A short time before the Sagittarius had descended…

“What is this….”

Goat’s mouth fell open when he saw the Archer Saint’s holy ground. The five-story building supposed to be in front of him had turned into a sixty-three-story building.

The old outer walls, the outdoor AC units, and the dusty windows were nowhere to be seen. The building now had shiny glass curtain walls, and above all else, a snake’s head was sculpted into its roof.

Nevertheless, the building was still incredibly small compared to the other holy grounds.

Goat, who had returned to the building after about a year, froze because of the change. “W-What the hell happened to our headquarters…”

Lee Jaewon, who had been trailing him, laughed as if this was nothing. “It’s probably Lee Gun-nim’s doing. This is great. We have an elevator now. I don’t have to carry the water jugs up the staircase.”

However, Goat screamed. That wasn’t the problem. The building was more of the Serpent Bearer’s holy ground than the Archer Saint’s holy ground now!

“Our Zodiac will go nuts if he sees this!”

“Probably. He does have a lot of pride.”

“There is more! If our kids see this…”

As soon as he spoke, a scream rang out. Six people appeared, each holding a shopping basket. They were all Archer disciples. Their mouths had fallen open at the sight of the dazzling building.

“Amazing! Is this really our lame building?”

“It is Lee Gun-nim’s doing.”

“Really? I want to transfer to his temple!”

[Faith toward the Serpent Bearer has increased by a lot.]

[Faith toward the Serpent Bearer has increased by a lot.]

[Faith towards the Sagittarius Temple has fallen behind by a little.  

Goat despaired when he realized he was a step too late.

On the other hand, Lee Jaewon laughed.

At the end of the day, he could see that Lee Gun had  gone through painstaking effort to create this building.

Of course, Lee Gun said, ‘I did it since I’ll be living here.’  

However, he had worked on regions that he didn’t usually visit.  It was where only the members of the Sagittarius temple would use, yet his work was very meticulous.

This was why Lee Jaewon thought it was understandable why onlookers would gather around here.

In reality, they were looking at the Archer disciples.

The building was already too famous.

“Is there a shoot going on?”

Some of the Aries disciples recognized the Archer disciples. They whispered amongst themselves.

“I heard some current models were turned down by the Sagittarius. These disciples are amazing to see in the flesh.”

“In terms of fighting abilities, they are all close to being general ranks.”

“Who cares about that? They are bottom feeders, bums!”

As members of the richest temple, their lips twitched as they walked past the group of Archer disciples. However, the Archer disciples didn’t care about that.

“Are we becoming affiliates under Lee Gun-nim, Goat?”

“We heard Lee Gun-nim eradicated the Cancer temple. The other temples are going nuts right now. They didn’t know that was possible.”

“Ah! I wonder what kind of being the Serpent Bearer is!”

The look in the eyes of his fellow disciples angered Goat. “Stop dreaming! No way we’ll become an affiliate! Our Zodiac Saint-nim and Zodiac won’t allow it. The one that became an affiliate under the Serpent Bearer is the Virgo temple!”

The Archer disciples became angry at those words.

“What?! I haven’t heard about that!”

“That’s right! If that damned second-rank blue blood temple became an affiliate, the whole world would have been flipped on its head!”

“Let’s fight! Let’s drag them down! Our loyalty is higher than theirs!”

The Chun siblings, who had become Zodiac Saints, laughed at this scene. They were now in charge of running the temple, and they had thought long and hard about affiliate temples. Why?

‘The temple of the Serpent Bearer is too small. This is why the amount of magical energy the temple can hold is small.’

Lee Gun had fallen unconscious for this very reason. The power of Death consumed a frightening amount of magical energy. For a power that could destroy a Zodiac, this was a given. 

Still, their uncle being able to handle a power of that magnitude was amazing. Therefore, they had to grow the temple so that their uncle could use that power with room to spare.

‘The temples with a grudge against us might attack since they want the Cancer’s Core.’

In that context, their temple would become well-rounded if the Sagittarius temple became an affiliate of theirs. The Sagittarius temple was the strongest when it came to long-distance attacks.

That wasn’t all.

‘The Sagittarius temple has the largest capacity to hold magical energy, and their magical energy recovers the quickest.

It might have something to do with the attribute of the sun god.  Powerful energy was generated and released from within.  This was why the Sagittarius temple had a fixed advantage when it came to their magical energy capacity.

Other temples could use the same technique and their magical energy would bottom  after using it four times.  The Sagittarius temple could use it around 10 times.

If things went well…

‘ Uncle might fight out the secret behind their magical energy attribute’

Of course, the siblings also knew it was asking for the impossible.

‘The Zodiacs will find it humiliating to become an affiliate.’

They had been lucky with the Virgo temple.

In truth, an alliance wasn’t easy either.

