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[Translator - Kiteretsu]
[Proofreader - Kyros]
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Chapter 238
The Earth God asked in a trembling voice.
[No way... Did he know...?]
He had expected suspicion.
Of course, there was no way someone who had clashed with him like the Water God would accept a proposal to go to the moon without any doubt.
But he didn’t expect that he would have figured out the detailed method of splitting and transporting the sword.
“Yes. The Celestial Demon God told me the method you were planning to use.”
[What? The Celestial Demon God...? Why...?]
No way...
That bastard?
‘Why on earth?’
They both knew they had different agendas.
The Celestial Demon God wanted to destroy Earth.
The Earth God wanted to take control of it.
But first, both needed to get rid of the Water God and Kaylen to reach their goals.
So, eliminating a common enemy came first.
And now he betrays him here?
“I don’t know the reason either.”
Kaylen said that as he moved the golden sword in the darkness.
Chiiiiiik—
As six swords extended in all directions and sliced through the darkness, the Earth God quickly came to his senses.
‘This is no time to be thinking about the Celestial Demon God.’
If he didn’t deal with Kaylen’s swords now, the foundation he had worked so hard to build could be completely destroyed.
Ssssss—
[Even if I’m sealed... inside here, you won’t be able to defeat me so easily...]
The darkness, illuminated by golden light, grew even thicker, and the Earth God’s voice echoed ominously in every direction.
[Besides, this place is the deepest part of Earth. Even the sword that destroys stars, Starfall, can’t be used here, can it...?]
Transcendence Realm — Starfall.
The sword that even forced the Dragon God to admit defeat could not be used here.
If Starfall and the Earth God’s power clashed, the aftermath could shake all of Earth itself.
“I never intended to use Starfall in the first place.”
[Heh... The only thing threatening about you is that sword. The rest of your swords... quite the skill for a mortal, but from a god’s perspective, they’re nothing.]
“Is that so?”
[Even if the Six Swords have returned, the fact remains that your strength went to the moon. Now that it’s come to this... I’ll devour you and use you as nourishment.]
Though the golden Six Swords’ pressure was overwhelming, the Earth God calmed his excitement and thought rationally.
As long as Kaylen didn’t use Starfall, the odds of winning were good enough.
After all, both Kaylen and the Water God had gone to the moon and lost part of their power.
‘This might be better. I’ll consume him and break this damn seal.’
Krrrrrrr......
The Moon Abyss trembled as black demonic energy surged in all directions.
As the Earth God made up his mind, thick waves of black demonic energy pressed down on Kaylen all at once.
Even though he was sealed, perhaps because this place was the Earth God’s domain.
Ssssss—
The golden light emitted by Kaylen’s Six Swords quickly lost its momentum, and darkness began to take its place.
[Isn’t that a bit too weak, Kaylen?]
Seeing the golden swords weaken so fast, the Earth God said that confidently on the surface—
‘What are you scheming…’
—but inwardly, he didn’t let down his guard.
The Six Swords were being pushed back far more easily than he had expected.
Even though this was the Moon Abyss, there was no reason the golden light should be overtaken by darkness so quickly.
[Not even resisting? Then I’ll just devour you like this!]
Pak. Pak.
As the darkness thickened, the six golden swords disappeared one by one.
The light that tried to push back the darkness was extinguished, and as the swords were fully submerged in deep black demonic energy, the Earth God set aside his doubts and began engulfing Kaylen.
‘For now, I’ll do what needs to be done.’
Kaylen’s entire body was completely dyed in dark demonic energy.
Even when the Moon Abyss was once again consumed by total darkness, no different from before, unease remained.
‘…It doesn’t feel like I’ve swallowed him at all.’
If he had swallowed him, the natural process would be to digest and break him down, analyze him piece by piece.
Even though the Earth God had fully consumed Kaylen into the darkness, he didn’t feel like he had actually eaten him.
‘But that doesn’t mean he’s not inside.’
Within the Moon Abyss, Kaylen definitely existed.
He just couldn’t be digested.
‘Even if he was defeated too easily… is he still that formidable?’
So, the Earth God assumed Kaylen’s level was simply so high that digesting him wouldn’t be easy.
However—
Even as time passed, Kaylen showed no signs of being digested.
‘That bastard’s form… isn’t breaking down at all.’
Though the entire Moon Abyss now acted as the Earth God’s stomach, putting all its power into devouring Kaylen—
—it was utterly useless.
No matter how much demonic energy was sent in or attempts were made to split him apart—
—the dark energy trying to dominate Kaylen consistently escaped the Earth God’s control.
‘This is impossible…’
Amidst this, the Earth God realized one thing.
That Kaylen, who took the form of a human, was in fact a forest of countless swords—Sword Forest.
That was the only thing.
‘It won’t work like this.’
Thinking so, the Earth God slowly opened his mouth.
[You… your resistance is fierce. But now that you’ve entered my body, you won’t be able to last forever. If you wish to find peace, stop resisting and join with me.]
At the Earth God's command to stop resisting and be absorbed, Kaylen, who had been silently still until now, finally replied.
“Is that it already? You should try a little harder.”
[What…?]
“Instead of flapping your mouth, try sending more demonic energy.”
[You bastard!]
“Or is this really your limit?”
