Meanwhile, around that time, in the northern desert of the United States.
“This is insane!”
Hugo, flying through the sky, was screaming.
He couldn’t help it.
“Riding on the Red-Eyes? Insane. Completely insane!”
Indeed.
Igeon and his group were riding the Red-Eyes to travel.
It was to destroy the gates that had appeared all over the world.
Of course, the reason for destroying the gates was simple.
‘As long as those gates aren’t dealt with, monsters will keep pouring in from the Black Zone and Red Zone.’
They must have been set up specifically for this invasion.
To supply an infinite number of monsters.
So for now, the top priority was to block those passages in advance.
That would completely stop this invasion.
‘After that, we’ll hit the Monarch-class.’
Well, before that, they’d need to pull out a Saint, unlock their abilities, and start by blocking this invasion first.
Anyway, that’s why they were now crossing the continent on the Red-Eyes.
It was because Igeon’s Divine Throne lacked a flying-type familiar god, but still, a Red-Eyes!
Of course, Hugo had said, ‘I’ll run separately, I’ll use the Virgo familiar god,’ but well.
‘Hey. Ophiuchus Saint. Wanna get hit and follow along, or just ride our cute little guy?’
In the end, Hugo was dragged along with tears in his eyes.
‘Damn it, to him that thing is cute!’
The Cheon siblings were excited, but to them, it was a symbol of terror that had driven even Igeon to death!
In fact, even now, it was only because Igeon was present that they weren’t eaten; any human except Igeon would be targeted immediately if they so much as moved a little.
‘And yet, that!’
Of course, there was someone dying of envy.
“That guy’s more than overflowing, he’s gushing! He always gets the best weapons, and now he even gets to ride the Red-Eyes??”
Kevin, riding the Virgo’s flying familiar god and following, grumbled.
“I’d do way better at being a Saint than him. If I were a Saint, Igeon would spar with me every day. Even if he didn’t, I could just request it as a reward.”
At that, Steven and the Leo Saints clicked their tongues, and the Virgo familiar gods fidgeted anxiously.
The worry was not just about losing their precious Saint, but there was another issue.
‘If Kevin leaves, won’t many of our familiar gods chase after him?!’
But whether they were anxious or not, a voice reached Igeon.
[Hugo Otter’s Saint designation will be released in 19 hours.]
[The buffs that took effect when the Saint entered are beginning to wane.]
[The Divine Throne energy of Ophiuchus is gradually decreasing.]
[A formal Saint must be designated.]
[Without a Saint, the full power of the Serpent Bearer cannot be utilized.]
[What will you do?]
At that voice, Igeon furrowed his brows. And as if in thought, he then looked at Hugo.
“Taek-su. Seriously, won’t you really become the Ophiuchus Saint?”
The Cheon siblings flinched at his words.
But Hugo snorted, as if telling him to stop spouting nonsense.
“Aren’t you the Divine God?”
If it were back when he didn’t know reality, but now it was completely different.
“I don’t know about anything else, but I can never be your servant...”
“Yeah, no.”
“What?”
“I said I’m not the Divine God?”
At that, Hugo was dumbfounded.
“Don’t lie...”
“Really, I’m not. Don’t you believe me?”
“...!”
Hugo flinched at that gaze.
And at that reaction, Igeon’s eyes flashed.
It was unmistakably the look of a con artist.
“Hey. Has anything I’ve said so far been wrong even once? Everything I said would work out, did. Right? So believe me, okay?”
Well, that was true.
But this seemed a bit different from that.
However, seeing Hugo’s expression, Igeon grabbed his shoulder as if to drive the point home.
“You said it yourself. A Divine God can’t lie to their own Saint. An act of betrayal goes against the Saint-Divine God contract. Lying is betrayal too, right? And right now, you’re an Ophiuchus Saint, aren’t you?”
[Hugo Otter is not a formal Ophiuchus Saint.]
[He is under a provisional contract.]
Igeon smiled.
“So, let’s serve the Ophiuchus Divine God together.”
Hugo was flabbergasted.
“No. Hey. I’ve seen things...”
“You heard the voice, right? A woman’s voice.”
“Huh? Uh.”
“That’s our Divine Throne’s Divine God.”
Hugo was startled.
“It’s a goddess???”
“Yeah. Tempting, isn’t it?”
“Oh, no, I have Ji-woo, so I’m not really interested...”
Hugo rolled his eyes for a moment.
‘Still, she’s at least a thousand times better than a male god who only cares about looks, isn’t she.’
