Ranker Who Lives Twice - Chapter 449: Shadow King (5)
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Chapter 449: Shadow King (5)

O-ow

Doyle? Doyle! Are you awake?

Doyle forced his eyes open despite a head-splitting migraine. He felt as though he was struggling out of an endless darkness, and he didnt even know how it was possible that he was breathing. When his vision cleared, he could see Kahn and Victoria looking down at him in concern. They were like a brother and a sister-in-law to him, more of a family than his father. Wheream I? It doesnt look like Tartarus.

The last thing he remembered was the god he served, Persephone, manifesting, and as she revealed the power of Mother Earth, his magic power had gone wild. Apostles were like the high priests of their gods. They could never refuse their will, and hed been forced to go along with her wishes. It was a painful memory.

From the Heavenly Demon to Mother Earthwhy was he always being used by these divine beings? He felt wronged. It wasnt like he had chosen to be born this way. Then, Doyle realized that his body had changed drastically. What? Its gone?

He was either always connected to some great spiritual being or wary of interference from those targeting him. But there wasnt any of that now. There was nothing. Not a single being was trying to possess him or interfere in his business. The Heavenly Demon, Mother Earth, and everything elseit was all gone.

No, there was something. Just one thing that was still weak, but it embraced him with warmth, like a mother bird protecting its chicks from the cold. It removed the interference of all other spiritual beings. Although it was like a small spark compared to the Heavenly Demon and Mother Earth, something powerful squirmed inside it.

It was familiar to Doyle. This is At that moment, the small spark expanded and blazed. Cain hyung?

Kahn nodded solemnly. Thats right. Cain helped. This is his clan house.

Only then did Doyle realize what had happened while he was unconscious. Cain hyung cut all my Channels for me.

Yeah.

It mustve been quite difficult.

Kahn didnt say anything in reply. Doyles condition was so bad that even Anastasia said he couldnt be healed anymore. Still, Kahn had searched for Yeon-woo to find another method. Yeon-woo had examined Doyle for a while, and quietly murmured, Ill try.

Kahn didnt know what Yeon-woo had done. All he had seen was Yeon-woo moving his hands, and Doyles expression immediately looked peaceful after.

However, Anastasia, who was watching with them, muttered under her breath that they were all crazy, and left. When he turned to look at Victoria, she didnt seem to know the details either.

I had remnants of the holy power the Heavenly Demon and Mother Earth left behind. When the Channels were forcibly disconnected, what remained was infecting or messing up my soul. Cain hyung took care of that. It couldnt have been easy

Kahn finally understood what Doyle was saying about the complete elimination of the remnants. It was easier said than done. Doyles soul was probably fully synchronized with their holy power. If anything went wrong, Doyles soul would be damaged.

And it wasnt just one but two beings. To make it worse, they were the Heavenly Demon and Mother Earth. Mere mortals wouldnt even be able to handle the difficulty, but Yeon-woo managed it. In hindsight, Anastasia had said something after seeing Yeon-woo.

Youre already accustomed to dealing with souls? So, it seems you didnt gain pieces of holiness and ascended to a divine position for nothingI wouldnt be surprised if you exuviate soon. She was saying it wasnt a coincidence that Yeon-woo had received Hades Throne of Death. He had the qualifications to back it up.

In the entire history of the Towerand probably even in the futurethere likely wasnt anyone who could surpass Yeon-woo when it came to handling souls. It was the reason why hed succeeded in treating Doyle.

But it would be dangerous for me if the remnants werent replacedso I think he filled the vacuum with his.

Are yousaying?

Yeah. It seems Cain hyung made me his Apostle? With that, blackish-blue flames burned above Doyles palm. Whoosh! It was Holy Fire, Yeon-woos trademark. Im probably the first to be a mortals Apostle. Not bad. Doyle smiled faintly. Compared to gods and demons, Yeon-woos level was beyond lacking, but he was still qualified to have Apostles. Perhaps he was even overqualified because even though he hadnt even reached his full potential, he already had the Throne of Death. Is he trying to create a new religion with me as the start?

Appointing an Apostle, who was practically a high priest, meant he could found a new religion. The greater the followers, the more faith would expand, which meant it was a significant source of support for gods. Doyle felt like he knew what he needed to do in the future, and what his task was.

He had become someones subordinate, but if he was fated to be a servant anyway, he would accept this gladly. Compared to the mysterious Heavenly Demon and the conniving Mother Earth, Yeon-woo was much more trustworthy. And from what he could see, Yeon-woo was someone with limitless growth.

He wouldnt be satisfied simply being a king. He was sure to climb the wall of the seventy-seventh floor and one day challenge the godly thrones of the ninety-eighth floor and equal Mother Earth, Heavenly Demon, and the others. By serving him, Doyle would be able to grow as well.

Others might say it was crazy, but Doyle had seen many gods and demons, and he was even more certain about it. Was it because he decided to be at peace with it?

