Chapter 212 - Episode 28. Rupture (6)
Chapter 212: Episode 28. Rupture (6)
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A slender woman who looked nearly eight feet tall stood inside the inn. She briefly swept her lofty gaze across the room before spotting the Leader.
[So the rat of the Metaverse was hiding in a place like this.]
“Cheonryung.”
One of the Eight Heavens.
Covenant Heaven, Cheonryung, the God of Contract.
Russell’s expression darkened slightly. Russell had never expected an Eight Heaven to appear here.
The Leader spoke calmly.
“You must be out of your mind to join the 「Rupture」 because you had nowhere else to go.”
[Is there a single god in the current 《Abyss》 who is in their right mind?]
Cheonryung smiled strangely, then let out a battle cry. Furniture and tables flew in every direction as terrifying World Force overturned the inn.
Baeko cried out and hid behind Manri Shintong.
“Baeko, protect the kitchen.”
“I can barely protect my own life.”
“Today’s Dumpling is in there.”
“Is Today’s Dumpling really important right now?”
Cheonryung glowed with blue light.
[There is no need to drag this out. I will finish it quickly.]
At Cheonryung’s command, the inn’s roof exploded, and four Gigantes were summoned. The shockwaves from the Gigantes swept away every nearby store, along with the residents of the Seventh Site who had been stupidly staring their way.
Russell manifested his Sanctuary at nearly the same time.
Sanctuary Manifestation.
「Deep Sea」
Surging waves swept through the area. The Leader ran across their surface.
Part, 「Metallic Ash」
Steel armor flew in from the air and covered the Leader’s body. Ash-gray matter flowed in from somewhere and formed a long blade in his right hand.
The Leader’s signature technique, the one that had driven Jaehwan into a corner, was unfolding.
The combination of the Part 「Ash Sword」 and the Setting 「Ash Pentagon」.
It was the Leader Eoduksi’s strongest combination, creating a one-on-one battle inside a Pentagon of death, where he could never lose.
Cheonryung, the God of Contract, spoke.
[I will activate the power of ‘Contract.’]
Sparks erupted from Cheonryung’s Gigantes as her Setting, 「Exclusive Contract」, activated.
[I will place a contract of ‘many-on-one combat’ over this area.]
Then a message appeared.
[A ‘many-on-one combat’ restriction has been imposed on the zone within a five-kilometer radius.]
[Settings that require ‘one-on-one combat’ cannot be used within the affected radius.]
[As a condition of the contract, the individual on the ‘one’ side of ‘many-on-one’ will receive a 20 percent increase in World Force.]
The Leader frowned after reading the messages. At first glance, the contract seemed more favorable to him and Russell, who were outnumbered. They had gained a 20 percent increase in World Force in an already unfavorable situation.
The problem was the cost.
Cheonryung said, [I already know all your Settings are specialized for ‘one-on-one combat.’ The 「Ash Sword」 and 「Ash Pentagon」 you possess are only useful in one-on-one battles.]
The Leader’s Metallic Ash collided head-on with Cheonryung’s Gigantes.
The 「Ash Sword」, which had troubled countless gods until now, could not display any power at all. Its Setting, which turned everything it touched to ash, did not activate. Since he could not use 「Ash Pentagon」 either, he could not force a one-on-one fight.
Kwoooooong!
A barrage of World Force fired from Cheonryung’s Gigantes swept across the Leader’s entire body. Cracks began to spread through the 「Metallic Ash」 he had been so proud of.
[So the owner of the Metaverse was nothing special after all. Is that all your fake Three Divine Artifacts can do?]
The Leader did not answer.
He still had 「Time Rewind」, his greatest trump card, but unfortunately, he could no longer use that Setting. His link with Chronos had been severed when he fought Jaehwan in the 〈Metaverse〉.
Even if the link had remained intact, that Setting would no longer have been usable.
Chronos was no longer one of the Eight Divine Thrones of the 《Abyss》.
“You talk too much.”
The Leader coated his sword in pure World Force and drove consecutive sword strikes into Cheonryung’s Gigantes. His primary Settings had been blocked, but that did not mean he was weak without them.
The Leader had once served as a Division Commander within the 「Rupture」.
