A new rank had appeared.

The light spread throughout the entirety of the Serpent Bearer’s second holy ground.

Koo-goo-goong!

At the same time, the Archer disciples standing next to Lee Gun screamed.

Along with the light, Heaven’s Punishment emitted immense power.

“Kyahhhk!”

“Huhk!”

An immense explosion of magical energy occurred.

It was a silent voice, yet the weapon was roaring toward the heavens and earth. The roar that the humans were unable to hear split heaven and earth into two.

[Heaven’s Punishment answers the call of its owner.]

[Heaven’s Punishment is surprised by its owner’s blood.]

[It asks who dares hurt the body of its owner. It lets out a violent roar.]

Lee Gun grasped Heaven’s Punishment as he laughed.

‘It’s successful’

To him, his holy items were his children. Since they possessed a sense of self, he could differentiate between each of them. Their presences and personalities differed. Therefore, Lee Gun was sure this sensation felt like Heaven’s Punishment!

‘It is back!’

Although he hadn’t shown it outwardly, Lee Gun had been down bad when he had lost the weapon that had been with him more than anyone else. He was used to death on both the battlefield and everywhere else, but he wasn’t cold enough that he couldn’t feel sadness from those deaths.

Moreover, that weapon had ruined its body and died trying to protect him. Naturally, he was happy to have successfully repaired it. He felt happiness at his child coming back. His heart was pounding from the success of repairing it.

On the other hand, the disciples were having a hard time staying up. This sensation felt similar to when the Zodiacs descended.

“Koo-oohk!”

Goat and Hugo were flustered as they grabbed the disciples that were about to be sent flying.

‘Shit! What kind of weapon....’

Just its existence gave off an incredibly powerful presence.

Even the Capricorn temple, which was in charge of making humanity’s weapons, didn’t have an item capable of giving off this presence. In fact, this was a power that even the Royal holy items that the Zodiac Saints used were incapable of releasing!

It was like watching a small god descend. Of course, the sensation was different from a Zodiac’s descent.

‘This feels like when Gun uses his Death’s Instinct...!’

The sensation was that oppressive.

Moreover, this different power sent the divine world into a panic.

[The Zodiacs are nervous since they cannot monitor the earth.]

[They ask what the power was.]

[They are making a commotion. They ask if a new star has been born.]

[They stamp their feet. They want you to quickly get rid of the screen.]

The Zodiacs seemed frustrated by the Cancer’s screen Lee Gun had put up. Of course, the Zodiacs affiliate to Lee Gun knew what had happened.

[The Virgo says she has never seen this rank before. She is surprised.]

[The Sagittarius asks what kind of weapon was made? He is flustered as he asks if such a rank is possible.]

[The Virgo tells this truth to the Leo, who stands next to them.]

[The Leo preens at the news. It says the weapon was made from its tooth, so this was to be expected.]

[Its tail thumps on the ground as it asks when the Serpent Bearer will come to the divine world.]

The mood of the Zodiacs changed. That was expected. The EX rank stood for extremity. It was something that couldn’t be measured, something that had reached the extreme stage. It had already leapfrogged the Royal Holy Items, which were SS rank.

The Zodiacs did possess rare SSS-rank holy items, but this outrageous item Lee Gun had made was superior to those items.

In truth, the gods weren’t sure what the item was. The only sure part was that it possessed enough power to be considered an owner of a small temple.

[The manufacturer of puzzles flinches.]

[The affiliate Zodiacs say this should be impossible.]

[The monarchs are keeping an eye on it.]

[The Constructs from the opposing temples are frightened by what they witnessed.]

[The Constructs from the opposing temples call it a freak item.]

[They are shocked, but they state their owners can create something much better.]

Lee Gun raised Heaven’s Punishment in contempt.

𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

Kahng!

He pointed it at the sky as he drew a half-circle. Then something surprising happened.

Flash!

A dark green light appeared from Heaven’s Punishment, and it struck the birds circling the sky.

The Constructs screamed when they collided with the power. These Constructs had been secretly sent by the Zodiacs as they couldn’t observe Lee Gun because of the Cancer’s screen.

Kwah-gwa-gwahng!

[Their Divine status has been erased.]

[The servants of the manufacturer have lost all their power, and they are falling into the ocean.]

[Their names have been erased from the registry of the gods.]

[They have lost their abilities.]

[You have gained a massive amount of EXP.]

It was an incredible power that could erase Divine Status. This weapon was a tool befitting someone called the God of calamity.

[With the establishment of a new rank, a new name has been created.]

