754

 [Chapter 192]

[Clash of Gods (7)]

Before the regression.

Sindorim caused a terror attack to save Shin Yeon-su who had resurrected him.

The Mana God is with us!

Let's resurrect our family, friends, lovers and regain happiness!!

<Madam > Bebe handed over artifacts obtained from the Academy to Sindorim.

He used the artifacts' abilities to brainwash people.

Thus ghouls spread uncontrollably throughout Yeongdeungpo-gu.

"The situation isn't good. I can't fight the dead alone. If only there were a few more people proficient in purification magic..."

"The brainwashing on them seems stronger than I thought. Damn it, unless we destroy that helmet he's using first, breaking the brainwashing is useless..."

Twelve Seats <Holy Mother> Park Hye-rim.

Twelve Seats <Fantasy Poem> Do Wan-jun.

Even though the two were hurriedly deployed, they couldn't handle the situation.

In the end, the battle situation only reached a calming phase when two more people who were Twelve Seats at the time, <Earthling > Kwak Woo-hyeok and <One-Man Fortress> Chu Young-hoon, were additionally deployed.

Furthermore─

"─Cheon-seo, can you do it?"

"Don't worry, Tae-yang. I have an artifact obtained from a Chungmu-grade treasure. I'll open a path."

"Eun-woo, please handle protective magic."

"...Okay."

On Tae-yang's party also appeared.

Watching the people facing Sindorim, he wore a confident expression.

"Then I-byeol and Riel analyze the battle situation from a safe place, and Bebe noona and Kaede come with me to take that guy down."

"Ugh... Fighting those things will be the death of this noona. Let's take it easy. Okay? Many Twelve Seats have been deployed, do we need to exert ourselves?"

"There are people suffering over there. So we as 'heroes' should save them."

"Your sense of justice is really something this noona can't handle, Tae-yang. Fine then. But later, intensely. You know?"

"Bebe unnie. Why don't you say such things later when it's just the two of you? Right now people are dying..."

"Why? Do I look cheap?"

"That's not what I meant."

"If that's how it looks then say so. Don't make that disgusted face pretending to be noble all by yourself."

"When did I do that?"

"Then get rid of that blank face first."

"..."

"What? Want to fight me?"

"N-Now, now! Both of you stop fighting! Let's think about how to resolve this situation!"

<Madam > Bebe.

<Divine Archer> Hoshimiya Kaede.

Though not known publicly.

Within the party, the two had an almost oil and water relationship.

Jo A-ra had to quickly step between them and desperately mediate the situation.

"Oh my, what's wrong with my darling's face? I'm just envious of you to the point of wanting to be born with your face."

"...Thank you for saying that."

"Don't be hurt by what that auntie says. You know too. She's just picking a fight because she's anxious for no reason."

Meanwhile, Bong Gu-rae comforted Kaede.

Kaede who had been wearing a stiff face finally relaxed.

Soon On Tae-yang's party also jumped into the world mixed with people and ghouls with all their might.

─Gift <Brave >

While exerting party members' gifts.

On Tae-yang quickly defeated them and reached <Myeongwang > Sindorim.

With On Tae-yang's party joining, Sindorim was finally pushed back.

So Sindorim was subjugated.

Meanwhile─

"─Ho-oh. <Braver > was it? I heard he contributed to killing Ye-gyeong, but seeing directly it wasn't just luck it seems."

Tsk tsk.

Armageddon had been watching the entire process from Sindorim's resurrection to his disappearance.

His interest that was initially directed at Sindorim who weakly manifested myth was now directed at On Tae-yang.

"It's not an ordinary enhancement-type gift. All abilities strengthen without limit, and even sharing companions' gifts... But how can he share? To be able to connect wills without using the <Connection > gift... It's almost like─"

─It's like gathering wills into one to manifest myth.

Armageddon raised the corners of his mouth.

"Is it a gift that makes humans reach myth, no, makes them rival gods? No, that's not it."

Hypothesis of impossible existence.

It's impossible for a human body to have a heart with the power of a god.

So if I had to guess─

"─Is it a gift that seems to test human potential?"

What a truly human-praising gift.

Armageddon chuckled.

He found it absurd even as he said it.

Human-praising, what nonsense.

With neo-humans openly existing like this, what human-praising?

If such a thing existed, why didn't he have it?

Why did he have to sublimate his lowly body into a neo-human?

But even so─

"─I'm quite envious."

Though this body isn't bad either.

That body is enviable too.

If he took that body, wouldn't he reach a level where he could embody myth without collapsing?

Then couldn't that truly be called a god?

"<Braver > On Tae-yang... I'll have to keep watching."

So when that guy ripens, it might not be bad to extort his flesh then.

Armageddon looked forward to that time.

☆

At the last moment.