Tuk. Tuk.
Kaylen brushed off his body as if dusting himself and revealed himself from within the darkness.
"Earth God. I don't know how you used to be... but in your sealed state, you're far too weak."
[You're saying... I'm weak...?]
Earth God responded with a voice full of disbelief.
Weak?
That was a word he hadn’t heard since the days when he was among the lowest ranks of the mortal Theia clan.
He, the absolute god who once ruled the planet Theia and fought the Water God for countless eons over control of Earth, now being called weak by a mere sword?
"Yeah. I heard you could exert power within the Abyss Gate. But is this all you’ve got?"
[A mere sword, getting arrogant—]
Earth God was furious, but he only expressed it through words.
He withdrew the dark magic he had extended toward Kaylen, trying instead to grasp the situation.
If he responded to that provocation by recklessly unleashing his dark magic, he’d be playing right into the enemy’s hand.
"Running away?"
[……]
"You're quite the coward."
Then, with a disappointed look, Kaylen pointed his finger.
"If you won't consume it, then I will."
Sssshhhh—
From behind him, the darkness was split apart, and the Six Swords rose once more.
But the swords were entirely different from the golden glow they had shown earlier.
[That color...!]
They were pitch-black, soaked in dense dark magic, resembling the very darkness of the Abyss Gate.
"The dark magic of the moon. I’ll devour it."
Six Sword Path
Six Swords
Lunar Eclipse
The six black swords slowly drifted through the interior of the Abyss Gate.
The thick dark magic that had filled the area began to follow them, as if bewitched.
Like iron filings drawn to a magnet.
The moon’s dark magic within the Abyss Gate followed the black swords.
[No. This can't be... What are you all doing!!]
Earth God's panicked voice echoed throughout the Abyss Gate, but the dark magic did not obey his command.
And each time it was absorbed into the swords, the black blades began to emit a faint crimson glow.
"Earth God. You were trying to take over Earth with just this?"
[W-Who are you really...?]
"Lunar Eclipse is a Six Sword created as a foundation to fight the Celestial Demon God. It’s not even a transcendent sword like Saintfall. It merely has the function of devouring dark magic..."
Kaylen, now revealed once more, continued to move his sword with an expression of constant disappointment.
"And yet... to think you’d be overwhelmed by something like this Lunar Eclipse. Even if you're sealed, this is far too weak."
[Khh... If it weren't for the seal—!]
"Then maybe you would’ve put up a more entertaining fight."
To that, Earth God responded like he was about to explode.
[Y-Yes! If it weren’t for the seal, someone like you—I could’ve devoured you instantly! If it weren’t for the seal...!]
"Right. Maybe you would’ve resisted me a bit more than you are now."
[Th-That’s right. Don’t you want a fiercer fight? Release the seal and let’s fight fair and square!]
In response to Kaylen’s words, Earth God spoke with a sliver of hope.
He thought that since Kaylen seemed to be losing interest, he might be able to use that carelessness to break the seal and gain another chance.
“Fair and square?”
[Yes! Wouldn’t it be a shame to end things like this?]
“Hm. No. Not a shame at all.”
Kaylen let out a dry laugh and circulated the Six Swords even faster.
The dark magic of the Abyss Gate was being sucked into Kaylen’s swords at an increasingly rapid pace.
The red glow began to illuminate the surroundings.
The Abyss Gate, which had been swallowed in total darkness, was gradually dyed crimson.
“Why go through the trouble of releasing your seal and making the fight harder? I’d rather take the easy win. I don’t have time to play around with you anymore.”
[You dare… mock me!!!]
“Is that your last will? For a god’s final words, it’s quite pathetic.”
Flash!
The darkness that filled the interior of the Abyss Gate completely dissipated.
Earth God’s presence vanished entirely.
[To think he would end like this……]
Within the Six Swords, the Water God looked around the now-vacant Abyss Gate in disbelief.
Earth God, who had dragged Theia to crash into the once-peaceful planet Terra.
Who had battled the Water God for so long, seeking to devour the fused Terra.
Had now been obliterated in an instant by Kaylen’s Six Swords.
‘Even if he was sealed… to eliminate him this cleanly.’
The Water God had also once wished to eliminate Earth God.
But possessing the moon’s dark magic, Earth God would always regenerate no matter how many times he was destroyed, so complete annihilation was impossible. In the end, all she could do was seal him deep within Terra.
Yet Kaylen had so easily devoured him entirely with the dark swords.
‘Strong. Too strong……’
How could a Six Sword, one that hadn’t even reached divine status, be this powerful?
The Water God felt even fear toward Kaylen’s strength.
‘Even so, I must never fight him.’
Yes.
Rather than opposing Kaylen just because he’s powerful—
It would be better to maintain this cooperative relationship.
“I suppose now I should go support myself on the moon.”
[Yes. Understood. I’ll get ready right away, Lord Kaylen.]
Now that Earth God had been subdued—
The Water God’s voice, already soft, grew even more delicate.
‘Is she happy?’
Maybe she felt relieved after finally getting rid of the constant thorn that was Earth God.
Kaylen thought no more of it, and began preparing to support the Fourth Sword on the moon.
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[Translator - Kiteretsu]
[Proofreader - Kyros]
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