Chapter 359

Chapter 359. The Hunter and the Hunted (1)

KABOOM-!

The Red Square of the Kremlin Grand Palace, and the surrounding urban areas were all caught in the explosion.

The smartphone I held in my left hand was tossed to the ground.

It disintegrated into dust from the explosion.

At the moment when the future Ranjo envisioned was realized, I thrust the spear I had retrieved from the spatial magic tool.

A golden destructive thunder unleashed a terrifying light to obliterate the enemy in front of me.

The target was one and only one.

It was Meferoseta, expanding her presence like an ever-inflating balloon right before my eyes.

If I could have pierced through and ended everything in one go, it would have been perfect.

Thud!

Seizing the moment of the explosion, Meferoseta slipped from my grip and urgently deployed her divinity.

Golden divinity swirled and formed, blocking the path of my spear.

There was no doubt that it was Meferoseta’s divinity.

‘Thought it might be easy since she’s non-combat type.’

I didn’t expect she’d be able to use divinity so skillfully without any authority.

Even though my first move was blocked, I wasn’t deterred. I retrieved the spear and thrust it again.

Meferoseta reached out desperately.

A divine shield appeared in front of her, once again blocking my spear.

This time, however, there was no need to regret it.

“Argh!”

One of the thunders fell from the sky, striking Meferoseta directly.

Immediately, something else began to approach, aiming at Meferoseta.

“No!”

A colossal presence came rushing in, intent on swallowing Meferoseta whole.

‘Causality!’

It was only natural; Meferoseta had unsealed herself.

It appeared to claim its rightful payment for lingering in the material world in such a large form.

‘I never thought I would feel so grateful for causality.’

I swung my spear sharply at Meferoseta, who was desperately trying to survive against causality.

It was the perfect opportunity to strike the gap in her defense.

Unfortunately, though, it didn’t quite reach Meferoseta.

A massive scythe-like form appeared from her hand, vehemently deflecting my spear.

Subsequently, Meferoseta retreated once more within her divine shield.

It was similar to creating a barrier, crafting a protective golden shield around herself.

Without additional attacks, I took a step back.

Without figuring out a way to penetrate it, reckless attacks would only waste my divinity.

While catching my breath, I briefly glared at Meferoseta who had entered the self-imposed prison.

‘Causality…… has vanished.’

If that’s the case, there’s a low chance that causality will emerge again to threaten Meferoseta.

She would continue to pay the appropriate price to prevent that from happening.

‘I can’t disregard the status and experience she’s accumulated.’

I carefully analyzed the current situation.

‘It’s not that she can’t fight at all.’

Although her approach was somewhat defensive, she had experience.

Things were bound to be different from hunting the mindless Karkleins that only tore and killed.

‘Nevertheless, I still have the upper hand.’

Meferoseta’s sudden incarnation had caused irreversible damage to civilians and cultural heritage.

Analyzing the battlefield coldly, however, the situation was in my favor.

I existed in the material world and even if I used authority to interfere with the material world, I didn’t have to pay causality.

It meant that activating the destructive thunder required no calculations.

‘Meanwhile, from the moment she remains here to using her divinity, everything is restricted.’

This was very promising for someone like me with a notably limited amount of divinity.

‘I don’t understand why she hasn’t transferred beyond causality.’

There was no need to chase her off if she willingly stayed in the battlefield advantageous to me.

Grinning from ear to ear, I adjusted my grip on the spear.

I didn’t need to worry about causing further destruction in a place where everything was already destroyed by the explosion.

‘First, let’s see if I can break through with maximum output.’

With all my might, I launched the spear imbued with the destructive thunder.

BOOM!

A majestic impact spread in every direction, incomparable to the previous collision.

The blast’s aftermath pushed clouds aside, the sky which had shone brilliantly blue.

The ground was covered with the rubble of ransacked buildings.

Everything trembled, unable to withstand the shock.

It was a collision worthy of shattering the world.

Despite that, Meferoseta’s divinity-shielded barrier did not break.

Still, I didn’t relent.

If I was to give up this easily, I would have never embarked on a mission to hunt gods.

‘If this doesn’t work, next.’

There was no rule saying I couldn’t break through just because it hadn’t happened yet.

I retreated further from her robust divine shield.

While stepping back, I gathered divinity as I caught my breath.

A few minutes ago, I might have thought only about attacking Meferoseta using authority.

But now the situation had slightly changed. I wanted to test something.

‘What if I used divinity not by recklessly pouring it into authority, but by sharpening it to a finer edge before applying it to authority?’

Like arranging mana to implement magic.

Seeing Meferoseta using divinity alone had piqued my curiosity.

Now that she wasn’t moving beyond her divine shield, it was the perfect moment to verify my curiosity.

While I wasn’t naturally skilled at handling raw divinity in this manner.

I wasn’t so unpracticed that I hesitated to attempt it.

I had already experienced using divinity separately and combining it with mana.

Recalling the sensation from back then, arranging divinity wasn’t difficult.

And the result manifested in a form I had not anticipated.

Shssssk-.

The divinity coating the spear began solidifying into a firm and transparent form.

Like ice freezing, like glass toughening.

Whether this would be a meaningful result remained something to test.

Planting my feet firmly, I hefted my spear deeply.

There was no colossal shock like before.

