Chapter 602: First Teacher, First Friend

ATV Broadcasting Station’s PD Kim Daeguk, along with the other directors and station operators, were all trembling, their chests thumping wildly, as they looked at the screen of their monitors.

Thump, thump, thump—

A dark and ominous cloud appeared above Elizabeth, as thick bolts of lightning covered with black flames rained down.

Baaaaaaaaaaaaang—

The lightning bolt covered with flames did not stop even after hitting Elizabeth. They continued, hitting the ground and exploding, causing a huge crater behind her. It was as if a meteor had struck, with how deep and wide the crater was. Then, bolts of lightning continued to appear, striking Elizabeth one after the other.

Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang!

The hundreds of lightning bolts that fell down from the skies illuminated the entire Stars’ Path.

“…This is the power of a true God.”

Joy Co. Ltd. had repeatedly said that God Classes were not beings that reached the realms of the Gods. They even said that there was a high chance that they would be deprived of their ‘God Class’ in the process of obtaining their godhood and becoming a true God. Only when one could use the power of a true god would they become a true supreme and absolute being. The operators initially expected this to happen a few years in the future.

“The viewership ratings have… exceeded 21%…” one of the employees murmured, their voice trembling.

ATV Broadcasting Station was not the only station broadcasting this video. If they included the viewership ratings of the other broadcasting stations, then they could confidently say that more than 50% of the South Korean population was tuned in and watching this scene. There were also people from the rest of the world watching this scene, thrilled beyond belief.

The scene where Minhyuk glanced coldly and nonchalantly at the shrieking Elizabeth with his silver eyes and golden hair fluttering behind him while the lightning bolts rained down was so breathtaking that everyone watching the scene from all over the world would be overcome with excitement.

In fact, the entire world was looking at the screens of their TVs with rapt attention.

“It’s like a scene in the movies…”

In America, plenty of people were humming in admiration as they watched the scene from an electronic display on one of the tall buildings in the city. The people of Vietnam could not tear their eyes away from their smartphones as they looked at the spectacular scene. Even tens of thousands of people in China could not help but be speechless as they watched the scene being broadcasted in one of the squares. This scene was playing and was being viewed by millions of people all over the world. And in the streets of Tokyo, Kentaro, who was about to go to a meeting with his guild members, stopped in his tracks, his body shivering at the shocking scene.

Then…

Rumbleeeeeee—

[God of Snakes’ Nullification.]

The shrieking Elizabeth hurriedly cast her skill toward the skies. She was the one that could control the system. And with her command, the remaining lightning bolts that fell down receded until they went back into the dark cloud.

[Haa… haa…]

Elizabeth gasped as she soared below the dark clouds. Her body was covered in burnt marks. However, the most important thing was the fact that she was still alive.

[Kyahahahahahahahahahahahaha! I won! This is my victory!!!]

“…”

“…”

“…Please.”

“Food God, you can do it.”

“Show that snake b*tch what hell is like.”

Everyone prayed desperately. And Kentaro? He murmured, “You can do it, Minhyuk.”

𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Back at ATV Broadcasting Station, PD Kim Daeguk was watching the scene, his heart almost beating right out of his chest. The screen showed Minhyuk holding the seventh sword made of light as he declared with his kingly and majestic voice…

[You’re wrong.]

Vwoooooooooong—

As Minhyuk wielded the seventh sword, the divine voices of the Gods rang loudly in the ears of the people watching all over the world.

[The One that Connects the Power of the Gods has wielded the Sword of Time.]

[Everything will rewind, just like it does.]

Tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock—

Everyone watching the scene felt the hairs on the back of their hands stand as a clock appeared behind Elizabeth, who was standing on the skies above the army, its hands rewinding.

The entire world cheered. And Kentaro, who listened to the cheers of the people around him, silently said to Minhyuk, “Kill her, Minhyuk.”

