On Hiatus: God's Personal Reasons-Chapter 293: #A Deep Night, Abyss of Despair (2)

I had a dream.

I was a supreme being in the dream. I was the truth, and I alone was the most dazzling existence in the world. Regardless, it was futile. I was in a hellish world where chaos raged, unchecked. And some things would “accidentally” be born from that chaos.

Yet, there was nothing more than a mindless, lifeless organism, devoid of even the most basic survival instincts. Though I was also born from chaos, no other being like me ever came into existence.

I was in endless solitude.

During those days, I came to realize that if I was fated to be the last to remain in this chaos, why not create something myself? Could that be the reason for my existence in this chaos?

I shouted to myself, “I am God of Creator!”

God of Creator—the being who presided over the birth of the universe and all that existed. Having bestowed divinity upon myself, I used a portion of myself and my divine power to create the cradle for the World Tree, which floated above the sea of chaos. Then, I began my creation.

The vast universe I had envisioned, the beautiful stars that would fill it, the blue skies and lands that would unfold beneath them, and the foundation for the lives that would one day dwell there.

It was arduous as it was fun. In this chaos where only I existed, other beings began to emerge—beings that would one day be called gods. Soon, I’d no longer be alone.

“Still not enough.”

To purify this needlessly vast, powerful chaos, and shaping it into the way I desired, one crucial element was missing.

I agonized. After countless trials and errors, nearly a billion more years had passed. The concept of time hadn’t yet been invented then.

Now, things were different. With my existence, everything that once existed in chaos would come in harmony. Cause, effect, and time would begin to flow.

“Beautiful.”

Lovingly, I gazed at the black cocoon hanging from the World Tree. He was a part of me, my companion, and the being who’d complete the world I’d created.

With a trembling voice, I called out his name, “My child, your name is...”

“Haa...!”

I found myself lying face down in my room. Sam-Shin had probably moved me back here. I had no time to dwell on the bizarre dream earlier, as I felt an indescribably ominous and powerful wave of energy, along with the death of one of the Ten Swords, Mosto!

Despair had finally made her move!

***

Back in Nagata-ken, Japan...

Amid the devastated ruins lay a massive hole, roughly a hundred meters in diameter.

Krrrr—!

The darkness lurking within writhed like a ravenous beast.

-Kyaaaaa!

A horrendous scream that threatened to tear the world apart rang through the air.

The president of Japan’s Hunter Association, S-rank Hunter Sasaki Roki, watched the scene from his office with a telescope. He clutched the longsword strung at his hakama.

“Damn it! It's coming again! All troops, prepare for battle!”

Fear painted the faces of the Japanese Hunters and soldiers. They broke out in cold sweat, yet still readied themselves at his command.

Baaaaaam!

A huge tsunami wave was coming at them—or to be more precise, a horde of black, lizardmen-like monsters. The Monster Wave numbered in tens of thousands. Although the phenomenon typically occurred only in dungeons that had existed for a long time, this one happened every ten minutes.

Boom! Boom! Boooom!

The tank units at the front lines fired their cannons all at once.

-Kyaaaaak!

The monsters’ advance didn’t falter even though some had fallen. Using their comrades as stepping stones, they climbed onto the tanks, ripping through the armor with their razor-sharp claws.

“Aaaargh!”

“Eeeek! S-save me!”

Bombs rained down as the soldiers were being slaughtered. Bombs and bullets from fighter jets and helicopters swept through the swarm of monsters.

Baaaam!

The merciless bombardment altered the terrain, suppressing the monster waves. However, the surviving monsters also learned something from the decisive attack. They fixed their gazes on the fighter jets and helicopters, opening their mouths in unison.

-Kiiieee!

Mysterious red beams shot into the sky, and the fighter jets and helicopters fell like burning moths.

“Keugh! Kamikaze!”

Sasaki rushed into the wave of monsters, swinging his sword at them. Every time his sword glowed, dozens of monsters would be torn into pieces without even being touched. However, he couldn’t possibly clear the waves on his own.

I can’t hold out for long!

He gritted his teeth.

Japan might be one of the top countries, with powerful military forces and Hunters, but there were simply too many monsters. Moreover, each and every one of those monsters were at least a B-rank, which required a city-wide evacuation!

But this is only the beginning.

This was nothing compared to whatever was about to follow. He could sense the aura of the catastrophic-level, SSS-rank monster Despair Dragon from that massive hole. He was unsure why nothing had crawled out of it yet, but if the dragon were to join the fray, total annihilation would be instantaneous.

