Chapter 284: #God Proves His Qualifications (3)

-

Kyak! Kyak!

Akdol ran on his short legs, excitedly wagging his tail as he chased down the loach. I crouched by the pond, smiling with satisfaction as I watched how hyperactive he was.

“

Hmm

.” I stood up and looked around the area.

I was back in Antrinia, more precisely at the Ant Emperor’s imperial castle. Its splendor and grandeur truly befitted the title of an imperial castle—it was on a completely different level from the Holy Nation of Gayami I had built in my past life. As a reference, Akdol’s pond was about the size of a lake.

As a side note, I’d been reduced to the size of an ant, fitting to my current world. This skill, which allowed me to freely adjust my size, was obtained from a follower I met in the Tower of Gods, the magical girl they called Ever-Changing. Although she was more like a thief than a magical girl.

Wow, how long has this been?

Based on this world’s flow of time, I should’ve only been gone for a few months at most. However, I’d been locked up in the tower for thousands of years. It was a new experience.

“

Phew

, this feels great.”

It was a momentary happiness. Since I was here, I thought of seeing my friends and children. Was everyone doing well?

Bam!

“

Hmm?

”

A loud crash behind me made me turn. I saw a man dropping his enormous dumbbells, staring at me wide-eyed.

“N-no way...”

The man, who looked like a seasoned fighter with tanned, muscular arms, came rushing toward me in tears. It was Il-Ho.

Thud thud!

“L-Lord Yu Il-Shin! You’ve finally returned!

Waaaah!

”

“Hey, Il-Ho. How have you been?” I grinned, opening my arms wide to catch Il-Ho as he ran into me.

“

Waaah!

Do you know how worried we were about you?!

Waaah!

”

“

Cough!

I-Il-Ho! Y-you’re suffocating me!”

I could feel myself almost breaking from his hug! Even though my alter egos were away, reducing my divine power, I was still as powerful as a Top-tier god! Still, Il-Ho’s monstrous strength, which had surpassed that of a god or a warrior, was beyond my imagination!

“Ah! I was so happy that I forgot to control myself! Lord Yu Il-Shin! Please forgive my blasphemy!” Shocked, Il-Ho fell to his knees.

“Il-Ho, can you wait here for a moment?”

“Pardon?”

I then looked at him with Clear Eyes of God.

Ding!

[The incomplete Clear Eyes of God sees Il-Ho.]

Chills ran down my spine the moment I saw his status window.

N-no way!

Although faint, I clearly felt it flowing inside him—a very,

very

familiar divine power. That dazzling, golden divine power was unmistakably Eternal Seeker Il-Ho’s!

“

Huuuh?!

L-Lord Yu Il-Shin? Are you crying?”

“I-It’s nothing.” I hurriedly wiped away the tears with my sleeve.

Thank goodness. Really. Although the Eternal Seeker Il-Ho had perished, a fragment of his divine power remained within Il-Ho, perhaps as a result of causality. This realization overwhelmed me with joy.

Quickly composing myself, I then asked Il-Ho, “How are the others doing? Where is Anty?”

“

Ack!

Are you talking about Empress Anty?”

Confused, I tilted my head. “Huh? What do you mean? Anty has become the empress?”

I couldn’t understand. I’d never created the Gayami Nation in this life, so how did she become one?

***

In the Great Hall of the Iron-blood Empire, tens of thousands of loyal subjects bowed toward the magnificent throne, where their ruler sat. At the throne’s side stood the Ten Swords, emblem of the empire, and Yi-Ho—the spearman of Gayami and commander of the imperial guard—the only one granted the right to bear arms there.

The owner of the throne was a beautiful woman with snow-white skin. Clasping her hands tightly, she solemnly said, “Have you still not found the cause?”

The atmosphere in the Great Hall turned icy.

“We humbly apologize, Your Majesty!”

“We have searched high and low, but we have yet to find the origin!” The tens of thousands of ministers bowed their heads in shame.

“Oh, God Yu Il-Shin...”

Tears welled up in Anty’s emerald eyes. Indeed, she was the ruler of what was now known as Iron-blood Gayami Nation. The cause of the hearing was the Tower of Gods, where God Yu Il-shin—the late emperor’s close friend and deity of the Gayami Tribe—had vanished without a trace.

Seeing her tears, Kamikiri raised his scythe-like arms, exuding bloodlust. “You worthless creatures! I’ll offer your heads to Her Majesty!”

𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

“

Eeek!

”

“Your Majesty! Please have mercy!”

“Stop it, Sir Kamikiri. They aren’t at fault.” Anty reached out to stop Kamikiri, then turned to the spider standing beside her. “Arachne unni, did we receive any response from the Hundred Seats?”

Arachne shook her head. “Please don’t use honorifics with me, Your Majesty. I consulted the oracle, but since the Tower of Gods was built by the Top-tier gods, the Hundred Seats couldn’t determine anything. Perhaps the War God could shed some light on the matter, but even he has remained silent for some time now.”

“

Waaah!

God Yu ll-Shin, please be safe...

Waaah!

” Unable to hold back any longer, Anty wept bitterly, covering her face. The fear of being unable to see her god, who’d entered the Tower of Gods alone to save everyone, washed over her like a tidal wave.

“Y-Your Majesty! Please stop your tears!”

“Your Majesty! We deserve to die for our transgression!”

Everyone in the Great Hall was flustered by her tears and was at a loss for what to do.

Just then, a loud commotion came from behind the tightly shut doors to the Great Hall.

“Sir Il-Ho! There is a meeting in session! Not even you are allowed to enter!”

