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Chapter 507: False Celestial, the Mother Terra Celestial (1)

“...You aren’t?”

“I’m sure that’s tragic news for you, but no. Why the hell would I kill myself?” Bel-Marduk scoffed and crossed his arms, arrogantly holding up his chin like his usual self.

Chang-Sun finally heaved a sigh of relief, then asked, “Then how are you going to do it?”

“I’m different from other Star Signs, whose souls have merged with their <Star Fragments> completely. I’ve been making sure to separate my soul from my <Star Fragment>.”

Chang-Sun’s eyes slightly widened.

“I’ve seen how the guys around me went crazy about their fragments’ power and obsessed over the other fragments, and I’m not stupid enough to repeat their mistakes.”

“Does that mean you drew power from your fragment only when you needed it?”

“That is right.” Bel-Marduk nodded.

“...It must have been very inefficient.”

“A lot of energy was wasted in the process, but I could always draw more power to make up for it.”

Chang-Sun chuckled dumbfoundedly. Although Bel-Marduk said it as if it were nothing, he had been displaying supernatural patience until now. If it were that easy, other Star Signs would have done the same. However, no one except for Bel-Marduk had succeeded because of how tempting <Star Fragments> were.

<Star Fragments> were an Emperor’s soul fragments. Chang-Sun had also experienced the enormous gap of power between him and an Emperor. Practically no one would refuse to make part of an Emperor’s power their own even at the cost of their sanity, especially <Stars>, who were born in pursuit of power.

However, Bel-Marduk was saying that even though he had continued to grow his <Star Fragment> in size, he had never been swayed by the temptation of <Star Fragments>, let alone absorb his own <Star Fragment>.

“...You’ve gone through a lot to gather and merge the fragments, so why are you giving it up now?” Chang-Sun asked cautiously.

“I don’t need it anymore.” Bel-Marduk looked at Chang-Sun calmly before explaining, “I’m going to go back to the Worldline I came from.”

Chang-Sun gaped slightly after hearing the last remark he would have expected.

Bel-Marduk chuckled. “I guess it came as a surprise to you too. Well, I’m surprised at myself too, because I never thought I would make a choice like this. Still, I’m emotionally volatile, so I might change my mind again. That’s why I’m trying to hand this over to you before I do.”

“Does your Worldline still exist?”

“Of course not. It’s ruined for sure because of the havoc Ubbo-Sathla and I wreaked. No new life is being born, and Idea barely reaches the Worldline... It’s about to be discarded, but its framework still remains.”

Chang-Sun quietly listened to Bel-Marduk.

“I’m planning to revive the place, although Ithaca, my family, and a lot of other people are gone. ”

Chang-Sun finally realized what Bel-Marduk’s dream had been all along. After defeating Ubbo-Sathla or finding a way to restore his Worldline from another one, Bel-Marduk had planned to go back to his own Worldline. That was why Bel-Marduk had not absorbed his <Star Fragment>; now, Ubbo-Sathla was gone too.

“I’m going to try reviving it regardless.” Bel-Marduk smiled.

“You...!”

“It’s all because of you,” Bel-Marduk said. “Thanks to you, I learned a lot. I always ran from everything, thinking that Ubbo-Sathla was someone who couldn’t be defeated, so I justified my fleeing to other Worldlines by telling myself that I needed to become stronger.”

Chang-Sun pursed his lips.

“But you didn’t give up until the end. You tried to protect your Worldline, family, friends, and lover until the end. That must be why <Dull Darkness> and <Deus Ex Machina> adore you.”

Bel-Marduk had been holding onto these thoughts while working with Chang-Sun, but he had been keeping them to himself because of his damned pride. However, speaking from his heart made him feel very free.

“And you did it. I was lucky to watch everything by your side.” Bel-Marduk nodded.

It was a kind of luck that other Lee Chang-Suns could not have.

“You’re the reason why I could work up the courage. No matter how hard things are, I’ll see light someday if I endure for the moment.” Bel-Marduk held out his hand to Chang-Sun before continuing, “That’s what life is, isn’t it?”

Life was a race for ephemeral luck and happiness.

