The Divine Twilight's Return

However, Chang-Sun did not care about Chaque li Omeister’s reaction one bit and just scoffed. ‘He’s trying to weasel out of this.’

It seemed as if Chaque had shared all the information he knew, but it only looked that way.

‘He didn’t explain why he’s guarding [Ymir’s Heart].’

For the world’s justice? Out of concern for Ymir filling up the world after their resurrection? All those reasons were nonsense. Chaque looked as if he sought justice and was actually an upright person...

However, Chang-Sun did not forget that Chaque was also Lee Chang-Sun. People were bound to live in pursuit of their own benefit, and that tendency was stronger for all Lee Chang-Suns. Chaque was hiding something, and Chang-Sun would never help him until he revealed it.

‘Who knows? Those angels might be the good ones,’ Chang-Sun thought, quietly stepping backward.

“...Okay, I will tell you my reason too,” Chaque said, gnashing his teeth as he fended off the heavenly warriors.

Clang, clang, clang!

Chaque had been vague about the truth and tried to recruit Chang-Sun to his side, but he had seen how he could not think lightly of Chang-Sun. If Chaque wasted any more time, he would be at a disadvantage because his stamina had almost been exhausted already, which meant he would lose at this rate.

With his arms crossed, Chang-Sun arrogantly signaled to Chaque with his chin to continue.

Kyaaaaaah!

At that moment, a heavenly warrior appeared behind Chang-Sun and thrust his spear forcefully.

Paaah―!

Chang-Sun disappeared right afterward.

Rummmble!

A lightning bolt struck down and split the heavenly warrior in half.

Tap, tap.

As a cloud of smoke rose, Chang-Sun slowly walked out of it with an annoyed look, finding the heavenly warriors bothersome. The display gave Chaque the conviction that he had to recruit Chang-Sun to his side. With Chang-Sun by his side, it looked as if Chaque could not only protect Ymir’s heart, but also eradicate the slave soldiers.

“I am a knight who is here at Audumla‘s request,” Chaque continued.

Chang-Sun’s eyes gleamed, as he had heard about Audumla before. She and Ymir both appeared in the creation myth of <Asgard>. Audumula in the form of a huge cow had nourished Ymir and licked a block of ice mixed with salt, birthing Buri, the first god of <Asgard>.

In other words, Audumla was someone who had contributed to the birth of the first Giant and god. Not many people knew about her, but Audumla was a kind of Ancient Celestial who had existed from the beginning of time. However, Audumla was the one who had given Chaque this job. Something that Chang-Sun was unaware of was going on.

“Audumla used to be the nanny of Ymir. No one knew where Ymir came from, but Audumla raised them as her own. But she concluded that Ymir was dangerous one day and abandoned them.”

Chang-Sun was unsure what ‘no one knew where Ymir came from’ meant.

‘...Does that mean Ymir’s birth was different from the creation myth and someone else was involved?’ Chang-Sun wondered after unexpectedly finding out new information about Ymir.

However, he decided not to ask more about it as he kicked away an heavenly warrior, who happened to appear in front of him, in the head. He replied, “Odin killed Ymir and is Buri’s descendant, right?”

“Yes, that is correct.”

“Then was Audumla behind Odin?”

“That is right.”

And yet Bestla, whom Odin thought of as his teacher, was Ymir’s descendant.

‘Their relationships are really complicated.’

However, that also allowed Chang-Sun to quickly sort out his thoughts.

The history of the Giants had begun with Ymir and Bestla, continuing all the way to <Muspelheim>, <Niflheim>, and <Jotunheim>. On the other hand, Odin and <Asgard> continued the history of the Celestials, which had started with Audumla and Buri.

Chang-Sun could see a rough picture of the long conflict among the Giants.

‘There was no distinction between Giants and Celestials at first, so there was almost no conflict between them since Ymir and Audumla were on good terms at the time. That’s why Odin was able to think of Bestla as his teacher.’ Chang-Sun’s gaze turned sharp. ‘But the relationship between Audumla and Ymir soured for some reason, and Audumla asked Odin to kill Ymir... That made Celestials and Giants turn on each other.’

Chang-Sun did not believe that Audumla had been concerned about Ymir bringing down the world. There had to have been another reason. In that case, Chang-Sun had questions to which he needed to find answers. Why had Odin and Audumla worked together? Audumla and Ymir had been like a family, so why had they turned on each other?

‘Odin isn’t someone who would follow orders, so something serious must have happened,’ Chang-Sun thought.

What could possibly have motivated Odin to take action?

‘Bestla’s death.’ That was the only possibility that came to Chang-Sun’s mind.

‘Bestla was a person who was outstanding enough to become the first Celestial King of Worldline #801, but she died, unable to overcome the jealousy and betrayal of <Heaven>. If Audumla and Ymir were involved in that... Everything would make sense, including why Odin worked with Audumla.’ Chang-Sun’s mouth curled up in a half-smirk. ‘I didn’t expect to discover Odin’s past here.’

Because Odin was his past reincarnation, Chang-Sun felt a very close connection to him, but at the same time, they were also very distant. Unlike Chang-Sun’s other past reincarnations, Odin was the only one who had broken free and raised a faction of his own.

Even Chang-Sun did not know what Odin’s exact goal was, but one thing was certain. Odin had attacked Tiamat, so they had to become enemies now. That was why Chang-Sun had to find out more about Odin.

“Then who are you for Audumla to make such a request?” Chang-Sun asked. Although he had an idea in mind,he wanted to hear it from Chaque himself.

“...I think you already know. I’m from a different Worldline, Worldline #108. I’m embarrassed to say it myself, but the Divine Name that my comrades gave me is...” Chaque’s eyes gleamed with ghostly light. “...‘Giant Slayer’.”

