The Divine Twilight's Return

Chapter 356: Star, the Planet Celestial (6)

Sitting on his throne, Thanatos opened his eyes. “He’s finally begun.”

Feeling contented, the corners of his lips curved into a smile. He had just sensed Chang-Sun finally starting his trial to become a <Supreme Light’s Face>.

“<Horoscope> and <Purple Star Astrology> are in big trouble.”

All creation in the universe would sense even the mere attempt to contact the <Supreme Light>—the developer of the universe. The <Stars> would definitely be surprised, considering they were the most vigilant toward this kind of change. The fact that Chang-Sun, their worst enemy, was the one causing it would only further shock them.

“The symbol of <Dull Darkness> is already enough to get on their nerves. Just thinking about a <Supreme Light’s Face> crushing their heads is exhilarating.”

Thanatos was the one who advised Chang-Sun to become a <Supreme Light’s Face>. The <Stars> had to defeat the <Supreme Light> and <Dull Darkness>, but they had always been reluctant to fight them due to their absolute strength. Those two beings were the sources of the universe, and the <Stars> weren’t competent enough to replace them yet.

That was where Thanatos’ plan started. It was too much of a burden for him and the <Underworld> to protect R’lyeh and keep all <Stars> in check on their own. They needed someone to help them chop those <Stars>’ heads off. The perfect candidate for that would be someone related to <Supreme Light>, with whom the <Stars> were reluctant to be involved.

From the situation alone, it looked as if the <Supreme Light> and <Dull Darkness> had stopped fighting to punish the <Stars>!

Having met many difficult requirements and finally reached the final threshold, Chang-Sun was doing way better than Thanatos asked of him. Thanatos was very happy with him and was looking forward to seeing how he would pass this test, which would obviously be difficult.

‘Maybe Twilight got his talents and resolve from his father,’ Thanatos glanced to his side, suddenly remembering the Emperor’s Seat, Chang-Sun’s foster father. The man was sitting beside him until just a moment ago. In fact, the chair was still a bit warm.

Among his children, the Emperor’s Seat adored Chang-Sun and Richardus the most. When Thanatos asked what he thought about the two turning against each other, the Emperor’s Seat simply answered that it was his children’s time to become independent.

In <Purple Star Astrology>, the <Society> packed with wicked and evil monsters and demonic Celestials, the Emperor’s Seat was the only one Thanatos liked.

“I discovered a lot of information thanks to him.”

Thanatos had quite a long talk with the Emperor’s Seat. From him, Thanatos not only learned that Antares was holding both Crom Cruach’s soul and Xerxes captive but also obtained many pieces of information about the <Stars>. Since the Emperor’s Seat found out about Chang-Sun and Thanatos’ partnership, he had constantly been giving Thanatos numerous pieces of information for atonement.

‘He seemed to be willing to help us in the future too. Perhaps he can be recruited to join our side like the Ten Elders.’

The Emperor’s Seat joining the <Underworld> would cause an uproar in its own way and also greatly help Chang-Sun. The biggest piece of information Thanatos received from him was the final goal of his enemies.

Resting his chin on his hand, Thanatos mumbled, “So they do want—!”

Rumble…!

The King of the Underworld’s palace suddenly shook hard. Wondering what happened, he looked up with a frown. His skin stung for some reason.

At that moment, the door to his room swung wide open. The reaper standing guard outside, hurriedly entered. “W-we have a big problem!”

“What in the world is going on?”

“The Bloodless Hell has been opened!”

“What?!” Thanatos sprung to his feet, slamming his hand on his armrest.

The most dangerous criminals in the <Underworld> were imprisoned in Bloodless Hell. A jailbreak from it could turn into a large-scale incident that could bring huge chaos to the Worldlines.

Thanatos was about to yell at the reaper about their negligence at the job when he suddenly remembered that the Emperor’s Seat was on his way back to Bloodless Hell.

“No, this won’t do. I’ll go there myself.” Thanatos’ face darkened as he left his throne.

* * *

“As a symbol of <Dull Darkness>, you’ll become a stronghold that attracts the attention of <Stars>, and I will become a <Supreme Light’s Face> to be their executioner?” Chang-Sun asked.

“That’s right. Think about it. Those two origins are known for their eternal conflict. How huge the commotion do you think would be if they allied for the first time?”

“<Heaven> would turn upside down.”

“Exactly.” Thanatos grinned.

Recalling what Thanatos said before, Chang-Sun quietly chuckled. If everything went according to Thanatos’ plan, they wouldn’t be able to find a better way to overpower their enemies. Fortunately, his first attempt was working out quite okay.

[You have consumed a ‘Dragon Heart.’]

[You have awakened your dormant light attribute and added it to your divine power, causing your ‘Integrated Divine Power Circuit’ to change.]

[You have acquired the ‘Dragon’ factor.]

…

Chang-Sun’s integrated circuit was undergoing so much change that it wasn’t accurate to call it a circuit anymore. His concentrated divine power changed into the form of beads and embedded themselves everywhere inside Chang-Sun.

[Your divine power has been concentrated, creating acupoints!]

[A total of 365 acupoints have been opened and shut, maximizing the overall efficiency.]

[Many of your acupoints have been condensed, creating dans.]

[Your ‘dans’ have been merged, creating neidans.]

[A dantian has settled in the crown of your head, heart, and sea of qi.]

[Your three dantians have been connected through the acupoints in your ‘Integrated Divine Power Circuit.’]

His concentrated divine power spheres were no different from divine relics that could endlessly generate supreme divine energy.

