[Warning! Monarch rank has appeared.]
Frightened, the disciples turned to look at Lee Gun.
“What… What was that right now?”
They looked at their surroundings, but their eyes didn’t pick up anything. So, gnashing their teeth, they picked up their weapons.
“It’s a camouflage-type monster!”
“Who knows? Be on your guard!”
“Send for the healer! Lee Gun was hit on the head!”
At the same time, the Chun siblings looked at Lee Gun with flustered expressions.
Lee Gun had been sent flying for a couple hundred meters. They had never seen him like that before, but the sound was the terrifying part. It had sounded as if several tons of steel had crushed the skull!
Moreover, the siblings had heard numerous people die by having their heads cracked open on the brutal battlefield. Naturally, their faces turned pale as they ran toward Lee Gun.
“Uncle! Are you ok?”
“Uncle!”
Hoo-doo-doohk!
Lee Gun nonchalantly got up from amongst the corpses of monsters.
This surprised the disciples, who had been looking for a healer.
“What the hell? He isn’t bleeding at all.”
“I’m pretty sure I heard his head brack open.”
As expected of Uncle! Chun Sungjae’s eyes shone brightly. The other disciples were shocked, but Hugo’s reaction was different. His expression said he didn’t get why everyone was surprised.
“There is no way he would be down for the count with just that. He always had a hard head from way back”
Lee Gun glared at Hugo, but Hugo just ignored him. He had spoken in spite since Lee Gun had done as he pleased by making him unsheathe the Serpent Bearer’s badge.
Nevertheless, Hugo was also shocked on the inside. His reaction was understandable. ‘No way! Gun was sent flying?’
That was the reason for his shock. However, it didn’t end there.
‘Gun didn’t sense the enemy’s attack at all.’
Just this fact was out of the ordinary. It was no laughing matter. This was as serious as the world being split in two.
Of course, only a few things in the world were a 100% certain.
The Saint ranks were called humanity’s strongest, but even they had been beaten and sent flying throughout their lifetimes. However, his friend was different.
‘Gun is almost supernatural in this aspect.’
Hugo had tried to ambush Lee Gun when the latter was sleeping, but Lee Gun’s supernatural awareness allowed him to always wake up in time. Of course, at some times, Lee Gun had to take hits because his body couldn’t keep up, but his body was in perfect condition now. That meant only one thing.
‘Gun will have to be cautious with this opponent.’
Therefore, Hugo held his bow with a tense expression. If they weren’t careful, humanity would be destroyed in the blink of an eye.
As for Lee Gun, he held his ax up and laughed.
[Super Regeneration has been activated.]
His skull wasn’t split open, but cracks had appeared on it. This was why Super Regeneration had quickly activated itself.
Lee Gun smirked when he felt an electric energy. ‘As expected, they were close.’
Monarch rank! Even the great black zone monsters served the Monarch ranks as their kings, and the one that had sent Lee Gun flying was a Monarch rank.
Of course, this wasn’t a direct blow.
‘It is magical energy.’
Although it was gone now, this magical energy had come toward him from an unknown direction and attacked him.
Lee Gun let out a feigned laugh. ‘I didn’t notice it until it was right in front of me.’
There was a reason the Zodiac Saints had washed their hands of raiding the unknown civilization. There was a reason Giselle had sold information about humanity. She had made a deal with the unknown civilization since they were incredibly strong. To fight them, even she would have to put her life on the line.
It didn’t matter in the end.
‘From here, I should….’
A frightening smile appeared on Lee Gun’s face, and he was about to extend his hand.
“Uncle! Over there!”
Lee Gun turned his head at Chun Sungjae’s desperate yell. Then, he flinched. Chun Sungjae was pointing toward the sky. In the sky was a black beast with wings flying toward humankind.
Soon, the disciples were abuzz. It was inevitable.
“What the hell? Is that Red Eye?!”
This beast was a dragon that looked similar to Red Eye. Of course, it was different in color. Red Eye was reddish-black as if its body contained red lava. However, the one in the sky was gray. Moreover, it was a bit smaller than Red Eye. But its aura was similar to Red Eye’s.
On the other hand, something more frightening had appeared along with this beast.
“Something is riding on the top of its head!”
“Wait a moment. Is that a human?”
Yes, since that being was wearing a helmet, its face couldn’t be seen. However, it had the figure of a human, and it stood atop the dragon’s head.
Of course, it was over two meters tall, so it couldn’t be called a normal human. But that didn’t matter.
