Ch.163The Final Battle Is Dangerous (2)

Shin Doyun placed the divine seed on the prepared altar.

The selected candidates also took their designated positions, ready to receive power.

“…I heard all the explanations, but it still doesn’t feel real.”

Julian Chenbilts glanced at Shin Doyun as he spoke.

Likely, the other candidates shared similar feelings.

“I apologize for not telling you in advance. However, it couldn’t be helped. If I had revealed the truth, the test would have been meaningless.”

Since they weren’t expressing complaints but merely feeling unsettled, the candidates nodded and steeled their resolve.

“Whatever happens, I suppose this final battle rests in our hands.”

“We have no choice.”

As Shin Doyun began the ritual, he turned his head and left me with a message.

“You know. The moment the ritual ends, the invasion will begin immediately.”

“I’ve already prepared. Tell them to come as they please.”

“…Yes, I’m counting on you.”

Somehow, that single phrase carried emotions different from before.

At Shin Doyun’s words, which sounded like a farewell, I momentarily turned my gaze to look at his back.

Eventually, Shin Doyun announced the final stage of the plan in an emotionless voice.

“By using the divine seed and myself as materials, the system will finally be completed.”

“What? What do you mean…?”

“Everything was arranged for this moment.”

No one present failed to understand the meaning of those words.

Everyone looked at Shin Doyun with shocked expressions, and he smiled faintly as he offered his final greeting.

“It’s easier on the mind to go without knowing the outcome.”

“Wait…!”

Song Hayeon tried to stop him, but the ritual had already been activated long ago.

Shin Doyun, gradually disappearing into particles of light, shifted his gaze to Serejia who stood in the corner.

“You are the next god of Earth.”

“…What?”

“You’re experienced. The rest of them are too unreliable.”

As he recited those words, he glanced at me, showing a remarkably relaxed attitude.

It was as if he wasn’t facing death but rather being released from long work to go on a vacation.

“I’m sorry to pass such a heavy burden to you. But please forgive me. I’ve done enough work to be sick of it, so I think I deserve some rest now.”

Facing Shin Doyun, I too offered my final greeting with indifference.

“Should I light a lantern for you when this is all over?”

“…Do as you wish. It’s not like I’ll be able to see it anyway.”

“Then I’ll make it blue.”

We will win in the end. It was enough for him to leave knowing just that.

After a long silence, Shin Doyun finally moved his lips as if he couldn’t help it.

“I prefer silver gray.”

“…Your taste is quite particular.”

With that final exchange, Shin Doyun completely transformed into light and disappeared.

And all that energy began to transfer directly to the five hunters.

“…Hnngh.”

“Urrrgh!”

It was a power too overwhelming for humans.

Normally, their vessels would have shattered, with both body and soul bursting apart.

But the system Shin Doyun had created over many years and his sacrifice effectively suppressed all backlash.

After all the power had been transferred, the hunters descended from the altar with dazed expressions, examining their own bodies.

“It’s not simply a feeling of becoming stronger.”

“It truly feels like I could do anything.”

That expression was remarkably accurate. That was the level of power given to them.

The first to demonstrate it was Seven Stars Julian Chenbilts.

Whoosh.

Shhrrk!

“Oh my, this is…”

“Please help me. Opponents too difficult for me alone will come.”

The soul that followed Julian, which I had noticed before.

Julian, who had given it a body with just a gesture, flexed his arm and showed a determined look.

Just as everyone was about to nod at the perfectly successful ritual, as if waiting for that moment, power waves began to be felt simultaneously from multiple directions.

It wasn’t difficult to guess what they were.

“Dungeons… are being created.”

“That means they’re coming.”

This was the moment they would finally face the true masterminds behind the dungeon incidents. Naturally, they couldn’t help but feel nervous.

However, as the hunters steeled themselves, I stepped forward and waved my hand.

“What are you doing? The enemies are piled up like mountains, and you’re going to fight them so politely?”

With each sweep of my hand, intense spatial distortions were felt, and the forming dungeons began to shrink.

“…What did you just do?”

Startled by a technique they couldn’t even begin to imitate despite their newfound power, Song Hayeon asked in surprise.

My answer was simple.

