00907 All That Glitters Is Not Gold, Part Three
“Anyway, just try fighting once. Don’t think about the Flame of Purgatory yet. Wait—do you even realize that if you activate that ability, you’ll die?”
Hwa-jeong’s tone was scolding, but I couldn’t shake off my lingering doubts.
So far, I’ve only ever fought someone on Hwa-jeong’s level once. Back when I was a swordsmanship expert, I couldn’t even scratch Gehenna. I managed to get close by activating the Flame of Purgatory, but I still lost in the end. I couldn’t even defeat a lesser-ranked demon god.
Given that, could I really stand toe-to-toe with Thanatos, who’s considered Hwa-jeong’s equal? Even if I’ve gotten stronger since then, can I do it without activating the Flame?
“Pffft~. This watching is getting boring.”
Thanatos’s voice slipped out, sounding a bit excited.
“Well then~. You wanna come at me first? Or should I go first? Or maybe we go together?”
He whispered, licking his upper lip with his tongue, then spread his legs. Now that I look closer, it seems I need to add ‘pervert’ to his already crazy personality.
“Be careful.”
At Hwa-jeong’s warning, an overwhelming surge of magical power erupted—too powerful to underestimate. A fierce, ominous aura radiated from him, fitting for the god of death himself.
What should I do?
Thanatos still hadn’t moved. His clear eyes sparkled as he watched me intently. I don’t know what he’s expecting, but I’ll test my skills first.
I lightly stomped my foot, and a scorching heat radiated around me. Suddenly, fiery swords materialized, blazing as they shot toward Thanatos.
His reaction was immediate. The serene smile on his face twisted into a grimace.
“Damn it.”
Annoyed, he ripped off his robe, revealing a nearly naked, pure white body.
“Such a shitty ability.”
I recall Gehenna saying the fiery swords were annoying, but Thanatos called them “shitty.” His expression was more blunt.
Anyway, Thanatos leapt back, quickly putting distance between us. Then, as if to pass by, he suddenly jumped high. For his compact frame, it was a surprisingly springy leap, but I immediately moved my hands. The fiery swords curved sharply, returning to strike at his back.
“Son of a—”
His composure vanished. Hastily, he twisted his waist and snapped his right leg up vertically, aligning it perfectly with his body. Without a flicker of hesitation, he slid down like a ballerina and slammed his right foot hard into the ground.
“Yah-ho!”
Boom!
The earth cracked with a deafening roar. Fragments of shattered ground exploded outward in a fan shape, and the fiery swords caught in the blast’s radius almost simultaneously.
Seizing the moment amid the dust and flames, I slammed my foot into the ground and thrust my sword powerfully toward the spot where his back had been exposed.
But within a second, I felt the blade catch on something. A gust of wind scattered the thick smoke, revealing Thanatos half-turned, gripping the sword with one hand. He grinned slyly.
“Oh my. You like backstabs, huh?”
“Can you just shut up and fight?”
“Nope. Don’t wanna. If you don’t like it, cover your ears.”
“You’re supposed to be a god…!”
I couldn’t finish my sentence. Thanatos suddenly twisted the sword as if to snap it, then launched a left roundhouse kick. Though a simple attack, the air tore with its destructive force. Instinctively, I pushed my magic to the limit and countered with Excalibur.
Thud!
The impact sounded impossible—like my sword had struck his calf. The force pushed me back involuntarily.
I quickly regained my balance and looked up; he was doing the same.
But Thanatos’s body wobbled as he was pushed back. He retreated five or six steps further before finally steadying himself.
Strange. I was supposed to be on the defensive.
Of course, this alone doesn’t mean I won. It’s not decisive.
Still, in that exchange, I had the upper hand. That much was undeniable.
Suddenly, Hwa-jeong’s earlier words echoed in my mind.
“Try facing him from multiple angles. Don’t overextend.”
As if reading my thoughts, Hwa-jeong’s voice whispered again.
“And if you can, try to provoke him by creating an opening.”
I stepped back slightly, raising both swords overhead. For some reason, the top of my head tingled, but I decided to follow Hwa-jeong’s advice. Thanatos crouched low, staring straight at me.
“Hah!”
With a sharp shout, he exploded forward. I gripped my sword hilt tightly, channeling magic.
Don’t overextend, but create an opening to provoke.
Just as I repeated that in my mind, Thanatos flew in like the wind, pulling his right arm back before thrusting it straight forward. I waited until he was right in front of me, then activated the Dimensional Shift.
“!”
Thanatos’s eyes widened in surprise as he looked left and right. But as I took the rear position, he bent his waist and kicked powerfully in my direction.
In that split second, I spun my magic once more.
Fwoosh!
His raised foot sliced through the air, creating a massive gust that shook the atmosphere—a terrifying force.
Thanatos smiled slyly, poised like he was about to unleash an eagle kick.
“Teleportation, huh? That was pretty fun…”
But when he turned around, his expression changed. The afterimage of my strike on his foot was fading.
