“Idiot! Snap out of it!”
A sharp voice jolted through my mind.
“The opponent is an Evil God! Not Gehenna. Don’t you realize this is way more dangerous?”
More dangerous than now?
“Yes. Gehenna never truly wanted to kill you. In fact, it wanted to keep you alive! Do you think this Evil God feels the same?”
‘That’s…!’
“No! This thing neither wants you nor needs you!”
‘Hmm.’
Hwa-jeong’s desperate shout snapped me back to reality.
Right. Back then, Gehenna fought me with incredible restraint. If it had truly wanted me dead, it would have ended me in an instant. After all, I lost even after using my flame powers.
In other words, I shouldn’t equate this Evil God with Gehenna. There’s no reason for the Evil God to hold back. It’s far more dangerous.
Suddenly, the vague shadow of death loomed sharply before me.
But I steadied myself, took a deep breath, and gathered my resolve.
“Straight ahead. No, slightly to the left!”
A plume of smoke surged up from the Evil God’s form, flowing like water. There was still no sound, but the piercing aura felt sharper than ever—like it could slice through space itself.
I charged forward, swinging my blade horizontally. The invisible edge flared with pale flames, tracing a crimson arc.
Swoosh!
This time, I felt the impact clearly—like cutting through a rotten log. The severed part split apart, and the flame-tinged edges burned away into nothingness.
Suddenly, I understood why Hwa-jeong told the others to run. Ordinary attacks probably couldn’t harm it; only something on the level of a divine weapon could make a dent.
“Kaahk?”
Had this attack caught the Evil God off guard? It was hard to say if it caused serious damage, but it created an opening.
While it hesitated, I sprinted forward and slammed my foot hard against the ground. A cold wind brushed past my ear, and the distance between us shrank in an instant. With such a massive body, there were plenty of targets.
Gripping my blade with both hands, I raised it high and brought it down with all my might.
Flare!
A trail of flames streaked straight down.
Thud!
Suddenly, dozens of spheres shot out like venomous snakes, wrapping around my blade. Each one ignited upon touching Hwa-jeong’s flames, burning fiercely before vanishing. But thick black smoke poured out relentlessly, filling the space—and many of those tendrils were heading straight for me.
“…!”
I realized it instantly.
“Ugh!”
I twisted my body sharply, flinging the blade forward, then rolled to the ground and sprang into a run.
Though the attack failed, I gained some insight. The strike that hit me earlier must have been those smoky tendrils extending out like whips—like Gehenna’s lash.
So it wasn’t hopeless.
I pushed myself to full speed, circling the Evil God like drawing a ring, then suddenly darted inward.
The Evil God lashed out with long streams of smoke, trying to catch me, but I kept my feet moving constantly, deliberately twisting my path to confuse it. Zigzagging with quick footwork, I mixed in rolls to disorient it as much as possible.
“Kaahk!”
Then, the Evil God let out a furious roar and suddenly slammed down like lightning.
Kwah-ang!
I barely dodged with a quick step—
“Krrooooh!”
Suddenly, dozens—no, hundreds—of smoke tendrils shot up, filling my vision. For a brief moment, they rippled like a whip just before striking, then began crashing down wildly.
“Damn it!”
I threw myself aside reflexively, and at that moment, a deafening explosion erupted beside me.
Kwah-kwah-kwah-kwah-kwah-kwah-kwah-BANG!
The ground trembled. The fierce blast sent me tumbling, ice shards exploding and scattering everywhere. It felt like an earthquake, the whole area shaking violently.
I barely regained my footing as the shattered ice floor collapsed toward me. I leaned left, pushing off the surface to dodge sideways, then rolled away from the black smoke pouring down like rain using a swift evasive maneuver.
Crash!
I barely escaped, and when I turned around, the sight left me speechless.
The floor was completely torn apart, debris scattered in every direction. The Evil God’s surroundings looked like they’d been carpet-bombed—what was once a beautiful temple was now a ruin in an instant.
