"Call me if you want."
Yi Geon's eyes were filled with murderous intent.
And Stephen, meeting those eyes, couldn't help but flinch.
'What's this? The feeling is different.'
Stephen sensed something unfamiliar from Yi Geon.
Of course, he had felt a different vibe when he returned after twenty years.
After awakening as Ophiuchus and regaining his youth, Yi Geon's face and magical power were completely different.
It was as if the trembling, decrepit monster had undergone a complete rebirth.
And just when he thought he'd finally gotten used to that appearance.
'It's changed again.'
He had become much stronger than the last time he'd seen him.
For an Apostle, who is structured in a way that makes growth difficult, seeing Yi Geon get stronger every time was terrifying.
But now it was a little different.
'He's terrifying.'
Was it the feeling of his magical power? It was somehow cold and chilling.
So much so that Stephen felt like his breath was being choked.
'Where? Where have I felt this feeling before?'
But soon Stephen realized where he had felt it, and thought, 'Oh no.'
'On the battlefield.'
That was it.
It was the aura he'd felt when he'd experienced death on the battlefield firsthand.
And indeed, what Stephen was feeling was the divinity of Death.
Because among the divinities of Life and Death, Death had evolved to the second stage, Yi Geon's attribute had tilted in that direction.
And up to the first stage, he was practically a fledgling, barely able to be called a god of any kind. He was just a newborn who had just been born as a god.
But now it's different.
'It feels like his human scent has faded a bit more.'
He feels more similar to the constellation gods, no, more ominous.
But soon Stephen shook his head.
What was important right now wasn't Yi Geon's changed aura.
"Ou-our god is currently sleeping."
"Oh? Sleeping?"
Of course, it was a blatant lie.
The moment Yi Geon entered the Leo constellation's sanctuary, the Leo god had been in an uproar.
Until now, Yi Geon had been blocking the divine realm with a dark curtain, so the Leo god couldn't observe him, but this was the Leo sanctuary.
Since the god could observe everything within the sanctuary, the moment Yi Geon entered, he was within Leo's detection range.
In other words, since the god could clearly see Yi Geon, he was raging and snarling at him.
[The Golden Beast Lord is throwing a fit, demanding that Ophiuchus bring Yi Geon to the divine realm immediately]
[The Golden Beast Lord is throwing a fit, saying his butt has gone numb from waiting at the door]
[The Golden Beast Lord bares his teeth, saying he'll kill Ophiuchus and take the Holy Grail]
And as the god rampaged, Stephen, connected to him, gritted his teeth, feeling a migraine coming on.
Actually, there were two ways for the god to appear.
One was for the Apostle to summon the god, and the other was for the god to simply descend on his own.
Of course, normally, his master would have ignored the Earth's environment and everything else and just barged in.
'Last time he did that, two-thirds of the sanctuary was blown away.'
While the sanctuary had been damaged by the Red-Eyes' invasion, it was actually his master who had blown away the larger part.
So, he had firmly warned his master not to descend on his own again, saying that if he descended like that again, the sanctuary wouldn't survive, that if the sanctuary was destroyed, he wouldn't be able to get the meat he loved, and that, in a similar vein, there would be no special meals for the time being.
As proof, the god was suppressing his temper and staying in the divine realm.
'Anyway, there's no chance of my master appearing.'
He just had to send this damn apostle thief back.
'After all, there's no way Yi Geon would seek out my master without a reason.'
Maybe that was why.
"My master is sleeping. So next time..."
"Oh? Then I'll just take this back."
"What?"
Yi Geon pulled something out of his chest and waved it.
It was an antique cup the size of a teacup.
It was the Holy Grail.
And Stephen's face went pale as he recognized it instantly.
As if he had expected that, Yi Geon smiled like a fox.
"This is the Holy Grail I had manufactured this time. I thought it would help the Leo's teeth grow faster. Oh, what a shame. I'll just sell it to another god suffering from similar pain."
At that smile, Stephen's face screamed.
And sure enough.
Boom!!!
[The Golden Beast Lord roars that he will take that Holy Grail for himself]
[The Golden Beast Lord bares his teeth, saying he'll come right now, so don't sell it to another master]
[The Golden Beast Lord descends upon this land]
With that, Yi Geon grinned, and golden light poured from the sky.
Kwa-kwa-kwang!
It was the descent of a god!
In the end, Stephen clutched his head, as if none of his predictions were ever wrong, and the golden light mercilessly fell upon the air above the Leo building.
