“I have something I want to tell you today, Yeonwoo.”
“Really? What a coincidence! I have something I want to say to you too.”
Yeonwoo still regretted what had happened on that day twenty-four years ago.
The Zodiacs and the Monarchs had trailed after her. On the other hand, Lee Gun had probably thought she had died because he had asked her to come out.
Thankfully, the only one to die on that day was Yeonwoo. But she had dragged Lee Gun into all of this.
“What do you want to say to me, Gun?”
“Uh…? Uh… That is….”
“Should I try guessing? I think I know what it is.”
“Uh? Uhhhh??? I mean…! Ahhhk! Wait a moment!”
“We are way behind on our rent, right? I heard from Ajumma. That’s why I brought this. Tada! You don’t have to worry anymore!”
“…”
“Uh? What’s wrong? Wasn’t it about this? Ajumma said it was urgent…”
“We’re indeed behind on rent, but is that something I would speak about in a restaurant like this?”
“No?”
“It isn’t. Also, I paid off all the rent before I left the house. It’s fine.”
“Uh? I…I’m sorry. Did I upset you? Where are you going?”
“Don’t worry! I’m just going to the restroom. I’ll tell you after I get back.”
In the end, Yeonwoo never got to hear what Lee Gun had to say. That had been the last time they had seen each other.
While Lee Gun had gone to the restroom, her enemies had launched an attack. Yeonwoo had tried to leave Seoul, as she pretended as if she were there by herself. However…
[This man is here with you, right?]
This was why Yeonwoo had regrets. She shouldn’t have been selfish even if she wanted to say goodbye to him for the last time. She should have disappeared without saying anything on that day. It wouldn’t have caused any harm to Lee Gun.
That was why she had planned on silently handing over the Seat of power this time. She planned on disappearing into the world of torture in silence.
Yet, this had happened.
Kwah-jeek!
Back in the present, Lee Gun violently grabbed the chains.
‘!’
The thick chains, which had been trying to return to hell, came to a stop.
This surprised everyone, even the chains. It was to be expected since no god would stop the world of torture from bringing someone in.
Lee Gun’s eyes angrily flashed. “Who do you think you are touching in front of me?”
Yeonwoo trembled when she heard his voice.
Hugo’s mouth fell open in shock as if to say he couldn’t believe Lee Gun was capable of saying such a thing.
On the other hand, the chains showed fury.
[What are you doing, unknown god?]
There was murderous intent in his voice.
[How dare a petty Zodiac stop the enforcement of the Divine world’s law?]
Yeonwoo, who was being dragged away, bit her tongue as she tried to stop Lee Gun. A Zodiac couldn’t mess with the doings of the world of torture. They couldn’t get involved in the doings of the netherworlds.
Each world had its rulers and beings in charge. They had signed a pact of non-aggression, where they couldn’t interfere in each other’s territories.
Moreover, the slaves of Tartarus were under the jurisdiction of the world of torture. Not even the highest-ranked gods could get involved in Tartarus’s matters.
That was the rule, and those who broke the rule of the Divine world were disciplined strictly. This was why Yeonwoo became desperate.
[Oh, Serpent Bearer! You shouldn’t!]
When she showed some signs of exercising her will, a collar appeared around her neck for the first time.
Despite losing her Divine status, it seemed she was considered a high-rank god. The collar decided to be wary of her sooner rather than later. It also didn’t like that a slave had dared speak.
It became hard for Yeonwoo to move her hands and feet, yet she yelled out.
[Oh, Serpent Bearer! The chains are considered the body of the Divine world. If you push any further, the Serpent Bearer will become a slave for high treason…!]
Lee Gun ignored that. “Let go right now.”
Clank!!
He put more strength into the hands holding the thick chains. The chains screamed. They felt as if they would break under Lee Gun’s incredible strength.
[You cocky bastard! How dare a Zodiac bastard get involved in the doings of the netherworld! If you do this, we’ll demote you—]
“Fuck off!”
As his cold words rang out, the sound of the ground splitting open reverberated in the air.
Zzhung!
When he roughly twisted the chains, an enormous fissure appeared on the ground.
Kwah-jeek!
[Ahhk! Stop!]
Lee Gun was angry, so he didn’t stop there. “I said let go!”
When his magical energy entered the chains, the chains were smashed apart.
Kwah-jeek!
The chains screamed, and the bound Yeonwoo fell.
“Ah…!”
Tuhk!
However, Lee Gun appeared beneath her and caught the falling Yeonwoo.
Was the scream heard?
Koo-goo-goong!
A strange symbol appeared on the white floor, and unfamiliar beings showed up at the scene. Their heads were that of beasts. These beings were half-humanoid and half-beast. They looked like Constructs, but they weren’t.
[Caution! They are the Constructs under the Divine world. They are the agents of the Divine world. You should avoid crossing them.]
