The Void's Surrender

The war in the Otherworld had reached a critical juncture, and the Vein of Void finally understood. ‘Submitting is pointless. He fully intends to kill us and extract the titles.’

No matter how he looked at the situation, the other party radiated the clear intent to slaughter them and seize their titles. The only hesitation seemed to stem from the burden of arbitrarily revoking titles bestowed by Jinri. ‘If that’s the case, there’s no reason to hide my strength or bow my head.’

He unleashed the Void title with full power. Whiiiiiiiing—! The mark of the Void title was nothing more than a black circle containing a single white dot. The moment the hovering black circle began devouring the surrounding space, his opponent finally became fully perceptible. The Authority of Void, which reduced all things to nothingness, had consumed the influence of the enemy’s authority.

‘Activating the title at full strength works. As expected, he’s a titled being just like us. And my title’s effect is clearly superior.’

A superior authority naturally nullified the effects of an inferior one. Even someone possessing the Authority of Immortality would inevitably perish before a superior Authority of Certain Death. It was only natural for a higher title to suppress a lower one. Having finally regained some confidence, the Vein of Void shouted in his usual tone.

But it wasn’t enough. Though he could perceive the threat, he had no certainty he could counter it. He couldn’t even finish the sentence meant ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to buy time for further analysis. Thud!

Before he realized what was happening, Dimension Genesis God Coa, clad in full-body armor, had seized his throat with one hand and lifted him clean off the ground.

When the Vein of Void activated his power at full strength, the surrounding space repeatedly emitted and absorbed enormous gravity, reducing everything to nothingness. Even a Creation God should have had their movements severely restricted by that influence. Yet Coa moved as if none of it mattered, grabbing him by the throat. And at a speed that surpassed his own reactions.

‘What the hell is this? A title? Some title effect? No—! If it were, I would have sensed it. This is pure physical ability. And he completely shattered my Void defensive domain with raw power alone. On top of that, he’s mixing in some kind of extremely refined combat technique… making any response impossible—urgh!’

Crack! Crunch! Snap!

Without any authority or divine power, the sheer gripping strength of those fingers alone threatened to pulverize his cervical vertebrae. Desperately clutching the right hand around his throat with both of his own, the Vein of Void finally got a clear look at Dimension Genesis God Coa through physical contact. Only then did he notice the faint black flames flickering in both of the god’s eyes.

The black flames burning within those pupils swirled with concentrated fighting spirit and killing intent, writhing as if alive. ‘Black flames? An authority that burns with fighting spirit and murderous aura… Damn it all—! Is this the Authority of Black Flame, the strongest physical authority in the Absolute Realm?’

As far as he knew, the physical amplification provided by the Authority of Black Flame exceeded fifty times even in a safe state. ‘Close combat in front of the Absolute Realm’s strongest physical authority—whose amplification only grows when risks are taken—is extremely dangerous.’

Honestly, he saw no path to victory. ‘That combat technique is bizarre. Is it the Incomprehensible Eight Founders? Just who is this Dimension Genesis God? How many absolute authorities that are nearly impossible for even veterans to master has he learned? Even if my title is superior, there’s no way to block this.’

The Vein of Void’s close-quarters combat ability, honed through Jinri’s personal training and his own relentless self-discipline, stood at the absolute peak. ‘I’m definitely stronger than the Creation Gods of the Supreme Committee, yet I couldn’t even block Jinri’s attacks. This combat technique that leaves me completely unable to respond feels eerily similar.’

With this much information, and with near-complete knowledge of the Absolute Realm thanks to direct support from the Cyber Realm, there was no way he wouldn’t recognize it. ‘A combination of Black Flame and the Incomprehensible Eight Founders? Not to mention that monstrous physical ability. With my neck already caught, I have no chance.’

No matter how he struggled to loosen the grip, the pressure only grew stronger. And even if he somehow broke free, the combat techniques of the Incomprehensible Eight Founders combined with the Authority of Black Flame meant he would have to abandon any hope of survival.