Boom!!!
A sound that shook heaven and earth and an intense golden light smashed through the building's ceiling.
Koo-gu-goong!
The descending divine light instantly destroyed the Leo reception building where they were.
The impact created a tremendous wind, and the apostles inside and outside the building screamed and were blown away.
It was like an atomic bomb had fallen from the sky!
As the building collapsed, Stephen, who had been sitting on the sofa, hurriedly evacuated.
At the same time, a tremendous wind arose.
Koo-gu-goong!
And after some time had passed.
When he hurriedly opened his eyes, there was the Leo sanctuary, destroyed once again, and a roaring giant lion.
[The Golden Beast Lord has revealed himself]
[The basic trait 'Soul Freezing' activates]
[Roar of the Beast]
A beast's roar that froze one to the very soul echoed through heaven and earth.
And the apostles were terrified at the sight of their master appearing, destroying his own sanctuary yet again.
"Ahhh! Why is the god here again!"
"The lord definitely said he took measures to prevent his descent...!!"
"More importantly, the sanctuary buildings we just restored are gone again!!!"
"Master has consumed the divine seat's energy again!"
But regardless, the Golden Beast Lord searched for Yi Geon.
[You bastard!! I finally see your face!!]
The roaring Golden Beast Lord seemed to have been waiting eagerly for Yi Geon.
And as if he was very happy to see Yi Geon, the lion, larger than a ten-story building, raised its front paw high.
[I have so much I want to say, but first, hand over that Holy Grail!! You bastard!]
Boom!
The paw, filled with power, mercilessly slammed into the ground.
And the claws, the size of a building, roughly scraped the floor.
Of course, Yi Geon, who had jumped between the claws and landed lightly, smiled.
His gaze was directed at the Golden Beast Lord's fangs, which were half-grown.
And seeing that, Yi Geon smiled with satisfaction.
"What, I was worried. But you've grown quite a bit since then?"
"...!"
A chill ran down Stephen's spine at Yi Geon's innocent smile.
That bastard, don't tell me the reason he summoned the god was...!
Sure enough.
[The trait 'Serpent Bearer' activates]
Yi Geon's eyes turned red, and chains of greenish light wrapped around the Golden Beast Lord's neck and wrists.
Crunch!
[The Golden Beast Lord has been bound]
[The Golden Beast Lord's immense power resists the Ophiuchus's power]
"Master!"
All the apostles were horrified. Stephen also glared at Yi Geon, horrified.
"Hey!"
It was definitely different from before.
The last time he faced the Golden Beast Lord, it had felt like he was struggling against a god, but now he was far more equal.
And that power surging up!
And the Leo, caught in the Serpent Bearer's chains, laughed as if it was detestable.
[You fledgling! You've evolved your divinity!]
All gods could evolve themselves using the power of the Bible and their apostles.
But.
[Don't be arrogant with just the second stage! You enemy of my fangs!]
It was the moment the Golden Beast Lord broke the Serpent Bearer's chains and opened his mouth.
Crunch!!
The Golden Beast Lord's body trembled, as if paralyzed.
And at that sight, Yi Geon smiled.
"It seems you're just now hearing it."
[You bastard...!]
The Golden Beast Lord's body was being eroded by a black power.
And that was the Cancer's Dark Star that Yi Geon had scattered in the dimensional rift between Earth and the divine realm.
Because of that, the Golden Beast Lord's body, which had descended through that rift, was being eroded by the Dark Star.
"I was wondering if I'd have to use my poison too, since you were still so lively despite that."
And then, as if finally getting to the point, Yi Geon approached the collapsed Golden Beast Lord's eyes.
"I called you because I have something to ask. It's about something that happened twenty-four years ago."
[!]
The Golden Beast Lord was surprised by the unexpected timing.
After all, there was only one thing related to that time.
It was when the Aries god had made a fuss, saying he seemed to have found Ophiuchus.
Sure enough.
Yi Geon's eyes flashed dangerously.
"I read the memories of the monster that invaded Seoul twenty-four years ago. I heard they invaded to find Ophiuchus."
[……!]
"And I heard that it was one of the gods who tipped off the Monarchs about Ophiuchus's location."
As soon as the words fell, the Golden Beast Lord's eyes, several times larger than Yi Geon's height, flashed.
[Are you suspecting me?]
The Golden Beast Lord was about to open his mouth, as if dumbfounded.
But.
Thwack!
