arghhh!</i> M-my stomach! My stomach is getting ripped apart! <i>Arghhh!</i>


    Covered in blood, the beast clutched its abdomen in agony. Then, its stomach burst.


    <i>Pow!</i>


    -<i>Gaaaah!</i>


    The beast dived head first toward the ground, crashing to death.


    ...Momentster, ¡°<i>Muuuuscles!</i>¡±


    Il-Ho crawled out of the beast¡¯s torn belly, soaked in blood.


    ¡°Il-Ho! You¡¯re alive!¡±


    Il-Ho chuckled as he wiped off the blood on his body. ¡°Of course I am! <i>Hahaha</i>, like I said earlier, I¡¯m going to make a mess out of these gigantic monsters from the inside out!¡±


    ¡°<i>Waahhh!</i> Il-Ho! You¡¯re indeed the best!¡±


    Il-Ho was so amazing that I wanted to show him off to the entire world.


    -<i>Keugh</i>. So, you¡¯re just a lowly servant.


    Sword God sneered.


    By the way, Sword God had been bothering me since earlier. I cautiously asked, ¡°Who are you, exactly?¡±


    I had known it during its time as a crazed kitchen knife, but now it felt strangepletely unfamiliar.


    Sword God then eximed.


    -<i>Argh!</i> What a buffoon! You didn¡¯t know who I was this whole time? Clean your ears and listen well! I am...!


    <i>Gulp!</i>


    I swallowed nervously. ¡°You are?¡±


    It felt like a soap opera scene where a character revealed the truth about his birth.


    -...<i>Um</i>, who was I again?


    Looking at the way he was acting, I guess he was the same old Sword God.


    <i>Mr. Heavenly Sword, please exin this bizarre situation. This after-sales service is so strange.</i>


    Just as I was seriously considering requesting a refund...


    -<i>Kaaah!</i> How dare you destroy this body given by my god! Unforgivable! I will never forget this!


    <i>Kwaaa!</i>


    A tremendous me erupted from the other side of the battlefield.


    Chariot of Fire, left with only two-thirds of its body, shouted at themander.


    -Goddess! Offer sacrifices now! I need more to kill them!


    The spider, who was staring at me in fear, suddenly yelled, ¡°Y-yes, Apostle! Take a hundred million¡ªn-no, a billion soldiers and defeat that hideous monster!¡±


    -No! That¡¯s far from enough!


    The face on Chariot of Fire contorted fiercely.


    -<i>Mm...</i> yes, everyone here... I need all of them!


    ¡°W-what? Apostle of Fire Shining in the Highest Skies, what do you mean...?¡±


    -Offer them! For the honor of god! Offer all of your lives!


    Following Chariot of Fire¡¯s grim cry...


    <i>Flick! Kwaaaa!</i>


    A hundred billion imperial soldiers on the battlefield began burning in unison.


    -<i>Kehahaha!</i> Look, insects! This is the power of the Fire Shining in the Highest Skies!


    Then, the sun of despair descended.

 Chapter 80: Glorious Demon Lord

    <h4>Chapter 80: Glorious Demon Lord</h4>


    ¡°<i>Arghhhh!</i>¡±


    ¡°G-Goddess! Save us!¡±


    ¡°No! Not like <i>thiiis! Aarrghh!</i>¡±


    The imperial soldiers cried in despair as they burned to death.


    ¡°N-no! Apostle of God! Please stop! This isn¡¯t what we agreed upon! The emperor will never overlook this!¡± Goddess Arachne screamed, yet the mes never ceased.


    <i>Swoosh!</i>


    -<i>Kehaha!</i> Sacrifice! Offer them up to me!


    Chariot of Fire spread its mouth wide, greedily absorbing the burning soldiers. Yes, all 100 billion of them. The sight, which expanded for several kilometers, was terrifying.


    <i>I can wait until only that chariot is left and crush him!</i>


    Surely, fighting that chariot was much easier than dealing with 100 billion insects? But that thought onlysted briefly, until I saw the chariot expand to a towering 300 meters in height.


    ¡°Impossible!¡±


    <i>Fuck!</i>


    It was still growing! 400 meters, 500 meters, 600 meters... And the mes grew in proportion as well!


    <i>Kwaaaa! Bubble bubble!</i>


    Its heat melted everything in its surroundings until it became a sizzlingva.


    <i>Bam bam bam! Thuuud!</i>


    ¡°<i>Haaap!</i> <i>Muuuuscles!</i>¡± Il-Ho smashed through the nearby walls, before hauling debris the size of a house. ¡°Chariot monster! Smash!¡±


    <i>Vrooom!</i>


    A huge boulder flew straight toward the chariot¡¯s head!


    <i>Boom!</i>


    Yet, before the boulder coulde close to the chariot, it was instantly dissolved by its mes. The sight rendered me speechless. Just how hot were those mes?!


    -<i>Kehahaha! </i>This is the power of my master, Fire Shining in the Highest Skies!


    <i>Kwaaaa!</i>


    The increasingly sweltering mes of the chariot made it feel like the sun had descended.


    <i>Sizzle!</i>


    Its heat spread to us, who were quite some distance away, and white smoke rose from the ground.


    Il-Ho frowned. ¡°L-Lord Yu Il-Shin! What do we do now?¡±


    Honestly, even I had no idea what to do in this situation.


    <i>Wooong!</i>


    -<i>Keke, kekeke!</i>


    Just then, Sword God gave Il-Ho and me a condescending look.


    -<i>Keke, </i>useless! Do you even need to ask?!


    ¡°Well, do you have any good ideas?¡±


    Sword God shouted arrogantly in his frenzied voice.


    -<i>Keke</i>, cut it down! y that lowly chariot and end this war!


    <i>Lowly? You call those mes lowly?</i>


    After devouring a third of the imperial army, Chariot of Fire now stood one kilometer tall.


    <i>Bubble bubble!</i>


    The heat from the chariot spread outward like an overflowing river, and the surrounding ground boiled likeva.


    When I looked skeptically at Sword God, the eyes on the hilt turned red.


    -<i>Kekeke!</i> Fool! Believe in me! In this world, there¡¯s nothing I can¡¯t cut!


    ¡°...Fine.¡±


    Not like there was anything else I could do.


    I drew back the hand that held the sword and said, ¡°Skill Sharing, Sword Demon. First Stance of Demon Lord¡¯s Heavenly Sword, Demon Lord¡¯s Descent!¡±


    Then, I swung Sword God at the nightmarish Chariot of Fire.


    <i>Ssss!</i>


    An invisible sword qi was unleashed! Extreme tiredness overtook my entire body.


    -<i>Kehaha! </i>Sacrifice! Bring me more...! <i>Cough!</i>


    The chariot wasughing boisterously as he absorbed the imperial troops when it suddenly vomitedva-mixed blood.


    <i>Riiip rippppp!</i>


    Starting from the center of its human head, the disgustingly huge chariot had split diagonally.


    -<i>Keke,</i> I did it!


    -N-no! My body! My precious body, given by my master...<i>Arrghhh!</i>


    <i>Bam bam bam!</i>


    Chariot of Fire fell apart, disintegrating. The impact shook the ground like an earthquake. mes shot upward, threatening to pierce the sky.


    -<i>Kekeke!</i> Did you see that! This is <i>my</i> power!


    Sword God yelled arrogantly.


    Even though I was the one who unleashed it?


    ¡°<i>Huff! Huff!</i> This is killing me...¡±


    My sword hand trembled uncontrobly, and my entire body was drenched in sweat. Nevertheless,pared to myst fight with Gustav, where I fainted for a week after just one swing, this was a huge improvement.


    I didn¡¯t get tormented by those stalkers in my dreams for nothing!


    [Silently Crawling Nightmare says to not let your guard down just yet.]


    [Infinite Abundance anxiously stares at the fiery red sky.]


    ...And they chimed in just as I thought of them.


    <i>Fiery red sky?</i> I looked up.


    <i>Kwaaaaa!</i>


    The sky was burning red. At the epicenter was a familiar huge fireball. It looked exactly like the head on Chariot of Fire that I had cut down.


    I was dumbfounded. ¡°Sword God. Can you cut through that too?¡±


    Sword God was silent.


    Upon using my appraisal skill, I saw that the information on the chariot had changed.


    -----


    [Brother of Fire Shining in the Highest Skies (Released from seal)]


    Originally, there were two Sun Gods in Antrinia. The two gods fought for the supremacy of the sky. Half of the continent burned down in the wake of their battle. After the seven-day duel, Fire Shining in the Highest Skies emerged victorious, ultimately bing the one true Sun God in the world. Meanwhile, the loser lost its power and perished.


    However, feeling sympathy for its own brother, Fire Shining in the Highest Skies sealed a fragment of it onto the chariot, naming it their apostle. But now, the seal had broken.


    Special note: Resents Yu Il-Shin for destroying its body, a symbol of the apostleship. Seeks to burn the world out of the immense hatred.


    -----


    <i>Kwaaaaa! Swoosh!</i>


    ¡°<i>Arghhh!</i> Save me!¡±


    ¡°<i>Aaah!</i> I don¡¯t want to die like this!¡±


    While all of this took ce, the imperial troops were still being devoured.


    <i>Sizzle!</i>


    Finally, all 100 billion imperial soldiers were consumed by the apostle. The remaining ashes fell onto the battlefield like ck snow.


    <i>Ruuuumble!</i>


    -How dare you destroy the body my master has bestowed on me! <i>You! </i>You lowly evil god! I¡¯ll reduce you and your world to ashes!


    The zing skull, now ten kilometers in diameter, spewed mes at me while yelling.


    <i>Gulp!</i>


    ¡°Stalkers, what should I do now?¡±


    [All-Cutting Heavenly Sword chuckles, saying your opponent is a High-tier God, so it¡¯s best to just give up.]


    <i>This fucking geezer! Do you still remember how much Godcoins I gave you?!</i>


    -I¡¯ll kill all of <i>youuuuuu!</i>


    <i>Kwaaaaa!</i>


    The scourge of fire cended, threatening to set the world ame.


    ¡°Fuck this!¡±


    I was overwhelmed with despair. How do I stop this catastrophe?


    <i>Kwaaaa! </i>


    As the apostle drew nearer, the heat became too much to bear, and the people of Gayami screamed in agony.


    ¡°<i>Arghhh! </i>God Yu Il-Shin!¡±


    ¡°So hot! Please save us, God Yu Il-Shin!¡±


    Their pain and despair were vividly conveyed to me.


    ¡°Darn it!¡±


    Gritting my teeth, I raised my hand toward the burning red sky and unleashed all my powers.


    ¡°Crushing Forefinger of God! Convicting Middle Finger of God! Proliferating Thumb of God!¡±


    It was such a reckless act, akin to trying to extinguish a forest fire with a single extinguisher.


    ¡°<i>Ughhh!</i>¡±


    I couldn¡¯t even stop the iing cmity for even a second.


    [Insufficient divine power!]


    <i>Pwooosh!</i>


    Along with that message from God-Maker, blood gushed out from my nose and ears.


    <i>I-I don¡¯t have enough power!</i>


    Just then, Il-Ho yelled, ¡°Lord Yu Il-Shin! I offer you this beast!¡±


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Your devout believer and temporary apostle, Il-Ho, offers you the Apostle of Beast of Deceit and Rapacity.]


    Even though I didn¡¯t take it down, God-Maker still responded. It treated the beast as an offering from Il-Ho.


    <i>Tzzz!</i>


    The in apostle crumbled into sand, before being absorbed by my body.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Congrattions, God Yu Il-Shin. The Apostle of Beast of Deceit and Rapacity, offered by Il-Ho had offered you, is a sacrifice equivalent to two S-rank beings.]


    [The number of sacrifices of S-rank and higher intelligent beings with potential for transcendence has increased.]


    [Additional targets: Johan, Gustav, Ruler of the Abyssal Swamp, Beast of Deceit and Rapacity.]


    -----


    [Quest: Low-tier Malevolent God Promotion (In Progress)]


    Normal sacrifice: 52,023,002 /1,000,000,000


    Sacrifices of S-rank or higher intelligent beings with potential for transcendence: 10(4+6)/10


    -----


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [You havepleted the quest.]


    [Congrattions. Yu Il-Shin has been promoted to a Low-tier Malevolent God.]


    <i>Kwaaaa!</i>


    Domineering darkness exploded all over my body, and my depleted divine power surged tremendously. Was this the power of a Low-tier God? My original power had increased by tenfold, if not more!


    ¡°God Yu Il-Shin! Please give us strength!¡± Il-Ho prayed to me, sping his hands tightly with desperation in his eyes.


    ¡°<i>Sniff</i>, God Yu Il-Shin! Puck puck!¡±


    ¡°P-please grant us salvation.¡±


    Following Il-Ho, the people of the Gayami nation prayed to me, looking at me with a mix of fear and reverence.


    <i>Yes, I am your God.</i>


    ¡°<i>Ahhhh!</i> Get away from my children!¡±


    Along with that vicious cry, I poured all of my power into the fiery mes.


    ***


    At the same time, in reality...


    <i>Ruuuuumble! sh!</i>


    ¡°Mister! Are you here?¡±


    Apanied by a dazzling light and a deafening sound, Sung Mi-Ri appeared at the training room.


    With the help of Sung Mi-Na, Sung Mi-Ri¡¯s seal had been broken, allowing her abilities to grow by leaps and bounds. Finally, Sung Mi-Ri had be the S-rank Hunter she¡¯d always wanted to be. Compared to when she was an A-rank, her body was now as light as a feather. At her full strength, she could decimate a small mountain.


    Sung Mi-Ri wanted to share this good news with Yu Il-Shin as soon as possible! Except, no matter how hard she looked, she couldn¡¯t find him.


    Then, she spotted Sword Demon practicing swordsmanship all by himself.


    ¡°<i>Haa</i>... He isn¡¯t at home. Where is he? Uncle Sword Demon, have you seen my teacher?¡± Sung Mi-Ri asked.


    ¡°...<i>Huff, huff!</i> There are Eight Burning Hells in the afterlife, so the Second Stance of Demon Lord¡¯s Heavenly Sword originates from...¡± Sword Demon, drenched in sweat, muttering unintelligible words. He continued swinging his 500 kg ck sword. ¡°Just a little more, a little more...¡±


    Sword Demon had been training with that sword for days like a madman.


    ¡°<i>Haa</i>... At this rate, you¡¯ll copse. I know you and Hades have some kind of rivalry going on, but get some rest.¡±


    <i>Grr! sh!</i>


    Shaking her head, Sung Mi-Ri left the room with a thunderous boom.


    ¡°I must get stronger. I mustn¡¯t be a burden to Mr. Sword God any longer. I must be the true Sword Demon.¡±


    <i>Crack!</i>


    Clenching his jaws tightly, Sword Demon swung his sword down for the millionth time.


    <i>Wooong! </i>


    Briefly, a faint spark flickered from his sword. It was an extremely fleeting realization, but...


    <i>Woooong!</i>


    It awakened a fragment of a forgotten memory of someone from God-Maker, with whom Sword Demon was connected through Yu Il-Shin.


    ***


    -It¡¯s useless to try! ept your fate and perish with this world!


    ¡°Shut up, Fire-breather!<i> Ahhhh!</i> Convicting Middle Finger of God!¡±


    <i>Kwaaaa!</i>


    I barely stopped the apostle¡¯s descent with my ck mes.


    <i>Tzzz! Bubble bubble!</i>


    The fortress walls surrounding the Holy Nation of Gayami melted like chocte bars.


    <i>I-I can¡¯t go on...</i>


    Was it because it had consumed a hundred billion sacrifices? Or was it because it was a former Sun God? I didn¡¯t know. Nevertheless, I was certain I couldn¡¯t stop this cmity even as a Low-tier Malevolent God.


    <i>Dammit, I have no other choice.</i>


    Still, I did have onest trick up my sleeve. The Heavenly Sword Treasury.


    During my battle with Johan, the God of Destroyer ¡°???¡± tried to descend onto Earth. I still shuddered whenever I recalled that moment. And that was only a fragment of its main body...


    <i>I want to save it just in case I run into him in the future, but my hands are tied.</i>


    This disaster, spanning over ten kilometers, was on the verge of setting the sky on fire.


    At this rate, both the Gayami nation and I would perish! Maybe the Mountain-Gnawing Titan¡¯s sword from before could help avert this crisis!


    ¡°<i>Keugh</i>, Heavenly Sword Treasury...¡±


    Just as I was about to summon the treasury...


    <i>Grab!</i>


    A rough, wrinkly hand grabbed my arm with a crushing grip.


    ¡°<i>Keke</i>, fool. Don¡¯t waste your energy. The Mountain-Gnawing Titan¡¯s sword will never be able to cut through fire.¡±


    The hand belonged to a gaunt old man with a scruffy beard. Why did he look so familiar?


    ¡°W-who are you?¡±


    ¡°<i>Keke, </i>I¡¯m but a fool who sought power to y the God of Destroyer, only to go berserk and destroy the world on his own.¡±


    The old man cried as tears of blood streamed down his face.


    ¡°The Demon Lord.¡±


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 81: Demon Lord’s Heavenly Sword Second Stance, Demon Lord’s Pratpana

    <h4>Chapter 81: Demon Lord¡¯s Heavenly Sword Second Stance, Demon Lord¡¯s Pratpana</h4>


    Even though the old man wasughing maniacally, tears of blood overflowed from his eyes. It looked so disturbing. I wasn¡¯t even sure where the self-proimed Demon Lord came from.


    Then again, I didn¡¯t have time to think about this. How do I stop the fiery rain of cmity...?


    ¡°<i>Huh?</i>¡±


    But then, I noticed something odd. Everything¡ªthe burning sun, Il-Ho, and even the people of Gayamis, who were praying fervently to me¡ªwere frozen like paused video footage.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t stop them, you fool. I¡¯m talking to you through your conscience. The real you is still in peril.¡± The old man clicked his tongue.


    He¡¯d been calling me a fool every single time and it pissed me off!


    ¡°<i>Um</i>, I¡¯m not exactly sure who you are...¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the Demon Lord!¡± The old man bellowed.


    ¡°Sure, sure, Elder Demon Lord. Now that we¡¯re acquainted with each other, can you send me back?¡±


    Why would this old man interrupt me from using the Heavenly Sword Treasury? But if time was indeed running in reality, now wasn¡¯t the time to demand an exnation.


    Moreover, this old man didn¡¯t seem sane.


    ¡°<i>Keke, kekeke!</i>¡±


    The old manughed, his shoulders visibly shook. His raspy and harshughter reminded me of the sound an iron pot made when scraped with a metal scouring pad.


    ¡°Be it the righteous, the wicked, and even demons, all who pursue martial arts fear me, revere me, and would even kneel to receive a single enlightenment. How dare you treat me like a lunatic!¡±


    Did I make a mistake?


    <i>Rooooar!</i>


    Suddenly, a thick smell of blood emanated in the air, sending chills down my spine.


    ¡°<i>Kekeke! </i>Heavenly Sword fooled me! He promised to aid me in my revenge, only for me to lose my memories and martial arts in the process! I had to serve him for thousands of years! I was even possessed by a mantis! How disgraceful! But...!¡±


    His bloodshot eyes bore into mine.


    ¡°The way I feel about you is no different from that time!¡±


    <i>Ruuuumble!</i>


    As the ground shook violently, the scene around me changed.


    <i>Ssh ssh!</i>


    A sticky, foul liquid soaked the base of my feet. I looked down to see blood pooling on the ground.


    Bodies of men, women, and children, all dressed in ancient China costumes, piled up high.


    ¡°<i>Hic!¡±</i> I withdrew in shock.


    ¡°Let me ask you. Do you think you¡¯re worthy of me?¡±


    Sitting on top of the mountain of corpses, the old man looked down at me.


    ¡°I, Demon Lord, am the demon among demons, the god of martial arts. From the ancient sage techniques to the secret arts of Buddhism, there is no martial art in this world that I do not know!¡±


    Then, with a gaze of absurdity, Demon Lordmanded me, ¡°Kneel!¡±


    <i>Baaam!</i>


    ¡°<i>Ugh!</i>¡±


    All of a sudden, I was crushed by a great weight. Unable to withstand the pressure, my knees were about to buckle...


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [The innate power Blind Eyes of God has been activated.]


    Then, I finally saw <i>Demon Lord</i>.


    ***


    The man was called Demon Lord.


    Of course, it was just an alias. For as long as he could remember, he¡¯d been an orphan, so he didn¡¯t know his real name.


    Surviving as an orphan was usually difficult, but that didn¡¯t apply to him. He was a genius¡ªa <i>martial arts </i>genius, at that.


    The movements of those self-proimed martial artists were crude, with too many gaps. shy and loud, without substance, like a peacock trying to attract a mate.


    In his opinion, a martial artist only needed to know three things. How to breathe, strike, and swing. <i>Ah, </i>though he struggled slightly until he was five. It couldn¡¯t be helped, and he was still a child. Hemitted his first murder at the young age of eight, and for a trivial reason.


    An old leecher from ck-Blooded Fang Sect used to feed Demon Lord. When he got drunk, he¡¯d beat Demon Lord within an inch of his life. Demon Lord¡¯s miserable life was one thing, but to die such a meaningless death? So, Demon Lord killed him.


    The man cried and begged to be spared, but Demon Lord couldn¡¯t care less about what a bastard had to say.


    But it turned out that the man held some influence in the sect. Soon, the Sapas of the ck-Blooded Fang Sect surrounded Demon Lord. Young and outnumbered, he had no choice but to escape.


    A few years passed, and by the time he was twelve, ck-Blooded Fang Sect was no more. He¡¯d be stronger by taking them out one by one, while sustaining himself with money and elixirs of the departed. They were very good bad guys. Thus, the martial world praised his appearance as a heroic swordsman.


    But when he turned fifteen, the praises changed. At the time, he had annihted the dumb monks from Shaolin Temple, famous for their Big Dipper, as well as the ignorant punks from Wudang Sect.


    Afterward, there were many twists and turns, but they were not worth mentioning. When he finally came of age, the whole world touted him as the world¡¯s greatest master. When he reached thirty, he was called the greatest master since ancient times. And at the age of forty, he was just called Demon Lord.


    By then, there was no worthy opponent left. Filled with boredom, he decided to recruit disciples. He picked up a few orphans along the way and raised them, but their qualities were garbage. He stopped it after a few years, before all the nagging and scoldings could kill him.


    Among them, there was a child called Senior Brother. He wasn¡¯t made for martial arts, but seemed to have a knack for running a sect. In just ten years, Senior Brother managed to build a sect with over 100,000 members.


    To show his respect toward his master, Senior Brother even named it the Demon Lord¡¯s Heavenly Sect. Such an embarrassment it was! Demon Lord wanted to wipe it from the face of earth! But he held back. After raising the kid for a few years, Demon Lord had grown fond of him.


    <i>That was the issue with me. Argh! I harbored too much affection! </i>


    Those beaten up by Demon Lord would deny it, but that was the truth.


    There was a saying that heroes should be ruthless. That was nothing but nonsense spouted by weaklings!


    For a man of his stature, showing a bit of affection wouldn¡¯t hurt? At that time, he felt that way.


    In Eunju Nation, at the residence of the emperor who ruled the continent...


    Since it was midnight, most of the imperial family was asleep.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Master.¡±


    A man¡ªno, woman, gracefully knelt before me. She was the emperor.


    ¡°How unnecessary. Did I teach you anything in thest three seconds?¡±


    ¡°Still, once a master, always a master.¡±


    ¡°...<i>Ahem</i>. The imperial robes suit you.¡±


    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°I owe everything to you, Master.¡± The emperor replied with a smile as pure as the moon.


    Despite herck of talent in martial arts, her looks were second to none.


    Demon Lord knew of her true identity since she was young, and wasn¡¯t interested in her at all. Like he said, he¡¯d raised a few disciples before. And one day, when he was wandering about, looking for someone with potential, he chanced upon a woman.


    The bloodied woman, holding an infant, was chased by some soldiers.


    Demon Lord killed the soldiers without batting an eye. His level and status allowed it. Later, Demon Lord learned that she was a pce servant who fled from an uprising. As for the infant, she was the only descendant of the deceased emperor.


    Naturally, the recently crowned emperor was more than eager to get rid of the infant. In fact, those soldiers were the assassins he¡¯d dispatched to ensure the deed was done.


    And like he said, Demon Lord bore too much affection. He killed every single assassin sent their way, but there was simply no end to them! Reaching the limits of his patience, Demon Lord killed the emperor, reinstating his youngest disciple to the throne.


    ¡°Why do you look like you¡¯re about to die?¡±


    She was Demon Lord¡¯s <i>least </i>disliked disciple. Since it¡¯d been a while since theyst met, he came to visit. But why did his disciple look so haggard?


    ¡°Why? Did some treacherous punk trouble you? <i>Keke,</i> just say the word! It doesn¡¯t matter if they¡¯re an emperor or a demon, I¡¯ll behead them right away!¡±


    ¡°T-that¡¯s not the case...¡± the emperor hesitated, before cautiously continuing. ¡°I¡¯ve been having an ominous dreamtely. A crack formed in the sky, and an abominable being emerged from it, about to devour the world... At the end of the dream, an eerie, spiteful voice whispered in my ear, ¡®Your Majesty, think of this as an honor. This great god has chosen you.¡¯ Whenever I recall that voice, my soul threatens to leave my body... I¡¯m so, so afraid...¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a nightmare. <i>Tsk, tsk. </i>How can the ruler of a nation be this weak? Don¡¯t tell anyone you learned martial arts from me.¡±


    The emperor''s shoulders sunk in dejection, making Demon Lord wonder if he was too harsh.


    ¡°<i>Ahem</i>. Even if that nightmare bes reality, what is there to be afraid of?¡±


    Picking up a brush from the table, Demon Lord dragged the emperor out with him.


    Dark clouds covered the moon and stars in the night sky, reminiscent of the emperor¡¯s expression.


    <i>Slide¡ª</i>


    Demon Lord lightly motioned the brush toward the sky, drawing something.


    <i>Kwaaaa!</i>


    The emperor¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. The clouds were erased, and the words <i>Demon Lord</i> appeared in their ce.


    ¡°The one and only in this whole world. With me here, why fear a nightmare?¡±


    The light of the moon and the stars filtered through the writing in the sky, shining brightly on the emperor''s face.


    ¡°No. I''m not afraid. Master...no, Father.¡±


    ¡°<i>Ahem!</i>¡± Demon Lord''s face flushed in embarrassment.


    But not long after, the emperor''s nightmare came true.


    The God of Destroyer descended into their world. And the emperor...


    ***


    [Your innate power Blind Eyes of God has seen through the Demon Lord.]


    <i>Ssss¡ª</i>


    I opened my eyes and looked around. My surroundings seemed familiar.


    I finally recognized the mountain of corpses as the remains of the Demon Lord¡¯s Heavenly Sect. All 100,000 followers, including the sect leader, were there.


    Then, I saw the emperor. The God of Destroyer¡¯s apostle and Demon Lord¡¯s precious daughter. Demon Lord personally ripped her heart out.


    ¡°I said kneel!¡± Demon Lord roared like a lion at me.


    ¡°<i>Huff, huff!</i>¡±


    My legs were trembling, but I gritted my teeth. Then, I crawled up the mountain of corpses where the old man was. I reached out to him, who sat at the top.


    ¡°I¡¯m unworthy of you, but...¡±


    I¡¯d seen through the Demon Lord¡¯s essence. Thousands upon thousands of years, he waited for a chance to avenge his death!


    ¡°Please lend me your strength! I have things that I need to protect, just like you back then! You might be dissatisfied with me, but if you lend me your power, I shall promise you one thing! I swear upon my title as a god!¡±


    ¡°And that is...?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll let you hack that fucking God of Destroyer!¡±


    The Demon Lord''s brows twitched wildly.


    <i>Thump!</i>


    At the same time, the Mountain-Gnawing Titan began responding. Until now, he¡¯d been curled up in silence.


    ¡°Huh, Titan, you¡¯re vouching for him? Really? For such a greenhorn?¡±


    After staying still for the longest of time, Demon Lord seemed to havee to a decision. He finally opened his ashen lips, ¡°...Alright. I shall try putting my trust in you, Young God.¡±


    Demon Lord reached out to me, ¡°Pull me out!¡±


    I grabbed onto Demon Lord''s hand and pulled him with all my might.


    <i>Ptzzz!</i>


    Then, Demon Lord''s eyes shone a dazzling red. As I returned to reality, new messages popped up on God-Maker.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Demon Lord has recognized you as his master and god.]


    [Demon Lord has be Yu Il-Shin''s follower.]


    [Demon Lord may be deteriorating, but he¡¯s still a high-ranking follower. He had once reached the transcendence level as a human.]


    [Conditions for the Low-tier Benevolent God Promotion quest have been fulfilled!]


    -----


    [Quest: Low-tier Benevolent God Promotion (In Progress)]


    Normal followers: 50,212,321/1,000,000,000


    Followers S-rank or higher intelligent creatures with potential for transcendence: 10(8+2)/10


    -----


    [You havepleted the quest.]


    [Congrattions. Yu Il-Shin has been promoted to a Low-tier Benevolent God.]


    <i>sh!</i>


    A white light rose from within me, a pr opposite of the overwhelming darkness when I was promoted to a Low-tier Malevolent God. I didn¡¯t expect to be promoted as a benevolent god!


    But it was too soon for me to be happy about it.


    ¡°<i>Ughhh!</i>¡±


    <i>Craaack!</i>


    Refusing to mix, the shing power ran amok in my body to the point of explosion.


    -Never! Never shall I forgive you for ruining my god-given body! Burn to death, all of you! Perish, you lowly god and darned insects!


    <i>Kwaaaa!</i>


    In the meantime, the colossal, 10-meter sun incarnate was descending upon me and the people of Gayami nation.


    How was I supposed to stop that?


    Just as despair threatened to overtake me, Demon Lord spoke.


    -Despite my missing martial arts and memories, I''m still <i>the</i> Demon Lord! I¡¯m connected with one of your followers, Sword Demon! His enlightenment has given me an insight to my martial arts!


    Then, Demon Lord roared.


    -Young God! I''ve waited for eons! Channel all of your divine power into me! Let me wield the inferno!


    I did ordingly like a drowning man clutching at straws.


    ¡°<i>Arghh! </i>Convicting Middle Finger of God!¡±


    <i>Kwaaaa! </i>


    From the crimson Sword God, ck mes erupted like a volcano. Nothing I¡¯d unleashed so far couldpare to it! It was at least a hundred times stronger!


    -One way to extinguish a fire is to throw it against arger fire!


    The image of Demon Lord wielding a sword shed across my mind. I raised the sword of ck mes above my head.


    -<i>Kekeke!</i> This is the second stance of Demon Lord''s Heavenly Sword, created after the most terrifying of the eight infernals!


    Then, he swung the ming sword at the apostle of the Sun God.


    -Demon Lord¡¯s Prat¨¡pana, Fire Sword Mirage!


    <i>sh!</i>

 Chapter 82: Apostle Gustavs Legacy

    <h4>Chapter 82: Apostle Gustav''s Legacy</h4>


    <i>Grrrr!</i>


    The Sun God''s apostle was setting the sky aze.


    I swung my sword, unleashing ck mes that pierced through its brows! But given his 10-meter size, it was nothing more than a drop in the ocean.


    -<i>Keke,</i> what was that? You call that an attack? Shouldn¡¯t even try!


    The giant head of fire smiled mockingly.


    -<i>Keke, </i>struggle as much as you want! You¡¯re doomed! All of you will perish along with half of this entire continent! That¡¯s what you get for making me mad!


    <i>Riiip! Baaaam!</i>


    The apostle spread its mouth open, about to burn down everything on the ground.


    -<i>Keke</i>. You¡¯ve been cut, Fireball.


    But then, the eyes on the hilt of my sword mocked incredulously.


    -What?


    -Die.


    With the arrogant Demon Lord''s ridicule, ck mes engulfed the brows of the apostle.


    <i>Flicker!</i>


    The apostle widened its eyes in shock.


    <i>Kwaaaa! Flicker!</i>


    ck mes devoured the apostle¡¯s mes, expanding rapidly and wildly like wildfire.


    Slowly consumed by the unidentifiable mes, the apostle of the Sun God screamed.


    -<i>H!</i> W-whats this?


    -<i>Keke</i>, the mes from the deepest Eight Hot Hells, the Demon Lord¡¯s Prat¨¡pana. I harnessed it for 16,000 years by feeding on evil karma!


    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    <i>Ptzzz!</i>


    The ck mes had swallowed two-thirds of the apostle¡¯s gigantic body. Fear-stricken, the apostle yelled at me.


    -<i>Arghhh! </i>S-stop! Please stop this horrible fire! If you spare me, my master and brother, Fire Shining in the Highest Skies, will be sure to fulfill any of your wishes!


    ¡°Should¡¯ve said that before you tried to kill us, you bastard.¡±


    I raised my middle finger at the screaming apostle.


    -<i>Arghhhh! N-noooo!</i>


    <i>Kwaaaaa!</i>


    As the Sun God¡¯s apostle was in death throes, the ck mes encroached like a sr eclipse.


    <i>Gulp! Sss!</i>


    As if done with its mission, the ck mes turned into smoke and disappeared soon after. Then, the clear blue sky returned to God Maker¡¯s world, Antrinia.


    ¡°<i>Waaaah! </i>God Yu Il-Shin has triumphed!¡±


    ¡°He has performed a miracle and delivered us from a terrible catastrophe!¡±


    "<i>Ooh</i>, praise be to our great God!"


    ¡°God Yu Il-Shin is the god among gods!¡±


    Cheers from the people of the Gayami nation resounded from all directions.


    ¡°<i>Phew.</i>¡±


    I fell helplessly, driving Sword God Demon Lord into the ground. It was definitely hard-fought, but I survived. I had triumphed over a hundred billion insects and their apostles.


    I could feel energy draining from my entire body. My eyelids were getting heavier. Did I consume too much divine power? Sword God seemed to have overexerted himself as well, as the de seemed to be dull.


    ¡°As expected of God Yu Il-Shin! I know he¡¯d win!¡± Anty was screaming in my pocket.


    I carefully handed her to Il-Ho, who stared at me with sparkling eyes. ¡°Il-Ho, I¡¯ll leave her to you...¡±


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Congrattions, God Yu Il-Shin! You have won the holy war!]


    [Your fame has spread across the entire continent!]


    [You can now challenge the quest for ¡°Mid-tier God Promotion¡±!]


    I lost consciousness as more messages from God-Maker appeared.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [God Yu Il-Shin is returning to reality.]


    ***


    <i>Rumble! sh! Ruuumble!</i>


    Using her power, Sung Mi-Ri had been searching high and low for Yu Il-Shin for some time. Finally, she spotted him on the rooftop.


    ¡°<i>Ah</i>, found him!¡±


    <i>Snore¡ª</i>


    Yu Il-Shin was sound asleep. Did he nod off because of the sun? Sung Mi-Ri looked down at him.


    ¡°<i>Hehe</i>.¡± She unconsciously chuckled.


    As she stared at his face, She couldn¡¯t stop smiling for some reason. <i>But, where had he gone?</i>


    His green training suit was covered in dirt, as if he had been rolling around in the ground.


    ¡°<i>Heave-ho.</i> You¡¯ll catch a cold if you sleep here, Mister.¡± Sung Mi-Ri picked him up gently.


    <i>Tap, rolllll¡ª</i>


    Just then, Yu Il-Shin¡¯s phone slipped from his hand and fell to the floor.


    -<i>Waaah!</i>


    On the screen, she could see tiny characters cheering and rejoicing wildly. He must be ying some sort of mobile game.


    ¡°<i>Wow, </i>they look so cute!¡± Sung Mi-Ri eximed without thinking.


    The characters of the mobile game looked so cute and charming, especially the white-haired girl and the Lego-looking muscle man posing next to her.


    -<i>Muuuuscle! </i>God Yu Il-Shin is the best! <i>Puck puck!</i>


    -<i>Kyaaa</i>, I love you! God Yu Il-Shin, <i>puck puck!</i>


    Picking up the phone, Sung Mi-Ri tilted her head.


    ¡°This seems like an interesting game. But why are the characters insulting him?¡±


    ***


    <i>Tadak! Tadadak!</i>


    I was typing like mad in my studio apartment. My unannounced disappearance amidst the paid serialization threw the message board in disarray.


    <i>It can¡¯t be helped, okay? My babies of the Gayami nation and I needed to stay alive</i>


    In fact, I was still pretty exhausted from the aftermath of the war. If possible, I¡¯d like to rest a little more... No, pretty please?


    <strong>Mighty Editor-in-Charge:</strong>


    Mr. Yu~? I¡¯d like to remind you that you¡¯re in the most important period. Even though your novel is the top of the <i>Golden Best, </i>it¡¯s still free to read.


    <i>Haha</i>, of course, our Mr. Yu Il-Shin should know this much. I firmly believe that.


    Did you know? I always remember the first time you brought me your first manuscript ten years back as if it was yesterday.


    And all I could say was that you are a genius....


    That long text from my editor, a thinly veiled threat and appeasement, was enough to keep me going. Well, let¡¯s not forget that, in addition to the loans, my ount bnce was practically empty. I went broke dealing with those damn imperial insects!


    I still couldn¡¯t get over how the method I had employed, using my entire fortune, didn¡¯t help much in the war


    ¡°<i>Phew</i>, send.¡±


    <i>Click!</i>


    With a single click of the mouse, I¡¯d uploaded thepleted manuscript onto Dalpia.


    As of now, the novel was only midway through the second volume. The story progressed from how I created the Second Moon to when Il-Ho climbed the Tower of Warriors, and finally to the time I defeated Sword Demon with Sword God.


    Although I wrote it based on my own experience, the scenes with the Gayami were especially popr. I mean, they were adorable and cool and all, but what about me, the protagonist? Among all the characters in my novel, my character most likely didn¡¯t make it to the top ten.


    ¡°<i>Ughhh!</i>¡± I took a slow, long stretch of my body.


    Now that I had extinguished the most urgent fire, it was time for me to address the other pending issues.


    Thus, I opened my desk drawer. In therey the Demon Lord, with a crack on its de, and the dagger I¡¯d taken from the mantis in the past.


    I appraised the dagger.


    -----


    [General Kamikiri¡¯s Divine Sword]


    One of the entities of the All-Cutting Heavenly Sword.


    Special note: The spirit inhibiting the divine sword has disappeared.


    -----


    I took it after defeating the mantis, General Kamiri. At that time, it had such an eerie, bloody glow to it. But somehow, the glow had disappeared over time and it turned into an ordinary dagger.


    I didn¡¯t think much of it back then, but now I realized the reason. The spirit of Demon Lord, which originally dwelled in the dagger, had possessed my kitchen knife instead.


    ¡°Mr. Heavenly Sword. Until when are you going to stay pissed? Are you not going to repair Sword God¡ªno, Demon Lord?¡±


    Finally, I heard answers from one of them.


    [All-Cutting Heavenly Sword res at you, screaming that you¡¯re a thief.]


    Heavenly Sword was clearly unhappy that I had kept Demon Lord for myself. He was about to return Demon Sword¡¯s spirit to his treasury when I converted him into my follower instead.


    In the past, the stubborn old Demon Lord refused to listen to All-Cutting Heavenly Sword, who then stole and sealed his memories into a sword. Afterward, All-Cutting Heavenly Sword enved him for thousands of years, offering the sword to followers in exchange for sacrifices. Clearly, an evil boss.


    But then, Demon Lord came into contact with the Demon Lord¡¯s Heavenly Sword and recovered part of his memories. In order to take revenge on the God of Destroyer and turn the situation around, Demon Lord decided to be my follower, pissing All-Cutting Heavenly Sword off.


    <i>Sheesh, he isn¡¯t even a child anymore.</i>


    ¡°It¡¯s not the first time anyway, so stop being angry and repair Demon Lord, won¡¯t you? I¡¯ll pay you handsomely for it.¡±


    Finally, Mr. Heavenly Sword responded, and <i>coldly. </i>He said he was a businessman. He thought far into the future, and wouldn¡¯t get caught up in the past.


    [All-Cutting Heavenly Sword says that his loss is too huge. He¡¯d like to be paid 50,000,000 Gcoins for the repair.]


    ¡°<i>Huh?!</i> This old man, that¡¯s too expensive!¡±


    <i>What a crook!</i>


    I had about 50 million Godcoins left. I had the chance to earn 100 billion coins in the most recent war, but that fucking fire bastard swallowed almost all of them as sacrifices. As such, my final earnings became meager.


    [All-Cutting Heavenly Sword retrieves Demon Lord.]


    <i>Tzzz!</i>


    Pure white radiance enveloped the cracked sword. Before the red eyes on the hilt disappeared, it red at me and spoke.


    -Don¡¯t forget to train...during my absence. You mustn¡¯t forget your promise to let me have a go at that damn God of Destroyer....


    ¡°Yes, of course. Demon Lord, you should take care of your body¡ªno, sword.¡±


    -<i>Keke</i>, what a fool.


    <i>Ssss!</i>


    Demon Lord disappeared with a smirk.


    God of Destroyer, ¡°???¡±, was the one who corrupted Demon Lord¡¯s foster daughter, the emperor. After turning her into an apostle, he destroyed the world. So far, two of his apostles, Johan and Gustav, hade after me, so we were well acquainted by this point.


    ¡°Wait, who the hell is this God of Destroyer? What is his motive?¡±


    Despite having devoured the worlds of Mountain-Gnawing Titan and Demon Lord, he still set his sights on Earth. The world I was in. My home.


    [Eternal Seeker snarls that he is a greedy monster that has existed since the dawn of time, feeding on the world.]


    [Infinite Abundance says worriedly that the beast seems to have no purpose.]


    [Silently Crawling Nightmare shouts that you shouldn¡¯t worry because she will protect you.]


    ¡°So far, all of you seem to be on almost equal standing. How do youpare to the God of Destruction?¡±


    ...No response.


    I put on my jumper tightly and went out for some air. The night breeze was chilly enough to turn my exhtion white. But since I was much stronger, I didn¡¯t feel the cold. Afterpleting both the malevolent and benevolent god quests, I had be a Low-tier God of both alignments.


    Even so, whenever I recalled the God of Destroyer, I could only sigh. ording to Demon Lord, the God of Destroyer would create apostles in the world heid his eyes on. Then, he¡¯d open an interdimensional gate through them to descend upon the world.


    <i>So, we can prevent his descent by putting a stop to his apostles...</i>


    Just then, my phone rang.


    <strong>Homeless Hyungnim</strong>


    It was from Choi Kang-San. As soon as I picked up the call, I could hear him scream as if his house was on fire.


    ¡ªYou. Where are you? Come to the Hunter Association immediately!


    ¡°What? What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡ªWe received urgent reports from Africa! That crocodile monster that attacked the academy had arge number of eggs!

 Chapter 83: Yu Il-Shin Has Descended Upon The Hunter Association

    <h4>Chapter 83: Yu Il-Shin Has Descended Upon The Hunter Association</h4>


    <i>Vrooom! Screech!</i>


    The taxi I boarded came to a stop outside a building in Gangnam.


    <i>Wow, it¡¯s really huge.</i>


    This 44-floor building, where the Hunter Association was located, was worth its weight in gold in the entire South Korea. On top of the building, there was a billboard featuring the country¡¯s top S-rank Hunters, and one of them looked extremely familiar.


    ¡¸Seductive and deadly allure. The one thing S-rank Hunter Sung Mi-Na never forgets before entering a dungeon! The only choice to protect your skin!¡¹


    Themercial showed a beautiful woman with emerald-colored hair spraying a sparkling mist, exuding a mysterious charm that embodied the innocence of a young girl and the allure of a woman...


    ¡°<i>Ah!</i>¡±


    Suddenly, I saw Sung Mi-Na running toward me as if she had jumped out of the screen. She pulled me into a tight hug. ¡°<i>Hehe, </i>here you are!¡±


    Sung Mi-Na gazed at me cutely. She was older than I was, but two heads shorter.


    ¡°H-hello, Mr. Guardian.¡±


    Recalling her original self made me fear for my future. How worrisome. After regaining her memories, wouldn¡¯t she skin me alive? Considering her personality, she definitely wouldn¡¯t remain calm.


    <i>...Maybe I should hold off on restoring her memories for the sake of self-preservation.</i>


    ¡°Teacher, you¡¯re here!¡±


    A familiar face then greeted me at the entrance.


    ¡°<i>Hey! </i>How long ago did I call you?! Why are you only here now?!¡±


    ¡°Greetings to Mr. Sword God!¡±


    Choi Kang-San, Sung Mi-Ri, and Sword Demon approached me. Sung Mi-Ri wore her signature Thunder Emperor¡¯s ck helmet and a full-bodytex costume. It¡¯d been a while since Ist saw her in that getup. She¡¯d saved my life more than once.


    ¡°There''s heavy traffic in Gangnam.¡±


    ¡°Come quickly! The President really wants to see you!¡± Choi Kang-San pulled my arm tightly.


    I tilted my head curiously. Why would the president of the Hunter Association want to meet me?


    <i>Ah, maybe it¡¯s because of the crocodile eggs that were discovered recently?</i>


    Since I¡¯d defeated Gustav, I thought it made sense. But, there was something more pressing.


    I handed something to Choi Kang-San.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my receipt for the taxi fare. This can be...reimbursed, right?¡±


    <i>Don¡¯t look at me like that. I¡¯m broke as hell, so every penny to me counts.</i>


    ***


    <i>Ding!</i>


    The elevator took us up to the top floor. In the elevator lobby, a sharp-eyed man wearing a crisp suit and sses was waiting for us.


    My eyes appraised him.


    -----


    [Choi Woo-Shin]


    A male human. Around for 36 years.


    Special note: Has quite useful muscles.


    -----


    Not only was his name disyed on the window, he also had a rtively positive review. Most likely, he was an A-rank Reinforce-type Hunter. From the looks of it, he seemed to be quite an intelligent elitist. Still, I shouldn¡¯t judge a book by its cover.


    ¡°Hello, Mr. Secretary.¡±


    ¡°Hello, Ms. Mi-Ri. It has been a while since Ist met everyone.¡±


    Sung Mi-Ri bowed politely, and Choi Woo-Shin bowed in return. Slightly pushing his silver-rimmed sses up, the man looked at the entourage beforeying his gaze on me.


    <i>What¡¯s wrong? Is there something on my face?</i>


    ¡°Insolent punk!¡± Sword Demon sullenly stepped in front of Choi Woo-Shin. ¡°How dare you stare at him! I¡¯ll gouge your eyes out!¡±


    I hastily elbowed him, whispering, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?!¡±


    ¡°I never liked men in suits. Also, there¡¯s those eyes of his. They¡¯re ravishing you! How dare he re at Mr. Sword with such a filthy gaze!¡±


    <i>Objectively speaking, you are worse.</i>


    Choi Woo-Shin was unperturbed by Sword God¡¯s insults.


    <i>Crack!</i>


    Or not. Choi Woo-Shin had a poker face, but his fists were clenched tight, visibly trembling.


    ¡°Follow me. The meeting has already begun.¡±


    Disyingst-minute patience, Choi Woo-Shin led us to the meeting room. As he opened the doors, he said, ¡°Please remain silent while in the meeting room. As for the fellow in ck, he can wait outside.¡±


    ¡°Standby?! I¡¯m one with Mr. Sword God!¡± Sword Demon¡¯s face contorted like a demon¡¯s.


    Sword Demon was about to force his way through when Choi Woo-Shin raised his right arm to stop him.


    ¡°I said wait outside. Do not forget that you''re still under supervision.¡±


    ¡°What if I still insist?¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll have to resort to violence.¡±


    ¡°<i>Oh?</i> How dare you...¡±


    As they red at each other, sparks seemed to fly from their eyes. My head throbbed when I saw them having a staring contest.


    I sighed and said, ¡°Wait outside, Mr. Sword Demon.¡±


    ¡°But, Mr. Sword God!¡±


    I whispered to him. ¡°Stand watch here. Make sure no one suspicious enters the room. You can do that, right? I¡¯m counting on you.¡±


    Sword Demon¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Of course! I, Sword Demon, shall fulfill this mission even if my life is forfeit!¡±


    ¡°No, no need to risk your life...¡±


    ¡°Yes, Sir!¡± Sword Demon shouted.


    Then, Sword Demon stood outside the door like a stone statue. He looked dead serious, determined not to let anyone through.


    <i>Such an obedient fanatic, but his actions leave me feeling quite burdened...</i>


    Choi Woo-Shin sighed, rubbing his seemingly throbbing temples. ¡°Let¡¯s head in, then.¡±


    He proceeded to open the doors and quietly led us to our seats, which had been prepared in advance.


    ¡°Yo! You guys are here?¡± A mboyant, red-haired young man greeted us. He was none other than the S-rank Hunter Baek Yoo-Hyun.


    ¡°<i>Ah</i>, Yoo-Hyun hyungnim.¡±


    ¡°Sit here. Mi-Na can sit next to me.¡± Baek Yoo-Hyun pulled out her chair like a gentleman, but Mi-Na hid behind me with fear in her eyes. ¡°No! I want to be with Shin!¡±


    ¡°<i>Haa.</i> Just when will Mi-Na get her memories back? She¡¯s cute, but I still can¡¯t get used to this side of her.¡±


    That pricked my conscience a bit. ¡°...I¡¯ll do my best.¡±


    ¡°<i>Hmm</i>. For those who just arrived, please quietly be seated.¡± Signaled the president of the Hunter Association. ¡°<i>Ahem</i>. Let¡¯s move on to our next agenda. Previously, we discovered a dungeon in Byeokgeolje, Gimje, Jeonbuk province. We determined it to be an Undead-type dungeon, Death Dragon. It¡¯s at least Rank A and is currently at 20% activation. We need to conquer it before it goes into a disarray.¡±


    The screen disyed the scene of the Gimje ins turning ck. Zombies were prowling around, one of the many characteristics of Undead-type dungeons.


    Then, a young man in his thirties raised his hand. He looked like Baek Yoo-Hyun, but with dark hair and a stoic expression on his face.


    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°How about leaving the Death Dragon dungeon to the Taeyang Guild, where Dragon yer Baek Yoo-Hyun belongs? We have the data of the Dark Dragon dungeon, which we cleared a while back. I promise a swift raid in the name of Taeyang Guild.¡±


    ¡°Kiddo, do you not hear him?! It¡¯s an <i>Undead-type</i> dungeon! We necromancers of the Immortal Guild are made for this job!¡±


    An old man in ck robes glowered fiercely at the man who had just spoken. His long, ck beard reached his chest, and his robes gave him the appearance of a grim reaper.


    ¡°You¡¯re being too harsh, Sir. I¡¯m also a guild master myself.¡± The younger man frowned.


    ¡°<i>Keke, </i>you got some guts, Kiddo. Before, a cat always got your tongue, but now you¡¯ve be quite outspoken. Don¡¯t hitch on your little brother¡¯s sess too much.¡±


    I recognized both of them. They frequently appeared on TV and Newtube. They were Baek Geon and Ko Sa-Deuk, guild masters of Taeyang Guild and Immortal Guild, the top five guilds in South Korea.


    Especially Baek Geon, Baek Yoo-Hyun¡¯s older brother. He might only be an A-rank Hunter, but he yed a major role in developing Taeyang Guild into one of the most prestigious guilds in Korea.


    Meanwhile, Ko Sa-Deuk, like Choi Kang-San, was a first-generation S-rank Hunter in South Korea. He was a legendary figure nicknamed the One Man Army.


    The Hunter Association President interrupted their war of nerves and said, ¡°If any of you wish to bid for this dungeon, submit a report to the association. It must include the exact number of troops you can dispatch, along with a detailed n to raid the dungeon. The association will evaluate and allocate fairly. Then, let¡¯s move on to the next on the list...¡±


    Besides the two guild masters, the other participants in the room had distinctive appearances. Among them were many S-rank Hunters representing South Korea, but...


    I recognized the S-rank Creation-type Hunter Kang Woo. The middle-aged man was known for his mature charm and dashing long beard.


    Then, I saw the S-rank Reinforce-type Hunter Gal Joong-Hyuk. The man, nicknamed ck Knight, was d in heavy armor reminiscent of a medieval knight.


    Then, there was the powerful S-rank Qigong-type Hunter Shin Yoo, who seemed like an idol because of his delicate appearance and white hair.


    Looking at them made me feel like I was doing intuitive critical thinking. After all, in the past, I had researched these people for my Hunter novel.


    But someone stood out from the rest.


    <i>...Who is that person?</i>


    Sitting among the esteemed guild masters and S-rank Hunters was someone wearing a ridiculous penguin mask. From the white dress and her figure, I could tell it was a woman. How was she allowed to enter in that outfit?


    Out of curiosity, I tried to appraise her with my power, but...


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Appraisal failed!]


    <i>Huh?</i>


    But why? My appraisal skill almost never failed before!


    At that moment, the penguin-maskeddy turned around.


    <i>sh!</i>


    A blue light shone from behind the mask, seemingly trying to look for me, and I quickly ducked in fear.


    <i>Who is she? She¡¯s scary.</i>


    ¡°Lad, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Choi Kang-San asked.


    ¡°<i>Um</i>, I don¡¯t feel like I should be here. There are too many powerful people...¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about? You¡¯re the hero who saved the academy! Of course you should be here! I¡¯ll beat up anyone who says otherwise!¡±


    ¡°Homeless Hyungnim...¡± I was touched by his words.