Eun-ha heard the sound of heartbeats shaking his body.

Gift <Unknown >

Again.

He sees the future.

Eun-ha faced the phenomenon of the world-line splitting in two.

I can't die like this!

No, I don't want to die!

The future that would occur if he stabbed Prominence Lance into him.

Sindorim's body burns away in flames and all kinds of wills are released into the world.

His panicked self burns them with flames, but his body that has reached its limit can't burn them all.

As a result, large-scale bias occurs in the area.

Then what should I do?

Perhaps because he's under the world of flames.

The future shown by the gift was not shorter but longer than before.

Eun-ha who took his eyes off the branched world-lines looked at Sindorim who had transformed into a Demon-type monster.

"You're really persistent..."

While stabbing a sword into Sindorim's chest.

Eun-ha clicked his tongue.

One more blow, just one last blow was lacking.

But he couldn't use magic like Blast Cross in a state where he was so close to him.

Blaze Crusher?

It would only cut his outer shell.

Then Divine Crimson?

It took time to prepare the magic. In that time, he would counterattack.

In the end only Prominence Lance remained.

Activating additional magic on the sword currently stabbed into his chest.

But if he did that─

─A monster wave would occur. Additional damage could happen.

Eun-ha gritted his teeth.

Now there was no leeway.

His power was disappearing.

He had to choose.

Whether to make a decision knowing the future.

Or─

It was right then.

"...!!"

Sindorim who was about to counterattack.

Suddenly closed his eyes and spread both arms.

A posture as if offering his life.

Is it a high-level feint or not.

Eun-ha was momentarily bewildered.

That was only for a moment.

Eun-ha put strength into Winter Blooming Coldly instead of Winter Crawling with Snowflakes.

"─Farewell."

Whoosh.

The last flames blazed.

Crimson flames wrap around the sword.

He who seemed to be holding a flame stream in his hand pierced through Sindorim who voluntarily took a defenseless posture.

─Divine Crimson

Just like the future he saw earlier.

As Sindorim's body is enveloped in flames, the will inside screams.

The will trapped inside his body is liberated and rampages madly.

They were trying to spread to the world while avoiding Eun-ha's flames.

But it was futile.

Whoosh!!

Flames soaring to the sky.

The flames shot up as if unwilling to lose strength even at the moment of extinction.

Crimson flames burn the thoughts without a trace.

And using them as fuel, the crimson world expands its force even more.

While burning the world of black mana, it covers the whole world in flames.

The living are enveloped in warm flames, the dead burn in fierce karmic fire.

And so─

─I don't want salvation.

As long as Yeon-su is saved.

Sindorim's voice is heard.

The dead disappear from this land.

☆

When all the flames went out.

The world had returned to normal.

Ghouls were nowhere to be found, and the only beings standing on the ruined land were all people.

""""...""""

It feels just like a dream.

People couldn't shake off that feeling.

What people left in the world after the ghouls disappeared felt was not relief but mysticism.

In such a situation, people's gazes were directed at No Eun-ha who ended this situation.

"Damn..."

"Papa! Peep peep!"

""""...!!""""

The actual Eun-ha couldn't hold out any longer and collapsed on the ground.

Along with the recoil of Gift <Amplification > and.

Gift <Unknown >.

As if it were the price for changing the world, tremendous exhaustion came.

His body trembled.

He couldn't manifest mana.

His body wouldn't move as he willed.

Strength wouldn't enter his legs.

My heart... hurts so much.

Eun-ha clutched his chest.

The area around his chest was hot.

His heart felt like it would burst from pain.

Thump thump thump

The sound of his heart pumping strongly shook his head.

His body felt infinitely heavy.

It felt like something was escaping from his body.

He intuitively realized.

It was something that could make him exist.

No.

Don't escape.

Eun-ha curled up his body.

He desperately shouted inside.

He could intuitively sense that the moment that escaped, his flesh would gradually collapse.

But contrary to his plea, it was something that couldn't be grasped.

Something like a soul.

Something mental.

No matter how much he begged─

─Gift <Unknown >

It was then.

He felt the sensation of his gift activating again.

His heart contracted greatly.

It was agonizing to the point he couldn't breathe.

Eun-ha who had never activated his gift twice in one day before was enveloped in even greater pain than now.

Thump thump thump

But the pain gradually subsided.

The pounding sound grows smaller.

His heart returns to its original state.

Only then could Eun-ha feel a somewhat more comfortable sensation.

He didn't know what happened, but he could tell that much.

His gift had prevented something from escaping from him.

"Eun-ha! No Eun-ha! Are you okay!?"

"...Unnie! His vital signs are returning to normal! His breathing and pulse are gradually stabilizing too!"

Only then could Eun-ha become aware of his surroundings.

