Reincarnation of Suicidal Battle God
Original – Blue-Deep
Webtoon → Webnovel Adaptation || FanFic
Chapter 2: The Last Human (2)
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"THAT'S WEIRD. ALL MY INJURIES HAVE HEALED. MY ARMOR IS FINE TOO..." Zephir examined himself, bewildered. He was no longer in the desolate wasteland, but in a grand, ethereal hall, bathed in a soft, blue light. Statues of ancient figures lined the walls, and a brilliant light emanated from the far end of the hall. "WHERE AM I?"
He recognized the statues as depictions of ancient gods. "STATUE OF THE GODS... A TEMPLE? WAS THERE A TEMPLE LIKE THIS?" He had never seen such a place in his world.
Zephir looked around, a faint smile on his face. "...I SEE. IT'S THE AFTERLIFE... IS THIS THE UNDERWORLD?" A voice, deep and resonant, answered him. "THIS PLACE IS NOT THE UNDERWORLD." Zephir turned, startled. "!" The voice continued, "THIS IS WHERE THE GODS RESIDE, THE LOWEST FLOOR OF THE..."
...PANTHEON." A figure descended from the light, a woman with flowing golden hair and magnificent white wings, adorned with a golden laurel wreath. She was the embodiment of grace and power, a true goddess. Zephir stared, mesmerized.
Zephir blinked, a sudden realization dawning on him. '...! THE SWORD WASN'T SUMMONED?' He looked at his hand, a faint blue glow still present. The goddess smiled gently. "DO NOT BE SURPRISED, ZEPHIR. I AM AN AGENT WHO DELIVERS THE WORD OF THE GODS. I AM MERCEDES, A SENIOR ANGEL."
Mercedes continued, her voice calm and clear. "YOU ARE ALREADY DEAD. ACCORDING TO THE USUAL PROCEDURE, WE NEED TO SEND YOU TO THE UNDERWORLD IMMEDIATELY. HOWEVER... DUE TO THE POWERFUL DEMANDS OF THE VARIOUS GODS, THE THREE SUPREME GODS, IT HAS BEEN DECIDED THAT YOU WILL BE SENT BACK TO THE PAST."
Zephir, now fully recovered and standing tall, stared at Mercedes, his eyes wide with disbelief. "WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?" Mercedes calmly reiterated, "YOU WILL BE SENT BACK TO THE PAST WHILE RETAINING YOUR MEMORIES. THIS WILL GIVE YOU A WAY TO CHANGE THE ENDING."
"OF COURSE, IF YOU GO BACK TO THE PAST, ONLY YOUR MEMORIES WILL BE WITH YOU. OTHER THINGS LIKE YOUR TRAINED BODY, MAGIC POWERS AND GAINED SKILLS WILL NOT BE RESTORED. WELL... IF YOU WERE THE BEST OF MANKIND, YOU CAN QUICKLY REGAIN THESE THINGS." Zephir stood in stunned silence. "..." He pondered, "IS THIS A DREAM...? I DON'T THINK THEY HAVE THE MAGIC POWER TO BE ABLE TO MANIPULATE MINDS. OR IS THIS THE SCENERY BEFORE DEATH?" He looked down at his hands, a sense of unreality washing over him. "HUHH..."
"WHY ARE YOU GIVING ME A CHANCE LIKE THIS?" Zephir asked, his voice filled with a mixture of hope and suspicion. Mercedes replied, "I SEE IT'S HARD FOR YOU TO BELIEVE. I UNDERSTAND. THEN SOME EVIDENCE TO MAKE YOU..." Zephir interrupted, "NO... I DO BELIEVE YOU. LET'S JUST SAY THAT I DO. I JUST..."
"WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO? NOTHING IS FREE IN THIS WORLD. YOU'RE GIVING ME A CHANCE BECAUSE THERE'S SOMETHING YOU WANT, AM I WRONG?" Zephir challenged, his gaze unwavering. Mercedes looked at him, a hint of sadness in her eyes. "PEOPLE WERE DYING FROM THE INVASION BY THE LORD OF DEMONS. SO WHEN THE PEOPLE PRAYED DESPERATELY... THE GODS CUT OFF THEIR CONNECTION TO OUR WORLD. THEY DIDN'T ANSWER THEIR PRAYERS NOR ACCEPT THEIR SACRIFICES. THEY RETRACTED THE POWERS OF THE PRIESTS THAT BORROWED THEIR POWER, IN THAT SPLIT SECOND, THE HUMANS' SOLDIERS THAT LOST THE POWER TO HEAL AND PROTECT, FELL."