Crack!

The crushing pressure that threatened to shatter his neck entirely made him think only of death—until an unexpected voice reached him.

Strangely, the grip around his neck loosened slightly. The moment the pressure eased enough for him to speak, he immediately understood the intention. Complete surrender was now his only chance to survive.

“So that’s why you’ve survived multiple encounters with Jinri.”

“Hahaha—! It wasn’t conversation. I only reported the current situation and got beaten immediately.”

It wasn’t out of goodwill that he had looked after other titled beings. ‘If my answers went beyond maintaining the status quo, Jinri-nim would smash me a bit. If the situation worsened, I’d get a thorough beating. I had no choice but to step forward.’

Upon hearing the desired answer, Dimension Genesis God Coa’s face twisted slightly. The Vein of Void’s exaggerated laughter reminded him uncomfortably of his own pathetic flattery in front of Origin of the Wind Family. ‘This is the result I wanted, but damn, it looks incredibly spineless. Shit—! Did I look like that too?’

Coa lowered his head politely before those stronger than himself, worked through contracts, and grew stronger by claiming appropriate rewards. ‘It’s the fastest way for a Mercenary God to grow stronger, and there were hardly any other options. For someone without any background, it’s the most standard path for the weak.’

He had no intention of criticizing the Vein of Void’s attitude as cowardly or petty. Yet seeing it was like looking in a mirror, which left a foul taste in his mouth. Still, it was proceeding as planned, so he let it be. A terrified subordinate who could do nothing was worse than one who at least pretended to be confident.

“Report on the combat strength of all titled beings.”

After that, everything proceeded smoothly. Perhaps because he had experience being beaten by Jinri while delivering reports, the Vein of Void immediately began spitting out the current situation like flowing water.

“Total number: 1,011! Most reside or hide near Seourina. Ten of them have been imprisoned for committing crimes. You can assume roughly 1,000 Creator God-level forces are on standby. Of course, that’s by the standards of the current world.”

As he listened to the relatively concise report, the crease on Dimension Genesis God Coa’s forehead deepened. ‘Below Creator God by this world’s standards means Main God level from the perspective of the Main Universe. A thousand Main Gods? That’s annoyingly ambiguous. Should I request support? No, that’s still problematic.’

Coa himself, who possessed the power of dimensions, was unaffected, but gods from the Absolute Realm or the Main Universe could not exert their full strength in the Otherworld. ‘The issue of re-embodiment is significant, but even basic vitality supply becomes an obstacle.’

If they fought once and then couldn’t even resurrect due to vitality depletion, it would be the worst possible scenario for the divine faction’s battlefield.

“What about the ten imprisoned individuals?”

“If their crimes were light, I would negotiate and bring them out immediately. But these ones were unavoidable. They committed vicious Lord Slayer crimes.”

“Lord Slayer is considered vicious?”

This part made no sense to him. ‘Main Gods are precious, but if they lose and die, they’re simply the weak.’

Yet imprisoning the strong for the sake of defeated weaklings was a tremendous waste of military power. ‘If they killed a Main God, their killing ability must be at least Creator God level. Why lock up such powerful beings and let them rot? They could be used as assault troops, suicide squads—there are countless ways to utilize them.’

They were mighty warriors strong enough to kill fellow Main Gods. Even if they were criminals, they could serve as expendable resources and sacrifices on the battlefield. Simply locking them away was a serious waste of combat potential.

While thinking that the prisoners themselves would be horrified if they knew, Coa synthesized the report and reached a conclusion. ‘Jinri-nim copied several thousand titles—just like those in the Absolute Realm and Main Universe—and scattered them across the Otherworld. Yet the result is only one Intermediate Main God, ten Main Gods, and a thousand Main God-level beings? Hahahahaha—! How admirable. How truly admirable. Since Jinri-nim pays no attention to the Otherworld, it’s a miracle they’re still alive.’

