Meanwhile, around that time.
“Hahaha. What a total mess this has become!”
The gods cackled at the great destruction of Olympus.
And out of the countless gods numbering as many as the stars, the Olympian faction was what kind of bastards again!
‘The biggest merchants among the Eight Great Factions!’
They were the very ones who swept up money from all dimensions under the pretext of becoming the top faction of the divine realm.
They acted as brokers, pulling all sorts of cheap and dirty tricks, extorting profits from other factions, and easily taking the credit.
Hence, it was practically a festival in the divine realm.
However, there were those who couldn’t just laugh away at this festival.
They were none other than the indirect victims of this incident.
The factions of Kunlun and Valhalla.
“This is troublesome.”
“Who would have known the debtors would just vanish?”
They were the ones who had tried to auction Hades off as a pushover.
But beyond not receiving the goods after paying the price, due to that guy Lee Geon barging into the ship party unannounced, those more important than their lives were now hovering between life and death.
“The very ones who should repay the debts have disappeared or gone bankrupt, so from whom are we supposed to collect our money?”
“Oh, what could we possibly collect from refugees anyway! Besides, we’re about to worry about accommodating refugees rather than money now!”
“Anyway, what about the compensation we claimed from Olympus?”
“Shouldn’t we naturally collect it from that snake god?”
“But didn’t he annihilate Olympus? What if we end up like them?”
“Don’t compare us to those greenhorns who only usurped the seat of a Great Holy God.”
“Well, there is certainly an easier way to get compensation. With interest piled on top.”
The gods raised the corners of their mouths, waving papers.
“A bounty has been placed on the snake god. He must be after that precious achievement.”
“They say the snake god cannot even use his weapons or divine powers because of his debt.”
“This is sweet.”
Eventually, even Valhalla and Kunlun issued their orders.
[Track down the snake god.]
The divine realm was thus turned upside down.
Of course, the ones most turned upside down right now were…
“Find them! Olympian vassal gods were sighted around here!”
…the Olympian gods who had suddenly become human.
Having suffered the greatest direct hit, they were having a wretched time.
“They’re humans! They can’t use divine power, so just kill them!”
“Jackpot! The bounty is 1 billion per head!!”
“Zeus is 10 billion!!”
“Crazy, the Scorching Lord is 50 billion!!”
Eventually, reduced to beggars hiding in an abandoned factory warehouse, they gnashed their teeth.
‘Damn it, at this rate we’ll be murdered.’
Who could have known that their divinity and authorities would be sealed by the power of circulation? The price of negligence was too great.
“Ah, more importantly, do something about these bounties first! We can’t even go outside like this!”
“Damn, why does this human body stink and itch so bad!”
“More importantly, who the hell is this Louise bastard that his bounty is higher than a Great Holy God's??”
But then it happened.
“That’s why you shouldn’t have summoned the vassal gods right on the spot. Are you stupid?”
“!”
Two men entered the warehouse carrying food.
[Divinity: Hephaestus]
[Divinity: Dionysus]
The god of craftsmanship, hailed as the finest artisan of the divine realm, gave a hollow laugh.
They were ones who had happened to be absent from Olympus and thus avoided harm.
In other words, they hadn’t lost their divinities.
“If you hadn’t summoned all of us at once, Olympus wouldn’t have suffered such a pitiful defeat.”
At the craftsman god’s words, the sea god, who held the proxy authority of the Great Holy God, bristled.
“Shut up. That doesn’t sound like something you guys who didn’t answer the summon should say.”
He had gone through the trouble of summoning them to catch Lee Geon, yet out of twelve, four had sent dolls resembling themselves or proxy subordinate gods.
Then the god of wine shrugged his shoulders.
“Still, we didn’t lose our power, and didn’t we pay the Fate Goddess to spare your lives? So shouldn’t you be grateful?”
At that, the goddess of beauty flared up.
“All you did was manipulate the divine realm’s records to temporarily stop our lifespans!”
“And thanks to that, we can’t receive any help from the divine realm, nor even use its basic systems.”
Looking at their expressions, the gods chuckled.
“But that can all be restored if we just take the snake god’s divinity, can’t it?”
“More importantly, is it really one of the strongest divinities that once disappeared? You’re not lying, are you?”
“If it were a lie, could vassal god-level beings become human like this!”
“Indeed. That’s why these guys agreed to the deal as well.”
Along with that statement, gods appeared before them.
Thirty gods of the Ennead.
Anubis and Osiris were also present. It was because they had received a summons.
They smiled toward the falcon used for communication.
“O Wheel of Fire Lord, thank you for agreeing to deal with the snake god rather than striking Olympus.”
