Chapter 178 Even the Almighty is New to Being a Dad Chapter 179
Even the Absolute One is New to Fatherhood - Episode 179
The divine being of the Star Cluster Olympus, the wise goddess of war.
Athena.
Her long hair fluttered wildly in the wind.
Whoooosh—!
The tip of the spear she gripped lunged toward Kang-jun's chest in an instant.
"Perish for Olympus."
At that moment, several spears materialized behind Kang-jun's back.
They were black spears, forged using Black Magic as a catalyst.
The spears hovered as if they possessed wills of their own...
Clang, clang, clink, cliiink!
In an instant, they surged toward Athena, not only blocking her attack but gradually pushing her back.
Vast streams of Living Text poured from the bodies of the two divine beings, swirling violently, shaking the very axis of the world in their wake.
「A divine being who always took the form of a 'warrior woman,' clad in helmet and armor, wielding spear and shield...」
「Unlike the other god of war in Star Cluster Olympus, she was wise, rational, and pure...」
「She had earned reverence by bestowing countless blessings and had safeguarded heroes for ages...」
The immense weight of her accumulated achievements and legends surged forth like a storm, threatening to crush Kang-jun where he stood—
「But as one favored by the Watching Eyes, as '■■■' who transcends this world...」
「He had slain and bound the 'Outer Entities,' beings said to be invincible against those from within...」
「He had thwarted Ragnarök, the foretold destruction of Star Cluster Asgard, and twisted fate itself...」
The achievements and legends pouring from Kang-jun's body defied hers without hesitation.
「He had torn out the tongue of 'Susanoo,' the war god of Star Cluster Takamagahara, and plucked out the eye of 'Loki'...」
「Every god of Asgard had sworn they would not hesitate to face annihilation if it was for his sake...」
「Even the Great Sage Equaling Heaven and the Great Sage Pacifying Heaven, whose might rivaled an entire star cluster, served ■■■ as their sovereign...」
It was clear—Kang-jun, already overwhelmingly powerful, had paradoxically grown even stronger through his recent actions.
"■■■—!"
Her breathing grew ragged.
Clang, clang, clink!
Every exchange sent tremendous recoil shuddering through her grip.
Cliiiink—!
She was barely able to block or deflect the relentless assault of Kang-jun's black spears—until, finally, she lost hold of her weapon.
Whirrrr—
The spear she had dropped spun high into the air...
Thunk—
...before plunging into the ground after several rotations.
"Cease your resistance—!"
She stretched her hand toward the distant spear, and the shaft hurtled back to her grasp as if drawn by an immense magnetic force.
"Perish, as you must!"
She charged at Kang-jun once more.
Whoooosh—!
A pair of radiant golden wings unfurled behind her back...
"For Olympus!"
Athena, now soaring high into the sky, began descending toward Kang-jun at a speed beyond mortal sight.
"Tch."
Kang-jun scoffed.
"You're after my Epithet too?"
She nodded in response.
"Yes, I need your Epithet!"
Unlike other divine beings, she was undoubtedly a figure of unwavering righteousness and integrity.
She valued morality and reason in her choices, never straying into corruption...
And because of that nature, she had preserved her achievements and legends over the ages, accumulating them steadily.
Even now, she believed her choice was rational and just.
"Athena."
Her father, Zeus, had spoken.
"Olympus must cooperate with Cthulhu to annihilate ■■■ and seize his Epithet."
"But why...?"
"It is the only way to protect all the divine beings of Star Cluster Olympus—and all we have built."
The world was shifting in an unforeseen direction.
"Soon, he will awaken."
"You mean...?"
"Cthulhu's ■■■■."
Among the divine beings of the Abyss, those who had existed since the distant past would have at least heard whispers of Cthulhu's '■■■■.'
■■■■.
The name of the one who ruled all Outer Entities.
Legends said the world would end when he awoke.
And now, that being was stirring from his long, long slumber.
"When he awakens, the entire Abyss will meet its foretold destruction."
The end of the world was approaching.
"Even before our existence, the world had been destroyed by ■■■■ many times over."
Hadn't it been said that even in the era of her grandfather's reign, ■■■■ had awoken and reduced the Abyss to nothingness?
The Abyss had repeated cycles of destruction and restoration each time he roused from his deep slumber.
For eons, it had endured through countless annihilations and rebirths.
"■■■■ has made an offer."
There was a way to save the star cluster.
"He promised to guarantee Olympus' safety if we aid him in annihilating ■■■■ and claiming his Epithet."
It was to protect the star cluster.
To preserve it...
And so, she took up spear and shield.
"Be sacrificed for the greater good!"
Athena roared, summoning her divine power.
『March Toward Predestined Victory』
The authority that had always led her to glorious triumph in battle activated.
■■■ had shattered the Aegis Shield, a divine artifact said to block any attack, in a single strike.
Seeing no point in further probing, she prepared to unleash her full might.
