Chapter 142: Happy Birthday X

Upon hearing my name, Yu Il-Shin, people either prayed or were sarcastic. In reality, I was just an unpopular third-rate novelist. So, how did all of this happen?

-

Kiiieeek!

As the sun gradually became ash grey in color, a phoenix emerged and let out a gruesome cry.

-I’m Sun God! The noblest of beings in this whole universe!

It was the main body of Sun God, otherwise known as Fire Shining in the Highest Skies. His size spanned across hundreds of kilometers.

Instead of burning down all three worlds, Sun God narrowed his target to me and my world. He was trying to make a descent on Earth.

Tzzz!

The sky turned bright red like molten iron, and all the clouds evaporated instantly.

The phoenix opened his beak and let out a scream.

-Even if it costs me all my power, I’ll take your world down with me!

Outraged, the evil phoenix swooped down upon me and my world. I trembled as I held Demon Lord. Not even Kang Woo, who’d regressed multiple times, had encountered anything like this before. This was a calamity I’d brought upon myself.

“Goddammit! Stop spacing out and do something, you idiot!”

My Alter Ego shouted, striking the phoenix’s back with the scimitar divine sword.

Tsss!

“Die! Die, you fucking Birdhead!”

Despite being burned by the flames, my Alter Ego continued to stab the bird’s back.

After exhausting all my divine power, I was rendered useless and powerless. I could barely even stand. I felt like I could collapse at any moment. Surely, my Alter Ego was no different, and yet, he didn’t stop fighting until the end. Did he really come from someone like me?

Maybe it’d be better if he became the main body.

I-I have to do something!

I couldn’t just stand here and get burned alive?! I had to do something...!

But what? What else can I do?

There was nothing I could do, having exhausted all my divine power. At best, I could use Skill Sharing, or use Demon Lord’s Heavenly Sword. Or should I use my last ticket for Heavenly Sword Treasury? What was the point of borrowing another divine sword if the first one didn’t work?

If only I could see the Sun God’s weakness!

Grasping at straws, I used Blind Eyes of God on the phoenix.

Ding!

[Appraisal failed! The rank difference between you and your opponent is too vast!]

Tremble!

I gritted my teeth.

I’ll just have to try, regardless if it works or not.

It probably wouldn’t be enough to stop the phoenix, but I couldn’t just wait for death?! I raised Demon Lord, about to unleash the Demon Lord’s Heavenly Sword...

-Young god, if you’re prepared to die in the name of justice...

A voice rang in my head. The voice of a goddess, soft and deep, like the crescent moon hanging in the night sky.

-I’ll give you a hand.

It came from the Moonlight Sword that Illuminates Evil Doers and their Sins Committed in the Darkness of the Night, which I’d borrowed from the Heavenly Sword Treasury.

-I, Moonlight of Justice, may be a fallen god, but I was once a high-ranking god. I offer my faith to you.

Ding!

[Moonlight Sword that Illuminates Evil Doers and their Sins Committed in the Darkness of the Night has become your temporary follower.]

The sudden change in situation took me by surprise. Then, a giant’s voice rang in my heart.

-

Krrr!

Though weak...I will help! Please take revenge for my goddess!

[Sword of the Mountain-Gnawing Titan has become your temporary follower.]

Then, Akdol, Lin Xiao Ming’s evangelism, Sword Demon’s growth added to the number of S-rank and above followers I had, along with the faith of the divine swords.

-----

[Quest: Mid-tier Benevolent God Promotion (In Progress)]

Followers of intelligent beings at S-rank and above with potential for transcendence: 100(↑30)/100

-----

Ding!

[Congratulations. You have completed the quest: Mid-tier Benevolent God Promotion.]

[You have been promoted to a Mid-tier Benevolent God!]

[You are also a Mid-tier Malevolent God.]

[The powers of good and evil are in perfect harmony.]

-Look, Young God. This is the strongest God of Sword since the beginning of time.

The Moon Goddess spoke.

Tzzz!

At the same time, a golden, crescent-shaped light flashed in my eyes.

[Blind Eyes of God has evolved to Rank A.]

[Blind Eyes of God sees the Sun God’s fear.]

Instead of the phoenix that wanted to strike both myself and the Earth...

Roooooar!

Instead of the phoenix that threatened to strike both myself and Earth, an endless and magnificent universe unfolded before me.

-

Kiiieeek!

No, that wasn’t the universe. Despite being as vast as one and contained equally beautiful shining stars, it was just a world-devouring monster. The root of all evil, God of Destroyer.

Someone was fighting against it. It was the Moon Goddess’ apostle, White Knight, whom I’d seen in her memories. Countless swords surrounded him, ranging from typical designs to ones that could hardly be called swords. A giant pillar-looking sword, a rapier, a lightsaber, and a contrasting pitch-black sword...

-O’ Thousand Swords, tear that worm apart!

Slash slash!

The Thousand Swords moved like one in the hands of the White Knight. Despite being a mere speck of dust compared to his cosmical opponent, the Thousand Swords were different. They had transcended all divine skills.

-I’m filled with shame.

Overflowing with admiration and shame, Demon Lord lamented as he watched the scene unfold.

-That is the true Sword God.

Like a spine absorbing water, Demon Lord learned and absorbed the White Knight’s sword techniques. Then, his subconscious recalled the one technique he’d yet to complete when he was still alive.

The final stance of the Demon Lord’s Heavenly Sword, meant to kill the God of Destroyer. Like a mirage, the move couldn’t be touched by human hands.

