On Hiatus: God's Personal Reasons-Chapter 295: #A Deep Night, Abyss of Despair (4)

Myths of giants sacrificing themselves to create the world also existed on Earth. Like Van Gogh in the East, and Ymir in the West.

Upon learning those myths when I was young, I was both scared and fascinated. According to them, humans were like insects living on the corpses of the gods, but if all of that were true, then our world too...

“Disgusting, don’t you think? That’s why I destroyed them.”

God of Destroyer's voice rang in my mind, and I saw the countless worlds that she had destroyed. I became part of those worlds, feeling the despair, pain, anger, and sadness of the inhabiting creatures as if I were them. Her disgust toward them—the very reason she destroyed them—sounded like nothing more than mindless venting.

“And what’s your purpose?”

As if reading my thoughts, God of Destroyer tilted her head in a grotesque manner. “Oh, right. Of course there’s a purpose.”

Tzzz!

The scene around me changed.

“Ugh!” I instinctively covered my nose as a terrible stench hit me.

I saw countless corpses scattered across the black, barren wasteland. Most of them were of a different species, with six-pointed, deer-like horns, while others had leopard-like heads. Were they engaged in some kind of war? The broken spears and swords stuck in the ground clearly showed how brutal the battle had been.

“This is death, which was also me, the destroyer,” she muttered dryly, snapping her fingers.

Time on the wasteland began to flow rapidly.

Ssss—

The gruesome corpses decayed, becoming one with the ground. The once-black wasteland gradually regained its light, as green sprouts emerged one after another. Not long after, a lush, vibrant, and enchanting forest replaced the barren land.

“This is life, my companion Creator.”

Birds sang beautifully, and animals frolicked in the forest, living their lives.

“All living things eventually die, their deaths becoming nourishment to give birth to new lives. Such is the imperfect world created by my companion, where life and death form an endless cycle.”

She treaded to me, bare-footed.

“And so, I had this thought.”

Psss!

The vibrant forest turned into ashes and vanished with her every step, as if they never existed to begin with.

“If I were to return all the worlds he had created to nothingness and erase this cursed cycle...”

Before I knew it, she had stood before me, peering into my eyes.

“I might be able to bring him back?”

“W-what?”

Cold sweat dripped from my cheeks to my chin, dropping onto the ground.

I had long heard of stories of God of Destroyer going around ravaging worlds. Although my impressions had changed since my first encounter with her here, her gaze was undeniable that of a madman.

How could she think of destroying all those worlds just to resurrect God of Creator? No matter how I thought about it, it was clearly an insane plan!

“No, it’s not meaningless.” She pointed at me with one of her three fingers. “Because you’re born, Yu Il-Shin.”

Shivers went down my spine.

“You aren’t him of course, but I see potential in you. See? I was right after all.”

I felt the need to deny her words right there and then. There was nothing more dangerous than a psycho clinging onto false belief.

“N-no... I’m just an ordinary human being. I just happened to find God-Maker. I’m not connected to God of Creator...”

“By chance? Did you really think it was all just by chance?” She sneered. “To be chosen by God-Maker, favored by the gods, and wielding his power despite your flaws... Yet, you still call yourself an ordinary human?”

If I’m not a human, then what am I?

The past twenty-three years of my life flashed across my mind like panorama. The only thing that set me apart from the average young man born in South Korea was that I made a living writing third-rate novels that barely sold.

God of Destroyer reached out, caressing my cheeks. The coldness of her touch seeped into my bones.

“Child, your complacency is truly laughable. Did you think those memories are proof of your existence?”

Her words made me think of the Regressor Kang Woo. I didn’t appear in any of his six lifetimes. And here I thought it was because I wasn’t chosen by God-Maker in all those lives, but...

What if, what if that wasn’t the case? Then... who am I?

A splitting headache hit me.

“I am grateful, Yu Il-Shin. For you and this Earth had proven the possibility of his resurrection, and that alone was enough to justify your existence.” Her eyes, which stared at me, turned into a black hole. “Now, perish.”

Ruuuumble!

The earth suddenly gave way beneath me, and endless darkness spread out at the same time.

Swoooosh!

The darkness writhed, sucking me in. I sensed it in that brief moment—the abyssal darkness was actually her eyes that had been watching me.

“Aaaaargh!”

-O’ great and merciful God Yu Il-Shin! Please, wake up! Haaa! Get away you monster! Muuuuuscles!

A familiar voice pierced through my ears and consciousness.

T-that voice...!

-You fool! How long are you going to be trapped in this petty trickery! How can you call yourself my friend!

Baaaam!

Like a ray of sunlight in the darkness, the red fiery flames burned with vigor.

Emperor!

My eyes flung open.

-Kyaaaaaaaak!

“Keughhh! B-back offfff!”

The first thing I saw was a ginormous insect trying to swallow me whole. A strong, muscular man stopped it, and he wasn’t alone.

