Chapter 294: God Slays God (2)
oAc8Ryozo snapped her eyes open. She bolted out of the room, rushed through the living room, and made her way to the balcony.vUN45W
tRwGVTap tap tap.jak
mxRv5Cynthia flinched at the sight of her daughter acting like that.YzosmIq
CnNytVqDespite her dizziness and the buzzing in her head, she turned her gaze toward the balcony railing. She felt nauseous, as if the world were spinning.IfzlI
CsvH6iP“…What’s wrong with her now?”GNaEgpr
HhEKztNJust moments ago, both of them had been unconscious. The air quality and ozone layer had deteriorated so much that oxygen was scarce.3yo
0Fs9eRBut the Earth had stabilized within the so-called “golden minute.” The life force that had seemed withered was now beating strongly again.LMEVx
fFAAUpM“……”THCb
FIxP6MRyozo carefully clung to the balcony railing and looked up. In the sky, which had been pitch-black, a cerulean curtain was unfurling. The sky’s transformation was reflected in her sky-blue eyes, as though witnessing a miracle.eCh1
49OOG“Kang Geom-Ma…”pmJW
SGfCj8rShe murmured his name with a sorrowful look. The savior of a humanity on the verge of extinction was none other than Kang Geom-Ma.ZOV
7NuSx‘That dream…’RvyQW6
PGu95JWhile asleep, she had dreamed. A chasm deeper than darkness. A space where time had lost meaning. There, Kang Geom-Ma fought endlessly against an unknown force. A lonely, merciless battle.zhq3
Q7kPAn unending fight. Though it was something from the past, its impact on the present and future was immense. The distorted causality manifested instantly.QF3F7
gqhIt could’ve been nothing but a meaningless dream. Ryozo desperately wished that were true.Myoh
Ke3Yd‘Please.’Xy4i
ArFEvery time she recalled Kang Geom-Ma in that dream, her chest froze. Reason and logic tried to convince her it was just a nightmare, but what she now saw before her was proof enough to doubt that.uqBy2j
YF7YyDShe swallowed hard. It felt like a block of ice slid down her throat.OHOqUM
NL1“Wow—!”xvqy3
AYxYPCynthia stood beside her daughter, leaning her elbows casually on the railing, letting her arms hang over the edge. A risky posture, but she was no less reckless than Ryozo.dlgatO
FB6“The sky’s beautiful.”rdPl1r7
spFE3UCynthia spoke as the sea breeze brushed her face. The sky was painted in equal parts deep blue like night and crimson red like a gemstone. Light and darkness, dawn and dusk, past and present coexisting—as if the universe’s journey had been spread across a canvas.qCn
bzkekOWith that thought, she smiled at her daughter. The dark blue and crimson hues bathed their profiles.emZ
ShX“Remember a few days ago, when Heavenly Sword came to our house? That day, he made a promise. He said he’d come back. And from the way he said it, he seemed like someone who always keeps his word. What do you think, Ryozo?”sxu
fTmcb2ORyozo moved her lips slightly, then nodded gently.FmM
b3ceGo“…If he says he’ll do something, he will. No matter what.”s2v7L
MzUcNgd“Right?”6laxdtr
0WWeT5hCynthia smiled more warmly. She ran her hand through her daughter’s hair.4bAz
skD“Then let’s trust him. And if you’re still worried, why not pray for him? If you don’t want to do it alone, I’ll pray with you.”3Xwh
IepS“But… who do we pray to?”JCk1LdO
eJQHH0Ryozo hesitated. She’d never been a person of faith. But maybe because of that strange nightmare, her mistrust of the gods had only deepened.YKt
TuG‘What if the ones fighting against Kang Geom-Ma are the gods?’FQTmr1
iv2YCAn irreverent thought crept into her mind. Maybe that’s why she didn’t want to pray to them.XL4IbHK
ozDC“Who else? To Heavenly Sword, of course.”nq4XTXP
JmKb“But he’s human. Isn’t it weird for a human to pray to another human?”K4qO
Juv“Prayer has never been reserved just for gods, sweetheart.”qcZK
PcRJFAt that moment, a star twinkled in the sky. Thanks to the thinning atmosphere, it shone brighter than ever.bql
kQSrJRpAnd they multiplied. Hundreds, thousands. Within seconds, the number skyrocketed.1Zzlp
vt02zsSoon, the sky was completely filled. The estimated count was about three billion—more than half the world’s population.XJC
3FDZMother and daughter, mesmerized by the sky, looked at each other at the same time. Cynthia smiled and continued.wnHzT