That god had said that anyone worthy of being his servant must naturally have a good face, and even the leader must have a good face for saints to join. And in the end, though he’d been saved from monsters, that god had kidnapped him during his parents’ final moments and told him to serve him because he was the most presentable.
He’d had his fill of that.
And seeing that expression, Igeon grinned as if he’d caught him.
“Besides that, the power-up is no joke, right? Everything I got stronger after leaving the tower is all thanks to our Divine God, isn’t it?”
“...?!”
This time, it had a pretty big effect.
[Faith is rising.]
[Faith is rising.]
[Due to the faith increase effect, Divine Throne energy is accumulating.]
That was because, as they say, the one who’s tasted meat knows better.
He’d already thoroughly enjoyed the buff effects of Ophiuchus.
And on top of that, the Divine God wasn’t Igeon but a goddess.
“And you know what? The Ophiuchus Divine God is incredibly beautiful?”
[Faith is rising.]
[Faith is rising.]
[Faith is rising like crazy.]
At this, the master of the Blazing Lion constellation excitedly raged.
[The master of the Blazing Lion constellation says that bastard is a Divine God.]
[The master of the Blazing Lion constellation says that bastard is a Divine God.]
[The master of the Blazing Lion constellation says that bastard is a Divine God.]
But regardless, Hugo seemed genuinely swayed.
And seeing that, Igeon smiled with satisfaction.
Of course, he’d just been roughly picking this guy to avoid giving his nephews the dirty and dangerous work, but.
‘Well, if this one doesn’t work out, I can just use Yuha.’
The best would be if more usable ones appeared.
But then, at that moment.
[Ophiuchus Saint candidate (4) has newly appeared.]
[They are right nearby.]
“!”
Igeon was happy, thinking it was another candidate.
Yuha, Hugo, and two unknowns.
There were as many as four Saint candidates.
‘This’ll make recruiting saints a breeze.’
But who on earth was the fourth candidate? And right nearby.
Just then.
[Kevin Ajar.]
[The Virgo Saint satisfies the conditions for sainthood.]
[Designation as an Ophiuchus Saint is possible.]
At those words, Igeon’s face soured.
“This guy’s permanently deleted. Not needed.”
[Kevin Ajar has been removed from the Ophiuchus Saint candidate list.]
Who in their right mind would make that attention-seeker their Saint? He’d obviously pester him every single day, begging for a spar.
And Kevin, completely unaware of the situation, flinched.
Because someone had been caught by Virgo’s detection skill laid across the American plains.
[What’s Caught Is Never Let Go (SS)]
Soon, Kevin closed his eyes and activated the skill, and someone appeared before his eyes.
And as the target appeared, Kevin furrowed his brows.
‘Cancer?’
It was unmistakable.
The person caught by the skill was a woman riding a familiar god and heading somewhere. And though she wore the attire of a Cancer Saint Commander, the scent was definitely that of the Cancer Saint.
So it was puzzling.
Because Cancer’s sanctuary was in the southern hemisphere.
‘Then why is she around here?’
Of course, judging by the signs, she seemed to be searching for someone...
‘Suspicious.’
Cancer rarely ever took direct action.
And more than anything.
‘One of the ones who stayed by Igeon’s side until the end at the Demon’s Tower.’
He himself had been by Igeon’s side to uncover the culprit who stabbed him.
‘It’s worth checking out.’
Sure enough, Kevin soon furrowed his brows and called out.
“Igeon!”
“!”
“The gate destruction should be enough with you alone.”
“!”
“I’m dropping out here. See you later.”
At that, Hugo was startled.
“There are still so many monsters! Going alone is reckless!”
“I’m fine alone! I’m not weak enough to need worry from a last-place Divine Throne!”
And perhaps judging Kevin’s appearance to be clearly more than a brief departure. Or maybe it was a favorable assessment of the faith that made him a Saint candidate. Or perhaps he was eyeing Virgo’s spoils.
Igeon, who had been gazing at Kevin, spoke.
“Next time I see you, I’ll be your sparring partner once.”
Kevin’s face lit up.
“Really?! It’s a promise! No cheating later!”
Kevin disappeared joyfully.
Watching him go, Igeon snapped his fingers for some reason.
And then, right at that moment.
Kugugung!
“Uncle!”
Along with Cheon Seongjae’s shout, a bombardment fell from the sky.
It was a preemptive attack by the monsters.
Surely to protect the gate that was starting to come into view.
And ahead, four black pillars erected in a ‘ㅁ’ shape were visible.
