Chapter 293: God Slays God (1)
pQJyBXH‘Oh, God of the Sword…’5PJP3
blSrY1CKuarne’s eyes filled with sorrow. At his feet, corpses piled like a hill.cuumYq
u63There were human remains, of course, but no fewer were the bodies of demons.EqPhM
M7uW‘You have finally awakened.’3rXy
ObzKuarne didn’t even glance at the corpses. He simply looked up at the sky. Earth’s sky, now stripped of its atmosphere, was no longer pale blue. Instead, a dark void stretched like a canopy over the planet.qKgy
id7“Ah… ah…”9Xq66
PlzuPFMSword marks were visible everywhere. The universe, once thought untouchable, was being wounded.Rh4
2FyKuarne had imagined this scene since time immemorial. Even in dreams, this vision frequently appeared.cE296
W30e“You are… truly the greatest.”vAL
0LmePKuarne covered his eyes, moved. The universe was nearing its end—a scene heralding the coming of the apocalypse.cZm1ir
EjDtjBut it was precisely its transience that made it so beautiful to him. Like ephemeral flowers that stir more than an evergreen tree. That was the feeling in Kuarne’s heart.OHch
Du5KaFz“Is this all you wanted?DR8ZISv
b91iwo0That pathetic ending is your grand purpose?”hSe95F0
wzWCUEThe voice from afar made him turn. His eyes, as dry and coarse as desert sand, settled on Meain Poison.GNfUgwC
dkXL“…With such thin air, and you can still move. You are strong, woman.”2hcoWmH
MqMrZMeain was the only hero still standing. The others writhed on the ground, eyes white, foaming at the mouth.kHLlSb
2Gmk“I’m not just any human.”Qu1xF
N8a3QAs Kuarne had said, the air was too thin to breathe normally.IiVJ
MwDK3INot just for humans, but for demons too. Every being born on this planet had grown up breathing oxygen. Yet that right had been stripped away.Bu61i47
dya2Grrrraaaah…im3y1G
SitkwScreams mingled. Humans and demons alike were dying. And not only them. Somewhere in the cosmos, on some planet where life existed, the same fate must be occurring. The “end” was encompassing the entire universe without distinction.x66uT
H04Meain observed the universe dying around her and then spoke as if in passing. Only one listener remained Kuarne.ylPv
xmoF“Is your goal just to die with the universe? What a miserable purpose for such a grand plan, don’t you think?”ZgsaQi
y7cxDh9“Hmm.”wDzCXGI
CrTKuarne pondered briefly. A few spells would be enough to disintegrate that woman without a trace. Should he kill her or not?61CC
4AJngGm“Since we’ve come this far, I suppose I can share a little.”uMcJcl
5BmThe doubt didn’t last long. That woman would die on her own in a matter of minutes. “He” was using His sword as a brush to paint the universe. It would be disrespectful to add another stroke.OcL
5eD2q‘Though I don’t really have a reason to chat with you either.’KADN
E2ZSD5uBut Kuarne was in a good mood. That emotion was fully reflected on his face. His eyes shone with unusual clarity.ULZ1Qb
Mfdmy18“Before I met Him, I lived in tedium. I had come to despise the gospel of false gods, which I once took as truth.”lLimf6N
vegsbHe recalled the past. His eyes grew moist with nostalgia.ZwT
r6T“But one day, He appeared to us. His face… I don’t remember. I suppose my limited mind couldn’t retain it, but I think he was a man. His voice… was somewhat youthful, if I recall. But gender doesn’t matter. No matter His form, I would’ve been able to love Him.”It3
p2o“…”nHzXL7N
k7FMeain listened in silence. Meanwhile, she cross-referenced his testimony with the prophetic book—the Akashic Records. Perhaps his words held a clue to reverse the situation.DwfPyB
pZu“The first time I saw Him, He and I were enemies… How foolish. Even if it was an order from my master, I should never have opposed Him. I should have rebelled if necessary. No matter what, I should’ve stopped it. And yet, I was a fool.”fJGfb0
YsdmEven so, He was kind. He used His sword to make me understand.”htT0
PQgZKuarne scratched his cheek furiously, as if an insect were crawling beneath his skin. Blood oozed and the skin tore, but he didn’t stop.OxAe
v58DaY“When I finally understood… it was too late. He had fulfilled His purpose and left the world. Ah… just when I was ready to offer Him this body, this entire universe… He lost interest and took His own life.”TWk7Rtr
35zKuarne’s eyes dimmed.yaK
FKQL7DH“But I knew instinctively. That He would return. When the world was covered in filth, He would come back to purify it all. His sword can cut even death. And I… my role was to prepare the world for His return.”tiZcfN
