Chapter 654: Scythe (4)

『Dammit!』

『This guy doesn't know what "enough" is! When will this stop?!』

『This isn't any different from the subjugation of the heavenly world!』

Countless divine beings released their powers in the glaringly white seventy-seventh floor. Lightning rained down and storms of ice spun rapidly. Holy power flurried so intensely that it was like the foretold end of the world was coming now.

Even on the ninety-eighth floor, where the heavenly world was, a battle like this wouldn't occur. If it did, all the societies and the stage would've been destroyed. However, the divine beings relentlessly attacked with their full power, not minding whether or not the seventy-seventh floor would be destroyed.

But of course, if the seventy-seventh floor was one to be destroyed so easily, it would've been cleared a lot earlier. The world of light quickly restored itself no matter the damage that it sustained, and it continued to counterattack.

Rays of light clustered and flashed endlessly. Dragons of light flew at the divine beings and tried to bite at their arms and legs. They shot magic and released various powers. The debuffs and curses continued to prevent the divine beings from moving.

Still, the divine beings forced themselves to move.

[The god 'Chandra' has gained 130 contribution points!]

[The god 'Montu' has gained 210 contribution points!]

[The god 'Dun Cow' has gained 152 contribution points!]

...

[The current highest contribution points is 25,500, and the record-holder is 'Saulė.']

[It is advised you work harder.]

As the scores continued to pop up in front of them, the divine beings continued to feel motivated by the system set up by the Central Bureau. They already burned with the desire and greed to climb higher on the hierarchy, so they couldn't help but feel excited as they saw their efforts put into numbers.

The quest was being given to all societies and ranks without bias. The "honor" of an individual gained here would have a strong influence on the other divine beings, and this would become "faith." It was the prime opportunity to increase one's level... Whenever there was a large-scale war, there would always be a hero or two who arose from the less spotlighted beings. They could even become like Zeus and his brothers who brought down Kronos and sat on the throne of Olympus.

Everyone was blazing with passion, but it didn't bring only positive results.

Pow!

『How...could you?』Saulė, who was focusing on her attacks so she could continue to have the highest score, spurted out blood with a sudden pain from her back.

Right behind her was Dazhbog, her comrade and lover, standing with a twisted smile. He had stabbed her in the back while she was busy fighting.『I told you that you shouldn't leave your back open to others, didn't I?』

『But...!』

『I will not forget your sacrifice.』

Swish! Thwak.

['Saulė' has died in battle!]

[Saulė's contribution points are given to Dazhbog!]

In blind spots, betrayals were occurring everywhere. It was difficult to subjugate Allforone, but it was very easy to steal contribution points from a comrade who only focused on the battle. If a lower divine being suddenly started doing well, the threatened higher divine beings gathered and worked together to eliminate him.

Just as Yeon-woo expected, the jealous, prideful, and hierarchical divine beings couldn't accept the fact that someone else was standing above them.

『Haha! What a shitshow.』Demons like Niflheim and the East Demon Army scoffed.

However, it didn't end there... Splash! Saulė's corpse powerlessly fell to the ground and into the shadows waiting at the bottom of the stage. It made a splashing noise, then gentle ripples of darkness appeared along the shadow.

[The power 'Shadow Domain' is slowly invading the stage!]

[Current invasion rate: 17.2%]

[The power 'Hades' Spirit Eating Sword' whines saying this isn't enough!]

[Digestion rate of 'Nevadba': 72.7%]

[Digestion rate of 'Arashi': 68.4%]

...

[Digestion rate of 'Saulė': 26.1%]

[The Fruit of Good and Evil is being created in the 'Shadow Domain.']

While the divine beings were busy stabbing each other in the back, the properties of darkness were added to Yeon-woo's shadow and it covertly began to spread to the rest of the stage. Ssssss... It was to weaken Allforone's power on the stage and swallow dead gods like Saulė.

『Goodness! There's no one more demonic than you when it comes to such things.』Agares giggled at Yeon-woo's opportunistic actions.『As expected! ###! I love your temper! It's so cute that I wanna die. Haa. Haa.』

『...Enough.』

Woof woof! Hel, Jörmungandr, and Fenrir were busy exclaiming or sighing at Yeon-woo's scheme.

[The leader of 'Malach' Metatron, looks down at the seventy-seventh floor with a satisfied face.]

[The head of 'L'Infernal' Baal, nods, saying the evil acts throughout the floor are as sweet as strawberry cake.]

Agares smirked as he saw the messages.『You say all that stuff about absolute good and absolute evil, but you're not too different from the rest of us, huh?』

[The leader of 'Malach' Metatron, says the heavenly world is filled with too many beings for its size.]

[The leader of 'Malach' Metatron, says 'purification' is necessary to protect the order of the heavenly world.]

