Chapter 249: #New! Tower of Gods

Chapter 249: #New! Tower of Gods

Indeed, as they said,

“Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.”

~

“

Kekeke!

Delicious!”

Crack crack—gulp!

The emperor’s fighting style was straight out of a horror movie,

I instinctively thought as I watched Ant Emperor tear Gustav’s limbs from its body while standing atop the corpses of the Three Pure Ones.

The battle began with Ant Emperor jumping straight into Gustav’s jaw.

“

Kehgk! Gaaah!

”

At first, Gustav writhed like a human infected with zombie virus. He then roared and attacked the Three Pure ones.

“

Grrrr!

Kill him! Kill him!”

“You worthless punk!”

“How dare you bare your fangs at the great gods!”

Swoosh!

Yuqing, Shangqing, Taiqing—self-proclaimed otherworldly gods—unleashed their ultimate skills on Gustav, reducing him into a pile of flesh. But that was only the beginning.

“

Koff!

Uuoorgh!

”

“Fist Martial? What’s wrong?”

Taiqing convulsed and struck Yuqing’s head. Barely managing to block the attack with his sword, Yuqing was pushed back several meters. Coughing blood, he glared at Taiqing.

“How dare you use the Hundred Steps Technique on me! Are you mad, Taiqing!”

“I-I didn’t mean to. This insect sneaked into my body...!

Augh!

You cowardly insect! What sorcery is this?!” Taiqing roared as he struck himself, but he only harmed himself.

Crack crack!

-

Kekeke! Kehahaha!

You’re now my plaything!

Along with Ant Emperor’s maniacal laughter, insect-like bumps appeared all over Taiqing, wriggling in place.

“

Gaaaah!

S-save me!”

“Stop moving, Taiqing!”

Tzzz!

Raising his sword that emitted a blue glow, Yuqing focused and slashed Taiqing’s shoulder.

“I caught him!” At the tip of his sword was a bloody insect.

My heart sank for a moment, but Yuqing gasped loudly.

“I-I was mistaken?”

It was just a piece of shed skin.

“

Aaaargh!

”

Taiqing coughed up black blood and collapsed to the ground.

Thud!

“T-Taiqing? What’s wrong? I made sure to avoid any vital spots!” Yuqing yelled but never got a reply.

Ant Emperor sat arrogantly on Yuqing’s sword. “

Keke.

I moved his divine core to where you struck him.”

“Y-you vile insect!” Yuqing roared in rage, attempting to attack Ant Emperor.

Ant Emperor laughed ruthlessly and raised his hand at Yuqing’s head.

Whoosh!

“Carnage Flames of God!”

Magma-like flames erupted from his hand.

“

Aaaargh!

”

Kwaaaa!

Yuqing’s mask melted, revealing his face. It had been burned like charcoal.

“

Grrr

...”

Thud! Pzzz!

Yuqing crumbled, and black particles rose in the air.

Having lost two comrades, Shangqing stammered and trembled violently. “T-Taiqing? Y-Yuqing?”

Ant Emperor looked at his next target and licked his lips. “Are you next?”

“

Eeek!

N-noooo!”

Losing his will to fight, Shangqing fled, essentially exposing his back to his enemy.

Swish swish!

In mere seconds, his legs were severed, and his neck was sliced open.

Watching Ant Emperor lick the blood off his scythe-like arms, a serious thought hit me. Though fallen, the three gods’ combined power rivaled that of a Mid-tier god. Yet, the emperor still slew them without much difficulty. Despite the slight gap in divine power, their combat instincts and technique were on a whole different level.

Just how did I manage to defeat the emperor in my previous life? Once again, I resolved never to get on his bad side.

Crack crack—Gulp!

Ant Emperor sat atop the corpses of the Three Pure Ones, chewing crocodile meat as he stared blankly at me.

“Why are you just standing there? I left the human alone like you requested.”

Right, only Johan was left alive during the slaughter.

“

Eeek!

”

Johan couldn’t even think of running away; he just sat there trembling. He seemed to have completely lost his will to fight.

“Evil God! No matter how strong you are, you won’t stand a chance against Despair and God of Destroyer! From the dawn of time, we’re but mere insects to the harbingers of destruction! We can never defy theeeem!” Johan screamed in agony.

Despair had toyed with him, ridiculing his fate. Overcome with despair and fear, Johan got corrupted and ultimately met his demise as punishment for his sins. However, after being reborn in Antrinia, he atoned and lived like a saint.

Now that he’d yet to commit any great sins in life, I wanted to give him a chance. I raised Demon Lord. Though I couldn’t use the Mountain-Gnawing Titan’s sword, there were still remnants of his divine power in me.

“Sword of the Mountain-Gnawing Titan.”

I channeled my divine power through Demon Lord.

Woooong!

Through the dagger, a sword aura capable of piercing through the sky surged upward. Johan trembled in fear as he watched. Recalling my beloved family and friends whom I had lost in my past life, I clenched my teeth.

“It’ll be different this time. I am going to stop it no matter what,” I vowed to myself. “So put your trust in me, Johan.”

I swung Demon Lord down.

“

Aaaargh!

”

Baaaam!

A deafening explosion rumbled through the ground as Johan’s screams echoed through the sky.