    Ultimately, the meeting was disgustingly boring. I was nodding off to the president¡¯s voice as if I was listening to the principal¡¯s sermon.


    <i>Ding ding!</i>


    Just then, there was a notification on God-Maker.


    [Il-Ho earnestly pleads for salvation from God Yu Il-Shin!]


    Rubbing my sleepy eyes, I nced at my phone and saw Il-Ho. He was lying on the ground, exhausted. <i>Haa, </i>it hadn¡¯t been that long since our fight with the imperial army, and here he was, going at it again.


    ¡°...Surely, everyone here has heard of ¡®Gustav¡¯? It was the SS-rank monster who killed S-rank Hunter Sergey and attacked the Hunter Academy. Among the hundred eggs we recovered from Lake Tanganyika in Africa, this is the only unhatched one left.¡±


    At the snap of the president¡¯s fingers, two burly men brought a giant egg to the front of the room, grunting along the way. Rather than a crocodile¡¯s egg, it looked more like a dinosaur¡¯s. Just to be safe, the egg was covered in various seals.


    ck Knight Gal Joong-Hyuk spoke, ¡°Mr. President, are you sure this Gustav monster is Rank SS? Sergey became an S-rank Hunter because his teleportation andbat skills are above average for A-ranks. I don¡¯t think this monster should bebeled as a National Disaster-level monster just because it killed Gustav. Moreover, it was defeated by an unknown teacher from the academy...¡±


    ¡°Healing Ring Finger of God.¡± I used my powers on Il-Ho like usual.


    [You paid 100 Gcoins for the healing.]


    [Il-Ho has been bestowed with the Blessings of Yu Il-Shin.]


    <i>sh! Kwaaaa!</i>


    Unexpectedly, my body emitted a radiant white light, blinding the meeting room.


    -<i>Ooh</i>, not only did my wounds heal, but I can feel strength surging through my entire body! I can rip the throats of my enemies with this! Praise be to the great God Yu Il-Shin! <i>Puck puck!</i>


    As if he had received buffs, Il-Ho cheered with joy. I was taken aback by this sudden change in situation.


    ¡°Is he the academy teacher who defeated the SS-rank monster?¡±


    ¡°He looks ordinary, though?¡±


    Everyone¡¯s attention was now on me.


    <i>This is a little overwhelming. Did my power increase after I got promoted to a Low-tier God?</i>


    Just then...


    <i>Riiiiip!</i>


    Gustav¡¯s egg began cracking.


    -Found you! Enemy of my mother!

 Chapter 84: Can I Raise This Beast?

    <h4>Chapter 84: Can I Raise This Beast?</h4>


    -Found you! Enemy of my mother!


    <i>Kyaaaaa!</i>


    The beast didn¡¯t speak but roared, yet I could understand what it said.


    <i>Wriggle!</i>


    A pair of yellow reptilian eyes gleamed through the cracked egg, looking straight at me.


    <i>Baaaam!</i>


    The seals covering the egg exploded all at once.


    ¡°<i>Keugh!</i>¡±


    ¡°Mr. President! Summon, Aegis Shield!¡±


    S-rank Creation-type Hunter Kang Woo hurriedly reached out, and a golden shield emzoned with the mark of a snake-headed woman appeared before the president.


    Others also rushed over to protect the president. Unbeknownst to them, the old man wasn¡¯t the target.


    Something around a meter tall protruded from the egg, vanishing in the next moment.


    <i>Swaaaaa!</i>


    A tiny crocodile monster, covered entirely in blue scales, cut through the air and rushed toward me at lightning speed. It spread its jaws open, baring its hideous fangs at my neck. For something so small, its ferocity was frightening.


    Even so, I didn¡¯t feel any danger.


    <i>Why is it so slow?</i>


    Although it was as fast as a bullet, it seemed so slow to me, as if ying in slow motion.


    As casually as swatting a mosquito, I pointed my index finger at it. It felt like the most natural thing to do.


    As the crocodile hatchling got closer, our eyes met. Indeed. Why should I hesitate to kill such a lowly creature?


    ¡°Crushing Forefinger of G¡ª¡±


    Before I could use my power, the crocodile hatchling¡¯s eyes widened in horror.


    ¡°Where do you think you''re going?!¡±


    <i>Grab!</i>


    ck Knight Gal Joong-Hyuk moved at an unbelievable speed for his size, grabbed the crocodile hatchling by the neck, and flung it backward.


    ¡°Nice catch.¡±


    <i>ck ck ck!</i>


    The crocodile hatchling flew like a tossed parcel, heading toward a certain white-haired man. He charged and took a swing at it with his sword qi.


    <i>sh! Kieeeeek!</i>


    The crocodile was shed into two and fell to the ground.


    <i>Thud! </i>


    Shin Yoo''s lips curved into a celebrity smile as he wiped the blood off his hands. ¡°<i>Phew</i>. That was shocking. Is everyone alright?¡±


    <i>Hmm.</i>


    My raised forefinger stiffened a bit. Should I say... as expected of S-rank Hunters? They were really incredible! Mypanions weren¡¯t fazed in the slightest.


    ¡°S-scary...¡±


    ¡°Everything''s fine, Unni.¡±


    ¡°That''s right. You have us, Mi-Na.¡±


    Sung Mi-Na was afraid, but Sung Mi-Ri and Baek Yoo-Hyun were there for her. Choi Kang-San''s muscles bulged as he prepared to respond if necessary.


    Meanwhile, the crocodile hatchlingy mangled. With its body torn apart, guts, and blood scattered everywhere, it was only a matter of time until death came. Yet, it refused to die.


    Tears overflowed from the round eyes of the dying crocodile, which made me start to feel a bit sorry for it.


    ¡°<i>Tweh!</i> How persistent. It¡¯s still alive.¡±


    As the crocodile hatchling whimpered, ck Knight Gal Joong-Hyuk raised his steel-encased foot, wanting to crush its head.


    ¡°Wait.¡±


    <i>Plop!</i>


    The man in ck robes stopped him. He was the Immortal Guild¡¯s guild master, Ko Sa-Deuk.


    ¡°What? Why would you interrupt me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen this monster before, so killing it would be a waste. Give it to me. I want to dissect it alive. <i>Keke.</i>¡±


    Gal Joong-Hyuk made a face. ¡°No way. I want to bash its head. I have to vent my anger somehow!¡±


    ¡°<i>Tsk.</i> I''m way too old to be repeating myself. You''re just a towering waste of space, just like Baek Hyun. Youngsters nowadays have no brains.¡±


    Then, Ko Sa-Deuk¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°<i>Keke.</i> Maybe seeing death will wake you up.¡±


    <i>Ruuumble!</i>


    The 44-floor building shook as if being hit by an earthquake. At the same time, the space behind Ko Sa-Deuk tore open, and a spine-chilling, ghostly wail echoed from beyond.


    -<i>Keeheehee!</i>


    -<i>Kikiki!</i>


    Choi Kang-San rushed out with an extremely tense expression. ¡°<i>Urk. </i>Stop it, you damn old man! Are you trying to summon Yaksha soldiers into this ce?!¡±


    ¡°This old man is practicing his own funeral! Come out, Soul Mecha Lazenca!¡±


    <i>nk nk!</i>


    ck Knight Gal Joong-Hyuk¡¯s face contorted as he took a battle stance with armor that was twice his size.


    This was the legendary ¡°five minutes before a fight¡± that I had only heard of.


    It was a pity that I didn¡¯t have any popcorn with me. There was nothing more entertaining than watching a full-blown fight.


    <i>Kieeeek...</i>


    At that moment, I heard whimpering akin to a puppy¡¯s.


    -Please... save me...


    It came from the crocodile hatchling, whose body had been severed into two. I appraised it.


    -----


    [Apostle Gustav¡¯s Baby Crocodile]


    A male crocodile. Around for 5 minutes.


    Special note: Fear-stricken and dying.


    -----


    I never intended to crush it to death, and it was too heartbreaking to just watch it die five minutes after it hade to this world. It was a bit too big to be called a hatchling, but still.


    [Infinite Abundance looks at the dying crocodile hatchling withpassionate eyes, saying that even if its parents were guilty, the child is innocent.]


    Just then, one of my stalkers responded.


    <i>Uhm, Abundance noonim, you might be right.</i>


    ¡°You punks! Stop it!¡±


    ¡°Yes, everyone! What will the public think if they see this?!¡±


    Choi Kang-San and Shin Yoo, along with all the other S-rank Hunters, tried their best to stop Ko Sa-Deuk and Gal Joong-Hyuk.


    Even if I used my healing power on this baby crocodile, would it survive for even a second in this chaos?


    -Mummy... Mummy...


    <i>Kieeee...</i>


    <i>I don¡¯t know why, but I feel so guilty. Is it because I could understand what it''s saying? Is this the side effect of being promoted to a Low-tier God?</i>


    [Infinite Abundance looks at you with pleading eyes, asking if you could be merciful just this once.]


    <i>Um, I would love to, but in this mess, it¡¯s kind of difficult... Huh?</i>


    <i>Ding!</i>


    God-Maker suddenly responded.


    [Merciful andpassionate Low-tier God Yu Il-Shin, will you show mercy upon this insignificant mortal? (Yes/No)]


    <i>What¡¯s this out of the blue?</i> If I showed mercy, would this situation be resolved? I pressed ¡°Yes¡± out of curiosity.


    <i>Swoosh!</i>


    The dying baby crocodile crumbled into dust and disappeared.


    I huped involuntarily.


    The baby crocodile that had been lying on the floor just a moment ago was transported into my phone! More urately, it had been sent into the world of God-Maker, Antrinia!


    <i>Fuck, how did it get in there?</i>


    Luckily, no one else seemed to have noticed it yet. I was afraid of what would happen once they found out I¡¯d stolen it.


    <i>Bam bam bam!</i>


    Just then, Sword Demon stormed into the room with an enormous ck sword. ¡°I''m here, Mr. Sword God! Is everything okay?!¡±


    In a sh, everyone¡¯s attention turned to Sword Demon.


    ¡°Y-you...?¡± The look on Shin Yoo¡¯s face stood out in particr. He looked both surprised and overjoyed. ¡°You¡¯re Kang Geom, aren''t you?!¡±


    ¡°<i>Ack!</i> You got the wrong person.¡±


    ¡°Stop lying! I¡¯m Shin Yoo, your one and only friend! Have you forgotten?¡±


    ¡°I said you got the wrong person!¡±


    Did they know each other? Come to think of it, I might¡¯ve seen Shin Yoo digging up information about Johan¡¯s Brilliance Guild in the past...


    Anyway, I should probably leave. I turned to Baek Yoo-Hyun, putting on my best acting performance.


    ¡°<i>Ugh</i>, Yoo-Hyun hyungnim. I suddenly feel sick, so I¡¯ll head home first.¡±


    ¡°What? Already? The president wanted to meet you, though.¡±


    ¡°<i>Haaa...! </i>I must¡¯ve added a rotten egg to my ramyun this morning. I should¡¯ve known... It¡¯s over two months old...¡±


    ¡°<i>Aigoo</i>, why would you eat that?!¡± Baek Yoo-Hyun stared at me pitifully. Then, he pulled out a few bills from his wallet and put them in my hands.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, this is all the money I have. Go to a hospital and make sure you eat fresh food next time.¡±


    Tears streamed down my face. ¡°<i>Huuhuu...</i> Thank you, Yoo-Hyun hyungnim.¡±


    Finally, I walked away.


    ***


    That baby crocodile was thest to hatch from the 100 eggs that Apostle Gustav hadid. It had no name, and within minutes of its birth, a small human¡¯s sword cut it in half, almost killing it.


    A big man in ck armor had easily subdued it with one hand, and an old man had stared at it hungrily as if it were prey. It was only natural for it to be terrified, especially since it didn''t know that humans could be so strong.


    Above all, it was most afraid of a certain man¡ªhis mother¡¯s killer.


    Instinctively sensing the man¡¯s power, the baby crocodile broke through the egg with all its might. Then, it lunged at him!


    But in response, the man merely pointed his index finger at it.


    ¡°Crushing Forefinger of G¡ª¡±


    <i>Chills!</i>


    Overwhelming power, akin to an erupting volcano, emanated from his finger. The baby crocodile stiffened momentarily.


    That wasn¡¯t a man. That was a colossal being wearing human skin.


    Instantly, the baby crocodile understood why its strong, beautiful mother perished after giving birth.


    Had it not been defeated by other humans, the baby crocodile would¡¯ve been crushed by that monster it called an enemy.


    <i>Krrr...</i>


    The baby crocodile was slowly losing consciousness. Its not-so-short life shed before its eyes, mainly its memories when it was still inside the egg.


    The baby crocodile was among the hundred eggs Gustav hadid. It heard the voices of its siblings, who were born before him.


    -Alpha, the humans areing.


    -We¡¯re still weak. To fight them, we need to get stronger. Brother, let¡¯s scatter all across the world. We have to harness our power and harvest the sacrifices of God to carry on our mother¡¯s mission.


    -Alpha, what about thisst egg?


    -<i>Hmph</i>, we don¡¯t need an imbecile who can¡¯t wake up on its own!


    <i>No! Brothers! Please bring me along!</i>


    Trapped inside the egg, the baby crocodile couldn''t even scream.


    Before it could evene to this world, its own kin had already abandoned it. Tears of realization overflowed from the baby crocodile¡¯s eyes. It wanted to avenge its mother¡¯s death, but...


    ¡°Healing Ring Finger of God Yu Il-Shin!¡±


    Suddenly, as ifmanded by the angelic voice, a fuzzy warm white light enveloped the crocodile.


    This feeling... was reminiscent of being in a mother''s embrace. How it had missed this sensation.


    <i>Tzzz!</i>


    Then, like a miracle, life returned to the baby crocodile.


    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    <i>sh!</i>


    The baby crocodile''s eyes fluttered open.


    ¡°<i>Ah!</i> God Yu Il-Shin! The beast you picked up has woken up!¡±


    The first thing it saw was a beautiful, petite, white-haired girl.


    Anty smiled brightly. ¡°Hello.¡±

 Chapter 85: The Thirty Floor of the Tower of Warriors — Trial of Dead Dragon

    <h4>Chapter 85: The Thirty Floor of the Tower of Warriors ¡ª Trial of Dead Dragon</h4>


    <i>What is this ce? Who is this petite girl?</i>


    The baby crocodile was overwhelmed by its surroundings. Not to mention, its body was no longer separated! It had been healed as if nothing ever happened! If not for the faint scar on its stomach, the baby crocodile would¡¯ve thought that it merely had a horrifying nightmare.


    Thinking it didn¡¯t hear her, Anty hovered her hands near her mouth, mimicking a megaphone, and screamed. ¡°Hello!¡±


    <i>Growl¡ª</i>


    Letting out a low growl, the baby crocodile stood up.


    <i>Ruuuumble!</i>


    ¡°<i>Wow,</i> you''re huge,¡± Anty eximed in awe. Compared to her height, the baby crocodile was akin to a small mountain.


    The baby crocodile was also surprised. Anty was much smaller than expected. Was the human of this world just this small? She was so different from the scary humans it had met back in the meeting room. It could probably kill her with a flick of its toe.


    Just as it entertained such a casual thought...


    <i>Chills!</i>


    Goosebumps spread throughout its entire body, prickling its skin. Feeling a burning gaze, the baby crocodile looked up to the sky.


    There was <i>that man, </i>but he was no longer in his human form. He towered into the skies, shrouded in ck mes that seemed to have originated from hell. A crown of horns was ced above his hideous face.


    That must be the true form of his mother¡¯s killer! The great malevolent god, Yu Il-Shin!


    <i>Shiver!</i>


    The baby crocodile shuddered in fear.


    <i>Grrrrr!</i>


    As the great evil god lowered his head, his gaze seared the baby crocodile.


    <i>Ssss¡ª</i>


    As if a mountain had fallen, Yu Il-Shin¡¯s forefinger came crashing down at the baby crocodile. It froze on the spot, unable to run away. Death was imminent and inescapable.


    <i>Shhhhh!</i>


    The baby crocodile was so terrified that it pissed itself.


    Watching the baby crocodile tremble as it awaited its demise, Anty rushed toward it. She spread her arms wide in an attempt to protect it, screaming, ¡°Lord Yu Il-Shin, please stop! I beg of you!¡±


    <i>Why is she being so reckless? </i>The baby crocodile thought. Would such a terrible, wicked god even listen to a small human like her?


    Yet...


    <i>Crunch!</i>


    A miracle happened¡ªthe forefinger had stopped! The great evil god red at Anty and spoke.


    -Even if his bloodlust was directed toward me?


    Instinctively, the baby crocodile covered its ears with its front legs. The great evil god¡¯s fury was so deafening, almost shattering its eardrums.


    ¡°Still, it¡¯s so young! I know for sure that it bears no malice!


    -Shouldn¡¯t we just kill it right away? It might harm you and the people of the Gayami nation in the future.


    ¡°K-kill?! Such a small child...?! That¡¯s too cruel! Look at how cute it is!¡±


    The great evil god seemed confused.


    -Cute? That thing? Anty, I¡¯ve thought about this for a while, but you might need to get your eyes checked...


    ¡°Lord Yu Il-Shin! I¡¯ll take responsibility for this beast and raise it properly, so please have mercy!¡± tears welled up in Anty¡¯s eyes as she bowed down to the great evil god.


    The baby crocodile saw Anty in a new light. Despite being so much smaller than itself, she dauntlessly spoke with the great evil god. Furthermore, she begged for the god to have mercy upon him!


    The baby crocodile was touched.


    -Are you sure you can raise it properly?


    ¡°Yes! Your servant will do her best!¡±


    -If it bes too much to handle, let me know right away. I¡¯ll crush it.


    <i>Ruuuumble¡ª</i>


    The great evil godughed menacingly while flicking his finger. That sight made the baby crocodile pee once more. <i>What a horrifying great evil god!</i>


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, that¡¯s just how he talks. In truth, God Yu Il-Shin is extremely warm and merciful!¡± Anty stroked the baby crocodilefortingly, trying to calm it down.


    ¡°But Lord Yu Il-Shin.¡±


    -What is it?


    ¡°What should we name it?¡±


    -<i>Huh?</i> I haven''t thought of it yet.


    ¡°Then please bestow it a name!¡±


    -<i>Huh?</i> Does it need a name?


    ¡°<i>Duh!</i> It''s a divine beast given by Lord Yu Il-Shin, so of course it does! Please give it a cool one, just like how you named all of us!¡± Anty looked up at the great evil god with twinkling eyes.


    This interaction left the baby crocodile flustered. Meanwhile, the great evil god showed an awkward expression, visibly scratching his head.


    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    -Since it''s a crocodile, cos...no. We mustn''t risk a copyright strike. <i>Uhm...</i>


    Seemingly in deep thought, the great evil god rubbed his chin for a while. Then, he finally made his decision.


    -Alright. Since it''s a male crocodile, how about Akdol?


    ¡°<i>Wow!</i> Akdol sounds amazing!¡±


    -<i>Huhu,</i> as expected of my naming sense.


    However, unlike the other two, the baby crocodile seemed dissatisfied with the name.


    <i>Tzzz!</i>


    Just then, the baby crocodile¡¯s body began transforming.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Yu Il-Shin has renamed the offspring of God of Destroyer ¡°???¡±¡¯s Apostle Gustav to Akdol.]


    [Low-tier God Yu Il-Shin¡¯s divine power has cleansed the traces of God of Destroyer ¡°???¡±¡¯s power from Akdol¡¯s body.]


    A dazzling white light, simr to the one that had healed his body, enveloped him once more.


    <i>Tsss! Crunch!</i>


    As ck aura seeped out from his body, his bone structure and muscles were reconstructed. Like air escaping a balloon, Akdol began to shrink in size.


    Akdol''s eyes widened in shock. Until a few seconds ago, Anty was barely the size of his finger. But now, he had to look up to see her!


    <i>Kyak?</i>


    Anty looked down at Akdol, who became smaller than herself.


    ¡°<i>Kyaa!</i> Akdol has be so cute!¡± Anty blushed.


    <i>Kyaaak!</i>


    Akdol let out a scream once more. Why did he be so small?!


    Meanwhile, the great evil god looked down at him, seemingly unimpressed, and muttered.


    -<i>Hm</i>, I''m not sure what happened, but I think it''s overall better for you to raise him like this. ut just in case, let''s do this. Open God''s Shop. Purchase.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [You have purchased World-Binding Snake''s Rope (Mid-tier God).]


    [You paid 100,000 Gcoins.]


    The great evil god waved his finger.


    <i>Whirrr!</i>


    Then, a rope made of snake scales appeared out of thin air, coiling itself around Akdol¡¯s neck.


    <i>Kyaaak!</i>


    Despite how much he struggled and screamed, Akdol couldn¡¯t get the rope off his neck.


    <i>Kyak?</i>


    It was no ordinary rope! Akdol could feel his strength and magic power being sealed. Now he was weaker than a normal crocodile! Akdol fell into despair.


    -Anty, you have to be careful while raising him, okay? Don¡¯t ever let your guard down. Got it?¡±


    Holding onto the rope tightly, Anty yelled in response, ¡°Yes! Please leave it to me! This servant will raise this divine beast to the best of her efforts!¡±


    ***


    ¡°It isn¡¯t a divine beast, so just raise it normally. Don¡¯t overfeed it, or it¡¯ll grow too big. Got it?¡± I repeated my instructions to Anty.


    As much as I¡¯d like to get rid of any future mishaps, the baby crocodile did seem quite pitiful. Anty¡¯s pleas also made me unable to kill it.


    <i>Well, it suddenly became so small. I even sealed it with an artifact, so it shouldn¡¯t be able to do anything funny. But just in case, I¡¯ll be checking in regrly.</i>


    <i>Haa... </i>Despite having tied the loose ends properly, I didn¡¯t feel relieved at all. Even if I had Akdol under control, there might still be 99 more of him out there. Picturing other crocodiles like Gustav heading for me in groups gave me chills.


    <i>Still, they aren¡¯t going toe at me out of the blue, right?</i>


    They were reportedly found in Africa, so I sure hoped that the Hunters from each country wouldn¡¯t leave them be.


    <i>Ding ding!</i>


    Just then, I received more messages from God-Maker. Did Akdol do something? I quickly turned my attention to my phone.


    ¡°<i>Huh, </i>it¡¯s just Il-Ho...¡± I sighed andunched God-Maker.


    <i>Tzzz!</i>


    The screen switched to the Tower of Warriors, showing Il-Ho all bloodied and battered lying on the ground.


    -<i>Ughh</i>...


    ¡°Wait a minute. Healing Ring Finger of God!¡±


    <i>Ding!</i>


    Along with a message that I¡¯d paid a hundred Godcoins, a sh of white light enveloped Il-Ho, healing all of his injuries.


    Il-Ho sprung up onto his feet and waved his fists in anger.


    <i>Bam bam bam!</i>


    His actions caused my phone to vibrate strongly, I almost dropped it. Il-Ho bit his lips in resentment.


    -<i>Keugh!</i> Forgive me! Despite my muscles, I¡¯ve been defeated! I¡¯ve let Lord Yu Il-Shin down!


    Iforted him.


    -Don¡¯t worry about losing. You don¡¯t have to be so hard on yourself.


    But still, I was curious about something. Why was he struggling so much with this floor?


    After climbing Tower of Warriors for so long, Il-Ho had be powerful, so much so that he was considered to be one of the S-rank beings of my Low-tier God promotion quest.


    Of course, there was noparing God-Maker to reality. But at the very least, in God-Maker¡¯s world, Il-Ho was still considered an equivalent of an S-rank Hunter. As such, I never imagined he¡¯d be having a hard time clearing a floor.


    <i>What kind of trial is he facing now?</i>


    I opened the status window to find out.


    -----


    [The Thirty Floor of the Tower of Warriors: Trial of Dead Dragon]


    Kaizer, a blue-eyed white dragon, was once a righteous creature who sought benevolence. He was killed and corrupted by the God of Destroyer. Warrior, defeat the Dead Dragon Kaizer and grant him eternal peace!


    -----


    <i>That fucking God of Destroyer... again?! He really doesn¡¯t know when to stop!</i>


    Still, since this was a trial of the Tower of Warriors, something should be different, right?


    Anyway, I couldn¡¯t imagine our amazing Il-Ho getting stuck on the 30th floor. Considering his clear speed so far, I thought he¡¯d conquered all 50 floors.


    <i>Seems like the 30th floor is extremely difficult.</i>


    As if having heard my thoughts, Il-Ho¡¯s shoulders dropped.


    -<i>Keugh</i>, I¡¯ve wasted so much time on this floor. I feel so ashamed toward both Lord Yu Il-Shin and Eternal Seeker. You must be utterly disappointed in me.


    Unlike his confident self from before, Il-Ho was dejected.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Il-Ho.¡± I moved my finger, lightly tapping his shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s true that I¡¯ve been busy recently, but I have a bit of free time right now! I should be able to help you out!¡±


    -I-is that true?


    His face lit up.


    ¡°Yes, believe in me!¡±


    -<i>Ooh!</i> With Lord Yu Il-Shin¡¯s help, nothing in this world shall faze me! <i>Muuuscles!</i>


    Il-Ho pounded his chest with confidence like a gori.


    Well, I didn¡¯t know how difficult this would be, but Tower of Warriors was just a mini-game! Besides, it wasn¡¯t my first time missing a deadline just to help him, so it should be easy!


    ...Or so I thought.


    ¡°Fuck this game!!¡±


    I cursed as I watched Il-Ho being reduced into a bloody mess.

 Chapter 86: My Party Play with Il-Ho

    <h4>Chapter 86: My Party y with Il-Ho</h4>


    I red at my phone screen with bloodshot eyes as our 101st attempt began.


    ¡°This time, for sure! We¡¯ll clear this floor! Are you ready, Il-Ho?!¡±


    -Yes! I¡¯m fully prepared!


    Carrying a backpack the size of a house, Il-Ho took a stance, ready to sprint. Meanwhile, I raised my index finger.


    ¡°Good, Il-Ho! Go, go!¡±


    -<i>Muuuuscles!</i>


    Il-Ho began running at mymand.


    We arrived at the entrance of the Thirty Floor of the Tower of Warriors: Trial of Dead Dragon, which was thousands of timesrger than Il-Ho.


    -<i>Grrr!</i>


    Il-Ho¡¯s arrival prompted the gatekeeper to emerge from the ground. It was a zombie with rotten, falling flesh, amon mob in media or games.


    -Move!


    -<i>Kieeek!</i>


    <i>Punch!</i>


    A single punch from Il-Ho pulverized the zombie, but that was only the start.


    -<i>Grrr!</i>


    -<i>Kyaaak!</i>


    We couldn¡¯t underestimate them due to their disgustingly overwhelming number. Like an entire colony of ants, there were over 100,000 zombies. Before, we did over ten retries because Il-Ho got careless. When Il-Ho kept his wits about him, he managed to break through them a few times. By the time the next monsters appeared, he had no energy left.


    In that case, he shouldn¡¯t face them head-on. In fact, skirting them might be for the best, but...


    -<i>Pant, pant!</i>


    Unfortunately, Il-Ho¡¯s legs were short, and his disproportionate muscle further dragged him down. Then, what should he do in this situation?


    <i>There¡¯s always a way.</i>


    ¡°Il-Ho! Prepare the holy water!¡±


    -Yes!


    Il-Ho pulled out a fewrge potion bottles from his house-sized backpack. He chugged all of the golden liquid, but didn¡¯t swallow them. I purchased them from God¡¯s Shop in case of an emergency.


    -----


    [Infinite Abundance¡¯s Holy Water (Mid-tier God)]


    Category: Exclusive Item for Benevolent God


    Price: 5,000 Gcoins


    Description: Holy water imbued with the blessings of the Top-tier Benevolent God, Infinite Abundance.


    Special note: Rejects evil beings that defy thews of nature.


    -----


    Il-Ho looked like an executioner who was preparing to behead someone.


    ¡°Il-Ho! Use the holy water!¡±


    <i>Ssh!</i>


    With bursting cheeks, Il-Ho spewed the liquid out.


    -<i>Gaaaah!</i>


    When the holy water touched their bodies, smoke erupted as if they were on fire. Despite being smashed to bits, the zombies still clung onto Il-Ho like leeches, iling in terror.


    ¡°Now, Il-Ho!¡±


    -Yes!<i> Muuuuscles!</i>


    <i>tter tter!</i>


    -<i>Keeeeeh!</i>


    While relentlessly spewing holy water from his mouth, Il-Ho sted his way through the zombies. Ten minutester, the passageway turned from green to yellow. The green zone was where the zombies were, and he¡¯d just cleared it.


    But he mustn¡¯t let his guard down just yet. There were different types of enemies in the yellow zone.


    <i>Swooosh!</i>


    A sharp arrow pierced through the air.


    ¡°Il-Ho! It¡¯sing! On the left!¡±


    Il-Ho ducked in a hurry, avoiding the arrow.


    <i>Poosh!</i>


    The arrow was embedded deep into the ground. The first time Il-Ho entered the yellow zone, it was a one-hit K.O. I wasn¡¯t sure how it happened, but the arrow prated his steel-like muscles. Had I not treated him in time, he would¡¯ve died right there and then.


    <i>Ssss¡ª</i>


    The archer revealed herself to be a beautiful woman with pointed ears, wielding a golden crossbow. She looked like the elves from <i>Lord of the Rings. </i>Except that half of her face was rotten, revealing the pure white skeleton underneath.


    <i>Thud! Thud! Trudge trudge¡ª</i>


    The elf wasn¡¯t alone. A giant barbarian apanied her. Rotting entrails spilled out from the gruesome w mark on his chest. There was also a skeletal priest wearing tattered rags that might have once been pure white robes.


    I appraised them.


    -----


    [Legendary Undead Adventurer Party in By Dead Dragon]


    Around for 700 years.


    Special note: Had potential for transcendence when they were still alive.


    -----


    <i>¡°Had potential for transcendence.¡± </i>In other words, they were at least S-ranks when they were alive. And they didn¡¯t look much different now that they were dead.


    -<i>Kwaaaa!</i>


    Growling loudly, the barbarian zombie swung his great sword at Il-Ho, making a thunderous sound.


    <i>Voooom!</i>


    -Where!


    Il-Ho swiftly pulled out his dumbbell sword, parrying the attack.


    <i>ngggg!</i>


    Surprisingly, the barbarian zombie was on equal footing with Il-Ho. Their swords shed and they stood still. The barbarian zombie bared his discolored teeth, as if threatening to bite off Il-Ho¡¯s head.


    Il-Ho clenched his jaws tight.


    -Skill, Strong Body!


    <i>Bulge! Bulge!</i>


    As he held the dumbbell sword, Il-Ho¡¯s muscles started to swell.


    -Your muscles do look tough, but they have stopped growing! It can¡¯t bepared to mine! <i>Muuuuscles!</i>


    -<i>Grrrr...!</i>


    The barbarian zombie was gradually being pushed back by Il-Ho, his greatsword impaling his own body like a stake.


    <i>Crack!</i>


    -<i>Kyaaaa!</i>


    -It¡¯s the end!


    Il-Ho raised his dumbbell sword upward, poised to strike and drive the greatsword deeper into the barbarian zombie''s body. But at that moment, the zombie elf simultaneously fired three arrows from her crossbow.


    <i>Swoosh!</i>


    The arrows flew with lightning speed, aiming for Il-Ho¡¯s head, heart, and abdomen. It was an extremely close call! But Il-Ho shouldn¡¯t have dodged those.


    -<i>Grrr, Anagr bluss... </i>


    Meanwhile, the skeletal priest chanted from behind, healing the barbarian¡¯s wounds. Like a ssic RPG, their party consisted of a tank, healer, and attacker. The barbarian would fight toe-to-toe. When he got pushed back or struck by Il-Ho, the elf would shoot arrows. If the barbarian sustained a critical hit, the skeletal priest would heal him right away.


    <i>That¡¯s a party y at its finest.</i>


    Considering the situation, it was annoying as hell. Il-Ho had been defeated by them about twenty times. At least, now I knew for certain that we couldn¡¯t use normal methods to disrupt their pattern.


    ¡°Il-Ho! Suit up!¡±


    -Yes! Come on! God of Destroyer¡¯s armor!


    <i>Vooooom! Swooooosh! ck ck!</i>


    Right before the arrows could hit him, armor swirling with red aura shot out from Il-Ho¡¯s backpack, covering him. Three of the arrows got stuck in the armor, but they didn¡¯t pierce through.


    Of course, because it was no ordinary armor.


    -----


    [Purified God of Destroyer¡¯s Armor Set (Iplete)]


    A stolen item the God of Destroyer ¡°???¡± gave to the apostle as tribute. Has been intercepted by Yu Il-Shin.


    Special note: The God of Destroyer¡¯s power has been purified by Infinite Abundance, lowering the grade from SSS to SS.


    -----


    Yes, it was the same armor Johan had worn during our fight! I had secretly taken it. Not only was it exuding a vicious aura, it was also iplete, missing the most vital protective part. As such, I stored it away in the storage.


    To be honest, I¡¯d forgotten about it until recently. Recalling it was adjustable in size, I decided to give it to Il-Ho so he could clear this trial.


    As a matter of course, I couldn¡¯t just give it to him like that. After consulting my stalkers, I was advised to purify it with holy water¡ªwhich cost me millions of Godcoins, by the way. Although it had dropped to an SS-grade item, it could still stop the zombie elf¡¯s arrows.


    -This is the end!


    Il-Ho struck his dumbbell sword onto the ground, shocking the barbarian zombie. But thetter wasn¡¯t the target at all. Instead, it was the skeletal priest, who was busy chanting a recovery spell a distance away.


    <i>Voooom! Crash!</i>


    Instead, Il-Ho aimed his strike at the skeletal priest¡¯s head, smashing it in. It staggered briefly, before finally copsing helplessly.


    Indeed. The one we needed to eliminate as soon as possible was none other than the skeletal priest. As long as that bastard was alive, the other members could be revived infinitely!


    Then, Il-Ho pulled out the greatsword stuck in the barbarian zombie¡¯s chest, raising it.


    -This is it!


    Il-Ho swung it down, slicing the barbarian zombie into two.


    <i>sh! Thud!</i>


    Meanwhile, behind the barbarian zombie, the zombie elf had tucked five arrows into her golden crossbow. She released the bowstring.


    <i>Swoosh!</i>


    This time, the arrows went for Il-Ho¡¯s head and groin, the vital areas unprotected by his armor.


    <i>Thud! Thud!</i>


    However, Il-Ho covered both areas with his hands. Then, he charged at the zombie elf like a raging bull, sending her flying into the distance. As if being run over by a truck, her bones were shattered and ck blood sttered.


    Il-Ho pulled out the arrows stuck in his arm and yelled.


    -<i>Muuuscles! </i>God Yu Il-shin, we won!


    ¡°Yes! But don¡¯t lose momentum! Let¡¯s proceed to the next stage!¡±


    Up next was the purple zone. In the purple passageway, giant knights d in ck armor awaited. Their leader sneered and shouted.


    -<i>Kekeke</i>, you dare stand against the Death Knights?!


    The Death Knights were the strongest among the undead. Objectively speaking, they might be weaker than the legendary party, but they were far more difficult to deal with. After all, they had rapid regeneration.


    Il-Ho had been defeated by them over thirty times. I was also at a loss. Thus, I discussed the matter with my newest follower, Death Knight Hades, Ko Myeong-Ji¡¯s spirit familiar, and...


    -Master, it¡¯s actually quite simple. Just smash the tainted soul core using a weapon imbued with holy power.


    I was told of the Death Knight¡¯s weakness. Nevertheless, the core itself was about the size of a fist. Moreover, instead of being fixed in a certain spot, it moved fluidly within its body, making it a tricky target... if Il-Ho were alone, anyway.


    ¡°Il-Ho, on its head!¡±


    -Got it! You! Off with your head!


    n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    <i>Pop!</i>


    ¡°It¡¯s on its feet! Ah, no, it moves to its ass!


    -<i>Muuuscles!</i> Show me your ass!


    I used Blind Eyes of God to locate the Death Knights¡¯ cores and told Il-Ho in advance. Each time, Il-Ho''s dumbbell sword, doused in holy water, struck that exact spot with pinpoint uracy. Although I was prohibited from directly intervening with the trials of the Tower of Warriors, I could still help by providing items and advice.


    ¡°Alright! Next!¡±


    After eliminating all the Death Knights, we advanced with the trial. We had to retry the red zone zones of times. We had to navigate through aplex maze and engage in bloodbaths with hordes of half-vampire, half-human monsters.


    Then, we finally reached the long-awaited ck zone. At the end of the abyssal, dark passageway stood a massive ck door embossed with a white dragon. It was the blue-eyed white dragon, the final boss of this torturous Trial of Dead Dragon.


    ¡°Il-Ho, are you ready? Just as we nned, we¡¯re going straight for the dragon¡¯s weakness, the backbone!¡±


    -Rest assured! I¡¯ll be sure to strike its weakness and kill it in a single blow!


    Just to deal with this final boss, I spent a few hours being tutored by Baek Yoo-Hyun, the renowned Dragon yer. He taught me that a dragon¡¯s weakness was its reverse scale. Since it was considered the dragon¡¯s second heart, it was basically a hack. In fact, Baek Yoo-Hyun had attacked it, spreading news of his victory over the infamous Dark Dragon far and wide.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s go, Il-Ho!¡±


    -Yes! Let¡¯s do it! <i>Muuuscles!</i>


    Il-Ho shouted as he opened the door.


    <i>Creaaaaak!</i>

 Chapter 87: This Game’s Dungeon is Too Fucking Difficult!

    <h4>Chapter 87: This Game¡¯s Dungeon is Too Fucking Difficult!</h4>


    <i>Creaaaak!</i>


    Ominous, suffocating darkness awaited us behind the door.


    <i>Grrr!</i>


    Perhaps sensing our presence, a creature rose from within the darkness, letting out a shrill screech as its eyes emitted a fiery red glow.


    <i>Bam bam bam! Ruuumble!</i>


    The creature approached.


    ¡°It¡¯sing, Il-Ho! Get ready!¡±


    -Yes! <i>Muuuuscles!</i>


    Il-Ho brandished his dumbbell sword, preparing for battle.


    The sound grew louder, and atst, the final boss of the Trial of Dead Dragon came into the light.


    Il-Ho charged at it, but soon stopped dead in his tracks.


    -L-Lord?


    ¡°...¡±


    The dragon, thousands of timesrger than Il-Ho, radiated a grim, dark aura of bloodlust. But that wasn¡¯t why we were speechless.


    -<i>U-um</i>, where should I attack it?


    Il-Ho¡¯s voice was tinged with panic.


    Just like its name, the dragon was white, alright. I mean, of course, it was a <i>skeletal</i> dragon! Meanwhile, my countermeasures centered around finding its reverse scale! But this dragon had nothing but bones!


    ¡°Stay calm, Il-Ho! This is unexpected, but there¡¯s still one more weakness! Its heart...¡±


    -B-but Lord Yu Il-Shin, I don¡¯t see anything like that.


    He was right. The skeletal dragon¡¯s body was hollow.


    ¡°Look on the bright side! It¡¯s just bones, so it should be easier to deal with!¡±


    -You¡¯re right! It¡¯s just a bony lizard! Nothing my sword and muscles can¡¯t handle!


    With renewed courage, Il-Ho charged at the skeletal dragon with his dumbbell sword.


    -Take this! <i>Muuuscles!</i>


    <i>Creaaaak!</i>


    Just then, the skeletal dragon looked down at Il-Ho and parted its jaw.


    <i>Chills!</i>


    I had a bad feeling about this...


    <i>Shhhh!</i>


    ck-green smoke spewed out of the dragon¡¯s mouth. <i>Okay, but how?! It doesn¡¯t have lungs or a stomach! </i>Soon, the smoke


    ck-green smoke poured out of the dragon¡¯s mouth. How the hell was it able to spit that out when it had no lungs or stomach! Soon, my phone screen showed only smoke.


    -<i>Aaaargh!</i>


    I couldn¡¯t see Il-Ho at all, but I could hear his pitiful scream, along with the sound of burning flesh.


    <i>N-no!</i>


    ¡°Crushing Forefinger of God!¡± I quickly aimed my index finger at the skeletal dragon and used my power on it.


    <i>Crash!</i>


    -<i>Kiiiiieeeeeeeek!</i>


    <i>Baaam!</i>


    As if crushed under hundreds of tons, the dragon¡¯s head snapped downward, sinking deep into the ground.


    [Warning!]


    [Only the challenger can clear the warrior¡¯s solemn trial!]


    [Moving to the challenger¡¯s waiting room!]


    God-Maker issued a polite warning at my intervention.


    <i>Swoooosh!</i>


    Il-Ho was transported to the waiting room on the 30th floor.


    -<i>Cough! Pant!</i>


    <i>Tzzz!</i>


    Il-Ho was in a grievous state. Despite wearing the God of Destroyer¡¯s armor, his body melted as if he¡¯d been poured with sulfuric acid.


    ¡°Hold on, Il-Ho! Healing Ring Finger of God!¡± I quickly raised my ring finger at him.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [You paid 100 Gcoins for the healing.]


    <i>Tzzz!</i>


    Radiant white light enveloped Il-Ho, instantly healing his injuries.


    -Thank you, Lord Yu Il-Shin...


    Bowing deeply to me, Il-Ho offered a prayer of thanks. Nevertheless, his expression was sunken, full of sorrow. I hadn¡¯t looked in the mirror, but I probably looked the same way.


    I was at my wit¡¯s end, unsure how to defeat that skeletal dragon. On top of that, I spent quite a hefty amount of Godcoins on this dungeon. But now, we were back at the starting point. To reach the final stage, I¡¯d need enough holy water and consumable items, which I could no longer afford.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just... rest for now. We¡¯ll try again tomorrow, Il-Ho.¡±


    -Okay...


    With slumped shoulders, we bade goodbye. Then, I switched my destination.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go to Gayami nation first.¡±


    I needed to obtain more Godcoins for our next try. I¡¯d also like to check on Akdol, whom I had entrusted in Anty¡¯s care.


    <i>Tzzz¡ª</i>


    My screen showed the image of the Holy Nation of Gayami, surrounded by magnificent fortress walls.


    <i>Chatter chatter¡ª</i>


    Refugees swarmed in front of the gate.


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t mess up the lines!¡±


    The newly evolved Cheons were also there, with Yi-Ho as the lead. I did feel proud of the names I gave them. Still, it seemed that there were outsiders everywhere.


    <i>Driiing!</i>


    Baek-Ho, dressed in a funny, woven leaves costume, plucked the strings on his harp and yelled.


    -<i>Oh</i>, the continent zed red! Blood dyed thends! It¡¯s the wicked soldiers of the imperial army! Not only that! The apostles apanied them! Those gods¡¯ dogs! The fate of the Holy Nation of Gayami flickered like a candlelight before the wind!


    <i>Driiing!</i>


    -Little did they know! Of our God Yu Il-Shin¡¯s omnipotent power! A flick of his index finger! Poisonous fog, spread! A word of hismand! The imperial soldiers, burn!


    <i>Driiing!</i>


    -The three apostles of gods! Evil snake! Flying beast! And even a giant fireball that threatened to devour the world! Eventually, they fell to their knees before God Yu Il-Shin! That Goddess even had to make her escape! That spider bitch!


    <i>Driiing!</i>


    -Those who fear the emperor! Those who seek to destroy the Empire! Come to Gayami nation! Gain sce under the blessings of God Yu Il-Shin! O¡¯ God Yu Il-Shin, <i>puck puck! </i>Praise him, everyone!


    Baek-Ho squealed like a pig, yelling <i>¡°puck, puck.¡± </i>I was about to stop him when...


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Faith has increased by 2.]


    [Faith has increased by 3.]


    [Faith has increased by 5.]


    My Faith had increased. It was a mystery, but some had developed faith after hearing that. Seriously, they were some special bunch.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    Just then, messages appeared from God-Maker.


    [1,130,221 non-followers and refugees would like to enter the city.]


    [2,120,221 non-followers and refugees would like to enter the city.]


    My reputation rose significantly after that holy war with the imperial army, and more refugees from all over the continent flooded the city.


    [Current poption of Gayami nation: 100,230,012.]


    [Follower conversion progress: 55%]


    Since the poption of the Gayami nation had exceeded 100 million, collecting Godcoins became so much easier. However, the nation¡¯s progress wasn¡¯t as fast as I¡¯d hoped. In order for me to earn more Godcoins, I needed to increase my faith.


    <i>But why don¡¯t I see Anty around? Where did she go?</i>


    Usually, she¡¯d stand by the gates, spreading propaganda to the refugees. Today, I didn¡¯t see her there.


    <i>Anty, Anty...</i>


    I focused on Anty. Soon, a special arrow appeared like before.


    <i>Ssss¡ª</i>


    I zoomed in on the area pointed by the arrow, and spotted Anty struggling to carry a basketful of minnows on her own. She seemed to be rushing to a pond located behind the city.


    She wiped the beads of sweat off her face, and yelled at the pond, ¡°Akdol! I''m here!¡±


    But there was no response.


    ¡°Akdol, it''s time for your meal~¡±


    Then, ripples appeared on the pond¡¯s surface, and a crocodile with chains around his neck surfaced.


    <i>Kyak! Shaaa!</i>


    Akdol, who had turned into a petite figure, ran toward Anty.


    <i>Kyak kyak!</i>


    n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    He then opened his mouth wide, as if asking to be fed.


    ¡°Here.¡± Anty smiled brightly, feeding him minnow.


    <i>Chew chew, swallow!</i>


    Did he even chew? Akdol had opened his mouth again, asking for more.


    ¡°There''s a lot where thates from, so take your time to eat.¡± Anty ced the entire basket before Akdol.


    Akdol began stuffing his own face like a pig.


    ¡°<i>Hehe. </i>Akdol, is it delicious?¡±


    <i>Kyak kyak!</i>


    Akdol responded cheerfully, wagging his tail happily like a dog. Seemingly finding this side of Akdol cute, Anty gently stroked his head. I watched them anxiously, afraid that Akdol would attack Anty out of the blue.


    Suddenly, Akdol¡¯s eyes shed.


    <i>This punk! Is he finally revealing his true colors?!</i>


    I was about to use my crushing finger on him when...


    <i>Plop!</i>


    Akdol plopped to the ground, belly up.


    ¡°<i>Hehe, </i>who¡¯s the good boy?¡±


    Anty stroked Akdol¡¯s belly, and thetter rolled side to side, crying out happily.


    That scene made me wonder if Akdol was actually a dog. I¡¯d also noticed how much Akdol had eaten in such a short period of time. There was a triple fold in his stomach! Nevertheless, Anty seemed so happy as she petted Akdol, and watching her made me smile.


    Looking back, Anty had led such a difficult life with barely any rest. She was orphaned at a young age due to the empire¡¯s invasion. After that, she struggled to unite the surviving tribe, and eventually became the empress of the Gayami nation. Perhaps, an emotional support pet was just what she needed.


    Of course, if Akdol ever hurt her, I¡¯d crush him to death.


    Akdol shuddered as if he had felt my murderous intent. After petting Akdol for a while, Anty sighed with a pensive look.


    ¡°<i>Haa</i>, our poption may be increasing, but it doesn¡¯t bode well for our food supply... What should I do? I feel bad having to keep asking God Yu Il-Shin for help... He¡¯s bestowed so much grace upon us, but we haven¡¯t repaid him... If only the Berry of the World Tree would blossom...¡±


    My heart ached as I saw the sadness on her face.


    <i>Don¡¯t make such a face, Anty. I¡¯ve received a lot from all of you.</i>


    <i>Also, they''recking in food supply?</i>


    Well, it wasn¡¯t surprising, as their numbers had grown explosively recently. Actually, it was my fault for not thinking that far ahead. I double-checked the amount of Godcoins I had on the top of my screen. Ever since the number exceeded a certain threshold, an independent menu appeared.


    <i>I have about two million Godcoins left. Okay.</i>


    I opened the God-Maker menu.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Launching Construction.]


    [You gained 1,000,000 square meters ofnd from the development.]


    [You can transform the developednd into farnd.]


    [Transformingnd into farnd.]


    <i>Ruuuumble!</i>


    The forests and wastnds within my fingertip had been transformed into well-cultivatednd. At the same time, green shoots sprouted in the area, growing at a tremendous rate.


    ¡°U-unbelievable...¡±


    ¡°I-it¡¯s a miracle!¡±


    ¡°These are all grains?¡±


    When they saw the sea of golden grains, the refugees fell onto their knees. They probably had never eaten anything simr to proper sustenance in their lives before.


    ¡°Merciful God Yu Il-Shin, thank you for your immeasurable grace... <i>Hic, hic...</i>¡±


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Infinite Abundance smiles upon you, blessing the crops you have created.]


    [The yield of your farnd has increased by tenfold.]


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Current poption of Gayami nation: 100,230,012.]


    [Follower conversion progress: 55% ¡ú 81%]


    ¡°God Yu Il-Shin! <i>Puck puck!</i>¡± The Gayami nation rejoiced with loud cheers.


    ***


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Exiting God-Maker.]


    I closed the APP as the people of the Gayami nation cheered feverishly for me. I might have no Godcoins left, but I was proud of what I did. Now Anty would be able to rx, right?


    ¡°That looks like an interesting game.¡±


    I flinched at the voice. I totally didn¡¯t sneak off to the infirmary to y God-Maker after instructing the students to self-study. I turned around in surprise to see a white-haired boy smiling at me. He could easily be mistaken for an idol.


    But never judge a book by its cover.


    He was one of the top ten S-rank Hunters in South Korea, Shin Yoo.


    ¡°<i>Oh?</i> Why are you here, Mr. Shin Yoo?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Yu Il-Shin, I have something to ask you.¡±


    <i>Tzzzz!</i>


    In contrast to his gentle smile, Shin Yoo¡¯s hand emitted a blue sword qi, which he¡¯d used to sh Akdol in half before.

 Chapter 88: Too Many Deranged S-rank Hunters

    <h4>Chapter 88: Too Many Deranged S-rank Hunters</h4>


    ¡°Mr. Yu Il-Shin, I¡¯d like to ask you something.¡±


    Shin Yoo, an S-rank Hunter, was also a celebrity. His idol-like, upright young adult image made him famous as the nation¡¯s younger brother. As a matter of course, he was popr among women.


    However, seeing his heart stopping smile only made me fear for my life. That blue sword qi could easily cut through steel. Did he find out I was the one who stole Akdol?


    ¡°<i>Uhm, </i>I think there¡¯s a misunderstanding...¡±


    Just as I was desperately trying to figure out a way to cover up...


    ¡°What is your rtionship with Sword Demon?¡± Shin Yoo asked out of nowhere.


    <i>Um,</i> what was our rtionship again? God and fanatic? Even if I told him the truth, it didn¡¯t seem like he¡¯d let me off. Actually, would he even believe me?


    ¡°We¡¯re co-workers.¡±


    Not exactly a lie since I was now a substitute teacher at the Hunter Academy, whereas Sword Demon was my teaching assistant, albeit unpaid.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re from the Three Martial Association?¡±


    <i>¡°Huh? </i>What¡¯s that?¡± I asked.


    <i>Is it some kind of fake China triad gang? </i>


    Instead of replying, Shin Yoo¡¯s blue sword qi mercilessly shed through the air,ing toward my neck.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting much, but you also didn¡¯t seem surprised. Clearly, you¡¯re no ordinary person.¡±


    <i>Tzzz!</i>


    The blue sword qi came to a stop just at the skin of my neck. <i>I don¡¯t look surprised? I </i>am<i> surprised! Do none of these fucking S-rank Hunters know how to hold proper conversations?!</i>


    ¡°Bastard! What do you think you¡¯re doing in front of Mr. Sword God!¡±


    Sword Demon, who was in stealth mode, suddenly appeared with a thunderous roar. He swung his sword at Shin Yoo.


    <i>ng ng ng!</i>


    However, Shin Yoo easily parried Sword Demon¡¯s half-ton sword. For his slender figure, his strength was incredible.


    ¡°Kang Geom, you finally came to see me.¡±


    ¡°Cut the crap! You¡¯ve been chasing me around for so long! Did you pester my master because you couldn¡¯t get me?!¡±


    Shin Yoo pouted. ¡°That¡¯s because you keep avoiding me! But... your ¡®master¡¯? This guy?¡±


    ¡°¡®This guy¡¯?! How insolent! Do you even know who he is?¡±


    ¡°...Who?¡±


    As if on cue, Sword Demon reverently bowed toward me and said, ¡°He¡¯s my master! The ultimate sword master, the almighty Sword God! If you call yourself a swordsman, kneel before him! Worship him!¡±


    I unconsciously covered my face. <i>Ah, how embarrassing. I just want to leave...</i>


    ¡°...¡®Sword God¡¯? I did hear that the Three Martial Association is a cult, but... Kang Geom, you¡¯re still stuck in there, <i>huh? </i>No, you¡¯re even more...¡±


    <i>Wait, so that¡¯s what the Three Martial Association is all about?! It isn¡¯t an organization with three founders like its name suggests?!</i>


    ¡°Mr. Yu Il-Shin.¡± Shin Yoo bit his lips and turned at me. ¡°Someone who''s called Sword God should be able to block this move, don¡¯t you agree?¡±


    Shin Yoo crossed his swords, his eyes glinting like a snake¡¯s as he took a stance.