[It matters not. I had a debt to that snake master and the Scorching Lord anyway.]
“A debt?”
They furrowed their brows.
The one beyond the falcon was none other than the strongest among the Great Holy Gods, called one of the Three Great Primordial Lords.
‘The one who took the territory of the annihilated Creators, once one of the Nine Great Factions….’
As expected, the Ennead’s Great Holy God laughed coldly, to the point that fear could be felt even through the messenger bird.
[Three of the twelve zodiac gods are from our Ennead. And though they had already left my nest, you could call them my children, and they were devoured by that snake god.]
“……!”
They said he’s already devoured three Holy Gods?
[So, whom will you send? Do you have any usable cards?]
“We shall send Olympus’s ‘War God’.”
[Oh. That famous War God. So he’s not affected by the Underworld’s influence.]
“Because he is a god loved by the divine realm.”
The Ennead Great Holy God laughed with interest.
[By the way, where were the Fate Goddesses? Even I have no idea where they are now.]
“We apologize, but we have not seen them in person. Are not the Fate Goddesses beings whom no god can find?”
At that, the Ennead Great Holy God chuckled softly.
[Then, since you’ve contacted me, I shall accommodate. Shall I send something of the ‘War God’ level as well?]
At those words, the god of wine smiled.
“Then may we ask that of you?”
[Then I shall send Anubis and Osiris.]
The two, who had come home hiding the fact that they had become Lee Geon’s subordinates, flinched in surprise.
Wha, what?
[The two seem like they would greatly assist in hunting the snake god.]
The two broke out in a cold sweat.
No, we can’t do it!
* * *
Meanwhile, around that time.
“Ah. So you’re talking about that child who liked you, nephew.”
At the Scorching Lord’s words, Hugo’s eyes widened.
“Giselle liked Geon? What do you mean?”
But Lee Geon laughed.
“Aren’t you mistaken? Giselle was the con artist who chased after you because she liked you.”
“…That was Johnny. You brat.”
Should he be tearfully grateful that he at least remembers Johnny’s full name?
Anyway, Giselle was a human who had been a Saint of Libra but had been devoured and had her body stolen by the Monarch (Sloth) who secretly hid on Earth.
In any case, she was a human who had almost become their comrade.
Of course, it didn’t matter if it was unclear at what point her body had switched with the Monarch, or if she was already the Monarch when they met.
“Giselle? She’s human, anyway. How could a human come to the divine realm?”
“Forget that! What’s this about her liking Geon?!”
Then the Scorching Lord laughed and told an unexpected story.
“It’s nothing special. Just that she gave her life for you two, to the extent of falling into the divine realm.”
“Gave her life?”
“Yes. Actually, even after dying, she apparently wandered around the Saints in spirit form. And while trying to help prevent you and Hugo from severing ties, she was chased by Jang Rui and fell into the divine realm.”
“Severing ties?”
At Lee Geon’s expression that said ‘what nonsense is this,’ the Scorching Lord let out a hollow laugh.
“What, don’t you remember? 25 years ago, when you were excommunicated or whatever. When Jang Rui tried to cut your relationship with Hugo.”
“Ah.”
Hugo showed a look of recognition.
It was definitely back when he was Lee Geon’s disciple.
Jang Rui, the Saint of Cancer and the one who backstabbed Lee Geon, had tried to sever the bond between him and Lee Geon using Cancer’s skill.
Because if the bond were cut, only ill feelings toward Lee Geon would remain.
The Scorching Lord spoke of that very incident.
“That Jang Rui tried to kill you, and seems to have cut several of your bonds with the 12 Saints. Anyway, that child apparently tried somehow to reconnect them even as a ghost. She must have wanted to protect Lee Geon, the sole hope who could save humanity.”
At those words, Hugo seemed startled.
“Wait a moment. That, surely….”
“Yes. Why, weren’t there some who used to be friendly toward Lee Geon but then your relationship soured?”
“!”
“Like that servant of Virgo. And the Saint of Gemini, who you almost got together with…”
Hugo, who had been nodding at those words, became wide-eyed.
What? Me and Haze, almost got together?
What on earth does that mean?
But Lee Geon cut in as if displeased.
“Enough. Anyway, I know who she is now. But how do you know all that?”
“How do I know? The Saint of Libra was one of my Saint candidates. But since Libra snatched her first, I had no choice but to pick up something like this guy.”
Gulp.
Hugo felt his blood boil as he glared at the Scorching Lord, and Lee Geon raised an eyebrow.
“Then why didn’t you say anything about it for 20 years?”
