[Death stage 6 is starting to fuse with Life stage 4.]

[The power of Cycle is being used.]

A strange light explored Confusion’s body. It was a power no one could defy.

However, Confusion immediately recognized that power. It was a power that Time had wanted at all costs!

This left Confusion dumbfounded. “Damn it! He was able to awaken the power of Cycle?!”

Lee Gun was clearly using the power of Cycle! Of course, Time had always used it when he acquired the souls of Yeonwoo and Junwoo.

‘It’s on a different level compared to what Time used.’

Confusion had no idea why Time wanted the power of Cycle so much. The only certainty was that it was a powerful ability capable of destroying great monarchs!

However, Time had never been satisfied even after acquiring so much power. He kept returning to the past over and over again!

As the younger brother of Time, Confusion also enjoyed the endless return to the past, but it was maddening.

‘I always wondered why he wasn’t satisfied with that power.’

Confusion had an understanding when he saw Lee Gun use that power. “Shit! I get why he wasn’t satisfied!!”

Was it the difference in how it was activated? The power of Cycle activated through the souls of Yeonwoo and Junwoo seemed cute in comparison to this one. That wasn’t all.

‘His power of Life should be at only stage 4 right now…!’

Despite this, Lee Gun’s power of Cycle was incredible. However, that wasn’t important right now.

Kwah-jeek!

The activated power of Cycle ravaged Confusion’s body.

[The power of Cycle is breaking down Confusion’s body.]

[The disassembled body will be recreated into something new.]

Cycle was life leading to death and death leading to life. It was an endless cycle. It generated power that created the order of the universe.

In other words, this power pushed all static existence into motion. And that power reached Confusion.

“Ahhhk!!”

Confusion’s body started to distort in odd ways.

[The existence of Confusion has been swept up into the flow of the Cycle.]

[Confusion ▶ Order]

All phenomena had an end. The power of Cycle just artificially accelerated this process!

[The power of Confusion is being dismantled.]

[It is being changed into Order.]

His skin became twisted, and his body became distorted as if it was being folded into itself.

Confusion screamed. It was to be expected since he was a monarch who could use his power only through disorder! “Bastard!!”

In the end, all the magical energy and abilities that Confusion was trying to use started to go out of existence.

Cycle was a loop. Normally, Order would once again be changed into Confusion. It would be the revival of Confusion but…

“Your life ends here.”

“Ahhhhhk!!”

Lee Gun just had to stop the power of Cycle before Order became Confusion again! 

Of course, Confusion knew Lee Gun’s intent. He glared as he unleashed his power, planning on resisting.

Kwahng!

When Confusion resisted, the power of Cycle became turbulent, as if it was about to disappear in no time.

“!!”

The only reason this happened was that Life was at only stage 4.

Confusion recognized this at a glance. It seemed levels of the Divine statuses had to add up to at least ten for one to be able to activate the power of Cycle.

‘However, the balance is off right now.’

In terms of power, this Cycle was more impressive than the one used by Confusion’s older brother. However, the difference in the power’s stability was like night and day. Just a small disturbance caused Lee Gun’s power of Cycle to fluctuate. This meant only one thing.

‘It’s an ability that needs Life and Death to be exactly balanced.’

It couldn’t be more or less. The ratio had to be exactly 5:5!

‘I just need to break the balance!’

In this situation, Death had reached stage 6. Lee Gun was in danger of dying just from controlling that power, yet he had to control the power of Cycle too?

‘There is no way that’s possible.’

Confusion’s eyes flashed as he aimed for Lee Gun’s head. “I’ll cut off your head just like I did to your friend!”

He purposely tried to provoke Lee Gun. He thought it would make Lee Gun shift more power to Death.

It was like making the weight shift toward one side when one was barely able to stay balanced. Moreover, Lee Gun’s reflexes were poor right now since he was trying to control his power. This was Confusion’s opportunity!

“It’ll make a great present for your nephew and niece!”

When he heard that, Lee Gun’s eyes immediately flashed. At that moment, Confusion realized that he had made a mistake that he should never have.

Kwah-jeek!!!

“Ahhhhk!!”

After making Lee Gun go berserk into Death stage 6, Confusion realized Lee Gun was beyond formidable.

Lee Gun’s eyes flashed, and Death, which was tangled with Confusion’s body, showed a reaction.

“Ahhk! My neck!”

Death ruthlessly surrounded Confusion, then went through Confusion’s throat to decapitate him.

Kwah-jeek!!

Lee Gun ground his teeth as he used the power of Cycle at that moment.

“The one who wanted destruction should return to ashes by following the way of nature.”

Confusion scrambled as he felt as if his body was being ripped apart. At the same time, Confusion felt something.

This power felt similar to what Time used, but at the same time, it was entirely different. Time was unable to go against the flow of nature, but this power…

‘Depending on how this power is used, it can be much higher in rank than Time’s…!’

Flash!

As a light flashed, Confusion’s consciousness faded away. The last thing that the monarch saw was Lee Gun’s face. Confusion let out a forced laugh.

‘Shit! I should have realized in the beginning that he is someone who should never be messed with.’

Confusion’s body undulated in a disordered manner. It disappeared as it turned into ashes.

[You have acquired a massive amount of EXP after getting rid of Confusion.]

[Confusion possesses EXP for Death.]

[However, Confusion was made into Order, so Life’s EXP has gone up.]

Finally, Confusion fell in front of Lee Gun as formless clay. Then there were the human bones that seemed to belong to Hahn Jimin.

