Chapter 452. The Second Coming of Gluttony 2
Chapter 452. The Second Coming of Gluttony 2
Going back to when Seol Jihu just arrived at his apartment room, Haramark was on the verge of being conquered.
Fires were soaring from several parts of the city, and clouds of acrid smoke were rising to the sky.
The city wall had countless holes like swiss cheese, and it broke and sunk wherever the Parasites touched, losing its function of protecting the city against invaders.
The number of soldiers defending the meaningless city wall paled in comparison to the number of soldiers attacking it. The wall was crawling with all sorts of parasites.
Though small in number, strong, experienced teams were holding their ground, relying on each other. However, there was no fighting against such an overwhelming number of enemies.
One would think that the enemy forces would have shrunk in size by now, but it felt like they increased in number instead.
“Aaaaack!”
A soldier who was guarding the city wall despite being surrounded by enemies finally fell. There was no way to defend fully against an overwhelming swarm that the Parasites boasted.
The soldier resentfully glared at the Nests in the distance that were endlessly spewing out parasites. Then, as the parasite that was attacking him opened its jaw, he closed his eyes and braced for death. He could see the fate he would meet.
Kwak! The parasite swallowed the soldier’s head and bit down. Along with the cracking of bones, blood spurted out from the gap in the parasite’s teeth.
The collapsed soldier flopped like a fish before his convulsing limbs stopped moving. Once one person fell, the rest of the defense line was quick to collapse.
Paradisian soldiers, Earthlings, and foreign races of the Federation were all swept away by the tsunami of parasites.
The group of parasites that rushed at the crying creatures and devoured them to their hearts’ content happily filling their bellies before scattering to find more food.
The same thing was happening in many areas of the city. With the city wall being in such a state, it wasn’t so hard to believe that the city gate had been broken through long ago.
The Parasites had already entered the city, and there weren’t enough forces to prevent them from entering. After all, any remaining troops were either running away or meeting a tragic fate after resisting until the end.
In truth, the battle was practically over. The defenders had lost. Their total annihilation was inevitable, but there were still a few who had not given up.
Teresa was swinging her sword with only a few soldiers at the southern gate, which was about to fall.
“Princess!”
Just as she pushed a Death Knight back after much struggle, Teresa heard someone shout her name.
It was Jan Sanctus’ voice.
There had to be a good reason that the general defending the southern gate alongside her gave up his position to find her.
“Hold on!”
A silver longsword flashed. Teresa sent the Death Knight’s head flying before quickly putting up her shield and falling back. When she looked back stealthily while keeping an eye out on her surroundings, she couldn’t help but be surprised.
The soldiers that she thought were protecting her rear were nowhere to be found. She could only see the corpses of what once must have been the soldiers.
That wasn’t all. Jan Sanctus, who was charred black from head to toe, suddenly stopped moving with his eyes widened.
“Sanctus?”
The moment Teresa called out, a stream of blood fell from Jan Sanctus’ mouth.
“The western gate has fallen… please retreat….”
He completed his sentence with great difficulty before placing his hand on his chest and falling on his knees.
Tang!
Just as Teresa began to rush up to him, she halted and jumped back at an explosive sound. It was because a beam of light abruptly shot toward her and bounced off her shield.
Seeing the white smoke rising from her shield, Teresa raised her eyes subconsciously.
A blonde-haired succubus was floating in the sky behind Jan Sanctus, looking down at her with hollow eyes.
Teresa’s expression contorted. The fact that Vulgar Chastity’s army was here was a clear sign that the western gate had been breached.
It was difficult enough to deal with Unsightly Humility’s army that was knocking on the southern gate.
Seeing the succubus’ hand glowing with light once again, Teresa gripped her longsword tight. The grimace on her face never disappeared as she could see a scene of total pandemonium without even having to look around.
‘So this is… really…’
The end.
“….”
…No, it’s not over yet. I might die here, but Eva is still standing. It’s a shame I won’t be able to see my Darling before I go, but if he revives in Eva before it’s too late… then my death here wouldn’t be in vain.
