963 Episode 57 Twilight of the Gods (6)

"What the heck…?"

Anna Croft added urgently, watching the constellations rushing toward her.

"This isn't the time to be complacent! They've already won countless matches! They probably used their summoning costs differently—"

I could sense it, too. The constellations rushing toward me all had a special aura surrounding them.

The Incarnation Body Enhancement Pack. I expected that, but the 'summoning costs' earned through matches aren't limited to 'summoning helpers'.

Judging by the way they swarmed in from the very start, it seemed like they were going to tear us apart before the first prophecy was even spoken.

The mantra resonated majestically. The 'Thunder-Eating Bird' flying at the forefront roared.

Orb-like objects were placed throughout the skyway.

The 'Thunder-Eating Bird' swallowed the objects with its massive mouth, accelerating even further and unleashing lightning strikes at every obstacle in its path.

Anna Croft shouted, looking at the pitch-black grassland path.

"Everyone, run!"

The incarnations, their faces paling, began to flee frantically.

But Anna and the incarnations knew this. There was no way to escape that constellation. Within ten seconds at the latest, we would face that mad birdhead.

I weighed the stories within myself, comparing their scales to mine.

In a sense, now that they perceived me as a 'low-level warrior' offered an opportunity.

"Kim Dokja! You too, hurry—"

"It's okay."

The distance between me and the Thunderbird was now a stone's throw. It would reach us in five seconds.

"I told you."

Four seconds.

"Those guys."

Three seconds.

"Absolutely not, the game will not end until the 'First Prophecy' appears."

Two seconds.

"Stop that nonsense, please… ah."

A desperate Anna Croft turned to me, her expression a testament to her resignation. She stumbled, then hugged me, as if sacrificing her own incarnation body to save me.

And then, lightning struck from the pitch-black sky.

One second.

A deafening blue. The lightning struck right before my eyes, incinerating the meadow a fraction of an inch ahead. The Thunderbird folded its massive wings and landed in front of me. The majesty of the constellation, the narrative-grade constellation, revealing its gigantic incarnation body alongside the gale, was truly magnificent. I recalled the information about him.

Could he possibly display this level of power by the 85th scenario, even if it were only a matter of probability?

If it had been a while ago, I would have been intimidated by its imposing presence, but now I was completely unfazed.

Garuda, his massive wings folded, gazed down at me, his golden beak twitching as if in awe of me.

Ignoring him, I lightly patted the half-conscious Kim Anna on the shoulder and offered her food and shelter.

"It's okay. That bird can't harm us. It's well-trained."

Following this, other constellations arrived.

The second to stop before me was a giant ape clad in massive armor.

With a cry of, Hanuman lowered his massive club and let out a thunderous roar.

Garuda, who snapped a discontented question, wiggled his long beak and replied, [We haven't killed a single one yet. Did we really receive a hold order?]

Garuda shook his massive bird-head, seemingly in incomprehension.

Anna Croft, who had finally regained her senses, looked at me with a puzzled expression.

—What have you done now?

"You don't have to use telepathy. Those guys don't care what we say."

I watched the constellations, their massive incarnation bodies swell, chattering away. Like gourmets facing a boring meal, they were busy exchanging mantras, ignoring us.

Anna Croft, glancing furtively at me, continued to ask,

—Have you obtained the blessing of some mythical constellation? Have you joined a giant nebula?"

"If so, why would I stay here? Why would I join another team?"

—Then how…

I shrugged and looked up at the sky.

"Simple."

There was a faintly twinkling golden dice symbol.

Then the constellations in the audience watching the match began to glow brightly. I glared at the sinister light, then grinned and added,

"I suppose that means someone doesn't want us to 'die'."

Skuld, the god of gambling and lending, continued to solicit customers with his fierce pronouncements.

But no spectators showed up. That's understandable.

The difference in strength between the teams was so great that even a bet wouldn't be possible.

Skuld's expression hardened at the sarcasm coming from all around, and he licked his lips.

A time like this. The constellations were right.

Recently, the constellations' spending throughout Valhalla Hall had significantly decreased.

It's already been three years since the hall opened. Over the years, thousands of battles have been held, and thousands of bets have been made. Most of the constellations that were considered 'whales' on the board have moved to the main battlefield, leaving only cautious charlatans and fools who only wager small amounts of money on the betting table.

This was a difficult situation for Skuld, who relied on betting fees to make a living.

He needed to somehow create a provocative betting game to get the constellations to participate, but there was no sign of a major game opening...

Skuld was about to abandon the betting game when a dazzlingly gleaming head obscured his vision.

Skuld also knew this constellation. It was a constellation of the highest rank on the Korean Peninsula. It had managed to climb to the 'Valhalla Hall', but it wasn't destined to rise above that. One of the listless constellations, languishing in this hall, waiting for the battle on the 'main battlefield' to end.

