On Hiatus: God's Personal Reasons

Chapter 147: The Iron-Blooded Emperor Dreams Too?

Tzzz—

Haze, as dark as wastewater, filled my right. A contrasting, dazzling white light brimmed my left eye. With the black and white eyes of god, I witnessed the events unfolding in the dungeon.

The dungeon wasn’t only a bridge between two worlds, but also the boundary of a world targeted by the God of Destroyer. Seeing it weaken, the monsters from dungeons and gates would use that to their advantage, like hyenas rushing in on their prey.

-Kieeek!

-Krrr!

The horrifying slaughterers infested the dungeon, running down its passageway. They swarmed to feed on the humans of my world, Earth. But now, I only saw them as worms wriggling down a tank. Insignificant, absurd—like a reckless mantis trying to stop a giant cart.

So, I crushed them.

Crush! Crush!

The lizardmen, the snake that had dozens of heads, and slime-looking monsters were crushed to death, turning into Godcoins. On average, each monster would yield ten Godcoins, while the larger ones gave me in the hundreds.

Despite that, I was unimpressed. What was the point anyway?

Crush! Crush! Crush!

My divine power turned into a giant invisible hand, relentlessly crushing these worms. It made me recall the days I was crushing the imperial ants on God-Maker. The only difference was instead of digital, I was doing it to a real-life dungeon. They only stopped charging after I’d killed over thirty thousand. Their eager cries for carnage had turned to screams of terror.

Ruuumble!

Like the tide of an ocean that turned over a hundred times faster, the monsters rushed back to where they came from.

Crush! Crush!

They didn’t even spare a glance at their fallen comrades, trampling them to death.

-W-what are you doing?! My dear children! Advance and slay the people of that young, fringe god who insulted me!

Flustered, the Serpent Goddess cried out, but the monsters, in a state of panic, paid no heed to her command. As if I’d let them escape that easily. The passageway between our worlds was clogged as monsters pushed in from both directions.

I should give them a hand, right?

[Blessing of Slaughter is activated!]

The monsters I’d crushed seeped into me, filling me with malevolent divine power. My Crushing Forefinger of God was more of a targeted On/Off skill. When I didn’t feel like getting out of bed, I’d use this nonsensical skill to switch the light.

Nevertheless, it could also be used in situations like this: I raised my index finger and pointed it at the world boundary.

-Crushing Forefinger of God!

Craaaack!

The forcefully-opened crack began to close at my command.

-G-Goddess! Please sa—Aaaaargh!

Crack crack!

Unable to overcome the divine power, the monsters stuck in the dungeon’s passageway were crushed into a bloody pulp. Ruler of the Abyssal Swamp cried out in horror as she watched the dungeon closed forcibly.

-Y-you bastard! Why would a god with such a level of divine power avoid a duel...!

Crush! Ruuumble!

The dungeon was sealed with my divine power, and the Serpent Goddess was cut off.

“Why would I fight?”

Since ancient times, writers were peace-loving people by nature. Rather than their fists, they fought with their fingers. Hence the title: keyboard warrior!

Sss—

As the dungeon closed, the building, covered in black scales and writhing hideously, returned to its original form as if nothing had happened.

“T-the dungeon sealed by itself? H-how did you do that?”

Gosh, Mi-Na noona’s eyes are about to pop out of their sockets.

Clank!

Taking off his helmet, Gal Joong-Hyuk scanned the building in disbelief. Just then, Seong-Yeon, who had been fast asleep in Sung Mi-Na’s arms, woke up. She rubbed her eyes. @@novelbin@@

“...Uncle, I’m hungry.”

My niece, who slept through all the commotion, woke up because she felt hungry. With that level of appetite, she’d definitely go places in the future. She drowsily looked at Sung Mi-Na, and when she realized that the person carrying her wasn’t me, she tilted her head.

“Unni, who are you?”

“Ah, hello.” Sung Mi-Na smiled awkwardly.

But Seong-Yeon’s eyes twinkled. “Wah, pretty. Are you a doll?”

“T-thank you. You’re cute to—Eek!”

Suddenly, Seong-Yeon grabbed Sung Mi-Na’s cheeks, as if playing with a Barbie doll.

“Geez, you shouldn’t do that. Aren’t you hungry? Shall we go eat something? What would you like to eat?”

“Hamburger!” Seong-Yeon exclaimed, turning to me in an instant.

Seems like food is more of a priority than a beautiful lady...

“Alright, there’s McRonald’s nearby, so let’s get a breakfast set there.”

“Yay! Uncle! I want a minion set!” Now completely awake, Seong-Yeon threw her arms wide open at me.

I carried Seong-Yeon in my arms, about to leave for our breakfast, but Sung Mi-Na stopped us.

“You’re just going to leave?!”

“Huh? But the dungeon’s gone. What else is there left to do?”

“W-we still have to do a thorough check to make sure the dungeon is completely gone. Also, leaving abruptly will only complicate your promotion process too.”

“It’s fine if it doesn’t work out. I’m not really interested in becoming an S-rank Hunter anyway.”

Becoming one would just complicate things more. Moreover, because of me, an ordinary A-rank was upgraded to SSS-rank. It just made me wonder if I’d be doing the world a favor by staying quietly in a corner and continuing my writing career.

“Not really interested?” Gal Joong-Hyuk heard our conversation and butted in; his eyebrows twitching.

Steel-colored bloodthirst rose from the armor he had on. “While I admit that you seem quite skilled, that’s no excuse for such a disrespectful attitude toward S-rank Hunters.”

I’d seen his conflict with Ko Sa-Deuk before, but he was more temperamental than expected.