“Huff… huff…”
My breathing was ragged.
Cold sweat trickled down my back.
What if I’d been even a moment slower?
Just thinking about it was terrifying. Maybe I’d just barely survived a miracle.
Originally, I planned to focus on evasion and chip away at it, but I never imagined it would block my approach like that. If I can’t block all its attacks, getting close means death.
The situation was spiraling beyond bad—heading straight for annihilation.
Before long, silence returned. Fighting for my life, yet the eerie stillness around me was suffocating. The unbearable agony and frustration of that silence weighed heavily.
How… how the hell was I supposed to fight this?
Its massive size belied its agility and speed. The smoke was silent. It left no blind spots, and counters could come from anywhere at any time. Trying to respond by sight alone was maddening. I could barely sense its presence, and there was no sound at all. It felt like facing Father and an awakened Kushan Thor combined—no, upgraded dozens of times over.
The worst part? What I’d seen and felt so far might not even be the Evil God’s true form. Maybe it was an illusion, but it felt like it was growing stronger. It seemed to read my movements and abilities more and more.
Hwa-jeong’s words slowly sank in. The Evil God was absolutely not an opponent I could endure. If this kept up, I’d be done for soon enough. Even now, I barely managed to dodge, never landing a proper attack.
“…”
In the end, was my only answer the flame power?
“Ugh…!”
I forced down a breath and shook my head hard.
No. Not yet. I wasn’t badly wounded, and I still had the strength to fight. The gap was dizzyingly vast, but the burning heat coursing through me kept me standing.
“Krararrrk!”
At that moment, the Evil God roared and charged, thick smoke bursting toward me like missiles. The massive form rushing in felt like facing a tidal wave.
Damn it. It really shows no mercy.
I gritted my teeth and ran straight at it. Getting too close would mean disaster like before, but I couldn’t keep dodging forever. I had to keep a safe distance and wait for an opening.
Two streams of smoke lunged at me from left and right, thrashing wildly as if trying to trap me, but I swung my blade wide and slipped inside. If I couldn’t poke at it, I had to land a heavy blow in one strike. To do that, I needed to bait its attack, then strike in the gap.
With that in mind, I cleared the smoke and flapped my wings, soaring into the air.
As expected.
The two smoke streams homed in on me, shooting upward fiercely. Just before they reached me, I suddenly stopped gliding and twisted my body with all my might.
The wind whipped past my ears, and something black barely missed my face.
But I wasn’t out of danger yet. Watching for tendrils that might shoot out, I flipped my body over—and then…
“Ah…!”
That’s when it happened.
Hwa-jeong shouted in alarm, and suddenly I felt a strange sensation in my right ankle.
“…!”
The world spun wildly. Everything I saw flipped 180 degrees.
By the time I realized what was happening,
My body—
Whoosh!
—plunged straight down, completely out of control.
Toward the ice floor.
Bang!
A thunderous impact slammed into my face. My whole body jolted violently, crushed as if shattered. Everything around me exploded outward.
But before I could even cry out, the ground suddenly receded, then rushed back in an instant.
Vrrrrrr!
At the same time, my vision turned blood red.
Crash!
This time, there was no direct impact, but a massive shockwave sent me bouncing and rolling.
A sharp ringing pierced my eardrums, and my vision blurred, twisting like static on a TV screen. Everything happened so fast, my senses and mind felt disconnected.
After a moment, the spinning stopped abruptly. Inside, I felt hollow. Only then did I realize how much magic I’d used. Gehenna’s protective orb had activated once again.
“Hyun…! Suhyun…!”
Hwa-jeong’s desperate voice barely kept me from losing consciousness.
“Ugh…”
My face felt like it was being torn apart. My forehead throbbed as if it would split open. The dizziness was overwhelming, and my vision flickered.
What just happened? The smoke had clearly passed by without branching out anywhere.
No, more importantly—why was I hit? Why did Gehenna’s protective orb activate so late?
