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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 60
Chapter Title: The Three Laws of the Title
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Soon, from Loki's body, a torrent of indecipherable 'characters' poured out.
Srrrrr...
Sensing danger, Ouroboros flicked its long tongue and glanced back at its master.
Contrary to its concern, its master simply stood his ground, staring intently at the enemy.
[ The effect of the title Godslayer (EX-Rank) activates! ]
[ You will not be intimidated before any god. ]
As they drew close enough to see each other's faces clearly, the title's effect activated...
“O, '■■■' of the world...”
As his voice echoed softly, the entire space began to waver violently like a mirage.
“Was it not enough to take the lives of the Frost Giant Hrímþurs and countless Jötunn soldiers?”
As his resentful words continued, the 'characters' flowing from his body began to orbit uncontrollably fast.
“With your own hands, you annihilated my second son, Jörmungandr, and then stole all the sagas and myths he had built...”
The moment he finished speaking, the characters flowing from Loki began to grow uncontrollably.
「 Skilled in transformation and improvisation, as well as cunning tricks.... 」
「 The one who brought forth many of Asgard's treasures—. 」
「 A being destined to one day become the protagonist of destruction.... 」
The identity of the floating characters was the sagas and myths that Loki, a deity of the Asgard Constellation, had meticulously built up over a very long time.
The source of his power.
The torrent of characters that poured out orbited rapidly around Loki's body like a vortex, annihilating everything they touched.
“I swear on all my sagas and myths, I will soon end your life and take the title '■■■' for myself.”
Though he pledged for the future with words as cliché as a villain's...
This was something that could not be dismissed as a mere promise.
It was a conflict that could only be resolved when one of them was annihilated...
Closer to an absolute oath, with his sagas and myths as collateral.
“Give me a break.”
But what Kang-jun felt was not fear.
If he had to define it, it was closer to 'utter exasperation'.
“That damn title.”
Looking back now, it seemed every enemy who had ever fought him had coveted the name '■■■'.
“Is this title that desirable?”
Those flies who dared to claim they'd received an oracle without knowing their place, calling themselves heroes and storming the imperial palace only to die a dog's death.
Then there were the insolent traitors like Aldebaran who plotted treason, and of course, the 72 demons and the Demon King who reigned over all the demon races of the Demon World...
Even that fellow, the Heavenly Demon, who reigned as the one and only absolute being in the dimension called the Central Plains Murim, had his eyes on the name '■■■'.
“Everyone covets this title.”
Loki gave a twisted smile.
“But a mere human like you would never realize the 'true value' of that title, no matter how many times you die and come back to life.”
“True value?”
“The title '■■■' bestows a harsh fate upon its owner, constantly leading them toward terrible hardships and adversities.”
At those words, Kang-jun asked back.
“Why would anyone covet a name like that?”
Loki then answered, his eyes practically overflowing with greed.
“The reward.”
He then added in a tone thick with madness.
“Because if you can endure the hardships and adversities the title bestows, an immeasurable and immense reward is given afterward.”
The corners of Loki's mouth curled up high.
“That is the absolute truth and an irreversible law that permeates the title '■■■'....”
As this torrent of incomprehensible words poured out, Kang-jun couldn't help but furrow his brow.
“A reward?”
If his arduous past life was because of that name, he could understand it to some extent.
After all, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say his life had been filled with days that knew no peace.
However, he had no memory of ever receiving the 'reward' the man was talking about.
“Invincibility.”
The first law of the title.
“■■■ does not lose.”
He then said again.
“Even if they may lose a battle, they never lose the war.”
“What in the world does that...”
“From a short-sighted perspective, it may look like a defeat, but even that is a victory...”
Loki continued with his meaningful words.
“Immortality.”
The second law of the title.
“■■■ never dies.”
At those words, Kang-jun's eyes widened.
Kang-jun, too, knew that he could not die.
He had attempted suicide several times in the past, but had failed every time.
“Even if you die, like all '■■■', you will inevitably be resurrected.”
Loki added one last thing.
“Ignorance.”
The third law of the title.
“The owner of that title cannot reach the 'truth of the world'.”
Loki's gaze began to pierce through the high heavens.
“I guarantee, you will forever be unable to perceive the existence of the 'Watching Eyes'.”
“Watching Eyes?”
“Even now... those countless eyes consuming us, reading us from left to right at this very moment...”
