Chapter 380

**Chapter 380**

**Chapter 67: A Reward from the Past (6)**

To facilitate an exchange between gods, one must engrave various elements onto the divinity, as if carving it meticulously.

However, I hadn’t accumulated the proficiency required to execute such tasks competently.

Therefore, I couldn’t specify numerous conditions diligently.

“It hasn’t been long since I reached the status.”

In a way, that was fortunate. If many conditions had been complexly attached, I might have been at a disadvantage after the transaction.

Moreover, the giant’s wariness eased a bit after confirming my clumsiness.

In case anything went wrong, it must have felt confident in subduing me.

“It seems you had quite the ordeal. The dimension was already in this state right after gaining your status.”

I wondered about its misunderstanding but decided there was no need to clarify.

It was a relief that it was letting its guard down.

When I replaced my answer with a smile, the giant began to fulfill the transaction conditions first.

“Were you curious about parasitic creatures?”

It seemed ready to share information about Rice Cake.

“Yes.”

When I nodded, a calm explanation followed.

“They are entities that can only live by parasitizing onto other independent life forms after imprinting on them.”

Just listening to it, it sounded like a strangely intriguing story.

This was mainly because the word “parasite” inherently carried an unpleasant connotation.

However, as the explanation continued, it seemed less problematic than I initially feared.

“Usually, if the host perishes, they Die along with it.”

Therefore, they prioritized protecting the host, possessing intense loyalty towards them.

“Such Traits made them quite a valuable gift among the Uba.”

I didn’t know who the Uba were.

Perhaps they were the dominant race of the dimension where that god originated.

“The lighter their skin is, the higher their intelligence and the more adept they are at learning the host’s abilities.”

It was at that moment I understood why Rice Cake could mimic my mana.

In the dimension where the giant originated, they would intentionally attach several parasitic creatures to an exceptional host to cultivate them.

That way, they would secure several capable entities.

“In addition, they are sensitive to the flow of life force. They can oversee the host’s health and should know how to discern a strong host, so they evolve continuously to develop such abilities.”

Unexpectedly valuable information about Rice Cake had come to light.

Taking the opportunity, I asked more questions that had piqued my curiosity.

“How is the imprint made? Is it possible for the parasite to imprint without my consent?”

“That’s impossible. The host must allow a drop or two of blood for imprinting, but not much is needed.”

Typically, during infancy, when the mother provides life force abundantly, the parasites find hosts to imprint on and become independent.

Mentioning blood reminded me of when I had undergone imprinting with Rice Cake.

“It was the first time I met it.”

With the mother dead, I must have appeared as the only lifeline to Rice Cake.

Indeed, the other entities were all dead at the time.

“How do they reproduce? Do they have genders?”

“No, once they reach maturity, they reproduce on their own when they feel they are most secure. Reproduction happens only once in their lifetime.”

Due to such characteristics, their numbers were not that high.

“They generally tend to be insolent and ignore everything except their own host. However, their flaws can be rectified depending on how the host manages them.”

Since they inherently possess obedience towards the host, the host naturally plays a significant role.

“The one you found is white, so it must be a top-level entity. Nurture it well, it will never betray you.”

There seemed to be a sense of envy in the tone of that voice.

“It seems even in their dimension, they are hard to come by.”

At that moment, I felt incredibly fortunate.

That fateful day, had I not scavenged the corpse of the dead parasitic creature to take Rice Cake, I would have been facing frustrating circumstances now.

“I’d have been facing all sorts of difficulties.”

Silently exhaling a sigh of relief, I realized it had suddenly become quiet around me.

Silence had descended between the giant and me.

Considering the one who had been talking nonstop was now silent, it was natural.

When I lifted my head, my eyes met those of the giant, who was looking down at me keenly.

This must mean it was now my turn.

I obediently retrieved the vial of sacred water from the subspace pocket.

As soon as I brought the vial into sight, the giant’s expression brightened.

He hastily accepted the vial of sacred water and spoke.

“But why haven’t you left yet? Senoa said there was no hope here.”

Seeing that he didn’t consume the sacred water immediately and instead engaged in conversation, it seemed he didn’t fully trust my claims about its effects.

He probably planned to use it somewhere where I wasn’t present, just in case.

That worked for me. At least the sacred water wouldn’t be wasted unnecessarily.

I raised the spear I held in my left hand and responded.

“To finish things.”

“Finish things?”

I wondered what thoughts crossed the giant’s mind upon seeing me suddenly grip my weapon tighter.

The giant’s movements halted abruptly.

“Our transaction was already completed.”

The giant had received information, and I had received sacred water, ensuring we both fulfilled our promises.

“No conditions prohibited us from taking them back or forbidding attacks after the transaction.”

It was a genuinely fortunate situation for me.

“Perhaps it felt uneasy due to its injuries, and because I wasn’t proficient in handling divinity, it must have let its guard down.”

There was also the thought of preserving its divinity, especially with the collapse of its dimension.

Given it was already in the material realm using divinity, the more so.

Several circumstances intertwined, forming a very favorable condition for me.

As a result, my expression was nothing but bright in anticipation of the upcoming battle.

“Yes, to finish.”

Destroying Biharin and devouring the god here—that was the endgame.

There was no need to explain my intentions in detail to a being on the verge of annihilation.

