On Hiatus: God's Personal Reasons

Chapter 162: #Destiny, Dead Dragon of Destruction and Ruler of Space

Goosebumps crawled all over Choi Bong-Shik's body. What on earth was that monster?

He remembered seeing a specific set of dinosaur fossils in an American museum as a child. Among them was the Seismosaurus, the largest dinosaur to be found on Earth. Recorded as 50 meters long and weighing over 100 tons, each of its steps was powerful enough to trigger an earthquake, earning it the nickname "Earthquake Lizard." One could only imagine the amazement he felt when he first learned about it!

However, the terrifying monster before him made the Seismosaurus look cute in comparison. Despite resembling a dragon, the creature had neither flesh nor skin. Its terrifyingly massive body was made of bones, glowing eerily white under the moonlight. On its back was a pair of wings that radiated ominous, contrasting black and white colors.

W-what’s this...horrifying monster...?!

Its appearance reminded him of a monster from the past—the nightmare of all mankind—the indescribable calamity.

“D-Despair Dragon?”

Did that wraith resurrect?

Rooooooar!

-Grrr! Bong-Shik, why aren't you answering me?

Its burning eyes glared at Choi Bong-Shik as it spoke.

Also, how did it know his name?! He never revealed his real name to anyone else because of how tacky it sounded! Only his parents knew it!

This is too scary!

Its appearance was so terrifying, its devilish grin alone could devastate the mind! Any ordinary Hunter would be too scared witless to put up a proper defense!

“...This isn’t your lucky day.” Choi Bong-Shik raised his right hand.

Baaam!

Something exploded under the dragon’s jaws. It jerked its head back as if it’d been hit by a giant fist.

“What a shame. If your opponent weren't me, you would’ve gone down in history as the worst monster.”

Sizzle!

Choi Bong-Shik's eyes turned blue. “You should at least know the name of your killer. I am the Ruler of Space, Steve Choi.”

Hexagonal holes appeared all around the skeletal dragon, from which Mana Stones filled with MP emerged.

A cold smile tugged on the corners of his mouth. When it came to MP, it wasn’t about how much one had but how one used it! Steve Choi was an unparalleled specialist in the field of space—and would eventually become the strongest Hunter in South Korea!

“Die! Monster!”

Booooom!

Hundreds of Mana Bombs exploded at once.

-Bong-Shiiiiiiik!

Engulfed completely in explosion, the skeletal dragon let out a scream of agony.

***

Mana Bombs detonated all around me, their intense heat jolting me awake. Indeed, the skeletal dragon—no, the Dead Dragon—was me, Yu Il-Shin.

[Forcibly seizing Apparitions for the awakening.]

I thought I’d failed to transform when I received the failure message from God-Maker.

Clack clack! Swoosh!

But in the next moment, unidentifiable bones and resentful spirits of the netherworld swarmed to me like ants running for sugar. Ko Sa-Deuk, the master of necromancy, would faint if he saw this.

“Aaaargh! Save me!”

“Kya!”

Lilith jumped in a panic, trying to save me, only to get surrounded as well.

Ruuuumble!

Soon, like Lego blocks being assembled together, they formed around me, becoming a certain form.

[You have successfully awakened as the Dead Dragon.]

...And that was how the Dead Dragon came to be. A skeletal dragon of at least a hundred meters long, and weighed over a hundred tons. Perhaps due to the number of bones and spirits, I could barely hold my conscience after the transformation.

The resentment, fear, and thirst for life of millions of Apparitions overwhelmed me, so much so that I couldn’t think straight.

-Grrr. Is that Bong-Shik?

Then, I recalled seeing a familiar face and murmured to myself.

Baaaam!

Before I knew it, a series of explosions exploded in my face, clearing my mind.

“Hahaha! Die, you monster!”

Swoosh!

As if he had a split personality, the blondie Choi Bong-Shik rained me with bombs. Each explosion made me sway wildly as if I were breakdancing in my dragon form.

“How’s that, Monster! This is my ability as the Ruler of Space!”

Ack! Please, stop!

“How are you still alive after eating a third of the bombs from my subspace?! Heh, as expected of my opponent! I know you won’t die that easily!”

Choi Bong-Shik covered his face with his glowing right hand[1]. Glaring at me with his gleaming blue eyes, he screamed, “Let me show you my full strength! Meteor Shower!”

Aaargh! Please, stop!

Booooom!

Bombs exploded all around me, painting the night sky with flames.

