Chapter 311: The Man Who Became a God (2)
Wj78ZmsA stern gaze swept across the mountainside, surveying the vast expanse of Gehenna. ‘He’ observed the Demon Realm from the heights of a bare branch, arms firmly crossed.ITxZwY
31XZHIx“Hmm.”tuQ
FuWLycan, the First Corps Commander. Though his body was now no larger than the palm of a human hand, his imposing presence remained undiminished.NJadaUx
5YkoLGIn fact, it might have far surpassed that of the past.vSsJMW
xxTAfter all, it was Lycan who, alongside Kang Geom-Ma, annihilated the false gods and beheld the origin of the universe itself.XXsZX
1limNmAnyone fooled by his adorable appearance was doomed.sa74
UEIh4To lay a hand on a little squirrel like him would be true damnation.UrGFDBm
9zThZA6Anyway.IeLmkC
6unYThe domain he once ruled had begun to deteriorate.HY0m
UoCRP9BHis gaze, as tender as it was sharp, reflected displeasure as he shook his head in disapproval.hufVc
w8xxIWS‘What difference would it make if I intervened now?’eG9pA
h0FaXHe muttered bitterly and moved again. The grayish leaves brushed against his fluffy tail as he turned.LlrnxT
zOVuThough he had shared in humanity’s story and hardships, the decline of the Demon Realm was particularly evident.3XlY
1yLI65lUnlike the human world, which had leaders to guide change, the Demon Realm lacked a sovereign to lead its demons.EkAoE
v8tDemons are simple.7OjJQ4
gH9CZTo them, power is everything. If someone is strong, they follow without question.YmANB
dSjWoRRThat’s why the only requirement to rule was “absolute power.”
Seven hundred years ago, Lycan filled that role. Up until ten years ago, it was Kuarne.DFK5
U1Qpm7GNow, it seemed Dragon Lord Valerion had temporarily assumed that mantle.c9XMPst
UajBut it was just that—temporary.
Dragons had always been a neutral faction.tCGa3sT
LccznnSOnly in recent times had they shown more affinity toward humanity.SVjMS
1diAProof of this was the constant involvement of Hontail, the next Lord.4mn
906XezBecause of this, some demon factions harshly criticized the Dragon Lord and his kin.N0TF
PGS4But they didn’t know the truth. They didn’t understand that it was thanks to the dragons they were still alive, that it was their intervention that allowed them to continue existing.WPxTa
osUThey were the ones protecting the Demon Realm from Kang Geom-Ma.7HQvUp
kWePMaybe the demons knew it… but they simply didn’t want to accept it.Ct8kMlQ
nnxEPyBWith a sigh slipping through his front teeth, shaped like an inverted eleven, Lycan continued reflecting on the Demon Realm’s state while leaping from branch to branch, crossing winding paths with his tiny, walnut-sized head full of worries.hsbdf
GWOAt last, he arrived at his destination. A massive crater. A bottomless abyss.CBXy
WhBFrom the cliff’s edge, he leaned over on all fours and slightly peeked his head in.LvDJFV7
14ZDe‘I’ve followed the anomalies in demonic energy to this point.’ulvyXln
U9fWithout hesitation, Lycan hurled himself into the hole.Asgxf48
u8Cms‘I won’t sit idly by.’2wmoeNF
gBf8InPHe slid his chubby tail down the wall of the abyss.CS3
rXF9As the dust swirled around him, he reaffirmed his resolve.WDudu
BTSAgc‘It’s time to set things right.’xJbxa
WJ1Of course, he didn’t plan to take the front line. If he did, the demons would proclaim him Lord of the Demon Realm, and by then there’d be no turning back.4oIzWqr
QzUXBJkThe demons would be annihilated by Kang Geom-Ma’s sashimi.utoWip3
c7XjbpGThat was the inevitable future.eFHJ
Lgpq4rLycan knew it all too well, for he had lived beside him.ufcFo
WR9That’s why he planned to rebuild his homeland, Gehenna, from the shadows.4Hn
l3a9OFAnd so, with a tiny body but vast ambition, he descended into the depths.JF5cYg
0MtYwk***8n1
ph7“Squeak squeak (Long time no see, Metatron.)”TF3R38
311fgq“……” “……”6carS
c30v“Squeee– squeak (Have you already forgotten me?)”QtB
s2AJH7“……” “……”sIEn2U
zrD7bR1The two men, who had been staring intently at Lycan, soon turned to each other.EU2
083“Father.”wLGa
WSdLeon was the first to speak.j0PT
McXNAZ“Why is there a mouse here?”tTvVg
5eyxChwi? Chwiii?QEtw
ayE“It doesn’t really look like a mouse. Maybe a squirrel. Or a red squirrel. Well, it’s still a rodent, so you’re not far off. Where there are sewers, there are rats, right? You really are my son, haha.”eUP
AcaoVLp“Yeah, sure…”GdrnKX2
PR7rNAI‘Damn bastards!’4WPjAzQ
cAkUKPLycan’s fine fur bristled with rage, and his curled tail trembled furiously.BPet
wnb‘This was a mistake.’VBU
3W2He was so used to his squirrel form that he’d forgotten to change his appearance. Damn it. Showing his true form now would be far too out of place to command respect.W7nU
aPnPDEjMetatron was an ancient hero, the one he most wanted to face after Balor Joaquin. It was said his power bordered on the divine.PLUe8
jT44A‘As a rival, he lacks nothing.’F4P42t4
LqXWBut to meet for the first time like this… was just pathetic.