However, the Chun siblings were puzzled. Their father hadn’t seen it, but as they were coming out to shop, they had seen their uncle’s expression. 

What had he seen?

Lee Gun had suddenly cursed under his breath. “That Zodiac is a damn scammer.”

Why had Lee Gun said those words?

Flash!

Suddenly, a red light emanated from the entire building, surprising everyone.

“What is that light?”

The Archer disciples were especially taken aback. Of course, they knew what this light meant.

“It’s a Zodiac Descent!”

Moreover, it wasn’t a normal descent. This was a descent with murderous intent that made one think the gods were trying to eat each other.

* * *

The red light flashed within the living room of the Archer Saint’s holy ground.

[You damned God of calamity!]

The Sagittarius descended. He was like Hugo in appearance and voice. The only difference was the color of their eyes. Hugo’s eyes were green, and the Zodiac’s were gold.

Just the appearance of the god changed the atmosphere. Normally, Hugo kept his face neutral like a monk. However, the Sagittarius’s expression was filled with pride and narcissism. It was to be expected of a Zodiac.

After being called out against his will, the Sagittarius smirked in anger.

[Do you really need to call me out this way, God of calamity?]

How dare Lee Gun try to sever the connection between him and his Zodiac Saint? The Zodiac let out a killing intent.

However, this killing intent lasted only a moment. The Sagittarius became surprised.

Chuhk!

As soon as the Zodiac descended, Lee Gun placed the scythe against his neck.

“Lee Gun-nim!”

Chun Jiwoo was about to pass out from shock. Lee Gun soothed her as he guided her to sit. “Is this our first time talking directly to each other, you stingy bastard?”

[Stingy?]

“Yes. When the leader of the crab appeared, you didn’t even think about helping me. You were a stingy bastard.”

The Sagittarius flinched a bit. However, he elegantly snorted a moment later.

[I have no obligation to help the god of calamity. I don’t know what drove you to eliminate one of the twelve Zodiacs, but I’m just surprised you could survive after using the power of calamity.]

Lee Gun let out his magical energy as if he wanted to stop the Zodiac from spewing such nonsense. “That’s enough. I want you to terminate your contract.”

[What?]

“I want you to sever the Zodiac Saint contract and give Taeksoo to me, you scammer.”

Chun Jiwoo was surprised, the Sagittarius shocked.

Lee Gun’s eyes flashed. It was to be expected.

After his fight with the Cancer, his Constructs had taken the Cancer’s body to his holy ground in Hawaii. The body had been stored at his first holy ground, and on waking up, he had received a notification.

[Temple energy has increased through the achievement of the affiliate.]

[You have gained EXP.]

[With the joining of an affiliate, the magical energy gauge has increased by 10%.]

[You can now create divine treasures using the body of the Cancer.]

[The Zodiacs are afraid of the Serpent Bearer]

[Some gods have arrived to repay the Serpent Bearer’s help.]

[You have received a new mission]

[Mission:  The <Royal Holy Item(SS)> is a treasure that protects the majesty of the temple.  Please produce two of them.  If you attain high-purity power(Constructs), you will be able to upgrade and develop the Constructs.

He needed royal holy items as well as high-purity power.

On the other hand, he already knew he needed weapons for his Zodiac Saints.

This was why it was interesting, but that wasn’t important right now.

[Please finalize the contract with the Zodiac Saints.]

[Please confirm the price needed to be received by the Zodiac Saints.]

[When the applicable contracts are completed, the Zodiac Saints will be able to use all their skills.]

Everything was fine up to this point. Normally, the disciples gave EXP and tributes to the Zodiac as the price for using the Zodiac’s power. 

However, the Zodiac Saint was a direct contractor to the Zodiac. The Zodiac Saint was different from the disciples, who needed permission each time they wanted to use their power. The Zodiac Saint could use divine power freely. This might be the reason a Zodiac Saint had to pay a special price.

Of course, Lee Gun had no plan of extracting such a price from his niece and nephew.

‘I bet the price is something like making them become my servants.’

He had thought it would merely be a reconfirmation of the contract. So he hadn’t given it much thought as he was about to complete the contracts. However…

[Price for Zodiac Saint direct contract.]

[As a price for lending power to a Zodiac Saint, the soul of the most precious person to the Zodiac Saint has to be offered after death.]

[If one refuses, the Zodiac may take the Zodiac Saint’s soul.]

Lee Gun couldn’t believe his eyes. What nonsense was this?

Despite the shock, he soon realized how the Zodiac Saint contract system worked. He let out a laugh in contempt.

Back to the present.

“The Zodiac Saints have their souls eaten by you guys, right?”

The Sagittarius was taken aback by Lee Gun’s question.

Lee Gun directed his death glare toward the Zodiac. “I bet the Zodiac Saints do not know about the price associated with the contract, right?”