No Eun-ah and Cha Eun-woo were urgently checking his condition.

Clan members also rushed over in shock, and other supporters even came to help the two.

"...I'm fine. I think I'm better now. There's nothing wrong."

"Nothing wrong my foot! Stay still. Let me examine you properly."

Eun-ha tried to calm the people who were shocked because of him.

Then No Eun-ah ignored those words and took off Eun-ha's clothes.

Cha Eun-woo also joined in taking off his clothes.

"Move aside! Just rip it off, why are you taking it off one by one!?"

Then Jin Parang who couldn't stand watching appeared naked in front of Eun-ha.

He ripped off Eun-ha's clothes.

Eun-ha's condition with his upper body exposed in front of people was quite serious.

"How much did the ghouls bite you!? The wounds are severe... My goodness, did you fight while cauterizing yourself with your own flames!?"

"Unnie, it's serious here too. The flesh is rotting now. And it's spreading..."

"This won't do, I think there's a limit to what the two of us can treat. I think Hye-rim unnie and Iriya unnie need to come treat him too. Parang, quickly go call Iriya unnie!"

"Eun-hyeok, you quickly tell Hye-rim unnie!"

Following No Eun-ah and Cha Eun-woo's instructions.

People moved busily.

No Eun-ah and Cha Eun-woo scolded Eun-ha no matter what he said and focused on treatment.

"No, how with this body..."

"Lord! Are you really okay!?"

Soon Park Hye-rim and Iriya came.

The two also momentarily held their breath seeing Eun-ha's condition.

Soon the two joined in, and four people pounced on Eun-ha.

They simultaneously activated high-dimensional healing magic.

─Rustle

Then, Park Hye-rim noticed an anomaly.

Her eyes opened wide.

Soon the other three were amazed too.

"Amazing... Is this a human body?"

"""..."""

Park Hye-rim's astonishment was justified.

When the four activated healing magic, Eun-ha's body was being healed at a frighteningly fast rate.

It could be called Eun-ha's natural healing ability, though the healing magic had an effect too.

Is it because of the elixir?

Meanwhile, Eun-ha lying on the ground could roughly grasp the cause.

The elixir he drank before not only bestowed him with the most ideal body, but also bestowed excellent healing ability.

Moreover─

"─The magic causing flesh to rot isn't reaching the heart."

"""..."""

Sindorim's curse was powerful.

But Eun-ha focused on burning ghouls and neglected burning the magic cast on himself.

As a result, decay magic was dyeing his body black.

If that magic infected up to his heart, he would have become undead.

But the magic couldn't invade near where Eun-ha's heart was.

Thump thump thump

It's because of the gift.

The gift that sensed danger was resisting the decay magic.

Thanks to that, though Eun-ha looked serious on the outside, his insides weren't badly injured unexpectedly.

Of course, the recoil was an exception.

Even if he received healing from four people, they couldn't do anything about the price from the recoil.

Bandages of Healing

The healing magic ended.

Cha Eun-woo used an artifact to increase the magic's effect and make the effect last as long as possible.

Eun-ha was tightly wrapped in bandages.

That appearance was exactly like a mummy.

"...I don't think there's a need to go this far."

"Shhh. Want to get hit in that state if you don't stay still?"

"...Yes."

It was excessive, too excessive.

His pants were also torn during treatment.

Thanks to that, Eun-ha had no choice but to be wrapped in bandages from head to toe.

It feels just like becoming Abyss.

A manga he watched with Eun-ae before.

Eun-ha didn't lose his cheerfulness even in this situation.

He was just happy that clan members were worrying about him.

If he could, he wanted to receive their worry like this in the future too.

The clan members would be furious if they heard.

"Are you okay?"

 "Oh, it's Diamond."

"...I don't know what you're saying, but it seems your brain has become a ghoul. Should I send you off painlessly?"

"I'm joking. How did it go?"

Kaede making a blank face.

Eun-ha grinned.

It was hard to even smile due to the bandages pressing on his face.

Soon he asked her.

The reason she appeared late when all the clan members had rushed over was probably because of that.

Sure enough, she held it out.

"I searched as much as I could see but only monster mana stones were visible. It seems all the artifacts he had were destroyed by your flames. There's nothing to expect."

"Really? Can't be helped."

Kaede reported the gains.

There wasn't much gain.

Eun-ha wasn't disappointed.

In his previous life, players didn't gain anything either.

If anything, the big gain would be that there was less damage than before the regression and casualties were minimized as much as possible.

And though he didn't want to admit it─

""""─The Crimson God has resurrected!""""

""""Oh, Crimson God!!""""

"...What are those?"

Choi Eun-hyeok supported him.

He painfully raised his upper body and looked at the people prostrating themselves towards him in the distance.

