The Trap Is Sprung

The faces of the other 10 Centers watching the spectacle of the Otherworld War on the screen were deathly pale and rigid. Whenever Jinri finished his training, he always warned them to pay close attention to their relationships with the rest of the 10 Centers. It was advice and a cautionary tale about the incidents and accidents that had occurred during the first generation. Of course, it was no ordinary prophecy but an unchangeable fate tied to each individual's disposition. What he told each of them differed, but his words to the Golden Absolute had been remarkably simple.

“Protect the Black Flame, and be cautious with the Grey.”

“I will protect the Black Flame and remain cautious toward the Grey.”

“You answer so easily, yet it will be incredibly difficult. When it happens to you directly, you’ll understand what it means.”

At the time, the Golden Absolute had repeated the words without grasping their true weight. Now, he understood perfectly. The Black Flame, unable to restrain his temper and descending directly into the Main Universe, and the Grey, who had rushed forward the moment the opportunity appeared only to be blocked by the Eternal Beings and left fuming with rage—both were equally pathetic.

‘Watching two people fight without the slightest awareness of their surroundings is giving me a pounding headache.’

Their approaches to solving problems were strikingly similar in that neither spared any means or method. The only difference was that the Black Flame forced his way through with raw power while the Grey unraveled issues with wisdom. Reflecting once more on the first generation’s circumstances left his mouth hanging open in disbelief.

“It’s identical to the first generation. That means the future developments will unfold the same way. We must prepare countermeasures immediately! I will restrain the Grey at once and summon the Black Flame here.”

The first generation’s downfall—triggered by the Grey’s betrayal, resulting in the collapse of the eight Absolutes and a generational shift across the Absolute Realm—sent chills racing down their spines. Of course, it didn’t have to end that way. When the first-generation members operated separately, no problems arose. The issues only surfaced when they faced overwhelming enemies or insurmountable challenges and were forced to fight together.

‘The Grey poured every ounce of his wisdom into crafting a plan, only for the Black Flame to arbitrarily alter it on the battlefield and win through brute force.’

The cleanup from those plan alterations naturally fell to the Grey, but since the results were hardly pleasant to hear about, he could hardly complain. He ended up handling every task he never should have been forced to touch, while those unaware of the circumstances directed all their criticism at him. On the surface, the Black Flame received every honor and word of praise. And that was precisely when the true confrontation began.

‘This was one of the fundamental essences of the Grey as a sage and the Black Flame as a warrior—and the reason they fought without end. Even now, there is no stopping them.’

The Grey, driven to madness by knowledge as the pinnacle of sages, would never listen to anyone. Likewise, the Black Flame ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Absolute—his former wisdom and patience from his days as a sage long discarded due to the side effects of the Black Flame Authority that eroded most of his reason—was exactly the same.

“Isn’t this an overreaction? It doesn’t necessarily have to turn out that way, does it? They seem to be showing interest in each other. Isn’t that better than indifference?”

Yuil Yongsinje believed that when true feelings collided in battle, a sense of kinship could emerge. The other eight Absolutes wore expressions of utter disgust at his words, but he paid them no mind. From his experience raising countless descendants, he had often seen father-son relationships that once bickered and fought grow closer over time.

Moreover, what Jinri had told Yuil Yongsinje was slightly different. In fact, the meaning had been completely misinterpreted. When he inherited the position of Wind Family patriarch and was formally appointed as one of the 10 Centers, Jinri had said this:

“Yield to the Golden and cooperate with the Grey.”

“Yes, Father. I will do my utmost to uphold the honor of the Wind Family.”

“Just do it in moderation. That will be enough.”

“Yes, Father.”

“Sigh. Are you answering while actually understanding the meaning?”

He never even asked why. All he remembered was the bitter smile that followed his immediate reply and the instruction to handle it moderately. So he had done exactly that—until now, when the situation had escalated into a crisis that demanded complete sincerity.

Thanks to the united checks from the other 10 Centers, both the Dragon God Race and the Wind Family continued to shrink. He needed to claim the top rank. After deciding this could not continue, he had endured a long period of patience while waiting for the right opportunity. Yet alone, he stood no chance against the alliance of the other eight Absolutes. Fortunately, the appearance of the Grey Absolute and their subsequent cooperation had finally revealed a path forward.

