[The Chaos ability is activated]
[This disintegrates]
Death Level 6, and Life Level 6.
Level 6 was actually the runaway level, in other words, gods of historic strength.
And when those two forces combined, at last the most intense one was triggered.
Kugugung!
A might so great that even the Great Lord, who became the greatest through 18,733 regressions, was instantly forced into a state of disintegration!
[Kuk!]
As the light of the cycle swept over him, he gritted his teeth.
For this was the very power he had so desperately longed for.
The power he had wished to see again and again over countless regressions!
But to see the power he so desired in this manner!
[Damn it...!!]
Gritting his teeth, he glared at Lee Geon.
There was no doubt.
The reason this bastard could follow him was because of Heily.
Just as he himself could use his powers for a time even after losing the core, so must have Heily.
'It was I who gave Heily knowledge of magic and the ability of time.'
Of course, that alone could never have been enough to reach him.
Since her powers were sealed when she was sent to humanity.
But.
'That thing...!'
Something caught the eye of the grinding his teeth.
It was something glowing in Lee Geon's pocket.
And it was unmistakably the core of .
Thus, his eyes widened.
'My younger sibling was with me every time I regressed.'
The exact cause was unknown.
But he judged it to be the influence of their progenitor.
Because the 13th original owner, their progenitor, and the original owner of the Blazing Lion Seat were brothers.
Well, even if his younger sibling was full of complaints, it was a good thing for him.
For his sibling gained experience too, and they could carry out operations without needing to explain things before a regression.
'And to think that wench would use it in this way...!'
Of course, just possessing 's core would not have enabled Lee Geon to pursue him.
But Heily made it possible.
She magically placed the core of Chaos into Lee Geon's body, and at the same time, made Lee Geon recognized as .
And that meant.
"You can never escape from me!"
[You bastard!]
With Lee Geon's murderous laughter, this disintegrated.
But as if something was more important than this disintegrating, Lee Geon rushed at .
And what Lee Geon was after was none other than Heily's core!
'I need that to heal Heily!'
After all, the core was like a heart for a human.
But at that very moment.
The moment Lee Geon pulled out Heily's core, an astonishing thing happened.
- What? You've figured out a way to deal with ?
- Is that true, Your Highness?
"!"
An unfamiliar scene unfolded before his eyes.
It seemed to be Heily's memory.
And the time was perhaps just after he had died, when the world was praising the saints as humanity's heroes.
Thus, it seemed to be the time when Hugo, burning with vengeance, was settling life-and-death scores with the saints.
Indeed, Hugo, evidently rescued by Heily, was lying unconscious after treatment right before her eyes.
And as a bonus, there was a news article showing that one giant island had vanished from the map after the Divine Bow Seat's sacred artifact had been shattered in their conflict.
She was wrapped in bandages, perhaps injured while searching for Lee Geon, who had gone missing in the tower.
- Yes, I couldn't find Lee Geon... but I did find the core of there.
- What? If it's the core of ... isn't that 's younger sibling? I heard they've become human now....
- Yes. This core must be what was left after making them human. It was being used to operate the tower.
But she seemed to have glimpsed some of 's memories from the core.
And from whatever memory she saw, she ground her teeth.
- I don't know who exactly did it, but is connected to Lee Geon's death. That means took interest in my Lee Geon.
- What? That , who isn't even on Earth?
- And with this core, we can pursue , who travels through time.
- Then...!
- Help Hugo, and keep leaking news that Lee Geon might still be alive. Then might appear here as well.
- !
- And with this core, I will deal with .
- Good heavens, I was worried because you'd only been avoiding . I see you've finally decided to fight your father!
- Why wouldn't I be sharpening my sword after all I've endured? She's finally made up her mind to seize the Great Lord's seat.
Heily did not answer.
And seeing this scene, Lee Geon realized.
'The reason Heily helped me was to kill .'
He had never quite understood why Heily, a being from an unknown civilization, was helping him.
This explanation was far more credible than the idea that she was simply frightened of him.
As if all his questions were now answered, Lee Geon nodded.
And at last, the moment he put Heily's core into his pocket and was about to pull out his hand.
- Our cat, have you been well?
"!"
At the unexpected voice, Lee Geon, about to pull his hand out, was startled.
It was part of Heily's memories.
But that was not why Lee Geon was surprised.
'This memory.'
Perhaps it was from Heily's perspective.
And it didn't seem to be a human's perspective.
'A four-legged animal, clearly.'
And there was a familiar face embracing Heily and applying medicine.
Seeing that face, Lee Geon could not help but be shocked.
'That child is me.'
Yes.
The boy caring for Heily was none other than himself.
And the version of himself applying the medicine said,
- I hope this burn scar on your face heals well.
Lee Geon knew exactly when that memory was from.
'Was it when I was in high school?'
On his way home, there was a stray kitten on the street with terrible wounds and a burn on its face.
And he vividly remembered tenderly caring for the near-death kitten for a long time.
But one day, it suddenly disappeared, and he had been terribly sad.
'Well, looking back now, I guess it wasn't exactly an Earth cat... but.'
That was not all.
Before the monsters appeared, before he became an Awakener.