With every tick of the rewinding clock, the lightning strikes that Minhyuk sent out ‘rewound’. But there were some things that did not return and that included the ‘God of Snakes’ Nullification’. Simply put, Elizabeth was also bound by a skill’s cooldown. This meant that she would not be able to use that power again.

Tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock—

The rewinding second hand started to slow down until it finally stopped.

Tick, tock!

“…”

Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang!

Then, another round of Overlord’s Lightning devoured Elizabeth. Amidst the downpour of lightning bolts and the cheers from countless people all over the world, Minhyuk looked down at Elizabeth with a lofty, nonchalant gaze.

***

Those that had been resurrected were busy fighting a fierce battle against the large army of monsters summoned by the God of Snakes. However, it definitely caused people to wonder why they were not attacking Elizabeth alongside Minhyuk. The reason was simple.

“It’s not a fight that we can join in,” the Dragon King mumbled, a despondent smile on his face.

Indeed, it was a fight that they could not join. They would just be a hindrance to Minhyuk if they tried to join in. Even they were left speechless when they saw another downpour of lightning bolts from the skies after a clock that rewound time appeared.

At the same time, everyone thought,

‘Did he manage to kill her?’

However, there were no notifications that rang in their ears. Then…

Shwaaaaaaaaa—

[God of Snakes’ Elizabeth’s body has returned to perfection.]

[Her defensive power has increased by more than 40%!]

A gigantic snake soared to the skies. It was so long and huge that no one could even begin to fathom its size.

‘That’s her perfect body?’

Her earlier appearance with the face of a woman and the lower body of the snake was gone and was probably hidden away. Elizabeth was now literally a giant snake. With her size alone, she could easily devour the more than ten million troops on ground.

There was one particular species of snake in Athenae, the ‘Ouroboros’, which was said to have the figure that could surround and curl around the entire world. It seemed like Elizabeth also had the power of the Ouroboros.

Elizabeth laughed maniacally at them and said, “Let’s all go to hell together.”

Crack, crack, crack, crack—

Cracks started to spread on the ground until they covered the entire Stars’ Path.

[The God of Snakes’ Final Act.]

[She will use the last of her powers to extinguish anything and everything within a 100 kilometer radius.]

[There is only one minute left before the Final Act starts! You have to kill her before the timer ends!]

“…!”

“…!”

Everyone was horrified. Now, they did not have a choice but to attack Elizabeth together. But there was no way for them to deal enough damage to her.

[Elizabeth’s Final Struggle.]

[All weapons will be unavailable for use for three minutes!]

“…”

Except for fighter classes, it was now impossible for everybody else to deal damage to Elizabeth. The same was true for Minhyuk. The Continent Destroyer Sword in his hands disappeared into his inventory by itself. At the same time…

Shwaaaaaaaaa—

Elizabeth charged at Minhyuk with her gigantic body, the timer starting to tick.

[56 seconds. 55 seconds. 54 seconds.]

Baaaaaaaaaaang—

Elizabeth’s huge face slammed into Minhyuk’s body and sent him flying into the walls of a cliff.

Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang!

The walls of the cliff began to collapse as consecutive attacks landed on Minhyuk’s body.

[50 seconds. 49 seconds. 48 seconds.]

Then, Minhyuk grabbed the eighth sword and swung it as hard as he could.

[The One that Connects the Power of the Gods has wielded the Sword of Shield.]

[Feast your eyes for nothing can touch those that wield the power of the God of Shields!]

Baaaaaaaaaaaaaam—

It was an astonishing sight. A shield made of light appeared and covered a height of 100 meters and protected Minhyuk.

Thuuuuuuuuuuuud—

But Elizabeth kept on slamming into the shield. And though it was the power of the God of Shields, cracks still spread on its surface the more Elizabeth slammed her body on it. Everyone turned tense as the cracks continued to spread.

“Minhyuk…” Ellie murmured, her eyes gazing up at Minhyuk. Overlord Raldo, the rest, in fact, everyone present was doing the same thing.

Then, Minhyuk held two swords at the same time and swung it as hard as he could.

