Chapter 788   - Li's Torch (4)

Although he had tossed away his hard-earned domains like they were nothing, Yeon-woo didn’t seem too upset. If normal gods and demons saw him, they’d ask him if he was crazy. According to their logic, it was impossible for someone to throw away something they had created and cared for their entire lives.

If legends were a medium that gifted one with holiness and brought in faith, domains were like an identity that would give one godly traits. Also, they were like master keys that could control laws as the user wished. If the domains were gone, you couldn’t be called a god, and even if you managed to maintain your divinity, you wouldn’t be as powerful as you would’ve been with your domain.

Shanon, Hanryeong, and the others watching in the shadow couldn’t help but sigh.

「Gosh… Our King Temper. He always goes over and beyond. Most people become more anxious with the more they have because of the fear of losing it, but he threw it away just like that.」

「He’s going for the winning move because he’s certain he’ll win.」

「Still, isn’t it too much this time? We don’t have the opportunity to go out now.」Shanon clicked his tongue.

All of Yeon-woo’s subordinates were tied to him through “death,” but now that Yeon-woo tossed it aside like a pack of rocks, their foundations for existing were gone too. They could maintain their existence by staying inside the shadow, which was a part of Yeon-woo, but once they tried to leave it, they would scatter in the air like sand.

「Let’s wait.」However, Hanryeong didn’t seem too concerned.「He always provides us with new paths.」

「Okaaay. Must be nice to be such a faithful believer.」Shanon spoke sarcastically, but his loyalty and trust in Yeon-woo were equal to Hanryeong’s, so he wasn’t worried either.

But Shanon had wanted to show off his talents in front of his master. ‘So much for starting to work with other people. If he does everything alone, what are we supposed to do?’ Yeon-woo continued to walk his path steadfastly, and Shanon wanted to assist him any way he could. He was just upset that he couldn’t.

* * *

“No…way…! Kegh!” Yvlke cried out as he looked at his legends and Illusory World turning black. His body was also surrounded by black curses, on the verge of being destroyed.

[‘Death’ has infected all the data of the ‘Main Ego of the Black King.’]

[The connection to darkness is unstable!]

…

[Damage to data is becoming greater due to darkness. Suppress the virus and restore the lost data.]

[The durability of darkness is decreasing. Replenish with new darkness.]

Yeon-woo’s domain of death was a virus—a vicious one that spread like rapid-fire and consumed its host. Even if one tried to resist, any vaccines or defenses were futile because it grew from too deep within. Any protection against it would also disappear through death.

“What…are you…thinking?” Yvlke had seen many beings over the eons he lived, but he couldn’t understand Yeon-woo. It didn’t make sense for someone to let go of their domain. He had seen gods die trying to protect their domains but never anything like this. Even Yeon-woo’s father, Kronos, tried to protect his throne to his death!

Moreover, the domain of death was something the Black King gave when choosing a successor. It was Yeon-woo’s connection to the Black King. Yeon-woo must have known it would be difficult to return as an ego of the Black King without the domain. But he had given it up like it was nothing.

However, Yeon-woo’s reply was simple. “It wasn’t mine in the first place.”

Yvlke felt like he was pummeled on the back of his head. Then, he burst out laughing. “Ohyohyohyo! Ohyo! Ohyohyohyo!” Even while death continued to take over him, he didn’t stop laughing. Blood was spat out from his mouth as he guffawed. “Yes… From the beginning…you were…this kind of person. How…did I…forget that… Ohyohyo!”

Suddenly, the atmosphere around Yvlke changed. “Fine… Then…I will do anything in my power…to swallow you!” His domains were being destroyed by the minute and his holiness was in grave danger, but they were located in his legends. The battlefield was still in his favor. In addition, his legends as the Black King’s main ego were so plentiful it was impossible to count, so it would take a considerable amount of time for him to meet complete death. He had to swallow Yeon-woo within that time and get rid of this curse.

Yvlke activated all his legends after reaching that decision.

[All the legends of the ‘Main Ego of the Black King’ respond to his summons!]

Various Yvlkes appeared along the darkness that surrounded him.

[The legend of the main ego ‘Baby Hungry Ghost’ reveals itself!]

[The legend of the main ego ‘Test Subject 666’ reveals itself!]

[The legend of the main ego ‘A Ruined Face of the Heavenly Demon’ reveals itself!]

…

[The legend of the main ego ‘Vampire of the Abyss’ reveals itself!]

…

It seemed like all of Yvlke’s legends that were divided in the ninety-ninth floor had appeared. Just as Yeon-woo killed all his legends and absorbed them and Jeong-woo combined himself with them through discussion, Yvlke had cleared the ninety-ninth floor with a method of his own.

“You’ve summoned so many. You all came together to defeat me?” Yeon-woo let out a cold laugh.

There were hundreds, thousands… No, hundreds of thousands of new Yvlkes appearing in the darkness even while Yvlke himself was being destroyed. There were countless legends that had been accumulated during Yvlke’s time alive. Even gods would’ve had a hard time calculating his lifetime. They all spoke up at the same time.

“It’s because of our noble intent.”