“Huh?”

Gal Joong-Hyuk’s face contorted even more.

Was that a bad choice of words on my end? This was a common problem with writers who lacked social skills, like myself.

“As your supervisor, I think you need more training. It’s not the first time a rookie gets overconfident and gets wiped off the face of Earth. Let me teach you that the sky's the limit. Come to the Hunter Association’s training room tomorrow. If you defeat me, I’ll acknowledge your skills. I’lll also report to the higher-ups that you’ve earned your qualification as an S-rank Hunter. But until then, don’t even think of getting your hands on one.”

Gal Joong-Hyuk turned around and stomped the ground, and his massive body leaped into the air like a bird. Then, he flew away like a jet shooting across the sky.

Baaam!

Wow, so cool.

I never knew his armor had such a function! While I wasn’t interested in becoming an S-rank Hunter, I wanted that armor!

“Ugh! Why do you keep exaggerating like that?! Baek Yoo-Hyun was like you in the past, and got beaten up into a pulp by him!”

“Huh? Yoo-Hyun hyung?”

Aside from Choi Kang-San, Baek Yoo-Hyun, the S-rank Fire Combat-type Hunter, was also my drinking buddy. I didn’t think he’d get beaten up by others that easily with his skills. Was Gal Joong-Hyuk really that strong?

“Yeah. Not only is his armor immune to abilities, he’s also the best Reinforce-type Hunter in the country. What are you going to do now? Without his permission, your promotion process will be complicated... Are you really going to fight him tomorrow?”

“No. Why should I?”

Why are there so many people challenging me? I am just a peace-loving keyboard warrior.

“Like I said earlier, I don’t give a shit about being an S-rank Hunter. I’m also here today to apologize to you about yesterday because you got mad and left.”

“Huh? So that’s what it is?”

Sung Mi-Na flushed.

“Yes. Anyway, I’m going to McRonald’s with Seong-Yeon. If you haven’t had any food, do you wanna join us?”

“What? You’re asking me to go to McRonald’s with you?” Sung Mi-Na stared at me, dumbfounded.

Well, her reaction wasn’t at all a surprise. Since she was more popular than most celebrities, she’d probably attract a lot of attention if she was seen there.

“Ah, I guess not. We’ll get going first, then.”

“I-I didn’t say that I won’t be joining! Wait for me! Let me grab my mask and sunglasses from the car!”

Watching Sung Mi-Na run to her van in a hurry, Seong-Yeon whispered to me, “Uncle, I guess that pretty unni likes hamburgers as much as I do.”

***

In Antrinia, the world in God-Maker, only a barren land was left of the plains after Akdol’s breath swept over it. Everything in sight was charred to ashes.

Wriggle wriggle!

Amidst the eerie silence, something burst forth above ground. It was a giant crocodile monster whose body was burnt all over.

-Cough!

The crocodile monster vomited thick, putrid blood as it shuddered violently. It was none other than Alpha, the leader of Gustav’s children.

-Damn it!

Alpha slammed his fist into the ground, roaring in anger. He’d nearly a hundred brothers when he first came here, but now he was the sole survivor. Had he not used his brothers as shields and ducked underground in the nick of time, he’d have been swept up in the terrible breath and faced the same fate as his brothers.

Although he barely escaped with his life, it took him a week to recover enough to move again.

-Just you wait, damn god and filthy traitor! I will have my revenge!

Alpha gritted his teeth at the thought of Yu Il-Shin and Akdol—especially Akdol. Despite being a blood descendant of their great mother, Gustav, he allied with their archenemy, Yu Il-Shin! Alpha was determined to kill that traitor at all costs.

“It’s great to see one of you alive.”

Chills!

Startled, the vengeful Alpha turned around in surprise at the voice, but he didn’t see anyone.

“Down here, Beast.”

Alpha looked down. There it was, the owner of the voice wearing a set of gleaming golden robes. Alpha was both surprised and ashamed of himself. It was a creature barely the size of his claw.

-What are you? How dare you call me a beast?

“...Such insolence. But I’ll forgive you this once, since I have a question for you.” It spoke again. “Where is my Goddess Arachne? I followed the trail of her powers, which got cut off here, but I don’t see her around.”

Hearing Arachne’s name enraged Alpha.

That damn spider bitch!

She deluded them with her honeyed words, leading his brethren to enter this world and die for naught!

-She’s dead! You! Who are you to her?!

“Is that so? She died without waiting for me to end my term? What made you so impatient? No matter how merciless I was, you were always an exception.” His voice was bitter.

Alpha bared his fangs, growling,

-Whatever! Send me back to my world this instant, or I will trample you to death!

“Kekeke!”

Yet, Alpha’s threat was only met with a creepy and eerie cackling.

Ruuumble!

As if resonating with the laughter, the ground rumbled, startling Alpha.

-Aaargh! W-what’s this...?

“Beast, didn’t you just ask who am I?”

The creature pulled off the robes that covered his body, turning to the startled Alpha.

Terror filled Alpha’s eyes.

“I am the Iron-Blooded Emperor of this excruciatingly tiresome world of insects...”

Trudge trudge!

-Aaargh! Don’t come near me, you monster!

Plop!

Alpha stumbled and fell to the ground, screaming in terror.

The creature was hundreds of times smaller than Alpha, yet he had an illusion as if a creature the size of a mountain towering over him. The Iron-Blooded Emperor of the Insect Empire raised his index finger at the trembling Alpha.

“...And a great God!”

Rooooar!

Then, a black pillar shot up from the land of the dead, threatening to tear the sky asunder.