Chapter 301: #A Happy Ending? (6)

Chapter 301: #A Happy Ending? (6)

-

Kihihi!

I’ll never forgive you, you vermin!

Despair’s eerie laughter echoed from the cocoon she was trapped in.

I tensed up, afraid that she’d escape. Instead, an unusual phenomenon occurred in a completely different area.

Ruuuuumble!

God of Destroyer’s fragments suddenly stopped mid-battle and retreated.

W-what’s going on?

To everyone’s bewilderment, the Destroying Hand went for the Apocalyptic Eye, which was bleeding black blood. Did it help its fellow fragment?

Riiiip! Crunch crunch!

The Destroying Hand’s palm split open, revealing a hideous set of teeth. It devoured the Apocalyptic Eye voraciously, marking the start of the bizarre phenomenon.

-

Kieeeeek!

-

Kyaaaak!

Crunch crunch!

Like starving beasts devouring their prey, all the fragments turned on each other. Black blood splattered onto the ground in a dark, ominous tide, reminiscent of the biblical Great Flood.

Everyone froze in utter bewilderment and confusion.

What on earth? Have they gone crazy?

The fragments' self-destruction was undoubtedly a good thing, but why did I feel an indescribable sense of foreboding?

The Destroying Hands split open once more, revealing bloodshot eyes that emitted a crimson glow. Twitching, the eyes looked around and landed on a target: the Devouring Mouth, which Yi-Shin and War God had almost killed with their combined attack.

Baaaaam!

With a flash, it fired a red, destructive beam reminiscent of Sam-Shin’s signature skill.

“

Argh!

”

“W-what’s that?”

Surprised by the random attack, the two retreated in a hurry.

Sizzle!

The destructive beam hit the Devouring Mouth directly, turning the mouth into red steam. The Destroying Hands then sucked it in, causing another eye to sprout on it.

-

Kieeeeeek!

The Destroying Hands split open once more, growing a mouth with a set of hideous fangs. It also grew at least three times its original size. The same phenomenon was happening all around us. They grew in size every time they devoured another fragment of their kind.

Finally, I realized what they were planning. Like droplets gathering to form a puddle, the fragments were attempting to assume their original form. I had seen it in an illusion in the past.

Before All-Cutting Heavenly Sword slew and sealed all of its fragments, God of Destroyer had been the symbol of fear and despair—an existence that devoured the universe whole rather than consuming planets one by one.

“God Yu Il-Shin! It's dangerous! Please run!”

Flick!

Il-Ho picked me up and leaped into the air.

Baaaaaam!

Immediately after, a deafening explosion rang in the air. God of Destroyer’s flesh—with its repulsive tentacles—rained down like meteorites. We barely managed to avoid them as we made our way back down to the ground.

Three of God of Destroyer's

combined

fragments went for the cocoons of Despair and the apocalyptic monster on the ground.

“

Hmph!

Did you think I’ll let you go near them?!” Yi-Shin sneered and reached out both hands. “Convicting Hell of Flames! I command you: burn our enemy alive!”

The infernal flames erupted from both his hands like an active volcano, swallowing the rain of flesh.

Baaaaam!

The black flames shrouded the gigantic flesh along with the massive explosion, melting it like candle wax. Despite them burning, part of the flesh that had reached the ground touched the cocoons that encased Despair and her apocalyptic monster.

Sizzle!

The cocoons were sucked into the flesh. Like sand pouring into flames, thick black smoke billowed as if shrouding the entire world, obscuring everyone’s view.

At the same time, a sinister laughter—presumably belonging to Despair—echoed in the air.

-

Kihihihi!

You vermin! Did you think we were split because of All-Cutting Heavenly Sword’s power?! Each fragment possesses the power to destroy a world! We only stay separated because it’d be more efficient for God of Creator’s resurrection! It's time we end this game! Witness the power of true destruction!

Kwaaaaa!

Fragments audibly devoured each other beyond the rising black smoke.

“Damn you, God of Destroyer! Where did you learn that petty trick?!” War God yelled with rage as he swung his sword around. “Begone!”

Swooooosh!

The gust of his swing swept away the black smoke that shrouded the sky, vanishing into the universe beyond. Our vision slowly returned, but God of Destroyer's horrifying, nightmarish fragments had disappeared. All that was left was a single woman.

“D-Despair?”

No. Though they looked alike, something about her was distinctly different. She seemed beautiful and grotesque at the same time. What looked like caterpillar flesh covered her from head to toe. Moreover, her skin was transparent like glass, shimmering from within like stars cut out of the night sky.

“Lord Yu Il-Shin, could that woman be God of Destroyer?”

