A while ago, Hugo and Lee Gun had gotten into a big fight. It had been around the time when the Sagittarius temple had moved under the Serpent Bearer temple as an affiliate.
Hugo hadn’t known why, but thanks to his damn bald Zodiac, he had become an affiliate under the Serpent Bearer.
Hugo was pouting. Of course, becoming a gofer for his friend didn’t feel good. Hugo was a prideful man. His pouting was an understandable response, but it was odd that he was being so curt with Lee Gun.
The situation turned so bad that Lee Gun had to ask while raising his eyebrow, “Hey. What’s your problem?”
“What do you mean, Zodiac-nim?”
“I’m sorry for duping you. No. If I’m being honest, you’re at fault for falling for it. Anyway, change the channel.”
“Yes, yes. I’ll change the channel, Zodiac-nim.”
“Why are you so dissatisfied? Despite you being an affiliate, I don’t make you do errands. Ah, Taeksoo. I don’t want that channel. Put on the movie channel. Also, I want some juice. Of course, it has to be 100% juice.”
Did he not count this as doing errands? Well, it was understandable.
Hugo had been Lee Gun’s student 20 years ago and had done worse for him. For example, Lee Gun wanted to make an ice-type weapon once, so Hugo had to go to the Antarctic to catch a monster.
However, any leftover travel expense was used by Lee Gun to pay for the food expenses. It was all used in a single day. This was why Hugo had to go out and make some money.
When compared to those days, changing the channel and bringing beverages was nothing.
Moreover, Hugo had received things in excess compared to what he brought to Lee Gun. It was also tens of thousands of times better than being in pain all the time.
Despite these changes, Hugo seemed dissatisfied.
“Zodiac-nim. Why don’t you hand your seat as a Zodiac to a Construct? Let’s just be humans.” Hugo spoke as he handed over the 100% apple juice.
Lee Gun’s eyes turned round. “What the hell? You aren’t discontent that you became an affiliate. You’re discontent that I became a Zodiac?”
“Hmph. What’s so good about being a god that cannot die? You’ll have to live forever.”
Yes, Hugo hated that Lee Gun had become a god.
It was understandable since gods did not age like humans. At a fundamental level, Lee Gun had become an immortal being.
While he had disciples who would remember his existence, Lee Gun had become a being that would never die. How would that play out?
“If you become a god, you won’t age.However, you won’t die while everyone around you does. Will you be fine being the only one left? Do you realize how horrifying that is?”
Hugo knew it too well. He had lost his family to monsters. When he finally found someone like a brother in Lee Gun, Lee Gun had died as well. This was why Hugo knew how painful it was to be alone in this world.
In the case of Lee Gun, it would be that much worse. It would be like a mere moment from Lee Gun’s perspective, but people around him would age and die. He’d feel as if everything was in vain.
‘Even Zodiac Saints have a finite life span.’
Hugo’s aging process was slow, but in the end, he would die.
‘In the current environment, I’ll probably die on the battlefield rather than die from old age.’
Anyway, Hugo really didn’t want Lee Gun to feel the loneliness that the gods experienced. In truth, Hugo felt a sense of loneliness from Sagittarius too.
Despite being pissed off, Hugo did his best to alleviate that loneliness. It was why he agreed to do his Zodiac’s demands.
“I planned on retiring with you when we become old. We’d play Korean chess, and I’d die a day before you. However, you became a Zodiac.”
Lee Gun cackled. “Why would we play Korean chess? By that time, we’ll be playing virtual reality games.”
“Whatever. You can live for tens of thousands of years. You can play games until you‘re sick of it. I’m passing on while I hold Jiwoo’s hand.” Although Hugo spoke that way, the thought of Lee Gun being left alone by himself someday didn’t sit right with Hugo.
That wasn’t all.
‘I saw the future again.’
The Archer Saint skill Delphi Oracle had activated once again, and Hugo had seen two futures. The first one was an extended version of the future he had seen before about Lee Gun.
‘Gun’s appearance changed.’
It was as if he had molted. Human skin was littered around him, and his appearance had slightly changed. Of course, it wasn’t to say that he looked bad. He just looked different. In fact, he had become more handsome.
Well, Lee Gun looked handsome right now, but it was in the realm of humans. Things would change once he molted.
– Shut up and answer my questions.
