Chapter 325

The Third Annihilation Technique.

This technique, imbued with the attribute of fire, was something Seong Jihan hadn't mastered in his past life.

Although he once remembered it vividly, at some point he suddenly couldn't recall the name of the third Annihilation Technique.

Upon touching the blue flame, the memory swiftly returned.

'The third's name is… Return of the Light.'

Return of the Light.

This term is commonly used to describe a state where a person momentarily regains vitality just before death.

An unexpected name to be part of the Annihilation Techniques.

'Sophia's Constellation, Pythia, mentioned that the third power is closely linked with holy fire… but now that I know the name, it seems even less related.'

The white flame, holy fire.

The fourth Martial God's disciple, Pythia, had transferred the holy fire to Sophia suggesting that the end-phase implementation was related to the third power.

However, the third power Seong Jihan recalled seemed barely related to the apocalypse.

[Annihilation Technique? What a grand name. What's it about?]

"There is such a thing."

Seong Jihan casually responded to the Shadow Queen, who reacted to his words.

Then he pondered over how to utilize the Return of the Light of the Annihilation Technique.

'The power bestowed by the Martial God, ignites the force with the power of fire, then reverses the flow of power. Now, I have the Martial Soul instead of force… In my current state, I can certainly use Return of the Light as long as I know how…'

In his previous life, Seong Jihan couldn't ignite all force into fire, thus never utilized Return of the Light.

But now, not only did Seong Jihan possess Martial Soul, which was superior to force, but also had the required stats, making the use of Return of the Light possible if he knew the method.

Of course, he didn't know where it might be useful.

'Let's try it.'

Compelled by touching the blue flame and recalling the technique.

He was certain there was a connection with Return of the Light.

Fundamental Divine Arts, Annihilation God's Secret – Return of the Light

Sssssss…

Seong Jihan's skin momentarily flushed red as the usual flow of fire energy reversed.

In terms of method, Return of the Light was instantly successful.

For Seong Jihan, who had managed even the final Annihilation Technique, Heavenly Tree Descending Spirit, to the application stage, the third was effortlessly accomplished.

However,

'What's the effect?'

Perhaps because he wasn't on the brink of death, Seong Jihan felt no tangible effect.

It seemed no more than just circulating fire energy once around.

Therefore, he wondered whether his understanding of the technique was incorrect.

Whoosh…

[Oh? The fire is extinguishing…]

The blue flames, which persisted despite the Destruction Code due to their status as permanently preserved data, suddenly weakened upon using Return of the Light.

Then,

[The lock has been released.]

[Would you like to delete the data?]

[Data can be accessed before deletion.]

Letters floated above the blue flames.

It seems you must first view before deletion.

[Would you like to access the data?]

"Yes."

Upon Seong Jihan's response.

Whoosh!

The flame expanded rapidly, engulfing him completely.

* * *

Dong! Dong! Dong!

'Drum sounds?'

The first thing Seong Jihan heard after being absorbed by the flame was the sound of a large drum.

Along with it, his vision gradually brightened.

What came into Seong Jihan's view were large crosses densely packed together. There, beings much larger than humans were hanging with their hands and feet tied.

'Is this the data I accessed?'

Whisk!

While Seong Jihan pondered, his body moved on its own.

Turning around, he faced tiered platforms and below, countless people observing him.

Their attire fit more an ancient era than the modern one.

"Waaaaah!"

"Kill! Kill!"

"Slay the vile god!"

The crowd cheered, raising spears and swords high, united in their call to kill the vile god.

Seemingly, the 'god' they referred to seemed to be the giants hanging on the crosses.

Swoosh!

In response to the crowd's cheers, Seong Jihan's body raised its hand.

Clearly, this body was acting entirely without Seong Jihan's will.

[Where is this? I can't use any power.]

'Who knows.'

[Have you been possessed?]

'I'm still unsure. We'll need to observe more.'

[You….you're quite calm about this.]

The Shadow Queen, also engulfed by the flames with Seong Jihan, held significant alertness to the current situation, unlike him, since she couldn't read the words 'data access.'

[I'll try to find a way out.]

While the Shadow Queen pondered alone, Seong Jihan watched the movements of the body he was inhabiting.

Responding to the crowd's cheers.

Dong! Dong! Dong!

Suddenly, the ground began to vibrate, prompting him to look beyond the crowd.

A colossal entity slowly approached.

[Isn't that the iron giant you summoned? It's magnitudes larger.]

Approaching the platform was the enlarged steel giant, Enkidu, with a man sitting cross-legged on its shoulder.

A middle-aged man with a beard.

It was a face known to Seong Jihan through Pythia.

Gilgamesh.

"The King!"

"The King has arrived!"

Upon his arrival, everyone prostrated, offering respects.

Their demeanor towards Gilgamesh was a blend of awe and fear.

"This time, we captured seven 'gods.'"

Gilgamesh stood from Enkidu's shoulder, extending his hand forward.

"Executioner. Lower the spear."

Sssssss…

Darkness rose behind Gilgamesh, casting a vast shadow.

A shadow as large as Enkidu's head.

'That is…'

Seong Jihan's eyes widened.

The shadow was too immense to be merely Gilgamesh's.

It was a distinct entity.

Moreover, it gave off a familiar sensation.

'…'

As Seong Jihan pondered the source of that 'familiarity.'

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Seven spears flew from the shadow, embedding in front of the body Seong Jihan inhabited.

