Ten minutes later.

  ‘Dammit.’

  Runald was topless and full of sweat as he hugged the naked man. It was a weird sight, but there was no other way. This way was the only way that his Goddess, ‘Naked Andersen’ could ‘eat’ this man.

  ‘Eating is a weird word to use.’

  What it was actually doing was just diving into his spirit. Runald knew why Andersen made this horrible (to Runald of course) choice very well.

  If this man was a real God, then that was good.

  There were other ways for gods to increase their power rather than gathering [Followers]. If Gods had more [Parts] or had better [Settings], it would allow them to use another method.

  It was to eat other Gods.

  This was forbidden in many sites, but it was openly done on many illegal sites. Even in , there were a lot of Vicegerents lurking who did this ‘God eating’.

  Runald watched the man’s face and mumbled, “I hope you are not a God.”

  If Andersen determines that this man was a God, she would start eating up his spirit right away. There was no better prey than an unconscious one. Runald hoped to not lose the chance of gaining another [Follower]. He had been lonely through his time with only his Goddess.

  “No. But you won’t become a [Follower] so……”

  With such world power, the spirit would become Andersen’s new Vicegerent instead. There were rare cases where a God would have two vicegerents, but that was for those high-ranking gods. Andersen wasn’t one of them.

  “It’s okay.”

  Runald thought it would still be okay even if he was degraded into a [Follower]. If this made his goddess Andersen happy, then that was good enough.

  “Aren’t I a good [Follower]?”

  Runald smiled as he spoke. But it was the next moment when he realized something wasn’t right.

  “Huh?”

  Something connected had been cut off, and Runald knew what this was.

  “Goddess?”

  Andersen’s link that was connected to Runald was cut off suddenly. Runald felt lonely for a second. It made sense for Andersen to become excited, but why cut off the link so suddenly?

  ‘So, he wasn’t a God?’

  If the link was broken, then it meant his Goddess had found a new Vicegerent. Andersen probably decided to make this man her new Vicegerent. But……

  “Goddess?”

  \r \r \r

  Something wasn’t right. This wasn’t just the link being cut off. This……

  ‘She vanished?!’

  He couldn’t feel Andersen at all. It was as if she had been swallowed up by something.

  “Goddess!”

  However, Runald didn’t know. There was a bigger problem than Andersen’s vanishment lurking in. There was vicious energy spreading out from where they were lying down.

  It was unlucky. That was the only way Jaehwan could describe the situation.

  It was fine until he defeated those Generals and got help from Catastrophe to enter . It was also good that he had Chunghuh, Karlton, and Sirwen with him. Two of them were trustworthy and one was good enough. It was a shame that he couldn’t take Cayman with him, but that was for the best.

  It was Jaehwan who ordered Cayman to stay behind in . still needed someone to lead them and Jaehwan thought Cayman was the best candidate.

  It was all good up to this point. The problem in was solved and the entrance to <> was open. He wasn’t in a good state, but he had Chunghuh so it wasn’t going to be much of an issue.

  He just needed to head to now.

  [Follow the path, and you will be at .]

  As he heard Catastrophe’s voice, Jaehwan became a bit excited as he watched the entrance to . All the work he had done up until now coming to fruition.

  But when he arrived at the entrance, a voice came to them.

  “Stop right there.”

  He knew the voice. Jaehwan then realized it was the woman who joined the tournament a while ago. Jaehwan knew who she was now as Chunghuh told him before.

  “Rupture.”

  “Oh, so you know about us now? The old man told you?”

  Chunghuh then stepped forward.

  “.……Surha. Why are you here?”

  2nd Captain of Rupture, Yoo Surha. That was her name. She was also infamous in the with her nickname, ‘Early Dawn’. Sirwen, who knew her by the name, frowned.

  ‘She is at least a Commander.’

  Captains of Rupture were at the level of Commanders. They were not as powerful as Lords, but there was no telling how much stronger they might get through time.

  “Oh, I’m not here to talk to you. Let me talk to him.”

  And with that, a young boy’s voice came from behind her.

  “Captain, the firewall installation is finished.”

  It was a boy with headphones and a black hooded sweatshirt with a moon drawing on it. As he fiddled with the small machine, Jaehwan then realized Catastrophe’s voice had disappeared. He turned back and he couldn’t find his friends either. Some kind of barrier was trapping him.

  “This won’t long! We’re up against the Sole-King!”

  “Okay, it will be done quickly.”

  Surha waved the boy off and turned to Jaehwan.

  “I saw what you did. I was curious about your intention and…… whoa, it sure was amazing.”

  “.……”

  “I mean, I wasn’t too keen when you united all those Clan Leaders and Masters of the fortresses. But fighting against those Generals…… that was something. Even we wouldn’t plan such a thing so easily. It made me reconsider you.”

  “.……What is your point?”

  “I mean, I couldn’t even find a word to describe the massacre out here with the Generals. We never thought of doing that, you know? Bringing Catastrophe into it! How did you even get the idea?”

  “I asked, what is your point.”

  Jaehwan knew Surha wasn’t friendly when she had set this barrier around them. If she was coming in friendly, she wouldn’t have forced it upon them like this.

  “Wow, you sure are impatient. I’m not done with my story, so hear me out, will ya?”

  “.……”

  “Anyway, it was all good up to that point. I mean, I thought we could just leave you be like this. It’s not what we usually do, but I felt your goal isn’t too different from us. As you know, this world is really f*cked. Don’t you think so?”

  Jaehwan did not answer.

  “But the last skill you used. Now that was problematic.”

  Jaehwan thought about what skills he did use for a moment.

  “Where did you learn [Perishing Slice]?”

  “Perishing…… what?”

  “The skill that you used to cut the link. We call it [Perishing Slice]. It’s the skill only Captains and the leader of Rupture uses.”

  “Is it?”

  Jaehwan was surprised. He wasn’t surprised by the name, but that there were others who can use the skill.

  “That is a dangerous skill. It perishes spirits. It’s not something that Awakeners who aren’t from Rupture should be allowed to use.”

  “.……I made that skill myself. I’m sure you don’t have a patent on it or something.”

  “I’m serious.”

  Surha then began to move. Jaehwan realized she was opening up her own unique world. It was the power of Creation. This woman was either equal to or more powerful than Jaehwan.

  “Now, do you know why I’m here?”

  “.……Are you going to kill me?”

  Surha smiled. “That’s an option, but I have a different idea.”

  Jaehwan then realized why this woman had come all the way here.

  “Join Rupture.”