Chapter 7. Arrogant Bastard (2)
[That...!]
“Exactly.”
Jooheon smiled.
“The thing that can destroy you isn't outside you.”
His gaze sharpened.
“It's inside.”
[!]
Metis.
The Goddess of Wisdom and Strategy.
She had been Zeus's first wife.
But after a prophecy declared that the son she bore would become stronger than Zeus, Zeus swallowed her.
He feared that he would suffer the same fate he had inflicted upon his own father.
Later, Zeus suffered such terrible pain in his head that Hephaestus split it open.
Athena was born from within.
Zeus had supposedly been relieved that the child was a girl instead of the prophesied son.
In a way...
Metis represented Zeus's original sin.
Zeus stopped breathing.
The moment the Artifact activated, invisible chains seemed to wrap around his mind and heart.
That alone would have been enough.
But Jooheon transformed the tiara-shaped Artifact into a gauntlet.
Then he jumped into the air with a vicious grin.
“Why don't you try giving birth to a son through your head this time, bastard!”
CRACK!
It wasn't the sound of metal.
It was the sound of bone splitting.
Jooheon's fist smashed directly into the top of Zeus's skull.
Something inside Zeus reacted.
[UUUAAAAARGH!]
Metis's Artifact invoked things like self-denial, fear, and original sin.
That was why Jooheon had kept it sealed until now.
Jaeha muttered from behind him.
“With how many sins Captain's committed, that Artifact would probably turn him into pure trauma...”
Jaeha was hit again.
In other words, the Artifact didn't primarily attack through external physical force.
It amplified the sins and trauma buried within the target.
The proof was obvious.
Strength drained from Zeus's body.
His mind began collapsing.
Then the gauntlet smashed into his jaw again.
[Guh!]
BOOOOOOM!
Zeus finally fell backward.
The entire power plant became silent.
[Buff 'Butcher's Efficiency' has activated.]
[Majesty's combat power permanently increases after defeating an enemy.]
'Zeus,' Divine-Grade Artifact: Defeated.
Jooheon dusted off his hands.
“You should've just stayed quiet and generated electricity.”
He clicked his tongue.
“Trying to rebel against me now?”
Zeus's entire divine form regressed back into the shape of a lightning spear.
“Both wives can rest now.”
Jooheon collected the two goddess Artifacts as well.
His innocent tone finally pushed Jaeha over the edge.
“Argh! Metis's Artifact is originally a tiara!”
He pointed angrily.
“You could've just put it on Zeus's head!”
“Why the hell did you have to transform it into a gauntlet and beat him with it?!”
Jaeha nearly cried.
“Now Zeus's durability is even worse!”
Jooheon answered as if it were obvious.
“Because I wanted to punch him.”
“......”
Was this man truly insane?
“More importantly...”
Jooheon's expression hardened.
“If this was the work of the arrogant bastard who made me pick a difficulty level just to meet him...”
Difficulty level?
Before anyone could even respond, Jooheon pulled out Gungnir.
“If you're going to tamper with someone else's Artifact...”
He smiled coldly.
“You shouldn't leave your own aura on it.”
Jooheon had detected the unfamiliar aura of another Artifact User on Zeus.
The moment he raised Gungnir...
[Please designate the target for Gungnir.]
“The bastard who tampered with my Zeus.”
[Buff activated!]
[Buff 3: Executioner's Sentence]
·
Any target designated as Majesty's enemy will have their location revealed regardless of where they are in the world.
·
·
Escape is impossible.
·
[Location acquired.]
[37.5245° N / 126.9243° E]
[Yeouido District, Seoul]
Jooheon raised an eyebrow.
“...Yeouido?”
He scoffed.
“Did the bastard think hiding inside a forest of skyscrapers would save him?”
Jooheon summoned Gungnir and pulled his arm back.
“Captain! You can't destroy the buildings!”
Jaeha screamed.
“We won't survive the cleanup!”
Gungnir tore through the air.
BOOOOM!
Then...
[Gungnir's flight path has been blocked.]
[Gungnir has been stopped by 'Gungnir.']
Jooheon's eyes froze.
“Gungnir?”
His expression hardened.
“The exact same Artifact?”
Impossible.
Only one Divine-Grade Artifact of its kind existed in this world.
Unless...
Does the same Artifact exist in a parallel world?
A yellow system window appeared while Jooheon was still processing it.
[Congratulations!]
[As promised, I will deliver the information!]
Space split open.
Light descended.
When it disappeared, every team member gasped.
“I-Irene?!”
“Why is Madam here?!”
Everyone lowered their weapons.
Everyone except Jooheon.
His spear was already pressed against the woman's throat.
“Who are you?”
The woman wearing Irene's appearance smiled.
Ignoring the blade, she approached.
She wrapped her arms around Jooheon's neck and whispered into his ear.
“I'm the Majesty who contacted you.”
Her smile deepened.
“I'm disappointed you didn't recognize me.”
Jooheon's eyes narrowed.
A Majesty from another world.
Could there actually be a worldline where Irene was Majesty?
The woman continued.
“I'll give you the answer first.”
She looked directly into his eyes.
“The child you lost came to me.”
“What?”
“If you want the child...”
She smiled.
“Marry me.”
The team members froze.
Jooheon didn't hesitate for even a second.
Gungnir pierced Irene's chest.
“Captain?! Are you insane?!”
But the tip of the spear didn't feel like it had pierced flesh.
Crackle.
Irene's form collapsed into a pile of clay.
A fake created using an Artifact.
At the same time...
Jooheon felt something missing from his chest.
Three Divine-Grade Artifacts he had been carrying were gone.
Jooheon laughed in disbelief.
“You said you'd give me information.”
His eyes turned cold.
“Instead, you transformed into my wife and picked my pocket?”
This bastard's tricks reminded him of someone.
And somewhere nearby...
A shadow watched the scene with great interest.
“Absolutely merciless.”
The figure smiled.
“Good. This is what makes it fun.”
A ring engraved with the symbol of 'Majesty' gleamed on his finger.
Jooheon came out of the shower with a towel around his neck and a glass of water in his hand.
The television was off.
“Still haven't found those dogs?”
The fake Irene had stolen Osiris, Set, and Anubis.
Three Egyptian Divine-Grade Artifacts.
Ilya lowered his head apologetically.
“...I'm sorry. Bifrost can't detect them either.”
“What about the Crow?”
The Three-Legged Crow slipped down like a shadow and landed on Jooheon's shoulder.
[Same result here.]
Jooheon frowned.
“...If none of you can find them, then they've really disappeared.”
This has to be the work of that Majesty from another worldline.
But why steal the Divine-Grade Artifacts?
Suddenly...
Click.
The television turned on.
Jooheon sighed.
“...Rope. Don't turn the TV on at a time like this.”
[Me? Not me! Not me!]
Rope popped out from behind a cabinet in panic.
Jooheon picked up the remote and turned the television off.
But...
“Hm?”
The screen didn't turn off.
Instead...
Bzzzzzt.
[No Input]
[No Signal]
“What the hell?”
Then voices came from outside.
“What is this?”
Everyone on the street was staring at their phones.
“Why did YouTube suddenly—”
“All the channels froze! Is this hacking?”
“I didn't touch anything! My screen's moving by itself!”
People screamed as they stared at their phones.
And it wasn't only phones.
Outdoor displays.
Computers.
Laptops.
At this very moment...
Every person in Korea was watching the same broadcast.
[Today's Death Statistics.]
[0 deaths.]
[Executions have not begun yet.]