[The agents of the Divine world have the authority to execute even a Zodiac if the Zodiac breaks the rule.]
These beings were the warders of the world of torture. When they made an appearance, Lee Gun put down Yeonwoo and took out Heaven’s Punishment.
Surprised by this sight, the agents tried to take out the tools for execution. However, they hesitated.
This was to be expected since Lee Gun was a member of the Divine world. He had officially awakened as a god. Moreover, he had a high-rank temple, like the twelve Zodiacs.
At a fundamental level, they couldn’t treat Lee Gun with a callous hand. Therefore, they politely spoke to him.
[Oh, thirteenth Zodiac. You’re making things difficult for us.]
[If you interfere further with the Divine world’s enforcement of the law and damage the property of the netherworld, the Serpent Bearer will be put in a tough spot too.]
Of course, they weren’t truly trying to stop Lee Gun. It was understandable since these chains were considered upper management creatures within the world of torture. They were considered high-rank divinities in the world of torture.
‘They are caretakers that have jurisdiction over the slaves of Tartarus.’
‘They are like land owners of a slave farm.’
A Zodiac couldn’t destroy them.
‘Moreover, great difficulty will follow the Zodiac if he messes with the custodians.’
That was why these agents nudged Lee Gun to let go of the chains.
[We will talk to the higher-ups about that slave. However, we cannot release the collar around her throat. We can negotiate on your behalf so that her working conditions are good…]
Despite those words, the eyes of the chains flashed as if these agents were talking nonsense.
[There will be no negotiations! The farm slaves aren’t worth it!]
As soon as it spoke, the ground started shaking. Then, another chain appeared behind Lee Gun.
Did the chains he had destroyed return in their true form? They were much thicker than the ones from before. Moreover, there were many more of them. It seemed they planned on capturing Lee Gun too.
[We will take that bastard and his party to the world of torture! We will torture them!]
However, the thick chains couldn’t speak any further.
Kwahng!!!
As an incredibly loud sound rang out, the chains bounced off Lee Gun before they could reach him. It was as if an invisible barrier had appeared in front of him.
Then, a strange symbol appeared within Lee Gun’s left eye, and magical energy emanated from him.
Zzuhng!
The small chains, which had been pushing toward him, turned into ashes. This shocked the agents.
Lee Gun being able to generate this much power wasn’t the surprising part.
[Wait a moment! Doesn’t this feel like their magical energy?]
[That’s correct! This is the energy of the original owners, who created the Seats of power!]
The revelation caused a stir amongst the agents.
[The original owners of the Seats of Power… Aren’t they extraordinary heroes?]
[However, they lost their minds and were executed by their Constructs. Are you talking about the doomed Creation tribe?]
[That’s correct! The most outstanding one amongst them sat on the thirteenth Seat of power…!]
[What? The thirteenth ruled over the serpent?]
[If it hadn’t lost its mind, it would have been considered the best. That’s the legendary seat…]
The agents looked at Yeonwoo in shock. They were referring to the original owner of the thirteenth Seat of power, who had been Yeonwoo’s owner.
[Did the slave perhaps revive her original owner?]
Yeonwoo was also shocked. After he had awakened as a god, Lee Gun’s power was very similar to her owner’s power. Of course, he wasn’t her owner.
‘However, he’s similar to my master..’
The original owner of the thirteenth Seat of power had picked up Yeonwoo when she was merely a lowly baby snake. It had raised her until she became the god of Cycle.
Moreover, she had been absent when her comrades usurped the original owners of the Seats of power. She had been out acquiring medicine for the original owners.
That had been the reason she had raised herself into the Seat of power to learn the truth of what had happened to her murdered owner.
She had found out that the original owners hadn’t lost their minds. They were betrayed by her colleagues.
Yeonwoo wondered what had happened as she looked at Lee Gun. However, it lasted only a moment.
‘!’
She was surprised when a black gate opened behind Lee Gun.
‘That’s the execution skill of the world of torture…!’
Lee Gun, who was in front of her, was more important that the numerous questions that had appeared in her mind.
‘I can’t let him get involved once again.’
In the end, she used her remaining life energy to squeeze out her magical energy. She was about to block the skill of the world of torture when…
“Kuhk!”
“Miss Yeonwoo!”
Lee Gun was surprised when the collar around Yeonwoo’s neck constricted. It was the doing of the thick chains, which wanted to drag her to the world of torture.
It seemed the pride of the chains was greatly hurt when Lee Gun’s power destroyed them. Of course, they could recover by returning to the Divine world, but they couldn’t recover from the embarrassment suffered at the hands of the slave.
[How dare you interfere after reviving that thing!]
Yeonwoo was in excruciating pain as the collar choked her. Normally, the collar remained invisible, but it clearly signified her rank as a slave.
She was under the control of the collar, and it wouldn’t allow her to escape the world of torture.
