Chapter 379

### Chapter 379

#### Chapter 67: Rewards From the Past (5)

I had seen Karlos’s message, but instead of setting out immediately, I decided to think a little more carefully.

“Even if I went right away, I wouldn’t be able to inherit the status immediately.”

A primordial god would never perish as long as a dimension existed.

While it might suffer serious injuries and become unable to move,

It could fall into a comatose state after receiving devastating blows.

But as long as the dimension remained intact, it could somehow heal.

Just like how the system had undergone two recoveries.

For a primordial god to vanish, the dimension’s collapse and annihilation must precede.

Thus, the hidden meaning behind Karlos’s message was simple.

“… He’s telling me to destroy the dimension with my own hands.”

It was at that moment that I realized what the role Karlos conveyed through Senoa truly meant.

“To ask me to demolish my own house with my own hands.”

I couldn’t help but let out a chuckle, accompanied by a throbbing headache.

I furrowed my brow and rubbed my temples.

Although Biharin was smaller in scale compared to Earth, it would not be easy to annihilate the remaining dimension with just my own power.

“Divinity consumption will be severe.”

But if I was to bear such a disadvantage?

“This time, there might be a change in authority.”

The benefits of complying with Karlos’s will outweighed the drawbacks.

While divinity would naturally gather over time, status could only be usurped.

Furthermore, if Biharin were to be annihilated, I could simultaneously shut down all connections to Earth.

Gaining time until Omby could reopen the connections with Cackleline’s authority was undoubtedly an advantage.

The decision didn’t take long. I rose from my seat and spoke.

“I’ll head out first, so use my car when returning.”

Since Rashar also had a driver’s license, driving wouldn’t be an issue.

“If you’re too tired to drive, call Gilenios and go.”

However, just to be safe, I added a remark.

Rashar nodded readily and saw me off.

She wouldn’t have imagined that I was planning to shatter her homeland entirely.

Thus, she waved with a smile.

“To be honest, this dimension would perish even without my intervention.”

But bringing forward its demise by intervening wasn’t something I could deny.

It felt like I was doing something wrong to Rashar.

Of course, I wasn’t going to change my decision due to trivial feelings like that.

I turned away, leaving behind Rashar’s smile.

* * *

A lifeless man lay in an empty space, pale enough to be mistaken for a corpse at first glance.

The man, born from the origin of Biharin, was Karlos.

He had been so still for such a long time that it made one wonder if he was truly dead.

Then suddenly, at an unforeseen moment, his eyelids started to tremble.

Soon, golden eyes became visible beyond the open lids.

Staring blankly as if he had just awakened from a slumber, he soon spoke.

– Finally.

Karlos’s previously hollow demeanor slowly shifted into a smile.

He felt the acceleration of his massive existence’s collapse.

It signaled that the one who received his message had begun to move.

Karlos’s smile grew thicker.

The senses he was feeling indicated that the collapse of his foundational dimension was underway.

Had it been another primordial god, they might have rushed to find the cause and tried to prevent the collapse.

But that wasn’t the story for Karlos.

He had longed for this moment for a very long time.

– Ah.

Once more, the collapsing sensation was blissful to him.

The smile on Karlos’s face deepened.

Was it as if responding to his smile?

The culminating demise hastened further.

After savoring those sensations for a while, Karlos murmured brightly.

– I was lucky.

The authority that Palao nurtured in divine status touched upon destruction.

Thanks to that, the end could arrive sooner than initially expected.

Karlos rose slowly.

– Since a precious guest is coming, I should show some sincerity.

Such a precious existence, who was about to put an end to this dull wait, couldn’t be anything but precious.

With a very delighted heart, Karlos began the preparation to greet his final guest.

The god from another world, who would obliterate him.

* * *

I left a few instructions for Lily and crossed over to Biharin.

Following that, the demolition work in Bihar wasn’t too difficult.

It was all about destroying parts of the unexpired dimension using my puppets.

In various places, erasing every trace of the land over a few days,

I discovered a strange mark in an unfamiliar location.

“A white dot…”

A white dot had shown up on the map upon entering the corrupted area.

“I haven’t seen that since picking up Rice Cake…”

I remembered asking the system in the past what those white dots represented on the map.

The system’s answer was simple.

– They signify everything marked white, except for Earth and Biharin and those leading the invasion.

Every third party, regardless of their origin, is marked white on the map.

This meant it could be from the same dimension as Rice Cake or not.

“I might as well check it out, just in case.”

I couldn’t discard the opportunity to garner information.

I headed straight for the white dot that appeared on the map.

Finally, I reached a cave. The cave was almost as large as a highway terminal.

The ceiling of the cave, many times my height, was riddled with countless cracks.

Creak, crack.

This area wasn’t free from the consequences of collapse either.

The cave seemed on the verge of crumbling.

As evidence, each step forward caused dust to gather on my head and shoulders.

But I brushed it off and calmly proceeded inside.

How long had I been moving when I found unfamiliar traces?

“Footprints…”

From that alone, I could determine that whatever was inside wasn’t the same species as Rice Cake.

The footprints hinted at a bipedal creature similar to a human.

“The feet are a bit large, though.”

They were similar to human footprints familiar to me.

Who or what could be inside? Just as pure curiosity began to awaken.

I halted suddenly.

– Who are you?

It wasn’t a voice using vocal cords but a sound that conveyed intention.

Despite the strain, the exhaustion was evident…

“At least a being of minimal status.”

Realizing that, I barely managed to suppress a grin.

