On Hiatus: God's Personal Reasons-Chapter 217: #The Emperor Returns

-Say that again.

The beast’s eyes, which were the size of Jamsil Stadium, reflected a creature as tiny as a speck of dust. It looked bizarre, like a fusion of a human and hundreds of insects. Seemingly having just broken free of its cocoon, it rolled on the ground while covered in sticky fluids.

I-isn’t that the Ant Emperor, the insect god who challenged me to a Gods’ Sacrificial War?!

“I said, it’s not enough,” the Ant Emperor said.

-You have the gall to—

-Calm down, Beast.

After stopping the angry beast, the snake gently reasoned with the Ant Emperor.

-Your Imperial Majesty, after receiving our powers, your divine power is now close to that of a High-tier god. It should be more than enough to defeat the Mid-tier Earth god. Although he has killed Fire Shining in the Highest Skies, he still hasn’t reached the level of a High-tier god. I swear in my honor that you're already far stronger than him.

“No, it’s still not enough. It’s not even close.”

The Ant Emperor didn’t even spare the two gods a glance. Instead, he focused on something in the distance, his eyes glowing a menacing red.

“Give me all your divine powers!”

-Hah!

Enraged by the Ant Emperor's arrogant and commanding tone, the beast's face reddened like molten iron.

-Krrr! I won’t stand for this! You, a mere insect, dare order me around?!

Kwaaaa!

Spewing flames from his nostrils like an active volcano, he raised his mountainous front paw at the Ant Emperor.

Ruuuumble—Baaaaam!

The attack didn’t contain any divine power, yet it shook the entire planet. The snake watched in horror as the beast trampled on the insect.

-How could you, Beast?! We could’ve used him to get revenge!

The beast growled.

-We would have gotten rid of him once he had served his purpose anyway! And I never liked this plan in the first place! I’d rather descend to Earth myself even if it would cost me my causality and divine power!

The snake’s scales rattled.

-B-but the God of Destroyer will soon descend on Earth...

-Hmph! We won’t cross paths with him! Destroying a low-ranking planet like Earth would only take a se...

The beast suddenly stopped. His giant eyes turned bloodshot and glowed red as they rolled back like a ball.

-Krrr... Keuuugh...!

-What’s wrong?

-Krrr. This damn insect... When did he crawl into my body... Aaaargh!

The beast roared in agony and suddenly bit the snake beside him, making the snake screech in pain.

-Deceit and Rapacity! Have you gone mad?!

-Krrr. My body won't listen to me...

As if proving the terrified beast's claims, he didn’t let go of the snake.

“Skill Sharing, Demon Sword of the Ten Swords, Cockroach. Summon Demons," the emperor said while in the beast's head.

Swosh! Swooosh!

-Gaaaah! P-please! S-stop! I-I was wrong!

The Ant Emperor sneered. "What's wrong, O’ Almighty Malevolent God? Begging a mere worm for your life now, are we?"

The beast’s fearsome teeth were slowly tearing apart the snake.

-Kyaaaak! Deceit and Rapacity! You’re forcing my hand!

The snake coughed up black blood. She then howled.

-Swallow, Ruler of Abyssal Swamp!

Unleashing her power, the snake transformed the land within thousands of kilometers into a vast swamp. The two sank into it.

Blup, blup!

After an indefinite amount of time, the swamp receded, spitting out the two malevolent gods. Seemingly poisoned, the hippopotamus-like beast had perished and turned grayish. Despite emerging as the victor, the snake didn’t escape unscathed either.

Her lower half had been torn apart, oozing a steady stream of thick, tar-like blood. Moreover, her face was blue and terror-stricken.

As if trying to escape from something, she struggled to slither across the ground, using even her hands to drag herself away. Suddenly, like a gateway to a demonic realm, the dead beast’s mouth opened and unleashed a massive swarm of bugs with black carapaces and long, bow-like antennae.

Kriiik kriiiik!

The black bugs were God of Destroyer’s lowest-ranking familiars—demons crawling in the abyss of the demonic realm. They bared their fangs as they lunged at the snake like a tidal wave.