Even if he revealed his identity now, they’d likely feign surprise and mock him inside.LZ6
XOBNS‘No helping it.’G4HeTkH
hpPmLycan decided to act. As always, he’d throw himself into his role as a beast.pj25bd
4RyBCUKSurely this was the meaning of the phrase “crash of reality” that Kang Geom-Ma always went on about.VqVFS
5A5lZC“Squeak (Ouch.)”oc2s
bfIqWhile Lycan suffered his little breakdown, Leon had already stepped forward. He knelt on one knee and extended a hand.ZavE
5vogPJG“You’re lost, aren’t you? When we head out, come with me.”YwFtf
mem8cFQ“……”g7L4
2bRThough he turned his head haughtily, Lycan allowed himself to be taken.EX7
3VgVsuHe leapt lightly onto the palm, then darted nimbly up the arm to perch on Leon’s right shoulder, next to his shimmering golden hair.WoE
PA7“Leon.”vmnv
UMdwUhEBack beside the mysterious egg, Metatron glanced at Lycan.MaedQ
U2KChY“Squirrels are rodents too. They’re known to spread plagues like the Black Death. Don’t forget to wash your hands well when you get home.”RqWb
PjbiOM“Ah, understood. I’ll keep that in mind, Father.”V2h3g
IzA‘Sons of bitches.’h5d
9vuFbZAngels and demons definitely didn’t get along.YLEe
s1ENiZ‘Kuarne was an angel once too…’kBVPnR
McVLycan’s bright eyes darkened with sinister thoughts.oGilot
4H6Piriririririr!NAuT
wkyHnA high-pitched electronic sound echoed through the area.Iuq
hKtWhat the hell?nG9FYO8
5hEWhy was a phone ringtone ringing in the Demon Realm, Gehenna?cALB
tQBVzsLycan was dumbfounded, and Leon also showed surprise.cs1
uOYSk“Looks like there’s signal down here too.”Hkkzzap
fbk“Incredible. I heard Kang Geom-Ma and Meain worked to get wifi in the Demon Realm cities, but I didn’t think it reached this deep.”nKtBp
byDBd…What Wifi!?ejLPs
tGtWhat the hell had happened in Gehenna during his absence?
Wi-Fi? In the Demon Realm?AYsY
J5l4mmJust how far had this place fallen?KYt
Dcg“I’ll answer it.”cJRaQp
eqD9mP“Go ahead.”dEfsA9v
FyoU4Lycan fumed inside, but Leon took the call. It was brief.Jddx
QzIThen he slowly lowered the phone.Lu9Za
Bxm1Metatron asked him,
“Something wrong?”PFfT
zKQiy7“Yes. I’d asked the old dragon for something through Horn… but it seems there’s a problem.”qIxQm
Ub0xNFh“Let’s go together.”tES
FZ78m“You too, Father?”ZeRBBo
lpz“If I go, maybe we can talk with them. My presence might carry some weight with the demons.”gvc
eo003Y“That’s true.”EXx3bEm
1XKYWXLeon looked at the egg with concern.u6oAP
irx“What about this? Gehenna’s terrain changes every hour. We might lose it.”8URstt
Rk1rtw9“Leon. In cases like this, improvisation is key. Use what you have around you.”Bv2Mm
BndXgSFMetatron extended his thick index finger and poked Lycan’s nose. Lycan nearly fell backward but struggled to maintain balance.yAG
9DJdz“Squeak squeak! (You bastard!)”yj26nf
MydqfDespite the furious squeak, Metatron smiled.zLc5
TwRqWhile pressing down on Lycan’s head with the tip of his finger, he added.gMj
RqxM“If he lives in the Demon Realm, he must know the paths well. He’s somewhat recognized, so he’s perfect as a guide.”kSxtFj
