"It's okay. The 12 Heroes will come to rescue us soon. So let's hold on a little longer."
That was probably the last thing he said.
After that, Igeon and Yeonu could no longer see each other.
And they thought they’d never meet again.
[Come Back]
A short but powerful voice.
That voice was like a lighthouse.
No matter how dark and deep the abyss, a voice of light pulling you in, saying just come this way.
And when you turned your head toward that voice, you had a strange experience.
As if you were floating up into the sky, engulfed in a massive flash of light.
Then when you opened your eyes, you were transported to another world.
That's how Yeonu returned to her original world.
From a void world without any emotion or sensation. To a sacred world of life where joy and sorrow could be felt.
And the first thing that met her eyes was the face of someone she knew very well.
"Geon...!"
At that familiar voice, Igeon bit his lip hard.
It was definitely the voice he remembered.
"...Yeonu."
Years, decades.
No, if you added the time in the tower, it couldn't be measured.
He didn't know how long it had been since he'd last called that name.
But just being able to call it again made Igeon choke up in an instant.
And it was the same for Yeonu.
Sure enough.
"Geon...!!"
Yeonu threw her arms around Igeon. She sobbed loudly at the sight of him alive.
Igeon held her and patted her back.
"I'm sorry, I'm so late."
"No, I'm sorry...! I dragged you into this...!"
It seemed Yeonu had been carrying that guilt.
Because back then, Igeon was just an ordinary human with no ties to the Serpent Master's Constellation.
But Igeon shook his head.
"No, I survived thanks to you."
Even though a terrible nightmare awaited, he never regretted awakening.
Because there were people he could meet because of it.
Watching this, the 13th smiled contentedly.
'So that's why he tried to save Yeonu in a place with no one else?'
Pretending not to, his son clearing his throat as if choked up was quite a fresh sight.
But then.
"Anyway, are you okay? Can you hear well?"
"!"
At Igeon's words, Yeonu looked suddenly startled.
"Come to think of it, sound..."
"Well, I reinforced your body so you could hear."
"!"
Yeonu couldn't hear originally.
Of course, that didn't mean she couldn't hear Igeon's voice at all.
Although sealed, thanks to the power of the Constellation God, she could hear Igeon and his brother's voices like telepathy.
"Anyway, I modified the body I summoned from the past a bit. Well, half of it was damaged, so I patched that part up..."
Igeon scratched his cheek.
"Anyway, check carefully. I can make objects well, but living things make me uneasy. Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm okay but..."
"But?"
Yeonu, examining her own body, wore an odd expression.
"Why does it feel like my chest got bigger..."
"COUGH!!!"
Igeon coughed as if choking.
But regardless, Yeonu tilted her head.
"That's strange. It wasn't this big before..."
"No!! Cough! I, I didn't know the exact size so...!! Cough!!"
At his son's reaction, the 13th snickered slyly.
Well, that might be one reason.
[Isn't it just reflecting your own tastes?]
"Are you trying to die!!!!!"
[Yeah, yeah. Now I know our son's tastes. I'll reflect that for you next time.]
"Reflect what!!!!"
[I like daughters~]
"Drop dead, seriously!!!!"
Just as the 13th was cackling, Yeonu, finally noticing the 13th's presence, had her mouth agape.
And at that, the 13th smiled bitterly.
[I'm sorry. And I'm glad.]
At the familiar face, Yeonu couldn't close her mouth, as if about to cry.
And immediately out of habit, she tried to bow.
"I never thought I'd see you ag— Ack!"
As she tried to prostrate, Yeonu let out a yelp.
Suddenly a hand flew and tapped her forehead.
And the culprit was none other than Igeon.
"Forget it. You don't need to bow to that bastard."
"!"
The 13th laughed too.
[That's right, your master is no longer me, but him.]
At the same time, the 13th looked at Yeonu with satisfaction.
After all, Yeonu and Junu were baby snakes he'd picked up and raised when they were dying.
He wanted them to live happily with their younger sibling Junu even after he died, and if possible, he hoped they'd meet Igeon someday, but...
'I never thought he'd even pass on his power.'
Meeting Igeon was astonishing enough, but he never imagined she would throw away her life to save his son.
So since things turned out this way, he changed course to make his son grow into the Serpent Master Constellation God, but...
'If I'd known he'd become a bastard even his father doesn't recognize, maybe I shouldn't have helped.'
Regardless, Igeon grabbed Yeonu's arm.
"Anyway, let's go back."
He seemed to hate looking at the 13th's face.
"I don't know why, but the divinity's rampage stopped. It should be safe to go outside now."
[Is he completely ignoring the fact that his father stopped the rampage?]
Instead of answering, Igeon extended his middle finger.
Chuckling at that, the 13th snapped his fingers.
Then something amazing happened.
Flash!
[Serpent Master has granted new abilities]
[]
- Seal the rampaging divinity, temporarily lowering it to Stage 5
- By shouting , enter state and use Stage 6
"!"
Surprised by the sudden event, Igeon looked at the 13th.
The 13th raised the corner of his mouth.