    ¡°¡°Snake Sword Venom Fang (Ryu)!¡±


    Sword Demon sighed, ¡°Mr. Sword God, please show this ignorant worm your greatness. Back then, he needed to be beaten before he¡¯d listen, too.¡±


    I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d ever engage in a fight with <i>the </i>S-rank Hunter Shin Yoo...


    <i>Pzzz! Pzzz!</i>


    Moreover, his sword qi was terrifying. Sparks flew from his crossed swords, gradually transforming into a snake¡¯s head that bared its venomous fangs.


    ¡°<i>Haa.</i>¡± I scratched my head and stood up from my seat.


    <i>Sure, you¡¯re just in time, I guess.</i>


    I never intended for this, but I did want to test mybat power as a malevolent god. After all, ever since I got promoted to a Low-tier God, my healing power had increased significantly.


    Due to the recent holy war against the imperial army, my title Brutal Killer was upgraded from Rank C to B. Before, I was on par with A-rank Hunters at best, but what about now?


    ¡°Equip malevolent god title: Brutal Killer (B).¡±


    The ¡°Blessing of ughter¡± was triggered upon activation.


    [Destroy, kill, and kill again! Let your evil deeds be your strength!]


    This blessing grew more potent with every sacrifice I reaped.


    <i>Groooowl!</i>


    As a matter of course, having fought against a hundred billion imperial soldiers and their apostles, the blessing was on a whole different level.


    <i>Tzzz!</i>


    ck aura enshrouded my entire body, but the transformation didn¡¯t end there.


    <i>Sss¡ª</i>


    My hair had grown, covering my shoulders. My ckened nails were elongated like a beast¡¯s. For some reason, I could feel something sprouting on my head.


    [Silently Crawling Nightmare drew a sharp intake at your transformation.]


    ...<i>Uh-huh, I¡¯ll just ignore the message from the stalker.</i>


    ¡°<i>Haaaaa...¡±</i>


    Strength surged through my body like a volcano on the verge of eruption. I felt a few times stronger than before. Indescribable feelings of exaltation and omnipotence washed over me. It was as if I was on top of a mountain, overseeing the ground below.


    Now, I no longer find Shin Yoo¡¯s sword qi threatening. He just seemed like a snotty brat throwing a tantrum.


    As he looked at me, Shin Yoo grew pale and cold sweat trickled down his body like rain.


    I gestured at him with my index finger, as if saying, ¡°Come at me if you dare.¡±


    ¡°Interesting. I never thought it¡¯d be of this level. Regardless, my Venom Fang pierces through everything.¡±


    Crouching, Shin Yoo curled up on the ground, lunging toward me like a snake encroaching its prey. His sword qis, resembling razor-edged fangs, aimed for my neck and heart at the same time.


    My lips involuntarily curved into a cold smile. How absurd.


    Although Shin Yoo was fast for a human, he was still ridiculously slow for me. I could¡¯ve killed him at least ten times in the meantime. Ever since I equipped the malevolent god title, I felt like I was no longer the same person. The feeling of omnipotence that coursed through my body was thrilling, almost addicting.


    <i>Should I start with the arm?</i>


    Having decided to crush both of Shin Yoo¡¯s frail arms, I reached out.


    ¡°<i>Ugh</i>, so noisy.¡±


    Just then, a familiar female voice came from behind.


    <i>Right, I totally forgot. I¡¯m not the only one in the infirmary.</i>


    In the next bed, covered with curtains, Sung Mi-Na woke up. Ourmotion must¡¯ve disturbed her sleep. She poked her head through the curtains. When she saw Shin Yoo charging at me, her drowsy eyes sharpened instantly.


    ¡°You¡¯re bad!¡± Sung Mi-Na pointed her finger at him.


    Shin Yoo, who was about to lunge at me, widened his eyes in shock.


    ¡°W-wait, Ms. Sung Mi-Na!¡±


    ¡°<strong><i>Die!</i></strong>¡±


    ¡°<i>Urk!¡±</i>


    Shin Yoo hastily retracted his sword Qi to parry Mi-Na¡¯s Power of Words, but he was a second toote.


    ¡°<i>Cough!</i>¡± Shin Yoo coughed up a waterfall of blood and fell to his knees. With a blurry vision, Shin Yoo looked at Sword Demon, desperately mustering his words, ¡°K-Kang Geom...¡±


    <i>Plop!</i>


    Finally, Shin Yoo fell face down into the pool of his own blood, lying motionless.


    ¡°<i>Huh?!</i>¡± I was stunned by the turn of events and quickly unequipped my malevolent god title. ¡°I-is he dead?¡±


    Sword Demon took Shin Yoo¡¯s pulse, before clicking his tongue, ¡°<i>Tsk</i>, what a shame. He¡¯s still breathing. He¡¯s always been a tenacious leech.¡±


    Didn¡¯t Shin Yoo consider Sword Demon his friend? Wouldn¡¯t he be upset if he saw that?


    Sword Demon picked up Shin Yoo and slung him over his shoulder.


    ¡°He¡¯s disturbed Mr. Sword God. I¡¯ll dumb him somewhere appropriate.¡±


    ¡°W-wa...!¡±


    <i>Sss¡ª</i>


    Before I could finish, Sword Demon had vanished like a shadow. Left alone at the murder scene(?), I contemted for a while. They were acquaintances, right? Sword Demon wouldn¡¯t kill Shin Yoo, right? <i>Let¡¯s believe in Sword Demon. </i>After all, he did swear to turn a new leaf. Nevertheless, I was still unsure what their rtionship was.


    Meanwhile, Sung Mi-Na ran to me with a look of concern.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°<i>Ah</i>, yes.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Unni will protect you!¡±


    <i>Um, can¡¯t you just call yourself noona instead? I¡¯m a guy and calling you unni is a abit...</i>


    Sung Mi-Na then rubbed her eyes again. ¡°<i>Mm</i>, I¡¯m going back to sleep then.¡±


    ¡°Okay, goodnight.¡±


    But Sung Mi-Na reached her arms to me, whining, ¡°Put me to bed.¡±


    Although this side of her was adorable, it also made me feel guilty. Also, people would kill me if they saw Sung Mi-Na, the icon of this era, embodying the allure of both a young girl and a grown woman, like this.


    ¡°...Okay. What luby would you like to hear today?¡± I looked up NeoTube for luby collections.


    <i>sh! Ruuumble!</i>


    Sung Mi-Ri appeared, apanied by a sh of lightning. ¡°Mister! Are you alright? I felt a tremendous aura earlier and came as soon as possible! <i>Kyak!</i> What¡¯s with all the blood?!¡±


    ¡°<i>Wow,</i> it¡¯s Mi-Ri!¡± Sung Mi-Na smiled brightly and held Sung Mi-Ri¡¯s hands, pulling her to bed.


    ¡°U-Unni?¡±


    ¡°Mi-Ri should sleep together, too.¡±


    Sung Mi-Ri looked at me, confused as hell. I gingerly signaled that it was not a big deal, and to just go along with her older sister.


    ¡°<i>Hehe.</i>¡±


    The sistersid on the bed, and I yed music from Neotube for them. Today¡¯s selection was Brahms¡¯ Luby. Sung Mi-Na soon fell back asleep, and it didn¡¯t take long for Sung Mi-Ri to follow suit. Ever since her recent promotion to Rank S, she¡¯d been feeling more exhausted from the increased activities as a Hunter.


    ¡°They look good together.¡±


    The sight of them sleeping soundly together made me feel proud. I drew the curtains and cleaned up Shin Yoo¡¯s blood. Afterward, I returned to my desk and turned on myptop.


    I should work on the next chapter update soon. This time, it¡¯d be about my final battle with the imperial army.


    <i>Tadak! Tadadak!</i>


    I nned to start with writing the scene where the apostle was about to burn the entire world. In the next scene, I¡¯d be unleashing the Second Stance of Demon Lord¡¯s Heavenly Sword, Demon Lord¡¯s Prat¨¡pana...


    <i>Knock knock!</i>


    ¡°Mr. Yu Il-Shin, are you in?¡±


    Someone knocked on the door and entered the infirmary.


    <i>There¡¯s a lot of visitors today, </i>I thought. I turned around to see the ss representative, Ko Myeong-Ji at the door. <i>It¡¯s the squirrel. </i>She didn¡¯t seem to be injured, so why was she here?


    ¡°Ko Myeong-Ji, did something happen in ss?¡±


    ¡°N-no, it¡¯s not that.¡±


    At the same time, a booming voice rang from her skull ne.


    -Greetings, My Lord!


    It was Hades, the Death Knight I had epted as my familiar.


    ¡°Oh, Hades, hey. Is everything okay?¡±


    -<i>U-um...</i>


    Hades¡¯ voice faltered slightly.


    Then, Ko Myeong-Ji clutched the skull ne tightly and said with determination, ¡°Sir, there¡¯s something I need to tell you. My grandfather insists upon meeting you, so...¡±


    I tilted my head sideways. ¡°Why would your grandfather want to see me?¡±


    ¡°After seeing Hades¡¯ evolution, he seemed to have turned a little... <i>Eek! </i>H-he¡¯s here! Sir, please take care! Off I go!¡±


    After peeking out of the window, Ko Myeong-Ji ran out in a panic.


    Why would she react that way? I also looked out the window and...


    <i>Screeeech!</i>


    A ck limousine stopped by the building where the infirmary was. It was the type of limousine that was often used to transport coffins to a funeral.


    <i>Click.</i>


    An old man alighted from the car. He had sharp eyes and was wearing ck robes, resembling a grim reaper. A woman stood behind him, dressed in simr ck robes. Her long hair covered her face, making her seem like a virgin ghost.


    <i>Huh? That old man...</i>


    Didn¡¯t we meet at the Hunter Association the other day? The guild master of Immortal Guild, S-rank Hunter Ko Sa-Deuk? He was Ko Myeong-Ji¡¯s grandfather?


    <i>Swoosh!</i>


    Like a meteorite falling from the sky, a muscr old mannded before them.


    <i>Thump!</i>


    ¡°You skeleton punk! How dare you do such a thing in a sacred ce like an academy!¡± Choi Kang-San yelled, staring warily at Ko Sa-Deuk.


    Did he just jump from his own office?


    <i>Tsk, tsk, does he want to break his leg? </i>He was already quite old. Why didn¡¯t he just take care of his own health?


    ¡°Why are you here?! If you attempt to conduct human experiments on our students again, I¡¯ll kill you!¡±


    ¡°<i>Keke</i>, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m here to meet my prospective grandson-inw.¡±


    n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Grandson...-inw?¡±


    Ko Sa-Deuk showed a sinister smile, licking his lips with his ck tongue. ¡°That¡¯s right. I heard there¡¯s a promising young man here by the name of Yu Il-Shin?¡±


    ...What did he just say?

 Chapter 89: You, Be My Son-in-Law!

    <h4>Chapter 89: You, Be My Son-in-Law!</h4>


    <i>Let¡¯s go over my current situation. I¡¯m on the edge of my seat. </i>


    <i>Slurp¡ª</i>


    The main culprit was drinking a cup of tea made from a teabag.


    ¡°<i>Tsk</i>, is this the best tea you have? How can the principal of the academy be this pitiful?¡±


    Choi Kang-San growled lowly at Ko Sa-Deuk. ¡°Shut up and just ept what you¡¯re given.¡±


    Ignoring Choi Kang-San, Ko Sa-Deuk looked to his side. ¡°<i>Keke</i>, you¡¯ve grown quite a bit, Eun-Bi.¡±


    ¡°Please call me Department Head Choi at the academy, Hunter Ko Sa-Deuk.¡± The school nurse replied curtly in an office-like manner.


    Ko Sa-Deuk shook his head lightly, ¡°<i>Aigoo</i>, didn''t you used to call me ''Uncle'' when you were little? You were so cute back then! Now that you¡¯ve grown, you¡¯re so stiff! See that, Myung-Hee? This is why girls shouldn¡¯t let their marriage age pass. Keep this in mind.¡±


    Then, the virgin ghost-likedy beside him mumbled, ¡°Yes, Grandfather.¡±


    <i>Chills!</i>


    The temperature instantly plummeted. As if sitting with a group of ghosts fresh from the afterlife wasn¡¯t ufortable enough, the Choi father and daughter were glowering at them.


    I briefly nced at my empty wrist and stood up from the sofa. ¡°¡°Aigoo, look at the time. Please continue your conversation. I¡¯ll be heading back to ss.¡±


    ¡°<i>Keke</i>, sit down. How can the main character be leaving?¡±


    ¡°I know you usually skipped teaching, so sit down when I¡¯m still being nice.¡±


    res from the two old men made me bring my ass back down on the sofa.


    Then, the Grim Reaper asked, ¡°So, how old are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m 23 this year...¡±


    The Virgin Ghost pped her hands together, ¡°<i>Oh</i>, that makes you my orabeoni[1]!¡±


    ¡°So, a three-year age gap? We haven¡¯t even looked at yourpatibility. This is just nice, <i>kekeke!¡±</i>


    ¡°Seriously, Grandfather. I¡¯m shy.¡±


    My fingers trembled slightly. <i>I¡¯m scared...</i> When I saw the Grim Reaper and the Virgin Ghost, I finally understood what they meant by ¡°marriage was the grave of life.¡±


    I mustered my courage and said, ¡°I... appreciate what you¡¯ve said, but I¡¯m celibate and have no intentions of getting married.¡±


    <i>Since when, you ask? Right now! From this moment on!</i>


    ¡°Besides, I¡¯m not interested in the missus from the Immortal Guild...¡±


    The virgin ghost interjected shyly, ¡°Please call me Myeong-Hee, Orabeoni.¡±


    ¡°...Ms. Myeong-Hee is too much for someone like me.¡±


    <i>Especially for my heart,</i> I added inwardly.


    Ko Myeong-Ji¡¯s older sister, Ko Myeong-Hee, had long bangs that covered her extremely pale face. The only facial feature that was revealed was her badly-drawn lips, which seemed to have been inspired by the movie <i>Joker. </i>I was afraid it would haunt me in my dreams.


    ¡°<i>Keke,</i> such humbleness. I¡¯m liking you even more.¡± The Grim Reaper licked his lips again. ¡°It¡¯s already near impossible to meet someone who canmand demonic spirits in this world. But this man here even evolved a B-rank skeletal soldier into an S-rank Death Knight. Do you think I¡¯d miss out on someone like that?¡±


    Choi Kang-San looked at me, seemingly asking what the old man was talking about.


    Well, I could guess what the Grim Reaper was referring to. I¡¯d evolved and named Ko Myeong-Ji¡¯s summoned creature, Hades. But that was only possible because Hades was originally an S-rank serving the Mountain-Gnawing Titan.


    Also, bestowing them names didn¡¯t make them stronger. This became obvious after I named Akdol.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like rambling, so excuse me for being straightforward.¡± Grim Reaper pulled something out of his pocket, heavily cing it before me. ¡°How much?¡±


    <i>Uhm, Grim Reaper Grandpa? You watched too many soap operas...</i>


    The thing he ced on the table was a nk check.


    ¡°<i>Keke</i>, write the amount you want. I don¡¯t expect much. Just give me three toad-like children, and you''re free to live the rest of your life however you want. I just want your bloodline.¡±


    <i>Give birth to three children?! What am I, the fairy from the </i>Fairy and the Woodcutter<i>?!</i>


    Although, if the one standing before me was a peerless beauty instead of a terrifying virgin ghost, I might waver.


    <i>Ssss¡ª</i>


    Picking up my ballpen, I scribbled something on the nk check and tossed it back to the Grim Reaper. ¡°You must be quite rich, trying to bribe others. I¡¯ll consider it if you can give me this amount.¡±


    When he nced at the amount on the check, the Grim Reaper¡¯s eyes widened.


    <i>Yes, be shocked! Please give up and return to the afterlife!</i>


    ¡°...Just a trillion? Much cheaper than I thought.¡±


    ¡°<i>Uh-huh</i>, Grandfather. Just sell a few family heirlooms and we¡¯re good to go.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s unnecessary. An Arab parvenu wants to buy my Yaksha soldiers for a billion each, so maybe I can just sell a thousand of them.¡±


    <i>T-this wasn¡¯t the reaction I¡¯d expected. M</i>


    My lips dried as I watched the grandfather-granddaughter pair chattering away happily. While wetting my lips with green tea, I sent a desperate look to Choi Kang-San.


    <i>Homeless Hyungnim, please help me stop them!</i>


    Seemingly understanding the signal, Choi Kang-san nodded and said, ¡°<i>Hmm</i>, Skeletal Punk. Actually, this kiddo can¡¯t marry a woman.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°What else! He likes guys! So stop forcing it and give up already, Skeletal Punk!¡±


    <i>Pft!</i> I spat the green tea I was drinking.


    <i>Hey, Mr. Choi! That¡¯s too much! What makes you think that¡¯s a justifiable excuse?</i>


    I red at Choi Kang-San.


    ¡°<i>Hmm</i>.¡±


    Choi Kang-San averted his gaze, implying that he had done his best.


    <i>Ssss¡ª</i>


    Virgin Ghost, Ko Myeong-Hee, reached out to me. Her touch, as frigid as a corpse, sent chills down my spine.


    <i>Shiver!</i>


    ¡°Orabeoni, is what Uncle Kang-San said true?¡±


    ¡°Y...yes! I like men!¡± I yelled with all my might.


    <i>Wee, a new dark history of mine! </i>I had no choice. As they said, fear ate away at reason at times.


    Then, Ko Myeong-Hee¡¯s rouged lips curved into a smile. She tucked her long hair behind her ears.


    <i>Flutter¡ª</i>


    Her eyes were finally revealed.


    ¡°N-No! Don¡¯t look into her eyes!¡± Choi Kang-San yelled, but he was toote.


    Her eyes glowed mysteriously in the colors of the rainbow. With a honeyed voice, Ko Myeong-Hee whispered into my ear, ¡°What do you think of my eyes, Orabeoni?¡±


    ¡°<i>Wow</i>, they¡¯re really pretty...¡±


    Her eyes gently turned into crescent moons.


    <i>Thump thump!</i>


    My heart began pounding heavily. Why did she have to cover her bejeweled eyes with her hair?! Truly, a loss for humanity!


    Just then, my innate power, Blind Eyes of God, activated.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    -----


    [Ko Myeong-Hee]


    A mixed descendant of a mare and a female human. Around for 20 years.


    Special note: Possesses a pair of charming eyes with the potential for transcendence.


    -----


    An unfamiliar phrase appeared. A mixed descendant of a mare and a female human? What did that mean?


    ¡°Orabeoni, please. Will you please be mine?¡±


    Tears welled up in Ko Myeong-Hee¡¯s colorful eyes. No man could reject such tender eyes, which stirred their desire to protect her. Even Choi Kang-San had to cover his face with his hands. Right, didn¡¯t he warn me not to look into them? Unfortunately, I had already done so.


    I said to Myeong-Hee, ¡°No, I won¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Rea...<i>huh? </i>You won¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Isn¡¯t the idea of owning others old-fashioned?¡±


    Myeong-Hee became dumbfounded.


    Then, I kindly gave her an advice, ¡°Also, Ms. Myung-Hee, I think you shouldn¡¯t cover those eyes of yours. They give off apletely different impression.¡±


    ¡°H-how are you able to resist my charming eyes...?¡±


    <i>Ding ding!</i>


    Just then, I heard notifications from my phone.


    ¡°<i>Huh?!</i> Oh no!¡± I checked my phone in a hurry and jumped to my feet. ¡°I¡¯ve got something urgent to tend to! Please excuse me!¡±


    <i>Rattle! Bam!</i>


    I rushed out of the principal¡¯s office, leaving the stunned group. The notification that appeared on my phone was from God-Maker.


    [Challenger Il-Ho challenges the Thirtieth Floor of the Tower of Warriors: Trial of Dead Dragon.]


    <i>This kiddo, I asked him to wait! Why is he attempting it alone?! Il-Ho is in danger!</i>


    ***


    Il-Ho was meditating in the waiting room of the 30th floor of the Tower of Warriors. Unbeknownst to Yu Il-Shin, time passed differently in the Tower of Warrios. Even though in reality, Yu Il-Shin had only been away for just a couple of hours, it had been over three days for Il-Ho.


    Il-Ho kept contemting the true meaning of muscles. He meditated for days motionlessly, like a stone statue. Then, he suddenly attained an epiphany and opened his eyes.


    <i>Grab! Swing!</i>


    His dumbbell sword was stuck in the ground next to him. Il-Ho took it and tossed it high into the air.


    ¡°Weight Increase! Ten tons!¡±


    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    <i>Ruuumble!</i>


    Then, the sword, which had grown tremendously in size and weight, fell straight toward Il-Ho.


    ¡°Muscles!¡±


    Growing shadow loomed over him, but Il-Ho didn¡¯t even bother to dodge. Instead, he contracted his muscles to the point of bursting.


    <i>Swoosh!</i>


    The heavy dumbbell sword, elerated by gravity, crushed Il-Ho with enormous pressure.


    <i>Baaam! Crunch!</i>


    Every single bone in Il-Ho¡¯s body shattered into pieces.


    ¡°<i>Cough!</i> B-back to the origi...¡±


    <i>Ssss¡ª</i>


    Along with Il-Ho¡¯s dying voice, the dumbbell returned to its original size.


    [Eternal Seeker looks at Il-Ho with eyes mixed with amusement and worry.]


    [Eternal Seeker bestows the Blessing of the Growth God Set upon Il-Ho.]


    <i>Tzzz!</i>


    A set of Blessings of the Growth God, containing mysterious liquid, appeared before Il-Ho.


    ¡°<i>Ugh...</i>¡±


    Clenching his jaws tight, Il-Ho desperately crawled toward the bottles, opening one with his teeth.


    <i>Pop! Glug glug!</i>


    Although its effects weren¡¯t instantly visible like Yu Il-Shin¡¯s miracle, his broken bones did heal as soon as he drank it.


    ¡°Thank you, God Seeker.¡± Il-Ho bowed down deeply, thanking the god. But he wasn¡¯t done.


    ¡°<i>Haap!</i>¡± Il-Ho tossed his dumbbell sword upward once more.


    ¡°Weight Increase! Ten tons!¡±


    <i>Baaam! Crunch!</i>


    Again, Il-Ho was crushed by his sword. He iled for a while, then opened another bottle of the Blessing of the Growth God. Shortly after his recovery, Il-Ho picked up the dumbbell sword again.


    ¡°Weight Increase! Ten tons!¡±


    <i>Baaam!</i>


    At first nce, it might seem like he was being reckless. Nevertheless, Il-Ho had gained the Blessing of Steel from the Tower of Warriors before. The more steel was impacted, the harder it became.


    Il-Ho abused his body, repeating the process hundreds of times. And somehow...


    <i>Bam bam bam!</i>


    The dumbbell sword could no longer crush Il-Ho.


    <i>ng!</i>


    Instead of the sound of breaking bones, a metallic sound one wouldn¡¯t expect from a body made of flesh and blood rang out.


    ¡°Not enough.¡± Il-Ho still wasn¡¯t satisfied.


    Despite this level of durability, he still hadn¡¯t achieved the muscles he sought. Il-Ho looked beyond the entrance of the Trial of Dead Dragon, where eerie darkness awaited. The path to true musclesid in that passageway.


    ¡°Forgive me, God Yu Il-Shin. But I was meant to face the trials of the Tower of Warriors by myself. Relying on you will only turn me into a burden, which I, Il-Ho, doesn¡¯t wish for.¡±


    Thus, Il-Ho stepped into the entrance of the Trial of Dead Dragon.


    <i>Thud!</i>


    <i>-Grrr!</i>


    <i>-Graaaah!</i>


    As if waiting for him, over 100,000 ravenous zombies underground crawled to the surface and swarmed toward Il-Ho! They were hungry for Il-Ho¡¯s flesh and blood!


    <i>Kwaaaa!</i>


    Il-Ho red at the tsunami of zombies and steeled his resolve. He might have gotten the easy way out before, but this time, he wouldn¡¯t.


    <i>Because muscles are indomitable, they never break. And muscles never back down. </i>Such was the path to muscrity that he hade to realize through meditation.


    ¡°Come at me, you rotten pieces of meat!¡±


    <i>Crunch!</i>


    Il-Ho clutched his dumbbell sword tightly, nearly breaking it, as he charged into the tsunami.


    ¡°I am Il-Ho, the first warrior of the great and merciful God Yu Il-Shin! <i>Muuuuscles!</i>¡±


    <i>Baaaaam!</i>


    1. Orabeoni is another way of saying oppa, but more ''polite''. ?

 Chapter 90: Lily and Yaksha

    <h4>Chapter 90: Lily and Yaksha</h4>


    <i>-...Grrrr.</i>


    A zombie with a torn leg tried to bite Il-Ho¡¯s leg, as if aiming to take revenge.


    <i>Crunch!</i>


    But only the nging of steel resounded. Its teeth couldn¡¯t even pierce Il-Ho¡¯s flesh.


    <i>Punch! Squash!</i>


    Il-Ho crushed the zombie¡¯s head with his dumbbell sword. It was deader than dead, and soon joined the rest in the mountain of corpses. Thus, Il-Ho had cleared the zone. Back then, hecked the stamina to deal with all of them, which resulted in his defeat. But now, he¡¯d ovee that hurdle.


    ¡°<i>Pant pant!</i>¡±


    <i>Pop! Glug glug!</i>


    Il-Ho took a moment to catch his breath, then drank the Blessing of the Growth God. He stared at the mountain of corpses. He didn¡¯t notice it at first, but the zombies were all dressed like soldiers.


    Il-Ho sped his hands together, ¡°Thank you. Please rest in peace now. May God Yu Il-Shin bless you.¡±


    Il-Ho turned around and headed for the next stage.


    <i>Psss¡ª</i>


    The mountain of corpses behind him turned into dust and vanished.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Il-Ho has inherited the will of the Dead Dragon¡¯s Expeditionary Force.]


    [Il-Ho has acquired Iron-Willed Stamina.]


    Suddenly, a message appeared. It never happened before, not even when Il-Ho was with Yu Il-shin or was using the potions. Nevertheless, Il-Ho couldn¡¯t hear it. He marched forward, passing the green zone and entering the yellow zone. He waited, all nerves standing on edge.


    <i>Swaaaa!</i>


    <i>It¡¯s here! </i>


    ¡°<i>Hmph, </i>right here!¡±


    Knowing that an arrow wasing, Il-Ho twisted his body diagonally. Unlike what he expected, the arrow hit him squarely in the forehead.


    n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    <i>ng ng!</i>


    Thankfully, the arrow didn¡¯t pierce his bones, which had been trained with the dumbest method in existence.


    <i>Pop!</i>


    ¡°...I¡¯m still too slow.¡± Grimacing, Il-Ho pulled out the arrow on his forehead, blood trickling from the wound.


    <i>Trudge trudge, thud thud!</i>


    Three figures emerged from the darkness.


    [Legendary Undead Adventurer Party in By Dead Dragon]


    The zombie elf, zombie barbarian, and the skeletal priest.


    <i>Kriiik!</i>


    Tucking three more arrows onto her crossbow, the zombie elf was about to shoot.


    <i>Click click click! Thump!</i>


    However, Il-Ho took off his armor and put down the dumbbell sword.


    <i>Krik?</i>


    The zombie elf tilted her head, looking at Il-Ho as if asking what he was doing.


    ¡°My ultimate goal isn¡¯t to defeat you guys!¡± Il-Ho stared intently at the zombie elf


    Her arrows were extremely fast and sharp, to the point he couldn¡¯t even see them. He wanted to learn its movement! Il-Ho flexed every muscle in his body and shouted, ¡°<i>Muuuuscles! </i>Let me learn from you!¡±


    ***


    Back at the Hunter Academy¡¯s principal office, after Yu Il-shin left, an awkward silence filled the room.


    Briefly, Ko Sa-Deuk closed his eyes to suppress his anger. When he opened them again, a sneer appeared on his face.


    ¡°We should get going then.¡±


    In response, Choi Kang-San smiled brightly, as if he had been waiting to hear that. ¡°Oh, really? <i>Haha! </i>About time! Our lessons are still ongoing, so get the hell outta here!¡±


    Seeing Choi Kang-San¡¯s outburst, Ko Sa-Deuk clicked his tongue. He pulled out his wallet from his robes and threw a stack of 50,000 Korean won bills at the former.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back again. Make sure to prepare a proper tea next time.¡±


    ¡°Y-you rich bastard! Who do you take me for?! A damn beggar?!¡±


    ¡°Daddy¡ªno, Mr. Principal, you don¡¯t sound convincing when you¡¯re picking the bills up like that...¡±


    Being homeless for many years, Choi Kang-San¡¯s hands were quite honest. Choi Eun-Bi covered her face in embarrassment.


    ¡°<i>Kuku</i>. Let¡¯s head back, Myeong-Hee. We should prepare for the Dead Dragon dungeon raid too.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Grandfather.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯te here again, you unlucky skeleton!¡±


    Leaving behind Choi Kang-San and his cries, the grandfather-granddaughter pair left the Hunter Academy. As soon as they stepped out, members of the Immortal Guild in ck suits politely opened the limousine door.


    As they entered the car, Ko Sa-Deuk nced at his granddaughter, asking, ¡°So, how do you like your prospective groom?¡±


    <i>Wipe wipe¡ª</i>


    Wiping the rouge off her lips with wet wipes, Ko Myeong-Hee tied her hair back.


    ¡°Yes, he¡¯s much more interesting than I thought. <i>Kuku</i>.¡±


    Ko Myeong-Hee smiled like a lily as she recalled how Yu Il-Shin trembled when they first met.


    <i>nce nce¡ª</i>


    The guild member in the driver¡¯s seat blushed as he sneaked peeks at Ko Myeong-Hee through the rearview mirror. Even though she only wiped off her lip rouge and tied her hair, she lookedpletely unrecognizable from her earlier virgin ghost appearance.


    Of course, since not only was she an S-rank Hunter, she was also a world-ss model who¡¯d receive love calls from Hollywood.


    Known by the screen name ¡°Lily¡±, she was much more active overseas than in Korea, so her domestic recognition was much lower than Sung Mi-Na. Nevertheless, as a representative of South Korea, her beauty was second to none. ording to men, her bombshell body was much better than Sung Mi-Na¡¯s. Although it wasn¡¯t obvious at the moment, since she was wearing a fluffy robe.


    Ko Sa-Deuk clicked his tongue. ¡°If only you had dressed like usual! He¡¯d have been captivated by you in an instant! <i>Tsk, </i>why did you even have this getup? I didn¡¯t stop you because you followed quietly.¡±


    Indeed. Ko Sa-Deuk was also aware of his granddaughter¡¯s fashion sense.


    ¡°<i>Hoho, </i>but that¡¯d be boring, Grandfather!.¡±


    In truth, Myeong-Hee didn¡¯t look forward to this meeting at all.


    ¡°I thought you¡¯d finally gone senile! Trying to set up Myeong-Ji for marriage and all. <i>Haa... </i>Did you know how hard it is to get tickets in Paris to fly back?¡±


    Out of nowhere, her grandfather wanted to arrange a marriage between Ko Myeong-Ji and Yu Il-Shin. As such, Myeong-Hee flew back and took the matter into her own hands.


    ¡°<i>Keke</i>, despite your incessant nagging, you don¡¯t seem to dislike it.¡±


    Ko Myeong-Hee¡¯s multi-colored eyes, dubbed the treasure of the East in the modeling industry, shone mysteriously.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m kind of interested in him now. I want him for myself. Besides you, no man has ever resisted my charming eyes. This is a first for me.¡±


    After inheriting the mare¡¯s blood, her eyes became both a blessing and a curse. Most of the men who courted her were seduced by her eyes.


    Unlike Yu Il-Shin. Could it be, he was the one she¡¯d been waiting for all this time?


    ¡°<i>Keke</i>, take your time to make steady progress. He¡¯s already within my grasp.¡±


    ¡°...Pardon? Grandfather, what do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°<i>Keke.</i>¡± Ko Sa-Deuk grinned wickedly.


    -<i>Keeheehee! Kikiki!</i>


    The air behind him vibrated slightly, and a faint, ghostly wail leaked out.


    ***


    An eerie tune echoed beyond the pitch-ck darkness.


    -<i>Keeheehee! Kikiki!</i>


    I ignored it and stared impatiently at my phone. I was prepared to use my healing powers at any moment


    [The Thirtieth Floor of the Tower of Warriors: Trial of Dead Dragon.]


    ¡°<i>Huff, huff!</i>¡±


    Il-Ho panted heavily, covered in blood. He¡¯d challenged the trial alone. Seeing how serious he was, I didn¡¯t dare interrupt him. Currently, he was fighting the Legendary Undead Adventurer Party. However, he used an entirely different strategy than when we attempted the trial together.


    <i>No, I¡¯m not sure if I can even call it a strategy.</i>


    Most logically, one would go for the priest first, since they¡¯d keep reviving incapacitated party members. But Il-Ho didn¡¯t do that.


    <i>Bam! Bam Bam Bam!</i>


    After defeating the barbarian zombie and zombie elf, Il-Ho looked at the skeletal priest. ¡°What are you doing? Revive yourrades, quick.¡±


    <i>Shiver¡ª</i>


    Trembling, the skeletal priest revived theirrades with their staff. It happened dozens, no, hundreds more times, until...


    ¡°<i>Grrr</i>...¡±


    <i>Plop!</i>


    The skeletal priest copsed to the ground, unmoving. The barbarian zombie fell after, his head smashed in by Il-Ho¡¯s fist. Only the zombie elf was left.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to attack me?¡±


    The zombie elf merely stood there nkly. Her crossbow remained empty, as if she had no intention of attacking in the first ce.


    Plucking the arrows off his body, Il-Ho threw them at her feet. ¡°Use them.¡±


    The zombie elf picked up a single arrow. Rather than an act of disregard, she determined that one would suffice. She cocked the arrow on her crossbow.


    <i>Creaaaaak! Pooooow!</i>


    A sacred golden glow burst from her bow, an effect that was unthinkable from an undead.


    <i>Tzzz!</i>


    Gradually, the brilliance that enveloped the entire area converged to the arrowhead.


    I¡¯d never seen her unleash such a move before! My guts told me it was by far the most dangerous one! Il-Ho had to attack before the charge wasplete!


    But Il-Ho did nothing. He stared nkly at the zombie elf and her bow. Then, seemingly realizing something, Il-Ho smiled brightly.


    ¡°Compression and focus...¡±


    <i>Pzzz!</i>


    Thus, her charge waspleted.


    <i>Flicker!</i>


    Just then, the zombie elf started catching fire from the heat of the glow. It was a skill that destroyed the caster.


    ¡°Come to me!¡± Il-Ho opened his arms wide.


    <i>Psss!</i>


    Her hands, which clutched onto the crossbow and arrow, were the first to turn to ashes. At the same time, like a dog released from its chains, the arrow shot toward Il-Ho.


    ¡°<i>Muuuuscles!</i>¡± Il-Ho pped his hands shut.


    <i>sh! aaap!</i>


    A dazzling golden glow shot at Il-Ho, followed by a booming explosion. It struck Il-Ho like a lightning strike!


    <i>Pzzzz!</i>


    But the lightning stopped at his neck, sped by his hands.


    <i>Tzzz!</i>


    ck smoke rose from Il-Ho''s hands, but he was still alive. With an arrow in hand, Il-Ho bowed deeply to the zombie elf.


    ¡°Thank you. Thanks to you, I was able to gain insight about the true muscle.¡±


    He showed overwhelming gratitude.


    ¡°I shall remember your teachings forever. May God Yu Il-Shin bless you and yourrades.¡±


    Was it just me? I thought I saw a faint smile on the zombie elf¡¯s face as she burned.


    <i>Pssss¡ª</i>


    Now reduced to ashes, Il-Ho left behind the zombie elf and her party.


    [Il-Ho has inherited the will of the Legendary Adventurer Party.]


    [Il-Ho has acquired Extreme Concentration.]


    Il-Ho kept advancing. Up next was the horde of Death Knights who wouldn¡¯t die unless their cores were destroyed. This time, he didn¡¯t even need me to identify his opponents¡¯ weaknesses like before. With his massive dumbbell sword, Il-Ho destroyed the Death Knights in one fell swoop.


    ¡°Brave warriors, may God Yu Il-Shin bless you.¡±


    <i>Pssss!</i>


    [Il-Ho has inherited the will of the Order of White Dragon Knight.]


    [Il-Ho has acquired Lethal Strike.]


    But the maze in the next stage would definitely be tough...


    ¡°God Yu Il-Shin has spoken, good muscles make things easier for the brain! <i>Muuuuscles!</i>¡±


    <i>Bam! Bam bam bam!</i>


    Il-Ho destroyed the maze with his dumbbell sword, making the vampires jump out in surprise. Unfazed, Il-Ho charged at them, plucking their heads off like nothing.


    ¡°You abominable mosquitoes! No blessings from God Yu Il-Shin to you!¡±


    <i>Kieeeek!</i>


    Soon, the cries of vampires resounded through the maze. Atst, Il-Ho arrived at the entrance of the White Dragon, which had melted him before.


    Il-Ho dered loudly, ¡°I have returned! Your bony lizard! Let''s fight again!¡±


    My heart felt full. I was a little disappointed, but seeing how Il-Ho coulde this far without my help made me feel proud of him as well.


    <i>Kiiiiiik!</i>


    I cheered nervously for Il-Ho as he pushed open the iron gates. <i>Come on Il-Ho! You can do it!</i>


    The maniac cackling echoed again. It grew annoyingly louder with each passing second.


    ¡°Hey, this is an important moment! Shut it!¡±


    But they were tactless and didn''t listen to a single word I said.


    -<i>Keeheeheehee!</i>


    <i>-Yeeheehee!</i>


    <i>Shriiiing! ck!</i>


    Lurking in the darkness were monsters with demonic masks. Soon, they surrounded me, their blue aura spear directed at me. My power appraised them automatically.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    -----


    [Ko Sa-Deuk¡¯s Yaksha Soldiers]


    Necromancer Ko Sa-Deuk''s lifelong collection of familiars.


    Special note: Originally ordered to kidnap you, but they disobeyed his orders and now wish to eat you.


    -----


    My eyebrows wriggled.


    ¡°How dare you.¡±

 Chapter 91: The True Muscle, Super Strong Body!

    <h4>Chapter 91: The True Muscle, Super Strong Body!</h4>


    Word had it that Ko Sa-Deuk was a shaman in his younger days. Back then, his spiritual powers were so great, even big shots made a queue for his services, ready to splurge. Some even said that he dabbled in ck magic.


    Then, he awakened.


    The newly established Hunter Association had high hopes for him. But, he awakened with a bizarre and unheard-of ability: Corpse Communion. It allowed him to detect a corpse within a 1 km radius.


    n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    At that time, the system for measuring awakened abilities hadn¡¯t been established yet. As such, those who awakened were evaluated based on their physical specifications and concrete abilities. Thus, Ko Sa-Deuk was determined to be a C-rank.


    With his ability as a base, Ko Sa-Deuk organized a team named the Three-Legged Crow, the predecessor of the Immortal Guild. Their main purpose was to retrieve corpses and relics of fallen Hunters from the cracks or dungeons that had be their final resting ces. They were akin to crows that scavenged the hunting ground remnants, and the Hunter on the frontlines despised them for it. In spite of that, Ko Sa-Deuk continued to lead the team for over a decade.


    One day, an SS-rank gate suddenly opened on Jeju Ind! Emerging from the gate was a legion of thousands of demons, led by an SS-rank Monarch-type monster: a 10-meter, three-headed Chimera King.


    -Be honored, you lowly races! My master, Beast of Deceit and Rapacity, demands all of your blood!


    The Chimera King¡¯s roar was broadcast across South Korea. Although no one understood it, panic erupted. People were still recovering from the aftermath of the Despair Dragon. The Hunter Association and the military abandoned Jeju Ind. Instead of a direct confrontation, the government decided to use Ragnarok to mitigate the damage. It was a strategic weapon developed by the U.S. in the wake of the tragedy.


    An evacuationmand wasunched on the ind of despair. But then, a mysterious middle-aged man arrived, armed with a ck longbow. His armor radiated a sinister aura.


    ¡°<i>Tsk! </i>Miracle, that ghost bitch! Leaving me with such a troublesome task...¡±


    ¡°<i>Hoho</i>, if only you weren¡¯t so greedy. You reap what you sow.¡±


    ¡°<i>Hmph. </i>I¡¯m still going. It¡¯s been a while since there was an S-rank corpse. What a shame. If only Choi Kang-San were dead too.¡±


    As he assessed the encroaching legion of demons on Jeju Ind, the mysterious figure¡¯s multicolored eyes glowed.


    ¡°<i>Phew</i>, that is a lot.¡±


    ¡°Five thousand beasts in total, and all of them are B-rank or higher. Theirmander is a quasi-apostle.¡±


    ¡°<i>Ha!</i> Another apostle?!¡±


    The mysterious figure nced briefly at Ko Sa-Deuk. ¡°This is going to be tough. Need some help?¡±


    ¡°<i>Hmph!</i> You stay out of this! A weak girl shouldn¡¯t interfere in a man¡¯s work!¡± Ko Sa-Deuk¡¯s ck lips twisted, as if he¡¯d just heard an insult.


    ¡°Oh, my. Did you just call me weak? No one is as brazen as you.¡±


    Meanwhile, the SS-rank Chimera King turned all six arms at Ko Sa-Deuk and the mysterious figure. As itmanded its troops, its three heads were red with fury.


    Ko Sa-Deuk frowned. ¡°It¡¯s been fussing nonstop since earlier! Lilith, what did it say?¡±


    The mysterious figure, who wore a helmet, snorted. ¡°Nothing, just calling us a ¡®traitor¡¯ and a ¡®filthy old man.¡¯ He even asked me why I mated with such a lowly creature just because I had no partner.¡±


    <i>Crack!</i>


    Gritting his teeth in anger, Ko Sa-Deuk pointed his ck fingernail at the Chimera King. ¡°Tell that fucker I¡¯m going to rip its mouth off for insulting my woman!¡±


    ¡°Oh, my. You¡¯re so cool~¡±


    <i>Plop!</i>


    Ko Sa-Deuk brandished his long spear and went for the demon legion on his own. As a C-rank Hunter, his action must¡¯ve seemed suicidal. But he wasn¡¯t alone.


    ¡°Rise, my Yaksha soldiers.¡±


    <i>Riiiip!</i>


    As if a gate had opened, the space around Ko Sa-Deuk split open, and masked soldiers crawled out of them like a swarm of ants. They were the corpses of the Hunters he¡¯d collected over the past ten years.


    ¡°Since ancient times, soldiers always wait for the opportunity to strike.¡±


    Ko Sa-Deuk sneered, ¡°<i>Keke</i>. Now, the world shall witness the strength we¡¯ve forged through years of relentless toil.¡±


    -<i>Kihihihi!</i>


    -<i>Keekeekee!</i>


    The bloodthirsty Yaksha soldiers shed against the demon legion. That day, Ko Sa-Deuk and Choi Kang-San became a legend in South Korea.


    ***


    Truly impressed by Ko Sa-Deuk¡¯s feats, a certain writer even wrote a novel based on it, titled <i>A Million Yaksha Soldiers Under Me</i>.


    -<i>Kihihi!</i>


    -<i>Keekeekee!</i>


    The aforementioned soldiers were now shing before my eyes. Their masks were both hideous and terrifying. Of course, saying there were a million of them was just an exaggeration. Regardless, there seemed to be over 10,000 around me.


    How did I find myself in this strange space with the Yaksa soldiers, you ask?


    When I saw God-Maker¡¯s message, I stormed out of the principal¡¯s office.


    ¡°No! Il-Ho!¡±


    At that moment...


    <i>Riiiiip! Grab grab!</i>


    ¡°<i>Huh?</i>¡±


    The space behind me split apart. Hundreds of arms shot out toward me, grabbing me from all directions, dragging me into this strange space. Distracted, I couldn¡¯t react in time. At first, I was taken aback, but the Yaksha soldiers didn¡¯t seem to mean any harm. Not like I had time to care about them, since I was concerned about Il-Ho¡¯s safety.


    -----


    [Ko Sa-Deuk¡¯s Yaksha Soldiers]


    Necromancer Ko Sa-Deuk''s lifelong collection of familiars.


    Special note: Originally ordered to kidnap you, but they disobeyed his orders and now wish to eat you.


    ...At least, until the Yaksha soldiers tried to eat me.


    <i>Drip drip! </i>


    Sticky liquid dribbled down behind their masks to their chins. Apparently, I was as irresistible as a fried chicken at midnight.


    <i>Bam bam! Thud thud!</i>


    Moreover, I could hear something approaching. It was so heavy, the ground shook with each step. The owner was iparablyrger than the rest of the Yaksha soldiers, and it had three heads.


    My powers assessed it.


    -----


    [Ko Sa-Deuk¡¯s Yaksha Captain]


    An exceptional corpse amongst Necromancer Ko Sa-Deuk¡¯s lifelong collection of familiars.


    Special note: Used to be an apostle of Beast of Deceit and Rapacity


    -----


    <i>Swooosh!</i>


    As I was stunned by the word ¡°apostle,¡± a ck-armored monsternded in front of me. Beneath its helmet, its multicolored eyes glimmered mysteriously. A pair of spectacr bat wings sprouted from its back.


    -----


    [Ko Sa-Deuk¡¯s Yaksha General]


    An exceptional corpse amongst Necromancer Ko Sa-Deuk¡¯s lifelong collection of familiars.


    Special note: Used to be an apostle of Seductive Nights


    -----


    <i>Just who the hell is that grandfather?</i>


    His familiars consisted of not only Yaksha soldiers, but also <i>two</i> apostles?!


    <i>Ding! Ding!</i>


    -Here Ie, bony lizard! <i>Muuuuscles!</i>


    Suddenly, on my phone screen, Il-Ho could be seen fighting the skeletal dragon.


    ¡°<i>Uhm</i>, I¡¯m a little busy right now. Can I take care of this first?¡±


    I tried to reason with the soldiers, but...


    -<i>Kihihihihi!</i>


    -<i>Kyaaaak!</i>


    Like insects, the hungry soldiers swarmed around me.


    ¡°<i>Haa</i>... there¡¯s no other way, <i>huh?</i>¡± I let out a heavy sigh. Well, I didn¡¯t expect it to work anyway. ¡°Equip malevolent god title: Brutal Killer (B).¡±


    Thus I, Malevolent God Yu Il-Shin, started facing off against over 10,000 Yaksha soldiers.


    <i>Baaaaam!</i>


    ***


    Back on the Thirtieth Floor of the Tower of Warriors: Trial of Dead Dragon...


    <i>Creaaaaak!</i>


    Pushing open the iron gates of the Dead Dragon¡¯s dungeon, Il-Ho stepped inside.


    <i>Thud! </i>


    There, a dragon with nothing but pure white bones greeted the intruder.


    -<i>Grrrr!</i>


    <i>¡°This has to be the strongest enemy I¡¯ve ever encountered!¡± </i>Il-Ho thought to himself as he red at the colossal dragon.


    His usual tactics when facing gigantic enemies were to burrow into their bodies and tear out their organs. Naturally, it wouldn¡¯t work against a monster with nothing but bones.


    <i>Creaaaaak!</i>


    The skeletal dragon looked down at Il-Ho and opened its jaw. It was about to spew acidic breath! Chills ran down Il-Ho¡¯s spine. No matter how rigorous he trained, he still couldn¡¯t withstand the acid.


    Then, he just had to defeat the dragon before it could unleash a breath attack!


    ¡°Skill, Strong Body!¡±


    <i>Throb throb!</i>


    Il-Ho¡¯s muscles swelled rapidly. It was a secret skill he¡¯d learned in the Tower of Warriors, which amplified his strength tenfold.


    Still, deep down, Il-Ho knew it was far from enough. His bulky yet slow muscles were no match for the skeletal white dragon.


    Il-Ho closed his eyes and recalled the zombie elf¡¯s final lesson. She condensed every ounce of her destructive power into that dazzling golden arrow. Il-Ho¡¯s bulging muscles began to shrink, producing noises akin to that of a press machine.


    <i>Compress! Compress! Compress! Focus! Focus! Focus!</i>


    From his nose and mouth, a steady stream of blood bubbled and trickled, yet he didn¡¯t stop.


    -<i>Kyaaaa!</i>


    Sensing danger, the white dragon spewed acidic breath at Il-Ho.


    <i>sh!</i>


    Just then, Il-Ho opened his eyes.


    <i>Roaaaaar! Baaaam!</i>


    A blinding golden light, as bright as the sun, emanated from Il-Ho¡¯s body. His body was no longer bulky and ripped like a bodybuilder. Instead, he had a lean and muscr one fit for battle, simr to the legendary martial artist, Bruce Lee.


    ¡°Ultimate Skill, Super Strong Body!¡±


    <i>Bam bam bam!</i>


    In a sh, Il-Ho stomped on the ground, leaped into the air, and swiftly reached for the white dragon¡¯s skull.


    -<i>Grrr!</i>


    Red light glowed from the white dragon¡¯s empty sockets, seemingly taken aback by the sudden turn of events.


    ¡°Weight Increase, 100 tons!¡±


    <i>Tzzzz!</i>


    Il-Ho raised his dumbbell sword, which glowed a brilliant golden light.


    ¡°Take this! This is the ultimate muscle that I, Il-Ho, have perfected! Super Strong blow! <i>Muuuuscles!</i>¡±


    Il-Ho¡¯s dumbbell sword struck the white dragon¡¯s skull.


    -<i>Kyaaaak!</i>


    <i>Thump! Pssss!</i>


    The dragon¡¯s skull shattered, raining down like snow. Soon, the headless corpse copsed into a pile of ashes.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Congrattions! The Thirtieth Floor of the Tower of Warriors: Trial of Dead Dragon has been cleared.]


    [The challenger has been rewarded with the Heart of the White Dragon from Eternal Seeker.]


    ***


    -<i>Muuuuscles! </i>Lord Yu Il-Shin! Did you see that?! I single-handedly defeated the bony lizard! I dedicate this victory to the almighty and merciful God Yu Il-Shin! <i>Puck puck!</i>


    ¡°Y-yes, you did it, Il-Ho. I know you can do it.¡±


    -But Lord Yu Il-Shin, you look exhausted. Did something happen?


    Il-Ho stared at me, full of concern.


    Something did happen, actually. Ghostly wails of the Yaksha soldiers rang in this dark space.


    -<i>Hiiiiiiic...</i>


    -<i>Waaaaaah...</i>


    However, unlike those creepy screeches from earlier, this sounded a lot more mournful. Wistful, even. They came from the mountain of corpses of the Yaksha soldiers, which I¡¯d dispatched using my ck mes. The upgrade on the malevolent god title, Brutal Killer, truly did a number on it.


    Then, I recalled something. Didn¡¯t Ko Sa-Deuk say he was selling them at a billion each?


    <i>...Fuck, what if he demands reimbursement from me?</i>

 Chapter 92: The God’s Love and Retribution go Hand in Hand

    <h4>Chapter 92: The God¡¯s Love and Retribution go Hand in Hand</h4>


    ¡°Whatever! It was self-defense!¡±


    <i>Right, this only happened because they kidnapped me! I¡¯m innocent!</i>


    -<i>Hic, hic...</i>


    I stared at the Yaksha soldier, whose lower body was blown away. Behind its cracked mask was the beautiful face of a woman with multi-colored eyes. Heartrending tears trickled down her face.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    -----


    [Ko Sa-Deuk¡¯s Broken Yaksha General]


    An exceptional corpse amongst Necromancer Ko Sa-Deuk¡¯s lifelong collection of familiars.


    Special note: Terrified of your divinity. Begging for mercy.


    -----


    When I saw those eyes, I was reminded of Ko Myeong-Hee, Ko Myeong-Ji¡¯s older sister. Just as guilt began settling in, I reminded myself: <i>I¡¯m a malevolent god! </i>I wouldn¡¯t show women mercy, and female corpses were no exception!


    ¡°S-serves you right! You attacked me first!¡±


    -<i>Hic, hic, hic...</i>


    Then, forlornments of injustice echoed all across the ground. Where did theye from, you ask? Well, from the heads of the Yaksa soldiers I¡¯d ripped off and nted into the ground.


    Even the three-headed Yaksha General suffered the same fate. The heads of a goat, lion, and a man, over a meter tall each, wept softly.


    -<i>Grrrr...</i>


    -<i>Hic, hic, hic...</i>


    -<i>Baa, baa</i>...


    -<i>Waaah!</i>


    The very first head I ripped off was there. It was also the first to pounce. After I ripped the general¡¯s head off, they were overwhelmed by my strength and stopped attacking altogether. But with the malevolent god title equipped, how was <i>I </i>supposed to stop?


    Thus, bathed in the ck blood of the Yaksha General, I leaped at the retreating soldiers.


    ¡°<i>Kekeke!</i> You worthless beings, lower than insects! Is that all you¡¯ve got?! Come at me!¡±


    -<i>Hyiiiieeee!</i>


    I ripped their heads off one by one, and nted them into the ground like a farmer. When I got bored, I changed my attack pattern.


