ALL NOVEL
Chapter 476: Star, the Emergency Meeting (1)
The [Forbidden Fruit], the fruit of gnosis, gave those who consumed it the ability to distinguish between good and evil. Perkwunos described it as “a part of the <Fire of Origin>,’ the debris left behind by the Big Bang when it brought light to the darkness-filled, ignorance-infested universe.
Perkwunos, tasked to protect the <Fire of Origin>, eventually began to covet it. As punishment for his sin, he was given a <Mark> and forced to join samsara.
“Why in the world is the [Forbidden Fruit] in the <Store> window?” Chang-Sun asked.
“You’ve used the <Store> window from time to time, yet you still don’t know what it is?”
“It’s the legacy of <Muspelheim>.”
Perkwunos shook his head. “Wrong. You’re close, but it’s technically different.”
“What is it, then?”
“It sells the items that your past reincarnations had used.”
Perkwunos’ explanation was very straightforward.
According to him, when the items’ owners died, the items themselves disappeared as well. However, when the past reincarnations regained their identities, the items were restored and brought back to Idea. The <Store> window served as Chang-Sun’s connection to those powers. By buying the items, he could borrow the past reincarnations’ powers little by little.
“Although I failed to absorb all of the [Forbidden Fruit], I still swallowed it. That’s why it’s in there.”
Chang-Sun felt tempted to buy the <Forbidden Fruit]. It was the perfect elixir for his plan to turn his <Duskfall> into Rád?us. Unfortunately, he couldn’t do it right now.
[Total: 67,132,996,813 Hounds]
Although Chang-Sun had saved up quite a hefty sum of Karmas, he was still a long shot away from being able to afford the [Forbidden Fruit]. Hence, he continued scrolling through the <Store> window.
[List of accessible Hounds]
―‘One-Eyed Magic Giant’
: 79,918,446 Hounds
―‘Red-Colored Guard’
: 916,383,122 Hounds
...
Chang-Sun could now use the Karmas of the reincarnations he had unified with. With all of their Karmas combined, he would have enough to buy the [Forbidden Fruit].
[Total Hounds: 100,000,000,612,125 Hounds]
Nevertheless, for a moment, he still debated against purchasing the item, fearing that eating it would deepen his <Crime> or result in a similar repercussion. However, he soon changed his mind.
‘I should just ignore all of those.’
Having changed his goal from Ubbo-Sathla to <Deus Ex Machina>, Chang-Sun had lost every reason to hesitate.
Chang-Sun scrolled up again.
‘Here we go.’
[You are about to purchase the ‘Forbidden Fruit.’]
[Warning! The following item is non-refundable and contains a considerable amount of Causality. Misusing it can damage your soul.]
[Purchase the item? Y/N]
Chang-Sun pressed ‘Y.’
Ding!
Ding!
Notification bells chaotically rang in his ears.
[Spending the necessary amount of Hounds to purchase the 'Forbidden Fruit’!]
[All the Karmas of ‘One-Eyed Magic Giant’ have been used.]
[All the Karmas of ‘Red-Colored Guard’ have been used.]
...
Ding!
Ding!
Chang-Sun’s heart sank with each notification bell. He had always felt as if his wrists were tied down with invisible chains, making them heavier than they should be. Now, however, those chains seemed to be coming undone. As they did, he came to a realization.
‘... Using up their Karmas means sending away all their history and records.’
[All the Karmas of ‘Blue Castle Guard’ have been used.]
Along with the notification windows, the past reincarnations they mentioned appeared and waved their hands at Chang-Sun before disappearing. Now that all the grudges that had been binding them down were fading away, they could finally leave Chang-Sun behind, slowly making him his soul’s main owner.
Soul unity had always been a problem for Chang-Sun. Perhaps emptying oneself was the not-so-hidden secret behind obtaining true ownership over a soul and becoming complete.
[All the Karmas of the Celestial ‘Divine Twilight’ have been used.]
Having used up all of his Karmas, Chang-Sun finally unified his soul. His numerous identities merged into one, turning him into someone who was both Chang-Sun and not Chang-Sun at the same time, much like Perkwunos.
[The purchase has been completed.]
[You have acquired the ‘Forbidden Fruit’!]
Chang-Sun didn’t even stop to admire the ruby-red apple’s beauty or sweetness. He immediately put it in his mouth, igniting the dormant <Fire Spark> within him.
Woooosh!
As if to confirm that souls were a type of fire, A flame burst into existence within Chang-Sun’s heart and engulfed him, causing it to emit rainbow-colored lights. Not long after, it devoured his supreme sacred light and <Darkness> as well, turning its colors to that of the sunset.
He opened his right hand and gathered the fire in his soul to the center of his palm. He then transformed it into lightning energy that looked nothing like his previous ones.
Chang-Sun had acquired Rád?us.
Seemingly obtaining omnipotence as well, he felt endless power surging within him.
Badump, badump, badump!
Chang-Sun’s heart raced.
[Absorbing the ‘Forbidden Fruit’...]
[Awakening as ‘Primordial Lightning Deity.’]
[Current progress: 6%]
Rumble!
