Just a moment ago.
Joseph, one of the Ten Stars of the Taurus Constellation, was frantically fleeing toward the sea.
The truth was, Joseph had originally longed to be a Battle Constellation and had been in the Leo Constellation before transferring to Taurus.
Having been in Leo, he had heard the stories about Egan until he was sick of them.
The story of Stephen defeating Egan, that is.
Well, though it was because only fight-obsessed freaks were there that he ended up transferring to Taurus anyway.
In fact, hadn't the Taurus Saint who heard that story also scoffed at Stephen?
[Hah. Bragging about beating a repairman who fixed our equipment in his old age.]
And not long ago, when Stephen was sent flying by Egan in the stadium, he had clicked his tongue too.
Saying it happened because he was a muscle-brained idiot who only focused on offense.
That's why the Saint had said Taurus, the ultimate in defense, was on a different level.
But Joseph, who had directly encountered Egan, had instinctively felt danger.
‘I might die.’
He truly felt that.
That wasn't all.
‘The Constellation itself might disappear.’
Of course, it was common for a Constellation to attack other Constellations.
Moreover, some even went further and wanted to swallow other Constellations whole.
That is, cannibalism.
It made sense, as the authorities each Constellation could possess differed.
For instance, a Healing Constellation could have healing skills, but could never have combat skills.
Fundamentally, skills that deviated from the Constellation's nature could not be unlocked.
No matter how much one raised the level of their Patron God.
That's why there were many who dreamed not of cooperation, but of merger.
But no one had ever thought of doing so.
Why?
Because no one had ever thought of breaking the framework of the 12 Constellations.
Because they lacked the nerve to undertake the act of disrupting the order of the universe.
Nor did they have the audacity and ability to turn all other gods into enemies.
But.
‘Those eyes are different.’
They were eyes that truly intended to annihilate their very roots.
That's why, though he had the Patron God’s orders, sensing the crisis, he had quickly fled into the sea.
And it was all well and good that he had instantly traveled hundreds of kilometers with the help of the allied Pisces Constellation!
Grrrr!
[……!]
Joseph, who had been submerged using a Pisces skill, suddenly felt a chill.
Something was approaching.
And the moment he dispelled his skill with an uneasy feeling and examined his surroundings.
[……?!!]
Joseph nearly lost his wits.
‘What is that!’
It was.
Behind him, a horrifying darkness was surging forward.
It was literally a bizarre darkness where not a single ray of light could be seen. And that darkness was approaching him as if spreading through the water.
So Joseph became desperate.
‘I have to flee.’
But it was then.
‘Gasp!’
The bizarre darkness engulfed Joseph as if it were alive.
The shapes were just like snakes.
Maws of Vantablack, whose forms could not be discerned at all, dragged Joseph away.
And that was the Snake Skill.
[Quagmire (SSS)] (Death Divinity)
-Area capture skill
-A skill exclusive to the Serpent Bearer's master, newly born by absorbing
-Traps those with malice in the deep snake's pond (mire)
-Those fallen in the mire can be sunk up to the 1st Abyss (Spatial Authority influence)
-1st Abyss World: A terror space where joy has died
-As
In short, with this capture skill, the Quagmire was a kind of prison skill.
And the moment Joseph was caught, the black quagmire that had covered the sea vanished.
All that remained in that spot were the sea creatures drifting in the ocean.
In the end, that was how Joseph, bearing the Taurus insignia, was abducted.
And now.
"Shall we begin the merger?"
Egan looked at Joseph, who he had dragged right before his eyes, and smirked.
But as sunlight streamed into the quagmire, Joseph was startled.
"Saint-nim! You people!"
Around Joseph, the Taurus Patron God and 100 Taurus Holy Knights were collapsed.
They too were all trapped in the Quagmire. Because of this, Joseph turned deathly pale, but it was only for a moment.
‘Right. If only the Saint is here, the situation will completely reverse.’
Rather, this was a chance for victory!
His eyes flashed as if he had already won.
And sure enough.
"Saint-nim! Summon the master with the Patron God's descent, quickly!"
"!"
At those words, Hugo and Stephen, who had followed Egan, flinched.
The, the Patron God's descent?
‘That one is the Patron God?’
Hugo looked at him pathetically, as if wondering if he still hadn't caught on.