[Designer]

[Lee Gun (Owner)]

– The seat of the 13th god/Ophiuchus Serpent Bearer’s Title “Beginning and End Serpent,” “Designer”

[A new Personal Characteristic has appeared.]

Addition of [Eccentric].

Was it a reaction to the power that erased Divine Status?

[The unknown civilization is interested in the weapon.]

[Gods who have hidden their names are asking you to make them weapons.]

[A force far away is interested in Heaven’s Punishment.]

[They are hopeful of visiting the Serpent Bearer’s Holy Ground.]

[Will you open your holy ground to them?]

Lee Gun snorted as if he wanted them to buzz off. “Tell them to fuck off.”

After the weapon’s awakening had finished, the light from Heaven’s Punishment disappeared. However, the disciples didn’t even think about closing their mouths. This was especially true for Hugo. The Archer Saint couldn’t formulate words when confronted with a holy item rank that he had never heard of before in his life.

‘It’s an EX rank.’

He could see why the gods coveted the weapon.

On the other hand, Lee Gun was just happy to have Heaven’s Punishment back.

[The body of Heaven’s Punishment has changed into something new.]

[You have yet to engrave it.]

[It can forever return to the owner using the Engrave skill.]

Lee Gun laughed. The notification was talking about the engraving skill that he became able to use after he developed the Creation Workshop skill.

[Creation Workshop/Engrave (M)]

– When the owner’s name is engraved, a connection between the item and the owner’s soul is created. The item can return to the owner.

– Summoning the item whenever the owner calls for it is possible.

– No one aside from the owner can use the item.

(Return attribute granted)

– The item might want something in return from its owner.

– Durability increase, Stats increase

In other words, that was a summon skill. In the past, Heaven’s Punishment came flying to him whenever he called for it. Therefore, he hadn’t felt the need to use the Engrave skill.

‘However, a lot of bastards covet it now. Using the Engrave skill wouldn’t be bad.’

He would use that skill despite knowing that Heaven’s Punishment would not follow the orders of someone else.

Lee Gun was about to engrave his name onto Heaven’s Punishment when...

“Ahhhk!”

The weapon suddenly got up and flew away somewhere.

“What the hell? Where is it going?”

Lee Gun was taken aback. When he and Hugo saw the direction the weapon was headed, they were surprised.

“Wait a moment. That direction is...”

* * *

A kilometer away from Lee Gun’s workshop...

It was an outdoor hot spring created using the Aquarius’s water.

Oblivious to the events at the workshop, Chun Sungjae and Chun Yooha were there. Of course, Chun Sungjae didn’t know his sister was there as he took a bath in the hot spring.

“Jeez! What should I do?”

Suddenly...

“Hey! What’s going on? Why aren’t you watching Uncle?”

“!!?”

At his sister’s voice, Chun Sungjae screamed in fright. Flustered, he quickly used his towel to cover up his most important location, wondering where the voice was coming from.

“Normally, you would be watching Uncle manufacture items.”

Chun Sungjae, who was within the water, screamed when he heard his sister’s voice from up high.

“Damn it! Really, Noona!” The young man almost fainted when he saw his sister.

Wearing a bathing suit, Chun Yooha was lying flat atop one of the large stone pillars next to the hot spring.

“Really? How long were you there?”

“Around 20 minutes?”

Chun Sungjae grabbed the back of his neck in frustration. In terms of hiding her presence, his sister was almost at divine rank. Their father... No, not even their uncle would notice her.

“Uncle said to carry out the test here! Get away from here! He will be here soon!”

This was why Chun Yooha was hiding there. She pouted as she looked at her brother’s back. The stigma of a Zodiac Saint called the Saint Seal lay there. She looked at it with envy.

‘All the Zodiac Saints have it somewhere close to their heart.’ Why was hers on the back of her hand?

At that moment...

Shweek!

“Saint-nim!”

“Sungjae! Look out!!”

Voices of the Archer disciples came from the distance, so Chun Sungjae turned his head, but he suddenly screamed.

Something was flying toward him, and it was none other than Heaven’s Punishment! The wicked blade lifted itself high before it came down toward Chun Sungjae.

Kwah-jeek!

“Ahhhk!”

To be precise, it came down on the stone pillar Chun Sungjae was leaning against. After cutting into the stone pillar, Heaven’s Punishment was about to raise its blade again. But a familiar face fell from the sky.

“Good! Good! You’re a good boy!” After dropping from the sky, Lee Gun grabbed Heaven’s Punishment.

“Uncle!” Chun Sungjae was surprised.

At the same time, the item Heaven’s Punishment had attacked reacted in fright.

