The Divine Twilight's Return

Chapter 536: Star, the Beast (7)

Tiamat smiled bitterly. Despite being a mess, she didn’t want to show her weak side to Chang-Sun since she still had romantic feelings for him. “I couldn't have embarrassed myself more. I just keep giving you problems and receiving your help in return.”

In response, Chang-Sun simply pulled her small hand toward him and reassured her. He then took her into his arms and activated the Quirinale Power.

Boooom!

Although the Divine Tree’s vines were chasing after them, he just kept dodging them with ease until he had brought Tiamat to where Pabilsag was.

Kill. You. Kill.

Thuuuud―!

As the Mother Terra Celestial’s energy shook the Imaginary Plane, which was already crumbling down, Chang-Sun handed Tiamat over to to her daughter.

Although confused, Pabilsag embraced her mother. Soon after, she burst into tears. “Mother...!”

Even in her girl form, Tiamat normally would still have appeared formidable. However, she looked especially small today. Nevertheless, despite her pale face, she just kept acting as if nothing was wrong just so her youngest daughter wouldn’t keep worrying about her.

While stroking Pabilsag’s cheeks to wipe off the tears, Tiamat quietly laughed. “You’re crying over nothing. Maybe it’s because you’re the baby in the house, but you do cry a lot.”

However, her words only saddened Pabilsag even more. Even though Tiamat had somehow been rescued, Pabilsag could sense that many of her <Myths> had been damaged by the incident. Considering her current state, Tiamat could never dream about becoming a Celestial King again. Her life of eternity also might be coming to an end.

It didn’t matter what their future held for them right now, though. Pabilsag was just grateful that her mother had been saved.

To express her gratitude, Pabilsag bowed to Chang-Sun. “How can I repay—”

“When I returned from the <Underworld>, I had nothing,” Chang-Sun interrupted. He kept his eyes on the Mother Terra Celestial, who was writhing in pain.

Having lost its core, Tiamat’s Evil Dragon body, which was now nothing but an empty shell, began to crumble down. However, the Divine Tree quickly took over the shell, instantly making it grow bigger.

“You were the first one to take interest in me and approve of my abilities. Thanks to you, I managed to become a lot stronger than I originally planned.”

Chang-Sun turned to Pabilsag, whose eyes had widened due to the sudden mention of their past.

He continued, “When I was lost and wandering, Lady Tiamat guided me and showed me a path. I wouldn’t have gotten to where I am today without her.”

Chang-Sun faintly smiled at Tiamat. “I’ve received more from you than what I’ve given you in return, so don’t worry about it. I’m planning to do a lot more for you two.”

Pabilsag sensed something off in Chang-Sun’s voice. It sounded like he was saying goodbye to them.

“What—!”

Before Pabilsag could finish asking what Chang-Sun was trying to do, a message showed up in front of her.

[The area’s temporary owner is evicting the special unit to the outside world!]

Chang-Sun’s subordinates and all the other members of the special unit also received the same message.

『Twilight!』

『What in the world...!』

『What do you think you’re doing?!』

『Stop this! Now!』

“What are you doing?!” Pabilsag quickly reached out to Chang-Sun.

Paah!

However, Chang-Sun used his Quirinale Power to distance himself from Pabilsag. “This world is crumbling. Staying here will only get all of us killed, so you go back ahead. I entrust Tiamat to you.”

“What about you?!”

“Someone has to stop the Mother Terra Celestial from chasing us through a wormhole.”

“You—!”

Before Pabilsag could even finish speaking, the world around her distorted. She then felt a force send her away to the outside world.

[The eviction has been completed!]

Since [Gaia’s Curse] had rendered Worldline #802 uninhabitable, Chang-Sun sent Pabilsag and the others to Worldline #801. Worldline #802 was also evidently connected to the Imaginary Plane, which meant it would soon meet <Extinction> as well.

Now, Chang-Sun, the Star Signs, the Grand Heaven League Celestials, and the Mother Terra Celestial’s consciousness were the only ones left in the Imaginary Plane.

Everyone in the world cursed at Chang-Sun.

『Because of you...!』

『Let us go! Let! Us! Go!!!』

『I’m going to kill you, Twilight!』

You. Ruin. Everything.