-

Kiiieeek!

However, the White Knight eventually met his end.

-Damn...it...worm. Just you wait. I might have lost today, but I will definitely be ba

—Aaargh!

The White Knight and his Thousand Swords were reduced to ashes by the God of Destroyer’s black flames.

-

Ah!

Not even Sword God could lay a hand on the God of Destroyer!

Full of regret, Demon Lord looked at the empty space where the White Knight had ceased to exist.

-If only he’d learned my last technique, Demon Lord’s Heavenly... Demon Lord’s Disintegration!

It was a mere illusion, but that Sword God would definitely have transcended and executed the real move in reality.

-What a shame!

Swoosh!

Then, the God of Destroyer shattered into a hundred pieces, scattered across the vast universe.

-If only that bastard died back then!

Demon Lord roared in anger.

After all, one of those alter egos would destroy his world. The place where God of Destroyer and White Knight had disappeared was replaced by a void. Now left alone in that void, I saw

it.

I watched White Knight’s Thousand Swords movements over and over again. I broke them into thousands of frames, and tried to recreate the same movements.

However, I couldn’t replicate it perfectly, for his sword was the Sword of God, belonging to the ultimate Sword God. So, I wielded another sword of the Sword God’s that I knew of.

“...The four Kalpa mentioned in Buddhism consisted of formation, continuance, decline, and disintegration, where only destruction remains.”

The final stance of Demon Lord’s Heavenly Sword, which Demon Lord failed to complete. The mystery of nothingness that swallowed destruction.

Both Demon Lord and I could see what each of us was seeing. We were resonating. Sword and Body as One. At this moment, we were one, like how the sword and I were one body.

I returned to reality, where a phoenix was spewing flames of destruction, about to destroy my world.

-Burn with your world, Fringe God!

I directed Demon Lord at the Sun God.

Tzzz!

An energy, neither good nor evil, glimmered at the tip of my blade. I muttered the name of the unfinished stance.

“Demon Lord’s...Disintegration.”

I drew the blade at the phoenix.

Sss—

Too adept for a human, yet too lackluster for a god.

Slash!

-

Kieeeek!

Even so, it was enough to slash the phoenix into two.

Ding!

[You have saved the three worlds: Antrinia, Waternia and Earth.]

[You have exceeded the number of good deeds required for the quest: A Hundred Good Deeds a day Makes the World a Beautiful Place.]

[999,999,999(↑)/10,000,000.]

[Infinite Abundance was overflowing with emotions as she clutched her chest with both hands, bestowing quest rewards and blessings upon you.]

[Your benevolent title, Benevolent Savior, went from Rank B to A.]

[The newly leveled-up benevolent god title has changed Yu Il-Shin's alignment from neutral to good.]

[Several high-ranking malevolent gods are displeased with you.]

Ding!

[As a reward for attaining Mid-tier Divinity as both a Benevolent and Malevolent God, you’re now eligible to join the God’s Sacrificial War!]

***

I was Yu Il-Shin. God of Antrinia, and also the hero who’d defended the world from the raging phoenix. At the same time...

“

Haa,

Mr. Yu. So, this is how this chapter ends?”

I was also a writer who couldn’t meet his deadline and was eventually canned by the publisher. Canned was a slang for the horrifying and inhuman practice of locking up writers in the publishers’ offices. They’d be forced to squeeze out their manuscripts like sesame oil until they were finished.

“...Yes. Is it weird?”

“

Haa...”

My editor shook his head, seemingly having a lot to say but didn’t want to.

“Anyway, let’s get the manuscript wrapped up first!”

“Okay.”

My shoulders slumped, and I returned to typing away on my keyboard.

After pulling three all-nighters, my table was piled high with bottles of Bacchus-F and bowls of black bean noodles.

Huhuhu, I want to go home.

However, my editor-in-charge refused to leave the office, as if we were one body.

“

Hmm.

” The heartless editor-in-charge then asked out of nowhere, “By the way, what happened to the rewards received from the Abundance God?”

***

Mount Tai, once home to the headquarters of the Three Martial Association, had a village secretly hidden in its depths.

“

Huh!

What’s that?”

The villagers gathered there, staring in awe at the mysterious object descending from the sky.

“A-an angel?”

Flutter!

Angels were descending upon the village. They were so petite and cute that anyone would want to nibble on them.

-Kya kya kya!

What seemed like hundreds of them were carrying something—a large coffin that didn’t seem to fit their angelic appearance. Lilith, who led the angels, scanned the village. Then, her eyes sparkled and she landed before a middle-aged woman. The angels set down the coffin in front of said woman.

The woman and the villagers were puzzled by the sight.

Creeeak!

The coffin lid clattered open, and a tall girl stepped out of it, clutching her head.

“

Ugh

... My head... But where is this...? Ah, Mother?” The little girl’s eyes widened at the sight of the middle-aged woman. Bursting into tears, the older lady hugged Xu Zhu tightly.

“X-Xu Zhu! My daughter! You’re back at last!

Waaah!

Mr. Yu Il-Shin was right!”

Xu Zhu had many questions in her mind. Why was she here? How did her mother know Yu Il-Shin? Above all, she definitely died, so how was she still alive?

But the only thing she could say was...

“Mother... I misse—I’m glad you’re fi—

Waaaah!

” she could only cry.

But suddenly, a familiar voice rang in her ears.

-Happy birthday, Xu Zhu.

Was that an illusion?

The world whispered its blessing to her.