[Listen.]
“!!”
The disciples shook when the voice reverberated through the sky. The voice and the being’s appearance made the disciples tremble. This was especially true for the older disciples. Their reactions were normal.
<Invasion of the Unknown Civilization in the Year 2000>
<The US has relinquished sovereignty. Other large countries have surrendered one after another.>
<52,545,748 prisoners have been caught by the monsters.>
<The Unknown civilization says, “If you want to live, hand over your sovereignty, land, and people.”>
This had happened when the unknown civilization had invaded the earth for the first time. They had threatened humanity for no reason, asking for prisoners and territory if humanity wanted to live. And the voice asking that was the voice they heard right now.
This was why the disciples shook.
‘No way! The one from that time…’
Their shock didn’t end there.
“Look over there. It’s holding up something!”
“Isn’t that a head?”
Unrest rose amongst the crowd. The being atop the beast was holding up the head of a human male. Moreover, the head looked very familiar.
“That… that’s the White House spokesman!”
“He’s the US…”
It was unclear as to when this being had visited the white house, but this matter couldn’t be mistaken. That was the head of the White House spokesman. That wasn’t all.
“There is another one!”
Another head decorated its shoulder.
Kevin flinched when he saw that. The other head was the top politician of the European Alliance. Moreover, he wasn’t even a regular person. He was an S-rank disciple of the Aquarius temple.
Stevens was surprised at the sight of those familiar faces. He raised his voice. “Hurry up and go check it out!”
“We are already contacting them! However, it seems the governments have fallen…”
Stevens ground his teeth. It probably wasn’t just the USA and Europe.
‘The other territories were probably seized too…!’
At this moment, the man wearing the helmet opened his mouth again.
[Listen, Zodiac Saints. We request humans—]
Kwah-jeek!!!
“Kee-ehhhhhk!!”
Before the helmeted man could complete his sentence, however, he was sent flying. An ax sent from the ground blew off the beast’s head, and the flying beast faltered in the air.
Boom!
Surprised, the helmeted man looked in the direction where the ax had been thrown. The disciples were also taken aback.
“U-Uncle!”
The one to throw the ax was none other than Lee Gun.
When Stevens realized Lee Gun had thrown the ax, he looked at Lee Gun as if the latter had lost his mind. “Hey! We should listen to what it has to say!”
Lee Gun became angry as if Stevens were spouting nonsense. “Are you an idiot? Why should I twiddle my thumbs while I listen to that thing?”
This appalled Stevens.
“It might be trying to present terms like twenty years ago!”
Lee Gun stretched out his hand as if he was telling Stevens to buzz off. Why the hell would he talk to something that brought those heads? “He is an enemy that kills humans. Why should I listen to what it has to say? In the end, the fact is that he is an enemy I have to kill.”
After saying those words, Lee Gun immediately disappeared. He reappeared next to the helmeted man!
As soon as the helmeted man turned his head, Lee Gun swung Heaven’s Punishment.
Kwah-jeek!
The green beam of light split the gray dragon’s body and the helmeted man’s shoulder.
Kwah-gwahng!
A green light detonated in the sky. The gray dragon and the helmeted man fell to the ground.
When Lee Gun landed on the ground, everyone looked at him with admiration in their eyes.
“He did it! With this, we can—”
However…
[You’re the one who killed all of our compatriots in the tower? Our monarch treasured them.]
“!!”
The helmeted man, who was assumed to be down for the count, was walking toward them from a distance. Despite the large wound on his shoulder, his steps contained no hesitation. This meant he couldn’t feel any pain. Moreover, he had summoned an enormous greatsword.
Everyone shook in fear. Only Lee Gun let out a menacing laugh.
‘Did he just mention the tower?’
Lee Gun became sure. It wasn’t the same one, but it smelled similar to the “Tower’s Administrator.” The Tower’s administrator was the one that had insulted Lee Gun and conducted experiments on him.
‘This one is stronger.’
Therefore, Lee Gun’s stomach churned when he saw this being. It made him remember the moment when he fell into the trap. Murderous intent surged in his eyes.
Suddenly…
‘!’
The helmeted man that was walking in the distance suddenly disappeared and appeared right in front of Lee Gun!
Despite his path being blocked, Lee Gun continued to laugh.
[You can use Divine Status to kill the enemy.]
Lee Gun’s hand headed toward the helmeted man’s neck. But strength left his body.
