🔊 TTS Settings
chapter 179
A world entirely shrouded in darkness.
There was a man tightly bound in loose restraints and chains, so frayed that it wouldn’t have been surprising if they snapped at any moment.
Black hair, black eyes, and dressed in the black scholar’s robe once favored by ancient literati.
At first glance, he appeared as a serene, noble scholar, but the aura emanating from him was ominous and sinister.
The Overlord of the Abyssal Sea, Kyomawang Du (斗).
He, the second of the Seven Great Stars, opened his eyes.
Flash!!
“Uwaaahhh!!”
He convulsed violently, vomiting onto the floor with a twisted expression.
“Hah! Hahaha!”
Then he laughed.
“Hahahahaha!!”
For decades, Rafael and the angelic army had trapped him in this space, but now it felt like the space itself was tearing apart.
“The youngest! The youngest has truly brought a thunderous brat worthy of himself!!”
The Overlord’s efforts to escape his sealing space over the years had been tearfully relentless.
He had found a loosened gap, expelled the demonic energy, and expelled it again…
Although in the process, bouts of madness kept flaring up and his mind slowly became corrupted, he did not care. All his efforts were poured into creating surges of life outside his prison.
If even one of them awakened spiritually, he could transfer his consciousness there.
Fortunately, his efforts were finally about to bear fruit.
Even the Sea King defeated by the youngest’s disciple had awakened spiritually enough for him to project part of his consciousness.
The seal was nearly broken.
Moreover, the heart of Ymir, stolen when he fled from the heavens and had stopped by to seize the Thundercloud, was gradually absorbing and maturing.
Now, he only needed to take one final step.
Just one step.
But…
“Of all times, I had to meet the youngest’s disciple now? Or was it the apprentice? Successor? Whatever it was…”
The situation seemed ridiculous the more he thought about it.
Yet the Overlord found it oddly entertaining.
The one he was supposed to confront alongside the heavens had somehow become an enemy.
Originally, it would have made sense not to confront Lee Hyun over the Thundercloud.
The Overlord had only sought it initially to trace Son Goku’s trail. Once he had the clue, there should have been no lingering attachment.
“Still, I cannot leave it be. After all, it’s something I found myself.”
He had a reason to obtain the Thundercloud.
A debt to repay.
To the benefactor who had freed him from this wretched seal.
“Big brother, please wait a little longer.”
The Overlord, fiddling with his almost-broken restraints, lifted his head.
The massive iron gate blocking the entrance to this space…
From beyond it came a very familiar scent.
The Overlord of the Shadow Realm.
Sa Ojeong.
And Son Goku.
“It seems I’ll soon be able to meet my brothers.”
A sinister smile crept across his lips.
Then, Crrrk!!
The firmly closed iron gate slowly began to open.
A shaft of light fell upon the Overlord’s face, soaked in demonic energy.
Hercules felt a tingling sensation across his skin after a long time.
‘Strong.’
That was his first impression upon seeing Lee Hyun, who had returned wearing a mask.
The aura Lee Hyun radiated was immense.
Whatever battle had just occurred left evidence everywhere—traces of explosions and lingering heat across the surroundings.
The white flames over the Sea King’s corpses seemed ready to blaze up at any moment and engulf him.
Far stronger than the sensations felt from below.
‘Moreover, I have no idea what kind of magic he’s executing… I heard he’s a lightning tactician specialized in explosions and firepower.’
Hercules narrowed his eyes slightly.
‘It almost looks as if a berserker had gone wild here.’
The mangled limbs of the Sea Kings suggested as much.
Too advanced for dungeon giants alone to have caused.
It was certain.
Guirae was not merely a magician specializing in explosions.
‘Explosions are just one of his tricks. He must still have hidden strategies.’
Hercules could not believe Lee Hyun was not a magician.
As far as he knew, a Hunter could not have more than one class.
Who would recklessly mix professions and narratives like that?
If done carelessly, they wouldn’t even get a chance to ascend to the heavens.
Thus, Hercules’ judgment of Lee Hyun was simple:
He was a War Mage hiding too much.
He wanted to test him.
To see the masked face and witness the limits of his lightning tactics.
And…
‘I also want to see Astrafe.’
What made Hercules’ heart race wasn’t just pride.
[Astrafe calls upon you, son of Zeus!]
The power of his great father emanated from Lee Hyun.
“Sometimes I have wondered,” said Hercules, his deep voice muffled under the plaster mask,
“whether my great father has truly departed from this world.”
“….”
“Otherwise, how could he remain indifferent while his children cry out, search, and beg so desperately?”
Lee Hyun gave no reply to Hercules’ calm confession.
Thud!
Hercules began stepping forward.
One step.
A mighty force pressed down upon the world.
[Transmission: The hero who completed the 12 labors aims to dominate the battlefield!]
[The Nemean Lion bares its teeth.]
Hercules’ specialty was invoking the powers of monsters he had conquered in the 12 labors known from myth.
The presence of the giant Typhon’s bloodline made his aura violent.
Growl…
“But seeing you in person, it seems that may not be the only way. You’ve been preparing secretly.”
Hercules scanned Lee Hyun from head to toe.
“So? What’s your point?”
“Shall we fight? I want to see the power of my father.”
Lee Hyun frowned, slightly annoyed, but inwardly clicked his tongue.
‘This is troublesome.’
He had just been struggling against the Overlord, using almost all his remaining mana. He was extremely fatigued.