“T-that... is pure terror from the heart...”

Il-Ho looked at me blankly, while Nightmare and Abundance sweated buckets as they stared at the woman with extreme caution. Even Yi-Shin and Ant Emperor went as pale as a sheet.

The woman stared blankly at herself as well. Her hands sparkled like stars. At first glance, she appeared to be harmless.

Ding! Ding!

[Apocalyptic God of Destroyer]

With my divine eyes, I could see a title shining above her head. I tried to look more into the title to get more information.

Ding! Ding!

[The Clear Eyes of God can’t see through this being!]

This was the first time I’d received such a message since attaining the highest form of godhood. She was just

that

dangerous.

What should I do? Should I attack now while she’s still preoccupied?

While I was feeling conflicted, War God took the initiative. Unlike his usual domineering demeanor, he snuck up behind the woman with so much stealth and agility that he seemed like a veteran assassin.

Pwoooosh!

His massive greatsword, thick as a pillar, pierced through the woman and emerged from her chest.

“Don’t you call me a coward. All of this is your doing.”

Ssss—!

Instead of blood, black smoke seeped out from her chest wound, like dark matter that filled the universe.

“Finally, the time to avenge the wrongful deaths of my kin has arrived! War! Spread carnage and madness!”

Brimming with vengeance, War God mustered all his divine power. His greatsword glowed red like molten iron, unleashing a force powerful enough to shatter stars with a single strike.

“Die, God of Destroyer!” War God swung his sword downward, about to cleave the woman in two. “

Aaaargh!”

However, his sword refused to budge.

“You biiitch!” He exerted more strength, and his muscles swelled to the point of bursting.

Ruuuumble!

Just then, God of Destroyer’s head twisted a hundred and eighty degrees, her eyes reflecting War God. He sweated bullets, and his bloodshot eyes widened in horror.

With her lips slightly parted, she exhaled lightly as if blowing out a candle. With a sense of foreboding, War God dropped his sword and tried to dodge.

Poooow!

His entire waist below vanished without a trace.

“

Uuugh!”

Clenching his jaws in agony, War God turned to me and Yi-Shin, his eyes filled with extreme despair. “P-please... take my place... and kill this damn...”

He couldn’t even finish his sentence.

-

Hoo~

What remained of his upper torso turned into ashes and disappeared with the wind.

God of Destroyer casually pulled out the greatsword embedded in her. Just like its master, it crumbled like sand.

Ssss...

The wound that War God had inflicted healed instantly, rendering his sacrifice futile. Everyone present, including me, froze in place. We stared at her with terror painted across our faces. With just two breaths, she’d annihilated the strongest god.

Ssss—

God of Destroyer looked around her in a daze. Her eyes traveled over my followers and other gods, then finally fell upon me.

For the very first time, emotions filled her eyes. I couldn't help but get chills.

“

Keugh!

”

An invisible force pulled me toward her. Like a hawk catching a chick, she grabbed me by the neck with her right hand and glared at me with eyes ablaze.

-So it was you who interfered.

“

Aaargh!”

If she applied even the slightest of pressure to my neck, I’d definitely lose my head! With my trembling hands, I tried moving All Phenomena. However, the moment our eyes met, I froze like a frog before a snake, unable to even move a single muscle in my fingers.

“Lord Yu Il-Shin!”

“You bitch! Release God Yu Il-Shin immediately!”

Kwaaaaa!

Il-Ho’s muscles swelled, while Yi-Ho aimed his divine spear at God of Destroyer, both charging forward to save me. Yi-Shin, Ant Emperor, Abundance and Nightmare joined in as well. They channeled all their divine powers into their attacks, determined to sacrifice themselves.

Annoyed, God of Destroyer raised her other hand. With a light swat, she unleashed horrific destruction.

“

Kyaaaaak!

”

“

Aaaaaargh!

”

The gods and my followers, who were worthy of being called Top-tier Gods, were swept away helplessly.

The difference in power is just too great!

I finally understood why even the highest-ranking gods were terrified of her. She was inescapable despair, a huge catastrophe.

She tightened her grip around my neck, cutting my train of thought.

Craaaaack!

“

Aaaaargh!

”

I could feel her grip ripping even my soul apart. A horrific agony spread all over me. As she watched me suffer, a contemptuous smile crept up the corners of her mouth.

Whoosh! Slam!

Just then, someone appeared in the sky, coming between God of Destroyer and me.

God of Destroyer frowned initially, thinking it was an intruder. However, upon identifying him, her eyes softened immediately.

“Destroy.”

His eyes glowed red just like hers. It was my alter ego, Sam-Shin, born from God of Destroyer’s divine power.