If anything happened to the only sane Black Flame Absolute, the other eight Absolutes—who would suffer devastating damage to their authorities from the Grey’s self-destruction—would combine their strength, but even then they would not be his match. That was why he had gratefully taken the Grey’s side. Yet the reaction was far from ordinary.

The Golden Absolute cut in sharply.

“Do not confuse family with outsiders, Yuil Yongsinje. When outsiders fight, only resentment and emotion increase.”

Since it was true, Yuil Yongsinje had nothing to say in return. The Golden Absolute grew urgent. They had to stop this before the situation became irreversible. However, the Black Flame Absolute’s main body currently stood in a defensive stance here at the rank battle. That one could not be touched. If approached, it would rampage indiscriminately, unable to distinguish friend from foe.

Going to the Main Universe to intervene was equally impossible. The Black Flame Absolute was a powerhouse ranked fourth. Though he occasionally displayed such disgraceful behavior, when he became serious, no one could stop him. Only those ranked above him—himself, Yuil Yongsinje, and Daeshin—could halt his rampage.

Having judged Yuil Yongsinje as one of the primary culprits behind this incident, he excluded him. If the rank-one himself went, fierce opposition from the Eternal Beings was inevitable. That left only Daeshin.

The Great God stroked his signature long white beard that reached his chest and slowly shook his head with polite refusal. He usually granted most requests, so this immediate rejection surprised the Golden Absolute. Daeshin explained unhurriedly.

“The instruction I received from Jinri was simple. Maintain neutrality among the 10 Centers. I didn’t understand its meaning back then, but I do now. Each of you possesses such strong personalities and convictions that the risk of unnecessary conflict is severe. So do not react too sensitively or become excited. This is merely an extension of the rank battle. Even if the Black Flame is defeated, his position among the 10 Centers will not change. Those who challenge us without knowing their place can simply be organized under the pretext of their challenge. It is what we have always done.”

The Golden Absolute could not ignore the words of Daeshin, who—excluding himself—had held his seat among the 10 Centers the longest and led the most numerous and vast clan of powerhouses. Though he fell short in the number of transcendent experts and thus ranked below him, in sheer clan population he stood at the top among the 10 Centers. His greatest strength was his ability to coordinate countless clans with ideal harmony while maintaining an ironclad organization. That vast experience in coordination had blossomed within his authority, making him superior to even the Golden Absolute in the mobilization and command of large armies.

Such a being’s words carried undeniable weight. Once the situation had calmed somewhat, Daeshin shifted the topic.

“Rather than worrying about the future, the real question is what the Grey is aiming for right now. Having seen the Dimensional Mage God from the Grey’s past, he clearly isn’t some weakling who would be easily eliminated in a rank battle. Yet he self-destructed to weaken our authorities and even provoked the Black Flame. I can roughly guess his intentions, but…”

He glanced at Yuil Yongsinje, who merely offered his usual good-natured smile as if he knew nothing at all. It was clear he truly had no idea about the actual progression. He must have only reported a plausible purpose and left the surrounding scheming to others.

‘As expected, the Origins of the Wind Family have stirred up trouble again. What am I supposed to do with these good-for-nothing brats who are nothing but power? They claim everything is for Jinri’s sake, but I wonder if they realize how much burden they are placing on everyone.’

Daeshin stroked his white beard several times, organized his thoughts, and continued.

“Whether through descent or insufficient divine power, there is no method in the Main Universe to defeat the Black Flame Absolute. Without intervention from the other 10 Centers, it is simply impossible. We possess the activation right for our Absolute Racial Authority, so any trap is futile. No matter how much he is pushed back, once the Racial Authority activates, the matter will be settled instantly. The problem is that the Grey, as a fellow member of the 10 Centers, could not possibly be unaware of this fact.”

The clans of the 10 Centers possessed an Absolute Racial Authority that, depending on their level of training, could temporarily grant them power equivalent to a 10 Center. Once activated, a trivial battle like this would be resolved in less than a second. Even if the descended body of the Dimensional Mage God endured for roughly ten seconds, the situation could be ended ten times over.

If they ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠could neither inflict damage nor secure victory despite guiding events so painstakingly, the entire effort would be meaningless. Even the Golden Absolute, who had not considered this point, fell into brief contemplation.

