1044 Episode 64. Eternal Night (3)
Cha Yerin suddenly snapped back to her senses. Her blurry surroundings returned, and a gentle story wrapped around her shoulders.
「 There was a star that descended before her eyes. 」
A star that loftily illuminated the dark sky. That star was guarding the space before her. A distinct elegance was felt in the light flowing from his entire body. The spirit to guard the sky alone even if all stars were to be extinguished. The moment she confirmed that momentum, Cha Yerin suddenly realized who the star in front of her was.
[The constellation, 'Supreme God of Light', is looking at you.]
He was one of the few stars remaining in the 'Constellation Camp'. A constellation who had kept the last bastion by burning all of his stories.
"Ahjussi Surya!"
At that, the brightly shining sun nodded toward her.
[Step back, incarnation of the Korean Peninsula.]
An astonishing status flowed from Surya's entire body as he burst out with True Voice.
[The constellation, 'Supreme God of Light', reveals his status!]
Although he could not share stories with <Kim Dokja Company> in this 41st round, he was still one of the great 'Lokapalas' of <Vedas>, and now, the sole star of the giant nebula <Vedas>.
[I am your opponent, monster species of the other world.]
Having participated in 'Ragnarok' since the early days, he was in a state of undergoing treatment after sustaining major injuries in the accumulated battles. More than half of his incarnation body was wrapped in bandages. However, as if he did not care about the injuries at all, he stepped forward while melting the bandages with the high heat of his entire body.
「 He was the last remaining sun of <Vedas>. The final Lokapala. 」
Even in a situation where Indra, one of the Lokapalas, and the Myth-grade constellations had vanished, the last star of <Vedas> did not yield before the disasters.
At his appearance, all the godheads of the other world in the area let out roars.
[O o o o o o o]
The 'Nameless Things' instinctively felt aversion and backed away, but the higher-grade specimens were different. In particular, the moment the Story Eaters sensed Surya's stories, they began rolling toward this side like crazy.
"It's dangerous!"
The moment Cha Yerin warned him, Surya's True Voice blanketed the battlefield.
[Stop.]
The eye engraved on his forehead was shining brightly. Surya's stigma, [Third Eye], had activated.
「 Surya's stigma that dominates time and space, [Third Eye]. 」
[Third Eye] was a stigma that dominated the cognitive system of all beings that met its gaze. Anyone who met that eye had no choice but to become a 'slave of time and space' dominated by Surya.
「 However, there was no change in the movement of the 'Story Eaters'. 」
It was perhaps natural. The 'Story Eaters' before their eyes were those who were once constellations but had betrayed their camp to become Outer Gods. Because they had forgotten the greatness of Surya's stories, they could not understand them properly, and since even their cognitive system of time and space was different, the power of [Third Eye] did not work on them.
[Foolish things.]
Even so, Surya was not flustered.
[The story, 'King of the Twelve Suns', begins its storytelling!]
If they do not know, he just has to make them know. An even more powerful status of the story flowed from his entire body. Sensing the story, the 'Story Eaters' accelerated even further and rushed in. Their greed was reacting to Surya's story. The scent and rays of light flowing from the story. The lingering imagery of the story that could be felt without even eating began to dominate their senses. And at a certain moment.
[Kkigigigig...?]
Their movements froze. Their rolling speed gradually slowed down, and they soon stopped ten paces away from Surya.
[Kkiiiiiii—!]
At last, the capability of [Third Eye] had manifested. Looking at the slightly trembling spheres, Surya spoke.
[Do you now realize who the being in front of you is?]
Startled, the 'Story Eaters' belatedly changed directions and began fleeing backward. But it was already too late. Before long, twelve suns were rising in neat alignment behind Surya's back.
[Burn.]
Along with Surya's command, high-pressure solar rays swept the battlefield. It was truly an overwhelming destructive power. The heat of the brightly shining sun swept away all the 'Story Eaters' and the 'Nameless Things' in the area.
This was Surya's real strength. A great authority that only a constellation who had relentlessly trained and refined their story could harbor. Although Surya had not risen to the 'Myth-grade', he possessed a topmost Fable-grade status that was more complete than anyone else.
Surya caught his breath for a moment, then turned back and asked.
[Are you alright?]
Cha Yerin approached with an emotional expression. Surya's incarnation body was not in a normal state. From his body, which had a slight frown on its brow, stories were leaking out without cease.
"Ahjussi Surya, the damage to your incarnation body is too severe."
However, the battlefield did not grant them any leisure.
"Yerin-ah! It's not over yet!"
Along with Gong Pildu's voice echoing from afar, the sound of something surging from the ground was heard. Just as screams seemed to echo from the center of the second line of defense, a 'Story Eater' soon revealed its shape.
「 There were more Story Eaters. 」
Two 'Story Eaters' that had stealthily moved underground had bypassed Cha Yerin and Surya to approach near the Armed Fortress.
"Kuaaa!"
In an instant, the captured incarnations began to have their stories absorbed by the Story Eater. Cha Yerin activated [Way of the wind] and ran over, but the damage was already severe.
"You bastards!"
Gong Pildu showered bullets toward the Story Eaters that were ruthlessly driving in their tentacles.
"Die! Just die!"
However, the tough shell of the Story Eater was completely unfazed by Gong Pildu's magic bullets.
