Chapter 262  

The time had come for the gods to depart from this world.

When Yu-Seong had initially heard this tale from Loki at the Tower of Heaven, he had believed it to be one of Loki's cruel jokes. However, when he saw Scathi and Cu Chulainn nodding their heads in agreement, he had been left with no choice but to accept the undeniable truth.

And so, he asked a question.

'Then, does this mean we can't meet ever again?'?

They had said it would be difficult for a while for them to meet. When he had heard this response, Yu-Seong had smiled broadly.

'At least it's not goodbye forever.'?

That was enough for him.

Furthermore, the three gods had entrusted their final strength to Yu-Seong before they had departed from this world. To be more precise, they had bestowed it upon Loki, the dragon who had formed a contract with Yu-Seong.

‘In the final, most critical moment, when this power is truly needed…’

They had left him after telling him to shout out the name of the dragon when he needed the power.

And so, at this moment where Yu-Seong was feeling the dire need for the gods' power, he raised his voice.

In response, Loki, who had assimilated the power of the three gods, broke free from the juvenile dragon form and descended as a fully realized dragon.

Simultaneously, Cu Chulainn soared into the air, carrying Yu-Seong and Do-Jin on his shoulders as he shouted.

- We can only lend you our strength once!

The dragon, radiating a purple glow, opened its huge mouth, revealing its terrifying teeth.

Vroooooom-!?

As the world vibrated with a rumbling noise, swirling masses of blue, red, and purple mana converged in front of the dragon's mouth like a vortex.

Then, Scathi’s voice followed right after.

- If we open the way, the hunt is your responsibility, my beautiful and handsome friends.

Loki's voice concluded, and Cu Chulainn and Scathi responded in unison to Loki's final remark.

- Just in case, if you happen to die even after all of our efforts, we will pray for your peaceful rest.

- Stop jinxing us!

- Why must you be annoying to the very end?

Despite the dire and serious situation, Yu-Seong couldn't help but burst into hearty laughter at the banter of the gods echoing in his head. "Hahaha...!"

"No need to worry. There's no need for all of you to pray for our peaceful rest." Do-Jin's confident voice followed, accompanied by a subtle smile.

And at that moment, the immense energy gathering in the dragon's mouth reached its climax. It was the calm before the storm, and a final statement shattered the brief silence.

- It's about time we got going.

It was Cu Chulainn.

- Please take good care of Choi Yu-Seong, Kim Do-Jin.

Scathi requested.

- I'll miss you both.

Loki ended, and with her final words, a massive tricolored beam pierced the black sky, leaving the atmosphere and heading toward space.

Ka-Bang-!

With a thunderous noise, the purple dust scattered like flower petals, and the colossal dragon transformed into a small white dragon, being sucked into subspace. "See you again, everyone."

With those last words to the departed three gods, Yu-Seong gazed straight ahead. The immense darkness that had once engulfed the entire sky had largely dissipated. In its place, a relatively large sphere of black mana remained floating in mid-air; it gathered to shield itself from the power of the three gods.

'It's shrunk considerably, but it's still big.'?

Looking at that huge sphere, which seemed as if it would need hundreds of people with their arms spread out to surround it, Yu-Seong briefly smacked his lips.

'Would have been nice if it ended just now...'?

Despite possessing enough power to obliterate a small country, it was impossible to absorb all the darkness that had enveloped the world. However, that was not a concern. From the very beginning, the three gods, who were mere avatars transferring their souls, understood the limitations of their powers and had paved the way for the two men.

"Now, all that remains is..."

"Our part. Let's stay focused."

Yu-Seong and Do-Jin exchanged words as they fixed their gaze upon the black sphere shielding the Philosopher's Stone like a shell. The profound darkness appeared impenetrable from the outside, but that was not a problem.

Thanks to the efforts of the three gods, the blackened sky had cleared, and the sun had emerged once again. Amidst the dark spheres, there existed a space where sunlight brilliantly penetrated. Although it was rapidly shrinking, both Yu-Seong, with his Eyes of God activated, and Do-Jin, who unleashed his Eye of Insight, did not miss this critical moment.

'Right now...'?

Yu-Seong's Eyes of God emitted a radiant blue light, causing time to slow down around them. At the same time, Do-Jin's Acceleration Magic propelled them forward with incredible force. In the blink of an eye, within the fleeting instant, the two men boldly dived into the sphere of darkness.

***

Within the sphere, in contrast to the outside world where light had returned, darkness still prevailed. As Yu-Seong and Do-Jin ventured further into the darkness, their presence illuminated the surroundings. Before them lay the shattered Philosopher's Stone, which had expanded in size through its absorption of darkness. Around it, black mana swirled uncontrollably, voraciously drawing in energy as if intent on devouring everything in the world.

'We need to destroy that to end this.’

As their minds synchronized, Yu-Seong and Do-Jin's eyes shimmered with comprehension.

In an instant, the Philosopher's Stone, entwined with the pulsating black mana, underwent a metamorphosis. It transformed into a predatory creature, possessing four legs and razor-sharp, jagged claws. However, its countenance held a familiarity that struck both Yu-Seong and Do-Jin.

"Eveheim?"

[Why…? Why...has this happened?]

With its head twisted grotesquely to the side, Eveheim emitted a voice that blended a low growl with a beastly sound. Yu-Seong and Do-Jin immediately grasped the gravity of the situation.

