The Divine Twilight's Return

Chapter 134: Star, The First Mission (9)

Jin seemed to have read Chang-Sun’s determination through their connection because he suddenly appeared beside Chang-Sun, chuckling.

「You’re planning something interesting.」

Following Chang-Sun’s order, Jin delivered messages to Baek Gyeo-Ul. When he returned, his eyes were sparkling with interest. Much to Jin’s intrigue, Chang-Sun told him he would make a Guardian’s high priest his new subordinate.

Jin also knew who the ‘Goddess of Massacre and Destruction’ was—no, there was no way he wouldn’t. After all, she was extremely notorious, so much so that although she had many devout followers, she also had many haters. Deities like her were usually classified as evil deities, but she wasn’t considered as one since she was normally a peaceful goddess who loved trees and nature.

Now well aware of how many Celestials paid attention to Chang-Sun, Jin didn’t bother to bring it up and just wondered what method Chang-Sun would use to recruit another subordinate.

“Find it,” Chang-Sun concisely ordered.

「…Hmm?」

Jin’s eyes widened while having fun, unable to understand what Chang-Sun meant.

“Find it,” Chang-Sun repeated.

「You’re being ridiculous…!」

Jin’s face crumpled upon finally realizing what Chang-Sun meant. He had never expected Chang-Sun would make him find a way to turn the high priest into Chang-Sun’s subordinate.

“Find it. That’s an order,” Chang-Sun firmly repeated his instruction.

The word ‘order’ sounded especially loud in Jin’s ear, making his face harden. He was also a master with many subordinates, so he understood why Chang-Sun acted like this. Subordinates were supposed to loyally follow the orders of their masters. However, since Jin hadn’t genuinely accepted Chang-Sun as his master, he was dumbfounded when Chang-Sun gave him an order. Soon, he lightly chuckled.

「Alright, I’ll do it.」

Jin used to be the one who gave out orders in the past, not received them, so it would have been understandable if he got angry. However, not only did he feel as if he ‘had’ to follow Chang-Sun’s orders, he also didn’t hate it for some reason.

Whoosh!

In the end, Jin disappeared to carry out Chang-Sun’s order.

Meanwhile, Chang-Sun expanded the radius of his search using [Viper Eyes] and tried to look at the top of the tree. It was still getting taller, so the top was barely visible.

‘I have to climb up there,’?he assumed.

He had been moving in the air to avoid getting trapped in the jail that the Parasitic Divine Tree was creating, but he would have to destroy all the wooden jail bars first to get to his destination.

[Equipped ‘White Magpie Bow’!]

After disassembling the Nameless Spear into two short spears again, Chang-Sun pulled out the bow and grabbed it with his left hand. Despite currently being unsteady on his feet, he notched a short spear and tried to point it at his destination. He moved the same way he did in the ‘Black Blood Mountain Range’ to hunt the Jigwis.

However, there was one difference between now and then: the Nameless Spear had been upgraded using a [Frost Monarch’s Breath], and Choi Bu-Yong had also improved the [White Magpie Bow]’s durability. The Frost King’s skin was weaved into the bowstring, making it very compatible with the Nameless Spear, which the [Frost Monarch’s Breath] had been infused into.

[The Celestial ‘A Good Season to Hunt’ is looking forward to what’s about to happen with sparkling eyes. ]

Chang-Sun aimed his spear at the target that he could see through [Viper Eyes] and condensed the Eon Fire on the spearhead, which could be considered an arrowhead now. He then let go of the bowstring that he had pulled as far back as possible. The spear’s handle was made out of [Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Irons], and the [Frost Monarch’s Breath] bestowed the spear with the ice attribute. Hence, the short spear remained unaffected when Chang-Sun enveloped it with an immense amount of Eon Fire. It would still remain unscathed even if an uncontrollably huge explosion were to shake the spear hard…!

Swish―!

The short spear cut through the air in an arc.

[The Authority ‘Perfect Marksmanship’ has been activated, causing the projectile to hit the bullseye!]

The short spear swiftly broke through the dense wooden jail bars and slammed itself against the Parasitic Divine Tree.

Boom!

With an earsplitting sound, the condensed Eon Fire around the spearhead exploded and released a strong gust of hot wind in every direction.