Amidst the high likelihood of losing Finelpenia’s status, encountering a new status was exciting.

With a racing heart, I responded to the strange voice.

“I was curious due to sensing something unfamiliar.”

– … I apologize for sudden intrusion, but I have received permission from the status connected with this dimension.

Considering the circumstances, meeting directly with another status-associated entity outside of Earth or Biharin wasn’t unusual.

“You met Senoa.”

– Ah, you know that entity. When asking for a place to recover from injuries, I was directed here.

Since the dimension’s collapse has already begun, staying for long wasn’t possible, but it was sufficient for resting.

Receiving such guidance, I came here.

– So, please don’t turn me away. I also conveyed useful information to that entity, making it a fair trade.

Like how I shared news that the dimension in Senoa’s path had already been invaded, for instance.

The strange god inside seemed to have exchanged information with Senoa.

“It’s chaos everywhere besides Earth and Biharin.”

Who knew how many dimensions and divine beings existed outside there?

“That’s not something to concern myself with now.”

What mattered most was attending to the immediate issues concerning Earth.

“Studying other dimensions can wait.”

Setting aside unnecessary curiosity, I gazed thoughtfully into the dark cave.

“Senoa bothered to send him here…”

Knowing full well that I’m hunting other divine statuses, why send it here, intentionally?

“Could it be a set-up meant for me?”

It might be a gesture of goodwill.

“Well, even if it isn’t, it doesn’t matter.”

Whatever Senoa meant by sending it to Biharin wasn’t important.

For whatever reason, it had already entered the material realm of Biharin.

“I can’t just let prey that walked into my trap escape.”

Even as a courtesy in response to Senoa’s goodwill, I’ll gladly devour it.

It didn’t matter if it was a trap set by someone; I would just dismantle the board itself.

“Let’s meet first. Who knows, I might gain unexpected information.”

Suppressing the smile trying hard to rise, I asked cautiously.

“Are you severely injured?”

– Why do you ask such a question?

The immediate response was sharp, probing.

It seemed the injury wasn’t a lie.

If that’s true, the likelihood of this being a trap decreased.

Feeling a pleasant thrill, I spoke in the warmest tone possible.

“I have some questions for you. Would you be open to a transaction? In return, I’ll provide sacred water.”

Though I didn’t really plan on giving it, I had one bottle left from the VIP store.

– Sacred water?

Upon explaining what it was, the speaker’s voice tinged with awe and greed became palpable.

– Oh, such a thing exists!

There was a noticeable vigor in the previously strained voice.

“Being sent by Senoa, I’m sure you have at least some credibility. What do you say?”

Perhaps driven by desperation to treat the injury?

– I’d like to meet and converse first.

The being deep within the cave readily took the bait.

I took assured steps toward it.

If anything unexpected occurred, I had a relic capable of escape.

Step by step.

The sound of regular footsteps echoed loudly within the cave’s sealed walls.

At last, I arrived at the deepest part of the cave.

There sat a giant with a pale complexion.

Though appearing fine outwardly, the underlying feeling was completely tattered.

“To show such vulnerability openly.”

Did it lack the strength to hide its wounds?

Or was it pretending to be weak to lure me into complacency?

“If it’s the latter.”

It meant that it also planned to stab me in the back.

With all possibilities in mind, I observed the giant.

– Do you truly have it?

The giant’s query prompted me to produce the sacred water from my spatial pouch.

– Oh…

Sensing the divinity filling the bottle, the giant’s expression softened visibly.

When I tucked the sacred water back into the pouch, its gaze followed with persistence, filled with yearning.

However, the giant sized me up with a courteous tone before speaking.

– You know Senoa, I see.

Clearly, engaging head-on in its current state wasn’t favorable.

“Yes, we were somewhat amicable.”

Unlike other divine beings, we had never tried to kill each other, so it wasn’t entirely untruthful.

The giant assessed me for a brief moment, as if trying to discern my intentions, before speaking.

– So, what prompts your curiosity? I can’t be sure I know, but I’ll listen.

“I’ve picked up a creature, and I wonder if it originates from the dimension where you were rooted.”

Running away from its original dimension, possibly experiencing something similar to Biharin, struck a parallel.

Perhaps the dimension Senoa spoke of was undergoing similar turmoil, connected to Biharin.

– What kind of creature?

I described Rice Cake’s appearance and abilities.

After a moment…

– Sounds like a parasitic beast.

“Parasitic beast?”

I had hoped to discover something about Rice Cake.

I never truly expected to learn anything, yet here was a direct answer.

– Before providing an answer, let’s ensure this.

The giant gestured as if offering its hand, and divinity flowed towards me.

“No turning back now.”

I had thought of breaking the verbal agreement after discovering more, but…

I couldn’t just kill a being that knew of Rice Cake.

With a silent curse, I briefly pondered but seized the divinity offered by the giant.

Feeling a slightly foreign sensation marked the successful transaction.

“We’ll exchange the information you desire, and in return, I’ll provide the sacred water.”

Compared to the deals made by the system with Biharin’s gods, these terms were simple enough.

It was inevitable.

– You’re not great at handling divinity.

I wasn’t used to handling just divinity.

Damned System

—

### New Elements and Characters

1. **칼로스** – Karlos (he)

2. **라샤르** – Rashar (she)

3. **비하르** – Biharin (it)

4. **세노아** – Senoa (na)

5. **카클라인** – Cackleline (na)

6. **백설기** – Rice Cake (it)

7. **기생수** – Parasitic Beast (it)