At his words, Kang-jun also looked up at the sky, but just as Loki said, he couldn't sense any presence at all.
Just then, a "Tring!" sound rang in his ears, and several system messages began to appear one after another before his eyes.
[ The Creator God intervenes to block the secret leak from the giant whose mouth was sewn shut! ]
[ The Creator God isolates the giant whose mouth was sewn shut from you! ]
Loki suddenly burst into such uproarious laughter that tears welled in his eyes, pointing a finger at the sky high above and spewing ridicule.
“Do you see that filthy sight of it rushing over to intervene, just in case you get close to the truth of the world, and still not understand?”
He then let out a cry filled with rage.
“You will never get close to the truth of the world.”
His resentful cry resonated throughout the Abyss.
“Furthermore, that title originally belonged to all deities!”
The 'characters' swirling around Loki's body raged with even greater ferocity.
“Until you were chosen by the Creator God, every god was called by that title within their own myths!”
Suddenly, with a "Chzz, chzzzt!" sound of static, sparks began to fly around Loki's body for a moment.
“If I had my way, I'd wring your neck right now and take that title for myself, but...”
Soon, Loki's body turned into 'polygon fragments' and scattered into the air, disappearing.
“The day the gods of the Asgard Constellation look away from me for even a moment, for just an instant...”
Loki's form vanished, and only his voice lingered.
“I myself will step forward to end your life and take that title...”
After Loki had vanished without a trace.
[ This Gate will soon be annihilated! ]
Confirming the system message that appeared before him, Kang-jun let out a long sigh and began to mutter to himself in a sneering tone.
“So damn tiresome...”
He was truly sick and tired of a life that had not the slightest shred of peace.
Being the target of someone's intense animosity, the repetition of life-or-death struggles—it all just felt tedious.
Also, it left a bad taste in his mouth.
Was it simply because the deity 'Loki' of the Asgard Constellation had boasted that he would one day end his life?
Or was it because he had heard a whole slew of incomprehensible things about the truth of the world and the laws of the title?
Or was it an uneasy premonition that events like today's would continue to happen one after another?
“Still, I guess it's over for now...”
Kang-jun straightened his clothes and looked up at Ouroboros.
“It's a shame, but it seems it's time for us to part again.”
Having absorbed Jörmungandr, the now much larger Ouroboros let out a sorrowful cry.
“Kieeeeeeeeeeeek—!”
Kang-jun gently stroked Ouroboros's scales and added in a low voice.
“Let's be sure to meet again.”
It was time to return to his daily life.
As soon as he left the Gate, Kang-jun headed to the Market's private bank, the 'Secret Society of the Wealthy', to reunite with his family.
On the way back home.
Spotting a few armored vehicles still parading confidently down the road, Lee Su-bin spoke in a bewildered tone.
“While I was out cold for a bit, what in the world happened...?”
Kang-jun replied nonchalantly.
“I know.”
Just then, Seol-i, who was toddling along while holding tightly to Kang-jun's hand, said in a rather excited tone.
“Papa, it's waining!”
At her words, Lee Su-bin immediately raised her palm to catch the falling raindrops and replied.
“You're right. Why the sudden drizzle...”
Then she added with a bright smile.
“It must be spring rain.”
After speaking, Lee Su-bin glanced at Kang-jun and added.
“Now that Ipchun has passed, I hope spring comes soon. Then we can go on an outing with Seol-i, see events like flower festivals...”
As Seol-i cheerfully responded with repeated cries of "Yay!", Kang-jun cut in and replied.
“Won't it be another month before the weather warms up? Looking back, spring usually starts long after Ipchun has passed...”
After asking, "Is that so?", Lee Su-bin took a deep breath and replied softly.
“Still, it feels nice to smell the rain for a change.”
Kang-jun nodded in agreement and replied.
“The smell of rain...”
Originally, Kang-jun hated the unique damp smell of rainy days.
This isn't the smell of rain.
If you really think about it, it's not much different from the smell of mold.
To be precise, it should be called a 'dank, watery smell'.
But for some reason, today that scent wasn't so bad.
“Ooh?!”
Just then, Seol-i suddenly crouched down on the spot and said.
“Papaaa!”
Hearing his name, Kang-jun stopped and followed Seol-i's gaze.
Perhaps because its wings were soaked with rainwater, a moth was unable to fly, flapping its wings repeatedly.
