“What does that...?”

[It is exactly as I said. Your wife isn't Gaia.]

All time seemed to have stopped in the face of the shocking truth. It was as if everyone around me was immobile and I was alone in the world. It was Joseph who broke the stillness. “Hyung-nim, Gaia really isn't the elder's wife?”

[Yes.]

“Then the elder's wife...”

Joseph's words were quickly cut off. It was because Clymene suddenly entered and swam over in a hurried manner. Her expression was more urgent than ever and Kang Jaeseong lifted the s.h.i.+eld that surrounded us straight away.

[What's going on?]

[The helcurts are attacking Atlantis.]

[Are you saying the helcurts have broken through the barrier?]

[Yes. They have the powerful queen of the helcurts. Additionally, the helcurts are much stronger than they used to be. There is also Hastrang... no, Leviathan joined and we couldn't stop it. Deucalion is now trying to stop them with the soldiers but it isn't enough.]

[I understand. I will come soon. Go first.]

[Yes.]

Clymene swam away. Kang Jaeseong once again looked at Prometheus with sharp eyes. Prometheus flinched. It was the first time I had seen him so nervous.

[I don't like you but you should be able to help out with your fighting power. Go and help Clymene.]

[Huh? I'm the G.o.d of fire. I can't use my strength in the sea...]

[So you can't do it? Are you resisting?]

[Ah, no, that... I'm going, Father-in-law!] 

Prometheus headed out in a hurry like he was running away.

Kang Jaeseong grumbled like he still wasn't happy.

[There is really nothing about that person that I like.]

“Hahaha...”

I heard Joseph's laughter but I couldn't laugh. It was because Kang Jaeseong's earlier words were constantly ringing through my mind. There were only those words in my head. My wife wasn't Gaia. Then what happened to my wife? Additionally, what was the truth that Kang Jaeseong didn't say?

I suddenly felt scared. I was afraid of hearing the truth that Kang Jaeseong hadn't told me.

“...Honey.”

As if hearing my words, Kang Jaeseong quickly came forward and spoke to Joseph, [First of all, I have to go save Atlantis. Ah, before that...]

Kang Jaeseong gestured and the strong current turned clockwise, creating a long vortex. A two-person sized whirlpool broke through the ceiling of the palace. Debris from the broken ceiling fell to the ground as Joseph and I stared up blankly at the ceiling.

[I'll be scolded again but it can't be helped since it is this matter.]

Kang Jaeseong took slow, deep breaths and spoke, [Ride this and go outside. It will lead to the back door. Then, my little brother...]

“Yes.”

[The monument you went to contains the promise between me and Pluto. It can be called a sign of that promise. Take the elder there. Elder...]

“......?”

[You will discover the whole truth there.]

My complexion became a bit hasty when I heard that I would find out the truth. I nodded at Kang Jaeseong. “Thank you.”

I went straight to the entrance of the whirlpool pa.s.sage created by Kang Jaeseong. The whirlpool was really long and connected to an end I didn't know like a small tunnel. “I'm going, Hyung-nim.” 

[Yes. Misung... how is she?]

Suddenly, Kang Jaeseong looked like a brother who was worried about his little sister. Despite living here as a G.o.d for quite some time, he was first worried about his younger sister who was left behind in the real world. Before he was a G.o.d called Neptune, he was the human called Kang Jaeseong and an older brother.

“She is well. She also gave birth to twins.”

[Oh, really? They can't look like you. Hahaha!]

“They naturally resemble Misung. They are too cute. I'll show you photos when I come back.”

[Yes. Go quickly.]

“Yes.”

[Ah, Elder.]

“......?”

[Will you lend me Alexus' Fork Spoon for a while?]

“The fork spoon?”

I handed him the fork spoon without questioning it. In the first place, he wasn't a bad person. There was a firm belief that he wouldn't use it in a strange place as long as he was an ally. There should be a place where he needed to use it.

[Thank you. I will give it back later.] 

The moment Kang Jaeseong clapped, the current went down and the entrance of the whirlpool tunnel was blocked. It quickly rose and took me and Joseph away. We slid through the whirlpool tunnel and flew to the place where the monument was at a high speed.

* * *

The place where the four G.o.ddesses and Jupiter moved was the middle of a vast sea.

They were G.o.ds so they could easily float in the air. It was a very easy thing to do. Jupiter looked around him while speaking, [You did something useless, Hecatiana.] 

Hecatiana gritted her teeth at Lee Geonmyeong who had the appearance of Jupiter. [What is the reason for this? What is your purpose?]

[Let's see... just because I tell you doesn't mean you will understand it.]

Huera, Cadiya, Maya, and Hecatiana—the four G.o.ddesses listened to Jupiter with a nervous expression.

