A moment ago…
[Princess! Please hurry!]
[At this rate, you’ll get dragged away to the other side!]
The Libra temple’s holy ground in Australia was prospering, as expected of a region belonging to the number one temple. Yet, it was also a place where the Libra temple had run a tight ship.
At the same time, it was where Neglect Giselle had taken root and a place where items from the unknown civilization were stored.
They were the precious items that Giselle had stolen when she made dealings with the monarchs.
This was the reason Hailey had come here.
‘If we want to face off against the remaining monarchs, including Time, we need those items.’
Six monarchs were responsible for sending forces to the earth.
Libra, who was also Neglect, had come here as a spy instead of someone with troops. Abundance was in charge of breeding the unknown civilization’s troops, and Abyss was in charge of transportation. Both of them no longer held influence over the earth.
However, the remaining monarchs were the problem. Though, Oblivion was like a natural phenomenon; it merely wandered around as it wished. It wouldn’t be a problem unless one ran into it.
The most dangerous monarchs were the remaining ones, Time and Chaos! They were the two great bosses who had carried out the invasion of the earth, and they couldn’t be defeated using normal means.
‘Chaos is the parent that raised Red Eye and its siblings.’
In terms of the power of the troop they possessed, they were on a different level than the other monarchs.
This was especially true of Time, who was considered the strongest in terms of troops and magic. Just matching eyes with Time could bring one death. The monarch was that powerful.
Of course, Lee Gun had consumed the Seats of power and the abilities of other Zodiacs, so he had grown his power enough to rival the monarchs. It was something done out of necessity.
‘There is no way the individual powers of the twelve Zodiacs can contend with that of the monarchs.’
Lee Gun might be fated to merge the twelve Zodiacs out of necessity.
On the other hand, Hailey knew that Lee Gun would still fall slightly short of going up against the monarchs even then. That meant…
‘I need to bring him items that’ll create a chink in their armor.’
That was why Hailey had sought items that could be considered a weakness to the monarchs. Hailey held those items right now. She had gone through great difficulties to find them.
However, she seemed to have entered too deeply inside the monarch’s territory.
[Princess!]
A massive green light erupted behind Hailey.
“!”
It was the power of the monarch that had chased after her.
Hailey quickly tried to use her magic in response.
[Return]
Of course, the skill was about to be canceled again by the power of Time.
“Koo-oohk!”
However, Hailey used a similar power, as her eyes burned. If her opponent was rewinding time, she just had to forward to counteract it.
Although her powers were weaker than her opponent’s, she couldn’t allow herself to get caught here. She couldn’t lose these items.
‘Lee Gun and Hugo will fall to them if they don’t have these items.’
Flash!
Hailey was barely able to move north, where the holy ground of the Scorpio temple was located. She had arrived in Russia.
Her subordinates let out sighs of relief when Hailey arrived at the barren, snow-covered fields.
[He won’t be able to come here, now that you’ve reached this place.]
[The blessing of the Scorpio is present here. Princess’s presence won’t be felt here.]
“Yes. I have to hurry and get these items to Lee Gun.”
When Lee Gun had consumed Taurus, his defensive abilities had gone up. He had become capable of defending against the monarchs’ powers to a certain extent. If he were to consume the magic temples, he would become much more perfect.
“If he consumes the magic temples, he’ll be able to do what the magic Zodiac did by using Oblivion. He could reverse it and use it against the monarchs.”
The defensive abilities would be given to the battle-type temples, and the magic abilities would be given to the healing temples and magicians.
‘He’ll be able to exterminate the unknown civilization from the earth.’
Boom!!!
Suddenly, green light erupted from the snowy fields.
Hailey’s face hardened when she saw the man who came out of the light. Her subordinates looked frightened.
[T-Time—]
Her subordinate was immediately destroyed before it could say anything else.
[…!!]
It was the power of the Time monarch. A high-rank Construct had been instantly destroyed. The more horrifying part was that this wasn’t the true power of this man. He was using a twentieth part of his original power.
Finally, a young man showed up as the black and green fog roiled. The man wore a black suit and had dressed like a gentleman.
He approached Hailey.
[It seems I gave you too much freedom.]
There wasn’t a hint of laughter. He was a cold man. Hailey was frozen in place.
[Come here, Daughter. Let’s head back.]
Hailey’s eyes flashed. She found those words contemptible. She had been shunned because she looked too much like a human; she didn’t look like a monster at all. And this man was the one who had stolen everything she had considered precious. Moreover, he had sacrificed her mother as a means to summon a Zodiac, all for his own greed.
As if that wasn’t enough, he considered her a throwaway, tossing her into human territory.
In truth, Time had tossed Hailey into human territory as a suicide bomber for the unknown civilization. It was done to recover a land that the monarchs had to defend.
