848 Episode 45 Ten Evils (6)

Asmodeus laughed at Bicheonhori's words.

Asmodeus's teeth glowed white in the darkness.

Asmodeus muttered as he gazed into the distant abyss.

A legend flowed from the pitch-black darkness.

The ghouls who didn’t know how to scream rushed in. Athena’s shield emitted light, and Artemis’ arrows traced a trajectory. Apollo’s heat burned the ghouls, and Dionysus, drunk, tore the flesh of the deceaseds.

Still, the ghouls were not afraid. As many ghouls fell to the Constellations’ attacks, more ghouls were added.

Athena muttered as if she was fed up.

Five minutes, ten minutes, fifteen minutes.

As time passed, the Constellations also began to take a hit little by little. The wounds on the limbs of the Constellations gradually increased due to the incarnations who did not fear death. It was possible because there was a 'Giant legend' that suppressed the Constellations' power.

Tsutsutsut!

Blood flowed ceaselessly from the Blood Demon that drew on excessive probability. A lump of story spilled onto the floor.

Die. You damned Constellations.

The Blood Demon was laughing even as he felt his stories shatter into pieces.

He thought that he just needed to do a little more. Even if there were Narrative-grade Constellations, or even if they were the 12 great gods of Olympus, they couldn't defeat him here underground.

Greed flashed through the Blood Demon's eyes as he watched the Constellations gradually becoming more and more vulnerable.

What if he could get his hands on their incarnations? If only he could turn them into zombies.

With Athena's admiration, the pure white relic created a semicircular flash barrier centered on the four Constellations.

'Immortal Zone' that lasts for 10 seconds.

It was the ability of Athena's relic 'Aegis'.

The Blood Demon laughed.

"Are you trying to stall for time? It's useless."

He had been through more than half of Seoul Station, but if he pushed on like this, he would be the one who would win anyway.

"I will kill you guys and take your bodies. Then I will break through the Last Scenario. I will destroy the ark and go over the 'Final Wall'. So, I will make a wish at the end of that scenario."

The Blood Demon thought.

There is no need to regress anymore. His wish will come true in this Round.

"I will meet my sister once again—"

Blood spurted from the Blood Demon's right chest. His body shook and rolled around on the floor. His heavy breathing was mixed with blood.

Dududududu!

Bullets flying from somewhere were indiscriminately firing at the undead guarding him.

He thought that it couldn't be possible as he watched the ranks of undead collapsing. His undead couldn't be defeated by a mere bullet. Because the 'incarnation' who could do such a thing had already died a long time ago.

That's why when that being appeared at the end of the battlefield, the Blood Demon could only mutter stupidly.

"Armed Fortress Lord?"

The Armed Fortress that approached from behind the Constellations, crushing the station.

He couldn't believe it. The once Third Evil, the Armed Fortress Lord Gong Pildu, had been killed by Cheon Inho. So what on earth was he seeing now?

"What the heck."

It wasn't just Gong Pildu.

There were figures walking towards Gong Pildu.

"Steel Sword Emperor… Sea Admiral… Even the Delusional Demon? How—"

He couldn't believe it.

The dead tyrant's companions were there.

Athena was indignant.

Oedipus, his eyes shining brightly, looked at the Blood Demon in the darkness. Then, a voice with a terrible laugh flowed out.

"That can't be."

"I saw it clearly. The Armed Lord! The Steel Sword Lord! The Sea Admiral! I saw them all die clearly. But how..."

The Blood Demon looked at the approaching incarnations with bewildered eyes.

"Even if you guys had that skill…!"

According to the Blood Demon's memory, Gong Pildu and Lee Hyunsung were not in a condition that could be revived even with [Deceased Summoning]. That's because they were literally torn to pieces and killed.

"You guys, what on earth did you do?"

Lee Hyunsung and Gong Pildu's bodies were briefly visible in the darkness. Countless incisions were sewn onto their skin from head to toe.

The Blood Demon's shoulders trembled.

Those crazy Constellations had collected the fragments of the torn incarnations for this moment. In order to bring them back to the hell of this scenario once again.

"What?"

In Oedipus's grasp was the corpse of a child hanging without a head. Familiar arms and legs. The same ones he had seen in his dream just ten minutes ago.

A strange roar burst from the Blood Demon’s throat that was neither a scream nor a roar. How long did that roar last? At some point, the sound suddenly stopped, and a strange silence filled the underground.