-Hissss! Get away from me!

Shrieking, the snake spewed black, venomous smoke from her mouth.

Kwaaaa!

The smoke enveloped the horde of demons, dissolving them like salt in water. However, there was no end to them.

-Kyaaak! Stop! Pleaaase!

The snake screamed in horror as the horde of demons crawled all over her. Her eyes, wide with terror, focused on the Ant Emperor as he slowly walked out of the beast’s carcass.

He wiped off the beast’s blood from a corner of his mouth. “It’s your turn now, Ruler of the Abyssal Swamp.”

-Emperor! How could you repay grace with vengeance?!

“Grace? You’re one to speak! You were planning to use me as a tool, and I’m just returning the favor. Anyway, the strong prey on the weak—that’s the law of the jungle. Didn’t you devour the weak to grow stronger as well? You just happen to be the weak one this time.”

-A lowly cretin like you dare to devour me, a great malevolent god?!

“Keke. That's right. You great malevolent gods have fallen prey to a lowly cretin.” The Ant Emperor signaled his horde of demons to surround the snake completely.

The snake's eyes, nose, and lips were torn apart. The demons burrowed into her wounds, devouring her blood and flesh.

-Kyaaaak! Nooooooo!

The snake’s horrifying scream rang in the air as she was eaten alive. Even the other High-tier gods watching the scene from their own territories trembled.

The two malevolent gods were reduced to a pile of bones in just over ten minutes. Having completed their mission, the horde of demons returned to what seemed like a black hole.

Then, the emperor began to transform.

Crack crack crack!

His grotesque, chimera-like form—stitched together from the most advantageous traits of various insects—transformed into a burly, robed warrior clad in black armor.

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Swish!

A scaly tail, similar to that of Ruler of the Abyssal Swamp, popped out from his butt. He still had antennae, but his face clearly resembled a human. As he touched his face, his five, human-like fingers trembled.

Ding!

A new message appeared, much like God-Maker’s.

[4,384,444 hours have passed since the tutorial began.]

[The last survivor has achieved the High-tier God status.]

[Congratulations! You have cleared the tutorial!]

Anger, joy, despair, and hope filled his expression all at once.

“Finally... after five hundred years...”

[You may now escape from the tutorial as a reward.]

[Would you like to return? (Yes/No)]

The Ant Emperor nodded.

Swoosh!

He disappeared from the gods’ realm, and my vision returned to normal. I woke up sprawled out on the ground, gasping for air. What did I just watch? Did the Ant Emperor really devour those gods, who were supposedly stronger than Fire Shining in the Highest Skies?! Also, he was returning?! Could he be launching an attack on Anty and the Gayami Nation?!

I knew the Gayami had grown stronger through evolution and that Divine Beast Akdol could hold his ground against the gods. Still, they didn’t stand a chance against that monster!

“Abundance noonim! Do you know where the Ant Emperor has gone?!”

[Infinite Abundance turns pale. With a trembling voice, she says...]

My heart sank.

“...Earth, you say?”

***

[You have successfully returned.]

Woken up by the notification, the Ant Emperor found himself in a garden that felt like a miniature version of the world. Familiar-looking figures were placed all over the place—the High-tier Gods he had devoured, his nemesis Yu Il-Shin, and even himself.

“Welcome, my son.”

He looked up to find a man in a clown mask staring down at him.

“You've certainly exceeded expectations! Watching you become a god and even devour the High-tier gods was certainly inspiring! I am in awe!”

Mad Clown lovingly gazed at the finger-sized Ant Emperor.

"You're my best and only successful project! Haha! Using my causality and divine power, along with creating a time distortion for this tutorial, was totally worth it!"

The Ant Emperor raised an eyebrow. “You are the one who created the God Tutorial?”

Mad Clown exclaimed passionately, “That's right, my son! I am Despair, your father and the great God of Destroyer’s apostle! You don't have to be thankful to me. Your safe return is my greatest joy.”

“Joy...” The Ant Emperor smiled eerily. “Yeah, I'm happy to meet you, too.”