Chapter 227: #Please, Please Believe in Me

Tzzz!

Immense heat surged through Ant Emperor like a molten piece of steel. As he fully regenerated, demonic horns sprouted from his head. His ominous red eyes reflected the flustered Il-Ho.

“I hate insects.”

“

Argh!

Emperor!”

A sense of dread surged through Il-Ho as he slammed his other fist toward the emperor’s head—but the latter's finger struck first.

In an intoxicated, languid tone, Ant Emperor muttered in disgust, “Get off me, you worm.”

Baaaam!

From his index finger, majestic flames burst forth like an erupting volcano. Il-Ho gritted his teeth as he defended himself.

“

Aaargh!”

Engulfed in flames, Il-Ho shot into the sky like a rocket.

Ant Emperor looked at Il-Ho, who was now nothing but a tiny dot in the sky. “My servant, Poison Sword Buttor.”

Craaack!

Like a candle that burned the brightest just before it went out or a twilight reaching the apex of its beauty just before the night...

His wings fluttered in the flames as he took flight in his new form.

Swoosh!

Seeing the emperor closing in rapidly, Il-Ho tried to fight back despite the scorching flames.

“

Uuurk!

Muuuscles!

”

“Keep squirming, you insect.”

Boooom!

A golden flash and fire sparks clashed in the sky. A deafening explosion rang above the entire African continent. It was a battle of gods, right out of ancient mythologies. And yet, the tide of battle had begun to favor the emperor.

“Is that all you’ve got, insect?”

“

Haa! Haa!

Not yet!”

Bam!

Clad in a golden helmet, Il-Ho punched the emperor in the head. However, the latter didn’t even flinch.

Crack!

Instead, Il-Ho’s fist suffered from the collision.

Crack!

“

Aaargh!”

“What a disappointment.” Ant Emperor opened his jaws wide, but Il-Ho was able to dodge in time.

Blood fell to the ground like raindrops, dripping on my face as I stared into the air. A child-sized flesh was torn off from Il-Ho’s right shoulder.

Meanwhile, Ant Emperor’s throat twitched as he chewed on Il-Ho’s flesh.

Gulp!

“

Keke!

This is delicious!”

Kwaaa!

A golden brilliance similar to Il-Ho’s then enveloped the emperor. “Quite a useful ability for an insect.”

Pssss—

Then, he looked at his charred form. “Seems like I have roughly ten more minutes to live. Entertain me, Worm.”

Gasping for breath, Il-Ho clutched his wounded right shoulder and gritted his teeth.

“Don’t look down on me, Emperor! Muscles, give me strength!”

With a final push, Il-Ho’s golden aura soared into the sky, glowing as brilliant as the sun. However, the reality was far too harsh.

I tearfully looked up at the sky. “S-stop...!”

Having paid the ultimate price, Ant Emperor’s power now far surpassed Il-Ho’s. Although it was only for a moment, he seemed to have attained the highest level of divinity—Top-tier godhood.

“P-please...!”

Craaaack!

“

Aaaargh!

”

Along with a pathetic scream, a part of Il-Ho’s abdomen was torn apart.

Gulp!

He was being devoured alive like a herbivore being eaten by a school of piranhas,. Ant Emperor could’ve ended Il-Ho’s life right there and then, but he chose not to. With Il-Ho’s blood all over his mouth, the emperor's voice eerily slipped into my ear.

-

Keke,

how do you feel, Yu Il-Shin?

“Stop, please... Just kill me instead...”

-And why exactly would I do you that favor? You took away Arachne and my empire, which I’d built painstakingly for five hundred years. Now watch as your precious follower dies by my hand!

“

Aaaargh!

”

“Stop it, you fucking bastard!”

Clank!

I jerked my head back. I had one last trick up my sleeve. I didn’t know if this would work, but I couldn’t just stand by and watch Il-Ho get killed!

“Summon Heavenly Sword Treasury!”

I only had one ticket left to access All-Cutting Heavenly Sword’s treasury. Although I couldn’t possibly wield a sword, as long as I could deliver it to Il-Ho, then surely...!

Ding!

[The Heavenly Sword Treasury is descending onto Earth!]

As usual, time seemed to freeze. The emperor, cruelly laughing as he chewed on Il-Ho’s flesh; the panicking audience; and the Hunters scrambling to evacuate—everyone stood frozen in place.

Riiip!

The space around me cracked. Soon, the endless expanse of pure white space, filled with divine swords, appeared before me.

Thud! Thud!

I desperately calmed my turbulent heart. I had to choose a divine sword powerful enough to shift the tide!

Just then, I received a message from All-Cutting Heavenly Sword.

[All-Cutting Heavenly Sword expresses his regret, saying that the last ticket should’ve been used against God of Destroyer instead. Nevertheless, he understands your situation and wishes for you to stay alive.]

Creaaaak!

I was about to step into the treasury when the emperor’s fiery eyes shifted to me. It wasn’t an illusion.

