Chapter 372: Star, the Children of the Emperor’s Seat (7)

Chapter 372: Star, the Children of the Emperor’s Seat (7)

Pzzzzzz!

Chang-Sun used electromagnetic force to pull out the slayer swords from the [King’s Treasury] and keep them stranded in the air. [Balmung], [Gram], and [Nothung] danced around Chang-Sun, ready to fly at any moment.

“Fire,” Chang-Sun ordered using [Wordwielding]. The slayer swords flew through the air, turning into rays of light.

Kieeeeeeh!

Various monsters fell from the sky. Ghosts that made up the Incendiary Burial Whale’s Anomaly were connected to the linings through long tentacles.

―Die.

―Kill you...!

―Turn into one of us.

The monsters taking the lead stood out the most. Although they relatively looked like humans, their armor was bizarre, having teeth and all.

[The ‘Weathering Sand’ bares his deep hostility!]

[The ‘Soul-Corrupting Jinn’ wishes to turn you into his comrade!]

[The ‘Ice Cycle’ reveals his deep greed!]

...

The Merciful Sky King, Light Sky King, Long Sky King... The ferocious Ten Sky Kings, the <Jiejiao Sect>’s executives, turned into the Incendiary Burial Whale’s monsters when they died. Unlike most of the ghosts, which lost their rationality when they became part of the Incendiary Burial Whale, these monsters seemed to be capable of thinking for themselves on some level. They not only noticed that Chang-Sun was the owner of the Anomaly that dared trespass on their land but even fought him and the slayer swords in formations.

While the Merciful Sky King, Light Sky King, and Long Sky King handled the three swords, the other Sky Kings curved toward Chang-Sun. Accepting their challenge, Chang-Sun sprang forth, drawing [Tiamat’s Snaggletooth] and unlocking its seal.

Schwing!

Paaah―!

Their fierce battle began mid-air.

Boom, boom, boom―!

Rumble...!

Countless explosions and earthquakes shook the subconscious realm. When Chang-Sun fiercely swung [Tiamat’s Snaggletooth] horizontally, the Cataclysm Celestial enveloping him did the same.

Rumble.

A ray of light that looked like a [Dragon Breath] or a [Fiery Lightning Bolt] struck where the Cataclysm Celestial glanced. A spatial gap seemed to have been created as well.

Mixed with <Darkness> and supreme sacred light, Chang-Sun’s Anomaly dealt extraordinary damage with each attack. As four of the seven Sky Kings were wiped away before they could scream or even reach him, the Cataclysm Celestial continued its offense. It repeatedly fired lightning bolts to subdue the frightened runners, heating up the air in the process.

Rumble, rumble, rumble―!

―Arrrghhhh!

―It’s hot! Hot!

The remaining monsters died helplessly.

Chang-Sun held out his empty left hand toward where the monsters died. “Grab them.”

Through his [Gnostic Eye], he saw ghosts powerlessly floating in the air, having lost their bodies. If he left them be, they would permeate back into the Anomaly and recover, so he decided to capture them instead. Locating the runes written on the ghosts, Chang-Sun grabbed one of them with his hand.

Kieeeeeeeh.

The ghost shrieked as it was pulled into Chang-Sun’s hand. Dimensional distance didn’t mean anything to him anymore.

―Let me go. Let me go!

Feeling the ghost desperately trying to run away, he squeezed it harder. With a crushing sound, it distorted into a more bizarre form.

Pzzzzz―!

Chaos energy, a mixture of soul energy and the concentrated grudges in the Anomaly, rose from the drooping ghost. The wind then pushed the gray, haze-like energy into Chang-Sun’s nose, ears, and mouth.

‘It’s stale.’

[You have successfully stolen the soul of the Incendiary Burial Whale’s ‘Merciful Sky King’!]

[Your Anomaly has been slightly reinforced.]

“... This is extremely venomous,” Chang-Sun murmured.

The grudge pouring out through the gap in the cell lining was so full of malice that being exposed to it for even just a moment seemed to already affect his soul. If the Cataclysm Celestial’s upper body didn’t protect him, he could have been in danger, infected, and eaten by the Incendiary Burial Whale’s Anomaly instead.

Pzzzz―!

Even so, Chang-Sun unarmed himself. He removed the power protecting him and unsummoned the Cataclysm Celestial.

“Can you give her my message if you happen to meet her?”

Called by Thanatos so Chang-Sun could meet him in private, the Seventh Elder stayed quiet for a long time before telling Chang-Sun about the things buried deep in his heart for a while now, having never gotten to say them to his daughter.

Kieeeeeeh!

The girl burying her head between her legs looked up, suddenly pouncing at Chang-Sun.

Crunch!

She grabbed Chang-Sun’s shoulders and sank her teeth into his neck, quickly imbuing him with the Incendiary Burial Whale’s Anomaly.

Despite the horrible pain, he pulled her closer like a father hugging his daughter instead of pushing her away. “Your father asked me to give you a message.”

“.... Please tell her that I love her.”

“He loves you.”

“And I’m sorry that I failed to protect her.”

“He’s sorry that he wasn’t by your side during your last moments.”

Chang-Sun vividly remembered how remorseful the Seventh Elder was as he shed tears. After being compelled into committing their crimes, all the Ten Elders locked themselves into the Bottomless Void to punish themselves.

The girl looked up and met Chang-Sun’s gaze. Her eyes, which used to be muddled with grudges, had cleared up.

―You know... my dad?

“Yeah, I do.”

―How...?

“Friend.” Chang-Sun looked right back into her eyes.

The girl was angry and resentful. Chang-Sun felt the same way as he wandered the world, having lost Ithaca. She was a reflection of him, Qi Gong, and the other children of the Emperor’s Seat.

Maybe the Emperor’s Seat also knew about the past of the Incendiary Burial Whale’s core and built a vacation home in this place so she wouldn’t be lonely, having his children as her friends.

“I’m your dad’s friend,” Chang-Sun added.

―Dad’s... friend...

“Yes. Let’s go back to where your dad is.” Chang-Sun held out his hand to the girl. “Let me take you home. Won’t you come with me?”

With her lips trembling, the girl looked back and forth between Chang-Sun’s face and hand. After some time, she slowly extended her adorable hand, moved by the promise that she could go back home.

Pinnnng―!

―Ah...!

However, their hands didn’t manage to touch. The girl’s hand broke down, dissipating into particles. She looked at Chang-Sun, trying to say something, but she didn’t get to say it out loud.

Pzzzz.

The girl disintegrated, her particles brushing past Chang-Sun before being carried up into the air by the wind.

Right in that direction, Balor was glaring at Chang-Sun with his eyepatch lowered. He grinned, baring his fangs, which looked unusually hideous today.

[The ‘One-Eyed Magic Giant’ has successfully defeated the core of the Anomaly ‘Incendiary Burial Whale’ with his poisoned eye!]

[The ‘One-Eyed Magic Giant’ is absorbing the core.]

[The ‘One-Eyed Magic Giant’ has started to synchronize with the Anomaly ‘Incendiary Burial Whale.’]

...

[A Sudden Mission has been created!]

[Defeat the ‘One-Eyed Magic Giant’ before the synchronization is complete. Failure will result in losing the Anomaly and your position as the main personality.]