After molting, Lee Gun looked at someone with furious eyes. Up to this point, this was the future that Hugo had seen last time. The problem was the next part.
Hugo saw the future that was tied to this scene. From Lee Gun’s appearance, it would take place after he had molted. It was unclear as to how much time had passed, but Lee Gun was mourning as he held a dead woman.
Hugo couldn’t see the face thanks to Lee Gun’s back, but he was sure it was a woman. Moreover, that wasn’t all that worried Hugo.
Aside from Lee Gun’s future, he had seen a different future.
– Run away!
It was the scene of a destroyed city. From the lay of the land and the buildings, the city looked like Seoul.
Hugo saw it clearly. He saw Yooha and Sungjae. He saw his children die. Then he saw the Sagittarius temple get wiped out and his holy ground razed to the ground. Corpses of disciples he knew littered the ground.
The cause was probably an invasion, an invasion on an entirely different level compared to the last invasions by the unknown civilization. The city was a scene of absolute chaos.
The Sagittarius temple was gone, and his children were dead. It was probably done by the monarchs.
Hugo didn’t know who the remaining figures were, but he had heard a young man speak.
– The plan was a success.
Anyway, Hugo had seen these futures. They weren’t delusions. They were the futures he had seen through the Delphi Oracle. This was why his heart was pounding. He was very worried.
‘From the scenery, it did look like the distant future.’
* * *
Back in the present, Hugo shook his head from side to side as he protected Taurus’ Seat of power.
It had to do with how Sungjae had looked in the future.
‘Sungjae’s appearance was different from now.’
Compared to the current him, the future Sungjae was very tall and built. Right now, Sungjae was a skinny 160-cm-tall kid. In the future, he was over 180 cm tall, and his stature was on par with his uncle.
‘At the very least, it won’t be happening real soon.’
From what he saw of Sungjae, that was the distant future. Of course, they would have to make preparations for it, but the important part was that it hadn’t happened yet!
In fact, the task in front of him was more important!
“Ahhhk! Gun’s Seat of power!” Hugo screamed as he ran up the stairs.
As soon as he exited the basement of the Sagittarius temple, he immediately ran toward the dumpster next to the building!
Hugo screamed when he looked at the dumpster. “Ahhhk! No!”
It was a dumpster with recycling bins installed on it. Hugo saw plastic garbage bags and the old kitchen table and chairs that Hugo had ordered his subordinates to throw away.
As expected, a great number of outer gods were gathered there in their shadowy forms. The dreary ghosts floated around something as if they coveted it. The item was none other than Lee Gun’s private dining table chair!
Moreover, the dining table chair possessed its defensive abilities.
“Ahhk! You crazy bastards! You can’t take that!” Hugo immediately summoned the “Bow made out of Fish.”
He did a mad dash as he shot his bow. “Get away from that, bastards!”
The outer gods who had been aiming for the dining table chair glanced at Hugo. They wondered what kind of maggot was interfering with them.
Unperturbed, Hugo swung his bow like a blunt weapon. “Gun will kill me!”
This EX-rank weapon was much better than expected.
Kwah-jeek! Kwah-jeek!
[You have gained EXP.]
[You have gained EXP.]
Aries had called forth a variety of gods. Some were strong, some were weak, and some had their Constructs aim for the temple. The strong and the weak were mixed as they attacked Hugo.
Thankfully, Hugo could hold his own against the outer gods that had come here. Or maybe it was all thanks to the power of his weapon.
The bow pummeled the outer gods out of nowhere, leaving them flustered. They were merely being clubbed by the bow, yet the attack was quite powerful.
[What kind of human is this?]
[I have no idea. It’s faint, but he has divine status.]
In the end, it didn’t matter what he was. Humans were mere bugs to them.
[Hurry up and kill him. Afterward, we’ll take the chair.]
They extended their hands toward Hugo, who was getting in their way.
“Don’t touch it! It’ll be certain death!”
However, the ones dying wouldn’t be them. Hugo would die at the hands of Lee Gun.
In the end, Hugo shot the arrow that he had used against Abyss.
When an enormous explosion erupted from the massive light, Hugo quickly took the chair as the light blinded everyone else and ran away with it.
Since he didn’t want the chair to break, he held the chair as if it was precious. Then, he checked its status. “Good. It’s unharmed.”
With this, no harm would come to the Serpent Bearer’s temple.