But soon his expression turned to one of understanding.
‘The Patron God must have deliberately hidden his identity.’
Indeed, it was said the Patron God had appeared in the guise of Ivan, the Taurus Saint.
Moreover, when threatening Saint Jae and Yuha to hand over their Saint, the word 'Saint' hadn't been mentioned at all.
Meaning, he didn't want the fact that the Saint was defeated by Egan to be known.
‘Since it would cause problems for their faith.’
But even so.
"A guy who's a Ten Star. If he concentrates, the Patron God's magic power is visible..."
At Hugo's muttering, Stephen seemed to flinch.
‘It's visible to him?’
He had also noticed that this Saint was the Patron God, but he hadn't sensed it through energy.
‘Was it coincidence?’
But just then, Goat, who was nearby, also clicked his tongue.
"Indeed. There's no way a magical form like that could be human."
What? This bastard can see it too?
Stephen broke into a sweat.
Honestly, the Pisces Patron God's transformation technique was perfect.
With such a level of skill, it was natural that Joseph and the other Holy Knights wouldn't recognize him as the Patron God.
But.
‘It's possible to discern it?’
Stephen was mentally crashing.
‘Could it be that they leveled up by becoming Egan's subordinates?’
Come to think of it, Hugo's aura had oddly changed.
‘A Vassal God?’
Well, whatever, it didn't matter.
Joseph, who couldn't possibly know the one before him was the Patron God, shouted.
"Saint-nim! You said there was no need to use the Patron God's descent here, but now is not the time! I will assist you! Quickly, the Patron God!"
At Joseph's urgent cry, the Holy Knights around him also shouted.
At this rate, all 1,000 of the elite combat troops and nearly 100 million Holy Knights might be absorbed by Egan.
In other words, the last resort to avoid being taken by Egan was a battle between the Patron Gods!
Sure enough.
The Taurus Holy Knights also shouted urgently.
"Saint-nim! Summon the Patron God, quickly!"
"That's right! The only one we can trust now is our Patron God!"
At those words, the dying Taurus felt like going mad.
‘I am that Patron God, you fools.’
And the battle between Patron Gods was already over!
Furthermore, he was already incarnated, so what more could he possibly do here!
In the end, at that expression, the Taurus Holy Knights looked at him as if asking what was wrong.
"Saint-nim! What are you doing!"
"Quickly call the Patron God..."
But it was right then.
Unable to listen any longer, Egan burst into laughter.
Everyone looked at Egan bewildered, but he changed his expression as if he had never laughed.
"That's not your Saint, guys."
"Excuse me?"
"That's the Patron God."
No sooner had the words left his mouth than the Taurus Holy Knights screamed.
"Are you joking?! There's no way that could..."
"Damn, I'm telling you it's true."
Egan clenched his fist tightly.
[Snake Catcher]
As the skill activated, what was revealed was a god with the head of a bull!
Only the head was pulled out, but it was unmistakable.
The sacred beast from mythology that must never be harmed, a god whose very existence was absolute defense.
Apis.
It was the sacred bull of Egypt.
In the end, the people were shocked at the sight.
"The Patron God?!"
Finally, his identity exposed, the Taurus looked at Egan murderously.
Actually, he wanted to appear in his true form even now, but wasn't he in a situation where he had been chewed up, soul and all, by the Monarch and suffered a fatal wound?
In the end, the Holy Knights, who had been watching the scene as if they couldn't believe it, forced out laughter.
"Ha, haha. No, i-it's okay. This can happen. The Patron God was fighting that monster and ended up like this...!"
But as if reacting to those words, Egan kicked the Taurus's face.
Crunch!
"Patron God!"
[H-Heok...!]
"Don't get it twisted. I caught that whale bastard, and this one ended up like this because it got beaten by me."
"……!!"
Of course, saying it was beaten by *him* was an utter lie.
But had it been enough to cause agitation?
[The Taurus Holy Knights' faith is decreasing]
[The Serpent Bearer's faith is very slightly increasing]
At that response, Egan smiled.
‘Now, with this, I can get the defense authority and the contract they hid in the sanctuary.’
He didn't know what truth the 12 Constellation Gods were trying to hide by trying to kill him, but anyway, that contract that sealed each other's lips.
