On Hiatus: God's Personal Reasons-Chapter 205: #Troubling Hunter War (5)

[Harbors intense murderous intent against you.]

“I don’t know who you are, but if you ruin my plans...”

“You’ll do what?” I laughed provocatively.

Quick, show me what you can do.

Sss—

Wearing the sheets like a Greek toga, Iris reached her pale fingertips toward me.

“I’m ruling you out.”

Creaaaak!

The air beyond her fingertips split open, unveiling a bronze statue of a Chimera with the heads of a lamb, dragon, and lion.

“Ooh!”

That’s interesting.

Should I appraise it? Nah, that’d just spoil the fun.

Igis yelled, “Summon, Greek Fire!”

Clunk clunk!

All three heads opened their mouths in unison, and huge blasts of flame—like dozens of flamethrowers combined—blasted forth. The tidal wave of fire could instantly incinerate an S-rank Hunter if taken head-on. If they were humans, anyway.

Engulfed in flames, I casually motioned my index finger downward.

“Crushing Forefinger of God.”

Tzzz!

“Huh?!”

Greek Fire.

Yeah, I’d heard of that skill. Historically, it was a weapon used in Ancient Greece, first recorded during the Peloponnesian War.

The powerful flames would engulf the enemy, remaining untamed even by the sea. Passed down through whispers, it became legend—and now, it lay crushed before my eyes, its shards scattering in all directions.

“It was fun while it lasted.”

I approached her with flames all over me. Igis’ gaze wavered terribly, her eyes reflecting the grotesque side of me. It was night, but I didn’t need any other sources of light.

“Is that all?”

Igis was flustered as she retreated, biting down on her lips. “...You, you’re strong.”

Did she only realize that? Then, the air around her tore apart once more.

What will she bring out this time?

In fact, her only saving grace was the Hunter Shop. With gold, she could purchase equipment blessed and created by the Guardian of Fire and Smithing.

Now, show me everything you’ve got. That’s why I chose this place for us.

“Summon Eros’ Bow.”

Tzzz!

Igis summoned a bow that emitted a dazzling golden glow. She nocked a golden arrow at the bowstring, aiming at me.

I wonder how strong that is?

Thunk!

The arrow pierced through the air, flying toward me like a hungry beast freed from its rusty chains. Despite being a primitive weapon, it was packed with so much mana that its speed surpassed a bullet.

“Too slow.”

I twisted myself slightly, dodging the arrow.

“Don’t tell me this is all you’ve got?”

“...Hmph.” Her initial look of surprise turned into a smile of contentment.

What made her smile like that? Suddenly, I felt something coming from behind. I spun around to see the golden arrow returning like a boomerang. It was too late—the arrow struck me in the heart.

“Y-yes!” Igis cheered at the small win.

Strange.

I had reflexively surrounded myself with divine power, but it was strange not to feel any pain.

Ssss!

Just then, the golden arrow’s foreign aura seeped into me.

What’s this?

“Shall we find out your real identity? Who are you?” Igis suddenly became all haughty. “Hey, answer me! I’m ordering you!”

I appraised the golden arrow in my chest.

[The innate power Blind Eyes of God has been activated.]

Ding!

-----

[Eros’ Arrow]

Hephaestus, the arrow of sensuality. Created by Guardian of Fire and Smithing in his leisure. Those struck by the arrow, regardless of race or gender, become prisoners to the archer’s love.

Special note: Available in the Hunter’s Shop for 30,000,000 G each. Comes in a set with the Eros’ Bow.

-----

Haa, I’m speechless.

I pulled out the arrow from my chest and focused my divine power, turning the golden arrow into powder and scattering it into the air.

“Did you think you could steal a god’s heart with such a toy?”

Well, it’d probably work on Choi Bong-Shik. No wonder she used a honey trap on that easy guy.

“H-how...?” Igis turned pale.

I was amused by the horrified look on her face. Even though all I did was destroy a toy made by a god for fun.

[The innate power Blind Eyes of God has been activated.]

Ding!

-----

[Igis Sotiropulou]

A female human. Around for 29 years.

Special note: Bore the Blessings of the Guardian of Fire and Smithing. Possesses strong Petrifying Gaze.

-----

Her murderous intent soon turned into terror, but that didn’t matter to me.

“Quit playing around and use your Petrifying Gaze already.”