Teresa fixed her posture while holding in her tears.
Still… I wanted to see him at least once before dying….
It was then. Kwang! A sudden explosive sound struck her ears. The sound was so loud that the succubus and Teresa simultaneously turned their heads.
A glint flashed across the succubus’ eyes as she stared toward the north. She then flapped her wings, flying off.
Teresa bit her lower lip while watching the succubus fly away. Seeing not just that succubus but other succubi from Vulgar Chastity’s army gathering north, she suddenly had a bad feeling.
Judging by how the north side abruptly turned quiet, something must have happened there for sure. And the organization in charge of defending the north was none other than Valhalla.
Valhalla’s members were fighting rather well against Sung Shihyun. Not only were they powerful Earthlings in their own right, but they also had the Star of Lust, Seo Yuhui, and the Successor of the Eternal Light of Wisdom, Eun Yuri, performing magnificently.
However, the situation took an abrupt turn a moment ago. The cause was Vulgar Chastity joining the battle after conquering the western gate.
“I finally got you.”
Vulgar Chastity grinned. Eun Yuri was hanging in the air, her limbs pierced through by Vulgar Chastity’s hair.
When Vulgar Chastity tilted her chin up, Eun Yuri was pulled up along with her hair. Collapsed below her were other members of Valhalla. They were either knocked down by Sung Shihyun or caught off guard by Vulgar Chastity’s sudden burst of energy.
“Why don’t you try that again? You know, Freeze~ World~”
A strand of hair poked Eun Yuri’s head again and again. Eun Yuri glanced down with a pair of half-open eyes. She then closed her eyes and went limp.
An elated smile flashed on Vulgar Chastity’s face.
“Now, now, what should I do with this cutie~?”
‘Should I stab her to death or tear her to pieces? No, it would be a shame to merely kill her. Should I corrupt her as I did with that Magician in the past?’
Just as Vulgar Chastity fell into blissful thoughts, her hair was suddenly chopped off. Seeing Eun Yuri falling, Vulgar Chastity blinked. It was because the one who cut her hair was none other than Sung Shihyun.
“Don’t kill her.”
Sung Shihyun smacked his lips as he retracted his sword.
“I don’t care about the others, but that one and that one can’t die. I chose them to be my fourth and seventh concubines.”
Sung Shihyun pointed at Eun Yuri and Phi Sora, who were groaning on the ground.
Vulgar Chastity sighed and shook her head.
“Nice timing, by the way. Yuhui and that girl were annoying the hell out of me…. Shit, anti-evil energy is irritating enough, just what the hell is that strange light?”
Sung Shihyun lightly kicked Eun Yuri. As he dusted his clothes while grumbling, bits and pieces of ice fell to the ground.
“…Anyway.”
He then placed his longsword on his shoulder and smiled.
“Looks like it’s over now.”
The cheeky smirk on his face was really asking to be punched. However, no one from Valhalla could open their mouths. Not only were they exhausted with fatigue and injuries, but the sense of despair coming from the feeling of defeat was also suppressing their bodies.
Valhalla’s line of defense was also on the verge of being broken through. The fact that they held out against Sung Shihyun until now was miraculous enough. Being told to handle another Army Commander was no different than a death sentence.
“Hey now, why the long faces? I would be proud. Thunders, miniature Thunder arrows, Spirit Arrows… I wasn’t expecting all this, really. Who would have thought humans and the Federation would have such a quick exchange?”
Sung Shihyun spoke mockingly as he looked around at everyone. He seemed to be enjoying looking at everyone’s faces.
“Good job. You can hold your head up high if you have lasted this long against me. I was planning to capture the city in a day and have fun with Yuhui while lazing around in the palace, but you lasted four whole days! If that’s not something to be proud of, then I don’t know what is.”
Seo Yuhui furrowed her brows after standing up with great difficulty.
“Or what, did you really think you could beat me? Come on, you know you weren’t. Mm? Right, Yuhui?”
