“You sound like my teacher, but why do you smell like a monster?”
The Zodiac Saints were shocked by the appearance of this unfamiliar person. Of course, it was the same for the Ten Stars too.
“H-Hugo-nim?”
They were unable to shut their mouths. There was another reason for their reactions.
“M-My god! That style…! That armor…!”
“I-I’m sure of it! They appeared in Lee Gun-nim’s documentary!”
“It was when he was called by the nickname Terrius!”
The Chun siblings’ expressions changed the most. Having seen their father, they looked like they were about to cry. The image of their father’s head being delivered was still fresh in their mind.
Unlike his current late twenties look, this Hugo looked much younger, as though he had just reached his twenties. Hugo looked to be the same age as Yooha.
Of course, his children recognized their father.
“Damn it! It is annoying because he does look a bit handsome. However, it really is Dad…!”
“Dad!”
The Chun siblings seemed like they were going to cry from joy. Sophie also sobbed. Someone they had thought to have died was here. It was naturally a welcoming sight.
Kevin and Stevens looked to be in disbelief.
‘I’m sure of it. That appearance…’
‘I think that’s him from twenty years ago…!’
Unlike his current self, this Hugo was oddly less worn out and more polite. It was the Hugo from an era when Lee Gun would be irritated at Hugo for him looking like a young master raised on a silver spoon.
At that time, Lee Gun used to treat Hugo with disregard. However, Hugo had been very strong during that period.
Hugo, who had been summoned here, looked surprised. “What the hell? I was under Teacher’s order to buy some hair growth solution when I was told to steal the goods from the Virgo and the Leo temples. I had been carrying that out.”
Kevin and Stevens had been secretly happy to see Hugo, but the light in their eyes changed.
‘Why did it have to be the Archer from that period?’
The two of them became angry.
“You thieving bastard! Do you realize how many losses we suffered because of you?!”
“We did all the hard work, yet we received nothing in return!”
“!”
Hugo tilted his head when he heard the familiar voices. He turned to them. Then, his eyes turned round as if he was shocked. “What the hell? Why did you two get so old?”
“What did you just say?”
“Ah. Whatever. Have you seen Sophie-nim? I am trying to buy Teacher’s hair growth solution from her.”
When Hugo looked for Sophie, the nearby Sophie once again wailed. Hugo exactly resembled his past self, and he was looking for her. After the incident with Lee Gun, Hugo had always looked at Sophie as if she were a bug. His gaze was full of contempt, and this made her sad.
‘He called me Sophie-nim… He said Sophie-nim.’
When Sophie wailed, Hugo looked at her as if something was off. “That’s odd. Why do all of you look old? Was I summoned to some place weird?”
Sophie was on the verge of crying when she heard that. Kevin and Stevens bared their teeth.
“You are going too far with what you’re saying, Archer!”
“Hey! What about you? You returned to having the face of an idiot!”
“Wow! Your face reflects your ill-nature, and your personality sucks in an odd way… Ah! You guys always had terrible personalities.”
“What did you just say?!”
Hugo ignored them as he glared at Time. “So? Who are you? Where is Teacher? Why are you here?”
For the first time, Time furrowed his brow. He was wondering why Hugo was here. Moreover, this wasn’t the normal Hugo.
‘The Hugo Otis of the past came here.’
The only thing that could make this possible was the power of Time.
That was why Hailey was flustered as she looked back and forth between Hugo and Time
‘From Time’s expression, it seems he didn’t call Hugo here.’
In the first place, Hailey had never seen Time look this flustered before.
‘Could it be…!’
Time seemed to have the same thought as Hailey. He furrowed his brow in distaste.
‘It’s Lee Gun’s doing.’
Time had no reason to call Hugo to his place from a different timeline. Of course, Time didn’t think Lee Gun was someone who would get dismantled without putting up a fight, but…
‘Did it happen at that moment?’