Questions swirled relentlessly in my mind, clouding my thoughts. Everything was so chaotic, but there was no time to dwell on it. The moment I barely opened my eyes, a massive plume of smoke was hurtling down toward me with full force.
I tried to get up quickly, but my body wouldn’t move. Though I had blocked the second strike, the full impact of the first hit had been absorbed without any mitigation.
Suddenly, a hot trickle ran down, staining my vision red.
“Kim Suhyun! Hurry…!”
Just as Hwajeong’s voice came through clearly, the dark smoke plunged straight at me.
At this critical moment—
“Dowari!”
Bang!
Just as I was about to unleash my flame ability, a strange shout and a sharp striking sound overlapped. To my surprise, the evil spirit wavered slightly, and the smoke aimed at me veered off course and crashed elsewhere.
“You…!”
Before I could even ask what was going on, I caught sight of Gong Chanho holding the Surama spear.
But it wasn’t over yet.
Out of nowhere, Cha Sorim appeared, gliding through the air. I was stunned. Dressed in a Valkyrie skirt that shimmered silver, she was unmistakably flying.
Before I could recover from my shock, the silver spear in her hand began spinning in a spiral, scattering multicolored light.
“Chae-hong (Rainbow).”
The calm voice spoke as the spear left Cha Sorim’s hand, shooting like a beam and piercing the evil spirit’s torso in a flash.
The evil spirit visibly flinched, and then Cha Sorim’s hand moved again, beckoning as if to say, “Come here.”
“Hong-ye (Iridescent Rainbow).”
The spear, having pierced through, twisted and curved into a semicircle. Radiating rainbow hues, it returned with even greater force, slashing across the evil spirit’s body.
Black smoke scattered wildly. I couldn’t help but gape. Even if the Surama spear was powerful, was the Arcus Valkyrie set also considered a divine weapon?
“Well, she’s the battle maiden of the Rainbow Goddess Flavius. It’s not impossible.”
Hwajeong’s calm voice cut through the tension, soothing my dizzy mind.
At that moment, the evil spirit, which had seemed to stagger briefly, steadied itself.
The aggro shifted. It turned completely away from me and fixed its gaze on the other two.
I wanted to shout for them to dodge, but I couldn’t. Suddenly, a sharp sensation hit my abdomen, and the scene before my eyes rapidly receded. Someone’s power was pulling me somewhere.
After a moment, I felt a soft body gently catch me.
“We’ve retrieved him!”
Jegal Haesol’s clear voice rang out as she pulled me in.
“────. ────. Angelus!”
Ansol rushed over, extending her staff, and soon a warm, white light bathed my face.
“W-what do we do…? He’s bleeding…!”
Yoo Jeong’s voice trembled as she wiped the blood-streaked face I barely recognized and pressed a prepared potion to my lips. I swallowed the harsh liquid, then slowly looked around, eyes wide with shock. I had bought time for them to escape, but everyone was still here.
Just as I was about to shout at Nam Daeun, Ha Seungwoo suddenly stepped in front of me.
“I’ve heard everything. But everyone has decided to stay.”
“But—!”
“I know. That evil spirit is immune to normal attacks and can only be harmed by weapons imbued with special power. They’re aware of that and still want to stay.”
“……!”
Ha Seungwoo spoke rapidly, and I just parted my lips in silence.
He glanced back briefly.
Crash!
A thunderous noise shook the temple. Gong Chanho barely dodged a kick to the jaw, only to be struck in the side and sent spinning into the wall.
At that moment, I squinted. For a brief instant, I saw it clearly: the smoke hadn’t branched out, but the space beside it distorted, and the smoke surged upward in a sweeping strike.
Suddenly, Ha Seungwoo leaned close to me.
“Kim Suhyun. Release my restrictions. I think I can hold them off for a little while.”
He whispered in a voice no one else could hear.
“Those who can fight will go out and battle. Mages and priests will provide one-on-one support, and those who can’t fight up close will stay here for protection.”