Soon, just as the Story Eater's tentacles were about to target Gong Pildu atop the fortress, Surya, who arrived simultaneously with Cha Yerin, moved.
Kwadudeuk!
Surya swung his hand blade wrapped in a grand story and crushed one Story Eater just like that. A constellation's hand-to-hand combat, which was rarely shown. The situation was just that urgent.
"There's one more left!"
Surya nodded as if he knew. In the direction of his gaze, there was a 'Story Eater' of an unusual size. The one that had ended up devouring all the incarnations near the second line of defense. Faint cracks were appearing all over its body.
[It is dangerous.]
Along with Surya's words, Cha Yerin also infused energy into her claws. The cracks on the Story Eater's body were gradually increasing. An ominous energy felt inside the sphere. There was no mistake. That specimen was evolving now. If that Story Eater grew to the class of an 'Old One', even Surya would find it difficult to deal with.
[We destroy it now.]
Surya's sun emitted rays, and the energy storming from Cha Yerin's claws hacked the Story Eater's body to pieces. No matter how much of a Named Outer God it was, it couldn't possibly be safe after taking such a bombardment in its pre-evolution stage.
However, amidst the thick dust created by the bombardment, a strange cry was heard.
[Kkigigigigigigi]
An ominous aura of chaos spewed out in streaks through the dust. Surya immediately realized what had happened.
[It sacrificed itself to call a 'higher-grade disaster'.]
Sensing its end, the Story Eater had instinctively offered the stories it absorbed to call for help from a 'higher-grade disaster'.
[Step behind me!]
The moment Surya opened up his status with those words, a massive wave of chaos encroached the area. A powerful status, enough to push back even Gong Pildu's Armed Fortress, was overflowing in the vicinity.
Soon, the pitch-black sphere split open, and an anomalous existence stood up inside. The moment she confirmed that existence, Cha Yerin muttered while shivering.
"Interstellar Predator."
An 'Old One'. A monster positioned at the very topmost class among them descended upon the battlefield. A body height exceeding tens of meters. A 'humanoid Outer God' that looked like a pitch-black shadow stared down with empty pupils.
[A new disaster has descended upon the battlefield!]
[The God of the Other World, 'One Who Draws Up the Ancient Night', descends upon the battlefield!]
Although it wasn't large for a large-sized Outer God, its status was nevertheless truly beyond imagination.
「 'Interstellar Predators' were beings under the direct command of Snow White. 」
Surya couldn't block that either. It was a situation where only Myth-grade constellations coming would make it worth trying to pick a fight, yet Surya did not back down.
[Incarnation. Take the survivors and hide inside the inner castle.]
"Ahjussi! You can't!"
Despite Cha Yerin's cry, Surya shook his head.
[If it's just that fellow alone, I might be able to manage somehow.]
Every star instinctively realizes the moment when it will shine for the last time. Surya was the same.
「 Now was the moment for his starlight to flare up for the last time. 」
Although he had never fought the 'Master of the Erased Void', that Outer God, whom even Myth-grade constellations found hard to oppose, was sufficient as his final opponent.
The head of the massive disaster tilted very slowly.
[S m a l l s t a r]
[S t i l l]
[R e m a i n i n g]
The moment they heard the segmented True Voice of the Interstellar Predator echoing, the incarnations in the area sat down, experiencing breathing difficulties.
[Indeed, I am still here.]
Surya spoke in True Voice as if to wake those incarnations. Snapping out of it belatedly, the incarnations hurriedly fled toward the castle.
However, Cha Yerin did not flee. Even if she fled, it would only be temporary. If Surya could not defeat that 'Interstellar Predator' here, there was no way for humanity to survive.
[I am the Supreme God of Light.]
Rising into the air, stories flowed from Surya's entire body.
[It is the name of the star that will burn you.]
His twelve suns emitted rays simultaneously, and [Third Eye] manifested its authority. A chain of light that collapsed cognitive systems and burned down all living things. Staring head-on at that radiance, which felt like it would blind one just by looking, the Interstellar Predator let out a bizarre sound that was either a sigh or a sneer.
[Ha]
In an instant, the world felt like it was distorting with a throb. The moment Cha Yerin, struck by an ominous premonition, reached out her hand toward Surya—
[Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha—!]
Along with a chilling laugh, everything in the area was swept away. The barricades of the defensive line, the incarnations fleeing in haste, and even Gong Pildu's Armed Fortress broke down.
Cha Yerin saw Surya's suns, which were guarding the space in front of her, slowly cracking. She heard sounds as if stars were exploding one after another before her eyes. An explosion sound that made her ears ring. After recovering her senses in the shock and barely raising her head, Cha Yerin realized that the sky had grown slightly darker.
"Ahjussi Surya!"
Clearing through the rising dust, Cha Yerin ran toward Surya. Broken remnants of Surya's suns were rolling on the ground. And—
「 In the place where the light was extinguished, the last star of this battlefield was hanging dangling. 」
With one arm and leg torn off, Surya's charred incarnation body was hanging limply. Holding that Surya with its giant fingers, the Interstellar Predator smirked and spoke.
[T w i n k l e t w i n k l e l i t t l e s t a r]
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< Episode 64. Eternal Night (3) > End
