Silence. A silence that resembled the endless abyss of the Abyssal Hell itself.
『…….』
Descended upon the palace of a King of Hell. And with hair that seemed to encapsulate entire galaxies,
“Out of all the realms of the afterlife, you always choose to visit the deepest parts…”
A woman with an indescribable aura.
“Surely you haven’t developed a taste for flirting with dangerous death?”
She was the only one to break the silence that mirrored the abyss.
“Well, not exactly…”
Reading the playful glint in her eyes, Shimun replied, “Meeting you here again, I might just start to.”
He answered with a smile mirroring hers. Was this a satisfactory answer?
“Ohoho!”
The woman laughed with elegance and grace. Possibly very pleased with his response, she couldn’t stop laughing for some time.
“Truly… you always manage to entertain me, Shimun.”
She replied with a bright smile. However, “But don’t get too comfortable with it, okay? This place is bad enough for the living, even Death Constellations avoid it.”
Her face turned serious, offering a word of caution.
“Of course. By the way…”
Shimun nodded seriously, stepping closer to her.
“It’s been a while, Nyx. How have you been?”
He greeted her with a smile.
Naturally, “Hehe. Ever since your last visit, it’s been just the same.”
Nyx cheerfully accepted his greeting.
And then, ‘Ah…’
The massive being watching the two, ‘I had hoped it wasn’t true…’
The King Wudao Zhuanlun, seeing his last hope shatter, closed his enormous eyes tightly. It was understandable.
‘Not just any Death Constellation, but the Goddess of Night, Nyx…!’
The Goddess of Night, Nyx.
Compared to the titles of King of Hell or King of Hell, her name carried no sense of intimidation or threat. But the reality was far different.
‘How could a primordial god have a connection with a mere mortal!’
A primordial god.
A being who had existed since the very beginning, beyond the comprehension of even other Constellations. Actually, referring to her as a Constellation itself was an absurdity.
The existence of Divine King level Constellations, rulers of various divine realms within the Galaxy Arena. Even among Constellations, those who are called Kings were beneath the Primordial Deities.
But how could a mere mortal, a player who had just reached Master Rank, have a connection with such a being?
Yet, the impossible was happening right before their eyes. As a Constellation like a King of Hell, distinguishing this reality wasn’t hard.
『I, wudao Zhuanlun, who oversees the Abyssal Hell among the Ten Hells…』
The King Wudao Zhuanlun moved his colossal fortress-like body,
『Pay my respects to the great Goddess of Night.』
Rumble.
He bowed respectfully and deeply.
“Oh, it’s a pleasure to see you, King Wudao Zhuanlun. It’s been quite a long time.”
With a noble smile, Nyx accepted his greeting.
Soon after, was there an issue?
“But…”
She trailed off, furrowing her brow slightly and tilting her head.
『Is there something that displeases you…』
King Wudao Zhuanlun, who was as tense as could be, had no time to ask before,
“You’ve always been enormous. Well, you are distantly related to the great demigod Lord Shennong, so it’s not surprising.”
Nyx continued speaking first.
“But, you’re just too big.”
With a slightly awkward smile, “My neck hurts just trying to look at you.”
Swish.
She lightly waved her hand.
Then, astonishingly,
Swoosh.
King Wudao Zhuanlun’s massive form shrank in an instant.
He became even smaller than the 18-meter-tall giant. He reduced to roughly 5 meters in height before the shrinking ceased.
“Now it’s much easier to look at you.”
Nyx smiled with satisfaction.
However,
『…….』
At 5 meters tall, King Wudao Zhuanlun was silently shocked. He made no further movement. More accurately, he couldn’t move at all. It was understandable.
‘Wh-when did she affect my true form…’
He hadn’t even realized that Nyx had shrunk his true form. And that wasn’t the end of it.
‘The comment about her neck hurting…’
The statement that it was too painful to look up at his towering form. As a Primordial God, it was impossible for her to suffer neck pain. Moreover, being bound by the concept of eyes to perceive the world wasn’t something applicable to her.
