Chapter 457

Just a moment ago.

At the outskirts of Tuseong.

In a place shining with a more dazzling white light than usual,

The Sun King, in the form of a giant made of light, was blocked by an unexpected obstacle, unable to proceed.

[Cosmic Demon... step aside and cease hindering me!]

"I cannot do that."

Dongbang Sak, who seemed no more than a firefly under the sun in comparison to the Sun King's size.

Yet he blocked the giant of light in the vastness of space all by himself.

[The Martial God is my son. Do you, his servant, intend to block a father from meeting his son?]

"That's why you haven't been killed by me yet."

[What, what did you say...!]

"Did you not feel anything from our battle just now?"

Sssss...

Dongbang Sak looked up at the Sun King.

In his hand, he held the Taiji Sword, now glowing in pure white light.

When he pointed the sword tip at the Sun King,

Flash!

The Sun King involuntarily took a step back.

Ssss...

Seeing this, Dongbang Sak stroked his beard and let out a slight smirk.

"It seems you did feel something."

[You impudent...!]

To be humiliated by the likes of his son's servant.

The Sun King was enraged by Dongbang Sak's mockery, yet he did not drop his guard against that shining sword.

Dongbang Sak's Taiji Sword.

The overwhelming destructive power of that sword had already been experienced once in their clash.

'How can a mere human be so powerful...'

Cosmic Demon.

The Martial God's faithful servant, renowned for never having lost a battle in BattleNet.

Whenever the Sun King heard such rumors, he only found them laughable.

An undefeated deity?

That just meant he hadn't lived long enough to encounter a true powerful being.

When faced with a celestial being like himself, the Cosmic Demon would be crushed easily.

'...I cannot defeat him with this body.'

Having sensed the location of Tuseong, the Sun King had hastily descended only a part of his main body.

He realized he could not surpass Dongbang Sak.

Still.

Ssss...

Dongbang Sak turned his body around in the stalemate, facing his back to the Sun King.

The Sun King's light exploded.

[You dare turn your back on me now in my presence?]

Flash!

As intense light emanated from the Sun King, Dongbang Sak squinted his eyes.

"Hold on for a moment. This is an important moment."

And then, he swung the Taiji Sword.

The motion was a mere slash, a simple move.

Yet the trail of light spat out endless darkness, consuming the Sun King's body.

A strike far stronger than their previous clash.

The Sun King, once a giant of light, was left with only his head in an instant.

[W-what is this power... did you hold back before?]

"He might be your son, that's why I have not killed you."

Dongbang Sak spoke outwardly but had different thoughts inside.

'If you die here, the Martial God will summon me to Tuseong. You need to stay.'

If he teamed up with Ashoka against the Martial God, Seong Jihan would die no matter what he did.

To leave a desperate situation at Tuseong, he couldn't afford to kill the Sun King now.

Having neutralized the Sun King, Dongbang Sak observed the events at Tuseong.

'...Ashoka.'

Seeing Ashoka appear, Dongbang Sak gripped the Taiji Sword tightly.

This meant the time to defy the Martial God had come.

Leaving aside the Sun King, Dongbang Sak intended to go to Tuseong to aid him, but,

[Dongbang Sak, can you hear me?]

Before he could intervene, Ashoka's voice reached him.

'I can hear you.'

[How many of the relics can you destroy in a single strike?]

'In one go? Currently, about 10 to 20 percent with one strike.'

[I see... then you must not intervene yet.]

'Still... not the time to act? Even in this situation?'

While Ashoka prevented Dongbang Sak from intervening,

Seeing Seong Jihan break the ignition device, Ashoka's voice grew lighter.

[He has broken the device, showing his resolve. The time has come. I entrust the relics to you.]

'Ashoka! I will aid you. Together we can bring down the Martial God today!'

Realizing the implications of Ashoka's words, Dongbang Sak desperately sent his intent,

[No, it's still not possible. Rather, now you must hide even more. Become a loyal servant.]

'Become a loyal servant.'

Dongbang Sak watched in stunned silence as Ashoka activated Thousand Hands and Thousand Eyes.

Given the Martial God's reaction, Ashoka was certain to trigger a forbidden rule.

If Dongbang Sak didn't intervene to help, Ashoka would surely die.

'Ashoka, my sword... was it lacking? Very well. I will destroy the celestial weapons. I will use all my power to bring down the heavens of Tuseong. So, I beg...!'

Blood dripped from his hand gripping the Taiji Sword, his eyes bloodshot.

[Do not forget the oath to save the world.]

Hearing Ashoka's words, Dongbang Sak felt his strength leave him.

The reason both of them became servants of the Martial God.

It had to be prioritized above their lives.

'...What should I do?'

[First, you must become a loyal servant. And then...]

Dongbang Sak listened to Ashoka's last message.

And then carefully watched the situation at Tuseong.

Ashoka summoned Thousand Hands and Thousand Eyes, protecting Seong Jihan and breaking the land of Tuseong.

In the end, Ashoka revealed the true form of the Martial God, a colossal serpent's head.

Even as he was swallowed,

He self-destructed, inflicting severe damage on the Martial God.

Dongbang Sak watched all of this with vacant eyes.

'...If I had been a bit stronger.'

If he could destroy the heavens of Tuseong with a single strike, Ashoka wouldn't have had to die like that.

It's his fault.

Dongbang Sak captured every moment of Ashoka's disappearance in his eyes.

At that moment.

