Everything was fine, anyway.
"I've found the son of a bitch, so I have no more business here."
Having found his target, Igeon grabbed Anubis by the scruff and dragged him along.
Thanks to that, Anubis was flustered.
"Isn't it enough that I gave you the information! Where are you taking me!"
"Where else? Home, of course."
"……!"
He had obtained the rulebook, so staying attached to Earth wasn't a problem.
So now he just had to exit through the departure gate.
*'Moreover, some good-for-nothings had come to play on my land.'*
But to leave through the departure gate, there were too many annoying nuisances: those who held grudges against them, those aiming for achievements, those after 600% faith, and so on.
Thus, the best route for a covert exit was the path of the Underworld.
*'The very path where Taeksu had been dragged off.'*
And the shortest route that the gods could never pursue.
"So let's go to the Underworld. You said you'd guide me."
The flustered Anubis shouted.
"I can guide you, but! That path is a route only souls can pass through!"
In short, it was a route that required separating body and soul. That was why other gods couldn't follow.
But.
"So what?"
"What? What do you mean so what! You bastard, surely you aren't thinking of discarding the body of a Battle God you painstakingly raised and possessing the body of a colony resident!"
Does he think anyone can become a Battle God!
*'They're among the top ten of countless gods!'*
However, Igeon smirked.
"Oh, I don't care at all. I'm a Creator God. I can just copy and remake the body."
"?!"
Even as he was being dragged, Anubis was flustered.
*'Damn, at this rate this bastard will head to Earth.'*
I need to hold him until Set, another Battle God-level, arrives!
Finally, he shouted as if he had no choice.
"I'm not going, you bastard! You think I'd follow a penniless beggar Holy God like you when I have Kunlun!"
"!"
"If you're so insistent, come back after you've grown as big as Kunlun!"
Igeon looked at him as if asking what nonsense he was spouting, but a subordinate god nodded knowingly.
"Because Kunlun are the richest in the divine realm."
"It wasn't for nothing that the Jade Emperor, a Holy God famous among wealth gods, was once a member of Kunlun..."
It was a fantasy paradise with many rare treasures, a Peach Blossom Spring.
But what did that have to do with him?
As Igeon stared, Anubis whispered urgently.
"They say the Peach Garden of Kunlun has a special Nabdo!"
"I'd rather eat chicken than fruit."
"That's not it! It's a fruit that boosts the power of Cycle, enough to create a Godhead of Life!"
"!"
"With that, you'd be able to freely use your finishing move Cycle! Isn't the condition for using Cycle already tricky?"
Igeon furrowed his brow.
Indeed, it wasn't wrong.
Why?
*'Because Life and Death experience must each be 100%.'*
But what was the current state?
[Death EXP] 500%
[Life EXP] 0.00004%
Death wasn't a problem; it rose just by destroying things with his usual actions, but life was shitty.
It only went up by doing purely good deeds (helping others?), no, doing healer activities, but killing and reviving apparently didn't count as a trick; the experience didn't increase.
Was it because of a petty bad heart(?), that it didn't rise?
And how little good he must have done for the experience difference to be like that even now, but his subordinate gods understood.
"Well, the Godhead of Cycle itself can only be wielded by righteous and good gods."
"Honestly, it's a miracle that Master obtained it."
"What, you brats??"
At the very least, he'd have to catch a Lord-level to raise Life value, but how common were those?
And as if reading his inner thoughts, Anubis whispered.
"In that state, wouldn't it take hundreds of years before you can use Cycle? Can you fight the Holy Gods who covet Earth in the meantime?"
"……."
Igeon furrowed his brow.
In other words, this bastard was saying it'd be better to go to Kunlun first, not Earth.
Aiming for the peach.
But Anubis, who was enticing him, smirked.
*'Well, I'll swindle that peach anyway.'*
That peach was a treasure coveted by gods of other factions as well.
If he returned to Ennead with it, he'd receive quite a favorable evaluation.
But Anubis acted nonchalant and spoke.
"Anyway, wouldn't it be to your benefit to pretend to hand me over to Kunlun while aiming for Kunlun's peach?"
"You say it's a Great Holy God's treasure. Do you think your worthless life is worth that much?"
But right then.
"Well, if it's that peach, we can let you see it. If you offer a suitable price."
"!"
Turning his head at the shopkeepers' words, Igeon's eyes widened.
"!"
That was no wonder, because the shopkeepers who had just been cute until moments ago had transformed.
Their small stature had become huge, as if it had never been small, and their cute eyes and faces had instantly turned into those of evil spirits.
He wondered who they were, but soon learned their identities.
"Master! This is bad! These guys are the Great Holy God's direct subordinates!"
"They're not the low-level gods in charge of the pawnshop!"
"!"
With those words, the surroundings changed.
[Entered the territory of Kunlun]
The sign that he thought was Kunlun's civil servant pawnshop had changed into the building of the Great Holy God.