"Nike!"
A faint, ethereal figure of a goddess manifested behind Athena.
Nike, the goddess of victory.
She raised the trumpet she used to herald triumph and blew into it with all her might—
Bwoooooooooo—!
A resonant blast echoed as a massive rift tore open in the sky.
The next moment—
A rain of spears, their edges gleaming coldly, poured down like a storm.
Bam-bam-bam-bam-bam!
Like a sudden downpour in monsoon season, they cascaded relentlessly—
"Brother!"
Bong-gu shouted, sensing the danger.
"My lord!"
Dibald immediately began chanting, weaving together the most powerful defensive spells he could muster on reflex.
"No..."
But Baal, who had been silently observing everything in his true form, reacted differently.
"That won't be enough."
"What do you...?"
"Immortal is an illogical being."
Baal gazed up at the falling 'weapons.'
Each one seemed threatening enough.
If he were to take that attack head-on, he'd be turned into a pincushion.
"Still, it's absurd..."
Could something like that even leave a scratch on Immortal?
Not a chance...
He was a being who had clearly transcended 'all the rules of the world.'
Hadn't Immortal once criticized the way Earth's strong sought power through effort?
"Nonsense."
And yet, Immortal himself grew stronger without any effort at all.
Like a scorpion born with lethal venom...
Immortal possessed potential beyond comparison.
He grew stronger without the hunger for power or any visible struggle.
Just by breathing, eating, and sleeping—he grew stronger.
"I've fought Immortal twice now."
Baal muttered under his breath, his tone filled with certainty.
"It's a formidable attack, no doubt."
A brief silence passed.
"But it won't even leave a mark on him."
Then—
"Not bad for a ragtag bunch."
Kang-jun actually held Athena's combat prowess in high regard.
Between the strong, a single exchange was enough to gauge each other's strength.
"Calamity."
Kang-jun decided to face her seriously now...
And invoked the authority he had stolen from the war god of Takamagahara.
『Calamity』
An authority that called down lightning in clear skies, flooded barren lands, and summoned typhoons and storms in an instant.
"First Form."
Kang-jun gathered his divine power...
"Typhoon."
A sudden typhoon erupted around him, sweeping away the raining spears.
Losing momentum, the spears were tossed wildly by the winds before clattering uselessly to the ground.
Thud-thud-thud-thud!
Having deflected half the spears, Kang-jun finely adjusted his divine power...
"Second Form, Tidal Barrier."
Just before the remaining spears could reach him and his companions, a massive wall of water surged up to block them.
Whoooosh—
The towering aqueous barrier didn't let a single spear through, showcasing its might as it held firm...
"Third Form, Divine Lightning."
Then, with a deafening "Kuh-ruh-ruh-ruh-rumble!" a bolt of lightning split the sky, scorching the earth black.
"How...?"
Athena's eyes widened as she muttered...
"Father's authority...?"
She thought of her father.
This man is strong, but he's a fake.
She assumed he was merely imitating her father.
"This bastard wields the same 'authority' as my father!"
"Oh?"
"You may mimic the form, but that's all!"
Athena was certain.
No, she knew.
He was strong, yes...
"But you can't replicate its power!"
She firmly believed his lightning couldn't possibly match her father's.
And in truth, his lightning was pitiful compared to her father's.
"You're nothing but a cheap imitation—!"
As Athena gripped her spear and hurled her taunt, Kang-jun snorted.
"An imitation of someone?"
The next moment—
"I'll give you a chance to judge for yourself."
Kang-jun began to unleash his full power.
「The great wolves Sköll and Hati, who govern the sun and moon, heeded '■■■'s' call and manifested.」
「They had sworn loyalty to '■■■,' who avenged their father...」
「And so, upon his command, they aligned the sun and moon to bring forth a lunar eclipse...」
A howl, the kind only a massive wolf could produce, suddenly echoed through the air...
「The eclipse has begun.」
Kang-jun's appearance began to change gradually...
"I'm no one's imitation."
"You...!"
"If anything, others have always been imitating me."
Kang-jun's eyes turned crimson as his flesh melted away, replaced by searing black-red flames.
"Sorry to say this when we've just met."
Kang-jun grinned viciously.
"Your father's the one imitating me."
The next instant—
"Calamity."
As soon as Kang-jun uttered the word, a deafening "Kuh-ruh-ruh-ruh-rumble!" shook the area, and a blinding flash engulfed everything.
A colossal thundercloud blotted out the sky, and amidst the chaos, the relentless crackle of lightning roared like a beast.
"Take a good look."
Kang-jun sneered.
"Do I really seem like an imitation?"
A shadow of utter despair fell over Athena's face.
"Dear gods..."
The lightning ■■■ wielded was a true 'Calamity.'
And now, that calamity would judge her, a divine being.
"It's over."
She let her spear and shield drop...
Thud.
Her strength left her, and she collapsed to the ground.