Chapter 60: Even the Absolute Being Is a First-Time Dad
Absolute One Is Also New to Fatherhood Episode 60
Suddenly, incomprehensible 'Living Texts' began pouring forth from Loki's body.
Sssssssss...
Sensing danger, Ouroboros flicked its long tongue nervously while glancing at its master.
Contrary to concern, the master remained rooted in place, simply staring intently at the enemy.
[Title: Godslayer (EX-grade) effect activates!]
[You shall never falter before any deity.]
As they drew close enough to scrutinize each other's features, the title's effect took hold...
"World's '■■■'..."
As his calm voice resonated, the entire space began shaking like a heat mirage.
"Was stealing the lives of frost giant Hrímthurs and countless Jötunn soldiers not enough for you?"
With each word steeped in grudge, the 'Living Texts' emanating from his body began orbiting uncontrollably fast.
"You dared to personally erase my second son Jörmungandr with those hands, stealing all the narratives and myths he had built..."
As Loki finished speaking, the Living Texts flowing from him began expanding uncontrollably.
「Master of transformation and improvisation, exceedingly cunning...」
「Creator of Asgard's many treasures...」
「The being destined to play the leading role in destruction...」
The floating texts were the accumulated narratives and myths that Loki, a deity of the Asgard Star Cluster, had built over eons.
The source of his power.
The swirling mass of Living Texts rotated violently around Loki's body, annihilating everything they touched.
"I swear upon all my narratives and myths—I shall soon sever your breath and claim the epithet '■■■' for myself."
Though his vow sounded like a clichéd villain's line...
This was no mere promise.
An absolute oath backed by narratives and myths—one that could only conclude with the destruction of either being.
"Tch."
What Kang-jun felt wasn't fear.
If anything, it resembled 'intense irritation.'
"That damn epithet."
Looking back, it seemed every enemy who had ever opposed him coveted the name '■■■.'
"Is that epithet so desirable?"
The flies who'd foolishly claimed divine revelations and stormed the imperial palace calling themselves heroes, only to meet pathetic deaths.
The treasonous rebels like Aldebaran, the 72 Demons and Demon Kings who ruled all demonkind...
Even that bastard Heavenly Demon, the unrivaled absolute being of the Central Plains martial world, had coveted the name '■■■.'
"Everyone coveted this epithet."
Loki twisted his lips into a smile.
"But no matter how many times you die and revive, you'll never comprehend its 'true worth'—you're merely human."
"True worth?"
"That '■■■' epithet imposes cruel fate upon its bearer, relentlessly dragging them through excruciating trials and tribulations."
Kang-jun questioned:
"Then why covet it?"
Loki's eyes overflowed with greed as he answered:
"Reward."
Then added with palpable madness:
"If you endure the suffering the epithet imposes, you receive an incomparable reward beyond measure."
Loki's lips curled grotesquely upward.
"This is the absolute truth and unbreakable law governing '■■■'..."
As these incomprehensible words poured forth, Kang-jun deeply furrowed his brow.
"Reward?"
If his tumultuous past life resulted from this name, it made some sense.
His life had been packed with hardship—no exaggeration to say there wasn't a single peaceful day.
Yet he had no memory of ever receiving this so-called 'reward.'
"Undefeated."
The first law of the epithet.
"■■■ never loses."
He continued:
"Even if defeated in battle, ■■■ never loses a war."
"What kind of—"
"From a narrow view, it may seem like defeat, but even that is victory..."
Loki spoke meaningfully.
"Immortal."
The second law.
"■■■ never dies."
Kang-jun's eyes widened.
He knew he couldn't die—having attempted suicide countless times without success.
"Even if killed, all '■■■' inevitably revive, as is their nature."
Loki added finally:
"Ignorant."
The third law.
"The epithet's bearer cannot reach 'the world's truth.'"
Loki's gaze pierced the heavens.
"I guarantee—you'll never perceive the 'Watching Eyes' for eternity."
"Watching Eyes?"
"Even now—countless eyes consuming us from left to right at this very moment..."
Kang-jun glanced upward but detected nothing, just as Loki said.
Suddenly—Ding!—a sound chimed as system messages appeared:
[The Creator God intervenes to silence the giant's secret leaks!]
[The Creator God isolates the stitched-mouth giant from you!]
Loki burst into uproarious laughter, tears forming as he pointed mockingly skyward.
"See how frantically it intervenes when you approach the world's truth? Still don't understand?"
Then he roared with fury:
"You'll never approach the world's truth."
His grudge-filled shout echoed through the abyss.
"That epithet originally belonged to all deities!"
The Living Texts swirling around Loki intensified violently.
"Before you were chosen by the Creator God, all deities were called by that epithet within their own myths!"
Suddenly—Bzzzt!—sparks erupted around Loki's body.
"If I could, I'd sever your breath and claim that epithet now..."