[Modifying the space.]

[Modifying the space.]

...

[You have increased the influence range of the Quirinale Power, successfully dominating the entire Imaginary Plane.]

[The area has been designated as your divine ground!]

[You have used your authority as this divine ground’s owner to permanently shut it down.]

Clink, clink―!

Thud, thud, thud!

Without the slightest care in the world, Chang-Sun proceeded with the shutdown and successfully severed all of the Imaginary Plane’s links.

Chang-Sun held up his [Twilight Spear] high. “Twilight ushers in the night, where everything perishes.”

The four slayer swords and his many other weapons stopped hunting Star Signs and returned to him to merge with the [Twilight Spear]. The moment [Gungnir] was completed, lightning sparks fiercely flew up from the spearhead.

Pzzzzz!

“Star Signs! Now that I’ve removed all the Great Celestials from the premises, the time has come for me to bring twilight to this place.”

The lightning sparks instantly transformed into a cobweb and spread everywhere. It then turned into a Giant big enough to fill up the Imaginary Plane, its Divine Class comparable to Tiamat’s Evil Dragon form!

Booooom!

The Giant dropped from the sky and landed on the Evil Dragon.

Grrrrr!

Hooowl―!

The Evil Dragon, who now only followed the Mother Terra Celestial’s will, tried to break free, but the Giant was so strong that all she could do was squirm and withstand the pressure. The Giant’s lightning energy, which it released indiscriminately, turned into flaming lightning bolts and pierced through the Evil Dragon. They also engulfed a lot of the Divine Tree in flames.

Let. Go. Let. Go. Let. Go.

Having been heavily wounded by Sun Wukong’s <Supreme Sacred Light> explosions, the Evil Dragon hated that the Giant kept reopening her wounds. Concluding that it would be difficult to break free, she opened her mouth and bit the Giant’s nape instead, destroying half of the Giant’s neck and shoulders.

Right after, she fired a [Dragon Breath] mixed with [Gaia's Curse], blowing up half of the Giant’s head and sky of—no, the ground of the Imaginary Plane.

However, the two recovered from their wounds in no time. As the Divine Tree’s roots filled up the Evil Dragon’s wound, lightning energy restored the Giant’s original form.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Refusing to lose, the Giant raised its fist and repeatedly hammered down on the Evil Dragon’s head. Unsatisfied by witnessing her head split apart and scatter all over the place, it proceeded to punch her until it had destroyed half of her body and damaged a significant number of the Divine Tree’s roots.

Roooaaar!

As its fighting spirit surged, the Giant grabbed the Evil Dragon and ripped her in half. Right after, it targeted the Divine Tree. It swung the ax in its hand upward, sending a fiery gale deep into the Divine Tree.

Numerous Divine Tree fragments dropped, revealing a woman whose upper body could only be seen above the <Nihil> gap that had dark ghosts entangled around it. Although she resembled Tiamat, her eyes were colder, and her arms were wrapped in chains connected to other <Nihil> gaps.

Despite already being out in the open, the Mother Terra Celestial’s consciousness, which also functioned as the core of the Divine Tree, continued to absorb all the deceased Star Signs and everything within the Imaginary Plane that she could use as nourishment.

Twilight. Twilight. Twilight. Twilight. Twilight. Twilight. Twilight. Twilight. Twilight. Twilight. Twilight. Twilight.

The Mother Terra Celestial vented all her fury for Chang-Sun. She had done everything she could, even embracing becoming a lowly Beast, just to resurrect and succeed in her plan. However, Chang-Sun was ruining everything she had worked so hard on. Hence, she was even angrier at him now than she had ever been at <Deus Ex Machina> or <Dull Darkness>.

Chang-Sun smiled crookedly. “I got you now.”

He turned into a ray of light as he sprang toward the Mother Terra Celestial.

Paah―!

Woosh, swish, swoosh―!

The Divine Tree’s roots transformed into four Evil Dragons and flew at Chang-Sun from all possible directions, hoping to stop him from reaching the Mother Terra Celestial and bite off the Giant’s neck.

Roarrrrrrr!