Jinri would never tolerate such waste of treasures that allowed one to grow stronger faster than anyone else. If this were the Main Universe, they would have been massacred immediately and the titles forcibly reclaimed. ‘Even I’m considering killing them all, extracting the titles, and raising new ones—or recruiting Mercenary Gods using the titles as payment. It’s only natural.’

Mercenary Gods willing to risk their lives in battle were everywhere in the Main Universe and Absolute Realm if titles were offered. The limitations of re-embodiment were problems that could eventually be solved as long as he existed.

Sensing that Dimension Genesis God Coa’s thoughts were tilting back toward killing him, the Vein of Void quickly added, “If you give the order, I will immediately become the vanguard and seize Seourina.”

“……”

‘I already destroyed and seized the capital planet of the Otherworld. It was far too easy.’

It was a desperate survival measure, but the information was woefully outdated. Upon closer inspection of the man’s condition, even with direct connection to the Cyber Realm, his speed and accuracy of information transmission were inexplicably poor. ‘Why is the quality of his information retention and understanding so inconsistent? He’s extremely quick to bow his head to me, so he seems well-informed about the Main Universe and Absolute Realm, yet he knows almost nothing about the current state of the Otherworld. Or is he simply uninterested?’

He roughly understood. It was the typical lack of external information common among training addicts. Judging from the behavior and reactions of other titled beings, he was probably the type of senior helper who only moved when explicitly asked for assistance.

The thought that someone with such tendencies would serve as vanguard was so pathetic that Coa immediately snapped.

“B-but didn’t Jinri-nim send you, Deputy-nim, precisely for the purpose of conquest?”

“Ha? Why would I bother with a pathetic world like this?”

The ridiculous statement left him speechless. This was the part where every being in the Otherworld misunderstood Jinri. ‘Jinri creates Main Universes as easily as printing them. Yet the Otherworld has lost nearly all its territories and lies in ruins. There’s no way he would pay any attention to a dimension that is currently inferior even to a single Creation Realm, which is only a tiny fraction of the Main Universe.’

If it had developed to a level comparable to the Main Universe, perhaps. But right now it was no better than a tiny, remote mountain village in the countryside whose location no one even knew. Asking the 10 Mainstays—who ruled the Absolute Realm and guided the development of each faction—for support was laughable.

“Jinri-nim currently has zero interest in the Otherworld. This is merely a measure taken by the 10 Mainstays in response to the Otherworld’s pathetic provocation.”

It was a burden pushed onto him by his future self, the Grey Absolute. Still, for the sake of his career as the Light’s Creation God, he intended to produce the best possible results. However, the increasingly pathetic situation gradually shifted his mood toward irritation.

The Vein of Void, perhaps emboldened by the earlier leniency, even began to complain. “Isn’t there a better way to put it? Personally, I’d rather be Jinri’s dog who received the grace of the ‘Void’ title than a lackey of the Absolute Realm. Besides, I hear the Absolute Realm is currently a complete mess because the 10 Mainstays are busy fighting each other. How did you even find the time to come here?”

Now he was starting to pick fights. A little tolerance and his liver had swollen with courage. Coa had no idea where this audacity to complain came from. ‘A pig grown fat and complacent in the Otherworld dares to…’

He immediately pulled out a parchment intended for a Karma Contract.

‘He may be a fat, complacent pig, but he is ranked first among those who received titles in the Otherworld. I cannot arbitrarily annihilate a being directly managed by Jinri-nim. However, seeing how he bares his fangs and complains the moment he sees any opening, using him nicely seems impossible. Considering the title’s effects, he could become a constant source of trouble later.’

Because this was the Otherworld where the laws of Karma did not apply, the contract could not be enforced immediately, which was inconvenient. Still, it at least provided an excuse.

As his irritation grew, the Authority of Black Flame rampaged within his body, and the sound of his physical abilities exploding rang out. Crack. Crunch.