"You guys."

The Blood Demon’s eyes, burning red, were gleaming at the Constellations.

"From now on, not a single one of you will return alive."

"So this is what you came here for."

Yoo Joonghyuk, who had listened to my story to the end, looked at me with a dumbfounded expression.

"Of course. Why would I take such a risk?"

Since I invaded the Blood Demon's stronghold, I had been aiming for the Blood Demon and the Constellations' advance.

It was possible because I had already checked all the Blood Demon's skills, souls, and legends through [Character List].

"The Blood Demon must have activated 「Starlight-Eating Darkness」 by now."

A gigantic legend, 「Starlight-Eating Darkness」.

A terrifying gigantic legend that halved the power of the Constellations underground.

I wondered how a Blood Demon could have gotten such a legend, but when I searched my memory, it seemed to be a gigantic legend that the Blood Demon had obtained by interfering with something when the <Underworld> was destroyed due to Cheon Inho's sowing of discord.

Yoo Joonghyuk's eyes lit up as he listened to the story.

"The Blood Demon might as well have a chance of winning."

"As long as the Myth-grade Constellations don't descend."

"Even if the Final Scenario had begun, there’s no way the cowardly Myth-grade would just leave the ark."

I think so too. The Constellations that attacked the Blood Demon’s stronghold were probably the remnants of Olympus's legends or great men.

"Still, it’s not a situation to be optimistic about. After all, they’re also Constellations that have reached the 'Final Scenario'. They’ve lived so long that their minds have hardened, but we should never overlook their power."

Then Ye Hyunwoo, who was listening to the conversation from the side, asked.

"Then which side do you think has the upper hand? The Blood Demon or the Constellations?"

"In my opinion…"

The moment I was about to answer, a bright light rose from Anna Croft's entire body. Kim Anna's soul had finally succeeded in settling down.

I called out to 'Anna Croft of the 41st Round' from the same world line as me.

I smiled at her as she slowly opened her eyes and opened my mouth. If [Deceased Summoning] had been successful, she would understand what I was saying.

"Kim Anna-ssi, welcome back to the 40th Round of this mess."

Anna Croft did not smile at my playful greeting. She slowly blinked her eyes as if she knew what she had to do, and stared at me. The 'Eyes of the Great Devil' were swirling in her eyes.

She had already begun to read the future of this Round.

The Prophet left her first prophecy.

"Come."

At the same time, the iron door shook violently. The startled Ten Evils stood up from their seats, and Yoo Joonghyuk prepared for battle.

I asked Anna.

"Who is here?"

Anna didn't answer. Judging from the way she frowned, she seemed to be suffering from the aftereffects of possessing a body.

When I sent a signal to Yoo Joonghyuk with my eyes, he stood in front of the iron gate, raising his spirits.

Perhaps because of the reassurance that the tyrant was on the same side as them, the other Ten Evils' expressions seemed much more relaxed.

Kyung Sein muttered.

"Yeah. The tyrant is on our side, so what are we afraid of? What if Zeus comes—"

I watched the situation while holding onto Ye Hyunwoo's neck, who was already preparing to disappear.

Yoo Joonghyuk said.

"The Ki-moon formation is being dismantled."

It's not being broken, but dismantled? If that's the case, then the one opening the iron gate and coming in right now...

"As expected..."

With a squeak, the iron door opened. A single figure appeared in the flickering light.

"Blood Demon."

He was covered in blood, and with his right arm missing, he was glaring at me with a menacing gaze.

I asked with a grin.

"Did you enjoy the dumplings?"

The fact that the Blood Demon had appeared here meant that he had killed the Constellations and had his subordinates surround this place.

I had to buy some time until Anna could find the answer through [Future Sight].

"Cheon Inho."

A voice as if blood was boiling flowed from the Blood Demon's throat.

I took a step back and said.

"No, would you like to talk for a moment? Come on, calm down…"

However, the Blood Demon staggered toward me, then knelt down in front of me. Then he looked up at me.

He had an expression on his face that I had never seen before.

It seemed like he was grateful, it seemed like he was laughing at me, it seemed like he was angry at me… and it seemed like he was sympathizing with me.

The Blood Demon spoke as if he was calming down all those emotions.

"You are now the last of humanity."

With a slap, the Blood Demon’s head fell to the ground. Something had cut off the Blood Demon’s neck.

In that unrealistic scenery, I slowly raised my head. A shiver ran down my spine.

