Chapter 298: Star, the Source (7)

After listening to the Ten Elders’ lessons, Thanatos asked Chang-Sun something before he could leave the .

“What do you think death is?”

Chang-Sun didn’t know why Thanatos would ask him that question, so he just honestly answered that he didn’t know instead of giving a plausible answer. Besides, the concept of death belonged to the , not .

“It’s everything that is negative,” Thanatos said.

“Everything negative?”

“Yes. End, chaos, darkness, unknown, disorder… Death is their future, and they’re collectively called . And Deep in that , the source of all things dark, gloomy, and insidious like and the Bottomless Void in the … is ,” Thanatos explained.

The two pillars of this vast universe were order and chaos, which symbolized.

“I’m the symbol and personification of .”

The primordial disorder didn’t have any refined concepts. Nevertheless, Thanatos still managed to extract the concept of death. It turned him into a symbol, allowing others to perceive the concept. He acted as his own being but also as the personification of death. In other words, although he had his own will and personality, he was still fundamentally an avatar of .

“And all this scheming is to protect just one place since I’m the ’ guard as well.”

Thanatos coldly burned in fury back then, which was only natural. After all, people dared try to take his land.

‘Anyhow… Jaegal Hyeon-Ryong was explaining what this place was to the Gold Overlord,’

Chang-Sun recalled.

Although any demonic being in the White Tiger Clan and Jaynix Company would know about it, Hyeon-Ryong still talked about it in great detail with his eyes in the air as if he wanted others to hear it. Chang-Sun wasn’t sure if Hyeon-Ryong knew that he was watching them through [Heaven Link], but he had a feeling that Hyeon-Ryong did. Chang-Sun couldn’t read through Hyeon-Ryong when he briefly met him in France, which was why he thought Hyeon-Ryong’s explanation sounded as if it was meant for him.

‘He probably thinks I don’t know everything.’

Although Chang-Sun was curious about Hyeon-Ryong’s intentions, that wasn’t important right now. To stabilize R’lyeh, Thanatos signed a with . However, he just caught the Celestials trying to access it in secret using their apostles now that they had accumulated enough Faith on Earth.

Even if Thanatos’ fury shook Earth, put the in confusion, or started a conflict with the Celestials, the would not be able to excuse themselves from it. They were the ones who broke the , after all.

[The Celestial ‘King of the Underworld’ fills the courtroom with his wrath!]

That was why the courtroom was in Sanjiva, not Chang-Sun’s mind palace.

* * *

[The Channelings to the outside world have been terminated in accordance with the privacy policy.]

…

[The Divine Trial is in motion.]

[The defendants stand before the court.]

[Defendant 1]

Divine Name: Scheming-Proficient Strategist.

Faction: Purple Star Astrology.

Real name: Wu Yong the Knowledgeable Star.

[Defendant 2]

Divine Name: Calamity Tiger.

Faction: Purple Star Astrology.

Real name: Heoju the Calamity Star.

“So I apprehended two, huh?” Chang-Sun tilted his head.

The number disappointed him, but he couldn’t do anything about it since that was the limit of [Execution Sword], the Authority that severed the Channelings connected to the terminal and detained targets in a certain space by force. It didn’t work unless a Channeling had a proper connection with the terminal, though, which was why Wu Yong and Heoju, Crimson and Munseong’s Guardians respectively, were the only defendants right now.

“Well, I can just catch the others one by one,” Chang-Sun mumbled, seemingly finding such a feat easy to accomplish now. He then drew up all his mana—no, his power that was turning into divine power.

Pzzz, pzzz, pzzzz!

[The eighth chapter of ‘Prelati’s Spellbook’ has opened.]

Chang-Sun was close to mastering the Secret Darkness Techniques, Mephistopheles’ nine-chapter skill book.

[‘Calamitas Naturalis’ has been applied, creating a natural disaster!]

Chang-Sun unleashed Eon Wind, which blew during . The wind carried memories and emotions of all the people he had killed, causing loud ghost wails. At the same time, he threw lightning bolts that burned up to extreme temperatures, indiscriminately incinerating and smashing everything in their way. The combination of the two caused destruction so great that it could be called a natural disaster.

Slash!

Chang-Sun swung his sword diagonally and launched an attack imbued with lightning and wind.

[The Skill ‘Black Mountain King’s First Claw’ has been activated!]

『Stand back, Munseong!』 Heoju came forward and drew the sword hung on his belt to deflect Chang-Sun’s sword attack.

Claaaang!

Chang-Sun’s [Black Mountain King’s First Claw] narrowly missed his target. Heoju frowned a little, feeling a horrible rebound through his sword. It made him realize that ‘Divine Twilight,’ the person Heoju idolized and wished to take after, had truly returned.

‘No, he might even be better than before!’

Heoju gritted his teeth.

By collecting all [Seven Cryptical Books of Hsan] and using Ithaca’s , Heoju would become the new ‘Divine Twilight.’ Munseong would also reach R’lyeh and build a paradise. However, just as they thought were about to achieve their dreams, they got stranded.