Ant Emperor’s eyes widened in shock.

“

Ho.

Who would’ve thought you could cause so much destruction on the training ground I’ve created with my divine power.”

He chuckled as he looked at the massive crack beside the unconscious Johan, who had peed himself.

“You’re indeed worthy of being my friend.”

***

To commemorate Gustav and the Three Pure Ones’ defeat, Ant Emperor held a celebratory banquet. It was a modest gathering with only four participants: me, Ant Emperor, Goddess Arachne, and Saintess Anty.

Johan had been incarcerated in a specially constructed prison. Although he was still unconscious, the message that he’d become my fanatic already appeared earlier, so I decided not to worry too much about the future.

What worried me the most now was the emperor.

Glug glug!

“E-Emperor, my friend. Slow down!”

“

Hmph

, what do you take me for? This is nothing!”

I had never doubted his abilities, but seeing the mountain of wine jars piled up behind him, I couldn’t help but worry.

Glug glug!

“Oh my, Your Majesty. Please don’t just drink the wine, have some food too. You could ruin your stomach.”

“

Hmph.

How dare you see me as an inferior being!”

“Now, please open your mouth~”

“

Tsk!

” Ant Emperor snapped.

Ignoring his fits, Arachne handed a piece of meat that... could be made of anything. He momentarily glared at her with displeasure but eventually gave in and opened his mouth.

I was certain by now that he was a tsundere!

“L-Lord Yu Il-Shin!”

“

Hmm?

Yeah?”

“Please open your mouth~” Anty mimicked, handing me a piece of meat with sparkling eyes. Was she in some sort of rivalry with Arachne?

They served different gods, but Arachne was clearly more accomplished. She had connections with countless gods from the Hundred Gods Temple and could even open gates to Earth. I often saw Anty getting frustrated when Arachne helped with my work.

However, I could say for certain that Anty was never inferior to Arachne in any way. After all, she was the ruler of a great empire in her previous life. Above all, Anty was so much cuter than Arachne!

“

Gosh

, hurry and say, ‘

Aah’

!” she urged me.

Her plump, white cheeks puffed up, looking so adorable that I couldn’t help but stroke her head gently.

“Good girl.”

Anty laughed. “

Hehehe

.”

Getting to see Anty in person was one of the best things about being reincarnated as an ant in Antrinia.

Glug glug!

Ant Emperor emptied another cup of wine and tossed it behind him. Reeking of alcohol, he shouted, “

Aaargh!

Yeah~ I believe in youuuu~ Of courseeee~”

Emperor, you punk. You said you wouldn’t get drunk, but you’re slurring already?

“It’s the first time in five hundred years that I’ve believed in someone~

Hic!

”

Bam!

He slapped my shoulder without controlling his strength. I thought it would break!

“I believe you will never disappoint me~ Yu Il-Shin~ You will find a way to tear apart that damned bastard into pieces, right? Riiiight~?”

He glared at me with murderous intent. I knew it wasn’t directed at me, but I still trembled nonetheless.

“Y-yeah. Trust me, Friend!”

“

Kekeke

. That’s right, that’s what my true friend does!”

He slapped my shoulder once more, then emptied another wine jar in a gulp. After another mountain of empty wine jars, he passed out in a drunken stupor.

“Yu Il-Shin... thank you... for letting me see my mother again...

Hic...

”

The emperor seemed to be the type to cry when he was drunk. He never elaborated on what he saw in me through the Young Parasitic God skill, but he seemed to have seen his mother from his past life. To be honest, I couldn’t understand how the memories of his mother could reside in me at all.

“Oh my~ Your Majesty is in such a good mood that he’s had too much to drink. I’ll be escorting His Majesty to his chambers. I’ll see you tomorrow then, Noble One.”

“See you.”

Arachne gently picked up Ant Emperor and disappeared with a crafty smile.

“Lord Yu Il-Shin, are you feeling unwell? Why do you look so pale?”

“Oh, I tend to get like this when I drink.

Hahaha

!”

Despite my laughter, a huge storm was brewing in my mind.

Fuck, what should I do?

In fact, the plan I had devised to defeat Despair was actually the Tower of Warriors. I recalled that Il-Ho, who had obtained his powers through it, was able to damage Despair. But in this life, both the Tower of Warriors and Blessing of the Growth God series were absent in the God’s Shop.

Does Eternal Seeker not exist in this life, too?

Perhaps it was the effect of breaking the Mobius Loop when I became an ant and died at my own hands. Avoiding death was fortunate in itself, but facing Despair made me feel utterly helpless. What could I possibly do to defeat Despair—whom even the Top-tier gods dared not touch—and the abominable god she’d given birth to?

Moreover, I hadn’t met Silently Crawling Nightmare or Infinite Abundance yet in this life. The situation was turning desperate. At this rate, I wouldn’t be able to look Ant Emperor in the eye anymore! Heck, he could even devour me instead!

Ding!

I got a notification from God-Maker.

[New items have been added to God’s Shop.]

“Huh?”

Ssss!

My view changed, and the newly added items began to appear in the God’s Shop window.

-----

[New! Tower of Gods]

An upgraded version of Tower of Warriors.

-----

Huh? What’s this?