Loki's body fragmented into 'polygon pieces' scattering into the void.
"But the day will come when Asgard's gods avert their gaze from me—if only for an instant..."
Only Loki's voice remained.
"I'll personally end you and take that epithet..."
As Loki completely vanished:
[This gate will soon disappear!]
Reading the system message, Kang-jun exhaled deeply and muttered:
"Exhausting..."
He was utterly sick of a life incompatible with the word 'peace.'
Being the target of relentless hostility, endless life-or-death struggles—it all felt tiresome.
And unsettling.
Was it Loki's vow to kill him someday?
The barrage of incomprehensible words about world truths and epithet laws?
Or the foreboding sense that today's events would repeat?
"Well, it's over for now..."
Adjusting his clothes, Kang-jun looked up at Ouroboros.
"Sadly, it's time to part again."
Having absorbed Jörmungandr, the now-massive Ouroboros wailed mournfully.
"KEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE—!"
Kang-jun gently stroked its scales and added softly:
"Let's meet again."
Time to return to daily life.
Exiting the gate, Kang-jun headed to the market's private bank—'The Gathering of Secret Wealth'—to reunite with his family.
On the way home...
Noticing armored vehicles still patrolling the streets, Lee Soo-bin murmured bewildered:
"What happened to the world while I was briefly unconscious...?"
Kang-jun replied flatly:
"Indeed."
Then Seol, holding Kang-jun's hand while toddling, exclaimed excitedly:
"Dada! It's waining!"
Soo-bin caught raindrops in her palm and replied:
"Suddenly drizzling..."
Smiling, she added:
"Must be spring rain."
Glancing at Kang-jun, she continued:
"Spring's coming—we can take Seol out, visit flower exhibitions..."
Seol cheered: "Yay!" Kang-jun interjected:
"Spring won't properly start for another month. Traditionally, spring begins well after the solar term..."
Soo-bin inhaled deeply and murmured:
"But the rain smells nice."
Kang-jun nodded:
"Rain smell..."
He usually disliked the damp scent of rain—more like moldy water stench.
Yet today, it didn't seem unpleasant.
"Uh?!"
Seol suddenly crouched and called:
"Dada!"
Kang-jun followed her gaze.
A moth, wings soaked, fluttered helplessly on the ground.
"Wook! Pwetty butterfly!"
"Butterfly?"
"Uh-huh! Fwom book!"
"Seol, that's a moth."
"Moth?"
"An insect resembling butterflies..."
Seol nodded sagely and beamed:
"But still pwetty like butterfly!"
She shielded the moth from rain with her tiny hand and whispered:
"Hang in there, moth..."
Kang-jun silently channeled a wisp of magic toward the struggling insect.
Flutter flutter...
The moth took flight, circling briefly before disappearing into the distance.
"Wow! It fwew away!"
Seol waved goodbye:
"Bye-bye! Go home!"
She smiled radiantly at Kang-jun, who gently stroked her hair.
'Right...'
Whatever the world's truths or epithet's laws...
As long as this child was happy, nothing else mattered.
May...
She always see moths as beautiful as butterflies throughout her life.
"Want to play at home?"
"Pway wif Dada!"
"What game?"
"Any game!"
As they stepped onto the crosswalk...
"Dada! Hold hands!"
Seol raised her tiny hand.
Meanwhile...
After the Calamity-grade gate in Insa-dong mysteriously disappeared...
Hunters assembled for an emergency meeting at the Management Bureau.
Endless meaningless discussions ensued without conclusion.
"What just happened..."
A stern-faced woman in a luxury car muttered, frowning.
"Could that unidentified young Hunter have single-handedly..."
She shook her head.
A Calamity-grade gate—capable of annihilating nations?
"Impossible..."
As she gazed out the window...
"Oh my, how cute..."
Yoon Hee-soo smiled at a little girl holding hands while crossing the street.
"Adorable," the driver agreed.
Unconsciously, she murmured:
"If my Hye-soo had lived...she'd be about that age now..."
Sensing the frozen atmosphere, she quickly apologized:
"My apologies..."
"Not at all..."
"Please forget I said that."
She was Korea's top Hunter by gate suppression records.
Her daughter's death.
Since that life-altering event, she'd responded to gates regardless of grade—anywhere monsters like her daughter's killers lurked.
As she sighed to compose herself...
"Huh?"
Her eyes widened.
"Driver, please pull over here."
"Are you getting out here?"
"Yes, urgent business."
Stepping onto the sidewalk, she hurried after the man walking with the little girl.
His appearance perfectly matched the Hunter who'd entered the Calamity-grade gate alone.
Tap, tap...
Catching up, she urgently called:
"You there."
Kang-jun turned.
"Me?"
Seol scolded:
"Dada! Say 'me' wong!"
"Ah, my mistake."
Their eyes met midair—Yoon Hee-soo and Kang-jun.