Chang-Sun looked at Bel-Marduk for a long time, a storm of emotions raging within him. Because of Bel-Marduk, he had been plunged into despair, frustration, and sorrow. That was why he had dedicated himself to seeking his revenge, engulfed by fury, resentment, and spite, with the ultimate goal of killing Bel-Marduk. However, they had also formed a strategic alliance to overcome their <Punishment>. All those various, conflicting emotions mixed up and disappeared, leaving behind one emotion.

―Empathy.

Chang-Sun could—no, would have ended up the same as Bel-Marduk without a doubt. Bel-Marduk was also Lee Chang-Sun, with the same potential and personality, so Chang-Sun could have ended up becoming like Bel-Marduk, overwhelmed by the despair that their <Punishment> brought.

The only reason Chang-Sun had been able to endure everything was the people around him. His mother, father, brother, sister, Xerxes, Kali, Crom Crauch, Baek Gyeo-Ul, Shin Eun-Seo, Shin Geum-Gyu, Thanatos, Pabilsag, J?rmungandr, Mephistopheles, Tiamat, Loki, Hsan, Perkwunos, and Cha Ye-Eun... They had always reached out to Chang-Sun whenever he was in distress.

Chang-Sun did not want to imagine what would have happened without them, and Bel-Marduk was saying that he was only able to work up his own courage because of Chang-Sun. The fact that Chang-Sun could have influenced someone in a good way, as the others had done for him, actually made him happy.

“This is getting awkward. Are you going to leave me hanging?”

“...Ah, sorry.” Chang-Sun broke away from his thoughts and took Bel-Marduk’s hand.

“Farewell.” Bel-Marduk shook Chang-Sun’s hand.

“Take care, Lee Chang-Sun.”

Bel-Marduk’s lip trembled after hearing a name he had not heard for a very long time. Chuckling, he nodded and replied, “You too, Lee Chang-Sun. I hope your future will be filled with happiness.”

Two Lee Chang-Suns turned away and headed in different directions. They would never be able to meet each other again, but both of them were smiling, as they knew better than anyone else that they would do a great job.

* * *

[Returning to Worldline #802!]

Chang-Sun left the realm of R’lyeh and returned to where he had been. The time it took could be considered both long and short in a way, but he had been away from the battlefield. He needed to see how the battle had turned out.

‘Ubbo-Sathla is dead, but her remnants remain,’ Chang-Sun thought.

Nevertheless, he was not really worried because from what he knew, it was more than possible for Tiamat and the United Army to take care of those remnants. However...

“...Huh?” Chang-Sun murmured.

Worldline # 802 was quiet and empty. Wondering if the battlefield’s location had changed, Chang-Sun increased his range of perception and roamed around the battlefield, but he still could not find anything except for traces that indicated a fierce fight. On top of that, the Star Signs of <Horoscope> could not be detected either even though Worldline #802 was supposed to be their front yard.

‘Baek Gyeo-Ul and my other subordinates are also missing. What in the world is going on?’

Only Arcadia and several other civilizations remained, so Chang-Sun began to wonder if the battle had ended already and everyone had returned to Worldline #801.

[Heading to Worldline #801!]

Even if Worldline #802’s <Laws of Nature> had been ruined substantially, it was still difficult to leap over the wall between Worldlines #802 and #801, but half of Chang-Sun was an Outer Celestial. With ease, Chang-Sun arrived at Nastrond, the central divine ground of <Niflheim>, but he couldn’t sense anyone there either.

‘Where in the world are they?’ Chang-Sun wondered.

The conversation he had with Tiamat long ago crossed his head.

“You know, there is a chance that our Worldline will turn into Star Signs’ battlefield, right? That is why I created a backup plan.”

“A backup plan?”

“I restored some of the ruins in <Heaven> #802. Hahaha. They have ‘Nastrond’ too, so you can go visit the area if you need to.”

Chang-Sun immediately headed to Worldline #802 and got to the coordinates that Tiamat had told him. Fortunately, he could detect a number of Celestials there, but...

[An intruder has been detected!]

[A Divine Punishment has been activated.]