Flash!

The moment Chaque’s sword was also enveloped in the ghostly light, he unleashed an attack with it. slaying all the heavenly warriors who were flying at him and carving a vertical tear through the spatial gap above. The gap took on the shape of a cross, revealing the faint shadow of someone looking at the hill from beyond the sky. The person’s shadow was so colossal that the mere sight of them could send a shiver down one’s spine. Chang-Sun could tell that the shadow was a fragment of Ymir’s mind.

『Seriously... You’ll never stop bothering me, won’t you? Everything will be a lot easier if you give me my heart and become my slave.』

Swoooosh―!

When Ymir showed their strong murderous intent toward Chaque, an even larger group of slave soldiers flew out from the spatial gap.

“From what I heard, an Outer Celestial usually brought <Extinction> to other Worldlines, but it was different for the Worldline I was in.” Chaque did not hide his enmity toward Ymir and their heavenly warriors. “In my Worldline, a war between Celestials and Giants had been ongoing for a long time. The Giants were winning and had <Heaven> all to themselves, and... I’m the one who defeated the Giants as Odin’s reincarnation.”

Chang-Sun received an impression that the history of Chaque’s Worldline was the opposite of Worldline #801’s. Bestla’s death had caused the Giants of Worldline #801 to fall, but the Giants of Worldline #108 had been the ones in power. On top of that, Lee Chang-Sun #108 had brought the fall of the Giants, in contrast to Chang-Sun #801, who had revived the Giants.

Chang-Sun wondered if their destinies had been different because of the opposite numerical labels on their Worldlines, but there was no way to know for certain.

‘Our personalities are also different,’ Chang-Sun thought.

However, it was certain that Chaque was far from the Lee Chang-Suns who had failed until now.

“That is why Audumla invited me at the cost of her own Causality. She liked my Divine Name ‘Giant Slayer’ and how I have the same soul as Odin, who made a vow with her long ago.” Chaque smiled bitterly. “I resent Giants, so I believed it to be a good deal, which is why I am here... I occasionally wonder nowadays if I made the wrong decision.”

Chang-Sun nodded, understanding why Audumla would be tempted to recruit someone with such a <Myth>.

‘Lee Chang-Sun in this Worldline... It happened before I was even born.’

With that thought, Chang-Sun asked, “What is the exact deal you made with her?”

“...Do I really have to tell you that?”

“Forget it if you don’t want my help.”

“Phew!” Chaque let out a long sigh before he continued, “I’m going to receive Audumla’s blood if I complete her request.”

“Blood?” Chang-Sun tilted his head in confusion, wondering what purpose the blood would serve.

“Do you not know how Buri, the first Celestial of <Asgard>, was born?”

Chang-Sun’s eyes widened. “Wait...”

“Buri had been trapped in a statue, but Audumla licked the statue to wake him up.”

Chang-Sun clenched his fists, feeling that Buri’s statue was similar to the Nereid Stone in some way.

“Audumla’s body fluids, such as saliva and blood, are mythical in many ways. I must prepare for the war against an Outer Celestial which will take place someday, so I must have the blood.”

Chang-Sun reflexively swallowed down his saliva. ‘I might be able to get a clue to undoing [Gaia's Curse].’

Helping Chaque could help Chang-Sun meet Audumla, so Chang-Sun now had a reason not to let him die alone.

“I already told you everything I know, so help me like you promised.”

“Okay, I will.” Chang-Sun nodded readily.

Chaque’s expression brightened. “Are you serious?”

“Do you have trust issues or something?”

“Then...!”

“Let me take care of one thing first.” Chang-Sun held up his hand.

Chaque was about to protest and ask what kind of condition Chang-Sun was trying to add again, but Chang-Sun had already sprung toward a certain direction.

Paah!

“Where are you going again?! You should help me!” Chaque felt as if he was going insane. Despite having just been in an intense battle, Chaque had caught his breath with greeat difficulty to finish explaining, but Chang-Sun just wandered off again!

“Hold on.” Chang-Sun casually dismissed Chaque’s distress call. Approaching the statue, he quickly observed the surface, his Inferno Sight blazing up more fervently than ever.

Rage got the better of Chaque, and he began to scream at the top of his lungs. However, Chang-Sun paid him no attention.

‘If Audumla and Ymir are opposites of each other, and Audumla really has the ability to undo [Gaia's Curse]... it means Ymir is related to the Mother Terra Celestial,’ Chang-Sun thought.

Chang-Sun had to confirm his hypothesis. If he could confirm a connection between Ymir and the Mother Terra Celestial, what he had to do next would become clear, so it was good to make sure.

Whoosh!

Chang-Sun’s [Foretelling Eye] opened wide.

[Further analyzing the object based on the additional knowledge from the Celestial ‘Giant Slayer’!]

[Analyzing.]

...

[Printing the analyzed information!]

In Chang-Sun’s eyes, the statue was now a mass of letters. They were all jumbled up, but he began to understand them little by little after checking each letter and lining them up.

<...and ascended the throne with everyone’s blessings. Giants and Celestials. Dragons and demons. ■ll be■■ her ■■.>

‘This is...’

Nevertheless, the writing was a little odd. Chang-Sun had thought that it would be about Ymir or the Mother Terra Celestial... but he got something entirely different.

[You have found verses of ‘Bestla's Poem’!]

‘Why did these verses show up out of the blue...?’ Chang-Sun wondered, but it did not take long for his confusion to turn into...

<And the Celestial of Celestials, moth■ of mo■ers, personally arrived and blessed the king’s accession, appointing the king as her apostle.>

...shock. Chang-Sun’s eyes widened.

‘Bestla... was the Mother Terra Celestial’s apostle?’

Updated from fr𝒆ewebnov𝒆l.(c)om