However, Lee Gun had saved her life, and it was the impetus that made her awaken as a Zodiac Saint.
Of course, Lee Gun didn’t remember anything related to her.
Hailey replied to Time, “I am the guardian of humanity. I am the Scorpio Saint.”
[!]
“You guys are barbarians who would sacrifice your own flesh and blood. There is no way I would side with the bane of humanity.”
Time furrowed his brows when he saw the look in her eyes. He found her actions against her father impertinent.
[It seems you remember something that should have been left buried.]
That wasn’t all.
[Also, you developed something I consider the most useless.]
As soon as he spoke, a black power covering the whole land surged forth. It was as if menacing wings had sprouted from the man’s back.
Hailey shook in fear, and lightning erupted from the ground.
“!!”
Kwah-jeek!
This was Time’s magic spell. It could extinguish the magical energy of a god! It could even block their existence!
This spell could freely control the time and space of Time’s opponent according to his will!
Koo-goo-goong!
In a flash, a black circle appeared beneath Hailey’s feet. The voice rang afterward.
[Lament.]
“…!”
Hailey trembled when she heard the cold laughter. It was to be expected. After all, the energy that she felt below her was a quagmire she could never come back from!
Time’s eyes emitted a cold light.
[Forget it all. Forget your existence. Forget that you are alive.]
Hailey fell into the ocean of Oblivion.
* * *
Around that time, Gemini stood frozen as she witnessed the scene taking place before her.
‘What the hell.’
Kwah-jeek!
At a glance, the object looked like an old tablet. However, it was a bible that was synonymous with a god’s life, and it had been completely destroyed.
Moreover, it was the Genesis page, which swayed the life of a god!
The broken bible finally fell to the ground, and a scream rang out.
[No!!]
Light erupted from Gemini’s body. The destruction of her Genesis influenced her body.
This surprised Hugo and the Chun siblings.
‘The original text from the bible was destroyed?!’
Gemini had a good reason to attack so brutishly. A bible had a connection to the life of a Zodiac. It was standard to have the protection magic of the Zodiac placed over it.
The magicians had to go through dispel magic to be saved from its danger.
“No protection magic was placed on this original text!”
Everyone was surprised by Chun Sungjae’s words.
‘The Bible is the life of a god. How could there be no protection magic on it?’
At the very least, a powerful barrier capable of blocking an attack from a Zodiac should be present there.
However, the bible in Lee Gun’s hands had been completely defenseless. Lee Gun had been the first to notice this, when he had placed his hand on the original text. That was why he had let go of his power before swinging the object in front of him like a shield.
Lee Gun mocked Gemini. “This is why you shouldn’t have brainlessly sent a spell toward me, idiot. Both the Zodiac and Zodiac Saint are the same. You guys are hot-headed.”
Gemini realized who was the culprit behind this. She became angry.
[Mimir!!!]
The first fairy king who had her stomach pierced by Lee Gun avoided Gemini’s gaze in her bloodied state.
[You used to be a Construct, yet you dare rebel against a Zodiac— Kuh-huhk!!]
Lee Gun mashed the broken pieces of the bible with his foot. “You speak too much. You did it to yourself.”
[Damn Serpent Bearer…!!!]
Freya, one of the two Gemini twins, gnashed her teeth. She was the goddess who had descended previously, when Lee Gun had put the Gemini Saint Heiji into a figurine. At that moment, she had wanted to kill Lee Gun.
Of course, she had to retreat at the time when the power of Cancer had interfered.
‘At the time, I should’ve done everything in my means to kill him!’
The goddess vomited blood. She glared at Lee Gun as if she wanted to kill him.
[My sibling won’t let you get away with this.]
“!”
[You have no idea how we killed the original Serpent Bearer.]
The look in Lee Gun’s eyes changed.
Freya smirked.
[That snake. He was our comrade, who died a very painful death alongside the original owner. Now that you are the owner of that seat, you won’t be able to dodge the curse.]
She knew the future Lee Gun would face.
[Now that you’ve placed yourself on the thirteenth Seat of Power, you will die the same painful death. A curse befalls the owners of that seat. You will lose your power and die— Kuhk!]
“Fuck off! You did this to yourself.”
He grabbed the goddess by the head and yanked her backward. Lee Gun was fearless as his eyes flashed. “You should summon your Seat of power before you die.”
[K…Kuh-uhuk!]
“I don’t want to go through the trouble of going to Japan to retrieve it. Hurry up and summon it before I do a merger.”
If he hit her with his fists, he could acquire one or two random pieces of data with each hit. However, a merger would allow him to bring all the abilities of the corresponding temple.
He could grow the temple if he had the Seat of power. He could make new abilities and place a new owner on it.
Freya ground her teeth as she vomited blood.