- Yeonwoo! Junwoo! Are you okay? A monster appeared at your house, didn't it?
- Yeah, we're fine. It was already dead when we found it.
- Really? What's that about?
It was before the Twelve Heroes had even emerged.
It seemed Heily, as a cat, had been circling around them and protecting them from the monsters.
And that continued until months before Junwoo died, until Heily became the Scorpio Seat saint and left.
At the same time, as he saw this memory, Lee Geon had a flash of realization.
He didn't know what cause had made Heily turn into a cat and collapse in front of his house, but.
'So it was you.'
So that's why Heily had reacted that way when she first saw him during the meeting with the Twelve Saints.
And at that moment.
[Let us negotiate.]
"!"
Said the disintegrating .
No matter what, now that it had been reduced to just its torso, it must have grown desperate.
Indeed.
[Aren't you trying to avenge your family? Then I shall turn back time, back to before humanity was invaded.]
"!"
[I am saying we should return to the time when nothing had happened yet.]
"......"
[In any case, aren't you going to turn me into a sacred object like? Then you won't be able to fully use s power either....]
At those words, Lee Geon smiled as if disgusted.
"Shut up. You aren't even worth turning into a sacred object."
[!]
"And you little shit seems to be misunderstanding something. I'm not trying to change your nature like I did with ."
[......!]
"A bastard of your level would only keep going berserk trying to reset, even if I made you into a sacred object."
And so, Lee Geon smiled menacingly.
"Therefore, you will be reverted to before the common era. Your very existence will be made as if it never was. Just as you tried to do to ."
At these words, , flustered and incredulous, opened its eyes wide.
[If my existence vanishes, then Heily will also become a being that never existed. Do you not realize that?]
"Fuck off. She's not your real daughter anyway."
[......!!]
"And in the first place, erasing your existence through doesn't mean changing the past, you know!"
No sooner had the words ended than let out a scream.
The remaining torso disintegrated in an instant, leaving only its neck.
[Dissolving what remains of this ]
[The existences that formed are revived through s power]
At the same time, laughed hollowly and shouted.
[Do not think this is the end.]
"Never seen a guy who said that amount to much."
Hearing that, smiled as if asking if he truly didn't know.
[It is because I existed that you were able to cross timelines and chase me this far.]
"!"
[Conversely, if I disappear, that means you will have no way to travel.]
After saying that far, the corners of s lips rose as if reading Lee Geon's thoughts.
[It would be wise not to arrogantly assume you could use my data. I have already placed a curse upon .]
As if determined not to die alone, mustered its final strength and placed a curse upon .
[If you use that ability, you too will disintegrate just like me.]
Having said that, sneered as it watched Lee Geon.
[No, perhaps such a need may not even arise in the first place.]
"......!"
Lee Geon was shocked.
Because as disintegrated, a change had also occurred in Lee Geon's body.
[Warning. The timeline has been stimulated.]
[The timeline judges the foreign matter that should not exist, , and erases its existence]
At the same time, Lee Geon's body began to disintegrate.
Time watched the sight and smiled.
[You are an insect-like existence that only exists in the 18,733rd timeline. An existence not present in other timelines.]
"!"
[In other words, to maintain the world's balance, the timeline will erase your existence, the foreign matter.]
As a traveler who crossed timelines, knew this very well.
That timelines do not welcome intruders.
Simply put, it meant that Lee Geon could only live without being treated as foreign matter in the 18,733rd timeline.
Sure enough, the bastard laughed.
[Unable to return to your original world through s ability—can you survive in this situation?]
The reason the gods considered a headache was that no matter how great gods might be, it was difficult to defy the flow of .
Because one could not meddle with the order of the universe called timelines or dimensions.
In fact, though Lee Geon used various skills, he could not stop his body from disintegrating according to providence.
'Damn it.'
And the speed was too fast.
Lee Geon's legs and hands disintegrated, his torso disintegrated, and the disintegration was now reaching his neck.
[ disappears]
[The ability can no longer be used]
Left with only a jaw and mouth, burst out laughing, hahaha.
[Let's die together! You who share the same root!]
At the same time, Lee Geon let out a groan.
The immense power of the universe mercilessly smote Lee Geon, trying to eliminate him.
Truly, an irresistible force.
'This is dangerous.'
In the end, a force from which one could never escape alone seized Lee Geon's body.
It was not something super regeneration could handle.
Indeed, his feet were mercilessly ground away, and both his arms became debris and turned to dust.
Thus lower body, upper body!
As the relentless force of disintegration rose, Lee Geon too was left with only his neck.
'Damn it!'
Lee Geon tried to use the time data he had obtained from killing many , but it was no use.
[It has failed]
[Cannot return to the original world]
'Damn it, if this goes on, the way back...!'
At last, the moment Lee Geon's mouth vanished and even his eyes were about to disappear.
[The faithful are searching for the god]
[The faithful desire the god to manifest before them]
"!"
With that notification, the disintegration came to an abrupt halt.
At the same time, a wondrous thing occurred.
[Faith seeking is felt]
[The strong faith of billions calls upon ]
[Will you answer the call?]
(To be continued in the next chapter)