Chapter 282: #God Proves His Qualifications (1)

The black snakes hissed fiercely, writhing violently against my barrier, but to no avail.

Sss—

“So it’s you, snake?”

I stared at the being that summoned the horde of snakes. She was one of the malevolent gods who was tormented and devoured by Ant Emperor in my past life. Well, to be precise, it was only her avatar.

In spite of the time difference, it was the same as in my previous life. Knowing the world would soon be devoured by God of Destroyer, evil gods like her would always go after sacrifices like vultures.

“You... Who are you? It’s my first time seeing you.”

Mixed emotions lingered in Sung Mi-Na’s eyes as she cradled the bloodied Sung Mi-Ri.

I felt a pang in my heart when I realized that we were nothing but strangers. Once again, I felt as if the bond we shared in my previous life had vanished.

[An emergency quest has occurred!]

[Follower Salvation Quest]

[Targets: Sung Mi-Na, Sung Mi-Ri]

[God Yu Il-Shin, will you save your followers Sung Mi-Na and Sung Mi-Ri from a life-threatening crisis? (Yes/No)]

Nevertheless, the connection between us as god and followers still remained, and I was satisfied with that.

I extended my ring finger toward them. “Healing Ring Finger of God.”

Tzzz!

A blinding white light enveloped the wounded Sung sisters, healing them instantly. Their eyes went wide at the miracle.

“H-how do you have such healing powers? Y-you...are you perhaps the S-rank healing Hunter dispatched from America?”

“M-Mr. Yu?” Recovering from her wounds, Sung Mi-Ri got up from her older sister's arms, looking at me with sparkling eyes.

“You...you're my teacher, right? The one who taught me in my dreams... you promised that you will definitely return...”

Unconsciously, a small smile crept up the corners of my lips. I was grateful that she remembered something that happened in her dreams.

“Yes. Hello, Mi-Ri. I've missed you.”

“Mr. Yu... Il-Shin...” Tears welled up in her eyes.

Shocked at her younger sister’s reaction, Sung Mi-Na turned to me once more.

“Y-you're that god?”

Swish swish!

The swarm of snakes retreated like an ebbing tide. Even the snake woman, Ruler of the Abyssal Swamp, observed me and asked in a respectful tone.

-Who are you? That overwhelming divine power, characteristic of High-tier gods... Are you this world’s god?”

“Correct,” I answered.

I endured years of hardship on the Tower of Gods just for one, single reason: becoming a god to protect the world and the people I loved.

“I’m the one and only god of this world, Yu Il-Shin.”

My declaration drew a look of awe from Ruler of the Abyssal Swamp.

-I didn’t expect to find a god with this level of divinity in a world that is fated for doom. I always thought these creatures were God of Destroyer’s sacrifices. Are they perhaps your followers?

“They are my precious family.”

-

Hohoho!

To think you’re family with such lowly beings, what a foolish joke!

Ruler of the Abyssal Swamp puffed her chest.

-Still, I understand. It’d explain why, aside from God of Destroyer’s marks, I also sensed a desirable blessing from them. So, they were protected by you.

She then reached out to the side.

Riiip!

The air ripped open, and a crack filled with pitch-black darkness appeared. She slowly slid inside.

-It's on the account of the god of this world that I'm sparing your lives today. Not like I could defeat a god of your status with this frail body of mine.

I only watched her silently. It’d be pointless to crush an avatar with my ability, especially since my divine power had weakened after summoning my alter egos.

-Still, if you’re dissatisfied, please descend to my world. If you have the guts, of course.

Hohoho!

Her laughter, mixed with seduction and provocation, rang through the air. Then, along with her snakes, she finally disappeared through the crack. Despite that, the crack remained, howling as if beckoning to me.

Oh, so you’re telling me to follow you, huh?

I smiled brightly, then grabbed both Sung Mi-Ri and Sung Mi-Na's hands.

“It seems like I have to finish things up here. Will both of you stay outside and wait for my return?”

“What?”

“Pardon?”

Activating my ability, I continued, “Skill Sharing, Choi Bong-Shik, Ruler of Space.”

Sung Mi-Na shouted with a look of surprise. “W-wai—!”

Swoosh!

As the space warped, the Sung sisters vanished before my eyes. They should be sent to Baek Yu-Hyun, who was still trying to blow up the dungeon’s barrier by the entrance.

Now left alone, I approached the crack in the air.

Tzzz!

The sensation of crossing boundaries of worlds, which I’d experienced countlessly in the Tower of gods, touched my skin. Then, a different view expanded before me. The first thing that hit me was a particularly strong odor, filled with various toxic ingredients. It came from a swamp as black as sewage water, bubbling incessantly like boiling water.