Hahaha. Agares burst out laughing because he knew Metatron wasn't excusing himself, but he was being "genuine."

Metatron sought only "good." There was no individual judgement or personal desire that went into it. He was filled with the ideology to seek only pure good and didn't care about the sacrifices. He wouldn't blink an eye no matter how many gods died or how many angels from Malach lost their wings. He was even ready to sacrifice himself if needed.

'Using his life as a tool to fulfill his mission... I think I've seen this before.' Agares thought it was only natural for these things to happen because the leader of the absolute good was like that. The world was going crazy.

"But it's only good for me. Hahaha!" Agares laughed maniacally. The hostility and enmity filled the floors and continued to give him goosebumps. His own divine power swallowed all these emotions and helped him grow stronger. Demonic energy spun around him.

[Vimalacitra becomes excited at the energy whirling in the floor.]

[Cernunnos looks at the seventh-seventh floor with silent eyes. He hopes his Apostle remains safe.]

[Vimalacitra is enlivened at this large-scale event that could only happen once in a thousand years.]

[Vimalacitra loosens his lotus position and stands.]

[Vimalacitra expresses his will to participate.]

[Many demons watching Vimalacitra are shaken.]

[The demonic society 'Jie Sect' becomes nervous at the appearance of the being who was once their leader.]

[The demonic society 'Artashat' looks toward Vimalacitra with fear-stricken eyes.]

...

[Many gods become wary of Vimalacitra.]

[A few gods quietly hide their presence from Vimalacitra.]

[Vimalacitra scoffs and ignores all the gazes watching him.]

[Vimalacitra attempts to descend!]

[A distortion field has been created on the seventy-seventh floor, the gate of light!]

[Please be advised of the shock!]

* * *

Brrr. Brrr. Crash. Thunder thrashed and lighting rained down on the clamorous battlefield. However, Brahm ignored all of it and was busily scanning the Book of Pluto.

Flash.

'Harmonia... There's a lot we need to talk about. If not now, we won't be able to speak again.' Brahm was attempting to find where Harmonia was. Although he knew the divine beings were releasing their powers to gain contribution points and the supreme gods were fighting to take the position of the throne of the only god, he didn't care. He knew that Yeon-woo had just approached the abyss to meet Harmonia. However, it was only their consciousness that had met. Brahm wanted to look her real body eye-to-eye and converse.

Harmonia probably knew Brahm was chasing after her, but there was likely a reason why she wasn't meeting him. Either she was hiding something, or she didn't want to see him. If not that...

'She forgot about all of us,' Brahm thought. Technically, his relationship with Harmonia at the beginning had only been for fun. He enjoyed learning knowledge that was no longer in this world, and Harmonia wanted material for research. Offspring between a god and a dragon...was an experiment that had never taken place in the long history of the universe, so they couldn't help but feel curious. So, Ananta was born between them as the result of that experiment.

The reason why Brahm had left without any attachments was that he had already obtained all the data he needed. But after time passed and he came to several realizations, he found Ananta and took care of Sesha, whom Ananta left behind. He then met Cha Jeong-woo and Yeon-woo to eventually get to where he was now.

There was just one thing Brahm wanted to ask Harmonia. 'What were we to you?' If she said they were just a part of her past, he'd be satisfied and leave it at that. He had no intention of trying to hold her back or persuade her. At first, he was curious why she faked her death, but now he thought she must've had her personal reasons for it. All he currently wanted was to know what her thoughts were.

[The accurate location of the player 'Harmonia' is being calculated.]

[The scan of the seventy-seventh floor is complete. Result: None]

[The scan of the seventy-sixth floor is complete. Result: None]

[The scan of the seventy-fifth floor...]

...

[The scan of the fourth floor is complete. Result: Present]

'The fourth floor...!' As soon as Harmonia's location was found, Brahm opened a portal for the coordinates. For all he knew, he was walking into a tiger's den, but he knew that there wouldn't be much effect since he was no longer a part of Yeon-woo's forces. With Cha Jeong-woo and Ananta awake, Sesha wouldn't be lonely anymore either.

'It's a bit of a shame I couldn't say bye to Sesha, but...### will take care of it.' Smiling at the thought that he was taking revenge on Yeon-woo, who always left the subordinates to clean up after him, Brahm entered the portal.

Crash! Suddenly, golden lightning fell behind Brahm and slashed his back.

['Lightning of Heavens' has destroyed the 'Book of Pluto!']

"Kegh...!"

Zeus stood there with a cold smile. His jewel eye glinted with light.

'I made a mistake...!' Brahm hadn't seen the attack beforehand because he was too focused on searching all the floors with the Book of Pluto open.

"Where are you going? I don't think we're done talking. You didn't think I'd pleasantly accept the offer you guys made like an obedient dog, did you?" Zeus quickly extended his right hand toward Brahm's head, and Brahm's vision blacked out.