Before I could even respond, Jegal Haesol continued the explanation.
I stared blankly, then clenched my teeth.
“We’re all going to die.”
A growling voice escaped me, but no one flinched.
Exhaling sharply, I finally nodded. Ha Seungwoo’s eyes flickered with interest. When he turned back, he saw Cha Sorim darting through the air and the evil spirit raising a massive plume of smoke as if trying to catch her.
Maybe sensing something was wrong, my eyes widened.
“O-older brother!”
Ansol tried to stop me since my treatment wasn’t finished, but I shook her off and got to my feet.
The next moment—
“Rapid acceleration!”
With a fierce gust, I vanished. The wind pressure was so strong my hair whipped wildly, and everyone squinted, staring ahead. And then, I saw it clearly.
The smoke, descending like a palm strike, was just about to hit Cha Sorim.
A red cape sliced through the air like a beam of light.
Only one second had passed.
At that very moment—
Boom!
The red cape and black smoke narrowly crossed paths. The red light barely escaped upward, while the black descended, smashing the icy floor to pieces.
“Ah…!”
Someone gasped in shock.
But then—
The evil spirit let out a scream bordering on frustration as its body suddenly bulged and twisted. Explosions rang out, and black, jagged tendrils erupted wildly from its form.
How to even describe that sight?
It was beyond words. No sound accompanied it, but countless tendrils shot out like lightning, filling my vision and soaring skyward. Their tips aimed straight at me, who was circling in the air holding Cha Sorim.
In that split second—
Flare!
I kicked fiercely at the air, and countless fiery black swords began to blaze into existence.
Black tendrils tore through the void, surging upward relentlessly.
Clear, blazing swords spread wide and round, burning the air.
It was like watching a spear trying to pierce through and a shield trying to block—a truly magnificent spectacle.
The next moment, the two forces collided mercilessly, scattering as a massive burst of light radiated from their point of contact. The compressed wind pressure turned into a whirlwind, swirling wildly in all directions, while a strange vibration echoed faintly, swallowing all sound.
A flash of light filled the screen. The two figures cloaked in darkness leaned forward intently, forgetting all decorum.
After a short while, the light faded, and the image returned.
Though the light was gone, the scene continued. The ice temple crumbled like waves washing it away—a grand festival of destruction. And at its center, the evil spirit stood firm.
“Quite a performance. Honestly, I almost want to applaud.”
Lucifer exhaled in admiration.
“But now, it’s over.”
He glanced sideways and smiled faintly.
“Over?”
“Almost.”
Satan questioned, and Lucifer corrected himself.
But Satan pondered deeply, then slowly shook his head.
“Well. This might just be the beginning.”
“Really? From what I see, Kim Suhyun is nearly at his limit.”
Lucifer pointed at the screen. The situation was grim. The evil spirit still stood, while Kim Suhyun, clutching Cha Sorim, was falling weakly toward the ground.
Still, Satan seemed dissatisfied.
“But…”
“Yes. Kim Suhyun isn’t alone.”
Lucifer cut in, as if he already knew what Satan was about to say.
“But most of them are ordinary humans. Some have divine powers, but none match Kim Suhyun’s strength. To the evil spirit, they’re like puppies with newly grown fangs. In fact, if Kim Suhyun falls, everyone else will collapse too.”
“…That’s overly optimistic.”
Satan’s voice was doubtful as he continued watching the screen. Lucifer’s lips curled into a mysterious smile.
“Ah! Of course, there is one more user we need to watch out for.”
As if suddenly remembering something, Lucifer exaggeratedly opened his mouth. Then, reaching toward the screen, he moved his fingers as if manipulating something back and forth.
Moments later, the image zoomed in sharply to reveal a woman. Biting her nails and staring ahead with a worried expression was none other than Ansol. Her restless gaze, as if searching for someone, looked painfully vulnerable.
“Her name’s Ansol… right? A human with a rather interesting power.”