Lee Gun furrowed his brows as he picked up the bones.

[You feel the presence of a human soul.]

[You can use the power of Cycle to revert the body.]

Hahn Jimin was Sungjae’s friend. It seemed the human personality of Hahn Jimin co-existed with the personality of Confusion.

With Sungjae on his mind, Lee Gun tried to pick up the bones. He thought he might be able to return Sungjae’s friend, who wasn’t Confusion. However…

Koo-goong!!

“Koohk!”

At that moment, Death stage 6, which he had forgotten about, started to violently fluctuate. Lee Gun vomited blood as he fell over.

‘It is trying to run amok again!’

With Death reaching stage 6, he was able to satisfy the requirement needed to awaken the power of Cycle. However, the fundamental problem hadn’t gone away.

Koo-goo-goong!!

Death stage 6 was psychotic as it destroyed the body of its owner. It wanted its owner to run amok, so it went berserk.

Despite Lee Gun awakening as a god, this power was able to destroy his body.

“Koohk!”

The problem wasn’t that his body was being destroyed.

[The berserk Death stage 6 is worried for its owner. It says your body won’t be destroyed if you give up resisting.]

[Death goes berserk as it tells you to kill everything.]

Death took away Lee Gun’s rational thoughts and principles. It planned on turning him into the God of Calamity.

Lee Gun tried to forcefully suppress death. However, the extreme pain made blood flow out of his eyes and mouth. The pain was unimaginable. He wondered if this pain was solely caused by Death going berserk.

[It is time to decide your Divine status.]

[If you continue to resist, you will die.]

“!”

The notification said something unexpected.

[Life doesn’t balance out with Death, and they are fighting against each other. Your body cannot withstand it.]

[If you choose to throw away the low-level Life, you will be able to prevent your body from being destroyed by choosing to become the God of Death.]

[The probability of you being able to control Death goes up if you do that.]

Lee Gun’s eyes flashed. “Fuck off!”

If he chose to become the God of Death, he would have to give up on Life. It meant he wouldn’t be able to revive Yeonwoo and Hugo. That wasn’t an option.

Lee Gun was finally able to use Death and Life at the same time, so he said, “I just have to maintain the status quo. I just have to raise Life to level 5 or 6.”

[It won’t be easy.]

[Controlling Death stage 6 isn’t an easy task.]

[However, there are no methods that’ll allow you to control it.]

At that moment, Lee Gun grabbed the body of Confusion, whom he had changed into Order.

<Creation Workshop>

He used his manufacturing ability to turn Confusion— No; he changed the body of Order into a ring.

When he put the ring on his forefinger, something surprising happened.

Kwahng!!!

The indiscriminate and uncontrolled power of Death stage 6 started to calm down. It was the power of Order!

Confused, Death stage 6 was forcefully held in place. Even the notification— No, the thirteenth original owner was surprised by that power.

The impressed thirteenth looked at Lee Gun. It was to be expected since he was part of the Creation Tribe, called Creators.

Those possessing the blood of the Creators each had different Creation abilities, for example, nature creation and emotion creation. It was diverse.

The thirteenth was a Creator who possessed the power of Ability Creation. However, Lee Gun was different.

‘Lee Gun specializes in Item Creation.’

Of course, the power of holy items was used for support. The one to truly control the out-of-control Death was Lee Gun.

This was why the thirteenth laughed as if he had expected this.

‘I knew you would be able to do it.’

The thirteenth knew the requirement needed to release the power of Cycle. Death would be raised to 6, so the power could be used at the ratio of 6:4.

Moreover, Life had a stronger vitality than Death. It would allow Life to endure the situation for a short amount of time. During this time, Life had to be raised to level 5. That would cause the out-of-control Death to calm down. Then the final ratio would be 5:5.

‘However, I could never pull off that method.’

The thirteenth thought about a past event. It was when he had given the power of Cycle to his precious baby snakes. 

The thirteenth’s older brother, who was the current Sagittarius, had disapproved of his action.

- Why are you separating your power and giving it to your Constructs? The power’s effectiveness will fall if they are used separately.

- You are asking why I’m dividing my power to use them?

- Yes. You know how to awaken the power of Cycle. You raise Death to stage 6, then you raise Life afterwards…

- Hyung, death provokes the rage embedded within the user. If Death reaches stage 6, I’ll become a monster.

- I know that. However, you are talented. Do you really think you will be unable to control your Rage?

- I cannot control Rage. Never.

- Why?

The thirteenth’s eyes were full of murderous intent as he glared at his older brother.

- You should know, right?

- !

- I’m the one who wants you all dead more than anyone.

‘Anyway, I cannot control my Rage.’

Moreover, he couldn’t use his power to get rid of the unwanted guest called Time. 

On the other hand, Lee Gun was different. It was the day when Lee Gun had awakened.

When all the monsters had disappeared that day, it was caused by the momentary explosion of Death’s power. At the time, Lee Gun’s Rage had reached the extreme, and he was able to use Life to save all the civilians.

‘He didn’t lose control even after he lost Yeonwoo.’

This was why the thirteenth had determined Lee Gun would be able to control Death stage 6. Of course, he did swap out Hugo’s body for Lee Gun, but…

‘I never expected such a result.’

Flash!!

The power of Death had been about to swallow the world, yet it had completely disappeared, accompanying the light.

[You have successfully controlled Death stage 6.]

[When the power of Death was controlled, a part of its power was transferred to Life.]

[It won’t be long before Life reaches level 5.]

Lee Gun’s eyes flashed.