An enormous barrier was formed around Nastrond, and dozens of magic circles formed in the air, firing Divine Punishments at Chang-Sun. He was being treated with clear enmity, leaving him perplexed. Despite his confusion, Chang-Sun quickly drew the [Twilight Spear] from the [King’s Treasury] and swung it forcefully.

Rrrrrumble―!

The Divine Punishment attacks were instantly deflected in a different direction.

Ziiiiinnng!

When the divine ground system automatically increased its response level, the magic circles spun more fiercely, ready to pour out more powerful Divine Punishments. Chang-Sun frowned due to being attacked without any explanation, considering destroying everything in his path. However, fortunately, it did not seem necessary.

[The Celestial ‘World-Encircling Serpent’ checks on the divine ground system due to its sudden activation of Divine Punishment.]

[The Celestial ‘World-Encircling Serpent’ is surprised to see whom the divine ground system is targeting with Divine Punishment attacks!]

[The Celestial ‘World-Encircling Serpent’ has belatedly seen that the Channeling to you has been restored.]

“...Yes, it’s me. Can you turn this off now?” Chang-Sun asked.

[The Celestial ‘World-Encircling Serpent’ apologizes and quickly deactivates the Divine Punishments.]

[You have been granted access to the Central Divine Ground ‘Nastrond’ as a Grade 1 guest!]

‘Grade 1 guest?’ Chang-Sun had not received such a permit the last time he was here. Feeling a premonition, he quickly landed in Nastrond.

J?rmungandr came out to welcome him, explaining, “I’m sorry. I activated the defense system in a rush and forgot to exclude you from the target list.”

“Did something happen? Why is everyone suddenly here...?” Chang-Sun asked.

“I think it’ll be better to show you in person.” J?rmungandr led the way.

Chang-Sun noticed the serious look on J?rmungandr’s face, so he followed J?rmungandr, feeling a sense of danger and the impression that something had gone wrong.

“The war ended well. Ubbo-Sathla put up quite a fight, but they lost their rationality at one point and ran wild like an animal at one point, making it easier to take them down. I’m assuming that was your doing, yes?” J?rmungandr asked with conviction.

It had to have happened after Ubbo-Sathla’s core disappeared and her avatars had gotten free of her control.

Chang-Sun nodded and said, “Ubbo-Sathla has been annihilated.”

“...I can’t believe it’s actually possible to take down an Outer Celestial.” J?rmungandr shook his head, amazed how Chang-Sun always showed unprecedented results. Adjusting his glasses, J?rmungandr continued, “The problem happened right afterward.”

“Was there... really anything that could have gone wrong?”

“We thought so too.”

Chang-Sun had the opportunity to meet several members of the United Army on the way. Minerva, Mars, Cernunnos, and some of Chang-Sun’s subordinates were at the central castle.

‘I can’t see any <Horoscope> Star Signs, or any <Maleakhe> and <L\'Infernal> Celestials.’

However, Chang-Sun did not even have time to exchange greetings with his acquaintances, let alone find people he had not met yet. In a flash, he arrived at the underground secret chamber, which was heavily guarded.

There, he met Pabilsag, who quietly said, “...Hey.

Pabilsag was thinner than before and looked noticeably fatigued. Chang-Sun could not even ask her if she was okay, because a bizarre-looking monster was writhing in the center of the huge central chamber, tightly tied down with chains.

Roaaaaar―!

Kieeeeeeeh!

Whenever the monster roared, it released intense [Dragon Fear] that even sent a shiver down Chang-Sun’s spine. J?rmungandr and Pabilsag instantly turned pale.

“...I felt it several times, but I really can’t get used to it.”

Two people were infusing their divine power into the magic circle on the floor; they were Loki and Durga. Despite being some of the strongest Nine Heavens, they could not keep still as they held the writhing monster down using the magic circle, sweating buckets.

Kill. Kill. Let. Go.

The monster released energy that was similar to Ubbo-Sathla for some reason. That was when Chang-Sun finally realized the monster’s identity.

“...Tiamat,” Chang-Sun murmured blankly.

The Celestial King was going berserk, poisoned by the Outer Celestial’s energy.