However, although it was unclear that Munseong was aware of how anxious Heoju was as he stood behind Heoju, Chang-Sun’s sword attack caught Munseong’s attention.

“That sword attack… I see. Teacher and Senior Brother’s trace were left in this world.” Munseong nodded.

Heoju’s frown deepened, making him look as ferocious as a real tiger.『Go ahead.』

“Can I?” Munseong looked at Heoju. He didn’t expect him to do that.

Although they were two equal contracting parties right now, Heoju was still Munseong’s Guardian. He knew how greedy and selfish Heoju was. When Munseong’s teacher and senior brother tried to seal his power, Heoju was the first to approach him and suggest killing them.

However, Heoju now acted totally different from his past self.

『Don’t delude yourself,』 Heoju growled, tightening the grip around his sword, which was still faintly trembling due to the shock.

Ziiiinnggg.

The sword’s shaking changed tempos, this time seemingly trying to get out of Heoju’s grip. However, the harder the sword tried, the more Heoju’s grip tightened.

『Even if I abandon you here, Twilight will not stop coming after me anyway like this damned Divine Trial. I’ll tackle this more efficiently. While I stop Twilight and the King of the Underworld, you should seize R’lyeh and save me! That is our contract!』

Munseong took a moment to answer, seemingly quickly calculating something. With his eyes remaining emotionless, he said, “You’re right.”

Munseong was practically an emotionless killing machine that pursued the most efficient ways to complete his goal.

“With the Quirinale clan’s power that I exploited, I can create a door here too.”

『If you have figured something out, then go already. Things will become complicated if he catches you!』

“Sure.”

Paaah―!

Without turning back, Munseong nodded and charged in the opposite direction using his [Windstalking Tiger], which was transforming into something entirely different now that it had reached its maximum level.

After a brief calculation of their chances of winning against Chang-Sun, Munseong concluded that fighting would be futile. Moreover, just like Heoju said, he wouldn’t even be able to think about getting to R’lyeh.

Munseong wasn’t a defendant like Heoju, however, which meant the [Execution Sword] didn’t affect him.

『Wait! Take me to—!』 Wu Yong, a defendant like Heoju, hurriedly tried to follow Munseong.

Heoju grabbed Wu Yong’s head. 『Strategist.』

A shiver ran down Wu Yong’s spine. He felt as if a tiger was behind him, its mouth wide open and ready to devour him.

『Do you remember our contract?』 Heoju asked.

『He-he-hey, Heo-Heoju…!』

『Did I not warn you that I won’t just let you keep interfering like Xue Yong?』

『H-he-hear me out first…!』 Wu Yong squirmed.

『You told me then to trust this head of yours because it’ll help me.』

Wu Yong was behind the alliance between the White Tiger Clan and Jaynix Company. Having discovered that Heoju and Munseong were close to finding R’lyeh, Wu Yong wanted to join them.

『But you now seem like nothing but a hindrance. What should I do with you?』 Heoju tilted his head.

『That is…!』

『Stop him. Be a shield or something.』 Heoju tightened his grip on Wu Yong’s head.

Wu Yong gave his all to break away from Heoju’s grip. Although his Divine Name suggested he wasn’t a combatant, he was still one of the Thirty-Two Heavenly Spirits. He was far from weak.

In contrast, Heoju used to be a monster Celestial—no, an ordinary Celestial. He wasn’t even part of the Seventy-Two Earthly Fiends and would have died if Wu Yong did so much as lift a finger. However, Heoju’s Divine Class increased several times through Ithaca’s , which he collected from the [Seven Cryptical Books of Hsan].

Wu Yong couldn’t do anything about him anymore.

『N-no…!』

Paaaah!

Heoju threw Wu Yong at Chang-Sun, who was running toward them, as hard as possible.

『Nooooooo!』

Wu Yong screamed desperately, but Chang-Sun already initiated his next attack.

[The Skill ‘Black Mountain King’s Second Claw’ has been activated, cutting through the air!]

Slash!

Wu Yong was immediately split in half.

[The Skill ‘Black Mountain King’s Third Claw’ has been activated and combined with the Skill ‘Black Mountain King’s Fourth Claw’!]

Chang-Sun and Heoju collided.

Claaaang!

Heoju used one of Ou Yezi’s divine swords to deflect Chang-Sun’s attack, which he unleashed by crossing the [Yuchang Sword] and [Tiamat’s Snaggletooth]. The sword, though now profusely shaking, was just as great as Taotie’s demonic sword.

Chang-Sun’s eyes turned cold. “That’s [Nothung].”

Among the four slayer swords that ‘Divine Twilight’ used to have, the god-slayer sword killed the most Celestials and absorbed their blood. That sword was in Heoju’s hands now.Chang-Sun smirked. “Maybe I should thank you for taking good care of it while I was away.”

Ooong, ooong, ooong!

Ziiing―!

[Balmung] and [Gram], which were hung on his belt, were welcoming their old comrade back with great intensity.