Chapter 15 – Elysium

===================

Translated by Heavenly Cat

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

===================

Gods did not die, but they could die.

It sounded like a vague, abstract concept… but from the perspective of their functions stopping, it was indeed death.

The gods of Last Comet had their own respective paradises for the believers who believed in them – Elysium.

It was not a bad thing for each other.

Humans were guaranteed rest in the afterlife. Sometimes they were allowed samsara, reincarnation, or eternal rest.

The god also grew steeper in power the larger and mightier their Elysium became.

It was also the reason why all sorts of reapers clashed over where the soul of the dead gets subordinated to.

Elysium was everything the god had built up, the god’s life itself.

However, the moment they were defeated in battle and eaten, the boundaries of Elysium melted down, and the souls contained within it also met the same fate.

There was always a good reason why a demon, which became a little stronger every time it ate a human, specifically aimed for a god.

The eaten god tried to create Elysium again, but as long as they were eaten by a demon, they could never restore it to its original state.

What the dead god created was a livestock pen to fatten the spirit and flesh of the demon that ate them.

They merely trapped the souls and destinies of the humans who once served them inside their own corpse and suffered together.

Surging River and her believers followed the exact same path.

They were ones trapped inside the boiling stomach of a demon and being eaten alive.

Even though they must have been experiencing the pain Omotl, the kneading fin, felt together, they began to close their eyes peacefully.

“Grant us rest.”

“Ah, it is the end… Finally…”

When I opened my clenched hand, there was a tiny star still hungering above my grasp.

The new star hurriedly devoured the memories and lives Omotl poured out every time it died.

Presently, the moment the last human mixed with the stomach wall crumbled into golden dust.

=Kkuweeeooeoeoeo.=

Omotl could not overcome the heat and flashes of the star born from its own stomach.

-Pop!

The flesh made of karma that tried to crush me burst open just like that.

However, even the burst flesh and bodily fluids directly turned into golden dust and were eaten by the star.

Omotl ultimately died without leaving anything behind, becoming the food of those it had used as food itself.

Sizzle sizzle sizzle sizzle-.

As a result, the water that lost its ruler became disorganized.

The flashes spewed out by the newborn and fully grown star were vomiting countless air bubbles.

Blub blub blub blub.

It was the scream let out by the water currents that had been artificially surged to learn only malice.

The murky dirty water was burning up. The water dyed by the Dark Light did not have the weight to press down on the burning star.

Nevertheless, the water currents rushing to the place evaporated by the star only grew fiercer.

Now, it was difficult to discern ahead not because it was dirty, but because the air bubbles overflowed too much.

However, no matter how dirty and heavy the dirty water was, it was impossible to obscure the starlight for a long time.

Flash.

This time, it was not the anglerfish’s lantern light.

It was a starlight that became a lighthouse to illuminate the reef even amidst a passing storm.

Moreover, it was the yearning for the sky and light that people cherished even beneath the water surface inside the demon’s stomach.

Following their wishes, I raised my hand to send the star to the sky.

-Baaaang!!!

The boiling steam, the shot star pierced through the water currents.

The rapids that were persistently rushing in finally lost their momentum and retreated. The river water lost its form, weight, and even power completely, turning into water drops and running down.

From now on, I had to protect the spot where the star was shot. So that the opponent could not drop it.

As soon as I resolved to do so, shouts I had not heard until now while trapped underwater echoed beyond the crumbled water drops.

“High-grade miracle, Sound of Ten Thunders!”

Bartol was desperately extending his arm and spewing out electric strikes.

He defeated dozens of Corpse Demons in a single blow, but there were far too many of them, and the Corpse Demons did not stay still either.

A subspecies of Corpse Demon, Draugr, which stood upright and notched arrows, was mixed among them.

“Old man, danger!”

As soon as Madam Hwen hugged Bartol and threw herself down, an arrow flew past.

Bartol could not get up due to the impact of the fall. Hwen could not say anything and dropped her head just like that.

The first one to recognize the change was none other than Ad.

Ad, who had been threatening the Corpse Demons crossing over with a nail-studded plank, soon widened his eyes and shouted.

“The water currents are weakening!”

“Motherfucker, fuck!”

At least thanks to the torrent surrounding the vicinity, there were many places the Corpse Demons could not approach.

It seemed Ad and his party thought the Corpse Demons would swarm in just like that once the water calmed down.

They were people driven to the point where they could not even hear the sound of the shot star piercing the rapids.

However, the people were not the only ones agitated and tense.

[…Cunning bastard!]

The voice was disassembled, changing into lines and lines, and eventually into a single shape taking form.

The Holy Mother of Stillborns.

Behind the black veil, inside her sunken eye sockets, blue ghost lights were blazing.

[How dare you steal children from their mother?]

This time I also had an answer to return.

“I guess they like the sky more than your embrace.”

[I have decided that this mother shall take the children on this land. Until when do you intend to steal them?]

“I thought you said you would accept them as sons.”

[Speak of how much you want.]

The Holy Mother of Stillborns growled.

I returned an answer filled with mockery and sincerity.

“How much do I want?”

The stars before the meteor shower fell were the gods and angels.

But the stars I created were not.

I did not yield to the illusion the Holy Mother of Stillborns showed. Because there was no sight as fantastic as the starlight soaring into the sky.

“Those who will be born, those who are alive, those who are dead.”

Recalling the three laws existing in the Last Comet universe, I added my next words.

“All of them.”

