Chapter 449: Shadow King (5)

Trial of restraints? Yeon-woo's expression turned hard as soon as he saw the message. Trials were similar to quests that tested players who wanted to clear floors. It was a restraint set temporarily by the Tower to help raise the abilities of ascetics and help them train.

However, a trial had a wider range than an ordinary quest, and players who received them had no choice but to clear them. It took a great deal out of the law of causality to create them, which was why only progenitor and conceptual gods, who possessed a large amount of the laws of causality could create them.

Olympus had to spread out the consequences among its members to give Yeon-woo a new trial. The addition of "restraint" meant he couldn't refuse it. Yeon-woo felt like invisible chains were wrapping around his soul.

[The trial (Throne of Death) has been created.]

[The trial of <Olympus> is beginning.]

[Trial: <Olympus> is one of the largest godly societies in the heavenly world. Due to this, <Olympus> has been challenged frequently throughout its history. Its rulers have defeated most of the challenges, but at times, they lost and gave up their thrones to the victor.

A big incident has occurred in <Olympus>, and its rulers have changed. The Titans, who were previous rulers, and the Giants, who lost their bid for the throne, worked together to overthrow the rules of <Olympus>. Poseidon and most of the deposed rulers have successfully escaped, but the Titans and Giants need their heads to quiet <Olympus>.

The Titans and Giants have realized that important functions in the godly society, 'Death' and the 'authority of Tartarus', have been lost. The new rulers of <Olympus> wish to capture or kill you in order to regain their lost 'Death' and 'authority of Tartarus'.

Survive the beasts they will send after you or negotiate with them to consolidate your position of 'Death' and 'authority of Tartarus'.]

[The previous blessings and graces bestowed on you by <Olympus> have been reclaimed.]

[You have been removed from your original affiliation <Olympus>.]

[Warning! You're a loner who doesn't belong anywhere. No group will protect you.]

[Many gods and demons will target your pieces of holiness and your divine position. Beware of them.]

'Olympus...has been seized by Titans and Giants.' His greatest concern had come to pass. After recovering their holy power, the Titan and Giant alliance had grown strong, and their combined attack with Persephone and Mother Earth had triumphed over Olympus.

It seemed like they had failed to prevent the Titans and Giants from ascending to Olympus through the columns of the light.

Yeon-woo thought of Athena and Hermes. At times, they were like parents or protective older siblings. He was grateful to the two gods for helping him. What happened to them? They weren't the only ones on his mind. He thought of Ares, who'd confidently said he wanted to take him as an Apostle, and Apollo, Artemis, and Dionysus, who helped him escape. And although he didn't hide his hostility, Poseidon had acknowledged him as Hades' next king.

They were all special acquaintances, and he felt frustrated not knowing whether they were dead or alive. Mother Earth just smirked at him as if she didn't have any intentions of answering his questions.

You.

Are. Mine.

A violent storm whirled in the lab. Equipment trembled and fell to the ground. The glass capsules shook like they would crack. Yeon-woo could feel an intense pressure holding him down. Just as L'Infernal had cursed the Elohim to tie them down, Olympus was trying to prevent him from fighting.

Their influence was lagging because of the wall between the worlds and the laws of causality, but it was enough of a debuff on Yeon-woo. That was how great a godly society's power was and how much influence Olympus held.

Yeon-woo could feel the glaring eyes on him from beyond the sky. They were gazes he'd felt in Tartarus. He could kill gods back in Tartarus, but now that they were in the heavenly world without any constraints, they were now incomparably strong.

However, the pressure that held him down was taken away by a different hand.

[A message from Agares has arrived.]

[Message: Those crazy bastards who do nothing but lick Mother Earth's asshole have finally done it. They dare to speak such damned words in front of me? Fine. If that's your decision, I'll take it.]

[A message from Agares has arrived.]

[Message: Cha Yeon-woo! You have to pick now. From now on, it's no longer your personal war, but a great war that involves all of us. And remember who remained by your brother's side until the end and has always tried to protect you brothers!]

[Agares expresses a deep hostility to <Olympus>.]

[The demons of <L'Infernal> are enraged at the gods of <Olympus> after receiving a declaration of war.]

[<L'Infernal> has announced a war of destruction on <Olympus>!]

[Many godly societies and demonic societies express concern about the clash between societies.]

[A heavy atmosphere of war surrounds the heavenly world.]

[The godly society <Deva> declares a neutral stance in this war.]

[The godly society <Asgard> declares a neutral stance in this war.]

...

[The demonic society <Jie Sect> declares a neutral stance in this war.]

[A demon of <L'Infernal> 'Baal' looks at you wordlessly.]

Agares' response had made L'Infernal announce that they would protect Yeon-woo and Arthia. Despite knowing this, Olympus still announced their hostility, so L'Infernal's attitude was reaching extremes. The prideful demons couldn't help thinking that Olympus was looking down on them.

This was no longer entertainment occurring in the lower world. It was a great war that wouldn't end until they had managed to pull Olympus out by the roots.

L'Infernal's first-ranked demon and leader, Baal, was carefully observing the reason for the war, Yeon-woo. But he didn't do anything and took away his gaze.