-No one can interfere with my final battle! Even if you stand at the pinnacle of gods, I won’t allow it!

The emperor’s roar echoed in the frozen world.

Kwaaaa! Pssss!

He began to burn faster, causing more ash to flutter wildly in the air.

Ding!

[The emperor has consumed high amounts of causality.]

[Heavenly Sword Treasury’s Descent has been canceled.]

The rift in the space instantly reopened, and time began to flow again.

[All-Cutting Heavenly Sword frowned deeply.]

[Infinite Abundance covers her mouth, astonished at the emperor’s power...]

“Scram, all of you!” the emperor roared with an earth-shattering force.

I could no longer feel the presence of my stalkers. He glared furiously at me as I panicked.

“I can only hold them off for a few minutes, but that’s more than enough!”

“

Urk

...”

Ant Emperor lifted the heavily wounded Il-Ho by the neck with his tail. “After getting rid of all of you, I’ll blow up the entire planet to smithereens, and that bastard Despair will come crawling!”

Ant Emperor placed his index finger on Il-Ho’s head. “I’ll start with you. Now, Yu Il-Shin, watch as I kill your apostle like an insect!”

Crush!

Like how I crushed bugs, he began crushing Il-Ho’s head.

“

Aaargh! Aaaaargh!

”

Il-Ho’s screams of agony rang in the air.

“No! Stop, you bastard! Lazenca! Go!”

-Roger!

Swoosh!

No longer able to ignore Il-Ho's plight, Lazenca went for the emperor at the speed of light.

“

Hmph!

”

A single flick of his tail sent Lazenca and me crashing to the ground in heaps.

Baaaaam!

“

Uuugh...”

I groaned in pain, stumbling out of the half-wrecked Lazenca.

“

Keke!

Yes! This is what I wanted to see!” The emperor laughed ruthlessly as I struggled, squirming without arms.

“I... must save... Il-Ho...”

I couldn’t allow Eternal Seeker’s sacrifice to go to waste. I had to save Il-Ho—even if it cost me my life! And yet, I was far too powerless.

“Mr. Yuuuu!”

“Il-Shin!”

“You monster! How dare you do that to Mr. Sword God!”

“I'm going to tear you apart!”

Unable to stand by any longer, Sung Mi-Ri, Sung Mi-Na, Sword Demon, Lin Xiaoming, and the others abandoned the evacuation and rushed over.

No! Don't come over! You guys are no match for the emperor!

I tried to scream, but all I could do was cough up a thick stream of blood.

“

Ho?”

The emperor smiled sinisterly. “Plenty of followers for me to slaughter, huh?”

He then raised his index finger. “Carnage Flames of God.”

A huge burst of flames came from his finger, spanning a few kilometers in radius.

“I'll kill all of you in one fell swoop.”

The world was dyed red like fresh blood.

“

Huu...”

Tears streamed down my face. I had become a god because I’d stumbled upon God-Maker out of nowhere. In truth, I was unfit to be one. Why was I chosen? Couldn't there have been someone more capable?

Whiiiing!

The few remaining camera drones projected my crying face to the entire world. Surely, even those from the Great Cosmic Empire could see my pathetic side. I was clearly unworthy to be a god. But it wasn’t like I had a replacement ready.

“Skill sharing... Sung Mi-Na, Power of Words...”

-----

[Quest: High-tier Benevolent God (In progress)]

Normal Followers: 972,345,159,344 (Great Cosmic Empire 1,222,441(↑), Earth 43,455(↑)) / 1,000,000,000,000

S-rank or Higher Intelligent Followers: 9,692 (Great Cosmic Empire 111(↑), Earth, 6(↑)) / 10,000

-----

Just a bit more—just a bit more, and I could become a High-tier god!

“Now,

say I belie

...

”

I couldn’t say it. What was the point if it was through brainwashing? An ascension wouldn’t guarantee my victory anyway. That monster had gained more power through self-immolation.

Crying tears of blood, I shook my head at my audience. Like a follower begging for salvation, I pleaded, “Everyone, please... please believe in me. Please allow me... to save you all and my loved ones... Please lend me your power...”

The emperor sneered. “

Ahahaha!

Pathetic! Absolutely pathetic, Yu Il-Shin! You're groveling for those worms?! Spare me! Just shut up and pay for the blood spilled by my empire—and for Arachne!”

He prepared to unleash flames of despair again.

Baaaam!

𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

“

Waaah!

Uncle! Uncle!”

“Seong-Yeon! No, don’t go!”

Seong-Yeon ran to me. My older sister hastily embraced her, trying to protect her from harm.

In that split-second, the soot-covered emperor stopped—and I didn’t miss it.

Swish!

“

Argh!”

Destructive flames rained down on the emperor, severing one of his arms.

“You, what is that...?”

Crack!

He stared in astonishment as I bit Demon Lord like a wolf.

Shaaa!

Instead of answering, the black and white feathers of my wings scattered into the sky.