Beyond the Eternity

The creature resembling the god of death appeared in the Seoksu Station and the change in the surrounding atmosphere could be felt immediately.

The temperature around me plummeted as an eerie coldness crept up my body before entering my pores and the surface of my skill turned pale. This chilling phenomenon was the result of 'death' suddenly entering into the physical world, and the creature infront of me was the very embodiment of that concept.

[The constellations widened their eyes at the bad 'omen'.]

"What the fuck!? Why is it a god of death!?"

"Fuck! The whole thing was a trap!"

The apostles realised the situation and tried to flee. However, the exit was blocked so there was no way of escape. I felt like a rabbit locked in a cage.

I took the party members to the edge and observed the situation.

"Souullllsss... Collect... Soulllsss!!"

The black reaper swept its gaze around and noticed the apostles that were attempting to flee. The creature moved faster than the eye and swung the black weapon of death.

"Kuaaack!"

The sharp edge of the scythe impaled a random apostle and blood flew in the air. In the next moment, a white orb came out of that person's body and the black reaper sucked it into its mouth.

Kagura frowned and asked. "What is that?"

"It's a Shinigami."

"Shinigami? You mean a god of death?"

"What else? Does that thing look like a sheep to you? In any case, the situation has become difficult."

"Let's fight it."

"What?"

Everyone exclaimed at the same time. It was because Jung Yunhee said something absurd.

She wanted to fight that thing? Was she crazy? It was almost as if she had no fear. I forgot this person wasn't exactly all right in the brain department. Was it the other personality speaking?

Simultaneous to those thoughts, Jung Yunhee continued speaking.

"The death god is a being from the demon plane, correct? Won't the demon slayer class be able to challenge it directly?"

"It would but it's not that simple."

I continued explaining.

"You're right. A demon slayer would be able to harm such a being, but it doesn't mean they're invincible. You see that huge scythe that it's swinging around so carelessly, it may seem trivial but if that thing even scratches you just a little bit, you'll leave this world with immediate effect."

Once the apostles noticed that escape was impossible, they started fighting back using weapons and skills. But that didn't change anything in the slightest— whether they fought back or not.

All their attacks phased through the black reaper and the death god retaliated by sweeping them away with its scythe.

The black scythe. That terrifying weapon has the ability to instantly kill any target it strikes. It was a conceptual weapon so only gods and demons can resist its effects.

It goes without saying that nobody here was a god from the heavenly plaone or a demon from the underworld.

[The constellations are complaining about the high difficulty of the trial.]

Of course, the constellations would complain. Most of the apostles here were the incarnations of the constellations and gods wouldn't want their chosen vessel to die a miserable death.

Before long, sparks flew in the air and fairy with a child-like appearance appeared.

「 Huh? What's this? What is a death god doing in this world? 」

Aurora looked at the scene dumbfounded and I opened my mouth.

"Aurora!"

「 Who is calling my name like... Oh, it's you. Why do you look like that? Don't tell me you have developed a new fetish... 」

"This is not the time for jokes! Do something about that thing!"

I pointed at the black reaper that was moving here and there while swinging the scythe. However, Aurora only shook her head.

「 I'm sorry. I can't do anything about that 」

"What?"

「 I can't change the difficulty of the trial. Even if I wanted to, I'm just a low ranked lackey 」

"Maybe so. But this time will be different."

「 What do you mean? 」

"Someone used an ancient artifact to summon that thing. In such a situation, wouldn't you be able to borrow Karma from the constellations to fix such an error?"

Her gaze shifted to the death god then a complicated expression was formed. C'mon, decide quickly.

Soon, Aurora's small lips moved. It seems like she has finally made a decision.

「 I can't change the difficulty 」

A lowly lackey of [Fate] cannot change the universal laws. Even so...

「 Still... It would be troublesome if everyone died without putting up a fight 」

Aurora raised her tiny hands into the air.

「 I'll try to change the contents of the trial 」

In the next moment, a system interface appeared infront of me.

[The contents of the nightmare has changed.]

+

[Hidden Nightmare – Surviving the Claws of Death]

Category: Hidden

Difficulty: A

Clear Conditions: Within the time limit, hunt the death god of the underworld or avoid his attacks.

Time Limit: 10 minutes.

Failure: Death

+

Surviving the death god. Perhaps she could only managed this much. Even so, it was more realistic than hunting a death god at this stage.

「 Arck! 」

Sparks flew around Aurora's body and she groaned. It was the penalty of directly changing the nightmare trial. But my gaze didn't linger for long.

Kwa kwa kwa kwa!

I was too preoccupied to be worried about the fairy.

"Kuaaack!"

After striking down one of the apostles, the gaze of the death god abruptly noticed us and he was slowly moving this way.

"Damnit, what should we do?"

"Let's move this way!"

I ran ahead while sticking to the edge. Fortunately, the party members followed me but Lee Dokho was a little late but he was not hit.

The attack pattern of the black reaper was simple so it was easy to predict. However, it wouldn't be this way for long.

"Souuullls...."

Suddenly, the black reaper became faster and struck the floor of the platform. We avoided the scattered debris while the some of the apostles were blown apart.