[My sibling is protecting the Seat of power. It isn’t something you can take easily—]
Flash!
Accompanying a light, a chair was summoned in front of Lee Gun. It was a Seat of Power.
Gemini’s face turned pale.
[Why is that here?]
Lee Gun smirked.
[Fountain Pen is madly stabbing Secretary (Disciple 2)]
[Secretary (Disciple 2) is crying as she makes revisions to the bible.]
[She is retrieving Gemini’s Seat of power.]
“I better buy some chicken leg for Guisoon.” That was the highest praise Lee Gun could give.
An ugly light appeared within Lee Gun’s eyes as he picked up the broken pieces of the bible. Only half of it was left, but these were half of the passages. They were also the most important part of the bible.
[Page 0]
– It is the birth of a beautiful goddess whom all the gods will love.
Freya’s face turned pale. That passage was her lifeline.
[No!]
Lee Gun’s red snake eyes turned sharp as he laughed.
Kwah-jeek!!!!
Freya’s life, which was within the hand of the God of Calamity, was crushed.
This was on a different level compared to destroying the core. The god’s existence would be extinguished! The god called Freya would never be born again.
[Your divine status has increased.]
[You have gained EXP.]
[You have leveled up.]
[Lv. 32]
[Will you proceed with the merger through the Seat of power?]
“Merge.”
[You have acquired the abilities of the magic temple.]
Flash!!!
Boom!!
Was it because a Zodiac’s existence had been destroyed? Something odd happened to Oblivion, which was covering the entire world.
“The fog is…!!!”
The fog that had covered the entire world started gathering in the sky above Lee Gun. It was as if the fog was forming an enormous monster in the sky.
What had happened was clear.
“When the Zodiac disappeared, the reins on Oblivion were released.”
The Gemini siblings had done something very dangerous in dragging Oblivion’s body to the earth.
With one of the siblings having been exterminated, the spell was broken, and the magic had gone amok.
Gohhhhhhhh!
[Warning! The asleep Oblivion is revealing itself.]
[Warning. Oblivion is angry.]
The Zodiacs seemed to have dragged in a part of Oblivion without its consent. The true body of Oblivion appeared through a gate.
Koo-goo-goong!
Oblivion appeared like an enormous typhoon in the sky, and its power was beyond imagination.
[Warning! The fog from the true body of Oblivion is trying to encase the entire world.]
[The existence of humanity will disappear if the fog manages to make contact.]
The flustered Hugo immediately tried to contact Hailey. Hailey might not know how to kill it, but she might know how to send it back.
However…
“Uh?”
“What’s wrong?”
“Gun, who was I trying to call right now?”
The people of the world forgot the existence of Hailey.
Lee Gun furrowed his brows when he saw Hugo’s reaction. He glared up at Oblivion in the sky.
“Hailey.”
“What? What did you just say, Gun?”
Lee Gun furrowed his brow as he lifted Heaven’s Punishment. He realized Hailey was within Oblivion.
In the end, the angry Oblivion tried to come outside of the typhoon in the sky.
“Gun!”
Lee Gun’s eyes flashed in assurance. “The spell of the Zodiacs of magic is still active. I’ll be back soon.”
As if a proof of this was being provided, a dark black hole was sucking Oblivion into itself before the monarch could reveal itself.
This was probably a safety feature left behind by the Zodiacs of Magic. Or maybe it was Pisces, the other Zodiacs of Magic, trying to clean up this mess.
Hugo let out a sigh of relief. “We just have to endure it until that thing is sent back—”
Suddenly, Lee Gun ran toward somewhere.
“G-Gun?!!”
It was as if he knew this was the only opportunity he would get to save the person inside.
“Uncle!!”
Hugo and the Chun siblings didn’t even have the time to stop him.
Lee Gun charged toward Oblivion.
[Prisoner Summon]
He immediately took out Red Eye. Red Eye appeared as it let out a terrifying roar. Riding atop Red Eye’s head, Lee Gun reached Oblivion’s fog in no time.
Kwah-jeek!
He used Red Eye’s head as a launch pad and jumped.
Red Eye let out a squawk, falling toward the ground.
Hugo and the Chun siblings screamed as the impact caused the ground to explode.
“Gun!!! No!”
“Uncle!!”
Everyone reared back in fright, but Lee Gun didn’t hesitate as he jumped onto Oblivion’s body.
Kwahng!!!
With the activation of the spell of the Zodiacs of Magic, barriers had started to appear around Oblivion.
Clearly, the spell was trying to send Oblivion somewhere else.
Unable to watch this any longer, Hugo also got on Red Eye, about to head toward Oblivion.
“Uh?”
Yet, Hugo flinched. “Who was here right now?”
Even Hugo Otis, the person with the highest faith toward Lee Gun, had forgotten the Serpent Bearer.