Yeon-woos flame burned in his mind and purified his dizziness, pushing away the darkness. The events that had happened while he was comatose flashed through his mind. He remembered the countless gods and demons that had approached to take his body with its remnants. They had different bases and ranks, and he was vaguely recalling their vestiges when he suddenly straightened his back.

Whats wrong? Kahns eyes widened when he saw Doyle shaking. He thought it was a side effect.

Doyle frantically muttered, Danger

What?

Cain hyung is in danger! Doyles deafening shout echoed in the room.

* * *

The Crawling Chaos wasnt enoughand now youre working with a harlot like her? Youre all over the place. Yeon-woo found himself scoffing before he even realized. Not only did Bayluk have the Crawling Chaos with him, he was working with Mother Earth, too.

The Crawling Chaos and Mother Earth were an unlikely pair. From what he knew, there was nearly no means for a conceptual god and otherworld god to find common ground. Conceptual gods set the laws and truth of the Tower, and otherworld gods were reliant on external disorder and chaos. There was no way they could meet, but Bayluk seemed to be handling it well. But then, since it was Vieira Dune whod taken over Mother Earth, was it possible that he had done this with that knowledge?

[Mother Earth is watching you.]

Mother Earth wasnt showing any particular reaction; she only observed Yeon-woo. It was unpleasant.

Bayluk replied, A harlot. Shes someone you used to sleep with. Isnt that too harsh?

Did Mother Earth not reveal his true identity? Bayluk didnt seem to know about Yeon-woo, but Yeon-woo didnt feel the need to correct him.

Bayluk continued, And Id like to correct you. You got the order wrong. I began working with Vieira Dune first, raised her to become Mother Earth and was able to make a contract with the Crawling Chaos after.

When you were still in Arthia?

Thats right.

A traitor and a harlot, what a pair. Wow, how could two people so perfect for each other join forces like this? Yeon-woo was able to realize the truth. He did suspect that there had been too much for Bayluk to accomplish on his own, and now he knew that hed been working with Vieira Dune all along.

He didnt know who started it, but Vieira Dune poisoned Jeong-woo for Bayluk, and Bayluk researched the Soulstone she brought and turned her into Mother Earth. In return, Vieira Dune provided him an opportunity to gain new knowledge from the Crawling Chaos.

It looked like they had gotten so far because Vieira Dune pursued what she wanted in the heavenly world while Bayluk pursued his in the lower world.

Vieira Dune became Mother Earth to threaten Tartarus and Olympus, and Bayluk used the Elohim to create a Divine Human? Ha! Hilarious. The people he wanted to tear to shreds were both here. However, he didnt understand why Mother Earth would reveal her will.

[Mother Earth is watching you.]

Even though she was working with Bayluk and might be curious about Yeon-woo, she should have been busy with the war with Olympus. Was the war over? He had no way of knowing what happened after he left, so he couldnt help feeling anxious.

I thought youd no longer have any interest in the lower world. Just then, fog wavered next to Bayluk and turned into a human. It was Vieira Dune.

She took a turn around the lab and carefully sat on a glass capsule in the depths of the lab. She embraced the capsule as though it were a precious object.

Yeon-woos face hardened. One of Jeong-woos homunculi was inside the glass tube that Vieira Dunes manifestation was stroking. It was a scene he never wanted to see. Mother Earth ran her hands over the capsule as though she were patting a doll and stroked the area over the homunculus face. Then, she turned back to Yeon-woo and opened her mouth.

You. Dont. Know.

Because she was a conceptual being, she couldnt speak properly. Yeon-woo maximized his dragons knowledge to interpret her words. What dont I know?

Would. You. Know.

This. Is.

My. Doll.

What?

My. Partner.

We. Are. Destined.

Mother Earths manifestation continued to move her mouth, not caring how furious Yeon-woo grew.

Our. Love.

Grew. Cold.

But. I. Wont. Lose. Him. Again.

Dont. Bother. Me. Human.

Black. Is. Mine.

So.

You. Are. Also. Mine.

Give. Me. The. Throne.

With that, the manifestation looked up at the sky and let out a long cry.

Ooo.

Ooooo.

It was a spiritual spell that mortals couldnt hear. Yeon-woo was only able to hear it because he possessed the Throne of Death. His expression turned hard because he knew what it meant. It was a declaration of war.

[At Mother Earths request, <Olympus> has expressed hostility to the clan Arthia.]

[All societies and alliances related to the clan Arthia have accepted the declaration of war from <Olympus>.]

[The clan Children of the Forest is hostile to <Olympus>.]

[The clan Iron Throne is hostile to <Olympus>.]

[The clan Greenshade Star is hostile to <Olympus>.]

[The enmity between the demonic society <LInfernal> and <Olympus> has been established!]

[<Olympus> asserts a trial of restraints.]