“Are the backups not here yet?!”

“The countries said they have dispatched their S-rank Hunters, but their arrival time is...”

“Ugh! We won't be able to hold out for another hour!”

In the worst-case scenario, they’d have to use their strategic weapon—Ragnarok—on their own homeland.

Clack!

Just then, Sasaki’s arm, who had been swinging his sword at the monsters, froze in place. Chills ran all over him as he slowly looked up into the sky. From the massive hole, the gigantic head of a dragon emerged, its glowing red eyes looking down at Sasaki.

Sasaki felt like he was thrown into a terrible nightmare.

D-Despair Dragon!

It was so huge that it dwarfed the Tokyo Tower.

Oh my god!

Although he didn’t get to fight the dragon since he was too young back then, he instinctively knew it was much bigger than ever. Sasaki estimated its entire length to be a few kilometers long.

Sasaki’s hand trembled as he gripped his longsword. As an S-rank Hunter, he’d boasted that he had surpassed humans, but compared to Despair Dragon, he was but an ant.

Ughhh!

Despite feeling the overwhelming urge to scream and run away, he froze like a mouse in front of a cat. Everyone else felt the same. Its gaze was enough to subdue the insignificant creatures from a distance. Of course, the same didn’t apply to the monsters it summoned.

“Aaaaargh!”

“Eeek! S-save me!”

The sharp fangs and claws of the ravenous monsters descended upon the stunned humans. Screams rang from all directions, and chunks of human flesh scattered all over. Sasaki knew his death was near.

-Kiiieeek!

Darn it! How could I die in vain?!

Sasaki shut his eyes tightly, unable to strike the monsters in time as they closed in on him.

-Crushing Forefinger of God!

The sound of bones and flesh being crushed filled the air, and hot blood drenched Sasaki’s face.

What’s that?

That didn’t come from Sasaki himself.

Blinding flashes of light burst from the sky, and he looked up.

Oh...

If god really existed, would that be how he appeared? He saw a man enveloped in a dazzling glow, exuding divine aura. Beautiful white wings sprouted from his back, reminiscent of a saint in a religious painting.

Ssss—

With every move of his finger, the monsters were crushed like insects.

The man, Yu Il-Shin, told the people on the ground.

“I will take care of the situation here from now on! Everyone, please run to safety!”

His words, imbued with divinity, echoed directly in everyone’s minds.

“Huh? M-my body is moving!”

The people who had been paralyzed by the Despair Dragon moved, as if enchanted by a spell.

The dragon seemed angered by the intrusion.

-Kiiieee!

Despair Dragon roared fiercely, spreading its maw wide at Yu Il-Shin. Abyssal darkness encroached, about to swallow him whole.

Whiiiir!

Suddenly, blinding blue vines shot out from all directions, restricting Despair Dragon.

-Krrrr!

Despair Dragon glared at the owner of the vines, its eyes burning red. It was none other than Sa-Shin, who had summoned the World Tree’s vines from another world. He flinched, retreating in fear. The dragon tore through the vines one by one, as if they were nothing.

With a troubled look, Sa-Shin muttered, “This won’t hold out for long, so hurry! I’m not good at combat!”

Tzzzz!

As if to respond to his words, a menacing crimson aura surged violently in the distant sky. At first, it seemed as if a pair of suns had risen.

Pzzz!

Sam-Shin, covered by red sparks, gathered God of Destroyer’s immense power, ready to unleash the explosion any time.

Yu Il-Shin signaled. “Sam-Shin, fire!”

Sam-Shin nodded and yelled, “Destrooooooy!”

A colossal beam of destruction, spanning nearly a hundred meters, struck Despair Dragon.

-Kiiieeek!

With the horrifying scream, Despair Dragon was thrown back into the abyss it had created.

Then, Yu Il-Shin looked down into the hole. “I guess this isn’t enough.”

The strongest among the four of them, Yi-Shin, wasn’t around. Yu Il-Shin had contacted him about the situation, yet received no response. It seemed like the duel with the War God had yet to conclude.

“It can’t be helped. We’ll have to figure this out on our own for now.” Yu Il-Shin then covered his face with his hands. “Skill Sharing. Akdol’s Dead Dragon!”

Clack clack!

The skull chickens and Ko Sa-Deuk’s angel soldiers, who’d been prepared for this situation, gathered around him. He began to transform, turning into a massive Bone Dragon, similar to Despair Dragon.

-It’ll be different this time, Despair! Let’s settle this today!

The Bone Dragon leaped into the abyss that had swallowed the Despair Dragon.