Lee Geonmyeong looked at the four G.o.ddesses one by one, sighed, and spoke slowly, [Do you believe in humans?]

[What does that mean?]

[It is literally what I said. Do you believe in humans?]

[Of course. It is natural as a G.o.d...]

[What is so natural?]

[......]

Hecatiana's words were blocked by Jupiter. It was the same with the others. The tension between them reached its peak.

[What did you do when the naked and hungry humans prayed to the G.o.ds and shouted for help? You didn't do anything.]

Cadiya listened to Jupiter and asked, [Isn't it the same for you as well? Even if this is the case, you aren't in a position to say that to us.] 

[......]

[You are a G.o.d like us. Didn't we want to interfere in the human world? It's not that we don't want to do it. It is that we couldn't. You know that well.]

Lee Geonmyeong burst out laughing when he heard Cadiya's sharp words.

[What is so funny?] Cadiya questioned it with a frown.

Lee Geonmyeong looked solemn as he spoke, [...At one time, I was also a human.] 

The eyes of the four G.o.ddesses widened at the same time. They couldn't believe it. Lee Geonmyeong's words continued, [Not long ago, I lived in the world of those you call immortal beings. It is a world full of contradictions. As you say, there are G.o.ds in this world, but in that place, there are none.]

The mouths of the four G.o.ddesses dropped open slightly at the shocking answer.

[There is no such thing as a G.o.d. No matter how hard it is, no one will listen. I prayed and prayed for salvation, but no one heard it. Some people cross the boundary of life and death like it is a neighbor. Politics are carried out and good people ended up sacrificed on the battlefield. Even so, there is no G.o.d. There is no one to listen no matter how much you pray. Do you know the grief of a human who has to see his wife dying from an incurable disease?]

The four G.o.ddesses listened to Jupiter in a breathless manner. There was a bit of moisture in Lee Geonmyeong's eyes that were filled with regret. He stared up at the blue sky and closed his eyes, enjoying the sunlight s.h.i.+ning through the white clouds. Then he slowly opened them again to stare at the G.o.ddesses.

[I made a decision. If that is the cause, I would destroy that contradictory reality and become the G.o.d of the world I created. All humans will kneel at my feet and I will be their G.o.d. It is only possible with strong power. This is the true order. It is peace.]

At this moment, a message appeared in front of Lee Geonmyeong's eyes. 

[※Warning ※ Due to a temporary failure, all users can't use the logout function.]

[My first step will begin with your blood.]

Lee Geonmyeong's mouth curved up and Huera, Cadiya, Maya, and Hecatiana had eyes like they were ready for combat. It was due to the power they didn't dare come into contact with that was being emitted from Jupiter in front of them.

* * *

At Hesperides, the garden of golden apple trees...

“N...o...” Arethusa reached out to the blackened golden apple tree with sad eyes. Despite her wishes, the golden apple tree had turned completely black and was slowly withering. Arethusa muttered with tears in her eyes, “The divine tree...”

Aegle and Erytheia were collapsed helplessly by her side. Fortunately, they weren't dead. They had just pa.s.sed out because they lost a lot of blood. Behind them was the corpse of the Ladon, who had already died. Aegle and Erytheia's lives would be at risk if they didn't receive treatment now.

“Gasp, you guys...”

As Arethusa stared at her sisters with a desperate gaze, Lucifer and Nekron were standing in front of the golden apple tree.

The two of them observed the situation in Metheus before moving to Hesperides through s.p.a.ce movement, attacking. In the beginning, they struggled because of the strong resistance and barrier. However, the three sisters weren't Lucifer's opponents.

Lucifer immediately instructed Nekron to find the golden apple tree and Nekron was eager to find it without knowing why. Lucifer told him to use Pandora's power to weaken the tree. Nekron had no doubts and slowly turned the golden apple tree black. Lucifer said that by blackening this tree, Nekron would be one step closer to becoming the G.o.d of death.

[※Warning ※ Due to a temporary failure, all users can't use the logout function.]

However, Nekron was extremely fl.u.s.tered by the sudden message that emerged. Nekron realized this message appeared due to him and felt terrified. “What is this? You didn't say anything about this before!”

He looked back at the smiling Lucifer. Lucifer just laughed loudly.

[U-Uhhh. Now isn't the time to laugh...]

Then Nekron's head was cut off.

“......”

His head was only bones since he had already finished the lich transformation. There were only bones that lay at Lucifer's feet.

[Your role is over,] Lucifer muttered with nonchalant eyes as he gazed at the wreckage of the shattered Nekron below him. It was the long-awaited end to Nekron's greed over becoming the G.o.d of death.