With a smile, I sent forth a face puppet.

“You treacherous scoundrel!”

The giant easily deflected that attack.

Using its left arm, which had been hanging limply the whole time, it swatted away the puppet.

“I had a feeling this would happen! Do you even know who I am?!”

There was no time to retort with why I should know that.

The giant immediately launched a fist toward me.

From its hand, a green light shot forth, targeting me.

“Is that its authority?”

Even though it seemed to have prepared for such an event and responded quickly, it wasn’t all that surprising.

This was likely because I felt through my entire being that the power of that green light wasn’t formidable.

“Compared to the gods of Bihar, this being lacks status.”

My suspicions were confirmed.

The proof lay in how the puppet-laden spear smoothly sliced through the green light.

The giant’s expression turned into one of shock.

Following that, something unbelievable occurred.

“Why—why are you doing this?!”

The giant’s tone changed dramatically.

“I was too surprised and struck back, but I have no intention to fight! Once I heal, I will depart!”

A derisive laugh slipped out.

Initially, when counterattacking, it acted like it wouldn’t forgive me, but then it quickly changed its stance.

“Exactly.”

The unsure suspicion I had turned into certainty.

“It indeed had a mind to betray me.”

From the start, it acted too weakly, and as soon as I launched an attack, it counterattacked immediately, as if seizing an opportunity.

And once it realized I might be stronger than it anticipated, it backtracked.

It did not seem to be a genuinely benevolent god.

I eagerly drove the giant back.

“Argh!”

Perhaps considering it difficult to evade my puppet in a closed space, the giant escaped to the outside, shattering the cave.

Along the way, I caught the sacred water the giant dropped and quickly followed before it could gain distance.

Whoosh!

Crystalized puppets poured toward the back of its head.

Some were deflected by the green light the giant wielded.

Yet, others embedded themselves into the giant’s body.

Meanwhile, another onslaught of green light the giant launched targeted me.

But they were all deflected or sliced in half by the spear I wielded with blinding speed.

An ensuing close-quarter battle.

Boom! Bang!

A spear embued with a crystallized puppet and a fist infused with green light.

Every clash between the giant and me shook the heavens.

“It’s hard to ignore the physical strength it exerts.”

The power derived from its physique was overwhelming, even though I had a clear edge in authority power and status.

Ultimately, I restrained myself from close combat and shifted to authority-focused attacks.

Boom!

Puppets crashing from the sky struck the giant several times.

Steam began to rise from its thick leather skin.

Then again.

With a single gesture, a rigid, crystallized puppet rapidly flew toward the giant like an arrow.

The giant was frantically busy deflecting them.

Taking advantage of the opening.

“Hup!”

I dashed toward the giant with blinding speed.

In an instant, I successfully thrust my spear into its neck.

Immediately, I poured more divinity into the crystallized puppet enveloping my spear.

I aimed to practice a newly learned attack method from previous battles.

As expected, once divinity was pushed to its limits in the puppet.

– Not…!

Boom!

The crystallized state puppet forcibly detonated while lodged in the giant’s neck.

The outcome was that about 30% of the giant’s upper body was blown away.

To ensure, I mutilated its chest and abdomen where its heart might be.

“Congratulations! You’ve successfully hunted down what was once a great being!”

A familiar message appeared, and I absorbed the scattered essence of the giant rapidly.

“It was easier than I thought.”

It was a straightforward battle that needed no heightened tension.

The prey was already severely injured, and the authority power wasn’t impressive.

In reality, the amount of essence I absorbed wasn’t that substantial either.

“But it’s better than having none.”

It was about two to three-tenths of the essence I absorbed from Temoria.

The record showed it wasn’t a recently born status.

It seemed to have a significant amount of achievement only in warfare.

Upon examining the giant’s record, it appeared that the gods of that dimension were not highly regarded in status.

Their usual means of forming divine status derived primarily from mutual struggles and duels.

Everyone was adept at fighting, which, conversely, prevented beings with useful authority from emerging.

Therefore, they easily overcame monsters during the initial invasion.

But when Angramoti advanced and the monstrosity commenced, they collapsed helplessly.

“I get the general idea of what happened.”

After perusing the records of how Rice Cake’s home dimension collapsed several times, I departed.

Having completed the hunt, I resumed dismantling Biharin.

During the process, a considerable number of monsters were buried, having nowhere else to go.

Moreover, even more monsters fled to Rice Cake’s dimension rather than Biharin.

By pouring more divinity into the destruction of Biharin than any previous use, it had that outcome.

“When I return, the Hole will probably be almost nonexistent.”

That aspect alone was very satisfying.

Peace would only end if Omvy drilled another Hole.

Even that brief period of peace shouldn’t be disregarded.

A few days may have passed like that.

When the divinity I held almost depleted and no observable Biharin remained from the relentless destruction.

“A new inheritor of the Trait will be activated.”

The long-awaited message arrived.

“「The primordial god of Biharin invites you. Will you accept? (Y/N)」”

Without hesitation, I clicked the Yes button.

**Damned System**

**New Elements & Characters:**

– 기생수 (Parasitic Creature) = Parasitic Creature(it)

– 신성수 (Sacred Water) = Sacred Water(it)

– 우바족 (Uba) = Uba(they)