And at the familiar nameplate, Igeon frowned.
*'Those were the guys who had first won Taeksu at the auction.'*
As expected.
"You haven't already forgotten that you stole the Taeksu our lady won, and made the Great Holy God's precious elder that way."
It seemed the bastards had laid a trap, disguising themselves as pawnshop staff, and waited.
But that wasn't the only problem.
"Master, those guys are Food Ghosts that devour gods!"
"!"
They were different from the Kruders, but a race that was becoming a fear even in the divine realm!
Igeon immediately tried to use his death authority.
But.
[Warning. Authority does not work.]
[This space is under the barrier of Peach Garden Paradise.]
[Due to the unique barrier effect of the peaceful, conflict-free Peach Village, authorities are disabled.]
[All armaments are disarmed.]
"!"
His authority wasn't activating.
At the same time, the scream of the captured Anubis was heard.
"Damn! No wonder they said they were doing gutsy business against gods!"
Setting himself aside, he thought it strange they showed no fear even though they knew that Igeon, who had come looking for him, was a Holy God, and they were even playing interest games.
*'Well, if Kunlun themselves run a loan business against gods, they're no ordinary guys!'*
As soon as the words fell, Kunlun's gods, who had been hiding their power with the Great Holy God's power, bared their fangs.
"Mast... ack!!"
As a subordinate god was swallowed first, Anubis tightly shut his eyes.
The Food Ghosts never let go of the subordinate gods they ate.
*'That guy is done for...'*
But that moment.
Puhak!!!
"!"
Summoning the Divine Punishment of the Sky, Igeon split the enemy's head in two.
The swallowed subordinate god flowed out from the stomach.
"Ack, Mas... I'm sorry..."
"You're safe, that's all that matters."
But the Food Ghosts seemed far more shocked by the Divine Punishment of the Sky that Igeon had summoned than by their comrade's death.
"Wait, what is that divine tool...!"
The wide-eyed Food Ghosts said something unexpected.
"If you give us that weapon, we'll count it as interest and return this Ennead landlord god."
"No, we'll also give back the subordinates we caught."
At those words, Anubis's veins bulged.
That was only natural; Kunlun was the most discerning in this divine realm.
And for them to react like that meant the value of the item was beyond imagination...
"Are you saying my godhead is worse than some weapon?! Even on clearance?!"
"Shut up before we eat you! You brat!"
Kunlun rushed at Igeon, but he suddenly removed the Divine Punishment.
He had dismissed the summon.
The subordinate gods were surprised at the sight.
"Master! Why!"
The reason Igeon put away the Divine Punishment was simple.
[The Food Ghosts' saliva is peeling off the outer coating of the Divine Punishment of the Sky.]
[Sticky blood on the blade has slightly dulled its sharpness.]
[Durability is rapidly decreasing.]
Perhaps because they were Food Ghosts, they specialized in powers that incapacitate gods.
He couldn't let the Food Ghosts corrode the innocent Divine Punishment.
*'Our baby is hurting.'*
At the same time, Igeon summoned a substitute.
"Come out, Club! Wipe them all out!"
He had called the strongest shield among the subordinate gods, the Battle God.
But.
[Club (Heracles) is in a near-death state.]
[Resurrection is needed.]
"!"
Seeing the summoned Heracles collapsed like a corpse(?), Igeon was dumbfounded.
He was even stiff as if poisoned.
When he looked at him as if asking what was wrong with him again, the subordinate god was troubled.
"W-well, he got beaten up after asking the Scorpio saint for his name..."
At the mention that he had asked Haily for his name, Igeon inexplicably flared up and clicked his tongue.
And.
"Well. Then it can't be helped."
"Yes. For now, with Master's divine tool...!"
Pak!!!
Raising Heracles' leg high, Igeon wielded it like a club and killed the enemies.
Pak! Pak!
Heracles' body was damaged by the Food Ghosts' abilities, but Igeon didn't seem to care at all.
"He's tougher than my body, so he won't die."
"?!"
Indeed, the strongest body.
And as he turned around, Igeon's eyes glinted as if he had an idea.
*'The peach of Peach Garden Paradise.'*
And then.
"Become food for our Great Holy God!"
As a huge number swarmed in at once, the annoyed Igeon used his finishing move.
[Hit for Me (1-star)]
With that skill, the Scorching Heat Master and Hugo fell in front of Igeon.
"What the! This authority..."
"Geez, where is he summoning us now... Aack!!!"
Seeing the Food Ghosts baring their fangs, the Scorching Heat Master and Hugo screamed first.
"Wait, Food Ghosts?! Kunlun?!"
Realizing the situation, Hugo immediately shot them down with his bow.
And he immediately prepared to aim again.
"Geon! Lure them for a moment so I can sweep them at once..."
However, Hugo's veins bulged when he turned his head.
Because Igeon had bolted as if telling him and the Scorching Heat Master to handle it themselves.