    ¡°<i>Kehaha!</i> Corpses burn well indeed!¡±


    -<i>Kyaaaak!</i>


    I even roasted them with my ck mes.


    ¡°Now, I dare you to try and eat me again! <i>Kehaha!</i>¡±


    -<i>Hieeeek!</i>


    Those who fled were being torn from limb to limb by me.


    ¡°<i>Keke</i>, now this is better.¡±


    Lastly, I gathered all the remains of the Yaksha soldiers, piling them into a huge mountain. After all was said and done, I was left confused. Why did I do that?


    [Silently Crawling Nightmare sighs lustfully, finding you sexy.]


    <i>Shut up! Just be quiet!</i>


    [Infinite Abundance says after being promoted to a Low-tier God, your malevolent god powers are much stronger now. Out of concern, she advises that you use them sparingly, as they tend to take over your sanity.]


    <i>Yes, I¡¯m reflecting on my own actions, Abundance noonim.</i>


    I covered my face. I felt like a drunk freshman at the orientation camp who¡¯d started a new dark chapter.


    I agreed with her. I should probably refrain from using the malevolent god title as much as possible. If my opponents were humans instead of Yaksha soldiers... <i>Haa, </i>that would¡¯ve been a mess.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    Just then, a notification from God-Maker appeared.


    [The terrified Yaksha soldiers desperately plead for your mercy.]


    <i>Wait, even if you don¡¯t beg, I won¡¯t kill you... Oh right, they¡¯re already dead.</i>


    ¡°<i>Haa, </i>I don¡¯t know if this will work, but I¡¯ll just do it anyway.¡±


    <i>They might be corpses, but they¡¯re still kind of alive(?). Besides, there¡¯s no harm in trying.</i>


    If it worked out, great. Otherwise, I¡¯d just im it as self-defense and wriggle myself out of the situation. But before that...


    ¡°Equip Benevolent God title, Benevolent Savior.¡±


    Just like the malevolent god title, this title had also been upgraded.


    [The victory in the Holy War and the sessful defense of the Gayami nation has raised the rank of your benevolent god title, Benevolent Savior, from C to B.]


    Unfortunately, the rank upgrade didn¡¯t seem toe with any other benefits.


    <i>Baaaam!</i>


    ¡°<i>Oh?</i>¡±


    As soon as I equipped that title, a holy aura overflowed from my body, its radiance iparable to before. Even something resembling a halo appeared over my head.


    ¡°I have a good feeling about this!¡±


    I pointed my glowing ring finger at the mangled Yaksha soldiers.


    -<i>Kyaaaaa!</i>


    -<i>Hyiiiieee!</i>


    -<i>Arghhhh!</i>


    The Yaksha soldiers screamed in terror.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. I¡¯m going to heal all of you!¡± Iforted them and casted my power. ¡°Healing Ring Finger of God!¡±


    <i>sh! Baaaam!</i>


    Pure white brilliance came forth from my ring finger, sweeping over the Yaksa soldiers like a tsunami.


    -<i>Kyaaaaak!</i>


    Their bodies melted like ice cream in the middle of summer.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [The Yaksha soldiers are being purified by God¡¯s divine power.]


    ¡°<i>Huh?</i>¡±


    ***


    Unlike other guilds, the Immortal Guild headquarter was located in a tranquil <i>hanok</i>[1].


    In the guild leader¡¯s office, Ko Sa-Deuk sat in a rtively good mood. He¡¯d won the raid rights to the Dead Dragon Dungeon in Gimje, beating that brat Baek Geon. The tens of billions he forked over was money well spent. All he cared about was the boss, the Dead Dragon.


    ¡°<i>Keke, </i>I can¡¯t wait.¡±


    Ko Sa-Deuk had always wanted one for himself. The Dead Dragon was the strongest monster among the Command-type. By getting his hands on it, the Immortal Guild wouldn¡¯t JUST be the best in South Korea, but the entire world.


    Even with his Corpse Communion skill, it was still risky, but definitely viable.


    ¡°Are you watching this, Lilith?¡±


    Ko Sa-Deuk gently touched the photograph on his desk. The woman in the photo, a splitting image of his granddaughter, Myeong-Hee, smiled brightly at him.


    ¡°Soon, the day wille when I avenge you.¡±


    <i>Crack!</i>


    Ko Sa-Deuk gnashed his teeth until they bled. He needed the Dead Dragon to y that wretched Despair Dragon! He also needed to find a way to further strengthen his Yaksha soldiers...


    ¡°<i>Ah, </i>right. All this mess made me forget something important.¡±


    He¡¯d obtained the exact means he was looking for.


    Remembering Yu Il-Shin, the man who¡¯d evolved Hades, Ko Sa-Deuk rubbed his hands together.


    ¡°<i>Keke, </i>he should¡¯vee to his senses by now.¡±


    Yu Il-Shin had the gall to reject his granddaughter! He even used someme excuses, iming that he was gay and whatnot! It was as outrageous as the attire his granddaughter wore that day! Hence, Ko Sa-Deuk decided to punish him.


    With a snap of his finger, the air before him ripped open, revealing his innate space.


    ¡°Have you learned your lesson yet? You maye out, <i>Grandson-inw.</i>¡±


    Ko Sa-Deuk stood with a stern face, ready to greet Yu Il-Shin, but there was only silence.


    Ko Sa-Deuk grinned nastily. ¡°<i>Keke</i>, too afraid to walk out on his own?¡±


    Not even the strongest of men couldst more than half a day in his infamous subspace, also dubbed as the Sovereign Jail.


    Ko Sa-Deukmanded his Yaksha soldiers, ¡°Yaksha soldiers, fetch me my grandson-inw.¡±


    Once again, silence ensued.


    ¡°...What are you doing? Do you not hear me?!¡± Ko Sa-Deuk screamed, yet there was no response.<i> </i>


    <i>Ruuumble!</i>


    <i>No way...</i>


    With an ominous premonition, Ko Sa-Deuk swiftly peeked into his subspace.


    ¡°T-there¡¯s no one at all?¡±


    Even though he¡¯d stored over ten thousand Yaksha soldiers in there, it was now empty, as if someone had taken him to the cleaners!


    ¡°Yaksha soldiers! Yaksha General! Is there anyone there?!¡±


    Anxiously, Ko Sa-Deuk called out to them. Still no answer. Suddenly, a face came to mind. That stupid menace he had imprisoned in there!<i> Yu Il-Shin!</i>


    Due to Yu Il-Shin¡¯s potential and capability, Ko Sa-Deuk wanted to beat him into submission. Who¡¯d have thought that he¡¯d be robbed in broad daylight instead!


    ¡°T-that thief! You won¡¯t get away with this!¡±


    Gritting his teeth, Ko Sa-Deuk mmed his fist against the emergency bell engraved with a skull.


    <i>Kieeeek!</i>


    A shrill, ghostly wail resounded as members of the Immortal Guild in ck suits gathered before him.


    ¡°Guild Leader, what happened?!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an emergency! Open the Infernal Vault right now!¡±


    Their faces instantly went pale. ¡°T-the Infernal Vault? D-did an SSS-rank gate appear?¡±


    ¡°No, worse!¡±


    Anger and madness swirled in Ko Sa-Deuk¡¯s eyes. Anyone who dared to steal his Yaksha soldiers¡ªespecially his Yaksha General, whom he loved more than his own life¡ªdeserved to be torn to pieces!


    ¡°Grandfather, what¡¯s wrong? It¡¯s sote already...¡±


    ¡°<i>Hoahm</i>~ I won¡¯t grow taller if Ick sleep...¡±


    Momentster, Myeong-Hee and Myeong-Ji, who drowsily rubbed her eyes, appeared outside the vault.


    ¡°Get ready! Your grandmother has been kidnapped!¡±


    ¡°What? What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°That thief! Where is he hiding?!¡± Ko Sa-Deuk closed his eyes, gathering his focus.


    Unbeknownst to Yu Il-Shin, he was of one mind with his Yaksha soldiers! No matter where they hid, he could detect them easily...


    ¡°W-what? Why can¡¯t I sense them? N-no, please no...¡± Ko Sa-Deuk became as white as a ghost. Even his ck lips nched from the shock.


    ¡°L-Lilith! Where are you?!¡±


    He couldn¡¯t sense his wife¡¯s aura! Unable to part with her after her passing, he turned her into his Yaksha General.


    Yet, it was as if she¡¯d vanished into thin air...


    <i>Trickle¡ª!</i>


    Tears overflowed endlessly from Ko Sa-Deuk¡¯s eyes, as if his whole world had disappeared.


    ¡°G-grandfather?¡± Myeong-Hee was astonished. As far as she remembered, her grandfather was an extremely cold-hearted man who never showed any weaknesses.


    <i>Beep!</i>


    Just then, the phone in the office rang, and the vice guild leader answered it in Ko Sa-Deuk¡¯s stead. In the next moment, his expression stiffened.


    ¡°Guild Leader, there¡¯s a huge problem!¡±


    ¡°A huge problem? As if it can get any worse than this...¡± Ko Sa-Deuk asked weakly, looking like he had aged several years in an instant.


    ¡°I-it¡¯s the dungeon that our guild won the rights for! It has closed naturally!¡±


    An S-rank dungeon never closed naturally¡ªat least until today. And it was the same dungeon that the Immortal Guild had spent tens of billions to acquire.


    <i>Stagger¡ª Thud!</i>


    Ko Sa-Deuk copsed, foaming at his mouth.


    ¡°<i>Eek! </i>Grandfather!¡±


    ¡°Grandfather! Stay strong!¡±


    ***


    With my crushing forefinger and its on/off function, I opened Ko Sa-Deuk¡¯s subspace and escaped safely through the crack. Then, I found myself in agony, but in an entirely different sense. And no, not because I was deep in the mountains, with the eerie hoots of owls echoing all around me.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you guys return to your master?¡± I spoke carefully to the beings surrounding me.


    <i>Shake shake!</i>


    They shook their heads in unison as they hovered above my head. pping their wings, they scattered fragrant flowers. They might be no bigger than sparrows, but there were over 10,000 of them!


    Before I knew it, I was buried by the flowers. Where did they evene from? My eyes scanned the tiny angels who were trying to suffocate me.


    -----


    [Yu Il-Shin¡¯s Angel Soldiers]


    Originally Ko Sa-Deuk¡¯s Yaksha soldiers. Reborn as angels after being purified by benevolent power.


    Special note: Love you.


    -----


    <i>Aah, love. That sublime and beautiful word.</i>


    [Infinite Abundance beams, congratting you for epting the angels as your familiars.]


    ¡°....Abundance noonim, aren¡¯t they just useless?¡±


    [Infinite Abundance waves both fists in the air, eximing that they are adorable.]


    I let out a heavy sigh, burying my face into the flowers.


    <i>Ssss¡ª</i>


    The angels flying around me stroke my hair, as ifforting me.


    ***


    <i>Crack crack! Gulp!</i>


    A crocodile enshrouded in jet-ck darkness was eating an arm. At its feetid the owner of the arm. A man in his thirties, bleeding to death. Learning the man¡¯s identity only made the sight even more gruesome.


    He was a Brazilian S-rank Hunter, Carlos, famous for his ability to control extreme cold.


    n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    <i>Crunch!</i>


    ¡°<i>Aaargghhh!</i>¡±


    The man, who had yet to breathe hisst, had to experience the pain of having his leg torn off.


    As the crocodile gnawed on Carlos¡¯ right leg, its eyes were focused on the tiny insect at its feet.


    ¡°So, Spider, you said you could help me avenge my mother¡¯s death?¡±


    The spider, Arachne, Goddess of the Empire, nodded. She gave the crocodile a bewitching smile.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, Alpha. Child of Gustav, the apostle of the great and evil God of Destroyer.¡±


    1. This is what traditional Korean houses are called. ?

 Chapter 93: Seductive Nights and Lilith

    <h4>Chapter 93: Seductive Nights and Lilith</h4>


    ¡°That¡¯s right, Alpha. Child of Gustav, the apostle of the great and evil God of Destroyer.¡±


    Cold reptilian eyes reflected Arachne. Alpha grinned wickedly, revealing his bloody teeth.


    ¡°<i>Krr!¡±</i>


    <i>Flick!</i>


    Alpha whipped his tail at Arachne.


    ¡°<i>Eek!</i>¡±


    The tall shadow loomed over her, heralding death.


    <i>Baaam!</i>


    Alpha¡¯s tail struck deeply into the ground! Had she moved an inch to the side, she¡¯d have been dead!


    ¡°<i>Huff! Huff!</i>¡± Arachne gasped in quick, short breaths. She crumbled weakly to the ground.


    As he watched her, Alpha spoke with arrogance, ¡°<i>Grr.</i> The nerve of this talking spider! Saying that I needed help from a damn insect! What can you even do?¡±


    <i>Krrr, krrr!</i>


    The three crocodiles lurking behind Alphaughed at Arachne in unison.


    <i>These ursed lizards! </i>Arachne gritted her teeth. Still, she had to endure this humiliation. She had to pay for losing a hundred billion troops and three apostles with her life. Not even her title as the Goddess of the Empire, nor the favors of the emperor and the empire''s gods, could save her.


    Now, herst chance at survival was defeating that evil god, Yu Il-Shin, and this giant lizard was perfect for the job. Not only was the lizard an apostle, it also reigned over Gustav¡¯s other children. Above all, the frosty chill surrounding his tail.


    ¡°<i>Ugh...¡±</i>


    The dying giant at Alpha¡¯s feet groaned as his ability was being absorbed. Yes, such was Alpha¡¯s power. Hence, Alpha definitely had an advantage over the evil god.


    <i>Whiiiing! Ruuumble!</i>


    The sounds of helicopters and sirens echoed around the abandoned building, growing louder with each passing second.


    Alpha looked outside the broken window, frowning. ¡°<i>Krr. </i>They¡¯re here already? Filthy humans! Brothers, begin the ritual!¡±


    <i>Thud thud!</i>


    Then, the crocodiles formed a circle around Carlos. As he groaned, the three kneeled on the ground.


    ¡°<i>Hyiii!</i> Monsters! W-what are you doing!¡± Carlos was stricken in fear.


    Snickering, Alpha grabbed his head.


    ¡°<i>Kujitolea kwa Mungu</i>(Sacrifice to the gods).¡±


    <i>Tzzz!</i>


    Then, a blood-red magic circle appeared around Carlos.


    ¡°S-sav<i>¡ª</i>...<i>Arghhhh!</i>¡±


    <i>Ssss¡ª Swoosh!</i>


    Carlos melted like salt meeting water and was sucked in instantly.


    <i>Tzzz!</i>


    ck aura exploded from Alpha and the other three crocodiles. In exchange for the sacrifice, the God of Destroyer had shared his power with them.


    Basking in the surging power, Alpha¡¯s eyes glowed with killing intent.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Brothers! We¡¯re getting out of here!¡±


    ¡°<i>Krrr!</i>¡± his brothers followed behind excitedly.


    They didn¡¯t know defeat. Humans were so much weaker than them, yet Alpha didn¡¯t underestimate them. They could pose a challenge inrge numbers but were weaker one-on-one. Since they were newly born, he and his siblings wanted to take time to amass strength.


    <i>There¡¯s more of them than I thought.</i>


    In no time at all, the elites from the Brazilian Hunter Association, along with hundreds of military soldiers, had surrounded the abandoned building. Among them, there were five S-rank Hunters.


    Briefly, Alpha nced back at his brothers. He could use them as baits to escape.


    <i>Poook!</i>


    But in the next moment, Alpha and his brothers were covered in Arachne¡¯s webs! Alpha¡¯s eyes widened in shock, burning with anger.


    ¡°How dare you, you insolent insect! Die!¡± Alpha raised his w, about to crush Arachne.


    Arachne went white and hurriedly shook her hands at him. ¡°Please, look at this!¡±


    <i>aat!</i>


    With a blinding light, the view before Alpha and his brothers changed.


    <i>Baaaaam!</i>


    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The sky was dyed bright red. The one responsible for it was a fiery head as colossal as the sun.


    <i>-You! </i>You lowly evil god! I¡¯ll reduce you and your world to ashes!


    It roared ferociously at the ground.


    Instinctively, Alpha knew it was an apostle, just like his mother, Gustav. The difference was that, after consuming countless sacrifices, its power had surpassed that of an ordinary apostle, almost reaching godhood. It indeed had the power to burn the world as proimed!


    Alpha sized up that apostle. Would he be able to take on that thing?


    <i>No, it¡¯s impossible. At least for now....</i>


    But a man could be seen pointing a sword at the fiery apostle, akin to an ant braving a forest fire. How reckless of him! Yet, his expression was dauntless.


    <i>T-that person is...</i>


    Despite only having seen him once, Alpha could sense it.


    <i>He¡¯s the one who killed my mother! My mortal enemy! </i>


    Then, just as the fiery apostle was about to engulf the world with its me...


    -This is the second stance of Demon Lord''s Heavenly Sword, created after the most terrifying of the eight infernals! Fire Sword of the Burning Marl, the Lowest Eight Hells!


    Alpha¡¯s mortal enemy struck it with his sword, which was enshrouded in ck mes. What came after was nothing sort of surprising, but hopeless.


    -<i>Arghhhh! N-noooo!</i>


    The ck mes swallowed the apostle whole like a sr eclipse.


    ¡°<i>Kyaaak!</i>¡±


    Witnessing the tremendous power, Alpha¡¯s brothers shook in fear, copsing to the ground. One of them even peed. Alpha couldn¡¯t me them at all, since he reacted the same way. Even the scales on his pelt stood on ends.


    <i>T-that¡¯s a demonic god!</i>


    He finally understood why his mother died. His mortal enemy was so powerful, not even an apostle stood a chance against him!


    <i>at!</i>


    The scene disappeared.


    ¡°Did you see that? He¡¯s your mortal enemy and also mine, the evil god Yu Il-Shin.¡± To the terrified Alpha and brothers, Arachne added, ¡°<i>Hic</i>. I still couldn¡¯t believe I managed to escape! You¡¯re my only hope left, Alpha! Please help me avenge myrades!¡±


    ¡°...Do you think I can defeat him?¡± Alpha¡¯s voice wavered.


    Had he not seen the extent of Yu Il-Shin¡¯s power, Alpha would¡¯ve been confident. But now, he wasn¡¯t sure if he could get his revenge...


    Arachne nodded. ¡°Of course, as long as youplete the magic circle! With my help and your brother across the world, we¡¯ll definitely defeat him!¡±


    <i>How did she know about the magic circle?</i>


    Alpha¡¯s impression of the spider rose.


    ¡°You have quite the talent. Aside from this, is there anything else that can be of use to me right now?¡±


    ¡°Of course, Alpha.¡± Arachne gave him a bewitching smile.


    <i>Baaam!</i>


    With a loud bang, the S-rank Hunters and military troops burst into the room. However, contrary to their expectations, the room was empty.


    ¡°What happened? There¡¯s no one here!¡±


    ¡°Look around! The intel told us this is the ce!¡±


    ¡°Darn it! Carlos! Can you hear me?!¡±


    As the humans panicked, Alpha and his brothers snuck toward the exit. Yes, they were still there. They passed the guarded main gate with ease, as if they were invisible. Not even the S-rank Hunters could detect their stealth.


    Alpha praised Arachne, who was perched on his shoulder. ¡°You¡¯re quite useful, Spider.¡±


    Arachne then whispered to him, ¡°I, Goddess Arachne, will do my utmost to ensure your freedom in this world. All I ask is that you allow me to be present when you y that evil god.¡±


    Alpha grinned, revealing his teeth.


    ¡°<i>Krrr. </i>Sure. Let¡¯s kill him together.¡±


    ***


    ¡°<i>Achoo!</i>¡±


    <i>Ugh</i>, <i>who is it? Who cursed me? Well, it¡¯s probably the cold.</i>


    Two moons hung in the sky, as if looking down on me. I was still stranded in the mountains. With my phone out of service, I had to wait for the sun to rise. I wasn¡¯t foolish enough to navigate this darkness. At least, I wasn¡¯t alone, which wasforting.


    <i>Flutter!</i>


    -<i>Kyaaaaa!</i>


    -<i>Kyaaaaaaaaa~!</i>


    ...Let me rephrase that. The angels might be the size of sparrows, but having 10,000 of them around me was just crazy. Moreover, they were a rowdy bunch! Theyughed and chattered boisterously. I felt like the only adult among a crowd of kindergarteners!


    <i>Haa. I should just sleep instead.</i>


    When I tried to sleep, using my flowers as my nket, something tugged at my bangs.


    <i>Flutter flutter¡ª</i>


    Unlike the rest of the angels, the one in a ck helmet pulled my hair while flying in the air. ¡°<i>Hmm? </i>What is it?¡±


    -----


    [Yu Il-Shin¡¯s Angel Soldier]


    Originally Ko Sa-Deuk¡¯s Yaksha soldiers. Reborn as angels after being purified by benevolent power.


    Special note: Has a favor to ask of you.


    -----


    ¡°...A favor?¡±


    <i>Slide¡ª</i>


    Then, the angel soldier removed its helmet. Multicolored eyes shone brightly, seemingly imbued with magic. As I stared at them, I felt drawn into them.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [The innate power Blind Eyes of God has been activated.]


    Then, I saw its<i>¡ªLilith¡¯s¡ª</i>past as an apostle of the evil god, Seductive Nights.


    ***


    Darkness spread all around me like the vast ocean. At its center was a goddess who seemed like a giant womb, conceiving life. Her name was Seductive Nights. She was a great malevolent god who¡¯d seduced, corrupted, and devoured countless gods and mortals. But now, she¡¯d fallen and was breathing herst.


    To the beautiful, naked woman bowing beneath her, she spoke weakly.


    -...Listen, myst daughter.


    ¡°Please speak, Great Mother.¡±


    -<i>Cough cough! </i>At the cost of every ounce of my power, I seeded only just in stopping the God of Destroyer. He¡¯d devoured all of my familiars. At this rate, it won¡¯t take long until this world and I perish.


    ¡°What can I do, Great Mother?¡±


    -The next world he¡¯s targeting is destined for destruction, yet untouched by causality. Harvest souls there for my restoration. Bring as many strong and pure souls as you can before the God of Destroyer devours them! Keep this in mind!


    Unlike her divine status, her voice had an eagerness<i>¡ª</i>a desperation to cling onto life, even on rotten ropes.


    ¡°Rest assured, Great Mother. I will definitely harvest enough souls to restore you and our world.¡±


    -Yes, I believe in you. No male of any race will ever be able to resist your charms.


    Seductive Nights acknowledged herst daughter¡¯s irresistible charms.


    -Go forth, Lilith. A summoning gate to that world has been opened by the one who seeks the demonic powers. Had it been my other familiars, it¡¯d have been a fragile gate. But it¡¯s perfect for you, a newborn.


    <i>Riiiip!</i>


    The air ripped open, its size enough for a woman to pass through.


    ¡°I promise to return from my mission, Great Mother.¡±


    Then, without hesitation, Lilith leaped into the unknown world as per her mother¡¯s instruction.


    ¡°<i>Wah!</i> A girl! W-who are you!¡±


    Such was Lilith¡¯s first meeting with Ko Sa-Deuk on earth. He was ten years old at the time, and was about to sacrifice a rabbit on a bloody magic circle.

 Chapter 94: Succubus Holds The Reverse Key On The Necromancer

    <h4>Chapter 94: Subus Holds The Reverse Key On The Necromancer</h4>


    Lilith suddenly appeared through the magic circle.


    <i>ng ng ng!</i>


    Startled, Ko Sa-Deuk dropped the rabbit and the kitchen knife. The rabbit took its chance to escape.


    ¡°A-a demon? But how? I haven¡¯t made an offering yet...¡± Still flustered, Ko Sa-Deuk looked around like a squirrel. At the same time, he sized her up. ¡°<i>Hehe.</i>¡±


    At first nce, her nude body might appear human, but the bat-like wings on her back and the horns on her head made it clear she was anything but.


    Lilith nced at her surroundings. All around her were statues of crowned kings and their legacies. The divine power of this ce was quite unusual, albeit still iparable to her mother¡¯s. <i>Is this a shrine that worships a Low-tier God? </i>Her guess was half-right. They were at a shrine that worshiped Jumong, the founder of Goguryeo.


    ¡°Did I just summon a familiar without a sacrifice? <i>Kuku, </i>how incredible I am!¡±


    Lilith red at the haughty Ko Sa-Deuk. The child was as skinny as a dog and barely reached her waist in height. At the same time, he¡¯d summoned her without a gate. For his praiseworthy feat, Lilith decided to make him the first offering on Earth.


    She¡¯d raise him to the appropriate level that her mother required. Then, she¡¯d harvest his soul. Lilith smiled brightly like a flower.


    ¡°I¡¯m Lilith, thest daughter of my Great Mother, Seductive Nights.¡±


    Lilith stared straight at Ko Sa-Deuk¡¯s round eyes with her charming eyes. She could make any man acquiesce with just a nce.


    ¡°Tell me, Child. What is it that you desire? In exchange for your soul, I shall grant you anything you desire. <i>Kuku, </i>if you wish, I can even give you this body.¡±


    Then, she cupped her luscious breasts, unting them to Ko Sa-Deuk.


    ¡°What do you think? Don¡¯t you want to touch them?¡±


    <i>p!</i>


    Suddenly, something pped her across the cheek.


    ¡°<i>Huh?</i>¡± Lilith¡¯s eyes grew wide in shock. Then, she noticed that Ko Sa-Deuk was tightly clutching a small, yellow talisman. Did he just use that to p her?<i> It hurts!</i>


    ¡°<i>Hmph! </i>Such a vain little demoness. Do you take me as a gullible oaf? How dare you!¡±


    ¡°S-shallow? Me?¡±


    Then, Ko Sa-Deuk puffed up his chest. ¡°I¡¯m the eldest grandson and descendant of the Great Jumong, the founder of the great Goguryeo! Magic won¡¯t work on me!¡±


    ¡°N-no way.¡±


    But ording to her Great Mother, Seductive Nights, no man should be able to resist her charm! And yet, this boy was looking at Lilith with disgust.


    With a wounded pride, Lilith said, ¡°Think again, Little One. I can grant any of your wishes! Don¡¯t you feel anything when you look at me?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want anything from a demon!¡±


    ¡°W-wait. Then why did you perform the summoning ritual?¡±


    ¡°I had nothing better to do.¡± With an anguished look, Ko Sa-Deuk swung his ck spear, which wasrger than him. ¡°To think that I managed to summon a familiar from a half-assed magic circle... My own talent terrifies me sometimes! <i>Kukuku. </i>Aren¡¯t I a prodigy? I have the best divine skills in the family. Anyway, we¡¯re done here, Shallow Demoness. So, get lost. <i>Ahem!</i>¡±


    Having said his piece, Ko Sa-Deuk scurried out of the shrine.


    Left all alone, Lilith felt conflicted. Forget about making him a sacrifice¡ªshould she just kill the child now?


    In the end, her pride andpetitiveness triumphed. Maybe her charm didn¡¯t work on Ko Sa-Deuk because he was still young. A child wasn¡¯t a <i>man</i>, after all. Thus, Lilith waited patiently until the child became a teenager.


    ¡¸Heroes do not die!¡¹


    Ko Sa-Deuk, who¡¯d returned from school, tossed a bag at Lilith. She waszing around in the shrine, ying video games.


    ¡°I got it on the way home. Eat up.¡±


    Lilith¡¯s eyes widened in delight. ¡°<i>Wheee!</i> I love rice cakes!¡±


    In her opinion, rice cakes were the best, especially the long ones, cooked in hot and spicy sauce! She couldn¡¯t get enough of them! It was such a shame that after Earth got destroyed by the God of Destroyer, it¡¯d cease to exist...


    ¡°<i>Munch munch!</i> Are you still not going to tell me your wish, Boy?¡± Lilith asked as she scarfed down the rice cakes.


    Ko Sa-Deuk frowned while fishing out a book from his bag. ¡°<i>Hmph.</i> I don¡¯t want anything from a demon.¡±


    <i>Flutter¡ª</i>


    It was a book about how to master Bitcoins.


    ¡°Is it wealth that you seek? All you have to do is ask and I¡¯ll make you richer than a mansour.¡±


    Ko Sa-Deuk clicked his tongue in disapproval. ¡°See?! You still have a long way to go! A wish only has meaning if it''s fulfilled by my own power, not someone else''s!


    ¡°<i>Hm...¡± </i>Lilith shed her seductive eyes at him, unleashing the power of a mare without warning.


    ¡°How about that? Still don''t feel anything?¡±


    ¡°<i>Hmph!</i> Still as shallow as ever! Like I said, your spells are useless! You¡¯re just asking to be pped by the talisman!¡±


    Lilith tilted her head as Ko Sa-Deuk raised his voice. Besides gaining weight, he looked mostly the same as when she first met him. He could even be called handsome if it weren¡¯t for his terrible fashion sense. He¡¯d always wear a ck long coat.


    <i>Aren¡¯t kids around his age supposed to be hormonal? Then why isn¡¯t my charm working?</i>


    ¡°Is it because he¡¯s still too young? <i>Haa... </i>When will he see me as a woman? Boy, do you want some rice cakes? Here, say <i>ah~ </i>You need to eat more to grow up faster.¡±


    Ko Sa-Deuk sighed as he watched Lilith hand him a mouthful of rice cakes. Her lips were stained bright red by the sauce.


    ¡°<i>Tsk. </i>How sloppy. Learn some etiquette, will you?¡± Ko Sa-Deuk pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped the corners of her mouth.


    Being treated like a child enraged Lilith. ¡°Boy, you can act cheeky now, but one day, you¡¯ll be begging me to fulfill your wish!¡±


    Ko Sa-Deuk snorted,ughing at her. ¡°<i>Huh?</i> Ridiculous! You can have my soul if that day everes!¡±


    Lilith¡¯s multicolored eyes glowed. ¡°<i>Kuku</i>, no take backs. You¡¯ve made an oath to my master and mother, Seductive Nights. I, as her apostle, bear witness to this.¡±


    ¡°Who cares? Fat chance it''s going to happen.¡± Ko Sa-Deuk continued flipping the pages of the book, ignoring Lilith.


    ~


    Their story continued like a novel. Specifically, a ro with tropey characters and thrilling plot twists, ending in tragedy.


    -For a dying god, her apostle is quite useful! Rejoice, Mare! Your heart shall be the cornerstone of my master¡¯s descent into this world!


    The one who said that was the same colossal dragon who¡¯d cursed Sung Mi-Na, Abysm Dragon. At its feet was the dying Lilith, with her heart ripped out.


    ¡°<i>Arghhhh!</i> No! No! Lilith!¡± A bloodied Ko Sa-Deuk crawled toward Lilith with his broken legs.


    His prided weapons, the Yaksha soldiers, were smashed and strewn everywhere like garbage.


    -<i>Keke</i>, lowly insects.


    Abysm Dragon looked down at Ko Sa-Deuk, sneering, then disappeared into the sky.


    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°<i>Haa! Haa!</i>¡±


    After dragging himself for a while, he finally reached Lilith. By the time he reached her, her body was cold.


    Ko Sa-Deuk cried out tears of blood, ¡°Please! Lilith! Let¡¯s make a deal! My wish is...!¡±


    ***


    I finished watching Lilith¡¯s story through my innate power, Blind Eyes of God.


    Tears welled in my eyes. On its own, the story might be mundane and cliche, but it was still Lilith¡¯s <i>life </i>story. I felt a pit in my stomach, as if I¡¯d closed thest page of a book with a sad ending.


    <i>p p!</i>


    A cute angel flew in front of me. She sped her hands, giving me a pleading look. Was it because she was my familiar? She didn¡¯t seem to be able to speak, yet I could understand her wishes.


    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll grant your request.¡±


    A fragment of Lilith stood in front of me, so her story hadn¡¯t ended yet. Maybe, I could change that tragic ending? <i>No, I want to change it for her.</i>


    As if feeling my emotions, Lilith smiled brightly, her hands still sped together.


    <i>Riiiip!</i>


    Then, a part of the space in front of me began ripping apart. Lilith stepped inside, signaling for me to follow. I nodded and followed suit.


    Inside was Ko Sa-Deuk¡¯s subspace. Originally, it was filled with his Yaksha soldiers, but now it was empty.


    Flying in front of me, Lilith put her hands together and another space manifested, leading to somewhere else. It was a private patient ward. Ko Sa-Deuk could be seen lying on the hospital bed, with a woman asleep on the nearby sofa.


    ¡°You guys, stay here for a while,¡± I said to the angel soldiers who were flying behind me.


    I walked carefully into the ward with Lilith.


    Ko Sa-Deuk was deadly pale, with an oxygen mask attached to his face. <i>He must be in shock. </i>The sight pricked my conscience. After losing his Yaksha soldiers and his wife, I understood how he felt. Moreover, I was able to experience his past vividly through Lilith, so he no longer felt like a stranger.


    Still, I had a question. How did he be so twisted? He wasn¡¯t like this when he was younger. I suddenly felt the importance of self-management.


    <i>p p¡ª</i>


    Meanwhile, Lilith flew around, looking at Ko Sa-Deuk, full of worry.


    <i>Shhh¡ª</i>


    I gestured for her to be quiet, and pointed my finger at Ko Sa-Deuk.


    <i>Sss¡ª</i>


    <i>Alright, let¡¯s get this over with and leave.</i>


    ¡°Crushing Forefinger of...¡±


    <i>sh!</i>


    Suddenly, Ko Sa-Deuk¡¯s eyes darted open. His eyes were bloodshot, exuding bloodlust like a demon from a movie.


    ¡°There you are, Thief! I¡¯ll kill you!¡±


    <i>Swoooosh!</i>


    Ko Sa-Deuk reached for me as a torrent of ck des descended like a downpour.


    ¡°<i>Huh?!</i>¡±


    <i>Baaaaam!</i>

 Chapter 95: Lay a Hand on the Malevolent God, and You’re Dead Meat

    <h4>Chapter 95: Lay a Hand on the Malevolent God, and You¡¯re Dead Meat</h4>


    ck des rained down from all directions like a torrential downpour! It was a scene out of a martial arts novel! I couldn¡¯t dodge in time!


    ¡°Y-you!¡± Ko Sa-Deuk red at me, his gaze dripping with venom, and his voice faltered slightly.


    Meanwhile, ck des resembling a beast''s ws jutted out from my body. I looked just like a hedgehog. Nevertheless, I didn¡¯t let any of them prick me.


    <i>Roooooar!</i>


    Darkness emanated from my body like a spring haze, deflecting the des like armor. Malevolent god title, Brutal Killer. When my life was in critical danger, this title would trigger automatically, just like an in-game passive skill.


    ¡°<i>Kekeke.¡± </i>Sinisterughter erupted from my mouth. Like its name, frenzy and killing intent exploded within me.


    <i>How dare this decrepit grim reaper ambush me!</i>


    [Silently Crawling Nightmare¡¯s heart flutters at the sight of you.]


    Ignoring the stalker, I waved my palm at Ko Sa-Deuk.


    <i>Wave!</i>


    I didn¡¯t even use any skills. It was just a simple, meaningless gesture, as if I was swatting a fly. Yet, to Ko Sa-Deuk, it was as if a typhoon had blown over.


    <i>Craaaaash!</i>


    ¡°<i>Uuarghhh!</i>¡±


    The strong gust of wind blew Ko Sa-Deuk and his bed through the walls.


    ¡°<i>Eeeek! </i>Grandfather! Y-you!¡±


    Amid the chaos, the familiar woman apanying him was also blown away. Naturally, she woke up and screamed at me.


    Suddenly, a dagger sheathed in murderous intent lunged at me like a snake.


    ¡°<i>Hmph.</i>¡±


    I couldn¡¯t even be bothered to dodge an attack this slow. Two fingers were enough.


    ¡°<i>Huh?!</i>¡±


    As I caught her dagger with my index and middle fingers, her mysterious, multicolored eyes widened in awe. I sneered at her.


    <i>Press¡ª</i>


    The de, unable to withstand my strength, began cracking.


    <i>aaang!</i>


    The shattered fragments of the de fell to the floor.


    ¡°N-no way...! That¡¯s a Grade A weapon! How did he...?!¡±


    <i>Do I even need to answer? </i>


    I responded by grabbing her by the neck. Her face turned pale as I tightened my grip, and a tremendous amount of power surged from her eyes. What was she trying to do?


    As long as they were human, not even an S-rank Hunter could resist her seductive eyes. But I was a Malevolent God and a Brutal Killer, Yu Il-Shin. Try as she might, her eyes failed to subdue me. An indescribable feeling of terror shed across her eyes, and she went limp.


    Did she faint? <i>How weak.</i> Just as I was pondering what I should do with her, I spotted Ko Sa-Deuk.


    ¡°You <i>thieeeeef! </i>Get your hands off my granddaughter!¡± as he screamed, the veins on his forehead threatened to pop.


    We were twenty floors above ground, yet Ko Sa-Deuk floated in the sky, defying gravity. Suffice to say, my interest was piqued.


    ¡°Ho.¡± I let go of the woman in hand and turned toward Ko Sa-Deuk.


    Compared to the motionless woman, that old man seemed infinitely more fun. Moreover, he wasn¡¯t alone. At his feet was a gigantic skeletal creature, perhaps about ten meters tall.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    My eyes appraised it.


    -----


    [Bone Wyvern]


    Necromancer Ko Sa-Deuk¡¯s demonic familiar.


    Special note: A dragon¡¯s descendant.


    -----


    It looked just like the pterodactyls disyed in museums. Sure, it was fascinating to see it fly with wings made of bones<i>¡ª</i>but that was it.


    Compared to the skeletal dragon that Il-Ho had defeated, it looked like a toy sparrow.


    <i>Sss¡ª</i>


    I raised my middle finger, directing it at Ko Sa-Deuk.


    ¡°You insolent brat!¡±


    Thinking that I was cursing him, his face turned bright red.


    <i>But you haven¡¯t seen anything yet. </i>


    ¡°Convicting Middle Finger of God.¡±


    <i>Flicker!</i>


    On my middle finger, a me of inferno thatid waste on everything in its path flickered, growing uncontrobly.


    ¡°W-what...?¡± Ko Sa-Deuk was speechless.


    I smirked at him, flicking the ck mes on my fingertip.


    <i>Crackle!</i>


    The five-meter-tall me soared toward Ko Sa-Deuk.


    ¡°<i>Huh?!</i> Wyvern! Take flight!¡±


    -<i>Kieeeek!</i>


    The Bone Wyvern shrieked, leaping into the air in panic. The ck mes narrowly missed its tail.


    <i>Crackle!</i>


    However, that alone was enough to reduce it to ashes. I stood by the crumbled wall and nced into the void.


    <i>Swoosh!</i>


    n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    -<i>Kieeeek!</i>


    Letting out a scream, the Bone Wyvern soared toward the two moons hanging in the night sky. Such a spectacr sight it was, inspiring me to smash it to bits. Unfortunately, I couldn¡¯t fly.


    ¡°Skill Sharing, Super Strong Body.¡±


    So, I decided to try out Il-Ho¡¯s newly acquired ultimate skill.


    <i>Bulge bulge!</i>


    As Il-Ho¡¯s power was transmitted to me, my body began transforming. I could feel my muscles bursting with power. I grinned in satisfaction. He was indeed a worthy follower.


    ¡°Excellent, Il-Ho.¡± I recalled Il-Ho¡¯s battle against the skeletal dragon. So, I had topress my muscles and concentrate on them?


    <i>Crunch crunch!</i>


    Just as I thought I had amassed enough strength in my legs...


    <i>Baaam!</i>


    I stomped on the floor, releasing all the built-up power!


    <i>Swoosh!</i>


    Cutting through the air at tremendous speed, Iunched at them like a rocket.


    ¡°T-this thief!¡± Ko Sa-Deuk pulled a talisman from his coat and tossed it into the air.


    <i>Cackle!</i>


    The talisman burned fiercely, and the energy from it was absorbed by the Bone Wyvern.


    <i>Tsss!</i>


    Suddenly, its body turned ck like molten iron. It spread its jaw until it was torn, spewing a furious stream of mes. A violent stroke of red shed across the canvas of the night sky!


    The mes engulfed me, yet they couldn¡¯t burn me. The power of the malevolent god and Il-Ho¡¯s muscles protected me.


    The Bone Wyvern charged at me.


    ¡°Hahaha!¡±


    Cloaked in mes, I swung my fist at it.


    -<i>Kyaaaak!</i>


    The Bone Wyvern exploded into a million pieces. Bone shards scattered from the sky like snow as Ko Sa-Deuk plummeted.


    ¡°<i>Arghhhh! </i>Summon armor!¡± Ko Sa-Deuk screamed and made an imprint.


    <i>ck ck!</i>


    The air tore apart and bones appeared from it, wrapping Ko Sa-Deuk like a turtle.


    <i>Swoosh! Baaam!</i>


    Thankfully, instead of the ground, Ko Sa-Deuk crashed on the roof of a building. The roof dented under his weight, seemingly about to copse at any moment. His bone armor was shattered and his clothes were tattered. He looked like a dying beggar.


    <i>Thud!</i>


    Landing on the roof, I stared at him pitifully. <i>Is that all? </i>I had more fun ying with his Yaksha soldiers. Disappointed in theckluster master, I pointed my index finger at Ko Sa-Deuk.


    <i>Now die, worm. This is what you get for defying a god.</i>


    <i>Shhh!</i>


    Just then, a tiny creature swooped down and stepped between me and Ko Sa-Deuk.


    <i>p p!</i>


    It was Lilith, who was reborn as my angel soldier.


    <i>Drip, drip drip!</i>


    She intertwined her hands, shedding huge droplets of tears as she pleaded with me. Her thoughts were conveyed to me through telepathy.


    -O¡¯ Almighty God, please have mercy on him.


    ¡°<i>Ah</i>...¡±


    The madness and murderous intent from the malevolent god title subsided slightly.


    ¡°<i>Huff, huff...¡±</i>


    <i>Calm down.</i> I didn¡¯te here to kill Ko Sa-Deuk, but to save him as per Lilith¡¯s request.


    ¡°I¡¯ve calmed down, so move aside. Let''s hurry, before he regains consciousness.¡±


    Anxiously, Lilith stared alternately between me and Ko Sa-Deuk. Then, she flew over to him with her tiny wings.


    <i>Hug!</i>


    She cradled his head in her tiny arms. She¡¯d probably die with him if she could.


    Ko Sa-Deuk¡¯s eyes shook like a ship in the middle of a storm.


    ¡°Y-you are...?¡±


    Ko Sa-Deuk''s left chest was visible through his torn clothes, bearing the mark of sacrifice.


    ***


    ¡°Please! Lilith! Let¡¯s make a deal! My wish is for you to live! I¡¯ll give you anything<i>¡ª</i>my soul, or even my life! Please, just open your eyes! I beg of you!¡±


    In the past, when Lilith¡¯s heart was ripped out by the Abysm Dragon, Ko Sa-Deuk wished for her resurrection. He was prepared to give up everything for the woman he loved. But Lilith refused to grant his wish.


    <i>Hoohoo... I won...</i>


    Ever since they first met, Lilith had been waiting for this moment. How long she¡¯d wished for this moment! That callous man finally fell under her spell, crying and begging to have his wish fulfilled! He was even shedding tears of blood!


    callous man to fall under her spell, crying and begging to have his wish fulfilled!


    <i>Aah, don¡¯t cry, Boy...</i>


    And yet, seeing his anguished face only made her heart ache. Strange, even though her chest was holed out.


    As death drew nearer, Lilith recalled the times they¡¯d spent together. The sweet and spicy rice cakes she¡¯d shared with him. The sweet and passionate nights they¡¯d spent together. The first time they held their daughter together¡ªthat small and fragile warmth...


    ...She had a happy life. Despite being born as a tool, she was loved dearly.


    <i>So, I¡¯m not going to grant your wish, Boy.</i>


    ¡°No! No! Lilith!¡±


    After hearing Ko Sa-Deuk¡¯sst, pitiful cry, Lilith embraced death.


    -Daughter, how could you?! How could you betray me?!


    Just then, her god and mother, Seductive Nights, cried out in anger.


    -You cannot die! I won¡¯t allow it! In the name of Seductive Nights, I foresee your resurrection! That day will definitely arrive and your beloved¡¯s wish shalle true! Then, as per the contract, his soul will be mine!


    <i>No, no! Mother! Please stop! Just punish me instead...!</i>


    -Silence, you traitor! Just you see, I¡¯ll brand him with the sacrificial stigma! On the day his wishes true, I¡¯ll inflict all the pain and despair in this world upon him and kill him!


    <i>Tzzz!</i>


    The curse of Seductive Nights manifested into a powerful trap, branding the mark of sacrifice on his chest.


    ¡°<i>Arghhh!</i>¡±


    Lilith drew herst breath as she heard Ko Sa-Deuk¡¯s agonizing scream.


    ***


    On this very day, though imperfectly, Lilith was resurrected as an angelic soldier, fulfilling the cursed prophecy of the malevolent god.


    <i>Tzzz!</i>


    The mark on Ko Sa-Deuk¡¯s chest, resembling a womb, exuded a sinister aura as it grewrger by the second. Ko Sa-Deuk¡¯s face contorted as he coughed more ck blood.


    ¡°<i>Ugh!</i> <i>Cough!</i>¡±


    Dying it any further would put him at greater risk.


    ¡°Crushing Forefinger of God!¡±


    I unleashed my innate power on his mark. Other than crushing the enemy, it could also switch the target on and off. In fact, that was how I broke Sung Mi-Ri¡¯s curse before.


    <i>Tzzzz!</i>


    I could feel my divine power draining away. At the same time, Ko Sa-Deuk¡¯s mark gradually vanished, and ck smoke rose from his chest.


    As she witnessed the entire scene, Lilith¡¯s face brightened.


    <i>Is it over?</i>


    However...


    -How dare a puny Low-tier God touch my sacrifice!


    Lilith¡¯s master and malevolent god, Seductive Nights, roared.


    <i>Riiiip!</i>


    The night sky was torn asunder, and an otherworldly evil began descending on Earth. As I watched the scene unfold, my brows twitched.


    ¡°<i>Puny </i>Low-tier God?¡±

 Chapter 96: Yu Il-Shin Seeks Happy Endings

    <h4>Chapter 96: Yu Il-Shin Seeks Happy Endings</h4>


    A ck aura as thick as tar dripped from the crack in the sky.


    <i>Wriggle wriggle!</i>


    It coalesced out of thin air like an amorphous slime, soon turning into a giant, hideous face of a woman.


    ¡°<i>Huh?</i> What¡¯s that?¡±


    Passersby looked up toward the sky in surprise.


    <i>-Kyaaaaah!</i>


    The face roared ferociously. It bore the destructive malice of what had once been a great malevolent god, who terrorized all living things.


    ¡°<i>Huh?!</i>¡±


    ¡°<i>Eeek!</i>¡±


    At the dawning realization, the citizens weakly fell to the ground, their faces turning grim.


    ¡°I-is that an SSS-rank crack?¡±


    S-rank Hunter Ko Sa-Deuk stood and watched in horror as the evil god descended.


    <i>Shiver¡ª</i>


    Even Lilith, who tearfully cradled Ko Sa-Deuk¡¯s head, trembled pitifully. It could be said that I was the only one unfazed by everything that was going on.


    ¡°What did you just call me? A puny Low-tier God?¡± I was more annoyed than scared.


    My innate power appraised her.


    -----


    [Seductive Nights]


    A female. Around for 690,000 years.


    Special note: Formerly a god, but now is just a fallen being.


    -----


    Apparently, she was just a fallen being<i>¡ª</i>a dreg.


    ¡°Yet you dare mock me?!¡±


    <i>Roooooar!</i>


    My frenzy and bloodlust, which had subsided briefly, returned with vengeance. As if I¡¯d let that dreg of a god disrespect me! I raised my sword.


    ¡°Demon Lord¡¯s Heavenly Sword.¡±


    Even though Demon Lord wasn¡¯t around and I hadn¡¯t shared skill with Sword Demon, I didn¡¯t care.


    <i>Tzz!</i>


    Demonic aura surged through my sword. ¡°Die. Demon Lord¡¯s Descent.¡±


    Within my body, a sword qi manifested, before soaring into the sky. It flew toward the wretched evil god screaming in the night sky.


    <i>aaaap!</i>


    -<i>Kyaaak...!</i>


    <i>Punch! Baaaam!</i>


    Seductive Nights exploded into a million pieces.


    <i>Hup¡ª</i>


    I watched the explosion, smiling in satisfaction. But in the next moment, ck aura began seeping out of the crack again.


    <i>Wriggle wriggle!</i>


    Like before, it melded into a head. As it red menacingly at me, it let out a low, beastly growl.


    -Insignificant Low-tier God! I may be like this, but I¡¯m still impervious to your attacks! A high-ranking god! That was who I used to be! One that you wouldn¡¯t even dare to look at!


    Then, my stalkers responded.


    [Infinite Abundance is worried as Seductive Nights was indeed a notorious malevolent god before getting defeated by the God of Destroyer.]


    It seemed that this Seductive Nights wasn¡¯t bluffing.


    [Silently Crawling Nightmare asks if you need her help.]


    <i>Wow, she sounds so god-like. How unusual. </i>I had beaten her to pulp once, and couldn¡¯t be bothered to do it again. I nodded lightly.


    [Silently Crawling Nightmare says that she needs a sacrifice to gain causality for her descent.]


    Nightmare replied.


    <i>Sacrifice? How many?</i>


    [Silently Crawling Nightmare smiles brightly, saying that around ten million humans from Earth should suffice.]


    <i>Yeah, I shouldn¡¯t have expected anything from you. </i>Crazy as I was from the malevolent god title, I had no intention of fulfilling her request.


    [All-Cutting Heavenly Sword tells you that instead of dealing with that garbage, just kill the old bug.]


    <i>Old bug?</i> I nced briefly at Ko Sa-Deuk, who was still vomiting blood.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    -----


    [Ko Sa-Deuk]


    A male. Around for 61 years.


    Special note: A medium for Seductive Nights¡¯ descent onto Earth


    -----


    Was this what All-Cutting was referring to? By killing Ko Sa-Deuk, their causality would be broken, preventing the evil god¡¯s descent.


    [All-Cutting Heavenly Sword nodded, letting out a sinisterugh.]


    I raised my index finger.


    Looking at me pleadingly, Lilith vigorously shook her head.


    ¡°<i>Keke.</i>¡± I merelyughed menacingly as I struck my finger down ¡°Crushing Forefinger of God!¡±


    <i>Crackle!</i>


    -<i>Kyaaaak!</i>


    As if a gigantic hammer had fallen, Seductive Nights let out a scream as she was being crushed.


    I never liked Heavenly Sword¡¯s idea. Why waste my divine power to stop a worthless god, and for my familiar''s man? The familiar was mine, and so was everything it possessed.


    ¡°No.¡±


    This was a pride issue. <i>Also, I love happy endings, both as a writer and a reader.</i>


    <i>Wriggle wriggle!</i>


    The pulverized Seductive Nights began regenerating again. I switched the target to the crack from which it emerged.


    ¡°Close.¡±


    Considering that my power could toggle something on or off, it should be able to do the trick.


    <i>Baaaam!</i>


    Divine power surged from my body, closing the crack. <i>It¡¯s working! Just a bit more and... </i>However, ws suddenly emerged from behind it, forcing it open once more.


    <i>Crack! Crack!</i>


    -<i>Kyaaak!</i>


    A horrid skeletal creature, resembling a giant womb, began squeezing itself out through the crack. That was the one I had seen in Lilith¡¯s past, Seductive Nights!


    I tried stopping her, but she repelled me with her power. ck blood trickled from the corners of my mouth.


    -You knave! Even in my fallen state, no Low-tier God can stop my descent!


    <i>Annoying, but true</i>. Our difference in power was too palpable. The malevolent god¡¯s power alone wasn¡¯t enough to stop her descent. However, I was <i>both</i> a malevolent and a benevolent god.


    ¡°Equip Benevolent God title, Benevolent Savior.¡± As I equipped the title, a dazzling light burst from my body, creating an angelic halo above my head.


    Unlike when I purified the Yaksha soldiers earlier, the once-white halo was now a strange mix of ck and white.


    This was the second time I¡¯d equipped both titles. The first one was when I defeated the fire apostle using the Demon Lord¡¯s Prat¨¡pana.


    ¡°<i>Ugh!</i>¡±


    <i>Baaam!</i>


    Like water and oil, two shing powers swirled inside me like a vortex, as if trying to dominate each other.


    <i>Crunch crunch!</i>


    I could hear my bones breaking all over. Quick! I had to unleash all my powers on Seductive Nights before they could destroy me!


    ¡°Crushing Forefinger of God!¡±


    Slowly, Seductive Nights crumbled, as if she was put under a heavy-duty press machine.


    -<i>Ughhh!</i> H-how did such powers...e from a Low-tier God...! This can¡¯t possibly...!


    ¡°Shut up.¡±


    I turned to the half-crushed being, humiliating her in return. ¡°Get lost from my world, scum.¡±


    -<i>Kyaaaaak!</i>


    <i>Swoosh!</i>


    Now utterly crushed, Seductive Nights was sucked back into the crack. Both disappeared soon after, as if nothing ever happened.


