Chapter 360: Star, Nammu (1)

At the Roar Palace in the ‘Blacksmith Sanctuary’ of Taotie Star[1]…

𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

Clang!

“Do you call this trash a weapon?!”

All the blacksmiths in the world wished to join the Roar Palace. However, at that moment, someone in the Palace was howling with rage as several blacksmiths within the Roar Palace pounded metal in front of their furnaces. The blacksmiths were unperturbed, as if that was an everyday event.

“Here he goes again.”

“Sir Taotie gets angry really often these days, doesn’t he?”

“Yeah, Sir Taotie was doing it yesterday too.”

“Gwak Bok is suffering today too.”

“Well, he has to live with it if he wants to keep his title as Sir Taotie’s best student.”

“Frankly speaking, who else would be able to handle his peculiar temper?”

“That’s true. I would have run away after a day.”

Taotie the Devil Blacksmith was known as the best blacksmith Celestial after Ou Yezi’s death, but his poor temper was as notorious as his skills. Thus, although the Roar Palace blacksmiths wished to be as skilled as Taotie, they could not respect him as a person. That was why they could not stop smiling bitterly as they listened to Gwak Bok, who was taking all sorts of criticism on their behalf.

‘Is he hungry? He’s more sensitive today,’ Bok wondered.

He merely blinked as Taotie poured out his fury, however. He had been born emotionally dense, so he was not particularly affected no matter how hysterical Taotie was. In fact, Bok was even capable of daydreaming and coming up with a way to pacify Taotie’s anger in the meantime.

‘I’ll make him sweet-sour pork with the sauce on the side later. He’ll love it.’

Just like that, Bok paid no attention to Taotie’s nagging, as usual.

“You’re awfully loud considering your age. In fact, you get louder every time I come here for some reason,” a voice suddenly said.

Under normal circumstances, no one was allowed to enter the Roar Palace without Taotie’s permission, but a girl had just walked in without a care in the world.

“Welcome, Lady Tiamat,” Bok said with a bow. He knew that, despite her appearance, the girl was as old as most Ancient Celestials and had been a VVIP of Taotie for a very long time.

“Yup, hi. Can I sit here?” Tiamat asked.

“Yes, you can sit wherever you like,” Bok replied.

“Seriously, I can’t understand how a child like you became that ill-tempered old man’s student. Why don’t you come under this big sister’s wings? It’s not too late,” Tiamat said. She smiled mischievously, sitting in the chair that belonged to Taotie.

However, Bok smiled innocently, scratching the back of his head as he replied, “Thank you for the offer, but I’ve never thought about becoming anyone else’s student.”

“Stop coveting my student. Why did you show up here out of the blue?” Taotie asked with an irritable look, crossing his arms.

Tiamat grinned and replied, “It’s not as if I’m somewhere I’m not supposed to be.”

“Well, you have no reason to be here since I don’t have anything else to give you,” Taotie said with a shrug.

It was already a well-known fact that Taotie had not used his hammer for hundreds of years.

“I’m here to tell you something interesting,” Tiamat said.

“You’re probably not here to chitchat, so what is it?” Taotie answered nonchalantly, showing no interest.

“Don’t you miss Ou Yezi?” Tiamat asked.

The moment Taotie heard the name ‘Ou Yezi’, he slammed the table in front of Tiamat.

Thump!

“What are you talking about? Why are you suddenly mentioning the Divine Blacksmith?” Taotie exclaimed, the annoyance in his eyes quickly giving way to gleaming madness.

Nevertheless, Tiamat casually crossed her short legs and replied, “Is this how you usually treat your guests? A guest came all the way over here, so the least you can do is offer a beverage…!”

“Here you go. It’s lemonade made with very rare lemons,” Bok said, handing her a cup.

“You definitely know your manners. Thanks,” Tiamat said with a giggle.

“Don’t get sidetracked! Explain yourself! What did the Divine Blacksmith do?” Taotie asked.

Sipping on the lemonade that Bok had brought her, Tiamat answered, “Ou Yezi left a descendant, and it seems he might be able to match Ou Yezi’s level.”

“…!” Taotie clenched his fists.

Ou Yezi the Divine Blacksmith had been Taotie’s rival, and his name continued to weigh on Taotie’s heart. The actual reason why Taotie had been unable to use his hammer was that nothing inspired him. Although there were famous blacksmith Celestials such as Vulcanus, Xochiquetzal[2], and Ptah[3], they were all beneath Taotie’s level; thus, as he had already reached the peak in his field, he could no longer find a reason to use his hammer.

Ou Yezi the Divine Blacksmith was the only one who had stimulated Taotie’s competitive spirit, but he was gone. Now, however, Tiamat was saying that Ou Yezi’s descendant had appeared, and potentially had the same level of skill as Ou Yezi. Taotie was aware of how exceptionally sharp Tiamat’s eyes were, and knew very well that she was not making a frivolous claim. As he thought about whether Ou Yezi’s descendant could become his new inspiration, fervor blazed in Taotie’s eyes.

