### Chapter: 421
Gwaejon.
The God of War, now possessed, sat at the center of the Sanctuary, atop the altar.
“It’s quiet here,” he remarked.
“Have the humans given up since then?”
Those gathered around him whispered to one another.
The particles of divinity, split from the god, filled the Sanctuary with a thick mist.
Yet, amidst this fog, they continued their conversations without issue.
This was because everyone present was a god, possessing the bodies of skill users.
Not long ago, these beings, known as the “Heaven’s Sword,” had massively slaughtered gods, only to vanish during their fierce battle against Gwaejon.
Though they sustained critical injuries, they also inflicted severe wounds on Gwaejon.
However, with dozens of gods aiding Gwaejon, healing their wounds became a trivial matter. Even Muhwang and the previous Empress had no recourse against that.
Ultimately, the two had no choice but to retreat.
“Humans are tougher than expected.”
“At this rate, aren’t we going to fail our objectives?”
The gods grumbled, each displaying a disgruntled expression.
After all, they had come all this way to the Middle Realm, only to find human resistance fiercer than anticipated.
From the very beginning, their countermeasures were too prompt.
It was as if they had foreseen this event happening.
“There must have been a leak of information somewhere.”
“Is there a betrayer among the gods?”
The gods’ murmurs did not cease.
“Speaking of which, wasn’t there one who wasn’t on our side from the start?”
One god opened his mouth.
“The God of Thieves.”
Upon mentioning the God of Thieves, the expressions of the other gods turned grim.
Each of them had suffered terribly at the hands of the God of Thieves.
Many gods shivered at the mere recollection of that day.
“Come to think of it, the Thief’s child was the most reckless among us.”
“But didn’t the God of Thieves hide away? It feels like it’s been ages since they’ve shown up.”
“They’re just too elusive.”
The God of Thieves was swiftly becoming the prime suspect for information leaks among the gods.
[ If you’re that concerned, just summon him. ]
At that moment, Gwaejon spoke, releasing a fierce proclamation.
A divine tongue, a language unknown to humans.
Even among gods, a hierarchy existed, and yet Gwaejon’s authoritative words made even them flinch.
[ It seems the Thief’s child is quite fond of them. ]
Gwaejon’s wrinkled face cracked into a sinister grin.
[ If that child dies, they’ll show themselves at least once. ]
He uttered this chilling remark nonchalantly, chuckling to himself—a figure both unsettling and uncanny to behold.
[ Besides, hasn’t our primary purpose nearly been accomplished? ]
Pointing to the altar erected at the center of the Sanctuary, Gwaejon indicated the unfamiliar relic placed there.
The relic, shaped like a door, had origins outside this world.
[ Once we summon the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, the world’s erosion will naturally fill the earth. ]
It was merely a matter of time before the door would open.
Buying time until then would be more than enough.
[ After that, we won’t need to intervene in this world any longer. ]
“Heh, that’s true.”
“Right? As long as we’re just wasting time, it works for us.”
“I’m eager to leave this Middle Realm.”
The gods chuckled mischievously.
Once their original goal was accomplished, they had no intention of lingering in the Middle Realm.
Then, Gwaejon suddenly lifted his head.
[ They’ve arrived. ]
As he spoke, a fierce wind swept through the air.
The gust shattered the divine mist, exposing the gods hiding within.
“Wha—?!”
“What the heck is this wind?!”
The gods tossed about like matchsticks in the tempest.
Even those with bodies rivaling the Ten Great Lords couldn’t withstand such a storm.
Thud—
Amidst the uproar, a man strode forth through the chaos.
His dark blue hair fluttered, revealing smoky gray eyes that glimmered ominously.
“Why are you all hiding so tightly?”
Though gods shouted complaints in protest, Kraush paid them no heed, fixated solely on Gwaejon.
‘That over there…’
Kraush’s gaze shifted slightly upward.
He caught sight of the door-like relic positioned behind Gwaejon.
In response, Gwaejon stood tall, as if to guard it.
A chilling wind surged around him.
Amidst the swirling gusts, Gwaejon slowly drew a long sword from its scabbard.
The weapon was much longer than Gwaejon himself, exuding a crimson aura.
“Foolishness.”
“Did you really come here alone?”
The gods, still floundering in the storm, gathered around Gwaejon.
Glimpsing at them, Kraush chuckled softly.
“Who said I came alone?”
The moment he finished speaking, a multitude of presences began to stir behind him.
The Ten Great Lords pierced through the mist, one by one revealing themselves.
Their mere appearance instilled tension among the gods.
“I gathered quite a bit of strength. Looks good.”