tibi“Ah, right.”P6ICCi
HZnjDh“And if we do get lost, don’t worry. You know I have a good sense of direction. If this little rat gives me a general direction, I’ll find the exact location.”acBp
kyX“As expected.”NTxU
n8CQIn short—90afeg1
GZOThey planned to use Lycan, the First Corps Commander, as a mere guide!k8J1Q
G1sttwIn modern times, where even the Demon Realm had Wi-Fi, they wanted to use him as a kind of living GPS.ShzKC
5Hy1IAn angel, the symbol of absolute good.Zsg
M6HY0Faced with such an atrocity, the leader of the demons, Lycan, nearly stood up to give them a round of applause.R0M
T4N9qCM“Well then, we’ll postpone the investigation of this place.”Xes8fNN
iPis“Yes, Father. I’ll guide you.”wC4VRR
iM5And so, the three figures moved away from the egg.jj5J
HWUEAnd deep within the abyss, the lingering fog of Lycan’s fury swirled thick and heavy.X9JjB0
zUrp***0Ad
JwK1jAfter they left—uKdN
19b6nF…The conditions for the apocalypse have been met.B1lzkY3
Ua9A silence as sharp as a mouse’s death was split in two. The source of the sound was none other than the enormous egg.40w7
5z7After the end of the Fimbulvetr, which brought famine and frost, spring finally arrived.l9g2x
FHMuThe song continued.Gunoqww
mRyBThe age of lies has come to an end, and only one god remains… marking the beginning of the era of the wolf…zPXHsCI
Fh3FoThe depths of the Demon Realm began to tremble slightly.oZL75qK
NOX84wxAnd the wolf, with a blade in its jaws, swallowed the sun and the moon.
Thus, the light of the world was extinguished.jx9Omx4
eoyKCrack. A fissure appeared in the shell.GntN
fzzfWhen angels, demons, and their hybrid finally face the seed of the end…9PVs34
mQpxP2A hand broke through the shell.hOX9htD
sinIRight after the hen of Utgardr sang the world’s end.mNGqvfZ
kBoj9Ragnarekkr, a/aY7, Frashokereti…tcA
y5hGVThe cracks spread to the sides, and from them emerged legs.1ZjMn
gbZbA viscous liquid shimmered on the skin.5XKp
dH3The Four Apostles of the Apocalypse cross Bifrost and manifest in this world.chhlh
Gsl9hJ2BOOOOM!KjE0IyT
VBHpJ2mA deafening noise shook the entire cavern. The egg shattered into pieces, and the newly born creature revealed its full form.hNZhqP
NT4CxumIt was a naked woman. Her skin looked as though covered in frost.FBNX
GlZxIn this abyss where light does not reach, only she shone.wnR84
HiZMHer hair radiated brilliance, and the liquid clinging to her arms dried instantly.kXQ
zycgbkrThe young woman opened her eyes.s4NiiD
5jX“……”ZYSw
IvY4Her pupils were black as the darkness where she was born.fY1S7c
1cbcxFkHer hair was also completely black.SsbuLN0
hgbJA little later—eO2
tIDuDStepR7FLW4e
R7FThe naked woman took a step. The first step of the world’s end.eh432K
YNR2UB***23WMDya
97h3They say living in a house with two families means being pushed around like a floating weed.2380jYy
rujxWtIt’s not entirely untrue, but.qC8R
anCeVPIt doesn’t feel like we’re walking on thin ice every day.3zC
AorISWe’re doing fairly well.m0VZ
zIv22y6The three of us eat together, in peace.