A skill that could kill a Blood Demon-level master with a single swing.

I knew what this skill was. A wounded swordsman who trained and trained again with the sword, and eventually reached the pinnacle of swordsmanship, created a finishing move.

"Instant Kill."

The moment I raised my head, a flash of light flashed before my eyes.

I felt time slowing down. It was too late to use [Incite]. The moment the distant feeling came over me, a man in a pitch-black coat was standing before my eyes.

"Step back."

A loud explosion and a bouncing, straight shot.

Tsk tsk tsk.

A spark bursting out fiercely.

Yoo Joonghyuk's penalty, 「Curse of the Stars」, had been activated.

A group of Constellations could be seen walking from afar. Athena, Apollo, Artemis, Dionysus. Four out of the Twelve Gods of <Olympus> were there.

The Constellations approached, killing the corpses that had gone mad after the Blood Demon died one by one.

And the incarnations that stood guard over them.

Yoo Joonghyuk was looking at the incarnations with eyes that could not read his expression.

From Lee Jihye, who had just used Instant Kill on me, to Lee Hyunsung, Gong Pildu, and even Kim Namwoon.

Looking at their appearances, which were all piled up like old dolls, it was clear what had happened.

The damn Constellations had revived them with [Deceased Summoning].

A subtle strangeness flashed through Apollo’s eyes.

At the same time, the four incarnations surrounded Yoo Joonghyuk.

"You idiots. Come to your senses."

The four incarnations did not respond to Yoo Joonghyuk’s threats.

Judging from their appearances, it seemed that they had not been revived with a simple [Deceased Summoning]. Perhaps they had used a high-level brainwashing skill, or they had already summoned and transplanted a destroyed soul.

In either case, it was the worst possible situation.

"…"

A chance to board the ark.

Apollo was making a proposal to Yoo Joonghyuk right now. To him, a mere incarnation, they will give him the same 'qualification' as the Constellations in the Last Scenario.

Of course, the answer was set.

"I refuse."

The power of a Transcendent bloomed from his entire body.

Yoo Joonghyuk jumped forward in an instant and swung his Hwangcheon-wolguk toward the front.

"No matter how many times I regress, I will never ride the same ship as you guys."

The formation guarded by the four incarnations collapsed after only drawing a single trajectory. It was an unbelievable power to have displayed only one-tenth of his power.

After all, that Yoo Joonghyuk was a madman who broke through the encirclement of the great Constellations and killed Ares even without Hwangcheon-wolguk.

"Lee Hyunsung. If you block, you'll die."

Lee Hyunsung's front was cut wide by the Hwangcheon-wolguk's blade that shot out like a flash. I felt strange at his movements, completely unaware that he had once been his comrade.

I know. That's Yoo Joonghyuk. This situation wasn't the first time. Even so, I felt strange seeing that guy.

"Evil sophist. There's no time. The tyrant is overdoing it. He can't last long against the incarnations."

My mind was complicated as I listened to Ye Hyunwoo's advice. What can I do now? What can I do to 'properly' save that Yoo Joonghyuk?

That's when Anna Croft muttered from behind.

"Staging."

Staging?

"Get out!"

Along with Yoo Joonghyuk's shout, a hail of bullets swept across the front. A few bullets grazed my side, causing a dizzying pain.

These were Gong Pildu's bullets that had reached the Final Scenario.

Yoo Joonghyuk swung his spear and protected his party while taking the bullets head-on.

Suga-gak!

Lee Jihye and Kim Namwoon's sharp blades cut Yoo Joonghyuk's arms and legs.

Boom! Lee Hyunsung’s heavy fist struck Yoo Joonghyuk’s stomach.

Even as he let out a gasp, Yoo Joonghyuk didn’t take a single step back.

Not a single step.

"Cheon Inho."

That single step was so heavy that I realized a little late that he had called me.

The moment our eyes met, I realized what Yoo Joonghyuk was thinking. The terrible thoughts I was having right now were also Yoo Joonghyuk's thoughts.

"Use 「Staging」."

Actually, I knew. Even before I heard Anna Croft’s words, I knew what I had to do now.

That’s because the memories of death that came to my mind clearly the moment I saw Lee Hyunsung, Gong Pildu, Lee Jihye, and Kim Namwoon again.

That’s right.

Right now, those people in front of me—

"They’re all people you’ve killed."

They all died 'once' at the hands of Cheon Inho.

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