As Sung Shihyun asked with a beaming smile, Seo Yuhui shuddered in disgust.
“You…”
Breathing heavily, she eked out a few words.
“You must be proud of defecting to the Parasites.”
Sung Shihyun’s face stiffened slightly.
“Yep, of course! Why wouldn’t I be?”
He then nodded his head and remarked sarcastically.
“Unlike a certain retard, I made the smart choice early on.”
“What was that?”
“Ah, don’t you know him? Some guy tried to fight us by himself when he was surrounded.”
Seo Yuhui’s eyes shot open. Sung Shihyun snickered.
“What a poor bastard. He acted all cool, thinking he was the main character or something, but then got beaten the hell up. In the end, he got captured and begged on his knees, please, please let me go. Even his snot and tears flew everywhere.”
“Bullshit!”
Unable to bear listening to him, Marcel Ghionea shot up and shouted.
“Representative Seol would never have done such a thing!”
Sung Shihyun’s eyebrow went up. He glared at the man with a look that clearly said, ‘Who the hell is he?’ Then, he scoffed indifferently.
“Iya… you’ve got courage, I’ll give you that. That’s right. I lied.”
He acknowledged it readily, even going as far as admiring Marcel Ghionea’s courage.
“To be honest, he was quite incredible. I’ll admit it. Yes, I do… but…”
Sung Shihyun shrugged.
“But he still is a retard.”
“Shut it!”
“No, no, hear me out. With so much strength, why wouldn’t he join us? The world would be in his grasp, and both sides would have nothing to fear.”
Sung Shihyun clicked his tongue.
“Like, no one was asking him to defect alone. He could have you guys along, and Her Majesty even gave her word that she would do her best to make things more convenient for him.”
Then, Sung Shihyun shook his head.
“I just don’t understand it. Why would he sacrifice himself for such trash of human beings? Especially those idiots who are always yapping on about rights and interests need to get stomped down a notch…”
Sung Shihyun muttered the last line in a cold manner that was unlike his usual self.
“Anyway, what a shame. All he had to do was swallow his pride and switch sides. He got too absorbed in playing the hero and couldn’t see what was better for him… hm?”
Sung Shihyun swung his hand in the middle of talking and caught an arrow that Marcel Ghionea shot toward him.
“Haa…. This son of a bitch….”
Sung Shihyun clenched his teeth and turned his head. He flickered into the distance with Ethereal Shift, and Marcel Ghionea, who was just about to shoot another arrow…
Tong!
“Kuk!”
…was stomped to the ground by Sung Shihyun’s foot.
“Don’t chirp when I’m talking, insect. So annoying….”
“Someone like you… as long as Representative comes back….”
Marcel Ghionea glared at Sung Shihyun with his head shoved against the ground.
“…Oh?”
Sung Shihyun snorted. He got annoyed whenever he thought about Seol Jihu, so he couldn’t help but seethe with killing intent with Marcel Ghionea mentioning him like this.
He raised his foot.
“Alright, I’ll take care of you first then.”
“Don’t!”
If Vulgar Chastity didn’t interrupt Sung Shihyun right there and then, Marcel Ghionea’s head would have popped instantly.
Sung Shihyun furrowed his brows.
“What do you want?”
“Don’t kill him. Give him to me.”
“Give him to you?”
“I did you a favor too, didn’t I? Besides, I know who this guy is. I remember him well.”
“Him? He’s nothing special. I don’t know him either.”
“Hear me out….”
Vulgar Chastity giggled and then whispered into Sung Shihyun’s ear. Sung Shihyun blinked in a fluster before looking back at Marcel Ghionea.
“…Oh, oh, Marika Larisa…. Photon magic, I’ve heard of it. So it was her?”
Marcel Ghionea flinched when he heard a name he was all too familiar with. Confirming this reaction, a vulgar smile hung on Sung Shihyun’s lips.
He beckoned one of the succubi flying in the air, and a blonde-haired succubus flew down.
“Strange, I thought there was no succubus left that hasn’t gotten a taste of my club. I haven’t seen this one before….”