Today we went out to eat again.uSTF7W
09lQAround Joaquin Academy.ZdtE
6YH8v0An exclusive Korean restaurant, reserved only for the most distinguished.QeScb2
eOLhzAJust getting a membership takes five years, and the prices are the kind that make you say—JOwsG
k0E“Damn!”pdEBrbT
rRiEt2A“Ryozo, has something happened lately?”oVwFk
HKKDuring the meal, Abel asked with concern.rnJ
rIYoLRyozo, poking at her food, replied.7Zej
cgQhnf“No… nothing serious.”fbar
z3bh“Come on now. That’s what family’s for, isn’t it?”fWG4L8
xFY“It’s just… the princess of the British Empire has been bothering me a lot lately. And that’s been a bit stressful.”dfQ
3KcNCUTPrincess Victoria. A princess of the noblest lineage of the British royal family.W2oW
7HZJEven Abel, who commands the aristocracy, has to choose her words carefully around her.r05
YXcpqwo“…Strange. Princess Victoria isn’t usually like that, she doesn’t meddle in everything.”qtE8
wNH“I know. She was probably sent as a representative because the nobles are pressuring her.”SLPb
1sogWdRyozo put down her chopsticks and leaned back in her chair.nG4qL
hbyV9jI listened to the conversation in silence.R48d
kIHLD“Pathetic, really. Using a girl who’s not even of age as a pawn… but what can you do. If she shows up in the Academy’s office with that killer stare, I have to act. Just… with moderation.”hMD6
r12mX7SWhile speaking, she threw me a side glance.uHxDjyK
jRYfa“Something to say?”v4Yg
4F3R“No, nothing. Just that the food’s really good.”2sHzKtD
nfblWI bowed my head slightly and kept eating.SqR8R
CUTFpIe“Anyway, seems like the nobles are pretty disgruntled lately.”M0V
wS1bdh“Who wouldn’t be? They’ve lost all control to Joaquin Academy. They’ve even started talking about founding a new academy.”Pl5WNy
Uzc“Another academy?”Cydrh48
muemVnNI interrupted with a cold voice. Just then, the dim lightbulb above us burst.ame
SYdJWAnd ominous bubbles began to boil in the soup.NGO
KniZruRyozo and Abel flinched. Immediately, they looked at me.XD9
ckZpB“G-Geom-Ma…”bWg8Q
q5LfAk“Surely that’s not true. No, they can’t be that crazy. Can’t be. Breathe…”dLCxWY
Ugh0“……”vyFqN7P
RTQQB“Ah! This is delicious! Worth every coin!”jgPZWXz
LmeBVJ“……”8az
MorZnBoth forced smiles, sweating profusely. They kept exchanging nervous glances.WYG
z5kuoq“Sorry.”d7CQlCU
RQz8I scratched my eyebrow with my thumb.u90Fi
3kv8“Ruined the mood.”FOs
iPoa“What do you mean? Just eating together like this makes me happy. Three feels like the perfect number. Right, Ryozo?”V4ZW
1cs0k“S-Suppose so…”Gvg
bOsAy“See? We don’t need more—”PS8
UdfmI3Ring~OlOsKGy
sZt“Thought I turned the phone off. Sorry, really.”Wac
Ank“If it’s urgent, answer. I never use ‘Do Not Disturb’ since I became Academy Director.”dDCuq
1Tz7a64I apologized and answered the phone.wv3UvY2
FX6gHySnap!uH5
pKWEyNQAt the same time, I snapped my fingers to restore the spark to the bulb.hNkL
pCuzt52Lightning magic can be used like that too.cZON
uh8W“……”ZOv2Y
ZpeI ended the call.DTMGiT
hqxTThe flickering light made the silence feel heavier.9EQ8p
BvsQRyozo spoke, visibly tense.RxHOy
DlQrO4“…Something happened, didn’t it?”pgKPN
VaZKI must have had a very serious face.hzyH
8M0CvAzIt was rare for us to eat together, and now this—I felt guilty.AB5Kb
hWo“There seems to have been an uprising in Gehenna.”0cah
QZiaanpI hesitated a moment but eventually confirmed it.gcT60
Y6W6“Then you need to go,” said Abel.mQGiEF
b9it3M“Go, Geom-Ma. But come back before the soup gets cold,” added Ryozo.3DusFZg
OQQEHow bitter.n5jaMI
GWI3gWith so much work pending, even a quiet meal becomes a luxury.d0slt
ya6xtXDeep down, I just wanted to say screw it all.T2L1DRL
BoqzKh“Thanks… to both of you.”hey
0yuBI nodded and stood up.rzg
SaeybRyozo and Abel saw me off without a single complaint.GnrQ7C
b9F0I left the room forcing a smile. The door closed behind me.5tjo0j
xD3I could still feel the bubbling in my stomach.4sr
lmgkHsLLeaning against the door, I gazed at the ceiling like a statue.TvRUjbL
qPSToday, especially, it was hard to move forward.sucn
mXfsE9Finally, I stepped away from the door.Xmc3HvE
Y4m97“It’s been a while since I imposed respect.”9Wbmgy
RtphZI began to walk, crushing the static electricity clinging to my shoes with each step.kzHj
0GR***VcyBp
vjYmd8IWhile glancing at the door he had exited through, Abel broke the silence.CdtaI
frGi“He looked mad, didn’t he?”AMk
zfyGSK“Yeah. A lot.”Wpf
XNdjPRyozo kept her eyes on the door, lost in thought.6feog
CXg4TKg“You think a river of blood is about to flow in Gehenna?”G0jh
gYm“Maybe…”9lxY
nDrrKang Geom-Ma’s women sighed at the same time— A deep sigh from the gut, full of sincerity.GtHl
pv8“Who’d have thought the day would come when we’d feel sorry for demons.”0sqbnE
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