At his question, the missionary silently reached into his pocket and pulled out a D-coin.

The missionary nodded, and Skuld chuckled and asked.

The missionary, his face broken and his pronunciation difficult, stuttered as Skuld's expression contorted.

The missionary had called out the team as 'Zarathustra'.

Skuld hesitated for a moment, then asked again.

The missionary smiled as if it was okay. Skuld watched him quietly before speaking.

Skold was well aware of the rumors about the Ambassador of the Mission. The story of a mad constellation repeatedly supporting a prophet's team whose defeat was certain.

Skold had seen constellations like the Ambassador of the Mission countless times.

A constellation that burned all its stories and dedicated its life to a single story.

It was a common mistake made by constellations gripped by the fear of impending destruction.

Skold added with a bitter smile.

The Ambassador of the Mission took out a total of 300 D-Coins. This was far short of the minimum required to open the bet. But that wasn't the only problem.

The ambassador's shoulders flinched at the mention of a loan.

To remain in Valhalla Hall, you must continuously deposit a certain amount of coins, or D-coins.

And the ambassador had already borrowed coins from Skuld once to cover the repayment.

The ambassador lowered his head, and Skuld patted his shoulder with a mock, sinister smile.

Skuld said to the ambassador, who slowly raised his head as if asking what was going on.

The ambassador's face slowly flushed red.

Skuld smiled wryly. It was an expected response.

He doesn't know what lies within that small piece of land, but based on his experience, the constellations on the Korean Peninsula have a strangely strong mutual trust.

That's why Skuld's true intention was this.

At the mention of 5,000 D-coins, the ambassador's head snapped up again.

Skuld's even more sinister words lingered in his ears.

In fact, Skuld knew the missionary's purpose. It wasn't about betting coins because the missionary believed that the 'Zarathustra' team would truly win.

The moment a 'bet' is deemed worthwhile, the main incarnation of the match is highly likely to be designated as the 'Resurrected'.

The Ambassador didn't answer.

Skuld murmured.

The Ambassador remained silent. Skuld added with a sigh.

The Ambassador's eyes slowly began to glow.

Skuld already knew the Ambassador's answer. He didn't know why he wanted to revive that incarnation. However, a constellation devoted to a story will often sacrifice its own life for it. The 'Bald General of Justice' before him was in the grip of such madness.

Suddenly, the ambassador Samyeondae's lips parted in a twisted manner, and just as Skuld was about to open his mouth with a satisfied expression,

"Samyeongdae-nim, you were here."

Someone barged in between them.

Skuld frowned at the unexpected intruder and said,

"Nice to meet you, too, Ambassador. Do you remember this? I still have the mat you gave me. Of course. It's my most prized possession."

"You want to make a bet? Why? Are you bored?"

The intruder, oblivious to Skuld's reaction, clasped both of the ambassador's hands and began to chatter. He treated him as if he were his own grandfather.

"Ambassador, have you ever heard of voice phishing?"

"You don't know? Yes, that could be true. It's okay. Anyway, there are so many scary scammers out there. These days, it's so dangerous. How could you borrow money so recklessly?"

"If you look closely, you're a good person? No, come to your senses. Ambassador, you're being gaslighted. I know because I've been fooled by those narrow-eyed people all the time. They're just scamming you to get your story."

Skuld's mouth fell open in shock. He'd been criticized for running a gambling ring, but this was the first time he'd been insulted like this by a complete stranger.

No matter how he looked at him, he was a complete stranger. How could he have the nerve to…

"Huh? Why did you have to bet on her? Huh, that's the point?"

That's when he noticed the incarnation's equipment. Although it was grimy here and there, the equipment was steeped in a deep story. The incarnation's robust muscles were also visible.

The incarnation finally sighed deeply, looked at him, and then strode over to him.

"How much does that bet start at?"

Skold pondered for a moment before answering.

"You need at least 1,000 D-Coins to make the bet count. If you want a bigger bet, you'll need at least 10,000 D-Coins."

"Ten thousand D-Coins?"

"Why? Is that too much?"

Skold knew. No constellation would bet 10,000 D-Coins these days. Even so, the reason he'd asked such an absurd amount was simply to discourage ambassador Samyeongdae and that uninvited guest.

But...

"Let's do it."

Smiling, the incarnation pulled the D-Coins from his pocket.

"It's cheaper than I thought?"

Skuld doubted his eyes several times, counting the D-coins the incarnation had pulled out. The missionary, watching from the side, also widened his eyes.

The moment Skuld saw the D-coins, that was the only thought that filled his mind. But the moment Skuld reached out for it...

"Wait."

The incarnation grabbed his wrist and said.

"I'll make one condition."