Soon, the chains shouted.
[I will destroy you, insolent… Ahhhk!]
Lee Gun’s eyes menacingly flashed as he violently grabbed a piece of the chains. “You guys are the ones that’ll be destroyed.”
As if it was reacting to him, the Serpent Bearer’s Seat of power emanated a light.
Kwahng!!
The magical energy infused in his hands let out a light, and the Divine status within the chains was eradicated.
Lee Gun had killed the gods of the world of torture.
[Your Divine status has increased.]
[You have gained a massive amount of EXP.]
The agents reared back in shock.
[A Zodiac finally broke the rule…!]
This was unacceptable to them. They had no choice.
[Oh, Serpent Bearer. You must’ve noticed it. That slave is not long for this world!]
[She will cease to exist after the contract ends. There is no need to make enemies of the world of torture for someone like her…!]
Lee Gun didn’t respond at all to those words. He just spat out, “It’s fine. Just fuck off right now.”
The agents of the Divine world flinched as they could see his anger.
The chains might be gods affiliated with Tartarus, but these agents were public officials. Nothing good would come out if they messed with a Zodiac affiliated with the Divine world. It also had to do with his power.
[We judge that this slave was collected by the Serpent Bearer. We will not send anyone after the slave for running away.]
[Oh, slave. When you do die, thank the Serpent Bearer. You will not die as a slave.]
They were polite as they disappeared.
The collar around Yeonwoo’s neck shattered as well. Was it because the chains, which were her custodians, had ceased to exist?
“Ah!”
She was able to leave the world of torture with no strings attached. This meant the power restricting her movements disappeared. The power that had kept her body suppressed for dozens of years disappeared.
The dumbfounded Yeonwoo was moving her fingers when she felt a presence behind her. It was Lee Gun. She turned her head in surprise.
‘!’
Yeonwoo, Hugo, and Yang Wei were all surprised.
Lee Gun fiercely hugged Yeonwoo as he placed a hand behind her head. It was as if he was holding something precious.
He had missed Yeonwoo’s presence greatly. He buried his face as if he wanted to feel the temperature of her body.
“Yeonwoo.”
Hugo was shocked by this sight. He had never thought Lee Gun would be capable of doing such a thing.
Lee Gun didn’t care as he placed strength into his hands. It was as if he never wanted to let her go.
“I’m sorry! I let you stay in such a place by yourself.”
“…!”
“Let’s go back together.”
Yeonwoo’s hands shook when she heard his hoarse voice. It looked like she wanted to cry. Without realizing it, she reached out to hug Lee Gun closer to her. However, her hands froze as they hovered behind Lee Gun’s back.
‘My contract with the Divine world hasn’t come to an end.’
Her collar was gone, but that was temporary.
Lee Gun would be in danger if he stayed next to her. Even if that wasn’t the case, her presence wouldn’t allow Lee Gun to forge his path forward. She didn’t want that.
‘Once I handed over the Seat of Power, I was destined to disappear soon.’
That was the contract she had made. She had acquired a power that allowed her to protect the Serpent Bearer’s Seat of power. In return, she would become a part of the Primordial Power when the contract ended.
Therefore, she laughed as she said, “Thank you for releasing my collar, Great Serpent Bearer! However, I’m merely an imprint. Only the will of my original owner remains. My outer appearance may be the same, but I don’t have her memories. I’m not the one you’re looking for. That’s why—”
Lee Gun sighed. “Do you really think I won’t be able to recognize you?”
“…!”
Yeonwoo became angry. “No… That is… I am…”
Lee Gun stroked her head as if he was soothing Yeonwoo.
As soon as Lee Gun had seen Yeonwoo, he had realized she would be disappearing soon.
As the power of Life and Death grew, he had become capable of sometimes seeing the shape and life span of spirits.
Moreover, it wasn’t as if he had rescued her without knowing that. He had messed with the world of torture with this knowledge in hand. He also wanted to try something, but the notification window spoke to him.
[You changed a slave’s status into a free spirit.]
[However, you cannot bring her in as a Construct.]
[You cannot imbue Divine status to an imprint.]
[It has to be the original soul.]
Her being able to protect the Seat of power as an imprint was already impressive. Of course, the Primordial Power had made it possible, and as a price, she had become a slave of Tartarus.
Moreover, Lee Gun could guess where her original soul was. It was with either Oblivion, who had eaten Yeonwoo, or Time, who had coveted her power.
Therefore, he said, “I’ll come for you soon. Wait for me.”
“…!”
Flash!
Yeonwoo, who had been crying in Lee Gun’s arms, did her best to smile as she started disappearing from the head. It was as if she was made out of the sand. She dispersed like smoke.
Lee Gun didn’t raise his head. And right after Yeonwoo disappeared…
“!”
He realized there was something in his hand.
