On Hiatus: God's Personal Reasons-Chapter 235: #Owner of the War God Temple

The rift barely fit a human, and beyond it stood a bloodstained, soot-covered, mountainous temple. Were the War God and Nightmare there?

Suddenly, I recalled Seong-Yeon’s fairytale—The Little Prince and Treacherous Roses. The prince was meant to guard and care for the rose, but in the end, it was the rose that protected him—protected me.

“You shall forget my existence from now on,” the rose whispered.

I didn’t understand. Why would a Top-tier god like Nightmare sacrifice herself for me? Did she care for me the way I care for Anty, Il-Ho, and my followers? Or was she like the Eternal Seeker, bound to me in ways still unknown? Either way, it didn’t matter, I could always ask her myself.

[Infinite Abundance is extremely flustered by the strength that broke her barrier.]

“So, you were the one who stopped me, Abundance noonim,” I said bitterly.

In the past, I had been kidnapped by Sun God. Since I couldn’t leave Earth on my own, I suspected someone had intervened.

[Infinite Abundance pales, shouting that you mustn’t go in there!]

I could understand her—had it been someone else, I’d have done the same.

“Still, I must go.”

No god, or man, should turn away from a woman ready to sacrifice herself for him. Only trash would, and they’d have to live with that sin for the rest of their days

I stepped into the rift.

Baaaam!

With a dazzling golden flash, a scythe of divine power fell before me.

I looked at the girl obstructing my way and let out a sigh. “Do you have to do this?”

It was Xu Zhu—but she wasn't her usual self.

Tzzz!

Xu Zhu exuded Infinite Abundance's golden brilliance, and even held her gigantic signature weapon. Infinite Abundance glared at me with her glowing golden eyes.

“You can’t go. Even one of the strongest in the gods' realm fell to the War God! You’ve just become a High-tier god recently! Going against him is just suicide! His High-tier god minions infest that place as well!”

“I’m not going to fight him. I’m going to save her.”

Biting her lips, Infinite Abundance pointed her golden scythe at me. “This is Nightmare’s first and only favor to me—to never let you step on the battlefield!”

Ruuumble!

Her aura intensified, shaking the ground like an earthquake. As expected of a Top-tier benevolent god.

Swoosh! Thud thud!

“What is happening!”

“Des...troy!”

Noticing the phenomenon, my alter egos and Il-Ho rushed outside.

“Lord Yu Il-Shin! Is that our enemy? I will—huh? This divine power... Goddess?” Il-Ho’s eyes widened at the sight of Infinite Abundance.

Anyway, they came right on time. I reached out to my alter egos. “Come, let’s go save her.”

“What?”

“Des...troy?”

They had puzzled looks, but I merged them into myself. Yi-Shin’s black horns sprouted from my head, while my eyes glowed ominously red like Sam-Shin’s.

Rooooar!

With their added powers, my divine power was exploding.

“Please! Don’t do it!”

Her golden scythe flew toward myself. As I dodged, I could feel her kind determination to subdue me, but her goodwill didn’t reach me this time.

“N-no way.”

With just my thumb and forefinger, I caught the scythe by its blade and tossed it aside.

I turned to the pale-faced girl. “It’d be one thing if I were facing the real Abundance noonim, but your apostle doesn’t stand a chance against me.”

I also knew she couldn’t descend on Earth because of the astronomical amount of causality it required. Otherwise, War God would’ve descended a long time ago, eradicating everything.

A myriad of emotions flashed across Infinite Abundance’s face.

“You’ve grown stronger. However, War God’s power still far exceeds what you can comprehend.”

“I’m sure.”

Infinite Abundance sighed, erasing her aura. “Nightmare is a wicked and lustful god, but I don’t wish for her to become extinct. It is in the harmony of all things—good and evil—that the world’s causality is maintained. Or maybe, Nightmare...”

She stopped and swallowed her words, shaking her head.

Tzzz!

Instead, her scythe beamed like the sun, overflowing with divine power.

“Please,” she handed me the golden scythe, “take this. It contains all my divine power.”

“Thank you.”

“Please don’t overdo it. You have to return alive...”

Plop!

Having exhausted all her divine power, Xu Zhu’s aura flickered out like a dying candle, and she collapsed helplessly to the ground.

I entrusted the unconscious Xu Zhu to the confused Il-Ho.

“Il-Ho, I’m going to the gods’ realm for a while. Can you protect Earth while I’m gone?”

Quickly regaining his senses, Il-Ho fell to his knees. “Ah! Please leave it to me, O’ great and merciful Lord Yu Il-Shin! I will defend your world without fail, as you command!”

