Chapter 131: Fire Shining in the Highest Skies

As a head department at Rocky Media, Team Leader Lee was infamous among flakey writers. Even now, he stood outside the stall on the left to make sure Yu Il-Shin couldn’t escape. Team Leader Lee fiddled with his phone.

Gosh, I’m too old for this! These writers are a bunch of lazy bastards, always looking for excuses to get away with everything. Also, what’s with their weak ass personalities?!

Aspiring writers who gave up after bad reviews were as countless as grains of sand. A skilled editor could turn them into sparkling diamonds with a mix of carrot and stick. They might resent it early on, but once they gained a reader base and received a nice paycheck, they’d eventually be grateful for everything the editors had done for them.

With that in mind, Team Leader Lee decided to be stricter on Yu Il-Shin so he could finish the overdue manuscript.

Hmm?

He had many unseen messages. He wondered if it was a business partner, but it turned out to be disaster reports.

Multiple gates have appeared in Sangamdong, Mapogu! Urgent evacuation required!

“What?” Surprised, he looked at the other messages.

All gates that appeared in Sangamdong, Mapogu have been suppressed!

I-isn’t that right around the corner? This could’ve been bad.

Thankfully, the situation was resolved before it could escalate. South Korea's world-renowned expertise in gate prediction and suppression was a testament to the value of taxpayer contributions. There was no need to run away, moreover when Yu Il-Shin was still taking a dump. But just in case, he decided to check out the internet.

Just then, a strange video appeared on his search results.

China’s hero, Beggar God, reappears at DMC Station?

Beggar God?

He had heard rumors about that man. A rising star in China of at least an S-rank or higher. A double Awakener possessing both combat and healing powers. He was so popular that some even worshiped him as the second coming of Guan Yu. Did such a great person really appear in their neighborhood?

With his curiosity piqued, Team Leader Lee checked the video. The image was poor and shaky, seemingly filmed by a phone, making it difficult to identify the Beggar God’s facial features. Still, something was odd.

...Why does he look familiar?

That man trudging in a training suit and slippers looked extremely familiar.

No, there’s no way.

Team Leader Lee examined the video closely, trying to rid the delusion in his mind.

Boooong!

Out of the blue, a massive dump truck, heavily loaded with construction materials, lost control of its brakes. The vehicle accelerated toward the sidewalk.

“

Aaargh!

R-run!”

“

Kyaaa!

Save me!”

People were screaming and running in all directions.

Clatter clatter—

However, on the sidewalk, an old man with a walker couldn’t escape. He squeezed his eyes shut and screamed as the dump truck came crashing into him.

“G-grandpa! I’m coming for you!”

Bam! Baaam! Screeeech!

A thunderous boom rang. Was this the sound of the afterlife? Shuddering from the ear-splitting explosion, the old man cautiously opened his eyes. His eyesight, deteriorating with age, caught the sight of someone.

“G-grandpa?”

The person before him turned out not to be his late wife, but a youth with disheveled hair in a training suit. To the old man’s surprise, the youth had stopped the dump truck by merely stretching his right foot! Moreover, he’d made a dent on it!

Thud!

Yu Il-Shin ripped open the dump truck door with his bare hands, and then pulled out the unconscious driver.

“

Ugh

.” Yu Il-Shin covered his nose, shaking his head lightly. “This guy’s been drunk-driving. Grandpa, are you okay?”

“

Cough!

M-my waist!” Just as the old man wanted to get up, a tremendous pain shot through his back.

“

Ah

, wait a moment. Healing Ring Finger of God.” Yu Il-Shin extended his ring finger.

Tzzzz!

A dazzling white light enveloped the old man, followed by a miracle.

“

Gasp!

My herniated disc! My chronic arthritis!” The old man, who had to rely on a walker to get around, jumped to his feet. He stretched his back, which was as stiff as a bamboo.

Yu Il-Shin smiled brightly at him. “Are you feeling better now?”

The old man grabbed Yu Il-Shin’s hand, about to say something...

“

Gasp!

” The old man’s eyes widened in shock.

Yu Il-Shin wondered if the old man’s eyes had gotten better as well, but the latter sprinted at full speed like Carl Lewis.

“A-a monster!”

“...He seems fine.”

Yu Il-Shin scratched his head as he watched the old man run off into the distance.

Rip! Riiiip!

Just then, the space behind him tore open, revealing an inky, dark crack.

“Another gate? Just how many of these are popping out?”

Yu Il-Shin frowned. The gates were opening up everywhere like holes in a beehive. Thus, scaly reptilian creatures began descending to Earth.

Recalling something, Yu Il-Shin knelt on the ground.

Slam!

Yu Il-Shin leaped like a bird into the air. He observed the situation and discovered that gates had opened in all directions.

Rip! Riiiip!

“I’m busy, so let’s get it over and done with.” Yu Il-Shin extended his index finger toward the gates on the ground. “Crushing Forefinger of God.”

-

Kueeek!

-

Kyaaaak!

Crush crush!

The monsters that were about to burst through the gates were crushed into a bloody pulp.

Ding!

[Your good deeds have increased by 1,004.]

“Wow.”