When he had seized Lee Gun’s body, he was certain Lee Gun had entered his body. Time had thrown away his body alongside Lee Gun so that they could be dismantled.
Like how Time was able to use the power of the Serpent Bearer, Lee Gun seemed to have been lucky in being able to activate the power of Time.
‘However, Time isn’t something easily handled.’
That power would become poison the more one used it. It was a power that could cause self-destruction.
‘He’ll become lost in time.’
Lee Gun was probably using the power with abandon, but he would get more lost the more he used the power. In other words, it was like an ant nest.
He wouldn’t get lost if he bore through one tunnel. However, once he started creating multiple tunnels, it would be unclear where he came from or where he had to go. He would have no idea about how to get back to the original spot.
‘It means I’ll master the power of Cycle faster than he would master the power of Time.’
As proof of this, Time smirked while activating Death. “This is the future. You shouldn’t be here.”
“!!”
The power of Death headed toward Hugo.
Kwahng!!!
After attacking Hugo, the power would head toward the disciples.
Koo-goo-goong!
Time planned on killing the disciples, then reviving them with Life.
The disciples quickly tried to dodge, but they couldn’t, since they had requested to become affiliates of the Serpent Bearer temple. They had put aside everything to do so.
Boom!
[Kneel]
“Koohk!!”
All the disciples kneeled without realizing it when the Zodiac gave the order. As the mast Zodiac, it was overpowering.
Of course, they weren’t accepted as affiliates yet. However, they had already promised fealty when they made the request. At that point, a collar had been placed around their necks.
‘Shit!’
That wasn’t all. Their high faith had turned into poison for them.
[Everyone, disarm yourselves.]
“Koo-oohk!”
Everyone around the world put down their weapons and released their defensive skills. It was an innate ability of the Zodiacs, called Compulsory Order.
<Everything God Says is Right (SSS)>
– God’s Compulsory Order skill
– Target: Everyone who has faith toward the relevant Zodiac (At least 50%)
– It’s more effective with higher faith. Disciples follow orders without any suspicion.
The trade-off was high to use it. The Zodiacs didn’t like to use it since they had to pay a lot in price. Still, it was a basic power of the Zodiacs.
[You will not use Super Regeneration no matter what. You will willingly receive the punishment given by the god.]
“Ahhk!”
The disciples could merely gnash their teeth.
‘Shit! The faith toward the Serpent Bearer temple is at its highest around the world…!’
This was to be expected since Lee Gun had taken care of the calamities sent by Confusion.
The events were broadcasted live, and everyone around the world was singing praises about Lee Gun.
This was true for them too!
‘Shit! At this rate—’
The power of Death appeared as a spearhead and flew toward the defenseless disciples.
“Kuhk!”
“Kuh-huhk!”
“Ahk!”
However, someone kicked the disciples so that Death’s attack would miss them.
‘!’
He was moving so fast that it looked as if he was teleporting. The disciples became surprised when they realized who it was.
“H-Hugo-nim!”
“Uh. I’m not sure what’s going on, but he’s the bad guy, right?”
The Zodiac Saints laughed when they saw Hugo being able to move freely.
‘Since he’s the only one who isn’t an affiliate, the pressure doesn’t work against him!’
This Hugo was an existence from the past. He was the only person with no connections to the Lee Gun who had become a Zodiac.
Moreover, that era was before Lee Gun became deified. This was why Hugo didn’t have any faith toward the Serpent Bearer temple.
‘Compulsory Order doesn’t work on him!’
Moreover, this was when Hugo had gone all-in on his speed. He had been an evasive archer! At that time, Hugo had been the fastest among them.
The Chun siblings, who Hugo saved, cried as they were held in Hugo’s arms.
“Dad!”
“Daaaaaad!!!”
“What?? Dad?? What the hell are you talking about?”
“Dad!!”
“What the hell? Did I marry??? That can’t be?? I have to serve my teacher. There is no way. I hate the idea of marriage??”
