Chapter 163: A Piece of Time and Space

-snap.

In an instant, my surroundings changed.

Only now did I see what I had originally thought the celestial plane would have looked like.

An endless waterfall of various colors flowed, and I heard a beautiful melody that seemed familiar somehow, as if I had heard of it at least once before.

It was a beautiful and peaceful scenery, fitting of a place called the celestial plane.

To me, however, this scenery had such a contrast that it was enough to make me sick.

It was because I remembered how this god had merely watched and spectated the violence in amusement just until now.

Including me, the radical faction, the Chimera, and other monsters as well, they were all creations of this god.

This god was feeling thrilled at the sight of the creatures that she created spilling blood amongst each other.

I didn’t stay on this thought too long, however.

The god pointed at a small door that led back out towards the demonic realm.

“Now, if you leave through there, Barub, who had guided you here, will be waiting for you.”

“What about the ability of a Piece of Time and Space....”

“When you are guided back by Barub through space and time and back to the demonic realm, the time that had stopped will flow once more, and you will obtain the ability automatically, so don’t worry.”

“Then I’ll be taking my leave....”

“Hehe. Did I make a human with a personality like this? Well, since you’re not predictable like the rest, it’s pretty amusing.”

“....”

Not even pretending to listen to what this god said, I walked towards the door.

The sound of my Titan Boots against the smooth floor as I walked was music to my ears.

As I opened the battered door, I could see the pure white tunnel.

How could such a simple passageway be such a welcoming sight?

I did boast that I would be able to meet the Guide Through Time and Space Barub once more, but I was feeling pretty down after hearing that no one had passed this test before.

Just considering the results alone, I had passed the test proudly and had come back to this path with the power of a Piece of Time and Space.

To be honest, I felt proud of myself.

Just like that, I was about to step into the crack in time and space.

“Wait!”

“Is there something left?”

“....”

“If that’s not the case....”

“I don’t think I’ve ever offered this to anyone.”

“What do you mean?”

“It means that I’ve never been so interested in a human’s strength before.”

“I’m not sure what you mean by that.”

“It means that I want you at my side. You can obtain a lot of power here while you stay as well.”

“If that’s your offer, I decline.”

“The power of the Piece of Time and Space? Even though the power I offer is far greater than that, you aren’t interested?”

“If I could take that power and walk out of this celestial plane, then I’d accept gladly. However, if that’s not the case, then I decline.”

“As expected.”

“For a god such as yourself, it shouldn’t be that difficult for you to make someone like me submit though?”

“Hehe! That’s true, but.... Eh. There’s no reason for me to explain the complicated intricacies of the world of the gods. I won’t stop you. Hurry up and go.”

“What a boring god. Then....”

****

“Yo! It’s been awhile.”

“Human.... Did you really do it?”

“As I said, you’ll be seeing me again.”

“I congratulate you. Through the many years, I have guided countless across to the celestial plane, but this is the first time that I’ve guided someone back from the celestial plan to their original dimension. It is my pleasure to guide you back.”

“Thanks.”

I continued to follow Barub down the pitch black road.

A while passed just like that, and I was able to see the demonic realm that had turned red due to the Chimera’s orbs.

Was it because I had obtained a massive amount of power?

I was already moving faster than Barub, almost nearing a run.

Just a bit more.

The moment that Barub finished guiding me, time in the demonic realm and on Earth would flow once more.

“Now. We’ve arrived.”

“Wew.... So if I take one more step forward, time will start flowing again?”

“That’s right.”

“Good. Thank you for guiding me.”

“Don’t mention it, since it is the duty I am charged with.”

“Let’s meet again, Guide Through Time and Space, Barub.”

“We shall soon.”

“....”

With a mysterious answer, Barub grew distant and eventually out of my sight.

As Barub’s guidance came to an end, my vision went to black once more.

It was the same as when I had first swallowed the Piece of Time and Space.

It didn’t take long before I arrived at Ifrit’s castle and saw my body that collapsed on the ground.

Also came into view were Jong Ho and Karin, who were both guarding me.

“I guess it’s time that my soul returned back to its home.”

Almost as if diving back into my body, I dug into myself.

Only then did I feel my body once more, as if waking from a long slumber.

Not only that, but I felt suffocated as if my chest was being pressed down by something heavy.

Taking in a deep breath, I opened my eyes.

“Kehruruk?”

“Mi.... Min-Cheol....”

“Hm?”

“Whew.... Now I feel like I’m alive again.”

“Hey, you idiot! Why didn’t you eat it slower. So you’ve woken back up after choking on it?”

“Hm?”

“Kerururu. Even I thought that the Piece of Time and Space was too big to swallow.”

“Hurry up and digest it! If we leave it as it is, we could end up with nothing happening.”

“If you eat steak, you can digest faster. Min-Cheol, should I cook up some steaks?”

“Ah.... I feel sad again.”

This was the same situation as when I had finished my fight with the demon god Ifrit before.

Only did time pass for me and me alone.

Jong Ho and Karin must be thinking that I had merely taken a quick nap.

I was positive that they had no idea that I had passed the three tests that the god gave me.

Even so, I was somewhat happy that time had stopped till now.