“Who would’ve thought we’d be mixing it up with gods? This should be fun.”
The former King and Sea King erupted with raucous laughter.
“I’ll be settling this later with you.”
The Gold King shot a sidelong glance at Kraush.
“This is gonna be interesting.”
Charlotte wore her signature smile just as two figures descended from the sky.
The Demon Emperor and the Sorceress, from the Crimson Garden.
The two stalwarts of magic appeared, inscribing a magic circle in the sky.
The gods instinctively sensed the truth.
That magic was what had entrapped them here.
The greatest powers of the world.
All of them had entered the Sanctuary following Kraush.
The gods’ faces stiffened.
No longer would skill users be on this earth.
Only warriors capable of facing the gods remained.
“You’ve played around enough.”
Kraush cracked his neck and grinned.
“It’s time for you to face the consequences, you bastards.”
Let me show you what it means to defy fate!
—
Magic enshrouded the sky.
Armed warriors dashed across the ground, unleashing their unique techniques.
Witnessing this, the gods swiftly responded, pouring their strength into combating the humans.
Surely, each individual human appeared inconsequential from the gods’ perspective.
They should have been swept away with a mere flick of the wrist.
But—
Kugugu—!
No matter how much the gods displayed their abilities, the humans formed solid defenses, relentlessly utilizing recovery techniques to hold their ground.
But they had already banded together to confront the world’s erosion before.
Thus, they knew well how to fight a powerful enemy.
Furthermore, the genuine strong among them were delivering surefire hits against the gods.
“Ugh!”
“Damn it!”
Frustrated, the impatient gods grumbled.
They were beginning to realize the truth.
If things continued like this, they would be defeated.
If the deities channeled their true power, they could turn humans into mere ashes.
However, this was the Middle Realm.
While they wished to wield their divine might,
They could only do so through their possessed forms.
There were limits to what power they could exert.
Though they still possessed considerable strength, the real issue lay in cooperation.
Cooperation was something the gods simply lacked.
Instead, they were merely at the mercy of their individual powers.
The gods were continually being overwhelmed one by one.
Amidst the chaos, two figures stood still, staring at each other.
Kraush and Gwaejon.
From the moment the battle commenced, neither had moved an inch, locked in a piercing glare.
Between them, an invisible battlefield that only they could perceive was evident.
The shimmering starlight clashed and intertwined across the expanse.
Gwaejon’s face slowly contorted in frustration.
His sword trembled, then shifted back and forth.
There were levels even within the realms of stars.
Even if one could see their opponent’s starlight, failure to block it would ultimately lead to disaster.
However, Kraush was now combating Gwaejon on equal footing with his own starlight.
Just moments ago, Kraush had been unable to access that rank of power.
What was different now?
Gwaejon recognized the transformation that had taken place within Kraush.
[ …I see. You’ve arrived at the Star Realm before. ]
Gwaejon belatedly grasped the situation. Kraush had previously entered the Star Realm.
Moreover, he understood better than anyone how to forge his own star.
He had absorbed enough aura to create an inner core within himself.
The process of crafting this inner core and creating stars wasn’t so different.
As a result, Kraush continuously packed his skills into his star power, thus creating the very star capable of clashing with Gwaejon.
All just to fight Gwaejon.
[ That ridiculous determination is commendable. ]
“Thanks for the compliment.”
The ash-colored flames burst forth violently from Kraush’s Stellar Sword.
In the cosmic realm, even encounters were on equal footing.
No matter how they clashed, the ramifications wouldn’t yield any resolution in this realm.
Both now sensed this fact.
Kumbling! Boom!
Amidst the chaotic Sanctuary, clouds of dust swirled violently.
In that brief moment where the sights of Kraush and Gwaejon were covered,
Their starlight soared outward simultaneously.
Soooooosh!
Kraush’s ash flames and Gwaejon’s crimson currents collided, annihilating the surrounding dust clouds.
The intensity of their clash was such that both gods and onlookers got swept away.
Kraush’s eyes gleamed.
He was no longer powerless as he once was.
He knew he could stand against Gwaejon’s blade.
Gwaejon sensed this too, his wrinkled brow furrowing slightly.
“Earlier, you were quite chatty.”
Kraush smirked, recalling Gwaejon’s talk about the God of Thieves.
“Why don’t you go visit that rascal first?”
Ash flames simultaneously enveloped Kraush’s sword.
Gwaejon realized too late that Kraush had secretly concentrated power into his Stellar Sword from the onset.
[ This madman! ]
With no hesitation from the start, it was a full-frontal force.
A massive explosion erupted at close range.
Kwang!
And then the fiery flames of ashes consumed the surroundings.
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