The Holy Gods.
They were beings who sent their power from the divine realm through saints and received tributes from their holy disciples.
And the reason they did not personally descend upon Earth was simple.
First. Because Earth would be devastated.
The moment a Holy God descended in person, an immense energy would erupt.
Most structures would simply be swept away. Moreover, depending on the god's power, it could affect the very environment of Earth.
Thus, they always used saints as proxies.
But that was only the surface story.
*‘There’s no way there’s a Holy God among them that’s actually that considerate.’*
Lee Geon laughed in disgust.
Of course, among the Holy Gods there were some who acted for the sake of humanity, but the majority overworked their saints while throwing tantrums demanding more contribution points and offerings.
In other words, there was a separate, real reason why the Holy Gods refrained from descending directly.
It was because they would have to consume a massive amount of contribution.
To put it in perspective, it was akin to spending all the accumulated experience points of their god seat.
Of course, Lee Geon had only heard this from Hugo, but it was certain.
And now, at this very moment.
A rampaging lion revealed itself from the divine realm.
*Rumble!*
[The Master of Beasts descends in search of the Master of Serpents.]
[Danger. The aura is vicious beyond measure.]
[The opponent’s divine rank is extremely high.]
[You must hastily deploy a sanctuary for protection.]
Along with those notifications, the heavens and earth thundered. And from the blackened sky, lightning bolts flashed wildly.
It was a sight as if witnessing the calamity of the world.
At last, golden light poured from the sky.
*Rumble!*
The light that fell from the sky destroyed the earth and annihilated buildings.
“Huk!”
Amidst the tremendous flash and earthquake, no one could stand their ground.
This was on a different level from when the Gemini Holy God had attacked Lee Geon in a rage, or when Giselle, the Holy God of Libra, had revealed herself.
The Gemini Holy God had been blocked by other Holy Gods while about to descend, and Giselle – whoever she was – had entered a human body and was posing as a human.
Moreover, perhaps because their goal was spreading religion through their holy disciples, they hadn’t recklessly unleashed 100% of their power.
Destroying the human domain to intimidate them was a good choice, but if no humans remained to convert, it would be troublesome.
But this lion was different.
Without a care for whether the human domain was destroyed or not, it revealed its true nature.
*Crackle!*
“Aack!”
A golden flash descended from the sky, and from within it, a monster of light burst out.
Because of this, Steven was having a headache.
*‘Dammit! Why did that one have to wake up!’*
The one who usually did nothing but sleep all day and only woke when offerings were given – why now!
As a result, the accumulated contribution in the Leo god seat vanished in an instant.
Even the points he had painstakingly gathered over ten years – all gone!
To make things worse, the Holy God didn’t even seem to care that this was the territory where its holy disciples resided.
In the end, the Holy God’s roar pierced the sky.
*Boom!*
The palaces that had stood tall across the vast wilderness were swept away in a single moment.
*Thud!*
Under the immense wind pressure, the Leo holy disciples were instantly flung backward.
“Kugh! Our sanctuary!”
And normally, Cheon Yu-ha should have been sent flying like them, but…
*Tap!*
*‘!’*
Lee Geon supported Cheon Yu-ha’s back as he was about to be blown away.
Just with that alone, Cheon Yu-ha was not pushed back in the slightest.
It felt as though there was a solid wall behind his back.
[You are under the protection of Ophiuchus.]
So Cheon Yu-ha found it strange.
*‘What is this? Clearly, Father isn’t using any skill?’*
For Lee Geon, it was simply placing his hand, but just that gesture was enough to activate a buff skill.
And even though her own father was a saint, he couldn’t do it this way.
*‘Then, as expected!’*
It was precisely then.
“Hey. Cat. What are you doing.”
“!”
Lee Geon called out to Steven in an annoyed tone.
Gazing at the golden king that had nearly fully revealed its form, Lee Geon expressed his anger.
“You’re a saint. Calm that crazy cat and put it back to sleep. It’s too riled up for me to pull its teeth out.”
At those words, Steven was dumbfounded.
No, whose fault was it that the Holy God descended!
And what?
“Teeth??”
Was this bastard saying he would pull out the Holy God’s teeth right now?
It was absurd, but surely he wasn’t truly trying to pull its teeth, and hadn’t summoned the Holy God for that purpose.
Seeing how he had snatched Yu-ha away like a bag snatcher, it seemed as though he had deliberately provoked the Holy God’s descent.
“Why did you provoke the Holy God….”
But it was then.
*Crackle!*
“Aack!”
With the Holy God’s descent, the Leo holy disciples were suffering.
“Lord Saint!”
Originally, holy disciples received magic power from the Holy God through the saint.