“Carnage Flames of God!”

An infernal ball of flame poured down on the bug, threatening to burn it alive.

-Kieeeek!

It writhed and screamed in anguish. Without wasting a second, the muscular man took me and escaped.

I stared at the two of them, appalled. It was Il-Ho and Ant Emperor, whom I last heard had gone on cultivation training.

Keeping the insect at bay with his flames, Ant Emperor stood beside me with a solemn expression. “Pathetic fool. Are you awake now?”

“Il-Ho? Emperor? How did you get here?”

“Eternal Seeker sensed that you're in danger and lent us his power to help you!”

Eternal Seeker? Would that be Yi-Ho?

Pulling out the divine spear slung over his back, Il-Ho then aimed it at the insect, God of Destroyer’s apostle.

“You monster! As long as I’m alive, you won’t touch a single thread of God Yu Il-Shin's muscle!”

Then, a golden glow enveloped him, and he grew in size along with the spear.

O-oh my god!

I was speechless at Il-Ho’s transformation. Perhaps because he had borrowed Yi-Ho’s divine power, his strength easily surpassed a Top-tier God! A part of the divine power of the first Eternal Seeker was merging with Eternal Seeker Yi-Ho!

“Haaaaa! Take this! Muuuuuscles! Divine Spear!”

With an aircraft-sized divine weapon in his explosive, muscular arms, Il-Ho launched himself at the insect. The eyes embedded all over it glinted menacingly, firing destructive beams all at once.

Kwaaaaa!

The spear reddened, shattering into pieces.

Baaaaang!

“Keugh!”

“Uggghh!”

As the explosion hit us, Il-Ho swiftly caught both Ant Emperor and I like an ant swept up in a wave.

“Are you alright, Lord Yu Il-Shin, Former Emperor?!”

-Kyaaaaaak!

Meanwhile, the insect wrapped itself around Il-Ho like a snake, opening its jaws wide.

***

Back in Antrinia...

An epic battle was still ongoing between two Top-tier gods: War of Carnage and Madness, known for being the strongest god, and Yu Il-Shin, the king of all demons and All Phenomena Author’s alter ego. Though their battle had lasted a month by Earth’s time, it remained unresolved—understandable, given that both were centurions and not easily brought to defeat.

They desperately conserved as much divine power as possible, even refraining from summoning their familiars just to engage in a battle of attrition. Regardless, that balance was now broken.

“You let your guard down, Alter Ego. I never thought you’d let that attack pass.” War God wiped the blood off his greatsword.

Catching his breath, Yi-Shin clutched his chest, where a slash wound ran diagonally across his torso. Had the slash gone an inch deeper, it’d have harmed his organs and killed him right there.

“Is it time to decide the victor?” Complicated emotions flashed across War God’s face as he saw the injured Yi-Shin. “It was fun fighting you. I never thought a mere alter ego could last so long in a battle with me. I can’t imagine how strong Yu Il-Shin’s divine power is.”

“Ugh! Don’t be mistaken! I’m much stronger than he is! I wouldn’t have been hurt if I hadn’t gotten careless!”

Riiiip!

The space behind Yi-Shin ripped apart, and War God frowned. How dare he escape during God's Sacrificial War?!

“It’s a shame, but let’s postpone this battle, War God! I have an urgent matter to attend to!”

“Tsk, tsk! Who said you could leave?” War God clicked his tongue, brandishing his greatsword.

Pzzz!

War God showed his resolve to end their duel once and for all with this single attack. Red lightning surrounded his sword, cutting through the darkness in the universe. In spite of that, the anxious Yi-Shin only had his attention on the rift.

“What are you so distracted with?”

War God stopped his attack and turned toward the same direction Yi-Shin was facing. It wasn’t Antrinia, but another world—Earth, a small blue planet inhabited by humans.

The sight of emperor and Yu Il-Shin shooting flames at the bloody, ginormous insect which a giant was fighting against, appeared before War God’s eyes.

-Get away from God Yu Il-Shin, you monster!

-Keugh! Convicting Middle Finger of God! Emperor, my friend! Do something!

-Damn it! Even the parasite ability doesn't work on her!

War God's white hairs stood on end in an instant.

God of Destroyer!

It was War God’s one and only archnemesis, God of Destroyer! Although it looked vastly different from when he fought it, there was no way he could forget that repulsive and loathsome divine power!

However, as much as he wanted to rush out and slay the God of Destroyer himself, he was bound by causality, unable to descend to Earth.

Then, his gaze landed on Il-Ho, who was engaged in a fierce battle against God of Destroyer. That giant possessed the divine power of a Top-tier god, Eternal Seeker.

“Fine, Alter Ego! Let’s put this off for the time being. But!”

War God threw his greatsword at Yi-Shin, who caught it reflexively.

“What's the meaning of this?”

War God growled at Yi-Shin, “Use my sword!”