The illusion depicting the Holy Mother of Stillborns lost its outline and got crushed.

The lines and lines disassembled helplessly, returning to an anger-filled voice before long.

[Thief. I will not forgive you.]

***

Another star went up to the sky.

Realizing that there was no room for negotiation, the Holy Mother of Stillborns gnashed her teeth and began to move the Corpse Demons.

Satisfied with the rough reaction she showed, I chewed over the settings of Last Comet.

The sun no longer illuminated the world.

A new life could not be conceived.

The soul of the dead got subordinated to the one who killed them.

And as long as the demons divided their territories and fought, as long as the gods were eaten or hid themselves, there was only one end given to humans.

In this world, the final destination for all people was exclusively the stomach of a demon.

Even so, if the world collapsed, there would be a hole to soar through. There was a single way to rescue people from the foretold cruel fate.

You just had to turn human souls and destinies into stars and send them to the sky.

Since the sky was the domain of the Black Sun, it was a place the demons dared not to invade.

Also, even if the Black Sun yielded the world, it never yielded the sky.

The Black Sun was rather in a position waiting for the contract to be dissolved quickly. An entity that turned a blind eye to the suffering of all creation naturally turned a blind eye to demons.

Ultimately, the yearning for the sky and light was the struggle of humans trying to escape their determined doom.

Perhaps this was the reason why I realized Star Creation (創星) among the countless Divine Names.

Whether it reflected my tendency as a gamer who likes happy endings, I did not know.

However, naturally, I could not overcome all adversities with Star Creation alone.

Hence, I usurped a Divine Name. It was not called usurpation for nothing.

Thanks to the usurped Divine Name, the available miracles also increased.

At this very moment, I pulled one of them out without hesitation.

The traces drawn by the stars inside my flesh revolving formed a single shape.

Presently, the completed form was three falling water drops.

-Disaster miracle, Raging Rain Shower

A disaster miracle was a miracle specialized in shaping the environment.

Unlike punishment miracles, it lacked lethality.

However, its synergy with bestowal miracles was outstanding, or it was a highly important miracle as groundwork for a punishment miracle.

The moment the miracle manifested, water drops began to form from all directions regardless of direction.

-Bestowal miracle, Stability

It was stability meant to maintain this round shape and contain divine power.

Recalling the water drop barrage that was a national rule miracle combo in Last Comet, I withdrew the interlocked golden hands.

Even under the Black Sun, the surroundings were bright. A rain shower dyed golden was glittering from all directions.

It was a sight as if fairies from a fairy tale were fluttering their wings.

Before I knew it, all the tense people were already looking up this way and kneeling.

The smell of food waste stuck in a sewer vanished.

Instead, a cozy, warm, and sweet cupcake flavor spread out softly.

The taste of hope.

I could smile at that gentle sweetness.

“Everyone duck!”

-Kaaaaaaang!!!

The moment the people immediately followed the instruction, I swung my hands without hesitation and struck the water drops.

In round shapes, the water drops that bounced off containing divine power were each practically bullets.

The swarming Corpse Demon horde was swept away in one breath.

They urgently tried to fill the empty spots, but the speed at which they were swept away was far faster than the speed at which the Corpse Demons swarmed in.

Grrk, grrrk.

Even the repeat mark echoes they cried out the moment they died could not be conveyed as they burst apart with pops.

[Stop. Star Creation… Stop it.]

Someone’s urgent voice was heard, but I paid it no mind.

-Disaster miracle, Raging Rain Shower

-Bestowal miracle, Stability

Monsters got swept away with a single wave of my hand, so why would there be a reason to stop.

[How… Your Divine Name is not related to the Armed Church? How can a god whose entirety is making stars do this?]

“Do not keep calling me since you do not know.”

Was there any way to block this guy’s messages.

It was around the time the slightly grumbling distracting thoughts were ending.

The Dark Light that had been terribly pressing down the surroundings was little by little getting fainter.

Grrrrrk, grrk.

Corpse Demons fleeing while letting out bizarre cries.

I threw water drops a few times at their backs and looked up at the sky.

The sun that had stayed at noon until just a moment ago was already hanging on the horizon and setting.

As the sun set, even the Dark Light that rendered all light sources in the world meaningless lost its power.

Presently, the moment the dark purple halo struggled as if making its final attempt.

Flash.

Even if only for a moment, a twinkling star was seen beyond that terrible Dark Light.

It was a starlight that had yearned for the sky even from beneath the water surface, and had now become a lighthouse.

As I was staring at that star for a long while, a fishy smell heavily drifted over along with a bitter and astringent taste.

Turning my gaze there, I saw Hwen holding the collapsed Bartol in her arms.

“Old man, I told you to take it easy.”

It seemed he was pushed too hard earlier.

Sticky blood was flowing from the back of his head and wetting Hwen’s hands.

Even while the people were busy looking at me and praying, Hwen was entirely preoccupied with caring about Bartol.

“Hwen.”

“…O Star Creation. P, please. The old man, no, that is not it. Bartol is a good person.”

She was overly anxious just in case words saying it was impossible would come out.

Phew…

With a smile, I exhaled a breath containing the star’s dust.

And not long after, Bartol shot his eyes open and gasped for breath.

“Heo-eo-eo-eok….!”

“Bartol.”

“S, Star Creation. O Star Creation.”

I stopped Bartol who was about to kneel right after getting up just like that and finished my laugh.

“If you sleep here, your mouth will twist.”