"AS SOON AS THEY KNEW THAT THERE WAS NOTHING MORE THAT THEY CAN TAKE, THEY THREW AWAY OUR WORLD." Zephir scoffed, his eyes filled with disdain. "THERE'S NO WAY THESE CALCULATIVE PEOPLE WOULD GIVE ME A CHANCE WITHOUT WANTING ANYTHING IN RETURN." Mercedes nodded solemnly. "VERY WELL. THE ANSWER TO THAT... I'LL CONVEY IT TO YOU ACCORDING..."
...TO THE WILLS OF THE GODS." Mercedes looked at Zephir, her eyes glowing with an otherworldly light. "SHOW US SOMETHING A BIT MORE FUN."
Zephir looked up, his eyes wide with a mixture of shock and anger. "WHAT...?" Mercedes continued, "THE GODS THAT WATCHED YOU CLOSELY FELT THAT IT WAS A PITY. THERE AREN'T A LOT OF HUMANS WHO CAN RESIST WITH SUCH A STRONG WILL WHILE..."
...FACING THEIR DOOM. MOREOVER, YOUR FIGHT AGAINST THE MONARCH OF DEMONS WHICH LASTED FOR 5 YEARS, WAS WORTH THE WATCH." Zephir looked at her, his eyes still wide with a mixture of confusion and a dawning understanding. "A LOT OF GODS WATCHED AND FELT THAT IT WAS A PITY THAT YOUR WORLD RETREATED SO EARLY. DO YOU REMEMBER? THE CLOSER THAT YOU GET TO THE END, THE MORE YOUR LUCK WILL SUPPORT YOU."
"IT IS BECAUSE THE GODS SUPPORT YOU SO MUCH EVEN IF THEY HAD TO PAY THE PRICE..." A blinding flash of light enveloped Zephir, and he felt a strange sensation, as if his very being was being pulled apart and reassembled. A powerful, unseen force pulled him downward, a blue light engulfing him.
The blue light intensified, and Zephir felt himself falling, a dizzying sensation as if he was being pulled through a vortex. "ASSHOLES... WAS IT..."
...FUN? I... WE... FOUGHT FOR OUR LIVES, AND THAT WAS FUN FOR YOU? 'WORTH THE WATCH'?!" Zephir's voice was filled with a burning indignation, his fist clenched, a blue aura still flickering around it. He remembered the faces of his comrades, fighting and dying, their sacrifices deemed mere entertainment by these so-called gods.
"YOU THINK WE FOUGHT TO ENTERTAIN YOU?! ARE WE HUMANS YOUR ENTERTAINMENT?! DID YOU SEE US WITH THAT KIND OF THOUGHTS?!!" Zephir roared, his anger erupting. Mercedes, unfazed, raised her hand, and a golden magical circle appeared, radiating a powerful light.
A massive, ethereal fist, glowing with golden energy, descended from above, slamming into Zephir. He cried out, "FUCK!" as the impact sent him reeling, a shockwave rippling through the air.
The ethereal fist continued its assault, slamming into Zephir repeatedly, each blow sending tremors through his body. He gritted his teeth, enduring the pain, his resolve unwavering.
Mercedes, her expression serene, descended gracefully, the golden light around her fading. "THE GODS ARE WATCHING. PLEASE MIND YOUR LANGUAGE." Zephir, still on the ground, glared at her. "THERE SEEMS TO BE A MISUNDERSTANDING, SO LET ME CLARIFY."
"YOU ARE THE ONLY ONE THAT THE GODS FIND 'FUN'... THEY WEREN'T INTERESTED IN HUMANS TO BEGIN WITH. YOU HAVE TO PROVE YOUR WORTH IN ORDER TO GET WHAT YOU WANT, BOTH INDIVIDUALS OR TRIBES."