    ¡°<i>Haa, haa! </i>Remove all titles!¡± I felt tremendous pain, as if my entire body was going to break.


    <i>Ssss¡ª</i>


    I reverted back to my human form, the sensation of omnipotence I felt earlier vanishing. A sense of loss washed over me, like a bird losing its wings. Still, this felt much better. Before, it felt like I wasn¡¯t myself, as if I was in a mental block.


    ¡°Y-you... no¡ªwhat the hell are you...?¡± the dying old man looked at me, confused.


    Instead of answering, I pointed my ring finger at him. His face was etched with fear.


    ¡°Healing Ring Finger of God.¡±


    Then, a blinding white light enveloped Ko Sa-Deuk.


    [Calcting the causality rate of the healing target: Ko Sa-Deuk...]


    [A member of an 8th-ranked lower race. Has potential for transcendence. Might affect the rules between gods and the world.]


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [You paid 100 Gcoins for the healing.]


    Just like that, Ko Sa-Deuk¡¯s wounds disappeared without a trace. ¡°U-unbelievable! Just how...? Even an S-rank healer can¡¯t heal such grievous wounds...¡±


    Lilith leaped toward Ko Sa-Deuk, who was still stunned.


    ¡°<i>Aang! Aang!</i>¡± Lilith frantically rubbed her face against Ko Sa-Deuk, tears of joy and relief streaming down her face.


    ¡°W-what? You!¡± Ko Sa-Deuk reflexively grabbed Lilith, thinking she was a morbid creature. Had he tightened his already firm grip even slightly, she would have been crushed to death. But then, he saw her tearful eyes.


    ¡°You... you...! There¡¯s no way, but... are you...?¡± Ko Sa-Deuk¡¯s voice wavered.


    Amidst the confusion, I told him the truth. ¡°Yes. Although her appearance has changed, she is still your wife, Lilith.¡±


    ¡°W-what?¡± Ko Sa-Deuk was stunned, looking at Lilith in disbelief. ¡°L-Lilith? Is that really you? Really?¡±


    Lilith nodded repeatedly.


    ¡°Lily! Lily! You¡¯re finally back! <i>Waaaah!</i> I¡¯ve been waiting for you for so long!¡±


    ¡°<i>Aaaang!</i>¡±


    The couple, parted by death for decades, was finally reunited. A small, cute angel and an old man weathered by the passage of time. Yet to me, who learned of their beginning, they still appeared as a beautiful woman and cheeky young boy.


    This was the happy ending I wanted.


    Seeing them hugging each other and crying like children made me proud.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    But then, a message popped up.


    [Yu Il-Shin has renamed the angel soldier to Lilith.]


    [Angel Soldier Lilith is evolving into Archangel Lilith.]


    ¡°What?¡±


    <i>-Yes. Although her appearance has changed, she is still your wife, Lilith.</i>


    Did the system think I was bestowing her a name?!


    <i>Baaaam! Tzzz!</i>


    <i>No, wait!</i>


    n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Immediately, I lost a massive amount of energy. At the same time, a dazzling light began surging from Lilith.


    ¡°<i>Ugh!</i>¡±


    <i>Stagger!</i>


    My legs buckled. Stopping the evil god¡¯s descent had taken a toll on me, and Lilith¡¯s idental evolution only added to it! My world spun as I copsed to the ground.


    <i>Plop!</i>


    ¡°<i>Huh?!</i> Grandson-inw! Wake up!¡±


    Amidst my fading consciousness, I could hear Ko Sa-Deuk¡¯s panicked cries.


    <i>He still hasn¡¯t given up?! I don¡¯t want to marry a virgin ghost, thank you!</i>


    <i>Ding!</i>


    God-Maker reacted as I whited out.


    [The quest, Mid-tier God Promotion, is currently in progress.]


    [To promote to a Mid-tier Benevolent God, you need to have 10 billion followers, or over 100 intelligent beings of S-rank or higher with potential for transcendence.]


    [Congrattions. Archangel Lilith and Ko Sa-Deuk have be new followers of Yu Il-Shin.]


    [Followers of intelligent beings at S-rank and above with potential for transcendence: 12/100]

 Chapter 97: God Sends Cute Angel Away

    <h4>Chapter 97: God Sends Cute Angel Away</h4>


    <i>...Where am I?</i>


    I found myself in the middle of a vast space as dark as gray concrete. There stood a half-naked figure about the size of a small hill. He sat in a lotus position, as if meditating. Entranced, I walked toward him. He had steel-hard muscles, tempered to the extreme, and was covered in countless scars like a warrior.


    <i>Tzzz!</i>


    There was only one word to describe the divine power emanating from his body: overwhelming.


    Naturally, as a Low-tier God, the difference in our divine power was as vast as heaven and earth. I was bbergasted. How much did I need to fight and train to obtain such a physique? I shifted my gaze to the giant¡¯s face. However, it was obstructed by a thick fog.


    Soon, the fog lifted, and a man¡¯s voice boomed.


    -I¡¯m Eternal Seeker. A matter of great urgency requires your attention, so I adjusted our causality.


    <i>Eternal Seeker? Isn¡¯t that one of my stalkers? That muscle freak?</i>


    -Yu Il-Shin, there¡¯s no time left! You have to get stronger! <i>Much </i>stronger than you are now!


    His voice was tinged with urgency and desperation.


    -The apostle and alter ego of the God of Destroyer has begun to awaken! To avoid the fate of total annihtion and survive the trials ahead, you must be a Mid-tier God...!


    <i>Creaaaaak! Ruuumble¡ª Baaaam!</i>


    Suddenly, an ominous sound resounded, causing the ground to copse.


    ¡°<i>Arghhh!</i>¡±


    ***


    I woke up from my dream to an unfamiliar ceiling. <i>Okay, that¡¯s a lie. I do recognize it. </i>After all, the infirmary had be my frequent hangout spottely.


    I skipped teaching sses and took a nap there for the afternoon. I spoke to the empty space above, ¡°So, Mr. Eternal Seeker, was that you I saw in my dream?¡±


    No answer.


    <i>Hmm. Was I mistaken? Maybe it was just a nightmare...</i>


    ¡°To survive the trials ahead and avoid the fate of total annihtion, I have to be a Mid-tier God...¡±


    <i>Didn¡¯t he also mention a celebration of god? What¡¯s that about?</i>


    ¡°Grandson-inw, why are you mumbling to yourself?¡±


    <i>Chills!</i>


    Suddenly, a voice came from behind and I turned around in surprise. A pale figure in a ck, long coat stood behind me.


    <i>Ssss¡ª</i>


    The embodiment of a grim reaper licked his lips, as if summoning the dead, saying, ¡°Are you still feeling unwell? That¡¯s why I told you to stay longer in the hospital.¡± Unlike what his appearance suggested, he was friendly!


    ¡°You scared the shit out of me! At least make some noise when you¡¯re around!¡± I shouted.


    Ko Sa-Deuk merely chuckled, as if he was visiting his own grandson.


    It¡¯d been three days since the incident involving Yaksha soldiers, Lilith, and Seductive Nights.


    I appraised him.


    -----


    [Ko Sa-Deuk]


    Category: Follower


    Special note: A summoner with potential for transcendence. Saved by Yu Il-Shin¡¯s mercy and grace.


    -----


    <i>Don¡¯t ask me how he became my follower. </i>Still, after that day, he became extremely nice to me. He likely wouldn¡¯t hesitate to be my guarantor on an unsecured loan.


    Along with Ko Sa-Deuk''s appearance, the space around me distorted open, and angel soldiers emerged from it. The sparrow-sized angels were so cute! If not for the earmuffs on their heads, nobody would suspect they were formerly Yaksha soldiers!


    <i>p p!</i>


    Moreover, they didn¡¯te empty-handed. They assembled in groups of three and four, eagerly carrying tea bags and teacups in their hands, as if they¡¯d rehearsed it before. Tearing the bags open, they carefully ced them in the cups.


    <i>Pour¡ª!</i>


    Lastly, Lilith appeared with a tin kettle bigger than herself, and poured hot water into the cups.


    n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Thank you, Lilith.¡± Ko Sa-Deuk lifted the cup and sipped on it, passionately staring into Lilith¡¯s multicolored eyes. ¡°<i>Keke,</i> how delicious.¡±


    Hearing his praise, Lilith and the angel soldiers beamed and pped their wings. Even though heined when Choi Kang-San served him tea before... And this tea wasn¡¯t even worth a hundred Korean won... Was this the power of love?


    ¡°<i>Ahem.</i> I got it on the way here.¡± Ko Sa-Deuk cleared his throat and held out a bag of rice cakes to Lilith.


    ¡°<i>Kyaaaa!</i>¡± Lilith cheered, and inhaled the rice cakes eagerly.


    <i>Nyam nyam! Chew chew!</i>


    -----


    [Archangel Lilith]


    Category: Follower (Angel)


    Special note: Formerly the apostle of Seductive Nights. Revived by Yu Il-Shin¡¯s mercy and grace. Yu Il-Shin¡¯s familiar. Head of the angel soldiers and a powerful guardian with potential for transcendence.


    Additional note: Married.


    -----


    <i>Let¡¯s just ignore that additional note. </i>But, a powerful guardian with potential for transcendence? <i>How? Where? </i>Of course, I vividly recalled Lilith draining my divine power and evolving into an archangel. Well, saying she ¡°evolved¡± would be a stretch, because she didn¡¯t change a bit!


    Unlike Anty or Il-Ho, despite evolving, Lilith¡¯s appearance remained the same.


    <i>Sparkle sparkle!</i>


    Honestly, if I was being generous, the glowing white ring above her head did change. But that was it.


    <i>Munch munch! Chew chew!</i>


    <i>How did she manage to fit so many rice cakes in that small body? ...Wait, her stomach did grow bigger.</i>


    Watching her eat made me hungry too. I finally understood why people liked watching mukbangs[1]. I gulped, prompting Lilith to turn around. Her mouth was smeared with sauce.


    With an angelic smile, she tore a piece of rice cake and flew toward me.


    ¡°<i>Ah~</i>¡±


    ¡°<i>Oh</i>, are you giving me a piece?¡±


    Lilith nodded. I opened my mouth wide, overwhelmed by her affection. ¡°<i>Aahn~!</i>¡±


    Just then, Ko Sa-Deuk leaped in front of me like a snake striking its prey.


    <i>Snatch!</i>


    <i>Chew chew¡ª Swallow!</i>


    <i>Did that old man just steal my rice cake?</i>


    I shot him a look of disbelief. He merely coughed and averted his gaze.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    Then, my innate power created an additional window for his appraisal.


    [Additional note: Jealousy incarnate.]


    <i>Huh, it updates in real-time...?! </i>


    I knew these notes were weird! Especially when it spoke about ¡°electrifying¡± or taunted me to kill someone! But why did it feel like I¡¯d lose if I give a damn?


    <i>Draaag! m!</i>


    Suddenly, the door to the infirmary burst open, and Choi Kang-San walked in with a huge sack of salt.


    ¡°You¡¯re back again?! You sack of bones! Why are you loitering around the academy?! What is your aim?!¡± Choi Kang-San red at Ko Sa-Deuk like a beast about to swallow him whole. Any moment now, he¡¯d throw a fistful of salt on thetter.


    <i>p p!</i>


    Lilith quickly flew over and stepped in between them. She spread her arms in front of Ko Sa-deuk, as if to protect him.


    Choi Kang-San was taken aback. ¡°<i>Ah, uh</i>... Are you... Sister-inw? I-it¡¯s been a while.¡±


    Earlier, I exined the entire situation to Choi Kang-San, but he didn¡¯t seem to have gotten used to it. Not like I could me him. An old man referring to a cute angel as ¡°Sister-inw¡± was just weird.


    Ko Sa-Deuk said, ¡°<i>Keke,</i> rx, Choi. I¡¯m here on official business.¡±


    ¡°<i>Ah</i>, are you here about the dungeon rental?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Let¡¯s discuss more in your office.¡± Before leaving the infirmary, Ko Sa-Deuk gently patted Lilith on the head, whispering, ¡°See youter then, Lily.¡±


    Lilith nodded with a bright smile. Love was in the air. Even though it was such a heartwarming scene, I couldn¡¯t be happy at all! I felt like I was being called single in everynguage!


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you just stay at Mr. Ko Sa-Deuk¡¯s ce? I¡¯m okay with it.¡±


    Lilith vigorously shook her head, implying it wasn¡¯t an option. Although she couldn¡¯t speak, our psychic connection transmitted her intentions vividly. In summary, she said: <i>I¡¯m the archangel of the angel soldiers. As their guardian, I am obligated to serve the great and merciful God Yu Il-Shin, who has bestowed grace upon me!</i>


    ¡°...Alright.¡±


    I had a bad feeling about this. Something told me I¡¯d be seeing Ko Sa-Deuk more often in the future...


    Love Cupid Yu Il-Shin! ...Something about it sounded sad.


    <i>Ding! Ding!</i>


    [Some of the angel soldiers have returned.]


    A notification rang. Following that, a handful of angels emerged from my phone, which was left on the nearby desk. They gathered around me, and began patting my head, as ifforting me.


    <i>Wow, this feels kind of healing.</i>


    ¡°Did you get the job done?¡±


    The angel soldiers nodded in unison.


    ¡°Alright, let me see.¡±


    Iunched God-Maker. After taking the angel soldiers under my wing, a new menu was added.


    -----


    [Dispatching Angel Soldiers]


    Description: Dispatch your angel soldiers to perform divine miracles for your creations. The more active they are, the more Faith they amass.


    Current number of dispatched angel soldiers: 9,818


    -----


    The remaining angel soldiers were still hard at work. I wasn¡¯t really sure what they were doing, but after they were dispatched, my followers began increasing significantly. As evidence...


    -----


    [Quest: Mid-tier Benevolent God Promotion (In progress)]


    Normal followers: 130,233,321/10,000,000,000


    Followers of intelligent beings at S-rank and above with potential for transcendence: 12/100


    -----


    Just three days ago, the number of normal followers from the Gayami Nation barely exceeded a hundred million. Now, it had increased by a third! Of course, I was still a long way from reaching the target amount for the promotion quest.


    Still, it felt much easier than gathering a hundred <i>S-rank beings. </i>I didn¡¯t know the total poption of Antrinia, God-Maker¡¯s world, though. But I¡¯d fought against a hundred billion imperial troops before, so it should have that much, right?


    ¡°Okay, good job. Well done.¡±


    I patted the angel soldiers on the heads and praised them. Squealing in delight, they did a little happy dance in the air.


    They looked so adorable, I couldn¡¯t help but guffaw like a dad! Lilith watched me as if she wanted to be petted as well.


    As their leader, Lilith certainly had contributed immensely to the rapid growth in the number of followers. But she was also the wife of a high-ranking official and the grandmother of one of my students!


    <i>Stare¡ª</i>


    She kept staring at me.


    I eventually lost. ¡°Y-you¡¯ve done a great job, Ms. Lilith.¡±


    I carefully stroked Lilith¡¯s ck hair, to which she smiled, joyfully fluttering her wings.


    <i>d to see that you¡¯re in such a good mood, Ko Myeong-Ji¡¯s grandmother.</i>


    <i>Draaaag! m!</i>


    ¡°Teacher Yu Il-Shin!¡±


    Just then, the door burst open and someone called out to me in a panic.


    <i>Oh, please! Can¡¯t you at least knock?!</i>


    I turned around and saw a petite and cute squirrel. Caught off guard, I immediately retracted my hand from Lilith¡¯s head.


    ¡°M-Myeong-Ji. What is it?¡± My voice faltered slightly.


    <i>N-no! I didn¡¯t do anything wrong!</i>


    Ko Myeong-Ji widened her eyes at the sight of Lilith and the angel soldiers. <i>¡°Waaaah!</i> How cute! Teacher! What are those?¡±


    Unfazed, Lilith stared affectionately at Ko Myeong-Ji like a grandmother. Then, she rubbed her face against Ko Myeong-Ji¡¯s cheeks.


    ¡°<i>Weee!</i> Why are you so cute?!¡± Ko Myeong-Ji screamed, reciprocating the act.


    In fact, Ko Myeong-Ji still didn¡¯t know that the cute angel was her own grandmother.


    Ko Sa-Deuk hadn¡¯t revealed it yet, for fear of confusing his grandchild. Understanding where he came from, I watched them in glee as they cuddled up to each other.


    ¡°But Myeong-Ji, why are you here?¡±


    ¡°Oh right! Look at me!¡± Ko Myeong-Ji finally pulled herself out from the cutesy situation and looked at me with urgency. ¡°Teacher! Something BIG happened! M-Mr. Sword Demon...!¡±


    <i>What¡¯s wrong with Sword Demon?</i>


    1. Otherwise known as Eating Broadcasts in Korea, showing people just eating almost endlessly at the table ?

 Chapter 98: Never Mess with God When He’s Eating

    <h4>Chapter 98: Never Mess with God When He¡¯s Eating</h4>


    Over in Antrinia, God-Maker¡¯s world...


    ¡°<i>Huff! Huff!</i>¡±


    Maya was running through the forest, panting heavily.


    ¡°<i>Keekeekee!</i>¡±


    ¡°<i>Hahaha! </i>Bitch, are you a bee or a snail? Run faster, would you!¡±


    <i>Buzz! Buzz! </i>


    The imperial rangers, the Wasp Unit, were chasing after Maya. However, they didn¡¯t look the slightest bit in a hurry. Like a cat teasing a cornered mouse, they were simply toying with her before killing her.


    ¡°<i>Hic! Hic!¡±</i>


    Tears blurred her vision as her legs threatened to give out. The distance between her and the rangers were closing in. As a member of the Bee Tribe, she wasn¡¯t one for running, but...


    <i>¡°ves do not need wings!¡±</i>


    After capturing them, the first thing the empire did was rip off their wings. For the Bee Tribe, who had free reign over the sky, nothing was more humiliating than that. Maya also lost her wings on the same day.


    The Empire worked the bees to the bone, giving them no rest. The weak and the old were eaten by the army when they underperformed. Every day was a living hell for them. Until one day, a peculiar song spread through the tribe.


    <i>Pitiful people of the continent suffering the brutal Empire''s oppression~?</i>


    <i>Come to the Gayami nation, where a beautiful and cute white queen rules with honey and milk~?</i>


    <i>If you do, the strongest and coolest of the gods, the great and merciful God Yu Il-Shin will save all of you~!?</i>


    <i>I am Baek-Ho~ Follow me and praise God Yu Il-Shin~!?</i>


    <i>God Yu Il-Shin puck puck~?</i>


    The song told of a benevolent god called ¡°Yu Il-Shin¡± and a nation called ¡°Gayami,¡± where a white queen reigned. Despite how ridiculous it sounded, it became the hope of all tribesmen. They believed that salvation awaited them in the Holy Nation of Gayami.


    Then, a piece of incredible news arrived.


    -Everyone, have you heard?! The thousand billion troops and apostles dispatched by the Empire to destroy the Holy Nation of Gayami were exterminated!


    -Furthermore, the Emperor is in hiding! Even Goddess Arachne, who foresees the state of affairs, is on the run! No one knows if she¡¯s dead or alive!


    -<i>Ooh!</i> What great news!


    The empire, having lost its army and leadership, fell into a state of extreme chaos. It was a god-sent opportunity for the Bee Tripe. Thus, they fled at night, heading for the Gayami Nation, an attempt they¡¯d soon regret.


    ¡°<i>Haha! </i>How slow! You call that running, bee bitch?!¡±


    ¡°<i>Keke,</i> she thinks she can get away.¡±


    <i>Buzzzz! </i>


    The Bee Tribe was pursued and in by the Wasp Unit, leaving Maya as the sole survivor. But for how long? Right now, she was only alive because she¡¯d be a ything for the wasps. Then, death finally closed in on her.


    ¡°<i>Ack! Kyaaak!</i>¡±


    <i>Buzzzz! p p!</i>


    Maya rolled on the ground, clutching her broken legs. The waspsnded around her.


    ¡°<i>Tsk! </i>It¡¯s over already? Boring!¡±


    ¡°Should we eat her as it is?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m tired of their meat. Off with her.¡±


    The wasps smiled sadistically at Maya, who was lying on the ground.


    <i>ng!</i>


    Then, one of them pointed itsrge, hideous, venomous sting at Maya.


    ¡°<i>Keke,</i> why don¡¯t you<i> </i>give us a nice scream?¡±


    <i>Swaaaa!</i>


    Right before the wasp¡¯s sting could prate her...!


    ¡°God Yu Il-Shin...please save me...¡± Maya reflexively begged for salvation from the god in the Gayami Nation¡¯s song.


    Then, a miracle happened.


    [The Angel Soldier Dispatch system is underway.]


    [Archangel Lilith has received the salvation request of potential follower Maya.]


    [Dispatching 1 angel soldier to location: X323113, Y234011]


    <i>Gushhhh!</i>


    A huge typhoon tore the sky asunder. A strange, gigantic presence descended between the wasps and Maya. Not only was it dozens of timesrger than them, it also wore a terrifying mask.


    ¡°W-what? What is that thing?!¡±


    Seeing the demon incarnate, even the cruel, vicious wasps were terrified.


    <i>Sss¡ª</i>


    The giant removed its mask, revealing her puffy cheeks, twinkling eyes, and curly, dazzling blonde hair. The extremely easygoing figure turned out to be an angel soldier.


    Staring at the helpless Maya, she opened her red lips. ¡°<i>Kya?¡±</i>


    It was as if she was asking if Maya had called her here. Maya nodded fervently.


    ¡°What...?!¡±


    Meanwhile, after seeing the angel soldier¡¯s face, the wasps regained theirposers. After exchanging nces, they stealthily surrounded her.


    <i>ng ng!</i>


    Drawing out their hidden stingers, they pointed at the angel soldier in unison.


    ¡°Die! Monster!¡±


    <i>Buzz!</i>


    The angel soldier was stabbed by dozens of stingers from all directions.


    In response, the angel soldier opened its mouth.


    [The angel soldier uses the innate power of God Yu Il-Shin, Angel Breath.]


    <i>Baaam!</i>


    With that, infernal mes rained down from the sky.


    ¡°<i>Arghhhh!</i>¡±


    ¡°<i>Kyaaaak!</i>¡±


    The ck mes engulfed the screaming wasps, reducing them to ashes.


    ¡°<i>Aah</i>...¡±


    Maya watched the spectacle in astonishment. The angel soldier smiled benevolently at her, extending her hand.


    ¡°A-are you, sent by God Yu Il-Shin to save me, by any chance...?¡±


    ¡°<i>Kya!</i>¡± The angel soldier nodded affirmatively.


    Maya¡¯s gaze overflowed with gratitude. ¡°<i>Hic¡ª</i> Thank you. God Yu Il-Shin, <i>puck puck...</i>¡±


    Momentster...


    <i>p p!</i>


    The angel soldier held Maya in her hands tightly and flew toward Gayami nation.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Faith has increased by 1.]


    [Faith has increased by 12.]


    [Faith has increased by 58.]


    ...


    Simr to Maya¡¯s, there were angelic miracles urring across the continent.


    ***


    <i>ng ng!</i>


    ¡°Mister! Faster!¡±


    ¡°Wait, let me grab the Godcoins!¡±


    I hurried after Ko Myeong-Ji to the training ground. There, I saw a familiar face.


    <i>Click click!</i>


    A crowd of students gathered around, busily taking photos.


    ¡°<i>Wow</i>, it¡¯s S-rank Hunter Shin Yoo!¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s so frigging handsome! But why does he look like a beggar? Did he just finish shooting a film?¡±


    <i>Oh, that guy. He¡¯s here? For an S-rank Hunter, he sure is free...</i>


    Shin Yoo tearfully red at Sword Demon. ¡°Kang Geom! How could you?!¡±


    <i>Also, what¡¯s with that appearance? </i>


    His clothes were ragged, as if he¡¯d been adrift for days, and his idol-like face was dripping with dirty water.


    ¡°Why did you throw me on an abandoned ind?! Do you know how hard it is to swim back to shore?!¡±


    Sword Demon just clicked his tongue. ¡°<i>Tsk. </i>Yeah, I should¡¯ve just killed you instead! A foreign soil suits you much better than an abandoned ind!¡±


    ...So he really was adrift for days.


    <i>Crush! </i>


    Gritting his teeth hard, Shin Yoo unsheathed the twin swords at his waist. The 50 cm long blue and red swords each had a Taeguk motif engraved on them.


    ¡°Even if we¡¯re friends, this is just unforgivable! I¡¯ll beat you up, Kang Geom!¡±


    ¡°Go ahead. I¡¯ll show you the might of the Demon Lord¡¯s Heavenly Sword properly this time around.¡±


    Finding it absurd, Sword Demon unsheathed his iron club from his back. The students cheered at the sight. Understandable, since fights were fun to watch. Besides, where else would they get the chance to witness S-rank Hunters inbat?


    Regardless, I wasn¡¯t interested. I didn¡¯t want a repeat of when Shin Yoo attacked me while the side effects of the Malevolent God title still lingered.


    Actually, I¡¯d rather not use any of my divine powers. I wanted to sneak out of this ce if possible, especially when Sung Mi-Na, who¡¯d stopped Shin Yoo before, wasn¡¯t around. She was in rehabilitation at the mental hospital with Sung Mi-Ri today. I just wanted to avoid shit, okay?


    <i>Growl!</i>


    Suddenly, I heard the loud growl of someone¡¯s stomach. Lilith, perched on my head, shyly clutched her stomach with both hands.


    <i>Uhm, Ko Myeong-Ji¡¯s grandmother? You just had rice cakes before, yet you¡¯re hungry already? Your stomach¡¯s amazing. All of that evolution must¡¯ve gone there.</i>


    <i>Growl!</i>


    As if resonating with Lilith¡¯s stomach, my stomach growled soon after. Seems like it was time for some food.


    ¡°Ko Myeong-Ji...no, Ms. Lilith. Shall we head out for lunch then?¡±


    ¡°<i>Kya, kya!</i>¡± Lilith nodded excitedly.


    I turned around, heading for the cafeteria, when Ko Myeong-Ji grabbed my arm urgently.


    ¡°M-Mister! Shouldn¡¯t you stop them first?¡±


    ¡°<i>Meh</i>. It¡¯s just a fight between friends. Why don¡¯t you join us for lunch?¡±


    ¡°<i>Kya! Kya!</i>¡± Lilith tugged at Ko Myeong-Ji¡¯s hand, as if inviting her.


    The charm of a pleading, wing-pping little angel conquered Ko Myeong-Ji''s heart.


    ¡°<i>Hehe</i>, should I?¡±


    Thus, Ko Myeong-Ji joined us with a giggle.


    ***


    The cafeteria was quiet as most students had run off to watch the S-rank Hunter fight between Shin Yoo and Sword Demon.


    ¡°<i>Wow!</i>¡± I eximed at the hot stone pot ced before me.


    The menu for today was Ginseng Chicken. The quality of the meat was better than anything in the market. The volume and the clearness of the broth were also on the next level! Clearly, epting the temporary teaching position at the Hunter Academy was the best decision I¡¯d ever made in my entire life!


    ¡°<i>Ugh</i>, I don¡¯t like Ginseng Chicken.¡± Ko Myeong-Ji grumbled while tearing the chicken skin with chopsticks.


    <i>She¡¯s still too young to recognize the awesomeness of this dish!</i>


    ¡°<i>Nyam nyam! Chew chew!</i>¡±


    Meanwhile, fitting for her age, Lilith was enjoying the dish. She inhaled a chicken leg so hard, it almost shattered.


    ¡°Time to eat.¡± I picked up my cutlery, ready to dig in.


    First, I¡¯d sip a few spoonfuls of the clear, light broth. Then, I¡¯d dip the chicken leg in salt, tearing it piece by piece. After that, I¡¯d dip the shredded meat into the broth. Lastly, I¡¯d top it off with ripe radish kimchi and eat it with rice.


    Such was my perfect n, but...


    <i>Baaaam! aaang!</i>


    Suddenly, a ck figure crashed through the ceiling, smashing our table


    ¡°<i>Keugh</i>, Shin Yoo, you...!¡±


    ¡°<i>Eek!</i> Mr. Sword Demon!¡±


    <i>Yes, the one who fell on our table was Sword Demon.</i>


    <i>Swoosh! sh!</i>


    ¡°Just surrender, Kang Geom! You¡¯re no match for me!¡± Shin Yoo yelled as he leaped down from above.


    <i>And that¡¯s the guy who made the hole in the ceiling.</i>


    ¡°<i>Ah! </i>You¡¯re that self-proimed Sword God!¡± Shin Yoo¡¯s eyes turned aze after spotting me. ¡°Just in time, we also have unfinished business.¡±


    Then, he pointed his sword at me. ¡°Sword God! I challenge you to a duel!¡±


    Instead of answering, I put down the stone pot thatnded on my head.


    ¡°<i>Hnggg.</i>¡±


    Lilith sorrowfully gazed at her chicken leg, which rolled on the ground. I deeply sympathized with her.


    <i>Sss¡ª</i>


    I grabbed some chopsticks on the floor, holding them in each hand. My opponent had twin swords, after all. Then, I pointed them at Shin Yoo.


    ¡°<i>Huh?</i> What are you doing? Are you trying to fight me with those...?¡±


    ¡°Use All-Cutting Heavenly Sword¡¯s power, Sword Devotion.¡±


    <i>Tzzz!</i>


    The chopsticks in my hand burned red, emitting a thick plum scent.


    Shin Yoo tensed up instantly. ¡°I-is this the...¡±


    I learned this technique in my dream at the Sword God Temple in All-Cutting Heavenly Sword¡¯s territory: Mount Hua Sect¡¯s Plum Blossom Sword Technique.


    ¡°Prepare yourself, Shin Yoo. The grudge of Ginseng Chicken runs deep between us.¡±


    n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Just defeating him wouldn¡¯t be enough!


    <i>You fucking swordmaster! I¡¯m going to ughter you with my chopsticks!</i>

 Chapter 99: Plum Scent Emanating from Sword God’s Chopsticks

    <h4>Chapter 99: Plum Scent Emanating from Sword God¡¯s Chopsticks</h4>


    Ever since a decade ago, concern had always lingered in Shin Yoo¡¯s heart.


    It dated from when he first met Kang Geom, his friend and a Hunter Academy alumnus. Most people approached him for his wealth and top star mother, but Kang Geom was different. He did it solely because of Shin Yoo¡¯s sword techniques.


    After that, they¡¯d hone their swordsmanship together, aiming for a higher level. Shin Yoo was always thrilled whenever they trained together. Kang Geom was his true friend and rival, who empathized with him.


    ¡°You¡¯re just a rookie, not worth the effort to kill. That¡¯s what I¡¯m going to tell the higher-ups, so rejoice and y house at the academy.¡±


    ¡°W-wait, Kang Geom!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know that name. I¡¯m Sword Demon from the Three Martial Association.¡±


    ¡°Three...Martial Association?¡±


    ¡°Pray that we never see each other again. The day we meet again will be yourst.¡±


    However, after a certain event, Kang Geom disappeared. Shin Yoo employed all his family connections, and received the report that Kang Geom had joined an infamous Hunter organization, Three Martial Association, as an assassin.


    When Shin Yoo first heard it, he was shocked. Soon after, despair swept over him. Kang Geom disappeared because of him! He sacrificed himself to protect Shin Yoo from the Three Martial Association! Shin Yoo couldn¡¯t stop ming himself. If only he was stronger, then none of this would¡¯ve happened!


    Ever since then, Shin Yoo trained rigorously to rise to Rank S. After so long, the day he dreamed of finally arrived! But one day, he chanced upon a piece of news, which confused him to no end. Apparently, Kang Geom had been embroiled in a fight with the Brilliance Guild, the mastermind behind the ck market. But when Shin Yoo heard he was returning to the Hunter Academy as a teacher, he was extremely delighted!


    Thus, Shin Yoo immediately rushed over, eager to greet his long-lost friend. He also wanted to congratte Kang Geom for leaving the dark side for good. But gone was the man Shin Yoo knew from a decade ago. All that remained was a heartless, one-armed swordsman who had abandoned his long-time friend on a deserted ind!


    Surely, it was that man¡¯s¡ª<i>Yu Il-Shin¡¯s¡ª</i>fault! He made Shin Yoo¡¯s friend like this! Sword Demon wouldn¡¯t stop referring to him as ¡°Sword God,¡± so he must be from the Three Martial Association! Shin Yoo had to save his friend, who had fallen into the wrong path!


    Thus, Shin Yoo returned to the academy with his Taiji twin swords. Coincidentally, he met the so-called Sword God, who¡¯d brainwashed(?) his friend, the self-proimed Sword Demon!


    ¡°Prepare yourself, Shin Yoo. The grudge of Ginseng Chicken runs deep between us.¡±


    Yu Il-Shin pointed a pair of chopsticks at him, rendering Shin Yoo speechless. Yu Il-Shin¡¯s shabby training suit and the broth dripping from his hair made him look like a clown. As they spoke, Shin Yoo could have probably killed him ten times over!


    Furthermore, Shin Yoo had invested tens of billions into the Creation-type Hunter, Kang Woo! Through his Hunter Shop, Shin Yoo had obtained the SS-grade Taiji twin swords! These bad boys should be capable of ying even SS-rank monsters!


    ...Still, to challenge him with chopsticks?! Ridiculous! What kind of insult was that?!


    ¡°You!¡±


    Yet, a thick scent of plum blossoms adrift in the air, originating from Yu Il-Shin¡¯s chopsticks.


    <i>Tzzz!</i>


    Blood red qi beautifully weaved around the chopsticks.


    <i>Was he a Qigong-type Hunter?</i>


    Shin Yoo was astonished.


    Compared to Reinforce-type or Supernatural-type Hunters, the abilities of Qigong-type Hunters differed slightly. Having S-rank potential wasn¡¯t enough¡ªone had to train in martial arts to fully unleash their abilities, which required blood, sweat, and tears.


    Despite being an S-rank Hunter, it took Shin Yoo at least a decade to unleash his maximum potential.


    ¡°Your sword qi is incredible, but what about your techniques?¡± Shin Yoo crossed his twin swords, taking a stance simr to a snake baring its venomous fangs.


    <i>Tzzz!</i>


    ¡°Snake Sword Venom Fang (Ryu)!¡±


    Like a pouncing snake, the twin swords, exuding dark blue qi, lunged at Yu Il-Shin!


    <i>aaang!</i>


    But his opponent merely parried it with chopsticks! Shin Yoo¡¯s eyes widened in shock.


    ¡°<i>Fuck!¡±</i>


    Shin Yoo cursed, pulling his swords tightly, yet Yu Il-Shin¡¯s chopsticks refused to let them go.


    <i>Sss¡ª</i>


    Soon, Yu Il-Shin¡¯s red sword qi coiled around Shin Yoo¡¯s twin swords like a snake. Cold sweat broke out on Shin Yoo¡¯s back. He had never seen anyone use sword qi like that in his life!


    ¡°<i>Keugh!¡± </i>


    Grabbing his sword, Shin Yoo leaped over Yu Il-Shin¡¯s head. Who said he only knew sword techniques?!


    ¡°Shadow Steps!¡±


    A legendary foot technique that didn''t even leave a shadow struck Yu Il-Shin like lightning. In the blink of an eye, dozens of kicks hit Yu Il-Shin¡¯s torso like a storm, shredding his clothes!


    <i>It¡¯s over!</i>


    His kicks could shatter even the hardest of rocks! Shin Yoo smiled in satisfaction.


    <i>Craaaack!</i>


    ¡°<i>Huh?!¡±</i>


    The sound of bones breaking came from Shin Yoo¡¯s legs.


    ¡°Skill Sharing, Il-Ho¡¯s Super Strong Body.¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    Yu Il-Shin was fully unscathed! Not to mention, his body hadpressed to the maximum, as if transforming into a diamond! His shredded muscles covered him like armor! God knows what kind of training Yu Il-Shin underwent to achieve such a physique!


    Meanwhile, Yu Il-Shin looked down at his clothes, before screaming in agony as if vomiting blood, ¡°<i>Aarrrgghh! </i>My only training suit!¡±


    Yu Il-Shin threw his head back in fury. ¡°Absolutely unforgivable!¡± Then, he unleashed a kick!


    ¡°<i>Keugh!</i>¡±


    Sensing that a meteorite was about to crush him, Shin Yoo released his swords and blocked the attack with his arms.


    ¡°<i>Arghhh!</i>¡±


    <i>Baaaam!</i>


    Like an ant caught in a storm, Shin Yoo flew and smashed against the wall of the cafeteria.


    ¡°<i>Ughhh!</i>¡±


    He rolled on the ground for a while, letting out painful groans, barely managing to stand up.


    <i>I shielded myself with qi, but his power is...</i>


    <i>Throbbing¡ª!</i>


    His arms trembled after blocking Yu Il-Shin¡¯s kicks.


    <i>Trudge trudge¡ª</i>


    Yu Il-Shin approached Shin Yoo with a ghastly fighting spirit.


    <i>W-where did that monster!?</i>


    Shin Yoo went white from fear.


    Meanwhile, the wounded Sword Demon appeared from behind Yu Il-Shin.


    ¡°<i>Keke, </i>did you see that? This is the true power of Sword God, the one I serve! Compared to him, you¡¯re just a small fry!¡±


    Sword Demon¡¯s ridicule only angered Shin Yoo further. As they said, sister-inws were more hateful than mother-inws.


    Gritting his teeth, Shin Hoo growled, ¡°This isn¡¯t the end! I haven¡¯t shown you my ultimate skill!¡±


    Yu Il-Shin tossed Shin Yoo¡¯s Taiji twin swords at him.


    <i>Flick! Poooop!</i>


    Shin Yoo stared in horror as theynded at his feet. Then, he looked up at Yu Il-Shin again.


    ¡°Bring it on. Use your ultimate skill.¡±


    Deep sorrow radiated from Yu Il-Shin¡¯s gaze. ¡°Show me what you got. Only by defeating you can I finally let go of my Ginseng Chicken and training suit.¡±


    ¡°Ginseng Chicken and training suit?¡± Shin Yoo¡¯s face twisted in anger. ¡°Don¡¯t mock me! You¡¯re going to regret this!¡±


    <i>Tzzz!</i>


    Shin Yoo crossed his red and blue swords, his hair standing on ends like a hedgehog¡¯s.


    ¡°Use the Taegeuk twin swords skill! Sword Qi Amplification!¡±


    <i>Baaaam!</i>


    With all his might, Shin Yoo unleashed sword qi from his SS-grade twin swords, which began amplifying.


    ¡°Try avoiding this!¡±


    Veins bulged on Shin Yoo¡¯s face as he aimed his sword qi at Yu Il-Shin.


    ¡°Ultimate skill! Dragon Fang!¡±


    Shin Yoo mmed down his twin swords, which produced a sound akin to a roar of a gigantic beast!


    The blue and red sword qi fused, forming a giant dragon head, which parted its jaw open.


    Yu Il-Shin merely frowned as if seeing insects wriggling. Clutching the chopsticks, Yu Il-Shin then executed Mount Hua Sect¡¯s ultimate skill.


    ¡°Plum Blossom Flurry.¡±


    <i>Flick! </i>


    The pair of chopsticks danced in the air.


    ¡°W-what?¡±


    <i>Did he just say ¡°Plum Blossom Flurry¡±?</i>


    Shin Yoo was in pure disbelief. It had to be made up, right?! Yu Il-Shin just wanted to deflect his attack using invisible sword qi!


    <i>Shaaaa!</i>


    Plum blossom petals began to fall.


    ¡°<i>Wow</i>, it¡¯s pretty~¡±


    ¡°<i>Kyaaa.</i>¡±


    Lilith and Ko Myeong-Ji stared at them in enchantment. Was this an illusion or reality? The sweet scent of plum blossoms, along with dazzlingly beautiful red petals filled their vision.


    -<i>Roaaaaaar!</i>


    <i>Flick!</i>


    Just before the enraged dragon could devour him, Yu Il-Shin thrust his chopsticks toward it! The petals swirled, turning into a giant storm that swallowed it. Yet, instead of annihting the dragon, it merely soothed it like a water current, softening its momentum.


    <i>Flick!</i>


    The now tame dragon sword qi chased after the plum blossoms, circling around Yu Il-Shin, and...


    ¡°Return.¡±


    -<i>Roooooar!</i>


    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Along with Yu Il-Shin¡¯s chopsticks, the dragon circled around, heading to Shin Yoo instead.


    Shin Yoo was terrified! The Dragon Fang was heading straight for him!


    <i>Ah...</i>


    ...Atst, he understood why Sword Demon served this man.


    <i>Yu Il-Shin is the true swordmaster!</i>


    Then, his Dragon Fang, which was about to devour its master...


    <i>Baaaam!</i>


    Shin Yoo¡¯s vision went ck.


    ***


    ¡°...<i>Yikes!</i> I didn¡¯t mean to go this far! Wake up, Mr. Shin Yoo! Please don¡¯t die!¡±


    As his consciousness began to fade, Shin Yoo heard Yu Il-Shin¡¯s voice.


    ¡°<i>Cough!</i>¡±


    Turning his head slightly, Shin Yoo coughed up a mouthful of ck blood.


    <i>Am I... going to die?</i>


    Shin Yoo could sense that he didn¡¯t have long left. All his veins were torn to shreds. Even if a miracle happened and he survived, his wounds were too severe. He could probably never hold a sword any longer. In that case, shouldn¡¯t he just die?


    ¡°Mr. Sword God! He deserves to die a hundred times for disrespecting and attacking you! But please, show mercy and spare his life!¡±


    <i>Thud thud!</i>


    Sword Demon begged, smashing his head to the ground until it bled.


    <i>Kang Geom...</i>


    Tears welled up in Shin Yoo¡¯s eyes.


    He knew it. This man was indeed his friend, Kang Geom. Unfortunately, he¡¯d die first. But at least, he could depart without any regrets...


    Tears streamed down his face as Shin Yoo closed his eyes.


    Flustered, Yu Il-Shin eximed, ¡°Oh, c¡¯mon! We can just heal him! Healing Ring Finger of God!¡±


    <i>Tzzz!</i>


    A dazzling white light embraced Shin Yoo.


    <i>Strangely... it reminds me of myte mother¡¯s embrace.</i>


    ¡°...<i>Huh?</i>¡± Shin Yoo¡¯s eyes darted open. He scanned his body in bewilderment. ¡°H-how?¡±


    His wounds had disappeared without a trace, and even his mangled veins were restored to their original state! No, they were in an even better state! As if he¡¯d been remolded, his qi flowed more smoothly than before. What a miracle!


    ¡°<i>Keke</i>, how¡¯s that?! That¡¯s my Sword God for you!¡± Sword Demon triumphantly stared at Shin Yoo.


    Shin Yoo shuddered. Sword Demon was right.


    ¡°I have lost...¡±


    <i>Plop!</i>


    Shin Yoo bowed down at Yu Il-Shin¡¯s feet, hot tears running down his face. ¡°You are indeed the true Sword God!¡±


    ¡°<i>Huh?</i>¡± Yu Il-Shin was bbergasted. ¡°W-wait! Mr. Shin Yoo! One fanatic is enough for me!¡±


    Meanwhile, the students watching from the sidelines were horrified.


    ¡°M-Mr. Yu Il-Shin defeated Shin Yoo with<i> chopsticks</i>?!¡±


    ¡°<i>Wahhhh!</i> He¡¯s incredible!¡±


    <i>Sss¡ª</i>


    Just then, one of the students snuck out and headed for a deserted area. After confirming that his surroundings were clear, the student pulled out his phone and dialed an international number.


    ¡°I, Three Martial Association¡¯s Dark Demon, have something urgent to report.¡± Anger red in Dark Demon¡¯s eyes. ¡°The person who has mastered Mount Hua¡¯s stolen sword relic showed up in Korea!¡±

 Chapter 100: Three Martial Association’s Assassins

    <h4>Chapter 100: Three Martial Association¡¯s Assassins</h4>


    I¡¯d changed my ragged training suit into a gym uniform. I borrowed it from a student in my ss, and to my dismay, it felt so much better than my cheap one.


    ¡°Please ept me as your disciple, Sword God!¡±


    Anyway, I was currently in agony because Shin Yoo, the S-rank Hunter and celebrity, was prostrating himself before me.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    After defeating Shin Yoo with Plum Blossoms Sword...no, <i>chopsticks, </i>a notification rang.


    [Congrattions. You have seeded in nurturing fanatical faith by showcasing the overwhelming majesty and terror of gods.]


    [Shin Yoo has be the second fanatic of the Earth branch.]


    Pretty sure I hadn¡¯t seen that message ever since Sword Demon became my fanatic.


    -----


    [Shin Yoo, Yu Il-Shin¡¯s Fanatic]


    A male human. Around for 27 years.


    Special note: Will dly offer his body and mind. Try asking him to discard them. He might happily oblige.


    -----


    <i>...Shut it!</i>


    My head was throbbing.


    Sword Demon¡¯s special note suggested asking him to die, and now <i>this. </i>Were all fanatics like this? I could sense a great deal of malice toward me.


    -----


    [Quest: Mid-tier Benevolent God Promotion (In Progress)]


    Followers of intelligent beings at S-rank and above with potential for transcendence: 13/100


    -----


    Although making progress with my promotion quest was good and all, I wasn¡¯t exactly thrilled with this oue.


    ¡°Please! Please, Mr. Sword God! Please ept me as your disciple!¡±


    ¡°Know your ce, you buffoon! Not just anyone can be Mr. Sword God¡¯s disciple!¡± Sword Demon shouted as he stood beside me.


    I waved my hand, signaling him to keep quiet. Then, I stared at Shin Yoo grimly. ¡°Need I remind you about our unfinished business? Until we resolve that, you can forget being my disciple.¡±


    <i>Yes, my grudge over the Ginseng Chicken and training suit hasn¡¯t been resolved! </i>


    ¡°Of course.¡± Shin Yoo called someone with his phone. ¡°Is everything ready? Can you bring them over?¡±


    Momentster, the door to the infirmary opened, and a man in a ck suit and sunsses walked in.


    ¡°I am Department Head Kwon Yeong-Hoon, from Oh Sung Entertainment¡¯s marketing team. Please take care of our young master.¡±


    The man bowed deeply toward me. He handed me a suitcase and excused himself.


    <i>What¡¯s this? </i>I carefully opened the bag and took a peak, then gasped. Briefly, my heart stopped.


    The briefcase was full of Shin Saimdangs, their smiles practically blinding me!


    <i>How much money is in there?!</i>


    I heard that Shin Yoo was part of the Oh Sung conglomerate, and it seemed to be true. Well, his twin swords did seem expensive.


    -----


    [Taiji Twin Swords]


    SS-grade weapon purchased from the Hunter¡¯s Shop.


    Special note: Made from Yin-Yang steel that amplifies Qi.


    -----


    <i>Hmm, so the twin swords are an SS-grade weapon that can amplify one¡¯s Qi...</i>


    Then, Shin Yoo said, ¡°This is topensate for the damage I''ve caused to the academy and to you, Mr. Sword God. I put it together quickly, so this is all I can offer for now..."


    At first nce, the briefcase seemed to contain a billion Korean won, making me extremely dizzy.


    ¡°But, if you¡¯re willing to be my mentor, I¡¯ll be sure to amodate you to the best of my ability!¡±


    Sword Demon snorted disdainfully. ¡°<i>Tsk! </i>What kind of nder is this?! Do you think you can bribe Mr. Sword God into taking you as a disciple?!¡±


    <i>Actually, this amount is impossible to reject!</i>


    ¡°Sword Demon.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mr. Sword God!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re too noisy. Go outside for a while.¡±


    ¡°Aye sir!¡±


    Then, the loyal fanatic rushed out of the infirmary without a second thought.


    Confirming that Sword Demon was gone, I grasped Shin Yoo¡¯s hand and pulled him to his feet.


    "Please get up, Mr. Shin Yoo. Everyone makes mistakes, and fights only deepen the bond between men. <i>Hahaha!</i>"


    ¡°I¡¯ve felt this way since you healed me, but Mr. Sword God... how merciful you are. No wonder Kang Geom follows you.¡± Shin Yoo spoke tearfully.


    Meanwhile, I rified with him. ¡°I¡¯m asking just in case, but can I really keep this?¡±


    Shin Yoo shed me a refreshing, idol-like smile. ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll be delighted if you spend the money.¡±


    The entire time, his smile never wavered.


    <i>The best fanatic award goes to...</i>


    Truth was, during the recent holy war, I¡¯d invested my entire fortune and even took out a loan to arm myself. But mid-battle, the pesticides were reduced into trash! Could you imagine how much I cried back then?!


    As such, Shin Yoo¡¯s briefcase was akin to a lifeboat for me.


    ¡°Then, Mr. Sword God, do you ept me as your disciple?¡± Shin Yoo¡¯s tearful gaze dragged me back to reality.


    <i>My...disciple... Hmm...</i>


    He was the second person to ask to be my disciple after Sung Mi-Ri. However, I only epted thetter because her skills were sealed. Objectively speaking, I couldn¡¯t teach anyone anything.


    Even the technique I¡¯d used to defeat Shin Yoo was a recreation of the Sword Devotion I¡¯d mastered in All-Cutting Heavenly Sword¡¯s Sword God Temple. What if he realized I was a fraud and asked for all his money back?!


    Complicated thoughts swirled in my head.<i> Think, Yu Il-Shin. You need wisdom to see this through!</i>


    <i>Ah, I still have THAT!</i>


    I had a lightbulb moment.


    ¡°Mr. Shin Yoo, are you sure about that?¡±


    ¡°Yes! If you¡¯re willing to ept me, I¡¯ll serve you wholeheartedly!¡±


    I folded my arms behind my waist, acting like a master. ¡°But I don''t ept just anyone. You''ll have to pass a test first.¡±


    ¡°O-of course! I¡¯m confident I¡¯ll pass any test you give me!¡± Shin Yoo stared at me with excitement and expectation.


    <i>Isn¡¯t this guy older than me? </i>The gleam in his eyes made me feel burdened...


    ¡°Wait.¡±


    I rummaged through my backpack, which I used to store myptop. <i>Oh, there it is!</i> I found the thing and gave it to Shin Yoo.


    Shin Yoo¡¯s eyes widened in shock. ¡°T-this is...?¡±


    I read the worn-out book¡¯s title patiently, ¡°The sword treasure Taiji Wisdom Sword left by Wudang Sect¡¯s legend and founder, Zhang SanFeng.¡±


    -----


    [Taiji Wisdom Sword]


    All-Cutting Heavenly Sword¡¯s secret collection of Zhang Sanfeng¡¯s essence.


    -----


    It was none other than the secret book that I¡¯d purchased for 20 million Godcoins! But when I offered it to Sword Demon, he refused. Apparently, the technique was impossible to master alongside the Demon Lord¡¯s Heavenly Technique.


    I thought I¡¯d wasted my money back then, but that turned out not to be the case.


    ¡°N-no way! To think that such a profound sword technique would exist!¡± Shin Yoo eximed in astonishment as he flipped through the book.


    ¡°Taiji Wisdom Sword is a sword technique that utilizes extreme soft and taiji techniques to defeat the opponent. I think it¡¯d be a good match for the four sword styles you¡¯ve mastered.¡± I repeated Sword Demon¡¯s words to Shin Yoo.


    ¡°This shall be your test. Come back to me once you¡¯ve mastered the Taiji Wisdom Sword. You can only get out what you put in. If you can¡¯t even aplish this, then you¡¯re unfit to be my disciple.¡±


    ¡°H-how is this...?¡±


    ¡°Why? Are you backing out?¡±


    Staring alternately between me and the book, Shin Yoo stood up with a look of determination.


    ¡°No, I¡¯ll definitely master the Taiji Wisdom Sword and be your disciple!¡±


    <i>Mwehehe, he¡¯s sold. </i>


    ¡°I¡¯ll be looking forward to it. But you mustn¡¯t return until you¡¯ve fully mastered it, do you understand?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    <i>Vrooooom!</i>


    I watched my new fanatic¡¯s Porsche driving into the distance with satisfaction. I¡¯d killed two birds with one stone.


    <i>And that¡¯s how you get rid of a useless sword treasure and an annoying fanatic.</i>


    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    [All-Cutting Heavenly Sword looks at you,plimenting the improvement in your deceptive skills.]


    I didn¡¯t want to hear that from the crook¡ªno, god who scammed me.


    ¡°That''s not something anyone can master easily, is it?¡± I asked, just to be sure.


    [All-Cutting Heavenly Sword snickers, saying not even in a hundred years. He adds that it wouldn¡¯t be called a sword treasure if everyone could master it.]


    <i>This shitty god! Then why the fuck did you sell it to me?!</i>


    I sputtered for a moment, but calmed down after looking at the briefcase left by Shin Yoo. Well, if what Heavenly Sword said was right, then I wouldn¡¯t be meeting Shin Yoo anytime soon.


    ¡°<i>Mwahahaha!</i>¡± Iughed hysterically, embracing the briefcase as if it was my long-lost lover.


    Just then, I could feel eyes on me.


    <i>Flinch!</i>


    I turned around and saw an innocent-looking angel munching on a chicken leg. Her multicolored eyes were staring at me.


    Wait, wasn¡¯t that the chicken leg that fell on the floor earlier? She was going to fall sick eating that!