“Dad!”
At that moment, Hugo heard his son’s voice, who had followed after him.
Hugo yelled, “You, go to the Aquarius temple! A healing-type temple will have a hard time lasting against the attacks by the outer gods!”
Among the outer gods that had come to the earth, some were powerful beings. They were at the Great Spirit rank.
“Hurry!”
“Understood. However, I’ve never been to the holy ground of the Aquarius temple, so I don’t know the lay of the land.”
Hahn Jimin gasped for breath as he climbed the stairs. He yelled, “I’ve been there, Sungjae! Take me with you!”
Chun Sungjae was taken aback by his friend’s appearance, and he immediately lashed out. “You’re a low-rank awakened being! How can you think about following me into danger? You will never be of help to me, so don’t get any funny ideas. Never leave my dad’s side!”
Chun Sungjae immediately disappeared using Teleport. He had spoken out in worry since he knew how dangerous it was for a C-rank to confront the Divine rank.
Still, Hahn Jimin became sullen. It didn’t matter in the end. “Ahjussi! Behind you!”
“!”
The outer gods rushed toward Hugo, who had run away with the chair. They planned on taking it back.
[That’s the seat of power. I’m sure that’s the Serpent Bearer’s Seat of Power.]
When Hugo desperately protected the chair, the outer gods became sure that the chair was the Seat of power.
[“Armchair that’s good for the back (A)” says it isn’t the Serpent Bearer’s Seat of power.]
[“Armchair that’s good for the back (A)” says its back feels tight. It tells you to massage it.]
Hahn Jimin’s eyes turned round when he heard the notification.
[How many times do I have to tell you, Archer? My master doesn’t have a Seat of power. Are you listening to me? Since you’ve become deaf, why don’t you go get me some water?]
The chair seemed to be speaking. This surprised Hahn Jimin. “Do you not hear what the chair is saying, Ahjussi?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Uh… It says that it isn’t the Serpent Bearer’s Seat of power.”
“No. This is it! That is why I called Gun!”
At Hugo’s insistence, more and more outer gods converged toward him.
[As expected, that is the Serpent Bearer’s Seat of power.]
[He’s an affiliate, and he’s trying very hard to protect it. There is no mistaking it.]
When the outer gods disturbed the chair…
Flash!
[The trap placed over the “Armchair that’s good for the back (A)” has been activated.]
Accompanying the notification, a black hole appeared above the chair.
The outer gods screamed as the black hole sucked them in.
Hugo let out a sigh of relief. “That’s the trap Gun placed over it.”
Gun was someone capable of doing such a thing and more since this was the Seat of power for the Serpent Bearer’s temple.
“Thank god—”
“Ahjussi!”
“!!”
The outer gods weren’t the only ones to be sucked into the trap. It swallowed up Hugo as well.
Hugo screamed, “Ahhhk! Gun, you son of a bitch!”
“A… Ahjussi!”
The trap, which had appeared like a black hole, disappeared.
[Hugo Otis has disappeared from the earth.]
[Hugo Otis has inflicted damage to the outer gods. He has acquired a massive amount of EXP. He has leveled up.]
[A portion of the acquired EXP will be given to the Zodiac.]
[Your faith is 500%. You will send 5 times the EXP and Temple energy.]
[It’s the exact amount of EXP needed for your Zodiac to grow..]
[The Zodiac’s level has reached 30. The requirement needed for molting has been fulfilled.]
[The molting has started.]
* * *
The Nameless Land!
Something incredible was happening in the land of Life. Lee Gun’s legs, body, and head had fallen like a stone sculpture. The accumulated pain and the attacks by the gods had destroyed his body. The damage was so intensive that even Super Regeneration couldn’t keep up.
In the end, the body, which still smelled a bit like a human, died. However, when his head hit the ground, his body emanated a light.
[That’s…!]
It was as if he was shedding his skin.
Lee Gun’s body, which was spread across the ground, transformed like a beautiful ceramic. From the cracks, a form that was emitting light stood up.
This made the flustered Aries yell.
[Why are you just watching, idiots?]
When Aries approached Lee Gun…
Flash!
[Koohk!]
Light surged into the air.
[You have completely shed your human form.]
[You have learned the existence of the Snake Handler.]
[You have acquired the power of a god.]
[You have completely awakened as a god.]
