abcnovels
Chapter 245
Chapter 245
Chapter 245
Zephyr approached and greeted Lee Shin, while glancing at Baal from time to time.
"Are you alright?" Zephyr asked Lee Shin.
"No," Lee Shin replied.
After saying that, Lee Shin turned to the God of Destruction and Baal. He wondered what was happening at the moment. The thought of Baal appearing here to oppose the God of Destruction had never crossed Lee Shin’s mind.
In a way, choosing to confront the God of Destruction might not have been a radical choice, because Baal probably had not thought that he would invade Earth just before Lee Shin reached the hundredth floor.
‘The fact that Baal is here suggests…’
Woong— Woong—!
The next moment, more portals pierced through space and emerged. Baal detected a surge of divine power emanating from these portals. Reacting swiftly, he dispatched Zephyr and channeled his own mana to prepare for what lay ahead.
- They're gathering up quite a bit.
- ...Should we just hope for a scenario where their conflict leads to mutual destruction?
How did Earth turn into this kind of space? No matter how the dimensional energy capacity of Earth had expanded, it could not possibly endure the presence of so many high-ranking gods.
At this stage, the well-being of Earth appeared to be of minimal importance to the gods. If the situation persisted, the chief gods might intervene at any moment, and while Earth might then be doomed to destruction, the high-ranking gods who had ventured here and unleashed their powers would undoubtedly suffer a fatal blow as well.
"God of Destruction, do not defy the order. Intervening with the Tower's challengers in this manner violates causality," Baal said, expressing his discomfort.
The God of Destruction remained indifferent to Baal's discontent and called upon the other gods.
"Ugh, this guy is pestering me. Stall for time," the God of Destruction said.
"Yes sir."
"All right sir."
There were now dozens of gods present at the scene. Four of them were high-ranking gods: the God of Destruction, the Dream-Eating Dragon, the God of Demolition, and the God of Transformation.
Michael and Gabriel were dealing with the Dream-Eating Dragon in the distance; here, Baal the God of Demolition, the God of Destruction, and the newly arrived God of Transformation gathered. And there were many more gods below them.
- Use my power.
"No, I don’t need it,” Lee Shin replied to the God of Chaos.
Lee Shin, who had barely resisted the urge to use the power of chaos, released a white radiance from the sky onto the gods.
[You have taken away the divine power due to Chaos.]
[You have taken away the mana due to Chaos.]
[You have taken away the…]
At the same time, Baal and the God of Transformation clashed. Lee Shin did not consider Baal as an ally, but for now, he was certainly helpful.
[Blizzard]
Lee Shin transformed mana and enveloped the space in a cold chill simultaneously. Yet, the ice fragments that materialized in the sky shattered with a casual snap from the God of Destruction.
Crunch—!
Lee Shin gritted his teeth and his expression stiffened. Every time he tried to use magic, the flow was disrupted and there was a rebound.
The Eyes of the Wise Man appeared invincible, leaving him frustrated and helpless. That was because the Eyes of the Wise Man could perceive everything and intuitively find the right answers to problems. It had to be suppressed by an overwhelming difference in power.
Pizz—
"Keugh..." Lee Shin groaned in pain.
The sudden burst of power from the God of Destruction pushed Lee Shin away without warning. Despite his attempts to block the attack using the power of chaos, the God of Destruction did not budge or even bat an eye.
- Just fully embrace the chaos. You are not able to unleash your full power because you're resisting it right now.
The words of the God of Chaos were correct. An overwhelming pleasure surged inside, unlike anything Lee Shin had felt before.
Up until now, Lee Shin had never struggled to rein in his impulses. Yet, this time, it was a different story. Every time he invoked the power of chaos, it clung to him relentlessly, refusing to release its grip. Lee Shin fought to maintain control over his increasingly unruly body and mind.
'I can't win like this...'
Lost in thought, Lee Shin decided to use the power of chaos a bit more and deeply infused it into his mana. A powerful wave of destruction shattered space. At the same time, Lee Shin scattered the power of chaos to match the wave and aligned his mana with it.
[You have taken away the divine power due to Chaos.]
The power of destruction weakened as it came in contact with Lee Shin’s mana, as a sense of fullness surged through Lee Shin’s body due to the influx of divine power.
"Let’s finish this up quickly,” the God of Destruction said.
Under the malevolent gleam of the God of Destruction's eyes, Lee Shin sensed the intensifying power of destruction. It was a destructive force so potent that it felt capable of obliterating the entire expanse.
In response to this formidable power, Lee Shin elevated the intensity of chaos even further, determined to confront the overwhelming destructive force.
'I can’t use magic properly, because of the Eyes of the Wise Man.’
Merely activating his mana triggered swift countermeasures. No matter how many times he attempted to alter the flow, evading the God of Destruction's keen awareness proved impossible.
- Hehehe... That is it.
- Get a grip, Lee Shin!