Boom, boom―!

Rumble, rumble!

[The Skills ‘Explosive Thunder’ and ‘Lightning Web’ have triggered a chain reaction, creating a gigantic firestorm!]

[The explosion has spread the fire further.]

[The explosion has spread the fire further.]

…

[Achievement unlocked!]

“The Serial Bomber.”

Reward: Fire attribute +15. Explosive power +10. Skill ‘Advanced Bow Proficiency.’

The Parasitic Divine Tree finally stopped growing. When the Eon Fire enveloping the Nameless Spear detonated against the Divine Tree, the explosion blew away a part of the tree and burned quite a number of thick branches as if it was a cannonball. As a result, the Parasitic Divine Tree now looked shabby.

[The Celestial ‘A Good Season to Hunt’ strokes her chin, saying her Authority is really great. She adds that explosions are art.]

[The Celestial ‘World-Encircling Serpent’ tells her that you made such a brilliant performance with his special bonus reward, not with her Authority. ]

[The Celestial ‘A Good Season to Hunt’ jumps around in anger, yelling that the ‘World-Encircling Serpent’ is being absurd.]

[The Celestial ‘World-Encircling Serpent’ pompously says he’s the one that contributed the most because everything is useless if you can’t select a target.]

[The Celestial ‘A Good Season to Hunt’ points an arrow at the ‘World-Encircling Serpent’, angrily asking if he wants to be hit with her Authority.]

[The Celestial ‘World-Encircling Serpent’ giggles, sarcastically encouraging her to try.]

…

As usual, Pabilsag and J?rmungandr bickered profusely. Meanwhile…

[The Boss Monster ‘Parasitic Divine Tree’ has become angry!]

The Parasitic Divine Tree most likely believed it shouldn’t let Chang-Sun run around like this anymore, considering it not only tried to trap Chang-Sun with its branches now but also whipped its vines at him. The tree’s attacks looked fatal, almost as if it could kill Chang-Sun with a single strike. Nevertheless, Chang-Sun activated [Kalokagathia] and calmly fired the second arrow.

Swish―!

Chang-Sun was merely zeroing in on his target with the first arrow. The second one served as his actual attack.

Boom!

When the second arrow collided with the tree, a much bigger fire spread on its surface, causing the already blazing flames to grow larger and engulf the Parasitic Divine Tree’s trunk entirely. The fire swallowed the shattered trunk’s fragments before dropping them to the ground, destroying the island with what appeared to be a meteor shower. The fragments also crushed all the wooden jail bars and set the parched ground on fire.

[Successfully halving the HP of the Boss Monster ‘Parasitic Divine Tree’ with only two arrows has given you a significant amount of experience points.]

[Skill Level has increased!]

[Skill Level has increased!]

…

[The Skill ‘Advanced Bow Proficiency’ has reached its maximum level. A higher-level skill has been created.]

[The Skill ‘Bow Mastery’ has been created!]

After [Sword Mastery] and [Lance Mastery], he had now obtained [Bow Mastery].

Chang-Sun now had three weapon mastery skills.

[The Skill ‘Windstalking Tiger’ has been activated, darting forward in the air!]

Using the Lightness Skill, Chang-Sun instantly ran up to the sky, where the top of the Parasitic Divine Tree was. The irritated Parasitic Divine Tree tried to capture Chang-Sun, who was moving so smoothly it was as if he was on the ground, using its vines and branches.

“Howl and roar,” Chang-Sun commanded.

Already holding the [Yuchang Sword] and [Tiamat’s Snaggletooth] in each hand, Chang-Sun activated Double Sword Resonance and cut away all the vines and branches. They wouldn’t have been easy to cut under normal circumstances, but the Parasitic Divine Tree’s durability had gone down due to the spreading Eon-Fire.

[The Celestial ‘Geminus’ feels very pleased to see you punishing the antitheist that revolted against him!]

[The Celestial ‘Calamity Tiger’ contentedly smiles as he watches the amusing sight.]

Chang-Sun flew high and broke through the sea of clouds in the sky, reaching the stratosphere—the entrance to the dark universe.

[You have entered the ‘Divine Tree Hall‘!]