[Kyaaak!]
Yi Geon kicked that giant eye and said to Stephen.
"This stupid cat bastard definitely wasn't in Seoul at that time. But in the monster's memories, I saw you, you bastard."
That was true.
He hadn't known at the time, but it was clearly there in the monster's memories.
That Golden Beast Lord bastard, directing them towards the department store they entered!
"Your size is different, but it was definitely you."
A vicious killing intent rose in Yi Geon's eyes.
And the seeping divinity of Death seemed to choke Stephen's throat.
"Were you involved in that invasion too?"
But that was when it happened.
The captured Golden Beast Lord suddenly burst into laughter, "Pahaha," for some reason.
And then.
[Don't get too cocky.]
"!"
The Golden Beast Lord, now serious, emitted a killing intent completely different from before.
[Warning. The Golden Beast Lord uses 'Battle God Instinct']
At the same time, something incredible happened.
Koo-gu-goong!!
With a holy golden light, lightning erupted from the Golden Beast Lord's body.
Crackle!
That immense power shattered both the Dark Star that was eroding the Golden Beast Lord's body and the Serpent Bearer's chains that were binding his neck and arms.
The Golden Beast Lord bared his fangs and said.
[No matter how much I hate Ophiuchus, I would never join hands with those monsters!]
At that sight, Yi Geon raised the corner of his mouth, and Stephen broke into a sweat.
He understood that he was trying to be intimidating, but his fangs were mismatched, so it wasn't very dignified.
And at those words, Yi Geon smiled, as if confirming.
"So you're saying you've never been there?"
[I've never even bothered to go to Korea in the first place...!]
Yi Geon smiled.
Well, since he was a creature who hated moving, like a cat, he might have sent his apostle to such a place, but there was no way he would move personally.
That meant.
'Pisces.'
Because Pisces was the god of transformation.
And the way he had transformed Zhang Lui into Kevin and stabbed him at the Demon's Tower was just like that.
He was a disgustingly sinister bastard.
And at that look in his eyes, which seemed to say his business was done, Stephen hurriedly said.
"Now! Then your business is all done, right? Then...!"
He was about to send the god back, and Stephen was about to hurriedly use his apostle skill.
Yi Geon raised the corner of his mouth, as if asking where he was trying to send him.
And at that moment!
[Kyaaak!!!]
Yi Geon, having activated Battle God Instinct, kicked and broke off the Golden Beast Lord's fang.
Crunch!
"Master!!!"
[Master!!!]
To be precise, he had kicked the root part. And as soon as the tooth wobbled, Yi Geon kicked it out with glee.
Then, one fang was pulled out in an instant!
Crunch!
[Kyaaaak!]
Last time, he had struggled to pull out the tooth because of a penalty, but now that he could exert 100% of his power, it was completely different!
And as if this was his purpose for coming here from the start, Yi Geon laughed, "Hahaha!"
"Give me more! My teeth!!!"
Crack!
[Kyaaak!!]
Yi Geon kicked out and pulled out all three remaining fangs, except for the barely grown baby tooth.
[You have obtained the Golden Beast Lord's fangs]
[Experience points increase]
No doubt he was very pleased with the upgraded power of Sky's Judgment.
'I need at least two more EX-grade pieces of equipment to face the gods and Monarchs!'
That wasn't all.
[The apostles of Ophiuchus are still in a probationary state]
[Since Ophiuchus has two apostles, they can formally awaken as apostles of the Life and Death divinities respectively (possible from divinity stage 2)]
[After that, the apostles can develop Ophiuchus]
[The Ophiuchus god will later have to choose one path between Life and Death]
[We will be able to see which path he takes by watching the apostles' growth]
Yi Geon smiled with interest.
Well, he had already heard about it from Hugo.
'Like the gods, the apostles also have levels.'
And the difference in power was great depending on that level.
And did he look like he would let his apostles be pushed around by others?
First of all, this cat god was still a god, so he would know how to raise the divinity stage, as a bonus.
And since it was revealed that Leo had nothing to do with the incident twenty-four years ago, he was good material for Yi Geon!
"While you're at it, let me cut off some of your claws! You bastard!"
Yi Geon laughed "Hahaha" and raised Sky's Judgment.
[Sky's Judgment says the Golden Beast Lord is excellent as material]
[Sky's Judgment says it will be a great help to its master]
The Golden Beast Lord emitted a ferocious power, but it didn't matter.
[Star Material Gospel]