The problem was that Cheonryung was one of the Eight Heavens of the 《Abyss》, and she was riding a Gigantes that amplified her World Force.
Thud!
Cheonryung’s full-force punch struck the Leader’s entire body. He flew away with a deafening boom and crashed into a ruined building nearby.
The Leader quickly clawed his way out of the ruins, but silver blood spilled from his mouth as though he had suffered internal injuries.
“Damn it. Help me first, Leader!”
Russell shouted while struggling to withstand three Seven Stars. Russell’s one arm moved frantically, batting away the World Force of all three Seven Stars, but the limit was near.
[Bang. Boom! Bang.]
[Just die already, Russell.]
It was not easy to endure Cannoneer’s bombardment, Thousand-Weight God’s interference, and the God of Enhancement’s decisive strikes that came rushing in whenever Russell showed an opening.
Fortunately, aside from Thousand-Weight God, the other two had only recently become Seven Stars and did not possess exceptional combat sense. Still, it was obvious how the battle would end if this continued.
Cheonryung said, [Those two are also on the 「Rupture」’s wanted list. Let us behead them all and bring their heads to the Commander.]
Russell bit down hard while watching the four Gigantes approach. The World Force condensed in that one arm became a wave and shot toward the enemies. Sharks emerged from the waves, bared their sharp teeth, and lunged for the Gigantes’ armor.
Crunch!
Cheonryung’s Gigantes easily caught and tore apart the sharks, then charged straight at Russell. Russell barely moved his feet in time to avoid the first attack.
The problem was that the kitchen stood where Cheonryung’s fist had struck.
With a thunderous boom, Manri Shintong’s dumpling flew into the air.
“Today’s Dumpling!”
“Master? No, damn it.”
Baeko ran in place of his master, who was reaching for the dumpling.
Cheonryung’s second strike was already crashing down exactly where Today’s Dumpling was.
As time seemed to slow, Baeko gave a hollow laugh.
To think I’m going to die trying to save a dumpling.
His sigh quickly turned into resignation.
He had lived without any particular goal or ambition.
Baeko knew his own talent well. No matter how hard he worked, he could never become a powerhouse like the Leader or Jaehwan. Nor was he an outstanding cook.
He would live an ordinary life and meet an ordinary death.
This was simply that moment.
Baeko gave his master, who was watching from afar, a bitter smile.
Find yourself a better Disciple.
The moment Baeko quietly muttered those words, shielded the dumpling in his hands, and squeezed his eyes shut, brilliant radiance burst from the darkness.
Lukewarm World Force embraced him like broth spilling from a damaged xiaolongbao.
He thought Cheonryung’s attack had landed, but no pain came no matter how much time passed.
When Baeko carefully opened his eyes, he met Manri Shintong’s gaze from afar.
Manri Shintong’s lips were moving.
‘You are late.’
Baeko’s eyes slowly widened.
Tssssss.
Someone was catching the Gigantes’ massive fist directly in front of him.
A golden torrent surged around that person’s entire body.
The moment Baeko saw that light, he understood.
His master was Manri Shintong, the man who could see farther than anyone else in the 《Abyss》.
Only then did Baeko understand why his master had prepared that dumpling.
Through the [Manri Eye], Manri Shintong had foreseen this very moment.
“It has been a long time.”
Baeko had once hated that man.
That man had destroyed the 〈Metaverse〉.
Wherever he walked, the worlds where people lived had been shattered.
Yet Baeko was glad that destruction had come to him now.
“I have waited a long time.”
Baeko staggered to his feet and handed the man the dumpling.
The man held the Gigantes’ fist in one hand and accepted the dumpling with the other. He stared at it for a moment before asking, “Was this made today?”
“Yes. Master made them every day, always waiting for your return.”
Without hesitation, Jaehwan took a bite.
“It is delicious.”
Cheonryung muttered in disbelief as Jaehwan calmly ate the dumpling right before her eyes.
[What the hell are you······?]
The Seven Stars who saw Jaehwan all muttered at once.
[Th-that bastard is...]
[God Slayer. It is God Slayer Jaehwan!]
At the words God Slayer, Cheonryung hurriedly stepped back more than ten paces.