Ewdm“If each of those stars were a human wish, who do you think they’d be for?”9e69d
bqlfThe answer was obvious. At this moment, the figure humanity trusted most was only one.GaHtgul
uph“Kang Geom-Ma.”m1BC
H3IuvUAt a time when humanity had slowly stopped relying on abstract deities and started believing in the tangible. No longer leaving everything to fate. No longer calling upon a god whenever something went wrong.RUusNLW
4FWXMany had been influenced by Kang Geom-Ma’s independent spirit. The world now valued personal will more than blind faith.eGIPd
JBRd6dRyozo looked up at the sky again. She closed her eyes and clasped her hands together. Cynthia did the same beside her.pBLH
XwyKThey prayed, silently, but with deep sincerity, to “Him.”IOY
otp‘Kang Geom-Ma.’benI1
RQXkqbYThen, the tips of their hair lifted gently, and a faint light spread across their skin. That light rose like a beam.blMtA
hNRKiLA wish. One more star joined the sky.mZDnS
Lp9l***8RmR
qfhQUPThe battle was erratic and chaotic. There was no light; vision was completely obscured. The five senses were dulled. I could barely attack and counter, guided only by hazy sensations.6CzEHU3
bXGpesI couldn’t see the enemy. I didn’t even know if I was spilling blood. As if swinging a blade underwater, the movements of the sashimi knife were slow and heavy.5Mpju
mDDSI breathed in ragged gasps. Kicked at the air. Swung the sashimi blade. Lycan occasionally lit the surroundings with bursts of lightning. I moved in rhythm with those fleeting flashes.j4L
FjWZBoom boom boom boom.spjP
oSf8〈Give up already.〉t8NNX
lJfGGc5One of the gods took human form and spoke. A handsome middle-aged man with luxurious hair and beard, like a divine statue.xoSBOKk
m4n〈You know well your power is immense. After all, it’s the power that once annihilated us. Even if you don’t know it, a ten-thousandth of us has already fallen by your sword.〉qQWinBi
LbHDamn it. I swung the blade at nearly the speed of light and only killed a ten-thousandth?0Nr5CP
s3uJThat means there are hundreds of millions of them. An endless, damn plague of gods.pBw3O
iwEcqN〈But now you’ve abandoned your divinity and chosen to be human. You won’t defeat us like this.〉imkt1Hy
romD4sVoices whispered behind the middle-aged man. Mocking, clearly directed at me. The [Blessing of Communication] translated the divine language directly into my head.gbDbGR
Dadx〈Foolish human. Giving up immortality for mortality.〉Hsv1d5
zM473qD〈All for fleeting pleasure. How pathetic, God of the Sword.〉Au4xsm
QlAo3z〈To think this weakened being was once our butcher… Can’t even see in the dark now. Truly insignificant.〉WxB
Ehwetn0The middle-aged man raised a hand to silence them. He seemed to be their leader.4gyH
4jSZ2D〈Unfortunately, that’s your current state. Accept it. You’re strong—stronger even than before. But as you are now, you’re an incomplete god.〉IWTGjU1
vT3GHHe extended a hand. With a benevolent smile, his beard glowed like golden dust.Y7U
qCRc〈My name is Jupiter. As the pinnacle of the gods, I offer you this proposal: become our leader in my place.〉j3JIC
3a89IvcA sudden offer. I glared at Jupiter and looked past him.zEtH
XoH‘There’s no dissent among them. They’ve already discussed this.’EcbaK5H
Bt89– Seems that way.QNtZ2L
MK5NMy guardian spirit, Lycan, answered my thoughts. He floated around me like a gray shadow.RsGDw
jLc‘Isn’t that just a blatant lie?’jcmkCGe
uKPp– Gods don’t lie. Even if they’re hostile, that’s part of their nature. Though… I think he’s faking his appearance a bit.0KP
2sxLycan squinted. His gaze tingled like static.KVkCCv
Etc〈God of the Sword, I’m not only speaking to you. I also offer a seat to that lesser creature you harbor inside. Wasn’t his name Lycan? What do you say? Tempting, isn’t it? A mortal becoming immortal. Unheard of.〉7z7Qv
l7yDkp3His tone turned more condescending. He scorned with both voice and gaze.sGXZ6n
wOOCWpV‘He’s basically looking down on you.’GSj4j
4ZOc1Bd– Of course. From his point of view, I’m less than an insect. Offering a divine seat to a created being must be eating them alive. I’m just bait to drag you along.3PEQ
LDJLycan crossed his arms calmly. Truly worthy of his former title as King of the Demon Realm.zfqj