The Vein of Void, who knew exactly what those sounds meant, shouted desperately. He had thought getting a bit closer and becoming more comfortable would help, but he had gone too far.

“It’s not ‘nanny,’ it’s ‘humor.’ A bastard who hates the entire world and wishes to annihilate everyone and exist alone if only he had the chance and ability is surprisingly good at lying. All titled beings are like that, so there’s no need to wear a mask. If you want to live, annihilate the opponents I designate.”

The Vein of Void suddenly felt a chill run down his spine at the accurate assessment of his own psychology. ‘In the past, when I had lost everything and was dying, screaming in despair as I met Jinri, that was exactly what I was like. However, the moment I received a title from Jinri and gained power, I was beaten so miserably for being too weak that my thinking completely changed. Rather than revenge, I would focus on becoming stronger and surviving first.’

So much time had passed that both the targets of revenge and its meaning had vanished. Yet deep in his heart, the cry to erase everything because it was all meaningless still echoed.

“…The opponents to be erased? If they fall to my Void, only annihilation awaits them. Please keep that in mind.”

Though it left a foul taste in his mouth, this was not an opponent he could defeat. He had no choice but to bow his head and obey.

“Erase the most benevolent being and the most malevolent being, one per day, using your authority.”

“Excuse me? What for?”

The reflexive, informal reply slipped out in response to such an absurd order. The punishment came immediately. Once again, he was grabbed by the neck and lifted into the air. Boom!

And before his eyes appeared a fist poised to shatter his skull at any moment. He didn’t know what material it was made of, but the killing intent and fighting spirit radiating from the black, gleaming armored fist were terrifying. Considering the power of the Authority of Black Flame, the result was obvious. ‘If that hits me, I die.’

It was the very first lesson he had learned while being scolded by Jinri for asking why his growth was so slow. ‘Against a merciless strong person like this, neither begging nor fighting works. The only way to survive is to flatter them skillfully and fulfill their demands. But since even that doesn’t seem to work, I have no choice but to borrow Jinri-nim’s name.’

His words must have hit the mark, because a path to survival opened. The fist that had been ready to blow his head off stopped. A moment later, a calm voice rang out.

If that was true, he had no idea how many authorities the man possessed. However, it was impossible to completely master multiple absolute authorities simultaneously. Thanks to that, he finally understood why he and the other titled beings had been unable to properly analyze Coa’s authorities and had been so helplessly defeated.

When an authority was perfectly mastered, its nature and power were clearly revealed. One could read the flow, dodge, or even counterattack if they understood what it was. But because Coa had learned ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠various authorities incompletely and haphazardly, no one could tell what would come flying out or what his true identity was. That was why they had ended up in this sorry state.

‘All the authorities he’s learned are incomplete, so we can’t analyze or respond to them at all. Yet even though they’re incomplete, his divine rank and level are higher than ours, which makes it even worse. The fundamental power is overwhelmingly superior, and instead of having clear weaknesses due to instability, it’s completely unpredictable. If the flow is this irregular instead of following precise patterns, even my title has no way to deal with it.’

It was never easy to absorb and reduce to nothingness an authority manifested by a being of far superior divine rank. ‘To nullify an authority of this level, no matter how superior the Void title is, a great deal of preparation is required. Even if I gathered many other titled ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠beings to respond together, they would only be brutally defeated and collapse.’

In conclusion, at his current level, this was an opponent he must never challenge. However, now that he understood why he had been so helplessly and ridiculously beaten, his mind softened slightly. Naturally, his rebellious spirit grew, and his courage swelled again.

“What did you just say? Shall I kill you even if it negatively impacts my Karma? I need the ‘Void’ title. I don’t need you. No, before that, I’ll discipline you first. Stick out that rude mouth of yours.”

“Hup—!”

This time, he didn’t even have time to retort before the fist flew. Bam!Splat—!

That day, every single tooth in the mouth of the Vein of Void—considered the strongest among those who had received titles in the Otherworld—shattered and flew out.