“You… knew about her?”
Satan glanced sideways at Lucifer, who had been watching the footage with a detached expression. For the first time, a flicker of surprise crossed his eyes.
“Of course. How many times has our plan been thwarted because of that strange power? Not just Kim Suhyun, but Ansol is a person to watch out for as well.”
Lucifer chuckled softly, nodding his head.
“Anyway, the appearance of that adorable princess was already expected.”
Though he spoke lightly, Lucifer’s voice was filled with an inexplicable confidence.
“Satan, a user can never defeat a rampaging evil god. No matter what miracles happen, that’s an unchanging truth. So do you know the only solution for them to overcome this situation on their own?”
“Re-sealing it, I suppose.”
Satan calmly answered, folding his hands on his knees.
“Exactly. But right now, there’s no human capable of casting that level of seal over there. The only remaining option is to awaken the woman who originally sealed that evil god.”
“But that woman…”
“She’s dead.”
“……”
Lucifer’s smooth explanation left Satan momentarily speechless. Only now did he understand why Lucifer was so confident. Calm as ever, a spark of deep interest began to shine in his eyes. In other words, from the very start, Lucifer had completely shut down any chance of turning the tide.
“I see. So you anticipated those bastards would come and planned accordingly.”
“Well, I just kept it in mind.”
Lucifer smiled gently, prompting Satan to ask abruptly.
“Is there any chance she could be revived?”
“How? Her soul was torn apart inside the evil god’s body. That poor woman no longer exists in this world. Summoning or reviving her is simply impossible.”
But Lucifer quickly added, as if to ease the concern. His shrugged shoulders and excited tone made Satan chuckle dryly, like watching an overenthusiastic child.
“Haha. Finally, you’re smiling. Now then, Satan, let’s watch how this ends. If things go well, we’ll raise a toast together.”
With that, Lucifer turned his gaze back to the screen. The footage still showed Ansol. Though watching her was tempting, first he needed to check on Kim Suhyun’s status.
“…Huh?”
At that moment, Lucifer involuntarily froze.
Something had changed.
More precisely, Ansol’s demeanor had shifted. Just moments ago, she had been restless and unsure, but now her attitude had completely transformed. Her eyes, once wide with uncertainty, were now sharp and focused, and the atmosphere grew heavy. It was as if a shaman was concentrating fiercely atop a razor’s edge.
“Oh ho. So the princess is finally stepping up?”
As expected, Ansol raised her staff.
— Thud!
A pillar of light shot down like a beam, and an angel descended with such force that the scene in the footage trembled.
Yet the two demons remained unfazed. Especially Lucifer, who was utterly convinced that the princess’s expression would soon twist in defeat.
However, Lucifer was overlooking three crucial things.
First, Ansol’s luck had risen to 103 points, imbuing her with the power of ‘Blue Dahlia,’ which makes the impossible possible. Second, with her luck at 105, she gained the ability ‘As You Wish,’ which greatly enhances conscious intent. And third…
At that moment, Ansol pulled something from her bosom and hurled it forward with all her might.
“What’s that…?”
“A box?”
The two demons’ voices overlapped in confusion.
Lucifer blinked a few times and quickly switched the footage. The screen caught a medium-sized box flying powerfully through the air.
— Angel, please! Let my brother fight without getting hurt anymore…!
The box, already open with its lid flapping, was emitting a pale white light, releasing a glowing magic circle into the air.
— A miracle…!
A desperate plea echoed faintly as the summoned magic circle shone even brighter, rapidly shifting its configuration.
And then—
— Whoosh!
At the sight that followed,
“Mu…!”
Lucifer suddenly sprang to his feet without realizing it.
The screen was once again bathed in dazzling light.
---------------------------= Author’s Note =---------------------------
I was thinking of splitting this into two parts, but decided to combine it into one. I figured it would be better for readers that way. Haha.
By the way, it’s been a while since I updated before 1 a.m. :)