“Moreover, I find it strange that the Black Flame has not used such a convenient method and continues this troublesome fight instead. No—he is preparing to activate the Racial Authority now. It will be settled shortly, so we need only conclude the rank battle.”

The Black Flame Absolute’s body erupted with tremendous black flames unlike anything seen before as he activated his authority. It was the activation scene of the Racial Authority that every member of the 10 Centers recognized.

Yet a cry of alarm burst from the Golden Absolute’s lips. He had finally realized what the Grey Absolute sought by orchestrating such a complicated sequence.

The Golden Absolute’s shout could never reach the Main Universe. After all, this screen was nothing more than the Cyber Realm illuminating the battlefield.

Beyond the screen, as the Black Flame Absolute activated his Racial Authority, the divine power that had barely reached fifty billion instantly shattered through quadrillions and began soaring toward one thousand quintillion. Faced with an unimaginable surge of divine power, Almighty Hwi’s eyes widened in shock, and the Creator God’s jewel blazed in defiance.

And at the boundary between the Absolute Realm and the first Main Universe, the Grey Absolute—who had been confronting the Eternal Beings—grasped the situation and cried out in triumph.

Separate from the Grey’s maniacal laughter, the Dimensional Mage God began to move without missing the opportunity.

‘It’s proceeding exactly according to the best scenario I planned. Let’s end this now.’

There had been a plan to defeat the Black Flame Absolute using the Grey Absolute directly. However, fighting him in a normal state made victory impossible. No matter how many self-destructive traps were laid, the Black Flame Absolute would always evade them with Always Coin Heads.

‘If it were only the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠main body, it would be perfect. But when the clan activates the Racial Authority, it creates an enormous burden and critical weakness. The Absolute Racial Authority is not omnipotent.’

Its ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠immense power came with several restrictions. One was the time limit, the time required for complete activation, and the resulting openings. Additionally, because it was so overwhelmingly powerful that most situations were resolved the instant it activated, there was one more fatal flaw that remained largely unknown.

‘The fact that all clan members become as strong as 10 Centers means they are directly linked to the Origin. Attacks that would cause no damage to the main body would inflict severe damage if received by lower clan members.’

Safety measures existed, of course, but in the worst case, damage suffered by the entire clan could flow back to the 10 Center. Simply activating it reduced overall power by more than ten percent. In conclusion, damage could only be inflicted by forcing the activation of the Racial Authority. This was the core of the plan that the Grey Absolute—who could never defeat the Black Flame Absolute through force—and the Origin of the Mage God had devised after wracking their brains endlessly.

It was also why they had no choice but to use the body of the Dimensional Mage God, a member of the Black Flame clan, as bait.

‘I will create the opening. The moment it appears, you must seize it and launch him into the air without fail.’

‘What?’

‘There is no time to explain. Once the 10 Center’s Racial Authority activation completes, you will be killed within 0.1 seconds.’

That much was obvious even without explanation. The twentyfold difference in divine power had long since been overturned. On top of that, the killing intent and fighting spirit pouring from the Black Flame Absolute was suffocating. The terrifying power pressing down on their clasped hands continued to increase as if it would crush them at any moment.

Kwaaaaaaaa—!

As if determined not to release the grip, the strength in the hand increased further, making escape impossible. At this rate, the only outcome was being crushed like an empty can beneath a boulder.

Yet the Dimensional Mage God attached to the forehead immediately activated his authority.

The grey radiance the Grey had suspended in the air of the ring regained its original form as a space-time bomb and engulfed the Black Flame Absolute. It was the pinnacle of the Dimensional Destruction Authority, capable of destroying both body and world regardless of divine power level.

Yet the Black Flame Absolute did not even flinch. He had observed the entire battle from start to finish and had already predicted and blocked every possible move. Therefore, he simply released the left hand he had been gripping and swung it upward as though swatting away a fly.

“A mere 12-circle dimensional authority. Child’s play.”

Kwaaaaaaaaang—!

Crack—!

The result was utterly astonishing. The Chaos of the Dimensional Destruction Authority shattered into pieces from mere physical force and scattered. Even then, the remaining right hand continued its merciless suppression, forcing Almighty Hwi to endure with both hands.

Thud—!

