Chapter 57

[Guide the way… you say?]

[Yeah.]

I don’t know the exact path to get back.

So, while moving forward, there were countless collisions, which made growth easier, but time kept getting delayed.

Let’s set the priorities straight.

Growth is good, but getting back is the top priority.

Belva’s voice wasn’t coming through anymore.

Maybe the Divine Power ran out.

Or maybe something happened.

It’s worrying.

I don’t even know if this feeling I have now is genuine anymore.

[Let’s go. To the place where you met me.]

At my words, the girl hesitated but nodded.

Following behind, I checked if she was going the right way through the direction of the Divine Power. She’s going straight, though.

I quietly sensed my surroundings and reached out to devour an Outsider.

It remained calm even as it died, showing no change in emotion.

It was a worn-out entity.

Unable to feel the difference between life and death.

Unfortunately.

An infinite and eternal space where faint clusters of stars feel like specks of dust.

Drifting through here, you eventually forget the flow of time itself.

It’s not transcending time.

Just forgetting.

Many Outsiders I passed by claimed they had transcended time, no longer bound by it, speaking so confidently.

But in my eyes, they were still trapped in time.

They just didn’t realize they had gone mad.

They didn’t realize they weren’t superior, just lacking something.

If you can’t feel time, even urgency disappears.

Artificial leisure eats away at you.

Growth inevitably stops.

Even though there’s potential to go faster and further.

I couldn’t stand that.

[How long are you going to keep doing that?]

At the girl’s slightly annoyed question, I hesitated for a moment before devouring another Outsider.

And then I answered.

[Until I reach ‘that side.’]

*

After moving for a while longer, the girl stopped and warned me.

[From here on, we need to be careful. This place is full of ■■ ■ guys.]

…Elder God? I didn’t hear it clearly.

Probably some obscure ancient language.

The girl glared in that direction and sighed as if bored.

[I don’t get why they keep trying to protect those bug-like humans. You feel the same, right?]

The girl’s fangs grew longer as she grinned.

I couldn’t help but ponder how to respond.

It wasn’t that the answer itself was difficult, but something more fundamental… I continued my thoughts internally before speaking to the girl.

[I’m human too.]

And the girl laughed.

[I thought you were just scary, but you’ve got a sense of humor too. I’m starting to like you.]

Seems like I unintentionally won her over.

I was being serious, though.

After laughing for a while, the girl pointed at herself with her finger.

As if asking if I felt nothing.

I stared deeply into her pointed eyes.

There, countless humans were screaming, burning in flames.

[How is it?]

…What do you mean, how? It is what it is.

That’s a replay of scenes that actually happened before.

I could tell the girl harbored an oddly intense malice and hatred toward the human race.

It wasn’t something I needed to care about.

Unless it interfered with my world.

[Look at this. And you still call yourself human?]

Seeing my indifferent reaction, the girl curled her lips again.

Hmm. I don’t know what you want me to do.

I don’t think I can be defined as anything specific in the first place.

If so, isn’t it natural that only my thoughts define me?

[Kid.]

As I raised my fist, the girl hurriedly raised her guard.

You’ve been annoying me for a while now.

[Just guide me. You’re noisy.]

*

A majestic eye within the shining Omniverse.

The girl frowned as she looked at it, adorned with stars.

She even seemed like she wanted to gag in disgust.

Along the way, the girl told me many stories.

I had a rough idea, but she seemed talkative. When I told her to be quiet, she offered to help and spilled information.

Among it were details about the cosmic power dynamics.

Some guys to be careful of. Some have these traits. Some are like this and that, so I don’t like them. As these trivial details piled up, the complex structure of power struggles began to take shape.

It was kind of interesting.

The higher you go, the stronger the Outsiders, the more they maintain human-like minds.

Just looking at the girl in front of me, it’s hard to distinguish her from a human through conversation alone.

Sure, there are moments where things pop out, but her desires are clear, and her emotions are alive, so there’s not much difference.

I reaffirmed my thoughts.

And I was convinced.

Losing your mind and going mad isn’t transcendence—it’s a lack.

That I, endlessly devouring and growing stronger, am still on the right path.

[Kid. What’s your name?]

[Name?]

At my question, the girl scratched her cheek awkwardly and then muttered softly.

[…Yoma. Just call me Yoma.]