Sung Shihyun scanned the succubus from head to toe before suddenly pulling her in by her waist.
“Larisa!”
Marcel Ghionea shouted. But paying no attention to his struggle, Sung Shihyun nodded while caressing the succubus’ butt and fondling her breasts.
“Mmm, why have I only seen her now? She’s half decent. She’s got a nice rack and a juicy ass. I would have eaten her out a few times before if I knew.”
“Larisa! Snap out of it! Please!”
“Alright, I’ll let him live. Fucking her in front of her old fiance sounds exciting too. Anyway, what a bombshell. Westerners surely have glamorous bodies.”
Sung Shihyun’s hand was reaching toward the succubus’ private parts. However, the succubus that was once human did not so much as bat an eye inside Sung Shihyun’s embrace. She was only looking down at Marcel Ghionea with eyes that seemed to have lost intellect.
Tears eventually streamed down from Marcel Ghionea’s face as he grit his teeth and shuddered.
“…Huh?”
Sung Shihyun stuck out his tongue after seeing Marcel Ghionea cry.
“You’re crying, dude?”
“Keuk…!”
“You really are! Damn, take a look at this guy’s face. He was so brave a moment ago too.”
Sung Shihyun raised his voice and laughed out loud in schadenfreude. Vulgar Chastity also laughed along while watching keenly.
“Hahahaha!”
“Hohohoho!”
Vulgar Chastity was especially delighted as she had faced multiple defeats in a row. Finally subduing the humans with her strength made her overly excited, and the two Army Commanders’ laughter grew louder and louder.
Meanwhile, the faces of Valhalla’s members sank. Chohong, who was collapsed on the ground, shut her eyes with frustration. Phi Sora turned away as if she couldn’t bear to watch them any longer, and Hugo, who was resting on the ground with heavy injuries, glared at the Army Commanders while panting roughly.
Oh Rahee, who was lying in a corner, dropped her head while coughing, and Yi Seol-Ah bit her lower lip until blood began to come out. Even Hoshino Urara was glaring at Sung Shihyun with a disgusted face.
What made the situation worse was that there was nothing they could do, and in the midst of their despair, they suddenly thought of Seol Jihu.
Just how did he fight against such powerful enemies alone and even break through them?
“Ah~ That was fun. Now then…”
Sung Shihyun spun his sword after cackling for some time.
“…Oana.”
Clunk. Vlad Halep, covered in blood, stood in front of his sister with his scythe. He then murmured in a quiet voice.
“Run.”
It couldn’t be helped. Most of their comrades were on the ground with fatigue, and now they fell into despair. Some even looked ready to accept their fate. Although they would undoubtedly resist until the bitter end, no one seemed to see a chance of victory.
“No.”
However, Oana Halep’s voice was calm.
“It’s fine.”
“What?”
Vlad Halep looked back at his younger sister. Surprisingly, Oana Halep had a very relaxed expression. In fact, she was looking up at the sky with a faint smile on her face.
“He’s back.”
Vlad Halep furrowed his brows. He was just about to ask what she was talking about when he felt something strange.
“….”
Their surroundings had suddenly turned silent. Perhaps it wasn’t so strange for the heart of the battlefield to be quiet, but there was no sound coming from the nearby areas either.
The city seemed to have been consumed by a strange aura, becoming a soundless, bleak space.
It wasn’t just Vlad Halep that noticed this oddity.
“…The hell?”
Sung Shihyun looked around the area with a dumbfounded look. There was no sign of it coming. The battles in the nearby areas had abruptly stopped. The parasites that were in their line of sight were stepping back in fear.
“Did these fuckers all lose their minds or something? Why are they suddenly….”
At that moment, a chilly wind brushed past his nose. Sung Shihyun’s arm froze amidst carrying his longsword down. Then, his eyes trembled faintly as he looked up at the sky.
“That’s….”
Dark clouds were swirling in the sky, gathering into a single point at a rate that made it impossible to believe it was a simple cloud.