Well, they probably hid it in the Taurus sanctuary thinking he could never breach it, but that was over now.
And the defense authority was surely in the realm of
Once he obtained the defense authority, he would be able to fill in the lacking points of
And it was then.
As Egan approached, the Taurus couldn't stand it any longer and shouted.
[Fairy King, what on earth are you doing! Have you forgotten the contract!]
His harsh voice called for the close aide of the Gemini Patron God.
But there was no response.
As if sensing the Taurus would lose, the Fairy King had disappeared.
To avoid causing harm to the great Patron God of Magic.
In the end, realizing he had been betrayed, the Taurus's veins bulged.
[This useless...!!]
And it was just then.
[Constellation energy is fully charged]
[Divinity 70% charged]
[A new skill can be used]
Egan's eyes flashed as if he had been waiting.
The new skill the alert mentioned was a skill generated when
[Hibernation - Food Accumulation (EX)]
-Swallows and absorbs the opponent's very existence.
-Stores what is devoured in the Constellation (abilities, magic power, divinity, divine rank, experience points, etc.)
-However, a penalty proportional to what is devoured (50% decrease in physical abilities, drowsiness, laziness, slowness)
-Penalty duration: Until digestion is complete
In short, it could be seen as a nutrient storage function.
On the other hand, should this be called an outright accumulation skill.
And.
‘There's a risk, but with this, I might be able to take all of the Patron God's authority.’
Thinking that, Egan smiled.
And at this very moment, the new skill activated.
Flash!
It was an immense light.
A gold-green light, as if witnessing intense life, fell upon the entire Drachma.
Boom!!!
[Swallowed a god's seat]
[The Taurus has entered the stomach]
[Everything constituting the Taurus is being accumulated in the Serpent Bearer Constellation]
And how much time had passed?
When the flash finally disappeared, everyone couldn't help but doubt their own eyes.
"Th-the Patron God has disappeared!"
It was.
The Patron God, who had definitely been there moments ago, had vanished without a trace.
And it was then.
A sound that broke the stunned silence of Drachma.
"Burp."
At the sight of Egan embarrassedly covering his mouth, Hugo screamed.
"Th-that crazy bastard actually put a real god into his stomach...?!"
And at that spectacle, Joseph couldn't help but tremble.
‘The Patron God's energy has completely vanished.’
The Patron God had truly disappeared.
But he didn't give up.
‘Right, if I can just go to the allied Capricorn or Pisces Patron God, even now…!’
But Joseph, who was about to make a move, shuddered.
"!"
It was because of Egan.
‘What is this. The energy surrounding Egan has become stronger…!’
He hadn't known before, but it felt as if an incredibly strong cocoon had formed.
A feeling like seeing a monster right before shedding its skin.
‘Being devoured.’
But regardless, a nonchalant alert sounded.
[Divinity rises by the amount of the devoured Taurus]
[Experience points accumulated in the Constellation equal to the experience points the Taurus Constellation gained over one month]
[One of the great 13 stars has disappeared]
[The 2nd seat of the Zodiac 12 signs is vacant]
[Will you fill that seat with a Vassal God?]
It was the question asking if he would designate his own vassal as the new Constellation God, like when he did with Aquarius.
But Egan smiled.
‘Well, that method isn't bad either.’
The downside of having a subordinate was, should he say, that he couldn't directly use that authority himself.
‘I left healing alone because there's Regeneration, but it's better if I and my Holy Knights can directly use the
And the Master of the Full Moon and the Scorching Sun Master had told him that to directly use the defense skill, he had to do
That wasn't all.
They said that merger literally meant devouring the Constellation, so he could also create a new defense authority unique to the Serpent Bearer.
So he said.
"Not subordination. Merger."
Then an unexpected voice was heard.
[To perform absorption merger, you need a
"Throne?"
Just as he wondered what that could be.
An immense light burst forth.
Along with that, something astonishing began to happen.
Lights like meteors started falling from the dark sky.
"Lights from the sky!"
Simultaneously, a ripple of water arose in front of Egan.
And on top of that ripple of water, something rose up. With an unusal killing intent at that.
So Egan was immediately on guard.
‘Could this be some kind of risk?’
But it was then.
[The Throne has appeared]
(Continued in the next chapter)