Ch.3Ep.3 Starting Over Again

Northern Kadinant, Noslet.

A region deeply imbued with the influence of Khione, goddess of winter, and Boreas, god of the winter winds.

The northern areas close to the central region don’t feel particularly northern.

But the further north you go, the more keenly your body feels the year-round cold waves.

Why am I telling you this?

“Ah– Achoo!!”

Because when I exited through the Gate of Reincarnation opened by Hades, I landed right in the middle of Noslet!

‘That bastard… just because I took his item, he drops me here of all places?’

Noslet was the region Radios hated visiting the most.

Born in the hot and humid Southlet, he had no resistance to cold, dry environments.

Whenever he had to go to Noslet for a mission, he would be heavily armed with warm clothes.

Of course, he could use magical power to warm his body.

But without knowing how much magical power he had in total,

He couldn’t recklessly use it.

First, Radios headed south to survive the raging cold.

Since he was reincarnated in Noslet anyway,

He set his destination for the temple of Hermes, one of the 12 Olympian gods, known as the messenger god and god of thieves.

However, Radios knew.

As long as Outer Gods ruled Kadinant, Hermes’ temple was likely already destroyed.

Even so, Radios wanted to confirm.

Hermes’ temple.

There was a secret hideout established by the Guardian Spirit there.

‘If Serena wasn’t the only traitor… that hideout would have been discovered too.’

Radios remembered the locations of all hideouts established by the Guardian Spirit throughout Kadinant.

The leaders each knew the locations of all hideouts except one.

Serena didn’t know the location of the hideout in Hermes’ temple.

If that hideout was destroyed, it meant there were traitors besides Serena.

“…Let’s go check it out first.”

His face, body shape, and voice had all changed.

This current body had no resemblance to Radios Magnum…

Nor did it possess his strength.

That’s why he needed information even more.

How long had it been since the Outer Gods took control of Kadinant?

And how was the world functioning now?

To find out… he had to go to Hermes’ temple.

***

Radios made his way to Hermes’ temple relying solely on memory.

With his extraordinary memory, he avoided all monster colonies.

He had adapted to the cold that initially felt deadly.

As time passed, night fell.

“Haa… I’m getting tired.”

Radios cut down a nearby tree and used magic to light a campfire.

From Hermes’ temple, which was getting closer by the minute… he detected the energy of an Outer God spreading.

Indeed.

The traitor in the Guardian Spirit wasn’t just Serena Tolos.

“Where did things go wrong… Veichel.”

Veichel Breate.

The woman who first took the position of captain when the Guardian Spirit was established.

As an apostle of Athena, goddess of war and one of the 12 Olympian gods,

She was a precious woman Kim Yu-hyun could fully rely on when the Guardian Spirit was first created.

But in the decisive battle against the apostles of the Outer Gods,

After single-handedly killing three apostles,

She was killed by Milia, apostle of the Witch of Dreams.

“If you had led the Guardian Spirit instead of me… would the outcome have been different?”

I miss them.

Even though we gathered suddenly to protect the world,

We shared joys and sorrows together.

Those times when we kept smiling despite difficult situations,

When we encouraged each other to move forward together,

When betrayal wasn’t even a thought.

Because I miss those times so much,

Radios was able to steady his wavering heart.

For the comrades who were sacrificed, who fell, who departed first,

He would take revenge on the traitors and reclaim Kadinant.

“So wait, Serena… you’ll end your life in terrible agony.”

Whoosh.

Radios extinguished the campfire and headed toward Hermes’ temple.

Or rather, what remained of Hermes’ temple.

“How long do we have to guard this backwater place?”

“Well… they say there might be a Guardian Spirit hideout here, so they might come.”

“No way. If I were in the Guardian Spirit, I wouldn’t think of coming through this cold.”

“Yeah, that’s true. Even the master is strange– Huh?”

Guards who were followers of the Outer Gods were patrolling the ruins of Hermes’ temple.

The guard realized his companion’s voice had been cut off,

And understood that an intruder had arrived, but—

Swish.

“Urgh!”

“I struck your vocal cords precisely so you wouldn’t make noise. This is the end for you.”

“Mmph!!”

Thud!

The man on guard duty lost his life without even being able to resist the mysterious attacker’s assault.

The mysterious attacker,

Radios Magnum, walked to the center of Hermes’ temple ruins with an expressionless face.