“So how does it sound? Do you want to meet him?” Tiamat asked.

“Of course…!”

“But there is a condition.”

“What is it?” Taotie asked; he was ready to give her everything.

From Tiamat’s perspective, he was a flopping fish who was begging to be cooked. She said with a smile, “Join my side.”

* * *

[You have agreed to join the meeting!]

[You have been invited to the ‘Monster Banquet Hall’, the Divine Ground of the Society .]

Chang-Sun had just received an emergency call from Carl Malone, and he answered it immediately. He had only heard about Sun Wukong before; however, it seemed that Wukong and the others had made a move. If Richardus was involved, Chang-Sun could not take the matter lightly.

That was how he arrived at a rainforest. The air was scorching hot, but at the same time, it was so humid it practically felt like being immersed in water. In the center of a thicket, there stood a tree that was hundreds of meters tall; its branches were large enough to cover the sky. Only enormous monsters would be able to live in such a place.

[The Authority ‘Kalos Kagathos’ has been activated, responding to the outstanding divine power of the people hiding in the forest!]

Chang-Sun became vigilant after sensing the people glaring at him from within the forest, as they remained hidden amid the trees.

‘What is this? She definitely said it was going to be an emergency meeting,’ Chang-Sun wondered.

Why was he sensing odd strangers instead of Tiamat or other guides? Besides that, their gazes were filled with negative emotions such as killing intent, grudges, and malice, making Chang-Sun feel as if they considered him their mortal enemy.

‘Did something go wrong with the coordinates when I was being summoned? Or did get the drop on us?’

It was hard to imagine that they could have caught Tiamat, but considering that even Thanatos had been affected by recent events, anything could happen. Chang-Sun put his hand on [Tiamat’s Snaggletooth], which he always hung on the back of his belt. However…

『How dare you touch her relic? I’ll take that back from you!』

The leaves and branches in the air shook as if they were rocked by a massive earthquake, and something jumped out from the thicket.

Rooooarrr!

It was a hideous-looking monster with a lion’s head and a Dragon’s body. Opening its jaw wide, the monster fell toward Chang-Sun’s head.

[The Trait ‘King of All Weapons’ has been applied, unlocking all the seals on ‘Tiamat’s Snaggletooth’!]

Clink―!

Whooosh, whoosh, whoosh…!

[King of All Weapons] was a Trait that awakened and maximized all existing weapons’ potential and power. [Tiamat’s Snaggletooth], which usually took the form of a dagger, instantly grew into a large greatsword after being infused with a great deal of Chang-Sun’s divine power.

At the same time, a storm raged around the greatsword, but Chang-Sun forcibly drew the blade and swung it upward.

Boooom!

The moment the monster collided with [Tiamat’s Snaggletooth], an immense shockwave rippled outward, pushing it away. The monster was so large that it looked as if it could crush Chang-Sun with ease, but he had never been weak when it came to physical strength.

Tap!

The monster regained its balance in the air, landing on the top of a small tree.

Krrrrrr.

The monster’s eyes were still filled with murderous intent as it scowled at Chang-Sun.

“…Ushumgalu?” Chang-Sun called out with a frown, looking back at the monster.

It was Chang-Sun’s first time meeting the monster, but Ushumgalu’s appearance was very widely known, allowing him to identify it quickly. Ushumgalu was one of Tiamat’s children, who were called the Eleven Demonic Creatures, and was an executive member of . In other words, he was technically Chang-Sun’s ally, which meant his hostility was unexpected.

Just then, Chang-Sun noticed that Ushumgalu was not directly scowling at him, and was actually looking at something slightly lower.

‘Ah, that’s his problem,’ Chang-Sun thought.

Oooong! Oooooong!

[Tiamat’s Snaggletooth] howled loudly, as if it were flaunting itself.

‘[Tiamat’s Snaggletooth] is a demonic weapon made from Tiamat’s tooth, and was forged by Taotie the Devil Blacksmith himself. So it’s no wonder that Tiamat’s child wants it.’

From what Chang-Sun knew, Tiamat had never appointed an heir, so the war of succession was very fierce within . Chang-Sun had gotten curious about the reason behind Tiamat’s choice, thinking that it would greatly affect itself, so he had asked Tiamat in the past whether it was truly necessary. The answer he had received was oddly impressive.

“The more they fight, the stronger becomes.”

At the time, Chang-Sun had not been sure whether it was okay for Tiamat to treat her children like that, but he had not paid it much heed, thinking it was just her own way of raising her heirs. However, it seemed that Chang-Sun had gotten caught in the crossfire of the succession war.

