The first thing I felt was confusion. I couldn't tell why Jupiter, in front of me, had Lee Geonmyeong's face. Lee Geonmyeong had pa.s.sed away some time ago from a chronic disease. The newspapers and broadcasting stations reported about it on a large scale. No, it was hard to understand why Jupiter had Lee Geonmyeong's face. Additionally, why was he attacking me and taking away my power?

[You must be very confused.]

“...Keuk.”

I tried to move my limbs, but they wouldn't budge. Jupiter's thunderbolt trapped me like a noose and didn't tolerate any actions.

[It would be very confusing. I am supposed to be dead, yet I am alive like this. It is also as Jupiter. Haha. It is natural to be surprised.]

As expected, he seemed to be Lee Geonmyeong.

"Why are you doing this to me? What are you intending to do?”

[Ah, don't be in a hurry. You will find out eventually. Do you know how long I have been waiting for this moment? The moment to take back the power of weather that was taken from me by Gaia.]

A thunderbolt was fired from Lee Geonmyeong's fingertips and it made my entire body tingle. I gritted my teeth and endured the pain. Lee Geonmyeong's eyes slightly widened.

[Are you resistant to my thunderbolt? I'm a bit amazed.]

“Cough!” This didn't mean there was no damage. I felt excruciating pain as blood spilled from my mouth. My vision was tinged red. It meant a critical injury. In the past, I gained resistance to thunderbolts by borrowing the power of Zhen Sulong's lightning. Otherwise, I might've turned into powder now.

“G-Gasp...”

[Hmm. Well, it is fine to take away your power while you are alive like this.]

In front of me, Jupiter became smaller and the size of a human being. He slowly approached me with his hands behind his back. There was no doubt that this was Lee Geonmyeong's appearance. Lee Geonmyeong slowly reached out to me. The moment that his hand was about to reach my heart, golden sparks occurred.

[It is a meaningless struggle. You also took Gaia's side at that time. You, who are vessels for dividing my strength, dare to think you can beat me?]

Lee Geonmyeong smiled and the sparks appeared even more violently. It was Prometheus and Atlas resisting. Lee Geonmyeong's hand gradually approached my heart while at the same time, messages appeared.

[The first apostle, 'Prometheus,' is shouting at you to wake up!]

[The third apostle, 'Atlas,' is gritting his teeth and blocking Jupiter.]

I barely managed to regain my mind. I was in a daze for a while but barely woke up thanks to the messages I received. First of all, I had to get out of here.

“Huup!” I surrounded my legs with the power of the sun and used Rising Sun. The ultimate Rising Sun secret technique, Sun Dragon, rose from the tip of my toes. Five dragons rushed toward Lee Geonmyeong in front of me like wolves.

[Ridiculous.]

The moment I felt the thunderbolt emerging from Lee Geonmyeong's fingertips, I immediately got out of the thunderbolt noose and started to run out of the celestial palace. Behind me, Lee Geonmyeong easily defeated Sun Dragon with one hand. He destroyed it that easily?

[It hasn't been long since the taboo was released so my strength is lacking.]

Lee Geonmyeong turned his wrist and stared at me. Then he created a spear of thunder and threw it at me who was running on the clouds. The thunderbolt spear flew over and exploded right behind me.

“Dammit!”

Was it because the power was too strong? The thunderbolt spear thrown by Jupiter collapsed the cloud I stood on and I fell down. The place where I fell was the middle of the Atlan Sea. The last thing I saw was Lee Geonmyeong's frustrated face.

* * *

[Was my power too strong this time?]

Jupiter, no, Lee Geonmyeong once again turned his wrist and looked down through the broken cloud.

[Tsk, it can't be helped. The recovery of the sun and the clouds can be done slowly. By the way...]

Lee Geonmyeong clenched his fists and felt more power than before. Gaia's taboo that had restrained him was almost lifted.

[If it is like this, I can go to the human world.]

Lee Geonmyeong once again emitted the light of dignity and returned to the celestial palace with his face covered. The moment he returned to his room, he contacted someone. The clouds in front of him floated like a TV screen.

-I greet My Liege.

The human world appeared vividly in front of him. This was very easy for him now, the G.o.d of light and the sky. There was one person kneeling in front of him. It was surprisingly Demon King Lucifer.

[Alexus' successor has fallen into the sea. Tell Leviathan to take his life.]

-I will do so.

[Now it is time to execute our plan. It will begin the moment I descend to the human world. Wait to attack in the place I told you.]

-As you command.

Lee Geonmyeong stopped the communication with an indifferent look in his eyes and stood up. Then he slowly got up and moved somewhere. It was a place within the celestial palace that only Jupiter could enter. It was a temple said to contain the soul of the original G.o.d, Gaia.

[......]

Lee Geonmyeong stood silently as he watched Gaia' soul shaking with white flames. He closed his eyes and fell into his thoughts. It was quite some time ago. Once Gaia learned of his plan, she squeezed out the last of her power and sealed herself in the human world.

Lee Geonmyeong already knew where the place was. Gaia had probably placed the taboo to prevent him from descending to the human world. However, even if it had taken a long time, he could now return there.

[...I will surely resurrect you and restore your strength. Then I will have the power you have now.]