However, the Giant, determined to stop anyone from interrupting Chang-Sun, held up its ax and butchered them before they could accomplish their objectives. With every swing of its ax, it crushed one of the Evil Dragons’ heads or sent blood gushing out of their napes. Nothing could stop its onslaught.

With its help, Chang-Sun successfully reached the Mother Terra Celestial.

Twilight.

The Mother Terra Celestial frantically waved her hands around. It was unclear if she was trying to stop Chang-Sun from coming any closer or running away from her, but Chang-Sun didn’t waste time trying to figure it out. Before she could even do anything, he thrust [Gungnir] deep into her head, destroying her left eye.

He then used [Wordwielding] and released all of Rád?us that he had accumulated in [Gungnir].

“Explode.”

The resulting explosion did not just tear apart the Mother Terra Celestial’s consciousness in this place. It also greatly damaged her egg in <Nihil>.

[The recovering <Myths> of the Mother Terra Celestial are disintegrating!]

Kieeeeh!

The ghosts that the Mother Terra Celestial had been using as her body ran wild and scattered everywhere. At the same time, her plaintive ghost wails repeatedly echoed, serving as poisonous fogs strong enough to drive one to insanity.

Using his [Foretelling Eye], Chang-Sun watched cracks spread on her egg in <Nihil>. In its current condition, she would have to spend another eternity searching for a way to hatch from it again.

Chang-Sun could feel the Mother Terra Celestial’s stinging fury, but he didn’t let it stop him. With her Divine Rank, she could attempt to resurrect as many times as she wanted to. Although <Deus Ex Machina> could certainly put her under control, there was no way to subdue her completely.

Hence, chances were high that she would come for Chang-Sun to have her revenge.

‘I can’t let that happen,’ Chang-Sun thought.

[You have pulled out the ‘Golden Sutra Headband’ from ‘King's Treasury’!]

Avalokitesvara had given him the restriction device and asked him to put it on Sun Wukong once he had found him. Since the device was made from Divine Steel, it was highly effective. Considering Divine Steel chains were the ones keeping the Mother Terra Celestial trapped in <Nihil>, she likely wouldn’t be free from its influence either.

Since the [Golden Sutra Headband] was a quest item, Chang-Sun normally would only be able to use it on Sun Wukong.

‘However, since Sun Wukong is already dead and has become nourishment—no, a part of the Mother Terra Celestial...’ Chang-Sun smirked. ‘I should be able to put this on her.’

Oooong! Ooooong!

[‘Avalokitesvara’s ‘Golden Sutra Headband’ is fervently responding to Sun Wukong’s <Myths>!]

No. Not. That. Never.

The Mother Terra Celestial tried to get away from Chang-Sun, perhaps reaching the same conclusion as he did. However, he didn’t even show a hint of interest in her reaction. He put the [Golden Sutra Headband] around her nape, which was the only part that remained of her now that the ghosts had scattered.

Click!

Ah. Ah. Ah. N. No. Noo. Nooo.

Kiehhhhh!

Her ghost wails grew increasingly louder.

Crackkkkkk―!

The Mother Terra Celestial suddenly crumpled up. At the same time, the Divine Tree, which had been dominating the Imaginary Plane, and its every root and vine merged with her. Tiamat’s shell, which the Giant had been crushing to smithereens, was also sucked into the mass.

Eventually, all that was left of the Mother Terra Celestial was her egg, which was now where her consciousness had been. The egg was still wrapped in chains, but the cracks had spread from the top to the rest of its surface.

Ziiiing!

Seemingly still resisting Chang-Sun, the egg shook profusely. Nevertheless, he reached out and grabbed it. Unlike the time he had been in <Nihil>, he could no longer sense any power from it.

“Ubbo-Sathla is your other half, and I swallowed her. That is why I have somewhat of a resistance against [Gaia's Curse],” Chang-Sun explained.

Despite having no power, the egg seemed to be shouting that the Mother Terra Celestial would come back one day and make him pay for today’s humiliation.

“Can I Celestial-Cannibalize you or not?” Chang-Sun asked.

Terrified by his question, the egg found it hard to stay mad.

Ooooong! Ooooong! Ooooong!

The egg struggled to break free from Chang-Sun’s grip, but it didn’t faze him one bit. He opened his mouth, his fangs shining especially bright.