“!!”
Lee Gun’s powerless body started to sway, then the helmeted man slammed him to the ground by his neck.
Kwahng!!
The surprised Chun siblings tried to use their skills, but it was useless.
“Kee-ehhhhhhk!”
The helmeted man emitted black magical energy, summoning enormous monsters around him. That wasn’t all.
“Monsters are coming from the north!”
Monsters charged toward them when the helmeted man made a hand gesture. There were at least tens of thousands of them!
This flustered the disciples.
“There are too many of them!”
In truth, the monsters of the unknown civilization tended to be independent. Despite being strong, they mostly operated on their own.
Therefore, the biggest group the monsters formed numbered a couple dozen.
This was why Red Eye had been terrifying. Red Eye had been able to command a similar number of monsters.
So the helmeted man being able to command so many monsters meant…
‘That bastard is on the same rank as Red Eye!’
The helmeted man laughed.
[The Red Eye that our monarch cherished died twenty years ago. The fact that the strongest calamity disappeared was a matter of great regret. However, Red Eye being gone means that I can control them.]
The monsters roared.
Kwahng!
Screams of people dying rang in all directions.
The helmeted man tried to kill Lee Gun by squeezing his neck. Lee Gun tried to break the helmeted man’s arm, but he soon coughed up blood.
“Kuhk!”
For some damned reason, strength wouldn’t enter his body. He soon realized the reason.
‘Yes. This symptom is similar to what the Cancer’s Core did.’
Lee Gun was thinking about the Cancer’s Core, which consumed gods. Although this thing was different from the toxicity of the Cancer’s Core, it was similar in that this power felt fatal to gods.
The thing didn’t feel like poison. It felt as if this being was stealing his power.
The helmeted man laughed as he tried to kill Lee Gun.
[A Zodiac appeared in person. You really have no fear.]
“…!”
[However, going by the power I can sense from you, you’re an immature Zodiac.]
The helmeted man brought forth a nefarious magical energy as if it was a trivial matter. It was the worst type of energy, a magical energy that could kill a god.
[Since you aren’t dying instantly by my power, it seems you’re quite strong. Well, you could be a low-rank god that has never heard of Divine Status. However, our monarch will be ecstatic if I offer up a talented Zodiac.]
Stevens, who had been approaching Lee Gun while killing monsters, flinched. Zodiac? Lee Gun was one?
At that moment…
Flash!
A green light arrow flew toward the helmeted man, melting every monster in its path. This was unmistakably the power of the Serpent Bearer!
This sight surprised the Chun siblings, who had been heading toward Lee Gun. They didn’t think it could be true, but their father was indeed using the same power as them. That wasn’t all.
“That’s the power of a Zodiac Saint!”
Chun Sungjae unconsciously became angry when he heard his sister. “What?! Zodiac Saint? Why did Dad have to take that envious position? We were supposed to be Uncle’s Zodiac Saint!”
Kevin bared his teeth as well. It was very clear where that power had come from. “Archer! You acted as if you didn’t want it, but you were blessed by Lee Gun!! You are so underhanded!”
The angry Hugo pulled back on his bow once again. He didn’t receive a blessing from Gun. The only things he received were abuse and disregard. Gun couldn’t be compared to the Serpent Bearer!
‘The only one I would fall for is the Serpent Bearer!’
How much had the Serpent Bearer given him? Hugo couldn’t give enough respect to the Serpent Bearer.
[Your faith has risen.]
This situation made the Sagittarius despair.
[The Sagittarius says it will give you a monthly salary.]
Hugo’s eyes flashed as if he wanted the voice to shut up. At the same time, he sent another green light arrow flying.
Kwahng!
The arrow hit the helmeted man in the back. This one was strong enough to make the helmeted man flinch. That wasn’t all.
The arrow clashed against a black barrier around the helmeted man and emitted green lightning. How long had passed?
Pahng!!!
The arrow finally pierced through the man’s barrier.
The monsters heading toward the city came to a stop. The power to command them had its connection severed. This made the helmeted man grind his teeth.
[It seems you possess a pretty useful Zodiac Saint, but that won’t help you in the end.]
The monsters that had come to a pause started to roar again.
[In the end, humanity is just our food. It is admirable that a low-rank god appeared without a Zodiac Saint. However, it’ll be just like twenty years ago…]
Suddenly…
Despite being choked, Lee Gun let out a frightening laugh. Then he shouted.
[Come out.]