The three divine relics he created settled inside him. The first was his head. When Chang-Sun opened his eyes, he felt as if he could now perceive a wider world. His senses were also sharper, and the view he could see through his [Gnostic Eye] was now a lot more detailed.

[Your upper dantian has significantly increased your mastery over your ‘Gnostic Eye.’]

[You now have the ability to temporarily see the future.]

[Your essence has been reinforced.]

The next was his heart. It became bigger as his [Integrated Divine Power Circuit] expanded.

[Your middle dantian has transformed your ‘Integrated Divine Power Circuit.’]

[The amount of your energy has been multiplied.]

The last was the lower part of his abdomen, which made him even sturdier.

[Your lower dantian has added the ‘Dragon’ factor to your body.]

[Your body has become stronger.]

Essence, energy, and body. The three pillars that composed a being were completed, and Chang-Sun received external stimulants in more detail, erasing the line between himself and others. He realized that he was now one step closer to understanding the law of the universe.

[Starting a Celestial Pathway!]

[You have acquired the light attribute.]

[Congratulations! You have found the Hidden Piece ‘Road to Light.’]

[As a reward, the acquisition process of your fourth class has begun.]

Paaaaah…!

The lightning attribute of the pool of light around Chang-Sun was replaced with the light attribute. The light particles that brightened the world danced around Chang-Sun, their golden light harmonizing with one another to create a sun. The voices of Chang-Sun’s subordinates abruptly faded away, making him realize that he had been transported to an entirely new world.

The world Chang-Sun was in now was filled with golden light. He was certain that he was the only one on it, yet he could sense someone watching him. Unfortunately, he couldn’t pinpoint the observer’s exact location because he could feel its gaze coming from every direction… almost as if this world itself was the observer.

The observer exuded such remarkable holiness that Chang-Sun felt as if it would sooner or later captivate him.

‘Is this the <Supreme Light>?’ he wondered.

Just standing before the <Supreme Light> filled Chang-Sun’s heart with warmth, which made him want to fall asleep right there and then. It made him wonder if the <Supreme Light> was perhaps a very gentle being, unlike what Thanatos had said.

At that moment, a man with black hair and golden eyes rose from the pool of golden light. Unlike <Deus Ex Machina>’s mechanical eyes, the man’s eyes just held golden radiance. He seemed to be looking elsewhere, not at Chang-Sun. The man stood with his back against Chang-Sun, looking melancholic and lonely. It was hard to think of him as the absolute being who developed and observed the universe and Worldlines.

Unsure what the man was doing, Chang-Sun walked over to him and thought about saying something. “Uhh—!”

Before he could, however, the <Supreme Light> turned around and looked at Chang-Sun. When their eyes met, his lips moved.

Yaldabaoth. The child who will become the overseer of Sophia the Great Scholar. Please do not let your destiny consume and turn you into someone who can bend destiny to your will.

‘Yaldabaoth? Sophia?’ Unsure of what the <Supreme Light> meant, Chang-Sun was about to ask him for more information, but he had already turned away and was disappearing into the pool of golden light.

Woosh.

When Chang-Sun opened his eyes again, the world of golden light had completely disappeared. He was already back at the Gobi Desert, where his subordinates were.

‘What in the world was that…?’ Chang-Sun blankly wondered as a series of new messages popped up before him.

[You have successfully completed your fourth class acquisition test!]

[Your light attribute has gained Spirituality, turning it into the Divine Spirituality attribute.]

[You have become the representative of the resolve that the <Supreme Light> left on this land.]

[Your level of authority in the system has increased.]

‘… It’s that easy?’ Chang-Sun was baffled. He wasn’t expecting an Emperor to appoint him as their avatar so easily, which was why he made all sorts of preparations in the first place.

「Twilight? What are you doing standing over there? Well, something did sparkle around you just now.」

Kali and his subordinates were giving him puzzled looks. To them, Chang-Sun just looked as if he had been standing still all this time.

“I think I’ve done it,” Chang-Sun murmured.

「… What? That easily?」Kali asked in as much disbelief as Chang-Sun was. All he could do was nod.

「Do you think anything changed?」

“Not sure...” Chang-Sun tilted his head, drawing up his divine power.

Having gained three dantians, Chang-Sun acquired some supreme divine energy, but it didn’t make much of a difference. Considering he was linked with the <Supreme Light> now, he thought he should at least feel some big changes, like sensing all creation or at least detecting an enormous entity.

「I don’t know what in the world happened.」

Kali and Chang-Sun’s subordinates were noticeably baffled. All this time, they were on high alert, worried that something bad would happen to Chang-Sun. However, their vigilance seemed meaningless now. The level of Chang-Sun’s Divine Class that they could detect wasn’t really different from before, which only worsened their feeling of futility.

‘Something has to have changed.’ Chang-Sun opened his palm, feeling uneasy.

Wooosh!

White light particles floated on top of Chang-Sun’s palm. He had perfectly synchronized with the light attribute, so all his divine power now materialized as light particles, not lightning sparks.

Chang-Sun infused a lot of his divine powers into the particles, wondering if he would find a noticeable difference, but they just swelled up and popped like balloons. Was there a specific way to use the <Supreme Light>’s power?

Chang-Sun quietly let out a sigh. He decided to just ask Thanatos about it later.

「Hup!」

「Th-th-that’s…!」

「How is that possible?」

However, his subordinates suddenly pointed at the sky in surprise, making him turn to where they were looking.

His eyes widened.

Next to the sun at the center of the sky… was an even larger sun.