“Get out of my way! I have urgent news for Her Majesty Anty!

Haaa!

Muuuuscles!”

Baaaam!

The palace doors burst open, almost exploding. With the force of a bull, Il-Ho pushed back at least a hundred guards with his trudgings.

Then, a man radiating a brilliant white aura appeared behind him.

“

Uugh!

So bright!”

“S-such holy energy!”

Countless loyal subjects couldn’t afford to look directly at Yu Il-Shin and parted to the sides like the Red Sea. When Yu Il-Shin’s eyes met Anty’s, he smiled brightly, waving at her.

“Hello, Anty. How have you been?

Whoa

, you’ve gotten so beautiful since we last met!”

“

Aah

...”

Anty was so taken aback that she couldn’t breathe for a few seconds. Though his appearance had changed slightly, that radiant smile and the warmth of his divine power were unmistakably those of God Yu Il-Shin—the savior of both her and the Gayami Tribe.

“L-Lord Yu Il-Shin? Is that really you?”

“Yeah, it’s me.”

“

Waaaah!

Lord Yu Il-Shiiin!” Anty leapt from the throne and ran toward him in her snow-white dress and crown, reminiscent of a pretty white butterfly flying toward a flower.

Yu Il-Shin spread his arms wide, welcoming her.

“Lord Yu Il-Shin!”

“Anty!”

As they shared an emotional reunion, a terrifying sound rumbled like a bolt out of the blue, and the Great Hall’s ceiling shattered.

Baaaam!

At the same time, something fell on them, creating a massive crater in the hall.

Sss—

The intruder rose to his feet. Though covered in rags, the aura he radiated was unusual.

“

Huh?!

T-that person!”

The Ten Swords and the ministers bowed respectfully in acknowledgement.

“Your Majesty, Supreme Emperor!”

“Former ruler of the great empire! Long live Your Majesty, Supreme Emperor!”

He was different from Empress Anty. Overwhelming fear and boundless reverence filled the Great Hall.

“Have you returned, Your Majesty?” With a face of mixed emotions, Arachne draped the imperial robe over Ant Emperor’s shoulder.

“Don’t call me that. I’m no longer the emperor.”

“Although you have stepped down from the throne, you’re still my one and only emperor. Since you’ve returned safely, you must have triumphed in the Gods’ Sacrificial War.”

Wiping off the black blood on the corner of his mouth, Ant Emperor replied, “Yes. I just defeated Beast of Deceit and Rapacity.”

“As expected of my master, what a great achievement.”

“

Hmph

, that was nothing. I was going to deal with Ruler of the Abyssal Swamp as well, but it seems like I was beaten to it.”

The emperor glared at Yu Il-Shin with his usual arrogant gaze.

“I sensed a familiar divine power on my territory. So it was you after all. How did you return so quickly?” Staring at Yu Il-Shin intently, he shook his head shortly after. “No, not so quickly, actually. The traces of at least three thousand years are imprinted on you. Have you transcended time and space?”

Yu Il-Shin nodded. “Yeah, but it wasn’t intentional.”

“...Regardless. The fact that you’ve returned means you’ve grown strong enough to fulfill my lifelong wish, I assume?”

“To some extent.”

The emperor shrugged, then laughed heartily. “You sound quite confident.”

Still, was it just me, or did he just emit murderous intent as he spoke?

Sensing it, Arachne bowed respectfully as she jumped into the conversation, “I shall prepare a celebratory banquet for Your Majesty’s victory and Yu Il-Shin’s return. Please proceed to your quarters.”

“A banquet... sounds good.” A sinister smile appeared on the hooded emperor’s face. “But before that...”

A crimson energy surged from him. “Show me your strength, Yu Il-Shin!”

He vanished instantly, moving at tremendous speed.

Baaam!

The next moment, he struck Yu Il-Shin squarely in the leg, sending him flying through the hole in the ceiling like a rocket launched into the sky.

“Kyaaak!

Lord Yu Il-Shiiin!” Anty screamed in horror, but there was no way Yu Il-Shin could hear her.

However, there was not only Yu Il-Shin in the sky. A giant, flying whale watched him with eyes wide open.

“W-who is that?”

“He’s flying in the sky without

wings-woof!

”

It was Rollie and her beastly friends, who were raised as sacrifices for Beast of Deceit and Rapacity. It seemed like the emperor had rescued them after defeating the god.

Relieved, Yu Il-Shin waved at them. “Hello, it’s been a while Rollie and friends!”

“How dare you get distracted while fighting me!” Ant Emperor roared.

With his beautiful and dazzling wings spread wide, the emperor was flying high above Yu Il-Shin. He pointed both hands at Yu Il-Shin, unleashing his power.

“Take this! Carnage Flames of God!”

Kwaaaa!

The sky, originally a deep blue, burned bright red from the flames. Even the sun briefly lost its light from such overwhelming divine power. Ant Emperor didn’t exaggerate about single-handedly defeating the High-tier god Beast of Deceit and Rapacity. He had become as powerful as he had been in his past life, during the Hunter Wars.

“Y-you...” He was glaring intently at Yu Il-Shin, drenched in cold sweat.

Tzzz!

Yu Il-Shin had erased Ant Emperor’s fiery power using the glowing pen in his left hand. Above all, his right index finger was right at the emperor’s forehead. At that moment, Ant Emperor knew that a single flick was all it took for him to be crushed like a bug.

Yu Il-Shin whispered, “My friend, Emperor. Why don’t we stop?”

Overcome by both fear and thrill, a single thought raced through the emperor’s mind.

He is indeed standing at the pinnacle of all gods—the god of all gods.