"We are surrounded. Everyone take up arms."
At Hailey's words, everyone was horrified.
The moment the words left her mouth, the wall and door shuddered violently.
Bang!
"!"
Along with that, a terrible scream was heard from outside.
[Kieek!]
[Kiiiiek!]
They were the scorpions that had been carrying supplies to Lee Geon's sanctuary.
At the sound of them being killed, Hailey's loyal subordinate was flustered.
[Princess!]
But there was no time to be flustered.
Bang!!!
As the door and wall were about to be shattered by fierce magical power, Hailey urgently used her ability.
[Black Moon Night Dance - Perception Decrease]
Along with that, black magical power covered Lee Geon's house.
It was dark magic.
It erased allies' presence and caused them to be perceived as objects.
Though it was still impossible to rampage in a place that wasn't even their sanctuary.
And the opponent was who they were.
"There's no time. The monsters of the Black Zone will soon swarm in."
But at those words, the scribe looked bewildered.
"Black Zone monsters?"
The Black Zone was the very heart of the Unknown Civilization, and at the same time, the farthest place from human territory.
And how many surveillance points did they think lay in between?
The constellations weren't that incompetent.
They detected the movements of the Unknown Civilization and sounded alarms in real time.
That's why the scribe couldn't understand.
"Surely each nation has observation towers...!"
"It must be the Balance."
"!"
Hailey swept back her long hair.
Then, with a black glow, her silk dress transformed into a combat vestment.
"He must have found routes with loose surveillance and sold the information."
Then the Unknown Civilization could easily invade human cities.
It would be very convenient if they could raid human nests without confronting the troublesome human constellations.
What would happen after that was obvious.
"They might have placed the condition that the Balance's territory would not be touched."
Everyone was horrified.
Cheon Ji-woo asked as if she couldn't believe it.
"Would the other star gods permit that? There's no way they'd just stand by and watch...!"
No matter what, the star gods would never consent to their own constellation followers being slaughtered, right?
At that, Hailey's loyal subordinate gritted their teeth.
[That's why there are star gods who share the same intentions as the Balance.]
Of course, not all star gods sought to protect their constellations.
Yes, many humans would die, but it was an optimal opportunity to seize them as constellation followers.
Because humans, when gripped by extreme fear, lose reason and thought.
[There is always a revival amid war.]
[Since even the 12 Saints and Lee Geon cannot stop a Black Zone-level monster, they must have agreed to this.]
Their intention was to drive humanity into mortal fear and make them serve their own factions, the only ones not being attacked.
It was a simple way to steal humanity's constellations and faith.
At these words, everyone gaped in disbelief. But Hailey narrowed her brow.
'In the first place, the star gods had united even in killing Lee Geon.'
Not all star gods, but for gods to unite was nothing new.
Of course, she didn't know well why they tried to kill Lee Geon.
Her own star god had just said this:
[The 13th will be called the god of calamity by all sides.]
Meaning a threat to both the Unknown Civilization and the star gods.
Anyway, at that time, they had tried to prevent Lee Geon's death but had failed.
Hailey raised her voice.
"Hurry and use the teleport skill rental!"
At that, Cheon Ji-woo took out the prototype insignia that Lee Geon had made.
[사안복독]
The appearance was a sword the size of a silver dagger.
It was something Lee Geon had made for Cheon Ji-woo as a trial before making the official insignia.
But even though it was a prototype, the patterns personally crafted by Lee Geon were of too high a level.
And the snake carved on the insignia flashed its eyes.
[Do you want to use the stored rental skill?]
[You can use and ]
[Because it's a prototype, durability is low]
[8/8]
At that, Cheon Ji-woo flinched in surprise.
Heavens, the durability meant it could only be used a few times.
Of course, Lee Geon had said to use it moderately and throw it away since it was a prototype, but how could she do that to something made by Lee Geon-nim?
Cheon Ji-woo tucked the dagger into her bosom, careful not to wear down the insignia, and took out her husband's insignia.
At the same time, she activated the skill and shouted.
"Hailey-nim, quickly!"
But it was that moment.
Clang!
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The insignia Cheon Ji-woo was holding shattered.
And in that instant, the activated rental skill was cut off.
That wasn't all.
Hailey's weapon, the insignias the scribe and loyal subordinates had, all shattered.
"The weapons...!"
The only things intact were Lee Geon's insignia that Cheon Ji-woo had hidden in her bosom and the fountain pen.
And then.
Bang!!
Finally, the door of Lee Geon's house was breached. Those rushing in were black entities.
They aimed for the strongest, Hailey, first.
The loyal subordinates stepped in front of Hailey.
[Princess!]
[How dare you, in this place! Do you defile the sacred snake's sanctuary with your filthy feet?]
"!"
The scorpion loyal subordinate tried to use a skill.
But in an instant, the ghostly swordsman's eyes flashed.
"!!"
At the same time, the ghostly swordsman vanished and appeared before the scorpion loyal subordinate.
Thud!!
The loyal subordinate's head flew off and he collapsed.
"......!!"
He couldn't even use the skill.
He was dead.
Because of that, the scribe nearly fell to the ground in shock.
'A divine subordinate in one blow...!!'
The scribe couldn't believe his eyes.
After all, that loyal subordinate was the divine subordinate of Scorpio. A divine-level being, possessing power comparable to a saint.
Yet such a being was taken down without even managing to use a single skill!
It wasn't that the loyal subordinate was weak.
'So this is Black Zone level...!!'
It was on an entirely different dimension from Red level.
'If these fellows swarm in like a mob, humanity is doomed.'
Hailey, as if somewhat expecting this, yet looking furious, summoned her royal sacred treasure.
It was a sword.
Crackle!!
