The Divine Twilight's Return

“I was wondering where you brought all these soldiers, but you already finished conquering Vanir, didn’t you?” Mammon the ‘Wealth-Wanting Deception’ burst into laughter.

After Odin had suddenly appeared in [Hringhorni] and overpowered Tiamat, Mammon had brought the remaining soldiers of <L'Infernal> that were loyal to him to follow Odin. With Satan’s death, and Mammon Celestial-Cannibalizing Lucifer and Slyt, Mammon already had most of <L'Infernal> under his control. On top of that, he had also eaten Beelzebub, so no one in <L’Infernal> could stop him.

‘It’s a bummer that Asmodeus and Belphegor ran away... But I’ll be able to eat them someday,’ Mammon thought.

Demons as a whole could never stand to be without political authority, so Asmodeus and Belphegor would eventually come back to retrieve their shares of <L'Infernal>. That was the day Mammon was waiting for.

The one thing that was bothering Mammon was that Agares had vanished at one point... Agares was the Grand Duke of <L'Infernal> even without having become one of the Seven Deadly Sin Monarchs. Considering that Agares was comparable to Satan, his disappearance bothered Mammon a lot.

‘Well, I guess it doesn’t matter. If Agares shows up and tries to stop me, I’ll just eat him.’ Mammon licked his lips, his mouth already watering.

Feeling a cold gaze on him from far away, Mammon chuckled and turned to look at Gabriel, who had <Maleakhe> angels behind her and was looking at him with contempt. He remarked, “Does the <Maleakhe> Prophet not like me?”

“I know you’re from the Absolute Evil Faction, but those people you ate used to be your colleagues. How does that make you any different from the Star Signs you’ve condemned until now?” Gabriel snapped.

“Haha. What are you talking about? Star Signs are just vermin whose only goal is to obtain more power, and I... Yes, I saved my friends from tragically joining samsara, since they’re all living inside me.”

Thinking she could not talk to Mammon at all, Gabriel pursed her lips and quickly looked away, which only made Mammon’s sneer deepen.

Mammon sarcastically said, “Let’s lose the pompousness here. You and I are both pathetic fugitives who tucked our tails between our legs, am I wrong?”

“We aren...!”

“You must want to say we’re different. But it’s the same for both the Absolute Good and Evil Factions. We’re no longer the weights that maintain the balance of the world. We’re in a world where the only absolute thing is power. You can act pompous all you want, but... Ha!”

Gabriel pursed her lips even more tightly after running out of things to say. Michael was dead, and Raphael was missing. She was the only one who could lead <Maleakhe> now, so she had joined Odin to survive... giving up on everything that allowed <Maleakhe> to be <Maleakhe>.

Gabriel wondered if it would have been better to have died in the war with the other angels instead. If so, perhaps <Maleakhe> would still have their honor. She could not tell what was right, because ever since the threat of <Extinction> that Ubbo-Sathla had brought ended, the only thing she could see through her ability to see possible futures was darkness. It was as if no future was decided from here on out.

Everything that had happened made Gabriel very anxious. She needed to guide <Maleakhe> down a proper path, but she was powerless without her foresight, making her doubt whether she would be able to properly lead all the angels.

‘I should get it together... so I won’t be eaten by Mammon.’ Gabriel bit her lower lip in determination.

Whooooosh...!

A message suddenly appeared in front of Mammon and Gabriel.

[The Celestial ‘Cane-Holding Father of Warriors’ proposes that the Societies <Maleakhe> and <L'Infernal> should swear their loyalty.]

After reading the message, Gabriel clenched her fists, and Mammon laughed quietly. Since Odin was a natural-born conqueror, it was easy to anticipate his proposal.

[The Celestial ‘Cane-Holding Father of Warriors’ says that he has no intention to charitably take in refugees who only followed him to survive.]

[The Celestial ‘Cane-Holding Father of Warriors’ asks the refugees to prove themselves to stay under his command.]

[From now on, the Society <Asgard> is going to go to war to conquer the universe, so the Celestial ‘Cane-Holding Father of Warriors’ proposes that the Societies <Maleakhe> and <L'Infernal> should establish an ‘Allied Army’ with the <Vanaheim> soldiers to join the war. ]

[Depending on their contribution, the trophy shares and rights of the Societies <Maleakhe> and <L'Infernal> shall be protected, including the positions of the two Society leaders.]