[The war of destruction between <L'Infernal> and <Olympus> is commencing.]

Krrrrr, krrr, krrrrr!

The Outer Space suddenly began to shake turbulently, as if it were about to be destroyed. The clash between the two societies that began in the heavenly world was going beyond what the laws of causality could handle and was starting to influence the lower world.

Even after committing such a despicable act, Mother Earth's manifestation just glanced at the trembling air in front of her. There was a cold smile on her lips, as if she had been hoping for this.

Yeon-woo could faintly guess what she was thinking. 'Is she...trying to take over the heavenly world?'

Mother Earth was a being who was at odds with all the gods and demons, and Vieira Dune was a passionate being who wanted to possess the heavenly world. It made sense that they would want to take over the heavenly world. The Titans and Giants were only the vanguard. The beast wouldn't stop at Olympus and L'Infernal. It would raise its sword at the neutral Deva and Asgard, or maybe the Jie Sect.

Unconcerned, Mother Earth calmly turned back to Yeon-woo.

Give me. The.

Black King. And. Throne.

At that shout, the shaking glass capsules opened. Clack. The ancient species inside walked out with shaky steps. Their eyes were unfocused, as if they had no intelligence, but their auras were all ferocious. Their legends didn't do them justice.

Come. Down.

My. Children.

Flash!

The interior of the lab was suddenly wrapped in light, and a new power was added to the heavy aura of the ancient species: holy power. It was the power of Giants.

Rumble. The holy power didn't just blow the lab up, it also swept away most of the Elohim buildings. As if the Throne of Death Yeon-woo was exuding meant nothing, the holy power from the Giants overwhelmed the Outer Space, making it almost hard to breathe.

It was a manifestation. The Giants descended into the ancient species at Mother Earth's call. They cried out to the sky. This was the result of hundreds of years of effort from the Elohim combined with Bayluk's knowledge from the Crawling Chaos to create monsters.

They couldn't demonstrate their true power due to the different concentration of spirit power in the lower world and the constraints set on them. Still the bodies of the ancient species were sufficient to let them display their abilities and holy power.

Swish. Yeon-woo protected himself with Sky Wings and barely kept his balance in the face of the storm of holy power. Disbelief spread on his face. 'So many guys are descending, but Allforone isn't interfering at all?' Then, he realized why the law of causality wasn't stopping them. The death of the Elohim members was a sacrifice, and their Divine Factors and blood were enough payment to summon the Giants here.

They had tried so hard to become gods only to end up as sacrifices. Perhaps they would be glad because they died for the gods they served. But he still didn't understand. Allforone wasn't the kind of person who would keep silent over this. Even if he allowed the occasional manifestation, a manifestation of this scale could ruin the order of the lower world. It wasn't something he'd turn a blind eye to.

However, Allforone's control seemed to have no intention of activating. "I don't know what happened, but I heard it's thanks to you that Allforone's hands are tied." Bayluk grinned widely, as if he read Yeon-woo's mind.

Yeon-woo's expression stiffened. "What?"

"Everyone here is grateful to you."

Yeon-woo finally realized why Allforone wasn't interfering. 'It's because of the battle against the Demonism...' When he worked with the Demonism to protect Jeong-woo, he'd escaped after leaving Allforone immobile on the thirty-sixth floor. He knew there would be a long war against the progenitor gods or creator gods, and he thought this would make it difficult for Allforone to get involved in his business. This would also be a tool for negotiation with Allforone after he completed his revenge. However, his enemies had taken advantage of it. He had been outplayed.

"Hahaha! And I heard you put on quite a performance in the world of the gods that we can't touch. He wanted to see you so badly; I suffered trying to convince him otherwise." Bayluk laughed maniacally as the holy power whirled around him. Pieces of the Crawling Chaos that were partially connected to him began to roll on the ground, extending their tentacles. "He'll only get angrier if I keep wasting time, so let me introduce him now. My greatest masterpiece." As soon as he finished speaking, the glass capsule Mother Earth's manifestation was sitting on opened. The homunculus inside looked exactly like Jeong-woo, but it was different from the other homunculi. It was darker and stronger, but Yeon-woo had the strange impression that it was like his brother.

Just then, the eyes of the homunculus flashed open. Yeon-woo was acquainted with the pupils that appeared. They were the same as the ones that had looked at him from the sky. It was Typhon. The king of the Giants and Mother Earth's Apostle had appeared.

"Nice to meet you in the lower world like this, human," Typhon said in Jeong-woo's voice. "Everyone, kill that human and retrieve the Throne of Death."

All the manifestations of the Giants ran towards Yeon-woo with their violent holy power.

"Shit." Yeon-woo laughed in a relaxed manner despite their overwhelming auras. He spread his three-layered wings open. "It's worked out for the better." He had wanted payback against them and had been nursing some frustration at not having a chance at it. However, this was better since they had come looking for him instead. Didn't they know? This place was already Yeon-woo's territory, the Underworld. "I'll consume you all."

Clack, clack. Yeon-woo hurtled forward with Hades' Spirit-Eating Sword to swallow up the idiots who'd pushed their heads into the tiger's den themselves.