Team Leader Lee’s jaws dropped as he watched the video. It looked so unrealistic, he’d have believed it if someone said it was a trailer for a blockbuster movie. The actor wasn’t that great, though. If the video was real, then it’d mean the birth of South Korea’s best Hunter, on par with Sung Mi-Na and Baek Yoo-Hyun.

If this video was true, then we can expect a Hunter War this year!

Like the World Cup, Olympic, Hunter War was a global event.

𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

The Hunter War was a tournament that took place every two years, where renowned Hunters from all over the world competed in a battle of skills. The winner would receive an astronomical prize of 100 million dollars, and have their ranks raised to SSS-rank, a symbol for the world’s top Hunters.

Team Leader Lee was excited, thinking that South Korea would have its own SSS-rank Hunter this year.

“

Aaargh!

”

Just then, a lone scream rang from inside the cubicle.

Did something happen to Yu Il-Shin while he was taking a dump?

“

Gasp!

Mr. Yu! What happened?” Team Leader Lee knocked on the door in panic, but there was no response from inside.

C-could it be...?

Shivers went down his spine and he burst through the door.

Slam!

“Mr. Yu! Huh? Mr....Yu?” Yu Il-Shin, who was supposedly taking a dump inside, had disappeared.

“

Aaargh!

That darn writer! Where did he run off to?!”

***

While imagining my editor’s desperate cries, I picked myself up from the ground. Too many strange things had happened in my life. Who’d have thought that I’d be flushed into the toilet?

“

Ugh

. Where am I?”

I was surrounded by pitch-black darkness, unable to even make out my own fingers. Just as I was about to turn on the flashlight on my phone.

-Don’t you dare turn on that worthless light in my presence, Young God!

An angry voice spoke, and a flame of immense heat burst forth.

“

Ugh!

” I stumbled backward as the light and heat burned my eyes.

Flash!

The darkness surrounding me vanished instantly, revealing the lurking entity.

“

Huh?!”

I almost couldn’t believe what I was seeing. I found myself atop a temple of white and dark clouds, floating in a clear blue sky. At the center was a throne made of clouds, where a giant was seated.

But the giant’s appearance looked strange.

A Birdhead?

Despite having a human body, the giant had the head of an eagle.

“Who...are you?” I asked, both frightened and intrigued.

Then, the Birdhead opened its red beak and shouted with rage.

-I am Fire Shining in the Highest Skies! Don’t you dare say you don’t know me!

He was so angry, he was spewing flames from his mouth.

“

Uhm,

I’m not sure why you’re so upset, but isn’t this our first meeting?”

I could have a bad memory, but there was no way I’d forget a Birdhead.

-Are you still feigning ignorance!?

You!

You killed my brother in Antrinia! I’m Apostle of Fire’s master!

Huh?

Suddenly, I recalled a certain figure. During the Holy War, three apostles had accompanied the imperial army. One of them, the Chariot of Fire, served a god called “Fire Shining in the Highnest Skies.”

But... he just looks like a bird to me.

-

Kekeke.

Fate is on my side! To help your apostle, you killed my alter ego, binding you to my causality! Forcibly summoning you here consumed a lot of my divine power, but burning a Mid-tier God is a piece of cake!

The giant suddenly stood up from his throne.

Gulp!

A cold sweat broke out as a massive 30-meter shadow loomed over me. He looked so small before! Now, he glowered at me with his terrifying fiery eyes. I felt like a worm in front of a rooster!

“

U-uhm

, Bird hyungnim. Please calm down. Why don’t we talk this out like cultured gods?” I tried to calm the furious birdman and quickly whispered to God-Maker, “Anty! Quick, bring me the Asura Spiritwalker Sword! It’s urgent!”

Only now did I regret handing over Demon Lord to Sword Demon. Well, I never knew this would happen?! The birdman’s eyebrows wriggled suspiciously.

-

Ha?

What nonsense are you saying? You killed my apostle and alter ego!

I fell to the ground and cried out, “

Aigoo

, Bird hyungnim! I had just become a god! I couldn’t possibly know they were your underlings?! Please have mercy and forgive me for this once!”

The Birdhead was speechless, looking at me in disbelief.

-...I’ve never seen someone as cowardly as you. Fine then. I’ll forgive you as long as you pay the price.

Thinking that there was a way to solve this peacefully, I cautiously asked, “

Uhm,

and what would that price be...?”

-An eye for an eye! Offer your apostle in the Water World in exchange for my apostle, and give me half of your divine power in exchange for my alter ego! Then I’ll forgive you and accept you as my familiar! You shall become a High-tier God!

I was dumbfounded. Was he asking me to offer Il-Ho to him? My

precious

Il-Ho, who laid down his life to fight the gods, even burning both his arms to save me? Had the Birdhead asked for my life instead, I wouldn't have been this upset!

I got up on my feet. “I’m no pushover.”

-What?

I raised my middle finger at him. “Fuck you! How dare you demand that from me, you damn Birdhead! Wanna get fried?!”

-How dare a lowly god, be disrespectful to the great sun!

The Birdhead gave me a deathly glare, opening his beak.

-You deserve to burn for this!

Magma poured from its beak.

“Fuck! You should die! Convicting Middle Finger of God!”

Crackle crackle!

From the temple in the skies, a tidal wave of red and black flames tangled and exploded violently.