"Blood Clan. Take up the spear and prepare."

At those words, the inhabited body bowed towards Gilgamesh before picking up one of the spears.

To the naked eye, it was just an ordinary spear.

However, once held, Blood swirled around the spear shaft, with text rising.

[Destruction Code Activation]

The spear, through an interaction with the possessed body, displayed the Destruction Code.

Seong Jihan, observing the body's use of power, was inwardly astounded.

'Far more effortlessly than when I activated the code.'

An experience only recognizable in this possessed state.

Seong Jihan decided to ignore Gilgamesh and the immense shadow behind him for now, focusing solely here.

The 'executioner,' also known as 'blood clan,' was inscribing the code on the spear more efficiently than Seong Jihan.

Additionally.

'The Destruction Code written on the spear doesn't activate on the spear itself.'

While Seong Jihan's codes immediately erased whatever they were written on, the possessed body's code left the spear intact as a conduit.

Wondering how their approach differed.

Seong Jihan concentrated all his attention here.

'The shadow-gifted spear itself is exceptional… but the method also clearly differs. It uses one's own blood as a medium.'

As Seong Jihan learned about the code inscriptions from the possessed body.

[Humans using codes is unthinkable.]

[This cannot be. You… have betrayed your kind.]

Upon witnessing the Executioner use the Destruction Code, the giants tied to the cross uniformly flashed red in their eyes.

Their focused gaze was on Gilgamesh.

Or more precisely, the immense shadow behind him.

And.

Sssssss…

From Gilgamesh's shadow, a semi-circle of flame formed.

Initially unclear what it represented.

[You dare mock us?!]

[An unfinished inferior dares defy us!]

[Even in the end, you dare rebel…!]

Watching the giants' uproar, Seong Jihan realized they perceived it as a taunt.

As he amusedly watched the giants thrash, Gilgamesh commanded.

"Proceed with the execution."

With a swift motion, Seong Jihan, in possession, hurled the spear.

The spear, etched with the Destruction Code, pierced the giants.

[I can't believe the Destruction truly activated…]

The pierced giants sprayed blood in all directions, gradually vanishing one by one.

"Waaaaah!"

"The vile god finally dies!"

The crowd celebrated the death of the giants as vile gods, but as the blood made contact with the ground.

Sssssss…

Flames erupted, causing the cheering crowd to flinch.

"Indeed, god's blood…"

"B, be careful. Don't let the blood of the god touch you!"

"But, isn't that person fine?"

"He's the executioner! Since he's sentenced to death, it's fine for him to touch the blood!"

As the people said.

Even though blood splashed over the possessed body, igniting flames.

Whoosh…

Red mist rose from his body, extinguishing everything shortly.

The smoky aura reminiscent of Longinus's blood energy.

'I can't replicate this.'

Unlike when Seong Jihan took notes on the code inscription, he instantly concluded the blood energy manipulation was beyond him.

This was a method unique to this existence.

[Traitor. The Administrator will judge you!]

As the seventh giant cursed before vanishing, Gilgamesh sneered.

"Huh. For beings who reigned as gods, they are truly foolish. Not realizing the Administrator they cry for is on our side. Isn't that so?"

Sssssss…

Responding to Gilgamesh's question, the immense shadow behind him rose, nodding.

[For now, that's true.]

Even from a distance, the voice was clear.

Seong Jihan, upon hearing it, identified the earlier 'familiarity.'

'…Could that shadow be the Martial God?'

The wandering Martial God.

His voice and the one from the shadow matched perfectly.

'The Martial God. There is indeed an inseparable link of him with Gilgamesh…'

As Seong Jihan organized his thoughts.

The world turned dark and within the dark world, a message arose.

[Data viewing has concluded.]

[Would you like to delete the permanent data?]

Permanent data.

The information here was of substantial value to Seong Jihan.

'If kept, it might turn into another meteor, impacting the ground once more.'

Having gleaned much from the recent viewing.

Seong Jihan decided to erase the data.

"Delete it."

Upon his statement.

[Are you sure you want to delete the permanent data?]

A confirmation message appeared.

"Yes."

With Seong Jihan's response, the message faded, and ...lingered for a while.

After a few moments in the dark world with only a white dot, another message appeared.

[The data has been deleted.]

[The last survivor of the Blood Clan, 'Longinus,' data will be deleted.]

['The Spear of the Blood Clan' will be inherited.]

Swoosh!

Before Seong Jihan, a long wooden spear shaft materialized.

* * *

The star of the Martial God, Tuseong.

Sssssss!

A massive tower on one side of the star split in half.

"Gilgamesh."

Above the split tower.

An elder wielding a sword gazed coldly down upon the divided top with icy eyes.

In the gap of the highest floor.

Gilgamesh was looking up at Dongbang sak.

"Dongbang sak, what is this? Are you showing off your power?"

"What are you thinking? Rebelling against the Martial God?"

"I don't understand what you're saying."

"Longinus died. Your Enkidu played a crucial role."

"Is that so… What a pity. But he'll revive, won't he?"

"No, Seong Jihan… 'completely' eradicated him."

At those words, Gilgamesh displayed a smirk.

Seong Jihan.

He's doing better than expected.

But only briefly.

"Really?? Is Longinus truly dead?"

"Yes… Seong Jihan extinguished him. Even Longinus's spear has been inherited."

"What?"

Upon Dongbang sak's final words.

The smiling Gilgamesh's face turned ice-cold.