Argh, it’s too intense! I don’t know how long I can endure this!

“Hahaha! That’s my ultimatum!” Choi Bong-Shik flew overhead, laughing triumphantly while striking a heroic pose.

I was gripped with indescribable terror at the sight. I finally realized what an idiot I was! Reality hit me hard—making chuuni comments at my current age was way too cringey!

Other than that, Choi Bong-Shik’s bombs didn’t hurt all that much. If I had to use an analogy, it felt as irritating as when I got bitten by a swarm of mosquitoes.

“All the space in this world belongs to me, the Ruler of Space, Steve Choi!”

Actually, his self-proclaimed titles like Ruler of Space and Meteor Shower hit harder—I could die from the cringe alone.

-Krrr. Bong-Shik, please! Stop it!

“Hahaha! Your pleas fell on deaf ears, Monster! Dead Dragon of Destruction, you’re my stepping stone! With your defeat, my name, Ruler of Space, Steve Choi, shall be known to the entire world!”

Dead Dragon of Destruction? Fuck, he gave me a title already?!

-P-please, make it stop!

“You’re still alive! Impressive! Destiny, Dead Dragon of Destruction! You shall be recorded in my autobiography as my lifelong nemesis!”

Wait, what?! This chuuni blond punk wants to record my dark history in his autobiography?!

-Fuck no!!

I swatted him as if he was an annoying mosquito.

Baaaam!

“Blegh!”

He squealed like a pig getting slaughtered as he fell to the ground. They said a tiger left behind its hide when it died, while a man left his name. For Choi Bong-Shik, he left only a pit in the ground, shaped like a human.

-B-Bong-Shik, are you still alive?

I asked carefully, but I didn’t hear any response. Not only was it my first transformation, but I also got furious and lost control of my power.

Am I done for?

I could hear sirens wailing in the distance. I used my Appraisal skill and saw multiple police vehicles, military units, and fully-equipped Hunters coming for me at full speed.

Damn it! How do I undo this transformation?!

Despite my best attempt, nothing worked out. At this rate, I’d be a sitting duck waiting to get killed by those S-rank Hunters. I’d be lucky if I got to turn back to my normal self and get locked up in the prison cells again.

I finally made my decision.

Alright, I'll run!

Nothing good would come out of it if I stayed here any longer. But... How do I escape?

I tried moving the wings on my back, and strong gusts of wind cut through the air like a brewing typhoon.

Oh! I'm going up! I’m a flying dragon!

-Gaaaah! I can fly!

I flew toward the night sky, my roar shaking the heavens and earth.

~

Two moons hung in the night sky—one I had created while drunk. I made friends with them as I flew aimlessly. A few helicopters chased me, but I managed to shake them off. I had a large body, but once I got used to flying, I was as fast as airplanes.

-Hic, I’m sorry, Bong-Shik...

I shed tears of regret. If I hadn’t cringed at his lines and slapped him across the face—no, if I hadn’t tried out the skill out of curiosity, I wouldn’t be in this mess right now!

You shouldn’t have called me Destiny Dead Dragon of Destruction!

I suddenly felt a terrible wave of dizziness as I regretfully flew around.

Black and white rain poured as exhaustion hit me, draining my strength.

-...?

Wait, this wasn’t rain? They were the feathers from my wings, falling like chicken feathers.

Someone once said, “All things that fall have wing, even more so for those that didn't.”

-Gaaah! I can’t fly!

With a desperate roar, I crashed toward the ground, shaking heavens and earth upon impact. Bones shattered, flying everywhere.

***

I had a dream.

How did I know it was a dream? Because it felt familiar. I usually felt this sensation when my stalkers abducted me to their places.

Apparently, I didn’t fall to my death but fell unconscious instead, which was a relief. I scanned my surroundings, noticing that I had never seen this place before.

What’s this black pillar?

I reached out, touching the polished black pillar before me.

-Darling, it tickles~

I snapped up at the sound of a woman’s voice overhead and fell to the ground in surprise.

Plop!

The thing that I thought was a pillar was, in fact, an indescribably large foot of a woman.

-Hello, Darling.

As she looked down at me, I realized she had long, writhing vines of roses instead of hair.

“W-who...are you?”

-Me?

Her lips curved into a mischievous, impish smile. Then, a heady rose fragrance stung my nose.

-I am Silently Crawling Nightmare, the Goddess of Nightmares who Rules and Devours all Evil.

1. Both of them are chuunis... ☜