Probably Mana Religion believers.

They chant for the Crimson God.

Occasionally the words Eun-ha God are heard too.

It seemed they were calling for him.

Eun-ha's face became sullen.

On the other hand, Iriya spoke proudly.

"They were all impressed by the Lord's activities and converted to the Eun-ha God Religion."

"Ah, geez..."

Though Eun-ha himself was just embarrassed.

The Pandora Clan's support rate increased.

Not just them, but players were also admiring Eun-ha and Pandora Clan members' skills.

"─We decided to organize the situation with other people. So Pandora Clan Lord, please go in and rest well now."

"...Thank you. I'll rest well."

<Earth Dragon> Chong Eun-ju spoke to him.

She recommended rest to Eun-ha on behalf of the players.

He was tired anyway.

Eun-ha decided to gratefully accept people's goodwill.

Soon Chong Eun-ju turned around.

"And Pandora Clan Lord."

"Yes?"

Chong Eun-ju walking far away.

Chong Eun-ju stopped walking.

Eun-ha blinked.

"With such skills, is there really a need to dabble in darkness?"

"..."

"Personally, not as a Clan Lord, but as one player. I hope someone like you would remain a hero as you are."

Only after hearing Chong Eun-ju's words.

Eun-ha could finally understand why she had shown a negative attitude towards him at first.

The incident of turning the Sejong Clan Lord into a cripple before.

Chong Eun-ju knew about it.

"The end of people who dabble in darkness is mostly similar. Without realizing it, their lives are devoured by darkness, and they fall endlessly."

"..."

"I've seen many players. Many people with bright futures like you were ruined. So I advise you, walk the righteous path. Then people will praise and support you like now."

"...Thank you for the advice."

"Then I'll be going."

Samra Clan Lord Chong Eun-ju's advice.

Eun-ha didn't answer that he would follow her advice.

She didn't force it any further either.

Eun-ha sent her off.

...It's too late to walk the righteous path.

Chong Eun-ju's advice was right.

But Eun-ha had come too far.

He could no longer turn back.

Above all, if he walks the righteous path, he can't obtain the future he wants.

Anyway, I should rest first.

I'll have to stay cooped up in the hall for a while.

Eun-ha changed his thoughts.

His body hurt even though he received healing magic.

He needed absolute rest.

Eun-ha was about to return to the clan hall supported by clan members.

Right then─

[─Eun-ha, telepathy arrived from Ariel. It's now....]

"...What?"

Jin Seo-na's telepathy was conveyed.

Hearing the news she conveyed.

Eun-ha flinched.

☆

Nanji Hangang Park.

As Sindorim changed the world, the bias grew uncontrollably.

In such a situation, Ha Baek-ryeon and her friends chased by monsters had no choice but to be isolated in the forest.

Growl!!

Hide and seek with monsters.

But elementary school students who might not even be able to compose mana couldn't possibly hide perfectly from them.

In the end, the elementary students waiting for a player's help were discovered by monsters and cornered.

Crackle, crackle....

They can't request help.

The elementary students are trembling.

It was the same for Ha Baek-ryeon.

She tightly closed her eyes while watching the rushing monster.

And finally─

────!!!!!!

The seal placed on her broke.

The seal that was causing noise reacting to the bias broke in response to her strong emotions.

A huge beam of light shot up centered on her.

────!!!!

A presence that naturally draws attention.

A pillar of silvery-white light widened its range and only affected monsters.

To the point they couldn't even resist.

Their mana was dispersed.

Like that, they disappeared futilely.

"This is..."

Ha Baek-ryeon had a blank face.

Ha Baek-ryeon sitting on the ground couldn't understand what she had done.

However, completely separate from her understanding, an abnormality occurred in her body.

""""...""""

She hadn't realized it yet.

But the elementary students witnessed her hair gradually turning pure white.

As her gift fully manifested, mana caused changes in her genes.

And─

─Thud

Seeing the pillar of light shooting up into the sky.

Players could easily discover her location.

"""..."""

Twelve Seats <First Sword> Ji Yong-hyeon.

Twelve Seats <Witch of Time> Pricis Memory.

Pandora Clan <Snow Spear> Ryu Yeon-hwa.

The three held their breath seeing Ha Baek-ryeon whose hair had turned pure white.

"...Yeon-hwa unnie?"

"Baek-ryeon, could you be..."

The situation was clear.

Mana that annihilated the monsters' existence.

And silvery-white.

And Ha Baek-ryeon whose hair was turning pure white due to mana.

It's the <White Silver> gift.

Everyone was certain.

By then, Ji Yong-hyeon approached her and knelt on one knee.

"─Are you hurt anywhere?"

""""...""""

In a polite tone.

Ji Yong-hyeon showed courtesy.