“The Allied Army, huh!” Mammon stroked his chin with sparkling eyes.

One side had founded the United Army, so Odin had to have established the Allied Army in opposition. The existence of two combined forces led by two different Celestial Kings would make things interesting.

Worldline #801 was bound to be divided into two sides, and the conflict between those sides would only intensify over time. Supposing that Mammon made a significant contribution to the side which was rising like the sun... The revival of <L'Infernal> would not be difficult. Perhaps Mammon would be able to become someone like ‘Divine Twilight’ of the United Army.

‘The more active the conquest is, the more people I’ll be able to devour.’ Mammon could not help but laugh, already addicted to the ecstasy of Celestial Cannibalism.

On the other hand, Gabriel felt as if could tell where their path would lead them for some reason, so she shut her eyes.

‘Dear Lord.’ Gabriel prayed to their father, whom she had never met because he was very far away. She had a feeling that perhaps the darkness she was seeing with her foresight was actually the future of destruction that awaited her.

‘Please show your young, wandering lamb a path.’ Gabriel continued her prayer desperately, but she could not receive any answer.

***

Odin slowly took his hand off the interface window and said to himself, “It’s working well.”

He thought it was magnificent. From his time as a Celestial King to his time as Chang-Sun’s past reincarnation, he had lived for an eternity, but it was his first time meddling with the <System>. [Bestla's Poem] made everything possible.

“It’s all thanks to our great teacher and former king.” Odin’s mouth curled into a half-smirk as he glanced off to the side.

There, a goddess with long hair was on her knees, biting her lower lip as she glared at Odin. Her wrists were tightly bound by rune shackles. The goddess’ name was Freya, the king of <Vanaheim> and Odin’s first magic teacher.

A very long time ago, Freya had been taken hostage by <Asgard> due to a peace treaty signed between <Asgard> and <Vanaheim>. Odin and Freya could have been friends at the time, but Freya had not helped Odin when many <Heaven> Celestials tried to drag him down from his throne. In fact, Freya had betrayed Odin and watched the fall of <Asgard>. After then, she had immediately gone back to <Vanaheim>, her home, and left behind her history with <Asgard>, leading her and Odin to become enemies today.

That was why when Odin had resurrected, he had immediately headed to <Vanaheim> with his <Ten Knights>. One of the reasons for that was to retrieve the verses of [Bestla's Poem], which were scattered everywhere. However, the bigger reason was to bring down <Vanaheim> and retaliate against Freya for his past grudges. As a result, Freya had become a prisoner, with a look ill befitting a king.

“Keep... your promise. I already gave you everything you asked for!” Freya shouted bitterly.

Freya had given up everything. Her poem verses, the primordial runes she had kept to himself, the way to access the law of causality that she had discovered in her study of magic... It was why Odin could manipulate the <System> to give Gabriel and Mammon a quest.

Odin had already come back stronger from his death, but he could manipulate the <System> now... Freya could not even begin to fathom how much stronger Odin would become. As a matter of fact, Odin was using the gnosis he had accumulated until now to figure out the structure of the <System>. It looked as if it would not take long for Odin to have the <System> under complete control, filling Freya with agony. She had made the decision to save her people, but she was unsure if it was the right one.

“I will. I always keep my promises.” Odin nodded.

“Then...!”

“But only after I gather all the verses and go through a new transcendence.”

Not expecting Odin’s terms, Freya frowned angrily and tried to stand up, shouting, “Odin...!”

Tap!

Odin lightly tapped his armrest, and Freya immediately sank to the floor.

“Keough...!” Freya groaned.

“You could have made a better choice, you know. It was your foolish decision in the past that put you in this mess now. But don’t feel too bad about it. You and your people will become a very valuable foundation in my great journey.”

Freya gritted her teeth with her head on the floor, knowing better than anyone how Odin treated his prisoners as slaves. As a natural-born ruler, Odin would not care how many people of <Vanaheim> would die. In fact, he would actually love it if that was all it took to continue his conquest and gather more verses of [Bestla's Poem].