He could finally see his destination, the top of the Parasitic Divine Tree. In contrast to the gigantic branches and vines that almost covered the entire island, a very small creature’s upper body was connected to the Parasitic Tree’s peak. Wearing branches like armor, the Elfin Root, whose face was still half-destroyed, screamed in pain.

However, Chang-Sun knew the fire that he created wasn’t the cause of the Elfin Root’s pain. If it had taken damage from the flames, it should be covered in burnt marks or soot. However, its upper body had been ‘shattered’ instead, evidencing that it had been hit with immense power.

“Hahaha! I never thought a new guest would arrive here,” the man said.

Another being was already in the scene, standing not so far away from the Elfin Root.

[The Skill ‘Beast Senses’ has been activated, warning you that the man is dangerous!]

The man emitted an intimidating aura, enough to make Chang-Sun tense up. He wasn’t exactly human, either. Despite having the face and upper body of one, his lower body and eagle wings told Chang-Sun otherwise. The man was a Birdfolk, who was considered an aristocratic race of Beastfolk like Tigerfolks.

‘He’s an eagle-type Birdfolk.’?Chang-Sun observed.

Eagle-type Birdfolks thought of themselves as the leader of winged animals, so they were also called ‘royalty.’ The Beastfolks’ abilities differed depending on which family they were born in, so it wasn’t odd that the man emitted such an aura.

[The Divinity of the Celestial ‘Geminus’ is lighting up the whole sky!]

Judging from the Birdfolk’s aura, he seemed to be a high-ranking subordinate of the ‘Gemini’…

“I should punish you for not bowing before me even though you have seen my face, but my Guardian has told me to generously forgive you.” The Birdfolk coldly smiled, looking at Chang-Sun. For some reason, he looked decadently beautiful yet arrogant.

‘Is he an apostle?’?Chang-Sun wondered.

Taking his way of speaking into account, the man seemed to be the Birdfolk king. If so, then he had to be the apostle or high priest of the ‘Gemini.’ The Zodiacs’ apostles were so powerful that most Celestials wouldn’t dare mess around with them.

‘He’s a high priest or bishop, not an apostle… Well, he’s certainly holding a high-ranking position,’?Chang-Sun concluded.

smiling coldly, the Birdfolk man said, “I will grace you with the opportunity to see how I punish this blasphemous sinner, so watch and learn what would happen if you disrespect my Guardian. I will allow you to spread my Guardian’s doctrines to your world.”

[The Celestial ‘Geminus’ is smiling coldly!]

The Birdfolk man whacked the ground with the hideous whip in his right hand. It was a lot different from an ordinary whip, seeing as how it had a bunch of sawteeth on its surface, all of which were already smeared with the Elfin Root’s fleshes.

Whirl―!

Slash! Slash!

The Birdfolk man whipped the Elfin Root as hard as possible. Although the Elfin Root swung its vines to somehow fight back, the Birdfolk man’s weapon was capable of destroying all the vines and striking the Elfin Root.

Slash!

With his whip, the Birdfolk man whipped the Elfin Root’s upper body hard, causing tree saps to splatter everywhere like blood.

“You are a mere ghost of a deceased deity, and you’ve lost your divinity! How dare you show hostility toward my Guardian?!” The Birdfolk man angrily yelled.

Slash! Slash!

Each swing of the Birdfolk man’s sawtooth whip destroyed Elfin Root’s body, revealing its [Mana Core]. Although it had gone through <Evolution> by draining all of the Dungeon’s energy, it still failed to counterattack against the Birdfolk man. Right now, all it could do was flounder like a drowning person.

Only rage was left in the Elfin Root’s eyes. It was mad at itself for not having the power to do something about the enemy before it.

Slash!

“Let me send you to where your deity is!” Sentencing the Elfin Root to death, the Birdfolk man held his sawtooth whip up high, ripping the air.

[‘Thon,’ the High Priest of the Celestial 'Gemini,’ is attempting to retrieve the dead deity’s Divinity!]

Like a bolt of lightning, he swung his sawtooth whip downward. At the same time, Jin sent Chang-Sun a telepathic message.

『I found a way.』

Paah!

Chang-Sun began to move.

[‘Double Sword Resonance’ is taking place!]