[The One that Connects the Power of the Gods has wielded the Sword of Farmers.]

[The One that Connects the Power of the Gods has wielded the Sword of Magic.]

[Nature has awakened and will heed your call.]

[Become the God of Magic, who will rule over the all-encompassing power.]

Large, thick roots and vines rose from the ground and bound Elizabeth’s body tightly. Immediately after, the flames of the God of Magic appeared and covered the roots and began to burn Elizabeth.

“Kihyaaaaaaaaaack!”

[30 seconds. 29 seconds. 28 seconds.]

Not long after, Minhyuk swung another sword.

[The One that Connects the Power of the Gods has wielded the Sword of Archery.]

[Watch. A torrential rain will now cover the ground you walk on.]

Tens of thousands of arrows fell down in a downpour and sunk deeply into the shrieking Elizabeth’s body.

“Kihyaaaaaaack!”

Elizabeth struggled fiercely from the pain, but the roots and vines restricted her movements. And…

[17 seconds. 16 seconds.]

“…”

Minhyuk did not move. Everyone watched him as he stared at the two swords that were floating in front of him, one of the two swords had the words ‘Sword God’ engraved on its blade.

“…”

“…”

Everyone knew that Minhyuk might not be able to see Valen anymore if he wielded that sword. Perhaps it would spell the complete death of the man hailed as the Sword God. Tears flowed down Minhyuk’s cheeks, his hands trembling as he tried to wield one of the swords with great difficulty.

[The One that Connects the Power of the Gods has wielded the Sword of Blacksmiths.]

[The sword that you will wield will have a stronger blessing.]

[The sword that you will wield will instantly gain an additional 500% attack power.]

Only the final sword was left.

[Caution!!!]

[Elizabeth will explode in ten seconds!!!]

[Caution!!!]

.

[Elizabeth will explode in nine seconds!!!]

Minhyuk hesitated. But none of the people present blamed him, they just stared at Minhyuk as he cried. Minhyuk bit his lips tightly and tried to raise his hand to grab the last sword, but he could not do so. But then, at that moment, a warm, large and callused hand grabbed his hand. Then…

‘My teacher, my master, the first person that I cooked for, the first person that treated me like a friend, and the first person that treated me like a son within this world.’

That very same person chuckled and smiled softly at Minhyuk as he raised the boy’s hand and placed it on the hilt of the final sword. It was then that the memories started to flash in Minhyuk’s head. When Minhyuk first started Athenae and met him. When the man gifted him the Sword of Rebellion, Valan. When he met him in a dungeon. When the man visited him to brag about the daughter that he and Loyna birthed.

Then, the man said, “My first and last disciple.”

Valen, who was in his soul form and looked translucent, slowly brought the hilt of the sword near his waist. Following his first teacher Valen, Minhyuk also brought the hilt of the sword in his hands near his waist. The two of them stood side by side and looked at Elizabeth’s gigantic form.

As the notifications rang, the twelve Gods also conveyed their feelings and sentiments toward the two people.

[The One that Connects the Power of the Gods has wielded the Sword God’s Sword.]

[He was like a father to his disciple.]

[He was like a son to his master.]

[He was the disciple’s first teacher.]

[He was the teacher’s first student.]

[The two swung their swords, the swords that had reached the level of a True God, against the evil in front of them. They have become the God’s Sword that can cut down anything and everything.]

[Caution! Elizabeth will explode in two seconds!]

Valen looked at Minhyuk while Minhyuk turned to look at him. Valen’s figure looked more dashing and inspiring than ever as he said, “This is the ‘Divine Sword’.”

The two of them settled on the same posture as they drew the sword and swung it down. The sword was not visible to the eye but…

Slaaaaaaaaaaaash—

Heaven and earth was split in two and Elizabeth’s gigantic body was cut in two.

[You have successfully killed the God of Snakes Elizabeth.]

The first friend that Minhyuk made in Athenae and the first teacher that taught him swordsmanship. Valen, who was like a father to him, started to disappear.