Lee Geonmyeong moved his hand and carefully held the white flames. It was the precious soul that would awaken the sealed Gaia so he had to treat it as something very precious. Jupiter placed the white flames in the Holy Grail. The light of the grail hugged it as if protecting Gaia's soul. A white haze rose from the Holy Grail and a warm energy like a candle spread everywhere.

[...You might despise me, but now I can't turn back.]

Lee Geonmyeong left the celestial palace with the Holy Grail.

* * *

In the middle of the Atlan Sea...

Torres went straight out of the deep sea, but it wasn't easy. The ones with red eyes were the helcurt living in the depths of the sea. They were a race that had long been driven out of Atlantis in the name of destroying the ecosystem of the sea. They had webs and gills on their arms and legs, as well as fins.

The helcurt's sharp teeth that resembled a piranha made a creepy sound as it narrowly missed Torres' ankles and b.u.mped together. It wouldn't be a problem if it was just the helcurts. He could just drive them away. However, the helcurts chasing Torres were contaminated by demonic energy. They were fish with demonic energy. It might be right to call them demonic fish.

[You are escaping like a loach!]

A black aqua breath flew from behind toward Torres. Torres barely managed to move the water dragon, Blash, to avoid it. Behind him, the helcurts filled with demonic energy continued to follow. Torres shook them off but it was only a matter of time before they caught up.

“s.h.i.+t. The demon king is also here.”

Torres glanced back at the giant monster chasing behind him. There were eight legs like an octopus while the head was a combination of a dragon and crocodile. A grotesque creature with sharp claws and a tail resembling a shark. It was 'Leviathan,' who called itself a demon king.

[I am Abyss of Envy. Trying to play tag in the sea with Leviathan. Foolish human. Seeing you ride that loach, you must have a relations.h.i.+p with Deucalion!]

Leviathan, the demon king of envy, accurately detected Torres' ident.i.ty. Torres barely managed to respond while avoiding Leviathan's claw attacks.

“What are you going to do? Are you a loach as well?”

Leviathan was the former fish star, Hastrang. Hastrang was a predator of the sea and reigned at the top. He had the appearance of a giant shark and became a traitor during Ragnarok, becoming a demon king. Of course, these were all stories told by Deucalion.

[Huhu. What are you saying? I just wanted to live as a predator of the sea. However, Atlantis accused me of destroying the ecosystem of the sea. I just wanted to live.]

A black aqua breath was once again fired from Leviathan's mouth. This time, Torres was. .h.i.t. “Kuheok!”

Blood flowed and the helcurts became even wilder. Torres thought about it while indiscriminately defeating the helcurts.

'First, I have to get out of here. Rise above the water surface and then they won't be able to attack.' 

Torres rode Blash straight to the surface of the water. As expected, Leviathan and the helcurts followed after them, but Torres had an idea.

“Hydroponics Bordeaux.”

A mirror made of water was created at Torres' fingertips. It could only be used twice a day and the cooldown was quite long, but this was the only method he could use to buy time.

[The constellation skill 'Hydroponics Bordeaux' has been used.]

[Demon King Leviathan's stats are too high.]

[The clone's stats are reduced to 30%.]

'A demon king is a demon king.'

Hydroponics Bordeaux was able to create a clone with stats equal to 70% of the original. However, Leviathan's stats were too high so Hydroponics Bordeaux only showed 30% of its ability. Still, this was enough. The clone of Demon King Leviathan that was created cried out loudly. At the same time, it poured out a black aqua breath at the helcurt in front. It was 30% of the stats, but it was enough to wipe out the helcurts.

Leviathan and the helcurts flinched back slightly.

'Okay. Quickly use this opportunity to get to the surface...!'

Torres glanced back as he headed to the surface on Blash. Of course, the clone wasn't the opponent of the main body.

Leviathan spoke while biting at the clone's throat, [You are playing an interesting joke. Deucalion, you are always like this.]

Leviathan quickly dismissed the clone and followed Torres. However, Torres was already on the verge of reaching the surface. Along with the dazzling sunlight, Torres and Blash rose into the air. Now the helcurts wouldn't be able to get out of the water. No matter what, they couldn't fly and they wouldn't be able to pursue him. However—

[...Your plan was to get out of the water?]

Leviathan was flying with large wings spread out behind his back. Torres started sweating. "No, isn't this a foul? What fish can fly?”

[My interest in you has faded. You won't be able to deal with me unless Deucalion comes directly. I have to follow the orders given by my liege anyway. I need to eat you quickly.]

“There is nothing a fish can't say.”

[You...!]

Leviathan swung a giant claw. He was definitely a fish so his speed was different from when he was in the water. On the other hand, Torres avoided Leviathan's attack because it didn't matter if he was in the land or water. It was just that the destructive power wasn't lowered. A water pillar soared up into the sky after the sea was. .h.i.t by Leviathan's palm. If Torres was. .h.i.t then not even his bones would be left.

“Sigh, where is the alcohol. Alcohol... Huh?”

Torres saw something as he was looking for alcohol. He saw someone falling from the sky. It was definitely someone he knew. No, why was this person here when he should be in the Atlan Kingdom?

Plop!

By the way, he fell into the sea without any strength?

“Aish...” Torres, who was about to take a sip of alcohol, jumped back into the sea. It was to save someone from drowning in the sea.