Ch.162The Final Battle Is Dangerous (1)

Following Shin Doyun’s departure, we accompanied him to assist with his final work and discussed the upcoming decisive battle.

“It’s not going to be easy.”

There was one thing I became certain of while performing the ritual in the underworld.

“To kill him, we need to know about him.”

Though I hate to say it myself, my current immortality was truly remarkable.

Even if gods of the Third Realm came in droves, they couldn’t leave a single scratch on me.

Then clearly, this being with the status of a First Realm deity would be no less formidable.

It was obvious that ordinary methods wouldn’t kill him.

“…I understand what you mean. But it’s difficult.”

We had no clues, and no way to make contact with the opponent.

In this disadvantageous situation, there was only one consolation.

“We can decide when the final battle takes place?”

“Yes. Earth is currently approaching a critical threshold. Once we take one more step forward, all conditions will be met.”

In other words, the moment we grant hunters tremendous power according to Shin Doyun’s plan would become the time for the final battle.

“This place will instantly become a battlefield. If we can’t settle this quickly, Earth has no future.”

“…As if things weren’t difficult enough, now we have so many things to worry about.”

But there’s no choice. This is the reality before us.

In this situation, a deeply dejected voice echoed in my mind.

[…Master, you absolutely cannot defeat that being.]

“What?”

After processing the meaning of those words in my head, I immediately snapped at Gordon, who had spoken.

“Why are you suddenly talking nonsense? I’m busy enough without you provoking me!”

[That’s not it. I know that being very well.]

The implication was simple.

When I summoned Gordon from the necklace, everyone’s attention focused on him instantly.

“You…”

“Yes, that’s right. My memories have returned. Perhaps it was influenced by you attaining divine status, Master.”

As everyone gave him urging looks, Gordon continued speaking in a low voice.

“That being is one of the nine deities who have existed for the longest time in the First Realm. And what he governs is death itself.”

Turning his gaze toward me, Gordon added with genuine regret:

“As long as you’ve lived as a follower of death, you can never defeat him.”

It was quite a shocking declaration.

Shin Doyun’s expression hardened at those words, and Serejia and Rama also flinched.

“…If that’s true, then the outcome is already determined. But how do you know this?”

That was certainly a point that needed to be addressed. Gordon hesitated briefly before continuing in a low voice.

“I was once his colleague.”

“That means…”

“It means that I too was once a being with divine status.”

As I had suspected, Gordon was no ordinary lich. And his true identity was only now being revealed.

“However, as his actions increasingly crossed the line, I eventually parted ways with him, and after being defeated, I had my divine status taken away and ended up in this form.”

He could have been killed, but in recognition of his past efforts, he was only stripped of his memories and body before being imprisoned in a dungeon.

“Perhaps it was meant as mockery and punishment. Or maybe he wanted me to witness with my own eyes what would happen afterward.”

Anyway, that’s how Gordon came to Earth as an invader, became my subordinate after meeting me, and arrived at this point.

“He is absolute. It’s not simply a matter of strength—he’s in an entirely different class. In my view, there is no one on this Earth who can stand against him.”

“…”

Looking at Gordon’s solemn face, it was clear that this was the complete truth.

“I’m not necessarily advising you to give up. After all, I confronted him despite knowing this. I just thought it was something that needed to be said clearly.”

The fact that he hadn’t mentioned this earlier and only spoke up now showed that Gordon had been deeply troubled about this for a long time.

However, after hearing all this, I dismissed it with just one sentence.

“It doesn’t matter.”

“…”

“It’s not like I didn’t know he’d be a difficult opponent. Actually, learning his identity makes me feel better.”

Moreover, at this moment, I was feeling a strange sense of fate.

Everything from when I first chose the path of a necromancer until now began to line up in my mind.

And the fact that my final opponent is a god who governs death—truly, my life has been nothing if not consistent.

“I’m somewhat curious.”

“…About what?”

“So far, everything that had anything to do with death has been crushed and crawled before me. I wonder if he can escape this pattern.”

Seeing my completely undaunted attitude, Shin Doyun’s hardened expression softened a bit.

Then he nodded.

“We don’t have any other options anyway. Unnecessary hesitation would only harm us.”

He was right.

Now we just have to try, come what may.

Eventually, Shin Doyun seemed to have made up his mind and addressed everyone.

“All the candidates were finalized just this morning. Tomorrow, after completing all preparations, we’ll summon them and engage in the final battle.”

“…Good. There’s no need to drag this out.”

The decision was made.

Tomorrow, the final battle would take place.

And it would determine our entire future.

‘……’

After returning home, I busily moved about, doing what I could in the day we had left.

Seoha spoke to me with a dejected voice.

“…It doesn’t feel real.”

“I feel the same.”

“Will it really be okay?”

Though she seemed to be trying not to show it, I could sense her numerous worries.

Nevertheless, she didn’t try to stop me. She fully understood that without fighting and winning, there would be no future.

I nodded and gave a casual response.

“I’ll definitely win.”

“When you’re that confident, it actually makes me less convinced.”

“Have you ever seen me lose anywhere?”

Of course not.

Since awakening on Earth, I had regained my original powers without experiencing a single defeat.

But conversely, even someone like me couldn’t guarantee victory against this opponent.

‘…Maybe I have a 20% chance at best.’

That was my honest assessment after realizing the opponent’s identity.

The probability of me defeating all enemies and claiming victory was at most that much.

However, while listening to Gordon’s words, I became aware of one possibility.

‘I never expected it would help in this way…’

If my prediction was correct, this might turn out to be a fight worth attempting.

Recalling what happened in the underworld, I quietly organized my thoughts and continued moving busily.

And Seoha just watched me with a smile, as if she couldn’t help but accept my determination.

#

The next day, after completing preparations, I took everyone to Shin Doyun’s residence.

Seoha, Song Hayeon, Henesia, and Astride had all been informed of everything.

Everyone present understood that Earth’s future would be decided today.

“Thus, these five are suitable for the plan.”

Shin Doyun pointed to five hunters.

Julian Chenbiltz from Germany, who was part of the Seven Stars.

Beatrice, the Empress of Italy.

Helena, the necromancer who proudly held the highest position in the hunter powerhouse of Britain.

Baek Seoha, my younger sister and Korea’s S-rank hunter.

And finally, Song Hayeon, my first disciple.

Among them, Song Hayeon asked with a surprised look when Shin Doyun pointed to her.

“Really, me?”

“Yes.”

“Is this like some kind of rural special admission or something?”

“…”

Song Hayeon seemed to think she was chosen because of her close relationship with me or something similar.

To this, Shin Doyun said:

“That’s not entirely wrong. Those of you who have been close to Baek Eunha have been deeply influenced by him and have unknowingly grown in capacity.”

However.

“Even so, your inherent qualities are most important. The result would have been the same even if Baek Eunha hadn’t been by your side.”

“I see…”

Meanwhile, Seoha, whose name had been called, kept glancing at me and spoke softly.

“…You’re not going to stop me?”

“Why would I? There’s no safe place on Earth anymore. It’s better to have power.”

When you think about it, being by my side is the safest. And I had decided to respect Seoha’s will as much as possible.

“So just do what you want.”

“…Okay. Thanks.”

With that, everyone had made up their minds.

Then Shin Doyun took out the seeds in which he had previously extracted and stored divine status, and held them out before us.

“Now, I will execute the final stage of the plan.”

It was the moment when the irreversible final battle would begin.