There was no one in the current 《Abyss》 who did not know the reputation of the God Slayer.
An Awakened One whose name stood alongside the gods who had reached the top of the 《Abyss》 in just half a year.
He had destroyed the 〈Metaverse〉, slaughtered gods, and fought the great Rupture Lord head-on.
Russell weakly smiled and raised a hand.
“It has been a long time, God Slayer.”
“You are alive.”
“I got lucky.”
“Were you protecting them?”
“The dumpling was good.”
Jaehwan gave a light nod at Russell’s answer.
Jaehwan had felt it in the 〈Metaverse〉 too, but Russell was a surprisingly generous god for someone with such an appearance.
The Leader staggered out of the ruins and walked toward Jaehwan.
“I will handle Cheonryung. You take the three Seven Stars.”
The Leader was still doing things entirely his own way.
Jaehwan looked at the Leader, who staggered beneath half-destroyed 「Metallic Ash」 armor.
“Rest. I am enough on my own.”
The Leader bristled and stepped toward Jaehwan, but Russell stopped him.
The Leader finally came to his senses and looked over Jaehwan’s back. His expression gradually filled with shock.
Russell murmured, “I am surprised every time I see you. Just how strong have you become······?”
Jaehwan walked forward. A radiance of World Force on an entirely different level flowed from his whole body.
It was not as dazzling as the power of the Rupture Lord or the other Eight Divine Thrones. Yet Russell and the Leader saw an insurmountable wall in that utterly restrained presence.
It was a wall they had seen before.
Eight Divine Thrones.
It could not be.
Only three months ago, Jaehwan had been on equal footing with the Eight Heavens. Even if he had trained with the resolve to die, it had only been three months.
Could someone become this strong in just three months?
[Attack.]
Cheonryung and the Seven Stars sensed that something was wrong and charged Jaehwan together.
They had heard plenty about the God Slayer’s power. Still, there were four of them.
One Eight Heaven and three Seven Stars.
Even if their opponent was an Eight Divine Throne, they had enough strength to fight.
Kwoooong!
The moment Jaehwan’s bare fist collided with the Gigantes, cracking sounds came from its shell.
[Argh!]
Thousand-Weight God screamed as the arm that had collided with Jaehwan vanished.
「Naked」
Andersen’s Innate Setting.
The Setting that displayed invincible power against opponents wearing Clothes was spreading through Jaehwan’s entire body.
The startled God of Enhancement swung their sword toward Jaehwan’s side with tremendous force.
Crunch.
[What?]
God of Enhancement Grade’s shocked eyes trembled. Their prized 「+183 Beginner’s Sword」 broke as it collided with Jaehwan’s fist.
Jaehwan’s cold eyes followed the sword as it flew away.
“It looks like a toy.”
The horrified gods quickly pulled back and shouted.
[His Setting is dangerous! Bombard him from a distance!]
Led by Cannoneer, who specialized in bombardment, Cheonryung and the Seven Stars began firing World Force recklessly from afar.
Jaehwan did not panic. He drew Solitary Existence and deflected the incoming blasts of World Force.
[Bang. Die! Die! Die! Twakakakak! Bang.]
Perhaps because the broken Solitary Existence made it difficult to wield his World Force properly, Jaehwan advanced somewhat slowly.
Cannoneer muttered in a voice filled with disbelief.
[Bang. How can this be······ What is that bastard? Bang.]
The barrage Cannoneer had just fired contained all of their World Force. It was an attack that even an Eight Heaven could not have emerged from unharmed.
Yet Jaehwan had blocked it without a single wound.
[I cannot believe it. We are losing in World Force.]
[It is not because of World Force. It is because of his Setting, ‘Naked.’ It is the only Setting in the 《Abyss》 that can face Gigantes.]
Cheonryung ground her teeth and shouted quickly.
[I will form a ‘Setting Seal’ Contract!]
At the same time, sparks raced across Cheonryung and Jaehwan’s bodies.
[A restriction has been imposed on the ‘Naked’ Setting within a five-kilometer radius.]
[The ‘Naked’ Setting cannot be used within the affected radius.]