“Wook here! A buttewfly!”
“A butterfly?”
“Un, Seol-i saw in book.”
She means she saw it in a book?
“Seol-a, this one is a moth.”
“Not a butterfly.”
“A moff?”
“It's an insect that looks... similar to a butterfly.”
At his words, Seol-i nodded her head firmly a few times and added with a bashful smile.
“But it's pwetty like a buttewfly.”
Then, she shielded the moth from the falling raindrops with her tiny hands and continued to speak softly.
“You can do it, moff...”
Watching her quietly, Kang-jun gathered a tiny bit of his magic and sent it flowing into the moth that was unable to fly.
Flutter, flutter...
At the same time, the moth took flight with a powerful beat of its wings, fluttered around them for a moment, and then flew far away.
“Wow, it's flying again!”
Seol-i waved at the moth and said.
“Bye-bye! You go home too!”
Then she looked up at Kang-jun and gave him a bright smile.
Watching her, Kang-jun began to gently stroke Seol-i's hair.
*'Right...'*
*'Whatever the truth of the world is, whatever the laws of the title are...'*
*'As long as this child can be happy, that's all that matters.'*
*'Please...'*
*'May this child, for all the days given to her, be able to see even a moth as beautiful as a butterfly.'*
“Should we go home and play with Papa?”
“Seol-i wanna pway with Papa!”
“What do you want to play?”
“Seol-i wikes any game!”
With that, they reached the crosswalk...
“Papa, you have to waise your hand!”
Seol-i raised her hand high.
Meanwhile.
After the Annihilation-rank Gate located in the Insadong area vanished for unknown reasons.
The Hunters who had been summoned to subdue the Gate were called to the Bureau for an emergency meeting.
Since it wasn't the kind of matter where they could find an answer just by putting their heads together...
The meaningless armchair debate continued for quite some time, but they couldn't reach a conclusion in the end.
“What in the world happened...”
A stern-looking woman in the back seat of a sedan muttered to herself, her brow slightly furrowed.
“Surely that unidentified young Hunter didn't... by himself...”
Continuing her thought, she shook her head vigorously.
It might be possible for an ordinary Gate, but wasn't this an Annihilation-rank?
The highest-rank Gate, one that guarantees the annihilation of a nation.
“To subdue that alone... it's just impossible...”
Just as she was gazing out the car window, trying to sort through the endless chain of thoughts.
“Oh my, how cute...”
Spotting a little girl in the distance crossing the street with her hand raised high, Yun Hui-su broke into a wide smile.
“She's really cute.”
As the driver nodded and added his own opinion, Yun Hui-su unknowingly murmured her inner thoughts in a low voice.
“If my Hyun-ju were still alive, she'd be about that little girl's age...”
Then, sensing the frozen atmosphere, Yun Hui-su hurriedly tried to smooth things over.
“Ah, I'm sorry for being so sudden.”
“Not at all...”
“Could you please pretend you didn't hear that?”
She was the person who held the honorable title of the Hunter who had successfully subdued the most Gates among all Hunters in the country.
The death of her daughter.
After the incident that turned her life completely upside down, she, unlike other Hunters, did not discriminate between ranks.
If there were monsters like the ones that had taken her daughter's life, she would go to subdue them, regardless of the rank.
Just as she let out a "Hoo" sigh to compose her emotions.
“Huh?”
Her eyes widened.
“Driver, I'm sorry, but could you please end your shift here for today?”
“Hunter Yun Hui-su, you're not planning on getting out here, are you?”
“Yes, something urgent seems to have come up.”
At her words, the driver reluctantly nodded, and Yun Hui-su immediately threw open the back door of the car and hurriedly stepped onto the sidewalk.
What had stopped her was none other than the man walking alongside the little girl who was crossing the street with her hand raised high.
The appearance of the man, who seemed to be the child's father, was a perfect match for the Hunter who had entered the Annihilation-rank Gate alone just a short while ago.
Thud, thud...
Quickly catching up to the man, Yun Hui-su called out to him in a rather urgent tone...
“Hey, you.”
Kang-jun stopped and turned around.
“Me?”
Just then, Seol-i said chidingly.
“Papa, you can't talk badwy!”
Kang-jun replied, "My mistake, my mistake," and corrected himself.
“Me?”
And so, Yun Hui-su's and Kang-jun's gazes met in mid-air.
