Chapter 75: Whispers of the Love God (Part 14)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 75: Whispers of the Love God (Part 14)
"But do I even have a choice?"
Muen suddenly gave a carefree smile.
"Outside, there’s a curvy, long-legged maid in black stockings crying her eyes out, waiting for me to save her."
"The last woman who cried and begged me for anything was my mom in my past life, and she was just trying to force me to go out and find a girlfriend."
"So, bring it on, Withered King."
Muen spread his arms wide.
"At a time like this, I’m not about to be intimidated by a mere Evil God."
Tch.
The Withered King let out a disdainful sneer.
It was as if he were mocking the overconfidence of an ant.
However, even if you are but an ant, if you can provide a spectacular performance, it will be worth staying to watch, will it not?
And so.
As you wish.
The endless red earth suddenly shuddered.
A massive, withered hand slowly reached out from the ground in front of Muen.
The palm was charred black, as if it had been scoured by fire.
Beneath that charcoal-like skin, Muen felt a searing heat capable of reducing the entire world to ash!
The hand reached for Muen, and then... the fingers slowly tightened!
Sizzle.
Muen felt the hand make contact with his skin. The burning fingerprints were seared into his flesh one by one, like some bizarre totem.
Intense pain and maddening ravings flooded his mind, sparking a terrifying desire to simply destroy the world.
It hurt.
It hurt far too much.
It was an unbearable agony.
But this time, even the Black Book could not help him. He had to rely on himself.
*
"What on earth is this thing?"
An looked at Eluka’s head as it gradually drifted closer, a hint of despair flickering in her eyes.
She had never felt so powerless. From the moment her abilities awakened, the Goddess’s blessing had naturally placed her among the ranks of the elite.
Yet, facing this unspeakable existence, the power she had always relied on failed her for the first time.
She couldn't move. She could only watch as she... walked toward death.
Holy wings unfurled, and a faint, ethereal hymn began to play.
A glint of greed flashed within those pitch-black eyes as Eluka’s head opened its mouth once more.
This time, a terrifying suction erupted, gradually stripping something away from An’s body.
It was pulling her very soul.
"Is this as far as I go?"
"What a shame. There were things I still hadn't said to the Young Master."
"I really am an incompetent maid."
Having exhausted every effort to struggle, An knew there was nothing left to do. She closed her eyes tightly.
She waited for death to claim her.
"Hey, An."
But just then, a familiar voice rang out.
It felt like a hallucination—hazy and dreamlike.
But hearing that voice, no matter the time or place, even if a terrifying Evil God stood in her way, An would open her eyes and look toward it regardless of the cost.
Because that was the Young Master’s voice.
"Didn't I tell you to keep your back straight?"
Unnoticed, Muen had already broken free from the invisible restraint and appeared behind Eluka’s head, which was being puppeted by the Evil God.
He looked at An and said sternly:
"My personal maid wouldn't give up over something like this, right?"
An stared blankly at Muen.
Suddenly, her nose tingled, and her eyes welled up.
But this time, she held it back.
She wouldn't cry again.
Because the Young Master didn't like seeing her in such a pathetic state.
She had to be elegant and powerful at all times!
Even when facing death!
"That’s more like it."
Seeing An find her strength, Muen smiled.
Then, he suddenly turned his head. Like a cute girl leaning in from behind to gaze affectionately at her lover, Muen stared at Eluka—or rather, at the terrifying will hidden within Eluka’s pitch-black eyes.
His expression instantly turned ferocious!
"Hey, you bastard Evil God. It looks like you were planning to do something very unpleasant to my maid."
Muen leaned in close to Eluka’s ear and whispered:
"If you want to play a game, why don't I play with you? It just so happens I have a little something to give you."
Muen grabbed the holy wings.
On the skin of his arms, strange, glowing heat-marks pulsed.
They looked like fingerprints.
They were scalding hot.
In the next instant, Muen gripped the wings and ripped.
Those wings, which not even steel could scratch, were torn off by his bare hands!
It was as effortless as tearing two sheets of paper.
"ROAR—"
Eluka let out a furious screech. The will within those black eyes stared coldly at Muen, a tide of horrific malice surging forth.
A mere human dares to profane a god!
"Oh? You look like you’ve got a problem with that?"
After tearing off the wings, Muen suddenly reached out and clamped his hands tightly around Eluka’s cheeks.
He forced her to meet his gaze.
The will within the black eyes faltered for a fraction of a second, then sneered.
A mere human dares to look upon Me?
Watch as I—
Wait.
Something is wrong!
Within Muen’s eyes, a fire was also burning. Through those crimson flames, a terrifying existence looked down from the infinite red sky, casting a majestic gaze.
Gaze met gaze.
In a trance, Muen heard a disdainful sneer.
【Pretentious, Impure God.】
Within Eluka’s pitch-black eyes, a spark of fire actually ignited.
It was like a tiny flame lit in the middle of the night.
And this spark was enough to set the entire darkness ablaze.
"ROAR—"
Eluka shrieked, unintelligible syllables spilling from her mouth like the desperate roar of a cornered beast.
She struggled violently, trying to break away from Muen’s stare.
But Muen’s hands were like iron clamps, locking Eluka’s head in place.
"What’s the matter? Don't you love 'love'?"
Muen roared:
"Then feel my love! This is my gift to you! This is my love, you bastard Evil God!"
"Accept my affection!"
Crimson flames erupted from Muen’s skin, flowing like lava into Eluka’s mouth and nose, pouring into that deep darkness.
The darkness was scorched by the flames; like a creature meeting its natural predator, it began to shrink back.
And the will hidden within the darkness finally revealed a hint of terror.
And the urge to retreat.
Do Evil Gods feel fear too?
Don't wuss out now, you bastard.
Come and face me head-on!
Muen grinned savagely.
Whoever chickens out is a coward!
At that moment, Muen felt the pitch-black eyes twitch.
The will within the darkness forcibly severed the connection with the Withered King’s gaze and turned its focus entirely onto Muen.
Eluka’s lips moved, and a human voice actually emerged.
"To think... it would be... the Withered... that counters Me..."
"But... He cannot... keep His gaze... on a mere human forever."
The words were fragmented, like an infant learning to speak.
But before long, the speech became fluent.
It seemed that for such a being, learning a human language took only a few sentences.
"Therefore."
In the instant before the darkness dissipated, that will stared at Muen and spoke with cold indifference:
"I have remembered you."
"Muen Campbell."
"Huh?"
Muen froze.
Then, his expression instantly turned to one of pure terror.
"Wait, Lord God, what did you say?"
"Remembered me? I’m just a lowly human, I’m not worthy of being remembered by You!"
"I was just joking just now! Can't you just let me go like a bad smell?"
"Actually, my name is Ariel, not Muen! You’ve got the wrong person!"
"I give up! Please let me go!"
"I’m begging you, don't look at me like that!"
Muen’s desperate pleas echoed, but there was no longer anyone... or any god... listening.