Thus, the remark about her neck hurting was merely an excuse. The real intent behind it was, ‘Don’t make me have to look up at you ever again… that’s what she meant.’
For the Primordial God to have to look up at a mere Constellation was an expression of immense arrogance.
In this context, Nyx’s action of shrinking his true form was a clear warning.
Realizing that Nyx was displeased, King Wudao Zhuanlun responded,
『I apologize deeply. The arrival of such a revered being was unforeseen. I hadn’t even considered this in my wildest dreams.』
He adopted a thoroughly submissive posture. This wasn’t just because Nyx was a Primordial God.
『Thanks to the esteemed beings like yourself, the Abyssal Hell is maintained… Rather than seeking an audience first, I have committed a grave mistake.』
Among the Ten Hells overseen by the Kings of Hell, the Abyssal Hell, also known as Tartaros, was the worst.
Nyx was one of the rulers of this endless abyss, Tartaros.
Given that even Death Constellations couldn’t easily approach this domain, naturally, as the ruler of such a hell, King Wudao Zhuanlun had to tread carefully around Primordial Deities like Nyx.
『Please, punish this ignorant one.』
Whether it was due to his excessive humility or his prudent judgment,
“Hoho! King Wudao Zhuanlun, you are as noble and dignified as ever.”
Nyx smiled with satisfaction.
Yet, in an odd twist, she tightened her grip on the situation.
“But… how should I interpret what’s happening right now?”
She continued.
『Th-that is…!』
King Wudao Zhuanlun squirmed anxiously, unable to hide his discomfort.
“As you know well, King Wudao Zhuanlun, that Fragment of Tartaros was personally bestowed by me.”
Nyx spoke sweetly, almost too sweetly.
“But how could a Death Constellation treat the bearer of such a piece in this manner?”
Her voice was so soft it could lull even a Constellation to sleep.
However, ‘Danger!’
Anyone acquainted with Nyx, the Goddess of Night, would understand how perilous that drowsy feeling induced by her voice was.
Clenching his eyes with effort,
『I-it’s a misunderstanding!』
He strained to move his lips. Fortunately, his desperate appeal seemed to have worked.
“Oh my, a misunderstanding?”
Nyx’s continued words broke the drowsiness that had enveloped even a Constellation.
『Yes! It’s all, it’s all a misunderstanding!』
King Wudao Zhuanlun held onto the lifeline as tightly as he could.
『As a King of Hell, I sought only to understand the sudden appearance of living beings! I intended no disrespect!』
With his continued words, “Hmm…”
Nyx let out a light hum. Then she turned immediately to Shimun.
“Shimun? Is that true?”
King Wudao Zhuanlun’s gaze also fixated on Shimun.
Both Constellations’ stares,
Especially,
『…….』
With eyes seemingly about to pop out, King Wudao Zhuanlun’s desperate and silent pleading.
“Of course. He merely wanted to understand how I entered the Abyssal Hell.”
Shimun responded with a small smile, grasping the opportunity.
“Hehe. Well, considering he is the ruler of the Abyssal Hell and not just any King of Hell…”
Nyx smiled wickedly.
“He certainly wouldn’t do anything to ignore my presence.”
She turned her gaze back to King Wudao Zhuanlun.
『O-of course not!』
King Wudao Zhuanlun quickly nodded, his face lighting up.
As he repeatedly glanced at Shimun behind her,
『King Wudao Zhuanlun expresses his heartfelt gratitude to you.』
『You have earned 500,000 achievement points.』
『You have acquired the ‘Pardon from the Ten Hells’.』
He expressed his sincere thanks to Shimun.
However,
『King Wudao Zhuanlun is not a participant in the Galaxy Arena.』
『With permissible causal value adjustment, you earn 50,000 achievement points.』
『With permissible causal value adjustment, it is awarded as a ‘Title’ not an ‘Item’.』
『You have acquired the title ‘Pardon from the Ten Hells’.』
He wasn’t granted the full reward.