“I’m sure of it.”
Oana’s voice flowed out.
“I can feel him. He’s really come back.”
As if in response to her words, a faint golden light broke through the clouds.
Oana smiled.
“It looks like he’s incredibly angry.”
Sung Shihyun stared at the girl who was murmuring to herself.
He wanted to ask just what the hell she was talking about, but his mouth refused to open. Because from a particular moment, he could feel the aura of a terrifying existence emanating from the city.
That wasn’t all. He even felt a boundless, identifiable energy, one that far surpassed his own even though he had fully absorbed and controlled a divinity.
As the deathly silence continued, Seo Yuhui suddenly lowered her gaze. The red egg that she had tightly bound up was twitching. Cracks began to appear on its surface, and a rainbow-colored light began to peek out.
“The egg…”
The egg was hatching.
It was then. Rumble! The sky suddenly roared.
Sung Shihyun and Vulgar Chastity simultaneously dropped their jaws, seeing a massive discharge of electricity from the dark clouds. They looked at each other with doubt and then nodded their heads at the same time.
“Burn!”
Vulgar Chastity hurriedly flew up and spread out her arms. Meanwhile, another thunder roared from the sky.
“World!”
In the next moment, pillars of lava erupted out of the ground as thousands of lightning bolts struck down from the sky.
“Kaaheeu!”
Vulgar Chastity gasped in fright before she could even calm down. Her outstretched hands were shaking visibly.
She couldn’t believe what just happened. Not only did the pillars of lava fail to absorb the lightning bolts, but they were also easily pushed back upon collision.
Vulgar Chastity’s jaw dropped as she saw the lightning bolts push the pillars all the way down.
Tzzzzzzzzzt!
“Kyaaaaaack!”
Only a piercing scream rang out. Vulgar Chastity, struck by immeasurable lightning, convulsed violently before falling.
Sung Shihyun, who was watching this scene, abruptly turned to the side. He swung his sword in a hurry. Clang! The white longsword cutting through the air, drawing a huge arc, suddenly lost its path and flew off.
In that split second, Sung Shihyun felt a terrifying power pushing his arm back. The most surprising thing, however, was that he could not see whatever it was that attacked him.
He straightened his neck nervously. Focusing on his senses, Sung Shihyun swung his sword again. A sword strike clad with a powerful sword qi flew out, but it was bounced to the side by a bolt of lightning that flew in with a flash.
Flustered, Sung Shihyun gathered his energy and stabbed forward. The sword blade shot out like a whip, instantaneously multiplying and making ten thousand sword qi rain down.
However…
Chachak!
Even these were extinguished by a single powerful lightning bolt.
“Impossi…!”
He did not even have time to speak. The faint, invisible presence had already appeared in front of him.
Clang!
Sung Shihyun pulled his sword back in a hurry and brandished it again. However, his body shook to the side fiercely instead.
Clang! Clang!
He swung, stabbed, and sliced with his sword wildly, but not only was the master of the presence striking them back, but he was pushing him back even more while accelerating.
Sung Shihyun staggered back. In the end, unable to win in speed and power, his body lost balance and leaned toward one side.
“Uwoaaah!”
He did a run-up just before falling and corrected his posture. Of course, the enemy’s spear shaft had already struck him by then.
Kwang!
A powerful ringing spread throughout Sung Shihyun’s body. When he opened his eyes, he was flying through the sky. The heavy impact had momentarily sent his consciousness flying.
Koong! Koong!
His flying body struck the watchtower, breaking through it and violently crashing into the city wall.
“Kuk!”
His back arched backward from the recoil, and blood spurted out of his mouth. However, rather than falling forward, Sung Shihyun had to raise his sword in a hurry, scraping up every ounce of divinity from his power.
“Kuhuk!”
With another flash of light, Sung Shihyun flew up and crashed into the other side of the city wall.
“You son of a bitch…!”
Sung Shihyun released his divinity even in such chaos. Just as a faint light exploded out from his body, Sung Shihyun’s pupils trembled. It was because his divinity shrivelled away as soon as it exploded out.