Because my appraisal skill deemed it as strong, I was looking forward to it, not these random toys.

I pointed my middle finger in the air.

“Convicting Middle Finger of God.”

Then, black infernal flames sparked from my middle finger.

More, more, more!

The fire I spewed formed a sphere. A black sun appeared over the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, shrouded in the pitch-dark night. The snow caps melted instantly from the heat.

Tssss!

Updated from freewёbnoνel.com.

The flames writhed with life and ferocity, roaring like a hungry beast ready to break free and engulf the world in fire.

“Aaaargh....”

Plop!

Igis shuddered as she looked up to the sky.

“What are you doing? Giving up already?”

I pointed my middle finger downward, and the black sun descended toward the ground as well. I lifted Igis’ chin with my free hand, smiling benevolently.

“Use the skill or die.”

“Kyaaaaa!” Igis shrieked in terror, pissing herself.

Normal humans would’ve been deafened by her scream, but as a great god, I was unfazed. N-not even the slightest bit.

Swaaaa!

Just then, I saw something else in Igis’ fear-stricken eyes—a woman’s head with a bunch of snakes for hair, ferociously baring their fangs. We locked eyes.

The eerie hisses of the snakes pierced through my eardrums in all directions. I felt a creepy, scaly sensation, as if thousands of snakes were slithering all over me at once. I instantly recognized it as a god’s power—one of immense strength.

The snake woman in Igis’ eyes let out a voice.

-Let all who meet my gaze be cursed.

Ruuumble!

My blood and flesh began turning into stone.

“Ugh!”

I quickly surrounded myself with divine power, but to no avail. I needed a benevolent god to dispel such a powerful curse. Meanwhile, the main body was busy filming in God-Maker’s world. Typical of the main body—never around when I needed him.

Fuck, I let my guard down...

Ruuumble!

As my entire body turned into stone, the black sun was extinguished.

Igis looked at me in dismay as the snake woman whispered to her.

-Two more to go until our contract.

Hiss—

Leaving those enigmatic words, the snake woman disappeared.

“Cough! Bleeegh!” Igis shuddered violently and vomited a thick stream of dead blood.

Barely regaining her composure, Igis glared at my stone statue, full of resentment. On a side note, my statue looked way better than that famous statue of David.

“Fuck, I used my trump card here when I should’ve used it during the games...” She shook her head. “No, I had no choice. This man might be more powerful than Royce or Jack White.

-That’s wise of you. I’m definitely stronger than them.

Igis’ eyes widened in horror as if she’d just seen a ghost.

“H-how?”

Tzz!

My statue began to crack.

That’s right.

A curse, no matter how strong, wouldn’t be able to bind such an almighty god for long. Even without the main body, I could still break free.

-Soon, we’ll continue where we left off.

I couldn’t use my actual vocal cords, so I resorted to using Demon Lord’s skill, Telepathic Message.

“Kyaaaa! Save me!” Igis shrieked once again, frantically pulling out a scroll from thin air and ripping it.

Flash! Swoosh!

Igis disappeared from my sight. I was intrigued that a teleport skill was available in the Hunter Shop.

Tzzz!

More cracks appeared over me.

Run, bitch, run. Soon, you’ll realize you’re the monkey king trapped in Buddha’s palm.

Swoosh!

Just as I was exerting my divine power, the air before me split open, and someone emerged. The figure, wearing a creepy mask like a mad clown, stood before me.

-Who are you?

They simply reached out to me with their white-gloved hand.

I could see their twisted smile through the hole in their mask.

The intense murderous intent sent chills down my spine, but I couldn’t move as the curse wasn’t fully lifted.

-Damn it!

Tzzz!

I struggled to break free, pumping all the divine power I could muster, but they were faster.

Baaaam!

I was struck by a divine power stronger than any I had ever faced, shattering my stone body into fragments that scattered in all directions.

-You’re much... weaker than imagined...Earth God...

As my consciousness faded, I faintly heard the mad clown’s voice, which sounded like a raging beast’s growl.

Then, final darkness swallowed me whole.

***

Dawn broke on the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro.

Ding!

[Yu Yi-Shin's 66,666-second active time has ended!]

[Proliferating Thumb of God effect has worn off!]

“Haa!”

I woke up in bed in my home in South Korea, gasping for breath.