That wasn’t the reaction I expected.

Seems like the value of a name is a bit different for her.

I pointed at the Omniverse with my finger and asked.

[Yoma. How strong are you?]

[How strong am I?]

[Compared to them, roughly speaking.]

Once you reach this level, most spatial constraints disappear.

Within the same dimension, you can move as if teleporting.

So, just as I am aware of them, they are also watching me. Ready to attack at any moment.

[Am I a bit stronger? Still, it’s better not to fight. Occasionally, someone annoyingly strong pops up.]

I thought it was better to avoid the Yoma without provoking them.

But my thoughts are a bit different.

Even if I don’t attack first, a collision seems unavoidable.

Inside the Omniverse, a massive eye of light emitting a majestic glow.

Looking at it, I said.

[That’s going to be tough.]

[Huh?]

[You’re watching. You have been for a while.]

As I drew in my strength, a intense beam of light pierced through me.

[Abyss, we have been watching you.]

A tingling wave spread throughout my body.

The shock of my insides shaking.

Looking down, a part of my shoulder was completely torn off.

Slowly turning my head, I confirmed the enemy.

There’s no way they could be unharmed after dealing such a blow to me.

As expected, watching the enemy being eroded by my divinity and dying, I slowly reached out.

A quiet darkness ignored the distance and crushed the torso.

Then, my wrist was sliced off again.

[■■ ■, they’ve swarmed in. Like bugs.]

The Yoma, cursing, spewed boiling flames from its mouth.

In that direction, countless stars twinkled.

Each one carrying the divinity of ancient Outsiders, symbols of concepts by their very existence.

As Belva once said, the realm where the Product Angels ascend.

[Ring of Fire, why do you travel with that Abyss? We know you hate humanity. But that one is just a predator wandering dimensions aimlessly, devouring everything. One day, it will devour even you.]

A muscular man riding a horse that seemed to contain the Milky Way shouted towards us.

In his hand was a blue spear.

Twisting my regenerated wrist, I exhaled deeply.

…Looks like this fight is going to be a long one.

[Shut up, idiot. You’re the one who stopped me when I was burning humans last time. Annoying bastard.]

[Focus. Now’s not the time for that.]

[Huh? Why? What’s going on…]

In an instant, the Radiance filled the space, and the Elder Gods simultaneously drew their weapons.

Seems like they’re more wary of that side than me.

Stepping back, I took in their appearance.

Eight wings and golden armor.

Behind them, countless eyes spinning on pure white rings.

[Do not fear.]

The Product Angel’s spear tip drew a smooth arc.

With that one attack, the Elder Gods, who were barely holding their ground, turned to salt and crumbled.

Behind me, the Yoma let out a sigh.

Seemingly not wanting this situation, it didn’t hide its discomfort.

I’m in a tough spot too.

I needed to assess the situation and formulate a plan.

The Product Angel, slowly approaching me, took off its helmet and smiled.

[Yuyeona. The immeasurable one. You who drift away the moment I look away. I have a proposal. It won’t be a bad one for either of us.]

[A proposal?]

I was puzzled. Wasn’t their goal to kill me?

Reacting to my confusion, the Product Angel smiled again and pointed behind me, where the Elder Gods were gathered.

[We will stop them. And we will escort you to your dimension. Moving within our realm will get you there much faster.]

Certainly, with the power I feel from this angel, they could easily stop the Elder Gods.

Assuming no stronger beings come.

But there was something important missing from that proposal.

I casually replied.

[What’s the price?]

[Belva and Noah. Return those two to us.]

[I knew it.]

It wasn’t even worth listening to.

As I chuckled, the Product Angel frowned and swung its spear at me.

They really don’t know how to fight.

They should have created distance, not swung the spear.

Not just this angel, but the Yoma and those Elder Gods too.

They were all the same.

Unlike me, they lacked desperation.

Obsession and arrogance towards strength. A relentless drive to grow by any means necessary.

That’s what makes the difference.

It’s not just about strength, but the mindset towards the opponent.

Compulsively analyzing the enemy, considering possibilities, preparing.

Suffering until the optimal move is found.

The result derived from that always puts me one step ahead.

Without dodging the thrusting spear, I stepped forward and grabbed the angel.

[Die.]

Simultaneously, the angel’s body melted like water.