syFKuarne had become lovesick. When He disappeared, his life ended too.zVQld
BvHGHe fell into despair and sank for millennia into the deepest depths.7hZN
seEWThe loss corrupted him.QCD7
xCH7VThe purest angel was consumed by madness and fell.F1k
emayn1“So I founded Grigori and rebelled. I never believed I’d win. My brother Metatron still lived, the greatest of the angels. But I didn’t care. Winning didn’t matter—only that rebellion happened.”cINuPkR
fk7j6gThen the corners of Kuarne’s sagging lips twisted into a crooked grin.KYA8k
xUW8“After that, I infiltrated the demons and sparked a war. Until that moment, the world was still relatively clean. Until 700 years ago. Yes… I’m referring to what you call the First Great War between humans and demons.”eFMM
xCamKuarne ground his teeth. Remembering that face filled him again with envy and rage.A3lB2Lc
CYhAPvT“Balor Joaquin… That pathetic man was using ‘a portion’ of His power. He confused me. I was sure he wasn’t Him, so I didn’t understand how he could wield that power. That’s why I decided to watch. I observed from afar the battle between the First Corps Commander, Lycan, and the God of the Sword, and only in the final instant did I manage to calculate His position.”1KxvA
JdRz9Kuarne smiled again. His emotions were unstable and volatile.OxVqlG
oJJM“He came from outside. Therefore, the founding hero, Balor Joaquin, was merely a bridge to bring Him into this world. So I trusted that He would return. And the opportune moment would be…”W6ZaXzy
wSMhOz“When the Hero appeared.”t6gc5Wa
tK4vtWDMeain completed the sentence. Kuarne’s mouth opened in surprise.k7sb
koSA“You understand the context from hearing just a little. For a human, you have quite a useful mind.”BV5Z
VOD“So they say. After all, I was the headmistress of the academy you destroyed. Though it may not seem like it, I’m one of humanity’s brightest minds.”wVn7I
Fs492mKuarne let out a sarcastic laugh at her words. Then he scanned the ruins of the academy, now reduced to ashes.Hnrb7s
OyB5RM2“The reason I attacked this place? Because it was a prison. A prison that obstructed His divinity and fostered a corrupted humanity. And you committed an unforgivable audacity. Humans trying to teach a god? How ridiculous. That’s why I destroyed it completely.”U8Ac8yg
2z7K“Hahahaha!”i4VaR
pFEhEMeain burst out laughing, clutching her stomach. Kuarne’s eyebrows furrowed slightly. He had seen humans laugh crazily just before dying, but…CKA3Oz
S6gYU‘That laugh is different.’zp1
0EDkjgIt didn’t seem like the delusion of someone on the brink of death. It was the liberated laugh of someone who had just solved an ancient riddle.XM9g
qDB5rH9“The academy isn’t this giant building.”ETJqYy
DlwnpgRMeain kicked some rubble near her feet and spoke calmly.XZU
SyqK“This type of structure? It can be rebuilt. Seven hundred years of history? For demons, that’s not even much. And for humans, it’s the same. Even if one person doesn’t live that long, the spirit of an era endures forever.”kq4egd
LLxMeain steadied her breathing. Maybe it was just an impression, but the air, which had recently been suffocating, now felt slightly lighter.ddptg
0YGh‘No, it’s not just an impression.’Gu1tT
ZsueLooking up at the sky, she understood why. Her conversation with Kuarne and cross-referencing the Akashic Records had reached its conclusion.oqmts
1yS‘God of the Sword, young voice, founding hero as guide, the return, the hero…’x91U8iW
VG32vsMeain began assembling the fragmented pieces like a puzzle. She already had the frame, so it didn’t take long.5VK
1tIFn“Kang Geom-Ma.”A9Q
TFrKShe spoke the name. Kuarne twisted his face violently.mzmU
ZwOBv“That’s no longer His name. It’s a filthy name that only tainted His vessel. His true name is Hereb. The sword itself.”pL2
SD8“No.”U11XY
4QCMeain shook her head. The drops of sweat that splattered formed dots on the ground.QwDnzj
CfzhJ“He is Kang Geom-Ma.”Xb3o
QcXShe raised her index finger and pointed to the sky. Kuarne looked at her with hatred, ready to kill her on the spot, but instead finally looked up at the sky he had been reserving.HSU
yETAnd was left speechless. Kuarne turned pale. His already white face became paler than a corpse’s.vnVOuf
DUE[Transition Blessing – True – manifests.]USy5a
C9gdCv[Combined with the Reversed Celestial Eye, its range extends to the entire world line.]wz12
pgyHA surge of golden light spread across the entire universe.tZDK