The entity, initially destined to embody Superbia, had undergone a grotesque transformation into an incomprehensible life form due to the inflicted damage on the Philosopher's Stone.

[I... I only... wanted to be... a little more... special...]

Purple tears dripped from Eveheim’s eyes as it turned its gaze toward Yu-Seong.

[Answer me... Choi Yu-Seong...]

"...It seems its consciousness hasn't completely disappeared?"

[I said… Answer…me…!]

With the forceful voice, a wave of energy erupted, striking Yu-Seong's body with great intensity. Reacting swiftly, he crossed his arms to block the attack, narrowly avoiding injury. Yu-Seong's expression hardened with determination in response to the threat he faced.

'The power in just the voice was this intense....'?

It had transformed into a twisted and grotesque creature, wielding tremendous power. If it had been in its complete form, the unimaginable destructive force it could unleash would be catastrophic.

"I'll give you the answer, Eveheim. You were merely dreaming a dream that exceeded your capabilities," declared Do-Jin resolutely. Meanwhile, his flaming sword swung down from behind Eveheim, who had taken the form of a lion. Eveheim quickly conjured a long tail to block the attack, once again contorting its face 180 degrees.

[Capabilities...?]

Seeing its confused face and sensing that its power had weakened slightly, Yu-Seong's eyes flashed.

'This creature....'?

As expected, it was unstable. There was no reason to miss this opportunity.

"Yes. You were never worthy to ascend to the heights of the heavens," said Yu-Seong.

[Why?]

With a roar, Eveheim, its face contorted, stamped its four feet and cried out. Thud-!

Eveheim's back sprouted wings that were reminiscent of a dragon; it unleashed another wave of energy that scattered in all directions. Yu-Seong and Do-Jin, who had been poised for an opening, were forcefully knocked off their feet by this formidable force. Even with their considerable physical strength, resisting such power was a daunting challenge.

Naturally, Do-Jin shot Yu-Seong a fierce glance, silently conveying their need for a strategic response.

'I'm sorry, I didn't realize this would happen.'?

Yu-Seong, slightly sweating due to Eveheim's somewhat evolved form, proceeded with his speech. "Because you were merely an ordinary human."

[Ordinary? Me...? That can't...be...]

There was no rule or pattern to the weakening of the power surge, but Yu-Seong keenly seized the opportunity and intensified his assault.

"Don't delude yourself into thinking you're exceptional, Eveheim. You've existed for a considerable time, observing countless individuals. Through their triumphs and failures, you must have intuitively grasped it. Why do humans falter?"

[Greed...]

The energy plummeted abruptly as Yu-Seong delivered his statement. His face tinged with determination as he glanced at Do-Jin.

"Hmph..." Do-Jin snorted and averted his gaze.

"Indeed. It is often greed that taints everything."

[I... I was greedy?]

"Yeah. Like many people, you made a mistake."

[I... couldn't... possibly...]

Shedding purple tears, Eveheim glared at Yu-Seong as if to kill him.

"I’m telling the truth. The only difference between you and others is the magnitude of your mistake."

[What…did I do wrong?]

"You attempted to sacrifice others, no, the world, for your own greed."

It was inherent in human nature to be driven by greed. Yu-Seong, like anyone else, desired a fulfilling life and happiness. It was a common principle. However, on this path, one should not inflict pain and sacrifice upon others.

In stark contrast, Eveheim sought to fulfill its own ambitions by causing harm not only to individuals but to entire families, societies, and the world. At this stage, that greed became malevolent.

"So, the reason you have reached this point is simple. You were driven by greed and became a villain."

[I...was bad?]

The face of Eveheim, which had been rotating 180 degrees continuously, finally came to a stop. Upside down, its eyes facing the ground, purple tears cascaded from its head like a waterfall.

"You knew, didn't you? You were thinking that it was acceptable to commit evil deeds as long as they served your ultimate goal. Why? Because as a selfish being, you believed your dreams were more important than the value of all other lives. And now, what do you see? Look at the state you're in," Yu-Seong said.

Eveheim's momentum had considerably weakened, and its pupils darted around as it examined its own condition.

Its form was unrecognizable—it was a beastly shape that was grotesque and black. Eveheim's eyes widened as it beheld the drastic transformation, far different from the self-image it remembered.

[This is me? Impossible. I... I just wanted to achieve my dream...!]

Looking at Eveheim with sober eyes, Yu-Seong exhaled a short breath, then declared, "You’re being stupid, Eveheim. Don't you get it yet? This monstrous form that now surrounds you is the embodiment of your original sin."

[Pride...?]

"Yes. Arrogance."

With that cold proclamation, the end of Yu-Seong's spear pointed toward Eveheim, who began to melt into a pitiful and hideous carcass.

[Aarrgghh-!]

Eveheim's bestial cry echoed simultaneously.

[I didn't want...to become like this...!]

"Everyone you've hurt would have thought the same. No one wanted to lose their family, to die, to scream in sorrow."

[Forgive... Forgive me... Give me another chance...to make things right...]

"Eveheim, you fool. It's already over."

Finally, Yu-Seong's spear pierced through Eveheim's head.

Thud-!?

With a burst of sound, Eveheim's face contorted in despair and was swallowed up by the darkness.

[I... I am...]

Thus, Eveheim disappeared from this world without even leaving its last words properly. However, the darkness hadn't completely receded yet.