3NkFvqX‘So, what will you do, god?’39g
fQbQOvY– It’s tempting. Gaining divinity means being able to interfere with truth. I could even be reborn in a new body. Right now, I’m neither alive nor dead.5Q7AS
ZqcKLycan smiled cynically. Jupiter’s expression twisted slightly as if he’d expected that. Lycan smirked.ZxVRK
xBquQTb– Even so, I refuse.rM8w8
v2qmJ〈A created being dares defy us? Insolent. State your reason before you’re erased.〉pblH
ggDG3DRJupiter’s eyes gleamed ominously. Lycan curled his lips and spat.5UmlA
mTeUK– Do you know how many were sacrificed by your schemes?7uVLvHC
hYQmDxl〈No. And I don’t care.〉avlCnlA
CHgBu3h– That’s why, you bastard.EqqzPbF
j7FNeGLycan spat like phlegm. I guess he learned that from me. I, Kang Geom-Ma, hereby recognize Lycan as an honorary citizen of Korea.D6U71
uR7njgt〈Pathetic…〉Gud9D
ZoS06Jupiter sighed, covering his forehead and shaking his head. His eyes were emotionless.ichA
gR6〈Creations rising above their creators… perhaps that’s why you destroyed us before.〉4WyrViW
OVcIue2He looked at me. Murderous intent simmered in his eyes. His golden beard quivered like yellow tentacles.xYCMjA
tViqPO〈I hope you won’t make the wrong choice.〉bXwnjql
64eWHe warned. His eyes turned red, his skin slowly shifted to green. Like a werewolf under the full moon about to go mad.TKcyc
YilgsgGrrrr…0hoV
vf0okmPThe gods behind him reacted the same. The dark light they emitted twisted the abyss itself.B0MMf
PXIuAC〈We’re not doing this out of goodwill. When you defeated us, we understood—this world isn’t the only one. There are many. Perhaps infinite.〉0kYSkzq
pV6tuuoGreed dripped from his voice like oil.PSF9S4N
8Ar73〈We want them all. But we’re trapped in this world. We couldn’t cross the boundary. But when you shattered us, we understood.〉DPb
QEQHe bared his teeth coldly. Moved a finger toward me.Q6Gh
uus〈You are the blade that can cut through everything. Use your sword to tear the boundaries between worlds. Do that, and we’ll give you this world.〉Tfcs
I0unNjThey had everything and still wanted more. That was their nature and their curse.UCRT67
5il8ReThe gods had lost interest in this world. I thought, if they’re busy invading others, maybe this world will have peace. Besides, traversing other universes would take them eons.InNJW
xvVs‘But what about those other worlds?’VPe
kE9JaIs saving only this world enough? One thing I know for sure: these greedy monsters will get there someday too.bbLcIu
qlQRL0They’ll bring ruin wherever they go. Even if gods exist in those worlds, their influence will be destructive.fx8Kg
cL7LHE– If this were only about this world, maybe accepting would be the better option.zfRkJl
aIWLycan commented.PVaN
X9lW– But if you reject them like I do, killing them all will take less time than it would for you to lose your humanity. I’ll respect your decision, but for now…wp3yxXB
g8xgHe paused.SW5m
yb4f8In the abyss, sparks of light began to appear.cWLWFg
Isd24UJupiter and the gods looked confused. Something was happening in their domain.NT4Ka
umbJ8Warm particles of light formed a gigantic sphere around us. Then, those lights took on identical shapes.Zp0fshc
ts6P– This is…UePMK
L4rLycan whispered, in disbelief. The lights surrounded us like halos.VwhPKkJ
FJ5mBYmThe raw flesh of the abyss was exposed. Those who hid in darkness were revealed. Blades of light pointed at all of them at once.sRHq
0pkoEach one was weak. But gathered—billions of them—even fireflies could shine like a sun.Pk8d
0IRHMy eyes moved from counting them to glaring at the gods in fury.xIFsb
kTcV‘Now I can see their true faces.’fEpufhr
UCRAnMOMonstrous forms, part abyssal creature, part human. I couldn’t help but laugh.rcAgCc
5Ch“I don’t bargain with fish. I’m a swordsman.”taWSS
Y29skI pointed Murasame at the enemies. The rays of light—the wishes of humanity—launched, tearing through the darkness.sXvw75
s4WJ4“Technique of the Just Blade.”qoi
jAO3gThe abyss howled. Screams of death echoed amid the weave of sacred light.UGP9Uv
eEEGB“I’ll cut down every last one of you.”B4A9
PTIFzThe sword that slays gods… is the spirit of humanity.tQHvQ3K
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