Suddenly, Time extended his hand as if he was angry.
Kevin yelled. “Archer!! Dodge! Lee Gun is trying to kill you!”
“W-What? He really is my teacher?!”
“Who did you think he was?”
“Wow! That’s crazy! Teacher became a Zodiac?”
“Ah!”
For some reason, they got an ominous feeling. Then they bit their tongue.
[Hugo Otis’s Serpent Bearer Faith]
[0 ▶ 600%]
They couldn’t see the figure, but it was obvious what was going on. The Zodiac Saints despaired at the same time.
Kevin was the one who had mentioned Lee Gun by name, and he despaired once he recognized his mistake. “Ha… I forgot he was a Lee Gun fanatic at the time.”
“You idiot! Hugo couldn’t recognize him because Lee Gun became younger!”
Hugo’s mouth fell open when he heard Stevens. “What?! Teacher became younger?”
“Huh? Uh… He came back younger after he revived—”
“What? He revived himself??!!”
[600% ▶ 1000%]
“That’s amazing! Teacher! I’ll be sure to serve you better!”
It seemed Hugo’s blind faith might have started at this point.
The Zodiac Saints massaged their foreheads as they watched Hugo sob in joy.
“Hey. Are you sure this is fine? Aren’t we changing the future by doing this?!”
“I’m sorry… We are done for. It’s my fault.”
As if she were responding to Kevin’s solemn conduct, Sophie became sad.
“Hoo-oohk, Hugo. Please look over here.”
Dumbfounded, Time tried to use Compulsory Order. Hugo wasn’t someone from this era. His faith shouldn’t be able to affect the current reality. It was merely numbers.
It didn’t matter if his faith rose or not. Hugo was able to escape the pressure put on him by the Zodiac. This was why Time wanted to attack Hugo for himself.
“I’m too slow!!”
Hugo had received brutal one-to-one daily battle lessons. He was very sharp. Unlike his self from the current time, the younger Hugo wasn’t deliberate in deciding his action. He was an evasive archer who fought on instinct! His physical specs were completely different.
This meant the person who had sent Hugo took all of this into consideration. Above all else, Time was still getting used to Lee Gun’s body.
“…!!!”
When Time saw Hugo move around at an absurd speed, he was about to use Cycle.
“Is that the source of your power?”
Hugo aimed for the ring of Order, which Time was wearing. He sent a powerful attack, but the ring didn’t break. However, the attack was able to disturb it for a brief moment.
“Koo-oohk…!!”
The balance between Life and Death fluctuated violently. When it lost its balance, Death started going berserk and tormented Time.
Lee Gun had a hard time controlling Death. Now, the Divine status was tormenting Time.
If Time couldn’t control Death, the power of Cycle would no longer be within his reach. Time gritted his teeth as he tried to control Death. However, something happened when Time’s focus shifted to somewhere else.
[Acceptance of the Serpent Bearer affiliates has been completed.]
“!!!”
The disciples flinched when they suddenly heard the voice. Did the missing Lee Gun accept them as affiliates?
The Chun siblings yelled out loud.
“Magical energy! Use it as much as you can!!”
“!!”
“That’s right! The Saint ranks should use so much magical energy that the Zodiac can’t withstand it!”
“He can’t pay attention to us because of Death! Hurry!”
“We have to consume all of the Zodiac’s magical energy!”
“He isn’t Lee Gun-nim, so it doesn’t matter!”
Time had known that such a thing was possible. It was why he hadn’t accepted the affiliates.
“You dare.”
Unfazed by their actions, Time approached them. “I’ll get rid of you all with Death.”
Bbah-gahk!!!
However, Hugo kicked Time. “If you aren’t my teacher, I have no reason to be afraid of you.”
“…!” Time became angry. He tried to use the power of Time, which he planned on not using.
Kahng!!
But the sound of something being severed rang out as Time’s face hardened. The culprit was someone he knew well.