“Monsters are coming out of there!”
The monsters were emerging from the black light inside the pillars.
“Damn, they’re all Red-level!”
But the saints, who were carefully observing the gate spewing black light, stirred.
They couldn’t help it.
“Wh-what is that!”
The appearance of the monsters coming from the gate was strange.
The ones that appeared at the gate were all young, but once they passed through the pillars, they grew into full adults.
It was an absurd growth rate.
At the same time, the black light spewing from the gate engulfed the saints.
“Aaagh!”
And with that, a horrifying thing happened.
“People’s appearances...!”
Yes.
Everyone exposed to the light turned into old people.
Seeing this, Igeon prepared to jump off the Red-Eyes and clicked his tongue.
‘A light that accelerates time.’
He could also guess why adult monsters and stronger, which were hard to catch, kept pouring in endlessly.
It was all because of the light from that gate.
‘That’s definitely a Monarch’s power.’
It was the exact opposite of the power that rewound time in the tower.
Soon, Hugo, holding his bow, gritted his teeth.
“Close combat won’t work. If you get near, you’ll all age and die.”
But then.
“Geon!”
Igeon nonchalantly jumped down toward the gate.
“Geon!!”
And though Igeon’s body aged from the light bursting from the gate, he didn’t care in the slightest.
[Super Regeneration activates.]
[Aged cells are restored beyond baseline.]
At the same time, green and black light shot up into the sky.
Boom!!!
A truly enormous flash!
Kwakwakwang!
The gate crumbled, and the monsters trying to burst out were swept away, turning into chunks of meat.
[Experience increases.]
[Experience increases.]
[Data is being acquired.]
It was the moment the core gate responsible for the second invasion of the unknown civilization was being smashed to pieces.
[Data is being acquired.]
[Monarch Data (SSS) has been obtained.]
[Fragment of the «Gatekeeper»]
- Partial growth of immunity to unknown civilizations
[Fragment of the «Gatekeeper»]
- Teleportation (moves in response to Monarch-level magic)
Igeon smiled at the unexpected acquisition.
But that wasn’t the end.
Igeon activated his skill.
[Sanctuary Opening]
- For 3 minutes, turns a certain area into Ophiuchus territory (base: Super Regeneration)
- As the Divine God’s level rises, the range expands (current range: 300m²)
- If «Descent of the Law» is used in this state, can claim it as Ophiuchus’ sanctuary
A green magic circle rose from the ground centered on Igeon. Along with it, green light shot into the sky. The light engulfed the people who had become old.
[Ophiuchus’ temporary sanctuary has been deployed.]
[The sanctuary’s basic trait «Super Regeneration» is in effect.]
The Leo Saints, returned to normal, shouted in exultation.
“Long live Lord Igeon!”
It was a moment where humanity’s chance of victory was visible.
“With this, retaking the Red Zone and Black Zone isn’t just a dream!”
“We can offer massive contributions to the Divine God!”
And then Igeon approached them and held out his hand.
“!”
Igeon extended a hand to Steven, and Steven, somewhat sheepishly, held out his own.
“Yeah, you worked hard, and thanks...”
“Regeneration costs 1 billion each per person.”
“Wha-what?!”
“Why, brat. If you got treatment, naturally you gotta pay up. Eh?”
“...?!!!”
“Anyway, I’ll bill it as debt to your holy order. Deposit it within 10 days.”
“Hey!!!”
But just then.
[Warning. The flow of time has been twisted by an enemy attack.]
[Less than 1 hour remains until Hugo Otter’s Saint designation is released.]
[Caution. If the Saint is released, the Saint’s buff will disappear, and Ophiuchus’s basic functions will halt.]
[The Divine God’s Descent skill will be halted.]
At that notification, Igeon furrowed his brows.
Once a Saint is chosen, it can never be changed. So he’d wanted to take his time choosing a Saint, but it seemed he had no time.
So he looked at Hugo.
“Taek-su. I’ll ask one last time. Will you be our Saint or not?”
“!”
“This is the last time. I won’t ask again.”
Cheon Yuha then waited for her father’s answer. If he said no, she planned to volunteer right away.
Soon, Hugo spoke.
“I’ll pass. It’s tempting, but I have a family to take care of.”
At that, the moment Cheon Yuha was about to raise her hand.
“Oh, then, would it be alright if I did it?”
At the woman’s voice, Igeon turned his head.
At the same time, everyone was surprised.
[Ophiuchus Saint candidate (3) has appeared.]
(to be continued in the next episode)