And normally, the saint acted as a transformer, supplying magic power at a level that humans could handle.
But if a large amount of energy suddenly came pouring in?
Then the transformer became meaningless, and a powerful energy was hurled directly at the holy disciples.
As expected.
“Aack! Lord Saint! Please save us!”
Faced with disciples fainting, the now-desperate Steven drew the holy symbol of Leo upon the ground.
At the same time, a golden magic circle rose from the floor, and a beast burst forth.
A creature with the head of an eagle and the body of a lion – a griffon.
The subordinate god arrogantly raised its head.
[Listen here! How many times must I teach you not to dare summon me, you insignificant two-legged beast…]
But the griffon let out a scream.
[Aack! Master!]
Though its form could not be clearly seen as it was shrouded in light, that size which rivaled the red eyes was undoubtedly the Master of Beasts!
[Master! Why!]
As the griffon urgently rushed out, Steven shouted.
“Hey! Eagle! Hurry up, control the disciples’ magic and bring something to offer as food to the Holy God!”
The griffon spat.
[You wretch! How dare you order me! And food, what impertinence before the Master!]
“Just hurry u…!”
But it was then.
Steven was horrified to see Lee Geon heading toward the Leo Holy God.
“Hey!”
Lee Geon was advancing straight toward the Holy God.
Quickly, Steven blocked his path.
“Are you insane? If you go any closer, you’ll be caught in that one’s sight! You’ll really die!”
The Master of Beasts.
As its title stated, it was the king that ruled all fierce beasts and divine beasts.
And while it had not yet revealed its full 100% form, it was the ultimate savage beast.
Once its temper was riled, it would not stop until everything – ally and enemy alike – was finished.
That was why even other Holy Gods did not come near.
Because negotiations and words simply did not work with it.
As if proving the point.
[Who is it! The one who took my holy disciple!]
The beast’s roar shook the sky.
At that voice, Steven froze.
*‘Dammit!’*
Even for him, calming the Holy God was no easy task.
Of course, he himself had been chosen by that being, but well. It had chosen him solely because he looked appetizing.
That unless one at least looked tasty, a human wouldn’t even warrant a glance or a word.
After all, it needed a saint anyway.
But because of that, the god had almost eaten even him, the saint, on several occasions.
So he said to Lee Geon.
“Excommunicate Yu-ha right now! If that being fully reveals itse… *Kugh!*”
Steven was kicked in the face by Lee Geon.
That meant “You’re noisy, so get out of the way.”
“Bastard. As if he’d go and find my holy disciple for me.”
Having been sent flying like a missile, Steven cursed.
“That son of a bitch!”
I was worrying about you!
At that moment, the Master of Beasts’ gaze turned upon Lee Geon.
It seemed to recognize him immediately.
[I pretended not to know you had come back alive, and this is how you repay my graciousness!]
At those words, Lee Geon clenched his fist as if thoroughly disgusted.
It seemed to refer to when he had beaten Steven to a pulp in Drakma.
“You little cat who was sound asleep, what do you know!”
With that, light burst from Lee Geon’s body.
[Battle God Instinct]
[Using Cheon Yu-ha mission reward]
[Speed Increase]
The moment the skill activated, Lee Geon vanished instantly.
*Bam!*
And where he reappeared was above the lion’s head!
Immediately, Lee Geon extended his hand. The Heaven’s Punisment embedded in the ground came flying into his grasp.
Then the howling Heaven’s Punisment struck down upon the lion’s tooth.
*Boom!*
A tremendous sound rang out.
But in that moment.
*Crackle!*
“Kugh!”
The recoiling Heaven’s Punisment cracked.
[Caution. The gap in divine rank is severe.]
[Warning. You may be absorbed by the opponent’s divinity.]
At those words, Lee Geon smirked.
Of course, he had not thought he could easily defeat this creature in a head-on clash.
Wasn’t the opponent one of the top three battle god seats? Its fangs boasted the strongest attack power, and its skin was steel that could not be pierced by ordinary means!
No, in the first place, even he would have to prepare for death if he clashed with a Holy God.
Indeed, the momentum of the descended Holy God was beyond imagination.
*‘On the contrary, it’s a wonder how the other Holy Gods allowed the Libra Holy God’s actions.’*
Actually, a Holy God directly posing as a saint was practically a violation of the rules in the divine world.
*‘If a Holy God impersonates a saint, of course the number one god seat would dominate.’*
Because the saints would naturally be crushed.
In reality, both the saints of Taurus and Steven had been smashed.
And judging from Giselle’s memories, the other Holy Gods already knew Giselle’s true identity.
There must be a reason they let Giselle’s actions slide even when their saints were being crushed.
*‘Anyway.’*
It was not that the other Holy Gods were weak.