Seizing the moment, I brought my sword down on his crown, then slammed the flat of Excalibur hard against his side, loaded with magic. His eyes suddenly widened like lanterns.
“You bastard!”
Bang!
For the first time since the fight began, I landed a clean hit. Thanatos was knocked back, spraying black liquid as he tumbled violently across the ground.
From my previous fight with Gehenna, I learned that Dimensional Shift doesn’t work on gods. Gehenna laughed it off and even mimicked it.
I thought it wouldn’t work this time either, so I prepared to use it in quick succession from the start. Thanatos fell right into the trap—a counterattack, essentially.
The only difference was that Thanatos realized it after activation, whereas Gehenna knew beforehand.
“…”
I kept my guard up and steadied my breath.
Thanatos lay face down on the ground, stretched out like a frog, motionless. I kicked a nearby stone to test, but there was no reaction. I had no idea what he was plotting, so I couldn’t approach recklessly.
“Phew.”
A deep exhale sounded. Thanatos slowly pushed himself up with his hands. Looking closely, it wasn’t his crown bleeding, but his pale shoulder, dripping with black liquid. Does the god of death bleed black blood? Fascinating.
“Wow, you’re really strong.”
Unexpectedly, Thanatos laughed.
“I admit it. We can’t beat Kim Soo-hyun… Well, I guess that’s fair.”
“Now that I think about it, he’s kinda like that Chiwoo guy. Ugh, just thinking about it pisses me off.”
As he muttered to himself, Hwa-jeong’s words suddenly came to mind.
“I have a question.”
Trying to sound calm, I spoke up. Thanatos blinked, tilting his head.
“Hm? What is it?”
“Did you just fight at full strength?”
“…?”
“I’m asking if you fought at full strength.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, you seemed weaker than I expected.”
Thanatos chuckled softly.
“Ha! Really? Ahahaha!”
He made a ridiculous face, then burst into laughter.
“Weaker than expected? Hahaha, hahaha!”
A wave of awkwardness washed over me. Of course, how could it be otherwise? He’s a being so far beyond me, I shouldn’t even be looking at him.
Then Hwa-jeong’s voice rang in my head, and I repeated it aloud.
“Is that so… Well, no matter how I look at it, you seem weaker than Gehenna.”
I smirked casually, but suddenly his laughter stopped.
“Where did you get the nerve to provoke me… What?”
His chaotic energy instantly calmed. His eyes narrowed sharply, piercing me with a gaze so dark it reminded me of a black hole.
“You fought the Flame of Purgatory?”
“Yeah. That’s right.”
I nodded, and his wild, lynx-like eyes scanned me from head to toe. Suddenly, my throat felt dry, and I swallowed hard without realizing it.
“You?”
A tone of suspicion. I considered bringing out the Gehenna’s guardian fortress, but decided against it. It seemed like Thanatos had some kind of scheme in mind. Until I figured out his move, it was better to keep my cards close to my chest.
“I’m telling you, I almost died back then.”
For some reason, facing hundreds of crystals of truth didn’t make me feel inferior. Because, honestly, that’s exactly how I felt.
No joke—Gehenna really is strong. The first time I faced her, all I could think was to run away no matter what. And when she truly went all out against me, it felt like the world was collapsing.
But Thanatos is different. Unlike with Gehenna, I don’t sense an overwhelming gap in power. Sure, he’s strong, no denying that, but it feels like I can actually take him on.
To be frank, I’m less tense now than when I fought the Evil God.
Oh, speaking of which, wasn’t the Evil God one of Thanatos’s subordinates? Maybe I should mention that.
“But you… you’ve faced that Evil God before, right? So, is he about the same level? Or maybe a bit weaker?”
I asked, genuinely curious, not trying to provoke.
“Well, I don’t know. Gehenna sacrificed nearly two thousand humans, but maybe you haven’t done that. If that’s the case, there’s bound to be a difference.”
By now, Thanatos had bowed his head deeply, staring at the ground so I couldn’t see his expression.
“From my perspective, that’s probably a relief… Anyway, shall we continue?”
He shrugged and raised his two swords just as—
“Hey.”
Suddenly, Thanatos snapped his head up sharply.
That was the moment.
Kukukuku, kukukuku!
“You…”
A sudden vibration shook the air, and a chilling voice echoed.
—Ah!
Hwajeong let out a weak gasp.
“Kim Suhyun! Kim Suhyun!”
---------------------------= Author’s Note =---------------------------
Updating past 6 a.m. always makes me a bit anxious.
It’s been raining with thunder since Sunday morning, and it’s making me feel restless for no reason…
Also, I might take a break on Monday, June 15.
If there’s no update in the morning, please consider it a day off.
I’m sorry. I’m just really exhausted…
Since I changed my glasses, my eyes have been drying out a lot. @[email protected]
I’ll try to post the full update by midnight on Tuesday, June 16.
Thank you so much for your understanding. (__)