“They’re trying to climb up using footholds. So naturally, I need to make them fall.”

They would likely be trapped in the gaps between dimensions, unable to move in any direction, embarking on a long journey with no destination.

It was a trick that could be used because we could determine when the opponent would arrive.

Whoosh!

Crack!

Craaack!

Despite my efforts to throw the dungeons appearing in Korea and neighboring countries into dimensional gaps, far more portals were completed and finally opened their doors.

And from there, forces with overwhelming momentum began to pour through.

“They’re coming in waves. What about the other people besides us?”

“All countries are already mobilizing maximum forces to establish defensive positions. However…”

“It seems they won’t be able to handle this at all.”

As Julian said, except for a few, each entity was an opponent impossible to face.

However, they still had to fight to protect Earth.

And there were still talented individuals around the world who could handle the common soldiers.

“Don’t get distracted. If we can’t defeat the leaders, it’s over anyway.”

And finally, they began to reveal themselves.

Something possessing power completely different in dimension from any entities that had appeared so far.

‘…They’re strong.’

I had only read a little of the flowing energy. But even that was enough to feel that he was on a completely different level.

‘Excluding him… there are six exceptional ones.’

Apart from those, as Shin Doyun had predicted, they were merely at a level that hunters who had completed the system could sufficiently face.

I floated the Book of Death in the air and continuously poured divine power into it until it overflowed.

Then, I suddenly opened and burst it.

“Sweep them all away.”

Whoosh!

Boom!

With an ear-splitting noise, countless undead poured out and began to scatter in all directions.

With this level of forces, other hunters should be able to hold back the enemy army sufficiently.

So now all I needed to focus on was the monster before me.

“You guys just pick opponents you can beat.”

“We can’t just…”

“No, that’s the most efficient way. What’s the point of getting stuck fighting opponents you can’t beat?”

Leaving only those words behind, I was the first to leave Shin Doyun’s residence and headed to where the God of Death was presumed to be.

As if he was also aware of us, the dungeon where he was hiding was located at the edge of Korea, stretching along the west coast.

Reaching its airspace in an instant, I sent a spear of curse as a greeting and opened my mouth for the last time.

“Are you going to keep hiding like a turtle?”

[I’ve been waiting, God of Death.]

Soon the door opened, and seven beings led by a man revealed themselves.

The powerful ones with different levels of strength I had sensed earlier.

They were clearly the divine beings leading this entire army.

‘…The three in the middle all seem to be First Rank.’

In the end, Shin Doyun’s prediction had come true in the worst way.

The enemy had First Rank gods, and not just one.

However, a strange sense of exhilaration was filling me.

‘Right now, I’m stronger.’

It wasn’t arrogance but certainty.

Even before obtaining divinity, I had enough power to face a Second Rank god.

And now, after breaking my vessel in the Theban Underworld, I was clearly reaching beyond the realm of First Rank.

It seemed I wasn’t the only one who felt this, as several divine beings assisting the man showed signs of panic.

“Great God of Death, what is this person…?”

“He cannot be underestimated. We will all stay and handle this. Master, please achieve what you desire.”

Despite such concerns from his subordinates, the black-haired man raised his invisible face and calmly gave his order.

[Not necessary. Go.]

“…As you command.”

So the subordinates scattered, and finally only the man remained, facing me at a distance visible to the naked eye.

Despite being close enough to reach with one leap, I couldn’t measure his full power at all.

It was evidence that he possessed strength surpassing even my current self.

[You’re more composed than I expected. Aren’t you afraid?]

“Why would I be? It’s not like I’ve only fought weaklings before.”

It’s not something to boast about, but I have experience charging at a thousand-year-old lich when I was just handling a single Death Knight.

So now, having pacified an entire planet and obtained divinity, there was no reason to flee even if the opponent was a transcendent being with immeasurable history.

[Ignorance sometimes becomes the greatest courage. Even if it’s futile, it allows you to deceive yourself for a fleeting moment.]

The emotion I felt upon hearing those lofty words to my face was simply straightforward.

“I’ve heard that too many times. It’s getting old.”

In the end, nothing was different.

He was stronger than me and didn’t think for a moment that he would lose to me.

And crushing such beings had always been my specialty.