[Look there! The Martial God... that bastard is indeed my son! The 17777th son! Ah, perhaps you can't read the letters?]

"..."

The Sun King had considerably recovered his body.

Drawing more power from his main body, his form grew even larger.

Watching Tuseong, he saw the patterns on the serpent's head and exclaimed in amazement.

[Cosmic Demon, step aside immediately. I will gladly lend my strength to my struggling son!]

"Silence."

Swish!

Dongbang Sak extended the Taiji Sword behind him.

[Ha, do you think I'll be overcome as easily as before? I've drawn more power from my main body...]

Before the Sun King could finish his words, darkness engulfed his form.

The darkness that swallowed the sunlight.

"Quiet."

When Dongbang Sak swung the sword again,

The darkness spread even faster.

[No... I hurriedly drew more power from my main body...]

"Quiet."

Sssss...

The darkness consumed the giant head of the Sun King.

He had said he didn't kill him earlier because he was the father of the Martial God.

Now there was no mercy.

[This is beyond anything...]

"Quiet."

Swoosh.

The Sun King, who was behind Dongbang Sak, was completely submerged in darkness.

His voice ceased.

The Sun King was utterly defeated and vanished by Dongbang Sak.

"Quiet... be quiet."

Dongbang Sak continued to extend his sword behind him.

Repeating only the words to be quiet.

And with his eyes, he watched Tuseong.

* * *

'...Hmm.'

Seong Jihan opened his eyes.

Just moments ago,

-You have the sacred flame. If you take my power, you won't be as helpless against the Martial God as before.

Ashoka said to kill him with the sacred flame.

Suddenly, as his vision darkened, he found himself in an unfamiliar space.

'Here... doesn't seem to be Tuseong.'

Seong Jihan looked around.

There was ground to stand on, but apart from that, it was a dark and empty place.

'Hmm... should I check the chat?'

Seong Jihan opened the chat window on BattleTube.

Reading the messages should tell him what happened while he lost consciousness.

Yet.

-Wow, what the... did the Martial God deceive us?

-He deliberately said it. To pass his power to Seong Jihan, in a desperate all-out effort;

-But with such a fierce attack, how can he survive??

-Hey, the Martial God said Seong Jihan is missing... but how are we watching this??

-Oh. It's going to explode!

-He self-destructed...

-Wow, Ashoka took 40% of the Martial God's power alone

The chat was filled with lengthy messages describing the events after he lost consciousness.

'Self-destructed... Ashoka?'

What in the world happened?

he needed to watch the video again later.

Thinking that, Seong Jihan noticed BattleTube's chat had stopped.

'I don't remember turning it off... did it shut down automatically?'

He considered turning it back on but decided to first determine where he was.

Step. Step.

How long had he been walking?

'I see a light.'

A faint golden light piercing through the darkness.

Approaching closer,

"This is..."

Drurr...

A small golden wheel slowly turned in the air.

A divine aura emanated from the Golden Wheel.

'This must be Ashoka's...'

Seeing this, Seong Jihan confirmed that Ashoka had indeed brought him here.

Must have sent him here before self-destructing.

'He took out 40% of the Martial God's power alone... I owe him.'

Feeling both gratitude and sorrow for Ashoka's final act,

Seong Jihan gazed at the Golden Wheel.

The slowly turning golden wheel spread light on the ground as Seong Jihan arrived.

And soon,

Whoooosh...!

The surroundings began to change.

'This place... is Seolleung, where the Tower of Babel was set up.'

The Tower of Babel that had been set up to abduct Seong Jihan to Tuseong.

Though Pythia and Gilgamesh had failed their goal, he still got dragged by the red hand's mischief.

A place that started all these events.

A place resonating with the Tower of Babel's presence...

'Could this be connected to the Tower of Babel in Tuseong?'

A place reflecting the surroundings of the Tower of Babel set up on Earth.

Seong Jihan guessed it might be linked to the Tower of Babel in Tuseong.

While he was looking around,

Drurr...

The little golden wheel reversed its rotation by one turn.

Then,

Flash...!

In this space reflecting Seolleung's scenery,

A portal suddenly emerged.

'This... could it be a portal to Seolleung?'

Perhaps.

Hadn't the little golden wheel rewound time to recreate the moment when Gilgamesh and Pythia invaded?

Seong Jihan examined the portal, which shimmered with both blue and red light.

Normally, he wouldn't just step into any portal.

But if this place was linked to the Tower of Babel in Tuseong,

He needed to go in before the Martial God, recovering from the self-destruct, could chase him.

'Fine, I trust Ashoka.'

Saved his life and took out 40% of the Martial God's power.

If I don't trust him, who else could I?

As he was about to step into the portal, he paused.

He looked at the now motionless golden wheel.

That... even though it's not moving, it still has a significant presence.

'Come to think of it. In that critical moment, he did mention the sacred flame...'

Was that just a bluff to deceive the Martial God?

Looking at the Golden Wheel, he thought it unlikely.

Mentioning the sacred flame perhaps meant.

To burn the wheel and take its power now.

'...Alright, let's use the sacred flame.'

Seong Jihan summoned the energy of red.

But compared to when he fought the Martial God,

Only a ridiculously small amount of fire energy responded.

'...Is it because all the buffs are gone? It's gotten really weak.'

Seong Jihan thought he needed to examine his abilities later.

He ignited the sacred flame with his fingertip.

Drurr...

Responding to the fire, the Golden Wheel began to move,

Leaping into the white flame.