Of course, they had no idea. If Hugo found out about the truth of the contract, he would not continue to be the Zodiac Saint.

‘He treasures his wife and children too much.’

Moreover, a Zodiac like the Sagittarius wouldn’t have the decency to tell a human about the contract.

On top of that, Lee Gun knew why a Zodiac might want the soul of a Zodiac Saint as the price.

[Are you sure you do not want to set that price?]

[You won’t be able to make the transfer from the temple.]

[You might not be able to live an eternal life.]

Clearly, this was a way to maintain the power or life of a god. Giselle had probably eaten her Zodiac Saint’s soul and taken over her body.

Lee Gun had just ignored the price as he concluded the contract.

When Lee Gun looked like he was about to use the power of death, the Sagittarius furrowed his brows.

[I didn’t trick anyone. My Zodiac Saint knows everything. He offered up his soul as the price—]

However, the Zodiac couldn’t finish his words.

“I know you’re lying. Even if you aren’t, I won’t allow it.” The canine flashed as if it was about to slice through the soul of a god. “I won’t let you eat the soul of my friend.”

All Lee Gun wanted for his friend was for him to live a happy life with his family. There was no way he would let someone get in the way of that.

The black power of the Serpent Bearer started leaking out. Similar to what had happened with the Cancer, Lee Gun showed his intent on swallowing the Sagittarius. “That is why I want you to terminate the contract, or you can come under me as an affiliate.”

[…!]

The Sagittarius was surprised. Was this what Lee Gun wanted from the beginning? Was this the reason Lee Gun kept trying to call for him?

After he had brought the Virgo in as an affiliate, Lee Gun’s power had grown immensely. The Sagittarius knew this better than anyone. Therefore, he quickly spoke to clear the air.

[Do not get it twisted. I never planned on taking the soul of my Zodiac Saint.]

Lee Gun’s eyes turned fiercer. “That makes it worse. This means you planned on taking the soul of Taeksoo’s family as the price.”

[No. In my case, I was paid in advance.]

“What?”

[If you don’t believe me, you can check with your skill.]

When the Sagittarius extended his hand, something appeared in its hand. It was a small vase containing souls.

[Sam Otis! Emily Otis!]

They were the souls of Hugo’s parents. It was said that Hugo’s parents had died when they were ambushed by monsters, and the Sagittarius had saved Hugo.

[They were contaminated because they got killed by monsters. I’m keeping their souls to purify them.]

At the time, Hugo had loved his parents the most. It was the reason the Sagittarius had taken the souls as a formality.

[I don’t care if you take them.]

“Why?”

[I never planned on using them. I’m not like the monsters. I’m not interested in eating humans.]

The Sagittarius acted cool as he handed over the souls.

The light in Lee Gun’s eyes pacified a bit.

The Sagittarius inwardly let out a sigh of relief.

[If you need an affiliate, why not just make an alliance?]

“Why?”

[At the end of the day, Zodiacs are the apex gods. An affiliate has to submit. If I have to submit to you, I won’t have a standing amongst my Constructs. That is why I’m requesting an alliance. An alliance has a similar effect as an affiliate.]

The notification spoke in confirmation. Lee Gun didn’t think it was a bad idea. In the first place, he didn’t have a bad relationship with the Sagittarius. Of course, the prideful Sagittarius suggesting the alliance first was surprising.

The Sagittarius tapped Heaven’s Punishment, which was aimed at his neck.

[If you agree to it, I’ll tell you how to regenerate your weapon and upgrade it. If you want to make a weapon with the body part of a god, you need other special ingredients.]

Lee Gun coolly nodded. Was it because he had his friend’s face? Lee Gun’s anger dissipated more easily.

Moreover, he could redeem the wish coupon if the Sagittarius did anything funny.

“Alright. If you help me fuck up the Zodiacs who placed the curses on me, I don’t care if it’s an alliance or an affiliate.”

The Sagittarius suddenly flinched. He discreetly turned his head as he spoke.

[Mmm… Don’t you think the gods probably had a good reason for placing those curses on you?]

Lee Gun glared at him. “Are you playing with me?”

Lee Gun seemed to feel that much more betrayed since his friend’s Zodiac had said it. “I don’t care about the reason they did it. I almost died in the tower thanks to those curses…”

[I mean things like a decrease in charisma won’t have any influence on your life.]

Lee Gun came to a stop. “Decrease in charisma?”

He looked at the Sagittarius. “How do you know about that?”

The Sagittarius started to sweat. The silence continued for a few moments. The Zodiac then spoke as if he couldn’t stand the silence.

[Oh, God of calamity. We are allies now, so we shouldn’t talk about things that’ll damage both—]

Lee Gun’s eyes turned menacing. “Was it you?”

[Nope!]

“Was it you??”

[N… No. What are you talking about?]

Sparks erupted from Lee Gun’s eyes. This bastard was the one who did it?