‘What shall I do?’ Chang-Sun wondered.

Was he supposed to ignore Ushumgalu? Or would it be better to crush Ushumgalu so fiercely that he would never be able to think about scowling at Chang-Sun again? It was clear that Ushumgalu would not be an easy opponent if Chang-Sun chose to fight him; if Chang-Sun chose the latter option, he had to make absolutely certain, even if he had to open up the Four Steps of Abyss. That was how skilled and powerful Ushumgalu was.

Krrrrrr…!

‘Crushing it is.’

It did not take long for Chang-Sun to come to a decision. Beings like Ushumgalu tended to reveal their fangs again in the future if left alone. Thus, it was better to take the opportunity to teach Ushumgalu the difference between them.

Pzzzz―!

[The middle volume of ‘Prelati’s Spellbook’ has opened, starting the Four Steps of Abyss!]

spread out from Chang-Sun like fog, and [Tiamat’s Snaggletooth] also trembled faintly in response. Noticing the change in Chang-Sun, Ushumgalu was about to leap to counterattack, but suddenly, a bolt of light came down from the sky.

Booooom!

『Keough!』

Ushumgalu quickly left the tree he was in and landed on the ground, narrowly avoiding the light. It not only shattered the tree where Ushumgalu had been, but also pulverized several trees behind it. The light carried extreme destructive power..

Chang-Sun and Ushumgalu simultaneously looked in the same direction. Her long hair fluttering in the wind, Pabilsag stood atop a taller tree, frowning. Her arrow was pointed directly at Ushumgalu.

『What is the meaning of this, Pabil?! How can you point an arrow at your own brother?』

“I should ask you the same question, brother. You know very well that Twilight is my and Mother’s guest. Why would you do this kind of thing?” Pabilsag asked in annoyance.

『The Snaggletooth is our dear mother’s tooth, so are you seriously expecting me to just sit by and watch a human use it?!』

“I gave it to him, and Mother approved too. Are you going to disregard Mother’s decision?” Pabilsag replied with a sigh.

『But…!』

“I told you that Mother gave her permission. Do you really think you can overturn Mother’s decision?” Pabilsag continued, emphasizing the word ‘permission’ in particular.

Perhaps Pabilsag had always acted like a simpleton in front of Chang-Sun, but her smile at that moment was crueler than any other as she blatantly revealed her hostility. In fact, she looked as if she wanted Ushumgalu to take her bait so she could pierce his head with an arrow. Such a menacing sight could not be seen between ordinary siblings.

Ushumgalu gnashed his teeth. Although he usually decided to fight his battles head-on, the problem was that Chang-Sun was present too. It would be different if there were only one opponent, but Ushumgalu was not reckless enough to go up against two opponents at once.

In the end, Ushumgalu quietly left after scowling at Chang-Sun for a while. Despite his large physique, he nimbly sprang forth and vanished into the air. Only then did Pabilsag finally lower her arrow. Although she had been acting confident, she was actually quite relieved, because Ushumgalu was one of her strongest siblings; he was nearly comparable to Tiamat, their mother. If a battle had started, the damage would no doubt have been significant.

‘Still, I must have looked very trustworthy.’

With that thought, Pabilsag turned to look at Chang-Sun like an admirer gazing at a handsome prince. She asked, “Are you okay…?!”

“Thank you, Pabil,” Chang-Sun said from right behind her. Pabilsag was surprised, as he had approached her without her realizing it.

“O-O-Oka…!” Pabilsag stuttered. It was her first time seeing Chang-Sun this close, so her face reddened like a tomato. It looked almost as if smoke would emerge from her head.

“You seem to be feverish. Are you okay?” Chang-Sun asked, putting his hand against Pabilsag’s forehead in concern.

Pabilsag’s face turned redder, and she began to feel lightheaded; she was even further from calming down.

Rummble…!

At that moment, an earthquake shook the whole area. The ground was overturned, and an unfathomably long snake rose up to the surface.

『I was wondering why you suddenly disappeared, but it turns out you went off to do something sneaky.』

Flicking his scarlet tongue, the snake grumbled in disbelief. Pabilsag threw punches at the snake to tell him that he was wrong, but the snake paid zero attention to her.

Chang-Sun bowed toward the snake, whose gaze was very familiar. He said in greeting, “It’s my first time meeting you in person. Nice to meet you, Jörmungandr.”

『Likewise. I’ve been wanting to meet you if an opportunity arose, but I never expected to see you like this, Twilight.』

[The Celestial ‘World-Encircling Serpent’ nods!]

1. In this context, the word ‘star’ is used to refer to a world rather than a type of Celestial. ☜

2. An Aztec goddess who is the guardian of artisans, including blacksmiths. ☜

3. An Egyptian god who is also the protector of artisans. ☜