With that, the ghostly swordsman raised his sword. And the flying sword.
The strained sword of Hailey and the swordsman's sword clashed.
Kwa-kwa-kwang!!!
A blinding flash burst forth, making it impossible to see ahead.
But at that moment.
"Ah!"
Cheon Ji-woo, inside Hailey's perception-decreasing barrier, was startled.
Because the intruders who followed in were heading to Lee Geon's forge.
And as expected.
'Weapons made by Lee Geon-nim!'
They approached the weapon Lee Geon had made.
The weapon bound by chains in mid-air was a spear.
That was Cheon Yuha's weapon.
It was her nephew's item, so he had put considerable care into it.
And perhaps they recognized its power.
Thud!!
The intruders moved toward the spear.
It must have been their goal from the beginning.
And at that, the red spear rattled roughly and clattered.
Lee Geon's creations, even if they were just items, had begun to develop an ego, so it was only natural.
Finally, the moment the red spear was about to fall into their hands.
"Ah!!"
When Cheon Ji-woo leapt out of the barrier, the scribe was horrified.
"Hey! If you go out, you'll die! Come back!"
But Cheon Ji-woo immediately pulled the lever on the wall.
Bang!
At the same time, the chains binding the spear were released.
Crack!
Instantly, letters were inscribed in the air.
[The armament of the Serpent Lord chooses its master on its own; wherever its master may be, it shall surely seek them out]
Along with that, the spear vanished somewhere. Cheon Ji-woo's scribe ability had activated.
Then, the scribe inside the barrier screamed.
"Argh! Stiff, stiff neck!"
The price of the scribe ability must have transferred.
At the same time, the ghostly swordsman's gaze turned to Cheon Ji-woo.
"!!"
The ghost vanished in an instant and appeared before Cheon Ji-woo.
And the rising sword!
Just as that sword was about to sever Cheon Ji-woo's neck.
Bang!!!
"!?"
Something fell onto the ghostly swordsman's head.
It was the foot of someone with their arms crossed.
The ground split open, and the ghostly swordsman was trampled underfoot.
And a fierce voice rang out.
"Who are these rabble committing theft in someone else's home! Theft!"
The master of the Serpent Lord's constellation had appeared.
* * *
Meanwhile, around that time.
Stephen, being attacked by Cheon Yuha, was boiling with rage.
[Hey, Yuha, stop it!]
No, in the world, because of his contract with Hugo, he couldn't even attack Cheon Yuha.
And still, there was affection from having shared the same roof.
How could she charge at him so terrifyingly even knowing his contract terms?
But it wasn't just Cheon Yuha.
There was another problem.
[Oliver!]
The tiger emitting a black light was clearly the energy of the Unknown Civilization.
Moreover, it wasn't the energy of an ordinary monster.
'What is this feeling?'
Its power was even similar to a star god's. But it was absolutely not a star god.
It wasn't that she said it simply because it wasn't the energy of the 12 star gods.
By that standard, Lee Geon had also been a being outside the 12 constellations.
But.
'Although Lee Geon felt like a special case, he didn't feel evil.'
Though it was a different feeling, Lee Geon didn't feel disgusting.
But that bastard was different.
A chilling, bone-freezing, horrifying aura.
'A feeling of a monarch?'
Though she didn't know who had bestowed that power upon him, Stephen gritted his teeth.
Of course, that wasn't the important part now.
[Cheon Yuha!]
Oliver's fierce aura aimed at Cheon Yuha.
The sight of a gigantic black tiger trying to crush and kill a small human.
Stephen frowned at this.
[Is this for real!]
At a glance, Oliver was harboring a grudge and trying to kill Cheon Yuha.
And well he might, since Oliver hadn't been able to rise to the Ten Saints' position because of Yuha.
Moreover, despite being the head of the Lion constellation's knight order, their star god had chosen Yuha, an S-rank.
His pride must have been wounded.
As expected.
"Keuk!"
The fiercely erupted black lightning aimed for Cheon Yuha's throat.
But Cheon Yuha infused mana into her spear and deflected it.
Bang!
The moment she was about to launch another skill.
"Ugh!"
A black front paw pinned down Cheon Yuha.
Clank!
Cheon Yuha barely blocked the paw trying to crush her with her spear.
But the opponent's size and strength were overwhelming.
As expected.
Cla-clang!!
"?!"
Cheon Yuha's spear shattered.
At the same time, her abdomen was crushed and she coughed up blood.
"K-heok!"
Oliver laughed, looking at the suffering Cheon Yuha.
[That's right, what did I say? I said someone like you isn't even a match for a single punch from me.]
"Keuk, what nonsense! You always lost to me!"
At that, Oliver's veins bulged.
[Keep talking!]
Bang!
Cheon Yuha, bleeding, gritted her teeth.
'If only I had a weapon, this damn...!'
But right at that moment.
[Damn it!]
When Stephen, unable to watch, was about to help Cheon Yuha.
Shwing!!!
"!"
Something flew from the sky.
'That is!'
It was unexpectedly a spear.
Stephen recognized at a glance that it was made by Lee Geon.
'Why here!'
No time to be surprised.
The spear that flew from the sky landed in Cheon Yuha's hand.
Crack!
In that instant, a bolt of lightning of unbelievable size burst forth.
It was lightning on a different dimension from what she had been using before.
At that, Oliver hesitated for a moment.
"Move this foot away."
The lightning-infused spear shot up toward the sky.
A massive flash soared.
And then.
[Your rank has risen]
[Evangelism 100% completed]
[You have become a constellation of the Serpent Lord]
[A new chapter of the Serpent Lord's Bible has been compiled]
[You have acquired the qualifications of a saint]
(Continued in the next episode)