    ¡°<i>Hmm, </i>say, Ms. Lilith, since we couldn¡¯t eat the Ginseng Chicken, should we have some chicken?¡±


    ¡°<i>Kya! Kya!</i>¡± Lilith spat out the chicken bone, cheering.


    <i>Kuku, that¡¯s how easy it is to get an aplice. </i>


    Soothing our wounded souls after the Ginseng Chicken, we ordered chicken from every franchise.


    <i>This is how life should be!</i>


    ***


    Mount Tai in Shandong Province was one of the most famous mountains in China, renowned for its majesty and skypiercing height. Emperors of all dynasties, from Qin¡¯s Emperor Shi Huangdi to Qing¡¯s Emperor Qian Long, used to make sacrifices there. After all, to the Chinese, this mountain was considered to be the closest to God.


    On the slopes of Mount Tai was the headquarters of the Three Martial Association. It was a secret organization of China¡¯s Hunters, called the Three Pure Ones. They were the supreme gods worshiped by Taoists: Primal Celestial One (Yuqing), Supreme Pure One (Shangqing), and Grand Pure One (Taiqing).


    On the top floor, three people sat loftily on their respective throne. Each wore a mask representing one of the Three Pure Ones, concealing their age and gender. They were none other than the Three Martial Association leaders.


    In the organization''s over five-hundred-year history, the leaders had never been reced.


    <i>Trudge trudge¡ª</i>


    Three mysterious figures stood before the Three Pure Ones. They each wore red, white, and ck masks, exuding an unusual aura.


    ¡°The descendant of the Dagger Martial greets the Three Pure Ones.¡±


    The one with the red mask had a sword slung over their back. It wasrger than themselves, and reached down to their knees.


    ¡°The descendant of the Fist Martial greets the Three Pure Ones.¡±


    The muscr, bald man with the white mask, standing 2 meters tall, went down on his knees.


    The two masked men bowed reverently before the Three Pure Ones, as if worshiping them. No wonder, since the Three Pure Ones were akin to living gods to the Three Martial Association.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you kneeling?! Get down now!¡±


    ¡°Benefactor, please behave yourself in the presence of the Three Pure Ones.¡±


    However, instead of adhering, the man with the ck mask red provocatively at the Three Pure Ones.


    ¡°So, I have to step up as well? Just how weak are these two? Is the opponent even that strong?¡±


    ¡°How dare you insult us in front of the Three Pure Ones!¡±


    ¡°Benefactor! Remember, pridees before a fall!¡±


    The other two were ready to attack the man with the ck mask.


    ¡°<i>Hmph.</i>¡± The man with the ck mask snorted, before stomping the ground.


    <i>Bam! Tzzz!</i>


    ck aura engulfed the ce.


    <i>Ruuuumble!</i>


    ¡°<i>Keugh!</i>¡±


    As if hit by an earthquake, the ground shook violently, and tremendous pressure crushed the other two.


    As the men struggled desperately, the man with the ck mask whispered coldly, ¡°Shut up, useless fools. I¡¯m speaking right now.¡±


    <i>Kikiki, kekeke, heeheehee.</i>


    Eerieughter came from behind the masks of the Three Pure Ones.


    -<i>Keke,</i> he¡¯s ovee the obstacle again. Your growth is astonishing. I haven¡¯t seen anyone like you in 200 years.


    -<i>Kiki</i>. Child, did you just ask if the opponent is strong? Answer that for yourself. That man single-handedly defeated an SS-rank monster.


    -<i>Heehee.</i> Moreover, he¡¯s even mastered the stolen Mount Hua¡¯s sword treasure, so he¡¯s definitely a good match for you. Lin XiaoMing!


    The eerie and ghostly voices from the Three Pure Ones uttered the name of China¡¯s strongest Hunter.


    ¡°<i>Hoho</i>, then I¡¯ll take this on. I''m also running low on the blood of formidable foes to feed my sword.¡±


    <i>Sss¡ª</i>


    He removed his ck mask, revealing that she was a woman. Her red eyes brimmed with bloodlust.


    ¡°The descendant of the Sword Martial shall follow the order of the Three Pure Ones and retrieve the secret book of Mount Hua.¡±

 Chapter 101: I am the Death God Yu Il-Shin

    <h4>Chapter 101: I am the Death God Yu Il-Shin</h4>


    Once again, I was in agony.


    <i>Chew chew! Munch munch! Nyam nyam nyam!</i>


    ...All because of the angel soldiers on the rooftop, savoring their chicken legs.


    It all started about four days ago, when I unexpectedly and happily received a huge sum of money. Thus, I ordered chicken every day and enjoyed them with Lilith.


    <i>Poof poof!</i>


    But then, an angel soldier returned from a mission in God-Maker and saw us.


    <i>Drip drip drip¡ª</i>


    Watching him salivating, I held out a chicken leg to him. ¡°You want some?¡±


    ¡°<i>Kya!</i>¡± He gobbled it up as if he hadn¡¯t eaten in ten days.


    I was slightly taken aback, but the sight of such petite mouth munching on chicken was just irresistible. With a dad''s smile, I handed him another chicken leg.


    ¡°<i>Aigoo</i>, is that yummy? Would you like some more?¡±


    ¡°<i>Kya kya!</i>¡±


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [One angel soldier is happy. His favorability toward you has increased.]


    [The higher the favorability, the more loyal your familiars will be.]


    The message from God-Maker surprised me somewhat. Still, I was d that a chicken leg was enough to increase an angel soldier¡¯s loyalty.


    <i>How simple. All¡¯s well that ends well.</i>


    Then the next day...


    <i>Poof poof poof!</i>


    A hundred angel soldiers returned. They stared at both me and Lilith as we had our chickens.


    ¡°Y-you guys want some, too?¡±


    ¡°<i>Kya kya kya kya!</i>¡±


    [A hundred angel soldiers are happy. Their favorability toward you has increased.]


    [The higher the favorability, the more loyal your familiars will be.]


    They might be small, but their number was huge. One or two chicken legs wouldn¡¯t be enough! My wallet shrank instantly as I was busy making additional orders. Regardless, the increased favorability cheered me up.


    The next day, a thousand of them returned. Did they spread information among themselves?!


    <i>T-there are just too many of you...</i>


    <i>Sparkle sparkle!</i>


    n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    A thousand angel soldiers looked at me expectantly, hoping for some chicken legs. I couldn¡¯t possibly refuse them? I had to treat them equally, lest it led to a disaster.


    ¡°<i>Argh</i>, whatever! Just eat!¡±


    ¡°<i>Kya kya kya!</i>¡±


    The angel soldiers waved a chicken leg in both hands, praising me.


    [A thousand angel soldiers are happy. Their favorability toward you has increased.]


    [The higher the favorability, the more loyal your familiars will be.]


    And on this faithful day, 10,000 angel soldiers returned.


    <i>Seriously, this is just too much!</i>


    <i>Sparkle sparkle sparkle!</i>


    <i>Don¡¯t look at them! Avert your eyes, Yu Il-Shin!</i>


    <i>p p!</i>


    But the angel soldiers began surrounding me, sending me looks of plea. I resisted for about ten minutes, before giving in as tears welled up in their eyes. With trembling hands, I picked up my phone.


    ¡°...<i>Um</i>, is this BBX Chicken? I have a group order, but I¡¯d like to know the maximum number of chicken you can send over right now.¡±


    Ordering from a single ce wouldn¡¯t suffice, so I called all the nearby chicken restaurants. At first, the owners thought it was a prank call, but they lit up when they saw the wads of cash. I¡¯d unintentionally revitalized the local chicken businesses, ultimately bing the chicken god.


    ¡°<i>Kya~ Kya!</i>¡±


    <i>Plop plop plop!</i>


    Soon, chicken bones rained down from the roof, reminiscent of a scene from Alfred Hitchcock¡¯s horror film, where a swarm of birds attacked humans.


    [10,000 angel soldiers are happy. Their favorability toward you has increased.]


    [The higher the favorability, the more loyal your familiars will be.]


    I even dreaded the messages about their favorability. Somehow, I managed to survive today. But at this rate, I''d go from riches to rags.


    ¡°A-Archangel Lilith...¡±


    ¡°<i>Kya?</i>¡±


    ¡°Please do something about this... I¡¯ll go broke if this continues.¡±


    Lilith sped her hands over her chest, as if reassuring me that she¡¯d handle the rest. Then, she flew tomunicate with her angel soldiers. Soon, the angel soldiers returned to God-Maker with their heads hung low.


    <i>Poof, poof, poof!</i>


    <i>I¡¯m sorry, guys. Papa will buy each of you a whole chicken once he makes a lot of money in the future! Is this the suffering of a poor family?</i>


    ¡°<i>Haa</i>...¡±


    I sighed deeply as I looked at the huge pile of bones on the roof. They were squeaky clean, too. I didn¡¯t think one or two garbage bags would be enough...


    ¡°<i>Huff,</i> will I ever finish cleaning this up?¡±


    I could feel my back breaking already, and I¡¯d barely filled two trash bags! Then, a thought urred.


    <i>If only these bones would get into the bags on their own.</i>


    <i>ck!</i>


    <i>...Huh? What¡¯s that?</i>


    I rubbed my eyes. I clearly saw that chicken bone moved?!


    <i>ck!</i>


    ¡°<i>Huh?!</i>¡±


    Apparently, I wasn¡¯t hallucinating.


    <i>ck ck!</i>


    The chicken legs began tap dancing in unison.


    ¡°W-what? Is this the curse of the chicken?!¡±


    Just as I was struck with fear, another message from God-Maker popped up.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Follower Ko Sa-Deuk has been added to the Skill Share list.]


    New! [Ko Sa-Deuk: Corpse Communion]


    <i>Corpse Communion?</i>


    -----


    [Corpse Communion (S-rank)]


    A highly specialized, self-taught method ofmunicating with corpses that blends Eastern and Western necromancy.


    The stronger the corpses¡¯ resentment, the easier it bes.


    -----


    I activated the skill unknowingly, ¡°Skill Sharing, Ko Sa-Deuk¡¯s Corpse Communion.¡±


    <i>Diririri¡ª</i>


    Then, a melody rang in my head, an eerie and solemn hymn for the dead. Someone said that birth was painful.


    -<i>Kieeeek!</i>


    Along with the deafening sound, the gates of hell opened and demons crawled out.


    <i>ck ck ck!</i>


    The bones scattered on the roof began to piece themselves together like a puzzle, rising up.


    ¡°<i>Arghhh!</i>¡±


    Somehow, it was more grotesque than the scene in the ssic movie, <i>Night of the Living Dead</i>, where zombies rose from their graves.


    Then, the bitter resentment of the resurrected corpses was conveyed to me. Crammed into ill-fitting cages, they lived a short life of no more than a few months before being ughtered by humans. But instead of beingid to rest, they were deep fried in sizzling oil of terrifying heat, being killed once more.


    As if that wasn¡¯t enough, their fried bodies were degraded with all sorts of manmade spices and seasonings, created solely to satisfy humans¡¯ tastebuds.


    I gasped, feeling excruciating pain from their terrible resentment.


    -Blood! We thirst for blood!


    -Revenge! Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth!


    -Kill them all!


    The chickens¡ªno, skull chickens, pped their featherless wings in fury. They seemed ready to leap off the rooftop and stage a coup against humanity. What if they attacked the students of the academy?! Shivers ran down my spine.


    Only a three-stepbo of dismissal, injury, and arrest awaited me! Anything but that!


    ¡°<i>Uhm</i>, chickens. Can¡¯t you calm down for a bit?¡±


    <i>Crunch!</i>


    The skull chickens turned toward me in unison, stomping their feet as they surrounded me.


    <i>T-the fact they¡¯re headless only makes them seem scarier...</i>


    -Death God! Command us!


    -Let us destroy and kill to settle our grudges!


    The Corpse Communion skill conveyed their voices clearly in my head.


    <i>Plop!</i>


    My legs gave way and I copsed to the ground.


    <i>Ah, what cruel incarnation had I unleashed upon this world?</i>


    -O¡¯ almighty and cruel reaper who gave rise to us! Give us yourmand!


    -Please give us sacrifices to ughter!


    <i>tter tter!</i>


    Ominous sound of bones ttering approached as their shadows loomed over me. Their resentment was so strong, it felt like they could swallow me whole.


    <i>Damn it! The necromancers in the webtoons and novels look so fierce, so why am I so weak?!</i>


    I was probably the only necromancer who almost died from chicken bones.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    Just then, a message appeared from God-Maker like a lifeline.


    Clutching my phone tightly, as if it were a thread lowered into hell, I thrusted it at the chickens.


    [Would you like to dispatch the new servants of the Malevolent God, the Skull Chicken Unit? (Yes/No)]


    ¡°Yes! Dispatch right away!¡±


    <i>sh!</i>


    ***


    The Red Empire, which ruled Antrinia, was devastated in the aftermath of the war against the Gayami nation. Their staggering one hundred billion troops were annihted by the enemy''s Malevolent God.


    It was by no means a small number, but it didn¡¯t lead to the empire¡¯s downfall. After all, their demigod emperor had singlehandedly built hives all over the continent, and they were in good shapes.


    In the 80th hive of the continent...


    <i>Krik krik!</i>


    From a bizarre-looking beehive, a half-insect, half-human crawled out, drenched in green bodily fluids. The general of the reproduction unit, a white-robed caterpir, filled several papers in its many pairs of limbs. Then, itmanded, ¡°No. 1,231,231,123 has woken up. Medics, hurry and move the newborn into the infirmary.¡±


    Then, the medics carried the newborn soldier away on a stretcher.


    <i>Krik krik, kriiik!</i>


    Soon, hundreds of thousands of holes had formed inside the hive. The endlessly spawning hive, created by the emperor, was the true reason behind the empire¡¯s dominance over this continent. Of course, training the newborns into strong soldiers was another story. Nevertheless, it shouldn¡¯t take too long to recover the losses of soldiers.


    ¡°Just you wait, you heretical Gayamis! The day our army force recovers will be the day we return the favor!¡± Caterpir wriggled his folds in anger.


    <i>Thud thud!</i>


    Just then, a deafening crash shook the ground, as if a meteor had fallen. The guards on standby rushed over, full of urgency.


    ¡°W-we¡¯re in trouble, General Caterpir! W-we¡¯ve been attacked by a horde of skeletal beasts!¡±


    ¡°Skeletal beasts?! What are you talking about?!¡±


    ¡°We are no match for them! Please hid<i>¡ª</i>...!¡±


    The guard¡¯s words were cut short. A gigantic foot appeared from the sky, swatting him like a fly.


    <i>Squash! </i>


    ¡°<i>Hiii!</i>¡±


    Caterpir¡¯s once snow-white body was dyed red by the guard¡¯s blood. Caterpir trembled as he looked up.


    <i>Ah, how can I even begin to describe the monster¡¯s size?</i>


    The monster was as huge as a mountain range. Not a single piece of flesh could be found on its body, as if it was made of marble. Moreover, despite having a long neck, it was headless.


    The sight was even more terrifying than his worst nightmare, and Caterpir struggled to breathe. He instinctively knew it was a monster imbued with the curse of the malevolent god that had massacred 100 billion troops.


    <i>tter tter!</i>


    The headless skull chicken raised its webby leg high, casting a shadow of death over Caterpir.


    ¡°<i>Aaarrggh! </i>Your Majesty! God of the Empire! Have you forsaken us?!¡± Caterpir screamed.


    <i>Pzzz!</i>


    Caterpir was squashed, sttering green bodily fluid everywhere.


    ¡°<i>Kyaaaa!</i>¡±


    ¡°<i>Arghhhh!</i> Save me!¡±


    A thousand skull chickens ruthlessly invaded the hide, trampling on their victims. In no time, a million soldiers, including the newborns, perished. But it was still not enough to satisfy the skull chickens. No, far from it.


    Blood! Carnage! Destruction! Revenge!


    Boiling with fierce grudge, the horde of skull chickens obliterated everything in sight.


    -----


    [Quest: Mid-tier Malevolent God Promotion (In Progress)]


    Sacrifice over a billion intelligent beings and umte karma, or sacrifice 100 intelligent beings of S-rank or higher and assimte their powers.


    -----


    <i>Ding ding!</i>


    [Normal sacrifice: 122,234,124(¡ü) /10,000,000,000]


    Thanks to the skull chickens dispatched across the continent, the number of sacrifices was rising at a tremendous speed.

 Chapter 102: Dear God, Please Don’t Test Us

    <h4>Chapter 102: Dear God, Please Don¡¯t Test Us</h4>


    -----


    [Quest: Mid-tier Malevolent God Promotion (In Progress)]


    Normal sacrifice: 122,234,124(¡ü)/10,000,000,000


    Sacrifices of S-rank or higher intelligent beings with the potential for transcendence: 20 (Apostle of Fire Shining in the Highest Skies+10)/100


    -----


    <i>Clink clink!</i>


    The number of normal sacrifices and Godcoins was growing at an rming rate!


    I forgot to mention this, but defeating the fireball apostle greatly increased the number of S-rank sacrifices. At that time, I was overwhelmed by the requirement to sacrifice 100 of them.


    <i>At this rate, I¡¯d be promoted to a Mid-tier Malevolent God in no time!</i>


    I knew it! Mobile games were all about auto-modes! I switched perspectives to see how others were doing. Firstly, the Tower of Warriors where Il-Ho was. After awakening his ultimate skill and defeating the White Dragon, he resumed his grind. Soon, he reached the 39th floor, where a bizarre-looking monster awaited. A lion and goat hybrid, with a snake for a tail...


    [39th Floor of the Tower of Warriors.]


    -----


    [Chimera]


    A male. Around for 1,400 years.


    Special note: An apostle of Beast of Deceit and Rapacity.


    -----


    I clearly remembered seeing that monster before?! It was Chimera, the S-rank monster! They didn¡¯t appear often, but I¡¯d researched them for a Hunter genre novel before. Moreover, I recognized the god in the special note. Didn¡¯t one of the apostles in the holy war worshiped it?


    -Come, evil monster! I, Il-Ho, shall punish you in the name of God Yu Il-Shin! <i>Muuuuscles!</i>


    Compared to Il-Ho, a mere ant, the monster was like a vast mountain. Furthermore, there were <i>three </i>of them. In spite of facing such formidable foes, Il-Ho wasn¡¯t fazed in the slightest.


    ¡°<i>Haaaap!</i> Ultimate skill, Super Strong Body!¡±


    <i>Flick! Flick!</i>


    Like the scene in <i>Antman</i>, the tiny Il-Ho moved at a tremendous speed, toying with the monsters.


    ¡°<i>Kekeke! </i>I can¡¯t wait to rip your heads off!¡± Il-Houghed hysterically as he tore the Chimera¡¯s snake tail.


    Both the lion head and the goat head roared in agony at the same time.


    -<i>Gaaaaaah!</i>


    -<i>Kieeeek!</i>


    <i>...Scary. Okay, let¡¯s stop watching. </i>I probably didn¡¯t have to worry about him for a while. It shouldn''t be long before he reaches the 50th floor.


    Although the Tower of Warriors consisted of 100 floors, I heard one could get out of the tower after reaching the 50th one.


    <i>Good luck, Il-Ho.</i>


    I shouldn¡¯t disturb him. I essed the God¡¯s Shop and purchased a set of the Blessings of the Growth God, before sending it to him. Il-Ho would only get even stronger at this rate. He had also gained considerable poprity in the novel I was currently working on. It¡¯d be great to write a detailed ount of his battles in the tower someday.


    <i>How¡¯s Anty doing recently?</i>


    It¡¯d been over a week since I left her with Akdol. I touched the screen, and was brought to another scene.


    [The Holy Nation of Gayami]


    After I¡¯d solved their food shortages, the Gayami Nation had been steadily developing without any issues.


    <i>Chatter chatter¡ªp p!</i>


    Refugees who¡¯d fled the empire flooded the entrance to the city. Angel soldiers diligently roamed across the sky, saving people from all over the continent. Just then, there was an uproar among the refugees.


    ¡°Oh! It¡¯s the Saintess! She¡¯s so beautiful!¡±


    ¡°Hey! Stop calling her that! You should refer to her as Her Majesty!¡±


    ¡°Look! Empress Anty is riding her new divine beast!¡±


    A beautiful, cute girl in a snow-white dress appeared, with a gand of glowing flowers as her crown.


    <i>Thump thump!</i>


    Anty rode Akdol, leisurely waving her hand to everyone like the Queen of Amazon. Also, look at how fat Akdol had gotten. That wasn¡¯t a crocodile, but a squishy toy. Anty must¡¯ve been feeding him quite well, seeing that he was ten timesrger than his original size. But well, he was just inherently bigger than the ants, so I wasn¡¯t that surprised.


    The refugees didn¡¯t seem to share my sentiment. When Akdol bared his teeth at them, the wingless bees and ants helplessly fell to the ground.


    ¡°<i>Eek!</i> Divine beast! Please help us!¡±


    ¡°<i>Argh!</i> Look at those ferocious teeth!¡±


    Akdol snorted and smirked, seemingly loving their reactions.


    ¡°Hey Akdol! You shouldn¡¯t be frightening people like that!¡± Anty smacked Akdol on the head with her rod, and Akdol grunted in pain. ¡°You¡¯re a good boy, right? Be nice, Akdol.¡±


    After patting Akdol on the head, Anty pulled out a trout and fed it. Akdol scarfed it down. He must be nning it all along!


    ¡°Wee, everyone! To the Holy Nation of Gayami, abundant with blessings from the great and merciful God Yu Il-Shin!¡±


    ¡°<i>Waaaah!</i>¡± Cheers erupted from all sides.


    Anty calmed them down with twinkling eyes. ¡°<i>Hehe. </i>I¡¯d like to share a piece of good news with all of you today!¡±


    Then, Anty enthusiastically spread the fantastic greatness and marvelous deeds of Yu Il-Shin, the punishments he meted to the imperial army and the apostles, and of my angel soldiers and skull chickens.


    I finally witnessed her aptitude for myself.


    ¡°Now, everyone, put all your faith in God Yu Il-Shin! Let us scream together! God Yu Il-Shin <i>puck puck!</i>¡±


    ¡°G-God Yu Il-Shin puck puck!¡±


    ¡°<i>Waaaah!</i> <i>Puck puck!</i>¡±


    Yes, her aptitude<i>¡ªas a cult leader, that is!</i>


    Meanwhile, bored by Anty¡¯s speech, Akdol yawned, absentmindedly looking at the sky.


    <i>Flinch!</i>


    Suddenly, our eyes met. I was watching them in secret, but could he see me?


    <i>Shudder!</i>


    Seeing how Akdol shivered, that should be the case. I raised my index and middle fingers to my eyes, then pointed them at him, signaling that I was always watching. So, he better be mindful of his actions.


    Akdol nodded vigorously, so he must¡¯ve understood me. Seeing Anty doing well, I was about to turn to leave when...


    <i>Ding!</i>


    Along with the notification, a menu popped up with the <i>New!</i> mark on it.


    <i>What¡¯s that?</i>


    [With the growth of the Gayami nation and the promotion of God Yu Il-Shin to a Low-tier God, the Auto-Nomination menu has been activated.]


    -----


    [Auto-Nomination]


    Gods never have enough time to keep a watchful eye on their followers, especially when their reach has expanded into a kingdom. This menu is designed for those busy gods.


    By activating Auto-Nomination, Facility Expansion and Race Evolution will be executed automatically during the god¡¯s absence, at the cost of Godcoins and divine power.


    -----


    ¡°Oh, seems handy.¡±


    If it could be of help to my followers in my absence, why not?


    I activated it immediately.


    -----


    [Adjust the percentage of Godcoins and Divine Power to be used for the Auto-Nomination.]


    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    0============100% (Gcoin)


    0============100% (Divine Power)


    -----


    A scroll menu appeared. <i>Hmm. </i>I pondered for a few moments, before setting both options to 90%. I could set them to 100%, but the Race Evolution held me back. I¡¯d faint if I used too much divine power, just like when I evolved Lilith into an Archangel.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [You have adjusted both Godcoins and Divine Power to 90%.]


    [You currently have 20 million Godcoins, 9,000p of Low-tier Benevolent God divine power and 9,000p of Low-tier Malevolent God divine power.]


    [Every 1p allows Race Evolution for 1 of your people.]


    [Auto-Nomination has been activated.]


    The number of Godcoins in the status window at the top rapidly decreased. I could feel my energy being drained as well. I lost 90% of my divine power from each title, totaling 9,000p. This meant each title held around 20,000p of divine power.


    That was enough to evolve about 20,000 citizens at once. Back then, I cked out after evolving about 100 Gayamis. I guess I could say that I¡¯d grown a lot.


    It¡¯d be best if I could evolve even further. With stronger soldiers, I could better protect Anty and the Gayami nation. Sighing, I closed God-Maker.


    <i>sh! Rumble!</i>


    Just then, with a sh of lightning, a girl appeared on the rooftop.


    ¡°Oh! There you are!¡±


    It was Sung Mi-Ri. It¡¯d been a few days since Ist saw her. Now officially recognized as an S-rank Hunter, Sung Mi-Ri had been filling in for Sung Mi-Na for a while now.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Ms. Sung Mi-Ri. How is your sister doing these days? Is there any improvement?¡±


    ¡°Yes, she¡¯s doing much better now. ording to the doctor, she should be able to resume activities as a Hunter after a few more treatments.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great to hear.¡±


    After being consumed by my Night Rose, Sung Mi-Na''s mind had regressed to that of a toddler. During her time with me, she gradually recovered to the mental age of a middle schooler. However, progress had been slow ever since, so we decided to leave her in psychiatric care.


    Of course, I was also somewhat anxious. Would she try to kill me again like before? But after all the time we¡¯d spent together... she probably wouldn¡¯t... <i>right?</i>


    <i>I¡¯ll put my trust in you, Guardian. Haven¡¯t we be quite close?</i>


    ¡°Oh right, Mister. Mr. Lee Geun-Wook is looking for you.¡±


    I hadn¡¯t heard of his name in an awfully long time.


    He was the original homeroom teacher of the Hunter Academy¡¯s high school division ss 3-A. In the aftermath of our duel, he had to stay in the hospital for a while to recover. ording to him, being a teacher wasn¡¯t just about teaching students. It also came with various other duties, such as keeping journals and submitting documents to their superiors, just like average sried workers.


    Now that the original teacher had returned, I, the substitute teacher, was extremely idle. It was the same as Sword Demon, my temporary teacher assistant. He¡¯d started an isted training after the humiliating defeat he suffered at Shin Yoo¡¯s hands.


    Moreover, there was also the fact that a crocodile apostle had recently attacked the academy. I was worried that I might beid off soon. But then, Lee Geun-Wook came to see me.


    ¡°Why is he looking for me?¡±


    ¡°He wants you to help supervise the exams.¡±


    <i>Supervise exams?</i>


    ***


    ¡°...I¡¯ll trust you with this then, Mr. Yoo.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you can rest easy, Mr. Lee Geun-Wook. Leave it to me!¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Before he left, Lee Geun-Wook briefly nced at me. Heavy, dark eye circles. Slumped shoulders. He must be exhausted from the amount of workload.


    <i>I should do my best as an exam supervisor! I don¡¯t want to get fired!</i>


    But in reality, there wasn¡¯t much for me to do. I supervised the students through a giant monitor as they each wore a helmet and battled monsters.


    -<i>Haaap! </i>Thunder Punch!


    -Freeze, you monster!


    As a matter of course, the students, who aspired to be Hunters, had to fight monsters. Nevertheless, since it was a simtion, it felt more like a VR game that used to be popr in webnovels back in the day.


    Of course, this was just a warm-up. The real deal would be the dungeon exercise next week. Today was supposed to be a session for us to assess the students¡¯bat skills prior to the actual test.


    ...Still, the monster they were fighting right now, it looked extremely familiar.


    -<i>Kieeek!</i>


    <i>...Why?</i>


    The monsters that roared ferociously, attacking the student, were red ants.

 Chapter 103: This God Offers Business Trip Consultations Too

    <h4>Chapter 103: This God Offers Business Trip Consultations Too</h4>


    -<i>Kieeek!</i>


    The red ants roared ferociously, attacking the students.


    <i>Crash!</i>


    -These fucking bugs!


    -<i>Kieeek!</i>


    Anticlimactically, the ants burst like balloons with each student''s attack. They were about the size of a puppy and about 30 cm long, which wasn¡¯t intimidating at all.


    I checked the catalog that Lee Geun-Wook gave me.


    <strong>[Monster Ant]</strong>


    <strong>Threat Level: Rank E and below.</strong>


    <strong>A mutated insect monster that has been appearing in the past year. Its size andbat power don¡¯t pose much threat. Commonly found in regr dungeons. With the right equipment, even an average person can defeat it.</strong>


    True enough, the Monster Ant was so weak, that it didn¡¯t even pose a challenge for the students. And yet, why did they bother me so much? Even though both their size and appearance didn¡¯t resemble the imperial ants from God-Maker in the slightest...


    <i>Maybe I¡¯m traumatized by them? </i>I should get a hold of myself. Those weren¡¯t even real ants! They were just mobs in a simted dungeon!


    ¡°Mister? What¡¯s wrong?¡± Sung Mi-Ri asked while I was still in deep thought.


    I quickly cleared my mind. ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing. Wait, shouldn¡¯t you be taking the test?¡±


    ¡°<i>Hehe</i>, S-ranks can forgo the simtion test.¡± Sung Mi-Ri giggled beside me.


    <i>I guess I can see why. Why make S-rank Hunters do simtions when they can easily clear A-rank dungeons alone?</i>


    In the end, not a single student was defeated by the Monster Ants. As expected of the students of a prestigious academy.


    Despite knowing it was just a simtion, I still found it fascinating. After all, I hadn¡¯t been to a real dungeon before.


    [Entering D-rank area of virtual dungeon.]


    Then, the increase in difficulty was announced.


    -<i>Kikikiki!</i>


    At the same time, Goblins¡ªsmall, green-skinned humanoids¡ªappeared, making unpleasant screeches.


    I knew a bit about them. They were humanoid monsters the size of a child, strong enough to take on most adult men. They were also intelligent enough to use tools, so they could pose a threat inrge numbers.


    Moreover, there were stronger and specialized goblins called Goblin Warriors and Goblin Mages. Just like Hunters, they¡¯d surpassed their inherent abilities and acquired additional skills. As a side note, I had my zombie female protagonist delve into a goblin dungeon for the sake of character development. <i>Ah, the nostalgia...</i>


    [Entering C-rank area of virtual dungeon.]


    <i>Thud thud!</i>


    The students had entered the C-rank area. I saw green giants, simr to the goblins, appear on screen.


    -<i>Krrr!</i>


    <i>There they are. </i>The special goblin species, Goblin Warriors. They had a towering height of 2 m and a jacked body like Reinforce-type Hunters. Regardless, a certain student managed to defeat such a tricky opponent in a matter of seconds.


    ¡°<i>Wow! </i>Myeong-Ji came on top in the C-rank area!¡± Sung Mi-Ri cheered, apuding her friend¡¯s victory as she watched.


    After slicing the Goblin Warrior in half, Ko Myeong-Ji stepped on its body and cheerfully shed a peace sign. When in reality, it was her familiar, Death Knight Hades, who¡¯d defeated the monster. At this rate, she¡¯d be able to make it to the strongest of the Goblin species, the Goblin Lord.


    The Goblin Lord, an A-rank monster, was highly difficult to face because of itsbat prowess, as well as its ability to summon minions. But of course, she had Hades, <i>an S-rank monster, </i>by her side. By the way, it wasn¡¯t the real Hades, but a simtion made based on his spec.


    Then, I turned my attention to another promising student in this ss. Xu Zhu. A B-rank Qigong-type Hunter, named after the famous warlord from the Three Kingdoms. Despite her big build, she was actually a shy girl. I¡¯d recently unblocked her qi points using my healing powers.


    I was secretly hoping that she¡¯d be an A-rank Hunter after Ko Myeong-Ji.


    ¡°<i>Kyaaaak!</i>¡±


    Just then, a muffled scream came from Xu Zhu¡¯s helmet.


    <i>Huh?</i>


    I looked at the monitor in a hurry, and saw Xu Zhu lying on the ground. She¡¯d taken a fatal injury from the Goblin Warrior.


    ¡°Cheer up, Xu Zhu.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, this is just a simtion. You''re much stronger when ites to the real thing.¡±


    Drooping her shoulders, Xu Zhu returned to the ss. Sung Mi-Ri and her ssmatesforted her. I looked at the results slip next to me.


    <strong>[Highschool Division ss 3-A¡¯s Academy Dungeon Simtion Results]</strong>


    <strong>Passed A-rank Virtual Dungeon: 1 student (Ko Myeong-Ji)</strong>


    <strong>Passed B-rank Virtual Dungeon: 3 students (Kang Ha-Neul, Yoo Joon-Min, Park Kyeong-Tae)</strong>


    <strong>Passed C-rank Virtual Dungeon: 25 students (Yoo Sung-Ji, Kim Yi-Ru, Kang Jung-Tae...)</strong>


    <strong>Passed D-rank Virtual Dungeon: 1 student (Xu Zhu)</strong>


    Xu Zhu, a talented student, was the only one who failed to clear the C-rank virtual dungeon. As a B-rank Qigong-type Hunter, she should be able to clear at least B-rank dungeon, especially after I healed her.


    ¡°Maybe she felt under the weather? Or did unblocking her qi have a negative side effect somehow? <i>Ugh.</i>¡± My head throbbed as I pondered.


    <i>I¡¯m pretty sure they said that those who only cleared up to D-rank in the simtion can¡¯t participate in the dungeon practical exam...</i>


    The dungeon practical exam¡¯s results didn¡¯t only let the students advance to the university division, but also significantly impacted their job cements in guilds. Moreover, Xu Zhu was a senior this year, if she couldn¡¯t participate in the practical exam, it¡¯d be a huge disadvantage for her.


    <i>What should I do? Should I try speaking to Mr. Lee Geun-Wook?</i>


    ***


    Thus, I went to see Lee Geun-Wook, who was hard at work in the faculty office.


    ¡°...Ms. Xu Zhu?¡±


    As he looked through Xu Zhu¡¯s file, he rubbed his throbbing temple.


    ¡°That¡¯s weird. She should be able to tackle it with ease. Besides, her simtion results fromst year weren¡¯t like this. <i>Hmm, </i>maybe she was nervous?¡±


    Then, Lee Geun-Wook contemted for a few moments.


    ¡°The dungeon practical exam is next week, so we still have one more week. Besides, the dungeon itself will be a D-rank Goblin dungeon with no special species. I don¡¯t think there¡¯ll be any problems.¡±


    <i>A Goblin dungeon? Oh, so that¡¯s why there were so many Goblins in the simtion. </i>I could feel the academy¡¯s concern for their students¡¯ safety.


    ¡°I can allow Xu Zhu to retake the simtion again before the practical exam. She¡¯s a strong girl. She can do it as long as she puts her mind to it. Mr. Yu, please pay more attention to her and the others. They¡¯re all students aspiring to be Hunters. I¡¯ll do the same as well. We want everyone to seed.¡±


    As a teacher, he was as passionate as his bulging muscles. Moreover, it pricked my conscience to see such a young man looking so pale because of me.


    ¡°Excuse me, Mr. Lee.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    I pointed my ring finger at him. ¡°Healing Ring Finger of God.¡±


    <i>Tzzz!</i>


    My innate power activated, and a dazzling white light covered his entire body.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [You paid 1 Gcoin for the healing.]


    Along with that message, Lee Geun-Wook¡¯s face, lined with heavy dark circles, began to glow with life. Widening his eyes, Lee Geun-Wook jumped to his feet.


    ¡°<i>Huh?! </i>I-I can feel strength surging in my body!¡± He grasped my hand in a hurry.


    <i>Why is he acting like this? </i>


    ¡°I heard that you have healing abilities, but this is beyond my expectation! It seems that you can buff others too! How amazing! I finally met a Multi Ability-type Hunter! All this time, I¡¯ve only ever heard of them!¡±


    Multi Ability-type Hunters awakened with more than one ability. In truth, my abilities weren¡¯t that of a Hunter''s, but a god''s. Nevertheless, it seemed that they were simr to Reinforce-type abilities and healing abilities. No wonder he mistook me for a Multi Ability-type Hunter.


    ¡°I¡¯m d to have Mr. Yu Il-Shin onboard! I hope you¡¯ll join us for the dungeon practical exam next week!¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll definitely participate and help!¡±


    I did want to enter a dungeon at least once. As a writer, it¡¯s best for me to experience various events to draw inspiration for my work. Just in case, I could use my powers to heal the students if anything went awry.


    As I spoke to him about the dungeon schedule and the students, I also learned that Immortal Guild sponsored the Goblin dungeon. Apparently, that old man wasn¡¯t just here to see Lilith. ncing at my watch, I realized it was already 6 p.m. It was time for me to get off work.


    ¡°I guess I should get going. Goodnight, Mr. Lee.¡±


    I, Yu Il-Shin, was the only one who left work on time. But instead of leaving for home, I went to focus on my real work.


    Upon arriving at the infirmary, I made myself a cup of instant coffee, before turning on myptop. If I wanted to upload tonight¡¯s chapter before midnight, I better get started now.


    [All-Cutting Heavenly Sword informs that the repair of the Demon Lord ispleted.]


    n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Just as I was about to type something, I received news from All-Cutting Heavenly Sword.


    ¡°Oh, finally!¡±


    During the holy war, I used both my Malevolent and Benevolent God¡¯s divine powers at the same time to unleash the Demon Lord¡¯s Prat¨¡pana. The Demon Lord had been broken ever since. But now, it had been repaired!


    [All-Cutting Heavenly Sword says he has amplified its strength. He keeps nagging not to break it again, or he¡¯ll charge a much higher repair fee.]


    <i>This crooked merchant always tries to steal Godcoins from me at every opportunity! You don''t need to remind me¡ªI¡¯ll just avoid using the Demon Lord as much as possible!</i>


    <i>Who needs a sword anyway! </i>I could handle most things with my bare hands now!


    Then, the space tore open, from which a ck wooden chest emerged.


    <i>Tzzz!</i>


    A sinister aura overflowed from it, like a ck miasma. <i>Now that the sword has been upgraded, something definitely feels different...</i>


    ¡°Demon Lord, how have you been?¡±


    <i>tter tter!</i>


    The sword stirred in response. Full of anticipation, I was about to reach out to open the chest when...


    <i>Knock knock!</i>


    ¡°<i>Uhm</i>, Mr. Yu Il-Shin. Are you in?¡±


    <i>Hmm? Who would be here at this hour? </i>Flustered, I quickly shoved the wooden box into my backpack.


    ¡°Yes,e in.¡±


    A heavyweight girl walked in. It was Xu Zhu.


    ¡°Mister, I¡¯d like to consult with you about something, if that¡¯s okay...¡±


    I gestured for her to take a seat. ¡°<i>Mhm</i>, have a seat. Do you want something to drink?¡±


    ¡°...I¡¯m fine.¡±


    As she sat down before me, Xu Zhu looked grim. She must be concerned about the failed simtion test earlier.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the test results too much. I¡¯ve spoken to Mr. Lee, and we¡¯ve agreed to let you retake the test. So, please let me know if you have any problems, I¡¯ll help as much as possible. Do you feel unwell? Is there an issue with your qi points?¡±


    Xu Zhu shook her head vigorously. ¡°No. You¡¯re my benefactor. But themand from the Three Martial Association is absolute.¡±


    <i>Three Martial Association? I think I¡¯ve heard that somewhere before...</i>


    ¡°<i>Keke</i>, Grandson-inw. Why don¡¯t we have dinner together tonight? <i>Hmm? </i>Where¡¯s Lilith?¡±


    ¡°Hold on a sec, Grandfather. Since when is Mr. Yu your grandson-inw?¡±


    ¡°<i>Hehe</i>, Mr. Sword God! I made a bento box for you to eat while you work on your novel!¡±


    Ko Sa-Deuk, Sung Mi-Ri, and Sword Demon all turned up at the infirmary together. Xu Zhu turned pale at the unexpected visitor. But did she have to be <i>that </i>shocked? Although, I could see why the presence of the Immortal Guild¡¯s leader unnerved a student like her.


    ¡°Lilith went to Antrinia for a while... <i>Oh</i>, but I¡¯m kind of busy right now. Can all of youe backter?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mister!¡±


    ¡°<i>Huh?</i>¡±


    Just then, Xu Zhu pulled out a pale yellow paper, then gave me a big hug.


    <i>X-Xu Zhu, I¡¯m a teacher, and you¡¯re a student! This is inappropriate!</i>


    Just then, I heard the sound of paper tearing.


    <i>sh!</i>


    ¡°Grandson-inw!¡±


    ¡°<i>Eek! </i>Mister!?¡±


    ¡°<i>Huh?! </i>Isn¡¯t that the Teleportation Talisman from the Three Martial Association?¡±


    Red light filled my view as dizziness pervaded me, making me feel motion sick. My eyes flung open momentster. Instead of the infirmary, a misty clearing appeared before me.


    <i>Where am I?</i>


    <i>Shudder¡ª</i>


    Xu Zhu was on her knees beside me, shaking, looking all flustered.


    ¡°Xu Zhu, where is...?¡±


    <i>Thud thud!</i>


    ¡°Is that the man who stole Mount Hua¡¯s sword treasure?¡±


    ¡°<i>Amitabha</i>.¡±


    From the fog, a robed monk emerged, followed by a fierce-looking man with a huge sword slung over his back.

 Chapter 104: Say No to Cultists

    <h4>Chapter 104: Say No to Cultists</h4>


    The Three Martial Association was thergest Hunter organization in China. Some of its members even worked in both countries. However, their primary job was to operate covertly and clean up the dirty work forrge corporations or even the nation.


    Hunters who¡¯d transcended human limitations had only appeared in the past few decades. Nevertheless, the history of the Three Pure Ones, the origin of the Three Martial Association, dated back to over 500 years ago. They wielded a vital force called qi and used martial arts as a medium to channel it efficiently. Nowadays, we¡¯d refer to them as Qigong-type Hunters.


    They faced scrutiny and pressure from authorities, which was simply the way things were in both the West and the East. The Three Martial Association survived because they were sensitive to information. They¡¯d nted secret agents, called ck Demons, in various parts of the world.


    The ck Demons would nip any information or individuals that might pose a threat to them in the bud. Hence, they were indispensable to the Three Martial Association. They¡¯d train in a ce called the ck Moon Hall. As of now, 251 ck Demons had passed the entire training period, and despite their young age, they were all sharp and expert killers.


    There was a foreigner among them. A girl with an ordinary appearance and arge build, yet seemed as gentle as amb. The leader of the ck Moon Hall stood in front of her.


    ¡°Xu Zhu! It¡¯s a shame that despite your excellent physique, your qi was distorted during training. Do you know why we keep you alive despite that?¡±


    The girl briefly shuddered at the leader¡¯s ferocious aura, before mustering an answer. ¡°I-it¡¯s because of the benevolent grace from our leader and the Three Pure Ones!¡±


    <i>Smirk¡ª</i>


    The scorpion-like leader sneered. ¡°You¡¯ll be sent to the Hunter Academy in Korea from now on. Did you know? Seven years ago, there was a traitor in there.¡±


    <i>Gulp!</i>


    Xu Zhu swallowed nervously.


    ¡°We took pity on that orphan and raised him with great care, and yet that was how he repaid us! Since then, the policy of this organization has changed slightly. We no longer bought orphans and prostitutes to train. Instead, we opted for filial children like you. Xu Zhu, you have a sickly mother, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes! She¡¯s doing well, thanks to the grace of our leader and the medicine provided by the organization!¡±


    Xu Zhu recalled her past. Her mother deteriorated from the shock of losing their father in an ident. As a child, she grew up in a small room of no more than 3-pyeong, often having to go without food. Then, like a miracle, the leader took them in, iming to be an acquaintance of her father.


    The leader nodded. ¡°You¡¯re indebted to us. Normally, a straggler like you would¡¯ve been discarded, but we gave you an identity and martial prowess. So, how do you repay the organization?¡±


    ¡°I-I pledge my loyalty! I shall serve the Three Pure Ones and the Thee Martial Association with my life!¡±


    The leader of the ck Moon Hall grabbed Xu Zhu by her shoulder.


    ¡°Yes, this is it. People with loved ones to protect won¡¯t turn against the organization. Xu Zhu, we let you live because we have expectations of you. I sure hope you¡¯ll live up to them, even if it¡¯s for the sake of yourself and your mother. Do you understand?¡±


    Xu Zhu shouted at the top of her lungs, ¡°Yes!¡±


    ***


    It had been three years since Xu Zhu infiltrated the Hunter Academy in Korea. She¡¯d gather information on those who betrayed the organization or fled after learning martial arts. She also regrly reported on the talents at the Hunter Academy¡ªthose who could pose a threat or be recruited by the organization.


    Other than that, Xu Zhu was allowed to live her life as an ordinary student. Despite spending three years here, the organization hadn¡¯t given her any special orders, as if they¡¯d forgotten about her existence.


    But then, a man called Yu Il-Shin showed up at the school. The traitor who was wanted by the organization, Sword Demon, was also with him.


    After Lee Geun-Wook suffered a serious injury, Yu Il-Shin took over as a substitute teacher. Such a mysterious man he was! He might seemzy at first, but he turned out to be quite powerful. He¡¯d evolved Ko Myeong-Ji¡¯s summoned creature, saved the students from an SS-rank monster that wreaked havoc in the academy, and even cured Xu Zhu¡¯s distorted qi!


    As his healing power swept through her body, stabilizing her qi, Xu Zhu regained hope. To her, Yu Il-Shin was the incarnation of Hua Tuo!


    <i>With this, I can master the martial arts of the organization properly! </i>


    It was something she didn¡¯t even dare to dream of before.


    The Three Martial Association operated under a strictw-of-the-jungle system: the stronger the martial artist, the higher their status. It¡¯d been three years since shest saw her mother, and due to thetter¡¯s worsening sickness, it¡¯d been difficult to talk on the phone.


    She wanted to go home. Ever since then, Xu Zhu started practicing martial arts seriously. She had an innate gift for it, allowing her to improve at an rming rate. Bing an A-rank Hunter might not be so far off after all!


    <i>Mr. Yu Il-Shin, thank you so much!</i>


    She was indebted to him. Whenever he dozed off under the sunshine while letting the students self-study, she¡¯d gaze at him in admiration, as if looking at thepassionate Buddha!


    Thus, Xu Zhu omitted Yu Il-Shin and Sword Demon from her regr reports to the Three Martial Association. She did it just in case it might affect his personal life in the future.


    But then, the battle between him and Shin Yoo happened. The enchanting red aura from the Plum Blossom Sword Technique he¡¯d used matched the technique of Mount Hua Sect, practiced by the Three Martial Association!


    Xu Zhu tried her best to conceal the information, but it turned out that she wasn¡¯t the only ck Demon sent to the Hunter Academy in Korea!


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you report about the top-secret sword technique to the higher-ups?!¡±


    A figure, cloaked in ck robes and concealed behind a ck mask, snuck inside Xu Zhu¡¯s dormitory.


    ¡°This can be considered as an act of betrayal!¡±


    ¡°B-betrayal?! N-no, I never intended to...!¡±


    Another ck Demon cut Xu Zhu off. ¡°Enough excuses. Soon, someone from the organization will arrive to retrieve the lost secret book.¡±


    He tossed the Teleportation Talisman to Xu Zhu.


    ¡°This is yourst chance. Prove your loyalty with this, for you and your mother¡¯s sake.¡±


    What other choice did Xu Zhu have?


    ***


    <i>Shudder!</i>


    Xu Zhu trembled violently, not daring to look up. She hadn¡¯t expected the organization to send these monsters to retrieve the Mount Hua Sect''s sword technique?!


    The kind-looking, middle-aged monk was Dae Gak, a Shaolin member and descendant of the Fist Martial. Meanwhile, the fierce-looking man with a huge sword slung over his back was Peng Murim of the Hubei Peng family. He was the descendant of the Dagger Martial and had mastered the family¡¯s ultimate technique.


    With the exception of the revered Three Pure Ones of the Three Martial Association, most of the true masters had arrived.


    ¡°Is that the one who stole the sword technique? He looks more ordinary than I thought.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t let your guard down, Mr. Peng.¡±


    ¡°<i>Uhm, </i>from the way you talk, you sound like Chinese? What¡¯s with that getup? Are you shooting a martial arts film? Do you speak Korean?¡±


    However, it seemed like Yu Il-Shin still hadn¡¯t figured out the current situation.


    ¡°Um, ni hao ma(<i>Hello</i>)? Ni chi fan le ma(<i>Have you had lunch</i>)? I¡¯m not cursing you, by the way. <i>Haha</i>.¡±


    ¡°M-Mister.¡± Xu Zhu broke out into a cold sweat. ¡°They are from the Three Martial Association. I know you¡¯re skilled, but you¡¯re asking for trouble by provoking them. If you give up Mount Hua Sect¡¯s sword treasure, I¡¯ll do everything I can to ensure your safe return. So, please cooperate...¡±


    ¡°Three Martial Association? I think I¡¯ve heard about them before... <i>Ah!</i>¡±


    After contemtively stroking his chin for a few moments, Yu Il-Shin suddenly lit up


    <i>Of course he¡¯d have heard about the infamous Three Martial Association</i>, Xu Zhu thought.


    But the reality was slightly different, as Yu Il-Shin had recalled his conversation with Shin Yoo during their battle.


    <i>¡°...¡®Sword God¡¯? I did hear that the Three Martial Association is a cult, but... Kang Geom, you¡¯re still stuck in there, huh? No, you¡¯re even more...¡±</i>


    ¡°Yes! Shin Yoo mentioned the Three Martial Association before! So that¡¯s why you fell into a slump, Xu Zhu! You should¡¯ve told me earlier!¡±


    ¡°Mister?¡± Xu Zhu trembled.


    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Yu Il-Shin gripped her shoulders tightly and shouted like a passionate teacher. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Xu Zhu! I will definitely save you from this cult!¡±


    ¡°<i>U-uh, </i>I think you misunderstood...¡±


    Dae Gak and Peng Murim frowned in unison.


    ¡°It seems that he won¡¯t surrender without a fight.¡±


    ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. Let¡¯s take care of this quickly before Ms. Lin arrives.¡±


    As Dae Gak stepped forward, he took a stance as if he was riding a horse. Then, he spread his arms wide, sping his hands together while staring at Yu Il-Shin.


    ¡°Come forward. Show me, Dae Gak, the descendant of the Fist Martial, your martial arts.¡±


    An overwhelming aura, like Buddha bringing ten thousand demons to their knees, emanated from Dae Gak.


    ¡°<i>Hic!¡±</i>


    Xu Zhu gasped as if she was being crushed by a giant boulder. Meanwhile, Yu Il-Shin only watched Dae Gak with nonchnce.


    ¡°Come on, now, Monk. Even if you plead with me, cults are a ¡®no¡¯ for me.¡± Yu Il-Shin waved his hand dismissively.


    ¡°Demon Subduing Arhat¡¯s Fist!¡±


    <i>m!</i>


    Taking it as an answer, Dae Gak stomped diagonally on the ground. Like a proper S-rank Qigong-type Hunter, he wrapped his hand with qi.


    <i>t!</i>


    Dae Gak drove his fist into Yu Il-Shin¡¯s stomach!


    ¡°Skill Sharing, Il-Ho¡¯s Strong Body.¡±


    <i>Crack!</i>


    Of course, Dae Gak¡¯s fist broke.


    ¡°I-Indestructible Body!¡± Dae Gak threw his head up, not even registering the pain from his crushed fist.


    As Yu Il-Shin transformed into a giant, steel-like muscles covered his entire body. Then, with the face of a Yaksha, he looked down at Dae Gak.


    ¡°Straight up resorting to violence! You¡¯re definitely a cultist!¡±


    Yu Il-Shin raised his fist and mmed it into Dae Gak¡¯s head.


    ¡°<i>Blegh!</i>¡±


    Along with that bizarre scream, unbing of a monk, Dae Gak fell to the ground. He¡¯d copsed with his tongue sticking out.


    <i>I-in under a second?</i>


    Xu Zhu stared at Dae Gak in shock. She knew that her teacher was strong, but not <i>this </i>strong?!


    ¡°D-Dae Gak?¡±


    Peng Murim was flustered. In a haste, he drew out his sword.


    ¡°Y-you! You yed dirty, didn¡¯t you?! But I¡¯m not like Dae Gak! <i>Heyaaaa!</i>¡±


    <i>Pzzz!</i>


    ¡°<i>Ughhhh...</i>¡± Xu Zhu was struck with horror.


    ¡°This is the Hubei Peng family¡¯s ultimate skill, the Primordial Chaos Thunderbolt Sword! Not a single soul has ever seeded in parrying this attack! What are you going to do?!¡±


    Living up to its name, a bolt of tremendous lightning had formed around Peng Murim¡¯s sword, threatening to engulf heaven and earth.


    Xu Zhu was quite a distance away now, yet the powerful lightning qi still made her tingle all over. She couldn¡¯t imagine the destructive power that skill held!


    Xu Zhu couldn¡¯t help but call out to her teacher. ¡°P-please run, Teacher!¡±


    Yu Il-shin merely looked at Peng Murim like an insect, before pointing a finger at him.