While having Il-Ho—Eternal Seeker’s legacy—join me at the War God’s Temple would be a great help, I couldn’t shake the feeling that Despair was still on Earth.

“Yeah, I believe in you, Il-Ho.”

Clutching Infinite Abundance’s golden scythe, I stepped into the ominous rift in space.

***

With just a single step, I was no longer in Earth.

Ding!

[The innate power Blind Eyes of God has been activated.]

-----

[Valhöll (Valhöll)]

A territory in the god’s realm ruled by War God. Around for 432,432,134 years.

Special note: An imitation of a lost world.

-----

I wondered if it was a coincidence, but Valhöll was the archaic word for Valhalla in Norse mythology. It was a warrior’s paradise, where those who fought bravely and died with honor were guided by the Valkyries. There, the warriors of Valhalla were said to wage a never-ending war of bloodshed and madness.

Still, even with that in mind, calling this place Valhalla would be a stretch. The sky was as grim as dusk. The air was filled with a nauseating stench of rotting flesh. The dark wastelands were littered with rusted remains of lost weapons. Rather than a paradise, it just seemed like a graveyard. I crossed the land toward the War God, who stood majestic against the desolate twilight.

Ding!

[The innate power Blind Eyes of God has been activated.]

Then, I saw how this place was reduced into a tomb.

“Waaaah! For War God!”

“Slaughter for War God!”

"Sharpen your blades with blood! Drive your spears through their hearts!"

Countless warriors filled the endless horizon, raising their weapons in unison as they praised their god. The god watched from the highest vantage point in his realm, smiling with satisfaction. He’d chosen the bravest warriors and sent his Valkyries to bring them to him.

-My gallant sons and daughters, welcome to my land—Valhöll! Here, neither hunger nor thirst shall plague you. Wield as many weapons as you wish, none shall burden you. Even death itself bows before you!

War God, clad in a lion helmet and golden armor, drew a divine sword that was larger than himself and made a declaration.

-In the name of a great god, I present an eternal war of carnage and madness!

“Waaaah! All hail War God!”

“Praise be our one and only great father, War God!”

Thus, the warriors enjoyed endless warfare in Valhöll. However, one day, God of Destroyer suddenly descended upon his world.

Ruuuumble!

The sky tore apart and giant monsters appeared, but instead of being terrified and screaming, the warriors cheered.

“Are those enemies?!”

“Finally! I’m getting tired of fighting among ourselves!”

“Father! Please bless us!”

At last, a real opponent to test the power they’d developed. Even War God shared the sentiment.

-Keke, is that the rumored God of Destroyer? He isn’t as impressive as I’d thought. My sons and daughters! Show this soulless monster the meaning of war!

“Waaaah!”

“Kill God of Destroyer!”

Billions of courageous warriors charged toward God of Destroyer, and it became their last war. No, it was a one-sided massacre, akin to a giant whale devouring a school of shrimp. Their heroic cries were silenced as their swords and spears shattered into splinters.

The seemingly eternal war had ended. Valhöll was eventually destroyed, and War God barely managed to escape with his life. He’d lost all of his followers; all that remained was seething resentment and a thirst for vengeance. He cried out to the other gods in the realm, trying to rally them to defeat God of Destroyer.

However, everyone turned a blind eye to him. God of Destroyer was beyond reckoning.

-How dare you call yourselves gods!

War God yelled while vomiting blood.

I shuddered at the wrathful cry. My Blind Eyes of God was shattered, snapping me back to reality.

Sss—

The gates to the War God’s Temple towered over me like a mountain, guarded by a giant skeleton knight on a blue horse. The knight pointed its massive scythe, exuding darkness, at my neck.

“I’m the Death God, Gatekeeper of the War God’s Temple! Halt, Otherwordly God! You shall not pass!”

My power activated once more.

Ding!

-----

[Implicated Death Knight]

Around for 132,243,691 years.

Special note: A High-tier malevolent god and servant of War God. Wields Thanatos, a divine weapon that brings death at the slightest touch.

-----

I ignored him and continued approaching the gates to the War God’s Temple.

“I said halt!” the knight roared furiously, about to behead me with Thanatos.

I whispered to Infinite Abundance’s scythe, “Proliferate.”

The dazzling golden scythe swallowed the world.

Swish swish! Ruuumble!

The skeleton knight and his horse fell onto the ground in pieces. I walked past its severed head, which stared at me in horror. Then, I pointed my index finger at the tightly shut gates.

“Crush.”

Craaaack!