This monster of a Holy God even more so!
As proof, Lee Geon’s skin was torn and burned by the golden lightning the lion emitted.
*Crackle!*
In an instant, the bones of half his body were exposed.
Everyone was appalled at the sight.
“Uncle!”
Yet, far from dodging, Lee Geon laughed as if savoring the pain.
Ophiuchus was a god seat that unusually lacked defensive skills, but that didn’t matter.
[Super Regeneration (A) activates.]
In the blink of an eye, muscle was generated and skin regrew.
“!”
And as his skin grew back, Lee Geon took something from his chest.
[Crab’s Core (Saint’s soul content 33%, Holy God’s soul content 20%)]
It was the item that had made the Gemini Holy God retreat when he caught Heiji.
And the Holy God of Cancer was the dark constellation that all Holy Gods avoided.
As expected.
The Master of Beasts flinched upon seeing the core.
But soon, the lion god roared in disbelief and disgust.
[You intend to use that?!]
Lee Geon, who had come with a purpose, laughed viciously.
“Of course. Since I received your precious holy disciple, I’m the type to always repay the favor.”
At that grin, the lion god flew into a towering rage.
[The Gemini might have been different, but it won’t work on me once I’ve descended! Do you think you can handle that properly with your inferior divine rank?!]
“I don’t think.”
[!]
And it was at that moment.
With a sly smile, Lee Geon gulped down the crab’s core.
At that sight, the lion Holy God was horrified.
[Are you insane! Swallowing a dark star!]
And in that moment, an astonishing thing occurred.
* * *
Around that time.
“That brat Geon! Where did that bastard go!”
Hugo was seething inside the Sagittarius sanctuary building.
Having been summoned time and again by his son’s skill, he was looking for the culprit who had set the skill that way.
“This punk uses people as skill targets without even a word!”
Grinding his teeth, he flung open the bathroom door.
“You little wretch! Why can’t you resemble even half the decency of your Holy God!”
But the moment the door opened, Hugo tilted his head.
“What the? Where did that brat go?”
Just then.
“Lord Lee Geon? He came to the sanctuary over near Hawaii.”
“!”
Delighted at his wife’s voice, Hugo turned his head – and was shocked.
*Thud!*
Because his wife had set down something mountain-like through a slime.
And at the sight of the object, Hugo could only gape.
“This is…!”
It was the corpse of a monstrous beast.
More precisely, it was a helmet and armor.
And the moment he approached it, Hugo felt chills run down his spine.
*‘What the hell is this?’*
It was something above Red Zone level.
And flustered by the vicious murderous intent he was feeling for the first time in his life, Hugo looked at his wife.
“What is this?”
“Lord Geon caught it. He said to put it in the 1st Ophiuchus sanctuary.”
She didn’t understand why here was an Ophiuchus sanctuary, but as Hugo examined the armor, his expression suddenly hardened.
It was because of the blood smeared on the armor.
“Blood? Did Geon get hurt?”
The amount of blood was quite considerable.
“Ah, he’s all right. He’s gone to where Yu-ha is right now.”
“Yu-ha?”
A somewhat ominous feeling arose, but Cheon Ji-u continued.
“He seemed to view this monster seriously, and then suddenly went. Said he had business with the Leo Holy God.”
Those words made Hugo jump in shock.
“Leo Holy God? Not Steven??”
“Yes, it seems to be because of this monster, but…”
Simultaneously, Hugo immediately grasped what Lee Geon’s objective was.
And for some reason, he at once headed toward the room Lee Geon had used.
*Bam!*
Hugo rummaged through Lee Geon’s luggage. Then, upon realizing what was missing, he had a sinking feeling.
“Has he gone mad!”
When Hugo jumped to his feet, Cheon Ji-u asked in surprise.
“What’s the matter?”
“That crazy bastard. He took it!”
“That thing?”
“The Cancer core!”
“!”
“I felt relieved because he said he’d make something with it…!”
Cheon Ji-u didn’t understand Hugo’s expression.
“Why? Is there a problem?”
“That is….”
It was a problem he was even afraid to speak of lightly.
But there was only one reason Lee Geon would have packed and taken that thing.
Just as he had with the Gemini Holy God, he meant to use it as a deterrent against the Leo Holy God.
“Anyway, it’s an item that looks like this….”
Seeing the photo on the phone, Cheon Ji-u blinked.
“It looks like chocolate. He might mistake it and eat it.”
Hugo recoiled.
“If he eats it, there’ll be huge trouble!! He’d gain power, but that….”
But after saying it, Hugo felt a dreadful realization.
“…Wait. He wouldn’t actually eat that, would he?”
(To be continued in the next chapter)