Chang-Sun grabbed the lightning, making it stretch until it had turned into a white pillar that connected the ground and the sky. Using every bit of power he had, he threw the pillar toward where Perkwunos likely was.
Swooooosh―!
Boom, boom, boom!
* * *
After following his guide to the meeting room, Bel-Marduk chuckled dryly, thinking he might have made a wrong choice to come here.
‘This has turned into an absolute disaster.’
Due to how influential the participants of this meeting were, he made sure to brace for disasters before the emergency meeting started.
Bel-Marduk the Vast Heaven, Tiamat the Faraway Heaven, Michael the Sun Heaven, Satan the Transformation Heaven, Loki the Black Heaven... five of the Nine Heavens had joined this meeting. No matter how sensational an event was, these Nine Heavens rarely took action. Their presence here indicated how serious the imminent <Extinction> was.
Bel-Marduk narrowed his eyes. ‘Even Durga is here.’
The other <Societies>’ delegates, who were attending as audiences, kept glancing at Durga from the corner of the room. They seemed unable to focus on the meeting. Even some of those who had earned a seat at the table seemed to be having a hard time concentrating.
The goddess of destruction was wearing a necklace made from twelve devil skulls and all sorts of shiny jeweled earrings on one of her ears, complimenting her dark skin and sharp eyes. Despite merely sitting on one of the chairs near the room's walls and exuding no energy, she still intimidated everyone around her.
Grrrr.
Durga the ‘Wrath Incarnation’ didn’t come alone either. Beside her was a huge tiger that looked just as overpowering as her. It kept its fangs bared, ready to bite off the necks of anyone who would try anything funny.
Notorious for leaving a mountain of corpses and an ocean of blood at her every step, her presence alone scared all the Celestials and Star Signs in this place. Even Kali, her daughter, looked surprised to see her mother. Urash, Durga’s expelled student, had also grown quiet.
Bel-Marduk couldn’t help but think that this meeting would end in a disaster. If they somehow managed to come to an agreement, they would at least have a slim chance of victory. However, considering too many people in this meeting wanted to be the leader, that tiny bit of hope could outright disappear.
‘If Twilight joins as well, then we’ll have seven of the Nine Heavens here. That’s it. We’re doomed.’
Bel-Marduk let go of his last lingering feelings. It would be a shame to give up on Worldline #802 since it served as his base in his conquest of the Great Universe, but he had no other choice. While he could easily rebuild his base, he wouldn’t be able to do anything if he died.
Despite having already made a decision, Bel-Marduk stayed in the meeting room, clinging to a final hope—Chang-Sun.
Chang-Sun was currently conquering his subconscious realm. He might bring secrets that not even Bel-Marduk knew about—secrets that would show them a way to break through this insurmountable problem.
Bel-Marduk chuckled. ‘It’s not like me to act this foolishly.’
Sensing someone giving him an ice-cold glare, Bel-Marduk smirked. He locked eyes with Tiamat, who was in her little girl form.
“What? Are you planning to kill me?” Bel-Marduk asked.
Tiamat mouthed her reply.
―If I can.
―Bring it on.
* * *
The bad blood between Tiamat and Bel-Marduk had been going on for ages. However, for Bel-Marduk, it was inevitable. After all, to obtain enough power to fight Ubbo-Sathla, he had been coting the Mother Terra Celestial’s remains, like the Nereid Stone.
Since Tiamat was his target’s avatar, he naturally chased after her. Meanwhile, she saw him as a new challenger from an entirely different world. As one of the most powerful beings in Worldline #801, she had to stay vigilant around him.
Due to their history, Tiamat found it very unpleasant to be around Bel-Marduk. Even though the alliance was temporary, she still couldn’t understand why Chang-Sun was working with Bel-Marduk. She trusted that he would have a good reason, but she still couldn’t blindly open herself up to Bel-Marduk. His sneer just now didn’t help either. Rather, it just convinced her to treat him like a ghost.
“I...” Tiamat began as she looked at the other delegates.
Seeing through what she was trying to do, Bel-Marduk quietly stared at her.
She continued, “I propose to expand the United Army. Too many cooks will only spoil the broth. Without a unified command to work together, we won’t even be able to delay <Extinction> for a second.”
Was Tiamat aware that her decision was exactly what Bel-Marduk had in mind?
“That sounds like a good proposal, but how do we know that you don’t have any ulterior motive behind it?” Michael asked with a slight frown.
Tiamat turned to Michael, her eyes emotionless. “What do you mean?”
“Aren’t you just trying to use this as an excuse to gain enough power to become a Celestial King and reign over us?” Michael scowled, trying to see through Tiamat’s plan.
Smirking, Tiamat asked, “Is there a problem with that?”
Her blatant revelation of her ambition bewildered the other Nine Heavens and <Society> leaders. However, before they could say anything...
Woooosh!
[The Celestial ‘Primordial Evil Dragon’ has unleashed her Divine Class, dominating the room!]
... her energy filled up the room. Those overwhelmed by her presence felt as if they were suffocating.
“I am Tiamat, the origin and mother of all lives.” Tiamat’s eyes turned into a Dragon’s. “Unless I become a Celestial King and a godmother who would embrace you all, no one would be able to protect you from this external threat.”