Lee Shin's mind was in disarray, gripped by the exhilaration of using the power of chaos. However, thanks to the lingering effects of the Immortal Sphere, Lee Shin managed to preserve his sanity until the very end.
[You have taken away the divine power due to Chaos.]
[You have taken away the…]
[…]
However, unknowingly, he continued to use the power of chaos. Even the God of Destruction, who had been pushing Lee Shin, was startled by the overwhelming power of chaos.
"He’s falling into chaos," the God of Destruction murmured, looking at Lee Shin.
Upon assessing the condition of Lee Shin, who was fully immersed in chaos, the God of Destruction did not appear particularly pleased.
It was evident that Lee Shin's capabilities exceeded his expectations. While Lee Shin had obtained access to chaos, the God of Destruction had believed that mastering it would be a challenging endeavor, yet his proficiency over it was rising rapidly.
‘I thought I would be able to overpower him now…’
The God of Destruction began to discern the intensifying waves of chaos emanating from within Lee Shin, and an unsettling memory of the past resurfaced. Whether it was an attack or defense, the moment he made contact with Lee Shin’s power, his strength was drained.
In the past, the God of Chaos, who had emerged victorious in battle, was sealed away for a long time. In the meantime, the God of Destruction continued to amass power. Yet, in spite of the time that had passed, as he confronted the very essence of chaos once more, the fear he believed had dissipated long ago began to claw its way back.
The God of Destruction had been on the verge of expressing his irritation but suddenly became aware that this was more than a superficial annoyance; it was genuine agitation. He felt a strong sense of unease.
As he observed the changes unfolding within the man Lee Shin, who could not be moved, the God of Destruction delved deeper into his reservoir of divine power.
Kugugugugugu...!
Faint lines were drawn around the motionless Lee Shin. Then, space itself began to warp and distort, as if it was being destroyed. Baal, having witnessed this alarming development, rushed in to stop the God of Destruction. However, he was blocked by the surging power of the God of Transformation and was unable to proceed.
"Hehehe..." At that moment, a wicked laugh escaped from Lee Shin’s mouth.
His eyes started to glow red and violet mana power flowed from his body, beginning to push against the space that was collapsing.
"Keugh!" The God of Destruction groaned and started pouring out his divine power with a frown.
At the same time, he tried to use his Eyes of the Wise Man to find the weakness in the chaos, but it was futile.
[It does not exist.]
The only way to deflect that power was to simply overpower it with overwhelming strength, because there was no such thing as a weakness in chaos.
‘This can't be...!’
The vibrations inside Lee Shin were growing stronger. Chaos was steadily growing more massive, and the distorted space returned to its original state. The once tumultuous battlefield fell silent in an instant.
"..."
"Maybe I shouldn’t have been doing this here."
Baal and the God of Transformation ceased their battle and looked at Lee Shin.
Kugugugugu...
The God of Destruction's full-power attack was instantly countered. The dormant entity within Lee Shin, now awakened, flexed its newfound power.
"Kahaha! So much to feast on!" the God of Chaos shouted.
The one taking over the control of Lee Shin's body was the God of Chaos. He had reclaimed his dominion over the power of chaos and was going on an unrestrained rampage.
Sssss—!
Violet tentacles burst forth from Lee Shin’s back, flailing about in the air, piercing the monster's body, and sucking in its power.
Gulp Gulp—
The God of Chaos, filled with overflowing satisfaction, erupted into boisterous laughter. The eerie red glow in his eyes flickered and left a lingering image in the air before disappearing.
"Ugh!" Lee Shin groaned.
Lee Shin appeared behind Baal, and attempted to extend his tentacles to ensnare him, but he was pushed back to the ground by Baal's demon power.
Past the rising cloud of dust, a strong wind blew and revealed Lee Shin's figure.
"What the hell...!" Baal muttered in a surprised voice.
Lee Shin’s tentacles were holding onto several masses of dark demon power. As the tentacles absorbed the mass, Baal's expression hardened.
"Is this the true power of chaos...?" Baal muttered.
"He has only recently awakened. It seems like we need to draw upon the power of our true selves," the God of Destruction said to Baal.
The God of Destruction decided to no longer concern himself with the fate of Earth or the intervention of the chief gods as long as he acquired the power of chaos.
"Haha, did I ever say I'd let you do that?" the God of Chaos replied, hearing the remark from the God of Destruction.
The God of Chaos leaped into action, releasing a surge of tremendous violet divine power from his body.
After seeing his violet divine power spreading like a fog, the gods tried to retreat urgently, but their efforts were in vain.
Rumble— Crack!
A bunch of white lightning bolts from the sky rained down.
Bababam—! Crack!
At the same time, intangible mana manifested in the air and restrained their movements.
"Hehehe, this human's abilities are truly impressive," the God of Chaos said with a sinister laugh.