“W-What the hell is this?”

The stone that Sungjae was leaning against had turned into a woman. It was none other than a Construct.

Heaven’s Punishment let out a fierce roar after catching the enemy Construct.

[It dares hide in the public bath to spy on the Master.]

[It plans on secretly attacking the Master.]

Heaven’s Punishment had mobilized when it had realized someone was spying on them from a distance. The weapon had realized that this Construct was under one of the gods that had appeared alongside the Cancer. This was why it was furious; it knew the Construct belonged to someone who had tried to kill its owner.

After grabbing Heaven’s Punishment, Lee Gun laughed in a satisfied manner as he looked at the Construct. “What the hell? She’s a high-rank Construct for the Pisces.”

[Let me go!]

“You used that great transformation ability to steal a glance at our Sungjae?”

Startled, Chun Sungjae looked for his towel.

The Construct yelled as if she wanted Lee Gun to shut up.

[How insolent! I have no interest in this shorty!]

Chun Sungjae froze when he heard the specific phrase. He almost let go of his towel, which was covering his important part.

Lee Gun ignored it as he snorted. “By the looks of it, you’re here to steal the cores of Cancer and Aquarius. Not on my watch.”

Lee Gun’s eyes changed into snake eyes as he summoned his Constructs.

[You have called for me!!]

“She’s connected to the Pisces. Put her in the middle world so that we can interrogate her.”

[We’ll obey your wishes!]

Lee Gun was about to send the captured Construct alongside his own when...

“What’s wrong, Sungjae?” Lee Gun tilted his puzzlement as he watched Sungjae despair within the hot spring. “Why are your eyes dead like that—”

“Unclllllllle!”

“What is it?”

“Do you think I can get bigger!!”

“Bigger? What are you talking about?”

Chun Sungjae let out huge tears. “There is a really pretty girl at school. I heard her friends talk about me by chance.”

“??”

Lee Gun had no idea what Sungjae was talking about, but he assumed some female students had been talking about the young man.

“Uncle! They called me a fat dwarf!”

Kuhk!

Of course, a male student had said those words, but Chun Sungjae could never forget it.

“Hahaha! Who cares if Chun Sungjae is a Zodiac Saint? He is a m****t! If he takes a picture with other Zodiac Saints, his face won’t even show!”

“Are you sure he isn’t an elementary student? He is 155 cm?”

His height was 156 cm, but it was still a devastating blow.

“I... I tried not... to pay any attention to it! However, I went to gather ingredients from the craftsmen, and they talked about my h-height...” Chun Sungjae could speak no longer. He wailed.

“Height isn’t everything!!!”

Taken aback by this sight, Lee Gun patted Chun Sungjae on the back. “Alright. Uncle will make you a drug that’ll let you grow in height. Can you let go now? You pulled down Uncle’s pants.”

“Weh! Is it possible?”

“Yes. Trust in Uncle. In the first place, isn’t your dad tall?”

Hugo arrived at the scene at this time. He had quickly chased Heaven’s Punishment alongside Lee Gun. And this scene made him relax.

Heaven’s Punishment seemed to have flown here because of the hidden Construct.

‘He’s grown up a bit.’

Hugo found it commendable as he watched Lee Gun try to cheer up Sungjae. This was why he relaxed as he turned around. He planned on coming back with some ice cream.

As if he was responding to Sungjae’s expectation, Lee Gun continued, “Anyway, you will become taller. Your genetics are on your side. Also, Uncle was small when I was a student. I grew a lot when I became an adult. That is why you shouldn’t worry about it.”

Feeling relieved by those words, Sungjae discreetly looked downward. “Uh... H-How about here?”

His nephew looked at him with an expectant gaze, so Lee Gun turned serious. “Uh. I’m sorry. That part is influenced by genetics too.”

Hugo threw a bucket full of hot spring water toward Lee Gun. “Hey!!!! There are things you shouldn’t talk about!!”

Kwahng!

As expected of the absolute-accuracy Zodiac Saint, although Hugo had tossed the bucket without thinking much, it flew straight toward Lee Gun.

“You never got a close look at it! Here! Let’s compare it! Let’s compare it right now”

“Let’s do it, bitch!”

The two of them were about to get into a contest, but...

“Uncle!!”

“!!?”

Hearing his daughter’s voice all of a sudden, Hugo screamed in fright.

Chun Sungjae realized he forgot about someone. He screamed. His sister, he had forgotten she was there.

At that moment, Lee Gun’s eyes turned gold. “Bastards.”

He grabbed Heaven’s Punishment.