In the end, Hugo activated an authority as if he didn't know what to do.
[Admiration of Beauty (5-star)]
Kwaang!!
"Aack!!"
Simultaneously, all the Food Ghosts hit by the arrows turned into ally dolls (Igeon).
Thanks to that, the attacks aimed at them stopped, but another problem arose.
Dududududu!
"!"
Even after turning into female Igeon, did their Food Ghost instincts remain?
They rushed out of the pawnshop to devour other gods.
The Scorching Heat Master was appalled.
"You brat! If you do that, other gods will be devoured indiscriminately!!"
"What do I care!"
"Those bastards are the subordinates of Kunlun's Great Holy God! If you don't turn them back, you'll incur their wrath!"
Hugo fled as if he didn't care.
And around that time.
There was a man observing the chaos.
The location was the land of the Kunlun faction, Yoji.
-Run!
-Aack! You brat! Turn them back! Hurry!
At the sight of Igeon reflected in the pond, the Great Holy God's subordinate god frowned.
"Truly a vulgar group. A small Holy God without a single subordinate, where does he get off..."
"Shall we call our forces and chase away that insolent snake god?"
Hadn't he already interfered with the auction of the Kunlun elder, whom the Great Holy God cherished, and the Hogo?
"The young lady who won the bid is still crying because the Hogo was taken by the snake god."
"Because of the Hogo matter, all the Great Holy Gods of the Eight Major Factions are displeased with the snake god."
"Well, those not in the Eight Major Factions are rather chasing the snake god to steal that achievement."
"Of course, other Great Holy Gods will likely try to deal with the snake god before that happens, but we should first..."
But the Great Holy God, who saw the screen with Igeon and the subordinates turned into female Igeon, seemed different.
"Oh. That."
He had a look of considerable interest.
* * *
"Huff, huff."
"Ah, we barely escaped."
Hugo and Anubis, having fled the pawnshop, entered an accommodation in the neutral zone.
It was a place that the Virgo Holy God had booked in advance, saying that at night in the divine realm, monsters roam, so one must stay indoors.
Of course, they had almost not made it inside.
That was because outside was already a pandemonium due to the swarm of Igeon Food Ghosts that Hugo had created... no, unleashed.
"Aack! Save me!"
"Don't co... Keuhg!"
Every street in the divine realm was filled with blood and corpses.
Thanks to that, the accommodation with a barrier was fully booked before nightfall.
Of course, the experience points of the gods that the Food Ghosts devoured went to Hugo and Igeon.
So Anubis, who had pleaded his way into following Igeon, looked at Igeon and Hugo with disgust.
*'Just what a state is the divine realm in because of those two bastards.'*
But regardless, the Scorching Heat Master frowned at Anubis.
"Nephew. Is it really okay to snatch him without paying? The ones at the pawnshop were guys the Great Holy God cherishes."
"What do I care? If they make a problem, I'll just smash them."
"If you really act like that...!"
But right then.
Flash!
Suddenly, a golden letter fell in front of Igeon.
The Scorching Heat Master, realizing what the golden letter was, cried out in dismay, 'See!'
"Look! It's a declaration of war from a Great Holy God! From Kunlun!"
He seemed worried that it was already hard with other Great Holy Gods, and it'd be troublesome if Kunlun got involved.
*'Wasn't Kunlun the major faction with the highest ratio of subordinate gods in the divine realm?'*
It was a major faction that even others were wary of.
But Igeon frowned.
"It's a bother to read your language, so read it. What's written inside?"
"What's written... with those misers, it's obvious..."
But the expression of the Scorching Heat Master, who opened the letter, distorted.
"What. What is it?"
"Ah, no. It's better if you don't see this..."
As the Scorching Heat Master averted his eyes, Igeon snatched the letter.
And Igeon, who could roughly read the characters, doubted his own eyes.
[Regarding taking the Ennead landlord god without interest, we will treat it as an unwritten rule.]
[We will not hold you accountable for laying hands on Kunlun's Grand Chancellor at the ship party either.]
[If you wish, Kunlun can protect Taeksu and the Snake Master from all factions.]
[If you wish, we will give a dowry of 100 billion talents.]
It was an offer that seemed insane. As the Snake Master, there was no reason to decline.
But the problem was the last line.
[However. The Holy God Snake Master shall become the 13,888th bride of the Great Holy God of Kunlun.]
"?????"
When he looked at the Scorching Heat Master as if asking what this was, the latter rubbed his forehead.
"It seems the Great Holy God of Kunlun has taken a liking to the female form you created, nephew."
"What??"
"So... in short, he's telling you to change your gender with the power of Cycle and marry him, and he'll give you money...?"
As if asking if he'd gone mad, Igeon tore the letter to shreds.
In the end, Hugo burst into laughter at the letter, while Igeon's eyes glinted, vowing to kill him.
(Continued in the next episode)