‘Someone... Help me...!’ Freya choked up in frustration, but she pushed her feelings down, not wanting to look weak in front of Odin. Never.

Odin chuckled, looking at the back of Freya’s head. He could see through what Freya was thinking, so it was amusing. The more a slave ran wild without knowing their place, the more exhilarating it was to conquer them.

Of course, it was not interesting enough to watch only Freya, and Odin happened to have something else he wanted to watch until he arrived at <Alfheim>. He tapped the empty air a couple of times, and the interface window flickered and displayed new footage, in w hich Chang-Sun was meeting another Lee Chang-Sun.

“He must have gone where the Mother Terra Celestial is sealed.” Odin rested his chin on his hand, watching Chang-Sun. The more he watched his reincarnation, the more interesting it was. He muttered, “Then he’ll see <Ginnungagap>. I wonder how he’ll react.”

<Ginnungagap> was the foundation of all Worldlines, and a mass of <Nihil>. In addition, it contained a secret that was not known publicly at all. It would be fun to see Chang-Sun’s reaction after uncovering the secret.

From what Odin had seen until now, Chang-Sun had wanted to undo his <Mark> and live a normal life, but uncovering that secret could change everything. After all, Odin himself had been the same.

‘It’s really interesting.’ Odin burst into laughter.

***

Chang-Sun felt mixed emotions as he looked at the iron-armored knight, who looked the same as him. Of course, he knew that because of the <Mark>, his incarnations from different Worldlines were leading complicated lives for various reasons, but this was too much. The Mother Terra Celestial had to have existed since the beginning of time, but Lee Chang-Sun was in one of her <Myths>. How was that possible?

Just then, the iron-armored knight closed the distance between him and Chang-Sun even more tenaciously as if nothing else mattered.

Booooom!

The moment the iron-armored knight extended his empty left hand, a strong explosion occurred and blew away half of the Cataclysm Celestial’s upper body.

Rummmble...!

The explosion was so powerful that it shook the ground violently, creating a whirling firestorm.

Wooosh―!

The iron-armored knight enveloped the [Shengxie Sword] with the fire as he closed in on Chang-Sun, who quickly retreated a great distance backward in response. At the same time, Chang-Sun drew [Tiamat's Snaggletooth] and swung it upward to parry away the [Shengxie Sword]. Fire and lightning sparks clashed against each other intensely like two beasts preying on each other, creating a powerful explosion.

At that moment, Chang-Sun was conflicted between subduing or eliminating the iron-armored knight. He did not think he would lose, but the key right now was making athe right choice so he could properly absorb the Mother Terra Celestial’s <Myth>.

‘Let’s subdue him first,’ Chang-Sun thought.

That was the only way to find out what was going on, at least. If the Mother Terra Celestial and Chang-Sun’s soul were connected, he decided he had to hear it. Perhaps having noticed Chang-Sun’s decision, the iron-armored knight adjusted his grip on the [Shengxie Sword] to resume their battle.

Rrrrrumble...!

The sky suddenly began to shake, but neither of them had caused the change. When Chang-Sun and the iron-armored knight looked up at the same time...

Swisssh―!

...they could see the black sky splitting apart vertically. Wondering what was going on, Chang-Sun narrowed his eyes again.

However, for the first time, the iron-armored knight spoke. “Are you...”

The voice resembled Chang-Sun’s, but felt different from his.

“...not Ymir’s slave?”

“What are you talking about?”

“...I suppose you are not. You look the same as me but are a Giant, so that is why I thought so. I was mistaken.” The iron-armored knight suddenly lowered his sword, and the murderous intent in his eyes disappeared completely. Not caring about Chang-Sun, who was frowning in confusion, he looked up at the sky and said, “Then get ready.”

“For what?”

“Ymir’s slaves are coming down here to take over this place.”

As Chang-Sun’s confusion only deepened...

Paaah―!

...dozens of angels—no, the murderous energy they exuded was too strong to call them ordinary angels. Dozens of heavenly warriors were coming down from the sky, looking exactly the same as one another; they were all Lee Chang-Suns.

“...Shit. What in the fuck is going on?” Chang-Sun swore inadvertently.

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