With ample mana already at his disposal, and an abundance of divine power siphoned from the gods, the God of Chaos possessed more than enough resources. With just a brief glance, he could discern potential targets within his reach.
The God of Chaos gleefully harnessed the power of chaos, reveling in the abundance of prey before him.
"Kahahahaha! Is this all you’ve got, you high-ranking ones?” The God of Chaos rampaged as if he had become the ruler of the world.
The fog of chaos that he had spread instantly reached the ground, seizing human lives.
In a location slightly removed from the fierce battle, Metatron, who had been using her power to block the incoming fog of chaos, was lost in thought.
‘So, it seems like chaos has finally awakened.’
Metatron's eyes began to shine with a golden radiance. Drawing the white sword from her hip and raising it high, a golden pillar descended from the sky.
Kwaaawaaa...
"Ms. Metatron...?" Seriel, who had been standing behind her, cautiously called out to her.
At Seriel’s call, she slowly turned her head.
"Heup..." Seriel was speechless when he saw her face. "H-hev—”
"Guard this place," said Metatron.
"Even if I have to sacrifice myself, I will follow your order," Serial replied.
Seriel knelt down and bowed his head. The Angels behind him, upon sensing the atmosphere, followed suit. With her massive wings outstretched, Metatron pushed back the fog of chaos and flew toward its source.
***
Darkness filled every direction. Within it, a harmony of purple and red could be faintly seen. This was a world that was grotesquely distorted, a true world of chaos.
"W-where am I...?" Lee Shin grabbed his throbbing head and got up.
He then started to question what he had been doing. He could not remember anything, and this sensation was so unfamiliar to him that it made him feel uncomfortable.
Thump… Thump…
This place was empty yet occupied with something at the same time. What is this contradictory world?
"Gack...!" Lee Shin felt nauseous.
Had he not eaten anything? Nausea hit him, but nothing came out.
"Ha… Ha…”
Lee Shin walked aimlessly. He had no idea how long he had walked for or where he was heading to. He ran, he stopped, and he walked; but there was no end to this path.
"Why am I like this?" Lee Shin started to question himself.
A sense of self-doubt overwhelmed him. He started to question himself.
Why do I exist? What am I doing here? And for what purpose? Why did I have to be so desperate? For what?
Lee Shin took a deep breath and closed his eyes. His sense of purpose became increasingly hazy, and his enthusiasm for life faded. He felt like his presence was fading. He then started to think, wouldn't it be easier to just disappear like this…?
‘Hmm…?’
Through his closed eyes, he began to sense a bright white glow piercing through the dark surroundings. He slowly opened his eyes, and he saw a golden path before him.
This path leading to the sky continued through the distorted space. Lee Shin walked along that path as if he was lured by something. As he continued to walk, he saw a hazy figure. It was a dark sphere.
"What is this?" Lee Shin muttered.
For some reason, it felt oddly familiar. Slowly, he reached out to the sphere, and it transformed into smoke, seeping into his body.
"This must be…” Lee Shin muttered, realizing something.
Memories started rushing in. Memories that had been hidden on the other side of his consciousness emerged and poured into his mind.
"What was I doing here?" Lee Shin said to himself.
Mana started to overflow from his body. Simultaneously, he could sense his divine power.
"Is this the manifestation of the God of Chaos?" Lee Shin muttered.
Crack...!
As he lifted his head, he could see the distorted world through the eyes of the God of Chaos. With a sense of curiosity, he tried to summon the power of chaos.
‘It’s working!’
Lee Shin combined the three powers: the black mana emanating from his grasp, the radiant white divine power, and the purple power of chaos. Even if he expanded his magic, piercing through the manifestation of the God of Chaos was a daunting task.
Woong— Woong—!
The power he had recently reclaimed was the Immortal Sphere, a force that had been his constant companion throughout his existence. With this newfound power, he felt a sense of certainty that he could achieve his goal.
Lee Shin meticulously mobilized the intricate and enigmatic chaos and constructed a coherent flow out of it. He then fused all elements in his grasp, forging something entirely novel.
‘I’ll create my own power.’
[Harmony Manifestation]
Boom...!
The purple energy, Harmony Manifestation, gathered in his right hand. It was a power that harmonized everything together.
The next moment, Lee Shin harnessed the power of Harmony Manifestation and launched it into the chaos that surrounded this place.
Aaargh...!
The power of Harmony Manifestation reached and pierced through the wall of chaos and created an opening, revealing a bright white radiance. Lee Shin’s vision flickered, and the Earth appeared in front of him.
- Lee Shin! Snap out of it! How long are you going to let your body be possessed by a guy like this!
Disregarding the resounding echoes of Gene Ebrium's loud voice, Lee Shin surveyed his surroundings. He could discern the visages of the gods ensnared by his power of chaos. He also saw the dying humans. Then, at last, he set his gaze on Metatron, who had thrust a white sword into his heart before collapsing to the ground.
The world had become submerged in chaos.