[Stage 6 is a stage that shaves off your lifespan and body. If you keep living in Stage 6, even a god would not last a year before dying. No, honestly, it's a massive nuisance so don't use it.]
At those words, Igeon made a face like he'd bitten into dung.
And seeing Igeon's expression, the 13th grinned.
[What. Did I say something wrong? Because of your Stage 6, Earth nearly perished, humanity nearly went extinct in agony. Just because your son had some overreaching great sages, you think they all survived unscath—...]
Irritated, Igeon gestured.
"Change skill name. From to ."
[That was your problem?!!]
"Isn't it obvious? Anyway, free skill, no reason to refuse. Ah, skill name also from to ."
[You thief!! Do you know how hard it is to create an ability! Even that...!]
The 13th's veins bulged, but soon he spoke as if giving up.
[When you go out, send my regards to my daughter-in-law. Tell her your father-in-law misses her.]
At that, Igeon blatantly ignored him, but in Yeonu's eyes, a violent earthquake occurred.
'D-daughter-in-law?'
Who on earth is that?
But then.
[Young lady.]
"!"
At the 13th's call, Yeonu turned her head.
[After I died, did you not receive the letter I left?]
"No, there was nothing like that...! Only a message full of grief...!"
[Message?]
"Yes. A handwritten message from you, Master, raging that you were about to be murdered by other followers..."
"Ji Yeonu, how many times do I have to tell you not to call that god 'Master'?"
[I see. Take good care of Geon.]
Yeonu smiled, at once sad and happy.
"Yes. I will do my utmost to protect him. Though I may be of no help now that I've lost my divinity..."
At that, the 13th laughed.
[No. You originally had divinity.]
"!"
[The and I gave you and Junu were temporary powers to save you. And you, like Junu, will be able to awaken a new divinity. By the blessing of the new Serpent Master.]
Realizing the meaning, Yeonu flinched in surprise.
"Could it be my younger sibling is alive?!"
"Hey, I said stop talking to that geezer. You keep reacting, and he just clings to us more."
Igeon immediately opened the door to his divine realm.
Rumble!
Using his ability, he created an exit in his divine realm.
And just as the 13th was watching them leave with satisfaction,
[I know you're there, so stop sneaking peeks and come out.]
[!]
His gaze was completely cold, unlike when he looked at his son.
At the 13th's words, a familiar face appeared.
It was the Constellation God wearing the horse mask, the master of Leo.
* * *
Around that time.
"Ha. Is that really okay?"
"It's really okay, right?"
"I-it'll be fine!"
"What if it's not fine?"
Leo, Virgo, Aquarius, Scorpio, Pisces, and their proxy sages were trembling with anxiety.
And lying before them was none other than Hugo.
The body of Hugo that Slime had summoned earlier.
The sages and the Constellation Palace's holy knights stood around Hugo in a circle.
As a courtesy among sages, and to guard the body in case of unforeseen events.
Until Igeon arrived.
But even so, the reason they trembled with anxiety was just one thing.
"Did Igeon really send Hugo to the past without erasing his faith?"
"Yeah. I heard it clearly."
"Damn. He was already severe, and if his faith looks like that there...!"
"At this rate, won't the future really change?!"
And right then.
"Huh, if it changes, it changes."
"!!"
They were startled by the familiar voice. The one who appeared was none other than Igeon.
And at the sight of the unfamiliar Yeonu, the sages' eyes went wide.
"Uh, uhh? Who's this beauty...?"
"Ah. Don't tell me it's that person! Your lover!"
At Kevin's words, Haley started in surprise.
And then,
Yeonu examined Hugo's condition.
"Geon. If the target is a follower god, you can't save them with that method you used earlier. The souls of follower gods are managed by the gods of the divine realm."
As a former god of , it was her area of expertise.
"They're probably caught in one of the netherworlds governed by the gods of the underworld. By the rules, you need approval from there to bring them back."
Of course, she could figure out who it was right away.
"If the late Master sent his soul to the netherworld, it's surely his friend Hades."
Igeon nodded at that.
Connecting to the master of the underworld wasn't difficult.
[Connected with ]
[ requests the retrieval of the follower's soul]
[Request accepted]
[A partial fee has been deducted (1 talent)]
[Summoning the soul of ]
At the same time, Igeon activated his skill.
[Come Back]
In that instant,
Flash!
As the skill activated, Hugo exhaled as if pulled from water.
"Gah! Cough! Cough!"
At that sight, everyone cheered.
"Dad!!!"
"Hugo!"
"Lord Hugo!!"
The sages and the Constellation Palace's holy knights all rejoiced.
The Cheon siblings ran to their father in tears.
"Daddy!!"
"Yeah, gah. Cough. You're safe too. I'm glad nothing happened to y—..."
But right then.
Thwack!!!
"Gahuk!!"
Hugo was sent flying by a sudden kick from Igeon.
Everyone was appalled at the sight.
"Hey! You bastard! What are you doing!!"
"Even so!"
But Igeon, who kicked Hugo, was furious.
"Who are you?"
"Wh-what?"
"Who the hell are you, you bastard."
(To be continued)