[Fatigue: 81]
[Current fatigue is severe. Rest recommended.]
The problem: Hercules would likely not let him go easily.
Even if he tried to confront him directly, the other’s skill was formidable.
‘If memory serves, Hercules’ combat level is among the top high-rankers. At least “Dominance” or perhaps “Peak” tier… Jet would need to step in. It’s too risky in this state.’
Yet showing weakness was not an option.
The sons of Zeus were a band of lunatics.
Any sign of weakness, and they would immediately attack and seize Astrafe.
‘No choice.’
Lee Hyun brought out the Rune Staff from his inventory and struck the ground.
Sparkkk!!
A white wave spread outward from him.
Then:
[A fragment of Astrafe imbues the ‘Stonehenge Rune Staff’!]
[The item undergoes a new transformation. It now bears the attributes of lightning and reveals the form of Astrafe.]
Paaats…
The staff gradually changed.
The rock-carved staff sprouted oak representing Zeus, growing rapidly, and the amethyst at its tip turned white, becoming a large snow sapphire.
Lee Hyun revealed Astrafe’s power boldly, not hiding it, to provoke a greater reaction.
[The Stonehenge Rune Staff has transformed using a fragment of Astrafe. Two different myths now intertwine.]
Flash!
A two-meter-long staff was completed.
Hercules raised an eyebrow.
“Enough?”
Bang! Crash!
Two figures landed before Lee Hyun and Hercules:
Luciano and Perseus.
“If you join an assault team, you should follow the captain’s orders—basic etiquette, right? Even if you are the Axis of Evil, basic principles matter.”
Luciano, holding a cigarette, tilted his head at Lee Hyun.
A traditional Filipino bolo hung diagonally over one shoulder.
Perseus stood before Hercules, his round shield displaying a snake that appeared and disappeared intermittently.
“I didn’t know Black Maria got along with Guirae so well.”
In his antiquated tone, Luciano snorted.
“Originally, yes, but now it’s decided. We’ll properly take advantage of this guy’s coin.”
“…Coin?”
“Don’t you know Bitcoin? Soon it’ll be time to go to Mars. Are you stuck in some Somali village? No, even they would know coins.”
Perseus frowned slightly.
A great hero and nobleman, he found such gangster-like attitude intolerable.
Amid this tense standoff:
Tap! Tap-tack!
“Enough! Stop it! We came here to fight together, didn’t we? Why all this suddenly?”
Only after Ramon and his party arrived did the tension ease slightly.
[Yeouisae activates rapid recovery. Physical fatigue rapidly decreases.]
[Some mana drawn from Hanbing’s Veil refills the circuit.]
‘…Finally, I can breathe.’
Despite Lee Hyun’s use of various sacred relics for quick recovery, jumping immediately into battle would have been taxing.
Especially with Hercules and now Perseus—heroes of myth, not to be underestimated.
‘Bringing Zeus’ sons after sending Max back… they’re certainly eager.’
He had hoped sending Max back would create favorable chaos in Guam, but their appearance now was inconvenient.
He wanted to check on the Overlord and whether Son Goku’s party had met him safely.
But as long as they were here, he couldn’t approach the sealed territory.
Especially Hercules.
After showing Astrafe’s staff, his gaze had become even more predatory.
He would try to stop Lee Hyun.
‘At least the dungeon giants safely went down the rabbit hole…’
Lee Hyun narrowed his eyes, planning how to deal with these troublesome figures.
A suitable method came to mind:
‘It might be fun to let them clash with the City Cartel.’
At that moment, Max approached.
“Long time no see, Guirae-nim.”
He looked exhausted after speaking with Hercules and Perseus.
“Not much time has passed, has it?”
“Is it only that long? Feels like years… Ha, haha.”
“You brought Zeus’ sons.”
“Well, it seems so.”
Max’s smile faded slightly, as if the topic was trivial.
There were many eavesdroppers nearby.
But:
‘He wants to test Zeus’ sons first before choosing how to contact me? Classic double agent thinking.’
Lee Hyun’s mental note caused Max’s face to stiffen briefly.
Then, his bright smile returned.
“So, this is Astrafe. As expected, it’s magnificent… a fine item.”
Max’s eyes sparkled as he looked at the Rune Staff.
Before being a Mossad agent, he was a high-ranker descended from a great hero, son of Zeus.
Naturally, he would be intensely curious about Astrafe—and desire it.
“An unworthy person trying to tamper with it would be in serious trouble.”
Lee Hyun’s casual remark made Max chuckle wryly, shaking his head.
Then he looked at Lee Hyun and asked:
“What are your thoughts on ‘resurrection’?”
“Resurrection?”
Lee Hyun frowned slightly. Max, still smiling professionally, continued:
“Yes. If one had two lives, they could attempt reckless challenges previously impossible, or perhaps… even bring back someone they want to see.”
“…!”
Lee Hyun’s eyes widened slightly.
At that moment, faces flashed through his mind:
-Huh… crying? Crying…?
-But… our little brother… I thought he was handsome… up close, he’s kind of ugly…
And even the final laugh he gave as he died.
Max smiled even wider at Lee Hyun’s interest.
“This is the Chalice of Resurrection, Kántaros. With it, anyone can be revived ‘once.’ This could be traded for Astrafe, perhaps?”
Max produced a sacred relic of Dionysus.
A cup with both handles curled upward.
“….”
Lee Hyun’s eyes fixed firmly on the chalice.