“Huh, why else? Back then it was coffee time to recharge my sensitivity— Ughk!!”
Hugo mercilessly stomped on him.
“Enough, you go out and earn money! That’s an order from a Holy God!”
“Wha, what? Haha! I am a great pivotal god of the divine realm! There’s no way the divine realm would permit such a lowly task fit only for lesser gods—.”
But with those words, a piece of paper fell in front of the Scorching Lord.
[Job Center Custom Recommendations for Debt Repayment]
1) Loki’s Host Bar
2) Odin’s Colosseum
3) Bartender at Dionysus’s
4) Miner at Uriel’s
…
21) Substitute Punching Bag
“……?!”
The Scorching Lord stared at the paper in horror, but Virgo let out a stifled laugh.
“So, what now?”
“!”
She was an object that all gods wanted to find, so exceptional that she could even alter the rules of the divine realm.
But no god could locate where she was.
Not even the subordinate gods had left any data.
Nevertheless.
“If we find that Giselle, we might be able to steal the rule book too. With just a strand of hair, I can track that child immediately.”
“Hair??”
Giselle had already been dealt with by Lee Geon. There was no way her physical body remained.
“We’d have to go to Earth to find it…”
Then the Scorching Lord raised the corner of his mouth.
“Nephew. If you’ll nullify me having to take Hugo as my master, I’ll help you…”
But then it happened.
“I’ll bring it!”
“!”
Yeonwoo stepped forward.
She knew the divine realm well.
“Tribute items leave customs records anyway, so the gods could notice. So I’ll bring it myself.”
“Will you be okay?”
“Yes. I was possessing someone anyway.”
“!”
Yeonwoo had appeared by possessing a god originally in the divine realm. And she had worn that appearance like a coating.
And because it was possession, she could move much faster than entering and leaving the country.
“Now that you mention it, you originally came to deliver weapons, didn’t you?”
At those words, Yeonwoo had a slightly sheepish look.
Well, actually, she had come to check after hearing that Yoo Ha and Hayley had chased after Lee Geon…
‘It seems Hayley didn’t come to the divine realm after all.’
Thus, Yeonwoo let out a sigh of relief and said,
“Then I’ll be right back.”
“Okay, please. Don’t do anything too dangerous.”
Simultaneously, Yeonwoo nodded and vanished with a flash of light.
Then, what appeared in her place was the Scorching Lord’s subordinate god.
At that sight, the Scorching Lord clicked his tongue, realizing she had used his subordinate god, and Hugo spoke.
“Good, then we’ll leave that to Miss Yeonwoo. What about you, Geon?”
“I’m going to find your… thingamajig ability.”
Hugo nearly let out a dry cough.
“Cough, are you crazy…!”
“Why. If you’re going to spout some platonic nonsense, get out. I’ll even rip off some other male gods’ and give them to you.”
“I don’t need it anymore!! You brat!! Just pay off your debts!! They’ve increased to 50 billion already while you weren’t looking!”
“Now that I think about it, it’s inconvenient not being able to use weapons or divine powers because I’m a debtor.”
Currently, the powers he could use were limited. He couldn’t even use super regeneration. The moment he was classified as a debtor, all privileges were locked.
It would be the same whether he went to Earth or anywhere else.
But hearing that, the Scorching Lord seemed worried.
“To gather 50 billion, even the fastest route would take at least 300 years…”
“Why are you doing something that stupid? That’s why you’re still a beggar.”
“What?”
Lee Geon raised the corner of his mouth.
“Those Olympian bastards who ran away. Aren’t there bounties on them? I heard it’s billions per head. You just need to catch those bastards and sell them.”
The Scorching Lord grabbed the back of his neck.
The side possessing more and stronger subordinate gods had an overwhelming advantage among Holy Gods.
‘Does he have any idea how many subordinate gods the Holy Gods of the Eight Great Factions command?’
They literally numbered as many as the stars.
And to begin with.
“Even if they were turned into humans by you, do you think those guys will be easily found? I lost contact too, and they’re deliberately hiding, so we can’t find them.”
“I-if it’s that, I can help!”
“!!”
At the familiar voice, both Hugo and Lee Geon’s eyes widened.
“I can track their scent.”
“You…!”
Hugo stared at Hayley, who wore an animal mask, his mouth agape.
Had she changed her mask in the meantime?
And under his gaze, Hayley averted her eyes slightly and said.
“I-I’m Red Scorpion…”
No, changing one word doesn’t mean you won’t get caught!
(To be continued in the next episode)
※ For reference on Giselle or the bond-severing episode in this chapter, it may be helpful to refer to Side Story Episodes 12, 19–22.