Dipping my feet into the water, I pushed away the hands that tried to grab me. Then, I floated in mid-air, scanning the environment. Unlike Earth, which was made of land and sea, this world was only made up of a bottomless, abyssal swamp.

-

Hohoho!

Who would’ve thought that you’d actually follow me!”

With a capricious laughter, a voluptuous woman, worthy to be hailed as the century’s beauty, appeared. I was uninterested.

Below her curvy, elegant waist was a snake’s lower half, covered in cold, black scales. She resembled the half-human, half-beast Lamia from Greek mythology. Perhaps, the origin of Lamia stemmed from her appearance. After all, I heard the Greek Hunters in my past life had faint traces of divine blood from their gods.

-You must cherish those insects a lot. Or did you want to enjoy your time with me?

She provocatively touched her ample chest, a stark contrast to the caution she'd shown in the dungeon.

“Why have you grown so coy? Didn’t you want me to follow you?”

-

Hohoho!

Indeed! From the moment I laid my eyes on you, I’ve fallen in love! Do you hear my heart pounding in excitement?

Shaaaa!

A forked tongue slithered out from her mouth, licking her lips seductively.

-Still, I can’t fathom you at all. How are you able to harness divine power that surpasses even a High-tier god’s in such an imperfect and weak body from a lower-ranking realm?

Imperfect and weak body?

“Ah, I guess you're right in a way.”

Since my alter egos were away, I calculated that I only had a quarter of my original divine power. Moreover, it belonged to the benevolent god—unlike Yi-Shin and Sam-Shin, who specialized in battle. I had probably seemed like too easy of a target.

Her snake tail sneakily restricted me like a rope.

-I'm more certain after seeing you.

Ruler of the Abyssal Swamp appraised me as if I were a piece of valuable treasure.

-If I devour you, I would easily become what they call the pinnacle of gods—a Top-tier god!

Ohohoho!

She towered over me, opening her jaws so wide that she could easily swallow an elephant whole. Of course, I didn't intend to sit idly by and wait for my death.

“Skill Sharing, Il-Ho's Super Strong Body.”

My imperfect and weak physique transformed into that of Il-Ho’s—no, Eternal Seeker’s ultimate form. As my muscles swelled to the brink of bursting, I added a bit more strength to them.

“Muscles.”

That was all it took to baffle her.

-S-stop whatever you're...!

Riiiip!

-

Kyaaaaak!

She was torn alive into pieces, and parts of her fell into the swamp. As I watched her slowly sink, I wiped her black blood from my face.

-You bastard! How dare youuuuu!

A thunderous roar echoed from the swamp, rocking the entire world.

There, I saw a snake head resembling the giant serpent Leviathan of legends, sharing the color of the swamp. It towered into the sky, its size comparable to a small continent.

-No matter how strong you are, I’m immortal in this world! You’ll eventually fall prey to me!

Ding!

[The incomplete Clear Eyes of God sees the true essence of Ruler of the Abyssal Swamp.]

After seeing her information, I understood where her newfound confidence came from. The swamp was both her flesh and source of divine power, allowing her to regenerate instantly. Had Ant Emperor encountered her here, he’d never be able to defeat her as easily.

-Resistance is futile! Just become my prey quietly, you outlying, nameless god!

I rebutted, “Nameless is my identity from my previous life, though.”

She pretended not to hear and tried to swallow me whole. I simply stared at her blankly. As she pointed out, I was incomplete without my alter egos. Nevertheless, I knew of someone who had a perfect and awesome physique. He was both a god, and my follower.

“Apostle Descend, Mountain-Gnawing Titan.”

-

Kekeke!

Leave it to me, All Phenomena Author!

With an energetic laughter, Mountain-Gnawing Titan descended. More accurately, a part of him had descended into this world.

Baaaam!

A thunderous explosion rocked the world, and pitch-black darkness covered the world, shocking Ruler of the Abyssal Swamp.

-W-what is this! Y-you trapped me here?!

She struggled, twisting herself in an attempt to escape, but the mysterious darkness trapping her was so dense that not even a needle could pass through.

-

Kyaaaaak!

W-what did you do to me?! What exactly is this?!

While I climbed the Tower of Gods, the Mountain-Gnawing Titan had trained throughout the years as acts of penance, or gluttony. He was much larger and stronger than her.

-

Kekeke!

What a small and worthless loach!

The titan laughed boisterously at the Ruler of Abyssal Swamp, who struggled in his gigantic, stony hands.