At this rate, everyone in the station would be killed.

[The constellations are looking at the destruction with excitement.]

I ground my teeth. Those bastards— did they find our suffering amusing? The very thought made my blood boil. Subconsciously, I remembered the story of the constellations above.

The constellations loved destruction stories. It was because they viewed such stories as a source of entertainment. Boredem was their biggest weakness.

Those who become conceptual gods ascend to a higher plane of existence and become 'living' concepts, thus, they cannot die unless they are killed. For such immortal beings, it's necessary to stave off their boredom or else they would run insane.

"Soo Jinyoung-nim!"

"Soo Jinyoung-nim!"

The apostles looked at me with hopefully eyes. Most of them were not worth seeing. They were useless people that get off early and only got to see the nice side of Soo Jinyoung.

Perhaps they wanted me to do something but I wasn't Soo Jinyoung. In fact, even Soo Jinyoung would be overwhelmed if she tried to fight a death god at this stage.

What should I do in this situation?

"Everyone, move to the edge. If that thing tries to attack you, run around in a zig-zag manner."

The apostles nodded and slowly retreated to the edges. When the black reaper approached, they ran out and sprinted around in a zigzag manner.

"?!"

The black reaper swung its head around— left and right as if confused.

The creature could lock upon a single target so such rapid movement would confuse its mental processing. Even so, we can't survive with just that strategy.

I eyed the fleeing apostles one by one. Someone had planned for this scenario from the beginning. The question was who.

From what I have gathered, it seems that it was an apostle with the codename 1,999. Lee Dokho told me that there were 1,999 readers in total so that would mean that person was the last reader.

Was that the truth or was that an exaggeration? It's also possible that are more readers. Even so, that person had definitely read past volume one of Song of Nightmares.

If there are too many variables in the story, there will be a 'big storm'. That person knew this fact and gathered all the readers who dropped off early to wipe them out in a single whoop.

But how did he communicate with all of them at once? The logical way was through Lee Dokho but that person also looked surprised as well so that couldn't be right.

Another possible way was if that person used the internet. Perhaps there was a character or apostle that could manipulate the internet.

There was no way of knowing but one's thing is totally certain.

...if that person was intelligent enough to use the meteor as a trap, wouldn't they know how to overcome such a trap?

Kwang!

"Kuaaack!"

An explosion erupted and the black reaper screamed for the first time. Someone had hurled a mana bomb at its back while it was detected.

"Everyone! That thing is vulnerable to mana based attacks!"

That person shouted out and held a sword in one hand. It was a man with a thin build and light hair.

Wait, this person.... Something flashed inside my head and remembered. Wasn't this guy the person with the codename No. 888?

"No. 519, No. 478, No. 628, No. 764... Everyone, gather together!"

As he shouted, several people stepped forward. One, two... It was a total of ten people that stepped out and joined No. 888. From their composure and the weapons they were carrying, they must be the reader that dropped off late.

"No. 628, No. 999, No. 788 and No. 478, distract it with long ranged attacks. No.

519, No. 764, you guys are with me."

"Yes!"

Five of them hurled mana bombs at the demon and several explosion rang out in an orderly manner.

Kwang!

The platform trembled as the death god screamed. At the same time, No. 888 long with a few other people jumped out and swung their weapons.

Puook! Puoookkkk!!

"Kuaaack! Kuaaakk!!"

The body of a death god can't be harmed by ordinary weapons. Even so, the death god would spat out a terrible cry, each time a weapon would stab or slice its body.

I studied the weapons they were using one by one and realised they were all holy artifacts. They were carrying such items with them as well.

I see. Perhaps these people were prepared this situation from the beginning because their performance was outstanding.

While I was trapped in my reverie, the apostles were overwhelming the death god as the time slowly ticked by. Well, that was what it seemed on the outside but were those people prepared for that as well?

The party members watched as attacks continuously rained on the death god in awe and they started becoming noisy behind me.

"What? What kind of teamwork is this?"

"Are they going to kill it at this rate?"

"Doesn't it seem too easy. It's suspicious."

Jung Yunhee was able to see the truth of the situation.

Indeed, it seemed too easy. A grade 5 monster won't go down that easily. If a grade 5 monster was really summoned with its full strength, everyone here would have been brutally slaughtered.

How did [Fate] solve such an overwhelming difference in power?

As the attacks continued, No. 888 seemed to grow more confident. Perhaps, even arrogant as a wide smile formed on his lips.

"Just as I thought, the scythe was the real threat all along."

He gripped his sword and swung it at the black reaper. That was when it happened.

[The first seal has been unleashed. The black reaper can now use 20% of its full power!]

"Eh? What?"

The announcement caused a crack to finally appear on No. 888 confident expression. Didn't he know about the seals? It seems that was the limit of his preparations.

Ku ku ku ku!!

The black reaper roared and swung its scythe, sending a shockwave throughout the station.

The apostles moaned as they were swept away. The impact was less on this side since we were at the edge. Even so, there was a question that still lingered in my mind.

The black figure infront of me was slowly approaching with the scythe.

A smile spread across my lips. What can I do against such a terrible creature?