    ¡°Skill Sharing, Sung Mi-Ri¡¯s Thunderbolt.¡±


    <i>sh! Bam bam bam!</i>


    Then, an iparable lightning attack engulfed Peng Murim. ¡°<i>Aaargh!</i>¡±


    Peng MuRim copsed to the ground like a tree burnt to charcoal.


    ¡°<i>Hm</i>, Ms. Sung Mi-Ri¡¯s skill is so much stronger now that she¡¯s an S-rank Hunter. <i>Gosh</i>, my hand is all numb.¡± Yu Il-Shin shook his hand and turned to Xu Zhu, ¡°Are you alright, Xu Zhu?¡±


    Did Yu Il-Shin just defeat the true masters of the organization in less than a day?! Xu Zhu felt like she was dreaming. Dae Gak and Peng Murim weren¡¯t registered as Hunters, but they were on par with S-rank Hunters.


    ¡°Just wait for a bit. After I tie them up, we can have a talk.¡±


    Yu Il-Shin fished out his phone, about to buy some items from the God¡¯s Shop to subdue them. But then...


    ¡°<i>Ugh</i>, these imbeciles. They left me out only to get their asses handed to them.¡± A figure speaking fluent Korean emerged from the fog.


    <i>sh sh! Roll!</i>


    Dae Gak and Peng Murim were decapitated, and their heads rolled away on the ground.


    ¡°...What?¡± Yu Il-Shin was flustered at the sudden turn of events.


    <i>sh!</i>


    A terrifyingly stealthy, sharp sword qi pierced through Xu Zhu¡¯s neck.

 Chapter 105: Can You Really Handle God’s Wrath?

    <h4>Chapter 105: Can You Really Handle God¡¯s Wrath?</h4>


    I browsed the God¡¯s Shop, looking for a certain item.


    <i>Let¡¯s see... There it is! World-Binding Snake¡¯s Rope!</i>


    I¡¯d used this to subdue the Cheol Siblings and seal their powers. I had no intention of killing the cultists. After all, not only was murder a crime, Korea was also a country with strictws.


    ¡°<i>Ugh</i>, these imbeciles. They left me out only to get their asses handed to them.¡±


    An innocent voice, yet twisted tone. A girl emerged from the fog.


    <i>sh sh!</i>


    At the same time, the heads of the two copsed men rolled across the ground like ser balls.


    ¡°...What?¡±


    My mind went nk.


    <i>W-what just...? Did the two of them... die?</i>


    <i>Chills!</i>


    The next moment, a wave of bloodlust hit me, sending goosebumps across my skin.


    ¡°...!¡±


    But I wasn¡¯t the target.


    <i>Ssss¡ª!</i>


    Xu Zhu stared at me in a daze, before falling to the ground. The shapeless, ghostly figure behind her brandished her sword with a smile.


    ¡°No! Run, Xu Zhu!¡±


    I leaped at Xu Zhu, reaching for the de that was about to sever her head.


    <i>sh! ng!</i>


    A sharp explosive sound resounded as the sword and my hand collided!


    ¡°<i>Argh!¡± </i>


    I could barely parry the attack! It pierced through my steel body, digging into my wrist.


    ¡°<i>Hee~</i> Daring to block my attack with bare hands...¡±


    Gritting my teeth, I swung my uninjured left fist at the ghostly figure.


    ¡°Fuck off!¡±


    <i>Vrooom!</i>


    My fist ripped through the air, determined to crush the ghost¡¯s head.


    <i>Flick!</i>


    Suddenly, the ghostly figure withdrew at an incredible speed!


    ¡°<i>Heehee!</i> I haven¡¯t had this much fun in a while!¡±


    I was furious, but I was more concerned about Xu Zhu right now.


    ¡°Xu Zhu, are you alright?¡±


    <i>Trickle¡ª</i>


    Xu Zhu, usually full of ignorant bravado, struggled to speak. As she gazed at me, tears welled in her eyes.


    <i>Pwoosh! Plop!</i>


    Then, blood sttered in my face like a fountain.


    ¡°...!¡±


    <i>Plop! Thud!</i>


    Her neck had been sliced midway. In the next moment, she copsed. I was stunned momentarily, but quickly regained my senses and pointed my ring finger at her.


    ¡°H-Healing Ring Finger of God!¡±


    <i>Please, please!</i>


    <i>Tzz!</i>


    A blinding white light enveloped Xu Zhu, healing the injury on her neck.


    <i>D-did it work!</i>


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Healing failed. A Low-tier God can¡¯t revive the dead!]


    A message of despair shed across my eyes.


    <i>Dead?</i>


    ¡°X-Xu Zhu?¡± I reached out to her, my voice faltering.


    <i>No, no. She can¡¯t be dead. She looks like she¡¯ll wake up at any moment! There has to be a mistake...</i>


    ¡°That¡¯s some interesting power you got there.¡± The ghostly figure shook off the blood on her sword. ¡°<i>Hoohoo, </i>but I¡¯m still a step faster. What a pity~¡±


    Xu Zhu¡¯s heart had ceased beating.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [The innate power Blind Eyes of God has been activated.]


    Then, Xu Zhu¡¯s life unfolded before me like a panorama. She grew up miserable. In order to cure her sickly mother, she endured hellish training at the organization. Compared to that, her life as a student at the academy was like a dream. She even made some friends there! But then, under the organization''s duress, she was forced to bring me here.


    Lastly, were her final words for me.


    <i>¡°Hic, hic, hic... Teacher, please forgive me. I-I was wrong.¡±</i>


    ¡°You didn¡¯t do anything wrong...¡±


    I didn¡¯t me her. If I were in her shoes, I¡¯d have done the same as well.


    Moreover, before she was ckmailed by another ck Demon, she¡¯d tried to protect me as much as possible.


    I closed her tearful eyes as sheid motionlessly on the ground.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Xu Zhu.¡±


    <i>I wasn¡¯t able to save this poor little girl. How could I call myself her teacher? I¡¯m disqualified to be a god!</i>


    ¡°Why are you apologizing?¡±


    <i>Flick!</i>


    I turned to re at the ghostly figure.


    <i>Drip drip drip!</i>


    I saw a long-haired woman in a red cheongsam that revealed her white thighs. She kicked the heads of Dae Gak and Peng Murim as if she were juggling balls. Her action was horrid, yet her expression was bright.


    My appraisal skill kicked in.


    -----


    [Lin XiaoMing]


    A female human. Around for 36 years.


    Special note: Has the blessing of King of Asura Versatility.


    -----


    Even without the appraisal, I recognized her. She was Lin XiaoMing, China¡¯s strongest S-rank Qigong-type Hunter. In the media, she was often portrayed as a shy, innocent girl in her 20s, which couldn¡¯t be farther from the truth.


    ¡°I really don¡¯t understand. Why would you feel sorry for a traitor?¡±


    <i>Swiiiish!</i>


    ¡°Moreover, instead of killing them, you merely restrained them.¡±


    Kicking the heads into the air, Lin XiaoMing skewered them with her red sword.


    <i>Ssss!</i>


    The heads melted, absorbed by the sword. Soon, all that was left was a few droplets of blood.


    ¡°<i>Mm~</i>¡± Lin XiaoMing applied some of the blood to her lips like lipstick. ¡°Losers die. Such is the nature of a death match between martial artists. Do you understand?¡±


    ¡°...Then why did you kill Xu Zhu? She didn¡¯t do anything.¡±


    Lin XiaoMing grinned. ¡°Cause¡¯ I feel like it. Don¡¯t re at me like that. Be grateful that I killed the traitor~¡±


    Then, she pointed her sword at Xu Zhu.


    ¡°Now, give me her head. My sword, Asura Spiritwalker, <i>loooves </i>the head of a young girl. I¡¯ll bring you to the Three Pure Ones <i>alive</i> if you do. Besides, we only need the Mount Hua Sect¡¯s book. How does that sound?¡±


    <i>Drip drip!</i>


    The sh wound on my right hand was still bleeding, dying the ground red. I clenched it tight and said, ¡°Skill Sharing, Il-Ho¡¯s Super Strong Body.¡±


    <i>Crunch crunch!</i>


    My giant musclespressed, transforming into a lean, battle-efficient body. Like turning coal into a diamond, my muscles were condensed indefinitely. Now, my strength had grown iparably.


    My right hand no longer bled.


    <i>m!</i>


    At the same time, the ground under my feet exploded! Instantly, I arrived right in front of Lin XiaoMing. I reached for her head with my bloody fist, about to crush it.


    Widening her eyes, Lin XiaoMing parried it with her sword.


    <i>aaaang! Trickle¡ª</i>


    A metallic sound rang like a thunderp, pushing Lin XiaoMing back by ten meters.


    ¡°<i>Wow!</i> You suddenly got faster!¡± she eximed, rubbing her wrists to ease the stiffness.


    I was slightly taken aback. Even though I¡¯d activated Il-Ho¡¯s Super Strong Body, she could still block my attack?


    ¡°Nevertheless...¡± Lin XiaoMing¡¯s eyes suddenly glowed an eerie red.a ¡°You¡¯re still much slower than I am!¡±


    <i>Flick!</i>


    With a red sh, Lin XiaoMing transformed, before vanishing from my sight. She was even faster than the S-rank Hunter Sung Mi-Ri, who was apparently the fastest of all Hunters!


    <i>Darn it, I lost her!</i>


    ¡°What are you looking at? I¡¯m right here.¡±


    I looked up reflexively.


    Lin XiaoMing flew overhead, pulling her <i>cheongsam </i>aside, and revealing her white thighs.


    ¡°<i>Hohoho! </i>Heavyweight Hammering!¡±


    Unbefitting of her <i>cheongsam</i>, her red heels trampled me.


    <i>m!</i>


    ¡±<i>Uurgh!</i>¡±


    I clenched my jaw, struggling to block her attack with my arms.


    ¡°...?¡±


    I felt like I was being crushed by a giant building! I couldn¡¯t believe my opponent was a woman a head shorter than I was!


    <i>Baaaam!</i>


    ¡°<i>Aaaargh!</i>¡±


    As if nuked by a bomb, the ground beneath me gave way, sending my body plunging deep into the earth.


    Lin XiaoMing looked down and smirked.


    ¡°Looks like the rumors about you defeating an SS-rank monster are true. Still, you¡¯re no match for me. Do you know how many SS-rank monsters I¡¯ve captured behind the scenes? Now, will you follow me quietly, or do you want to be fed to my sword like the others? This Noona doesn¡¯t really care.¡±


    While I was buried, I pondered for a while. I could get angry as much as I wanted, but it wouldn¡¯t change the fact that she was stronger than I was.


    ¡°...Equip malevolent god title: Brutal Killer.¡±


    So much so that I needed my divine power to overpower her.


    Lin XiaoMing tilted her head. ¡°What? Title? Brutal Killer? What nonsense is that?¡±


    <i>Wooooo!</i>


    The moment I equipped it, a surge of madness and bloodlust swept through me, along with a sense of omnipotence that made me feel like I could do anything. I usually felt repulsed by it, but not for this bitch.


    ¡°<i>Uurk...¡±</i>


    <i>How dare she dirties this heavenly body. Death is the only fitting end for her.</i>


    I raised my middle finger at her.


    Lin XiaoMing¡¯s expression became twisted.


    ¡°This fucking bastard! Do you have a death wish<i>¡ª</i>¡±


    ¡°Convicting Middle Finger of God.¡±


    <i>Burn to death, insect.</i>


    From the pit I was buried in, mes of inferno burst out.


    ¡°<i>Ugh!¡±</i>


    Flustered, Lin XiaoMing arched her back at an extreme angle to dodge the mes. The ck mes erupted like a volcano, greedily devouring the dense fog, threatening to pierce the sky.


    Lin XiaoMing turned pale as she panicked. ¡°You broke through the Eight Battle Formation barrier?¡±


    I leaped into the air, swinging my fist at her.


    ¡°<i>Ugh!¡±</i>


    <i>Baaam!</i>


    Lin XiaoMing narrowly dodged, causing the ground to explode in her wake.


    How frustrating! I was confident I could finish her in one fell swoop, but she was like a rat, scurrying around! Unforgivable! How dare this bitch dodge a god¡¯s attack?!


    As I grew angrier, tiny horns sprouted from my head. The memories of the sacrifices I¡¯d ughtered rose like steam from within.


    The soldiers and apostles from God-Maker let out pitiful wails of pain.


    -<i>Kyaaaaak!</i>


    ¡°L-Lord Asura?¡± Lin XiaoMing, who was wary of me, was stunned briefly. ¡°...<i>Amazing!</i>¡±


    What did that crazy bitch say?


    <i>m!</i>


    I took the opportunity to close in on her.


    ¡°<i>Ha!</i>¡±


    <i>sh! </i>


    Finallying to her senses, Lin XiaoMing shed with a red light, disappearing once more...


    ¡°<i>Huh?!</i>¡±


    I caught up with her in less than a second. Sticking my head in front of her, I let out a cruelugh.


    ¡°Who¡¯s faster now?¡±


    ¡°<i>Hyiii!¡±</i>


    ¡°Answer me.¡±


    <i>Grab! </i>


    With a devilish look on my face, I snatched her left arm with my ckened fingers.


    ¡°Let go!¡±


    Unnerved, Lin XiaoMing swung the sword in her right hand at my neck.


    ¡°<i>Hmph!</i>¡±


    Before it could touch me, I swung her left arm like a whip.


    <i>m! Crack!</i>


    ¡°<i>Kyaaak!</i>¡±


    A pitiful scream echoed as she was mmed to the ground, followed by the sound of breaking bones.


    n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°<i>Cough cough!</i>¡±


    Lin XiaoMing coughed up blood. Bone shard must¡¯ve pierced through her lungs. But I didn¡¯t stop there.


    <i>Flick!</i>


    I mmed her back into the ground like a toy.


    <i>Bam!</i>


    ¡°P-please stop! <i>Kyaaa!</i>¡±


    Of course, I had no intention to stop.


    <i>Bam bam bam!</i>


    ¡°<i>Hmm</i>.¡±


    I did that a couple more times, and soon, the pathetic cries stopped. I looked down at Lin XiaoMing, whoy motionlessly on the ground. Her beautiful <i>cheongsam </i>was now tattered like rags, revealing her blood-drenched body. Her face was covered in the same liquid, making it difficult to recognize her original face.


    To her credit, she still didn¡¯t let go of the sword in her right hand.


    <i>Ssss¡ª</i>


    I lifted her by her limp left arm, forcing the mangled woman to make eye contact with me.


    ¡°You dead already?¡±

 Chapter 106: When The Blind God Opens His Eyes

    <h4>Chapter 106: When The Blind God Opens His Eyes</h4>


    ¡°You dead already?¡±


    I shook Lin Xiao Ming¡¯s limp body, and her mouth gaped and closed, like a carp thrown to the ground.


    ¡°...<i>I¡¯m smitten</i>.¡±


    ¡°The fuck? Speak in Korean!¡±


    <i>Smash!</i>


    I pped her with my other hand. Blood spurted as she coughed out chipped teeth.


    ¡°Where is the rest of your gang?¡±


    As if I could be satisfied with just her. How dare they kill Xu Zhu! She could¡¯ve be my subject! All of them deserve to die!


    <i>Sssss¡ª</i>


    Suddenly, bloodlust radiated from the sword that she refused to let go.


    <i>She still has some power left? Come at me. Wallow in despair upon knowing there¡¯s nothing else you can do¡ªand perish! </i>


    <i>sh! Roll!</i>


    In the next moment, she severed her left arm and blood gushed out. Then, she rolled on the ground, trying to add some distance between us. I could only scoff at her ridiculousness.


    ¡°You, what are you doing?¡±


    As I looked down at her, I wiped the blood sttered on my face. It wasn¡¯t mine, but hers.


    ¡°<i>Heh</i>. Mimicking a lizard?¡±


    ¡°<i>Haha</i>, even to women, you sure don¡¯t hold back... Was that cowardice, earlier...?¡± Lin Xiao Ming used her sword as a crutch to pull herself up. ¡°You¡¯re already so strong, unarmed... I wonder, how strong are you... with a sword? Just imagining it... <i>aah... </i>I¡¯ve never seen a man like you... I¡¯m getting wet...¡±


    Even though she was on the verge of dying, she was grinning from ear to ear. It made me sick.


    ¡°<i>Huh?</i> Crazy bitch.¡±


    I shouldn¡¯t entertain her any longer, it¡¯d only sully my reputation as a god. <i>Yeah, let¡¯s just kill her. </i>I could just look for the others from the Three Martial Associationter. I had Sword Demon, anyway. I could just instruct him to do it.


    <i>Shudder!</i>


    Seemingly having sensed the shift in my attitude, Lin Xiao Ming¡¯s arm trembled. ¡°A-are you going to kill me? A-Asura Spiritwalker Sword! Repay me for all the sacrifices I¡¯ve given you before!¡±


    As if responding to Lin Xiao Ming, her blood sword pulsated with ferocious energy.


    <i>Baaam!</i>


    ¡°<i>Ho?</i>¡±


    Apparently, it wasn¡¯t a normal sword.


    Although slightly turbid, the aura emanating from it was clearly of divine origin. The power was extremely familiar to me<i>¡ª</i>it must¡¯ve belonged to a vicious malevolent god!


    My eyes appraised it.


    -----


    [Asura Spiritwalker Sword]


    A sword made of the bones of a god. Around for 666 years.


    Special note: Holds the power of the King of Asura Versatility, growing stronger as it feeds on more sacrifices.


    -----


    <i>Krrr!</i>


    Then, I saw something within the blood sword. A monster with three heads and six arms growled fiercely.


    ¡°That sword definitely isn¡¯t for you.¡±


    n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    That sword had insatiable greed and bloodlust, reflecting the nature of a malevolent god.


    ¡°Convicting Middle Finger of God.¡±


    <i>Baaaam!</i>


    The ck me, once the size of a candlelight, expanded until it rivaled the size of a sun. Lin Xiao Ming was staring at me with contempt. Soon, the mes charred her bloody face.


    ¡°Hand that divine artifact to me. It¡¯s more fitting, since I¡¯m a malevolent god.¡±


    ¡°Oh no! I¡¯m <i>sooo</i> scared! If I give this sword to you, will you spare my life?¡±


    ¡°Why should I?¡±


    ¡°<i>Kyahaha! </i>This has to be a dream!¡± Madness overflowed in Lin Xiao Ming¡¯s eyes as she raised her only good arm into the air. ¡°Divine power, Asura Heavenly Dance.¡± Her bloody lips curled up as she whispered in anger. ¡°Now,e. Ruin me and take my life away~¡±


    ¡°Fuck.¡±


    <i>I¡¯m so fed up with this crazy bitch! </i>


    Like a starving hound thirsty for blood, I unleashed a massive hellfire onto Lin Xiao Ming.


    <i>Sizzle¡ª</i>


    But in the next second, the ck mes were snuffed out like a candle. A wave of dizziness assailed me.


    <i>Huh?</i>


    <i>Ding!</i>


    At the same time, messages from God-Maker appeared.


    [Warning! Insufficient divine power to maintain the malevolent god title!]


    <i>No way! </i>I was out of power already?! It hadn¡¯t even been ten minutes! Then, I suddenly recalled that I¡¯d invested my divine power into Auto-Nomination.


    [You have adjusted Godcoins and Divine Power to 90%.]


    [You paid 20 million Godcoins, 9,000p of Low-tier God Benevolent God¡¯s divine power, and 9,000p of Low-tier God Malevolent God¡¯s divine power.]


    Was this because of that?


    ¡°...!¡± I staggered.


    However, instead of using this opportunity to attack, Lin Xiao Ming slid her hand in-between her voluptuous breasts. Then, she pulled out the same talisman Xu Zhu had used on me earlier.


    ¡°Take my left arm as a gift! I¡¯ll see you again, <i>darling~</i>!¡± Lin Xiao Ming bit the Teleportation Talisman, ripping it.


    <i>sh!</i>


    Along with a blinding sh of light, Lin Xiao Ming began to vanish.


    ¡°Stop crawling, Insect. Do you think you can escape with your life?!¡±


    I threw Lin Xiao Ming¡¯s left arm away. Then, squeezing myst ounce of divine power, I pointed my index finger at her.


    ¡°Crushing Forefinger of God!¡±


    <i>Craaaack!</i>


    The sound of crushed bones and flesh, apanied by a deathly scream, echoed through the air. There was a puddle of Lin Xiao Ming¡¯s blood on the ground, but she was nowhere in sight.


    <i>I don¡¯t think </i>


    The sound of crushed bones and tearing flesh, along with a deathly scream, echoed through the air. There was a puddle of Lin XiaoMing¡¯s blood on the ground, but her body was not in sight. I didn¡¯t think she¡¯d still be alive after losing that amount of blood, but...


    <i>Tzzzz¡ª</i>


    The effect of my Malevolent God title had ended. The horns on my head disappeared along with my greed and bloodlust. Gradually, I regained my sanity.


    ¡°...¡±


    In the aftermath of my battle with Lin Xiao Ming, I saw Xu Zhu¡¯s body on the ground. I fell into a daze.


    It was a short time, but the student I taught died.


    <i>¡°Hey, Xu Zhu, the walking cafeteria menu! What¡¯s for lunch today?¡±</i>


    <i>¡°Hehe, don¡¯t be surprised! It¡¯s...hamburg steak!¡±</i>


    <i>¡°Huh! What? Hamburg steak?!¡±</i>


    <i>¡°Teacher Yu Il-Shin! Run! Otherwise you won¡¯t be able to get anything on your te!¡±</i>


    Her smile as she happily ate lunch shed across my mind<i>¡ª</i>I couldn¡¯t forget it. I wiped the dirt off her face with my sleeves.


    <i>Ah, it¡¯s not getting off...</i>


    Instead, my sleeve was stained with dirt and blood.


    ¡°Hey, all of you are watching this, right?¡± I looked up toward the sky, struggling with my next words. ¡°If I... became a Mid-tier God, will I be able to revive the dead?¡±


    [Infinite Abundance responds with a sad look on her face, saying that death resurrection is a taboo and disturbs thew of causality.]


    [All-Cutting Heavenly Sword wonders why you¡¯re fussing about a lowly insect.]


    [Eternal Seeker looks sympathetic, saying that you should send off the dead. He adds that breaking the taboo will bite you in the back, one way or another.]


    [Silently Crawling Nightmare screams for everyone to shut up, glowering at them. She thinks it¡¯s probably impossible with the power of a Mid-tier Benevolent God. However, she¡¯s confident that you can save one of the 8th Realm without affecting causality if you¡¯re a High-tier Benevolent God.]


    [So, she begs you not to cry.]


    ...<i>I¡¯m... crying?</i>


    <i>Drip drip¡ª</i>


    As I held Xu Zhu in my arm, hot fluids trickled onto her face.


    <i>Forgive me, Xu Zhu. I¡¯ve made you dirty.</i>


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Xu Zhu. I¡¯ll work harder and bring you back to life somehow, so just wait...¡±


    <i>Kikikiki!</i>


    Suddenly, the world spun along with a mockingughter.


    ¡°...<i>Kya! Kyakyakya!</i>¡±


    I thought I heard Lilith and my angel soldiers as my consciousness faded.


    <i>Plop!</i>


    Like a broken TV, my vision shut down.


    ***


    At the Holy Nation of Gayami, in Antrinia...


    <i>Krrrr! Swoosh!</i>


    Out of nowhere, dark clouds gathered in the clear blue sky, leading to a massive downpour. Anty, who was treating the people at the time, rushed outside.


    ¡°Lord Yu Il-Shin?¡±


    Her blue eyes gazed forlornly at the gloomy sky. She knew immediately that those weren¡¯t rain, but the tears of her god.


    ¡°<i>Kya! Kyakya!</i>¡±


    Seemingly sensing the change in their master¡¯s heart, Lilith and the angel soldiers flew toward the sky in panic.


    Anty sped her hands together, kneeling on the soaked ground. ¡°Lord Yu Il-Shin... please... don¡¯t be sad. You¡¯ll break my heart at this rate! <i>Hu, huwaaaa!</i>¡±


    -<i>Kyak! Kyak!</i>


    Akdol rejoiced at the sudden downpour, ying around in the mud. But then, he saw Anty bawling her eyes out.


    -<i>Kng kng?</i>


    Like a Dog, Akdol gently licked Anty¡¯s tears, growing restless because of her grief.


    ¡°O¡¯ Almighty God...¡±


    ¡°Our God Yu Il-Shin...¡±


    ¡°May the mercy and grace you have bestowed us be with you as well.¡±


    Amidst the pouring rain, the people of the Gayami nation came out onto the streets. They were those who¡¯d been saved by God Yu Il-Shin. Then, they began to pray.


    At the Thirty-Ninth Floor of the Tower of Warriors: Trial of Valor, heavy rain poured down on the dismembered Chimera.


    ¡°Argh.¡±


    <i>Plop!</i>


    Il-Ho never yielded. Not even when he fought the three apostles of the empire, or the Chimera. Yet, as he experienced anguish while connected to his god, Il-Ho sank helplessly into the ground.


    ¡°O¡¯ great and merciful God Yu Il-Shin! If you require strength, I will give you every sinew of my muscle and every drop of my blood!¡± Instead of tears, blood trickled from the wounds all over his body. ¡°So please! Cease those tears, God Yu Il-Shin!¡±


    Thus, all of Yu Il-Shin¡¯s followers in God-Maker prayed fervently to him, conveying their faith. Faith tranted to Divine Power.


    [You have gained 1,000 Faith.]


    [You have gained 2,011 Faith.]


    [You have gained 1,001 Faith.]


    [You have gained 666 Faith.]


    ...


    Endless stream of messages arrived from God-Maker, informing Yu Il-Shin of the Faith he¡¯d gained from his followers.


    Then, a change urred to him.


    ***


    ¡°Mr. Sword God! Please eat!¡± Sword Demon cried out in despair, banging his head against the rooftop.


    However, Yu Il-Shin, who sat precariously on the ledge, didn¡¯t even spare him a nce. His eyes were closed, as if he¡¯d lost his mind.


    "You haven¡¯t eaten anything for two days! You¡¯ll get sick if you keep this up!"


    <i>Ssss¡ª</i>


    Yu Il-Shin raised his index finger, as if telling Sword Demon to be quiet.


    ¡°<i>Keugh</i>.¡± Sword Demon could only stare at Yu Il-Shin and obey.


    ¡°Teacher...¡±


    Meanwhile, Sung Mi-Ri choked as she gazed at her teacher sympathetically.


    Two days ago, Lilith and the angel soldiers brought back the fainted Yu Il-Shin and Xu Zhu¡¯s lifeless body. Sung Mi-Ri¡¯s heart sank when she saw them.


    Fortunately, Yu Il-Shin was unharmed and woke up half a dayter. However, Xu Zhu¡¯s death left him devastated. He stood there staring at her corpse, neither drinking nor eating anything.


    Despite understanding how he felt, the living had to move on.


    <i>If this keeps up, he¡¯ll only get sick! No, I must force him...!</i>


    Sung Mi-Ri decided to approach Yu Il-Shin. But then, Sung Mi-Na, who was next to her, held her back.


    ¡°N-no! Don¡¯t go!¡±


    ¡°Unni?¡±


    Sung Mi-Na stared tearfully at Yu Il-Shin. ¡°H-he is... too scary, now...¡±


    <i>Scary? How can that be?!</i>


    Her kind-hearted mentor was inconsble because of his student¡¯s death!


    Suddenly, Yu Il-Shin¡¯s eyes flung open.


    ¡°Found you.¡± His voice was cold as frost.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 107: Pests Must Be Exterminated All At Once

    <h4>Chapter 107: Pests Must Be Exterminated All At Once</h4>


    I sat on the ledge of the roof, lost in thought. I went through Xu Zhu¡¯s memories that I¡¯d witnessed, trying to recall the ck Demon that¡¯d threatened her. He had a ck mask on, but I was certain he was someone from the academy.


    Of course, he could¡¯ve withdrawn after the incident with Xu Zhu, but would he? When <i>I </i>was still around?


    Here I was, the man who hadn¡¯t only mastered the highly coveted Mount Hua Sect¡¯s Plum blossom Sword Technique, but also nearly killed Lin Xiao Ming of the Three Martial Association. If I were them, I¡¯d have kept spying on the target, reporting to the higher-ups the entire time.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [The innate power Blind Eyes of God has been activated.]


    With my eyes still closed, I activated my power. I could see everyone at the Hunter Academy, from the middle school to university divisions, including all the teachers and staff.


    -----


    [Park Sung-Jin]


    A male human. Around for 18 years.


    Special note: Uses a puny sword.


    -----


    [Lee Yoo-Jin]


    A female human. Around for 21 years.


    Special note: Uses puny ice.


    -----


    [Kang Seong-Yoon]


    A male human. Around for 43 years.


    Special note: Scared of the night.


    -----


    I could see each and every single one of them.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Yu Il-Shin¡¯s innate power Blind Eyes of God has been upgraded in ordance with the rank of a Low-tier Benevolent God]


    [Yu Il-Shin¡¯s innate power Blind Eyes of God has been upgraded in ordance with the rank of a Low-tier Malevolent God]


    Back then, when I appraised someone, I¡¯d only see a few lines of information. But now, I learned their time of birth, fateful events, love interest, the food they had that day, hidden desires, and their sinister, twisted malice.


    With the upgraded Blind Eyes of God, I relentlessly scanned the entire school. Even a seasoned, obsessive stalker was no match for me. The <i>tsunami </i>of information threatened to crush my brain, but I persevered and repeated the appraisal over and over again.


    A god was an omnipotent being. Though my power was limited to a small portion of the universe, I was still omnipotent, albeit not invincible


    ¡°Found you.¡±


    Finally, I found what I was looking for amidst the information overload.


    Opening my eyes, I said, ¡°Skill Sharing, Sung Mi-Ri Thunder Body.¡±


    ¡°M-Mister?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Sword God!¡±


    <i>sh! Ruuuumble!</i>


    I turned into a lightning sh and disappeared.


    <i>Pzzz! </i>


    In the next second, I grabbed a student by his neck.


    ¡°<i>Hic! </i>W-what are you doing, Teacher?!¡±


    He cried out, fearfully staring at me.


    I nced at the name tag on his left chest. Choi Yeon-Woo, a freshman in the high school division. His long hair, almost covering his neck, and his puppy-like eyes made him look like a kindheartedd who wouldn¡¯t even hurt a fly.


    ¡°<i>Eek! </i>Let go of Yeon-Woo!¡±


    ¡°W-what are you doing?¡±


    A couple of female students nearby, seemingly his friends, screamed in shock. I didn¡¯t pay them any heed.


    ¡°<i>Ugh</i>, Teacher. Please, let me go...¡± He pleaded, his face distorted with pain.


    I looked at the information hovering over his head.


    [Three Martial Association 253rd ck Demon, Chen Kun]


    ¡°Three Martial Association 253rd ck Demon, Chen Kun,¡± I said out loud.


    Instantly, as if his mask had fallen, all traces of emotions disappeared from his face. Now, he looked as cold as an assassin. Moreover, he was hiding something inside his mouth. Too bad, I¡¯d seen it.


    ¡°<i>Umpf! Umpf!</i>¡±


    My other hand was already in his mouth. I clenched my fist and twisted it.


    <i>Crack!</i>


    ¡°<i>Waaaaah!</i>¡±


    Chen Kun let out a bizarre scream as his jaw fell, but I couldn¡¯t care less.


    With my bare hand, I pulled out the entire set of mrs from his mouth, and another scream erupted.


    ¡°Where are the other ck Demons?¡±


    I knew he was in no situation to reply, but so what? I looked straight into his eyes. I could simply look for the answer. As if I were dissecting his brain, Chen Kun and everything he knew unfolded before my eyes.


    ¡°<i>Hmm.</i>¡±


    Before I knew it, I felt somewhat sympathetic for him. After all, his situation was simr to Xu Zhu¡¯s. My anger toward the Three Martial Association surged once more.


    <i>Swiiiiish!</i>


    Suddenly, I heard something. Then, I found out that Chen Kun¡¯s pants were soaked through.


    ¡°<i>Huuu... Huuuwaaa...¡±</i>


    I also knew how he felt at this moment. He was terrified to death, like a mouth trapped in a lion¡¯s maw. <i>It can¡¯t be helped. </i>Despite being a ck Demon, he was still a puppet at the mercy of the organization.


    I had no need for a puppet. I rxed my grip on Chen Kun¡¯s neck.


    <i>Plop¡ª</i>


    Like a marite with cut strings, Chen Kun fell helplessly to the ground.


    ¡°M-Mr. Sword God!¡± Sword Demon rushed over to me.


    I nced briefly at him and said, ¡°Sword Demon. This child is a secret agent from the Three Martial Association. Hand him over to either the Hunter Association or the police.¡±


    ¡°...What?¡±


    <i>Let¡¯s see... There¡¯s a branch of the Three Martial Association about 30 km from here. I only need a minute.</i>


    <i>sh! Ruuumble!</i>


    With a sh and a thunderp, I disappeared.


    ***


    <i>Bam! Baaaam!</i>


    ¡°<i>Aaaargh!</i> Save me!¡±


    ¡°<i>Hyiiaaaa!</i> A monster!¡±


    ¡°<i>Eeeek!¡±</i>


    Screams echoed in the air as if a war had just broken out in the area.


    At the basement of the South Korean branch of the Three Martial Association, there was a critically ill patient. She was covered in bandages and hooked up to several bags of fluids.


    ¡°<i>Haa, haa¡ª</i>¡±


    She was none other than Lin Xiao Ming.


    She had narrowly escaped from Yu Il-Shin with the Teleportation Talisman. In spite of that, she¡¯d suffered fatal wounds, and half of her organs were mangled. She was only alive thanks to the power of the Asura Spiritwalker Sword, a legendary divine relic forged from a god¡¯s bones.


    <i>Shudder!</i>


    But right now, that sword was rattling violently, unbefitting of its reputation. No, it wasn¡¯t the sword, but Lin Xiao Ming herself.


    <i>I¡¯m... scared? Me? Lin Xiao Ming?</i>


    She was the sessor to this era¡¯s Sword Martial and arguably a once-in-a-lifetime genius in the 500-year history of the Three Martial Association! Unlike the worthless substitute factions, Martial Arts and Taoist Martials, she was the real deal! Aside from the Three Pure Ones, the only enemy that was on par with her in the association¡ªno, the entire world, were the so-called SSS-rank monsters!


    <i>Baaaam!</i>


    In the next moment, the iron door to the basement flew open, and a blood-soaked man entered the room.


    ¡°Crazy bitch. You¡¯re still alive?¡±


    He regarded her sleeping figure with pure contempt, as if looking down on a filthy bug.


    At that moment, Lin Xiao Ming knew. The one who stood before her wasn¡¯t a man, but the Grim Reaper himself.


    <i>So why...?</i>


    <i>Thump thump thump!</i>


    Her heart was beating rapidly, like a maiden in love. Lin Xiao Ming struggled to get up from the bed. How could she remain in such an unsightly position when her darling hade to visit her?


    ¡°Foring all the way here, let me show you something. Lin Xiao Ming¡¯s best technique... Asura Heaven<i>¡ª</i>¡±


    <i>Yes, I¡¯ll die for you, but not in vain, </i>she thought. She wished to sear all her martial arts into the Grim Reaper''s heart and engrave her name there.


    ¡°Shut up.¡±


    <i>Bam! Ruuumble!</i>


    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    An ear-shattering explosion echoed as overwhelming pain ravaged her entire body, leaving her unable to scream or see anything.


    <i>Huh...?</i>


    Momentster, her vision returned and she was speechless.


    <i>The sky?</i>


    She saw the clear blue sky. <i>What is happening...? </i>She should¡¯ve been in the basement, preparing for her final battle with Yu Il-Shin... So why was she in the sky?


    Lin Xiao Ming was flustered, struggling to grasp the situation. Then, she finally realized that the entire building had copsed in.


    <i>Ahh¡ª</i>


    Atop the rubbles was Yu Il-Shin, staring at her with icy cold eyes.


    <i>So handsome.</i>


    A rush of chilling exhration hit her. To think there was a man who could toy with this Lin Xiao Ming!


    In the past, her uncle forced her into dual cultivation to restore his cultivation. Ever since then, she only ever saw men as lustful animals, determined to remain alone. She vowed to master the sword techniques and cut down all who stood in her way, even if they were the Three Pure Ones!


    But s, it was simply a pipe dream. Compared to this man, she was just a frog in a well.


    Yu Il-Shin merely looked as she free-fell, pointing a finger at her. Was that the same peerless skill that crushed her through space?


    <i>What a shame.</i>


    Had she met him earlier, would she have fallen into such levels of decadence? At the very least, she got to die in his hands.


    <i>¡°Kyahahaha!¡±</i>


    Seconds before her death, Lin Xiao Ming let out augh.


    <i>Crush!</i>


    ***


    The elites of the Three Martial Association assembled at the Three Pure Hall. They included ten S-rank Hunters from across China and around the world, over twenty Elders who, while not official Hunters, were on par with S-rank Hunters, and at least two thousand A-rank and B-rank Hunters. Not a single person present wasn''t a martial arts master


    Every single one of them bowed to the three masked figures, the Three Pure Ones. Taiqing, also known as the Grand Pure One, watched with a satisfied smile.


    ¡°Well, well. What a sight. Has it really been three hundred years since the whole association gathered here?¡±


    Then, the one wearing the mask of chaos spoke, ¡°<i>Keeheehee. </i>Still, isn¡¯t this a bit excessive?¡±


    He was Shangqing, the Supreme Pure One.


    The one wearing the mask of a majestic old man with a long beard shook his head. ¡°How is this excessive? The leaders from the Martial arts and Taoist Martials have died. Moreover, the man who killed them possesses divine power. We need to get rid of him as soon as possible.¡±


    He was Yuqing, the Jade Pure One.


    ¡°<i>Keeheehee</i>. If you say so. Let¡¯s hear what the top faction, Sword Martial, has to say about this.¡±


    <i>Click ck!</i>


    A provocative beauty in red <i>cheongsam</i> walked into the hall, her heels clicking on the marble flooring. A bloodthirsty smile yed on her lips.


    ¡°<i>Hohoho. </i>Sword Martial Lin Xiao Ming greets the Three Pure Ones and herrades.¡±


    ***


    Back on the rooftop of the Hunter Academy...


    ¡°<i>Hmhmhm~ </i>Pork belly is tasty because there¡¯s threeyers of flesh~¡±


    <i>Sizzle¡ª!</i>


    ¡°<i>Hmhmhm~</i> Pork belly is even tastier when there are fiveyers of flesh~¡±


    <i>Not bad for an improvised song, right? </i>If only Baek-Ho inherited this talent of mine.


    <i>Trickle!</i>


    Lilith and the angel soldiers were salivating. Understandable. The smell of meat sizzling over the charcoal fire was just that deadly.


    ¡°Just a bit more.¡±


    <i>sh sh!</i>


    I moved the kitchen knife¡ªno, Demon Lord, slicing the meat into bite-sized pieces.


    ¡°Dig in.¡±


    ¡°<i>Kya~ Kyakya~!</i>¡±


    Lilith and the angel soldiers pounced on the meat. Originally, I nned to order chicken, but the skull chickens left me traumatized.


    ¡°What are you doing? If you don¡¯t hurry, there won¡¯t be any meat left.¡±


    ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    ¡°Teacher.¡±


    Choi Kang-San and Sung Mi-Ri looked at me concernedly. Meanwhile, Sung Mi-Na hid behind her younger sister, stealing nces at me. She was still wary of me.


    ¡°Of course I am~ I¡¯ve been indebted to you for some time, that¡¯s why I¡¯m treating you to some meat. Come, eat. Sword Demon, stop screwing around and hurry up.¡±


    ¡°A-alright. Let¡¯s eat.¡±


    Forcing a smile, Choi Kang-San picked up his chopsticks. The Sung sisters followed suit, but the worried expressions never left their faces.


    I looked at the time on my phone.


    Sword Demon asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Mr. Sword God?¡±


    I dipped a piece of meat into the <i>ssamjang</i>[1] and smiled.


    ¡°About time for some news to arrive.¡±


    ***


    <i>sh sh! </i>


    Blood gushed from the decapitated leaders of the Three Martial Association. Bathed in their blood, Lin Xiao Mingughed hysterically.


    ¡°I offer these sacrifices to my beloved Yu Il-Shin!¡±


    ¡°Lin Xiao Ming! What in the name of hell?! Have you lost your mind?!¡±


    ¡°<i>Aaah... </i>He epted my offerings. I can¡¯t be happier.¡± Lin Xiao Ming touched herself with a face full of bliss.


    ¡°Lin Xiao Ming! Why would you turn against yourrades!? You¡¯ve really gone insane!¡±


    ¡°<i>Kyahahaha!</i> Divine power, Asura Heaven-Sundering Dance!¡±


    <i>Crack! aat!</i>


    Six arms sprouted on Lin Xiao Ming¡¯s sides and back. Grinning maniacally, she grabbed the swords of her fallen victims.


    ¡°Why haven¡¯t all of you be sacrifices for my Yu Il-Shin yet?¡±


    <i>Swoosh! Baaam!</i>


    Her six arms brought upon a storm of sword qi, engulfing the surrounding vicinity.


    ¡°<i>Hyiieee!</i> The descendant of the Sword Martial has gone insane!¡±


    ¡°Kill her!¡±


    ***


    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s here.¡±


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [A Follower Salvation Quest has urred.]


    [Target: Lin Xiao Ming (Fanatic)]


    [God Yu Il-Shin, do you wish to save your fanatic Lin Xiao Ming from a life-threatening crisis? (Yes/No)]


    Of course, I had no intention of saving that madwoman. But I should at least exterminate the pests in one go, right?


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    <i>Swoosh!</i>


    I disappeared from the rooftop.


    1. A thick, spicy paste used with food wrapped in a leaf in Korean cuisine. The sauce is made of fermented soybeans, red chili paste, sesame oil, onion, garlic, green onions, and optionally brown sugar. ?

 Chapter 108: I, Yu Il-Shin, Command All of You

    <h4>Chapter 108: I, Yu Il-Shin, Command All of You</h4>


    Back at the Three Pure Hall of the Three Martial Association, where the legendary Three Pure Ones were said to have descended 500 years ago...


    ¡°<i>Haa, haa...¡±</i>


    Lin Xiao Ming, severely mangled, copsed in a pool of her own blood. Having lost so much blood, she was as white as powder. The pure, elegant beauty was dying, yet nobody pitied her.


    ¡°This psycho bitch!¡±


    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    As the muscr elites crushed her limbs, they broke into cold sweat. At least a hundred of the two thousand elites died by her hand. The pungent smell of blood and feces radiated from the human sacrifices.


    ¡°<i>Haha. </i>Lin Xiao Ming, you¡¯re truly the best of the Three Martial Associations!¡± said the Grand Pure One.


    ¡°<i>Keeheehee.</i> Not even the king of the jungle can survive being thrown into a wolves'' den.¡± The Supreme Pure One, wearing the chaos mask, mocked.


    ¡°Lin Xiao Ming, you traitor! How could you?! We treated you favorably and even bestowed a divine sword upon you!¡± the Jade Pure One burst into anger.


    ¡°<i>Kyahahaha!¡± </i>Lin Xiao Mingughed hysterically despite her imminent doom. ¡°Because my god and master, Yu Il-Shin, asked me!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    As she spoke, Lin Xiao Ming¡¯s eyes were zed over, as if she was dreaming. ¡°Every ounce of my mind and body are his! Oh no, I have to kill one more... How pathetic I am... Yu Il-Shin, please forgive this pitiful girl... I can only offer you a hundred sacrifices...¡±


    Those words were like fuel to the fire, and the Three Pure Ones erupted.


    ¡°This wretch!¡±


    ¡°O¡¯ Great Ancestor! Three Pure Ones! How much longer do we have to listen to the raving of this lunatic?!¡±


    The Jade Pure One nodded, raising their hand. ¡°Kill that traitor!¡±


    ¡°Understood!¡±


    As if waiting for thatmand, the long-bearded Zhang Han stepped forward. He raised his huge scimitar at her neck.


    <i>Ah... God Yu Il-Shin.</i>


    Even during her final moment, Lin Xiao Ming thought of Yu Il-Shin.


    Three days ago, Yu Il-Shin raided the South Korea branch of the Three Martial Association all by himself.


    ¡°...Why didn¡¯t you kill me?¡±


    ¡°I could make use of you.¡±


    Yu Il-Shin grabbed her by her hair, yanking her to her feet, and their eyes met.


    ¡°...!¡±


    Reflected within Yu Il-Shin¡¯s emotionless eyes was herself, shaking like a terrified puppy. She had never felt this way in her entire life, and it was because of a man, no less!


    With a bone-chilling voice, he whispered into her ear. ¡°Serve me as your god, Lin Xiao Ming.¡±


    <i>Tingle!</i>


    A joy unlike any she had ever felt rushed through her entire body.


    ¡°I¡¯ll kill you if you refuse.¡±


    Ragged gasps spilled from her lips. He was so merciful, even toward the worthless skank who had tried to take his life! Even if someone else were to propose with a limousine full of gold, she wouldn¡¯t feel as ted as she did right now.


    Lin Xiao Ming saw her reflecting smiling in a daze, her gaze passionate. She grasped the hand that was yanking her hair, squeezing it tight.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m willing to serve you, my god, my master, Yu Il-Shin.¡±


    ¡°Die, traitor!¡±


    Just as the scimitar was about to pierce her throat, Lin Xiao Ming thought to herself.


    <i>I don¡¯t care if I die.</i>


    <i>...Ah, if only I could see him onest time.</i>


    <i>sh!</i>


    Just then, a dazzling light shed before her.


    ¡°Oh, c¡¯mon. What¡¯s wrong with dicing some meat? Are you going to keep sulking?¡±


    -<i>Hmph!</i> Because of you, this noble body is smeared with pork fat!


    ¡°A noble <i>Chinese kitchen knife, </i>you mean? <i>Ugh, </i>that Heavenly Sword¡¯s after-sales service is always a mess! <i>Argh, </i>hot! Stop burning me, Demon Lord Elder. I¡¯ll sprinkle some alcohol for you next time, okay? CheomYiSeul Fresh[1]!¡±


    -To hell with soju! It tastes like water! At the very least, give me the alcohol you had with those small friesst time!


    ¡°Do you mean the whiskey that Baek Yoo-Hyun hyung brought over? T-that¡¯s kind of expensive...¡±


    Everyone¡¯s attention immediately gathered in one spot. A man in a pink training suit had appeared before Lin Xiao Ming. He was arguing with an unusually wide Chinese kitchen knife. Then, he came to his senses and looked around.


    ¡°<i>Wow, </i>I didn¡¯t expect there to be so many.¡± Yu Il-Shin chuckled after he saw the elite crowd and the giant that resembled Guan Yu. ¡°<i>Haha, </i>don¡¯t mind me. You may continue. Oh, wait, maybe I should speak Mandarin. <i>Goodbye, I love you, thank you.</i>¡±


    Like Billie Jean in Michael Jackson, Yu Il-Shin moonwalked. But then, Lin Xiao Ming called out with a dreamy look on her face.


    ¡°Oh, my god, my master! My beloved Yu Il-Shin! You¡¯vee to fulfill this girl¡¯s dying wish!¡±


    ¡°<i>Haha, </i>sorry, but who are you again? I don¡¯t think we¡¯ve met.¡± Yu Il-Shin turned away coldly.


    <i>m!</i>


    mming his hand against the armrest of the throne, the Jade Pure One jumped to his feet.


    ¡°This... this pesky divine power! It¡¯s you, isn¡¯t it?! The fake god who killed our two descendants and seduced Lin Xiao Ming! Disciples of the Three Martial Sect, eradicate this fake god! Do not leave anything behind!¡±


    ¡°Understood!¡±


    <i>aaang! ng ng ng!</i>


    Just like the poster for John Wick movie, where Keanu Reeves was surrounded by gazillion guns, cold weapons emitting ominous aura were aimed at Yu Il-Shin all at once.


    ¡°Okay, this is really unexpected, but it can¡¯t be helped, I guess.¡± Yu Il-Shin raised his phone. ¡°Open God¡¯s Shop.¡±


    Then, he pressed the item he¡¯d been eyeing. ¡°Purchase Transmitter of Ferociously Roaring Thunder!¡±


    The Three Pure Ones, who had been observing the situation, jumped in surprise. ¡°<i>Huh?!</i> This energy!¡±


    ¡°<i>Heeheehee! </i>That¡¯s the divine power of at least a Mid-tier God!¡±


    <i>Ding! Pzzz!</i>


    Then, a massive lightning bolt burst from Yu Il-Shin¡¯s phone. When everyone was overwhelmed by his divine power, a dazzling, golden item appeared in Yu Il-Shin¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s in good shape.¡±


    It was a megaphone.


    ***


    ¡°<i>Waaah! </i>Mr. Sword God! I beg of you! Take me with you!¡± Sword Demon wailed anxiously, banging his head against the rooftop.


    ¡°Unni, there¡¯s no need to worry. I¡¯m anxious as well, but he¡¯s still our teacher. I¡¯m sure nothing will happen.¡±


    Sung Mi-Ri consoled Sung Mi-Na, thinking her older sister was trembling with anxiety over Yu Il-Shin¡¯s sudden disappearance.


    However, that couldn¡¯t be farther from the truth.


    Two days ago, the Sung sisters dropped by the department store with Yu Il-Shin for some fun. They also wanted to buy a new training suit for him. His old one was ruined during his fight with Shin Yoo.


    ¡°Teacher, please try this on!¡± Sung Mi-Ri handed a branded training suit to Yu Il-Shin.


    Yu Il-Shin still had that dazed look from before, but he wore it without much resistance. But...


    ¡°How is it? Is the sizefortable for you?¡±


    ¡°Well, yes, but... why is it pink?¡±


    ¡°You look real nice in pink!¡±


    ¡°...I mean, they did say that men go well with pink.¡± Yu Il-Shin nodded, looking spiritless.


    Sung Mi-Ri felt it was her duty to cheer him up, even if only a little. So, she continued. ¡°Wait a moment! I¡¯ll bring some others for you to try on!¡± Then, Sung Mi-Ri ran off to another corner, leaving Sung Mi-Na and Yu Il-Shin alone.


    Sighing, Sung Mi-Na cautiously looked at him. ¡°<i>Uh, </i>Mr. God. Are you okay?¡±


    Dazed, Yu Il-Shin didn¡¯t register her question until muchter. Even then, he replied listlessly, ¡°Yeah, I am.¡±


    Yu Il-Shin hadn¡¯t been his usual self ever since he went to hunt down the remnants of the ck Demons. Seeing this made Sung Mi-Na¡¯s heart ache.


    ¡°Would you like Mi-Na to buy you something yummy? What would you like to eat, Mr. God? <i>Ah! </i>How about <i>hanwoo? </i>You like <i>hanwoo, </i>right?¡±


    Traditionally, eating well replenished one¡¯s energy.


    Watching her trying to cheer him up, Yu Il-Shin smiled.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. But can I ask you something?¡±


    ¡°Sure!¡±


    ¡°Why are you still pretending to have lost your memory?¡±


    Sung Mi-Na¡¯s expression stiffened in an instant. ¡°H-how did you...?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve had my doubts for a while, but I only found out two days ago. My eyes have gotten much better now.¡±


    Yu Il-Shin caressed her head gently.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ms. Sung Mi-Ri doesn¡¯t resent you as much now. She¡¯s grateful that you protected her, even if the method was wrong. So, you can stop pretending now.¡±


    ¡°I-I...¡± Sung Mi-Na stuttered.


    Yes, she¡¯d remembered everything. In fact, it¡¯d been awhile. However, her time spent with her younger sister during her amnesia was the happiest she had ever been. It felt like she¡¯d gone back to her childhood, before she put up walls and treated Sung Mi-Ri coldly because she didn¡¯t have long to live.


    The man named Yu Il-Shin had put an end to her nightmares and extended her life expectancy. He was her benefactor, someone as precious as her little sister. At the same time, he was also akin to a father figure to her, giving her security and warmth. Hence, she pretended to still have amnesia as an excuse to keep treating him like family.


    <i>How embarrassing! I just want to dig a hole and die!</i>


    Sung Mi-Na blushed when she recalled everything she¡¯d done to Yu Il-Shin despite being older than he was.


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind at all, so don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Yu Il-Shin said, as if reading her mind. ¡°But Ms. Sung Mi-Na, I have a favor to ask you.¡±


    ¡°A-a favor?¡±


    Nervous, Sung Mi-Na gulped hard. What on earth would he ask from her?


    ¡°How do I use your skill, Command?¡±


    ¡°...My skill?¡±


    She didn¡¯t expect that.


    ¡°It¡¯s effective on a single target, but it doesn¡¯t work well withrge groups; the power bes dispersed. What should I do in that case?¡±


    Sung Mi-Na failed toprehend his words. It was as if... as if he had the same Psychic abilities as herself!


    ¡°Mister~! Try this on too!¡±


    Sung Mi-Ri returned in time, with premium suits in both hands.


    ¡°<i>Gosh, </i>they look expensive.¡±


    Before Sung Mi-Ri arrived, Sung Mi-Na whispered to Yu Il-Shin.