OuBxGW[Regeneration Blessing – True – manifests.]CGF
OdNmkJe[Seals the wounds of the world line and assists in the restoration of the universe.]KX3OBq
phN3The damaged and broken clock of the universe began to turn again.jldjpo
Go3iLy8[Superstrength Blessing – Divine – manifests.]Q2X
9uK7PIS[As the user’s speed surpasses light, the world line is reversed.]rTnvRo
BPEuA female voice echoed in their ears. For some, it was an announcement of salvation. For others, a sentence.gWmgJfA
u5dY2D[Communication Blessing – True – manifests.]C2VcSY
Y785Rt5[Thanks to this blessing, words are automatically translated into all languages and transmitted to everyone.]M2hNwHP
R8jJgzMMeanwhile, the heroes and demons who had been motionless began to stir. Kuarne, however, had a vacant stare. His pupils seemed empty.cedMC
CEGGR“No… This can’t be. This can’t be happening! This can’t be happening!”ZPn
irpk7cbIt was time to awaken from the dream he never wanted to end.xsPT6Wy
ONiBPx[The Blessing of the God of the Sword manifests.]0ru
Kk4Bg++++++++++++++++++++u8zk
Nrmj《May the blessing of the gods be with you.》UQke
Ic0eI++++++++++++++++++++Bgig0d
YkAD8z***V9kLJdb
sdY8iA tangle of light appeared before me. I reached out my hand. It was so close I could almost grasp it, but it slipped through my fingers like silk.x0fOAms
Vxz‘Just one more step.’vov0
PAJyI don’t know how many steps I took. When the number hit a trillion, I stopped counting.a5aM
jMYsI just kept walking. Without stopping. I used that bluish light in the distance as my beacon, hurtling toward it like a moth.DzYeO7t
17XUW4LAt times, I felt as if my body were merging with the universe.50UpG
J5XZZcg‘Or maybe it wasn’t just a feeling?’eLMwL
F3VArI7After wandering the universe for billions of years, perhaps I really had become one with it.RYFuQ4u
1QTZ1OI witnessed the birth and death of stars. I watched them cluster into galaxies.xBLp3
MGXRJdI left them behind and reached the outer edges of the universe. For a long time, I swam through the void and the nothingness, chasing only that blue light.jJAv
7EHc7My mind was dry like a dead tree, but my body never aged.nUoIkCk
vhzplAt least, my appearance remained the same. Like in that blurred time. Like when all this began. Because I had twisted the laws of the world.xcqbW85
FPBWzI rewound time. I became a being untethered, outside causality. I existed for a single purpose. I ran endlessly.ygPI1G1
OF0— React, Kang Geom-Ma.eJW8YfC
5VsLycan held my consciousness.t1V
Q5N— We’re almost there. If you give up now, you won’t be able to return to reality. You’ll be lost in the loop of time.nhjID
ZueeewVIf not for his words, I would have stopped after a few thousand years of rewinding.boKjpFK
NUVFkR— There are people waiting for you. Remember who they are.AmkYG
ZhrA demonic whisper. Ironically, it was what reignited a spark of hope.gAcniO7
cQ8z“Yes.”5rvc
mae0gOmI replied. Or rather, it was my subconscious that answered. My mind was so calm it felt like a resting lake.cNBF
gVG“I must go back.”i9V0zD
aBEFThe light touched my retina. A light that guided me, pulled me.734Y
HlMe8It wasn’t the thread of the universe’s structure. It was the shape of the faces I longed for. The human heart.yDwKHXb
v2npAt that moment, a viscous sensation brushed my cheek. I closed my eyes, and when I opened them, a glow lit up my pupils.ApB4
MGh3A white breath flowed from my eyes, like a wolf’s breath.sWZ
sQIETsI recognized the surroundings clearly. The veil of the abyss tore softly.jCc
yz74Figures appeared before me. Their alignment was chaotic and their sizes uneven. But all their eyes were fixed on a single point.L62FzJ
XAagrx1〈We truly wanted to see you again.〉QJPHfF
738OThe rulers of the old world stood against an existence that transcended causality.QtMpFmx
jCL〈God of the Sword.〉T491
oka6ehThey were gods. Gods are not bound by time or space.AEb1n
hqiimhThey exist in the past, present, and future. Causality is merely their invention.jaowU
8cDLunASwoosh.rEl8LB
f38uMy sashimis sliced through their words in a single stroke. In the middle of the abyss, the sound of the sword spread like ripples.cwp
uVG5k— You can’t drag this fight out. It’ll put too much strain on your body and the timeline.dO2Hoa2
EIhLycan warned. I nodded.pcmQgE
OUrhrjx“I know.”s5kgU
FAtOne minute a day.OeFLJV
5qROT“That’s how it’s been until now.”JypifE
hoCUtI become a Sword.218Ees
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