Unable to withstand the explosively increasing pressure, Almighty Hwi dropped to one knee. From his forehead, the Creator God’s jewel momentarily shone with twelve layers of magic circles and spat out a black orb. Its target was naturally the Black Flame Absolute’s face.

“Tsk—! Still as petty and persistent as ever. Do you really think something like this would work on me?”

Even so, he could not take the magic space-time bomb that decomposed and destroyed all matter unprotected. The solution was simple: deal with the bomb before it could detonate.

Bam—!

He applied force for an instant, sending Almighty Hwi’s body flying backward. Then, with his newly freed right hand, he seized the Core and detonated it before it could react.

Booooooom—!

Even as his final cards shattered meaninglessly, the Dimensional Mage God remained composed. No—he had no luxury to feel anything at all.

‘The Black Flame Absolute’s physical reaction speed has already surpassed the speed of my thoughts.’

It should have been impossible for a body controlled by the mind to exceed the mind’s own speed, yet the Black Flame Absolute had moved before the thought to detonate the Core could even finish forming. Common sense had long since lost all meaning.

Although the 12-circle authority and magic had both been crushed, both arms had been temporarily freed from defense in exchange. With both magic and authority expended, the only remaining option was Almighty Hwi.

“The chin is finally exposed. This is the final chance.”

“Understood—!”

Almighty Hwi, who had been thrown back helplessly by power that could lightly repel even his full strength, shot toward the Black Flame’s chest at a speed invisible to the eye. It was a decisive strike aimed at the momentary gap in defense created while blocking attacks from above and below nearly simultaneously.

A terrifying killing intent gathered in the eyes of the Black Flame Absolute, who had once again been caught off guard. His right knee shot forward like a spring, kicking directly at Almighty Hwi’s body.

Shugagagagak—!

Kwaaaang—!

The leg was as thick as an ordinary person’s waist. The log-like limb created a deafening roar that scattered the air, yet Almighty Hwi’s movements changed trajectory with dazzling brilliance. Countless afterimages bloomed as he evaded the Black Flame Absolute’s right knee strike.

The inscrutable Eight Ancestors technique, now including dimensional authority, had overcome the Black Flame Absolute’s Always Coin Heads accuracy rate of one in twenty-five thousand.

“Ugh—! You insolent bastards—!”

As expected, when those two troublesome individuals joined forces, it became annoying. Yet the Black Flame Absolute’s conviction that his opponent—who had even activated the Racial Authority—could never succeed did not waver.

However, as the Black Flame Absolute stepped back to avoid the targeted chin, a weak groan escaped his lips.

“Ugh—!”

Almighty Hwi, having dodged the knee strike, had thrown his entire body forward to strike not the chin but the stomach.

‘He aimed for the stomach instead of the chin? This bastard is deceiving me until the very end—!’

Bam bam bam bam bam—!

An entirely unfamiliar pain surged from his abdomen. It felt as though needles were repeatedly stabbing the exact same spot. No—it was like being stitched continuously by a sewing machine. Almighty Hwi was madly pouring consecutive attacks of the Whole Body Wave Strike into the stomach.

‘An uncountable number of consecutive fist and foot strikes are landing.’

There was naturally no damage, but the impact of the continuous assault caused the body to float into the air. Ignoring the reduction in power, the strikes drove upward in a straight line rather than horizontally. The lifted body had already drawn close to the outer edge of the ring.

What he aimed for was obvious.

“A ring-out? You crazy bastards, what possible meaning could that have now?”

Ignoring the dumbfounded Black Flame Absolute’s words, Almighty Hwi once again drove the full power of his entire body into the stomach. It was not an attack meant to destroy, but purely to push him out.

Baaaaaaaaaam—!

With a massive explosion, the force sent the Black Flame Absolute’s body flying out of the ring and vanishing into the distant sky. And as if it had been waiting for this exact moment, the Creator God’s jewel containing the Dimensional Mage God’s divine spirit shone brilliantly and followed behind.

Having performed attacks that completely transcended all limits in succession, Almighty Hwi—now in a state of total exhaustion—heard the Dimensional Mage God’s roar echo in his ears.

“Strike now—! Creator God-level Machine God Antares—!”

Rumble rumble rumble rumble!

Eighteen red giant stars tore open the space surrounding the Main Divine Realm and revealed themselves.