Instead, a faint cracking noise emerged.

“No, no!”

Sshhk, a hole had formed in Meferoseta’s divine barrier.

Like a tougher glass piercing through a thinner one.

‘Broke through!’

An involuntary grin spread across my face at the sight.

Still smiling widely, I slashed horizontally with the spear.

Creak.

A grating sound issued as a long line appeared in the divine barrier.

Part of the area where the spear met tore apart.

Meferoseta hastily attempted to mend the gap.

But this time, I was one step ahead.

During the fleeting moment of that slash, the toughly clustered destructive thunder spear manifested.

Different from the ones I previously wielded, this one was condensed solid like glass.

They flew through the torn barrier.

Aimed directly to tear and rend the god lurking beyond it!

“You won’t get away!”

Meferoseta, wearing a fierce expression, conjured that sickle-like form once again.

Simultaneously, the damaged barrier vanished.

‘Can’t maintain both simultaneously?’

Meferoseta began deflecting the spears aimed at her.

Swift and accurate, using minimal movement.

For her, an existence that must pay the price to merely exist, it was an efficient response.

However, it wasn’t the wisest maneuver.

Due to the fundamental differences between her and me.

‘She’s a god who must separately refine divinity to engage in combat.’

And I, without any additional effort, am potent enough in battle simply by employing authority.

With her dispelling the barrier, why should I hesitate?

The destructive thunder falling from the sky pursued the scythe-wielding Meferoseta.

One step, then another.

A faint sound whispered from behind the retreating Meferoseta, who had begun to edge backward to dodge the destructive thunder.

The destructive thunder, solidified in glass form, began rising from the ground like spikes.

By the time Meferoseta realized, it was already.

“Ugh!”

The destructive thunder had impaled her abdomen.

Blood spurted forth, and Meferoseta’s divine figure scattered into mist.

‘As if I’d let you go!’

Realizing its significance, I chased right after.

The battleground between Meferoseta and me had shifted.

To a vast expanse beyond the material world, past causality.

The ensuing chase and pursuit were fraught with ferocious skirmishes.

Meferoseta narrowly evaded my spear, fleeing at the last moment each time.

Each time, I gritted my teeth more firmly and pursued her relentlessly.

‘I will catch her.’

The spear thrusts aimed at Meferoseta grew sharper and more potent with every repetition.

How the damned god had crossed over to Earth.

Whatever was occurring beyond where I could perceive.

All of that could wait until after I had slain her.

I faced off against Meferoseta without any mercy or carelessness.

‘At all costs, I will hunt her.’

Meferoseta would meet her end at this place today.

‘I shall ensure it.’

I poured divinity unreservedly and committed everything to the endeavor.

BOOM, BOOM!

Meferoseta, pushed into a corner, retaliated fiercely.

Every time we clashed, massive shockwaves enveloped the surrounding area.

– Why won’t this leech go away!

Letting loose a cry, Meferoseta tried to shake me off, but I didn’t falter.

Persistently, doggedly, pursuing Meferoseta almost with an obsessiveness that felt like obsession.

– Can’t you just get off?!

She’s dead.

– Do you think you’ll defeat me, a mere bug like you?!

Definitely here.

– You worthless worm of a man!

I shall slaughter her and nourish myself.

“Dieeee!”

The moment Meferoseta tried to dodge my spear again.

I played my final card.

– No! How can this……!

Vetroman’s Spear had a special feature, time stop.

Meferoseta, unable to finish her words, froze mid-air with a sinisterly twisted expression.

Regardless, the spear aimed at her never ceased moving even for a second.

‘Can’t hold out for long.’

Originally, it had the power to stop time for an entire 10 seconds.

A cooldown of thirty days was sufficient to infer the great price this ability demanded.

To utilize this function equated to expending a vast astronomical amount of divinity.

A substantial price was unavoidable to stop the time axis in a particular location while keeping it hidden from causality.

But the target of the time stop was an admirable god.

Regular beings from the material world might not notice, but.

A god wouldn’t just sit still and endure it.

It was expected that the effect would diminish compared to its original duration.

‘Only about 1 or 2 seconds.’

I had passed by numerous opportunities and bided my time for this singular chance.

And when the perfect moment of certainty arrived, I utilized the special feature.

The choice I made after enduring was not wrong.

With a menacing glint, the spear surged forward toward the frozen heart of Meferoseta.

The light blooming from the spearhead didn’t miss the fleeting gap and pierced its target.

– …no…ugh!

Gods are gods, nonetheless.

Barely a second passed before Meferoseta resumed moving.

Unfortunately for her, by then I had already impaled her heart.

It seemed she retained some mortal habits, as Meferoseta’s divinity pooled in her left chest.

Having accurately pierced and obliterated it with the destructive thunder’s power, Meferoseta’s inevitable end was certain.

「Congratulations! You have successfully hunted a Great Being!」

A considerable amount of divinity surged like a giant wave.

Once, such an enormous sensation would have overwhelmed me.

But now, a satisfying fullness washed over me.

Breathing deeply, I let out that satisfying sensation.

And with a smooth motion, I withdrew the spear and remarked.

“Don’t feel too wronged. I’ll put your divinity to good use.”

A god who, rather than face the trials laid before her, chose to hide and flee did not meet an illustrious end.

Damned System