Chapter 49: Invest

Chapter 49: Invest

-Do... do you know what you just have done?!

Basil shouted in disbelief. Of course, the gods would not strike right now, and even if they were gods, it was against rules to interfere in the world without a host. They had no way to fight against the equal 'god'.

-Look... you idiot...!

In the sky, figures were moving about frantically. Some seemed to be enraged, while some seemed to be amused. But one thing was certain. Dohyuk's message had been well received by those gods. And then came the result.

"Heeyun!"

The ground began to shake and Dohyuk shouted. Heeyun was already running toward him. Even without saying anything, they knew their destination.

The city.

It was the only place that was Dohyuk's world. Needless to say, the city was shaking, but one could only feel the tremor from the earthquake happening outside. It was safe inside the city.

"Oh no..."

On top of the wall, Heeyun gasped as she watched the pieces of land turning upside down. It wasn't the first time she had seen such danger, but it was the first time she managed to observe it in such a safe place.

"The river... is widening."

"...."

Dohyuk looked around. It wasn't actually the river that was getting wider. The land was being torn apart. But with that came destruction around the city. Water began to fill the land around the city and the city was now being pushed out of the land as if it were some kind of island. The region that had Dohyuk's city was being pushed out to the Western Sea and when it did, the land began started returning to normal, as if its purpose was to drive out Dohyuk.

-W-why...

Dohyuk turned to the dumbfounded Basil above him.

-Why did our region...

Dohyuk then realized. It wasn't because of Dohyuk that Basil didn't leave this 'island' that was still moving away. The center of this island wasn't Dohyuk's city. It was Casita's needle. This region was controlled by the tower.

"...They can't directly mess with me."

-What?

"But they can play around with the world..." Dohyuk said as he watched the land from afar. He then turned to Heeyun. She was shaking at the sight beyond imagination. Dohyuk placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Don't look."

"...!"

"You don't need to see everything. Let's go down. Get some sleep."

"B-but we don't know where to go now..."

"Wherever we go-"

Dohyuk spoke as he smiled, "I won't let you die."

"..."

After Dohyuk put Heeyun to sleep in a safe place, Dohyuk came out to look at the sky. There were no more gods. He watched for a while and began moving out to the city.

-Hey, where are you going?

Basil asked from above, but Dohyuk continued walking. He stopped at the place where he battled only about an hour ago and there were traces. Dohyuk took off his armor and took out the glass bottle. Some messages popped up, but he ignored them and placed both objects on the sand. He then walked toward the destination.

<>

The Godly Item brought by the expedition team. Dohyuk stood in front of it and kicked it hard.

-What are you doing?!

"I know you can hear me," Dohyuk stated, ignoring Basil as if he was talking to himself.

"I know you can listen through objects that contain your power."

And then-

-Oh.

Basil knew who Dohyuk was talking to. Dohyuk kicked the catapult again. And at that moment, all the catapults turned toward Dohyuk. Then, the remaining ray of light was fired.

<>

Dohyuk had enough time to react.

"Is that all you can do? Shoot lasers?"

Dohyuk sighed, "I thought you were going to become a robot or something."

Dohyuk kicked the catapult again.

"But it seems like you do hate me."

-H-hey!

"So, answer me," Dohyuk demanded as he kicked continuously.

"I can do this all day."

And after a while of kicking, a light formed in the catapult again. Dohyuk readied his kick, but the light was too little to kill Dohyuk, and it was not aimed at him. A few steps away, the light formed a figure. Even before it took form-

"YOU WORTHLESS PIECE OF TRASH!!!" shouted the figure.

"..."

Dohyuk carefully examined it without listening.

"So, you weren't really a chickenhead."

"...!"

He was tall, at least two heads taller than Dohyuk, like Bermuran. But he looked very young, maybe from his late teens to early 20s. He also had no clothes, with piercings on his nose and both ears. Only jewelry and metals hid a few of his body parts.

He was, of course, very angry.

He, his followers, his host, would not be able to bring himself upon this world. He couldn't stand it anymore so he had to form a figure to at least cuss at Dohyuk.

"I will tear your limbs apart and make you eat it so that it will stick out of your..."

"Wow," Dohyuk said, "I know you're screwed."

Dohyuk was looking at the Korean peninsula that was now far away. The figure of Aruga looked at him dumbfoundedly.

"I saw about two cities when I was drifting along."

Dohyuk noticed that the tall, sand city was still intact, despite the fact that the world had changed severely.

"It has to disappear, right?"

"Where did you get information like..."

"I'm basing this off the stuff I heard from him."

Dohyuk pointed to Basil and he flinched.

"He warned me that the gods who had to take turns came all at once. It means that the change that is taking place is worse than your desert."

And-

"You guys are too simple."

This time, it wasn't only the humans who were going to suffer. It was going to be the same for the Bermurans.

"From how your 'citizens' treat us, I can see how other 'stronger' world citizens will treat your people."

Dohyuk knew that the trials would end when humans gained influence from all cities. It also meant-

"So, you won't be able to get off this train unless that condition is met, right?"

That was the rule set forth to help Aruga.

"I'm assuming that you want to get out of this world before the stronger one comes in and damages your 'property'."

"You... you..."

"Tell me if I am wrong. Then I have no business with you."

-....

Basil almost said 'Right,' and barely held back. He wasn't a position to intervene, but so was Dohyuk. He was talking to a god as an equal.

"You... what do you want."

"It's simple. Invest it, then I'll help you," Dohyuk made his proposal. "If I become strongest in this world, and increase my influence, I can force others to complete the mission in your cities."

"You talk of nonsense!"

"Do you have any other ideas?"

Dohyuk laughed, "Do you have any... other 'human' who can help? In this world?"

"..."

No. Aruga was weakest. Everyone, with just a few years of experience in the past life, knew of this. That's why there was none. No powerful being became a follower of Aruga.

"Honestly, I think anyone can ask to make this offer, but there won't be any. You're weakest. Why would people want your sponsor you, instead of other stronger gods?"

"B-but... still..."

Dohyuk knew what Aruga was trying to say. Dohyuk's offer was intriguing and reasonable. However, he couldn't trust him yet. Dohyuk was most sought after among all gods.

"I mean I'm not saying I will be your follower," Dohyuk declared. "Honestly speaking, I hate you all. It's disgusting. Even a few hours ago, you were trying to kill me."

"..."

"But compared to all the others, you are better in one thing."

Aruga and Basil were surprised. In what way Aruga was better?

"You're the BEST at being weak."

Dohyuk continued to elaborate. "Mixing up people, shooting lasers... it's easy for me to handle."

But it didn't mean Dohyuk was going to let his guard down. It just meant that Dohyuk would rather fight Aruga then another unknown, stronger human.

"And, you won't consider me a weakling."

-...

"I'm asking you to team up with me until we solve our problems."

The youngest and weakest god was asking the second weakest god to form an alliance.

"Let me ask you one thing, rather than ask if you if you agree."

Dohyuk sighed and asked, "How far will this island go?"

"..."

The silence didn't last long.

And the destination wasn't too far either.