To be more precise, it was disintegrating as soon as it touched the golden light. Though he couldn’t believe what he was seeing, he knew that his enemy was equipped with all sorts of power that incinerated evil, like the Godslaying Authority and the anti-evil energy.
But this… this was just too unexpected. He wasn’t incinerating evil. Rather, he seemed to be devouring it….
“It’s been a while.”
At that moment, a man walked out from within the blazing golden light.
As Sung Shihyun checked the face of the sudden intruder, his face contorted visibly. He was so sure that he wouldn’t be able to come back, that it was impossible, and yet….
“Have you been well?”
Sung Shihyun could not answer. Though he was expecting as much, confirming it with his own eyes gave a whole different level of shock.
“You must have had fun while I was gone, huh?”
Sung Shihyun’s face contorted, his mouth agape. His eyes furrowed like cracks on a broken window, and the corners of his mouth twisted bizarrely.
However, he winced in the next moment as his opponent suddenly shoved his face against his own. With an absolutely emotionless expression, the opponent glared at Sung Shihyun with wide-open eyes.
His eyes were so wide, in fact, that his irises looked like tiny black beans on his sclerae. For a moment, Sung Shihyun thought that a demon had crawled out from the deepest depths of hell to glare at him.
“Look forward to it.”
A soft whisper entered Sung Shihyun’s ears.
“I won’t give you a peaceful death. Ever.”
Sung Shihyun shuddered at the declaration filled with ill-intent. Then…
“Keeeuuu!”
He got angry at the fact that he was scared for even a moment.
“Uwaaaaaaaah!”
Pushing forward with the sword that the spear forced back, Sung Shihyun shouted and charged forward, shaking off his fear.
Seol Jihu snorted, his mouth going crooked.
“Shut the hell up.”
Kwang!
Seol Jihu’s fist smashed into Sung Shihyun’s mouth. Crack. A few broken teeth scattered into the air. The city wall, which had only been barely holding on, shattered at the same time, and Sung Shihyun fell to the ground with his head arched back.
Valhalla’s members and everyone else in the vicinity stared at the man dusting off his hand at a loss for words.
All sorts of thoughts flitted across their heads, but there was one thing that everyone was thinking.
Seol Jihu had returned.
*
Same time.
The Parasite Queen was feeling rather anxious. She was so surprised that she shot up from the Corrupted Throne and looked up at the sky.
[Just what…]
The Parasite’s crimson star was flickering. Any force had its own adversarial star. For example, if Seol Jihu were the Parasite Queen’s adversary, then Sung Shihyun was Seol Jihu’s adversary.
And currently, the Parasites’ one and only adversarial star was shaking.
Almost as if it would plummet soon.
The Parasite Queen, who was watching the celestial bodies, suddenly felt a gaze.
Hehehehe. A faint laughter flowed out.
[You’re….]
An enraged look flashed on the Parasite Queen’s face as she realized the identity of the being that was sneaking a peek at her while laughing.
[You’ve gone mad! Mad! You dare to show yourself like this in front of me…!?]
She roused her spirit and tried to threaten the unknown being, but the being’s gaze only turned colder. It did not stop sneering as well.
It was then.
The Parasite Queen’s surroundings suddenly turned bright. A never-before-seen bright-yellow light showed itself.
[This is….]
The Parasite Queen lowered her gaze and scanned her body.
[!]
Then, when she instinctively looked up at the celestial bodies, an indescribable emotion flashed across her face. She froze like a stone statue.
It couldn’t be helped. After all…
[O, Goddess of Parasitism…]
A new giant star was appearing in the celestial bodies.
Illuminating the nearby stars that were flickering off, it gathered the stars, forming a single giant nebula, and rose as if to devour Paradise with its golden light.
Finally evolving a step further from a supernova, a golden constellation radiating a brilliant light showed itself.
[The Son of Gula has returned…!]
Gula’s excited voice faintly resounded from the distance.