“We will no longer be bound by the Black King, Heavenly Demon, or any other like them.”

“We will continue moving forward.”

“Even if we have been divided into many.”

“Our intent and purpose will not change.”

“And we will continue to go forth.”

“We will remove any obstacle that blocks our path.”

Yeon-woo knew he was the obstacle Yvlke was referring to. Yeon-woo’s smirk deepened.

“So…”

“Don’t besmirch our great will.”

[The legend of the main ego ‘Sage’ reveals itself!]

Just then, a Demonism created from thick blackness appeared and spoke. You will now become the same existence as us.

[The ‘Main Ego of the Black King’ begins to attack the ‘Alternative Ego of the Black King.’]

Fwoosh! With Sage’s firing the signal, the rest of Yvlke’s legends dashed for Yeon-woo. They were all in a critical state, infected by death, but their sorrow and violence were felt stronger than ever.

It was a fearsome situation, but Yeon-woo didn’t blink an eye. “You must’ve already forgotten. Or maybe you’re suffering from memory loss because you’re so old.” Rather, his cynical smile widened. “This isn’t too different from when I jumped into the abyss the first time.”

Suddenly, Yeon-woo’s remaining right wing unfurled.

[Sky Wings (Right Wing) - Fight]

Even if he abandoned everything else, as long as he had this domain, he had nothing to be afraid of. Fight was all Yeon-woo had experienced, and it was the path he would continue on. Whoosh! Yeon-woo sped toward the Yvlkes with his meteor sword.

Crackle, crackle! Rumble! The black-red lightning exploded more brightly than ever. Most of the Yvlkes were nearly taken over by death, and they exploded along with the lightning, but they continued to bolt for Yeon-woo. If they could swallow Yeon-woo, they’d be able to heal themselves quickly.

However, Yeon-woo wasn’t one to be defeated so easily. Test Subject 666 bit his left arm, but Yeon-woo just left it alone.

[The legend ‘Soldier’ has been split away!]

Yeon-woo’s legend was taken with his arm. He felt a pang of emptiness, but he ignored it. Gripping tightly his domain of fight, he slashed the neck of the creature in front of him who had his weakness wide open.

[You have successfully eliminated the legend of the main ego ‘Test Subject 666.’]

[You have activated ‘Hades’ Spirit Eating Sword!]

…

[You have successfully absorbed a part of the main ego.]

[The lost legend ‘Soldier’ has been restored.]

If Yvlke tried to eat him, Yeon-woo let him. Even if his legend was ripped away, his holiness was eaten, and his faith was stolen, he didn’t care. Instead, he tightened his hold around his domain of fight and killed again and again. Then, if he could reciprocate their attack, he wouldn’t be losing anything in the end.

One might wonder how Yeon-woo was going to deal with all the legends, but this was actually a situation Yeon-woo had been hoping for. From when he started as a successor and became an alternate ego, he had never lost his reason in the many battles he fought.

[You have successfully eliminated the legend of the main ego ‘A Ruined Face of the Heavenly Demon.’]

…

[You have activated ‘Hades’ Spirit Eating Sword!]

…

[You have successfully absorbed a part of the main ego.]

[You have successfully absorbed a part of the main ego.]

On the other hand, Yvlke was massive, but his movements were slow and ineffective. For Yeon-woo, who had only fought against strong opponents and defeated them, Yvlke was the perfect prey.

Crackle! Pow pow pow!

[You have successfully absorbed a part of the main ego.]

…

[The ‘Main Ego of the Black King’ has lost too much darkness!]

[The condition to be the main ego is not met and the status has been removed. ‘Sage/Yvlke’ been downgraded to an ‘Alternative Ego.’]

N-No!

I still… I still haven’t accomplished anything…!

[The condition to be the alternate ego is not met and the status has been removed. ‘Sage/Yvlke’ been downgraded to an ‘Ordinary Ego.’]

I…was so close to the end…

[The condition to be an ordinary ego is not met and the status has been removed. ‘Sage/Yvlke’ been downgraded to a ‘Part of Subconscious.’]

Everything that made Yvlke was destroyed at a rapid pace. His Illusory World crumbled away, and the legends died one by one and were absorbed by Yeon-woo. He tried to struggle against it, but he was on a downhill descent to ruin.

Then, when all the legends died and only Sage/Yvlke was left, he had lost most of his blackness because he wasn’t able to maintain his existence. You, you…! Sage/Yvlke shouted at Yeon-woo, who was now directly in front of him.

Slice! Yeon-woo immediately slit Yvlke’s neck as if Yvlke wasn’t worth listening to anymore and swallowed him.

[You have successfully absorbed ‘Sage/Yvlke!’]

…

[You have absorbed a significant amount of darkness.]

[Current amount of darkness: 91%]

[You have met the condition to become the main ego and your status is upgraded. You have become the ‘Main Ego of the Black King.’]

[Your fate as an executor has been changed to Regulator.]

…

[Death is restored.]

[Fight is strengthened.]

…

[You are able to dream the ‘Dream.’]

[You are able to spin the ‘Wheel.’]

…

[You have gained the qualification of ‘Emperor.’]

[The title ‘Black King’ has been created!]