    ¡°How many... are we talking about?¡±


    She was clearly older than him, yet dropping honorifics bothered her somehow.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, maybe hundreds? Or more. I¡¯m guessing they¡¯re all Awakeners or Hunters.¡±


    Sung Mi-Na¡¯s heart sank after hearing his answer.


    Sung Mi-Na shuddered as she recalled the conversation they had before.


    <i>Mr. God, what are you trying to do?</i>


    ***


    -----


    [Transmitter of Ferociously Roaring Thunder (Mid-tier God)]


    Category: Exclusive Item for Benevolent Gods


    Price: 5,000,000 Gcoins


    Description: A divine artifact used by the Thunder God to call upon torrential rain. Transmit the god¡¯s voice clearly.


    -----


    ¡°<i>Ah. ah.</i> Test.¡± Yu Il-Shin cleared his throat, then held up the megaphone.


    ¡°Skill Sharing, Sung Mi-Na¡¯s Power of Words.¡±


    <i>ng! t!</i>


    ¡°Kill him!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll shoot you to death! For the Three Pure Ones!¡±


    Thousands of elites rushed toward him with a burning passion. Yet, Yu Il-Shin merely nced at them briefly.


    ¡°All of you,¡± Yu Il-Shinmanded. ¡°<strong><i>Die</i></strong>.¡±/


    1. Name of original item: ChamYiSeul Fresh ?


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 109: Gods of the Fallen World

    <h4>Chapter 109: Gods of the Fallen World</h4>


    Like a torrential downpour, The Three Martial Association rained down attacks on me.


    Then, with every ounce of malice and bloodlust, Imanded, ¡°All of you, <strong><i>Die</i></strong>.¡± Amplified by the megaphone, my voice boomed like a thunderp.


    <i>aaang!</i>


    Immediately, the enemy¡¯s swords fell one after another.


    ¡°<i>Cough cough!</i>¡±


    ¡°<i>Cough!</i>¡±


    The nearest elites of the Three Martial Association copsed into a heap of blood.


    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    <i>Thud thud!</i>


    One by one, the other martial artists fell like dominoes. In the blink of an eye, most of the two thousand masters had fallen!


    ¡°Y-you! W-what the hell did you do!¡± an old man trembled as he stared dreadfully at me. He was bleeding from both ears.


    -----


    [Wang LiBao]


    A male human. Around for 99 years.


    One of the elders of Three Martial Association. An S-rank Hunter with three sons and daughter. Rted to the head of a n in Shandong...<i>(omitted)</i>...


    Special note: A swordsman with potential for transcendence


    -----


    Ever since my power got upgraded, I could see more information, but they were mostly redundant. Basically, this guy was an S-rank Hunter. Many enemies remained standing and they were either S-rank or A-rank Hunters.


    I scanned those who¡¯d fallen. The B-ranks were dying, while the weaker A-rank Hunters had lost the will to fight, lying weakly on the ground. However, none of them were dead.


    <i>¡°Power of Words is an advanced ability that uses mental fortitude to make the opponent submit to your will.¡±</i>


    Earlier, Sung Mi-Na had mentioned this to me.


    <i>¡°Hence, it takes a great deal of mental fortitude for the skill to work, especially if you want to kill your target. Death is the most fundamental fear in life, so the resistance is going to be immense.¡±</i>


    She also said that her ability was ineffective against arge group of people. Besides, there were cases like Gustav, who was mentally stronger than her. Her Power of Words wouldn¡¯t work against such people.


    Thus, I became convinced. If her ability were omnipotent, she would be the strongest Hunter in the world. Sung Mi-Na reminded she wasn¡¯t a Combat-type and that she took on more of a support role in battles. Of course, most S-ranks wouldn¡¯t be a match for her.


    <i>Well, I don¡¯t think I can use it again.</i>


    My hand, clutching the megaphone, trembled. I had exhausted my mental power to incapacitate 90% of nearly two thousand men¡ªa considerable feat in itself.


    Moreover...


    <i>Ugh, cringe.</i>


    I¡¯d long passed my rebellious phase, yet I said lines like earlier... I could feel my hands and feet turning cold.


    <i>Thank goodness nobody knows me around here! I don¡¯t want to add another dark chapter in the history of my life!</i>


    [All-Cutting Heavenly Sword scratched the goosebumps all over his body.]


    [Infinite Abundance flushed slightly, avoiding your gaze.]


    [Eternal Seeker shook his head, wondering why you¡¯d embarrass yourself with that mouth of yours when you have perfectly good muscles.]


    [Silently Crawling Nightmare cheers you on, saying that despite looking like a wuss, you¡¯re still cool!]


    <i>...Dammit! I forgot the stalkers were watching!</i>


    ¡°Just pretend you didn¡¯t see anything.¡±


    Embarrassed, I threw the megaphone aside. At my feety Lin Xiao Ming, with her tongue sticking out and her eyes rolled back. Her body was in shambles.


    -----


    [Lin Xiao Ming (Fanatic)]


    A female human. Around for 36 years. A powerful follower equivalent to five S-rank Hunters, also under the protection of the King of Asura Versatility...<i>(omitted)</i>...


    Special note: A masochistic pig. Try whipping her as a test. She¡¯ll dly receive it.


    -----


    ¡°<i>Haa.¡±</i>


    Seeing that special note made my head throb. The note was full of malice. Thinking back, that was always the case with the Fanatics.


    <i>Well, anyway... </i>


    ¡°Why are you faking death? I didn¡¯t even use the Power of Words on you.¡± I poked her with my foot and she quickly sat up.


    ¡°Because you ordered me to die with such a serious face. I thought it was only proper for me to pretend.¡±


    I flushed when she mentioned what I did earlier. <i>Fuck!</i>


    ¡°Healing Ring Finger of God.¡±


    A dazzling white light enveloped her.


    [Calcting the causality rate of the healing target: Lin Xiao Ming...]


    [A follower of Low-tier God Yu Il-Shin. Also a member of an 8th-ranked lower race. An existence with high potential for transcendence that might affect the rules between gods and the world.]


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [You paid 1,000 Gcoins for the healing.]


    Lin Xiao Ming was a follower equivalent to five S-rank Hunters,parable to the SS-ranked Apostle Gustav. As such,pared to an ordinary S-rank, healing her cost ten times more Godcoins. Regardless, it was only a thousand coins, so it didn¡¯t really matter.


    ¡°Y-you even healed me! <i>Aah, </i>my merciful, gorgeous master! I shall repay this favor with my body!¡±


    ¡°Enough bullshit. Deal with them already!¡±


    ¡°Yes Sir!¡±


    <i>Trudge trudge¡ª</i>


    Around thirty elites of the Three Martial Association, including S-ranks and A-ranks Hunters, approached us.


    They were those who¡¯d resisted mymand. In other words, they were the best of the best, but that wasn¡¯t all. Let¡¯s not forget about the existence of the arrogant, self-proimed Three Pure Ones, sitting on the thrones.


    ¡°<i>Hehe. </i>Interesting! I never expected someone of such a high level on this! For the first time in hundreds of years, my blood is pumping with excitement.¡±


    ¡°<i>Keeheehee! </i>I desire that power! Sword Martial, can I have his heart?¡±


    ¡°Of course. But Dagger Martial, his brain is mine.¡±


    <i>Gulp.</i>


    I gulped dryly. Both their appearances and vibes were ominous. Nevertheless, that wasn¡¯t why I was so nervous right now...


    [Appraisal failed!]


    [They countered the Blind Eyes of God with a cognitive impairment technique.]


    My power didn¡¯t work on them.


    <i>This is the first time...</i>


    I couldn¡¯t assess my opponent¡¯s strength orbat style.


    ¡°<i>Hehe.</i> I, Fist Martial, shall test him first.¡±


    The Grand Pure One, wearing a mask of Lao Tze, stood up from his throne. At first nce, he looked like a hunchbacked old man without any fighting skills, but...


    <i>Sss¡ª</i>


    His wrinkled hand moved lightly like a dancing butterfly. Then, he clenched and directed it at me.


    ¡°<i>Hehe</i>. Am I a butterfly or is the butterfly me?¡±


    <i>Bam bam bam!</i>


    ¡°<i>Cough!</i>¡±


    All of a sudden, I was flung several meters, as if hit directly by a dump truck.


    ¡°<i>Eeek! </i>Master!¡± Lin Xiao Ming tried to rush after me.


    ¡°Traitor! What are you trying to do?!¡±


    ¡°Everyone, unleash the Big Dipper Diamond Sutra Formation! Don¡¯t let that bitch interfere with Master Fist Martial¡¯s battle!¡±


    The masters of the Three Martial Association attacked Lin Xiao Ming all at once.


    ¡°<i>Haa, haa!¡±</i>


    Meanwhile, Fist Martiallooked down on me as Iid on the ground.


    ¡°Is that it? I didn¡¯t even use half of my strength. Did I overestimate you?¡±


    ¡°<i>Argh!¡±</i>


    Pain-wracked, I clenched my teeth and forced myself to get up.


    ¡°Good, good. I haven¡¯t met an opponent like you in five hundred years. Now, put up a good fight and entertain me.¡± The old man smirked, descending from the stairs.


    <i>Click ck!</i>


    Each step he took on the stairs with his clogs echoed like thunder. I was facing an old man a few distance away from me, yet I was overwhelmed by his menacing aura.


    <i>...What just happened? He¡¯s far away, so how did he attack me?</i>


    -This is the legendary Hundred Steps Technique!


    ¡°Elder, do you recognize the skill?¡±


    -Of course!


    <i>Tsss!</i>


    In my hand was the outraged Demon Lord.


    -They are gods!


    His words shocked me.


    ¡°What? <i>Gods?</i>¡±


    -Scratch that! These unscrupulous bastards don¡¯t deserve to be called gods! They were the first to flee after hearing about the descent of the God of Destroyer!


    ¡°<i>Huh?</i>¡±


    The old man stroked his beard under the mask, staring at Demon Lord with an unusual look.


    ¡°That sword emitting evil energy... Is that you, Demon Lord?¡±


    -Yes, you fucking traitors!


    ¡°<i>Hehe. </i>That¡¯s a bit harsh. Even animals instinctively seek shelter during a forest fire. Is it really wrong for us to avoid a great catastrophe?¡±


    -If you call yourself gods, then you should¡¯ve realized that you¡¯re the parents of all creatures!


    Demon Lord let out a thunderous roar.


    -Think about the people who once worshiped you! You should be ashamed!


    ¡°<i>Hehe, </i>but why? Why should us gods feel ashamed toward those worms?¡± the old man tilted his head. ¡°We exhausted our divine power and forsook our godhood just to escape that fallen world. Isn¡¯t that sacrifice enough? Still, Demon Lord, I have to salute you. Despite being a worm, you¡¯ve risen to the level of a martial god.¡±


    Then, he pointed his wrinkled finger at the kitchen knife, Demon Lord.


    ¡°Take a look at yourself! The fact that you''ve been reduced to a spirit trapped in a sword says it all! Seems I didn¡¯t make a mistake in forsaking that world ages ago! <i>Hehe.</i>¡±


    -Soon, the God of Destroyer will descend upon this world as well! Are you going to run away again?


    ¡°Hehe, of course. That¡¯s why we¡¯ve amassed enough divine power to cross the barrier of the world once more.¡±


    Then, the old man clenched his fist.


    <i>Woooong!</i>


    His fist emanated a holy, white light.


    ¡°To cultivate our divine power, we passed on our martial arts to the lowly worms and granted them the power of transcendence. It''s a shame that it took 500 hundred years, and now we¡¯re about to lose it again.¡±


    -<i>Ha!</i> Lowly worms?! Are you referring to yourself?! You aren¡¯t gods! You¡¯re just parasites!


    With that, the old man¡¯s mood shifted. ¡°Demon Lord. There¡¯s a limit to my patience. Insult me again...¡±


    <i>Crack crack¡ª</i>


    The old man straightened his back. ¡°...And I¡¯ll break that wretched body of yours into pieces with my sword!¡±


    At the same time, a ferocious aura akin to a typhoon emanated from him.


    -Go ahead! Do your worst! Do you think a scum like you can defeat my disciple?!


    ¡°<i>Huh? </i>You have a disciple?¡± I interjected their conversation.


    -You fool! I meant you! Strike that old man down, <i>now! </i>This is your master¡¯smand!


    ¡°But Elder, I¡¯m not aware of this! Since when did I be your disciple?!¡±


    -From now on! This is an emergency, so let¡¯s skip the formalities!


    ¡°<i>Hehe</i>. Why don¡¯t I beat some sense into you?¡±


    Soon, the old man transformed into a 3 m tall giant. His arms were as thick as boulders and moved like a hawk¡¯s powerful wings.


    ¡°Take this, Demon Lord¡¯s disciple!¡±


    <i>Ruuuumble!</i>


    White light exploded from the giant, and the entire building shook as if it had been hit by an earthquake.


    ¡°This is the strength of the 12-star power, Hundred Steps Technique!¡±


    The giant mmed his fist down.


    <i>m!</i>


    A ten-meter-tall white fist stretched toward me with terrifying force! Instinctively, I realized that was the fist of a god-killer.


    Demon Lord yelled at me as I panicked from the tremendous force.


    -What are you doing, you fool! Prepare to counterattack at once!


    ¡°Yes, yes!¡±


    I clenched my jaws, fully prepared to swing the knife at my opponent...


    -Are you going to block with just a sword?! I clearly wrote it in the book! Fists are mightier than swords!


    <i>sh!</i>


    -Receive my enlightenment!


    Suddenly, I saw images of the greatest master since ancient times raising his iron fist into the sky.


    <i>Ah, how can the fist of a pathetic excuse for a god who forsook his worldpare to such a majestic heaven?</i>


    <i>Crack!</i>


    I clenched my fist and used a stance from the Demon Lord¡¯s skills at the giant.


    ¡°Third stance of Demon Lord¡¯s Heavenly Technique, Demon Lord¡¯s Heaven-Splitting Fist!¡±


    ¡°W-what?¡±


    The giant was astonished.


    <i>Baaam!</i>


    My fist smashed through his Hundred Steps Technique and pierced his head.

 Chapter 110: The Warrior and Fairy Queen

    <h4>Chapter 110: The Warrior and Fairy Queen</h4>


    <i>Thud!</i>


    The giant¡¯s head flew off from the impact of the Demon Lord¡¯s Heaven-Splitting Fist, and his body came crashing to the ground. Then, the other two, who were watching arrogantly, stood up from their thrones.


    ¡°<i>Keeheehee. </i>You¡¯re pretty good, aren¡¯t you? I never thought you¡¯d defeat the Fist Martial.¡± Dagger Martial snickered, shing the air with his red ws. ¡°<i>Heeheehee! </i>It¡¯s been a while since my sword spirit (follower) tastes the blood of a god!¡±


    Then, from the rift in the air, a huge sword with fiery red mes appeared.


    ¡°<i>Tsk. </i>I said don¡¯t let your guard down! Come forth, Yi Tian Heavenly Sword!¡±


    A two-meter-long sword enveloped in frigid blue mes appeared in Sword Martial¡¯s hand. Each weapon exuded an unusual aura.


    Feeling tense, I tightened my grip on my kitchen knife.<i> </i>


    <i>Hmm, 1 VS 2... It¡¯s going to be a bit overwhelming. But since I¡¯ve defeated one of them, I might be able to...</i>


    <i>Huh?</i>


    Just then, a question arose in my mind.


    <i>Why is it so quiet?</i>


    I¡¯d just killed a powerhouse. Shouldn¡¯t I be receiving messages about sacrifices, increases in divine power, and so on?


    <i>Flick!</i>


    Sword Martial closed in on me,nding in front of Fist Martial¡¯s corpse.


    ¡°Until when are you going toy there?¡±


    <i>What?</i>


    ¡°...<i>Hehe, </i>to be defeated by a rookie, how embarrassing.¡± The headless body stood up. Then, pure white fog spread from his neck, fusing together into the hollow face of an old man with a long beard. The old man scratched his head in embarrassment.


    ¡°<i>Hehe. </i>He¡¯s stronger than I expected. He has mastered Demon Lord¡¯s martial arts. I¡¯m getting old. One-on-one is a bit overwhelming.¡±


    ¡°<i>Heeheehee! </i>Let me assist you! If webine our powers, we¡¯ll be able to kill Demon Lord¡¯s disciple in two minutes! I can¡¯t wait to kill him and eat his heart!¡±


    A long, forked tongue slid out from Dagger Martial¡¯s mask, licking his own red sword.


    ¡°What a waste of time. I¡¯ll also lend you a hand. Let¡¯s finish him quickly and share his divine power.¡±


    Sword Martial took a stance, pointing his Yi Tian Heavenly Sword at me.


    <i>These guys only saw me as a whole cake to be shared, huh?</i>


    Still, three against one might be a bit much, but it wasn¡¯t my first time. Above all, I had Demon Lord with me! Surely, I could defeat them?


    -You knave... I never expected your power to have recovered this much! How many humans have you sacrificed...?


    Demon Lord groaned in my hand.


    -Disciple, run! They used to be the gods of my world! Taking on all three of them at once is still too much for you!


    ¡°What?¡±


    The arrogant Demon Lord was showing his vulnerable side to me?


    ¡°<i>Hehe</i>. Demon Lord and his disciple.¡±


    ¡°<i>Keeheehee! </i>Do you think you can escape?¡±


    ¡°<i>Keke.</i> When you¡¯re up against us?¡±


    The three shouted as if speaking as one, charging at me.


    ¡°<i>Hehehe!</i> World Governing Dragon Saber!¡±


    <i>Tzz!</i>


    The Dagger Martial swung his red sword at me at incredible speed! His sword qi took on the shape of a dragon¡¯s!


    <i>Kyaaa! </i>


    I reflexively raised Demon Lord to parry the attack, but...


    <i>aang!</i>


    ¡°<i>Argh!¡±</i>


    Our swords shed, the tremendous impact bringing me to my feet. What a terrifying strength for a ghostly figure!


    ¡°<i>Hehe.</i> You¡¯re wide open. Demon Exorcising Buddha¡¯s Palm!¡±


    <i>m!</i>


    sping his palms together like a monk¡¯s, the Fist Martial rushed forward. Then, his longsword, which glowed golden, pierced my chest.


    <i>Crush!</i>


    ¡°<i>Cough!</i>¡±


    As my shattered ribs pierced my lungs, I flew into the distance.


    <i>Swoosh!</i>


    Sword Martial glided through the air like a swallow on water, catching up to me in an instant.


    ¡°Herees the Flying Swallow Sword!¡±


    The blue mes on his sword swung down toward my neck.


    ¡°Consider it an honor to be dispatched by my sword, Young God!¡±


    <i>aaaash!</i>


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [Equipping Malevolent God title Brutal Killer.]


    As death encroached, my malevolent god title¡¯s passive was triggered.


    ¡°No, <i>you </i>die!¡± Gritting my teeth, I raised my middle finger. ¡°Convicting Middle Finger of God!¡±


    <i>Baaam!</i>


    From my middle finger, ck mes spewed out like a methrower, engulfing Sword Martial as he tried to attack me.


    ¡°<i>Aaargh!¡± </i>


    His badly charred body, still engulfed in mes, flew several meters away.


    <i>Is he dead?</i>


    ¡°Do you think that¡¯ll kill me?!¡±


    <i>aat!</i>


    Sword Martial screamed while shing my mes into two.


    <i>Trudge trudge¡ª</i>


    Sword Martial returned with immense bloodthirst, heading for me. My mes had burned his mask, revealing the face of the Jade Pure One.


    ¡°...?¡±


    Like a puff of smoke, fierce blue mes raged on his head. With his zing blue eyes, he glowered at me.


    ¡°How dare you burn my mask! Young God! Your death won¡¯t be peaceful!¡±


    ¡°<i>Hehe</i>. Calm down, Sword Martial.¡±


    ¡°<i>Keeheehee! </i>Shall I take off my mask as well? I haven¡¯t done so ever since we hunted that Mid-tier God in ourst world.¡±


    Dagger Martial removed his mask, revealing zing red mes.


    Now that their faces were revealed, an immense divine power surged from them. I had never felt anything like this before!


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [The innate power Blind Eyes of God has been activated.]


    Without the absence of their masks, I could finally appraise them.


    -----


    [Corrupted Sword God, Corrupted Dagger God, Corrupted Fist God]


    They are asexual. Around for 220,000 years. Originally High-tier Gods from the fallen 7th Realm DoWonDo, which was destroyed by the God of Destroyer. They¡¯ve been wandering through worlds that have no guardians and are doomed to fail. Have been umting power for thousands of years.


    Special note: Regained their status as Low-tier Gods recently.


    -----


    <i>All three of them are Low-tier Gods who were formerly High-tier Gods?</i>


    ¡°Die, cretin!¡±


    ¡°<i>Hehe</i>. Resistance will only bring you more pain.¡±


    ¡°<i>Keeheehee!</i> Hand your heart over!¡±


    A Sword Force that could engulf the sky, a Fist Force that could shatter steel, and a Tao Force that¡¯d cut down ghosts.


    <i>aaash! Ruuumble!</i>


    The three corrupted godsunched a barrage of onught on me.


    ¡°<i>Aaargh!¡±</i>


    ***


    Meanwhile, in God-Maker, at the Tower of Warriors...


    Il-Ho was on his knees, listening to Eternal Seeker.


    -...Impressive. You made it to the 40th floor of the Tower of Warriors in such a short time.


    -Il-Ho, you¡¯re well worthy of the title of a Warrior now.


    -But never let your guard down. From the 41st floor onward, the Trial of Time and Space will unfold. You¡¯ll be using the strength you¡¯ve amassed to save the world.


    -Please, Warrior Il-Ho. Do not sumb to the trials. Be a true warrior by steeling your resolve!


    ¡°<i>Muuuuscles! </i>Just leave it to me, Muscle God! I, Il-Ho, will definitely conquer this tower for my great and merciful God Yu Il-Shin, as well as Muscle God!¡± Il-Ho roared, jumping to his feet.


    Eternal Seeker muttered that he wasn¡¯t a Muscle God, but his voice was drowned by Il-Ho¡¯s zealous voice.


    ¡°Here Ie, trials!¡±


    Il-Ho boldly pushed open the iron gates to the 41st floor.


    <i>Ding!</i>


    [The Forty-First Floor of the Tower of Warriors: Trial of Space and Time.]


    [Clear conditions: Save the Fairy Queen from a crisis.]


    <i>sh!</i>


    Il-Ho was transported somewhere along with the messages that popped up.


    ¡°<i>Hm?</i> This is...?¡±


    A lush forest full of beautiful flowers appeared before Il-Ho. He drew in a deep, long breath, and refreshing air filled his lungs.


    ¡°<i>Kekeke</i>. This feels great.¡±


    He felt safe, as if he had returned to the forest of his hometown in Antrinia. However...


    <i>nce nce¡ª</i>


    ¡°Why is it empty? Is no one here?¡±


    Il-Ho wanted to clear the trial as soon as possible so he could advance to the next floor. Where was the Fairy Queen that was supposed to be on the 41st Floor?! How could he even begin to save her?


    ¡°Fairy Queen? Where are you?¡±


    As he fell into deep thought, Il-Ho rubbed his ck scalp, which was charred during the Trial of Fire.


    In the past, he¡¯d heard about fairies from an elder. It was a legendary creature with a beautiful appearance and dazzling wings. It existed when the gods were still around in this world. Apparently, they also wielded a mysterious magic.


    His prime objective in this floor was to save the queen of these fairies. And Il-Ho, being a man, was looking forward to meeting her.


    <i>I doubt she¡¯ll be as magnificent as Empress Anty, though...</i>


    Not even a world-ss beauty couldpare to Anty, the empress of the Gayami nation. Not only was she beautiful, but she was also adorable, even when she was angry. Il-Ho¡¯s heart pounded in excitement as he thought about her.


    <i>Twitch!</i>


    Just then, Il-Ho¡¯s ears picked up a faint scream from the distance. His eyes lit up.


    ¡°Is that...?!¡±


    It came from the East. Il-Ho¡¯s femoral muscle bulged as he stomped his feet, ready to smash the ground.


    <i>Bam! Swoosh!</i>


    Lurching into the air, Il-Ho caught sight of a toppled pumpkin carriage, surrounded by a few vicious monsters.


    ¡°<i>Keekeekee!</i>¡±


    ¡°<i>Kieek! Kieek!</i>¡±


    They were a bunch of wretched goblins with only their private parts covered. They snickered as they gnawed on the mutted fairies. Il-Honded in the middle like a meteorite.


    <i>Bam bam bam!</i>


    ¡°Bastards! Stop this heinous deed!¡±


    ¡°<i>Keekeekee!</i>¡±


    At first, the goblins were shocked, but then sneered at the finger-sized Il-Ho.


    <i>Chew chew¡ª</i>


    One of the goblins put down the fairy¡¯s corpse and swung his club at Il-Ho.


    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°<i>Kieeek!</i>¡±


    <i>Thud!</i>


    ¡°<i>Krik?</i>¡± The goblin¡¯s eyes widened. Il-Ho had parried his club with one finger!


    ¡°I told you to stop, you punks! Skill, Strong Body!¡± Il-Ho roared, unleashing all the muscles in his body.


    <i>Crunch crunch!</i>


    ¡°<i>Kyaaaaak!</i>¡±


    Momentster, goblins¡¯ screams echoed through the area.


    ¡°<i>Hmph</i>, what a bunch of weaklings,¡± Il-Ho mumbled as he wiped off the blood on him.


    Near him, the remains of the goblins had piled up like a mountain. Certainly,pared to Il-Ho, they could be considered giants. Nevertheless, Il-Ho had fought and defeated enemies hundreds of times his size. Their fate was sealed from the moment Il-Ho arrived.


    Regardless, Il-Ho was still restless. ¡°D-did the Fairy Queen get eaten as we...?¡±


    The Fairy Queen was nowhere to be found! Il-Ho¡¯s anxious eyes fell upon the flipped pumpkin carriage.


    <i>Sparkle sparkle!</i>


    Light shone from the carriage, along with some movements.


    <i>That light must¡¯ve belonged to the Fairy Queen!</i>


    Il-Ho lit up as he yelled, ¡°Fairy Queen! I¡¯vee for you! Rest assured, for I, Il-Ho, have killed all the monsters!¡±


    But there was no answer.


    Was the Fairy Queen injured? Impatient, Il-Ho flung open the carriage door.


    <i>Crack!</i>


    ¡°<i>Huh?</i>¡±


    Nothing could prepare him for what he was about to see.


    Instead of a beautiful woman, there was a baby with an enchanting golden gand on her head. On her back was a pair of beautiful, cute wings, reflecting every color of the rainbow. Seeing the baby pping her wings like a chick, Il-Ho was convinced she was a fairy.


    <i>This can¡¯t be real. </i>


    Il-Ho asked cautiously, ¡°<i>Uhm, </i>Child? Are you the Fairy Queen?¡±


    ¡°<i>Aboo!</i>¡± The baby smiled brightly, giggling at him.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 111: Il-Ho is Too Strong

    <h4>Chapter 111: Il-Ho is Too Strong</h4>


    ¡°Do I go this way?¡±


    ¡°<i>Aboo!</i>¡± the baby on Il-Ho¡¯s back cried as if giving affirmation.


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    Il-Ho¡¯s short legs ran as fast as a motorcycle. Even though the baby was twice as big as Il-Ho, he was undaunted, maybe because she was a fairy. Anyway, he was running in an attempt toplete the trial on the 41st floor. Despite having in the horde of goblins and saved the baby, there was no announcement that the trial waspleted.


    [The Forty-First Floor of the Tower of Warriors: Trial of Space and Time.]


    [Clear conditions: Save the Fairy Queen from a crisis.]


    After reading the clear conditions, Il-Ho finally understood his mission. No matter how many enemies he¡¯d defeated, leaving her alone in such a ce wouldn¡¯t be considered as saving her.


    Then, he should at least find where the other fairies were dwelling! Hence why Il-Ho was running desperately.


    <i>Suck suck suck!</i>


    The baby sucked on his bald head and antennae until they were drenched with saliva.


    ¡°<i>Hey!</i> Don¡¯t suck on my head!¡±


    ¡°<i>Aboo?</i>¡±


    <i>Growl!</i>


    Suddenly, the baby¡¯s stomach let out a low growl.


    ¡°<i>Hm? </i>Are you hungry?¡±


    ¡°<i>Aboo!</i>¡±


    <i>Kiiiik!</i>


    Il-Ho stopped running and put down the little one. ¡°Let¡¯s see...¡± He opened the baby¡¯s mouth slightly. ¡°<i>Ah, </i>most of your teeth haven¡¯t grown yet...¡±


    The only teeth the baby had were two front, rabbit-like teeth. As such, jerky or dried food were off the table.


    ¡°If only I had some milk... Oh, wait, I have <i>that!</i>¡±


    A thought suddenly shed across his mind. Il-Ho reached out into the air. ¡°Inventory!¡±


    This was the blessing he¡¯d received after clearing the Trial of Space and Time on the 40th floor. The Inventory was a 100-pyeong subspace that only Il-Ho had ess to, where he could store his food and keep it fresh without spoiling. The White Dragon¡¯s heart, which he¡¯d obtained earlier, was also stored inside.


    ¡°Will you eat this?¡±


    As the space ripped open, an unidentified potion bottle, filled with pure white liquid, emerged from it. He¡¯d taken out a bottle from the Blessing of the Growth God¡¯s series. Yu Il-Shin would call it ¡°protein.¡± It had the same color as milk, so Il-Ho thought it might be suitable for the baby.


    ¡°<i>Aboo! Aboo!</i>¡± the baby¡¯s eyes sparkled, holding her hands out. Il-Ho quickly sliced open the bottle¡¯s opening with his dagger and handed it to the baby.


    ¡°Here, Baby! This potion is great for the muscles, so be sure to finish everything!¡±


    The baby expectantly took a sip of the potion, but...


    ¡°<i>Blegh</i>.¡±


    She spat it out immediately. Il-Ho panicked and caught the dripping potion with his hand.


    ¡°<i>Gasp!</i> What a waste!¡± Il-Ho cried out, greedily licking the potion off his hand. A drop of this was akin to a strand of muscle!


    Probably affected by Il-Ho¡¯s cry, the baby sniffled as tears welled up in her eyes.


    ¡°D-don¡¯t cry. I¡¯m not yelling at you!¡±


    ¡°<i>Waaaaaah...!</i>¡± the baby fairy cried, covering her eyes with her tiny hands.


    <i>Ack, God Yu Il-Shin! Please help me!</i>


    ¡°<i>Waaaaah!</i>¡± The baby¡¯s wails only grew louder.


    Il-Ho bit his lip in frustration. At this rate, he¡¯d be forced to bring out his secret weapon!


    ¡°Inventory!¡± Il-Ho pulled out a square, white object from there, and shoved it into the crying baby¡¯s mouth. Momentster...


    ¡°<i>Aboo~!</i>¡±


    Tasting the sweetness, the baby started giggling, as if she¡¯d never cried in the first ce.


    <i>Hic, my precious sugar cube, bestowed by God Yu Il-Shin...!</i>


    Il-Ho had used those sugar cubes to encourage himself whenever he braved the arduous trials of the Tower of Warriors. Originally an ant, Il-Ho naturally went crazy over sugar.


    ¡°<i>Aboo~!¡± </i>


    The baby¡¯s eyes sparkled as she reached her hands toward Il-Ho, as if asking for more sugar cubes.


    ¡°...Hold on a bit.¡±


    <i>Suck suck suck!</i>


    Unlike earlier, the baby was now sucking eagerly on the potion bottle while being piggybacked by Il-Ho. Yes, he had mixed the sugar cubes with the potion, leaving him with only three sugar cubes. As tears streamed down his face, Il-Ho decided that he had to get this baby fairy home and finish his mission as soon as possible.


    ¡°Wait, is that...?¡±


    After running for about an hour, Il-Ho caught sight of a huge castle in the middle of a forest. Fascinatingly, that castle was made out of unusuallyrge trees.


    Although it wasn¡¯t as majestic as the castle God Yu Il-Shin had built for the Gayami nation, it was still a beautiful structure, blending with nature.


    However, that castle was on fire.


    ¡°Oh no! I have to hurry!¡± Il-Ho¡¯s femoral muscles bulged.


    <i>m m m!</i>


    The ground exploded as if they were getting bombed, and Il-Ho, along with the baby fairy, leaped into the air.


    The baby fairy cheered at the sudden leap. ¡°<i>Kyaaa~!</i>¡±


    <i>Thud!</i>


    Il-Honded on the top of the castle, witnessing the devastation that urred within.


    ¡°<i>Kyaaaa! </i>Save me!¡±


    n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°<i>Aaaargh!</i> Please! Don¡¯t eat me!¡±


    ¡°<i>Kikikik!</i>¡±


    <i>Crunch crunch!</i>


    The fairies screamed as the goblins threatened to devour them alive. The same carnage Il-Ho had seen at the pumpkin carriage earlier was happening all over the gorgeous castle. The only difference was that there were even more goblins.


    An army of at least 10,000 goblins were capturing the fairies. They casted out theirs as if they were catching freshwater fish. The sight of the fairies being devoured alive by the goblins reminded Il-Ho of his time back in the ck Tribe. The nightmare of his siblings getting tormented and eaten by the imperial army!


    ¡°These rotten scoundrels!¡± blood surged to Il-Ho¡¯s head as he was about to pop a vein. ¡°Enough, you damned imperial soldiers!¡± he let out a thunderous roar.


    ¡°<i>Krik?</i>¡±


    A goblin, which had been reveling in the ughter, looked up.


    ¡°I will never forgive you!¡±


    Il-Ho leaped from the top of the castle, crushing the goblin¡¯s head.


    <i>Crack!</i>


    The goblin¡¯s head was smashed deep into its body, as if it had been crushed by a sledgehammer. But that was only the beginning.


    <i>Whirl! Crack!</i>


    Il-Ho ran across the entire battlefield. Soon, the goblins¡ªthe giants of despair to the fairies¡ªwere crushed like worms. They fell to their deaths with each blow from him.


    ¡°<i>K-kirrrk!</i>¡±


    Witnessing the gruesome deaths of a hundred of theirrades, the remaining goblins were in terror.


    ¡°<i>Kyaaa!</i>¡±


    A few of them even screamed and fled¡ªno, attempted to.


    <i>Swoosh! Baaam!</i>


    Before they could escape, a house the size of a boulder came hurling at them, turning a portion of the fleeing goblins into a bloody mess.


    <i>Roar!</i>


    Suddenly, red mes burned ferociously, cutting off some of the goblins¡¯ way out.


    ¡°<i>Kieeeek!</i>¡±


    <i>Thud thud!</i>


    Before Il-Ho was a goblin d in tattered robes, wielding a me staff, and a 2-meter-tall muscr goblin.


    The robed goblin, who conjured the wall of mes, red grimly at hisrades.


    ¡°Useless fools! Do you call yourself the royal army?! I¡¯ll kill anyone who dares to flee myself!¡±


    ¡°<i>Kieeek!</i>¡± the goblins gasped, falling to their knees in submission.


    They weren¡¯t ordinary goblins. Therger, stout one was an evolved species called the Goblin Warrior, equivalent to a thousand troopers. The staff-wielding goblin was another evolved species called the Goblin Mage. Since it could wield magic, it was highly favored by the king.


    The moment the Goblin Mage spotted Il-Ho and the baby he was carrying, its eyes lit up menacingly.


    ¡°<i>Ooh! </i>Isn¡¯t that the newly appointed Fairy Queen? <i>Kehehe, </i>she¡¯s alone. Warrior! Rip that worm to shreds and bring me the Fairy Queen! The king and our god demand their sacrifice!¡±


    ¡°Kyaaa!¡±


    With a loud roar, the Goblin Warrior charged at Il-Ho. It was twice the size of an ordinary goblin, which stood about a meter tall, and was covered in shredded muscles.


    ¡°<i>Hmph!</i> Soft muscles! Have you ever been in a fight before?!¡±


    But the Goblin Warrior wasn¡¯t a match for Il-Ho.


    <i>Crack! Crack! Crack!</i>


    ¡°<i>Kweeek!</i>¡±


    Pitiful screams and bloody scent permeated the entire grounds like hell on earth. Il-Ho snapped all of the Goblin Warrior¡¯s joints, reducing him into a cube of meat.


    ¡°<i>Huh?!¡±</i>


    The Goblin Mage widened in astonishment at the sight.


    ¡°<i>Hmph! </i>You call those <i>¡®muscles¡¯?! </i>Such a disgrace!¡± Il-Ho growled and kicked the cubed Goblin Warrior.


    <i>Swoosh! Baaam!</i>


    Itnded in the middle of the army of ten thousand goblins.


    ¡°<i>Kieeek!</i>¡±


    ¡°<i>Kyaaak!</i>¡±


    Il-Ho¡¯s dastardly might struck fear into all the goblins present, including the Goblin Mage.


    <i>Oh my god! W-where on earth did this monstere from?!</i>


    Trembling, the Goblin Mage looked at Il-Ho.


    ¡°Y-you ill-bred! You must be their leader! Unforgivable!¡±


    Il-Ho waved his bloody hand, encroaching on the Goblin Mage like a grim reaper.


    ¡°<i>Hyiiee! </i>M-monster! Stop! Don¡¯te any closer! O¡¯ Almighty God, One Who Dwells in the Ugliest Filth! Please bestow your power upon my staff!¡±


    The Goblin Mage¡¯s staff pulsated with unusual energy before unleashing a powerful st of fire like a methrower toward Il-Ho.


    <i>Kwaaah!</i>


    Il-Ho merely stared at the mes as it threatened to swallow him. Then, he nonchntly said to the baby on his back, ¡°Child, cover your ears.¡±


    ¡°<i>Aboo!</i>¡±


    After making sure that the baby fairy had covered her ears with her hands, Il-Ho smirked and drew a deep breath. His pectoral muscles expanded with terrifying force. After clearing the Trial of Fire, Il-Ho¡¯s muscles could resist the fire, but the same couldn¡¯t be said about the baby fairy.


    So, he decided to do something about it.


    ¡°<i>Muuuscles!</i>¡± Il-Ho roared in the direction of the mes.


    <i>Psss...</i>


    ¡°<i>Hiiiiic!</i>¡±


    The Goblin Mage couldn¡¯t believe what it was seeing. The mes he¡¯d conjured with the god¡¯s power were extinguished just like that!


    ¡°H-how did you...?¡±


    The Goblin Mage retreated, but Il-Ho closed in on it.


    ¡°<i>Hmph! </i>Compared to my trained muscles, those mes are nothing but candlelights!¡±


    ¡°<i>Aaargh! </i>Save me!¡±


    The Goblin Mage screamed and begged for his life, but in the next second, Il-Ho kicked its head to pulp.


    ¡°...¡±


    Briefly, an eerie silence fell over the battlefield.


    ¡°<i>Kieeeek!</i>¡±


    ¡°<i>Kweek!</i>¡±


    After losing theirmander, the horrified Goblin army instantly scattered in all directions.


    Il-Ho gnashed his teeth as he watched them. ¡°I won¡¯t spare any of you, you beasts!¡±


    He had no intention of letting the Goblins escape with their lives.


    Thus, he raised the boulder he¡¯d thrown at the Goblin Warrior earlier. If he were to throw it as it was, only dozens of them would die. Thankfully, Il-Ho had mastered a certain technique when he fought against Buttor, the Poison Sword.


    ¡°<i>Haaap!</i>¡±


    Tossing the boulder into the air, Il-Ho simultaneously leaped toward the sky. He saw the Goblins scrambling like ants beneath him.


    Training his eyes on them, Il-Ho clenched his right fist, which muscle was about to burst.


    ¡°<i>Muuuuscles!</i>¡±


    He smashed the boulder.


    <i>Baaaam!</i>


    With a roaring explosion, the boulder shattered into thousands of pieces, raining down on the fleeing goblin army like a shower of bullets.


    ¡°<i>Kyaaaak!</i>¡±


    ¡°<i>Aaaargh!</i>¡±


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 Chapter 112: King of Goblins

    <h4>Chapter 112: King of Goblins</h4>


    <i>Thud!</i>


    Il-Honded on the ground that was drenched by the blood of the Goblins. Then, he raised his hands reverently to the skies.


    ¡°O¡¯ almighty and merciful God Yu Il-Shin! I dedicate this victory to you! God Yu Il-Shin, <i>puck puck!</i>¡±


    The baby fairy¡¯s eyes shone, as if touched by the situation. She mimicked Il-Ho and raised her hands, eximing, ¡°<i>Pu...ck!¡±</i>


    Hearing that, Il-Ho¡¯s eyes widened. Then, he brought the baby to his front. ¡°Are you praying to God Yu Il-Shin too?!¡±


    ¡°<i>Aboo!¡±</i>


    ¡°<i>Kekeke! </i>I¡¯m so proud of you! You recognized God Yu Il-Shin¡¯s mightiness! I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll make a great queen!¡±


    Il-Ho spun her round and round.


    ¡°<i>Hihihi~¡± </i>


    The baby fairy¡¯s giggles echoed through the bloody area.


    ¡°<i>Hmm, </i>but something¡¯s off...¡±


    Suddenly, a question urred to Il-Ho. He¡¯d eliminated the Goblin Army attacking the fairies, so why hadn¡¯t the trialpleted yet?


    <i>Flutter flutter¡ª</i>


    Just then, the surviving fairies flew toward Il-Ho and the baby fairy.


    ¡°W-who are you? Why are you with the queen...¡±


    Their eyes were filled with awe and fear as they looked at Il-Ho.


    ¡°I am Il-Ho, a warrior who serves the great and merciful God Yu Il-Shin! On my way, I saved this baby from an attack!¡±


    ¡°<i>Aboo!</i>¡± The baby fairy cried out in affirmation.


    Huge droplets of tears trickled down the fairies¡¯ cheeks.


    ¡°<i>Oh</i>, a warrior that serves a benevolent god has appeared! Apparently, the Spirit God hasn¡¯t forsaken us fairies yet...¡±


    Il-Ho listened to their story from start to end.


    The fairies dwelled in the Spirit Tree of Fairia, protected by the Fairy Queen¡¯s barrier. Once every one thousand years, the Fairy Queen, an incarnation of the Spirit God, would be born. Despite the joyous asion, it was also a period when their barrier was at the weakest. The vicious goblins who served a malevolent god took that as an opportunity to invade.


    ¡°So, the Goblin King and his main force are still around?¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡±


    ¡°I see now!¡±


    Il-Ho finally understood the entire situation. There were still threats against the baby¡ªno, the Fairy Queen! No wonder the trial was still ongoing. He had to defeat the rest!


    ¡°Very well! Lead me to the goblins¡¯ main camp!¡±


    The fairies became grim.


    ¡°B-but that ce is guarded by a Goblin Rider and a dragon. Even if you¡¯re a warrior...¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry! I¡¯ve in a dragon before, albeit it¡¯s only a skeleton! Now, Child, you should stay here. I¡¯ll smash them to bits and return in a jiffy!¡± Il-Ho chuckled.


    While the other fairies cowered in fear, a certain fairy stepped forward. She was a head taller than the rest.


    ¡°I¡¯m Elisa, the governess of the newborn Fairy Queen. I shall escort you to theirirs, but can you return Her Majesty to me?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    She had a point. How could he afford to bring a baby to such a dangerous ce?


    Thus, Il-Ho handed the baby fairy to the fairies, but...


    ¡°<i>Waaaaaah!</i>¡±


    The baby fairy wailed, clinging tightly to his antennae.


    ¡°Child, don¡¯t cry. Please stay here.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty! I¡¯m your governess! Please let go of the warrior!¡±


    ¡°<i>Waaah! Waaah!</i>¡±


    However, the baby fairy didn¡¯t budge. The hand that held onto his antennae was unusually strong. Where did all this strengthe from?


    ¡°<i>Hm. </i>Do you want toe with me that much, Child?¡±


    ¡°<i>Aboo!</i>¡± the baby nodded while crying profusely.


    After some hesitation, Il-Ho clenched his fist.


    ¡°Fine, then. Child, you cane with me!¡±


    ¡°What?! B-but Warrior! That ce is far too perilous!¡±


    Il-Ho pumped his rock-hard, muscly fist.


    ¡°Worry not! I, Il-Ho, is a disgrace of a warrior if I can¡¯t even protect a baby! I willy down my life for her! She may be young, but she¡¯s still the Fairy Queen! I shall respect her determination to face the enemy as the head of the nation!¡±


    ¡°<i>Aboo...</i>¡±


    As if touched by Il-Ho¡¯s words, the Fairy Queen¡¯s eyes gleamed brightly. She rubbed her chubby cheeks against Il-Ho¡¯s shiny head.


    ¡°Let¡¯s head for theirir!¡±


    ***


    <i>Suck suck suck!</i>


    As they marched forward, Il-Ho and the baby on his back sucked on bottles of golden liquid.


    Flying beside them was the Fairy Queen¡¯s governess, Elise. She asked cautiously, ¡°Does it suit your taste?¡±


    ¡°<i>Kekeke! </i>It¡¯s delicious!¡± Il-Ho grinned, sticky liquid smearing the corners of his mouth.


    He was having a bottle of Fairy Honey, a Fairy Kingdom¡¯s specialty. It might not be as sweet as sugar, but the vor was exquisite.


    Il-Ho whispered to Elisa, ¡°Can I have more?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you a few carts if you manage to defeat those wicked Goblins!¡±


    ¡°<i>Ooooh!</i> Really?¡± Il-Ho was motivated.


    He was determined to get rid of those Goblins swiftly and obtain the cartful of honey!


    ¡°<i>Muuuuscles!</i> Let¡¯s hurry! We mustn¡¯t slow down!¡±


    ¡°<i>Eep!</i> Wait! Warrior Il-Ho! Wrong way!¡±


    Il-Ho sprinted and Elise could barely catch up to him. Momentster, they arrived at a macabre-looking mountain. It looked like a decapitated head of a demon, with a gaping hole in the center resembling a mouth.


    ¡°<i>Huff, huff! </i>T-that¡¯s it! That¡¯s where the Goblin King and his main force are!¡± Elise pointed at the entrance. She was breaking into cold sweat as if her death was imminent.


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Il-Ho warmed up, then strode toward the cave¡¯s entrance. Elise followed closely behind.


    ¡°Why are you following me?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t possibly leave Her Majesty alone?!¡±


    In Elise¡¯s eyes were the determination to sacrifice herself for the baby fairy. Seeing that, Il-Ho nodded.


    ¡°Have it your way, then.¡±


    ¡°<i>Aboo!¡± </i>the baby fairy nodded along.


    However, unlike her words, Elise was trembling like a leaf.


    <i>Well, it just means having another person to protect. It doesn¡¯t really matter. </i>Il-Ho thought as he nced at her reaction.


    <i>Thud thud!</i>


    Just then, a huge monster crawled out of their, emitting a fishy odor unique to reptiles.


    ¡°<i>Hyiiii! </i>A-a dragon!¡± Elise screamed, copsing to the ground.


    ¡°Dragon?¡± Il-Ho looked up at the slippery creature.


    Its head resembled a chameleon¡¯s, while its body stretched over 10 meters long. On its back was a Goblin Rider, an evolved goblin species, wielding a whip.


    The Goblin Rider scowled at Il-Ho and hispanions. ¡°<i>Tsk. </i>And here I thought the Goblin Mage had returned from his expedition! Who the heck are you?¡±


    Unlike normal Goblins who could only screech, the Goblin Rider spoke fluently. Just then, the monster he rode on shifted its gaze at Elise.


    -<i>Kiriri~!</i>


    ¡°<i>Hm, </i>Kiriri. You want to eat that insect?¡±


    Smiling menacingly, the Goblin Rider caressed the monster¡¯s head.


    ¡°Go ahead!¡±


    Hearing the Goblin Rider¡¯smand, the monster spread its jaw open. At the same time, its tongueshed out at the cowering Elise.


    <i>Swoosh!</i>


    ¡°<i>Aaaah!</i>¡± Elise fell into despair.


    Hundred of herrades had been caught and dragged into the pit of the dragon¡¯s stomach by that tongue! Elise shut her eyes tightly, ovee with terror.


    ¡°<i>Uh, </i>a question.¡±


    However, instead of being wrapped by the monster¡¯s slimy tongue, she was asked a question by Il-Ho.


    ¡°Are you sure this is a dragon?¡±


    Elise slowly opened her eyes. ¡°...!¡±


    The monster¡¯s tongue, caught by Il-Ho¡¯s hand, writhed ferociously right in front of her.


    ¡°I mean, it¡¯s weird. It¡¯s too small for a dragon.¡± Il-Ho tilted his head, recalling the skeletal dragon.


    Meanwhile, the Goblin Rider whipped the monster in panic.


    ¡°W-what are you doing, Kiriri?! How can you lose to a mere dwarf?! Do you call yourself a dragon?!¡±


    The monster¡¯s veins bulged as it thrashed against its master¡¯s whipping. However, Il-Ho didn¡¯t budge from the impact. The monster roared at Il-Ho in anger and despair.


    ¡°<i>Kiririri!¡±</i>


    ¡°Shut up, you heretical lizard!¡±


    Truthfully, upon hearing there was a dragon among the Goblin Army, Il-Ho looked forward to the battle. Yet, all he met was an ugly lizard!


    Enraged, Il-Ho mmed the monster¡¯s tongue into the ground.


    <i>Bam bam bam!</i>


    ¡°<i>Kieeek!</i>¡± the monster writhed in pain, but its tongue remained stuck in the ground.


    ¡°Nice! Now we have a road!¡± Il-Ho leaped onto the monster¡¯s tongue, sprinting.


    ¡°<i>Huh?!¡± </i>


    Seeing how fast Il-Ho ran, the Goblin Rider whipped the monster even harder. But Il-Ho was faster. He pulled out the dumbbell sword strapped to his waist.


    ¡°Muscle Sword Strike!¡±


    Il-Ho raised his dumbbell high, before swinging it down at the Goblin Rider like a meteorite.


    ¡°<i>Aaaaargh!</i>¡±


    ¡°<i>Kyaaaak!</i>¡±


    The heads of the Goblin Rider and the huge lizard were smashed at the same time. Blood sttered in all directions. Then, the headless monsters copsed into the pool of their own blood.


    Il-Ho grumbled as he wiped the blood off his dumbbell sword. ¡°<i>Hmph! </i>I got covered in the blood of weaklings!¡±


    ¡°<i>Aboo! Aboo!</i>¡± the baby fairy cheered, gleefully pping her hands.


    Meanwhile, Elise was still in disbelief. Il-Ho had taken down that fearsome dragon in a single blow...


    ¡°All troops, attack! y the intruder who killed our gatekeeper!¡±


    ¡°<i>Kyaaak!</i>¡±


    ¡°<i>Grrr!</i>¡±


    <i>Ruuuumble!</i>


    Just then, a tremendous explosion boomed, as if their had been hit by an earthquake. Within the darkness, a massive army of Goblins charged at them. The number was much bigger than the force attacking the castle earlier.


    n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°<i>Hm.</i>¡± Il-Ho pondered for a while.


    He wasn¡¯t the slightest bit threatened by their sheer amount, but what about Elise and the baby fairy?


    ¡°<i>Oh, </i>right. I can just do this.¡±


    He¡¯de up with a good idea.


    Pointing his dumbbell sword at the tidal wave of Goblins, Il-Ho shouted in a low voice, ¡°Weight Increase.¡±


    ***


    Meanwhile, in the innermost part of the Goblin¡¯s Lair, a certain Goblin sat arrogantly on a throne made out of bones. His build wasrger than a Goblin Warrior¡¯s. His eyes, full of conspiracy and schemes, were much sinister than a Goblin Mage. He sat at the pinnacle of evolution, as evidenced by the ck crown on his head. The Goblin King.


    ¡°<i>Hmph, </i>an intruder?¡± he wasn¡¯t the slightest bit concerned.


    In this world ruled by flying fairies, no one dared to stand against him. After all, not only was he the strongest of the Goblins, he was also an apostle of god.


    ¡°Arise, my soldiers.¡±


    He raised his rod, oozing with ck aura that soon fused into Goblins.


    ¡°<i>Kieeek!</i>¡±


    ¡°<i>Kirrrrk!</i>¡±


    No matter how many of his troops had fallen, as long as he was alive, he could always create more. Such was the power bestowed by his god.


    ¡°<i>Kekeke.</i>¡±


    Any intruder who dared to enter hisir would face endless battles and eventually die of exhaustion.


    <i>Ruuumble!</i>


    ¡°What¡¯s that noise?¡±


    <i>Ruuumble!</i>


    The rumbling sound was getting louder, grating on his nerves!


    ¡°Find out what¡¯s going on.¡± The Goblin Kingmanded.


    Thus, one of the newborn goblins went to investigate, but it never returned.


    <i>Ruuuumble! Thud thud thud!</i>


    The sound grew increasingly louder, shaking the throne in its wake. Debris rained down from the ceiling onto him. The Goblin King leaped to his feet.


    ¡°W-what¡¯s that? What exactly is going on?!¡±


    <i>Ruuumble!</i>


    From the opposite end of the cave, something was running toward him at breakneck speed!


    ¡°<i>Muuuscles! Chaaaarge!</i>¡±


    ¡°<i>Aboo, aboo!</i>¡±


    Something huge wasing...!


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