It was because I was worried that the Demon King would try chasing us down in the meantime, and that I could not use Full Heal on the summoned creatures guarding the Gate.

The situation was looking great.

For them, only a short time would’ve passed, but I had obtained an inexplicably powerful strength during that time.

I had also been using mana with only basic methods, but now learned how to use it effectively in the process of passing the tests, almost as if catching a rat while stepping backwards. 1

Even the Demon King and Ladin wouldn’t be able to face against me now.

Not only that, but I would be able to defeat Belkoseu, who had been nothing but a headache.

Due to having the Authority that granted him immortality, I wouldn’t be able to take his life, but I had the healing negation effect thanks to the Piece of Time and Space.

If I bring him near death and stop there?

He would live in the demonic realm forever in a state where he would be barely alive, unable to do anything similar to a corpse.

Looking at Jong Ho and Karin who were both making fun of me, I spoke.

“It’s the same with the time when I defeated Ifrit! This is unfair!”

“Huh?”

“Kel?”

“By that, you mean.. Did you already go? No way, right?”

“Nope, there’s no way. You’re so right.”

Since they couldn’t believe me, I pulled out the last remaining King’s Marbles and showed it to them.

Before I swallowed the Piece of Time and Space, I had 11 marbles.

I gave 6 to Jong Ho and kept 5 for myself.

However, in the timespan that I had closed and opened my eyes in their point of view, only one marble was left.

“Really?”

To Jong Ho’s question that he asked with wide eyes, I merely nodded.

Only then did I see relief in his expression.

I could also sense that he felt sorry and pity for me.

“Now, we need not run, even if our opponents are the Demon King or Ladin.”

“Good work.”

“And we need not worry about Belkoseu either.”

“What? What do you mean by that!”

At my words, Belkoseu let out his anger with a disgusted look.

Despite Belkoseu being next to me, I had spoken without a care for that fact.

The shaky alliance that we had kept up was no longer useful. It was time to end it.

To be more precise, the alliance was no longer beneficial for me.

The plan to help him grow stronger so that he could defeat the Demon King had become outdated.

Staring down Belkoseu, I spoke.

“Did you not hear?”

“Have you forgotten! Without my help, you cannot defeat the Demon King!”

“Ah. That was true 5 minutes ago.”

“What?”

“With how outdated your intel is, how can you be of any use?”

“You little.... You had planned to betray me....”

“Isn’t it the same with you? This was an alliance that could not be held from the start. But you knew that as well, right?”

“....”

“I was just teasing to see your reaction, but since you can’t answer, I guess it was true?”

“Do not do something you’ll regret, human!”

“Regret? Instead of self reflection or regret, how about I show you something interesting?”

“....”

I cast a Frozen Orb at him.

Frozen Orb was the lowest ranking skill, also known as a trash skill.

This pathetic attack grazed his cheek and continued to fly by.

However, I hadn’t just used Frozen Orb.

Since I was able to use all of my strength now, I had channeled additional mana into the skill to enhance it before sending it flying.

Purple blood spilled from his cheek.

This situation really didn’t make any sense to the average spectator.

To think that the one with the greatest vitality in the demonic realm would bleed profusely from a single Frozen Orb.

From looking at him, I could see that his eyes were filled with shock.

My attack ignored all resistances and had a 100% success rate.

On top of that, it prevented healing.

I gave him a sinister smile.

“Hurry up and try healing with your magical energy.”

“You made a mistake that you cannot take back....”

“Your injury is what that cannot be reversed, and have you really not understood the situation?”

“No matter how long it takes, I will rise in power and take the Demon King’s throne by myself. The first thing I shall do with the Demon King’s Authority will be to raise an army of death. After that, I shall immediately send them through the Gate that connects the demonic realm to Earth! Though to call it a fair punishment for your betrayal would be light....”

“So can you recover.”

“An injury like this.... What! How can this be....”

“You should’ve brought some ointment or something. You’d heal back in no time, right?”

Belkoseu had used magical energy to recover before.

However, the cut from the skill I used did not heal even after a long time.

With my arms crossed, I spoke with my head held high.

“Do you have the confidence to block any additional attacks?”

“....”

“Even though you’ll have to live with the pain for an eternity?”

“Damn....”

“What I want isn’t something so difficult.”

“....”

“As you wish, I’ll give you the demonic realm onto the palm of your hands. How about it?”

“What are you up to! And how did you obtain so much power in such a short amount of time....”

“Don’t bother trying to figure that out. Just remember this well. That if you mess with humans, you’ll get more than you bargained for.”

“Right now, you could tear me apart like a dirty rag and leave me to suffer an eternity in the demonic realm. But you’re saying that you’ll let me take the seat of the Demon King?”

“Yep. To be exact, it won’t be the seat of the Demon King. After all, since the one who becomes Demon King will be the one with the most amount of magical energy, and that will be me, naturally.”

“I’m sure that what you wish of me will be incredibly difficult.”

“That’s not the case.”

historical

“....”

“How about it? Would you like to at least hear me out?”

“Kuhu....”

Instead of negotiating a deal, I threatened Belkoseu.

I was sure that he would’ve noticed from my simple attack.

I had become an existence with a power far surpassing him in an instant.

“What I want is....”