“It’s all… destroyed.”

Although he hadn’t visited many times, seeing only ruins remaining,

He felt his heart sink.

However, Radios didn’t let his guard down.

By now, surely—

“Intruder!! A remnant of the Guardian Spirit has attacked!”

“Report this to the Apostle of the Dancing Green Flame immediately—”

“So this was done by the Tulcha cult.”

“..!”

The man who was using amplification magic to gather otherworlders throughout the temple ruins,

Was startled by the attacker who appeared without a sound.

Thump!

By the time he realized this, his breath had already been stopped by Radios.

Also, the Outer God with the title “Dancing Green Flame” was Tulcha.

It’s said to serve a role similar to a dancer who worships the one called the Blind Idiot God.

Perhaps because of this, it’s known to have considerably less combat power compared to other Outer Gods.

To put it simply, you could call it a healer.

Radios muttered as he gathered the magical power he had released for battle.

“This level would make me about a squad leader in the Guardian Spirit.”

Above squad leader is captain, above captain is vice commander, above vice commander is commander, and above commander is the leader.

That’s how it goes.

A Guardian Spirit squad leader is a position held by someone with magical power far beyond ordinary people.

The current Radios isn’t weak, but he’s not particularly strong either.

‘As long as no apostle appears, I should be able to handle this somewhat.’

The ability of Kynee, “Sword of Judgment.”

He thought it just summoned the Underworld’s army.

But Hades said that when activating the Sword of Judgment, one could regain their prime abilities for a certain period.

In other words, unless an apostle of an Outer God appears for a life-or-death battle, there’s virtually no risk.

Even so, he had no intention of relying on the Sword of Judgment.

He didn’t know how long the activation time was.

And his weakened, sealed self might not walk the right path.

“Then for now…”

After dealing with the otherworlders who had gathered around, Radios stomped on the ground a few times.

Thud.

When he heard a dull sound, he placed his hand on the ground.

Swish.

And injected magical power containing the energy of Olympus.

The hideout door, which the otherworlders couldn’t open no matter what they tried, opened.

“…Damn it.”

But Radios frowned at the pungent smell of blood rising from the entrance.

Massacre.

A scene that could only be described as a bloodthirsty ghost going on a rampage was spread before his eyes.

Step, step.

When Radios reached the center of the hideout with a steadied heart,

He witnessed a situation where all sorts of items had been destroyed.

Even without bodies,

The stench from the old blood scent was answer enough.

Everyone who had been here was undoubtedly dead.

“There was a traitor. There was, a traitor…”

The worst truth he didn’t want to believe had finally become reality.

With an indescribable sense of loss, he pressed his lips together and lowered his head.

At that moment, Radios noticed he was stepping on a blood-stained photograph.

Bending down, he picked up the photo with trembling hands.

He saw himself and the members of the Guardian Spirit smiling brightly.

A scene that could be associated with happiness.

Such a false scene.

Crunch.

His teeth were chattering.

He didn’t know.

He couldn’t have imagined there would be a traitor among these people with such innocent smiles.

Because they were the Guardian Spirit.

Comrades gathered for the same purpose.

Gathered to stop external enemies.

That’s why his teeth were grinding to the point of breaking.

“Who is it… who on earth… is the traitor…”

At least Arsia wasn’t a traitor.

If she had been,

The Guardian Spirit would have fallen to the forces of the Outer Gods long ago.

The Guardian Spirit was able to maintain itself because of her divine strategy and leadership abilities.

Then the goal was set.

“I’ll find Arsia.”

She might be dead, but well.

If Radios were an apostle of an Outer God… he would have tried to recruit someone like Arsia.

The probability that she’s alive is likely higher than the probability she’s dead.

They would have been desperate to recruit her.

As he was thinking this,

Flash!

Light emanated from the photo, and letters made of blood appeared.

[Arsia Cromwell

(12.4581, 152.5927)

Light shall shine.]

“This is..!”

Coordinates appearing alongside Arsia’s name.

And the final phrase, “Light shall shine.”

It was an implicit call sign Arsia used to summon Radios, the apostle of the Underworld King.

“Looks like my next destination is set.”

He couldn’t understand why such things remained on the photo.

He could only think that someone like Arsia would have found an extraordinary method.

“I should go check it out.”

Even if it’s a trap, if there’s a chance to meet Arsia,

He would gladly walk into that trap.