Shimun read through the messages that popped up.
As the messages stated, ‘Since he’s not an Arena participant, the penalties are quite significant.’
Just like King Enma, King Wudao Zhuanlun was not a Constellation participating in the Galaxy Arena. Thus, the achievement points he granted were reduced to a mere 1/10 of the original,
And the Pardon item was given as a non-tangible title.
‘Well, at least the rewards are granted…’
He still received the rewards, and it was clear that from King Wudao Zhuanlun’s perspective, he had granted a significant amount of 500,000 achievement points and a Pardon.
As a King of Hell, the Pardon held considerable significance.
‘A heartfelt apology has been received, and that’s enough.’
Shimun felt great satisfaction from King Wudao Zhuanlun’s sincerity.
And,
“Hmm…”
Although Nyx, who could interfere with the Galaxy Arena’s system itself, surely understood all this…
“King Wudao Zhuanlun? I must have misunderstood. I apologize if I caused any discomfort.”
Nyx pretended to be unaware. She slightly bent her knees, holding the hem of her dress.
『N-not at all! It’s perfectly understandable that such a misunderstanding could arise!』
King Wudao Zhuanlun frantically waved his hands, trying to reassure her.
Feeling somewhat relieved,
『However…』
He finally straightened his previously bent body and looked at an empty space beside him. There,
『It seems the Galaxy Arena has numerous complaints.』
Busy with trying to gauge Nyx’s mood, a message window from the Arena had piled up beside him.
And, “Indeed.”
Nyx agreed, “They’re throwing a real fit.”
She muttered a soft curse.
Hearing that,
『…What? What did you just say…』
King Wudao Zhuanlun’s eyes widened in shock, but that was as far as he got.
As if the curse had never existed, “Oh my? What a curious thing to say. Interference?”
Nyx spoke in her usual elegant voice towards the empty space.
“All I did was move to this place without using any other powers.”
Was something in the messages bothering her?
“Oh, I see.”
With a slight shift in her tone and a raised eyebrow,
“Indeed, the esteemed Arena does use the Ten Hells as their stage, so they might have a point.”
Snap.
She lightly snapped her fingers.
Then,
Boom.
The entire area of a King of Hell’s Palace shook violently. In an instant, it transformed into a universe filled with stars and planets. King Wudao Zhuanlun disappeared without a trace.
Making it clear, “Now that we’re in my domain…”
She casually surveyed the boundless universe,
“Now, whatever I do, you have no grounds for complaint, do you?”
She directed a very ruthless smile towards the empty space.
Signaling this,
Crack!
A chilling sound of bones breaking echoed.
* * *
Crunch.
Crack.
Into several pieces. Or, how many units was it being divided into?
Even as his body was being broken down into unimaginable forms,
“……”
He felt no pain, no sensation, no emotion. The Abyssal Hell, the most feared among the Ten Hells.
Exactly.
It felt like being thrown into that place as a sinner, where everything is forgotten. In a situation where not even common fear could be felt, ‘That is…’
Velyaz could perceive only one thing.
‘Shennong… the relic… my mission…’
The ember-shaped fragment slipping away from his fragmented chest. His obsession with the relic of the great deity, Lord Shennong, whom he served.
As even that became hazy,
『Master Rank debut match will be terminated immediately.』
『All players will be forcibly reverse-summoned.』
Two system windows appeared.
But that was it.
The one who had brought everything to this point, Nyx, stepping towards Kim Shimun.
“Hmph, where do you think you’re going in my domain…”
As if grabbing a clump of hair, she grabbed the two system messages with one hand.
Rip!
Handing over the relic of Lord Shennong with her other hand, she said, “Shimun? Here, take this.”
With that, Velyaz fell into a sleep from which he would never awaken.
Slump.