[As a condition of the Contract, the physical abilities of the owner of ‘Naked’ will temporarily increase, while the World Force of Contract caster Cheonryung will be reduced by half.]
The Contract had cost half of Cheonryung’s World Force.
Still, she had no choice if she wanted to seal Jaehwan’s 「Naked」.
Cheonryung watched the power of Jaehwan’s Setting vanish and smiled in triumph. Without that Setting, there was nothing to fear from the God Slayer.
[Now...]
Cheonryung’s Gigantes began to twist from an abnormal reaction.
[······?]
Silver light burst from Cheonryung’s seven orifices just from maintaining the Contract.
Cheonryung screamed from inside the Gigantes.
[Quickly! Kill him quickly!]
Only then did the Seven Stars realize that something was seriously wrong. They looked at one another.
[Cannoneer. We will lend you our World Force.]
Thousand-Weight God and the God of Enhancement supplied World Force to Cannon God Cannoneer at the same time. The God of Enhancement strengthened Cannoneer’s shells, while Thousand-Weight God made them heavier.
The World Force of three Seven Stars began raging through Cannoneer’s cannon barrels.
Watching this, Jaehwan looked down at his broken Solitary Existence.
Unfortunately, he could not perform a proper Stab with that sword.
Jaehwan gave a small sigh and took a stance as though he had no choice.
“Catch!”
Manri Shintong threw a sword from afar.
The hilt settled into Jaehwan’s hand as though it had belonged to him since birth.
The moment he gripped it, he knew.
Hummmmm.
It was Dokbul.
“The Dream Demon left it at this inn before departing.”
The Dream Demon could only mean Ignel of the Deep Dusk.
Jaehwan had already intended to go retrieve the Dokbul he had left behind, but Ignel seemed to have entrusted it to Manri Shintong first.
Jaehwan lightly rolled the sword in his hand and took a Stab stance.
Rumble...
With this, he felt he could perform a proper Stab.
Golden radiance churned in Jaehwan’s eyes as terrifying World Force began to gather at Dokbul’s tip.
Cannoneer’s eyes widened after sensing that momentum.
Thousand-Weight God said, [Do not be afraid, Cannoneer. The three of us can fight even an Eight Divine Throne!]
Jaehwan answered, “Then it seems you have never fought an Eight Divine Throne.”
He calmly stared at Cheonryung and the Seven Stars.
Three months ago, they would have been formidable opponents.
But to the current Jaehwan, they were no different from high-grade gods.
The Eight Divine Thrones he had encountered so far had likely felt the same way.
To the absolute rulers of the 《Abyss》, there were only gods who were Eight Divine Thrones and gods who were not.
No matter how many Seven Stars or Eight Heavens attacked, they could not defeat an Eight Divine Throne.
Cannoneer’s enraged cannon barrels began firing. Enough World Force to turn the entire area into a wasteland erupted with a deafening roar.
Jaehwan slowly closed his eyes.
It was not a particularly special movement.
He lightly inhaled, then exhaled. It was an action as ordinary as breathing.
Like a single ripple spreading across still water, Jaehwan opened his eyes.
「World Stab」
Then the sound before him vanished.
A black hole appeared around Jaehwan’s utterly compressed Stab. Nearby light seemed to be sucked into it, and the light of the world went out in an instant.
Only after Jaehwan sheathed his sword did light burst forth, like thunder arriving after lightning had struck.
It looked as though a world had been shattered and opened anew.
Supported by Baeko, Manri Shintong could barely watch the sight unfold.
Nothing remained in the world swept through by Jaehwan’s Stab.
Neither Cheonryung, the mighty God of Contract, nor the Seven Stars could be seen.
No god, no Follower, no faith, perhaps not even a world remained.
The world Jaehwan’s Stab had torn through shook like a ripped canvas, and Jaehwan’s Unique World surged beyond it.
Watching that sight, Manri Shintong realized it once more.
Destruction had returned.
At the center of that destroyed world, Jaehwan spoke.
“Manri Shintong. Gather the Companions of the 〈Metaverse〉.”
Jaehwan’s golden eyes met the eye floating in Manri Shintong’s sky.
“We are starting a war.”
Footnotes:
Chapter discussion